Through a Mirror, Darkly

A quiet cellar, nothing unusual about that, a click and a battered projector stutters to life and a mare wearing a stetson walks forward and begins talking as the slides change in the background, her face completely deadpan as she speaks with no emotional inflection in an accent that seems like a little bit of everything.

"Equestria, land of the free," An image appears of ponies being lead into a plain building with barred windows. border patrols along a massive wall of stone.

*snrk*

"home of harmony," Pictures of protest groups, rioting and violence.

*snort*

"ruled by the benevolent-" A particularly graphical scene of some military executions.

"*cough*-shit"

A picture of the royal seal, "Royal Pony Sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. For the entire recorded history of Equestria these two rulers have looked after-"

"Themselves."

"the int- Consarn it Dash, I'm trying to give a briefing here." Applejack stared at the blue pegasus pony who was lounging back in her chair with a look of contempt on her face.

The pegasus in question rocked forward and placed her hooves over the chair in front, "Really? Because it sounds like you're kissing the Princess' plots from here."

The cowpony started going red and put a hoof to her hat, attempting to calm herself, running the hoof along the brim and its' collection of marks of wear and tear.

"Rainbow, Applejack," Another voice speaks, from across the near empty room, "can you two stop antagonising each other like this?" A white mare steps into the light thrown off by the projector, "We're not going to be able to get anything done like this and need I remind you I have a business to front."

Applejack looks at the mare and nods apologetically, "Sorry Rares, I'll try and keep this short," as Rarity returns to her seat Applejack flicks a few slides ahead, "as I was saying, until Rainbow kindly jumped the gun, the tyrant sisters have ruled for as long as any pony can remember. All of us here have experienced that tyranny first hand, such as my family never being allowed to put down roots, or Rarity's rejection from the 'upper class' because of her parents low-born status."

"Or my expulsion from flight school."

Applejack looked at Dash, but allowed her this small outburst, "either way, in each event the Princesses had a direct hoof which leads us here, we need to remove the princesses from power and return that power to the ponies that need it."

The room was silent for a moment before Rarity snorted, "I'm sorry darling but I hardly think a flight school dropout, a homeless earth pony, and a socially locked unicorn are going to do that."

Applejack merely nodded, "I know that, which is why we need to get the ball rolling, my family is already on board, we need to get more ponies."

"and how darling, do you propose that?"

Applejack smiled for the first time, it was a smile predators normally used, "Recruit straight from the source, Dash knows what I mean."

Dash rockets up in her seat, "you don't mean..."

"I do."

Dash rockets up to the orange pony and hugs her tightly, quietly muttering all the while "Thank you."

Rarity looks from one to the other, "I'm sorry but what are you talking about?"

Applejack gives her a level gaze, still sporting that predatory smile, "Get your speciality gear, we're going to Ponyton maximum security prison." The slide changes over to an image of the royal seal, burning.

Ponyton is one of the greatest cities in Equestria, situated just outside the Everfree forest it serves as a gateway to the forest itself, wherein lies the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, there is a saying amongst Equestrians, 'all roads go through Ponyton.' In of itself the statement is not a lie, the city acts a the hub for all trains and commerce for all Equestria and is the venue of the rich and powerful.

As the three o'clock train pulled in from Baltimare Big Macintosh Apple looked around the platform nervously, he was dressed in a long coat and a fedora, with a suitcase sat to his side. He forced himself to breath, 'Come on Mac, just get on the train.' Checking once more for anypony watching him Mac slung his suitcase onto his back and moved down the platform.

Moving through the passengers who're leaving the train Mac runs into a young couple, causing him to drop his suitcase as he bowls the young stallion over. He picks himself up and looks over, the stallion is likewise picking himself up, "Dreadfully sorry about that young colt." Mac says as he dusts himself down before picking up the couples suitcase and returning it to the care of the unicorn mare who is also dusting off her partner. With a tip of his hat Mac picks up his suitcase before continuing down the station and boarding the train.

The couple shrug at the briefness of their strange encounter and continue into the city, leaning on each other as they take in the sights and sounds of the best Equestria has to offer.

Darkness falls quickly across Equestria, and when the daily lives of ponies stop the night time pursuits begin squads of ponies patrol the streets, keeping watch on the various establishments, making sure nothing is getting too rowdy. While patrons of those establishments keep a careful eye on the guards, making sure they aren't going to be around when things inevitably do.

Across the city a different kind of activity is underway. Not one of revelry or one that occurs in privacy, no, this activity is well outside the bounds of the law. A small group of ponies are gathered in an alley looking over pictures and blueprints of a building.

"Guards, magical automatons..." Rarity lets out a low whistle, "It's not Ponyton maximum security prison for nothing I suppose."

Applejack looks up, slightly concerned, "But not a problem, right?"

Rarity shakes her head, "I know I'm good, but this..." she chuckles slightly, "Is a challenge I will relish to the utmost."

Applejack nods and waves down Rainbow, who was keeping watch at the far end of the alley, "So what's the plan then Rares?"

Rarity looks at the attentive pair, "Well I have a plan to get me in, then get me and her out again." She looks back at the blueprints, "Exiting is the easy part, entering is tough but doable, finding who we're looking for is going to be tough. are we even sure she's here?"

Rainbow looks over, "I've been keeping my ear to the ground," she smirks, "odd I know but I like to know where she is, if she isn't in the regular prison she'll be in the secure wing. They won't move her out," she scowls, "it'll be a waste of resources."

Rarity nods, "Well lets hope she's not in the secure wing, even I'm uncertain about getting in and out of there. Considering what she's in jail for I don't think she will be though." As she talks she runs her hoof over the appropriately marked sections of the prison.

"Rares, enough stalling, we're burning moonlight." Applejack reminds her.

"Well with the stuff you and Dash got I'll be entering here," she points at the middle section of the Eastern wall.

Dash looks at the location, "but that leads through the offices surely you'd be better going in here." she points her hoof at the Western wall.

Rarity smirks triumphantly, "as would anypony else trying to stage a breakout darling, we already know that wall is the most heavily guarded." she traces her hoof along the map following a route that tracks round the Northern part of the building before stopping near a marking on the map as she speaks, "I will circle round the Northern part of the building before entering this ventilation shaft here, from there I will try and free the target and start a riot, allowing for escape."

Applejack nods, "Expected operation time?"

Rarity quickly does some maths in her head, "Best case I find what I'm looking for immediately, in and out twenty minutes tops, worst case I have to go to the secure wing, anywhere up to three hours."

Applejack shakes her head, "three is too long, you have two. Provided you aren't spotted we can always try again."

Rarity rolls up the map and passes it to Rainbow, who shoves it into her saddlebags, "Until hope is returned." she whispers and trots away

"May we not falter." The other two whisper back as they head back to the hotel.