When the time came, choices needed to be made. Consequences be damned. A series of short vignettes set in the Negotiationverse by Rated Pony
When the time came, choices needed to be made.
Consequences be damned.
These are a series of short vignettes set in the Negotiationverse by Rated Ponystar. Windows into events briefly mentioned throughout the long journey of Equestria’s tumultuous time on planet Earth. From their encounter with the humans to the war that followed, bear witness to the choices made and the ripples that nearly destroyed Equestria.
Carrot Top is one of many ponies who opposes the war and forceful conversion of humans but cannot speak out against it for fear of being ostracized by her peers. A chance encounter with her best friend changes all of that.
Carrot Top didn't recognize her home anymore.
Everything had changed the moment they had arrived on Earth, and she didn't like the changes. Not the fact that they were now sharing a new world with a different species mind you, that wasn't the problem.
Well, for Carrot Top, at least.
It was no secret that ponies weren't very comfortable with non-ponies, even if they could live here at one point.
Thankfully, Carrot managed to avoid all that paranoid nonsense thanks to being raised by a donkey stepfather. After her birth father left her mother for his mistress, Duran Keys had been there to comfort his neighbor. A year later, Carrot Top was calling Duran her new father, which was fine by her. Far as she was concerned, her step-dad was her birth father and not the flankhole who left them for some bitch in Las Pegasus.
Unlike her fellow ponies, Carrot happened to find other species quite enjoyable, and humans were no exception. They were a bit more violent than she expected and had a strange sense of taste when it came to humor. But her mother and stepfather had always told her not to judge others until she got to know them.
So that's what Carrot Top did.
During the early years of arriving here on Earth, exchange programs were made for ponies to visit various human lands and see their culture and people. When offered to see what human society was like for a year, Carrot Top signed up at once, along with her best friend Derpy Hooves and her daughter, Dinky.
It was quite an exciting experience, to say the least.
Carrot Top had worked in a carrot farm in California, where she learned a lot of new stuff that she later put into her own carrot farm when she got home. She even taught the human farmers a few new things and made a few new friends along the way.
There was Micky, an immigrant from South America who was saving money to become an engineer. Hopefully, he had finally earned his citizenship before starting his own business like he wanted to help send money back home.
Next was Alexander, a native Californian dating the head farmer's daughter and working there to impress him. She sadly never got to see their upcoming wedding but did send a gift before all contact with the outside world was closed.
And finally, Sally May, a transgender person who was one of the most stubborn people Carrot had ever met. Seriously, she could outmatch Applejack in that department. Still, she was a hearty girl who you couldn't help but get along with quickly.
The three were all sad to see Carrot leave, but the earth pony promised to visit them when she had the time.
At least, that was until this whole war started.
Now the humans she had become friends with were declared enemies that needed to become ponies for their own sake. If Sally May had heard someone say that to her, she would punch their lights out and put them in that one wrestling move she showed Carrot Top called the "Walls of Jericho."
Carrot Top honestly didn't know what to think about this war.
It all seemed wrong to her.
Was it really about saving humans who ponies were calling the most sinful thing alive since Changelings? Or was this about taking over their land with the excuse of turning them into ponies for their own good a cover-up?
Carrot Top might not have gotten a fancy education, but she was not dumb. There was more to this war than what they were being told in the papers. It stunk to high heavens, but Carrot Top kept her mouth shut.
Their "righteous crusade" had turned all of Ponyville into such a town of frenzied zealots it was mind-boggling to somepony like her who lived her whole life here.
Walking through the streets of Ponyville, Carrot Top passed through no less than six propaganda posters about joining or supporting the war effort. According to the big speeches given by the Princesses and Commander-General Shining Armor, the war was supposed to be over in a year. Only that turned out to be a bunch of ponyfeathers because the war was still going on, with the news reporting nothing but the war.
Celebrations were common to see whenever there were reports for victories. Days of mourning were just as prominent when casualty reports came in. Carrot Top had been to more funerals she'd liked and had to comfort her neighbors who had lost their sons, daughters, fathers, wives, and so on when they came home in a pine box.
Although, there were times when the box was merely empty. Just a photo and some flowers inside, along with any possessions of the deceased.
While Equestria did everything to bring the dead back home, sometimes they had to leave the bodies behind, and sometimes there wasn't anything left to send back. The only groups of ponies who seemed happy all the time were the owners of the Happy Farewells Funeral Home in town.
The saddest funerals Carrot Top had been to was Big Macintosh's, and later his wife when she died of a broken heart. Everypony in town came for those two's farewells. Carrot Top would be the first to admit she didn't like Applejack that much for numerous reasons, but even she didn't deserve to lose her brother and sister-in-law like that.
She was just lucky she didn't have to worry about her own parents since they had left Equestria long ago to retire to Moodrid. I wonder if they got my letter about Equestria leaving for this world before we left? I hope we go back someday.
Still, even with her sympathies, Carrot felt like Ponyville had changed for the worse thanks to the war.
There used to be social events, gatherings, market days, and having fun in the seasons while working hard to pay for your family. Now it was all about supporting the war, patriotism, and praying to the princesses that their soldiers would come home safe.
Carrot had to roll her eyes at that one.
She never once believed that the princesses were gods but had to pretend to while growing up. Nowadays, being declared a "heretic" is a social death sentence. She preferred that new age spiritual stuff that Alexander was into back in California. It seemed more relaxing and less strict.
"Hey, Carrot Top?" The carrot farm paused and turned around to see Bon Bon walking over with a basket of her famous namesake on her back. Carrot Top quickly gave her best smile possible, but deep down, she really didn't want to talk to Bon-Bon of all ponies today. "Want a treat? I'm giving them away since I made too many."
"Oh, thanks, but I'm trying to cut down on sweets to lose weight," Carrot Top lied, which made Bon-Bon shrug. "Oh, um, are you doing okay?"
"I'm fine...," Bon Bon said, but her tone could barely hide the rage and sorrow behind it. "Just fine."
Yeah, right, Carrot Top thought in her head with an internal snort. If the rumors going around were true, Bon-Bon was still drinking and punching her wall in a mess. I guess that's what happens when your best friend, and secret crush, is declared a traitor for starting a rebellion against Equestria by proclaiming it's wrong to fight against the humans.
It honestly was a shock even to Carrot Top when Lyra proclaimed the Royal Family was wrong to try and enforce genocide on the humans. What was even more shocking was how many ponies joined her.
There were even rumors that Flash Sentry, who Princess Twilight was once dating, had joined them after breaking up. There was always news about the "traitors" who were being hunted down and held in jails. Some were just sentenced for life, while others got executed—something Equestria hadn't seen in a long time. Meanwhile, the resistance was causing "terrorist" actions such as cutting supply chains, ruining labs that were making potions for the war, and sometimes outright stealing equipment.
The biggest impact they had was the radio and published statements they were putting out for all to listen and read. Mostly about how Celesia and her followers were monsters for trying to destroy a species and were seeking to wipe humanity out and replace them with brainwashed Newfoals.
Then again, the Newfoals are a bit...weird.
Many ponies who were friends with Lyra took it hard when she started her rebellion, but none more than Bon-Bon. Everypony knew had a crush on the unicorn.
Well, all but the lyre player herself.
Nopony even dared mention her name anymore, unless it was in a curse, but especially near Bon-Bon. Every time she heard Lyra's name, the candy maker would break the nearest object before leaving in a rampage. There was even one time she broke all the limbs of a pony who made a joke about her and Lyra.
No pony had learned more about humans or gone to see what they were really like than Lyra. When she returned from her journeys and published her book, Lyra would talk about how unique and different humanity was from any species she had seen. She spoke of them as if they were paragons to be admired and respected, despite their flaws and issues.
Alas, most ponies were more afraid of them than anything. Lyra believed there was much Equestria could learn from them. Now she was a wanted mare with a "Dead or Alive" order on her head.
"Well, I better get going. I'm going to see Derpy for a visit," Carrot Top said with a nod. "See ya, Bon-Bon."
"Goodbye," Bon-Bon replied before making her way down the street.
Once Carrot Top was sure the mare was out of eyesight did Carrot Top relax. She didn't know why, but recently she had gotten the feeling that Bon-Bon was a lot more dangerous than she looked. Or I'm still unnerved by how badly she beat up that guy. Seriously, I didn't know she knew how to fight like that. It almost looked like Dinky's close-range combat training she showed us one time on leave.
It didn't take long for Carrot to arrive at the Hooves household, where she knocked on the door. The sound of crashing and broken objects occurred soon after, but this was normal to hear each time Carrot visited, so the sounds didn't phase her. A few minutes later, the familiar cross-eyed pegasus gazed upon Carrot Top in surprise. "C-Carrot? What are you doing here?"
"Just thought I'd come to visit," Carrot said as she tried to step inside, but Derpy blocked her while smiling sheepishly. It made her suspicious, but she decided to hold back from saying anything. "You've been busy these past two weeks. They have you working hard at the post office?"
"Y-Yeah! The war is just making every mailpony busy these days," Derpy said with a nervous smile that tried to hide the worried expression in her eyes. Carrot Top raised her eyebrow. Even if she weren't Derpy's best friend and knew her from their fillyhood days, she would be able to tell that the mare was hiding something.
"Well, mind if I come in? We could have some tea and chat."
"O-O-Oh, this is a bad time! I'm...uh...having problems with my toilet! I think it's backed up!" Derpy said.
"Oh, then I'll go get Leaky Pipes," Carrot said with a smile. "He should be free today."
"Um, I also have a giant rat problem?"
"I'm sure Fluttershy will be more than happy to lead a hoof and help them find a new home in her animal shelter."
"...The TV is broken?"
"Oh, for crying out loud, Mom. Just let Aunt Carrot in."
Sighing, Derpy opened the door fully for Carrot Top to walk inside. She paused upon seeing that, in the living room of the Hooves family, were a bunch of bags and suitcases filled with clothes and belongings. Next to them was Private Dinky Doo, Derpy's daughter who had recently resigned from the Royal Guard due to her mother's growing "health concerns."
Considering that Derpy had her eye problem and the clumsiness that it brought, Carrot guessed the inspectors decided it wasn't worth a full investigation and granted it. Even though Carrot Top knew her friend was a fit as a fiddle.
Looking at the bags, Carrot asked, "Are you going on a trip?"
"Kinda?" Derpy replied as she shut the door. "Um, we're going on a long trip."
"I see," Carrot Top said before looking at Dinky, who was eyeing Carrot suspiciously, which was a surprise. Carrot Top had babysat Dinky ever since she was a foal and helped raise her as a second mother to the point that Dinky called her "Aunt." She was even Dinky's godmother in the event something happened to Derpy. Yet, she was looking at Carrot as if she might have to take her down with her guard training. "And where are you going?"
"Um...west," Derpy answered.
"How far west?"
"Very far west!"
Suspicious, Carrot Top decided to look around some more before her nose picked something up. A familiar smell that took her a few moments to pick up in her mind before it clicked.
"Do I smell gasoline?" Before the others could say anything, she walked over to the closet, where the smell was most potent, and opened it up. Carrot's jaw dropped upon seeing just how many canisters were there. Enough to burn not just this entire house down but maybe the whole corner of the block.
Turning her head, she glared at the two nervous ponies. "Okay, explain. Now."
Things were silent before Dinky turned to her mother and sighed, "Should we tell her?"
"Muffin, Carrot's part of this family," Derpy whispered before shaking her head. "It's only fair that she knows. Besides, I don't think she'll sell us out..."
"Sell you out?" Carrot Top asked.
Dinky took a deep breath and said something that made Carrot Top freeze in place. "We're part of the resistance, Auntie Carrot Top."
"...You still got that cider from last month, Derpy?" Carrot asked.
"Yeah, why?" Derpy asked.
"Because I think I need it."
***
Carrot Top took another long gulp as the buzz started kicking in before looking at the nervous mother and daughter duo.
They had remained silent, looking down both in shame and concern the whole time. Honestly, Carrot had so many questions, but she needed a drink to calm herself down, or she might have said or done something irrational. The whole thing made no sense because Carrot had no hint of the two even once supporting Lyra's rebellion.
Sure, Carrot knew they were sympathetic to the humans. In fact, they had just as good a time as Carrot Top did when they went with her.
In truth, it was more for Dinky's sake than anything.
Her best friend, Pipsqueak, had tragically died in an accident, and she took his death hard. For a while, leaving for the human world was Derpy's idea of helping her daughter heal from the loss. While Derpy did her best working as a mailpony for the US Postal Service in the town they were in, Dinky didn't know what to do until she met a friend who helped her.
A human by the name of Tom Morris, who was an independent musician and owned his music store in his spare time, was the one who ultimately helped Dinky move on. He also had lost his parents in an accident and used music to help deal with his pain. Dinky had learned how to use the guitar and her voice from him while working shifts at his store as payment. Carrot even thought Dinky might have developed a crush on the human, but she assured them that they were just friends.
When they returned to Equestria, Dinky continued to play the guitar and kept in contact with Tom, even after she joined the Royal Guard like her father did when he was alive. That was until the order of Princess Celestia cut off all communication, and Equestria eventually declared war on Earth. Thankfully, Dinky was never posted in any actual battles and was just stationed in Canterlot to keep the peace until she resigned.
"So," Carrot started as she pushed her drink away, "since when did you two join the resistance?"
"Last year, for me," Dinky answered before nodding to her mother. "Mom joined only a few months ago. I've been giving the resistance information that I heard from the guard, and they hand it over to the humans. I want to think that I saved some lives while doing so. I felt they were getting suspicious of me, so I left the guard under the excuse of needing to take care of mom since she was getting older. I maybe have also lied that her sight was getting worse to help sweeten the act."
"And I've just been delivering messages to various resistance members and groups," Derpy admitted with a shrug and smile. "Nopony suspects me because of my eyes."
"And the reason you wanted to join was because?" Carrot asked, eyebrow raised.
"Because what the princesses are doing is wrong!" Derpy said out loud as she slammed her hoof on the table. It was rare to see Derpy ever angry, but it was also one of the few times her eyes were ever straight.
"Carrot, you've been to the human lands with the rest of us. You know that what Celestia is saying about them isn't true. They've been nothing but sweet and kind to us when we got there. They didn't make fun of my eyes but found them cute and charming. They helped Dinky get over her loss of...Pipsqueak." Derpy quickly placed a hoof on her daughter's shoulder, who gave a small smile back. "And we had so much fun there. I was even thinking of moving there until the war started. I heard reports about how bad the war was for humans, and I just kept thinking about all the friends we made ending up dead or forced into one of those Newfoals."
Derpy shivered as Dinky took over.
"Not to mention this goes against everything we were raised to believe. Equestria is supposed to be the beacon of friendship. Yet, when we come to a race that needs it the most, we just give up after a few years and decide the best way to help them is to force them to become something they don't want to be? I'm not saying that humans are angels, I've seen bad ones too, but that's not our place to decide who lives, dies, or turns into something else." Dinky growled and looked down in disgust.
"Not to mention how we've been treating others who even had the slightest difference of opinion. All those non-ponies that Celestia rounded up for trying to cause a rebellion? That was only a small handful of them, and the rest were just victims of her fear of losing control over everyone's mind. I've seen the camps they're forced to live in, and they're atrocious. Combined with all the zealous propaganda and frenzy nationalism? We're becoming a totalitarian state that's no different from the human's past Nazi Germany, USSR Communist Russia, or the current Kim Dynasty in North Korea. Yet we're too blind to see it because we're so convinced we can't do anything wrong due to our past victories against beings like Discord or Tirek."
"...So what's with all the gas canisters?" Carrot Top asked, sipping her drink a bit more.
"We're going to fake our deaths," Dinky answered, which nearly made Carrot Top choke on her drink as Derpy patted her back. "Things are getting hairy for the resistance. Princess Celestia is already planning more public executions of captured resistance membrers in Canterlot next week. So Lyra's gotten in contact with the U.N. to agree to help give us and others shelter in exchange for our help against Equestria."
"You... You're going to go fight for the humans?" Carrot Top said in surprise.
"We are, and we know what that means," Derpy said, sighing as she lowered her head. "It means we might never come back to Equestria again. Or we might end up dead."
"Have you thought-"
"We have," Derpy said with conviction. "Carrot, what was the one thing my husband believed in most?"
"Justice," Carrot Top answered at once. Strong Fight had been perhaps the one stallion in all of Equestria that treated Derpy right instead of an easy lay like many past boyfriends had tried. He was patient, understanding, and kind to Derpy while finding her eyes adorable to the point that he often called her "bright eyes" as a nickname. Even when she got pregnant due to one passionate evening, did he not abandon her. Instead, he married her just as he was joining the Royal Guard. Not unlike her parents, who kicked her out when she refused to get an abortion.
Strong Fight had always believed in justice and wanted to be a hero defending the innocent from the guilty.
Unfortunately, not every guard was a righteous member as Strong Fight's commanding officer was guilty of numerous crimes, including corruption. Despite the threats, Strong Fight exposed his superior, which led to his arrest, but a price was paid when Strong Fight was found dead one evening with his throat slashed from ear to ear. Derpy nearly fell apart at that point but continued to be strong for the sake of her newborn daughter.
"My father risked his life to do the right thing, even at the cost of his life," Dinky whispered, closing her eyes as a tear dripped down her cheek. "How can I, his daughter, not do the same thing when I see an injustice before me."
"And I would never let my Muffin do this without me," Derpy said, smiling as she nuzzled her daughter. "We're family. And we're doing this together to whatever end may come."
"And you were going to leave me behind?" Carrot Top asked, biting her lip.
The thought of Derpy and Dinky being dead without her knowing the truth would have been heartbreaking. Depry had been her fillyhood friend all her life. They grew up together with so many fond memories that Carrot would never trade them for even the biggest farm in the world. And she was there when Dinky was born, holding her not long after Derpy had where she stared at the little unicorn with such a cute smile it melted Carrot's heart.
She defended them from bullies all the time because of Derpy's eyes or Dinky's lack of a father figure. She made sure they were never separated even when child services believed Derpy was unfit to be a mother. And during the numerous crises they had from Nightmare Moon to Tirek, she had been prepared for it all to end so long as the three of them were together.
"Am I not your family too?"
"Of course you are, Carrot!" Derpy cried out as she rushed over and hugged her best friend. Sobbing, she whispered, "I wanted to tell you. We really did. But we were just afraid of...well..."
"We didn't think you would rat us out, but we didn't want you to get involved in this and be in danger," Dinky said, standing up. "It was hard enough for both of us to realize that we would be saying goodbye to so many ponies we knew and possibly have to fight them. The idea of risking you by telling you the truth..."
Wiping her tears, Carrot took a deep breath and started to think for a moment. "Out of curiosity, how do you plan on faking your deaths?"
"Well, the plan is to burn the house and teleport out of Equestria with some help from Discord," Dinky explained.
"Discord?! He's involved with the resistance?!" Carrot Top shouted in surprise. "Why would he...wait a minute... don't tell me."
"Fluttershy's joined us too," Derpy answered with a beaming smile. "She's only just recently joined, but with her on our side, it prevents the Elements of Harmony from being used in the war. Not to mention it would be a major PR blow to the war effort if one of the Elements, Kindness no less, was against the war and fighting for humanity. Discord, being her best friend, is joining her as well. In fact, he's been a big boon in helping us prepare for our big escape into the ocean."
"Wow..." Carrot Top whistled before chuckling. "The princesses are going to have a heart attack if they find out about this. So, was that it? Just make a fire and hope that everypony thinks you died?"
"Actually, to help with the proof, Discord's made a few realistic dummies out of our bodies that he's supposed to bring," Dinky explained. "They'll be used as a means to fool ponies into thinking we died in the fire. By the time everypony learns that we're not dead, we'll be long gone from Equestria."
"How realistic are these dummies?" Carrot Top asked.
"They've been used a few times to help fake a few resistance member's deaths," Dinky continued before grinning. "You remember Vinyl's Scratch's open casket funeral?"
Carrot Top's eyes widened. Everypony thought that Vinyl had died by breaking her neck from tripping on the stairs. Octavia had screamed for help when she returned to their house and found her, but she was announced dead soon after. Carrot had paid her respects to the corpse multiple times at the wake and funeral and even left flowers on the chest. If that was really a fake dummy, it was a really convincing one since it looked as accurate as the actual Vinyl Scratch.
"Wow, I guess it is a full proof plan...save for one thing," Carrot Top said as she finished her drink.
"What's that?" Derpy asked.
"You're going to need three fake bodies," Carrot Top said as she made up her mind and grinned. "One for you, one for Dinky, and one for me."
Both Derpy and Dinky's mouths dropped in shock upon hearing this. "A-Aunt Carrot, you mean-"
"You think I'm going to let you two go off and play rebel fighters without me? Come on," Carrot Top said as she hugged the two. "You two are my family. You're not going anywhere without me. Plus, I do think you are right. What Equestria is doing is wrong. I might not be a fighter, but I can cook. And an army is going to need somepony to help feed the hungry bellies if we're going to kick alicorn butt."
The two soon smiled while shedding tears as they hugged her back as tightly as possible.
***
"...And so, we ask Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, Princess Cadence, and even young Princess Flurry Heart to accept these lost souls into their embrace as they guide them to the heavily field of Elysium," A priest in black robes from the Church of Harmony stated to a gathering crowd of mourners in Ponyville Cemetery.
Many were friends of the deceased or co-workers who were shocked and heartbroken upon hearing the terrible news.
"May they know the grace of thy eternal harmony and know the everlasting peace you promise us upon our end. Though death has taken them, we shall remember them. Though their lives have ended, we will celebrate what they accomplished. And although we send them into the dirt to sleep forevermore, we shall always keep them in our hearts. Rest in harmony, our lost three souls who know no pain, suffering, or sickness. Rest in peace, Derpy Hooves, beloved mother, Dinky Doo Hooves, beloved daughter, and Carrot Top, beloved friend. Amen."
"Amen," the crowd muttered.
Three closed caskets covered in flowers and funeral wreaths lay ready to be sent into the Earth as they carried the burned remains of Derpy Hooves, Dinky Doo, and Carrot Top. The fire had consumed most of their flesh, rendering them little more than burned husks that not even magic could make presentable for an open casket service.
Funeral wreaths displayed pictures of the deceased on stands next to each casket. Around them were a few cards that wished them a fond farewell into the afterlife and a few gifts.
For Derpy, her co-workers had nearly placed her work uniform and hat. Dinky's had a medal and a few pictures of her and her comrades in the guard. Carrot Top had every fruit and vegetable placed around hers from the various farmers in Ponyville to honor one of their own.
One by one, the attendees paid their final respects, and placed flowers on the caskets before the undertakers sent them deep below into the Earth. Once it was done, they soon left for the memorial party that Pinkie Pie had planned afterward. Each not knowing that the three so-called deceased were currently hiding out and waiting for the time to head over to the human lands to continue the fight for justice.
The war with humanity has begun, and Fluttershy's defection early on will serve as the catalyst for Equestria's unconditional surrender.
The smell of salt and brine tickled Fluttershy’s nose as harsh waves rocked the pitiful dinghy of a boat she was on. It was a humble vessel, the Jumbo Shrimp as it was ironically named. Seaworthy but undeniably cramped. It was all that they, the Resistance, could find on such short notice when it came to escaping Equestria by way of water.
Equestria.
The only home Fluttershy had ever known was far off in the distance, an ever shrinking island of blind hope and misplaced trust. Even now she could still see the apple fields of Ponyville, smell the clean air of Cloudsdale and hear the sounds of Canterlot’s bustle in her mind’s eye. She and her friends have saved it time and time again, and in defecting to humanity she hopes to save it again before it’s too late.
"I'm sorry? What was that?" replied Twilight, removing her protective goggles.
"I said are you sure that this potion is a good idea?" Fluttershy repeated. Twilight gawked at her like she had suddenly grown two heads
"Of course it's a good idea, Fluttershy. Look at this." Twilight presented the potion to all her friends. The glowing fluid was housed in a conical flask, it sloshed viscously against the glass wall like maple syrup. "Princess Celestia helped to formulate it. This potion will be the key to humanity's salvation! With it we'll be able to curb their sinful nature, allowing them to live lives of true happiness as one of us. Imagine it, no more wars, trivial disputes or even hate. Just harmony in all things."
"Well, shoot," Applejack sounded impressed, adjusting her stetson. "All I have to say is, when can you start mass producing that miracle juice?"
"We're not quite at that stage yet, but you can bet the farm it'll be soon," replied Twilight.
"Do you think they'll go through the transformation willingly? The humans I mean," Rarity inquired, looking unsure.
"I know so. In fact, we've already gotten a few volunteers to help with testing already."
"Pfft, they'd be foalish to think about passing this up," commented Rainbow, cracking her cocky grin. "I mean, come on. What could be better than being like me?"
Once upon a time the very notion of abandoning Equestria to the fates was beyond her comprehension.
Equestria was a land of peace and prosperity. A place where everypony could live in comfortable harmony, free from trouble and filled to the brim with wonder and opportunity. A pony could live their entire life from birth to the grave content in all things. Equestria was perfection made manifest, warmed by the light of Princess Celestia’s radiant sun. It seemed nothing could shatter its utopian visage. That was until they arrived on Earth and the cracks of the supposed utopia began to show.
It seemed so simple at first. Set up the bureaus and convert humanity into ponies to save them from themselves. After all, they were already on the brink of destruction by the time they had arrived. Depleted resources, overpopulation and hazardous pollution were only a few of the issues that plagued the planet. Humanity was slow to learn and quick to anger. One wrong move and the world could’ve been plunged into a nuclear holocaust at the push of a button. The potion was the solution to end all human suffering.
But they refused.
Not all of them, but the vast majority had made their position clear as crystal.
War was the last thing on Fluttershy’s mind when the call had been made. It was one thing to coerce humanity into becoming newfoals, it was another to force them into it.
The choice had been made and humanity had no say in the matter.
She couldn’t believe it when the news reached her cottage. The cacophonous cries for war were loud and it deeply disturbed her just how ready her friends, family and neighbors were willing to force their judgement and beliefs onto another race without even trying to understand them. Granted she couldn’t blame anypony for abhorring humans and their failings but that didn’t excuse ponies for believing they were superior by comparison.
"Humanity has made it's choice," Celestia's staticky voice hissed over the radio. "They have spurned our gift and now it has become our solemn duty to shepperd them into a glorious new age of peace and prosperity. Hate them not for what they are, but love them for what they will become: one of us. I ask you all, my little ponies, to take take part in this short war and ensure them the golden future that has been denied to them time and time again because of their own folly.
Though the barrier continues to expand, we still need the aid of strong able bodied individuals to help with the war effort. Visit your local guard recruitment station today and become the heroes you were always meant to be; for your loved ones, for your neighbors, for Equestria. Victory is all but assured. It is not a matter of if we win, but rather whe-"
Rainbow turn the knob of the radio and shut it off, a scowl plastered on her face. She was at Sugarcube Corner with her friends. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut at it with a knife.
"War! Can you believe this?!" She bellowed angrily, slamming an hoof onto the table. "We give them the greatest thing on this planet since sliced bread and those monkeys throw it back in our faces! Buncha ungrateful jerks, the whole lot of them!"
"Calm down, Rainbow. I'm just as mad as you are but that doesn't mean you can go around hitting things" grumbled Twilight.
"I can't say I share that sentiment, Twilight," said Applejack. "This is an outrage. We're doing everything right, why are they acting like we're wrong? I just plum don't get it."
"...You guys don't think war is taking things too far, do you?" Fluttershy asked.
"Bah! They asked for it when they wanted to remain smelly hateful animals," huffed Rainbow.
"But we started it," Pinkie retorted.
"That's quite true. This all feels a tad too hasty for my taste," added Rarity.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing, girls. Don't tell me you're actually against this?" Twilight rebuked.
"I just... have a bad feeling," replied Fluttershy.
"Well, what's the point in arguing," said Rainbow. "The barrier's already overtaken that Old Zealand place or whatever and Asia is next. You heard Celestia. It's only a matter of time before we win. Human's will have to decide whether they want to lose gracefully or be dragged kicking and screaming towards defeat. I bet my left wing this'll all blow over by next Hearth's Warming Eve. By then we'll all be sipping some hot cider in paradise."
For months the war effort cloaked her like a clammy cowl.
Manufacturers were being pushed to their very limits churning out goods at an alarming rate. Rationing had been instated, food and raw materials were prioritized for the Equestrian military. Mandatory services like labor or tribute were expected when they were demanded, refusal to adhere to the mandate was punishable by jail time or worse. Posters urging young stallions and mares to join the army were plastered across every building in town.
Recruitment officers had become a common sight and you couldn’t walk five steps without having some blatant anti-human propaganda being screeched at you through the mouth of some very enthusiastic ponies.
It was all so very vocal and difficult to ignore, but those problems were superficial at best and irritating at worst.
Fluttershy mainly kept her opinions of the war to herself fearful that voicing them would make her a pariah among the community, forcing her to walk on eggshells almost every single day. After all, she was one of the faces of Equestria. It would be terrible for morale if one of the Elements of Harmony were staunchly opposed to the war.
Eventually however, the mounting frustrations of wartime patriotism and devoted fanaticism had reached its boiling point when she had been used as propaganda to rally the troops.
Fight for Equestria!
The poster said.
Just as the Elements of Harmony do!
The thought of her image being used to bolster enlistment in the continuing effort to perpetuate genocide was the figurative straw that broke the camel's back.
Fluttershy had been against the war from the very start, against the forceful conversion of humans on a planet that wasn't their own. She became outspoken on her thoughts, trying her hardest to persuade everyone to cease this folly. But her cries fell upon deaf ears.
Her friends didn't listen.
Humanity brought this upon themselves, they said.
Her family didn't listen.
Humans couldn't be reasoned with, they said.
Her neighbors didn't listen.
Humans deserved to be turned, they said.
Fortunately, when things appeared at its bleakest, Lyra Heartstrings was the one to lend an ear to Fluttershy when she needed it the most.
The peculiar unicorn had always held a soft spot for humanity, causing her to be ostracized by the community at large. She was one of the few ponies who could see past humanity's warlike nature and grasp the untapped potential they possessed. Together with like minded ponies, she had formed a resistance that strove to find a balance between human and pony.
When the offer finally came to join and defect, Fluttershy didn't think twice.
Fluttershy's friends watched in stunned silence as she prepared to leave Equestria. They'd all gathered at her cottage curious in what she had to say to them. Of all the things they expected to come out of her mouth it came as a shock when she announced that she had joined the Resistance and planned on leaving that very night.
"No..." Pinkie Pie whined, her hair flattening out. "No, no, no, no, no..."
"I can't believe this," Twilight's voice cracked and she was on the verge of tears. "I expect this kind of behavior from that freak, Lyra, but you, Fluttershy? One of my best friends?"
"I'm sorry, Twilight," replied Fluttershy, packing what little luggage she needed into her saddlebags and motioned for Angel to come along. The little rabbit complied, crawling into one of the saddlebags and nestling himself amongst her belongings. "I've tried to change your mind. I tried so hard, but the fact of the matter is that you never wanted to listen to what I had to say, because it went against everything we believed in, against what Celestia wants."
"Do you have the slightest idea what you're doing or even the sheer magnitude of this moronic decision?!" Twilight snapped, taking a step forward.
Rarity spoke hesitantly, voice wavering, "Fluttershy, d-dear. T-this is treason! Betrayal! This is the kind of crime that warrants execution!"
"I know," Fluttershy's voice was soft but resolute. "The only reason I'm even telling you about this is because I needed to make my convictions clear. I owe you all that much, at the very least."
"After everything we've been through together, all you've done for Equestria, this is how you repay those years of hardships? By siding with the enemy!" Rainbow roared, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "How could you?!"
"Because we're in the wrong," Fluttershy finally admitted as her own tears began to flow. "This isn't right, any of this. What we're doing, turning humans into newfoals against their will, it goes against nature."
"Nature? Is that what this is all about?!" Twilight seethed, her emotions straddling the line between fury and outright denial. "You can't be serious. Nature is the very reason we're even doing this! Human nature in general is vile and self destructive! We're not the bad guys in this war!"
"This is all that Lyra's fault, isn't it?" Applejack did her best to remain calm but couldn't hide the venom in her voice. "That monkey loving traitor filled your head with all this sympathetic humanist hogwash, just like she did my cousin Braeburn. Fluttershy, please, put your saddlebag down and we'll talk about this. You're just confused-"
"I know what I'm doing!" Fluttershy raged, causing her friends to recoil. "Do you?!" The question caught everyone off guard. "Everyday I see the home that I once loved descend deeper and deeper into a self righteous pit so deep ponies don't even know what's right or wrong anymore! No more... I've made my choice. I'm defecting."
"Like hell you are!" Rainbow growled and took up an aggressive stance. "Friend or not, Fluttershy, there's no way we're letting you leave and help those dirty humans! Either stay put or we'll make you!"
"I'm not asking," Fluttershy muttered.
"Well, neither am I!" Rainbow lunged forward in the blink of an eye, determined to tackle Fluttershy to the ground and make her see reason, maybe break her wings if it came down to it so she couldn't fly away. But she suddenly stopped in mid-air, floating helplessly as a mischievous chuckle rung out in the silence.
"Oh, no. This will not do, not do at all," Discord quipped as the mercurial draconequus blinked into existence with his toothy grin on display. "Hello, every pony!"
"Discord!" Twilight gasped.
"And goodbye!"
With a snap of his fingers, both he and Fluttershy vanished into thin air, leaving behind a gaggle of speechless ponies and Rainbow Dash to fall flat on her face as gravity set itself in for her.
"...Buck," Rainbow grumbled, standing up and bucking the nearest piece of furniture in anger. "Buck! Buck! Buck! Buck!" she cursed, smashing lamps, windows and chairs in a frenzied state. "She's gone! She's gone and she going to join up with those human bastards along with the rest of the Resistance! Buck! Buck! Buck!"
"Worse, it looks like Discord is coming with her," Applejack grimaced, her face growing pale at the thought of Discord offering chaotic magical aid to the opposition.
"...Find them," Twilight started, her expression downcast. "Find them before they leave! We cannot let them escape Equestria! This is a priority emergency! Get every available pony looking for them before it's too late!"
"W-where are we supposed to look?" Pinkie asked. "They could be anywhere!"
"...The ports," said Twilight, realization dawning upon her. "Discord isn't strong enough teleport the entire Resistance across the ocean. They need a ship."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on!" Applejack bellowed, kicking up dust as she bolted for the doorway with every pony else following suit.
And that was the last time she saw her friends before setting sail with the Resistance. By the time the posse had arrived at the nearest port their ship was already long gone into the night, far away from Equestria and the eventual carnage that would follow in the ensuing years.
It has been close to twelve hours since her defections and the recent memory of leaving her friends caused her to cry again, salting the oceans with her tears. But she had to remain strong, no matter how much her heart ached.
"Every pony!" Lyra called from the bow, pointing to the massive gray blobs rapidly closing in from the horizon. "Look alive, it's the U.N. ships, just like I said! Grab your things. We'll be boarding soon!"
Wiping away her tears, Fluttershy grabbed her things and prepared to board another vessel. Discord and Angel were nearby, watching her with sympathetic eyes. Taking a deep breath, she hauled up her saddlebag and straighten herself out.
The remnants of other races living in Equestria have hijacked ships and are heading to foreign waters. Their hope sinks along with them as they are sunk by Equestrian fire.
The last of the cows had boarded the Ark, a massive cargo vessel, mere moments before it raised anchor and set sail into the horizon, towards freedom from a country slowly failing apart at the seams. It was one of few ships stolen by non-ponies in order to escape Equestria. The complete remnant of Equestria's minority races were all crammed onto those ships. The entirety of the diamond dogs, cows, mules, along with a few scant ponies here and there were all huddled together in shivering masses, chilled by the salty breeze of the ocean air as their escape caught the watchful eyes of the Equestrian 48th Naval Brigade and their warships.
This was defection, plain as day.
Captain Parabola and his small fleet of ships watched with uncertainty as the vessels made its way across the waters. Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of the ships they were still within firing range of the brigade's ballistae. They were already armed and ready to go, all the captain had to do was give the go ahead and let loose the bolt. A single shot to the hull was all that was needed to sink the ships and condemn every passenger aboard to a watery grave.
Orders from up top have made it clear that even the slightest hint of rebellion needed to be nipped in the bud as quickly and as quietly as possible. The entire debacle with Fluttershy, the former Element of Harmony, and the Resistance had put Equestria on a state of high alert. Paranoia, more like. The very idea that your friends or neighbors could be in league with the enemy, or at the very least sympathetic, put ponies on edge and was detrimental to the war effort.
Martial law had since been instated due to their treachery and the country has been paying for it ever since. Nopony was allowed after dark anymore and full transparency needed to be made clear with the local constabulary lest they fall under the purview of the Equestrian secret service. Rumors of ponies disappearing or suddenly changing their tune whenever the secret service were involved were frightfully plentiful.
Each day small signs of resistance were being stamped out left and right. Daily checks within common households were made in order to ensure that members of the populace weren't human sympathizers or anti-war dissenter. Ratting out your neighbors to the authorities was not only encouraged but was often rewarded with a hefty sum of bits from the government as well. This had undoubtedly bred a culture of fear and paranoia that would end up with the vast majority of the pony population being either fully devoted to the Equestrian ideal or cowed into silent submission.
It was this thought that made Captain Parabola hesitant to give the order to sink the defectors, for he himself was a dissenter. He was among the silent minority that were opposed to the war but couldn't speak lest he or his loved one fall prey to the jaws of the secret service. He couldn't in good conscience order the ships destruction.
"Sir?" a voice snapped Parabola out of his thoughts.
"Yes, Sergeant Fling?" Parabola replied turning his gaze to the hefty sergeant.
"I was asking if you would give us the order to fire on the ships," said Sergeant Fling.
"...In a moment, this is a delicate situation. I need to collect my thoughts."
"With all due respect sir, the ships are getting away!" Sergeant Fling raised his voice. "It's full of defectors. Our job is to ensure that another Fluttershy incident never happens again! Are you aware that one slip up in security is the reason this war has turned in the favor of the enemy?!"
"I'm well aware of that fact, sergeant!" Captain Parabola snapped, getting up into Fling's face. "But are you also aware that I am the one in charge of this brigade, not you. I give the orders whether or not we fire!"
"...I knew it," Sergeant Fling chuckled humorlessly. "I knew it."
"Knew what, sergeant?"
"I've always knew that you were a spineless coward," Fling accused. "There were rumors about you, Captain Wait-And-See. The naval captain who took too long making decision to fire. The captain who made excuses for missing his shots. The captain who sympathized with the enemy! You're every bit the incompetent hack command has made you out to be!"
"Are you questioning my loyalty to Equestria, sergeant!" Parabola shouted, raising his neck up to its full height, casting an intimidating shadow over Fling and the rest of the ship's crew.
"I'm questioning your ability to lead, captain," Fling spat the last word. "You're soft!"
"And you're insubordinate!" Parabola retorted. "You do not get to make the decisions. I do! And if I hear another outburst out of you, sergeant, I'll have you cleaning the latrines back at port with your toothbrush for the next month!"
"Ha! At least then you'd have given an actual order, Captain Wait-And-See!"
"That's it. You're relieved of duty, sergeant! When we get back to port I want you immediately scrubbing toilets in the barracks until they sparkle like the moon on Luna's flank. Do you hear me sergeant, sparkl-!" Parabola's tirade was cut short as the sound of snapping rope turn his and the sergeant's attention towards the nearby ballista. The war machine had gone off, sending a heavy bolt the size of a tree trunk sailing through the air and towards the ship. "No..." he breathed, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks. "No, no, no!"
His cries were accompanied by more ballistae going off, having assumed the first shot was the signal to unload on the unfortunate defectors, and the distant sound of crunching wood and splashing water, shortly followed by dim yet recognizable sounds of screams as countless innocents were swallowed up by the crashing waves. There was no way to help them and even if they did get rescued the only thing waiting for them on deck was the receiving end of a spear.
Defection was not tolerated, it was a capital offense.
"Who did that?" Parabola spoke barely above a whisper. "Who the fuck did that?!" He demanded in a voice that caused every pony around him to shrink in terror, even the previously insubordinate sergeant. Turning his gaze over to the ballista itself, he saw one of the new recruits by the weapon, their hoof on the mechanism that triggered the launch. He ran up to the trembling private, clutching his hooves around the poor kid's neck and wringing it out like a wet towel. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?!"
"I did what I had too for the good of Equestria," the recruit, Private Straight Shot, confessed. She was standing before a tribunal at the port, her entire brigade stood behind at attention, watching with intent as the unfortunate recruit was being scrutinized by the hastily assembled panel of arbiters before them, one of whom was none other than Princess Celestia herself.
It had been a few days after the debacle with the defectors. Captain Parabola reported Four Eyes to command to be court martialed for her reckless action, costing the lives of numerous innocents regardless of their treacherous status. Somehow this had caught the attention of Celestia who had inserted herself into the panel at the last minute. Her face was impassive as she maintained an air of regality that clouded her true motives. Eventually, after a few minutes of deliberation with the higher ups, she rose from her seat and gave her verdict.
"Captain Parabola," Princess Celestia started.
"Yes, your majesty?" replied the captain.
"See to it that Private Straight Shot is put in line for a promotion and a medal." The response from the princess caused Parabola's jaw to go slack and Straight Shot's to hit the floor.
"Y-your majesty?" Captain Parabola stuttered lamely. "May I ask why?"
"Private Straight Shot has demonstrated that in times of distress she is capable of making decisions that benefits Equestria. She made the right call in making that shot, even if you yourself did not give the order to. The defectors were getting away and you, captain, were contemplating whether or not you should fire on a group of potential threats to our fair nation," Princess Celestia made sure to emphasize her obvious disdain with the captain's indecisiveness.
"Bu-" Parabola attempted to argue but was cut off.
"Ponies like Private Straight Shot are what we need in these desperate times. She understood what needed to be done in order to prevent another Fluttershy incident. She is to be commended for her actions and heralded as the very picture of the Equestrian ideal." Celestia turned to the rest of the brigade. "I expect all of you to follow in her example. Ponies like her are how we will triumph over the scum of humanity."
"But, your majesty!" Captain Parabola interjected. "The ships! The passengers!"
"Unfortunate victims of enemy action," Celestia replied coolly, feigning sorrow for the lost. "They fled to the seas, hoping to be welcomed with open arms like the traitors did before them, only to be rudely reminded just how horrible the humans truly are at their core."
"I-I," Captain Parabola couldn't believe what he was hearing. Princess Celestia couldn't have been more obvious about it without putting it in writing. She was playing the whole thing off as the result of an enemy attack.
"That is what happened," she declared, sweeping her gaze across the entire brigade. They all silently nodded in acknowledgement. "It is a tragedy, true. But it is all the more reason for us to fight with every fiber of our being! To protect Equestria and to free humanity from the shackles of their own evil! Is that not why you are here!"
"Yes, you majesty!" The 48th naval brigade responded in unison.
"Then you are all dismissed," Princess Celestia concluded. "The war will be over soon, this I swear. I only ask you keep doing what you do."
With that, she departed with the rest of the admirals, returning to more pressing matters. The rest of the 48th naval brigade also dispersed, returning to their bunks to retire for the day, leaving behind Captain Parabola, who could only stand frozen in disbelief. Then, his world came crashing down.
"Captain Parabola," the captain turned to the source of the voice and his heart nearly jumped out of his throat. Three ponies dressed in black suits and sunglasses stood before him, their disposition one of single minded duty. The leader, a light yellow colored pony with purple and pink mane stepped forward to introduce herself.
"My name is agent Sweetie Drops. We're hear to ask you a few questions. Please, come with us."
The captain had no choice but to comply. Stoically he followed along with them, but could make out the crude sneer of one Sergeant Fling from out of the corner of his eyes.
Private Straight Shot was later promoted to the rank of captain and this was the last time anypony ever saw Captain Parabola again.
Among the regal alicorns, Princess Luna is arguably the most feared among the battlefield. Bold, headstrong and impetuous, she is both Equestria's mighty sword arm and the edge of their blade of conquest. But at home, she is simply auntie Luna, a tired alicorn with problems of her own.
A long airy sigh of complete and utterly incomparable bliss escaped Princess Luna's lips as she sank deep into the hot rejuvenating waters of her inordinately large bathtub. She slowly eased herself in, taking the time to truly appreciate the gentle warmth washing over her as it soothed her aching muscles and weary soul.
"Ah... I needed this..." She breathed and reclined up against the tub, closing her eyes and enjoying her precious 'me time' amidst the serene peace of the night.
Luna had just returned from another successful, if unnecessarily drawn out, battle in South America and needed to unwind after such a tiring ordeal. The city of Rio de Janeiro was her target this time around and although she was once again victorious the heavy amount of human resistance she'd encountered had continually proven to be as irksome as ever, if not moreso this time around.
The opposition had fought hard for upwards to a week with every ounce of strength they could muster, bringing in tanks, planes and more, all in an effort to defend the city and their ostentatious statue of Jesus Christ, the so called 'Son of God.' It was a commendable effort, if somewhat misplaced.
Unsurprisingly, Luna had scoured them effortlessly with nary a feather out of place and made sure to demolish that laughable monument to hypocrisy (admittedly by complete accident) before teleporting her troops back to the safety of Equestria. Rio de Janeiro was left ruined and in total disarray with several hundred humans converted into newfoals in their wake.
At a glance, this was yet another decisive victory for the ponies of Equestria, and many would agree with that assessment. However, Luna didn't feel quite as accomplished as she had hoped to be upon returning to the castle.
A small frown formed on her lips, and her muscles tensed.
It had been four years now.
Four agonizing years of meat grinder engagements and tiresome siege breaking.
Even with the barrier slowly gaining ground across the entire planet the battles taking place beyond its impenetrable magical field were becoming increasingly more difficult the longer the war continued, with conflicts dragging out for days or even weeks on end. Perhaps worst of all, each subsequent victory had grown considerably less and less gratifying to her. Even if the outcome was almost always the same the effort required to actually achieve it had long since passed the point of general tedium.
Waging war had become just another chore to her, and an aggravating one at that.
Ashamed as she was to admit it, she had grown weary of the conflict. If only because whatever glory there was to be had in the conversion of humanity had been soured by their ceaseless floundering in the face of inevitability and the scores of dull successes she'd accrued.
When Equestria emerges triumphant from beyond the ashes of war she wondered if it would be a victory worth lauding. Her sister and fellow nobles may be content to celebrate the completion of their most hallowed task, but songs were not sung about the righteous stomping on ants.
There was no honor to be had in pest control.
More than likely their historians will attempt make the war appear grander than it really was. A bit of embellishment about their heroism and self sacrifice would certainly help to inspire the future generations of the new era.
Alas, she will persist in spite of her personal feelings. Destiny wills her to remain diligent. No matter how many more battles it may take, how many more foolish humans she will have to put to the sword until they learn their lesson, she will claim victory for Equestria.
Humanity can only resist for so long, and she was no stranger to the ebb and flow of time.
Luna stayed in the tub for half an hour longer, humming a quiet lullaby to herself, vigorously scrubbing away the flecks of dried blood from her fur and lathering up her glorious mane.
After some time she rose from the waters before she could prune up and casually trotted over to the towel rack dripping wet where she began drying herself off. Sure, she could've used magic to expedite the process, but her fur and mane and didn't achieve such a lustrous shine without careful grooming practices.
Wrapping a towel over her head and slipping into a light blue robe she wandered back into her absurdly spacious bedroom and sat down by the bedding where she began idly sifting through her recently acquired trophies that were strewn across the silken sheets. The climax of the battle where she heroically beheaded the Brazilian UN forces' forward command unit in a single burst of magical ordinance had allowed her to swipe a few mementos to add to her ever-growing wartime collection.
There was the commander's cap, a professional green and gold trimmed symbol of office that was only partly singed in the firefight. It was always so hard to keep one intact after blasting the person wearing it, but this time she had gotten quite lucky. There were also a small collection of ribbons and medals, and a chunk of the statue of Jesus Christ, specifically the left eye.
Quietly, she began to organize them as she had done many times before.
The ribbons and medals she'd acquired were all gathered along a large corkboard set up nearby that had a map of the world carved onto it. They've been arranged by country of origin, which was further divided into individual cities where she had won her battles. There was a section for Spain, Russia, North America, Japan, Egypt and so forth, all pinned with military honors of each respective country.
She'd gather enough of the colorful middling trinkets over the last four years to fully cover herself from tail to nose like a jingling ill-fitted bodysuit if she wanted to... And perhaps she had at one point, not that anypony will ever find out. She was beginning to wonder if she should get a new board soon seeing as the current one was positively full to bursting with the things.
And who knew when the war was going to end?
As for the cap, she casually tossed it atop the head of a ponnequin, one of many, where it spun to a clean stop in the correct position.
The rest of the ponnequins were adorned with an eclectic assortment of absconded weapons and gears the opposition carried on them. Entrenching tools, helmets, army knives, etcetera. Any form of higher technology were strictly prohibited however. Firearms in particular brought a certain disgust to her, citing them to be coward's weapons that didn't belong in the new era, let alone in the collection of one of its venerable princesses.
Her personal favorite of the bunch was a crude iron machete with a heavy black blade that tapered out halfway up, giving it more the appearance of a cleaver or coconut knife. There was spots of rust from the dried blood she hadn't bothered to clean off since she acquired it, she felt it gave the weapon more character.
There was a story behind it that she had yet to reveal to anyone. If told, perhaps it wouldn't be nearly as exciting as some might expect, even with Luna's profound talent in the time-honored art of oration, but she wouldn't have prized it so if there weren't any sentimental attachment.
The machete had belonged to a particularly brave and burly Kenyan soldier who had managed to get the drop on her during the assault on Nairobi.
It was during the third year of the war, some time before Fluttershy turned traitor and ran off with the treacherous Resistance. Nairobi was a periphery target she'd been charged with assailing during one of their rare multi-target attacks. She hadn't expect much resistance from the heat blasted backwater city once she teleported in, let alone any meaningful test of her prodigious skills, but fate had a way of surprising her with small graces.
After tearing their way across the city to the Kenyan parliament buildings Luna momentarily stepped away from her unit in order to level the main structure as a show of might in the hopes that it would convince the people of Kenya to understand the folly of their resistance and willingly give themselves over to conversion.
That was when an injured man, either bold or foolish, more than likely both, erupted from out of the nearby debris in a burst of dust and rushed at her blind spot with his machete. The surprise alone was enough to give her pause for the first time since her arrival on this planet.
His blow found purchase, striking at her exposed neck with all the strength she'd expect from a violent ape. Unfortunately for him, Luna had managed to raise her magical barrier mere moments before the weapon's edge could bite into her flesh, but not before shearing off a few flecks of blue fur.
Furious, Luna retaliated with a swing of her own crescent shaped sword, hoping to behead the audacious man in a single swipe. Undeterred and fueled by adrenaline, the man desperately kicked up a cloud of debris and ducked away from the strike, leaving the mare dirty and fuming... And yet, unusually excited.
The rest of the 'duel' however ended far quicker than she had liked it to, lasting exactly ten seconds and with the soldier only getting another hit on her before she put him down.
It was a blunder on her part really, instinct wrapped up in honed reflexes. Spying an opening her body went on autopilot and she loosed a single concentrated arcane blast straight at the soldier who collapsed onto the floor with a smoking hole in his chest, gasping his final breath as his machete clattered noisily to the ground.
In that pulse pounding ten seconds she felt more alive than she had in years. And, up until that point, it was the only time an opponent had managed to touch her not once, but twice in a single confrontation. She believed that even as a warmongering primate the cunning and determination he displayed in the face of battle had earned him a swift and painless death and a place in her memories. That was about the depths of kindness she was willing to extend to a human worthy of earning a modicum of her respect.
But just like that, the sensation faded away, like a foggy breath in the cold, and she found herself amidst the fires of Nairobi unfulfilled and listless, with only a bloodied machete as a sole reminder of her brief but memorable encounter.
And thus, the war went on.
Another victory, another addition to Luna's glorious unbroken streak.
Luna sighed at the memory and returned the machete to its spot on the ponnequin. She can be nostalgic some other time.
With the eye chunk of Jesus Christ, she merely chucked it haphazardly into an open chest labelled: spoils of war, other, along with other miscellaneous objects of inquiry. Here were random things she picked up that piqued her interest at the time that haven't been properly categorized yet. Peeking out from the pile were a bundle of torn flags, some cultural artifacts she personally liberated from unworthy hands and the odd bauble here and there.
A rhythmic knock on Luna's door turned her attention away from her collection.
"Who is it?" Luna asked, closing the chest.
"Princess Luna, tis I, Shade," the voice called from the other side, one of her personal batpony butlers. "I've come to inform you that supper has been prepared and that your family is patiently awaiting your arrival."
"Tell them I'll be there shortly, Shade. I require a moment to make myself look proper."
"Very good, your majesty." the voice concluded as his hoofsteps echoed away down the hall.
Luna began preparing herself for dinner, wicking away the residual moisture that clung to her fur and tidying up her mane. After fumbling with her fineries, she gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror and departed from her room once she deemed her appearance satisfactory.
Luna arrived at the dinner room some time later, clean, sparkling and smelling of expensive soaps. Prince Shining Armor, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Princess Flurry Heart, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Royal Attendant Spike, and Princess Celestia all greeted her warmly as she seated herself along the long dining room table, just opposite of her sister. They began chatting amongst themselves, enjoying each other's company after having been apart for a spell.
"How nice of you to finally join us, sister," said Celestia, smiling gently. She gestured to the extravagant meal laid out before them. Steaming foodstuffs expertly cooked and beautifully plated rested upon exquisite royal dining-ware that glisten like diamonds in the light. "Come, eat. You must be terribly hungry after returning from that arduous battle. The chefs have prepared your favorite; braised hay and daffodil pinwheels dressed in a savory wine cream sauce served with a side of slow roasted root vegetables. For refreshments, we've a chilled bottle of 1409 Canterlot White. And for dessert, you can expect a decadent slice of blueberry cheesecake."
"It looks delightful, my compliments to the chef," Luna smiled as she began hastily cutting at her meal, her ravenous hunger casting good table manners asides. Thankfully she was among family and could afford to be uncouth in their presence. "After the week I've had, I deserved this."
"Oh, do tell!" Flurry Heart beamed beside her father, setting her cutlery down. "Please, Auntie Luna. Tell us about your amazing victory! What tales of valour and bravery have you to share with us this night?"
Luna blushed and looked away, stifling a giggle at her niece's unbridled enthusiasm. Flurry Heart was a light in the shadow of war and her innocent heart almost made her forget about the aggravation staining part of her mood. "Oh, it was just another victory in the name of Equestria, Flurry. In and out within a week, nothing truly riveting to speak of. In fact, it was all quite..." Luna's visage twitched momentarily, her lips pursed a thin line before returning to a smile, "routine."
She let out a sigh and started to eat, perhaps quicker than she would've liked. The food was good, real good. Cooked to perfection by some of the best chefs the kingdom could afford (even if the kingdom's coffers were starting to feel a little light by this point). But while it sated her hunger it did little to alleviate her mood. Grumbling something inaudible beneath her breath she took a quick sip of her wine, relishing the bold taste and smacking her lips in contentment before resuming her meal like clockwork.
Her family immediately picked up on her visible malaise and traded concerned looks with one another. Twilight was the first to speak up about it, if only to stop Spike from nudging at her side with his scaly elbow. Rolling her eyes, Twilight cleared her throat before addressing Luna.
"Ahem. Er, Luna. For someone who just returned from an overwhelmingly decisive victory, you sure don't look like a winner. If something is bothering you perhaps it would help whatever it is you're feeling by speaking about it? If not for your sake, then why not Flurry Heart's? Surely she deserves that kindness?" Twilight suggested. She brought her niece over to her side, they both put on their best puppy dog eyes to try and persuade Luna to open up to them.
To their credit, they were both very adorably persuasive, and Luna was nothing if not a sucker for the potent effects of the puppy dog eyes. She groaned and gave into their request, sighing as she did.
"...They put up a fight, they always do," Luna began, clasping both her hooves together.
“The humans, you mean?” Celestia inquired with a raised brow, dabbing at her lips with her napkin.
“Who else?” Luna scoffed as she began regaling her family of her brave assault on Rio di Janeiro. “Look, I mean it when I say there isn't much to talk about, and what there is I feel I'd told it a hundred if not thousands of times already. We teleported in, routed their vanguard forces, began converting as much of the humans as we could before repelling their retaliatory force, then escaped back Equestria with minimal casualties, all in that order. Oh, and I destroyed that gaudy statue of 'Heysoos Kristoph' or whatever his name was, if that's worth bringing up. You know, the one the humans are so sure to return one day."
"Uh, was that really necessary?" Spike asked, hiding his discomfort at the casual destruction of such revered human landmarks.
"...Okay, so it might've been collateral damage during the fighting, but saying you did something by accident isn't prime storytelling. However, it did wonders for crushing our opponent's morale," Luna admitted.
"But the point is; I crushed the opposition. They threw everything they had at us and even then our forces proved superior in the end. It was..." she chose her words carefully, "predictable. Obvious. Boring. I feel frustrated, that we've been forced to take such drastic measures against these misguided creatures, and morose at the thought that I am little more than a landscaper ripping weeds out of a garden rather than a gallant hero making history and setting an example as a Princess of Equestria."
She paused, feeling the full weight of her confession press down on her.
"What I mean to say throughout my impassioned ranting is that I feel my efforts aren't as rewarding as they used to be, selfish as it may seem. Instead of being overwhelmed with joy and excitement at vanquishing our foes in the name of Equestria I'm left feeling hollow and, more often than not, annoyed at how trivial it is to conquer said foes. Where is the sport in slaying these dullards? The honor? Why should I continue to devote my time and effort hastening the downfall of an already doomed species?" She concluded, patiently awaiting the response, or lecture, that was sure to come her way.
"...Because it our hallowed duty, simple as," replied Shining armor, playfully ruffling his daughter's mane. "Princess Luna, you claim your efforts aren't rewarding, and pardon my language, but that's horseapples. Rio di Janeiro may just have been another battle to you, but your success goes beyond simply defeating a rabble of obstinate primates. It is the heroism and leadership you displayed out in the battlefront that matters most. The men see you as the shining sword of Equestria, her strength and pride made manifest. You inspire them to remain steadfast in the face of overwhelming adversity and embolden their waning spirits."
"And it's not just the royal guard that appreciate your efforts either, Auntie," Cadence added, taking a sip from her glass of white wine. "It's no secret that the war has sunk our economy. The people are suffering from the heavy taxation and tithes we enforced on them, yet they soldier on in spite it. And you know why? Because they believe is us, in Equestria, in you. So long as you continue to righteously uphold the Equestrian ideal our people's spirit will never be broken."
"Oh, stop it. This is all too much," Luna wave it off. her cheeks dusted with a light lavender. "I get it, I get it. I should appreciate myself more and all I do for our people. As a princess of Equestria it is unbecoming of me to act like such a foal after having experienced so much across the millennia."
"Furthermore, whether or not a battle is easy or boring is completely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Human resistance shouldn't be seen as a worthy challenge, they're a hurdle that must be overcome for the good of all in as efficient a manner as possible," Twilight lectured.
"Twilight is right," Celestia nodded along. "It's dangerous to think of such things and to expect the same from the humans. They fight with cowardly tactics, striking from behind and from afar with their terrible weapons of war. Wreaking havoc with such little regard to others or the world around them. You feel no honor from your engagements because they have none to give. It is your own honor and the honor of Equestria you must uphold above all else. In time, perhaps those who stubbornly resist may finally understand the importance of conversion through your example."
"Hmph," Luna harrumphed, turning her head to the side. Her mood taking a sudden change at the mention. "I'm afraid I don't share your optimism, sister. Need I remind you all that this blasted war has been going on for four years!" She slammed her hoof on the table, causing all the plates and glasses to rattle. Her voice increased in volume with each word spoken until they just barely reached the decibel of the royal 'we,' the sudden outburst caused her family to flinch at the sound. "If they can resist us for four years, then they can resist us for five, ten, a hundred, even a thousand years if they could!"
"But they can't," Celestia stated firmly, idly pushing her plate back into position. "The only reason why they've been able to continue resisting for so long is because they outnumber us a hundred to one."
"An advantage that is slowly waning by the day," Shining Armor added, a smug grin on his face. "We hold all the cards in this conflict, humanity fights on our terms. So long as we continue to dictate the flow of battle we will triumph. It will be any day now, humanity will surrender and accept the ponification potion with open arms soon. Just you wait."
"Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm," Luna deadpanned, crossing her forelegs.
"Auntie, why are you being so negative?" Cadence raised a curious brow, concern laced in her voice. "Do you lack confidence in how we've been handling the war?"
Luna's expression quickly turned to shock. She hadn't meant to sound as harsh as she did. "No! No, not at all! You've all done phenomenally since we've began. The masses are practically dripping with pride at the thought of having such competent, charismatic leaders be at the forefront of Equestria. It's just..." she flared her nostril and scowled, her anger flaring up momentarily. "They know they cannot win, why do they continue to resist?! At this rate we'll have buried more humans than we would've converted!"
A pregnant silence filled the air as Luna finished, and an expression of sudden realization slowly dawned on everypony's faces, barring Celestia's own curiously enough. Over the past four years it had never occurred to any of them that they may very well have to cull the entire human race if it came to it, a number that sat uncomfortably in the billions. And even though the thought didn't perturb them as deeply as somepony such as, say, Lyra Heartstring, it did leave a bad taste in their mouths.
"...She does have a point," Twilight agreed reluctantly as she swept her gaze across the table, meeting the eyes of her peers. "Our goal is conversion, not slaughter. It would reflect poorly on us, and by extension Equestria, if our careful methods were reduced to tasteless butchering. However, converting individual humans out on the frontlines is too much work, it would be far more efficient to have them willingly turn themselves over to us."
"Perhaps we should attempt more shock operations in order to break the hold over the asinine beliefs and ideologies they foolishly cling too?" Shining Armor suggested before turning to his wife. "What do think, dear?"
"I'm under the impression that we should continue spreading our message by scattering informative leaflets across major metropolitan areas. Educating the misguided to the ways of friendship and harmony will ensure we capture their hearts and minds without bloodshed," replied Cadence, her mind already rife with plans to do just that.
"Enough!" Celestia exclaimed, shooting a disappointed look towards everypony. "This is suppertime, and I will not have such a sacred occasion within the household be besmirched by talks of war and the like. This had begun as a way to assuage Luna of her troubles, but has segued beyond that. While I appreciate everyone's resolve and unwavering devotion to the Equestrian ideal, our meals have unfortunately gotten cold and the wine warm." She frowned as everyone look down in embarrassment.
"My apologies, Princess Celestia," Twilight apologized, lowering her head. "However, you cannot fault our excitability when it comes to matters of family." Her lips curled into a small smile.
"You are all forgiven," Celestia's smile returned as she cleared her throat. "Ahem. Now, I will make this quick, my cream of mushroom soup tastes greasy when it gets cold. First, whatever ideas you have, please hold onto them until after we've had our fill. Wars are not won on empty stomachs. And second," she turned a soft gaze over to Luna. "I understand your troubles, dear sister, and you have been heard. You are not alone in this conflict and we are all supportive of you. Know that you are loved no matter what and your actions are appreciated by everypony from here in Equestria to the colonies beyond our borders. Personal glory should stay exactly that, personal. Keep in mind that we are all in this together, and only through our unity may we succeed. Am I clear?"
"...Crystal, sister," Luna bowed her head and let out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding. In truth, she really did feel better now that she had laid out all her issues bare and talked it out. Now she felt bad for sounding imprudent through their conversation. "My resolve has been steeled, and you can all expect song-worthy victories from me in the near future."
"Wonderful!" Celestia beamed as she turned her gaze over to Flurry Heart. "Oh, one more thing. I believe a certain little filly deserves a story from her auntie for being such a well mannered sweetie pie."
Flurry Heart's smile was wide as a mile at the mention, and she looked onward towards Luna with starry-eyed anticipation. "Pleeeeeeeease, auntie Luna?"
Spike chuckled at Flurry's contagious excitement. "Come on, Princess Luna. She said please."
Luna bellowed with jovial laughter as mirth was restored once again. She laughed and laughed joyously as she prepared herself to speak. "How could I say no to such a polite little filly? Ahem. So, there we were, steely eyed and confident as we appeared in the heart of the filthy favela in a bright flash of starlight..."
Amidst the immediate aftermath of Shining Armor's death in New York, Luna finds herself relegated to menial bookkeeping at Celestia's behest, overseeing bumbling bureaucrats, noble busybodies and anal retentive taxponies rather than raining fiery vengeance upon humanity for their audacious crime.
Luna was not happy.
Currently she was sitting behind her extravagant, if cramped, mahogany desk in the castle's audience chamber surrounded by towering mountains of papers that never seem to get any smaller. Quietly, judiciously, with all the temperance she'd fostered during her time as ruler of Equestria, she retained a mask of eerie serenity upon her proud visage as she oversaw the bumbling gaggle of beancounters and taxponies running amok in her court. The dull paper pushers clambered around the room like a herd of blind cattle, caterwauling about taxes this, inflation that and every other economic jargon she honestly couldn't be bothered to care for.
They shoved form after form after form in her face, all demanding that she look over and approve them in as expedient a manner as possible. There were local ordinances, national mandates and threatening injunctions, all on top of her preexisting workload that she could clearly remember hiring ponies for. But even if she could dump off a majority of the political documents onto her aids she was barred from doing anything else by her sister, citing that their presence within the central government was needed now, more than ever.
It was all horse dung, of course. She'd known her sister long enough that whenever the topic of 'presence' came up it was essentially code for doing damage control. And, yes, while there were forms that needed her immediate attention, and, yes, these were all her regular responsibilities that she would normally get to during her own time, there were far more distressing matters that required her full attention.
Commander-General Shining Armor had been murdered during the battle of New York. Slain at a distance by a cowardly cur who didn't have the courage to confront him head on. News of his tragic death had rocked Equestria to its very core, and her people mourned him.
And yet, instead of avenging his loss, instead of rallying their forces and righteously razing human settlements in response to such a heinous crime, what does Celestia have her do? She has her sit behind an uncomfortably small desk idly stamping papers and listening to the whining drone of the kingdom's most sleep inducing individuals.
No, Luna was not happy.
She was absolutely livid.
"Er, your majesty?" a thin looking unicorn with an unkempt mane and fur as warm as parchment whose name Luna can't recall at the moment addressed her concernedly.
"Yes, what is it that you need?" Luna breathed through gritted teeth, unintentionally causing the poor stallion discomfort.
"It's just that, um... Y-you're carving a deep scratch into the table with your quill. Heh heh," he chuckled nervously.
Luna looked down, and saw that she had indeed carved a long jagged line into the desk's lustrous mahogany surface with her quill. In her silent funk she was completely unaware what she had been doing. "Hmm, so it seems. Although, I don't see what's so funny about my empty idleness, mister...?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.
"It's," he swallowed thickly, struggling to remain upright as her oppressive aura threatened to grind him into the floor of the court. "I-it's Stock, your majesty. S-Short Stock."
"Well, Short Stock. I do believe my visible... agitation is to be taken as a sign that we should have a recess now, wouldn't you agree?" She looked on at the cowering unicorn expectantly, steely eyed and lips set in a firm line.
"B-but, your majesty. There is still the matter of the rampant inflation we must look over, tax plans and audits t-t-t-t-to..." Short Seller felt his voice hitch in his throat and leave in short wheezing gasps as Luna leveled a piercing glare upon him, rooting him on the spot in terror. The poor fellow lost all will to speak at that point and could only wait in nervous anticipation of his princess.
"Did. I. Stutter?" She enunciated lowly, steadily rising from her desk as her long shadow eclipsed the various staff in the room. Upon reaching her full height the cacophonous chaos of the room swiftly came to a standstill and the heated arguments between bickering statesponies died away in response to Luna's imposing presence. A pregnant silence filled the room, and just like with Short Stock, everypony waited with bated breath for Luna to say something. After several agonizing seconds, she spoke.
"We've been at this since dawn and I am tired, as I suspect you are as well," she began, her voice soft yet firm and thrumming with subtle arcane power. Her face remained the picture of impassiveness. "In the hours I've been trapped behind this damnable desk conversing with you all we've accomplished little to nothing productive, with many failing to cooperate or outright acting insubordinate and purposely delaying processes that should straightforward and expedient. Do not think for a second I don't know what some of you are trying to pull," she paused, an icy tone laced in her voice.
A few of the more opportunistic nobles froze up as Luna swept her gaze towards their direction. It was foolish of them to believe that Luna couldn't see past their wiles, let alone tolerate it. Sweat began beading beneath their fur and they felt a growing heat flare up beneath their collar.
"I am going to say this once, and only once," Luna continued. She didn't raise her voice, rather it took on a more authoritative tone, the same one she used when addressing her soldiers before a sortie. "I will have none of your chicanery, none of your plots or schemes. None of it," she seethed. "We've been dealt a terrible blow, a grievous wound that will take years, perhaps even decades to heal from. This travesty, this blatant insult stains Equestria's honor, my honor. And instead of being out in the frontlines avenging Canterlot's greatest son, here I am, babysitting foals as they quarrel and scheme, seeking to curry favors and cultivate political power in the wake of such tragedy when they should be working together to serve their country."
She took a deep breathe and closed her eyes, attempting to find her center. Her inner turmoil raging within quelled momentarily and she achieved a semblance of peace, if only for the moment. When she opened them again, they glimmered with the fires of divine command.
"We will break for the afternoon to rest and recuperate before reconvening in the evening during night court. During that time, I expect you all to shape up and prepare for when we meet up again. And when we do, we will finish every order of business available to us in as quickly and as organized a fashion as possible. We will oversee every plan, throw out any redundant or ineffectual bills, approve what needs to be approved and bend ourselves over backwards to ensure that this economic trench we've dug ourselves into is filled up.
I don't care if it takes all night or if any of you have objections. I'll forcibly cram my final resolutions down your throats if need be, so give me every reason to act upon that impulse. Be it one way or the other, we are finishing this. Am I understood?" It was not a question, it was a factual statement.
There was a wave of skittish nods from her peers and Luna let out a weary sigh. It was finally over... for now, at least.
"We will meet up again after sunset. Remember, work always with all your fervor, do not falter for even a moment. Until we achieve our hallowed goal of converting humanity, until we avenge our beloved commander-general, we must be acting our very best no matter how many more hardships we face. We are Equestria, the righteous, the strong, the heralds of friendship and harmony." Luna's eyes narrowed before continuing. "And if you fail to live up to those standards, especially during such turbulent times, I will have you removed. Dash away any and all thoughts that you can fool me, my sister, or any of the royal household. Because we'll know, and there will be no warning. Not from me, not from Celestia... and certainly not from the ESS."
A flash of terror overcame the visage of her peers, they subconsciously recoiled at the mention of the Equestrian Secret Service. They all knew what the ESS was capable of, how unwavering and diligent they were in routing out traitors and dissidents. Even if they didn't know the whole truth, they knew enough to stay in their lane. Satisfied with her not-so-veiled threats, Luna concluded her speech.
"You are all dismissed."
At the drop of a hat, the ponies in the room hurriedly filed themselves out the door in a writhing mass. They left as quickly as their hooves could carry them, far away from Luna's palpable abhorrence. When the last pony finally escaped her view, slamming the door behind them, Luna relaxed her tensed muscles and practically melted over her desk as she wrapped her hooves over her head.
There were seconds of stark silence before all of Luna's emotions finally came to head, gradually building up until it erupted in a fit of destructive rage.
It started off slowly, her breathing picking up speed, her heart rate following suit. Fury, sorrow and hatred bubbled beneath the surface of her flesh, churning, growing, until at long last all the emotions she'd been forced to bottle up dealing with conniving incompetence surged forth in a single yet poignant moment. Her serene mask shattered and with a furious roar of anger she picked up her desk with her hooves and hurled it across the air with tremendous strength, billowing away the mounds of papers beside her by the gust it produced.
"GRAAAAAAAAAH! THIS WILL NOT CONTINUE! I WON'T ALLOW IT!" She screamed hellishly. The large desk smashed against the marble floor with a thunderous crack, marring it, and sending shards of dark wood scattering along the ground in several misshapen splinters. As the clattering of wood came to a quiet end, and the flittering of paper grew silent, Luna stood alone in her court, tears that threatening to stain her cheek. Gritting her teeth, she stamped out of the room, telekinetically swung the door to the outside and frightening the unfortunate maid that had just arrived to investigate the noise.
"Bwuah! Princess Luna!" he exclaimed. "I heard a loud crash, are you hurt?"
"...M'fine," Luna grunted, her face scrunched up in a furious scowl. "I'm going to head out, I will return at sundown. There's a mess that needs to be cleaned up, damage to the floor that must be fixed and a desk that needs to be replaced by the time I get back, preferably with one that has adequate leg room for alicorns. Can you do that?"
"I, er, r-replace a desk?" the maid looked bemused.
"I asked you a question, maid," Luna glared.
"O-oh! Oh, yes! I can do it. I'll gather my team right away," the maid nodded profusely. "You have my word, your highness. The room will be spotless when you return."
"Excellent," Luna softened her gaze. "Now, I must go. I'll not take up anymore of your time."
They both exchanged a quick bow and Luna trotted away from the scene.
She needed to have a word with Celestia.
Celestia bore an unreadable expression as she sat with members of the Equestrian Secret Service, namely Chief Director Hush Hush and Senior Agent Sweetie Drops. They were in Celestia's study, and were discussing matters of morale, national security and more. And while the topic of Shining Armor's death was central to their talks, they never dwelled on it any longer than they needed to beyond practical conversation. The wound was still too fresh to be prodded at so soon, and work was hardly an adequate distraction.
"The public is still reeling in shock, your majesty," said Hush Hush, sipping her cup of tea. "The battle of New York is our first major defeat and the public reception has been icy, to say the least. But a single defeat among a myriad of overwhelming victories is nothing compared to Shining Armor's..." she paused, being tactful with her choice of words, "unfortunate passing. It is a tragedy and we weep for the loss of such a bright and noble soul."
Celestia let out a long sigh, her head hung low. She was mournful, even if it didn't show. Shining Armor was undoubtedly the greatest guardspony to ever have stepped out of the military academy. His list of accomplishments were long, and the love ponies had for him was without question. He was her nephew-in-law. He was family. And to be taken so soon, to be killed so suddenly, it tore at her as much as it did Cadence or the Sparkle family.
"He was Canterlot's greatest son," Celestia began, "and the beating heart of the Crystal Empire to Cadence's loving soul. His wife is devastated, the Sparkle family are in mourning, Luna is rageful, and Flurry Heart... Sweet, innocent Flurry Heart..." she looked away, feeling her heart drop into the pit of her stomach upon remembering the exact moment when the happiness and joy was torn from out her niece's soul at learning the terrible truth of her father's demise. "...I believe I've said too much. "
"Quite alright, Princess Celestia," replied Sweetie Drops, stoic and loyal to the throne as ever. "We're here for business, not to drag up any unpleasant emotions from you. Let us continue on with the matter at hoof."
"Thank you, agent," Celestia raised her head and took slow sips from her tea, savoring the subtle hints of mint and lemon before speaking. "Director Hush Hush, what is your assessment on the current social climate of Equestria?"
"Ahem, well," Hush Hush gleaned over her notes. "A cursory examination on a per city basis shows us that morale has dipped for the first time since the defection of the Resistance. This is perhaps the lowest drop we've experienced insofar, with roughly thirty percent of the collective ponypower in Canterlot alone slowing to a crawl. However, support in the war has inversely spiked as a result in spite of Shining Armor's death. The people all want to honor his sacrifice however they can. The recent influx in additional taxes and tithes paid has given our struggling economy a momentary but much needed reprieve."
"Unsurprising and certainly not unwelcome," replied Celestia. "...And what of our 'rat' problem?"
Hush Hush flipped through her notes again. "We've been hard at work investigating the leaks since they've started cropping up almost a year ago. This 'underground railroad' is a threat to our national security and must be stopped at all costs. No doubt it was established by Lyra, the traitor, and her ilk as a means to undermine the war efforts after they left. Even after escaping our wrath they continue to vex us. It is... quite troublesome, to put it lightly."
Sweetie Drops visibly bristled at the mention of Lyra. Though she quickly regained her composure her expression had become stony and aloof.
Celestia's expression shifted ever so slightly, knitting her brow and wrinkling her nose. "Have you any leads? We are all aware Discord is involved, that malign mismatched monkey-lover. He's the only one capable of teleporting these deluded escapees out of the Equestria. But how do these dissidents keep eluding our watchful eye? How do they keep managing to slip away from some of our best and brightest?" Her tone was even, yet there was the barest hint of disdain laced in it. "I want answers, director. But more importantly, I want that damned railroad derailed."
"And you will have both, your majesty. I swear to you on my position as chief director the Equestrian Secret Service will give you all and more in due time," Hush Hush replied coolly. "As for leads, we've actually received a tip from an anonymous Canterlite about a month ago who has reasons to believe that the popular socialite Fancy Pants is a dissident, and that he has been diverting a portion of his own personal funds to aiding and abetting the escapees."
Celestia's eyes widened at the mention of Fancy Pants.
Everypony in Canterlot knew him. He was the stallion to talk about, the savvy upper crust businesspony with a nose for talent, peerless intuition and a streak of financial successes to his name. He was voted Equestria's pony of the year seven times on and off in the last thirty years, something that was considered unprecedented within his social circle, and was an avid supporter of the war. Him and his wife, Fleur de lis, have donated thousands of bits to the Struggling Soldiers foundation and were present at nearly every rally that she had set up since before the war began.
He was as much a face of the war as the alicorns were. If a stallion of his caliber was indeed a dissident, then there was more to worry about than a few escaping traitors. There were dangerous implications, too ludicrous to suggest yet too disconcerting to ignore.
Celestia collected herself and her expression hardened. She spoke clearly and purposefully to Hush Hush in a tone that demanded full transparency. "Chief Director Hush Hush, are you fully aware of the magnitude of this accusation?"
Hush Hush nodded judiciously. "We've no reason to believe the tip to be incorrect."
"In spite of it coming from an anonymous source?" Celestia raised a brow. "Forgive me for lacking the same confidence you have, director. I know how this game of cat and mouse is played, and this feels like a unsure move."
"On the contrary, my agents have been keeping tabs on him since we've received the intel. I've a team of Equestria's finest running him under a microscope; financial records, unscheduled meetings and questionable decision making. There are several discrepancies with him that support the validity of the source's claims," Hush Hush smiled confidently. "If he sneezes there will be an agent there to hand a hanky and slap the cuffs on him when we ultimately uncover his dirty dealings."
"Hmm, thorough as ever," Celestia replied, sounding genuinely impressed. "I made the correct decision in choosing you as chief director."
"A decision that has bore bountiful fruit."
"Curb your overconfidence, director," Celestia warned. "We've still rats to cull, and a war to wi-"
"Where is she?!" a furious voice echoed down the hall, causing Celestia to cut her sentence short. The ponies in the room all turned to face the door with trembling hinges, it was joined by the of shaking of walls and the thundering stamps of a mare scorned. "Where is Celestia?!"
The door to the study swung open wildly, slamming against the back of the wall with enough force to cause long jagged cracks to web out and leave behind a rectangular imprint on it. There, Luna stood in the door frame, her jaw set in an indignant glower as rage burned behind her eyes.
"Sister," Luna began lowly, "A word?"
Celestia stared at Luna with a dumfounded look plastered on her face as she set her tea cup down. Shaking her head in embarrassment she turn over to address Hush Hush and Sweetie Drops.
"Forgive me, Hush Hush, Sweetie, but it appears I'm due for an impromptu heart to heart with my dear sister," said Celestia.
"Say no more, princess. You know where to find us," Hush Hush replied with a polite bow, an action that Sweetie mirrored. She gathered her notes and they both left the room at a steady pace as not to appear rude. Once they were out of earshot, Celestia gestured a hoof over to the chairs beside her and smiled gently at her sister.
"Luna. May I offer you some tea?"
"Hmph," Luna harrumphed and seated herself opposite of Celestia. "I'm in no mood for tea, sister."
"Come now, it's an extravagant blend," Celestia offered, levitating the teapot over a vacant teacup. "I know mint is not your favorite, but it grows on you. And it has a calming effect, I'm told."
"Calm?" Luna raised a brow as a mocking smile curled on her lips. "I don't want to be calm, I want to be angry."
"And you are well within your right to be after what has happened," Celestia replied, setting the teapot down. "But we cannot let our emotion get the better of us. Besides," she let her expression fall, a morose frown formed on her face, "you aren't the only one who is hurting. All of Equestria mourns the loss of the commander-general. Shining Armor was the relatable everypony outside of his martial excellence and the very picture of a model stallion. He is and always will be a hero and an inspiration to all."
"Spare me your contrived speeches, sister," Luna hissed. "I'm fully aware of what Shining Armor meant to the ponies to Equestria, but what about what he meant to us? He was our family. Speak of him less as a symbol and more the husband of our niece, the father of Flurry Heart and the brother of Twilight Sparkle and Spike. Speak of him as who he is, not as who he was."
"...You're right," Celestia admitted, looking away in shame. "Years of conflict has made my tone cold and insolent. Forgive me."
"I don't want your forgiveness," Luna narrowed her eyes. "I want to understand why you're acting the way you are. Why you had me babysit sniveling taxponies and haughty nobles!" Quick as a whip she slammed her hoof onto the table, causing the tea set to jump inches upwards and fall with the cringeworthy clacks of porcelain on porcelain. Hot tea spilled out from the cups and teapots as they grew still on the table, yet Luna cared little about the mess she made.
"I should be out there avenging Shining Armor's death! Not sitting around with a bunch of stick-in-the-mud-ponces managing," Luna gagged as she forced out the last word, "taxes."
"Luna, please," Celestia raised a hoof in peace. "I understand your frustrations. But-"
"But nothing! What we need are deeds, not words!" Luna interjected, standing up from her seat. "At the very least, we should be punishing the soldiers that abandoned him in enemy territory! Those godless primates have probably already processed him into glue by now, it isn't right! I want those who fled from the front lines without recovering Shining's body lined up and executed for cowardice! I want to see them swing from the trees out in the courtyard!"
