Unicornia

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 5

Chapter 1

Princess Platinum paced back-and-forth, her maids watching with angst as her crown slowly and steadily began to slip off of her head. "Ooh, what am I going to do? What if I mess up my lines? What if I trip and make a fool of myself?" A blush crossed the princess' face. "What if I trip and Commander Hurricane sees me?"

The crown finally fell from its proud place atop the princess' head and landed on the hard stone floor with a resounding clang. The princess gasped and attempted to pick up the fallen headpiece with her magic, but was beaten to the punch by her father, who lifted the crown high into the air as he approached his daughter. "Platinum, you must compose yourself. In just a few short hours, you will become the next Queen of Unicornia. This is what you have been preparing for your entire life, and I would not have chosen you as my successor had I felt you were not ready."

"But Father, things are different than they used to be. Unicornia, Pegasopolis and Earth all now live together as one country: Equestria. How can I be expected to lead three different tribes of ponies?!"

"You won't be alone." The king placed the crown delicately onto his daughter's head. "Commander Hurricane and Chancellor Puddinghead will be there to help you. Even despite his recent loss, he is still taking the time to be by your side. You have picked good friends, Platinum."

"It's a shame what happened to Smart Cookie. And just when I was beginning to like her, too." Princess Platinum looked up into her father's eyes and pouted. "Can't you remain king for just one more year, Father?"

"I'm getting too old, and the dangers from the Everfree Forest require my full attention." The king placed his hooves onto his daughter's shoulders, steadying her shaking body. "I trust you, Platinum. I know that you will become a fine queen."

"Your Highness!" Prince Sombra shouted as he burst into the room, startling everypony present and causing the princess' crown to once again fall from her head.

"Sombra, what is the meaning of this?!" the king demanded. "On the day of your sister's crowning, you come barging in and-"

"Forgive me, Father, but it is urgent!" The urgency in the young prince's voice was noted by his father, who nodded and allowed him to continue. "We have visitors, Father. They call themselves 'alicorns', and they have both pegasus wings and unicorn horns!"

The sun was shining bright over Ponyville as the town joined together to make the final preparations for the coming Hearth’s Warming festival. The blazing sun was a glaring contradiction to the overcast and snowfall forecast for that day. Twilight Sparkle had her suspicions of why that was, but was far too busy trying to settle a dispute to track down the weatherpony responsible.

In the middle of the town, a stage was to be set up for the traditional Hearth’s Warming play held every year, that would retell the events that led to the founding of Equestria over one thousand years ago. The space, however, was vacant, as the town’s usual sponsor was refusing to pitch in.

Filthy Rich stood his ground firmly in the face of Mayor Mare. He was adamant that his idea was better and refused to back down. “I’m telling you, Mayor, this will bring in pools of money for our town!”

“Normally I would be inclined to agree with you,” Mayor Mare said, “But this is Hearth’s Warming Eve! The message is more important than the money!”

“This same play has been done before, for many years now! We know the story, we get the message! It’s time to take a different approach and focus on something other than the founding of our country!” Filthy Rich held up a sheet of paper, upon which several diagrams of toys and festive-shaped sweets were drawn. “Every other town draws in thousands of bits during the holiday season because they hold big, festive markets on Hearths’ Warming Eve, but Ponyville has always been too small for something like that. According to my calculations, if we scrap the play-”

“You’re scrapping the play?” The high-pitched voice that startled the stallion belonged to none other than his daughter, Diamond Tiara, who – despite it being several days too early – was dressed in the regal attire of Princess Platinum prepared by her school. “But I was going to finally play the princess this year!”

Mayor Mare grinned and slapped the sheet out of Filthy Rich’s hooves. “Well then, what now? You wouldn’t want to disappoint your daughter now, would you?” No verbal response came from the stallion’s mouth, but the glare in his eyes said it all. Still, the mayor decided to take his silence as a surrender and patted herself on the back. “Now then, please go and file the paperwork for the stage before the post office is closed, Mr. Scrooge.”

“Bah, humbug,” Filthy Rich groaned as he turned around and trotted down the street, leaving the mayor and Princess Twilight behind.

“I’m terribly sorry to have wasted your time on such trivial matter, Princess,” Mayor Mare said with a bow.

“Oh, no. Don’t worry about it,” Twilight said, motioning for the mayor to stop bowing with her hooves. “Still, he does have a point, you know? The play is the same every year, and we all know the message by this point.”

“Well, yes, but that is because it’s an important part of our history,” the mayor said, removing her glasses to clean them off with a piece of cloth. “We can’t just change history… er, Your Highness.”

“No, but if the whole point is that the lessons of friendship are to be kept alive through this play, then it might be counterintuitive if ponies start to grow bored of the same performance year-after-year.”

Mayor Mare rubbed her chin in thought. “Then what do you suggest?”

“Maybe we can spice it up a little? Special effects, elegant costumes…”

“With respect, Princess, Ponyville just simply does not have the budget for all of that. We barely get away with hiring the stage every year, after all of the other decorations around town and the extra heating we need to stay warm.”

Twilight looked over to where Filthy Rich had left the area. “But if we could make more money off of the things Mr. Rich was planning on selling-”

“Forget it! That would mean moving the play to a small corner where nopony would even see it!”

“But there must be something that you can do. You know Mr. Rich; he doesn’t give in easily. It would be best to reach a compromise sooner rather than later.”

Mayor Mare sighed. “You’re right, but there’s just so much going on that it’s difficult to think of anything. I’m so glad that you’re here to help with all of the preparations.”

Twilight grinned sheepishly. “Oh, well, uh… about that, I’m actually leaving for Canterlot today. I want to spend some time with my parents before Hearth’s Warming Eve, you know?”

“But you can’t!” the mayor pleaded, dropping to her knees and grabbing Twilight’s forelegs. “You’re the most organized pony I know! You put the ponies in my office to shame! You have to stay and help out, you have to!”

“Ooookay.” Twilight awkwardly shuffled backwards, blushing as she noticed the ponies around them looking and laughing. She managed to slip her hooves free and took flight, placing herself out of reach of the frazzled mayor. “Don’t worry, I’ll be coming back tomorrow. Just keep Pinkie Pie from licking the giant candy cane and don’t let the Crusaders near the glass ornaments.”

Mayor Mare whimpered as Twilight flew away, leaving her alone in the town square as the alicorn scouted the town for the weather pony who had gone AWOL.

The world racing beneath her hooves, the wind blowing through her mane, the tingle along her spine whenever she pushed against the sound barrier. These were the things that Rainbow Dash lived for, and it was for this that she trained each and every day, so that one day her excitement flying fast through the air could land her a career with the esteemed Wonderbolts, Equestria’s fastest flyers.

The Equestrian record for clearing twenty-five clouds each spaced equally at one foot apart from each other, starting from the centre, was ten seconds flat. Rainbow Dash’s was twenty. If she could lower that time even by just a couple of seconds, the Wonderbolts would be sure to recognise her greatness, she thought.

Speed wasn’t enough. For such a feat, one needed agility, strong wings, the correct posture, and above all, the dedication to win. Fifteen clouds cleared at nine seconds. Rainbow Dash lowered her goggles over her eyes as she felt the winds blowing against them, forcing tears to form. “C’mon, just ten more!”

A swift kick that sent a shockwave eliminated two clouds at once, and Rainbow Dash quickly spun around to travel to her next target without a moment’s hesitation. “Eight more…” Plunging through two clouds, Rainbow Dash halted suddenly and performed a flip in order to not only turn around, but to elevate herself at the same time.

At fifteen seconds, four clouds remained. Three clouds at sixteen seconds. Two at seventeen, one at eighteen… “No way!” Rainbow Dash shouted. The final cloud was far away from where the last she destroyed one was. She gritted her teeth and flapped harder. Nineteen seconds, and she swung her leg. The cloud disappeared. “TIME!”

Fluttershy pressed the stopwatch and slowly opened one eye. “Oh my! Twenty seconds flat!” she reported with a cheerful smile. “I don’t know how you do it, Rainbow Dash.”

“ARGH!” Rainbow Dash slumped in the air and allowed her wings to slowly carry her down. “Every time! Every time I try a new path, the last cloud is always too far away and I lose time!”

“But… twenty seconds is still impressive, right?” Fluttershy asked as Rainbow Dash landed on the cloud beside her. “I was certainly impressed.”

“No offence Fluttershy, but you’re not exactly a Wonderbolt. I’m not gonna impress Spitfire with just twenty seconds!” Rainbow Dash slammed her hooves into her face and fell onto her back on the cloud. “At this rate, I’m gonna have to go through Wonderbolt Academy the slow old regular way.”

“At least you’re learning while you’re there,” Fluttershy offered with a smile.

“Great,” Rainbow Dash deadpanned.

“Well, sometimes there are just no shortcuts in life.” Twilight Sparkle flew in from afar and landed on the cloud next to the two pegasi. “If you really want to impress Spitfire, you should stop slacking off and do the tasks you’ve been given.”

“What d’ya mean?” Rainbow Dash asked as she sat up and confronted her friend.

“The weather? We’ve been forecast snow and lots of cloud coverage.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed the notion away and resumed lying on her back, staring up into the bright, clear sky. “Yeah yeah, I’ll get on that tonight.”

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said in a stern tone.

“Look, I can totally handle it tonight when everypony’s sleepin’, and it’s not like we need snow today, so what’s the big deal?”

“The ‘big deal’ is that Hearth’s Warming is coming up and we’re still way behind schedule!” Twilight took a moment to compose herself with a deep breath. “The mayor’s been really stressed lately, and it didn’t help when I told her I’m going to Canterlot today.”

Rainbow Dash bolted upright and gave Twilight her full attention. “Seriously? You’re going to Canterlot for Hearth’s Warming?”

“Oh, I’ll be back for Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“I’d love to go back to Canterlot someday, too,” Fluttershy said. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve visited your hometown.”

“You were there last week,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Oh, I meant without going to the castle for some big emergency.”

“Anyway, I’m leaving now, and the mayor’s having a mental breakdown, so it would really help if you took care of the sky now, not tonight,” Twilight said, lifting herself into the air as she prepared to take off. “Remember to take it easy in the town square! The town hall is still missing its roof.”

“Yeah yeah, I got it,” Rainbow Dash said, stretching her body and her wings as she prepared for her task. “Hey Fluttershy, get ready to time me!”

Fluttershy sighed as she reset her stopwatch and slowly hovered off of the cloud alongside Rainbow Dash. “I had plans with Angel today…” she mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing.”

The Royal Guard – An elite military unit trained and stationed in Canterlot, tasked with three perilously important tasks. The first was to protect the royal family at all costs, even if it meant laying down their own lives to do so. The second was to protect Equestria from foreign threats, which would include going to the battlefield should war arise. The third task was what made up most of the Royal Guard’s activities, and it involved protecting the peace in Canterlot. Catching bad guys and locking them behind bars, settling disputes and protecting important ponies were all things that the Royal Guard was expected to do on a daily basis.

Shining Armor, a Captain of the Royal Guard, was tasked with the responsibility of leading his troops to accomplish these tasks. His task at present was the protection of a large quantity of jewels that was to be transferred from the Bank of Canterlot’s First Branch to an undisclosed location, a task that would ordinarily be handled by no more than one squad of three or four ponies.

The circumstances this time were different, though. There was a thief on the loose, one who targeted only the wealthiest ponies in Canterlot.

“Are you absolutely sure that you want to make this transfertoday?” Shining Armor asked Prince Blueblood one final time. “You know of the thief that has stolen over one million bits worth of jewels and treasure in the past week alone, right, Your Highness?”

“Of course,” Blueblood answered. “That thief is exactly the reason why we must transfer these jewels as soon as possible! I don’t trust this bank’s security with my wealth whilst this thug is still at large.”

“Can you at least tell us where we’re going, then?”

“All that you need to know is that I have come into contact with a powerful sorcerer who has promised to safeguard my jewels for a reasonably small share.”

“Has it not occurred to you that maybe you are being scammed?” Shining Armor deadpanned. “Perhaps I should check this sorcerer out before we-”

“Absolutely not!” Blueblood shouted, startling the captain and the few soldiers behind him. “Er, what I mean is, trust between a sorcerer and his client is important and-”

“Wait, don’t tell me… you made a deal with Rumple?!” Blueblood’s silence was all the answer that the captain needed before he facehooved hard. “You know Princess Celestia will have both our hides for this!”

“Which is precisely why you will not tell her anything!”

“A deal with Rumple can only end badly! There’s a reason the Royal Guard has eyes on him!”

“He always abides to his contracts to the word! So long as I give him a mere five percent cut, my jewels will be safe!”

Behind Shining Armor, two soldiers were standing guard at the bank’s entrance. One was a large, grey stallion with a buzz cut mane, and the other was a smaller, white mare with her mane completely obscured by her helmet. “Hey, is it okay for the captain to be speaking like that with the prince?” the mare asked.

“You must be new here,” the stallion replied with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. Captain Armor is a prince too, even if it’s only through marriage. Prince Blueblood is a distant relative to the princesses, so they hold about the same weight.” The stallion chuckled as he watched Blueblood storm off with a huff. “Sometimes, it feels like they’re brothers.”

“I see.” The mare observed Shining Armor checking his equipment one final time. “So, as a veteran, what advice would you give to this rookie for winning the captain’s good favour?”

The stallion smirked and nudged the mare lightly. “What, you got a crush on Captain Armor? Y’know the guy’s married, right?”

“Idiot, not like that,” the mare deadpanned. “I want to move up the ranks quickly, maybe become a captain myself one day.”

“That’s a good goal, but maybe not one a newbie should be thinking about too much.” The stallion rubbed his chin and hummed for a few seconds. “Well, the captain likes his soldiers to be disciplined, but not drones. Follow your orders, but don’t just agree with him on everything. Show him you can think and act on your own as well as with the squad.”

The mare tilted her head. “That almost seems counter-intuitive.”

“It is, if you’re not careful. It’s easy to go from ‘above-and-beyond’ to ‘reckless endangerment’. That’s why you should wait a few years. Get a feel for how missions work.” The stallion and mare saluted as Shining Armor and Prince Blueblood approached and walked past them. They then began to follow the two, taking up the rear of the group to guard against potential ambushes from behind. “Keep an eye on me. I’ll show you how it’s done!”

The mare smiled. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Twilight Sparkle rang the doorbell to her parents’ house and studied her reflection in the living room’s window. She noticed that her scarf was lopsided and took a moment to adjust it. Now it was hanging too low, so she tightened it. Now her hat was slipping off, and she slipped it back on with a scowl.

“Man, I hope your mum’s baked some of those cookies she likes to make,” Spike said as he rubbed his claws together, licking his lips as he imagined the sweet, sugary treats.

“It’s not like she knew we were coming,” Twilight responded.

“But she’s a mother. Isn’t that, like, what they do?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. The door before her opened suddenly, and in the doorway was her father, who gasped upon seeing his daughter. “Twilight! What a pleasant surprise!” He looked down at the dragon beside her. “And Spike, too! I must say I didn’t expect this today!”

Night Light stepped forward to hug his daughter. “Well, it’s been a while since I checked in and I’ve kind of missed you guys.” The two separated and Twilight walked inside with Spike, removing her warm, wintery clothes as the door closed. “Is Mum in?”

“She’s in the kitchen, finishing a batch of cinnamon cookies.” Spike cast a grin at Twilight. “How’ve you been? Being a princess must keep you busy, huh?”

Twilight noticed the look of pride on her father’s face and blushed with a frown. “Dad, honestly, it’s not a big deal.”

“It’s not every day that somepony grows wings and becomes a princess.”

“Yeah yeah yeah, Twilight’s now Twilicorn, old news,” Spike cut in. “Now what’s the status on those cookies?”

“Almost done,” Twilight Velvet called out, entering the room from the attached kitchen and approaching Twilight with a smile. The mother and daughter hugged as Velvet said, “It’s so good to see you again, dear.”

“You too.” As the two parted, Twilight levitated some presents from her back and placed them to the side. “I wanted to see you again, and also drop off these Hearth’s Warming presents.”

“Oh, Twilight, you didn’t have to go out of your way to-”

“It’s no problem, really,” Twilight insisted. “I know you think I must be busy with being a princess and all, but honestly, it’s not all that time-consuming. Ponyville is still run by Mayor Mare and the town’s council.”

“You got us two presents each?” Night Light asked, examining the bottle-shaped present with a grin. “I think I spotted one of mine.”

“I brought Shining Armor and Cadance’s presents, too,” Twilight explained, lifting the bottle-shaped present and giving it to her mother. “Keep this out of reach until Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

Twilight Velvet grinned and took the bottle in her own magic. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep it where I hide your father’s snacks.” Night Light sighed and skulked off into the living room, the rest of the group following after him. “But why bring your brother and Cadance’s presents here?”

“You said you were going to visit him this weekend in your last letter to me. I was hoping you could take them to him.”

Velvet stopped and said, “Ah. Right, about that… your brother’s been called out of the Crystal Empire and is back here in Canterlot for an important mission.”

Twilight gasped and responded with a smile, “He’s here? In Canterlot?”

Twilight Velvet nodded. “Have you heard about that thief that’s been striking Canterlot’s nobles lately?” When Twilight shook her head, Velvet explained, “He’s been at large for some time now, stealing money and jewels from nobles, even royalty.”

“And the Royal Guard haven’t caught him yet?” Twilight asked with a frown.

“He has the support of the people,” Night Light said, bringing a confused look to his daughter’s face. “After every one of his heists, ‘anonymous’ donations are made, all around Equestria, to schools, orphanages, hospitals, and ponies who are deeply in debt or just plain poor. The citizens have reasoned that he’s spreading his wealth to them and rally to support him.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof. “So he steals from the rich and gives to the poor?”

“Hey, that would make a good catchphrase!”

“Hey, do you smell something burning?” Spike asked. “And before anyone asks, it wasn’t me!”

Everypony stood in silence for a second before Twilight Velvet gasped and screamed, “My cookies!”

“Her cookies!” Spike cried as he followed Velvet into the kitchen in a hurry.

Twilight sighed. “Spike, seriously… So, Shining Armor is helping to catch this guy?”

Night Light nodded. “Personally I think the guy’s a hero, but theft is still theft and the Royal Guard’s losing a lot of morale every time he gets away.”

“Well, if he’s here, it means I can pay him a visit before I leave,” Twilight reasoned with a smile. “Hey, maybe I could even help him out! It feels good whenever I can use my magic to help ponies.”

“If you did that, you might wound your brother’s pride,” Night Light responded with a laugh.

Twilight Velvet reentered the room, carrying a tray of steaming cookies, some of them slightly-black. “Fresh, only somewhat-charred cookies,” she said in a solemn tone. Beside her, Spike was happily munching away on one. “Get them before he does.”

Prince Blueblood held back at the gates of Canterlot with his precious cargo as Shining Armor and a small scouting party scouted ahead to confirm that the path was safe. Upon the captain’s return Blueblood prepared to move out, but was halted by Shining Armor’s raised hoof.

“There are too many trees out there. Thieves could be hiding anywhere and we can’t possibly protect you from all directions,” Shining Armor reported. “I insist we take a different path through the city’s western exit. It’s open terrain that makes it impossible for anypony to get close without us noticing.”

“That would take all day! I have an appointment to keep at the Wonderbolts' Derby.”

Shining Armor sighed. “Then what if we hide your cargo in a hay wagon? We would have to take fewer guards, but it might be enough to throw off-”

“You are not going to dirty my jewels by placing them into some farmer’s wagon!” Blueblood shouted, turning around and motioning to the guards behind him. “We’re going as we are! If you foals can’t even catch one thief, then perhaps you aren’t deserving of your statuses!”

As the group moved hesitantly past Shining Armor, the disgruntled captain watched with restrained anger at the pompous prince trotting towards the forest. The stallion and the mare bringing up the rear passed him, and the mare stopped for a moment to say, “Captain Armor?”

Shining Armor faced the mare and took a calming breath. “… Don’t worry. Keep moving.”

The mare shook her head. “No, sir, it’s not that. I have a suggestion, if I may?”

The forest outside of Canterlot was famous for its tranquility and for being a soothing, leisurely hike through nature. The large trees all around made one feel that they could connect with the planet, whilst the bright rays of the sun piercing through the treetops gave one a sense of warmth and peace at heart. The critters that lived in the forest lived peacefully with the ponies, and the wind rustling through the trees was the only sound that could be heard save for the chirping of the birds.

It was the perfect place to catch somepony off-guard. Not only did the many trees provide perfect cover, but the general peacefulness of the area served to lower one’s guard. Shining Armor, though, was not one to let his guard drop during a mission. He kept his ears focussed for any unnatural sounds that could indicate an enemy presence stalking them through the forest.

“It’s not much further now,” Blueblood spoke up as he wiped a bead of sweat from his head. “We’re leaving the forest at the next fork, going left. Rumplestiltskin agreed to meet at the waterfall one mile from the forest.”

“Is it really okay?” one of the soldiers asked, turning back to face his captain. “Making a deal with that suspicious pony?”

Shining Armor didn’t answer, instead focusing on picking up unusual sounds.

“He’s not a wanted criminal or anything, is he?” the mare travelling beside Shining Armor at the rear of the group asked. The stallion shook his head. “Then there’s no problem, right?”

“That kind of naivety will get you in trouble one day,” the stallion retorted, earning a laugh from a couple of the other soldiers.

Shining Armor and the mare both stopped at once, prompting the rest of the group to do the same as they turned back with concerned looks. “What are you doing?” Blueblood asked in a huffy tone.

“Everypony, protect the prince,” Shining Armor said, drawing his spear.

Blueblood’s eyes widened and he gasped. “W-What is it? No, more importantly, my jewels-”

“It’s just one pony,” the mare beside Shining Armor said, facing a tree to her left with an intense look. “What’s he gonna do? Lift it out with an airship?”

“That’s strange,” Shining Armor muttered. “Robin Hood usually has at least one or two accomplices. Why is he out here alone?” After a few seconds of silence between the group, the captain stepped forwards and shouted, “Come out, now! If you surrender quietly then you won’t be harmed!”

“Alright, you got me!” A stallion stepped out from behind the tree and every soldier’s weapons were immediately trained onto him at once. His face was obscured by a green hoof attached to a cloak that hid much of his body. All that could be identified were his grey-furred legs and a cutie mark of a horizontal bow and a vertical arrow, shaped to resemble a pair of weighing scales. “Please, please! I’m surrendering!”

Shining Armor raised a brow. “Just like that? The great Robin Hood is giving up without a fight?”

“I guess the stories were just that after all,” the mare scoffed, earning a laugh from the hooded stallion.

“Yes, well, I do have one condition.” Robin Hood said.

“And what would that be?” Shining Armor asked.

“You claim to be keepers of justice, right? Protectors of society? Trained to defend the innocent and bring the guilty to light?” Robin Hood looked over the group that sneered at him and gave a devilish grin. “Well then, perhaps you might want to prove that claim. In your midst, at this time, is a traitor. One of my own stallions.”

Everypony exchanged nervous looks and started to lower their weapons anxiously. All but Shining Armor. “You’re lying.”

“Am I? I assure you, I have never once told a lie in my entire life. I may be a thief, but I am an honest and honourable stallion.”

Blueblood scoffed. “There’s no such thing as an honour among street rats.”

“There is certainly more than you condescending nobles have,” Robin Hood retorted. “In any case, I challenge you to find the traitor in your midst in five minutes. If you do, then I will gladly turn myself in and accept that you are true keepers of justice. If not, then I will take my prize and you will have to accept that only I can protect this town from villainy.”

“And what is stopping us from simply taking you in right now?” Shining Armor challenged.

“Naturally, the bomb that has been placed in with the jewels,” Robin Hood responded, causing everypony near the wagon to scramble backwards immediately with sharp gasps. “It will detonate when my partner hits the switch. I wouldn’t try to disarm it, either.”

Shining Armor ran towards the wagon and threw out the jewels inside of it. “What are you doing?!” Blueblood cried as he scurried to pick up his precious jewels from the dirt. He looked up at the soldiers around him and shouted, “Well?! Don’t just stand there!”

As the soldiers joined the prince in securing the jewels, Shining Armor found a small device hidden at the base of the wagon. Shaking, the stallion turned to his group and demanded, “Who was in charge of filling this wagon?!”

“We all were, sir,” one of the soldiers reported, before turning to the mare and stallion at the rear of the group. “All but those two.”

“But they could’ve slipped something in at any time,” another soldier said. “Being at the rear and all.”

“H-Hey!” the stallion at the back shouted as he began to sweat. “If either of us did anything the other would’ve seen it!”

“But how did she know that Robin Hood was here?”

All eyes turned to the mare, who stood as still as stone under the accusing glares. “Yeah, that is strange.”

“It was the trampled leaves,” Shining Armor explained. “There were leaves trampled around the tree, but no hoofprints in the dirt. Somepony took the time to remove their tracks, and that somepony could only have been the thief waiting to ambush us.”

The soldiers began to murmur to each other. “Maybe the captain could see that, but her?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the mare asked. “That because I’m a mare I shouldn’t have noticed something like that?”

“T-That’s not what I-”

“It’s not her, in any case,” Blueblood spoke up as he returned the last of his jewels to the wagon. “He said one of his stallions was among us, right?”

“True,” Shining Armor agreed, though his eyes were still fixed on the mare acting cool under scrutiny. “Was there anypony who was ever alone with the wagon at any point?”

“We’ve been together the whole time, sir,” one stallion answered, his hoof around his partner’s neck. “Right?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Wanna give up?” Robin Hood asked, casually walking closer towards the group. “If you can’t even tell your own kind apart from imposters, how could you possibly protect us?”

“… What did you just say?” Shining Armor asked. “‘Imposters’?”

Robin Hood stopped and snapped his eyes to Shining Armor. “What about it?”

Shining Armor gasped and looked over his group once more. He eyed each and every pony carefully, paying particular attention to each and every detail. Hooves, coat colours, eye colours, sizes and builds. But there was nothing that stood out.

“Captain, perhaps we should just take the jewels and flee?” Prince Blueblood suggested. “If this bomb explodes, we could all die!”

“Then flee,” Shining Armor said in a flat tone. “I’m not going to-” Shining Armor turned his head to Blueblood, who was standing beside his wagon staring at his jewels. Blueblood raised a cloth to wipe a little dirt off of one of his jewels. “… I’m ready to answer now.”

“You’ve found the traitor?” Robin Hood asked. “Then by all means, answer away.”

“The stallion masquerading as one of us is… you.” Shining Armor pointed a hoof at Prince Blueblood, who gasped and took a sudden step back.

“H-How dare you?! This is treason!”

“Not really, since you’re not the prince,” Shining Armor retorted. “The real Prince Blueblood would have fled the instant that he heard there was a bomb in the vicinity. Even at the cost of his wealth, Blueblood values his own life more than anything. There is also the fact that you replaced the jewels before cleaning them, mixing the filthy ones with the clean. For that matter, you got down into the dirt yourself to pick them up.

“The reason you insisted we go through this forest wasn’t to make good time, but to ensure we met Robin Hood. You’re the imposter.”

Silence fell, and the Royal Guard froze as they waited for an answer. They didn’t want to doubt the captain, but they also didn’t want to risk angering the prince, either.

Finally, ‘Blueblood’ smiled. “It seems you got us, Captain,” he said. The mare at the back of the group was the first to run forwards with her spear pointed towards the fake prince, but she stopped as Shining Armor stepped between the two. “Scarlet’s the name. Will Scarlet.”

“What have you done with the prince?!” Shining Armor demanded.

“He’s safe,” Scarlet answered. “Right about now he’s getting his hooves polished, courtesy of an anonymous coupon for a full spa rejuvenation treatment.”

“Well, we passed your test,” the mare said as she turned to face Robin Hood. “That means you’ll turn yourself in, right?”

“As promised,” Robin Hood assured, walking forwards slowly. He extended his hooves and allowed the mare to slap on a pair of hoofcuffs.

“As promised, he turned himself in,” Will Scarlet announced, his horn glowing before firing a spark that cut the chain connecting the hoofcuffs. “And now, I’m breaking him out!”

Robin Hood turned around and ran quickly into the forest, accompanied by Will Scarlet. The soldiers prepared to give chase but were stopped by a cloud of smoke coming from the wagon of jewels. “Honourable thief my flanks!” the mare shouted.

“Captain, what should we do?!” another soldier asked.

Shining Armor stamped a hoof and answered, “We withdraw!”

“But Captain-”

“We need to return the prince’s jewels safely and make sure he’s okay! Then we need to report this to the princess, that there’s an master of disguise working for Robin Hood’s band of thieves!”

“… Yes, sir!”

As the cloud of smoke began to die down, the soldiers turned around and marched solemnly back the way that they had come from. All but one soldier who should have been travelling at the rear of the group, whose absence was noticed by her partner quickly.

“Captain, we’re short one guard!”

The rest of the soldiers turned around and the murmuring started up once more. “Is she a traitor, too?”

“She was suspicious.”

“Did anypony even get her name?”

Shining Armor stepped forwards and motioned towards one stallion. “You come with me. The rest of you return to Canterlot.”

Robin Hood and Will Scarlet stopped to catch their breaths by the side of a large lake, hidden deep within the forest. The sparkling, clean lake was a source of refreshing water that the two drank to refresh themselves.

“Seems they’re not so hopeless after all,” Will Scarlet said as he pulled out a bottle and started to fill it from the lake. “But they couldn’t even tell a smoke device from a bomb.”

“As I thought, this country lacks the force it needs to protect itself,” Robin Hood declared. “If that is the best that the Royal Guard has to offer, then Princess Celestia will-” The tip of a spear pressed itself against Robin Hood’s neck, startling the two as Scarlet dropped his bottle.

“Yes?” a female voiced asked, pushing the spear further forward to keep Will Scarlet at bay and then pressing a dagger to Robin Hood’s side. “What were you about to say? Go ahead. I wouldn’t mind adding ‘conspiracy against the crown’ to your list of crimes.”

“How did you find us?!” Will Scarlet shouted, raising his hooves as his horn glowed.

“I wouldn’t try that,” the mare said, pressing her dagger closer to make Robin Hood wince. Scarlet’s magic faded out, and she smiled. “What was that about the Royal Guard lacking force?”

“How did you find us?” Robin Hood echoed Will Scarlet’s question.

“A tracking device,” the mare answered, using her magic to pull a small bead from inside the keyhole of Robin Hood’s hoofcuffs. “I discussed this with Captain Armor earlier. A little unorthodox, but we had planned to place this in one of the jewels and letting you take them. Then, we could track you down, wherever you went. When I suspected foul play as you turned yourself in, however, the plan changed.”

“Excellent work, Private,” Shining Armor called as he approached Will Scarlet from behind, a pair of hoofcuffs levitating beside him. Another soldier was tailing him, carrying a pair of rings in his hoof. “You can lower your weapons now. If they try to run, I’ll catch them.”

“Yes, Captain.” The mare lowered her spear and stowed her dagger, stepping back as the two stallions hoofcuffed the two thieves added magic-restraining rings onto their horns. “So he was a unicorn this whole time.”

“Doesn’t he usually travel with a bow?” the stallion beside Shining Armor asked.

“Looks like he left it behind this time,” Shining Armor said. “Let’s move out. You lead on.”

“Yes, sir!”

The stallion set off, leading Robin Hood and Will Scarlet through the forest whilst the female soldier and Shining Armor followed with caution. “Be careful,” Shining Armor said. “There could still be more hanging about.” Shining Armor turned to the mare travelling beside him. “You did well today, Private.”

“Thank you, sir,” the mare responded with a smile.

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes. “I don’t recognise you. I thought I’d dedicated all of my soldiers’ names and faces to memory already. What is your name, Private?”

The mare stopped for a second to salute, and answered, “Sir! Returning to active duty after maternity leave for two years, I requested to be transferred from the western border to Canterlot so that I could stay close to my child! My name is Trixie.”

“Aah, you were from the border.” Trixie nodded. “A boy or a girl?”

Trixie resumed walking and said, “A boy, sir.”

“Well, it’s no wonder I don’t recognise you, then. Tell me, how did you think to plant a tracking device on the prince’s jewels?”

“At the border, sir, smugglers were getting crafty. We planted tracking devices onto suspicious ponies’ carts and then followed them for a bit.” Trixie shot a sly grin to her captain. “Ponies get careless when they think they’re in the clear. I thought the same strategy would work for common thieves.”

Shining Armor chuckled. “I’ll admit, I hadn’t considered using Blueblood’s jewels as a means to catch them. Keep that up, and I might just say some good things about you to the princesses.”

“I’m honoured, sir.” A flake of snow fell onto Trixie’s muzzle, startling her as she snapped her head upwards. There was a lone cloud hanging above them, through an opening in the treetops. “I guess the pegasi have begun work over the forest, now.”

“Good timing,” Shining Armor said. “I guess the Three Tribes are watching over us.”

Trixie stared forwards at the two thieves in the distance, nodding her head and responding, “Yeah, I guess you could say that…”

“Princess Platinum, I asked you to wait in your room.”

Princess Platinum bowed to her father and said, “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but as soon-to-be queen, I thought that maybe I should introduce myself to our guests.”

The king approached his daughter and leaned in to whisper, “The idea was that, if they were our enemies, you could flee.”

“You think they’re here to attack us?” Princess Platinum asked, looking over the two tall ponies dressed in fine clothing and jewelry. Neither of them had any weapons, but their horns suggested that they could use magic like the unicorns could.

“I don’t know, but that’s not the point. As the queen, you would do well to remember: always show courtesy to strangers, but never trust them.”

Princess Platinum nodded slowly. “M-My apologies.”

“Is there a problem, Your Majesty?” the tall male visitor asked, attracting the king’s attention.

“Not at all, sir. My daughter is to be coronated soon, and so I had intended for her to get plenty of rest. It seems that the idea of meeting ponies with both the powers of flight and magic excited her too much, though.”

The two visitors laughed. “Yes, we get that a lot. Ponies are always surprised when they see an alicorn for the first time.”

“You mean there are other tribes out there besides our own,” the king surmised, rubbing his beard as he hummed in thought. “I had always suspected as such.”

“Indeed. There are many pony tribes all over the world. Some have advanced in technology far beyond your own, and some have some… unusual customs. Some have strong xenophobic attitudes, unfortunately preventing us from getting close to them.”

“So, what exactly is an alicorn?” the king asked. “You say that all of them are surprised to see your kind.”

The visitor nodded. “Yes, that is because our kind had been in isolation for thousands of years. In recent years, though, we have begun to reach out to kingdoms such as your own to offer our knowledge and our power in return for peace.”

“Excuse me, but may I ask your names?” Princess Platinum asked.

“Of course, Princess,” the male visitor said with a bow. “I am Omnis, and this is my lovely wife, Twilight.”

The female alicorn bowed with her husband. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Princess Platinum returned their bows with her own. “And I am Princess Platinum, soon to be Queen of Unicornia.”

“Let’s get down to business,” the king said as he looked up to the clock behind the two visitors. “What is it that you have come here for?”

“As I have explained, we are trying to reach out to foreign nations,” Omnis repeated. “The two of us today are here to introduce you to our representatives, princesses of our tribe, who hope to engage in talks with you to form an alliance between our tribes.” Omnis turned around and shouted, “You may come in now, dears!”

From the doorway behind them, two tall figures stepped out from the shadows. One was a white-coated alicorn with a flowing, shimmering mane of rainbow colours and a cutie mark in the shape of a sun, and the other was a slightly-smaller, yet still tall, dark-blue alicorn with an even darker mane that flowed just like the other mare’s. Her cutie mark was in the shape of a crescent moon.

“These two mares are our daughters. Introduce yourselves, girls.”

The king huffed and turned around before the two mare could speak up. “I am sorry, but I am already late for a meeting as is. If it’s all the same to you, perhaps we could save the formalities for another time. My guards can show you to a guest room if you intend to stay.”

“Father-” Princess Platinum could only watch as her father turned around and stormed past her, stopping only for a moment to whisper something into her ear.

“They’ve brought royalty, yet no weapons. They must either be hiding their forces somewhere, or else, they are more powerful than they seem. Do not drop your guard.”

As the king trotted away down the long corridor behind her, Princess Platinum bowed and said, “Please excuse him. With my coronation coming up, my father has been busy lately.”

“It seems that we came at a busy time,” the white mare said. “Still, it is quite alright. We’d be delighted to stay and learn your customs.”

Princess Platinum smiled. “May I know your names?”

“Of course. I am Princess Celestia III, and this is my sister, Princess Luna XIV.”

“We are pleased to make your acquaintance,” Luna said, the two bowing in unison.

“As am I. As a Princess of Unicornia, I officially welcome you all to Equestria.”

Deep within the dungeons of Canterlot, a thief was sitting in his cell, with naught but a pebble to keep him company as he waited for his captors to summon him questioning. Robin Hood sat in quiet meditation as he waited, and waited, until finally, he could hear the sounds of hoofsteps making their way towards his cell.

As he opened his eyes, the thief was treated to the sight of his captor standing proudly before him, carrying a large bag on her back. He scowled as he spat, “What, come to gloat?”

“Not at all,” Trixie said. “Capturing you is nothing to gloat over. It’s only to be expected… of the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

Robin Hood’s eyes widened as he scrambled to his hooves. He stared disbelievingly for several seconds until the mare reached up and removed the mask covering her blue-furred face, when he finally returned the soldier’s grin. “So, it’s you… Darn it, you scared me there, Trixie.”

“Princess Trixie.” Trixie looked around before slipping her mask back on.

“I wasn’t aware you had infiltrated the Royal Guard yet.”

“That was the point. To fool your enemies, you must fool your friends.” Trixie removed her bag and threw it into the cell. “There’s a false block in your cell. Hide your bow and arrows in there until I break you out.”

“So, the plan stands?” Robin Hood asked, feeling around his cell for the block mentioned by Trixie. “I stay silent while you earn the trust of the captains?”

“Yes. I’ll slip out information and get myself promoted. Shining Armor already seems to trust me after capturing you.”

“Don’t be careless around that captain,” Robin Hood cautioned as he pulled out a block at the back of the cell. He slipped the bag with his bow inside into the cavity and then replaced the block. “… The time is near. We’ve come so far, but all it takes is one mistake to destroy everything that we have worked for.”

“There will be no mistakes on my end,” Trixie said. “You just focus on staying strong, Prince. Unicornia will rise again.”

Robin Hood turned around and saluted. “Unicornia will rise.”

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud, Striker, Sami and Snowball for proofreading.

Chapter 2

The city of Canterlot, the very heart of Equestria and the residing area of the two sisters that ruled it, was more than just a shining jewel that displayed the richness and the prowess of its country. It stood proud as the first city that was founded by the United Tribes of Equestria, having stood the test of time and survived many ordeals.

It was a gathering place for both nobles who liked to spend, and commoners who liked to trade. It boasted the mighty airship fleet that had made flight possible for earth ponies and unicorn ponies, its libraries held vast knowledge for both everyday ponies and scholars alike, and its schools held the highest qualities of education in all of Equestria, training doctors, scientists, teachers, and of course, talented unicorns.

Yet below Canterlot's bright cover lay a dark, secret underground world. Conponies, muggers, smugglers, foalnappers, murderers… Some of these ponies lived among the citizens, masquerading as normal, everyday members of society. Some were forced to the slums, having not the money nor the skills to support themselves or find a new home. These were the two sides of 'The Underworld' – a home for those tossed aside by the world, and a place of great profit for those consumed by greed.

Midas sighed as he stared outside the window of 'The Rat's Den', watching as nobles examined the thin, filthy ponies littering the alleyway to determine which ones could pull their chariots or polish their horseshoes.

Brushing aside his golden locks and stroking his glorious beard, Midas cast his gaze to the soldier standing around the corner from the nobles, no doubt hired to protect them whilst acting as though he had seen nothing.

"Everypony, thank you for gathering on such short notice," Midas said as he drew the curtains and turned around, greeting the three ponies gathered at his table. Midas removed the broken crown from atop his head and rested it on the table, his aged face wrinkling further as he stared at the open seat opposite to Trixie. "Robin Hood is now in enemy hooves, but now we have a connection within the Royal Guard."

"All according to plan," Trixie commented, leaning back in her chair and resting her hind legs on the table in front of her. She used her magic to remove her trademark hat and cape, revealing her sparkling silver mane and fine blue coat for all to admire. "Robin Hood gets captured, I earn the trust of the guard, and then we launch our attack from the inside. The Great and Powerful Trixie is a master of the performing arts, so this will be a piece of cake."

"Still, it is a risky gamble." Oasis bit into her forehoof, her deep blue eyes burning into the table as they shook. The mare's aquamarine coat would make her easy to spot in a crowd, and her long, cyan mane flowed like a river down her body. "If Robin Hood is pushed too far, he may reveal our entire operation."

"He won't talk," the final pony, sat next to Trixie, said. The grey-coated stallion pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing his black mane tied into a ponytail. The stallion's horn glowed and a green aura lifted his glass of ale towards his lips. "He's strong, and he's endured far worse. For his sake, we should not hurry in our plans, but take our time, and be sure to do things right."

Trixie shot the stallion a grin. "Quite confident, Genesis, considering that you're still the newbie around here."

"How long I have been here means nothing. What matters is that I am able to see into a pony's heart far better than any other." Genesis gave the showmare a smile. "For example, you act like you don't care, yet every second that you're away from the castle makes you anxious. Isn't that right, Miss Lulamoon?"

Trixie's grin vanished in an instant. "If you're so good at reading ponies, then perhaps you should be doing this job!"

"I'm afraid that, when it comes to acting, I'm outmatched by the likes of you," Genesis laughed.

"Besides, I have another task for Genesis in mind," Midas reported, gathering all eyes towards himself as he rose from his seat. "But before that, I would like to introduce the newest member of our court."

"Another member?" Oasis asked. "I thought that we were stopping after recruiting Trixie, but now we're up to six?"

"Yes, well, Genesis was an exception," Midas said, casting his eyes towards the stallion at the other end of the table. "Being from one of the five most influential noble families in Canterlot, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to recruit him into our royal ranks."

"So, what, we got another noble?" Trixie asked, turning around as she heard the door behind her opening.

"Not quite," Midas replied as a figure walked into the room. As the light hit them, the pony's orange-coloured fur was revealed, followed by their unique mane. Red and yellow stripes gave the mare's mane the appearance of being on fire, and this was complimented well by her cutie mark – what appeared to be a sun, or perhaps a yin-yang ball with flames surrounding it, decorated with the same colours as her mane. "Everypony, I introduce to your our third princess. A pony betrayed and cast aside by Celestia, whose knowledge and skills in the magical arts will aid us greatly in the coming battles. I present to you all: Princess Sunset Shimmer."

The mare cocked her head and looked over the group, her lips smiling while her eyes were analysing. "It's nice to meet you all. I am Sunset Shimmer – Celestia's former personal student."

"I present to you: Queen Platinum of Unicornia!"

Ponies stood. Hooves clopped. Cheers rang out, and… confetti flew everywhere as cannons brought in by a certain chancellor exploded, causing a hush to fall over the crowd.

"Er, t-then, as is tradition, the ball designed to celebrate the new queen shall now officially commence. For the next twelve hours, the gates will be opened to all members of Unicornia… Oh, apologies. To all members of Equestria."

Queen Platinum bowed, and then watched as all ponies in attendance wandered off to their own devices. The young queen smiled as two friendly faces approached. The Chancellor of Earth, Chancellor Puddinghead, and Commander Hurricane of Pegasopolis.

"Greetings, both of you!" she said, reaching out to hug her two friends. "It has been so long. I'm glad that you could both come! Though, next time, a little warning about the confetti would be nice…"

"But then it wouldn't be a surprise!" Chancellor Puddinghead explained, jumping up-and-down as he examined the new queen. He stopped as his eyes met her crown and he started to tear up. "Ahhh, it seems like only yesterday that you were just a princess."

"That's because it was yesterday," Commander Hurricane pointed out. She shot her friend a grin and asked, "So, we're totally ditchin' this party, right? Goin' out somewhere to get hammered together? Y'know, a proper celebration!"

"Good heavens, no!" Queen Platinum shouted in protest. "I am a queen now! I must act with dignity and set an example for all of my subjects to follow."

"What your subjects don't know won't hurt 'em," Hurricane deadpanned.

"Unless they were knocked in the back of the head and they didn't know what it was, and then they wake up with a real big headache," Puddinghead responded, causing his friend to roll her eyes.

"In any case, as Queen of Unicornia…" Queen Platinum stopped for a moment to giggle at her new title, before clearing her throat and continuing. "I have far more responsibilities now. Father has now officially retired, yet he still plans on helping with the running of kingdom rather than spend his final days in peace and relaxation. I have to show him that I am perfectly capable of keeping this kingdom from falling apart without his help."

"Man, you royals are killin' me," Commander Hurricane groaned and she slammed a hoof into her face. "It's bad enough hearin' you go on about duty, but back home we're gettin' nowhere decidin' what to do with the next emperor."

"I thought that the emperor's firstborn son was to become the rightful heir to the throne?" Platinum asked.

"Yeah, but the thing is, none of us are sure if we should even bother anymore. I mean, the last emperor went…" Hurricane motioned her hoof around her ear while Chancellor Puddinghead pulled a cuckoo clock out for an accompanying sound effect. "So, like, I pretty much led us through the past ten years, and with the tribes united into one country, we're thinkin' it might be time for a new system."

"A representative from each tribe. What is wrong with that?"

"Nothin'! But they're split down the middle! Half of 'em wanna just make the snotty brat the next emperor, and the other half wants to try this new system of 'democracy'."

"We tried that once," Chancellor Puddinghead declared. "It didn't go anywhere because we just kept fighting each other, so we just put names into a hat and mine was drawn, and then I became leader!"

"… I'm willing to believe that," Queen Platinum said, before turning back to Commander Hurricane. "Which side are you on?"

"I'm on whichever side wins," Hurricane responded. "Apparently, since I was fillin' in for the sick emperor for ten years, everypony wants me to be the leadin' authority of whatever governing system we end up goin' for. And that means I'm not allowed to vote."

"Your politics are… um, well that is… they…"

"They suck," Commander Hurricane said. "You don't need ta beat around the bush. We're a military nation. We never bothered making a proper system; we just followed whatever our leader said and didn't ask questions. Now that we're actually having to make a big decision, everypony's just making stuff up as we go along!"

"Maybe you should make a compromise!" Chancellor Puddinghead suggested. "Like, let the kid become emperor, but only give the emperor partial power and authority. He could be like a figurehead who gets some say in how the country runs, but can be overturned if he starts makin' baaaaad decisions like world dominance!"

"… See?! Our tribe's so messed up his words are makin' more sense!"

"Actually," Platinum began, "That sounds like it might be a good idea. At the very least, a compromise could bring the two divisive sides of your tribe together and maybe you could discover something wonderful. Like how the six of us came together and discovered the-"

"If you say 'magic of friendship' again, I'm declarin' war on your tribe," Commander Hurricane said with a frown. "But, yeah, I guess I can kinda see where you're coming from. But y'know what might help me understand it better?"

"I'm not going out to get 'wasted' with you."

Commander Hurricane groaned as she performed a flip into the air. "Fine! Be boring! C'mon, Puddin'head. Let's go see if her brother's willing to get tainted."

"You leave Sombra alone!" Queen Platinum warned as she chased after her two friends. "He's so pure he'd probably cleanse you if you touched him."

"Well then, all the more reason to fix that so he doesn't become stuck-up like his sister!"

"You take that back, Commander Hothead!"

"It's Commander Hurricane!"

"Does this call for a food fight?" Chancellor Puddinghead asked.

"NO!"

It was the day before Hearth's Warming Eve, and all was going as planned. Twilight Sparkle had returned from Canterlot earlier that week and had been working overtime with Mayor Mare to ensure that all preparations for the holiday season were completed.

Despite the fact that the young princess had worked herself to the bone, and more than deserved a little rest, Twilight Sparkle still had one last thing to take care of. Whilst Spike was putting on coffee in the castle's kitchen, Twilight and Applejack were together with the stars of this year's Hearth's Warming pageant, rehearsing one final time before the big play.

"That's very good, Sweetie Belle," Twilight praised, earning a toothy smile from the filly. "There were just a few times where you stumbled here-and-there, but that's okay. I'll write down some cue cards for tomorrow in case you forget any of your lines again."

"Princess Twilight!" Diamond Tiara called out, attracting the princess' attention. "What about me? Are my lines good enough, Princess?" she asked, a proud yet hopeful look on her face as she tilted her head to the side.

"Yes, Diamond Tiara," Twilight answered. "A little… loud, sometimes, but you certainly have the spirit down."

"Yes!" Diamond Tiara cheered. "Well, of course, it's only to be expected. I'll blow them all away with my amazing performance!"

"Nice job castin' her as Princess Platinum," Applejack whispered to Twilight, chuckling under her breath. "Almost as smart as makin' Scootaloo Commander Hurricane."

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as Diamond Tiara walked over to a nearby mirror to admire herself. "This play is about the foundin' of Equestria. It's not the 'Diamond Tiara Show'!"

Diamond Tiara scoffed. "Oh, please! I'll be the centre of attention! The star of the show! All eyes will be on me and me alone."

Twilight and Applejack giggled as they overheard the conversation between the two, before a chill descended down their spines. Suddenly, they became worried. "O-Okay, girls!" Twilight shouted, casting a silence over the crowd as all eyes fell onto her. "We just have one more scene to get through, so let's all…" Twilight stopped for a moment to yawn and rub her tired eye.

Applejack stepped forward and clapped her hooves. "Let's all get through this one scene an' then we can get y'all home an' in bed for a bright an' early rise tomorrow mornin'!"

"Yes, Miss Applejack," many of the foals replied in unison. Everypony got into position, but not before Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom made a point to blow raspberries to each other.

Applejack turned to face her friend, who had taken a moment to sit down as another long yawn came out of her. "Maybe ya should hit the hay, Twilight. Ah can take care of this last scene."

"No, no, I'm fine," Twilight responded, slowly climbing up to her hooves and wobbling a little as she stood up straight. Spike came running to her side as soon as she was up, a cup of coffee in one hand and a letter in the other. "Thanks, Spike," Twilight said, grabbing the letter and attempting to drink its contents.

"Uh, Twilight?" Spike asked, poking her leg to snap her out of it.

Twilight opened her eyes wider and saw that what she was holding was not her coffee. "Huh? What's this?"

"It came while I was in the kitchen," Spike explained, taking the letter and giving Twilight her coffee, which she drank happily. "It's from Princess Celestia. Should I read it for you?"

"Mhm," Twilight responded through her drink.

After tearing the letter open and clearing his throat, Spike began to read. "Dear Twilight Sparkle. I am sorry to impose this on you on such short notice, but your presence is required at the Crystal Empire tomorrow evening, during the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant being held at five-thirty. My sister and I will also be there, and we will explain everything to you after the play is over."

Twilight finished her coffee with a sigh, before looking down at Spike with a raised eyebrow. "Tomorrow evening? But that means… I'll miss the Ponyville pagaent."

"What about the rest of us?" Applejack asked. "Does the princess want Twilight's friends t' go with her?"

Spike shook his head. "No. The rest of the letter just says that it's urgent, and doesn't say anything about anypony but Twilight."

Twilight looked over to the group of foals running through their final scene with a heavy frown. "I hate to do this after they've worked so hard, but if Princess Celestia says that it's urgent, then…"

"Ah'm sure they'll understand," Applejack said. "If this is urgent, then it could mean that all of Equestria is in danger. Y'should go rest up, Twilight, an' be ready for whatever the princess needs ya for tomorrow."

"… I suppose you're right," Twilight conceded, giving her empty cup to Spike with a disheartened sigh. "Everypony, can I have your attention for just a second?" All young eyes fell onto Twilight once more. "I'm afraid I have some bad news for all of you. I… I won't be able to attend the Hearth's Warming pageant tomorrow."

Twilight's announcement was met with a series of mumbles and disappointed moans. Apple Bloom stepped forward and said, "But we worked so hard on it."

"I know, Apple Bloom," Twilight said, her heart sinking deeper.

"What could be more important than my magnum opus?" Diamond Tiara asked, a scowl on her face.

"I've been called to the Crystal Empire by Celestia. I know you're all disappointed, but-"

Diamond Tiara suddenly perked up as she jumped forwards and asked, "Are you going to save Equestria again?!"

"Is there a demon on the loose?" Scootaloo asked.

"A rebel pony?" Apple Bloom inquired.

"No, no. Nothing like that… I hope," Twilight said. "Look, I've just been summoned by the princess for something urgent. I really do hate to miss out on the play you've all worked so hard on, but…"

"We understand," Sweetie Belle said in a downcast tone. "Do you think… you might be able to make it back in time?"

"I'm afraid not," Twilight answered solemnly.

Diamond Tiara huffed and walked back into position. "I'll show you my A-material now, then, so you won't have to miss it tomorrow!"

Scootaloo, whose eyes were widened by Diamond Tiara's sudden outburst, smiled and said, "For once you're making sense! C'mon guys, let's get this scene perfect for Twilight!"

"Yeah!" the other fillies and colts gathered cried in unison.

As the foals returned to their positions to finish the scene, Twilight's heart began to rise again and warm smile spread across her lips. "Alright then, everypony! Let's take it from the top!"

Trixie Lulamoon stared up at the low ceiling hanging above her head, tapping the edge of her open book against her chin as her attention was shifted elsewhere. Inside the cramped hotel room, which made no attempt to stifle the sounds of the party happening downstairs, Trixie was finding it very difficult to sleep or otherwise get herself comfortable.

"Tomorrow's the day that we reveal ourselves," Trixie muttered. "Or at least, we make it known that we exist. Equestria will be thrown into unease and security will be tightened. Honestly, are they trying to make my job harder?"

Trixie sat up and stared across the room, where her makeup and Royal Guard attire rested against a small chest. "Well, I suppose they need to keep Shining Armor in Canterlot somehow. After the way he and Princess Cadance dealt with Chrysalis, it only makes sense to keep them apart. Still…"

"Trixie, I want you to relay all of your information to Sunset Shimmer. She will meet with you at the hotel you are staying at until otherwise instructed."

Trixie bit her lip. There was something about the new princess that seemed off to her, but she couldn't quite put her hoof on it. "She travelled to another world, and then found her way back? That sounds like something out of a poorly-written sci-fi novel. Besides that, why does King Midas trust her so much? So what if Celestia betrayed her? That doesn't change the fact that she once admired the princess, so then why?"

Several knocks came from Trixie's door, startling the showmare. "J-Just a moment!" Trixie shouted as she reached for her robe.

"It's me," Sunset Shimmer's voice sounded out from the other side.

Trixie breathed a sigh of relief and put her robe away. "Come in." Sunset Shimmer obeyed, opening the door and entering the small room, before closing the door behind herself. "What are you doing here? I thought Midas wanted you on standby at the train station."

"I wanted to talk to you," Sunset explained, approaching an empty seat in the room and helping herself to it. "I've heard a lot about you from King Midas. He said you're a pony with great magical prowess and a wealthy educational background, so I'm kind of curious as to how you wound up… where you are?"

"You mean poor?" Trixie asked with a huff. "It's nothing new. Ponies don't care what skills you have unless somepony in power can vouch for you."

"Is that so? … Tell me, what do you think of me?" Sunset noticed Trixie's look of confusion and elaborated. "I saw the way you looked at me in the meeting earlier. Something about me being Celestia's former pupil disturbs you, doesn't it?"

"… Well, Trixie just finds it strange that you would turn on the pony whom you supposedly admired your whole life," Trixie said. "Not only that, but you were banished to another world, yet you managed to find your way back, just like that? You can't expect me not to be suspicious of such a tale."

Sunset Shimmer laughed nervously, before sighing and bowing her head. "It's true. Princess Celestia was once my whole reason for living. I was her apprentice, and every time my work made her smile, I felt that everything in the world was just… right. But that was before she showed her true colours."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "Go on…"

"You see, Princess Celestia wasn't training an apprentice. She was training a puppet. Somepony who would follow her every word, do whatever task she gave them, without question!" Sunset shook her head with a frown. "When the princess found out that I had my own goals, my own ambitions, she expelled me as her apprentice. She was afraid that I would one day grow too powerful for her to control, so she cut off my training there-and-then.

"Princess Celestia has a new pupil now, I hear. Twilight Sparkle? … I feel bad for her."

Trixie nodded her head. "So Princess Celestia betrayed you, and that's when you rebelled. Then you were banished to another world, is that it?"

"That's right. I was weak, and I was angry. So angry that I took on a foe that I had no chance of defeating on my own."

"Trixie can relate. Back in Trixie's youth, I was a poor foal, living in the slums of Canterlot and relying on nopony but myself to survive. The orphanage was run by a corrupt noble, who bribed the Royal Guard to look the other way while his charges were forced into servitude crafting dresses for other nobles."

Sunset Shimmer gasped, and gave Trixie a sorrowful look. "I had no idea… I'm sorry. You must think me awful, complaining about being expelled by a princess."

