The aftermath of Twilight's assassination, and the lives she touched who must now move foward into a future without her
A single life can affect so many others in such positive ways, but when it dies all are left to feel the aftermath. With the death of Princess Twilight Sparkle, assassinated at the hooves of both guards and nobles, a nation struggles to recover as the effects of her death are felt throughout Equestria.
The many lives that she had touched will never be the same. Each is their own story of their struggles, their sorrows, and their attempts to move on in the aftermath of tragedy.
Each chapter is about the other characters, outside of Celestia, who deal with the aftermath of Twilight's death in the first story. Some will be main characters, other minor, others OC. But all of them will be affected, all of them will mourn, and all will have to move on.
The Great and Powerful Trixie refused to believe it. It was unthinkable for Trixie to even think that such a thing was possible. There was no way that Trixie’s rival, and admittedly only friend, was dead. It had to be a plot, or a trick. Perhaps Twilight Sparkle was merely faking her death to fool the assassins into thinking they had succeeded. Trixie did not believe the papers, the rumors, even the photographs of the trial that had been taken. There was no way that Twilight Sparkle was dead. It was not possible to even believe unless Trixie saw it for herself. Hence, why she was waiting in line, waiting to see the so called casket of Equestria’s departed princess.
Trixie had been working on a show in Vanhoover when she first heard the news. Without any hesitation, The Great and Powerful Trixie cancelled her future shows and journeyed non-stop to Canterlot. She wasn’t going to believe it, even after it was announced by Celestia herself on the day Trixie arrived in the city.
I-Trixie needed to see it with her own eyes
All of Canterlot was in a state of mourning. Flags for the princess they only had for a single year were held up in every household. Citizens wore black for days, some holding candlelight vigils at Trixie’s old school where she was expelled; and that was only because they didn’t see Trixie’s potential back then. All the while Trixie had tried to gain as much information as possible. Not that Trixie believed it was true. It had to be staged. It just had to be. Twilight Sparkle was the one pony who Trixie needed in her life.
There was no pony more worthy of being The Great and Powerful Trixie’s rival than the Element of Magic. Trixie would often tell Twilight Sparkle in her letters of just how successful she was, and how much her magic had grown since her unfortunate days in Ponyville. Why Trixie was so great that Sparkle even admitted she was impressed and encouraged Trixie to do more. She even still talked to Trixie when she became a princess.
You heard right. The Great and Powerful Trixie was associated with a princess.
IS! I mean. I mean ‘is’. Twilight Sparkle was still alive. She had to be.
There was no possible way that Twilight Sparkle was dead. It was inconceivable. She was the Element of Magic. Hero of Equestria. Princess of Magic and Friendship. She was not dead because some stupid ponies didn’t like her politics and feared her magic. Those with great power such as Twilight Sparkle-and of course The Great and Powerful Trixie herself-were supposed to be loved and adored by all. Not murdered because of disagreements and foalishness. Besides, Trixie had yet to beat Twilight Sparkle and show her who was the most powerful magician in the world. And this time it would be without some stupid alicorn amulet. The Great and Powerful Trixie needed to show everypony, including Twilight Sparkle, that she didn’t need to be rescued and that Trixie could learn from her mistakes.
All. Her. Mistakes.
And now, Twilight sought to fool everypony, and whomever was her enemy, into thinking she was dead. Ha! The Great and Powerful Trixie has faked her own death many times before! It was part of her act sometimes. A simple potion would put Trixie in a death like sleep to trick others into thinking The Great and Powerful Trixie had left this world. And during her funeral Trixie would rise from her coffin, announce that she had cheated death, and all would applaud her. Or scream about zombies and chase her out of the town. Whichever you choose.
Either way, the Great and Powerful Trixie was determined to prove them wrong. When the so called ‘state funeral’ came, Trixie went of course. She may have been wearing a black version of her usual cape and hat, but it was only for appearance sake. Trixie even had to make it look like she was sad. But I-I mean-Trixie was not! Hours had passed as Trixie slowly followed the line into the palace where hundreds of flowers and wreaths decorated the halls along side black ribbons. Large pictures of Twilight Sparkle’s life could be seen from her birth to her final days on the walls.
It was funny in some ways for Trixie. She and Twilight Sparkle were both talented in magic but had lead completely different lives. Twilight Sparkle was born from a low noble family and was accepted as Princess Celestia’s personal student, loved by all. The Great and Powerful Trixie, orphaned at a young age, was removed from the school because she didn’t ‘match’ their criteria. Twilight Sparkle had conquered ancient evils and proved to be a living avatar of magic itself. The Great and Powerful Trixie had to spend each day fighting and acting to put food on her table. And Twilight Sparkle had friends, family, and others who adored her. The Great and Powerful Trixie had nopony, and was even hated because ponies couldn’t understand her brilliance.
It was not Trixie’s fault that two stupid colts drove a Ursa Minor into a town based on a fabricated tale told by Trixie. It was not Trixie’s fault that she tried to control a corrupting magical amulet and took over a town with tyranny and hate. It was not Trixie’s fault that she didn’t know the first thing about being a good pony until she met Twilight Sparkle. Who may have changed Trixie a bit. Just a bit mind you.
But as Trixie entered the throne room, she couldn’t help but have... doubts. What if this was no trick? What if Trixie was only kidding herself? It wasn’t like Trixie was crying at the time. No way. Trixie tried to think of other things besides the potential of her being wrong; which was a rare thing for Trixie. She had looked to her left to see the remaining princesses of Equestria for the first time. It was like nothing Trixie had expected. These were the most powerful and regal ponies in Equestria and yet they looked anything but. Draped in black, veils over their heads, the two alicorns seemed no different from the rest of the mourners. Tears streamed down their eyes like open waterfalls as they held each other like the sisters that they were. To see Princess Celestia of all ponies in utter despair was such a stunning sight that The Great and Powerful Trixie didn’t have the words to describe it.
But even after seeing this, Trixie refused to believe it. Surely, having lived for nearly a millennium and a half the two alicorns were experts in acting.
Trixie tried to find something else to take her mind off the nagging voice in her head that told her to accept the truth. A truth that had to be a lie! A lie Trixie tells you!
That’s when she saw them. The other Elements of Harmony. The five best friends Twilight Sparkle had constantly told Trixie about in her letters. The five ponies Trixie terrorized and hurt with her own magic. Trixie’s doubts of this all being an act continued to grow as she saw their hurt and broken expressions. The pink one’s hair was as draping like seaweed from a sinking ship. The two pegasi held each other, the yellow one bawling into the rainbow manned one who was doing her best not to cry but obviously failing. The farmer one was staring at the direction of the coffin, looking lifeless and unmoving. Almost like a statue. And the white one, with the fanciest mourning gown of them all, was comforting the little dragon that always hung around Twilight Sparkle.
Trixie remembered how Twilight Sparkle wrote to her, saying that the dragon, Spike, was like a son to her. Trixie had rarely ever wanted to give anypony a hug. She wasn’t much of a touchy feely kind of pony. Yet that dragon, who looked so confused and hurt, in his state of grief was enough to make Trixie want to rush over and hug him. Hug him and tell him to stop crying. Even use Trixie’s magical cape to dry those eyes of his and tell him everything was alright. Trixie didn’t even know it back then, but she was crying as well at that point.
Because that was when Trixie... no, I knew the truth. I could deny it no longer.
Twilight Sparkle, my only friend, my eternal rival, was dead. While standing there in mental shock, realizing that the only pony who truly knew me was gone forever, I realized that the six of them were staring at me. My insides froze as I saw their stares range from confusion to downright anger. Despite making peace with Twilight, I never found the courage to apologize to her friends for what I had done. I was afraid of them, afraid of what they would do to me if we ever saw each other again. And here we were. At Twilight’s funeral. Not really the best of places I suppose.
The rainbow one looked ready to rush over and attack me, but she was stopped by the white one. She shook her head and then looked at me with a stoic expression before nodding. Realizing I was going to be left alone, I quickly nodded back in thanks and turned my head back forwards. I didn’t dare look back to see their reactions.
And yet a part of me wishes I did. For soon enough, minutes later I was there. Flowers surrounded a glass coffin of pure gold. Emeralds, diamonds, and other jewels adorned it in the designs of the Elements of Harmony. Inside the glass bed was none other the Twilight herself. She was so... peaceful looking. Her smile was angelic and her expression similar to a pony having a good dream while sleeping. She wore the dress I saw on the papers after her coronation, only it seemed a bit different; more... somber looking. Covered by her crossed hooves, I saw a bouquet of flowers, all fresh looking. A fitting farewell for a princess. A hero. A true friend.
I couldn’t take anymore. I needed no more proof. Twilight Sparkle really was dead. It was hard running out of the castle with misty eyes, but somehow I managed to do it and found myself in the castle’s courtyard. I screamed. Screamed in anger and despair. I hated Twilight Sparkle for just dying like that. Now I would never prove to her how much better I was. Never hear from her in a letter again. Never get a chance to properly speak to her and call her my friend.
This was wrong. This was all wrong. Why was such a great and powerful pony like Twilight Sparkle dead while I, a failure, was still alive? The world didn’t need me, a stupid magician with cheap parlor tricks. The world needed Twilight Sparkle.
I sat there, wretched with torn feelings, until I heard somepony walking towards me. I turned around, and saw the white unicorn of Twilight’s entourage looking at me with sympathy. She offered her hoof for me. I stared at that hoof for some time before I slowly took it. She helped me up and I looked at her, confused.
“I didn’t expect to find you here,” she said, casting me a sympathetic look. “Then again, I suppose what Twilight said was true. You have changed.”
“She... she told you about me?” I asked, wiping my eyes.
The white unicorn nodded. “Indeed, darling. She sometimes spoke of you, saying how you were trying to become a better pony. Some of us... didn’t believe her, but now I guess this isn’t the time to hold old grudges.”
“I... I’m sorry... for everything,” I muttered, looking downward in shame. I didn’t know if it was a proper time to apologize for my actions against her and all those in Ponyville, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
She sighed. “I suppose it wasn’t all your fault that the Ursa Minor came into our town. And Twilight did say the amulet caused ponies to become evil.” I slowly raised my head and saw her give me a sad smile. “And I know that Twilight would want me to do this so... I forgive you, Trixie.”
I gave a weak smile and nodded, feeling as if a burden on my shoulders had been lifted. If this pony could forgive me, maybe there was a chance the others could too. “Thank you, um...”
“Rarity.”
“Right, Rarity,” I replied.
“So what will you do now?” Rarity asked.
I didn’t give an answer immediately. Truth be told, I had no purpose now. Ever since Twilight had forgiven me for the amulet incident I had done my best to prove that I could be just as good a magician as she was. But without her, my rival, what could I do? Go back to being a show pony who was only good at tricks and telling stories?
Stories.
My eyes widened as an idea so great came to my mind that only somepony as great and powerful as Trixie could have thought it up. Smiling, I puffed up my chest and said, “Why, Trixie shall do what she does best! Go around the world and give them a show! But this time Trixie will not be spreading tales about her greatness alone! No, Trixie will let the world know about the Great and Powerful Twilight Sparkle as well! She will make sure her tales of grandeur are spread all throughout the world so that she remains immortal to the tides of history!”
Rarity gave me a satisfied smile. Pleased by Trixie’s proclamation. “I think that is a noble idea, Trixie. One that I’m sure Twilight would be flattered by.”
“It is the least Trixie can do for her,” I muttered, slowly closing my eyes. It was right then that I wished her only true friend a safe passage into the next world. And vowed that when it became time for the Great and Powerful Trixie to depart for the same world as well, she would finally settle their score once and for all. I opened my eyes and nervously asked, “You know, if Trixie is going to tell of the greatness of Twilight Sparkle. Trixie would like to hear about it from those who knew her best.”
Rarity smiled at Trixie and nodded. “Come down to Ponyville some time then. The girls and I would love to tell you everything.”
I smiled and said my goodbyes to Rarity. Trotting down the street, I vowed to make the Legend of Twilight Sparkle known throughout the world. And only a Great and Powerful unicorn such as Trixie could make such a vow happen.
***
And so the tale of the Fallen Star spread across every nation.
Her deeds remembered for ages to come.
The Wandering Storyteller never stopped spreading them.
Not until she could speak no more and joined her rival in the stars.
If you were to tell me a thousand years ago that I would be worried about a single pony, I would have laughed at you and shaken your hoof, claw, hand, or whatever limb you had and thanked you for the good joke. Before I rained chocolate milk over your head and have pigeons fly out your ears, of course. All in good fun I assure you.
Truth was I was actually worried for a single pony, along with a few others I had actually grown quite close to over the past year and a half since my “reformation” as it was called. Couldn’t they use a better word than that? Sounds so boring, why not “Discord’s miraculous three-sixty face turn”! Sounds better don’t you think? Of course I’m getting off track now; you want to hear about my story right? That’s how this thing usually goes I believe. Well you know who I am, and what I am, so there is no point in talking about my past. And chances are if you are reading this you already know the most shocking event that not even I saw coming. Not that it truly surprised me.
The death of Princess Twilight Sparkle.
How am I not surprised by this? Well, you’d normally think for a country that runs on “Harmony” that the thought of assassinating one of their own would be ludicrous. Thing is, “Harmony” is just another world for “Stability”. And when you change the status quo, like Twilight was trying to do, you make a few enemies. Now I was all for her attempts at changing Equestria, after all it had been the same for almost a thousand years while every other nation went through some sort of change. And change, in of itself, is chaotic, so how could I not support her efforts?
The problem is that ponies hate the very notion of change, or at least those who are in power or are stubborn in their beliefs. Ponies are such fickle creatures. One moment they are praising you and loving you for saving them from danger, the next minute they want to kill you because you want to introduce a new change in culture, politics, economics, social norms, or anything really. Oh, Twilight Sparkle wanted to change so much from allowing inter-racial marriage, to introducing electricity to replace steam power, and changing the Council of Nobles into a structure where it was based on voted representatives from each city instead of those of high birth. That last one I think is what did her in.
She was warned of course, by her teacher, her friends, and even myself to be careful. Not that I cared about her personally, mind you. I was worried that if something happened to her I would be forced to deal with the aftermath; which is what I’m dealing with now. I was there when Fluttershy got the message that Twilight was dead, naturally as her friend I comforted her in this time of sorrow. I was saddened, having grown used to my former enemy, but I was not in tears. I was not close to Twilight like I was with Fluttershy or some of the other ponies of Ponyville.
I watched them place Twilight in Princess Celestia’s museum for departed students, and said my brief goodbyes. All done in secret, however, as I doubt many wanted me there, even if I was close to a few of them. However, I knew the real challenge would not be dealing with Twilight’s death, but the reaction to it, especially the ones reflected in my best friend in the world.
My best friend.
Still funny to say that, really. I’ve never had a friend before. Never. Ponies never liked me, even when I was trying to be good long ago and use my magic to make them laugh. Maybe if I had friends back then things would have been different, but the past is the past. We all have to move on.
Anyway, it had been a month since the funeral and, despite my best efforts, I was still unable to get Fluttershy to laugh again. That brat Angel and the rest of the animals tried helping Fluttershy alongside me, but she only did her usual chores before retreating back in her room to weep. The worst part was that no matter what I did, I couldn’t make her smile. I even wounded my own pride and tried to get her friends to help me out, but they were still as emotionally damaged as she was. Except for Pinkie Pie; that girl recovered in a week, or so it seems. Still, even together nothing we did could get Fluttershy out of her house nor stop her from crying. I was beginning to get desperate and, as much as I hate to say it, worried.
Fluttershy, in some way or another, was the most important thing I had in my life right now, especially since I was trying my best to be good as it were. She was the only pony that showed me kindness. She was willing to put up with me, even after I used her multiple times to prevent myself from being turned to stone again. She never lost faith in me. She cared about me. She saw me as a friend who just needed a little kindness and so I sought to repay that kindness. But when she finally approached me asking for my help, I couldn’t give it to her. Why? Well, let me tell you.
I was eating some ice cream topped with waffle bits and cucumbers when I saw Fluttershy come down stairs in a hurry. This was a surprise to me since she had rarely ever shown any sign of excitement since Twilight’s death; mostly she just dragged herself around like she was still at the funeral. Pushing her long, tangled mane out of the way, Fluttershy looked at me with hope in her bloodshot eyes and said, “Discord! I’ve got it! I know how we can fix everything!”
I was a bit confused by this, but I only urged her to continue. “Your powers can do a lot right?! Anything you can think off?!” she pleaded.
“Of course! What do you want me to do? Make the clouds look like monkeys? Turn the backyard into a beach? Summon a giant dancing panda on roller skates?” I asked, with glee. I was excited because not only was I going to cause some mischief, but I was also getting a chance to help Fluttershy out of her funk.
Of course, that all changed when she stated her request. With a wide smile, she said, “I want you to bring Twilight back from the dead.”
Oh boy.
Yeah, you could imagine how awkward I was feeling. Despite what I’ve been bragging about, there are some things my powers cannot do. For instance, I couldn’t create sentient life, only animate it and, at most, give it instincts. My powers didn’t work on the Everfree Forest, then again I doubt any magic can change that place. And I couldn’t revive the dead. Believe me, I’ve tried once for a prank a long time ago but I was left hanging around in a cemetery for hours before I gave up.
It pained me to do tell her, but I soon rubbed the back of my neck and sighed. “I can’t do that.”
The happy smile, the first I had seen on Fluttershy’s face for a long time, slowly turned into a sorrowful frown as her eyes looked at me with disbelief. “W-what? But… your powers… you can do anything.”
“I… can’t…,” I said, “There are some things I cannot do, Fluttershy. And bringing back Twilight is one of them.”
“No! No! No!” screamed Fluttershy, as she kicked a nearby lamp as hard as she could, breaking it. She turned towards me, her eyes filling with tears. “That can’t be true! There has to be a way, some kind of magical way to bring her back! She can’t be gone for good! Not after everything we’ve been through, it just can’t end like this! I don’t want it to end like this! I want my friend back!”
“Fluttershy, I know this is hard, believe me, but you have to accept that she’s gone now,” I said, doing my best to comfort her. I looked around and saw the animals watching us, nervously. I didn’t blame them; a hysterical Fluttershy was a rare and discomforting sight. She continued to sit there, crying and muttering Twilight’s name as I walked over and calmly put my claw on her hoof. “Come on, Fluttershy. Maybe there is something else I can do for you?!”
With a smile, I dressed up like a ship captain and said, “How about a cruise on the S.S. Discord! I can take us to any sea where you can relax, have fun, and even see ocean animals.”
“No…” muttered Fluttershy.
“Hmm,” I then snapped my figures and was dressed up in as a chef, flipping Angel, to my amusement, in a frying pan. “Then how about a five course meal! I’ve been all over the world and know the finest of dishes!”
“Please stop….”
I should have probably stopped there, but I kept going anyway.
“Oh, I know!” I snapped my fingers again and this time appeared as a ringmaster, with my good buddy angel struggling to juggle a bunch of pointy swords while riding a unicycle. What? The guy always told me he always wanted to be a superstar. “Or maybe…”
“No! Just stop! Just stop!” screamed Fluttershy. She had turned on The Stare at full capacity, which sent all her animals scurrying to their safe havens, leaving me alone to face her wraith. Thankfully, I was immune to such a thing, but Fluttershy didn’t care and got right up into my face. At least she was showing some emotion other than sadness. Anger was the next part on the five stages of grief I think. “You think this is something you can joke about, Discord?! Twilight is dead! One of my best friends is dead and you can’t do anything with those worthless powers of yours! What kind of ‘great spirit of chaos’ are you?! What kind of friend are you?! I bet you don’t even care! You never care about anything, but yourself! You don’t know what it’s like to lose somepony you cared about!”
I raised a finger to correct her but then I stopped short of speaking up. Why? Because she was right.
“You're right about one thing,” I answered, snapping my fingers and getting rid of my uniform. I stared back at her, crossing my arms. “I don’t know what it’s like to lose somepony you care about, because before you I had nopony to care about in my life.” Fluttershy’s stare slowly lost its power as her eyes slowly retreated back to their gentle norm. Figuring I was on a roll, I continued, “Yes, Twilight did die. Am I sad? Yes, but I wasn’t as close to her as you were and I can’t understand your feelings. But at the same time, can you understand mine?”
I closed my eyes, and mumbled, “Do you remember when I told you that I snuck into her funeral? I saw all of you, mourning for her over her casket. I saw everypony crying for her, remembering her, praying for her and it made me realize something. I’m never going to get that. I’m ageless, I don’t know if it’s even possible for me to die. But you can. You will die one day, Fluttershy, and I will mourn for you, but you at least will be remembered when that time comes. I’ll be around until existence itself ends or at least for a very long time. I’ll probably outlive even Celestia and Luna.”
“T-that’s not true… you can make more friends! Ponies who will love you!” shouted Fluttershy, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“But for how long? Will I just keep making friends until I can’t take the losses anymore? Twilight was lucky to have lived a life surrounded by friends and family, I will never get that,” I said, clutching my fist. “And you know what’s even more annoying! I never used to care about that until I met you! So you are wrong about something. I do care about somepony! You, Fluttershy! I care about you! And when you… die maybe then I’ll know what you’re feeling, but I don’t want to feel that now! What I want to see is you get better… I want you to smile again. And if I can’t make you smile… if I can’t make my best friend feel better then how can I really understand all this friendship stuff anyway?”
Even though I was yelling she wasn’t shrieking in fear, instead she stood there, looking at me with sympathy and regret. Damn those eyes, how innocent they were to me. I didn’t want her pity, I just wanted her to be happy. But here I am, spilling my guts out to this pony, and no, I was not crying a tear.
“Fluttershy, you and your friends are the first ponies to actually care about me. Do you know what my earliest memories of my existence are? I was called a monster everywhere I went around with nopony showing me any friendship or love. I was feared or hated because of my appearance or my magic. I just wanted to have fun, but I was denied that constantly. So I figured if being nice wasn’t going to cut it, I had to be a bit… forceful.”
“Is… is that why?” asked Fluttershy, standing up. I nodded. There was a bit more to it, but that was enough for her. “I… I never knew…”
“Of course you didn’t. Most ponies don’t know. To be honest you have no idea how lucky you are to have even have had a friend like Twilight Sparkle. Even if your time together was cut short,” I snorted.
“What do you mean?” asked Fluttershy, tilting her head.
I sighed. Was it really this hard for some ponies to see what was in front of them? What they had? Then again, they aren’t exactly ageless beings who have been around for a long time and learned a thing or two. Figuring I might as well humor her I said, “Fluttershy, you may have lost Twilight, but you at least had her as a friend. You at least have friends you can make memories with. Friends you can grow old with, experience life with, and the die with. I don’t have that. I’ve never had a single good memory with a friend until I befriended you and the others. And when all of you die, I’ll be still alive and kicking as far as I know. I’ll have to live for thousands of years while you and your friends are up in some afterlife playing harps or whatever it is they do up there. At least when you die, you’ll be loved and mourned. Who will mourn for me? Celestia? Luna? None of us are close, despite sharing immortality, and I doubt we ever will be.”
I honestly admit it. I couldn’t help but be jealous of Twilight. All of these ponies had come to say goodbye because they loved her so much. Who would be there for me when my time came, if it ever? I could make new friends sure, but would it be worth it knowing that chances are they would die and I never would? It was annoying. If I didn’t feel friendship then maybe I wouldn’t have to worry so much about all this. But then I remember all the smiles, laughs, and actual fun times I’ve had since becoming good. And it’s worth it, much more than conquering Equestria and bringing back the age of chaos. It’s worth it, being with Fluttershy and her friends. Twilight Sparkle, you were damn right about Friendship. I only wish I had the chance to tell you that in person.
Lost in my thoughts, I almost missed Fluttershy tackle me with a hug. She kept apologizing, for either yelling at me or not taking regard of my own feelings, I don’t know. I hugged her back and let her continue to weep until her eyes were dried. For some reason, I felt good inside. Maybe it was because I did a good deed or maybe it was because I let loose some of my own emotions thanks to all this. Either way, I felt good or that’s all that mattered. “Let me help you, Fluttershy. What do you want?” I whispered.
Fluttershy lowered her head, and for a long time she remained silent until she said, “I want to see Twilight.”
***
I levitated just outside of the memorial gardens. Fluttershy wanted to talk to Twilight alone and I was going to respect that. While waiting, I looked up at Celestia’s room in the distance. She still had yet to come out of her room since Twilight’s funeral. I wondered when, if ever, she was going to come out. The rumors that were spreading about her were funny to say the least. Seriously, they ranged from her committing suicide to preparing to set all of Equestria with her fury over the actions of those who hated Twilight. Maybe now she’ll finally see that her so called “precious and innocent subjects” aren’t’ as innocent as she’d like them to believe
I soon saw Fluttershy come out of the gardens. She still had some tears in her eyes, but she was smiling, giving me hope that there was a chance she would be fine. “Better?” I asked.
“Much,” answered Fluttershy, yawning. “Can we go home? I want to go to bed.”
“Why? Got plans?” I joked, but to my surprise she nodded. “Really? What kind?”
“I plan on having a picnic tomorrow. Maybe see if the girls are willing to come, and if you want to come join us you can.” Fluttershy lowered her head and shuffled her hooves. “You’re right. I need to start moving on, but I don’t want to do it alone. I want… I need my friends. And that does include you, Discord. I’m so sorry for what I did.”
I smiled. “I’ll forgive if you allow one thing.” I then snapped my fingers and summoned another pink cloud, letting it rain chocolate milk into a cup I summoned. “I bring the refreshments.”
***
The Chaos Spirit stayed with the Gentle Butterfly until she joined her friend, the Fallen Star.
He then occupied her home, continuing to bring laughter and surprises to Ponyville.
A long time he lived, but when he finally passed on he had a smile on his face.
Because the town he once tried to ruin, all mourned for his death.
First off, I would like to thank you for everything you’ve done for me since I first came to P.S. 134 in Manehatten. Despite having been Ponyville’s elementary school teacher for twelve years, I was always curious about teaching older students at a higher grade level. Imagine my surprise when you sent in a request last year, asking if I could become your new temporary History Teacher for Sophomores. It was hard leaving home, but I was excited at the idea of teaching a different age set of students for a change.
I can still remember my first day here. I was so nervous about making mistakes, but I was confident that I could deal with whatever problems I had. Oh how naive I was. Back in Ponyville, most of my little students were eager to learn about anything and we had fun doing it. Here, most of the students couldn’t care less about school and seemed to be more interested in their cliques than anything else. There were some good students, bright ones that I had the pleasure of knowing, but they never came to me personally to talk. Not like my old students did.
All they saw was an old teacher, who they only wanted to please so they could pass the class. I wasn’t used to the cold shoulder, and a part of me still isn’t. There were also the usual things that are in every school such as bullies, bad grades, attitude problems, and learning disabilities, but there were also other sorts of problems that I wasn’t used too. Drugs, smoking, teenagers using the classrooms to have sex, violent fights, and so much cursing; even to my face! I thought it couldn’t get any worse.
That was until I met Regal.
I remember when Regal transferred into the school, and when you told us who this boy was and, more importantly, who he was related to. I don’t know if you know this, but I knew Twilight Sparkle when she was living in Ponyville, and learning of her death tore me up. She was somepony who I admired for her intellect and she would sometimes teach my students with me. We would spend hours talking about various subjects like math, science, and more. She was, to me, a very close friend.
To learn that I would be teaching the nephew of one of her killers, was something I never expected. I imagine it wasn't easy for Regal, knowing that his uncle had played a part in the biggest crime in past decade. His family’s fortune lost, their reputation ruined, and most of them driven from Canterlot and trying to find a new home.
It may have been years since that awful day, but even now some of us Ponyville raised ponies are still grieving for the loss of one of our greatest heroes. Nevertheless, I was determined to not judge Regal for the actions of uncle, and treat him like any other student I had. I am ashamed to say my students did not share the same mindset as me.
Regal’s first day in my class was not perfect. In fact it was a disaster the moment he stepped forward. Everypony in class knew who he was thanks to the rumors spread around the halls. They constantly harassed him, asking him how it felt to be related to traitor. Some of them asked him if he was there when they put his uncle at the stake and burned him alive. And when he was silent, when he tried to ignore them, they acted like he was deaf or stupid and called him (Much to my shame of writing it) “Regal the Retarded.”
The worst of them were Boulder Brawler and Flare. Those two had it out for Regal at the very start. I didn’t know it then, but I suspect they were the ones that put “Murderer’s Not Wanted” in graffiti on his locker. I have never given more punishments before in my life then to those two nasty colts, colts that I am ashamed to have taught. Colts that you should have expelled a long time ago after all of my reports. Maybe if you did, things would have been different for him. For all of us.
Regal had no friends and was teased maliciously for any number of reasons, from being mocked for what his uncle did to being called weird because he was always alone and quiet. I caught him more than once crying all alone in the halls. I tried to talk to him many times, but he always turned away from me.
Regal was always on my mind, more than any student I had at the time, and it seemed no matter what I did nothing worked. I gave punishments to any student that made fun of him or beat him up, mostly Boulder Brawler and Flare. I tried getting the parents involved, and that lessened it somewhat, but many didn’t seem to care or didn’t take the the issues seriously, saying it was just a phase teenagers go through. The worst was Flare’s father. He was actually encouraging his son to keep Regal in check to “let the brat know that his kind can’t get away with murdering just because somepony doesn’t like what they do.”
I never was more disgusted with a parent in my entire life.
I tried to get you and my fellow teachers involved, but most of them didn’t like him or thought that it wasn’t important in any case. There were dozens of students who didn’t fit in just like Regal, and each teacher already had their own to take care of. And you of course didn’t listen to me, I was the temporary teacher for the year, the one who would be gone in a few months. And yet I was the only pony on the staff brave enough to care about Regal.
One day, I went to Regal’s home under the pretense of a parent teacher conference. I tried talking to Regal’s mother, but she insisted that I stay out of their family’s business, believing that I was part of the trouble that her son was going through by not looking after him. I tried to tell her I was there to help, but she didn’t believe me. I didn’t know what to do, I just stood there and took her verbal abuse without defending myself. I suspect she was letting out her anger on me for all the injustice done to her and her family.
Regal actually came to me as I was leaving the house and apologized to me. He believed me when I said that I was trying my best to help him, but he said that nothing was going to change. He felt he was doomed to carry the sin of his uncle on his back forever, no matter how much I told him that it wasn’t true.
That’s when I made a plan to prove it to him. Looking back now I feel I made a terrible mistake by doing it. If only I had planned it better. Or maybe not planned it at all. All I know is that I had a chance to fix everything and I blew it.
I decided to talk about the history of each of the four alicorns known in the world. Everypony was into it, excited to learn about the most powerful ponies known in history. When I got to Princess Luna, I went into detail about her time as Nightmare Moon, the terror she brought, and how she had to be banished by Celestia herself to pay for her crimes. Yet despite this, she was forgiven after a thousand years and, although she carries this weight, she is still loved and respected by her subjects. Even her Night Guard was composed of the families who battled on her side long ago, and were still respected even now. Boulder Brawler asked why none of the bat ponies were punished for betraying Celestia.
I told him that the policy of Equestria was to forgive those that harmed them. That we sought a better path than vengeance. That was why we had an alliance with the griffins, who we had gone to war against many times in past, and why we were trying to establish peace with the changelings now that Queen Chrysalis was no more. I also made sure to point out that such issues with the bat ponies and griffins were long gone due to the fact that the ones who took part in their crimes had been dead for years.
It got the class whispering and I knew some of them were looking at Regal. I was doing it, I was making them slowly realize that maybe it was wrong to think Regal had anything to do with Twilight’s death. I even saw hope in Regal’s eyes, as if he knew what I was doing.
And then Flare ruined it all. We had just finished Twilight’s history and ended on her ascension. I had planned to stop there. Then Flare said we should talk about her assassination. He made sure to point out that it was carried out by nobles, like Regal’s uncle, who came from families who were greedy, racist, and pompous. I tried to get him to stop, noticing Regal shaking in his seat.
He went on, talking about how he was there when they all were executed at the stake and mentioned that the rest of their families should have been burned as well for failing to notice their member’s treason. I ordered him to be quiet. And then he said that Princess Celestia would make sure that none of the families forgot, that they were better of disappearing forever then to live with the shame of their sin.
I was ready to drag Flare out of the room, but Regal couldn’t take it anymore. He screamed and attacked Flare with rage in his eyes, kicking as hard has his legs could kick. Flare cried for help as the rest of the students didn’t do anything but stare and gasp. I rushed over and separated Regal from a bleeding Flare. All the while Flare was shouting that Regal had tried to kill him.
Regal realized what he had done and began to cry into my shoulder. I held him as tight as I could. While this happened, I heard, and I’m sure Regal did as well, the whispers of my students, believing that Regal was indeed a monster. I had failed. My plan ruined because of that brat!
I cancelled class that day, later getting an earful from Flare’s father and mother who wanted me to expel Regal but I had had enough. I told them that if their son had caused anymore disturbances, any more harm to Regal, I was going to make sure he was expelled instead. They were outraged, but didn’t say anymore. You told me to leave Regal alone, sir. That my efforts to help him were only causing public disturbance and damaging the school’s reputation.
Sir, with all honestly, I wanted to tell you to go buck yourself for caring more about a school’s public image then a pony in pain. The weekend came and I tried to work up the courage to speak to Regal at his house, but I couldn’t come up with anything to say. Maybe if I had gone I could have prevented what happened that Monday. That Monday that none of us in this school will ever forget.
I never told anypony the real details of what happened, sir. Not even the police. Mainly because I couldn’t express it, but now I am. I want to let you know how we all failed Regal, sir.
Monday came and I waited for all my students to come in like always. One by one they came, not knowing that their lives were going to be changed forever. I noticed that one student was late, Regal. It wouldn’t be the first time he skipped school after a bad incident and I didn’t blame him at all for what happened.
But soon, not five minutes after I started taking names, did Regal come into the class, smiling and carrying his saddlebags. I told him he was late, but then he raised his hoof and said he had an announcement for the class. I didn’t say anything, I should have, but I didn’t. He turned to the class, his eyes focusing on Brawler Boulder and Flare, and apologized to them and everypony in the class. That they were right, he was a monster and the Flare had the right idea about him and his family needing to disappear forever.
That’s when he pulled it out with his magic. I couldn’t even believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. I didn’t even know his family had one until we all learned it was one of the few heirlooms his family had left after their fall from grace. I had personally never seen one, but I knew what it was from the pictures I had seen. It was a pistol from the griffin lands. A single shot pistol that he pulled out of from his bags and pointed at the class.
None of us made any sound, all of us were staring at Regal with terror in our eyes. My students were as still as statues, seeing the weapon pointed at each of them. I was just as frozen, to my shame. In Ponyville, I had been through Nightmare Moon, Ursa Minors, Parasprites, the invasion of the Everfree Forest, and more. And yet I was terrified of a single pony holding a gun.
I was about to tell him to put the gun down, to let us talk about this, but it was too late. We all watched as he pointed the gun at himself. He pulled the trigger. The shot went off. His blood splattered all over the front row students and the chalkboard. And then everypony screamed.
I don’t need to tell you what happened afterwards. The press. The accusations. The Princesses and Elements getting involved. The horror of it all. It’s still going on now, and I doubt it will ever end soon. In the end, what has come out of all of this? Twenty students who will be forever traumatized by witnessing somepony of their own age kill himself. Two colts, and their families, who had to move because of the backlash from raising such bullies. A mother who ended her own life after losing her son. And... my spirit broken.
I had failed every single one of them, sir. I did everything I could and yet it wasn’t enough. I should have done more, but I didn’t. I failed one colt who only wanted somepony to tell him that he deserved to exist, that he didn’t have to bare any shame. And yet I couldn’t reach him.
I am resigning effective immediately from the school, and I don't care what you have say to dissuade me. Quite frankly, sir, this school disgusts me. I’m going back to Ponyville where I can do some real good, but I will never forget what happened here. And I will make sure you never will too, sir. I sent a copy of this letter to the Manehatten Press, and I’m sure you’ll be getting even more reporters asking questions on why you failed to help a student. I’m pretty sure the Equestria Education Council will also want to conduct their own investigation.
Thank you for the experience, sir. May you rot in Tartarus.
Signed,
Cheerilee
***
She returned to her roots, with everypony waiting with joy.
She taught bright young minds alike for many years.
But she never talked about her experience in the city.
The first thing that I realized when I woke up was that it was cold. And not just a I will have a flu cold, I am talking about a frozen wasteland cold. I quickly got up off the floor, hoping to fly to a warm spot when I realized that I was in the middle of Ponyville during a dark grey day. What creeped me the most was apparent lack of snow while I was unable to feel even weakest wind blowing in my face, and yet I was freezing. Even more confusing was the fact that I was in the middle of the town with no memory of how I got there in the first place.
I concentrated, trying to think of what happened last night, but it was all hazy. I remembered drinking a few hard ciders, and I wondered if I’d passed out. I wondered if maybe this was some big prank that was going on; wouldn’t put it past Pinkie Pie to do so. She had been in a pranking mood ever since... well... just a long time. But for some reason I didn’t think this was a prank. I then thought I must have crashed during a stunt, but there was no crater and I had no injuries. Something seemed wrong. Very wrong.
I shook my head and fought against a massive headache before getting up and looking around, noticing two things. The first was that there were very few ponies around which was strange since this was the central hub for everypony in town. It was also market week if I remembered correctly so where were the busy ponies going up and down the streets to get to the markets? I looked up at the sky and didn’t even see a single pegasus. There were a lot of clouds, giving me something to scold the weather team about when I found them, but not a single ray of sunshine.
The second thing I noticed provided me a clue as to why everything was so grim. The street lamps, the houses, and the trees all had black ribbons tied against them. I felt myself turn even colder when I saw this, knowing all too well what it meant. It had been a few months, but I could still remember the day we all put another bunch of black ribbons out for one of the greatest ponies I ever knew, and one of the best friends I ever had. I fought back the tears in my eyes, struggling not to lose it there. Yeah, I was about to cry. So what?! If you had a best friend who had died you would...
Sorry, I’m getting off track. After I regained my senses I started to concentrate, trying to figure out who was it that kicked the bucket, but no names came to me. Walking down the street, I saw more and more of the dreaded ribbons which made me worry even more. Whoever it was that had died had to be have been somepony important. Finally, I decided to ask two ponies, a unicorn and an earth pony nearby, who it was.
“Excuse me?” I asked, but they didn’t even turn to face me. Huffing, I raised my voice. “Hey! I’m talking to you!”
Ignoring me, the unicorn said, “So, was she really this important? From what I have heard, she was obsessed with getting drunk almost everyday.”
“She only became that a few months ago, around the time you moved here, but before that she was an amazing pony. Everypony loved her, to see her just... go like that it was...,” the earth pony shivered. “I still can’t believe it. First Princess Twilight and now this? Haven’t we suffered enough tragedy in our town?”
The unicorn scoffed. “If you ask me, she caused her own demise. The way she acted and talked to ponies? I know she’s suffered a great loss, but really when you’ve been arrested for being drunk in public, causing fights, and public urination you should at least take the hint that you need help.”
“She kept denying it. You know how some alcoholics are,” pointed out the earth pony.
Despite my attempts to get their attention, I listened in with open ears. The only pony that I knew who had a drinking problem was Berry Punch. The poor mare and her husband divorced when they suffered a miscarriage and she’d been a drinker ever since with very few friends. Last I heard she was getting better, but I guess that wasn’t the case now. Despite not being close to her, I couldn’t help but feel sorry that she was gone. I was about to wonder how she died when the unicorn then said something that made me freeze up.
“Not to mention I heard she got suspended from that academy she went to. For the Wonderbolts, right?”
“Yeah, it was last week. She got drunk and caused an accident that hurt her fellow cadets, then she just got worse,” said the earth pony shaking her head. “At least she died quickly, snapped her neck when she crashed as I heard.”
You know that moment in your life when you know what’s in front of you but you deny it constantly just to fool yourself. That’s what I started to go through when I heard that. I knew there was only one pony in Ponyville on the Wonderbolts Acadamy list. Somepony who was suspended for causing a disturbance in camp that lead to an argument and a lot of hurt pegasi. Somepony who was, right now, ready to piss herself in fear.
Me.
I slowly raised my hoof, to try something. How many times have I seen this in movies or read this in books? The protagonist who did this would then find out, after he saw he couldn’t touch them, that he was a ghost and was dead. And in a split second, when I saw my hoof fade into her head without a single sign of disturbance, I knew who was it that had I died.
Me.
I was dead.
I didn’t give out a big “Nooo” or cry or anything dramatic like that. I just stood there, trying to process what I had just learned. The two ponies soon walked away, while I sat on my haunches, feeling no longer cold but alone and afraid. If I really was... dead... why was I still here? Why wasn't I in the afterlife with my best friend? Where was the pale pony coming to reap my soul? Was I going to be stuck as a ghost forever?
I shook my head. This had to be a dream. I wasn’t dead yet. I couldn’t be. I wasn’t a Wonderbolt yet and if I really was dead then I wouldn’t be here as a spirit right? I had nothing to hold me down here, nothing! I continued to believe that this was a dream and that I had to wake up from this. The question was how? I thought long and hard before remembering that you never saw your face in a dream otherwise you woke up. Twilight mentioned it once when I told her of a dream I had where I was flying into space and when I looked back I saw my head as the planet before waking up. If I really was dead, then there had to be a funeral for me right? A place for others to mourn for me?
My body sounded like it was intact according to the dream unicorn, so there had to be an open casket service. Although, I wished I had gone out better than crashing. I mean really? Dying from a crash? I know it happens but that’s so cliche. I also scoffed at what that unicorn said about me. I wasn’t an alcoholic, a heavy drinker sure, but nothing more than a bottle or two. For some reason this made my headache worse, but I shrugged it off as best as I could.
I had to get to the funeral home at the other edge of town. That way I could see myself and then wake up alive and well.
I flew into the air and rushed as fast as I could, trying to fight off the growing doubts in my head. Me? Rainbow Dash? Dead? No, way. I was gonna live until I was eighty, maybe ninety. And even if I was... dead... wouldn’t I have met... Twilight? I shook my head again. I didn’t want to think about her. Not now. I was already going through enough of headache trying to end this nightmare.
It didn’t take long for me to arrive at Ponyville’s Funeral Home where I was treated to a scary sight. A large banner was up front, surrounded by multicolor flowers with the words “Farewell Rainbow Dash” in big letters. I forced myself to laugh, as if I was trying to tell the dream that I wasn’t scared by what I was seeing.
Even though it took me a while to walk up those steps and into the building, I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t chattering my teeth or feeling the need to just fly away and come back latter. I was... okay I was scared, but can you blame me? If you suddenly woke up, heard you were dead, and saw your funeral, you would freak out too.
I entered the main room which was filled with so many ponies in the pew that you’d think the whole town was here. Almost everypony was crying as I walked down the center aisle, seeing my weather patrol teammates and ponies I knew from the Academy looking like... well... like somepony had died. Even Spitfire was crying and that bucked me in the gut. We argued last time we talked and I... I said some things I shouldn’t have said. But she was trying to control me!
I tried not to think about it. “I’m not dead. I’m not dead. I’m not bucking dead!” I said to myself, but it didn’t help. Especially when I got to the front of the pews.
My friends were there, all of them sobbing harder than I had ever seen them, almost as much as they did at Twilight's funeral; she was the only one not there which I cursed my luck for. If she was, then I would have known this was a dream. Because I can’t forget that day when I learned that said that a mare I respected, and loved like a sister, was murdered. I’ll never forget looking into that glass coffin, seeing her so beautiful and yet so lifeless. I’ll never... I want to... I just.
I didn’t want to look at them anymore. Although it took all my willpower not to hug Fluttershy who was weeping like a rainstorm in Rarity’s hooves. I turned to the other side and I felt my heart sink even worse at who I saw. My parents, Rainbow Bolt and Firefly, were holding each other like they were a lifeline in an ocean. I had never seen them cry, not once. I walked over to them, trying to nuzzle them, hoping they could feel me somehow, but I just phazed through. Even if this was a dream I wanted at least some reaction.
“My baby... my little Rainbow....” muttered my mother who sobbed into a handkerchief.
“It’s alright, honey... it’s okay,” whispered my father. “She’s at peace now... she’s no longer in any pain...”
“Why couldn’t she let us help her!” screamed my mother, pounding my father’s chest. “Why couldn’t she just listen to us and get help! She’d be... she’d be...”
I gulped and slowly turned my head towards the end of the room. There, placed in the center, was a blue coffin with multiple flowers decorating it. Flowers that held all the colors of my mane. The coffin was open and I walked forward, doing my best to keep my eyes off it until I reached the wooden bed. I thought about not looking. I really did.
But I didn’t turn back.
I looked.
I saw who it was that had died.
Me.
I gave a horrified cry at the sight of myself lying there. I wasn’t deformed or scared or anything. It looked like I was just sleeping in my academy uniform. My eyes were gently closed. My lips formed in a small frown. My hooves folded upon my unmoving chest. I fell back, gasping and holding my heart in an effort to calm myself.
“Rainbow Dash!”
I turned around, hoping that somepony had noticed me, but what I saw was Scootaloo, in a black dress, rushing forward with tears in her eyes. I tried to take her into my grasp as she charged forward, begging whatever powers-that-be for me to touch her. Like the rest, she went right through me as if I was nothing but air.
I turned around and watched my biggest fan leap into the coffin and start shaking me over and over again. “Come back! Rainbow! Please! I don’t care if you called me a flightless annoyance! I’m sorry I called you a drunk loser! Just please come back!”
I didn’t know what was more frightening to me. The thought that I dared to hurt Scootaloo's feelings who I was teaching to fly. The fact that she called me, her idol, a drunk loser. Or the realization that I had seen my face with no hope to ever wake up.
“No... no, this can’t be! I need to wake up! I need to wake up!” I screamed louder than I ever had before. But nopony heard me.
I watched, teary-eyed, as Applejack rushed over and picked Scootaloo up. “Scootaloo! Stop! She’s gone, Scoots... she’s.... she’s gone...”
“Why?! Why did she have to die like that?! I hate her! I hate that stupid alcohol that killed her! I hate... I hate... I hate myself!” she screamed, struggling for awhile before she went lip and continued to cry on Applejack’s shoulder. “I should have helped her... I could have helped... why didn’t she listen to me...”
“It’s not your fault, sugarcube... some ponies...” Applejack bit her lip. “Someponies change when they have a problem.”
Right beside them, invisible to them all, was me, still crying.
Because I couldn’t deny it any longer. I, Rainbow Dash, was dead.
What kind of a daughter was I to just get myself killed like that and leave my family in unimaginable grief? How loyal was I to get drunk and lash out against my friends who only wanted to help me? How many times did I make them cry and worry that I’ll get myself hurt or worse? Well, they were right to worry. And a hero? Please. I didn’t die defending Ponyville or doing some trick or rescuing somepony. I died like a loser.
I wanted to smack that corpse of mine in my casket, hanging just over my open grave, but what was the point? I was a ghost or something, a small fact that had been bothering me. If I was dead, why wasn’t I in Heaven or Elysium or the Summer Lands or whatever the name was for the afterlife.
It was the final part of the funeral now as I had followed my best friends carrying my coffin from the funeral home to the cemetery. It was nice to see everypony who was on the street bow their heads in respect, but it didn’t make me feel any better. How was I going to feel better? I was dead, and such a young age. I didn’t make it into the Wonderbolts, I never got married, and I was going to remembered for getting myself killed because I was an idiot. Being dead? Yeah, it sucks.
I wonder if this is how Twilight fel—I then ordered my brain to stop thinking about her. About that day. I know I shouldn’t have cared, since I’m dead too and all, but still....
I watched as everypony came up to my coffin one by one to say their final goodbyes. Rarity was in tears, and whispered loud enough for me to hear that I was a good friend and to say "hello" to Twilight for them. Applejack just stood there for a few minutes, her hat against her heart, before leaving. Pinkie actually surprised everypony by touching my mouth and making my frown look like a smile. She said, tearfully, I looked better smiling. I had to admit I did, and I looked even better when Fluttershy put a flower in my hair and kissed me on the forehead. Spitfire saluted me stoically, but I managed to see a tear drip down her face. Imagine that. Me making the great hardflank Spitfire cry. If this was any other day I would have laughed.
I had hoped that Scootaloo would be there, but after her break down in the funeral home, her parents took her away. I wished I could have just said something to the little squirt, even a letter with some comforting words. I knew how much she looked up to me and only now, in my death, did I regret my drunken yelling at her. Even when I insulted her, yelled at her to leave me alone, she still held such faith in me.
And now I was gone.
My parents were the last to see me, admitting how much they loved me before personally closing the front of my casket, sealing me forever in my wooden bed. After that, I was lowered and buried and one by one they all left.
Except me.
I stood there, staring at my grave with tears in my eyes. I rubbed them, trying to clear the tears away, but then I saw something on my grave that made me gasp.
Drunk
I blinked to make sure I wasn’t imagining things, but it was still there. I slowly turned away, but froze in place when I saw the next grave nearby.
Drunk
It was everywhere. Every gravestone said the same thing. Drunk. I ran through the graveyard, closing my eyes in an effort to avoid seeing the word. Opening my eyes, I gasped as I found myself heading face first into a dark, open grave. I tried to move my wings, but nothing happened. They were shut. I screamed as I fell into the dark abyss. Further and further I fell; my screams of terror heard by only the darkness around me.
Then I just stopped. I wasn’t flying, I felt nothing keeping me in the air. I was just stuck, frozen in this endless pit of nothing. Fear entered my heart as I began to wonder if this was my eternal fate now that I was dead and buried. Was I to be trapped in this darkness forever?
Before I could wallow in my own despair for very long, my ears picked up something. It sounded soft at first, but then I felt my heart jump when I heard sompony cry out in the dark, echoing in my ears.
“What do you mean you told Spitfire to not make me a Wonderbolt?!”
I realized who it was immediately. Kind of hard not to know when the voice is your own. But the next voice was what made me nearly have a heart attack—despite being already dead—because it was a voice I hadn’t heard in months. A voice I would have sacrificed anything to hear just one more time.
“Rainbow, I never said not to make you a Wonderbolt forever. I said to give you another few months before you’re ready.”
“Twilight...” I whispered to myself as tears of both joy and sorrow cascaded down my face.
“Are you kidding me?! I have the best records in the academy! I’ve aced every test I’ve had to take! I’m ready to be a Wonderbolt!”
“No, Rainbow Dash. You’re not yet ready. Because while you are a great flyer and you are the best in your class, you still have problems controlling your emotions! Spitfire’s told me about the number of fights you’ve been in and how you’re always ignoring the logical side of the practices you go through.
My crying stopped as I gasped. I knew what this conversation was. The very same conversation I fought every day to forget. Twilight continued, “You always rush during the military training exercises, often causing your side high casualties in the simulations because you didn't plan ahead. Too often acting like a one pony army rather than a team. Wonderbolts are as much our military force as they are our entertainment. Until you're ready to learn to follow orders and think before you act, I’m afraid I had to—”
“So that’s it, huh?! I’ve worked hard on getting into the Wonderbolts for years with you supporting me all the way, and now you're stabbing me in the back?! I thought you were my friend!”
I started to scream and yell at myself. Telling her to stop so she didn’t regret saying what she was going to say at the end of all this. What I was going to say at the end of all this.
“I am being your friend! I’m trying help you not get yourself or your comrades killed during a dangerous mission. Equestria, even if at peace, is still a dangerous place, and I hoped you learned what being part of the team means when facing them."
“Yeah, well I don’t see it that way! All I see is a backstabber whose crown is so tight that’s it's blocking her sense of loyalty!”
“Dash, you know it is not the case, so please, stop being so stubborn about this! All I ask is for seven more months so you can work one-on-one with Spitfire to know what it means to make the right choices as a leader. Once you show some improvements, I am sure Spitfire will..."
Seven months. Just seven months. How could I have been so stubborn. So stupid. I knew it was coming, but I didn’t want to hear it. I shut my ears with my hooves but I could still hear it. “Stop! Stop! Just make it stop! I don’t want to hear it! I don’t want to hear it!”
“You know what?! I’m done listening to this! I’m done listening to a pony with wings who's still having trouble flying despite having them for a year! I’m good enough to be a Wonderbolt, but apparently one of my best friends doesn’t think so and is grounding me!”
“No! Stop! Don’t say it!” I screamed, louder than I ever heard. “Please!”
You know what? Screw you, Twilight Sparkle! With friends like you, who needs enemies? I hate you!”
