One Thousand Years Ago
The War For the Red Dawn
Ancient Equestria
The sound of a thunderous gallop rumbled through flesh and bone. Torches dotted the night of a formally silent town.
"Watch yourselves! To your right!"
Cries.
"Everypony! Everypony - on me! We'll cut them off at the North Gate!"
Screaming.
"B-But why?! Why don't we just let them go?!"
Pitchforks.
"Yeah - after all that has transpired- they're really just going to let bygones or be bygones!"
Crossbows.
"She's right! It's us or them!"
...Fear...
"Then let's make this quick!"
Murder and passion and sorrow.
With eyes of rage, a unicorn wearing a black cloak led a throng of maddened ponies through the town of Sleepy Hallow, her wooden, archaic buildings lighting up one and one by ancient candles. The only thing left in the group's wake was blood.
To them: stolen blood.
In the distance, flashes of war illuminated a far-away Canterlot, but it wasn't the only place from whence the thunderclaps came. War was upon the entire nation... yet nopony seemed to grasp who was the enemy... and who was not.
For a young, greyish filly: a target seemed to be painted on her chest as she galloped ahead of the mob, her mother by her side.
"Mother - mother!? Why are they chasing us?! This is madness!"
"They think we're with the Nightmare," she gasped. "Part of her forces." She gritted her teeth, and almost as if forcing the words, continued with: "D-Do not blame them, though, child... f-fear and uncertainty dull the mind. They're evidence of this!"
The filly opened her mouth to further comment, but was cut-off by a sinister, thunderous voice.
"COMMENCE BARRAGE!"
The sound of twenty bow-twangs entered her sensitive ears.
"LEFT!" her mother shouted.
Without even thinking, she followed her mother in a dive into a nearby alley.
"Stay close - keep treading lightly!"
She trailed her mother down it, came upon a turn, took it and-
"NO!"
Found a fence in front of them two-hundred hooves ahead. They were cut off.
The filly shivered. "H-How do we depart!?"
Her mother glanced about, the gears in her head almost transparent as they twirled and clanked. Finally, she glanced upward.
"We take to the night," her mother growled - not at her daughter, but simply at the whole mess of a situation.
The filly glanced at her worriedly. "B-But you said-"
She shook her head, before kneeling down by her daughter and stroking her mane. "I know... I know I said we couldn't - but your mother isn't that old, you know. She is still a swift flier and an agile one at that. I just need you to flap your own wings like never before..."
The filly squeaked, glancing at her own black, bat-like wings with incredulity, each much smaller than her mother's.
"B-But I can't even hover, yet!"
"I just need the extra lift," her mother smiled, before nuzzling her. "I know you can do this. Come - do a few practice strokes - we don't have time to -"
Voices.
"In there!"
"Reload crossbows! Swords at the ready!"
"B-But... but that's Moonsong! She was my neighbor... we can't... hell, how could you even consider-"
"You heard the Prime Minister! They're working with the Nightmare! I don't like it anymore than you do, but the facts are against them. So show no mercy, for you will be shown none in return!"
The filly's mother shivered, took a deep breath to compose herself, and closed her eyes. "... May that fool live forever." She snapped her head towards her daughter. "Let's fly!"
"R-Right!" she squeaked, finishing her practice strokes as her mother scooped her into her front arms. A few majestic flaps of her bat-wings were all it took to kick herself into the air - as well as a multitude of dust.
"Try to wound if possible! It may be that the Nightmare has some of mental influence!"
"Aye - we'll take them for purging!"
The shadows of the mob grew nearer.
"I will not be purged of anything but this stupidity!" the mother roared, now at roof-level. "And I need no religion for that! Fly, Nectar, fly!"
"TRYING!" she cried, panting as her tiny wings multiplied to the regular eye. "WINGS! HURT! STUPID LACK-OF-CARDIO!"
The commotion of the mob grew louder...
The mother gasped as she glanced downward. The mob was right below them now.
"You! Stop right there, demons!" the black-cloaked pony snarled. "Do not make us ask this again!"
"Must be lovely having more sport, hm - Hellsing?!" she shouted. "You make us look like saints! I tried to think you were better than this, but I knew deep down who you truly were! You couldn't hide you lust for the hunt..."
The pony's eyes nearly caught fire as she hissed this. He raised his crossbow.
"That is not true! I trusted your kind, you know - gave you leeway!" he snapped. "I hunted only those who used their gifts as a curse - yet all this time we were deceived. Here we thought you were the guardians of the night - yet as it seems, you, like the traitor Luna, are merely the guardians of its nightmares!"