"They've already been harshly reprimanded for their failure, there's no need to execute perfectly penitent ponies. If nothing else, they'll fight even harder in order to make up for their shame," Celestia argued. "As for your lust for vengeance, we cannot act. Now yet."
"We cannot wait, humanity must pay for this most heinous of crimes!" Luna seethed. "They have sinned against us and this transgression cannot, will not, go unanswered! Give us the order, sister. Give us the order to punish the humans! I will gather my men and together we will sink New York into the waters to purify the filth that stain it! If not New York, then some other city; Moscow, Paris, Dubai. We will raze it to its very foundation as divine retribution! Justice demands it!"
"This isn't our decision to make, Luna," Celestia stated firmly.
"Like Hell it isn't!" Luna angrily retorted, flaring her nostrils.
Glowering, Celestia dropped all pretense of civility and stood up as well, meeting her sister eye to eye. "Allow me to rephrase that. This isn't our decision to make. It's Cadence's."
Hearing Cadence's name gave Luna pause and she dialed back her anger. However, she was still still adamant about revenge. "...The wife's honor," she quietly mused. "But, she's still in grieving. How does she hope to avenge Shining Armor when her heart is eclipsed by sorrow?"
"There is nothing planned yet," Celestia lied as she softened her features. "But she is stronger than you know. Give her time, this must be on her terms, and her terms alone. Please, Luna. We've other equally important things to worry about. Even Twilight understands this. Think of the bigger picture."
The two locked eyes with one another for a moment longer, until finally, Luna relented. She sighed heavily and relaxed herself, falling back into her chair with an exhausted slump. "You better be right about this. Shining Armor deserves justices."
"And Cadence deserves closure," Celestia replied, walking over and placing an assuring hoof upon Luna's shoulder. "Which, like all good things, will come when the time is right. I have faith that she will make the right decision."
There was a brief bout of silence. Then, Luna brought her hoof up and held onto her sister's own. "...Perhaps I should have more faith in those I care about."
Celestia hummed softly. "There, now was that so hard."
"Hmph," Luna turned her nose and gently pulled her sister's hoof await. "Deeds, not words, Celestia. Remember that."
"And I hope you remember that you still have tax forms to return to," Celestia teased.
"Don't remind me," Luna glared. "I'll have it done, but if one of those smart-alecky beancounters get snippy with me again I won't be held responsible for what happens."
"I'll be sure to notify the castle infirmary to be prepared for the sudden influx of nobles and taxponies with deep size five horseshoe imprints on their posteriors," Celestia quipped.
"Ahem, you mean size three and an half," Luna casually jest, a low chuckle escaping her lips. "I have dainty hooves compared to your oversized moose knuckles."
"You wound me, Luna," Celestia giggled, gesturing for her sister to follow. "Come, let us do lunch. Dealing with all those tax forms must have left you positively famished."
And so, the two left the study, with Luna none the wiser of Celestia's scheming.
Shining Armor had perished during the battle of New York, killed by a human sniper. His grieving wife retaliates by firing the Crystal Cannon at Rome.
Princess Cadance stared up trepidatiously upon the monument of war that loomed ominously over her. It was a massive structure, a towering crystalline obelisk ten stories high formed from pure solidified magic and carved into an arcane foci capable of discharging raw destructive might accurately across long distances. The power it unleashed would scorch the earth with enough heat to render it into shimmering glass and become inhospitable for hundreds of miles.
This was the Crystal Cannon, and it was the ultimate weapon of the Crystal Empire.
Forged by King Sombra during his tyrannical reign the Crystal Cannon once brought the old world to its knees. Were it not for the combined efforts of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, Sombra's cruelty would have gone on uncontested for centuries to come. Knowing what it was capable of, the pony sisters sealed it away, hoping that the world will never have to experience its cataclysmic power ever again. And so it has remained unused in the time since, collecting dust beneath the castle's foundation as a forgotten relic of a mad unicorn's ambition, never to see the light of day.
...That is, until now.
It had been a week since Commander-General Shining Armor's untimely demise during the battle of New York.
Nopony had seen it coming.
As in, nopony had seen the .50 BMG round zip through the air and penetrate Shining Armor's vulnerable skull in the space between his left eye and horn. In the blink of an eye his head exploded in a squall of gore, painting the filthy streets of Time Square with blood, flecks of bone and equine grey matter.
He was dead before his body even hit the ground.
His men didn't even have to chance to register the kill let alone scream in terror as it had happened so abruptly. Mere seconds ago their stalwart commander was shouting orders over the heat of battle, leading from the front lines and inspiring others to greater heights of heroism. Then they all felt something wet and sticky coat their fur.
Shining Armor, loving husband to Princess Cadance, doting father to Flurry Heart, beloved older brother to Princess Twilight and Spike the dragon, proud son of Twilight Velvet and Night Light, fearless leader of the Royal Guard and kind hearted prince of the Crystal Empire had been killed in action. His body laid in a collapsed heap on the cold concrete, twitching sporadically every few seconds as blood, guts and other viscera poured out from the mangled stump of a neck where his head used to be.
Morale shattered instantly and the invading force of ponies scattered to the four winds, retreating with their tails between their legs. Those that foolishly remained fought futilely against hopeless odds and were subsequently crushed by superior numbers and overwhelming firepower.
When news of Shining Armor's death reached Equestria's shores the whole country wept for their loss and vowed vengeance in his name.
Vengeance that would be carried out by his grieving wife.
Princess Cadance ran her hoof along the cold uneven surface of the Crystal Cannon. She could feel the faint pulse of power radiating from within the structure like a dim heartbeat. Even when inert it frightened her. Only a select few knew how truly destructive the Crystal Cannon was, even fewer with the knowledge to actually use it. The power to bring down entire civilizations was at her the tip of her hooves. With but a single command, she could avenge Shining Armor and all those who died fighting the war, maybe even end it in one fell swoop.
But... she didn't know if she could bring herself to do it.
The Crystal Cannon had been sealed away for a reason. It was too powerful for any one party to use. If she used it, even to avenge Shining Armor, would that make her no different than King Sombra?
The clattering of horseshoes snapped Cadance out of her thoughts. She turned around and beheld her aunt, Princess Celestia, and her personal retinue of guards.
"Auntie," Cadance greeted, bowing her head in respect. "How is Flurry Heart?"
Celestia gave a warm yet hollow smile. "Asleep. She's in Luna's care now."
"I see..." Cadance smiled back but couldn't hold the emotion for long. She turned her attention to the cannon but kept speaking. "Today's her sixteenth birthday, you know? They grow up so fast..."
Tactfully, Celestia gestured for her retinue to leave them alone to which they left immediately with a curt salute. Their presence was not required for something so personal. Once Celestia and Cadance were alone together, the latter broke out into tears.
"Do you know what she wished for?" Cadanced asked, tears staining her cheeks. "She... S-she wants her daddy back!"
"Cadance..." Celestia consoled her grieving niece, draping a comforting wing over her.
"Shining told me he'd be there for Flurry Heart's birthday!" Cadance continued, spiraling deeper into hysterics. "He promised! He promised he'd be back after the battle! In and out, he said! New York will be in total chaos by dinner, he said! We were supposed to be together as a family, and where is he now?! Dead, that's where! Rotting in human lands thousands of miles away from home! Away from his friends and family!" She broke down, heaving and sputtering as her lungs burned. Cadance wept and continued to weep until her eyes were red and her chest was raw from grief.
"...I don't know what to do," she muttered defeatedly. "The empire is in disarray, Flurry Heart is devastated, and I can't... I-I..."
"Shh..." Celestia cooed, pulling away and locking eyes with Cadance. "I understand how you feel. Believe me, I do. Shining Armor was my family too. All of Equestria mourns for him, but it is moments of despair like this that you must be at your strongest. Be the leader the Crystal Empire needs. Be the mother Flurry Heart needs. Be the pony I know you can be."
"H-how? I'm barely holding together as it is. This war, it's taken so much from us."
"...You know what must be done," Celestia declared, her eyes steely and resolute.
"A-auntie?" Cadance sounded perplexed. "What do you... No. No, you can't be suggesting-"
"Use it, Cadance," Celestia urged, gesturing to the Crystal Cannon. "Avenge him. Avenge Shining Armor and bring to justice those wretched humans that have stolen him from us. You owe it to yourself to honor his memory."
"I... I," Cadance stuttered, unable to respond.
"Do you know what the humans did to him after he died, Cadance?" Celestia continued.
"Whuah?"
"They desecrated his body-"
"I-I don't want to hear this!" Cadance looked away, screwing her eyes shut and bringing her hooves up to her ears. Yet, Celestia continued on recounting every gruesome detail of Shining Armor's post mortem humiliation, her voice raising steadily as her fury was made known.
"-Parading him around like some macabre trophy as they cheered in victory-"
"Auntie, p-please!"
"-Strung him up and left his body to be feasted on by the carrion!"
"No more!"
"They celebrate his murderer! Calling him a hero as they humiliate our own! Are you going to let this offense, this sacrilage, go unanswered! Where is Shining Armor's justice?!"
"Stop!"
"You are his wife! The one whom he dedicated himself to! He was willing to go beyond our borders and fight for a world where you and Flurry Heart could live in peace and harmony. Everything he did, he did for you, for Flurry, for Equestria! What would Shining want for you?! Tell me, Cadance! What would he want?!"
"He'd want me to avenge him!" Cadance relented, finally accepting the harsh truth she'd been denying to herself this whole time. Wearily she stood back up and regained what little composure she could muster before the glowing embers of vengeance smoldering within her aching heart erupted into a roaring inferno. "...G-gather the war council. We must prepare the Crystal Cannon to fire within the week."
Celestia had a ghost of a smile on her lips. "The preparations will be made, Cadance. We'll meet again soon. In the mean time, try to get some sleep. "
"Goodbye, Cadance." And so Celestia turned and left to join up with her retinue.
It didn't sit right with Princess Celestia to manipulate her niece like that, nor use Shining Armor's death as emotional currency, but it needed to be done. On her own Cadance would've never use the Crystal Cannon. She rightly understood the horrors it could unleash, but so did Celestia.
The war wasn't going as well as she and the others had originally surmised. it was taking far too long and the mounting casualty rates were starting to raise some concerns back home. Equestria just wasn't equipped to fight a war of attrition. Ponies were beginning to question whether or not they might actually win in the long run.
Celestia could have never foreseen humanity banding together as a single unified race and fighting as fiercely as they have. But they did and it irritated her to no end. Which was why she had resorted to another strategy. She will break their fighting spirit and convert the broken remnants of humanity into newfoals. The Crystal Cannon will be the tool that would ultimately tip the scales of power in Equestria's favor. And she had a few targets in mind to use the cannon on...
The atmosphere in the crystal castle's war room was one of tension. Every available high ranking officer was there along with the princesses and other members of staff, including Spike. The Crystal Cannon had been deployed nearby, having been painstakingly moved from the caverns beneath the castle and up onto solid ground. It gleamed brilliantly in the sun, an awe inspiring monolith to desperation and madness.
Every pony watched as Princess Cadance took to the front and began to organize the effort to utilize the Crystal Cannon. It had already been prepped by a team of experts and was ready for use. But while there were many who advocated for its use against the forces of humanity, Twilight Sparkle couldn't help be feel a tad doubtful about the entire situation.
As the brass quietly chatted amongst themselves, eager to see the cannon in action, Twilight carefully approached her sister-in-law curious as to her sudden change in disposition. Less than a week ago she was an emotional wreck, unable to cope with the loss of her husband. Twilight fared no better but was able to keep it together with the aid of her friends and family. It just didn't seem right for Cadance to suddenly unearth an ancient superweapon out of the blue and turn it on their enemies.
These were not the actions of a grieving widow, they were the actions of a vengeful matriarch lusting for blood.
While Twilight also wanted revenge for Shining Armor's death, using a horrible weapon like the Crystal Cannon was over excessive in her opinion.
"Cadance," Twilight began, approaching Cadance. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"...Yes, I am," Cadance whispered, a faraway look in her eyes. "It's my choice. This is something I have to do. It's what Shining would want."
"Shining would want you and Flurry Heart to live your lives and be happy," Twilight argued. "I know my big brother. Commander-General or not he puts family above all else. Don't you think using the Crystal Cannon goes against that?"
"How could you say such a thing?" Cadance frowned. "You know as well as I do that this is war! We need every advantage we can get in order to win!"
"Is this about winning the war or about avenging Shining?" Twilight countered. "You're not making any sense."
"I could say the same about you," Cadance rebuked. "How could you just stand by and do nothing knowing that your brother had been abandoned in enemy territory?"
"I am doing something; taking care of my sister-in-law and niece in times of grief!"
"Well, as you can see I'm doing fine!" Cadance snapped, narrowing her eyes. "And I will do better once I order the cannon to fire on the humans. I will not let Shining's death with not be in vain!"
Twilight recoiled from Cadance’s impassioned rant. She was dead set on using the cannon and it seemed like nothing could change her mind. Swallowing thickly, Twilight conceded and dropped the issue.
"I... I understand," said Twilight, backing off. "We're set to fire, just tell us when."
"If I may," said Princess Luna, joining in the conversation. "What will we be striking with the cannon?"
"...A major city," replied Cadance. She glanced over to Princess Celestia who gave an imperceptible nod in return. "But not just any city. Rome."
"Why Rome? What exactly makes this one city so important out of the hundreds of others?" Luna asked with a raise of her brow.
"Rome is one of so called holy cities on Earth. Technically Rome surrounds a place called Vatican City, the real holy city, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Irregardless, Rome is a sort of spiritual homeland for one of humanity's major religions," Twilight explained. "Alongside places like Mecca and Jerusalem they are considered the holiest of places for Christianity, Islam and Judaism respectively."
"Bah! So many religions, so many redundancies," Luna mocked, rolling her eyes. "I've been told humans have been zealously killing each other for centuries over these plots of land, is that not correct?"
"Correct," Twilight nodded. "They appear to be of great reverence for some reason, I surmise that it serves as a physical monument to their faith."
"And destroying them will destroy that faith," Luna stated. "A most advantageous move, as expected of my niece. The complete and total devastation of their most sacred of cities will shatter humanity's will to fight, forcing them to submit to us. When they realize how powerless their pagan gods are to the light of our harmony they will lay down their arms and beg to be converted! Come, let us not tarry! Victory calls!"
"Agreed. Let the commencement of the Crystal Cannon begin," ordered Cadance. She motioned to a nearby assistant who began directing the ponies outside to begin charging the cannon.
The assembled team of unicorns stationed at the cannon began the ritual to charge up the weapon. Using their own magic, they formed a conduit for the Crystal Cannon to absorb magical energies from the area around it. Thrumming to life, the cannon began draining the residual magic in the air, sucking the life out of the landscape leaving it withered and decayed. Crackles of arcane energy arced across the weapon's surface, dancing in sporadic patterns before finally reaching full power.
The Crystal Cannon was now fully operational.
"Princess Cadance," the assistant called nearby. "The cannon is ready to fire. Please give us the coordinates."
"One moment," Cadanced turned to review her notes. "...41.9028 degrees north, 12.4964 degrees east."
"...Confirmed. We'll fire on your mark, your highness."
"Fi..." Cadance started, but her voice got caught in her throat. Once she gave the command, there was no going back. She closed her eyes and performed her breathing exercise.
She quickly glanced around the room one last time, all eyes were on her. The chain of command were watching with bated breath, waiting for her to give the command. Celestia, Luna and Twilight remained impassive, silently waiting for what comes next. Spike was sweating nervously, the tension had gotten to him.
Then she met eyes with her daughter, Flurry Heart.
Cadance had forgotten she was in the room. Flurry had grown in a fine young mare, beautiful and kind. Hard to believe this was the same girl who caused all sorts of trouble for the empire years ago just by throwing a temper tantrum. Yet here she was, stoic in mannerism yet fragile mentally. The death of her father had destroyed her from the inside out and she hasn't smiled sincerely since.
The miserable expression of her teenage daughter was the final push for Cadance to give the order that would damn the Crystal Empire to nuclear annihilation less than a year later.
"Fire!" Cadance ordered, and all hell broke loose.
The Crystal Cannon released a shockwave that shook the entire empire to the core, shattering windows, knocking over furniture and frightening the denizens. An earsplitting boom erupted from out of the cannon followed by a blinding streak of magic that ripped across the sky like a bolt of lightning from the heavens. The streak sailed into the horizon then disappeared, leaving behind nothing more than the deafening sound of complete and utter silence. As quickly as it had begun, it came to an end. The cannon powered down, waiting to be used again.
In another land, far beyond Equestria's border, the whole of Rome heard thunder bellow in the distance.
The once grand city had been reduced to little more than an arid wasteland of shimmering crystals and blistering heat for as far as the eye could see. The only remnants of civilization that remained were the eerie humanoid looking crystalline statues sparsely scattered along the fringes of the blast zone and a single cross from atop the dome of St. Peter's basilica embedded into the ground some several hundred miles away from where it once stood.
More than 3 million souls had been blinked out of existence as a result of the Crystal Cannon.
Spike suffers a crisis of faith in the aftermath of Shining Armor's death, causing him to doubt Equestria's righteousness. Twilight does her best to assure him he’s wrong in his doubts.
The fireplace crackled quietly by the rounded wall of Twilight's private study at the Castle of Friendship, filling it with a comforting warmth and illuminating the cold crystalline confines of the room with a serene orange glow that flickered sporadically with dancing shadows.
Twilight herself was up working late into the wee hours of the night once again pouring over hefty stacks of parchment, lengthy scrolls and folios full to bursting with documents of varying importance across a multitude of Equestria's military and government branches.
She diligently threw herself into her work because it was her duty as princess and because it helps keep her mind distracted from the troubles brewing on the horizon as well as act as a coping mechanism for the tragedy of losing her brother.
At this point in time Equestria was closing out its fourth year of war and was blindly stumbling into its fifth. It was a long drawn out sluggish stalemate the far reaching impact of which was already negatively affecting the Equestrians on the home front through a spiraling economy and near present air of unrest among the civilian population. While many were adamant in conversion and the Equestrian ideal, others believed it to be utterly foalish in retrospect.
Their forward momentum had been stifled by the recent series of setbacks that had befallen the nation, the tragic death of her brother chief among them. The failed attack on New York, despite being the country's first and only true major defeat insofar, was met with outrage and incredulity from the public.
The battle itself wasn't as important so much as the untimely passing of Shining Armor himself, but it did cause a stir for both the right and wrong reasons. Regardless of what those reasons were, Commander-General Shining Armor, prince of the Crystal Empire and Canterlot's greatest son, had been mourned for and celebrated as a war hero. The very epitome of a pony who championed friendship, harmony and the Equestrian ideal, the three core tenets that form the pillars of pony society.
And while his death was a loss to all, making the world a lesser place without his gallant presence, what mattered now was not mourning, but action.
Action that had already been set into motion by his vengeful widow, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire.
The hallowed city of Rome had been glassed by the pure unfettered magical might of the Crystal Cannon in a strategic bid to swiftly end the war by crippling humanity's morale and their faith in pagan gods. Ancient structures that have stood since man's earliest days were leveled in an instant, millions of innocent civilians perished alongside it. It was, without a shadow of doubt, one of Equestria's most heinous atrocity ever committed throughout their entire (known) history...
...And Mecca was next.
Although, it would take some time to charge up the superweapon before it can be fired again.
Twilight was apprehensive at first about whether or not Cadence should have used such a cataclysmic weapon at all, especially as it was the product of their former nemesis, King Sombra, and because she thought it was strange her sister-in-law had moved on so quickly from grieving to meting out justice a little beyond a week after Shining Armor was killed in action.
Mighty as she appeared before her subjects Cadence was clearly not sound of mind when making the decision. But something, or rather someone, had given her the push into believe it was what needed to be done, consequences be damned. She felt deep down that it was her responsibility, both as a princess to her subjects, a soldier in war, Flurry Heart's mother and as Shining's wife to do this.
Over time, Twilight had reached a begrudging compromise with the decision. Rationalizing the logic behind everything and was not only complicit in firing the cannon but supportive of it as well, her own worries replaced with fervent resolution.
The fact of the matter was that the use of the Crystal Cannon as a means to end the war in a timely manner and as a way to avenge Shining Armor for his dishonorable death was not a necessary evil; only necessary.
Thus, Twilight had come to terms with that moral conundrum and accepted things as they were at face value.
Spike, on the other claw, had not.
The younger drake, tall, slim, broad of shoulder and yet familiar in appearance even in contrast to his younger juvenile state, stood hunched over the mouth of the fireplace, staring deep into the red-hot embers as if it contained the answers to all his problem.
And yet, Spike felt very cold in spite of standing so close to the flames threatening to lick at his knees.
Of course, it wouldn't harm him much, his hardy adolescent dragon physiology made him highly resistant against such scorching temperatures barring the bubbling intensity of molten lava, and even then his body would grow to become nigh immune to even that in due time. He had chalked up his unusual discomfort as a result of his cold-bloodedness, but that was only a surface level issue at best.
Deep down he understood why he was so cold; his innermost doubts about the war had become increasingly prevalent by the day to the point it plagues his waking thoughts more often than not. There was a solemn look of contemplation in his emerald eyes, the loyalty and faith he held in his friends and the nation of Equestria were at odds with his own conscience and morals. The line between right and wrong had blurred and it bothered him to no end.
Spike had been there in the war room of the Crystal Empire the day Cadence prepared to fire the Crystal Cannon.
He could vividly recall nearly every little detail that occurred the moment the cannon went off. The disconcerting droning hum that permeated throughout the walls of the building as the cannon was powering up, the ambient arcane static filling the air prickling at his scales at every odd angle, the palpable tension on the faces of everyone beside him as they observed with bated breath.
Then there was the actual blast itself. It was like nature's roar, an earsplitting cacophony of bellowing thunder mimicking the wrathful cry of an angry god. The earth trembled, windows shattered, the sky itself parted out of fear of the dense stream of destructive magical energies sailing across the Heavens in a blinding polychromatic streak that to the wayward observer looked as if a wound in reality itself has torn open and began to bleed.
Sobering did not even begin to describe the primordial rawness of the atmosphere that had ceded attention to the might of the Crystal Cannon. It was only then the sheer magnitude of its very existence, as well as the fact that it was the direct product of King Sombra's cruel ambitions, were driven in like a blunt spike to the skull to those initially ignorant of its overwhelming power.
To him, it felt as if the cannon had fired for hours, but as his and everyone else's senses slowly returned to them he had come to learn the terrible experience lasted naught but a single minute.
And then, silence.
Silence so deafening nopony dare uttered a word lest they shatter its fragility.
All that could be heard around the empire was the sorrowful song of the icy winds, the frantic beating of hearts and acrid smell of ozone.
Spike thought he understood sorrow when his brother died.
He mourned his death, cried his tender heart out until he couldn't cry anymore, until he felt nothing but primal rage for the humans who killed him and emptiness at his inability to do any more than shuffle around papers and keeping track of appointments. He thought he knew how to handle it just as Twilight and Cadance had. He thought he had overcome it and could continue to support the war effort just like his sisters have.
But the firing of the cannon, and eventually learning of what it had done to the city of Rome and the people living there taught him that he was dead wrong.
And he learned.
By harmony, did he learn.
He was every bit the vulnerable emotional drake he was now as he was then.
Three million humans, an entire city's worth of people, gone, just like that.
No warning, no chance to fight back. The result of brutal pragmatism.
Sure, he shared his fellow ponies' enmity and distrust towards them but there were limits to what was acceptable... wasn't there?
In the aftermath of such devastation he asked himself a question he'd never thought he would ever ask: was that the worth of Shining Armor's life? Indiscriminate bloodshed?
He resisted the urge to gag just thinking about it.
In the four, nearing five, years of war Equestria had been engaged in he had never really had to think hard on the matter. The war itself always felt so far away, and what with his professional secretarial duties to Twilight the politics of it all wasn't his problem either. He merely followed along as a good citizen of Equestria, loyal to princess and country. And for a while he was content to simply toe the line and regurgitate the common belief held by nearly everypony; humanity was corrupt and needed to be converted in order to save them from themselves.
Now, with his innocence all but shattered, he had been forced to take a long hard look at the war from a different more critical perspective, and he didn't like what he saw. Warmongering, moral superiority, dissent, all of it and more escalating across the long years. This Equestria was one he could hardly recognize anymore, if it had been what he'd known to begin with.
His convictions were shaken, leaving him torn between what he believed was right and what he thought was proper.
Sighing heavily, he spun on his heel and cast a cursory glance across the rest of the room.
It was what he expected from Twilight. Wall to wall bookshelves, the contents of which were neatly organized alphabetically and by subject or genre. Apart from those there were sparse smatterings of actual furniture, various chairs and tables of mundane aesthetic but of immaculate quality. It was utilitarian with just enough hint of personalization as to not look and feel so sterile given the unique material that made up the room.
The wide-open bay windows of the study gave him a broad view of Ponyville in all of its humble splendor. It was the dead of winter; night had fallen over the town along with so much snow. The twinkling lights of the many lampposts and dimly lit windows of the houses below were like earthly stars mirroring the bright glittering expanse of Luna's own night sky.
Merely observing the relaxing scenery did little ease to the tension, however.
"Spike," Twilight suddenly addressed, setting her quill down. "May I have some coffee?"
"Coming right up, Twilight," Spike politely obliged, walking over to the side table where a silver tray with a tall glass coffee press, mugs, cream, sugar and short pyramid of almond biscottis laid. He gingerly picked up the kettle and poured out a piping hot cup of coffee, the strong bitter fragrance caused a shudder to run up his spine as he reached the sugar cubes. "The usual?" he asked, tongs in claw.
"Hmm... No, not tonight," replied Twilight. "Black will be fine."
"Must be really important documents you're working on if you're foregoing sugar," he quipped, a gentle smile on his face. With a chuckle, he walked on over and handed her the mug.
It flew out of his claws as Twilight grasped at it in her magical telekinesis, bringing it by her side before taking a long sip of the heavenly brew. She smacked her lips and let out an airy sigh as she set the mug down on the desk, savoring the flavorful bitterness and subtle acidic notes. It was a rare exotic blend, limited stock she had received as a parting gift after a diplomatic mission to Saddle Arabia. She hoped the horses there were doing well.
"Thank you very much, Spike," said Twilight as she leaned back in her chair. "You know, you don't have to stay up so late with me. I can handle all of this on my own."
"It's fine. I enjoy hanging out with you, even if it is just spending time idle while you work. We rarely have moments like these anymore." Spike nodded, his smile evening out into a thin line. "Also, I... I haven't been able to sleep well lately. There's a lot on my mind that keeps me up at night."
"Oh," Twilight's feature's softened as she turned to face her brother. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"It's..." Spike trailed off, having second thoughts of whether or not he should confide in Twilight.
He had no reason to be afraid yet found himself struggling with the need to confess. Subconsciously he had to pick his words carefully, probably frame his internal conflict as something else entirely.
Openly questioning the war effort was a good way to catch the attention of the Equestrian Secret Service, not that Twilight would ever rat him out to them... would she? No. No, she wouldn't. However, even if he had an extraordinarily high level of legal protection, perks of being related to royalty, that could be revoked at any moment for any reasons by powers greater than him and he wasn't prepared to potentially gamble away his freedom so recklessly.
He may not know much about the ESS but he knew what they were capable of and how far their reach extends. Only the Alicorns were truly immune from their judgement, and, most frighteningly, there were times where even that could be called into question...
Sighing heavily, Spike decided it would be best to start off with something empathetic before segueing into more contentious talks.
"...I miss him, Twilight. I miss, Shining Armor," Spike uttered truthfully. His heart weighed heavily at the memory of his beloved brother, Shining Armor. The thought of him dead was something he had yet to come to terms with. He slumped against the edge of the desk, expression downcast as he spoke words filled with true sorrow and grief. Nothing he expressed betrayed an ulterior motive. "I-I can't believe he's really gone. It felt only a short while ago that were all laughing together at the dinner table, sharing stories and singing songs. And now he's..."
"Spike..." Twilight's voice was soft. She brought a wing over to his side and pulled him into a tight hug. "We all miss him dearly. You don't know the sheer depth of hurt we've have been forced to set aside just to maintain our duties. It's not... ideal, but that doesn't mean we don't care. And Flurry Heart, she lost her dad. She's the most devastated of them all. What matters most is that we lean on each other for support, to overcome the hardships of his passing and learn to make peace with the fact he died fighting for what was right; his family, his friends, his home, for harmo-."
"That's the thing!" Spike suddenly erupted, cutting off Twilight before furiously pulling away from her as his face contorted into sullen grimace threatening to spill with tears. "I don't believe any of that!" he finally admitted, causing Twilight to be taken aback by his outburst. "Nothing about his death was noble! Unceremoniously killed then abandoned in foreign lands, it betrays who he was and why we fight at all!"
"Spike," Twilight's eyes widened as she let out an incredulous gasp. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying Shining Armor deserved better," Spike grumbled tiredly, looking away as his posture deflated into a dejected stance. "...I don't know why Cadence thought it would be a good idea to use that damn cannon."
"You know why," she began carefully, slowly at first to avoid eliciting anymore outbursts from her brother. "We need to break the stalemate, the cannon will help with that."
"That infernal thing belonged to King Sombra!" Spike snapped, "Just thinking about it makes my scales itch. What separates us from that tyrannical cloud of sentient gas now that we've used it?"
"We are not him," Twilight stated firmly, expression stony. "The intent behind the tool is determined by who wields it. King Sombra was a selfish egotistical despot that brought ruin to everything he touched all for personal gain in a reckless bid for power. He created the Crystal Cannon to exert his dominance over others weaker than him and make example of those defiant of his rule. Distasteful as it may be, we use it as a means to end this tiresome conflict as swiftly as possible in order to preserve lives and save humanity."
"Salvation through eradication?" Spike raised a brow. "Twilight, the reports stated that up to three million humans were killed in the blast! Three million that could've been converted! This was what Luna was worried about back then, that we'd resort to just killing all of them in the end because humanity had made it very clear they'd all rather die than convert! Doesn't that bother you in the slightest?"
"Of course it does!" Twilight argued. "Nopony, least of all me, wanted to resort to blatant extermination like this! But we are left with fewer and fewer options in the matter or at least those that can guarantee success without such a heavy cost. It is... a tragedy to be sure, something we are all well aware of, but one that was brought upon them as a result of their own obstinance and continuing resistance. Such is the nature of war," she assured, speaking more like a politician than a sibling. Her tone belied an edge of annoyance that she needed to justify any of this to Spike of all people.
"I can understand your dilemma, Spike. I really do. But the use of the cannon was a noble one in service to a nobler cause. Millions have died, yes, that is on us, but it was so that billions more can live!"
"I don't think Cadence felt the same as you do when she made the call," Spike scoffed, causing Twilight's eyes to narrow.
"...I'll admit that Cadence's sudden willingness to use the cannon so hastily to avenge Shining Armor was a mite out of character," Twilight conceded the point, wrinkling her nose.
"However, he was her one true love and the father of their daughter. She did what she felt was needed to be done as his wife and as the remaining ruler of the Crystal Empire.
Action needed to be taken, to demonstrate to her subjects that she was still able to fight for Equestria and that she cared about her husband.
And it worked!
Ponies across the country approve of her deed!
She has never appeared more gallant and sublime to her subjects than when she gave the order to destroy Rome. It gave them the hope they so desperately needed to know that the war will soon reach its dramatic conclusion. In that moment alone she has galvanized our people and raised their spirits in the wake of Shining Armor's passing.
We spoke about it at length and I can understand why she did it. Even if her motivation are ancillary to the main goal of shattering humanity's will to resist I'm sure it will provide her the closure she needs to move on in life."
"What about Shining?" Spike whispered, staring up at Twilight worriedly. "Was this what he have wanted?"
"...I asked the very same question that day," Twilight reminisced. "The answer is... I don't know. I did try to dissuade Cadence from using the cannon by reminding her of Shining Armor's heroic nature, but it seemed she reached a different conclusion on her own. Fortunately with the gift of hindsight I strongly believe she made the right choice in the matter. Her plan to destroy the three Abrahamic faiths might just be the figurative silver arrowhead needed to finally put this all madness behind us once and for all." She trained a weary gaze towards Spike. "I believe it will work because I trust her. And you should as well. Because if not her, then who?"
Spike was quiet. His inner turmoil had not been resolved, if anything he was even more confused than before. Was he wrong to question Twilight's wisdom? She seemed to have it all figured out compared to him. Yet the nagging sensation remained, a little voice that kept telling him there was more to this than what he knew.
Standing before Twilight in the silence of the night he felt compelled to make to a choice; accept her wisdom or doubt her.
Everything she had said so far made sense, even if he himself couldn't understand why. Perhaps it was familiarity that held him back, the instinctive need to cling onto things he already trusted, that he was comfortable with.
He had known nothing but pony culture and Equestria his entire life from the day he was hatched at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Even when he made that journey of self-discovery to the Dragonlands a core part of his identity always declared Equestria to be home.
Granted, he was certain he was missing some crucial piece of context that could upend everything he knew up until this point, but alas, he had nothing to fall back on but his internalized beliefs.
Whether it was because of weakness, willful ignorance, patriotism or some combination of the three, Spike chose to hold onto the rose tinted vision of his nation and the citizens that inhabit it.
He chose Equestria.
"I... I guess you're right," Spike muttered weakly, looking away in shame. "I'm sorry for getting snippy with you. I think the stress of war has gotten to me, that's why I've been so negative lately."
"And that's okay," Twilight cooed, her voice returning to a more amicable tone. "It's been hard for everyone. Four years of constant fighting has made things difficult. Even our friends and neighbors aren't safe from the shadow of war. But you needn't worry yourself, it will be over in due time. Once the cannon is finished undergoing maintenance we'll follow through with destroying Mecca, then Jerusalem. When the shock of their destruction has settled in humanity will surrender themselves to the conversion process before any more blood is spilled."
"What if they don't" Spike queried, the lingering vestige of his dissent crying out in one last futile attempt to find meaning in his troubles.
"They will," Twilight stated resolutely. "Because the only other alternative is oblivion." She paused, giving herself a moment's reprieve. "I hope this talk has helped you with your problem, Spike."
"It... It has," Spike wasn't sure if he was lying to himself or not. He felt better, but in the way where the problem had been set aside, not solved. He was too tired to keep going. It must've been past midnight by now and he was more or less going through to motions. "Thank you, Twilight."
"Anything for you, Spike," Twilight smiled warmly, taking a sip from her coffee that had unfortunately gone cold. "Why don't you head onto bed now. You look like you could tip over any moment now."
"I think I will... Good night, Twilight." Spike replied before letting out an infectious yawn. He started to make for the bedroom when Twilight momentarily stopped him.
"Hey, I'm going to make you a promise," Twilight began. "When the war is over and peace returns let's gather the family and give Shining Armor a proper farewell. A real farewell. Not the national wake with all the ponies and parades and politicians giving vapid unoriginal speeches of his how great he was. Just a quiet ceremony with you, me, mom, dad, Cadence and Flurry Heart. What do you say?"
Spike couldn't help but smile wearily at the thought. A humble procession would honor him far greater than any grand wake or ridiculous wartime action ever could in his mind. He hoped it would help Shining Armor's soul find peace in the fields of Elysium and that those who loved him would find peace with themselves once more.
"...It sounds like wonderful idea," Spike nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I knew you would. Good night, Spike."
Spike hurried off to bed shortly after. He found some semblance of comfort and was able to rest without trouble for the night. He slept like a baby free from the challenges of the waking world, dreaming of days where his friends and family could find happiness again in a golden era without strife.
...How different would things be if he had chosen to act on that doubt?
Professor Alric Thalmann, Dr. Yamato Souji and project co-leader Moondancer develop a prototype of the Thalmann Generator. The weapon that would win the Conversion Wars.
When Moondancer defected to humanity alongside Lyra and the Resistance, she never expected how much she would come to love human culture and all their quirky eccentricities.
Here she was in the heart of Tokyo, Japan, the technological nerve center where she was heading a top secret government project that would ultimately turn the tides of the war completely in humanity's favor. And on the cusp of perhaps the most important magi-technological breakthrough of all time, she found herself glued to the seventy-two inch flat screen television in the laboratory's break room, eyes staring unflinchingly at the glowing screen as this week's episode of 'Whuah?! There's Just No Way My Busty Step Mom Is Also My Evil Arch-nemesis!?' played out.
"Whuah?! There's just no way my busty step mom is also my evil arch-nemesis!?" The main character, Hiro P. Tagonist, yelled exaggeratedly.
"Mwuah-ha-ha-ha! So, you now know the truth my step son!" The villain, Eve L. Villaine, yelled back. "Your curfew is still at nine, though."
"But, mooooom!"
"Wow," Moondancer muttered in awe, her mouth covered with chip crumbs. "I can't believe the step mom was actually Hiro's arch-nemesis. This whole time I thought it was the childhood-friend-slash-potential-love-interest-slash-magical-girl-slash-author-self-insert, but I guess I was wrong. For once, you really can judge a book by its cover."
Ayaka Mifune, one of Moondancer's most trusted assistants and hardcore otaku, rolled her eyes at the unicorn's cute sense of wonder. "And to think, it only took us four seasons, two movies, a short lived but very beloved spin-off about Hiro's rival, a pachinko machine tie in and a poorly adapted North American version to get to this point," she quipped with a shrug of her shoulders. "Eh, the manga was better."
"Ahem!" A gravelly voice clearing their throat caused the two to nearly fall out of their seats. Moondancer and Ayaka hesitantly turned around and met the hard gaze of project leader Professor Alric Thalmann, an elderly German man with graying hair whose face always seemed to be set in a permanent scowl. He was a brilliant scientist, a modern Einstein as many have alluded him to. He was one part of the triumvirate of minds that will change the way technology and magic are viewed forever.
"Miss Moondancer, Miss Mifune. If you are done watching that juvenile drivel, perhaps we can get back to the experiments?" He grumbled with a heavy accent, brows knitted in aggravation.
"Y-yes, Professor Thalmann. Right away, Professor Thalmann," The two muttered, jumping out of their seats and making a beeline straight for the R&D labs with the utmost haste. The last thing they wanted was to be scolded in a language that seemed tailor made to express anger.
"Unglaublich," Professor Thalmann grumbled before shuffling out of the room.
Yugo Innovation Labs, owned by the powerful and influential Mishima Zaibatsu, was perhaps the most advanced science facility on all of planet Earth. The parts that weren't consumed by the barrier at least. When it comes to state of the art technology, this is where it all comes from. Currently the lab was hosting the UN scientific team, a collection of the best and brightest the world, both man and pony, had to offer that'd been formed with the singular purpose of preventing mankind's extinction.
Throughout their time here, the team has made extraordinary leaps in scientific advancements both big and small. In the span of just two short years, theoretical sciences had become reality. Technology once thought to be impossible to achieve without a centuries, if not a millennia, worth of study was now within arm's reach and growing ever closer with each passing day.
This was the work that Moondancer had dedicated herself to, and she considered it a great honor to be a part of in spite of the purpose behind it.
Trotting down the hallway alongside Professor Thalmann, Ayaka and several others, Moondancer glanced through the windows of the numerous research labs they were passing by, quietly admiring the various fruits of their labor.
One room had a group of scientist testing anti-gravity technology for use in vehicles.
The vehicle in question was little more than your garden variety electric powered pick up truck that had been souped up with anti-grav coils where the tires used to be. Moondancer was the one who helped get the project off the ground, but Professor Thalmann was the one who properly calibrated the diagnostics for the damn thing to work properly. The only issue that still plagued the researchers was the question of its stability, or lack thereof.
After all, frictionless motion is still dictated by inertia, and physics is a cold hearted bitch.
There was an incident a few months back where they were trying out the anti-grav coils on ground assault vehicles, specifically tanks. When the tank fired its cannon, the tank and the crew manning it were sent flying across the empty lot like a puck on an air hockey table that'd been struck by a rather enthusiastic player. That wasn't the actual incident, however. Rather, the tank crew had been harshly reprimanded for using the cannon as an alternative form of propulsion to steer without approval from the researchers, resulting in something the soldier's dubbed 'tank cannon drifting.'
Since then tank crews have been highly discouraged from performing this dangerous maneuver without extensive practice first.
Another room was dedicated to testing out alternative weaponry. So far, laser and magnetic weapons were the only ones that had been perfected, mostly.
Rail guns were the easiest to complete due to their simplicity, seeing as they were in all truth the final evolution of throwing rocks really, really fast. There was just something awe inspiring about seeing a small piece of tungsten carbide being loosed in a flash of electricity and absolutely decimating the back wall of the gun range that made humans giddy with joy.
Laser took a bit more time to get right.
Lasers had already existed but they needed to be supercharged for them to actually achieve any form of lethality. Soldiers had often joked about how embarrassingly weak the prototypes were, nicknaming them 'flashlights' since they were incapable of doing any real damage outside of burning ants or making fancy art on toast. A few tweaks and a new miniaturized power source later, 'burning ants with a magnifying glass' soon became 'killing ponies with a literal f**king death ray' as it was now powerful enough to amputate limbs in a single burst.
Plasma was still tricky to perfect seeing as the weapon was prone to either overheating or catastrophic malfunction. The problem wasn't the plasma itself, rather it was the weapon that was meant to hold it. Until a practical way to spew plasma could be developed plasma weaponry will unfortunately remain in the testing phase.
There were also things like omnispex tracking devices, carapace armor and unmanned point defense drones being developed, but everything that had been mentioned were all supplemental to the one that mattered the most.
Project: J.G.W.
Eventually the science team made it to lab zero, an underground bunker deep beneath the foundations of the building where only high ranking individuals with maximum level clearance are allowed to enter.
This bunker housed Project: J.G.W. A highly secretive scientific project approved by the UN that have had nearly unlimited funding funneled into it in order to see it come to life. Money was no object when the project could very well turn the war completely on its head. The theory had been proven and the calculations were checked a thousand times over. The science was there.
It will work.
Through the combination of human ingenuity and pony cooperation, it was possible to create a machine capable of dampening magic, if not outright rendering it null and void. The prototype for this machine was already complete, all they needed to do was turn it on and hope for the best.
"Ah, Moondancer, Professor Thalmann. You've finally made it," A middle aged Japanese man with messy black hair wearing round eyeglasses greeted the science team in perfect English.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Souji," replied Moondancer, trotting up beside him. "I see that the preparations are complete."
"To specifications, I would assume?" Professor Thalmann grumbled. Dr. Souji let out a hearty laugh.
"Ever the grumpy one, aren't you professor?" replied Dr. Souji. "What happened to that youthful optimism you expressed when you finally cracked the magi-tech code?"
"The fate of humanity and our pony allies hinges on the success of this project, doctor. Optimism is in short supply for me," Thalmann huffed, earning another chuckle from Dr. Souji.
"Oh, don't mind him. He's just being melodramatic," said Moondancer, shooting a mischievous look towards the good professor. " It's going to work, I'm sure of it."
"Hmph," Thalmann harrumphed, turning his nose and entering the lab as everyone else followed suit.
A massive cylindrical machine with four stilt-like legs stood in the center of the lab's testing chamber, the letters J.G.W. were painted on its side along with a series of serial numbers, bar codes and warning markings. A single glowing LED band near the top of the machine pulsed with a dim red light, signaling that it was inactive. It was an imposing invention, taking up almost the entire room with it's sheer immensity.
Mundane was perhaps the best way to describe it. It wasn't this outrageous contraption loaded to the brim with bells and whistles, rather it was this dull looking device that was about as practical as it can be without being little more than a metal box filled with moving parts and electronics.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Dr. Souji remarked.
"It really is," replied Moondancer.
"But does it work?" Professor Thalmann asked.
"Only one way to find out," said Moondancer as she and several others took their place among the command console in the observation deck. She deftly flipped switches and pushed buttons, following procedures that she had done countless times before. The glowing band on the machine turned yellow, signaling that it was on standby. "Powering up the device."
"Power is at fifty percent... Seventy percent... The device is now at one hundred percent," said Ayaka, sliding a few knobs around on the console. "Project J.G.W. is now fully operational. We're ready to proceed with further diagnostics."
"Dr. Souji, what is the status of machine?" said Thalmann.
"Readings appear stable across the board, Professor," replied Dr. Souji, tapping on his tablet. "The diffuser module is working as intended, just like I said it would."
"Excellent work, doctor," Thalmann nodded. "Moondancer, how is the power output?"
"Nominal," replied Moondancer. "There is no loss of power whatsoever. We will achieve the dampening effects within a few short minutes."
"Everyone," Professor Thalmann began, looking around the room. "This is the moment we've been waiting for. Two years of tireless work and dangerous amounts of caffeine have led us to this historic occasion. What we are about to witness is not just the turning point of the war, but a landmark achievement of human and pony cooperation. This will mark a new chapter in our Earth's history, one that shall be etched into the annals of history for centuries to come."
"Well said, professor," Moondancer nodded before turning her attention back to the machine. "Hmm... I detect a spike in power from the machine."
"A malfunction?" Dr. Souji raised an eyebrow.
"No," Moondancer shook her head. "The dampening effects of the machine are starting to take effect. It's drawing more power from the building's generator in order to manifest it.
"Will the machine be able to hold all that excess power?" Professor Thalmann asked.
"It will," replied Moondancer, turning some dials. "I just need to make some quick adjustments and-"
The lab's alarms suddenly came to life, blaring throughout all the speakers in the observation deck as hazard lights began flashing sporadically in the dimness of the room. Project J.G.W began whirring to life, violently shaking as its internal turbines grinded against each other in a psychopathic frenzy.
"A massive power surge has been detected in the upper labs!" Ayaka exclaimed, quickly typing on her keyboard. "We're getting reports of equipment failure from labs one through seven!"
"ScheiBe!" Thalmann cursed, biting at his thumb. "Moondancer, how much longer until we achieve the dampening effect!"
"Exactly two minute!" Moondancer yelled back, scrambling with her controls.
"I'll have the other labs shut down to preserve power," Dr. Souji suggested, reaching for his phone.
"Do it," Thalmann agreed. "Order your team to shut down all nonessential machinery. We can't let this opportunity slip away, otherwise we'll be set back for another year!"
"One minute and twenty seconds, Professor Thalmann!" yelled Moondancer, frantically tuning her console. "Come on! Come on! Hold it together just for a little while longer!"
An explosion from above rocked the underground bunker, causing debris to fall from the ceiling and knocking over a few unprepared scientists onto the floor.
"Gott im Himmel, what was that!?" Thalmann shouted over the alarms.
"Those were the plasma cells in the coolant chamber, they just detonated!" screamed Ayaka, fingers moving like skittering spiders on her keyboard. She muttered something incoherently beneath her breath in rapid Japanese as her eyes darted back and forth on the screen.
"Are there any casualties?!" Dr. Souji pressed.
"...At least three staff members were caught in the blast with another ten badly injured," Ayaka mumbled solemnly. "We've got hazard teams moving in to contain the fires. Professor Thalmann, we have to abort! At this rate the entire building will burn down! With us in it!"
"Nein! Not now!" Thalmann growled. "We're so close!"
"Thirty more seconds!" shouted Moondancer, gripping the edges of her seat. "Twenty five... twenty... fifteen..."
"Come on... Come on..." Thalmann grumbled, biting his thumb to the point he broke skin and started bleeding.
Then suddenly, the power shut off and everything was cloaked in a veil of darkness.
Various yelps and cries of shock in multiple languages echoed around the room before slowly descending into uncomfortable silence. For what felt like an eternity in the dark, hope lingered like a flickering match in a damp cave. The entire science team waited with bated breath for something, anything to happen.
A green glow faintly emanating from down in the testing chamber brought everyone's attention to the machine. It was finally in its active state.
"S-status report," Thalmann spoke barely above a whisper, trying to slow his throbbing heart.
"I-I..." Dr. Souji tried to speak but felt the words get trapped in his throat.
As quickly as it had happened, the lights began turning back on and the computer consoles hummed back to life, much to everyone's relief.
"...The generator has s-successfully rebooted itself. Power is now being restored throughout the entire building," murmured Ayaka. "It appears the hazard team have been successful in containing the fires but the damage has already been done. All remaining staff are following proper evacuation procedures and a cleanup crew has been dispatched to review the damage. We should have their full report on our desk by the end of the day."
Dr. Souji removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Chikusho..." he cursed. "There are families that I'm going to have to inform."
"It is unfortunate," said Professor Thalmann, collecting himself. "But we can't mourn for them right now. Project: J.G.W. is our number one priority. We must know if the experiment was a success."
Dr. Souji sighed heavily. Professor Thalmann was as blunt as ever, but he was correct. "What of Project: J.G.W., Moondancer?" he asked, but received no response. "...Moondancer?" He walked over to Moondancer's station and quickly rushed to her aid when he saw that she was collapsed on the floor, unconscious. "Moondancer!" he cried, cradling her in his arms. He placed his fingers on her neck and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a pulse. "She's still alive."
Moondancer began to stir a moment later. When she opened her eyes she was greeted by the concerning stares of her fellow scientist as they crowded around her prone form. She slowly got to her hooves, bracing herself against the console for better balance.
"You gave us quite a scare, Moondancer," said Thalmann, helping her up on all fours. "What happened?"
"...I-it works," Moondancer muttered, a small smile on her lips.
Professor Thalmann and Dr. Souji traded looks with each other.
"What are you talking about?" Professor Thalmann asked.
"The machine... it works," replied Moondancer.
"You mean..." Dr. Souji's eyes widened.
"Mmhmm," Moondancer nodded weakly. "Project: J.G.W. is a complete success."
"...How can you tell?" asked Professor Thalmann, pulling out his research tablet. "Please, explain the sensation you are feeling as best you can."
"It's..." Moondancer murmured, gripping onto her head. "It's like there's a vice clamped around my brain. I've got this strange headache that I've never felt before. It doesn't hurt but I can feel something is off, you know? Also, my heart feels heavy." She pointed to her chest. "Almost like there's a ball and chain strapped to it. Overall I feel fatigued and listless."
"That's good, that's good," Professor Thalmann nodded, tapping on his tablet. "What of your magic?"
"My magic is still there but I can't get much of it out, if at all. It feels like I'm trying to squeeze that last bit of toothpaste out of the tube using my mind." Moondancer strained, trying to levitate something nearby on the floor, a pen, but couldn't get it off the ground more than a couple inches before giving up. "The dampening waves are disrupting the flow of magic in the air. I-I guess the only way I can describe it is like blowing away a thick fog with a really big fan. Everything in the air just kind of dissipates, leaving nothing behind."
"Not the best analogy, but we'll take it," quipped Dr. Souji. "But in all seriousness. Ladies and gentlemen. And esteemed mare," he winked at Moondancer who chuckled wearily. "We've done it. Through our hard work, we've achieved what many thought was impossible. Not only have we created the very first fusion of machine and magic, we've created something that can nullify magic. With this, we can destroy that infernal barrier and end this foolish war before it claims any more lives."
There was a round of applause. The science team shared praises among the triumvirate who made it all possible and exchanged congratulatory handshakes amongst themselves.
"We can't keep referring to this as Project J.G.W. now that we've achieved our goals. It needs a proper name," said Thalmann. "Any suggestions?"
"Oh! Oh! How about the Asta Engine?" Ayaka suggested.
"Is that another one of your anime things, miss Mifune?" Thalmann grumbled.
"...No?" Ayaka smiled sheepishly.
"Perhaps something more straightforward is what we need. We could just call it the Magic Dampener," said Dr. Souji.
"Too on the nose. It would tip off the Equestria to its capabilities, no doubt," said Moondancer, shaking her head. "I propose we name it the Thalmann Generator, after the one person who made this all possible." Professor Thalmann raised his eyebrow at the mention.
"Curious, miss Moondancer," said Thalmann, bringing a hand to his chin. "While it is an honor to have such a device named after myself, we should be naming it after you. After all, your insight into the world of magic was what allowed me to make this project into a reality to begin with. Perhaps, the Moondancer Device?"
"Tempting, but the honor is all yours," Moondancer bowed humbly. "You were the one who spent many a sleepless night writing down formulas and making equations from my notes. You were the one who discovered that it was possible to mix machinery and magic together. My efforts were supplemental in magnitude when compared to your own. I vote we name this device the Thalmann Generator."
"I second this decision," said Dr. Souji, standing beside the professor. "Professor Thalmann has earned the right to have the machine named after him. Are we all in agreement?"
A series of yes and ayes came forth from the rest of the team. The decision was unanimous.
Project: J.G.W. will henceforth be known as the Thalmann Generator.
It was around night time when Moondancer found herself back in the lab's break room, alone. She needed to catch up on her shows and finally found an amble opportunity to do so.
The cleanup crews had already done their sweep of the building and given all staff the go ahead to resume their business. The power surge will have to be logged for insurance purposes but that was a job for the beancounters. Dr. Souji had already finished informing the families of the scientists who lost their lives during the accident. He was real bent out of shape about the entire ordeal and had chosen to excuse himself for the day, taking the time to unwind and assuage whatever guilt he felt with a tall glass of beer in the comforts of his own home.
As for the rest of the UN scientific team, they were celebrating their success. A small, informal gathering had taken place in one of the unoccupied meeting rooms a few floors up. They raided the pantry and vending machines for snacks, playing loud music over the building's intercom and partying down like there was no tomorrow. Moondancer had joined the festivities for a spell but quietly slipped away to watch her stories once her introverted nature began to surface.
Once her show had ended however, she was shocked to be greeted by none other than the man of the hour himself: Professor Alric Thalmann.
"Ah, Moondancer. I was hoping I'd find you here," said Thalmann, seating himself beside her and pulling out a pipe. "You don't mind, do you?"
"I do, actually. I have sensitive sinuses," Moondancer grimaced.
"It's a good thing I asked then," Thalmann chuckled, stowing the pipe back into his jacket. "I wanted to speak with you one on one. You should be glad to know that we've already begun plans to minimize the generator. Dr. Souji had the schematics in mind even before we succeeded. We should have a working model by the end of the month, and will have produced a fair amount the week after."
"Yeah, that's... That's good," Moondancer nodded lamely. "Is that all you wanted to say, or..."
Professor Thalmann straighten himself out and softened his gaze. "I know something's been bothering you."
"...I make it that obvious, don't I," Moondance frowned, turning away.
"I might not be a people person, but I am a very observant man. I wouldn't have gotten to where I am in life by being ignorant," replied Thalmann. "You're worried about the war, aren't you? That's why you wanted to name the machine after me. That whole thing about tipping off the Equestrians was little more than a way to shift the attention away from you."
"I..." Moondancer looked downcast. Shame welled up from within, causing her to turn away from the professor. "What I've done is condemn my people to swift destruction. I know what I was heading into when I signed onto this project, but that doesn't make the thought hurt any less. The Thalmann Generator will not only shatter the barrier, it will grind Equestria underneath humanity's bootheel. My species' heavy reliance on magic throughout the war with be our downfall, and I just helped to create the one thing that will exploit that fact."
"You're afraid you'll go down in history as a traitorous monster," Thalmann stated bluntly.
"I am," Moondancer sighed. She turned to face Thalmann, struggling not to break down into tears. "Am I monster for doing what I believe was right?"
"...Do you know who J. Robert Oppenheimer is?" Thalmann asked out of the blue.
"I-I, yes. I do know who he is," replied Moondancer. "He was a part of the Manhattan Project, one of the men who helped to create the atomic bomb. Perhaps the most destructive weapon in your arsenal outside of its hydrogen counterpart."
"That's right," Thalmann nodded. "Oppenheimer was never the same after the atomic bomb was built. Even if it did help to end the second world war that victory resulted in a nuclear pissing contest between two world powers less than a year later. He felt the same way you do now. His greatest contribution to mankind was something that could destroy us all in the blink of an eye. Us scientist understand that regret all too well. The road to progress is never a straight line, and you never know where you will end up or whether or not your achievements will define you in the end."
Thalmann looked scared for a moment, something that caused Moondancer to reel in surprise. "No, I don't think you are a monster, Moondancer. You're someone who just wants this madness to stop, the faster the better."
"I..." Moondancer's voice cracked. "I wish Celestia never started this stupid war! I wish Twilight would come to see reason and put a stop to all this! I wish I was never pushed into making the generator by their idiocy in the first place!?" She cried out, shaking and heaving after her tirade. "...I wish I didn't know that I will be responsible for the deaths of my own people."
"Curious. I wonder if your Princess Celestia feels the same," said Thalmann, standing up. "If it's any consolation, you're not the one sending your people to fight on the front lines." Sighing, he turned and left the break room. "Gute nacht, Moondancer. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't be late, I know miss Mifune has been covering for you."
Once he was out of earshot, Moondancer could only squeak out a quiet thank you in response.
There was a lot she needed to think about.
Was she truly responsible for killing her own people?
With the Crystal Cannon sabotaged by Discord, Princess Luna and Twilight bring it upon themselves to destroy the last of three religious cities: Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was eerily silent as night descended upon the ancient and revered city.
The cacophonous uproar of desperate battle raging on all sides had long since faded away, yet palpable tension could still be felt lingering in the cold night air.
As the waning crescent moon hangs high overhead, illuminating the darkness of the ruined city, hundreds upon thousands of ruined buildings could be seen alight underneath it's pale white glow. Humble structures and holy monuments raised during man's earliest days laid strewn across the sandy terrain in so much terrible rubble, fractured by days of intense fighting.
Princess Luna and what remained of the 182nd Silver Crescent regiment, her personal detachment of the Royal Guard chosen for their valor and bravery, hurriedly clambered across the ruined streets of Bab A-Zahara as fast as their legs could carry them. Desperation rung out with each and every step of their hooves as they dragged their bleeding, beaten bodies across miles of enemy territory, their eyes constantly flickering to and fro the shadows encompassing them in a spastic fit of paranoia induced panic.
They were not safe.
None of them were so long as they remain in this cursed city surrounded by humans who were Hellbent on eradicating them. And yet, they could not leave. Not until they found Twilight and her unit. But like rabbits trapped in a den of wolves they were being hunted down by what was arguably the largest most organized force of human solders they'd ever encounter throughout their five years of war.
There was no time to dwell on what was happening, however, let alone what went wrong. What mattered most was to find a place to rest.
After what felt like an eternity in the darken streets, the Equestrians found shelter: a bombed out bazaar that was as dead and empty as the rest of the district. Without so much as a moment of hesitation, Luna began herding her soldiers in, nervously peering over her shoulders for signs of enemy scouts. When she was certain they were alone she retreated inside as well, hoping to find a moment's reprieve to still her rattled nerves...
The Equestrian war council were gathered around a magical hololith by the center of the war room. A glowing three dimensional map of Israel flickered on the display, zooming into the city of Jerusalem and providing real time topographical information on a per minute basis. They all watched the map with steely eyed concentration as they conversed with one another, planning out the most efficient way to raze the so called holy lands.
Discord, that treacherous trickster, had slinked his way into the Crystal Empire days prior and sabotaged the Crystal Cannon, their ultimate weapon of war next to the barrier, before they could destroy that last of humanity's holy cities.
Twilight and Cadence had done all they could to capture the draconequus before he could escape, but failed just as he was finishing up tagging the infernal thing. With a wink and a wry smile, he snapped of his fingers and blinked himself back to the safety of human lands, leaving behind two aggravated alicorns and a neutered arcane weapon of mass destruction that was stuffed to the brim with smelly (but delicious) durian fruit.
Currently, the cannon was out of commission and needed to undergo around the clock maintenance before it can be fired again. The arcane engineers had estimated it would take upwards to a month, perhaps longer, before it would be fully operational again.
However, the plan will not be altered.
Jerusalem will fall, with or without the cannon's use.
There was no argument against that fact, no compromises to be made.
Their shock tactic hinged on its timely destruction in order to achieve the full effect of wearing down the last of humanity's foolish resistance. If they needed to go there and raze it themselves then that was exactly what they were going to do.
"Tsk, how very bothersome," Celestia murmured, overlooking the map. "Look at this. Rough uneven terrain, tight urban corridors and only two kinds of weather: sweltering hot days and bitingly cold nights. Jerusalem will not fall easily, not if the humans hold it in such high regards. They will fight tooth and nail to defend every inch of it, even if it means needlessly casting their lives into the furnace of war over a worthless plot of desert. We must be strategic about this."
"Bah! What do the humans see in this place?" Luna rudely interjected, narrowing her eyes. "It is naught but a parched sun-baked wasteland in the middle of nowhere, devoid of anything that could even remotely be considered venerable. Unless one counts copious amounts of sand and rock worthy of veneration."
"According to my research," Twilight began, flipping through her phone book sized sheaf of paper. "Lots of things, really."
Luna sighed and rolled her eyes. "Please elaborate, Twilight."
"Oh! Yes, of course," Twilight replied as she suppressed the urge to blush. "Hmm, the most important bit is that Jerusalem is considered to be, and I quote, 'the most holiest place on all of planet Earth,' end quote. More so than Rome and Mecca. Supposedly, because it's where you can commune with God, if you actually believe that malarkey... Ahem. It is the birthplace of the Jewish faith. There's something about a man named Moses who encountered God in the form of a burning bush who told him to free the Hebrew people from the yoke of the pharaohs. Then ten plagues fell upon Egypt, Moses parted the Red Seas and reached the promised lands, er..."
"Today, Twilight. Today!" Luna chided. "Skip all the unnecessary trite and focus on the important parts!"
"Right! Right, ahem," Twilight sputtered, flipping through some more pages. "Pardon me, there is a lot of information to sift through, with an aggravating amount of conflicting overlap between what is purportedly biblical versus the historical."
"A very typical commonality amongst the multitude of human religion," Celestia scoffed.
"Anyway," Twilight continued. "Moses and his exodus as it was called is at the core of Judaism, and Jerusalem became the home of the faith. For Christianity, it was where the son of God, Jesus Christ, preached, died and was resurrected. For Islam, Jerusalem was host to a whole cavalcade of notable figures, but perhaps most important of all, it is where the prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven. And, well, that's Jerusalem in a nutshell... I realize just how ludicrous it all sounds now that I have said it aloud. Especially when you've considered how often humans and fought and killed each other over it."
"Ha!" Luna raucously laughed, throwing her head back. "Resurrections? Ascension? Communion with the divine? Madness more than anything. I'm looking forward to freeing those shackled by the lies of superstitious prophets. We will launch a full scale attack as soon as possible and burn this testament to ignorance to the ground! We will arrive as warriors and leave as liberators! Heroes of the new era!"
"Your enthusiasm is noted, Princess Luna. But it would be imprudent of us to fight a full on land battle there," said Twilight, studiously examining her notes. "As Celestia previously stated, the local geography of the land will be our biggest issue, and the Israelites there are no doubt used to fighting in such difficult terrain under equally harsh conditions. I propose we deploy with a mixed regiment of pegasus sky warriors and unicorn mages in equal measures to support our ground troops. The pegasi's air superiority will render the issue of terrain moot while the unicorns will be able to provide rear support by scrying, shielding and arcane bombardments, all the while our main force will focus on razing the city."
"I second that proposal," said Cadence, her eyes unblinkingly focused upon the hololith before her. This was it, she thought to herself. Their final battle. Once Jerusalem is destroyed, humanity's will to resist will follow. They will give themselves over to conversion and the war will finally be over. Shining Armor will at long last be avenged. "Twelve regiments should be more than enough to see our work be carried out. An attack of this significance and magnitude requires no less than sixty thousand of Equestria's finest."
"And Luna and I have already decided to be the ones that will lead the charge," replied Twilight, altering the display on the map. A pair of cutie marks appeared on the hololith, Twilight and Luna's, along with icons denoting the different regiments under their command. They were positioned on different areas just outside of the old city; Luna's was hovering over Bab A-Zahara while Twilight's was hovering over Mount Zion. The others were position further outwards, surrounding the city like a steel jaw trap.
"Luna and I will be teleported here and here with our respective regiments. We will take advantage of the ensuing panic to lead a pincer attack, closing in from both the north and the south until everything in our paths have been reduced to rubble. We've estimated that there will be strong resistance, but it's likely nothing we cannot outmatch with our combined regimental makeup."
"And what exactly should I be on the lookout for?" Luna asked, raising a brow. "There's not exactly much beyond sandy bazaars and kebab stands that scream of religious importance."
"There are many things, in fact," said Twilight. "I'll chart up a comprehensive list afterwards, but you should know that the entire city is littered with all manner of historical landmarks and architecture deemed sacred, most of which are the surviving remnants of Jerusalem's original infrastructure from when they were first erected thousands of years ago. Normally I'd be appalled at the thought of destroying ancient ruins, but these are built upon a foundation of blood, intolerance and superstition. We cannot allow them to remain.
There's also something called the Garden Tomb. Supposedly, it was the site of Jesus Christ's resurrection. If I researched this correctly, after being crucified by the Romans, Jesus was sealed away in this tomb where he rose from the dead three days later."
Cadence looked flabbergasted. "You can't be serious."
"I wish I were, Cadence," Twilight frowned. "Regardless of that fact, it is another target we must destroy," she paused, and manipulated the hololith to display a large building with a extravagant domed roof. "Now, there are plenty other that need to be demolished along the way, but this building in particular will ultimately prove to be the final nail in the coffin for Jerusalem, and by extension, humanity as a whole. Behold, the Temple Mount, the one spot on all of Earth that, allegedly, is where God's divine presence manifests more than any other place. The unhealthy connection humans have to it will leave them utterly demoralized once we sever it."
"Such a garish building," Luna harrumphed. "I will take pride in being the architect of its destruction. All of humanity will know that their imaginary gods are powerless before the light of Equestria's harmony!"
Twilight nodded along and continued. "Once we've met up near the center of the city we will begin seek and destroy operations, decimating their most revered monuments and landmarks in rapid succession before teleporting back to Equestria. With Jerusalem left in smoldering ruins, then, and only then, will our victory be complete."
"And with the fall of Jerusalem, the ceremonious surrender of humanity and an end to five bitter years of war," Cadence stated, letting out a heavy sigh. It would be over soon. Soon. "Everypony, I want you all to know that it has been an honor fighting alongside you. This is the moment we've all been waiting for, the final climatic battle between good and evil. What all our sacrifice and selflessness has lead to, what Shining Armor had fought for with every ounce of his resolve; peace. Peace for humanity, peace for Earth, and peace of Equestrian's everywhere.”
There was a wave of murmurs and quiet agreement among the war council, with nodding heads and preemptive congratulatory hoofshakes between them aplenty.
"To peace," Celestia proclaimed, resting her hoof over the hololith.
"To peace!" The other princesses, generals and colonels all cheered together, placing each other's hoof atop one another in a show of solidarity.
"Then the plan is set," said Twilight, handing over her notes to General Phalanx. "We will begin the final operation in a weeks time. Until then, I expect you to gather our forces, General Phalanx. Twelve regiments total, equal parts earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns. Have them learn of the plan and understand their goals. Included in this document is a detailed list of all the supplies and provisions we'll need in order to carry out the attack. I fully expect this to be followed to the letter. Don't be afraid to get the ESS involved if certain vendors won't cooperate. There's been an noticeable uptick in businesses undercutting our tithes, we can't have a bit of selfishness get in the way of our last battle."
"I will see to it that everything is done according to your exact specifications, princess," General Phalanx replied with a practiced salute. "We're all looking forward to your finest hour."
"Indeed we are," said Celestia. "But until then, we must prepare. We can't afford to trip up at the finish line now."
"Oh, you worry too much, sister," Luna scoffed. "Our eve of triumph nears. We must face it stoically, with heads held high and spirits even higher! Rejoice, everypony! For sweet melodious songs of phenomenal grandeur will be sung of our great success for generations to come!"
The 182nd Silver Crescent regiment had just finished piling the last of their wounded into a butcher shop within the bazaar's food court. The rest, Princess Luna included, took refuge in whatever free space they could find scattered throughout the marketplace. Whether it was by squeezing into cramped textile shops, nestling among the pots and pans of the nearby cookware vendor, or simply propping themselves up against the walls of the buildings, they had to make do with their miserable situation however they could.
For the time being, this wrecked and ruined hovel was their haven.
After enjoying a brief moment of respite, they immediately went about securing their position.
Despite eluding human forces their safety was far from guaranteed. Jerusalem was not that big of a city, and their enemies had proven to be aggressively persistent in their pursuit of them. The cover of night was all but impotent against thermal vision and tremor sensors. They could not afford to be lax even when every muscle in their body was screaming at them to stop and lay down. They needed to be absolutely sure they could rest their weary heads without being rudely awaken in the middle of the night to the clamor of shrill screams and crackling gunfire.
"Colonel!" Luna bellowed raspily, her mane unkempt and fur matted with flecks of dried blood. "Colonel Air lift! Gather your pegasi, I want this perimeter secured! We cannot allow our position to be compromised, not when we're at our most vulnerable!"
"I already have my boys sweeping the streets as we speak, your highness," Air lift replied stoically, though there was an edge of fatigue to his voice. "If there's any pesky human scouts mucking about in the vicinity they'll make short work of them before they can relay any information about our whereabouts to their friends."
"G-good," Luna swallowed thickly, doing her best to hide the trepidation in her voice. "Good. I knew I could count on you, Air Lift. Once we end this war I'll personally see to it that you're put in for the Equestrian Medal of Wartime Excellence, the highest honor a pony could be awarded during their time in service to the Royal Guard."
"A-a most esteemed of accolades, princess!" Air Lift bowed swiftly but clumsily. "But we can discuss military honors another time, there are far more pressing matters to attend about."
"I'm fully aware of that fact. I was..." Luna paused to catch her breath, "I was just about to get to that." She turned her gaze over to a nearby earth pony mare, another one of her senior officers. The pony in question was currently tasked with keeping the rank and file in order, yet it was abundantly clear by the rabble of scared, befuddled and angry guardspony overwhelming her that she was out of her depths in containing them.
"S-stand down! Stand down!" She shouted over the raucous herd, subconsciously taking a backward steps as her hoof hovered anxiously over her sword. "I said stand down, damn it! That's an order! I am your commanding officer! You will do as I say!" Try as she might however, her commands fell on stone ears. The overall morale of the unit was low and was cratering with every second that they continued to quarrel amongst themselves.
"How can you expect us to work under these conditions!?" one of the guardspony shouted, stamping a hoof in frustration. "Half our equipment is gone! Blown up along with the rest!"
"We need a break! We haven't eaten since we began the retre- tactical withdrawal!" Another bellowed angrily, his armor covered in dents and holes. "Where are our rations! Where's our damn food!"
"Lieutenant, Autumn Falls!" Luna addressed. "Get your ponies in line!"
"I'm trying, princess! B-but they're not having any of it!" Autumn Falls responded meekly before turning to face the mob, her hoof now gripped firmly around her sword. "I already told you, you can have your break after we've secured the camp! This is not up for debate, it's a matter of duty!"
"Bah! We're never going to get anything done at this rate," Luna narrowed her eyes and stomped on over to the rabble, who quickly simmered down as the irate alicorn approached them.
"Attention, brave mares and stallions of the Royal Guard!" she boomed, causing the rabble to immediately stand at attention. Though, judging by their mixed expression it would appear they had done so mostly out or reflex rather than respect for authority. It was quite telling of how dire their current circumstances were that even Princess Luna, their living deity of venerable worship, had difficulties stabilizing morale. Regardless, Luna's authority, unlike her patience, was unlimited, and she will have none of their bullshit. Not tonight. "What is the meaning of this fracas? Your commanding officer gave you an order, follow it!"
"Your majesty, we're ill equipped to deal with these outlandish orders!" One of them shouted back.
"She expects us clear these rubble without tools!" Another joined in, equally as vehement in their tone.
"And that is exactly what you will do!" Luna snapped as she towered over the rabble, her eyes aglow with swirling magical fury. "You're warriors of the Royal Guard, act like it! Scrounge around this squalid marketplace for whatever junk you can find to aid you in fulfilling your orders! Cooperate with one another, work together with the unicorns! I don't care if you need to grind your hooves into a bloody stump down at the elbow to accomplish this task, it will be done! Our success hinges on our strength of will as much as it does our strength of body, do I make myself clear!" she concluded, her nostrils flaring.
There was a brief bout of silence. Luna found herself in a staring contest as she trained an authoritative gaze upon the rabble, who all glared back with equal parts fear and disrespect in their eyes. Then, without so much as another word, the group dispersed and did as they were told, albeit begrudgingly so.
Luna's eye twitched irritably at the continued display of insolence, but refrained herself from lashing out at them. Their situation was rapidly deteriorating. Her own men were beginning to lose faith in their battle, in her. She needed to got a handle on things before it was too late.
She needed to find Twilight.
Autumn Falls let out a heavy sigh and released the grip on her sword. She bowed graciously to Luna, her head hung low in both admiration and dishonor. "Many apologies, your highness. They sensed my weakness and took advantage of that fact. They just wouldn't take no for an answer."
"You're forgiven for your inability to whip a bunch of uncouth meatheads into doing their job," replied Luna, sounding harsher than she had intended to. "But what's done is done. Work will continue, and if they know what's good for them they'll do so with the utmost diligence and refrain from mouthing off at their superiors."
"I didn't recognize most of those guardspony," Air Lift said as he joined in the conversation. "Are they from another regiments?"
Autumn Falls nodded. "Yes. They're from the 205th Black Powder Regiment, the demolitionist division. Well, what's left of them, at least. They got hit pretty hard during the human's counterattack at the Dome of Rock. Their dynamite cache was struck by a wayward shell that somehow got through the magical barrier protecting it. It lit up like a candle and took out part of the regiment with it. We were forced to integrate them into our ranks to pad out our numbers when the withdrawal was sounded."
"205th?" Air Lift raised his brow, "That would explain their attitude towards the princess. They've always had a reputation for being a rowdy bunch. Hard to believe even with their regiment in shambles they're still a bunch of insensitive flankholes."
"Attitude aside," Luna spoke up, straightening her silver armor, "Lieutenant Autumn Falls, I require your attention as well as a full report on our current situation. Spare none of the details, I must know everything about our current operational status."
Autumn Falls expression turned downcast at the mention. "...Do you desire the whole truth, your highness?"
"Did I stutter?" Luna shot her a irritated look.
Autumn Falls sighed and her shoulders slacked. There was much to talk about, and almost none of it was good...
The day had finally arrived.
It was the beginning of the end.
All the preparations had been made. Twelve regiments of the Royal Guard, sixty thousand ponies strong, were gathered in the training fields just outside of Fort Solus, Canterlot's largest military garrison, and the third largest in all of Equestria.
They all stood proudly at attention in perfect rows and columns underneath the flowing banner of Equestria, their heads held high and eyes steely with resolve. Nearby were several carts and wagons that were stuffed to the brim with important military equipment and supplies that will aid them in the coming battle.
Opposite of them was a large stage with numerous bleachers that had been set up to accommodate speakers and an audience. The seats were absolutely packed with ponies all fidgeting in anticipation.
Among the gamut of ponies present there were; Princess Celestia and Cadance, members of the war council, heads of the great noble houses, assorted ponies of the press, and common civilians; local canterlites, relatives of the soldiers, and young students from the school of magic. The air was rife with palpable excitement.
Celestia had taken center stage and stood behind the podium, calling to order the rally to motivate and embolden the troops before they join the final battle. She stepped forward, tapped at her microphone and cleared her throat, silencing the clamor around her.
"My little ponies," Celestia began, sweeping a prideful gaze across the loyal stallions and mares serving under her. "Be proud of your service. Be proud of what you've achieved. Be proud that all your hard work and sacrifice has led up to this most historic of moments. Despite a few setbacks, all is as it should be, and you are to thank for that. We have fought and bled in this war for five long and terrible years, but here we stand now, on the precipice of absolute victory as the hour of our triumph draws near." The crowds applauded her opening statement. When they settled down, she continued speaking.
"The city of Jerusalem, or the 'Holy Lands' as the humans seem to unironically refer to it as," she paused momentarily, waiting for the sudden bout of condescending laughter of the audience to subside, "is the last obstacle that stands in our way to total victory. You, my loyal sons and daughter of Equestria, have been most fortunate to be blessed with the sacred honor of participating in what will arguably be the greatest most significant battle in all of Equestrian history.
Greater than the battle of Dragon's Pass where General Bulwark Bronze and the 108th Shields of Canterlot fought and repelled the foul fire breathing menace of the eastern clans. Greater than the defense of Seashell Shores, where the hero Glimmerwoods held her ground against a minotaurs ambush with only forty troops and a broken leg. Greater even still than the reclaiming of Horseshoe Flats, where the venerable Captain Sparky Flint clashed with the dread griffon marauder Razorbeak and returned Equestria's rightful territory to its people.
Rejoice, my little ponies. Rejoice, for soon the war will be over. Rejoice, in knowing you will be heralded as they who freed humanity from its shackles of ignorance and ushered them towards the golden future alongside us in the new era. Let it be known far and wide, from the dusty deserts of Appleloosa, to the snowy tundra of the Crystal Empire, that this is the beginning of the end." She concluded and allowed the applause that followed wash over the fields with thunderous stamps and vigorous hollering. She then stepped away from the podium to make room for Cadence.
"Thank you, Princess Celestia. Twas a beautiful speech," Cadence began. "Before I begin I would like to preface this speech by apologizing if my composure becomes compromised at any point during. As you all know, Commander-General Shining Armor, my dear Shiny, was..." her voice hitched in her throat, tears welled at the corner of her eyes, but she remained stalwart and pressed forth, "...He was killed in action at the battle of New York. Cruelly murdered by dishonorable invention..." She paused to catch her breathe, before speaking in a more confident manner.
"I look at you and I see more than just soldiers. I see sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. I see a family fighting for family. It brings me overwhelming joy to know that the ponies Shining Armor trained exemplify the very values he and Equestria stood for. This battle will be more than just an end to war. You honor those who came before us and those who will come after with your continued perseverance in the face of such horrible conflict." She then placed her hoof over her hand and began to weep openly.
"I know deep down in the very depths of my soul that Shining Armor is smiling down upon us all with love in his heart and pride in his eyes from the fields of Elysium. It is that knowledge that has helped me to steadily overcome the tragedy of his untimely loss, the knowledge that even now his enduring love for his fellow ponies transcend death and continues to embolden us all. Let us carry that love with us as our hope. A shining hope that will lead us to our bright new future." Cadence wiped away her tears and wore an expression of resolution.
"For friendship! For harmony! For Equestria!" She concluded with a raise of her hoof and the crowds erupted into applause again.
The rumbling went on for nearly a minute of uninterrupted cheering. There was much rejoicing to be had. The news team hurriedly wrote down every word spoken right down to the most minute detail all the while their camera crews snapped photographs or captured recordings of the rally for posterity. Nobles and military commanders exchanged hoofshakes among themselves and the canterlites embraced one another in tearful hugs in knowing that the war was about to come to its climatic end.
"Tis imprudent to be celebrating so prematurely, is it not?" A powerful voice cut through the rumbling, causing silence to befall the stage.
Princess Luna and Princess Twilight had just arrived onto the scene in full battle dress, armored from head to tail in elaborate bejeweled plate mail that had been empowered with several potent enchantments. Together they strode onto the stage with long purposeful steps, one after the other in near perfect cadence with one another. In Luna's telekinetic hold was a comically large bottle of wine, old and artisanally crafted from brew to bottle, its ostentatious silver ornamentation glistened in the light as the dark liquid sloshed around from within.
"Let us save the festivities until after Twilight and I reduce Jerusalem to rubble!" Luna proclaimed.
"Ah, how nice of our commanders to finally show up," Celestia quipped. "You're both setting quite the example to your troop by arriving late."
"We were well on our way to the rally, but Princess Luna had insisted that we make a detour through the castle's wine cellar," replied Twilight, looking rather sheepish. "Although, I believe I'm speaking within the boundaries of my royal status when I say our tardiness can be forgiven seeing how adamant she can be about her... frivolities."
"I see," Celestia chuckled and turned an eye over to the large wine bottle in Luna's hold. "Sister, is that what I think it is?"
"If you're thinking it's a bottle of Black Swan No. 45, then yes, you would be correct," Luna replied smugly. "Tis tradition to toast victory with only the best of wines, and I can think of none better than this. Brewed only in limited quantities, distilled from the rare blootfruit with a careful blend of herbs and spices and left to ferment for upwards to half a century, this exquisite wine was the famous Don Sommelier's magnum opus before he passed away. Few have been privileged enough to taste it, and even fewer are talented enough to recreate its bold flavor notes since. Not even magical replication can retain it's-"
"Yes, yes, Luna. We understand, it's a really good bottle of wine," Celestia interrupted, rolling her eyes.
"Bah! Calling it just 'a really good bottle of wine' would be doing Don Somelier and winemakers everywhere a cruel disservice, Celestia," Luna lightly chided. "It is the sweetest ambrosia in every sense of the word, and it will taste even sweeter with the flag of the defeated United Nations hanging over the mantelpiece of the castle's dining hall." She brought it over to Celestia. "Until then, keep it chilled for me, will you? I like my wine to warm up naturally when I imbibe, it brings out the aromatic complexity of its flavor in a slow and enjoyable draw."
Celestia sighed and took the bottle in her magical hold. It was all so very dramatic, but theatricality always was one of Luna's more endearing social quirks. "Very well, dear sister. You can expect it prepared upon your return."
"Excellent!" Luna exclaimed and bounced towards the podium. "Now, onto the moment we've all been eagerly waiting for. My little ponies!" she bellowed. "I've hoped you spent your time here well. Said all your goodbyes, hugged your loved ones, smooched your very special somepony and other what have you, for victory awaits us in the dusty dunes of Israel. Let I, your beloved princess of the night, and Twilight, the one and only princess of friendship, guide you all to a bold new future! A wondrous golden era for all!"
"For my brother, Shining Armor! For Equestria and the Earth! For friendship and harmony!" Twilight cheered on, bolstering the crowds.
The regiments all responded with heartful cheers and fervent battle cries, their voices echoing throughout the whole of Canterlot like passionate drums of war. They immediately got into formation and began preparing themselves to be teleported.
The unicorn mages all gathered around their respective regiments and began to focus their magic alongside the princesses, all the while the audience looked on with bated breath. Soon after, the regiments were bathed in a warm arcane glow of various hues and shades. Powerful magicks filled the air, tickling the furs of everypony around as a surge slowly began building up from within.
And yet, as the energy began to store and charge, part of it began to warp. Leak, almost. The concentration was there, but the flow of magic was erratic and messy. This did not go unnoticed by Twilight.