"Hardly. We all have our own problems, and besides, Trixie survived. Although, there was one day where I almost didn't. One day, during the summer, Trixie caught wind of a noblepony preparing to travel to Las Pegasus, leaving his vast fortune in Canterlot.

"To Trixie, just one bar of this stallion's gold would end her poverty for life. Enough to buy a house, food, warm dresses for the winter… and this stallion would never miss it. It would be the equivalent to giving a slice of bread to a starving puppy.

"However, Trixie did not count on the stallion's security being so… thorough. Or for that stallion to return because he had forgotten his documents."

"What happened?"

"Trixie was too old to go to the orphanage by that point, so it would have been jail time." Trixie shuddered, and used her magic to grab her hat, placing it atop her head. "Trixie was hungry, and she was ill. She wouldn't have lasted a day in prison, yet the noblepony was planning on having Trixie work down in the mines!"

Sunset gritted her teeth together. "Damnit. Nobles are the ones with power, they shouldn't be abusing it that way!"

"Ah, but because they have power, they get to choose what is right and wrong," Trixie scoffed. "Well, Trixie was fortunate. A passing colt saw Trixie sneaking into the manor. He must have followed me, and watched as I got caught. He rallied some of the other nearby 'street rats' and convinced them to break me out."

Sunset sat up straight, her ears perked at this new revelation. "Really? Who was this colt?"

"… I don't know," Trixie muttered. "But he seemed to know Trixie. All of the ponies he convinced to help me out, they were all ponies who had survived just as long as Trixie had. Even though none of us ever spoke to each other, or saw each other as friends, they all came to my rescue… because it was 'the right thing to do'."

"… You were lucky," Sunset said, looking down at the floor with a tear trailing down her cheek. "You had somepony watching your back. Somepony who took your side, when you needed it most. I was all alone, and because of that, I was condemned to a life worse than death itself…"

Trixie turned and watched as Sunset Shimmer wiped away the stray tear. The other mare's hooves were shaking and her eyes were staring off into nothing. Trixie squinted, trying to get a better look to confirm whether or not Sunset's eyes were bloodshot.

"King Midas… said that I would have friends here. Ponies who would have my back. Ponies that would never betray me…"

Trixie turned away and said, "You will."

"Huh?"

"I said that you will. Because Unicornia was founded with one common goal: to replace Celestia with somepony who actually gives a damn about the citizens of Equestria! I went to Celestia's school, studied their magics, and have even managed to mingle in with the nobility, but the Great and Powerful Trixie will never forget what it was like to be weak and helpless. To be thrown aside because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time!

"And she will never allow it happen to somepony else ever again."

Sunset Shimmer smiled and nodded. "Right. Princess Celestia has proven herself unworthy of the title, and it's up to us to bring that fact to light! You know, you and I are similar, Trixie. We were both destined for greatness, to accomplish amazing feats."

"And if it weren't for Princess Celestia, we would be there by now."

"… It's almost like what happened to Queen Platinum." Sunset Shimmer yawned, and then rose to her hooves. "Well, I should probably be heading off now. You'll want your sleep for tomorrow, I imagine."

Trixie nodded her head. "Indeed. After Midas' plans for tomorrow happen, Trixie's workload will increase drastically."

"Well then, good night."

"… It was a pleasure meeting you." Trixie gave Sunset Shimmer a smile. "Trixie looks forward to working with you."

Sunset returned Trixie's smile. "Same here," she said, before leaving the room.

Hearth's Warming Eve had arrived, and all across Equestria, ponies were waking up early to open their presents, given to them by their loved ones, greet each other with wide smiles, and, of course, to prepare for the traditional Hearth's Warming plays that were held every year!

And the Crystal Empire was no exception to this. With this year being the first ever that the Crystal Empire would be holding the play, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were also in full attendance. What neither of them, nor even Cadance or Shining Armor, had expected, was that Twilight Sparkle would also be there.

"What letter?" Princess Celestia asked, receiving the letter that Twilight had been given the previous night and reading it over. "It does resemble my hoofwriting, but Twilight, I didn't write this."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked, a concerned look washing over her face. "But then who could have delivered it through Spike's fire breathing?"

"Whoever it was clearly doesn't know my sister well," Luna said, scrutinising over the letter's contents. "And they clearly had some reason to bring you here. Perhaps we should heighten security, just to be safe."

"I'm on it," Shining Armor said with a salute, sharing a parting kiss with his wife before storming off through the castle.

"Could it be that they wanted all four of us to gather together for some purpose?" Cadance asked, bringing a collective hum between the four princesses.

After a while of thinking, Celestia raised her head and said, "We shouldn't let this bother us. Today is a day to be enjoyed and celebrated. For now, let's enjoy the Hearth's Warming pageant that these ponies have worked very hard on."

Twilight, Luna and Cadance all nodded in agreement. "I guess it's too late to go back to Ponyville now," Twilight mumbled.

"I would recommend you not go anywhere without an escort," Luna suggested. "At least not until we have this whole matter resolved."

"Everypony, thank you for your patience! The Hearth's Warming play is about the begin!"

Twilight took her seat next to Cadance, smiling as she looked towards the centre of the arena, where a stage had been set up.

"Huh?!" The four princesses turned to the side, where Prince Blueblood was nearing them with two bags of popcorn and a large drink in his magic. "What is Twilight Sparkle doing here?! I thought you said that she wasn't coming!"

"Oh! Sorry, Bluey!" Cadance apologised. "She wasn't going to come, but something urgent came up."

"And that is 'Princess Twilight'," Celestia corrected.

"She hasn't been a princess for even a year, yet. I rank far higher than her in the royal scale!" Celestia sighed and facehooved. "Why do I not have a throne of my own up here?!"

"You did," Cadance reminded, "But you kept bringing random mares up here, and whilst some of them were… nice, they were also rather loud, and made our security ponies feel uncomfortable."

"I can sit down in the stands, if you'd like," Twilight offered.

"No, Twilight," Luna asserted. "We don't know what will happen. Blueblood may have my seat." Luna stood up and left the area, passing a confused-looking Blueblood on the way.

"What did she mean by that?" Blueblood asked. "And what is this 'urgent business' that Cadance talked about?"

"It's nothing," Celestia said. "Just something to do with Discord and-"

"Say no more! I swear, if I ever have to deal with that ruffian again, it will be too soon!"

As Blueblood took his seat in Luna's throne, the play started. The story about the three tribes fighting and relocating to a new land after a strong blizzard destroyed their crops played out just fine, with the crystal ponies making use of amazing technical effects to make up for their lack of magic.

As the Equestrian flag was planted into the ground before the stage, smoke billowed out, filling the arena and preventing anypony in the stands from seeing what was happening.

"Oh? I don't remember this part," Blueblood commented as he chewed on his popcorn. "Wait, are smoke machines supposed to be this powerful?"

"This doesn't look good," Twilight said, biting her lip as she flared her wings. Cadance placed a hoof in front of her.

"Let the Royal Guard go in first. We don't know what dangers could be in there."

"But-"

The smoke began to dissipate, and the stage was cleared of all actors, save for the six stars who played the tribe leaders and their advisors. They, however, were tied to the front of the stage, and were all unconscious.

Standing on the stage were three ponies, all wearing brown cloaks that hid their identities. The stage was surrounded by dozens of ponies all wearing similar cloaks.

"Everypony," the cloaked pony in the middle started, as a hush fell over the crowd, "We are Unicornia!

"Over one thousand years ago, Equestria was ruled by the three tribes! In a time of disaster, the trinity worked together to survive! Earth would provide, by farming the land and harvesting its resources. Pegasopolis would defend us from our enemies. And Unicornia, with all of its wisdom and knowledge, would guide us! And thus, balance and peace were both achieved.

"But then one day, the sister alicorns, Celestia and Luna, after having displayed the awesome powers of the Elements of Harmony, usurped our rule, forced the tribes to bow to their might, and made Equestria a dominion of the alicorn tribes!"

Celestia furrowed her brow. "That's not true," she whispered.

"Over time, enemy nations were warded off because they were afraid. Afraid of the power of the pony who had defeated Discord and King Sombra. Afraid of the power of a nation that had escaped the windigos! Peace brought about acceptance, and ponies no longer cared that the land they had claimed was stolen from then. We were happy. Happy to be part of a land where no evil could harm us.

"But, my friends, I ask of you: what of the ponies unfortunate to fall out of Celestia's sights? Ponies stricken by debt, ponies blighted by hunger, all right under her nose! And what does the so-called 'good princess' do? She erects castles large enough to house those with no homes, she wears a crown valuable enough to pay off all debts, and she feasts on enough food to end all hunger!

"You all chose to ignore this, and so our voices were hushed, but no longer! In the coming years, a number of disasters have struck our land. With the second coming of Nightmare Moon and Discord, other nations have seen how vulnerable we truly are! The changelings have already taken advantage of this weakness. How long until the griffons or the dragons take their chances?!"

"Princess, should we arrest them?" one of the soldiers behind Celestia asked.

"Wait," Celestia responded. "They have hostages. A hasty move could result in six innocent lives lost."

"The princess has also proven to be incapable of protecting 'her' kingdom, allowing a changeling to masquerade as her niece and infiltrate the heart of Canterlot. She has pulled off many questionable moves that put all of our lives at risk! Sending six, unprepared civilians to fight a dragon? Gambling the Crystal Empire's very survival in order to 'test' her student! Citizens of the Crystal Empire, how do you truly feel, knowing that Celestia saw your mortal struggle against King Sombra as nothing more than a mere test?"

Hushed mumbles passed over the crowds, with many heads turning away, looking either up or down, but never towards the stage or towards the princess.

"Without the Elements of Harmony, she is powerless! But moreso than that, her decisions do not reflect the country's best interests! And so I ask of you this: are you willing to wait around and see what consequences her actions will bring? Are you willing to place your lives in the hooves of a pony who would free Discord on a whim, or who, in the face of Tirek, chose to hide her magic rather than fight for her subjects?!

"Well we are not! We will not wait for the changelings to consume all love before we strike back! We will not allow Equestria to become a griffin hunting ground before we raise our swords, and we will not allow the princess to place our lives in danger to test her students!

"Over one thousand years ago, Equestria was stolen from the three tribes, and we were powerless to stop it! But now, we are finally prepared to take it all back. Those of you who desire a safer, stronger nation, join us! Those of you who are tired of seeing good ponies suffer, rally behind us! We are Unicornia, and in Unicornia, it is our law that those in power must use it for the greater good!"

As the crowd erupted into an uproar, the three ponies on the stage bowed, before smoke filled the arena once more. Once again, panic spread and the Crystal Guard prepared to strike. But when the smoke cleared, the arena was cleared, save for the six stars, released from their bonds and laying peacefully on the ground.

The group calling themselves 'Unicornia' had vanished, leaving behind only their words to sit in everypony's hearts that Hearth's Warming Eve. As the crowd grew louder and louder, Celestia's head hung low as she muttered something inaudible beneath her breath.

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 3

The palace's garden was surely a sight to behold. The garden itself was indoors, protected from the harsh elements of pegasi weather outside, and fed by artificial sunlight created through magic. The room was large enough to fit perhaps the entire Unicornian population, and then some, and with the mixture of tall and thick foliage, it was entirely conceivable for one to get lost in it. Thankfully, Princesses Celestia and Luna had Queen Platinum to guide them through it.

"This garden was started by the first unicorn to wear the crown, King Orion I, to commemorate the end of a long, long war between the ponies and the Zebafrican 'witches'. Of course now we know that their 'witchcraft' was mere alchemy."

"We have encountered zebra tribes before," Celestia said, stopping for a moment to observe a field of roses that were being watered by a couple of passing gardeners. "Some were hostile, while many were peaceful and welcoming, but they all shared one trait: their connection to the planet and belief in the supernatural. They hold ceremonies to honour the 'spirits' that protect them, and combine their practice of alchemy with the occult, to give the appearance of witchery."

"Their defeat meant that we could finally start to found our new country of Unicornia, and start to use our magic to help everypony live happily," Queen Platinum continued. "It was King Orion's hope that, one day, poverty and hunger would be completely eradicated. Nopony would suffer, and nopony would want for anything. On that day, he intended to host the most magnificent gala inside this very garden."

"So you continue the tradition of tending to his garden, in the hopes that one day, his dream will become a reality?" Luna asked.

Platinum nodded, and led the two further into the garden. "More than that, though. Each generation, the new ruler is tasked with expanding the garden further. As I am now queen, it is now my turn to add to this wonderful garden."

"Transporting this garden here from your old country must have been difficult," Celestia said, glancing around and noticing many random spaces in each lot. "Which reminds me, why exactly did you move here, to this land?"

"Our old homeland had become a barren wasteland," Platinum explained. "Nothing could grow there, and the blizzards had become too fierce. This land, on the other hoof, was perfect for starting our new home. Perfect, that is, until we had discovered the Everfree Forest."

"That accursed forest," Luna mumbled. "Creatures most vile, the likes of which we wouldn't project unto our worst enemies."

"We don't want to leave this wonderful land behind, but this threat is getting worse every day." Platinum sighed. "And ponies now look to me for answers. I wasn't raised for this! I was raised to lead, to solve tough political disputes. Not to fight creatures from a land that tends to itself!"

Queen Platinum felt a hoof on her shoulder and turned around. She saw Princess Celestia smiling down at her, as she said, "You are going to be a wonderful ruler. I can feel it."

Luna nodded her head. "We agree. You careth for your subjects, and also for your father, but you don't let your kindness blind you."

"All you need is to just take a little break, and think," Celestia continued, motioning a hoof around the garden surrounding them. "This garden was not built in one day, and it seems to have stood against many trials and tribulations. But it survived, and it grew into something far greater than the seeds it once was. And so can you."

Queen Platinum smiled back. "Well, I… I certainly can't give up, now." Platinum took a step back and bowed to the two sisters. "Thank you, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. I am glad that I invited you here with me today, and… I am honoured to call the two of you my friends."

"As are we," Celestia replied.

"Well then, while I think about my next move, how about the three of us get started?" Platinum asked, bringing confused looks to the two sisters' faces. "I was hoping that the two of you could help me prepare the soil for planting."

"Are you sure we are allowed?" Celestia asked. "I thought that this was meant to be a task for you to fulfil."

Queen Platinum chuckled, and responded, "Darlings… I am the current Queen of Unicornia. I make the rules."

The two sister exchanged smiles and nodded, before Luna answered, "We would love to accompany you, dear friend."

The three mares laughed and proceeded further down the garden, flagging down a couple of gardeners on the way to deliver some tools to them.

Upon her return to Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle was greeted to a gathering of ponies all relieved at her safety, but also concerned about who this group calling itself 'Unicornia' was, and what the ponies in it were after. "Everypony, please," Twilight said, in an attempt to calm her friends down.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Mayor Mare asked.

"When're we gonna go after them?!" Rainbow Dash demanded, cracking her hooves with an excited grin on her face.

"How could they ruin Hearth's Warming like this?!"

"What is Princess Celestia going to do?"

"THE END IS NIGH!"

"EVERYPONY, PLEASE!" Twilight repeated, this time succeeding in calming everypony down. "Now look, I know that you're all concerned about what happened in the Crystal Empire today, but let me assure you that Princess Celestia is doing everything she can to ensure the safety of everypony in Equestria! Furthermore, we can't let these ponies ruin one of the most important days of the year!"

"I agree!" Rarity spoke up, taking a stand beside Twilight Sparkle. "That is precisely what these terrorists want!"

"Right!" Twilight nodded her head. "So let's all keep our heads together and enjoy this holiday season!"

"Twilight?" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stepped through the crowd. It was Apple Bloom that had addressed the princess, following it up with, "About the Hearth's Warmin' play…"

Twilight frowned and she lowered to her knees. "I'm sorry, Apple Bloom. I know that you all did your best to practice and I really did want to see it…"

"Well, that's good!" Applejack said. "Truth is, everypony agreed ta put the play on hold, jus' for you!"

Twilight's eyes widened and she looked over the gathered crowd. "Y-You all did that? Just for me?"

"We sure did!" Applejack confirmed.

"Diamond Tiara said that she wanted you to see her performing," Filthy Rich told her as he patted his daughter's head, Diamond Tiara squirming away in the process.

"We thought that it wasn't fair for you to work on Hearth's Warming Eve," Sweetie Belle said. "You even worked so much over the past few weeks, too!"

"This play should really be more for you than anypony!" Scootaloo followed.

"To thank ya, for all that ya've done," Apple Bloom finished.

Twilight wasn't sure what she wanted to say, but whatever it was, the words had caught in her throat as a tear rolled down her face. "Everypony…" she finally got out. Wiping the tear away, Twilight smiled and said, "Alright, everypony! Let's make this the best Hearth's Warming ever!"

"YEAH!"

"How are the new recruits settling in?"

Sunset Shimmer looked up from her binder. Genesis was standing over her, an expectant look on his face, and she closed her file. "Pretty well. We've also received quite a lot of new applications, too, since King Midas gave that speech."

"Make sure they are trustworthy before bringing them here," Genesis reminded, looking past Sunset Shimmer. Below the cliff that they were standing on, many ponies were gathered before Oasis as she gave them a tour of the makeshift command centre that Unicornia had set up. "And? What of these new applicants?"

"Well, as expected, they are primarily ponies down on their luck – either in debt or born into poor families – and corrupt nobles or wealthy business ponies who feel there is some profit in it for them if we successfully take down Celestia."

Genesis grimaced. "I don't like the idea of working with those sorts of ponies, but they have connections and talents that can help us…"

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you from one of those corrupt families?"

"Yes, and that is precisely why I know just how treacherous and immoral they can be."

"It seems that there is one noble in particular who King Midas is speaking with. One with very powerful connections."

"Oh really? Who?" Genesis asked, but Sunset simply shrugged and shook her head.

"No clue. He said that this noble wants to remain anonymous, for now."

Genesis hummed, before simply dismissing the matter with a nod of his head. "I see. Do you predict enough numbers to form an army?"

"Possibly, but, there's an issue."

"Go on."

Sunset reopened her binder and studied the pages inside of it carefully. "We have ponies joining us for many different reasons, and they're all bringing skills that we can use. Nobles and business leaders that can strategise and handle our budget. Ponies that wish to fight who can become our soldiers. Even ponies just looking for a place to live, who will take on whatever menial jobs we have for them. But we have nothing in the way of farmers, and our budget won't allow for living accommodations and food, let alone training."

Genesis held his chin in his hoof and closed his eyes. "I see. Over the years, farmland has been given out freely by Celestia to families that have founded all of the large farms that we use today. Those kinds of ponies earn a decent enough living that they must not see any reason to oppose Celestia."

"Whereas if they rebel, they risk losing their livelihood."

"I predicted this problem, which is why I wanted to recruit those Flim and Flam brothers, but they turned me down, stating that they wish to remain neutral in this whole conflict. The best I could arrange was a bulk discount on their machines, but even then, it is simply too much."

"I took a look at them earlier," Sunset revealed, "But they are simply too complex to reverse-engineer in any reasonable timeframe. They guarded their secrets well."

"We can't afford enough machines to produce the food that we need," Genesis concluded. "We are in a tight situation here. Without food, ponies will leave us, but without training, we can't make any progress and Unicornia will inevitably disappear.

"Training everypony to be farmers will not only lower morale, but will also take too much time, but it may be our only choice at this point…"

Sunset Shimmer tapped Genesis on the shoulder, and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I can sort this whole thing out."

"… You have a plan?"

"I know I'm the newest one in our circle, but trust me. I've got this."

Princess Celestia looked over the forms floating before her, using her keen powers of observation to sum up the many paragraphs into just a few simple sentences, all of which told her that the situation was not good. She looked past the papers and found a council of unhappy faces staring towards her.

"Unicornia has gained much support these past few days!" one old stallion blasted out, slamming a hoof onto the oval table besides him. "Ponies are blaming us for their miserable lives, and now they have a 'club' to band together in!"

"At this rate, we may be faced with rebellion," a dignified, middle-aged mare considered.

"At the moment, they are peaceful," one stallion pointed out, wiping the sweat from his brow with a hoofkerchief. "Attacking them now could leave the impression that we are against freedom of speech, and are nothing but ruthless brigands!"

"Forget freedom of speech!" an overweight stallion shouted, rising to his hooves and stomping them onto the floor. "If ponies like that will abuse it in this way, then they are not entitled to it!"

"He's right!" the old mare sitting besides Celestia said. "Attacking a group that has not yet made any aggressive moves will result in bad press, and if there's one thing I know, it's that bad press is a weapon far more powerful than any sword!"

"No aggressive moves?!" the overweight stallion shouted. "What about the pageant?! They took hostages!"

"An investigation revealed them to be dummies," a quiet, young stallion spoke up, slouching in his seat as all eyes turned towards him but Celestia's. "They took no hostages, so we have no grounds for retaliating."

"They still put the crew to sleep," the old stallion responded. "But I'll admit, it's a slippery slope."

"Cloudsdale is split," Celestia spoke up, lowering her forms onto the table and casting her gaze over everypony gathered. "Half of the city wants to support Unicornia, and the other half does not."

The old mare besides her nodded. "It seems that Unicornia has promised to return military control back to the pegasi, or 'Pegasopolis', with a commander leading them, just like in the old days. Many pegasi like the idea of being in control of this country's security and therefore have openly offered their support."

"Yet it seems that this division has caused rising tensions in Cloudsdale," Celestia pointed out. "There has even been a line drawn down the city, and ponies have relocated because of this. If this keeps up, it could lead to a civil war. I think that preventing that should be our first focus."

"If I may object," the overweight stallion began, "Cloudsdale is one city, Princess, and we have the whole of Equestria to worry about. Besides, if fights do break out, we could simply use it as propaganda against Unicornia!"

Ponies cleared their throats and turned their heads, but nopony responded. Nopony but Celestia. "I will not use the pain and suffering of ponies as a campaigning tool. That is precisely what I hope to avoid through all of this!"

"Well we don't have a lot of options," an old mare sitting opposite to Celestia said. "We've tried to send moles in but they have always been turned back. Whoever is handling Unicornia's recruiting is sharp. Unicornia is also printing books regarding big events of the past few years, detailing how Your Highness resolved them, painting a pretty picture of you as an incompetent leader."

"We can't demand the printing be stopped because it's all historic fact," the middle-aged mare added. "They embellish the truth, but that is all. They make no 'direct' attacks against your personage, and even preface it by stating that it is only their viewpoint."

Suddenly, the doors to the meeting room slammed open, and Shining Armor ran inside quickly. "Princess Celestia, emergency!"

The princess rose and addressed her captain. "Speak, Captain Armor."

The farming town of Pasture Hills, located in the northwest of Equestria, was a quiet, peaceful little haven, barely on the map but still a leading trader of carrots and other vegetables in big cities such as Manehattan and Canterlot.

The population was small, and there was only one school, but the ponies there were happy. Everypony knew each other and everypony got along. They knew of little violence besides what the outside world could potentially bring.

As the sun began to set and the hardworking ponies began to put away their tools, 'violence' began to rear its ugly head and remind the ponies of what exactly 'fear' was.

Arrows flew into the village, landing into the square and startling the townsponies. Fires started around the huts and in the fields, and blood-curdling screams howled through the night.

Fillies and colts rushed to their beds and their mothers grabbed whatever they could to protect their young. Everypony else grabbed their pitchforks and faced the herd of masked bandits running their way. Legs were shaking and ponies began to cry, but there was nowhere to run.

"Everypony, this is our town!" the mayor shouted, ripping off his sash and taking a step forwards. "Don't let them set one hoof inside, y'hear?!"

The crowd roared and charged forwards, challenging the bandits head-on. The two groups almost collided, when a bright flash of light stopped them. Both groups stood back, wary of the intrusive light that had appeared between the two sides, when suddenly, it vanished, and a pony had taken its place. An orange mare in a brown cloak, with a fiery mane and a glorious horn atop her head.

"It seems that I got here just in time," Sunset Shimmer said, turning towards the townsponies. "I was on my way here when I heard that your town was about to be attacked. If I had gotten here any later, it could have been a bloodbath."

"W-Who are you?!" one of the bandits shouted out. "You one of them?!"

Sunset turned to the bandits, glaring them down as her horn glowed. "You ruffians, listen up! I am Princess Sunset Shimmer of Unicornia, and I am here to end your reign of terror!"

"Unicornia?" one bandit asked.

"That terrorist group that showed up some days ago?"

The bandits all laughed and pointed her way. "You gotta be jokin'! That circus act is gonna stop us?!"

"You an' what army?!"

Sunset Shimmer smiled. "I'm glad that you asked."

The mayor was about to speak up, when he felt a hoof on his shoulder and turned around. There was a cloaked pony standing behind him, his face completely shrouded in shadows. "We have evacuated your children. The rest of you should come, too."

"B-But this is our town!" the mayor insisted. "We gotta stay t' fight, too!"

"The town can be rebuilt," Sunset said. "Lost lives cannot be replaced in the same manner. Now go!"

"… Everypony, let's go!" the mayor said to his crowd. "We gotta make sure everypony's safe, then work together to put of these fires!"

"Yes, sir!"

As the crowd behind her ran away, Sunset Shimmer was joined by five ponies, all dressed in cloaks. "I really must thank you for making this easier for me," Sunset said. "It saves me having to play my hoof too early."

"I don't know what you're talkin' about, but if you think you can stop us with just six ponies-"

Sunset Shimmer laughed. "Oh, you're mistaken. These are just the ponies that you'll see."

Before any of the bandits could ask what she meant, a bolt of lightning shot down towards them, forcing them all to jump back with startled yelps. They all looked up to find that dark clouds had been gathered above them.

"Unicornia is strong, but Pegasopolis was always the leading military force!" Sunset Shimmer drew her sword with her magic and charged forwards, her comrades following her into battle.

Shining Armor opened his eyes as the scent of smoke wafted through his nose. He looked into the distance, finding a pillar of smoke drawing closer towards him as his chariot sped up. "We're almost there!" he told the pegasi pulling him. "Keep it up!"

"Captain, are you sure that just the three of us will be fine?!"

Shining Armor nodded his head. "I've dealt with these bandits before. I thought they were gone, but I guess I was too soft. They're nothing I can't handle alone." As the chariot touched down onto the ground, Shining Armor jumped out and readied his spear… only to be surprised by the sight of pegasus ponies dowsing burning rooftops with rainclouds and buckets of water, and unicorn ponies casting protective spells over wilting crops. "W-What the?"

"Oh, finally, the Royal Guard shows up!" Shining Armor turned towards the centre of the town, where he found a gathering of what he assumed to be the town's residents, all looking with unhappy or uncertain faces towards him.

He turned his attention towards the stallion and the mare that were shaking their hooves. "What's going on here?" he asked as he put his spear away.

"What's going on, is that Unicornia has just saved this town when the Royal Guard had failed to do so."

"Unicornia?!" Shining asked, gasping as the mare's orange coat and fiery mane struck him as familiar. "W-Who are you?"

"The pony who saved our town," the mayor answered with a glare. "While the Royal Guard took its sweet time bringing… one soldier to fight for us?"

"Three," Sunset corrected. "If you count the tired pegasus drivers."

"What, was our town not important enough to call in a real army?"

Shining Armor raised his hooves. "N-No! It's not like that! I just, I'm capable of handling these bandits by myself, and our troops are spread thin-"

"Oh dear. It sound like Canterlot must have its hooves full with a full-scale attack if you honestly couldn't spare any of them," Sunset Shimmer said with a smirk. "No? Well, it doesn't matter. You said that you could handle these guys?" Sunset pointed to the bandits, all tied up and unconscious in a makeshift prison made from burnt wood. "Then I'll leave their incarceration to you. Keep up the good work, Captain!"

As Sunset turned to leave, Shining Armor gasped and shouted, "I know! You're that mare who stole Twilight's crown!"

Sunset stopped, and turned around with a smile. "Allegedly. There's no proof, right?"

Shining Armor grit his teeth. With the Element of Magic gone, there really was no proof. "But, how did you-"

"I really must be getting back now. Oh, and Mayor? I look forward to working with you."

Shining Armor turned his attention to the mayor, who simply nodded his head, and then back to Sunset Shimmer… who was already gone. "… W-What the heck happened?"

"And, problem solved!" Sunset Shimmer declared, taking her seat at the round table with her comrades. "We now have plenty of food coming our way, at no cost whatsoever. My crew and I help some towns, they agree to share their food."

King Midas stroked his beard, looking down at the reports laid before him. "So this is what you have been up to. Securing our food source and spreading our good name as defenders of the innocent."

"That gives us some time while we try to work deals with other towns," Genesis said. "But, please tell me that you didn't start those attacks."

Sunset waved a hoof dismissively. "Honestly, I thought about it, but I decided that it was way too risky. I was on my way to Pasture Hills to simply talk to the mayor, and the bandits were just a stroke of good fortune."

"… Just the bandits?" Genesis asked, an accusatory look on his face.

Sunset Shimmer grinned. "Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures."

Celestia studied the map laid out before her carefully, humming in thought as she looked at how many locations had been given blue pins. "Unicornia… has made deals with all of these towns…"

The doors to Celestia's bedroom opened, and a chestnut-coloured stallion entered the room, wearing a formal, red jacket with light-brown epaulettes, his mane a glorious golden colour that flowed like a river down to his shoulders.

Prince Charming closed the doors behind himself carefully. "Princess, Haystack is also now dealing with Unicornia."

General Morgan placed another blue pin into the map. "What was it this time?"

"They simply bought the deed," Prince Charming explained. "The town sold the deed in exchange for workers and materials to build a new school. It seems that the one they were using before has run its course, but a couple of bad harvests had prevented them from refurbishing it… until now."

"It started with a bandit attack," Luna said. "Then a few towns were attacked by pests. Parasprites, timberwolves, rats, crows… Every time, Unicornia would show up and save them, then make a deal. Now, they're buying trading rights and making deals through connections with other farming markets."

"They've secured a food source," Prince Charming surmised. "They must have been desperate, and now that they have food, they'll be even stronger."

"It's possible that these attacks were all staged," Morgan suggested. "The timing is all just too convenient."

"I agree," Charming said. "Princess, you must do something! Interrupt their food transports and they will-"

"There is no evidence that these attacks were staged… "Celestia looked over everypony gathered. "Even if the chances are ninety-five percent, so long as any doubt remains, I will not attack. Because if I do, and we are wrong… then it only legitimises their claims of our tyranny."

"… I understand," Prince Charming muttered, before bowing and taking his leave.

"Now then, Princess," General Morgan started, "Perhaps you could explain why you summoned us here, of all places?"

Celestia nodded her head, and turned to Shining Armor. "Captain Armor, are you absolutely positive that the mare that you saw was…"

"There is no doubt, Princess," Shining confirmed. "After comparing her image with the witness account Twilight gave during that past incident, I am absolutely positive that Sunset Shimmer was the mare that I saw."

"… And she is a member of Unicornia. But how did she return?"

"Sister, that is not important," Luna said. "What is important, is that Unicornia has started to make moves. We must be ready for whatever they try to pull next."

"… You're right. Very well then. Listen carefully, everypony…"

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 4

"And so because those villages have agreed to help that group, the nobles are scared that a war's gonna start and Celestia's made us step up security!"

Trixie nodded her head, yawning and rubbing her tired eye. "Yeah, it sucks," she agreed. "But at least we're getting paid overtime."

"That's the worst part!" the male guard continued. "We don’t get paid extra for this! We just get a pat on the shoulder and a word of praise once all this is over!"

"What, the nobles want extra protection but don't want to fork over the extra dough?"

"Typical nobility, really. Because they come from important blood, they just expect everything to be given to them with having to give anything back."

"Almost makes you wonder why we even bother guarding them." Trixie looked around the room, watching as the well-dressed ponies chatted and laughed, and partook in the small portions of food laid out neatly along the buffet tables. "And why ponies like this are at the top."

"I would watch that tongue of yours if I were you." Trixie and her partner straightened up quickly and saluted as the gruff General Morgan approached from the side. His large figure barely fit into his formal red suit, and his left eye studied the two privates as he stopped before them. Trixie gulped as she studied the scars covering his closed right eye, wondering what manner of beast could leave such marks.

"Sir!" the two shouted together.

"At ease," he said, and the two obeyed. "At times like these, one might misinterpret your words, Private."

Trixie shook her head. "Apologies, sir. Trixie was merely musing in her boredom; she meant nothing by it."

"Being bored is fine. It means that things are quiet, and peaceful." General Morgan glanced behind himself, narrowing his eyes as he studied every single pony present at the party. "But you must still remain vigil. Peace can become chaos at a moment's notice."

"Yes, sir. I will not let my mind wander again, sir."

General Morgan turned back to the two and nodded his head. "You're the one that helped Captain Armor capture Robin Hood, right?" Trixie nodded. "I wanted to come see what kind of pony you are. I was expecting somepony… a little older."

"I am older than I look, sir."

"Indeed. I read your file. You recently returned from maternity leave, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Congratulations. I realise that we are facing troubling times, but I hope that you do not let your work distance you too much from your child. If you ever need to be reassigned, to give yourself more freedom, please feel free to come and see me. I will help however I can."

"Thank you, sir. I will keep that in mind."

"And you, too," Morgan said to the stallion besides Trixie. "We need soldiers who actually care about this country's safety, not about their paychecks. If you do not have the resolve to defend our nobles, I'm sure there're plenty of other assignments for you."

The stallion gulped. "I-I'm good, sir! R-Really…"

General Morgan nodded. "Then please keep up the good work."

"Yes, sir!"

The general left, and the two privates sighed with relief as the heavy tension passed away. "I guess the general really does have eyes everywhere, huh?" the stallion laughed. "They say that nothing gets by him."

"Indeed… Trixie didn't even feel him coming…"

"Well, he is a general. It's a whole other world than our own."

Trixie nodded her head. 'No, it goes further than that. Trixie was able to keep up with Shining Armor's presence just fine. Is there really that much of a difference between a captain and a general?'

"Oh, I'd better go check that out," the stallion said, looking over to where a couple of mares were fighting. "I bet one of them insulted the other's necklace or something."

"Need any help?"

"Nah, I'm good. You stay here and keep an eye on the festivities."

"Doesn't feel very festive," Trixie huffed as she watched her partner walk slowly towards the scene of the fight. "… How long until Trixie resorts to talking to herself?"

"Excuse me!" Trixie turned her head and gasped. "I was wondering if I could ask you something."

Trixie bit her lip and tried to smile as the white mare approached. 'Of all ponies… why Twilight's mother?!' "H-How can I help you, ma'am?"

"Well," Twilight Velvet began, "I was under the impression that my son, Shining Armor, was going to be overseeing security today, but I can't find him."

Trixie nodded her head. "Captain Armor was called away on urgent business. This whole Unicornia thing has caused quite an uproar so the Royal Guard's a little chaotic at the moment."

"Oh, that's a shame," Velvet pouted. "I wanted to give him an early draft of my latest novel. He's always loved to read them before they're published."

"Maybe I could deliver it for him upon my return? I report directly to the captain."

"That would be great!" Velvet said, using her magic to take the book out her bag. She hesitated for a moment, and narrowed her eyes at the mare. "You…"

'Don't tell me she sees through my disguise!'

"… You aren't trying to steal my book, are you?"

"… N-No way! I mean, uh, no, ma'am!"

Velvet giggled. "I was only joking. Thank you, dear… My, I just noticed, but you're so young! And yet here you are, diligently defending our country! Just like my Shining Armor."

"Well, somebody has to do it, right?"

"Tell me, how is my son doing?" Velvet asked. "Is he eating right? I worry about him when he's away from Cadance. Sometimes it feels like he's still a colt that needs to be taken care of."

Trixie couldn't help but snigger. "P-Please, ma'am. If the captain found out we were having this conversation, I could be demoted. Or worse."

"Then let's just keep this our secret, okay?" Velvet said with a wink. "But really now, how is he doing?"

"The captain is doing fine. He eats well, trains hard, and is a shining inspiration for all of us rookies." Trixie smiled. "And he's just the right mix between rough and caring. You should be proud."

Velvet simply stared in silence, and Trixie bit her lip, wondering if she had said too much. Velvet leaned forward, and Trixie leaned back. "… You like him, huh?" Velvet said with a grin.

"Like?" Trixie asked, running the word through her head and then blushing as she realised what it meant. She shook her head vigorously. "Y-You're wrong, ma'am! He's simply a good captain is all!"

"Riiiiiiight," Velvet said in a teasing tone. "Well, just be careful. He's already married and I don't think you want to try to steal a princesses' stallion."

"I told you, that's not it!"

Twilight Velvet giggled. "If you say so. Well, I'm glad to hear that his troops think so highly of him. It makes me think that I did something right when raising him."

"Hey Velvet," said somepony behind the older mare. The leader of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire, approached the conversation. "What's up? Your son here or what?"

Trixie gasped and turned her head, using her magic to lower her helmet over her eyes. 'Are you serious?! Why is somepony who knows me here?!

"It seems not, Spitfire. Sorry."

Spitfire clicked her tongue. "Darn. I wanted to ask him about those joint exercises. With all this civil unrest goin' on, we could really do with our troops being in their top forms."

Trixie heard a loud bang and turned to where her partner had wandered off to earlier. She found him on the ground, surrounded by food and tableware, before a fallen table as the two mares pulled at each other's hairs above him. She sighed. "Guess I gotta go back him up."

"It was nice talking to you," Velvet said, "Ms.…"

"Tri-" Trixie silenced herself quickly, glancing over to Spitfire.

"Hm?"

"Uh, M-Maud Pie."

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Pie. Please let Shining know that his father and I are proud of him."

"I'll be sure to tell him," Trixie assured as she put the book into her satchel. "Now, if you'll excuse me." Trixie rushed over to where the fight was still taking place, using her magic to separate the two mares as she shouted for backup.

"A little more to the left. Now more to the right. Now just a liiiiiittle-"

"Sister, do you not have more urgent business to attend to than the placement of a portrait?" Sombra deadpanned. His sister huffed and turned to him with an authoritative stare.

"First of all, that is 'Your Majesty', or simply 'Queen'. Secondly, this portrait is of my very own coronation! It has to be displayed just right so that it is the first thing that ponies see when they walk into my bedroom!"

"Do you want ponies walking into your bedroom?"

"Good heavens, no! Muddy hooves on my carpet? I would behead them on the spot!"

Sombra sighed and shook his head. "How are we related again? Anyway, Father's meeting with the alicorns and wanted to know if you'd be joining him." Sombra turned his head and mumbled, "Of course he didn't invite me."

"The alicorns are still here?" Queen Platinum asked, casting a worried look over her brother. "What ever business could they possibly have here?"

"Maybe they want to form an alliance," Sombra suggested.

"Maybe, but we are still in talks with the Crystal Empire. Why would Father be giving them the time of day?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

Queen Platinum nodded her head and said, "That I shall, and I will have to remind Father that he is retired, and should not be working himself too hard." With that, the queen stormed out of her room, stomping down the castle's stone hallways.

Sombra sighed and began to leave, before he heard a voice behind him ask, "W-Where should we leave the portrait, Prince Sombra?"

Sombra turned around to the maids holding the portrait up in their magics. Suddenly, a grin crossed his face. "Place iiiiiiit… upside-down, and diagonally, and make sure it is to one side of the wall. Make it as asymmetrical as you possibly can."

"B-But the queen-"

"Are you questioning your prince?" Sombra asked with a glare.

"Of course not!" the maids responded in unison.

"Good!" Sombra replied with a smile, before he skipped out of the room, chuckling over his little prank. As he rounded a corner, he bumped into somepony and fell onto his flank. "Owww! Who dares to-"

"Oh dear, We are ever-so-sorry!"

Sombra gasped. Standing before him was the large, dark-blue visage of a pony with a pair of majestic wings, and a long, pointed horn. "Y-You're Luna!"

The mare scowled. "That is Princess Luna. We may not be as respected as our sister, but We are still royalty nonetheless!"

"Pfft! Tell me about it," Sombra said with a roll of his eyes. As he picked himself up, he said, "My sister's all the kingdom's been talking about these past few days."

"Well, she did just become your kingdom's new queen. Um, apologies for knocking you over."

"I mean, even before then, Father always paid more attention to her! All of my accomplishments were just… left in her shadow!"

Luna nodded her head. "We know the feeling. Being the second-born, Mother and Father always held our sister in much higher regards. Even now, whilst they attend a meeting with your father and your sister, We are just left to roam the halls of this castle on our own."

Sombra raised an eyebrow, and looked behind Luna to find her unescorted. "You mean you're wandering our castle… unsupervised?!" Sombra's mane burst into flames as he growled. "What is wrong with this castle's guards?! They are far too incompetent!

"Well, I guess I'll just have to escort you myself!" Sombra huffed and walked past the surprised princess. "What would you like to see first?"

"Oh. Uhh, I guess some place where one could see the stars?"

Sombra stopped and turned back with a surprised look on his face for a few seconds. He then smiled and said, "So you like to watch the stars, too. I guess we have a fair bit in common."

"It is our favourite pastime."

"By the way, why do you talk like that?" Sombra asked as the two began to walk down the hallway together.

"It is tradition to speak using the royal we in our culture."

"But you sister and your parents don't-"

"The tradition has died out over the years, and not many alicorns still follow it. We think that tradition is important, though, and are trying our upmost to bring it back."

Sombra nodded his head. "I can appreciate that. Tradition here is that the earth ponies make our food and live in their little cots, away from our eyes. But thanks to Sister and her friends, the commoners are mingling with the nobility."

Luna tilted her head. "But isn't equality a good thing?"

"Some ponies are just born more powerful than others, and those ponies should be at the top. It is their right, and those without power, must know that their place is at our hooves."

Luna averted her eyes and said. "That almost sounds like something that my father would say…"

"He sounds like a wise stallion, then."

"… Wise, maybe. But…"

Prince Blueblood stormed through the castle, the two Royal Guards assigned to escort him doing just that. He ignored the servants bowing as he passed, he slammed any doors in his way, and he huffed all the way until he had reached his destination. Even though the bedchamber belonged to Princess Celestia, nothing stood in Blueblood's way as he forced his way inside, pushing aside the guards that were trying to stop him.

"Aunt Celestia!"

Princess Celestia, who was sat at her desk with General Morgan, turned around to face her nephew. She noticed the two guards about to apprehend him and raised her hoof. "Leave him be," she ordered. The two guards nodded and returned to their posts outside of the princess' chambers. The other two guards assigned to escort the prince, however, followed him inside.

"Aunt Celestia, what is the meaning of this?! A curfew, at my age?! These guards following my every move?! What do you think I am, a child?!"

"No, Blueblood. Of course not," Celestia replied in a soothing tone. 'Though it's certainly hard to tell the difference.' She turned to the pony beside her. "I'm sorry, General, but I-"

"No apologies needed, Your Highness," the general said with a bow. "I'm just about done here anyway. You don't have to worry about the city's defences. Not a single soul will enter or leave Canterlot without the Royal Guard knowing about it."

Celestia nodded and gave the pony permission to leave. She waited until he had passed Blueblood and left her chambers before speaking up again. "Nephew, I understand your frustrations. But this is a difficult time for everypony, and you must understand that I cannot risk something terrible happening to you until-"

"I am a prince! I am not bound to such things as curfews or overseers! And I have an important date tonight whom I cannot keep waiting!"

"I understand. You will just have to explain to her tomorrow morning." Blueblood stomped his hoof and huffed harder. Celestia sighed and rose to her hooves. "Blueblood, perhaps you don't realise this, but you are not the only one making sacrifices here. Prince Charming is also under strict surveillance and curfew."

Prince Blueblood scoffed. "Prince Charming doesn't do anything important anyway! All he does is prance around with the peasants and ramble on about the environment."

"I'm sorry, Blueblood, but the curfew is for your own safety," Celestia said with a hard stare. "Unicornia has made it perfectly clear how much they resent me and my sister, but we don't know if that hatred also extends to our family. Until we know more, we must assume that they will target you, if not for your life then as a hostage."

Blueblood grinded his teeth together, but said nothing more. He turned around and stormed back out of the room, his escorts following him diligently. "Honestly! A bunch of ruffians make some noise and she caves under the pressure! And she's supposed to be our leader… She's letting those terrorists walk all over her! At this rate, she will lose her crown for sure!"

"She's doing the best that she can." Prince Blueblood and his escorts stopped in the long corridor. Standing before them was Prince Charming, carrying several large scrolls of paper in his magic. "Perhaps, instead of complaining, you could be of some help to her."

"Prince Charming…" Blueblood harrumphed and walked past the other prince. "It's clear what she should do. Find the terrorists and have them all locked away for the rest of their lives."

"You make it sound so easy," Charming said, turning around watching Blueblood walk away in silence. "And please, be mindful of what you say about the princess. Some ponies might see it as… treason."

Blueblood stopped for a second to glance over his shoulder. Prince Charming was walking off with his own escorts tailing behind him. "… Self-righteous ponce." Blueblood flicked his mane and held his head high as he trotted away through the castle in silence.

Trixie raised her hoof and knocked on the door to Shining Armor's office, waiting for a response from inside.

"Come in."

The voice was not Shining Armor's. Cautiously, Trixie opened the door and peered inside. She eased up as she found General Morgan reading documents at the captain's desk, and saluted as the door opened completely.

"Sir. I am here to give my report for the day's events… If I may ask, is the captain not present?"

"He left early to settle some brawl in a tavern. I've been filling in for him today." General Morgan looked up and raised his eyebrow. "You have an interesting way of speaking. Most of our new recruits are stiff and awkward, but you… you're just awkward."

Trixie lowered her hoof and said, "Just trying to make a good impression, sir. I want my son to have a good education."

"I see. Wanna move up the ranks?" Morgan asked with a grin. "Then some advice: stop kissin' flanks and just show what you can do. Actions speak louder than words, and us generals and captains aren't going to be fooled by somepony who simply acts the part."

Trixie narrowed her eyes at the general. "I will try to remember that."

"Give me your report and I'll file it."

Trixie's magic levitated the report across the room and into the general's hooves. "I also have something for the captain from his mother. Would it be okay to leave it here?"

"Yeah, he should be back by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, sir." Trixie approached the desk on the opposite side of the room and gently placed the book atop it. As she did, something caught her eyes. A small bottle of cider, half-empty, was sitting by the captain's desk. "The captain drinks?"

"Hm?" Morgan looked over and spied the bottle with his own eyes. "Ah, I hear he shares a drink with General Ironhoof sometimes. Shining Armor's a bit of a lightweight though, so it must be tough on him."

Trixie studied the bottle for a few seconds, and then grinned. "Perhaps… you could help him out, General?"

"What did you say?"

Trixie turned around and smiled. "You've been working very hard today. Surely you deserve a break."

The general sighed and held a hoof to his forehead. "Yeah, it's been hell alright. Our soldiers are spread thin, but Celestia still wants me to ensure that every major town and city is safe from a possible attack, as well as Princess Twilight's village, Ponyville." The general lowered his hoof and added, "But I really shouldn't."

Trixie lifted the bottle in her magic and said, "Don't worry. I won't tell."

"… You realise that you are speaking to a general, right?"

"Just following your advice, sir. 'Be yourself'? It's been a hard day for me, too."

The general stared at Trixie for several seconds, before leaning back in his seat and erupting with laughter. "A fast learner, eh? I love it! No wonder Shining Armor has his eyes on you."

"Is that so?" Trixie asked. "I'm flattered." Trixie levitated the bottle over to the general, who simply sighed and put down his documents. He grabbed the bottle and took a swig of the sweet cider inside.

As he pulled the bottle away, the general let out a very relieved sigh. "Man, that hit the spot!"

"By the way, what kind of defences do you have planned for Canterlot, anyway?" Trixie asked. "What's to stop Unicornia from just storming the castle at any given moment?"

"Eheheh… You see, that-"

"-Is nothing that concerns you." The two snapped to the open doorway, where they found Prince Charming entering the room. "General, need I remind you that you are on duty?"

The general snapped upright in his chair and placed the bottle down by his chair. "O-Of course not! I was simply taking a moment's rest, Prince Charming!"

"By all means, feel free to summon one of the maids to bring you some water if you are feeling parched."

"R-Right…" Morgan shot a glare at Trixie and shouted, "You're relieved from duty! Return home at once and have a safe night!"

"Y-Yes, sir," Trixie replied, trotting past the general and the prince.

"A private's job is not to ask questions," Prince Charming whispered as Trixie passed him by.

Trixie simply bit her tongue and hurried out of the room. 'Damn it. I was so close. A little alcohol and a pheromone spell and that general's senses are as good as dead! That prince, though…'

"So in the end, you learned nothing," Genesis surmised.

Trixie leaned back in her chair and folded her hooves. "It was that prince. He interrupted us at just the wrong moment."

"Well, there's no need to worry," Sunset Shimmer declared, revealing a series of scrolls stashed away inside of her bag. "I managed to procure some copies of the general's battle plans."

"What- How-"

Sunset Shimmer grinned. "Let's just say that I have my ways."

King Midas gathered one of the scrolls and unrolled it, studying the written text inside. "I see… Excellent work, Princess Shimmer."

"Thank you," Sunset said with a bow.

"Everypony, I believe that it is finally time to make our move. But first, I need just one thing from you, Trixie." King Midas hoofed the scroll to Trixie, who picked it up in her magic and studied it. "These are the schedules for the castle's guards over the next three days. I need you to use this to gather for me some vital information."

"Queen Platinum, the Crystal Empire has rejected our offer of jewels for silver!"

"Queen Platinum, the creatures of the Everfree Forest have been sighted at Horseshoe Pier!"

"Queen Platinum, the griffons have threatened to sink any ships that sail too close to their waters!"

"Queen Platinum!"

"Your Majesty, emergency!"

"EVERYPONY BE QUIET!"

The noise inside of the room died down. Ponies scrambling their hooves and talking in unison suddenly fell silent, and all ears picked up the sounds of the hyperventilating mare sitting in her large, comfortable throne.

"First of all, how is Father doing?" Platinum asked.

"He is resting for now," one soldier reported with a salute. "His condition is stabilised."

Platinum nodded her head, and then paused for a moment to think. "… I can't handle this workload alone… I want all military matters to be sent to Commander Hurricane! I need her expert opinion on how to handle the griffons and the creatures plaguing our land!"

"Your Majesty, Pegasopolis has its hooves full with the internal rebellion from ponies who seek the old days to return!"

Queen Platinum bit into her forehoof. "Then… AHHH! Tell the Crystal Empire that we are initiating an isolationist policy! I want no crystal pony to set even one hoof into our kingdom, and we will avoid theirs, too!"

"But that could sever all the bonds we've worked so hard to form!"

"Negotiations can be held later, but we cannot make deals with monsters! We must ensure that the Everfree Forest is dealt with before we attempt to-"

"If I may make a suggestion," Omnis said, raising his hoof as the crowd turned their attentions towards him. "If you are having trouble with monsters, a small squadron of our tribe's finest warriors can be here within two days."

"Thank you, but this is our country's problem, not yours," Platinum said with a stern look.

"I am merely concerned for the safety of your citizens, Queen Platinum. These creatures are strong, but the real problem lies in the fact that you have never encountered them before. If you would allow us to fight them, we can show you how to defeat them for yourselves."

"… I would have to allow more alicorns into our country's borders, armed and ready for combat."

"I understand your concerns. How about this, then? Whilst my soldiers are here, you can keep Princess Luna imprisoned. That way, we would be unable to make a move against you."

Queen Platinum raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that we would take your daughter hostage? Or that you would willingly allow us to do such a thing?!"

"Are you implying that we would turn our weapons on you?"

The room was completely silent. The tension was too thick to cut with any form of knife. The queen and the alicorn stared intently into each other's eyes, each one daring the other to make the first move.

The doors opened behind Omnis, breaking the silence. "Your Majesty, Manehattan's been attacked!"

"Creatures from the Everfree in Manehattan?!" Queen Platinum shouted as she rose to her hooves.

"N-No, my queen! It was a group calling themselves the 'Diamond Dogs'!"

Queen Platinum bit her lip, and then returned her gaze to Omnis. He was smiling. "… Ugh! Fine then! How many soldiers will need permission to cross the border?!"

"Six."

Platinum scoffed. "I am not in the mood for jokes." Omnis didn't respond. "… Only six?"

"Six will be plenty. You'll see."

"… Everypony, if you'll excuse me." Despite the showers of protests that started all around her, Queen Platinum forced her way through the crowd of ponies and made her way towards the large doors of the throne room, rushing outside with great haste.

She ran through the castle as fast as she could manage, panting as she turned down many corners, and opened many doors. Princess Luna XIV was nowhere to be found.

"You!" Platinum demanded to a pony passing by. To her surprise, the pony was Clover the Clever, her most-trusted advisor. "Clover the Clever!"

"Oh, Queen Platinum!" Clover bowed quickly. "Please excuse my tardiness, but I have been working myself to the bone trying to create that barrier spell you requested!"

"Yes, yes, please do hurry up with that! The situation is growing worse every day!"

"Oh my. I-I'm sorry, but I've also been trying to grasp the magic of the Everfree Forest. It just doesn't make any sense to me!"

"Never mind that for now. Focus on creating that barrier!" Queen Platinum looked around, and then asked, "Have you seen the alicorn princesses?"

"Princesses Celestia and Luna?" Clover asked, receiving a nod. "Well, I know that Celestia is touring the city with Twilight, and Luna… Oh! She might be up in the observatory again! She's been spending a lot of time there!"

Queen Platinum nodded her head again. "Thank you! Please keep working hard! Our kingdom needs you now more than ever!"

Clover the Clever blushed. "W-Well, I'll try my best, then…"

Queen Platinum rushed past her advisor and continued through the castle, making her way towards the observatory on the top floor. She used her magic to open the large doors, and stepped inside. There, she found Princess Luna sitting in the centre of the room, looking up at the stars through the open ceiling, with Prince Sombra sitting to her side. Her shimmering mane lit up the area around them, and Platinum could see the two of them laughing.

"Am I interrupting?" Platinum asked, startling the two as she drew near.

"Oh, forgive us," Luna said as she stood up. "Your brother told us of this room and we just had to see it."

"It's quite alright," Platinum said with a smile, looking down at her brother. "I was not aware that the two of you were so close."

Sombra blushed. "W-We're not. There are just not many ponies to talk to these days… Not since you got coronated…"

Queen Platinum sighed. "Yes, and I'm sorry for that, but you know that I have important duties to fulfil." She turned her gaze to Luna. "On the subject of which, I must speak with Princess Luna."

Sombra nodded his head. "I'll leave…"

Platinum remained silent as he her passed by, wondering whether she should let him leave or not. As she heard the doors behind her open, she said, "Wait… I need you here, too, Sombra."

Sombra turned around, staring at his sister with his mouth agape. "M-Me?"

"Yes… I need ponies that I can trust…"

"What is happening?" Luna asked, narrowing her eyes as Platinum's magic closed the ceiling above them.

"Luna, I trust both you and Princess Celestia. I consider you my friends."

Luna smiled. "And we you."

"That is why, I need you to be our hostage… whilst Omnis brings alicorn soldiers into Equestria."

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 6

I grew up in a remote village, far from any other form of society or outpost. You've likely never heard of it, but there is a village deep within the desolate Smoozelands – a wasteland tainted by an ancient foe, where nothing can grow, and the water is undrinkable. There is but one small, solitary spot, where the grass is fertile, and a reservoir of clean water lay out of reach of the foul, polluted rivers and lakes.

When the first settlers found this place, after months of travelling and searching for a new land to call their home, they set to work on building their houses and planting their seeds. It was not ideal, but the poor farmers had finally found a place to call their own. An oasis in a dried-up desert, a shining light of hope for a group in the dark.

Oasis became its name, and so did mine. Named after the village that had stood the test of time but was on the edge of collapse, my mother knew that one day, our village would stand tall again. She wanted me to remember that. She wanted everypony else to. Our village was down, but not out.

Most foals worry about school or breaking their curfew. At eleven, most would be flaunting their new cutie marks and sharing stories of how they got them. But in Oasis, everypony had to pull their weight, including the children. The population was growing, but the fertile ground was full, so food had to be rationed. Water, too, was running scarce. The reservoir was shrinking every year, and so drinks were limited to one glass per meal.

The wounded had no way to clean out their wounds, so infections grew severe quickly. Medicine was also running out. This far from society, trading was not easy. Those few who set out to trade returned almost a month later, if at all, and most would have the same story to share: we had nothing of value to trade.

Indeed, times were tough. But my brother wasn't worried, because he believed that hard work would always be rewarded. I believed that, too, and so I worked without any regrets, without any worries. As a unicorn, my magic could perform the work of three ponies, so I studied it whenever I had a break. I practiced hard, and learned many different types of spells, so that I could help those that were exhausted and needed to rest.

You may be wondering why nopony ever came our way and helped us out, and the answer is simple: our village was small, and dying. We were marked on no maps, and we could not afford to send out ponies to the big cities of Manehattan or Canterlot to request aid. The nearest towns and villages had to tend to their own first, and could spare nothing for us.