"We fought back because you struck first!" she cried.
"Lies!" Hellsing growled, the tears flowing from his eyes illuminated in the moonlight. "I will give you one last chance! Surrender and pray that the light holds sympathy for you."
He choked down saliva.
"P-Please..."
The mother merely glared at him. "And I will tell you where to shove it!"
The crowd murmured in disgust, training their crossbows at the slowly rising target.
"Come, Red Nectar... fly! Fly! Flap lightly!" her mother chanted desperately.
"C-Can't!"
She glanced down, eyeing twenty arrows pointed at the two of them - and he who stood the tallest, Hellsing...
His eyes could not look more haunted - more conflicted.
More regretful.
"I'm sorry... my darling," he whispered, closing them...
And then...
"FIRE!"
Their ammo ripped through the angry night.
The filly's eyes soon closed, as well as the rest of her senses. She was blocking out the world. It would all be over soon, anyway... it would be - she would wake up in her bed to a peaceful dawn, and this whole, terrible war of envy and fear and stupidity would never have happened.
...
Yet when the world finally came back in tune...
...
More flapping. The wind kicking at her sides.
This was not her bed.
...
Her eyes remained shut.
Voices.
"Rendezvous? I don't know of this..."
"Yes - in the Badlands. A group of Changeling rogues have taken pity on us."
Peaceful, familiar voices...
"D-Do they have food?"
"I do not know, young one..."
The third voice was new, but familiar. It was of another filly she knew, though not by name.
"The plan is to hibernate until this... situation's ferocity begins to dwindle."
A beat of silence. Only the wind let itself be known.
"... How long?"
"...Decades... maybe centuries... the Badlands do not have enough food for sustained activities..."
"Indeed."
At that, Nectar let loose a squeak, flinging her eyes open. "C-Centuries?!"
As she spoke, she managed to take a look at her surroundings. They were flying swiftly over darkened ground high above the tallest trees. Her mother was carrying her on her back, and beside her flew a male bat-pony with piercing red eyes, carrying the mentioned filly on his own back.
"I'm afraid so, young one," the male said solemnly. "Princess Luna has betrayed us all for the Nightmare, and we have betrayed by our own kin because of it! Wretched witch..."
"How could they have turned against us so quickly, though?" Moonsong said, exasperated. "Just twenty-four hours ago..."
"Twenty-four hours ago we didn't have the Prime Minister spouting anti-Noctus nonsense. He has always had it in for us."
"But w-why?" Nectar asked.
"I wish I could tell you, sweetheart," her mother whispered softly. "Those who dwell in the light are... confusing." She shivered slightly, shutting her eyes. "Your... father for instance..."
"He's not my father," Nectar huffed. She then turned and glared back at her home town - a town which she would never see again. "And these... these monsters! They are not my kin!"
She would not feel sorry about it, either.
Moonsong nodded slowly... wearily.
"Nevermore, dear... nevermore..."
Chapter I: Plan of Action
One Thousand and Two Years Later
House of Ministry
Canterlot
"Unacceptable!" Blueblood snarled, dropping a nearly twenty-page long scroll unceremoniously onto an ornate desk. "Absolutely unacceptable!"
Princess Twilight took a deep breath, trying to hide the contempt in her eyes. "Prince - er, Prime Minister Blueblood, you've only looked it over for five minutes. With all due respect, this took me five days to write."
"Then it was a five day waste of time," he growled. "As I've told you, Luna, and even Princess Celestia time and time again, I will not give this bill my blessing - I don't care if she says screw it and offers to raise the sun an hour early each day so I can start murdering this paperwork early so I have time to go home and get yelled at by my wife for drinking all the brandy, the answer is no."
He took a deep breath. "She likes her brandy."
"That was... oddly specific," Twilight blinked.
"I like adding a personal touch to my rants," Blueblood replied.
Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Still - can you explain to me your reasoning?"
He gave a sarcastic laugh. "My reasoning?!"
With one quick motion, he twirled about, opened a filing cabinet, and pulled out a binder filled titled 'Financial Reports - Cycle 3254', and slammed them on his desk. With fury, he flipped it open, sorted through the numerous papers within it, before grunting: "There!"
Twilight furrowed her brow. "What exactly am I-"
He pointed at a particular line. "Right there! Come on, Twilight - I know you to be an intelligent mare, and one of noble blood at that! Surely you realize the socioeconomic consequences of such an action."
"Equestria's economy is soaring!" Twilight argued.