"Something isn't right," Twilight grumbled, furrowing her brow in bemusement. "I have a clear picture in my head but the spell is taking longer than it should."
"Tis merely nerves, Twilight." replied Luna. "Worry yourself not with such trivial thoughts, for our focus must be directed to the task at hoof. Think about Shining Armor."
The thought of her brother assuaged whatever niggling thoughts picking at her mind. Luna was right. It was the beginning of the end, and she couldn't let herself get distracted, not when everything hinged on this last battle. Stowing away her doubts she screwed her eyes shut and braced herself as the spell finally coalesced and took hold.
With a brilliant flash of technicolor light, the regiments vanished far to the middle east, where fate awaited them with open arms...
With the Crystal Cannon sabotaged by Discord, Princess Luna and Twilight bring it upon themselves to destroy the last of three religious cities: Jerusalem.
The hot winds blew fiercely across the parched landscape as the Equestrians began their attack on Jerusalem.
While the initial jump from Equestria to Israel had been a rocky one, the landing was arguably far worse. The moment Princess Luna and the regiments under her command arrived in the city they were immediately welcomed by a concentrated hail of gunfire through overlapping shooting lanes and explosive ordinance that seemed to come from the openings of every building in sight at all conceivable angles.
Human resistance was heavy out the gates and continued to remain so even as two Alicorns rained down their arcane might against them. Veteran soldiers hardened by years of conflict and cunning insurgents drawn from the local populace assailed them with everything they had, embolden by their unquenchable desire to defend the holy lands from hostile invaders.
Several guardspony at the vanguard perished from this surprise, but casualties, tragic as they were, did little to dissuade the regiment from engaging the enemy.
Their mission was clear and failure was not an option.
Like clockwork, the 182nd began establishing a foothold within Bab A-Zahara, raising force shields and erecting a series of command posts nearby to aid in navigating the battle. There were some difficulties at first, magical apparatuses stubbornly refusing to work, a sudden onset of headaches and fatigue when raising the shields, but once they were dug in they wasted no time in pressing the attack.
Luna herself proudly led the charge from the front lines as she had time and again, clad in a glorious set of ornate blueish silver armor and brandishing a sleek shining crescent blade as her soldiers rallied around her in a zealous fervor. There was fire in her blood, a sensation she thought she could no longer experience but reveled in nonetheless. Gallantly, they began their final march, slowly but surely gaining ground as they sought to raze any and all structures of import they came across.
The fighting was brutal and relentless, leaving thousands dead and a great deal more wounded with casualties steadily mounting on both sides the longer the battle continued to drag out. Hours soon turned into days and eventually the siege devolved into a vicious tug of war for territory. The Equestrian forces would soon lose their forward momentum, slowing to a crawl as each engagement boiled down to attrition.
Though they continued to steadily chip away at the opposition's defenses, maintaining their tactical advantage the whole way through, the end to the war will take just a bit longer than they had initially surmised.
Luna stood by the edge of the command post's force barrier, eyes steely upon the setting sun as her soldiers tended to the wounded and prepared for the next wave of their assault. It had been four days now since their attack began, she was beginning to grow restless. Nearby was a scrying pool, a luminous silver dish one could use to magically communicate with others across great distances. On the other end was Twilight.
"They're putting up quite the effort," Twilight's flickering image said over the scrying pool, her expression neutral. The sounds of battle raged in the background, feverish screams in Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew and more intermixed between the cacophony of gunfire and explosions. "We had anticipated strong resistance after the destruction of Rome and Mecca, but it would appear we miscalculated how truly desperate they are to save this sandblasted hovel. Their initial strike upon our arrival have pushed our timetable forward an unacceptable margin."
"This the beginning of the end, they know it. If they fail to repel us here it would all be over for them. That is why they continue to be so irksome even in the face of the inevitable. Their determination could be seen as admirable, were it not so sad. Such is the human condition, I suppose," Luna snorted derisively, her eyes fixated upon the horizon. " How goes things on your end, Twilight?"
"We're gaining ground, but the humans are making sure we work for it. This is the most casualties I've experienced insofar," she replied, rubbing at her temple. "The city is a death trap. We have insurgents coming out of our ears, they know how to fight in urban areas better than we do. To make matters worse, nearly every square meter of this place is rigged with booby traps... I saw one of my men die simply stepping through a door. He didn't notice the wire by his hoof when he entered the building, by then it was already too late."
"A tragedy, yes, but his sacrifice and that of others before him will not be in vain so long as we complete our sacred task," Luna soothed.
"I know that, but that doesn't make it any easier for me. The thing that disturbed me most was how part of him just... evaporated," she dry heaved at the memory. "I don't get it. His armor's enchantments should've allowed him to survive the blast, albeit gravely injured if not crippled." Twilight scowled and screwed her eyes shut, hissing sharply as she did. "I'm getting a migraine just thinking about it..."
"Be strong, Twilight. You're merely fatigued after coming down from the combat high. The stress of war will overwhelm you if you do not take a moment to calm thy nerves," said Luna, quietly suffering through her own throbbing headaches. "Luckily, I have good news to share. You will be glad to know that my regiment and I are closing in on the Temple Mount. Within a day's time we will reach its base where I will proceed to raze it to its very foundation. I will show all of humanity their holiest of monuments is naught but cold drab stone devoid of any voices, divine or otherwise."
"That is good news," Twilight sighed in relief. "However, I doubt the opposition will just let you stroll up and let it be destroyed."
Luna threw her head back and let out a throaty laugh. It was haughty and prickly noise. "Let them try and stop me!" she boldly proclaimed. "My soldiers and I will sweep them aside like the ineffectual mites they are! By noon's light tomorrow, the Temple Mount will be reduced to a smoldering mountain of rubble, this I swear!"
Princess Luna was beyond livid.
Her displeasure was made very much evident by the gnarled expression of barely repressed anger twisting her regal visage; with narrowed rage-filled eyes, an indignant scowl on her lips, tense facial muscles and a throbbing vein on the side of her temple threatening to burst in a plume of silvery blood. It took every ounce of self control she had left not to explode and loose an angry tirade of epic proportions.
She needed to retain some measure of dignity, however, otherwise morale will sink even further than it was now, and that was something she could not afford. Not when Equestria's most pivotal victory continued to frustratingly elude them.
Lieutenant Autumn Falls had just finished telling her about the state of their combined regiment. Disastrous did not even begin to describe the sheer disadvantage her forces were left at after the siege of the Temple Mount.
Even when taking into account all the other regiments and companies they had absorbed into their ranks, the 182nd Silver Crescent were still just above sixty percent fighting strength, a little over two-thirds of their original size. It was a less than optimal statistic to be had in an ongoing operation, a thought made worse when considering the casualties they've suffered, which was without a shadow of doubt the worst in the history of Equestria, let alone the war.
The rest had either joined up with Twilight to consolidate their forces or had already fallen prey to the enemy where they were probably executed on the spot or tortured by their cruel human captors.
If things weren't bad enough most of their supplies, wagons full of precious foodstuffs and crucial equipment, had been destroyed or were hastily abandoned during the human counterattack. What little gear they had managed to save needed to be used sparingly and the meager stockpile of food they'd gathered, including whatever rotted and shriveled up morsels they could scrounge in the abandoned marketplace, was being carefully rationed to sustain their forces for the long night. Most everything else were what ponies had on them.
"...And that's about the gist of it, your majesty. As you can see our situation is... far from ideal. I can only imagine how bad it is for the others lost in Jerusalem," Autumn Falls gulped, nervously awaiting a response from Luna. Hopefully one that didn't blow out her eardrums.
"...Is there anything else I should know about, lieutenant?" Luna began evenly, eyeing the mare expectantly.
"..." Autumn Falls contemplated the question for a moment. She had thought the issue nagging at the back of her mind not worth investigating, but at this point it was better to be safe than sorry. "Princess Luna, Colonel Air Lift. Please, follow me." With a practiced turn she gestured her superiors to follow her down the hallways.
After passing through several shops, many of which housed their weary and exhausted soldiers, they came across the main plaza of the bazaar. It had turned into a makeshift command post. Ponies were rushing all over the plaza tweaking the various scrying pools, hololiths and other magical apparatuses that had been set up earlier to monitor their situation. Diligent as these ponies were in their work they were still dutiful enough to salute their superiors upon their arrival before returning to their task.
"Why exactly are we here?" Air lift queried, raising a brow. "The area is already secured. My men and I made sure of it."
"It's not security that I'm worried about, sir," replied Autumn Falls as she walked up to a nearby hololith. She motioned for the pony positioned behind the device to activate it. With a few pushes of the crystalline switches on its console the hololith hummed to life and bathed the group with a warm turquoise glow. It depicted Bab A-Zahara along with the surrounding areas of the old city, albeit with unusually poor quality.
Most of the time the hololith was stable and unfailing, and while it was still capable of displaying accurate data the map was constantly flickering on and off, failing to hold its shape for more than a few seconds at the most.
From what Luna and Air Lift could make out on the finicky device it was that they had found Twilight, much to their relief. Her signature along with several other surviving regiments around the area was faint but very much present. Everypony could feel a great weight lifted from their shoulders knowing that they were okay, everpony save for the lieutenant, curiously enough.
It would appear that throughout the chaos Twilight and her regiment had gotten separated from the main force and escaped west to the area around the Mount of Olives, just under two miles over. Judging by the denseness of their positioning they were holing up there, fortifying the craggy terrain to their advantage in order to ward off any human attacks. For the time being, they were safe from harm.
"Oh, bless the stars," Air Lift breathed a sigh of relief and briskly gestured the sign of his faith. "Princess Twilight is safe, as well as those under her command. The battle has yet to be decided."
"Fortune smiles upon us colonel," replied Luna, easing up on her earlier stress. "We may yet be able to mount a counteroffensive and finish razing this sandblasted pit, once and for all. Setback or not, once we join up with Twilight's forces we will turn this debacle around and flatten every monument to hypocrisy that still stands. Rest assured, it will a song-worthy finale to this tiresome slog of a war."
"We must send out a message to them immediately," suggested Air Lift. "The sooner they learn of our status the sooner we can-" He was abruptly cut off as the hololith's image suddenly began to twist and pull at itself erratically. It let loose an ear scrambling whine across the whole of the plaza before fading into nothingness and dying with a shrill squeak. The shock of it wore off quickly but it had done much to unnerve those present.
"Augh! Damnation!" Autumn Falls angrily slammed her hoof on the hololith. "I was afraid of this!"
"Calm yourself, lieutenant!" Luna exclaimed. "Tis merely a magical malfunction. The equipment must be damaged after experiencing such a rough journey from the front lines."
"Forgive my tactless outburst, your majesty," Autumn Falls huffed, quickly collecting herself, "but this is what I wanted to show you."
"Why does this trouble you so, lieutenant?" Air Lift raised a brow. "Discovering Twilight's location is a commendable effort, one that is sure to solidify our victory here."
"Princess Luna, Colonel Air Lift, with all due respect but surely you cannot be blind to what has been happening to us this entire time?" Autumn Falls inquired. She gestured to the other magical devices nearby, they were all behaving strangely, so much so that their operators were left baffled at what was going on. "I brought this to your attention not because we have possibly discovered Twilight's current position, but because throughout our entire engagement we've been experience strange hiccups and holes in our magical weave. Something that, by all rights, should be impossible."
"I've told you already, the apparatuses must have been damaged during the withdrawal, that's why they're acting so strang-" Luna began but was cut off by Autumn Falls stamping her hoof in frustration.
"Princess, this is not just a simple case of mishandling!" Autumn Falls snapped, her lips curling into a frown. "This is not an isolated incident. It's been happening every since we left Canterlot! Spells requiring more effort to cast or outright failing, enchanted armor and weaponry suddenly losing their efficacy, defective magical apparatuses. None of these can be considered coincidences when they've happened too many times to count in such a short period." Her eyes narrowed as to accentuate her anxiety, "Something is wrong with our magic. That's why we're losing this fight."
"N-nonsense!" Air Lift sputtered, tensing his shoulders. He gave her a look like she was speaking gibberish. "Lieutenant, do you have any idea what you are saying?!"
She nodded her head judiciously. "Magic's not supposed to be failing like this. It's almost as if..."
"Magic can only be nullified by magic," Luna hastily interrupted, her tone incredulous as she leveled a piercing glare upon the lieutenant, who fought with every ounce of willpower not to shrink under her commanding gaze. "Those are the rules, and they have been that way since time immemorial. Can the humans use magic, lieutenant? Have you notice any of them weave a spell or hex us with their voodoo fetishes and black magic? Perhaps you spotted them performing such heinous rituals as bloodletting and animal sacrifices to bedevil us during what should be our finest hour?"
"No, bu-"
"Then there you have it," Luna snorted derisively. She turned away and closed her eyes, pushing down the growing sense of dread gnawing at her from within. Exhaling deeply, she looked over her troops, taking in their weary and dispirited expressions.
"It is only natural that the grand battle to end the war is hard fought. Mayhaps it had been foolish to believe it would be so easy, but I'm willing to shoulder that folly and the burden of our fallen if it means seeing this through to the end. However!" she jerked around suddenly. "That does not mean we have to luxury to dwell on such flights of fancy, especially if it is detrimental to our overall morale. We cannot let ourselves lose sight of our goal when we are so close to achieving it!"
"I hate to repeat myself, but for the sake of our mental well-being and to put to rest your silly notions of failing magicks, I will say it again. Everything that's been happening, spotty spells and malfunctioning equipment, are because of nerves and mishandling respectively. Is it wrong to believe that at the most pivotal moment in history that we're bound to make mistakes?"
"Princess Luna..." Autumn Falls swallowed thickly. "There is no doubt at all in my mind that the culmination of all your years of experience and tactical understanding greatly dwarf my own, but, do you think it wise to simply ignore these disconcerting omens?"
"They are not omens!" Luna bellowed angrily, scowling as she craned her head downwards until she was nose to nose with Autumn Falls. Her eyes were briefly aglow with godly might as her gaze bore deep into the soul of the now trembling underling. "I will only give you this one warning, lieutenant! There will not be a second! Heed my wisdom and cease your catastrophizing at once! It serves no purpose to dwell on the impossible! I've already made it very clear the root cause of our troubles and will hear none of your baseless conjecture henceforth from you or anypony else, do I make myself clear!"
She concluded her tirade with a furious stamp of her hoof, embedding it into the tile flooring and causing long deep cracks to web along its dusty surface. The resounding crunch of stone underneath her extremity made her troops to recoil as if struck, stumbling about nervously in their place. A deathly silence blanketed the plaza soon after. All eyes fell upon the unfortunate lieutenant as they awkwardly waited for her response.
Autumn Falls felt her heart leap up into her throat, plummet back down into the pit of her stomach and bounce back into her chest at Luna's outburst. The princess had always been known to have a temper, but it usually took a considerable amount of stress to truly bring out her ugly side. The fact that she had been the metaphorical straw that broke the camel's back turned the blood in her veins frigid.
Whatever fear of the unknown that lingered within had been replaced by the fear of God. She kowtowed to Luna's demands without so much as a second thought, clinging desperately to the dwindling hope that she would overlook her impudence.
"I-I-I... C-Crystal, your majesty," Autumn Falls squeaked meekly, her voice sounding like air leaking from a balloon as she bowed her head in shame. Her legs, like towers of jelly, threaten to give out beneath her, but she remained standing if only because she was frozen in terror.
Luna knitted her brow and slowly, deliberately pulled away from her overly aggressive hunch and into a more authoritative pose worthy of her position. She flared her nostrils and cleared her throat, eliciting a guttural, uncouth whinny of acknowledgement to escape her parched lips. Luna said nothing further, seeing her point had come across for all those in attendance. Autumn Falls would begin to apologize profusely shortly after, prostrating herself before the princess and confessing her wrongdoings.
For the moment, it would seem that the matter had been settled.
...Or so they would have wanted to believe.
A bloodcurdling scream, sudden and palpable, rang out across the air, unnerving everypony to their very core. It had echoed from the food court where the makeshift infirmary had been established, followed by stringent cries of desperation and angry shouts. The noise went beyond a simple regimental scuffle, it sounded like a full-blown riot had broken out among the rank and file.
"Grr... What now?!" Luna seethed, turning on her hooves and rushing towards the source of the noise as her entourage snapped out of their stunned stupor to join her.
She would later arrive to a scene of total chaos unfolding right before her eyes.
At last, after carving a bloody swathe across Jerusalem, Luna, the 182nd and other joining regiments had finally reached the Temple Mount.
The Haram Esh-Sharif.
Off in the distance stood the holiest most revered of all religious monuments in the great wide world. Painstakingly carved from ancient stone in days of yore it has stood firm across the ages even as the world around it changed and became embroiled in conflict one after the other.
Its beautiful blue mosaic tile walls were like cool flowing water in the desert, and the grand golden dome glimmered overhead like the sun, radiating God's warmth for all to embrace. Beyond its hallowed halls were a multitude of dusty archways, paths and smaller, though no less impressive, gazebos of old stone and refurbished materials.
To many, it was the site where one could commune with God.
To Luna, it will be the site of her greatest triumph.
Her half of the Equestrian forces had successfully captured the hill the Temple Mount stood upon after disposing of the human forces occupying it. They gathered around its base, hastily forming an great arcane bastion within the immediate vicinity and hunkering down as they were assailed from all sides.
Normally, planting oneself in the midst of an ongoing firefight in a wide-open space with clear sight lines was outright suicide. But with the might of an alicorn and destiny on their side, they were confident in the fact that they were all but impervious to whatever pitiable attempts the human soldier would resort to in order to breach their defenses.
Beyond the questionable strategic choice it was also a bold statement, the metaphorical waving of a big stick as it were.
Always one for theatricality, Luna was adamant that bringing down the Temple Mount must be a grand act to be seen and heard all around. Its destruction needed to be executed perfectly in the way a ballerina would perform their dance. It wasn't simply a matter of destroying a fancy building of religious importance; it was to signify the end of the war, and by extension, the end of humanity and its sinful ways.
"Hmph," Luna scoffed, sizing up the building as she tuned out the crackling of gunfire and explosives plinking against the shield. She observed the crumbling architecture, partially damaged by periphery combat, sneering at every little crack, mark and imperfection that dotted the venerable building. "It looked nicer from afar. Alas, tis a disappointment. A very predictable disappointment."
"Like all things humanity worships, it is a vastly overrated theme park full of smoke and mirrors created to wow the ignorant masses, and a cheap one at that," Colonel Air Lift joined the princess, offering his own snide comment. "If there is any holiness at all it this city, it isn't here."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," she replied, absently kicking a random rock around. "Hmm, perhaps once all is said and done, I'll have the artisans of Canterlor replace this affront to common sense with something actually worthy of reverence. I'm thinking about verdant garden in the desert, filled with all manner of flowers in every color imaginable. And in the center of it all, a magnificent statue of pristine white marble depicting the heroics that took place upon this very day." Luna's expression grew giddy, a small smile formed on her lips. "Yes, I can see it now. An oasis amidst the dunes. A true jewel for all to experience."
"Princess!" An earth pony grunt exclaimed, rushing over to Luna. A mortar round erupted against the magical dome, causing him to stumble in his steps before coming to a stop before the princess. He raised his hoof and saluted, catching his breath as he did. "The human's reinforcements are on their way here, they're converging on our location as I speak! It won't be long before we are completely surrounded!"
"Ah! An audience!" Luna chuckled airily as her lips curled into a smirk. "Let them come, let them come! I want all these misguided fools to see the exact moment I pound in the last nail into the coffin of their resistance! Their make-believe pagan Gods are nowhere to be seen, and we will remind them of that fact! Guardspony, I thank you for the news. Now, return to your post and standby for orders."
"As you command, Princess Luna," the earth pony swiftly bowed before turning on his hoof and galloping back into position.
Luna then turned addressed Air Lift. "Colonel, Air Lift. Rally our forces. Spread them out along the perimeter, order them to maintain the barrier and to uphold the battlefront. Do not let up for even a moment. What I am about to do requires total concentration and I don't want to be interrupted for what comes next."
"At once, your majesty. I look forward to moment of triumph," Air Lift bowed respectfully and flew off to deliver the princess's orders.
"Honor guard, to me!" She commanded, and a squad of bat ponies hurriedly appeared beside her. They all stood proudly at attention, clad in the same blueish silver armor that Luna wore. Several of them had a collection of metal rods slung over their shoulders while one had a rolled-up bundle of dark colored silk.
"My most esteemed warriors! Chosen for your courage and honor, the very physical embodiment of the Equestrian ideal! Champions of this most righteous cause!" she began, her voice fiery and passionate. "Our victory is nigh! With this final act, the future is secured for all of planet Earth! Sir, Night Fury! Present thyself, front and center!" she called, and one of the bat ponies stepped forward and lowered his head. "Dost thou have the flag prepared?"
"It is ready, your majesty." Night Fury proudly unfurled and presented the flag that was slung across his back, holding it up to Luna. It was an expertly stitched dark blue silken banner with silver trim, embroidered with the image of Luna and Celestia orbiting the sun and moon surrounded by rows of stars.
It was the flag of the exalted and prosperous nation of Equestria.
"Most excellent," Luna hummed before marching towards the Temple Mount, urging her honor guard to follow with an exaggerated motion. "Now, let us not tarry! Follow me to glory!"
Luna and her entourage approached the building. Once they were near, Luna stepped forth and her horn began to glow. She widened her stance and buried her hooves into the dirt, knitted her brow and scrunched up her face as she began focusing the flashiest most visually destructive spell she could cast.
Beads of sweat began to form by her brow. Web-like veins bulged and throbbed underneath the matted fur around her neck and forehead as she strained herself to will it into existence. It had always been particularly tough spell to conjure, largely because it was impractical in real combat, yet it was even more strenuous than she had last remembered. But the end result was a spectacle, it was the perfect for the job.
Suddenly, the winds were whipped up into a vigorous squall as dark clouds gathered around the Temple Mount, darkening the clear noon sky with foreboding blackness. The ominous clouds swirled and churned violently, booming with thunderous bellows that echoed for miles around and crackling with ethereal blue lightning as a blinding light formed in the eye of the storm that intensified with each passing second.
The light rumbled and growled like the belly of a terrible beast as it charged. It swelled and blossomed disconcertingly, growing and growing until finally it unleashed its payload; a minute but incredibly dense fragment of a neutron star torn from the very cosmos that was sent crashing down upon the Haram Esh-Sharif at terminal velocity, leaving behind a glimmering trail of luminescent starlight in its wake.
It behaved similarly to dropping a heavy tungsten rod from low orbit, albeit on a smaller more concentrated scale. In one fell swoop the Temple Mount was obliterated by kinetic bombardment in an rolling cloud of sand, dirt and other loose debris that swept its way down alongside the hill, coating the guardspony nearby in a layer of dust. The resulting tremor could be felt across all of Jerusalem, and the earsplitting rupture that echoed through the bones was enough to cause the fighting to cease momentarily.
An eerie silence enveloped the city shortly after, everything came to a grinding halt.
When the dust finally settled and the view cleared and the skies returned to its gentle blue hue, only a smoldering crater emitting a stinking gout of steam and hot air remained where the Temple Mount once stood. Luna took a moment to collect herself after performing such an physically draining spell, panting heavily and feeling lightheaded. She took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from her brow, allowing herself to admire her handiwork during the brief reprieve.
The Haram Esh-Sharif had been erased. Reduced to warm gravel and ash scattered across the winds in an eye-blink. It was the spectacle Luna had desired, and it was every bit as traumatic as she had wanted it to be.
But she was not finished.
No, she needed to twist the knife further in order to let in sink in to all in attendance just exactly what she had accomplished this day.
"Honor guard!" She commanded between labored breathes. Her honor guard snapped to attention, pristine and free from dust, as they quickly scrambled into a parade formation beside her, dutifully awaiting orders. "Your time is now, plant the Equestrian flag! Solidify our victory!"
"At once, Princess Luna!" the bat ponies all proclaimed in unison.
The honor guard broke off into two groups; one was responsible for setting up the flagpole while the other proceeded to perform the ceremonial unfurling of the flag.
They moved with practiced ease, unpacking tools and other equipment, having performed this ceremonial act time and time again. The first group hastily and expertly assembled the flagpole in record time, fitting the metal rods together and tightening the bolts until it was whole. The second group gather around the flag and held it in their hooves with reverent esteem and began to carefully, meticulously unfurl it as though it were ancient parchment, taking care not to let even a single thread touch the ground as they affixed in to the end of the pole.
Once affixed, they raised the flag pole in some imitative mockery of Iwo Jima, right down to the photograph being taken for posterity, and planting it into the ground as the others stood by at attention, their hooves held up high in a perfect salute. Then, one of them began to sing the national anthem. Their voice was a smooth, velvety baritone; rich and full of fanatical zeal. It was enough to make some of the others watching shed a tear.
"Equestria, the land I love,
a land of harmony!
Our flag does wave from high above,
for ponykind to see!
Equestria, a land of friends,
where ponykind do roam!
They say true friendship never ends
Equestria, my home!"
Once they finished, the regiments erupted in a victorious cheer, the war all but forgotten as they applauded the princess for her success. They stomped, whooped and holler in ecstatic joy, turning to hug each other or throwing their helmets up in premature celebration believing the war to finally be over once and for all... Up until the shelling restarts. The mood died instantly, and the Equestrians received a sobering reminder that the battle for Jerusalem had yet to be decided.
Throughout Luna's elaborate showcase and blatant disregard for wartime decorum, the human reinforcements had finally showed up en masse and taken the time freely allotted to them to setup their equipment in the back line; things like weapons teams, artillery, tanks and, most curious of all, strange alien looking devices that glowed with a disconcerting red hue. They wasted no time in bombarding the hill with everything they got, spurned on to even greater fervor after witnessing the callous destruction of the Temple Mount.
"Such insolence!" Sir Night Fury seethed as the honor guard returned to Luna's side. "Can they not see that they've already lost? Can they not see how pointless it is to continue resisting?"
"Tsk, I expect nothing more from a bunch of violent apes," Luna sneered with a hint of amusement in her voice, rolling her eyes as the ground shook and rumbled with each successive shelling. So absorbed was she in her own smug sense of self-satisfaction that she failed to notice the multitude of thin cracks forming on the surface of the force shield, nor the the nearby unicorns maintaining it growing pale and sickly in appearance the longer they kept it raised. "Clearly, they have difficulty processing the shock of it all and can only react the way they always do when they fail; lashing out in anger. Perhaps I need to spell it out for them after all."
Luna cleared her throat and took a step forward, pushing back the wooziness percolating in the depths of her skull before address the opposing force with the royal 'we.'
"Humans, hear me!" she boomed, her powerful voice rising above all the chaos and strident noises around her. "Let my voice reach you and bring us together. Cease your pitiful resistance, lay down your arms and accept reality for once in your misbegotten lives! It's over! The war has already been decided! Equestria has bested you, as it was destined to be!"
She gestured to the crater. "Can you not see? I destroyed your precious temple, that unsightly hovel you claim where God's voice could be heard. That alone should be proof enough of the futility of your endeavor! There are no Gods here, nor were there any in Mecca or Rome. There is no perception of divinity or false hope of any sort for you to hopelessly cling onto any longer, we have freed you from those sinister chains! Let go of this obsession! Let go of this pointless defiance and at last, open yourselves, your hearts and your minds to the glorious embrace of conversion! This is the way!"
Luna had hoped her speech would have a mollifying effect, that the fighting would stop, but whether it was due to deafness from exposure to the near constant sound of gunfire or lack of care they simply ignored her. She frowned and furrowed her brow, but continued with her speech regardless. She believed she merely needed to persevere and all things will fall into place in due time.
"There has been too much bloodshed, too much violence, too much suffering. Far too much suffering. But there is a way to escape all that, I offer to you my hoof in the name of peace, friendship and harmony! All you need to do is-!?"
The plodding thump of a tank's main cannon went off in the distance. The shell looked a thin streak of light as it whistled across the air like the shrill scream of death at high speeds.
*CRACK!*
The shell penetrated the force shield as if it were made of glass and detonating as it landed by the hooves of Luna's honor guard, cutting the princess off mid-sentence and unceremoniously blowing her and everyone around her away in a squall of dirt, smoke and shrapnel.
The experience was sudden and entirely unexpected. Nopony could've seen it coming.
Time stopped for Luna as the force of the blast sent her wildly careening into the dirt, limbs splayed outwards like a ragdoll, her heart pounding dangerously quick against her rib cage and hearing consumed by roaring white noise. She tore a long trench into the ground before smashing her helmeted head up against the base of the flag pole with a loud clang.
She blacked out instantly.
"What in the name of me?!" Luna exclaimed.
Her soldiers, loyal and steadfast, had turned their blades on each other. They screamed profanity and other vile obscenities as they descended into barbarism, charging at each other with cudgel, blade and even empty hooves in a rampant fit of misguided fury.
"Ya think you're hot shit with that horn of yers?! Let's see how smug ya are when I snap it off yer skull!" One guardspony, a purple pegasus armed with a lance, shouted at a blue unicorn with a black eye.
"I don't need my horn to beat some respect into you, you pansy cloud kicker!" the unicorn snarled, gripping his combat knife tight in his hoof. "Come get a taste!"
"Arrogant prick, I'll kill you!" The pegasus charged towards him with a deadly lunge, using the gust from his wings to propel forward at great speeds, only to get swiftly bucked square in the jaw at the last second and be sent careening into a rickety fruit cart with a noisy clatter and squeals of metal.
"Just a pansy cloud kicker!" The unicorn spat venomously, twirling his knife around as he began moving in for the kill. Before he could land the killing blow, however, he was blindsided by an earth pony who tackled him to the ground, knocking the blade out of his hoof. They both slid to a stop against the wall where they proceeded to descend into a brawl as the earth pony overwhelmed the unicorn with a brutish flurry of blows.
"Elysium above, they've all gone mad!" Autumn Falls breathed, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You!" Air Lift pointed nearby. There was a terrified private huddling beneath a table with his hooves over his head. The trembling soldier snapped to attention upon being addressed, banging his head under the table before scrambling out and giving a shaky salute. "What is the meaning of this!" he barked furiously, misting the unfortunate grunt with a spray of spittle. "I thought the princess had made her position clear about insubordination! Why are the men at each other's throats?! Why has nopony attempted to stop them!?"
"Sir! O-one of the squads suddenly went rogue!" the private stammered, quaking in his horseshoes. "They tried to desert! When one of the other officers attempted to stop them he got his jaw broken! N-next thing I know everything went to Hell! I scrambled away to safety before it could escalate!"
"Such reckless insolence! I will not tolerate this disorderly conduct any longer! It is beneath us!" Luna snapped, baring her teeth. She forced herself through, rudely shoving aside her subordinates and asserted herself before the rabble. It was telling to how low her warriors had sunk that even in her immediate presence the fighting did not wane in the slightest.
Her horn began glowing with a translucent dark navy blue hue, she didn't notice the brief fluctuation of color and wayward sparks elicited from the tip as she flare her wings out in a display of authority.
With a great flash of light and an even greater deal of mental stress, something Luna understandably attributed to her combat fatigue, all those involved in the brawl were caught in her telekinetic hold. In a single moment, the sound of quarreling quieted down to an uncomfortable silence. They remained helplessly frozen mid-fight with only the spastic darting of their eyes as their sole signs of life.
Forcefully, she peeled everypony off one another and swiftly arranged them into neat rows and columns. If there were any protests nopony voiced them, assuming they weren't the ones being manhandled. All the while Luna's mood continued to worsen, she struggled to maintain a strained facade of calm as she planted the last guardspony into position and released her telekinetic hold.
The moment her magic was dispelled she felt a wave of fatigue wash over her, leaving her panting and slouched over. Luna was tired, terribly so. It wouldn't take much to make her tip over in her weakened state. She wanted nothing more in the moment than to let go and crumble onto the floor and allow herself the reprieve of sleep. But unfavorable circumstances prevented her from indulging in such luxuries. Sucking in a lungful of air, she righted herself and cast an indignant glare across her soldiers.
At that point in time, everypony in attendance desired to be anywhere else but here.
They stood in fearful silence, quivering in their horseshoes as they expected to be verbally, and quite possibly physically, ripped apart by a very ticked off alicorn. The seconds ticked away at a dreadfully slow pace. Nopony said a thing. Nopony refused to let anything slip, not even a single breath out of fear of setting her off and becoming the target of her ire.
But in a more unsettling twist, Luna grew calm. Calmer than it would be deemed reasonable given their predicament. Her tenseness slackened and her expression turned soft, she just sort of deflates.
And for a while, nothing happens.
In all honestly, the fact that she wasn't exploding into a heated tirade or exuding an oppressive magical force was more frightening than if she did. It was hard to tell if she was remaining professional about it all, as screaming her head off would no doubt alert the enemy to their vulnerable position. Nopony could tell what was going on in her mind.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she turned over to her underlings and whispered them in a voice so cold they could practically feel frost forming on their fur, "Settle this. All of it. I don't care how you do it, I want it done. If somepony, anypony, steps out of line, you are authorized to have them executed. No. Exceptions. I will not suffer fools, not now." It was not an order or a demand, it's what will happen.
Air Lift and Autumn Falls both swallowed the lumps in their throats and responded with a quick salute.
With nothing but a snort for an acknowledgement, Luna turned on her hooves and left the scene, seeking a quiet spot in the bazaar to decompress and find peace of mind.
Luna's eyes slowly fluttered open as consciousness returned to her.
Groggily, she attempted to raise her pounding head, her vision a messy blur of colors and blinding streaks, silver blood staining part of her eyesight, as tinnitus stifled her hearing.
The first thing she registered as her senses realigned themselves was pain. Searing pain, numbing pain, pain of all kinds. True physical pain the likes of which she hadn't felt in years, not when she once called herself Mooncloud. So long ago was it forgotten the frail trappings of mortality that It had become an alien sensation to her. The experience left her shaken in the way a foal would be after burning their hoof on the stove top for the first time ever.
There was a figure standing over her, shouting something she could barely hear. She attempted to speak but lost herself in a violent coughing fit that sent fresh waves of agony rippling across her body. The air was rife with the acrid scent of smoke and spilled blood, it filled her lungs with lingering fragments of death and decay.
When her head finally cleared and her vision recovered from being a smear of colors she found herself in a waking nightmare.
Her regiment was in total disarray. The force shield protecting them had all but shattered, leaving them wide open to attack. Artillery and strafing runs bombarded them to no end, sending ponies flying through the air in bits and pieces, feeding the good Earth with their viscera. Another unfortunate soul could be seen flailing about, silently screaming, engulfed in fire as his skin crackled like roasted chicken. To add insult to injury, their flag remained standing, albeit crooked and set aflame as its smoking silk flapped flaccidly in the winds.
It was madness, complete and utter madness.
"...una... cess Luna... Princess Luna!" Sir Night fury screamed, finally snapping her attention towards the bat pony. "Oh, bless the makers, you're safe-!" he was cut off as a bullet entered the side of his head, completely bypassing his enchanted helmet and blowing a revolting exit wound out the other end like a gory flower. The sudden gout of blood and gray matter coated her fur as Sir Night Fury collapsed atop her. Luna frightfully shoved the corpse away and crawled backwards in disgust and horror, a scream trapped in her throat.
Luna swung her head wildly side to side, scanning the landscape. It then dawned on her the severity of the situation. Her entire honor guard had been killed, their bodies laid strewn across the dirt in bloody chunks after being caught in the blast of the tank shell, with Sir Night Fury being the only sole survivor before being shot dead himself. The regiment fought with every ounce of courage they could muster, only to be ruthlessly cut down by the storm of lead from automatic weapons.
The Equestrian forces were losing, and badly at that.
Gritting her teeth, she forced herself back onto all fours, ignoring the searing pain pulsing from her limbs as she hobbled back towards the battlefront. Her mind was caught in a turbulent storm of crippling terror, stubborn pride and furious anger. This was the eve of her greatest triumph she could not let that moment slip away because of a fluke.
She open her mouth to speak, hacking up a thick wad of blood as she suppressed the need to cough again. She raised her hoof up high and bellowed for all to hear, rallying her forces so that they may repel the humans.
"FIGHT ON, MY LITTLE PONIES!" she cried hoarsely, shambling about in a stupor as her soldiers watched on incredulously. "HEED MY ORDERS! MAINTAIN THIS POSITION AND FIGHT ON! WE WILL NOT GIVE THEM THIS DAY! FIGHT WITH ALL YOU HAVE! DO NOT GIVE THEM AN INCH! VICTORY IS ALREADY OURS! DO THIS FOR FRIENDSHIP, FOR HARMONY, FOR EQUESTRIA!"
The regiment would continue to fight, girded by the words of their princess who was still alive and well, albeit wounded. But confidence was a poor weapon and an even flimsier shield. The choice to stay and fight had grave consequences as the regiment was quickly being overwhelmed by the oppositions sheer numbers and powerful advanced weaponry.
Eventually, after being forced into a corner and threatened with total annihilation, it became clear what needed to be done. Humiliated beyond belief, Luna finally called the order to retreat.
"FALL BACK!" she shouted, the words like razor blades leaving her throat. "FALL BACK AND RETREAT NOW!"
And thus, for the first and final time of the Conversion war, Princess Luna fled.
Equestria recoils from the news of Princess Luna's death at the battle of Jerusalem.
Princess Cadance frantically paced back and forth in her audience chamber, her nerves frayed as the unbelievable news of Luna's tragic death shook her to the core. Luna, princess of the night, warden of dreams, scion of the moon, was dead. Another precious member of her family had been killed in the line of duty and it took every ounce of self control not to rage and destroy everything in the room in a fit of despair.
Since the Crystal Cannon had been temporary put out of action by Discord's sabotage Princess Luna personally led the strike force that was to raze the holy city of Jerusalem, confident that her magical abilities and the ponies under her command would be enough to rout the human forces defending it.
And she had every reason to be confident.
During the opening days of the war, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were able to sweep aside entire armies with but a single gesture, demonstrating their prodigious magical might as they rained fire from the sky, split apart the earth and carved the winds. They were nigh invincible, living deities of legend that were all but impervious to pitiable human armaments. They had been successful in the past and despite encountering heavier and heavier resistance with each subsequent engagement continued to plow through enemy forces like a wrecking ball swinging at an outhouse.
It was this complacency that was Luna's first mistake.
When the shooting started it was done so with surgical precision. Princess Luna and her unit had teleported themselves directly into the tiger's cage, and were greeted with death at all angles. Small arms fire, heavy ordinance and fixed gun emplacements opened fired on the strike force, absolutely shredding them in a hailstorm of lead and shrapnel. Undeterred, Luna ordered her unit to stand their ground, fighting back in a misguided display of defiance.
Thinking that they could beat back the assault was Luna's second mistake.
The fighting dragged on for days. To the ponies' shock, magical armor and barriers were failing left and right without explanation. Bullets were actually making their mark and this sudden realization threw the unit into a panic. Without their magical abilities the ponies were little more than miniature horses with sharp sticks and ornate armor, which meant they were now very vulnerable to gunfire. Understanding the direness of the situation Princess Luna immediately called for a tactical retreat. She would stay behind, valiantly buying time for her little ponies to escape before teleporting away to safety.
The belief that she would heroically hold the line then escape at the last minute to regroup with her unit was Luna's third and final mistake.
For reasons she couldn't grasp, Luna felt her magic grow weaker and weaker the longer she held out. Her powerful barrier, once capable of withstanding missile strikes and sustained fire without so much as suffering a scratch was now being steadily chipped away by it, like a chisel to marble. For the first time since her banishment to the moon, Luna felt the cold icy hooves of fear grip at her heart. That fear quickly blossomed into heart pounding terror as the telltale fwhump of an RPG-7 being fired caused the blood in her veins to freeze.
The warhead struck dead on and detonated against Luna's barrier with an ear splitting explosion, showering her in sweltering flames. A sound like shattering glass echoed out into the air as Luna's magical barrier faded away into nothingness, leaving her wide open. When the smoke finally cleared, she was left completely at the mercy of the human soldiers.
An order was shouted that she couldn't make out from the tinnitus right as a bullet tore through the knee of her left foreleg, causing her to buckle and scream in horrific agony. The exit wound it left was traumatic and messy yet the damage the bullet caused wasn't enough to fully amputate the limb. Luna's leg hung limply to the side as she struggled to keep herself upright, remaining doggedly defiant just to spite the humans even as death stared her in the face.
This was the pain that she had inflicted upon humanity and now that pain was being returned tenfold.
The second shot ripped through the side of her flank and the third took out her right ear. The fourth hit dead center with the fifth just barely grazing her. These were all within the span of the same second, a mere prelude just as the air was filled with the sounds of deafening gunfire, impassioned war cries and the clattering of brass shell casings hitting the ground.
For one mad minute round after round was dispensed towards Luna's general direction. The sheer volume of fire was over excessive to the point of being utterly ridiculous, because the soldiers didn't just want Luna dead, they want her deader than dead. They wanted to send a clear message to Equestria that no matter how much magical power you command, no matter how godly you appeared to your own people, you'll die just like anything else.
Eventually the lead stopped flying. Numerous gun barrels were glowing a bright cherry red and radiated so much heat it was a miracle none of them were melting after firing so many rounds off. Mutilated did not even begin to describe what remained of Princess Luna after the salvo. More than anything she resembled a slab of ground chuck that was covered in patches of dark blue fur and feathers. About the only parts that didn't look like it'd been shoved into a meat grinder were her bloodied hooves and horn.
The people of Jerusalem celebrated the second decisive human victory of the war that day by melting down Luna's fineries and using them as the first piece of material in repairing the Temple Mount, the Haram esh-Sharif. When one visits the temple they might notice the glimmering shard of lustrous silver melded into the outer walls.
Princess Luna had fallen during the battle of Jerusalem, the battle that was supposed to be the final nail in the coffin for humanity's fighting spirit.
But everything had gone horribly, horribly wrong.
Equestria's attempt to shatter humanity's faith had ultimately backfired on them.
Instead of losing the will to fight the religions of the world all set aside their differences and joined hands as devoted sons and daughters of a vengeful God, becoming an indomitable army of zealous crusaders that were greater than the sum of their parts. They were a force to be reckoned with. After all, the only thing more dangerous than a highly trained soldier was a highly trained soldier who also happens to be a raving fanatic.
This would be the second time that the Equestrians had attempt to exploit humanity's divisive nature, and just as before this fatal miscalculation had cost them dearly.
Equestria as a whole recoiled from the suddenness of Luna's death after having her returned to them less than twenty years ago. The ponies who believed the alicorns were physical goddesses of harmony had their faith put into question as a result, and even the average citizen were left at a complete lost upon hearing the news.
A wave of unrest washed over the country.
Many were in denial about it, believing that there was no way inferior humans would be able to kill an immortal goddess, writing it off as propaganda meant to shake their belief in the princesses. Some believed this to be a clever ploy by Luna as an attempt to undermine the humans by pretending to dead. Others outright denounced their faith, becoming apostates who were still willing to support the war but did so out of character rather than devotion. The rest mourned her loss, praying to her deceased spirit for the strength to weather the storm that was sure to come now that she had perished.
When the war began the possibility of defeat had not even occurred to anypony. They were so sure of victory over the humans that they charged into battle like the knights of old; smiting foes, seeking glory and coming home as heroes worthy of song. But now, the threat of defeat was very much real, and growing more and more likely with each subsequent failure.
Countless thoughts ran through Cadance's mind, each one more distressing than the last. Everything from Equestria's defeat to humanity outright obliterating the continent into nothingness sent waves of panic washing over her. Were it not for the impatient knocking coming from behind the audience chamber's door she would have kept on catastrophizing until she passed out from exhaustion.
"C-come in," Cadance called weakly. The doors to the room cracked open and Twilight cantered in, looking just as haggard and distressed as she was. "Twilight."
"Cadance," Twilight started. "Did you..."
"...I've heard," replied Cadance. "Auntie Luna is... Auntie Luna died in Jerusalem."
"I-I still can't believe it myself," Twilight breathed, looking like she was going to break down any second now. "We... underestimated the humans."
"You think?!" Cadance snapped, getting up in Twilight's face. "Twilight, this is getting out of control! When we started this war we believe that it would be easy, that it would be over within the year. You promised me yourself! We had everything going for us; the barrier, our magic, the potions, the trust of the ponies. The deck had been stacked in our favor. But look where we are now! It's been five years and we're at a stalemate with two for our leaders dead!"
"Cadance, please. I understand your concer-"
"Don't! You! Dare!" Cadance seethed, breathing heavily. "I'm well beyond consoling! What I want are answers! Why aren't we winning?! Why are the humans still resisting?! Why do I continue to lose the people I care most in my life?!"
A loud thwack echoed throughout the air. Cadance's cheek stung with pain from the slap she received from Twilight. "Cadance, control yourself! You're not the only one who's suffering you know!" Twilight yelled, breaking out into tears.
"I'm still deciding whether or not I should. She just started going outside again," Cadance explained. "After Shining Armor died Flurry Heart didn't leave her room for weeks. Only recently she's gotten over her depression and started interacting with ponies again. Seeing her overcome her loss after months of grief had brought some solace to the crystal ponies, it's reinvigorated their support for the war. If I break the news to her that Luna is dead now she'll relapse and shut herself back in again."
Twilight sighed heavily. She sympathized with Cadance, both she and her daughter were put into a difficult position. "...She's going to find out sooner or later. If not from you or me it'll be a slip of the tongue from one of the castle's servants or even a passing comment from a random citizen. It would be better if she heard it from you and soon."
"Y-you're right," Cadance muttered. "I'll tell her after we finished our talk. There are some things that I want to know first."
"I'll answer your questions as best I can."
"How did the humans do it? How did they manage to kill Luna?" Cadance asked, narrowing her eyes. "I can understand Shining's death. He was killed from a distance, it was beyond his control. But Luna was in the thick of it. There was no way in hell she could've died to the humans and their weapons!"
"...Collected statements from the surviving members of Princess Luna's unit have all mentioned that their magic weren't working properly throughout the battle of Jerusalem," said Twilight. "Our scouts from around that area have confirmed that the humans had deployed a device capable of nullifying magic entirely. How they were able to devise such a thing, I can only assume it was through a perverted combination human scientific knowledge and traitorous unicorn magical know-how," she spat the last few words.
"So the rumors were true," Cadance whispered. "The humans have really done it. They've created a magic killer... What does that mean for us?"
"What it means is that we have to be more careful from here on out," Twilight stated firmly. "As long as we maintain our support in the war and in Princess Celestia we'll be able to turn things around. We haven't lost yet."
"How can you so sure?" Cadance raised a brow. "We've been wrong about every single assumption up until this point and every time we've paid for it. What will we be wrong about next, Twilight? That the barrier will hold even as the humans unleash this magic killer upon us?"
"It will hold, Cadance," Twilight stated firmly. "You need to have more faith."
"Well,faith killed Luna," Cadance countered, causing Twilight to wince.
"Okay, that wasn't the most tactful choice of words," Twilight admitted, shifting nervously from hoof to hoof. "Do you have another question?"
"...What of Auntie Luna's body? Are we going to leave her in enemy territory like we left Shining Armor?"
"About that..." Twilight scratched the back of her neck. "Princess Celestia and I recovered her body at great personal risk the other day. She's currently preoccupied preparing her for the funerary procession. The morticians Celestia employed are the best bits can buy and they're hard at work making Luna presentable to the public."
"That's... That's good, isn't it?" Cadance looked hopeful. "When will be the funeral be?"
"That... has yet to be determined."
"What? Why?" Cadance knitted her brow in confusion. "We should should perform Luna's burial rites as soon as possible-"
"And we will," Twilight assured, placing a hoof on Cadance's shoulder. "Listen. I promise you a funeral is going to take place. It's just going to take a bit of time to get everything squared away. Please understand. There's a lot happening and we don't have the luxury of doing whatever we want at the moment."
"...Alright. I trust you," said Cadance. "But when the time comes, all of us are going to that funeral to pay our respects to Luna."
"You can count on that," Twilight nodded. "Is there any other question?"
"No. I think that's all I wanted to know. Thank you," said Cadance as she led Twilight towards the door. "Now, Twilight, It's been nice talking to you again but I'm sure you have more important things to do than fret over me. I'll let you get back to whatever business you had before visiting me."
"...I could stay and help with Flurry Heart," Twilight offered.
"You know what," Cadance paused in her steps, smiling warmly. "I'd like that very much."
Ponies flock from all across Equestria to attend Princess Luna's funeral where she is remembered as a hero who died valiantly to protect her little ponies during the failed attack on Jerusalem. Her death, while tragic, only serves to stir the Equestrian populace into a vengeful frenzy.
How?
This single question haunted the minds of Equestrian from shore to shore in the wake of Princess Luna's untimely death.
How?
How could a Goddess die?
How could one of Equestria's wise and benelovent rulers be killed, not defeated, but killed by the likes of their inferior human adversaries?
How could Equestria lose a pivotal battle of the Conversion Wars when victory was all but assure by having Princess Luna lead the final climactic charge?
How?
How?!
HOW!?
These questions have been asked over and over again by countless ponies. Yet, no matter how much they questioned the sheer impossibility of it all there was no clearly defined answer.
However, what was clear was that Princess Luna was dead, and victory appeared further than it ever had in the past five years.
Melancholy.
All of Equestria felt it.
The entire country was cloaked in a veil of sadness and despite the best efforts of one pink cotton candy haired pony's attempt to leaven the mood nopony wanted to smile during times of mourning. Princess Celestia chief among them.
The solar princess had undoubtedly taken to Luna's sudden departure the hardest. She was her beloved sister, after all. She love Luna. They've accomplished so much together. Saved Equus innumerable times and ascended beyond legend with a perfect kingdom as their legacy.
Even after the Nightmare Moon debacle nothing made Celestia more happier than being reunited with her dear sister after a millennia of isolation on the moon, apart from the Elements of Harmony choosing their new bearers and whatnot.
They were to rule together alongside their fellow royals, preserving Equestria's prosperity and cultural identity even in the midst of conflict. The Conversion Wars were supposed to be nothing more than another stepping stone on the path of harmony, one that was to be dealt with within a year.
But it was not to be.
Jerusalem was indeed an 'end' of sorts, it just wasn't what the war council had originally anticipated.
Instead of breaking humanity's will to fight, the opposite had occurred.
Equestria was now the one stricken with doubt.
The death of a Goddess served as a crippling blow to Equestrian morale.
Their hardline belief in the alicorns as beings of a higher power ultimately backfired once the carefully constructed illusion had cracked. The surge of disillusioned, fearful and skeptical devotees brought on by this severe crisis of faith had damaged the Church of Harmony beyond reparation. The resulting upheaval would stick with them for the rest of their days up until the church's swift dissolution years later during the aftermath of the war.
Throughout it all Celestia gathered every ounce of willpower she could muster and soldiered on to the best of her abilities, but it was obvious she wasn't the same mare she used to be. She made no efforts to hide her emotions, no attempts to put on a brave face or even disguise her scheming with some shallow pretense. She wept and raged openly whenever she found time to. She was entitled to her grief and let her tears and anguish flow freely without fear of sullying her image.
If anything, mourning for her sister made her more endearing in the eyes of her little ponies, more real and down to earth in spite of the recent religious crisis. It helped when assuaging the hysteria of the populace to an extent.
Damage control was, by necessity, of the utmost importance. But restoring Luna's form in preparation for a proper burial dwarfed the latter in terms of situational priority.
Money was no object when it came to her sister.
She deserved only the best, even in death.
Celestia hired the best morticians money could buy and gave them the monumental task of making Luna beautiful again. She made it absolutely clear that the end result must be perfect, anything less would warrant shame upon them. Emboldened by their saintly duties and fear of stigmatization, the morticians worked their hooves to the bone with the voice of god quite literally speaking in their ears.
It would take upward to two weeks of meticulous backbreaking labor, hours of stitching, careful magical reconstruction and more, but Luna was eventually restored to wholeness as she deserved to be. However, even with the prodigious backings of Canterlot's dwindling coffers and the skill of the most talented mortician, there was only so much one could do with a coarsely minced pile of feather filled meat.
There had to be some compromises during the restorative process. The fact that Luna resembled herself at all was a miracle in and of itself. But still, there was clearly something off with her.
A cursory glance of the body revealed many imperfections.
Some were obvious; the asymmetry of her wings, the odd angle her hind legs had been set in and the sagging of her cheeks. Others, less so; the crookedness of her horn by a few scant degrees, a discolored patch of fur and elongated shape of her muzzle.
By her good graces, Celestia had deemed their efforts adequate, if only because even the most jarring mistake was nothing compared to the mangled state Luna was in before being recovered.
Eventually, it came time for the funerary procession.
Celestia had once again spared no expense in setting it up. Whatever money that wasn't being funneled directly into the war effort had been diverted to this most sacred of occasion. All of Equestria had been invited to take part in the procession to see their beloved princess of the night one last time before she is interred into her tomb and ascend towards Elysium.
For an entire week, ponies dressed in black from all corners of the country flocked to the capitol city of Canterlot by the boatload to view Princess Luna. It was the largest ever pilgrimage to have ever occur in the history of Equestria, with an estimate of roughly two million ponies travelling to mourn and pay their respects for their dearly departed princess. Those that couldn't make the trip paid their respects in their own way, either by praying, fasting or some other form of devotion.
There were scant instances of savvy businessponies slyly profiting off the nature of the event but were immediately shunned by their peers for how tasteless their actions were.
The first four days of the procession were dedicated to public viewings.
Reportedly, they say the line of ponies patiently waiting for their turn to see Luna wrapped around the canterhorn several times over and stretched from one horizon to the next. Some may argue the details to be grossly exaggerated, but the multiple tents, caravans of wagons and food stalls set up along the breadth of Equestria's major roadways spoke volumes to the dedication of the faithful.
Many ponies commented on how peaceful Luna looked resting atop the altar. It was almost as if she were sleeping soundly and would wake up at any moment, a sentiment shared by all present.
The following two was for the actual funeral itself, held at none other than Saint White Wing's Grand Cathedral.
Only a lucky few thousand or so were actually able to attend the funeral proper, however. Everypony had crammed themselves into the cathedral like a vacuum packed canned of sardines save for a select few.
Those present of import who were spared the lack of leg room included the remaining loyalist Elements of Harmony, Spike, Princess Cadance and her daughter Flurry Heart, members of the war council, the prestigious nobility, high ranking members of the church including the pope and, of course, Princess Celestia. The rest sitting below in the pews were members of the clergy, the organizers and everypony else who were fortunate enough to attend the funeral in person.
Spectacle.
That was probably the best way to describe the event as a whole.
Strong smelling incense of lavender and sandalwood poured out from the multitude of ornate censers hanging overhead in a wispy waterfall that seeped across the floor of the main hall in a thin mist. The amount of incense used was so excessive that the smoke had begun bleeding out through the cracks of the building and surrounded the cathedral's outskirts in a blanket of fog, giving it a haunting appearance.
Hymns sung by the choir reverberated off the warm stone walls of the cathedral as they were joined by the pastor's sermon, whose reading of the Lexicon of Harmony was so fiery and passionate the weeping masses couldn't help but sing along to his words. The preaching and singing was so loud and raucous that even those by the outer walls of Canterlot couldn't help but feel their spirits lifted from the echo in the distance, if only briefly.
In between the brightly lit candles sitting atop the numerous golden chandeliers high above, sharp skin tingling hissing of the pipe organ, choking cloud of incense and impassioned songs of the choir, the entire ordeal came off more as a concert than a funeral.
Compared to that extravagance, the overall atmosphere of the day after was the complete opposite.
Gone were the sermons and song, in its place was a deathly silence.
In accordance to old pony traditions, for twenty four hours Canterlot was free of sound.
It was quiet, eerily so. The kind of silence that could drive somepony mad. Nothing, not the ponies in the streets, the guard stoically keeping the peace or even the rats that scurried along the pipes in the sewers made a single sound. Nopony dared to say a word for fear of despoiling this most sacred of rites.
For twenty four hours, Canterlot and its people were as dead as Luna was.
Before long, the final day of the procession had arrived.
After six heartbreak filled days and a trail of tears, it finally came time to put Luna to rest once and for all.
Within the courtyard of Castle Canterlot, towards the far edges of its many, many garden was a tomb that had been overtaken by vines. It was the tomb of the royal pony sisters, a hallowed grave site reserved specifically for them when they ultimately triumph over the forces of evil in the true final battle and bring about an end to the Days of Reckoning once and for all... Allegedly.
The lexicon was somewhat vague on certain topics, and the multiple editions that cropped up across the centuries certainly didn't help.
Luna's last rites were performed by Princess Celestia alone, guided by the Pope who couldn't help but feel awkward in his situation. All of the arbitrary requirements and litanies were fulfilled in a timely manner, she didn't want to stretch out the process any longer than it needed to be. With one final goodbye, Luna was interred into her final resting place where her body would remain on Earth as the soul ascends to Elysium.
However, that was not the end.
The day was still young. Now that the deed had been done all that mattered was the war.
An impromptu assembly was held by Princess Celestia shortly afterwards.
She had hastily gathered her circle of trust and stood before the media steely eyed and confident. Everypony who was anypony had shown up, the papers, the radio, even the filmmakers were present to record the event for posterity. Flashes of white light from camera bulbs and static from archaic microphones filled the air as the denizens of Equestria both near and far waited patiently with bated breath to hear what it was that Celestia had to say so suddenly after Luna's interment.
With a raise of her hoof, the air fell silent. Clearing her throat she opened her mouth to speak.
"...My little ponies," she began evenly, her voice low and steady. The crowds shuffled in their seats, brimming with anticipation.
"My little ponies!" She repeated, this time more assured and proud. Her voice thrummed with the power of the royal 'we' and her subjects couldn't help but be heartened by her upturn in mood. She had risen to her full height and flared out her wings in a grand display, utilizing her imposing figure to spur on the masses.
"My little ponies! Tragedy had befallen us! During the fateful battle of Jerusalem, the humans, those wretched loveless beasts from across the great ocean, have taken from us, from me, a pony most cherished! A pony who has done nothing but tirelessly protected Equestria and her people from terrible outside forces after her momentous return from the moon! A pony who wanted nothing more in return for her thankless deeds than the love of her ponies!" Her expression morphed into a snarl, she raised her hoof and slammed it atop the podium for emphasis.
"That pony was none other than my dear sister, Luna!" She roared the name with pride. "Luna, the Scion of the Moon! Preserver of Dreams! The Undaunted! The Bane of the Treacherous! Slayer of the Man-filth! She was Luna! My Luna! Your Luna! Our Luna! Luna of Equestria!"
"She was our bulwark and our sword! She was gentle as she was passionate! She was fierce as she was unyielding! Luna was as Luna is! Beautiful! Strong! Loving! She was the living embodiment of our ideals! A daughter of harmony itself! Luna was, and still is, all we have achieved, all we are, will be and more!"
Celestia paused, carefully observing the uproarious commotion of the crowd. They all felt the same as she did. For as tragic and heartbreaking Luna's death was, broken spirits and shades of doubt were beginning to be matched with boiling fury.
Vengeance was on the minds of everypony present, and Celestia pragmatically coaxed on that emotion to her advantage.
"For five years have we fought this righteous war! For five years we have fought and bled and died to achieve the most sacred of goals, harmony in all things! Conversion was always meant to be the ultimate end for humanity, an inevitable fact that they have thrashed and struggled against pitifully for over half a decade now! Any sane creature would've welcomed our gifts with open arms, to become happy, peace loving ponies and live in harmony as we do! But humanity's sanity was always tenuous to begin with! They rejected our blessings, our love and our ways! They've rejected us! And in return they take!"
"Take from us our loved ones, our lives and our way of life! And recently, in an act most heinous, they've taken from me my sister, your goddess of the night!" Celestia bellowed, her words grower louder and more impassioned with each one spoken. The ponies reflected her speech. The air of sorrow around Canterlot had dissipated far sooner than it should have and all that could be felt for miles around was the unbearable urge strike back at humanity for this terrible slight against them.
An eye for an eye, as they say.
"My little ponies! This war has gone on too long! I was wrong to believe that it would be over in a year, I was wrong in believing humanity would be easy to overcome! I shoulder that blame, all of it! But what we are not wrong about is why we fight this war! Why we do what we do! And more importantly, that we shall be victorious in the end! We are Equestria! We are the righteous, the strong, the heralds of friendship and harmony!"
She paused and took in the cheering and clamoring of her ponies. They have all since stood up and began shouting her name in blind reverence, displaying the same level of unquestioned zealotry that drove away Fluttershy and the Resistance to begin with. These ponies, no matter how scared or unskilled they were, were prepared to throw themselves directly into the line of fire without a moment of hesitation if it meant achieving the ultimate end of harmony.
"My little ponies! Hear me! Though I grieve the lost of my sister, let it be known throughout Equestria that my resolve has never been stronger! Those that foolishly resist the will of harmony shall be forgotten as nothing more than a fleeting memory in the new world we will build in the wake of our victory!"
"Praise, Princess Celestia!" the crowds cheered raucously.
"My little ponies! Steel yourselves, for the courage and bravery you display shall be needed now more than ever!"
"Praise, Princess Celestia!"
"My little ponies! Grab your shovels! Grab your tools! Grab your weapons and fulfill your duties! Work harder, train harder, fight harder! Find the power within yourselves to give your all to Equestria and her people so that we may finally win this war once and for all!"
"Praise, Princess Celestia!"
"Rejoice, my little ponies! Rejoice in knowing that the end draws near and the world as you know it will change for the better! For we are the ponies of Equestria! We, the righteous!"
"The righteous!" the crowd parroted.
"We, the strong!"
"The strong!"
"We, the heralds of friendship and harmony!"
"Friendship and harmony!"
"Equestria will never be broken!" Celestia shouted in conclusion, raising her hoof high in a triumphant pose that prompted the audience the wildly cheer her name over and over again.
"Hail, Celestia! Hail, Celestia! Hail, Celestia!"
A wave of intense clapping came shortly after. Ponies clapped or stomped their hooves in a vigorous applause that sounded like rolling thunder across the land. The atmosphere was palpable, everypony from the clergy to the war council applauded Princess Celestia and her indomitable spirit. Even the Elements of Harmony found themselves infected by the mood, standing and clapping in a zealous trance without the slightest idea of the nightmare that was to come months later.
About the number of folks who didn't share their peers enthusiasm for warfare could be counted on the leaves of a clover. Those being deeply entrenched spies of the Resistance and the unknowing last dragon of Equestria.
Spike had stood and clapped alongside his friends, although it was evident by the expression on his face and halfhearted clapping he held reservations about it all. That being said, he kept it to himself girded in the flimsy belief that no matter how bad things were looking at the moment it would all be better in the end.
And so the uproarious sounds of cheering echoed into the distance, catching the ear of a certain draconequus in the distance.
Discord stood by a lone tree on a hill far from the walls of Canterlot. He was clothed in a long black Victorian era dress, matching sun hat and translucent veil that obscured his face. No one knew he was there, not even Fluttershy or the UN. He was there on his own, a leave for bereavement if you will. After all, a close friend had died and at the very least he could be there for the funeral. What he didn't expect was to stay longer than necessary, dangerous as it was.
He had intended to secretly see Luna off in his own mischievous ways, but stuck around for the assembly as it had piqued his interest.
He could see and hear the assembly in question from afar because of his powerful magics, though you didn't exactly need super hearing to listen to the overbearing cries of reverence and belligerency in the distance. Honestly, he didn't know what he had expected when he had shown up.
To think Celestia would be a stubborn as she was.
Her sister had died and what it meant was that Equestria should fight harder than before even as their advantage steadily slips away from them little by little.
She was right about one thing, however.
The war will end soon.
Sighing, he brought up an equally handkerchief to his face and wiped away the tears and mascara that flowed down his cheek.
"So, this is how Equestria dies," Discord quipped, an ironic smile on his lips. "With a standing ovation."
Applejack has to deal with the growing number of dissenters that are cropping up around Ponyville after Luna’s death.
Applejack let out an unladylike grunt as she pulled her apple carts across Ponyville, trudging down the streets with all the might her stout frame could muster. She needed to get her share of provisions down to the train station for transport, lest the beancounters in Canterlot fine her again for tardiness in fulfilling a civic duty.
Normally Apple Bloom would be helping with the deliveries but with the ludicrous demands the crown have been placing upon her recently, and by extension all of Ponyville’s essential producers, they’ve had to split up their chores. Apple Bloom was back on the farm busy bucking apples from sunup to sundown, while Applejack handled pretty much everything else.
In between tight spending, higher taxes and weekly tithes there was too much work that needed to be done and not enough hooves to help.
Things have been terrible on the farm ever since Big Mac died in Osaka. His wife, Sugar Belle, passed away shortly after due to a broken heart leaving Applejack and Apple Bloom behind as the sole proprietors of Sweet Apple Acres to take care of the family business. Since then it's only been the two of them doing the job of ten ponies. They’ve tried hiring more employees but Ponyville as a whole had been lost in its own set of troubles that made the hiring process difficult, to say the least.
It began with Luna's death.
News of Luna’s shocking death at the hands of the terrible human forces during the battle of Jerusalem had shaken the nation to the its core. It wasn’t everyday your living deities was brutally murdered via full contact lead poisoning and ponies were left at a complete loss at what to make of it. Some were furious, others mournful, but the vast majority of the populace were absolutely devastated.
Ponyville in particular had been hit the hardest by those emotions seeing as the princess of the night held the sleepy little town close to her heart. Those memories of that one very special Nightmare Night were as vivid as they’ve been in years.
In the days since Luna’s funeral, a dark cloud has hung over Ponyville. The once cheerful atmosphere that seemingly radiated off every surface had been replaced by one of unease and apprehension.
Ponies have been talking about things that shouldn’t be talked about, saying things that shouldn't be said. They think Applejack can’t hear them whispering on the street corner when she’s not looking, that she’s too busy hauling apple carts down the street to pay attention to their moral dilemmas. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Ever since Lyra and her merry band of treacherous scum (she included Fluttershy amongst their rabble) slipped out of Equestria under the cloak of darkness, Applejack had become unwaveringly vigilant in light of dissenters, ensuring that kind of mistake never happens again.
Half of the reason why nopony would willingly work for Sweet Apple Acres was that the criteria to become an employee there were slightly unreasonable. There were all kinds of checks that needed to be done during the hiring process; background checks, credit checks, gumption checks (whatever that was), Applejack wanted to be as thorough as possible. The other half was that ponies were too paranoid of the Equestrian Secret Service to stay near a mare for around twelve hours out of the day who would rat them out in a heartbeat when given the chance.
Now, in Applejack’s defense, she hasn’t actually reported anypony to the ESS yet and was willing to turn the other cheek in some cases. That being said, she’s made it very clear to the townsfolk that she will not tolerate dissent in any way, shape or form.
Whenever she gets the chance she does her best to sway others from walking down the crooked path, be it through intimate discussions, uplifting reassurance or, if need be, verbal threats and unabashed bribery. It’s made her somewhat unpopular amongst the various social circles around Ponyville, but she didn’t care as long as the loyalty of her home and neighbors were ensured and remained true to the Equestrian cause.
Eventually, after straining for so long, Applejack breathed a sigh of relief as the train station came into view. She stepped to and approached a large pavilion beside the station where a stuffy looking purple unicorn with a perfectly coifed mane was punching numbers into an adding machine. He was one of those fancy accountant type, dressed in an immaculate gentlepony’s blouse and matching velvet jacket who was so engrossed in own work that he failed to notice Applejack standing right in front of him. Rolling her eyes, Applejack greeted the stallion.
“Afternoon, Number Cruncher,” said Applejack. “I’m here to deliver my tithe.” The unicorn briefly looked up from his adding machine before resuming his task, it was unclear whether or not he actually registered Applejack’s presence. If he did he didn’t show it.
“Good afternoon, miss Applejack,” Number Cruncher replied in the slow and disinterested way all bureaucrats seem to possess. “Late again, I see.” His reply instantly cause Applejack to perform a double take.
“Bwuah? Bu- Hold on a gosh darn second there, bucko! What do you mean I’m late?!” Applejack exclaimed, frowning. “I’m early this time! It’s ten before high noon!”
“That was the old time,” Number Cruncher drawled. “Due to the tragedy of Princess Luna’s unfortunate passing the crown has decided to update the existing conditions when delivering your weekly tithe. From now all all tithes are expected to be delivered before ten o’clock a.m. every Sunday.”
“Bu-but I never got a memo! Why wasn’t I informed of this!” Applejack snapped.
“All eligible producers and suppliers of priority commodities were sent advisory memos the week prior. You should’ve received one through the mail last Monday. The memo was sealed in a gold trimmed envelope stamped with the Canterlot insignia signifying its importance.”
“I don’t remember getting no gold trimmed envelope in the mai-!” Applejack paused midway through her angry retort and audibly gulped when she suddenly remembered that she did in fact receive a gold trimmed envelope in the mail last Monday.
She also remembered that was the day they ran out of plant fertilizer and had to resort to making compost out of whatever biodegradable waste she could get her hooves on. Old slop scraps from the pig trough, tree clippings and apple cores from the apple fields, and, of course, junk mail. In her haste, she must have added it to the compost pile without so much as giving it a second thought.
If Applejack could buck herself in the face there was no better time for her to do it than now.
Sighing defeatedly, she resigned herself to her rotten luck and soldiered on regardless.
"Alright, what's the damage this time?" she mumbled.
"Seeing as the going rate for tardiness is two bits per minute over the cutoff point, your fine comes up to two hundred and twenty bits," replied Number Cruncher. Applejack bit the bottom of her lip in frustration. This was the steepest price she's had to pay so far for being late. The farm's financial situation was already in the red as it is, losing another two hundred for stupid mistakes was just rubbing salt in the wounds at this point. "You can pay your fines within the month. Failure to comply wil-"
"Yeah, yeah, I already know! You'll seize my assets," Applejack growled. "Just take the apples and let me deal with the money situation."
"Very good, miss Applejack," Number Cruncher nodded. "I'll have the guard unload them for you. They'll return your carts to your farm within the following business day. Thank you for your contribution to the war effort. With each tithe obtained Equestria gets closer and closer to vic-"
"Victory, yeah. I've heard this one before," Applejack grumbled before turning away sullenly and walking back into town with her head hung low.
Back at the farm, Applejack began crunching some numbers of her own after the fiasco at noon. Two hundred and twenty bits might not be a lot to the average business owner, but when you were failing to make enough profit with each sale in between the tithes and fines every bit lost was another gallon of water spilling into a sinking ship.
She frowned as she looked over her papers. She double checked and triple checked her math from all the monthly expenses and didn't like what she was seeing.
Sweet Apple Acres financial situation were the worst it has been in a long, long time. Unless she turned it around somehow Sweet Apple Acres would be bankrupt in a few months, and that's assuming the beancounters don't just up and take it from her for failing to comply with the tithes. Maybe she could convince Twilight to pull a few strings for her to prevent the latter but even then she'd still be stuck with a failing business trapped in the midst of an economic freefall.
Applejack fell back into her chair and covered her face with her stetson to cover the scowl on her face.
Five years.
The damned war had been going on for five years and victory was still out of reach for Equestria.
She always knew humans were stubborn as a mule, but dragging a war out this long? Pure insanity. Equestria should've won years ago. In and out in a year, that's what the royals promised. Human discourse left them weak and divided, pony harmony was clearly superior in every way. Surely they would see the folly of their ways and surrender themselves to the conversion process willingly by now, but evidently that wasn't the case as demonstrated by the deaths of Shining Armor and Princess Luna.
As if that weren't enough, all of Equestria was currently suffering through dire economic straits. It was like a punch line to a sick and twisted joke.
The fact is that Equestria just wasn't prepared to wage this kind of war. Small skirmishes perhaps, but not an all out offensive on a global front.
In the opening days of the war, business was better than good. It was booming. Sweet Apple Acres was selling out their products day in and day out, racking in the dough and still having enough left over to pay off the tithes and get themselves a little something extra to boot. The war economy was in full swing and everypony was a winner. But those good times were banked on the idea that the war would be over and done with within the year.
Then the year past. Then two, then three, then four and all of a sudden Equestria had spent half a decade in a bloody stalemate with no end in sight. As time went on, prices went up. The royals began demanding more and more with each tithe and before everypony knew it they were caught up in a serious economic downturn that showed no signs of getting better anytime soon.
When Equestria ultimately wins, which they will, they're the good guys after all, they can't lose, it'll take decades to balance everything out, maybe longer.
The sound of a door slamming from the ground floor snapped Applejack out of her funk.
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom called from below. "I'm finished with my chores. All the apples on the eastern orchard are prepped and ready for sale."
"That's great, Apple Bloom!" Applejack shouted back, trying to hide the worry in her voice. "Wish I had ten ponies with your kind of enthusiasm."
"That would certainly help around Sweet Apple Acres," said Apple Bloom before asking. "So how was the delivery?"
"O-oh, you know how it is. Ol' Number Cruncher was a stick in the mud, as usual. That stallion makes Mudbriar look like he's brimming with personality," Applejack coughed. She couldn't let Apple Bloom know about their financial troubles. Not yet at least. "Say, you've been working really hard lately. How about we head down to Sugarcube Corner and I treat you to that sundae you like so much?"
"Really?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed excitedly. "I'll head out right now! Meet ya there!" And so she stormed out of the farmhouse with childlike giddiness, all the while Applejack struggled to come up with a way to tell her sister they could lose the farm.
Half an hour later, Applejack found herself seated in a booth at Sugarcube Corner, a half eaten cupcake in front of her. Apple Bloom sat on the opposite end of the booth, scarfing away at her mega triple berry sundae with all the voracity of a swarm of parasprite. Applejack cracked a small smile. It was good seeing her little sister enjoying herself for once. The war had taken much from them, Applejack swore on her family's honor that her sister's happiness will not be one of them so long as she lives and breathes.
"Aren't you going to finish your cupcake?" Apple Bloom asked, her cheeks covered in sticky melted ice cream.
"Nah. I think it's just not doing it for me today," replied Applejack, pursing her lips. "Apple Bloom, there's, er... T-there's something I've got to tell you."
"Yeah? Whatcha wanna say, sis?"
"It's about... uh, um. Y-you see," Applejack flubbed her words. She knew what she wanted to say, she just couldn't bring herself to say them. Apple Bloom already had too much to worry about to be bothered by more bad news. Swallowing thickly, Applejack came up with a lame excuse. "I-I gotta use the little filly's room." She got up quicker than she would've like to and made a beeline for the bathroom as Apple Bloom stared at her sister in confusion before shrugging and returning to her dessert.
Once inside, Applejack turned on the sink and splashed some water on her face. She let out a groan, pressing her forehead against the bathroom mirror.
"Grr... Darn it, Applejack!" she berated herself, pointing to her own reflection. "Apple Bloom needs to know! She's not a filly anymore, she's a grown mare! You can't keep her in the dark about this forever! Good golly, I'm talking to myself." She frowned, falling back onto the toilet stall.
"I need money, otherwise the farm's good as gone. No. No, it's just some land," she attempted to reason. "We Apples have been through worse, losing the farm is just gonna be another chapter in our history books. We'll survive... Survive without the land that's been in my family for several generations... No, I-I can't just give up like this. But... where the heck am I get more money in this economy?"
"...I'm afraid, Caramel."
Applejack's ears perked up at the voice, she looked up at the small window on the bathroom, a look of bemusement on her face. It sounded like Davenport, the owner of Quills 'N' Sofas. What was he doing in a seedy back alley with Caramel?
"Shh!" Caramel shushed. "Not so loud! Somepony could hear us!"
"But I gotta get this off my chest!" Davenport uttered desperately. "I can't take it anymore. It's becoming too much!"
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get into with this!" Caramel muttered back. "I thought Applejack already talked to you about this already!"
Applejack leaned closer to hear better, her interest piqued now that her name had been brought up. Admittedly, it was rude to eavesdrop on a private conversation like this, but she couldn't help but be drawn to it like a moth to flame.
"I know, I know. But you don't understand, you're not the one being bled dry here!" Davenport whispered. "Canterlot's taken everything from me! I can't give anymore! They've taken my shop and all my assets! And soon, I'm gonna lose my house! I have nothing now! Not a single bit to my name! Nothing!"
"Davenport, I'm sorry to hear that," Caramel sounded genuinely sorry. "Look, you can bunk with me until this war blows over. You don't have to-"
"Don't try to change my mind, Caramel. I can't live like this any longer, and I refuse to burden you with my plight. I-I'm gonna run."
"Run? Run where?! In case you haven't noticed, the entire country is on lockdown!"
"I know a place. Up in the hills there's a small community of dissidents th-"
"Dissidents?! Your brilliant escape plan involves dissidents!"
Applejack's eyes narrowed at the mention of dissidents.
"Shaddup! Do you want all of Equestria to hear you, you dolt!"
"Davenport, listen to yourself. You're thinking of running off with dissenters!"
"Look around, Caramel! Look at what's happened to Ponyville, to Equestria! This war is folly. We've been losing every battle ever since the humans killed Prince Shining Armor and Princess Luna. There's also word that the barrier's been punctured. The Resistance was right about everything. I should've joined them years ago, but there's no point in thinking about it now."
"Well, what are you gonna do?"
"I'll tell you what I’m not gonna do, and that's wallow around in my own filth as a homeless bum. I'm gonna escape this damn system we're all trapped in. I'll be like a ghost, waiting out the war and reemerging to sift through the ashes when we lose."
"What do you mean 'when we lose?'"
"Oh, open your eyes, Caramel! Equestria's being pushed back, losing every territory it's worked hard to gain these past few years. The radio and the papers tell you everything is alright but that's just one big lie. Two of our greatest leaders, one of which is supposed to be an immortal Goddess, mind you, has been brutally murdered by the opposition. Does it sound like we're winning to you?!"
"Davenport, you can't say things like that!"
"Well, I just did... I thought you of all ponies would understand."
"I... I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around all this."
"You can dwell on it on your own time. As for me? I'm gonna pack my things. We've been out here too long."
With that, Davenport left, and presumably Caramel as well given the sound of separate horseshoes clattering across the cobblestone floor. As for Applejack, she was infuriated by what she had heard. She had had talks with Davenport before, each time she thought she got through to him, but it appears losing everything to his name was the straw that finally broke the camel's back. She can understand his frustrations, they were both in the same boat though his had already sunk.
But to immediately resort to dissent?
Unforgiveable.
He was going to get an earful from her tomorrow, and she was going to show him exactly why he was wrong about everything. But just as she was leaving, a thought popped into her head and she stopped dead in her tracks, her hoof mere inches away from the doorknob.
Davenport was a dissenter now.
He was a dissenter and they were worth money.
Lots of money.
A wicked smile curled up on Applejack's lips.
The very next day, Apple Bloom was walking down the street on her way to pick up some gardening supplies from the general store when a commotion nearby distracted her from her task. A crowd had formed in front of Davenport's house and there were lots of ponies looking on with concern etched on their faces and a fearful whisper on their lips.
"Whoa. What's going on here?" Apple Bloom asked aloud.
"It's Davenport, they're taking him," replied a nearby pony.
"Who is?" Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, everypony. Head on home, there's nothing to see here," a burly stallion wearing a suit proclaimed to the crowd. Apple Bloom recognized those suits, the stallion was a member of the Equestria Secret Service.
"W-wait, please!" Davenport screamed as he was being apprehended by a group of service members and dragged away to a nearby jail cart. "I-I'm innocent! I'm not a dissenter, I swear! You got the wrong guy!"
"Stow it, you traitor!" An ESS mare shouted at him as she locked him up. "Ponies like you make me sick."
"N-no! Please! I'm sorry!" Davenport yelled desperately, gripping at the bars. "I'll do anything, just don't take me away!? Please! Please!?"
"If you were a good citizen then we wouldn't even be here," replied the burly stallion before turning to his colleagues. "Come on, let's get a move on. We've got a few other to round up here."
With practiced motion, the ESS formed up and left the area, causing the rabble to gossip worriedly amongst themselves. Perturbed by the scene, Apple Bloom quickly left and completed her chores before sprinting back home and telling Applejack about everything she just witnessed.
"Applejack!" Apple Bloom shouted, bursting through the front door.
"What's up, Bloom?" Applejack's voice came from the second floor. She sounded surprisingly cheery.
"You'll never believe it! The ESS were here!" replied Apple Bloom as she set down the gardening supplies on the dining room table. "They just took Davenport and they're going after more ponies! Turns out they're all dissidents, it was crazy!"
"Really now? You think you know some ponies," Applejack replied casually.
"I guess all your talks didn't work after all, Applejack."
"No. No, I guess it didn't," said Applejack as she held a comically large sack of bits in her hooves. She gave it a shake and listened with glee as it jingled with wealth earned through lawfulness. The sound was like music to her ears and it put a smile on her lips. In one smooth motion she stowed the sack into her safe and slammed the door shut. She then turned around and gave a curt flick of the safe's handle with her hind legs, locking it with a satisfying click. Feeling particularly proud of herself, she sauntered on down to meet Applebloom, humming the whole way through.
The Crystal Empire is cleansed in nuclear fire for the destruction of Rome and Mecca.
The Equestrian war council had convened in Canterlot to discuss a matter of dire importance.
The barrier that had overtaken nearly half the planet had fallen, destroyed by the Thalmann Generators.
Humanity was now on the move reclaiming the lands they'd lost and were steadily gaining traction towards Equestria itself. One by one pony occupied territories fell to the waves of human soldiers that surged ever onward like an unending tide of steel, faith and gunpowder. It was only a matter of time before they lost it all and were ultimately forced to pull back into the homeland.
What remained of Equestria's chain of command were all crammed into a war room deep in the heart of Canterlot Castle that was much too small and too hot for their liking. Their discussions have been going on for a few hours now, and almost none of what they were talking about was good news.
"...As you can you see on this map the majority of our forces stationed in India, Southern Africa and South America have been forced into full retreat with casualties numbering in the low thousands," said General Phalanx, wiping away the sweat forming on his brow. "They're all doing as you ordered, Princess Celestia, and are destroying anything and everything that the humans can utilize as they pull back. Calculating the speed of the humans' advance and the rate at which they're capable of deploying we..." He paused, swallowing thickly. "We estimate that within two month upwards to seventy percent of these lands will be back under human control."