And so, we were on our own. Nopony ever came our way… until one day, when I was twelve. My father had passed away earlier that year, but I continued to do my best. My big brother said that hard work will always be rewarded, and I believed in his words. Finally, his words came true.

From the skies descended five large, golden chariots, filled with ponies in fancy clothing and escorted by armoured ponies with spears and swords. Nobles, and the Royal Guard. At last, we were saved. At last, we could get word to Canterlot, and food and fresh water could be sent to us.

Our village explained our situation to these noble ponies at a distance. They told us to stay back, offended by the stench. We explained that there was not enough water to spare for bathing, and they took pity on us. We explained that everypony worked hard for all hours of the day, and they were impressed. We explained that we were starving and on our last legs… and they smiled. They said that we were 'perfect', and proclaimed that they would help us. They would give us work, and reward us with food, water, lodging, bathing, even new clothes.

We thanked them. We revered them as gods. We welcomed them into our village and our elder passed all leadership to them. The nobles picked out the cleanest and most healthy among us for the 'elite' positions, which included myself. I was to be a waiter, but I did not understand at the time what that meant.

The rest were told that they would be working important roles where 'our guests' could not see them. When we asked what 'guests' they meant, the nobles explained that they had been seeking a new, out-of-the-way land to build their new hotel-casino. A place in the countryside, where they could open up shops, restaurants, attractions, and many other 'tourist traps', where they would be no other place to stay but our 'humble little village'.

The work was hard, and the wages were laughable, but it was a step-up. Those like me, who worked where the public would see and interact with us, were given bathing rights and medical coverage. Those who were already too old, too sick, or too filthy to work in the open were given roles where they would not be seen. Construction, janitorial, maintenance, farming, mining, transporting… Those ones were kept quarantined from the rest of us, and whenever they weren't working, they were sleeping their days away.

It didn't take long before we began to question our decision, but it was too late. We were alive, and that was all that mattered. I continued to work hard. I would earn a ticket out of this village and then work my way up the ladder in Manehattan. Then, when I hit it big, I would return and buy the rights to this hotel, and then I could save everypony. That was my goal, and to achieve it, I just had to work hard. Because working hard always pays off.

My resolve first wavered when I was fourteen. My mother, who was involved in the construction of a new bathhouse, lost her last bit of strength and fell dead. I took the day off with my brother to attend her funeral. Not many showed up – not many had the chance. I didn't cry until I got home.

My brother held me that night. He waited until I had stopped before he prepared dinner for the two of us. I helped him out, despite his objections. I had to stay strong and work hard if I wanted my dreams to come true. And they would… right?

The following day, I stopped in my duties to observe two of the nobles who owned the hotel. They were just sitting there, complaining about how their hooficures were messed up or how their coats took hours to maintain. It was nothing new, but this time, I stopped to consider: how hard have they worked, to reach a point where they can make money and live comfortably by just sitting there?

They ordered me to fetch them some wine from the nearby fridge. I had a cart full of dirty dishes and towels on my back, yet they wanted me to drop all of that to open the fridge that was two feet away from them? Do they even work at all?! I complied, and then hurried away, realising that I had just had my first angry thought in years. I asked my brother about it that night, and he had no answer. He just told me to keep working hard.

Two more years passed. I was sixteen. I was still poor, as was my brother. I was starting to understand the value of money, and now that my wages were being paid to me directly, instead of to my brother, I could finally see the trap that I was snared in. My taxes were almost my entire wages. I was left with a token sum at the end. I began to fear being trapped in that place forever, but that was not the case.

The plague hit then. Nopony knows where it came from. The mines? The polluted water? The tainted lands? The rats? When ponies started to show symptoms of it, the nobles fled. They gathered their possessions and boarded their chariots, and left us all behind to fend for ourselves.

A fire broke out in one house, and that fire spread. It consumed land, it consumed crops, and it consumed buildings. Within minutes, the village cast an eerie orange glow over the horizon, and those who made it out started searching for their loved ones.

I searched and I searched for my brother. He had to be alive, he just had to be. Nopony worked any harder than him, so if anypony was to survive, it would have been him. But I couldn't find him.

Those who carried the plague were too unwell to make it out of there. As we searched the crumbling ruins of our village, I found my brother's corpse, untouched by the fire, in the quarantine block. He had caught the plague, and had locked himself away to prevent it from spreading. He was dead.

The fire had cleansed the plague, but the nobles never returned. Our crops were dead, our buildings were exposed to the elements, and our water was down to a puddle.

All around me, ponies regrouped and started to work once more. They buried the dead, they salvaged what they could, and they set out to rebuild the village.

Why?

Why bother? Why rebuild what will inevitably die? I worked hard my entire life. Where's my pay? My brother worked even harder, and he died before he ever knew peace. My parents died when I was young. I never even had a chance to know them. The nobles never worked a day in their lives. Where were theircorpses?!

"It's not fair!" I shouted. I screamed. I kicked. I fought an invisible foe, drawing looks and creating a scene. I destroyed what remained of my home and I smashed the surviving portraits of our 'gods'. Those damned nobles, posed in such finery and staring at me through the painting. Mocking me with their wealth! "You liar! You damned liar! You said that hard work would pay off, but you were just trying to make yourself feel better, weren't you?! Why should I listen to you anymore, big brother?! You're dead! You're dead and I'm not!"

Tears fell down my face and my legs buckled. "You worked harder than me, but I outlived you. How can you explain that one, big brother?"

A hoof presented itself before me, and I looked up. Connected to that hoof was a stallion not dressed in rags, nor in the shining fabrics of the upper-class. His golden hair dangled before a stern yet friendly face. "That is for you to decide, but the first step would to get up, and learn from your past."

"W-Who are you?" I took that hoof and righted myself. More ponies – stallions and mares – gathered behind him. There were six in total, including this stallion, and they were carrying many barrels and bags.

"My name is Midas. My companions and I saw the glow of your village's fire and came to investigate. It seems that it has taken its toll."

"We're better off," I said. "Those nobles tricked us. They didn't want to save us, they simply wanted slaves."

"Slaves have no choice," Midas said. "Tell me, did you have a choice?"

"I would've died without them, but that kind of life was hardly worth living."

"Everypony deserves a choice." Midas clapped his hooves, and his crew travelled into the village and set their supplies down. They took out food, water, seeds, money, tents… "The nobles seem to think they can buy freedoms. My crew and I travel around to give them back."

"W-Who are you ponies?" I asked, stunned by what I was seeing. In just an instant, hope had revitalised this dying village. "If you could have saved us this easily, then why not sooner?"

"I apologise, but we had no knowledge that this place even existed."

"B-But we get tourists all the time."

"Only the ones that those nobles invited, I imagine. The nobility have a nasty habit of shushing mouths with their money. The truth is, your village isn't even marked on any maps."

Midas didn't stop there. He loaned the village an airship, and taught us how to pilot it, and keep it maintained. We could use that airship to travel to Manehattan, where everything had a price. We could travel to farming villages far away, and exchange crops and seeds. We could travel to rock farms and lumberyards. We could trade and barter for all that we needed, and even bring in scientists to investigate our water!

The village was reborn by the time I was eighteen, and by then, we had returned Midas' airship. He returned occasionally to aid us, and whenever we offered him payment for his kindness, he simply asked that we remember to pay his kindness forwards.

"What do you plan to do now?" I asked Midas as I tended to his leg. He had injured himself on his journey to the village, and I had been studying nursing and medicine for two whole years, thanks to the books that he brought us. I cleaned his wound with the water we had to spare, and wrapped it with the clean cloth that was filling our storage sheds.

"There are other places that need help. Places that Canterlot doesn't care about, because they are unseen by their eyes."

"Canterlot sounds like an awful place."

"It's a wonderful place to live," he said. "If you have the money, that is."

"I want to help ponies, too."

"You already are."

"This village now has three nurses and a doctor. It doesn't need my help anymore." I grasped Midas' hoof and said, "I want to go with you, and ensure that the same fate that nearly befell our village never befalls another. I want to save lives from corruption and negligence."

Midas smiled. "I am glad. The truth is, this is a battle that we cannot win without an army." Midas told me that he had been slowing gathering followers, but many of them quit, because the work was 'too hard'. He said that he needed ponies like myself, who understood the struggle of ponies born outside of Celestia's graceful eyes.

He introduced me to Robin Hood, previously of the Royal Guard, and together, the three of us left, to scout out new ponies to join our cause.

"And that was how I joined Midas' service," Oasis finished explaining to Sunset Shimmer, who had been listening intently, and quietly, to the entire story.

Sunset's frown finally curved into a smile, and she said, "I'm glad that it had a happy ending, at least."

"'Happy'?" Oasis asked. "Maybe, from one perspective. I met Midas and Robin Hood, and together, we were able to form this group dedicated to saving Equestria. But what is happy about a group that saves people, when such a group shouldn't be necessary to begin with?"

"But such is the way of the world. If we are not fighting each other, then it is the elements. No matter what, we must band together to survive, and not all are lucky enough to find their kin. You, Oasis, were."

Oasis frowned. "I feel out-of-place, though. Robin Hood used to serve in the Royal Guard, but left when he was ordered to throw a pony in jail for stealing one picnic basket from a rich mare. He begun the philosophy of taking from those who had too much, and giving to those with too little.

"King Midas comes from royal blood; he is the last descendant of Queen Platinum, from her cousin's side."

"You don't say," Sunset said, her eyes wide. "The last descendent, huh?"

"The nobility doesn't recognise his royal heritage, though, and denied him his dreams of entering the Royal Court that he had spent his entire life studying and working to enter. He wanted to shape this country's politics from within, recognising its flaws and thinking of ideas to solve them. But those with power felt threatened, and denied him any chances that he may have had. In their eyes, he was nothing more than a 'lowly commoner'.

"Genesis comes from nobility himself, and is disheartened by how corrupt even his own family has become. And then there's you, and Trixie. You were cast aside by Celestia simply for being too ambitious, and Trixie was denied her rightful place among the great magicians of our time because she was poor!"

Oasis sighed. "I came from a village struck by poverty, far away from this town. I feel like an outcast amongst you all. You each have such strong hatred for this town, and great devotion to taking down the crown, but all I want to do is help ponies down on their luck. I feel like… I lack the same drive that you possess."

Sunset Shimmer shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with having a kind heart. In fact, with all of us who are prepared to go to war with Celestia, a heart like yours is exactly what we need to balance ours out.

"Don't worry about what you can't do, Oasis. Your place is here, on the backlines, offering support to those who are short on hope. You can live up to your namesake, and be a shining source of hope in an otherwise hopeless wasteland!"

Oasis smiled. She took Sunset's hoof in hers and nodded her head. "Thank you. And thank you for hearing me out, Sunset Shimmer."

"Don't mention it," Sunset replied. "I'm glad that you shared your story with me. I want to get to know everyone here." Sunset rose from her seat and looked down into Oasis' eyes. "Midas was wise to chose you, Oasis. You are the perfect pony to have close to one's side. However, there is one thing that bothers me."

"What's that?"

"When the time comes, will you be able to exact revenge against those nobles that tricked you and your village?" When Oasis didn't answer, Sunset said, "Please think it through. The time will soon come when you will need to give a straight answer, and I pray that, when it does, it is the right one."

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 7

RING-RING! RING-RING! RING-RING!

"The monster approaches! All soldiers to their stations! Secure the civilians within the castle's gates!"

Soldiers marched along the walls and through the castle's courtyard, grabbing spears and swords, crossbows and longbows, and loading cannons and ballistae. The gates sealed when the last guard left and the last civilian entered, and makeshift fortifications were erected in a hurry.

Commander Hurricane peered through her binoculars. The beast approached. It was unlike anything she had ever seen in the old lands. A bear, with a coat that resembled the stars in the night sky, and towering over the very trees that it stomped through.

It unleashed a massive roar, and Commander Hurricane shouted, "Fire!" Arrows and bolts flew. Catapults were calibrated and then flying boulders were unleashed. Many such attacks hit their marks, with only some falling short.

The beast staggered back for a few seconds, but then it only roared louder and picked up its speed. "Our attacks have no effect!"

Hurricane looked through her binoculars again. "It's bleeding! Its hide isn't impenetrable! Keep laying it on!" More projectiles flew, and Hurricane observed the damage that they caused. She bit her lip. "Archers, save your arrows! They have no effect! Abandon the catapults and prepare the trebuchet!"

"It's getting closer," Private Pansy noted, retreating behind his shield. "M-Maybe we should surrender?"

"Never surrender! Soldiers on the ground, trip it up and try to get its attention! If we can't kill it, we'll lure the beast away!"

Soldiers ran out from their hiding places and co-ordinated movements, stretching several lengths of thick ropes in the bear's path and readying their spears. The bear simply trampled the ropes, knocking over the soldiers holding them, and pressed on.

"The air! Tie the rope around its legs!"

Archers assembled at the trebuchet that was erected within the courtyard and readied the device. Pegasi flew up and observed the bear's movements through binoculars, relaying co-ordinates down to the soldiers below.

Meanwhile, Commander Hurricane was shaking with fury as more troops failed to trip the beast, and some had even found themselves unfortunate enough to be trapped beneath its massive feet. "Ugh! You want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself!" Hurricane drew her sword and shouted, "Private Pansy, have my back!"

"O-Okay," Private Pansy said as his commanding officer took off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Reluctantly, the private followed Commander Hurricane, drawing a crossbow that was loaded with an explosive bolt.

Commander Hurricane flew towards the beast's eyes and slashed her sword. The beast blinked, shielding its eyes with its thick eyelids, and Hurricane struck again. The beast blinked once more and she growled. "So it's not stupid, but it doesn't even attack me! What, I'm not good enough for you?!"

"U-Um…"

"Private Pansy, give this creature a reason to feel afraid!"

"R-Right!" Private Pansy fired his explosive bolt into the creature's eye. It blinked, but its thick eyelids were no match against the fiery blast contained with that small bolt. The bear stopped and clutched its eye, roaring for the first time in pain.

"An opening!" Commander Hurricane shouted, weaving between the bear's paws and jabbing her sword into the soft eyeball of the beast. She failed to pull her sword free, though, and barely managed to escape the bear's swatting paw as it stamped on-the-spot.

A blow of a horn announced that the trebuchet was ready to be fired, and the two pegasi cleared the airspace as quickly as they could. A fiery boulder came crashing down upon the beast's head, and it stumbled for a few moments.

"Now!" Hurricane shouted. "Bring it down before it regains its footing!"

Soldiers roared, and together, they charged and jabbed their spears into the soles of the bear's feet. It danced on-the-spot and flailed its forelegs about. One final push from behind by fifty pegasi was all that it took to send the beast falling onto its front. Ponies scrambled away as the beast came down, and Commander Hurricane nodded to Private Pansy.

The private fired another bolt into the air, and it exploded. The soldiers at the castle got the signal, and loosed another flaming boulder from the trebuchet. This one hit the beast's back.

The bear started to push itself upright, and Commander Hurricane gasped. "How is it not dead already?!" Her brain ran into overtime and she glanced back towards the castle. An idea came to her, and she took off quickly to rejoin the soldiers along the walls. She stopped above a pot that was hanging above the castle's portcullis, and gestured to nearby soldiers. "Grab this pot and come with me! We're gonna make this thing flammable! Prepare the trebuchet for one more round!"

Pegasi assisted Commander Hurricane in lifting the heavy steel pot, and they flew across the battlefield quickly. In the distance, the bear was almost back to its feet. "Keep it down! Use whatever you have to keep it from rising up again!"

The unicorns down below used their magic to push it down. The pegasi flew up and jabbed its limbs, hoping to create an itch that the beast could not help but scratch. The earth ponies wrapped ropes around the bear's paws and pulled. Eventually, their might succeeded, and the beast fell once more. Some ponies were crushed under its weight. Those that weren't quickly cleared the way as Commander Hurricane returned with her support.

Together, they poured the boiling oil onto the beast's entire body. It roared. A deafening, blood-curdling roar that was sure to be in many young recruits' nightmares. But it was still not dead. Private Pansy fired one final bolt into the air. The soldiers at the castle fired one final flaming boulder from their trebuchet.

The beast took one final strike, and its entire body became alight. Flailing, kicking, roaring, and eventually, panting, the beast was sure to stay down this time. Soon, the beast's cries died down, and the only thing roaring was the fire below.

They had done it. They had slain the beast, and they had saved Canterlot.

"Awwww yeah! Don't mess with Equestria!"

Soldiers rejoiced. Cheering filled the air, and pegasi started to gather to extinguish the flames. Commander Hurricane prepared to return to the castle, but the peace was interrupted by more bells ringing through the air.

"What now?!" Hurricane turned around, and found her answer. More bears, some taller, some smaller, some of different hues… There were ten in total. And they were fast. And they looked angry.

"H-How are we going to defeat that?!" one of the pegasi that had accompanied Commander Hurricane questioned. "It took all we had to beat one!"

"J-Just stay calm, Private."

"We don't have any more oil ready!" another pegasus pointed out. "The trebuchet doesn't work unless they're coated in oil!"

"Even if it did, we only have one!"

"This is the end! We can't defeat this many beasts!"

Commander Hurricane swooped down to the charred remains of the first bear and retrieved her sword, thankfully spared from the fire's wrath. "Just follow my lead! We will survive this day, for we have no choice!"

"You're out of your mind!"

"We'll find a home elsewhere! We're not cut out for this!"

"We never should have united with the other tribes!"

Commander Hurricane was about to shout a retort, but there was a sudden explosion of light in the distance. She turned around, and found that the bears had stopped moving.

Squinting her eyes, Hurricane could just about make out the figures of several ponies in the distance. One of them was her friend, Queen Platinum, but the others…

Platinum stared in awe as one of the beasts fell down, crashing onto the landscape below. What had felled such a terrific, ferocious beast? Cannons? Trebuchets? Swordplay? It was none of that. It was but two lone alicorns, and the combination of their magics.

Celestia stood to her side. She couldn't help but wear a proud smile on her face upon seeing the queen's.

"As you can see, we have evolved far beyond the need for conventional weapons," Omnis declared, watching as the beasts hesitated before the assembled army of alicorns. "Well, against such small vermin, in any case."

"'S-Small'?! It took a trebuchet to fell even one of these creatures!"

"Ursa majors and minors are feisty, I will admit. But against our magics?" Omnis clapped his hooves, and the two soldiers nodded their heads. "We will not kill them. They are, after all, living creatures. But we must establish dominance. Show them that this is our – or rather, your – territory."

"C-Can those two alone really-"

"Of course not," Celestia answered. "All six of our soldiers will fight, though only two will actually attack." Celestia motioned towards two alicorns in white robes and pink armour. "Those two are our combat medics. They have studied healing magic that is potent enough to administer quick recovery in battle. That way, our soldiers need not vacate the field to be treated."

"We then have our illusionist," Omnis said, pointing towards a purple stallion in black robes. "He will trick the ursa minors by dulling their senses of smell. The parents aren't so easily fooled, so we will have to block their noses for real. Which is why we have brought an alchemist of much renown."

Platinum turned towards the final alicorn – a small, green mare, wearing naught but a laurel around her head. She watched as the soldiers charged into the pack of bears, neither one wielding any weapons. Their horns flared and their wings extended as they took flight, using the aerial space to their advantages.

They moved as fast and as agile as Commander Hurricane. They fought with the grace of a unicorn, and with the strength of an earth pony.

One was batted out of the air, but then a stream of white magic coated him. Suddenly, his wounds were sealed, and he was fighting once more.

"Alicorns have sturdy bodies by nature," Omnis explained. "We can take quite a punishment, and then a talented doctor can mend our wounds in an instant. The key is to keep our doctors alive, and we can attack our foe with force, and without fear."

"Overconfidence can kill a pony," Platinum pointed out, watching as one of the alicorns held back and waited. Suddenly, something flew by the alicorn and hit the bear's nose. It exploded into a green cloud, and the bear roared and flailed about. "Alchemy?"

"We have been in talks with the zebra tribes for a long time now," Celestia explained. "They taught us much in the ways of their alchemy, and our own magics can amplify these techniques greatly."

The soldier unleashed a spell that hit the bear's forehead. The beam held there for several seconds, before the bear finally submitted and went to sleep.

"We will knock them all out, and then drive them back to the Everfree," Celestia said. "Ursa majors are smart. They will know that Equestria is protected, and will not make any hasty moves against it."

Two more bears went down, followed by their cubs. Platinum gulped as she watched the soldiers work, and she turned to her friend standing to her side. 'Is Celestia this powerful, as well? Father told me to be careful, but I thought that he was just being paranoid. Was it really alright to let a foreign nation this powerful into our country?

'… Would I have been able to stop them, had they insisted?'

"Just one more," Omnis declared. "Celestia, please finish the task."

Celestia nodded her head, and took flight before Platinum could say anything. She moved towards the remaining bear, who watched her approach with caution, and spoke. "I know that you can understand me. And I know that you realise that this battle is hopeless. Leave now, and be aware that this country is under the protection of a foe you cannot defeat or bully away."

The two stood in silence for several seconds, entering a staring contest that made Platinum sweat bullets. Then, the bear turned. It walked away, towards the Everfree Forest, its friends being lifted by the alicorn soldiers and carried behind it.

"They can lift such heavy creatures," Queen Platinum said, astonished. Celestia descended to her side and nodded her head. "You stared it down, defeating it with mere words."

"Well then, now that you have seen what our soldiers can do, perhaps you feel a little more… reassured, in our abilities?" Omnis asked.

Platinum narrowed her eyes at the alicorn and said, "Are you suggesting that I should feel threatened by what I just saw?"

Omnis grinned. "'Threatened'? Why, I was referring to the Diamond Dog situation in Manehattan. Surely you must agree that we can handle it."

"… Very well then. Clear out those mutts and then order your soldiers to leave right away."

"We can also help with-" Celestia began, but Platinum cut her off.

"We can only ask so much of you. I wouldn't dream of imposing on a foreign nation too much – especially when we don't even have any formal alliance in place."

"I understand," Omnis said with a bow. "We would also appreciate Luna being returned to us, so we will resolve the situation quickly. Speaking of which, I trust that she is being kept safe?"

"She and Sombra are kept in the bunker below Canterlot. It is perhaps the safest place in the entire country."

Celestia sighed and nodded her head. "Very well. We shall leave within two days. It should not take any longer than that to clear out the Diamond Dogs."

"If I may make one final request, Queen Platinum," Omnis began. "It was our hope that Princesses Celestia and Luna would remain here, as points of contact between our two tribes. The three of you seem to have been getting along just fine, so I'm certain that it would not be too much of a bother."

"… I will speak it over with the other leaders later. For now, we have wounded that need our attention."

"Thank you, Your Highness." As Queen Platinum left the area, running towards the castle where her friends waited for her, Omnis approached Princess Celestia and whispered into her ear, "I will be leaving the two of you alone at this point. Do not forget your mission."

Celestia frowned. "I will not trick my friend into-"

"No tricks, Princess. Simply… persuade her. It is, after all, in her best interest. How long can a country like this last without alicorn intervention?"

"… I will watch out for my friend. More than that, I cannot promise you." With that, Celestia took off, leaving Omnis to ponder his thoughts alone.

Shining Armor sighed as he arrived the scene of yet another derailed train. This one was carrying sugar, salt, rice, flour, and much more. Most of it was spilled onto the ground. Whatever survived had been pillaged by the terrorists that caused the explosion.

"Unicornia is getting serious," Shining Armor said as he entered the train, which was being examined by members of the Royal Guard. They saluted him upon his entry, as well as the mare following his lead. "This is their sixth attack on a train, and they've even attacked buildings and banks owned by nobles and party leaders that don't support them."

'That abuse their powers to oppress the poor,' Trixie thought, but she kept her face even. "They're cutting off our supplies. All of these trains were bound for Canterlot, and most of them were going to our outposts around Equestria. We should be thankful that no airships have been targeted… Yet."

"We're going to have to stop transporting goods by train, but transporting by carriage may be even more dangerous. Not to mention slow."

"At least there are zero casualties," Trixie pointed out.

"Directly," Shining Armor retorted. "Who d'you think runs these trains and checks all the cargo? Where d'you think all this stuff comes from? Jobs are at stake, and the farmers that sell us this stuff can only part with so much."

"…" Trixie simply nodded, not sure how to respond. "Sir, if I may ask, why did you select Trixie as your escort today?"

"Because you were helpful in defeating Robin Hood. I thought that you might be able to offer some help here, too."

"It was just good fortune, sir."

"No. I know the difference between skill and luck." Shining Armor turned and smiled. "I also know when somepony is just being humble."

"Why do you think that Unicornia is suddenly being so bold in their attacks?"

"Because they're getting stronger. Anypony who tastes power suddenly gains confidence, and the more power they get, the more they want to use."

"They must be preparing for something big though, right?"

"Either that, or they've got no clue what to do but don't want to lose their followers."

"We should assume the worst though. We don't want to risk an attack that we are not ready for."

"We also don't want to spread undue panic or chaos. That's exactly what they want, and it makes our jobs of protecting the people harder."

Trixie clicked her tongue. This stallion had an answer for everything.

"So tell me: why did you join the Royal Guard?" Shining Armor asked as he walked further into the train, Trixie following behind him.

"I wanted to protect this country."

"That's a stock answer. What was your reason?"

Trixie gave him a look, and then looked down at the charred and dented floor. "I… had a rough childhood, and the Royal Guard did not help me. I wanted to change that. To make sure that nopony else ever felt abandoned by the ponies meant to protect them."

"… Right. Then, you're like me." He glanced over his shoulder, and caught the inquisitive look on Trixie's face. "When I was young, I admired the Royal Guard. Knights of justice, dedicated to protecting the weak and strengthening our country. Who couldn't admire such a romantic lifestyle?

"But because I was so enamoured with them, I was able to see what nopony else could through my research. The Royal Guard was corrupt. High-ranking officers accepted bribes, and low-ranking officers averted their eyes because they were afraid to speak up and risk being fired.

"One day, I saw a filly being arrested by the Royal Guard, for breaking into a rich old stallion's house and stealing his gold. This filly, I had seen her before. She was poor. Like, lived in the alleys between houses poor. But she was old enough to be sentenced to community service, even if she clearly wasn't healthy enough for it. I broke the law that day to save her."

Trixie nodded her head as she listened.

"For a while, I lost my motivation. I wanted nothing to do with knights that would allow the rich and the powerful to bully the weak. Who would only join the Royal Guard to pose in armour and claim to be making a difference, when ignoring the pleas of ponies who needed their help.

"But eventually, I made a decision. I decided to continue my dream, and I would change the way that the Royal Guard works. I would climb the ranks and turn the Royal Guard into what I always saw them as: knights for justice!"

Trixie barely suppressed a chuckle, and a surprised Shining Armor stopped and turner to face her. "Sorry, sir, but you have to admit, that sounds pretty lame."

Shining Armor blushed, but grinned regardless. "About as lame as trying to protect everypony by yourself. But you and me, we have the same goals. We want to help ponies. Unicornia does, too, which is why I can understand where they're coming from. But their ways of going about it are all wrong."

"Maybe they have no other ways to 'climb the ladder'. Not everypony can simply join the Royal Guard these days."

"There's always another way. A better way. One that doesn't involve anger or revenge. And I want to prove that to them."

Trixie nodded with a smile. "I'd be happy to help however I can, sir." 'If only to see your face when you inevitably fail.'

"I'm glad you said that, because your performance review is coming up and I was planning on putting you forward as my personal lieutenant."

Trixie's eyes widened. She was not expecting that at all. "B-But you've only worked with me one other time, sir!"

"That's why I invited you along today. I wanted to have this talk with you, and find out where you stand. I don't know what it is, but something in the back of my mind tells me that there's more to you than meets the eye."

'You have no idea.'

"Truth-be-told, I'm also hoping you could help me out with my other assignment," Shining Armor sighed.

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Well, the thing is, somepony's been leaking information from the Royal Guard."

Trixie's eyes went wide. "A spy?" she asked in a low voice.

"Yes," Shining Armor said in a grim tone. "You're the only one I've told about this, so keep it under wraps."

'In other words, if I spread this and start a panic, he'll know right away that it's me.'

"You showed a bright mind and sharp analytical skills when you helped us capture Robin Hood. Maybe you could help us again."

Trixie laughed nervously. "Well, I can't make any promises."

"Even Senator Darwin was attacked yesterday," Shining said with a dejected sigh.

'Darwin? I didn't leak anything about him. One of Sunset's 'sources', maybe?'

"Sorry, I shouldn't have put all that on your shoulders. Obviously, it's all your choice in the end."

Trixie shook her head. "It's perfectly fine, sir. Just, maybe you should consider it a bit more before you try to recruit the first mare that catches your eyes?"

"I have a good feeling about you," Shining responded. "A feeling that you'll go far, and my feelings are usually correct… But, well, I suppose you're right that I need to give it more thought. Which is why I've also requested some more missions with you." Shining Armor continued to walk through the train, Trixie following him. "I hope you don't disappoint, Private."

"I'm happy that you think so highly of me, sir, and will do my best not to let you down."

Shining Armor spotted something along the wall and stopped. "Okay, pop quiz! What's that?" he asked, pointing to the small, charred box.

"Uhhhh…"

"It's a bomb."

Trixie gasped and backed up, tripping over some debris and falling onto her flank. Shining Armor laughed as she collected herself and said, "Calm down. It's been checked and declared safely inactive."

Trixie narrowed her eyes and said, "I-I knew that."

"Then, you know what type of bomb it is?"

"I'm afraid I'm not an expert in such things, sir."

"Hmmm, neither am I," Shining replied. "I suspect that whoever made this isn't, either. It appears to be a dud."

Trixie nodded her head. "That would certainly appear to be the case." 'Even though our expert used to be one of your own.'

"But that doesn't make sense," he pointed out, "Considering the number of successful bombings, none of which reported any duds at the scene."

Trixie shifted her eyes to the side. "Maybe it's a one-off, then?"

Shining Armor opened the case and looked inside. He smiled. "Nope. There are corners that have been cut everywhere. To me, this suggests that Unicornia is running low on supplies to make these things with." He closed the case and added, "We have something good to report, at least."

"That's great, sir." 'Damn! He found out! Can we still bluff further bomb threats?'

Trixie heard the sounds of hoofsteps to her side and turned to investigate. A pony ran past her, a knife in his hoof. "DIE, YOU ROYAL GUARD SCUM!"

Trixie ran between this pony and Shining Armor and blocked the attack with her spear. She gasped. The pony was a member of Unicornia.

"Out of the way!" the pony shouted. "This is for Unicornia!" He nodded to Trixie, and she gulped. He knew who she was.

Trixie swept the pony off of his hooves and slammed him against the ground. "Shut up! You're under arrest!"

"AH! What are you doing, Tri-" Trixie knocked him out with a swift chop to the neck, and sighed.

"Good work, Trixie," Shining Armor said as he put away his sword. "But you didn't have to knock him out."

"He seemed agitated, sir. I was afraid he might try biting his tongue."

"Well, let's get him back to Canterlot and interrogate him, then."

Trixie bit her lip. 'Blasted idiot! How well can you hold up under interrogation? Long enough to not spill our secrets before we strike?!' Trixie pulled out some hoofcuffs and secured the pony's hooves.

As she carried the pony outside and followed Shining Armor to the chariot, she looked around for any way to escape the predicament. None came to mind. Shining Armor spotted her moving slowly and asked, "Is he too heavy? I can carry him, if you'd like."

"Ah, that's…" Shining Armor clearly wasn't asking. His magic lifted the downed pony off of Trixie's back and into the air. As she looked up, she was showered in something red, and she blinked a couple of times. "Eh?"

Shining Armor erected a shield that surrounded the two and dropped the dead pony to the floor. A bolt protruded from his head, blood leaking from the wound and onto the ground. "Get down! We're under fire!"

Trixie turned to where the bolt seemed to have come from, and caught sight of something orange moving through the bushes. She turned back to the bolt that had killed the stallion, and she felt her legs beginning to shake.

"Trixie, let's go!" Shining Armor shouted, pursuing the assassin.

"R-Right!" Trixie replied, following Shining Armor towards the nearby woods. 'This is bad! I have to lure him away from Sunset Shimmer!' "Captain, I think I saw-"

"Damnit!" Shining Armor shouted as he stopped, catching his breath in a small clearing. "We lost her!"

Trixie cocked an eyebrow, and then looked around. There was certainly no sign of Sunset Shimmer, nor of any paths that she might have used to escape. "Where could she have gone? Did she teleport?"

"If she did, we must have missed the obvious flash of light," Shining Armor replied. "It must have been a pegasus that flew away."

"But-" Trixie caught herself, and then nodded in agreement. "Yes. That must have been the case."

Shining Armor turned to Trixie, and then approached her with a stern look on her face. Her eyes darted around as he neared silently. "S-Sir?"

"… Hold still." Shining Armor took out a hoofkerchief and wiped the blood from Trixie's face. Her squirming didn't help, but she at least didn't put up any fight. "There. Now, let's go report the bad news to Princess Celestia."

"… Sorry, sir."

"Nah, it's not your fault. I'm just glad that you're alive."

As the two left the forest, Trixie couldn't help but look back towards the small clearing, and she thought to herself, 'I guess that wasn't Sunset Shimmer after all. So then, who was it?'

Queen Platinum and Commander Hurricane paced about as Princess Celestia watched them, before shifting her eyes to the map of Equestria laid out on the table before them. A model of Canterlot sat at the centre, with train tracks reaching out from it and stopping after a few scaled metres. A model of a large grizzly bear stood to the west, and a model of a harpy stood to the east.

"The griffons chose the worst possible time to attack. We have to deal with the hydra before it gets too close, but the griffons are stealing our crops and killing our ponies!"

Commander Hurricane slammed a hoof onto the table. "I say we take every last one out with a huge lightning storm!"

"Griffons can control the weather, too," Platinum pointed out. "And we want to reach a peaceful resolution with the griffons. For now, their forces are too great."

"They're mad that we 'stole their hunting grounds'," Hurricane stated. "Maybe if we give 'em some of our animals-"

"We're short on animals as it is," Platinum cut in. "Chickens, pigs, dogs and cats…"

"Y'know, we still haven't decided what we're gonna do with that defeated ursa major," Commander Hurricane pointed out. "How long d'you think that'll keep the griffons fed?"

"A long time," Celestia offered. "But not forever. They will still want their hunting grounds."

"For now, we'll use it as a bargaining chip to enter talks," Platinum said. "After that, we'll have to work something out. Maybe we can convince them to give us some time to breed some livestock."

Hurricane turned to Celestia and asked, "You've dealt with griffons before. Have any of them ever asked you for meat?"

"Of course," Celestia said with a nod. "Food is about all the griffons think about. Food and fighting."

"What did you offer them?"

"All the things you can't afford," Celestia answered, before she cast her eyes down in thought. "Wait. We also trade fish to one tribe."

Platinum rose her head and stared into the space before her. "What's the status on the pier?"

"Slow-going, with the griffon attacks," Hurricane replied.

"Let's see if we can't change their minds. If we can get the pier up-and-running, we can gather fish from the ocean and offer them as tribute."

Celestia smiled. "That might work. Griffons love fish, but hate fishing, since they can't dive beneath the water."

"Then, we just need to stave off the hydra until the negotiations are over with. Commander Hurricane, have your troops engaged it yet?"

"We've lost two squads already," Hurricane reported. "If you thought the ursa was tough, you haven't seen anything yet."

"If I may," Celestia offered. "I have experience dealing with many such monsters and ferocious creatures. My sister and I can-"

"You are our guest here, Princess Celestia," Queen Platinum said, emphasising her title and her name. "Please just wait here. Commander Hurricane and I will go and speak with the griffons. Prepare the castle's defences and fend off the hydra until we return."

"But…" Celestia sighed and nodded her head. "Very well, Queen Platinum. I will respect your wishes."

Upon her return, Queen Platinum was outraged when news of Celestia's triumph over the hydra flooded the castle. "Did I not ask you to remain in the castle?" Platinum asked once she and Celestia were alone in her chambers.

"Please forgive my actions, Platinum, but your soldiers were in danger and I felt that I had to act."

Queen Platinum took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "… Thank you, Celestia… for saving the kingdom… but I gave you an instruction. Please understand that, as our guest here, I cannot have you risking your life in our name. If something were to happen to you, what would I report to your father?"

Celestia bowed, and said, "I will be more mindful of your feelings in the future."

"Well, what's done is done. Please leave me be. It has been a long day, and I would like to get some rest before tonight's gathering."

Princess Celestia nodded, and then wished the queen a good night's sleep as she left. Shortly after her departure, Prince Sombra entered the room, carrying a newspaper in his magic. "Sister… I mean, Your Highness… have you seen the newspaper that they are printing for tomorrow?"

"No, but I can guess what the headline is going to be." To confirm her suspicions, Platinum took the newspaper into her hooves and unrolled it. The headline spoke about Celestia's defeat over the hydra, and how the ponies of Equestria were praising and cheering for the virtuous alicorn princess.

"They're questioning our abilities to defend the country from these threats," Sombra reported. "Moreso, there are whispers from those who would rather see the alicorns lead us than any of our current leaders."

Queen Platinum crumpled the newspaper in her hooves and threw it into her fireplace. "This is why I wanted her to stay put," she growled, holding a hoof to her forehead. "That princess, she knew exactly what she was doing! Father must have seen this coming long before he passed on."

"Sister?"

"At the rate things are going, the alicorns won't simply be trading with us. They'll rule us!"

"Sister, maybe she really did just want to help."

Platinum gazed at her younger brother for several seconds, and then released her breath. "Yes… Yes, I'm sure that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have no such intentions… Though for now, I want their actions within the kingdom to be limited, and I want to be notified of every move that they make."

"Sister, I am going camping with Princess Luna tomorrow night. Perhaps I could try to coax some information out of her?"

Platinum considered her brother's proposal, but then shook her head with a sigh. "No… No. I cannot do that to your first date, Brother."

Sombra blushed, and blurted out, "It's not a date! Not in the romantic sense, at least."

Platinum giggled. "You can't fool me, my dear brother. No, do not worry yourself over this. Now that things have quieted down somewhat, I can regain control of this kingdom and soon enough, Celestia's victory over the hydra will be old news!

"You'll see. Years from now, the alicorns will simply be things of mere legend, and Unicornia will be able to become great all on its own! They'll look back on the founding of Equestria and label us the heroes that saved this country."

Sombra smiled. "Then I pray that that day will hurry up and come sooner."

"Patience, Brother. For now, let us keep our guests entertained, to stave off potential alicorn attacks."

Trixie stood nervously as General Morgan read over her report. The general hummed, tapped his hoof, stroked his beard, and sighed. Trixie gulped as he placed the report down and glanced to his side, where a set of photographs of the murdered stallion lay scattered about.

"You hesitated," Morgan said. "According to some of the soldiers that were there, you moved slowly towards the chariot and hesitated exchanging the prisoner to Shining Armor when commanded. Was the task too much for you?"

Trixie shook her head. "I was simply being cautious, sir. I didn't want to risk harming the prisoner and being held accountable."

"And instead, the prisoner is now dead, and we have no way of retrieving information out of him."

"… I did not anticipate an assassin."

"No one does. That is why you carry out your orders quickly, and keep your eyes open at all times." Morgan stroked his beard again. "You were assaulted by one stallion. Did it not cross your mind that others may have been lying-in-wait?"

Trixie frowned. "I have no excuses, sir."

"That won't do, Private. Captain Armor has high hopes for you, but this recent incident leads me to believe that those hopes are simply misguided."

'You old bastard. Don't you think this is already hard enough?' "Sir, I would like to be given a chance to redeem myself."

"If I decide that you are worth it, I will assign you to a mission to prove yourself. Until then, I want you to remain here, at the palace, guarding the princesses' bedchambers. Consider yourself lucky that we are in a state of emergency, otherwise, you would be given time off without pay."

"That seems rather harsh, General," Prince Charming said as he entered the room, startling the general into a salute.

"Sir, the death of a prisoner due to negligence is a serious error."

"We all make mistakes, General. What's important is how we act afterwards, and this soldier is willing to make up for her mistake with extra work. Aren't we pressed for motivated soldiers at the moment?"

"Prince, if I may be so blunt, what business draws you here so late?"

"The princess wishes to speak to you regarding tomorrow's mission. Please stop by her chambers as soon as you are finished up here." Prince Charming nodded to Trixie, who simply saluted back, and then took his leave.

General Morgan sighed and slumped into his seat, and Trixie asked, "Is tomorrow's mission bad?"

Morgan waved his hoof and said, "I gotta escort some VIP and a zebra chieftain to Canterlot." Morgan glanced to Trixie with a glare and added, "But that's all you need to know. This mission is need-to-know only, meaning me and the royal family! Now go on. You're relieved of your duties."

Trixie saluted and responded, "Yes, sir!" She turned to leave, glancing over her shoulder to confirm that Morgan's attention was drawn elsewhere. He was gathering paperwork together and arranging it in order. With her magic, Trixie slipped a thin envelope from her cape and placed it into the general's desk, through a crack in his drawers.

She left the room, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Pinkie Pie grinned from ear-to-ear as she looked over her completed checklist. "Okay, Gummy! That's invitations for everypony I'm inviting to Applejack's birthday party! Now to just send them out and-"

She looked down at the bottom of her checklist, where she found Gummy's paw wrinkling the paper. "Oh, my family? I thought I'd invite them, since Applejack and I might be cousins! Even if we're not, it's been such a long time since I've seen them! I wonder how they're all doing? Especially Maud. I heard she got dumped pretty hard by some big jerk."

Pinkie Pie sighed and rolled onto her back. "Seriously, who could breakup with somepony like her? Whoever it was better hope I don't find them!"

Gummy blinked in agreement.

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 8

Twilight Sparkle was called to Canterlot by means of a letter from Princess Celestia that she received the previous night. It asked her to make haste towards Canterlot the following morning, and instructed her to travel alone, and undercover. Nervous, Twilight boarded the first train, wearing a brown cloak that obscured her identity, and arrived in Canterlot, where she was met with an armed escort led by Prince Blueblood.

"I can't believe they have me carrying out this work meant for the grunts," Prince Blueblood groaned as he led Twilight Sparkle through the city, gathering many looks along the way.

"Um, why are you escorting me?" Twilight asked, pulling her hood over her face further with her magic. She could practically feel the eyes that were drawn towards the group. "I know my way to the castle, you know."

"Because Aunt Celestia insisted on it," he scoffed. "This 'Unicornia' group has made her scared. She thinks that that pitiful group can actually threaten the royal family."

"Well, they have been on a rampage lately, with all those bombings," Twilight pointed out.

"And because of that, Auntie has all of us under constant watch."

"I'm not," Twilight said.

"You are. You just wouldn't have noticed. Don't worry, you're still new, but you'll get the hang of life as a princess… eventually."

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Gee. Thanks."

The two walked the rest of the way in silence, entering the castle and heading straight towards Celestia's chambers. "Her bedroom?" Twilight asked.

"It's the safest place in the kingdom," Prince Charming explained as he greeted the two outside. "You can leave the rest to us now, Blueblood. I'll take over from here."

"Good," Blueblood said with a huff. "I have more important things to do than babysit the new princess, quite frankly."

As Prince Blueblood stomped away, Prince Charming took Twilight's hoof and motioned towards Celestia's chambers. Twilight blushed from the sudden contact and pulled her hoof way, walking into the room by herself. Prince Charming followed and closed the doors behind them.

Inside, Twilight was met with the graceful presence of Princess Celestia, and the gruff exterior of General Morgan, whom she had met previously from her time as Celestia's student.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Celestia said. "I'm terribly sorry to pull you away from Ponyville at a time like this. It is your friend's birthday soon, isn't it?"

"It's alright, Princess," Twilight said with a smile. "Applejack understands, and we still have a week left before the big party."

"Well then, you should have no problem," Morgan declared. "Because I will do my job in the name of Her Highness, and I will not fail."

"'Job'?" Twilight asked. "What job?"

"A few days ago," Celestia began, "We received a request from the Chieftain of Zymbazia, one of the zebra tribes to the west, whom we have been trading with for many generations. He has business in Equestria, but with all the trouble that Unicornia has riled up lately, he wants our upmost protection. General Morgan will be his escort, but he also wants one of our princesses, too…"

"So… me?" Twilight asked, a nervous look washing over her face.

"He requested you," Celestia explained. "After hearing of your exploits from Zecora, he specifically wanted Princess Twilight Sparkle to escort him to Canterlot."

"It will be okay," Morgan assured. "The only ponies who know about this mission are myself and the princes and princesses."

"But still, I-I'm not sure if I'm really right for this. What if we get attacked? How would I be able to help?"

"If we are attacked along the way, I will be able to defend you," Morgan said. "Your magic will also prove effective."

"Considering the secrecy of this mission, the chances of an organised attack are low," Prince Charming noted. "Moreover, Equestria is in a vulnerable state at the moment. We cannot afford to show any weakness at the moment. Sending our newest princess to escort an important visitor is a great way to show that we are not letting Unicornia break our spirits."

"Of course, the choice is yours, and yours alone, Twilight," Celestia concluded.

Twilight looked uncertainly around the room, scrunching her face up and scratching her hind legs together. "Umm, if I don't go, would it cause any problems?"

"The zebra chieftain may be displeased, but I'm sure he would understand if we simply say that something unavoidable came up," Prince Charming answered.

Twilight didn't feel too good about that. "But that'd be lying, wouldn't it?" She thought on the matter for a few more seconds, and then looked up at Celestia with a determined stare. "Okay, I'll do it. As a princess, it's my duty." With a smile, she added, "I won't let you down, Princess Celestia."

Twenty minutes after Twilight's departure, Shining Armor entered the chambers and saluted to Princess Celestia and General Morgan.

"At ease," Morgan said, and the captain obeyed. "Report."

Shining Armor winced. It was not going to be a happy report. "I… regret to inform that I have not been able to ascertain the source of the leaks."

Morgan sighed and turned away. Celestia closed her eyes and said, "Whoever this spy is, they are covering their tracks well."

"However," Shining Armor continued, "There have been strange reports lately of guards claiming that they have been approached by other guards at strange times, and of strange sounds distracting them. It's possible that our spy is an illusionist, or at least, in collaboration with one."

Celestia nodded her head. "Please ask that all troops report in more frequently, with more detail of what happens during their patrols."

"I'll tell all captains, and the other generals, to make use of a password before divulging any information. We will start storing our paper records in Princess Celestia's chambers for the time being."

"Objection, General," Celestia began. "Where will I sleep?" She chuckled as the general turned towards her, and said, "Kidding. That would be a wise course of action."

"Twilight Sparkle is one of the VIPs?" Trixie asked, her stomach churning as the face of the mare appeared in her mind. "How could you possibly know that?"

"Does it matter?" Genesis asked. "Twilight Sparkle is one of the four alicorn princesses. Capturing her would provide us with an invaluable trump card. If it wasn't for the guard placed on her, we would have moved in sooner."

"This is our time to lay a vital blow on the enemy," King Midas declared. "Twilight Sparkle will be protected only by one general."

"But a general is still a powerful foe, even on their own," Oasis pointed out. "We would have to swarm them and-"

"We can't risk harming the chieftain," Sunset said. "When we take the throne, we will need the support of the zebra tribes, and they will be less likely to oblige if we have harmed one of their figureheads."

King Midas hummed in thought and stroked his beard. As he did, he read over the report that Trixie had prepared for him. "I was hoping to capture this VIP and use him as a hostage to establish a safe zone for our troops, but it is as Sunset says. The zebra tribes' alchemy is impressive enough to keep the alicorns on their guards, so this is a situation that must be handled delicately.

"However, it seems that there is now an even more valuable target in the escort."

"Twilight Sparkle," Trixie surmised with a deadpan glare. "But will she really hold that much value?"

"To Celestia, she will."

"But to the rest of Equestria? Yes, she's a princess, but she's also new, and lives in a quiet little hamlet where she rules over 'friendship'. Politically-speaking, how much value does she hold as a hostage?"

"Perhaps you forgot that she possesses a power strong enough to defeat even Tirek?" Genesis asked. "Trust me, she'll hold value."

"I'm torn," Oasis declared. "It's true that she's a princess, and an alicorn at that, but she was born a unicorn, and she's certainly not one of the corrupt or incompetent nobles we've been fighting up until now."

"Princess Cadance, too, was not born an alicorn," King Midas noted. "It has been a goal of mine for some time now to recruit those two to our side, but ultimately, they are loyal to the alicorn tribes."

"And as such, they're our enemies, whether they wanted it that way or not," Genesis concluded. "Getting back to the escort – who should we send out, if not an army."

Midas cast a gaze over to Trixie, who nodded. He returned the nod. "I shall go myself," he answered, surprising all but Trixie. "I will take on the general whilst Sunset Shimmer apprehends Twilight Sparkle."

"Me?" Sunset asked.

"Yours is the only magic that could match hers." Midas heard Trixie scoff in objection, and he sighed. "Trixie, you have shifts at the time of the escort, do you not?"

Trixie glared at King Midas for several seconds, before slumping back in her seat and crossing her forelegs. "Well, just so long as we're clear on that point…"

"Then if there are no further issues, that is all. Dismissed." Midas watched as everypony left the room – everypony but Trixie. "You have concerns?"

"Trixie was just wondering, how long must she keep up this charade?"

"Until the day that we liberate Equestria from-"

"Which is when, exactly?"

King Midas stared into Trixie's eyes for a few moments, before shaking his head and answering, "I don't know."

"… Trixie's been thinking lately. You're related to Princess Platinum, right?"

"Correct, though she was a queen before her death."

"Is that why you're fighting for control?" Trixie asked. "Are you just trying to avenge your dead ancestors? Because if so, then Trixie might have to question her resolve."

Midas shook his head again, this time with a frown. "It's not like that," he assured her. "Well, not… entirely. I'll be honest, Trixie, I'm not really sure where I stand on that issue."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Queen Platinum was betrayed by two ponies that she considered her friends, and they both elected Celestia and Luna as the country's new leaders. Together, Celestia and Luna defeated Queen Platinum's rebellion and built Equestria into what it is today – a safe haven, where the creatures of the Everfree no longer roam about.

"Do I feel sorry for Queen Platinum? Certainly. Do I agree with the decision that her friends made? Yes and no. This is where I am torn. What's passed has passed, and I never knew Queen Platinum personally, so fighting to avenge her just seems like a fool's errand.

"However, the land was indeed stolen by these foreign invaders, and they have reduced Equestria into a weak, helpless country with tension on all sides, and allowed greedy, selfish ponies to sit at the top, taking from the poor and giving more to themselves."

King Midas used his magic to project an image of the Equestrian map, along with its surrounding lands, before Trixie. "Good ponies are suffering and being ignored, but moreso than that, the peace we have endured for a millennium, thanks to Celestia's bluffs, have made us weak. And now that those bluffs have come to light, griffons, changelings, dragons, and even zebras, are making subtle-yet-real moves against us.

"If things keep going the way that they are, then sooner-or-later, someone will launch an attack and take the throne. If that is to happen…"

"We'd better make sure that it's someone with Equestria's best interests at heart… Us."

"Precisely," King Midas confirmed.

Trixie nodded, and rose to her hooves. "Trixie just wanted to make sure that she wasn't unwittingly fighting somepony's own personal battle for them… If your intentions and your motives are indeed pure, then Trixie is willing to lend you her aide. Simply say the word and I'll play my part, as a future Princess of Equestria."

King Midas smiled. "Then for now, please get some rest. You have been working hard, and you must be ready. The future holds many things, and you can never predict what will be thrown your way when you wake up tomorrow."

"Right, Trixie will do that. And she suggests that you follow your own advice." Trixie winked through her smile. "You won't be young forever."

King Midas chuckled as Trixie took her leave. "No, I suppose I won't be… I just hope that this old body holds on long enough to see a new day in Equestria's history books."

Celestia dispersed the magical energy running around her, releasing a deep breath and levitating slowly down to the bottom. "Do you understand what you just saw, Queen Platinum?"

As Platinum studied the larger mare closely, narrowing her eyes and nodding her head repeatedly, she replied, "Yes, I did, but… whatever do you hope to gain in a spell that does not have a trigger to release it?"

"The trigger is in the enemy that attacks," Celestia explained. "This is seen as the perfect method of self-defence against a foe with no way to channel magic. The barrier that surrounds the body does not protect the caster; it merely measures the damage that the caster's body is taking. Once the body has been damaged, the caster can release the spell and spread that damage to the opponent."

"So if one were to suffer a broken leg, they could mirror that harm onto their foe?" Queen Platinum asked.

"That is why it is called 'the eye-for-an-eye spell'. It leaves no victor – it simply resolves the conflict into a stalemate. If the foe does not retreat, then the caster can at least take solace in knowing that they won't win, either."

"But a spell that only ends things in a stalemate, how could that be perfect self-defence?"

"Because once you warn your opponent of what the spell does, they will never attack you whilst it is update."

Platinum hummed, and then asked, "What of this 'weakness' that it has to ponies with horns?"

Celestia nodded. "If a creature that can channel magic – be it a unicorn, an alicorn, or even a centaur – were to attack the barrier with the very appendage that channels their magic, they could tear through it as though it were paper, and leave the caster defenceless to an assault."

Queen Platinum nodded her head. "Well, against the creatures of the Everfree, it should prove invaluable to stave off future attacks."

"That is what I was thinking, too, Your Highness. Now, would you like me to teach you how to cast it?"

Queen Platinum raised a hoof, a dismissive look on her face. "No need! I have studied it once, and once is all that I need."

Celestia's eyes widened as she watched the unicorn channelling her magic throughout her body. The air around them distorted, and her body levitated off of the ground. Indeed, she was casting this high-level spell, after simply observing it once. Celestia pressed a hoof to her mouth. 'This is not a foe to take lightly. I am glad she is my friend.'

A knock at the door interrupted them, and Platinum cancelled the spell, falling unceremoniously onto the ground. "WAH!"

Celestia winced. "A-Are you okay?"

Queen Platinum growled, and barked at the door, "WHO DARES DISTURB THEIR QUEEN?!"

"Your brother," Sombra deadpanned as he opened the door.

Queen Platinum rolled her eyes as she sighed, and rose to her hooves. "Prince Sombra, I am in the middle of something very important to our country's survival, and-"

"It's an emergency, Your Highness," Sombra reported, clearly masking his worry behind a calm facial exterior.

Platinum raised an eyebrow. "What kind of emergency?"

"Fifty of our soldiers are already down," Commander Hurricane reported, placing figures and markers onto a map sprawled across a long table. "Relay this new formation to Captain Hindsight, and tell him to reflect on his last attack!"

Queen Platinum approached the table with Prince Sombra and Princess Celestia to either side. "What is the situation?"

"Bad," Hurricane answered. "About fifteen hours ago, a stray weather cloud zapped a crystal pony. The pony survived, but is in the hospital, or so we've heard. But the emperor and empress are seeing it as an act of aggression and launched a full-scale attack on all the scouts we had camped alongside their borders. They've stolen our camps, our trenches, and even our supplies!"

"Causalities?" Platinum asked.

"None yet," Hurricane reported. "Fifty down, but zero dead."

"On our side or theirs?" Platinum asked.

"Ours. On theirs? We haven't even made a dent. Their magics are too strong to break through."

"The Crystal Heart," Sombra reported. "I've read about it. It's a powerful relic that absorbs energy from some ritual that they perform, and then releases it to protect the Crystal Empire when it is attacked. It is how the empire has survived in this land haunted by the creatures of the Everfree."

"We've taken three prisoners, and they've taken five," Hurricane added with a grim look on her face.

Platinum, however, smiled. "Good," she said, bringing a look of confusion from Commander Hurricane. "With no casualties, plus prisoners on both sides, negotiations have not been ruled out yet."

"If we offer to release two of the prisoners as a gesture of goodwill, they should at least grant us an audience with their rulers," Celestia said, Platinum and Sombra nodding in agreement.

"You kiddin' me?!" Hurricane shouted. "These guys attacked us 'cause of one accident! This isn't the time to be friendly with them!"

"Nor is it the time to fight them," Platinum said. "Not while there are bigger threats literally stomping through our country as we speak. We must bow our heads down and be thankful that these at least creatures that can be reasoned with verbally!"

Commander Hurricane sighed. "You're right," she said in a dejected manner, shaking her head. "Of course you're right. We can't fight a foe that's staved off the Everfree for so long, when we're looking to foreign powers to keep us safe."

Platinum narrowed her eyes. "That was a one-time occurrence. Now that we have established a ceasefire with the griffons, and we have established trading relations with the zebra shamans, we can finally start pushing back and-"

"Emergency!" The doors to the strategy room slammed open, and Chancellor Puddinghead rushed inside, bowling over many ponies as he ran towards the table in the centre of the room. He slammed a piece of paper down and cried, "Detrot's under attack!"

"What?!" Platinum and Hurricane shouted in unison.

"At a time like this?! What is it?!"

"Wolves, but like, not furry wolves! They're made of wood!"

Platinum stared at Puddinghead with a deadpan look. "And did our soldiers not try, oh, I don't know, burning them?"