I lost it. There are no other words for me to say. I screamed. I cried. I hit myself. I cursed myself. Because that... was the last conversation I ever had with her. The last thing I told my best friend, before she died, was that I hate her. I would never get the chance to tell her how sorry I was. I would never be able to take it all back. I was so stupid. I was so... so... stupid.
Everyday, since I heard she had died, I had to live with that memory. And no matter how much I tried, no matter how much I drank, it never bucking left me.
I don’t know how long I cried. Does time even matter when you’re dead? I let myself continue to weep until I finally opened my eyes again...
... Only to find myself back at the funeral home.
This quickly woke me up from my stupor as I slowly looked around. It was still made up for my funeral, but there was nopony there. Nopony but myself in my coffin. I slowly walked forward, feeling more and more nervous until I was looking at my still face. That was, until its eyes opened up and it stared at me.
I yipped and fell backwards, landing hard on my rump as I watched myself slowly rise from my coffin and land on the floor, looking as alive as ever. She, it, or whatever it was. Looked at me with a small smirk. “Surprised?”
“I... I... what are you?” I asked. I didn’t understand what was going on anymore. I had seen my funeral, fell into a dark pit, had to hear the worst mistake I ever made in my life, and now I was talking to myself, literally. “Am I crazy? Dead? Dead crazy?”
“None of those, except, well, you are kind of in the middle of dying,” my copy said, shrugging.
“Wait... then who are you?”
“Me?” she said pointing to herself. “I could be your subconscious. Your guilt. Your will to live. A lot of things really. But one way or another, I am you.”
“Then... I’m not dead? I’m dying?” I asked, with hope in my voice, wondering if this was one of those near death experiences you hear ponies having.
“Yeah, but how this ends is up to you.” my copy said, pointing at me. I could feel her accusing eyes upon me like a judge before a criminal. Only this time, I had no backbone. “You know what you just did right now? You didn’t crash while drunk, you got alcohol poisoning.”
“I... I tried drinking myself to death?” I whispered in fear. I began to wonder if I did it on purpose or by accident. I didn’t know which thought was worse. “S-so why am I here and not kicking the bucket then?!”
I, or rather she, sighed. “Because despite being inches from death, your friends are trying to save you and you’re one stubborn pegasus to kill.”
I did chuckle at that.
“Either way,” she said, “Are you ready to admit it?”
“Admit what?” I asked, but I already knew what it was. And by the look she was giving me, she knew it too. I growled and turned away. “Fine! I... I... I’m an alcoholic! Okay, happy?! Happy that I get to see what a loser I am?! Happy to see how I made everypony cry at my imaginary funeral?!” I got up and shoved my face into hers, my saliva spitting on her but she didn’t flinch. “Are you happy that I had to be reminded that the last thing I told Twilight the day before she died was that I hated her?!”
I turned away, crying. “I know it was stupid! But it helped okay?! It just made... everything easier...”
“And was it worth it?” she asked.
“... No... but how can I... how can I live with that guilt?” I asked. “Every day she’s dead and I’m alive, all I can see or hear is that stupid fight. Not the great times we had from saving the world or reading together or just even flying. I just... I just see myself saying how much I hate her for something she was right about. I mean, just look at me! She was right!”
I fell to my haunches, remembering the pony who I loved like a sister, who I went through so much with and cared for so much, only to just spit at her at the very end. “I just want... to say I’m sorry... that’s all...”
To my surprise, my doppelganger walked up to me and nuzzled my cheeks. I didn’t even resist or find it creepy. I really... really needed somepony right then and there. Even if it was just myself.
“I’m so messed up...” I muttered.
“... Do you want it to go away?” my double asked. I looked up and she pointed at the coffin. “That right there... can end your pain. If you really don’t want to live with that guilt, that pain for the rest of your days. Enter it, and know peace.”
I stared at the coffin, gulping as I got up and slowly moved forward. This was a way to end it. A way to forget. No more drinking. No more guilt. No more...
I froze and slowly turned around. “This... this is that moment right? Where I decide to die or not?”
She nodded. “If you really are ready, if you feel there is no other way. Get in that coffin and I will seal you shut. You will know only peace. And see Twilight again.”
“Twilight...” I whispered as I walked closer. I could see her again. I could apologize to her. I stopped inches away from it. It looked really comfortable with a pillow and everything. After all this, all this sorrow and pain, a good long nap seemed welcoming. “This could end it all...”
But then I turned to the door that lead out of this place. Out there was the real world. The world of pain and suffering. The world where Twilight was still dead... but also the world where everypony was waiting for me. My friends, my family, Scootaloo, Spitfire. All of them and everypony who I pushed away was waiting for me, praying that I would wake up. I didn’t deserve them. They could have done better than a washed up drunken idiot like me.
But they didn’t. I thought about that funeral I saw, the tears and pain that they had to go through with my passing. It was sure to happen if I let myself give up here and now and ended it all. Could they go through another tragedy? So soon after we lost Twilight? What kind of friend would I be if I did that?
What kind of Element of Loyalty would I be if I did that?
I closed my eyes... and kicked the bucking thing to the ground. Turning around I stomped my way from my so called casket and made my way for the door. I wasn’t going to die. Not yet. Not like this. I wanted to see Twilight again, apologize for all this. But if what I saw today was any indication of what I was leaving behind, then death can kiss the bluest part of my butt.
I saw myself smile proudly while I walked past her. “Are you sure? If you go back, you’ll live with that pain still.”
I stopped. “Are my friends waiting for me?”
“They’re all right beside you, waiting for you to wake up,” she answered.
I sighed. “Then I won’t at least feel that pain alone.”
Without any hesitation, I opened that door and let the warm light engulf me.
***
The first thing I heard was the sound of a heart monitor beeping. Then I felt like my stomach had just been jackhammered and lit on fire at the same time. Still, this was a relief for me. Because I was alive. I was still alive.
“Look! She’s coming to!”
I slowly opened my eyes and there they were. Waiting for me. My friends, my parents, Scootaloo and her friends. They looked at me with such teary eyes that I soon felt my own water up and I was not ashamed to admit it this time. With a weak voice, I said, “Girls... I have a problem... and I need help.”
***
And thus the Loyal Flyer started her redemption.
It took many years, many trials, and many tears.
But she rose again and flew towards her dreams at last.
Wearing the proud uniform she sought all her life.
There are no words to describe what it means to lose somepony you loved dearly. I lost my parents at a very young age when our carriage fell off a cliff. My mother and father were killed on impact, and the only reason I survived was because, at that moment, my alicorn blood activated. I survived, but only barely. It turns out I was the last descendant of the Crystal Empire’s royal family when it was believed that the usurper, King Sombra, killed them all. Many said I was lucky to have survived, but I didn’t think so. I wished, for a long time, that I was dead because I had nopony left. I was alone in the world with powers I had no control over.
Then, one day I learned that Princess Celestia and some of the Bluebloods were coming over for a trip to the countryside.
I remembered Princess Celestia was an alicorn just like me so I quickly went to see her. She was talking to this young colt, who was shy and looked confused the moment he saw me. Princess Celestia was curious about me and I told her everything. She quickly adopted me into her family and since then Aunt Celestia raised me. I’ve always seen her as my second mother.
It was all strange to me, and I was scared now that I was called a “Princess” of Equestria just because of a simple adoption. But there was somepony to help me. And his name was Prince Blueblood.
I know what you're thinking, how was I friends with a the most snooty, ignorant, racist, and hateful pony in the entire world? The idea that the Empress of the Crystal Empire, Alicorn of Love, and foalsitter of Princess Twilight Sparkle, was friends with the murderer of that very pony. The pony who I once treasured like my own little sister.
The truth is... Blueblood wasn’t always like that. The Blueblood I knew, the cousin who became my first friend in Canterlot, was once a kind and gentle soul. I remember how shy and nervous he was, always hiding from me and doing his best to avoid me. I thought at first he hated me, but it turned out he was just nervous.
I attended the same lessons as him when we lived in the castle; both of us learning about Canterlot society, politics, and other studies. When I messed up he would always quietly correct me since his family had raised him to master these studies since he could walk. I would always give him a polite smile and thank him for everything, and he would blush and turn away. Over time he slowly grew out of his shell and became my first true friend.
We would go out on adventures together as pirates or knights seeking to battle evil and get treasure. Canterlot was our world and we ruled it as children. The summer festivals and winter balls we attended together, laughing, dancing, and having fun like normal ponies. Sure, we had access to the greatest rooms, food, toys, and clothing as members of the royal family, but the most valuable thing we had was our friendship. I was known as “Candy” to him and he was “Bluey” to me.
He told me his dream was to be a great noble like his father, to rule over ponies and keep Equestria strong. I never liked his father to be honest. He was too cold, too rigid, and he seemed to have a dislike for me as well as most ponies in general. He treated the servants and guards especially like they were beneath him. Aunt Celestia was the only pony he showed any respect, but I always thought he eyed the throne greedly. I didn’t like him, but I didn’t tell Blueblood that because he was his father after all.
Sometimes I wonder if he’s the reason that Bluey became who he was years later.
We grew older, but our friendship still stayed strong. At least... until that day.
Blueblood had been called home by his family, saying he was old enough to learn proper noble lessons and such. Meanwhile, Aunt Celestia asked me to watch over and take care of a filly by the name of Twilight Sparkle, whose parents were friends of hers. I was nervous about taking care of another filly, since I had never done so before and I was still hurt that Blueblood had left for who knew how long. Little did I know those years spending time with Twilight would be the best I ever had.
The little filly was so adorable, cute, and kind that my heart was won over immediately. While I had lost one friend, I gained another in the form of Twilight Sparkle, who quickly became like a sister to me. We learned, laughed, played, and enjoyed our time together like two peas in a pod. Even after she became Aunt Celestia’s prized student, our friendship never stopped growing. Through Twilight, I found the love of my life, Shining Armor, and a surrogate family with Twilight Velvet and Night Light.
For over seven years, I thought my life couldn’t get any more perfect. Then I learned my best friend was coming back after so long.
Only what came back wasn’t my best friend. It was a total stranger. I don’t know what they did to him or how they did it, but the shy, sweet prince I knew as my best friend in the whole world came back as a rude, bigoted, snobbish, jerk.
He told me that his father and mother had taught him valuable lessons. Lessons he had to use in order to make sure the nobility of Equestria was protected from those who were seeking to undermine it. I was surprised by his attitude, but I still did my best to be friendly as possible. He often associated with other nobles who I didn’t like either because of their attitude or their politics. He treated the servants and guards like trash, always ordering them to do everything for him. I was stunned, hurt, and confused. What had happened to my best friend over the years and why was he acting like this?
Despite this, he still remained friendly towards me. Like nothing had changed between us, although he often disapproved of my relationships with the Sparkle Family, saying they were too low class to associate with, even if they were nobility of the lowest rung.
Then one day, I heard Twilight crying in the halls and I rushed over to see what was going on. To my horror, Twilight was in tears as Blueblood ripped on her, saying she was pathetic and didn’t deserve to be Celestia’s student or my friend since she was not noble enough and therefore insignificant.
I slapped him in the jaw.
I faced my best friend, tried to lecture him, to change his ways... it was probably the last time we ever spoke as friends.
He left with only a glare and that was the end of our friendship.
After I comforted Twilight, I had to be comforted by Celestia as I cried over what had happened. I slept in the same bed as her that night, tears streaming down my face as she held me close, singing lullabies to me. It was something that I hadn’t needed since my first few weeks in the palace when I was a filly. I cried because “Bluey” was gone. Replaced with a stranger.
Blueblood and I never spoke to each other again, at least on friendly terms. Anytime we passed through the halls we just glared at each other. My friendship and love with Twilight only increased as I saw her grow up, become a hero and later my sister-in-law, restore my ancestors kingdom, and become an alicorn just like me.
Everything was going great. I had a family, subjects who loved me, and a sister who had a grand vision for all of us. I was willing to do everything in my power to help see it come to fruition. We even planned how to integrate changelings into my kingdom to show how I was putting the past behind me to give them a better future.
But Blueblood would not stay quiet. He hated Twilight, hated her vision, hated how such a low born like her could be a greater and noble pony then he was. I knew he was jealous, anypony with clear eyes could see it. He often tried to talk down Twilight’s ideas, saying that she was ruining tradition. Despite the loud voices he stirred up siding with him, Twilight had a bigger support group and more power behind her words with me, my aunts, and her friends backing her. He remained persisent and while I wanted to deal with him myself, Twilight said she could handle it...
Then one day... my friend... my sister-in-law was dead. Assassinated by her own subjects.
Those days were the hardest for both me and Shining. We held each other, weeping for the sister who we both loved so much. The emptiness and pain that I had felt when losing my parents was nothing compared to what I felt when I saw the mare who I helped raise since she was a filly lying in a glass coffin before me. I remember kissing her farewell on her forehead as my tears dripped down her smiling face. She was so beautiful, so innocent. It was unfair for this to happen. To me, to her, to all of us.
And it was all because of one pony.
Blueblood.
Despite how much I loathed him, I always remembered how he was once a good colt. A kind colt. My best friend. Since our fight, I wanted to believe that somewhere, deep inside, my Bluey was still there. I remember him coming to my wedding, dancing with me just once, and wishing me happiness before he left without saying a word. It made me hope that there was a chance he could be saved. If we could turn Discord good, couldn’t we turn Blueblood as well?
But that hope shattered when I learned he was the leader of the group that assassinated Twilight. I couldn't believe it when I heard that he was the one behind the death of my sister. I refused to believe it. I didn’t want to believe it.
Then the trial came and when I heard those hurtful words from his mouth, about how he deserved to be an alicorn instead of Twilight, I realized that the sweet boy I once knew was no more. I lost somepony dear to me at the hooves somepony else who was dear to me. I knew then that I would never see Bluey again.
I wanted to hate him, but I couldn’t. Bluey was my first friend. The one who I’d had sleepovers with. The one who I’d played tag with. The one who told me that he never had a friend until he met me. How could my fillyhood friend become this?
I decided to ask him myself. I visited him on his final night alive. What I saw barely looked like a pony. His horn was gone, cuts and bruises from endless beatings by the guards had ruined his once smooth body. His tail had been cut off and his cutie marks torn from his flanks. His mane looked like it had been burned off and his teeth were all but shattered. For the first time, in a long time, I felt pity for him.
When I sat down, he used his one good eye to look at me. He said nothing, but I could see in his eye there was anger, fear... and guilt. I don’t know if it was for his actions or only towards me, but I was probably the one pony left in the world who was willing to show him kindness as I sat beside him and stroked his broken hoof. Tears spang down from his eyes and soon I joined him.
“Why, Bluey?” I asked. “Why?”
He gave no answer, just continued to cry. I didn’t ask a second time. All I wanted to do was comfort the one who was once my friend. That was who I was comforting. Not Blueblood, but Bluey. To me they were two separate ponies.
The last words I ever heard from him as I left the room I will always remember.
“I’m sorry... Candy...”
I didn’t go to the execution. I was in too much distress to do so. But I did order two of my own private guards to take the body after it was all over and done with. It turns out his family didn’t want it, nopony did. He was to get no burial or special honors. To all of Equestria, Blueblood could have been food for the flies or tossed into a ravine without a care in the world.
But I couldn’t let that happen. I owed Bluey that much. They took his body, sealed in a plain old coffin, and had brought it before me. Apparenty, nopony bothered to touch it after it was left to rot on the stake he died on.
I lead the guards in secret to a secluded area in the mountain, where they buried the coffin. I carved a small tombstone out of the rock and put a single name on it.
“Bluey”
After I ordered them to never speak of this day again, I stayed up on the mountain, at the grave that held one of my oldest friends and also the murderer of the sister I loved most in the world. That night I cried like I never did before. Because I had lost two ponies that I had once loved dearly.
***
The Princess of Hearts visited the Fallen Star every year
Every so often she would go up the mountain alone
Nopony ever knew why
Nopony knew of the grave that only ever had one visitor
You know, when I joined the Royal Guard it was only to protect my country. I was the first in my family to do so, and they were proud to see me in a uniform. I joined just around the time the Crystal Empire was restored and was assigned there soon after. The army was still a mess so Prince Shining Armor requested some of the guard from Equestria to keep things in order while he trained the new military force.
That was when I first met her: Princess Twilight Sparkle.
I had known who she was, everypony in Equestria did. She was literally the biggest hero of our nation and our newest princess. I had nothing but respect for her, and when I met her in person, I was... mesmerized. The papers didn’t do justice to just how beautiful she was. And surprisingly, she was quite a klutz. We always kept bumping into each other whenever we met, making it really awkward when others noticed and giggled.
While I did admire her, I didn’t feel comfortable getting to know her. She was a princess and I was a guard. My duty was to protect her and the other princesses, that was all. That’s why I was so taken by surprise when she requested that I meet her personally one day for lunch. At first, I thought it was because of something I had done wrong, but when we actually spoke I learned something very few ponies knew. There is another world out there. A world of two legged creatures called humans, a race that I only could recall as myths. Princess Twilight told me that she had been to that world on an adventure where she met the human version of me.
I almost didn’t believe her at first, but she assured me she was telling the truth. She spoke of traits of the human Flash Sentry that we both happened to have shared. We both loved rock music and he was part of a band, similar to the one I had in high school. I always made sure everypony was treated fairly, and couldn’t stand to see injustice. And I can’t believe that my other self said this to her, but he told her that he—we—were afraid of eggs.
Anyway, then she said that she had gotten to know the other me very well and wanted to know the me of this world as well. So we became friends; a guard and his princess. The two of us shared a lot of good times together. I was always there to be somepony she could talk to when she was stressed out, and I got to have a smart and lovely pony like Twilight as a true friend. Words couldn’t describe just how wonderful of a pony Twilight was. She was smart, kind, gentle, fair, and every other virtuous quality you could think off.
Was it any surprise that I fell in love with her? It was more of a surprise when she fell in love with me.
We started off slow, just a nuzzle or hug here and there. A few picnics out under the stars in secret. It was awkward at times and I wondered how we even managed to keep it a secret from everypony. Twilight had been adamant about it because the nobility would never accept our love, and she wasn’t as popular as the other princesses. The only reason her brother and foal sitter managed to get away with it was because by the time they came out with their engagement, Shining Armor was already Captain of the Guard. Nopony was going to tell him no.
I was still low in the ranks; a nobody, but Twilight didn’t care. She loved me for who I was.
I’ll never forget our first kiss. It was a during a star shower and we both leaned in and felt a spark shiver down our spines as our lips touched. I knew then that Twilight was the one pony in the world I was willing to give my heart and soul to. But even as our love grew, life got harder for Twilight.
Blueblood, who I refuse to ever call a prince again, had been harassing Twilight ever since she started her efforts to modernize Equestria. There were many others who were calling for Twilight to step down, some of which I had to keep at bay as they spewed hateful words at her while she was holding court. On the streets, some of her opponents threw rotten fruit and even rocks at her, but I was always there to stop them. Twilight could defend herself easily, but I was still her personal guard. I still had my duty. I wanted to kick them in the face so bad. They kept saying how Twilight’s efforts to change Equestria was going to bring in chaos and break the stability that we’ve had for over a thousand years. That we would grow weak as a nation by allowing the predator races a chance to be treated equally after the many years of bad blood between our kinds.
Twilight, with a strong and determined face, would tell them each time they try debated that all the changes were going to help Equestria. She proclaimed it was time to put aside old fears and hatred,and time to spread the magic of friendship to everyone so that we could live together in peace. By combining the efforts and skills of the predator races and others we could evolve our society into a new age of enlightenment. There would be many missteps along the way, but a society had to change or else it would only stagnate.
Yet while she kept this shining and strong attitude in public, in secret she would cry at night. Naturally, I was there to comfort her when her friends couldn’t. I held her in my forelegs, soothed her tears, and always watched over her. Some nights it only lasted for awhile. Other nights she couldn’t get any sleep. Despite being an alicorn she was still a pony. Her innocent and good heart wasn’t capable of handling so much hatred without being hurt in the process..
But I made sure to catch her whenever she fell, and she often told me how she couldn't have lasted this long without her mentor and other princesses for support, without her friends that always stayed by her side in times of hardship... and without our secret love that healed her heart. I told her one night that no matter what happened, she had to stay true to her course. I believed in her, all of us who cared about her did. She was going to improve so many lives, and all of us would benefit from it. And I told her that nopony, whoever it was, would ever harm her as long as I drew breath.
That was the first time we ever made love.
Months passed by until the fateful day. I remember, I saw Twilight looking sad, but this time it wasn’t because of a noble who hated her or some extremist who thought she was going to destroy all of Equestria. She’d had an argument with her best friend Rainbow Dash about her not joining the Wonderbolts. I tried to help her, but she wanted to be left alone, even from me, and gave me the night off.
I sometimes wonder if I had pushed harder... that I would have been there...
I went home and promised myself I would make it up to her. And I had the perfect way to do so. It took me some time, but I found the ring I had bought a few weeks ago. It had been a year at least. A year of hiding our love from the public eye, even from our closest loved ones. But the days I had with Twilight were the ones I wanted to spend the rest of my life living over and over again.
But I never asked her the question. The next day... my love died.
She died and I wasn’t there.
When I heard the news, not even a legion of guards could prevent me from flying to the castle, trying to find my beloved Twilight. I demanded to Princess Celestia, of all ponies, to allow me to see her. Princess Luna tried to stop me with her magic as if I was some mad guard that broke under pressure, but her sister allowed me to enter, much to Luna's confusion. From the look in her eyes, I suspected the elder alicorn knew about us being together.
When I saw the white sheet that covered my love I couldn’t find the strength to take it off. I was too scared to look at her face and see none of the joy and love she held in her eyes. Something in me snapped and the tears flowed on their own, my heart shattered. I sat there, crying by her side for maybe an hour until Twilight’s friends and family arrived. I left to give them space, but I my eyes never stopped watering. Even when the tears from my eyes were all dried up my heart continued to weep.
Then came rage. Utter hatred and rage. I wanted blood. I wanted to kill. Somepony murdered my beloved and I wanted vengeance so badly that not even the song of a phoenix could ease my wraith. When the order went out to investigate and find the murderers, I was one of the first to don my armor and spear for the hunt. I was emotionally driven, yes, but I didn’t care. All I could imagine was the suffering Twilight had to go through until death’s embrace ended it.
For three sleepless days and nights we searched until finally we were tipped off on who did it. Blueblood and his conspirators. We captured them all, and beat them into confessing their sins. I took great pleasure in watching him, broken and defeated, cry like a little fillie when Princess Celestia turned her wrath against him.
When Shining Armor asked me, the day before his execution, if I wanted to join a few other guards and deliver some well deserved justice to Blueblood. I said yes instantly. I held nothing back. Sorrow and anger fueled me into breaking his bones, shattering his teeth, and spitting on him like the scum that he was. I screamed and yelled at him, calling him worthless, pathetic, and, above all, a monster.
A monster who killed the kindest and sweetest mare I had ever known. The mare that I loved more than anything else. The mare I would never ask to have her hoof in marriage. But even as I broke him in both body and spirit, even when I saw him burn to death on that stake...
... I felt nothing when it was all over.
After justice had been done, I was left empty as an endless void. I had lost my purpose in life. I had lost my heart and soul. The only thing I had left was saying goodbye.
I stood vigil over Twilight before and after her funeral. I requested it, my last act to her as her guard and friend. She was so beautiful. Like an angel sleeping away with only peaceful dreams to guide her. It was like those fairy tales you always heard about, when the princess is in an endless sleep and only the kiss of her one true love could awaken her. Yet I could not kiss her. A single layer of glass separated me from the love of my life. Her eyes remained shut and her heart still unbeating, her lips untouched. And all that was between us was a layer of glass
When they had placed her at her resting place, I told my commanding officer I was resigning from the guard. I had nothing left and no purpose.
I have... no reason to live.
That is why I am writing this note, so that you who find me know why I did it. My family will be sad, my friends will be sad, but please don’t be. I will be reunited with the one mare who I loved more than anything else in this world. She’s waiting for me, and while she may hate me at first for what I have done, it will be worth it just to see her again.
I only ask that I am buried with the ring that I will hold in my hooves during my last final moments. That way I can finally ask Twilight the one question I’ve wanted to ask her for so long:
Twilight Sparkle, will you marry me?
***
As he laid in his casket, at peace and dressed well
All eyes focused on the object held between his hooves
It was a ring, a ring of gold and diamonds with an inscription
I watched the various rocks pass by on the train as we got closer to Ponyville.
I knew them all, but my mind wasn’t focused on rocks.
It was focused on my sister.
Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie and I always had a special connection ever since we were fillies.
She was the only one who could really read me. Showing emotions... wasn't something I was good at.
I was also the only one who really understood Pinkie. Seeing her intentions and feelings under her chaotic and energetic personality, understanding what she was saying under the endless wave of words that would confuse the most brilliant minds. Only I could could understand her.
We’re not all that different in some ways. I hide my thoughts by expressing no emotion. She uses tons of emotion to hide hers.
But there are times when she lets it all out; like recently.
Three weeks ago, her friend Twilight Sparkle died. She was murdered.
I was there with my family for Pinkie Pie during the funeral. I never saw her cry so much, not even when Granny Pie passed away.
Twilight was a good pony. We never were close, but she was a good pony.
Boulder liked her.
I had been worried about Pinkie, leaving her alone in Ponyville instead of coming home with us. I wanted her to, but she wanted to be with her friends.
I sent mail asking how she was doing.
No replies.
I sent a message to the Cakes, asking what was happening.
They said Pinkie was smiling. Still being fun. Still making sweets.
There was one problem though, and I noticed it in the letter.
She was not throwing parties.
I got a ticket to Ponyville first chance I got.
I know my sister. And she needs me. She’s not fine. She is far from fine.
I arrive at the station. I make my way towards Sugarcube Corner. I may not have look like it, but I am scared for my sister.
After greeting the Cakes, I walk up to my sister’s room and open the door. Confetti flies into my face.
“Surprise! I knew you’d be coming, Maud! I got a Pinkie Sense Combo that said my best and favorite sister is coming to visit me!” She then hugs me and nuzzles my cheek. “Oh I missed missed missed missed missed you so much! It’s been ages since we saw each other!”
She shows me her room. There are her usual party things: balloons, streamers, punch, cupcakes.
But no ponies, apart from us.
“Well, let’s shake our behinds to some tunes and get this party started!” says Pinkie as she heads over to the record player.
“Pinkamina.”
That’s all I need to say to freeze her. She knows I never use her real name unless it’s serious. She turns around, her smile slowly fading, but it was never a real smile to begin with. The moment she hit me with confetti she thought she could fool me.
But I’m her older sister. I know.
“Y-yes?” she asks.
I look into her eyes. I can still see it. The suffering. The sorrow. The confusion. My sister never handles loss well, especially when it’s somepony close to her.
I walk over to her and hug her, let her head rest upon my chest. “It’s okay.”
It’s all I need to say to get her to start crying. Her hair falls and straightens, and all she can do is sob. She keeps crying and I hold her. Time passes. A lot of time.
It’s near dark by the time she finally starts to stop. Three weeks of holding your tears does that to you.
“I’m sorry... I got your shirt wet...” mutters Pinkie Pie.
“It’s okay...” I say, patting her on the back. “She was important to you.”
“Twilight...I just want her back...” Pinkie whispers. “I loved her so much. I love all my friends so much. To lose her without saying goodbye...I...I...”
A thought comes to my head as I give her a narrowed eyed look. “Have you been taking your medication?”
She looks away in shame. I had my answer.
“Pinkie, you need to take it...”
“I know... but.... among the voices...I can hear hers.”
I tighten my hug around her. Memories of the first time she started hearing “them” in her head make me shiver. Those were dark, tearful days.
“I can hear her voice... with the others... asking what I learned about friendship... what parties I’m planning... even just a simple ‘Hello’...” she looks at me with her big wide teary eyes. “I know she’s dead but I don’t care! I’m hearing my best friend and I want to hear her speak over and over again! Even if I have to hear all those other scary voices!”
I shake her. “Do you remember what happened to Granny Pie?!” I say this in a loud voice, something I rarely used. “Do you remember... how she died?”
I close my eyes. I can still see her body. Swaying on the rope around her neck.
Pinkie is crying again as I hold her tighter. “I don’t want to see that happen again. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”
“... I’m sorry...” she mutters. “I just really miss her.”
“I know...” I said. “I know...”
Pinkie then suddenly leaves my embrace as she turns away. “Can I make a deal with you?”
I say nothing, but I nod.
“If... if you help me with something... I’ll take my medication...”
“What is it?”
Pinkie lowered her head. “The swords that were used to kill Twilight? They weren’t ordinary swords.”
That made sense. Alicorns were tough. Very few things could kill them and no ordinary blade could do it.
“The blades... they were made with orichalcum.”
My eyes widen. Orichalcum was a very rare metal. It was so strong yet light. It could cut through a dragon's scales like hot butter, but never dent. Orichalcum was rare because it only could be found in the minotaur islands.
Except for one other place.
My eyes widen and, for the first time in a long time, my mouth drops. Because I know who else has orichalcum in Equestria. But I don’t want to believe it. It was a secret that had been passed down to my family for generations.
Pinkie looked at me with anger in her voice. “Help me find out if our family sold our secret orichalcum deposit.”
The Stoned Faced Sister and the Pink Balloon worked together
They found the truth
They cried in each other’s embrace
They then made their journey to confront their family
You know how they say you should always go for a job you enjoy? That way it doesn’t seem like a chore and you end up doing only half the effort that doesn’t get you anywhere in life? That’s why I was always jealous of ponies and their cutie marks, it always seems like they have an idea on what they want to do for the rest of their life. Of course, years later after sneaking around in their nation’s underworld as a torturer for hire I learned that wasn’t always the case. Apparently, in Equestrian society you can’t get a job unless your cutie mark relays to what is required of the job, regardless of your other skills.
Got a great singing voice and you want to go out to perform for audiences? Too bad, you got a peach looking cutie mark so you have to do something with peaches.
Love teaching martial arts and want to set up your own dojo? Your cutie mark is a screw, so set up a construction company.
Want to be a farmer yet your cutie mark is a cloud? Weather job for you, buddy.
Most ponies are happy doing the jobs they want with their special talent, and good for them, but those who want to try something else, something against their “destined talent” are miserable. If you're rich or influential enough you can maybe avoid this, but its bastards like that who made those laws long ago. They would say it’s to make sure everypony is happy doing what they are “meant” to do, but the truth is it’s to keep everypony in check. Earth ponies get the farming and dirty jobs. Pegasi get the weather and military jobs. Unicorns get the political and governing jobs. It’s even worse when you’re “not” a pony, if you can even get a place that will hire you at all. Oh, and sixty percent of the House of Nobles, the ones who are there to help the princesses pass and make these laws with great influence? Yeah, surprisingly, the donkeys have got a real hoof-hold in there.
Yeah, who am I possibly kidding? It’s Unicorns.
It’s no different than the old caste system we changelings had.
Oh, right. I’m a changeling by the way, incase you didn’t know. Stag is the name my mother gave me and I was born in the Gathering Caste (now the highest caste thanks to the now extinct Royal Caste being gone) of the Changeling Empire (Sometimes called the Hive, but there haven’t been any “hives” since the Warring States Era four thousand years ago) before our now dead—Mesmoria be praised—Queen Chrysalis kicked the bucket.
I’m not gonna go into details about my old home, I haven’t even been there since I left years and years ago. I hear that they’re establishing a new government, a republic, based on the plans of the now recently deceased Princess Twilight Sparkle. Good luck trying to convince half of those castes in our foundation to change their ways. It’s a sham I’m gonna miss the upcoming bloodbath.
But let’s forget about that, let’s talk about what I do for a living. Let’s just say that I have my own talent. I originally spent years as a Gatherer in Equestria when I was still loyal to the empire. Gatherer’s like me blend into pony society, observe it, act like one of them, gather love or information, and leave to deliver it as food for our people. I know how the pony mind acts, but one thing I’ve also learned was how to break it. Sometimes in order to gain information... I’ve had to be persuasive.
And by persuasive I mean torture.
Not the physical kind mind you, that’s just messy. Although I do occasionally do it at times. Psychological is the better route. Allows more creativity and can be effective in making it look like nothing really happened. Sure I leave shattered minds and sometimes death may seem a mercy, but we all have to do our part in society don’t we? I just happen to work on the dirty side of it, and for that, I’m routinely referred to as a “psycho for hire”.
After leaving home, I had to quickly carve a niche for myself someway or another. Otherwise, I might as well have just run back home with my tail between my legs. I decided to use my skills of both shape changing and torture to get hired by some rather... shady businessponies lets say. I wouldn’t be the first changeling to do this to be honest. I’ve gained quite the reputation in the underground business by going as several alias. Some know me as a changeling, others as a unicorn, pegasus, griffin, zebra and more. Some even know me as a girl.
What I didn’t expect was Princess Luna to know me. Well, she didn’t at first, but ever since the disaster of my race’s attempt to conquer Equestria (Which was completely stupid yet at least Chrysalis died a week after her invasion so some good came out of that), there was a mass “bughunt” for all changelings in Equestria, specifically the spies. I didn’t have much to worry about though; I had a few close calls, but let’s just say I left some of those guards in a really bad way. That and I have some connections.
Eventually, Princess Twilight declared Equestria a safe haven for changelings a month after Equestrian forces finally “invaded” a civil war torn and dying empire. She made an effort to see that we shapeshifters were welcomed and treated equally, like the rest of the pic'n'mix of creatures packing up and moving to this land of milk and honey.
Now yeah, I’m frequently referred to as a “bug” every time I walk out without a disguise. Bug. Really? That’s the best they could come up with? I can think up a few on the top of my head just for just them: hornkies, halfbreeds, mud buckers, pastel-coloured pansies, and remember, that’s just a few. It doesn’t matter anyway. I wear ‘Bug’ as a badge of honour. I mean, why would I want to be one of the pastel pansies anyway? Many forget we changelings are the Apex Predators and we’ve been around longer than most other species second only to the dragons. To some of us, ponies are basically cattle who certain figures in the higher castes even legislated more than once to have rounded up and put in slaughterhouses so we could extract their love faster. It’s true, swear to Mesmoria. Didn’t happen mind you cause others thought it was immoral and they had just as much right to live as the rest of us.
There’s also the way the guards are giving me looks as we head down to the dungeons, the kind that gives the impression they’ve still got this chip on their shoulders What’s the matter? Poor ponies upset that they’re military’s so incompetent they can’t face off an invading horde of changeling conscripts? Pfft, wimps.
Where was I? Oh, right. Princess Luna.
Well, she found out about me and at first I thought I was gonna be arrested or killed because of my past, but she offered me a bargain. Do a task for the crown and all crimes I committed are pardoned; I could start a clean slate.
Well, I had always wanted to be a librarian. I hear Ponyville’s got an open spot.
Okay, no, no, that’s not in good in taste, I’m sorry. In this business you have to have a dark sense of humor or else you’ll never sleep at night. Or end up a drunk. Or both.
Anyway, as you can tell, I accepted the proposal and I was told that I was to use my “persuasive talents” to help find who was it that personally killed Princess Twilight. They had the nobles and Blueblood thanks to a zebra servant who overheard their conversation. Now they needed the guards who took part in it. If this was the other way around, it would have been much harder, but these are nobles. Rich ponies who personally have servants that wipe their bottoms after using a toilet.
No, seriously. Some of them do.
But there was also another reason why I was doing this. Kind of personal too, but I’ll get to that later.
So soon enough I was face to face with the current Captain of the Guard, a female threshal by the name of Evening Glory. Like most of the bat ponies, as they are sometimes called, she was black furred with piercing slitted blue eyes and a cropped up dark green mane. Her armor was similar to the old Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor, but black and white instead of that silly color of purple and gold. Guess it has to do with that whole “darkness” thing they got going on. It didn’t make them look any more threatening, if that’s what they thought.
I could tell she didn’t like me, not like I could give a buck, but oh well. That was even more evident by the first thing she said to me.
“Let’s be clear, Bug. I don’t like you or your kind, but at the moment there are five individuals in their cells that I hate even more so count yourself lucky. My orders from Princess Luna are clear. You’re free to do what you want to them as long as you don’t kill them or do anything permanent. Princess Celestia wants them well enough to stand trial for what they’ve done.” She narrowed her slitted eyes as if she was trying to be scary. How cute. “So don’t try anything, Bug.”
Just to annoy her, I spent my time during her little spiel looking down at the “invisible” watch on my hoof with a look of complete disinterest on my face. I murmured, “Mmm-hmm, sure thing,” Then I looked up at her even more angry face. “Let’s just get to work, shall we? I’m a very busy stallion. Oh, but just a little pointer before we get going…” I tapped my own cheeks demonstratively. “Don’t try and be threatening. Your kind are not threatening and you never will be. You’ve got too much cheek fat for that.” Sure I’m feeding fuel the fire but why can’t I have a little fun?
She scoffed and nodded to the guards accompany me to give me some space. “I assume you’ll want to work on Blueblood first.”
I looked at her as if she were talking like a complete dipstick. “What? No, don’t be a complete idiot, he’s useless,” I deadpanned, walking past her as she raised her eyebrow. “Blueblood’s not the type to do close management. He’ll lead his closest advisors, but he’ll trust them enough to make their own decisions for him on who to get for the job. Just so it’s less work for him to do. I doubt he knows the names of the assassins. And even if he has heard of them, I’m betting he didn’t bother to learn them. All they were made to do was kill Twilight and that’s all he cared about. That’s the difference between him and his father, he’s lazy as a cat.”
“You know Lord Amadeus Blueblood?” asked Evening Glory.
“My dear rat-eared Bat Pony, I’ve done business with him,” I said simply. “He’s not the most talkative fellow, but.he’s really smart. Hard to believe he has a son this stupid.”
No, Blueblood wasn’t the one I needed. I need the newest member to join their little club, eager to learn everything he could now that he was part of a new special secret fun club. A club that killed a princess but a club nonetheless. That would be pretty funny, “Join the Kill Twilight Club! We have cookies and milk after every meeting!” Anyway, I needed the guy who just got onboard and still fresh meat. Easier to pound and season for a griffin’s meal.
Question was who?
Smirking, I turned to the captain and asked, “Any of these guys complete patriots, like insanely loyal to Princess Celestia?”
Evening Glory nodded. “Lord Ivory Shell was always warning Princess Celestia that Princess Twilight was a danger to her throne, similar to how it was with the return of Princess Luna and making Princess Cadence one as well. He felt that any ‘princesses’ other than her were liable to cause a conspiracy to overthrow her and that Equestria couldn't live without her if the worst should happen.”
Lord Ivory. I’d done work for that stupid sack of cow dung more than once. Oh, well this was all lining up perfectly.
“Very good. Take me to his cell and I’ll sort it out.”
“Whatever, Bug.”
“Oh, and another thing? For future reference? That name really doesn’t have the kind of sting you guys think it does. I mean, take for example, if I called you guys the unholy offspring of a drunken mare and a sewer rat. Chances are if I said that, which I just did, you would’ve cracked my head open with a rock, now wouldn’t you?”
Actually, no, I just got a swift punch to the face.
***
It didn’t take us long to arrive at the cell. I peaked inside the small window, and boy the guy was a wreck. His orange pelt had bruises and cuts all over it. Yellow and red mane looked like it lost a fight with a blender. Even his hooves were chipped and bleeding. I turned to the two guards and said, “Follow my lead and treat me as your almighty ruler.”
Just as I say this I transformed into Princess Celestia. Turning into an alicorn isn’t that hard to do. You have the look and that’s it but it takes real power and skill to manage it. Most I can do in this form is move around and speak, anything short of that and I’ll lose the form. Plus, I can’t hold it that long so I needed to make this quick.
Evening Glory seemed to get the idea and nodded to the guards to play along. They opened the door for me as I strolled in like I was the actual raiser of the sun herself, the guards by my side helped with the act. Upon seeing me, Ivory Shell gasped and bowed before me. “P-princess! I know what you are thinking and that I’ve done a selfish and criminal act but believe me when I say this was all to protect you! You were at risk, your majesty!”
“I know, Ivory Shell,” I said, firm yet gentle enough.
He raised his head, eyes widened. “You... know?”
“I do,” I said, turning away and facing the wall, posture upright. Time to lie. “Ivory Shell, it may not look like it but I am grateful for what you and everypony has done.”
“You... you are?” he asked, hope in his voice. Good, hope can be used as a drug. Keep giving it to them and they’ll tell you everything they know.
“For a long time... since I made her a princess... I learned that Twilight Sparkle, my so called faithful student, was planning a coup against me. I had been working in the shadows to counteract this, and you’ve done it. Who do you think had been helping Prince Blueblood after all?” I said pretending to be sad. “It shames me to think that the one I once called daughter was working with those who would see me and everything I had created destroyed, but it had to be done. Equestria must not fall into the chaos of a mare who thought she knew better. You were right, Lord Ivory, I should never have made her a princess.”
“Ye...yes, that’s it!” shouted Ivory with a smile. “That’s right! That’s why we did what we did, your majesty! Something like that is what we feared was going on, and we were right! She was always up to something insidious! All those changes were to ruin our Equestria! L-like giving non-nobles a chance to say in our government! Or trying to flood our beautiful land with all those mangy dogs and zebras and those vile changelings! W-why, with all her promises to feed their greedy bellies, she would’ve easily used them as her army to take over! Just like we all feared!”
“Perhaps, but we will find out,” I said, as I felt the magic I had slowly leaving me. I had to end this and fast. “Twilight’s conspirators are still out there. That is why I had to have you five taken to prison for this, and I am sorry.”
He bowed before me. “Princess, I live to serve you. Always. If it means dying a thousand deaths for you and our nation I will do so.”
“Well, it will have to be so. I will be faking all of your deaths, but secretly you will be safe while we root out the traitors one by one. However,” It was time, “I need to know which one of you joined Blueblood’s group in order so that I can reward you all based on your longitude of service.”
I saw the greed in his eyes light up. A guy like him would have obviously been the first or second one to join due to his views. And even if he was number three, and was gonna lie to me about being ahead of his other two partners, he’d still give me the last one’s name.
“Yes, Princess Celestia,” he said with joy. “I was the first to join Prince Blueblood. Followed by Lord Greengrass, Lord Vice, and Lord Cosmo.”
“You know, I have to admit, Ivory, I underestimated you,” I spoke silkily as my voice began to distort and return to its original setting. “I thought you were stupid, friendo, but if anything, now I’d say you were a total bucking retard.”
With a smile I turned around and watched his grinning face fall straight into outright horror and despair as my changeling form completely revealed itself.
“N-No…” he whimpered, tears springing from his terrified eyes and he started to rock left and right in his chair in a panic. “No, not you! NO!”
I shrugged, faintly laughing while shaking my head slowly, “Heh, yeah, dipstick. It’s me.” I approached him slowly, leaning in until our faces were uncomfortably close to each other. “You know, I bet you would never have had the spine to talk that way to my face, would you? No, of course not, you’d’ve soiled yourself first before that happened.” “S…” The old stallion struggled to find his voice, but finally managed to croak. “Stag.” His lips were quivering and an uncontrollable stream of tears were pouring down his cheeks. It was watching a puppy after the owner just gave them the beating of their life. “Stag, you know I’ve always respected you and your kind—”
“Nooo, Ivory, no, no, no...” I took him rather roughly by his cheeks in my hooves, squishing them so he looked as silly as possible. Our eyes were now inches from each other and I continued slowly in a parental reprimanding tone, my voice just above a whisper, “No. Here it is, Ivory. You’re screwed. Your entire family is screwed. You made a choice and this is the consequence.” I gestured towards the other guards standing around us. “Us, we’re the consequence. The only thing you’ve got left to look forward to is the excruciatingly painful first class trip to Tartarus the princess will be rewarding you with. Oh, that and your entire estate being turned into a nice new home for dozens of changeling immigrant families. I’m sure they’ll have an easy time bringing up generations of their hundreds of kids there.” I patted him on the cheek affectionately as I stood back. “You have a nice day now.” He just stared at me, his eyes not moving as me and the guards made our way out. When I closed the door, I waited...
“Aaaaaauuuugggghhhhh!”
Ah, the sweet cries of agony. And I had my next victim. Lord Cosmo.
Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5 and DbzorDie
Pre-Read by: Magic Man
Torturer Part 2(Stag’s POV)
***
How many others out there get to make a grown stallion cry like a little baby and get to say that they’ve had a good day? Not that many I’m sure but those guys don’t know what they’re missing. I know what you're thinking: “Oh my gosh, he’s a complete monster!” Everyone has a monster inside of them, but the difference when it comes to me is that I don’t shy away from unleashing it at will. Besides, you think I’m bad? Please, there are ponies, changelings, griffins, dragons and more who are just as bad or worse than me.
And every monster has their limit. Something they just don’t do. And for me... it’s kind of personal.
Anyway, now that we had the name of the newest groupie, Lord Cosmo, we made our way to his cell in silence. The two guards, dumb and dumber, were looking at me like I was about to run off and eat their foals and there I was, honestly not giving a buck. Evening Glory, however, was looking at me with less hatred and even a hint of respect for what I did to Lord Ivory. I pity their trial. Princess Celestia was on the warpath and she was looking at anypony who did something wrong. Got the whole underworld on lockdown even, something I have never seen or even heard of before.
Not a single smart criminal or gangster or hireling is doing anything illegal in fear of Celestia’s burning gaze coming over their actions. Well, noone but me since I had a free pass.
I don’t know why Celestia would even bother worrying about the underworld, almost everypony I associated with in my business wanted to see Princess Twilight’s reformations come to light. Easing up on hostilities with the predator nations would allow “business” to pick up internationally. Alliances with other “international businesses” could happen and imports could be easier. Plus if the rumors of these new lands we’re hearing about in the far east sea are true it could bring even more dough.
Oh and that whole “friendship to all” thing Twilight was going for. Sure that too.
Anyway, we arrived at Lord Cosmo’s cell where he was chained to a wall. The guy was a pegasus, rare for their kind to be nobles in Canterlot, with long blond and green mixed mane and a green furred body with a yellow shooting star on his flank. Sad part is I didn’t know much about this guy, so I was left to ask Miss Stick-Up-Her-Butt.
“So, what can you tell me about him? Lesser noble I’m guessing?”
Evening Glory nodded. “Lord Cosmo, second eldest son of the Starwing family. Originally from Cloudsdale, the family moved to Canterlot over fifteen years ago after their oldest son died in an honor duel. His family has been seen working at the Night Court and they have a strong investment in astrology research. Starwing’s family has been trying to earn their second oldest son’s freedom despite Lord Cosmo here gloating on about how he did his duty to end the future tyrant of Equestria.”
“Looks like the Starwing’s are gonna be burying another body or cremate him or whatever it is pegasi do with their dead,” I muttered. “I’m gonna go in and take a look at him.”
“Need a guard?” she asked.
I grinned. “Why? Afraid I’ll get hurt, Ms. Batty? I’m touched.”
“Not at all, Bug.” she shook her head, rolling her eyes.
I chuckled a bit before I transformed into one of the guards and entered the door. I made sure to keep my face stone still with no emotion, like most of the pricks, before I walked over to Lord Cosmo. He glared at me and said nothing as I stopped in front of him and stood still, analyzing his every move. No shortness of breath despite looking like he got a good beating, that shows he’s not afraid. Eyes are focused on me so he’s focused. Not even struggling against his chains, guess he’s accepted his fate and doesn’t mind it.
This might be fun to break.
“Hey, guard...” said Lord Cosmo, but I refused to answer. “I already know why you’re here. You want my confession don’t you?” He smirked. “Here it is. I, Lord Cosmo, did indeed conspire and work with my comrades to have Princess Twilight Sparkle assassinated, may she forever burn in Tartarus. That false princess was nothing more than the blade which would cut off Equestria’s head if she was allowed to live. She would have ruined this country!”
I raised my eyebrow, but didn’t speak. This I had to hear.
“She wanted to actually replace our magical lifestyle with a more ‘technological’ one. That lifestyle brought nothing but death with the way the griffins use it to make war. Who's to say we won’t follow the same dark and demoralizing path?! I don’t care how much it would improve our life in ways magic didn’t, it would be abused and lead us to ruin. History will see me as a hero!”
Ah, I’ve heard about this argument of course. Equestria was “founded by magic, raised by magic, and would live only with magic”. Anything short of that was “sacrilegious” to the point where some extremists go out of their way to destroy anything that was technology they didn’t agree with. It was only after the last one hundred years that they managed to finally advance themselves. Seriously, they didn’t have fridges or toilets ‘till a hundred and twenty years ago.
“I take great pleasure knowing that whorse died in agony as our assassins sank their blades into her flesh,” said a grinning Lord Cosmo. “I only wish her baby dragon was there so he could have been killed as well...” my eyes widened, “... and she would watch him die before joining him.”
A baby dragon.
“Is that right?” I asked, still maintaining my stone expression. After a moment’s pause, I turned to leave. “Excuse me.”
I closed the door behind me hard before I took off my disguise and glared at Evening Glory. “Is this true?”
Her eyebrows shot up a bit and I could guess why. This was the first time I was acting serious and let me tell you something I don’t normally act serious unless two things were happening. One was if the Vanhoover Renegades were playing in the playoffs and the second was when I was angry. And depending on the answer I was about to get I was about to get very, very angry.
“Yes, Princess Twilight’s adopted son is Spike Sparkle. He was a dragon she hatched at a very young age and raised ever since,” answered Evening Glory.
“How old is he now?” I asked gritting my teeth.
“I’d say around eleven to twelve. Why?”
A child. They were willing to kill a child. Now, there are a few things in this world that get me angry. Sometimes I get angry when Chrysalis' name is spoken, although I soon feel happy again knowing she’s dead. I also get angry when the Vanhoover Renegades lose at soccer, but then again that’s normal. You see... there is one thing you never want to be when you face me either in public or when I’m having you tied to a chair ready to put a cage of hungry rats over your head and release them if you don’t tell me what I want to hear. That is if I hear you, intended or unintentionally, hurt a child.
I may be a monster. I may live off the suffering of others. I dare say that I love what I do. However, even a monster like me has a line that is never to be crossed. Killing a princess? Fine, I don’t care about Canterlot politics, and its normal when a public figure is almost or successfully killed in a coup or by a hired killer. But wanting to end the life of a young child who had just started living?
There is a reason you never want to see a professional torturer like me angry. We don’t lose our cool. No, we go beyond what we normally do to make our victims beg for mercy before we are through with them. And if it wasn’t for my promise not to kill these five? I would make sure that the last thing on their minds before sweet oblivion takes them is regret even having the idea of harming a child. That all the regrets they have in the world are nothing compared to the crime they had just committed.
The crime of pissing me off. Well, now it was time to use one of my more... delicious methods of torture.
“Right, excuse me for a moment.” I said before I calmly opened the door and trotted over to the startled Lord Cosmo.
“What the hay is a chang—”
He didn’t get a chance to finish as I quickly punched him in the face and knocked him out. Glaring at his limp body in chains, I then said, “Quick question. Do you have a large tub?”
“Why?” asked Evening Glory as she walked in.
I smirked, my eyes narrowed with both glee and anticipation. “Because Lord Cosmo here is a very dirty colt and needs a bath.”
***
It took about half an hour to set up what I needed. Turns out that the princesses actually have a torture room, but haven’t used for hundreds of years. Shame too, some of these instruments are classics like the iron maiden and rack. You can even see the dried bloodstains on the old guillotine. Ah, I wish I had been in a bloodstained and chaotic time as that. Where ponies were dragged by their tails, screaming and kicking, begging for mercy, praying to their goddess, and manuring themselves. All before the final moment where the blade was hung in the air, all was silent and then... slice! Of course I prefer the breaking wheel on my list of painful executions, but that’s for another time.
I sat in my collapsible chair, eating from a bag of trail mix requested while I waited for Lord Cosmo to wake up. The look on his face when he saw he was tied up all the way to the ceiling by some ropes and pulleys was priceless. Naturally, he struggled against his bonds, even tried releasing his wings, but I already made sure those were tied up nice and tight as well.
I watched him struggle a bit before I whistled. “Down here, cupcake.”
He noticed me and growled. “Where am I, changeling?!”
“Well, milord, to be frank, you are still in the palace dungeons, but in the old torture room. I’m borrowing it for awhile 'till I get you to spill the names of the five guards that assassinated Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
“The princesses actually hired one of you pupil-less freaks to torture me?!” growled Lord Cosmo. “This only proves that she has lost her sense of mind!”