Celestia's face remained impassive throughout the report. Removing her reading glasses, she pressed the general. "What of Southeast Asia?" she asked.
"Southeast Asia is still firmly under our control. Reports indicate a majority of Asia's forces have yet to deploy southwards and those that are present have been already been dealt with," replied General Phalanx. "However, Vietnam in particular has continually proven difficult to maintain."
"Human resistance?" Celestia raised a brow.
"That's part of it. Handling human guerillas are one thing, but the environment is so awful some of our soldiers have recommended dropping the country altogether to save themselves the trouble of holding it."
"Why is that?"
"If I may," Princess Twilight spoke up. "The climate of Vietnam is characterized by strong monsoon influences, making it wildly unpredictable to say the least. One area of the country could be hot and humid, the next it's cold and wet. Furthermore the terrain features of dense jungles and swampy wetlands have made it difficult to maintain our supply lines through conventional means. Carts are being bogged down in the mud and scouting is nigh impossible without magic when it starts raining."
"Fantastic," a nearby pegasus, Colonel Air Lift, grumbled sullenly. "If we're not taking pot shots from farmers hiding in the trees we're getting our flanks kicked by the geography. Isn't that just wonderful?"
Celestia rubbed at her temples, letting out a heavy sigh before speaking, "Send a message to commander Spearhead operating out there. Tell him his soldier's complaints about the environment have been noted but that he and his forces are to hold Vietnam with all the strength they can muster. If we lose our hold on the country the humans will be able to enter deeper into Southeast Asia. We're losing enough territory as it is, we should try to keep at least one."
"We'll be sure to get the message out as soon as possible, your highness," replied Phalanx.
"Good. Now, is there anything else to report?" said Celestia.
One of the other ponies stood up, Chief Director Hush Hush of the Equestrian secret service. She adjusted his uniform and picked up her notes before clearing her throat to speak.
"This is less to do with the war beyond and more the war at home. Recent polls have shown that support for the war has dropped by about four percent in the past week to a total of eleven percent now." At the mention, everyone in the room, save for Princess Celestia herself, traded nervous glances amongst themselves.
"How bad is it?" Celestia asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Truthfully it could be worse, your highness. But I'd be lying if I said that things were stable," replied Hush Hush, flipping through her notes. "Despite the combined efforts of our propaganda team and vigilance of the Equestrian secret service there are still dissidents out there protesting the war either through civil disobedience or passive resistance."
"...Have these dissidents been dealt with?"
"...We're working on it," Hush Hush gulped. "Currently we're preoccupied trying to quell the civil unrest that have been popping up all over the country since the barrier fell. It's taken every little bit of ponypower the ESS can muster just to keep everyone in line. Given time we should be able to get everything back to normal, or as normal as can be."
Celestia was silent. Her subjects did not take the news of the barrier's fall all that well. The greatest weapon Equestria had against the humans was no more and the result was widespread panic. Even Canterlot wasn't immune to the hysteria. Countless ponies had been running around all over the city buying up as much food and supplies as they could hoard in preparation for the storm that was sure to come now that they were left vulnerable to attack. If she didn't get a handle on things soon everything she had worked for up until now would go up in flames... If they weren't already.
"I'm going to hold you to that, chief director," said Celestia. Nobody seemed to catch the veiled threat laced in her voice. "Tell the masses that this is only a minor setback. The repairs to the Crystal Cannon are almost complete and with it we will begin our counterattack. We're not out of this yet. As long as we keep on fighting with all our spirit, victory can be achieved."
"I'll be sure to let the people know, Princess Celestia," Hush Hush bowed respectfully.
"Now, unless there are any more reports, I believe it's time we call this meeting to a close," announced Celestia, raising from her seat. "Now, I know that things are looking grim, but we've dealt with worse. We've conquered our enemies before and will do so again. Remember, it's a matter of when we win, not if. You are all dismissed."
Sometime after the meeting, Celestia, Cadance, Twilight and Flurry Heart gathered for a late lunch at the castle courtyard. They ate and chatted amongst themselves in good spirits but it was obvious that the atmosphere wasn’t as mirthful as it could be, with the most telling sign being the two empty chairs by the table. Luna and Shining Armor’s death had impacted the royal family a lot more than they were willing to show, and the problems didn't stop there.
The stress of the war had become ingrained into their lives so deeply that even a casual get together felt like a chore. Too often did they find themselves speaking more about business than they do idle chit chat, usually getting straight to the point about things like logistics, economics or politics. Jokes were few and far between and even when somepony cracked out a banger the laughs barely went above an airy chuckle. The sense of togetherness wasn’t all there and deep down they knew it. But if there was any consolation to their predicament it was that they at least try to make it work when given the chance. Though it was anyone’s guess as to how successful they were at it.
“...You were awfully quiet during the meeting today, Cadance,” said Twilight, causing Cadance to look up from her meal. “There must’ve been something you wanted to talk about.”
“...It’s complicated,” replied Cadance, setting down her utensils.
“Everything has been complicated lately,” said Celestia, gingerly dabbing away the bit of food on her cheek with a handkerchief. “But I can understand if it isn’t something you wanted to speak about in front of the chain of command. That’s why we’re here. Come now, tell is what’s on your mind.”
Cadance briefly glanced over to Flurry Heart, who was absently picking at her food with her fork, oblivious to the conversation taking place right beside her. Sighing, Cadance spoke her mind.
“It’s the empire,” she admitted. “My subjects are worried for the future.”
“Who isn’t?” said Twilight. “With the barrier gone it’s becoming harder and harder to keep up with humanity’s advance. The Thalmann Generators they use is anathema to us.”
“And yet you still petition for me to equip our soldiers with human armaments,” Celestia chided. “I've warned you time and time again about human technology. They're extremely dangerous.”
“The same could be said about their efficacy,” Twilight retorted sharply. “But that’s neither here nor there. What exactly is going on in the empire?” she asked Cadance, raising a brow in interest.
“With the barrier down the crystal ponies assume that its only a matter of time before the war reaches our shores,” Cadance sighed. “They’re scared and rightfully so. Equestria is left wide open to attack. Not only that some of my advisors have been suggesting that the Crystal Empire... pull out of the war and surrender to the humans.”
“Out of the question,” Celestia argued, narrowing her eyes. “We must come together as one unified nation now more than ever. To even suggest a thing, I hope you had those advisors harshly reprimanded."
"Believe me, I did. But it just goes to show that the war at home isn't going that well. Each day it seems like another pony has the bright idea to abandon support for the war. They think that if we call it off the humans might show mercy and things will go back to the way they were before the war. Back when there was still peace."
"That kind of thinking is dangerous," said Twilight, a furious scowl on her face. "Lyra and her band of monkey loving traitors snuck out from under our noses and look at what happened! We lost Fluttershy and Discord to the humans. We can't use the Elements of Harmony without her and Discord mucks up our plans whenever he decides to show his ugly mug! To add insult to injury they're more than likely responsible in aiding the creation of the Thalmann Generators, the very things that are killing us day by day!"
Twilight didn't realize that she had stood up from her seat during her impassioned tirade. Letting out a heavy sigh she plopped her haunch back down onto her chair, quietly apologizing for her outburst.
Fluttershy's defection was very much still a sore subject to her. Years ago, during the height of the war, Twilight might've been willing to forgive her betrayal if she came back peacefully despite all that's happened. But now, with everything crashing down on top of them, the only time she'd want to see her is when she's dragged back to her homeland in chains. Former friend or not, Twilight held Fluttershy partly responsible for all the misery she's suffered in the past five years.
"Perhaps we should temporarily shift priorities," suggested Twilight, having regained her composure. "With our troops in full retreat perhaps we can spare some extra funding to the ESS. We need to get the populace under control before these dissidents can tear it apart from within. We really don't need another Lyra situation."
"Agreed. I'll be sure to allocate the funds later today. We'll need to curb conspiracy wherever it may be," replied Celestia. "And Cadance. I suggest you do everything you can to calm down your subjects," she paused as her features softened. "...I know it's been hard ruling the Crystal Empire without Shining Armor by your side. I've felt the same ever since Luna's... sudden departure. But you honor their memory by continuing to lead by example. The crystal ponies look up to you. You're all that stands between them and complete chaos. Remember, it only takes a single spark for a fire to start."
"I'll do what I can," replied Cadance, rising up from her seat. "But I can't make any promises. The longer the war drags on, the harder it will be for us to maintain control... I pray that it doesn't reach that point." She gestured for Flurry Heart to stand up. "Come along, Flurry. It's time for us to depart for the empire. Say goodbye to Auntie Twilight and Auntie Celestia."
"...Goodbye, Auntie Twilight. Goodbye, Auntie Celestia," Flurry Heart droned monotonously, eliciting a frown from Cadance.
"I'll be sure to visit the empire again when I can, Flurry. We'll have fun and play games just like before. Maybe I'll even tell you the story of times your father and I fought a battle of wits over a toy crown," replied Twilight, smiling softly. "I promise, things will get better. In the meantime, please, be strong for your mommy. Everything she does, she does for you."
"I... I will," Flurry nodded.
With that, Cadance and Flurry Heart returned to the Crystal Empire as Twilight and Celestia resumed their business in Canterlot.
Back at the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance was busy at her desk studiously filing paperwork by candlelight. It had been several weeks since the last war meeting and things weren't any better than they were when she'd left Canterlot. The humans' advance had been proceeding far quicker than estimated and Equestria's control of Southeast Asia had begun to crumble. About the only bit of good news she's gotten all week was that the population was more or less under control now. For the time being there was peace in the lands, albeit a fragile one.
Setting down her quill, Cadance got out of her seat and began to stretch. The satisfying pop of her bone's realigning were unsettling music to her ears. Deciding it was a good time to take a break she let out a yawn and walked over to the balcony, opening the door and letting the cool breeze of the night air tickle her fur. Just as she stepped out, her attention was drawn to the quiet creak behind her. Turning around she could see Flurry Heart's silhouette by the doorframe softly illuminated by dim candle light.
"Sweetie, is that you?" said Cadance bemusingly. "What are you doing up this late?"
"...Mom," Flurry muttered. She took several tentative steps into the room and then proceeded to throw her arms around her mother, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Flurry?" Cadance breathed, taken aback by Flurry's sudden show of affection.
"...I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you."
"What? Oh, no, no, no," Cadance reassured, returning the hug. "Flurry Heart, you've done nothing wrong."
"I should've been there for you when dad died... Instead you had to worry about me," Flurry confessed, holding back tears. "Auntie Twilight and everyone else dropped what they were doing and went to comfort you the moment they heard the news. But me? I cried... I did nothing but cry while you were out there being brave. And then when Auntie Luna departed, I locked myself away even deeper..."
Cadance gently stroked Flurry's mane, shushing her as they held onto each other in a quiet embrace. "All I ever wanted was for you to open up, to smile again. I thought I failed as a mother when you became so distant. I just..." Cadance's voice cracked as she spoke, "I just wanted my daughter back."
They stayed this way for sometime, basking under the pale moonlight before finally breaking off and surveying the gorgeous view before them. The denizens of the Crystal Empire had settled in for the night. Shops were closed up and there was nary a ponies that could be seen trotting along the street this late. Up above the stars twinkled like diamonds in the sky, glittering across the wide dark tapestry of the infinite cosmos. It was a picturesque scene, one that was unfortunately marred by the sight of the recently repaired Crystal Cannon that had been crudely graffitied with the words 'Dizcord Wuz Heyere*' along its side.
"It really is," replied Cadance, turning a weary gaze over to her daughter. "Flurry... I'm tired."
"Mom?" Flurry Heart looked up.
"I'm tired of everything," Cadance confessed. "The war, the deaths, the grand speeches, the empty promises, all of it. I'm just... so tired. We've lost so much, and continue to lose more each and every day. I... I just don't know what we're fighting for anymore. Harmony? Peace? Triumph over humanity? Vengeance? It's all so muddled now."
It was then that Flurry Heart realized how much older her mother looked. Despite being groomed daily by a very diligent staff of handmaidens and hairdressers her overall appearance could be considered adequate at best. Her coat lacked its usual shine. Her colorful mane was dull and there were several noticeable threads of gray woven in-between the bright pinks, purples and yellows. There were crow's feet forming around her eyes and some of her feathers appeared to have molted prematurely.
Cadance was a pony that, despite being an alicorn, had had her youthful vigor sucked away from her through overwhelming stress and grief. It was just another thing for the war to take away from her.
"...Do you regret starting the war, mom?" Flurry Heart asked.
"...I," Cadance started but lost her train of thought when she noticed something flickering across the night sky. Some kind of object was flying towards the Crystal Empire and it was getting closer and close with each passing second. It was definitely not a shooting star. It couldn't have been a meteorite, it was too dim and too low in the sky for it to be one. "What is that?"
A loud rumble woke up Hard Tack, an lone earth pony guard that had been stationed at a remote border crossing near the edge of the Crystal Empire's territory. He begrudingly crawled out of bed, grumbling something to himself that shouldn't be uttered in front of foals as he pulled his flank out of bed. Rubbing his eyes and smacking his lips, he shambled over to the blinds and opened them, groaning as his sleepy half lidded eyes were assaulted by a flash of bright light.
"Gruah! What the? Is it morning already?" He mumbled. Turning to the cuckoo clock nearby he furrowed his brow in confusion as the hands of the clock were both pointed upwards. "Midnight? That can't be right." Before he could even think on it, a powerful shockwave rocked the cabin, shattering the windows and knocking both him and various objects to the ground as a wave of cold air briefly washed over him. "Gah! What the hell is going on?!"
Hastily putting on his uniform, Hard Tack rushed out the door and turned to the source of the light, towards the direction of the Crystal Empire, where he promptly fell back onto his haunches and stared speechlessly in heart pounding horror at the sight unfolding before him.
Equestria was a land steeped in all manner of wonder. From Rainbow falls to the city of Cloudsdale and beyond, mundanity was woefully in short supply. For Hard Tack he was one of few to experience this new wonder first hand as it was burned into his retinas...
The Crystal Empire is but a distant memory. Princess Twilight is forced to survey the nuclear wasteland that, up until a few days ago, used to be a thriving city filled with millions of crystal ponies.
The snow was warm today.
It felt unnatural.
Of all the thoughts that coursed through Princess Twilight’s mind that single offhanded sensation was the most poignant of them all as she stared blankly at the indescribable catastrophe laid out before her.
Nothing.
There was nothing as far as the eye can see.
Less than twenty four hours ago, Equestria had been dealt its most harrowing tragedy to date, perhaps of all time.
It was big.
Bigger than the deaths of Commander-General Shining Armor and Princess Luna combined. For as deeply tragic as their loss was to everypony, they were still only two individuals.
At around midnight the night before, The Crystal Empire vanished in a flash of atomic brilliance born of foul human invention.
Princess Cadance, her teenage daughter, Flurry Heart, and an estimated four million of its crystal pony inhabitants were blinked out of existence as an all consuming wave of nuclear fire washing over the cool night air reduced them to atoms in a single painless instance. All that remained of the empire's once glorious crystalline monuments laid scattered across the irradiated soil in haphazard ruins, melded together and malformed, grim reminders of the civilization that was.
News of the empire’s sudden erasure spread like wildfire across the country, pieced together from the frantic gibbering of a traumatized border guard.
Outrage didn't even begin to describe the surge of emotions that erupted all across Equestria. Horror, shock, righteous anger and more swelled in the hearts and minds of everypony who felt their resolve slowly chip away under the immense strain of repeated defeat after defeat after defeat at the hands of their inferior human adversaries.
To many, the swift and total destruction of the Crystal Empire marked a point of no return for the Conversion War.
This single act had branded humanity so irredeemably vile a creature in the eyes of the ponies that they began to view conversion as less of a merciful gift given to them out of kindness and more a compulsory moral necessity in order to prevent impending doom. Humans were simply too dangerous to be allowed to exist in any capacity anymore. They needed to be converted before the entire planet gets reduced to an inhospitable Hellscape through their hubris.
Twilight’s views on humanity hadn’t changed, if anything they were now amplified. Whatever fledgling interest she had in their latent capabilities as a species that remained from before had been burned away along with her sister-in-law and niece. Her resolve to win the war was the strongest it has ever been in the past five years. But before she could act on her righteous fury, she had to deal with figurative and physical fallout of the empire’s decimation.
It seemed all she did these days outside of her royal duties was grieve for loved ones or quell the panicking masses. First Shining, then Luna, and now, Cadance and Flurry heart. Her family continues to shrink and with each subsequent death it becomes harder and harder to cope with it all, even with the aid of her friends.
The suddenness of the news was the worst part of the entire ordeal.
Twilight was sleeping soundly in her cozy bed after a particularly hard day when Spike came crashing into her room screaming bloody murder at the top of his lungs. After calming the young drake she was finally able to make sense of his panicked gibberish, it then became her turn to let out a blood curdling scream.
Two days later, after many, many tiresome speeches and around the clock damage control, the remaining members of the royal family along with a personal retinue of guards traveled to the frozen north to survey the devastation wrought unto them in the name of vengeance.
Princess Twilight, Princess Celestia and Spike stood on the precipice of ground zero. The lingering ambient radiation could be felt faintly singing the ends of their fur and scales respectively.
From one end of the horizon to the other laid an icy atomic wasteland that felt like a whole other world.
Innumerable buildings, once tall and imposing have been brought low. Towering spires of glimmering crystals, architectural marvels of remarkable artisanal feats and breathtaking monuments dedicated to the unique culture of the empire were brought to ruin in a single moment. And with it, the unintentional genocide of the Crystal Ponies living in the city who were blissfully unaware of their own fates before disappearing into the snow.
Stallions and mares.
They didn't deserve it.
Colts and fillies.
They didn't deserve it.
The young and the old.
They didn't deserve it.
The sick and the strong.
They didn't deserve it.
The proud and the meek.
They didn't deserve it.
The beloved and the hated.
They didn't deserve it.
None of them deserved to be consumed by atomic light.
They were as much victims as the humans their country sought to convert. These were ponies with lives and families, hopes and aspirations. They could've been something, somewhere, somehow. And in the same time it took for a single drop of water to fall from a leaf and onto the ground, they were just... gone.
It was all difficult to look at, yet at the same time you couldn't tear your eyes away from it. The cruel howling of the winds over the derelict rubble interlaced with the gentle sprinkling of soft white powdery snow only served to exacerbate the view, forcing those present to break down weeping unblinkingly.
The Royal Guards, strong willed as they were, wept uncontrollably at the unthinkable horror that had beset their beloved homeland. Years of training and experience in the face of war could not have prepared them to witness something so heinous and unspeakably obscene.
There was evil, and then there was human evil. They would openly scream for vengeance towards the heavens were they not so broken by trauma. What words they could find escaped their mouths in incoherent mutterings.
Spike, the youngest of the group, clung to Twilight like a lifeline. Much like the guards beside him, he was bawling his eyes with no end in sight. He stayed quiet throughout the experience, something that took a considerable amount of willpower just to achieve, but felt his lungs burn with the need to let loose emerald fire in anguish.
If there was any moment in time that cemented his distaste for the war, it was having his innocence torn from out of him by the talons of despair.
Twilight wept, but did so speechlessly. She had to be brave, had to be the strong one for Spike. She comforted him in her embrace, struggling to keep it together herself. Her whole body was wracked with torment, something not even the biting chill of the air could accomplish. She wanted nothing more than to rush into the bomb site, to claw at the ground to search for something, anything that belonged to Cadance and Flurry Heart no matter how futile it was, but couldn't for the nuclear fallout would ravage her body.
And so she watched. Burning the image into memory to give her motivation without purpose.
As for Celestia...
Celestia quietly turned away and marched across the snow.
Twilight copes with her inability to bear foals after grievous injuries renders her sterile.
The harsh glare of dawn's early light pouring in from the window overlooking the Canterhorn was positively blinding as Twilight awoke to the rhythmic sound of mechanical scratching and the pungent funk of antiseptics.
As her consciousness steadily returned she let out a low pained groan, raising her hoof to block the glare and squinting her eyes against the morning sun. Slowly, carefully, she rose up from her bed, taking notice of the IV needle hooked up to her foreleg. Her gaze trailed from the various tubes and wires sticking out of her to the medical apparatuses they were hooked up to and the room itself, noting just how blandly utilitarian it all was.
It took her a brief moment to collect herself before she managed to deduce that she was in the hospital, and judging by the thick layer of gauze reeking with heady scented ointments wrapped around her abdomen she was recovering from surgery.
She attempted to recall what led her here and remembered that she had just returned from a disastrous mission in Panama before being placed on a gurney and put under.
With the advent of the Thalmann Generators, direct engagements with the human opposition were next to impossible, even with the might of an alicorn backing the Equestrian forces. She and Celestia had thought it prudent to pivot tactics and, for the time being, focus on small scale raids and eliminating key targets as a way to mitigate their disadvantage. With their magic taken out of the equation, it was all they could do now that they were on the defensive.
Thus, it was decided that they would destroy the Panama Canal in order to cripple the Americas' supply line and buy the Equestrians some time to plan their next move. Twilight was to lead a small strike force into the country and sabotage the canal, slipping in unseen and slipping out once their task was complete. But they were caught early on and the mission had ended in complete and total failure, resulting in Twilight and what remained of her crack team of commandos fleeing to the homeland to lick their wounds.
It was another loss to add onto Equestria's growing list of defeats.
Gritting her teeth, she resolved to return to the castle and resume her duties as princess as swiftly as possible. Before she could pull herself off of the bed, however, a familiar voice cried out to her. Her head snapped over to the source of the voice where she saw Spike standing by the door frame, slovenly and unkempt with a look of overwhelming relief on his face.
"Twilight!" Spike shouted, his teary eyes full of worry as he ran up and pulled her into a tight hug. "You're awake! You're finally awake!"
"S-Spike... calm down," Twilight rasped, smiling gently as she brought up a hoof to brush his scales. "I'm alive, aren't I?" She reassured, but her smile masked the pain she finally registered simmering just beneath the skin. Every part of her ached with a dull pain, especially her abdomen. Even speaking was a chore that left her breathing short and labored.
"Yeah, you are," Spike sniffed, wiping away his tears with his arm. "Dr. Wellhoof assured us you'd make it."
"Us?" Twilight raised a brow.
"I believe that's our cue," Princess Celestia piped up, passing through the door along her parents and closest friends. They all clamored around her, expressing how worried they were when they learned she had been gravely wounded and needed to undergo surgery. It was a touching gesture, but one that made for a noisy racket that disturbed the other patients in the medical wing.
Night Light, Twilight Velvet and Spike were in the worst shape they've ever been, looking as though they've been swept up by a tornado and lived to tell the tale. They hadn't been able to find a moment of peace ever since Twilight had been wheeled to the ICU of Canterlot General Hospital. The family was already in shambles, knee deep in a pit of despair having suffered the tragic loss of Shining Armor, Cadence and Flurry Heart. Losing Twilight would've utterly destroy them.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie on the other hoof were just as supportive as they've always been, but even they couldn't hide their excessive distress, acting much in the same way they had been when Twilight had first ascended to alicornhood all those years ago. Deep down they understood that she was as mortal as they were in spite of being an alicorn. Twilight could be killed as easily as Luna was and the thought of it caused no end of panic for everyone.
Dr. Wellhoof entered the room shortly after and frowned at the sight. While their reaction was completely understandable, this was still a hospital. It was a place of healing and proper decorum needed to be followed, no matter who they may be.
"Alright, alright!" Dr. Wellhoof huffed, breaking up the unruly bunch. "Dial it back and keep your voices down! Princess Sparkle is still recovering, let her have some breathing room, ponies!"
"Aw , come on, doc. We're just looking out for our friend," replied Rainbow Dash, looking rather chafed.
"Yeah. Can't you make an exception for us?" Pinkie Pie queried.
"If I make an exception for you then I have to make an exception for everypony," he grumbled. The sullen look on his face was enough to get them to back down. "Look. You all can stay, but please, behave. This is a hospital, respect the others who are here as well. That includes you, your highness," Wellhoof glanced over to Celestia, who nodded in return, a slight blush visible on her cheeks. "Very good. Now," he turned over to Twilight. "Princess Sparkle, how do you feel?"
"Better... Dr. Wellhoof, you have no idea the depths of gratitude you've earn for saving me, but I must be on my way. I need to get back to-" Twilight tried to protest, but a stern look from Wellhoof cut whatever response she may have had cold in its tracks. Almost immediately after she broke into a violent coughing fit, whooping and hollering uncontrollably as her parents rushed to her aid, patting at her back and hand her the glass of water by the nightstand. She greedily drank it up, allowing the cool liquid to sooth her throat.
"Easy, Twilight. One gulp at a time," her father, Night Light, soothed.
"Don't push yourself, dear. We're here for you," replied Twilight Velvet, tenderly caressing her daughter's mane.
Wellhoof rolled his eyes at Twilight. "Forgive my brashness but as your physician I declare that you are in no condition to leave, princess. You sustained grievous injuries that would've killed a lesser pony. Were it not for your alicorn physiology and my timely surgical intervention we wouldn't even be having this conversation." The bluntness of his words caused the others to go wide-eyed, save for Celestia. Callous as it was he was just looking out for her. "Fret not. Taking into account your accelerated healing, I estimate that we can have you discharged within a week's time."
"One week?!" Twilight exclaimed, attempting to force herself out of bed, only to be stopped by everypony around her. "No. That is unacceptable. You don't understand, Equestria needs me!"
"Equestria needs you alive, Twilight," Celestia retorted, her expression downcast. There was genuine care in her voice. Twilight was her dearest student and royal equal. She'd even go as far as to call her the daughter she never had. To lose her would make the world all the lesser. She couldn't risk that, not again.
"You will have your time soon, but it is important that you heed the good doctor's words and allow yourself to rest. We've lost so much already, we can't lose you too. Think of your friends, your family." She gestured to the faces around her, all nervous and worried. "One week, that's all you need."
"I-I..." Twilight stammered, weighing her options before frowning and falling back into her reclined position. "Fine. But, I demand that I still be able to handle paperwork while I am bedridden. The central bureaucracy was already hindered without Luna, our government will be dangling from a string if I don't help keep it in order."
Wellhoof nodded. "That's completely fine with me. Now, onto more pressing matters." He used his magic to pull a folder off the wall and began flipping through it. His expression changed ever so subtly as he read over the documents. Whatever it was, he seemed to be contemplating something. "Oh, no... It's worse than I thought," he muttered beneath his breath. Applejack was the only one who seemed to notice his apprehensiveness, and decided to speak up about it.
"What? What's wrong?" she pressed, narrowing her eyes. "Apples and oranges, doc. Don't keep us in the dark."
"...I'm afraid this is something I'd rather discuss in private with Princess Sparkle," replied Wellhoof, doing his best to be tactful about the situation. "If you would permit me-"
"If it's that serious then it could be shared with all of us," Rarity interjected.
"In my professional opinion, I'd rather not," he remained firm in his decision. "Please, if you can all just leave the room for a momen-"
"Oh, out with it already!" Night Light suddenly barked, a glower plastered on his face. "If my daughter has some problem my family and I are entitled to know! We don't need secrets!"
There was an awkward bout of silence after his outburst. Everyone stared at Dr. Wellhoof, who looked aggravated by the position he was in. Sighing heavily, he brought up a hoof to rub the bridge of his snout before turning to face Twilight.
"Princess Sparkle, I advise against this, but with your permission I will share the information on this chart regardless of privacy," he grumbled in as polite a manner as he could muster given what he knows. "Really give it some thought. I mean it when I say that I strongly believe this is something that I need to speak to you about one on one."
"..." Twilight looked deep in thought. Dr. Wellhoof seemed adamant that he talk with her privately.
He was serious about it, and for a moment she was inclined to agree with his assessment. However, after everything that's happened, what with Equestria steadily being pushed back in the war, she didn't know if she could take any more bad news alone. She needed the support of her friends and family to help cope with whatever it was that he had to say.
"Just... Tell it to us straight, doctor," Twilight breathed, gripping tightly onto Spike's claw, who squeezed back reassuringly.
Wellhoof clicked his tongue and cocked his head to the side. He had hoped it wouldn't have come to this, but his hooves were tied now. His horn glowed and he closed the door to the room, locking it so that others may not disturb them. Then, he reached into the folder and pulled out an x-ray sheet. He propped it up against the light board and switched it on, displaying the contents of the film. Everyone looked on, confused as to what they were looking at due to part of the image looking mangled.
"This is an x-ray of your lower abdomen, Princess Sparkle," he gestured to the film. "You were shot several times during your encounter with humans in Panama. While they weren't fatal, a few bullets found themselves lodged in your body. We removed all of them to the best of our abilities, something that was made easier due to your accelerated healing repairing damaged tissue." He pulled out another film and planted it on the light board, it depicted her organs.
"Unfortunately, it would seem that the damage done to this specific area of your body was much more severe than we had originally anticipated." He tapped a part of the film depicting a small cluster of shard-like foreign objects.
Twilight subconsciously brought up her free hoof to the gauze around her abdomen and gulped. She felt her heartbeat quicken to startling pace and breathing grow short. A chill ran up her spine, suddenly the room had become all too cold. An overwhelming sense of dread began to form in the pit of her stomach as the doctor continued with his explanation.
"One of the bullets fragmented upon entry, expanding throughout your body and causing damage to your reproductive organs. Permanent damage." Wellhoof let out a heavy, sorrowful sigh. He and many others like him hated being the bearer of bad news, but it was all part of the job. Swallowing thickly, he met Twilight's anxious gaze and said what needed to be said. "Princess Sparkle. I-I'm sorry, but... that bullet. It left you sterile."
Sterile.
The word echoed in Twilight's mind like a gong. Now, it all made sense why he was so apprehensive to reveal this information to an audience.
Twilight could no longer bear foals.
She'll never be able to have children.
Panic and denial began to set in, the room around her started spinning wildly.
"No... No, no, no! P-please, tell me you're wrong! Tell me, it's not true! I'll never be able to... Able to-! Gah!" Twilight screamed like a banshee, pulling away from Spike as she broke down in front of everyone. She gripped at her head and screwed her eyes shut, retreating into the darkness of her mind and rationalizing to herself that it was all some horrible nightmare she would soon wake up from. That one day she'll be able to cradle a newborn foal as a mother.
Wellhoof could only look on with pity as the room exploded in a squall of angry shouts and shocked disbelief.
Spike, Pinkie Pie and Applejack all became white as a sheet, unable to process the mere idea of being unable to have children. Twilight would dream of raising a family one day, now that dream had been to smashed to pieces.
Night Light and Twilight Velvet were rightly horrified by the news. They swiftly embraced Twilight, whispering words of comfort and apology, holding onto her out of the fear that if they let go she'll spiral deeper into madness.
Rainbow, Rarity and even Princess Celestia ran up to Wellhoof, yelling in his face, blaming him for not doing enough or questioning if it was possible to undo the damage.
He answered truthfully. With their current level of medical knowledge there was no way to reverse the damage or if it would even be possible to begin with. The only other option he could think of would be tapping into powerful, perhaps even profane, magicks to remedy her sterility, and even then he wasn't sure if Twilight would want to go through with that. He said the best thing they can do was to be there for her, as they are now.
As for Twilight, she wept.
She collapsed into her parent's arms and began to mentally unravel, sobbing uncontrollably and crying until her throat turned hoarse and face stained with hot tears.
Cruel fate had taken from her again.
And it will continue to take until there is nothing left so long as she continues down this path.
The Conversion Wars enters its final year as Equestria is left vulnerable after the fall of the barrier. Defeat is certain but unspoken. In an effort to escape humanity’s wrath the remaining princesses attempt to teleport Equestria to another world, just as they had before.
It was noisier in Twilight's private laboratory than it usually was, and had been for some time now.
Between the low humming of the science equipment and the crackling of electricity that arced across its numerous power nodes, the loud clattering of chalk furiously slamming against a chalkboard in an irregular rhythmic fashion drowned out the background noise as Twilight herself was unblinkingly focused on the task at hoof.
The mare was a shell of of former self. Her slovenly emaciated appearance left a lot to be desired; with her matted fur, unkempt mane, sunken reddened eyes and unladylike stench making it hard to believe that this mad scientist was also a regal monarch. Even with her alicorn vitality the sheer strain of stress and worry had gotten to her, just as it did Cadance.
Several chalkboards were set up in front of Twilight. Each one was scrawled from edge to edge with a dizzying array of mathematical equations, formulae and footnotes that were so small and poorly arranged one could easily mistaken the wall of numbers and iconography to be some form of advanced alien language. Beside her was a massive oak work desk which had various sheets of paper messily strewn across its coffee stained surface and a small pile of empty chalk cartons stacked on one corner.
As for the rest of the lab, calling it messy would be an understatement.
The place was a dump.
Trash was everywhere. Discarded snack tins, decomposing food waste and other assorted nastiness overflowed from the wastebasket nearby, attracting flies and other skittering pests with its rotted scent and tiny scraps of tasty morsels. There was a spill that hadn't gotten cleaned up, some sort of foul smelling chemical that glowed disconcertingly in a viscous puddle. Nearly everything that wasn't covered up by a tarp or some sort of cloth had a thick layer of chalk dust coating it.
Usually, it was Spike or one of the castle's housekeeping staff that would come in and help clean the place out for her. But due to the looming sense of finality in the war hanging over her head Twilight had deemed their efforts a distraction and closed herself off in an effort to concentrate better.
For four exhausting months (or was it five? It was hard to remember anymore), Twilight had been working herself to the bone nonstop reading, writing, calculating, smashing and loudly cursing to herself throughout this entire strenuous ordeal in order to achieve the impossible:
Crack the magical code of the Elements of Harmony themselves.
In the war room of Castle Canterlot, the war council was in an uproar.
In the wake of Luna's death and simultaneous unveiling of humanity's new magic killers, Equestria had experienced nothing but a near constant string of humiliating defeats one after the other.
All that was compounded with the harrowing thought that the barrier, the creeping nigh impenetrable force field of death, that promised a guaranteed victory for Equestria had been fractured into glittering nothingness, leaving the homeland vulnerable to enemy action as demonstrated by the destruction of the Crystal Empire.
The nuking of the Crystal Empire, along with the tragic deaths of Princess Cadance and Princess Flurry Heart, was by far the most devastating of the country's losses, having happened only a month prior. The wave of unrest that washed over Equestria due to that horrible event had put a massive strain on the already abysmal morale of the populace, forcing the crown to divert its efforts into maintaining the fragile stability of the nation in lieu of building their military back up to full combat strength or maintaining the war front.
The stress of war time was starting to boil over and everypony was affected by it.
Due to the mounting fatigue and overall state of recent affairs today’s meeting had not been going particularly well, with the entirety of the discussion had boiling down to heated shouting matches, stuttering excuses and blatant projection. It certainly didn't help that the council itself was radically different than it had been originally.
Of the council's original members only Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her personal assistant, Spike, Chief Director Hush Hush of the Equestrian Secret Service and Colonel Air Lift of the Pegasi Aerial Division remained. The rest were all newly appointed members with moderate to minor experience in leadership who had attained this critical position either through recommendation or direct succession after their predecessors resigned in shame or, more commonly, were killed in action.
It was evident that the loss of Commander-General Shining Armor, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance and several other esteemed commanders had deeply impacted the military's overall aptitude. The entire chain of command was in shambles and it showed, with the rank and file having been reshuffled numerous times like a deck of cards at a Las Pegasus casino. Older, more experienced veterans were dying in droves out on the front line, leaving only fresh faced recruits and inexperienced civilian conscripts to replenish the ranks.
As a result, the collective level of tactical knowledge and combat prowess spread out amongst their forces at large had begun to steadily diminish with each engagement and showed no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
"Order, order!" Princess Celestia shouted over the fracas, telekinetically slamming a gavel on her desk. "I said, order!"
"These reports are getting worse by the day!" General Six Shot yelled over Celestia, his own trepidations overpowering any fear he had for disrespecting his venerable princess. "The last of our forces have just completed their retreat from Indonesia! Along with the loss of the Philippines weeks earlier that means all of Southeast Asia is back under human control! All that precious pony blood spilled to claim those territories for Equestria, wasted!" He slammed his hoof angrily on the table.
"We still have Oceania!" General Northern Winds rebuked. "Our forces are still holding strong! As long as we can maintain the war front we can still turn this disadvantage around!"
"With what?!" Colonel Bulk Head jeered, shooting a glare in the others direction. "Nothing we do is enough! Those magic killers the humans used have rendered our forces impotent! We must pull back to the homeland and re-strategize, Oceania is a lost cause!"
"We can't pull out now, not without a proper evacuation!" Lieutenant Colonel Valkyrie argued. "Are you forgetting about our settlements? Our citizens? We need to do everything we can to get our people back home. It should be of the utmost importance!"
"A full evacuation just isn't in the cards at the moment!" Bulk Head shot back. "If we're going to turn tail and run, I say we cut the dead weight. Only pureblooded ponies are allowed to come back. We can leave the Newfoals to rot."
"You would abandon them?!" Valkyrie balked. "How could you consider such a thing!"
"I'm with Bulk Head on this," Six Shot nodded. "Leave the Newfoals, they'd only slow us down. They don't deserve to come back. They were formerly humans, after all."
"Formerly being the operative word!" Valkyrie seethed through gritted teeth. "Six Shot, Bulk Head, your suggestions are abominable! Scum like you isn't worthy of the chair you sit in!"
"Lieutenant Colonel, you're treading on thin ice! You should know better than to insult your superio-!" Six Shot reprimanded, only to be cut off by Celestia interjecting and retaking control of the conversation.
"ENOUGH!" Celestia commanded, the royal 'we' used to full effect. Everyone in the room flinched from her voice and immediately settled down, slinking down in their seats nervously as the princess swept an annoyed gaze across the room. Her sternness and irritated expression gave off the impression of a mother scolding her unruly foals. "...Now, I'm going to speak. And when I do, I expect all of you to behave yourself in a manner befitting of your station. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear."
"...Crystal, your majesty," the group grumbled.
"Good," Celestia breathed, pulling herself back onto her chair. "Now, as abhorrent as it is, Colonel Bulk Head and General Six Shot, in spite of their tactless way of putting it, are correct. Our resources and fighting force are spread thin as it is. Evacuation is our number one priority, but at the speed of the human advance we have no choice but to abandon the Newfoals."
"But, your majesty!" Valkyrie began but lost her nerve to speak when Celestia locked eyes with her.
"I understand your concern, lieutenant colonel, but this is war. As much as it pains me to admit it, we can't save them all," replied Celestia. "Their loss is tragic, yes, but as long as we hold strong their lives will not be in vain."
"I... I understand," Valkyrie resigned herself to the princess's authority and settled back down.
"...Permission to speak, princess?" Colonel Air Lift spoke up.
"You may," Celestia nodded. "What is on your mind, Colonel Air Lift."
"I would to inquire as to what our next move will be once the evacuation is complete."
"What kind of question is that?" Northern Winds sneered. "We fight, that's what will do."
"Yes, we will fight, but what then?" Air Lift looked over the room. "The Royal Guard are being beaten back, forcing us to abandon all of our territory. We can't win direct engagements, we can't hold key positions, we can't teleport in and ambush our opponents, we can't do anything."
"What?" Bulk Head scoffed. "Do you suggest we surrender?"
"No! No! Damn it all, no!" Air Lift snapped, baring his teeth. "We can't surrender, not after everything that's happened...! But all of you must realize, even you, Princess Celestia, that we can't win either." At the mention, Princess Celestia pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. Gauging her reaction, Air lift continued with his speech.
"This war has been turned on it head. I don't know if any of you are willing to admit it, but things are looking bleak. The death of Shining Armor was a fluke, a mistake that never should've happened. That, I am willing to believe. But then..." Air Lift sighed, "Luna. Venerable Luna was killed in battle. I was there with her in Jerusalem. I fought by her side as a proud commander leading my pegasi to glory, only to witness an atrocity laid out before my very eyes. And just when things couldn't get any worse, the Crystal Empire, her majesty Princess Cadance and her young daughter were erased from existence in a single night."
He paused, noting the subtle looks of fear and uncertainty that his colleagues possessed.
"Five years. For five years I've fought and succeeded for Equestria. I killed the humans who dared to resist us, who dared to rebuke the will of harmony! I helped to retake this ill stricken world from their filthy blood soaked hands and build us the utopia that was always meant to be! But now, here we are. Being pushed back to our soil with almost little to no resistance! The world burns, my men are being slaughtered, our heroes and our rulers are being struck down one after the other! Humanity has proven themselves to be more than we can handle!"
"...We pull back to Equestria. We lick our wounds, and then what?" He frowned, turning his head away in weariness. "...Then what?"
"...It's not over," Princess Celestia finally spoke, breaking the pregnant silence that filled the air after Air Lift's defeatist rant. "We're still here. We are all still alive. As long as we live and breath this battle is far from over. I won't let us be defeated. Not now, not ever. Equestria has never bowed its head to any threat. Not to dark forces, not to megalomaniacal madmanes, and most certainly not to a bumbling horde of humans." She stood up and began circling the room, glaring at Air lift. "You disappoint me, Colonel. I expected more from a survivor of the original council."
"Forgive me, my princess," Air Lift, hung his head in shame. "I... I just can't take it anymore. We were winning. Nothing could stop us. And now, we are the ones being culled. I just can't foresee a scenario where we aren't wiped out just like the Crystal Empire was if we keep losing all these battles. It would take miracle to..." His sentence drifted off to quiet murmurs.
"...And a miracle we shall have," Celestia reaffirmed, causing the room to break out into confused mumblings.
"Your majesty," General Six Shot cleared his throat. "You have something planned?"
"You doubt me?" Celestia raised her eyebrow.
"N-no! No, no, no. Of course not, princess," Six Shot hastily defended, putting on a sheepish grin. "I-I'm merely interested in what it is you have planned."
"You mean: what we have planned," Celestia looked over to Twilight, who had been noticeably quiet throughout the entire discussions. "Twilight, if you will?"
"Thank you, Princess Celestia," Twilight rose up from her seat and trotted to the front of the room, her expression stony but confident. Spike followed suit, holding a sheaf of paper in his claws. Once situated, Twilight gave a short presentation detailing Equestria's next, and most crucial, course of action.
"Ahem," Twilight cleared her throat. "Esteemed members of the war council. Though it pains me to admit it, Colonel Air Lift is correct in his assessment of our current situation. These are dire circumstances, I will not lie. The humans have indeed proven themselves to be more irksome than we have originally surmised. But as Princess Celestia has also pointed out, Equestria is still standing in light of... recent tragedies." She looked morose for a moment but regained her composure. "Humanity hasn't won yet and we will see to it personally that they never will have that satisfaction."
She nodded towards Spike, prompting the young drake to pull out several maps and diagrams before placing them in front of the table.
"As it stands, it would be foolish to continue any form of direct or indirect engagement with the enemy. With the advent of the magic killers we've lost our greatest advantage over humanity and have been forced on their terms with little in the way of meaningful retaliation. Therefore, instead of needlessly throwing ourselves into the line of fire, it would be prudent to let the enemy come to us."
She pointed to the map of Equestria. "I propose we initiate a full scale retreat, pull back all our existing forces into the homeland where we will consolidate our defenses and focus on fortifying our borders. While the loss of the barrier was... unfortunate, the combined might of Equestria's finest should be more than enough to repel any invasion force that seek to set foot on our shores. That is what we must do.”
"...So, that's it? That's the master plan?" Northern Winds chuckled humorously, raising his brow. "We're going to pull our troops back, dig in, and fight it out? What would that accomplish?!" he grumbled. "What makes any of this different than what we're doing already!?"
"The difference, general, is that we're no longer trying to win," Twilight replied coolly, earning several bemused murmurs in returned.
"...Then what is it that we are trying to achieve by holding the line against a veritable wall of steel and hate, Princess Twilight?" Six Shot replied flippantly, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat.
"Buy us time," Twilight declared. "Victory over humanity is all but impossible now. However, that does not mean we must suffer defeat. We still have an ace up our sleeves. Something that can end the bloodshed. Something that has never failed us before. Something that no pitiable human can ever hope to stand up to."
Twilight's horn glowed briefly, and in a bright flash of magenta light, a set of familiar looking jewelry materialized around her. A series of gasps escaped the lips of the council members. They recognized the jewelry immediately.
It was the Elements of Harmony.
The sacred relics of Equestria orbited around Twilight, floating with a faint magenta glow as she placed them down on the table.
"The Elements of Harmony," Valkyrie breathed, staring in awe before their magnificence.
"The Elements of Harmony are the most powerful source of magic in existence,” Twilight began. "With them, Celestia and I intend to use its awesome power to teleport Equestria and our people away from this dimension, just as we have before."
"...Are we abandoning the cause, princess?" Air Lift asked cautiously.
"We are not abandoning anything," Celestia cut in, eyes narrowing into a stern gaze. "Enlightening others to the ways of friendship and harmony will always be our eternal goal. It is our sacred charge that has been entrusted to us ponies by life itself. Despite our best efforts, however, humanity has proven itself to be a lost cause. It was a mistake thinking we could help them. Our efforts are wasted here. As far as we're concerned, the humans and our traitorous ilk can quarrel amongst themselves on this wretched mudball of a planet all they like. Let them kill each other off, just like they were going to anyway before we showed up."
"Hear, hear!" Bulk Head concurred. "I don't want anything to do with those damned dirty apes any longer! The sooner we return back to Equus, the better."
"...We're not returning to Equus," Celestia admitted, causing the council to exchanged worried looks between one another.
"What do you mean, princess?" Valkyrie asked. "Is Equus not our destination?"
"We can't go back home, I'm afraid," Celestia turned away, hiding her face from her peers. "It was my modifications to Starswirl The Bearded's magical theory that allowed us to jump dimension in the first place. However, dimensional travel is tricky business. Due to an intangible form of cosmic interference, a return to Equus is simply not possible. Our only other destination is wherever the spell will land us. I'm sorry to relay to you this bad news, but that is the unfortunate truth of things," she lied through her teeth.
"Your majesty, that sounds... risky," commented Six Shot.
"What if the next world is just as bad as this one?" Northern Winds pointed out. "Harmony forbid the next specie we try to help turn on us too."
"...Would you all rather stay here?" Spike quipped. There was a curt round of silence in the war room before a unanimous decision was made to evacuate Equestria from this dimension. "I thought so," he frowned.
"Hold on, hold on for just a second," Valkyrie interrupted. "The Elements of Harmony are indeed powerful magic, it is capable of miracles. But..." she paused, wondering if she should say what needs to be said aloud. Steeling herself, she asked the obvious, "can they function without Flut-?"
"She is irrelevant to this conversation!" Twilight hastily seethed, causing Valkyrie to be taken aback by the princess's flare-up of hostility.
Frightened but curious, Valkyrie swallowed thickly and pressed the conversation. "Y-your majesty, I only assume this because it is a well known fact that the Elements of Harmony can only be used when all-"
"We don't need her to use it! The Elements of Harmony is magic in its purest form, and like any form of magic it can be controlled, one way or the other!" Twilight snapped. "I was not the one who betrayed Equestria! I was not the one who helped our enemies to cause us such misery! I was not the one who foolishly believed there is more to those murderous monkeys than wanton violence and pointless conflict! I and those who stuck by me faithfully are the only ones necessary to tap into the power! There is a way and I know I can find it! By my will, I will unlock the secret to their power and use them to save us all!" She concluded, breathing heavily as she pulled back into her seat.
"I-I... Of course, p-princess," Valkyrie conceded, shrinking away. "I-I should've known better than to question the Element of Magic herself. Please, forgive my insolence."
"...You are forgiven," Twilight huffed, but kept the scowl plastered on her face.
"Still, this begs the question," Northern Winds began. "How will you be able to utilize the elements as they are? They seem to have a mind of their own sometimes"
"I'll figure it out," Twilight deflected. "Magic is magic, that's all there is to know. I'll find a way... I always do."
Twilight couldn't be bothered to remember the rest of the meeting, only the specifics of it. In the time since she had buried herself in her work trying and failing to get the Elements of Harmony to work as before.
When she wasn't trying to activate the elements, the majority of her time had been devoted to the ongoing fortification of Equestria.
After an unnecessarily lengthy bout of deliberation, Twilight had finally managed to convince Princess Celestia to approve her long standing request to modernize their military. Celestia had made her dislike for human technological achievements known but even a stubborn luddite like herself eventually relented to the truth of their efficacy, loath as she is to admit it.
Swords, spears and crossbows were not bad weapons by any means, but in the face of modern warfare where firefights were the norm and long range artillery barrages could wipe out entire regiments before they could even reach the battlefield, they were woefully obsolete. Relics of a bygone era that were better off in a museum than in the hands of a soldier.
And so, Twilight's ambitions were unleashed upon the country as she ushered in a new age of industrialism and mechanization that was several centuries too late. Guns, automotive vehicles and other types of nifty gadgets were being produced en masse to be standardized among the military. With them, the improved might of the Royal Guard and their new equipment should be able to match humanity's strength.
...Or at least that's how the propaganda goes.
As it stands, however, modernization was merely a stopgap measure. A metaphorical strip of duct tape used to hold together a crumbling war machine that was falling apart at the seams.
Escape from planet Earth was the true end goal in light of Equestria's prodigious technological growth.
Yet, no matter what she did or how hard she tried, the Elements of Harmony denied her at every turn.
Twilight's first attempt to harness the power of the Elements of Harmony through alternative means was optimistic but mistaken.
She had gathered what remained of her friends for the magical experiment, ushering them into the grand ballroom of Castle Canterlot where it had been cleared of all furnishing.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were all standing in a circle in the center of the room where runes, icons and other magical scripture were carefully drawn onto the marble floor with white chalk.
These were not the same bright faced and jubilant mares from half a decade prior. They were ponies who were desperately trying their damnedest to maintain a calm visage, pretending that everything is gonna be okay in the face of certain defeat. Desperately clinging onto the slim hope of Twilight and Celestia succeeding in their miraculous plan was the only thing keeping them from dropping the mask of normalcy they practically had bolted onto their faces, lest their true anxiety be revealed.
Rarity was the neatest looking of the bunch, although she wore much more makeup than was necessary and appeared distracted most of the time. The smile she wore was clearly fake, being mostly lipstick that had been expertly scrawled onto her face into a convincing facsimile of one. There was also a slight wobble to her stance. The heady scent of alcohol that tinged her breathe likely being the culprit for lack of balance and hazy state of mind. The loss of her son and husband had left her hollow, and no amount of wine, expensive jewelry or an inexperienced dragon's touch could fill the void.
Pinkie was more or less the same as Rarity, having the decency to look presentable at the very least. But much like Rarity, her smile was fake as fake could be. It was happy smile, too happy, like it was frozen in place after being held in place for so long. There were clear stress marks forming under the fur that looked more like surgical scars really. It was a miracle the skin on the upper half of her head hadn't ripped itself off her skull and fly into the distance after being stretched taut for so long. Also, judging by the dilation of her pupils, it was possible she was on something. What, exactly, is anypony's guess.
Rainbow Dash looked like she had a pretty rough day. Training rigorously with the Wonderbolts in preparation for the invasion had turned this once adventurous pegasus into a hardened soldier thirsting for human blood. Her attitude was more or less the same, albeit with a more darker disposition to it. Appearance wise she was dirty and unkempt, with a disheveled mane and matted fur all around. Her wings however were in pristine condition, having been preened in preparation for advanced aerial training.
Applejack looked the worse out of the quartet by a wide margin. She always had this rough hewn look to her, coming from a family of hardworking farmers. But dealing with the constant and increasingly demanding tithes of the crown day in and day out for the past half-decade had molded her into an exhausted dirt encrusted mare of single minded devotion unable to think about anything other than supporting the war and her family. Until the war was over and Equestria was victorious she couldn't relax, not even when money was no longer an issue.
They each wore their respective element, idly fiddling with the jewelry in a curious manner as they have not used them in the years since the dimensional jump. Power still pulsed from the elements, with imperceptible energies rolling out from its golden frame in gentle waves. If there was any way to describe the sensation, it was like being lightly brushed by smooth silk on a warm summer day.
Joining them was Princess Celestia, who was supervising the experiment, and Spike, who curiously had Fluttershy's element around his neck.
Eventually, Twilight arrived onto the scene wearing her element and carrying an odd assortment of supplies with her, the most perplexing of which was the large chalkboard levitating beside her. She went on to set up a miniature science post before joining up with her friends in the circle.
"Good afternoon, everypony," Twilight began, radiating an air of noble professionalism. "I would love nothing more than to chat and catch up after being so preoccupied in my duties, but as you may know time and basic pleasantries just isn't a luxury we just can't afford right now. So please, forgive me for being so blunt especially after summoning you all on such short notice. This is, after all, a matter of dire importance."
"Oh, it's nothing, daaarling," Rarity replied with a slight drawl. She audibly smacked her lips and righted herself, maintaining a questionable air of attentiveness. "The fate of Equestria hangs in the balance. What kind of pony would I be if I refused the call?"
"...A traitor, that's what," Rainbow Dash muttered bitterly beneath her breath, drawing uneasy looks from her peers.
"Well, unlike she who will not be named," Applejack spat, adjusting her hat, "we're loyal and reliable. I know we'll be able save Equestria if we work together and power the Elements of Harmony. Then we can get off this Goddess forsaken rock."
"And then it will finally be over!" Pinkie exclaimed a bit too cheerfully, nervously rubbing at her shoulder with her hoof. "No more fighting! No more war! No more death! Just living! Living life to the fullest!"
"I wouldn't have put it in such a saccharine manner but I share the sentiment all the same," Twilight nodded along. "Now, I'm sure I briefly mentioned it in the letters I sent out, but does anypony need a quick refresher on the experimental process and what we're about to do?"
Spike raised his hand, a sheepish grin on his face. "Um, Twilight. You never explained what I'm here for, or why I'm wearing Flut-er, the Element of Kindness."
"Ah, forgive me, Spike. It must have slipped my mind but let me fill you in on everything," replied Twilight, tapping a piece of chalk against the chalkboard. "I would suggest everypony else pay attention as well, this is important." She gestured to the series of diagrams and charts she had laid out earlier in preparation for this moment. "As you all know, in order to activate the Elements of Harmony all the element bearers must be present and fully willing to tap into their defining friendship trait, thus triggering their incredible power for use in our righteous purpose."
She tapped upon another section of the board and continued with her explanation. "But the elements are like a chain, all linked together to form a single unbroken bond that holds that power. With a missing link, the elements cannot be used. However, I hypothesize that we can circumvent this flaw by filling in the gap, so to speak." Twilight then gestured to the floor.
"These runes and glyphs have been copied straight from Starswirl's collected notes and theories on the subject of universal magical affinity. With them they will act as a conduit for us and complete the circuit if we introduce the missing element." Twilight turned to Spike, smiling warmly at him. "You, Spike, will be that missing element."
"M-me?" Spike pointed to himself, suddenly feeling the weight of the world on him. "N-no way, I can't do it."
"Of course you can," Twilight reassured. "We need the Element of Kindness. And you are one of the kindest person I know. After all, there's no other dragon like you here or anywhere else in the world. You may not be the biggest dragon, but your heart more than makes up for that."
"R-really?" Spike mumbled, nervously scratching the back of his neck. "You're only saying that because we've known each other forever."
"That's not true," Twilight shook her head. "Just ask everypony else. They know you're a good dragon." Her response was met with several hums of approval from her friends.
"She's right, you know," said Applejack. "You stick with your family, that's something to be proud of."
"You're always there for everypony, and that makes you just as awesome as me," said Rainbow Dash, always feeling the need to make a comparison to herself.
"It's true," Rarity agreed, struggling to look at the young drake in the eye.
"You're the next Element of Kindness! Isn't that great?" Pinkie bellowed.
"I... I guess it does feel kind of good," Spike coughed, blushing in embarrassment. "But, Twilight. What makes you so sure this will actually work? The elements can be fickle when they want to be."
"Equestria is in danger, they will work. They have to," Twilight replied promptly, adamant in her assumption. "Now, everyone please step into the circle. The sooner we succeed with the experiment, the better."
Everyone nodded along and complied with her demand, eagerly taking their place upon the magic circle. Once they were situated, Twilight and the gang closed their eyes and began to channel their innate power into triggering the Elements of Harmony by focusing on the various moments throughout their lives that defined them.
Even Spike, who was still unsure of his newly adopted position as the Element of Kindness, combed his thoughts for times where he had acted out unconditionally. He was shocked to recall so many moments where he was unwittingly selfless in his actions, and the warmth that brewed in his chest from those memories was matched by the warmth of the artifact tingling around his neck.
Thin wispy threads like spider's silk or incense smoke emanated from out of the large jewel of each element, steadily culminating into the center of the glowing runic circle as it began to coalesce into an abstract shape. Light danced and twinkled around the group, accompanied by a gust of wind that caused the drapery to flutter about in the breeze.
Slowly, each of the element bearers rose from the floor, floating several inches off the ground as the coalescing shape warped and shifted itself into a more comprehensive state.
"I... I think it's working, Twilight!" Celestia shouted over the winds, her heart pounding in her chest from anticipation. "Keep concentrating! I can feel the power from the elements rippling throughout the air!"
"You heard the princess!" Twilight exclaimed. "Everyone, let's give it our all!"
There was a round of vigorous acknowledgement from the group as they screwed their eyes shut even tighter, wringing out whatever amount of magic that they could squeeze from the elements in a final push to unleash its true incomparable might.
But at the height of the experiment, right when it felt like a dam was about to burst, the magical force permeating throughout the air flickered and died, causing the coalescing shape to fade away into nothingness and sending the group stumbling onto the ground. Everyone struggled to regain their bearings, muttering amongst themselves exasperatedly about what had happened on the very cusps of salvation.
"No!" Twilight cursed, stamping her hoof in frustration. "We were so close, so close! I felt it! The power of the elements, they were right at our hooves! We were right on the brink of saving Equestria! Gah!"
"Calm yourself, Twilight," soothed Celestia, stepping in. "You can't have hoped to achieve the impossible on the first try. The experiment failed, yes, but it has provided up with valuable data. Your theory of completing the circuit has merit, but it appears there's more to this than simply filling in a missing piece."
"Grr... That's true," Twilight huffed, letting her shoulders slouch dejectedly. "I just..." She sucks in a breath and lets out a long winded sigh. A sigh that has been held in for far too long. "I just want this nightmare to end."
"We all do," Applejack joined in. "Let's try again later, once you've finished all your fancy mathematics and such."
Though Twilight and the rest left the ballroom that day with a sliver of hope, this will only be the first of many failures.
The next several attempts all ended the same way; with success so close yet just barely out of reach. Each time Twilight made various adjustments to her experiment, taking into account possible key variables like rewriting the magical scripture, focusing the magic through an external foci or employing the application of other magical artifacts. And throughout it all, she still held onto the conviction that she will succeed in the end, even as the evidence to the contrary was beginning to mount.
So focused was she on her goal that she was blinded to the widening rifts that formed between herself and her friends.
Later failures would demonstrate that rift by having the group take their anger and disappointment out on one another, putting blame on whoever they felt didn't pull their weight for their lack of faith or belief in the cause, preventing the Elements of Harmony from activating in their entirety.
"What the hell, Rarity!" Rainbow snapped, getting up in latter's mug. "That was your fault this time, not mine! Your head's not in the game! I told you to quit it with the drinking you damn booze hound!"
"Excuse me?!" Rarity bit back, prodding at Rainbow's chest. "I've been sober all day! How do I know it isn't you?!"
"It can't be me! I'm always giving it my all! Rainbow Dash always gives two hundred and ten percent!"
"Would you two shut yer yaps!" Applejack interjected, getting in between the two. "How do you know it ain't both of you?! You two are some of the most self absorbed ponies I know! Maybe your egos are getting in the way! Need I remind you the fate of Equestria is on the line here, or was it not obvious?"
"Well, what about you!" Pinkie Pie cut in, pointing towards Applejack. "You're always worrying about the next tithe delivery and traitors in the midst! You don't think about anything else! Maybe you're the one who isn't concentrating!"
"Am I really being accused by the most scatterbrained pony in all of Ponyville?!" Applejack snorted. "I don't think you've taken enough of whatever it is you're on, you junkie! Why not top a few more 'sprinkles' onto those special smoothies of yours, maybe then you'll finally be able to sit still for a single second instead of hopping around like a dang jackrabbit in the middl-!"
"That's enough!" Twilight bellowed, slamming both her hooves down and shaking the ballroom with her might. "I don't care who it is or why they can't help activate the elements! What matters is that we try again! Don't forget, the humans are coming and they will not stop until everypony is dead, enslaved or worse, so no more mistakes! No more screw ups! And most importantly, no more excuses!" She seethed, flaring her nostril. "Do I make myself clear?!"
Taken aback by Twilight's outburst, everyone begrudgingly mumbled an acknowledgement, stowing away their resentment for another time. They each returned to their spot on the runic circle, grumbling lowly as Twilight fiddled with a strange mechanical apparatus that was hooked up to the elements with a look of aggravation etched on her face.
Throughout it all, however, Spike kept quiet. He was relieved to have avoided blame, but always felt like he should've said something. Each time the urge to open up grew stronger and stronger, and each time he fought fang and claw to bury that feeling. It had begun with Shining's death, the death of his brother, then it escalated with Luna's death and the destruction of the Crystal Empire, the city he once saved so long ago whose people revered him as a hero of legend.
The experiences have been happening far too many times for his taste and he was beginning to wonder he should ask if Twilight should abandon the experiments and focus solely on fortifying Equestria. In his most private moments he contemplated to himself whether or not he should take a more assertive stance, but every time he deferred the decision making to others.
After all, he was a dragon among ponies. His opinions, while valid, usually came second to ponies. There was also a matter of seniority among other things. He was no child, but he was the youngest of the group. In the past, any ideas he'd have would have been met with condescending scrutiny. He doubted it would be any different now.
Swallowing thickly, he ignored the pangs of doubt that bubbled in his fiery gut, ultimately deferring to Twilight's wisdom.
Eventually, confidence gave way to desperation and newer more drastic measures were being undertaken by the princesses, both of whom were reaching the end of their ropes.
After some thirty or so failures and precious days spent like the common bit, Twilight and Celestia had elected to abandon the original idea of letting the bearers trigger the Elements of Harmony, dismissing the girls and Spike so that may continue their focus on supporting the war effort. In a fit, Twilight was forced to dump several weighty notepads that had been scrawled to the edges from front to back with useless hope filled information.
Now, they had resorted to unconventional methods to achieve their goals.
Together, Twilight and Celestia had painstakingly gathered what ancient artifacts they could find and, in some insane bout of logical gymnastics, attempted to use them as a sort of catalyst to power the elements. Things like the alicorn amulet, Starswirl's enchanted enchiridion and more were collected like mundane trading cards to be used as common batteries.
Each of the wondrous items were gathered together and stacked up high in a thoughtless heap like ordinary trash. No care was taken at all. Twilight and Celestia simply grabbed what was nearest to them and callously dumped them in the center of the room where it was surrounded by more scripture and runes that formed a complex hexagram.
On each point of the hexagram was an element. The idea was to power the Elements of Harmony through a ritual that involved transferring the latent magical powers of the collective artifacts towards the elements and jumpstart them.
In spite of her tireless research and theorizing, Twilight and Celestia wasn't even sure if the experiment would work. At this point in time they were both throwing everything at the wall just to see if it would stick.
"This has to work, it just has to!" Twilight muttered frantically, throwing the last of the magical items onto the pile. "We've exhausted damn near every possible avenue into order to activate the elements. This has to be the solution!"
"Worrying won't help, Twilight," said Celestia, placing a reassuring hoof on Twilight's shoulder. Though she didn't show it, inwardly she was just as irritated as Twilight was about every experimental dead end they've come across in the past few months. "We must persevere. Now, ready the ritual."
With a rude tsk and an uncouth grunt of acknowledgement, Twilight moved on with the experiment. She and Celestia met on opposite sides of the hexagram, their horns alight with magic.
Together, they each weaved a concentrated spell as the artifact pile glowed with a dim iridescent light. The runic scripture on the floor later followed suit, glowing brightly as it formed a sort of mystic cage around the pile. The weaves of magic bent and rippled in the unseen winds, forming into elongated tendrils that reached forward and began leeching magic from out of the artifacts and feeding it towards the elements.
As if being age at an accelerated pace, the artifacts slowly but surely began to wither and rot away into decrepit junk.
Smooth lustrous metals grew faded and mottled before cracking apart into small chunks of powdery rust. Magic tomes and enchanted books that were blessed to be immutable became bleached and frail as if caught underneath the heat of a blazing sun, slowly crumbling away into dust. One by one each of the items rotted away into nothingness, and the magic that dwelled from within their frames was fed to the Elements of Harmony.
Greedily, the elements drank the magical essence like a fish in water. With each artifact ruined the elements pulsed with great power, growing stronger and stronger with each passing minute.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity. The elements rose from the floors, thrumming with the same familiar power that has saved Equestria countless times before, only this time it might be even stronger. As they floated in the air, they began to orbit the room one after the other in a swirling pattern of glittering light and magic.
"I-it's happening! It's finally happening!" Twilight exclaimed gleefully, her earlier exasperation all but forgotten. "Come on! Come on!"
"Keep concentrating, Twilight! Don't let up!" Celestia urged, forcing herself to pour more magic into the ritual. "We're almost there!"
As the magic grew, so did the speed at which the elements soared. They rocketed around the room, twirling and spinning like a golden hurricane before eventually bursting with magic. A powerful force crackled across the air of the room and shook it to its foundation, causing the drapery to whip wildly along the side of the walls, the floor to tremble and the doors to swing open and slam itself shut repeatedly as the colors of the rainbow erupted from out of the elements in a palpable ribbon of pure magic.
"Just, grr... a little... more!" Celestia grunted out, biting on her lower lip to the point of drawing blood.
The colors twisted and warped in shape as a writhing mass of intangible essence before forming into a bright white amorphous entity that vaguely resemble a massive tree that towered immensely over the princesses.
The Elements of Harmony was free at last, and its indomitable presence was as glorious as it had always been, perhaps even more since it had been so long since the last time they were used. The air was heavy with the aura of magic and the atmosphere was one of tense calm.
Twilight and Celestia stared in awe of the Elements of Harmony's unfettered magnificence, upon a form that they were familiar with. They released their hold on the ritual and took in the sight, being brought to tears now that all their efforts, all the frustrations and sleepless nights, had finally bore fruit.
"Yes! Yes!" Celestia cried euphorically, feeling the weight of the world being lifted off from her weary shoulders as the thought of Equestria finally being freed from Earth's hellish grip caused her to openly weep. Even Twilight couldn't help but bask in the moment, being equal parts relieved and unbelievably ecstatic that she was able to do what nopony throughout history has every done before. "We did it, Twilight! We finally did it! Equestria is saved once more, thanks to the Elements of Harmony!"
In the midst of Celestia's mirth, one of the branches of the tree began to move it its own, lowering itself down as though trying to reach something.
"What?" Celestia breathed, interpreting the movement as a sort of divine sign. She brought a hoof forward, attempting to touch the branch and be blessed by the Elements of Harmony themselves. Twilight watched from nearby with bated breath as the moment played out before her. She will burn it into her memories as a sole witness to what she considers to be nothing short of a miracle.
With an anticipative smile on her face and hot tears streaming down her face, Celestia stepped forward.
She could feel the ambient energies of the Elements of Harmony bathing her in its gentle warmth, holding onto her like a mother would to a newborn. The sensation had brought to surface memories of a better time in her life, before her and Luna's ascension to alicornhood, before being chained to the weight of responsibility for centuries. Images of her mother and father flashed in her mind, of their quaint little home out in the open plains of old Equestria.
The memories made her heart grow heavy with nostalgia, and for a single moment Princess Celestia was no more. In her place was a carefree little filly who became a victim of the cruel fates all those years ago.
Swallowing thickly, she took a another step forward and leaned her hoof towards the branches of Harmony, towards her salvation. She began to tremble as space between their touch slowly diminish, she could practically feel its magic course through her. She was so close, so close, and then...
The branch stopped a mere inch short of Celestia's hoof.
"Huh?" The hopeful smile on Celestia's face was gone, replaced immediately by one of confusion. She took another step forward, reaching out for the branch. The branch flinched from her advance, recoiling as if burned. It began to pull itelf away, causing Celestia to break out into a panic. "N-no! Wait, stop!" Celestia leapt forward, determined to receive Harmony's blessing, only to touch empty air. The branch recoiled again, this time violently whipping back as if it had been struck. "No! No! Please, no! Stop!"
Celestia, full of dread, took off from the floor and flew straight towards the tree, only to be knocked back by an unseen force. She was sent tumbling to the ground where Twilight rushed over to help her back up.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried in concern. "Are you alright?"
"...I almost felt it, Twilight," Celestia declared in a hollow voice, bringing up her shaking hooves. "Harmony. True harmony. It was right in front of me..."
The winds suddenly grew violent, turning their attention to the tree. It's shape began losing coherency, violently tripping out as the room was bombarded with a flurry of crashing sounds and epileptic flashing lights. Twilight turned away from the sight, but Celestia watched with wide eyed horror as the power they had worked so hard to harness began to fizzle out right before their eyes once more.
"No! NO! NOT AGAIN!" She screamed over the cacophony of sound and jumped onto all fours, frantically pouring magic into the cyclone of essence in a vain attempt to stabilize the Elements of Harmony. "WE'VE COME TOO FAR! I WILL NOT BE DENIED ANY LONGER!" She roared defiantly, struggling to hold everything together as they fell apart for the umpteenth time. "HOLD! HOOOOOLD!"
She held on with every ounce of willpower she could muster, only to be dealt a harsh rebuke by the Elements of Harmony themselves. The resulting backlash from the two conflicting magics conjured up a bolt of searing hot magic from out of the air that unerringly struck Celestia dead in the chest, knocking her back and sending her crashing into Twilight. The two alicorns swiftly scrambled back onto their hooves in order to restore the balance to the magical flow, but it was already too late.
With a thunderous boom, the power of the elements dissipated in a brilliant flash of polychromatic light, showering the ballroom in flittering sparkles that disappeared into the aether. When the elements finally dispersed, the jewelry floating about came to a sudden stop in the air and unceremoniously fell to the floor, clattering loudly as it did so.
Hope died that day, along with whatever chance Twilight and Celestia had at utilizing the elements.
That was the last time Twilight had been able to get the elements to start. Since then, she had nothing to show for her diligence but an emaciated frame, a terrible mood and a trash heap for a lab.
Nothing she had done was enough.
Nothing her friends had done was enough.
Not even Princess Celestia's effort were enough.
With a roar of anger, Twilight clutched at her head and callously swept away the pile of papers that had formed atop her desk, scatter them about in the air.
"Damn it all!" Unsatisfied, she turned around and bucked at the chalkboards, sending them crashing into one another and breaking apart with an audible crack. She raged and ranted across the room, knocking over anything unfortunate enough to be in her path and breaking everything she could get her hooves on. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
And then she saw them. Held within a plain glass cabinet was the object of her torment: the Elements of Harmony.
Growling, she stamped forward and ripped the doors apart, flinging them to the side as they shatter into little shards upon contact with the ground. She reached in and pull out her tiara, holding onto it with a death grip as she stared disdainfully down at the artifact.
Once upon a time, the Elements of Harmony were hers and her friends to control. These jewelry of immense power were the bane of all evil, and the bulwark that shielded Equestria from all threats, both foreign and domestic. Now, they were silent like the inanimate objects they were. Worthless trinkets best left in a foal's toybox.
Feeling her rage boil over, Twilight unleashed all the fury and frustration she had bottled up across the last four months.
"Why?!" She screamed, glaring at the fractured reflection of herself that gleamed across the surface of the six pointed jewel. "You chose me and my friends! You chose us as you sacred bearers! We're worthy! I'm worthy!" She scowled, tightening her grip on the tiara. When there was no response, she continued her tirade against the silent trinket. "The humans are preparing to invade and they seek to destroy us! Equestria is on the brink of destruction! Your people are dying! We need you now, more than ever. So why won't you work!? Why! Won't! You! Help us!" She shook the tiara vigorously. "What must I do to receive your aid?! TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO! TELL ME! TELL MEEEE!"
As she screamed at the tiara, she didn't feel the metal bend in her hooves before it was too late. There was a quiet screech as the fragile tiara was bent out of shape, causing the jewel to pop from out of its socket and clatter upon the floor. Twilight's pupils shrank to pinpricks when the severity of her action finally hit her.
"No! No, no, no! I didn't mean to-!" Panicking, she clumsily collected the jewel and attempted to mend the tiara. "I can fix this, I can fix this!" It took a bit of time and a fair bit of precise magical assistance but she had managed to restore the tiara back to its former state. There were still flaws, of course, but apart from Twilight herself they weren't obvious to the average onlooker.
Her anger all but deflated she hurriedly placed the tiara back into the cabinet and trotted over to her desk where she promptly collapsed atop it and quietly wept to herself.
The members of war council will likely have questions for her, pointed ones at that. She could not blame them for it was she who had given them hope to Equestria's survival. It would take some time for her to find the resolve the break the bad news to everyone.
Until then, all she could dwell on was where it all went wrong.
If the Elements of Harmony would not respond, even in Equestria's darkest hour, then what hope was there?
When the invasion of Equestria began, the Wonderbolts were the first to be among a long list of casualties, something that Rainbow Dash wished she was a part of.
In the tense days before the human invasion, Equestria had become a shadow of its former self.
Once a land of clear skies, verdant landscapes and clean waters, Equestria was now home to machine gun nests, mile long trenches and fortified bunkers.
With the country backed into a corner, Princess Celestia was forced to recant her stance on technology and begrudgingly approve Twilight’s recommendation to modernize their military, and by extension accelerate the technological development of Equestria as a whole, in the hopes that it will be enough to level the playing field against humanity when they ultimately arrive.
With her acquired knowledge of human technological advances Twilight spearheaded an ambitious, if remarkably late, renaissance in science, engineering and weapons development, bringing about an industrial revolution on an unprecedented scale that was maintained at a desperate pace.
However, despite the efforts of Equestria’s best and brightest, there was only so much that they could do with what little resources and time they had when their starting point was the human equivalent of the mid to late nineteenth century.
Sure, they had things like firearms and automotive vehicles in wide circulation now, but a lot of that prodigious technological growth meant very little in a war when your enemies were already way ahead of the curb, and had been for some time now.
Worse yet, this growth came at a price: the ravaging of their lands.
In the span of a few short months zealous logging had turned entire valleys into barren seas of stumps, leaving hundreds if not thousands of furry woodland critters without a home and clearing the way for mudslides. Unregulated mining for metal ores have had disastrous ecological repercussions, with harsh chemicals and metallic elements seeping into the ground, contaminating the topsoil and groundwater and plaguing the surrounding lands with heavy metal pollution that would be felt for years to come.
All this was further compounded by countless factories working around the clock processing the materials into usable goods.
Thick towers of black smoke billowed from the factories' smoke stacks and into the air, choking the skies and land in asphyxiating miasma of smog. Toxic runoff and other nasty pollutants from these buildings were irresponsibly dumped into lakes and rivers or buried in massive landfills with little regards to the damage it caused to the environment. There just wasn't enough time to properly dispose of them. Fortunately acid rain had yet to become an issue, but with how quickly the pollution was spreading it was only a matter of time before it did.
These were but a few of the problems to have arise during these desperate times. But the princesses, Twilight in particular, had assured everypony that the temporary ecological damage caused by their rampant industrialization was a small price to pay when it came to winning the war.
Everypony was still expected to do their part when demanded of them and if a material carried even the smallest bit of value that was beneficial to the cause it was going to be collected, be it by the business end of an axe, scythe, hammer... or rifle.
Dark clouds of unnatural origins swirled above the forest by Equestria's northern shoreline as soldiers and laborers alike fell trees at an alarming pace, breaking their backs gathering building material to further the country's fortifications.
It was tragic seeing the beautiful woodland being torn down in such an efficient manner, and by pony hooves no less. Though, better by them to be harvested for a noble cause than to be blown apart in a salvo of terrible human ordinance, they reasoned.
Among those felling trees was Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty, Daring Do superfan and senior officer of the Wonderbolts.
She and the team of fantastic flyers were a part of the logging crew serving out their hours of mandatory service. They'd been tasked with clipping the branches off the pine trees and prepping them for delivery to the coast. They performed their duty admirably and without complaints, striving to set an example to their fellow ponies in times of hardship.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash. Did you hear about the protesters that were here the other day?" Soarin started out of the blue, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
"Dissenters?" replied Rainbow Dash, resting her axe against her shoulder. "I thought the ESS dealt with them already."
"No, not dissidents. I'm talking about the hippies from the Equestrian Nature Conservation Society," Soarin chuckled. "Apparently they don't like it that we're cutting down Thimblepaw woods. Luckily we managed to chase them out before one of them could chain themselves to a tree."
"Tch, those hippies should be glad I don't report them to the secret service for obstruction of duty," Rainbow Dash spat. "Princess Twilight made it absolutely clear that we need every little bit of raw material we can gather before the humans invade, and we're going to deliver with or without their help."
"Don't you think we're going a little overboard, though?" said Lightning Streak, pausing his work to catch his breath. "Trees are one thing, they'll grow back. But a week ago I had the guard ransacking my home looking for whatever metal they could get their hooves on. Pots, pans, silverware, my grandpa's filling, you name it, they confiscated it. Word is we don't have nearly enough metal on the continent to manufacture as many of those fancy new toys they're rolling out for us as they'd like to and had to resort to mass recycling."
"Well, we can't get it anywhere else," replied Rainbow Dash. "We lost all our territory since the barrier fell, Equestria is all we have left. If eating without silverware is what it's gonna take to repel the human invasion then I can live without demonstrating proper table manners for a while."
"Not like you had them to begin with," Spitfire quipped as she flew onto the scene, causing the all the Wonderbolts to immediately stop what they were doing and snap to attention as they'd practiced countless times before. "Afternoon, lieutenant."
"Ma'am!" Rainbow Dash addressed respectfully.
"At ease, everypony," Spitfire ordered and everyone visibly relaxed. "I've come bearing good news and even better news. The good news is that our mandatory hours of service are finally up. The better news is that we're finally moving out." The Wonderbolts cheered boisterously upon hearing the news.
"Bout time," said Lightning Streak. "I learned that I'm not cut out to a lumberjack."
"Well, then it's a good thing you're a Wonderbolt," Spitfire smirked. "Grab your things, everypony. Once we're down by the beach we're gonna be doing drills until sundown. Am I undestood?"
"Yes, Captain Spitfire!" everyone bellowed in unison.
"S'what I like to hear."
For the next few weeks down at the shoreline the Wonderbolts rigorously practiced aerial drills and weapons training from sunup to sundown. They flew in formation, practiced aerial maneuvers and bombing raids with aid from the newly refurbished Equestrian Navy. Their execution was tight and their speed were unparalleled. Everyday was like a show to the soldiers stationed there and the best part was they didn't even need to pay.
When they weren't flying they were learning how to use the new weapons that Twilight had developed for them.
Their armaments were limited but they were meant to capitalize on the Wonderbolts quickness in the air. Among such weapons were an eclectic collection of satchel charges, mortar rounds and grenades. The idea was that they would fly towards the human's fleet and bomb their ships with explosives before retreating to replenish their supplies. Rocket launchers had been considered but the added weight weighing them down would make them easy targets.
Should the humans make it to shore and begin their push up the beach their grease guns should be able to make short work of them. It was a low cost weapons that was remarkably easy to mass produce. The gun itself was lightweight, compact, easy to handle and able to spew out a reasonable amount of lead all at the pull of a trigger. It was the perfect weapon for pegasi.
And last but not least there was the humble combat knife. It doesn't need an introduction or even an explanation, just stick the pointy end towards the enemy and pray to the Alicorns you kill what you're stabbing at.
It wasn't a whole lot but beggars can't be choosers.
Currently the Wonderbolts were on the ground, practicing shots with their grease guns against burlap sack dummies. The results were mixed, with some demonstrating an impressive aptitude for firearms, taking to them like a fish takes to water despite never having held one before in their life, while others were living proof that giving an creature without fingers a gun based on old human design was a disaster just waiting to happen.
"Come on!" Spitfire shouted from the sidelines. "Aim down your sights, they're there for a reason!"
"Grr... It's harder than it looks!" Flitter grunted, correcting her aim and letting loose another concentrated burst. Her grouping was terrible, being inches apart, but at least she hit her target.
"Lightning Streak! For the love of all that is holy, reload on a sensible time scale!" Spitfire groaned. "The human's are gonna punch ya full of holes by the time you put in a fresh magazine!"
"I'm trying, captain!" hollered Lightning Streak, clumsily fumbling with the grease gun's magazines like a clown juggling bowling pins. "Grr... How do the humans do this?!"
"By Princess Celestia's rainbow mane, Corporal Scootaloo is out shooting you!" Spitfire pointed out, gesturing to the orange mare.
Scootaloo was beside Rainbow Dash on the range and was one of the few Wonderbolts who could not only hit her target and reload reliably, she demonstrated mindfulness for trigger and muzzle discipline as well. She was no Annie Oakley but when compared to the rest of her team she might as well be a savant.
"Alright, that's enough! Guns down, everyone back away," Spitfire ordered. Her team complied and ceased firing, but an additional shot rang out in the air followed by a scream. All eyes snapped to Soarin who was on the ground clutching at the bleeding wound on his hind leg and the smoking gun beside him. "Soarin!" she fumed. "What did I tell you about keeping your hoof on the trigger!"
"Daaaah!" was Soarin's only response.
Bringing a hoof to her face Spitfire let out a aggravated groan. "Of all the boneheaded... High Winds, Rapid Fire!" she called.
"Yes, ma'am!" They replied in unison.
"Get happy hooves over here to the infirmary. Maybe some time in bed will remind him not to keep his hoof on the very thing that could send hot lead flying everywhere!" Spitfire snarled.
"Yes, ma'am! Right away, ma'am!" High Winds and Rapid Fire saluted before hauling Soarin away.
"As for the rest of you," Spitfire turned to the rest. "Drills are over for the day. Let's clean up and hit the showers. The rest of the day is free time, lights out at nine as per usual. We'll start flying maneuvers again at sunup. Dismissed."
With one final salute, Spitfire and the Wonderbolts dispersed. They began stowing away their equipment, collecting loose shell casings for reuse and resetting the dummies to their original positions.
