Revenge is Bittersweet

by P-Berry

Chapters

Ch.1: Cold dust
Ch.2: Falling
Ch.3: Fractured
Ch.4: Dropped
Ch.5: A new fire sparks
Ch.6: Picking up the pieces
Ch.7: A rose in the wasteland
Ch.8: Painful memories
Ch.9: The lull before the storm
Ch.10: Mayhem
Ch.11: Moving On
Ch.12: Sweet Anticipation and bitter Sorrow
Ch.13: Charge!
Ch.14: Revenge

Ch.1: Cold dust

What do you fight for, when you’ve lost everything?

When your life lies in ruins and your homeland is ravaged by war?

Do you fight for honor? For glory? For peace?

No, you fight for revenge! You want to make those responsible pay for what they have done!

But with time, you’ll see that revenge isn’t even nearly as sweet as people say.

Chapter 1: *Cold dust*

I never wanted to do this. I never wanted to rebel, I never wanted to fight, and I never wanted to kill. All I wanted to do was live my simple life. Is that too much to ask for?

I should have seen it coming. I’ve never been a supporter of Princess Celestia’s strict government, but I accepted it, since I would have never challenged the Princess’ authority: she was the ruler, I was the subject, period. I didn’t like her for living in excess and ignoring the begging voices coming from those who weren’t as lucky as her, but with time, I’ve learnt to live with her attitude: she lived in her perfect world where everypony was happy and everything was made of gold; everypony from outside this world was a servant in the best case.

But I didn’t care that much about her anyways: my life was fine, there was peace and harmony in Equestria, and I had no other worries than what to do with my time. I was young, wild and free; politics were the last thing to care about in my eyes: there was a monarchic Princess and some ponies that were unhappy because of her, simple as that. Even the Princess couldn’t be everypony’s darling after all.

As time went on, there were smaller protests against her reign from time to time, but the majority of the ponies accepted the Princess as their ruler: her dues were more or less bearable and her scattered acts of generosity, such as slightly lowering the taxes or paying random villages a visit and giving smaller presents to the residents, made most of the population stick to her. The ponies were convinced that they could do nothing against her reign anyways: Celestia had been the ruler all along, nothing would ever change this.

However, in the past few years, Celestia’s megalomania seemed to prevail over the sanity in her mind: she hardly ever left her palace, more and more stopped interacting with her subjects, and let her servants provide her with every kind of luxury: huge chariots, grandiose celebrations for her bourgeoisie, and a 24/7-sustenance with only the finest food Equestria could provide.

In order to afford this exuberant luxury, Celestia issued multiple laws, squeezing the population with excessive taxes and merciless dues. Soon, the protests returned and the suffering ponies began to ask for relief; Celestia’s illusion of a perfect world began to crumble as she saw herself faced with a large mass of dissatisfied, exhausted subjects.

But Celestia didn’t accept this trend: she permitted the ponies to protest, increased the taxes even further and recruited hundreds of guards to -if necessary- punish the disobedient ponies. Intimidated by this nonverbal, but definitely expressive threat, the population silenced again and the downcast ponies retired into their misery, their everyday life being controlled by strict surveillance and merciless exploitation. Most of them prayed to Faust and asked for relief, but it was pointless: not even divine powers seemed to help against the ponies’ oppression.

The unexpected coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle sparked the ponies’ hopes for recovery: everypony in Equestria hoped for some fresh wind in the government, some ones even expected a turn towards democracy. As Twilight was widely known for acting wise and fair, the ponies hoped for her to give Celestia a piece of her mind and end the tyranny, or at least abolish the excessive taxes; the desperate ponies clung to this little piece of confidence and pinned all their hopes on the new Princess, hyping her as their ‘great liberator’.

But the hopes remained unfulfilled: instead of modernizing the government and abolishing the extortionate laws, Twilight pretty much became the lapdog of Celestia and simply adapted to her conservative policy, moving to Canterlot and leaving everything she had behind: her property, as well as her friends. Instead of meeting her reputation as liberator and ending the suffering, she became a tyrant, just like her mentor. Retrospectively, that was no real surprise: Twilight had been near and dear to Celestia for multiple years back then, so it was expectable that she wouldn’t rebel against her beloved mentor, even though that was what the population desperately hoped for.

However, the disappointment about the shattered expectations on Princess Twilight seemed to be the final straw: the suffering population finally raised its voice and brutal riots all over Equestria ensued; the enraged ponies took to the street and called for rights, liberty and democracy; the times of despotism seemed to draw a close.

Still, Celestia didn’t want to abandon her cozy lifestyle; the greed for power and luxury seemed to have gotten the better of her: she shouted the rebelling voices down, tightened her iron grip around Equestria and brutally quelled the riots.

But her actions failed their purpose: instead of intimidating the population once again, the suppression of the revolt only made the ponies angrier. Only a few days after the last riot had been quelled by royal guards, the insurgent ponies finally acted actively against their tyrant ruler and charged Canterlot Castle, causing a bloody fight between rebels and royal guards.

But they underestimated Celestia’s obsession: enraged about the ponies’ disobedience, she completely extinguished the assault and killed every single pony participating in it, mercilessly exterminating a noticeable part of the Equestrian population.

Her sister, Princess Luna, who until then had watched the whole conflict with discomfort, then approached her big sister and asked her to be perceptive, to end the slaughter and to grant the ponies their rights. But Celestia was outraged about that request and unhesitatingly expelled her sister, calling her a traitor and public enemy for allegedly ‘backstabbing’ her.

Since she was a Princess and accordingly stubborn, Luna didn’t let the ban unsettle her: instead of accepting her ban, she appealed to all the ponies in Equestria who wanted to come out of their shells and united with them, forming a new nation of liberty, equality and fraternity: the New Lunar Republic.

Its headquarters are situated on the moon, the tactically best place, since it’s hard to attack by Celestial troops; the last territory of the Republic in Equestria is a small stronghold near Ponyville. Luna managed to build it overnight and expand it to a real fortress by surrounding it with high walls and connecting it to the headquarters on the moon via a magic portal.

As a defense response to the new state, Celestia hastily dissolved the traditional government of Equestria and formed a new nation on her own: the Solar Empire, a totalitarian state with the Princess as the single head of state and a mass of subordinate ponies with neither rights, nor liberty; a state that was supposed to surpass the Republic in every way, and a state that, in fact, was just another sign of Celestia’s obsession.

As almost nopony reacted to her orders to apply for a citizenship, Celestia sent out her guards to violently force the population into her dictatorship. Within a few weeks, she so managed to turn the majority of the remaining ponies into her subjects; Luna could only stand back.

Even though none of both parties acted actively, the tense, caused by hostilities and arms race between the two nations, was clearly visible and it was only a question of time until a civil war would break out in Equestria.

The only job the two sisters did cooperatively was raising the sun and moon in their usual rhythms and so providing the population of Equestria a regulated day-night-rhythm. Even though she or her supporters had no direct benefit from it, since there was hardly any sunlight on the moon and the Republic consequently was independent from Celestia’s control of the sun, Luna upheld this collaboration, for she didn’t want the population of Equestria suffer from an eternal day.

Nonetheless, the disharmony between the two rulers quickly stained on the Equestrian population: while about forty per cent of the ponies joined the Republic either instantly or after a few months, the rest of the ponies still lived in Equestria, being sometimes proud, but mostly submissive subjects of Princess Celestia.

The suffering of the population -especially of the earth ponies who were forced to sustain the whole country with precious food- caused by Celestia’s stranglehold, made many ponies lose their faith in their leader, but the power Celestia showed when extinguishing the riots outfaced the population and prevented them from starting another revolt. Those who wanted to fight Celestia joined the Republic, the rest of the country consisted of Celestia’s subjects; relatively simple, at least on the face of it.

But there was one last group of ponies: those who were unbiased; who still lived in Equestria, but didn’t officially join the side of the Solar Empire or the New Lunar Republic.

This is where I come into play: my name is Fippo; I used to belong to that third group. It’s not that I agreed with Celestia’s megalomaniac reign, but I just tried to stay out of the conflict and hoped for it to vanish with time; I was convinced that war was no solution for the clash. So, as the Republic was formed and the population more and more divided into supporters of either the Republic or the Empire, I just tried to continue to live my life, refusing to become biased in any way.

Being a pegasus made this a lot easier: even though Cloudsdale officially is a part of the Solar Empire, Celestia ‘kindly’ accepted non-subjects in her second most important city, so least of the ponies in my environment were offended by my neutrality. So I just tried to get by, living in a split country and knowing that a war was inevitable; my future didn’t look that rosy after all. In fact, I even had to deal with depressions: seeing the country I once loved getting torn apart and turned into a battlefield and knowing that ponies would kill each other for the sake of two estranged sisters certainly weren’t the nicest things on earth. But in-between all the melancholia; in-between all the apprehensions, there was one thing that gave me confidence: a red shooting star; a red flicker of hope; a red filly. A filly that always managed to make me forget about my sorrows and just enjoy the time I could spend with her; her beaming smile seemed to break through the grey clouds around my head every time I saw her: Firespark, my daughter.

I groan at the thought of her: why couldn’t I avert it? Why the hell couldn’t I save her!? Why in Faust’s name does fate have to be that cruel!? Narrowing my eyes and forcing myself to hold back tears, I sigh and lift my head, my glance wanders over the bleak landscape in front of me; the moon has never been a nice place to live at: it’s cold, dark and dusty. But joining the Republic, living on the moon and fighting against Celestia’s troops seemed to be the only way for me to get my revenge: for my property, for my daughter, for my life! I clench my teeth and stare at the blue planet presenting in front of me: I’ll soon have my vengeance!

I hear steps behind me and turn around; my look goes to the single pony approaching me. Although she wears the standard armor for earth pony-guards of the Republic -a clunky, black full-body armor with dark-blue accents and a black helmet that only reveals parts of her face- I recognize her by her green eyes and orange fur. Looking at me with a serious glance, she says: “Luna will give a speech at the main square in a couple o’ minutes. Y’all should come with me, she’ll explain the last details of…” she silences and looks to the dusty ground, “Ya know.”

I nod silently. I know how she feels about the upcoming assault: nopony likes to kill other ponies; we aren’t made for that, and none of us should ever do it, but times have changed a lot.

She turns around and gives me a gloomy look: “So, will ya come?”

I nod hesitantly and slowly trot next to her. None of us talks on the way to the nearby settlement: there’s nothing to talk about. Both of us know that we will kill today, and both of us know that we have no other choice than to do so if we want to witness the next day. But in opposite to her, I have a clear motivation to fight today; a single aim, deeply carved into my mind: I will avenge my daughter! I will face the mare responsible for her fate and make her pay for what she has done! I will make her suffer just like she made my daughter suffer!

I growl in anticipation and look at the mare next to me; she silently lifts her head and looks into my face, her dull look gets reflected by my sunglasses.

I look into her eyes: I never saw her before the outbreak of the war, so I can only imagine how she looked when times were better. Now however, her green eyes are vacant and the single streaks of dull, blonde hair which are hanging into her face only suggest how shiny her hair must have been before the war, before she had lost everything she loved. I feel the anticipation quickly turn into sorrow and hastily turn my head away; I fear that I can’t hold back my tears when I look into her eyes any longer.

Confused by my hasty reaction, she weakly asks: “What’s wrong?”

I slowly shake my head: “I’m sorry … your eyes, they just …” my voice breaks, I feel the sorrow overwhelming me once again.

She nods understanding and softly asks: “Thinkin’ of yer daughter again?”

I approve in silence, still fighting with my tears.

Applejack’s eyes. Every time I see them, I see the shining eyes of Firespark, looking at me as she smiles in excitement, right before her flight test. One of the last times I saw her.

Ch.2: Falling

Chapter 2: *Falling*

“I’m so excited! Finally, the day has come; my chance to prove myself; to show everypony that I’m the best flyer in Cloudsdale!” the blazing red filly in front of me rushed, her black hair whipping heftily.

I gave her an encouraging smile: “I’m sure you’ll show ‘em.”

Her green eyes began to shine as she focused me: “How was your flight test? Were you nervous too?”

I nodded slightly embarrassed: “Of course I was! But that’s just normal, everypony’s a little nervous.”

She stretched her wings complacently: “Well, I’m not nervous at all if you meant that!”

I smiled amused: “I’m sure about that; you have no reason to be. Like you said: you’re one of the best flyers in Cloudsdale! And you’ve already proven that you’re capable of showing those ponies how it’s done.”

A mustard, sturdy stallion peeked through a nearby door: “Firespark, you got two minutes!” he yelled at us, “Head to the main room, there you’ll receive a last instruction of what we await from you.” His strong voice faded and his head disappeared again.

My daughter’s eyes widened, now showing a touch of nervousness: “Two minutes? Oh my gosh! Only two minutes!?”

I gave her and encouraging smile: “Keep calm; both of us know that you can do it. I believe in you!”

Her nervousness quickly turned into panic: “But what if I fail? I’d disappoint you; I’d disappoint all of Cloudsdale! What will happen to me? I’ve heard horrible stories about ponies who failed their flight tests: they got banned or … or even worse!”

I put my hoof on her shoulder, calming her: “Hey, don’t you believe that. Those are just old mares-tales; nothing of that is true. … And even if you would fail: I’d still be proud of you!”

She gave me an unbelieving look: “Really?”

I leaned forward and softly kissed her forehead: “Really. But you won’t fail. You can do it and I believe in you. You’ll show everypony out there!”

Her self-confidence slowly returned and, smiling confidently, she said: “I will. Thank you, dad.”

I hugged her tightly, whispering into her ear: “I love you.” Giving her a soft shove towards the door, I added: “And now show ‘em what you can!”

Before leaving the small room, she turned her head towards me and shouted: “I won’t disappoint you!”

A confident smile on my face, I replied: “You never will; you can’t disappoint me!”

Feeling with my daughter, I nervously trotted through the white hallways, looking for something that would signpost the way to the stands. I totally meant what I told her: she had been a talented flyer ever since her early foalhood and practiced almost every day after flight school; with only nine years, she was more experienced than other pegasi were in their late adulthood. I had no doubts that she would pass her test; then she’d finally be out of school and ready to live a life as a free pegasus.

I held back a tear of pride: ever since I’ve divorced from her mother a couple of years ago, she seemed to be the only thing that made my life livable: her bubbly, but self-confident nature that always made me smile when I came home from an exhausting day at the weather patrol; her naturally challenging character that seemed to stain on me every time I felt helpless… It was just everything about her that made her that magnificent in my eyes. And it filled me with pride to know that her final exam was imminent; that she could finally prove herself worthy for this demanding society.

The only thing that agitated me a bit was the thought that she may -despite everything- fail for some reason: I’ve never seen or heard what happened to foals who fail their test, but the most widespread opinion was that they were brought somewhere out of Cloudsdale -maybe even to the ground- then abandoned and turned adrift.

Being ‘useless’ to the flock, as a pegasus has to be able to fly properly in order to live a life in Cloudsdale and serve the society, the dismissed attendees were shunned and hated by most of the other pegasi: in Cloudsdale, there was neither empathy, nor mercy for ponies that weren’t able to avail the flock. The daily life was focused on working: serving the flock and providing Equestria with weather were the two essentials; somepony’s personal feelings were redundant.

According to the government, the flock was the only company a pegasus needed; classical families were a rarity. Indeed, the flock could be seen as some kind of family: as long as a pegasus did something for the society; as long as he spent his time on serving the flock and didn’t challenge its decisions, he was a part of the family: he was respected, integrated, yes even loved by his fellows.

But exactly there was the rub: all the the kindness, all the charity; all those things were extremely limited: as long as a pegasus served the society and praised the flock, he was a beloved member of the family; however, as soon as soon as he showed even a touch of scruples about Cloudsdale’s principles or for some reason became unable to serve the society, he was expelled without a further warning; outcast and banned to the ground for the rest of his life.

And this could be taken word-for-word; the legal system of Cloudsdale was merciless, especially when dealing with exiles: if a banned pegasus would ever dare to show up in Cloudsdale again, he would be imprisoned, then have his wings highly comminuted or even chopped off, and finally be thrown off the clouds. In the unlikely case of his survival, he would still be unable to fly and forced to lead a life as a -from a pegasus’ point of view- invalid pony.

Living in Cloudsdale was seen as a privilege, and only those who did something for the society were allowed to enjoy this honor; everypony else was an outcast. ‘Serve the flock or go die in a hole!’, a lesson I learned early on.

I honestly felt sorry for those who were banned, but -to put it simply- I had two options: I could either fight a losing battle by pressing for the rights of the outcasts, what would have finally resulted in me and Firespark getting banned, losing everything we had and having to start a new life as derelicts; or I could remain silent, ignore the dark sides of Cloudsdale, try to enjoy my life and hope for Firespark to assimilate into the society successfully. It’s a no-brainer that I chose the life in Cloudsdale, not at least because I wanted Firespark to grow up under halfway normal circumstances.

Still, I wondered why -given that the failed pegasi were getting abandoned- none of the rejects had returned yet; why none of them had even tried. Despite the high danger of getting either killed or seriously injured, many of the banned pegasi returned after their banishment and tried to re-join the flock, for no pegasus lived on the ground willingly; a pegasus on the ground felt like a fish out of water: out of place, unnatural, helpless. Permanently living on the ground simply was against the outcasts’ nature: the desire to fly, to live a life in the sky, was elemental, and the incapability to please that need grinded on their sanity, making most of them either lose their mind and commit suicide after a few years, or start a desperate attempt to re-join the flock; it’s needless to say that most of the ponies who tried were captured and punished brutally.

Certainly, the outcasts -given that they still were able to fly- could simply make themselves at home somewhere else in the sky and rebuild their lives out of Cloudsdale -the sky was almost endless after all- but in the long run, living all alone and far away from any kind of civilization was just as maddening as living on the ground.

Simply put: the banned pegasi could choose whether they either wanted to risk going insane and finally killing themselves, or try to re-enter Cloudsdale; both possibilities had a high death rate. But nonetheless, I expected that at least one or two of the dismissed foals would return to Cloudsdale, not at least to beg for mercy.

What happened to them anyways? All of my knowledge was based on rumors; stories getting told in bars or on the market, but there was no actually reliable explanation for the disappearance of the foals. The fate of the rejects seemed to be one of Cloudsdale’s most closely guarded secrets. I shook my head: I didn’t have to care about what happened to the rejected ones. I was certain that there were none that year, and even if there were: Firespark would definitely be the last one to fail. She would pass her test: that was essential, that was certain!

Finally detecting an exit, I stepped onto the stands of the huge arena and took a seat on a nearby bench in the first row, tagged with the advice ‘Reserved for graduates’ parents’. I looked around in the coliseum-like stadium: It seemed like all of Cloudsdale was here; the stands were filled with hundreds of Pegasi, all looking to the middle of the arena and awaiting the beginning of the event.

I searched the stands at the opposite side of the arena and quickly managed to spot her: there, in one of the first rows, she was sitting: Poppyshine, my ex-wife. Her crimson fur made her protrude from the mass of pegasi; her black hair slightly flapped in a breeze. A severe look in her eyes, she focused a gate in the bottom of the arena where the foals would step out to begin their tests. I didn’t look at her for a long time; I feared that she may spot me due to my conspicuous blue fur and uncommon blonde mane.

It’s not that I didn’t like her anymore: we still were some kind of friends, but I was glad that Firespark -after we decided to leave it up to her whom she would like to live with- chose me: I felt like Poppyshine extorted our daughter way too much. Certainly, Firespark should explore her limits, but Poppyshine always urged her to be better than others at all cost, not really regarding the filly’s physical health; especially while she prepared herself for the flight test.

I didn’t understand why everypony emphasized that stupid test anyways: if a pegasus could fly, what kind of permit did anypony have to question their skills and force them to participate in that test? That seemed to be just ridiculous!

Shaking my head and clearing my thoughts, I concluded that all those regulations -the flight test, the strict rules within the flock, and the disparaging treatment of the failed attendees- simply were the rules of Cloudsdale: you didn’t have to like them, but you should learn to live with them. The system worked; asking questions would only cause disorder and provoke a ban.

Music sounded from somewhere and interrupted my thoughts. I looked up and searched the stadium for the origin of it; my look got caught by the events at the other end of the stadium: Princess Celestia strutted on a balcony in the upper gallery and critically let her glance wander throughout the stadium.

After a few seconds of silently eyeing her subjects through her cold, rose eyes, she finally commenced: “My dear subjects.” Her bitter voice echoed through the stadium, “I welcome you to the today’s flight test of Cloudsdale. Let us wish the graduates the best of luck. May we all be braced against the inflammatory thoughts of the mare I once used to call my sister!” She harshly said and stepped back under the shadow of the clouds.

“DEATH TO THE TYRANT! YOUR REIGN WILL GO DOWN SOON! ALL HAIL TO THE REPUBLIC!” an enraged voice sounded from somewhere behind me. Celestia furiously span around and hastily searched the crowd for the origin of the voice.

Not finding it, she yelled: “Say that to your leader’s face, you dirty rebel!” but nopony replied. Still looking angry, Celestia slowly stepped back and finally rested on a cloud. I sighed and looked to the ground melancholically: what happened to that country? Thirty years ago, when I was a colt, everything seemed to be fine, and now? Ponies got threatened, just because they said their opinion.

I was afraid of the future: if the hostilities between the two Princesses would go on like that, a war would break out in a few weeks. A war that would be just as dooming for one of the Princesses as it was inevitable: neither of the rulers considered bargaining or even talking to the other one, and the tension between the Republic and the Empire increased every day; a war seemed to be the only way out. I just hoped that I wouldn’t have to join a side, or even fight: war had never solved any problems, war would never solve any problems; I actually thought that the Princesses were wise enough to know about that.

My thoughts got interrupted again as an incisive voice sounded through nearby speakers. I looked at the balcony and saw the mustard stallion standing in front of a microphone: “I will now introduce the today’s jury.” he said and made a gesture towards a long table a few meters next to him. “As usual, we will have three ponies judging the graduates and deciding whether they deserve to live in this wonderful city.” He loudly explained and walked over to the table, continuing: “As every year, we have Rainbow Dash as the head of the jury!” He pointed to the cyan mare sitting on the left end of the table and smiling distantly. Acclaim aroused from the stands, cheering the captain of the Wonderbolts. She gave the audience a distant nod, not even trying to look appreciative.

I sighed at the sight of her: she used to be in my class in flight school -you could have even called us friends- but with time, we more and more lost each other; I doubted that she’d even recognize me. She was one of the ponies who were influenced by the conflict the worst: I’ve seen her a couple of times after we graduated; her ambition quickly made her a very well-known flyer. After a few years however, I noticed something about my former friend: she still had her ambition, and her sense of humor couldn’t have been better, but I noticed a slight change in her behavior and appearance that got stronger every time I saw her: her smile wasn’t as expressional as it used to be, her laughter didn’t sound as hearty as it did in the past, and her eyes seemed to have lost a bit of their glance, while her hair spared and slowly grayed. I puzzled over those changes for a long time, for I saw no reason for her to behave that way: she had almost everything a pegasus could wish for: a well-paid job at the weather patrol, great friends, a beaming future … so what could she miss? I had no idea.

But one day, just when I saw her clearing the sky, it dawned on me: her moves, that faint swinging of her legs, was nothing compared to what she did back in flight school. As I watched her doing her job and numbly kicking the clouds with the same drab expression she had every day, it suddenly came over me: she had lost her passion in life! Something seemed to have happened that made her act like a puppet and lose the joy in her everyday actions.

But I didn’t dare to ask her about it: we hardly knew each other anymore, and just approaching her about something that personal would probably have ended with me getting a powerful kick into my stomach. Still, I was slightly worried about my former friend: compared to the mare I knew and liked in flight school, she was just an empty sleeve, just a phantom of what she used to be. Even on the day she got elected to the captain of the Wonderbolts -probably the most desirable office a pegasus could be charged with- her eyes didn’t shine like they did back when she was in flight school; she literally had to force out a smile.

And that was even before the beginning of the conflict: back then, one year after the Republic was formed and I watched her sitting in the stadium, she was only a shadow of her former self: her formerly beautiful magenta eyes had lost their glance completely, her rainbow hair had turned dull, even though she was only a year older than me, and she hardly showed any emotions at all. It may have been caused by her job: after the Wonderbolts had been militarized and used as Celestia’s private guards, they were forced to do strict training every day, practicing to protect their tyrant leader in every possible situation and hardly having any time for flying freely, even less for enjoying it.

The announcer interrupted my thoughts once again as he continued to introduce the jury: “And also as a regular member of the jury, we have Emberstripe!” he pointed towards a sturdy, black stallion with a straight, red mane and shiny red eyes, sitting in the middle of the table and looking just as emotionless as Rainbow Dash. I shivered upon seeing him: I couldn’t explain why -I’d never seen him before- but for some reason, this stallion made my skin crawl; there was some kind of rouge coldness in his red irises that simply frightened me.

“And, for the first time in the jury, we have Halo Star!” the announcer pointed towards the last pony: a skinny, green stallion with a light-blue mane and cyan eyes. In opposite to the two other jury-members, he didn’t look distant or cold, he just glanced throughout the arena and smiled nervously. I wondered how he managed to enter the jury, for he was really young, he didn’t look like he was out of his early twenties yet.

The mustard stallion began to speak again, announcing the first attendee; I drifted back into my thoughts: they already told me that Firespark would attend last of all, so there was no real reason for me to follow the test actively, I was sure that nopony would be better than my daughter anyways.

Resting my head on my hoof, I watched the first attendee -a white filly with a golden, fluffy mane and violet eyes- rush through the tasks. I still knew them by heart from my flight test: ‘Clear’, ‘Fly’, ‘Fall’, ‘Complete’; my parents forced me to learn them all day back when I was a colt. Not a nice stage of life for me, not at all.