That was so stupid I had to do a double-take. “I’m sorry-- I’m a ‘what’? I’m a ‘pupil-less freak’?” I asked, half laughing, a silly grin working across my face. “That’s not even clever, you idiot. But yeah, you go ahead and insult the stallion who’s got you hanging up on the ceiling and can bring you down hard, whatever floats your boat.” I leaned back and placed my forehooves behind my head as a pillow. “Now, I was going to go easy on you, but let’s just say, thanks to your mouth, certain information has ticked me off so much that I’m going to do my best to utterly break you until nothing remains of your pride and mind.”
“You will not break me, changeling! I am loyal and unwavering in my faith to our—”
“Oh, do change the record,” I muttered before eating another peanut. “I’d like to interrupt your insane babbling to annoy you, make things generally irritating, and let you know that you are suspended above a vast tub of bleach.”
The look on his face was, again, priceless as he peered down and gasped. Below him was a wooden tub large enough to drown even Celestia, filled with that good old stain removing liquid. I used my magic to activate the lever holding him and his slow descent towards his doom began. He struggled even harder as I calmly ate my peanuts while activating a nearby radio that I had requested for listening. Just because I’m torturing somepony doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy myself. I smiled as the calming music began to echo across the room.
Lord Cosmo continued to cry out for help or demand that I take him down which made my mood sour as I could hear him over the music. “Will you pipe down, I’m trying to relax. Breaking ponies is a stressful job, you know?” I smirked. “Unless you want to tell me the names?”
“Damn you, changeling! I will do no such thing!” he shouted in defiance.
“Fine by me. You’re the one who’s gonna die in the worst way possible.” I continued to watch him squirm while continuing to enjoy my little break. Seriously, why don’t others like this job? I’m getting paid to just sit and watch this pony slowly edge his way towards his doom. It’s work, a hobby I love, and entertainment in one. Of course, I could do this for kicks and giggles but, as a great stallion once said: “if you're good at something, never do it for free”.
Soon I noticed that he was sweating as he crossed his legs and his tail was lifting a bit before settling back down. My smiled increased. Little known fact about ponies, they got the worst poker butts. By that I mean you can tell their emotions by how their tails move. That little movement right there meant somepony had to use the little colts room.
Badly.
“I see you’ve started to feel it,” I said nonchalantly, spitting out the shells of some peanuts. I wish I had a soda to drink with these. Should make a note of that next time. “Need to pee?”
“What’s it any concern to you?” questioned Lord Cosmo as he gulped.
“Well it should considering that I had the guards put orange juice into your body via IV and now that you got to piss it’s time for a little chemistry lesson,” I said gleefully. “Now, bleach, as you know, contains chlorine in it. And piss has... oh what was it?” I rubbed my chin trying to remember that chemical’s name. Here I was trying to play teacher to this poor little pile of manure and I was already forgetting the lesson. “Arsenic? No... oh! Ammonia! That was it!”
Now for the fun part. I smiled as he looked upon me with worry. “Now ammonia combined with chlorine creates a special kind of gas known as ammonium chloride which was used by the griffins in their earlier wars before they became allies with Equestria. They used to create this little science experiment and used it on their enemies where hundreds of thousands died from it. Now these days they use it for their executions at the gas chambers. It’s a really interesting thing, history, you should read it sometime.”
I could see Lord Cosmo’s sweat dripping down every part of his body as he crossed his legs even more as the strain of being held for so long began to show. He eyed the vat of bleach that he was slowing inching towards like it was the river Styx itself. Seeing this poor scared fellow in such horrible distress made me just stop there right? Surely there was some small voice that said I had gone too far, right?
Pfft, no.
“And you know what the symptoms of exposure to this gas is? Well, first your eyes will start to water and then turn red. You’ll start feeling your skin burning or breaking up as redness and blisters become apparent. I hear the feeling is like being exposed to frostbite. A slight burning sensation in the mouth, throat, and nose, before it starts hammering you away like a jackhammer. Your chest will tighten and it will be very hard to breathe with all that air slowly seeping out of your lungs and being replaced with fluid. That, combined with the urge to vomit will be noticeable. And that’s only if you can ignore the irritable bowel syndrome that comes with it as your waste sprays out of your butt like a hose. Only after all these effects happen will you then die of asphyxiation and into a peaceful sleep after experiencing the worst pain you ever had in your miserable life,” I happily said as each symptom made his eyes widen in terror before he start shaking and screaming. Pleading for mercy.
I just sat there, watching him list off all the things he could give me if I let him live. He offered money, servants, houses, land, even his own wife to suck out all the love from and have as my own personal sex slave. I doubt I want a wife that marries a loser like him.
I simply held up my hooves to silence him. “Look… I don’t give a buck for what you’re offering, you meat-headed dung sack. I just want the names, that’s it. Because as you lay there strung up, feeling your forelegs about ready to rip out, you have two choices. Now, you can hold it in and slowly be dipped in a tub full of bleach where you will drown to death but at least look clean for your funeral. Or you can go ahead and piss in that chlorine and fill this room up with one of the most dangerous gases known in the world. This will make you suffer an embarrassing, long, painful death that’s going to be so horrible they’ll have to burn your corpse and deliver your ashes to your wife so she can kiss your rotten flank goodbye. If you don’t give me those names, you are going to die in either fashion, but I’ll at least be entertained and have the satisfaction of watching a bastard like you squirm until you're dead. Win-win scenarios all around, I’d say.”
“What about you?! You’ll die if the gas spreads as well! So will the rest in the castle! You can’t do this!” he pointed out, biting his lip so hard it was starting to draw blood.
“Well, the room is magically sealed shut at all exits so the gas won’t be getting out. As for me? I’m a changeling, we’re immune to poisons, toxins, gases, and whatnot. Another reason why we’re better then you,” I said with a smirk. “So yeah, I’ll just wait here listening to this music and waiting to see if you piss or not. And since you ponies and horses can pee for a long time I expect this room to be half filled with the gas by the time you're done.”
“Damn you! Augh!” the poor fool shouted as he continued to scream profanities at me while struggling against his bonds. Don’t know why, he’s only going to make it more painful.
I soon drowned him out as I closed my eyes and relaxed. Sooner or later he was going to spill a name.
***
Okay, forty five minutes later and he’s still holding. I admit. I am impressed. He was one third of a way to touching the bleach with his rear hooves, but I could see he was ready to crack. He had been crying for a good time, moaning and struggling to hold his bladder which had to be ready to burst like a weak dam.
He had balls, I would give him that. But it was time to end this. “You can’t last much longer you know? Just tell me the names and I’ll let you live. Hay, I’ll even escort you to a toilet.”
“I... can’t... please... you have to... this isn’t...” he was crying again, like a baby. Wa wa wa. “We... just wanted her to stop... she was going to ruin everything... in Faust’s name, please show mercy!”
“Mercy.” I repeated the word dispassionately. “I don’t recall there being mercy when you ordered the death of a young mare and her son. Nor do I recall mercy for so many heart broken friends and family who lost somepony who was important to them. Or how about the mercy for sparing a hero of the nation who you conspired to kill. And you want to claim your goddess’ name?” I asked with a harsh laugh before I got up and flew up towards him.
Staring him in the face, I crossed my forelegs and glared at him. “You know? There is a passage in your holy book, The Lexicanum of Harmony, that I happen to like.” I cleared my throat as I began to quote it, slowly driving my face towards his horrified one, my teeth shining as I smiled like I was his worst fears come to life. “The path of the truly harmonious ones are those who lead others not by tyranny nor selfishness but by the kindness and wisdom I have given to them. I bless those, be it pony or non, who takes it upon themselves to shelter my little ones in times of great trials where chaos rules. Let all who walk upon my path never stray from it in anger, hatred, or fear. All must be one and never seek to bring strife among themselves or else they will be lost from the path. For those who seek to cause harm or end the lives of my little ponies shall be forced to deal with such great anger and righteousness that all they will know is suffering. The fury of the heavens shall be upon them with such might, that no other god shall be powerful enough to save them. And they will know that I am Faust, goddess of the ponies, as I lay my justice upon them and smite them in the name of those whose blood they have spilled!”
I leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “You spilled innocent blood. I am the righteous wrath your goddess has delivered onto you. And nothing awaits you but the fury of her vengeance. Unless, that is, you tell me... the names.”
He gave a sob before bowing his head. “Sergeant Crossing of the Solar Division. Private Lightstep of the Solar Division. Staff Sergeant Moon Blade from the Lunar Division. Second Lieutenant Valiant Wind of the Solar Division. And Lieutenant Gallant Heart from the Solar Division.”
Got’em.
“I thank ye kindly, milord, have a nice swim,” I said with a smile as I used my magic to let loose the handle
I saw his expression turn to horror as he cried, “Wait, stop!” Too late. The lock came loose and he fell towards the tub. “Nooooooo!”
He splashed into the tub and began screaming, flailing his legs around in a panic as I slowly flew down and watched him, waiting for him to realize that he wasn’t dying. He slowly opened his eyes and calmed down. He looked down, smelled the “bleach” before slowly licking off the drops on his face. His eyes turned to realization as he muttered, “It’s... just water.”
I laughed a bit shouting to the unicorn guards hidden in the room, “Okay, boys! Show’s over. You can put it down now.”
The unicorns came out and erased the illusion magic on the tub of bleach, revealing it to be water. Even the smell of the bleach was gone. I really need to learn illusion magic. The realization that he had been tricked and was never in any real danger finally hit Lord Como like a train at full speed. “I... you... I just...”
“Thank you for telling me all those names. My work here is done. You enjoy whatever’s left of your failed and useless life, milord.”
He slowly sank into the water as he covered his eyes with his hooves, weeping softly but loud enough for me to hear it. I also could smell his urine finally being released into the tub which made him cry even harder. Ah, the sweet smell of piss, tears, and shame. My favorite smell.
I walked towards the door where I was surprised to see Evening Glory there looking... well surprised. “I can’t believe it,” she said, “Gallant Heart... the Gallant Heart. He’s always been loyal, his family has been in the royal guard since it was founded. Shining Armor picked him as one of his best stallions at his wedding! His brother is even in the academy! How could... this is...”
“Well, you never really know folks now do you?” I said nonchalantly as I made my way out the room and towards the exit. Evening Glory soon followed me. “So, now what? Your guys are going to go after them now?”
“Y-yes...” muttered Evening Glory, trying to regain her cool. I could make fun of her for it, but I’m gonna be the nice guy just this once. “That was... unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I don’t think even Discord could have done something so horrible.”
“Flattery doesn’t work on me, but thank you.”
“Just, one question... Stag.” I paused in step and raised by eyebrow. “What made you do... that?”
I sighed. “Well, if you must know I’ve always been like this. I love hurting. Just something I like doing. Almost got me court martialed a few times when I was a Gatherer, but I was good at information and love gathering so I got a free pass. But then something happened...”
“What?” she asked.
“... a purge. A purge where lots of changelings died... most of them were children. Chrysalis ordered them all to be killed, saying they were a threat to the empire.” I spat at the ground. “They were only a threat to her rule...”
“... somepony important to you died during that, didn’t they?” Evening Glory pointed out.
I didn’t say anything. Not as images of the darkest day in my life flash before my eyes. Little Nectar in my arms, bleeding to death as she asked me to sing her favorite song when she said she wanted to go to sleep. Her mother, my sister, decapitated with her limbs cut off and hung on spears for all to see. Piles of corpses burned from adults to even newborns only months old.
And our good old former Queen smiling with approval as she saw the last of the threat to her power eliminated.
That was the last time I cried. That was the last time I felt anything that mattered to me anymore. That was the last time I gave a damn about morality. That was when I let the monster inside me eat away what was left of Stag the Changeling and left only Stag the Torturer.
“The Royal Family killed Chrysalis, maybe not intentionally but that blast lead to her death. I took this job because I owe them for that. That is all,” I said, trotting away. “I only hope I meet Chrysalis when Mesmoria has her reincarnated so I can make her suffer again and again for what she did.”
I left Evening Glory in the hall. My job was complete.
But I was not done. I will never be done.
A torturer never stops hurting.
Both others... and himself.
The Torturer lived the rest of his days in Vanhoover.
Sometimes he would disappear for days on end.
When asked where he went, he would reply to his neighbors:
Let it not be said that a noblepony’s life is an easy one. In fact, it is the most stressful job in the world. Many would think we live fine and comfortable lives, living in our expensive houses, holding our big fancy parties, and wearing our finest clothes out in public. That is our most popular perception by the public, and I must admit it is not without its justification. To tell the truth; only lesser nobles have easy lives. For the ambitious and influential ones, such as myself, life is one of danger and cunning.
We call it The Game. A silly name I know, but that is what the life a noblepony is like, a game of life, chance, and sometimes death. We all pretend to smile and greet each other, laugh at our stupid jokes, and even call each other friends. In truth, we are trying to destroy each other for prestige. Who has the better lands? Who has the better business and has more success? Who gains more favor with the royal family? Everypony who is anypony in the noble lifestyle knows of The Game, from the servants and spies to the gardeners and guards. Even Princess Celestia knows of it, but nopony would ever touch her or anything associated with her with ill intentions unless they wanted to commit political suicide.
Poor Blueblood. I knew that Amadeus has never taught his son much, but not one thing about The Game? I dare even say he never even liked his son, even less now thanks to his assassination plot. The Bluebloods would never recover. They were finished, and I was glad. While I was the most “important” pony in Canterlot, the most powerful noble has always been the head of the Bluebloods. They were always the best players in The Game, and Amadeus Blueblood was no exception. The stallion was ruthless, cruel, and calculating. Whatever he wanted he could buy. Whatever he couldn’t buy he threatened. And whatever he couldn’t threaten... mysteriously was never seen again.
Besides royalty, every noble feared him, even I would have thought twice before crossing him. He was a natural speaker with good charisma, knowing well where to give a promise or spread a lie. Even the princesses, who always kept a close eye on his actions, couldn’t always spot him from spreading his influence over the economy, government and even military.
But with Amadeus’ son and his associates having killed Princess Twilight eight months ago, the princess's justice dropped upon him like a hammer to a nail. Stripping every bit of power he and his family had possessed over the hundreds of year. Now I was the most powerful noble, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. For one, it meant I had to be three times as careful with my life than before. And two, I would never count Amadeus out of The Game until he was six feet under. Despite his allies abandoning him one by one as well as his entire wealth disappeared before his very eyes, Amadeus never once looked worried. It made me believe he had a backup plan and soon enough I was proven right. He and his entire family sailed to the recently discovered Kingdom of Unicornia across the Western Sea.
It made me frown as I read the reports from my desk in my business room, mostly because of the origins of Unicornia and it’s citizens. Long ago, just a bit after Equestria was founded, there were members of each tribe who still refused to co-exist with the opposite tribes, claiming it was a betrayal of all they stood for in their mad beliefs of racial superiority. Each tribe decided to form their own nation where they reigned supreme.
The pegasi formed a grand cloud city called Cloundshelm that was always under military rule. From time to time, the pegasi of Cloudshelm would attack Equestria for supplies or cause destruction among villages because they saw anything that couldn't fly to be inferior. The worst was when they kidnapped pegasi foals, claiming they deserved to be raised by those who hadn’t sacrificed their pride. Eventually it became too much and we went to war, the first time all three tribes worked together against a common enemy. It last for three years but Cloudshelm surrendered and was annexed into Equestria territory and changed to Cloudsdale.
The earth ponies would travel the Eastern Sea and found themselves in a desert when their ships could go no further. It seemed impossible that they could grow anything in such a barren area, but they found special fruit trees that only grew in the sand and nowhere else. Soon they created a settlement, eventually expanding, and adapted to the environment, growing taller and thinner than their descendants. A monarchy was created over time but has changed through multiple wars and rebellions. When Equestria finally made contact again with their earth pony brethren, who called themselves horses to distinguished themselves, the nation of Saddle Arabia didn’t want to join with Equestria. But they saw how powerful Equestria was and knew they would not want it as an enemy. So a treaty was formed and trade agreements were made. There is sometime still tension between us as it is still outlawed to manipulate the weather there as well cast magic unregistered.
Nopony knew what had happened to the unicorns when they took the mysterious Western Sea. It was filled with storms and sea monsters. Most thought they had perished until they were discovered only a year and half ago. It too was a monarchy, but the royal family has never changed once. It’s also part of the bloodline of Princess Platinum via her younger sister, who refused to join her older sibling, thinking she had betrayed their race’s ideals. They had found a continent all for themselves and created various colonies while interacting peacefully with another race known as the flutter ponies. However, the unicorns claimed that the flutter ponies broke their friendship with them and they had no choice but to take over their lands and expand. Eventually, the remaining lands were taken over and they put the flutter ponies in a new settlement.
Yet nopony from Equestria has been able to enter this settlement to talk to them. It’s well known that the Unicornians are still racist, and refuse to talk to anypony in negotiations for a trade deal who isn’t a unicorn. Amadeus would find home with these bigots, there is no doubt, and he would try to grow power there to make up for the power he lost.
We had never seen eye to eye. He hated the fact I was from a lower born noble family that soon rose higher above my status. When I came to own everything after my parents death, the other nobles thought they could manipulate me. A few weeks later they were being manipulated, and working, for me.
The difference between me and those nobles was I played to make Equestria a better place. That’s why I had to watch myself when supporting Princess Twilight Sparkle, who I had total faith in. Most of the nobles feared her changing the status quo, one of the few unspoken rules of The Game. I, and those who agreed with me, publicly supported her because I believe she would succeed in the end. It was the second biggest risk I ever took in my life; the first was taking Fleur as my lover, but more on that later.
Her assassination, however, worked in my favor. Like I said before, another unspoken rule was not to touch Princess Celestia. Just because she didn’t play The Game like us, didn’t mean she couldn’t participate and destroy us, which would hardly take any effort on her part. At the trial she outright called all the nobles worms. We all knew that she would keep a close eye on all of us after that, making sure that every dirty deed they did would either be stopped or exposed in order to ruin them. I can already count twenty families who are now ruined thanks to her attempts to weed out the corrupt in her court.
I, of course, helped drop a few names anonymously. I wasn’t the only one doing it. Everypony was exposing everypony at this point. Family alliances, friendships, even marriage was no longer important: survival of their power was. It disgusted me, but that was The Game for you.
With Celestia on the warpath to see her deceased student’s dream of Equestria come true, I knew that I would reap the rewards having been supportive from the very start. Of course, that didn’t mean I wasn’t about to get involved in some way. Such as it was that day.
“Excuse me, Lord Fancy Pants?” said the mare on my intercom. A new invention by Flim Flam Incorporated, who were only getting more famous as technology was starting to get funded more to integrate with average pony life. Another idea of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s.
“Yes, Grace?” I asked back.
“Lord Hex is here to see you.”
“Send him in,” I said with a sigh. I could already tell what this was about.
Lord Hex arrived, his blond hair was not combed and sleek with jell like he usually had it. In fact, it looked like he had been tearing it out with his magic for some time. He took off his purple robe and tossed it onto the nearby coat hanger before sitting down on the cushion in front of me. I poured us both a drink of scotch which he took in one gulp before glaring at me. Normally, Lord Hex and I were on civil terms but it seemed that such a connection was now more strained than it once had been.
“I suppose you already know why I’m here,” said Lord Hex as he leaned forward, his dirty and sweaty hooves on my mahogany desk. Tsk.
“I do,” I said finishing my drink and pouring another. “And I suppose you’re here to dissuade me am I correct?”
“Damn it, Fancy!” he shouted, pounding his hoof on my desk. “I would think as a fellow unicorn you would be siding with me on this! Your parents, may they rest in peace, were always firm investors in my companies and you were as well! So why are you now making yourself an investor for Flim Flam Incorporated?!”
“Well, their inventions have been a success and it’s a good business deal. I invest in their company and get a good discount for the gadgets they come up with for my own needs. I say that’s a good deal,” I answered, sipping my drink. “Besides, other nobles are joining in so why not myself?”
“Yes, earth nobles and pegasus ones, I can understand, but if you, a unicorn noble do this, don’t you know what it will mean?!” shouted Lord Hex as his hair becomes more frazzled.
I was tempted to roll my eyes. I knew what he meant, but I feigned ignorance. I had to play this very carefully. Lord Hex was not as rich as me but his family had great influence thanks to their involvement with more than half of the magical development research institutes in Canterlot. In addition, they were descendants of another of Princess Celestia’s former students. Everything involving magic from research to spells had his families influence in some way.
“Please enlighten me,” I said calmly.
“You know as much as I do that these... technologies that those two brothers and others ponies have been creating have been taking over the market by storm. Combining magic and technology! Unthinkable! Pure magical items are getting less popular these days. Magical schools have just gotten a huge lack of students, the lowest we’ve seen this year. And where are they going? To colleges where they can learn metalwork and science and machinery! And worst of all, I’m losing sales! We’re losing our souls as Equestrians! And this is all Princess Celestia’s fault!” shouted Hex, shouting up a storm.
“I don’t see the problem. Princess Celestia just said she found technology to be quite useful. It’s already been helping in the fields of science, medical, and military. Why would she lie about something that has been helping her ponies?”
Hex rolled his eyes. “Come on, Fancy. Anything Princess Celestia says is gospel, especially since nopony wants to be on her bad side since the death of Princess Twilight. You’ve seen what happens when they do...” Yes and I took pleasure in watching it. “And the only reason she’s doing this is because one of Princess Twilight’s goals was to get Equestria more “modernized” and open us up to using those devil machines.” He took another big gulp of liquor. “Equestria has been mostly pure magic with very little technology for nearly a thousand years. Why should we change now?!”
“Maybe because we are one of the slowest developing nations?” I asked. “The thing about magic is that only one third of the population can use it. Technology is faster to learn, faster to develop, and all three races can work it without problem. The griffins alone have been able to keep up with us the past hundred years thanks to their dependence on it. We’ve been using steam power when they just entered technology. We have movies, but they have this invention called TV which is the same thing but in their homes. They have medical scans that can pick up problems in ones body that magic can’t find. Pretty soon, we’ll be in last place. Don’t you think it’s time to catch up?”
“At what cost!” shouted Lord Hex. “Equestria was founded by magic, raised by magic, and can only live with magic. Her soul is at stake!”
“No, it’s only your pride,” I said, rudely I might add but I was done wasting my time with him. He stared at me with wide eyes as I took another sip and continued. “Hex I know you never approved of Twilight’s reformations, even if you never went public about them. You still were part of the side that favored tradition and wanted nothing to change. And now you look around you and see change happening, regardless of what you and those brave enough to still hold on to their argument can see. You’re not just upset you’re losing money or that Equestria is moving on, you’re upset because your side lost when Twilight died. All of Equestria is looking to reform itself and you have no choice but to follow, kicking and screaming like a foal having a temper tantrum because he didn’t get his way.”
“You dare...” he growled but I leaned forward and growled louder, forcing him to back down.
“I. Do. Dare.” I snarled and sat back down. “I’ve been waiting for a chance to see this happen for too long. I control The Game at the moment because I was the one who came up on top after Twilight’s death. Believe me, I wish it hadn’t happened, but I will do what I can to not only help this nation like a true noble should, but I will see to it that every last one of you who hinders this either follows or gets left in the dust.”
The two of us stared at each other, but I’m more relaxed then he is. He can’t do anything to me and he knows it. He even tries I will destroy him and his world. “I’ll still remain an investor for your companies, Lord Hex. However, I will be also one for Flim and Flam too. I choose who I give my money to based on what I think is best for me and Equestria. Not for the sake of some pride.”
“Without pride, we are nothing,” muttered Hex.
“And with pride we fall into early ruin,” I countered.
Hex got up and left. Didn’t bother saying goodbye, not that I cared. It was just another name I’d have to cross off the party lists. Such a thing hardly bothered me.
The door opened again and my spirited brightened as I saw my lover, Fleur, stroll in with that smile that I love so much. All the jewels, gold, and titles in the world were nothing compared to that smile. She didn’t say anything. She just closed the door and kissed me as I rubbed her neck. “Is there a reason why you are here this early?”
“I just thought I’d give you the good news,” she whispered in my ear before biting it a bit. I gasped and soon I was but clay for her to fold and work with. “Princess Celestia is going to go forward with the Mixed Racial Law tomorrow.”
My eyes widened. “You mean...”
Fleur smiled and soon she changed into her real form; the changeling form I grew to love the moment I saw her pleading for help on my summer home years ago, near death and starving. The changeling who fooled the world into thinking she was a top pony model when she was actually something else in disguise, using her talents to make herself the perfect body. The mare who I loved and protected all my life.
She smiled, tears in her eyes. “Soon, my love, I will have to hide no more. And we can get married at long last.”
I kissed her. Knowing that soon the love of my life for ten years will be mine forever more. Change was coming to Equestria. And I was going to enjoy it.
***
Change came as predicted
Some embraced it and were successful
Others denied it and fell into ruin
And the Noblest of Nobles, with his Deceiving Flower, lived in happiness
I breathed Equestrian air for the first time since I tried to steal the Element of Magic from Twilight Sparkle three years ago. I was back in the world that I had been born into, but this time I was not here to cause misfortune like I did last time. I was here for forgiveness to the one pony who had been like a mother to me since my parents died.
My friends back home had offered to come with me, but I told them I had to do this on my own. Plus, it would be very weird if we had two Rainbow Dashs, Fluttershys, Applejacks and Raritys. And I don’t think any world can survive with two Pinkie Pies.
It felt weird, walking on four legs again, but I quickly adapted and found myself not in the strange crystal like palace last time, but the more familiar royal palace in Canterlot. I bit my lip, unsure of what to do now. It was an unscheduled visit, I’m sure, but would Princess Celestia or Twilight be expecting me? The time limit for the mirror had passed and would be open for the next few days.
My thoughts were soon interrupted when a royal guard I failed to notice saw me and narrowed his eyes. “Halt! Who goes there!”
I gulped, trying to avoid my instincts to flee. Last time I was here I did a criminal act. Despite Twilight forgiving me, would Celestia have, I wondered. “I-I’m Sunset Shimmer. I-I came through the mirror and...”
The guard relaxed. “I see. We were told you might appear. I’ll let Princess Celestia know you’ve arrived from the other world. Please wait here.”
I let out a sigh of relief as he left the room, leaving me to wait. I looked around and saw there wasn’t much to this room. It was small, a bit dark, with a few works of art here and there, but nothing else. The guard soon came back and nodded. “Follow Private Shell here. Princess Celestia is waiting for you in her quarters.”
I was soon greeted to my first surprise that day. A changeling guard. I knew what they were, having read about them in myths as well as learned of the invasion when I came back a long time ago. To see one here, in uniform, made my jaw drop. The changeling saluted to his fellow guard and motioned me to follow him.
My jaw found it’s way back to proper place as I slowly did, not fully trusting the creature that had been known to steal love from ponies. Of course, he smiled at me as we walked down the halls. “I’ve been notified that you’ve been out of Equestria for some time. It must seem strange seeing a changeling like myself walk around in plain daylight, undisguised.”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” I replied, feeling the nostalgia of walking through the same halls I once did as a filly. Nothing had really changed so much. It still held the same warm feel to it, just like bathing in the sun. Yet for some reason it felt much less joyous. Like something had taken some of the happiness in the palace and it never returned.
“There are few of us in the Equestrian military now. Ever since we became allies with the ponies, things have started to look up for us, despite the hardships. We even have some griffins and donkeys joining,” said Private Shell.
Now I was really wondering what the hell (sorry, I meant hay, but being in the human world for so long you tend to get used to the lingo) had been going on since I left. Twilight had told me she wanted to change things in Equestria, particularly based on how we did things in the human world.
“Guess, she really did change things,” I muttered to myself.
Before I knew it, I was in front of the familiar doors that lead to my old mentor’s room. The private saluted before leaving, but I didn’t say anything. I was too busy trying not to run away.
Running away.
That’s how this mess started didn’t it? I ran away, I said I hated her. I... was so horrible.
How could she still love me after all these years?
Slowly, I reached for the handle and opened it, revealing Princess Celestia, waiting for me with a warm smile on her face. “Welcome home, my precious student.”
At that moment, I knew she still loved me. The look in her eyes, the calmness of her voice, the loving smile she always gave me no matter what. I knew she loved me. Tears overcame me as I rushed in and hugged, sobbing loudly in her embrace. I felt the warmth of the sun in her forelegs as I took in her embrace. I was back with my mentor, my friend, my mother. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” I cried out, shame and guilt in my voice as I thought back to all the ponies and humans I hurt in my arrogance and greed. “I don’t hate you! I love you! I love you and I am so sorry for all the things I did!”
“I know, Sunset,” she whispered to me as she stroked my head. “And I forgive you. You are not the first to make a mistake and you will not be the last.”
“But... I hurt you... I hurt so many...”
“And have you sought to fix this?” she asked, smiling.
I nodded. “It... it wasn’t easy... but most of them... they all forgave me... befriended me even.”
“Then you have made me proud,” Celestia whispered. “Now you know that true magic is not being an alicorn or a princess, but with the friends you treasure in your heart.”
“Yeah, Twilight taught me that. Where is she anyway? I want her to know how I... I...”
I then saw something I had never seen before in my entire life. Crying. My teacher was crying. They were not tears of pride or joy, but tears of sorrow. Loss.
I felt my heart twist as I touched her shoulder. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Celestia took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Sunset. Two years ago... Twilight Sparkle was killed.”
***
I had demanded to see the body. I knew about the memorial garden's for the past apprentices and if Twilight was anywhere, she was there. I didn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. Not until I saw her in that glass casket, smiling while her eyes remained shut did I finally believe it.
Twilight Sparkle... this world’s Twilight Sparkle was dead. I don’t know how long I cried or how long I held that glass casket, hoping to somehow fall in and embrace her. By the time I had my senses come back to me it was almost noon by the sight of the sun’s location in the sky.
While I stared at her cold corpse, I couldn’t help but think about my Twilight. The one in the world I lived in now. What if this was her fate as well? What if destiny ran the same in both worlds? Was Twilight Sparkle, the human one, doomed to one day end up in a casket just like her pony counterpart?
“This is wrong...” I muttered, lowering my head in shame. “I’ve done so much wrong and yet I’m still alive while a good pony like her is dead. I should be the one lying in there, not her. Not when she’s done so much and could have done so much for all of us.”
Celestia’s wings wrapped around me as I felt her nuzzle my neck. “Don’t say such a thing, Sunset. Twilight lived a good life, however short it was. She would have been proud to have seen you become a better pony then you were before.”
“I owe her everything... both of them,” I muttered as I placed a hoof on the glass, wishing I could hold her hoof one last time.
“You mean... you know of the Twilight in your world?” asked Celestia, with eager eyes. I guess I can’t blame her. If you apprentice and daughter figure lived in another world while the one you knew was dead before you, wouldn’t you want to know about them. “Are you two close?”
“We are... if it wasn’t for her... I wouldn’t be alive right now,” I muttered, wincing as I thought of the time I stood on that bridge.
Princess Celestia turned me around and looked me straight in the eye with both worry and desire. “What happened, Sunset? What did you almost do?”
I think she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear me deny it. I’m not proud of what I almost did. It still shames me to this day. But back then I felt like I had no choice. “Has... Twilight ever told you want the Elements of Harmony do to you when you're hit by them?” I asked, unsure if my mentor knew or not.
“No, I’ve asked Discord and Luna but they refuse to tell me. It’s like they almost don’t want me to know,” answered Celestia.
More like they don’t want to remember it.
“The Elements...they force you to feel the pain of all those you hurt over and over again. I felt all the tears, suffering, heartaches, and sorrows of those who I bullied and hurt all my life. Including you.” A tear dripped down my cheek as my mentor looked at me with horror. “When you're hit with it... there is no time. It’s like a second passes, but it feels like a thousand lifetimes. The more harm you’ve done, the worse it is. Imagine feeling all the pain you caused over and over again for dozens of lifetimes. When I felt that, when I finally realized what I had done in my quest for power... I broke.”
I sat on my haunches. “And that’s not the worse of it. The entire school hated me. They saw me for what I was and responded with hatred. On the best of days they ignored me or spoke behind my back... the worst days I had to go the nurse’s office.”
“But what about the five Twilight had befriended? Didn’t they help you?” asked Celestia.
“They tried, but I pushed them away. I felt unworthy to have any friendship, especially since I made it so that all five of them broke their own bond. I even tried to kill them once. How could I ask forgiveness after all that?” I muttered, remembering the cold and lonely days I had.
My clothes being stolen during Gym, my locker vandalized, my books ripped apart. The nicknames they came up with like “Sunset Satan”. I didn’t bother stopping it, because I wanted it. I wanted to be hurt. I wanted to feel the justice I had deserved for what I had done. I was a monster and I wanted to be taken down.
“Eventually, I figured... it would be best to just.... disappear forever. I thought no one would miss me. So I went to the bridge leading to the city, ready... to jump...” My mentor’s response was a slap to the face. I looked at her while holding my red cheek as she looked at me with both fear, love, and tears. “Princess...”
“How... how could you think such a thing...? Did you ever stop to think that maybe I would miss you?!” She took me into her forelegs again and rested her head against mine. “Did you never once think that I missed you all those years you were gone? That I didn’t sit by that mirror day and night when it was open, hoping you would come back to me? Twilight wasn’t the only daughter figure I had in my life, you were one as well! I love you, Sunset Shimmer, no matter what! I lost one daughter, I don’t want to lose another!”
“I... I... I love you too, Celestia!” I shouted while sobbing into her chest. “I-It... It just hurt so much! I just wanted the pain to stop! I just wanted... I just wanted you...”
“I know... I know...” whispered Celestia as we continued to hold on to one another. It was as if nothing had changed. We were still teacher and student―no, mother and daughter.
I always feared that Twilight Sparkle had taken my place, but I was wrong. My mentor had a heart big enough for both of us and more. I felt the last of my worries and regrets leave me as I let out every grieving mistake I held within me. I only wished that Twilight was there, instead of being trapped in that casket for eternity..
Or maybe she was watching us. I’d like to think that maybe there is a god or something out there. Maybe it’s one of the human gods or maybe it’s Faust herself. I don’t know. But I like to think it was destiny that saved me that day.
“What stopped you?” asked Celestia.
I smiled for the first time since I came through the mirror. “She did... my Twilight.”
I looked up and gazed into my mentor’s curious eyes. “The Twilight of my world. She saw me and stopped me. We talked... and she told me she would help me. I was a stranger and yet she wanted to help me.”
I sighed as I thought about meeting the Twilight of my world, and how important she was to me now. “It was thanks to her that I managed to accept the other five’s friendship. From there, things slowly changed. I transferred schools to one in the big city and found other friends. Twilight and I grew really close and we became the best students in our class. We’re graduating now and heading into college to study science. She wants to change the world, just like this Twilight. And I’m going to make sure she does.”
I saw my mentor wipe a tear from her eye before smiling at me so bright that the sun couldn’t shine brighter than her. “It’s good to hear that. I really... really wanted to hear that.”
I smiled before turning back towards the Twilight who lay in eternal sleep. “She could have been so much more here.”
“She could have,” whispered Celestia. “I can’t be her, but I can do my best to see her dreams come true. In fact, she said that she got a lot of inspiration from the human world. She said that where you live, anyone is free to be who they are and aspire to what they are. Racism and prejudice, while existing, is fought against. And an entire world run by science and invention rather than magic. She says there are even those who choose their leaders for them to represent them in their governments.”
“Twilight wanted to create a democracy in Equestria?” I said with wide eyes. Such a thing was not even heard of in this world. Even I was surprised to learn that people had the power instead of kings or queens when I first went there.
“Yes, she called it that. I was not against it and neither was Luna. To have our ponies choose their own destiny without us, I saw it as a child finally growing up and walking their own path. But we all felt it would take a few hundred years to slowly change our central government.” Celestia sighed. “Unfortunately, I fear without Twilight I won’t be able to make these changes to such a path.”
A thought soon came to my head. It filled me up with hope as I began to consider the possibilities. “What if... what if I could get the knowledge? I live in the human world and the country I’m in is a democracy! I can learn all about it, gather books and data, and the next time the mirror opens I can bring it all to you. You and I... we can make Twilight’s dream a reality together!”
The realization on Celestia’s face was priceless as she looked at me like I had presented her a cake making spell. She smiled again and nodded. “That could work! This... this is a good idea, Sunset! I’ve been trying to figure out how I could make this vision of Twilight’s come true and now you’ve... you’ve given me a chance. Thank you so much.”
“It’s nothing. It’s the least I could do for her,” I muttered. For a long time, I had been trying to make up to Twilight what I had done and feared with her dead I would never get that chance. But now I can. I can make her dreams of a new and modern Equestria come to life.
This... this would be my redemption.
“I guess I should get to work right away when I get home, but first...” I rubbed my stomach and blushed as a gurgle came out of it. “I think I could use some lunch.”
“I hope you still like hayfries,” Celestia laughed as we left the grave site.
“I doubt I do. Once you try french fries you tend to ignore hay in favor of potatoes...”
***
The rest of the day I spent with my mentor, walking through Canterlot and seeing what had changed in my absence. I got to meet Princess Luna, who welcomed me with open hooves despite my past. They offered to let me visit Ponyville, to see Twilight’s friends who were doing well despite her passing, but I declined. I had to get back home. Back to my friends. Back to my Twilight.
And so I did, arriving back at my apartment in the city where I was greeted by a familiar puppy who licked my face when I came home. “Hi, Spike,” I said as I hugged him. I learned what had happened to the Spike of my old world and I couldn’t help but wish I could never let my Spike go. “Never run away, you hear me? Never!”
He barked and licked my face again before I let him go and he scampered off somewhere.
“Sunset, is that you?” Hearing her voice made me freeze up. Afterall, it was only a few hours ago that I saw her double’s body in a coffin that would last forever. I turned around and there she was. My Twilight. The living one. She smiled at me with that angelic smile of her’s that warmed my heart a long time ago. “How was your trip visiting your friends? I didn’t think you would be back so soon. You never mentioned where you were going also?”
Of course Twilight didn’t know. None of us at Canterlot High ever told anypony the truth. Sure, some rumor spread but nothing came out of it.
I walked up to my Twilight and placed a hand on her face. “You’re... alive...”
“Um, last time I checked, yeah?” chuckled Twilight. It was silence when I kissed her.
She was surprised at first, but then she kissed me back. My Twilight. My girlfriend. My lover. I still had her. I will always have her. I will never let her go.
Because she is my savior.
And I love her.
I stopped the kiss and closed my eyes. Feeling the taste of her lipstick on my lips. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow and gave a nervous smile. “Not that I’m complaining, but is something wrong?”
“No... I just... need to make a quick phone call... or five...” I muttered as I took out my cell and walked away, leaving Twilight confused.
I called Applejack first.
“Applejack... it’s me. Yeah, I went through like I said. Listen... there is something you, the girls, and Flash need to know...”
***
The next morning the students of Canterlot High saw something strange.
Seven bouquets of flowers were laid next to the statue right outside.
And every year, on the same day, another seven appeared.
None knew who the flowers were for or why.
I Watched Her Life (Donut Joe, written by Grand Moff Pony)
This chapter was written by contest winner: Grand Moff Pony
pre-read/edited by: Loyal
I Watched Her Life (Donut Joe’s POV)
***
So, you want to know my story too, huh? How everything has impacted me?
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you thought of me and all... But surely there's more important ponies to talk to besides me, right?
Oh, well, I guess I did see her more often than most. This is, err, was her favorite eatery in the entire city. Now, there's a bond between the customers and myself; especially the regulars. It's a pact of silence, really... They've got tales to tell, and I've got ears to listen. Only difference between me and the barstallion is I'm slinging coffee instead of booze.
But you know what, perhaps this is the one time that I can waive that rule. Much has been said about her - most of it vile and disgusting - nearly all of it either outright lies or ludicrous rumor. Even now, I grit my teeth until they hurt every time I hear somepony in here drag her through the mud, even all these years later.
It was never fair to her. Not then, not now, not ever.
Her story - or should I say my story about her - needs to be told. She deserves at least that much from me, after all. So, belly up to the bar and get out an extra quill while I pour some Prench roast.
Oh, what'll it be? I've got plain cake and chocolate frosted with sprinkles... Those were her favorites you know.
All settled? Good.
So, Princess Twilight Sparkle...
***
I still remember the first time I saw her. Heck, I remember it like it was yesterday. After all, how could I forget such a cute little foal, especially after she detonated my coffee machine trying to refill her dad's mug?
Yeah, her dad had stopped in, as he usually did every Friday morning. It was 'Bring Your Foal to Work Day', so Night Light had an extra guest with him when he came in. Cutest little foal I had ever seen, too. Those eyes could have melted a Windigo's frozen heart, heh.
Anyway, I guess Night Light had polished off his first cup of coffee before I could get back to him, and little Twilight must have gotten it in her head to just take care of it herself. I saw a coffee mug hover past me out the corner of my eye, but I was too busy levitating a tray of éclairs into the case to turn around. I heard the coffee machine whir to life, and the next thing I knew, half the cafe was getting a free wake-up call in the form of a coffee shower.
She sat there in shock, as if she had just blown up the world... Until she saw her dad's mane dripping with coffee of course. Then she nearly rolled off of her booster seat in a fit of laughter. Celestia bless Night Light's heart, he took it all in stride. He had way more patience than I ever did. Maybe that's why I never had foals of my own... Or maybe it was my ex-wife. Anyway, moving on...
I was pretty good friends with Night Light, and his wife too. They were some of my first regulars when I got the shop from my parents and re-opened it. Night Light and I would chat often, and occasionally go out for a cider or two when Velvet was having her book club over at the house.
But I was still a bit shocked when Night Light asked me to watch his daughter for a bit between school dismissal and the end of his shift at the observatory. I had no idea how to handle a foal when I was alone, much less in the middle of running a cafe. But old Nighty assured me she wouldn't be any trouble - especially not to my coffee machines.
And was he ever right on that.
She'd come in everyday after school with a smile on her face and saddlebags full to the brim with books and notes. If things were slow, she'd tell me all about her day, sometimes in excruciating detail. Who knew a little one could talk so much? But after a while, she'd make her way to the counter, open a book or two, and that was the last I'd hear from her most days. She'd read, and read, and read some more. And if she wasn't reading, she was scribbling notes onto her parchments faster than I thought was possible.
After a while, I had to coax her into switching to one of the booths, as her books were spreading out to cover nearly the entire counter. In exchange though, I had to promise never to run out of hot chocolate while she was there. I figured it was a fair trade, especially if I could avoid being subjected to her 'pretty please' stare again. That thing had a magic all its own, I swear.
That good, huh? See? I told you these were the best donuts in Canterlot! Need a top-off, by the way? Sure, comin' right up.
***
Now, where was I? Ah, yes...
When Nighty and Velvet came by to tell me that Twilight had been accepted to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, I have to admit I was mildly surprised. To think that she'd graduated from exploding my coffee pots to Princess Celestia's own student had me reeling. I have to admit though, I felt a little bit of pride for the bright-eyed young filly too.
I figured I'd hardly see her anymore, now that she was essentially living at the castle, but as it turned out, I saw her even more. The cafe is barely a ten minute walk from the castle gates, so she'd stop by nearly every day after her lessons were complete. She'd grab the corner booth, and just like before, she'd crack open her books and keep working. Sometimes I had to threaten to cut off the hot chocolate unless she took a break now and again.
The breaks were good too, and not just for Twilight's 'always-on' mind. It gave me a chance to talk to her, to get to know her as she continued to explore new spells and branches of knowledge. It was then that I began to see the true genius that was locked inside of her. In my mind, these old, overly-painted walls played host to a unicorn with more knowledge, more talent, and more insight than I had ever seen in any pony, save the Princesses themselves.
I know how much of a struggle it can be for we unicorns to use magic effectively for even small tasks, but as Twilight told me all of the spells and constructs that she was mastering, I couldn't help but be awestruck. Spell forms that normally require years to master she had perfected in a few months. I knew then that whatever her calling was in life, magic would be at the very heart of it all.
The years went by in a blur after that point. To say that Twilight was another one of my 'regulars' would be doing her a disservice. She wasn't just a regular, she was a part of my daily existence. No offense to Shining Armor, of course, but I felt like a big brother watching his baby sister grow up in front of him, one afternoon at a time. While I poured coffee and slung dough around the kitchen, one of the greatest minds in Equestria was formed in that corner booth, surrounded by a stack of books, a bottomless mug of hot chocolate, and a plate of donuts. With sprinkles, of course.
When she told me that the Princess was sending her to Ponyville to supervise that year's Summer Sun Celebration, I couldn't have been more proud of her. Needless to say, I was shocked to see her so grumpy about it.
Normally, Twilight had an answer for everything, and if she didn't, she'd work non-stop until she found it. But this time, she was facing a problem that wasn't in a book, and she had no idea what to do. When she came in here late one evening, right before close, she looked as lost as a tourist without a map. She slumped into her usual booth and did something that I had never seen from her before.
She asked for help.
She asked for help... And that's when I made a split-second decision; I poured her coffee instead of hot chocolate. She never asked why I did it, but I'll tell you why. I did it because in that moment, I saw her begin the transformation from filly to mare. She was facing a problem that took heart and mind to solve, and she was willing to ask for help instead of relying on her pride.
I passed the mug to her as I sat down, and we talked for over an hour. She rambled and ranted, and even cried. But in the end, I helped her make sense of what she was facing - of why the Princess had trusted such a seemingly mundane task to her. Or, at least I like to think that I did, my own lack of wisdom notwithstanding.
When Twilight left that night, she was still a bit uneasy about leaving her studies and her comfortable environment behind to plan a festival, but she at least had a better appreciation for what she might get from it... Along with the beginnings of a wicked addiction to coffee. Besides the construction workers and guards that I see in here, to this day she's the only other pony I've seen take their coffee straight up. No sugar or nothin'.
Oh, looks like a customer... Ah, it's Plumb Line. Must be five o'clock then. Excuse me one moment...
Hey, Plumb! Your usual?
***
Okay, sorry about that. You still nursing that coffee, or would you like some more? Oh, another donut then? Ha, and Joe claims yet another convert!
Be right back!
***
Now where were we... Oh! Right, the Summer Sun Celebration. Well, I think we all know how that turned out, so no need to rehash that. Point is, after that, everything changed for Twilight.
She came back to Canterlot afterwards, but it was only for a few days. She said that the five mares she met in Ponyville were chosen along with her to bear the Elements of Harmony, and that it was really they who rescued Princess Luna from the Nightmare. Not only that, but Princess Celestia had granted her a new home in Ponyville to continue her studies in magic and friendship.
I was sad to see her go, of course, but I was so happy for her too. She was a grown mare now, with a home of her own, a day job, and a boundless ability to succeed. I got together with her folks, and we threw her a little going away party at the cafe the night before she left. We danced, sang, reminisced, and carried on well into the night. Of course, a platter full of her favorite chocolate frosteds helped too.
Naturally, I didn't see her too often after that, as she lived in Ponyville and all. But, when she did come back home - whether to see her folks or to meet with the Princesses - she always stopped by to say hello. She brought her friends with her a few times too, and let me tell you, she couldn't have found better friends if she had written an equation for finding the perfect friend. Wait, on second thought, she probably did, didn't she? Anyway, her friends were great. To this day, nopony has even come close to Rainbow's feat of ten ursa claws in one sitting either.
On occasion, she even brought the Princesses with her for a snack. I've never been so intimidated in my life as when both Princesses walked in here at the same time to place an order. Passing them a couple of donuts felt like I was submitting my soul to final judgment or something... Thank the stars they liked them though. I know Princess Luna loved them in particular, as she's made a number of clandestine runs here right at closing time for a box of donut holes. But you didn't hear that from me, got it?
Anyway, as the years went by, the adventures and the achievements just kept piling up for Twilight. That pony got herself into more far-flung adventures than Daring Do, yet each time, her and her friends would find a way. And every time, when she'd come back to Canterlot to share her adventures with her family, she'd stop by. Same corner booth, same cup of coffee, same chocolate frosted donut. It was like she never left at all.
And never once, did I hear her take more than a shred of credit for any of it. She'd talk for hours about all that her friends accomplished, or what she learned about friendship and magic, but she'd hardly ever take any credit for it. Sure, she was proud, but she never boasted; at least not to me.
Oh ponyfeathers, that's the oven. Can't let those crullers over-bake for even a moment, or the edges get crispier than hay fries. Hold that thought!
***
Whew! Got to 'em in time. Those are the most sensitive donuts I make, but they sell well, so I can't complain. Well, I could, but it never helps... If it did, I'd still be married.
More coffee? That's more like it! Comin' up!
***
I'm sure I've rambled your ears off by now, but I promise I'm almost done. Besides, the after-dinner rush will be here soon, and they won't be happy to find empty trays.
So, I made a habit of keeping up with the goings-on in Ponyville, through conversations with guards during their breaks, or with Nighty when he'd make his usual Friday stop in. It kept me partially in the loop on Twilight and her adventures, but nothing could have prepared me for the day that Nighty walked in and showed me the day's paper. 'A New Princess is Born'... I'll never forget the headline as long as I live. And right beneath it, a picture of Twilight Sparkle, with wings on her back and a crown on her head. I even kept an extra copy and framed the front page.
I remember sitting in the front section at her coronation. Nopony else noticed me of course, but that's okay. I'm just the donut hawker, after all. But to be there with Twilight's closest friends and family was the greatest honor of my life. It was the first coronation since that of Princess Cadance, so for most ponies, it was the first one they had ever seen in the flesh. And what a party it was afterwards. Music, dancing, food, and cider until daybreak. Ambassadors came from all over the world, and at that point, even jaded old me could feel the magic of friendship humming through the air.
If the world had ended at that very moment, at least it would have ended with a smile on its face. Because what happened after that was nothing short of evil.
The party had barely been swept up when the rumors started to percolate. I'd hear them occasionally myself; whispers and hushed conversations in these very booths, at this very bar! They thought I couldn't hear them, or maybe they didn't care, but I heard them.
They doubted Twilight. Who she was, what she had achieved, even where she had come from. They who only weeks earlier had sang her praises and pledged their loyalty to her now sat feet away from me, sullying everything that she stood for. Everything that I knew she believed in.
And it only got worse when Twilight unveiled her proposals to modernize Equestria and open lines of communications to nations both known and unknown. The whispers turned into shouts, then to yells, then to screams of rage and defiance. It was maddening! Twilight was trying to bring us into the future, not destroy us!
I seethed behind this counter. I desperately wanted to rip their throats out, to dump scalding coffee all over them, to throw them out through the bucking window! Yet, all I could muster was a soft word here or there, to try and dissuade them without alienating them.
What else could I do? Report them? These were nobility, for Celestia's sake! Reporting them would do no good. I simply held my tongue, and prayed that this would all pass away, like some grotesque fad. But damn me to Tartarus, I should have done more! I–I should have… Oh, damn it all!
Oh...Oh gosh, I'm sorry. I guess I... I kinda lost it there. My apologies.
Ahem…
It was painful to watch - and even more painful to hear about - because Twilight would begin returning to her booth nearly every night. Everything was the same, except for Twilight. I had never seen her more shaken in her resolve, or weakened in her confidence that she could succeed. Some nights she would just cry endlessly, watering her coffee down with her tears. She'd send messages ahead of her on particularly bad days, and I'd close the shop early to give her more time to talk. Funny how that one oven keeps going down on me, you know?
When she'd tell me about her plans, the light in her eyes, the enthusiasm in her voice would roar back to life. After a bit of prodding on my part, she even opened up about a particular guard that she had become, shall we say, 'close friends' with. Whoever that guard was, he was one lucky stallion, I'll say that. She was in love over her hooves, that's for sure.
But then she'd tell me about the latest rumors spread about her, or the newest vile language that was thrown into her face in open court. I just couldn't believe that ponies could be so cruel, so heartless; and to one of their rulers too! It broke my heart to see Twilight like that; not like the strong Princess that she was, but as the scared foal that blew up a coffee pot and had no idea what to do next.
The last time I saw her? To my eternal torture, I'll never forget that either.
It was a Saturday night. Three days before... Before she was murdered. She came in about thirty minutes before close. I still had a hooffull of customers, but she just went to her booth and waited in utter silence. You know, she wasn't even safe from those monsters in here? Right as the last customer was leaving, a couple of hotshot nobles must have seen her through the windows as they passed by, because they started knocking on the windows, yelling things at her that would make any mother cringe in disgust.