To her surprise, Puddinghead nodded. "We've tried cutting, smashing, burning – everything! But they just regenerate!"

Celestia tapped a hoof to her chin. "This is not a foe that I have heard of… I must investigate-"

"You must wait here," Platinum said in a stern tone. "We have been over this. If anything were to happen to you, it would be our heads."

"But-"

"I gotta agree with the queen on this one," Hurricane said. "You're good and all, but against an unknown foe, you can't defend yourself. The last thing we want is to spark a war with your tribes."

Celestia sighed. "No. Neither do I… Then, the Crystal Empire-"

"Is at war with us," Platinum said. "Which is why one of our diplomats will negotiate with them."

"… Yes. I will respect your wishes," Celestia said, bowing her head. "Then, at the very least, allow me to help out here, however I can."

Chancellor Puddinghead gasped and grabbed Celestia's foreleg. "That's perfect! We need a few hooves in the kitchen and, well, you have four!"

Celestia raised a brow. "But, so do you-"

"C'mon, let's get you fitted for an apron!" Puddinghead dragged Celestia's away, and asked, "You know how to bake pies?"

The confused look on Celestia's face gave way to a smile. "Actually, I'm somewhat famous for it."

As the two left, Puddinghead's excited cries echoing through the halls outside, Platinum turned back to the map and said, "Right, so now onto business…"

"You should thank him," Hurricane said. "Puddinghead. We've all seen how tense you are around Celestia. You've been… kinda jumpy lately. With this, you've got some peace."

"… I don't know what you mean," Platinum insisted, huffing as she brushed aside her mane. "Now, about the Crystal Empire… Sombra."

"Him?" Hurricane asked.

"Me?" Sombra gave his sister a suspicious look.

"Yes," Platinum answered. "You have studied that Crystal Empire far more than anypony I know."

Sombra blushed, and reached up to scratch the back of his neck. "Well, it's such a fascinating place…"

"You have been groomed for diplomatic missions your entire life… and I believe that you are ready."

Sombra's eyes widened. "S-Sister…"

"You shall be escorted by none other than…" Platinum watched as Commander Hurricane flexed her muscles, stretching her forelegs and wriggling her brows. "Uh, no."

Hurricane deflated, huffing as she turned her head aside. "Then who? Your bro's goin' into a dangerous place here, Plat."

"Which is precisely why we're sending Princess Luna as his escort."

"What?!" Sombra and Hurricane shouted together.

"Are you out of your mind?! If something happens to Luna in there-"

"Then it will be the Crystal Empire that feels the wrath of the alicorn tribes," Platinum responded coolly.

"B-But I thought you wanted us to handle this," Sombra stammered.

"And we shall. Princess Celestia is a fearsome foe, but her sister Luna is nothing but her shadow."

Sombra frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it. Omnis did not hesitate to give us Princess Luna as a hostage. Why? Because it is Princess Celestia whom he truly puts his faith in. She's the figurehead. Her sister is merely an accessory."

"But if that's the case, how can she protect your lil' bro?" Hurricane asked.

"The Crystal Empire does not know this, but they do know that the alicorns are the ones who drove off the ursa majors. Simply by being there, Luna will ensure that no harm comes to Sombra."

Platinum turned to Sombra with a sly grin and added, "Plus, it will give you some more time to talk to your future wife."

Sombra kicked his sister so hard that she almost released an undignified scream. Hurricane glanced between the two siblings and asked, "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing," Sombra insisted, his blush calming down. "Then, if I am going to the Crystal Empire, can I presume that you will be…"

"At the farms in Detrot? Yes. That is where we will need the bulk of our fighting forces."

"Puddinghead said that these things regenerate," Hurricane pointed out.

"Then we simply find a way to stop them from doing so," Platinum stated. "Before time runs out for us, and our ponies starve through the winter."

As Sombra's chariot landed, the young prince gulped and waited for his driver to walk around and open the side of the cart for him. Legs shaking, he stepped out of the chariot and onto the cold grass beneath him. A flake of snow descended from the sky and landed on his nose, prompting him to look up. The Crystal Empire had decided to have snow on what was supposed to be a warm, clear day.

"Art thou nervous?" Luna asked, stepping down besides Prince Sombra.

Nodding his head, Sombra said, "I haven't done anything like this before. I don't even know how I'll start."

Luna touched a hoof to his shoulder, and told him, "With a deep breath. It all starts with a deep breath, and then, you do what you set out to do. Just believe that it is that easy and the day shall be yours."

Sombra's legs started to ease, and he smiled up at alicorn princess. "Yes. Yes, I must see this as merely another battle to be won, before the war can be declared over in our favour,"

Luna nodded. "Thine enemies are many, but they are just as pony, and thus, their weaknesses are known even without recon. Feelings. Emotions. Fear, hatred, guilt, greed, pride… These qualities, they do not lack. Consider this whence thou approach."

Sombra took a deep breath, and then adopted an even look. He turned towards the Crystal Empire and said, "Just remember, you are here as my bodyguard, nothing more. Please do not speak unless I give you my permission."

Luna simply nodded. 'I will protect you, Prince Sombra. For you are my first friend that did not approach me for my title… I will do whatever I can to help you in your time of need.'

King Midas and Sunset Shimmer stood at the top of a hill, overlooking the narrow passage below that was thick with thorns and jagged rocks. A dreaded, cold wind blew by, whistling between the rocks and sending shivers down Sunset's spine.

"This is where they're passing through," Sunset said, receiving a nod from Midas.

"That's correct. In five minutes, assuming that they have not been delayed, they will take this route. It is the least-open passage to the next town, where they will board a public train to Canterlot."

Sunset pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, and said, "Please don't call out my name when the fighting starts. I don't want Twilight Sparkle to identify me."

"There is a chance that Celestia has already told Twilight about you."

Sunset shook her head. "No. She's the type to keep such information to herself – she won't want her 'faithful student' acting on her own."

King Midas nodded. "Yes. If there is anything positive to say about Princess Celestia, it is that she does care for her friends."

Sunset scoffed. "I mean that she likes to keep her puppets from having minds of their own, or from using them."

Three figures approached below, and the two unicorns crouched behind a nearby rock. "That's them." Midas' horn lit up. "I will keep General Morgan distracted. Subdue Twilight Sparkle and take her away – make sure she is not conscious when you transport her to our base."

Sunset Shimmer nodded, and she watched as King Midas jumped down the steep cliff. He used his magic to run down it like a mountain goat, and she followed suit.

General Morgan turned in shock and shouted, "Get the chieftain to safety!" He drew his sword as Midas descended on him, magic flaring in the unicorn's horn. The magic stretched out like a blade and slammed down on Morgan's own, pushing the stallion back.

Morgan extended his wings and blasted forwards, tackling Midas and lifting him off of his hooves and into the air. Midas teleported back to the ground, only to find Morgan coming down towards him. Midas dodged to the side, lifting several rocks into the air and throwing them at the general.

"Your description matches the one of that stallion who killed two captains," General Morgan said as he parried the rocks, "But your skills are too low! What are you playing at?"

Midas did not respond. He simply continued to throw rocks at the general, who deflected his attacks with great ease. He glanced over to where Sunset Shimmer was engaged in a battle of pure magic with Twilight Sparkle.

Two beams – one purple, one green – were pushing against each other as their owners' hooves were planted firmly into the ground. Sunset groaned as Twilight's might pushed against her, and she increased her magical outage, consuming Twilight's beam with her own.

Twilight winced, and flared her wings out for support. "Get to safety!" she yelled out, glancing to her side to find the zebra chieftain running off to the side. Once she was sure that he was clear, Twilight teleported away, allowing her opponent's magic to crash into the side of the cliff behind her. Rocks began to fall down, and Twilight erected a barrier around herself and the chieftain to keep him safe.

Sunset teleported into the barrier, startling Twilight, and delivered a swift kick to her gut. "You thought this barrier could keep me out?" Sunset asked.

"Wha-" Another kick silenced her, this one bruising her chin and causing her jaw to bleed.

Sunset heard the chieftain approaching from behind, and teleported both herself and Twilight away. Roots emerged from the ground and coiled around the wounded princess, holding her in place and grasping her horn tightly.

"Now, time for us to go on a little trip," Sunset said, waving over to Midas, who nodded his head and bowed to General Morgan.

Midas teleported away, and Morgan turned to Twilight Sparkle. "Princess, hang on!"

Sunset grinned, and began to cast a spell to put the princess to sleep. However, that grin faded when, instead of looking drowsy, Twilight's eyes began to glow white, and the ground started to shake. "W-What the-"

Twilight's entire body glowed, and the roots holding her exploded, allowing her wings to shoot out. She hovered in their air for a few seconds, before turning towards the chieftain and flying towards him, scooping him up and fleeing the scene before Sunset could even comprehend what she was doing.

The same glowing princess returned moments later, scooping up General Morgan and taking off into the air once more, before fleeing the scene again.

Sunset simply watched in shock, before that shock turned to rage, and she pulled down her hood and stomped the ground with a hoof. "Damnit!" 'How?! How could she overpower me?! That mare… Who is she?!'

Upon her return to the castle, Twilight Sparkle made immediately for Princess Celestia's chambers, an angry chieftain and an ashamed general following behind her.

She was greeted by two guards standing outside of Celestia's room, who both saluted together. As she reached for the door, the shorter guard held out her foreleg, and said, "Apologies, Princess, but we must search the VIP."

"What?!" the chieftain shouted, pushing past the princess and sticking his muzzle into the guard's face. "First, you send one mere guard to protect me, and then, despite taking a detoured route, we still fall under ambush by the enemy! And now, you wish to treat me like a mere criminal?!"

A hoof was placed on the chieftain's shoulder, and her turned to find the handsome visage of Prince Charming peering down into his eyes. "We apologise for the inconvenience, but please, it is for your safety, as much as ours."

With a growl, and then a huff, the chieftain removed his bag and hoofed it over to the guard. It was small, and barely contained anything, so the search was fast. The guard gave it back, and the chieftain practically barged past her and into the room beyond. "What is the meaning of this?!"

General Morgan sighed and followed after him. "What a report this will be."

Twilight stared at the guard for several seconds. "Ma'am?" the guard asked.

"You seem… familiar."

The guard tilted her head. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I believe that this is the first time we have met."

Twilight hummed, and then shook off the thought and walked past the mare, entering Celestia's chambers. The doors closed.

"You're not entering, sir?" Trixie asked Prince Charming.

Prince Charming shook his head. "I have other duties to attend to. It seems that the mission did not go well…"

"Really?" Trixie asked. "It seemed to go just fine."

Charming titled his head. "How do you mean?"

Trixie was about to answer, when the sounds of hoofsteps turned her attention to Shining Armor, who was racing towards the group as he panted. "Well, General Morgan seemed to have suffered no injuries," Trixie answered as Shining Armor came to a stop. "In fact, his armour was practically sparkling, and his coat and his hair weren't too out of sorts."

Prince Charming put a hoof to his chin. "Yes. You are right…" He watched Shining Armor walk past the guards and enter the room beyond, and then said, "Please excuse me. I have to go and check something…"

Watching the prince leave with a pleased grin, Trixie yawned and reached up to her right ear, where she flipped the switch on the small device within it. Voices started to flood into her head.

"One guard is all that you sent, assuring me that there would be no attack, and then what happens?!"

"Please," Twilight pleaded. "We made it here safely, didn't we? Can't we just let it go?"

"You got me here safely," the chieftain admitted, before glaring to General Morgan, "But he was next-to-useless!"

"He fought off that assailant!" Twilight argued.

Shining Armor stepped up besides Twilight and said, "Thank you for keeping my sister safe, General."

The chieftain scoffed. "Please! I saw that so-called 'fight'! The unicorn was holding back the entire time, and this 'general' of yours made no effort to take advantage of any openings he was given!"

"I was being cautious-"

"Perhaps the whole thing was staged!" Everypony fell silent. "In fact, wasn't this mission known only to a few ponies? How did Unicornia know to ambush us there?"

"Chieftain," Celestia began, her tone and her expression even, "Please refrain from baseless conjecture."

"Then perhaps you are suggesting that one of your royals leaked the information? Perhaps your nephew, Blueblood, who's openly admitted to opposing zebra immigrants in Equestria? Or that dashing young fellow, Charming, who conveniently decided not to be here."

"My nephew is simply nervous around your tribe's ritualistic customs," Celestia explained levelly, "And Prince Charming has important things to attend to."

"There's no evidence that the information was leaked," General Morgan said, before turning to Shining Armor. "Incidentally, why are you here?"

"I… heard that something had happened to Twilie, and I-"

"Maybe the ex-unicorn herself is the culprit," the chieftain suggested.

Shining Armor gritted his teeth. His hooves shook as he reminded himself not to kick the foreign diplomat.

"Pointing hooves will get us nowhere," Celestia said. "All that matters is that you have arrived here safely. I apologise for this inconvenience that has befallen you, but-"

"Well, I expect compensation, naturally."

Celestia frowned. She asked the dreaded question: "How much?"

Trixie had to suppress her giggles at the chaos inside. Her bug on the zebra's bag was working perfectly. Unfortunately, the initial storm had passed, and they had moved onto boring politics.

Trixie was soon yawning, and it took forty minutes for anything interesting to happen. Prince Charming approached Celestia's chambers and marched past the guards, carrying an envelope in his magic. Trixie grinned. Her little push had worked.

"Princess Celestia, please forgive the interruption, but I have grim news for you all. As you are aware, details of this mission are likely to have been leaked. Upon investigating the general's room, I had discovered this letter."

…

"What the hell?! That's fake! Somepony forged it to frame me!"

Trixie didn't need the bug to hear that. Her fellow guard looked over his shoulder nervously.

"It seems that Robin Hood, that thief caught by Captain Armor some time ago, is actually a high-ranking member of Unicornia," Prince Charming reported. "Upon questioning the prisoner, he confessed that General Morgan and… SS, are indeed his points of contact."

'SS? Oh, right. Sunset Shimmer… Hm?'

"It's a lie!" Morgan argued.

"I knew it," the chieftain said. "Take this scoundrel away! He tried to have me killed!"

"I don't believe that General Morgan would-"

"Your feelings are irrelevant, Captain," Prince Charming said. "Princess Celestia, we must arrest General Morgan on suspicion of conspiracy and treason against the crown."

"… No need to give the order," Morgan spat. "I know how it looks, but I'm innocent! Regardless, I'll comply, and I will present my defence at a later date."

"Thank you for not making this more difficult than it needs to be, General," Celestia said.

Trixie stiffened as the doors opened moments later, and General Morgan was escorted out, his forelegs and his hind legs shackled, and his wings bound. She looked down the hallway. Prince Charming and Captain Armor were to either end of the general, keeping him from running away in any direction.

She let out a small smile of victory.

The battle was fierce. Just as Chancellor Puddinghead had described, no matter how many times the beasts had been knocked down, they would always get back up. Removing their limbs, cutting them open, even burning them entirely… these wolves made of timber were invulnerable. At best, they could only be stalled.

Ponies died, blood spilled, crops were trampled, tended land was ruined… Every second that passed was destroying more of what the earth ponies had worked so hard to build in Detrot.

"We have to retreat!" one soldier shouted, crying as a wolf pounced him and nipped at his throat. "H-Help me!"

Queen Platinum blasted the wolf off of the stallion, shattering it as it hit the ground. As always, it regenerated. "This is the healthiest land in the region, is it not? Then we will not surrender even one scrap of it to the enemy!"

"But they don't die!"

Platinum was surrounded by six wolves, all of them growling as they eyed her cautiously. Taking a deep breath, she focussed her magic and became enveloped in an aura. The wolves pounced. She levitated into the air and waited. One wolf bit down on her hind leg, and she unleashed the spell.

Just as her own leg had suffered injury, so had its own wooden one. Being less durable than her own leg, the wolf's shattered. Platinum then levitated the downed wolf and used it as a shield against the rest.

As usual, though, they came back. They regenerated.

But not before Platinum caught sight of something glowing in the chest of one of the wolves.

"AWOOOOOO!" One more wolf came and leaped towards Queen Platinum. With her sword, she slashed it open.

There it was. Glowing, pulsing… almost like it was the creature's heart. It beat, and the creature began to regenerate.

Gasping, Platinum conjured a spell, igniting the glowing thing and watching it turn to ash before her eyes. It did not regenerate, and the wolf released one final cry of pain, before falling into a pile of wood.

It was dead.

"They have hearts!" Platinum announced. "Cut open their chests and burn their hearts! That will stop them from coming back!"

Her troops rallied, and wolves fell one-by-one, now that the way to defeat them was known.

Platinum slayed three more wolves, and then ran over to aide some fallen comrades to her side. They thanked her, and limped quickly off of the battlefield.

Her soldiers killed five more wolves, and two more fell to the wrath of one of the local farmers.

Soon enough, the wolves were retreating. Back into whatever hell that they had spawned from.

The day was won, but the cheers of victory were missing from the village. That was because the victory did not feel like one. Even though the wolves were gone, it had taken too long to find their weakness. Ponies were dead, the land was tormented, and months of hard labour were lost forever.

Queen Platinum sheathed her sword and headed towards her chariot. She had no desire to celebrate this hollow victory – only to return home and find out what else was going wrong in this country.

And more importantly, how Sombra's own mission had gone compared to hers.

Queen Platinum entered Sombra's room, but she could have mistaken it for a crypt. The room was dark – candles unlit and curtains drawn – and there was no sign of life anywhere… until she spotted the little black ball sitting on the four-poster bed.

She used her magic to light the candles, but left the curtains alone. Closing the door, she approached her brother and climbed onto the bed, sitting besides him. "… How did it go?" It felt like a stupid question, but it needed to be asked.

"I failed," Sombra reported. His voice was muffled as his muzzle was pressed into his forelegs. "I tried to help. I tried to talk some sense into the emperor and empress and I asked for peace, but I only made things worse."

"I'm sure you didn't do that bad."

"They declared full-on war, and they yelled at me, and told me to leave, and… wished death upon me."

Platinum frowned. She reached a hoof around her brother and held him close. He wasn't crying, but only because he had been trained not to.

"What's worse, though, is that Princess Luna then stepped in and… she fixed everything."

Platinum's grip around him tightened. "… Princess Luna?"

Sombra nodded. "I told her not to speak without my permission, but she didn't listen, and then, she did what I couldn't. She reached a peaceful resolution with the Crystal Empire, and they even seemed friendly afterwards…"

Queen Platinum gritted her teeth together. "I see." 'Darn. I underestimated the younger princess. I will have to be more careful in the future…'

"I mean, it's good that peace has been reached, but… why do I feel so bad about it?" Sombra shook. "Why should I have mixed feelings about this? I enjoy spending time with Luna. She's my friend. Yet, I feel… uneasy, now. I feel like she stole something from me, and I don't like that she was able to make peace where I failed. Ponies are suddenly revering her as a hero, and I'm… nothing.

"Is it wrong to feel this way?"

Queen Platinum narrowed her eyes. "No," she answered. "No, it is not wrong to feel this way. What is wrong is that those princesses are trying to take this country that we have worked so hard to build."

"I feel… scared."

"You're right to fear them… Even… hate them…"

Sombra looked up, towards Platinum's face. "W-What?"

Platinum said nothing. She simply sat there with her brother, holding him close, until her butler came by to remind her of her next matter of business for the day. Her heart was beating heavily, and a cold sweat ran down her brow.

Sombra asked her not to leave, and she regretted turning him down. She regretted it, because suddenly, she wasn't sure how long she had left to coddle him.

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 9

"General Morgan's been arrested then?" Sunset and Trixie walked side-by-side down the deck of The Harbinger, a large airship that Genesis was able to buy and transport to Unicornia's base. The hull could easily hold over one hundred ponies, with the deck above holding nearly one hundred more. The airship itself was not equipped with any weapons, nor was it made to be fast, or to handle easily.

The airship was not ideal for fighting, but for transporting a large number of soldiers into Canterlot unnoticed, it was perfect. Trixie and Sunset Shimmer decided to tour the ship on their days off. Entering the cockpit, Trixie answered, "Yeah. It seems that Midas' plan from the start was to scapegoat one of the generals. For now, we are going to stop acting on leaked information, to make it seem even more likely that he was the real mole."

"It won't last for long, though," Sunset said, examining the steering wheel whilst Trixie glared at the level of dust decking the shelves. "I wonder if Midas plans to launch an attack soon?"

"We certainly have enough of an army for it, and Canterlot is in disarray."

"But can we fight an all-out war? Are we ready for that?" Sunset turned to Trixie and asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"You can. Trixie may not answer, though," Trixie replied with a grin.

"I heard this story about you. And about some amulet that gave you extraordinary strength."

Trixie's grin immediately fell into a scowl. "Yes, that is… not something that Trixie likes to talk about."

Sunset tilted her head. "But if we had that kind of power-"

"Trixie is assuming you did not hear much more than the amulet giving her power." Sunset shook her head. "Then you wouldn't understand, but trust me, the Alicorn Amulet is not the way to go."

Sunset Shimmer stared into Trixie's eyes for several seconds, before simply responding, "Very well then. I'll drop it there."

"Thank you," Trixie said, almost as a whisper. "You know, I think I'm going to head back early. Get some rest for tomorrow, you know?"

Sunset raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue. "If you say so. I'll continue looking around." As she watched Trixie leave, she couldn't help but feel that there was much more to this story than the showmare was willing to share. She decided not to pry, though, and simply resumed her inspection of the ship.

Trixie sighed. She knew that Sunset meant no harm, but she had brought up rather bad memories from her past. Memories that weren't going to grant her peace any moment soon.

Trixie returned to her room in Unicornia's hideout and locked the door. She removed her hat and her cloak, and fell down onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling for several long minutes. Finally, she moved again, turning her head to the right and unlocking her bedside drawers with her magic. She pulled out a photograph from within, and stared at it.

The photograph was of herself, and a family of ponies that she knew once. A yellow stallion with grey sideburns, a white, elderly mare with glasses, an indigo mare and a grey mare to either side of the older couple, and… another grey mare, this one standing out thanks to the blue dress and the purple eyeliner that she wore.

All were smiling, save for Trixie, who was peering off into the distance, and this clothed mare, whose expression looked like she was peering through the photograph itself, burning her deep, emotionless gaze into Trixie's eyes.

To Trixie, the rest of the family might as well have been invisible. There was only one pony present in the photograph that had caught her eye, and for once, it wasn't herself.

It doesn't take much to kill a reputation. A reputation that Trixie had spent years carefully crafting and building up, only to have it all come crashing down after one incident in a town that nopony should have even known about.

Everywhere she went, ponies laughed at her. Ponies vandalised her trailer and ruined her shows. Her magic suffered from all the stress, her funds took a huge dive, and worst of all, Trixie was forced to cancel her travelling show – forever.

There were two harsh facts that haunted Trixie. One was that her life as a magician was over. The other was that she still needed to eat, to drink, and to afford a roof above her head. She needed money, and so, with no other choice, Trixie searched for a job far away from any of the towns and villages that she had performed at.

That was how she met the Pie family. Igneous Rock was the stallion who owned the rock farm, alongside his wife, Cloudy Quartz. He wasn't much of a smiler, or a talker, but that was fine. Trixie wasn't in the mood for either, herself.

"Work here is tough, but it pays well. Our rocks are sold everywhere in Equestria an' it don't take much to keep 'er runnin'."

"Uh-huh…"

"We get up at the crack-of-dawn, but I don't expect the same from you. City folk never were much for the mornin' sun."

"I'll be just fine, thank you," Trixie spat. She looked around the barren wasteland all around her. This was going to be her life now. She felt bile rising up her throat, but managed to keep it inside.

Igneous stopped and turned to Trixie. "Our family don't care much for rumours. We don't care what a pony's past is – just so long as you work hard, you're welcome here."

In other words, 'We don't care that you screwed up and lured a bear to a small town, and then cowered in fear as somepony else cleaned up your mess'. Trixie gritted her teeth. "I see."

"Then y'can start with that pile over there. I'll send my daughter with t'check up on ya later. If'n you get thirsty, there's water at the farmhouse. Feel free t'help yourself."

Trixie simply nodded, and then took the pickaxe that the stallion had offered her and moved over the pile to their side. She stared at it for a solid five seconds, picturing that each rock was the face of the purple-furred mare that had ruined her life.

Then, she swung the pickaxe down. 'I will destroy you for this, Twilight Sparkle!'

Maud Pie returned to the farmhouse with five wagons, connected in a line, being dragged behind her. She separated the wagons containing rocks and the one containing jewels, and then approached her father. "My makeup is starting to run. I want to go and reapply it."

"You've worked hard enough for a break I recon," Igneous said. "The newcomer hasn't come back yet. It's been hours, an' I'm gettin' worried."

"Maybe they just like rocks as much as we do."

"But she hasn't had a drink since she started. She might've passed out." Igneous motioned to a pack of six bottles of water, and asked, "Could ya take those to her? She's workin' in the northern field, on the pile we sorted the other day. Y'can take your break afterwards."

Maud nodded. "What type of pony is she?"

"She glares a lot, but I don't think she's got a bite."

"I see." Maud picked the bottles up onto her back, and then walked to where the newcomer was said to be working. She arrived there after a few minutes, and found her swinging her pickaxe down at a new pile, sweat dripping down her entire body as she heaved under the warm sun.

Trixie heard the hoofsteps approaching and turned to look. "What?" she asked, not hiding the venom in her voice.

"Water," Maud replied, setting the bottles down to the ground. "You've been working hard."

Trixie narrowed her eyes at the water laid on the ground, and said, "I don't drink anything offered by strangers."

Maud tilted her head. "Why? Do you think we want to poison you?"

"Who knows?" Trixie lay her pickaxe down, and said, "Drink it."

A moment of silence passed, before Maud took one of the bottles into her hooves, opened the cap, and then chugged the water down. She pulled the bottle away and swallowed.

Trixie sighed, and collected the bottle into her magic, finishing what Maud had left behind.

"Now I can take the antidote." Trixie spat the water out and glared at Maud. "… That was a joke."

Trixie threw the bottle down with a roar and picked up her pickaxe again, swinging away at the rocks.

"You should drink-"

"I'll get something later! Leave Trixie be!"

Maud slowly nodded her head, before turning to leave the strange mare to her mining. She reached into her dress and pulled out her pet, Boulder. "What a rude mare," she said to her companion. "I don't like her. But it doesn't look like she'll last long, anyway. They never do."

Maud took one final look over her shoulder. Trixie had fallen to her haunches, and was holding her head in her hooves. She was exhausted, yet she still wouldn't drink.

Later that night, the Pie family had gathered around the table in the dining room to eat together. Trixie entered the farmhouse and threw her pickaxe with the rest. She was panting, but not sweating. She had no fluids to spare. She placed the remaining five water bottles down onto a nearby chair and then approached the table, where five ponies had already occupied five of the six seats.

"Glad ya could join us," Igneous said. "We prepared a space for ya. In this house, we eat together."

Trixie looked over to the empty seat. Sitting before it was a small bowl of soup… Just soup. After a long, hard day, all that was waiting for her to fill up her belly was soup, in a tiny, cracked bowl.

Trixie shook her head. "Yeah, no. Trixie only came to drop off her stuff. She's got other plans."

Igneous raised an eyebrow. "Oh. I hadn't realised you'd already made other arrangements. Well, more for me, then." As he reached for the extra bowl of soup, his wife batted at his hoof and gave him a stern look.

"You'll be just fine with one helping, dear," she said, before turning to Maud. "You've been working so hard lately. I think it's only fair that you get the second helping."

As the remaining two siblings argued with their mother, Trixie simply collected her black cloak, draped it over herself, and then left the house. She pulled the hood up to cover her face, and then she started to walk. There was a village nearby. With what little bits she had, she could afford something to eat, surely.

Trixie pulled out her sack of bits and checked them. "… Well, a loaf of bread, at least." With a sigh, Trixie turned back towards the farmhouse, and then resumed her walking. She had already lowered herself so far, she wasn't going to let those farmers get the better of her!

It was midnight by the time that Igneous Rock was stirred from his slumber by a crashing sound downstairs. Shaking his wife to wake her up, he whispered, "Honey, we got an intruder!"

"Hmm… Huh?"

"Grab the crossbow. I'll go see who it is."

Cloudy Quartz nodded, and reached beneath the bed, pulling out a crossbow and some bolts. She loaded one and followed her husband, leaving their bedroom and descending down the stairs quietly.

They found Trixie Lulamoon stumbling through out of the kitchen and into the dining room, giggling and hiccupping as shards of glass poked out from her skin and trickles of blood leaked from various wounds.

"Sorry about that!" Trixie shouted upon seeing the couple, either not noticing the crossbow, or simply not caring. "The door was locked and Trisie didn't wanna wake you!"

Cloudy Quartz lowered the crossbow with a sigh. Her husband was not so relieved. Three mares rushed towards the stairs, also stirred from the beauty of sleep. "What's going on?" Limestone asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Nothin'," Igneous replied. "Just a lil' accident, that's all. Ya can go back t'sleep."

Limestone and Marble Pie didn't argue, wandering off back to their respective bedrooms. Maud, however, stayed and watched as her parents approached the tipsy mare that was having trouble finding her hooves. "Is she drunk?" Maud asked.

"Judgin' by her breath, she should be dead," Igneous replied. "Mare's got a stomach of iron."

"Hey, Trisie needs her pay early," Trixie said, falling onto her haunches and looking up at the stallion examining her legs. "Trisie racked up a I… IOU, at the bar place thing. She needs the moneys and the paying… to pay the moneys to the booze for all the stallion!"

"Let's get you cleaned up, first," Igneous said, masking his rage well beneath an steady gaze. "Maud, could you bring us the first aid kit? And, uh, how is the window in the kitchen?"

Maud entered the kitchen and answered from within, "Not there."

"To be espected," Trixie said. "Trisie couldn't open it from the outerside so she thought, hey, why not jump through it? Then she can open it from the inside an', now that I thiiiiink about it, she still hasn't done that, has she?"

Trixie tried to get up, but to Igneous' relief, she only got so far before she toppled over onto a nearby chair, and then fell asleep. Her snoring was still loud, but at least she was out, and not trying to cause even more trouble.

"Should I let her know she's fired when she wakes up?" Maud asked as she brought the first aid kit to her father.

Igneous simply watched Trixie sleeping for a few seconds, before answering, "No… Let's give her one more chance."

"That window will have to come out of her pay," Cloudy Quartz agreed.

"Yeah, that too, but… I looked into this mare's background an' I'm worried she might not be able to find work elsewhere."

"And how is that our problem?" Maud asked.

"Well, it isn't, but then I can't help but think of what your sister would say."

Maud lowered her head. "Pinkie Pie?"

"Mhm." Igneous Rock began to carefully remove the shards of glass from Trixie's skin, cleaning and dressing each wound as he did so. "Pinkie Pie'd feel sorry for her, and give her another chance. If she were here, she'd convince us one-way-or-another."

Cloudy Quartz sighed, and rose to her hooves. "I just hope she doesn't do anything like this again," she said, before leaving up the stairs. She stopped midway to say to Maud, "Come on, let your father work. You'll need your sleep for tomorrow."

"I'll be fine, Maud. Go back upstairs and get some sleep." Maud nodded, and followed her mother back upstairs.

"Die, Twilight Sparkle."

Igneous looked up, and found a tear running down Trixie's face. He sighed. "This's gonna be hell…"

To everypony's surprise, Trixie was still there after a full week of working on the farm. After her initial incident, Trixie was given a key to the house, and tried to limit the amount of drinking that she did each night.

That still didn't stop the mare from coming back wasted, and waking up with a hangover every morning. Despite the hangovers, though, the mare still continued to get up early and work hard to earn her pay.

Trixie had taken to carrying a flask with her as she worked, insisting that she didn't need any of their water to stay hydrated. After work ended, every evening, she would go to the nearby village to eat, and come back with some new bruises and cuts on her body.

She said nothing to the family. She kept her interactions to a minimum. She simply worked, collected her pay, and then wandered off to do her own thing.

And the work wasn't bad. Maud had to admit that Trixie was doing well for somepony born in Canterlot, so she shouldn't have had any complaints, and yet… working alongside her one day, Maud couldn't help but feel agitated every single time the mare took a gulp of whatever was in her flask. She had a good guess, based on the wooziness that the mare displayed after a few hours.

"You should balance that out with water," Maud said as she started to load a wagon with the jewels that she had dug up.

Trixie's eye twitched, and she turned to the mare with an angry look on her face. "Why don't you mind your own business, you nosey mare?"

Maud stopped and turned. "I'm just saying that drinking nothing but gin and vodka will kill you one of these days."

"Great, I'll keep that in mind if I ever find myself stuck in a conversation with the likes of you."

It wasn't like Maud to pick a fight with somepony, unless they stole some rocks, insulted some rocks, or insulted her family. Yet she couldn't help but say, "It's no wonder you need to drink. Only alcohol could wash a mouth that foul."

Trixie dropped her pickaxe and turned to the mare. "You want a fight?"

"No. I'm simply stating it as it is."

"Well Trixie does, and she might not last 'til evening this time, so how about you shut your mouth now, or else Trixie will take it as a formal challenge?"

Maud stopped what she was doing and turned to the dizzy mare. "You don't want to take me on."

"… Challenge accepted." Trixie rushed Maud, delivering a kick towards her chest. Maud grabbed her leg and tripped her up. She backed up as Trixie rose to her hooves. "YOU-"

"Please stop. The rocks will get hurt."

Trixie's eyes burned with fury. "You bitch!" Trixie charged again, delivering another kick that Maud dodged easily. She then tried to sweep Maud's legs, only to be knocked onto her back by a powerful buck.

"AGH!" Trixie huffed as she stared her opponent down. She wanted so badly to put that mare in her place, but just couldn't land a single hit! After a few minutes, Trixie turned to leave. "I'm leaving early! Tell your father to dock my pay if you want!"

Maud simply watched as Trixie left, judging the mare silently until she was out-of-sight. And then, she continued her job. It should have helped her to calm down, but it didn't. She noticed that she had made an error in sorting the rocks, and her hooves shook. "Maybe I should tell Dad that she attacked me. Then she'll be fired."

Two hours passed, and Maud was finished with her work. She returned to the farmhouse, where an anxious-looking Igneous Rock was standing outside. "Maud, please tell me you weren't attacked!"

Maud raised an eyebrow. Did he know? "Father?"

"Some stallions came here, asking for Trixie. They seemed agitated, so I asked them to leave, but they said that they were going to find Trixie and beat her to a pulp!"

Maud's eyes widened. "Trixie left early. Didn't she come back here?"

Igneous shook his head. "If she did, then I missed her. She might've gone off to the town, though."

Maud dropped her load and hurried off towards the town, running fast for reasons she didn't understand. She just wanted to find Trixie and warn her. Even if she was annoying, she was in trouble.

She reached the village and felt that she needed a break, but she still had to find Trixie. The village was small, but even without that, finding her was easy enough. There was only tavern in the village, and the mare was always drunk. It was clear where Maud would find her.

Trixie ordered another drink and chugged it. She got most of the liquor into her mouth, with only a small amount dripping down her chest. As she slammed the empty glass onto the counter and let out a pleasant sigh, the patrons around her cheered.

That was her sixth drink.

"Wow, you sure can drink, lil' lady!" a stallion said, approaching the counter and sitting next to Trixie. "Hm? You remind me of somepony… Wait, aren't you Trixie, the mare who dragged an ursa minor to Ponyville?"

The music in the tavern stopped, and the bartender cleared his throat, and then the counter. The stallion look around in confusion.

"Right. So it's you tonight, huh?" Trixie asked, her right hoof shaking.

"Eh?"

Trixie moved fast, slugging the stallion before her ever saw it coming. He crashed onto the ground, shivering and whimpering as he looked up in fear.

"Take it outside, you two!" the bartender shouted as he protected his most expensive goods.

"Yes. Let's," a voice said at the entrance to the tavern. Everypony turned, and saw three large, muscular stallions walking in. One unicorn, one pegasus, and one earth pony. They all stared at Trixie.

Trixie turned to the earth pony, standing in the centre of the three, and said, "Oh, it's you. Didn't get enough from the other day?"

The stallion glared. "I went easy on ya because you're a mare, but you won't be so luck today! Why don't ya come outside so I can repay ya tenfold?"

Murmurs erupted throughout the bar, but all voices were silenced in an instant when the pegasus stepped forwards, cracking the muscles in his neck.

With a gulp, Trixie stepped over the stallion she had downed and followed the three outside. Once they reached a secluded alleyway, the 'fight' started.

The pegasus delivered a blow to Trixie's gut, and whilst Trixie was focussed on him, the earth pony kicked her in the face. The unicorn held her forelegs, preventing her from fighting back as his two friends continued to wail on her, drawing blood and cries from the mare.

This didn't last for long, though, before a cry not from Trixie filled the air. Trixie fell to the floor, and the two stallions that had been beating her turned to see their unicorn friend passed out on the floor, a grey mare standing on top of him.

"Bitch! You her friend?!" the earth pony asked, rushing towards the mare with his friend.

Maud didn't answer. She simply leaped from the fallen unicorn and dove towards the earth pony, crashing into his face with both of her hind hooves and driving him into the ground.

The pegasus backed up, intimidated by this intruder, before he bumped into something behind him. Turning, he was greeted by a blue hoof to his gut, and then another to his crotch. A final strike to his neck caused the stallion to pass out, leaving only Trixie and Maud Pie conscious.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, neither one saying a word. Finally, Maud Pie broke the silence. "Are you okay?"

Trixie hesitated, before answering, "Of course."

Maud nodded. "That's good."

Trixie glanced around the alleyway. "You didn't need to come here, you know."

"I know. But I wanted to."

"Ah… Why?"

"So you wouldn't be hurt?"

The two fell silent again.

"I'm going back now," Maud said, turning around to leave.

With a grunt, Trixie followed. "Yeah, whatever. This day's been terrible, anyway."

The walk back to the farmhouse was… awkward, to say the least. With Trixie stumbling over herself, combined with her vision being blurred by her recent beating, Maud had to slow her pace so that she could keep up. There was a clear tension between them, and the silence wasn't helping.

Maud could take it no more. She had to ask, "Is this what you've been doing every night? Drinking and getting into fights?"

"You got a problem with that?" Trixie asked.

"We need you to be in good condition when you're working."

"Like I care… The only reason I'm doing this job anymore is so I can afford more drinks."

Maud looked over her shoulder. Trixie's gaze seemed distant. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you like to fight so much? What do you get out of it?"

Trixie puffed out her chest, and said, "Respect."

"Is that what that was earlier?"

Trixie winced. "That was just some fools that didn't know their places. Anypony who dares to insult Trixie will feel her wrath! As for the drinking, it is to help me forget."

"Forget what?"

"My past."

"What past?"

Trixie stared at Maud for a few seconds as she stopped. Maud stopped, too. "You want to know?"

"I do."

"You don't already know?" To Trixie's surprise, Maud shook her head. "Well to give you the short of it, I used to put on performances for ponies all over Equestria. Then, three ponies ruined Trixie's reputation overnight, and now the only way for Trixie to get any peace-of-mind over it is to drink until the alcohol takes over her brain!"

Trixie stormed past Maud, who followed after her, getting ready to catch the mare in case she fell. "You used to put on shows?"

"Until that bitch and those two brats entered Trixie's life."

"What kind of shows?"

"Magic ones. What else?"

"Can I see?"

Trixie stopped again. "If you stop talking until tomorrow, I might consider it." She received no response, and turned to find Maud silently nodding towards her. "… Good."

The two continued the walk home in silence. Trixie had not expected that to work, but she was certainly not complaining. The last thing she needed was this nosey mare poking around in her affairs. She just wanted to get home, go to sleep, and wake up with a bad hangover the following morning.

Such was her life now, and she was going to make it her own.

Trixie sighed and placed the photograph down, before rolling onto her back and covering her eyes with a foreleg. "We were off to a bad start, huh? Well, not like it ended any better."

There was a knock at Trixie's door, and it opened before she could respond. Sunset Shimmer walked in, carrying a clipboard in her magic. "Trixie, there are some things I was hoping to go over with-" She noticed the photograph on Trixie's bedside table and raised an eyebrow. "Your family?"

Trixie shook her head. "The mare in the dress is Trixie's former marefriend… Well, in a sense."

"How do you mean?" Trixie removed a foreleg and peered up at Sunset. "Sorry, I'm prying."

"No, it's fine… It's a bit of a long story."

"I've got the time," Sunset said, lowering her clipboard and taking a seat on the floor. "If you need to get anything off of your chest, I'm here for you."

Trixie smiled at that. "Thanks. We didn't get off to the best start, but…"

"Eh? Put on a show?" Trixie was working with Maud the following day, too.

"Yes. You said that you would."

"I said that I would consider it," Trixie retorted.

"Well, it's that or we sort rocks for an hour. I know which I would prefer, but I get the feeling that you don't love rocks in the same way that I do."

Trixie looked over to the aforementioned pile, and felt her blood ran cold. "Ugh, fine. But only one show. Any jabs, and it's over!" Maud nodded in agreement, and Trixie set her pickaxe down. "Then, let me just clear some room. I'm missing my props so it will only be a basic-level performance."

Maud took a seat atop a large rock as she waited for Trixie to finish setting things up. When she was ready, Trixie began her show. As she said, it was very basic. Simply some flashy spells, some tricks to catch Maud off guard, and a story accompanied by some illusionary magic.

The story was of a filly born into poverty, living on the streets and fighting to survive. Along the way, she met many hardships, overcame hurdles placed by society, and was noticed by Princess Celestia herself for the powerful magic that she possessed. The filly was adopted into the royal family, was enrolled into Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and lived happily-ever-after as a magician of Celestia's court.

Trixie ended her show with a sigh, and prepared to get back to work. That was when the audience clapped for her, and she had suddenly realised that Maud had been respectfully quiet throughout the whole show.

"That was good," Maud replied. "Why did you stop?"

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "The story was over."

"No. I mean, why did you stop telling stories?" Maud got up and approached Trixie. "… Clearly, it's what you love doing."

Trixie frowned. "Yeah, well, unfortunately it's not that simple." She averted her eyes from Maud's. "Nopony wants to watch a wash-up, and there's no money for a showmare with no audience."

"But you were happy just now," Maud said.

Trixie blushed. "W-What do you mean? I wasn't smiling or anything."

"I could tell. You spoke with the passion my sister does about parties, or that my father does about rocks."

"Your father?" Trixie deadpanned, before shaking her head. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. It's over. That dream's dead, and now all I can do is earn money and keep on living."

"… That's such a shame. I would have loved to see more of your shows. Not much else happens around here."

Trixie looked at Maud with surprise. The other mare went back to her work, and Trixie's thoughts ran wild as her mouth opened-and-closed, unable to form the words that she wanted to say. With a deep breath, she finally asked, "How about tomorrow?"

Maud paused, and turned back around. "Tomorrow?"

"Uh, tomorrow, I could… put on another show for you?"

"… I would like that," Maud replied, before she got back to work again.

Trixie cleared her throat. "W-Well then, Trixie will just… go work over there for now…" As Trixie left, she couldn't help the smile that was creeping onto her face. That smile faded soon enough when she found the pile of rocks that was to be sorted.

"So I started to perform for Maud every day, and soon enough, we were talking about things other than Trixie's performances. Trixie's past, Trixie's hopes and dreams, the hardships that Trixie had faced since the incident with the ursa minor… Eventually, Trixie realised that Maud was listening too intently."

"Myself?" Maud asked.

Trixie nodded. "Trixie has told you practically all that there is to know about her, but you've stayed pretty silent throughout it all."

"There's nothing to say about me," Maud replied.

"Everypony has a story," Trixie insisted. "What's yours?"

"… I farm rocks."

Trixie frowned. "No. Try again."

Maud blushed. "I'm not good at this."

"Then let Trixie help you! 'My name is Maud, and I like…'."

"Rocks."

"And?"

"My family."

"Aaaaand?"

Maud thought for a few seconds. "There was a… salad that I tried once. It was nice. I would like to try it again."

"There you go!" Trixie praised, before taking a swig from her flask. "Now, what do you dislike."

"Sweet things, and alcohol."

"And what are your dreams?"

"To inherit the farm."

Trixie put a hoof to her chin in thought. "Nothing about getting married, or having any children? Maybe to go learn something? To visit a new land?" Maud opened her mouth, but didn't answer. "Share it with the class."

"I… would like to visit the Grand Galloping Gala. My sister went there once. Maybe she'll be able to invite me to the next one."

Trixie laughed at that, which only deepened Maud's blush. "Ooooohhhhh… You don't wanna go there! Nothing but snobs and elitists."

"Then you'd fit right in," Maud said, earning a playful kick from Trixie.

"Alright, watch it, you!"

"We should get back to work."

"Later! Trixie still wants to know more about you."

"How much more?"

"Hmmm… For every scrap of information you've learned about Trixie, Trixie will learn about you."

"That's a lot."

Trixie grinned. "Then you'd best get that brain of yours in gear."

"The two of us had grown close over the months. Maud had become the highlight of Trixie's life on that miserable farm. At least, during the day. At night, Trixie was still drowning her sorrows away in alcohol, and picking fights to let out her frustrations.

"Then one night, Trixie had woken up in a hospital, in a town far away from the rock farm."

"W-What happened?" Trixie asked, her voice groggy and her body hooked up to machines that measured her vitals.

"Acute alcohol poisoning," the doctor explained. She turned and found the Pie family standing in the room, behind a second bed that was occupied by…

"Maud?!" Trixie groaned, and clutched at her chest.

"Careful. Stress could cause your heart to go into cardiac arrest right now."

"W-What's she doing here?" Trixie asked.

"Pumping your stomach was not enough. We needed to remove the alcohol from your blood, and for that, we needed a transfusion. Miss Pie volunteered."

Maud stirred in her bed, turning to face Trixie. "You're awake."

"Maud…" Trixie felt her stomach beginning to churn. She knew this feeling. It was rage. Only this time, it was directed towards herself. "You… You didn't have to…" Trixie gasped. "Wait, how did you know that we were compatible?"

"What are you talking about? You told me," Maud replied. "You told me your blood type, in the story where you saved a young colt's life in Detrot."

"You… actually remembered such a small detail?" Maud nodded, and Trixie felt her eyes beginning to well. "D-Doctor, your drugs are having unintended side effects!"

The doctor turned to the Pie family with a questioning look. The family simply shrugged in unison. "Err, yes. Anyway, you should be good to go just as soon as the reports come in, provided that no further complication arose, of course."

"Are there any hotels in this town?" Igneous asked. "It's a long ride back to the farm, and we'll have to leave in the morning."

"What do you mean?" Trixie asked.

"The village's hospital didn't have the facilities to treat you," Limestone explained. "You had to be rushed to this one, and when Maud heard, she bolted after you on the first train!"

"Naturally, we couldn't just leave her," Marble explained.

Maud blushed, covering her face with her sheets. "I'm sorry to have troubled you all."

Trixie groaned as she climbed out of her bed, panting as she forced herself to stay on her hooves. The doctor protested, but Trixie slowly made her way over to Maud, where she wrapped her arms around the mare, holding her close. "You idiot. And thank you… for saving my life. Both now and before. I should have said it earlier."

Maud sank into Trixie's embrace, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth and the security of it all.

Igneous cleared his throat, and ushered both his family and the doctor out of the room.

"Maud," Trixie began, "I'm sorry that I scared you like that. I swear, I will lay off the drinking from this point on!"

"You won't quit entirely?"

Trixie laughed. A strained, painful laugh. "Well, baby steps, Maud. Baby steps. But I promise, I won't ever drink myself stupid like that again. But from now on, you'd best be prepared to deal with a sober Trixie."

"I'll try, but baby steps, Trixie. Baby steps."

"As it turns out, getting drunk was the only thing keeping me sane, crazy as that sounds. While I was sober, there was no longer anything to keep my mind off of my failed past. Everywhere I looked, ponies were living out their dreams, fulfilling the destinies that were forever branded onto their flanks.

"Memories of the past haunted Trixie, both in her dreams, and when she was awake. Maud and I grew closer, but it was not enough to keep the demons from tormenting Trixie. Even when we shared our first kiss, Trixie could still think of nothing more than getting back to the top!

"Then one day, Trixie found a way. And she shared it with Maud."

"Ponyville?" Maud asked.

Trixie nodded her head. "Trixie is thinking of going back to Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle is there, and by defeating her, Trixie can have her redemption!"

"But you don't need redemption," Maud insisted. "Your shows are wonderful."

"To you, yes," Trixie snapped. "But ponies are vicious creatures. A showmare with a tarnished reputation has only one choice: to best the one that tarnished said reputation! But it's not enough to simply beat Twilight Sparkle. No, Trixie has to make her feel every ounce of pain and humiliation that she was caused!

"For that, Trixie has to leave. And she must do this alone."

Maud held Trixie's hoof, and gazed deep into her eyes. "That's just revenge, Trixie. Revenge doesn't undo the past."

"But it does feel great."

"It's below you. Simply show everypony what you're capable of, and rebuild your reputation. I'll help you."

Trixie scoffed. "How? Travel with me and force everypony to be quiet as Trixie puts on her show."

"If that is what it takes."

"I was joking. Besides, what about the farm?"

"You're… just as important."

Trixie frowned. "Gee, I feel so honoured."

"Can't you at least give it a try? Give us a try?"

Trixie thought on Maud's proposal for several seconds, before asking, "Can you really help me to bring back such a dead reputation? For certain?"

Maud hesitated before answering. "I don't know, but I want to try. And even if it doesn't go well, I can be there for you, when you're down." Maud pulled Trixie into a hug. "I can be here for you, right now."

Trixie blushed as Maud fell onto her back, bouncing on the bed below and pulling the showmare onto her. "I… want to trust you, Maud. And I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. I… love you."

Several minutes passed, before Maud's racing heart finally registered with Trixie. The showmare crawled up Maud's body and kissed her. Maud returned the kiss, and the two made out for what seemed an eternity. Eventually, Trixie reached down to the belt holding Maud's dress to her body, and unfastened the buckle. Maud removed Trixie hat and tossed it aside, followed by her cape.

The dress came off, and the two mares stared at each other for several long moments. "Are you… sure about this?" Trixie asked, looking around nervously.

Maud nodded. "I want you to be my first."

Trixie's blood boiled from that. "Err, your family's sleeping, right?"

"Don't worry. These walls are thick. No sound gets through them."

Trixie grinned a devilish grin. "Oh, good. 'Cause I intend to make many new sounds come out of you."

"Okay! This is where it gets personal, so Trixie's just gonna gloss over that part."

"Yes, thank you," Sunset Shimmer said, her face heated up to a burning blush.

"Right, so, Trixie awoke first the following day. She had reflected on what Maud had said the following day, but…"

Maud awoke all by herself the following morning. Trixie's clothes were gone, and a note had been left on her nightstand.

Dear Maud,

I'm sorry, but I cannot get the idea of revenge out of my head. I know that your feelings for me are true, but you have not experienced the things that I have. To work so hard for one's whole life, only for it to all come crashing down in one moment! To have everypony look at you with the same mocking eyes! Accusing. Judging. Berating!

I won't ever forget last night, but unfortunately, I cannot burden you with this task. Nor can I ask you to wait for me to rebuild my image, whenever that may be. Please, for your sake, find another partner. One who was not abandoned at birth by whatever powers rule over us all. I cannot come back, so please move on.

I'm sorry, and I'll always remember you. Thank you for saving my life.

Trixie

Maud dropped the note to the floor, and simply stared off into space for several seconds. She felt her eyes beginning to well, and she reached up to find tears flowing down her face. Then, she buried her face into her pillow, muffling her sounds.

"You left her to obtain the Alicorn Amulet, and seize your revenge," Sunset concluded, holding a hoof over her chest. "And… do you regret it?"

"Every day," Trixie replied. "The ultimate insult though, is that the Alicorn Amulet was a sham! The accursed artefact, it takes control of whoever wears it! Yes, Trixie got powers beyond her wildest dreams! Yes, she got her revenge on Twilight Sparkle and those two colts!

"But… it twisted Trixie into some horrible, deranged monster, bent on torturing others and ruling the world with an iron hoof!"

Sunset Shimmer frowned. "So that's why you got upset earlier, when I brought it up. The Alicorn Amulet is…"

"It's no weapon. It's a curse. Whoever wears it no longer cares for what side they used to be on. They become a creature of greed and lust, and strive only to take everything for themselves!" Trixie sighed. "I gave up the only mare who would ever love me, for an amulet that damned me further into this hellish life of mine."

"… Maybe she'll still take you back."

Trixie scoffed. "No way. Not after what Trixie did."

"You never know."

"I do know."

"But-"

"Forget it!" Trixie shouted, startling Sunset. "I-I'm sorry, just… Look, it's over between us, okay? There's no way she'd take me back, and besides, I have a job to do. If she knew that I was a member of Unicornia, there's no way she'd ever-"

A scream cut Trixie off. The two mares turned towards the doorway leading outside, and jumped to their hooves.

"That was Oasis," Trixie said.

"It sounds like it came from Midas' chambers!"

The two mares broke into a sprint, leaving the room and pushing past ponies in the hallway as they rushed to Midas' bedroom.

In Ponyville, poppers popped and hooves stomped. Ponies cheered and loud music blared. It was Applejack's birthday, and Pinkie Pie had organised a huge party for her friend, in which the entire town was invited!

Among the invited guests were Twilight Sparkle's family. She was surprised when they had shown up, but not at all disappointed. "But I don't get it. Why are you guys here?"

"Well, we'd heard that it was your friend's birthday," Twilight Velvet explained, "And we wanted to see what one of these famous 'Pinkie Pie parties' was like!"

"It's… different," Night Light said, awed by how the entire town was literally the party itself. "It certainly puts our parties for you and Shining to shame," he added with a laugh.

"I was granted a day of leave," Shining Armor told Twilight. "I wanted to come make sure you're alright. I can't stay for long, since Cadance is waiting for me, but…"

Twilight smiled, and gave her brother a hug. "I'm fine. Thanks for worrying. So, what happened with-"

Shining shook his head. "Sorry, Twi. Need-to-know basis."

"Right…"

"Hey guys! You made it!" Pinkie Pie waved to her family as they approached from the distance. All but Maud were looking around the town with mixed looks of awe and concern.

"So, this is what you do for a living," Igneous Rock said, taking one of the snacks from a nearby table as he approached his daughter and tasting it. "It's… sweet."

"Awww, thanks!" Pinkie Pie practically beamed as her family stopped before her, and she turned to Twilight's and said, "Lemme introduce you! This is my family – maybe Applejack's too – Igneous Rock, my dad…"

"Howdy," Igneous said, tipping his hat.

"A pleasure," Night Light said, shaking the stallion's hoof.

"My mum, Cloudy Quartz, and my sisters, Limestone, Marble, and Maud!"

The four mares waved, and Shining Armor and Night Light waved back. Velvet, however, stared at Maud with a confused look on her face. "Maud Pie?"

Maud turned to Velvet and replied, "Yes?"

"Oh. It's just… I met a mare in Canterlot who called herself that, but she looked drastically different from you."

Maud's ears twitched. "O-Oh. You did?"

"What did she look like?" Twilight asked.

"She was a member of the Royal Guard." Velvet turned to Shining Armor. "White coat, and about Twilight's height. She was standing guard at the party shortly after Unicornia made their big debut."

Shining Armor hummed in thought. "As I recall, there was only one mare assigned to that party. Based on your description, that would be Trixie…"

"Trixie?!" Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Maud shouted in unison.

"Y-Yeah. You know her?"

Twilight and Pinkie Pie exchanged nervous looks. "I-It can't be, can it?" Twilight asked.

"But Trixie's coat is blue," Pinkie Pie pointed out. "And she's not a Royal Guard!"

"Well I mean, she could become one, but it's a long process."

"Does she speak in a haughty tone?" Maud asked. "Maybe with some third-pony?"

"Frequently, yes."

Twilight gulped. "Then there's no doubt. That's gotta be her. But, why is she pretending to be in the Royal Guard? And why would she give a fake name?!"

Suddenly, Shining Armor's face turned pale. "Because… she's the spy." He gasped. "She helped us bring in Robin Hood! She's the mole that's been leaking information to Unicornia!

"Trixie is… a member of Unicornia!"

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 10

Trixie and Sunset rushed through the hallway, down towards Midas' room, where Oasis' scream had come from. As they got there, Genesis and Oasis were waiting outside, the latter hyperventilating, and many other members of Unicornia began to gather to see what the commotion was about.

"What happened?!" Trixie asked, though Sunset did not wait for an answer. She pushed her way into Midas' room, gasping as she looked around the corner. Trixie peered inside and froze, her eyes widening. "W-Wha-"

"We have a pest problem," Genesis said, releasing Oasis and pulling Trixie back. "Oasis had a bit of a shock, that's all. Could you please wait out here for King Midas to return?"

Trixie tilted her head, but as she heard the mumbles of the ponies around her, she understood. "Y-Yeah. I'll wait here…" She turned to the crowd that had gathered and said, "Okay, nothing to see here! Just a parasprite infestation that Genesis and Sunset will take care of!"