"Yes - for now," Blueblood snorted. "But do you realize that adding..." He began scanning through Twilight's report. "What was that number you gave me... ah!" He then cleared his throat. "-Over twenty-five thousand ponies with little knowledge of the modern world into Equestria's would be stirring up a crapstorm of epic proportions?! And this just was just a rough estimate, correct? There could be more?"
"This is what Princess Luna and I ascertained from the surveys conducted..." Twilight said, nodding slowly.
"You didn't answer my question."
Twilight glanced away from him. "There is a... two thousand or so margin of error, from our best guesstimates."
Prime Minister Blueblood took a deep breath at this, quickly grabbed a bottle of expensive champagne, and poured himself a glass. He quickly gulped it down, before taking another few seconds to compose himself.
Twilight gazed at him with utter incredulity. "Prime Minister Blueblood... are you seriously drinking on duty?!"
He gave her a cocky smile. "It only makes you look more beautiful, Princess Twilight. Want some?"
Twilight squeaked forth a laugh. "Oh my - you really are a politician, aren't you? You know right when to throw your opponent off balance! Still - you are different from what my friend Rarity described... I never thought that pony could sit where you are."
"It was a tough election," he shrugged. He then blushed, glancing away from her. "Oh... and funny you should mention Ms. Rarity. I um... I wanted to apologize about that, by the way."
Twilight raised her eyebrows. "It's been over a year."
"I've had time to reconsider certain... actions I took that night. Let's just say, well... I am not drunk right now, but on that night... well... it was supposed to be a party, after all."
"They say alcohol brings out who we truly are, you know," Twilight grunted. "And I have to wonder - did you have any idea Rarity was an Element of Harmony that night?"
Blueblood remained silent.
"Ugh... you are a politician," Twilight mumbled.
"Think of me as you wish," Blueblood grunted. "But let me explain something to you. My family has bred many who have bore the title 'Prime Minister in Equestria's past. It isn't because we're good politicians, and it's most certainly not because we desire any sort of personal power out of this crappy, red-tape infested and constantly-scrutinized job. One thousand years ago, one of my forefathers decided that he was going to spread vicious propaganda against the race of bat-ponies, and I truly regret that. There is a reason why his name is shunned by my line. I want to help them, but I have to consider the interest of Equestria's citizens first and fore-most."
Twilight glanced at him skeptically. "Mhmmm..."
"I mean it," Blueblood grunted. "Imagine what would happen if we brought that many new citizens into Equestria at once? There would be unemployment on a massive scale; culture shock, violence, racism, and most likely an economic depression. This is a lose-lose for everypony. They would be better off in their tribal structures as they are now."
"The Barrens have little food for them, though," Twilight said, more softly now. "They require nourishment from... Equestria's woodlands, and they have nowhere else to go."
"Mammals, you mean?" Blueblood said. "Remember, and excuse my harsh terms, but they are parasites - they feed on blood. What I said about culture shock before? This isn't even factoring that into the consideration... nor the stories about them."
"What, of them losing control of their instincts?" Twilight mumbled. "We have something like that in this society - it's called insanity. For them, it's called going 'rogue', and it is deemed that those who go rogue are in need of just as much psychological attention as our own 'crazies'."
Blueblood folded his arms, sinking into a leather chair behind his desk. "Your point?"
"The point is that they are not as different from us as you make them out to be," Twilight said, a smile coming across her face.
Blueblood nodded his head to the side, as if to say, 'I see your point.'
"Prime Minister Blueblood," Twilight said, leaning towards him. "Our people have good hearts. Surely, you know this. Yes, we fear the unknown - I know this first-hoof, but in the end, I'd like to say that if a cause is just and noble, we can squelch any fears - any boundaries needed to have this succeed. Do you really want to say no to the heart of our nation?"
Blueblood paused at that for a second, the gears in his head obviously turning fiercely. However, after it was over, he shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Princess Twilight - I wish I could say yes, but I've gone over this time and time again in my head. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I can only conclude that this move will only bring about turmoil to a nation still reeling from a number of recent changes and attacks. Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna's return and her appointment of some of the Noctus Ponies are her personal guards, Discord's failed takeover and... though I can't believe my own mouth, change of alignment. Finally, the Changeling attack and the Crystal Empire's return, followed by a subsequent urge for our military's budget to double." He smiled slightly. "And you of course, though perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. But as I was saying, this is the trial of our time. We don't need any extra baggage."
"Then I suppose we have nothing left to discuss," Twilight said blankly, fiercely twirling about.
"Indeed. Have a good day, Princess Sparkle."
By the time he had finished, Prime Minister Blueblood was already working on more paperwork. It was then when Twilight noticed the bags under her eyes. And at that instant, Twilight couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the busiest man in Equestria.