One of them even had the nerve to trot in here and throw curse after curse at her, with no regard for anypony else around. I half expected Twilight to finally snap and banish this plothole to the moon, but she just sat there and took it, her eyes locked on the table in front of her until the louse was out of breath. Then she raised her eyes, and with the same soft voice she always had, invited him to sit with her and hear the truth.
That pitiful excuse for a pony simply spat on the ground and stormed out.
I locked the door and shut the blinds as fast as I could, but when I turned around, I saw that poor mare in a state of pure shock. She didn't move, and was barely breathing it seemed. Her eyes seemed devoid of spirit, of life, of energy... As if a part of her died in that very moment. I ran over and held her as tight as I could, and waited for the tears to come. And come they did; more than I had ever seen a pony cry.
We didn't say much after that. I just held onto her as tightly as I could and let her tears run dry.
When she left that night, she turned back right before she walked out the door, ran back, and hugged me like I was her second brother. She looked me in the eye – pretty easy to do at her height now – and told me thank you for being there for her.
I looked right back at her and put on my best 'big brother' smile, and I told her... I– oh, gosh, this is tougher than I thought…
I told her that I was proud of her, just like her parents and her brother, and I did what any good friend would do for another pony. And... And I told her to never stop believing that there is good inside of every creature, no matter who they are, or what they have done. That when troubled times arise, to look for the light and gallop towards it... And when she gets it, to turn around and shine it out, so nopony has to live in the dark.
She gave me another hug, and for a moment, I saw that same happy smile that had crossed her lips a million times before. And then she walked out the door.
The morning that they discovered her body, I was just opening my doors for the day when Celestia's screams of agony ripped through the air like a banshee.
Somehow, I knew. In some deep, dark corner of my soul, I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. I knew what had happened; I knew Equestria had lost a Princess, a family had lost a daughter, a brother had lost a sister, five special mares had lost their centerpiece... And I had lost my hope for the future.
At least the last thing I remember of her was a smile. Perhaps that's my silver lining, if that's the right term. But those screams, those cries of utter sorrow that echoed through this city–
Those screams will haunt me for the rest of my days.
***
So, there you go. That's my story of Twilight Sparkle; not the Princess, but the pony behind the crown. The pony I watched grow up before my eyes and change the face of Equestria. An extremely talented young mare that gave her all for the whole world, only to have it thrown back in her face. May she rest in peace, and as far away from this wretched place as possible.
As for me… I'm not sure what I'll do, or where I'll go, but I'm not staying here any longer. I–I just can't.
My family has been operating some kind of store in this city for generations, from produce stands to smithies to this very cafe; and believe me, the business has been good to me over the years… But I can't stand to see any of these ponies anymore.
Sure, most ponies’ opinions changed after Twilight died, and to an outsider, things might even look somewhat normal again. It’s anything but normal though, and this farce that passes for normal now only makes my blood boil. Do those hypocrites really think they’re fooling anypony? Or are they just that shallow? I saw them tear poor Twilight apart at every turn, yet all she wanted to do was usher this nation into a brighter future.
Only after Twilight had been murdered in cold blood did they suddenly change their tune. Now it was a national tragedy, and all of those common ponies that gleefully jeered and mocked Twilight scattered like leaves in the wind when their perverted wishes actually became reality. What’s more, most of the nobles that goaded the crowds to turn against one of their Princesses had the gall to attend the state funeral! They were all dressed in black and full of every vapid platitude that they could spit out of their mouths. Even the grave could not shield Twilight from their venomous words.
The whole thing sickened me… It still sickens me, to be honest. Some days I barely resist the urge to throw coffee in their faces when they come in here, acting like they were never involved. Twilight's killers may have already met their fate on the gallows, but the real instigators - and the hypocrites that blindly followed them - still roam free! I see them everywhere; in the streets, in these booths, at this bar! I wish... I wish I could throw them in the gallows myself!
Even the ponies that supported her - and there were many of them, mind you - aren't the same. You can see it in their eyes; it's as if they're living in a world that is no longer their own.
Nighty and Velvet only come in occasionally now, and when they do, it’s like meeting strangers all over again. They always cover themselves in long cloaks and clutch little Mystic Sparkle to their sides as if she could disappear at any moment. I try to get them to talk, to say anything, but they just get a to-go order and shuffle off with hardly a word between them. Sometimes I wonder if they’re even the same ponies anymore.
Shining Armor? The last time I saw Shining was about three weeks after the funeral, when he came in for a snack. I had just brought him a fresh coffee when two nobles walked in. They didn’t say anything at first, but as they walked behind Shining, they very loudly cracked a sick joke about Twilight's relationship with that other guardpony. Before I could even process what I had heard, Shining had punched both of them in the face and bucked them straight out the front windows. I told him it was alright, and frankly, those two plotholes deserved more than they got. But, he just hung his head and walked off; his train returned to the Crystal Empire a few days later, and I haven't seen him since.
Despite all of that, what hurts me the most is right in front of me, all day, everyday. It’s been three years, and my heart still aches every time I look over at that corner booth. I try to tell myself that I’ll get used to it - yet nearly every afternoon I glance at that booth at around three-thirty, expecting Twilight to be sitting there like she always was, surrounded by a pile of books, a plate of chocolate frosteds, and a pot of coffee.
S-she’s never there, of course. I stare at the empty booth each day, and every time I do I feel another piece of my soul wither away.
Winter's nearly here, but come next Spring, I'm packing my stuff and leaving. I don't know where I'll go - and I'll miss the heck out of this cafe - but I’m leaving. I hope my family will forgive me for abandoning our roots, but I’m willing to live with it if they don’t.
They might choose to stick it out, to try and make the best of it. But me? I just can't do it. I'm not that strong. Heavens knows that I tried... I've been trying for the last three years! But it's just too much! So many callous hypocrites, so many empty hearts, so many broken souls. I spend half the day holding back my rage and the other half holding back my tears while I become less of a pony and more of an empty shell.
Hmm... Now that I think about it, I've done a miserable job of following my own advice. But really, I just can't. I told Twilight to always find the good in everything, to find the light, grab it, and shine it out into the darkness.
Well, I tried… But there's no light left here; at least not for anypony with a soul left in their body. Now all that is left of the light is its shadow.
Perhaps in time the light will re-emerge over us and the sun will truly shine once again.
Yet the shadow over that corner booth will remain, now and forever.
Many Voices, One Traitor Part 1 (Pinkie Pie’s POV)
***
My name is Pinkie Pie. Normally, I do something funny and silly to introduce myself. Maybe with a song, balloons, and cake batter mixed with confetti. But I’m not in the mood to do that. Why? Because one of my best friends is dead.
I am no stranger to loss. Despite my everloving bubbly personality and smiles, I can still be mad and cry. I know when there is a time to be happy and a time to be sad. I’ve lost ponies I cared about to sickness, old age, and even accidents. When they died, I made sure their farewell parties were memorable and that, no matter what, I always smile and say goodbye, hoping they are at peace.
Yeah, right. Like there is a heaven. You die, and that’s it.
Of course there is silly willy! It’s got endless fluffy clouds made out of cotton candy! Rains bubblegum! And a big chocolate pool of melted cocoa! With marshmallows!
But I’ve never lost a friend to murder before.
I miss Twilight. She was such a nice pony. I wish it was me instead of her.
Buck that manure! I just wish we could have killed those bastards ourselves! I would loved to skin them alive, burn their organs, and piss on their bones!
P-please stop being scary.
There are only two deaths in my life that have ever crushed me to the point where no smiles could heal my soul. The first was my Granny Pie. She was the one who taught me so much in my life. I owe so much to her. No little filly should see a family member hanging from the ceiling with a noose around their neck. It haunted me for a long time, still does today.
Hey, remember when Granny Pie made that potato cannon and fired it into your neighbor’s farm a hundred yards away and nailed the windmill? That was awesome!
It’s also my biggest fear that one day I’ll end up like her. Because of these guys.
It... it wouldn’t be so scary if you did it right. A peaceful end...
I can't shut them off completely, even with medication, but I can easily ignore them. But I’m not able to concentrate on shutting them up this time. Mainly because of on thing,
Princess Twilight Sparkle.
The ten ponies who did it are dead. And, quite frankly, I’m happy they are. I hate them. I never hated anypony until now. I know it’s wrong, but I hate them. I really do. I do wonder what their families are thinking and my heart goes out to them.
You shouldn’t. Only feel sorry that Celestia didn’t make their deaths more painful.
But what caught my attention was the fact that the weapons used to kill Twilight were made from a special kind of metal known as orichalcum. It is one of the rarest minerals in the earth, but also one of the strongest. It can cut through dragon scales, stay sharp for over a hundred years, and could negate magic.
Most of the mines were on the southeastern islands where the minotaurs ruled. but we Pies had one as well. It was discovered by our ancestors and we swore to use it carefully. It’s why our farm has existed for so long, many nations around the world pay for our orichalcum. We’re very rich, but we don’t live a rich lifestyle like those in Canterlot. I don’t think we could fit in anyway. Especially with the lifestyle those nobles like to live in the capital.
Buck those nobles. Every one of them deserves to be chucked out of the city. It’s there fault she’s dead in the first place!
Aw, they’re not all bad. Some of them just need to let loose their manes and get down with themselves!
Can you guys cut it out!
Sorry.
Ah, shut up yourself!
“Pinkie Pie?” asked my sister who sat next to me in our train. I turned from my window to her as she placed her hoof on mine. Her eyes narrowed an inch and her nose twitched a bit to a left, letting me know she was worried. My sister was an easy pony to read if you watched the signs. I never knew why it was so hard for others to understand her. “Are you alright?”
“Y-yeah, just nervous about...” I gulped as I saw my hometown, Mineral Town, getting closer. When Granny Pie died, I left my house because it had too many bad memories. I soon met Mr. and Mrs. Cake and asked my parents if I could live with them. They didn’t mind and felt that is would be best since Granny and I were so close.. My family always came to see me in Ponyville, but I didn’t visit home that often.
Why would we? That place is a dump and depressing. We should have gotten out of there years ago!
It was a very unhappy place to live...
“It’s the voices again, isn’t it?” asked Maud. I answered with a deep sigh, which makes her shake her head. “Just take more of your medication. It helps.”
“Not until we get this settled,” I answered, stubbornly. I could feel Maud staring at me from the back of my head, but I ignored her.
Bitch should learn to mind her own business.
Leave my sister alone.
Or what?
Happy? Annoy him!
Yay! I know a song that gets on everypony’s nerves! Everypony’s nerves!
Buck you!
That will keep those two occupied. I guess I should introduce them now, huh? Those are the voices in my head. They’ve been with me ever since Granny Pie died and they’ve only grown worse over time. It’s part of the Pie Curse.
See, in the Pie Family, there is one in every generation that is... special. We can sense things, know things, and even do things that aren’t normal. Some say we can break reality, but I really just see it as doing freaky and awesome stuff. Nopony knows how it got started. Some say we’re descendants of an alicorn that went mad. Others say we were cursed by a gypsy clan. But whatever causes it, there is a reason why they call it a curse.
Over time, the pony with these powers grows... unstable. Hearing voices, erratic behavior, etc. The doctors call it schizophrenia, and maybe that’s what it is, but it feels different. Like each voice is a different soul, waiting to take over. Most of the time, the pony with this curse dies either by killing themselves or by going insane and doing something crazy that gets them killed. Rarely, do they ever die peacefully. That’s why I do my best to be happy and help others. To always keep a positive attitude. Because I don’t want to end up like that. I don’t want to die crazy or by my own hoof. I want to live a full and happy life.
At first my family were afraid I’d have to learn to deal with it without help. There is no magical cure yet in development for me or various other mental illnesses. That’s when we learned that while Equestria had no means of treatment, others do.
My current medicine comes from the minotaur islands. It helps me keep most of the voices down, allows me to be myself and still use my special talents. That was a big reason I supported Twilight’s efforts to advance our own medical science in ways magic can’t help. Magic can’t cure everything like some like to believe, and there are many ponies like me who suffer in their minds and nothing is done. Those in magical research call us lost causes, and rather put us in sanitariums because they can’t find a magical way to deal with us.
But the griffins and even minotaurs had been dealing with mental illnesses for years. Thankfully, we have minotaur contacts through our rock farm. Apparently, they have rock breaking contests and we grow good rocks. Thanks to those contacts, I’m able to get a yearly supply of medicine to help me. However, in times of stress or depression I still hear them regardless o the medicine. Such as now. These are the tamer ones though. I can handle them.
Besides, they’re not my main worry now. It’s my family. The only farm in Equestria that has access to the means that killed my friend.
I can’t wait to see everypony again! We’re gonna have so much fun!
Why bother? Let’s just beat them up, take them to the guards, interrogate them, and then see who talks first!
Do we really want to know though? If we learn that they did help k-kill Twilight...
I’ll handle the talking here, thank you.
I turned to Maud, the only pony I knew who wasn’t involved since she was studying overseas for her geology degree. And I trusted Maud with my life. I felt her nuzzle me and whisper. “I’m always here for you. No matter what.”
“I know...” I murmured.
I just wonder who else in my family is gonna be there for me at the end?
***
We stood in front of the Pie household, the usual dark clouds above us. It was gonna rain tonight.
I didn’t want to believe that my family was involved. I didn’t know what I was gonna do if it turned out that they had a hoof in all this. Because of Twilight’s death everything has changed. Rainbow is a drunk. Applejack is overworking herself. Fluttershy has been stuck in her house, crying everyday. Rarity has lost the light in her eyes. Spike refuses to talk to anypony. And all of Ponyville is in a state of mourning.
Even Princess Celestia has locked herself up in her castle, leaving Luna to deal with the nation.
Everypony is so sad. Why does it matter if we find out about our family? Twilight is dead. Nothing is gonna be the same anymore. Nothing will ever be happy again.
Hey, don’t be like that! Any frown can be turned upside down! We just have to do our best and remember that Twilight is in a better place!
“Pinkie,” said Maud, snapping me out of my thoughts. “We don’t have to do this.”
I shook my head and pressed forward. “I don’t want to do this, but I have to know the truth.”
I knocked on the door, my sister right behind me. The door opened and my father, Igneous Rock, opened and was surprised to see us. A small smile decorated his muzzle as he turned to Maud. “Maud. It’s good to see you. I thought you were back at your college. And Pinkie... you...” His eyes widened and he looked nervous. Probably cause my mane was as flat as the rest of my sisters’. “P-Pinkie,” he muttered before hugging me as tight as he could. I felt his hoof rub my back as he nuzzled my mane. “Are you doing okay? Since Princess Twilight’s death?”
“I... I’m fine...” I lied, closing my eyes and let his hug warm me up from the cold chill in the air. Even if my father might have been the one responsible, I still wanted to feel his love and comfort.
Let’s see how you feel about that when it turns out he’s the one who supplied those assassins with the blades to kill Twilight.
He ushered us in, saying a storm was coming and it was best to stay for the night. Maud and I went into the living room where we saw our mother, Cloudy Quartz, looking up from her knitting. “Girls, this is a surprise. What are you doing here?” she asked, getting up and kissing us on the cheek. She turned to me and said, “And you, Pinkie Pie? Are you feeling alright?”
“I... I just came by to see you guys. I felt like I needed to be with my family, all of you,” I lied and it hurt to do so. I never once lied to my parents before, but I had to remind myself I couldn’t trust them. Not yet. Not until I know if it’s true or not.
Look at it this way! If they aren’t guilty we can have a big laugh and all have fun! Like a family sleepover! We haven’t done that in ages!
“Are Limestone and Marble here?” asked Maud.
“Yes, they are setting up dinner,” said Mom. Maud and I headed towards the kitchen.
After greeting and hugging my surprised sisters, we sat down as the family. I could hear raindrops hit the windows surrounding us. My family began to pass the food around while I stayed perfectly still. Everypony but Maud seemed to notice as they only spoke in hushed voices, eyeing me every half second. I tried to listen in. Sometimes I heard the word “Twilight” during their small talk.
They’re talking behind your back. Talking about her. You need to strike now.
You should probably get it over with. Less pain in waiting.
Start the party already! Let’s get this mystery game underway!
I clenched my teeth as my hoof began to shake. Limestone who was sitting across from me, gulped and asked, “Pinkie Pie? Are you alright?”
“No, I am not alright!”
I slammed my hoof on the table just as thunder boomed and lightning flashed outside. Everypony, but Maud, jumped back from my outburst and were quickly silenced. I huffed and puffed as images of Twilight, lying there on the morgue with the ponies I loved crying upon seeing her. I thought of my friends and how hurt they were when we learned that Twilight was dead. I can still hear Spike’s cries of denial as he begged for his mother to come back. And it was because of them. Them!
“The weapons that were used to kill Twilight... they were made from orichalcum,” I said, starting at each of them as their eyes widened. “There are only two places in the world where you can get that special kind of metal. The minotaur islands, where I’d like to believe they were from, or our farm.” I took a nearby knife and stabbed it into the fried eggplant nearby. “I want to know who did it. Who helped kill my best friend?”
There was a long silence between the five of us. Only the rain was continuing to make noise while everything else was as silent as could be.
M-maybe we scared them too much?
Let them be afraid! We’re gonna do a lot worse to them then we did to that eggplant!
Man, this party sucks. Can’t we get some dramatic music at least?! Bum bum bum, bum bum bum!”
While my sisters cuddled closer to each other and my mother held her mouth with her hooves, my father got up and shot a glare at me. “Pinkamena Diane Pie! I have no idea what on earth you're thinking, but I will not have you come here and accuse us of conspiring to have your friend killed! Nopony here has told anypony else about the deposit!”
“Yeah?! Well, Prince Blueblood also told us he was sorry for Twilight’s death before we learned that he was the mastermind! So forgive me if I’m not in a trusting mood today!,” I accused, glaring back. “Now who did it?!”
“Pinkie, please, let’s just calm down and...” said my mother.
That was when Maud slammed her hoof down on the table and broke it in two, Marble screamed as the food flew all over the room, landing on top of us. Any other time, I would have shouted food fight, but all I wanted to shout was a frustrating cry. “Sit,” ordered Maud, narrowing her eyes at the rest of us. “Confess.”
“We didn’t do anything! Pinkie, honest!” shouted Limestone, standing up with tears in her eyes. “None of us would want to hurt you! And we loved your friends! Please, big sis! You’re scaring us!”
I bit my lip, staring into my sister’s pleading face and a bit of sympathy entered my heart. I still needed to know and had one card left to play. Closing my eyes, I whispered, “If you really didn’t do anything. If you really are innocent... Pinkie Promise right now.”
That froze them up. The Pinkie Promise had been a thing in my family for generations, since the very first Pinkie Pie. Nopony in my family ever breaks a Pinkie Promise. It’s almost like a religion in our family. It’s something all of us are taught to respect and uphold. For a Pie to break the Pinkie Promise would be one of the worst crimes you could do.
Some could say this was cruel, but I didn't care. Now is the time for answers.
And revenge.
Aww, but there is always time for fun!
The four suspects that were my family looked at each other before my father sighed and started it off. “I, Igneous Rock, was not involved in anyway in the death of Twilight Sparkle, nor did I give the location of our secret orichalcum deposit. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
I felt nothing. No Pinkie Sense of any kind. My father was telling the truth.
He nodded to my mother who took a deep breath. “I, Cloudy Quartz, was not involved in anyway in the death of Twilight Sparkle, nor did I give the location of our secret orichalcum deposit. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Nothing again. My mother was cleared.
“I, Limestone Pie, was not involved in anyway in the death of Twilight Sparkle, nor did I give the location of our secret orichalcum deposit. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” said my youngest sister as she did all the motions.
That left only one.
We all turned to Marble who was looking at us all, sweat beading down her brow. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t change my face. All I could think about was the many times we used to play, catch the rock together. How she once got in a fight with some bullies and I scared them off with fake rubber snakes. The day she went to prom and I helped her with her dress. How when she was born, I took her into my hooves and said I would always love her.
Her head fell as tears fell down from her eyes. “...I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Pinkie.”
Many Voices, One Traitor Part 2 (Pinkie Pie’s POV)
***
I felt a sharp pain in my head as I was coming too. The feeling wasn’t unfamiliar to me, and the first thing I had to wonder was who did I hurt? When I black out like this, one of them takes over and does something. Sometimes its harmless, like the time I spent the whole day doing cartwheels all over Ponyville. The only bad side effect was my tummy when I finally regained control.
Other times... have not be pleasant; like the time I thought everypony no longer wanted to come to my parties and be my friend anymore. I retreated into my mind and let one of my other voices take over. It wasn’t until I heard, deep inside my mind, that it was my birthday that I could surface. That’s why what I have is different from schizophrenia. I don’t hear voices from noponies or have different personalities. I have different me’s, literally, inside me. Whenever I retreat into mind, I can feel each and everyone of them, like small prickles against your fur. They all want to go out. They all want to say or do something, and I have to keep them in check.
There are some that want to do such horrible things...
I opened my eyes and slowly lifted my head where I saw Maud looking at me. The moment I noticed a slashed mark on her cheek, I gulped, already expecting the worst. I also realized, upon finding out I wasn’t moving, that I was tired to a chair with tight ropes. “What happened?” I immediately asked.
“You attacked Marble, with a knife,” answered Maud, a small and very hidden tone of worry in her speech. “I had to knock you out. Fed you more of your medication to keep you controlled.”
That explained why the voices were now just mere whispers. Going on about how we need to still kill Maud for getting in the way, or apologize to her, or dance like chicken ponies.
“Is she seriously hurt?” I asked, my flat mane covering my entire face. Even if she was the one who ultimately gave the murderers the tools to kill Twilight, I didn’t want to see her too hurt. Regardless of what happened, she was still my sister, and nothing could change that.
“She’s more scared than hurt. She’s been crying non-stop. Apologizing,” said Maud, before reaching down and hugging me. “She wants to explain.”
I wanted to yell at her that it didn’t matter because I was ready to just leave and never speak to Marble again, but I didn’t. I just nodded and watched as Maud walked away and left. Now that I was alone at last, I could cry. I didn’t weep out loud or moan in sorrow. I cried. Silently. Sofly.
My sister had betrayed me. My younger sister, who I used to read to every night when she was growing up, helped to kill my best friend. Marble had always been the most innocent of us, even though Limestone was younger then her. She was always asking us to play games with her when we were growing up and tried her hardest to impress us.
I love Marble, but I also love Twilight Sparkle.
Not like romantic love, but a love that only the six of us Elements had. A special kind of bond. And I lost that love when she died while all my friends became shadows of their former selves. And my sister took part in causing that.
My worst fear had come to life. Ever since I heard that it was orichalcum that had helped to kill Twilight, I wished, I prayed for the first time in years that it wasn’t my family. Just goes to show how some prayers go unanswered, huh? I still wanted to know why Marble did what she did, and after that... I didn’t know what I would do. Maybe turn her in and watch her get prosecuted? Maybe just head home and become a bitter pony? Maybe get better and go back to the way I was… if only I could.
Or maybe I’ll kill myself? I didn’t know what to do, I just had my life shatter in front of me the past few weeks. It seemed like everything I had believed in was destroyed and nothing remained but sorrow.
Twilight was dead.
My friends were unhappy with no sign of getting better.
And now my sister was involved in the worst way possible.
I just... I just needed a hug and somepony to tell me everything was alright. Anything that would take this sorrow away.
I raised my head as I saw my family coming in. Limestone and my mother were nuzzling and hugging my sister as she continued to cry. My father stumbled around a bit and his eyes showed a bit of blitz in them. I rarely ever saw my dad drink, but I didn’t blame him. Learning that one of your daughter’s helped kill a princess was probably enough to even make a priest drink. The one thing they all shared were tear marks on their faces. Me included. I guess a family that suffers together also cries together too.
Marble made an effort to speak, but I stopped her by speaking first, “Stop and listen to me.” She closed her mouth and nodded. “You have one chance to explain yourself. Depending on what you say, I may or may not turn you to the guards. I may or may not forgive you. I might not even see you as a sister anymore. You have one chance. Just one.”
“... I understand...” whispered Marble as my mother wailed again. It hurt me to see my mother weep for both of us, but this had to be done.
“Pinkie, you can’t just declare her no longer your sister! She’s family! Whatever she did, I’m sure she’s sorry!” shouted Limestone Pie.
“You’re taking her side?!” I shouted.
“I’m trying to keep my big sister from making a big mistake!” shouted Limestone. “Do you really want to forget all the good times you had together? She loves you, and so do we!”
I closed my eyes to fight back tears as a memory entered my head. It was the night before I left for the Cakes, not to long after Granny Pie killed herself. Marble came up into my room and hugged me, saying she didn’t want to see me go. I told her I would always be there when she needed me and I let her sleep beside me. Soon Maud and Limestone came inside upon hearing Marble crying and the four of us shared the room together. I felt all my worries go away as I held my sisters in embrace and slept peacefully. Sure, it was all four of us together, but Marble had been the first to come in, crying at the thought of me leaving.
My rage began to falter as I looked at Marble, and saw the little crying filly who wanted to hold me all night. I closed my eyes. “Why, Marble? Why?”
“I didn’t even know what I had done until I learned it from the news,” whispered Marble, clearing her eyes of tears. “It... it’s just... I loved him...”
All of us Pie’s quickly turned to Marble with wide eyes. “L-love?” asked my father as he leaned against the wall. “You were seeing a stallion?”
Marble sighed and sat down. “I’ll... start at the beginning...” She took a deep breath. “It was my turn to go to Canterlot for this years Rock Farm Expo, to showcase our work, right? I was doing fine, getting new clients, and impressing ponies with our rocks. I was showcasing the... orichalum, but only a small part of it!” I looked at my dad and he nodded, cementing the story so far.
I usually go to the Rock Expo if it was in a nearby city to see my family and even help out. However, I was busy helping Twilight and the other Princesses that week by making a welcome party for the newly discovered Kitsunes out in the far east. Let me tell you, those foxes know how to party!
“But then I saw somepony on the second day of the expo that I didn’t expect to talk to me. He said that he was interested in our farm and work. So he asked me out for dinner. It was amazing, I never... I was never asked out before, and the place he took us to eat was so fancy, I almost forgot we were rich ourselves.” A small smile decorated Marble’s lips. “I know we never lived the fancy life, but just being part of that group for a single day was like... entering a fantasy.”
“Why did you even agree to go out with this stranger?” demanded my father, glaring at a squirming Marble.
Playing with her hooves, my sister answered, “Well... one doesn’t really refuse a prince.”
My mouth dropped. I think everypony’s did, even Maud. I was too busy focusing on my blushing sister. My younger sister... dated Prince Blueblood? I didn’t know if I was going to gag or faint.
“Wait... he was the one you gave our location to the deposit for?!” shouted mother. “Don’t you know how much trouble he was giving to your sister’s friend? Princess Twilight Sparkle?!”
“I know that! I knew it back then too, but I just wanted to feel special for once!” shouted Marble, stomping her hoof. “Everypony else was special. Maud was super strong and knew everything there is about rocks. Pinkie was famous and had hundreds of friends. Even Limestone had a coltfriend and was the better farmer out of all of us. Sure, he was older than me but I was of age and....I thought if I dated a prince... I’d be special too!”
Marble covered her eyes. “But I was an idiot! A fool! I was so... so stupid to think he liked me!”
Limestone and my mother hugged my sister again as she began to tear up. I was stunned again to hear Mable say such a thing. I never thought she would be jealous of me. She was always so kind and shy. Hay, I thought she was the kindest pony there was until I met Fluttershy.
“So instead of helping out with miners that whole month like you said in your letter, you were dating that... monster?!” demanded my father who looked redder and redder.
“He... he was so nice to me. So charming... no stallion ever treated me like he did,” whispered Marble, hiding her face in shame. “He took me out to the fanciest of places. Gave me my own hotel room that he paid for to let me stay in. He... he said he loved me... I didn’t think for one second he was using me. I thought we were destined to be together.” Shivering, she shook her head. “But that last night... he made me drink too much. I got drunk.. really drunk. I can still remember it though. He asked about the deposit... and... and I told him! I told him, okay!”
“Oh, Marble,” whispered my mother, nuzzling her as she began to cry again. “My dear filly, how could you? You should know better to never tell anypony outside the family. I can’t believe you would do such foolish thing.?”
“I was drunk! I know that’s a poor excuse, but then he kissed me... I asked him to make love to me... he said yes... my first...” sobbed Marble, barely standing as she placed one hoof on her stomach and another on the floor like she was going to be sick. “When he sent me home, saying he had business... I thought I would see him again... a week later I saw the papers. Twilight Sparkle, his political enemy, was dead. I realized what he had done. What I had done. I’m so sorry, Pinkie Pie. I’m so sorry!”
“Oh, Faust help me...” whispered my father, closing his eyes and muttering a prayer.
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” responded Marble with squeaky voice.
“I’m not angry at you, Marble,” he said, walking over and kissing her on the cheek. His sympathetic eyes soon turned to anger. “I’m angry I can’t hang that son of a bitch who did this to you.”
I just stood there, eyes widen as I stared at my sister. I thought she had told it on purpose, but now it was clear that Blueblood had twisted my sister into his little doll. He used her feelings and her love for him to take advantage of her. At that moment, I didn’t know what to think. Or what to feel. I felt like a sea of emotions swirling with no end. Even the voices were silent as they tried to process this information.
I... I just didn’t know what to do.
That was when we learned something else that changed everything in my family.
“I’m a whore... I’m a whore who got somepony killed...” muttered Marble.
“No, you’re not,” my mother whispered, her eyes misting. “You were in love... you were used... you aren’t at fault... only Blueblood.”
“But I... I gave them the orichalum...” whispered Marble. “I got Princess Twilight killed. And... and...”
Limestone touched her shoulder. “Marble... whatever it is we can understand... we’re family... and we’ll love you no matter what.”
Many Voices, One Traitor Part 3 (Pinkie Pie’s POV)
***
I hadn’t slept in my old bed for a long time. I can’t even remember when I did. My room was still the same as when I left it. The balloon wallpapers, the funny clown nightlight, the rainbow colored fan on my pink ceiling with a big smiley face on it. I stared at that face, wondering if I was ever gonna have something similar ever again.
After what we’ve learned, I don’t think we’ll ever be happy again.
Of course we’ll be happy again! We just need to turn our frown upside down, forgive Marble, and we can all have a big party!
Forgive that lying and betraying witch? Buck her. I say we throw her down the stairs and break her neck.
But what about the baby?!
You mean the spawn of the one who orchestrated Twilight’s death? Better to kill it now before it kills somepony else we care about!
Hey! That baby may be from a meany pants but that doesn’t mean that we should judge it to be the same as it’s daddy! Besides! I’ve always wanted to be an auntie and spoil my niece or nephew!
I took my pillow and covered my head with it in a vain attempt to stop their arguing. They had been going on about the foal for an hour; now even my medication hadn't silenced them for long. I was out of them, and it would take some time before I could get more. The only time I ever had to go through my supply of meds in one go was when Discord returned.
The rest of my family wasn’t doing too well either. I could still hear Maud crushing boulders outside in an attempt to sway her anger. I didn’t know who she was angry at. Blueblood, for getting our sister pregnant after using her. Marble, for being so foalish. Or herself, for not being there to protect her little sister. Limestone has been trying to coax Marble to leave her room she locked herself in. She had given up awhile ago.
Mother and Father were, naturally, arguing over what was best for Marble and our family.
“She has to get rid of that baby,” said my father below the crack of my room. “We have no other alternative. If she does keep it and word gets out on who the father is, it will not only ruin her but our entire family as well.You saw what happened to most families of the conspirators after their executions. Ruined beyond repair. By Faust’s tail, if they find out she is pregnant they’ll investigate and might even find out that Marble gave them the metal to kill Twilight. They might even have her charged for treason.”
Wh-what will they do if she was found as a conspirator?! We don’t want to lose our sister... do we?!
YES!
NO!
“Igneous Jeremiah Rock Pie,” scolded my mother. “I never thought I would hear that you, of all the ponies in the world, demand that your daughter get an abortion. After all the funding you have given to Pro-Life organizations and all the speeches you have given about how babies, even in their wombs, are the most precious things there is, you suddenly want to become a hypocrite. You didn’t even budge when Princess Twilight, Faust rest her soul, revealed herself to be Pro-Choice and was working to legalize it in other cities. You stayed firmed.”
“This is different, Cloudy, and you know it,” growled my father. “This is more than just a political or principal difference, this is our daughter’s future we are talking about! Maybe her life! Do you believe the baby would be given a fair shot at life if the truth ever came out?”
Daddy really is scary when he’s angry. I hope he didn’t drink too much.
Please, if he was really drunk he’d be screaming from here to high heavens.
“Principles are how we of the Pie family managed to stay successful for hundreds of years,” pointed out Cloudy. “Have you ever thought what your daughter wants? She is old enough to make her own decisions.”
“And look where that got her,” muttered Igneous Rock.
“Yes, but is it not similar to how we got Maud? You and I were barely eighteen when we had her and you married me,” pointed out Cloudy.
My ears perked up upon hearing this. This was news to me.
“Back then, I loved you. And I still do. I just...” I heard Igneous Rock sigh and something slam on the table. “I just want to protect my daughters...”
I heard a chair move followed by hoofsteps. “I know, dear. Faust will help us see through this. She always has. She gave us four miracles and another miracle by giving us a chance to help Pinkie deal with her... voices. This foal is also a miracle, despite how it came to be.” There was a brief minute of silence.
Hey! She’s talking about us!
“But we must not lose faith in her. Nor in each other.”
I hugged my pillow closer to my chest and whimpered. What were we gonna do? What should I do? I wanted... no, I needed Twilight. She would know what to do. She would tell me what the right thing to do was.
You already know what the right thing to do is.
My eyes widened and I was sure my breath stopped as well. All was silent, even my voices, upon hearing the voice. I slowly sat up, wondering if I had finally gone crazy or if this was real.
“T-T-T-Twilight?”
I’m here, Pinkie. I’m here.
What the hay are you doin-
“Quiet!” I shouted, as tears fell from my eyes. I had heard this voice a few times before, mixed in with the others. The reason I didn’t want to take my medicine for such a long time was her voice alone. My friend’s voice. The voice of Twilight Sparkle, who always lead the way. “I missed you...”
I miss you too, Pinkie Pie. But I’m not the one you should be talking too. It’s your sister.
Hey that’s what I was think-
SILENCE!
My voices went quiet.
You three and everypony else in her head have caused her nothing but misery! You will stay quiet or, so help me, I will silence you myself!
And just like that... it stopped.
I felt something in my head. Something I had never felt before in years. It was so strange, so alien to me that I forgot the word for it until I remembered that Twilight already said it. It was silence.
Sweet sweet silence. For the first time, since the voices started, I was the master of my own head. No thoughts but my one except for one other.
I wish you had told me you had this.... ‘condition’, when I was alive. I could have helped you.
“I... I was scared... that none of you would be my friend if you knew,” I whispered. Truth was, I never told any of my friends about my curse. Very few ponies even knew. “I’m so sorry.”
Pinkie Pie, don’t apologize. I would still be your friend regardless, and as your friend, I need to help you. I listened closely. Pinkie, you have to forgive Marble and help her take care of the filly.
“... I know,” I answered. “I knew that even before. It’s the right thing to do, but... can I do it?”
Yes, you can.
“How?”
Because you’re Pinkie Pie.
My eyebrows raised up.
You’re the pony whose sole purpose is to make ponies happy. You can turn any frown upside down. You are the Element of Laughter, who spreads hope and joy in even in the deepest darkness. This world is in the darkness, Pinkie. Our friends, family, Princess Celestia, Spike. Everypony is in despair because I died... and there is nopony I trust more in this world to save them and make them laugh again than you.
“You... have that much faith in me?” something began to stretch across my muzzle. Something very familiar and very warm. Something was also bubbling in my chest. The fun kind! The kind that makes you... makes you...
Pinkie Pie, I never lost faith in you.
.... smile.
I was smiling. Honest to Faust smiling. My hair was still down, my eyes were still crying. But I was smiling! Smiling! Smiling! Smiling! The bubbling in my chest released itself as I giggled. Giggled! I almost forgot how that feels.
“Are... are you the real Twilight? Or just another voice?”
I’m your friend, Pinkie Pie. That’s all that matters. Now, I’m afraid I have to go.
I gasped. “No! Please! I want you to stay with me! Even if you're not real, please stay with me.
I’m always going to be with you, Pinkie. I’ll never leave you or anypony. I’m always in your heart and in the magic of friendship. As long as that magic continues to flourish in Equestria or anywhere in the world, I will be there.
I rubbed my misty eyes. “I... I love you...”
And I love you.
And then she was gone. I didn’t feel her anymore. That one voice, the one voice that ever tried to help me, was gone. The other voices were slowly returning, but I didn’t care about them anymore. I had a duty to do. I got up and ran out my door and into the hall. I passed by Maud and Limestone who were talking. I smiled at them (the looks on their faces! HA!) and waved before entering my other sister’s room where she was laying on her bed.
I must have scared her good cause she gave a yip as I dived right in and hugged her without warning. Oh, this is so warm! So nice! When I get home to Ponyville I’m going to hug the first pony I see! And then the second pony. Third pony! Fourth pony! Ah, hay, I’ll hug everypony!
“P-P-Pinkie?!” shouted Mable as I looked at her with my smiling face. Plus, I think my hair was getting poofier. I don’t know.
“So what’s the name?!” I demanded with anticipation.
“N-name?”
“Of our newest member of our family, duh! I was thinking Joey Spaloosy if its a boy or Pippy Loopy if it’s a girl!” I cheerfully said. “Of course, if you already have a name, I mean it’s your baby, then I need to know for the shower!”
“Shower?” asked my three sisters, the other two entering the room.
“Baby shower! We need to have one now that you're pregnant!” I said before pressing my ear against my sister’s tummy. “Oooh, he or she sounds excited for it too.”
“Pinkie... I thought... I thought...” muttered Marble.
‘Thought what?” I asked as I looked at my sister, tilting my head.
“I thought you hated me?”
I blinked only once before I gave a small smile and gently placed my hooves around her. Resting my head on her shoulder, I whispered, “I don’t hate you. I forgive you.” I felt her straighten up upon hearing those words. “You’re my sister. You were just trying to find love and got used. I don’t hate you, I love you and I love your baby. And I’ll do everything I can to make you and your foal happy.”
“... why?”
I smiled and gave her a wink. “Because I’m Pinkie Pie.”
My sister’s lower lip trembled before she gave out a wail and hugged me. And I hugged her back. Maud and Limestone soon joined us. The four of us. Sisters. Hugging each other.
My mind thought back to the day I left the farm for the Cakes. How Marble was the one to hug my in my room and later my sister’s joined in to let me know how much they love me. Now I was the one to hug Marble.
And I knew that everything was going to be alright.
Plus, my hair was puffy again and I like it looking like cotton candy thank you.
***
The Pink Balloon returned home in Ponyville
The next day the entire town was filled with balloons, streamers, cakes, and more
She got up on the town center and shouted for a party
He was hurting. My bonder was hurting and I didn’t know why. Once again, I sung the Song of Sorrows while observing the sinking sun. The Song of Sorrows was among the songs we phoenixes never liked to sing, but had to when the situation called for it. Despite being seen as the creatures of hope and joy in the world, we are not immune to the opposites. We sing this song when we, or someone close to us, is hurting to the point where we can feel the pain in their souls.
My bonder, Spike, was crying out of his soul and I didn’t know why. I can feel him miles and miles away from here, with each feather on my body urging me to go after him. But I cannot. My parents won’t let me. They say I’m too young to be with him yet, that I must learn more. They don’t understand. They are not bonded. They aren’t familiars. I know what I am, and I have known it ever since I first gazed eyes on Spike when I hatched. For many weeks, he was my father, my brother, my friend, and the one who I loved more than anypony else. His friends adored me. The elder phoenix I once had pleasure to meet, Philomena, was kind to me.
But then I was brought back home.
Although I was overjoyed to see my parents and siblings, I couldn’t help but feel this was wrong. I should be with my bonder, yet he told me to stay so I could learn to become a real phoenix. I obeyed. I learned songs, I learned about the rebirthing process, and I learned about the history of our kind. And yet everyday my thoughts turned back to my bonder. I could feel every moment he was happy, sad, angry, or in distress.
I explained the situation to my parents, and they told me I was a familiar. I was Spike’s familiar. It brought me such joy and pride, but an even bigger desire to find him. Yet I was prevented again by my parents. They were proud that I was a familiar, but I had to learn to control our bond despite my young age. Our bond was young, but I learned to control it for the most part. To the point where it didn’t bother me.
And then it came. A sadness so great that I couldn’t stop crying and soon I sung the Song of Mourning during the day and night because I knew, deep in my heart, someone had died. At first I thought my bonder was the one, but if that was true, I would have died as well. That was the curse part of being an animal familiar. Your life force is tied to your bonder. Thankfully, my bonder wasn’t dead, but he wished he was. He was in such pain that I couldn’t eat or sleep for days. All I could do was sing and cry.
Time passed and I eventually stopped singing the Song of Mourning and instead sung the Song of Sorrow. I have sung it for days, and each time I felt my bonder needing me more than ever. I turn to the tree where my nest is, where my siblings are sleeping while our parents hunt for dinner.
I knew that I couldn't stay here. I had to leave. And yet I felt no regret doing this. They were my family, but Spike was the most important one in my life. It was hard to explain, and maybe it cannot be explained. Our destinies were intertwined and he needed me. He was alone and he needed me. I quietly sung the Song of Farewells for my family before flying in the direction the bond was telling me to go.
***
For days I flew, with very little rest and eating very little. It wasn’t good for my health, and I was too young to have my rebirthing abilities kick in. I did what I could to keep myself healthy, but my focus on the bond between me and Spike was always placed first. I soon found myself heading towards Ponyville, but then I reversed and made my way towards another town.
And then another.
My bonder was fleeing his nest and I don’t know why. Eventually, I grew closer to the point where he was only two hours away. But exhaustion that day came over me and I had to stop at a tree for sleep. I never felt more tired in all my life. My wings felt like they were ready to come off and I my stomach was killing me or I had skipped breakfast that day. I had to hunt, but I had no energy to do so. My father always did say I was always too narrow minded to think long term goals.
I closed my eyes and did my best not to shed a tear. My family must have been worried for me, maybe even cursing my bonder for driving me to do this. While I felt guilty for leaving them, I knew I had to do this with no regrets. If I ever meet them again, hopefully they would understand. I love Spike. Ever since he first hatched me, I knew we were special.
While I sat there, moping over my predicament, I heard a song. A phoenix song. One that I never heard of before. I looked up into the sky and saw the elder phoenix, Philomena, flying towards my tree. I thought at first she was going to scold me and send me home, but my eyes widen when I saw she was carrying a basket of fruits, bread, and worms.
I should have bowed to her and exchanged a Song of Greetings, especially to an elder like her. But to my embarrassment, I dived for the food and began to dig in. If I could sing the Song of Celebration, I would have, but my cheeks were full.
Philomena just stood there, watching me with a neutral expression. When I was halfway done with the basket, I finally stepped back and blushed upon realizing I was being rude to an elder, especially one who was the pet of a princess. Before I could greet her, she raised her wing. “Do not bother. I do not have much time, and neither do you.”
“Why are you here, Elder One?” I asked, with a bit of timidness in my voice. I couldn’t help but feel she was staring into my very soul.
“I sensed you as you crossed past Ponyville where I was waiting for you. I knew you would go find Spike sooner or later.”
“Are you here to take me home?”
“I am here to help you achieve your destiny,” she replied.
I blinked before cocking my head to the side. “Destiny?”
Philomena nodded and turned towards the fallen sun. “How much have your parents told you about the deer?”
“The deer are one of the most ancient races in the world. They hide in the distant Great Sambur Forest across the seas and past the griffins mountains. It is said to be a holy land where they can see into the stars and read the future,” I receded from my many lessons. My eyes widen. “You have visited them? They never call for anyone unless they request it.”
“I was friends with them a long time ago. I sensed I was needed to listen to something important, and they have told me what I must tell you.”
“Have they... have they seen my destiny?”
“Not yours, but Spike’s,” answered Philomena before sighing. “Princess Twilight, Spike’s mother, is dead. Murdered months ago. May her soul sing the Song of Eternity forevermore.”
I couldn’t help but gasp. Now the pain made sense, and I soon shed tears for Twilight before singing the Song of Mourning. Philomena joined me as our song resonated throughout the area, where the little creatures all stopped and one by one shed tears. Twilight had been so kind to me, as was her pet Owlicious who took me as a student to teach me to fly. My soul wept for her death, for Spike, for Owlicious, for all who loved her. “May her soul sing the Song of Eternity forevermore.” I wipe the last of my tears before I turned towards the direction the bond was going to take me next. “I have to find him. I must find Spike. He needs me.”
“I know. It is best that you do. He is in pain, troubled, lost and needs someone to take care of him. He has pushed away all his friends and remaining family because he cannot face the world without his mother, but you must be there to guide him down a path that will not result in his self destruction. He is too valuable for the future,” said Philomena.
“What have the deer seen in the stars?” I asked with my fullest attention.
“Twilight Sparkle was to bring a golden age of change for the world, but that destiny has been destroyed the moment her star fell. Now the future is once again clouded with uncertainty, but the deer feel a catastrophe is coming. They...” She gulped. “They found a black star.”
“A black star? Is such a thing possible?” I asked for I had never heard of such a thing in the lessons I had with mother about astrology. How could a star be black?”
“It is rare, but it is only ever seen for one who is born into this world brings with them a dark fate. All of the worlds greatest monsters were born from these stars, and it is growing larger with each passing day. The deer feel this soul born under this star will bring the Songs of Death and War, ruin shall come to the world if he or she is not stopped. We will be back in the Dark Ages.”
I doubt any Song of Joy could cure me of the coldness I was feeling inside. Was such a thing possible? Such a soul could bring this much destruction. How was it tied to Spike and me? “Can... can this soul be stopped?”
“Yes, this dark destiny can be avoided. There is hope for no destiny is ever set in stone,” answered Philomena. “There are stars that block the black star’s growth. Stars that will be instrumental to its defeat if they can unite. Spike’s star is one of them. He is one of the keys to defeating this evil that we face in the future.” She walked over to me and put her wings on my shoulder. “As his familiar, you must protect him. You must help him heal his soul. You must make him strong for when the time comes for him to face destiny, the choice will ultimately be his to face it or not. If he does not choose to face it, I fear hope is lost.”
“Is he that important?” I asked.
“He is not the most important one, but he is a key player in the fight against the dark years to come.”
I closed my eyes, trying to process this all. All I wanted to do was to find Spike and help him, now it seems that I had to protect him and ready him for the destiny he was to play. Still, I would do this. I would help my friend. I will make him stronger and help carry his sorrow.
I will be there for him until the day I died.
“I swear it upon all the Songs our ancestors have sung since the Song of Creation was spoken and we were all given life into this world,” I vowed.
Philomena looked at me and nodded. “Good, now I must be off. My owner asked me to help find Spike ever since he ran away, but I must now have to lie to her. A feat I am not looking forward to.”
She started to spread her wings, but before she did, I cried out, “Wait! Does this soul under a black star have a name?”
Philomena paused and was silent before turning around an answering. “The deer would not tell me. Only to beware of the one whose name goes with royalty.”
And with that said, she took off.
***
By the time night came, I had finally found him. My bonder. He was all alone by a fire he made, holding his knees close to his chest. Without a word I swooped in and nuzzled him. He jumped upon contact and gasped upon seeing me.
Taking me into his claws, he looked at me and asked. “Peewee? Why are you here? How did you find me?”
I didn’t reply, I just went back to nuzzling him. I needed to let him know I was here for him. That I would always be there for him. We were bonded by the threads of fate. His life was my life. His struggles were my struggles. His pain was my pain. Our destinies were tied to each other and I will be there for him until the end.
I then started to sing. I didn’t know what song it was, but it made him hold me closer to his heart. He didn’t say anything, but I could feel his gratitude for me being there. Now that I was this close to him I could feel all the emptiness in his heart. I had a lot to do to heal him.
But for now, being with him and singing to him was enough.
***
The Guiding Flame stood by the Noble Dragon Wanderer as they left home
Across the seas they traveled into dragon lands
And there they would follow their own path together
With destiny watching out for them as disaster slowly grew over the years
Most ponies who think about us farmers have this wild imagination of us, thinking we lead some exciting kind of life. Truth is a farmer’s life is very repetitious. Most of the days in the year its the same process you work with from dusk to dawn. Sometimes different things happen or a sudden change takes place on your farm, but that’s usually a bad thing. Keeping things as they are, with little change, is the sign of a good day for a farmer. Now I’m not against change completely, sometimes it can be good like trying a new fertilizer or planting a new kind of food or even going out for a date.
Truth be told, I only just started recently doing the last one. Nice colts around, but nothing serious yet.
Anyway, it started like every day with a caw of the rooster and the sun rising up from the hills. Yet recently, the only difference was every time we looked at the sun we felt sorrow instead of joy. It wasn’t Celesta raising the sun at the time, it was Luna. The Solar Princesses was still in mourning after the death of Princess Twilight Sparkle, a mare I had gotten to know very well the past few years when she lived here in Ponyville. She, along with the rest of Applejack’s friends, were honorary Apples in our eyes. They were family.
Losing her was hard. Not as hard as it was for us when we lost Ma and Pa, but I think of it as a close second. Now, I’m not one to go around and say when a pony should and shouldn’t stop grieving. That’s not my business. However, Celestia hadn’t been seen in a month and a half and we’ve already got rumors going around here about this. Some say she’s dead, killed herself in grief. Others say she ran away in tears, but vowed revenge against her own subjects who she believed betrayed her.
Mush.
All of it a bunch of apple mush.
Still, one thing I could agree with was that Princess Celestia had to get her fanny in gear, pardon the harshness of my tongue. As completely sympathetic as I may be, she still has a responsibility, and while Luna had been holding the fort well so far according to the news, it was only a matter of time before things started to get chaotic again. The death of a leader, a hero, was something not to be taken lightly. Even a simple farmer like me could tell the wind was blowing from this incident, and in a direction that could lead to utter ruin.
But as much as I was worried about Princess Celestia, I was more worried about somepony else. Rising up from my bed, I walked to the hall where I smelled Apple Bloom making pancakes again. It was the only thing she knew how to cook on her own, but she was damn good at it.
Of course there was only one pony who liked pancakes the most, and it was for her that Apple Bloom cooked them for; hoping to get a single reaction out of her. My sister, Applejack, strolled out of her bedroom without looking at me. I could tell from a glimpse at her bloodshot eyes she didn’t get another good nights sleep.
Of course, if you knew my sister, the first thing you’d notice wasn’t her bloodshot eyes or emotionless expression. It was the fact that she didn’t have her hat on.
My sister never went a single day without wearing that hat. She won it at a game during a carnival with our Pa, a week before he and Ma died. She always wore it as a remembrance to him and their time together. After Twilight’s funeral was the first day I saw her go without it for a full twenty-four hours. And since that day, my sister has refused to wear it. I don’t know why. I’ve asked, Granny has asked, even Apple Bloom with her puppy dog eyes tricked had asked.
She refused to answer.
I followed Applejack down the stairs and into the kitchen. Apple Bloom was standing on a stool, making pancakes while a big pile of them were already placed on the full setted table. She turned to us and smiled, “Howdy, and good mornin’ y’all!”
“Mornin’” I replied in my usual simple tone. Applejack didn’t even bother to say anything. She just grabbed some bread on the table and walked away. We both heard the front door open and shut. A few minutes later, the sound of applebucking echoed from outside.
Apple Bloom bit her lip and lowered her head. “She didn’t even eat one this time.”
I walked over and nuzzled my little sister who wanted nothing more then her big sister to come back. Every day since Princess Twilight Sparkle’s death it had been like this. Barely a word from Applejack unless it was important. Work. Eat. Sleep. Work. Eat. Sleep. She hadn’t visited town, her friends, or anypony. My sister had close herself from the rest of the world.
Most ponies thought that Applejack was a tough and rigid pony. They were mostly right. My sister was strong, but she was still a normal pony. She didn’t take loss well, be it a friend or a family member, death was never Applejack’s strongest subject to face. It really all started when Ma and Pa died from the timberwolf attack on our farm that night. Ma and Pa went out to deal with the wolves while I hid with everypony else in the cellar. Applejack, young and foolish back then, ran up to see if she could help Ma and Pa.
By the time it was all over, we saw her crying over the bodies of our parents. I’ll never forget the look in Applejack’s eyes as her innocence was shattered that day. It affected her every being. Her work ethic, her morals, her stubbornness, her dedication to family. It was all born that day Ma and Pa died.