The crowd began to disperse, slowly. Genesis thanked Trixie and entered the room, where Sunset Shimmer was already investigating the body that lay still on King Midas' bed. "Don't disturb the body. We'll need to perform an autopsy-"

"Is it not obvious how this happened?" Sunset asked, pointing to the knife sticking out of Midas' chest. "He was killed in his sleep. The question is by whom."

"Which is precisely why we need an autopsy," Genesis asserted. "Not to ascertain the cause of death, but who the culprit was and, more importantly, how he reached King Midas so easily.

"Don't worry. I won't touch him." Sunset's eyes sighted something sitting on the table next to King Midas' bed. She lifted it with her magic. It was a small slip of paper, folded, with some writing on it. She opened and read it silently.

"What's that?" Genesis asked.

"… A letter," Sunset told him.

"The crowd's dispersed," Trixie said as she entered the room. An unsteady Oasis walking in alongside her, gasping and starting to sob at the sight of Midas' corpse. "H-Hey, you shouldn't-"

Oasis shook her head. "No. I… I have to be here. I'm okay… I mean, this is serious, and we should all discuss this together, right?"

Trixie watched as Oasis forced herself further into the room. She wanted to protest, but she wasn't sure what to say. Instead, she simply closed the door and locked it with her magic. "So, you found anything?"

"I've found this letter, possibly from the assailant," Sunset declared, holding the letter up for all to see. "It details a clearing in Whitetail Woods, with a specific time listed."

"A time for what?" Genesis asked.

"It doesn't say. It just says the time and today's date."

"Perhaps King Midas was going to meet somepony there?" Genesis asked. "Maybe this is the contact he has been talking with?"

"No," Oasis said. "King Midas was scheduled to meet with a smuggler from the Griffon Empire to secure weapons, and the meeting was to be at Horseshoe Bay."

"Then the murderer may have called him out, but felt that he wouldn't show and decided to come here."

Sunset examined the table. Blood had splattered onto it from Midas' wound. It was starting to dry, so he had been dead for some time. She checked the note one more time, flipping it over to find blood on the underside.

"I think we should go to this meeting," Sunset said. "Whoever wrote this note will be there."

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "How can you be sure? If he already killed King Midas-"

"The note wasn't for Midas. It was for somepony else." She revealed the front of the letter. "See? No blood. Meaning that it was placed on the table after Midas was killed."

"But it was folded, wasn't it?" Genesis asked. "So it would have been safe from blood splatter."

Sunset folded the paper the way that it had been before, and lay it on the table. It slowly began to open up. "See? Even folded, it wouldn't have been completely safe. Somepony killed King Midas, and then left this note, possibly for their accomplice to find."

"Accomplice?" Genesis asked, putting a hoof to his chin. "Yes, that would explain how he got in here so easily. But then, if he's expecting this accomplice to show up, then I can surprise him and take him out-"

"It wouldn't be smart to go alone," Trixie said. "I'll-"

"I'll go with him," Sunset said. "Trixie, we need your talents to convince everypony that King Midas is simply ill for the moment. Oasis, bring Doctor Flatline here. He can be trusted to keep this a secret while we work things out."

"This will likely be dangerous," Genesis said.

"Which is why it makes sense for me to go with you," Sunset said. "There's no time to argue. The assigned time will be soon, so we have to hurry."

"… Trixie will convince everypony that the situation is fine," Trixie said. "You two make sure to capture whoever did this. We need to question them later."

Sunset and Genesis nodded. "We'll take a chariot and ask the drivers to wait outside the woods," Genesis said. "Let's go."

The woods were a deafening silence as the two unicorns ventured through, both wearing cloaks to cover their identities and the swords they had sheathed at their sides. Sunset Shimmer look around the woods with a sorrowful look on her face. Critters ran past the two and the wind whistled a solemn tune.

"This is where Queen Platinum made her final stand," Sunset Shimmer said, breaking the tense silence between herself and Genesis, who was leading her towards the clearing. "She hid here with those that were still loyal to her, and when the location was discovered, the ponies fought to the bitter end."

"A fact that has been obscured from history," Genesis stated. "Princess Celestia would have us think that Queen Platinum happily hoofed over Unicornia, and that the rebellion that took place was but a small group of bandits."

Sunset Shimmer frowned. "'History is written by the winners', huh?"

"Indeed. But when we win, we can tell Equestria the truth."

Sunset nodded. "That Princess Celestia, and all of the alicorns, are nothing but thieves and tyrants, hiding behind pretty smiles."

Genesis hacked away at foliage with a machete. "We're almost there."

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "How can you be sure?"

"Trust me. I know this area…"

Sunset narrowed her eyes, and asked, "Genesis, you seem to know this path very well."

"Yes. I do."

"And earlier, didn't you try to journey to this clearing on your own?"

Genesis nodded his head. "Yes."

"A rather odd move, considering our enemy is unknown. Or perhaps, they're not unknown to you?"

The two arrived at a large clearing, sunlight peering down from above and basking the two in its warmth. "You're right. I do know this pony."

Sunset heard shifting to her left, and she turned around to find a tall stallion approaching – his coat was black, and his long, grey mane draped halfway down his forelegs as he glared at the orange mare. "Genesis, what is the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry, Oblivion," Genesis said, turning to face Sunset Shimmer. "The body was found by somepony else, first. This one found the note, and insisted on coming with me."

Sunset drew her sword and glanced between the two. "What is this, Genesis?"

"This… is my brother, Oblivion."

"Your brother?" Sunset gritted her teeth. "So you were a spy?"

"Not exactly. I joined Unicornia for the same reason that I stated before – to dethrone Celestia and save Equestria from the sorry state that it doesn't even know it's in.

"However, unlike King Midas, I have no intention of engaging in a war with the alicorn tribes."

Oblivion's horn glowed red, and a golden chalice lifted into the air, carried by his magic. "Our family has been scheming against the throne for centuries, plotting and training its offspring for the day that we finally have an opening to strike Celestia." Oblivion drank from his chalice, which glowed red.

"My older brother, Oblivion, was trained in the arts of assassination and destruction," Genesis explained, "Whereas I have been trained an army against Celestia, and rule the country as its king.

"Thus, King Midas became an obstacle that needed to be removed."

Sunset Shimmer bared his teeth. "King Midas was a noble stallion!"

Oblivion chuckled. "Does a noble stallion keep secrets from his closest comrades?"

"Occasionally, yes. It is necessary."

"Occasionally, it is," Genesis agreed. "Unless those secrets are not in your best interests. For example, King Midas started his vast fortune that was used to establish Unicornia as a bandit."

Sunset gasped. "What?!"

"Oh yes. He mugged innocent ponies and killed those that tried to stop him. And then there's you. You show up out of nowhere, and he lets you into our circle in an instant."

"He saw my potential," Sunset said.

"Perhaps, but he had failed to consult with us. And then there's this contact that he had in Canterlot, with connections to the royal family."

"A contact with connections to the royal family?"

"King Midas was too secretive, and too powerful. He was a threat that had to be removed – though you are a different story."

"No, Genesis," Oblivion said. He inhaled, and then breathed a rope of fire towards Sunset Shimmer. She teleported out of the way, clearing the fire and staring in shock at the stallion. "This one dies. She's too close to Celestia."

Genesis frowned. "Very well, Brother. If that's what you want…"

"Hold it!" A flash of light turned into a blue mare in a purple hat and a cape standing before Oblivion, holding a sword in a magical aura as she grinned at the three gathered ponies. "Seems that Trixie was right to come along."

"What-" Sunset began.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie got a bad feeling about Genesis," Trixie explained. "She finished her task and ran to catch up with you, and it seems that I was right to do so."

Sunset smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're here. Now the odds are a little better!"

Genesis turned to Oblivion. "W-What do we do now?!"

"Run," Oblivion said. "I'll deal with these two. You get out of here. Return to Unicornia and claim that you avenged their deaths."

With a hesitant nod, Genesis turn around and fled through the woods.

"Oh no you don't!" Sunset shouted, chasing after the stallion.

"I won't let you leave!" Oblivion drank from his chalice, which, this time, glowed blue. He sprayed a trail of ice towards the mare, but it was blocked by a magical shield. Sunset escaped through some trees, and Oblivion turned to Trixie, whose horn was glowing. "It's a shame that I must now kill you, too. My brother was fond of you."

"Then fret not, for Trixie shall not be falling today!"

Genesis had clearly mapped out the woods prior to agreeing to meet with Oblivion there. He was nimbly navigating between trees, over bushes and thorns, and taking dark paths to throw Sunset off, whilst she struggled to keep up without tripping over.

Sunset glared at the fleeing traitor, pulling her knife from her belt with her magic and throwing it. It grazed Genesis' leg and he skidded to a stop, turning to face her. Sunset grinned triumphantly as she stopped before the traitor, drawing her sword.

"You're persistent," Genesis said. "I get the feeling that I won't be able to shake you."

"There's no way I'd let you escape after what you did," Sunset said. The two ponies charged magic into their horns. "King Midas was an honourable stallion, and your brother murdered him in cold blood, thanks to your help!"

Genesis unleashed his spell, shaking the ground around Sunset and catching her by surprise. Her own spell faded, and he charged, his sword pointing towards Sunset's neck.

Sunset teleported, appearing behind Genesis and swinging for his flank. Genesis ducked, dodging the sword, and spun about, parrying a second blow. He saw an opening and took it, thrusting his sword and bring it around to cut off Sunset's neck.

Sunset grasped his blade with her magic, grunting as she struggled against his strength to keep it at bay. "What did you hope to achieve by killing me here?! Return with claims of avenging my death and become leader?!"

"You were never meant to come!" Genesis shouted. "That note was meant for me to find! That fool Oasis discovered the body first, and then you picked up that note and insisted that you come with me!" Genesis surrendered his attack, instead kicking Sunset's gut and forcing her to back off. "You brought this on yourself! If you had just played your part, you would have been able to serve under me and keep your life!"

Sunset glowered, her horn flaring to life. "How dare you? You do not know your place, Genesis!"

Genesis swung his sword, only for Sunset's magic to block it as she thrust her sword, narrowly missing his shoulder. "My place? For generations now, my household has deserved to stand at the top, but we are always denied our place by those with more wealth!

"That is why I joined this group. Not for equality, or to wage war against the alicorns. It is to ensure that my household finally takes its place at the top!"

"You scum!" Sunset shouted as she thrust her sword again. Genesis jumped back, charging magic into his blade. "So you've been deceiving us this whole time!"

"I truly do value you all as comrades, and I have even come to like you and consider you my friends," Genesis admitted. "But for the sake of my clan, I must end your life, if you get in my way!"

Genesis swung his sword, unleashing a wave of energy towards Sunset. Sunset fired her own magic towards the wave, parting it and allowing it to pass her on either side. Trees fell, and bushes exploded, but the mare remained untouched.

Sunset's horn flared as flames sparked to life around her and Genesis, startling her foe. She launched balls of fire at her enemy, who spun about with his blade outstretched, slicing the balls before they could touch him.

"Taste my wrath!" Genesis hold his sword aloft. It glowed before he brought it down, unleashing a wave of magical energy. Sunset erected a barrier, grunting as it struggled to hold back Genesis' attack. "You can't push this one back, Sunset Shimmer!"

Sunset glanced at Genesis' hooves and threw a knife. Genesis gasped and stepped back, but doing so gave Sunset the opening that she needed to deflect his attack into the air, allowing it to explode high above the trees.

Genesis faltered, stumbling backwards and Sunset charged towards him. With gritted teeth, he thrusted his blade to counter her swing, but a sweep from Sunset's leg tripped him, giving her the opening that she needed to bash his hoof with the hilt of her blade.

"Ah!" Genesis reached for his sword, but was knocked onto his back by a powerful blast of magic. He attempted to get up, but found his hooves being bound by roots rising from the ground. He struggled against the hold, until a shadow cast itself over him, bringing him to freeze in terror.

"I'm truly sorry that it had to come to this," Sunset said as she rose her sword into the air. The sun's light reflected off of it, blinding Genesis as he squinted to keep his eyes open. "I must admit, I respect your boldness. Your skills and your abilities are formidable, and your motives… I can truly sympathize with. But you made one fatal mistake.

"You betrayed me."

Genesis grunted. "You think highly of yourself, to take it so personally. I betrayed all of you."

"Oh, but you see, with King Midas gone, there is now a vacant spot. Somepony has to fill it, and naturally that would be me. That would mean, Genesis, that you have betrayed your queen!" A cloud covered up the sun, allowing Genesis to see clearly once more. What he saw was the scowl Sunset's face as she pointed her blade towards his neck.

"W-Wait, whatever happened to taking me prisoner?!"

"'Prisoner'? Don't make me laugh! You are a traitor, and for traitors, there in only one punishment!"

Trixie charged Oblivion, her sword aiming for his right foreleg. A barrier blocked it, and the stallion lifted his chalice and drank from it. It glowed red.

"Burn." Oblivion released a spray of fire from his mouth, which Trixie narrowly avoided as she jumped backwards. As the fire dissipated, she charged again, this time swinging her sword for his right foreleg, whilst also firing a blast of magic towards his horn.

The spell shocked his horn, destroying his barrier and allowing her sword to reach his leg… had he not retreated backwards before it could connect. Trixie charged after him. Oblivion drank from his chalice as it glowed blue, and he sprayed ice at the ground beneath Trixie's hooves.

Trixie slipped and fell onto her flanks with a pained cry. As she looked up, she found Oblivion drinking his chalice, which was glowing white. He jumped, reaching a very high altitude, before crashing down towards Trixie's location.

Trixie teleported away, and watched as the stallion crashed down hard enough to smash the very ground beneath his hooves.

"Y-Your chalice is something interesting," Trixie commented as she tried to catch her breath. "A magical artefact?"

"Indeed, though not cursed, like your old Alicorn Amulet."

Trixie growled. "It's too bad you're such a vile murderer. That power would've been great in the coming war!"

Oblivion chuckled. "It's such a shame that you decided to be our enemy. Sunset Shimmer is one thing, but you… your ideals are very similar to our own."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"We both feel that this country is neglected and weak. We both seek to replace its leaders with ones that can rule it appropriately. That can protect it, not lead it to weakness or wage war against a force far more powerful than our own."

"Well, motives can still be noble, even if your actions sure aren't." Trixie pointed her sword towards Oblivion. "You killed our leader. There's no way that Trixie would follow you after that."

"That really doesn't matter. Dead or alive, your value is about the same." Oblivion drank from his chalice. It glowed green, and his horn glowed the same colour.

Trixie felt the ground shaking beneath her hooves, and quickly jumped back as she felt something rising towards her. A spire shot up from the ground, followed by another, and then another. After dodging six more, and firing a blast of magic towards Oblivion, the spires finally stopped.

Oblivion dodged the magical attack easily, and took another drink of his chalice. This time, it glowed purple, and as he drank, his body lifted up and hovered over the ground. His chalice then glowed red, and he pulled it away to breathe fire towards Trixie once more.

Trixie screamed as the flames enveloped her body, turning her body and her clothes into mere ash before the stallion. The screaming stopped, and Oblivion gently touched down. "How disappointing. I thought that she was stronger than that."

A lasso wrapped around the chalice, startling Oblivion. He pulled against the rope as it attempted to steal his chalice, and he looked over to the other end of it. Trixie was still alive, and she was grinning. "An illusion!" Oblivion used his magic to cut the rope, and then brought the chalice to his mouth. As he did, though, he noticed that both the rope and Trixie had become transparent, and were beginning to fade away.

"Guh!" Oblivion felt a sharp pain down his back, and looked over his shoulder to find Trixie standing behind him, her sword in the air after having cut across his skin. With a roar, Oblivion bucked Trixie, sending her on a journey that stopped with her at the base of a nearby tree, groaning as she held her head.

"What are you made of?" Trixie asked as she stumbled to her hooves.

Oblivion's chalice glowed white as he drank from it, and then he charged towards Trixie, moving fast enough to reach her in mere seconds.

Trixie gasped and dodged a series of kicks, narrowly avoiding the powerful attacks each time as she backed away. She failed to put any distance between herself and the enraged stallion. A hoof connected to her gut, pushing her back with a great force as she coughed up some blood.

Oblivion charged again, his opponent no longer able to move. He closed the distance on Trixie, his horn flaring as he prepared to-

"OOF!" The world around Oblivion shook and distorted. He narrowed his eyes and tried to make sense of the situation. Had he just collided with… the air?

"Did that hurt?" Trixie asked as she rounded the large tree between herself and Oblivion. A grin crept on her face. "Good!" She fired a beam of magic towards Oblivion, expecting to strike him whilst he was down. To her surprise, the stallion was able to right himself and fire his own magic back, the two beams colliding in the air. "What?!"

"You underestimate my powers!" Oblivion yelled, grunting as he pressed forwards, overpowering Trixie's magic with his own. "And you overestimate your own!"

Trixie lifted a hoof and stomped, planting it firmly into the ground as an anchor. She could feel Oblivion's magic drawing closer and she started to panic. "I'll… stop you!"

Oblivion felt something tugging at his right foreleg, and he looked down for a moment to find a root shooting out of the ground, coiling up his leg in an attempt to stop him. He snapped it with ease, simply by walking forwards, but the root continued to grow.

"What is this?" he asked as he stopped to examine the snare growing closer to his shoulder. "Another illusion? That won't stop me."

"But maybe this will," Sunset said as she approached the two, throwing her sword at Oblivion's head.

The stallion ducked back to avoid it, but doing so cost him his focus, and his spell fizzled under Trixie's. He could only watch as the mare's magic washed over him, sending jolts of pain through his body, before allowing him to fall to his knees.

"Now!" Sunset shouted.

Trixie was already running the moment her spell was freed. As Oblivion fell, she took out a small ring from her cape and clasped it onto his horn. The stallion kicked, pushing Trixie onto her back, but Sunset Shimmer was ready to hold him back with her magic.

Trixie took out a pair of hoofcuffs and slapped them onto Oblivion's forelegs, nodding to Sunset safe to let him go.

"It's okay now. We got him."

"We're not going to kill him?" Sunset asked as she released her spell, cautiously.

Trixie shook her head. "No need. And we can get more information out of him if he's alive." As Oblivion roared and flailed his legs in an attempt to free himself, Trixie looked around the clearing. "Where's Genesis?"

Queen Platinum and Commander Hurricane stared out into the great, endless ocean that sat before them. Behind them, almost one thousand soldiers stood with their weapons at the ready. The two stood tense, sweat dripping down their brows despite the cool breeze flowing through the air.

"There's a shadow in the distance," Platinum said, earning a nod from her friend. "They are here."

"Just as they said, they're attacking with an entire army. They intend to take the docks before anymore ships can be built."

"The griffons broke the treaty. Show them no mercy."

"I won't. They killed my cousin's son, after all."

It was only two days ago that Commander Hurricane had broke the news to Queen Platinum. The griffons had suddenly attacked the ponies fishing off of The Eastern Coast, breaking the ceasefire as they declared that fish no longer satisfied their hunger.

Many ponies died and were left in the ocean until a rescue squad was able to recover the bodies. Some managed to escape and swam to shore. And then some… had been taken by the griffons as 'snacks'.

"Archers, ready!" Platinum ordered. "Mages, light the arrows and ready the defences!"

Shields rose, and arrows were set alight. "Load catapults! Ready ballistae!" Commander Hurricane shouted. "Weatherponies, prepare the storm!"

"We'll knock them out of the skies and show these barbarians that Equestria is not defenceless!" The ponies rallied behind Platinum's speech, just as the griffons finally became visible to all. "Archers, hold steady! Hold… Hold…" A griffon roared in the sky. "FIRE!"

Arrows flew, lighting the sky with dazzling flames. Some of them hit the approaching chimeras, but many were knocked back as the beasts beat their wings, blowing them away.

"Fire the ballistae!" Hurricane shouted. Large bolts fired towards the griffons that had stopped to blow the arrows away. The griffons flapped their wings, but the bolts were too heavy to be stopped in the same manner as the arrows. Some other griffons dodged, but the ones that did not were skewered, and fell like bricks into the ocean.

The ocean splashed as many griffons fell, but many more still survived. "Reload! Cannoneers, provide support!"

"Discharge the storm!" Hurricane ordered to her troops above. "Zap them out of the sky and blow out their eardrums!"

Canons fired, but the blasts were barely heard over the roaring thunder that suddenly blared from above, accompanied by bolts of bolts of lightning that reached for the griffons in the air.

"Gut them and leave their heads as warnings!" one griffon shouted, flexing his claws as he nimbly navigated the cannonballs fired his way and raced towards Platinum and Hurricane. "Whoever gets the queen's head gets a promotion!"

The griffon hit a barrier erected by Queen Platinum, falling to the ground as he stared confusedly at the two leaders. "Does this idiot not realise that we can harness magic?" Platinum took out her sword and thrust forwards, slicing the griffon's head off. "It won't be my head that is lost this day!"

Hurricane took out her own sword and turned the pegasi troops behind her. "We're goin' in! Attack from their flanks and leave a path for our archers' arrows!"

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers replied as they followed their leader into the skies.

"Clover the Clever, raise your barrier!" Platinum ordered. "Surround our troops so that their spears and arrows cannot reach us!"

Clover nodded, and closed her eyes. Several unicorns around her, all dressed in purple robes, also closed their eyes. She drew energy from them, levitating and glowing as her horn sparked. A barrier formed around the Equestrian ponies and flashed.

"Do not falter!" Queen Platinum ordered. "The barrier works one-way! Nothing can get in, but our attacks can still get out!"

An explosion sounded in the distance, causing Platinum to gasp and scan her eyes across the water. In the distance, a ship was approaching, its flags bearing the colours of the Griffon Empire, and its cannons bigger than anything Platinum had ever seen.

One of them fired, and a large metal ball struck the barrier, startling the queen. "I-I thought that they were limited to aerial combat!"

"I thought they were!" Hurricane shouted as she downed three griffon soldiers into the water. She watched as cannons fired, and shouted, "Get down! Incoming fire!"

Pegasi ducked to avoid the incoming steel balls, but doing so left them vulnerable to the enemy soldiers in the air.

"This is bad," Platinum mumbled to herself. "I thought that being on the ground and near water would give us a tactical advantage, but if they have the means to fight on any terrain… No, so long as the barrier holds, we can still-"

Three more balls struck the barrier, and it began to shake. Clover grunted as she began to descend down. "I-It's too strong! I need more magic to hold it!"

"Point your cannons towards the ship!" Platinum ordered.

"It won't work!" Hurricane responded. "It's too far out there!"

"But they're hitting us just fine!"

Hurricane gritted her teeth. "Such range. How do they do it?"

"Our scouts were useless," Platinum muttered to herself. "… What good was it? All that surveillance, all that information, and we had no idea that the Griffon Empire even possessed a naval fleet!"

The canons continued to boom in the distance, forcing pegasi to dodge and testing the limits of the barrier. "Your Highness, we can't hold it much longer!" Clover the Clever cried. "Those cannons are too strong!"

Platinum looked around the pier for any boats that were available. 'There is only one boat we possess that is suited for combat. It would be sunk before it can even get close! Maybe we could use it as distraction?' Platinum shook her head. 'That would only buy us mere seconds. We need more-'

"Platinum, this is hopeless!" Hurricane shouted.

"Charge!" Queen Platinum shouted. "Clover the Clever, keep the barrier raised just a little longer! We will board our own warship and prepare to fire at them!"

Commander Hurricane peered out into the distance. She gasped and retreated back towards the barrier. "That won't work! There are more ships behind that one!"

Platinum's jaw dropped. Her legs began to shake. "W-We weren't prepared for this!" 'Perhaps… Perhaps we should have just given the griffons their land back…'

"We need to fallback! Abandon the shore and secure ourselves in the castle!"

"We'd be drawing them to our capital!" Platinum argued.

"We'd be safe! There, we can keep this barrier up, and they won't be able to hurt us, but we could hurt them. It'd give us a chance to regroup."

Platinum considered her options as she watched the fighting above her. More soldiers were coming than she had anticipated, and the ship's cannons were still firing. The barrier flickered, and Clover touched the ground.

Spinning around, Queen Platinum ordered her troops to withdraw. "Everypony, we will go back to the castle and-"

One final blast from the sea was followed by the shattering of the barrier around the ponies, leaving them defenceless to the flying soldiers and the bombardment from the ships that began to draw closer.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry!" Clover shouted as she rose. "Everypony, use whatever magic you have to-"

Clover's words were silenced as a cannonball collided with her face, sending her body flying across the battlefield, before it slammed onto the ground in a heap of blood.

Queen Platinum watched with horror as her beloved advisor lay limp on the ground. Her eyes grew wet with tears, and burned with rage as she turned back towards the soldiers in the air, firing magic to down them one-by-one. "YOU BARBARIANS! I will see to it that your entire race pays for this travesty!"

"Order the troops to retreat!" Hurricane shouted.

"We can't raise the barrier without Clover's guidance!" one of the unicorns behind them announced. "We can only raise a crude one that would block attacks from both sides!"

"Then we'll fallback just far enough to avoid their cannon fire!"

Platinum stayed her relentless assaults long enough to give the order. She and Commander Hurricane led the troops back from the shoreline, drawing the griffon soliders further into Equestria. Soon, they stopped, turning back to fight once more.

"Their ships cannot reach us here!" Queen Platinum cried. "Bring those oversized birds down and slice their throats!"

"Take no prisoners!" Commander Hurricane shouted as she flew into the air, thrusting her sword into one griffon's gut, before pulling it out and slicing off another griffon's wing. "Ground units, finish 'em!"

Earth ponies rallied and threw spears into the air, bringing many more griffons down to where they could be finished with swift thrusts.

The unicorns used their magics to deflect attacks, heal their allies, and injure the enemy soldiers. The battle carried on, many numbers on both sides falling, but the griffons seemed to have an endless supply.

Suddenly, something rose in the distance that made Commander Hurricane's blood freeze. "You've gotta be kiddin' me…"

In the distance, two ships were approaching. Each one was fitted with wheels, and was being dragged by ponies in chains, with blindfolds around their eyes to prevent them from seeing where they were dragging the enemy ships.

"Those are the ponies that went missing when the griffons attacked," Platinum whispered. "I thought that they were lost to the sea!"

"Those bastards! They're using our own ponies to bring those warships onto land!"

Platinum raised her sword, and cried, "There are but two ships! Pegasi, you are swifter than cannon fire! Board the ships and slaughter the crew!" Platinum grinned. "The fools don't even realise that they have delivered their weapons right to us for our own use!"

"There are too many soldiers!" Hurricane shouted. "We can't make a path!"

Cannons boomed, and cannonballs smashed the ground around the ponies. Some were hit, but many managed to dodge the first barrage. "Archers, light your arrows and aim towards the ships!"

"They're too far away!" one archer cried as many arrows flew, but missed their marks by a long distance.

The cannons roared once more, and this time, there was more damage done to the ponies. Platinum watched as her troops fell, her forces in the air being ripped to shreds by the griffons' sharp talons, and her forces on the ground powerless to fight back against the massive warships.

The ballistae were useless, as those that weren't smashed by cannon fire were assaulted and sabotaged by enemy soldiers.

"We have to retreat!" Commander Hurricane shouted as she downed two more soldier, parrying a third's attack. "There are too many! Our best hope is the trebuchet at the castle!"

Platinum thrust her sword through a griffon soldier's chest and fired her magic at three more charging towards her. "The one-way shield is lost! We can't fire it without letting our enemies inside!"

"We're outnumbered out here, and our siege is lost!" Hurricane slashed through three more soldiers and kicked two that attempted to flank her from either side. She looked around and found that skies were filled with far more griffons that ponies. "We have to withdraw! We can't win this way!"

Platinum screamed as she cut off one more soldier's head. As his body fell from her view, Platinum could see the entirety of the battlefield before her. Her troops were indeed outnumbered, and the griffons were proving to be far too powerful, whether they held weapons or not.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She slowly opened her mouth, trying to give the order but failing to find her voice. She knew that the battle was lost, but would retreating at this point save them? Would the country ever be safe, so long as this hostile force was intent on driving them out?

Turning around, Platinum found the soldiers bringing up the rear lying dead in pools on their blood, feathers and downed griffons scattered around them. There would be no hopes of sending a message to Canterlot. Not unless she went there herself and delivered it. But then her troops would die.

"Just go!" Commander Hurricane shouted. "Take some soldiers and go! We'll delay them!"

Queen Platinum bit her lip. "No!" she shouted, turning around and facing her foes. Her eyes glowed white and her horn erupted with green energy. Ponies and griffons stayed their attacks as they watched with awe, and fear.

Magical energy washed over the battlefield, burning anything that wasn't pony and pushing them down to the ground with a sudden increase in gravity. Griffons backed away and watched as their comrades were helpless to fight against the magic, and when the display was over, at least five hundred of the imperial soldiers were dead.

But there were still many more that had escaped the queen's wrath, and the cannons in the distance still boomed. Queen Platinum dropped to her knees, panting and sweating as her horn sparked with excess energy. She looked up. The enemy's numbers had been cut, but they still outnumbered the Equestrian forces.

"Charge!" one of the griffon soldier's roared. The fight resumed, and ponies were once again struggling to hold their grounds against the oncoming forces.

Queen Platinum could only watch as one lone soldier had slipped those shielding her and towered above, flexing his claws menacingly. She could watch… as a stream of white light pushed him back, sending him flying all the way towards the warships in the distance.

Platinum turned around with a gasp. Princess Celestia had arrived. The regal alicorn zoomed through the air, ignoring the fighting on the battlefield as she raced towards the warships.

"Incoming!" one voice cried in the distance. Cannon fire followed, the bulk of it focussed on the mysterious light heading towards the ship. It dodged the shots elegantly. "Prepare to be boarded!"

Celestia gave them no such courtesy. Rather than landing on the ship's deck to fight the soldiers, she crashed through the wood, using her magic to blast holes here-and-there and to knock out the soldiers hiding within. She made another hole through the deck to leave, and stopped for a moment to fire several blast of energy at the ship's cannons, destroying them one-by-one.

An arrow almost reached her head, only stopping thanks to the barrier that she had erected around herself prior to charging at the ship. She turned towards the other one, finding several archers aiming at her. Her eyes were drawn to the flamethrowers that some griffons held as they took to the skies, and the crates of dynamite tucked away on the deck.

This ship was designed for bringing down an entire fort.

She charged towards the ship, using her magic to cripple the griffons' wings as she passed them and send them plummeting towards the ground. She scanned over the ship, guessing where its gunpowder hold would be. As arrows flew towards her, Celestia fire a blast of magic towards the back of the ship, creating a hole that exposed the storage of gunpowder below deck.

Uttering a silent prayer, Celestia cast a spell to ignite the powder, and flew quickly to the side. She landed before the ponies chained to the front of the ship and erected a barrier, covering them all as the ship exploded into a terrifying display of pyrotechnics behind them.

Whilst the fireworks filled the skies, Celestia escorted the ponies safely away. She then set her eyes on the first ship, that was beginning to rally by setting up catapults on the deck. She would not give them the chance. She flew towards the ship and coated it in her magic, grunting as she lifted the entire vessel and flipped it onto its side.

Griffons screamed and clawed at the deck as they fell. Celestia raced to the ponies chained to the front and cut their bonds, freeing them and allowing them the chance to run away.

Back on the battlefield, soldier from both sides watched in awe. A single pony had defeated the two great beasts that had been crushing the Equestrian forces throughout the entire battle, and she had done it without even suffering a scratch.

"Do not panic!" one soldier shouted as he rallied to his comrades. "We still outnumber them! We will defeat that alicorn and then force the ponies back to their castle!"

"Soldiers of the Griffon Empire!" All heads turned to a hilltop to the side of the battlefield. The strong, masculine voice belonged to the Emperor of the Crystal Empire, Emperor Quartz. "You are on notice! Withdraw your forces, or you shall be forced to face us!"

Behind the emperor, many crystalline soldiers were stood, holding swords, bows and banners. The soldier that had rallied his troops gritted his teeth, and shouted, "You think one more army will intimidate us?! Our empire is still far greater than yours!"

"I suggest you do not forget the last time that your troops had assaulted our empire, and the losses that you suffered to our magics!"

The griffon roared, but the emperor did not falter. After several long, tense moments of mulling his options, the soldier nodded. "… We're withdrawing! Gather up the wounded and return to the empire!"

The griffons scurried to carry whatever wounded they could carry, finishing those that would not make the trip back and ignoring their dead. As the griffons fled, the army of the Crystal Empire approached Queen Platinum and Commander Hurricane. To the emperor's sides, Chancellor Puddinghead and Princess Luna followed silently.

"Chancellor?" Platinum asked, sternness in her tone. "Did you authorize the princesses joining us in this battle?"

Chancellor Puddinghead giggled and scuffed a hoof against the ground. "S-Sorry, but I got the feeling that things were going bad and I… I just wanted to help…"

"You should be thanking him," Emperor Quartz said. "Princess Celestia offered to go ahead of us and ambush the griffon soldiers, whilst Princess Luna convinced us to come out and scare the griffons away with our threats."

"The Crystal Heart hath defeated the griffons before," Luna explained. "It was… rather one-sided."

Commander Hurricane gave a confused look. "Wait. I thought the Crystal Heart only worked in the empire, in self-defence."

"Ah, but they don't know that," the emperor said with a chuckle. "Naturally, we expect some form of compensation, but perhaps we can work out an arrangement that pleases everypony."

Queen Platinum bit her lip. "W-What do you suggest?"

"For centuries, we have been unable to expand our empire, due to the threats that roamed Equestria. The Crystal Heart would only reach so far, but now, with your alicorn princesses protecting the land, perhaps we could-"

"Actually, we are not their princesses," Celestia said as she joined the group. "We are simply their friends."

Platinum turned to Celestia, and found the twenty ponies that she had saved following her. "These are indeed the ponies that were attacked a few days ago," she whispered to Hurricane, who nodded in agreement.

"The soldiers of that ship are still alive," Celestia reported. "I have restrained them for now."

"Are you the only ponies that survived the ambush?" Platinum asked.

One mare shook her head, and responded, "My son was also taken. I think he was taken somewhere else, but they didn't say where!"

"My wife isn't here! Where is she?!"

"My baby! Where is my baby?!"

The small group of liberated ponies quickly crowded the queen as they demanded to see their loved ones again, and revealed the long list of ponies that were still missing from that dreadful day.

"I understand," Queen Platinum said when the crowd had finally started to quiet down. "Chancellor Puddinghead, please could you check everypony for injuries?" Puddinghead saluted, and pulled aside the group of ponies to a medical tent that had been established nearby. "Emperor Quartz, I apologise, but please can we delay our talks to another day?"

The emperor nodded. "Of course. Please let me know if there is anything that we can do to help you."

"We will be fine, now," Platinum insisted, before turning to Celestia. "Please show us to the prisoners. We would like to interrogate them."

Emperor Quartz gave his goodbyes, and ordered his troops to return to the Crystal Empire. Celestia led Queen Platinum and Commander Hurricane towards the downed ship. As they neared, Queen Platinum felt a chill down her spine. This mighty warship seemed larger up-close, and yet, it was destroyed by just one pony.

Five griffon soldiers had survived the ambush, all of them shackled to the ground by magical bonds. They struggled as the three mares approached, and Platinum motioned for Celestia to step back.

"Let us go!" the soldier in the middle ordered. "Our forces have retreated! Let us go now!"

"In good time," Queen Platinum assured. "However, we have some questions first. Regarding those ponies that were pulling your ship."

"We want to know what happened to the rest of 'em," Hurricane said. "There were more that you ponynapped on the day. Where are they?"

The soldier huffed. "Isn't it obvious? They're in the Griffon Empire! The healthy ones are down in the mines, and the old ones are likely serving our emperor in the palace."

"You bastards," Hurricane hissed.

"And what about the children?" Queen Platinum asked. "We were told that there were four children abducted on that day."

"Foals are too weak for any real work. They're useless."

"Then what did you do with them?" The soldier remained silent. Platinum raised an eyebrow, and said, "Make him talk."

Commander Hurricane delivered a swift kick to the soldier's head. His teeth left his beak and he cried in pain. "Well?" Hurricane asked, but she received no answer. Two more kicks to the head, and then a kick to the gut. "Well?!"

The griffon stuttered and heaved, but he still did not talk. "You're strong," Platinum said. "I wonder what it is that makes you so tough? Perhaps we should open you up and find out…"

"W-What?" the griffon asked, sweat running down his head.

"Come to think of it, I have many scientists that would just love to perform surgery on a living griffon. If you're lucky, you may not even die-"

"W-We ate them!" the griffon shouted, and only silence followed. He began to sweat even more. "T-The foals were too weak to work, and veal is a delicacy in the empire, so we-"

The griffon's story was cut short as Queen Platinum's sword ran through his mouth. Fire burned in the queen's eyes as she glared at the frightened griffon soldiers. "Kill them all."

"Queen Platinum," Celestia pleaded, approaching her friend, "I understand your anger, but please think this through more carefully. Killing these soldiers now would solve nothing."

"They don't deserve to live! These monsters!" Platinum pulled back her sword. "Round them up and tie them to the stakes! Leave them to the crows!"

"Plat, I gotta agree with Celestia here," Hurricane said, placing a hoof gently onto her friend's shoulder. "The griffons still have some of our ponies! If we want them back, we need prisoners of our own."

"But-"

"We gotta look at the bigger picture here," Hurricane added. Platinum said nothing in response. She simply stared at the four remaining soldiers with a fury that begged for an outlet. "If you won't give the order, I will."

Commander Hurricane took to the skies and approached three soldiers that were scavenging broken siege. She landed before them. "We've got four prisoners here! We're gonna take 'em back, but I'm warnin' ya now: if I see even one feather out of place on 'em, I'll flay ya myself! Understood?!"

Platinum growled as she watched the pegasi round-up the griffon soldiers and shackle them together. She put away her sword. After the prisoners and the pegasi left, Celestia followed, Platinum walking alongside her.

"You should have warned me about the coming attack," Celestia said, not turning to face Queen Platinum. "I could have advised you on how to fight them."

"… Allow me to make myself perfectly clear, Celestia. You are not in charge here. I am."

"Which is why you should have come to me. Instead, your pride blinded you, and you suffered a great loss. Many of your soldiers, as well as a dear friend…"

Platinum suddenly remembered about Clover the Clever, and she stopped in her tracks. Tears ran down her eyes, she dropped to her knees, and she screamed. Her cries echoed through the air, and Princess Celestia could only watch from afar as her friend blamed and cursed herself.

"Queen Platinum," she whispered, in a low, sombre tone. "Please see that I am not your enemy, before your country suffers even more casualties…"

"… What do you mean you killed him?" Trixie asked, her eyes wide and shaking as she watch Sunset Shimmer approach her.

"I'm sorry, but I had no choice," Sunset explained. "He was too powerful! He was about to kill me, and if I hadn't taken the chance when I saw it… It was either him or me, Trixie."

Trixie looked down at the ground, taking in a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "… At least you're okay, Sunset. And thanks for coming back to help me just now… Though for the record, Trixie would have found a way to turn the tables."

"Of course," Sunset said with a smile. "But then, we are against the clock here."

Trixie nodded her head. "First King Midas, and now Genesis…"

"RRRRAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHH!" Oblivion lifted his hooves and slammed them onto the ground. "NO! My brother cannot be dead! There's no way that you could have beaten him!"

Sunset Shimmer narrowed her eyes. "You're brother's dead," she said in a cold tone. "Sorry to break it to you, but your plan failed. And you'll pay for murdering our leader."

"SILENCE!" Oblivion raised his hooves, and smashed them against the ground once more. This time, his hoofcuffs broke, startling the two mares. He charged at Sunset, reaching her before she could cast any form of spell and sending her flying onto her back with a kick to the face.

"Stop!" Trixie shouted as she drew her sword. Oblivion turned and kicked it out of her hooves, before pinning her to the ground and strangling the mare. "G-GAH! UGH!" Trixie's hind legs kicked, and her face started to turn purple. She reached into her cape and fumbled at the dagger that was stowed inside.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill-" Oblivion's hooves loosened as he felt a sharp pain running through his chest, his heart burning and his forelegs falling limp to his sides. "You…"

Oblivion fell on top of Trixie. The mare grunted and groaned, using her magic to roll the stallion over before she gasped for air. Once the silence had settled in, and the world around her had finally stopped spinning, Trixie pushed herself to her hooves, steadily regaining her balance as she looked over to Sunset Shimmer.

"Are you okay?" Sunset asked as she approached Trixie.

"Y-Yeah…" Trixie gasped, turning to Oblivion, who was still lying to her side, a pool of blood spilling from where her knife was buried into his chest. "H-He's dead…"

The chalice at Oblivion's side shattered, the pieces disintegrating into the air. "Seems so," Sunset said, before turning back to her friend. "You had no choice. He had to be stopped…"

"R-Right… I had no choice… I-" Trixie closed her mouth suddenly, pushing her hoof to her lips. "She turned and ran to a nearby bush, emptying her stomach's contents behind it and struggling to find her breath. "I had no choice. I had no choice."

Sunset sighed. "I warned you that this could happen by being too soft…" Sunset walked over to Trixie, patting her friend on the back and asking, "You gonna hold up out there? It's not going to get any prettier once the fighting starts."

Trixie choked back her sobs and nodded her head. "Y-Yeah. I know…" Taking in a deep, calming breath, Trixie stared into the woods for several long moments, her legs shaking and her tears flowing steadily to a stop. "I think… Trixie will be okay now."

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "You sure? That was your first kill, wasn't it?"

"Trixie's sure… She just had to get that out of her system…"

Sunset nodded her head. "Take your time, but make sure you know where you'll stand when the battle starts. We can't have you breaking down on us when the heat's on."

"… What will we tell everypony when we return?"

"We can't tell them that Genesis was a traitor," Sunset said, putting a hoof to her chin. "Morale will drop enough as it is."

"With King Midas gone, how long can we keep Unicornia going strong?"

"We'll definitely lose members, even if we don't disband completely. We'll need to settle on a new leader."

Trixie nodded her head. "We'll need to free Robin Hood. The situation has changed dramatically and we can't risk leaving him in Canterlot while we're so vulnerable. His guidance in this matter will also be a great help."

"I've never met this stallion before, but I've heard that King Midas held him in high regards. We could definitely use his help right now. But, how do you intend to free him?"

"That won't be a problem," Trixie said with an assuring smile. "You go on ahead and inform Oasis of what's happened. I'll go to Canterlot immediately and sneak Robin Hood out."

"… Very well then. Just be careful. If you're discovered, we'll lose our mole."

"What's important now is saving our friend and regrouping," Trixie said. "But Trixie will be cautious, and advises the same as you."

A cold wind blew over Trixie as she walked briskly through the halls of the castle, a small bag strapped to her side with the tools needed to free Robin Hood and escape unnoticed. As she passed a couple of guards leaving one of the dining rooms, she couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.

Trixie stopped as her path was blocked suddenly by Twilight Sparkle. "P-Princess Sparkle!" she shouted suddenly with a bow. She waited for the princess to pass by her, but Twilight didn't seem to move. "Is there… something wrong, Princess?"

"You can drop the act, Trixie," Twilight said, her friends coming out of a nearby room to join her.

Trixie's head shot up, and her eyes settled on the grey mare standing to the left of the group. "Maud…"

"Trixie Lulamoon!" Trixie turned around. She found Shining Armor standing behind her, a spear in his magic pointed her way. "I am placing you under arrest! Surrender quietly, for your own sake!"

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 11

Trixie laughed as she stared at Shining Armor across the room, reaching up to the helmet on her head and slowly removing it. The captain watched patiently as she dropped the helmet to the floor, and then slowly removed her armour. Her entire coat was white, but according to his sister and Maud Pie, it was simply a disguise.

"So?" Trixie asked, holding out her forelegs towards the stallion. "What now? Is Trixie going to have to fight her way out of this?"

"Please don't make this harder than it needs to be," Shining Armor cautioned. "You're a spy for Unicornia, aren't you?"

"Do you have any proof?"

"… No, but I do know that you are not a member of the Royal Guard, and have been lying to us about your identity."

"'Lying'?" Trixie asked in an innocent tone. "Trixie never lied about her name, did she?"

"About your child, though," Shining Armor retorted. "And the rest of your life."

"Well now, how simple was it to fool your intelligence? A few bits in the right hooves, and Trixie can slip any forged document she wants into your archives."

"I'm going to have to take you in for questioning."

"You and what army? Your sister and her friends?" Trixie scoffed. "A whole army at your disposal, and you come after Trixie with six mares that live in a small little country town?" Trixie narrowed her eyes. "Are you trying to insult Trixie?"

"… It was her request," Shining Armor said, pointing a hoof to somepony behind Trixie. She turned and stared at Maud, her gleeful smirk suddenly gone. "I told her I'd give you a chance first."

"Trixie…" Maud stepped forwards. "Why-"

Trixie stepped back and lit up her horn, forcing the mare to stop. "We have nothing to discuss!" she shouted.

Twilight's wings extended, but a hoof from Maud caused her to remain still. "Please. I just want to-"

"You'll regret underestimating me!" A flash of light erupted from Trixie's horn and filled the room. A storm of curses came from a certain rainbow-maned pegasus until the light dimmed, allowing them all to see clearly once more.

Trixie was gone.

"She's behind us!" Pinkie Pie shouted as her tail twitched rapidly. Everypony turned and found the mare racing towards a corner. Pinkie Pie gasped as she saw Fluttershy struggling in Trixie's magic.

"You want me to hurt your friend?!" Trixie warned as she pulled the mare into her hooves and backed around the corner.

"After her!" Rainbow Dash shouted, rushing ahead of everypony to catch the showmare. Everypony else followed, Shining Armor overtaking everypony else and then slowing down to ensure that nopony got too close to the agitated mare. "Let her go!"

"Take it easy, Trixie," Shining Armor said as the group pursued her from a safe distance. He gritted his teeth as he cornered Trixie on one of the walls outside. The door ahead of her was locked, and the group were blocking the way that she had come from. "It's over, Trixie," Shining Armor said. "Please, just turn yourself in."

Trixie grinned. "Sorry," she said, tossing Fluttershy aside. She used her magic to remove her disguise as she scaled the side of the wall. Everypony froze. "I have no intention to become your prisoner today."

Shining Armor extended a hoof slowly towards the blue mare that was standing atop the edge of the wall, the wind blowing through her mane towards the fatal drop behind her. "H-Hey, don't do something foolish. We can talk about this."

"No. We can't." Trixie turned to Maud, whose eyes were trembling, and she said, "There's nothing to talk about." She leaned backwards, falling off of the wall and startling everypony.

Fluttershy slammed her hooves over her eyes as Rarity held her. Twilight and Maud froze, the former hyperventilating whilst the latter simply turned to stone. Her sister wasn't sure how to help, and her mane deflated as she watched Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Shining Armor rush towards the wall.

"What the?!" Applejack held her hat down as she gazed at the blue mare gliding into the distance on a silver hang glider, laughing boisterously as she made her escape into the town.

"Oh no you don't!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she chased after the mare, leaving a rainbow trail through the air as she caught up in a matter of seconds. She grabbed the mare and looked down with gritted teeth, but then gasped as she realised she was merely holding a stuffed doll with a cassette playing the sounds of Trixie's laughter attached to it.

"She's alive!" Shining Armor reported to the mares behind him. The effects were instant. Fluttershy peeked out from behind her hooves, Twilight took many calming breathes and was soon back to her normal self, and Pinkie Pie celebrated as her sister let out a sigh of relief.

"It's a fake!" Rainbow Dash reported upon her return, holding up the fake Trixie for all to see.

"She must've used it ta distract us while she went off somewhere else!" Applejack said.

Shining Armor put a hoof to his chin. "Trixie was supposed to have this day off. She came back for something, so she might still be in the castle!"

"Then we gotta find her!" Twilight shouted. She watched Maud run off ahead of them and gave chase, soon followed by her friends.

Shining Armor, however, glanced over the edge of the wall and narrowed his eyes. "Trixie, I didn't realise you were her… I won't enjoy this, but I can't let you do as you please anymore."

Pulling away from the edge, Shining Armor took off to catch up with his sister and her friends.

Robin Hood looked curiously towards the door as the sounds of yelling and shouting, followed by clanging and slamming, filled the room. The three guards inside the room grabbed their swords and stared at the door as it opened. The Great and Powerful Trixie walked into the room, a spear in her hooves that she pointed to the three guards.

"Stop right there!" one of the guards shouted.

Robin Hood gasped and turned around, pulling away the loose stone in his cell with his hooves and reaching for the bow and the arrows in the hollow space that it hid. He took out two arrows and pulled them back along his bow, letting them loose so that they could fly into two of the guards' necks.

Trixie used her spear as a staff, using it to knock the final guard unconscious without killing him. The distraction caused by Robin Hood allowed her to execute this move flawlessly.

"What are you doing here?" Will Scarlet asked, surprising Trixie as she turned around to find him in another cell in the room.

"They put you both together?" Trixie asked. With a grin, she added, "Well, that makes this easier, then."

"It doesn't sound like we're attacking," Robin Hood noted as Trixie used her magic to grab the keys to their cells.

"Worse," she said as she started to free her comrades. "King Midas is dead."

"What?!" Robin and Scarlet shouted together.

"Genesis betrayed us, his brother killed him, and Unicornia's morale is in danger. Trixie couldn't just leave you here in these circumstances."

"Blimey, that'd a lot ta take in, innit?" Will Scarlet asked as he grabbed his weapons from the cabinet resting against a wall.

"But you're not in your disguise," Robin Hood said. "What happened?"

"They found Trixie out," Trixie said, opening her bags and pulling out two sets of disguises. "Trixie can still disguise the two of you, and with these fake IDs, you can escape easily and board a train while Trixie has them distracted."

"In what way?" Robin asked cautiously. An explosion in the distance answered his question. "Ah."

"What about you?" Will Scarlet asked as he studied the armour that Trixie had unpacked.

"Trixie will catch up to you," Trixie assured him. "But first, she has something she needs to take care of."

Flying fast through the air, Spitfire narrowed her eyes as she caught the city of Canterlot appear over the horizon, trains leaving and entering the city and airships flying around the outskirts, high above the clouds. She lowered her goggles and said, "Let's do one more sonic boom to get there!"

Groaning, Soarin asked, "Again? We're nearly there! What's the hurry, Spitfire?"

"You got a wing cramp, Soarin?" Fleetfoot asked with a grin. The other Wonderbolts around her laughed.

"Something's off!" Spitfire explained. "I can feel it in my bones."

"You mean like that time when you thought Discord had freed himself-"

"He was freed, wasn't he?!" Spitfire retorted.

"-And thought he was recruiting an army of changelings outside our borders?"

Spitfire grunted. "Okay, so I was a little off that time, but I'm tellin' ya, something's not right!"

Soarin sighed, and lowered his goggles over his eyes. His comrades did the same. "Ready when you are, Captain."

One-by-one, the Wonderbolts altered their positions and picked up speed through the air, creating sparks until they finally broke the sound barrier, moving so fast that everything had turned mute around them.

In Spitfire's wake, a trail of flames filled the air. A 'sonic flameboom', some would call it, a feat common enough of ponies with the talent to make it as a captain in the Wonderbolts. Of all the types of sonic boom after-effects, hers was second only to the fabled 'sonic rainboom' that, to this day, has only been performed by two ponies in recorded history.

Soarin and Fleetfoot left behind trails of white smoke behind themselves, whilst Surprise, Misty Fly and High Winds left behind simple streaks of colour reflecting the colours of their manes and tails. The two ponies bringing up the rear, Silver Lining and Lightning Dust, left behind lightning after-effects, leaving long lines of electricity that sparked furiously in the air.

As Spitfire looked back to confirm that the cadet was still with them, she grinned. "Breaking the sound barrier's no easy feat! Glad I have two ponies this year that can do it!"

Lightning Dust laughed as she lowered her altitude, moving towards the forests surrounding Canterlot, and weaved between trees that popped up faster than any normal pony could possibly keep up with. "This's nothin'! You say go, I say 'how fast', and then laugh 'cause it's not fast enough!"

"Up, Cadet!" Spitfire shouted, bearing her teeth as the disgruntled cadet followed her order. The eight ponies slowly exited their sonic booms. They were now much closer to Canterlot, covering a trip that would normally take several minutes in mere seconds. "I paid you a compliment and you go an' do that!"

"It's just a few trees!" Lightning Dust argued. "What's the big deal?!"

"The 'big deal' is when we have to fish you out of one of the branches!" Soarin shouted. "Save the arrogance for when you have something to prove!"

"We're on an important mission, Dust, and I brought you along because I thought that, maybe, you'd learn something about self-restraint!" Lightning Dust sighed. "If I hear one more sigh out of you, Cadet, it's cleanup duty for two weeks! Am I clear?!"

Lightning Dust saluted. "Sir…"

"What?!"

"SIR!"

Spitfire nodded. "Good, now…" As Spitfire turned her attention towards the castle ahead of them, she slowed to a stop and raised her goggles. The others did the same. "What's…"

"Happening?" Soarin finished for her. The eight pegasi watched as guards ran around all over the castle, barking orders and searching each other thoroughly. It was chaos down there, and the captains and generals of the Royal Guard were struggling to keep things under control.

An explosion in the distance startled them all, and Spitfire said, "Looks like there's trouble here."

"So what do we do?" Soarin asked.

"We'll split into pairs! Soarin, you take Fleetfoot and go check out the explosion! Surprise, Misty, you two make sure that the princesses are safe! Silver, High Winds, you help out the generals! Dust, you're with me. We'll complete the mission we came here to do."

Lighting Dust practically threw her forehoof into the air as she shouted with excitement, "Aw yeah! Let's do this, Captain! You can count on me!"

The pairs split off into their respective roles, and Spitfire glanced over her shoulder to find her partner grinning wider than a kid that got away with pranking their teacher. "Listen, Dust, the reason I'm bringing you with me is 'cause I'm the only one I trust to keep an eye on you and keep you in-line!"

"Got it!"

"Which means that, if you act out even once, you're finished!" Sighing, Spitfire returned her gaze to her front and said, "You're one of the best cadets we've ever had, and it'd pain me to see you as a mere wingpony for your entire life. I want you to be a lead pony again, but you gotta prove it to me first that you can handle it.

"That means three things! First, you listen to what I tell you! Second, you do as you're told, and third, if you can, impress me!"

Lightning Dust gasped as a certain rainbow-maned pegasus caught her eyes on one of the walls below, and she grinned as she descended. "Hey, check this out!"

Spitfire stared in disbelief over her shoulder as she watched Lightning Dust flying towards the group of ponies gathered below them. "What did I literally just tell you?!"

"HEYYYYYY!" Lightning Dust called out, stopping suddenly before the confused ponies and blowing dust into their faces as her wings flapped quickly. The flapping steadied, and the ponies could finally see who it was that had blinded them. "'Sup, Dash?"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and turned her head away. "Oh, hey… We're, uh, kinda in the middle of something here. What are you even doing here? You need like, a permit, or something, for this airspace, y'know?"

Lightning Dust gestured to her uniform and said, "I'm here on official Wonderbolt business!"

Just then, an orange hoof smacked the back of Lightning's head, forcing her to the hard floor of the castle's wall. "IDIOT!" Spitfire scolded as she gently touched down on the wall. "We're on a mission! This isn't the time to stop and chat idly with- Oh, hey Captain Armor."

"Captain Spitfire," Shining Armor returned. "If I may… regretfully inquire, what exactly is this mission of yours? I wasn't aware of any Wonderbolts scheduled to arrive today."

"We're here to transport some prisoner to a secure location," Spitfire replied.

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. "Oh, they assigned you guys to that? Well, I guess you are fast."

"Except we weren't given many details, and this place is… pretty chaotic."

Shining Armor nodded. "Well, we have our own problem to deal with. The prisoner is Robin Hood, and he's-"

"The famous thief that stole from the rich and gave to the poor?" Lightning Dust asked as she pushed herself to her hooves.

Shining cleared his throat. "Yes, the same. It turns out he's actually a high-ranking member of Unicornia, and we thought it wise to transport him to a secret location before any of his allies could attempt to free him."

"Hey, I wonder if that's what Trixie came here to do?" Pinkie Pie suggested.

Everypony but the two Wonderbolts and Maud stared at Pinkie with mouths agape, before screaming and holding their heads in unison.

"HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THAT?!" Shining Armor cried, thrusting his hoof into his face repeatedly. "STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!"

"We gotta get ta that prison, fast!" Applejack shouted.

"D-Don't worry, guys," Twilight said. "The prisoners are well-guarded. I'm sure that Trixie…"

"Managed to beat every last guard and free the prisoners…"

Shining Armor removed his helmet and sighed. Not only Robin Hood, but also his accomplice, Will Scarlet. This was grim news indeed, and he was to be the one to report it.