Shivering from the memories of my hard foalhood, I watched the filly clear a bunch of clouds in to the middle of the arena, then fly through five stacked cloud-rings and finally rise up above the stadium, just to drop instantly and softly land on a cloud in front of the jury, her eyes widened in expectation as she awaited her judgment.

Rainbow Dash and the black stallion nodded drably and held up their hooves, approving of her skills; Halo Star was the only one to give her a smile while confirming her success. She made a joyful jump and lifted her small body into the air again, flying to a gate at the opposite wall of the stadium and landing there, her face gleaming with pride. I couldn’t hold back an appreciating smile: she certainly was a good flyer, but I was sure that nopony could ever compete with my little Spark.

I noticed some movement on the opposite gallery and saw the Princess slowly lifting off, rising up above the stadium, there mounting a big, golden sky chariot and quickly departing towards Canterlot. As all the eyes in the arena were tied to her, the announcer quickly focused the audience’s attention to the gate again, saying: “The Princess has some important business to do, she unfortunately can’t attend the contest any longer. We will now continue with the next attendee.”

Without thinking about that early depart of the Princess further -she probably just had to issue another extortionate law- I leaned forward and watched the next attendee step through the gate and take off, heading towards a new bunch of clouds.

The next attendees all mastered their tests without major issues and happily landed on the cloud next to the first filly. While the penultimate foal -a grayish colt- was just passing the rings, I saw Rainbow Dash lean over to Emberstripe and whisper something into his ear, her face looked surprisingly worried. The black stallion slowly nodded and now bent towards Halo Star, also whispering into his ear; the green pegasus’ eyes suddenly widened in disgust and he shook his head hastily. Emberstripe looked back at Rainbow Dash and shrugged confused. The cyan mare leaned past her fellow and gave Halo Star a threatening look, slowly moving her lips. His eyes widened even further and he stared at his two fellows in pure disbelief; a commanding gesture by Emberstripe made him turn his head and stare into the opposite stands rigidly. I wondered what Dash may have told him as I noticed her calling for the announcer.

The yellow stallion stopped next to Rainbow Dash and leaned towards her; she mumbled something into his ear, probably the same thing she said to Emberstripe. He nodded quickly and went towards his microphone. Waiting for the attendee to land in front of the jury and receive their approval -Halo Star now wasn’t smiling anymore- he spoke up: “I’m sorry to tell you that we’ll have to interrupt the test for a short moment. It seems there’s something wrong with one of the rings.” the stallion’s strong voice sounded through the stadium. I seemed to be the only one to be surprised about that: those rings usually don’t break, and I couldn’t spot any kind of damage on even one of the rings.

But I shoved my surprise aside: no matter when Firespark would perform, the essential was that she would perform! She would impress everypony with her skills and definitely get an instant job offer for the weather patrol; they just had to take her! She was the bucking best; nopony could mess with her!

I hastily shook my head: I probably praised her to the skies way too much. Of course, she was a very talented flyer, but that didn’t mean that she was the unchallenged master in flying; she still was a filly after all. But I had no doubts that she would pass her test: some of the attendants were a good deal worse than her and passed the test anyways; Firespark would pass hooves down.

Two Pegasi came from somewhere in the lower rings; they carried a second cloud-ring in their hooves and quickly replaced the fifth and last of the rings with it. As they disappeared through a gate in the bottom of the arena, the announcer continued: “Okay, now that this little issue is fixed, we can continue with our last attendee for the today’s test: Firespark.”

I leaned forward to watch my daughter leave the gate where her former classmates had stepped through and lift her body into the air, a confident look on her face. She quickly approached the bunch of clouds and kicked them one another; the spot was cloud-free after a few seconds. Before heading towards the rings, Firespark hastily looked into my direction, her glance showed a touch of doubts. Trying to encourage her, I gave her a big smile and nodded motivating; the only thing I could do at the moment.

It seemed to work though: even though our eyes met for a split-second only, I could see the insecurity in her eyes vanish and she speeded towards the five queued rings, rushing through the first one, then sidestepping and passing the second one almost immediately.

As I noticed that every eye in the stadium was focused on her and the audience silenced in amazement, I had to force myself not to jump up and shout out my pride: that was her moment! She showed what she could do and, as a reward, earned the appreciation of an audience of hundreds of pegasi!

In a minimum of time, she had passed the third and fourth ring and now speeded towards the last one, focusing it in determination.

Then, it happened.

Her right wing grazed the frame of the last ring; she staggered through the air erratically. My jaw dropped; my hopes and expectations seemed to shatter with a loud crack. Firespark desperately tried to regain her balance, but her right wing seemed to be injured; she tumbled through the arena for a few more seconds, but finally fell downward and landed hard on a single cloud a couple of feet underneath the stadium.

Stunned by that sudden event, I stiffly looked at the jury: Rainbow Dash and Emberstripe already pointed their hooves downward soberly; Halo Star was still looking at the fallen attendee, his eyes widened in consternation. Emberstripe gave him a hard tap with his elbow and a harsh comment, making him hold his hoof down hesitantly; the horror he felt was clearly visible in his cyan eyes.

For a second, my glance wandered over to the place where Poppyshine used to sit, but I noticed that she was gone; the ponies around her seat looked at the jury soberly and, after seeing their judgment, slowly got up and walked towards the exit; some of them even shouted Firespark down.

Finally, I could free myself from my stiffness and slowly realized the issue: my daughter just failed her flight test! The one of whom I was convinced that she would kick some flank, that she would impress an entire city, just failed! Her expectations, her hopes, her future just … gone! My daughter, the best nine-year-old flyer Cloudsdale had ever seen, a failure! Worthless to the flock! An outcast! I couldn’t believe it!

But the horror quickly got outdone by another feeling; a feeling that every parent knows, and that’s stronger than anything else on earth: stronger than the disappointment, stronger than the dismay, stronger than the frustration: concern. Concern about my daughter.

Without thinking further, I lifted myself into the air and flew over the ceiling, dropping myself down and softly landing next to the crying red picture of misery. I put my hoof on her shoulder, making her look up and focus me with her tearstained eyes. “I disappointed you!” she shouted tearfully, “I disappointed everypony! I’m nothing but a worthless failure!”

Without hesitating, I hugged her tightly and yelled: “Who the hell told you that nonsense!? You aren’t worthless! You disappointed nopony! I’m still proud of-“ my voice suddenly faded as I got torn back by my wings by something strong.

“Step back from that failure!” the announcer pleated at me, tearing me away from my daughter and, together with a blue, sturdy pegasus, grabbing her body and carrying her away from the cloud.

I span around a couple of times until I could control my flight again. Hurrying after the three ponies as fast as I could, but still flying terribly slow, since my wings still hurt from the hard grab of the announcer, I yelled: “Let her go! She isn’t a failure! She’s a bucking full-value pegasus! You bastards have no bucking permit to judge her!” They ignored me, flying away surprisingly fast.

Firespark looked over her shoulder; not making an effort to struggle against the tight grip of the two strong stallions, she whiningly said: “I’m sorry, daddy. I gave my best.”

I shook my head in pure horror, raising the last rests of power I had in my body and shouting: “THE BUCKING TEST ISN’T OVER YET! LET HER GO AND SHE’LL KICK YOUR GODDAMNED FLANKS!”

They still remained silent and approached a windowless, black carriage. The announcer forcefully yanked the door open and threw the red filly inside. While he slammed the door powerfully, the blue stallion stepped in front of the carriage and departed, pulling the vehicle behind him. The announcer flew alongside the carriage for a few seconds, then turned around and headed back into the direction of the stadium. Just when he wanted to leave, his eyes widened as I hit him into his side powerfully, making him groan and fall for a few seconds; the rage certainly made me develop powers I couldn’t bring up under normal circumstances.

Flying next to the rear end of the carriage, I desperately tried to open the door, but failed at the simple mechanism; even the simplest things become too complicated when you do them under rage. The announcer suddenly appeared next to me and gave my head a powerful stroke with his hoof, making me stumble backwards. “Nopony bucks with me!” he shouted furiously, “That failure will be processed! Every kind of attempt to interrupt that process is a punishable offense!”

I shook my head to get rid of the dizziness and -too enraged to comment his speech- sped back onto him, giving his stomach a strong kick with my legs. He groaned for a short moment, but didn’t back out. Instead, he suddenly grabbed me with both of his strong forelegs and spun me around, making my back face him. Letting out a quick chuckle of superiority, he then damaged my wings with four powerful, targeted strikes and gave me a forceful kick into my spine.

That was it. I fell, completely unable to do something about it; every attempt of moving my wings resulted in me letting out an involuntary scream of pain and tears flooding my eyes. The announcer let out a victorious grunter and smiled satisfied before departing into the direction of the stadium.

My eyes widened in terror as I saw the black carriage disappear in the clouds and taking my daughter with it, while I both, literally and physically, fell out of the clouds.

Ch.3: Fractured

Chapter 3: *Fractured*

An eternity seemed to pass until I finally got conscious again. Even though my perceptions still were blurred, I suddenly noticed something; something that definitely hadn’t been there before: a thrilling annoyance; a sound that broke the silence every once in a while. Weakly straining my ears, I could identify it as an artificial noise - a monotone bleep, repeating over and over again. As my audible range slowly expanded, the sound of muffled voices suddenly came to my ears and I started an attempt to open my eyes, but the exhaustion quickly got the better of me and my eyelids relaxed again.

A couple of seconds later, my olfaction seemed to re-awaken and a keen smell flooded my nostrils. I had to reflect for a second, for I was sure that I knew that scent: I remembered to have smelled it day in, day out after I’ve had a serious accident in my foalhood. But I didn’t manage to define it; I didn’t manage to think at all: my brain seemed to be switched off; my mind felt like it was caught in an eternal blizzard.

I sniffed weakly: the strength flooded my sinuses once again; the wanted term suddenly popped up in my mind: that was the strength of pure alcohol; of disinfecting agent. My eyes shot open: sanitizer always spelled trouble!

It took a few seconds for me to adapt to the light suddenly flooding my eyes, but finally, I had clear vision to what was in front of me: a plain, bluish wall with a telephone attached to it presented next to me; an electrocardiogram was standing right next to my head and emitted the monotone sounds.

From the soft underground cushioning my back, I concluded that I was lying in a bed and, under efforts, finally managed to move my head and look throughout the room: I was lying in a small hospital room; my body was connected to the ECG with multiple cables on my chest, while most of my fur was covered by a green hospital grown. I tried to remember what had happened, but my fractured memory only provided me with blurred pictures and short flicks of the past events, leaving me completely clueless.

I felt a sharp pain coming from my sides and carefully moved my head to look at my wings: they were stretched out, directed into unnatural angles; multiple feathers were missing, making them look like a dead tree during fall. Instinctively, I folded them - as a response, I got overwhelmed by a wave of agony and involuntarily let out a groaned scream of pain; the ECG speeded up drastically as a load of adrenaline shot through my veins.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down and re-focus on remembering what had happened, but my attention suddenly got attracted by the sound of an opening door. I hastily lifted my head and looked towards the entrance of the small room: a white mare with rose hair and a nurse-cap hastily entered the room and -after seeing that I was fine- gave me a relived look.

“Finally you’re awake.” she noticed with a soft voice.

Under efforts, I could bring out some mumbled words: “Where … where am I?”

“You’re at the Ponyville hospital. You’ve been taken here yesterday by a-“

“What happened to me? Why the hell am I in Ponyville!?” I cut her off, instantly feeling wide-awake; the quickening sounds of the ECG filled the room once again.

She made an apologizing, but clueless gesture and answered: “I’m so sorry, but I don’t know. The mare that brought you here said that you’ve been falling from the sky. According to the radiographs, this might even be right: you got some serious bruises on your wings. They aren’t broken fortunately, but it will take some time until they are healed completely … and, to be honest, I don’t think that you’ll ever be able to fly like you were before your crash. If you really fell to the ground from a cloud, we can thank Celestia that you’re still alive.”

Something popped up in my head and I hesitantly asked: “Wait! May … may you repeat that part with where I came from?”

The nurse nodded understanding: “Of course. The pony that brought you here said that you’d have been falling from the sky and landed in her pigpen. If you ask me, that doesn’t really-“

“From the sky?” I interrupted her and hastily sat up in my bed, feeling the pain in my wings once again.

She nodded again: “Yes … she may have meant Cloudsdale.”

I stiffened: that word unleashed something in my head; the ECG seemed to wack out as my mind got overwhelmed by a sudden avalanche of memories and I -desperately trying to remember what happened in Cloudsdale- held my head with both of my hooves and leaned forward, turning my head to the side.

My glance fell on a small white envelope lying on a side table next to my bed and I hesitated. Raising an eyebrow, I skeptically asked: “What’s that?”

The white mare shrugged shrugged: “I don’t know. It came with the mail a couple of hours ago.”

My curiosity had been aroused and I leaned towards the table, reaching out my shaky hoof to grab the letter. I noticed the sun shining through a big window next to my bed and asked: “How long am I here already?”

While I hastily opened the envelope, the nurse gave me a pitying look: “You arrived here about 18 hours ago. … You’ve been comatose for multiple hours.”

Giving her an unbelieving look, I said: “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” as she didn’t react, I added,”18 hours? Really!?”

She soberly nodded.

I silently swore and took an official-looking paper out of the envelope, quickly reading the short text on it.

To Fippo, former citizen of the city of Cloudsdale.

Dear Mr. Fippo

You certainly know that your actions yesterday -interrupting the ceremony of the flight test and attacking a fellow civilian and employee of the Cloudsdale stadium- will not stay unpunished.

On the orders of the government of Cloudsdale and with approval of Princess Celestia, I hereby declare your banishment from Cloudsdale.

Your job at the weather patrol has been cancelled and your property -including your house and everything in it- has been seized by the government; you can see yourself as home-and stateless.

I officially warn you: if you should ever enter Cloudsdale again -no matter what the circumstances- you will be led off, imprisoned, and punished appropriately without a further warning.

Respectfully:

Spitfire, mayor of Cloudsdale.

My eyes widened as the memory suddenly returned: Cloudsdale, the flying test, Firespark! Forget about my citizenship, I had to find my daughter!

Stiffening, I shouted: “They took my daughter!”

The nurse looked at me confused: “Excuse me?”

I jumped to my hooves and yelled into her face: “THOSE MOTHERBUCKERS FOALNAPPED MY DAUGHTER!”

“Please get back to bed, you’re still way too weak to stand on your own hooves!” she summoned me gently, but determined.

Ignoring her order, I shoved her aside and tore the cables off my chest while stumbling towards the exit. Just when I was about to pass the door, I felt a sharp pain coming from my legs and abruptly stopped, leaning to the doorframe and letting out a pained groan.

“Please stay here!” the nurse shouted, now sounding much harsher.

I gave her a quick glance over my shoulder. Clenching my teeth, I yelled: “No way! My daughter’s somewhere out there and I have to find her! And then I’m gonna let those motherbuckers pay for abducting her!”

Without awaiting a further comment, I took a deep breath and left the room, hurrying through the monotone, white hallways and passing several confused nurses and doctors while I searched for an exit.

After a few moments, I noticed my pace slowing down and inevitably stopped. Stiffly looking into the distance, I slowly realized what had happened: “They banished me. They took my house, my property, just everything…” I mumbled to myself and leaned against a wall in order not to fall over from a sudden qualm, “My life in Cloudsdale … is over.” Despite my attempts to find purchase on the green wallpaper, I numbly slid downward and landed on my back.

I sighed deeply and stared at the opposite wall, searching for a solution in its white pattern. “What now?” I craned my neck and looked at the ceiling, ”… I might risk it. I might risk my life and approach Spitfire to ask for a reprieve. If I’m really gentle, I might even manage to restore my old life … but…” I sighed deeply, “NO! As long as Firespark is somewhere out there, my life can wait!” I smashed my hoof onto the ground in determination. “Find her, then think about how you’ll get by!” I yelled and jumped up. “You won’t let that ban dismay you! You’re stronger than the system!” I motivated myself and continued my run through the hospital while hastily getting rid of the green grown, “Everything will be like it was before! Everything will be fine! No doubt about that!”

Secretly, I knew that things would never be like they were before: Firespark had been abducted; I had been banned from Cloudsdale – there was no way those things could be undone. But I oppressed those thoughts: skepticism wouldn’t help me find Firespark; self-assurance and confidence would.

A couple of minutes later, I finally found an exit and rushed through the door, stretching my wings in order to lift off as soon as possible. Just as I had passed the glass gate, I wanted to take off, but all I got as a response for flapping my wings was a sharp pain and a sobering jump, but not the expected flight.

Having difficulties to keep my balance and not fall over, I swore at the top of my voice and tried to flap my wings again. The agony overcame me once more, being almost stunning this time, and involuntarily made me fold my wings and abstain from starting another attempt to take off. I swore again, but reluctantly accepted my incapability of flying properly; the hopes to find Firespark began to fade.

I slowed down and hastily shook my head: “Maybe they don’t detain her in Cloudsdale? Maybe they brought her to the ground?” I asked aloud, “Yes. Yes, they must have brought her to the ground. There’s no other place they could bring her. She definitely is at the ground. Why should they detain her in Cloudsdale after all?” I rushed, “No. No, keeping her in Cloudsdale would be ridiculous. She is somewhere at the ground, no doubt about that!” I told myself and clung to this thought, preventing myself from thinking about that topic further - I feared to realize how ridiculous this assumption actually was.

Blocking every further thought about Firespark’s actual whereabouts, I continued my run along the single road leading away from the hospital and tried to ignore my hurting legs and wings.

The thought that one of the nurses or doctors may follow me made me look over my shoulder and check the exit of the hospital for other ponies - everything was empty. Just when I wanted to turn my head back, I felt my body crash into something massive and fell backward, landing hard on my back. I hastily looked up: I seemed to have crashed into another pony.

The orange mare had her blonde hair tied back with a red hair band; even though half of her face was hidden in the shade of her brown Stetson, I managed to spot multiple freckles and a pair of green eyes, reminding me to those of Firespark. Looking down at me, she gave me a relieved look and said: “Oh, it’s you. Finally you’re awake.”

Ignoring her greeting, I jumped up, grabbed her shoulders with my hooves and shouted: “Ha- have you seen my daughter!?”

The relief in her eyes vanished as she raised an eyebrow in confusion: “Your daughter? Sorry, but no. Ah just saw you falling from-“

“Then do you know of a place where pegasus-foals who failed their flight tests are taken? Can you tell me where it is? Is it on the ground? In Cloudsdale? Answer me already!” I desperately yelled at her while forcefully shaking her body.

She attempted to look pitying, but couldn’t hide her confusion: “Ah’m sorry to tell ya, but … as you can see, Ah’m an earth pony, Ah have no idea of yer pegasi’s rituals, nor do Ah know anything about Cloudsdale.”

She wanted to continue, but I shoved her aside and shouted: “Then get outta my way! I have to find her! She counts on her daddy!”

Without waiting for a comment, I continued my run along the lonely road the mare came from and left her standing in front of the hospital confused.

Hurrying along the dusty path, I kept my eyes open for anything suspicious, but -needless to say- didn’t find anything, not even other ponies to ask about Firespark; the area around the path was a textbook example for a wasteland: apart from single trees or one or two lakes, there was nothing but green plains around the road.

As I noticed that the pain in my wings had vanished, I started another attempt to fly; I managed to lift my body by about three feet, but quickly got overwhelmed by the pain and reluctantly cancelled my flight-attempt. Oppressing another curse, I clenched my teeth to overcome the ache and continued my run, slowly remembering that the road I was on led to Ponyville.

I gave the so-called ‘embassy’ of the New Lunar Republic, a small fort with two floors, dark blue walls and a round path on top, appearing next to the road ahead of me a quick glance. Asking the guards about Firespark would be pointless: none of them would even talk to me properly; in their eyes, I was just another supporter of the tyrannical Princess, just another submissive subject. So I passed the embassy without giving it a further look and kept my eyes open for other ponies -preferentially pegasi- but the road was deserted.

After approaching Ponyville a couple of minutes later, I stopped in the middle of the abandoned market. I searched the area for other ponies, but didn’t find even one: the square was emptied. I couldn’t hold back a pitying sigh: I used to be in Ponyville one or two times before the conflict; this place used to be so full of life: there was a smiling face at every corner, and now? The market stalls were abandoned; most of the houses were empty and moldering, even the town hall seemed to be unoccupied.

While slowly trotting through the decaying city, I spotted a single pony in the distance; my pulse speeded up and I ran into her direction. As I came closer, I saw that she was a pegasus: she had grey fur, a light blonde mane and yellow eyes, directed into unnatural angles; a brown mail bag hung around her waist. I stopped next to her and approached her hastily: “Hey! Hey, can you help me?”

She looked at me slightly confused and answered: “Erm, sure. What’s the matter?”

I stepped even closer to her and desperately asked: “Do you know where foals who failed their flight tests are taken? You know: that exam at the end of flight school in Cloudsdale! Do you know what happens to those who didn’t pass? Where they end up?”

She suddenly stiffened and her eyes widened in horror: “No! Nonono! You’re one of them?” tears of fear flooded her eyes, “Please, leave me alone!”

Her voice broke as she turned around and launched into taking off; I quickly grabbed her by her bag and pinned her to the ground. “I need your help! They took my daughter and I have no idea where they brought her!” I yelled, my voice quavering from my desperation.

She forcefully tore her bag away from my grip and hastily departed towards the clouds, squealing: “Please go away! I don’t want to have anything to do with the factory!”

Again, I tried to take off to follow her, but I still didn’t get higher than a few meters before dropping to the ground again in exhaustion.

I sighed in desperation as I saw the grey mare disappear in the clouds: what did I say that unsettled her that much? And what did she mean with ‘the factory’?

As I helplessly let my glance wander over the moldering houses in front of me, my attention got attracted by a nearby building in the middle of the ruins: a mid-size house that looked like it was made completely out of sweets. I came closer and noticed a dusty ‘open’-sign hanging in one of the windows; it seemed to be something like a store. The thought that the waiter may have some further information about that ‘factory’ sparked my hopes and I hurried towards the entrance. Fortunately, the pain in my legs slowly ceased.

I entered the store and looked around: they actually seemed to sell sweets, or at least used to do so: the room was decorated with old party-supplies and plastic sweets; the air was filled with a stale strength of cakes. I spotted a bluish mare with rose hair leaning towards a glass counter next to the door and looking to the ground dully; according to a small name badge, her name was ‘Mrs. Cup Cake’.

When she heard me entering, her appearance brightened slightly. She looked up and forced out a smile, saying: “Oh, a costumer! Welcome to Sugarcube corner! How can I help you?” I opened my mouth to say something as she quickly added: “We have every kind of pastries and sweets, just take a look around and ask me if you’re looking for something special!” she let out an excited squeal, “Oh my, I haven’t had costumers for days now!”

Trying to avoid eye contact, I looked away: “Actually, I was wondering whether you may help me.”

She nodded hastily: “Of course! Do you need an advice about cakes?”

I shook my head: “No, I wanted to know whether you know about a place where failu-“, I bit my tongue - I hate that word, “where pegasus-foals who failed their flight tests are taken?”

The happiness in her eyes made way for confusion as she said: “Well, I’m sorry, but … I’ve never been to Cloudsdale … I don’t know anything about a flight test.”

Giving her body a further glance, I noticed: “Of course … you’re an earth-pony …” I numbly dropped my head, losing every kind of motivation, “Alright, sorry for wasting your time” I turned around and drably shuffled towards the exit.

“Why are you asking for such a place anyways?” Mrs. Cake asked after a few moments.

I had approached the door, but hesitated. My voice quavering with bitterness, I explained: “They took my daughter”

She gasped: “Really?”

My look stiffly focused on her blue eyes, I dryly asked: “Do I look like I’m joking?”

Her face turned pale: “Oh my! That’s just horrible!”

I looked to the ground: “Indeed it is. Now, if you’d excuse me: I have to look for her.” I said, not making an effort to hide my lack of motivation.

As I was about to open the exit door, she hesitantly said: “I-I know how it feels when somepony very important is taken away from you.”

I rested and slowly turned around, giving her a doubting glance.

“I-I’ve also lost somepony a few weeks ago,” She said and turned her head. Walking towards the counter, I could see that she looked at a monochrome picture of a bubbly-looking mare with very fluffy hair, happily smiling into the direction of the camera. I saw the sorrow coming over Mrs. Cake as she tearfully explained: “Her name is Pinkie Pie … she used to be our lodger, but with time … she- she’s become like a daughter for me.”

Stepping closer to her, I carefully asked: “What happened?”

She sobbed: “She- she died during one of the riots. … She wasn’t involved; heck, she didn’t even have something against Princess Celestia … but … she simply was at the wrong place at the wrong time!” the blue mare wiped away a tear as she bitterly continued, “Those royal guards just overran her, just like the other demonstrators!” she sobbed again; her voice was quavering, “After her death, even the last rest of happiness vanished from Ponyville. … Almost everypony left, most of them joined the Republic. I’m one of the few ones left.”

“Don’t you have a family?” I asked her hesitantly.

Slowly, she nodded, still trying to hold back tears: “Yes. Yes, I have a husband, but … he joined the army of the Republic. … He said he wanted to avenge Pinkie Pie.”

“I’m sorry for that.” I said, trying to sound as empathetic as possible.

Her reddish hair whipped slightly as she shook her head and wiped her eyes again: “It’s not your fault. It’s the fault of this damned war! We’ve had peace all along, and now?”, she sobbed again, “… I’m sorry. I guess I digressed. … You should leave now.”

Nodding slowly, I approved: “I probably should.” I hesitantly added, “... My prayers go out to your husband.”

She forced out a greatful smile: “Thank you. I hope that you’ll find your daughter!”

I turned around and, before leaving the shop, whispered: “I know that I will.”

Standing in front of the shop again, I looked around completely clueless: what should I do? Mrs. Cake had been right when she said that there was almost nopony left in Ponyville, so where else should I go? I still didn’t expect any kind of help from the embassy, and ‘bothering’ the royal lardass with my ‘laughable’ problems probably would result in a reprimand.

Slowly lifting my head, I looked towards the sky: single streaks of clouds were floating above Ponyville; the weather patrol seemed to have a day off. Taking a deep breath, I decided to at least give it a try and looked for a good way upwards. After a few seconds, my glance fell on the high roof of the town hall and I quickly departed, trotting towards the white house as fast as possible.

After a couple of seconds, I stopped in front of the high building and gave it an inspecting glance: from its roof, I should be able to reach a nearby cloud; I just hoped that I could depend on my strained wings.

I carefully spread them: it still hurt, but the pain was more or less bearable. I took a deep breath and began to flap them; to my own surprise, I managed to take off without further issues. Trying to oppress the -once again upcoming- ache in my wings, I quickly reached the first tier and rested there for a few seconds. After catching a breath, I lifted myself into the air again and continued to head upwards, driven by the thought to Firespark.

A couple of moments later, I finally landed on the roof of the hall and, breathing heavily, managed to crest the tip. It somehow amazed me that something as simple as climbing a building could be that exhausting, just because my wings were injured.

Catching my breath for one moment, I realized that I was about to lose my balance and quickly flew up to a nearby, small cloud, bringing up the last rest of energy I had in my wings.

The soft surface of the cloud broke my fall as I landed on it and instantly slumped. I winced from the pain coming from my sides: my wings definitely needed a break.

I sighed exhausted; before even thinking about it, I noticed my eyes closing and my perceptions blur as I quickly fell asleep.

Ch.4: Dropped

Chapter 4: *Dropped*

I saw Firespark: she was crying, hanging her head low, and running; running away from me. The sky around us was covered in a deep black, and single cracks of thunder drowned her terrible weeping.

Without hesitating, I got under way and followed her, running after the red filly as fast as I could. But she was faster than me, she ran faster than I had ever seen her running before; I didn’t think that a pegasus could actually run that fast.

Within seconds, I realized that I wouldn’t catch up, so I shouted for her, frantically telling her to stop. As a response, she quickly turned her head; her green eyes were soaked with tears as she shouted: “No! No, I can’t come back! I-I failed!”

In an attempt to overhaul her, I launched into taking off, but my wings didn’t move, remaining neatly folded at my sides. Breathing heavily, I desperately yelled: “I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THAT! FORGET ABOUT CLOUDSDALE! FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING AND COME TO ME! WE CAN CARRY ON; WE CAN LIVE ON THE GROUND TOGETHER!”

Still running faster than ponyly possible, she narrowed her eyes and looked to the ground, whimpering: “No we can’t! I failed you! I failed every-“ her voice suddenly got cut off as she fell through a hole in the grey clouds and vanished from the surface.

Letting out a horrified scream, I made a huge jump, then slid, and quickly came to a stop at the edge of the hole. Sticking my head through the opening, I hastily searched the black sky for the red filly, but didn’t see anything but grey clouds.

Tears flooded my eyes as I shouted for her, but got no response. I took a deep breath and launched into shouting again, but just as I was about to scream, I suddenly heard a thunder, breaking loose directly next to me.

The sound seemed to blow my eardrums; a massive blast wave pressed the breath out of my lung and forcefully slung me away from the cloud and into the black sky.

I fell. Again.

Drenched in sweat, I started and hastily looked around: the sky was covered in orange, the sun was just setting. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and got to my shaky hooves, quickly heading upwards to the next visible cloud; nightmares were the last things I needed.

After several minutes of jumping from cloud to cloud, I finally reached the top and stepped on the soft ground of Cloudsdale. I took a deep breath of the homelike air and looked around in an attempt to orientate myself.

Fortunately, I recognized the small market-square I was standing on and notionally planned the shortest route to Poppyshine’s house. I was sure that she would help me to find Firespark; she still was her daughter after all!

Finally having selected a road, I looked up and nodded in determination. Just as I was about to take the first step and head towards a small street on the opposite side of the square, I suddenly froze. I remembered the letter I had read earlier that day: I had been banished; if somepony, or even a guard, would recognize me, they would imprison me and chop my wings… I choked and cut myself off.

I thought of an alternative to the public roads: regarding the poor condition of my wings, I certainly couldn’t take the airway to Poppyshine’s house. But from my childhood, I knew that there were several hidden paths in Cloudsdale: with an expert eye, alleys, backyards, and sewer tunnels could be found all over the city.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t used those paths since I was fourteen, so I didn’t remember even one of them; and even if I would: the risk of getting lost in the white labyrinth of clouds was extremely high, so I might have ended up having to ask one of the other pegasi and risk getting busted.

Letting out a sigh of discomfort, I realized that I had to take the ‘official’ route if I wanted to have at least a little chance of survival. So I hung my head low in order not to attract more attention than necessary and slowly crossed the nearly empty square, heading towards the street I had focused before.

Just when I passed a narrow, dark alley coming up next to me, I heard it: the one sentence I feared more than anything else at that time; the sentence of which I knew that it would seal my fate. “Hey, you’re that pony that went nuts at the flight test, right?” a scratchy voice sounded from inside the alley.

I froze; my eyes widened in terror and the muscles in my wings tensed, preparing for a desperate, but eventually pointless attempt to escape. My head spun around and I focused the alley, ready to give my potential opponent a quick look.

Before I could get a clear image of the pony, I felt a strong arm grabbing my body and tearing me into the alley; I oppressed a scream, for I knew that alarming the guards wouldn’t help me either. Before I managed to bring out a word, the pony forcefully smashed me against a wall and pinned my hooves down, completely preventing me from moving. Instinctively, I closed my eyes, preparing to get beaten up.

Nothing happened.

I quickly opened my eyes again, entirely seeing my assaulter for the first time: his light blue fur was covered by a dirty, grey overall; his thin, dark blue hair glittered with dandruffs and fat. Blowing his musty breath into my face, he dryly chuckled: “You’re quite bold to return after you got banned. You can call yourself lucky that I found you before the guards did. … But next time you stray through Cloudsdale, you should get a disguise.”

Nausea from the cloud of stench floating over to me, I stuttered: “Wha- who the hell are you!?”

He shoved my head upward and made me look into his face; his green eyes gleamed with bitterness as he huffed: “Don’t you know me? Hell, how low can I get that even a goddamn outcast doesn’t recognize me!?”

I reflected for a second: his appearance, his voice, his nature… everything seemed familiar; I remembered to know him from my foalhood. Back then, he was a hero for me: I always looked up to him; always hoped to be like him someday.

My eyes widened as I stuttered: “S-Soarin?”

He suddenly let up on me, making me fall to the ground. The declined stallion looked down at me and grinned widely, showing me his gangrenous teeth: “Ha! I knew somepony would still know my name. One does not simply forget a national champion!”

Still unable to understand, I slowly got to my hooves and continued: “B-but … what happened to you? I-I mean … you were a Wonderbolt! You were … you were a hero!”

His smile instantly vanished and he snorted dryly: “You say it!” he growled in anger, “I was a goddamn hero!” he lunged out and gave an empty can in front of his hooves a hard kick, making the jar crash against the opposite wall and land in the darkness of the alley with a loud clang, “And how do those buckers thank it to me!?” panting with rage, he forcefully knocked over a nearby trash barrel, “BY MAKING ME PICK UP THEIR TRASH!?”

Breathing heavily, he hastily shook his head, obviously making an effort to calm down: “But that doesn’t matter now.” He looked up and gave me a superior smile, “Because you, my fellow, entered the city illegally, and I just chased you down!”

My eyes widened; I stiffened again and launched into taking off, knowing that I wouldn’t stand a chance against a former Wonderbolt.

He soberly placed a hoof on my shoulder and pinned me to the ground, saying: “Look, if I wanted those motherbuckers to chop you up, we wouldn’t have that talk now. I might be a bum, but I still have a sense of justice … and I’m still a civilian of Cloudsdale – in opposite to you.”

I jugged and slightly relaxed: “Then what do you want from me?”

He smirked: “I thought I’d help you out.” his voice turned into sarcasm, “I mean … if that’s okay with you of course.”

My jaw dropped: “Help me out? But … why? And with what?”

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what you’re up to.” He soberly answered.

Not understanding his point, I silently raised an eyebrow.

He ran a hoof through his sticky hair and said: “Well, maybe I just got something wrong; maybe you aren’t searching for your own flesh and blood after all. Let me wrap up what I know: your daughter failed her flight test and fell through the cracks of this floating blot of ignorance, right?”

I hesitantly nodded.

His inflection turned into teasing: “And you as a commendable father didn’t accept that your little shooting star screwed up, so you put your flank on the line and tried to prevent those buckers from taking her,” he chuckled dryly, “and got your face smashed in for insurging.”

Thinking of Firespark and remembering that she could be in peril of her life, I rolled my eyes and snarled: “You’re wasting my time!” I wanted to leave the alley, but he stepped forward and blocked my way.

“Will you let me continue, for buck’s sake!?” he shouted at me, “Don’t forget, I can still blow the whistle on you - your cute little wings will be chopped before you even realize what’s going on!”

I moaned, but hesitantly stepped back and let him continue with his summary.

He cleared his throat, blowing another wave of musty breath into my direction, and continued: “Well, like I said, you got your flank kicked, but now you’re back and ready to move heaven and earth to get your daughter back.”

Unable to hide my surprise about his knowledge, I remained silent.

“Well, I can ensure you two things. First: you won’t find your daughter on the bucking market. No matter where they bring the failures, they certainly won’t sell her with the vegetables. Second: if you continue your ‘search’ like you did until now, you’ll be rid of your wings and get a free one-way ticket to the ground in less than one hour; the lardass has positioned her motherbucking guards all over the city.”

My face turned pale, making him grin complacently and say: “Yes, I just saved your flank. You can thank me later. So, where did you want to go, oh you heroic adventurer?”

Ignoring his teasing, I said: “I …I wanted to look for my ex-wife. I mean: Firespark is also her daughter, so she’ll help me to search for her.”

For a second, I saw a touch of skepticism in Soarin’s eyes, but he quickly shook his head and returned to his teasing style, asking: “And where does your sugar-poo live?”

“At the other end of the city.” I soberly responded.

He raised an eyebrow: “Well, then we better get going!” he shoved me aside and walked deeper into the alley, adding: “From the way your wings look, I suppose that you can’t simply fly there, right?”

It took me a few seconds to understand what he had just said. I stiffly nodded and quickly hurried after him, unbelievingly asking: “Wait, are you … are you coming with me?”

Soarin passed a junction in the alley and chuckled: “Well, I can show you a secret path through the city and get you over there unseen … but I can also stay here if you prefer to be captured and killed. Not a problem at all!”

Walking next to him and still eyeing him unbelieving, I asked: “But … why?”

He slowed down and finally came to a hold: “Would you believe me if I told you that I do this out of pure sympathy?”

I stopped next to him and slowly shook my head.

Nodding satisfied, he under way again: “Good, because I don’t. I would lie if I said that I don’t have any empathy with you, but I do this mostly because I want revenge on that city … and most of all on Spitfire.” He grunted, “That devious whore.”

I raised an eyebrow: “Seriously, what happened to the two of you? When I was young, you were the best friends; some ponies even talked about a relationship, but now? She’s … like, the most famous pony in town, and you are … well … a nobody. ... What happened?”

He snorted dryly: “Can you imagine what happens to somepony who grows too old to keep up with the Wonderbolts? Do you think he gets a pension? Any kind of thanks for dedicating his entire life to those buckers?”

We passed another junction of dark, dirty alleys, and I hesitantly said: “Well, I thought pensioned Wonderbolts would-“

“THEY DON’T GET A FLYING BUCK! Hell, I can consider myself lucky that I used to be friends with Spitfire! On that way, I at least got a job at the garbage disposal; I’d have been banned otherwise!” Soarin yelled furiously.

“Why don’t you like her then? I mean, she basically saved your life.” I asked him slightly confused.

He bared his teeth: “Why I don’t like her!? The hell, we were basically equivalent back then! She officially was the captain of the Wonderbolts, but she couldn’t do shit without my approval! We were equivalent, I tell you!” he stared at me and caught his breath for a second, “And now? She’s the bucking mayor - I have to rummage through her trash in order to survive!” he pointed at his dirty overall, “She has everything, I have nothing!”

He growled and looked into the distance: “For buck’s sake, this isn’t fair! Why didn’t those douchebags offer me the job as a mayor instead of her!? I was just as qualified as that whore! … And why the hell did she leave me to rot at the Wonderbolts instead of offering me a promotion when she saw that I went to the dogs!?”

I remained silent, but intimated that I understood.

“Do you now understand why I want to see Cloudsdale go down? That goddamn city and its motherbucking government! I tell you: one day, I’ll sandbag that entire joint! They will all pay for dropping me like a bucking piece of trash!” he announced in determination.

I felt sickness crawling up my throat as I remembered that I just talked to Soarin; my foalhood hero. What had become of him? Completely determined to avenge himself on Spitfire, he only was a shadow of the proud, strong, and honorable pony I looked up to back then.

Giving the scruffy stallion a bitter look, I swore myself that I wouldn’t become like him: focusing one’s entire life on revenge and letting the hatred take control of oneself obviously couldn’t turn out all right; one would end up as a wreck.

Hesitantly, I said: “Erm, no offense, but … how do you want to manage this? I mean … you’re a garbage pony; don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think that you have that much influence on how things are running here.”

A superior grin appeared on his face and he ensured: “Oh, believe me: I know what to do when time has come. I know this city; I know its darkest secrets, and I know how to bring it down. I just have to wait for the right moment to pounce…” he gave me a mischievous grin, showing his decayed teeth once again, “And something tells me that this moment will come soon - very soon.”

I raised an eyebrow in confusion: “What? What do you mean?”

Soarin grinned and looked into the distance again: “Nothing. Time will tell, believe me.”

Following his glance, I spotted the familiar, small house about one mile away and noticed: “Hey, that’s my wife’s house.”

He stopped and nodded satisfied: “Well then, good luck with finding your daughter.”

I thought I’d heard a touch of sarcasm in his voice, but I wasn’t sure. Turning towards him, I said: “Well, thank you very much for your help, Soarin.”

My companion nodded dryly: “You’re welcome … Fippo.”

My eyes widened slightly: “You know my name?”

He nodded approving: “Did you think I’d forget the name of my … how did you call it back then? Biggestest fan?” he chuckled and -for the first time- a happy smile showed up on his face: “No for real, how could I forget the pony that almost fainted when I shook his hoof for the first time?”

I blushed and looked away: “Well, yeah … good old times…” I hastily shook my head, “Anyhow, thanks for the help, and for saving my life, and-“

“Like I said: you are welcome.” He cut me off dryly; his happiness vanished again.

“Alright then … goodbye I guess.” I said and departed towards Poppyshine’s house.

He grinned slyly: “See you soon, my friend.”

I quickly turned around, asking: “What do you mean?” but he had already vanished into the darkness of the alley we came from.

Slightly confused about his sudden disappearance, i shrugged, but quickly walked towards Poppyshine’s house without thinking about him further.

I approached it a couple of moments later and hastily knocked at the door. Poppyshine opened almost instantly; her eyes widened in surprise as she saw me: “Fippo?”

Her outfit slightly surprised me: instead of her normal fatigues -a full-body spandex-suit; the standard uniform for the Wonderbolts– she now wore a white lab coat with a grey name badge fixed to her chest, making her look like an employee of the Weather Factory.

But I passed over my surprise, stepped closer to her and rushed: “Poppyshine, we don’t have much time! That announcer, those ponies from the stadium, they abducted Firespark!”

She raised an eyebrow in incomprehension, but remained silent.

Making an impatient gesture into the direction I came from, I shouted: “Come on, we have to find her!”

She didn’t move and, after a few seconds, dully asked: “Why should we?”

I froze, staring at her in disbelief and asking: “What!?”

Her sober look rested on me as she asked: “Why in Tartaros should we look for her?”

I leaned forward, still not believing what I heard: “Are you bucking kidding me!? She’s our daughter! She’s been foalnapped! And you seriously ask me why we should look for her!?”

She slowly shook her head: “She hasn’t been foalnapped.”

“Damnit, I saw it by myself! Those bastards took her and threw her into a carriage! You unfortunately weren’t there to help me!” I shouted at her angrily.

Poppyshine shrugged: “And why should I have helped you?”

I stiffly blinked for a couple of times, not understanding her sobriety, then shouted, “Because they ab-“

“Like I said before: they didn’t abduct her, they simply departed her.” she explained calmly.

My rage grew as I shouted: “It doesn’t matter how you express it! They took her somewhere against her will!”

She shrugged again: “Of course they did. She’s a failure.”

My body stiffened as I started to understand: “What!? How … how can you call her a failure!? She’s your bucking daughter!”

Poppyshine shook her head: “Not any longer. My daughter would have never failed her flight test. That failure you’re talking about isn’t my daughter anymore.”

I was about to collapse: “What!? You … But … How can you …”

She forcefully shoved me backward: “And now get lost! And stop confronting me with that topic; my daughter died in the moment she failed her test! … And don’t expect any further help from me; I’ve got a job to do!”

She slammed the door powerfully, leaving me stand in front of her house completely unbelieving: she repudiated her daughter, she even called her a failure! … But how could she? I knew that the test was very important for the pegasi, but I would have never thought that it could actually make a mother lose the faith in her daughter; in my daughter!

I turned around and slowly trotted away from the small house. What should I do? Asking Poppyshine for help was the last possibility I’ve had! I sighed and numbly dropped my head: so much for getting help from my ‘beloved’ ex-wife.

But the anger and disappointment seemed to get something in my head moving: I suddenly got gripped by a mixture of rage and determination and forcefully stretched my bruised wings, yelling: “Well, if nopony wants to help me, I’ll have to look for my daughter all by myself!” I turned around, facing Poppyshine’s house again and shouting: “Heard that, you whore!? I won’t give up! I’m gonna find her! You’re gonna regret repudiating her!” without waiting for a response, I turned around again and ran away from her house, sprinting into the direction of the stadium. I already knew where to begin with my search.

Not giving a damn about other ponies or guards seeing me, I sprinted through the mass of ponies, purposefully heading to the big road leading to the main entrance of the stadium.

I knew what would await me: I had to find the way the carriage had taken, then follow it to wherever it lead, and then free Firespark from the grip of the government. This certainly sounded much easier than it would be.

But I tried to ignore my doubts: Firespark was the only thing I had left to fight for, so what did I have to lose? I at least had to try to find her. On that way, I might also show the rest of the world the crimes committed to innocent foals and finally make the government abolish the unnecessary flight test and close down the place the rejects were brought.

Coming to think of that, I realized that I actually had no idea of that place; I knew neither where it was, nor what happened there. Regarding Derpy’s admittedly rough description, my best guess was that it was something like a labor camp: there always was need for cheap workers in Cloudsdale, so why shouldn’t they just use ‘worthless’ foals instead of daywage ponies?

To my own surprise, neither the other ponies, nor the few guards I met on my way seemed to recognize me, so I could pass the few miles to the stadium without major incidents and finally stopped in front of its impressive entrance - the stadium was empty; even the employees seemed to be absent.

I quickly took off -it was a bit easier than before, but it still hurt- and slowly encircled the stadium, trying to remember the place where Firespark had been picked up by the announcer and his companion.

Giving the inside of the arena a quick glance, I sighed in relief: everything was empty, so I could look for the spot undisturbed.

A couple of seconds later, I spotted a small cloud directly underneath the center of the arena and landed on it, painstakingly nosing its surface.

My body stiffened as I spotted a weak touch of Firespark’s scent. I looked up to the stadium to orient myself and then reconstructed the way the pegasi must have taken, trying to find the place where they threw her into the carriage. I took off and lifted my body by a few meters, searching nearby clouds for hints.

When flying by, I spotted a few bloodstains on a small cloud nearby and concluded that this must have been the place where the announcer attacked my wings. As if by command, I felt a sharp pain coming from them that made my entire body flinch; I definitely couldn’t fly for too long.

But I ignored the pain and thought of Firespark: I had to find her at all costs! I couldn’t lose my faith in her like my wife did! Raising my last power-reserves, I shot forward, following the track which I concluded the carriage must have taken.

I flew for a couple of minutes and looked around, searching for clues that the abductors had taken that way. But I didn’t find anything: the whole sky was as blank as usual; no clouds, no hints, no hope. The pain in my wings returned, being stronger than before, but I oppressed it: I couldn’t give up! I had to find her!

I clenched my teeth and kept on speeding forward, unsure whether I still was on the right way or if the carriage hadn’t stopped or changed its direction already miles ago.

A perceived eternity passed and I still didn’t see anything indicative. I didn’t even know what to look for: the only hint I had was that Firespark may have been brought to a factory, and that hint came from an obviously distracted pony. But even if she would have been right: I didn’t know anything about another factory in Cloudsdale; the only factory I knew was the Weather Factory.

But I quickly excluded that possibility: why should they bring Firespark to the Weather Factory?

The thought of the rejects being used as forced laborers came up in my head again.

No, that seemed to be ridiculous: I’d been to the Weather Factory multiple times and there hadn’t been a sign of any dark secrets: the Factory actually was one of the last colorful places in this ravaged country. Especially in the past few months, I’ve always enjoyed being there; it seemed to be something like a sanctuary, one of the last happy places in Equestria; it might have been caused by the rainbows, but whenever I was there, their colorful happiness seemed to stain on me and I could forget about the real-world problems for a second.

Still, I tried to spot something that looked like a factory, but again didn’t see anything but a clear, blue sky; the weather pegasi had been really industrious.

I let out a painful groan as another load of sharp pain shot through my body; the agony forced me to close my eyes for a second.

As soon as I opened them again, I noticed that my flight slowly lost by speed and I lowered more and more towards the ground, only hovering a few meters above the grassy surface. I tried to compensate the loss of height by flapping my wings faster, but the pain had grown too strong, almost making me faint with every movement of my wings.

In a desperate attempt to continue my flight, I flapped them faster a couple of times, but couldn’t avoid the inevitable: jerking from my agony, I finally landed on the ground as careful as possible and kneeled down, breathing heavily while giving my strained wings a rest.

After catching a breath for a few moments, I looked up and let my glance wander throughout my environment: I landed somewhere on a meadow, near a small path. I noticed the impressive silhouette of Canterlot presenting in front of me and reflected: I couldn’t return to Cloudsdale at the moment -my wings would certainly break- but I may approach Princess Celestia about the issue: if she would find out about foals getting abducted, she would certainly help me, right? She just had to help me!

Getting my hopes up, I ran off and hurried along the path to the castle-like city.

A few minutes later, I approached the ostentatious walls of Canterlot and stopped in front of the big gate sealing the entrance to the city.

A royal guard of the Celestial Empire, dressed in the default golden armor, stepped in front of me and blocked my way into the city, snapping: “Stop! Who are you and what do you want in Canterlot?”

Avoiding eye-contact and speaking as calmly as possible, I answered: “My name is Fippo. I request to speak to Princess Celestia.”

The guard gave me an unbelieving look, then broke out in derogatory laughter: “Ha-ha. You have humor, pegasus. So, what do you really want in Canterlot?”

I sighed and at him, a determined look on my face: “It is really important that I see Princess Celestia immediately! She has to learn of a horrible crime!” I said in a serious inflection.

His expression became serious: “I’m sure you’re kidding. Nopony of the plebs is allowed to visit the highness! How shall I even know that you aren’t one of those dirty rebels?” He leaned forward and gave me an investigating glance.

I looked up, telling him what he wanted to hear: “Please! I’m just an average pegasus, not a rebel! If I’m not allowed to see our highness, may you at least grant me admission to this magnificent city?”

The guard didn’t release me from his strict glance: “Can you identify yourself as a civilian of the Solar Empire?”

Regretfully shaking my head, I answered: “No, sir. That’s the reason why I would like to enter the city … to apply for a citizenship.” I said and internally slapped my back for that idea.

The armored pony gave me another investigating glance, but finally stepped aside: “Fine. But if I see you spreading inflammatory thoughts, I’ll do you in by myself!” he threatened and ruggedly poked my chest with his hoof.

Giving him a grateful smile, I crawled: “Thank you very much, sir. I would never even think about rebelling against this wonderful nation or our great leader!” I literally had to force those words out: I wasn’t a convinced rebel at that time, but it simply went against my principles to praise a tyrant like Celestia; she was a means to an end - the only one who could help me at the moment, but definitely not my leader.

He nodded seriously: “Better for you. Now get in there before I make you!”

After giving him another appreciative nod, I hastily stepped through the impressive gate and entered the capital of the Empire.

That admittedly had been easier than I thought: usually, it was very hard, not to say impossible for ‘non-subjects’ to enter the city, but a little crawling apparently helped.

I walked through the streets without giving the population a further glance: I already knew that everypony in this city was a sympathizer of Princess Celestia; I was certain that I’d get arrested if I’d even mention Princess Luna.

However, the war didn’t seem to affect Canterlot as much as Ponyville: except for the propaganda-posters of Princess Celestia hanging at every corner, the city hadn’t really changed - the ponies behaved like they always did: walking around with head held high and not giving a damn about other ponies, especially if they weren’t unicorns. But I appreciated that circumstance: Cloudsdale and Canterlot were independent from each other, but news of a wanted pony would spread out sooner or later, so I was glad that nopony paid particular attention to me.

After a couple of minutes of straying through the city, I finally found myself standing in front of the main entrance to Canterlot Castle. A quick glance towards the door made the hopes that I might sneak past the entrance fade away: the gate was guarded by four ponies in heavy armor, looking even fiercer than the guard at the entrance.

Looking at the high walls of the castle, I spotted a small balcony at one of the walls; concluding from its position, it should lead somewhere into Celestia’s private rooms. I shook my head: there was no reason to enter the castle illegally without even trying to use the door. I didn’t really think that an average pony would be allowed to enter the palace though.

As I came closer, the guards stiffened; one of them harshly shouted: “Stop right there! What do you want!?”

Deciding to at least give it a try, I calmly said: “I request entrance to the palace.”

The guard chuckled dryly: “And what exactly do you plan to do in the palace?”

“I wish to talk to the Princess.” I explained soberly.

A second guard shook his head slightly amused: “Go home, pegasus. The Princess doesn’t have time for your issues!”

Intending to avoid trouble, I nodded understanding and slowly stepped back: “Alright, alright. I don’t want any trouble. I’ll just … turn around … and go home!” I span on my heel and walked away, “Just like you said. I’m a good subject.”

“That’s the spirit! And now get lost!” the guard shouted after me.

Taking a quick look over my shoulder to make sure that the guards didn’t look, I hastily stepped behind a corner: I wouldn’t give up that easily! The Princess had to be informed about that crime! She would send out her soldiers and make them free the abducted foals! She had to!

Driven by unmistakable determination, I carefully stretched my wings: they still hurt, but it had to work over that short distance.

Under a massive effort, I managed to lift myself up and landed on a nearby roof. I rested there for a second and focused the balcony again: it was about a quarter mile away from my position; I should be able to approach it, despite my hurting wings. I clenched my teeth again and, trying to oppress the pain, flapped my wings a couple of times; I managed to take off after a few seconds.

Fortunately, the guards seemed to be focused on their duties on the ground and consequently didn’t look up to notice me, so I could approach the balcony after a few moments without having further issues.

I looked through a large glass door connecting the small ledge with the inside of the castle and nodded satisfied: the door led directly into Celestia’s throne room. I gave it a powerful shove, but apparently, it was locked from the inside and didn’t move.

Preventing the frustration from coming over me, I stepped back and took a deep breath: “I came that far, I won’t give up now!” I clenched my teeth in determination, “I’ll do that for you, Firespark! ONLY FOR YOU!” I shouted to myself and lifted off, flying a few meters away from the balcony. Hovering in front of the balcony, I turned around and took another deep breath before jerking forward and speeding towards the door with all of my remaining power.

A mixture of satisfaction and agony came over me as I felt my right shoulder colliding with the glass and heard a loud crash.

I fell for a couple of seconds, then crashed onto the thick, red carpet of the huge room.

Letting out a sigh of pain, I slowly opened my eyes: two heavy-armored royal guards and the Princess herself looked at me, their eyes widened in surprise.

Ignoring the wounds the splintering glass had caused, I jumped up and ran towards the Princess, shouting: “Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia, I have to talk to you!”

The two guards flicked their right forelegs; two mid-size swords slid out of sheaths underneath their armor. One guard stepped forward and shouted: “Stop right there, dirty intruder!” They held their hooves out, making me freeze in my movement and stop right in front of the silver blades.

Without hesitating, I looked up and focused the Princess: “Your highness, I have to tell you about a horrible-“

One of the guards shoved me backward with his hoof, making me silence and exhale forced. “The Princess doesn’t have time for the problems of an obscure subject!” he harshly shouted at me.

I gave the Princess another desperate look, ignoring the guard’s hoof pressing on my chest: “Princess Celestia, please! You have to listen to me!”

The Princess gave me an inspecting look, then raised her right foreleg and dryly said: “Stop.”

The guards froze and turned towards their leader in disbelief. “But, your highness, this subject has trespassed into the palace! We have to-“

“I said stop. I am in a good mood at the moment, so I will listen to this subject’s concern.” She looked at me determined, commanding: “Speak!”

I hastily nodded and explained her the reason for me to ‘trespass’: “Princess Celestia! Since you were at the flight test, you certainly know what I’m talking about when I say that my daughter failed at it.”

She nodded soberly.

“After she had received her dismissal, two stallions -including the announcer from the stadium- abducted her!” I shouted, feeling the horror coming up again.

The Princess still didn’t show any kind of emotions and dryly said: “Elucidate the term ‘abduct’.”

I sighed in discomfort; it hurt to remember that moment: “They … grabbed her and … and departed her in a windowless carriage.” I explained with a quavering voice.

The Princess gave me a skeptical look: “And where is the problem with that?”

My eyes widened in horror: “That she got abducted!” I hastily shook my head, “If you don’t understand: they took her against her will! I already tried to approach my wife, but she won’t help me! You’re my last hope! Please, do something about it! Please try to find out where they took her; you’re the ruler, it won’t cost you much time, you just have to-“

“Is that pony serious?”, she asked her guards, cutting me off. They didn’t react, so she looked at me again: “I am fully aware of the process with failures. The factory has been a very important place for the Empire all along.”

My jaw dropped: “You … you know about it? You know what happens to the foals?”

She nodded coldly: “Yes. It is not nice, but we cannot take the ponies their rainbows away … that would end in a disaster.” she interrupted herself hastily, “And now get this intruder out of my sight. I have to plan the last details of the upcoming -“ she cut herself off again and furiously pointed to a large door at the other end of the room, shouting: “Get him out already! I’ve already said too much!”

The guards grabbed my stiff body and tore me out of the room; I was far to horrified to resist: the Princess knew about it! She knew that the foals were departed! That they were abducted and brought to a factory that somehow was related to rainbows! The huge doors swung close as the guards continued to tear me throughout the castle and finally dropped me on the road in front of Canterlot.

Still not able to order my thoughts, I looked up and focused the two ponies with a terrified look. One of them gave me a harsh glance and snapped: “If we ever see you in this city again, you’re a dead pony!” he turned around and powerfully closed the massive gate behind him.

Unable to move, I limply sat on the ground: that was it. My daughter was gone, I slowly doubted that she still was alive; my wife refused every kind of help, and the Princess knew about the foals being abducted.

I weakly moved my head and looked at my body: additionally to the bruises caused by the announcer’s attack and the fall from the clouds, some smaller cuts were visible, caused by the crash through the window. But the wounds looked worse than they were: it was the internal pain that tortured me more in that moment.

It took a perceived eternity, but finally, I managed to get up and numbly trotted along the single path. I suddenly heard a voice, breaking the silence of the night; I needed a few seconds to realize that it was me talking to myself: “What now, huh? It’s over, just accept it! Your daughter’s dead, your wife doesn’t give a buck, and the head of the state even supports that entire thing!” I sighed, “What now? … What prevents me from just jumping off a cliff? Nopony would care anyways, so what cause have I not do it!?”

My look slowly wandered up to the nightly sky, searching for an answer in the seemingly endless firmament. The full moon enlightened the whole sky and coated my environment with a pale shimmer.

I didn’t know what was happening, but somehow, the light seemed to give me new hope, and I suddenly came to a decision.

Determined not to waste any time, I quickly got under way and shouted my thoughts into the night: “Forget about that lardass of a Princess! Forget about that traitor of an ex-wife! Forget about that ignorant city! There’s another state! A state where everypony’s equal and where nothing is concealed! A state where a massive crime committed to innocent foals isn’t simply ignored! A state of liberty, of equality, and of fraternity!”

I sprinted along the road heading to Ponyville and shouted: “From the beginning of the next day, I’ll be a free pony! And then I’ll make everypony pay! The tyrant will pay, the traitor will pay, that devious jury will pay, and that announcer will pay! THEY WILL ALL PAY!”

I clenched my teeth and took a deep breath of the cold air. An anticipative grin on my face, I shouted: “My revenge will be sweet!”

Ch.5: A new fire sparks

Chapter 5: *A new fire sparks*

The night slowly faded and the orange morning sun began to rise at the Equestrian horizon, bathing the country in its warming light. Taking a deep breath of the cold, moist morning air, I looked up and saw the silhouette of the Republic’s embassy appear in the distance. As I quickly approached, my heavy breathing and blurry vision gave me an unmistakable reminder that I hadn’t slept properly for days. But sleeping could wait: there was something that had to be done first.

A few seconds later, I stopped in front of the big gate sealing the entrance to the fort and looked up to the round path. A passing pegasus-guard -a sturdy stallion in his late forties, dressed in a light, purple armor with multiple emblems of the Republic fixed to it- looked down and noticed me.

His orange eyes narrowed and he gave me a harsh glance, shouting: “Stop! What do you want? This is the territory of the New Lunar Republic! Supporters of the tyrannical Princess are not permitted!”

I gave him a determined look: “I’m here to join the Republic! I want to come out of my shells and live my life in freedom! And I want to make the Solar Empire and all of its supporters pay for what they have done to me!”

The stallion gave me an inspecting glance, then lifted himself into the air and landed in front of me. Flicking his right foreleg, he made a small sword appear from a sheath fixed to his hoof.

He stepped closer and carefully scanned the area; an icy breeze came up and slightly unkempt his grey fur. I shivered from the coldness and, intending to calm him, bitterly said: “There are no enemy troops around. I don’t plan to assault you or anything like that; I just want to fight Celestia … and her allies.”

Apparently being finished with searching the area, the guard gave my body a closer look and finally flicked his leg again, making the sword disappear in the small sheath. Giving me a serious glance, he asked: “You wish to join the Republic?”

I nodded approving: “Yes. The tyrant has tortured this country for far too long; it’s time to do something about it! I will join you and fight against her reign! Against all the ignorance and secretiveness in her system! And I will fight against the government of Cloudsdale, and against-”

“Draw it mild, will you?” he interrupted me dryly, “Even though your determination is laudable, I don’t have the permission to decide whether you are allowed to join the Republic. Only Luna herself has.”

Giving him an impatient look, I demanded: “Then can you take me to her? There’s no time to lose!”

He gave my bruised body another inspecting glance and soberly noticed: “You don’t seem to be armed.” Turning around and facing the Embassy again, he dryly commanded: “Follow me!” before taking off and heading back towards the round path.

I sighed: after the events of the past days, I was surprised that my wings hadn’t fallen off yet. Still, I saw that there was no other way than to fly, for the stallion didn’t look like he’d open the entrance door for me, so I hesitantly stretched my wings.

Instantly, I felt the sharp pain flash through my body and tense every single of my muscles. Looking up and noticing that the guard had already arrived and gave me an impatient look, I clenched my teeth and slowly took off.

It took me longer than expected to approach the round path. Upon arriving there, I feebly dropped myself onto the cold ground next to the guard. My breathing had gotten even heavier, and my wings certainly looked like if they had been plucked, but the guard didn’t seem to care.

A second guard -a pale yellow mare, dressed in a midnight black, much heavier armor than her companion- came through a wooden door in the dark blue wall and looked at her fellow. An excited, but serious look on her face, she said: “Stormtrotter, you called?”

The stallion -apparently named Stormtrotter- made a bow towards me and explained: “Yes, Rose: this stallion here wants to join the Republic.”

Letting out an exhausted groan, I slowly got to my hooves.

“Please take over from me while I escort him to Luna.” Stormtrotter added.

The mare, seemingly named Rose, nodded approving: “Yes, brother!” she gave me a friendly bow with her head and added, “Good luck, contender.”

I nodded gratefully and followed Stormtrotter through the small door, entering the embassy and leaving Rose behind to continue with Stormtrotter’s duty.

As soon as the door had closed behind us, we walked down a set of narrow stairs that led into the big chamber of the embassy’s main floor.

The walls of the dimly lit room were covered with armory or torches; the wall opposite to me was filled with the huge gate I saw from outside the embassy. Several ponies, dressed in armor altogether, were either practicing their combat-skills on mannequins or sitting on a large table in the middle of the room and chatting; the few ones of them who were looking up gave me an interested glance and greeted their fellow with a silent bow of their heads.

Stormtrotter looked over his shoulder and focused me with a serious glance, asking: “What’s your name, applicant?”

Not wanting to mention my embarrassing name, I rolled my eyes and reluctantly answered: “Fippo.”

He raised an eyebrow: “Fippo? That’s a quite … uncommon name.”

I shrugged: “Blame the bastards I once called my parents. I hate it too, believe me.” I cut myself off, “But enough of that. When will I see Princess Luna?”

His eyes narrowed: “Soon. … But she doesn’t want to be called ‘Princess’ any longer – too many bad associations. No, when you approach her, just call her Luna; treat her like a fellow. In the Republic, we all are equal; we all are brothers and sisters.” He explained. I nodded understanding.

We passed another landing of stairs and arrived in the Embassy’s basement: a small, dark chamber that was completely filled out by something that looked like an arch. Made of black stone, it was about two meters in length and height; its inside was enlightened by a purple shimmer, forming a wall of violet light.

As Stormtrotter stopped in front of it, I curiously asked: “Is that the portal ponies were speaking of? That thing that takes ponies to the moon?”

Stormtrotter nodded without looking at me: “Yes. Please stay close to me; traveling for the first time can make you feel a little dizzy.”

I raised an eyebrow: “What do you mean with ‘dizzy’?”

He gave me a sober look: “You’ll see when it’s over. Now come on, I can’t leave the embassy for too long.”

Without a further comment, he stepped into the arch and quickly was absorbed by the violet wall.

I hesitated - that was exactly what I never wanted; what I tried to avoid from the beginning: become biased; join a side in the war, and fight.

But what choice did I have after all? My daughter was somewhere out there, and the Republic was the last possibility for me to get help; the last party that would support me. And of course: the crimes committed to innocent foals had to be avenged; those responsible had to be found, and the Princess had to be brought to justice for simply ignoring the crimes of the society!

Looking up and focusing the portal, I felt my determination grow stronger: I had no other choice; there was no other way; this certainly was the right decision!

Stormtrotter´s head appeared in the violet wall and he gave me an impatient glance, snarling: “If you don´t wanna pass the portal, you can leave by now! The republic isn’t a place for wimps!”

I nodded hastily: “Yes … of course. … I’m right behind you.”

The head disappeared again; I took a deep breath and hesitantly stepped forward, diving into the bright light of the portal.

For a moment, I was completely absorbed by the violet light. It was everywhere; it seemed to seize everything around me, and there seemed to be nothing but that magical light: no ponies, no war, no sorrows; there was nothing but light.

Then, there was a short flash that forced me to close my eyes.

As soon as I opened them again, I found myself in the middle of a small settlement: around me, there were four huge buildings and one smaller house, looking plain, grey, and simple altogether. The ground was made of grayish dust and the impressive sight of a huge, blue planet presented behind the horizon.

The surprisingly cold temperatures made me shiver as I looked towards Stormtrotter, who now stood next to me. “Are you okay?” he asked, not making an effort to hide his indifference.

Letting my glance wander over the settlement, I mumbled: “I guess that’s the moon…?”

He gave me an annoyed look: “No it’s the sun, you jerk! Of course it’s the moon! Where did you expect we were going?”

“Sorry, it’s just … quite impressive.” I looked to the ground in embarrassment.

Stormtrotter nodded, showing sympathy for the first time: “I know it can be. But believe me: as soon as you live here for a longer period of time, you see how monotone and boring this planet actually is.” He hastily shook his head: “But I’ve digressed. Follow me; Luna’s accommodations are in the main building over there.” he said and pointed to the smaller house.

As we departed, I looked around the big place - it seemed to be the main square of the settlement: there was a small platform in the middle of the place; ponies who mostly wore armor were either hastily walking around on the square or going after their daily routine by working on several requirements like armor, food or weapons. Behind some of the buildings, I saw several foals play with each other and oppressed a sorrowful thought of Firespark.

Stormtrotter looked at me and dryly asked: “So, do you have any idea of how things are running in the Republic?”

I slowly shook my head: “No.”

He sighed deeply, making an effort to hide his annoyance, and said: “Okay, then let me explain you the basics - you shouldn’t face Luna as a total greenhorn. As you know, the Republic has been formed as a nation of liberty: every citizen of it is free in his or her actions, and nopony has the right to set themselves over any other citizen. Got that?”

I nodded understanding.

“Great.” He said dryly, “We will have elections as soon as the struggle with the Solar Empire is over. Until then, Luna is the president - the head of the state: she represents the Republic towards her sister and decides what is done and when it’s done. She however doesn’t want to be seen as our leader, so don’t act like a subordinate subject when talking to her. Like I said: treat her like a fellow.”

Again, I silently nodded my understanding.

“If there’s something or somepony that bothers you, try to solve the problem verbally. If you can’t, approach Luna about it - she will judge about who’s right. As I said before: this is just the martial law; we’ll have an independent court as soon as we kicked those imperial flanks!” He announced confidently and gave me an asking look.

“Alright.” I said and, taking a look around the settlement, quickly added: “But tell me: how does it come that there are so few buildings here? Most of them look like depots to me.”

The grey pegasus approved without loosening his look from me: “Actually, only one of them is a depot; the three other houses are used as accommodations for the population and therefore contain apartments.” Hesitatingly, he added: ”I admit: it doesn’t look that glorious, but we won’t win a war by sitting in big-flank palaces like the Princess does. Benefit is more important than luxury.”

I hesitantly nodded, trying to hide my skepticism about the idea of living in small, tight apartments.

Stormtrotter looked forward and focused the small house: “So, now let’s get down to business. With applying for a citizenship, you grant the Republic your loyalty: you’ll live in our community and -if necessary- do what you’re asked to do.” He made a bow towards the crowded square next to us, “At the moment, most of the population is used as guards or armorers in order to be prepared in case of an attack by Celestia.”

He looked at me again, paying special attention to my broad shoulders and strong forelegs: “With your build, Luna will probably use you as a guard - it would be a waste to have somepony like you working on a forge.”

I shrugged carelessly.

“As a guard, you’ll be provided a sword, as well as a custom armor. As you’re a pegasus, you’ll get a light armor that is constructed to provide you the highest possible agility.” He droned out, “Unicorns’ armors are slightly heavier; earth ponies -like the beauty you saw at the embassy- wear the heaviest armor in order to be protected the best when it comes to a fight - a situation we have to be prepared for all the time. But along with many other things, this will change as soon as the threat by the Empire is defeated and we can disarm our forces.”

His eyes began to shine: “Luna aims at expanding to Equestria and, by applying the principles of liberty and democracy to the former Empire, forming an ‘Equestrian Republic’ - a united nation where everypony can live together in peace and harmony. … Nopony will have to fight any longer.” he said, melancholy swinging in his voice. He hastily shook his head: “But before that, there are some places to be destroyed and some flanks to be kicked! Are you ready for this?”

Making an effort to look eager, I turned my head towards him and said: “Yes.”

A sly grin appeared on his face: “Good,” we arrived at the main building and he entered, gesturing me to follow him, “then here we go.”

I passed the narrow door behind him and he stepped aside, revealing the view of the room: the windowless walls were plain and white; a small door at the other end of the room seemed to lead into a bedroom. My look fell on the object opposite to me: a massive, wooden desk with a map of Equestria on it; over it was leaning a pony with cobalt blue fur -slightly darker than mine- and a dark blue mane; she wore a light, black armor and seemed to be completely focused on the map in front of her, not noticing her guard and me.

“Luna!” Stormtrotter finally spoke up, making the former Princess look up.

Her dull look focused on her fellow, she asked: “What?”

Stormtrotter made a bow towards me: “We have another applicant.”

Luna’s expression brightened slightly; she turned her head towards me and gave me a gentle smile: “Great. Please step forward, applicant.”

Obeying my new leader, I made a small step towards her. She gestured Stormtrotter to leave; he nodded stiffly and left the room through the entrance door.

Luna gave me a critical, yet interested glance and began: “So, you wish to join the Republic?” she rounded the desk and slowly walked into my direction.

Hanging my head low, I nodded silently, my face contorted with bitterness.

She approached me, asking: “And why?” she gave my bruises a closer look and gasped, “What has my sister done to you?”

Gulping in discomfort, I looked up and said: “The bruises weren’t caused by royal guards if you meant that.”

Her face showed a touch of curiosity, mixed with a minor amount of concern, as she asked: “Then who has battered you that extremely?”

Letting out a groan, I mumbled: “I guess you know what the flight test is?”

Luna nodded hesitantly, obviously reflecting: “It’s this ritual in Cloudsdale, right? Where foals have to show their flying-skills in order to live a life in the city.”

“Yes…” I sighed deeply, “My- my daughter failed her test.”

She raised an eyebrow: “And?”

Contorting my face in outrage, I yelled: “And!? Don’t you know what happens to ‘failures’?”

Hastily shaking her head, she affirmed: “No! The pegasi take care of those things on their own! My sister may know it though, but I’m not inaugurated into that procedure.” In a softer tone, she added, “What happened to your daughter?”

I groaned in pain, recalling the memory: “They … abducted her. They took her and threw her into a carriage. I … tried to stop them, but …” I sighed, “I was too weak. I got my wings seriously injured and fell to the ground.”

Gasping in disbelief, she asked: “Are you serious?”

“I don’t joke about those things.” I said dryly, “Apparently, this is the usual procedure with ‘failures’ … and a regular event in Cloudsdale: foals who can’t fly are expelled mercilessly. I approached your tyrant of a sister and begged for help, but…” I clenched my teeth, feeling my anger grow, “Hell, she knows about the whole process! She even supports it!”

Luna contorted her face in disgust: “Are you serious!? That’s … just awful!”

“Indeed it is. That’s why I’m here. I want to join your army; I want to find the ponies that abducted my daughter and make the tyrant pay for her ignorance!”

She let out a thoughtful sigh and walked back to her desk, certainly unsure whether she could trust me and believe what I said.

A few awkward moments of silence passed until Luna finally turned around. Her look beaming with cold determination, she focused me and said: “You will have your chance! I hereby declare you to a citizen of the New Lunar Republic; with all the rights and duties coming with it!”

Sickness crawled up my throat as I heard this: I did it. I became biased; I joined a side. It now was sealed that I had to fight … and maybe kill - everything I wanted to avoid became true. But it was a necessary step: the support of the Republic should make it easier for me to find Firespark and take action against her abductors, not to mention the support in my newly inflamed fight against Celestia.

I looked at my new president and nodded appreciatively, saying: “Thanks, Princess Luna.”

The leader stiffened and furiously span around, focusing me with widened eyes: “This is the first thing to remember! Never; never ever call me ‘Princess’! It makes me feel like my sister! No, to you and every other citizen, I am j u s t Luna!” she yelled.

I nodded again: “Alright … Luna.”

Loosening her look from me, she turned towards her desk and asked: “So … what’s your name, brother?”

“Fippo.” I dully answered.

Luna turned towards me again, apparently not affected by my uncommon name: “Okay, Fippo. You can count on the Republic: with you on our side, we will end Celestia’s megalomaniac reign and free the ponies of Equestria!” she looked away, “…I hope you understand that we can’t use all of our force to look for your daughter“ her look focused on me again, “but we also cannot accept the abduction of innocent foals! I will assemble a group of ponies to look for the place they are brought and take care of those poor creatures and their abductors. Do you have any hints where they might have taken-“

The president got interrupted as the door got pushed open powerfully and a guard hurried inside the room, shouting: “Luna! Luna, I have important news!”

She gave him a surprised look, but calmly asked: “What? What kinds of news?”

The guard must have sprinted recently, for he needed a few seconds to catch a breath until he looked up and breathlessly shouted: “The embassy is getting attacked by Celestia’s troops! We need immediate backup!”

Luna’s body stiffened and her eyes widened: “A-are you serious?” Before the guard could answer, Luna stammered: “B-but how can she…? That’s just…”

She slowly exhaled and, lowering her head, said: “I knew that this day would come…” She looked back up and focused the armored pony with a determined look, “Round up all available guards at the main square, tell them to prepare for combat!” she soberly commanded.

“Yes, Luna!” the guard hastily answered and turned around.

He was just about to leave the room as Luna added: “And, please do me the like and…” she sighed and looked to the ground again, “Please send a declaration of war to Canterlot. She has to know what she gets herself into when attacking our embassy.” she explained bitterly.

The guard nodded approving and hastily disappeared through the door.

Luna looked at me again, her expression changed into determination: “We don’t have much time! You said that you wanted to be a guard? That’s your chance to prove yourself!”

I hesitated: “B-but … I-I”

“There’s no time for doubts!” she interrupted me, “I’m afraid we can’t offer you armor in the few time we have, but I won’t send unarmed ponies out there!” She loosened something that looked like a bracelet from her right foreleg and placed it on the ground in front of me, gesturing me to place my foreleg in it.

Hesitantly obeying, I did so and, after hearing a brazen ‘click’, lifted my leg again, curiously eyeing the mysterious bracelet: it was made of metal, midnight blue, with maybe two inches in diameter and ten inches in length.

“Do you know how to handle it?” Luna asked soberly.

Not loosening my glance from my foreleg, I asked: “What the hell is that thing?”

Luna dropped her face into her hoof and sighed: “When this fight is over and you’re still alive, you’ll need an elementary course in combat. Flick your foreleg!” she told me.

I did so and, with another brazen ‘click’, a short, dark blue blade appeared from inside the bracelet.

“A sword!?” I yelled recoiling.

Luna nodded impatiently: “Yes,” She walked towards the door, “now come on, we have to go!”

After putting the sword back with a quick movement of my foreleg, I hurried after her and left the small house through the entrance door.

Stopping in front of the entrance, I took a look around: the formerly quiet square now was filled with hundreds of armored ponies, running around and taking position in front of the portal.

Remembering the dialogue between Luna and the guard, I looked at my president and stuttered: “Did- Did you mean that? Did you really declare war to your sister?”

She nodded determined: “Yes. It was a hard decision, but my sister knew that an attack on the embassy would result in a war. She knew it and she did it anyways!” her voice quavered as she departed, heading towards the portal, “Now if you’d excuse me…” She dived into the mass of armored ponies and disappeared; I spotted her a few seconds later as she stepped on the single platform in the middle of the square. The guards noticed her standing on the pedestal and instantly froze, looking at their president in expectation as she began a short speech.

“My brothers and sisters! We don’t have much time! Celestia has decided to take the final step and attacked our embassy in Ponyville. She ignored our warnings and ruthlessly assaulted our territory! I tell you: we will not watch this idly! Step through the portal and defend our last territory in Equestria! Support your brothers and sisters! For Equestria! For! The! Republic!” she shouted encouraging.

Aroused cheer came from the masses of guards and the first few ones of them stepped through the portal. Luna stepped down from the platform and I hurried towards her, approaching her again: “Luna, I’m not sure whether I can do this! I-I’ve never fought before! I’ve never killed before!”

She gave me a critical glance while walking towards the portal: “Then you’ll do it now. I won’t force you to anything, but one of your duties as a civilian of the Republic is to defend you homeland!”

I nodded understanding: “I know, but … those ponies down there … they are guards! Soldiers! Ponies with families; maybe with foals!”

Luna coldly shook her head, correcting me disparagingly: “You should stop thinking like that. Stop believing that those we fight are ponies - they are our enemies, that’s the essential! Either they kill you or you kill them! I know it’s not easy, but the last thing you’re allowed to do when facing an enemy is hesitating! Hesitate and you’re dead!” she incisively said and hurried forward, leaving me behind.

I gulped: what the hell did I get myself into? Certainly, I wouldn’t hesitate to use force when facing Firespark’s abductors or even Princess Celestia, but the ponies attacking the embassy were guards; they hadn’t done anything to me personally! They were just pawns in that giant chess match called war; just like me!

Only a few seconds later, I approached the portal in the mass of other guards and hastily stepped through it. This time, there was no violet shimmer, and no flash: my whole mind was filled with the certainty that I would have to fight; that I would have to kill.

Swimming in the mass of guards, I arrived in the small basement of the embassy and got shoved up the narrow stairs by the crowd.

Completely disoriented, I floated in the stream of black and blue metal and finally found myself on the round path of the embassy.

While the pegasi hastily flew over the ceiling, the unicorns, along with the earth ponies, simply jumped over it, apparently not affected by the ten feet of free fall.

I stepped out of the mass of guards and walked towards the ceiling, carefully taking a look over it. My jaw dropped: the embassy was surrounded by a mass of Imperial guards, heftily fighting with the guards of the Republic. And the results of the fight were clearly visible: the meadow that usually surrounded the embassy had taken on a deep blood-red; the ground was paved with fallen soldiers of both, the Republic and the Empire, and the unmistakable scent of blood had spread all over the place, while the air was filled with the sounds of screaming ponies and swords colliding with metal.

Sickness crawled up my throat and I choked: I’d thought that war was horrible? I hadn’t seen anything yet!

A husky voice came from behind me: “You there! Don’t just stand around, move your flank and get down there!”

I span around: one of the guards had stopped and looked at me impatiently; his face was contorted with stress and anger.

Unable to bring out a word, I stiffly stared at him; my face was ashen.

He furiously stepped towards me and yelled: “Your brothers are dying down there! Now go on and help them before I make you!”

I stiffly shook my head and stepped back from the ceiling: “I can’t do it. I-I don’t want to become a part of that! Joining the Republic was a huge mistake!”

The guard pawed the ground; the artery in his neck was swelling. “I’ll show you a huge mistake!” he yelled and dashed forward, catching me off-guard.

Before I managed to dodge his sudden attack, I felt his body colliding with mine and giving me a powerful shove forward. I stumbled over the ceiling and instinctively stretched my wings in order to regain my balance.

But it was too late: mercilessly shoved forward by the guard, I slid over the ceiling and felt the thrilling feeling of free fall coming over me.

Fortunately, I managed to slow down my fall with my wings, but nonetheless landed hard on the grassy ground in front of the embassy.

I looked over my shoulder and up to the round path: the guard now lifted himself into the air and landed next to me. “There we go! Still a greenhorn, huh?” he asked derisively and drew his sword.

Unable to answer him, I stiffly took a look around: fighting ponies seemed to be all around me; small squirts of blood were flying through the air, and the deafening sound of swords colliding with armor seemed to blow my eardrums.

Just as he was about to head forward and hurl himself into the fighting mass of ponies, the guard noticed my stiffness and said: “Stay close to me, I’ll try to-“ his voice suddenly got cut off as his chest got pierced by a sword.

The guard let out a painful groan and collapsed; a constant stream of blood ran down his chest and formed a small puddle underneath his hooves. Stiffly looking upward, I focused the assaulter: a royal unicorn-guard. Dressed in a bloodstained, golden armor, he stretched his right foreleg out and smiled complacently.

“That was for the Empire, you motherbucking rebel!” he shouted hatefully and pulled his sword back, making his limp opponent let out a last groan before finally closing his eyes.

The royal guard focused me with a determined look. Grinning with pleasant anticipation, he announced: “Your turn!”

I didn’t manage to loosen my look from my dead fellow. The world around me seemed to blur as my brain internalized it: he was dead! That guard had killed him! And he would kill me too if I wouldn’t act soon!

Without thinking, I loosened myself from my stiffness and instantly ducked, feeling the air draft of the sword over my head.

Showing no sign of confusion, the guard quickly re-adjusted his strike and thrusted his sword downward.

Once again, my survival-instinct saved me: without hesitating, I rolled aside; the sword pierced the grass right next to my head. Nausea crept up my throat as I noticed that I was lying directly next to my fallen companion; the blood from the small puddle began to soak my fur.

But I tried to ignore my sickness and desperately thought about what to do - I couldn’t dodge forever!

The answer came right away as I felt the metal bracelet around my ankle. Without thinking further, I flicked my leg; the dark blue sword slid out of the sheath with a silent, brazen sound.

Giving the weapon a short look, the guard grinned derogatorily, obviously not impressed. He raised his hoof in order to strike again, but froze in his movement. I’d thrusted the sword forward - it had pierced through the thin layer of metal in his armor directly into his stomach. The guard let out a painful grown, then turned limp and fell to his side, a consistent stream of blood coming from a large cut in his belly.

Shivering hard, I tried to resist the urge to vomit: I had just killed somepony. I had taken a life.

Trembling, I got to my hooves and pulled the sword out of the guard’s body. I snapped it back in and stiffly stared at the two corpses in front of me; the battle around me seemed to be gone.

With shaky legs, I whispered: “No. No, this can’t be true!” I hastily shook my head, “This can’t have been done by me!” I hastily turned around and stretched my wings, “No! No! No! This isn’t what I wanted! I-I have to get away from here!” I shouted and quickly took off, heading upwards; away from the battlefield.

After only a few seconds of flying upward constantly, I suddenly saw something approaching me from the corner of my eye. I hastily turned my head and saw that it was a pony: a royal pegasus-guard - and he quickly came closer. His look teeming with determination, he shouted: “There’s no escape for rebels! We’ll get all of you!”

A split-second later, he ran into my body from the side, his heavy-armored head colliding with mine. I could let out a quick scream of pain before I blacked out and dropped to the ground.

I still felt the impact though.

Ch.6: Picking up the pieces

Chapter 6: *Picking up the pieces*

Slowly, my senses returned: I could smell the cold air around me, and felt the soft, moist grass I was lying on. Remembering the fight I was in, I strained my muscles and tried to get to my hooves. But I quickly got overwhelmed by my weakness – my legs slackened again and I dropped back onto the grass. Not even trying to put up a fight against the exhaustion built-up inside of my body, I kept lying on the meadow and collecting my power, already forgetting about the battlefield around me.

But suddenly, blurred voices came to my ears and broke the death silence around me. Making a massive effort, I managed to open my eyes; my eyelids were crusted with blood – definitely not my own.

Trying to oppress the once again upcoming nausea, I turned my head and took a look around: I must have fallen about half a mile from the embassy; the fight in front of it was in it its final throes: the blue building of the embassy was surrounded by a pile of corpses, primarily of imperial guards; Luna and a mass of Republican guards were just fighting the last few Imperials; most of them had already taken flight and hurried away from the embassy.

I heard the voices again and slowly turned my head to look for their origin. Noticing a sharp pain in my neck, I spotted the origin of the voices: a couple of meters away from my position, a young, yellow mare with red hair was leaning over an imperial guard lying on the ground next to her. “Hang in there, brother! It’s just a small flesh wound, you’ll survive that!” she shouted in a desperate, pitchy voice.

Groaning from the pain in my still bruised wings, I rolled over and got to my shaky hooves. I noticed a slight pain coming from the side of my head and slowly moved my hoof towards it. Upon touching my head, I felt a big bulge - certainly the spot where the guard had hit me; a sharp pain made me flick my hoof back. I shook my head and looked at the two guards again: the injured one now spoke; his deep, incisive voice sounded over to me: “It’s alright, AB. Ah- ah’ll pull through.”

Recalling Luna’s words, I growled and started to make my way towards the two guards: I had already made the mistake to hesitate once; I wouldn’t do it again! Those ponies over there were my enemies; they had killed my fellow and almost got me; they had to die!

The yellow mare swore silently and grabbed a strip of bandage from a first-aid kit next to her. Single drips of cold sweat were forming on her forehead as she -desperately trying to stop a hemorrhage on her fellow’s flank- pressed the piece of mull into his stressed fur.

Apparently, the taller guard heard my slow, heavy steps coming closer and sluggishly turned his head into my direction. His green eyes widened upon seeing me; he stiffly turned towards the medic and seriously commanded her: “Apple Bloom, run away!”

The yellow pony didn’t look up from his flank and absentmindedly answered: “No way, Ah won’t leave ya-“ she suddenly silenced and looked over her shoulder. Her glance fell onto a cobalt blue stallion with ruffled, blood-soaked fur; his determined eyes drilled into her and her injured brother as he slowly limped towards them, baring his teeth in cold determination.

Her orange eyes widened in horror as she noticed the dark blue sheath with the initials of the Republic fixed to my leg, clearly identifying me as a Republican guard.

For a few seconds, she stiffly stared into my direction, apparently too shocked to move. Then, the guard gave her a powerful shove with his front leg and shouted: “Ah said run away! Ah’ll make it, Ah promise!”

The medic gave her brother a last, desperate look, then looked at me approaching and finally let out a horrified scream, running away as fast as she could.

I finally approached the red stallion and stopped next to him. A satisfied grin on my face, I gave his bruised body a scanning look: his armor had numerous bulges and cuts in it; the streaks of his blonde hair that were protruding from underneath his helmet were soaked with blood; large tufts of his red fur were missing, and multiple injuries were visible all over his body.

Obviously accepting his inevitable defeat, the stallion looked up to me and powerlessly whispered: “Please … just make it quick.”

Without hesitating, I flicked my foreleg, making the sword appear; the guard closed his eyes in apprehension.

The thought that I was about to take another life made me hesitate, and the determination in my mind vanished for a second as I asked myself: Could I really do this? Could I kill a defenseless guard in cold blood?

The answer came from the bottom of my heart. Lowering my glance and focusing him again, I let out a decisive snort. Then, I forcefully shoved the sword downward.

With a smothering sound, the weapon drilled into the grassy ground directly next to the guard’s head.

He slowly looked up, his eyes widened in surprise.

“This war doesn’t even last one day and has already cost too many lives. Killing each other won’t help us. Remember that.” I dryly told him and slowly turned around. After giving him a last, inspecting glance over my shoulder and making sure that he wouldn’t perish from his injuries, I departed, walking into the direction of the embassy and leaving the guard behind.

I’d gotten my point across: that stallion wasn’t my enemy, and it would have been wrong to kill him in cold blood. Firespark’s foalnappers and those responsible for her abduction deserved to feel my wrath, but that guard’s fate wasn’t my business.

Allowing a complacent smile to flash over my face, I headed towards the embassy where the other guards had begun to vet their companions and looked over my shoulder again: the Imperial medic had just approached her brother again and continued vetting his wounds, coiling a bandage around his injured flank.

I turned my head back and looked for Luna: she stood a few meters away from the guards and stared into the distance melancholically; her face expressed the bitterness in her heart - the bitterness that came along with the certainty of being responsible for the death of hundreds of ponies.

While departing into her direction, I noticed how heavy my steps had become: I hadn’t slept properly for days, and both, the physical, as well as the psychological strain, drained me of strength. Allowing myself to have a good yawn, I carefully set one hoof in front of the other, approaching my president step by step. But I didn’t allow my exhaustion to get the better of me. My mind was befogged; overwhelmed by the past events: the sudden outbreak of the war; the sight of a brutal battle, and the certainty to have taken somepony’s life. But all that was drowned by the thought of Firespark: no matter what had happened, I had to find her; I had to save her; everything else was subordinate!

Clinging to this one thought, I blocked out all the events of the past days and slowly trudged forward, heading at the single pony in the distance.

Luna heard me approaching and turned around, saying: “Oh, it’s you. As I see, you’re still alive. That’s good.” She noticed soberly.

I nodded silently and stalled next to her. Letting out a deep sigh, I looked at the mass of dead bodies lying all over the place and felt the upcoming urge to vomit. Not only because of the blood and the bodies lying all around me, but also because of the certainty that all that was caused by two sisters who didn’t manage to arrange their quarrel.

“It’s a shame,” Luna said bitterly upon noticing my disgusted expression, “but we had no choice. We couldn’t risk losing the embassy.”

Unwilling to give a proper response to that statement, I looked away and focused a single grey cloud floating above the horizon. A cold gust blew into my face and I sighed deeply, turning back towards Luna and saying: “So, now it happened. We have war.”

She looked at me and slowly nodded: “It isn’t nice. The faster we can finish it, the better. The population has already suffered enough of Celestia; they don’t need a war to deal with.” She silenced for a moment, “But … we were interrupted when we were talking about your daughter. … So please tell me: do you have any clues where she might have been brought?”

The fact that she had the coldness to forget about her fallen brothers and sisters and change the subject within seconds disgusted me even more. But I oppressed it and nodded dryly, saying: “No exact ones though. I suspect that she has been brought to some kind of factory - probably in Cloudsdale.”

She looked at me skeptically: “A factory? In Cloudsdale? I thought the Weather Factory was the only factory up there.”

I nodded: “Me too. However, your sister said something about rainbows and that this factory was very important for the Empire…”

Interest flared in Luna’s eyes upon hearing this. “Rainbows, you say? … Indeed, they are very important for the population of Equestria … and consequently for the Empire.” She turned away and looked into the distance thoughtfully, “If this so-called factory somehow stands in relation to the production of rainbows, it certainly is tactically important.” She turned back and focused me determined, “We have to find out more about it!”

“I already attempted to do so, but…” I looked at my bruised, filthy body, “well, as you can see, my wings are more or less licked, and least of the ponies I’ve approached so far knew something about that place at all - most of the pegasi in Cloudsdale don’t care about the rejected foals anyways. So finding out about the factory’s exact position would require some further research in Cloudsdale, and as you can probably imagine, I’m no longer welcome there … not to say that they’ll skin me alive when I set a hoof into the city. But generally, it would be easier if we’d find somepony who has already been to that factory, who knows where it is and what is done there.”

“Sorry to interrupt you,” a deep, male voice came from behind me, “but I’ve heard you were talking about the Rainbow Factory.”

I stiffened and turned towards him; I noticed that it was Stormtrotter, the guard who introduced me to Luna and the Republic in the first place; his armor and fur were covered with numerous, yet small cuts and bloodstains; his serious orange eyes were focused on his president. My eyes widened as I shouted: “What? Rainbow Factory? You know something about that?”

He nodded hesitantly: “Yes. … Well, I’ve heard some rumors back when I lived in Cloudsdale. Ponies say that it’s a hidden place somewhere in the city, that it has something to do with the production of rainbows -of spectra, the base for rainbows, to be exact- and that the foals who failed their flight tests are brought there.”

“And what the hell happens to them!?” I yelled at him, feeling the horror ousting the exhaustion.

Stormtrotter shrugged apologizing: “I don’t know. I left Cloudsdale quite a while ago in order to work as a guard, so I didn’t have the chance to find out more … and I honestly: didn’t care. However, all I know is that the foals are brought there and never get seen again.”

My face turned pale: “Never?”

He shook his head: “No, usually not. However, rumor has it that there once were two fillies who escaped it … but none of them ever talked about what they’ve seen in there. It’s not that they get asked about it that often though.”

I stepped closer to him and incisively asked: “And who are those fillies? Where can we find them!?”

He reflected: “That’s been quite a while ago; I guess they should be full-grown mares by now. One of them is named Derpy Hooves; she works as a mail pony: gray fur, yellow eyes and such. The other one is named Fluttershy … but I don’t know anything more about her. Some ponies say she’d live near Ponyville, but I’m not sure about that. I mean: why should a pegasus voluntarily live on the ground?” he said, obviously oppressing a chuckle.

Disregarding his casual mood, I nodded appreciatively and said: “Thank you!” I turned around and looked at Luna, still standing next to me: “Will you round up a few guards to come with me?”

She gave me an unbelieving look: “What do you mean with ‘a few guards’?”

I made an impatient gesture: “Some ponies to help me search for the factory!”

Luna shook her head regretfully: “I’m sorry. I’d love to help you, but at the moment, I won’t be able to lack even one guard – you’ll have to stay here.”

“But-“

“Now that the spell is broken, we have to be prepared for an attack every time; I can’t dispatch guards on a mission to look for a place of which I don’t even know that it exists!”

My eyes widened in horror: “But Luna! I have to go! I have to find the factory! I have to find Firespark!”

She narrowed her eyes in empathy: “I understand that, but…” she sighed and looked down.

I turned my head and gave Stormtrotter a desperate look, but he just shrugged helplessly and remained silent.

After a few seconds of silence, Luna looked back up: “Fine. If the factory really is involved into the production of rainbows, we can’t ignore it! We have to find that place and -if it’s possible- use it for our own benefit. Nevertheless, I can’t miss one of my guards here.” she focused me, “If you really want to look for your daughter and find that factory, I will support you with all the resources I have at the moment, even though it isn’t much.”

I shook my head determined: “I don’t care! I will find my daughter; your support will only make it easier for me.” I turned my head and looked at the battlefield next to the embassy, “And if the factory actually is important for the Empire, it’ll be a joy to occupy it for the Republic!”

Luna nodded satisfied: “Your ambition is laudable. I wish I could do more to support you, but this will have to be enough.” She turned towards her guard: “Stormtrotter, please hand your brother your bag.”

The grey stallion nodded obeying: “Yes, Luna!” He striped a dark-blue saddlebag from his back and put it on the ground in front of him.

Luna raised the bag with her magic and opened it: “In this bag, there are the most important things a guard of the Republic needs for a journey through Equestria.” She took out a pair of mirrored sunglasses and handed them to me, “They are made to protect the guards’ eyes from the strong sunlight on earth, but they should also help you to stay undetected – just in case you really are as ‘unwelcome’ as you said earlier.”

I put them on; the world around me seemed to get a little darker.

“Additionally, we have a forged identity card that identifies you as a civilian of the Solar Empire,” she took out the small piece of paper and quickly showed it to me, “As I know my sister, she certainly has increased the number of guards to look for rebels, especially in her two big cities - Cloudsdale and Canterlot. This paper should help you pass the city limits without problems.” Putting the card back into the bag, she added, “And of course, we have rations of food and water for one day.”

Luna closed the bag again and handed it to me, adding: “That’s all I can do at the moment. But as soon as you’ll return, we’ll have a custom armor as well as a sword waiting for you.”

I nodded dully: “Thank you, Luna.”

She returned the favor and smiled encouraging: “I promise: as soon as you’re back and have some further information about that factory, I’ll do everything in my power to render it harmless!”

Again, I nodded my understanding.

With a weak, but confident smile, she added: “Good luck, brother. I’m sure you will find your daughter!”

I turned towards Stormtrotter and gave him an appreciative bow: “Thank you too.”

He nodded with a touch of satisfaction in his deadpan eyes: “Not a problem, brother. Good luck.”

They turned around and continued the search for survivors of the massacre. I turned away from them and looked into the direction of my crash side again: the stallion had gotten up and, after scanning the area carefully, begun to limp away from the battlefield, getting support from his sister.

I nodded, feeling a touch of satisfaction, and hit the road to Ponyville.

Already after a short period of time, I felt the heaviness in my steps return and my vision slightly blur. I honestly wondered how long I would be able to keep on moving until I would drop dead.

Trying to ignore the slight stagger in my steps, I trotted forward, heading to Ponyville.

Once again, I caught myself speaking to myself, but quickly discounted it as a byeffect of my fatigue: “What did that guard say?” I mumbled, “That one pony who escaped the factory … what was her name again? … Right, Derpy! ... Didn’t he say she was working as a mail pony? And that she had grey fur and yellow eyes and stuff?” it suddenly dawned on me, “Damn, he must have meant that distracted mare I met yesterday! … Hell, but where can I find her now?” I looked around: it was just before noon; the almost cloudless sky was shining in a clear blue, but nopony seemed to be around.

I yawned again: “Maybe I should look for that ‘Fluttershy’ first. That guy said she’d live in Ponyville, right?”

The way to Ponyville was hard; harder than anything I had done before. Not only that I was out of breath after less than five minutes, even though I already moved at crawl speed, but also my head had started to hurt terribly - I’d probably underestimated the attack of the guard. But on top of all that, there was the chaos in my head: the events I’d seen on the battlefield had already afflicted my overtired mind, but the certainty to have taken the life of a fellow pony topped everything off.

Making an effort to keep straight on, I tramped over the path leading to Ponyville, hearing nothing but my heavy breathing: no birds, no crickets, not even the sound of the wind.

Once again, I thought about giving up: what prevented me from just dropping down? Who would care about whether I’d come back or not?

I approached Ponyville a couple of minutes later. Nothing had changed; the small village was just as empty as the day before. “So, now where’s that Fluttershy?” I asked into the deserted market, not awaiting an answer, “Maybe Mrs. Cup Cake can help me; she seems to know about some ponies living around here.” I told myself and slowly trotted towards Sugarcube Corner.

Just before I arrived at the entrance, the door opened and somepony stepped outside the store. The mare had grey fur, yellow eyes, a mail bag tied around her waist, and carried a muffin in her right hoof. I recognized her and shouted: “Hey, erm … Derpy! I have to talk to you!”

She turned her head into my direction; her eyes widened upon recognizing me: “Oh no, it’s you again! Please, leave me alone!” she squealed.

Without hesitating, I shot forward and yelled: “Please stop! I won’t do anything to you! I just want to ask you something!”

Without answering, she hastily shook her head, dropped the muffin and took off, speeding upward.

Seeing my chance to find out about the factory literally flying away, I spread my wings and flew after her, shouting: “Why won’t you listen to me!? I won’t hurt you!” Driven by my desperation, I shot forward and slowly approached her back. In a last desperate jerk forward, I managed to grab her tail with my mouth, slowing her down slightly.

The grey mare looked over her shoulder and let out a horrified squeal.

Straining every muscle in my body, I finally managed to bring her to normal speed and tore her towards a single cloud, throwing her on it as careful as possible and holding her down with my hooves.

Derpy closed her eyes in horror and began to cry: “What did I do to you? Why won’t you leave me alone?”

I tried to sound as calm as possible and explained: “Look, I’m not here to harm you in any way. I know that your name is Derpy Hooves; if it makes it easier for you, my name is Fippo.”

She looked at me with tearstained eyes, shouting: “What do you want from me!?”

Trying to calm her, I said: “I just want to ask you something. When I let you go, will you promise to stay and not fly away? I swear: I won’t do anything to you!”

She sobbed and hesitantly nodded.

I loosened the pressure from her and she slowly sat up next to me, still sobbing.

Putting my hoof on her shoulder, I said: “Look, I understand when you’re unsettled at the moment. The conflict between the Princesses has affected all of us. But I really have to talk to you; please promise that you won’t fly away!”

Derpy nodded silently.

I took a deep breath and calmly said: “You failed your flight test as a filly. You were captured brought to the Rainbow Factory-”

Upon hearing this, her body instantly stiffened and she got ready to depart again.

Increasing the pressure of my hoof on her shoulder, I calmly said: “It’s not a problem! I don’t think that you’re worthless or anything, and I won’t tell anypony of it!” she gave me a deep look, then hesitantly relaxed again and sat back down.

“See, my daughter -Firespark is her name- also failed her test.” I explained her, “I want to find her, but I need to know where she was brought. I know that the foals are taken to a place called ‘Rainbow Factory’, but I need to know more! Where is it? What is done there? And how did you manage to escape from there?”

The grey mare shivered heftily, but didn’t answer.

I shoved her head up, making her focus me, and looked deep into her eyes: “Please. I really need to know!”

Derpy sobbed again, but finally began to speak; her voice quavered: “I-I don’t know where it is. I was still so young when all that happened!”

“Then can you tell me what you know? Can you remember what happened after you received your dismissal?” remembering how I felt about the whole case, I added, “I know, the memory sure is painful, but I really have to know!”

She nodded: “But I can’t remember much. … After I saw the jury disapproving, I … I simply fainted. I turned limp and fell…” tears formed in her eyes, “I remember that I got thrown into something dark. There were other foals with me. They … they said that we were … failures and … getting … b-banned or k-k-killed.” She sobbed, “The carriage stopped sometime later and ponies, all dressed up in black overalls and balaclavas, told me to leave. Then, I was in a big, dark room. It was … hot and … very loud; horrible screams came from somewhere, and everypony who was with me cried.” She breathed heavily, “Then, I saw my daddy. He … he wasn’t dressed as usual: instead of the business suit he usually wore, he wore big goggles and a white lab coat with … with red sprinkles on it.” She choked “He lifted the glasses and gave me a long look. I asked him what was going on and why I was at that place, but he didn’t react. He turned towards another pony in a coat and said that he couldn’t stand to see me there. The other pony told him something harsh about rules and that there were no exceptions of it. My daddy looked at me for a long time, then turned back to the other pony and said that they should take him instead of me!” her voice broke and she sniffed multiple times.

“The other pony nodded distantly and grabbed my body. I shouted for my daddy and asked him what was going on, but … he just kissed me and said that he’d love me. Then, he walked away.” She sighed, “The other pony led me out of the room and set me down somewhere on a single cloud. I wanted to fly back and look for my daddy, but I … I couldn’t remember where I came from.” she began to cry and looked at the fluffy ground underneath her hooves, “I tried to tell other pegasi about where my daddy was, but they said I was stupid for thinking about such a place. Some of them even called me ‘retarded’!” She sobbed again, “So I decided to never think about that horrible place again. I grew up on my own and finally found a job at the mail service. … I suppressed the memories … and never looked back.” She finished with a deadpan look on her face.

I jugged: “Damn. I’m sorry for that.”

She looked at me soberly: “You have no reason to be. It just hurt to think about it again. She cleared her throat and wiped away her tears, “But those things are over - past is past.”

Trying to look appreciative, I said: “Alright … thanks for your help.”

Derpy looked at me and forced out a weak smile: “You’re welcome. It was good to finally talk about it with somepony … even though the memory isn’t nice.” Looking up to the distant silhouette of Cloudsdale, she added, “I’m sorry for that with your daughter.”

I nodded stiffly: “No worries. It wasn’t your fault.” I got up and turned around: “Thank you once again.” I said before jumping off the cloud and softly landing in the middle of Ponyville.

Once again, I felt my eyelids getting heavier and heavier. Oppressing another yawn, I mumbled: “Damn, that pony went through some serious shit. Her story didn’t help me that much though.” My look wandered along the decaying houses, “Anyways, there was that other pony … what was her name again? Right, Fluttershy. … So where can I find her?”

I asked myself weakly

Facing the empty city, I shrugged help- and carelessly: “Looks like I gotta search that entire goddamn city for that pony.” Letting out a deep sigh, I walked off and started to pass a smaller street in front of me. My eyes checked the buildings for a sign of life, but it was pointless: the city seemed to be completely empty; none of the decaying buildings around was inhabited. I yawned hearty, unable to oppress it this time. But my eyes suddenly widened as I heard silent steps behind me. Stiffening, I span around.

A mare dressed in a black hoodie stood a few meters behind me and hung her head low, hiding her face. I gave her a mistrusting look and shouted: “Stop! Who are you?”

She slowly looked up; her face was hidden by the shadow of the hood, but a white horn stuck out from underneath the darkness. Focusing me, she whispered: “I can help you.”

I gave her a skeptical look: “You want to help me? How?”

The mare took off her hood, revealing a scarred, white face and a pair of cold, blue eyes. “You are looking for a mare named Fluttershy. I can bring you to her cottage.” She said in a soft voice.

I stepped closer to her, skeptically asking: “Really?”

She nodded silently.

“…But … why should you do that? Help a stranger?” I asked visibly confused.

The unicorn looked at me seriously: “I’ve heard you talking to Derpy earlier; that you’ve lost your daughter. ... I … usually don’t help other ponies, but …” she cut herself off, “That doesn’t matter now.” Stepping closer towards me, she gave me an inspecting look: “But it is a long way to Fluttershy’s cottage - are you sure you’ll make it? You look horrible.”

I looked at her exhausted, forcing my eyes to stay open.

She shook her head, concluding: “No, you definitely won’t make it. Not in that condition. Come with me, I’ll show you a place to sleep.” She said and started to make her way over to me.

I shook my head decidedly, faltering from my fatigue: “No, I don’t have time to sleep! I have to find Firespark!”

“You can’t find her when you die of exhaustion halfway! Now come with me!” She harshly commanded and grabbed my hoof, tearing me behind her through the decayed streets.

Too tired to resist her surprisingly strong grab, I weakly asked: “Where do you bring me?”

She gave me a quick glance over her shoulder. “To a safe place.” Was the only answer I received.

Noticing my shaky steps slowing down and my vision blur, I unwillingly stopped. The unicorn gave me an annoyed glance: “You will have time to sleep soon, but you have to-“her voice seemed to fade away as I finally gave in to my sinking eyes and involuntarily dropped myself onto the dusty ground - I couldn’t continue walking. A couple of moments later, I heard her moan annoyed and felt my body getting lifted before finally falling asleep.

Ch.7: A rose in the wasteland

Chapter 7: *A rose in the wasteland*

“And you sure are up for another run?” I asked her in slight concern.

“Of course I am! I only have three months to practice for the test; I still have to improve if I want to impress somepony in the stadium!” she claimed.

“Okay, just be careful. I don’t want you to break your back.” I urged her.

“I’m always careful, dad! You know me!” she ensured me and turned around, tensing the muscles in her wings.

I looked up for a second: the bunch of clouds was in perfect order and floated a few meters above our heads; the five cloud rings were adjusted to the size of those used in the official test, and a single cloud indicated the last discipline of our little probational test.

My look fell back on my daughter: her concentrated glance was focused on the construction above our heads as she asked: “Can we begin already?”

“Sure!“ I stepped aside and gave her a serious look, “Just make sure to stretch your wings in time.”

She nodded determined: “Of course I will! I won’t fall again, trust me!”

I nodded and began the countdown: “Alright, the stage is yours in … 3 … 2 … 1 … GO!”

Instantly, she shot upward and hurried towards the bunch of clouds, giving each one of them a hard, targeted kick. After only a few seconds, the clouds were completely gone and she hurried to the next discipline - five rings, all stacked and floating in the sky right above my head.

I could hear her take a deep breath before speeding towards the first ring and passing it in a split-second.

“GREAT, FIRESPARK! YOU CAN DO IT!” I cheered my daughter; she turned her head towards me and gave me a quick glance, her eyes shining with joy.

In the moment our eyes met, I felt a sudden twinge in my chest - the painful reality overhauled me: this was just a dream; I was just re-experiencing an old memory. Firespark was gone; she’d already failed her test.

For a few seconds, I stiffly stared into the distance, unable to get a grip.

But I quickly shook my head and mumbled: “No! No, I won’t accept that! This isn’t a dream! It’s the bucking reality! Firespark will pass her test! And she’ll impress every bucking pony in the bucking stadium!”

I hastily looked up and focused her again: she’d managed to pass the rest of the rings without any issues and hastily shot upwards.

As she rested at about 60 feet above the ground, her body suddenly stiffened in tension.

“COME ON, THERE’S NO REASON TO BE AFRAID!” I yelled, encouraging her.

She hastily closed her wings and dropped down, narrowing her eyes from the airstream. As I saw her coming closer and closer to the ground, I shouted: “NOT YET … NOT YET … NOW!”

Instantly, she stretched her wings and her speed decreased massively.

“Alright, now careful!”

She slowed down even further and softly landed in front of my hooves.

I stepped towards her, a satisfied smile on my face: “GREAT! SIMPLY GREAT!”

She span around and faced me, her face teeming with pride: “I did it!”

Overwhelmed by pride, I flung my forelegs around her neck and shouted: “Yes, you did!” I took a deep breath, “I’m so proud of you!”

“Thank you, dad! I sure wouldn’t have succeeded without your help!” she responded happily.

“Do you want another run?”

“No, I think we should head back home by now; it’s getting late.”

I slowly loosened myself from her and turned around, grabbing her hoof: “Okay then, let’s go.”

“I’m right behind you, dad!”

As we trotted along the lonely scenery of Cloudsdale, I couldn’t loosen my look from the filly next to me: she did it! She finally did it! After so many hard months of practicing, she finally did it! She passed the test run for the flight test; now, she definitely was ready for the actual test in three months.

Firespark noticed my look and turned her head towards me, asking: “What’s wrong?”

I smiled brightly and looked back into the distance: “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong, I’m just so proud that you finally got it! I can’t wait for the test; you’ll win over all of Cloudsdale!”

“I hope so! I mean … I’m … good, am I?”

I looked back at her: “You’re freaking perfect!”

“Thank you, dad.” she responded modestly.

Still unable to stop smiling, I looked into her eyes and said: “I love you.”

She returned the smile: “I love you too, dad.”

I just wanted to add something as I noticed a wall of all too well-known darkness in the distance, quickly coming closer and surrounding us from all sides.

“No! … No, this can’t be!” I yelled in horror; Firespark slowly disappeared in the flood of gloom.

“No! Not yet!” I desperately protested, but knew that resistance was futile - my dream was over.

Firespark had been swallowed by the darkness and only her shining green eyes seemed to remain. “See you, daddy.” She whispered before completely disappearing.

“NO! No, for buck’s sake! It can’t be over yet!” I desperately yelled into the darkness, but knew that there was nopony to hear me.

I treaded forcefully: “BUCKING SHIT!”

The darkness swallowed me and forced my eyes close.

Firespark was gone. Again.

“How long is he asleep already?” a pitchy voice suddenly sounded to my ears.

“For a bit more than twelve hours; it was shortly after noon when we arrived here.” another, somewhat familiar voice answered.

“Shortly after noon!? Did you look outside already? The sun should be down for hours now!”

“I know, sister.” The voice sighed, “It probably has something to do with the war: I think the two Princesses finally stopped giving a buck about their population and don’t collaborate in raising the sun and the moon any more. But I’m not sure about that … we can ask him as soon as he’s awake.”

“Why did you bring him here anyways? I thought you said we wouldn’t take any rovers!”

“Sweetie Belle! That pony isn’t a rover! I’ve heard his story: his daughter got abducted, he seemed to have hurried throughout Equestria for the past few days to search for her!”

“…So what?”

“Just look at him: when I found him, he was tuckered out! He fell asleep on the road! And just look at his wounds: I can only imagine what he has taken on himself to search for his own flesh and blood! He really needed our help.”

The higher voice huffed unimpressed.

“And he has supplies in his bag, so we won’t have to feed him from our rations.” The deeper voice added.

“Yes, that bag … did you give it a closer look?”

“Yes, I did. Why do you ask?”

“Don’t you recognize it!? Those are the bags the guards of the Republic use! That pony is a guard!”

“Where’s the problem with that?”

“You said you hated guards!” the voice screeched, “That was the actual reason for us to lock up here: to stay out of that war! And now you brought one of them here! Can you imagine what that means?”

“Sis, he really needed my help! And as long as he and his army don’t march in here, I have no problem with keeping him here. He should just keep his military thoughts out of here.”

The higher voice sighed and, after a short break, noticed: “Oh look, he’s waking up!”

I slowly opened my eyes; the first thing I saw was the bruised face of the unicorn I met on the street the other day. Giving me a slightly relieved look, she said: “Finally you’re awake.”

Instantly, I sat up and hastily looked around. “Where am I!?” I yelled, noticing that I was sitting in a bed - a very expensive one with thick, pink pillows.

The unicorn didn’t loosen her look from me, answering: “In my house.” She made an inviting gesture, “Welcome to Carousel Boutique!”

I rolled over and painstakingly left the comfortable bed; my wounds still hurt, not to mention my wings. “Do you feel better?” the white unicorn asked me.

Oppressing a yawn, I nodded slowly: “Much better. Thanks for helping me, errr…” I gave her a questioning look.

“Rarity,” The unicorn introduced herself quickly, “And I’ve heard your name is Fippo.”

“Yes,” I answered and looked around slightly confused, “I thought I’ve heard you talking to somepony before.”

“Probably with me.” The pitchy voice sounded again. Looking for its origin, I turned my head and focused an armchair at the other end of the room; a young, white unicorn had just gotten up from it and now walked towards me.

The young mare stopped next to the bed and gave me an inspecting look with her green eyes. Finally, she nodded approving and set up a friendly smile, introducing herself: “Sweetie Belle, nice to meet you.”

I gave her a friendly nod: “Hello, Sweetie Belle.” I looked at her sister again, “So, where did you say are we?”

She made a comprehensive gesture throughout the room: “At Carousel Boutique, my home.” A weak smile spread over her face, “If you would have come here before the war, you could have bought some fabulous new clothes. But now…” she sighed deeply, “It’s just a sanctuary for the two of us; a place to escape the war out there.” She finished; her smile vanished again.

Letting my glance wander throughout the surprisingly tidy bedroom, I said: “But how do you get by? I mean, a boutique isn’t the best place to grow food if you ask me.” I said with a slightly ironic tone.

“I admit: it’s hard to survive, but you have two choices,” Sweetie Belle answered my question soberly, “You either look for yourself by all available means, or you join the army of the Republic or the Empire and risk your life for a pointless war between two stubborn sisters! Your choice.”

Being reminded to the slaughter I saw the previous day, I jugged and noticed something missing in my face: “Wait. Where are my sunglasses?” I asked shocked.

Rarity made a bow towards a small beside-table next to the bed: “There they are.”

I hastily grabbed them and put them back on. Rarity gave me an unbelieving look: “Why do you wear sunglasses inside?”

I hesitated - the major reason for me to wear them was simple: due to their size, they completely hid my emotions; whenever I wore them, nopony could guess what I was thinking or feeling - that made it a lot easier for me to speak to other ponies.

Giving her a simpler and less personal explanation, I answered: “After my daughter had been abducted, I did some things that some ponies may consider as ‘illegal’. I interrupted the flight test in Cloudsdale, attacked an employee of the Cloudsdale stadium -that bastard who actually foalnapped her- and ‘trespassed’ into Canterlot Castle because I wanted to ask Celestia for help.”

Rarity couldn’t hold back an amused grin: “Oh you bad, bad boy. Anyway, why are you wearing those glasses then?”

Giving her an unbelieving look, I asked: “Don’t you understand? After my actions, I’m sure that I’m not welcome -not to say wanted- in Canterlot and Cloudsdale. Luna gave me the glasses to stay undetected, so that I can move without attracting attention.”

Rarity chuckled amused: “Really? Your ‘great leader into liberty’ isn’t as smart as I thought.”

“What?” I asked slightly confused.

She finally calmed herself: “Look, if I recognized you with those glasses, how big do you think are the chances for a guard to recognize you?”

I gulped, realizing that she was right: my disguise wasn’t that sneaky; after all, even Derpy recognized me.

Rarity gave me a serious glance, saying: “I admit: I take to you, so I’ll make you an offer.”

I silently raised an eyebrow.

“You leave half of your provisions to us, and I’ll make you stay really undetected.” she explained generously.

My first impulse was to deny: my rations were limited already - I would need all of them if I wanted to continue my journey. Apart from this, how did she plan to ‘make me stay undetected’? She didn’t look like a plastic surgeon, and just giving me a new haircut certainly wouldn’t help me.

But then I paused and reflected for a moment: what use did I have of provisions when I wouldn’t be able to move in Cloudsdale or Canterlot without problems? If I wanted to find the factory, I had to go to Cloudsdale. And regarding the unambiguous letter from Spitfire, I definitely needed a disguise if I didn’t want to press my luck once again.

So I hesitantly nodded and said: “Alright. As long as you’ll do good work, we have a deal.”

Rarity’s face brightened visibly and she smiled complacently: “Oh darling, puh-lease! As soon as I’m finished with you, even you daughter wouldn’t-“ she cut herself off, “Sorry. What I wanted to say is: nopony will recognize you – in no case!”

I nodded soberly: “I hope so.”

Rarity happily trotted towards the single exit of the room and looked over her shoulder: “Please come with me, darling!” My look fell on Sweetie Belle, still standing next to the bed. “Oh, and Sweetie Belle! Be a darling and water the plants, will you?” Rarity added.

The young pony rolled her eyes and walked towards the door, passing her sister with an annoyed moan.

Not minding her little sister, I followed Rarity through a narrow staircase and finally found myself in a big, round room in the main floor.

Walking behind the white unicorn, I took a look around: Rarity didn’t seem to have joked when she said that this house used to be a boutique: several mannequins of ponies were standing or lying around in the untidy room, some of them had small scraps of cloth tied around them; the floor was dusty and littered with single papers. The large windows were nailed up with big slats; the single entrance door opposite to me had been barricaded with multiple locks and thick iron chains.

Noticing my glance throughout the room, Rarity sighed deeply and said: “It’s not what it used to be. After the first riots appeared in Ponyville and Celestia started to enrage, life started to get really hard – Celestia’s taxes were overwhelming, and clothes are the last thing you buy when you’re short on money, you know?”

Remaining silent, I gave her an understanding nod.

“I always tried to stay out of the riots,” she continued, “I didn’t sympathize with Celestia, but I wasn’t against her reign either. However,” she carefully stroked her scarred face, “The guards didn’t care. Those deadheads just strike, no matter who they’re facing.”

“You have a point there.” I confirmed, remembering the events of the previous day.

“After the last riot and several weeks without any customers, I decided that life in public had become too dangerous for the two of us - I barricaded the house and started to grow food on the balcony.” She sighed, “It isn’t easy -and the hard work strains both of us- but it’s enough to survive. All we can do at the moment is hope for the war to be ended soon. No matter which side wins, this has to be brought to an end!” She hastily shook her head, “But I’ve let the memories get the better of me. Please, come with me.” She said and headed towards a small door at the other end of the room.

I stepped through the door behind Rarity and found myself in a small chamber. The pink color on the walls was bleached; the bright daylight shone through a small window and revealed the sight on a cosmetic chair in the middle of the room, covered in a thick layer of dust. Rarity oppressed a cough and pointed to the chair, saying: “Please sit down. I’ll get what I need.” She turned around and walked to a big shelf in the back of the room, filled with every kinds of colorful bottles.

Taking a seat, I turned my head and looked at the window, asking: “If I got you right and I really slept twelve hours, shouldn’t it be night by now?”

Rarity turned around, lifting a white plastic bottle with her magic: “It should be night indeed. I actually thought you’d know what was wrong, since you seem to have talked to the Princesses recently.”

Getting her point, I looked through the window confused: “Yes, I talked to both of them recently, but none of them said anything about letting the day-night-rhythm fade. Why should they even do that? I mean: just think about the consequences for the population!”

The unicorn narrowed her eyes in disgust: “Do you really think those Princesses give a damn about us? This whole war is just a foalish showdown between them, and we are the ones who suffer from it!”

In lack of a response to that, I moaned compassionately and looked back to her.

She approached me, carrying two large bottles, and stopped next to me. Presenting me the bottles, she said: “This should help you stay undetected!”

I leaned forward and looked at the label, reading: “Mane- and fur-colorant?”

Rarity nodded: “Yes, this will change your appearance drastically, trust me!”

Not excited by her plan, I moaned in discomfort: “Coloring my fur? I’m not sure about that.”

She gave me an annoyed look: “Now do you want to stay undetected or what? I can stop if you wish to be caught and imprisoned by the royal guards!”

Facing my hopelessness, I let out a deep sigh: “Fine. But do it quick! I can’t waste a second; I have to search for Firespark!”

“It’s alright, darling! I’ll do it as fast as I can!” Rarity ensured me. She grabbed a large plastic can standing next to the door and unscrewed it, sniffing at its content. She recoiled: “Ugh, that water must have been standing here for a while. But it should be enough for coloring your mane and fur.” She showed me the bottles again: “I thought about a hazel mane and brick-red fur, what do you think?”

I let out a huff, slowly getting impatient: “Hell, just get this over with! I can’t sit here and chill while my daughter is somewhere out there! I have to go and see Fluttershy!”

“Calm down, will you?” She responded and put some of the paste on her hoof, removing my sunglasses with her magic. “Now lean back your head, please!”

Still hesitating, I relaxed the muscles in my neck and felt her surprisingly soft grip on my head, massaging the paste into my mane. Overwhelmed by the comfort her soft touch brought over me, I was tempted to close my eyes, but suddenly startled as I felt a cold, sticky mass dropping on my stomach.

My head shot up and I saw that Rarity had emptied the second bottle all over my body. “No need to fall asleep right away! If you really are in a hurry, then lend me a hand and slather your body with the colorant!” she urged me gently, but determined.

Obeying her, I sat up and tried to get the sticky paste at every visible place. Trying to start a conversation, I asked: “And you’re really living alone with your sister? All alone?”

Rarity nodded absentminded.

“Don’t you have some friends?” I asked and turned my head, looking at her unbelieving.

That question seemed to have hit a nerve; she froze and looked out of the window stiffly: “Friends? … No. No, I don’t have any friends. In those times, friends are a luxury only least ponies can afford. … But I used to have friends - five of them to be exact.”

“So what happened to them?” I asked curiously.

She snorted dryly: “If you really want to know: one of them died during a riot; one of them became a tyrant, and one of them has lost every kind of interest in her friends and never showed up again.”

“And the other two ones?” I asked confused.

She sighed deeply: “Applejack and Fluttershy … I hardly know them anymore. I suppose they live in their old homes - Applejack is far too rooted to leave her farm, and Fluttershy is just … to shy.”

I nodded understanding: “Oh, so Fluttershy is a former friend of yours?”

My hostess nodded, a touch of melancholy in her look: “Yes. That’s why I know where she lives. … We’ll depart as soon as we have washed out the colorant, alright?”

“Fine.” I said and nodded approving.

After several minutes of silence, Rarity finally arose and stepped in front of me, raising the plastic can and saying: “Now hold your breath for a moment!”

As I saw her intention, I wanted to jump up and protest, but got cut off by a flood of stinking water taking my vision away.

It took me a couple of seconds to open my eyes again. Focusing Rarity with a furious look, I shouted: “Seriously, was that necessary!?”

She nodded soberly: “Of course! How did you think would we get the rest of the colorant out of your fur?” With that, she turned around and passed the small door leading into the main chamber. Giving me an inviting look over her shoulder, she said: “Now come with me please!”

Hesitatingly, I got up, left the chamber and entered the main hall where Rarity just lifted a brown blanket from a large mirror in the middle of the room. She turned the dusty furniture towards me and said: “Take a look at your new appearance!”

I looked at the glass and froze. It wasn’t the dark red fur or the chocolate brown hair that horrified me - it was the exhaustion reflecting in my eyes: big pouches hung underneath my eyelid; my irises had turned vacant, and my face was contorted with bitterness and desperation. This was one of the moments when Firespark would have come and brightened my mood; when she would have just smiled and infected me with her happiness. But I didn’t have to look around to know that the red filly wouldn’t appear to make my day; I was all alone.

“Are you satisfied with the result?” Rarity asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I nodded absentmindly while stroking a single stripe of blue fur around my eyes: “Sure. … Be right back.” I said and hurried back into the chamber I came from.

A few seconds later, I returned into the main room, wearing my sunglasses again. I gave the mirror another glance: I didn’t know who the pony was that stared back at me. By all means, I knew that it wasn’t me: I would have never worn sunglasses, I would have never colored my fur or mane, and I would have never hidden my emotions behind a pair of shades. No, that pony staring back at me couldn’t be compared with me – by no means. I wasn’t sure whether that was a good or bad development.

My attention got attracted by the sound of hooves coming closer and I turned my head: Sweetie Belle came down the stairs, carrying a red piece of cotton with her magic. Approaching me, she handed me the object I quickly recognized as my saddlebag and said: “I colored that bag for you. A blue bag with the emblem of the Republic on it would attract unwanted attention; this should help you to stay undetected.”

Unable to hide my surprise about that service, I put the bag on my shoulders and gave the little unicorn an appreciating smile, saying: “Thank you, Sweetie Belle!”

She nodded with a weak smile and went back up the stairs.

Giving Rarity an asking look, I said: “So, can we go?”

The unicorn nodded hastily: “Sure, darling! Just let me get something!” she said and hurried up the stairs.

I heard the high voice of Sweetie Belle again: “Are you departing?”

“Yes, I’ll accompany him to Fluttershy’s cottage.”

“Watch your back, sis! Those imperial douches are everywhere!” Sweetie Belle warned her sister.

“I know. Don’t worry, I’ll watch out.”

Rarity hurried the stairs down again. As my look fell on her, I noticed that she wore her black sweater again; the hood hid her face for the most part.

As she walked past me and approached the door, unlocking it with a few targeted movements, I asked: “Why are you wearing that thing again? Did you commit a ‘crime’ too?”

She gave me a quick glance over her shoulder: “No. No, I just don’t want ponies to see my face. They may … recognize me and … ask for help and..." she hastily shook her head, "No. I don’t want to be recognized!” she held the door open and asked: “Do you intend to come someday?”

I quickly nodded and hurried towards the exit.

After we had stepped outside, Rarity quickly locked the door again with a big padlock and pointed into a direction leading away from her house, saying: “Fluttershy’s cottage is that way. Be warned: it’s near the everfree forest, so it will take a while to go there.”

Looking past her and into the distance, I nodded in silence.

“Oh and there’s one more thing you should know about the colorant in your mane and fur: it’s not the newest anymore, so I don’t know how durable it is. You won’t have to watch every single of your steps, but you should avoid water!” she warned me seriously.

Hunching my shoulders, I gave her an unimpressed nod: “Sure. I’m not a fish, you know?”

Rarity rolled her eyes and silently turned around, heading away from Carousel Boutique.

Driven by my curiosity, I gave the building a closer look: indeed, it looked just like a carousel: it was round; the higher levels were getting smaller, forming a tip. It seemed to have had a blue coating, but the color was mostly peeled off; the windows seemed to have looked really fancy a long time ago, but now were covered with massive wooden slats, leaving no sign of the building’s former grace.

Letting out a deep sigh, I shook my head pitying: this is what the disharmony between the two Princesses had made out of this country. For a second, I doubted whether it had been a good idea to join the Republic and become a guard, but the doubts vanished as I thought of Firespark again: “As soon as I’ve found her, the Republic will charge the factory and let the Empire pay for her abduction! They will all pay! It’s been a necessary step to join the Republic, and it’s definitely worth it!” I told myself again, blocking out every kind of doubts.

“Will you come already? I have more important things to do than to stand around and wait for you!” Rarity shouted annoyed.

I nodded absentminded and hastily turned around, hurrying after the disguised mare.

Ch.8: Painful memories

Chapter 8: *Painful memories*

The walk to Fluttershy’s house was rather unspectacular: Rarity didn’t behave like if she wanted to start a conversation, and neither did I.

So we silently trotted through the ravaged scenery, passing the decaying houses and abandoned plains at a constant, quick pace. I couldn’t hide my surprise about Rarity’s endurance: regarding her former job, I’d thought she would collapse after a few minutes – but she kept her pace, trotting next to me and staring into the distance purposefully.

Thus, time went by – I couldn’t tell exactly, but I was sure that we were walking for more than two hours when Rarity finally stopped and looked at me. “Fluttershy’s house is over there.” She said and pointed to a small cottage surrounded by smaller trees and moldered bird houses.

Just like Carousel Boutique, it looked like it had been adjusted to provide somepony the best possible protection from the exterior world: the windows were barricaded with big wooden slats, the door was sealed by multiple locks, and a big ‘DO NOT ENTER’-sign was attached to it.

Upon beginning my walk towards the house, I noticed Rarity staying back. I slowly turned around and gave her a questioning look, asking: “Won’t you come?”

She shook her head determined: “No, I don’t want to risk getting seen by her. If she’d see me, she may ask me for help – help I couldn’t provide for the life of me. No, it’s better if I just head back home; I can’t leave Sweetie Belle alone for too long anyway.”

I nodded understanding and gave her an appreciating look: “Alright. Thank you for everything then.”

Rarity nodded drably: “It’s alright. Goodbye! And good luck with finding your daughter!” she said and turned around, heading back home.

I took a deep breath of the hot, dry air and started on my way to the small cottage.

After only a few moments, I noticed my breathing getting heavier and sweat rolling down my forehead. With an exhausted pant, I slowly lifted my head and looked up to the blue sky: no rain, no clouds, not even a slight breeze.

My anger grew again, surely driven by the high temperatures: Why? Why did Celestia punish her subjects with that infernal sun? Why didn’t the weather pegasi arrange a little thunderstorm? And why for buck’s sake didn’t Luna finally end the day? If she couldn’t arrange a full-fledged night, she could at least cause a solar eclipse, right!?

With an angry snort, I clenched my teeth and quickened my pace. “Why the heck does the whole world work against me?” I growled, “Hell, I just hope that this Fluttershy or whatever her name is can help me. Otherwise … otherwise … well …” I shook my head and looked up, focusing Fluttershy’s house, “How did granny say? Expect the worst, hope for the best.” Taking a deep breath, I added, “It’ll be fine. It’ll all be fine.”

I approached the cottage after a few more moments and knocked at the sealed entrance door.

As no reaction came, I knocked again -that time slightly harder- and calmly shouted: “Fluttershy! Are you at home? I need to talk to you!”

“G-go away!” a terrified voice sounded from inside the cottage.

I hesitated for a second, then knocked again and shouted: “Fluttershy! I really have to-“

“Hey! What are ya’ll doin’ at Fluttershy’s house? Leave her alone, will ya!?” I got cut off by a slightly familiar voice.

I span around: the orange mare I met a couple of days ago was standing behind me and giving me an angry glance; in addition to her Stetson, she now also carried a brown saddlebag on her back.

“Oh, it’s you again. … You know Fluttershy?” I asked after a moment of silence.

She nodded rigidly: “Yeah, she’s mah friend, Ah know her very well. An’ Ah know how she reacts to strangers threatening her!”

It took me a few seconds to understand what she meant. Hastily shaking my head, I replied: “Look, I didn’t threaten her! I have to ask her something very important!”

She raised an eyebrow: “And what could be important enough to bother Fluttershy? The war has already stressed her enough; the last thing she needs at the moment is somepony upsetting her!”

Taking a step towards her, I sharply explained: “As I already told you, I’m searching for my daughter! I’ve got a hint that Fluttershy might know where she has been taken!”

The mare hesitated, giving me a slightly surprised look: “Ya … Yer looking for your daughter too?” she shook her head in pity, “It’s a shame - so many families have been torn apart due to that war. A couple of days ago, Ah met somepony who was also looking for his daughter. A blue pegasus with blonde-”

I tore off my sunglasses, revealing my eyes, and shouted: “That was me! Don’t you recognize me!?”

She gave my face a closer look; her eyes widened after a few seconds and she stuttered: “I-it’s you?”

I nodded hastily: “Yes, just call me Fippo. Now if-“

“Well then, hey Fippo. Mah name’s Applejack.” She interrupted me.

With a quick nod, I put my sunglasses back on and dryly responded: “Well Applejack, I’d love to chew the fat with you, but if you don’t mind, I really have to talk to Fluttershy!”

The mare gave me a confused look, still not letting me pass: “But … why do ya look like that? Ah mean, that … red?”

Impatiently shaking my head, I harshly answered her: “There are several reasons for that, let’s just say that I prefer to stay undetected! But really: I have to talk to Fluttershy! Now!” I turned around and faced Fluttershy’s door again, raising my hoof in order to knock.

“And ya think that she can help ya?” Applejack asked critically.

Without turning around, I hastily nodded: “Yes! She has experienced the same fate as Firespark; I suppose that she knows where she has been taken! She can help me to find her!”

Still looking skeptical, the orange mare reflected for a moment. Obviously coming to a decision, she took a step forward and knocked at the door, shouting: “Fluttershy! Please open the door! It’s me, Applejack!”

A few moments passed until, slowly, the wooden door opened and the terrified face of a yellow mare appeared in the small gap between the door and the doorframe.

“Applejack? What do you want?” the mare asked in a soft, scared voice; her horrified look was focused on me.

“Look, Fluttershy. Ah know ya don’t like visitors, but this pony here really needs yer help!” Applejack explained and tilted her head into my direction.

“But … but he looks dangerous!” Fluttershy whimpered and recoiled slightly.

“Fluttershy, his daughter got abducted! He suspects that ya know where she had been taken!” Applejack explained the issue.

“B-but why should I know that!? I-I…” Fluttershy’s voice broke in the middle of the sentence.

Applejack gave me an asking look over her shoulder. Taking a step forward, I calmly explained: “Look, Fluttershy. Firespark, my daughter, has failed her flight test. I’ve heard that you had the same issue, but somehow managed to escape the consequences of it. So I would really appreciate if you could-“

I got cut off by the door being closed powerfully and Fluttershy shouting: “Please go away! I’ve left that part of my past behind me! I don’t want to hear anything about it!”

With a helpless look on my face, I turned around and faced Applejack.

She understood immediately and knocked at the door again, yelling: “Fluttershy, open the door! Ah can understand if ya don’t wanna think about your past, but that stallion really needs your help! How would ya feel if somepony as essential as a daughter would be taken away from ya?”

A few moments of silence passed. Finally, the door got opened again and Fluttershy peeked through the gap. With a serious look, she silently asked: “Are you armed?”

Applejack and I both shook our heads denying; Fluttershy hesitantly opened the door and stepped back, saying: “Come in, I’ll tell you what I know.”

Without hesitating, Applejack stepped forward and entered the cottage; I followed her and closed the door behind me.

The first thing I noticed upon entering the cottage was that it was very dark in there: the furniture had been shoved in front of the windows and consequently blocked out the sunlight; the only light source remaining was a small candle in the middle of the room.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts to see in the darkness, I finally took off my sunglasses and placed them above my forehead.

Fluttershy stopped in front of the candle and turned around, facing us with a drained look: “Please … please sit down. I’ll tell you what you need to know.”

Fulfilling her desire, I took a seat and focused her, asking: “So, you are Fluttershy, right?”

The yellow pony was barely visible due to the poor lightning, but I could see that she nodded.

“Alright, Fluttershy.” I began, making an effort to speak as calm and clearly as possible: “As I said before, somepony told me that you failed your flight test. Is that right?“ I asked her brokenly.

She winced, but slowly nodded.

“So you probably got captured and taken away from the stadium.” I continued soberly.

Fluttershy hesitated for a second, then shook her head slowly: “No. No, that isn’t right.”

“So you didn’t fail your test!?” I asked and raised an eyebrow, trying my best to hide my growing impatience.

The pegasus nodded slowly: “Yes, I did. But I haven’t been taken away … not from the stadium at least.”

“From where then!? And where have you been brought!?” I harshly cut her off and stomped a hoof on the ground, “For buck’s sake, I need to know! Now!”

Fluttershy winced and let out a silent squeal.

“Hey now cut that pony some slack!” Applejack snapped at me, “She went through some serious stuff; the memory sure is painful to recall!”

Stiffly turning my head towards her and focusing her with clenched teeth, I retorted: “I know that the memory is painful! But do you know what’s much more painful that a bucking foalhood trauma!? Knowing that your little filly is somewhere out there!” I yelled at her, “That she might be in danger and that she’s waiting for you to come and save her![” my voice was about to break; tears began to flood my eyes, “And that’s why I would be very grateful,” I turned towards Fluttershy, having difficulties to see her through my tearstained eyes, “if you could just tell me where she’s been brought! So that I can find her and save her from those … those …” my voice broke and I fell over. With a dull ‘thud’ my head hit the wooden floor.

I remained lying; my sobs filled the small room. “I just want my daughter back! Is that too much to ask for!?” I whimpered tearfully.

Applejack put a hoof on my back and comforted me: “Hey! Hey, it’ll all be fine.”

I didn’t look up. I didn’t react at all. I’ve had enough; I was done with this world.

“Look, if there are ponies that escaped their fate, then yer daughter surely won’t be an exception.” Applejack continued, doing her best to sound empathetic.

Slowly, I raised my head and looked up, focusing her.

“Trust me.” Applejack told me confidently. Turning her head towards Fluttershy, she added: “Now come on, Flutters! Tell us what happened!”

The yellow pony slowly nodded. In the flickering light of the candle, I could see a slight blush on her face as she began: “I-I just fell. Right after the beginning of my test, my wings just failed me; they simply didn’t move.” She sighed deeply, “So I fell. Fortunately, got caught by a bunch of butterflies a few feet above the ground and survived the fall without getting harmed - at least not physically.” She added wistfully.

Her voice began to quaver as she continued: “I-I didn’t dare to enter Cloudsdale again, for I was certain that they wouldn’t accept me without having passed the test.”

“You don’t say.” I said to myself.

Fluttershy’s face brightened slightly as she continued: “But that wasn’t a problem after all: I quickly discovered my love for the nature - I loved the animals and they loved me. I lived in harmony with the nature around me and couldn’t have been happier.” She sighed; her wistful mood returned: “Up to that day.”

“What happened? Come on, Fluttershy! Get to the point!” I interrupted her and sat back up, wiping away my drying tears with a quick move of my hoof.

The pegasus shivered: “One day, just when I was in the forest to collect food for my friends, I was approached by two guards in golden armor. They asked me whether I was Fluttershy and -naïve as I was- I said yes. They captured me and … and tied me up. I tried to struggle, but one of them hit my head with his foreleg and I got unconscious.” Despite the dimmed light in her cottage, it was clearly visible that recalling the memory made her skin crawl.

Taking a deep breath, she continued: “When I woke up again, I found myself in a dark chamber, still shackled. The sounds I heard reminded me to those of a carriage. I shouted for help, but nopony seemed to hear me, so I-“ she jugged, “just laid on the ground and cried. I knew that it would have been more clever to look for a way out, but I … I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t move at all.”

“Yes, Fluttershy!” I interrupted her, trying to sound less harsh than earlier, “I understand that you were shocked, but could you please skip that part and move to the part where you arrived at the factory!? Time presses!”

She nodded slowly; her eyes began to glaze over: “After multiple hours, a door got torn open behind me and I was blinded by the broad daylight. A masked pony, completely dressed in black, harshly told me to dismount. I didn’t want to take a risk, so I obeyed and stepped on the ground in front of the carriage. Upon looking around, I saw that I was in Cloudsdale; there were three of the masked ponies and a huge building in front of me.”

“The factory.” I silently concluded.

Fluttershy hastily nodded: “The weather factory! The building definitely was the weather factory!”

My body stiffened; my head shot up, facing her with widened eyes: “What!? Weather factory!?Are you sure!?”

“Yes, I’m sure it was the weather factory!” she confirmed with a confidence that surprised me, “But we had stopped at the backside of it, a side of the factory I’ve never seen before.” She closed her eyes, apparently reflecting, “There was a … a metal overhead door in front of me. It was completely painted in white and almost invisible in the cloud-wall.” She revealed her memory, unable to hide a shiver that ran through her body.

Giving her an unbelieving look, I asked: “A-are you serious? You were brought to the weather factory?”

The yellow pony nodded determined: “Absolutely.”

I paused for a moment, having difficulties to internalize what I’d just heard.

However, after a few seconds, I shook my head and leaned forward, bringing myself face-to-face with Fluttershy and impatiently asking: “Then were you inside? Have you seen what’s done in there?”

“And how did ya escape?” Applejack added.

“Just when the door was about to get opened,” Fluttershy continued with her story, “a guard came from somewhere and hastily approached the masked ponies. He said something about a reprieve by Princess Celestia.”

Raising an eyebrow, I skeptically asked: “A reprieve? By her?”

The pegasus nodded confirming: “That’s unusual, I know. The masked ponies were just as surprised as me. They asked whether he was serious multiple times, but he approved every time.”

She took a deep breath, continuing: “So they approached me, loosened my shackles, and, without a further comment, gave me a powerful kick that made me stumble over the edge of the clouds.” Again, a shiver ran through her body, “I fell. I still couldn’t fly properly, but I could at least slow down my fall a bit, so I didn’t get injured when I landed on the ground.”

Her look wandered over to the candle; her eyes began to glaze over, “I haven’t been to Cloudsdale that often after that day, but the ponies seem to accept me as I am. However, I’ve never talked to anypony else about that, I feared that they would capture me again and…” she shuddered, “I definitely wouldn’t get a reprieval the next time.”

“So you don’t know what’s done in the factory?” I cut her off, “I mean … of course, the weather factory makes the weather, but what happens to the foals? Are they used as forced workers? As slaves!?”

Fluttershy slowly shook her head: “I’m sorry. I can tell you that I’ve been brought to the weather factory, but I don’t know what’s done behind that metal door. … And to be honest,” she shivered, “I don’t want to know!”

I gave her a hesitant nod, making an effort to hide my disappointment: “Alright then. Thank you very much. … Now I at least know where to look for her.”

She forced out a smile: “You’re welcome. I’m glad that I could help you.”

Without wasting time, I got to my hooves and walked towards the exit. However, I involuntarily stopped as I heard Applejack ask: “But what was that with the reprieval? Why did the Princess do that? Ya know: she usually isn’t that type of mare to just forgive an’ forget.”

Fluttershy nodded: “I know, but … I never cared about why she’s done that. After all, she’s probably saved my life with that reprieval. … or at least saved me from a life in the factory, so I didn’t question her decision. However, a few years ago, Rainbow Dash finally told me the story.”

“You … you know Rainbow Dash?” I asked over my shoulder, unable to hide my surprise.

She nodded approving: “Yes, we’ve been friends ever since flight school. I was one class above her though.”

Giving her an inspecting look, I mumbled: “Right, you look somewhat familiar. … Anyways, what was the story?”

My eyes slowly seemed to adapt to the darkness in the cottage, for I could see that Fluttershy had tears in her eyes. I couldn’t tell if those were tears of joy or of sadness though.

“Rainbow Dash approached Princess Celestia herself and asked her to be merciful.” Fluttershy explained, admiration swinging in her voice, “Of course, the Princess first was skeptical, but Rainbow didn’t give up! After hours of discussing, she finally managed to convince the Princess to let me go.” A weak smile formed on her face, “I think she saved my life.”

Slowly, her smile vanished; she sighed deeply and added: “I miss her as a friend.”

“So what happened to you all?” I asked, involuntarily deferring my departure even further.

As if by command, the two mares’ heads lowered, looking to the ground; Applejack let out a wistful sigh and hesitantly started to explain: “After Twilight’s coronation, she completely split herself from our group. Ya know, she moved to Canterlot and never showed up again.”

Fluttershy, apparently having old sores reopened, sobbed clearly audible. Applejack flung her foreleg around her friend’s neck and pressed herself against her, trying to comfort the drained pegasus.

“After a couple of months, as if losing one of our friends wasn’t enough,” Applejack continued, “Rainbow Dash didn’t show up any more: she was either somewhere out in Cloudsdale or sleeping in her house, but she didn’t seem to make an effort to keep our friendship up.” Applejack interrupted herself to lean forward and rub a hoof over her face, trying to muffle a sob, “An’ finally, there’s Rarity,” she continued bitterly, “She’s barricaded herself in her house and refuses to collaborate with us in any way. All she cares about is herself, other ponies mean nothing to her.”

I nodded: “Yeah, I already know her. I met her the day before, she offered me a place to sleep and colored my fur and mane.”

“Are you sure yer talking about Rarity?” Applejack asked with an unbelieving look, “Cuz’ the unicorn Ah know never helps anypony! Not any more at least!”

With a shrug, I replied: “Well, she’s a white unicorn, she knows the two of you and calls herself Rarity, so…”

Applejack put me off and shook her head, mumbling: “Well, maybe she had a good day…”

“Yeah, probably.” I replied absentmindedly and took a step towards the exit door, determined to lose no more time. However, I froze in my movement as a question popped up in my head.

I knew that time pressed, but before I could stop myself, I’d already turned around and focused the two mares again: “So … the two of you are still friends, right?” I asked.

Fluttershy hesitated: “Well, and Applejack and me, we … well …”

“We help each other out from time to time.” Applejack answered for her friend, “In those hard times, it’s good to have somepony to depend on. Somepony of whom ya know that she won’t let ya down.” Her face darkened, ”Not like certain other ponies.”

Fluttershy nodded approving, apparently still having difficulties to hold back her tears.

For a second, I was unable to move; unable to loosen my glance from the sobbing pony: I couldn’t believe how hard the past years must have been for them: not only that they had to deal with extortionate dues and strict state control, no, they’d also lost most of their friends. I never had that many friends, so I hardly knew how it felt to lose them.

However, I knew how it felt to be separated from somepony who meant a lot to you, so I felt sympathetic for Fluttershy having lost so many of her friends almost at once.

But I quickly shook my head, remembering the reason why I came to Fluttershy’s cottage in the first place, and turned towards the exit door. “Alright, I should leave by now. I really have to search for Firespark.” I said and, with a look over my shoulder, added, “Thanks for the help, the two of you.”

Without a further comment, I left the darkened cottage and stepped back outside.

In the second I stepped through the door, a loud curse passed my lips as my eyes got flooded by the blinding daylight, making me clench my teeth and jerkily lower my head.

“Goddamned motherbucking…!” I growled and hastily put my sunglasses back on, “Stupid sunbutt!” I started an attempt to blink, still being mostly blinded, “Got nothing better to than to let her goddamn sun beat down on that goddamn planet!” slowly, my eyes recovered and the blurred scenery of Ponyville began to appear in front of me, “Screw that whore! She’s gonna get what she deserves soon enough!”

Gripped by a new wave of determination, I looked up to the sky, focusing the distant silhouette of Cloudsdale, and took a step forward.

My look fell onto the salient silhouette of the weather factory and I felt a determined smile form on my face. “Showtime.” I mumbled and trotted off.

After only a few moments of walking away from Fluttershy’s house, I heard the door of the cottage getting opened and hasty steps coming closer. I turned around and saw Applejack running after me, her eyes widened.

Focusing her with a skeptical glance, I asked: “What do you want?”

She approached me and, breathing heavily, asked: “So yer going to the weather factory now?”

“Where else should I go?” I asked with a determined look, “I now know where Firespark is; I’m gonna go there and kick some flank! She’s gonna be the last foal to be abducted by those buckers!”

Applejack gave me a resolute look and, without a second of hesitation, said: “Then Ah’ll come with ya.”

I dully looked at her for a moment, then said: “I don’t need your help. I’ll do that on my own, thank you.”

With that, I launched into turning around, but got stopped by Applejack laying a hoof on my shoulder and saying: “Look, if there’s a place where abducted foals are brought, and if that place additionally is endorsed by Celestia, it’s mah duty to find it an’ do somethin’ about it! As a Republican, as a big sister, and as a pony!”

I didn’t release her from my skeptical look, but remained silent.

“Apart from this, we’ve already seen what happens when ya try to do somethin’ like that on yer own, right?” she said with a cheeky grin.

“What do you mean?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Ya fell out of the clouds, remember?” she explained, “Considering that yer daughter got abducted, Ah’m pretty sure that ya tried to avert her abduction an’ because of that got thrown off Cloudsdale.”

Without leaving me time to respond, she added, “An’ Ah’m sure that if Ah wouldn’t have found ya and brought ya to the hospital, you’d have died in that slough of a pigpen.”

My jaw dropped as I understood: “Wait! You were the pony that brought me to the hospital?”

She nodded, a touch of complacence on her face: “Eeyup. Ah saw ya fallin’ and landin’ on mah farm. Ah checked for ya, but ya were all unconscious, so I picked ya up and carried ya the few miles from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville.”

My jaw seemed to drop even further as I realized the issue. Taking of my sunglasses, I said: “You … you saved my life.”

She nodded casually and hunched her shoulders, saying: “Yeah, you might say that.”

“And you really carried me all the way to Ponyville? I mean … Sweet Apple Acres … I don’t remember its exact position, but I know that it’s hell of a way to get there from Ponyville.” With an unbelieving look, I asked again, “You really carried me!?”

Applejack nodded again: “Yer not the heaviest thing Ah carried so far if ya meant that.”

Unable to respond to that, I said: “… Well … thank you very much then!”

She smiled warmly: “Yer welcome. Now let’s go, there’s no time to lose!”

Putting my sunglasses back on, I asked: “So you really wanna come with me?”

“Yes,” she said with a determined nod, “Ya can depend on mah support!”

“Well…” I slowly turned around and continued my walk away from Fluttershy’s cottage, “Alright then. Thank you I guess.”

“Don’t mention it,” She said from behind me, “Foalnapping is a terrible, terrible thing! And everypony who doesn’t do something about it is just as terrible as those who do it.”

“You can say that again.” I mumbled to myself and turned around, continuing my walk away from the cottage.

After a few minutes of walking next to Applejack, I incidentally looked at her and noticed: “But wait a second! You’re an earth pony! You can’t fly to Cloudsdale, let alone walk on clouds!”

The farmer slowed down and shrugged: “Well, Ah know that there’s a spell that can make wing-less ponies walk on clouds. We just gotta find a unicorn.”

I let my glance wander over the waste scenery around us and mumbled: “Well, this is gonna take a while.”

For a minute, I thought about just telling her to stay on the ground and going to Cloudsdale on my own – after all, she was the only reason why I wasn’t in the factory already.

However, I quickly realized she had been right with her assumption: if I really wanted to intrude into a top-secret part of the weather factory and free Firespark, a little help by somepony else could help. Especially if that pony was a hard-bitten farmer strong enough to carry a full-grown stallion miles to the next hospital.

A few seconds of awkward silence passed until I suddenly had an idea. “We can ask Rarity! She’s a unicorn!” I said, louder than I intended to.

Applejack gave me an unbelieving look: “Seriously? Ya wanna ask Rarity? No offense, but Ah don’t think she’s gonna help us. Ever since Twilight moved to Canterlot, she’s become more and more jealous of her. An’ after Rainbow slowly cleared off, it didn’t look like if she’d give a damn about the rest of us anymore. So why should she help us now?”

“Because she helped me too!” I replied without hesitating, “She doesn’t seem to be that generous, but I’m sure that we can convince her to help us if we try.”

Applejack didn’t release me from her skeptical look.

“Come on, we at least have to try! Or do you have any better suggestions?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She slowly shook her head.

“See? So let’s just give it a try!” I summoned her, “If you really used to be friends, why should she just send you away?”

Applejack let out an annoyed moan, but replied: “Let’s just see what she does, alright? Who knows … maybe she has a good day.”

I nodded: “Let’s find out.”

We’d been walking for a couple of minutes as Applejack’s body suddenly tensed and she growled: “Goshdarnit!”

My head shot around: “What!?”

Before I could see what was going on, Applejack grabbed me by my tail and tore me into a nearby bush. I wanted to protest, but she held my mouth shut and pressed my head down.

“Whab fe heck if going on?” I asked Applejack, unable to speak clearly.

Without responding, she tore my head upward, making me look at the sky above us: a large, white sky-chariot, pulled by multiple royal guards was just passing by; the silhouette of a purple alicorn was visible in its seat.

“If fat Prinfeff Twilight?”

The chariot passed and vanished in the clouds again; Applejack released me from her grip and got to her hooves, leaving the bush.

I quickly followed her and, entering the road again, asked: “Now what the hell was that!?”

Continuing her way on the road without looking back, she said: “Twilight may not see us. Ah’ve got enough problems already, the last thing Ah need is some snooty princess approachin’ me an’ bombardin’ me with questions about what I did all day and if I’m loyal to the empire and all that.”

“So that’s what she does all day?” I concluded unbelieving, “She flies about Equestria and questions ponies about … their lives?”

“Well, somepony’s gotta manage all that surveillance-thing. And apparently, Celestia has no other use for her.” Raising her head and looking at the light blue sky, she added, “Though I suppose she’s gonna use her on the battlefield as soon as the war has finally begun.”

I gave her an unbelieving look, asking: “Are you kidding?”

Lowering her glance and turning her head, she returned the look, saying: “No, officially, there’s still peace between the Republic an’ the Empire. Most ponies think we have war, but there hasn’t been an official declaration yet.” she explained and snorted dryly.

I hesitated for a second, then slowly explained: “… We have war since yesterday, you know?”

Applejack’s eyes suddenly widened in horror: “What!?”

“The Empire attacked the embassy of the Republic yesterday; Luna declared war to Celestia. The attack has been extinguished, but both sides had to deal with major losses.”

Her face turned pale as she stuttered: “M-major losses? What d’ya mean?”

A shiver ran through my spine. Having the blood-soaked meadow in my mind’s eye, I slowly said: “I’ve been there. I’ve witnessed the attack; I’ve seen the battle.” Oppressing a choke, I added, “Believe me: the area around the embassy looks like a graveyard. A ravaged, blood-soaked graveyard.”

Applejack’s face seemed to turn even paler as she asked: “A-are ya serious?”

“I don’t joke about those kinds of things.” I replied dryly, “But why did you ask?”

“Because mah family’s out there!” she yelled, her voice about to break from her horror.

“Your family?”

“Yeah, mah brother an’ mah sister! There guards of the Empire!”

Contorting my face with disgust, I said: “Ugh. So you’re a supporter of Celestia?”

Applejack hastily shook her head and shouted: “No, damnit! Ah’m a civilian of the Republic! Ah’ve been loyal to Luna from the day the Republic has been formed!” she reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a small piece of plastic, presenting it to me and adding, ”Ah’m a member of the Republic, but mah family’s in the Solar army!”

I gave the paper an inspecting look: indeed, it looked like an official ID of the New Lunar Republic: being held in dark blue and black tones, it showed a picture of her, as well as her name and date of birth.

My jaw dropped: “What? But … how does it come that …?”

Applejack sighed: “After the Republic was formed, me an’ mah family tried our best to stay out of that quarrel. Of course, Celestia made our lives hard, but mah granny always told me ‘Be tough or go west!’ Grit your teeth and get to it!” she let out a muffled sob, “She passed away a few weeks after that struggle began.”

She wiped her face and shook her head, “But anyways, Ah tried to live that counsel: Ah clenched mah teeth an’ tried to get by, even though Celestia didn’t really make it easy for me.” She said, bitterness in her voice, “However, one day, four guards of the Empire came to our farm. Those buckers said they’d seize the farm for Celestia an’ recruit mah family.” Her voice began to quaver, “Of course, we struggled with them; we built that farm up in more than three generations, we wouldn’t leave it to some megalomaniac tyrant!”

The tension in her voice vanished again as she lowered her head in shame: “But there were too many of them: they managed to shackle mah brother and took mah sister with them. But instead of taking me too, they told me to stay at the farm and run the show; that Ah had to sustain the Empire with the fruits I grew. That day, Ah knew what to do: Ah swore to myself that Ah would join the Republic; that Ah would defeat the empire an’ free mah family!”

Within split seconds, her mood changed from determination to sorrow. “And now there probably dead!” she yelled, unable and unwilling to hide the tears in her eyes.

Beginning to sob, she stopped and sank to the ground: “Ah said Ah’d free them! They were waiting for me! And Ah didn’t come! Now there dead!”

Trying to calm her, I placed a hoof on her shoulder, I said: “Hey, I’m sure they’re still alive.”

Without looking up, she sobbed: “An’ how d’ya wanna know!? Ah thought the Embassy looked like a darn battlefield!”

I hesitantly nodded: “Yes, it … it looks quite bad. … But that’s no reason to give up hope!” I hastily added, “Can you tell me how your brother and sister looked? I may have seen them; there are several survivors, you know?”

Applejack sobbed again, but slowly got to her hooves and said: “Mah brother’s name’s Big Macintosh: he’s a mountain of a stallion; red fur and dark blonde hair. Mah sister’s name is Apple Bloom, she’s a-“

“Young earth pony with yellow fur, a red mane and a slight accent.” I finished her sentence.

Her head shot up, her eyes widened: “Ya saw them? A-are they alive!?”

I nodded approving: “Yes. Big Mac is slightly hurt, but Apple Bloom vetted him as I saw them. They got up and walked somewhere, away from the battlefield.”

“So they still are alive?” Applejack asked with deadly seriousness.

With a weak nod, I said: “When I saw them the last time, yes. But to be honest, I think they’ve been dragged up by some guards and pressed back into sentence aftermath.”

Applejack’s determination instantly returned: “That doesn’t matter! As long as there still alive, it’s alright!” With that, she continued her way along the small dirt road, the quickness of her pace revealing her newly gained motivation.

“So … you’re not gonna head to Canterlot and free them or something like that?” I asked, hurrying after her, “After all, they’re some kind of prisoners.”

“Why should I?” she asked with an unbelieving look, “Look, there guards! I know where they are, but just running to Canterlot and trying to get them outta there would be pointless! Ah would be dead before Ah even set a hoof into the city! They’ll be free as soon as the war is over an’ the Empire has fallen, but until then, Ah can just hope that they don’t die in a combat.”

Unable to respond anything, I gulped silently and looked into the distance.

After some minutes of silently walking next to each other, I asked: “But … what was that with your friends? You said you were friends with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity. But Rarity said there were six of you. Mind to explain?”

Her look focused on the distant silhouette of Ponyville, Applejack sighed and said: “Yeah, we were six friends; Pinkie Pie was the last one. … We … we avoid to talk about her though.” She explained with noticeable sorrow.

“Pinkie Pie … I remember that name…” I said reflecting, “Right, she was that pony that … erm … well …”

Applejack nodded sadly: “Ah guess her loss was another reason for our lil’ group to fall apart.” She sighed deeply, “But that was yesterday. Everypony has to leave the past behind and look into the future. Ah’ll defeat the Empire, free my family, an’ continue to live my life.” She paused for a second, then hung her head low and added, “But Ah know that it’ll never be the same without my friends.”

I tried to cheer her up: “Come on, Rarity can still be your friend! And Rainbow Dash isn’t gone forever either! Maybe she just needs some time to see how to deal with that war. I mean: she still shows up in Cloudsdale from time to time; maybe she’s spending her time at a quiet place where she has some time to think about everything and will return in just a few weeks!”

Applejack snorted dryly: “Ha. From your lips to Faust’s ears. But if yer so serious, let’s see how Rarity acts when seeing her ‘ol’ chum’ again.”

We approached Ponyville a couple of minutes later and stopped in front of Carousel Boutique. Certain that Rarity would help us, I walked towards the entrance and knocked forcefully.

The door opened by a few inches and Rarity’s face appeared in the gap. She quickly recognized me and asked: “Fippo? What do you want?”

“We need your help,“ I said and stepped aside, revealing the view on Applejack, “we’ve finally found out where Firespark has been brought, but since it’s in Cloudsdale, we need a spell that can make Applejack walk on clouds.”

Rarity’s crystal blue eyes narrowed: “So you’re collaborating now … Why should I help that mud pony? What did she do for me? And why can’t you just fly up there on your own?” she asked me resentfully.

Applejack snorted slightly annoyed and stepped forward, saying: “Look, Rarity! Ah know that yer skeptical with helping other ponies, but we really need that spell! Yer the only unicorn around!”

Rarity gave Applejack and me a bitter look, then slammed the door.

Applejack took a step forward, positioning herself right in front of the entrance and shouting: “Oh come on! Please, Ah need your help! We used to be friends, remember? The sleepover at Twilight’s? Winter wrap up? The Grand Galloping Gala? Those times! Remember how ya would have acted back then? Would ya have denied a friend a simple spell!?”

A few moments of silence passed until the door slowly got opened again and Rarity stepped into the doorframe. Even though her face was mostly emotionless, her voice revealed her tension: “I will help you this time, but don’t expect anything beyond it!” she said sharply.

Her horn began to lighten up; she closed her eyes in concentration and said: “You can thank Twilight for teaching me that spell before she turned into … whatever she is now.”

Applejack nodded sadly: “It’s a shame.”

A cloud of blue magic wandered over from Rarity to Applejack, disappearing in the mare’s orange fur. Rarity relaxed again; her horn stopped shining and she looked up: “That spell will last for three days. After that … well, you have to see how you’ll get by.”

I gave her an appreciating nod and said: “Thank you, Rarity! And also, thanks for that good disguise.”

Ignoring my praise, she said: “I don’t know how you plan to get up to Cloudsdale, but good luck with that. I can’t help you, even if I wanted to.” Without a further comment, she turned around and closed the door again.

I turned my head and gave Applejack a clueless look: “Damn, we didn’t think about that either! How are we supposed to get you up there?”

She gave my body a closer look and said: “No offense, but ya don’t really look like if ya could carry me up there all by yerself.”

I nodded silently: despite being a mare, she was extraordinarily sturdy and looked way too heavy for me to carry her up to Cloudsdale.

The door to Carousel Boutique opened again: Rarity had stepped into the doorframe and now focused Applejack.

The earth pony returned the look and asked: “What? Forgot to tell me something, ‘pal’?”

Rarity used her magic to hand Applejack the black hoodie she usually wore outside and drably said: “You should use this if you want to go to Cloudsdale. They would be suspicious if they saw an earth pony walking on clouds.”

With widened eyes, Applejack grabbed the garment and –unable to hide her surprise- said: “Wow. Thank ya, Rarity!”

The white unicorn nodded coldly, then turned around. Before she closed the door again, I could hear her whisper: “Good luck … friend.”

We slowly turned away from the door and I gave Applejack a triumphant look, saying: “See? She isn’t as selfish as you think! Maybe you can be friends again one day!”

Applejack shrugged dully: “Maybe. … But we have more important things to do now!”

I nodded: “Certainly. Now, do you have an idea how we can get you up to Cloudsdale?”

With a practiced movement, she loosened a rope from her saddlebag and said: “We could use that as a lasso so that -if we had a second pegasus- you could carry me with it.”

Letting my glance wander over the decaying city, I asked: “Well, do you see any other pegasi around here? Do you see any ponies at all?”

She shook her head: “No, but maybe we could-“

She got cut off by the sound of hooves coming closer. Simultaneously, we turned around and saw the approaching pony: a grey mare with yellow eyes, a blonde mane, and a muffin in her hoof.

Smiling satisfied about that sudden, yet fitting appearance, I quickly trotted towards the mare and shouted: “Hey, Derpy!” she looked up, “We need your help!”

Ch.9: The lull before the storm

Chapter 9: *The lull before the storm*

A couple of minutes later, I finally broke through the cloud cover and –after depositing Applejack on the cloudy ground- landed on the soft surface, instantly slumping and granting my strained body its well-deserved rest; the pain in my wings had increased tenfold – at least.

But it had been worth it: turning my head, I saw that Derpy, as well as Applejack, who was busy freeing her body from a makeshift construction of rope, had entered Cloudsdale without any issues.

Walking towards Derpy, I said: “Alright, here we are. Thank you very much, Derpy!”

The grey mare gave me a friendly smile and said: “You’re welcome! I’m glad that I could help.” a touch of skepticism showing up in her eyes, she added, “So … you’re going to the factory now?”

I nodded determined: “Yes. Do you want to join us?”

She hastily shook her head, her eyes widened: “No! No, sorry, but I’ve … I’ve sworn myself to never enter that place again! Never ever!”

“Alright then.” Applejack replied for me, “Well, what shall we say? Thank ya kindly for helpin’ us out!” she said with an appreciating smile.

Derpy tilted her head to the side and smiled back, saying: “Not a problem, my friends.” She became serious, But please watch out when you’re in the factory: according to what I’ve seen…” she gulped. “Anyways, good luck!”

She waved at us, then turned around and flew away.

Trying to get a clue where we were at, I casted a glance around: we were standing in the middle of an almost empty square; some guards were standing somewhere in the distance and didn’t seem to notice us; one or two single pegasi trotted over the place, but in general, it was empty.

It didn’t take me more than a few seconds to recognize the square. Turning my head, I gave a nearby, small house a quick look and noticed a big poster hanging at the familiar-looking front door.

“No … no, they didn’t…! They can’t…!” I mumbled unbelieving and slowly trotted towards the entrance, reading the message on the poster:

Mares and Gentlecolts! The Princess demands your undivided attention!

The rebellious bunch under the mare formerly known as ‘Princess Luna’, who call their laughable rebellion ‘New Lunar Republic’ has finally decided to cross the last frontier and attacked a group of guards near their so-called ‘embassy’ in Ponyville.

Certainly, they dashed against our superiority in number and experience, but by deviously attacking from behind, they managed to eliminate multiple of our faithful guards.

DO NOT LET THEIR DEATHS STAY UNPUNISHED!

JOIN THE ARMY OF THE SOLAR EMPIRE TODAY AND FIGHT FOR OUR GLORIOUS PRINCESS!

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND AN IMMEDIATE ENLISTMENT, CONSULT THIS RECRUITING OFFICE!

HAIL TO PRINCESS CELESTIA!

HAIL TO THE SOLAR EMPIRE!

I stopped right in front of the entrance in the second I finished the last line. Looking at the converted home, I felt how my legs got weaker with every second and let out a wistful sigh.

“So this is what they’ve made of my beloved house? A motherbucking recruiting office!?” I mumbled; my wistfulness suddenly changed into anger, “How dare they? How!? Dare!? They!?”

Stamping my hoof, I yelled: “You sick bastards! That house was built to shelter a family, not to serve your motherbucking recruiting drive!”

Just as I was about to dash forward to enter the house and take back what was mine, I felt the strong grip of two hooves around my shoulder and hesitated.

“Are ya off yer rocker or what!?” Applejack said into my ear, “If Ah may remind ya, we’re tryin’ not to get detected!”

I struggled against her grip for a second, but quickly calmed down, realizing that fighting for my property would only cause unwanted attention and maybe even lead to my detection.

“Now, will ya keep calm an’ try not to lose it?” Applejack asked me surprisingly calm.

With a hesitant nod, I said: “Yeah. Sorry, I guess I just …”

“It’s fine.” Applejack said before I could finish my sentence, “Just watch out! There are guards everywhere.” She said and pointed to the armored ponies in the distance.

“Now, can we go or what?” she added after a few seconds.

Giving her a numb nod, I turned around and headed away from my former house; Applejack walking right behind me.

“You don’t know where the weather factory is, do you?” I asked her over my shoulder.

The farmer shook her head: “Nah, Ah’ve visited once with my friends, but Ah don’t remember its position.”

“Alright then, just stay behind me.” I told her without turning my head, “I think I can remember how to get there.” I said and focused the distant silhouette of the factory: walking there would probably take a bit more than thirty minutes.

For a moment, Applejack remained silent. Then, after a few seconds, she asked: “What are ya gonna do when we’re in the factory?”

I remained silent for a second, thinking about her question. My eyes slowly widened: I’d never really thought of that: all the

time, it was all about ‘find the factory, find Firespark, free Firespark, exterminate the foalnappers’, but I’d never really thought about how I wanted to do that. Hell, I didn’t even know how I was supposed to enter the factory!

Hesitantly turning my head towards her, I said: “… Well … I guess … I’ll search for Firespark and …”

“And what? Do ya have any idea?” Applejack interrupted me skeptically.

I shrugged casually: “Well, no.”

She dropped her face into her hoof: “Duh. Then do ya at least have a plan how we can get in there!? Ah mean, according to Fluttershy’s description, it’s pretty well-guarded.”

With another shrug. I soberly explained: “See, Applejack: I don’t force you to come with me. Of course, your support would be really helpful, but if you feel insecure with that, you can just turn around and leave. I won’t reproach you.”

“Ah won’t leave, Ah’m just concerned about our security!” she affirmed, “Ah don’t wanna die, ya know?”

Giving her a sober look, I said: “Then you should really think about turning around. I can understand if you’re afraid to die, but for my part…” I gulped, “I’d rather die than to live with the certainty that my daughter has been abducted and I didn’t do anything to save her. My plan is to go in there, find Firespark, and leave the factory - nothing more, nothing less.”

Narrowing my eyes in determination, I continued: “I’m not afraid of dying when it’s about my daughter. And I’ll definitely find a way, even if I have to break through the walls of the factory headfirst! I’d do anything to find her!” I turned towards the orange mare and pointed a hoof her, “Think about that, then decide if you want to come with me.” Without a further comment, I turned back and walked off, leaving her behind.

It took a few moments until I heard the soft sound of hooves running over clouds and turned my head: Applejack ran after me, her eyes narrowed.

“So, have you met your decision?” I asked her dryly.

She nodded hastily: “Of course Ah did! Heck, Ah said that ya can depend on me and Ah won’t take it back! Ah just meant that it would be helpful if we had at least a rough concept of what we’re about to do!”

I shrugged: “Maybe.”

“So, let’s summarize, what do ya know about the factory?” she asked me.

“It’s most likely a particular division of the weather factory - the place where foals who failed their tests are taken. Oh, and it’s somehow related to the production of spectra, the base for rainbows.”

“Do ya have any clue of what happens to the foals?”

With an unbelieving look, I asked her: “What do you think am I trying to find out in that factory?”

“So ya don’t?”

“Well, I suppose that they’re used as slaves; that’s Celestia’s style. But I’m not sure about that.”

Applejack tilted her head to the side and reflected: “It’s quite a long time ago that Ah’ve been there; how does the spectra come to the weather factory again?”

Remembering the factory’s layout surprisingly exact, I quickly answered: “I never really paid attention to it, but … I think it came from some tubes in the ceiling of the factory.” Realizing her idea, I hastily added: “So, you mean the Rainbow Factory is above the weather factory?”

“That seems to be the most obvious explanation to me.” She concluded convinced.

I reflected: indeed, the parts I’ve seen didn’t seem to be the highest levels of the factory. I actually thought that there were the rooms for the administration and that, but Applejack’s explanation seemed to add up surprisingly well. Why should they import the valuable spectra from another place and risk it to be stolen when they can just have it produced in a factory right over their heads?

Looking at the orange mare seriously, I said: “I think you’re right. That means we’ll probably have to look for an entrance in higher levels, I don’t really think that we we’d be able to pass that metal-door Fluttershy described.”

Applejack shook her head: “Me neither. But Ah’m sure there’s another entrance somewhere, we just gotta look for it!”

I nodded and turned around again, facing the factory: “Sure.”

The walk to the factory took us no more than a few more minutes. With the zenithal sun burning down on our fur, we approached the factory and stopped at a big square in front of the huge, inviting door where the common visitors would step through.

Staying distanced from a couple of royal guards guarding the entrance, I leaned towards Applejack and asked: “What now? Shall we try to enter the factory like visitors and look for a chance to snoop, or shall we just directly look for a back entrance?”

She shrugged: “Well, Ah guess we can give the visitor-way a shot. If that goes wrong, we can still sneak in.”

I nodded: “Alright then. I’ll go ahead.”

We turned around simultaneously and headed towards the entrance; I couldn’t help but notice my quickening heartbeat.

Even before we arrived at the actual entrance, we were stopped by one of the guards who forcefully stepped forward and shouted: “Stop! Due to the war, the factory cannot be visited! Turn around and go back where you came from!”

Deciding to give it a try, I –trying to sound as innocent as possible, yet still unable to miss hearing the slight quavering of my voice- asked: “Is there really no way to enter the factory? See, my friend and I, we came from far away, just to see this impressive-“

“I said the factory’s closed! Now buzz off before I make you!” the guard snarled at me.

Slowly turning my head, I gave Applejack a long, asking look. She first returned the look, but then hesitantly shook her head.

I nodded my understanding, then slowly turned around and walked away; Applejack trotted right behind me.

We stopped at the opposite end of the square; I turned towards my companion and said: “Alright, that was obvious: of course they won’t let anypony into such an important place as the weather factory, especially when there’s war.”

I casted a look over my shoulder and looked back at the factory’s entrance : the guards had stopped looking at us and continued to stare into the distance stiffly. Turning back to Applejack, I said: “Okay, I’ll try to fly around the factory; maybe I can spot that door Fluttershy was talking about.” I hesitated, “But I’m afraid that those guards may notice me.”

Applejack snorted and made a derogatory gesture with her hoof: “Nevermind them. Go Ahead, I’ll distract them. Just be careful.”

For a moment, I remained silent, giving her a partly unbelieving, partly serious look. After noticing that she was serious, I turned back towards the factory and said: “Okay then. I’ll round the factory and look for an entrance, see you here in a few minutes!”

The orange mare nodded and walked back towards the group of guards. I waited for her to approach them, then lifted myself into the air and headed towards the factory, flying in a wide bend around the entrance and checking the outside of the factory for irregularities.

Groaning under the merciless midday heat, I did my best to focus on the wall of the factory, searching for something like an entrance.

But there was nothing suspicious; the factory looked just like always: the walls were made of a thick layer of clouds; multiple rainbow-waterfalls were coming from inside the factory and a big cone emitting clouds stuck out of one side. Apart from this, the snow white walls were as plain as the clouds they were made of.

I managed to round the factory after a few moments and found myself on the backside of the building: the big wall was filled with several openings, emitting either liquid rainbows or colorful smoke. I looked around to check if I was alone, then flew closer to the wall and searched it for something that would look like the gate Fluttershy described.

Accidently inhaling a breeze of the colorful smoke made me choke: even though the scent was quite tasty, the smoke seemed to contain mostly poisonous gases that caused me to gag. Flying a couple of meters higher in order to escape the smoke cloud, I spotted something: a little gap in the plain wall. Flying closer towards it, I saw that the gap outlined a square, approximately five meters in length and four in height; its surface seemed to be slightly different from the fluffy cloud around.

I flew towards the wall and put a hoof on it: a shot of adrenaline rushed through my veins as I touched its metal surface: I was sure that this was the door Fluttershy described. After backing up a couple of feet, I searched the wall for a button that would open the door, but found nothing; it seemed to be controlled from inside the factory. So I approached the lower end of the door and, placing my hooves in the small gap, tried to lift it on my own. Obviously, I either wasn’t strong enough to open the door, or it was simply locked.

A sigh escaped my mouth and I, putting my head back in exhaustion, involuntarily looked up. My glance fell on a small ledge a few meters above my head. Curiously raising an eyebrow, I flew upward and got myself to the level of the ledge.

I smirked satisfied as I noticed a grey metal door leading inside the factory; a small number pad –most likely used to control the locking mechanism- was fixed to the wall next to it. Apparently, this was the regular entrance to the factory; at least to the ‘Rainbow Factory’.

Feeling a shiver run through my spine, I lifted myself into the air again, giving the visitor’s entrance of the factory a wide berth, and landing next to Applejack who waited at our appointed meeting point.

Her eyes showed a touch of curiosity as she asked: “So, did ya find that door?”

With a quick nod, I approved: “Yeah, but it’s locked and way too heavy to be lifted by hoof.”

Already seeing the determination vanish from Applejack’s face, I hastily added, “But there’s another entrance a bit higher; I guess that’s where the employees, or whatever you may call them, enter the factory.”

Her determined look returned instantly; the muscles in her body tensed as she asked: “So, what are we waiting for then!?”

“There’s a problem with that entrance.” I said soberly.

She raised an eyebrow: “What problem?”

“See, the entrance is locked with a metal door and secured by a code of numbers. I guess that was somewhat expectable.” I admitted sheepishly.

Applejack snorted amused: “A metal door? Ha. How thick is it?”

Giving her a shrug, I said: “I don’t know, it looked pretty heavy though. One inch, maybe?”

“Ha-ha! Alright, that shouldn’t be a problem.” She laughed confidently.

“What? What do you mean?”

She chuckled: “Yer gonna see when we’re there.” She paused, “But it’s on the backside of that factory, right?”

“Yeah, it’s a quite long distance and the way there isn’t paved.”

Giving my body a thoughtful look, she asked: “Think ya can carry me?”

My eyes widened: Certainly, I’m not a featherweight and quite strong on my own, but that mare looked really sturdy; considering the fact that she carried me to the hospital, she probably had muscles like a full-grown stallion and an appropriate weight.

I gulped: “I’m not so sure about that.”

“Come on, Ah’m not that fat, ya know?” she put me off.

It took me a few moments to realize that there was no other choice: not only that I could use –not to say that I would be dependent on- Applejack’s support in the factory, she also seemed to have a plan how we could get past the thick metal door that sealed the entrance.

I exhaled in discomfort, then reluctantly prostrated and said: “Fine, just don’t move while we’re flying! I already fell to the ground once, I don’t want to experience that again.”

Without hesitating, the sturdy mare mounted my back and leaned forward, moving the two of us into a very embarrassing position.

“You don’t have any fears of contacts, do you?” I asked while slowly getting to my hooves again.

“Now don’t ya whine just because Ah’m a little closer to ya! There’s nothing emotional behind that!” she dryly responded.

I grumbled a riposte and slowly lifted off, feeling the weight of Applejack -plus the weight of her heavy saddlebag- push me downward.

Needless to say that I asked too much of my stricken wings: they had hardly managed to carry my weight; now it was as much again, plus the weight of two crammed saddlebags. So I wasn’t really surprised as the sharp pain returned after only a few seconds, growing stronger every time I flapped my wings.

However, as I slowly rounded the factory, I felt how my pain got overshadowed by my anticipation: finally, I was about to enter the factory, finally I could free Firespark!

I clenched my teeth in determination and –only a few moments later- landed hard on the soft surface of the cloud-ledge in front of the metal-door. A moan of relief escaped my lips as Applejack dismounted my back and I felt her weight lift from my body.

Flapping my sore wings and turning towards the door, I said: “See, that’s what I meant. Now please tell me how you plan to open it.” I challenged Applejack.

She stepped forward and gave the metal an inspecting look. Then, she turned around, lifted her rear legs into the air and gave the door a forceful kick; it flew open with a loud crash.

Giving me an amused smile, she said: “See, Ah told ya! No challenge for me!”

My jaw dropped and I -unable to hide my amazement- said: “Wow.”

Applejack grinned complacently and stepped inside, saying: “Come on, we gotta find your daughter!”

Smiling in a mixture of anticipation and satisfaction, I bared my teeth and followed her into the darkness of the factory.

Ch.10: Mayhem