And now with Twilight gone.
“Ah’ll talk to her,” I said as I made my way to follow her.
“Granny said to give her more time,” said Apple Bloom, whimpering.
“And last week Granny thought the rabbits were mountin’ an army to take over her rutabagas,” I muttered, shaking my head. “She’s not always right.”
I didn’t want to argue with my littlest sister too so I made my way out to the apple field.
***
When I finally found her, Applejack was doing what she had been doing. Working without stop. Even if I applauded her for her work ethic, I couldn’t help but worry. She rarely took any breaks and there were days when she would limp on home into bed without any supper. I already had an emotionally broken sister, I didn’t need her to be a physical one as well.
I walked up to the tree she was bucking, noticing the extra anger she was putting in her kicks as I sighed. “Applejack. We need to talk.”
“We don’t need to talk. Just work.” With that said she knocked over the last of the apples into the basket. She was about to get them when I stood in front of her.
“We’re gonna talk now,” I said, firmly. She glared at me, but I stood tall. Applejack maybe a tough pony but I wasn’t tall and strong for nothing. I was the stronger kicker out of the both of us and she knew it.
Grumbling, she sat down. “What about?”
“Twilight,” was all I said which made her ears straighten her hears.
She lowered her head and growled. “What about her? She’s dead. End of story.”
“And its affectin’ ya. We’ve all seen it. Ya barely talk, ya barely do anythin’, and ya don’t even try to see how yer friends are handin’ this,” I point out.
She scoffs. “Mahbe it’s because Ah don’t want anythin’ to do with them anymore. Mahbe Ah wanna be left alone! Ya ever thought that!” yelled Applejack turnin’ away. “Just leave me alone, Mac! All of ya! It’s for yer own good!”
My head nearly snapped by her mentioning that and I quickly said, “What do ya mean by ‘our own good’, Sis?” Applejack stopped in her tracks, as if she had been caught red hoofed in a crime. She made sure to keep her head focus away from me. It didn’t matter, I now knew what this is about. “Applejack, she didn’t die because of you.”
“... doesn’t matter. She still died anyway... just like Ma and Pa...” whispered Applejack, a few sniffles.
“Applejack, what happened to them wasn’t yer fault. Ah know she was yer friend-”
“She wasn’t just a friend to me, Mac!” shouted Applejack, turning towards me with her eye full of tears. “Ah loved her!”
My eyes widened as she stomped on the ground. “Ah love her, Mac! Ah loved her the moment Ah saw her! She was like nopony Ah ever knew and Ah always stuck by her not just because she was mah friend, but because Ah loved her with all mah heart!”
She fell to her flank and shook her head. “Ah knew she would never love me like Ah did for her, but Ah didn’t mind. Ah loved her so much Ah wanted her to be happy. Even if meant never havin’ her, Ah’d live with it.” She then looked at me and I didn’t see Applejack, the Element of Honesty, but Applejack the little sister who lost her Ma and Pa. “And then she died, Mac. She died! Just like Ma! Just like Pa! Why does everypony I love die!”
I didn’t waste any time. I hugged her as hard as I could as she screamed and wailed. I felt a few tears leave my eyes as well as I let her continue to spay her waterworks into my chest. “It’s okay. Just let it all out...”
“Why do ponies I love die, Mac?! Who's next?! You?! Apple Bloom?! Mah friends?! Why can’t it just be me who dies for once!”
In an instant, my fury rose from the bottom of my heart as I growled at her.“Don’t ever say that?!” I shouted, making her gasp.
I rarely ever yelled. When I did it was because I was angry or I was serious. “Do ya really think yer the only one sufferin’ from loss?! Ya think Ah never felt bad about Ma and Pa dyin’?! Ah trained as hard as Ah could, got as strong as Ah could so Ah could protect y’all so that we never have to go through that again! Ah might not have been close to Twilight Sparkle, but she was a friend too! And Ah cried when she died just like y’all are doin’ now!”
Ah took a deep breath and continued. “And what about the rest of those who loved Twilight? Yer friends? Her family? The princesses. Spike.” Applejack put her hooves against her mouth. “That’s right. That dragon lost his mother. A mother whose first degree as a princess was make him her official son; despite the backlash that came. Do ya know that all he’s done is sit in that library, cryin’ and screamin’? Nopony but mahself and a few others have tried to help him. Even Discord of all creatures is helpin’. Where are his best friends? Where are those who were closest to his mother? Where is the one who has always promised to be reliable to all ponies no matter what?”
Every accusation I threw at her made Applejack lower her head more and more. She wasn’t crying tears anymore, but rather looked down upon her hooves as if she was ashamed. It was harsh what I said, but I had to say it. I put my hooves on her shoulder. “Applejack, yer not alone in this. It ain’t gonna be easy. It may never fully heal. But we are gonna get through this together. As a family.”
A few seconds of silence, Applejack slowly nodded. “Okay...” A rumble in her stomach made her blush. I chuckled. “S-sorry.”
“Why don’t we skip work today and get pancakes from Apple Bloom?” I suggested.
A small smile decorated AJ’s face. “Ah’d like the sound of that.”
“Good, cause yer gonna have to be the one to tell her she’s got to carry the family line with her since both of us are gay,” I joked.
For the first time, in a long time, I heard Applejack laugh.
***
The Honest Apple never forgot the Fallen Star.
She would never love anypony like she did with her.
But she knew she was never alone.
Not when she had her family always by her side.
The Harsh Truth of Cutie Marks Part 1 (Apple Bloom)
The Harsh Truth of Cutie Marks Part 1 (Apple Bloom’s POV)
***
Have you ever woken up and realized that everything in the world had changed and not always for the better? I had that feeling for two weeks ever since Princess Twilight was killed. Like a bit of hope in the world had been taken away and we were never gonna get it back. I never suffered loss in my life, I didn’t even remember my parents when they passed away since I was only a few weeks born. Twilight was the first time I ever lost somepony important to me and it made me want to never lose another pony I loved again.
I didn’t want to believe it when I heard the news two days after she had been murdered. I hated my family for hiding it until I had to learn from a bunch of muttering ponies in town. It didn’t last long because all I could do was cry and hold my family during the funeral.
Twilight was more than just a friend or a teacher, she was like a big sister to me and the other crusaders. She wasn’t like the other adults who laughed or were annoyed by our attempts to get our cutie marks. She believed in us and tried to help us find them, even teach us things we were interested in learning. Twilight had so many duties both as the apprentice of Princess Celestia and when she became a princess herself, yet she always had time for us.
It made waking up in a world, knowing she was gone, harder to live in. Granny said that time would heal all wounds but I’m not one for patience. It wasn’t just hard on me, it was hard on everypony in Ponyville. I got up and made may way for the bathroom for my morning business before cleaning myself up and heading downstairs. Big Macintosh was eating cereal and Granny was drinking coffee.
“Mornin’,” I said, getting greetings back in return. “Applejack around?”
“Workin’ early... again,” muttered Big Macintosh.
I frowned upon hearing this. My big sister had done nothing but work ever since we came back from the funeral. Granny said it was her way of dealing with the loss, but I was worried since we barely saw her anymore. And every time I tried to talk to her, she spoke less than Big Macintosh ever did. And trust me, my brother can go a whole day only talking just ten words a day. I quickly ate some toast and an apple before grabbing back saddlebags and lunch.
After saying my goodbyes, I stopped at the front porch where I closed my eyes. “Try to be happy. Try to be happy.”
But no matter how many times I repeated that everyday I couldn’t be happy.
***
Normally, I would take the shortest route to the school, but I was worried for two other friends of mine. Trotting through Ponyville I saw that they finally decided to take down the mourning decorations. But just because they took down the black ribbons, wreaths, and candles from night vigils, didn’t mean things were back to normal. Everypony moved slower, spoke less, and had a gloom on their faces that seemed worse than the time Discord or Trixie ruled over us for their brief times.
Even Pinkie Pie wasn’t around to cheer everypony up.
Making my way down the street, my heart leap as I got closer to rechristened “Twilight Sparkle Library”. Sweetie Belle was outside, trying to call out to Spike from the front door. I figured it must have been a bad day cause Spike wasn’t answering. On a good day he would just tell everypony to go away and leave him alone.
He had been like that for days. Nopony knew what to do. Anypony who tried to get in he threatened to attack and, even if he was a baby dragon, nopony didn’t want to get on is bad side. I couldn’t think of anyone else taking Twilight’s death harder than he was. Twilight had adopted him officially as her son. To lose her after everything they had been through? I couldn’t even imagine it. Maybe that’s why he left Ponyville and Faust knows where later on.
Red faced, Sweetie Belle looked at me with tired eyes before yawning, “Good morning, Apple Bloom.”
“Have ya been here all night?” I asked in shock.
“No, just since six...” she muttered as she sighed and faced the door. “I still can’t get him to come out... I’m worried...”
“We all are,” I said, patting her on the back. “We can try gettin’ through to him after school.”
“Okay,” whispered Sweetie Belle as we turned around and made for the school yard.
“How’s yer sister?” I asked, hoping to steer the conversation from Spike to somepony else.
“She’s been busy, but surprisingly not with dresses. I’m really worried about her,” whispered Sweetie Belle, shaking her head. “She got a client from Canterlot who wanted her to make a dress for a party she wanted to go to.”
I growled in disbelief. Seriously? One of your princesses dies and all you can think about is a party? I never knew why my sister and brother didn’t like Canterlot folk until that day. “What did Rarity do?”
“My sister refused to do her service. To anypony in Canterlot she said.” This made my jaw drop. For as long as I could remember, Rarity had done everything she could to be welcomed and loved in Canterlot and she had refused somepony from there? I swore the world was coming to an end in my mind. “She said she was done dealing with a, and I quote, ‘disgraceful, parasitic, unethical, and disgusting city’.”
“Ya really are a dictionary, ya know that?” I joked lightly. “I take it the client didn’t take it too well?”
“That’s an understatement,” said Sweetie Belle, as we were coming up to the school. “The client said she would make sure everypony in Canterlot knew of this and she would never get business there again. Rarity said she didn’t care and to give them also a message.”
“What was it?” I asked, leaning in. “Was it... adult language?” Sweetie Belle nodded and I leaned in closer. “Tell me!”
Blushing, Sweetie Belle made sure no adults were in the area and she whispered, “She told them they could all kiss her plothole.”
“Ooooohhh,” I said. Rarity was the last pony I thought to have ever cursed. I can’t even do it at home or else I get the soap. “But won’t that kill her career?”
“She says she’s planning to do something new with her life now that... Twilight is d-d-d-e-gone,” answered Sweetie Belle, shivering upon nearly mentioning the ‘D’ word.
Before I could ask what she meant, we heard a bunch of ponies yelling outside the school. A crowd of our fellow students had formed and the two of us looked at each other before rushing over to see what was going on. Pushing our way through we saw, unsurprisingly, a vocal fight between Scootaloo and Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara wasn’t there, but it seemed a few fillies and colts were backing up Silver.
“Take back what you said about, Twilight!” shouted Scootaloo as she was being held back by Dinky and Rumble. We soon joined their side in an instant since we all knew Scootaloo had a short fuse just like her hero.
Silver Spoon, with that devilish smirk that we all hated, said, “I’ll say it again. It’s better for Equestria now that Twilight Sparkle is no longer a princess.”
“Why don’t you come out and say you're just glad she’s dead!” shouted Scootaloo with tears in her eyes. “
“Damn right I am!” shouted Silver Spoon, growing. “My daddy said she had no right to change our traditions! Everything is fine the way it is he said! There was no need to change any of it!”
“We wanted the change! We deserve to have a better future!” shouted one pony on Scootaloo’s side.
“The news said that Princess Twilight was manipulating everything so she could be the ruler of Equestria!” shouted one from Silver Spoon’s smaller side
“She saved us all many times! She’s a hero not a villain!”
“My mommy said her actions would have ruined her business!”
“Traitors!”
“You’re the traitors!”
I wanted to scream at them all to stop, but I was deaf on ears. This wasn’t the first time I had heard arguments like this in Ponyville. There were some of them, even those who had known Twilight, to have disagreed with her policies to change Equestria. Some of them weren’t as vocal, others cause fights. It looked like some of their behavior had effected even their children.
I didn’t care about any of it. All I wanted was to mourn the loss of my friend, I didn’t care about the politics. I felt that all of this was just shaming Twilight’s memory.
“What’s going on here?!” shouted a louder voice, and nopony had a louder voice than Diamond Tiara.
Nopony had seen Diamond Tiara in days, even before we were allowed back into school. She marched forward, eyebrow raised as everypony looked at her. “Hey, Diamond. I was just telling Scootapoo here what a terrible princess Twilight Sparkle was, right Diamond?”
Diamond Tiara just stared at Silver Spoon with wide eyes.
“I mean, her getting killed off might have been extreme but at least we don’t have to deal with her stupid ideas. My daddy said that they would have caused Equestria down the toilet with her new ideas.”
Now, I believe that there is good in everypony. Making friends with the changelings and Discord proved that. But at that moment I realized there was nothing good about Silver Spoon who was preaching like some heartless witch who gave into that traditionalist propaganda about how Twilight was the next King Sombra or something. If it wasn’t for the fact of what happened next, I would have beaten Silver Spoon to a pulp.
“I guess she knows now that changing the status quo is a no go. All that ends up is giving you is a one way ticket to the gra-”
And then something happened that, to this day, I will never forget.
Diamond Tiara’s right hoof sailed through the air and smacked Silver Spoon in the face so hard she fell on her back with her glasses completely broken. When it happened, I think everypony’s jaw dropped along with mine.
A furious look overshadowed a scared and shocked Silver Spoon as Diamond Tiara leaned down. “You’re dead to me.”
She then turned around and made her way into the classroom where Ms. Cheerilee, upon seeing all the commotion, was also stunned by what she had seen. Nopony said anything as for the first time in my entire life, I saw a tear drip down Diamond Tiara’s cheek..
***
I don’t think I paid any attention to school that wasn’t related to the incident. Silver Spoon was sent home, because she couldn’t see without her glasses, with a stern warning that if she caused a disturbance again, she would face harsher punishment. Diamond Tiara got a detention, but would be serving it on a weekend instead of today. She asked if she could be excused from school, saying she was sick, and Ms. Cheerilee allowed it. All throughout the school, those two were the talk of the entire day. It was hard not to hear any of the whispers that were going around it. Many were wondering if this was the end of their friendship, others said it was all just part of some scheme that the two were planning. If anything, it made everypony stop arguing about Twilight Sparkle and whether or not she was a hero or a villain.
I kept the tear I saw silent to myself, mainly because I was still in disbelief. I had never seen a legitimate tear from Diamond Tiara in my entire life. She cried fake tears whenever she was trying to get out of trouble or get what she wanted, but never a real tear.
By the time school ended, all I could think about was one word: why?
Why did Diamond Tiara attack her best friend and, pretty much, ended their friendship? I knew they had grown up together. They were like sisters and cared for each other. What changed? Was it about Twilight? I would have thought Diamond Tiara would have been on Silver Spoon’s side, but it was clear she wasn’t. That didn’t make sense to me since all the rich and noble pony folk seemed to have hated Twilight while us commoners didn’t.
Later in life I learned this wasn’t true. It was between those who wanted our way of life to stay the same as apposed to. those of us who wanted change.
“So are we gonna go crusading today?” asked Scootaloo, eyes wide and hopeful as we exited the school.
“S-sorry, but I’m going to check on Spike,” said Sweetie Belle, blushing.
‘Ugh, fine. Seriously can you be more obvious...” whispered Scootaloo rolling her eyes. She turned to me and said, “What about you, Apple Bloom? I wanna try being Cutie Mark Crusader Disco Dancers!”
I gave her a sad smile and replied, “Maybe some other time. There’s somethin’ Ah gotta do.”
Scootaloo sighed and said, “Fine... seriously, when are we gonna have fun again?”
I didn’t answer that question. Mainly because I didn’t know. I didn’t know when we were gonna have fun again with Twilight’s death hanging over us.
We all went our separate ways. Scootaloo to do whatever. Sweetie Belle to see if she could comfort Spike. And me? I was going to see Diamond Tiara.
***
Getting into the Rich Estate was easy, I just told the butler that I was here to bring Diamond Tiara’s homework. I was told she was up in her room where she had been having a fit ever since she came home. Walking up the marble staircase with solid gold railings, I arrived in front of a bright pink door with Diamond Tiara’s cutie mark on it.
I stopped in front of it, and wondered why the hay I was doing this. Diamond Tiara had been a bully to me since I was six. Why was I bothering to come over to her house and, dare I say it, feel worried about her? This was the filly who did nothing but belittle me, insult me, and hate me. Was I being foalish or was I too soft hearted? Before I could answer myself I pushed the door open to be greeted to quite a sight.
Whatever room Diamond Tiara had, it must have been pretty special before she teared it up. It was like the room a princess that you would always read in a fairy book. Gold and purple were everywhere, but it was all torn up. Ribbons and banners ripped apart, a silver mirror shattered into pieces, dolls and stuffed animals ripped in two. Make up was scattered with torn dresses and jewelry. Photos of Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara lay broken on the floor. And in the center of it all was Diamond Tiara, crying and holding a photo.
She didn’t even know I was here as I slowly inched forward. When I reached her, I saw that the photo was of yellow earth pony with long strawberry hair and looked to be about as old as my big brother. “Diamond Tiara?” I said, getting her attention as she turned around and gasped.
Glaring as she wiped the tears from her eyes, she spat, “What are you doing here, blank flank?”
I ignored the insult, and answered, “Ah... Ah wanted to check up on ya...”
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because...” I didn’t answer. Was I worried about her? Curious? Or both.
“Just get out...” she muttered, “leave me alone.”
“Fine, Ah was just tryin’ to be nice,” I muttered, thinking this was a waste of time. I was halfway through the door when she shouted at me.
“Wait!” I turned around and she was looking at me with desperation in her eyes. “I can’t believe... I’m asking this...” She took a deep breath as she looked at me with a pleading stare. “Can...can I have a hug?”
For the second time that day, my jaw dropped. “Wh-what?”
“I just... my Dad’s not here... and I really...really need a hug... because I just broke up with my best friend... and I have nopony anymore...” she began to tear up and hiccup. Before I knew it, I rushed over and hugged her as she began to bawl on my shoulder. I stood there, holding her, as she sobbed over her loss. I was hugging my worst enemy and yet I was so calm about it. Had you told me this any other day before then, I would have thought you were on hard cider.
I don’t know how long it lasted, but eventually Diamond Tiara calmed down and we separated. She turned to the photo of the mare and looked down at it sadly. I looked at it again and then at Diamond Tiara, quickly putting who in my head I was looking at. “Who is that?”
“My nanny, Strawberry Star...” whispered Diamond Tiara before growling. “And because Princess Twilight Sparkle is dead my dream is dead! Just like her!”
“D-dream?” I asked as she stood up.
“Yes, my dream for a world where nopony can be judged by their cutie marks. A world where you could decide your own destiny instead of a picture on your butt. A world where nopony had to suffer like my nanny did!” She pointed to her cutie mark. “A world where this doesn’t make us who we are completely! Only a fraction!”
I thought I was going deaf because I was hearing Diamond Tiara talking about how much she hated cutie marks. “But... but Ah thought ya loved yer cutie mark! If ya hate them so much why did ya always hate me for not havin’ one?!”
Diamond Tiara snorted. “Hate you? I never hated you, Apple Bloom. I was envious of you.” She turned to me and glared. “I hated how I was trapped in my fate and doomed to follow a path I never wanted because of how everypony needs to follow a career based on your cutie mark. I hated how I could never be what I wanted to be, only what I was talented in.” She sighed. “I got this cutie mark because I’m good with jewelry, but I don’t want to be involved with anything when it comes to jewels or gems or anything like that. I wanna be an actor.”
A snorted, but quickly hid it. “An actor? Well, no offense Ah can’t see ya as one. Besides, why does it matter. Yer rich enough to be one, aren’t ya?”
And then she laughed. “You really don’t know how it works in Equestria? Do you?” She turned to me and frowned. “Let me tell you the truth that most ponies don’t know about cutie marks. What our society limits us with them. And how much I, and many others, have lost because of them.”
The Harsh Truth of Cutie Marks Part 2 (Apple Bloom)
The Harsh Truth of Cutie Marks Part 2 (Apple Bloom’s POV)
NOTE: For some reason a blog post I put up didn't get notified. I changed Diamond Tiara's dream from being a teacher to an actress at the advice of my editors.
***
After her little outburst, Diamond Tiara needed a few minutes to calm down, and I needed a moment to get my mind sorted through everything that had happened today.
The one thing that I was finding very hard to believe the most was the concept that anypony could hate their cutie mark. It was unheard of to me. However, the real question in my mind was about this horrible truth about cutie marks that Diamond Tiara wanted me to know.
We sat on her bed in silence, staring over the wreckage left in the room. Despite my need for answers, I kept quiet until Diamond Tiara was ready to talk. I think that was the first time we ever had a moment where we weren’t trying to rip each others heads off.
The awkward silence passed as she finally started to speak,. “What do you know about cutie marks?”
“Um, ain’t they yer special talent? What yer meant to do in life?”
“You have the first part right. They tell us what our special talent is,” she pointed at her own flank. “My talent is making jewlery. So my future is suppose to do something with jewelry, right?” She then growled and stomped her hoof on the bed. “But I don’t want to be a jeweler! I want to be an actress! I wanna be a star in Applewood!”
“No offence, Diamond Tiara, but Ah hardly ever seen ya act, well except when yer lyin’ to adults,” I pointed out.
“That’s because I keep it a secret...” muttered Diamond Tiara. “You know that theater studio on Greengrass Road? I’ve been taking lessons there without anypony knowing. I’ve been lying to my dad, and everypony, by saying I’m taking jewelry making classes at Mr. Cutter’s! I’ve had to bribe him every week to lie, and if they found out I would be in trouble!” Diamond Tiara shouted, panic clear in her voice. “But I love to act. I love the idea of performing in Applewood. Getting rich and famous for my skills while being loved by everypony. I want the whole world to look at me as an idol! But I can’t have that if I’m so nopony jewel maker or distributor.”
I kinda rolled my eyes when I heard this. She was still a diva, even when she was pouring her heart out to me. It even made me wonder how much of her being a bully was just acting itself?
“Apple Bloom,” Tiara said, gritting her teeth, “let me ask you a question? Let’s say you want to be a politician when you grow up? You love dealing with politics, and you want to do it for the rest of your life. However, your cutie mark is something that is related to animals. You have such high ambitions and dreams, and you’re good at what you do when you play the political field. Maybe you even have enough talent to be a mayor of a city. Do you think you’ll make it?”
“Well, if Ah love it so much, and Ah try real hard, then Ah’ll be able to do it, right?” I asked, but Diamond Tiara shook her head.
“No, you won’t. Because our society will not let you become a politician. They will force you to do something in animals,” answered Diamond Tiara, much to my shock. “Whatever mark that you have on your flank is the destiny you’ll have to live with whether you love it or not.”
“W-what?” I asked, growing paler. “Th-they can’t force anypony to do that? Can they?”
“I didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. I even had to have my private teachers explain it to me,” said Diamond Tiara, grimly. “No pony in Equestria is allowed to have a job, career, or even a lifestyle that doesn’t relate to their cutie mark. The law claims that it’s to keep harmony in our world, and to ensure that each job is done by the best pony possible due to their talent.”
“That doesn’t seem so bad-”
I was interrupted as Diamond Tiara growled and stomped again. “But what they don’t tell you is that you have no choice in the manner! You have to do that specific job for the rest of your life! The moment you get your cutie mark, your fate is decided without you choosing what you want to do! You want to be a doctor? Tough luck, you’re a farmer because you got a plowing cutie mark! What about police officer? Too bad, you are a construction pony because your flank has a nail and hammer on it! You can’t even join the Royal Guards if your cutie mark can’t be used in someway for the defense of Equestria.”
“That can’t be true for every job out there!” I shouted in denial. I wanted to think this wasn’t true, that I had no choice in what I was going to become in life. “What about Derpy Hooves! She’s a mailpony, yet her cutie mark is a bunch of bubbles!”
“There are jobs that anypony can take regardless of your cutie mark, but they are ones that are all custodial or public service jobs such as janitors and mailponies. Those jobs are there for the ones who can’t make a living off their cutie marks because of these laws. The reason Derpy Hooves is a mailpony is because there is no job that requires bubble blowing. She could be a great baker because of those muffins of hers, but she doesn’t have a baking or cooking cutie mark. She’s stuck in that mail job for the rest of her life, along with every other pony who had the rotten luck to get a talent that’s not associated with a decent job.”
My eyes widened as what Diamond Tiara said started to make sense. I never did think about what I was going to do with my life, I was a filly after all. All I wanted was a cutie mark so I could feel special like the rest of the fillies and colts. But what if I did get a cutie mark in something other than what I wanted to do with my life? What if I was forced to do something I didn’t like? “But... but plenty of ponies love havin’ their jobs be related around their special talent! Like Rarity and Fluttershy!”
“Rarity’s skill in gems can still be used for fashion. You have seen her clothes, right? And last I checked, Fluttershy took care of pets for free. She’s not a licensed vet or anything. I don’t know how she lives off her cottage without a job, but she does,” replied Diamond Tiara, “I’m not saying that everypony hates the idea, but it’s not fair for those of us that have no choice. I should be free to choose my own destiny, not have it decided for me,” whispered Diamond Tiara, crossing her forelegs. “That’s why I supported Princess Twilight Sparkle. She wanted to give all ponies a chance to explore new areas outside of their cutie marks. A chance to adapt and change our lives by being free to choose what they want to be.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad, so why not have that?” I asked.
“Do you ever read history?!” she asked, which made me rub the back of my neck in embarrassment. History wasn’t one of my favorite subjects. Most of the time I spent that class doodling. “When Equestria was formed, ponies were forced to work to survive. They decided that everypony should be given a job based on their cutie mark since their special talent would make sure they could get the job done perfectly. That’s understandable for the start of a nation, but even two thousand years later, nopony changed that stupid old law.”
“Why?” I asked, raising my eyebrow. “Why would anypony want to keep things so... the same?”
“One word: control,” answered Diamond Tiara, shaking her head. “Which race does most of the labor, farming, and down and dirty jobs? Earth ponies. Most earth ponies get cutie marks related to their physical strength or something earth related. Many pegasi get ones with military and weather so they often are in charge of that. And unicorns? Politics, teaching, and magic. They are always the ones who make most of the laws in everything. And almost all of the nobles in the Council are unicorns, save for a few.: She paused to take a quick breath. “And guess who makes most of the laws of our society along with the princesses? Who else besides her has power to change the country? After Luna’s banishment, she needed their help to run the nation for a thousand years, and who did she give power to? The council, and any of those ‘traditionalist’ ponies.”
The gears in my head were starting to turn. “Wait a darn minute, are ya sayin’ that... they keep it this way on purpose? Why?”
“They claim that the way we live our lives is fine. Having this system where we keep our professions tied to our special talent makes us happy, and keeps Equestria moving with the best possible ponies there are. But in reality, it’s to make sure that nopony rises above the status they were born into. Very few ever break it, like Miss Cheerilee...”
“Miss Cheerilee? But her cutie mark was that she made students smile when she taught, right?” I asked in disbelief, still remembering the story she told students many times. “Are... are ya sayin’ she lied?”
“She has to in order to keep her job, and not get arrested for falsifying her credentials,” muttered Diamond Tiara. “I told her my problems when I got my cutie mark, and she confessed that her cutie mark was centered around gardening, not teaching. She sympathized with me when I told her I wanted to be an actress and she explained that she lied to get the job she wanted. It was tough, but they were convinced when they saw students smiling as she taught during her training.”
“What... what would happen if she was caught?” I asked, frighteningly. Miss Cheerilee was one of the nicest adults I knew, and one of the best teachers ever. She had won many awards for Celestia’s sake. I never wanted anything bad to happen to her.
“She would be taken to jail... just like my nanny,” said Diamond Tiara as she gazed back at the photo of Strawberry Star. “My nanny... she was my first friend. The one adult in my life who I could count on for anything. My mother...” she growled, “... left us for some richer stallion in Manehatten. My dad loves me, but he’s always busy working. I was all alone until I had Strawberry Star. She read me stories at night, played games with me during the day. And she even took care of me when I was sick. Before I met Silver Spoon, she was the most important pony in my life.”
“What... happened to her?” I asked, but I had a bad feeling in my stomach.
“... one of the butlers said that she had a fake cutie mark when he saw her take it off in her room. It turned out her special talent was ice cream making, but she wanted to be a nanny. So she faked her cutie mark to have a chance to live out her dream because she was denied every nanny job. Having a fake cutie mark and falsifying your credentials is illegal, so they arrested her,” muttered Diamond Tiara, tears flowing down her eyes as she hunched over. “I tried to stop them from taking her away. I begged and screamed for them to stop, but my dad refused to do anything. The last thing she said to me was... was that she loved me like I was her own daughter, and to be a good girl...”
I started seeing Diamond Tiara in a new light as tears slid down my cheeks. Bully or not, that was a horrible thing to go through at such a young age. A few seconds later, I found myself hugging her as she cried on my shoulders. While I felt pity for her, I also felt rage at the thought of arresting a pony who was clearly good at her job, even if she faked her cutie mark to get it in the first place. There was also fear. Fear for myself and my friends for when we will get our cutie marks. What if our talents won’t be related to be the careers we wanted in our lives? What if we will be stuck in jobs that weren’t our dream?
“... I’ve tried to learn where she is now, but my dad still refuses to do anything out of embarrassment,” muttered Diamond Tiara, shaking her head. “When that happened, I realized that cutie marks were not as glamorous as I thought they would be. Ponies have the right to be different, and have their own passions. It’s who we are as individuals, yet, we shouldn’t be forced to have our lives decided by them. We should be free to choose what we want to be, regardless of our cutie marks.”
Diamond Tiara sighed, “But with Princess Twilight dead, her efforts to make such a world exist is gone. She was my only hope to give me, and others, a future where we wouldn’t be subjected to fate...”
It was all a bit much for a filly like me to deal with. I realize now that Diamond Tiara had grown up far faster than the rest of us because of what happened to her. And the actual revelation that we lived in a world where one single thing determined your future was just... scary. I wondered how many other ponies were like Diamond Tiara’s nanny or Miss Cheerilee, hiding their passions in fear? How many ponies forced themselves to live a life they didn’t want to have? How could Princess Celestia agree to something like this? I felt my world had shattered a bit, and I didn’t know what to do.
But then I remembered something that Applejack told me when she came back from the trial. My face grew into a smile as I shouted out, “Yes, it can still happen!”
“Huh?” murmured Tiara, raising her eyebrow.
“Diamond, mah sister was at the trial for those that killed Twilight. She said that Princess Celestia was goin’ to make sure every plan Twilight had was gonna to come true. She swore it!” I nearly shouted with joy.
“She... she did?” asked Diamond Tiara with wide eyes. “You mean... there is a chance?”
“Ah know there is a chance, but ya can do somethin’ as well. Yer gonna inherit some o yer Pa’s fortune and contacts when ya become an adult, right? Why not use it to help make those changes happen?”
“Wait... you... want me to do it? Don’t you hate me?” asked Diamond Tiara.
“Ah...” I bit my lip. “Ah don’t like ya, but Ah guess Ah don’t want to see ya be miserable about not chasin’ yer dream. Beside, we both wanna honor Twilight, right? If yer stickin’ up for her like ya did to Silver Spoon when she was bad mouthin’ her, then Ah guess that makes us out on the same team.”
For a moment, Diamond Tiara stared at her hooves for a bit, pondering on what I said. “Do you.. really think things will change? That I can be an actress regardless?”
“Ah guess so...”
“... thanks...”
The two of us stared at each in silence. It was... it was the first time she ever thanked me for something. We sat there, looking at each other with uncertainty on what this meant. Maybe if I had done something, we could have become friends, but instead I just nodded and said, “Um, well. Ah’m glad yer okay now... Ah’m going to go now.”
“Y-yeah, sure... bye,” she replied as I slowly left the room.
***
The next day, I told the other Crusaders that we needed to have an emergency meeting at the clubhouse. When we arrived, I looked at my two friends and all that we had in our special fort which was for the purpose of one thing: finding our cutie marks. I didn’t know if we would still keep such a goal in mind when I told them the truth I had learned.
“What’s up, Apple Bloom. What was so important that you wanted to talk to us about?” asked Scootaloo as she and Sweetie Belle sat down.
We were all wearing our capes... the last day we ever wore them.
“Girls... it’s about cutie marks... what they really are in today’s world...”
***
The Little Apple would sometimes see the Jeweled Diva occasionally
Between the dozens of photographers they would stare at each other
I could feel the iron taste of blood in my mouth as they dragged me down the moss ruins of the old castle halls. I had seen the decaying structure before during my scouting runs, but I never imagined that the Princess’s Royal Guards were using them as a base. They weren’t gentle as they dragged me by my forelegs, chains and everything. I think I cracked a rib, and my wings hurt felt like they had been pummeled into paste.
I had to have been through about three or four hours of physical punishment from the guards before they decided to give up and try again tomorrow. They could try all they want. I wasn’t going to tell them anything about me or The Equestrian’s First.
They claimed I was a traitor and a terrorist, but I knew what I was. A patriot. A pony fighting to restore honor, and dignity, to this once great nation. I wasn’t one of the princess’s sheep who were following the laws of a long dead pony. I was a true Equestrian.
The two guards halted in their movements as I heard the unlocking of a door, followed by the sound of somepony else getting hit with a few bronze horseshoes. My eyes opened with hope that another of my scouting squad had survived the ambush, but it was some earth pony I never saw before. He was as black as the night sky, with a dirty brown mane that covered his eyes. There were quite a few scars on his barrel, and not from the recent beating. I didn’t know who this guy was, but I guessed the Royal Guards will beat up anypony these days. Even the innocent.
My attention broke from the other prisoner as I was hoisted up and chained to another chain. This time I was hung in the air, looking down at my captors. Their hatred for me was quite clear in their eyes, but I felt the same feeling right back at them. I couldn’t wait ‘till the day our dream was fulfilled all those so called “moderates” and “sparkheads” got what was coming to them. I didn’t care if it was going to be in this life or the next, I would be hailed a hero among the other fallen upon victory day.
“I’m going to ask you one more time, scumbag,” growled the unicorn guard as he got in my face. “Tell us the headquarters of the Equestrian’s First base, and we just might have you keep your head.”
My response was to spit in his face to which he punched me in the stomach in return. “Let’s go. Maybe he’ll think it over after a night in jail,” said the other guard. The guards hurting the other prisoner also stopped and followed their fellow guards out of the cell.
Taking a good look of my surroundings I could tell that this was almost as old as the castle ruins. The metal was rusty, but still strong enough to hold me and my fellow captor. There were open windows I could fly out from, but my wings were roped together. It was just me and my unconscious fellow prisoner.
I grit my teeth and started praying to Faust. I knew I wouldn’t live to see freedom. I knew the risks that came with signing up with the Equestrian’s First. My father would have been proud of me if he was still here. I wondered if Skye Swipe would be proud of me. She told me to not join, but I had to do it. I had to fix this country from the direction it was going. For Dad. For Mom. For Her. For all of us ponies who were trapped in this bucking mess that Twilight Sparkle-may she rot in tartarus-gave us when she died.
Maybe I should have blamed Princess Celestia and Luna for enforcing those reforms of hers onto us-which I did-but it was Twilight Sparkle who I blamed the most. She started those changes that lead to my life being ruined. To so many lives being ruined. She claimed it was for a better age, but it was nothing but manure. We were fine living our lives as they were! What right did she have to change what we already proved to the world was the best way of living?
I sighed as I tried to get some shut eye. I figured it was best to face death well rested.
***
I woke up to the sound of our cell door opening. Looking at the windows I could tell it was time for the sun to be setting. A long guard with a water bucket and spoon walked into our cell, whistling a tune. He went to the black earth pony first, nudging him to see if he was awake. When he got no response he shrugged and turned around to make for me.
Then, just as quick as lighting, the earth pony’s rear legs wrapped around the guards and started choking him. My eyes widen as I held my breath in sight of the display. The guard struggled as the life was choked out of him. Eventually, his eyes closed and he went limp.
I did my best to hold in my lunch. Despite being part of the Equestrian First for about a year, I had never seen a dead body before now. I was just a scout. I was never sent on missions where raids and assaults were conducted, although I wished I was. I heard the bombing of the Princess Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns in Canterlot was our biggest feat yet. It was done during the fifteenth anniversary of that bucking mare’s death.
You may think I am a monster for being happy that ponies were killed, but they are killing our Equestrian spirit. They are killing us all with their laws. There are plenty of us who have suffered, and just as many who will not “conform” like the rest of the ponies in Equestria. They are not Equestrian. I am.
The pony who killed the guard didn’t let go, he used his long tail to grab the keys from the dead guard’s waist before dropping him. Lifting his lower body up, he used his tail like an expert to reach the lock with the keys and used them to free himself.
“H-hey!” I whispered, shaking my chains in an attempt to get his attention. “Let me out too! Please!”
“And why should I?” he asked with a gruff voice, glaring at me from behind his long mane with cold eyes.
I gulped but kept my calm. “Because I know these woods. I know the area of the land. Plus, there is a safe shelter that I can take us to rest until the coast is clear.”
He stared at me for a good long while. I was afraid that he was going to ditch me or that another guard would come in and see us. However, my fears were set aside as he walked over and used the keys to free me from all my chains. Including my wings.
I wanted to sing in praise while flapping the feeling back into them, but I knew the most important thing was to get out of here. “Okay, let me wrap my legs around you. I can fly us out.”
“Okay, name is Black Lightning by the way,” he said as I saw that his cutie mark showed three lightning bolts pointed at the ground.
“I’m Fastlane” I replied with a smile. I didn’t know who he was or why he was in prison with me, but I was just glad I had an ally.
Grabbing him by the waist, I grunted at the size of the stranger who rescued me before dragging us out through the window. I flew as carefully as I could towards the forest floor, hoping that a sentry wouldn’t spot us. When we reached the ground, we tumbled a bit, but were quick on our hooves.
“Move it kid. Before we get arrows fired at our flanks,” growled Black Lightning, which I quickly nodded in agreement.
Thus, with my new friend, we made our way into the forest.
***
We traveled non-stop until night came, making sure to be as quick yet quiet as possible. More than once we had to stop just in case we were being followed, but we soon arrived at one of the safe locations us scouts could use if we were ever in danger. It was a dark cave, hidden by some tall plants, where the stored food, water, and fire equipment was left for use.
Black Lightning whistled a bit before he sat down. “Have to hoof it to ya, kid. You knew what you were doing.”
“Us Equestrian’s First ponies know how to deal with any situation that comes our way,” I said with pride.
“Equestrian’s First, huh?” said Black Lightning, with little interest. “Aren’t you one of those terrorist cells that’s been around ever since Princess Twilight’s death?”
“We are not terrorists! We are the last defenders of the true Equestria! Believes of the path we once held before Princess Celestia decided to take every last damn reform of her dead apprentice and force it on us!” I shouted, growling.
“Others say differently,” replied Black Lighting.
I stomped my hoof, “We are patriots who want our nation to go back to the way it was. The way its suppose to be. We’ll force the princesses to give us back our way of life, and we’ll target only those who we deem a threat to our great nation and cause. The politicians, military, even the Elements of Harmony if we must. We will drive away the invaders, restore our old ways, and show the world that Twilight Sparkle wasn’t a hero but a traitor who brought only ruin and despair to our nation.”
I took a few deep breaths as Black Lightning looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Well, you're quite the believer.”
“And what about you?” I asked, glaring.
“Me? I don’t care about politics. I just work for whoever pays me the most,” he replied as he grabbed the fire starter kit and got to work.
“I see,” I said, relaxing a bit. “You’re a mercenary?”
“Yup,” muttered Black Lightning. “I work for whoever pays me. Reason I got caught was because those guards recognized me in the village nearby as a wanted stallion.”
While I wished he was a believer in the cause like me, a mercenary as fine to deal with. We hired some of them at times with our raids anyway.
After we got the fire started, we started to eat and drink. All the torture they put us through made me work up an appetite. When we finished, we just stare at the fire in silence. I tried to think about what to do when morning came and alert the others about the guards in the area. But all I could think about was Black Lightning. Seeing him kill that guard made me think he had some skills we could use.
“Hey,” I said, getting his attention. “Would you like to work with us? You don’t have to join, but we have a few rich patrons who support us and they can pay you.”
His eyebrow rose, but he didn’t answer me yet. “Maybe. Answer me this. Why did ya join up with such a group in the first place?”
I bit my lip as I stared into the fire with such hatred that not even the intensity of the flames could match. “My family... they worked in the Weather Factory for years. Since it was first built. My father, grandfather, and great grandmother all worked hard at the factory. My sister and I were going to work there when were old enough.”
I could remember how proud my father was when I showed him my school essay on how I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. My father was everything to me. He was a proud family pony, one who always had your back if you were friends with him. And he was never ashamed to fight for his beliefs.
“My father worked in the cloud making department. Had some of the best hooves in pounding the clouds that you ever saw,” I said with a smile. It soon faded when I thought about what happened two years after the death of Twilight Sparkle. “Then things changed. Princess Celestia started putting into effect those... those work laws!” I spat at the ground in disgust. “Now anypony could get a job regardless of their cutie mark. My father said it was the worst thing ever. How could you trust somepony to do their job if they’re not naturally talented in it? Accidents could happen. Lives could be at risk. Would you trust somepony who had a cutie mark with a heart for a heart problem? Or one who’s cutie mark was a mop and a bucket?”
“You’re dad was very vocal I, take it?” asked Black Lightning.
“Hay yeah he was. He wasn’t the only one either. We had earth ponies, unicorns, and even those bloody griffins of all things working at what used to be a pure pegasus job. The weather factory was founded by pegasi, and it was one of our biggest prides! Why should we share it with ponies who know nothing of the skies, and murderous predators like the griffins?!”
“They must have gone on strike if they were that angry, right?”
“They did, but it didn’t work. They hired replacements with the wages and benefits of those who deserve it!” I shouted, wishing I could take those heads of every job stealer their was and burn them in that fire we had. “Some of the strikers eventually went to work-cowards they are-but my father stayed strong. He never let up and continued to fight. He even challenged one of the unicorns, whose cutie mark was a fire hydrant of all things, to see who could make a better cloud...” I folded my arms and growled. “...he... he lost...”
“Ouch, that had to hurt,” whispered Black Lightning.
“My dad... wasn’t the same after that. He refused to get another job, said it would be dishonoring the family tradition. We got poorer, he started drinking. Mom eventually got sick and we couldn't even afford the medical bills until my sister gave in and started working for the factory. I understood her reasoning, Mom was ill and all, but my dad...” To this day I still remember holding my sister as she cried when Dad disowned her. My mother all but had it at that point. She claimed my father’s pride was killing our family, but she couldn’t see it was those thieves who stole my dad’s job that did. “ My parents divorced. My mother taking my sister... and me staying with my dad.”
“I never knew my parents,” whispered Black Lighting. “I was an orphan raised in the deserts. Had to learn how to fight and survive. You’re father proud of you being a member of the Equestrian’s First?”
“I... I think he would be... if he was still alive...” I whispered, a tear flowing down my cheek. “Years passed. I took a few part time jobs to support us, but eventually my father couldn't take it anymore... I came home one night... and he hung himself with a note that said... that he was sorry...” I covered my eyes with my hooves, doing my best not to sob like a baby in front of my friend. I can still see his pitiful face. The hopelessness he had as he hung there on the ceiling, swinging back and forth. It took me five hours to finally get the courage to get him down and call for help.
“I couldn’t even have a cremation for him,” I whispered in anger. “I couldn’t afford it, and my mother refused to pay a single bit to him. I had to bury my dad. Bury him! A disgrace for a pegasus!” I took a few deep breaths, calming myself. “My dad didn’t kill himself. He was murdered. Murdered by those thieves who are taking our jobs, and don’t deserve it. Murdered by those laws Princess Celestia and Luna are enforcing. Murdered by the ideology of Twilight bucking Sparkle. I hate her. I hate everything about her. She murdered my father and I only wish I murdered her with those five guards!” I pounded the floor and glared at Black Lighting. “That’s why I fight. To restore Equestria to its former glory. We will bring back our way of life before Twilight Sparkle even was born and my father will rest in peace then.”
Black Lightning stared at me for a long time, I felt exhaustion finally overcome me but I was glad to finally get my full story out. I didn’t care if he was a stranger, we were both escapees and I guess I had to trust him.
“You do know that chances are you’ll die fighting, right?” asked Black Lighting. “I mean you’re only six hundred or so members from what I hear..”
“Actually, we’re just four hundred,” I admitted, shrugging. “But it doesn’t matter. Once we get to the home base, we’ll tell about how Celestia’s so called guards roughed us up and expose them. Then we’ll get our revenge. Maybe they’ll even let me in on the raids.”
“As long as I get paid, I don’t care,” whispered Black Lighting, leaning against the wall of the cave. “Where is this base anyway?”
“I guess since you’re going to be one of us, I can tell ya. It’s inside the Foal Mountains,” I replied as I yawned and smacked my lips. “We just need to take Highstone Hill Path, turn west at the red bark trees, and go under a secret tunnel hidden by an illusion spell. Follow the path, and you get to the base where we live. It’s a secret clearing hidden by the clouds of the mountains, right between the two biggest ones.” I smiled thinking about home and all my friends there who would be welcoming me back with open hooves.
“And that’s all I needed to know.”
My eyes opened. “Wait. Wha-”
Before I could say anything else I felt something shock me and I fell unconsciousness.
***
I felt like half of my body was completely numb. I groaned as I woke up from whatever it was that shocked me, but I soon wished I didn’t. I was back in my cell, chained again, but this time Black Lightning was smiling at me with such a grin my spine shivered.
“Wh-what are you doing?!” I shouted, struggling to free myself from my bonds. I looked out the window and saw that it was daytime. “It’s... morning?”
“Actually, it;s two mornings since you last woke up. Stunned ya a bit too hard there and ya went nighty night for about two whole days. Too bad you missed all the fun!” Black Lighting said to me happily.
“Fun?”
He pointed downward, and when I looked down I screamed. Bile rose from my throat as I puked all over the decapitated head of Creed, the now dead leader of Equestrian’s First. I felt my heart race as tears began to fall from my eyes. How could this have happened?! How could he be dead?! He.. He... I looked at Black Lightning with realization and horror. “You... you set me up...”
“Bingo! Give the ponya prize! He finally figured out that he, in one single night, gave the most vital information to a friend who happens to have been hired by Princess Luna,” said Black Lightning as he clapped his hooves. “That information lead to the utter destruction of the Equestrian’s First group, where I think maybe eighty or ninety percent of them are dead. With the rest awaiting trial for treason, terrorism, murder, theft, assault, and whatever other laws that will surely send them to the gas chambers or life imprisonment. Not to mention the added bonus of finding out that your now dead leader here was in contact with other terrorist groups, and we have more information to help take them out too.”
He leaned forward and bopped me on the nose. “And it was all thanks to you. You stupid, native, pathetic idiot.”
“But.. but I saw you kill that guard!”
“He was playing dead kid. Really good at it too,” said Black Lightning as he turned around and made his way towards the gate.
“You... you bucking bastard!” I screamed as I shook even harder on the chains. “I trusted you! We could have paid you twice as much as they were!”
“Seriously? Do you know how much the princesses pay me to deal with guys like you? If I didn’t enjoy my job so much I’d retire,” he said looking at me with a snort. “Also, that sob story you told me? I’m soooo going to use that in the future.”
I snarled at him. “Yeah right. Like anypony is gonna believe an earth pony worked at the factory.”
“Hmm, true. Maybe then I should make myself somepony believable then,” he said before his entire body began to glow in green flames. I gasped as they surrounded his entire body, and in a split second I was looking at myself.
The copy of me was grinning as he put up a mocking face of sorrow. “Oh woe is me! I’m angry at the world because my dad was a stubborn racist idiot who believes that pride is more important than family or supporting them. He could have kept his job, but he decided to be a moron and lose it just because a few new ponies were going to come in and live out their dreams. And then he decides to not get any other job because he’s a useless pack of manure, my mother leaves him, and he realizes the world is better off without him so he kills himself.”
“Shut up!” I shouted, but he continued on, moving closer and closer.
“And then I decided to make my dad proud by joining a group of killers who are responsible for innocent pony deaths and refuse to go along with a world that is adjusting to change. Woe is me! Woe is me!”
“Buck you changeling!” I shouted, tears in my eyes. I didn’t want to listen to this. I wanted nothing more than to just fly away and never stop. My dad wasn’t pathetic! He was a hero! My cause wasn’t wrong! It was right! We were trying to restore our harmony damnit! To protect Equestria from those evil cockroach invaders like him!
The changeling turned into his sick insect-like form and smiled at me. “The name is Stag, loser. And I hope you enjoy that performance because its the last one you’ll get before the executioner comes and takes your head. Then your body will be buried-like your loser of a dad-and you can join him in death. Oh, and don’t worry about your sister and mother. We’ll reassure them that you died like the crying little wimp that you are.”
“... I hate you... I hate you...” I whimpered as everything I had fell apart. Our cause... our great cause... dead. The Equestria I had dreamed to restore was gone. All because of me... I.... I ruined it... I ruined everything.
“Whatever, kid. See ya in the obituaries,” said the changeling known as Stag as he whistled a tune and left me alone to rot.
They are made when their little siblings are born, and open their eyes into the new world. The moment the two of you see each other, a bond is made that cannot be described in words. With that bond comes a duty. A duty to protect and love that little sibling for the rest of your life. To be by their side when they need you. To be a pillar for them to rely on. Ever since my sister was born, and I saw her in my mother’s hooves at the hospital when I was seven years old, I knew my duty as a big brother.
And I have failed.
My sister, Twilight, the most important pony in my life-next to my wife-is dead. Murdered by the very guards that I once called friends and comrades. Murdered by those who took a vow to protect Equestria’s rulers from any threat. Used like whores by greedy and jealous politicians who made my sister turn out to be a monster to those who would listen.
Every moment of my sister from her first walks, to teaching her to read, to her birthday parties and holidays? All of those memories are now ruined because all I can see upon thinking of them is my sister’s corpse, lying in a morgue with dozens of stabs and cuts all over her young body. My sister wasn’t even in her thirties when they took her from this world.
After everything she did. After all she had accomplished in life. She is gone.
I had never been more proud to be her brother the day she became a princess. Now I am an only child. A brother with no sister.
I have no more LSBFF.
Instead of seeing my sister come home with an A+ on her test, I see her covered in blood. Instead of my scared Twily asking if she can sleep in my bed because she had a bad dream, I see her torn apart by blades. Instead of her smile... I see her horrified expression.
I know there was nothing I could have done that night. I was in an entire separate kingdom. But when you're a big brother, all you can do is think about how much you failed them. How you should have been there. I placed my trust in her guards.
I placed my trust in Gallant Heart.
That’s right, THE Gallant Heart.
Gallant’s family had been in the Royal Guards even longer than my own, but he was more than just a fellow guard. He was the closest thing I had to a brother. We went into the academy together. I was the better battle mage. He was the better swordsman. We were always trying to oneup each other. I only managed to barely get top of the class because he always had a weak shield spell. Yet, there was another reason we bonded.
We were both big brothers.
He had Gladius Stride. I had my Twily.
We knew what it was like to protect those we cared about. I once beat up bullies who made fun of my sister. He carried his brother up the mountain when he broke his leg one time. We would do anything for our little siblings, and we wanted to grow strong for their sake.
When I was chosen later on to become Captain of the Guard, I chose him as the new Solar Lieutenant. Every mission we went on to stop thieves or monsters, he had my back. We were the perfect crime fighting duo you could say. It was like we were born brothers in all but blood.
When I married Cadence, I choose him as my best stallion. He personally lead a counterattack during the invasion that saved a lot of lives. When I went to become Prince of the Crystal Empire, he offered to follow me. I told him to stay and do his duty to the crown like his family had done for generations.
He even vowed to me on his life that he would protect Twilight during her coronation, but he was one of the five who killed her.
And now, the night before his execution, he requested to see me.
Me.
Not his parents or his brother, who was the only one who kept begging for mercy for him.
Me.
I walked through the dungeons without any escort as the guards saluted me while also inching away from me. If you thought Celestia’s face was angry at the trial, you didn’t want to see mine. The moment I learned who did it, who was in charge of the plot, and who killed my sister, all I wanted to do was end their lives permanently myself. I had been through my sorrow, I had been through my guilt, now I was just angry.
Blueblood? I always hated him. Even if Cadance once said he was a good stallion I don’t care. I always knew he was jealous that I had Cadance and he didn’t. The way he looked at her with such a wanting gaze? It was obvious that he wanted her. I relished in knowing that I was able to one up that pompous and racist bastard. He didn’t deserve her.
And I enjoyed beating him to an inch of his life in his cell last night with my friends and Twilight’s personal guards. The only one who seemed to be enjoying himself more was Private Flash Sentry. I only learned after his suicide that he was my sister’s lover. I probably wouldn’t have been pleased to learn this if they were still alive. However, upon learning how much he supported her and kept her sane during that horrible year, I would have proudly called him my brother-in-law. I can only hope they are together again in Elysium.
My friends offered to come with me to see Gallant Heart, but this was personal. This was something I had to face myself.
I arrived at his cell door and slammed it open. He didn’t look surprised to see me. His dark yellow coat made it hard to see the blood from the beating the others guards had given him. His brown mane was all over place and his yellow eyes stared deep into my soul without a single expression on his face. His horn was gone, and his body looked like it had gone ten rounds with an army of griffins. I could see the dried bloodstains on the floor, and only thought on how there wasn’t enough.
I stared at him for a long time. He didn’t say anything. Nor did I. There were a million things I wanted to ask, but all I really wanted was to see him burn.
“Why?” I asked when I finally found my voice. “Why did you do it? You swore to me that you would protect her.” I moved closer with each and every step, my voice rising higher and higher. “I trusted you. She trusted you. My family trusted you!” I was now up in his face, looking at him with such hate that all I wanted to do was blast him until not even ashes remained of him. “You were my brother! And you killed my sister, Gallant! Tell me why?! Why did do it?! Did you really think my sister was a threat?! Were you of the brainless idiots who thought she was ruining Equestria?! Was the stallion who I shed blood together and call my best stallion at my wedding just a lie?! Or are you just a guard who sold his pride and honor to be Blueblood’s bitch?! Answer me!”
Then I saw his eyes changed from the stoic and cold hearted vision that he had on since he was arrested. I saw something that stopped me.
Regret.
“I did it for my brother, Shining,” he whispered and closed his eyes. “I had no choice... not when his life was at stake.”
Of all the answers I had expected, this was the one that I didn’t expect. “I don’t...”
“Lime Wedge.”
I froze. To anypony else that was just random nonsense. But between the two of us it was a code word. It was something we did when we were colts. We had code words that would be used to alert the other of specific situations. Lime Wedge meant that this was for my ears only and that there was danger.
I thought about blowing him off. At first I thought that this was some trick, but something in me made me believe him. Not to mention that if it was a trick, he wouldn’t be able to gain anything. I slowly closed the door after making sure that no guards had followed me. In a split second, I had a sound proofing spell around the cell. I turned around and glared. “Talk.”
“I was undercover,” whispered Gallant Heart, getting up walking towards me. “Do you really think I would start shouting that traditionalist manure out of nowhere when I have never once believed it myself? That I would just, out of the blue, decide to start acting like one of her haters? Use your brains, Shining. I was there to infiltrate Blueblood’s group!”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. Undercover? That wasn’t completely unheard of for guards to get undercover assignments, but as far as I knew Gallant Heart didn’t do undercover work. You had to be trained for that kind of work. He growled at him, thinking it was utter nonsense. “Under... but Celestia would have known! You were a Solar Guard, and if you were undercover then you would have been spared from any legal action! Unless you decided to betray her like that!”
“I wasn’t working undercover for Princess Celestia...” whispered Gallant Heart as he turned around, shaking his head.
“... Princess Luna?” I asked, with shock. The Lunar Guard and Solar Guards were under the orders of their respective Princess and were under their vows to never obey the other one unless in times of war or if the other princess was unable to command. “Why would you...”
“... because unlike Princess Celestia, Princess Luna knows you need to be dirty to fight the corruption in this city. Princess Celestia tried to play fair, but that doesn’t always work and she learned too late what happens when you don’t watch your back. Luna, even after all these years, knew how the nobles thought, worked, and acted. It was no different than a thousand years ago then it was now. Ponies in power will always be greedy and selfish. Blueblood wasn’t the only one planning out to assassinate Twilight. There were at least a dozen individuals or groups that wanted do this.”
“But... no...” I whispered. I refused to think that there were others out there who wanted my sister dead. After everything she had done for us, there was no way. “The military, intelligence, or even the guards would have-”
“Do you really think everypony in the government, or its associates, is loyal to the crown? That Twilight’s death is all just about one stupid and jealous unicorn with daddy issues that wanted to be an alicorn?” said Gallant Heart as he rested against the wall. “You have no idea what I know... and what I can’t tell you.”
“What do you mean?! I want to know everything!” I demanded as I lifted him up with my magic and held him against the wall. “You owe me that much!”
“I am saying what you need to know, and I’m risking not just your life but your wife, your family, everypony we care about is at risk because I am doing this!” shouted Gallant, glaring at me before pushing me away, “The more you know, the more danger you will be in. I’m just telling you enough so you can be safe and watch your back before whatever is building up comes and sends us into whatever cataclysm erupts from it.”
I stood there, frozen with shock as Gallant glared at me with the most serious look I had ever seen him give me. It was even more serious than the one he gave me the time we were trapped in a sand worm pit in the Badlands. I had come here with anger. Now I was sinking with fear. A dark pit in my stomach made me realized that once I left this cell, my world was going to change forever.
“Just... just start somewhere...” I muttered.
Gallant nodded. “While you were charged with protecting Princess Cadance in our early days, I was in charge of the protection of Prince Blueblood. I guess that was enough to make him think he could trust me. Idiot. Princess Luna’s street urchins had heard rumors of Blueblood gathering a group to assassinate Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
“Street urchins?” I asked with confusion. “She... she uses the orphaned street foals as spies?”
“According to her, they are the faceless of our society. They hear, see, and learn everything that there is in the darkest streets of Canterlot. They can go anywhere, see and hear everything. Princess Luna gives them food or toys as thanks. They worship her like a mother in a way,” chuckled Gallant Heart. “Anyway, we had heard of such things before and we were keeping an eye on them, but this one was too close to home. Prince Blueblood accepted me into the group easily based on our past relationship, and trusted me with everything. It was almost too easy. My orders were to get close to them, act like one of them. I was also ordered to see how far it went and if there were any supporters.”
“How did they learn to trust you?” I asked, my tone similar to when I was Captain and he was my second in command. It was like suddenly we were back to being soldiers.
“I told them secrets. Guard secrets, military secrets. It was all phony, but Princess Luna made sure to make them look real. Plus, they put me in charge of gathering a group of guards who would be loyal to their cause. I knew plenty who hated Twilight and would be glad to get rid of when we sprung our trap. But the true key element was that I knew where they could get the metal that could kill an alicorn. And who could use that metal to forge weapons.”
I bit my lip. Orichalcum. One of the few things that could easily kill an alicorn. Because of this, it was illegal to hold a certain amount of it much less have a weapon made out of the stuff. The Royal Army had access to a few weapons made of the most deadliest metal in the world, but only a few ponies in the entire kingdom had permission to wield them with the princesses’ blessing.
“I didn’t have access, but I knew where the metal was from. I don’t know how Prince Blueblood got it but he did,” said Gallant. “I was given full trust after that. While the weapons were being forged in secret, I took that moment to dig deeper into this shadow world that the nobles and those who play The Game have created in the last one thousand years. And saw just how far everything was in all this.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, walking over to the point where I sat down and was face to face with him.
“It’s not just the nobles, Shining,” he whispered with a harsh laugh. “It’s the military. Corporations. Farmers. Royal guards. Regular ponies. The Council. The crime lords. Ponies from all these groups play this twisted game of lies, intimidation, and deceit. On the surface, Equestria looks like it’s a peaceful nation under the beliefs of Harmony. But deep inside it’s soul there is a shadow war that has lasted for hundreds of years. And all of us not part of it are blind to it. I don’t know if Princess Celestia knows about it, or just ignores it, but she doesn’t run the nation as perfectly as she thinks she does. But that’s not the worst part.”
“It’s not?” I muttered with wide eyes. “What could be worse?”
“Somepony is winning this game. Slowly, but surely, somepony has been building up support over the years to change Equestria. Somepony that not even the best of this game have been able to see. They will win this game, and we will all lose for it. Those who play and those who don’t.”
“How can you believe that there is this... this... nation wide shadow conspiracy?” I asked in disbelief. It sounded all so... so... impossible. The idea that our great country wasn’t what it really was scared me. Had it all been a lie? The idea of friendship, tolerance and harmony we prided on speaking about? “Princess Celestia would never-”
“Princess Celestia has spent a thousand years letting power go into the hooves of the council and nobles to make it easier for her to rule,” spoke Gallant Heart with a regretful sigh. “She is truly the sun. She spreads her joy and faith throughout the land like a ray of sunshine, but she ignores the shadows she creates.”
He shook his head. “The fault of Equestria’s leadership is that it was designed to be run by two rulers. When Princess Luna was banished to the moon, it left a power gap. Princess Celestia was now tasked with more duties than she could handle, not to mention the pressure of raising both the sun and moon on her own. So she came up with the Council of Lords to help her rule the kingdom. That way she could spend her time preparing for her sister’s return, and spreading the belief of Harmony,” said Gallant Heart, shaking her head.
“The moment she put her eyes away from her own ministers and court attends they began to plan her downfall. I’m sure it was fine at first, maybe even great. But power corrupts eventually. They started putting their hooves in everything they could get, but one group always was the dominant one. And with Princess Luna back, not to mention new alicorns such as Cadance and Twilight, that power could be taken away. That is what all these bastards fear, but this group has other plans.”
“But what group would want to go so far as to kill my sister?” I asked, wondering not only what was going on, but who was it that I had to kill for this. If there was a group out that was behind all this, why did they do this?
“What family has members and influence in every part of Equestria, and is powerful enough to buy, cheat, threaten, or control whoever they can be it a threat or ally.” Gallant Heart looked at me with regret in his eyes. “Who do you do you think?”
Only one name came to me “The Bluebloods.”
“Yes,” muttered Gallant, shaking his head. “They’ve been gather power for years. Slowly influencing in their own ways. Princess Celestia was blind to it. We all were. What we saw as a family of rich twats, was actually a cunning and manipulative group of chess masters who want the power of the throne for themselves.”
“... why not tell Princess Celestia this?”
“Because we don’t know who to trust. Me and Luna,” Gallant Heart whispered, as he buried one of his hooves into his face. “We were set up... I was set up from the very beginning.” I stared at him with confusion until he answered. “Prince Blueblood isn’t the mastermind behind Twilight’s assassination, and he doesn’t know that either.” He turned around and growled. “He was just a tool. Used by his father, Amadeus Blueblood.”
Amadeus Blueblood.
Even that name, to this day, causes me both disgust and fear. While Blueblood was always more vocal about his disgust with Twilight’s reformation, she was able to counter attack him on equal and, often times, better footing. Amadeus, however, rarely ever attacked my sister with politics. But when he did, he was ruthless.
He cut down everything she ever said with his own logic and cunning. He was a sharp tongue, with rumors said that he even convinced a political opponent to kill himself one time. One time he was so brutal that my sister ended up crying for a full day after he left with a small smirk. I hated him. So many did. Yet so many more feared him.
He was a name that you didn’t want to cross. He was not like his idiot son. This was a stallion whose presence alone spoke power and authority. He made no secret of his beliefs, but his actions were always a mystery. I didn’t play politics like Cadance did, but she often spoke of him like was a ghost to be feared.
Many had wondered why his son had been the forefront against my sister and her ruling while he stayed in the back, only coming out when he pleased. And now I knew why.
“He’s the one? How do you know this?” I asked, biting my lip.
Gallant’s eyes slowly faded all life in them as he closed his eyes and sighed. “When I went home to my apartment, he was there. Along with his own bribed set of guards. Two of them happen to be guarding the hallways by the way.” He said it so calmly but I just froze with the thought that the threat to my entire family was so close. “Anyway, he sat there drinking tea. I knew... I knew the moment he stared at me that he knew what I was. He calmly told me to sit down, and he told me that I was going to convince his son to attack tomorrow night, instead of letting his fester in his doubts.”
“Doubts?” I blinked a bit, making sure I heard this right. “Blueblood was having doubts?” After everything he had prepared for the death of my sister, he was having doubts?
“I told you, the stallion had daddy issues,” whispered Gallant. “All this assassination was to Blueblood was a chance to prove he was useful to his father. The stallion cared nothing for his son. I don’t know how Amadeus did it or what he said, but Blueblood was convinced that if he killed Twilight his father would finally see him as a real son. And Amadeus played on him to do so.”
I couldn’t imagine any father being so cruel to their son. I can’t even imagine Queen Chrysalis being that cruel when she was alive. To use your own son as a tool and have no love for him? Was Amadeus really born out of nothing but steel? Did he have no heart or love in him?
“The problem was Blueblood was doubting his actions. He didn’t know if killing Twilight would solve anything, or even bring more problems,” whispered Gallant Heart. “And deep down he didn’t want to hurt Princess Cadence, or Princess Celestia. He does care for them. They were the only ones who ever showed him kindness.”
I didn’t say anything on that. I still can’t. I still can’t see Blueblood in a good light no matter how sympathetic Gallant made him out to be. Even if he was used by his father, even if he deep down didn’t want to hurt Cadance or Celestia.... he still did it. He could have not done it, but he still killed my sister. There is no forgiveness for him in my mind and I forever hope he rots in Tartarus.
“So what did Amadaus tell you to do?” I asked, no longer having anger in my voice. It wasn’t even in my heart. Because I knew what he was going to say next.
For the first time since I entered the cell, I saw tears beginning to form in my best friend’s eyes. “He told me to convince Blueblood to go forward with it... or my brother would die.”
At that moment, I hugged him. Every anger I had left as gone. I hugged him because I understood. I understood. If I had to choose between my honor and Twilight. If I had been in that same position... I would have done the same thing.
Big brothers do anything for their siblings... even betray what they hold dear.
“I... I couldn’t let anything happen to him, Shining,” sobbed Gallant as he fell into a complete mess in my embrace. His tears soaked my shoulder as they cascaded down my body like a waterfall. “He is... he is everything to me... Gladius is the world to me... I had no choice... I had to dishonor myself. I had to betray everything I stood for. I had... I had to kill your sister...”
“Gallant...” I muttered, as I felt the anger returning. He did. He did kill my sister. I really couldn’t forgive him for that. I understood, but I still couldn’t forgive.
“I betrayed my family... my ancestors... my rulers... but I betrayed you... my brother...” he whispered as he slowly slipped away from my embrace. “I did... I did as he asked... I made sure it was quick, Shining. One slice across the neck... and that was it. She was gone before she knew it...”
I felt a tear drop down from my cheek.
“I won’t ask you to forgive me... and don’t ever do so,” Gallant Heart muttered. “I am scum. A traitor. I choose my own flesh and blood before my duty as a guard. I don’t know if that was the right choice or the wrong choice, but I must face my consequences. I’m not scared to die tomorrow. I’m only scared for you and my brother.”
“Gallant...” I started, but he then grabbed me by the shoulders and stared into my eyes with intensity.
“Listen to me. I told you all this because you deserve to know, and to keep you safe. Don’t tell anypony about what I said. You are to never explain the truth, ever! Let me die a traitor and remembered as one. Watch your back. Trust nopony. And please, in the name of Faust herself, watch over my brother,” whispered Gallant.
I stood there, staring into the stallion who I was torn between loving and hating. A stallion who I couldn’t help but pity for the cruelness life had given him. I nodded. I could never forgive him for killing my sister, but I would always remember him as a friend.
“Thank you,” he whispered with a small smile. “I can die a little easier knowing this.
“Just one thing,” I said, as a linger thought entered my head. “Why would Amadeus want my sister dead? And for his son to be the scapegoat?”
Gallant Heart closed his eyes and sighed.”I thought about it for a long time. Ever since I was thrown in here. It finally came to me after the trial, when Celestia said she would enforce all of Twilight’s plans without any care of what the nobles and traditionalists thought. She had been pushed to the edge, and they all know it. She’s out for blood, their blood, and they are cornered. With all this enforcement there will come resistance, not just from the high class, but low class too. Equestria was already dividing itself over politics... now it shall rip itself apart... and I don’t know when it will happen, but eventually only one thing will come up from such building of hate and conflict.”
For a long time he didn’t speak, but when he did it only was two words.
“Civil War.”
***
When the Fallen Star’s Brother left, he left with anger on his face
Its funny how one’s fortune changes over the years, huh? I was once hated and despised by my fellow guards for being related to my brother. The traitor known as Gallant Heart. If you’re going to ask me if I hate or resent my brother for what happened then the answer is no. I loved my brother. I still do. I find it hard to believe that the stallion who carried me up the mountain when I was injured would do something as horrible as assassinate a princess.
To this day I still don’t believe it.
But I don’t want to talk about my brother. I’ve talked about him more than enough times. I want to talk about me... and Princess Celestia.
If anypony has suffered more these past few years it is our Princess of the Sun. Having lost her daughter figure by her own subjects, the princess changed. I won’t say a total good way, but I will not say a bad way either. For one thing, Princess Celestia wasn’t taking crap from the nobles anymore. Ever since her return from her hiatus, Princess Celestia has done everything in her power to make sure Princess Twilight’s reforms are pushed.
No longer did a cutie mark have to limit you to your career choices in life. All races from changelings to griffins were welcomed as equals in jobs, education, marriage, and government. The new magitech inventions and discoveries into science had changed the way we live greatly. I could now contact my cousins in Fillydelphia by a quick call via the phone.
Many benefited from these changes... and others didn’t. Mainly those who live in the past.
There was much resistance, especially from the traditionalist. At first we thought it would be from the nobles, but even the common folk had caused much resistance. Canterlot, Cloudsdale, Dodge Junction, Balitmare, St. Neigher, half of Las Pegasi and other places were full of traditionalists who fought, argued, and even protested that the changes were wrong.
Many of Celestia’s advisors told her she was forcing the changes too fast, that Equestria needed time to adjust naturally. She ignored them. All that mattered to her was making Twilight’s dream for Equestria to come true.
And me? Well, all I did was protect her. Not just from threats that meant to harm her... but also herself too. I’m one of the few who really knows what goes on in her heart. I am one of the even fewer who sees her without her mask on. This only has made me more loyal to her.
There were many who thought it was wrong to make me one of her personal guards. Some even said I would continue the work my brother started. Princess Celestia instantly squashed those rumors and stated that she trusted me. How could I not be loyal to her after that?
And so I stayed by her side every day. I was there when she went to court. I was there when she ate her meals. I was there when she wandered into the gardens for a breath of fresh air. I stood there with pride and determination to never once fail my princess.
But over time I became more than just a guard to her, I became her friend. Whenever we were alone we would just talk. At first it was about our loss, then about Equestria, and finally just our regular feelings. They were short, but sweet talks that made me see that behind the power, crown, regalness, and wisdom was just a regular mare. A long living mare who had lost so much, but a mare nonetheless.
I became strength for her and a shoulder to cry on during the days she thought about Twilight. And she did the same for me the days I thought about my brother.
The only time she ever ordered me to leave her side was when Princess Twilight’s dragon son, Spike, ran away from Equestria. I had searched with multiple groups all over the western area of Equestria for at least three months before we had no choice but to give up.
I remembered that day very well.
***
I was not looking forward to my report to the princess as I strode down to her bedchambers that evening. I stopped and my heart clenched as I heard her soft yet gentle tears from beyond even the door. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. “Princess? It’s Gladius Stride... may I come in?”
There was silence at the door, but then I heard her magic activate and the lock turn. I entered and saw her laying facedown on the pillows of her bed. I slowly removed my helmet and gently made my way towards her. When I sat down, I calmly patted her back as she slowly turned to me with her teary eyes. “I failed him...”
“Don’t...”
“I should have tried harder. I tried so hard to get him to open up... I’m horrible... I don’t... I’m so horrible...” whispered Princess Celestia as she slowly raised herself. “Seeing him... it reminded me so much of Twilight... that I couldn’t... I was... oh Faust am I so pathetic that I can’t even properly comfort a child when he loses his mother?”
“You did your best, Celestia,” I whispered, slowly wrapping my arms around her. Most guards would be appalled by what I was doing. But this wasn’t Celestia the Princess. This was Celestia the pony. “He’ll come back home... he has friends and loved ones here... he’ll come back...”
“When? A year? Ten? A hundred?” muttered Celestia, shaking her head. “Do you know what he said to me when we last spoke? He hated Equestria... because we were unworthy of his mother... that so many would take her legacy and spit on it like those damn traditionalists and their sheep.”
“He’s just angry... and he’s a kid,” I said, shaking his head. “Have faith that he’ll find his way home.”
“I just don’t know what to do...” she whispered, looking at me with her haunted eyes. “How can I be a leader if I can’t protect my own family?”
I didn’t say anything. I just sat there. Holding here and letting her cry on my shoulder.
***
Time passed. So many things changed. We still don’t know anything about Spike, and maybe we never will.
The Princess and I continued to grow closer over the years, but before you think anything with those thoughts it wasn’t like that. Not every guard falls in love with a princess like Shining Armor or Flash Sentry. I happen to be happily to be married with two colts of my own.
I suppose you could say that I was the princess guard friend. She even came to my wedding.
However, things began to get worse and worse over time. Equestria was becoming more divided between those who wanted change and those who didn’t. Even in the Royal Guards there were divisions; mostly over the argument of letting non-ponies join.
I had passed over various promotions so I could stay with my princess, even though she said that I could move on with my career. My parents wanted me to do so as well, mostly so the stigma of my brother-who they refused to name still-could be washed away from our family’s honor. I didn’t care about that. My brother didn’t either. It was about duty, not glory, that we both wanted to become guards.
Even if my brother did shame himself in the end...
It was becoming apparent also that violence was escalating in the Equestrian nation. We didn’t know how bad it was until...
***
It was as if Tartarus itself has arisen from the earth. Such burning fire and black smoke that covered nearly half the upper district, combined with the cries of dying, burning, scared, and more. It was a nightmare come to life.
The moment the explosion was heard and echoed across all of Canterlot, both Princess Celestia and Luna went in with water spells at full power. I had just arrived with a squad of handpicked guards to help secure the area. I could already tell that we had many casualties by the dead and burning bodies of the students and teachers in the area. Some of them were as young as seven to eight.
What was going to be a day of remembrance for Twilight Sparkle had turned into another disaster. One where more innocent life had been lost. Medics were doing their best to save as many as they could as firefighters did their best to assist the princesses in putting out the fire and saving the civilians.
My guards and I kept panicked parents and civilians back as I saw Princess Celestia work as hard as she could to be rid of the flames. I saw the terrified and horrified look in her eyes as it pained me to see the school she created hundreds of years ago as now half destroyed. This was no normal explosion, especially with the magic one could feel from the flames.
But those thoughts were soon interrupted by a sight that showed just how powerful Princess Celestia was.
Glowing like a bright star, Princess Celestia bathed herself in her solar magic and shined above the school. Slowly, the flames began to rise up and connect with her like she was a giant magnet. Every ember from the roof the ground was slowly rising around her and began to form a giant ball of fire. In less than a few minutes, Princess Celestia was glowing with flames dancing around her like a second sun. With a cry of power, she shot the flames upward and into the harmless sky, her horn glowing even hotter than the embers.
We all watched with amazement as our leader, with one great powerful spell, erased an entire fire. Princess Celestia managed to fire away the last of the flames and, when they faded, she slowly began to fall. I reacted in an instant and rushed to where she would crash, but Princess Luna saved her first.
Gently, laying her down, Princess Luna allowed me room to assist as Princess Celestia slowly looked at me. She asked, “How many?”
“How many have we lost?” she weakly asked with tears growing in her eyes.
I didn’t say anything. I just looked around and saw various students making their way from the burning building in awe or joy. I looked at her and gave a weak smile. “Not as many as the ones you saved.”
***
We later learned it was a group of traditionalist called “Equestrian’s First” that had done this. Soon, similar groups began to arise and we had ourselves an entire armada of terrorists. The princesses declared them enemies of the state, but while some saw them are villains, others saw them as heroes. Some even dared to say that the princesses caused the fire as an excuse to, and I quote “eliminate those who seek to spread the truth against the sparkheads who are ruining our country”.
This nation... what is becoming of it?
Princess Celestia since that day had been very cold and talked very little to me. Her sister, even more so. The Elements no longer appeared in the castle, having been busy with their own lives. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor are also busy helping The Changeling Republic against the recently proclaimed “Queen Cicada”. And finally, more than half of the Council of Lords have resigned in protest over the actions of the princesses.
My princess is all alone once more.
All I can do is be by her side.
I entered her room where she is standing beside the balcony, looking over Canterlot with an emotionless face. I don’t even bother giving out greetings, I just approach her side. We are alone. Just the two of us as it has been for many years.
“Gladius...” said the Princess as she closed her eyes. “I failed Twilight.”
“How? You have brought about her reforms one by one. You have changed Equestria so much, is this not what you wanted?” I asked with confusion.
“I have brought about her reforms yes...” Celestia answered with a soft sigh. “But I have failed to bring the virtues they were suppose to supply all of my subjects with.”
I stayed silent.
“Princess Twilight believed, more than anything, in friendship. Yet have I offered these changes in that name? Have I kindly, slowly, and carefully allowed the minds and hearts to be won for these changes like Twilight wanted? Or have I just simply ordered them into action out of anger and force? To let the nobles and traditionalists know they cannot have their way anymore. I responded with force... and vengeance in my heart.” Celestia slowly took off her crown and stared at it. “Many praise me for bringing change and reform... but just as many curse me for being a tyrant and forcing change without letting others say their voice...” She slowly put it back on. “They are right. You can force or put in a law for as many or as little as you want, but what good is it if the spirit of that law is put into action without any care of the other side? What is the point of the law is so many refuse it out of fear or distrust? Forcing them to obey, even against their beliefs, does nothing but cause division and hatred. Hatred that fuels violence. Violence that fuels loss... such as what happened at the magic school.”
“That was not your fault,” I said sternly.
“No, it was not my fault and I know this,” answered Princess Celestia as she looked at the stars with tears in her eyes. “But I cannot help but realize that my actions pushed others into doing this. I am ashamed to admit this Gladius, but I must.” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t make these changes out of love, equality, friendship, or justice... I did it for revenge. I wanted to hurt the nobles, the traditionalists, all those who hated Twilight. I wanted to make them pay and I thought the best revenge was to have Twilight’s reforms go into action without even a single thought about the other side. Without any care for those who didn’t hate Twilight, but didn’t want her changes either.”
“And because of this, I have caused my country and my ponies to slowly crawl into a world of hate. I have divided us... and now I must find a way to unite us again before the worst happens...” whispered Celestia as she turned towards the memorial gardens that were only a few feet from us. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. Even after all these years, so much bitterness and loss still lies inside of me... I’m so sorry I failed you...”
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do.
All I could do was hug her. She didn’t even bother hugging me back. She just sat there and cried.
She cried in shame and in sorrow.
And I let her unleash this all on me because I am her guard.
And I will always protect her. Even from herself.
***
The Sun's Shoulder stood by The Sorrowful Sun
Even as the Civil War raged he never left her
And while she never said it out loud, The Sorrowful Sun always whispered these words in he heart
You want to know about that day, darling? How can I ever forget that day. I don’t believe anypony is going to forget where they were on that day. I remember it all clearly... but... forgive me if I don’t take a moment to have a break here and there to collect myself. It’s been years, but that day is still as fresh as it was when I first heard the news.
Anyway, darling, it was a normal morning for me. The only difference was that I was waking up to what sounded like a thunderous boom in the distance. It wasn’t big, like Rainbow’s Sonic Rainboom big, but you could definitely hear it. It was coming from the direction of Canterlot, but that was it. A heard a few ponies outside my window speak of it, but since there didn’t seem to be any fire or smoke billowing from the distance, we assumed nothing wrong and soon went back to our lives.
After eating a fine breakfast, I went to do what I always did back then: making outfits. I still do the craft, but only for myself, family, and friends. Sometimes I wish I could go back to being what I was born to do, but I choose this new path of politics for a reason. I didn’t make the decision THAT day mind you, but it did play a part.
As I said, everything was going normally that day. The only thing I had to do was pick up Sweetie Belle later from her sleepover with Spike and the Crusaders. None of us knew of the tragedy that had occurred in Canterlot that morning. I was working on a suit for a customer in Canterlot when I heard knocking on the door. Opening it with my magic, I smiled as I saw my good friend Fluttershy waiting for me. “Darling, how nice to see you. Is everything alright?”
“Oh, everything is fine, Rarity,” said Fluttershy with a smile and nod. She then nervously pointed at my nearby clock. “Um, I think you may have forgotten, but we were suppose to be doing our usual spa appointment twenty minutes ago.”
I gasped as my cheeks began to flush. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten. Normally with something as important as a spa treatment you’d think I’d remember that. “Oh, dear me! I’m so sorry, Fluttershy! I don’t know why I forgot.” I set aside my sewing tools and put the dresses I was working on in a special closet so they would be safe. Grabbing my coin purse and a nice lovely sunhat to wear, I smiled at Fluttershy. “Well, let’s get going. Don’t want to make Lotus and Aloe wait for us any longer than they already have.”
Along the way, we talked about how our friends were doing while Ponyville was being...well... Ponyville. Derpy was crashing into walls while delivering mail. That nice colt Featherweight was taking pictures of the town for his school’s newspaper. And the two of us could spot Pinkie Pie rushing everywhere with invitations to whatever special party she was planning for that week. Needless to say, it just seemed like an average... normal day...
But I guess there really isn’t any warning when something as disastrous as an assassination happens, huh? No inner feeling that something is terribly wrong thanks to a bond you and five other mares have shared for years. Even Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense didn’t go off with her usual “Doozy” signs.
“Did you hear what happened to Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy, which made me moan and roll my eyes. Rainbow Dash then always had a knack for getting in trouble. Don’t get me wrong, I loved her as much as my other friends and she has matured so much since we first met. But back then, her attitude often got her in more situations than it was worth. Remind me to tell you about the time she kicked a dragon to try and get it out of its den.
“No, darling. What did she do this time?” I asked.
Biting her lip, Fluttershy said, “I think she got in a fight with Twilight.” I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I overheard some other ponies saying she rushed over from Canterlot and started drinking at Berry’s Bar. She said something about ‘Twilight’ and ‘betrayal’ and... a few other mean words..”
I sighed. “I suppose we’re going to have to ask Rainbow Dash what’s going on and settle this before something bad happens.”
We made it to the Spa, but when we opened the door we were greeting with an unusual site. A changeling was there waiting to be served. Naturally, Fluttershy panicked and ducked behind me. I myself was a little nervous. You have to understand that, while we supported Twilight’s efforts to help the changelings, many of us were still very nervous around them. We were right there when the invasion happened and it's sort of hard to forget that day.
Now a few changelings had decided to move into Ponyville, but they mostly lived outside of the town and kept to themselves. I knew Sweetie Belle and her friends were getting friendly to one named Hopper, but I had yet to met him or his family. The changeling must have sensed our fear as she turned around and blushed. Lotus was behind the counter and she didn’t seem to be scared at all. I guess a paying customer is a paying customer for her.
“Oh, sorry, we just came over to tell you that we’re canceling our appointment today. One of our friends is in a bit of a mess and we need to go help her out,” I lied. Normally, I wouldn’t dare cancel a spa appointment, but Fluttershy still had an intense fear of changelings back then. She would be too terrified to do the spa treatment. I didn’t know if Lotus or the changeling believed me, but we quickly left afterwards.
Neither of us said anything as we left the building until we made for a bench in the middle of town. “I’m sorry,” said Fluttershy as she sat down, lowering her head in shame. “I... I feel bad for that changeling. I didn’t mean too... but I just got so...”
I calmly put my hoof on her shoulder. “Fluttershy, it’s okay. Tell you what, we’ll look for her tomorrow and apologize okay? Why don’t we find Rainbow Dash and see what happened between her and Twilight. Okay?”
Before Fluttershy could answer, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped as low as I’ve ever seen it. I was about to ask what was wrong when she slowly raised her hoof and pointed to the sky. I turned around and soon I bore a very similar expression.
Dozens if not at least a hundred Royal Guards of both the Solar and Lunar divisions were flying into Ponyville armed like they were ready for war. Huge chariots and carriages carrying the non-flying type landed in the streets and ponies leapt out of the way. The guards were spreading everywhere, issuing orders for ponies to head into the nearest homes at once while anypony leaving would be detained for questioning. Both Fluttershy and I looked at each other, still in shock.
Five of the guards came to us with the leader bowing before us. “Miss Rarity. Miss Fluttershy. I must ask that you company us to the library. Princess Luna is waiting for you there.”
“Is... is something wrong?” asked Fluttershy, shivering with fear at the sight of such cold faces and sharp weapons.
“What’s going on? Why Princess Luna and not Princess Twilight?” I asked.
Seeing their pained and gritting faces should have been my first clue when I mentioned Twilight’s name. I was distracted, however, when the guard addressing us said, “I’m not at liberty to discuss this in public. Please, just follow us. All will be explained...”
Despite having more questions, Fluttershy gripped my hoof and nodded her head. Sighing, I followed the guards with my worries growing more and more with each hoofstep.
***
Fluttershy and I arrived at the library where the guards told us to wait while they went back outside. In the time we waited, neither of us said anything but the worry on our faces spoke for us. I looked outside to see the soldiers still sweeping around the place, ordering ponies back into their homes.
A hundred possible reasons for this entered into my mind, the worst being that we were going to war. Another thought of mine was that some great evil had come back and we were going to have to deal with it. But if that was the case, where was Twilight?
The door opened and I turned around to see Pinkie Pie bouncing in with her usual smile on her face alongside a confused Applejack. “Hiya girls! Did ya know that the guards were throwing us some kind of party?!”
“I don’t think this is a party, Pinkie Pie,” said Fluttershy, shaking her head.
“Well, what else would it be? Unless it’s the start of another super awesome adventures in the never ending tales of My Little Pinkie!” shouted Pinkie Pie, raising her hooves up in joy.
“My Little Pinkie?” asked Applejack, arching a brow.
“Oh, just a series of stories I tell the twins when they go to bed based on our adventures,” dismissed Pinkie Pie.
“Well, Ah don’t know what it is the Princesses have us gathered around here for, but Ah don’t like the look of it,” said Applejack.
A third time the door opened and this time we saw Rainbow Dash enter, looking like she just woke up from a hangover. With a dirty name and bloodshot eyes, Rainbow Dash rubbed her head and muttered something I didn’t quite catch. After a loud yawn, she smacked her lips a bit and asked, “So what’s the big meeting about?”
“We don’t know, so we’re playing a guessing game to figure it out!” beamed Pinkie..
“You look horrible, darling,” I pointed out. I tried to get close but the smell of Dash’s oder made me nearly turn green and I backed away. “And you really, really need a shower.”
“I would have if I hadn’t been dragged around by a bunch of guards,” muttered Rainbow Dash as she yawned again and made for a chair to sit on. “Can whoever got us together hurry up already? I gotta get something for this headache.”
Rainbow Dash received her answer soon as the door opened a third time. This time we all stood in attention and bowed as Princess Luna, her face cold as stone, appeared before us. Shutting the door, she soon touched the walls with her magic as a wave of blue energy filled every corner of the interior and flashed for a second before disappearing. From what I knew of magic-mostly thanks to being friends with Twilight-that was a silence barrier. Basically, nopony would be able to hear what was being said in the library.
Princess Luna’s stone cold face turned the one into sympathy almost immediately when it was just the six of us alone. “Are you alright? Has anything happened to you in the last few days? Anything strange?!”
The five of us turned towards each other and shrugged. My fears were beginning to grow stronger and I’m sure everypony else's was too. Even Rainbow Dash was starting to lose her attitude upon sensing the seriousness behind Princess Luna’s voice.
We all answered the same thing: no. This only made her bite her lips and gently close her eyes. Her ears folded back behind her head while a sorrowful sigh escaped her lips. All of us were now looking at each other, unsure of what to do. Even Pinkie Pie stopped smiling upon seeing this.
Applejack decided to be the one to break the ice. “Princess? What’s goin’ on? Why are ya here? Where is Twilight and Princess Celestia?”
“And what’s with all the guards? We expecting another invasion?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Princess Luna didn’t answer for few minutes before she took a deep breath and said, “Something happened this morning... my sister... my sister is unable to deal with things, so I am in charge.”
“What about Twilight?” I asked, while also wondering why she wasn’t here with Luna.
Looking up at each of us, we saw a single tear drip down Luna’s eyes...
Oh stars, please I need a moment...
…
...
...
Okay. Sorry.
It’s just... she said something that would change our lives forever. Something we all remember to this day and it haunts us even now. Whenever I think about Twilight I just hear those five words.
Those horrible five words.
We were more than just friends. We were sisters. We had been bonded through fate itself by the magical rainboom and the Elements of Harmony. We had been through so many adventures, hardships, lessons, and joys in life together. The very idea of living in a world without even one of us was unthinkable. We had planned to do everything together. We were going to be friends forever and even into the next life.
And then five words ruined something so special that to this day it has never felt the same.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle is dead.”
It took only one second for us to hear this in our ears. Three more seconds after that to have our expressions change to shock. Another three for disbelief. And one second later for sorrow.
I felt my heart sink into a pit. My lungs clogged up and made it harder for me to breath. I lost control of my lower limbs and fell onto my haunches in shock. My mouth was covered by my hoof as tears began to cascade down my cheeks. My mind was screaming in denial, that this was just a prank or even a terrible nightmare.
But those words... the cold edge of authenticity they carried with them when spoken... the look in Luna’s eyes. I thought, ‘Dear Faust, this is real.’
Fluttershy had already started wailing and fell into a heap on the floor. Seeing the teary-eyed broken image of her, lying there, hooves covering her face as her wails echoed in my ears. It was hearing something of Fluttershy’s slowly dying. I wanted to go hug her, but I was too frozen in shock. Too taken with sorrow to move even a single inch of my body.
“N-no... yer lyin... yer lying she’s...” Applejack fell also her rump and stared at Luna with her hooves shaking and her face filled with fear and disbelief. Her pupils had shrunken and eyes were misting. I have only once ever seen Applejack cry. The last time was at her parents funeral when we were fillies.
It was like seeing the small filly who lost the most important ponies in her life all over again. Broken, and terrified.
“What the hay?!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she slammed into Princess Luna, forcing her against the wall.
“Rainbow!” we all cried except for Pinkie who was silent.
“She can’t be dead! I just saw her yesterday?!” shouted Rainbow Dash, although eyes were already starting to fill up with tears. “What the hay happened?!”
“... she was murdered,” whispered Princess Luna, making all of us gasp in horror. “She was... assassinated in her sleep...”
The sound of somepony hitting the ground made me turn around as Pinkie Pie lay on the floor, her eyes closed and hair all flat and covering her face. “Pinkie Pie!” shouted Fluttershy as she rushed over and held her. She shook her to wake up, but Pinkie Pie just lay there in unconsciousness.
“M-murdered...” Applejack whispered holding her her hoof against her heart. “Tw-wilight’s... been...”
“No... no, but I said!” shouted Rainbow Dash, her grip on Luna weakening as she slowly backed away. Her eyes widened with far. “I told her... I said... she’s... oh buck.. no no no no!” Rainbow Dash screamed. She screamed as if her wings themselves had been ripped out from her back. Falling to her haunches, she slammed her hooves on the ground in fury and continued to scream. Her tears became a waterfall, as she continued her screaming. “Oh Faust! Twilight I’m sorry! I’m sorry! PLEASE COME BACK!”
I couldn’t handle it anymore. I rested near a wall and just cried my eyes out. I didn’t care what anypony else was doing. I just wanted to sob for the friend who was the bright star of our lives and brought us together. She was our leader, our head, our princess and friend. And now we lost her. Lost her in the worst way possible.
Every memory I had of Twilight began to flow through my head like a long movie that slowed down during the most important moments for the iconic scenes of its display. Our first meeting in the town hall on the Summer Sun Celebration. Her first sleepover. Our fights against Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra and the Changelings. All the dresses I made for her, especially the one for her birthday. Her coordination and the vow we would all still be friends no matter what.
All of those memories. Those wonderful happy moments... are now forever ruined by this one day.
“Uhhh,” I heard Pinkie moan as she slowly got up, Fluttershy helping her back to her hooves. However, the moment she was back on all fours, PInkie Pie rushed to nearby trash can and began to vomit. Fluttershy, despite her own teary-eyed face, continued to comfort Pinkie by rubbing her back as the latter continued to weep and vomit.
I looked at my friends. My shattered and heartbroken friends who lay in tears, broken hearts, and even their own barf. What was going to happen to us? What were we going to do? Who... who would want to murder our Twilight?
Just as I thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse, the door opened again and a new voice cried out. “What happened to my mother?!”
We all stopped crying as we slowly turned our heads to Spike who was looking at everypony with the more terrified look in his eyes. And at that moment all our tears and sorrow were replaced with one thing: fear. The fear of the truth that he was going to learn in a few minutes. For as hard as we could try, this was something we could not protect him from.
Twilight had been Spike’s caretaker since she hatched him. She raised him, nurtured him, taught him everything she knew. She loved him day and night. In many ways, they were each other's first true friends. She would go to Tartarus itself to protect him, and he for her. We always saw them as mother and son even though they they were not official as such. It wasn’t until Twilight did her first action as a princess that we saw how much she truly loved him.
I will never forget that day. The day she proudly showed him official adoption papers that made her the adopted mother of one Spike Sparkle. That day he rushed into her embrace and cried tears of joy for over an hour while saying how much he loved her.
It was also the first time they ever called each other mother and son.
Somepony asked me if I would ever forgive Prince Blueblood and his group if they were still alive. I tell you the same thing I told that reporter. When you see the eyes of a child who will soon learn his mother and caretaker all his life is dead... when you see the despair that follows suit and hear him crying... then you will find no forgiveness in your heart for those that did this to him.
“Spike...” whispered Luna as she tried to wrap a wing around him, but he pushed it away.
“What happened to her?!” shouted Spike again, pushing it away as he glared at Luna. His claws were clenched so hard I thought he would cut himself. “They’re saying... they’re saying...” He lowered his head, his body shaking. “Tell me it’s not true!”
I wanted to tell him no. I think we all did. Those passing few seconds of his innocence were the longest seconds we ever had. And in a single moment... it was all over.
“I’m sorry, Spike...” whispered Luna, tears now freely running down her face. “Twilight... is gone.”
“.... no...” whispered Spike, who shivered with rage until he leaned his head back and let out a ferocious roar combined with flames that hit the fireproof ceiling. “Noooooooooooooo!”
He fell to his knees with Luna barely catching him as she hugged him despite his screams. “No! Mom! Mooooom! Noooo! Mooooooom! Come back! Mooooooom!”
I ran to them and embraced them. He cried. I cried. The rest of us hugged him. We all cried together. We cried for the one pony who we all loved so much.
Spike continued to scream and yell until he collapsed into our embrace. He sobbed the hardest out of all of us. And only muttered one word.
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Why? (Amadeus’ POV)
***
My name is Amadeus Blueblood.
I am the Lord of the Blueblood House, descendants of Sir Blueblood, famous Knight Commander and Second Husband of Princess Celestia. Besides Princess Cadance, we are the sole remaining royal bloodline of Equestria and one of the largest, most powerful, noble houses in Equestria. The other royal bloodlines are, shall we say, no more due to some tragic events in the past.
Being the head of a powerful house such as mine is not a job that I take lightly. In fact this is my life. This is my duty. My duty to my family, my fellow ponies, and my country. It is the duty that every head of this household has carried on their backs for hundreds of years. We saw the direction the nation was heading in hundreds of years ago, and we knew it had to be changed.. But for that we needed to grow more powerful, stronger, richer, and have more influence than any other noble.
And to some extent, even the Crown.
Princess Celestia is all powerful. She is wise, talented, kind, and charismatic.
But she is also naive.
Despite being my only living ancestor, I held little respect for a mare who has the power of the sun and yet barely used it. A mare who preferred to befriend the very enemies who sought to eat or enslave us many times in history and trusted in the nature of friendship and harmony to lead us into a golden age.
Friendship is not strength. Unity is strength.
Unity in blood, in family, and in duty.
Was it easy to amass this much power right under her nose? No, but I’m surprised we managed to get this far. While she was busy spreading the message of Harmony and focusing on her sister, my family was slowly spreading its influence in everything: military, politics, business, agriculture, magic and more. Money goes a very long way, as does alliances, threats, blackmail, and, sometimes, taking a life. The shadows are an easier place to gain power then in the light, and it is there that we Bluebloods have kept our true power.
But we do this not for ourselves like so many believe. We do this for Equestria.
Currently, I was in my lounge room reviewing the latest correspondence I'd received from my various contacts in the field, and some ponies in the government who were beholden to me alone. Many of them were expressing concerns over the continuing fallout from recent events. Others were asking if countermeasures and back up plans that I myself, or previous members of my house, had set up needed to be taken into action.
After all, it’s not often when your son murders a princess.
I calmly wrote instructions not to take action. I wasn’t worried. To be honest, I was thrilled. While on the surface it would seem we were losing our once great power, our true power was still well hidden in the dark. You don’t become as good at the game as we Bluebloods have in the past hundreds of years without a few secrets.
Turning my attention to the the day’s paper, I smirked upon seeing the headlines. “Weather Factory Employs Non-Pegasi! Traditionalists Outraged!”
Traditionalists are so easy to manipulate. Cowardly, narrow minded, ambitious, paranoid, selfish, and most of all stubborn. My ancestors knew this day would come eventually. Progression would come and traditionalists would rise to defend their way of life. All that was needed was a way to gas the fire and stoke the flames. My failure of a son and Princess Twilight Sparkle were the wood and match.
“Dear,” said a voice that woke me from my thoughts. It was my wife, Alura. Like all marriages in my family, it was arranged to those of the purest and most powerful of magic blood. And of course, it had to be unicorn blood. Any pony who mated with a pegasi or earth pony was to be kicked out and the foal, if any, aborted by any means necessary. Despite what the public thought, we weren't racists. Far from it, actually. Pegasi and earth ponies each had a equally important role to play in our nation. It was the other races, especially the predatory ones, that we had to be wary of. If we were to survive, we needed magic, and for that, we needed pure, untainted unicorn blood.
Alura was pledged to me when I was eighteen, and from the start, she did what any spouse of the Blueblood family did: obey.
I looked up at her and frowned. Her long blond mane still looked disheveled, as did her black dress, which she had refused to take off since our son died. Why she continued to shed tears for him, I have no idea. He was utterly useless as a boy and only was useful once in his adult life.
Oh, wait, I know why. She loved him.
But love is secondary.
My father never loved me, but he respected me enough to trust that I would do my duty.
And I have.
Did I love my son? No, but I had expectations for a son of my bloodline. Yet, he was foolish, weak, and pathetic. He never truly understood the teachings I gave him when he was younger. I let him do his own thing anyway, he was good for a distraction to our political rivals.
“A letter came for you,” said my wife and I took the letter without looking. I saw the seal that was on it. The symbol of Unicornia, the nation of only unicorns. I read it and smiled. “What does it say?”
“They accepted our proposal,” I said as I picked up a servant bell with my magic and rang it. I told my butler to get the special wine I had been saving. “Sit, we should have a drink.”
My wife stared at me a bit with no emotion on her face before she sat down on the chair across from mine. I watched the flames of the fireplace burn as our servant returned and poured us our drinks. My wife summoned her glass and drank it all before asking, “So we’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“The whole clan?”
“Yes.”
“Won’t that make us look even more guilty than we already do?!” shouted Alura as she closed her eyes. “It hasn’t even been that long since our son died...”
“It’s been long enough,” I said, shaking my head. “Besides, we need to focus on the next stage of the plan.”
"Is ambition all your family cares about?" She growled the words at me, which gave me pause. Alura knew her place, and she never argued with me. "Our son, our boy is dead, Amadeus!"
“So?”
"SO?!" She shrieked. "Do you not care at all?!"
“All that I care about is that he played his part for once and did what was necessary. But, he’s not the priority here. There is another at stake. Everything I have done I have done for her.”
“... I wish my father never was in debt to your’s...” muttered Alura, biting her lip. “I wish I never married into this family.”
“Why be so saddened? You may have given this family, the key that we have been waiting hundreds of years for,” I said with a proud smile. “All the preparation. All the resources we gained. The connections. The planning. It was all for this moment. A new dawn will come to Equestria and she will lead it into the age she deserves to be after so long. And we couldn’t have done it without you. You helped us get here.”
Standing up I turned to the wall that held our nation’s flag. “We are the greatest nation in the world. We have flourished for over fifteen-hundred years, more than any other civilization in history, save for the Dragons. Yet we have not gotten stronger... just weaker... weaker, with foolish princesses and ideology that will come back to bite our flanks years later.” I snarled. “Equestria is dying but it’s not because of traditions. Such things need to be gone anyway. It’s because we lack real leadership and are afraid to use our power to its fullest. We control the sun and the moon, and yet our princesses lack the courage to use it to establish our rightful dominance.”
“So you aim to rule this new world order you seek to create?” asked my wife.
“No...” I said, shaking my head. “No, I will not rule. I have no desire to. But she will. All of this I do for her. But we must continue with the plan. The seeds of hatred have already been planted in Equestria. Now, we need only watch as they blossom into open war.”
I then turned my eyes to the letter. “And we will go to Unicornia to rebuild our strength.There she can grow, learn, and one day become more powerful than any of the alicorn princesses.”
Unicornia was the biggest gamble to this plan. It meant revealing a few secrets, but upon learning them, they were begging us to form an alliance. Hook. Line. And sinker. It would take a few years to establish our own power base there, but I would use that time to properly mold and train her.
My family’s power would be kept hidden in the shadows. We'd have to support the traditionalists when war inevitably broke out, but they were just means to an end. They believed I was one of them, when in truth they were pawns in the game my family has been playing for years.
And our goal was not to take the King, but the Queen.
I just needed to wait for the moderates and traditionalists to tear each other part first. Once they were weakened, we could come in and sweep them all away in one swift stroke.
But she would lead the charge, and in her wake, a new color would take the field; one neither black nor white.
I doubt I'll be alive to see any of it.
“And how do you plan on sneaking the entire family away with the princesses watching your every move?” asked my wife, bitterly.
“A funeral,” I answered. “I shall be in mourning over the loss of my wife who sadly died from grief tonight.”
Her eyes widened and she then turned to the glass she held. And then the glass that I had yet to touch. It didn’t take her long to figure it out, but she didn’t scream or cry. She just sighed and closed her eyes, as if accepting her fate. Truly, she was a brave mare.
Perhaps I never loved my wife like most husbands, but I respected her.
“How long?” she asked, hooves shaking.
“Two, maybe three hours,” I answered as I sat back in my seat and calmly looked over the letter’s contents to make sure everything was in order. “It will be painless. But look at it this way. Your death will provide the means and distraction for us to escape. I, of course, will play the grieving widower in need of privacy after losing his wife and child, and the press will be thoroughly taken by some extra 'distractions' I have planned. By the time they come around, we'll have sailed halfway to Unicornia. ”
We sat in silence for awhile. I planning what to do tomorrow, and she planning out her final moments. Finally, she asked, “Let me ask you one more thing. And be truthful...” I stopped and stared at her. “Did you really orchestrate our son’s death?”
“... yes,” I said with a sigh. “I admit a part of me regrets it, but it was for the greater good of the family and Equestria. Twilight Sparkle had to be stopped. She was a threat not just to us, but to her as well. Not to mention her policies were naive at best. Some of them, I did admire, but others just couldn’t be allowed. I couldn’t let her vision for our nation come true. Not after my family worked hundreds of years preparing for this very moment.”
Yes, Twilight Sparkle was a threat. Originally, I had hoped to make it so unbearable for her that she'd abdicate her position and retreat back to her quaint little library.. Unfortunately, I underestimated both her drive and the popularity of her 'reforms' with the citizenry.
But, five months ago, my family's dream was fully realized.
And that dream could never be truly safe as long as Twilight Sparkle was alive.
Recruiting my son to the task was beyond simple. I needed only to casually mention my desire to see Twilight eliminated, and his foolish drive to finally impress me took it from there. Keeping tabs on him was easy, as was figuring out Luna’s spy.
Luna may have played the game better then her sister, but she was playing under rules that were a thousand years out of date. That, and I had connections in the Lunar Guard long before her return. The only problem was Gallant Heart. But every stallion has a weakness, and Gallant’s was his brother.
A simple threat, my personal appearance (I do have a reputation you know), a little intimidation, and he sang.
“All he wanted was your love,” said my soon to be deceased wife.
I stood from the chair. "And yet he will be remembered..."
“You couldn’t have spared him?”
“No, I needed all connections erased. That servant who exposed them? He waited on my order to do so,” I said as I began to walk away.
"I hope she was worth it."
That was the last thing I ever heard my wife say.
I didn’t answer her because I knew she was worth it. She was worth the entire world. I would sacrifice all my family just to see her reach her full potential.
She would be the key to everything. Every resource, every power that our great bloodline has afforded us will be at her disposal. She will learn the greatest of magic, taught by the wisest of teachers, and amplified by the advancement of science. To be honest, my family could have taken Equestria long ago, but we needed the right mare or stallion to do it. We needed our royal blood to finally awaken its true potential.
And at last I have fathered it. Soon, one of our own will rule Equestria, and make it the strongest nation that will last for thousands of years. No longer will we be weak. We will be forever strong. Forever united.
I entered the nursery where my prized jewel lay. Twilight Sparkle was right. It was time for a change, but it would be a change unlike any ever seen.
I peered into the crib and my daughter gazed up at me with joy in her eyes... eyes the same color as her mother, and framed in a blond mane that was a copy of my own. She was only five months old and I could already see the raw power in her eyes.
I gazed upon the little horn... and the two wings she held on her back.
“Everything I have done, I have done for you, my little Majesty,” I whispered, as I stroked her cheek. “Majesty Blueblood.”
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Another Year Without You (Applejack’s POV)
***
It’s been five years.
Hard to believe so much time has passed since then. I still can’t sometimes help but wish that I’ll wake up one morning and it will be the one thousandth Summer Sun Celebration. I’ll be bucking apples and preparing the food with all my relatives until a unicorn from Canterlot, with a baby dragon by her side, comes to me and introduces herself. Yet, everyday is a new day where she doesn’t come over. She’s just sleeps in that fancy glass casket.
It was on the third anniversary of Twilight’s death that we decided to do this little new tradition of ours. It was hard at first since we were all still dealing with our loss, not to mention Spike running away. I still can’t help but blame myself for that, and I’m sure we all do. If there was any individual on this planet who missed her more than any of us it was the one she called “son”. Someday I hope to see him again and apologize, but until then I just gotta hope Princess Celestia can find him.
I held the picnic basket in my mouth as me and the girls crossed over that magical barrier that Princess Celestia made. We can’t go into the other apprentices resting place, but we have no need to do so. We just need the one. The waterworks were already starting to appear in Fluttershy’s and Pinkie’s eyes, but the rest of us still kept strong. Chances are we would all be crying at some point, but I hope there comes a day when we can come here and not cry at all.
At least not openly.
We made it to the entrance where we saw her. One of the best friends I ever had and the only mare I would ever love in my life: Princess Twilight Sparkle. Nothing had changed here. Not the flowers, not the casket, nor the smile she held in her eternal sleep. It was like there was no time in this small section of the world where the greatest mare we ever met was laid to rest.
We all went forward, small smiles on our lips as we greeted her, asking if she was happy up there in Elysium with all our other relatives and friends who passed away. Dash always joked that first thing Twilight would do when she went up there was find Starswirl the Bearded fella and spent eternity asking questions. True the told, I believed it as well. I also always hope Ma, Pa, and Granny Smith were right there beside Twi along with her lover, Flash Sentry. Before you ask, no, I don’t hate him. I knew Twilight and I would never work out despite my feelings for her, but that doesn’t mean I still couldn’t love her like I still do.
After we talked, some of us even said prayers, we sat down and ate like we always used to in the past. Fluttershy told us how she and Discord were doing, apparently they had started holding hooves and were working their way up. Always made me wonder if there was something between those two, and a few months ago they announced they were dating. But very slowly might I add. Fluttershy wasn’t the type to rush and Discord, surprisingly, was following through with it. I think the fact that Shy was smiling again is what keeps him going.
Pinkie Pie told us how her nephew, Shale, was doing. Apparently, he was getting strength training from Maud and learning how to work the rock farm at a basic level. Marble was very proud of her son, and we were happy they were doing well. We still didn’t know who the father was, and all Pinkie said was that he was gone and never coming back. We didn’t know what to make of that, but we didn’t pry. Pinkie never really talked about her home life that often and we never saw what it was like.
Rainbow Dash, naturally, couldn’t help but brag about how now that she was a full member of the Wonderbolts, she could go on top secret missions to defend Equestria from any threat. Especially one that she was going to be taking in the Changeling lands. Apparently, there were some resistance fighters who were against the new Republic that Twilight and Cadance helped make and they requested help in dealing with them. We warned her to not get herself killed and she just joked saying that she already did once. She may have sounded like she was joking, but I know deep down she’s still as scared as we were when she almost drank herself to death.
Things went quiet after that until Rarity dropped a bomb on us that made Rainbow Dash spit out her water. She was going into politics. That’s right. Politics. Ever since she closed her shop, she’s been learning the trade with Fancy Pants and his wife, Fleur. She’s already found like minded individuals like her and proper funding to start her own political group known as “The Progressors”.. She said the group would be dedicated to working on opening ponies eyes and see the benefits of the changes that Twilight promised and that Princess Celestia was working to make a reality. She ultimate goal was to kick every, and I quote, “disgraceful, racist, heartless and money grumbling noble” out of the Council of Lords and replace them with those who would be for the benefit of Equestria and not themselves.
When asked Rarity why she said she felt like she couldn’t sit around and let Twilight’s dream take forever to come forward. She wanted to be part of the progress and take action. I never held more respect for Rarity then I did then. I would have joined her, but I had the farm to take care of. With Apple Bloom now focusing on her cutie mark in wood-crafting, Big Macintosh and I were now hiring additional help with the farm. A lot of them changelings who wanted a new life here. I’m not afraid of those shapeshifting bugs anymore, some of them I’ve even become friends with.
Pretty soon we all finished eating and turned our attention back to Twilight. I don’t know if she can hear us up there or is with us in spirit, but I like to think that somehow she’s there. We all said our final goodbyes, but I told the girls to head on without me as I started to pack things up.
Just before I left, I looked at Twilight one more time and couldn’t help but wonder if things were different. What if she had lived and not died. What if she never became a princess. What if I told her my feelings before she passed on.
I held a hoof to the glass, wishing I could just touch her one last time. Slowly, I pressed my lips above the top where her forehead was and kissed it. “See ya next year, Twi.” I whispered as I took the basket and left.
Just as I left, I felt a couple of waterworks dripping down my face.
I guess there was always next year.
***
The Honest Apple went every year, as did her friends
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
The Other Daughter (Mystic Sparkle’s POV)
***
Dear Mother and Father,
By the time you read this, I am long gone from Canterlot and there is nothing you can do to find me. I’ve made sure that nopony, not even Celestia herself, can find me. You may be thinking why am I doing this, but you should know the answer. It’s been building up for years and I am surprised I didn’t run away even sooner. All because of the fact that you two never seem to realize one thing.
I amnot Twilight Sparkle.
I get it. Losing her was a big impact on you and all of Equestria, but does this mean I have to suffer for it? I have never grown up normal thanks to being her little sister, and some days I wish I wasn’t related to her. Most fillies grow up with friends, play dates, joining scouts, or going to school. Me? I was forbidden to go outside nearly most of my life unless the two of you were with me. You kept telling me that we were under constant threat of those who wanted to hurt us because we related to Twilight. Why didn’t we just move to the Crystal Empire with Shining Armor and Cadance? At least then I would have had my cousin, Flurry Heart, as a friend. But no, you didn’t want to leave the place where Twilight was rested, I could tell that from the weekly visits to her grave you went to while I waited in the gardens. For hours...
It was there that I began to see who really is the favorite child of the family. Twilight was all you ever talked about at home and at first I was happy to be related to somepony so important and famous. But you never stopped talking about her. It was always “Twilight did this” or “Twilight used to say” and even “I remember when Twilight blah blah blah”. If I had a bit for every time you mentioned my sister’s name I would be able to buy my own kingdom.
The only pony who didn’t talk about my sister all the time was my big brother, but I only rarely got to see him or Aunt Cadance and Flurry Heart. We never visited the Crystal Empire despite my biggest desire to see it. They always had to come to us. When Flurry Heart visited, it was one of the few if not only times I could play with another pony. You kept me home schooled for years and refuse to let me make friends out of fear that I would get hurt or something.
All I wanted was one friend to play with. Just somepony to talk to, but you wouldn’t let me even go to the playgrounds until I was ten. By then, most of the foals in our neighborhood had friends already and I didn’t even know how to interact with them. It didn’t help that when I did try, all they wanted to do was ask about my sister who I never met. They asked if I knew her, was I as powerful as her, what was it like to be related to royalty, et cetera, et cetera. They only talked to me about Twilight Sparkle and nothing else. Not Mystic Sparkle, just Twilight.
I never cried so hard to sleep before that first day trying to make friends.
I hated it. I hated that nopony wanted to know me. Just my stupid sister who was dead for years.
I’m glad I didn’t because I did manage to make the only friend I ever had, Maplewood. Maplewood was the one pony I met who never cared about who I was related to, she cared about me for me. I nearly cried when she said that because to me that was the first time I felt proud to be who I am. Those years we shared together are some of the happiest memories I have.
It was thanks to her I got my cutie mark in magic. I couldn’t get a cute-ceañera because you didn’t want to risk attention from “Twilight’s enemies” but Maplewood threw a surprise party at her house with her parents. Her parents who never met me, never knew me, or even spoke to me. They did because their daughter asked them too and they wanted to make her happy.
How is that two strangers made me feel more loved than my own parents? That party was one of the best I ever had in a small few that I was given. The greatest gift was when Maplewood gave me a bracelet and showing a matching one on her hoof, promising that we would be friends forever. At that moment, I had a sister. Somepony I truly loved for loving me back. I know you two love me, you are my parents, but Maplewood was more family to me and did more for me than you two ever did.
Since then, I did everything I could to hang out with her. Sneak out of the house, skip lessons with my tutors, and even pretend to be sick. I didn’t care if I was grounded or not, I wanted to see the one pony who made my life worth something.
I remember when we snuck into the gardens, that was when I first met Princess Celestia in person. She was kind, gentle, and wise like the rumors about her are said. She knew Twilight naturally and offered to tell me what she was really like, but I didn’t want to hear about how perfect she was in everything. I got enough of that from our other relatives or my tutors who always pushed me to be the best in everything. While I enjoy learning, I hated that no matter what I did or what I accomplished, it was nothing compared to my genius sister. Math, science, magic, history, economics, politics, and more. I tried to learn it all growing up, but none of it matters since Twilight did it first and did it better. But I kept pushing through it, hoping that you would see me as smart as Twilight and be proud of my accomplishments.
But all you ever said was, “You’re sister did better.”
Would it have killed you to say “Good Job, Mystic”?
I soon gave up trying to impress you. It was clear that no matter what I did, no matter how talented I was in magic or studies or anything, you would never see me as you did with Twilight. I don’t know what Twilight was really like, but I hope if she was alive she would agree with me that you two are horrible parents!
But I guess I should get to the real reason why I’m running away. The reason why I cannot stay in his house anymore. The reason I will not come back until I prove myself and the world knows the name Mystic Sparkle as her own pony and not just as “Twilight Sparkle’s sister”.
Maplewood told me she wanted to go to the Gifted School For Unicorns, she was the main reason I wanted to go. I wanted to be with my friend. I wanted to learn magic and use it. I wanted to become a great mage. But you refused to let me go, and I couldn’t go unless I had your permission. I begged, pleaded, cried, and argued with you for days but you refused. I didn’t care your reasons or what rights you had, I wanted to go and be with my friend. You had always told me to be like my sister and I thought I could use that to play to my advantage since she went to the same school. That just made you even more furious and determined not to let me go. I didn’t get it. I still don’t understand. You want me to be like Twilight and yet you don’t want me to be like Twilight.
I just don’t understand.
Desperate, I turned to the one pony I thought would let me in. I thought she would be thrilled to have the sister of her old apprentice at her school. Princess Celestia was my last hope... but even she refused me. She said I had to be placed in by my parents own will, and that she cannot force the school to take me in. So, in that moment, I decided to prove myself worthy to be something I know she would want.
Another apprentice. This time it would be me. It was sudden, but I was sure she would want to personally teach me. To teach her former apprentice’s sister? I would have been fine with that and I would have gladly accepted whatever challenge came from it. I wouldn’t care if this was going to keep me in Twilight’s shadow or not, I just wanted a chance to prove myself. I showed her spell after spell, to the point where she looked at me with amazement. She told me that I was truly gifted and even could be just as good if not better than Twilight one day...
But she couldn’t let me in because of a promise she made to you, Mother, before I was born.
That no matter how gifted I was. No matter how skilled I could be. I was never to be taken as Princess Celestia’s personal apprentice.
And down went my last chance.
My last chance to join Maplewood in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I hated her. I hated you. I hated... Faust, I hated everything at that moment.
But that hatred turned to despair upon what happened two weeks later. What happened a month ago.
The bombing.
The terrorist attack from the Equestrian First group.
The day I lost my best friend.
My world was forever shattered that day. So many mourned the dead, and I was one of them. I mourned when I learned that the one pony who truly cared for who I was instead of what I was is dead. She was taken from me by those monsters.
But you know what was the worst part? You didn’t let me go to the funeral.
You insisted that I stay home, surrounded by guards Princess Celestia allowed for us, because you were afraid we were going to be attacked. I couldn’t say goodbye to my best friend when they put her in the ground.
I will never forgive you for that.
That is why I am running away. This and more. So much more. All my life I have had to live with your over-protectiveness or fighting to earn your approval when the truth is you don’t have a second daughter. You only have one that you refuse to let rest in peace.
Where I am going, I will never tell you, but I can assure you this. You will hear my name. My name will be heard as a new legend, one better than Twilight Sparkle. I will not rest until I am more famous and more powerful than her. Maybe then you’ll realize that you had a second daughter and you screwed it up.
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
The Dark Alliance (Tirek’s POV)
***
Escaping from Tartarus was no easy feat. I had to wait patiently for my time to leave the accursed prison. Fortune favored me when Cerberus left his post, and I used the chance to free myself. The one benefit about Tartarus was that those who were imprisoned in there could never die; many would say it is a fate worse than death but I disagree. I am a very patient individual, but I am also stubborn. Unlike the rest of my fellow prisoners I kept my wits and spirit live with only one burning desire: revenge.
Revenge against Celestia, Luna, and all the little ponies my damn betraying brother sided with rather then his own flesh and blood. I would wish revenge on my brother too, but it’s been so long since my imprisonment that there is no doubt in my mind he is already dead. Fine, let him rest in his grave. I will just have my revenge on the alicorns and their subjects by tasting their sweet magic.
Of course, I am no fool. I was as weak as a kitten when I finally felt sunlight on my face for the first time in nearly forever. I needed to regain my strength, learn what had happened to the world in the millennia since my imprisonment, and plan my revenge. The first step was easy. Not too long after leaving Tartarus, I soon saw a small cottage with a family of ponies. I played the old and weak act which made them have pity on me. For two weeks I let them feed me, shelter me, and befriend me. I played the grandfather to their foals and told stories I knew during dinner time.
When I was sure I had their complete trust, I took their magic and kill them in their weakened state. After burying the bodies, I now had a base of operations to shelter myself. I traveled to a small village in the distance for food and information. Some were suspicious of me, but they never took me seriously. I learned that my name and deeds had been forgotten in history, another act of fortune in my favor. I slowly began to gather my strength by feeding on the magic of traveling ponies, or children who wandered too far from their homes. Naturally, I had to hide the bodies while various rumors of the disappearances began to spread.
During that time, I slowly began to practice my magic. It felt good to unleash my powers again, but I was still too weak. The last time I had faced the Alicorn Sisters, I had been the size of a small mountain and it would take me years to gain the power I once had.
However, something interesting also happened. I learned that two more alicorns existed: Princess Cadence and Princess Twilight Sparkle. Although the latter only lasted a year before her own ponies killed her. I had to laugh at that. It seems the Equestrians were not the perfect utopian society that they made themselves out to be. They were just like the rest of us after all.
Tensions began to grow during the next few years as the Princesses slowly began to lose influence over a growing number of their subjects who were displeased by the changes they were making. I saw it as an opportunity. I soon left the cottage and began to explore more of Equestria, stealing magic whenever I could.
For years I did this. Slowly growing in power. I did my best to keep my actions a secret, until I made a mistake.
I tried taking down a blue unicorn with a silver mane, some traveling magician and story teller. I underestimated her abilities and she was able to escape from me. I knew my identity would be exposed to the Princesses, so I did what I could and tried to retreat to the Badlands to hide for some time.
However, what I didn’t expect was an ambush of guards waiting for me as well as the Spirit of Chaos himself, Discord. I growled as I saw the golden armored ponies surround me with spears ready to pierce my flesh if I made a single move. In front of me, floating above, was Discord himself. I had never met the draconequus before my imprisonment, but I had heard rumors of him. His attack on Equestria came after mine, but in Tartarus everyone talked about him. When I heard he had switched to the ponies side I didn’t believe it, but now it seemed the rumors were true.
“So, you’re the big mighty Tirek that has had Celly and Lunny’s britches all twisted. Can’t say you look like what I’ve seen in the scrolls,” said Discord, arms crossed and looking at me with amusement. “I was expecting a twenty foot tall demon with powers that can destroy mountains, not a shrimp like you.”
I growled. “If I was at full strength, your magic would be mine, monster.”
“Monster?” asked Discord with raised eyebrow. “I don’t recall killing anypony during my reign of terror.”
“Yes, because causing ponies to go insane is so much better,” I snarled back. I tried looking for an escape route but even if I could take on the guards I was no match for Discord. The ability to cause chaos and change reality... one could be a god if they used that power right. His power was even greater than the Royal Sisters, who only defeated him because of the Elements of Harmony and his arrogance. Yet he used it for fun and games when he could have ended them with a snap of his fingers.
I wasn’t even strong enough to drain even a little of his magic, I could just barely absorb two ponies at once. I thought perhaps to appeal to his real dark nature. This was Discord, the Spirit of Chaos, would he really bind himself to these ponies like my foolish brother did? “You know, Discord, we are a lot alike.”
“Oh?” He replied as he pulled out a mirror and looked at himself. His reflection winked back. “Nope, don’t see anything.”
I rolled my eyes. “I meant by something other than our looks. We are both feared for our great power, and with that power we can do many great things. Yet we were denied each time by these ponies who think themselves so much better than the rest of us.” I growled and snarled at the guards who raised their spears a little closer. “They selfishly prosper while my nation has had to suffer for its past sins. I was only taking over for the sake of my people. Nothing more.” A part of that was true. However, now I just wanted revenge. “You were imprisoned in stone by these ponies for a thousand years. I was sent to Tartarus for longer. Why let yourself be ruled by these pathetic creatures? Why not rebel? Become the legend again that was feared and join-” Before I could finish my mouth began to change. A zipper appeared and shut my mouth. Despite my struggles I couldn’t free it.
Discord lowered his head and stared at me with a smirk. “You know, if you were to ask me that years ago? I might have believed you and listened.” He then snapped his fingers and I saw a photo in a frame appear before me. It showed Discord with five other ponies, ones I recognized in the papers as the Elements of Harmony. “But since the day I lost a... friend, everything changed. I found those who actually like me for who I am, and are willing to be my friend. I have a mare who is unlike anyone I’ve ever met and I hate seeing her cry. She’s cried for years because we both lost that special friend who affected us both. If I was to betray her now I would never forgive myself.”
I tried to say something but the zipper prevented me.
“So thanks for the offer, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline,” said Discord as he snapped his fingers and wore an officer's uniform. My hands were suddenly sealed with cuffs as I glared with hatred but was met with only an amused smirk. “Hope you enjoyed your vacation, Tirek, but it’s time to go home to Tartarus again.”
***
Discord left me in a pink bubble that I was unable to break out of with my magic before handing me over to the guards. He even put a leash around the bubble as an added insult as if I was some pet! I was left there in chains, cuffs, and my mouth still a zipper as I was forced to walk back towards my prison. It would only remain for a few hours, thankfully. Discord had left, but I was nothing but glad for that. The mere sight of him made me want to lash out and destroy everything in sight. Foolish. Just like my brother. Getting emotional with ponies. I swear, one day, his magic will be mine.
Eventually, it got dark and the group made camp for the night. I was forced to sit in my bubble, no food or water, and watch as the guards slept or kept watch. I was left to rot in my prison and stew in my hate. I had failed. I had this one chance to be free and regain my power, but I was now heading back to my living hell. I cursed that unicorn I didn’t kill. Cursed Discord. Cursed all of Equestria and those who lived in it. Even if it took another thousand years, I would be free to reign over them all.
While I sat there in the darkness, the sound of hoofsteps from a pathway nearby alerted not just me but the other guards as well who grabbed their weapons. They lowered them when they saw more guards arrive.
“Commander Wellsprings,” said the mare in charge, saluting to my guards, “of the sixth platoon. Princess Celestia sent us as back up to make sure that you guys brought the prisoner to Tartarus safely.”
My guard commander saluted back. “Good to see a friendly face. Did Discord give you our report?”
“No, we were gone not to long after you were deployed. Is Discord still in the area?” asked the commander as she and her troops began to place themselves around.
“No.”
“Good.” The new commander then pulled out her sword and, before anyone could react, stabbed him straight into the chest. The commander died with a gurgle before falling to the grass motionless.
My eyes widened as the traitor guards suddenly attacked my escort guards with their blades, cutting them down before most had a chance to react. Those that did were ready to fight back, but, in another surprise, some of their own suddenly stabbed them in the back or sliced their necks open. In less than a few minutes, most of the guards that had followed Discord into capturing me were dead, their blood spilled across the campsite.
I was confused by what was going on, when somepony new entered the area. He was dressed in armor I had never seen before. It was black as obsidian with a dark red cloak trailing behind him. It was like knight armor yet it looked more smooth and durable while covering every part of the unicorn’s body but his head while in the center of the armor was a blue and silver swirling sphere that was shining in the center. Two swords of great length were by his side and I could sense them pulsing with magic. The unicorn himself was yellow in coat color and brown in mane color, looking young, handsome, but there was a vigilant fire in his eyes that looked almost fanatical. The remaining guards all bowed to him as I saw green fire enrapture the new guards, revealing themselves as changelings in royal armor. Those who didn’t change and betrayed their comrades bowed as well.
The dark armored knight looked at my bubble prison with some amusement before his horn lit up and he unleashed his blades. I didn't even get a chance to see them before they cut through my shield in a cross formation and were sheathes back in place. That one duel strike split the bubble and it disappeared, freeing me.
I stood there with curiosity as the armored unicorn stood in front of me with a smirk. “You know, if you’re this easy to capture, I wonder if even rescuing you is worth it.” I narrowed my eyes while wishing I could talk, but the zipper was still in place. “I wouldn’t worry about your mouth. That should fade away at some point soon.” He began to me as if I was some monkey on display. “I guess you're curious about who I am and what’s going on? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sir Morning Blade; one of the five Royal Knights of Unicornia. The personal bodyguards and agents of the Royal Unicornia Family.”
My eyes widened. I had heard of Unicornia in my travels, but as far as I knew the relationship between Equestria and them was bad. This had suddenly become interesting.
“Those guards who betrayed their own were bribed. Everypony's got a price. The changelings follow Queen Cicada, an ally of ours who doesn’t like the new Changeling Republic. Neither of us also like Equestria, something I think you share in common with us, right?” asked Sir Morning Blade.
I slowly nodded.
“Well, my superiors have sent me here to offer you an alliance. We plan on taking you back to Unicornia to help you recover your strength. There is a war coming that we plan on taking advantage of in the future. Your power is great and we can make it greater,” said Sir Morning Blade. “Unlike Equestria, which has just begun to discover the power of magic and technology, we have been doing it far longer than any other nation. We’re more advanced, and have the means of making anyone stronger with drugs, rituals, medicines, advance techniques, and more. We just require two things from you.”
Ah, the catch. Always a catch. Still, I listened.
“First, we would like to... study your means of absorbing magic. It’s unlike anything we have ever seen before. Agreed?” asked the knight.
I quickly nodded. The means of which I use to steal magic was meant for my kind and my kind alone. I was not afraid to have them study it, they couldn’t recreate it even if they tried.
“Good. Second, how would you like to regain what was yours that your brother stole from you?” He smiled at me. “How would you like to take over your old home and rule it?”
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Like A Fallen Star (Fluttershy POV)
***
Hello there readers of New Yaker. As you know, today is the Anniversary of Princess Twilight’s unfortunate death. Last month, we announced for those who remember that tragic day to send us your written creative works to honor her memory while we choose the best ones to publish on this month’s magazine special.
To our surprise, we have a submission from the Element of Kindness herself, and one of Princess Twilight’s closest friends, Fluttershy. We thank her for her submission and hope you will enjoy it, as well as the other various works done by those who submitted, in our dedication to the Princess of Friendship, Princess Twilight Sparkle.
Like A Fallen Star By Fluttershy
Remember when we used to fly? Remember when we soared so high? Do you? Do you? I wish we just had more time
Just like a whisper you were gone A life so short just like the dawn Please? Please? Rise upon the dark once more
Is it true? Is it true? There is no more of you to behold? I’m blue. I’m blue. The tears in my eyes unfold.
Even though you are leaving Will you promise me one thing? If I reach my hoof out, and you’re around Please hold it and don’t let go
Will you comfort with kindness? When I’m feeling sadness? When I look at the night, to see your light Please shine for my heart
A Fallen Star You’re a Fallen Star Despite the tears and blight, our hearts unite For our Fallen Star A Fallen Star You’re a Fallen Star Despite the tears and blight, our hearts unite For our Fallen Star
You were just like a Fallen Star Spreading wishes both near and far For every fear that we held dear You were there to wipe the darkness clear
In your light we learned to sing It didn’t matter what the world would bring And even though you are lost and gone We still believe in your magic song
Like a simple breeze that passes by Like the light drifting dust upon our eyes Where you’re going now, we cannot follow And so together we must fight the sorrow
Is it true? Is it true? There is no more of you to behold? I’m blue. I’m blue. The tears in my eyes unfold.
Even though you are leaving Will you promise me one thing? If I reach my hoof out, and you’re around Please hold it and don’t let go Will you comfort with kindness? When I’m feeling sadness? When I look at the night, to see your light Please shine for my heart
A Fallen Star You’re a Fallen Star Despite the tears and blight, our hearts unite For our Fallen Star A Fallen Star You’re a Fallen Star Despite the tears and blight, our hearts unite For our Fallen Star
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, Darth Link 22, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Sinful Dreams (Luna’s POV)
****
I wasn’t surprised by what I found when I entered the dream. The throne room of Canterlot was a room I had visited many times. It wasn’t as grand as the old throne room we had in the castle that lies in ruins in the Everfree Forest, but it had its charm. However, I hated the decorations this version adored. The once great glass windows that showed the morning, evening, dawn, and dusk had been replaced with different sets.
The furthest left showed an armored earth pony, wielding a giant sword and shield, surrounded by what happened to be fallen enemies that consisted of griffins, dragons, changelings, zebras, and other non-pony creatures. Below it was a golden plate with one word: “Strength”.
The furthest right showed a lone pegasi, on a single cloud, facing a giant storm that was shooting out lighting and window. Nearby clouds surrounding the pegasus could be seen scattering into nothing. Despite the odds, the pegasus stared at her danger without fear and looked ready to dive deep into the storm head first. The word below it was “Courage”.
The nearest left showed a unicorn surrounded by books and scrolls, levitated by magic and sorcery as the stars swirled around him. He was dressed in robes that gave off the image of a master while nearby were other unicorns in smaller and simpler robes like apprentices. The word for this image was “Wisdom”.
The final one, on the right, showed an army of ponies of all races. The unicorns leading forward with the earth ponies behind them and the pegasi soaring above. They marched as one, a single unit despite their huge numbers while wielding the flag of Equestria proudly in the air. Only instead of my sister and I circling each other with the sun and moon beside us, there was a new image. To my surprise it was not the symbol of the one whose dream I was invading, but rather a triquetra with each loop showing a horseshoe and wing on the bottom ones while the top loop held a horn. The word below this glass window was “Discipline”.
I turned back towards the throne itself, now silver and white with red drapes instead of the blue ones we had. The final decorated window, right above the throne, showed all three pony races standing tall and holding their hooves in praise of the triquetra symbol I saw in the previous one, praising it as if it was Faust herself. It’s bright light was shining away darkened looking creatures that I soon recognized as the other races of the world such as griffins, changelings, and dragons. Strangely, there was no word below this image.
“Unity,” answered a voice that alerted to me that the dreamer had arrived. “The three races working in what they are deemed best to do. Work in the nature that evolution has granted us through its blessing and become one. The earth ponies feed the nation, become the hammer and nail that keeps the structure of the nation in tact while preparing to use their great strength to crush Equestria’s enemies. The pegasi, masters of the sky and weather, creating the perfect heavenly atmosphere for us and the hellish ones for the other nations. All of nature under their control, who water, warm, and storm for the better of the nation. Facing the enemy head forth with no retreat. And finally, the unicorns. Great in intelligence and masters of magic. With guidance and wisdom, they lead the others and plan ahead in everything. Their mastery of arts creates a unique culture that outlasts all. The three working together as one. Everypony in their place. Lead by a single concept: Unity.”
“And how is that any different from Harmony?” I asked, turning around as I saw Amadeus Blueblood slowly walked towards me without fear.
“Unity is like a series of lines. Straight and unbroken. Everypony does what they are born to do for the sake of the nation from birth to death. Everypony worries not about their own selfish desires, but the well being of their fellow pony. They go forward without wavering or doubt. They are each a piece of something greater... something whole.” He then narrowed his eyes. “Harmony is like lines that go all over the place. They have no guidance. They choose what they want, even if it’s wrong. They care about themselves first before their nation. It’s chaotic with temporary peace. Harmony comes to an end at some point. Unity has no end.”
“Yet Harmony grows from the strength of those individuals who work together for greater goals,” I countered. “Harmony allows new lines to come into play, creating new paths to be made and discovered. It allows paths that have ended to come together into a new path. New feelings and new directions open new ways of life. Everyone is happy for what they are and what they become. They learn to care for others and spread that care to all. Unity’s lines have no room for such things. It never changes. It follows the same path, but never rises to something greater.”
“That is because there is no greater. And even if it was, it is better to stay to one ideal then to allow opposite to grow and weaken the balance.”
“Is that why you ally yourself with the traditionalists to cause this chaos?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“I only ally with them for mutual reasons. I happen to not care for their cause. I seek to give Equestria a new way of living. One that will have us be ‘dominate’ and not ‘equal’ to those who have taken advantage of our ‘friendship’ in the past or threaten us just by their nature alone. A world based on a single principal ideal. Not by princesses or gods or idealistic philosophies. But the binding truth that can help us grow and become better,” replied Amadeus as he walked past me, as if he was ignoring the fact that I was even there. “I thought by now the ship would be past your zone of dreamscaping. I suppose I should have taken the Dreamless Sleep Potion just to be sure.”
Once again, I had cursed that potion. It had been created during my... Nightmare phase. I had easily entered the dreams of Celestia’s top generals, warriors, and mages during the war and gave them such horrible dreams they died in their sleep from terror alone. An alchemist countered that with a potion that put a barrier around one's mind when sleeping, preventing one from dreaming at all. My “return” saw the remaking of these potions. In public, it was to just help ponies sleep without nightmares. In reality, it was pushed by politicians and criminals who didn’t want me entering their minds to find out their plans and secrets. It hurt even more when regular ponies purchased them because they were afraid “Nightmare Moon” would steal their souls in their sleeps. It has lessened over the years, thankfully, due to my subjects trusting me. Yet would they trust me again if they learned what I have known in this vast conspiracy for so long?
“If I hadn’t been focusing so hard to find you, I might have missed you,” I answered, turning around and glaring at him. “You might have fooled most with that sad mourning act when your wife died, but I wasn’t fooled for a second. I take it you had something to do with her death?”
“It was necessary,” replied Amadeus with a sigh that I would have thought sounded regretful, but I knew better.
“Your son and your wife. Dead by your manipulating,” I muttered, shaking my head. “You are a monster.”
“If I’m a monster, then so are you,” said Amadeus, turning around with a smirk. “You have just as many sins in your soul as I do, Princess Luna. How many died in the Nightmare War that you brought upon Equestria that is rarely mentioned in actual books due to your sister’s wish to hide the fact that one of Equestria’s princesses was the cause of one of the bloodiest moments in our history?”
“... I do not deny what I have done as Nightmare Moon was horrible... but I have changed,” I replied, closing my eyes. Even in dreams, we were playing the game. I knew he was looking for a way to hurt me. It’s how the game is done. Play your insults, your quips, your points of logic and find the opening you want. Then strike.
“Really?” Amadeus smirked. “Because Twilight Sparkle’s death is as much your fault as it is my planning.”
I flinched and cursed myself for doing so. My heart began to grow heavy, but I steeled it as quickly as I could. Trying to not be bothered by the image of Twilight’s eternal sleeping face that was a result of my... carelessness.
“You could have told anypony,” continued Amadeus. “Celestia. Cadance. Her friends? Even Twilight herself. All you had to mention was that she was in danger of being killed based on word of mouth your spies heard. Instead, you sent a double agent to try to expose them while trying to find evidence of further involvement. Why?”
I didn’t answer. I had no need to answer. That was the question Shining Armor had presented to me when he learned about Gallant Heart’s real mission that was ruined thanks to the stallion in front of me. I closed my eyes and remembered the reason I gave Shining Armor. The only one who knew why. He promised to never speak of it... but he made it clear that I was dead to him for my actions.
It was a mistake to make Twilight an alicorn, destiny or not. She needed more time to adapt to being a leader. Learn more about politics and its way. My sister was too naive thinking she would be accepted when I could see the disaster. I warned her, but she didn’t listen and I went along with it. Twilight was so sheltered and saw the world is such an optomistic light that when the reality of ruling came she fell and shattered. I doubt few saw how broken she was in the first few months as a ruler. How her dreams and ideas that she had wanted to make Equestria better had help drive the country apart while faced with attacks by those who outright rejected her vision.
Struggling so much from building the changeling nation to making her vision reality, combined with the pressure of the nobles, I feared the knowledge that they hated her so much to want to kill her would finally crack what little sanity she had left. I couldn’t trust Celestia with this as she was too protective with Twilight. She would make the real instigators go into hiding with her actions. I needed to keep it to a few. A small number, but even that number had been exposed by traitors.
A thousand or so years ago, I could have taken Blueblood’s head, and the heads of his family, without anypony stopping me. Now I needed proof... and even finding proof in dreams was harder than normal.
Before, I could have said I saw the ambitions of a rebellion before it even started in the psyche of a single pony and have them arrested. The “council” my sister so foolishly made to share power and duties with made it a quick law that anything in dreams was dismissed as ‘imaginative evidence’. An invasion of privacy they called it. Because of that law, every rapist, murderer, and criminal who dreamed of their evil deeds with pleasure was scot free because a few politicians were scared I’d find them dreaming of them cheating on their wives or making deals behind Celestia’s back.
This new world disgusted me so much. Yet not as much as I disgusted myself.
“You’re right,” I replied, lowering my head. “A part of Twilight’s death is on me. If I had told somepony instead of keeping it to myself, she might have lived. I will live with that for the rest of my life and when the time comes I will tell the world and accept whatever punishment.” I growled and lit my horn. “But that will not happen until I stop you. I know what you want, Amadeus Blueblood. You are lucky I vowed to never kill in the dreams of another living being again or you would die screaming in your sheets.”
“One day you will regret making that vow if you haven’t already,” he muttered before smirking. “You don’t know anything about my true plans for Equestria, Princess Luna.”
I smirked back before answering, “Would it have to do anything with the little alicorn daughter you have sleeping in the room next to you?” The very look on his face was priceless. I think I can claim to be one of the few ponies who managed to make Amadeus Blueblood’s mouth drop in shock and horror. “Oh, yes. When I looked into her dreams last night it all became clear to me. I already told Celestia and Cadance.” With a single spell from my horn, I tore a hole in this dream reality showing a different dream not to far in the dreamscape. It showed a little alicorn filly, Majesty Blueblood, playing with some blocks while surrounded by toys of all kinds. A simple child's dream. “The potion is too strong for a baby to take, even if she is an alicorn. I take it she is the one who you want to have the throne. And since you're heading for Unicornia, a land we have a very fragile peace with, I assume you wish agreed to marry her to the royal family’s newborn son, Silversteel, right?”
Now it was his turn to grow and glare at me. “If you do anything to her...”
“I am not like you,” I replied with equal venom in my tone. “I will not hurt a baby just to hurt you for all you’ve done to my family and subjects. But I promise you this. I will do everything in my power, by whatever means, to see your dreams of ‘unity’ separate into nothingness.”
“... then I suppose the stage is set,” replied Amadeus.
“The players are placed...” I replied.
“The die is cast...”
“And the final game begins.” I made my way to the portal that would lead me to the dream of my... niece, before I stopped. “Oh, one more thing. I had almost forgot.” Raising my hoof, a small purple orb with a back flame coming out appeared before me. It’s surface reflected that of the universe itself. “This is a little invention I made called the Tantabus. I had originally thought of using it on myself... but I think it would suit you so much better.” I let it drop to the floor and melt with the surface. Already I could feel the dream changing to the Tantabus’s purpose.
Slowly, ponies began to melt out of the walls. They were dream versions of the Elements of Harmony, my sister, Amadeus's son and wife, and finally Twilight Sparkle. All with looks that could kill as Amadeus, alarmed by this, looked around with worry.
“I may have vowed to never kill in dreams again, but that doesn’t mean I cannot make you suffer, Amadeus,” I whispered in satisfaction. “For the rest of your life, every night that you sleep, you will have nightmares that will get worse and worse each time. No spell or potion will be able to stop you from suffering from your darkest nightmares. They won’t be so bad so that you don’t die... but you will never have a peaceful sleep for the rest of your life. Sweet dreams.”
I left through the portal just as the first scream echoed in my ears. Closing it behind me, I stared at the little filly who carried my sister’s blood. She didn’t even bother looking at me and focused on the blocks without a care in the world. This was the one that Amadeus was sacrificing everything for to be ruler of Equestria. To dethrone me and my sister.
I could have ended everything that night. I could have scared this baby so easily that its heart would stop and it would die. Amadeus’s plans would go up in smoke. Who knows how many lives I can save by killing this one child.
It was then the filly looked at me with such innocent and pure eyes that I slowly closed my own and turned away. She had done nothing wrong. She was just a tool of her father’s plans and free of any sin. With my work done, I began to exit the dreamscape to let my sister know of the Blueblood’s family whereabouts though it would matter little. With them so close to the ocean border of Unicornia it would take a full week for any ship or even pegasus to reach there. No, they would escape justice for now, but I would make sure Equestria was ready for when they returned.
War was coming and it would be a war that would shake even the gods.
***
Many years later, the Night Princess would think of the little alicorn
She would think about the innocence she once held
Before becoming the Black Star that came with death in her wake
The Night Princess would only then regret not killing her
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Runaway Part 1 (Spike’s POV)
***
I remember the first time I went on a ship. Princess Celestia had decided to take Twilight out for a cruise as a reward for graduating the 6th grade. I was still a young baby dragon then, barely out of diapers yet able to walk and talk. She insisted that I come with her since she never left me alone when she could help it. Princess Celestia tried to assure that I would be okay in the hooves of the nurses and nannies that took care of me when Twilight was at school or busy with the princess, but my... my mother wouldn’t given in.
Princess Celestia agreed and I was so happy to go on a ship. I had thought it would be like in the books Twilight read to me at night. We would be attacked by pirates or sea monsters and get into a great adventure before finding treasure or some lost civilization.
Turns out the only adventure I had was in my room thanks to a bad case of seasickness. The sea didn’t agree with me, and I ended up staying in my bed the entire trip. However, I wasn’t alone. Twilight was there. She was there with me the whole time. Even when I told her to go and enjoy her trip she refused to leave me. She took care me, feed me, and read to me as I slowly recovered.
That was when I first thought of her as my mom. I knew we were different. She never really birthed me and all. Still, you don’t need to be the same species to love each other. We fought, but we always made up. When one of us needed each other, we were there. She’s risked her life for me, and I’ve done the same for her.
Most ponies see a dragon and they think a monster, or even a servant, as some called me when Twilight trained me to be her assistant. Some even said I was better off being dropped in the Everfree Forest. Twilight, and even more importantly Princess Celestia, refused to do such a thing such a thing. Twilight even stated she’d rather not be Princess Celestia’s student then abandon me.
I don’t think any son can ask for a better mother.
Twilight was my mother, and I didn’t needed a piece of paper to tell me that. Although, seeing her officially make it so didn’t stop me from crying tears of joy. I thought Twilight would be with me forever. I thought she would never leave me because I would never leave her.
And then she was taken from me. She was murdered.
“Hey, kid! We’re almost there!”
A voice echoed outside my cabin door as I ended my thoughts and walked over to it. Opening the door, a scruffy looking minotaur glared down at me. “Captain wants you off as soon as we dock. Don’t know why he allowed a little dragon like you to come along with us. This ain’t no trip to Manehatten.”
“Because I pay as good as the next passenger. Can you please leave?” I stated, glaring back at him. Months ago I would have been more polite, but I’ve learned that no matter how nice you are in this world, there are some people who don’t deserve kindness.
The minotaur rolled his eyes and muttered something, but I shut the door before I could hear anymore. I walked over to my backpack and pulled out the remaining half of the jewels and bits I promised the Captain when I met him at Balitmare. Getting there wasn’t easy since I knew the princesses were sending their guards out to find me and I was almost caught a few times. I then turned to the one who had been my key in avoiding danger and smiled upon seeing his sleeping face yawn before waking up.
“Morning, Peewee. Ready to see our new home?”
He gave a joyful tweet before fluttering over and landing on my shoulder, nuzzling my cheek. I admit, when I left home I was sure I would never see anyone I cared about again. In a way, I didn’t want to for a lot of reasons. Having Peewee around somehow made me feel a little less lonely in the world and I’m sure he felt the same way. It was like... I could understand him and he could understand me. I didn’t get it, but I welcomed his company.
Putting on my backpack, I exited the cabin and made my way towards the stairs, avoiding the other crew members who were eyeing me with suspicion or humor. They were a rough looking bunch that consisted mostly of minotaurs and griffins, but also a few ponies as well. I was worried they would know who I am, but none of them were born or lived in Equestria much to my favor. Still, I kept myself locked up in my room as much as possible and leaving only to get a meal or use the bathroom.
Heading up the stairs, I made my way to the deck of the ship and covered my eyes upon the sun hitting me square in the face for the first time in nearly two weeks. The smell of the ocean hit me full force as I took a moment to breath in it’s air while Peewee tweeted a bit before taking off. Poor fella hadn’t had a chance to stretch his wings since we got onboard.
I made my way for a large barrel and jumped onto it to get a look at the islands that were coming up. My heart started beating as I eyed them with my claws clutching a nearby mast for comfort. There were so many islands, both big and small, but each of them was dangerous in their own way.
Normally, I wouldn’t have dared to come here, but this was the only place the princesses’ reach had no say. The one area that all the leaders of the world avoided: The Erebus Islands. A place where groups of mercenaries, raiders, thieves, warlords, and more were all fighting and controlling on a different land each day. There was no ‘government’ or ‘order’ in these lands, just chaos and a drive for profit. There were small communities, towns, and such, but they were filled with a worst of the worst. It was a lawless set of islands, but a perfect place for me to hide.
It was risky, chances are I could be killed, but I couldn’t go back. I couldn’t go back to Equestria. Not when there was no Twilight. Not when everything she ever worked for was crapped on by the very ones she wanted to help. Not where I was but a weak dragon who could do nothing to save his mother.
Here I could be strong. Here I could be free. Here I could stay away from everything that killed the old me and become a new me.
***
Taking my first steps off the deck, after paying the captain of course, I was greeted by a very active port. Ships were coming and going. Armed groups were joking or playing dice while some were getting orders from whoever was leading them. They were most likely going to join one of the warlords fighting for dominance in the many islands that made up the area.
Originally, this group of islands was a prison for the various governments around the world. One day they broke free and took control of them for themselves. Since then, there has been two attempts to retake them, only both failed miserably. The scumbags that live here may cut each other’s throats on a daily basis, but they love their freedom and anarchy more. The government's decided to just abandon the islands all together and so that was how it came to be.
Twilight once read to me a Daring Do story where she had adventures here. When I learned it was real, I researched all I could about it. Mom was very thorough in making me as smart and dedicated to learning as she was. It was better to be here than the dragon lands. For one thing, despite being a dragon I knew so very little about them and I doubt I would be wanted after that whole Dragon Migration fiasco. Second, there were dragons that did live here. Ones who wanted away from the warring clans and could make their own hordes.
I did see a few dragons as I entered what looked to be market area. They, along with other races, were walking around and shopping while vendors sold their wares. I saw the strangest things as I walked through with my companion shifting closer to my neck. There was all kinds of strange fruit and even meat on sale which made me sick (having been raised by ponies I swore to never eat meat). There were strange amulets, trinkets, decapitated and shrunken heads, swords and armors, females in skimpy outfits who were on sale for a “good time” although I don’t know what that was at that age, and some pony with white hair pointing up while in a wizard's outfit claiming to have magical tomes that could unlock the secrets of the universe.
Yet, the most amazing thing for me was the interaction between all the different races. They were... treating each other like normal. A griffin and a pony talked as if they were best friends. A minotaur and a zebra having an argument about price before settling on a bargain. A changeling doing an obvious cub game scam with a dragon. In Equestria, such a thing would be considered unnatural. Non-ponies were usually ignored, feared, or hated by at least most of Equestria with others accepting them as friends or giving them a chance.
It’s was ironic that the nation that I grew up in, which promoted Friendship, seemed to only care about that with its own kind rather than work to build it up with other races. I knew the arguments they make about most of the predator races who once tried to eat them, I can understand why ponies would be afraid of changelings due to the Canterlot Wedding incident, but Zebra’s and Kitsune? The obvious reason why they fear them was their way of life and different magic. They were not all like this, but when half a nation wished your mother dead or removed from power because she wanted to improve relations with non-ponies you tend to get a bleak outlook on it.
I almost laughed in the realization that such a crude place with murderers, thieves, and scoundrels was less racist than a land like Equestria.
“Oi, kid!” shouted a vendor with a strange accent, getting my attention. I turned around and saw a blue scaled older dragon with yellow eyes and white underbelly smiling at me. He was taller than Garble when I first met him, and wore a red trench coat that had a hole for his tail as well as some strange patch on the left side of the front jacket. It was a dragon skull shooting red lightning out of it’s mouth. A pretty cool design, but he didn’t seem like a mercenary kind of type with the way he was dressed.
“Yes?” I asked, stepping forward.
“Yeh butchers a little downtrodden, want some of this here elixir?” asked the older dragon, grinning as he showed his teeth. He lifted up one of the many red potion bottles he had in front of him. “Just a mint drink of this and thou’ll feel better in no time. Cures anything from a broken heart, to a sword to y'r belly. Just ten silvers. Could save y'r life one day.”
“Um, I don’t have silvers, but even if I did, I wouldn’t want it,” I said, rolling my eyes at the obvious scam. “Chances are it’s just wine to make the person who drinks it feel so good they’ll believe it’s working.”
“Oi, I said it would make ye feel better. So it’s not really false advertising,” chucked the dragon as he uncorked the bottle and took a few sips.
I sighed before leaving him to his drinking. I then thought about what he said about needing “silver” and realized I needed a new currency. Despite Twilight leaving me everything in her will, I wasn’t able to get anything from it until I was sixteen due to my age and got a small monthly payment until I finally left Equestria. I looked inside my bag of money. I only had a few bits left that could last me a few days and some jewels I saved, but no silver.
Before I could think about trading them, an earth pony with a long beard and smile walked up to me. He had a brown vest with some leggings on, but looked to be friendly. “Hey, what’s a kid like you doing in a place like this?”
“Uh, just shopping?”
“Please,” snorted the pony. “You got a mainlander’s look to ya. Just arrived here in Judecca I take it?”
“That obvious?” I nervously asked, rubbing the back of my head.
“More so than griffin when she’s in heat,” he joked. “Since you’re new in town and I’m feeling nice, I’ll show you a place where you can stay for free. Owner’s nice and all.”
“Oh, thanks,” I said cheerfully as I began to follow him out of the market. Peewee gave a soft and worried sounding whisper to me, but I ignored it since I could feel my stomach growing and my back ache for a bed that didn’t go up and down with the ship.
***
I should have realized it was a trap when we turned into an ally, but I was too interested in the house designs that reminded me of Ponyville (only less friendly looking and more sealed up) before a claw grabbed my by the neck and slammed me into the wall.
“Check the bags. And shut up the bird!”
“Peewee...” I whispered upon hearing my companion get hit and knocked to the ground. Despite the blurriness in my eyes, I could see the pony who betrayed me and two bulky looking griffins go through my stuff, tossing it on the floor.
“Some jewels and bits, not bad. Rest is junk like books and such. Oh, and this photo,” said one of the griffins.
That took my attention. I looked up and saw that he was holding the photo of me, Twilight, and my friends in Ponyville. The only photo I took of Twilight and the family I left behind.
“Give that back!” I shouted, getting up and making a dash for it, but the earth pony kicked me in the face and knocked me down again.
“Just kill the brat and let’s get going,” ordered the pony as he turned his back to me. My eyes widened as one of the griffins took out a long and sharp knife while the other held me down, giving him a clear shot at my belly. Despite our scales being strong, the underside was all soft with no protection.
I watched as the knife raised itself, ready to end my adventure in a second. But before I could see Twilight again, something shattered against the griffin’s head and made him yell in pain. I could see blood and shards of glass from his head wound which only seemed to make him angrier when he noticed. The four of us turned around to see who threw it. “Told ya it could save your life one day, mate!” shouted the elixir selling dragon with a smile as he casually walked up. “Now, I know were suppose to all be a bunch of bloody wankers who’d flog their own mothers for a quick buck, but killing a bairn? Really? Kinda lower than low yobs.”
“This ain’t your business stranger,” growled the earth pony. “Unless you're acting like some knight in shining armor.”
“Ouch, that’s kinda hurtful to say since I’m a dragon and all. But truth is that’s a customer of mine who owes me ten silver for that bottle that I used to save his life.”
“Ugh, just get rid of him,” ordered the pony.
The griffin with the knife was all too happy to obey as he roared and flew towards the calm dragon. I half expected him to be gutted like a fish, but instead I saw it for the first time in my entire life. In a split second, the dragon’s eyes glowed blue as his claws erupted in blue fire that came out of nowhere. With a cry of his own, his flaming blue hand punched the dashing griffin in the face, knocking him straight into the air with his face on fire. He then grabbed him by the leg, roared and slammed him straight into the wall, shattering a big hole into it as the griffin fell through. A pegasus on a toilet looked up from the hole that was now made in his lavatory, folded his newspaper and left after flushing.
The three of us were gasping at the sight of the dragon who seemed to be living fire itself. Flames enveloped his fists, hands, even his tail. His eyes were glowing bright blue as if there was fire inside them as well. Stepping forward, he stretched his neck a little and smirk. “So which of yeh two ladies is next?”
The other griffin let go of me and charged forward, but before he even had a chance, the dragon shot out a fireball from his hands and it hit the griffin dead center. He screamed as the blue flames covered his entire body in minutes only to be silence permanently when the dragon kicked him in the face. The pony was now looking ready to run, but the dragon got to him first and grabbed him by the throat, raising him into the air. “P-P-Please! Mercy!”
“Hmm, I don't know. What dae ye say kid?" he asked me.
I looked at the pony who was willing to kill me. Who hurt my friend. Who was going to take my treasure. I knew Twilight would say he should be spared. That he should be given another chance. That I was safe and that’s all that mattered.
But Twilight’s not here. She’s dead. She tried to show mercy and it got her a tomb.
“Just make it quick,” I muttered, lowering my head to not see it. I felt sick to my stomach by what I said, but a part of me was glad for it. I didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I still don’t to this day. I only heard a snap and the body fell lifeless.
I quickly remembered about Peewee and rushed over to him, he was fine and was coming through. The dragon who saved me shut down his flames and walked over to my money bag. Taking it, he took a few jewels and tossed it back to me. “Rule number one in Erebus kid. Nuffink is free. Everything has a price, even smashing deeds. If someone offers to help with no payment? Dae yerself a favour and stick em in the back before they dae ya in.” He dusted his claws and turned his back to me. “Well, bessy be on my merry way. Dae yourself a favour kid and get out of here. Head back gaffe to ma and pop and live a mint life. Chao.”
I sat there, holding my phoenix with my scattered objects and burned or dead attackers. I could have said or done a bunch of things but the one thing I had to know I quickly asked, “What is your name?!”
“It’s Marc, mate,” he replied with a backwards wave and just like that he turned the corner and was gone.
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, and Grand_Moff_Pony
Runaway Part 2 (Spike’s POV)
***
It was like I had breathed fire for the first time in my life again. A sense of passion and desire filled me as I kept seeing Marc’s burning claws in my mind. How easily he took those thieves down and killed them right in front of me. Of course, the fact that I saw death made me throw up a bit when it finally hit me what happened, but I recovered thanks to my desire to find Marc again. He had to teach me. He had to show me how to do that. If I could do that I could be stronger.
I searched for hours by the docks, even at the place where I first met him, but to no avail. I sent Peewee to search but he had no luck either. I cursed up a storm with words that I wasn’t allowed to say back home before something ended my search.
A roaring stomach. Peewee chirped and pointed to his mouth as well.
I had been so focused on finding Marc I didn’t even bother finding us something to eat. Not to mention by the time we stopped it was getting dark and we would need a place to sleep. Of course, we could have slept on the streets having done so in the forest, but after the events of the day I was more scared of finding a knife in my gut and waking up dead.
Peewee guided me to a bar and hotel establishment called the Rotten Barrel. It was old, looked rough looking, and smelled like dead rats. I had a feeling most of the establishments in the island were like this. Taking in a deep breath-mostly to cover the stench-I headed inside where I was almost greeted to a beer bottle in the face. Most of the patrons were dressed in armor and carried weapons; some big enough to split me in two. They were all roaring with laughter, getting drunk, or threatening to kill each other over any small thing.
Thankfully, my small size prevented them from noticing me. I avoided the broken bottles and passed out drinkers until I reached what looked to be the bar. There was a griffin with a scar on his forehead passing out drinks and meals with an apron along with some leather clothing. He looked to be in charge with the way he was glaring at everyone; almost as if he wanted to kill both them and himself at the same time.
I walked around to a small entrance for the bar and knocked on the wood to get his attention. “Um, excuse me?”
“What do you want, kid?” asked the griffin bartender, barely taking a look at me.
“I was wondering if I could get a room... and a meal for me and my friend,” I answered with Peewee giving a reply.
“Got silver?” he asked.
“No.”
“Then get out.”
“Please! I got gems and bits and-”
“Silver or nothing. Try to find some other establishment that-”
There was a loud explosion from the kitchens that made the entire building shake. I thought at first we were under attack or it was an earthquake, but the rest of them weren’t bothered by it. Well, the bartender was. That scowl of his grew about ten more inches before he shouted, “Grandus be damned!”
He stomped towards the kitchen door and, too curious for me own good, I followed. When we entered the kitchen, the chef and clearer in me had to wince. Someone was apparently trying to make pea soup, but it exploded across the kitchen turning into a green colored room with a nasty smell to it. A single lone earth pony in a chefs hat gave a nervous smile towards us, but that quickly faded when the griffin gave a look that could have killed the pony where he stood.
“What the ruck did you do you retarded piece of fucking pony shit?! Look at this mess! Do you know how long this is gonna rucking take to fix up?! Your worse then a rucking blind monkey that’s having sex with a drunken donkey! I should take that kitchen knife of yours, slice off your dick, chop it up, and serve it to the guests as pork sausage! Get the ruck out of my kitchen and don’t come back or I’ll send you to Mordum himself wrapped in a nice pink bow with a sign that says ‘bury me’ on your fat plot! GO!”
The pony was out faster than you could blink. Peewee even gave an impressive whistle at the sight.
“Bloody great. Damn all the gods from Faust to Kubwa. I need a new chef,” grumbled the griffin.
A smile came to my face as I got a look at all the ingredients, meats, cheeses, spices, and equipment that was available and wasn’t covered in green muck. “Actually, sir, I have a proposal...”
***
“Oi! Rubert! What kind of cook did ya get this time?! This stew tastes like actual food and less like minotaur dung!”
“Fourths!”
“I’ll take what he’s having with a big old mug of beer!”
“Spike! I need six scrambled eggs, a fried steak, and garlic onions!” shouted my new boss, Rupert, who had less of a glare on his face now that I was of use to him.
“Coming right up!” I shouted, wiping the sweat I had on my forehead while making sure none of it got into the banana pudding I was also making. You might think making so many different meals for a bar was tough for me, but I once helped cooked at Cadence and Shining Armor’s wedding, Twilight’s Coronation, and a few times at Princess Celestia’s birthday.
When I learned I was going to be Twilight’s Number One Assistant, I wanted to be the best at everything. Cooking wasn’t originally one of the things I was going to learn, but after learning Twilight would occasional skip meals to study, I decided to learn how to cook for her.
Besides, I loved cooking and Rupert was offering free room if I managed to impress him. With Peewee gathering ingredient for me, as well as using his fire abilities to keep thing just at the right temperature, I was able to deliver food faster, and better, to the point where I was even getting tips.
After finishing the last of the meals, I heard Rupert say the kitchen was now closed much to the disappointment of the crowd outside. Of course, the bar was still open, but sometimes you want a good sandwich to go with the right beer.
Sighing in relief, I sat down on some barrel for pickles and gave Peewee a high five for his help. Rupert entered the kitchen just as I was helping myself to some ruby soup that I made for myself. “Not bad, Spike. I think this is the first time I’ve had customers come in here for the food and not my bar. You got quite a talent for a small dragon.”
“Thanks, so are we in agreement?” I asked with hope in my eyes.
“I never back down on a deal. You can stay here as my new chef and get free room and food. Tips you get are yours to keep.”
A big wave of relief washed over me. I had a place to stay. Not to mention some silver to spend. “Man, I’m beat.”
“Take the attic room. It’s got two beds and it’s not that dirty. Perfect for your size,” said Rupert as he exited the kitchen.
After finishing the soup, me and Peewee headed towards the stairs and made our way to the top where we found a single door. Opening, I coughed at some of the dust that came out before entering. It was mostly filled with empty bottles and junk, but there were two beds, a drawer, and was next to a window that had a view of the moon. I didn’t know if Luna could dreamscape this far from Equestria. From what Twilight told me, she had a limit to how far she could enter a person’s dreams. I had to buy the Dreamless Sleep potion before I left Ponyville knowing that if Luna found me in my dream, she could find out where I was in real life.
A pain in my chest made me realize just how far away from home I really was. All my friends, Twilight’s family, the princesses. All of them were an ocean away. Yet at the same time, that was a land without my mother. A land where Friendship and Magic was wasted by those who didn’t want it because of their selfishness and greed. I couldn’t go back. I don’t ever want to go back. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder why it hurt every time I thought that.
Peewee cooed and nuzzled my neck upon sensing my anger and sorrow. I smiled softly and petted him on the head while handing him some corn I swiped from the kitchen for him. He tweeted thanks and began to eat it on the drawer. Resting my head against the pillow, I looked at the moon one last time before sleep came over me.
***
When I felt the sun’s rays hit me, I almost groaned. Stupid Celestia having to raise the sun everyday. I just wanted to sleep more since I never felt as comfortable as I did at the moment. I felt warm and feathery for some reason. My claws were wrapped around some kind of fur, which I thought was a blanket at first, but it felt too solid to be such a thing.
“Ugh... who's grabbing my butt...” groaned a voice.
My eyes widened upon hearing this and I soon found the source of the voice, feathers, and fur at the same time. A young griffin, about my height and looked to be my age, was sleeping right next to me in bed. I had one arm wrapped around her waist with my claw at her rump, pulling her in, while she in turn had her arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me in. Our faces were literally close to touching so I had a good view of her face. She was of dark grey in terms of feathers and from the fur that started up front to the halfway point of her chest. The rest of her body was a light brown, similar to Gilda. She had a strange marking on her cheek, that looked like chains wrapped around a letter to a language I didn’t know. Her mane was wild too, almost like Rainbow Dash’s but a bit longer up front and colored gray.
I didn’t even breath as I stared into her and wondered what the hay was going on. However, before I could slowly remove my claw, Peewee woke up and whistle upon seeing us together. After swearing to kill that bird, the amber eyes of the griffin girl opened up and stared into my own.
“Um, good morning?”
She shrieked and kicked me of the bed, making me land on my head pretty hard. I groaned but soon froze as I felt one sharp looking curved knife against my throat and a second one pointed... well... let’s just say I wouldn’t have any children if things went south.
“I should castrate you right now for what you did, but I want answers first!” she shouted, teeth clenched in rage as she looked ready to kill me. “Who the ruck are you and what the ruck are you doing in my bed?!”
“My name is Spike! I was offered a place to sleep if I cooked for Rupert! You can ask him! He didn’t say anything about this being your room! Besides there are two beds! Why didn’t you just go in the other one?!” I shouted as fast as I could.
“Oh, please. Like Uncle Rupert would hire a brat for a chef-Hey!” shouted the griffin girl as Peewee, ever my faithful companion, pulled on her mane and dragged her back. Seeing a chance, I took her front claws and forced her down with me on top. The three of us struggling until the door opened.
“Spike, Aquilina, my morning chef just arrived would you two like-” Rupert paused upon seeing us in a very... compromising position. He just grinned and leaned against the door. “I see you two getting to know each other quite well. But I’m not ready to be a grandfather, Aquilina.”
Roaring with annoyance, Aquilina kicked me off and shook Peewee away. “First of all, Uncle, you get your mind out of the gutter. Second, you would be a grand-uncle, not grandfather. You aren’t my dad. Third, who the ruck is this guy so I can kill him?”
“First, you're not allowed to kill him. Second, he’s Spike, my new evening chef.”
“Pudgy blew up the kitchen again?” asked Aquilina with a deadpan expression.
“Like the Bombardment of Styx.” Rupert shook his head. “So make nice with the boy. He’s now part of the establishment.”
“Why didn’t you tell me when I got back from the guild?! And why was he in my room?!” cried out Aquilina as she put her daggers on one of the dressers.
“Slipped my mind, and you should have greeted me when you came back. Maybe if you stopped working so late you’d see things with a clearer mind when you get home,” said Rupert as he turned away. “Breakfast is ready. Come down when you are.”
This left us both in an awkward silence as Peewee rested on my shoulder while Aquilina avoided my gaze. “Um...” I shifted my foot. “Look, sorry about-”
“Three rules,” grumbled Aquilina, glaring at me. “One, go near my bed or stuff again and you die. Second, do anything perverted and you will die a thousand times. Third, don’t speak unless spoken to or I’ll cut your tongue out and feed it to a hungry beggar. Now let’s get something to eat.”
Just like that she walked away from me and down the stairs. I turned to Peewee who looked at me with a raised eyebrow, as if saying this was my problem. “Why do I have the worst luck with girls, buddy?”
***
After a quick meal of eggs and porridge, I was left to ponder what to do for the rest of the day. I thought about finding Marc, but I figured it was best to ask Rupert instead of searching senseless for him.
“Hey, Rupert?” I asked, calling him over.
There wasn’t a lot of customers so it didn’t take him long to find me at his bar. Aquilina was just a few seats away from me, eating her bacon while glaring at me from time to time.
“What’s up, Spike?”
“You ever hear of a dragon named Marc?” I asked.
Just as I said that, Aquilina started coughing up her bacon in shock as the two of us watched on. She now had a brown vest on with a belt for her knifes, a money pouch, and a few other things. She took a deep gulp of water before turning to me with disbelief. “How do you know Master Marc?”
“Um, I just know a Marc. Not sure about the ‘Master’ part,” I answered.
“Blue scaled dragon with yellow eyes? Wears a red trench coat and talks in a funny accent?” asked Aquilina.
“Yeah! That’s him!” I asked excitedly.
“Why do you want to find him?” asked Aquilina, raising an eyebrow.
“Because he saved my life yesterday. He did some... fire thing with his claws that I want to learn from him!” I said, thinking my luck had finally changed. Oh course, that was until Aquilina started laughing like a madbird and banged her claw on the table.
After calming down, she shook her head. “You know nothing, do you?” She cleared her throat. “Marc is the Guild Master of the guild I’m part of. The Red Lightnings.” She then showed a patch on vest. A dragon skull shooting red lightning out of it’s mouth. The same one that I saw on Marc yesterday. “We’re a mercenary guild that does jobs for money. I’ve only just recently joined myself. Marc is the head of that guild. He’s one of the best fighters in Judecca. No way he’s going to let a wimp like you into the guild and teach you.”
“Hey, you’re the same age as me! Why are you in!” I shouted.
“... that’s my business,” growled Aquilina before shrugging her shoulders. “Don’t know why you think he’ll bother teaching you. He rarely ever interacts with us. Mostly he ever shows if he wants to drink with the gang or we have a serious mission. Usually against one of the other Big Four.”
“Big four?” I asked, realizing I was really out of my element here.
This time it was Rupert who answered. “Most of the islands are ruled by either warlords or various armies. Each trying to gain control of territory for whatever reason. Some are good, some are bad, some are just plain raiders who like to kill and rape.” Taking a glass out he began to clean it. “Of course, they like to hire various gangs to help them out. There are literally hundreds if not a thousand of these kind of guilds all over the Erebus Islands, but there are four that stand out.”
“The first is our guild, The Red Lightnings!” shouted Aquilina with pride. Puffing her chest out, she continued, “We pride ourselves on getting jobs fast and efficient. Each of us is a specialist in something or another rather than just focus on one specific area like most guild do. Sometimes we work alone, sometimes we work as a team, but we always get the job done faster then you can pay out of your wallet.”
“The second big one is The Legion,” said Rupert. “They’re more of a private military than anything. Very spartan like that focuses on squad tactics and small wars. They’re as disciplined as any army you’ll see here and they got the armor and weapons for it too. Not so much great as individuals, but they are some of the best group unit tactics you’ll see. Although they only accept males into their group for some reason. My guess is because a minotaur is their leader and you know how sexist their society is.”
I nodded. From what I remember, all that was expected of a female minotaur in their home islands is to just breed. It’s why a good number of females came to Equestria for a chance at equality.
“Third is Ars Arcanum,” listed Aquilina, grumbling with anger. “Those guys are an all magic based group. Anyone who can use magic like unicorns, zebras, kitsune, and dragons are welcomed. They’re a bunch of bastards who think themselves better than anybody else because they can use forces ‘beyond the mortal realm’ as they so nicely put it.” Aquilina took a deep drink and slammed it on the ground. “Of course, I can see why others would hire them. Their magic is powerful... but they’re also big on the slave trade. They use their magic to bind them to their masters and make sure they obey without question.”
“Slaves?” I asked in disbelief. “They actually have slaves here?”
“This Erebus, kid,” said Rupert, shaking his head. “Slavers. Raiders. Thieves. Murderers. Rapists. Cannibals. Every crime you can think of you got it here.”
I suddenly felt my breakfast coming up. I knew it was bad here but... this bad?
“Who's the fourth?” I asked, trying to get my mind of what I heard.
The two griffins went silent before Rupert answered, “The Masks of Mordum.”
My eyes widened. Mordum was the God of Death, the one who took all the souls of the departed and judged them. While every race was created under their own god, there were three gods that created creation itself: Tempus, the God of Time. Nora, the Goddess of Destiny. And Mordum, the God of Death.
“They’re assassins. And not just any assassin guild. THE assassin guild,” continued Rupert. “Mostly because any guild that tries to become an assassin guild like them ends up dead in a day.”
“Not much is known about them other then they worship Mordum and always have one assassin for one job. The rest are either rumors or the aftermath of their work,” whispered Aquilina. “They’re one of the oldest guilds too. They were around even back during the Great Uprising that freed Erebus from control of the other nations. Nobody knows who they are, where they are, or how much it is to pay them. They come to you with an offer and you take it or not.”
“How good could one assassin be?” I asked.
“There was once an Elder Dragon who ruled all over the Island of Pandora,” said Rupert. “He was found dead with a face that screamed utter pain and suffering. Nobody saw anyone who did it, but rumors go that it was an assassin from the Masks of Mordum.”
Now I was feeling the chills in my body. An Elder Dragon was a being older than a thousand years, some of the most powerful beings in the world. Even Princess Celestia and Luna would have a challenge against them. For one assassin to kill such a being...
“Ah ruck it!” shouted Aquilina as she looked at the clock nearby. “I’m gonna be late for job picking! See ya, Uncle Rupert!”
Just like that she rushed out of the house. “Hey wait!” I shouted as I got up and chased after her.
“Where are you going?” asked Rupert as Peewee flew beside me.
I turned around and answered, “To join this guild! To find Marc! To get stronger!”
I didn’t even wait for a reply, I was already out and about. I didn’t care what Aquilina said, I was going to join that guild or die trying.
Formerly Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5
Pre-Read/Edited by: Magic Man, Chaotic Note, Grand_Moff_Pony, and Darth Link 22
Runaway Part 3 (Spike’s POV)
***
It didn’t take me long to find Aquilina thanks to the fact that there were many crowds around this time of day. We walked along the dock lines as I saw stores and vendors opening up while those who looked hungover were walking around complaining about how much they had to drink. I saw a few normal looking ones, some with families or friends, but what really caught my attention was the children. They had young ponies, dragons, griffins, minotaurs and such running around in rags asking for change or just playing with a smile on their face. It pained me to see them so poor and without parents, but I guess in this kind of island its normal.
“Will you quit following me already?!” shouted Aquilina so loud she blew Peewee off my shoulder. “Seriously, are you some kind of stalker or something? Just because you touched my butt doesn’t mean I’m suddenly your girl!”
“Nothing like that!” I shouted, blushing like crazy. “That was an accident!”
Aquilina snorted and turned away. “Yeah right. All guys are perverts. I know from experience.”
I rolled my eyes. “You know, you could be a little nicer?”
“And you can go soak your head,” replied Aquilina. She then glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you seriously thinking you can go and join the Red Lightings?”
“I can try, right?” I asked. “I mean you got in.”
“I’m a special case,” she whispered, but went silent after that.
We continued on until we made a turn into the main street. I took this time to get a good feel about the town I was in. It reminded me a lot of Baltimare, except a little more old fashioned like from two hundred years ago. There were some buildings that looked to be ready to fall apart soon. The second tallest buildings seemed to be the churches, but I couldn’t tell for which gods. The tallest and biggest place looked to be built like a fortress. It was almost as big as Canterlot Castle, but more cold looking with black stones, chains, and spikes on the walls.
“Is that one of the prison fortresses?” I asked, pointing to it at the distance.
“Yeah, every major island has one,” answered Aquilina. “Each of them is owned by the most powerful rulers in the area. Although some are used for other purposes like guilds and armies and such. Most of them were cleaned out after the rebellion, but some say there still treasures hidden in them.” She then stopped and grinned at me before lowering her voice. “They also say the prisoners who were torched and killed there continue to haunt the place. Forever seeking vengeance against those who imprisoned them. Like little annoying dragons.”
I stared at her for a moment before replying, “Stick to being angry. You’re scarier that way.”
I got a punch in the face for that one, but I didn’t mind. It was worth it.
***
“Woah,” was all I could say when I stood in front of the headquarters of the Red Lighting guild. “What a piece of junk!”
I was expecting something more military like that represented the barracks or military headquarters Shining Armor took me to once. Or at least something more cooler instead of a worn down and abandoned house that was only two stories tall. I watched as a few mice scattered out of the place while a window collecting dust found itself falling out of place and scattering into pieces on the ground. Even the logo “Red Lighting” was only hanging by one nail on the board.
“This... is a joke, right?” I asked, even Peewee couldn’t help but shake his head at the place.
“Looks can be deceiving,” replied Aquilina as she prepared to walk in. A large minotaur with an axe that could slice me into two stood in the way. She nodded to him and passed by him without a second glance. “Later, Spike.”
I blinked and tried to follow, but the minotaur just put his axe down right in front of my nose, inches away from peeling it off. I gulped and slowly looked up towards the guard who glared at me before huffing. “Um, I just want to join? You see I met Marc and... um...” I just began to back away with a nervous laugh. “I’m just going to wait here for Aquilina, ok?”
He didn’t respond but when I was far enough away he put the ax behind his back and crossed his arms, his gaze turning elsewhere. I sighed in relief as I walked to the the side of the street and sat on a barrel just standing there. I turned to my phoenix friend and asked, “You wanna negotiate with him?”
Peewee shook his head.
“Come on! You’re the one who can regenerate if killed,” I complained, but the phoenix only gave me a glare. “Fine. I guess we just wait for Marc or Aquilina to show up.”
***
I waited for hours. Looking at the sun, I could tell it had just past the noon hour. Peewee was sleeping on a lamp post nearby as I kept glancing at the entrance to the Red Lighting HQ. The minotaur hadn’t once moved from his spot or even flinched at all. A few other individuals, all armed and tough looking, walked past him without being stopped. I tried to think of how these guys could be one of the so called “Big Four” of Erebus and yet have such a rundown of a place to hang out.
Despite a roaring hunger in my stomach, and feeling insanely bored, I didn’t give up. I stayed there until at last I saw Aquilina come out, holding a flyer in one of her claws as she used her wings to float above the ground. When she spotted me, her eyes widened in surprise. “You’re still here? I’ve been inside for hours!”
“I told you,” I said, getting up and marching up to her with determination in my eyes. “I want to join the guild.”
Slapping her claw to her forehead, Aquilina shouted, “You are the most stubborn dragon I have ever met! Do you even know the meaning of the word ‘no’?” She narrowed her eyes and flew past my height so that she was looking down at me. “Look I have no more time to waste with you. I have a job to get some shipment from a ship called Siren’s Chains and deliver it to a client.”
“Let me prove myself! Let me go with you!” I shouted.
“This isn’t some adventure tale where the good guys always win. These missions are dangerous, even the little ones I take can result in my death. Why are you so obsessed with throwing your life away like this like an idiot? What reason could you have to being so determined to be stronger?”
“Because I have nothing else left!” I shouted, finally tired of her mouth. I had tried to be nice, but she had done nothing but put me down since the start. “You have no idea what I’ve been through! I’ve lost my mom, left my friends, my home, everything just so I can-”
“Run away from your problems?” she interjected which made me freeze up. “‘Cause that sounds like all you’re doing. So your mom is dead? Guess what, mine is too!” She landed in front of me and showed me that strange tattoo I saw on her the first time I woke up with her in bed. “See this? This is the symbol of a slave. I was born a slave. My mom was a slave. And when she died I had to run halfway across Erebus just to find my uncle to take me in. I’ve literally seen my old master ruck my mother with his cock nearly twenty-four seven since I was rucking three!”
“You...” I whispered as I felt my heart sink.
“And when she didn’t perform well enough for him one night, guess what my master did,” she demanded, her mouth twisting into such hate that I felt my feet move back before I could realize it. “He forced her to have sex with all his soldiers, his other slaves, and even his own sister.”
“W-why didn’t she fight back?!” I shouted, horrified that such a thing could be done. Death seemed to be an even better fate.
“Remember when I told you about Ars Arcanum?” Aquilina asked. “They have spells that they put on their slaves to force them to obey their master’s command. Without any resistance. My mother could have begged a million times in her head, but the spells forced her body to do it.” A tear then dripped from her head. “When my mother was finally done the first thing she did was throw herself out a window and fall to her death. Didn’t even bother flying. She didn’t even say goodbye to me.”
I just stood there in horror. I had never thought I would meet someone whose life was worse than mine. A part of me wanted to deny this, that she was just lying to mess with me, but one look into those dark cold eyes told me the truth. Aquilina had lost her mom, but in an even worse way than I lost mine.
“And you know what the sickest thing is...” Aquilina spat on the ground. “That bastard that forced my mother to do all those things? Was my dear old dad.” My jaw dropped. “Oh yeah. My master was my father but he didn’t care. All he saw in me was just another slave to feed grapes into his mouth, wash his paws and tail, and groom me into pleasing him when I hit my teen years.”
“... how could the gods allow such a person to live?” I asked in disbelief.
“Beats me, but that’s why I say ruck the gods and take power into your own paws.” She drew one of her knives and grinned. “I took a knife and cut my fat ruck of a father’s throat when he wasn’t looking. Ran away until I reached here and meet Uncle Rupert who I knew thanks to my mom telling me about him.” She put her knife away. “I fight so I won’t ever end up like my mother and I live so that I can kill any slaver or master that has the displeasure of meeting me. Same for rucking Ars Arcanum.”
I tried to say something, but for a long time I couldn’t. Was this really what Erebus was? Was this really such a hellhole to live in? I kept thinking this as doubt began to creep into my heart and I began to wonder if this was such a good idea. Did I want to get stronger, yes. But looking at Aquilina and hearing her story, I wondered just how broken she and everyone on this island was.
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.
Aquilina snorted and turned away from me. “Because you’re not the only rucking sad story on this island. Everyone has lost someone, been through hell, or has had their entire lives ruined. My story? Not even the saddest one out there so I don’t even mind telling you it. The truth is we’re all messed up here in Erebus and unless you want to end up that way too, I suggest you head home. Because there is nothing for you here.”
And with that said she walked away. Leaving me alone to my thoughts in silence. I felt Peewee land on my shoulder and start to sing to make me feel better, but it didn’t work. I just stared at a retreating Aquilina and felt sorrow not just for her, but for some reason every island inhabitant in Erebus.
***
I stared at the fire that was roaring at the fireplace in Rupert’s bar. There weren’t too many customers around so I was left on my own with a mug of soda. Peewee kept cooing as I stroked him with my claw, deep in my thoughts. I kept thinking of what Aquilina said and I started to feel that maybe she was right. Was I really over my head? Was I just fooling myself into thinking I could run away from everything? Was I better off just going home?
“You look loss, kid,” said Rupert as he sat down next to me and sighed. “Aquilina’s got a runt of a mouth, but it must have been really bad if she’s got you like this.”
“... she told me about your sister,” I whispered which made Rupert freeze up a bit as his eyes hardened, but he sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be...” he whispered, shaking his head. “I thought for years she was dead until Aquilina came and told me what happened. Kinda wish she was instead of being a sex slave.” He shrugged. “But that’s Erebus for you.”
“Why?!” I shouted, slamming my mug on the table. “Why does it have to be this way?! Why doesn’t anyone change anything?! Are all of you really so content to live in such a way that life is cheap?!”
Rupert stared at me and shook his head. “Kid, can you honestly tell me that life itself isn’t hard? It sucks. Plain and simple. Doesn’t matter if it’s here or Equestria or wherever. Life is hard on everyone in various ways. Besides, some of us make a living. Some of us are happy. It’s just we accept the outcome of when things go wrong.”
“Things shouldn’t go this wrong... my mother wouldn’t have let things go wrong like this,” I whispered, thinking of how Twilight would handle this. She wouldn’t have stopped until everyone was learning about friendship and working together. She would have dropped everything to save them with her friends by her side.
“Well, unless your mother is a goddess I seriously doubt that,” replied Rupert, who patted my back.
For some reason I suddenly asked, “Rupert. Do you believe one single soul can change anything?”
“Change anything? No,” he answered before looking at me with a smile. “Change doesn’t happen from one person. However, that one person can start the change by changing others. When they change with him, and he gets more like him, then together they can change the world.”
I thought about that and thought more about Twilight. Twilight had tried to change Equestria on her own. Her friends and family wanted to help, but she burdened herself with almost everything. Even when others did help, she forced them to take the minimum so she can do the most. I saw what that had done to her. How hurt she was and how broken she was in her last days. She smiled and tried to hide it from me, but I saw how going at it alone had been so painful. If she had given all of us an equal share of the work... if she started small... could things have been different?
Now Equestria was divided. My home was divided. Everything Twilight tried to do was falling. Could I really, as her son, let that happen?
Yet what could I have done? I was weak. I was nobody. I hadn’t changed myself or anything.
So deep in my thoughts that I almost missed what the group next to me was whispering. “So, you managed to give those fliers to the guilds?” asked a pony with an eye-patch.
“Yeah, didn’t suspect a thing. Gotta say, this is one brilliant racket,” whispered a griffin flicking a dagger back and forth. “Little do those suckers know that instead of a delivery, they’re going to Slaver’s Island in chains.”
I froze as did Peewee who perked up upon hearing that. I slowly inched closer.
“What was the ship we have to go on again to get our pay?”
“Siren’s Chains, and it will be the easiest pay yet.”
***
Looking back, I wonder why I didn’t just tell Rupert what I hear. Instead, being the kid that I was, I decided to rescue Aquilina on my own. Well, I had Peewee, but he wasn’t a full on grown Phoenix. Still, it was a suicide mission, but I had been through the Everfree Forest and faced other dangers along the way. That was all that kept me going in the confidence department at least.
I waited until the ones I overheard left the bar and I followed them as quietly as possible. Thankfully, they were too drunk and distracted by the fact they were getting paid a big sum of silver for their job. Peewee kept to the air and I made sure to watch him as some big crowds of mercenaries got in my path. They didn’t pay too much attention to me, most likely thinking I was one of the beggar kids I saw from earlier.
At last we made it to the end of the docks where I saw the ship. It didn’t stand out from your normal ship except for two things. The female minotaur carving with big... breasts (seriously, Princess Celestia’s flanks weren’t even that size) at the front of the ship, and the chains that were nailed on the sides. I later would learn that ships with chains meant they were slaver ships.
I hid behind some barrels as Peewee landed next to me and I watched the group I had been following go on the ship where a large minotaur, bare chested with an eye-patch, waited for them alongside two griffins dressed in armor.
I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but it sounded like some kind of argument. That was later proven when the big minotaur and his goons, raised their pistols and shot all of them dead. That was the first time I heard and saw a gun, a weapon that had helped the griffins repel the Yaks a few years ago and forced them to sign a peace treaty for the first time in a thousand years. And Yaks rarely ever sign peace treaties; the only time before being with Equestria after the Chaos Era when Discord was in charge.
The dead bodies were thrown overboard and the crew went back to their business. Knowing that these guys would shoot first and ask questions later, I tried to figure out a way to get in without being noticed. That was when I spotted an open window on the ship’s lower floor.
Silently heading into the water, I swam to the ship and used my claws to climb my way up. I had to be quiet and dig my claws real deep in the wood to keep a grip, but I soon made it towards the window. I motioned to Peewee for a quick look to see if the coast was clear and he ducked inside. He came out a few moments later and nodded his head for the all clear. Pushing myself up, I rolled inside and looked around only to be disgusted by what I saw.
Cages full of ponies, griffins, diamond dogs, and more. All of them as young as Aquilina and I or as old as a teenager. They wanted the younger and newbie guild members. Easier to overpower and more expensive to sell. Some of them looked at me with wide eyes upon seeing me with no chains, some even muffing through the mouth guards they had on them. I looked around, trying to find Aquilina until I finally did. She was unconscious, with a lot of scratch marks on her and bleeding lip alongside a black eye. There was no key, but I didn’t need one. I blew a small flame from my mouth and melted the lock, opening the door. The sound must have woke Aquilina up as she opened her eyes in shock then fear upon feeling the holdings upon her.
“Shh! Shhh!” I hissed, grabbing her by the shoulders. “It’s me! Quiet!”
She soon calmed down and nodded. I quickly found the pin that kept the mouth guard in place and removed it, freeing her mouth. Naturally, the first thing she did was let out a series of curses; quietly might I add. When she was done, I raised my eyebrow. “Finished?”
“No, but I’ll save it for later,” she muttered and looked at me. “What are you doing here?”
“Rescuing you,” I answered as I used my flame to break off the rest of the chains and free her limbs.
“Why?” she whispered. “W-why would you... after what I said...”
“Because jerk or not, you don’t deserve to be a slave,” I said, glaring at her. “Nobody does.”
Aquilina was silent before she lowered her head and nodded. “Thank you... Spike...”
I smirked before looking at the rest of the cages, filled with those hoping I could free them as well. I winced. If would take forever to free these guys and I didn’t want to leave them. “Are there any keys in this place?”
“Over there!” said Aquilina, pointing a rack I missed where, low and behold, were some keys dangling on a chain. “Grab them!”
I rushed over and did so, but as soon as I did I heard the door open and I turned around to find a stunned griffin looking at me. A split second later he shouted, “Intruder!”
He grabbed a pistol by his waist and pointed it at me. I saw him aiming right between my eyes.
Thankfully, my life didn’t end with my brains blasted out of my head. Instead, Peewee came to my rescue again as he dived against the gun in the griffin’s arm, which was enough to make him miss me by inches and punctured the wall instead. While Peewee distracted him, Aquilina rushed over with her chains and managed to fly behind him, tightening them around his throat. I did my best to ignore the fact she was strangling someone to death and rushed to free the closest ones nearby. I first freed the dragons, who were then able to help me out by unlocking some of the locks with their flames or fighting the guards down the hall.
Aquilina, having dispatched the guard, took his pistol and reloaded it. “Better have an exit plan, Spike!” She looked down the hall and turned back against the wall as a gunshot echoed. She fired back and started to reload. A few unicorns and dragons rushed over to her side or the opposite end of the wall and started shooting magic and flames.
Despite the pressure, we were all able to free each other and I quickly shouted, “Everyone out the window! Swim like your life depended on it!”
One by one they all did, some even flying with their wings if they had them. I could hear gunshots outside, most likely more slavers shooting the ones trying to escape. I didn’t know how many made it or not, but they had a better chance than staying in here. A few bodies of the children and slaves, either shot down by bullet or magic, were on the floor in the efforts to escape or defend us.
I saw a unicorn, no older than the CMC, with a bullet hole where her right eye was. She didn’t even have a cutie mark. I saw a teenage minotaur with a flaming hole in his stomach from a fire spell breathing his last before his eyes glassed over. A griffin, same age as Aquilina, was unlucky to get shot in the rump before the bullet came out his mouth.
Despite all the blood and carnage, I just froze. I heard Aquilina say something, but I was too busy staring at the dead bodies. I thought about Twilight. How she lay dying in her blood soaked bed with wounds all over her body. I wondered if these kids had families or friends. Were their lives better or worse then mine and Aquilina? What future was snatched from them?
Aquilina ran out of bullets and the kids didn’t have the energy to keep firing spells or flames. There were still so many trying to escape. So many trying to live. Aquilina said something but I was too dazed until she slapped me.
“Are you gonna fight or are you gonna die a bloody coward!?” she shouted which made me whimper. “Don’t piss yourself when we’re all trying to get out of here! Get it in your head!”
I gulped and tried to think. Peewee had taken over in defense and summoned a flame wall. Surprisingly, it wasn’t burning the ship down but I chalked that up to phoenix powers or something. Still, it wouldn’t hold forever. While others were still fleeing, we needed to get out fast. There had to be something I could do, but what? All I could do was breathe two types of fire. The one that could burn things and the other that could... teleport...
I thought back to a theory that Twilight once told me about my magical dragon breath. It was unique among other dragons based on the fact that I could teleport objects to ponies I knew like Princess Celestia, Twilight, and others. She theorized that I could one day even teleport living beings as well, including myself. Of course, that was depending on my personal strength as well as the power of my flame. There was always the risk that I could burn others with my fire and it was decided that I would learn to teleport others when I was older.
“Okay, I have an idea, but if it goes wrong it's most likely going to kill us all,” I said as loud as I can.
“Well, we’re dead anyway if we don’t do something fast so what is it?!” asked Aquilina as other began to crowd around us.
“I can teleport objects with my flames,” I answered.
“You’re a Fire Caster?!” asked one dragon look at me with amazement.
“A what?” I asked, never hearing the term before.
“A dragon who can cast spells with their flames. They’re said to be blessed and very rare,” replied the dragon.
“Right, whatever,” interrupted Aquilina, rolling her eyes. “You’re a magical talking dragon, but what the ruck does that have to do with our situation now?!”
“I think... mind you, I’m saying think,” I repeated, “could teleport all of us with my teleporting fire.”
“Have you ever done that?” asked Aquilina.
“No,” I answered, receiving dubious stares upon mentioning that. “But I think I can do it. I just need to concentrate!”
“So our only options are to try to flee out the windows, get killed by the slavers, or trust you to do something, that you’ve never done before, which could result in us getting killed! Great odds!” shouted one earth pony.
“You got a better idea?!” shouted Aquilina, growling at him which made him wince. “‘Cause Spike’s the only one who came to recuse our sorry butts! You wanna take a chance out there cause I can bet at least half of those who already swimming are dead by now.”
The earth pony muttered something, but stayed silent after. Aquilina nodded and turned to me. “Do it, Spike.”
I nodded and closed my eyes. I thought back to all the times Twilight helped me learn how to control my fire. All the lessons we had and the pride she held in me as I learned to control my power. I thought about her smile and heard her whispers of encouragement in my ears. I couldn’t fail them. I couldn’t fail her.
Summoning the flame, I pushed all the magic I held in me to make it strong enough to teleport us all. I thought of the only safe place in my mind that was nearby and took a deep breath while opening my eyes. Peewee’s fire wall came down as the slavers, including their minotaur leader, charged forward. I unleashed the flame as green and red and blue colors overcame my vision. There was shouting, screaming, and gasps as I felt my body thrown in all directions. My stomach tossed and turned and I swear I felt someone holding my claw as I felt my entire being stretched and squished at the same time.
Finally, I felt my head collided with something wooden and strong. The tossing and turning ended and there were shouts of surprise and curses in shock. I groaned as I tried to steady my eyes and found Rupert staring over me with confusion.
“Hey... Rupert... ready for work...” I whispered before I passed out.
***
My the time I woke up, I swore I felt like I was going to throw up. Moaning at the churning in my stomach, I slowly got up and shook my head, wondering if this was what it was like to have a hangover.
“Water, mate?”
“Thanks,” I whispered as I took a glass of water and drank it whole. Realizing that I wasn’t alone, I turned around and nearly gagged out the water upon seeing who it was and where I was. For the latter, I was in the attic of Rupert’s room, sitting on the bed opposite of the ones Aquilina claimed was hers. It was also night time judging for the fact that the moon was out. For the former, it turned out to be none other than the dragon I had spent all day trying to find. Marc gave me a smile and a salute as he leaned back on the chair he was using. “Oi there, kip well? Yeh had quite an adventure, laddie.”
I stared at him, wanting to yell and hug the guy at the same time. That’s when I realized something. “Aquilina! The others!”
“Woah, dozy down there, mate. They're fine. Yer fiery bird too. A few scraps and some burns, but nowt a smashing doctor can't fix. Yeh did smashing, Spike,” said Marc with a nod before sighing. “Of course, not everyone made it. Shame for those who died so young, but better death than slavery.”
He got up and put his claws on his hips. “So why don’t yeh tell me why yeh so keen on findin’ little old me?”
I gripped the sheets I was under and gulped. “I want to join the Red Lighting's. I want you to teach me what you did with that fight you saved me from. I... I want to grow stronger.”
“Yeh don't want to go gaffe? To Ponyville?” he asked, crossing his arms.
My eyes widened. “Y-you know who I am?”
Marc snorted and leaned down to see me eye to eye. “I knew who yeh were the moment I saw yeh, Spike Sparkle. Adopted Son on Princess Twilight Sparkle. I've done graft in Equestria before and saw yeh in the papers a few times. Yeh know Princess Celestia's got a big reward for yer return.”
I closed my eyes and sighed in defeat. After all this, I was going to be sent back home.
“But considering I don't fancy getting involved in politics I'm not going to bring ya back,” said Marc with a smile before the blue dragon winked. “Oh, almost forgot. Here.”
He tossed me a bulky brown bag that jingled when I caught it. I opened it and gasped to find it full of silver coins. “What is this?”
“The bounty reward. For all those slavers ya killed. Especially, their captain. Big wedge for that one,” replied Marc. He saw my shocked expression and answered, “That teleporting flame thingamijig ye did? It managed to bring ya back to Rupert's gaff, but it also caused the entire ship to go up in flames. Fire was so big ye 'd think a fire giant took a big shizz in the water.”
“... I... I killed them?” I asked as I felt my heart sink. I took a life. No, I took so many lives that day. All of them were horrible slavers, it was true, but I still killed them. I covered my eyes with my claws in an attempt to stop myself from crying, but it was already too late. I felt not only tears for the fact that I basically murdered but also felt sorrow for all the lives I tried to save but couldn’t. It was like I was unleashing everything I was feeling since I first stepped foot on this accursed island. I wanted, at the moment, to just go home.
A part of me expected Marc to tell me to get over it, but he instead sat down next to me and put his arm around me. I sniffed before looking up and I saw pity in his eyes. “I know. First time is always the hardest.” He then smiled. “The fact yeh 're crying shows that yeh aren't a monster nor are yeh messed up. It's okay.”
I nodded and took a few deep breaths. “So what happens now?”
“Well, y'r little stunt managed to spread across all of town and the guilds are thankful for yeh saving their members. It’s gonna be helpful for the Red Lightnings sooooo...” He then pulled something out of his coat and placed it in my claw. I gasped at what it was. It was a button with the Red Lighting symbol on it. “Congrats, mate. Ye 're the newest member of the guild.”
“R-really?” I asked with an open smile.
“Yup. Ye impressed me and, more importantly, ye impressed the guild. Even Aquilina was begging for ye to join, though don't tell her I told ye that,” replied Marc with a wink. “As for learning my fighting style? Yeh 're still too young to learn it. Grow up more and learn how to fight and survive and maybe in a few years yeh can learn. Gonna have to pay it with silver though. Remember, rule number one.”
“Nothing on Erebus is free,” I replied with a grin.
“Now ya getting it,” he replied with a grin. “See ya, mate!”
I watched as he left the room and stared back at the button. I was a member of the guild. Better yet, I was a member of the Big Four. I smiled thinking how I managed to accomplish my goal, but at a very high price and it was going to get harder from there. “I promise you, Mom. I’m gonna get stronger... and I’m going to fix this island and even Equestria one day. I promise.”
I laid back on the pillow and smiled before closing my eyes. My journey was just beginning and I needed all the rest I could for it.
***
Through trial and flames did he gain power
Through pain and hardship did he gain wisdom
Through friendship and allies did he gain fame
Through courage and determination did he gain his destiny
Marc left Rupert’s establishment after getting a mug of ale. He needed it after what he had learned tonight. Not only did Aquilina almost get herself sold into slavery like her mother, but the young dragon he had met on the docks not to long ago managed to pull on hell of a rescue. A lucky one at that. Even if he had the size to sneak aboard, a phoenix to assist him, and also the abilities of a Fire Caster it was still one hell of a lucky break to come out of there alive and with so many rescued. The Fire Caster ability was what really interested Marc. It was a rare breed to find in a dragon, one that could be a benefit for the Red Lightnings if he trained Spike well enough.
Aquilina had all but begged for Marc to let Spike join which wasn’t a surprise. Aquilina might be a rude little brat sometimes, but she wasn’t an ungrateful one and knew when to pay her debts. Marc was going to let him in anyway after his little stunt in saving all the little ones. It was daring and crazy, the kind of thing you needed to be in the Red Lightnings. Not to mention all the other guilds would be grateful for what Spike did and, in turn, would be grateful more to the Red Lightnings if he just so happened to be one.
Still, there was an even bigger reason that he had to let Spike in. One that had been planned for about a year now ever since that deer told him a small purple dragon from Equestria would seek to join his guild. One that he was to train if he proved himself in Marc’s eyes, and boy did he ever.
When they say never bet against a deer, they meant it.
“Is he well?” asked a voice from the shadows behind an ally. Turning around, Marc saw the cloaked buck with a short white blond mane appear with runes carved into his antlers. His eyes were giving that weird purple glow that all deer held from birth as a sign of their ability to see into the future.
“Aye, he's well. Little tyke is just crashin' after a bloody hard day,” replied Marc as he smirked. Leaning against a nearby lamp post, he crossed his arms. “Ye were right. A little purple dragon would come and impress me by saving one of me own. Guess ye deer folk really ‘r smashing at seeing the future, aye?”
“The future is always changing, but this had to happen. This was the best path he has to fight the Black Star and the darkness that is to come,” replied the deer, stoic in expression. “Do you agree to take him in, and train him as agreed?”
“Sure, mate. Deal is a deal, and a job is a job as they say. Ya got the brass?” asked Marc.
The deer’s horns glowed as a pouch of silver was handed over to Marc who began to count it one by one. “You can lose the accent you know. I know you’re just faking it, Ashwing.”
The blue dragon stopped before sighing and spoke with an accent that sounded not only more common, but noble as well. “Nothing gets past you deer, huh? Did your eyes tell you about me?”
“I know about you because every dragon in the world outside of the islands still speaks of your name with a cursed breath with a desire to piss on your grave,” replied the deer.
"Glad to see nothing has changed," replied Ashwing, bitterly. "Why are you doing this anyway? I thought you deer were suppose to be neural in everything?"
“It is true that I am not supposed to be here, but unlike my brothers and sisters I cannot stand aside and risk the worst happening. All I can do is use what sight I can see into helping things along the best hoped path. Even now, despite my efforts, the future still looks grim yet if the light can shine just a bit more it may be enough to save us all. My fellow deer would stand by, and let the world as we know it possibly end without intervention unless necessary, but I must do it now if there is to be anything worth saving.”
“What’s gonna happen? Some kind of war?” asked Ashwing, raising his eyebrow.
“A war to end all wars. A war that will put even the gods above in terror. This is a war where everyone will be effected and all must unite or all will fall. Even the afterlife will feel this effect of such a grand war,” replied the deer.
“And Spike’s the key to it?” asked Ashwing.
“He is a key to it. There are others that will play a part. But he will be the one to lead them or else all is lost,” replied the deer, staring at Ashwing. “You will play a part in this war as well.”
“No thanks,” replied Ashwing, shaking his head. “I choose my own destiny. Regardless of what the gods say.”
“You made that very clear when you made your choice long ago and ruined everything your father and others worked hard for.” Ashwing stopped and growled at the deer. “Was it worth it? Choosing her over all others?”
“Yes,” replied Ashwing, standing tall. “Yes, it was. Not that it mattered because she rejected me in the end. I sacrificed everything for her. I fought for her. Killed for her. And I...” He closed his eyes as a tear threatened to fall from his eye. It would do no good to think of her. Not after it's been so long. “It doesn’t matter. What I want will never be mine and nobody, not her will forgive me. I will never be forgiven and I will never go home.”
Home. The Dragon Lands. His clan and his family. How long had it been since he had seen them? His father all but disowned him after what happened. Any dragon outside of the Erebus Islands would kill him upon meeting him. This island was as much a prison as it was his home. All because he decided that one dragon meant more to him then his entire race.
And he would have to live with that forever.
“I’ll just train the kid like you asked. I don’t know what’s in my interest to do this. Besides the whole ‘save the world’ thing,” replied Ashwing as he counted his coin again.
The buck was silent before he answered, “Because when the call of the dragon lord comes, he will be the one to save the life of your sister, Ember.”
A coin of silver fell from Ashwing’s claw and fell onto the floor before a long silence.
The candle was slowly burning itself out, but Amadeus Blueblood hardly noticed. His focus was solely on the papers in front of him. It was well past the midnight hour, but Amadeus had slowly gotten used to the prospect of sleeping less and less. It was not healthy, but neither was having constant nightmares in your sleep. He snapped his quill and cursed. Not only at the accursed Tantabus that had been infesting his dreams since he first got it, but also Princess Luna for giving him such a plague. More than once, he had awakened half the household with his screaming from one nightmare or another. Even dreamless sleep potions were useless.
It was a miracle that he managed to stay on top of things here in Unicornia with the lack of sleep, but his will was stronger than most assumed for a stallion his age. He didn’t come this far to let a few bad dreams stop him from helping his family claim the legacy they should have had years ago, and rebuild Equestria from the state of decay it had become. He turned his gaze to the window to look upon the Capital of Unicornia, Polaris City, and wished this was the way Equestria was. It’s grand skyscrapers that could rival the buildings of Manehatten. The Cathedral of Light which shines even now from the burning flame of The First Queen. The Grand Library of Lexi, filled with the books of magics that Equestria dare not touch out of fear of “morality”. Grand schools of teaching. Barracks and forts for advance armies. Technology beyond anything they could have dream. Science and magic as one. And a society that followed a true principled vision set by their leaders which has stood still for thousands of years.
This was the vision for Equestria he had, but he would not deliver it.
He stared at the reports of his daughter, Majesty, and felt true pride in his heart. Unlike his useless son, his daughter was well on becoming a genius. She was already past learning her numbers and letters, and her magic was starting to come into fruition. There was great power in her. Power that could rival even Twilight Sparkle in her early years. Best of all, she was getting along well with Prince Silversteel, her future fiance. Their relationship was the key to his whole alliance with the royal family. After all, the chance to have an alicorn born from pure unicorn bloodline married into your family was almost too good to pass up.
This made them enemies, but Amadeus was already working on dealing with them. The rest of his family, from his brother to his nephews, were playing their part as well. The only problem was time, and it was thanks to Princess Luna he had a limited amount of it.
Eventually, his lack of sleep would cause him to lose his mind, or die as his condition got worse and worse. His very mind, the one thing he valued of himself, would fade and he would be no use to Majesty, and her destiny of becoming Queen. That was why he spent as many sleepless nights as possible to prepare for that dreaded outcome. Writing every possible plan his brother could follow should the worst happen to him.
Yet there was still too many possibilities to counter: The various nobles would would seek to ruin his house in fear of losing his power. The thought of Majesty not doing well enough, or going the wrong path. There was Flutter Pony resistance that was always a threat, seeking to free their kind from the camps. There was the strange order known as "The Brotherhood of Silence" whose members were taking an interest in his daughter. Thankfully, the bodyguards stopped them from doing anything but they did over hear them say she was the ‘one their lord spoke of’ but who this ‘lord’ was anybody’s guess. And the worst threat of it all was from Celestia and Luna.
The secret of his daughter was no longer a secret. While Celestia and Luna would never seek war, he feared assassins from them or the Royal Family in the Crystal Empire. Or even those who still fight and speak for Twilight Sparkle would hire mercenaries to take him and his family out.
Or maybe his lack of sleep was causing him to lose his mind.
He needed a means to guide his daughter well after he was no longer of use to her. He needed someone he could trust.
“You need somebody who can see into the future,” replied a raspy voice which made Amadeus Blueblood turn around in shock. Sitting on his bed, cloaked in red, was a buck with ruins on his antlers and held a dark red mane that covered half of his head. A slasher like grin formed from his face which only made Amadeus more freaked out as he stared into the glowing eye of the all seeing buck.
“Who are you?! What are you doing here?!” shouted Amadeus, hoping his guards would come.
“They aren’t coming,” replied the mysterious deer as he pulled out a bloody war knife with his flowing antlers. “I’m afraid I silenced them.”
“Impossible,” replied Amadeus, shaking his head. “Deer don’t kill.”
“I’m not like most of my brothers and sisters,” replied the buck as he telepathically opened the door revealing two dead unicorns with their throats slashed and their blood all over the door.
Amadeus slowly calmed down and stared at the intruder. “Well, you obviously aren’t here to kill me or else you would have done so. Who are you and what do you want?”
“My name is Nazo, and I want to help you,” replied the buck as he got up. “Let me save you some time and tell you that six years from now you’re going to lose your mind and a few months later you’ll be dead. I might be a year or two off, but your death is certain.”
“... and?” asked Amadeus, looking as if he was just told the time of day. “I already know this will happen.”
“Well, you see. You’re daughter is going to do some amazing things... things that I want to see happen. And if you aren’t around, well she might make certain choices that won’t make those amazing events happen... including being Queen of Equestria,” replied Nazo, making Amadeus narrow his eyes. “But, what are those choices I wonder? What needs to happen to make your little Majesty as bright as a star in the sky?”
“... what do you want?” asked Amadeus.
“The question is Amadeus Blueblood,” replied Nazo, staring into his eyes with a smile. “How much are you willing to let your daughter suffer to let your dream of your family ruling Equestria come to life?”