Unable to mount another argument, Twilight left the room.
"So, how did it go, huh!? Huh huh huh!?" Pinkie giggled, bouncing along with Twilight and the rest of her friends down a sun-lit, busy Canterlot street. "Did you get mean ole Blueblood's support?! Is Equestria about to get... batty?!"
She grinned ear to ear, before giggling like a maniac.
Twilight remained silent, gazing off into the distance. Applejack seemed to quickly take notice.
"Well... guess third time ain't the charm after all, huh?" she said.
"Oh no," Fluttershy sighed. "You didn't convince him?"
"No surprise," Rarity mumbled. "I still can't wrap my head around who would vote for that pig in the first place!"
"He's doing what he thinks is best for Equestria," Twilight said to herself.
Rarity blinked. "H-Huh?"
"He wanted me to tell you he was sorry, by the way," Twilight added off-hoof. "For what went down at the Gala."
Rarity gazed at her in disbelief. "He... he says he's- he's sorry?"
"You're not just making that up, are you, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash added suspiciously. "To make her feel better?"
"Kind of out of blue if that's the case," Applejack smiled. "Am I right, sugarcube?"
"I'm not lying," Twilight said, still blank-faced. "He seemed genuenly sorry. He said he was drunk that night."
"Oh this is rich! Our Prime Minister - the Prime Alcoholic!" Rainbow Dash giggled.
Twilight shot her a look, to which she shrugged at innocently.
Rarity seemed to think to herself for a second. "His breath did smell a bit like hard cider that night..." She then smiled slightly herself. "Well... I still think he's a pig - and I'm glad none of us ever voted for him."
For some reason, both Fluttershy and Applejack and paused in their steps for a second at this, gulping.
"H-Heh... yeah."
"N-Never would have thought to..."
They then quickly composed themselves and began trotting along with the rest of them.
"Alright then - plan B!" Rainbow said, throwing a few hooves forward. "The next election is coming up in a year, so I say we work on getting a new pony in charge!"
"Who do you have in mind?" Applejack said, giving her a knowing look.
"Well duh!" Rainbow chuckled. "Only the fastest, more awesome, brilliantest-"
"Not a word," Twilight grunted.
"Super-awesomest-"
"Also not a word."
"Pegasus in Equestria!"
Pinkie cocked her head. "Spitfire?"
"No, Ms. Random!" Rainbow chortled "Alright, you guys. I want to ask you: who was the pony to do the first Sonic Rainboom, punch a dragon in the face, take out forty-two Changelings in the Battle of Canterlot with her BARE HOOVES, is the number one weather pony of Ponyville, is the youngest Wonderbolt-in-Training in history, and can eat jar of peanut butter in under ten second flat?! Raise your hooves if you're the one!"
The group gave a collective groan.
"Come on, don't be shy!" Rainbow said, grinning.
...
She slowly raised a hoof into the air, acting as if she didn't even know it was happening. Then, she turned her head.
"Oh wait... OHOHO-MY GOSH! WHAT WAS I THINKING?! IT WAS MEEEEE!"
She soared into the air, making a triumph pose.
"All brawns, no brain sometimes," Applejack muttered. "What in the name of Tartarus do you know about politics, Rainbow?"
"That you could never be involved with them, Ms. Truth!" Rainbow grinned. "I, however, can spare a lie once and a while..."
"Nice to know."
"You know you could never hope to be a Wonderbolt and Prime Minister at the same time, right?" Twilight smirked.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You say that cus you don't know my number one policy when I'm in office!"
"Which is...?"
Rainbow made another triumphic pose. "When there's trouble, throw Wonderbolts at it! Economic Depression?! Wonderbolts on stand-by to harvest raw materials are super-speeds! Bad-guys?! Well this one's obvious - Wonderbolts with crossbows!"
"Um..." Fluttershy said quietly. "No offense, Rainbow - but I don't believe this plan will work..."
Rainbow winked at her. "Hang on - you still haven't heard the best part of this."
"You seem to be confusing 'best' with 'worst', darling," Rarity sighed under her breath.
"T-The best part?"
"Shush! Get this!" she said, taking a deep breath. "We'll be throwing Wonderbolts at the problems... INSTEAD OF US! INSTEAD OF THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!"
The group paused in awe at this, slowly turning to Rainbow with their eyes widened.
"This... this needs to happen," Applejack nodded.
"You have my vote, Rainbow!" Rarity cried.
"Um... yes, just yes," Fluttershy squeaked.
"YES YES YES YES YES - ALL MY YES - ALL OF IT!" