Introduction: Equestria Divided
It was the sudden disappearance of the Royal Sisters that began the conflict that introduced war into the world of Equestria. Gripped by fear, everypony watched the skies for the next week, struck by terror as they awaited to the sun and the moon to stop moving, spelling destruction for the world. The Element Bearers quickly made their way to Canterlot, to locate the Elements of Harmony in an attempt to find the Princesses. Yet, very quickly, a conclusion was reached by thousands simultaneously in about a week.
The Princesses were gone. And the celestial bodies were still moving.
At this, some panicked, saying that the entire world had grown wild with uncontrolled magic, very much like the Everfree Forest. Yet more started to quiver with anger, as everything that they thought was true was merely a lie, conjured by the Sisters to rule Equestria for themselves. Yet more took this as an omen, that they weren't dead, but merely in hiding or kidnapped- but where, not even the Master of the Inquisition could answer.
In a full panic, and under the assumption the the ponies needed an able-bodied leader, Twilight turned to her friends, demanding that Applejack and Rainbow Dash were to accompany her back to Ponyville, so that she may conduct a spell devised by Starswirled the Bearded that would combine the essences of the three main races to force a transformation into the blessed form of an Alicorn. Rainbow Dash readily accepted Twilight's offer, but Applejack, at first was reluctant. She explained that a spell of such magical aptitude was going to be quite difficult to cast, if not impossible, even for a pony of her magical ability. Yet, as Twilight's demands became threats to unleash the full force of the Inquisition onto her, she became more steadfast, declaring that Twilight was a lunatic before stalking out of the room and back to her home of Sweet Apple Acres, guiding her family into leaving their ancestral home, in case that Twilight was, indeed, not bluffing.
Twilight was able to convince Pinkie Pie, albeit reluctantly. She agreed with Applejack, yet caved in under Twilight's threats of destruction of all of her family and the loss of her friends. The three of them left to Ponyville and, cast the spell... but, weather through lack of magical control, the reluctant attitude of Pinkie Pie- as magic is affected by emotions- or perhaps the spell fizzled or was written incorrectly. At any rate, the spell blasted the library to pieces, destroying the right side of Rainbow Dash's face and- through magical overload- detonated the heart of Pinkie Pie, killing her instantly.
Going half mad with grief and anger, Twilight retreated to Canterlot, where she proceeded to use her prestegious magical ability to take dominance over both the Council of Nobles as well as the Inquisition, and set herself up as the head of a large bureaucracy, leaving her other friends behind...
Silently satisfied that she was correct in her theory, Applejack gathered what relatives they had, and told them in a meeting akin to a council of war, that Twilight would come- and in force and fury. They recruited in force, eventually gaining a strong military base. As Twilight declared there to be a bounty against all non-unicorns, by popular opinion, as well as the guidance of Elder Matron Granny Smith, she countered by declaring all unicorns to have their lives forfeit. Either they lose their horn through a painless surgery that left little scarring, or they lose their horn by force- followed by their head. And so, under the leadership of the blacksmiths of the Apple Family and General Applejack, so was the House Earthborn founded.
As Rainbow Dash realized that the spell was a failure, she retreated to the northern reaches of Equestria, convincing every pegasus she came across of the corruption of the government. Upon reaching Cloudsdale, she proceeded to give a speech of rallying of forces. Equestria had grown corrupt, she said, and only by force of will and sharpness of blade and steel could they clear the country of corruption. Adopting a battlefield doctrine much akin to Commander Hurricane, they began training en masse. RD preached about the purity of the pegasI forces, and how any being not blessed with wings were cursed with the burden of work. And, through the puritanical belief of honor and dominance, and under the leadership of Commander Rainbow Dash, so was the House Stormwing formed.
Twilight slowly became more and more paranoid about the forces of the other Houses invading and destroying the city of Canterlot as well as her research. Fearing corruption for the "lesser" races, she declared that only unicorns were to be treated as ponies- the other two races were nothing, as, therefore, could be treated however they want. They were quickly enslaved, and Twilight erected a force field around Canterlot, preventing access to anyone but unicorns. From here, she then usurped the Master of the Inquisition and proceeded to put one of her lackeys in charge. And from the old chambers of the Princesses, Twilight studies and studies to become an alicorn and to save, and, under the iron fist of the new Inquisition, she founded the House of Moon and Star.
Fluttershy wasn't exactly the type of "ruler" that the other four were, considering her shy nature and rather vulnerable body. She ran a series of refugee camps for whoever wanted to avoid the war between the others, stockpiling supplies and food to ensure her new friends' survival of it.
All of it changed in one night.
She found herself witness to a company of Inquisition raiding one of her refuge camps, burning it to the ground and taking all that it contained as slaves for the House of Moon and Star. Suddenly enraged, she called upon her connection to nature and, using a power that, before now, she never knew she had, she summoned a trio of hydras that charged down the company, slaughtering them. Rallying the remaining refugee camps, she retreated into the Everfree, vowing that the forest would be the one that would conquer Equestria. And so was House Everfree founded.
After hearing the news, Rarity quickly opened up every single political and otherwise contact that she had, and decided, if her friends would rule the battlefield, well, she would rule the political field, as everyone knows that diplomacy can both start a fight- and stop it. She decided that her first steep would to gain massive political power by marraige- and who else but the head of the Council of Baltimare, Prince Blueblood himself?
Upon hearing her request, Blueblood, being the self-centered stallion that he was, couldn't help but accept such a beautiful mare with such a silver tongue. Yet, strangely during their honeymoon, Rarity came back, crying tears of sorrow- on the outside. She said that two mares in black had come and assassinated her newly-wed husband. After mourning with her, the order was given that Rarity, as his wife, would inherit both his late husband's political power and his fortune. It didn't occur to the council that it was a setup until about a week later- and the ones that did were quickly 'silenced'. And, under the political power of the Mistress of Deception herself, so was the House Whitegold founded.
Exactly one year after Pinkie Pie's death, two robbers broke into the Canterlot museum and stole the sarcophagus that held Pinkie Pie's body. This was considered by Twilight as a henious crime, and threatened death to the thieves when they were discovered- but they had hidden their tracks well. About a year later, it was discovered that the coffin was being venerated by a stallionhood of necromancers- and not just necromancers. An entire cult had sprung up in worship of a strange being known as the Laughing Mare- a goddess-like figure, living in an alternate dimension. Believing Pinkie Pie to have some connection to the being, the Cult of Laughter remains a dangerous threat to the stability of the realm- or, rather, what little stability it has left..
The changeling hives have long been dormant, ever since the invasion of Canterlot by Hive Chrysalis. Yet, slowly in the southernmost parts of Equestria, Hive Grey Monarch- long an ally of Equestria- sensed and opportunity, and started to feverishly prepare for an excursion into Equestria, for, even if the Houses unify again, which seems nigh impossible, will they have enough to compete with the strongest changeling hive currently known to be in existence?
The Far North is the home to many strange creatures. One such kingdom is the Griffon Empire, long looking for an opportunity to repay Equestria for conquering their southern lands over two thousand years ago. They have allied with House Stormwing, to gained the trust of these ponies. It is only a matter of time before the ponies find themselves the target of a full-scale invasion of the Griffon Empire...
With eight factions going at each others throats, it is only a matter of time until one faction proves dominance. The war has been going on for over fifteen years now, and shows no sign of stopping...
How long will war reign over the land? Only time will tell who will come out on top...
As Lemon broke the embrace, tears in her eyes, she turned over to where Colgate was laying- or, rather, laid no more. With a truly mad smile on her face, her horn flickered to life. "I will return, Lemon. And when I do... I'll get you, my pretty ..." she turned to Mockingbird. "And your little Mockingbird, too!" Lemon, rapidly shot a bolt of magic at her, but Colgate vanished, and it impacted against the wall, leaving a dent and the echoes of her maniacal laughter.
She sighed and shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes and the blood from her scar. She turned to Mockingbird, shivering slightly on the ground. It was late, and they did need to go to bed.
But not just yet.
They embrace again.
The next morning, I stand up on my cloud and stretch, remembering the horrid events from last night. Shivering as I remember the expressions on her face. But, right now, I don't want to think about it. Instead, as I am waking up, I let my memories flow through my mind. A newborn foal. A new pony at the school house. Everything seems to be in common with something. The word Ponyville comes to mind for some reason. Ponyville? What or where is that?
I decide I should get up as I glide down from my cloud bed that Lemon gave me a few days ago and land in the center of the room. Making me remember all that has happened in the short space of a mere three months. Reminding me of that first day, suddenly becoming conscious into this world of friends and horrors. A black-cloaked pony that I have never seen again fro a while. I think that's a good question to ask Lemon once she woke up. She needed her rest after yesterday's events.
I find a nearby mirror, slightly chipped on the edges but still functional. I find my comb- it had scattered underneath the table, scratched by unharmed, and begin brushing my mane. A satisfying task that at least made my hair look better.
As I brush, I look at my scarred and patchworked body. If all these souls, fused into mine... I can see where the memories came from. I flap my six wings, sore and tired from them being crunched the previous evening. I shook my head, brushing my hair over one of my three horns. It makes me look less of a freak that way, I guess, but it doesn't help that almost every part of me is a different color. Or the fact that I have eight legs. I look like a spider pony. I giggle at that for some reason. Seeing myself in the mirror again makes me wonder where all the pieces of me come from.
Speaking of pieces...
I turn around to see the puzzle that I made for Lemon a week ago, featuring the Royal Sisters on the front. One edge is charred, another has a small hole in it. Some of it is soaked the blood of the guard from last night. Most of it is in pieces. Yet, I can still clearly see the picture of the Princesses embracing each other. I wonder what it would have been like to live under their rule. Would they have accepted me? I think so. They seem wise enough not to judge a pony by their appearance.
I am looking at the pictures when I hear the door open with Lemon come out of it, looking around her ruined workshop. She smiles softly at me and I smile back. Yet another reminder of who I truly am underneath this patchwork body and this fractured soul.
I am Mockingbird.
As Lemon opened the door to the workshop, she found Mockingbird standing among the ruins of the workshop. Smiling slightly. She couldn't help but smile back. This nightmare was over. For now, at least. She would have to be more wary of Colgate from now on, and she could guess the first thing that she would go to. It was what she would do.
But, for now, she would content herself by repairing her home, before preparing the long and arduous process of repairing her mind. But now, she had a friend she could lean on.
And she knew she could make it through with the help of someone to love her, and someone to love in return.
As Colgate staggered out of her room, she made yet another oath that she would have her revenge on Lemon Hearts for the death of her apprentice and to stop her plans. She was actually still getting over the fact that Mockingbird was sapient. How interesting. And yet another way for her to hurt Lemon.
She smiled as she drew attention with her stumbling and the large, jagged, self-made stitching in the open wound that Lemon had inflicted on her. She even had one or two of the Euphories come over and try to help her. Of course she shooed them away. Lunatics.
The smile grew in diameter as she approached a large, red pair of double doors. She rapidly hid her smile behind a hurt, painful expression, then raised her hoof to knock on the door, wincing as the wound on her shoulder stretched.
Time for my revenge, Lemon.
Author's Note
A new start to a story that has been on hiatus for over three months. Thanks for sticking with it, everyone who did!