"Don't you worry, guys!" Lightning Dust said, thrusting one of her forehooves into the other with a sure grin. "Us Bolts'll handle this! That mare can't have gotten too far! I'll find 'er and give her a left, a right, an' BAM! Throw her sorry butt right into this same prison!"

Lightning Dust deflated as she felt something heavy pressing into the back of her skull. Slowly, she turned to find to find Maud Pie glaring into her eyes. The earth pony's aura was so intense that Lightning Dust could practically see the fire that was forming around her, and she shrank back in fear. "W-What's your problem?"

Pinkie Pie pulled her sister aside with a giggle. "D-Don't mind her. You just keep playing Wonderbolt and weeeee'll… unsuspiciously huddle over here."

"'Playing'?!" Lightning Dust roared.

"Lightning Dust, as your lead pony, I order you to stop pretending you're a full Bolt!" Rainbow Dash said with a grin, wrapping a wing around the disgruntled Lightning Dust, who looked to Spitfire as a final hope of support.

"Obey your lead pony, Dust," Spitfire said as she investigated the cells.

Lightning Dust roared and stomped as everypony but Shining Armor and Spitfire laughed. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie pulled Maud to a dark corner and whispered to her, "If they know you and Trixie were a thing, they might get suspicious of you!"

Maud lowered her head. "But they're going to hurt her."

"I'm sure they won't," Pinkie Pie said, though her features suggested differently.

"I don't want Trixie to be hurt. I can still reason with her."

Pinkie Pie felt her heart swell as her sister's certainty to change a bad pony's heart shined brighter than Cranky's head on a sunny day. "Even if she tries to hurt you?"

"She won't," Maud said, looking into Pinkie's eyes. "I know she won't."

Pinkie Pie's eyes welled, and she wiped away the tears with a sniff. "Oh, Maudie. You've found your special somepony! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!" Pinkie Pie trapped her sister in a tight hug and lifted her into the air.

"Sis, you're cutting off my supply of oxygen."

Pinkie Pie lowered her sister, and whispered, "Okay, I'll make a distraction! You go after that high-and-mighty braggart and don't look back! Unless you forgot something important to win her over with, like a present or a letter expressing your love, but even then it'd depend on how far you get. If you're already close to a store that sells them, for example, it'd be faster – but more expensive – to just buy them there, but love has no value on it, y'know? I mean, for cheap things like chocolate and cards. Diamonds are expensive, and I think your true special somepony would be happy with whatever you got them if the alternatives are above a certain price, because the economy today is tough and they gotta understand that, right?"

"Uh, Pinkie?" Applejack asked, breaking Pinkie Pie out of her thoughts. "Where's Maud?"

Pinkie looked around, and found no signs of her sister anywhere. "Oh no! I distracted myself!"

"What?"

Pinkie Pie quickly recovered and said, "Oh, nothing! She just had to use the bathroom!"

"Oh… If you say so…"

As Applejack left the strange pony to her devices, Pinkie Pie looked towards the door that led out of the room and whispered, "Go get her, Sister."

"COMMANDER HURRICANE!"

At the end of the large room, where soldiers were racing around relaying messages and preparing supplies, four ponies stood around a large table, upon which was a map of Equestria. These ponies were Commander Hurricane, Chancellor Puddinghead, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. They all turned to Queen Platinum, who had burst through the doors and glared angrily at the group.

"There you are!" Hurricane shouted as Platinum stepped forwards, flanked by two Unicornia soldiers. "We were just discussing how to deal with the Griffon Empire's naval fleet!"

"The Griffon Empire is the largest community of griffons in the known world," Celestia explained. "Their fleet is strong, but the biggest threat is the 'Griffonian fire', that is said to never extinguish until it has consumed all available-"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Platinum demanded, jabbing a hoof towards Princess Celestia. "What is this I hear of Celestia leading our troops?! About you two stepping down and electing the two sisters?!"

Commander Hurricane frowned. "Sorry, Plat, but the situation's desperate. We put it to a vote and decided-"

"A vote?! When?!"

"We left you out because we knew you'd make a big deal of it!" Hurricane sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? But ponies are dying, and you don't have the experience or the strength to guide us through this!"

"This is treason!" Queen Platinum shouted.

"No, this is asking a friend for help! This is doing what we need to do to save our ponies!"

Queen Platinum gritted her teeth together. "By selling them to the alicorns?! By bowing our heads to these invaders?!"

"Queen Platinum, please," Celestia said as she stepped forwards. "We only wish to help-"

Platinum drew her sword, stopping Celestia in her tracks. "You dare-" Luna began, but her sister's foreleg in her path silenced her.

"You've been seeking this from the start, haven't you?" Platinum asked, bearing her eyes into Celestia's. "To assert your dominance, so that everypony will want you to be their leader. So that you can take from us what we have worked so hard to build!"

"That's not true," Celestia insisted. "I never wanted it to come to this, but Commander Hurricane is right; ponies are dying. I am the only way to-"

"That conceited behaviour! It is no wonder Father wanted nothing to do with you!" Tears fell down Platinum's cheeks as her sword shook in her grip. "I never should have let you into my life."

"Plat," Hurricane said softly. "Please. Don't do this."

Chancellor Puddinghead stepped forwards, offering a cake to the shaking queen. "C'mon, Platinum. Let's talk this out, maybe over cake?" He smiled, but the smile faded when her magic blasted the cake into a mess that covered his face.

"It's Queen Platinum, and I will never share cake with you again. Either of you! You were my friends, but now, you've sold me out. You betrayed me!"

"We didn't!" Hurricane shouted. "We'd never betray you, Plat, but we gotta do what's right!"

"YOU BETRAYED ME!" Platinum repeated, holding her sword in her magic and entering an offensive stance. "I should cut you down right now!"

Hurricane and Puddinghead mirrored Platinum's sorrow, tears starting to flow as the latter turned away. Hurricane, however, would not back down. She stomped a hoof and shouted, "Don't do this! Don't destroy everything your dad – your family – worked so hard to build!"

"I'm not! I'm defending it!" Platinum charged forwards, but only made it one step before her soldiers pulled her back. "LET ME GO! BOTH OF YOU!"

"We can't, Your Majesty!" one of the soldiers shouted. He released the queen and stepped before her, watching Hurricane closely as she crouched down, ready to attack.

"There are too many of them," the other soldier said, looking around and taking in the pegasi that were gripping their swords, many of them looking to Commander Hurricane for guidance.

"We must withdraw, and regroup with those that are still loyal to the crown," the first soldier said.

Queen Platinum glared daggers into Celestia's eyes, her own bloodshot and soaked with her tears. She nodded her head and turned around. "Then this is it," she said. "Equestria is finished. I, Queen Platinum of Unicornia, do hereby announce our withdrawal from the United Tribes of Equestria, and declare war upon Pegasopolis and Earth!"

"Plat-" Hurricane started.

"Princess Celestia, the next time we meet, I will capture you, and see you personally to the gallows."

Queen Platinum's soldiers backed away slowly as she walked away behind them, keeping their eyes on their surroundings until their queen was out of the room. Her horn flared, and the Equestrian flags to either side of the doors – the combined symbols of the three tribes over an ethereal heart – burst into flames, falling to ashes before everypony's eyes.

The doors were then slammed shut by magic, and all fell silent for several long, uncomfortable minutes.

It ended when Commander Hurricane slammed her hooves onto the large table, and Chancellor Puddinghead slumped away from the group, claiming that he suddenly didn't feel like discussing any strategies.

Princess Celestia looked to her sister. Luna seemed indifferent, and insisted that they return to their discussion of the Griffon Empire. "… Commander Hurricane," Celestia started, "I apologise for-"

"Shut up," Hurricane said, reaching up and removing her helmet. "Unless the next words out of your mouth are to tell us how to beat the griffons, I don't wanna hear it." Hurricane looked up, into Celestia's eyes. "I just lost my best friend. Don't make me regret it. Save my people, 'Leader'."

"… I promise, I will save every last pony in Equestria," Celestia assured. "Whether the threat comes from outside or internally, I will protect them. Always."

Trixie watched as the guards charged through the hallway, led by two Wonderbolts as they had just left Prince Charming's chambers. The Wonderbolts barked orders and the guards, unable to make any moves without clear directions, obeyed.

Once the hallway was clear, Trixie ran towards the unguarded room and opened the door, stepping inside without any hesitation. There, she found Prince Charming sitting at a table, drinking some kind of hot beverage as he looked over a stack of papers.

"Thanks for chasing your guards away," Trixie said as she approached with a smile. "Of course, you wouldn't need them. Being King Midas' contact and all."

Prince Charming raised an eyebrow, and then lowered his cup down as he rose to his hooves. "How amusing. A member of Unicornia, are you? You must be the one that they're all after. Tell me, what do you mean by 'King Midas' contact'?"

"There's no need to hide it," Trixie said. "You gave yourself away when you ordered Morgan's arrest."

"Oh? Enlighten me."

"You said that Robin Hood had revealed that Trixie and Sunset Shimmer were his contacts, but Robin has never even heard of Sunset Shimmer. He was imprisoned before she joined us, and has made no contact with her just yet."

Prince Charming shifted a lock of his hair behind his ear. "I did not know that." Chuckling, he said, "Fine, you got me."

"You're the contact that King Midas had, who had close ties to the royal family."

"'Had'?" Charming asked.

Trixie nodded her head. "That's why I'm here. King Midas is dead!"

Charming gasped as his eyes widened at the news. "He's dead? Truly?"

Trixie nodded again. "You have to come with us! You have to come to Unicornia and help us lead the attack against Canterlot! Without King Midas, our morale will lower, and we'll be thrown into chaos!"

"Without King Midas, Unicornia stands no chance."

Trixie narrowed her eyes. "Don't say that. We can still do this, we just need-"

"No. You stand no chance." Prince Charming used his magic to slam the doors to his room shut, startling Trixie. "And I have no desire to be associated with a group like that. The only reason I helped King Midas to begin with was because it was unclear who would win this little war, with Princess Celestia as soft as she is.

"But King Midas was the heart of your little rebellion. His blood was the only strength that you had, and with that gone, it is now clear who will come out of this war victorious. And I intend to be one that side."

Trixie gritted her teeth. "Another betrayal? Really?"

"You've heard the phrase 'you know too much', right?" Charming asked as he walked to one side of his room, picking up a sabre in his magic and drawing it from his sheath. "I can't have you revealing that I've been playing both sides, now, can I?"

Trixie raised her spear and pointed it at the prince. "You'd kill me to keep me quiet?"

"Not only that, but if I were to present your head to the princesses, it would only prove my innocence that much more." Prince Charming rushed Trixie, faster than she was expecting from the posh pony, and she barely had the time to conjure up a teleportation spell as she parried two swift blows.

She gave herself some distance, but it didn't help for long, as Prince Charming was once again on the offensive, slashing his sword wildly in an attempt to end Trixie's life. Trixie could only block and back away, occasionally using magic to push the prince back and allow her time to catch her breath.

"I've been trained in the arts of combat by the finest tutors that money and status can buy," Prince Charming boasted as he stopped to recover his stance. "You were brought up on the streets, and taught yourself how to fight."

"Thus, Trixie had the better tutor," Trixie said with a smirk, using her magic to shake the floor under Charming's hooves. The other pony ran towards Trixie, but was stopped when the floor seemed to fall away beneath him.

Startled, Charming jumped to the side, and then stared at Trixie cautiously. "Illusions."

"And lots more where that came from!"

"I would appreciate it if you stopped that…"

Trixie felt her heart beat as the prince's eyes met hers, an alluring aroma filling the air that made her blush. The prince seemed to shine before her, and her magic gradually dwindled to nothing as she nodded her head. "S-Sure…" Before she could question herself, Prince Charming raised his sabre and charged again, the floor now perfectly stable before him.

A rock flew past his face, forcing him to stop. As he turned to the source of the projectile, he was met with a pair of grey hooves to his face, pushing him across the room and into his bed, the frame collapsing under his weight.

As Maud landed, Trixie gasped and stepped back. "W-What are you-"

"I found you," Maud said, turning to Trixie with a stare that was somehow both cold and warm. "Are you hurt?" Trixie slowly shook her head. "I am glad."

"G-Get out of here!" Trixie shouted. "This guy's dangerous! You've got to-"

The doors slammed again behind the two mares, and Prince Charming rose to his hooves. "Too late," he said, frowning at the two as he rubbed his sore face. He winced, and then said, "This is even better. Now I can claim that I killed you to protect this innocent mare, but was too late to save her life."

Trixie pointed her spear towards the prince and said, "You know they could find out the true murderer with an autopsy, right?"

Prince Charming chuckled, and his horn flared. "Which is precisely why you're going to kill her for me." Prince Charming met Trixie's eyes, and she froze. "Kill that mare, Trixie. Her throat, her heart, her brain, I don't care! Just kill her, however you please."

Trixie trembled. Her face was flushed once more, and she felt her heart beating wildly as the stallion's gaze bore deep into her mind. "I… W-Wha? Kill her? But…No-"

"Yes."

Trixie gasped, and slowly, with shaking hooves, turned the tip of her spear towards Maud. Maud looked to the tip, and then into Trixie's eyes. "What are you doing to her?"

"Just using my good looks and charms to persuade her to see things my way." Prince Charming chuckled. "With a sprinkling of magic, of course. Weak-minded ponies fall for it so easily."

Maud narrowed her eyes. "Are you weak-minded, Trixie?"

Trixie flinched. "N-No. T-Trixie is not-"

"He says you are, and you're proving it by doing what he wants you to do. I thought you were 'Great and Powerful', but maybe that was wrong."

Trixie's right eye twitched. "T-T-T-T-T-Trixie isssss nooooot… WEAK!" Trixie turned her spear towards Prince Charming once more. "That was close! Trixie almost let herself fall under an illusion-type spell!"

Prince Charming clicked his tongue. "How annoying. I was hoping that you could at least accomplish one simple task. Perhaps that other mare, then-"

"You lay one hoof on her, and Trixie will remove that horn of yours!"

Maud turned to Prince Charming with a level stare. "You're making me blush."

"Shut up and get out of here! This battle doesn't concern you!"

"But it does, since you're here!"

"Trixie told you to forget about her!"

"When did I start listening to you?"

Prince Charming raised his sabre and charged, thrusting towards Maud. Trixie got in the way and parried his blow. "As enthralling as this all is, I must sadly break apart you two lovers before the guards return."

"They'll know you killed her," Trixie said.

"She was your accomplice, or you used an illusion to trick me into stabbing her. I can come up with any explanation, and my charms will do the rest."

"Trixie can't believe Midas ever trusted you!"

Prince Charming smiled. "He didn't. He knew I could betray him at any moment. That's why he even kept my identity secret from you." Prince Charming laughed. "Turns out he should've told you all about me, and you warned you not to approach me."

Charming swung his sword overhead, bringing it down towards Trixie, who ducked to the side and attempted to thrust the butt of her spear into his side. The stallion released his sword and used his magic to send it soaring behind himself, towards the earth pony watching the two fight.

Her stoic eyes widened as her body froze. Trixie abandoned her assault to blast the sword away with her own magic, but doing so left her open to a powerful kick from the prince against her muzzle.

Falling onto her back with her spear sliding across the floor, Trixie looked up to find Prince Charming standing over her, a dagger in his forehoof. He thrust it down towards her neck.

Maud grabbed the spear dropped by Trixie and charged towards the two ponies, swinging the spear towards Prince Charming's hoof and burying the tip of it into his skin. The prince yelped and dropped his dagger, and then turned to Maud with an enraged glare.

"If you want to die so bad, just say so!" Charming pushed Maud away with his magic and pulled the spear out of his hoof, aiming it towards the stunned earth pony. He pulled it back, ready to throw it.

"STOP!" Trixie pushed herself to her hooves, adrenaline rushing through her veins, and she grabbed the nearest object and pushed it into the side of Charming's neck.

Prince Charming gasped. Suddenly, his body felt cold, his vision was blurred, and his head rang and echoed with voices that he couldn't make out. His magic faded and the spear dropped to the floor, though he didn't hear it. His hearing died, followed by any feeling in his hooves, and he soon wasn't sure if he was even standing or not. His eyes closed, and his breathing drew to a stop.

Trixie panted as she looked down at the fallen body of Prince Charming, his dagger buried into his neck with blood pouring out onto the floor, and she turned her head away, tears forming in her eyes. "It feels easier this time. Is that normal?"

Maud stared at the showmare, her eyes as cold and expressionless as always. "Are you okay?" she asked. Her voice was steady, but her brow was sweating heavily.

Trixie turned to Maud. 'No, but, neither are you…' Taking in a deep breath, Trixie said, "Of course. For the Great and Powerful Trixie, this is nothing. She has killed many foul villains in order to protect the innocent."

"Oh… Okay."

Trixie gulped. "You're… not hurt, right?"

"Would you care if I was?"

"Uh, well…"

The doors opened, and Trixie and Maud turned in surprise at the sudden arrival of several guards, their faces distorted in shock and horror at the scene before them. Their prince was dead, and besides the body were two mares, one covered in blood, the other facing the fallen prince with injuries on her body.

"D-Don't move!" one of the guards shouted, and all of the soldiers rushed into the room, intent on surrounding the two mares. "You are under arrest for the murder of Prince Charming!"

Trixie gritted her teeth and growled. "This way!" she shouted as she turned and ran, grabbing Maud's hoof and pulling her without much choice. Her horn lit up, and she fired a blast of magic towards one of the large windows ahead of her, shattering it as she drew near.

"Stop!"

Trixie jumped out of the window, pulling Maud with her, and the two fell fast towards the hard ground beneath them. Trixie pulled Maud into a tight embrace, and activated her hang glider, startling many ponies as they soared through the air above the castle, descending down the cliffs around Canterlot and towards the forest at the base.

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 12

Trixie examined her hang glider, huffing as it bent easily in her hooves. One of the wings had a hole through it, and the button that activated it was jammed because she had hit it too hard. In short, the thing was useless to her now. She threw it aside and surveyed her surroundings.

"Trees over there, trees over there, aaaand… trees over there!" Trixie kicked the ground. She was thankful that they had managed to land safely, but did they really have to do so in the middle of one of the largest forests in Equestria?

"I can hear running water," Maud said, her ears twitching as she looked around. "We should follow its current. It will lead us out of the forest."

"Great. Which way?"

"… I can't tell. My ears feel strange."

Trixie clicked her tongue. "It must have been from the sudden freefall and the fast descent. Just great."

Maud turned to Trixie. "I think it might be coming from the east."

"Well, better than nothing. Let's go check it out." Trixie led the way through the forest, Maud following behind her in silence for several seconds.

Eventually, Maud asked, "Why did you drag me down here?"

"It was all kind of sudden up there. Trixie didn't have much time to think," Trixie answered.

Maud shook her head. "No, I mean, why did you even bother? I thought that you wanted nothing to do with me."

Trixie gulped, but she didn't alter her pacing, nor did she turn to face the other mare. She opened her mouth to answer, but no words came. She then closed her jaw, opting instead for silence as they ventured through the forest.

Maud, however, would not settle for that option. She rounded Trixie, stopping her suddenly as she stared into her eyes. "Why did you never come back?"

Trixie gritted her teeth. "There's nothing to discuss. Move asi-"

"No," Maud said. "We will talk now, Trixie. I want to know why you left, and then never came back."

"Maud-"

"I won't let you run away again without answering me."

"I don't-"

Maud held a hoof up. "The truth."

"I… You…" Trixie groaned, and tossed her head to the side. "Fine! I didn't think you wanted to see me! Happy?!"

"… Is that all?" Maud asked with a tilt of her head. "I don't buy it."

"Well it's true! I didn't want you to see me!"

Trixie clapped her hooves over her mouth, and Maud said, "That's different from what you just said."

With a sigh, Trixie lowered her head and stared down at the ground. She debated simply teleporting away, but then she'd be leaving Maud to fend for herself with the Royal Guard on her tail. "… I thought you'd be sad if you saw me again, so I stayed away." Trixie bit her lip. "And… maybe I thought you'd be mad, too."

"I was mad, because you never came back."

Trixie shook her head. "That's wrong. You should never be able to forgive Trixie for what she did! She chose power over you. She took your first time then left with only a letter!" Trixie stomped a hoof into the ground and whipped her head up, glaring into Maud's eyes with tears welling in her own. "How can you stand there and look at me without kicking me in the face?! Why did you go so far to defend Trixie against Prince Charming?! You should want Trixie dead at this point."

Maud's hoof crossed Trixie's face, startling the other mare into silence with a fresh, red mark on her cheek. Trixie rubbed the side of her face, turning to Maud with a look of surprise and terror. "Don't ever say that about yourself. All life is precious, and yours is moreso." Maud stepped forwards and placed her hooves around Trixie's neck. "And I knew what type of pony you were. I wouldn't hate you for making what you thought was the best choice."

"But I… did terrible things…" Trixie's legs shook as she simply stood there in Maud's hold. "I hurt ponies, including your sister."

"You didn't do it of your own accord, and nopony died."

"Trixie chose an amulet and revenge over you."

"We all make mistakes, but your biggest one was not coming back. Not even once."

Trixie teleported out of Maud's hold, staring with pleading eyes into Maud's. "Just stop. You're better off without Trixie. Go find another mare, one who will treat you right!"

"I could find a mare with the wealth to buy an entire farm, or a mare that would stay by my side every hour of every day. But none of them would be you."

"I'm a member of Unicornia!"

"I still love you."

Trixie flinched, her face burning and her ears falling against the sides of her head as she felt her heart flutter at those words. "Y-You're a fool…"

Maud nodded. "At least I'm honest, though. You lie about everything, even your own feelings, but thankfully, I can see through them." Maud stepped closer to Trixie, inching their muzzles closer together. "Do I look sad?"

"No?"

"Do I look mad?"

"… N-No…"

Maud paused, before asking, "Do you love me?"

Trixie opened her mouth, but didn't answer. She simply stood there, ready to give a simple 'yes' or a 'no', but nothing happened. Nothing, until Maud stepped forwards and greeted Trixie's lips with her own. Trixie closed her eyes and shut out all distractions around her, giving in to the situation she had found herself in.

"Prince Charming?!"

The guard saluting to Shining Armor nodded his head. "His death was confirmed five minutes ago, and the area surrounding his room has been cordoned off."

Shining Armor glanced over his shoulder. Twilight and her friends were reacting to the news in various ways – Fluttershy had fainted, Pinkie Pie's mane had deflated, Applejack and Rarity simply lowered their heads to hide their faces, and Twilight was shaking as she tried to look strong.

Neither Rainbow Dash nor Lightning Dust made any attempts to hide their rage. Spitfire had ordered them both to be calm as she approached the guard. "Was it the escaped prisoners?"

The guard shook his head. "It was two mares. One matched the description of the female spy, but the other, I did not recognise. She was grey, her mane and tail were purple, and she wore a blue dress secured with a black belt."

"You're sure?" Shining Armor asked.

"I got a good look at the culprits, sir! I am positive. They both fled towards the forest at the base of the cliff, using a hang glider to descend safely."

"Maud…" Pinkie Pie fell to her haunches, whimpering as she turned her gaze to the ground. "She wouldn't…"

"Of course she wouldn't!" Rainbow Dash shouted, clapping her hooves together. "That Trixie must've done something to her! Some kinda spell! When I get my hooves on her, I swear I'll-"

"Keep that temper in check, Dash," Spitfire said. "We can't go rushing into a dangerous situation without knowing more first. Go with your friends back to Ponyville and-"

"Are you kidding me?! You want me to just go after what that bitch did to one of my friends?!"

"Dash," Spitfire said in a warning tone.

"No way! I'm gonna find her and drag her back here, and make sure she pays!"

"Dash!" Spitfire covered her eyes as Rainbow Dash blasted through the air, leaving a rainbow trail behind herself as she flew. "Damnit! Lightning Dust, with me! Captain Armor, I suggest you remove these civilians before things get worse!"

Shining Armor hung his head, and said, "I understand." He turned to Twilight and her friends as Spitfire and Lightning Dust took off after Rainbow Dash. "Please understand, Twilie, the situation is too dangerous."

"Which is exactly why I should help!" Twilight argued. "I'm a princess now! It's my duty to-" Twilight suddenly stopped, falling to the ground as her eyes closed.

Applejack gasped and rushed to her friend's side. Before she could ask what was wrong, Shining Armor said, "It's just a sedation spell, used to calm agitated prisoners or patients. Please, take Twilie somewhere safe."

"But Rainbow Dash-" Applejack began.

"Leave that to the Wonderbolts and the Royal Guard. Canterlot has become too dangerous for Twilight now. She may be a princess, but she's never been in this kind of situation before."

"What are you talking about?" Rarity asked. "We've fought many monsters before! Remember the changelings?"

"Or the Tree of Harmony's roots?" Applejack added.

"But have you ever fought your own kind before?" Shining Armor asked, and was met with silence. "Have you ever seen your fellow countryponies – possibly your own relatives – at each other's throats? Unicornia isn't going to stop here, and I'd feel better knowing that Twilie is somewhere safe."

"… Alright, Shining Armor. We'll take Twilight and go back to Ponyville."

Shining shook his head. "No. At this point, we have to consider that that location has been compromised. Take her somewhere far away. Somewhere remote, where Unicornia won't look for her."

"But where?"

Pinkie Pie raised her head, and asked, "How about my family's farm?" She forced a smile, and said, "That's probably where Maud'll go, too, when she gets away from Trixie."

Applejack and Rarity exchanged glances, and nodded to each other. "That sounds good," Applejack said, hoisting Twilight onto her back. "Rarity, you mind carrying Fluttershy?"

"Not at all." Rarity levitated the fainted pegasus onto her back – her legs shook from the sudden weight of her cargo, but she endured it. "How will we get there? By train?"

"There's an airship that visits that farm now-and-then," Shining Armor said. "I'll arrange for an escort to take you to the docks, and you'll hop aboard the ship as it goes for a 'special delivery'."

Applejack nodded her head. "Thanks, an' ah promise we'll take good care of yer sister."

"Thank you. Sincerely." Shining Armor bowed his head, before turning to the guard behind him. "Escort them to the docks. I have to find Princess Celestia immediately."

"Yes, sir!" the guard responded.

"Find a wagon to put my sister in and tell them that the farm ordered some new machinery." Shining Armor turned back to the group of friends, gave one final nod goodbye, and then turned and bolted through the castle, his teeth gritted together. "Trixie, what have you done?"

Trixie and Maud continued through the forest for several minutes before finally finding the river. Trixie pointed out that following the river would eventually take them out of the forest, and the two followed it down through the trees.

"This forest is typically avoided because of the dangerous predators that live inside," Trixie told Maud. "Bears, wolves, manticores… They only come out at night, though, so we should be good if we hurry."

"Bears are nocturnal?" Maud asked.

"Well… Okay, the bears are diurnal, but they're nothing that Trixie can't handle."

"Like the ursa minor?" Maud stopped as Trixie did, and the showmare turned to her with a deathly glare. "Too soon?"

"… Trixie was wondering, how did you find her?"

"I had a feeling and I followed it."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "A 'feeling'?"

Maud nodded. "My sister always says that you should trust your feelings. I followed mine and watch you entering the prince's room."

"You didn't think to reveal Trixie to the Royal Guard? Not that I'm complaining, of course."

"I didn't want you to be arrested…" Maud looked down at the ground, bringing a puzzled look to Trixie's face. "I didn't think you would be attacked by the prince, though. I… wasn't sure what to do."

Trixie opened her mouth, but she didn't say anything. She knew from her time on the farm that the Pie family were loyal to Princess Celestia and her family, and Maud herself was no exception.

"I froze when I heard that he was willing to sell out his own country, but when I heard him trying to kill you, I had to do something."

"And Trixie thanks you for it… If you hadn't come in when you did, Trixie might have been-"

Maud walked upto Trixie and put a hoof to the showmare's lips. "You're alive. That's what's important to me."

"Even if it means Trixie had to kill your prince?"

"… If I had to choose between you, and a prince that betrayed us?"

"Trixie's a traitor too, you know," Trixie said. "A member of Unicornia, and a spy in the Royal Guard."

Maud took a step back. "I know… It's confusing to me, so I cannot explain."

Trixie nodded her head in understanding. "Trixie must admit to some level of conflicted feelings, too. There are still moments where Trixie wonders if this is truly all worth it."

Maud's ears perked up, and she asked, "Why don't you leave, then? It's not too late. You can go back to your travelling show and-"

"But then Trixie remembers why she's doing it, and Prince Charming's actions have strengthened her resolve. Princess Celestia had her chance at the throne, and she failed. Now it is our time."

"… You're seeking revenge again."

"That's not-!" Trixie stared into Maud's eyes, her ears falling as she gritted her teeth. "That's… That may be part of the reason, Trixie admits. After everything that Trixie has had to endure, the chance to seek revenge only seems fair, don't you think? Besides, what's wrong with seeking revenge? Everypony is different, even in their beliefs, which is why fighting happens in the first place.

"If the loser of a fight were to simply rollover and admit defeat, nothing would ever change! The strong would be free to rule for all of time! At the end of the day, revenge is necessary for somepony to finally bring closure to a fight."

"But think about what revenge did to you last time. How it… changed you."

"Trixie was blinded by her revenge last time, but not here! With Twilight, Trixie was merely grasping at whatever power she could find in her path. Here, Trixie has found a home with Unicornia. Robin Hood, Oasis, and Sunset Shimmer – we're all working together for the same goal, and we're all supporting each other through this fight.

"Besides, last time Trixie sought revenge, it was for herself. This time, Trixie is protecting everypony else that is the same position I was in. To ensure that none ever suffer the same way I had."

Trixie started moving again, Maud following after her. "I can't convince you otherwise?"

"… Sorry, Maud."

"At least you told me this time… Maybe I could join you, then."

"No," Trixie said in a stern tone.

"But-"

"You're loyal to the princesses, aren't you? To join Unicornia, you would have to throw away everything that you believe in… and Trixie does not want you to do that for her sake."

"… Then, at the very least, promise me that you won't change."

Trixie looked over her shoulder. "'Change'?"

"Like you did with the Alicorn Amulet. You're not like that. Promise that you won't let your revenge change who you are… and maybe I'll be able to feel more at ease."

"Well you don't have to worry about that. Trixie's mind is clear this time, and she has no intention of changing. After all, why mess with perfection?" Trixie swallowed a lump in her throat, and said, "You know, if Unicornia wins… Trixie will have more time to spend how she chooses. If that happens, d'you think you would… I mean, if you're willing to wait for…"

Maud shook her head. "I'm not going to wait for you, Trixie. I did enough of that before and it cost me too many days of work."

Trixie sighed, slumping her head as she muttered, "Right, of course you won't…"

"But… I don't think that there's anypony else who I would ever consider myself compatible with, so if you wanted to try courting me again, there would be very little competition."

Trixie's ears jumped, and she turned her gaze to Maud's neutral-looking face. "Right. Trixie will keep that in mind," she said with a smile. Maud smiled back, and the two walked in silence for several long moments. "So… how are your ears doing?"

"They still feel funny… Oh." Maud blushed, and Trixie chuckled under her breath.

"Trixie's guessing that they just popped back to normal?" Maud said nothing, simply nodding her response instead. "… That was a cute gasp you just made there."

Maud's blushed deepened, and she walked faster, passing Trixie and leading the way from there.

Sunlight met the two as they stepped out from the dense foliage of the forest, and Trixie smiled as she held a hoof over her eyes and looked up to the skies. "We got out of there!"

"We sure did," Maud acknowledged as she stopped to look behind herself. She saw Trixie's smile and smiled herself.

Suddenly, Trixie's smile dropped, and she turned to face Maud with a serious look on her face. "… Maud, I'm sorry, but I can't stop now. Not when there are ponies depending on me. Not when I've already come so far." Trixie frowned as she saw Maud starting back with an expressionless look. It may have seemed impartial to anypony else, but Trixie beyond it and into the sadness of Maud's soul. "I-"

"There you are!"

Maud spun around, and Trixie reached into her cape and pulled out a small switchblade knife as she looked up at the blue pegasus descending from the sky. The blade wasn't exactly long, but it was all that she had to work with.

Rainbow Dash landed between Maud and Trixie, glaring at the unicorn as she stomped a hoof into the ground. "You stay the hell away from her! I knew you were trouble, but I didn't think you'd kill somepony, then drag one of my friends into it!"

Trixie huffed and flicked her mane with her free hoof. "Trixie was expecting the Royal Guard, but she instead gets some loud weatherpony from Ponyville? How insulting."

"Shut up! You're goin' down!"

"Wait!" Maud shouted, grabbing Rainbow's waist and pulling the pegasus back.

"Maud, what're ya doin'?! I'm saving you here!"

"I'm not in danger! She saved me!"

"She-" Rainbow Dash gasped, and then shrieked in pain. She fell to her knees, her flank burning as blood poured onto the ground. Struggling to lift her head, Rainbow Dash saw the arrogant showmare standing over her with a wide grin, blood dripping the blade of her knife.

Trixie turned her attention to Maud, who had knelt to Rainbow's side before freezing. "… Don't come after me, Maud," she said as she turned away. She started to walk, and then shouted, "Trixie will release her hostage! Now that she is clear, she no longer needs her!"

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. "You… bitch… Get back…" Maud kept Rainbow Dash from getting up, and the pegasus asked, "What are you… doing? She's getting away!"

"It's not what you think," Maud said silently. "Trixie was attacked. She only killed the prince to defend herself, and me, too."

"What are you-"

"Please," Maud pleaded, staring into Rainbow Dash's eyes. "Please just… let her go."

Rainbow Dash wanted to argue, but her flank was really starting to burn. She let out a cry of pain as she fell to her side, clutching the wounded area with a hoof.

Maud looked at the wound and wondered what she should do. Suddenly, an orange hoof moved Rainbow Dash's blue one, and Maud looked up to find Spitfire scrutinising the wound. "This needs to be treated quickly. Stand back."

"Captain, she's getting away!" Lightning Dust shouted from behind Spitfire.

"Then stop her!"

Lightning Dust grinned, happy to hear such an order. "Yes, sir!"

Trixie panted as she ran for what had felt like hours across the open plains. In truth, it had only been about a minute, but under the baking sun with zero cloud coverage, it was easy to make such a mistake.

Looking back, Trixie grinned. Nopony was following her. Deciding that she could start walking, Trixie turned around and strolled leisurely across the plains – only to find a turquoise pegasus in a Wonderbolts-esque outfit hovering before her, forelegs folded and a grin across her face.

"Goin' somewhere?" the mare asked.

Trixie gasped and jumped back, holding her knife threateningly in her magic. "A Wonderbolt?! Judging by that outfit… a trainee?"

Lightning Dust cracked her hooves and her neck. "A trainee you'll wish you'd never run into!" She bolted forwards, knocking the knife to the ground with a kick and then spinning to drive her hoof across Trixie's face.

Trixie barely managed to duck beneath the hoof, and then she fired a blast of magic to push Lightning Dust away. The magic missed, followed by the several blasts that followed it, and Trixie gritted her teeth. "What are you, a fly?!"

Lightning Dust flipped in the air to avoid one more attack, and then dived down towards Trixie, her forelegs extended as she spun like a drill. Her body sparked with static and her wings folded as she drew near.

Trixie teleported back, leaving firework in her wake that launched themselves towards the pegasus. She watched as Lightning Dust extended her wings and quickly rolled to the side, escaping with but a single flame on her feathers that was patted out very quickly.

"Your mistake was choosing the Great and Powerful Trixie as your opponent!"

Lightning Dust growled, and said, "Never heard of ya! But I'll bet you've heard of the fastest cadet ever to grace Wonderbolt Academy, Lightning Dust!"

"Bold claim, and one that Trixie calls bogus on!" Trixie used her magic to summon several dark clouds above the pegasus. "Let's see how fast you really are!"

Thunder roared as the clouds rubbed together, and Lightning Dust moved quickly to avoid the first bolt of lightning, and then the second, and the third. These clouds must have been set to the manual setting, as all of the bolts had been trained on the pegasus specifically.

Seeing no end to the storm unless she made it herself, Lightning Dust continued to avoid the bolts of lightning as she curved around and ascended towards the clouds. They moved up, enveloped in purple magic, but Lightning Dust was faster. She caught up to them and kicked cloud-after-cloud, dispersing them faster than Trixie could create them and quietening the storm down.

Trixie stopped, feeling her magic starting to drain her and needing to give her mind a break. She watched Lightning Dust remove the final cloud, and then come back down towards the unicorn, stopping in a hover in the air with her forelegs folded, a smug look of pride and satisfaction on her face.

"I told ya: I'm the fastest."

Trixie didn't want to admit it, but this pegasus was fast. Not as fast as Spitfire, but fast enough to cause the showmare to sweat and feel a tinge of fear.

"So? Ready to call it quits?"

"Actually, Trixie was just wondering if she should stop taking it easy on you!"

Lightning Dust clapped her hooves together. "Bring it."

Trixie's horn flared as she kept her eyes on the pegasus. 'She's almost as fast as Spitfire, but is she as sharp?' Trixie jumped into the air, wings appearing on her sides, and she took flight, charging towards the surprised pegasus.

"What the hell?! You're an alicorn?!" Lightning Dust asked as she dodged Trixie's attack, circling Trixie to get behind her. She rushed Trixie from behind, her elbow extended to ram the alicorn's spine.

Trixie erected a barrier to deflect Lightning's attack, and then spun around and delivered a kick. Lightning Dust blocked it, but was left open to a magical attack that pushed her backwards, through the sky.

"Grrrr! You're too slow!" Lightning Dust lowered her goggles over her eyes and crouched forwards. She propelled herself towards the showmare, creating streaks of lightning behind herself as she tore through the other mare floating in the air as though she were a ghost. "What?!" Lightning stopped and turned around. Trixie was no longer there…

"Looking for me?" Trixie asked as she appeared above Lightning Dust, her horn glowing before unleashing the spell onto the pegasus.

Lightning Dust let out a cry as she was hit by the magical wave, clutching her head as she fell towards the ground… and then suddenly stopped, her eyes wide and all of the wind knocked out of her with a simple, "Urk…"

Slowly, Lightning turned her head to look over her shoulder. A long stream of energy was reaching out from the ground, creating a pole that she had crashed into, and connected to the other end was Trixie, her wings now gone, replaced by the victorious look upon her face.

"You may be fast enough to be a Wonderbolt," the winged-Trixie floating besides Lightning dust said, as it started to fade away, "But you've got a long way to go, if you couldn't even see through that simple trick. Spitfire would've shown much more caution, and may have even broken the illusion altogether."

Lightning Dust groaned, clutching her chest as she tried to flap her wings. She was in too much pain, and could not muster the strength that she needed to in order to rally.

"Give my regards to your captain," Trixie said as her copy faded away. "And let her know that that mare I abducted was merely a hostage with which to make my escape."

Lightning Dust closed her eyes and groaned, unable to do anything but fall as Trixie's magic dispersed. "D-Damn… you…"

Platinum stirred on her bed, kicking her legs and tossing her head as she groaned and gritted her teeth, sweating covering her body despite the covers having been tossed off long ago.

She wasn't having a nightmare. No, that would have been impossible, with her not being able to even sleep. The problem was much worse than simple demons haunting her in her sleep. The voices in her head were simply being too loud, their sharp whisperings sounding like cannons firing inside her head.

"GAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Platinum threw her pillow to the side, heaving as she stared across the room. The voices had stopped, and she held her head in her hoof as she tried to collect herself. "Relax, Platinum. It's all in your head."

She looked down at the bed beneath her and she scoffed. What was she thinking? Sleeping in the middle of a war? Platinum climbed out of the bed and looked around cautiously. The voices were loud, but they were right about one thing: sleeping was not safe, when she couldn't be sure who was out to get her.

Her friends, Commander Hurricane and Chancellor Puddinghead, had both betrayed her. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both pretended to be her friends so that she would lower her defences around them, and it had cost her dearly. Prince Sombra was missing – rumours had spread of his conquest of the Crystal Empire, but with Unicornia's supply of information cut off, there was no way to confirm this.

"Your Highness, I-"

Platinum gasped, turning around with her horn flared. "Who goes there?!"

General Cosmo froze, raising his hooves and shouting, "It is me, Your Highness! Please calm yourself!"

Queen Platinum sighed, allowing her magic to dissipate as she walked past the general. "Apologies. You startled me."

"I heard screaming and got worried," the general reported as he followed his queen. "Your Highness, forgive my bluntness, but you look as though you have been struggling to sleep again. Are you sure that you are okay?"

"All is fine. There is no time to sleep." Platinum snapped her head to the side, certain that a shadow had just jumped towards her. But it was only the flickering shadow of one of the torches lighting the cave. She cleared her throat, and said, "Besides, we don't know what traitors might be in our midst. We can never be too careful."

The two emerged from the cave, shielding their eyes from the morning's light. Queen Platinum watched as her troops – mostly unicorns, with only a rare few pegasi and earth ponies among them – tending to their duties in their makeshift campsite.

To her left, General Doomsayer was training rookie soldiers to use their swords and their magics together. To her right, Captain Mercy was educating troops in survivalist training, showing them how to live off the land and recycle spent supplies. Another group of ponies past them were inspecting the camp's stock of weapons, and beyond that, two soldiers stood atop a large tower, scanning the distance all around them for signs of enemy troops.

Children help the wounded and the elderly to prepare tents and meals for the troops, and doctors and nurses shouted over each other as they tended to the injured ponies that had returned from the last scouting expedition.

"Your Highness, please drink." General Cosmo offered a flask to the queen, who gasped and batted it out of his hooves. He stared at her questioningly, daring not to speak before she did.

"You know I will not drink anything I have not prepared myself."

General Cosmo nodded, and said, "Of course. Forgive me, Your Highness…"

Platinum huffed, and turned to walk through the camp. As she did so, ponies moved aside for her. The ones that could not move so well were forcibly moved by nearby soldiers. Everypony knew better than to get too close to the queen without her permission. Anypony who did so found themselves dragged to the prison under suspicion of treason… Of course, they were let out soon enough after the queen's back was turned.

'Did that pony just look at me funny? What was that?! An owl… I have to prepare my own meal soon. Can't trust the cook. Don't know her. That soldier is holding his spear. Is he going to turn it to me? Those guards look like they'd easily be bought.'

Platinum bit into her lower lip, her bloodshot eyes scanning everypony around her. She could have sworn that they were staring at her. This wouldn't do. She needed to be somewhere safer. She needed her castle back, so that she could separate herself from those who would try to hurt her.

"General Cosmo, tell the troops that we're heading out soon."

Cosmo raised an eyebrow. "For another scouting expedition, Your Highness?"

"No. We're going to retake Canterlot, and drive out the traitors.

That afternoon, before the troops of Equestria could change their shifts and the good soldiers guarding the castle could eat their rations, the western signal tower was ignited. Unicornia's troops has attacked the castle, breaking down the first portcullis with their magics and swarming the courtyard.

Soldiers and civilians alike fell. Those that had surrendered were shackled with magic and taken away, whilst those that fought were shown no mercy. Bodies fell, blood spilled, and smoke rose from the fires started on the castle's supplies.

Queen Platinum led the attack, her soul torn between the joy of reclaiming her castle, and the sorrow of seeing it being defiled by war before her very presence. "We will take the armoury and cut off their supply of weapons! After that, we'll drive out every last traitor and form a protective barrier over the castle!"

Her troops cheered, and a large battering ram was wheeled into the courtyard. It was positioned by the large doors that denied them access into the castle's interior. Soldiers took their positions and operated the device, creating a huge dent that soon gave way to cracks.

"Queen Platinum, stop this at once!"

Platinum looked up to the sky with a bitter look in her eyes. "So good of the regal 'Queen' Celestia to come and join me!" Platinum shouted, watching as the alicorn landed before her. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave my castle now."

"It is not 'Queen' Celestia. I never took up that mantle."

Platinum laughed. "Oh, I see! You think that being humble will make your crimes less severe?!" Platinum drew her sword as three pegasi soldiers landed between the two. "It doesn't."

"Allow me-" Cosmo began, but Platinum cut him off.

"No. Allow me. You three soldiers, attack me with all your might!" Platinum grinned as the soldiers readied their spears. "If one of you can kill me, then my troops will withdraw."

Cosmo's eyes widened, but he kept his mouth closed as he watched with cold nerves. 'Your Highness, surely you are not planning a suicide!'

"Well? What're you waiting for?" Queen Platinum's horn lit, and the air around her began to distort. She began to float, and her body began to spark.

Celestia frowned. "Queen Platinum, you know that that spell will not help you. The eye-for-an-eye spell will injure your opponent, yes, but all it takes is for one brave sacrifice to defeat you."

Platinum grinned. "Go ahead, then. Order one of your troops to be this 'sacrifice'."

Celestia sighed, and said, "Please do not kill her. Doing so would mean your own lives would be lost, too. And besides, I would like to talk to her, after things have quieted down."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the soldiers shouted as they charged, their spears aiming for Platinum. Two of the soldiers thrust for each of her legs, whilst the first jumped and attempted to knock her out by swinging the shaft of his spear over the back of her head. However, none of the attacks connected.

A green barrier flashed around Queen Platinum, and the soldiers were thrust back, falling to the ground before a surprised Princess Celestia. The two soldiers that had targeted her legs had themselves been left crippled, and the soldier that had aimed for the back of her head was unconscious, possibly suffering from a concussion.

Queen Platinum was left unharmed, and gently descended onto the ground. "'Eye-for-an-eye' leaves the whole world blind. I'd prefer to keep my sight."

"You altered the spell?" Celestia shook her head. "No, that should be impossible!"

"Indeed it is," Platinum agreed. "At least, in such a short duration of time. I did not alter your spell. No, I simply added a little something to it. A barrier. One that absorbs any damage that the caster would usually take. I didn't cast the eye-for-an-eye spell on myself, but on that barrier." Queen Platinum chuckled.

"There's more, though. Since the 'body' that was taking damage was my barrier, it seems that I am able to redirect that pain however I choose." Queen Platinum pointed to the two soldiers that had attacked her legs, and Celestia studied their wounds. Indeed, each one had suffered injuries on both legs, where they each should have only suffered an injury on one.

"It's such a shame that you are turning that talent against your own kind," Celestia said with a frown. "That spell could be the keystone to defeating the griffons."

"They ceased to be 'my own kind' when they chose you over me! You call yourselves Equestria, but to me, that is an insult to all the long hours I sacrificed to make this land great, only to be stabbed in the back by those I held dearest to my heart!"

"They chose the path that would save their citizens," Celestia affirmed. "You have chosen the path that will lead your citizens to their downfall."

Platinum raised her sword to attack, but she never got the chance to. Fresh alarms rang, and a new flame burned to the east. Soldiers froze, unsure of where to go. Suddenly, a voice echoed through the courtyard, screaming, "Griffons! The griffons are attacking the capital!"

Celestia gasped. She turned and took to the skies, finding an army of griffons approaching them. Their numbers were far greater than the small resistance brought by Queen Platinum.

Platinum grunted. "Damn! Those filthy pigeons are attacking Canterlot so soon?!"

"Your Highness, we are not ready to fight with the Griffon Empire and Equestria! I suggest a tactical withdrawal, and then we can come back and face whoever survives!"

Platinum pondered for a moment, and then nodded her head. "Though it pains me deeply, I must agree that we will not be able to take Canterlot this day. Order the withdrawal! We will bide our time, and see how this battle progresses!" A grin crossed Queen Platinum's muzzle as she sheathed her sword and turned away. "Who knows? Perhaps they will finish the alicorns off for me."

Celestia noticed the withdrawal, and ordered her troops to focus on the griffon soldiers. What she hadn't noticed was that the Unicornian soldiers had taken some of their prisoners with them, making a clean getaway as the griffons assaulted the courtyard, engaging the ponies with a ferocity far greater than the rebel group could have ever wrought upon them.

Upon her return to the hideout, Trixie was welcomed by both relieved and saddened faces. Relieved that she was alive, but saddened by the recent events that had dwindled their numbers by two whole leaders.

Trixie was escorted to her remaining friends, who were all happy to see her alive. Oasis grabbed Trixie with tears in her eyes, bawling over the loss of Midas and Genesis. Even if the latter had betrayed them, he was still her friend and his death had cut her deeply.

Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat, gathering all attention onto herself. "News has spread that you've been outed as a spy, but it seems that something else has happened up there. Care to explain?"

Trixie told them about how her cover had been blown, how she had discovered that Prince Charming was King Midas' informant, and then how he had tried to kill her and she had to defend herself. She left out the part about Maud Pie, but detailed how she had downed both Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust.

"I'm glad that you managed to get here safely," Robin Hood said, "But we now have another problem on our hooves: Canterlot is sure to be in an uproar right now, and they won't be happy when they've recovered."

"They have all the reason that they need to focus the entirety of their forces upon us," Trixie agreed. "Their search will become more aggressive, and it won't take long for them to find us. Morale is going to fall here, too, with Midas and Genesis gone."

"That is why we should attack now," Sunset Shimmer said. "Before we lose any of our troops, and whilst Canterlot is in its current state, we should attack and capture the castle!"

"We're not ready for a full attack!" Trixie shouted. "Besides, with Prince Charming dead, the Royal Guard will up their defences!"

"Around the royals, yes," Sunset said with a nod. "Which is why we'll act fast, attack the town itself to draw the soldiers out of the castle, and then attack Celestia when she's vulnerable!"

"It's too risky!"

Robin Hood shook his head. "This may be our only shot at this point. King Midas was the one who brought Unicornia together, both with his funding and his charisma. If we don't act now, I fear that Unicornia will be over for good."

Silence hung over the four ponies for several long moments, each one debating in their minds what the best course of action was. Oasis was the one to break the silence, asking, "What are the chances that an attack will be successful?"

"That will depend on if we can secure the city's gates before more troops come in," Robin Hood responded. "As Sunset has pointed out, the Royal Guard will increase security around the royals. If we can use that opening to secure the gates, the tracks, and the airship docks, then we can stem the flow of soldiers coming into the city. If we can do that, then we might actually pull this off."

"We would have to be quick, though," Trixie pointed out. "And even if we secure the castle, the Royal Guard will still fight us."

"Not if we can take Celestia alive," Robin Hood said. "If we can secure the princess, we can use her to force the Royal Guard to withdraw. They won't fire on us if their princess is our prisoner – at the very least, Princess Luna wouldn't allow them to."

Trixie mulled it over in her mind, and then turned to Sunset Shimmer. She stared into the other mare's eyes. They were filled with courage and resolve. Nodding, Trixie said, "Fine then. Before we lose our only chance, we will stake everything on this one attack."

"I'll go inform the troops," Sunset said. "Naturally, we'll need a leader. I nominate myself – having been Princess Celestia's student, I know a few things about the way her mind works."

"Robin Hood was King Midas' right-hoof," Oasis said. "He was in the Royal Guard before he joined us, and he's got much experience leading other ponies. I think that he should lead the attack."

Sunset turned to Oasis with a glare, but Trixie stepped in before she could say anything. "I agree. Trixie would be happy to lead, but Trixie is more about doing great things herself than ordering other ponies to do them. Robin Hood is also a sneaky little thief, so he knows more about Canterlot's weaknesses than any of us here."

"Thanks… I guess," Robin Hood said, laughing nervously as all eyes turned to him.

With a sigh, Sunset shook her head and agreed that Robin Hood would lead the attack. "Well then, I guess I'll go tell everypony the good news…" As she turned away, Sunset gritted her teeth. 'Enjoy it while you can… you thief.'

The battle had lasted several days. Soldiers from both sides had died, and many more had been taken as prisoners by the enemy. The griffons finally retreated when Princess Luna had returned from the Crystal Empire, and had unleashed a terrifying spell that projected fear itself into the soldiers' minds.

Celestia had wondered what could have come over her sister to cause her magic to run wild like that, but when Luna had shared the news of Sombra's complete surrender to the darkness, she understood. A pony that surrenders to the darkness rarely returns, and even if there was a chance…

"Well, I wouldn't try it," Celestia explained to Commander Hurricane. "No matter who it is, the risk is simply too large."

"I feel for her," Commander Hurricane said. "Really, I do. But we have to focus here. The griffons are gone for now, but they've proven that they're not scared of us anymore! The Crystal Empire can't help us now, and Queen Platinum took away most of our mages!"

"My sister and I can continue to raise the sun and the moon for you, and we will still have magic enough to fight," Celestia assured.

"Against an entire nation?"

"… We will manage. We must manage. My only concern is that the griffons this time seemed more familiar with magic than the ones that had attacked us before. Could they be studying the subject? Or could they have allied themselves with a nation that is magically advanced?"

"We gotta take the fight to them!" Hurricane insisted. "But… then we'd be leaving ourselves open to Platinum's rebellion…" Hurricane gritted her teeth and cursed. "Why can't that fool see reason already?"

Chancellor Puddinghead listened to the discussion from afar, his eyes downcast as he studied the patterns on the floor. Usually, letting his mind wander would cheer the stallion up, but this time, his ears seemed to be filtering out any mention of Platinum, which only made his heart sink deeper and deeper.

With a sigh, he turned around. 'I have to do something,' he thought to himself. 'Sombra's gone. Luna's bedridden. Celestia and Hurricane are too busy fighting the griffons. The only one who can reach Platinum is me.' Taking in a deep breath, Puddinghead straightened his face and nodded resolutely. "I have to speak to her, and help her see reason."

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 13

It was the end of the working day when Unicornia made its move, the sun hanging low in the sky and the guards making their rounds to light the streets of Canterlot before being distracted by the explosions that rang in the distance.

Alarms rang and soldiers scrambled, struggling to wade through the crowds of terrified citizens to reach the smoke rising in the distance.

At the gates, arrows flew and cannons fired, taking out the guards stationed on the city's walls. Ponies wearing the armour of the long-dead country of Unicornia flooded the gates, downing soldiers and forcing the Royal Guard back with a sizable ambush.

With the railroads destroyed, and the gates secured, the ponies of Unicornia cheered around their gathered leaders. Robin Hood and Will Scarlet worked fast to erect some barricades and usher in their troops, whilst Trixie and Oasis spread out maps of the city and picked out key locations, deciding where the Royal Guard would likely focus its efforts.

Sunset Shimmer took the stand before the gathered forces, beaming with pride as she extended her hooves and gave a speech. "Today, we are making our stand! All of you who have pleaded and been ignored, and all of you who share our concern for Equestria's safety, the time to take back the throne from Unicornia's enemy is here!"

The ponies cheered. Robin Hood looked over the crowd and tried to pick out those who legitimately cared for the cause from those who simply wished to buy a seat of power in the new Equestria. The soldiers of Pegasopolis were dressed in uniforms similar to the armour of the ancient tribe, but redesigned to offer better agility and protection from electricity.

"Canterlot is in chaos at the moment, thanks to the recent departure of Prince Charming, and the Royal Guard is scattered around the country, looking out for us. We will strike now and capture Princess Celestia! With their leader defeated, the Royal Guard will lose morale and will be forced to retreat!

"We can do this together! Unicornia is strong, and Princess Celestia can no longer hide behind the Elements of Harmony! Together, we can reclaim our stolen country and make it strong once more!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd, and Sunset Shimmer climbed down to join her fellow leaders. Robin Hood passed her and took the stage. Trixie turned to Sunset and said, "Nice speech. You been practising it?"

Sunset gave a smug smile, and replied, "It is my destiny to lead others, remember? I simply said what I really felt, and what I felt echoed their own hearts."

"'Destiny'… You mean to be a princess?"

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. "Princess? When all this is over, my destiny will be to become a queen."

"We will divide into three separate groups!" Robin Hood announced as the crowd finally quieted down. "The attack of Canterlot can only be successful if we cut off the reinforcements coming in, and draw the Royal Guard already inside the city away from the castle!

"To that end, the first squad, led by myself, will attack and hold various key locations within the city, forcing the Royal Guard to confront us! The second squad, led by Oasis and containing most of our Pegasopolis fighters, will take the airship docks! There, we can steal the airship docked there and assist the units fighting on the ground, and also stop any Royal Guard ships from coming in!

"Once Oasis gives the word over the radio, we can also ferry more fighters in by use of our own airship. It is vital that this point not be retaken! The final squad will attack the castle itself, clearing much of the way so that Trixie and Sunset Shimmer can reach Celestia. It will take their powerful magics combined to subdue her, so you must clear the way for them as much as you can!"

"No matter what, the princesses must not be killed," Oasis added as she appeared besides Robin. "If they are, then the alicorns would undoubtedly retaliate. We need them alive to be our trump cards, so that the alicorns cannot attack us outright."

"Everypony, if we are victorious this day, then the path to a brighter, safer Equestria will finally open up! For the sake of that future, let us all now fight as one unit, and be victorious against our foes!"

"For Equestria!"

"Well then, we will see you after this battle is over," Trixie said to Robin, making sure that her cape and her hat were secured, and that her pistol was loaded. Just one shot for emergencies. After that, she would improvise.