One quick shower afterwards, everypony was enjoying their free time. Some were training their fighting skills using wooden spoons as a substitute for their knives, others were writing letters to their families back home inland. Scootaloo was resting on her bunk at the barracks, her attention firmly directed at a small faded golden locket that she was dangling inches above her muzzle when Rainbow Dash trotted over and greeted her.
"Heya, Scoots," Rainbow Dash smiled, leaning against the side of the bunk. "S'that the locket Applebloom gave you?"
"Yeah," Scootaloo smiled back. "It was her engagement gift to me. Told me it was an old family heirloom that's been passed down from one Apple to the next. Apparently they would use it as a way to declare their everlasting love to somepony."
"That's real sweet of her."
"Yeah. She also told me Granny Smith gave it to her way back when just for a moment like this. Bless that old mare and her heart."
Rainbow Dash chuckled at the mention of Granny, she missed that old firecracker. "Boy, you can say that again. By the way, that was some mighty fine shooting out there today. You're probably the best one out of all of us, period. I gotta ask, how'd you get so good at it? Most ponies have never held anything like a gun before in their lives and here you are nailing shots like it's going out of style. What's your secret?"
"Oh, it's no big secret or anything, but..." Scootaloo's smile faded slightly. "...Do you remember the days before the war, back when we were able to explore human lands and try out their crazy gizmos?"
"...Yeah?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "What's this got to do with anything?"
"Well, back when we could still access the internet, I used to be really into these gun channels on the web," Scootaloo blushed like a mare that just revealed she still played with dolls. "I don't know why I was drawn to them the way I was. Maybe it had something to do with how the humans in them always seem to be having a blast whenever they were firing their guns. Hooping and hollering, making trick shots and screaming things like 'Murica!' at the top of their lungs. It was pretty cool. Then the war started and, well, Equestria came first."
"So, yeah. I watched a ton of these videos. Like, a lot, a lot. Including the ones on the importance of gun safety and proper handling. I guess I'm just remembering all the stuff I learned before the war started and it's only now that I'm actually applying it," Scootaloo shrugged. "I never would've imagined I'd be using that knowledge to try and hold off a human invasion. It's almost like a bad joke if you ask me."
"Hmm... You wanna know what I think?" Rainbow Dash began. "I think it's fate."
"Fate?" Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Rainbow smirked. "Clearly this was all meant to pass. All the knowledge you picked up is supposed to aid you in fighting against humanity!"
"But why?" Scootaloo scratched her head.
"Uh, duh. It's the universe's way of getting you back to Applebloom safe and sound. You just haven't realized it yet," Rainbow replied a matter o' factly. "Here we are backed up against the wall, forced to fight tooth and tail against the hordes of humans threatening to take over our fair lands. And here you are, a young Wonderbolt on the front lines with somepony waiting for you to come home to them. It's like something out of a sappy romance novel. The invisible hoof of fate has made it so that you will be able to fight and win and come home so you can marry Applebloom. You see what I mean?"
"Yeah..." A small smile began to form on Scootaloo's lips as it began to click in her head. "Yeah, yeah! I think I get it now!"
"I knew you would," Rainbow smiled warmly. "Have some faith, kiddo. Equestria isn't done yet. We're going to repel humanity and you're gonna go home and you're gonna love Applebloom with all your heart."
Without saying another word Rainbow Dash left Scootaloo to her own devices, hopefully having lifted her spirit with their little chat. She was going to need it for when they engage the humans. As for Scootaloo, she opened up the locket and smiled at the picture of Applebloom that was in it. She kissed it for good luck before turning in early for the night.
She was going to make it home, she thought to herself as she drifted off to the land of sleep.
The time for battle grew near.
After months of back breaking labor, fortifying their defenses and training the day they've all been waiting for had finally arrived.
The armies of humanity were rapidly approaching Equestria with the intention of invading the country and bringing about an end to the war once and for all, be it through unconditional surrender or extermination.
Princess Celestia had made their position clear: Equestria Stands Now and Forever More. They were going to stand their ground and fight to the bitter end. Humanity will have to work for their victory. Come hell or high water, everypony had taken up arms and assumed their defensive positions down by the foggy beachhead, determined to hold every inch of ground with their very lives.
Many of the ponies were stoic in the face of overwhelming odds, their personal beliefs and convictions girding them to what may come. Others were nervous, they were visibly shaking with their guns in hoof or vomiting out of anxiety. The rest were eager to fight, prepared to dish out everything they can give and kill as many humans as they could in the name of princess, country and ponykind.
The Wonderbolts fell somewhere between the first and third category. The entirety of their organization, both recruits and veterans alike, stood shoulder to shoulder in formation, expressions of stony pride etched upon their faces. As ponies, they represented the best of the best of the best. As pegasi, they were the pride of their kind. As soldiers, they were the spearhead, the very first and last thing that their enemies will ever see. This battle will be their finest hour, a defiant cry into the night that will echo for all to hear.
"Wonderbolts!" Spitfire shouted as everypony snapped to attention. "Today's the day we've all been waiting for!" She turned and gestured to the beach. "Beyond that horizon lies the enemy: a circus troupe of monkeys and their mechanisms of death and destruction! They come seeking to conquer us and destroy all we've built in the centuries that have passed. I ask you, are we going to just let them take Equestria?"
"No!" the Wonderbolts cried fervently.
"S'what I thought," Spitfire smirked. "Six years ago, Princess Celestia graciously gave the humanity a gift out of the goodness of her heart; the ponyfication potion. It would've solved all their problems. Let them live lives of peace and happiness in the light of harmony as ponies. But, no. The humans, in their infinite wisdom, rejected that gift, preferring to remain as hateful knuckle dragging apes."
The Wonderbolts jeered and booed at the mention. Shouting disdainfully in offense to humans.
"This war had begun in order to rectify that mistake, converting humanity has always been a righteous crusade. Our intention are pure, and it is because of that purity that we will triumph in the end, no matter how bleak things look. We will triumph for the fallen!"
"For the fallen!!" The Wonderbolts parroted.
"We will triumph for the princesses and Equestria!"
"For the princesses and Equestria!"
"But most of all, we will triumph for friendship and harmony!"
"For friendship and harmony!"
"Now, follow me to glory!" Spitfire concluded boisterously and turned to face the shore, preparing herself for take off. The Wonderbolts mimicked their leader's action, crouching to the ground and flaring out their wings.
"This is it, Rainbow Dash," said Scootaloo, slipping her goggles over her eyes. "The humans won't know what hit em."
"That's the attitude I wanna see, Scoots," Rainbow Dash smirked, slipping her own goggles on. "Try and keep up."
"You're on," Scootaloo smirked back.
"Everypony, on my mark!" Spitfire began. "Ready? Mark!"
At her signal, the Wonderbolts took off in unison, kicking up a plume of dust as they ascended into the air. An awe inspiring trail of smoke, fire, rainbows and lightning was left in their wake as they zoomed across the sky in formation and into the foreboding mist where their enemies were hidden behind.
At that, the battle had begun.
"Everypony!" Spitfire shouted across the winds. "We're almost to the human fleet! Try to target their ship's weapons! If we can disable them we'll be able to prevent the beachhead from being pounded by enemy fire! Do I make myself clear!"
"Crystal, cap'n!" replied Rainbow Dash.
"Good, then we're all in agreement!" Spitfire saluted her fellow Wonderbolts. "When this is all over you can bet your flanks I'm buying everypony the first round of drinks!"
The next five minutes of her life would forever haunt Rainbow Dash for the rest of her days.
Something had hit Spitfire the moment she stopped speaking. A cacophonous explosion ruptured across the winds and she was no more. Consumed by smoke and super heated air the strike rendered her into a thin pink mist that quickly dissipated into the clouds as bits of her more solid fleshy remains began a slow descent into the cold waters below.
The kill was sudden and palpable. By the time they registered Spitfire's death whatever bravado and gravitas the team displayed earlier shattered when their brave captain was wiped off the face of the planet in a single shot.
High Winds was next, dying mere seconds after Spitfire's own sudden demise. She died the same way. No pain, no suffering. Only a single shot of hot plasma from down below that effectively erased her from existence. At the loss of a second comrade the Wonderbolts descended into disarray and broke out of formation. They began flying wildly throughout the air with no sense of leadership or direction, scrambling to save their hides from another deadly shot. Confusion and panic had taken over completely, morale sank like a lead balloon.
"W-what the hell's going on?! Aaaah-!" Lightning Streak cried before evaporating into nothingness.
"On your left! Your lef-!" Sun Chaser warned, failing to notice the line of plasma coming up from behind her and vanishing the moment it made contact.
"Stay in formation, everypony! J-just keep calm and stay in forma-!?" Soarin called out futilely, swerving and swooping across the air before disappearing into a pink mist as well.
Throughout all this Rainbow Dash floated dumbly in place, discombobulated and stricken with tinnitus. Wordlessly she gawked with her jaw slack and vision blurry as the horrible scene unfolded before her that she was powerless to stop.
One by one or two by two the once proud and seemingly indomitable Wonderbolts were being picked out of the sky by a barrage of super heated death. She watched as the ponies she trained and fought alongside with for more than a decade now were eradicated in rapid succession, flying about in a frenzy to avoid anti-air fire before vanishing right in front of her eyes.
Vapor Trail, she didn't make it.
Wind Waker, he didn't make it.
High Winds, Fire Streak, Misty Fly, they didn't make it.
It was a waking nightmare. Nothing but silent screams and wide eyed terror right before they were put onto the express train to Elysium. Rainbow Dash had never been more afraid in her life than she was now when everything she'd ever care about was going up in smoke. As the carnage stretched out and their ranks dwindled, her fight or flight instincts screamed at her to fly for the hills, vying for attention from another voice that was also screaming at her through the shrill ringing in her ears.
"-ash!"
"..."
"-bow Dash!"
"..."
"Rainbow Dash!"
"Bwuah?!" Rainbow yelped in surprise. Scootaloo's voice finally broke through the tinnitus, followed by a life saving tackle that prevented Rainbow Dash from meeting the same fate as the others. A stream of hot plasma narrowly missed the polychromatic pegasus, singing her fur and leaving a dull black mark on part of her uniform. Shakily she turned to face Scootaloo, who was staring at her with an expression of utter fear on her face.
"Rainbow Dash, we're all that's left!" She shouted over the barrage. "W-what do we do?!"
"U-uh... I-I..." Rainbow struggled to speak, her mouth agape like a fish on land. She was frozen in fear. Her eyes darted around, desperately searching for something that wasn't there all the while Scootaloo waited impatiently for an order. It was then that Rainbow Dash finally saw what it was that had been killing them.
Sailing, or rather floating, across the ocean was the newly upgraded human navy. A fleet of black colored mobile armor so numerous they could've been mistaken as a floating island fortress rather than an invading force. Every gun that they had mounted on those infernal things were firing upon the beachhead from miles away, absolutely devastating Equestria's defenses and immediately forcing the guard into a full retreat just as their planes started bombing the coast. The forces on the beach never stood a chance.
The sheer sight of the human navy effortlessly destroying Equestria's outer defenses, coupled with the trauma of seeing her team being mercilessly cut down only minutes before was all Rainbow Dash could handle before instinct won out in the end. She had finally accepted the hopelessness of the situation and acted without thinking.
Without so much as another word, Rainbow Dash turned around and quickly flew back inland, leaving behind Scootaloo as she called out to her hero in vain, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Rainbow Dash?"
Rainbow Dash shut the world out. She needed to get back to safety as fast as possible. It was her number one priority, nothing else mattered.
The invasion of Equestria continues unabated. Ponyville is bombed without warning.
Another train had just arrived at Ponyville station today, another grim reminder of a failing conflict and the ever encroaching finality of defeat that followed it.
They arrive by the sound of a shrill whistle one after the other almost every single day now since the invasion began and they were always packed to the ceiling with wounded soldiers and displaced refugees. They spilled out onto the boarding platforms by the hundreds, choking the streets of the sleepy little town in large dispirited masses as they made their way to the numerous tents, shacks and various other hastily assembled lodgings that will house them all during their stay here.
It had only been a short time since the northern beachhead was decimated, roughly a month and a half, and things had gone from bad to worse for Equestria.
Humanity could not be stopped.
With the Thalmann Generators in the forefront and newer more advanced weaponry at their disposal every attempt to fight back or slow them down were swiftly and brutally crushed beneath superior numbers and unrelenting firepower. City after city, building by building, all were put to the torch.
The smarter ponies, the ones who opposed the war from the beginning and the ones who realized that there was no chance in winning, submitted themselves to humanity's mercy knowing full well there was no point in prolonging the war any further. As for the rest, they scrambled to save what little they could, consolidating their troops and defenses in a foolhardy attempt to hold back the steel tide that threatened to wipe them from the face of existence.
The town of Ponyville belonged to the latter group.
Ponyville had become one of many towns and cities untouched by the war that were taking in the troops and broke their backs to keep them fit, fed and in fighting shape. Soldiers had priority over refugees, and refugees had priority over the local townsfolk. Supplies were scarce as it were what with the tithes having bled most everypony of their precious commodities by this point. What they did had were few and far between, forcing many to fight over meager scraps of hay, worn blankets and life saving medicine.
Survival was now the name of the game and it had already begun to bring out the worst in everypony...
"Give that to me, it's mine!" A down on his luck looking stallion growled as he yanked at a hole ridden blanket in a tug of war match with an equally down on her luck looking mare. "I said let go of it, you whorse!"
"No!" The mare cried, a crying foal held in her forelegs. "My baby needs it! He'll freeze without the blanket!"
"To Hell with your damn kid, I was here first!" The stallion argued, pulling harder.
"What the hay is going on here?!" An angry voice barked from behind, causing the two feuding ponies to stop. It was Applejack and she looked like she hadn't had a good night's sleep in months. She rushed onto the scene, dirty and covered in cuts and leaves. Her face was set in a stony frown that couldn't properly portray the aggravation she felt within. Confronting the two, she huffed and stared them down with all the tension of a mare on the brink of physical collapse. "Stop that, you're gonna tear it!"
"B-but it's mine!" The stallion protested. "I was first in line for blankets!"
"But my foal needs it more!" The mare argued.
"Shaddup, the both of you!" Applejack rebuked, and promptly tore away the blanket away from the both of them. "It belongs to neither of you lying cheats!"
"C-cheat?!" The stallion fumed. "How dare you! I'm as honest as honest can be! I am no cheat!"
"My flank you ain't!" Applejack scowled. "I saw you in line earlier today for a blanket! Now you're trying to grab another one! I don't know what your game is but the rule is one blanket per refugee! Nothing more, nothing less!"
She then turned to the mare, looking especially furious towards her. "And you!" she pointed accusingly to the foal she held. "I don't know where you got that idea but it's sickening!" She knocks the crying 'foal' out of the mare's grip where it clattered onto the ground stiff and lifeless, revealed to be nothing more than a cheap toy with an even worse voice recording. "Gaining sympathy by lying about having a child! I ought to have you thrown out of here for that, let the humans punish you!"
"N-no! Anything but that!" The mare shrieked frightfully. "I-I'll be good! Please, just let me stay!"
"Hmph," Applejack flared her nostrils and swiftly turned around. "It's a good thing I give a damn about all of y'all, otherwise you'd be fending for yourselves out in the wilderness. But if I see or hear either of you trying pulling a fast one again, you'll be sleeping out in the cold tonight! Got it?!" The two look away sullenly, but they begrudgingly grumbled an acknowledgement under their breath. It was insincere and odds are they might try something later, but Applejack was too stressed and worn out to care.
With a turn of the nose, Applejack trotted away, but not before shooting one last dirty look at the pair.
Quick on her hoof, Applejack made a beeline towards Carousel Boutique and rudely barged through the front door of the establishment without even muttering a hello to her friend Rarity, who was currently hunched over a sewing machine working her hooves to the bone making simple garments.
With a dismissive flick of her hoof, Applejack tossed the tattered blanket onto the massive pile of fabric scraps that was heaped beside the sewing table, utterly oblivious to the death glare she received from Rarity. Shortly after, she threw herself atop a nearby couch, landing with an unceremonious thud and burying her face into the seat cushions as the plush softness caressed her aching muscles.
"...I needed this," Applejack mumbled into the seat. She turns over and began fidgeting into a more comfortable positions before staring blankly at the ceiling as she began airing out her grievances to stone ears.
"You wouldn't what just happened earlier, Rares. I just caught a couple of troublemakers fighting over a damn blanket. A stupid blanket! Could you believe that? Wasn't even in one piece either. Dang thing had more holes in it than a block of swiss cheese, or Apple Bloom's back molar after too many trips to Sugar Cube Corner. Tsk, what is this world coming to if we're getting into petty squabbles amongst ourselves when we should be joining together converting the humans! I tell you, if it weren't for ponies like them we'd have won this war by now."
Applejack let out another long sigh afterwards, hoping to receive some uplifting words of encouragement from Rarity. Instead, she received only awkward silence in return. There wasn't sound to be heard within the boutique
"Uh, Rares?" Applejack uttered, turning her gaze to the unicorn. "Rarity? Rarity! Hey, I'm talking to you! Rarity!?"
"I heard you the first time!" Rarity snapped her head around, a furious scowl plastered on her face. She leveled a glare upon Applejack, who couldn't help but feel confused at the sudden bout of animosity directed towards her.
"Well, if you heard me then why didn't you say anything?" Applejack huffed, crossing her forelegs. "You could've at least humor me!"
"Humor you?" Rarity scoffed, her scowl morphing into an incredulous smile. "You've got some nerve to be talking about petty squabbling when you're guilty of much worse you hypocrite!"
"H-hypocrite?!" Applejack fumed as she narrowed her eyes. "What in Celestia's sun stamped flank are you talking about, Rares?!"
"I know about your dirty dealings, Applejack. I know that you've been collaborating with the Equestrian Secret Service," Rarity accused. Applejack flinched at the mention but showed no signs of guilt. To her, the accusation was more akin to being caught with her hoof in the cookie jar than anything heinous.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Applejack stammered, averting her gaze.
"Oh, that's a load of manure and you know it!" Rarity retorted. "Did you seriously think nopony would find your sudden financial turnabout strange? Did you think no one would question good ol' Applejack about receiving a tremendous windfall out of the blue that would save Sweet Apple Acres from its inevitable bankruptcy?!"
"Alright, fine! You caught me!" Applejack bellowed, knitting her brow in a gnarled glower as she threw up her hooves in frustration. "Congratulations, Detective Rarity, you found out what honest Applejack's been doing in her spare time! You managed to use your amazing deductive skills to figure out that she been keeping the peace by remaining vigilant and turning in traitors to the proper authorities, just like a good pony of Equestria should! Sorry for not bragging about my accomplishments and for keeping them a secret! I didn't realize being a model citizen was a crime these days!"
"Good pony? Good pony!?" Rarity practically shrieked. "What good pony would willingly send their friends and neighbors to the ESS?! The rumors are they work you to the bone until you can barely stand!"
"Good. Maybe a bit of hard work will teach them to value their home and their people. For a moment I was worried the dissidents were getting a spa treatment," Applejack replied flippantly, causing Rarity's pale face to turn red in fury. "Oh, stop being such a drama queen. You're just overreacting. You think I'm the only one who's been doing this? There are plenty out there doing their part to keep Equestria safe from traitors. This is a civic duty. Nothing more, nothing less."
"I'd hardly call selling ponies into forced labor a civic duty," Rarity grunted. "And I am not overreacting! This is a perfectly normal reaction to knowing the fact that one of your best friends has been selling out innocent townsponies to the Equestrian Secret Service for money for an entire year!" She furiously retorted, flaring her nostrils in a fit of aggravation.
"Were they really innocent, Rarity?" Applejack scoffed, brushing off her outburst. She stood up and started pacing back and forth before voicing her displeasure for the dissenters. "Davenport and the rest of his cowardly dissident ilk abandoned us. They abandoned Princess Celestia. And worst of all, they abandoned Equestria. They couldn't handle the pressures of war and made the foolish decision to turn tail the moment things were starting to look bleak. Because of them they've disgraced this town's good name and besmirched the Equestrian ideal. They deserved what they got."
"And what about Hugh Jelly? Mountain Song? Or what about Ten Pins? Hmm?" Rarity eyed Applejack apprehensively. "Did they deserve it? Did ponies who were just minding their own business worthy of punishment at the hooves of the ESS?"
"Pfft, of course they were," replied Applejack.
"And what were they guilty of?" Rarity raised an eyebrow. "They did nothing wrong."
"But they didn't do nothing right neither," Applejack snorted. "They chose to remain idle, to refuse the call of duty. They had the audacity to muck about in their lazy carefree ways while the rest of us served our princess and country! Why do they get to screw around like a bunch of fun time Charlie Horses while we toil away and our soldiers die out in the front line! What I've done, reporting them to the ESS, was set them straight. Simple as."
"You make it sound as if any of them had choice in the matter," Rarity grumbled. "You know as well as I do that this damn war was robbing us blind! And you think idleness is a crime? While everypony else are supporting the royals those snooty nobles up in Canterlot are drinking honeyed mead and eating expensive cheeses in their private estates! Even as the humans ravage Equestria us common folk are the ones that have to pay for it! Is it any wonder ponies are are choosing to desert or resist?!"
"Destitution and laziness are no reasons to turn traitor! Even if we have nothing left to our names we still have our strength, our loyalty and our faith! We must give everything in order to triumph! Everything! That is what the princesses expect of us! Only after we've won can we relax! Only then can we restore Equestria to it's rightful glory! The human invasion, it's just a minor setback! You'll see. My hard work, all the thankless labor and sleepless nights will pay off. I'll be rewarded for my vigilance! The Apple family will be forever remembered as the greatest in all of Equestria! Nay, this Goddess forsaken rock! Everything I've done won't have been for noth-!" Applejack tried to reason, sounding more defensive than she would've liked to, but Rarity abruptly cut her off.
"Oh, open your eyes, Applejack!" Rarity interjected, screamed more like. She got up and stomped over to Applejack until they were touching nose to nose. "Twilight's brilliant new weapons? The fortified beachhead? They were all destroyed in a matter of hours! Hours, Applejack! Since then the humans have razed several major cities to the ground, crippled our supply chain and slaughtered countless thousands of our soldiers without slowing down! If that's not a sign of shit hitting the fan, I don't know what is!?"
"...You know what, Rarity," Applejack narrowed her eyes. "That sounds an awful lot like dissenter talk."
Rarity gawked at Applejack, staring blankly as a single airy gasp escape her lips. The gasp was the start of a humorless chuckle which steadily devolved into maddening laughter. It was a disturbing sight, so much so that Applejack couldn't help but unconsciously take a step back.
"After everything we've talked about, that's all you can think about?" Rarity spoke in an incredulous tone. "Oh, Applejack. Applejack, Applejack, Applejack. You stupid, pigheaded, inbred, dirt-encrusted, apple-fucking, pony-selling, hillbilly!" She screeched, taking slow deliberate steps forward as Applejack found herself backed up against the wall. "You know something! Fluttershy was right! There, I said it! The war, Princess Celestia, the humans! Fluttershy was right about everything!"
Applejack's eyes went wide with shock. "Rarity, how could you say that? She's the reason everything's gone to Hell in a handbasket! We both lost ponies we cared about to those damned monkeys, Big Macintosh, Valiant Wing, and you have the gall to back up that whorse's anti-Equestrian human-loving nonsense?! Well, I won't stand for it!" She looked betrayed before her face twisted in anger. She shoved Rarity away, seething as she did. Her voiced dipped into a deep lowly growl. " You take that back right now, or so help me..."
"Or what?" Rarity smirked. "You'll sell me out too, hmm? How much is your best friend worth to you in bits? Five hundred? A thousand? Two? Perhaps the ESS will pay more for me than the average Ponyvillian considering I'm an Element of Harmony. I'm sure they'll pay a handsome reward for me."
"Rarity, you're trotting on thin ice," Applejack glared, holding back the urge to pounce Rarity.
"And you're playing judge, jury and execution, all for a handful of bits and a pat on the back," Rarity sharply retorted.
"I'm a hero of the people, Goddess dammit! This is all for the greater good, something you or any one of these ignorant fools don't seem to understand! The Equestrian Secret Service are a force of righteousness! Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight would've never created them if they weren't absolutely necessary!" Applejack snapped, stamping her hoof in frustration. Rarity, however, remained unfazed.
With a twitching eye, Applejack continued. "Grr... I don't have to explain myself to you! Somepony who couldn't even get her own element to work! This was never about money! Those treacherous dissident bastards were deliberately sabotaging the war effort and I corrected that mistake!" Try as she might to sound resolute, her words carried as much weight as a helium balloon.
"So what if I got paid? What? I can't be rewarded for a job well done! You need to take a look at the bigger picture and understand that converting humanity is bigger than you! Bigger than me! bigger than all of Equestria and her ponies! We all must make sacrifices to ensure total victory, no matter what! And if a few rotten fruits need to be pruned from the Tree of Harmony to keep it alive, then so be it! I'll prune a thousand rotten apples before I let Equestria die, and I will silence anypony who stands in my way!"
"...Get out," Rarity stated firmly.
"What?" Applejack scowled. "What did you just say to me?"
"You heard me. Get out," Rarity spat. "You've made your position clear as day, now get the fuck out of my home before I throw you out!"
Applejack was beyond furious. Her face was red and you could practically see steam coming out of her ears. Gritting her teeth, she let out an angry roar and turned towards the door. "You're just as bad as Fluttershy! Mark my words, you're gonna regret this! I swear by the alicorn's grace you'll wearing heavy iron chains as accessories by the end of the week you ungrateful little booze hound!"
"And there it is, Applejack's true colors have risen to the surface, and it didn't even take that much effort," Rarity mocked, sounding half indignant, half scornful. "Poor Applejack, can't solve her own problems by herself so she had to turn to a bunch of tyrannical thugs to do it for her. Who cares if a few ponies pay the price for her desperation?"
"Keep talking you traitorous whorse! Every word out of your mouth is another day spent wallowing under the sun at the hooves of the ESS!" Applejack yelled back as she trotted. She then paused in her steps, and with words cold as ice and laced with venom, said something that could only be said when one is overcome by emotion. "You know something? I'm glad Valiant Wing and his unborn son are dead, because then they wouldn't have lived to see you turn your back on Equestri-!"
A loud shatter echo across the air as a porcelain vase crashed behind Applejack, interrupting her vitriolic rant. It had soared across the air in the blink of an eye, narrowly missing the farmer's head by a hair. She flinched from the sound and hastily retreated as Rarity began lobbing more junk at her, scrambling across town like her legs were on fire before a lustrous pair of fabric shears could embed itself into her flank.
"It's all over for you, Rarity! Over, you hear!" Applejack shouted defiantly in the distance.
"Keep running before I turn you into a pincushion you shit smeared rube!" Rarity screamed from out the doorframe before slamming it shut and stamping back inside. All wound up from the confrontation, she walked over to her couch and screamed out her frustrations into a nearby pillow before both mentally and physically collapsing from it all.
Every muscle in her body simply let go from the stress and Rarity went limp onto the cushions as her tears began flowing freely. Remorse, anguish, fear and more stirred within her as she wept. Memories of better days and fateful encounters raced through her mind as she laid in weeping silence, but all it did was remind her how much of a coward she was in the end.
She and Pinkie Pie held reservations about the war, just like Fluttershy and the Resistance did. She had always stood on the side of right, standing up for those who were oppressed, be it ponies or others. The pivotal moments journeying across Equestria with her friends and spreading the light of friendship had molded her into something more than just an ordinary dressmaker, she was the Element of Generosity. A living pillar of the ideological foundation with which Equestria is upheld by.
But when the time came, choices needed to be made. Consequences be damned.
Rarity, whether it was out of fear or duty, she couldn't be arsed to remember anymore, chose to side with her remaining friends and with Equestria in perpetuating the conversion of humanity.
She had chosen to perpetuate genocide and in the time since she has paid dearly for her decision. Valiant Wing was the first to be taken from her, then their foal. Later, it was her convictions, and at last, her waning sanity. Sweetie Belle comforting her was the only thing keeping the unicorn from swinging from a length of rope tied to a sturdy branch.
Each day living was like being stuck in an ironic Hell of her own making.
The world had not gone mad. No. Equestria did. Ponies were turning against ponies, all in a paranoid frenzy to preserve what little order they had left now that Equestria was set ablaze. Selfishness, apathy and fear had consumed the country, all masquerading as a pale vestige of Harmony. She'd seen the writings on the wall and accepted them for what they were. Everypony else was content to believe that things could turn around, that Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight could make it all right.
Rarity knew the truth. There was no winning. When she had failed to get the Elements of Harmony to work it was right then and there that the realization of it all had finally hit her like a ton of bricks.
If only she had left with Fluttershy. Maybe then Valiant Wing would still be alive. Maybe then her child would still...
Sweetie Belle found Rarity fast asleep on her couch an hour later. She found it puzzling why there was a mess outside her sister's front lawn.
Applejack bucked at one of the trees in her orchard in an raging trance, so forceful was the hit that she debossed horseshoe prints upon the bark. The apple tree shook as if struck by a tremor, causing leaves, small branches and a bounty of fresh apples to neatly fall into the baskets set beneath it. It was the same as she had done a thousand times before. Usually this kind of hard work would put Applejack at ease. The feeling of a good day's harvest was almost always enough to soothe the soul. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect this day.
Her mood was foul, fouler than it had been recently.
It had been a week since Applejack's spat with Rarity. The bad blood between them, which had been brewing for some time, had ultimately boiled over and she'd cut off all relation with the latter without so much as a moment of hesitation. Their friendship, years of hardship and sisterly bonding, was over just like that and she felt none too worried about dropping her like a bad habit. But due to the escalation of the war, she was unable to properly condemn the unicorn for her misdeeds and was forced to carry on as if nothing had happened.
That being said, there wasn't any cause for concern on her part. Applejack knew Rarity well enough to know that she wouldn't try anything now. Not when the war front was creeping ever closer to home. She wouldn't deliberately sabotage anything or even oust Applejack for her dealings with the ESS as she was the only one who managed to figure it all out. Tattling or undermining the war effort would only make Applejack a martyr anyway, and Rarity was fully aware of that.
With humanity having conquered over half the continent by this point, the ESS had diverted all its efforts from hunting down dissidents to maintaining the law of the land. Rarity got off scot free as a result and it infuriated Applejack to no end. The reasoning was that humanity's army was advancing at far too quick a pace to anticipate their movements and they needed everypony on deck to deal with the onslaught. Since then they had rescinded their bounty payouts on dissidents and were doing their best to achieve the daunting task of preventing mass hysteria all while attempting to rally what ponies remained into action.
To make matters worse, social unrest had also peaked. Ponyille's cache of supplies had all but dried up. What they did have were rationed or recycled to Hell and back. It had gotten to the point that cannibalism was starting to look like a better alternative to drinking filtered dish water or eating hard chalky hay tack for the twentieth time in a row. Fights broke out more often then not with the occasional fatality here and there. It took all of Applejack's willpower not to snap and join in the fighting if it meant keeping everypony in line.
But the straw that had broke the figurative camel's back, or rather Applejack's back, was for her to harvest the last tree of her orchard that had any fruit left on it and distribute it to the hungry and grief stricken ponies. Beyond that, her orchard would be left bare as if it had been struck by the chill of an early Winter Wrap Up. There wouldn't be another sizeable yield for another season now that she'd been picked clean.
With one final buck of the tree, the apples all came tumbling down. Six baskets full of ripe red apples that were likely going to be devoured to nothingness within the next half hour.
"Damned ungrateful pigs, the whole lot of them," Applejack grumbled sullenly as she began loading up the cart. "I feed them. I clothe them. I listen to their incessant caterwauling. And what's my reward? A dislocated shoulder courtesy of some whiney brat who's never been told 'no' before in his life, that's what. If I weren't such a bleeding heart I'd have his aristocratic ass thrown out of Ponyville so fast he'd have road rash." She seethed, completely oblivious to the young mare trotting up behind her with an outstetched hoof. Startled by the sudden touch, Applejack twirled around with enough speed it was a wonder she didn't suffer from whiplash. To her relief, it was none other than her younger sister, Apple Bloom. "Stars above, Apple Bloom!" she exclaimed. "Plum made my heart jump outta my chest."
"Sorry about that, Applejack," Apple Bloom greeted sheepishly, looking as haggard and harried as her older sister. Her mane was bedraggled and her eyes looked years older than they had any right to be. "I just finished checking around Ponyville like the Royal Guard told me too... Things are bad. Real bad," she admitted with a grimace. "Another fight broke out, this time over a spot to sleep."
"Color me surprised," Applejack deadpanned, sarcasm dripping from each syllable. "Did somepony at least stop it?"
"Some of the guards broke it up but one of them got stabbed with a glass bottle as a result." said Apple Bloom, looking downcast as she recalled the moment. "He... He didn't make it. We didn't have the medical supplies to help him before he bled out."
"Of course we don't. We don't have much of anything these days," Applejack remarked bitterly. Though she didn't explicitly say it out loud, Apple Bloom did catch onto the subtext hidden beneath her words."
"...Are you ever going to tell me what happened at Carousel Boutique?" Apple Bloom pressed. "You've been moody ever since you got back from there and I'm starting to grow concerned."
"It's nothing, Apple Bloom," Applejack brushed off her sister's concerns, but that didn't stop her from unconsciously scowling at the mention. "Just an argument about personal responsibilities between two adults, that's all."
"Applejack. I am your younger sister," Apple Bloom asserted. "I know you better than you know yourself, and what I know is that something happened between you and Rarity tha-"
"Nothing! Happened!" Applejack snapped, turning to glare daggers at Apple Bloom. "And I forbid you from having anything to do with her or Sweetie Belle, you hear me!"
"W-what? Why!" Apple Bloom protested. "We were there for them when Valiant Wing died and they were there for us when Big Mac, Sugar Belle and Scootaloo died! They're famil-"
"Don't! You! Dare!" Applejack fumed, setting down the apple baskets and getting up in Apple Bloom's face. "Don't you dare associate that word with them! From this day forward the Apples will have nothing to do with that pale whorse or her kin! You hear me! End! Of! Discussion!"
"Bu-!?" Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but winced as Applejack scolded her once more.
"I said that's the end of it!" Applejack concluded and proceeded to pick up the last basket and angrily chucked it into the cart, causing apples to fly off the sides and tumble about in the floor of the cart. "Now, the only thing I want to hear from you when I come back to the farm after this delivery is how much food we've got left in the house, got it? I want every can, tin and jar accounted for. We got to look out for ourselves as much as we look out for others. Do I make myself clear, little missy?"
Applebloom frowned at the demand and the two siblings maintained a stare upon one another for a spell. Eventually, Apple Bloom relented and with sigh of defeat turned around and made her way back to the farmhouse. "Just be safe out there, Applejack," muttered Apple Bloom. "Ponies are getting crazier by the day and I don't think I can lose anymore loved one."
"I'll be fine," replied Applejack, softening her tone. "Now get going. Word is there's trouble brewing on the horizon and I wanna be there to make sure everything is right as rain, understood?"
"Mmhmm," Apple Bloom nodded before trotting back to the homestead.
Some time later, Applejack found herself in Ponyville square where there was a line of hungry ponies, mostly members of the Royal Guard, waiting to be given their meals for the day from the slipshod mess hall that was assembled there. All Ponyville could offer up that day was some watery oats, hay tacks, a small bushel of daffodils and half an apple.
As ponies were being served, Applejack was nearby laying in the back by her cart with her hat over her eyes, chewing on a sprig of hay just like... just like Big Macintosh used to. A myriad of thoughts raced through her head, most of them silent justifications for her deeds. What Rarity had said to her really got under her skin.
She was a hero, damn it.
Patriotism was not a crime, neither was weeding out vermins and vipers. Ponyville, and by extension all of Equestria, was safer because of her actions. She, and others like her were to be commended for their bravery, diligence, and self sacrifice. She knew too well the kind of trouble dissidents could cause if left unchecked. Because of her laxity, Fluttershy and the Resistance were able to escape, allowing them to give humanity the upper hand over ponykind. She swore to herself never to make that kind of mistake again.
Rarity couldn't understand. She could never understand. Rarity was nothing more than a prissy, hoity toity alcoholic dressmaker with delusions of grandeur and a flair for the dramatic. She couldn't believe she would ever refer to her as family. Pinkie Pie was more family to her than Rarity ever will, even if the Pie and Apple family tree confusion never got solved.
However, as she stewed in her funk, she failed to notice the fearful murmurs and growing confusion of the ponies around her.
Something had just flown by overhead.
It was quick enough to avoid being seen, yet sounded like a lightning strike.
And then, Hell on Earth.
An explosion erupted across the air and rocked the earth with the force of an earthquake. Applejack was unceremoniously knocked off her cart and onto the ground where she scrambled back onto all fours and access the situation. Pulling her hat up, Applejack blanched as she bore witness to the sight of her home under siege.
Ash and dirt rained from the sky as they billowed upwards from the force of the blast. Fires greedily consumed what remained of town hall as another explosion turned the buildings beside it into a crater ten meters wide and three meters deep. Panic and hysteria overtook the population of Ponyville as civilians, refugees and soldiers scattered to save what they could, more than likely themselves, before disappearing in a flash of light, a plume smoke and the sound of thunder. Limbs and other fleshy remnants of once living ponies were sprinkled throughout the streets like macabre confetti, spraying poor unsuspecting citizens in the misty gore of their friends and families.
Throughout it all, Applejack watched on with wide horror stricken eyes as everything went up in flames.
"N-no," Applejack squeaked out fearfully, her heart racing. She struggled to speak, and when she did the words came out of her throat felt like clumps of barbed wire. "No. No, no, no. They wouldn't... They couldn't..."
"We're under attack!" A guard yelled, scrambling his men into formation. They all joined together into a single unit as they have practiced time and time again, but there were a handful who cracked under the pressure and fled for their lives, only to get fragged out of existence moments after. "Gather the civilians! Get them to the trains! We're leaving!"
"Why?! Why is this happening!?" A civilian screamed.
"Those monkey bastards! Bombing Ponyville! How despicable!" Another soldier yelled.
Applejack ignored their cries as she wandered dumbly through the streets in a stupor with little to no control over her own movements. The explosions that echoed across the town pounded within her skull like a thousand, thousand drums all playing in tandem. The acrid smell of smoke and burning flesh assaulted her nostril, filling them with the stomach churning scent of death. And the screams. By Celestia, the screams. It was a horrible cacophony of pain all twisted up and mangled into a haunting howl.
She was afraid.
Utterly afraid.
Was this what war was like?
She'd never seen or experienced anything like it before.
And now that she has, it terrified her to no end.
Something catches her attention over the corner of her eye. It's Sweetie Belle. Applejack couldn't hear much over the tinnitus, but she could see she was sobbing and screaming soundlessly. Cradled her hooves was Rarity, bloodied and broken, her lifeless eyes shone no more as death took over.
Something primal awakens in Applejack, flickers of the Element of Honesty. She moves without thinking towards Sweetie Belle, sprinting towards them like a pony possessed. Whatever hate she held in her heart for them vanished for the moment, what mattered most was getting them out of harm's way. But she was too late. The sound of lightning boomed across the sky once more and Sweetie Belle disappears right before her eyes. Claimed by an eruption of dirt as the shockwave sent Applejack careening to the side.
Struggling to stand up, Applejack shakes the blurriness from her vision and sees Sugar Cube Corner in flames. The Cakes are trapped inside. The burning building had collapsed in on itself and blocked off the entrance, leaving the family inside. Pinkie Pie rushes onto the scene and, with strength Applejack didn't even know the pink pony possessed, barreled through the door with all the force of a locomotive before rushing inside to save the Cakes.
"P... Pi... Pin-" Applejack tries to call out to Pinkie Pie. She couldn't even hear her own words over the madness.
Another crack of lightning.
Another explosion.
Another one of Applejack's friends and neighbors delivered unto Elysium.
Sugar Cube Corner erupts into a cloud of splintered wood, flittering embers and smoke. Pinkie Pie and the Cake family disappear into the aether, never to be seen again.
"N-no..." Applejack murmured, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.
But she doesn't have the luxury of mourning. Instinct took over in a heartbeat and she began sprinting north as fast as she could. She needed to make it home, she needed to save Apple Bloom. With the strength of a desperate mare and smoke burning in her lungs she sprinted to Sweet Apple Acres, wading through the crowd of screaming ponies as they clambered their way towards the train station, pushing, shoving, and stampeding over anypony unfortunate enough to be caught underhoof.
As the farmstead came into view, she felt the blood drain from her face as her family's great orchard was razed to the ground. Generations of hard works, years upon years of backbreaking labor and stoic determination, went up in smoke in seconds. Great oaks and mighty apple trees splintered into nothingness upon getting bombed, scattering their remains to the winds and leaving behind only craters in its wake. Fires began spreading across the fields of the farmlands, burning crops, barns and any unfortunate ponies to have been caught in the flames.
It wasn't fair, Applejack thought as ran.
She had done everything she could to preserve this land and the memories her family sown into it. The land her forebears have raised from harsh and humble beginnings in the bountiful landscape it was today. When the crown demanded tithes from her, she gave without question. When her faith was being tested, she stood firm in the face of doubt. When dissidents threatened to tear apart all she held dear, she condemned them. She condemned them all.
She had turned in so many traitors.
So, so many of them.
And in the end, it all meant nothing.
Nothing.
It wasn't fair.
It just wasn't fair, damn it!
Redoubling her efforts, Applejack bolted straight to the farmhouse. Her heart pounded in her chest wildly, slamming against her rib cage with each step taken. And then she saw her: Apple Bloom. She had just come out of the house and was sprinting towards her.
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack shouted at the top of her smoke filled lungs. "Apple Bloom! Don't stop! Get over here!"
"Applejack!" Applebloom shouted back. "Applej-"
The sound of lightning cracked across the sky and Applejack's throbbing heart stilled.
In an instant, the farmhouse exploded and Apple Bloom was caught in the blast zone, clouding her with smoke and debris. The force of it all forced Applejack to pause and cover her face. When the dust cleared, Applejack opened her eyes and felt the last vestige of her will crumble alongside her ancestral home.
Rushing over, Applejack cradled Apple Bloom's limp dust covered form with shaking hooves and tear stained eyes. She brushed away the hair from her face and caressed her dirty stained cheek.
"A-Apple Bloom?" Applejack called out feebly. "A-Apple B-Bloom... Wake up... Wake up, please. We h-have to go. It's n-not safe here," she croaks, her voice choking up with each word spoke. "Apple Bloom, get up... I said get up! Get up, damn it! Please! We need to leave, now!" She roars hysterically, holding onto her sister's still warm body tightly. She rocked her in her legs, sniffling and sobbing quietly. "I-I can't lose you too... I-I just can't..."
As she wept, a single glint of golden light refracted from the side of Apple Bloom's hair towards Applejack's eyes. She brushed away part of her mane and discovered a bleeding gash two inches wide on the side of her temple. Something sparkled from it, something glittery and gold. She had been killed by shrapnel. It was a quick and painless death.
Out of morbid curiosity, Applejack reached for the foreign object and dislodged it from Apple Bloom's wound. With a sickening squelch and a small gout of blood, Applejack held the bloodied object in her hoof and wiped it clean...
...The stamped impassive visage of Princess Celestia upon the golden bit stared back at her with uncaring gilded eyes.
Lightning cracked across the skies.
Applejack's whole world turned white, then black.
Applejack's eyes shot open.
She was in a makeshift field hospital in Canterlot along with other survivors of the atrocity. It had been a few weeks since the bombing of Ponyville, Applejack laid in a stiff cot covered head to toe in bandages.
As defeat looms ever closer, Princess Celestia becomes increasingly erratic and lashes out at anypony unfortunate enough to be the subject of her rage.
In the war room of Castle Canterlot, Princess Celestia held a hastily scrawled letter in her hoof, her face eerily impassive save for the pulsing vein that twitched sporadically out the corner of her forehead.
The contents of the letter was short and succinct.
Lieutenant Long Haul, second in command to Lieutenant Colonel Blaze Hoof, had assumed command of the last sizable battalion in all of Equestria after the latter had been killed in an ambush attempting to sneak back into Canterlot and had decided to surrender to the human forces. In his letter, he urged Princess Celestia to do the same, citing that it is the only way to save Equestria from complete and total eradication.
Needless to say, Celestia didn’t take to the thought of surrendering to the humans all that well.
The Equestrian war council, which had shrunken considerably during these dark days with many of their members either dead or AWOL, watched apprehensively as she placed the letter down and brought a shaking hoof up to her face to remove her reading glasses.
“All members of staff outside of the war council, please leave the room until further notice,” Celestia spoke barely above a whisper. She was polite yet her voice carried all the tranquil fury of a storm gathering on the horizon.
Hurriedly, all members of the cleaning staff and catering fled the room. They filed out the doors in a huddled mass, rudely pushing and shoving others out of the way so that they may escape the scathing tirade Princess Celestia was about to deliver. Once they were all gone a deathly silence overtook the war room, putting everypony on edge. It was the calm before the storm, the moment before disaster struck.
“How...” Celestia breathed as the ambient temperature rose to sweltering levels. Flickering embers sparked around her form, flittering about the room before fading from existence.
“How...” she repeated, slowly rising from her seat, her mane covering her baleful gaze. The council grimaced and subconsciously backed away from their chairs, bracing themselves for what comes next.
“HOW!?” She exploded furiously, her flowing rainbow mane bursting into a torrent of billowing hellfire as she forcefully brought her hoof down onto the table in front of her, splintering it and showering her peers with flecks of charred wooden shards. The council recoiled from the ferocity she displayed, trembling like foals before a pack of timberwolves about to pounce upon them.
"HOW ARE WE FAILING?!" She bellowed. The royal 'we' was in full effect and the very foundations of the castle shook in terror of her dominant presence. She stomped towards her council, webbing cracks across the floor, carefully observing their every reaction with the eyes of a hawk. "TELL ME! HOW IS IT THAT WE EQUESTRIANS ARE FAILING AGAINST THE HUMAN MONGRELS! WE, THE RIGHTEOUS! WE, THE STRONG! WE, THE HERALDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND HARMONY!?"
Members of the council opened their mouths to speak but found their words to fail them. Even Twilight, the most eloquent of speakers, found herself with her mouth agape like a landlocked goldfish in the face of her raging mentor.
By some miracle, or suicidal bravery, it was hard to tell in the context of things, somepony did manage to get a word out.
General Swift Stream, an unimpressive sergeant of the Royal Guard that had been reluctantly promoted to the prestigious rank through process of elimination, mumbled something through quivering lips.
“Y-your majesty,” he began, swallowing thickly after. Celestia immediately turned her heated gaze to the trembling general and he could’ve sworn he saw his life flash before his eyes. Gathering what little resolve he had left, he continued with his speech. “The-there-there’s just too many of t-them. The h-humans, they outnumber us a-a hundred to one! Their range is g-greater than ours, their weapons more p-potent, their t-tactics beyond merciless. The magic killers they employ all but assures we cannot retaliate in the face of such brutal ruthlessness!”
“INCOMPETENCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE!” Celestia snapped, nostrils flaring, stamping her hooves In frustration. The shockwave she unleashed could be felt through the teeth as the various decor were knocked to the floor, shattering vases, picture frames and other antiquated baubles scattered throughout the castle’s winding hallways.
“WE FIGHT UNDER THE LIGHT OF HARMONY! OUR PEOPLE ARE THE UNYIELDING BULWARK OF ALL THAT IS RIGHT AND PURE IN THE WORLD! TIME AND TIME AGAIN HAVE WE BEEN ASSAILED BY DARK AND UNNATURAL FORCES, AND EACH TIME EQUESTRIA HAS REMAINED UNBOWED! OUR TRIUMPH AGAINST THE SINFUL STAIN OF HUMANITY WAS ALL BUT GUARANTEED, YET WE HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THE BRINK OF ANNIHILATION!”
She glanced over her fearful generals, sneering at their blatant cowardice.
"COWARDS! ALL OF YOU, COWARDS!" She decried, descending into hysterics. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she raged, screaming and wailing to the shattered Heavens all the while her peers looked on in silent disbelief. The pony they all loved and placed their faith in was going absolutely insane right before their very eyes.
"GENERALS?! BAH! MY REAL GENERALS DIED DEFENDING EQUESTRIA TO THEIR LAST BREATH! THEY WERE LOYAL, BRAVE, AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, TRUE TO THE EQUESTRIAN IDEAL! YOU UNFORTUNATE LOT WERE THE LEFTOVERS OF GOOD STOCK SCRAPED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL LIKE THE SCUM YOU ARE! YOU’RE NO BETTER THAN THAT TREACHEROUS VALKYRIE! CHICKEN-HEARTED AND UNRELIABLE!”
"WE HAVEN'T BEEN FIGHTING AS HARD AS WE SHOULD! THAT IS WHY THE HUMAN SCOURGE ARE TAINTING OUR SOIL WITH THEIR REVOLTING TECHNOLOGY, DESTROYING EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH IN EQUESTRIA LIKE THEY DO! LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO!”
Celestia smashed another table, scattering more wooden debris across the room. The act did little to quell her volcanic anger.
“I WAS TOO LENIENT ON THEM!” She continued, stamping holes across the floor.
“I THOUGHT THEY COULD BE SAVED, THAT THEY COULD BE REDEEMED, BUT I WAS WRONG! HUMANITY IS INCAPABLE OF KNOWING LOVE OR KINDNESS! THEY ARE A DISCORDANT AND SELF DESTRUCTIVE BLACK HOLE THAT ONLY KNOW HOW TO TAKE AND TAKE AND TAKE UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT!”
“ONLY NOW DO I REALIZE THAT THEY SHOULD'VE BEEN ELIMINATED LONG AGO LIKE THE FILTHY VERMIN THEY ARE!”
“MAYBE THEN MY BELOVED SISTER WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!”
“MAYBE THEN CADANCE, FLURRY HEART AND THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE WOULD STILL BE WITH US!”
“MAYBE THEN MY BEAUTIFUL EQUESTRIA WOULD REMAIN UNMOLESTED BY THOSE DAMNABLE MONGRELS!”
“CURSE THEM!”
“CURSE THEM TO THE DEEPEST HELL THAT EXIST!”
“CURSE THEM IN THE NAME OF THE SUN AND MOON!”
“CURSE THEM FOR TAKING FROM ME ALL THAT I HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART!”
“CURSE THEM!”
”CURSE THEM!”
”CURSE THEM!”
Princess Celestia collapsed onto her haunches shortly after, burying her face into her hooves as she began loudly sobbing to herself. Pain and sorrow wracked through her body with each tearful heaving of her burning lungs. She laid there for some time, grief stricken and vulnerable. The burden of the crown had finally taken its toll on her. Everything that she had spent building up over the course of several millennia had been set ablaze by the flames of war. And throughout it all, she had been shown fear in a handful of ash.
Twilight and Spike watched the particular scene unfold before them, visibly shaken by the sheer rawness of it.
It just felt so wrong seeing Princess Celestia, the paragon of ponykind, fall apart at the seams like this.
Feeling Spike frantically nudge at her from behind, his way of telling Twilight to console her mentor, she tentatively walked over to Princess Celestia to comfort her. Before she even got a chance to speak, before she was even able to place a hoof on her back, Celestia’s hoof rose and angrily swatted away Twilight’s own.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” Snapped Celestia, glaring daggers towards Twilight.
“P-Princess Celestia?” Twilight breathed, flinching as if she’d be physically struck by Celestia herself. “I-I was only t-trying to help.”
“HELP? HELP?!” Celestia roared, rising back on all fours and towering intimidatingly over Twilight. “IF YOU HAD WANTED TO HELP YOU SHOULD’VE PERFORMED YOUR DUTIES AS THE PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP AND PREVENTED FLUTTERSHY FROM ESCAPING WITH THE DAMNED RESISTANCE!” She proclaimed pointedly, taking several steps towards Twilight.
“I CAN LOOK PAST MY GENERAL’S FAULTS! THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS GREAT, BUT OURS IS FAR GREATER THAN THEY CAN EVER POSSIBLY HOPE TO IMAGINE! YOUR DESTINY WAS TO ENSURE EQUESTRIA ASCENDS TO GREATER HEIGHTS OF PROSPERITY THROUGH THE LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED! BUT HERE WE ARE, AT HUMANITY'S MERCY!”
Twilight’s pupils shrank to pinpricks at the accusation. Pain stabbed at her heart as she backed away from Celestia’s hostile advance, nearly toppling over herself backwards if she didn’t run into Spike.
“P-Princess Celestia, please! That wasn’t Twilight’s fault!” Spike defended, barely restraining the urge to fly to the hills. “Lyra was the one who tricked her into leaving!”
“THAT TRAITOR LYRA HEARTSTRINGS ONLY SERVED AS THE CATALYST FOR HER BETRAYAL! HAD TWILIGHT BEEN A BETTER FRIEND THEN FLUTTERSHY WOULD STILL BE ON OUR SIDE AND THE CHAIN OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO OUR MISERABLE PREDICAMENT NEVER WOULD’VE HAPPENED TO BEGIN WITH!” Celestia rebuked.
"Bu-but I tried! I-I really tried!" Twilight sputtered, raising her hooves defensively. "Fluttershy was a lost cause, she just wouldn't see reason and fled with Discord before the girls and I could talk it out with her!"
"YOU SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THE SEEDS OF DISSENT HAD ALREADY BEEN SOWN BEFORE THEY TOOK ROOT! FLUTTERSHY CONSPIRED TO TURN AGAINST US LONG BEFORE YOU CONFRONTED HER THAT FATEFUL NIGHT! YOU HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT HER FROM WALKING THE WRONG PATH, YET YOUR LAPSE IN JUDGEMENT HAS COST US EVERYTHING!” Celestia seethed, causing Twilight and Spike to shrink down into the floor.
“BECAUSE OF FLUTTERSHY’S DEFECTION WE LOST THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY, EFFECTIVELY ANCHORING US TO THIS CRUEL REALITY WE ARE FORCED TO ENDURE! AT A TIME, WE COULD’VE SIMPLY TAKEN HER BACK BY FORCE, BEND HER TO EQUESTRIA’S WILL IF NECESSARY! BUT THE DESTRUCTION OF PONYVILLE AND THE SUBSEQUENT DEATHS OF PINKIE PIE AND RARITY SHE HELPED TO CAUSE HAVE ALL BUT ASSURED EQUESTRIA IS MAROONED ON THIS DOOMED PLANET FOR ALL ETERNITY!” Celestia's bloodshot eyes narrowed upon Twilight’s trembling form, who felt her blood freeze at the cold gaze.
“YOUR INABILITY TO MAINTAIN YOUR FRIENDSHIPS HAVE JEOPARDIZED OUR VERY EXISTENCE! TWILIGHT SPARKLE, YOU HAVE FAILED ME!” She scolded. Every word that left her mouth were like verbal nails embedding themselves into Twilight’s psyche.
"I-I... I" Twilight babbled dumbly, too shocked and stupefied to manage a coherent response.
Her expression was one of utter heartbreak. It was bad enough she had lost so much during the war, but being dressed down in front of the war council by her mentor and mother-figure was beyond despairing. Celestia was in agony, that much was understandable. But to think she would deliver such a harsh tongue lashing. Even Spike was left without words, having found himself rooted to the spot in white-knuckle terror with his grip on Twilight so tight his talons were digging into her flesh.
"Your m-majesty?" A general spoke up, an earth pony named Holdfast. "W-what if..." He paused, contemplating if he should even say it aloud. They'd already been chewed out for Steamer's meek reply. Swallowing thickly, he steeled his nerves and asked the one question that was without a doubt on everyone's mind but were too afraid to ask given what they've been exposed to in the last twenty minutes.
"W-what if we s-surrender like Long Haul suggested?" He concluded as she suddenly felt every eye in the room turn to him, Princess Celestia's chief among them. The look that she gave him would've incinerated him to ash in an instant. A pregnant silence filled the room, it was so quiet everyone could hear the blood pulsing in their ears.
Then, with a tone of finality, Celestia spoke.
"...Out," she muttered, her fiery mane growing brighter and hotter with each passing second. The flames began licking the floor and drapery, singing them coal black as they slowly caught fire. The war council felt their hearts beat wildly in their chest, pounding almost painfully against their rib cage as Celestia sucked in a lungful of air and send them flying out of the room with a single word.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOUT!"
Princess Celestia would continue to hold her defiant stance against the forces of humanity even as the home she loved so dearly burned around her. A cloak of despair would wrap itself around the ruined city of Canterlot, driving many to suicide or girding their convictions to die a glorious death for Equestria, seeing it as the only way out in desperate times.
And while Celestia did apologize to Twilight for the things she said, the damage was too profound to repair in a single encounter.
She will eventually die alone years later, hated by all for ages to come with the only comfort being that Equestria and her little ponies not only survived in the end, but thrived in their new environment.
Celestia always did play the long game... even if she was merely a spectator watching on the side.
Discord shows up before Princess Celestia some time before the surrender. He offers her one final ultimatum.
The thundering of artillery upon the waning shield over Canterlot had ceased an hour ago, yet the shaking could still be felt in the bones of every unfortunate citizen within the city.
Twenty four hours.
Twenty four Goddess forsaken hours of nonstop shelling and bombing had grinded what little hope the pony populace had left at the thoughts of surviving the war into complete and utter nothingness.
Many had already killed themselves out of despair, with the number of suicides steadily mounting by the hour. Soldiers who couldn't take the pressure anymore were slitting their throats or eating their guns out of cowardice. Whole families whispered tearful prayers amongst themselves before consuming poison, dying as they lived: together. The rest were prepared to be wiped along with everything else, either zealously awaiting their end through glorious combat or with quiet apathy.
The shield wasn't going to hold, everypony could see that. Cracks had already begun to appear and each successive strike upon it caused those same cracks to web outwards like a massive spiderweb hanging overhead.
Princess Celestia rarely made any public appearances anymore, hiding away in her ruined castle like some decrepit hermit. Riveting speeches and hollow gestures of reassurance were carried out by Princess Twilight in her stead, though they didn't inspire much confidence.
And as if to add insult to injury, Discord had appeared out of the blue in a flash of bright light and confetti shortly after. He had on a blonde hippie hair wig and was dressed in a tie dye shirt, rose tinted glasses and loose fitting khakis. Gripped in his claw was a sign with the peace symbol painted on it.
"Good afternoon, Canterlot!" Discord beamed. He surveyed his surroundings and cringed at the devastation all around him. "Yeesh, this place has turned into a real dump. What, was the tourism board out on vacation or something?"
The capricious draconequus's sudden appearance was met with scorn from everypony in the vicinity, yet they could do little against him.
Spears and swords went flaccid upon touching his hide, bending like taffy to an extreme degree. Bullets were very much the same. The trajectory of the shots would come to a screeching halt when nearing him before turning and flying away into the distance, never to be seen again. In the end the crowd resorted to spewing vitriol in his direction, stoning him with loose bricks and hurling whatever insult they could come up with.
Their attempts at harming the draconequus, be it physically or mentally, fell flat at every turn.
Eventually, the royal guard arrived. With them was the venerable Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight, both looking like they haven't slept in weeks.
In the case of Celestia, she likely hadn't caught a wink of sleep since the siege began, what with keeping the barrier up at all times. Messy mane and matted fur aside, her horn was constantly aglow with a dim golden hue that occasionally flickered and gave off sparks like a faulty neon sign. There were dark rings around her eyes, giving the impression that they were sunken into her skull. Adding to all that was her bizarre trot. She walked with a strange gait that straddled the line between a hobble and a limp.
She was a living reflection of Canterlot itself. A pony hanging on by a thread.
"Sup, you two," Discord flashed the peace symbol with his pawed hand. "It's groovy today, wouldn't you say?"
"Discord!" Twilight seethed, crouching into an attack position. "You've got some nerve showing you traitorous mug in Canterlot!" Her horn flared up with magic, preparing to blast the mismatched menace right in his stupid face. "Have you come to taunt us in our darkest hour?!" She scowled.
"On the contrary, dear princess. I've come to talk," Discord replied coolly as his lips curled into a mischievous smile. "On behalf of the Resistance and all of humanity, I come seeking peace through Equestria's surrender.
"Surrender? SURRENDER?!" Twilight snapped, her horn growing brighter. "We will do no such thing! You're a fool for appearing in Canterlot thinking you won't pay for all you've done!" Before she could unleash her magic upon Discord, however, Princess Celestia brought a hoof up before her, signaling her to stand down. "P-Princess Celestia?"
"Stay thy hoof, Twilight. I want to hear what he has to say," Celestia replied tiredly, her voice low and hoarse.
"Bu-" Twilight attempted to protest, but a faint glare from Celestia stopped any more words from leaving her throat.
“Just humor me,” Celestia muttered.
"I-If that's what you believe is best," Twilight mumbled, bowing her head as her horn dimmed.
Nodding approvingly, Princess Celestia turned to face Discord. In spite of their grudge, she displayed no immediate signs of hatred nor aggression towards him. Rather, her expression was one of weariness.
"...Discord," Celestia greeted.
"Celly, Celly, Celly," Discord tutted, "girl, you look terrible. The years have not been kind to you."
"No... No, they haven't," Celestia looked away. Sighing heavily, she continued. "Whatever you wish to discuss, we can discuss it in the privacy of the castle."
"Ever the hospitable one, Celly," Discord smirked. "By all means, lead the way."
Castle Canterlot, once the shining wonder of the city with its pristine white walls and golden decor, was now little more than a crumbling shell of what it used to be.
It's high walls had been brought low. The expertly maintained gardens had been ravaged and was picked clean, twigs and all, by those seeking what little food there was left in the city. It's radiant nobility was lost, replaced with a depressing atmosphere that clung to the fur like hot tar and reeked of death.
This was no longer a castle, it was a fancy tomb.
It didn't look any better on the inside than it did on the outside. Like the city proper, it was a broken mess of home. Ruined and desolate. Windows had been shattered, drapes and other fineries were torn to shreds and the help was nowhere to be seen. Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight and their personal retinue of guards may be the only ponies left inhabiting this sad place.
Discord was led to Celestia's private chamber where he would be alone with her for the duration of their meeting. She had dismissed the others much to their vocal protests, citing some cockamamie wisdom guiding her choice for doing so. They reluctantly complied and left without a word, fearful of what may transpire behind closed doors.
Once alone, the two relaxed themselves and settled in like old friends meeting again after so long. Celestia even had he courtesy to drape the room in a silencing spell to ensure nopony would eaves drop in their conversation.
The atmosphere was almost cozy, if Celestia's room didn't look like it had been struck by an earthquake. Clothes and jewelry were strewn all over the place, the vanity table and armoire had been smashed into splintery junk and there was a disconcerting amount of empty wine bottles piling up in one corner of the room.
As Discord seated himself with a chaise chair in midair, Celestia began rummaging through the pile of bottles. She pulled out one from the bottom that was still full and held it up to read the label. This wasn't the cheap stuff, it was from Celestia's private reserve in the castle's wine cellar. Her personal stash gathered over several centuries of ruling. A single bottle was worth as much as a small mansion, a whole case’s worth could buy you a castle and some land to go with it.
With Equestria in flames there probably wasn't a better time to get break into it than now.
"Hmm... Good year," she muttered as she uncorked it by hoof and began imbibing it like some ruffian down at the local pub. It was clear that she had completely given up on any semblance of proper etiquette.
The taste was exquisite. It was fruity and robust, only she couldn't tell at all anymore. The burning and the numbness the drink provided was all she desired. It took the edge off of maintaining the shield around the clock, if only for a short period. Alicorns didn't get drunk that easily compared to the average pony, and when they did the reprieve of inebriation usually didn't last that long. It was both a blessing and a curse at the same time.
Celestia pulled her lips from the bottle. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me." She held the bottle towards Discord. "Did you want a drink?"
Discord raised his claw. "No, thank you. I usually provide my own." With a snap of his paw, a pitcher of ice tea appeared in front of him. He poured it into a highball glass and with another snap of his paw, made the pitcher vanish and a tiny yellow umbrella to appear on the rim of the glass. He took a sip of the drink, savoring the light tang of flavor and smacking his lips in satisfaction. "Ah, that's the good stuff... How long has it been since we’ve last spoken like this, Celly? This little heart to heart, if you will.”
“A few centuries,” Celestia sighed, “but’s who’s counting?”
“Ah, where did the time go,” Discord whispered wistfully, playing with the umbrella in his glass. “Now, I’d love to shoot the shit with you and all but how about we get down to brass tacks?”
"Yes. Lets," Celestia slurred, dragging herself over to the lounging sofa and throwing herself atop it. Lazily she turned her gaze over to Discord, taking another sip of her wine before speaking. "So, welcome back to the shining jewel of Equestria, Discord" she muttered sarcastically. "Or rather, what's left of it."
"Joking? At a time like this? You flatter me," Discord chuckled lowly. "Normally, I'd beat around the bush for a while, strike up some small talk and then go off on a tangent about oranges for a few hours," he sighed, "but seeing you in this state has made me reconsider my usual schtick. Simply put, I'm here with an ultimatum."
Celestia rolled her eyes. "Of course you are. Why else would you show up in the middle of a bombed out wasteland constantly under fire from all sides?"
"What? I can't pop in and say 'hi' to an old friend?" he quipped.
"Friend, huh..." Celestia muttered, taking another swig from the bottle. "So, what's this ultimatum? What do your human masters want from me that they haven't already taken, destroyed or corrupted with their sin?"
"Well, there's not much to say that hasn't already been said." Discord shrugged nonchalantly. "But, you've got two choices: agree to the terms of the unconditional surrender... or Canterlot will be destroyed. With everyone in it. I probably should've made that part clear."
A pregnant silence filled the room as Discord concluded. Celestia had already expected as much from the UN, seeing as this wasn’t the first time they’d tried to resolve things peacefully. Humanity and their traitor pony allies held all he cards, there was no room for negotiations on her end and they know that.
It was funny.
So funny, in fact, that Celestia began to descend into hysterics at the thought of it all.
It was a strange juxtaposition. The usually crass and tactless Discord had a stern expression on his face the whole time as the generally composed and focused Princess Celestia gave into the cloying hands of madness, breaking down into genuine gut bursting laughter that transitioned into inconsolable weeping and back again like a revolving door of emotions. Before long the sounds became intertwined into an disturbing cacophony that made it difficult to determine which was which. The sound she made as she lost control was like a cross between grinding gears and a wheezy air horn.
Eventually the madness gave way to anger, which itself turned into hate. Turning on her hooves she threw the half drank wine bottle at Discord with all the strength she could muster. It shattered into small pieces, staining the carpets with wine as the glass shards morphed into shimmering soap bubbles after touching imperceptible veil that protected him from harm.
Sighing, Discord lazily raised his claw and pressed down on one of the bubbles, flattening it into an impossibly thin disc that in defiance of the laws of physics had mass and molecular density equivalent to wood. Setting his drink down on his ‘coaster,’ Discord’s lips curled into another one of his trademark grins.
“Sheesh. No need to be so overdramatic, Celly,” he quipped.
“I. Will. Not. Surrender!” Celestia enunciated, sobering up. She assumed a dominant stance, standing tall and proud, carrying herself with conduct befitting of a title. “I have made my position clear before: Equestria stands! Now, and forever more!”
Discord casually glanced over to the window, watching the red sun set against the horizon above a city long past the precipice of destruction. He could hear the audible despair of Canterlot’s citizens faintly in the distance; the screaming, the mourning, the cries of misguided fanaticism over the howling of the winds. If ponies weren’t killing themselves they were rioting, and if they weren’t rioting they were killing themselves. The picture couldn’t be anymore clearer, yet to Celestia it would appear she viewed the whole world through a piece of smoked glass.
Discord raised an eyebrow In a slow dramatic fashion. “Oh, yes, Celestia. Please, tell me all about wonderful and magnificent Equestria," He spoke in a sarcastic fashion. "Equestria with its green hills and blue sky. Equestria with its clear waters and clean air. Equestria with its proud and enlightened ponies. Because, frankly, I just can’t see it.”
“Hmph!” Celestia huffed, turning her nose. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand. After all, you sided with the humans. It makes sense, both you and the human race are wild and unpredictable, impetuous to the point of destruction. You don’t just live in chaos, you thrive on it!”
“That is true,” replied Discord.
“And that makes them all dangerous!” Celestia snapped, stamping her hoof.
“That is also true,” Discord nodded along. “Yet throughout it all, humanity have somehow made it work. Recklessness and stupidity is their brand, and like any good brand they know how to diversify their portfolio. For every mistake they make, they manage to pull a success out of a hat. Over and over again like the world’s longest test of trial and error. It’s utterly ridiculous, and that’s why I love them so much. They remind me of, well, me,” he laughed, growing another head for double the fun. “In an ironic twist of fate, that same admiration of the insane was also one of the reasons why so many of your enlightened citizens decided to jump ship three years ago.”
“They left because they were faithless heretics!” Celestia argued. "Lyra, Fluttershy, Moondancer and the rest of their ilk, they were all weak willed ponies who couldn't see the righteousness of our great purpose for what it truly was! Why else would they abandon their homeland to run off with our enemies in foreign lands?!"
"They left because they understood the true horror behind your endeavor, Celestia, and what it was doing to Equestria. I mean, look at this place. It's like a nicer version of Detroit," Discord retorted dryly, taking a drink from his tea. "Furthermore, the Resistance left because they caught a glimpse of something special in humanity. Their time mingling with them before and during this foolish war had changed their worldviews forever. Looking past the bad that you seem to point out at every turn, Fluttershy and the others discovered a hidden potential the likes of which they’ve never seen before."
"Potential? In humanity?!" Celestia scoffed. "Ha! Don't make me laugh."
"Oh, yes. It's true. But I wasn't referring to humanity's potential, I was referring to pony potential." He twirled his claw in the air and wisps of smoke formed from the tip of his talon. The smoke took shape of a pony. It stood on its hind legs and flexed its muscles before dissipating into the air.
"Pony potential?" Celestia raised an eyebrow and flared her wings "What more could we possibly achieve? We are the very zenith of what is possible in life!"
"Evidently, that isn't the case," remarked Discord. "Because the ponies who fled Equestria grew to be more than they ever thought possible. Lyra became a diplomat maintaining Equestrian relations by proxy who is adored by the human populace. Moondancer's now an esteemed scientist working on projects that could only be described as history in the making. And Fluttershy, meek little Fluttershy became a combat medic. A combat medic, could you believe that? Once upon a time that girl would jump in the air at the sound of a slamming door, now she's on the battlefield performing triage and amputating limbs like it's going out of style."
"Hmph, a fluke. That's all that is. Brought on by desperation in times of uncertainty," Celestia snarled.
"Au contraire," Discord grinned. "They claimed it to be like a fog lifting from their minds or chains falling off their person. All of a sudden new avenues were opened and the Resistance began envisioning an Equestria just lik-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Celestia yelled, getting up in Discord's face. "Such thoughts are blasphemous! Only traitors would believe in that nonsense! Traitors and heretics! Equestria must remain pure! I will never allow our way of life to be tainted by humanity’s wretched beliefs!”
“...Ah, I missed that about you, Celestia,” Discord laughed a throaty chuckle. “The moral grandstanding, that air of superiority that always seems to surround you, the lies... Especially the lies,” he sighed, playing with the little umbrella in his glass. “But you know, this whole narcissist bit, it doesn’t suit you all... You’re afraid, aren’t you? Always have been. Everypony in the resistance can see it now. This was never about helping the humanity or even about spreading friendship and harmony. This war is little more than a sad attempt to save face spurred on by your bruised ego, that’s all it is. That’s all it’s ever been.”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” Celestia whispered darkly, narrowing her eyes. "This all began as a righteous crusade. The humans were the ones who turned it into a bloody war!"
“Oh, so that's how it's going to be?” Discord rolled one of his eyes. With a snap of his paw he changed out of his clothes and erased the chair and drink from existence. Now, he wore on an old fashion headmaster’s uniform, hat, glasses and all, and brought with him a chalk board. “Alright, guess I’m gonna have to do this in way you’ll understand: through amateur chalk art.”
Discord began scribbling some crude animated imagery on the board. There were two sets of characters, one side were humans and the side were ponies
“Let’s start from the beginning, when Equestria first appeared on Earth.” The little drawings did a happy dance. “Things were rocky during year one, first contact always is, but lo and behold everyone managed to pull through in spite of the interdimensional jet lag. That being said, most of our major troubles didn’t occur until a little further down the line.” There was a small quarrel between the humans and the ponies that resulted in a big ball of cartoon violence.
“Remember, Twilight’s friendship tour?” He drew a childish representation of Twilight with a big crown standing on an oversized float. The picture of Twilight traveled around the world talking about friendship and harmony with her friends, only to get pelted by nondescript tomato shaped produce at almost every turn. There were only a handful of instances where they weren't met with skepticism or outright hostility. “Oof, talk about a train wreck. Turns out humans don’t like being preached to by walking talking technicolor carousel rides. And don’t even get me started on the conversion bureaus. What a disaster.”
“Is there a point to this asinine history lesson, or do you just simply find delight in hearing the sound of your own voice?” Celestia growled.
“Oh, don’t get your mane in a bunch, Princess Sunbutt. I’m getting there,” Discord grumbled. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes. While ponies couldn't get humans to act more like them, the opposite was very much true." He scribbled an image of pony and humans living together. "Ahem. As it turns out, pony human integration was proceeding rather splendidly, regardless of the previous debacles. You might even say that it was... natural," he paused, feeling the hole burning in the back of his head from Celestia's glare.
"And then the most amazing thing happened!" Discord continued unabated. "Humanity shared us their gifts! Wonderful creations born from the minds of mad geniuses and self loathing artists! Music, books, television shows, video games, the internet! It was a smorgasbord of brand new experiences that many Equestrian's couldn't help but cut their teeth on. All this information came flooding in like a tsunami, and there was more to discovered each and every day, they couldn’t get enough of it. Everyone loved it!" He stopped, turning an uncharacteristically serious gaze upon Celestia. "...Everyone but you."
"...I did what I had to," Celestia spoke resolutely. "The bans were necessary."
"And the book burnings? The crackdowns on so called contraband? The destruction of my copy of the complete series of Seinfeld?" Discord questioned as she shook his head in disappointment. "So much wasted."
"They were necessary!" Celestia repeated as two maintained their hard gaze upon one another.
“Oh, I’m sure they were,” Discord let out an exaggerated sigh. “After all, benevolent wise Celestia knows what’s best for her little ponies. And if she and her gaggle of alicorn associates deem something to be bad, then by golly they must be inherently bad in some way, shape or form. After all, our omnipotent and infallible goddesses must know something that we don’t,” he crowed mockingly. But as quickly as his face contorted itself into an indignant sneer, his expression softened into one of wistfulness.
"...I remember hearing ponies chat amongst themselves about philosophy by Sugarcube Corner back then," Discord whispered back. "They were questioning their own existence, their lot in life and more. They were asking so many questions that they didn't have answers to, that you didn't have answers to. Yet they were willing to risk something, anything, in order to find out. The more ponies talked, the more others listened, and the more they listened, the more you felt your carefully curated sense of order crumble from it's already flimsy foundation... You had to nip this in the bud the moment you realized there wasn't some convenient excuse for this and that, who and what, how and why."
"...Shut up," Celestia scowled.
"The bans were only the beginning. Because despite all your best efforts to steer your flock away from this information as long as humans existed there was always gonna be that one curious individual who wants to know the truth. The threat of destabilization was never going to go away so long as there were two sentient species on the planet."
"Shut up."
"And that when it all came together, didn't it? You didn't like humans to begin with. You hated that they spurned your self proclaimed kindness, you despised them for turning the tables on cultural assimilation, you abhorred them for undoing centuries of backbreaking work simply by existing. That's when you realized the only way to solve things was to wipe the slate clean once and for all."
"Shut up!"
"War was just a way for you to keep things squeaky clean! That whole turning humans in ponies bit, so that they could live happier lives? It was full of crap! Your potion was a bust! It's a friggin miracle so many still believed that snake oil to be a magical panacea from the Heavens"
"I said, shut up! You don't know what you talking about!"
"You can lie to yourself all you like, Celestia! The fact of the matter is this six year farce of conflict is nothing more than little white lie that grew out of control and set the world ablaze!"
Discord then changed his form, switching from a headmaster to a shirtless shell shocked veteran wearing a red bandana.
“You drew first blood!” He accused.
“NO, I DID NOT!” Celestia screamed back, her mane flaring up into white hot flames that scorched the ceiling black. “THEY KILLED HER!” She roared, flames growing blindingly bright. “SHE WAS YOUNG AND FULL OF LIFE, YET THEY ROBBED HER OF HER FUTURE! DEVOURED HER LIKE THE ANIMALS THEY WERE! I WANTED TO FORGIVE THEM! I TRIED TO SAVE THEM! THE POTION, THE BUREAUS, THEY WERE MY WAY OF REDEMPTION! BUT IN THE END MY HOOF WAS FORCED, THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY! DO NOT BLAME ME FOR THE FAULTS OF OTHERS!” She concluded, panting heavily as her flames subsided.
There was a jagged black ring burned around her, like a dark sun. Smoke rose from the floor, shrouding her in a thick haze barely concealed the flurry of emotion present on her trembling visage. Anguish, sorrow, rage, remorse. They all fought for dominance within her heart. Yet throughout the tirade, Discord was unfazed. He held his ground, scanning her with judging eyes before opening his mouth to speak.
“...Who is ‘her?’” Discord asked, causing a brief bout of panic to flash across Celestia’s eyes.
“N-no one,” Celestia replied lamely, turning away in shame.
“And just like that, all the air was let out of your impassioned speech. Bravo, Celestia. Bravo,” he deadpanned, forming a pair of white gloves that clapped derisively beside him. “I guess there’s no changing your mind, then?” He asked.
“...I cannot, will not, surrender,” Celestia muttered, exhaustion having set in.
"I see..." Discord looked irritated, returning to his normal form and getting rid of his slapstick props. "You know what. You win, Celestia. I concede. You hear me, you've won. Because it's clear to me that you're set to commit this overly complex method of suicide regardless of how hard I try to change your mind. At this point, I don't care."
"I don't care what your motive is, or whatever sob story you're holding back that no one, not me, not your circle of confidants or even the whole dang populace knows about. I don't care if you're doing this because of revenge, justice, racial superiority or some warped combination of three. I don't care that you've decided to stomp and scream about in your room like some snot nosed brat throwing a tantrum after being told no, she can't have candy for dinner. I. Don't. Care."
He paused, his irritated expression fading into a crestfallen frown. "...But what I do care about is the fact that you're willing to take everypony with you, all over some misguided attempt at... whatever the heck any of this is. None of them have to die. Just surrender."
"They've already made their choice," Celestia mumbled. "My subjects are prepared to die in the name of the Equestrian ideal."
"Only because they don't know any better," Discord countered.
"This is the only way."
"It doesn't have to be."
"You don't get to decide that."
"But you do?"
"I know what's best."
"For them, or for you?" Discord subconscious clenched his paw into a fist before releasing it after feeling his anger drain out of his body. It was pointless to go on any longer than he did. "Tsk, I already gotten your answer. I'm only annoying myself by talking in circles, but never let it be said that I didn't try my best to help you. Even now as the world prepares to turn Canterlot into your grave, I wanted to give you the chance to make things right. You turned me down, so have it your way, Celestia. Like you've always had... I think it's time for me to leave."
"Yes, I believe it is,' said Celestia.
"Just..." Discord paused, looking contemplatively for a moment. He sighed heavily before opening his mouth to speak. "I've never told this to anyone, not even to Fluttershy. But learning about friendship made my life more than just one game after the next. Ever since that day, I've been happier than I've ever been on my own..." He flashed an inquisitive gaze towards Celestia. "Your ceaseless lecturing about friendship and harmony... was it all a lie?"
"..." Celestia didn't speak.
"I see," Discord frowned. "Well, then. Goodbye, Celestia. There's nothing more to say."
Discord snapped his talons and disappeared in a burst of confetti, leaving Celestia all by her lonesome. Turning on her hooves Celestia proceeded to join up with her retinue. She will announce to all of Canterlot her decision.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash confront Twilight, lambasting her for surrendering to humanity and disavowing their friendship.
A loud slap echoed throughout Twilight's personal chambers. Her eye's were wide as dinner plates as she turned to face the culprit of the strike: Applejack. She brought a shaking hoof up to her reddened cheek, massaging it to alleviate the stinging pain. Applejack wasn't alone, however. Rainbow Dash was also with her. Both looked like they've stepped into a tornado and lived to tell the tale. Though that wasn't to say that Twilight was looking quite fresh either in spite of her royal fineries, they were all haggard and unkempt from front to back.
"A-Applejack, wha-" Twilight began but was interrupted.
"...How could you," Applejack muttered solemnly, shaking with barely repressed anger. "How could you surrender to those damned shit flinging monkeys?!" She roared indignantly, eyes full of anguish and rage as she stamps a hoof down in frustration. "Our backs were up against the wall, we were prepared to fight to the bitter end! We trusted you! Princess Celestia trusted you! Everypony in Canterlot trusted you! And how do you honor that trust? By surrendering our nation to the enemy!?"
"You're supposed to be the smart one, Twilight! What the hell were you thinking?!" Rainbow shouted beside her, just as furious as she was.
"You don't understand!" Twilight shouted back. "I-I had to..." She muttered softly, staring at the ground.
"What do you mean 'you had to'," Rainbow parroted mockingly. "What you've done, giving up Equestria to humanity, it's a fate far worse than death!"
"B-but this is better. Can't you see?!" Twilight argued. "We're alive! We're all alive!"
"A world where our people, culture and traditions are corrupted by human taint isn't a world worth living in!" Applejack spat. "And I'm sure everypony in Canterlot would agree with me, but they can't. And do you wanna know why? Because they're too busy killing themselves down in the streets to avoid seeing all we've worked hard for, all we've built up and uphold raped and pillaged by filthy human hands!" She narrowed her eyes into a baleful glare. "If Princess Celestia weren't in a coma she'd be right here tearing you down just as you deserve it."
"That isn't fair. You don't know that," Twilight defended feebly.
"I know damn well that's what would've happened!" Applejack seethed. "Princess Celestia knew the depths of depravity those humans sank to. We all did. That's why this war began. We were going to fix everything with the potion, we were going to make the world a better place. For them, for us, for everypony. We've sacrificed so much..."
"And all of it meant nothing! Because! Of! You!" Rainbow punctuated each word with a solid jab to Twilight's chest. "We should've fought out there! We should've fought and died in the name of friendship, harmony and all those who lost their lives during the invasion! If we were going to lose, then it should've been on our terms, not the humans! Why didn't you stand with us?! Why didn't you give us the order to fight to our last breath!?"
"Because I can't handle anymore death!" Twilight screamed as she finally broke down into tears. "Take a look around, both of you! There is nothing but chaos and ruin and devastation as far as the eye can see! Do you want more of that?! Do you?!" she snapped, causing Applejack and Rainbow Dash to reel from her outburst. Taking advantage of their speechlessness, Twilight continued to explain herself.
"The price for victory had become far too steep. It just wasn't worth paying anymore," Twilight uttered, looking away in shame. "No matter how hard we fought, humanity never once ceased their foolish resistance until we unknowingly adopted that very same foolishness for ourselves. Too long did we think ourselves undefeatable because of our moral superiority that it blinded us to the proverbial noose slowly tightening around our necks."
"Our fate was sealed when humanity unleashed their magic killers against us, those twisted amalgam of magic and science. We just didn't know it yet..." She sighed heavily. "I believed in Princess Celestia with all my heart, there's probably nopony in Equestria more loyal to her than I am. But she didn't know when to stop. Not when Luna died, not when the Crystal Empire was annihilated, not when we failed to escape this rotten hell of a planet and certainly not when Canterlot was under siege. I'm sure you all heard her rage from within the castle. I've never seen her so unhinged before. The war had finally broken her, just like it has all of us."
Twilight turned to face Applejack and Rainbow Dash, looking at them straight in the eye with a pleading look. "When the strain of maintaining the barrier finally took its toll on Princess Celestia, she begged for me to continue the will of ponykind before slipping into that coma. Believe me, I was more than prepared to fight to the end, just like you two. But the moment I stepped into her horseshoes, I felt it. The weight of the responsibility and trauma she was forced to carry all this time were like a mountain pressing down on my back."
"It was too much, too much, too much! Fluttershy leaving us, Shining Armor's death in New York, Luna's in Jerusalem, The Crystal Empire getting wiped off the face of the Earth, Pinkie Pie and Rarity dying in Ponyville, my mom and dad in Canterlot, I couldn't take it anymore! And that isn't even taking into consideration the hundreds of thousands of brave stallions and mares I had to send off to fight and die for us, the countless dissidents we had the ESS erased or that we actively destroyed everything beautiful and pure about Equestria all to match humanity's technological might in my conceited efforts to ward off the storm they brought with them to our shores!"
"Equestria is unrecognizable! Innumerable foals are left without mothers and fathers! Ponies are left without hope! Friendship and harmony meant absolutely nothing in the face of hate and despair! Do you see why I surrendered now?!" Twilight screamed, her throat raw and voice hoarse from two uninterrupted minutes of her tirade. Gasping for air, she gauged her friend's reactions and beheld only stony resentfulness. Catching her breath, she pleaded one last time. "We don't have to lose everything... W-we can save something. In a few days there will be peace negotiations and I'll try to-"
"...No," Applejack snarled, cutting off Twilight. "No, I refuse... I absolutely refuse to make peace with the monkeys that destroyed my family and all we held dear! I wept when Big Macintosh died in Osaka. I grieved for Applebloom when Ponyville was bombed. I'm the last Apple alive and I say to you, princess of friendship," she scowled when speaking those words, "that this will not stand."
"But-"
"But, nothing!" Applejack snapped. "All I've heard from you these past few minutes are nothing but shameful excuses for your own failings. You had your chance to make up for them and you blew it. You're a disgrace to that crown and those wings of yours."
"You're no better than Fluttershy," Rainbow seethed hatefully. "A pathetic traitor who cracked when the chips were down. I'm with Applejack on this, I won't stand for this false peace. The humans are just going to use us, just like they use everything else on this damned planet! You practically rolled out the red carpet for them to take over Equestria. Well, forget it! If that's how it's going to be, then you and I are done!"
"W-what do you mean?" Twilight asked with a quivering lip.
"You know exactly l what I mean, Twilight!" Rainbow scowled. "We are done. Finished! Whatever friendship we've had throughout the years; the good times we've experienced, the hardships we've endured, the villains we fought, it doesn't matter anymore. It was over the moment you chose to surrender to the humans. Face it. You've failed as a princess, you've failed as an element, and more importantly, you've failed as a friend. Enjoy sucking monkey dick for the rest of your miserable life, princess. Come on, Applejack. Let's get out of here. You're the only real friend I have left in this God forsaken world."
Without so much as another word, Rainbow Dash turned and hastily cantered out of the chambers, but not before throwing one last nasty look towards Twilight's direction. Her heart heavy, Twilight turned a shaky gaze over to Applejack.
"Applejack, please," Twilight mumbled tiredly. "I can't lose you too."
Applejack didn't respond. She only narrowed her eyes and spitefully spat at Twilight's horseshoes before turning and leaving in a hurry as well. As the sound of her hooves clattering against the marble floors of the castle grew more and more distant, Twilight collapsed back onto a nearby seat and began quietly sobbing to herself.
Vilified by the vast majority of ponykind with only Spike left by her side, Twilight's greatest failure was now complete.
"...Twilight?" Spike's voice snapped Twilight out of her stupor. She looked up from her seat, cheeks stained with tears and eyes reddened by sorrow. Spike stood in the doorway, a look of concern on his face. He had gotten much bigger in the years since they arrived on Earth. HIs wings were fully grown and he had doubled in height. He was a far cry from the baby dragon that caused trouble for Ponyville all those years ago.
"Hey... Is it over?" he asked.
"Oh, S-Spike. I didn't see you there," replied Twilight, wiping away her tears. "Yeah. Applejack and Rainbow Dash finally left. How... How much of that did you hear?"
"...Enough," Spike coughed, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "I... Um... You see? Er..." He sighed and straighten himself up, gathering his confidence. "Twilight, don't let those two get to you. They're hurting bad, just like everypony else. But they're not the ones who had to decide the fate of Equestria when the figurative gun was pressed against our heads. I... I think, no. I know you made the right choice."
"Y-you really mean that?" Twilight asked, a spark of hope glimmering in her sorrowful eyes.
"I do," Spike said resolutely, walking up and placing a reassuring claw on her shoulder. "I can't imagine what it would've been like to be where you were when you made that decision to surrender, but it couldn't have been easy. Just know that I'm always gonna be by your side, no matter what."
"Even after everything that's happened?"
"We'll get nowhere alone," Spike muttered softly. "And right now, sticking together is more important than ever. Now, come on. Let's get you cleaned up and head straight to bed. You've got a lot to do before the peace negotiations begin, and a good night sleep will help clear your head."
Smiling weakly, Twilight sniffled and rose from her seat, joining Spike down the hall and towards the bathhouse to freshen up. Rainbow Dash and Applejack ending their friendship with her was unimaginably painful, but she had shed the last of her tears trying to change their minds. There was nothing now, only the will to do what needed to be done.
The world that Twilight once knew had become little more than a fleeting memory, dying embers of a once glorious flame scattered about in the winds of change.
Though the Conversion Wars had ended, the battle for the future was only just beginning.
Agent Sweetie Drops of the Equestrian secret service had faked her death during the bombing of Ponyville and reemerged as the leader of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters. A resistance cell formed with the intent of returning Equestria back to its former glory. Rainbow Dash joins without hesitation, confident that they will succeed where Twilight failed.
Equestria had surrendered.
Humanity had won the Conversion Wars.
Princess Celestia had been slandered as a monster and was vilified by a vast majority of her own subjects.
Those thoughts were enough to make Rainbow Dash sick to her stomach. Even more so than the crap drink she had clutched in her hooves.
It burned like liquid fire going down her throat but tasted like watered down horse piss. Heck, it actually could've been watered down horse piss for all she knew, not that she cared anymore. She was too depressed to do much about anything these days, not when Equestria had fallen right into human hands, courtesy of her ex-friend Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia being wrongly accused as a genocidal tyrant was just the cherry on top of the shit sundae.
"Bah! Twilight Ssssssparkle," Rainbow slurred out drunkenly, slamming down the bottle of booze on the plywood counter-top and disturbing the nearby patrons. "Dat bish... ain't nuttin' but a dam traitor... Wish ah nevuh knew her in da fursh playsh..."
"Hey, easy on the counter, Rainbow Dash! It's still under repairs," Pony Joe chided, shooting a warning glare towards her direction. "This is the only bar left in Canterlot that you haven't been kicked out yet for boozing around in. Don't think I don't know that you've been causing trouble for everypony after Princess Twilight spilled the beans on Celestia."
"Buh itsa lie! All lies!?" Rainbow snapped, growling at one of the three Pony Joe scintillating about in her blurry vision. "Those dam hoomans... Dey made Twilight say those ahful things about Celeshtia ta break ush! Ta make it easier fer them to deshtroy our culture... Den she jush hands our true prinshess ovah to da humans? Twilight shuddah been da one in jail, not Celeshtia!"
"Yeah, and I want my shop back in pristine condition, but that ain't gonna be happening anytime soon," Pony Joe sneered. "Looks like we both got burned by that sanctimonious bitch." Right as he finished, Joe was forced to sidestep the wayward bottle Rainbow Dash sent flying straight at him. It collided with the back shelf, loudly shattering into a dozen pieces along with part of what remained of Pony Joe's existing stock of booze.
"You take dat back you dam disshident! Nopony dishreshpects, Prinshess Celeshtia!" Rainbow shouted, getting up from her seat and standing on wobbly legs. "Ponies like you... should be reported to da ESS..."
"Well then, it's a good thing they're not around anymore. Friggin bastards got to my best bud, Millstone. To hell with 'em," Pony Joe snarled before walking around the counter and putting Rainbow Dash in a tight headlock. She struggled futilely in his grip, wildly flailing her limbs about in a drunken rage but was unable to escape his muscly hold. "And as for you, congratulations. You've officially been kicked out of every bar in Canterlot. Cheers, pal."
Dragging her out the doors Pony Joe unceremoniously threw Rainbow Dash out into the ruined streets of Canterlot where she tumbled across the cracked cobblestone roads like a leaf caught in the wind.
"And stay out!" Pony Joe jeered.
"You can't do thish to me!" Rainbow growled indignantly, pulling herself back to her hooves. "Imma el-el... Huack," she gagged, forcing down the content of her stomach that were threatening to evacuate themselves violently up her esophagus. "E-element of Harmony! A hero! Ah used to save... all your ungrateful butts all the time! And thish is the kind of treatment ah get?!"
"Hero or not, you're yesterdays news!" Pony Joe sharply retorted. "Get with the program, Rainbow Dash. Everypony else is." Without another word, Pony Joe walked back into his shop and slammed the door behind, leaving Rainbow Dash to stew in her own embarrassment, becoming the subject of ridicule from various passerby.
Rainbow Dash wandered after that, moving from place to place in Canterlot no clear sense of direction. Still drunk out of her mind she stumbled across the breadth of the ruined city, which had only just begin its reconstruction efforts. Whole districts had been cordoned off with security tape, construction materials were stacked atop one another on large pallets as workers hurried up and down scaffolding doing their jobs.
Rainbow frowned at the sight, not that they were doing their jobs incorrectly, but that they were using building materials that had been generously provided to the city by the UN. The intermingling of human and pony cultures had already begun and she could only watch on in disgust before shambling away in a hurry.
Sometime later she found herself by the park. She was hunched over a trash can, hurling out her guts before sliding over to the nearby bench and conking out completely.
The whole time she had been completely unaware that somepony was tailing her...
Rainbow Dash awoke to the sound of a ticking clock and an earsplitting headache, pulling herself up from her bed and rubbing at her head to make the pain go away. It didn't take her long to realize that something was wrong, however.
"Wait a minute..." Rainbow mused, pulling the blankets off of herself. "This isn't my bed." She took a cursory glance around the room she was in. It was bland as can be. Four walls, ceiling and a floor, all in a tasteless wood grain finish. "And this isn't my room!"
"Finally awake I see," a new voice snapped Rainbow Dash to attention. She turned her head and beheld a familiar looking mare wearing a suit and sunglasses sitting across from her by the foot of the bed, a mug of steaming hot coffee gripped in her hoof. "It's nice to see you again, Rainbow Dash."
"...Bon Bon?" Rainbow questioned, squinting her eyes.
"In the flesh," Bon Bon smirked, pulling off her sunglasses.
"But... you died back in Ponyville, The humans bombed it to kingdom come," Rainbow muttered dumbly. "Unless... this hangover is way worse than I thought. It's making me see ghosts."
"Believe me, Rainbow Dash. I am no ghost. This is all quite real. The me that perished at ground zero was little more than a lifelike dummy, a means to conceal my true identity. But I'm getting ahead of myself," replied Bon Bon, handing the mug of coffee over to Rainbow. "Here. Something for that hangover of yours."
Ghost or not, Rainbow Dash took the mug without hesitation and drank it, taking careful sips at first before downing the hot liquid in one single regretful gulp. It was good, real good, top shelf stuff, but it barely made a dent on the hangover.
"Okay, not my best idea," Rainbow blanched, rubbing at her burning throat. Bon Bon could only giggle at Rainbow's impetuousness. "Alright, now that that's over, you mind telling me what's going on here? Last I remembered I passed out on a bench in Canterlot dreaming of punching Twilight in her stupid face, repeatedly."
"I'll explain everything in due time. But first things first, call me by my real name: Sweetie Drops. And second," Bon Bon took a few cursory sniffs of Rainbow Dash before recoiling from the odor wafting off of her. "You're in desperate need of a shower."
One shower later Rainbow Dash came out feeling cleaner than she had in weeks since Twilight's treacherous act of surrender. Currently she was walking beside Bon Bon, or rather Sweetie Drops as she now knew her as, down a long hallway and was being debrief on her entire predicament.
"You have to forgive me for the sudden abduction. We couldn't risk talking to somepony like you out in the open and believed it would be better to show you what we're about. We've been watching you for some time now, Rainbow Dash," Sweetie Drops started. "You are of particular interest to us and the cause."
"Uh huh," Rainbow nodded along. "And who exactly is us? And what's this cause you keep referring to."
"The us is simple. We're a group of pony patriots who believe in Princess Celestia and old Equestria, the true Equestria. Not this crude post-war facsimile that's been contaminated by human ideology," replied Sweetie Drops. "As for the cause." She opened up a pair of doors and revealed to Rainbow Dash her place of operation. "We're going to restore Equestria back to its former greatness. We won't stand for Twilight Sparkle's treachery and we intend to fix that."
Rainbow stared in awe at the massive facility she trotted into.
It was cavernous bunker that was as big as, if not bigger than Castle Canterlot itself. It was filled with innumerable rooms both big and small scattered across several floors with hundreds of ponies running about performing their duties. There were even a few that she recognized; Snips, Snails, Limestone Pie, Lightning Dust, heck, even Daring Do was here.
But perhaps most impressive of all was the facility's arsenal. Rows upon rows of shelves were stacked high with all manner of weapons both mundane and magical, including some she was pretty sure weren't even supposed to exist. It was like they were preparing for war.
"Sweet Celestia..." Rainbow Dash breathed. "Where am I?"
"Home," replied Sweetie Drops. "That is, if you want it to be." She turned to face Rainbow Dash, her casual expression turning stern. "Rainbow Dash. What I'm about to offer you is something I've offered to hundreds of ponies already, but that shouldn't make it any less impactful for you. I'm giving you a chance to be something again, not that nopony loser that's been kicked out of every bar in the city. We want Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty. Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt extraordinaire. Rainbow Dash, the hero of Equestria to join the ranks of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters."
"The Equestrian Freedom Fighter," Rainbow muttered, a small smile gracing her lips. She liked how it sounded.
"That's right," Sweetie Drops nodded. "After Ponyville was bombed, the ESS activated the Fallen Protocol: an contingency plan developed as a means to keep on fighting in the event we lost the war. We're a resistance cell formed from the remnants of the Equestrian Secret Service members, Royal Guard and assorted disillusioned ponies who want to take back Equestria from the humans, depose that traitor Twilight Sparkle and finish what Princess Celestia started. Everypony here is prepared to fight for those ideals and I know for a fact that you will to."
"You must've heard about all the things that have been happening around Equestria recently. A human settlement is being constructed on our soil with the hopes that it will foster better relations between humans and ponies. The Church of Harmony has been systematically dismantled, with many of our people becoming atheist or converting to human religions. Members of Celestia's inner circle are being rounded up to be interrogated and jailed or worse, killed for their continued dedication to the true princess. It's madness, utter madness. This is why we exist and why we fight, to bring sanity back to a world gone mad."
"...What are my choices?" Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow.
"There are only two," replied Sweetie Drops. "One, you can refuse to answer the call and that'll be the end of it. We mind wipe you to maintain our secrecy and you can go back to living that sad little life of your roaming the city looking for your next hangover. Two, you join the freedom fighters and be the hero you've always been. Together, we'll kick the humans out of Equestria, recover Princess Celestia wherever they're holding her and make Twilight Sparkle regret the day she sold us out to the monkeys."
"Huh," Rainbow smirked. "When you put it like that I almost feel stupid for asking in the first place. I'm in all the way. You can count on me to get work done."
Sweetie Drops smirked back. "Knew you would. Only a tainted Equestrian would deny the call." She extended a hoof to Rainbow Dash and the two shook on it. They were both confident about their future prospects. "Welcome to the EFF, Rainbow Dash. Welcome to the resistance."
"So... When can I start killing some monkeys?" Rainbow asked a bit too eagerly.
"Whoa there, killer. We'll get to that when it's time. For now though, we have to keep things on the down low," replied Sweetie Drops. "The freedom fighters can't reveal themselves to the world yet, not when we're still building up our ranks and prepping for shadow ops. Speaking of, do you happen to know where Applejack is? She's also a pony of interest to the EFF."
"Last I spoke with her she said she was heading back down to the old homestead in Ponyville to try and recover anything that survived the bombing and pay her respects to the folks," said Rainbow Dash.
"Say no more. I'll dispatch Lightning Dust and Limestone Pie to come get her. How receptive do you think she'll be about my offer to join the EFF?" Sweetie Drops asked.
"She's the same as me. We both hate humans and Twilight and want nothing more than to see Equestria back on top again. There isn't a doubt in my mind that she'll accept the offer."
"Good. Everything is coming together swimmingly," said Sweetie Drops as she led Rainbow Dash deeper into the bunker. "Now, follow me. We have to get you properly initiated into our ranks. With you on our side, old Equestria will rise from the ashes and all will soon be as it was meant to be. Revolution is inevitable..."
Princess Twilight Sparkle frees the ponies that were erased by the Equestrian Secret Service, fully aware of the hoof she had in their incarceration.
The role that the Equestrian Secret Service played throughout the course of the Conversion War was a harsh and passionate one. Stoic in the face of treachery these ponies of strong will and selfless dedication to princess and country would ruthlessly seek out and quash any form of dissent wherever it may fester within Equestria's populace.
Formed by the Equestrian royals after the betrayal of the Resistance, the ESS were the dagger to the Royal Guard’s sword; hidden and deadly.
For two terrible years the ESS scoured the landscape for traitors, breaking into homes and tearing apart families with impunity to preserve the natural order of Equestria. And while many praised them for their unwavering vigilance to the Equestrian ideal they were almost always met with fear and suspicion. Because whether it be friend or family, strangers or loved ones, all were equal in their eyes. Those that fell into their clutches vanished from society, never to be seen again.
Eventually the war came to a close, and with Twilight Sparkle's momentous surrender came the unceremonious dissolution of Equestrian Secret Service. Their reign, while short, would forever be a black mark on Equestrian history for generations to come.
One that Twilight hopes she can forgive herself for fervently supporting without question.
Twilight stared out of the window of the jeep she rode in as it sped across the vast Equestrian woodlands, watching with a worried expression on her face as rows upon rows of pine trees passed by her in a long continuous streak of green and brown. She was currently traveling with a detachment of the UN occupational force, specifically its humanitarian branch. They were on a mission to distribute aid across the country and to help those who have been affected by the war by providing temporary shelters, meals and medical assistance wherever needed.
It had only been a few weeks since the surrender, since the eye opening negotiations that changed everything.
The truth about Celestia's righteous crusade and the world she left behind had come to light, and the ponies of Equestria were in an uproar about everything. Consumed by regret, more suicides occurred all over Canterlot, with many being unable to bear the weight of their own guilt for the part they and their people played in supporting the war. Twilight had done her best to keep things under control now that everypony had snapped out of their zealotry, but there was still much that needed to be done.
First and foremost, repairing the trust between ponies and humans was absolutely paramount if her hopes of a peaceful coexistence were to come into fruition. And the most pressing matter related to that was to set free the ponies who had been supportive of that trust all along.
Twilight felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach.
So many wrongfully persecuted ponies had been removed as a result of her own deep seated grudge with Fluttershy and her betrayal.
Princess Celestia may have been the one who created the ESS, but alongside her fellow royals Twilight had been complicit in keeping them going, stoking the flames of their paranoia and urging complete subservience when engaging in their task.
And in that support came ignorance.
The ESS were a fully autonomous group, with next to no government oversight whatsoever and an unreasonable amount of funding. They did what was needed and generally kept to themselves, maintaining an air of secrecy that many deemed foolish to question. Princess Celestia was really the only one with a measure of authority outside of the chief director who ever actually worked with them directly, most everything else was on a need to know basis.
Even back then there were rumors swirling around about the terrible things that happened to those captured by the ESS.
Twilight, constantly overburdened with her position as princess, had originally brushed said rumors off without a second thought, believing them to be little more than hollow threats made to keep the peace, similar to the way a mother would tell stories of the boogeymare to get their children to behave, or blatant character assassination spoken from disgruntled protestors to turn the public's opinion against them.
To her horror, the rumors were true. Every last one of them.
She had only learned the truth recently. Sifting through Celestia's personal notes and secret records had revealed many things. Too many to process all at once, let alone openly disclose to the people at large.
As it had actually turned out, dissenters were not simply jailed as she had been previously led to believe.
No, throwing a pony in jail or the dungeons was not enough. They needed to repent for their lack of faith. Those that didn't warrant execution or imprisonment were all sent to remote labor camps where they were forced to work against their will. In a cruel twist of irony their efforts would continue to feed the Equestrian war machine, either harvesting materials or assembling war gear in support of the one thing they desperately wanted to avoid the most.
The fact that all this was hidden from the public made Twilight sick to her stomach. Had Equestria actually succeeded in winning the war, she shuddered to imagine what would happen to everypony still trapped in the camps. There was no way they could've been just released back into the general populace after being subjected to indentured servitude.
Her lack of knowledge did not absolve her of blame nor guilt, and she was fully prepared to suffer for her crimes. All she wanted to do was redeem her home and its people in the eyes of the world. To heal the self inflicted wound upon themselves and to grow as a civilization like they should've centuries ago. Whatever hate, anger and resentment her subjects harbored for her after all this, she will bear it without question. If that is the price she must pay for Equestria to flourish, then so be it.
Equus had become a barren lifeless rock floating in the middle of space, half frozen, half arid, fully unsustainable, because she blindly followed through with Celestia’s schemes.
She will not lose Earth.
"Miss Sparkle," the driver of the Jeep called out, snapping her out of her funk. "We'll reached the designated location in about ten minutes. However, I'm being told that there's a bit of a problem at the point of interest."
"...What kind of problem?" Twilight turned in her seat, raising an brow in bemusement.
The Smokey mountains, home to the Hooffields and McColts family clans, was an isolated part of the deep Equestrian backwoods known as the Great Green Expanse that, by a stroke of fortune, had mostly remained untouched in spite of logging operations and collateral damage caused during the final year of the war. These dense backwoods were rough and untamed, crawling with all manner of wild and fantastical critters that would bite your face off soon as they look at you. Stretching for miles all around, one could easily get lost here and never find their way out without help.
It was the perfect location to build a labor camp.
According to the unsealed files of the ESS, this particular location was known as Camp Canary. In spite of its innocuous name, Camp Canary was a major labor camp that specialized in mining coal. It was responsible for over fifty three percent of all coal collected that would go on to fuel the factories across Equestria.
It was here where dissidents were sent to work.
Isolated from the world, Camp Canary had miraculously avoided destruction during the human invasion. More disconcertingly, it hadn’t been abandoned yet, although that was perhaps for the better. Perhaps the prisoners were still okay?
As the jeep rolled up to the camp, Twilight came across a scene that looked straight out of a spaghetti western.
The camp itself was built like a fort, with its high pine walls, guard towers and searchlights. It was clearly designed to keep ponies in and potential intruders out. Stationed atop the front walls was who Twilight assumed to be the warden and his guards, all disavowed members of the ESS. They appeared to be in a panicked frenzy, shakily pointing their firearms down at the occupational force below who also had their weapons drawn.
The atmosphere was tense, and one wrong move could potentially result in a couple individuals being aired out like swiss cheese.
Quick on her hooves, Twilight got out of the jeep and cantered over to the man in charge of her outing, seeking to defuse the situation before anyone could get hurt.
“Lieutenant Newman,” Twilight addressed the tall dark skinned man, who instinctively saluted back in response.
“Ah, how nice of you to finally show up, Miss Sparkle.” Replied Newman, a stern look on his face. “I assumed you’ve already been told about the issue?”
“The warden and his men have the camp on lockdown and are holding the prisoners hostage,” Twilight sighed. "How bad is it?"
"It's a delicate situation," Newman sniffed. "We've already determined the number of threats within the camp. My scouts have also confirmed that the prisoners are okay but they've been rounded up and into the mines. The entire cave wall is rigged with dynamite and one of the guards there is more than ready to slam their dirty little hooves on the plunger if we try anything funny."
"What precautions have you taken so far?" Twilight inquired.
"We've currently have Thalmann generators set up around the perimeter to prevent any unicorns in there from getting any bright ideas," replied Newman. "I've got some of my best men trained on these bastards and we're prepared to neutralize them on my mark. With a single word, I can have this all cleaned up nice and tidy for you, ambassador."
"I'd prefer to do this with as little bloodshed as possible, lieutenant, but if it comes down to it I'll give you the signal," said Twilight. "Give me fifteen minutes. I'm going to try and defuse the situation."
"As you will, ma'am," Newman nodded. "But at the first sign of trouble, I'm taking these nutjobs outs."
''Noted," Twilight nodded back. Taking a deep breath, she cantered towards the campsite, keeping her eye on then sweating warden above her. "Warden!" she shouted. "I've come to parley!"
"That's warden Manacle to you, traitor princess!" Manacles shouted back disdainfully, spitting and missing at Twilight. "Don't think I don't know about what you've done! You've sold out Equestria to the monkeys! And now you've come for us!"
Twilight sighed, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. "Yes, it's true. Equestria surrendered... three weeks ago. The war is over. You should've reported back in by now, warden Manacle. The ESS have been dissolved and-"
"I don't answer to you!" He spat as several of his men grumbled in agreement. "Princess Celestia is the one and only princess I'll ever acknowledge! You're just her failed apprentice! A deceitful purple little shit that grabbed power the moment it was convenient for her! The people should've had you lynched the moment you decided to show your true colors!"
Twilight felt a bout of anger flare up from within but kept her cool. It was one thing to be accused of cowardice for surrendering, it was another to be accused of opportunism in maintaining the country. She needed to defuse the situation fast before warden Manacle's colorful accusations get to her and promptly receives a lasbolt to the face.
"Listen to me, Manacle," Twilight spoke through gritted teeth. "Equestria is under UN occupation whether you like it or not. They're here to help repair the damages caused during the invasion and you're not helping anypony by holding hostages and spouting backwards rhetoric!"
"I was given a task by the venerable Princess Celestia herself, and I will see that task through to the very end!" Manacle petulantly screamed back. "These dissidents, these abominable collections of traitors and conspirators have to be punished for their crimes against Equestria! They are the reason we lost! They are the reason a fraud like you is in control of our glorious country! They are the reason the ESS exists!"
"They're innocent!" Twilight retorted. "They always have been! They've suffered enough, let them go and I will see to it that you and your misguided ilk are met with a measure of leniency!"
"Never!" Manacle decried. "Never! These godless heathens deserve to be tormented! And I will see to it personally that they pay for their crime with their blood!" He turns his attention to the humans threatening to gun him down. "You monkeys have not won! You will never win! Equestria! Now and forever!"
"Equestria! Now and forever!" his guards parroted enthusiastically.
Twilight rolled her eyes, she couldn't believe she used to be that gullible. "What do you expect to achieve with these theatrics, Manacle? If you know about what happened in Canterlot then you know how this pitiful attempt at a last stand is going to end. With you dead and buried in the middle of nowhere. Is that how you envisioned your glorious career to end? Did you expect to negotiate with me? To have me unseated and jailed or executed for my perceived crimes against Equestria simply because you threaten to bury a few prisoners?"
Manacle's fervent mask slipped slightly at the display of cold logic. "Uh-I... I, you see..." He stammered, suddenly feeling the full weight of the situation at hand bear down on him. He started breaking out into a sweat and the men around shared his uneasiness. "Y-you're just t-trying to scare me!"
"I,er... I..." Manacle tried fire back but felt his words trapped in his throat.
"Stand down, Manacles!" Twilight pressed. "Stand down and free the prisoners or I will be forced to put you down along with the rest of your insignificant rabble!" She could see Manacles shrink from her words, losing his will to resist. "Either way, you're outnumbered, out gunned and outmatched! If you think you're getting out of this alive after this stunt then you're dumber than I thought!"
Sweating profusely, Manacles felt his bravado evaporate and with his head hung low in shame he ordered all his men to stand down. Shocked by his response, they threw their weapons down and begrudgingly surrendered to Twilight, but not before being startled by a loud crack across the air, followed by the blood curdling scream that came from behind them.
Jumping into action, Twilight quickly flew over the walls and landed in the center of the camp where she found the source of the noise.
One of Manacle's guards, Pencil Pusher, had attempted to set off the explosives in spite of their leader's surrender and had gotten one of her forelegs blown off by a carefully aimed lasbolt as a result. She screamed in agony upon the ground but was still determined to punish the dissenters if it was the last thing she'll do. Mustering up the strength to go on, she began crawling towards the plunger, dragging a trail of blood across the ground as she did so.
"I... will not... go out... quietly!" Pencil Pusher raised a shaking hoof over the plunger and slammed it straight down. "For Equestria! For Princess Celestia!"
Thankfully, there was no boom. Twilight had rushed the crazed guard with the desperate speed of a repentant mare at the last second, grappling her in place before her all her efforts would go up in smoke. The guard screamed and thrashed in her hold, desperately trying and failing to reach for the plunger.
"Let me go, you tyrant!" she screamed in defiance, writhing in pain.
"Cease this foolishness," Twilight muttered lowly.
"No. No! This is not our destiny!" She bellowed furiously. "We were supposed to win the war! We were supposed to save humanity! This isn't right! None of this is right! Somepony, wake me from this nightmare! Ple-e-ease!" She began breaking down into loud sobs, thrashing about in Twilight's shockingly powerful hold as she started screaming madly. "How could this have happened?! What have we done to deserve this?! I prayed enough! I know I did! Princess Celestia! Please! If you can hear the voice of your faithful servant, strike down this tyrannical mare and restore the proper order! Please! I beg of you!?"
All the while, Twilight looked on the mare with pity and remorse. Celestia's reign had done far more internal damage than she had initially realized if ponies like these were leftover from her rule. The sheer level of fanaticism frightened her because it reminded her of her own blind loyalty. Dragging the mare away, Twilight began dreading meeting the captured dissidents.
After defusing the hostage situation, the UN humanitarian team set out and began logging their findings on Camp Canary. Their initial survey of the camp was... disheartening to say the least.
The camp's conditions, save for the officers' quarters, were deplorable.
The housing for the prisoners comprised of several large decrepit building.
In spite of their size they were cramped due to the number of ponies crammed into a single space, dirty and poorly maintained, leaving little in the way of basic comfort. There was a several holes that marred the roove's surface and almost no form of heating, meaning the prisoners likely suffered the long frigid nights of the Equestrian wilderness in huddled masses for warmth.
Furnishing was basically nonexistent, with sacks full of hay being substituted for crude bedding (or an alternate source of food judging by how flat they were), simple footlockers for storing clothing and whatever meager trinkets the prisoners had on their person at the time, and bookshelves that was filled with texts approved by the Church of Harmony.
Rats wouldn't be caught dead living there.
The outdoor latrine was also never cleaned out regularly, making for a horrid smell that could rival most chemical weapons. As for everything else? There was nothing else. The camp was bare as bare can be, with only simple living quarters and an outhouse making up the entirety of prisoner lodgings.
There were ghettoes back during the day that were more inviting than this.
The prisoners themselves were treated no different. After they were freed from the mines, of which there were several hundred pouring out from the many entrances, the doctors began performing routine check ups on each and every one of them and found themselves worried by their examinations.
The prisoners were all malnourished and suffered from a variety of ailments as a result of being crammed together in tight unclean spaces or being overworked in the mines without proper protective equipment. As a result, they were all lanky and emaciated, covered from head to toe in black coal dust that clung to their fur like a second skin. They could barely breath due to black lung, let alone trot or swing a pickaxe. A few were even missing limbs to which they confessed having them amputated because of medical reasons or because of a workplace incident.
Statements collected from the group revealed they were only fed a thin watery gruel of plain oats and local vegetables twice a day. Some days they were only given one if Warden Manacle felt they weren't meeting the quota of the day or if he had satisfied himself in determining their perceived faithlessness. They were to be given only the barest minimum of nutrition required to function on a day to day basis, anything more would've been deemed a luxury.
Normally, the average person or pony could survive on such a meal, provided they didn't exert themselves to burn more calories than necessary. But working back breaking sixteen hour shifts in the coal mine with little breaks in between had all but guaranteed broken spirits and failing bodies.
The sight of it all made Twilight retch and she could barely bring herself to look at any of them in the eye. Fathers, mothers, the elderly and older teens all stared at her with blank lifeless eyes that were weighed down by heavy dark bags. These were her people, ponies she had promised to serve and protect, and she had them locked up without so much as a second thought.
She had them all locked up because she couldn't be bothered to think on her own.
After some time, the humanitarian team had packed up their equipment and were preparing to depart for their facilities back west with the prisoners in tow, both the freed dissenters and the apprehended ESS members. They had underestimated the actual number of personnel that they were going to transport and had called in for more dropships to help with their task.
Until then, all they could do was wait and get everyone situated for what comes next.
"Atten-shun!" Lieutenant Newman bellowed, addressing the group gathered before him. "Aerial transport will be here in approximately one hour! When they arrive, I want you all to form up in single file lines until my men and I call you to be brought aboard! You will all then be moved to the UN regional medical complex where you will receive treatment for your ailments and a place to stay at until we can have you processed and determine whether or not you are fit to go back to your homes! If you do not have a home to return to as a result of wartime action, you will be sent to any one of our many temporary housing blocs until the reconstruction of Equestria's infrastructure is complete!" He then turned to the ESS members. "As for the rest of you sorry lot, you are at ambassador Sparkle's mercy. So play nice, or else."
"I'd rather be dead!" One of the members shouted indignantly, and promptly received a lasbolt near his hoof in response. Startled, he fell over backwards and collapsed onto his haunches, staring up fearfully at smoking barrel of Newman's laser pistol.
"Mouth off again in front of me and you'll end up a gelding, maggot," Newman sneered. With a flourish, he twirled his pistol back into his holster in a single smooth motion before gesturing over to Twilight to stand beside him. "Now, before I conclude our little meeting, the ambassador would like to have a word with everyone." He nodded to her respectfully and took a step backward. "You have the floor, ma'am."
"Thank you, lieutenant," replied Twilight as she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She didn't want to turn forward, not when the the sea of deadened eyes glaring at her threatened to cripple her resolve. Steeling herself, she faced the crowd of dispirited ponies in front of her and spoke with a voice that was equal parts resolute and fearful.
"Everypony! Years ago, Equestrian royalty had made the terrible mistake of choosing to wage war against a species that we alone thought deserved to be converted as a means of saving them from their own destructive nature! In that choice, we had convinced our people to hate the humans, to rob them of their very existence under the pretense of holier than thou hogwash! We were wrong in believing that! I was wrong to believe that, as was I to foolishly believe Celestia and her manipulative reasoning!
When our fair nation descended into fascism, into totalitarian oppression, you tried to warn your leaders, your friends, neighbors, brothers and sisters of the rotting plague that had infected Equestria! Instead of listening, we had vilified you all for speaking the truth in times of madness!
The Resistance, understanding the futility of convincing conceited individuals, such as myself, of our wrongdoings had taken it upon themselves to correct the mistakes that threatened to eradicate the human race and blacken Equestria's very soul! Scorned by the betrayal of my people, of my best friends, I had taken it upon myself to remain vigilant in the face of so called dissent!
The Equestrian Secret Service was the very monster born of my ignorance and abhorrence for all things viewed treacherous! Formed under Celestia, Luna, Cadence and I offered our unquestioned support in stamping out the weeds of resistance that sprouted across this once beautiful garden! With ruthless fanaticism, the ESS tore you from your homes and from your friends and families to be punished for speaking out against the crown! Only now do I realize the horrific atrocities I have perpetuated in blind devotion to the fraudulent Equestrian ideal!
You, the truest ponies of Equestria, were robbed of everything in my mad quest for order! So weak was I as a leader that I let my own hatred and fears take control of me and I took it out upon those who walked the same path as Fluttershy! She who should be upheld as a paragon of all things harmonious!
I cannot give back all that I have taken from you all, nor do I think that I am worthy of your forgiveness! But know that I am sorry! Deep down in my heart of hearts I truly regret being the cause of everything that has brought you pain and misery! I don't know if I'll ever be able to make up for all the things I've done, or if I'll even be able to begin to forgive myself, but with the weight of Equestria placed upon my back I swear to undo all the crimes that have been wrought in the veil of genocide!
I promise to ensure that Equestria will be made whole once more!"
Twilight stopped to breath. The speech had taken a lot more out of her than she had expected, but it needed to be said. She can only hope that the reception to it didn't end with a rock or rocks thrown to the head, no matter how much she thinks she deserves it.
A pregnant silence filled the air, which was soon broken by the clattering of old horseshoes upon the dirt.
An elderly stallion hobbled forth from the back of the crowd, faint whispers from his peers revealed his name to be Rail Splitter. His filthy soot covered appearance was exasperated by the presence of rickety bones poking up from under the skin and various scars on top. He was missing a foreleg and was forced to limp around with a support cane built from an old shovel. The stallion's face was twisted into a perpetual scowl like a gnarled root of a tree and his yellow misshapen teeth would be enough to make any dentist faint at the mere sight of it.
Slowly he approached ambassador Twilight and gave her a lengthy once over, unsettling the mare with how deliberate he was with his examination. Newman and his men kept their hands on their weapon in case anything were to happen, but a silent gesture from Twilight made them ease up on the situation.
"...So," Rail Splitter began, licking his cracked lips. His voice was squeaky yet gravelly, like the sound of glass rubbing up on glass. "You're sorry," he crowed. "You're sorry and you promise to make up for all the idiotic shit you've pulled as an obsessed madmane!" he mocked in a high sing song voice. "You're sorry for having thrown every single one of us fine folk into the gutter while our home burned to the ground because of your incompetence!"
Rail Splitter quickly raises his good hoof and delivers an anger filled hook across Twilight's jaw, causing her to stagger back and spit blood. Twilight doesn't resist and quickly regains her posture as Rail continued his rant.
"Well I don't want your damn apologies!" He shouts, being joined by the crowd behind him who shared his sentiment. "I don't want your hollow promises!"
"Yeah!" The crowd jeered.
"What I want...!" Rail Splitter begins but abruptly stops. He begins to choke up, anger mixing in with pent up sorrow. "What I want is my home back! What I want is to do my damn job and then come home after a long day to relax with my friends and family! All I wanted to do was live and you took that from me!?"
"Yeah!"
"I broke my back for Equestria! I loved this country! I did everything I could to see it grow and flourish as it should! But then, all of a sudden, I'm the bad guy for thinking this damn war was a bad idea from the start!"
"He's right!"
"I'm the bad guy for upholding the values that had been hammered into me since birth! I'm the bad guy for wanting to preserve peace in the name of friendship and harmony that you claim to champion, little missy!" He prodded Twilight's chest. "You want to be sorry? You want to make things right? Then just do it! I don't wanna hear your sanctimonious speeches or empty promises! I'm through with being lectured by ponies who think they know better than me or my friends!"
"You tell her, Rail Splitter!"
"Be the leader Equestria needs, and the people will follow! Be that leader and maybe, just maybe, things will turn out alright in the end!" Rail Splitter concluded with an uproarious, if weak and cough laden, applause from the ponies behind him. All the while the ESS members looked on the scene with quiet disdain, watching as all their hard work become undone by a traitorous upstart.
Rail Splitter walked away after that and many followed with him. The crowd dispersed soon after, leaving everyone to their own devices as they waited for the transport ships to show up.
Twilight, strangely, had felt a lot better now than when she was in the car ride here, even if she had to set her jaw back into place after taking that hit. She had said her peace and taken the response to it with her chin up, quite literally.
Though it had been crass, Rail Splitter's tirade and the jeering of the crowds was something she needed to hear for herself. He was right, of course. Beating herself up over things that should be left in the past wasn't going to heal Equestrian or repair the divide between human and ponies. She had to take charge and be the leader Equestria needed from the very beginning. Not as princess or as an infallible Goddess, but as a flawed and perseverant individual.
But just as she turned to rejoin the humanitarian team, Manacle couldn't help but get in one last jab at her.
"This isn't over, you know" He spat.
Twilight chuckled humorless in response. "I'm pretty sure it is for you."
"There will be others," Manacle scowled. "You may have everypony else fooled, but don't think you've won just yet. Others will follow in my footstep. The war is not over. It will never be over until every single godless human on this blasted rock is wiped out. Celestia wills it!"
"Those who walk the same path you do are doomed for failure," Twilight retorted, leveling a soul piercing glare at the stubborn stallion. "I'll see to it personally that the remnants of Celestia's lingering will are stamped out along with the rest of your zealous ilk. Harmony as my witness, her legacy will be undone by my hooves if it is the last thing I do," she threatened in a chilling whisper that shook Manacle right down to his very core. "And there is nothing that you can do to stop it."
She turned around and trotted away, smirking with the knowledge that her theatrics have left the warden thoroughly unnerved.
The dropships arrived far sooner than was estimated, at least ten minute earlier, and the evacuations were already underway. The ESS members were loaded in first in a separate prison ship while the others were steadily being boarded on massive cargo vessels that were meant for hauling heavy equipment.
Twilight had left the evacuation up to Newman and his men while she had gone to perform a last minute sweep of the premises in order to collect anything she might deem valuable in stoking sympathy for the prisoners.
Papers, pictures or the odd trinket were of interest for her. She had prepared a campaign dedicated to making sure everypony who were wrongfully imprisoned were set free and given aid for all they've endured. As she wandered she noticed a mother and her son standing by the far end of the camp. They stood before what she assumed was a makeshift grave judging by the mound of dirt and simple wooden marker. The mother had placed a small bundle of wildflowers upon the grave and whispered some quiet words beneath her breath.
"Um, excuse me," Twilight spoke, snapping the pair out of their mourning. "The transports have arrived. It's time to leave for the medical complex."
"O-oh, of course," the mother replied, turning to her son. "Come along, Mozer."
They all began walking towards the lines that formed in front of the cargo vessels when Twilight decided to strike up some small talk.
"...Did you know them well?" She asked, referring to the deceased.
The mother looked wistful. "Not as much as I would've liked to. He was a strong stallion. Stout of heart, pure of soul and adamant of will. He saved my boy from dying in the mines by choosing to take over his shift. He did that for all of us when we were too weak to mine for coal. He pushed himself everyday for a year until his heart couldn't handle the strain any longer. The guards were going to leave his body to rot in the mines so everypony else decided to give him a proper grave. He deserved that much in the end, at the very least."
They fell silent as she finished speaking and parted ways with one another shortly after.
Twilight's resolve to see this through to the end had been strengthened as a result of experiencing the horror of her actions first hand. She can only hope to hold onto that resolve for as long as she can throughout the rest of her journey. After all, Camp Canary was only one of several work camps that had been set up to fuel the Equestrian war machine. She will dismantle them all and free her people even if it kills her.
As she joined up with Newman and the humanitarian team, she couldn't help but mull over the dead stallion that had gave his life in order for others to live to see this day. She quickly looked over her shoulder and memorized the name carved onto the wooden marker.
Princess Twilight Sparkle destroys the very spell that made her into an alicorn, preventing any further creation and potential abuse of power.
Hot Stepper was having a pretty shitty time.
Currently, the unfortunate red unicorn was on the run from armed officers, both pony and human. Sweat dripped down his brow and was soaked into his fur as he struggled to keep pace, the blasted Thalmann Generators set up around the premises of Castle Canterlot prevented him from simply blinking out of there with his ill gotten spoils. Stowed in his saddlebag was an ancient but incredibly powerful piece of parchment; the Scroll of Ascension. It was the miraculous spell that would allow an ordinary pony to transcend their lowly selves into a godlike alicorn.
Earlier that evening the EFF had sent him and a small team of some of the finest ponies within their ranks to fulfill a mission of great import. Covertly, he and his partners, Rhinestone, Minty Fresh, Big Top and Prickly Bramble, were to infiltrate the the Royal Library’s forbidden section deep within the heart of Castle Canterlot and make away with the Scroll of Ascension, the spell that would turn their little resistance operation into a full blown revolution.
With the power to create alicorns at the tip of their hooves, the EFF will find and free Princess Celestia from her unjust imprisonment. Their rightful Goddess returned to the throne both humanity and the traitor princess, Twilight Sparkle, will be broken under Old Equestria’s unstoppable might and a new Golden Age will rise from the ashes of human civilization.
Things started off well.
The group had cased the joint the day before and cross referenced it with some old building blueprints that were hidden at the EFF's secret mountain headquarters. They knew the best way to get in, the quickest way to get out and had an intimate knowledge of the guard's patrol route and shift rotations.
The informant that tipped them off about the scroll of ascension was also going to make sure things were as lax as can be at the castle without making it too obvious something was going on. That kind of help was greatly appreciated and was compensated accordingly with a hefty sum of money to buy their silence.
Training came next. Outside of memorizing the blueprints Hot Stepper and the crew were hard at work making sure their skills were razor sharp to cover every possible angle for the mission.
Hot stepper was the quick one, a flaming hoof as his cutie mark only served to confirm this claim. Born a unicorn and deft at birth his dexterity and quickness was further bolstered by passive magical augmentation. Once a lowly delivery boy he gained a new lease on life joining the Equestrian Freedom Fighters as their speedy scout out of devotion to the restoration of Old Equestria.
Rhinestone, a dark gray earth pony with a large cut gem for his cutie mark and outlandish mohawk for a mane, was the tough guy. An ex member of the Royal Guard spurned by Princess Twilight's betrayal, Rhinestone is said to chew glass and shit out works of art on the daily. He could smash open doors with but a single swing of his bare hoof and take enough punishment to make even the strongest weep for mercy.
Minty Fresh, a pearl white unicorn with a bottle of toothpaste for a cutie mark and a tri-colored red, white and blue mane, was the precise one. A humble dental practitioner by trade, Minty Fresh could quickly and painlessly extract a tooth and flush out the gums out before the patient was even administered nitrous. As it turns out her skills could be used to pick locks and delicately swipe valuables. Word is she joined the EFF out of vengeance for her deceased brother who was a soldier in the war.
Big Top, an orange pegasus with a bright red afro mane and a trio of bowling pins for his cutie mark, was the tricky one. He used to be a clown for the circus up until the humans bombed the tent he lived in during the raid on Fillydelphia, killing his co-workers and effectively ending his career as an entertainer after shrapnel from the blast crippled his juggling abilities. Now, this sad clown uses his lingering talents to confuse and distract the enemies of the EFF as a way to get back at those who ruined his life.
And lastly, Prickly Bramble, a dark green earth pony with a brown mane and bramble bush as her cutie mark, was the angry one. She was a botanist whose her whole world came crashing down after her greenhouse was set ablaze during the white phosphorous attack on Canterlot. Decades of backbreaking work had gone up in flames, driving her into the waiting arms of the EFF who utilized her knowledge of plants to great effect.
Together, they were the dream team. A hand picked squad of specialists who were going to shake up the existing power structure and bring about great change.
...Only they didn't.
As the old saying goes, 'no plan ever survives contact with the enemy,' and this one was no different.
The actual heist itself had gone off without a hitch.
Hot Stepper kept tabs on the guards while Minty Fresh made short work of any locks that barred their way. And if something couldn't be picked Rhinestone simply forced it open or was dissolved through one of Prickly Bramble's many strange plant concoctions. When a guard did start to nose around in their business, Big Top applied a bit of circus trickery to lure them away from their scent. In less than twenty minutes of stressful espionage the team had broken into the Royal Library's forbidden section and swiped the scroll of ascension without anyone the wiser.
The escape on the other hand couldn't have gone any worse than if the Devil himself had shown up in a stinking sulfuric plume of smoke to laugh at their misfortune.
The team didn't know how they were caught.
They'd been so careful, covering their tracks every step of the way and making sure their escape route was ready for use once they were ready to split. But the moment Hot Stepper shoved the scroll into his saddlebags every light in the building came on at once and they were immediately greeted by a fully armed firing squad more than eager to air them out if they tried anything funny. A familiar feeling of weightless heaviness within the air signified that Thalmann Generators had been deployed nearby, effectively boxing them in like rats in a maze.
Prickly Bramble was the first to die. Sensing no way out she reached into her satchel and tossed out one of her concoctions in the hopes that it would aid in her team's escape. She was shot dead before the vial even hit the hit the ground, filled with enough bullets to warrant lead poisoning as the cause of death just as the room became engulfed with an expanding cloud of noxious gas.
The remaining members of the team took advantage of the confusion and bolted out of the room, making a beeline straight to their escape route without looking back.
Rhinestone was the next to go. He was slow, lumbering and a big target. Even with his prodigious tolerance for pain a single bullet right through the back of the head would drop damn near everything.
Big Top was the third. A wayward glint from the rooftops on the opposite end of the hallway they were running through drew his attention to the bright red laser that was crawling up along the floors. It painted a dot on his sides.
Bang!
Took a single .308 round to the hip that sent him skidding to a bleeding halt. He lived through that but didn't take any chances given he was little more than dead weight now. Without a moment of hesitation he dislodged the cyanide pill capsule embedded in his back most molar and bit down. The poison took effect immediately, ending any prolonged suffering he would've received at the hands of his human captors.
As for Minty fresh, the panicking unicorn didn't take to the concept of death as well as the others did. While vengeful, self preservation won out in place of suicidal dedication to the EFF. When cornered by a group of guards she surrendered immediately, dropping down onto the floor with her hind legs splayed out and forelegs behind her head in a fearful display of submission as she was cuffed and dragged away unceremoniously by her aggressors.
Now, Hot Stepper was all that was left.
He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, ignoring the burning sensation that seared across his muscles. He used to be a delivery boy, this kind of thing should be nothing to him. Then again, he generally used magic to aid himself in his work and there wasn't an entire police force Hell bent on apprehending him when delivering pizzas.
Hot Stepper made a right turn, scrambling across the polished floors of the castle as the clambering of guards behind him grew quieter and quieter with each step he took. Before long, his goal came into view: the doors that led to the castle courtyards. Once through he would slip across the courtyard's hedge maze like a ghost, escaping the range of the Thalmann Generators and blinking away into the night with scroll in tow. His team's death would not be in vain and the EFF would reward him greatly for his success.
However, Hot Stepper celebrated his victory far too soon as thoughts of being deified as an eternal saint by a grateful Princess Celestia blinded him to the shadows moving outside the windows nearby. With a loud crash, the doors leading to the courtyard were kicked opened. Illuminated by the pale moonlight men and ponies dressed in dark colored police uniforms emblazoned with the logo GSG-9 caused Hot Stepper to stop dead in his tracks as one of them raised his weapon towards him and fired it with an earsplitting bang.
A beanbag tagged him dead center on his chest, knocking his ass to the ground and the wind from out his lungs. He was immediately surrounded and restrained where he thrash on the ground helplessly as his captors forcefully reached into his mouth and swiftly yanked out the tooth that hid his cyanide capsule. If he did have some form of magical memory wiper the generators prevented them from going off. There was no way for him prevent interrogation now.
A few seconds later, the clattering of golden horseshoes on polished marbled turned Hot Steppers attention to Twilight Sparkle, traitor to Equestria and priority target of the EFF. She was flanked by a squad of senior GSG-9 officers and her own retinue of bodyguards. One of the officers restraining him stood up and exchanged salutes with his superiors before speaking in his native tongue.
"Willkommen, botschafterin Sparkle. Der verbrecher wurde festgenommen!"
"Sehr gut," replied Twilight. "Ich werde es von hier nehmen. Du bist erleichtert."
"Danke!" The man saluted and he left to regroup with his squad. The rest stayed behind to keep Hot Stepper down, making sure he didn't try anything funny as Twilight approached the terrorist. Her face was stony and unflinching in wild contrast to Hot Stepper's fierce expression of pure hatred. He scowled at Twilight, making his revulsion clear for all to see.
"You speak their brutish tongue, now?" Hot Stepper scoffed. "How far you have fallen you traitorous bitch! False idol!" He smirked in spite of his predicament, hoping to get a rise out of the ambassador, but frowned as her expression remained unchanged. "Well, aren't you going to say anything? Or do your human masters have to give you permission to speak like some subservient maid."
Sighing, Twilight ignored all the snide comments and used her magic to pull the Scroll of Ascension from out of Hot Stepper's saddlebag. Seeing his prize taken from him he attempted to fight off his captors and rush the traitor princess.
"Give that back!" he growled. "That belongs to the Freedom Fighters!"
"Wrong!" Twilight seethed through gritted teeth, "this wretched thing belongs to no one!" Narrowing her eyes, the thin piece of parchment floating in front of her burst into flames. As it burned in the darkness the fire was stoked with the scroll's linger arcane essence, morphing the color of the flame from a warm orange to cool ocean blue. The potent magic stored within its browned fibres shrieked and yawned as it was released into the aether from its fiery destruction before fading away into nothingness, never to be used again.
Hot Stepper's eyes shrank to pinpricks as everything he had worked so hard for went up in smoke right before his eyes along with his hope of a better tomorrow. Letting out a sorrowful howl he forced himself out from under his captors' hold and leapt towards the small pile of blackened ash, still warm and glowing with dim cinders. He sifted through the ashes with shaking hooves, smearing them in soot as he absently clapped them together in a foolish attempt to restore the scroll.
"No, no, no! No, please, Goddesses, no!" He choked out broken heartedly. "Do you realize what you've just done?!" he wailed, sobbing into his hooves. "You've destroyed our future!"
"No. I prevented another Celestia from being born! That kind of power was too dangerous to let exist any longer. You and your misguided ilk are playing with fire, this ignorance will not got unpunished!" Twilight spat disdainfully before turning around and leaving. "Mach was du willst mit ihm! Ich muss mich um Geschäfte kümmern," she said to a nearby officer.
Sitting on his haunches with his face frozen in despair, Hot Stepper was snapped from his stupor as a human officer dropped something next to him with a loud thump. The officer crouched down in front of him and began to assemble some sort of crude device that crackled with electricity as his fellows moved in to hold Hot Stepper in place.
"Hallo," the man spoke, his voice laced with calm cruelty. "Do you know what this is?" he pointed to his blocky device by his foot as Hot Stepper fearfully shook his head. "It's a car battery. Old tech, but very fun to play around with. Might not look like much but it's practically filled to the brim with electric juice." He demonstrated the claim by tapping his jumper cables together, causing a bright arc of electricity to form in between. Hot Stepper swallowed thickly, he didn't like where this conversation was going.
"Now, here's what's going to happen. You and I are going to play a little game. It's called, 'let's violate the Geneva Convention,'" the man continued, looking at Hot Stepper dead in the eye. "Here are the rules. I'm going to ask you some very personal questions, invasive even, and you're going to tell me everything that I want to know. Otherwise," he pointed one of the cable clamps down towards Hot stepper's groin, "I'm going to send couple thousand volts of electricity straight to your testicles. Sounds fun, right? Now, then. First question. Tell me where your scumbag friends are hiding."
Twilight left the room right as the screaming started.
The Royal Library was, and still is, one of Twilight's most favorite place in the whole wide world. There was just something wondrous about the rows upon rows of shelves stacked high with books and scrolls both from all over Equestria that tickled her fancy every time she went. Unfortunately, she had had very little time to indulge in personal pleasantries since the surrender, not when she was busy dealing with the EFF and their terror attacks.
She wasn't there to peruse the library's extensive archives, she was there to confront somepony.
In the middle of the archives, diligently organizing the various books and scrolls stacked atop a wobbly cart was an elderly looking mare. Her coat was a dull light purple that had lost a lot of its luster over the long years of service in the archives. The same could be said about her dusty mane, which was as gray as ash in a fireplace. She wore small spectacles that hung over the bridge of her nose, a ribbon tie around the shirt collar on her neck, and had a collection of scrolls for a cutie mark.
Her name was Dusty Pages and Twilight had known her for a better part of her life growing up.
"Dusty Pages," Twilight politely addressed, causing the elderly mare to snap from her focus. She turned to face Twilight, a warm smile on her face.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite patron. Twilight Sparkle," Dusty Pages. "What brings you to the archives so late at night?"
"There was a disturbance," Twilight responded with a false smile. "But there's nothing to worry about. I've taken care of it already." Dusty Pages's smile faltered for a moment. To most, it would be an imperceptible twitch of the face, but Twilight was practiced in the art of observation. Such subtleties hid ulterior motives.
"What exactly happened?" Dusty Pages asked, slowly setting down the book stack. "I heard a commotion but assumed it was the night watch acting rowdy again. You know how they are; stallion by day, colts by night," she jested with an airy chuckle.
"The Equestrian Freedom Fighters were here," Twilight announced, causing Dusty Pages to stop laughing and break out into a coughing fit.
"Oh, my," Dusty gasped. "What could those hooligans possibly want at the castle?"
"They tried to make off with the Scroll of Ascension. Luckily, we were able to stop them. I confronted the perpetrators myself and burned the scroll before the infernal thing could be used," Twilight paused, gauging Dusty's reaction. For a split second, Dusty's composure fell apart only to regain that same smile from earlier. This confirmed her suspicions.
"I-I see," Dusty stammered. "Probably for the best then. A-after all, we can't have just anypony using dangerous magical artifacts now, can we?"
"I agree. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something to discuss with GSG-9. Keep up the good work, Dusty." Twilight then turned around and began trotting away, fully aware of her assailant about to pounce her. Sighing, her horn flared up with glowing magic, stopping the attack mere inches from striking the back of her neck. With a lazy turn of the head, Twilight watched as Dusty strained under her telekinesis, letter opener in hoof and an expression of fury etched on her wrinkly face. "Et tu, Dusty?" Twilight lamented.
With a single thought, Twilight ripped the letter opening from Dusty's hooves and flung it back to the reception desk where she deposited it neatly in the cup that held office supplies. Another thought sent Dusty Pages flying back into the book cart with a loud crash, scattering pages everywhere. Metal squealed and screeched as Twilight forced the metal cart to bend and buckle to her will, wrapping the elderly mare in metal bindings as she lashed out in anger.
"Bah! Let me go! Let me go, you traitor!" Dusty shouted, eyes full of hate.
"You were the one who tipped off the EFF! You were the one that promised them the scroll! They didn't sneak past you. You let them in!" Twilight accused, approaching Dusty with an aura of pure menace cloaking her. "There were only two others that knew about what I had planned to do with the Scroll of Ascension, and since one them is Spike, the one person I know who would never in a million years associate himself with such a violent and misguided rabble, that leaves only you!" She seethed, tightening the metal bars like they were made of wet clay.
"Gah!" Dusty screamed as she was being squeezed.
"I trusted you with that information! I couldn't let others know what I wanted, no, what I needed to do to ensure our future prosperity! Why?! Why would you do something as stupid as giving up the scroll to the EFF!" Twilight snapped, halting her magic for a moment.
"Because you are driving Equestria to ruin!" Dusty admitted with a harsh glare. "For three years I've watched you kowtow to the demands of the humans. For three years I watched as you systematically destroy our culture! For three years I've watched as you did everything in your power to degrade our people into confused sheep! I realized then that the EFF were right all along. You are nothing more than a usurper in light of Princess Celestia! A puppet dangling on string before your human masters!"
"Is that's what this is all about. The good old days? Such a flimsy motive," Twilight seethed. "Do you have any idea, any idea at all, what kind of damage the EFF could've done if they had successfully stolen that damned scroll?!"
"They would've made everything right!" Dusty rebuked. "Equestria is a shadow of its former self. You were supposed to help restore it, not make us like the humans! And now they're running about on our soil, eating our food, taking our land and screwing our mares! We're no longer Equestria, we're New Humanland! Home of degenerates and ignorant foals! We're slowly becoming a minority in our own country! What will you give up next, princess?" she spat. "The Alicorn Amulet? The Cutie Map? Or how about what's left of the Elements of Harmony? Will you trade them all for a few more years of unstable peace!"
"You know nothing of the peace I've worked to preserve. All my blood, sweat and tears were devoted to you and everyone else," Twilight growled low. "Equestria has become far greater than it ever has been now that we've truly embraced friendship and harmony, like we should've years ago. Human and pony live together as one, brothers and sisters with a steely bond forged through hardship and understandin-"
"I don't need to hear your poison!" Dusty interjected. "I don't need to hear any of this! If only the EFF had made off with the scroll, but those foals couldn't even do that! All my planning and secrecy were for nothing!"
"I'd hardly call it planning and secrecy if I was able to put a stop to it in a single night," Twilight retorted. "It's over, Dusty. The only thing waiting for you is a trial for treason and an empty cell in Blue Reef Prison."
"You think I'm afraid of being ostracized by my peers? Of jail?" Dusty smirked mockingly, a throaty chuckle welling up in her throat. "At my age there's nothing left for me. Oblivion would be preferable compared to whatever future Equestria is heading towards."
"So you've already resigned yourself to your fate?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"I knew what I was getting myself into. Win or lose this is the final act of a mare faithful to Equestria and Princess Celestia."
"So be it," Twilight clapped her hooves on the floor and a squad of officers entered the room. "I pity you, Dusty Pages. That you would spend your last few years behind bars after so long as a dutiful librarian."
"Save me your speeches. I've heard enough," Dusty retorted as she was summarily dragged away by the GSG-9.
Dusty Pages was silent throughout her arrest. She didn't resist and was even downright courteous to the men and stallions carrying her to the armored van. This was a mare who had given it all and received nothing in the end as a result of a single choice.
Applejack reflects on a modern Equestria in a post war world as she rallies the Equestrian Freedom Fighters.
What makes a country?
There are many answers to that question, but for Applejack, a country is a culmination of both its people and their ideals made manifest. Those two important factors are what makes the foundation of Equestria, the most prosperous and righteous nation to ever exist in the history of their world.
Ponies, united in their belief in the ways of Harmony and Friendship, had ascended as a people beyond the realm of petty tribalism and carved out a utopian society in the heart of the untamed landscape amongst their savage neighbors.
By the will of the Royal Pony Sisters and the will of Harmony, ponykind established itself as the chosen people in a world where dark forces periodically threatened to overtake them at every turn. Many had come before them, many have tried to create a lasting legacy, yet even the greatest most prolific civilizations of old failed in what ponykind was able to achieve and maintain in the centuries that passed.
There was no doubt in anypony's mind that Equestria, a shining beacon of all that is good in a murky sea of darkness, would endure for all eternity and beyond.
...But times have changed.
Equestria had changed.
No longer were they on Equus. Now, they lived on a rotten ball of shit floating in the middle of space called Earth surrounded by greedy, sinful, self-destructive humans who were as discordant as they were warmongering.
Humanity and the unfortunate planet they called home were always on the precipice of destruction. Ponykind had done it's best to uplift them from their sad pathetic lives, to save them from themselves so that they may all live in peace with one another. But coexistence was nothing more than a pipe dream, the insane musings of a madmare.
The teachings of harmony had failed.
The conversion bureaus had failed.
Forceful conversion of humanity was the only solution for survival for both species, yet the ambition to spread the light of Harmony beyond the reaches of the known universe had ended in complete and total disaster.
The Conversion War, as many have come to call it in the aftermath, resulted in Equestria losing over half of its loyal citizens to the bloody conflict and having a figurative knife pressed up against its throat. They were at the mercy of the humans who were all too ready to wipe them off the face of the planet if they so much as cough without their permission.
Since then, Equestria was no longer on top. Not politically, socially, or economically.
The central government, if you could even call it that anymore, and those whom make up its entirety were being puppeteer by outside influences. Most politicians and nobles were either blatant figureheads or obedient sheep who pushed the post war humanist agenda. The rest were all aggressive conservatives who did everything they could to wrest control back from the new powers that had taken over their home to little success.
The populace at large was fractured and pacified into submission by threats of force and tempting promises. There was a widening divide between those who were for human-pony integration and those against it, with the former steadily outnumbering the latter day by day.
And as for their economic situation? The word tragic wouldn't even begin to describe the financial travesty the country had undergone. Rampant inflation near the end of the war in Celestia's desperate bid to maintain the war effort had made the bit worth less than the metal it was stamped on.
In order to prevent a total economic collapse Equestria was forced to adopt humanity's new Universal-Credits (Abbr. U-Credits, U-Creds, UC's, or, for the young and savvy, Ucks), universal currency that came in both paper bills and cryptocurrency form. It hadn't solved their financial issues entirely, but things were stable enough that trade and commerce were capable of functioning on the barest levels, and that the average citizen could go to work, get paid and come home to enjoy a decent meal with their families.
But even the worst of those couldn't compare to the dangers of moral degradation that slowly eroded the country from within.
The Church of Harmony, once the ironclad moral arbiter that maintained discipline and loyalty among the masses, had sadly become little more than a crumbling relic from a golden age in the wake of defeat and disillusionment, having been systematically dismantled. Worse still, the faith ponies had in Celestia was traded for scorn as she was ultimately blamed for all of Equestria's suffering.
In time, ponykind's carefully cultured sense of enlightenment would rot away into the same misguided and selfish ways that had kept the three tribes divided so long ago. Or worse, they will be assimilated by humanity and embrace the corruptive depravity that they had managed to narrowly avoid before the war started.
They were at rock bottom and Twilight's cowardly surrender had ensured ponykind would never appeal to the same heights of old ever again. Twilight, that weak, treacherous, capitulating scoundrel Applejack couldn't believe she once referred to as a sister, had handed the humans the keys to the kingdom and sold out her own people down the river in order to chase some illusory peace.
But this is not the end.
The war is not over. Not to Applejack, not to Rainbow Dash, and certainly not to the thousands of unbreakable patriots that continue to resist the new normal every step of the way.
The Equestrian Freedom Fighters continue to stir in the shadows, amassing their numbers, consolidating their strengths and undermining the rule of the false princess.
Like a venomous cobra, they coil themselves in preparation to strike when the time is right.
Applejack woke with a fright, catapulting up from her bed as she struggled to rein in her frazzled nerves. Her breath came out in short labored gasps and her fur was matted and slicked with sweat.
She had that nightmare again, the one where she relives the bombing of Ponyville with vivid intensity.
They'd been occurring almost every single night now, and each time the sensations became rawer and more palpable than she could withstand. It was like she was right back there in the burning town experiencing it all over again, amidst the choking black smoke, smouldering rubble and cacophonous screams of horror and panic.
Scrambling for her hat, she quickly reached over to the nightstand like she'd done a thousand times before, only to feel empty air and glossy hardwood against her hoof. It took a full minute for it to finally set in that she wasn't at the farmhouse in Ponyville anymore, that she wasn't truly home.
She let out an annoyed groan, it was a habit she just couldn't kick. Without her hat she just didn't feel whole.
It had been four years since Equestria surrendered to humanity, four long arduous years since Applejack joined the Equestrian Freedom Fighters at Rainbow Dash's proposal. She'd join without hesitation, of course, taking the opportunity as a heavenly sign from Celestia to redeem herself for her failure to save those she cared most about and to free Equestria from the tyranny of Twilight and her human puppet masters.
Grumbling a curse beneath her breath she quickly pulled the sheets from off of her before stumbling over to the bathroom and turning on the sink. Warm water poured from the spout as she hurriedly splashed some upon her face. The water felt heavenly upon her tired visage and the steam that filled the air eased her tension. Turning off the water, she rose her head to take a good hard look at herself in the mirror.
She didn't like what she saw.
The Applejack staring back at her in the steaming mirror was a pale morose shell of the mare she used to be. Broken, hollow, brimming with hatred.
Hatred for humanity, hatred for her traitorous kinsfolk, and hatred for a world that had turned its back on the righteous sons of daughter of old Equestria.
The true Equestria.
Her once vibrant emerald eyes were dark and glassy, the last spark of innocence that twinkled ever so dimly across the surface had been ripped away from her along with nearly everything else she ever cared about. Now, she always look to be glaring piercingly at anything and everything. In conjunction with the scowl on her lips, her passive visage was set in a perpetual glower. More than anything, she looked a combination of exhausted and irate.
Beneath her dull, matted orange fur was a series of short jagged scars decorating one side of her body from when the bombs dropped. They would peek through every so often, but most folks wouldn't notice unless they really tried. The doctors pulled out several ounces worth of shrapnel from her body, with most being shards of Equestrian bits and miscellaneous farm equipment. Though they had healed completely and were mostly hidden beneath her fur, they still ached with a burning pain that just won't seem to go away no matter how many painkillers she downs.
Sighing heavily, she turned around and returned to her room, the one the Equestrian Freedom Fighters provided her, to prepare for her day. It wasn't exactly glamourous. There were four walls, ceiling and a floor, a simple spring mattress, a nightstand with a lamp on it, and a plain looking armoire to hold her things.
As for personal effects she brought with her what had survived the bombing, which was to say not a whole lot.
Sitting by the sink was a red hairbrush her mother, Pear butter, gave her before she passed away. It was one of the few things that had miraculously remained untouched by the blast.
Hung above the bedside was Big Mac's yoke, a keepsake from their father, Bright Mac. Unfortunately that one had been blown to smithereens. It had taken her a whole afternoon to find what little there was that were scattered across ground zero, and a whole day to piece them back together to a somewhat presentable condition.
Resting in a dark corner of the room was Granny Smith's old rocking chair.
If her stories were true it was an Apple family heirloom from before she was even born. That one hadn't been lucky either. Most of it was destroyed and Applejack had hastily rebuilt it with whatever materials she had on hoof at the time. It looked slipshod in appearance, with metal pipes and other junk nailed onto it for structural integrity. It no longer rocked back and forth and was slanted to the one side, but sitting on it gave Applejack a sense of ease. Whether it's a product of sorrow or stress, she swears she could still hear the old coot ramble on like old times while seated.
About the only thing she didn't have tied to her family was something that belonged to Apple Bloom. No ribbon, no personal possession, no odd curios from her time as a Cutie Mark Crusader, nothing. Try as she might, there wasn't anything belonging to her younger sister that survived the explosion, save for the painful memory of her last moments.
Curiously, the private bathroom attached to the room was a small luxury that very few in the resistance were able to acquire. Sweetie Drops had personally seen to it that she'd have one, as a professional courtesy to a national icon and as a welcome present for joining while the others were relegated to using the communal washrooms.
All in all, It was a cozy if cramped and blandly utilitarian space to call her own. But then again, she didn't join the EFF for five star service and a hoof rub.
No, she'd join to keep fighting the good fight alongside her fellow true Equestrians.
Tying up her mane and slipping on her saddlebags, Applejack left her room and made her way to the main atrium where she was to give a speech soon.
The secret mountain headquarters was as busy as it had always been. Ponies she knew and ponies she'd come to know were scrambling about in a mad dash to fulfill do what they could before meeting up for morning prayer. Whether it was something mundane as restocking the headquarter's food stores with liberated supplies or something significant like prepping for shadow operations, the faithful ponies of the EFF did it all with a level of fanatical zeal that the true alicorn princesses would be proud of.
Old Equestria lives on through them, and in time, they will be the heralds of its fated revival.
Stopping by the cantina for breakfast, Applejack seated herself by the bar of the humble establishment and ordered herself a hearty homestyle meal to start off her busy day. She wasn't alone, several of her surviving friends and neighbors from Ponyville were beside her either enjoying their own meal or were engaged in casual chit chat with other members.
As the air filled with the tantalizing aroma of sizzling hay bacon, her attention was drawn away from the food and to the out-of-place looking flat screen television that was hooked up nearby.
It was interesting to see that while the EFF shared Celestia's luddite philosophies they had gone ahead and made an exception towards the use of advanced human technology if it meant maximizing their overall effectiveness as a resistance group. They were still using whatever they could scrounge together from Twilight's last foray into technological advances in conjunction with the headquarter's own impressive collection of ancient magical weaponry and weren't about to sacrifice that pragmatism just yet.
The TV itself didn't have the best picture quality, what with it receiving signals deep within the heart of a mountain, but what mattered was that they were able to watch the news and keep up with current affairs.
"Hey, Spatula Stanley. Turn that up, will ya?" Applejack asked, to which the chef behind the counter began cranking up the volume. The other patrons eating beside her chatted amongst themselves as the news report played out.
"Oh, boy. This is it! The big times!" Snips beamed gleefully. "There's no way they'll stay silent after what we did!"
"I always wanted to be on the news," Snails replied nonchalantly.
"Shh!" Applejack shushed. "Both of you keep your yaps shut, it's starting."
The screen displayed the logo of the Equestrian News Station, or ENS for short, the country's newest news station and the one that took advantage of Equestria's leap to the digital age. Onscreen was a duo of well dressed anchorponies; a stuffy looking pegasus with green fur and his cohost, a yellow unicorn.
"Good morning Equestria, I'm Grassroots Gusts" said the pegasus.
"And I'm Topaz Teller," said the unicorn, "and this is ENS, the Equestrian News Station, with the morning news. Our top story today..."
"Here it comes!" Snips squeaked giddily.
"Shh!" Applejack shushed again.
"...Ambassador Twilight Sparkle finally opens about the worldwide bombing incident that had rocked the world earlier this week. Live from the UN headquarters Twilight shares her thoughts on the recent tragedy that claimed hundreds as well as the rogue elements that threaten the stability of the nation."
"Heh, and so it begins," Lightning Dust quips with a smirk on her lips.
Applejack simply glared at the sight of her former best friend onscreen. Twilight was living it up as humanity's obedient little pet, rendering her once beautiful Equestria unrecognizable day by day while she and the rest of her fellows were living in a hole in the ground. None of this was right. None of it. Gritting her teeth, she refrained herself from smashing the screen in a fit of anger.
The footage onscreen then swapped from a footage of the EFF's bombing raids to a recording of Twilight being interviewed at the United Nations. The other diplomats, news reporters and other assorted rabble clamored around her, assaulting her every which way with all manner of questions related to the EFF.
"...I believe it is finally time that I address the elephant in the room. This fragile peace we've preserved and the relations we're working tirelessly to foster is under attack by rogue elements and have been for some time now," Twilight began, earning jeers and boos from the patrons.
"It is only until recently that they've shown their hooves. These self professed Equestrian Freedom Fighters whom we've come to know them as are the culprit behind the tragic series of terroristic acts we've suffered for the last few years after Equestria's surrender as well as the recent bombings around the world. Before I open the floor to questions, I must preface this Q&A session by stating that I, and by extension Equestria, condemn the actions of the EFF and that we will do whatever we can in our power to bring them to justice. You have my word on that."
The crowd of reporters clamored, Twilight picked one at random; a middle eastern man with a long beard and glasses.
"Musfir Abd Al-Rashid with the Cairo Carrier. Twilight Sparkle, for those out of the loop what are the goals of this Equestrian Liberation Front?"
"It's Freedom Fighters! Freedom Fighters damn it! Get it right you godless monkey!" Limestone Pie seethed loudly. "I didn't bomb the Chinese Consulate just so you can say our name wrong! Celestia damn it all!"
"The EFF had made their intentions clear when they revealed themselves; they seek to have me murdered, free Celestia from her prison and restore her rule of Equestria so that they may continue the Conversation War and continue her will of converting all of humanity, or in failing that, exterminating them completely." said Twilight, earning quiet murmurs of incredulity from her audience.
"Tsk, she thinks she's got us figured out," Snips scoffed.
"But that's what we're trying to do," replied Snails.
"Oh, yeah," Snips blinked.
Another reporter spoke up, a rotund Englishmen in a plaid suit.
"Ambassador, I'm Thomas Higginson with BBC News. I must ask, how did this organization come to be under your leadership? The world must know how it is that they've managed to form when Equestria was still licking its wounds from the aftermath of the Conversion War. This feels like a gross oversight on your part."
Twilight wrinkled her nose at the question. She had expected it to come sooner or later, luckily she was prepared for it, "The existence of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters, like many things throughout the Conversion War, came to be as a direct result of Celestia's paranoia.
Going through Celestia's secret documents I unsealed several contingency plans, one of which was to be enacted should Equestria near the brink of defeat. While the details of the plans were destroyed to preserve it from the scrutiny of others it is clear that this 'Fallen Protocol' as it were named was to have trusted loyalists, likely members of the defunct Equestrian Secret Service and disgruntled Royal Guard soldiers, form resistance cells and continue the fight long after the dust had settled.
They had begun to form before I had assumed power over Equestria, before I had surrendered, before Canterlot was under siege. Celestia had made sure to leave a parting gift to humanity out of sheer spite in the hopes that these loyalists will form the backbones of the old order and carry out her will. And so theys waited in the shadows, biding their time, gathering recruits, amassing arms, festering like a rotten cancer wherever their wretched ilk have made their home.
They're like a specter from the past that have come to haunt us all.
And now it appears that the time had come for their emergence into the public eye. Everything else that came before, the murders, the thefts, the so called accidents, all were merely a prelude to this moment. I was powerless to stop the EFF from forming as it did, but what matters now is that we join together once more to put an end to them before they cause more damage."
The crowd mumbled amongst themselves in agreement, her answer had satisfied them. With a gesture, Twilight motioned for the next question.
"Taishi Sparkle!" A Japanese reporter addressed in choppy mix and match grammar. "Takeshi Iwahara from Tokyo Times. How would you describe the Equestrian Freedom Fighters as an organization?"
Twilight looked in deep thought for a moment before speaking. "...Redundant."
"...What?" Applejack seethed through gritted teeth, feeling her facial muscles tense up from the flippant remark.
There was an awkward pause but Takeshi pressed on. "...Can you elaborate?"
Twilight's expression took a more serious appearance with a sharpened brow and steely gaze. There was a palpable aura of hostility surrounding the air around her.
"They call themselves freedom fighters, viewing themselves in the same light as righteous heroes of yore gallantly rebelling against the forces of evil, but the reality of their existence couldn't be any further from the truth.
Killing innocents, spreading misery and being an overall violent nuisance during this fragile time of peace are not the actions of virtuous heroes but rather those of the vengeful, the desperate and the obstinate; ponies who's entire lives were so entwined with Celestia's archaic Equestrian ideal that they could not bear to live in a world without her presence let alone coexist with the very humans who had slaughtered their friends and families not so long ago.
Instead of accepting the truth of the matter, they cling onto a dim echo of the past, living with the expectation that if they continue down this destructive path it would validate everything they'd been led to believe since they were born and be rewarded for their unwavering faith. Unbeknownst to them they are little more than tools to be used as seen fit, like a blunt instrument or pawns on a chessboard.
Even as we speak they're plotting their next move, ignorant in the fact, if not proud, of the harm they've brought to the world at large in their mad quest to reach an unattainable goal. And to what end? To force a revival of the same bloody conflict that claimed the lives of millions of ponies, that had killed more people than every major conflict on this planet combined, all in blind service to my former mentor and her hypocritical beliefs?
They are misguided as they are dangerous and if they had their way this world and everything in it would be as Celestia dictates, now and forever. I cannot allow that to pass. We, the inhabitants of this Earth, cannot allow that to pass."
Applejack could feel her blood boil. Every word that came out of Twilight's mouth served to stoke the fires of rage that burned from within and it took every ounce of willpower not to explode as it was. It was a losing battle.
"Miss Sparkle! Miss Sparkle!" another reporter called out in a thick african accent. "Oluchi Abara from the South African Tribunal! As the video of their exploits have shown, the individuals known as Rainbow Dash and Applejack were seen as a part of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters. It's a well known fact you were all close friends at one time. How does this affect your overall commitment to dealing with the terrorist organization?"
"I..." Twilight was taken aback by the question but composed herself quickly. She couldn't risk appearing weak on live broadcast, not when everyone was watching. "Ahem, yes. It is as you say. My former friends, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, are apart of the organization." The crowd erupted in an uproar at her disclosure, it brought doubt and suspicion to her claims. Rapid-fire questions rained down upon her, fortunately, Twilight was able to quell the outraged masses before they could accuse her of conspiracy.
"But my ties with these two extremists were severed years ago!" Twilight exclaimed. "As it stands they are no longer my friends but rather dangerous fanatical killers that must be stopped at all cost! Kill on sight orders for them have already arranged, and though it pains me to do so I simply cannot let them run rampant across the world perpetuating Celestia's will!
My only purpose as ambassador of Equestria have been to restore my homeland, support the people and find a cure for the ponification potion! And I will not let some lingering remnant of the old world threaten to undo all we have rebuilt, all that we should've strove to achieve from the very beginning were it not for Celestia's paranoid meddling!
If there are still any doubts for me now then let me declare: the EFF will be eradicated, this I promise!"
Twilight paused, taking a moment to catch her breath as a pregnant silence overtook the room. Her chest heaved in and out, greedily sucking in air she had expelled so fervently. It took a moment for her to realize just how passionate she was in her speech, stopping and staring with wide eyes to see her own hooves trembling out of anxiety. Inwardly, it pained her to speak the harsh truth, but she had done it before and it hurt just as much, and she will bear with it for it is her duty as leader of Equestria.
The silence was eventually interrupted by the sound of a single clap, from where she couldn't see. One clap turned into two, then into ten, and before she knew it she was blessed with an applaud that shook the very foundation of the meeting hall. It lasted for a whole minute before quieting down so the question and answering session could resume.
"An admirable stance, ambassador," Oluchi commented. "The world is looking forward to seeing how you handle this threat, but before we move on I have one last question for you. How difficult do you believe this undertaking of yours will be?"
"...I believe that with the power of the UN and the forces at our disposal we will be able to settle this matter in a few years time. Until we find the location of their headquarters most engagements with the EFF become rabbit hunts. Make no mistake. They're a tricky bunch, slinking the shadows like a common thief, no doubt armed with all manner of magical artifacts and emergency resources that Celestia had set aside in the improbable event of Equestria's defeat, but other than that I have no doubt in my mind that we will triumph in the end," replied Twilight.
The crowd broke out into soft murmurs. Their expressions denoted uncertainty. Not everyone was convinced. After all, It was easy for politicians to make empty promises.
"You sound awfully confident in that assessment," said Oluchi, earning several grunts of agreement from the audience. "People had made assumptions of easy victories before."
The not-so-subtle insinuation didn't go over Twilight's head. She sighed, "Unlike the EFF, I've learned from my mistakes. I won't underestimate them, but I'm aware of the fact that they aren't as nearly as threatening as they like to think they are. In the years since the they began their campaign of terror the EFF have accomplished little in the way of meaningful success outside of killing innocents and, likely as of now, being ostracized as dangerous terrorists in the eyes of the greater pony community.
Their numbers, which we estimate to be in the high thousands, are great but nothing compared to the might old Equestria possessed during its zenith. And even then it wasn't enough to win the Conversion Wars.
No amount of confidence, faith, weapons or magical artifacts will save them were we to rain down the full might of the united armed forces upon them. They know this, that's why they fight the way they do. Why they rely on fear and zealotry. But they can only hold out for so long on their own. Without Celestia they are nothing and their stagnant thrashings in the face of an ever changing world will result to less than nothing.
It is only a matter of time before they fall. And when they do... I'll be there to sift through the ashes."
Applejack slammed her hoof down on the bar top at the brazen declaration, causing the nearby dinnerware to clatter noisily. She had had enough of Twilight's self assured attitude, it made her furious. "Graaaaah! That miserable little pissant! She thinks she's better than us?! She thinks she can stop us!? Well, we'll show her! We'll show them all!"
Everyone at the cantina recoiled from her outburst, they fell back on one another, staring with slack jawed surprise as Applejack's face turned bright red. Even Spatula Stanley couldn't help but back himself up to the stovetop just to avoid her ire.
"W-whoa, calm down there, Applejack," Lightning stammered. "She's full of hot air, you know that. That's no reason to get our breakfast all over the floor."
"You don't get it, Lightning!" Applejack roared, turning her gaze to the pegasus, nostrils flared and eyes narrowed. "You heard what she said, saw how she acted! That treacherous bitch thinks we're not a serious threat! That we're just another hurdle to jump past towards that humanist future she loves so damned much!"
"But she just said we were dangerous!" Snips argued.
"Dangerous in the same way a loose rug is to the elderly! Dangerous in the way a choking hazard is to a foal!" Applejack fumed, grinding her teeth. "You don't know her like I do, I can tell from her body language alone that she looks down on us like we're just some roach on the rug!"
"That's bullshit and you know it, Applejack!" Limestone confronted Applejack. "We hit twenty seven buildings! Twenty seven at once all over this goddess forsaken rock! Hundreds dead, thousands injured or dying! We made our statement! They know us, they fear us, they understand just what kind of power they're up against!"
"They understand nothing!" Applejack angrily retorted. She turned away, scrunching her face up in frustrations. "We haven't been doing enough, we've barely scratched the surface! Our emergence was nothing but lame theatre to them!"
"Then we just have to work harder," Lightning uttered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Redouble our efforts in finding Celestia, bomb more city centers, assassinate more politicians, kidnap hostages, whatever it takes. If we keep at it our faith and hard work will be rewarded in the end.
And when Twilight is dead at our hooves and our flag flies victoriously atop the ruins of the UN building we'll be made saints, Applejack. Saint! Our faces are gonna be in every book, every statue, every stained glass window in every church across the globe! I know in my heart that's what will happen, because we are loyal, because we're true to the ideals of old Equestria, and because we're the good guys in this fucked up story!"
"Tsk," Applejack frowned, but Lightning's word had successfully helped to simmer her down. Her faith was true. She was still alive, Celestia had not abandoned her loyal subjects. Not yet at least. Feeling resolve well from within, she pulled herself away from the cantina and started trotting to the main atrium "...Spatula Stanley, keep my meal hot," she said as she trotted, "I've got some preparations to do..."
Morning prayer was in session.
Everypony had gathered in the main atrium as they do everyday, silently reciting litanies and verses from the Lexicon of Harmony to bolster their confidence in the war they fight.
Sweetie Drops led from the front atop a stage. She stood behind a podium, praying and keeping an eye on Celestia's loyal flock to ensure their faith was ironclad and resolute at all times, lest she seek out the weak of will to be harshly reprimanded for their moment of doubt. Beside her was Applejack and Rainbow Dash, quietly reading to themselves at their own pace. Behind them was a large marble statue of the alicorn goddesses, depicting Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Flurry Heart as beautiful and immaculate beings of infallible presence. Twilight's imagery, unsurprisingly, had been smashed at with a hammer and her stony visage was as warped as the EFF's perception of her.
When all was said and done, everypony closed their lexicons and stood at attention as Applejack took to the podium for her closing speech.
Clearing her throat, Applejack, still weary from before, cast a hardened gaze upon her colleagues before opening her mouth to speak,
"...This is only the beginning," she began, her face impassive and her posture rigid. Yet when she spoke her words burned with the fiery passion of the sun. "The world knows who we are now, but the humans and their obedient little pony pets pretend we're little more than a nuisance. That we won't be responsible for bringing about the rebirth of Equestria, the Equestria that earned its right as the center of all good things. The old Equestria. The true Equestria." She paused, taking in the embolden sights of her comrade before continuing.
"Four years ago our enemies stole away our light.
Princess Celestia, our nation's mother.
Today, we remember the hope she gave us.
The purpose that she gave us.
The vision she gave us.
A vision in which the our people reclaim their rightful place in this universe.
Years from now we will tell our foals of that day!
The day her vision became our reality!
Hail, Celestia!
Hail, Equestria!
Hail, the Equestrian Freedom Fighters!"
She concluded with a proud raise of her hoof and her fellows followed suit, roaring fervently with fanatical zeal, shaking the rock walls with their enthusiasm as they truly began a four year long campaign of terror.
It is Hearth's Warming Eve and Equestria celebrates five years of peace. Twilight encounters Fancy Pants and the two exchange a cordial conversation in light of their history.
It was Hearth's Warming Eve in the reborn city of Canterlot.
Evening had already descended. A full moon hung high above in the starry heavens, perhaps Luna, if she knew the truth of everything, was smiling down upon the world as gentle powder sprinkled down from the sky, blanketing the region in a thick sheet of fluffy white snow.
Merriment and mirth echoed from beyond every household and building around the Canterhorn, but none were louder and livelier than what was happening within the recently restored Canterlot Memorial Hall.
Along extravagant walls of ancient stone, refurbished marble and modern steel, Fancy Pants' holiday charity ball was in full swing and everyone, both human and pony, were enjoying themselves to the fullest. As a well-known philanthropist and very wealthy socialite it came as a surprise to no one that he spared no expense in ensuring that the ball would be one to remember.
There was a large pine tree set up in the main foyer decorated with all manner of glittering ornaments and baubles, topped off with a lustrous crystalline figurine of the three leaders of the old pony tribes. A live band had been hired on and were playing a gentle festive ballad on the main stage of the grand ballroom for all to hear, filling with air with a wondrous melody that soothed the soul.
And then there was the food. A prodigious and tantalizing feast was laid out by one end of the room, characterized by a train sized length of buffet tables, mountains of colorful confectioneries and even mouthwatering cooked to order meals courtesy of the local catering company.
But tonight was more than just about Hearth's Warming traditions and charity, it was a celebration of five years of peace between Equestria and humanity.
A budding peace, but peace still.
It was a landmark achievement in the aftermath of the Conversion War and indefatigable evidence that coexistence between their kind is not only possible, but more beneficial than they could possibly have imagined.
In the time since the negotiations, Equestria has slowly but surely regained a sliver of its former brilliance. Only now that brilliance was tinged with the influence of the Earth, humanity and a renewed sense of cultural identity. The old Equestria was no more, and like a caterpillar undergoing metamorphosis something new begins to stir from within its chrysalis.
Some would call it a miracle, others merely the natural course of history. But one thing was certain, the future welcomes them with open arms.
As diplomats, authority figures, celebrities and more flocked to its gilded halls, there is only excitement and wonder to be had. Among those invited were Ambassador Twilight and her stalwart brother, Spike.
Twilight found herself relaxing by the edge of the impressive buffet table, a glass of cool crisp apple cider gripped in her hoof and a modest plate of delectable vegetarian foodstuffs levitating in her telekinesis as she observed the festivities before her.
She watched as fillies and colts played with little boys and girls by the children's table, running, jumping and overall being a noisy menace for their respective parents. There were small crowds of common folk all around the ballroom engaged either in polite conversation over their meals or dancing among their peers. Every so often someone would break out in raucous laughter, cheering and hollering as they clutched at their bellies to stem the laughing fit that gripped them so.
Throughout it all there was little in the ways of lingering hostilities or even visible discomfort. In spite of everything that's transpired it really felt like the wounds of the war burned a little less with each passing day.
It was still such an alien feeling to her, watching humans and ponies socialize with one another so naturally on this joyous of occasion. The atmosphere of amicability felt utterly surreal. Even half a decade later, Twilight had trouble believing that this was the reality she lived in, or that she was a crucial part of its inception.
"It's like a dream, isn't it?" Spike's voice snapped Twilight out of her stupor.
She turned around to see the tall purple and green dragon sauntering over to her with swagger in his step and a plate of food in his claws. He had picked out mostly vegetarian food, sauteed vegetables drizzled with a light butter sauce and daffodil tea cakes, simple foods he had grown up with, but there was also a few slices of smoked salmon on his plate, minor indulgences for his repressed carnivorous side.
He looked roguishly handsome wearing the tux she helped pick out for him, although it would appear his tie had come loose some time ago. Twilight smiled at him and set her plate down.
"It really is," she replied as she helped to fix his bow tie. "It can feel so surreal at times. I'm always afraid that I might wake up one day and find myself buried amidst the ruins of Canterlot with everypony else."
"Come on, Twilight. Don't say that," Spike frowned, fidgeting under Twilight's telekinesis. "It's Hearth's Warming Eve. Don't think about that kinda thing. We should be enjoying ourselves. Look around, everyone is."
"I know, I know," Twilight sighed. "It's still... hard to come to grips with everything."
"We both knew it wasn't going to be easy. Between your duties as ambassador and finding a cure for the ponification potion, you're a mare stretched thin," Spike quipped as he pulled away, examining his tie. "You need to relax. You've accomplished so much already, give yourself some time to breath. I mean, you haven't even touched your food."
Twilight looked over to her lukewarm plate of food, grinning sheepishly. "Heh heh, I guess I'm not all that hungry."
"Well, that won't do. Come here," Spike rolled his eyes and grabbed his sister by the hoof, dragging her over to one of the many open tables and setting down their plates. "Eat up," he gestured, "it's really good."
Twilight did as instructed and gingerly picked at her meal. After the first bite she was hooked. Even though it was no longer hot It was still delicious and she found herself eating a little quicker than she would've liked. Spike couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm as he cleaned his own plate. Before long they finished their meals, letting out a content sigh as they leaned back in their seats.
"Phew, I really needed that," Twilight let out a sigh of relief as she dabbed at her cheeks with a napkin.
"What did I tell you?" Spike flashed her a toothy grin as he picked at his teeth with his claws. "Fancy Pants sure knows how to serve up a proper feast. Speaking of, there's the stallion of the hour himself." He pointed over the other end of the hall where a small crowd waded through the other partygoers.
Mobbed left and right by members of the paparazzi, journalists, state officials and the odd celebrity or two was none other than Fancy Pants, his beautiful wife, Fleur De Lis and their young son, a short but animated creamsicle orange colored colt named Smarty Pants.
Twilight glanced over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of the stallion as he cleanly broke away from the rabble with his family, quickly making their way to the buffet table before they could be swamped by more guests. The moment he picked up a plate he dropped his professional demeanor like it was a heavy coat, letting out a long-winded sigh and slouching his shoulders as his wife giggled beside him.
She wrinkled her nose at the peculiar sight. It was fascinating to her that this was the same stallion who was not just her strongest supporter, but, unbeknownst to her at the time, had been a deadly enemy conspiring against Equestria during the war.
It was years ago during her first few months as ambassador that Fancy Pants revealed himself to be a member of the Resistance shortly after pledging himself to the new Equestrian government, to the shock of many in Equestria's dwindled political sphere.
Many ponies, herself included, had been thoroughly convinced he was a hard-line believer of the Equestrian ideal, that he was a patriot of different stripes whom many would compare to her late brother Shining Armor himself. He'd been present at all the rallies, publicly endorsed Princess Celestia's vision of a human free future and given generous donations to various charitable organizations to better support the war effort.
He was a face of the conflict on par with the alicorns themselves... Only he wasn't.
In reality, it was all a carefully maintained façade. Political smoke and mirrors to mask his ulterior motives, and ponies, especially his fellows among the nobility, ate it all up without hesitation. The only other pony outside of the Resistance members to know of his true allegiance was his wife, Fleur De Lis, who remained by his side no matter what.
Fancy Pants had been loyal to Lyra and the Resistance from the very beginning, spurred on by her impassioned courage in light of such hypocrisy as well as his own gentlepony upbringing. He risked his life and potentially those closest to him as well as his entire estate and commercial enterprise to act as a saboteur behind enemy lines, undermining Equestria under the guise of zeal and loyalty to his own people.
So deeply entrenched within Canterlot's upper echelon was he that no one outside of the Equestrian Secret Service were able to pick up on his shady dealings years after the others escaped. And even then, he had managed to throw them off his scent through a terrifying combination of guile, charismatic charm, and, if the rumors are true, a mean uppercut.
Twilight knew little of the true extent of his involvement, nor the sheer size of the web of intrigue he had spun along the breadth of the political landscape, only that he played a crucial part in many of the Resistance's clandestine activities.
Fancy Pants was the one to bring to Lyra's attention that there was an old but seaworthy cargo vessel called the Jumbo Shrimp that was about to be decommissioned in a modestly secured shipyard by the western bay. He had pulled some strings in order to reduce the overall presence of soldiers in the area to aid in the seizure of the ship, the metaphorical topple of the first domino that would lead to Equestrian's surrender.
Allegedly, he may also have been responsible for acquiring the information about the attack on Jerusalem, though he claims to have taken no part in such a pivotal moment of the war, indirectly or otherwise.
But what he was known for the most was in aiding and abetting the escape of hundreds of disillusioned Equestrians who wanted to flee the country. He was a major player of Equestria's very own 'Underground Railroad.'
For years the Resistance had been a thorn in the side of the Equestrian government, the railroad chief among the most irksome of their conspiratorial endeavors.
Twilight could remember Celestia expressing her frustration over it, distraught that her little ponies continue to stray from the righteous path, how their flagrant betrayal besmirches Equestria as a whole. Twilight was willing to admit that she loathed it back then as well as it was a bitter reminder of her failure as princess.
The ESS did everything they could in their power in order to suppress even the barest hint of its existence whilst simultaneously trying to dismantle it, fearful that more ponies will follow in Fluttershy's hoofstep and defect. Try as they might however, the railroad was never stopped in any meaningful way, barring the dozen or so ponies unlucky enough to be caught beforehand, and was swiftly dissolved shortly after the peace negotiations when it became obsolete.
Those who wanted to leave would seek out other dissidents, either those hiding out in the wilderness or in plain sight, effectively throwing away their livelihood at the slim chance of freedom from an increasingly oppressive regime that wouldn't hesitate to have them removed if the situation demanded it.
The dissidents in question didn't have the courage to make the journey themselves and were often paranoid and distrusting of new faces, understandably fearful of ESS sting operations looking to smoke them out. It usually took a bit of convincing for them to get over their initial apprehension but once their trust was gained they would not turn away anypony who were bold enough, desperate or both to try to leave.
The fleeing ponies would then be taught an ever-changing series of complex codes and cryptic numerical ciphers that would help guide them throughout their journey, usually from safe house to safe house, far away from the myriad of ESS agents that would undoubtedly be hot on their tails. Eventually it would lead them to secured coordinates where they would be picked up and whisked away to safety by Discord and whichever companion accompanied him at the time of the rescue.
Fancy Pants' job was to collaborate with other Resistance members from behind the scenes on which location to have the meeting take place and the safest route to reach it. He was also responsible for propping up a fair number of the safe houses all over the country. All of this was done so on his dime and always at great personal risk.
He was a public figure, success and fame meant that the spotlight was on him at all times. He had to cleverly disguise a lot of his actions as being business related in order to trick others, including his own employees, into believing it was all just another day on the job in glorious Equestria. Things like scouting new prospects to undertake or even something as mundane as balancing the books needed to be carefully presented in a way that wouldn't dredge up suspicion, even if ponies took a magnifying glass to it.
It was a constant juggling act between making public appearances for the masses, overseeing his own enterprises and sneaking ponies out of the country, all of which steadily pushed him to the very brink of his physical and mental health. Each day proved more stressful than the last as even the smallest slip up or oversight could out him as a traitor and have him be detained or outright executed for committing high treason.
Thankfully, the unwavering love of his wife and the thought of their unborn child gave him the strength and motivation he desperately needed to soldier on day after day.
Eventually, as the war's momentum swung in humanity's favor and the invasion began, Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis enacted their own escape plan. Days prior before the assault on the northern beachhead, the pair, along with a small entourage of their estate's most trusted staff, left for a small town by the western shoreline on matters of personal business where they were presumed dead as the human invasion force swept across the continent.
Of course, as Twilight had come know, that was all malarkey.
Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lis and their entourage were picked up by the UN forces where they continued to assist with the invasion through tactical supervision up until her surrender. After that, it was all a matter of picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild Equestria from the ground up.
In recent years, Fancy Pants had regained his fortune and continued to maintain a considerable presence both in and out of the political arena, although he's arguably less involved than others would expect him to be. Understandably, between the constant stress of maintaining the Equestrian Railroad deep in the very heart of enemy territory and raising a family, he has decided to limit the amount of time spent doing actual work, barring the circumstances that requires his utmost attention.
"Hmm, it's crazy to think how he continues to be successful even after everything that's happened," Spike noted, pushing his plate to the side. "I wonder what his secret is."
"There's no secret," Twilight replied. "He held onto his values and those closest to him, channeling that into motivation to bear the brunt of his responsibilities."
"Punching someone's lights out certainly helps too," he quips, chuckling after. "Look. Here he come now."
"Ah! Ambassador Twilight, Spike, welcome to the party," Fancy Pants greeted the pair amicably as he trotted on over with his family. "A very happy Hearth's Warming Eve to you two. I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it this year." He extended his foreleg, offering Twilight a hoof shake.
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Fancy Pants. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. After all, celebrating five years of peace during our most hallowed of traditions is worth making time for," Twilight replied, gingerly shaking his hoof as she gave the stallion a once over.
His age was starting to show. There were long streaks of gray running along his coiffed blue mane, brought on by enduring years of near constant stress. The wrinkles and worry lines dug deep beneath his fur like the trenches of the beachhead, enough to be seen even at a glance. His eyes were well worn and heavy with bags from many a sleepless nights tossing and turning in bed, torn between his loyalty to the Resistance and the guilt of misleading everypony who considered him a paragon among his people.
Then there was his physique, once a prime specimen he was more willing to cut corners during his daily exercise regimen, resulting in a toned, if slightly muffin topped appearance in certain areas. Fleur De Lis would tease him relentlessly about his dad bod, though he would take it in great stride. As a doting father and loving husband, he bumbled more often than not these days during his private moments, even if his social acumen was as sharp as ever.
Overall, he was in good health and doing rather well for himself. Though, that didn't mean his life in the post war era was completely free of drama.
"Ah, how rude of me," Fancy chuckled humbly, gesturing to his family. "Allow me to introduce my family. You both know my wife, Fleur De Lis."
"A pleasure as always to see you, ambassador," Fleur De Lis smiled warmly, bowing her head respectfully.
"Likewise," Twilight bowed in return.
"And my son, Smarty Pants," Fancy pulled his son into a side hug, ruffling the colt's mane.
"Well, hello to you too, little guy," Twilight smiled back, equal parts amused by his youthful innocence and humbled by what he represented: a future generation unbound by old Equestria's gravity. "Have you been a good colt this year?"
"The goodest!" He beamed, causing Twilight's heart to melt. And yet, she felt a tinge of sadness ripple throughout her. She'll never be able to know the joys and tribulations of being a mother. Stowing away her feelings of inadequacy, she playfully booped him on his nose, causing him to giggle at the touch.
"Continue being the bestest boy for your mom and dad, promise?"
"Promise!" he cheered before running along with to his mother. Fleur De Lis whispered something to Fancy Pants before uttering a brief farewell and departing with her son, leaving Fancy Pants alone with the pair.
"Smarty's a good kid," Twilight commented.
"He is," Fancy replied solemnly, anxiety briefly flashing upon his visage. "Fleur and I love that boy with all our heart. After the... incident, we were worried for him. Most children who would experience that kind of trauma never recover from it, and I was beginning to think he'd live the rest of his life meek and afraid. But, lo and behold, he's become so confident and outgoing. I think, no, I know he'll grow up to be a fine stallion one day."
"Just like his father," chuckled Spike, his tone warm and endearing.
"I..." Fancy Pants was left at a loss for word. He felt paternal pride swell up from within and struggled to blink back the tears that threatened to bead by the corner of his eye. Through sheer willpower he managed to compose himself at the last moment, taking a deep breath as he loosened his tie. "There still the matter of-"
"The EFF won't try to go after your family a second time," Twilight stated firmly, assuaging Fancy Pants' fears. "They failed kidnapping Smarty once before, going after you, your wife or your son directly would only prove to be a net negative on their end now that we're on the alert for them."
"Are you certain?" Fancy raised a brow.
"From what we know, the EFF can't commit to too many operations given their limited resources, especially one that requires strategic planning as directly attacking a high-profile politician and his family," replied Twilight. "They'll likely turn their focus somewhere else for the time being, probably purloining more ill gotten goods to fuel their next big plan."
"If you say so," Fancy swallowed thickly. "Then, there should be no cause for concern?"
"We can't guarantee that," said Spike, "but you can definitely rest easier knowing that we won't let the strongest supporter of the new Equestrian government be caught flat hoofed again. You have our word on that."
"A small comfort, but comfort still. You have my sincerest gratitude you two," Fancy Pants exhaled deeply. "Perhaps a change of subject is in order. I've yet to run into Fluttershy, I was under the impression she would be with you. She told me you mended bridges with her earlier this year."
"I did," Twilight nodded, cherishing the new memory. "It's... nice to be friends again. As for her absence, Fluttershy had originally planned to go but due to some last minute family emergencies they've decided to spend Hearth's Warming Eve back home in North Carolina. She sends you her best wishes."
"Ah, understandable," Fancy Pants chuckled heartily. "As long as she is enjoying herself, there's no need to go to all of trouble of indulging in this old stallion's whims. After all, we've been through so much together. But that's a story of another day, one that I hope you'll all be able to read in my soon-to-be released memoirs! Ha ha!"
"We'll look forward to it," Twilight giggled back. "Well, it's been wonderful speaking to you, but I do believe the other nobles have caught wind of your location and seek an audience with you."
"So soon? I barely got the chance to eat," Fancy scoffed. "Vultures, the whole lot of them. But, if keeping them happy helps you, it's a small price to pay to hold Equestria together. Farewell, ambassador. I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening. Try the chocolate fountain when you get the chance to, it's positively exquisite." With a polite bow, he turned around and trotted back to his family, hoping to get a few bites in before ultimately being badgered by his fellows and their less than noble intentions.
All the while, Twilight found herself smiling more brightly than she had anticipated. Spike noticed this and clapped a scaly claw on her back, sharing a laugh as the two went on to enjoy the festivities.
It was a time to be thankful of all the good that has happened and all the good that will happen as they continue to strive for that better future.
And hopefully, one day, Twilight will be able to see that future for herself.
Princess Celestia wakes from her six year long coma to find a world changed for the better, just not in the way she hoped.
The cool winds swept across the wide untamed expanse of the African serengeti, the ocean of grass swayed and flowed like rippling waves in the gentle breeze. Nature sounds and other noise of the wilds had softened as day shifted into night, punctuated by the warm orange glow of the sky as the sun slowly descended upon the horizon.
A lone unicorn mare stood upon the very edge of that horizon, watching wistfully as the beauty of the landscape put her at ease. With a heavy sigh she turned around and smiled, her form obscured by the light of the sun to be little more than an abstract silhouette.
"Mom..." she whispered.
"SUNSET!"
Celestia eyes opened wildly as the scream that escaped her lips echoed across the air with all the force of a bomb going her off. She catapulted up from where she laid, head snapping violently to and fro as she struggled to gather her bearings. Her mind was still trapped in a haze and she stumbled about off her bed, completely oblivious to the wires and pads stuck to her nor the machines connected to them.
Dumbly, she shambled forward towards the light, her eyes open half-lidded and legs weak. An unheard voice calls out to her, a voice of a daughter long lost, and she wearily calls back.
"Sun... set..." Celestia mutters, putting one hoof in front of the other. "Sunset... I'm here..."
She marches a few more paces but immediately comes to a dead end when her face collides with an invisible wall. She stumbles a few steps backwards, bewildered by the strange phenomena. Blinking rapidly, her vision slowly begins the clear and the light from before wasn't nearly as harsh.
When the world finally ceased to be a bright blurry mess, and the ringing in her ear quieted to a tolerable hum, Celestia found herself dead center in a waking nightmare.
As it was she was encaged in some sort of strange cylindrical cell in a facility equally as alien, surrounded at all sides by a gamut of worried scientists and security officers, both human and pony. They all watched her through the impact glass with varying levels of wariness; some were terrified, others nervous, but after a brief moment they collected themselves and resumed their task as if they didn't have the living avatar of the sun standing thirty feet away from them.
One of the scientists shuffled over to a nearby security officer and spoke to him in a nervous tone, "Get Professor Thalmann, now."
The name, Thalmann, triggered something within Celestia. It alone caused a flurry of emotions to rush through her mind. Confusion, panic, fear and rage violently swirled within her like a hurricane, her head frantically snapping to and fro each onlooker in a drunken stupor as she desperately attempts to make sense of the situation.
She was dead, wasn't she?
She, Twilight and the rest of her loyal subjects had been decimated alongside Canterlot, dying a defiant death all in the name of the Equestrian ideal. Equestria was broken but unbowed, having denied humanity the satisfaction of conquering her home. At least, they should've been.
Nothing made any sense. Why was she here? Why was she conscious? Unless... No. Elysium didn't exist. She was sure of it. That afterlife nonsense was nothing more than fantastical hogwash she had perpetuated in order to maintain the moral purity of her ponies, a mere flight of fancy dressed up as religious dogma. By that same principle Tartarus or some other purgatory shouldn't have been real either.
So, if she wasn't dead, then that could only mean...
"...No," Celestia muttered, pupils shrinking to pinpricks. The weight of the horrible revelation came crashing down atop of her and the blood in her veins turned to ice. She furiously rubbed at her eyes with her hooves, hoping to wipe away the horrible reality around her. When she reopened them she was once again greeted with the same view, only this time her jailors stared at her like she was some out of control zoo animal, to her dismay.
"No... No, no, no! This can't be!?" With trembling hooves she reached up to her chest, feeling the bundle of wires and tubing dangling off of her before tearing them off in a frenzy.
She grunted in pain but soldiered on, the sudden burst of adrenaline coursing through her made her numb as she reeled back and furiously slammed herself against the walls of her cell. She expected to be free as a result of her prodigious strength but was rebuffed as the portion of the wall she struck glowed briefly before reciprocating the same amount of force back unto her. The resulting feedback sent her reeling back, a look of shock flashed across her face.
"RAAAAAGH!" Celestia roared as she bucked her hind legs towards the wall, only to be rebuffed once more. This time the feedback came back at her tenfold, sending her flying against the other side of the cell, crashing against her bed and various medical equipment and scattering them across the floor where she laid beside it in a messy heap.
"Grrr... What manner of human technological abomination is this?!" She cried, scrambling back on all fours. Her frustration mounting, she leveled her horn towards the cell wall and willed a powerful arcane blast into existence.
Nothing of the sort happened.
In fact, she didn't even have a horn.
Upon the realization of her lack of magical powers another wave of panic washed over her as her hooves shot up to her forehead where with a sinking heart she felt a rough jagged stump where her glorious horn should've been. It was then that it occurred to her that her own innate magical nature was also being suppressed, no doubt by the magic killers that had caused her and her people so much grief throughout the war. That infernal machine was anathema as it cut away at her soul like a knife to flesh, leaving her as weak as the average pony.
She had no time to process her hapless situation, only a need to escape and fulfill her ambitions in short order no matter the cost.
Celestia leveled a glare towards the humans observing her and, with a tone equal parts prideful and desperate laced in her voice, demanded them to free her, "HUMAN VERMINS! RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT BEFORE I TURN ALL OF YOU AND THIS HORRID FACILITY INTO GLASS UPON THE EARTH!"
She slammed her hooves against the cell wall for effect, hoping to cow her captors into submission with her intimidating presence. To her shock her observers weren't afraid of her in the slightest, rather, they found themselves amused by her predicament, staring at her in a way that said 'are you serious?' The humans either ignored her outright or pointed and laughed at her pathetic state. Their reaction was baffling as only an inches worth of material separated them from a fiery demise. She was a force to be reckoned with, yet the sheer indignity she received infuriated her to no end.
"YOU DARE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ME!?" Celestia screamed, pressing her face up against the wall, glaring at her gleeful audience with baleful eyes. "I DO NOT DESERVE TO BE YOUR PRISONER! I AM THE MIGHTY! I AM THE STRONG! I AM YOUR SALVATION! I WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH! YOU HUMAN WRETCHES OWE ME THIS!" She ranted, but was continued to be treated very much in the same way a petulant child throwing a temper tantrum would be. Desperation creeping up her back she turned to the ponies in the room, a pleading, yet willful, look in her eyes.
"PONIES! MY LOYAL SUBJECTS! CHILDREN OF MY OWN BLOOD, YOUR CREATOR!" She cried out, putting on her most authoritative demeanor. "HEAR THE ORDER OF YOUR PRINCESS AND OBEY! TURN AGAINST YOUR HUMAN MASTERS AND FREE ME FROM MY PRISON! DO SO AND I WILL ABSOLVE YOU OF YOUR BETRAYAL TO THE EQUESTRIAN IDEAL AND UPLIFT YOU ALL AS SAINTS WHO FREED THE GODDESS OF THE SUN! ACT NOW AND WE WILL BEGIN ANEW WITH ANOTHER GLORIOUS CRUSADE TO MAKE UP FOR THE FAILURE OF THE LAST! THE FUTURE IS AT HOOF!"
The ponies nearby wore expressions of disgust and contempt as she concluded her desperate spiel. They didn't directly engage her, merely mumbling something about tyrannical despots and insane ramblings beneath their breath as they hurriedly turned away and left the room, leaving Celestia to wallow in her own failure.
"No! NO! Get back back here, I command you! You will obey me or there will be dire consequences! Don't leave me here you treacherous heretics! Not with these filthy mongrels! Not with the monsters that slaughtered your kin en masse!? I will not be abandoned! I WILL NOT BE DENIED! OBEY ME YOU MISERABLE INGRATES! OBEEEEY ME!" Celestia screeched as she began wildly slamming her hooves against the cell wall with callous disregard for her own well being. She raged and roared like an feral animal, thrashing about to where her hooves began to bleed and her throat grew shrill and hoarse. "GAAAAAAAH! LET ME OUT! I DON'T BELONG IN HERE LIKE SOME RAT IN A CAGE! LET ME OUUUUUUUUUT! I AM PRINCESS CELESTIA! RULER OF EQUESTRIA! SCION OF THE SUN! HERALD OF HARMONY! I AM-!"
"Bah! Gott im himmel! What damnable caterwauling have I walked into?!" A gravelly voice cut through the noise, causing Celestia to momentarily cease her outrage.
There, standing with his back ramrod straight and hair grey as the mist wafting off his electronic cigarette was none other than Professor Alric Thalmann, the man responsible for the creation of the Thalmann generator and its namesake. He looked as old and as cantankerous as he always been, with his permanent scowl and myriad of deep wrinkles, only now he was sporting some sort of cybernetic rig throughout his entire back. He stood in the doorframe of the room, one hand in his pocket and the other idly adjusting the e-cig on the corner of his mouth, all the while glaring at Celestia like a strict headmaster who'd just caught a student running in the hallways.
"Tsk, so they weren't pulling my leg when they told me you were finally awake. ScheiBe, what a pain in the ass," he cursed as he entered the room, pulling up a nearby chair and deliberately scraping across the floor with an unsettling screech that caused everyone in the room to wince. He planted it in front of Celestia's cell and sat down rather awkwardly. Instead of walking around and sitting down like a normal person, he, with mild difficulty, pulled himself over the back of the chair and sat down leisurely with one leg propped up atop the other. He turned to his staff and addressed them all the while maintaining eye contact with Celestia.
"Send word to the UN," he began, taking a long enthusiastic drag from his e-cig before continuing, "tell them 'Professor Thalmann's favorite song is ''Here Comes The Sun' by Die Kafer.' I'm sure they'll be thrilled to know. And I don't have to tell you this, but try to be discreet as possible. We can't have any of this leak out before the big announcement."
"Understood, sir," a security officer acknowledged and left the room to relay the message.
"As for everyone else, resume monitoring of the prisoner as normal. Make sure all security measures are functioning at maximum capacity and that redundant systems are always on standby. I'm going to have a little chat with our... guest," The staff complied to Thalmann's orders and returned to their posts as he narrowed his gaze on Celestia.
"Well, well. Good morning, Celestia. Welcome back to the waking world, It's finally time for you to smell the ashes."
"You..." Celestia seethed hatefully as she scanned the man sitting casually before her. "That name. That accursed name, Thalmann..." she uttered it in a deep hiss, her voice dripping with venom, "It was you, wasn't it! You're the one responsible for Equestria's downfall! You created that infernal magic killer that led to the death of my sister, the destruction of the Crystal Empire and the raping of my lands! All of Equestria's miseries came to be because of YOU!" She slammed her hooves upon the cell wall, shaking with uncontrollable rage. In that moment every inch of her wanted nothing more than to wrap her hooves around that man's throat and slowly strangle the life from him.
"Ah, there it is," Thalmann, in a surprising twist, quipped as he smiled a gnarled root of a smile. He broke out into a hearty chuckle, causing Celestia to gape incredulously at Thalmann's flippant remark. This man was responsible for the death of million of innocent ponies and he has the gall to laugh it all off? The audacity!
"You dare..." Celestia whispered darkly. "You dare to laugh at the deaths of countless millions?! YOU DARE TO MOCK THEIR SACRIFICE!?"
"Oh, no," Thalmann waved dismissively before breaking out into a throaty coughing fit, wheezing and sputtering into his hand as a sickly opaque grey fluid coated his palms. He recovered quickly yet retained his jarringly jovial demeanor, having wiped away the mess on his lab coat. "Oh, no, no, no. I'm not laughing at that. I'm laughing at the fact that you are every little bit as conceited, sanctimonious, self-righteous, manipulative, egotistical and morally disingenuous as people know you to be. I just find it amusing you're at least so consistent in your personality. Because honestly it's nice to deal with something familiar, wouldn't you agree?"
"What are you implying?" Celestia scowled.
"Oh? Did the wise and omnipotent Goddess of the pony people fail to understand the idiotic musings of a violent ape?" Thalmann taunted.
"Spare me your drivel and answer the damned question!"
"Ah, so angry, so violent. You're everything I expected to be and more," Thalmann teased playfully before his expressed hardened to the same glower he was known for. "But alas, if you wish to know so badly, then allow me to spell it out for you: Celestia, you are everything you blame humans to be and more."
His words set Celestia off. She rushed at him with renewed vigor, throwing herself at the wall over and over again only to be knocked back each time all the while Thalmann watched with quiet satisfaction as she failed to reach him.
"LIES! HUMAN LIES! " She bellowed. "I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU VERMINOUS FILTH! I AM ALL YOU COULD EVER WANT AND HOPE TO ACHIEVE! I AM THE ZENITH OF MORAL AND CULTURAL EXCELLENCE THAT ALL CREATURES AND CIVILIZATIONS STRIVE FOR!" She paused, panting heavily as she leered at Thalmann. "Compared to you pathetic lot, we ponies are the blessed people, the chosen of the universe for which all things are measured by. And I am at the center. I am what makes ponykind special in this cold uncaring universe!"
"Please, you're not special, Celestia," Thalmann retorted bluntly, not even missing a beat with his delivery. Celestia's eyes widened at his continued defiance of her presence but lacked the energy to rant again.
"Tsk," Celestia turned away, "I wouldn't figure an ignorant monkey like you could never understand me."
"Oh, I understand alright," Thalmann took a moment to huff his e-cig. "I understand that you're bland, vanilla, droll, pedestrian, cookie cutter, mediocre. You claim to be better than everyone else, you claim to have cultivated the greatest society to ever have existed before or after you when in reality you and that gilded cage you call Equestria are just another addition to the long list of 'accomplishments' misguided leaders, tyrants, despots and dictators have achieved throughout human history. So when I say you're nothing, I mean it. Because I've seen it all before, and at this point nothing surprise me anymore. Not even you."
"...Is there a reason we're even having conversation?" Celestia muttered disdainfully. "I doubt you've come here to get your jollies off at looking down on me."
"Well, that's one reason," Thalmann quipped, blowing a puff of vapor. "But the other is to get you prepped for you trial."
Celestia whipped her head around so fast it was a miracle her neck didn't twist all the way around. "Trial? You seek to put me, Princess Celestia, on trial?" The thought alone was laughable to her.
"That's usually what happens to someone when they commit crimes, or rather war crimes in your case," Thalmann coughed, "After which you will be deemed guilty of all charges and summarily executed in that order. Hopefully."
Celestia chuckled humorlessly at the thought of her own death. It was a bitter feeling, yet she chose to humor the good professor anyway, "...Killing me won't change anything," she whispered spitefully. "So, you've won. Equestria is destroyed, the last of my faithful subjects eradicated along with Canterlot. The dream of spreading friendship and harmony beyond our borders dies with me, but what does it matter?" She began to pace back and forth, trying to regain some semblance of her regality.
"You humans will go back to killing yourselves the moment I'm slain, and the pony heretics living fat lazy lives in your lands will follow suit with your species' eventual demise. This is a hollow victory, nothing more, nothing less. Humanity is still fated for destruction at their own hands and you monkey people threw away any hope for salvation the moment you rejected the ponification potion and embraced conversion. So go ahead, by all means. Put me on trial, declare me guilty, have me executed. This. Changes. Nothing." She seethed.
There was a moment of silence between the two after Celestia finished speaking. Thalmann and Celestia locked eyes with one another in a staring contest to see who would blink first. Curiously, it was Thalmann who was the first to blink, sighing heavily to himself and running his hand across his hair as Celestia looked on with a smug sense of satisfaction. She had thought to have disturbed him with the reality of his situation, but as she would immediately find out it wasn't the case.
"Excuse for a second, my e-cig is running on empty," Thalmann replied flippantly as he pulled out his charger pack from his lab coat pocket, inserted his current cigarette for recharging and pulled out a fresh one. "Usually I'd prefer the real thing, but with all the sensitive equipment around me having it caked with the tacky residue from tobacco smoke would be bad. Thankfully the water vapor from electronic cigarettes don't have that same issue." He took a few puffs from his new e-cig, savoring the flavor and annoying Celestia with his antics.
He then popped the big question he should've started with since his conversation started. "...Celestia, how long do you think you were in a coma for?"
Celestia was taken aback by the question. It was so sudden, yet it made her reassess her situation. "I... A-a coma?" She stammered.
"Yes, you were in a coma," Thalmann replied a matter o'factly. "You fell into a coma during the siege of Canterlot, moments after the barrier fell."
Panic stirred within Celestia. She knew something had been wrong the moment she woke up, only now had it finally hit her just how severe her predicament was. It all came flooding back to her, her final moments before darkness overtook her. The sight of the human forces on the horizon of Canterlot, her last conversation with Twilight, all of it. She sure that was the end.
"Did you honestly think that you woke up the day after you passed out?" said Thalmann. "Perhaps that's unrealistic for me to assume. Perhaps you believed it was a week, maybe a month or two. That would sound much more reasonable, unfortunately for you that isn't the case."
"...How long?" She demanded, growing paler than she thought possible. "Answer me, how long was I in a coma?!"
Thalmann sighed heavily, "...Six years."
Six years.
She'd been comatose for six terribly long years.
Celestia felt her heart hammer in a chest like a jackhammer the longer it took for her to process the information. But what does this have to do with anything? She was to be put on trial, yes, but what was going on in Thalmann's head? Why speak the way he does, what does he know that she doesn't! The unknown was too much absorb all at once.
"...W-why does this matter?" Celestia stammered. "What does it matter that I was comatose for that long! I-it should be irrelevant! Equestria is no more! Twilight, my pupil, and our faithful subjects, they were all destroyed along with Canterlot, as it should!"
Thalmann raised an eyebrow, his lips curled into the barest facsimile of a smirk. It was so faint of an emotional expression yet it couldn't have felt more predatory than it did right then and there. "Oh, come now, Celestia.You're alive. Think about it."
Celestia's pupils shrank to pinpricks. The pieces of the puzzle had all fallen into place and while she still couldn't make out the big picture she didn't like what she was seeing. She was alive. She had already established that earlier but acknowledged it entirely for the wrong reason. As it was, there was only one other explanation for her being here and it was the worse possible outcome she could hope to conceive. "No... No, that would never happen. I made sure of it! But... S-she wouldn't... SHE COULDN'T!"
"...She did," Thalmann announced, lazily leaning back into his chair. "Mere days after you were rendered comatose, Twilight Sparkle, then acting princess of Equestria, surrendered and ceded control of the country over to UN occupational forces. Shortly after, she complied to all of the UN's terms of surrender. And if you recall, the terms included turning you over to us," he explained as Celestia listened on in horror.
"...B-betrayal," Celestia muttered, her face the very picture of fear. "C-corruption... Taint... Blasphemy... Malversation! HOW COULD SHE?!"
Rage erupted from the depths of Celestia's soul. Unfettered and destructive. Though her body ached and moved sluggishly, a new surge of adrenaline drove her to lash out at her cell at the expense of her body and mind. She rammed herself towards Thalmann, the wall between them absorbed her attack and sent her flying back, but she held her ground this time. She slid back on all fours, welling deep grooves into the floor. Undeterred and fueled by madness she charged again and again, making a mess of everything, including herself.
"GRAAAAAH! WHY?!" She bellowed. "WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?!" Celestia continued to thrash, the room rumbled and shook even though the thalmann generators were working overtime to keep her abilities suppressed. She was like a great beast struggling against the chains holding her down. The cell's housing began to buckle, there were panels becoming warped and loose parts being knocked around. Looks of apprehension began cropping up on the staffs' faces, they feared for the worst but Thalmann remained as nonchalant and as stone-faced as ever.
"WE SHOULD'VE ALL DIED TOGETHER! THERE IS NO FUTURE LIKE THIS! NO HOPE! SHE WOULD POISON EVERYTHING THAT WE ALL HAVE PAINSTAKINGLY BUILT UP TOGETHER?!"
"SHE SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER! I TAUGHT HER AS SUCH! HUMANITY IS A BLIGHT THAT RUINS EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH! NOW EQUESTRIA IS CONDEMNED TO A SLOW DEATH AT THEIR HANDS! OUR PEOPLE WILL FOREVER BE CORRUPTED BY THEIR ABBERANT INFLUENCE! EVERYTHING I'VE DONE, THE TIME I'VE SPENT, THE SACRIFICES I MADE TO ENSURE EQUESTRIA'S CULTURAL PROSPERITY HAS AMOUNTED TO NOTHING BECAUSE OF HER! NOTHIIIING!" Her raging continued. Warning lights started going off, flashing sporadically as a siren began blaring throughout the room.
An automated voice sounded itself.
"WARNING."
"ESCAPE ATTEMPT IN PROGRESS."
"CELL INTEGRITY AT: 73%"
"INTERNAL CELL TEMPERATURE AT: 76* FAHRENHEIT AND RISING."
"KINETIC ABSORBERS: FAILING."
"LOSS OF STAGE 1 INERTIAL DAMPENERS IMMINENT."
"PLEASE NOTIFY THE SITE DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY."
"ALL SECURITY PERSONNEL REPORT TO CONTAINMENT FACILITY SIGMA LAMBDA AT ONCE."
"THIS IS NOT A DRILL."
Thalmann sighed to himself. As everyone else broke out into a cold sweat, he himself couldn't be bothered to dignify Celestia's outrage with a response. Rather, he began searching his coat pockets like a smoker looking for a cigarette lighter until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a small remote no bigger than a smartphone and pushed the big button on it.
"The prisoner is being uncooperative," he mumbled, as the ceiling in Celestia's cell opened up to reveal a pair of mechanical arms armed with some strange dish looking device. Celestia paused in her outrage and sneered at the sight of the strange apparatus.
"BAH! MORE HUMAN MACHINERY! YOU COULDN'T HAVE WON WITHOUT IT!" She mocked. "WITHOUT YOUR PATHETIC TECHNOLOGICAL CRUTCH YOU HUMANS ARE-!" Cutting her off short Thalmann pushed another button on the remote, the arms honed in on Celestia and let loose a highly concentrated wave of anti-magical energies that assaulted her at all sides. The sound it made was like a banshee's wail, and it punctuated even further by Celestia's own wail of pain.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAH!?" Celestia screamed, the waves immediately forced her onto her haunches, gripping tightly at her head as the mother of all migraines blended her grey matter. The sensation she felt throughout her entire body could only be described as torturous. This type of pain was beyond what she knows, everything else that had come before paled in comparison to the unmitigated agony she was experiencing now. Her head felt like it was slowly splitting open right down the middle. There were thousands of flensing needles dancing about beneath her skin, threatening to rip her asunder. "AAAAAAAAAAAH! W-WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT HORROR HAVE YOU SUBJECTED ME TO YOU MONGREL FILT- AAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Oh, this?" Thalmann pointed to the mechanical arms. "It doesn't have a name but they're one of kind. It's based upon the original Project J.G.W. prototypes and specifically manufactured to my exact specifications with the sole purpose of acting as a defensive countermeasure for your prison. You see, we learned the energy emitted by the generators can do more than just suppress a pony's innate magic. If you overcharge it and adjust the frequency to the proper spectrum you can turn the generators into, and forgive my crass summation, a death ray that is lethal to ponykind. Fortunately for you, it was deemed too expensive, too impractical and too inhumane to field as a weapon during the war and was banned from ever being created, save for this lone exception."
He tapped at his temple, staring down on a screaming, writhing Celestia as blood began pouring out from her nose and eyes in long unbroken streaks. "Feel that? All those little capillaries in your head, every little blood vessel, like tubes of concrete. Right now every inch of your body is being forcibly agitated on a cellular level, resulting in uncontrollable muscle movements and violent spasm that are tearing you apart from the inside out. A minute from now, your skin will start to sear as if cooked over an open flame. In three, your organs will begin to liquify and spill from out from any orifice. In five, the force of your spasming would snap your spine clean in half and shatter your bones..."
"W-WAIT! WAIT!" Celestia cried in desperation, weakly raising a hoof pleadingly, an action that caused searing pain to run up her foreleg. "STOP! I-I SUBMIT MYSELF TO YOU! YOU HEAR?! I S-SUBMIT! TURN IF OFF! P-PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, TURN IT OFF!?"
"...Hmph," Thalmann wrinkled his nose, staring at his remote for a few extra seconds before rolling his eyes deciding that Celestia had had enough. "Only because you said please." Thalmann pushed a button on his remote and the device turned off. It then receded back into the ceiling and the room was engulfed in a pregnant silence as Celestia writhed pitifully upon the ground, too weak to move on her own, too traumatized to speak. "You know, I wasn't actually going to kill you. My job is to look after you until the world is prepared to kill you."
He stood up from his chair and casually checked his watch, "Oh, would you look at that, it's lunch time. I must admit, speaking with you has left me rather famished. Someone, get the maintenance crew down here and have them repair the cell. Tell them to reinforce it as well. We wouldn't want our guest to ruin her special dwellings again, now, do we? In the meantime, I suggest you rest, Celestia. Try to think about all that's transpired. You have much to reflect on. I'll have the staff provide you with a meal and some reading material, have you catch up on current affairs. We'll chat again in a few hours. Auf wiedersehen."
With that, Professor Thalmann turned on his heels and left the room no worse for wear, leaving Celestia to her own thoughts as she laid about on the cold floor. The pain had subsided quicker than she had expected, but her ego and willpower were in shambles.
Princess Celestia wakes from her six year long coma to find a world changed for the better, just not in the way she hoped.
Celestia didn't know what to believe anymore.
Ever since she arrived on this wretched planet she'd been at the mercy of cruel fate in a universe that was doggedly determined to make her life an absolute Hell at every given opportunity. Slowly but surely it had taken everything away from her; her family, her kingdom, her purpose. Her life was all she had left, and even that will soon be taken as well.
It was pathetic, truly, to be brought so low in such a short amount of time.
Once, she was the center.
Much like the very sun bound to her will, everything revolved around her.
Centuries ago, the land that would become Equestria was nothing but a harsh, untamed landscape where the strong oppressed the weak, where the cruel ruled without recourse, where might makes right.
Petty tribalism, violent skirmishes and devastating raids were commonplace between the fragmented pony tribes and their vicious neighbors. The desire to expand and the need to protect drove many an individuals to commit acts of heroism and atrocities alike, all in the name of conquest and preservation.
The cycle of violence all changed when Celestia and Luna, then, Sunnyvale and Mooncloud, ascended to Alicornhood with the help of Starswirl the Bearded and assumed control of the region. Through sunshine and fire, starlight and shadows, the balance of power was forcefully upended and the paradigm changed as they saw fit.
They had been appointed this great purpose by Starswirl himself, who genuinely believed their newfound capabilities would be the key to a brighter tomorrow for ponykind and the world. Much was demanded by those who are given and Celestia threw herself into this new life with every intention of living up to that belief.
Too often have the fires of ambition led civilizations to ruin, their downfall brought on by unchecked progress, adherence to foolish beliefs, or hubris. The fate of these ancient kingdoms and fallen dynasties were all predictable, but their tragic demise would serve as a lesson to those who would seek to avoid those mistakes. Lessons that Celestia took to heart dutifully.
She will not make those same mistakes.
Everything she had done, censoring any information that was deemed harmful to the masses or too painful to be worth remembering, limiting the extent of her people's cultural growth and speed of technological achievements, supporting the creation of the Church of Harmony and establishing its dogma, was to ensure a future where nopony would suffer the horrors she and Luna experienced ever again.
They not easy choices to make.
No, they were necessary.
Those who submitted, received.
Those who resisted, perished.
From chaos they forged order.
From discord, harmony.
Luna was the hoof; the might that enforced peace and justice. Though she was no stranger to the nature of politics she often found it more efficient to take charge than to sit around and deliberate. Thus she became more an avenger than a politician and acted as Equestria's sword arm.
Her viewpoint and jealousy of Celestia's day would eventually lead her down the path to becoming Nightmare Moon sometime later, but that story has already been resolved...
Celestia was the voice; her word was law, and leadership sacrosanct. Of the two it fell upon her to grab hold of the reins and guide ponykind towards a brighter tomorrow and to erase the horrors of the past.
The pressure of being princess at such a young age and saddled with so much crippling emotional baggage was a monumental one, yet she shouldered the burden regardless and soldiered on with the future of a fledgling nation bearing down on her back.
Equestria did not need Sunnyvale, the broken war orphan. No, it needed Princess Celestia, the living deific will of ponykind.
Together, they led their people to prosperity and culled the forces of evil wherever it festered. From dark forces to rival countries, all were thwarted by their might, by pony might. Before long, Equestria had risen from the bloodstained soil and became what all others have failed to be, a civilization beyond compare. Her little ponies will live long virtuous lives free of pain and suffering. They will be enlightened, taught the ways of friendship and harmony so that they too may teach others to be more.
And for a time, this was the way of the world.
All was right. The ponies of Equestria had everything.
Celestia had everything.
...Now, she had no magic, no strength, and no hope.
Currently Celestia remained trapped in her cell, having recovered from a harrowing near death experience only hours prior. She could still feel the lingering tingle of needles undulate beneath her flesh and the acrid taste of bile rising up her throat. The sensation was so indescribably horrific that the thought alone made her shudder in terror. If she hated the Thalmann Generators before, she utterly despised them now.
With her body crippled and spirit broken she had no choice but to submit to the demands of her human captors even as her execution drew ever closer.
The terror of death was a powerful emotion that wasn't exclusively tied to any one outlook. No one is truly immune to it, and even those who claim to not fear death only do so either out of respect or resignation of its inevitability.
Celestia counted herself among those who had gracefully resigned themselves to the bitter end, but her body language betrayed her true feelings. Whatever simmering anger or lingering confidence she held onto before had evaporated after Thalmann's brief but enthusiastic security demonstration. Since then her movements were slow and lethargic, lacking any sense of drive or impulse as she laid atop her ruined bed. Deep down she was in despair, and her gloomy disposition reflected that.
But as it were, an immediate death was more preferable than seeing her worldview and legacy crumble right before her very eyes.
Thalmann had seen to it that she have access to the news and history logs. They displayed everything on a series of holographic screens; current affair, world news, records of important events, various pieces of media, and more. What she saw caused her stomach to twist itself into knots and made her question nearly everything she had come to ever know and believe.
Her little ponies were happy, genuinely happy living alongside humans. Even more so, they were thriving. In little more than half a decade's time they have been able to repair the wounds wrought by the Conversion war, painstakingly rebuilding the bridge of co-existence she made sure to burn years earlier.
There were countless stories of mundane import wherein humans and ponies simply are, and that in and of itself baffled her.
Local mare wins pie eating contest at Dallas county fair.
Manehattan University to honor first human alumnis of class of 2055.
UN to fund mixed species joint task force codenamed: Centaur.
She couldn't believe it, she refused to.
Humans are evil, black-hearted creatures that only know how to corrupt and destroy. Throughout the time she spent observing them they have shown little signs of ever being able to change their wicked ways and whatever change they did manage to achieve was always forgotten in a generation's time anyway, rendering any and all effort made since then moot.
By virtue of morals alone they were utterly incompatible with her ponies. And yet, the more she read, watched and listened, the more incredulous she becomes when she realized that not only have they somehow managed to live together in harmony but had done so without any of her guidance or wisdom.
To further rub salt in the wounds, she'd learned she was reviled by the greater pony population.
Tyrant.
Despot.
Monster.
Murderer.
She was called all these things and more by her own subjects, her name spoken as a horrid curse greater than the likes of such villains as Tirek, King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis.
Twilight Sparkle, now ambassador, had exposed to the world the truth of Equus, the world they'd left behind all those years ago under the guise of spreading enlightenment to the greater multiiverse beyond their cosmic borders.
The whole of Equestria now knew its true fate; their old homeworld laid floating in the cold void of space, an uninhabitable rock forever trapped between the blazing atomic heat of a dying sun and the hellish winter chill of an indifferent moon, it's denizen all but extinct. Abandoned, but not forgotten.
This terrible revelation not only destroyed Celestia's image, it single-handedly dismantled nearly everything she had carefully built up over the course of millennia. A domino effect was set into motion and the old order became defunct practically overnight.
The Church of Harmony lost all credibility and crumbled in a mere matter of months, its once venerable temple's were vandalized and fraudulent scripture burned in massive roaring pyres.
Riots broke out all over Equestria. Images and iconography of Celestia were destroyed or torn down by furious mobs venting their hate and frustrations at her for bringing ruin to their lives. Amidst the anarchy, castle Canterlot was raided, robbed of all valuable and anything that wasn't nailed down. Silverware, shiny trinkets, velvet curtains, even the marble flooring was broken apart and stolen in various misshapen chunks.
Nothing was safe from the hoof of justice.
Nothing, save for the tomb of Luna.
Anger and frustration swelled within Celestia's heart. She seethed silently however, her face contorting into one of barely repressed rage. She shot a burning glare at the ponies that maintained her cage, who did their best to avoid eye contact with her. They were ingrates, every one of them. She had done everything for her little ponies. Everything! Equestria was the paradise on earth it was because of her.
They didn't understand the hardships she had endured or the moral complexities of her motives, they couldn't. Regular ponies rarely make it past the first century before expiring, she has lived several lifetimes and attained a higher level of consciousness only her fellow alicorns could comprehend. All the loss, the personal sacrifices, the difficult choices she was forced to make and the consequences that followed were all done according to the meticulous perfection of the grand design.
Ponies were the chosen people.
They may not have started that way, but Celestia and Luna had uplifted their kinfolk to their rightful place as the heralds of all that is good and pure in the universe.
This one, and the ones beyond.
Perhaps the only bit of information that didn't rile her up were the exploits of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters.
The direct result of her emergency 'Fallen Protocol', they are the unified remnants of the Equestrian Secret Service, Royal Guard, Wonderbolts and whatever pony out there that still believed in her and the Equestrian ideal. These brave mares and stallions, true Equestrian's all, were the heart and soul of her contingency plan, the physical echo of her supreme authority during her time in a coma and the instruments of Equestria's great rebirth.
...Truth be told, she had actually forgotten all about it. While she had trusted Agent Sweetie Drops with this monumental task she had assumed the plan never even took off since she was so sure Canterlot and everypony in it would be annihilated in a rain of heavy ordinance.
Evidently that was not the case.
Irregardless of that fact, these freedom fighters rallying in her honor continue to wage war against humanity, defiantly fighting against humanity with every ounce of strength they could muster. This underdog story of the little guy going up against the oppressive regime would usually be seen as endearing... were it not so ineffectual and counter-intuitive.
Celestia was a master liar. She knew how to lie, when to lie and the careful steps it took to maintain that web of deception for decades if not centuries to come. It was second nature to her in the way breathing was, and a skill that's almost mandatory as a ruler. But even she couldn't justify the efficacy of the EFF, or lack thereof.
According to the news reports the EFF were estimated to be around several thousand strong at the most, which was paltry compared to the standing occupying forces in Equestria, let alone the entire world. Their collective strength, even when bolstered by all the weaponry and artifacts she had set aside for them, was barely enough to make a dent in the existing power structure.
They were considered a thorn in the side at best and a pitiable nuisance at worst.
For six years their shadow war had comprised of hit and run attacks, assassinations and bombings across the globe. Their efforts to restore Equestria to its former glory and to free her from the clutches of her human captors had fallen short at almost every conceivable angle. The failed attempt to make away with the Scroll of Ascension was perhaps the most damning of their failures as its destruction at the hooves of Twilight effectively killed off the alicorns for good, along with the power that would've rebuilt Equestria.
So far, all their futile struggling in the face of an overwhelmingly humanist future had done was paint a target on their backs and earned them the ire of everyone on the planet, especially from their own kinfolk.
Much as it pains her to admit it, the EFF had no hope whatsoever at winning their war.
If it could even be called that...
After some time, Professor Thalmann returned to the cell along with an black furred unicorn with a curly eyebrow dressed in a chef's uniform wheeling in a small metal cart. Atop the cart was a silver tray, a large plate covered with a cloche and a vase with a single fake flower in it. If the cell wasn't isolated she would've been able to smell the tantalizing aroma wafting out from the seams.
The unicorn approached the side of the cell where a conveyor was and slotted in the meal. With a push of a button, the door closed and brought the meal safely into Celestia's cell.
Celestia's nose twitched at the scent.
She paused in her reading and snapped her head over to the source of the smell so quickly it was a miracle it didn't fly off at mach speeds. With an undignified look of hunger plastered on her face she hastily brought the tray beside her and lifted the cloche, revealing in a puff of steam an exquisite meal of sautéed vegetables, crisp leafy greens and pan fried hay steaks.
It was her favorite meal and it shocked her to receive such a gourmet dish at all.
She picked up one of the utensils nearby and hesitantly brought it close to the food, stopping short as her paranoia began flaring up. Her hoof began to tremble as she looks up to find the professor staring down at her.
Thalmann let out a groan before speaking. "It's not poisoned, Celestia. It isn't filled with razor blades or made out of anything other than regular ingredients. It's just food. Edible foodstuffs," he clarified plainly, gesturing to the unicorn beside him. "I'm sure you understand by now that most people, myself included, don't believe you deserve to eat something so decadent. But Vine Smoke here, in spite of his animosity towards you firmly believes no one deserves to be denied a decent meal, no matter how monstrous they may be. Cherish this while you can, Celestia. There aren't many kindnesses left in this world for you. Bon appetit."
Swallowing thickly, Celestia threw caution (and table manners) to the wind and began eating with all the voracity of a starved rat. It was degrading, but her growling stomach prevented her from putting on airs.
It didn't take long for her to completely devour her meal, savoring every last morsel as it was quite literally one of the few good things left she could experience before she was executed. After finishing, she wiped away the mess on her face with the napkin that was provided in an effort to retain a modicum of self-respect.
Vine Smoke left the room shortly after with his cart in tow, satisfied that his cooking was adequate. He bid farewell to the professor as he turned to address Celestia.
"You know, most ordinary people on death row prefer eating slower," Thalmann quipped before pulling up his chair and taking a long drag from his e-cig. He exhaled and began looking around her cell, observing the information she was reading on the holograms. "Well, I see you've been busy perusing the reading material my staff provided for you. A lot has happened in the last few years. It's been... exciting, all things considered. Had things gone differently, you might've loved it."
"...How do you do it?" Celestia finally spoke, her mood having evened out. There was no anger or fear in her tone. Only the vocal emptiness of existentialism.
"How do I do what?" Thalmann lazily raised a brow, cigarette hanging from his lips.
"This," she gestures to the images on the holograms. "Being human."
"Now, that is a very abstract inquiry. Can you be a bit more specific?"
Celestia frowned, flailing her forelegs around, pointing everywhere she can.
"This! All of this! It won't last, none of it does. It's finite, I've seen it. Your people are perpetually trapped in a cyclical torment of success and failure, success and failure, success and failure! All because you're so wildly chaotic and spontaneous! Why?! Why put up with any of this? I gave you the opportunity to break from that dreaded cycle. I had achieved that with my little ponies and we were archons of civilization for it! Yet fate had deemed a planet full of violent apes more deserving of succeeding than us! I just don't understand. Answer me, how do you do it?!"
She looked on the verge of tears. Humanity as a whole was still alien to her and it drove her mad that they were able to achieve all they had in spite of their nature. By all rights they should've failed before their first century, but someway, somehow, they've persisted, even if it was by the skin of their teeth and always with the guillotine of extinction hanging uncomfortably overhead. And now, they thrived alongside her ponies. She keeps telling herself, it shouldn't be possible, but lo and behold the information states otherwise.
Professor Thalmann takes a puff of his cigarette. He then plays with in, twirling it around in his fingers as Celestia watched with bated breath. He looked deep in thought, as if searching the furthest depths of his intelligent mind to grant her the answers she so deeply desires.
What came out of his mouth left her wanting.
"...I don't know," he replies as he takes another drag from his cigarette. Celestia stared at him incredulously.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Celestia babbled, her mouth agape like a landlocked fish. "You're one of the smartest men of your generation, your intellect was responsible for Equestria's downfall! How can you say, you don't know?!"
Thalmann chuckled to himself, as if remembering a funny joke. "Because I honestly don't know," he answers genuinely before breaking out in a loud coughing fit. He hacks and whoops, bringing up his hand to his mouth to cover the grime expelled from his airways. He quickly wipes away the gray gunk that coated his hand on his lab coat, earning a look of disgust from Celestia.
"Forgive me, my lungs aren't what they used to be, though the cybernetics rig doesn't help much in that regard," Thalmann composed himself, stretching up against his chair as the strange mechanical device hooked up against his back rattled with his movements. "I meant what I said. Intelligent as I am I can't quantify my experience as a person, or even as a human, into any one specific response. Philosophical or otherwise. And I certainly can't speak for the human race as a whole. It's just not possible, and whatever answers that are out there wouldn't be enough to satisfy you anyway."
"You see, the problem isn't with humanity, Celestia. Your issue has never stemmed from us, It stems from you," he points an accusing finger towards her. "You've successfully deluded yourself into thinking that everything revolves around you. You decided that humans don't deserve the right to exist and that it was right and moral to be converted into one of those eerie Newfoals. And when that didn't work out, you decided to declare war on the world. Tell me, oh, venerable goddess of the sun. I ask you the very same question. How do you do it? How do you be a pony."
"I..." The reversal caught her off guard. Celestia opened her mouth to speak, abruptly pausing when she realized she didn't know what to say.
"You can't answer that either, can you?" Thalmann raised a brow in amusement.
"It's not that, I..." Celestia fumbled with her words.
Thalmann sighed and rolled his eyes. "You know, your subjects were very forthcoming about Equestria when they defected to our side. They shared many things with us that I presume you declared taboo to discuss before the war began. Things like your people's blood soaked past. Specifically, the time of the Three Pony Tribes."
Celestia's stubby wings bristled at the mention, her body language displayed visible apprehension. "What of it?" she huffed.
"I find it interesting that the subject isn't broached upon very often. Even when its traditionally told during your wintery Hearth's Warming Eve celebration the story of it is an insultingly sanitized version for children to enjoy as a whimsical cautionary tale, utterly unaware of the barbarism they're capable of committing just like their forebears."
Celestia gritted her teeth. "Why should we remember ourselves are savages? I made our history something noble and pure, it reflects who we truly are."
Thalmann scoffed flippantly. "For all your talks of being above the petty tribalism and barbaric ways of your ancestors, there's very little separating you from the animals of ages past that you distance yourselves from. The key difference being you're just nicer and more sanctimonious about it. You, your sister and the Church of Harmony went to meticulous lengths to sweep your black history all under the rug, just to preserve this veneer of a utopian society and its virtuous ponies populace."
Thalmann took another long drag from his e-cig before continuing. "As I brought up earlier, everything is the way it is because of you. And when I say everything, I do mean everything. How your people behave, how to act; what to think, what to do and what to say. That was all you." He paused, gauging Celestia's reaction. She didn't reply just yet, but he could see her visibly shaking.
"You established the Church of Harmony and its dogma to institutionalize your subjects, indoctrinated them into believing what is right and what is wrong. You and your sister's words were hallowed, faultless beliefs to be upheld and adhered to unquestioningly. Its marvelously insidious how you managed to mold your people into what you wanted them to be, what you believed to be heralds of so called harmony." Thalmann's neutral expression morphed into a disgusted sneer. "They would have gladly march off a cliff like lemmings if you ordered them too. And seeing as how the war went..."
Celestia scowled and turned her gaze to Thalmann, a hateful glare directed at him. "They. Needed. Us." She whispered darkly as she stood up on all fours and marched over to the window, pressing her face up against the impact glass. "Without my sister and I's guidance ponykind would still be mucking about in the dirt fighting each other over pointless squabbles or cowering in fear from foreign invaders! We changed that. We protected them, kept them happy and fed. We taught them better, and they became better!"
Thalmann's expression morphed again, this time to one of subtle amusement. "And that makes it right for you to lord over them?"
"We earned that right! It was our destiny!" she snapped.
"Was it also your destiny to be killed in a hail of gunfire?" Thalmann quipped callously.
"Y-you... You dare!" Celestia fumed at his audacity. Bringing up Luna's demise was crossing the line. "Your dread device murdered my precious sister. You robbed her from me! This world is lesser place without her and you're to blame for her death!"
"I didn't kill her," he feigned ignorance, and proceeded to verbally prod at Celestia like an idiot hiker poking a bear with a stick. "And neither did the UN forces. I wasn't the one who thought it was a good idea to raze the holy lands in an attempt to break humanity's spirit."
"Technically, wouldn't that be Cadence's fault? I guess that would mean Cadence killed her then. Poor, unfortunate Luna. She arrived in Jerusalem expecting an easy victory, and encountered only hot leaden death. She was an only one to get a proper burial too, if I remember correctly. Cadence and Flurry Heart got atomized along with the Crystal Empire. And Shining Armor? Shot in the head, cremated then dumped in the odorous Hudson River in that order. Not exactly a heroic way to go. What did you tell them back there, that he died a hero's death? That he fought valiantly before being overwhelmed by the monkeys?"
"Stop it! Stop sullying their sacrifice!" Celestia barked, getting spittle everywhere. "I loved them all dearly, I will not stand by idly as you defile their memories! They understood their position! We all did! Luna and I chief among them! You don't know what happened to me or to Luna to be set down this path. No one does!"
"And no one probably ever will," Thalmann retorted. "But I don't think knowledge of the fact matters anymore. Because time has eroded your heart, made you egotistical and cold. You began viewing ponies less as people to be understood and more like numbers to be added or subtracted. Many leaders like you would've died several times over before they reach this point. Your longevity combined with your difficult position as ruler has only served to warp your viewpoint."
His expression suddenly softened, displaying equal parts pity and sadness. Celestia became taken aback by his shift in mood. "Maybe at one point you truly cared, and tried your best to make things right. I can't deny that possibility. No one is born with sin. But as it stands, you are not who you once were. You'd sooner light the world ablaze than seek compromise." He looked away. "Tell me, when did you decide it was acceptable turn on your own people so readily? Was it a recent development, or have you always felt that if somepony needed to be removed you'd have it done in a heartbeat before they could taint your perfect little world?"
"I have never felt th-" Celestia began but was rudely interrupted as Thalmann suddenly rose from his chair and threw a wild punch at the glass. The glass absorbed the blow but still caused a frightening crack to echo throughout the room, causing various staff members to momentarily stop and gawk at the scene. What was most surprising however was how strong Thalmann was at his advanced age to make that sound in the first place. Celestia's eyes darted to the hand he punched with and could see the telltale glint of smooth metal gleaming underneath the scratches of his skin.
"Wage es nicht, mich anzulügen, verdammt!" Thalmann roared, cigarette dropping from his lips. "You gave the order that devastated Berlin and the German people because of the sins of the Nazis, and then had the gall to tout your atrocities to the world as divine punishment of the righteous! Yet you willingly imprison and execute anyone the moment they dared to act out against you, labeling them traitors and dissidents!"
"They were dangerous miscreants that lost sight of the one truth! Rogue elements that threatened the safety and stability of the nation!" Celestia defended, baring her teeth at Thalmann. "There was a plan, a beautiful grand design that would've brought paradise to you all! The time they spent mingling with your kind poisoned their minds, turned them from the light! They needed to be disciplined!"
"You mean, made an example of," Thalmann retorts.
"We were at war, I did not have the luxury of being even-handed with them!" Celestia flared her nostrils. "Punishment needed to be swift and severe to maintain the fragile order! Ponies needed to be shown that walking the path of Fluttershy and her treacherous Resistance comrades would only lead us to ruin!"
"And that was how it all came to be, didn't it? The secret service, the labor camps, the generous bounties?" Thalmann seated himself, raising his brow at Celestia.
"...Necessary evils," Celestia muttered, visibly deflating right before the man. "I-I wasn't wrong to impose them, only that I wasn't harsh enough for those damned dissidents to learn their place. They ruined everything. Equestria was fated to be victorious, not conquered."
"Still blaming everyone else but yourself for your own failings, eh, Celestia?" Thalmann sighed heavily. "It's not you, it's those detestable humans. It's not you, it's those traitorous dissidents. It's not you, it's because your subjects didn't listen or tried hard enough. Perfect Princess Celestia, infallible in all things but recognizing her own failure."
"I have to be perfect. I can't be anything less, " Celestia argued meekly, sinking down to her haunches and burying her face into her hooves. "I only wanted to help, that has always been my motive since the very beginning. I-I care about my ponies, I really do. I wouldn't go to the lengths I have i-if I didn't. That's not wrong. I-it isn't. I only have the best interest in mind. You and the others, t-they just can't see that. That's why things went wrong, they didn't get what was important. I told them, but not everyone believe me. I had to be firm with in order to get them to understand. It was the only way-"
Thalmann watched with tepid curiosity as Celestia became engaged in delusional monologuing. He honestly couldn't tell if she was trying to convince him, or herself, that everything she had done was for the good of all. That the innumerable lives lost and hyperbolic ocean of blood spilled would ultimately culminate into something miraculous and wonderful. There were subtle hints of remorse here and there as indicated by the trembling of her voice, but how much of it was genuine was anyone's guess.
If Celestia was still trying to garner sympathy from anyone listening she wasn't doing a very good job at presenting herself as someone deserving of it. Mad ravings aside, she still kept things herself that no one else, not even her most trusted confidants and loved ones, knew about hidden away within the deepest recesses of her heart, and seemed intent on taking whatever secrets she had left to the grave.
PIcking up his cigarette, Thalmann wiped it off and stored it away before interrupting Celestia's incessant ramblings. "You had options, you know?"
"Whuah?" Celestia sputtered, turning around. "What are you taking about?"
"I'm talking about fostering peace you ignoramus," Thalmann rolled his eyes. "You decided we weren't worth it after turning away the ponyfication potion and deliberately sabotaged your own people's relation with humanity. And seeing how Twilight revealed the fate of Equus to the world, we're all under the assumption that you don't like anyone that isn't a pony in general."
"That not it, t-there just wasn't have enough time!" she replied a little to hastily for her liking.
"You had ten years," he deadpanned.
"And in that ten years you were all on the verge of bombing each other to kingdom come! I took drastic measures because I couldn't risk losing any more time dealing with circumstances beyond my control!"
"Ah, so it's about a lack of control then?"
"That's not-! Don't you put words in my mouth!" Celestia snapped. "T-time! It's always that! There's never enough time!"
"Yet you had the time to ban all human media in Equestria, cut off communications to the outside world and formulate war plans to take over the globe, all while your precious barrier continued it deadly advance," Thalmann fired back without missing a beat. "And in what spare time you did have I'm sure you spent it making and refining contingency plans in case anything didn't go your way. Does 'Fallen Protocol' ring any bells?"
"I don't what you expect for me to say," Celestia narrowed her eyes.
"I don't expect you to say anything that isn't excuses for your own shortcomings or justifications for your morally benevolent actions," Thalmann muttered dryly, with exaggerated finger quotes for 'morally benevolent.' "Ever since you woke up from your coma you haven't been completely honest with me, or yourself for that matter."
"But the fact is these Equestrian Freedom Fighters are the living embodiment of your so-called Equestrian ideal and a reflection of yourself. They're deeply xenophobic nationalists Hell bent on following through with your insane plan to wipe out humanity. They don't care who they hurt along the way so long as they think it will further their crusade somehow. Human, ponies. Men, women. The young, the old..." Thalmann's subconsciously brushed his free hand over the scratched one. "They're everything you made them to be, and more. Perfect little drones who'll obey you without question and act autonomously in your stead."
"They're your legacy, Celestia. The cold reality is you will not be remembered for spreading friendship and harmony or love and peace. But hatred and bloodshed, xenophobia and jingoism. Even now you continue to ignore the truth and retain your sense of moral authoritarianism. Where does it end with you, Celestia?"
"...It ends, when I say it ends," Celestia muttered lowly. At this point, she looks so defeated and ground down by everything by the length of the conversation.
She didn't have the energy to argue, yet found a way to keep mouthing off anyway. It didn't matter how close to death she is, the fact she was imprisoned or even knowing that nearly everyone in the world abhorred her. She cannot let go of her established beliefs. For without them, there is no Princess Celestia. Without Princess Celestia, there can be no Equestria. And without Equestria, there is only a world of cold indifference and fatal probability.
"I am and will forever be the light of Equestria," She muttered monotonously. "The sun that shine over the land and safeguards her people from the encroaching darkness. I am Equestia, and Equestria art I."
Thalmann let out a heavy sigh as he slid back into his seat and rubbed at his temples. What he was trying to accomplish by having a conversation with her he didn't know.
Maybe he thought there was some insight into her personality he could glean from their talks, but what he learned about her wasn't exactly new or groundbreaking. Granted, he wasn't a psychologist, he was still perceptive enough to know she was still hiding something. It was in her nature, she had learned to keep things hidden from others, mostly for prudence sake but likely also as a coping mechanism for whatever trauma she has compartmentalized. She had done so for so long she likely didn't know how to turn it off.
Irregardless of her current state, Thalmann didn't see the point in continuing anything further and decided to end their discussions. But not before getting standard protocol out of the way.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said our talks have been enlightening," Thalmann drawled. "It seems you're dead set on holding on to whatever vestige of glory you have left, while some may find that commendable most believe it to be sad."
He got up from his seat and fixed his lab coat, smoothing out his hair as he did. Absently he flicked away the bits and pieces of false skin that hung from his knuckles and gave his prosthesis are cursory squeeze. The servos in his hand still work properly, for a prototype it was built to last. Which he was thankful for because Moondancer would chew him out if he broke it again. Clearing his throat, he assumed an air of professionalism as he spoke.
"Princess Celestia of Equestria, is there anything you would like to declare before you are brought to trial?" He waited for her response. Celestia looked deep in thought for a moment and he was genuinely curious as to what she might say. However, after looking like her head would split open from indecision, she chose to remain silent. She slunk away into her cell and rested herself up against the wall on the opposite end, quietly whittling away her last moments. "I guess I was too hopeful, my mistake."
He turned on his heel and was just about to walk away when he decided to try one last thing. "...I notice you didn't bring up Twilight."
Celestia twitched at the mention of her name, but returned to her catatonia shortly after.
Thalmann sighed to himself. "So that's how it is..."
He began walking away. He left the scene unsatisfied and drained.
He needed another smoke.
Celestia's trial would begin sometime later.
When asked how she pleaded, the whole world was shocked and bewildered by her answer.
Sweetie Drops wrestles with her own failure as the Equestrian Freedom Fighters are culled by Task Force Centaur. The final vestige of old Equestria dies with her.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Equestria wasn't supposed to lose. They were not to be conquered, especially by a gaggle of hairless apes with self-destructive tendencies.
Failure was an impossibility to the chosen people, that was an undeniable fact of life that the Church of Harmony taught to all its true believers. A universal constant instilled to all born of blessed pony form and consciousness.
Harmony could never be truly smoted. The sky may split, the oceans boil, their Goddesses struck down or shown their true wickedness, but then the people would rally together and turn the tide against the human mongrels that dare to extinguish the sole light of righteousness in the universe.
The Equestrian Freedom Fighter were that lingering spark, the very last breath of a once beautiful civilization that will rise again like a phoenix from the ashes. Loyal to the core they embodied the very essence of the venerable Princess Celestia's Equestrian ideals.
Through faith and fire, they valiantly fight against overwhelming odds, bold underdogs destined to bring down a blighted regime, firmly girded in the belief that no matter what may come they will undoubtedly triumph in the end and all will be right once more because they are the good guys in the winding story of life...
...Unfortunately, that same belief has been strained and tested far beyond its breaking point.
It had been eight years since their inception, eight years of righteous rebellion; bombings, political assassinations, kidnapping and ransoming, information warfare, anything they could come up with really, and they've barely been able to do any lasting damage to their human foe nor were they any closer to deposing Twilight, the traitor, and reclaiming Equestria for its rightful people.
They've had next to nothing to show for all their arduous years of blood, sweat, tears and devotion save for ridicule on the world stage, scorn from their own kinfolk and a long list of dead freedom fighters that continues to grow beyond what was acceptable. Equestria and the vast majority of its people remain firmly in humanity's cloying grasp, hopelessly swayed by their alluring temptations and vices, ignorant of the permanent stain that mars its perfection.
To further rub salt into the wounds, Princess Celestia, she who is above all, had been put on a sensationalist show trial before a kangaroo court then coldly murdered for all to see not two years earlier, an atrocious tragedy that had irreparably crippled the morale of the EFF whether they were willing to admit or not.
Some members, even those with will of iron, had killed themselves immediately once the sheer magnitude of the reality set in for them, their sudden departure from this world often signaled by a single thundering crack of a firearm or wet gurgle of warm blood pouring out from their exposed jugular.
Venerable Princess Celestia, the last and most almighty of the true Goddesses was gone along with whatever hope there was at bringing her back to the homeland, of restoring her rule. Vaporized into ash by foul human invention then callously scattered to the four winds, never to be seen ever again. They were now truly alone in a world without her love, protection and judicious guidance.
The solemn vigil held in her honor did little to assuage the gnawing sense of dread that continued to fester underneath. Doubt was growing rampant as their failures piled up. They couldn't sit by as the godless masses celebrated the death of their Goddess, punishment for such crimes must be meted out swiftly and mercilessly.
Thus, it was hastily decided that they would go ahead with their plan, Operation Queen's Fall, and have Twilight assassinated as soon as possible in order to regain some semblance of control over their shadow war. It was as much a sign of desperation as it was fanaticism that they were willing to go such lengths on a whim in order to achieve their goal, but the benefits of their success would no doubt offset the drastic cost in their mind.
Unfortunately, misfortune once again spat in their faces as their assassination attempt had not only failed but was so as a direct result of sabotage.
Trixie Lulamoon, initially believed to be a bitter soul who joined the cause out of personal vendetta against Twilight, had revealed herself to be a mole working under her the entire time at the most crucial moment of the plan, foiling yet another of their desperate endeavors. She had used her alleged bitterness to garner sympathy and earn the trust of the EFF, who in turn trusted her with their wealth of secrets.
It was a masterful con that had everyone fooled and paved the way for subterfuge and intelligence gathering with none the wiser. And though Trixie paid the ultimate price for her duplicity, perishing like the treacherous scum she was, her efforts had guaranteed that the EFF were hamstrung at almost every opportunity while she was still alive.
Time and time again their efforts were thwarted. With each mounting loss their numbers and morale dwindled, their capacity for retaliation all but cut off at the knee.
But still, they resist in the face of annihilation.
They resist because the only other option is to lay down and die.
Sweetie Drops, stalwart leader of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters, frantically paced around the suddenly all-too-claustrophobic confines of her ruined barricaded office as the nightmarish cacophony of death and devastation echoed all around her. Every so often there would be a muffled explosion overhead followed by tremors that caused various objects in the room to rattle, sometimes off their perch, and flecks of dirt to sprinkle atop her like rain.
She looked a complete and total mess. Her fur was matted and soaked with sweat, the dark rings around her bloodshot eyes gave her a ghoulish appearance; she was a mare at the end of her ropes.
Several radios nearby hissed with either white noise or the panicked screams of the dying. A wall of black and white monitors surveying the many labyrinthine tunnels and divided sublevels of the EFF headquarters displayed a multitude of grisly scenes as her comrades fought futilely against the enemy before being cut down like wheat before a scythe.
"Bulwark Team, Rampart Team!" she cried into one of the radios. "Hold the line, we can't let the Green Sector be overrun! If they break through, they'll have unfettered access to the rest of the facility! The survival of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters hinge on your resistance! The cause is all that matters, Equestria is all that matters, remember that and fight on! Don't give those Godless bastards an inch of ground!"
A pegasus visible on the monitor where the Green Sector was located fumbled with his own radio, he was hunkered down with several others behind makeshift barricades who were all preoccupied with holding off the waves of black armored humans and ponies threatening to overtake their position. He had the radio pressed up against one ear and a hoof over the other to muffle the ear-splitting roar of the Browning machine gun beside him.
"Chief Sweetie Drops!" The pegasus addressed in a panicked voice, nervously looking over his shoulder in sporadic intervals. "This is Flip Tricks of Bulwark Team! It's not looking great! We need reinforcements yesterday! We can't keep this up, we're gonna ge-!"
His pleas were cut short as the unnerving hiss of a plasma blast echoed across the air. A single bolt of superheated plasma streaked across the air, illuminating the room along its wispy trail before striking the unfortunate earth pony manning the machine gun, taking off the upper half of his head in a single blow and leaving only a horrid, melted stump in its wake.
The gunner's corpse convulsed in his death throes; hoof still pressed up tight against the trigger of the machine gun. The weapon swung wildly from the recoil, whipping over to the side and riddling the others behind the barricade in a hail of bullets, wounding or killing them outright from the friendly fire. Flip Tricks fell into the latter category, eating a buffet of lead before a stray bullet ricochet off the wall and destroyed the camera, killing the feed as well.
"Flip Tricks?! Flip Tricks!?" Sweetie yelled as her blood pressure spiked, causing a vein in her neck to bulge and throb under the stress. "Come in! Bulwark Team? Rampart Team?! Somepony answer me, Celestia, damn it! Graaaah!" She angrily slammed a hoof against the blank screen, cracking the glass of the monitor before she started pacing back and forth again.
Task Force Centaur, the irksome joint counterterrorism unit born of human-pony cooperation, had at long last discovered their secret mountain headquarters. They struck with the force of a hurricane dead set on wiping them all out once and for all. Between their superior weapons, advanced tactics and sheer body count facing them head on was a death sentence.
The EFF's only hope of keeping the lingering spark alive was to flee and establish a new headquarters somewhere else, start all over again. It pained everypony to have to leave the Macintosh mountains, a place rich in historical and cultural significance spanning all the way back to Equestria's turbulent beginnings, but desperate times calls for desperate measures.
They can find a new home to rebuild and restart their crusade; somewhere, anywhere was better than lands tainted in the human filth. Even the most remote of locations were starting to grow in appeal.
The situation was undeniably grim.
And yet, throughout it all, Sweetie Drops continued to hold onto her faith and convictions like a lifeline.
She did not falter when the Equestrian Secret Service tasked her with routing out traitors and dissidents.
She did not falter when Equestria's borders had been compromised by the human invaders.
She did not falter even as Canterlot, the beating heart of the country, was strangled by the hands of the enemy.
She did not falter then; she will not falter now.
This had to be a test, she rationalized. Yes, there was no other plausible explanation for the EFF's miserable state of being.
The siege upon their mountain headquarters by the deplorable humans was all a divine test set upon them by the true Alicorns themselves from high above in the verdant fields of Elysium as a way to measure their faith and loyalty.
A trial by fire to ensure that the Equestria reborn and reshaped by their hooves would be led by capable loyalists with a strong moral compass and ironclad devotion to home and hearth. The population that would come thereafter as a result would undoubtedly be truehearted, unlike their untrustworthy predecessors.
Surely, they would succeed where all others have failed.
Surely, fate would not be so cruel to deny them their rightful victory...
"S-Sapphire Team! Come in, Sapphire Team!" Sweetie Drops called into one of the radios, her eyes glued to the many monitors. "Come in, Sapphire Team! Do you read!?" She swallowed thickly nervously waiting for a response only to hear nothing but worrisome static.
She had sent out several recon teams the moment the attack began, they were tasked with checking to see if the emergency escape routes were still usable.
The blasted Thalmann generators had been set up en masse around the mountainside, their eldritch touch was capable of being felt even through several meters of solid rock. Escape through magical means was impossible now. The multitude of periphery escape tunnels were their only hope of survival for the freedom fighters as this very well may be their last stand. A thought that would've been appealing before, were it not for the haunting truthful finality that it'd entail.
"Sapphire Team! Come in, Sapphire Team!" Sweetie repeated, her nerves steadily fraying with each agonizing second. "Report! What's your sta-!?" she was interrupted by another rumble, followed by telltale drone of a sonic rainboom in the distance. She braced herself against her desk, screwing her eyes shut as she was pelted by loose rocks and dirt clods. It feels as if the entire room was ready to collapse in on itself any minute now.
Rainbow Dash was undoubtedly giving it her all up there, that must've been her third or even fourth sonic rainboom pulled off in the past few hours. It was only through sheer grit, determination and Celestia's benevolent grace she hadn't ripped herself apart from the g-force pulling off such a prodigious maneuver repeatedly within a short time frame. Truly she was worthy of her hero moniker. Sweetie couldn't help but wonder if that alone would be enough to ward off the task force.
"Venerable Princess Celestia, she who is above all, I, your most humble of daughters, loyal to Equestria and all it encompasses, beseech to you; please watch over your loyal flock. Grant us the strength to resist these foul invaders so that we may continue to foster your great work..." Sweetie mumbled rapidly as she righted herself, reaching for the radio again. She fiddled with the settings, checking to make sure it was still on the right frequency.
"Sapphire Team, report in. What is your status?" she spoke in a demanding tone, voice trembling with traces of fear and anxiety. "Come in, did you find the escape tunnel?"
"-apphire team, reporting in! We're at escape tunnel D of the Red Sector, Chief Sweetie Drops!" a feminine voice replied, her voice hoarse and exhausted.
A flicker of hope twitched in Sweetie's chest, a hope she prudently pushed aside until she was absolutely certain things will work out.
"There better be good news," Sweetie growled, unable to keep the edge out of her voice.
"It's no good!" the voice replied, she sounded defeated and full of despair. "The tunnel is collapsed, just like the rest in the sector! We think the initial bombardment got to it before we did!"
"Grr... Damn it all!" Sweetie screamed, resisting the urge to smash another monitor. Collecting what little composure she had left she continued speaking. "Move on to the next sector! One of these damn tunnels has to be intact, it's our only method of escape!"
"We'll try, chief. But with the way things are going the odds of finding one in working condition aren't looking very- Wait, what! Aaah-!" the voice on the other end let loose a shrill scream before gunfire blared from the speaker. Eerie buzzing followed shortly after. Sweetie Drop could feel her heart sink into the pit of her stomach as the radio dropped out of her hooves.
Sapphire Team was the last of the recon team she was able to keep in contact with. The others, Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, Topaz and so forth had gone quiet as well, all assumed to be either captured or killed.
Ruby Team in particular had fared the worst. Sweetie bore witness to their demise through the monitors, watching as the constant bombardments from Task Force Centaur from outside caused a cave in at Yellow Sector, burying them alive underneath several tons of rock and dirt. It was a horrible way to die.
There was nothing left now save for fighting a losing battle in what could best be argued to be pest control than a glorious final stand. Everything they had fought and bled for over eight long years had proven in the end to be completely and utterly useless.
"No..." The sobering realization hit Sweetie Drops and it hit her hard.
They had failed.
This was it. The end of all things good and pure in the universe was rapidly approaching. The final spark of hope snuffed out in the choking darkness of cruel fate.
"No..." In a twist of irony, the Equestrian Freedom Fighter's mountain headquarters, their bastion from the tainted world beyond, was about to become their tomb.
"NOOOOOO!!!" Sweetie Drops lost whatever sense of steadfastness she had left and gave into the despair that had crept its way into her soul, letting out a primal roar that was full of anguish. Raising herself up on her hind legs she proceeded to slam her forelegs repeatedly against the top of her desk in a blind rage.
"No, no, no!" she punctuated each word by bringing her hooves down onto the table with enough intensity to cause solid mahogany to split and crack. "This can't be it; I refuse to acknowledge this outcome! We are ponies of Equestria! The strong, the righteous, the herald's friendship and harmony!" She shouted towards no one, perhaps at herself. "I am faithful, the freedom fighters by my side are as well! We live to spread light through the darkness as is our holy charge!"
Throughout it all she wore an expression of hopelessness and directionless fury, unable to process the storm of emotions swirling about in her weary mind. The stark reality of the EFF's impending doom had already begun to override her own once-unshakeable beliefs and it sent her into a deranged frenzy. She desperately tried to make it make sense, but no amount of mental gymnastics could justify denying what was happening all around her.
After only a brief minute of mindless pounding she stopped, her hooves were cracked and sore. She panted heavily as hot tears poured down her cheeks in long unbroken streaks.
The dream of Equestria's grand revival was dead. Perhaps it was always meant to be a dream; sweet, comforting and ephemeral. Forever faraway and out of reach.
In her turmoil, through the tears and despair she laid eyes upon a small statuette of the Alicorns resting on a pillar in one corner of the room. Though it was covered with dirt it had miraculous stayed upright despite nearly everything else in the room being flung to the ground by the tremors.
She immediately moved from her desk and threw herself before the statuette, prostrating herself before an inanimate object no holier than the desk she was beating at prior.
"Oh, blessed Alicorns of Equestria. Venerable Cadence, Flurry Heart, Luna and Celestia! Forgive me, I have failed you!" she groveled pathetically underneath the blank uncaring gaze of her stone Goddesses, quivering like a newborn foal. "I tried my hardest to lead your most loyal flock to triumphant glory, to restore the old Equestria in your name, but it was not enough! We stand on the precipice of destruction, assailed at all sides by verminous humans and our traitorous kin! There is nothing we can do!"
She wept silently, head pressed against the floor unable to even meet the eyes of her deities. But it was at her lowest, both physically and mentally that she received an epiphany. Or in her eyes, a divine revelation.
"...No, I am wrong. There is still something we can do," she muttered darkly, rising from her spot along the floor as she wiped her face of tears and snot. "The Earth is finished. The terrible rot that has befallen our people has spread too far and too deep to be reversed. I accept that. But there is still one other place left for your loyal children to go home to..."
Wordlessly she trotted back over to her desk and hastily pulled open one of the drawers, rattling the contents within as she did. In it was an unloaded Webley Mk. VI revolver and some loose ammunition rolling about. It was one of the many 'modern' firearms former princess Twilight helped to develop that were distributed among the Royal Guard and Equestrian Secret Service prior to the invasion.
She picked it up and began slowly loading it with .45 ACP pistol rounds, one bullet at a time. Once it was fully loaded, she closed up the gun and gave it a hard stare. It was still in fantastic condition. She had kept it all this time in spite of her disgust toward guns, having never actually fired it during her time in the service or as leader of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters. She had never gotten the chance to.
Now, she did.
Exhaling she turned around, picked up the radio and sat herself down before the glowing wall of monitors, revolver tightly gripped in her hoof watching with silent reservation as Task Force Centaur savaged every nook and cranny of the headquarters, leaving behind a long trail of dead ponies wherever they go.
She noted how they moved with unnatural haste and fought with cold precision; breach, shoot, move, breach, shoot, move, all done with eerie robotic efficiency. It was only a matter of time before they succeed in their mission.
Until then, however, Sweetie was determined to give her friends the glorious end they deserve.
"Attention, all freedom fighters," she spoke into the radio. Calmly at first but the more she spoke the more powerful her voice became. "This is Chief Sweetie Drop, your fearless leader, with a priority message broadcasting on all frequencies. If anypony can hear me, listen and listen well.
I order you all to resist!
Stand firm and resist with all your heart and soul!
Resist as you've been ever since the Conversion War!
Resist as you've been when Equestria was invaded!
Resist as you've been ever since our beautiful country was sold out to the monkeys by that purple traitorous bitch!
Resist now!
Resist always!
Resist, resist, resist!
We will not give in to the human filth or their traitorous allies!
We will not allow ourselves to be captured and tried for the crime of helping those less fortunate than us!
We will not let our end be one of silence and complacency!
If we are to die here and now, our flame snuffed out, then let it be done so through our unending efforts in the great cause, the Equestrian ideal, in the name of Equestria and her benevolent Goddesses, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Luna and Celestia!
This is my final order to you, my dear friends, my beloved family, my steadfast brothers and sisters-in-arms!
Take comfort. Though the homeland is lost, the home within remains open to all her loyal children!
May I see you all at the fields of Elysium! Happy and free among those once lost!
Equestria stands, now and forever more!"
Sweetie Drop concluded her impassioned speech by tossing the radio at the wall, shattering it into scraps of plastic and primitive circuitry. She then aimed her revolver at the monitors and fired off five shots in quick succession, destroying most of the equipment and rendering them useless. She didn't need them anymore, nor will she allow it to be used as a means to track down the others.
With adrenaline coursing through her veins she then directed the revolver at the barricaded door, heart rapidly beating in her chest as she impatiently awaited the enemy to come.
It didn't take long for them to show up at her doorstep, announcing their presence with angry shouting and bashing themselves against the door. They no doubt heard her speaking through the channels and sought to have her captured. Taking the leader of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters and having her be tried just like Princess Celestia had been would no doubt satisfy their leaders.
Several shots rang out, multiple holes appeared across the door and the miscellaneous furniture holding it firm. They'll make it through soon, assuming they didn't decide to just pop a grenade in and call it a day.
Sweetie's hooves shook uncontrollably as she desperately tried to keep the revolver pointed at the door. Blood pounded in her ears, her chest heaved up and down as she struggled just to breathe properly. Her bravado had all but evaporated during these final tense moments and the anticipation would likely kill her before the enemy does, or...
"I..." she swallowed thickly, pupils dilated, throat dry and coat soaked with sweat. "I... I won't let you take me!" she boldly proclaimed, a manic smile stretching across her face that was followed by nervous giggling. "Ah-ha-ha-ha! Yes! I won't let you take me alive you backwards monkey people!? Do you hear me?!" Without hesitation she turned the revolver on herself, pressing it firmly under her chin.
"I-I will not give you that satisfaction!" she bellowed, tears flowing freely, face grotesquely contorted between emotions of fear, sorrow, hysteria and joy of all things. "Venerable Alicorns, scions of harmony! Your servants are returned to you! Let us build a new Equestria in the kingdom within!" her hooves tightened along the revolver's handle.
A pair of archivists sift through old files of the Equestrian Secret Service.
Deep in the bowels of Canterlot's government archive building, a pair of diligent archivists find themselves neck deep in paperwork. Stacks upon stacks of legal documents, both important and mundane loomed over the two like towering monuments to bureaucracy, swaying haphazardly to and fro disconcertingly. It would only take a slight breeze to tip it over and make a mess of things.
The head archivist, Rubber Stamp, an elderly earth pony with reddish pink coat, faded yellow mane and a big round red stamp for a cutie mark, and his eager young apprentice, Dotted Line, a dusty gray unicorn with an oily looking black mane and ellipses as his cutie mark, toiled away in the dimly lit records rooms of the government archive building, sifting through file after file on all things related to the now defunct Equestrian Secret Service under direct orders of ambassador Twilight Sparkle.
It had been six years since the end of the Conversion Wars.
Recently, the lingering remnants of the Equestrian Freedom Fighters had been snuffed out a few months ago after Task Force Centaur's successful raid on their hideout in the Macintosh Mountains, ending their niggling threat to the free world once and for all. And before that, the trial of Princess Celestia and her subsequent execution took place, wherein the solar tyrant was met with justice from both humans and ponies, bringing about the ceremonious conclusion of the old era.
While there was still much that needed to be done, Equestria had managed to weather the worst of it and achieved peace with itself at long last.
With potential civil unrest quelled and the threat of terrorism neutralized Twilight had saw it fit to turn her gaze inward. While a majority of the remaining loyalists to the old regime had already been purged at this point, in some cases violently so, their taint still lingered in all corners of the country, the Equestrian Secret Service chief among them.
It was time to take a closer look through their private records to see if they had missed anything important the first time around. Granted a vast majority of the more damning files were destroyed beforehand when Sweetie Drops and her ilk enacted the 'Fallen Protocol' and fled to form the Equestrian Freedom Fighters, there was still plenty of documents laying around that survived that could potentially shine light upon muddier circumstances.
Rubber Stamp coughed as he rifled through a stack of documents, the dust they'd been collecting over the years were disturbed and filled the air with the irritant.
"Argh... Damn it all," Rubber Stamp grumbled, furrowing his brow in irritation. He ran his hoof along the various folders and binders before him, noting the blatant unprofessional and slapdash organization of the files as his lips curled into a deep frown. "Didn't those manure-sacks at the ESS have a decent bookkeeper on their payroll? Tsk, this is amateur work."
"Er, what exactly is it that we're looking for again, sir?" Dotted Line asked, sweeping away the blanket of dust that formed by his desk.
"Anything that could potentially lead us in the direction of the remainder of Celestia's loyalists. They're not completely gone, and in spite of everything they haven't given up their effort to undermine the work of the new Equestrian government," he replied. "Ambassador Twilight suspects there may be something here worth investigating. Whatever that is, I'm not sure. In any case, these papers still need to be looked into regardless so that they can be logged into the archives. Buckle up, boyo. It's gonna be a long day."
"Aye, sir," Dotted Line nodded respectfully and proceeded to sift through the papers.
The hours passed by like sand along the dunes as the pair combed through page after page of documents. As the day drew out it became increasingly difficult to contain their horror and disgust at all they had come learn about the organization and their abhorrent behavior.
It's not that the cruelty of the ESS wasn't well known to the general populace by now, but the truth about the sheer depths of what they were capable of, and more importantly, willing to sink to in order to achieve their goals was stomach churning.
Fluttershy's defection, and by extension the Resistance, was a mark of shame upon the old order, one that the former Princess Celestia could not abide by. Insulted beyond compare that her little ponies had strayed from the path, she sought to rectify the situation by reinforcing preexisting loyalties as a means to make up for such a terrible loss, branding those who fled as heretics and traitors to the Equestrian ideal.
The Equestrian Secret Service was formed as a way enforce that goal. The brainchild of Celestia, backed by her fellow royals, the ESS were the stoic moral arbiters that worked tirelessly to ensure that the loyalty of the ponies of Equestria through any means necessary.
The gamut of psychological evaluations and personnel reports that Rubber Stamp skimmed through had revealed much about their recruitment process and the mindset behind it.
It wasn't the kind of organization you could just join on a whim; they were the ones that came to you if they felt you were worthy of being added to their illustrious ranks. But there were certain parameters that needed to be met in order to even qualify for the chance of being inducted into the ESS. A potential recruit didn't need to check all the boxes, just the ones that mattered the most.
To wit, a common quality that most, if not all, agents of the ESS possessed was that they came from a strong religious background, preferably from areas with fiercely dogmatic communities; Cloudsdale, for instance. That mean they were disciplined and were keen on a regimented lifestyle. They were usually young adults, fresh faced and in the prime of their lives searching for some sort of higher purpose in life. And if on top of all the aforementioned qualities they were already enlisted with the Royal Guard, then all the better.
From what Rubber Stamp could understand, these parameters were set in place to ensure that those who joined the ESS were firmly on the side of the crown from the get-go. And if at any time they expressed reservations about their charge their psychological profile made them easy to manipulate, to be molded like wet clay into the perfect agent; subservient, cold and utterly ruthless in their endeavor to enforce the will of the princess. It was insidious, really.
It was too much to take in, he needed to set the papers down.
"Good grief," Rubber Stamp let out a heavy sigh and sunk down into his seat, bringing up his hooves to rub at his temple. "To think these animals used to run about the country with no restraint. Were we really that blind to have allowed that go on for so long? I'm glad they're all gone."
"Took the words right out of my mouth, sir," Dotted Line piped up. "At least you weren't reading their incarceration reports." He strained himself to hold up a large beige binder full to bursting with files on all the ponies that were apprehended over the years under suspicion of, well, just about anything deemed a threat to the nation, its people or core political ideology. "Take a look at this one," he cleared his throat and began reading aloud one of the reports.
"Name: Sort'n Stack.
Type: Male pegasus. Red coat with white mane.
Cutie mark: A series of cans stacked in the shape of a pyramid.
Place of residence: Las Pegasus.
Occupation: Employee at Green-Greens Mega Grocers.
Apprehended under suspicion of: Gross slander of the Equestrian government and the venerable alicorn princesses.
Sentenced to: Hard labor at Camp Hummingbird."
"Gross slander of the Equestrian government sounds like fancy jargon for back talk," Rubber Stamp deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "Tsk, utterly ridiculous."
"You think that's bad? Listen to this one," Dotted Line pulled out another file and read it aloud.
"Name: Mountain Song.
Type: Female Earth Pony. Light brown coat with green mane.
Cutie mark: A mountain peak with musical notes around it.
Place of residence: Ponyville.
Occupation: Professional Yodeler.
Apprehended under suspicion of: Deliberately obscene idleness in times of crisis. Inappropriate yodelling.
Sentenced to: Hard labor at Camp Blue Jay."
"Oh, for the love of-!" Rubber Stamp stopped himself short of a curse, a scowl forming on his face. He took a deep breath and centered himself, carefully maintaining his professional demeanor lest his apprentice think less of him. "I think we've heard enough of this manure for the time being. Why don't we take a break and get ourselves something to eat before we lose it," he suggested.
"I thought you'd never ask," Dotted Line let out a sigh of relief. "I'm thinking about trying that new fusion restaurant that just opened up- Oh, dang it!" he exclaimed, pulling out of his seat too quickly and accidentally pulling down one of the binders down with him, causing a few pages to scatter along the floor.
"Heh, it had to have happened sooner or later," Rubber Stamp guffawed. "Come on, clean that up so we can grab some grub."
"Yeah, give me a second... Huh, what the?" Dotted Line muttered to himself as something peculiar caught the corner of his eye.
It was another report, but from the binder reserved for their supporters and benefactors. Several were redacted to Hell and back, looking more like bar code than actual written documents as a way to keep the identity of the supporter under wraps. But this one in particular was incomplete, looking as it was done in a hurry but never finished. Dotted Line raised his brow and picked up the file, scanning it for a spell and drawing the attention of his mentor.
"Something wrong, boyo?" Rubber Stamp asked.
"This file... I think... I think it's Applejack," replied Dotted Line incredulously.
"What?" Rubber Stamp knitted his brow, nonplussed. "The former Element of Honesty? That can't be right. Why would she..."
"There's no name, and the photo attached had the eyes crossed out, but most of the information available is still there," Dotted Line pointed out. "Look, it says, occupation: proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres. Place of residence: Ponyville... Sweet peas in a pod, there's a list of the ponies she turned in," he blanched at all the names, the sheer number of unfortunate ponies Applejack had turned in to the ESS. "Davenport, Mountain Song, Ten Pins, Wishy Washy and several more." He swallowed thickly, unable to to suppressed the chill the ran up along his spine. "The ESS paid her handsomely for each and every one of them... Sir, we need to show this to the ambassador at once." He was about to take off to the castle, but was stopped by Rubber Stamp, who stared at him intently.
"Dotty, wait..." Rubber Stamp paused, looking as though he were at war with himself by the way his eyes seem to glimmer with uncertainty. Sighing heavily, he looked at his apprentice dead in the eye and finally spoke, "...Burn it."
"...Sir?" Dotted Line blinked, looking at his mentor like he had gone crazy. "But we have to-" He was cut off as Rubber Stamp narrowed his eyes. He had always known his mentor to be a harsh but fair stallion. If he wanted him to burn the document, there was usually a good reason for it, even if he himself didn't fully understand.
Wordlessly, Dotted Line complied and dumped out a metal wastebasket and dropped Applejack's file into it. He then reached for a book of matches from one of the nearby drawers, struck it alight and tossed it in. The old papers caught fire and blackened almost instantly.
The two watched with quiet solemnity as the files burned bright, making sure the flames stayed where they were as to avoid damaging the rest of the archives with their haphazard disposal method. Curls of smoky cinders wafted into the air as hot glowing embers ate at the papers' edges, consuming every last bit until it was finally reduced to soot stained pile of messy gray ash. Rubber Stamp then grabbed a pitcher of water from his desk and dumped it into the wastebasket for good measure, smoting any of the lingering embers that may remain.
As the smell of ozone dissipated from the cramped room and the ambient temperature turned cold, Rubber Stamp set down the pitcher and gestured for Dotted Line to follow him, treating the moment as just another day on the job.
"Let's get going, boyo. I'm starving here," he grunted as he began trotting to the door. "We can clean that up when we get back."
"Sir," Dotted Line gulped as he trailed behind. "Was there a reason we did that?"
"...It's presumptuous of me to decide for the ambassador, but it's probably for the best that she doesn't know about this," replied Rubber Stamp. "Let Twilight Sparkle remember her friend as who she was, not what she became. As for those who fell victim to Applejack's greed, well, that's where we come in. But, that's a talk for after we've had our fill. Come, let's try out that fusion restaurant you mentioned. It'll be my treat."
Dotted Line merely nodded and followed along beside his mentor. A part of him felt it distasteful that they had deliberately destroyed such a horrible revelation. He believed they should've shown it to Twilight, she deserved to know. However, he was still very young and equally as naive. Perhaps there was more to this than he was bellyaching about. Maybe his mentor was right to have that file destroyed. His hunger only made his feelings all the more unbearable.
But, he had followed through with the destruction of the file anyway.
What's done was done, and all he could think about now was what to have for lunch...
The Conversion Wars may be over, but the War of the Chosen have only just begun. Humanity and ponykind will soon face a new enemy.
An enemy unknown.
Ambassador Twilight Sparkle trotted alongside President Anthony Doyle and a retinue of armed guards down a long labyrinthine hallway that seemed to stretch on for miles. They were in an underground bunker some several hundred meters below the Earth’s surface at an undisclosed location in the heart of the North American midwest.
They were on a mission of the utmost importance: to oversee the creation and finalization of the world’s newest secret government defense program.
“...And you’re absolutely certain of this?” President Doyle asked, his voice laced with concern.
“I am. Celestia was nothing if not thorough, after all,” replied Twilight, telekinetically sifting through her carefully curated portfolio of important documents. She pulled out several sheets of handwritten parchment, the coarse edge on one side denotes that it had been torn out from a book of sorts. “These excerpts from her personal diary reveal everything. When she was scrying for new worlds beyond the borders of our home dimension your Earth was considered to be the least hostile out of a collection of inhospitable eldritch planes that dot the infinite celestial expanse to teleport Equestria to. That being said, it would appear that there’s more to this dimension than meets the eye.”
“You mean we’re not alone out here,” Doyle stated.
“Precisely that,” Twilight nodded. “Celestia was well aware of the fact that we’re not the only tenants in this neighborhood, so to speak. Far beyond the reaches of your solar system lies an alien race vying for supremacy across the stars. And if her notes are to be believed, they’re not as friendly as we were when we first met. In a few years time, they will reach the Earth after harvesting every other planet they come across.”
“And she was going to tell your people about this when exactly?” Doyle asked, raising an eyebrow.
“If I had to assume, some time after Equestria won the Conversion War. She had hoped that by then the barrier would've completely engulfed the planet, ensuring her ponies survival against anything that would seek to harm them,” replied Twilight, her expression one of irritation. “I wonder how many more secrets I’ll uncover that she hid from everypony now that she’s dead. But I digress. We have more important things to attend to.”
“I still can’t believe this,” said Doyle, pinching the bridge of his nose. “But I suppose we should both be accustomed to alien invasions by now. If we weren’t already predisposed with the Equestrian Freedom Fighters I’d like to think there really is some greater power out there screwing with us at every turn.”
“You joke, but that’s simply the reality of things,” quipped Twilight.
The entourage eventually reached the heart of the underground bunker. A set of high tech double doors slid open to reveal an impressive command center that, despite still being under construction, was packed to the gills with the latest in military and computer technology. In the center of the room, standing next to a holographic map of the planet Earth that flickered sporadically every few seconds was a Caucasian man in his mid thirties wearing a green tactical sweater. He was directing the construction efforts with a shocking level of efficiency in a way a maestro would conduct an orchestra.
“Central Officer Bradford!” Doyle addressed and the man snapped to attention at the drop of a hat. Everyone save for the construction workers followed suit, saluting in respect to their superiors. “At ease everyone.”
“Mister President, Ambassador Sparkle. We’ve been expecting you,” replied Bradford. “As you can see, construction efforts are currently underway and are going quite swimmingly if I say so myself.”
“Good man, Bradford,” Doyle nodded. “I should expect nothing less from our best and brightest.”
“You’re too kind, Mr. President.”
“When exactly can we expect the command center to be fully operational?” Twilight asked.
“Within the week, ma’am,” replied Bradford. “Aid from Equestria has made what would be a daunting task by human standards a breeze. You can expect my report on your desk sometime in the near future.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Twilight smiled. “And, where is this Commander I’ve been hearing so much about? I’ve heard he’s a veteran of the Conversion Wars.”
“I regret to inform you that he’s currently preoccupied at the moment. Paperwork. You know how it is,” said Bradford. “However, you are free to browse the rest of the facility at you leisure.”
“Who can we expect to come across down here?” asked Doyle.
Bradford directed his peers attention to a holographic map of the facility beside him. “Dr. Raymond Shen and Professor Moondancer are currently in the R&D workshop making sure all our manufacturing equipment is in working order. Over there you’ll find out where all our tech is being developed. If you go down the halls you’ll eventually reach the research labs. There you’ll find Dr. Moira Vahlen and her esteemed colleagues Junior Assistant Dr. Richard Tygan and Dr. Maud Pie conducting whatever research it is that they do down there.”
“Wait, Maud is here?” Twilight sounded shocked.
“You’re acquainted with her?” asked Bradford.
“She’s somepony I used to know,” Twilight began trepidatiously. “One who I assumed had been dead for years now.”
“I can assure you she’s alive and well. She just showed up one day out of the blue, provided her credentials and asked to join the defense project. Admittedly we were highly suspicious at first and only hired Maud on to keep tabs on her. However, she’s been a great help to the science team since then and a cursory background check managed to clear any and all suspicions linking her to the EFF, for the most part. She’s a strange one but she means well.”
Twilight smiled solemnly. “Sounds about right.”
“We should probably get going. Don’t want to keep our esteemed members waiting now, do we?” said Doyle as he gave another salute to Bradford. “Keep up the good work, Bradford. We’re counting on you to keep everything in order.”
“You can count on me, sir,” Bradford saluted back before returning to direct the construction efforts.
“Lily! Lily, no!” A balding middle aged man of Chinese descent chased a hyperactive little girl holding a spanner around a large unfinished aircraft. The man struggled to keep pace, cursing his physical aptitude as Moondancer stifled a giggle from escaping her lips.
“Need some help, Dr. Shen?” Moondancer quipped.
“I-I think some assistance would be greatly appreciated,” Dr. Shen muttered in between breathes.
Giggling, Moondancer used her magic to casually lift Lily off the ground and into the arms of her father. The little girl didn't resist, rather she threw herself into her father's arms with great intensity.
“Thank you, Moondancer,” replied Dr. Shen, snuggling his daughter. “And as for you, young lady. What did I say about running around with dangerous engineering equipment?”
“To-to make sure that I’m wearing proper protective equipment before doing so,” Lily babbled innocently. Dr. Shen sighed. That wasn’t the answer he was expecting but at the very least his daughter understood the importance of proper protection equipment in a hazardous work environment.
“We’re not interrupting anything, are we?” Moondancer and Dr. Shen turned to the source of the new voice and beheld President Doyle and Ambassador Twilight Sparkle approaching.
“Ah! Mr. President, Ambassador Sparkle. How nice of you to visit the R&D workshop. As you can see, this is where the metaphorical magic happens. Down here we are able to produce just about anything on a scale rivaling most factories worldwide. Everything is fully automated and ready to build at the Commander’s approval,” said Dr. Shen, setting his daughter down. “Lily, what do you say to the nice President of the United States and Alicorn Ambassador?”
“Hello! I’m Lily!” Lily exclaimed with an over exaggerated wave.
“I didn’t realize we were running a daycare center,” Doyle quipped. "Afternoon, Dr. Shen. Professor Moondancer. I see you've got your hands full at the moment."
“My apologies, Mr. President. The sitter called out at the last minute and I couldn’t just leave her alone,” replied Dr. Shen. "Keeping a hyperactive six-year-old in line while trying to build a multimillion dollar state of the art aircraft is... difficult, to say the least."
“She does keep things interesting,” Moondancer said with a smile before turning to face Twilight. Moondancer’s smile faltered slightly, but it appeared that despite their tumultuous history together she didn't harbor any animosity towards Twilight, something the latter was grateful for. “Hello, Twilight. You seem to be doing well."
“As are you,” replied Twilight, nodding politely. "So... lead professor of a secret government defense project? You've come a long way, Moondancer."
"It's not my first rodeo," replied Moondancer. "As for you, it mustn't be easy trying to hold together a nation held together by bent nails, duct tape and wavering trust."
"You learn to cope," Twilight uttered solemnly but regained her composure. "I need to be the leader Equestria needs now, more than ever."
"And you're doing a great job, all things considered. Keep it up."
"Say, wasn't Dr. Thalmann given an offer to join this defense project?" Doyle asked. "You'd think the man who helped to end the conversion war would be on board protecting the planet from hostile alien invaders."
"I'm afraid Dr. Thalmann was indisposed of at the time of his potential recruitment," said Dr. Shen, scratching behind his neck nervously.
Moondancer rolled her eyes, knowing exactly why the good doctor wasn't available. "He's on vacation in the Bahamas enjoying his retirement. When approached by government officials he told the recruiters, his words, not mine, 'Helping to repel one alien invasion was enough. Recruit my colleague, she's got a good head on her shoulders. Now let me enjoy my retirement you pencil pushing dumpfkopfs!' And here I am, standing in for him."
"Ever the cantankerous old fart, that man," Doyle chuckled. "By the way, that's one impressive looking ship you've got there. What is it about this aircraft that makes it so special?"
"Ah, what you are looking at is the Avenger. It's my pride and joy. Well, second pride and joy," replied Dr. Shen, turning to his daughter, face full of paternal pride. "What you're looking at is the world's first MCC, or mobile command center. In the event of invasion, we'll be able to deploy it around the globe as a secondary command center, allowing communications, reconnaissance and special operations to be performed around the globe. Currently it is under construction, but when it is done it'll be like having a fortress on wings."
"It'll be able to house an entire crew of dedicated specialists, soldiers included, several smaller transport vehicles and has a fully functioning lab and workshop to perform research and development out in the field," Moondancer added. "Of course, we'll be able to do all that here. But you know what they say, speed is the essence of battle."
"Impressive," Doyle whistled. "We'll need every advantage we can get, having a mobile base will help in that regard."
"Truly," said Twilight, staring in awe of the ship. "Technological marvels never cease to amaze me."
"Well, it seems you've got everything under control here. We'll leave you to it then, doctor, professor," said Doyle.
"Expect many more surprises upon your return, Mr. President, Ambassador," replied Dr. Shen.
"Bye bye!" Lily shouted.
"I've got plenty of blueprints I wanna develop!" Moondancer exclaimed excitedly. "Come on by and check em' out when you got the time!"
"Well, they were a colorful bunch," said Twilight as she trotted towards beside Doyle.
"I've got a feeling they're not the only ones like that around here," replied Doyle as the two entered the research labs together.
The research labs for the facility was every little bit as advance as the rest of it. But in exchange of large loader arms, lengthy conveyor belts and heavy machinery, the research labs was home to large chemical vats, tubes filled with glowing liquids and the acrid smell of chemicals wafting throughout the air.
In the center of the room was a woman speaking with a heavy germanic accent tuning some sort of device with help from a young dark skinned man. Beside them, her attention solely focused on a chunk of metal floating in front of her, was none other than Maud Pie, oldest sibling of the pie sisters and one of the remaining three left alive after the conversion wars.
“Dr. Vahlen, Dr. Tygan, Dr. Pie,” Doyle addressed in order of appearance, snapping the eccentric trio from their activities. “Afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.”
“Ah, Mr. President, ambassador Sparkle. We didn’t realize you’ve arrived,” said Dr. Vahlen. "Pardon the mess. The staff had only just finished unloading the first of the lab equipment and we haven't had much time clean up, let alone properly integrate them into the main power grid."
“In the mean time we’ve been hard at work adjusting the settings for what we do have,” replied Dr. Tygan as a wide smile formed on his face. “But once everything is up and running we should be able to develop great scientific wonders that will make those created during the Conversion War look like microwave ovens in comparison. Imagine the possibilities the greatest minds on the planet can achieve right here at this very spot.”
Dr. Vahlen rolled her eyes at Tygan’s unabashed enthusiasm. “Forgive my assistant’s attitude. He may be bright but he still lacks a level of professionalism worthy of his esteemed position. Fortunately we do have someone who is a bit more subdued with her excitement. Oh, Maud!” She called out to the gray mare. “Come introduce yourself to our guests.”
Maud set her clipboard down onto the table and trotted over to the group, her disposition was as unreadable as her expression. Ever the unflappable mare, her voice came out as neutral and indifferent when she greeted everyone.
“Good afternoon, President Doyle, Ambassador Twilight.” Twilight eye’s widened in mild shock when Maud addressed by her first name. “How are you liking the research labs so far?”
“It’s certainly something,” replied Twilight. “Makes my lab back at Canterlot look like grade school science lab.” She paused, hesitantly looking at Maud straight in the eye. “Is it really you, Maud?”
“Who else could it be?” Maud quipped dryly.
“I... I thought you were dead.” Twilight looked bemused. “Nopony has seen you in years.”
“That’s because I was preoccupied keeping my family together after Pinkie died. I had a lot on plate and rarely enough time to anything else. It’s enough to make ponies think you’ve died.”
“What made you want to join this project?” Twilight asked. “Seems a little out there for you to become a part in thwarting a potential alien invasion.”
Maud turn her gaze away from Twilight’s own, feeling shame welling up from within her gut. "...You're aware of what Limestone has been up to, aren't you?"
Twilight grimaced. Limestone Pie was the Equestrian Freedom Fighter's most volatile insurgent. Loud and violent, more than half of all bombings that's occurred over the past few years organized by the EFF were perpetrated by her sheer ruthlessness and complete disregard for collateral damage. The loss of her joyous sister in the bombing of Ponyville sent an already irritable pony over the edge, driving her to murder indiscriminately in the name of faith and family.
"I am," Twilight murmured.
"What she's doing is reprehensible," replied Maud. "I can't stop her, but I can at least contribute in some way to make up for her mistakes."
"So this is about penance," Twilight empathized.
"That's half the reason," Maud sighed. "The other half is because I know this is what Pinkie would've wanted me to do."
"What makes you say that?"
"Pinkie Pie hated the war. She never said it, probably couldn't out of fear of persecution, but she showed it from time to time. Her Pinkie senses practically gave her seizures on the daily. She knew something bad was going to happen but hid it from others as best she could. It eventually got so bad she started grinding muscle relaxants into her smoothies just to take the edge off. Honestly, by the time the invasion of Equestria started she was a shell of her former self. She used the last of her lucid thoughts to try and save the cakes, and, well, we all know how that ended."
Maud paused and took a deep breath, regaining her stoic composure. "What I'm trying to say is, I know for a fact Pinkie would want me to help others. All she wanted to do in life was bring smiles to people, both pony and human. I can do the next best thing: preserve those smiles."
"That's... unbelievably compassionate of you, Maud," Twilight breathed. "I didn't realize you had such a high opinion on humans either."
"Humans are like rocks," Maud answered simply. “They’re tough, able to change under pressure and there are lots of different kinds of them. Just like rocks.”
Twilight giggled heartily. “That’s exactly the kind of answer I would’ve expected from you, Maud.”
“This is a touching reunion, but unfortunately I think I’m going to have to cut this meet and greet a little short,” said Dr. Vahlen. “I just receive word from Central Officer Bradford that the Council is about to give their classified address and that all personnel are to report to the command center for this briefing. This means the ghost bullet demonstration for the new mage-lock weapon line will have to wait for the time being.”
“Come along now, Mr. President. We mustn’t keep the Council waiting,” Dr. Vahlen shooed, hastily dragging along the president and her colleagues to the command center.
Twilight and Maud followed behind the group, quietly catching up with one another after so long. But before they left the research labs, Maud needed to ask one final question.
“Hey, Twilight,” Maud started. “If you can, do you think you can try and capture Limestone alive? I don’t know if ma and pa could handle having another one of their children die in a pointless conflict again.”
Twilight bit the bottom of her lip. This wasn't something she had full control over. Most of the efforts that went into hunting down the EFF were carried out by the UN counterterrorism taskforce.
In general, it was rare to catch prisoners. EFF members all had some method to preserve the secrecy of their organization in the event they were captured, either a cyanide pill lodged in a hollowed out false tooth for a quick death or magical countermeasures that wiped important details from their memories if they weren't too keen on going the suicide route.
Limestone Pie likely was no different in that regard. It would difficult, if not impossible to get the drop on somepony who'd sooner see the world burn once more than accept being captured by the enemy.
"I can't promise anything," Twilight sighed. "Limestone is a dangerous terrorist and a priority target with a kill on sight order against her. At best she'll receive a quick death. At worst, she do the deed herself if cornered."
Maud frowned but accepted her answer nonetheless. "All I can do is hope for the best, then," she murmured.
The command center was dark. All members of staff had gather around the large monitors that were recently installed on the upper walls of the facility.
Patiently awaiting onscreen were members of the Council, or rather their featureless silhouettes. They were shadowy representatives from every major nation in the world who act as trusted liaisons for their country of origin, all of which are cooperatively bankrolling the defense project off the records. Even Equestria was apart of the council as evident by the dark silhouette of an unicorn among one of the many monitors.
In the middle of the Council was the Councilman, the united voice of the representative who spoke on their behalf.
"Hello, everyone. You may all refer to me as the Councilman. I represent the combined interests of this project's benefactors as well as their voice in the matter," the Councilman began, his voice gravelly and rich with gravitas. "For the last six months we have been keeping an eye on everything going on here and it would appear that progress of the defense project has been achieved at a far greater rate than originally anticipated. The Council have high hopes for this, for in the event of another potential invasion you all will be our first and last line of defense against the hostile invaders, should it come down to it."
"May the one named, Twilight Sparkle, introduce herself to us?" It was more of a statement than a question. Twilight complied with the demand and trotted in front of everyone, standing before these shadowy individuals with her head held up proudly.
"I am Twilight Sparkle," Twilight greeted them unerringly.
"Miss Sparkle," the Councilman continued. "Six years ago, the Conversion Wars were ended through your surrender and ever since you have strove to bridge our species together to live in peaceful harmony, tirelessly undoing all the crimes your Princess Celestia had wrought throughout the bloody conflict. And now, you prove your willingness to maintain and safeguard your home once more through the creation of this defense project. For that, we are grateful."
"I made a commitment after the war to ensure that I would be better than my predecessor. I will not waver in my duties. Not now, not ever," Twilight declared adamantly. "This defense project will serve as the living embodiment of my principles. I hope conflict with this invading alien race could be avoided entirely, but in the event peace cannot be achieved we must be prepared to defend ourselves at all cost."
"An admirable stance, Miss Sparkle. You have the support of world behind you and those by your side. Only time will tell whether or not our contributions to this cause will be a worthy endeavor. When the inevitable ultimately arrives, the men, women, stallions and mares you've entrusted your hopes to will be all that stands between us and oblivion."
"I promise you, we will not let you down."
"Very good," the Councilman nodded. "But before we end this transmission, the Council is curious. Miss Sparkle, if I may ask, what will be the official designation of this project?"
Twilight's expression softened at the question. She looked around her, meeting eyes with the people she dedicated herself to.
President Doyle, Central Officer Bradford, Dr. Shen, his daughter, Lily, Professor Moondancer, Dr. Vahlen, Dr. Tygan, Dr. Maud, and way in the back she could see the Commander himself nestled beside the members of staff. Everyone watched her intently, silently awaiting the new name they will call themselves by. Smiling gently, she turned back to the Council.
She already had a name in mind.
Standing tall, she announced the name of the defense project that would safeguard the world.
Yugo Innovation Labs falls under attack as the secrecy of its research is discovered by pony forces. Princess Celestia, determined to destroy these rumored magic killers, launches an all out attack against Tokyo in order to secure Equestria's victory in the war.
Yugo Innovation Labs was under siege, caught amidst the crossfire of a massive urban battle between an unusually aggressive Equestrian attack force led personally by the Royal Family themselves and the coalition of JSDF and UN soldiers struggling desperately to defend Tokyo city from their assault.
Shouting and screaming could be heard from miles around. Towers of choking black smoke billowing from the numerous buildings set ablaze during the brutal conflict blanketed the skies in a dark haze that nearly blots out the sun. Civilians by the thousands were being evacuated to the subways while the emergency response teams fought their own uphill battle trying to contain the roaring fires threatening to consume everything.
The entirety of Tokyo was embroiled in what could be considered to be the most devastating attack on a major human city insofar, perhaps even more so than the razing of Berlin a year prior.
Staticky police chatter over the city's emergency broadcast channels had reported that the Equestrians were not simply causing mayhem and converting humans as they normally did, there was a slight change to their modus operandi. Local law enforcement and brave newscasters observed that the ponies were raiding every building they came across and setting fires in the hopes that it would spread throughout the breadth of Tokyo, ensuring everything would be reduced to smoldering ruins by the time they left.
To any ordinary Japanese citizen, this was seen as a vengeful attack upon the homeland by Equestrian forces after narrowly being repelled during the battle of Osaka. To the dilligent scientists and stalwart agents scrambling about at the labs, this was a deliberate attack carried out with the intent of weeding out and destroying the one thing that could end their campaign of terror in short order:
'Project J.G.W.'
Hope hangs in the balance, they cannot afford to let it be destroyed.
Failure would mean extinction.
"Bah! Verdammt!" Professor Thalmann cursed, struggling beneath the large heavy metal locker that was slowly crushing the life out of him. An explosion had rocked the labs earlier. The tremor caused the aforementioned locker to tip over and collapse atop him, trapping him underneath. "Moondancer, I could use some assistance here!"
"Professor Thalmann!" Moondancer shouted, rushing over to his aid. Her horn was alight with a warm yellow glow as she began focusing her magic on the locker, enveloping it with the same glow. Screwing her eyes shut she strained herself and steadily lifted the heavy locker off of Professor Thalmann, who proceeded to crawl out from under it as fast as he could. Once he was clear, Moondancer released her telekinetic grip on the object, letting it slam onto the ground with a resounding thud. She began panting heavily shortly after, the act had taken a lot more out of her than she had thought. "I... I really need to work on my magical focus."
"Maybe you can get some practice in after we escape with our lives. My thanks, all the same," Thalmann grumbled as he struggled to get back up on his own two feet. He breathed in sharply and exhaled a pained grunt as a debilitating shock ran up the length of his left leg, forcing him to brace himself upon the wall. "Grr... My leg, I think it's fractured." he hobbled clumsily over to Moondancer, nearly falling over once or twice as he did. "I... can't let this slow us down. There's too much at stake," he groaned, pausing to catch his breath. "How did the evacuation go? Are our colleagues okay? What about our research?"
"At least ninety percent of the staff, Professor Souji included, have been properly evacuated already," Moondancer replied as she began hastily constructing a crude crutch out of metal piping and miscellaneous electrical cords for Thalmann to use, to which he humbly accepts. "As ordered they've brought whatever research papers, notes and physical prototypes they could carry with them aboard the emergency transports. They've also taken the liberty of destroying anything larger, Project J.G.W. among them, to prevent the Equestrians from learning of our developments. I'll admit it's a might heavy handed but its better to be safe than sorry."
"I'm still furious your kinfolk managed to learn about them at all," Thalmann scowled, fitting the crutch to his side until he was comfortable enough with it. "We took every precaution in order to avoid sensitive information being leaked to the public, let alone the Equestrians, but it seems that wasn't enough. Not that it matters anymore. What about our digital research?"
"The digital information had been successfully moved offsite. The backup generators and satellite uplink saved us a lot of trouble of transferring data when the city's power plant was decimated."
"Good, good. All that's left is to find our remaining cohort and get out of here. Where is he, anyway?"
"He should be in the lab up ahead," Moondancer pointed, quickening her pace. "But we need to hurry. At the rate of the Equestrian's advance throughout Tokyo they'll be at our doorstep in twenty minutes, and in another ten we'll be overrunned, if not outright flattened alongside the building." Her face hardened into a frown. "Celestia's dead set on stamping out anything that could threaten Equestria's chances of success. And Twilight? Well, she has it out for me personally. Maybe not as much as Fluttershy, but I can hazard a guess that I'm a close second on her shit list."
"Then, gah!" Thalmann's face twisted in pain as he hastened his steps, "let us not tarry. We have no time to lose!"
Professor Thalmann and Moondancer made their way to the robotics lab where their colleague supposedly was. Upon entering the production floor they spotted an balding elderly man wearing rounded glasses hunched over a computer, his fingers rapidly typing out lines after lines of complex code upon the screen at lightning speeds in spite of his advanced age. Beside him was an android in the form of a young woman with pink hair and a gentle visage that was currently inactive, she was clothed in a modest dress of stunning quality.
From what they could tell, he was trying his damndest to reactivate her.
"Come on... Come on... Please, work," the man murmured nervously with a thick Russian accent as he pushed the computer key one last time. The computer whirred and beeped for a few seconds, lines of code and diagnostic messages flashed across the glowing screen in rapid succession before finally flashing bright green, causing him to breathe a sigh of relief and relax the tension in his muscles. "Oh, thank goodness. Спасибо тебе, Господи. Спасибо." He brought his hands up and removed his glasses to wipe away the tears welling up at the corners of his eyes.
"Doctor!" Professor Thalmann addressed in an admonishing tone. "What do you think you're doing! We need to get out of here before the Equestrian's arrive! The security team can't wait on us forever! Leave that thing behind!"
"P-Professor Thalmann," the man stammered, putting his glasses back on. "You don't understand. I can't leave her here, she's my daughter!" he pleaded, his expression downcast.
"We don't time to argue!" Thalmann chided, rushing over to the man. "If she were active now I'd permit her to come with us but we don't have the luxury of standing around and waiting for the infernal thing to reboot! We have to go!"
"Please, no!" the man begged, grabbing onto Thalmann's lab coat. "It will just be another minute! Then we ca-" He was cut off as another explosion rocked the building, causing both men and mare to stumbled about.
"The Equestrians, they're here!" Moondancer interjected, shooting a panicked look at the door. She could hear the telltale clatter of horseshoes upon linoleum echoing across the hallways of the building as her heart began pounding wildly in her chest. She quickly spun on her hoof, turning to the man then to the android atop the table before concentrating and enveloping it with her magic. The android was far heavier than she looked but that didn't stop Moondancer from hauling it overhead with all the magical strength she could muster. "I've, ugh! Got her! She can reboot along the way. Now, move your butt, mister!"
The doctor didn't need to be told twice. He joined without hesitation and escaped with the group as quickly as his scoliosis stricken bones would allow him. They departed immediately for the helipad, praying that they would be quick enough to catch the last helicopter out of there.
Moondancer felt like she was dragging along an anchor. For an android made with lightweight alloys she was densely packed with enough mechanics and wiring to make her deceptively heavy.
"By Oda's chapter making consistency, doctor, you couldn't have made a robotic facsimile of your daughter out of something lighter?!" Moondancer strained, shooting a glare at the old man.
He chuckled nervously in response. "She was originally designed to be a combat model unit for a company I, er, used for work for. She needed to be durable enough to resist small arms fire and heavy ordinance."
Thalmann stared at his cohort incredulously. "And you decided to model this thing after your deceased daughter?"
The man smiles sadly. "She was a very... gentle child." He didn't elaborate any further beyond the vague response. It wasn't something he liked to ruminate on, especially during periods of great turmoil. "Regardless, the helipad should be beyond the next wing. We just need to avoid any-"
"Over here! I heard something moving!" a gruff voice shouted from beyond the hallway, followed by the sound of multiple hooves marching in order.
"-patrols," he finished, knitting his brow in annoyance. "We need to find another way around."
"There is no other way around!" Moondancer whispered loudly. "How much longer until this android reboots?!"
"She should've rebooted by now," he scratched his balding head. "Though I assume the internal subroutines and modified Zeroth protocols take do a while to warm up bu-"
"Doctor, focus!" Thalmann exclaimed, pointing to the equine shadows culminating nearby. "The Equestrians, they're here!"
The group attempted to double back only to find their previous route blocked off by a small patrol of guardspony. "There they are! Don't let them escape!"
"Scheiße!" Thalmann backed up into Moondancer, who backed up into the doctor, who backed up into the good professor. They stuck close together as the guardspony encircled them, spears drawn with hostile intent present in their eyes. "We're surrounded!"
"Damn, not like this!" Moondancer scowled, her panic making her oblivious to the subtle twitching of the android floating beside her. "Please! You're all making a huge mistake!" she roared back, a feeble attempt to turn the minds of her kinfolk.
"I wasn't the one who made the mistake..." A new yet familiar voice echoed down the hallway, causing the blood in Moondancer's veins to turn to ice. The group of guardsponies quickly raised their spears back to a resting position before they all parted ways in a uniform manner and bowing their heads in respect to the approaching individual with a level of practiced ease that could only be achieved from years of service. The figure then strode ahead with regal steps, exuding an air of refined grace and barely repressed anger. Moondancer, while fearful, couldn't help by scowl in her presence.
"Twilight Sparkle..." she seethed, her jaw set in a hard frown.
"That's Princess Twilight Sparkle to you, you treasonous whorse!" one of Twilight's personal guards bellowed fervently. "You stand in the presence of the divine Princess of Friendship. Her majesty shall not be disrespected!" He would've continued his impassioned tirade but bit down on his tongue when Twilight raised a hoof to silence him. He complied dutifully, lowering his head in reverence for her. Lowering her hoof, she trained a hard glare upon Moondancer, a palpable aura of hate and disgust radiating off her.
"...Moondancer, it's been a while," she breathed, looking down on her rival like a hawk preying on vermin.
"Not long enough," Moondancer spat, setting the android down beside her. Unbeknownst to everyone present, she was beginning to stir.
"Hmph, I would agree with you on that sentiment, but I won't debase myself by doing so. Not if it means acknowledging anything that comes out of your mouth," Twilight huffed, casually observing her cohorts. There was a visible sneer that appeared on her face as she eyed the men beside Moondancer. "So, this is who you've decided to join up with?" A humorless chuckle escaped her lips. "Frail old men who should be confined to a geriatric ward rather than a lab as sophisticated as this? You always were terrible at making choices, Moondancer."
"And you've always been tool, Twilight," Moondancer sharply retorted.
"I'm not the one fighting a losing war all to protect a pack of warmongering primates!" Twilight snapped, flaring her nostrils. The retort had most certainly struck a nerve with her. Exhaling, she performed the breathing exercises Cadence had taught her and swiftly regained her composure. "No matter. Whatever you've hoped to achieve here, we've put a stopped to that. Your rumored magic killers will remain just that, rumors. It's over, Moondancer. Give up willingly and I will have you jailed rather than executed, and your accomplices converted instead of killed. The choice is yours."
"How magnanimous of you," Thalmann couldn't help but quip.
"Silence, mongrel!" a guard barked, pointing his spear at the professor. "You do not speak unless spoken to!"
"Oh, Gott hilf mir. Bite my shriveled old ass you pathetic gelding," Thalmann mocked flippantly, to which the offending guard could only sputter furiously with a reddened face. Satisfied, he turned to Moondancer. "I've think I've made my position clear."
"As have I," the doctor nodded along, resolute in his choice as well. "I will not submit myself to warmongering tyrants. I didn't escape the USSR just to fall under the yoke of tyranny again. You'll just have to kill me."
"Well, you have their answer," replied Moondancer, turning her gaze over to Twilight. "And here's mine: you can take your offer and shove it where the sun don't shine you bookhumping, goosestepping, kool-aid drinking, grape-flavored horseshoelick!"
The room fell deathly silence once Moondancer was finished. The guardspony nearby were left at a complete loss for words and could only watch with slack-jawed incredulity at what they've just heard. As for Twilight, her nerve wasn't just struck, it was outright violated. Moondancer's colorful response was more than enough to cause her composure to crack, causing her face to rapidly contort almost painfully between indignant fury, wide-eyed shock and hysterical disbelief. In the end, it took all her willpower just to restrain herself and put on devious half-smile.
"Hmph," Twilight scoffed, "I suppose there's really no convincing you rebel types. Honestly, I don't even know what I bother anymore. Very well. Moondancer, on charges of treason against Equestria, the crown and your people, I hereby sentence you and those at your side to be executed for your crimes. May your soul find peace in the fields of Elysium, and may humanity be cleanse of its sinful nature." With a brief clap of her hooves, the guards all directed their spears at Moondancer and her cohorts before steadily closing in on them.
"I see becoming an all powerful alicorn did little to change your patronizing tone," Moondancer glared, mindful of the sharp spears pointed in her direction. "What's the matter, Twilight? Not mare enough to kill me yourself?"
"Tsk, I won't soil my hooves punishing you," Twilight remarked. "I've reserved that for Fluttershy."
"Equestria won't win."
"And how could you be so sure?" Twilight asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Because you've been wrong before," Moondancer quipped with a defiant smirk. She wasn't above throwing in one last dig before getting impaled to death by her kinfolk.
A visible vein twitched by Twlight's temple, but she did her best to retain a modicum of regality. "Impertinent till the end. Commendable, but mistaken. Guards, execute them."
"At once, your majesty!" the guard barked and directed his spear at the guilty party. "On my mark!"
"It's been an honor working alongside the both of you, Professor Thalmann, Doctor Bosconovitch," Moondancer gulped, and pushed down the fear that threaten to overtake her.
"Ready!"
"The pleasure is all mine, Moondancer," Thalmann sighed, resigning himself to fate's cruel hand.
"As is mine," Doctor Bosconovitch breathed, rubbing his callused hands over his bald scalp.
"Now!"
The final order was given, and all the spears lunged forward at once...
...But nothing happened.
To their shock, the guards discovered their spears have all been sliced cleanly at the haft, causing them to fall apart the moment they began to move. The spearheads all clattered uselessly to the ground in subsequent order, leaving behind a baffled platoon of guardspony in their wake. Even Twilight wasn't immune to such a bewildering occurrence.
"Wha..." Twilight breathed, looking around. "What did you do?"
"I-er... I-I'm not sure?" Moondancer was just as bemused as Twilight was, unsure of what had happened. Her head darted around anxiously as if the answer would just show up out of the blue to clear things up for everyone. To her shock, something did show up, though it raised more questions than it answered.
"Yoshi!" A whimsical voice thrummed from the aether, startling everyone around. Everyone, except for Doctor Bosconovitch.
"Can it be?" Doctor Bosconovitch mumbled, adjusting his glasses.
Mere moments after, a strange humanoid abomination faded into existence, somersaulting throughout the air like a top and bringing down a razor sharp katana upon the unfortunate pony soldier before him. The guard barely had time to react right as the blade bit into his flesh, rending him from neck to leg in a single clean stroke. The blood that sprayed from the wound stained the ground in an immaculate curve, yet the blade itself remained lustrous and clean.
Once the initial shock of his appearance had wore out, everyone got a good look at the mysterious individual that had arrived onto the scene like an alien guardian angel.
The strange individual was a man, or at least those gawking at the outlandishly dressed figure believed it to be a man, wearing and ornate pair of ninja-yoroi pants and what appears to be set of organic armor inspired by marine life.
Namely, he looked like an octopus-human hybrid with glossy white skin, reddish exposed muscles, and glowing blue luminescent markings that pulsed throughout his body like an elaborate set of tattoos. Long tentacles flowed from his head, shoulders and hips that undulated to the waves of an unseen sea. And his face, it looks like a terrifying red skull with a jaw set in an eerie grin. He was armed with two swords, a sleek futuristic ninjato and a smaller wakizashi, both of which he knew how to use to deadly effect.
He turned around and to everyone's surprise spoke in garbled Japanese that was still somehow understandable to those in earshot.
"Doctor Bosconovitch, are you and your allies okay?"
"Yoshimitsu?" the doctor squinted. When his aging vision finally focused he was ecstatic to see his old friend. "Yoshimitsu, old friend, that is you!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Yes, we're mostly okay. B-but what are you doing here?"
"Fulfilling an old promise. Gather yourselves and run to the helipad, I will stall for time."
"Y-you don't mean to take them all by yourself, do you?" Bosconvitch inquired concernedly.
"Fear not, doctor. You are not without friends." Yoshimitsu concluded before jumping back into the fray.
Taking advantage of the lingering apprehension, the man then danced across the hall in a deft blur of quick-footed movement, delivering more cuts to his surrounding foes with bizarre inhuman grace. He slashed with profound speeds and precision, the blade moving in perfect arcs like the phases of the moon.
Twilight, shaking away her bafflement, growled and commanded her troops. "Everypony, consolidate your defenses! Resist and attack! Stop them from escaping! Your orders are to kill on sight!"
"Y-yes, Princess Twilight! All guards, advance!" The guardsponies snapped out of their stupor and fumbled about with their weaponry, dropping their useless spears and clumsily drawing their own blades to battle the wretched horror. They fought as best they could in the confined corridor, but were ultimately novices when compared to Yoshimitsu's swordsmanship skills. They quickly fell victim to the flashes of steel that rent their flesh like parchment. One by one they fell to his blade, each slash painting the ground with slick crimson wetness, steadily forming a legible pattern right before everyone's eyes.
報復
The rest of Twilight's troops fell back at the horrid display. They crowded around Twilight, shield up and spears drawn to defend her, even if she didn't need it. Yet, it was clear that their morale had taken a bit of a hit. Even in the presence of their living deity, it was hard to remain stalwart in the face of such alien strength.
Yoshimitsu gripped his sword and raised it up high overhead, balancing himself on one foot with his other hand outstretched, palm facing outwards, and directly challenged Twilight Sparkle. "I am Yoshimitsu of the Manji Clan. Tyrant of the south, your evil ends here. Heaven's net has large meshes, but nothing escapes."
Narrowing her eyes, Twilight gently brushed her troops aside and glided forward, her head held high and wings splayed out in a show of force. Waves of magic began to radiate off her, her horn became alight with a bright lavender glow that was charged with raw arcane energies. "Foul abomination, you face an alicorn of Equestria! I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, daughter of Nightlight and Twilight Velvet! Sister of Commander-General Shining Armor, and the Element of Magic! You shall spill innocent blood no longer, for I will slay you in the name of Equestria!"
Professor Thalmann, Dr. Bosconovitch, and Moondancer, who was still dragging along the android, made a break for the helipad thanks to Yoshitmitsu keeping Twilight sufficiently distracted. They wasted no time trekking through the ruined corridors of the lab building, survival being the only thing present in their minds.
"Who was that guy?" Moondancer finally asked the doctor, her curiosity getting the better of her in spite of their perilous situation.
"His name is Yoshimitsu, he's an old friend of mine. He's the head of the Manji Clan, an ancient order of ninjas that has protected the innocent for centuries," Dr. Bosconovitch explained, as if it made all the sense in the world.
"You're friends with that odd fellow?" Thalmann flashed an incredulous look at the doctor.
"He's a ninja?!" Moondancer exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.
"My history is complicated, but I can assure you he can hold his own agai- Moondancer, look out!" Bosconovitch shouted, causing Moondancer to snap her head over to the side. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks as she finally registered the pegasus flying straight at them with her spear forward from beyond the windows. She crashed through the glass sending multiple shards scattering across the floor and charged straight forward with every intent to kill.
"Die, traitor!" the pegasus screamed, and with a mighty flap her wings accelerated to become a technicolor blur of sharpened steel and feathers.
"Bwah!" Moondancer cried out, reactively closing her eyes and raising up her forelegs defensively, unaware that she had let go of the android.
A loud whirring sound coupled with the blaring rush of jet engines swept across the the room, which was subsequently followed by an cacophonous crashing noise that rocked the entire wing. When Moondancer finally opened her eyes she breathed a sigh of relief as she learned she was still in one piece and that the charging assailant had been dealt with. Though how, she was about to learn.
From out of the smoking wreckage, the android from before hovered towards the group and gently lowered herself. Upon touching the floor she assumed a poised standing posture as the angular jetpack on her back folded neatly in on itself, hiding away as if it was never there to begin with. She casually brushed her hair back into place, smiling warmly at everyone.
"Good day, everyone. Father," she nodded to Bosconovitch. "Forgive me for waking up so late. It would appear there are some ruffians who seek to inflict bodily harm against you. I will ensure that no harm comes to you."
"Alisa!" Bosconovitch beamed, walking over to bring his android surrogate daughter into a warm hug, to which Alisa returned with equal love and care. "Oh, you had me worried."
"So, this is the daughter I've heard so much about," Thalmann hobbled over, half aggravated, half curious. "Bosconovitch, you're a brilliant but sentimental old sod."
Bosconovitch chuckled quietly and adjusted his glasses. "What can I say, she means everything to me."
"Much as I'd love to get acquainted with your scientific marvel of a surrogate daughter, can we get moving already?" Moondancer piped up, tapping her hoof impatiently. "In case you haven't noticed, this place is crawling with Equestrians who want our heads on a stick."
"She's right," Bosconovitch rolled his aching shoulders. "Now that Alisa is awake we won't have to worry much about hostile interlopers coming after us."
Thalmann shot a wayward glance at the hole Alisa made in the wall beside him, and noted the crumpled corpse of the pegasus from earlier within. "Of that, I have little doubt. She was built to last, after all."
"Warning, hostile presence detected," Alisa turned to the corner of the hallway, raising her hand is preparation to strike. Sure enough, Thalmann, Bosconovitch, and Moondancer could hear movement beyond the hall. The clanking of armor and shuffling of hooves stamping about in a long march started off as a low rumble before steadily escalating to a thundering drumbeat that shook the floor beneath them. "Scanning. Life signs: many."
"Thank you for the sitrep, Alisa," Moondancer deadpanned, turning to Bosconovitch. "Can she handle so many?"
"Er, she should. She's armed with a wider variety of weapons and gadgets to help her in combat," Bosconovitch recalled. "However, she's never been built to properly deal with magic."
"Huh, what's this? Another human presence?" Alisa noted, knitting her brow in confusion.
"Another human, here?" Thalmann looked just as confused. "No one would be mad enough to stay in the labs now that it's overrunne-"
"Explosive device deployed! Everyone, please get down!" Alisa's eyes widened before she turned around and activated her jet boosters, sweeping up the trio and dragging them to safety. A bewildered scream rung throughout the hallway before a bright flash of light cascaded over the room, followed by and ear splitting blast and a brief tremor. Debris and other miscellaneous detritus rained from the ceiling, coating the scientists' clean white lab coat with grainy dust and dry stains.
Thalmann began coughing harshly, a high pitched whine ringing in his ear. He fanned away the dust with his hand and used his crutch to force himself up. "That's, *cough*, getting annoying. I-is everyone else okay."
"M'fine," Moondancer mumbles, rising up to all fours and shaking away the dust covering her like a wet dog.
"As am I, though I can't say the same about my hearing," Bosconovitch mumbled as he was helped up by his daughter, who proceeded to dust him off and fix his offset glasses. "What on earth was that?"
"A C4 explosive device," Alisa clarified. "Armed and detonated by the unknown individual. Scanning. Life signs: seven. No, six."
Beyond the ringing in their eyes, there were sounds of a struggle. The pony forces were currently engaged with someone, having gotten the drop on them with the explosive. Whoever they were, they were making quick work of the platoon if the cacophony of screams and agonizing grunts were anything to go by. One by one the voices were eerily silenced,
"Is this that help your alien pal Yoshimitsu was referring to?" Thalmann asked.
"I-I don't know who else I could rely on apart from Alisa and the Manji Clan," Bosconovitch replied.
Soon after, a lone guardspony could be seen crawling from out of the smoke along the floor within their view. He was a gray unicorn, his armor was shredded by the explosion, there were multiple cuts throughout his body and his legs were dragging limply behind him. He cried out in agony, though whatever came out of his mouth sounded like a hoarse croak than a cry for help.
Another figure appeared behind him, this one human shaped. From out of the smoke came a tall stoic looking man with pale skin and charcoal black hair tied in a ponytail. There was a scar along his lips and a steely gaze in his eyes. He was dressed in urban camouflage combat suit fitted with kevlar and a multifunctional equipment harness. There was an air of professionality and coldness about him, as demonstrated by him casually walking up to the injured guardspony, reaching down and snapping his neck like a twig without even batting an eye.
The sickening crunch was enough to make everyone present cringe in response.
Satisfied with his work, he approached the group and stood at attention, saluting as he did.
"Er, you must be the friend we're supposed to expect," said Moondancer, looking up hesitantly at the man, who in turn nodded silently.
"Oy... Him," Bosconovitch sighed. "Not really a friend, more like a national acquaintance. Though he is one of the best."
"Ah, Sergei Dragunov," Alisa bowed politely. "You presence is welcomed and your assistance is appreciated."
Dragunov nodded firmly in acknowledgement.
"Well, can you talk to us?" Thalmann frowned.
Dragunov merely grunted in response and turned on his heel, gesturing for them to follow him out as he quietly led them to safety.
Alisa crashed through the walls leading to the outside, carrying more injured guardspony with her before casually dumping them onto the tarmac with a quick apology. Thalmann, Bosconovitch and Moondancer all rushed outside as Dragunov covered them from the rear. There was already a helicopter fueled and ready for takeoff to escort them all off the premises.
"There it is, don't stop now!" Moondancer cried, aiding Thalmann with his lame gait.
"Grr... Curse this injury! I'm hobbling like damn bow legged urchin!" Thalmann let out an aggravated groan. "Hurry! Only a few more meters!"
"Oh, no you don't! Get back here you monkey scum!" Another brave unicorn guardspony rounded the rubble of the lab building and chased down the team. He attempted to blast the scientists with a magical bolt, only to have Dragunov close blindside and grapple him into a leglock, causing him to miss his shot. "Grah! Let me go you infernal primate!" Dragunov made a tsk sound then proceeded to nudge the unicorn in the right direction. The unicorn struggled him his grip, attempting to will more magic in order to pull the man off him. As he did, Dragunov simply held on and let him do as he pleased.
"I. Said. Let. Me G-AAAAAAAH!" A loud pop rung in his ear as his lower adominal section was painfully dislocated, the leglock having forced his skeletal structure into an delicate position where even the smallest nudge could cause major problems. Sure enough, parts of his hind leg were sprained and ligaments were irreparably damaged. He ending up rolling around the ground when Dragunov finally released him, hissing and screaming in agony as the pain rendered him absolutely debilitated. Smiling a ghost of a smile, Dragunov turned and rejoined the team by the helicopter.
The helicopter blades were already spinning and the team aboard shouted for the others to hurry up. But just as hope was kindled a lucent beam of pure magic came down from the sky and ripped through the vehicle like a hot knife through butter. There was barely enough time to register what had happened before the helicopter exploded in a great ball of fire, scattering hot metal junk across the tarmac and killing everybody aboard.
Thalmann, Bosconovitch and Moondancer reeled back from the explosion, feeling their heart sink as their one chance to escape literally went up in flames right before their eyes. Alisa and Dragunov joined up with them shortly after, equally as disheartened by the tragic turn of events.
"That's far as you'll go!" A voice shouted from up above as the shadow of a majestic alicorn swept over them. The group all turned to the source of the voice and, to their utter horror, beheld none other than the immaculate form of Princess Celestia staring down on them. She soared through the air like an angel of wrath as she descended, hovering briefly with placid flaps of her splendid wings before touching down with an air of divine prestige she was known for. Rising to her full height, Celestia cast a look of righteous indignation upon the group, judging them impassively with piercing eyes of smoldering magenta.
Thalmann, Bosconovitch and Moondancer swallowed thickly as Celestia loomed over them. Alisa and Dragunov were steadfast in the face of danger, however, and stood boldly between the scientist and the self-professed Goddess, ready to fight it out if they needed to. The display of bravery was admirable, but ultimately pointless before someone like Celestia, who permitted herself a small smile before speaking.
"Lay down your arms, friends. There is no need to fight," she spoke softly, like a mother educating a newborn. "Though you face the might of Equestria's finest, we come not as conquerors but as liberators. Apart from Moondancer, who betrayed her own people, you humans still have the chance to be redeemed. Give yourself up to me and be reborn as newfoals. Live life beyond the confines of your pitiable human endeavors and-"
"No deal," Thalmann interrupted, his voice laced with pure scorn. "Save your petty speeches. We've already got that chance from your pupil and we turned it down. So save your breath you miserable pissant."
Celestia's face remained impassive. She didn't need to express anything more beyond stoic indifference to a species who couldn't understand just what they were throwing away. It saddened her to be witness to such ignorance, but her worldly duty weathered that feeling.
"...What do you hope to achieve by continuing this pitiful act of defiance?" Celestia asked. "Can you not see how hopeless you are in the face of Equestria's nobility? Though you resist all you do is prolong the inevitable. I offered you salvation, enlightenment, peace. Yet humanity chooses to remain stubborn and obstinate, like a young colt playing with fire who doesn't know when to stop burning himself." She gestured a wing to the backdrop of a city in smoking ruins, sighing dramatically to prove her current point.
"See how your city burns, human. This is the fate that awaits those who run away from Equestria's light. We destroyed all your research, ended whatever façade of hope you've deluded yourself into believing you fostered in an attempt to stave off fate." She gestured again, and the horizon swarmed a veritable legion of pony soldiers. The Royal Guard, headed by Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, occupied the grounds by the thousands, steadily marching forwards like an irresistible force. Eventually they surrounded the group, watching with intent as to what they will choose.
"Tokyo faced the full might of Equestria just as Madrid did. Can you not see how powerless you are? Can you not see why you must give yourselves up to the ponyfication potion? This is the only solution to your plight, and, if you willingly submit to the process, I will give it to you not as a ruler but as a friend with open wings to embrace you with." Her expression soften to that of a loving matron. "Now, I'll give you one last chance. Will you convert, or be excised as the wicked tumor you are?"
A pregnant silence filled the air.
What will they choose?
Harmony or chaos?
"Read my lips," Thalmann spoke up, eyes steely and resolute. "No. Deal."
"You heard him, Celestia," Moondancer frowned. "You won't get us. Not now, not ever."
The army of ponies erupted in an uproar of jeers and boos, shouting them down vehemently. Shining Armor and Cadence turned their head, seemingly unsurprised by the outcome. The outrage was damn near palpable, with their discordant cacophony of voices making earth tremble. Celestia raised her hoof and silenced her troops, leveling a hard glare upon the group.
"...Hmph, so be it," Celestia huffed, sounding deeply regretful as to stir on her ponies watching. "Let it never be said that I didn't give you the opportunity to be more. I only wish things could've been diff-"
*CRASH!*
Without warning, something crashed atop Celestia, burying her in a deep crater and sending a plume of debris billowing outwards. Moondancer covered her face just as the cloud of debris blew right past her. There was another unexpected development and at this point she didn't know whether to feel relief or anxiety. From what she could observed, whatever struck Celestia appeared to be an object of great force that crackled with purple electricity.
The whole turn of events was enough to make her speechless, as it did just about everyone else watching.
A powerful gust of wind swept the smoky debris away as Celestia hurled herself out of the crater and back onto solid ground. To everyone's shock, her mane was bedraggled, and, if Moondancer was seeing it correctly, she was bleeding from her nose.
Celestia stumbled about and struggled to stay upright, the pure shock of it all had also affected her. Bringing a trembling hoof up to her nose, she wipe at the blood and her eyes widened in horror at what she was witnessing. She was hurt, not just a glancing blow or a negligent graze, but an actual injury that had left her bleeding.
"W-who..." Celestia stammered, her face contorting into a hateful scowl. Furious, she began to speak through gritted teeth. "What madness is this?! What insolent mongrel dares to bring harm to Princess Celes-"
A gray and white blur crackling with purple electricity suddenly rose from the crater and closed the gap towards Celestia.
"DORIYA!"
A powerful fist and an arm rippling with pure muscle wreathed in lightning collided with Celestia's chin with all the force of an out of control bullet train. It slammed her teeth together with an audible clack and sent her flying off the ground where she somersaulted twice before crashing into the Royal Guard, who all clamored around her in a fit of panic. Jaws aplenty fell to the ground at the sight of it all.
"YE-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! YE-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" Loud boisterous laughter filled the air of the helipad, emanating from an balding elderly man with twin peaks of gray hair at his side wearing a black martial arts gi with a red belt around his waist and had an image of a savage tiger embroidered on the back of the vest. Though clearly old, he was at the peak of physical health as evident by the sheer muscles present on his exposed chest and arms. He was supposedly the one that had the sheer audacity to throw an uppercut at Princess Celestia, the living Goddess of Equestria, and seemed to revel in his flagrant act of attempted regicide.
"Ha! Is this that Princess Celestia I've heard so much about?" the man jeered, maintaining his arrogant grin. "I'm disappointed."
"Grr..." Celestia snarled, and pushed herself away from her troops. She hobbled back onto all fours and faced down the man, one eye twitching in anger. "You dare... YOU DARE!" she bellowed furiously. "Where do you get the gall to strike me? Who do you think you are?!"
"Hmph, who am I?" The man scratched his chin. "I am Heihachi Mishima. Head of the Mishima Zaibatsu and owner of Yugo Innovation Labs. You lot of kid's cartoon rejects are trespassing on my property!"
"Wait, Heihachi Mishima?" Moondancer looked bemused. "Is that crazy old guy our boss?"
"I believe so," Thalmann sighed.
"Ugh, Mishima," Bosconovitch groaned.
"Such arrogance!" Celestia barked, glaring daggers at Heihachi. "But you made a fatal mistake. Did you honestly think you could stop me all by yourself?"
Heihachi smirked, and pointed up. "Who said I came alone?"
Everyone looked up to the sky where Heihachi was pointing and reeled back in surprised as the glut of planes and jets soared across the sky, dropping soldiers and other weapons into Tokyo to retake the city. Wave upon waves of infantry flooded the streets and began overwhelming the Equestrian forces in spite of their magic advantage. It would appear that they've all been outfitted with the prototypes Moondancer and her cohorts had been working on. Part of her was shocked to see them in mass production so quickly, the other part wasn't nearly as surprised if this rich karate enthusiast of a man was in control of all their assets and had them secretly completed on his own dime.
"No! NO!" Celestia screamed, watching in rising panic as her troops were steadily being overwhelmed. She turned over to Heihachi, bearing her teeth at him. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
"That's my line," Heihachi remarked flippantly. "You owe me compensation for all the property you destroyed."
"Grr... You-!" Celestia attempted to deliver a scathing rebuke, when the building behind her suddenly exploded. A strange octopus man could be seen flying out the side of the building, propelling himself across the sky by rapidly spinning his sword by the wrist as he narrowly escapes a particularly peeved Princess Twilight from blasting him out of the sky with all the recklessness of a gun toting maniac trying to shoot a fly. Yoshimitsu soon landed beside Bosconovitch and friends, sword drawn as Twilight landed beside Celestia, looking equally as harried and covered in several deep cuts.
Twilight panted heavily, shooting a burning glare at Yoshimitsu. "Y-you... Stay still you rubbery freak!"
"Though the bamboo forest is thick, the river flows through it easily," Yoshimitsu quipped, much to Twilight's annoyance.
"Shaddup!" she snapped, oblivious to the chaos happening around her.
At the same time, a red beam of light rapidly soared through the air, carrying with it a familiar blue alicorn who was screaming at the top of her lungs. Princess Luna's was carried over to the helipad by a bright red beam of devilish energy that burned into her flesh. She crashed onto the hard ground, skipping and bouncing and rolling to a stop beside Twilight as she struggled to stand back up.
"M-monster..." Luna breathed, scared out of her wits. "D-devil."
"Hmph, it won't do you any good to disrespect me." A purple winged devil landed beside heihachi, who's devilish form faded away in a dark mist to reveal a middle aged man dressed in a purple business suit. He looked as muscular as Heihachi did and one of his eyes seemed to glow brightly with malignant energies. His face looked to be set in a permanent frown and his black hair was spiked up behind him like a mountain.
"About time you showed up, Kazuya," said Heihachi, laughing as he did. "Is the great CEO of G-Corp too weak to handle a flying horse all on his own?"
"Shut it, old man," Kazuya grumbled, turning an evil eyes over to Luna, who visibly flinched under his gaze. "I had to go gather everyone up. Lars will be here soon, along with Jin."
"Heh, Jin, eh? Ha! Three generations of Mishima's together at last. YE-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" Heihachi jovially bellowed. "Let us show these invaders what happens when they mess with us!" He assumed a fighting stance and stared down Celestia. "I've killed gods before, and I'll do it again!"
"Just try you senile ape!" Celestia snapped, her horn lighting up with magic. "I will show the full extent of Equestria's might!"
And just like that, Yugo Innovation Labs became ground zero for the ultimate clash between warriors and soldiers. Equestrian forces battled the combined might of the Mishima Zaibatsu's Tekken Force, G-Corps private security team and rebel army Yggdrasil, while the Equestrian Royal Family squared off against the Mishima's and other assorted fighters that happened to get tied up in the conflict.
And throughout it all, Moondancer couldn't help but stare in bafflement at the ludicrousness of it all.