"Trixie," Robin said, pulling the mare aside and talking quietly. "I didn't want to say anything in front of the troops, as it might lower morale, but I am tasking you and Oasis with a very important task."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Robin called over Will Scarlet, who approached with a pack of fireworks in his hooves. "Take these with you," Robin said. "If anything happens that you think could jeopardise the lives of all of our fighters… or if the mission were to fail, then I want you to use these fireworks to signal us. Upon seeing them, you are to give the order to retreat immediately.

"I'm trusting you with this because I know that you will be able to see when to use them, and trust that you will do so, to save the lives of our ponies."

Trixie stared at the fireworks for a few seconds, before nodding and taking the pack, stuffing them into her hat. "Trixie thanks you for trusting her, and she wishes you the best of luck out there."

Robin Hood nodded. "… It seems that you squad has cleared most of the way for you. You and Sunset Shimmer had better get going."

"We shall be successful this day," Trixie said with a reassuring grin, and it was returned by a smile from the former-thief. With a bow and a wave, Trixie left with Sunset Shimmer, the two mares drawing their swords as they ran off into the city, towards the huge castle in the distance.

Trixie and Sunset Shimmer battled their ways through the city, using their combined magics to tear through the hoof soldiers and vanish into the shadows of city's alleys with ease. Fellow Unicornia soldiers followed them, engaging the troops that the two leaders left behind in order to stay any pursuits as the two made for the castle.

"We'll be there soon!" Sunset Shimmer shouted. "This will be where the real battle begins. The others won't be able to hold the city for long! We've got to find and secure Celestia before the Royal Guard can rally!"

"If you can just give Trixie one good opening, I can restrain the princess' magic!" Trixie perked up her head as she spied the gates to the castle ahead of them, guarded by a lone stallion with a spear in his magic. The two mares slowed to a stop and Sunset looked around questioningly. "Just you, Shining Armor?" Trixie asked. "This is the same arrogance that the Royal Guard always shows, and that has tripped them up many times."

Shining Armor pointed his spear towards the two, his eyes narrowing on Trixie as he said, "I could say the same of you. You think that two ponies alone could take the castle?"

Trixie chuckled. "The Great and Powerful Trixie, and Celestia's former pupil? How could we fail?"

"Well I'm a Captain of the Royal Guard, who defeated Queen Chrysalis and saved the Crystal Empire from Sombra's return."

Trixie flicked her mane. "Yes, you have contributed to some great accomplishments." Trixie studied Shining Armor for a few more seconds, before turning to Sunset Shimmer. "Sunset, you go on ahead and secure the way."

"We shouldn't separate," Sunset warned.

"Trixie wants to take this one on alone. Backup will be here soon. You can last long enough on your own, right?"

Sunset turned to Trixie, returning the showmare's grin. "Alright, just don't let him get you. He's crafty."

"Trixie will have him wrapped around her glorious hoof."

With a nod, Sunset sprinted past the captain. Shining Armor didn't even acknowledge her as she passed, keeping his eyes on the blue mare ahead of him.

"I don't know what kind of past they have, but Trixie better keep her mind on the mission…" Sunset muttered to herself. As she entered the castle, Sunset stopped and gasped as she came face-to-face with General Morgan, approaching her with his wings extended, blades attached to their edges, and an angry scowl on his face. "Y-You…"

"This is as far as your pitiful group goes," General Morgan said as he stepped towards the mare.

"Heh. They let you out of jail, huh?"

"Once it was revealed that the leak was coming from your friend, Princess Celestia appealed for my release. After the death of Prince Charming, the other generals were happy to support her so that I could return to my job of protecting Equestria."

Sunset lit her horn threateningly, chuckling as the general refused to stop. "How amusing. A mere pegasus wishes to challenge me?"

"You're Celestia's former pupil," General Morgan said. "I've studied your file countless times. You were banished to a world without magic. How you returned on your own, I do not know, but according to Her Highness, you could not have been here for more than a single year."

"So?" Sunset asked with a grin.

"So your magic is underdeveloped. I once defeated an army of centaurian sages all on my own – I won't lose to some novice!"

Sunset Shimmer's grin faded, replaced with a look of rage as fire burned in her eyes. "'Novice', you say? … Fine then. Let's see what this 'novice' can do to you!" Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes as she focused her spell.

The air around her began to distort, and her body sparked as she floated off of the ground. She was suspended in the air before a cautious General Morgan, and she opened her eyes as she addressed the stallion. "This is a spell that Princess Celestia taught me long ago. I wonder if you can survive its fury?"

General Morgan did not recognise the spell, but it didn't matter. No spell could defeat him, especially not one cast by a unicorn greatly out-of-practice.

The general kicked off of the ground, flying through the air with his bladed-wings aimed for Sunset's legs.

"Engineers to the airship! Hurry!"

Ponies rushed to the large airship that was getting ready to leave as their fellow members of Unicornia held off the Royal Guard, protecting the few entrances to the docks with powerful siege and magics.

"We'll take the battle to the skies and make room for our own ship to bring in reinforcements!"

Oasis watched as troops ran past her. She had secured a smaller airship to house the injured and was tending to their wounds with healing magics. The airship was ready to leave at a moment's notice, allowing Unicornia to evacuate their injured quickly if necessary.

She sighed as she looked into the distance, watching an army of Royal Guard pegasi fighting in the skies with their own 'Pegasopolis' unit. She had treated many injured with her magic, but she had also caused a few casualties along the way.

"Is this really the best way?"

"My thoughts exactly."

Oasis turned and pointed a dagger to the pony behind her. She was taken aback by the appearance of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, who was approaching her with no weapons.

"Please," Cadance said in a soft tone. "I just wish to talk. I do not want to fight with you."

"We're at war," Oasis said.

"Yes, but I… I would like to be able to resolve this without further bloodshed. You feel the same way as I do, don't you, Oasis?"

Oasis' hoof shook and she took a step back. "H-How do you know my name?"

"Perhaps you have forgotten, but we have met before. When I met Midas all those years ago, you were there, too." Cadance slowly extended her hoof, gently touching it to Oasis' and lowering it, along with the dagger it was holding. "I just want to talk. I know that you do not want this any more than I do."

Royal Guard member Wilhelm screamed and fell down the long, stone staircase after three arrows struck his flesh, and his comrade drew his sword to avenge the fallen stallion.

Will Scarlet rushed the second soldier with a dagger, thrusting the short blade into his enemy's skin and pushing him aside. "We've secured this street!"

Robin Hood nodded and signalled for his followers to search the area. "We'll draw some attention here with a few fires and draw more soldiers away from the castle. We must force Celestia to expend her guard protecting the city."

"Let's use one of these houses as a safe house for the injured," Will suggested. "We can also setup a radio to make contact with Oasis."

"Yes, this would be a good place to defend." Robin turned to the three ponies hauling the portable radio equipment. "You three with me! Will, find someplace high and do a complete sweep of the surrounding streets."

"Got it!" Will jumped to the nearest ceiling, and then jumped across buildings as he headed for the schoolhouse in the distance.

Robin Hood led the three ponies into a nearby mansion, its gates left open after its inhabitants had fled in a hurry. There was plenty of space inside to setup the radio, and there was another room that could be used to shelter fallen troops or hold prisoners to use as leverage.

As Robin entered what seemed to be the study, his eyes fell upon a painting on one of the walls. It seemed slightly out-of-place, like somepony had moved it recently. He approached the painting and found a safe to be hidden behind it, locked only by a simple keyhole.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Robin recalled his training and picked at the safe's lock, hearing that click that told him he now had access to the contents inside.

"Now let's see… Money, of course, and some letters…" Studying the letters, Robin's eyes narrowed and his hooves began to shake. "Well I'll be. Blackmail, distortion, abductions and illegal detaining… and this is the home of a general in Celestia's Royal Guard."

A laugh escaped Robin Hood's lips. "Well, I'll give her a little credit then. It is hard to weed out rebellious elements when they are in fact those we would like to trust the most."

"Robin!" Will Scarlet appeared at the entrance to the study, and Robin put the letter away into his cloak as he turned to face his friend. "It looks like Trixie's having trouble getting into the castle! Her opponent is Shining Armor. And to make matters worse, I've just spotted a squad heading this way… led by Princess Luna."

Robin Hood put a hoof to his chin, closing his eyes as he meditated on the current situation. "… Go and help Trixie. I'll delay the princess from reaching her sister."

"Are you sure?" Will asked as Robin walked towards the study's window, drawing his bow and three arrows from his quiver.

Robin Hood nodded. "I am sure. I will draw Princess Luna's attention to myself, and keep her focussed on me for as long as possible."

As Princess Luna landed outside, Robin loosed the three arrows from his bow. A shield around the alicorn princess deflected the arrows, and she turned her gaze towards the window, where Robin Hood was already drawing a new arrow.

"Go! Now!"

The battle between Shining Armor and Trixie had taken its toll on the two ponies, wearing them out to the point of each taking small breaks in-between their attacks.

From the beginning, Trixie's illusions were rendered unusable by a barrier setup by the captain, but maintaining that barrier put a heavy strain on Shining Armor that prevented him from attacking too freely. This forced Trixie to be on the offensive, and Shining Armor to focus everything on staying her attacks.

Ultimately, it had become a battle of attrition, where the first pony to get tired would lose. Trixie's magic proved to be a formidable threat against Shining Armor, but she tried not to rely on it too much, knowing that she would need to save it if she and Sunset Shimmer wanted any chance of subduing Celestia.

"You've become a talented mare," Shining Armor said as Trixie took a moment to rest. "It's hard to believe you're the same filly that resorted to yelling and flailing when you were about to be arrested."

Trixie felt a pang of rage and held up her sword. "So you recognise Trixie, then."

"Of course. You're the first pony I ever saved… Or at least, I thought I saved you, but then here you are, risking your life to destroy the peace and prosperity of Equestria!"

Trixie scoffed. "Peaceful for those who can afford it! You of all ponies should know that not everyone gets to be so lucky!"

"I know! That's why I became a member of the Royal Guard! It's to help those ponies, and also to protect them!"

"Lies!" Trixie charged forwards, swinging her sword overhead and bringing it down onto Shining Armor's shield. "Lies, all of it! Since you became a captain, who have you saved?! The princesses? The nobility that attended your wedding? Your fellow guards? Who have you gone out of your way to really help?"

"I'm only one stallion! I'm doing my best, but it's-"

"Excuses!" Trixie pushed Shining Armor backwards. "You just put on some flashy armour, give yourself a fancy title, and declare a job-well-done! You just sweep the less-fortunate under the rug, like hiding dust from your guests' eyes! But eventually that dust builds up, and there's no place left to hide it."

"It's not like that! But there's a right way and a wrong way to go about things!"

Trixie nodded her head. "If Celestia's way is 'right', then I'm proud to be wrong!"

Shining Armor thrust his spear towards Trixie, forcing the mare to jump back to avoid it. "Tell me something: why did you pretend to join the Royal Guard?!"

"You know why! To gather information and plant seeds of doubt in-"

"No no, I mean, why did you pretend, instead of actually joining? With your abilities, you could become a captain, and with your drive and your motivations, you could have helped me to change this country for the better, the right way.

"Instead, you resort to terrorism and espionage! Did you never once think about joining us for real?"

Trixie gave a simple huff as she flicked her mane. "Like Trixie has any interest in becoming one of Celestia's foolish lapdogs! The Great and Powerful Trixie is a travelling showmare, not somepony's pawn!"

"A showmare?" Shining Armor asked. "Come to think of it, Twilight mentioned something about that…"

"Of course, Trixie's hopes and dreams have always been shattered. Because unlike your sister, Trixie just happened to be born in the wrong place, at the wrong time! Your sister was treated special, whilst Trixie was treated like she was lucky to have even been accepted into Celestia's school at all!"

"But you were accepted, and you graduated! You proved yourself too all of those neighsayers."

"And it means absolutely nothing, because Trixie has no name or financial backing to support herself! Whenever Twilight hits a bump in the road, she can just call on a favour from the princess, or use her connections to overcome the problem, but Trixie? What can Trixie do other than fight those that get in her way?!"

Shining Armor shook his head. "I'm sorry that you have it so rough, but you're taking your anger out on somepony who has nothing to do with it! This is just… pointless revenge!"

"No!" Trixie pointed her sword forwards. "If Celestia wasn't on the throne… If Trixie had the power that Celestia had, she could make things right! For herself, and for everypony else in her position!"

"You say it like it's easy, but have you ever considered the challenges that Celestia faces?! You say that she ignores the less-fortunate and only favours the few, but have you considered that it takes all she has just to keep 'the few' alive and happy?"

"Then clearly she is not cut out to be our leader!" With that, Trixie forged ahead, charging towards Shining Armor as she cast a spell. "Just like technology; when one goes obsolete… you throw it away for the newer model!"

Shining Armor gasped as Trixie dropped her sword, and then reached into her cape and pulled out a pistol. She fired it, and he barely dodged the bullet, getting away with simply a graze on his shoulder. As he winced from the pain, Trixie tackled him to the ground, causing him to drop his spear and his shield. The barrier flickered, but he managed to maintain it.

Shining Armor grunted, and kicked Trixie's stomach, knocking the air out of the showmare's lungs as she backed away. He got up and grabbed his spear, swiftly placing the tip of it to her chin. She froze, looking up as she wheezed and panted and glaring into his eyes.

Images of the frightened little filly flashed through Shining Armor's mind, followed by images of that same filly thanking him and running away with a cheerful look on her face. He sighed, and then turned towards the city as an explosion sounded in the distance.

An arrow knocked Shining's spear out of his hooves, and the stallion quickly snapped his head to the source of it. Will Scarlet stood some distance away, pointing an arrow at the stallion's head. "Go, Trixie!" he shouted. "I'll keep him pinned down here."

Trixie nodded her head, and began to slowly trot away. She stopped for a moment after passing Shining Armor, and said, "Just… don't kill him. He saved Trixie's life once, so she owes him that much."

Will nodded his head, and Shining Armor released his barrier to prepare for a new spell. "Please reconsider, Trixie. Revenge has always been the most ugly quality in ponies, and I'd hate to see it tarnish your good nature."

"What you call 'revenge', Trixie calls 'redemption'." Trixie flicked her mane with a huff. "It may be a little late, but Trixie has finally paid you back for saving her all of those years ago. We're even now, so the next time we meet, it will be as equals."

"… In that case, at least promise not to die. If you lose this battle, surrender."

"Trixie will not lose. She can't afford to." With that, Trixie stormed off, heading into the castle and passing several bodies that were scattered throughout the entrance. "Sunset Shimmer's really quite something…"

The sound of an explosion outside caught Trixie's attention, and she turned to find Will Scarlet drawing Shining Armor away. Turning her focus back to her mission, Trixie continued through the hallway, her nerves growing as she encountered fewer challenges than she thought she would.

Much of the castle's defences had been wiped out by Sunset Shimmer, and it must have been done swiftly, as there were no signs of any requests for reinforcements over the radios that she had passed.

Pegasi and earth ponies suffered the worst injuries, seemingly having been killed by their own weapons… and yet, their spears, bolts, and swords were perfectly clean. The unicorns appeared to have been overwhelmed by magic.

Trixie gulped. She knew that Sunset Shimmer was powerful, but she had never really seen her against such a large foe before. If Sunset could do all of this by herself… then it suddenly seemed entirely possible to defeat Celestia with just the two of them.

Trixie ducked behind a corner as some Royal Guards passed her by, and then she continued through the castle, towards the throne room.

Queen Platinum arrived at the entrance to the Whitetail Woods, with two of her guards accompanying her as usual. She met with Chancellor Puddinghead, covered in a brown cloak that almost masked his identity and protected him from the falling snow. He was standing just outside of the forest. Upon receiving his request to talk, Platinum reluctantly agreed to meet him, but she was surprised to see that he was unescorted.

"How did you know that I was here?" Platinum asked, glancing around for any signs of soldiers in hiding.

"I know that you like nature, and would want a place to hide all of your ponies that would be difficult for an enemy to navigate," Puddinghead answered, before pulling out a magnifying glass and smiling. "I also found your hoofprints in the snow and followed them here!"

Queen Platinum narrowed her eyes. "Are you making jokes at a time like this?"

Puddinghead put away his magnifying glass and replied, "Times like this are exactly when we need to laugh. Sadness will only lead to pain."

"You betrayed me," Platinum spat. "Unless you have come to apologise, I have nothing to discuss with you."

"… I'm sorry." Platinum froze, unable to formulate a response. "I don't feel that what we did was wrong, but we should have consulted with you first."

Queen Platinum remained silent for several moments, before looking over her shoulder and dismissing her guards. Her guards bowed and took their leave, and once she was sure that they were far enough away, she turned back to Puddinghead and said, "You gave away the country that we worked so hard to build to those alicorn invaders!"

"We had to protect the ponies that were dying all over the land!" Puddinghead looked down and scuffed his hoof against the ground, kicking snow towards Platinum. "We were out of ideas, and Princess Celestia promised that she could save us if we gave her control of the situation."

"You're a coward."

"But I'm also your friend." Puddinghead looked up and into Platinum's eyes with a smile. "We're all friends, right? You, me, and Commander Hurricane. Can't we go back to the way things were?" Puddinghead extended a hoof, but it was batted away by Queen Platinum. "It was our coming together that allowed us to come this far and create Equestria! Please don't throw that away!"

"It's over," Platinum said with a huff, and took a step back as Puddinghead ran closer to her, tears in his eyes.

"Platinum, please-"

"It's Queen Platinum."

"Don't do this. I thought… I thought we were friends."

"So did I…" Platinum averted her eyes, and another silence befell the two. She caught movement in the corners of her eyes and she gasped, turning her attention to Puddinghead, who was pulling something slender and metallic from his cloak. 'A sword!'

Platinum drew her blade and swung to disarm Puddinghead. It all happened so quickly. A stream of red filled her vision. A small, slim knife fell onto the ground. Puddinghead let out one pained gasp, before collapsing onto the ground. Something shattered, and Platinum turned her head towards the broken plate that was now sitting on the ground, sitting besides the remains of a chocolate cake topped with a lot of whipped cream.

"A… A cake?"

"I-I thought…" Platinum turned to Puddinghead, who was coughing up blood on the floor before her. "I thought… that we could… d-discussss this… over… cay…"

Platinum dropped her sword and started to hyperventilate. She rushed to Puddinghead's side and kneeled down. "Oh no, no no no no NO!" Wiping the tears from her eyes, Platinum said, "This wasn't supposed to happen. I-I never meant to kill you. I thought you were trying to attack me. I was just trying to… I just wanted to protect my father's kingdom!"

Chancellor Puddinghead coughed up one more spurt of blood, before his eyes closed and his body fell limp.

Queen Platinum dropped the limp body to the floor. She looked at her hooves, shaking, and stained with the blood of her once-friend. She clutched her head and screamed.

"Princess Celestia!" Celestia turned around, greeting the soldier who had interrupted her meeting with a nod. "Forgive the intrusion, but I have urgent news regarding Chancellor Puddinghead! The chancellor has been found dead, Your Highness!"

"WHAT?!" Commander Hurricane shouted, her face burning with rage as she stomped towards the messenger. "WHO?! WHO WAS IT THAT KILLED MY FRIEND?!"

"S-Scouts report… that the chancellor had intended to meet with the traitor Queen Platinum, a-and that Queen Platinum's sword had been left at the scene of the murder."

Commander Hurricane stopped, her ears drooping and her complexion becoming pale. "N-No way… It can't be…"

"… Thank you," Celestia said to the soldier before dismissing him. The soldier hoofed over a written report to the princess before leaving.

Princess Celestia turned to Hurricane, who had fallen onto her haunches with her head in her hooves. "… Words cannot express how sorry I am. Chancellor Puddinghead was a fine stallion, and a finer leader."

"… He was my friend," Hurricane said. "He was silly, obnoxious, loud, irritating… but he was also kind, and funny, and generous, and he never let a friend down!" Commander Hurricane slammed a hoof against the floor. "He would never hurt a soul! He didn't deserve to die!"

"Sister," Luna spoke up. "Queen Platinum has proven herself to be far too dangerous. We must apprehend her at once."

"… You are right."

"I'll go," Hurricane said, rising to her hooves and facing the sisters with a burning look in her eyes. "Queen Platinum has gone too far. I won't let her get away with this."

"No," Celestia replied. "I'll handle it."

"This doesn't concern you so back off!"

Celestia flared her wings, silencing the pegasus. "… Since I am now your leader, it is my responsibility to apprehend dangerous elements such as Queen Platinum and ensure that they cannot hurt anypony else." Celestia walked closer to Commander Hurricane, placing a gentle hoof onto her shoulder. "And aside from that, you have already lost one friend today. I won't allow you to lose another."

"…"

"Stay here, and prepare for Chancellor Puddinghead's funeral. After all, it should be arranged by somepony who knows him well, and who knows him better than his friends, right?"

"… Alright," Commander Hurricane conceded, saluting the princess with tears in her bloodshot eyes. "I'll… I'll leave it to you."

Celestia nodded her head, and then turned to Luna. "The more immediate threat is still King Sombra, but we shall track down and confront Queen Platinum as our next priority."

"Where was the body located?" Luna asked. "That might help us in tracking the traitorous queen and her rebel group down."

Celestia looked at the report given to her by the soldier. "It looks like the body was found at the base of the Northern Reaches, outside of a dark cave."

"Then that is where we shall begin our search, after King Sombra has fallen."

Celestia nodded her head in agreement, and returned to discussing the battle plan with Luna.

"Come on, move it!" General Gruff shouted as he ushered doctors and nurses through the hospital's halls, groaning as a couple of doctors stopped to check the equipment attached to one patient's bed. "What are you doing?! You've been ordered to evacuate!"

"We can't rush, or the patients in critical condition may die!" The two doctors finished their examinations, and then continued to wheel the patient down the hallway.

General Gruff grunted as he moved down the hall. He winced and looked down at his injured legs. "Damn. Just because those bastards got a lucky shot, I'm stuck evacuating these old farts."

"You got a problem, General?" Spitfire asked as she approached Gruff from behind. The general refused to turn around to greet her, so she had to circle him, instead. "If you have grievances, maybe you could join Unicornia and take them up with Celestia?"

The General growled and extended his wings. "Do I look like a damn unicorn?! What're the Wonderbolts doing here? This isn't your jurisdiction!"

"It's a war, General, of course it's our 'jurisdiction'!"

"I meant this hospital! Shouldn't you be securing the docks with Princess Luna?"

"Jealous?" Spitfire asked with a grin. "Don't worry. I'm just here to check on my cadets. You just do the work you've been tasked with, General. Innocent lives depend on it, y'know."

Spitfire turned around and proceeded through the hospital, ignoring the general's insults and suggestions that the Wonderbolts were overpaid show-offs. As she reached the VIP ward that housed her two cadets, she found a doctor and two nurses panicking by the door.

"What's wrong?" Spitfire asked as she approached them.

"Captain Spitfire… I'm afraid we've got a problem. Two of the patients have gone missing."

"What?!" Spitfire shouted, pushing past the doctor to look into the room, finding that Rainbow Dash's bed was empty. She turned to Lightning Dust's, but found the pegasus sleeping rather soundly in her bed, her snores disturbing the two Royal Guard captains that shared the room.

Spitfire turned to the bed opposite to Rainbow Dash's, which should have held Maud Pie, but found it to also be vacant. Gritting her teeth, Spitfire slammed her hoof into the doorframe. "Damn! What're those idiots doing?!"

Dash limped through the empty halls of the castle, huffing and groaning as she swayed and held onto a nearby wall for support. The Royal Guard was hurrying to relay orders and get to their posts, making it easier for her to sneak by unnoticed.

She winced and clutched her flank. The injury itself wasn't the problem, though it certainly didn't help. It was the fact that she had flown for such a long distance whilst still under the effects of the anaesthetic that the doctors had given her at the hospital. She was drowsy, and starting to feel feverish, but she couldn't stop now.

"Where are you going?" she asked Maud as the earth pony took advantage of the chaos outside to knock out the stallion guarding their room.

"Trixie's out there. I have to find her before she gets hurt."

"Why do you care?! She took you hostage then threw you away, remember?!"

Maud shook her head. "It wasn't like that. She only said that so that I would not be suspected as her accomplice."

"Then… you really did-"

Maud turned to Rainbow Dash, her eyes cold and level. "She's not as bad as you think. She could have killed you, but she only wounded you, instead."

"Y-Yeah, but… she's still a traitor! Besides, it's hell out there. What if you got hurt? Pinkie Pie'd freak out!"

Maud Pie stopped, her mind drifting to her always-cheerful sister, and imagining that face twisted with pain and worry. "… Even so, I feel that something bad will happen to her if I don't go. Something worse than being captured by the Royal Guard."

"Hey, wait!"

Rainbow Dash took a moment to catch her breath, and then pressed on through the castle. "D-Darn it, Maud. Where are you?" Rounding a corner, Rainbow Dash found a couple of guards lying unconscious on the floor. She trudged past them, cursing under her breath. "I swear, Trixie, you'd better be in trouble… or I'll kick your ass myself."

Trixie arrived at the throne room to find Sunset Shimmer standing opposite three soldiers, her sword raised in her magic and stained with the blood of the fifteen fallen soldiers around her.

Trixie recognised the still-standing soldiers as generals, and she rushed to her friend's aid. Past the generals was Princess Celestia herself, who was watching with no amounts of joy from atop her throne.

"Made it just in time, huh?" Trixie asked with a grin.

Sunset Shimmer shrugged. "Eh. I could have handled these guys."

Trixie shook her head. She recognised the three generals. The first was a short, muscular mare called General Stronghoof. She was an earth pony that specialised in martial combat. The second was a former Wonderbolt, General Strife. He was a slender pegasus with a pistol strapped to each of his sides.

The third was perhaps the most troubling of all. The overweight, unicorn stallion known as General Aftershock was known to any with a deep interest in magic. His arsenal of spells was incredible, but what made him dangerous was how fast he could cast each one, and how many he could perform before feeling tired.

"You'll need help. Even with Trixie here, this won't be an easy fight."

Sunset Shimmer didn't seem worried. In fact, she seemed giddy with excitement. "I'm so close. I won't let some three simple generals stand in my way!" Closing her eyes, Sunset's horn began to glow. However, her spell was interrupted when Trixie pushed her aside with a spell.

Looking back to where she was standing, she found General Stronghoof with her hoof extended. 'S-So fast!'

Trixie swung her sword, but missed as the general ducked and spun around. "Traitorous scum!"

The general's hooves passed through Trixie, startling the earth pony, but she recovered and rolled backwards as Trixie's sword came crashing down on her from above. A blast of magic knocked her aside, and the general crashed to the floor, cracking the tiles beneath her as she fell unconscious.

General Strife drew one of his pistols, pointing it at Trixie with a glare. To his surprise, Trixie didn't move or plea for her life. She simply stood there, grinning a challenging grin to the stallion.

"Go ahead and hit Trixie, if you can."

The stallion huffed. "You think that you could dodge a bullet fired from so close? You're crazy." Strife fired, aiming for the mare's shoulder to subdue her. A purple light caught the bullet in the air, moments before it hit her, and his eyes widened.

"Come on, don't take it easy on me," Trixie said as she dropped the bullet to the ground. "Aim for the head. Try to kill me."

Strife narrow his eyes, dropping his spent firearm and grabbing his other one. He fired for Trixie's foreleg, but once more, the bullet was caught by the mare's magic.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie also performs at birthday parties!" the mare said with a bow as she dropped the second bullet.

The stallion dropped his other pistol and charged towards the arrogant mare. His focus was on Trixie, so he didn't notice Sunset Shimmer charging her magic and unleashing an electrical spell that struck his spine, causing his wings to close midflight.

The pegasus crashed to the floor, sliding forwards and stopping at Trixie's hooves. Trixie slammed a hood down onto his head, and he joined his comrade, General Stronghoof, in sitting the rest of the fight out.

"Looks like it's just the spellcaster left," Trixie said, amazed that they had actually downed two generals so fast. Sunset cracked her neck as she stepped forwards, meeting General Aftershock's gaze with a sadistic grin. "Trixie will-"

"Let me handle this one," Sunset said, her horn flaring as Aftershock's did. "I'm finally able to show my true powers. I want to give Princess Celestia a good preview of what she's got coming to her."

"'True powers'?" Trixie asked, but she received no answer. Sunset Shimmer summoned flames all around herself, causing Trixie to jump back with a yelp. The flames were the same green as Sunset's magic, telling Trixie that this was no ordinary fire; it was magical energy so hot that it burned.

Trixie reeled back, and Aftershock unleashed spells that created torrents of water to put out the flames. A barrier formed around Sunset Shimmer to block the water, and the flames pierced through as the general's spell was finished.

Sunset's magic was deflected by a wall of energy, and then countered by a storm of magical beams that crashed into Sunset's barrier and destroyed it.

Sunset teleported from point-to-point, confusing the stallion before she stopped to his side. She cast a spell that caused the floor beneath them to tremble, before the tiles shot up and flung themselves at Aftershock.

The general deflected the tiles and regarded Sunset with a look of intrigue. "That's some old magic you're using there. A lesser pony would have spent more time reciting the incantation in their minds, but you can cast it quickly, making the spell much more efficient."

"I studied magic with the world's greatest teacher, after all," Sunset boasted as she flicked her mane. "And I've always had a talent for it."

"So I've heard, but you've been away from Equestria for some time, so I doubt that you're familiar with some of our more modern spells. Such as this one!"

Aftershock braced himself and fired a beam of light from his horn that travelled above Sunset's head, stopping in the air so that it could scatter into four magical circles that surrounded the mare. She studied the symbols with curiosity as she tried to deduce the spell's purpose.

"Sunset!" Trixie shouted. "It's a self-regenerating spell! We'll need to attack it together to shatter it!"

"Don't waste your breath. It's like another world in there. She can't see or hear us, and only a hoofful of ponies are strong enough to break such a space on their own."

Just then, the circle facing the general exploded, and a beam of light struck the stallion's chest, sending him flying into the wall at the end of the room. The rest of the circles collapsed, and Sunset Shimmer stepped out, grinning as she faced the surprised General Aftershock.

"B-But how-"

"After studying it for enough time, I found its weakness," Sunset explained. "I just hit it there and destabilized the whole thing."

"But even then, it would take somepony exceptionally talented in magic to break that spell on their own!"

Sunset Shimmer chuckled as her horn lit up. "Not only did I break it, but seeing it once was all that it took to learn it. Let's see how it works on you, with just a little modification."

The general tried to teleport away, but Sunset's spell hit him too fast, the four magical circles entrapping him before he could cast his spell. Teleportation became impossible whilst in that distorted plane, but at least he was safe to recover from Sunset's attack… That was, until the circles turned from their black colours to a terrifying orange, heat radiating off of them as they closed in on the general.

His screams filled the throne room, and Trixie and Celestia looked on it horror as the circles dispersed. The general's armour was broken and dented, his fur was smouldering as steam rose up into the air, and his words were nonsensical mumblings as he stumbled for a few seconds, before collapsing onto the ground.

And then, the three generals teleported away, startling Trixie and drawing Sunset's attention to the princess descending from her dais. "That is quite enough," she said. Sunset walked casually to Trixie's side. "You have bested my generals, but I will not allow you to claim their lives."

"So, the princess herself has finally decided to fight for what she stole," Sunset declared, clapping her hooves slowly as Celestia climbed the last few steps. "Good. I've waited a long time indeed for this chance at revenge."

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "I can see that you have studied magical intensely in the short time that you have been here. Tell me one thing, Sunset Shimmer: why are you doing this? Twilight Sparkle has told me that you had made peace with the past, and that you were well on your way to forging great friendships in the other world."

Trixie turned to give her partner a questioning gaze, but Sunset merely laughed as she shrugged her shoulders. "Your student will believe anything she hears, won't she?!"

"Sunset Shimmer, if there is anything in you that can still see light, then I urge you to-"

"Annnd there it is!" Sunset extended her hoof, pointing it accusingly at Celestia as it shook uncontrollably. "That arrogance! That, that… sheer, uncontested ego that makes you think you are above it all! Your word is good, everypony else is bad! You stealing this country is 'for the greater good', but us stealing it back is 'terrorism'."

Trixie nodded her head, turning to Celestia with a furrowed brow. "Trixie may be in no place to speak, but we could really do without somepony with a god complex on our throne."

Celestia shook her head, looking at the two ponies with a solemn frown. "I am simply doing what I must to save the ponies I lead. The two of you clearly have the same intentions, but you are going about it the wrong way. War, bombings, assassination. The throne should not be ruled by those blinded by rage and jealousy."

"Oh, forgive Trixie for being jealous of the nobles who had five helpings on the night that Trixie had leftover scraps! Forgive the poor, unfortunate souls for being angry when your Royal Guard – who had sworn to protect them – turned away because somepony offered them a better deal!"

"This country was founded by unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies," Sunset said. "The alicorns have no place here, and they never will."

"… It seems that this fight is unavoidable," Celestia surmised, nodding her head in understanding as she used her magic to remove her crown, placing it gently down onto her throne. "Very well, then. I shall not hold back, my former student."

Sunset gasped as Celestia rushed forwards, faster than General Stronghoof had been, and raised her forelegs above her. They came crashing down as Sunset teleport backwards, and magical energy surged from Celestia's hooves, creating an electrical current that rushed towards the mare.

Celestia watched as Sunset jumped over the current to avoid it, and then countered with a flaming wall that rushed the princess. Celestia extended her wings and beat them, the wind putting the flames out before they could hit her.

For her part, Trixie watched from the sidelines as the princess and the princess' former student battled, each one casting amazing spells and looking for openings in the other's defences. 'Just give me an opening, Sunset…'

"Gah! Your magic is still as weak as it ever was!" Sunset yelled as she created a ring of icicles around Celestia, stopping her momentarily. Sunset gave a victorious grin, though it was smashed as Celestia magic melted the icicles, replacing them with stone shards that flew towards her.

Trixie gritted her teeth. Sunset dodged most of the shards, but one had hit her shoulder, and it clearly impacted her speed. Sunset moved much slower as she cast her spells, and whatever she threw at Celestia – water, fire, ice, rocks, metal – it was all useless.

Even arcane energy proved useless, as Celestia simply blasted any magical circles that formed or neutralised any beams that were fired towards her before they could do any damage. Despite it all, though, Sunset never seemed to panic.

Sunset drew a small knife from her cloak and teleported close to Celestia, slashing the princess' coat before teleporting away. "See? You put on a good act, Princess, but I know that even you get tired eventually."

Celestia placed a hoof over her small gash, narrowing her eyes as she studied the bloodlust in her former pupil's eyes. "Perhaps you should focus on yourself more."

Sunset tilted her head, and then felt a shock through her body as the wound on her shoulder finally registered itself. She clutched the burning wound, casting a deathly glare to Celestia, when the air around her suddenly started to distort.

Sunset clutched the sides of her head and screamed, dropping to her knees. The pain seemed to subside, and she was left panting as she looked over at the princess, returning a nonchalant stare.

"Please stop this foolishness, Sunset Shimmer. Although we are now on opposite sides, you were once my pupil, and it brings me no joy to have to hurt you… yet I must, if I am faced with no other choice.

Sunset jumped to her hooves with a frustrated roar, and she shouted, "Worry more about what will happen to you!" Sunset's horn lit up, soon followed by her entire body. The glow became brighter as Sunset put away her knife and crouched down.

Celestia recognised the spell and braced herself, gathering magic into her horn to defend herself. "AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

A bolt of lightning accompanied the echoing laughter, and Celestia gasped as the aura around Sunset Shimmer turned dark, the green becoming black and the mare morphing, wings springing from her sides and her horn growing. Sunset's coat became a dark-blue and her cutie mark was replaced by a crescent moon on a black background.

It was Princess Luna… in the guise that she took after becoming Nightmare Moon. "S-Sister…"

Celestia snapped out of it, shaking her head to rid herself of the illusion. She knew that she was being tricked, and she knew that she had to regain her focus. But it was too late. The spell was cast, and Celestia felt the wind being knocked out of her body as she was forced onto her back by the propelled body of Sunset Shimmer.

The magic crept over Celestia and caused a burning sensation that caused her to kick and squirm. A quick spell cleansed the burning, but before she could recover from her situation and climb to her hooves, she felt something clamp around the base of her horn, stifling her magical abilities.

Trixie panted and wiped the sweat from her forehead, admiring her work. A ring that negated magic was secured around Princess Celestia horn, preventing the alicorn from using any of her powers.

"W-We did it," she said as she looked up at Sunset Shimmer, who had climbed to her hooves and was dusting herself off with a satisfied look on her face. "We did it!"

"We did," Sunset confirmed, giving Trixie a reassuring smile as the showmare celebrated her victory. "That was an excellent illusion, Trixie."

"Well, that was an excellent opening that you gave," Trixie returned. "Trixie needed Celestia's focus to be completely drawn for just that split-second." Trixie grinned at the downed Celestia, feeling giddy as she reminded herself that she – and an assistant – had defeated this mighty foe. "You see, Princess, everypony has a weakness, and yours is your sister."

Trixie huffed as she flicked her hair, and then circled the princess to approach her partner. "You put an entire country at risk to save her. Obviously, you would hesitate if you saw her as Nightmare Moon again."

Sunset grabbed her sword in her magic, looking down at the princess still putting on a show of strength and unyielding will.

Celestia considered trying to run, but knew that it would do no good. 'I have lost, but I must not panic. They still need me alive to keep Father and the others from attacking. Perhaps I can still reason with them, before it is too late.'

Sunset grinned, raising her sword into the air and pointing it down at the fallen princess. "Hey, I know we were meant to keep her alive, but I've got a better idea."

Celestia's eyes widened, and for the first time that day, she felt fear running through her body. Fear for her own life. She could not tear her gaze away from Sunset's eyes. 'That murderous gaze… That unforgiving torment! I have not seen such eyes since…'

"Let's kill her, right here, right now."

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 14

"Queen Platinum! Why are we traversing this harsh weather?!" one of Platinum's guards asked, shielding his goggled face from the strong storm that threatened to carry him into the air and shivering from the intense cold caused by the blizzard.

"You moved the body, so the hideout should be safe!" the other guard added, struggling to keep up with the group.

"It's not enough!" Queen Platinum shouted. "To win this war, we need enough power to take down Celestia and Luna once-and-for-all! We don't have the time to raise an army!" Platinum stopped for a moment after she almost tripped. "The Crystal Empire… is where he is! My brother!"

"I heard he tapped into dark powers and became a monster!"

Platinum nodded her head. "Yes! And that is exactly the type of power that we need!" Suddenly, the storm stopped. The trio also stopped, and removed their goggles, looking ahead to the sight of the glorious Crystal Empire standing before them.

"Where is everypony?" one of the guards asked as he stepped forwards, but he was stopped by Queen Platinum. After a few more seconds, the two guards jumped back as a heavy black aura started to manifest before them. "W-What is that?!"

Queen Platinum looked up towards the smoke that slowly started to shape itself into a face. "Hello again, my brother…"

"Sisssssterrrr…"

Trixie stared at Sunset Shimmer in shock, trying to grasp what the other mare had just said. She gasped as Sunset took another step towards Celestia, and rushed to place herself between the two ponies. "Wait!"

"Stand aside, Trixie. This pony deserves none of your mercy."

"Look, Trixie gets that some stuff went down between you two," Trixie said, earning a scoff from the orange mare, "But this isn't the right way to go about it! Don't let revenge blind you."

"Says the mare who craved revenge so much, she sold her soul."

"That was… T-Trixie made a mistake, and-"

"The only mistake you made… was not getting your revenge!" Sunset used her magic to push Trixie aside, and glared at Celestia, who was now standing on her hooves again. "I won't make that same mistake. I will kill her… After all of this time, I will kill you, Celestia, and burn your entire tribe to ash!"

Celestia's eyes widened, and then narrowed as she studied Sunset Shimmer. "You…"

"You, and your sister, and everypony who follows you! I will see to it that you all die!" Sunset found herself frozen by magic, and turned to glare at Trixie. "Stop this right now! I don't want to have to kill you, too!"

"Who are you?" Celestia asked, drawing a confused look from Sunset Shimmer. "It is true that I have not seen my student in quite a long time, but… you are not Sunset Shimmer."

"W-What?" Trixie asked, cancelling her spell and turning to Princess Celestia.

"Yes, my student had turned to darkness, and had plotted against me… but she was never consumed by the same bloodlust that has clearly taken a hold of you.

"Who are you?"

The question lingered in the air for several long, tense seconds, and was finally broken when Sunset started to laugh, lowering her sword as her voice grew louder. "Yes! I suppose I should let you see the face of the one about to kill you!" Sunset's laughter died down, and she gave the princess a menacing grin as green flames surrounded her body. "Perhaps you might recognise me better like this!"

Trixie and Celestia covered their eyes with their forelegs as the brightness of the flames overwhelmed them. As the flames died down, they could see once more, and when they lowered their legs to see what new form the mare had taken on, surprised gasps filled the room.

The fighting in Canterlot had taken a drastic turn upon Princess Luna's arrival. With her came the Night Squad, the famed group of ponies with bat-like wings that had fallen under her command upon the princess' return.

The Night Squad was a collection of the finest magicians, warriors, medics and flyers that Equestria had to offer. To become one was no easy feat, and their talents were put to use capturing the most deadly criminal elements, tracking down powerful artefacts that could be misused, and protecting Princess Luna from harm.

The Night Squad numbered only fifteen ponies, and even with only eight of them present, they fought fiercely, pushing back the rebels towards the city's gates and securing the parts of the city that had been swarmed.

The Royal Guard got their second wind, joining the Night Squad in driving back Unicornia and pushing the rebel group into chaos. Those who had joined for their own gains dropped their weapons and fled, and those who felt that the battle was lost began to surrender.

Robin Hood stood strong against Princess Luna, keeping her from getting too close by keeping his arrows trained on her. Will Scarlet fought two of the Night Squad's warriors, using his magic to push them back whenever they got too close. His ranged weapons had been destroyed, so he was forced to fight with a simple dagger and his horn.

Oasis had contacted Robin on the radio during the battle, telling him that an airship from the Crystal Empire was attacking, and that they were starting to get outnumbered. Robin assured her that he would be there soon, but at the rate things were going, he would have no chance of making it.

Drawing an arrow and pulling it back along his bow, Robin slowly rounded the corner where Luna was hiding, storing magic into his horn to counter whatever spell she might try to throw at him. However, the princess was not there.

"You fight well," Luna said, and Robin snapped around to point his arrow at her as she descended from above. "I have read your report, Hood. You were once a Royal Guard, favoured by my sister herself and a candidate for the Night Squad, but you resigned one day out of the blue and then vanished."

"Well, let's just say I had some disagreements with the way you and your sister were running things."

"Clearly. Though it pains me to think that a pony of your talents would turn to terrorism, instead of helping his fellow ponies."

Robin Hood narrowed his eyes. "That's exactly what I'm doing! Equestria is a country filled with ponies who deserve to live happy lives, including the ones you don't always see through a telescope!"

"You think it is easy what my sister does? But she tries her best for everypony! If you truly wished to help, you would lend her your support!"

"You speak as though it were so simple, but not everypony's voice can be heard!" Robin fired his arrow, which passed Luna, and he gasped as he ducked to the side, avoiding a blast of magic from above. He looked up to see Luna flying above him and drew another arrow. "Some of us are pushed aside by those at the top, and many ponies aren't even allowed to get close enough to voice their thoughts!"

"You think that that justifies terrorism?!"

"When you and your sister stole this country from us, you became obligated to keep it safe! Failing to do that, you no longer deserve to wear those crowns!" Robin fired one arrow, and then another one quickly. His second arrow shaved a few feathers from one of Luna's wings. The alicorn landed before him as he said, "There are ponies corrupted with greed right under your noses, yet you remain oblivious to them and allow them to hurt innocent ponies!"

Luna sighed, shaking her head solemnly. "It's true that there are things happening in Equestria that my sister and I have trouble spotting, but we truly are doing our best to make things right for everypony!"

"… I don't believe that you and your sister are bad ponies, nor do I begrudge you for stealing Equestria from the tribes that founded it." Robin drew another arrow. "But your time is up. Equestria is weak. It's time for a change in leadership."

"You believe that you have what it takes to lead Equestria better than my sister?"

"Not me alone. See, that's the thing: Equestria was founded by three tribes. Unicornia, Pegasopolis, and Earth, and it was the combined efforts of those three tribes that gave it strength enough to blossom.

"From the start, it was always King Midas' intention to return leadership of Equestria to representatives of all three tribes, and that will is carried through to me!"

"I would prefer not to fight you, Robin Hood. You seem like a stallion with a good heart. However, if you will not surrender, then I must, for the sake of peace…" Luna's eyes glowed as her body lifted into the air, magical energy coming out from her horn and circling her body. "I must stop you!"

'Just gotta buy enough time for Trixie and Sunset to capture Celestia! Just a little more time…' Robin fired his arrow as Luna charged towards him.

Oasis watched with horror as the airship bearing the Crystal Empire's flag fired its cannons towards the smaller ships circling around, walls of crystal rising up to protect the larger ship from all attacks made towards it.

"That's the airship that the Crystal Empire has been working on since its reappearance," Oasis surmised, earning a nod from Cadance, who was standing besides her with a frown matching Oasis'. "The 'Hope'."

"Unfortunate that its maiden voyage must be a combat experience," Cadance said. "The Royal Guard are swarming the entrances to the decks, and the Wonderbolts are converging, too."

"Pegasopolis is strong. They will keep them out."

"For how long?"

"Long enough to do what must be done. If not, we can still flee on our own ship."

"And then what? How many ponies will have been injured? How much damage do you think this fighting has caused?" Oasis remained silent, so Cadance continued. "What could ever make a pony turn against their own country like this? Where is the sense in fighting amongst ourselves?"

"… The sense?" Oasis snapped to Cadance, and yelled, "Where was the sense in my entire village being cast aside, simply for being poor?! Where was the sense in my older brother dying just for trying to save some lives?!"

"Bad things happen, and it is unfortunate."

Oasis shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You have no right to say that. You, who became a princess just because you were in the right place at the right time, and then got adopted by Celestia and given everything you could ever hope for! You married a handsome stallion and were given control of the Crystal Empire, and what did you have to suffer for it?!"

"Sometimes, it is just luck that leads us to our fates." Cadance turned to Oasis, seeing her shocked into silence by her words. "I won't deny that fate has dealt me a kinder hoof than most others, but I still worked to earn the things that I have now. It was unfortunate that that same hoof was never dealt for your village… however, I'm here now, and willing to help." Cadance extended her hoof, but it was batted away by Oasis.

"Why should I accept your help now, after so long?"

"You weren't in the right place at the right time, but you are now." Cadance urged her hoof forwards again. "Don't throw aside this opportunity, because you never know when it might be given to you again. Take what life can give to you, and maybe, just maybe, we won't need all of this fighting."

Oasis stared at Cadance warily for several long seconds, before slowly lifting her hoof. "… What do you get out of this? If the Royal Guard defeats us, then you win."

"What do I get? Well, how about a friend?" Cadance gave a smile, and added, "If you have the opportunity to help somepony, then you should. Isn't that the philosophy behind Unicornia? It's a good one… and one that I never realised I had forgotten, until recently."

"But… can I really call off this fighting, after coming this far?"

"It's never too late to turn back. Look inside your heart, and ask yourself: is this really the best way to solve everything?"

Oasis swallowed the lump in her throat, and slowly extended her hoof forwards, connecting it with Cadance's. "… I'll have a word with Robin Hood, but I can't promise anything."

Oasis reached for the radio to her side and turned the dials, trying to find the right frequency. "Robin? It's Oasis! Come in Robin! Robin? … It sounds like he's fighting…" Oasis backed away from the radio and turned to Cadance. "I've got to end the fighting! Wait right he-"

BANG!

Cadance gasped as a pegasus crashed through the deck above them, slamming down on Oasis' head and leaving the two unconscious in a pile on the floor. As she rushed to their aid, two more pegasi appeared, their swords pointed at Cadance.

"Send word to Prince Robin and the enemy! We've got a hostage!" one of the pegasi shouted, grinning as he slowly approached the startled princess. "Finally, we can turn the tides of this battle…"

Trixie simply looked on in shock and confusion, whilst Celestia… shook with terror, rage, confusion, and sadness. The lilac mare flicked her elegant mane and adjusted the crown atop her head. "It has been a long time, hasn't it, 'Princess' Celestia?"

Celestia was speechless. Standing before her was a living, breathing ghost. Only it was a ghost of flesh. A ghost that, just moments ago, she was fighting.

Trixie wasn't sure what to think, and uttered a simple, "Princess Platinum?"

The new mare turned to Trixie, her gracefulness consumed by rage in a single second. "That's Queen Platinum!"

Finally, Celestia narrowed her eyes, and said, "What cruel joke is this? Queen Platinum died over one thousand years ago!"

"Oh, but you're wrong," Platinum assured, turning back to the princess. "I never died. As you can see, I am right here, 'old friend'."

"The Queen Platinum that I knew was no changeling!"

Platinum gave a hearty laugh, and then replied, "Certainly not! But you see, when I had heard of my brother's exploits in the Crystal Empire, I trekked there myself, to see if he could… share some of his powers. Not to become a creature of smoke or… shadow, or whatever.

"You see, I knew that I would need more power to defeat you. I had heard of the changelings and their abilities to shapeshift, and I wondered if my brother's new abilities would be able to give me those same powers."

"So you became a changeling?" Celestia asked before shaking her head. "Impossible. Even for King Sombra, changing a pony's race for just a short time is no easy feat. To change it permanently should have been impossible for him."

"Oh, I am well aware. But you see, what Sombra did was not change my race. He merely gave me the powers to shapeshift and to detect emotions that a changeling has. I do not need to feed off of love, nor can I in order to increase my powers. The shapeshifting ability alone has come in very useful, especially for fooling all of your pathetic guards."

"So those 'sources' that you had…" Trixie trailed off, her surprised look having faded into a simple stare of extreme caution.

"Unfortunately, after my transformation, I needed to rest in my brother's castle for a few nights… This coincided with the same time that you and your sister attacked the Crystal Empire, and Sombra's curse had swept me along with everything else, too!"

Celestia's eyes sparked with sudden realisation. "Then, when the Crystal Empire returned…"

"So did I," Platinum confirmed. "And I knew that it was only a matter of time before you attacked us again. My brother was nowhere to be found, and the ponies in the town had become empty husks with no memories of what had transpired. I fled that forsaken place. Imagine my surprise when I had stumbled into a village that I had never heard of, and then learned that I had been hurdled one thousand years into the future!

"The worst part was finding out that you were happily accepted as our ruler… and that there was no rebellion anywhere in the entire country…" Platinum sighed, turning her head to the side as she reminisced. "I had taken some time to adjust to my new powers and learn the ways of this new world. I came up with a disguise to hide my identity… but found little point to living in a world where you had won. A world with no Unicornia. No Sombra. No place for me at all…"

I fell into depression. With no followers to lead, I was alone against the mare who had taken everything from me, and the army that blindly swore loyalty to her!

I found my way to Canterlot. Maybe I just wanted to be as close as I could be to my old throne, or perhaps I was foolishly waiting for some sort of miracle to happen. Regardless, I all that I did there was drink my sorrows away. The ale of this modern age did wonders easing my pain, and the other patrons had plenty of money that was easy to pinch.

I had almost given up all hope, but then an event happened that made me snap. Tirek's defeat was being celebrated all over Equestria. Ponies were happy to have survived such a catastrophe, of course, but the celebration was more to 'honour' the princesses, who had 'defeated' him! HAH!

"How can you be so blind?! The princesses are the ones who put us in that mess! Trusting Discord, the very embodiment of chaos itself, and leaving him alone?! With no safeguards?! They should be hanged for putting us in such danger!"

"Miss, perhaps you've had too much to drink."

"And then how do they respond?! They didn't fight at all, they simply hid their magic in somepony else! They tried to save their own hides and you're celebrating them as though they were heroes!"

Needless to say, my opinions were met with boos and jeers. I had to leave, not that I wished to stay amidst the celebrations in your honour. I was wondering how much longer I could keep going in this hellish new world… when a stallion from the tavern followed me outside.

"You're not alone in your thoughts," he said to me. He told me of a meeting that was taking place outside of Canterlot, in the forests outside of the city.

Out of curiosity, I attended the meeting. Imagine my surprise when I arrived, and a stallion calling himself the leader of 'Unicornia' was preaching to an entire crowd about the unjust rule of Princess Celestia! Moreso, this stallion was incredible. He reminded me so much of my father. His figure, his posture, his voice, and his sense of justice and loyalty to the common ponies.

Finally, there was some light that shone in my dark world. I had a newfound purpose in my life. A new army to lead!

"I did some research and discovered this 'Sunset Shimmer' – a pony who used to be Celestia's pupil, before being banished to another world. There were rumours that she came back and fought against your new pupil, before being banished again, which I found to be true.

"I took this mare's form and presented myself to King Midas. He was happy to take me in as one of his 'princesses'."

"But why show up as Sunset Shimmer?" Trixie asked. "Why not… show yourself as Pr- Queen Platinum?"

"What's more believable: that somepony who supposedly died one thousand years ago is alive and has yet to draw any attention, or that I am a changeling spy seeking to use Unicornia to stir chaos?"

"Trixie… supposes that that is a good point."

"One thousand years… finally, I have you right where you should have been all those years ago, Princess Celestia. At. My. Mercy."

Platinum raised her sword in her magic and stepped towards Celestia, bloodlust in her eyes as she closed in on her target like a snake cornering its prey. However, Trixie stepped between the two once more, stopping the former-queen in her steps. "Hold it! As Trixie already said, we have to keep her alive!"

"Because Robin Hood said so?"

"Because it's the only leverage against the alicorns!"

Platinum waved a hoof dismissively. "It doesn't matter. They would attack us regardless."

"It's true," Princess Celestia said. "Our people would not value two lives over the entire country and the resources that we gather."

"Not helping!" Trixie said through gritted teeth.

"See?" Platinum said. "She admits it. The cold nature of the alicorn tribes."

"Don't you see, Queen Platinum? That is why I had to become this country's ruler. Not because my father ordered it, but because, if not I, then somepony else would have stepped-up. Somepony who may not have had Equestria's best interests at heart."

"Oh, Princess Celestia. How quick you always are to justify your own actions, and yet, all that your talking does is prove how deluded you are."

"I'm telling you the truth, Platinum. From the start, I wanted you – the three leaders – to accept me of your own accord. I could sense your growing bitterness towards me, which is why I tried to give you some room. I hoped that you would come around. But, the situation was dire, and your subjects needed somepony to guide them through those dark times!"

"Enough! I've heard enough of your lies!" Platinum stomped towards Princess Celestia, huffing with each step that she took. "You're an alicorn, and all you alicorns care about is stealing what other races work so hard to build! You stole my crown, and my friends, but now I-"

Trixie drew her own sword and forced Platinum to stop. "We need her alive!"

"Trixie. Lulamoon," Platinum said through gritted teeth. "I won't ask you once more. Step. Aside."

"I understand how you feel, but this is-"

"You understand?!" Platinum fired a spell that knocked Trixie onto her back with a surprised yelp. "You understand nothing! You were born with nothing! You had your little show taken from you? You lost your dear love to your own stupidity? Try losing your entire kingdom! Try watching helplessly as your subjects fall before you, and somepony else saves their lives! Try watching those same subjects choose some outsider over the family that had led them for several generations!

"Try watching everything you've worked towards crumble, and know that you're powerless to stop it!" Tears streamed down Platinum's cheeks as Trixie rose to her hooves. In a low whisper, she added, "Try watching your two best friends in the whole world betray you… and then watching one of them murdered by the very pony who turned them against you."

"Queen Platinum, it was not I who murdered Chancellor Puddinghead," Princess Celestia said.

"You were the one who got into his mind, and convinced him to join your side! If it wasn't for you and your damn tribe, the three of us would have been friends forever! YOU. RUINED. EVERYTHING!"

"EVEN SO!" Trixie yelled, charging magic into her horn as she glared the former-queen down. "Even so, there is a right way and a wrong way! If you kill her now, you'll lose! We'll no longer have our leverage to keep the alicorns at bay, and Princess Luna will pull no kicks in tracking down and wiping us out!"

"Do you not get it?! We won't be holding them at bay!" Platinum raised her sword. "Celestia's death will mark my triumphant return, and on that day, the ponies of Equestria – soldier and citizen alike – will march forth and purge the world of the alicorn threat!" Platinum turned her hate-filled eyes to Celestia's. "Your people will die! Your cities will burn! And I will personally be there to execute the ruler of your tribes!"

"That… That's insane!" Trixie yelled. "That'll be a bloodshed for sure, on both sides! You'll be leading countless ponies to their deaths!"

"No price is too steep to emerge victorious in war!" Platinum took another step forwards, but was stopped as Trixie fired her spell.

"I won't let you do it! Our goal is to reclaim Equestria, not destroy it!"

"Equestria will never be free so long as they exist!"

"You're letting your desire for revenge blind you! Stop it now, or I'll… have to stop you…"

Platinum took a step back, her voice trembling as she let out a low, sorrowful laugh. The laugh quickly turned to a menacing one, and her mad cackles filled the large room and echoed through the castle's halls. "Of course!" As Platinum slowly calmed herself, she wiped some tears from her eyes, and then turned her glare to Trixie. "Of course… Everypony I ever care about betrays me, so why should you be any different… Very well, then! If you refuse to step aside, then you are officially a traitor to Unicornia!

"And there is only one punishment for treachery!" Platinum narrowed her eyes and leapt forwards, bringing her sword down on Trixie.

Trixie parried the blow and pushed the blade aside, and fired a blast at Platinum's face. It was deflected by a barrier that scorched the throne behind Celestia, and then Trixie ducked to the side and thrust her sword at Platinum's left foreleg.

Platinum dodged gracefully and stepped on Trixie's sword, pinning it to the ground. She swung at the showmare's horn, but her target teleported away, reappearing behind her with a spinning kick.

Platinum turned around and pushed Trixie back with a wave of magic, and rushed towards the fallen mare, bringing her sword down before she could get up. "I am a princess, Trixie! I have been trained in the finest arts of combat…"

"That's nice," Trixie said from behind Platinum, gathering magic into the tip of her horn. "Trixie's been trained in the finest arts of street combat. Wanna see how they compare?"

Platinum grunted as the illusion she had sliced faded, and she turned around, only to be met with a ray of light coming towards her. It formed a circle around her, which turned to electricity, trapping her inside.

"You think I can't counter a simple spell like this?" Light erupted from Platinum's horn, and the effects of Trixie's spell disappeared. She charged towards Trixie, swinging her sword as she closed the gap. "It's a shame that Princess Celestia managed to kill you, my dear friend! But don't worry! I'll avenge you, on the battlefield!"

Trixie materialised besides Platinum and kicked the side of her face, sending the former-queen to the floor as he sword slid away. As Platinum got up, she rubbed her cheek with a growl, and turned to where Trixie had been.

"One thousand years ago," Trixie began, appearing by Platinum's other side and giving another kick, this one to her waist, "Illusionists were rare, and the discipline was incomplete. You don't have much experience with them, do you?"

"So what?!" Platinum roared as she tackled Trixie, only to fall through the showmare and land on the floor.

"So, I have the advantage here, 'Your Highness'!" Trixie picked Platinum up with her magic and delivered a kick to her face. Blood poured from Platinum's nose, and Trixie released her. "Now that you've released some of that rage, maybe you'll be calm enough to see reason?"

Platinum lunged forth and grabbed Trixie's neck, strangling the pony as her teeth bit into her lip. "How dare you… How DARE you?! I am your QUEEN!"

"You're not the queen anymore," Trixie said, rather clearly, despite her current situation. "And somepony who would put the lives of their entire country at risk don't deserve to be so! I joined Unicornia to make things right, not to help some ghost from the past fulfil their personal grudge!"

"Then die by those words!"

A hoof on Platinum's shoulder startled the mare, but before she could turn around, her body was spun away from the fading Trixie, and her face was met with a blue hoof that knocked her onto her back. "Not today!" Trixie shouted.

Green flames surrounded Platinum, and when they were gone, Maud Pie was standing there, sniffing and regarding Trixie with fear and shaking eyes as blood ran down her lips. "P-Please, Trixie… You're hurting m-"

Another hoof met Platinum's face, and Trixie scoffed as the confused mare rose to her hooves again. "Did you really think Trixie would fall for such an old trick? I am a trickster! I lie for a living! Did you really think taking the form of somepony she cares about would be enough to defeat me?!"

Trixie rushed forwards, engaging Platinum in a hooffight whilst the other mare tried various forms to throw her off her guard. Nothing worked, though. Platinum took the form of Trixie herself, and then Robin Hood, and then even King Midas, which only seemed to make Trixie enraged even further.

Finally, Platinum was on her back, with Trixie above her, a hoof rising in the air and then coming down to strike her face. "Just surrender already! It's over!"

Platinum tried to cast a spell, but Trixie was fast, and her kicks were interrupting her each time. The only thing that she could do was transform, so she did… and for a moment, it stopped the showmare. Grinning, Platinum asked, "What's wrong?" she asked in Twilight Sparkle's voice. "I thought that this wouldn't stop you."

"It won't… Trixie is merely confused as to why you think her of all ponies would work."

"I wonder…" Platinum looked over to the door of the throne room. "By the way, did I mention that my abilities give me the hearing, and the sense of smell, of a changeling?" As she said that, Platinum changed her expression to one of pain and fear, complete with tears and sobbing that filled the room.

"Trixie, stop!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she burst into the room, panting as she looked over the scene before her. Celestia was captured, and Trixie was on top of a bloodied, crying Twilight Sparkle, her hoof raised in the air, as though ready to strike again.

Suddenly, any attempts to reason with the mare were thrown out of the window, and Rainbow Dash bristled, her wings extending as adrenaline rushed through her body.

Trixie realised her situation and quickly tried to reason with the mare. "Wait, it's not-" Before she could continue, a blur had knocked her off of Platinum and onto her back. She was pinned by Rainbow Dash, who puffed steam from her nose as she glared down at the dazed showmare.

"How dare you hurt my friend?! I can't believe I ever thought there could be some good in you! Whatever Maud sees in you, it's wrong! YOU'RE UNFORGIVABLE!"

Trixie's horn glowed. "Damnit, stop! She's-"

Trixie's words were halted, as was Rainbow Dash's heated rage. The two mares were frozen, and their faces began to pale, as blood poured from Rainbow Dash's stomach, onto Trixie's coat.

Trixie managed to slowly move her head, where she found Platinum's sword piercing her chest. She followed it through Rainbow Dash's stomach, and found Twilight Sparkle standing above them, grinning from ear-to-ear as she was surrounded by green flames.

Suddenly, the sounds of hoofsteps caught Platinum's attention, and she turned to find Celestia fleeing from the throne room. "Hmph. Saving your own skin, are we? Well, it's as expected, after all…"

Platinum pulled the sword out from the two mares, and a gasp escaped Rainbow Dash's mouth as she fell limp on top of Trixie. Trixie tried to get up, but her legs weren't responding. Her eyes weren't focussing, and she couldn't bring any words to escape her mouth.

As the two mares lay in a pile on the floor of the castle's throne room, Platinum sheathed her sword and chased after Celestia, green flames consuming her body as she ran.

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 15

Outside the castle's walls, the battle raged inside the city as both sides rallied behind their leaders. Luna had successfully driven the rebels back, forcing most of them to defend the gates of the city or to take refuge at the docks. Unfortunately, the captured Princess Cadance forced the Royal Guard to ease their attacks, giving Unicornia the time that it needed to regroup and ready itself for the next attacks.

Celestia could not even concern herself with the events happening outside, instead running through the castle as fast as her legs would allow her to. She needed to find one of her generals, or perhaps even a captain, and she needed to be sure that they were versed in magic. She knew that Platinum could not be defeated by a pegasus or an earth pony.

Down the hallway, she spied Shining Armor approaching with four other soldiers, all of them injured and limping, their armours torn and their weapons broken. "Princess Celestia?" Shining Armor asked, gasping as he noticed the ring around her horn. "What happened to you?"

Celestia bit her lip. In his current state, Shining Armor would not be able to defeat Platinum. But maybe he could still-

"Aunt Celestia!" Celestia turned around. Blueblood ran upto her in a frenzy, his face twisted in fear and his chest heaving as he slowed to a walk. "Auntie, thank goodness I found you! It is too dangerous here! We must-"

Celestia used her magic to grab Shining Armor's sword – or what remained of it – and slashed at her nephew, forcing him to jump back with a start. The soldiers behind her simply gaped at what they had just witnessed.

"A-Auntie, what are you doing?!" Blueblood screamed.

"Do not think I would be fooled so easily," Celestia said with a scowl, her breathing picking up as she raised the sword into a defensive stance. "The idea that my nephew would not have already found a safe location during a time of crisis is laughable. There's most certainly no way that he would be travelling alone, or be in the castle."

The stallion chuckled softly, his horn lighting up before green flames surrounded his body. "Oh, is that so? So your nephew is a worthless coward who would abandon his country in its time of need?" Platinum took the form of Sunset Shimmer once more, grinning at the terrified looks on the soldiers' faces.

"I never said that," Celestia countered, wincing as the sword in her hold lowered. She raised it back up and said, "My nephew, Prince Blueblood, is as loyal to myself and Equestria as they come, but he is also a coward. Therefore, his first priority would be to safeguard himself… before offering whatever help he can over the radio."

"Captain Armor, what is your status?!"

Shining Armor turned to the stallion besides him, who was carrying a portable radio on his back. The stallion lay the device down and allowed the captain to operate it with his magic. "Prince Blueblood? I'm currently escorting injured troops to the infirmary!"

"The rebels have your wife at the airship docks! Princess Luna is unable to proceed without your word, or it may start a civil conflict with the Crystal Empire!"

Shining Armor's legs shook, and his head snapped to the nearest window, where he looked out into the distance, staring at the airships battling each other in the distance. "T-Tell her to hold on! I'll be right there!"

"I don't think so," Platinum said, drawing her sword and pointing it at Shining Armor. The soldiers charged her, but her magic pushed them back easily, dropping three of them to their knees and the other two – Shining Armor included – were pushed against a wall.

Her eyes turned to Celestia, who was still holding that sword, though barely. Celestia swung, and Platinum parried, countering with a thrust that Celestia dodged. Platinum cast a spell to distort the air around Celestia's ears, swaying her balance and distracting the princess from another attack.

Celestia cast a spell to reverse the effect, though doing so caused her to almost drop her sword. She managed to recover just-in-time to push Platinum's sword aside, trading a lethal blow for one along her shoulder.

"I'm impressed that you can still use magic, considering that that ring is supposed to negate it completely. But, it seems that that's all you can manage, Princess."

Shining Armor and his comrades recovered their spears and quickly formed a wall before the princess. "Princess Celestia, please get out of here. We will handle this threat."

"No, Captain Armor," Celestia said with a solemn shake of her head, her breath reduced to steady pants as her sword dangled in her trembling magic. "This is not a foe that you can face in your current conditions."

"She's right," Platinum agreed. "Even with five of you, you would only delay me for a mere ten seconds, at best."

"Prince Blueblood, send reinforcements to the eastern section of the castle right away!" Celestia ordered.

"We are stretched thin as it is, but I'll see who is available."

Platinum simply laughed. "Call whoever you want. Once I kill Celestia, your troops will fall into chaos, and my troops will be fired up!"

"I… wouldn't count on… that…"

Platinum turned around, a look of shock covering her features as she watched Trixie Lulamoon approaching her. Bandages covered her wound, though blood seeped out, proving that the injury did indeed exist. She looked like a corpse that had gotten up and started walking; her face was pale, her features were twisted in pain, and she was holding herself together as though she would otherwise fall apart.

"Hmph. Persistent, aren't we? How are you still alive, exactly?"

"Because I am the Great… and Powerful…"

"It is because my soldiers responded to my call for aide," Celestia explained.

"I was getting to that!"

"Even with my magic sealed as it is, I was still able to get a message for medical troops to go to the throne room. That was why I left, Queen Platinum – not to save myself, but to save them."

Platinum laughed. "Well, it seems your charity was wasted. It's too late to be beg for mercy, Trixie. Your traitorous actions have cemented your death, and once this battle is won, the war will start!" Platinum turned to face Celestia. "I will lead this country to battle against your kind! Even if it takes thousands of lives, your race will fall, Celestia!"

"I won't let you do that!" Trixie shouted, before clutching her side and groaning.

"And what can you do? Your wounds have been treated, but you're still in no condition to fight, Trixie Lulamoon."

"Don't… intend to…" Trixie winced as she removed her hat and used her magic to pull something out. Platinum watched with curiosity as Trixie aimed several fireworks out of the windows to her side and fired them. Trixie grinned, though Platinum did not understand why.

"What was that?" she asked. "What did you do?!"

"It's… the signal to retreat…" Trixie laughed as she watched Platinum's eyes widen. "Oh yeah… Upon seeing that signal, Robin and Oasis will have all forces withdraw… without question… They will assume the worst and prioritise escape…"

"You…"

Trixie coughed, forcing herself to stay standing as she stared Platinum down. "Go ahead and kill Celestia. Without any backup, though, you'll never leave this place alive."

"Why was I not informed?" Platinum demanded through gritted teeth. "I was not given this signal to retreat!"

"Heh. I guess Robin trusted me more. He must've seen what you really were – a mare green with envy and blinded by her desire for revenge."

"Cancel the order!" Platinum stomped a hoof. "Tell them to come back!"

"Sorry, but Trixie doesn't have a firework for that. Even if she did… you're not my queen. You're not anypony's queen."

"I am the queen that founded this country! I am the saviour that stood up the alicorn menace, and I am your ruler!"

Trixie glared daggers into Platinum's eyes. "You are a dead queen with no troops to lead and a grudge that will be your downfall. Trixie's been there before, and that's why she can tell you right now: you will always lose."

Platinum drew her sword and charged, roaring as she closed the gap between herself and Trixie. "You insult your queen, and think you will live to regret it?! DIE, TRIXIE LULAMOON!"

Shining Armor tried to catch the mare, but his injuries had made him too slow. He could only watch as Platinum leaped towards Trixie, who was frozen by fear.

Trixie's life flashed before her eyes, and just as it was over, a grey hoof filled her vision, colliding with Platinum's face and pushing the other mare onto her back, her sword flying out of a nearby window.

Maud Pie crouched and held Trixie in her forelegs, glaring as the downed Platinum rose to her hooves. "Stay away from her, or I will show you how dangerous a rock farmer can be.

"GAH! How dare you-" Platinum was interrupted by the sounds of hoofsteps behind herself, and she turned around to find the Royal Guard soldiers slowly approaching. She channelled magic into her horn, and they stopped, eyeing her cautiously.

Trixie stared up at Maud in awe, and confusion. "How did you… find me?"

"I will always find you," Maud replied, not taking her eyes off of Platinum.

"Princess! The enemy is retreating!" Blueblood reported over the radio. "Should we pursue them?"

"And Cadance?"

"She has been returned to us."

"Then tell all forces to ceasefire and return to the castle," Celestia ordered. "We will let them go. Make no attempts to follow them."

"… If you say so, though I feel we are missing a golden chance."

"Captain Armor, how long can you last?"

"Five minutes, Your Highness," Shining Armor reported. "Ten if it's important."

Celestia nodded. "Five will be fine, Captain. Soon, there will be nowhere for you to run, Queen Platinum. Please surrender now."

"Surrender?!" Platinum sneered, but considered her situation. Five armed soldiers were guarding the princess. She couldn't kill Celestia and escape on her own. "Hmph. You are lucky, Celestia, but the reaper will come for you, someday."

Green flames surrounded Platinum's body, and when they were gone, she had taken the form of a green pegasus pony. She jumped out of the window to her left and glided downwards, soaring over an army of guards that had caught her shadow and looked up.

"Blueblood, spread the word to every soldier to be on the lookout for a green pegasus mare fleeing from the castle!" Shining Armor reported through the radio. "Also report that she is a changeling, and tell the soldiers to note whatever new forms she takes!"

"Understood. I'll let everypony know."

"Trixie!"

Shining Armor turned to Trixie and Maud. The showmare's body had gone limp, and blood was seeping from her wounds at an alarming pace.

"M-Maud…" Trixie's eyes closed slowly, and the world around her grew darker as voices echoed in her mind.

"We need medical attention! Private, find a medic! Captain, remove the ring around my horn!"

"Yes, Princess!"

"Hang in there, Trixie!" Maud shouted in a pleading tone. "You'll be fiiiii-"

Trixie lost consciousness.

Maud Pie walked into the hospital room where Trixie was staying, carrying a small jar of rock candy on her back and looking over her shoulder as she held the door open. "Why did you stop?" she asked the mare standing just outside of the room. "You said that you wanted to apologise as soon you could, didn't you?"

"I know that!" Rainbow Dash said, gulping as she slowly and cautiously entered the room. "I just had to prepare myself, that's all…" Rainbow Dash looked over to the bed where Trixie lay, her guilt washing over her as it had when she had been discharged six months ago.

The doctor had told her that the sword had missed her vital organs, so she was able to leave and recovered in just a few weeks. Trixie, however, was a different story. Whilst the damage to Trixie was repaired quickly by the highly-trained medics in the Royal Guard, Trixie had pushed herself further than she should have physically been able to.

It was for that reason that the doctor suspected Trixie may never wake from her coma. It was all that he could do to keep her alive and comfortable, in the hopes that she would eventually wake-up on her own.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but grimace every time she thought about that day. She didn't remember much beyond Trixie pinning Twilight to the ground, but she had been told that a changeling had got the best of her. Of both of them.

"Hey, I thought you said I could apologise now," Rainbow Dash said as she turned to Maud. "She's still asleep. How can I do that?"

Maud walked past Rainbow Dash in silence, approaching Trixie's side and leaning in to whisper, "It's okay now, Trixie. You can get up." No response came from Trixie, so Maud added, "You won't be arrested. A new ruling has been passed that exempts you."

Trixie's ears twitched, and she slowly sat upright, stretching her hooves and yawning as Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped to the floor. "You have no idea how tiring it is to lay in one position for the better part of six months."

As Trixie rubbed her eyes, Maud smiled and placed the jar on Trixie's bedside table.

Rainbow Dash stuttered and stared at Trixie and Maud, at first confused, and then angry. "W-Wait, you mean that Trixie was awake this whole time?!" Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at Trixie. "For six months?!"

"And it was not easy," Trixie insisted, wincing and clutching her bandaged chest. "Ugh! N-Not exercising this entire time has not helped Trixie's wounded area to get better."

"Are you crazy?!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "Who does that?!"

"Well it's not like Trixie had much choice," Trixie explained. "If Trixie was not in a coma, she would have been sent to jail. Trixie did not want that. Though she was hoping that her hospital room would be closer to the ground… and less-guarded." Trixie turned to Maud with a curious gaze. "You knew this whole time?"

Maud nodded, a blush crossing her face. "Of course I knew. It's you, after all. I can tell when you're faking."

"Trixie will just let that one slide."

"B-But the doctor said-" Rainbow Dash began.

Trixie waved a hoof dismissively. "Please. That quack couldn't possibly see through Trixie's act, and it's not like medicine can peer into a pony's mind. Only magic could have seen the truth, but that type of magic is forbidden."

Luna felt a shiver down her spine, and looked around her bedroom cautiously. "Why do I suddenly feel uncomfortable?"

"So, what's this about Trixie not being arrested anymore?" Trixie asked, though instead of the answer she desired, she received a slap from Rainbow Dash's forehoof. Upon recovering from her shock, Trixie turned to the pegasus with a look of rage. "W-What was that for?!"

"I thought you were in a coma all this time! Do you have any idea how much I was blaming myself for the condition you were in?!"

"That is hardly Trixie's fault! She couldn't just tell you that she was fine!"

"I was gonna apologise, but you can forget it!"

The two mares huffed and averted their eyes from each other, whilst Maud simply waited for Trixie to stop fuming so that she could speak. When it seemed that Trixie was as calm as she was going to be, she said, "Unicornia had been officially disbanded… and then reformed as a political party."

Trixie's rage drained away in an instant, and she turned to Maud with a curious gaze. "Wait, what?"

"After their defeat in Canterlot, and losing two of their remaining leaders in one battle, morale dropped severely," Rainbow Dash explained. "Unicornia was dead, but Cadance convinced Celestia to start talks with Robin and Oasis to properly resolve the situation."

"It's taken several months," Maud continued, "But finally, a vote was passed yesterday that absolved all members of Unicornia for their actions during their attacks. Celestia claimed that the changeling who injured you had played the entire group, driving them to such violent acts."

Trixie gasped. "That's right, Platinum! What happened to her?!"

"'Platinum'?" Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow. She turned to Maud, who simply shrugged in response.

"She means the changeling that had brainwashed many of our members." The group turned to the door, where Robin Hood and Oasis were standing. "I see that the patient is awake. That is good," Robin said.

"'Brainwashed'?" Trixie asked.

Robin raised a hoof to his nose. "That's the official statement. By passing off blame onto the changeling, and claiming that this was part of a much larger changeling conspiracy, ponies will be more willing to pardon our actions."

"I feel sorry for her," Oasis said, "And I still find it hard to believe that Sunset Shimmer was really a changeling all along. But as your friends have said, Unicornia is weak right now, and the only way we could save our members is to allow Celestia to exaggerate the situation."

Trixie frowned. "Well, it's a distortion of the truth, but an exaggeration? That crazy mare was willing to send an entire country to its death for her revenge!" Trixie sighed and slumped back into her bed. "Though Trixie can't really blame her too much, considering she herself did the same thing, once…"

"But you beat it," Oasis said.

"Only because Trixie didn't have power, and when she did, she used it."

"But that was the amulet's influence," Maud chimed in.

"Was it? How much of Trixie's actions were truly beyond her control?" Trixie shook her head. "It doesn’t matter. Trixie learned the hard way that revenge will only get you so far. Letting it go too far will just leave you worse than you started… It's a shame that Platinum never learned that lesson for herself. Even though she was posing as somepony else, she was still my friend…"

"Well, she's currently locked behind a cell in Canterlot," Robin Hood said. "Maybe one day, she'll come to the same conclusion you have. Anyway, Oasis and I came here to see if you were awake, because we have an offer for you."

"The other purpose of our talks with the princesses, as well as their willingness to pardon our actions, is because they wanted to join with us, rather than fight against us," Oasis explained. "Or to be more specific, Celestia herself wanted to."

"She did?" Trixie asked. "Why the sudden change-of-heart?"

"We may have failed our original objective," Robin Hood started, "But our actions opened Celestia's eyes to the fact that her eyes can only see so much of Equestria, and that she is unable to help them all on her own.

"It's not just her, either. Our message was spread far-and-wide, and ponies all over Equestria started to ask questions, and general awareness has spread. There's also a matter of the country's security…"

"Yeah, remind me to thank you guys for that," Spitifre said as she walked into the room, glaring at Robin and Oasis. "Because of your little siege on Canterlot, ponies are now sayin' the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts are out-of-shape!"

"Well it's true," Robin Hood said, challenging Spitfire's gaze.

Oasis stepped between the two quickly. "What he means is that the peace Equestria has endured-"

"Save it. I get what you're sayin'." Spitfire sighed, reaching a hoof up to scratch the back of her neck. "Truth-be-told, I guess the Wonderbolts have been focussed more on showboating than on military training in recent years.

"That's why we're now introducing a new training regiment to strengthen our troops." Spitfire turned to Rainbow Dash, and added, "I've been lookin' for you, Dash. You're coming along, too."

Rainbow's ears folded against the sides of her head. "What? When?"

"Three days, and it'll last for four months."

"T-That's-"

"Pack your things and say your goodbyes," Spitfire continued. "Report to the Wonderbolt Academy at dawn this Saturday, or we'll leave without ya."

Rainbow Dash groaned, but nodded her head regardless.

Trixie turned to Spitfire, wincing as she saw the Wonderbolt's eyes turning towards her. "Uh, no hard feelings, right?"

"… I guess I can let you off the hook, since your stupidity almost got ya killed," Spitfire responded. "Wouldn't really be cool to kick you right now, anyway."

"So," Oasis began, turning back to Trixie, "Would you like to come back to Unicornia? Our objectives will be the same, but our methods will differ."

"Essentially, Celestia has revived the three tribes – Earth, Pegasopolis, and Unicornia – as separate parties, each one represented by common ponies of their tribes, that will have their says on how the country is run. From now on, it won't just be the rich and the nobility that decide how things are run."

"That sounds interesting, but it does not sound like Trixie's thing," Trixie said, shaking her head slowly. She clutched her chest – though the wound had been healed, she could still feel it burning… though that may partially have been due to her not having gotten out of her bed for six months. "Trixie thinks it is time to stop this whole 'changing the country' thing now. After all, the two of you seem to have it under control…"

Trixie turned to Maud Pie. "And Trixie would also like to start performing again. To restart her travelling performance." She gave the farmer a smile, who returned it in her own, barely-visible way. Trixie then sighed. "Though that'll likely be very difficult, and recent events won't exactly do much to bolster Trixie's reputation."

"Y'know," Spitfire began, drawing Trixie's attention, "The Wonderbolts and their cadets will need something to keep 'em entertained these next four months. They won't be returning home for the entire trip, after all. And your magic could be a great way to test their reflexes and perception abilities."

Trixie gasped, leaning forwards in her bed. She quickly lowered her excitement, giving a neutral stare as she asked, "Are you offering Trixie a job?"

"If you think you can keep up."

Trixie grinned. "Well it's not the grand audience that Trixie deserves, but it is a start. Though Trixie thinks maybe she could use an assistant to help her put her show back together. Somepony smart, talented, and beautiful." Trixie turned to Maud, who nodded her head. "Know anypony like that?"

Maud brought her hoof down on Trixie's head. "Awww, you are so cute when you're mad, Maud."

Maud turned and brought her hoof down on her sister's head, before suddenly realising that Pinkie Pie was now present in the room. "Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?"

"We all came with Dashie," Pinkie explained.

"'We'?" Trixie asked. The rest of Rainbow Dash's friends entered the room, varying faces ranging from nervous to welcoming turned towards her. Trixie frowned. "Yeah, sure. How about everypony just comes in?"

"Well, if you're inviting us," Celestia said as she entered the room with Shining Armor.

"I WAS KIDDING!"

Spitfire saluted the princess. "I was just leaving, Princess!"

Celestia nodded. "Have a good day, Captain."

Spitfire turned to Rainbow Dash. "Remember, we're leaving in three days." With that, she left the room.

Twilight raised an eyebrow as she asked, "What did she mean by that?"

Rainbow Dash bit her lip. "Uh, well, y'see… the 'Bolts are goin' on a training trip for four months… and I'm going, too."

Pinkie Pie gasped, grabbing her friend in a huge hug and lifting her into the air. "Noooooo! You can't leave us agaaaaaaain!"

"P-Pinkie! Stop! Too tight!"

Twilight used her magic to separate the two before Rainbow Dash's skin could turn too purple. She and her friends approached Pinkie Pie, attempting to calm her down.

Meanwhile, Celestia and Shining Armor approached Trixie. Trixie grinned sheepishly as she shrank back in her bed. "E-Eheh… No hard feelings, right?"

"… It was rather frustrating to have my magic limited like that," Celestia began, causing Trixie to gulp and sweat heavily. "But in the end, you saved my life… Thank you, Trixie Lulamoon."

"… Well, just so we're clear, Trixie wasn't defending you," Trixie clarified. "Trixie was defending everypony else, from that crazed mare."

Celestia nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"That said, Trixie will remember this moment and brag about it endlessly from this day onwards."

Shining Armor chuckled. "So, I guess that means you're taking your show back on the road?"

"I am, yes."

Shining Armor saluted. "Well, for what it is worth, you were a good soldier, Trixie. Should you ever wish to change your career, I could put in a good word for you."

"Thank you, but Trixie is done with all that, to be honest." Trixie turned back to Maud, smiling as the sun's light shone through the window behind her. "Politics, revenge, fighting… Trixie wants to let go of all that and focus more on what's really important."

Maud stepped forwards and took Trixie's hoof. Celestia and Shining Armor exchanged warm glances, before turning to leave. "Your deeds will not soon be forgotten, Trixie… both your good, and your bad. But you have friends, and ponies that love you. Remember that, and your future can still be in your hooves.

"I, too, will also make an effort, to be the leader that I should have been all this time. Ruling this country is not enough; I must also rule its citizens' hearts."

There was no way for Platinum to tell the time, from her lone cell, deep beneath Canterlot's surface. There were no windows, no clocks, no hourglasses or watches…

The only things that Platinum had around her were the cushioned furniture, the warm blankets, the fine cuisine that was served to her daily, the fresh water kept in cooled containers, and a vast library of book to keep her entertained.

One could hardly argue that it was a prison, but the ring around her horn to prevent her from using magic, and locking her in the last form she had assumed – that of Twilight Sparkle, in an attempt to distract the Royal Guard – for the rest of her life.

Light filled the room as a door opened, and the guard watching over her saluted, before leaving. Celestia took his place. She frowned as she looked at the state of her cell. Cushions had been torn again, food was only half-eaten, the books had gathered dust, and Platinum herself seem dehydrated. She was drinking, but barely.

"Please, Queen Platinum, have you not suffered enough?"

Platinum raised her head, glaring into Celestia's eyes. In a dried, husky voice, she said, "Release me, and I shall drink."

"Have you reconsidered my offer to join the new Unicornia?"

"… I will never join you, Celestia. The one who killed Chancellor Puddinghead… and my brother…"

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Queen Platinum, the one that killed the chancellor was you."

Platinum leapt forth, startling Celestia as she clutched the bars of her cell. "You killed him, Celestia. You turned him against me, forced him to confront me! You tore us apart and made us enemies!"

Celestia lowered her head. "… I'm sorry," she whispered, turning to leave. "If you will not join me, then please, at least accept my mercy. I have gone to great lengths to ensure that your sentence be as comfortable as possible-"

"I will accept no favours from you, or from any alicorn!" Platinum followed Celestia as far as she could, and when the princess left her vision, she reached her forehooves through the bars as far as she could. "You'll never break me. No matter how long it takes, I will be free, and I will have my revenge, Celestia! No matter how many years, I will see you and your kind burn!"

"You will burn, Celestia!"

As the door to the dungeon closed, shutting out Platinum's manic screams, Celestia sighed. She ascended the long staircase, returning to the decorated halls of the castle. She reached a hoof to her eye, but found no tears. "… Have I really lived so long that I can no longer spare even a tear for my best friend?"

"Princess Celestia," Robin Hood said, drawing Celestia's attention. "Are you sure that keeping her alive is wise? There is great concern between those who know of her and they're questioning your decision-"

"Let them," Celestia said, marching past Robin Hood, who followed after her. "I am finished appeasing only those who I see. As you say, I must make an effort to help everypony, no matter their background."

"But she tried to kill you! She wanted to run this country to its doom!"

"… I once put the entire country at risk to save my sister. How could I not do the same courtesy for my friend?" Celestia stopped, turning to Robin. "I will not deny my folly, however, that is exactly why I need the three tribes once again. From the start, I was never meant to rule this country alone; it was founded by your people, and it deserves to be returned to you."

Robin Hood folded his forelegs as he leaned against a wall. "I used to think that you were just a terrible leader, but now I see that you are just innocent and naïve… Tell me – out of personal curiosity – are you considered a child to your people?"

"I wouldn't know," Celestia said with a smile. "I never got along with other alicorns. I often kept to myself, and never took too much interest in our culture."

"So, what will we do about the nobles that have gone into hiding? There are rumours that they are collaborating with rouge griffon factions."

"One problem at a time. Today's meeting is about the restructure of our military. I believe that you have been investigating corruption amongst our generals?" Robin Hood nodded. "Then I will be relying on your expertise, and hope that you will make your voice loud-and-clear."

Robin Hood saluted. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Four months passed since the day that Trixie was released from the hospital. After accepting Spitfire's offer, Trixie travelled with Maud to the site of the Wonderbolts' intense training, and performed a show that inspired the troops, and more importantly, herself.

After two weeks, Maud returned to the farm, confident that Trixie would be perfectly fine on her own. Each day that she worked, she wondered how Trixie was doing. She would receive letters, and that kept her mind at ease as she worked.

One day, though, she had not received any letter. It could have been that Trixie was too busy, or that the mailpony had simply lost it, but it was weighing on her mind for the entire day… until Trixie herself appeared before her.

"It's good to see you again, Maud," Trixie said, so casually that it almost annoyed the farmer.

Maud gently lowered her pick, approached Trixie, and then leaned forwards, smacking Trixie's shoulder with her forehead.

Trixie raised an eyebrow, not sure how to react. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"I'm mad," Maud said. "But also happy… I'm confused." Trixie chuckling made Maud blush, and she turned to head to hide her face.

Trixie's laughter stopped, and she raised a hoof to pat Maud's head. "Sorry for not writing today. Trixie wanted to surprise you."

"I was surprised." Maud pulled away and looked into Trixie's eyes. "Is the training over now?"

"It is," Trixie confirmed. "Though Trixie won't be staying for long. Those ponies were so impressed that they spread Trixie's good name far-and-wide, and already, Trixie has several requests to perform! Birthdays, cuteceñeras, parties… and one funeral. Trixie might turn that one down."

"I'm happy for you," Maud said with an even look, though her mouth had curved slightly. "Then you will be on your way soon?"

"Well, naturally," Trixie said, before averting her eyes and kicking at the ground. "But not tonight, and Trixie's trailer has this creak in it, you see, so Trixie was wondering if… perhaps you had a spare bedroom for her…"

"We don't," Maud said with a shake of her head. "But you can share mine, on one condition."

"And that is?"

"You'll have to still be there when I wake up tomorrow."

Trixie removed her hat and smiled. "I think I can do that."

And so, hoof-in-hoof, the two travelled together towards the farmhouse, ignoring the glares of Igneous Rock and the frightened looks on Marble and Limestone's faces. All that mattered at that time was that they had each other.

Their paths would not intertwine, and they would spend much time apart. But the times that they could spend together, they intended to enjoy fully, without wasting a single second.

Author's Note

Thanks to Striker for proofreading.

Chapter 5

Trixie laid down a thick journal atop the round table, for all who were gathered to read. "This is the information I managed to get from the captains' quarters, using the schedule that Sunset Shimmer provided to remain undetected. It details their schedules over the next week and, in particular, their most vulnerable moments."

Genesis opened the book and flipped it to its latest page. "I see. There's a day where five captains will be vulnerable all at once."

Trixie nodded her head. "If we can launch a surprise attack on all five of them, then it will be a big blow to Canterlot's defences, and its morale."

"We will be officially be declaring war," Oasis pointed out. "After this attack, there will be no going back. Are we truly prepared to take Celestia on at this point?"

"We're not going to get any stronger," Genesis answered. "Those that have joined us did so on the high that our grand reveal caused, but that is now starting to die down. Ponies change their minds quickly. Before they start to have second thoughts, we need to act."

"Besides, the changelings are already making moves that indicate an incoming attack," Sunset Shimmer revealed. "The sooner we take the throne, the sooner we can erect defences to keep them out."

"How do you know this stuff?" Trixie asked.

"I told you, I have my ways."

"Everypony, the time is right to finally declare war on the Princesses of Equestria," King Midas announced, removing his crown and lowering it onto the table. "However, there is one force that will always be a threat to us, even with the Elements of Harmony removed from the equation. So long as the alicorn tribes want this land, they will not simply hoof it over to anypony else.

"That is why, I need one of you to secure the borders. Ensure that no word of our war makes it outside of this country."

"If there's really no other way to avoid battle, then I would rather take charge of guarding our borders," Oasis said. "I'm not much of a fighter, but I do know how to blend into my surroundings."

"Hold on," Trixie spoke up, "If we have five targets, how are four of us going to attack them in unison?"

"I can get two of the captains to meet up together at the time of the attack," Sunset Shimmer said. "I should be able to take them just fine."

"Just make sure they meet up together," King Midas told her. "I will take them both out at once. Trixie, wear a cloak to conceal your identity. We can't afford for you to be found out just yet."

"If we succeed here, then Celestia will be down by five captains," Genesis observed. "It will take some time for the Royal Guard to adjust. We can use that time to spread further chaos in Canterlot, and garner further support throughout the country."

"On the other hoof, if we fail, Unicornia will be hunted by the Royal Guard, and we will likely lose most of our members," Trixie added.

"Which is why we won't fail," Sunset said with a grin. "For the future of Equestria, we must succeed here!"

The five ponies raised their glasses and announced, in unison, "For the future of Equestria!"

Far outside of Canterlot's walls, in the vast, open fields that lay to either side of the train tracks leading towards the city, the Royal Guard was conducting a training exercise under the supervision of Captain Shining Armor. The captain had instructed his troops to first warm up by running laps through the field, and then to practice their martial combat by sparring together.

As noon neared, Shining Armor ordered his troops to fan out and forage for food in the area. As his troops scattered in various directions, the captain sat down atop a nearby hill and gazed off into the distance. Canterlot's castle seemed so small from so far away, and so delicate, like it could collapse from just a gentle breeze.

"Compared to the Crystal Empire, though, Canterlot has no magical defences like the Crystal Heart. We have to do what we can to keep it safe…" Shining Armor heard hoofsteps behind himself and turned around. "What is it? You won't find any food-" The captain gasped and scrambled to his hooves, pulling his spear out and deflecting the sword that was swung down from above. "W-Who are you?!"

"It's nice to meet you again, Captain Armor," Sunset Shimmer said as she jumped back, chuckling as her horn glowed bright. "Time to see just what Celestia's best has to offer."

"Backup! We need back-AGH!"

Genesis huffed as he turned to face the captain, now alone with his troops dead at his hooves. "It's your turn next, Captain Crane."

"You won't get away with this, terrorist!" Crane unholstered his pistol with his magic and fired it at Genesis. The shot was deflected by a barrier and the captain stepped backwards as he reloaded the barrel.

"Too slow!" Genesis shouted as he charged forwards, slicing the captain's pistol in half. Gunpowder scattered and blinded the two ponies. "Damn it!"

"S-Send a letter to Canterlot!"

Genesis turned his head to find two new soldiers retreating from the battlefield. Leaving the captain for a moment, Genesis charged after the two, drawing his crossbow and taking aim at one of the two retreating figures. He fired the shot, piercing the stallion's leg and forcing him to fall.

Three ponies jumped out in front of the remaining stallion and wrestled him to the ground. "We got this one, Prince!" one of the ponies shouted.

"Get the captain before he runs away!"

Genesis nodded his head and thanked the three, before returning to his main target. Captain Crane was on the move, heading towards a windmill that was in the distance, and Genesis gave chase. "You won't get away!"

Trixie deflected Captain Falcon's multiple strikes with her sword, each strike forcing her backwards just a bit. She could hear the sounds of running water and glanced to the side, realising that she was nearing the edge of the cliff.

"You picked the wrong target to mess with!" Falcon shouted, flaring her wings out and taking flight. The sudden gust of wind pushed her enemy off the edge, seemingly sending her plummeting to her death. "If this is the best Unicornia's got ta offer, we should be just fine!"

"Then perhaps I should start getting serious."

Captain Falcon gasped and spun around, finding the same cloaked pony standing behind her, perfectly fine. "B-But how?!" she demanded, throwing one of her dagger towards the mare. The dagger passed through the pony, and Falcon simply stared with her mouth agape.

Meanwhile, Trixie threw her left hind leg over the edge of the cliff, climbing back up and grunting as her body dragged itself across its rocky edges. Looking up, Trixie found that Falcon was still distracted, and reached quickly for her crossbow. She took aim, and fired, delivering a bolt through the pegasus' wing.

Captain Falcon screamed as she fell to the ground with a loud thud, her remaining dagger sliding far away from her body. She pushed herself up to her hooves and spun around, grabbing the hilt of Trixie's sword as it was brought down towards her head and kicking the mare away.

"You should've gone for the kill!" Falcon shouted, charging forwards with her new sword.

Trixie glared and fired a blast of magic, snapping the sword in half, and then dodged backwards to exit the sword's new limited range. Something sparkled behind Falcon, and Trixie caught sight of the captain's dagger lying behind her.

"What're you plannin', huh? Take out us captains, then go after the castle?!"

"Unicornia has only one goal in mind: to free the throne from those unworthy ponies occupying it, and return it to its rightful heirs!"

"The princesses unified Equestria and made it what it is today!"

"A weak, happy-go-lucky paradise behind a glass fence! The princesses stole this land without any idea of how to rule it!" Trixie shook her head. "Celestia had her chance. A pony who only helps those she happens to see doesn't deserve to be ruler."

"That's not your call, traitor!"

Trixie ducked to dodge Falcon's strike, and rushed towards the fallen dagger. "If I'm a traitor, then what of Celestia, who ignored my cries for help?!" Swooping up the dagger, Trixie threw it back towards the captain. Falcon deflected it with her sword, but was not prepared for the magical blast that followed it, pushing her back and sending her falling over the edge of the cliff.

"Crap! My wing!" Falcon scrambled to grab the edge, but instead, she was caught by a blue hoof. She looked up and found her opponent holding her, keeping her from falling.

"Thrust your sword into the cliff and climb on it!" Trixie shouted, wincing as she pulled with all of her might. "Hurry!"

Falcon groaned, but found that she had very little choice. With one powerful thrust, she stuck the sword into the cliffside and set her hoof onto it. Pushing herself up whilst Trixie pulled, Falcon was soon able to grab onto the edge of the cliff with her free hoof.

"Yikes!" Falcon cried as a loose rock fell besides her. "That was close! Thanks, I gue-" Falcon felt a sharp, burning pain in her shoulder, and slowly turned her head to find a knife buried deep into her skin. "W-Wha…"

"Don't worry. You'll live," Trixie assured. "Though this drug will render your body immobile for some time. You won't be fighting in the coming war, that's for sure."

"Y-You bitch…" Falcon's vision blurred and distorted, until it died out entirely and she passed out before her cackling foe.

"That's one down," Trixie said as she lay the downed captain on the bloodstained grass and walked away. "I wonder how the others are doing?"

Sunset Shimmer hated to admit it, but her opponent was proving to be quite a match for her. Her magic was being blocked by barriers created by his own, and partway into the battle, he had disarmed her, knocking her sword far to the side.

Shining Armor swung his spear, attempting to trip up his opponent, but she jumped backwards elegantly, landing a distance away from him. He had expected her to back up further, but instead, she held her ground until he made his next move. Upon lifting a hoof off of the ground, Shining Armor gasped as Sunset jumped towards him, and he held up his spear to block her diving kick.

He pushed forwards in an attempt to knock Sunset down, but she had placed a hoof onto his shoulder and flipped over the captain, landing safely behind him. As he tried to turn, he felt something tugging at his leg and looked down to find vines growing out of the ground with a green aura coating them.

He wasted no time in slashing the vines away and freeing his leg, but the second that it took was enough for Sunset to take one of his daggers and take several steps back, putting herself into a defensive stance.

"You fight rather suicidally," Shining Armor stated, turning around and pointing his spear towards the mare. "You must have much to lose."

"Just the way I've been taught," Sunset replied. "Put the pressure on and finish the fight in one swift motion. There's no room for tactical withdrawals in heated battles."

"That's an old ideology from Unicornia," Shining Armor noted. "It's not used these days because we value the lives of our ponies far more than back then."

Sunset Shimmer laughed. "No, you don't. You only value the lives of those you see."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Ignorance is no excuse for neglect, and this country has been neglected for far too long!" Sunset repositioned herself, and charged forwards, stopping short of the tip of Shining's spear and using her magic to call down a bolt of lightning that struck Shining's flank.

He yelped, but still managed to parry her next attack. Just then, shouts and hoofsteps rang out around the two, and Sunset huffed as she turned and fled.

"No place for withdrawals, huh?" Shining Armor asked, before giving chase. "Does that mean you're luring me into a trap? Or are you planning to eliminate my guards one-by-one? Either way, I won't let you escape!"

"Captain Armor!" Shining Armor stopped as he came across one of his guards in his path, bleeding from the shoulder and barely standing, his breath ragged. "C-Captain, the enemy is heading towards the city!"

"Stay here and inform the others. I'll go after her!" Shining Armor walked past the stallion and scanned ahead. He couldn't find any signs of Sunset Shimmer anywhere, despite the area ahead being completely clear and flat. "A cloaking spell? Maybe an illusionist?"

Shining's eyes shot open. He had heard it right behind himself. The sound of metal drawing against a sheath. He turned around and stepped to the side, but it was only enough to stop the sword from piercing his heart, instead piercing his shoulder.

Shining Armor fell to the ground, blood pouring from his open wound, and he found his soldier lying some distance away in a similar state. A white hoof entered his blurry vision, and he tried to look up. As he heard the sound of Sunset's voice, his vision seemed to correct itself, revealing the hoof to actually be orange.

Sunset Shimmer laughed as she prepared to deal the final blow with the sword she had stolen from the private, but a passing arrow knocked the blade out of her magic and onto the ground. She grunted and jumped over the downed captain, dodging yet another arrow.

"Over here!" a voice shouted in the distance. "The captain's been injured! We need a stretcher! No, make that two!"

Sunset Shimmer ran as fast as she could, until she could no longer hear the voices or the hoofsteps of those following her. She took refuge in a nearby cave and caught her breath, holding a hoof to her sweaty forehead. As she calmed down, she grinded her teeth together and slammed the ground beneath her. "Damn. Almost had him."

"You dropped the ball," Genesis said in an accusing tone. "Shining Armor was our most important target of those five captains, and you allowed him to live."

"He's injured," Sunset said, glaring at the stallion across the table from her. "I was about to get him, but those soldiers of his showed up at just the wrong time."

"You shouldn't have insisted on going alone." Genesis shook his head. "No. We shouldn't have let you go alone. At least now we know the extent of your abilities."

Sunset slammed the table as she rose to her hooves, but King Midas spoke up before she could. "I'm afraid that Genesis is right here, Sunset Shimmer. It was foolish of you to take on that captain by yourself, but equally foolish of me to give you permission. You are a talented pony, but you are still only one pony."

Sunset Shimmer simply huffed and sat back down, crossing her forelegs. It was then Trixie's turn to get up and slam the table.

"Perhaps I missed the part where we were going to kill our targets?!" Trixie looked around the table, but nopony responded. "Isn't that why we made that drug?! So that we could cripple our foes without killing them?!"

"You don't seem to realise what it means exactly to be at war," Genesis replied.

"I'm with Trixie," Oasis said, clutching her sapphire necklace. "There was no need to kill them, even if they were soldiers!"

"The drug was designed as a last-resort measure," Sunset stated simply, King Midas nodding his head in agreement.

"Even if we had used it, what do you think would happen after it wears off? Suppose we win, and we claim the throne. Do you think all of those captains will simply bow down to us willingly? They would fight back, and the only other option would be to keep them as our prisoners of war."

"Then let's do that!"

"Keeping prisoners demands resources. Resources we simply don't have."

"If we win this war, we'll have all of the resources we could ever need!"

"The alicorns," Sunset Shimmer reminded. "If- When we win, the alicorn tribes will undoubtedly launch an attack in retaliation. One war will be over, but another will soon begin, and we will need to focus everything we have on repelling such attacks. That is why we are re-establishing Pegasopolis. That is why we are recruiting even the smallest towns and villages to our side. That is why we are making deals with the zebras, the griffons, and even the docile dragons that nest just outside of our borders.

"This war is merely a test. It is all preparation for the real fight, against the ones who stole our land to begin with."

"Even so-"

"You failed to kill Captain Falcon, and Shining Armor survived," Genesis said. "Still, three out of five is still a substantial blow, and King Midas made a point to let those who saw him run away. So now, everypony will know that our leader is one who fights with his people, not behind them.

"What's better is that Celestia never sent word to the alicorn tribes. She thinks that she can win this without their help." Genesis chuckled as Trixie shook her hooves with fury.

"Like I care about that right now!" With a huff, Trixie turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind herself.

"She signed on with the intention of nopony getting killed?" Genesis asked with a sigh.

"I'm afraid that it is my fault," Kind Midas said. "I was drawn to Trixie because I had heard that she was a mare of great talent, shunned because of one unfortunate incident. Looking into her background, I had found that she had led a hard life, simply from not having the right connections. I had planned to use that, and promises of glory, to recruit her.

"However, I only intended for her to play a supporting role."

"Then, why-"

"She demanded it," Midas answered. "She said that she did not want anypony else to endure what she had, simply for not being noticed by those at the top. Her resolve was strong, and so I accepted her offer, but now I…" A chair scuffed against the hard floor, and Midas turned to Sunset Shimmer. "Where are you going?"

"To talk some sense into her."

"Maybe I should-" Oasis began.

"You're in the same boat as her," Sunset interrupted. "You hate violence and death. There's nothing you can say to her. What she needs is the perspective of somepony from the other side. That way, she can make her final decision."

"… Are you sure?"

Sunset smiled and nodded. "We both have similar backstories, you know? So it's not like I don't get where she's coming from."

"Similar how?" Genesis asked. "You were betrayed by Celestia."

"Similar, because I was denied my birthright, my destiny, by those with power."

"He was a good king, and loved husband, and a loving father. He saw our kingdom through dark times, and protected us from the dangers of the Everfree Forest. Even as his condition worsened and his crown was passed on to his daughter, Queen Platinum V, he continued to throw his life on the line in service of his country.

"May our beloved king find rest in the next life."

Everypony in attendance closed their eyes and bowed their heads, silence settling over the crowd for several seconds as Queen Platinum stepped up to the podium. "Everypony… thank you for being in attendance today. I know that times are growing tough, for all of us, here in Equestria. But my father, believed in a land where the three tribes could be free, and live in peace and harmony, together. My father gave his life to fulfil that dream, and now I, Queen Platinum of Unicornia, do solemnly vow to see his dream come to fruition. I humbly request all of you present today to help us see our dream become a reality."

Queen Platinum stepped down, taking her place besides her two friends, Commander Hurricane and Chancellor Puddinghead, as her younger brother took the stand. "… I'm not really sure what to say here that you all don't already know. Father was wise, and powerful, and a great ruler. If it was not for him, we may not have survived the harsh migration to this new land. And I… wish that there was more that I could have done to help him. I swear, from this day forth, I will make Father proud, and content, so that he can finally rest easy in the next life."

Platinum sighed as the casket containing her father's corpse was carried away. Ponies began to file outside to watch the burial, but Platinum, Hurricane and Puddinghead remained behind. "You aren't going to follow them?" Hurricane asked.

Platinum shook her head. "I'm their ruler now. They cannot see me cry. I must mourn him later, when there is nopony else present." Platinum caught sight of something colourful before, and turned to give Puddinghead a bemused look. "Cake? At a time like this?"

"You look like you have a lot of things to get off your chest," Puddinghead said. "I thought we could discuss it over cake."

"… I'm not really in the mood."

Puddinghead nudged the cake forwards. "Are you sure? It'll cheer you up."

"I said that I'm not in the mood," Platinum said, batting the plate harder than she intended to and spilling the cake onto the floor. "Ah… I'm sorry…"

"It's fine," Puddinghead assured, putting the plate away into his suit. "Well, if you ever need somepony to talk to, I'll be sure to have plenty of cake ready."

"And I'm here, too," Hurricane said. "No cake, buuuut I might be able to offer you some more sane advice."

"Queen Platinum." The trio turned to face Princesses Celestia and Luna as they approached. It was Celestia that had spoken up. The two bowed their heads, and Celestia said, "My sympathies for your loss."

"It means much to me that you were able to attend today," Platinum said as she presented the two with a warm smile. "Father's passing has been hard, but with my friends around me to offer their support, I know that I will make it through."

"I know that you do not wish to discuss business right now, but we've received word that our troops are nearing the borders to your country."

"I understand. My father has not been the only casualty that this new land has wrought. We must continue, to finally put an end to these losses. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, please escort me to meet your people at the border."

"Are you sure?" Celestia asked in a concerned tone. "I could ask that they delay their journey for one day to-"

Queen Platinum raised a hoof and shook her head. "Thank you, but really, I am fine. So long as you stay by my side…"

Celestia nodded. "I will, my friend."

As Sunset Shimmer approached Trixie, the blue mare used her magic to erect a small bubble around herself. "I know what you're going to say, and you can say it from there."

Sunset sighed. "Look, I get it. You've never spilled blood before." Trixie didn't respond, so Sunset continued. "This is war, Trixie. Death happens. Lives are lost, on both sides, because if they're not, the fighting will never end."

"Leave me be," Trixie whispered.

"And the ponies that will be fighting? They'll look to us for support. For guidance. And if they see us too afraid to get our hooves dirty, then what courage can we offer them?"

"Leave."

"No," Sunset said firmly. "You are a leader, Trixie. You need to make a choice – if you cannot kill a pony on the battlefield, then you must stay behind. Otherwise, you will die! I know that this is all new to you, taking a pony's life, but you don't have to be afraid-"

"I've taken a life before!" Trixie shouted, silencing Sunset's argument in an instant. "I've… killed before, and I don't want to ever again." Trixie gathered herself into a ball and held back the sobs, but her hiccups escaped.

"… When? How?"

"Shouldn't the question be 'why?'? And the answer is: there is no answer. 'I defended myself'. 'I was scared'. 'It was the heat of the moment'. 'He was a dangerous criminal'. Those are just excuses, and none of them answer the question of whether it could have been avoided. Whether there was another way."

"… Maybe there was another way," Sunset said softly, entering the bubble that had grown fragile since Trixie's outburst. "Even if there was, though, the past is in the past. Time marches on, and the world won't simply wait for you to make peace with what happened."

"… What should I do?"

"First, you accept the fact that you've spilled blood, and that you can never undo it. If you want that pony's death to mean something, then you'll continue living without regret. He died so that you could live, in a similar way to a griffon eating a cow.

"Next, accept the fact that ponies die on the battlefield. Because if you can't even do that, then you will not be allowed to join us. You will simply be a liability.

"Finally, ask yourself why you're doing this, and what it's worth achieve that goal? Are you willing to kill again to accomplish what you set out to do? If not, ask King Midas for a demotion, or leave while you still can."

"… That's-"

"You don't have to answer right now," Sunset prompted, placing a hoof gently on Trixie's shoulder. "Think about it. Ask the others for advice. And when you have your answer, we'll support you, whatever you choose."

Trixie turned around, and found Sunset Shimmer smiling at her. She smiled back, daringly, and her hiccups stopped. "… You give good motivational speeches."

Sunset giggled. "I have to. Remember that destiny of mine that Celestia stole?" Trixie nodded. "I was going to be a Princess of Equestria!"

Trixie almost choked on her laughter, and Sunset removed her hoof with a scowl. "You?! A P-Prin… PFFFT- AHAHAHAHAH!"

Sunset turned around and said, "Well, glad you're feeling better. Now to report our entire conversation to the others. Every. Last. Detail."

Trixie was silenced suddenly, and she jumped to her hooves to chase after Sunset Shimmer. "Utter one word and you'll be begging for Celestia's mercy!"

"Hey, guys, listen to this."

"BITE YOUR TONGUE, WENCH!"

Shining Armor opened his eyes as he heard the sound of his hospital room's door opening, and slowly craned his neck to find out who was intruding despite the tight guard placed on his room. "Please leave us be," Luna said to the doctor outside, who simply bowed and shuffled away nervously.

Shining Armor smiled as the friendly face approached. "Princess Luna. Forgive the rudeness, but I'm afraid that I can't greet you properly at the moment. The doctors have all of my legs under anaesthesia."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "The injury was to just one shoulder, correct?"

Shining Armor nodded his head. "I, um, tried to give chase whilst my men attempted to secure me. In their attempts to subdue me, a few of my bones were… twisted… in ways that they should not be…"

Luna shook her head. "That is unlike you, Captain."

"I was afraid, Your Highness. The soldier that did this to me, she's dangerous."

"We heard reports that it was… SS." Luna glanced around the room, then returned her stare to Shining Armor, who nodded to confirm what she had been told. "As I understand it, she is no fighter."

"And yet, she knows how to fight. Though her style is… odd."

"Odd?" Luna pressed.

"Yeah. Her style is old. Outdated."

"Ah. Perhaps it is because she has spent some time away from Equestria?"

"No, I mean really outdated. Both her stances and her magic, they were replaced centuries ago when they were deemed impractical. Yet, she executes them expertly. She's fully aware of what she is doing, and in her case, it works to her advantage – because her fighting style is so old, it's difficult to predict what she will do next, and because she is so skilled, it's equally difficult to counter."

"Thank you, Captain. I will share this information with my sister and seek her advice. Please prepare a full report while you are here, with as much detail as you can."

"Yes, sir."

"Now then, onto the more pressing matter… This attack was not an isolated incident, Captain Armor. Four more captains were attacked at roughly the same time."

Shining's eyes shot open. "What?!" He cringed as a electricity passed through his shoulder. "Ow ow ow! Anaesthesia's wearing off!"

"Captain, three of your comrades are dead. Captain Ichabod Crane, Captain Steel Resolve, and Captain Typhoon. Captain Falcon is also in critical condition, suffering the effects of a drug that will render her immobile for several months."

Shining Armor shook and started to sweat rapidly. "H-How could this happen?!"

"Indeed," Luna said. "How could five captains, all called away to separate duties, be attacked simultaneously by an outside group?"

Shining Armor frowned. "A spy?"

Luna levitated some papers onto the stand besides Shining Armor's bed. "Your next task upon your discharge – discover the source of the leak, and plug it."

"Princess, who should be my point of contact? If we don't know who to trust-"

"I have officially requested that you be allocated to me, and Princess Celestia has given her approval. From now on, you will answer to me, and you will report to me every twelve hours. Understood?"

Shining Armor tried to move his foreleg to salute, but could only move it an inch before cringing. Instead, he settled for simply nodding. "Yes, sir!"

Author's Note

Thanks to Mud and Striker for proofreading.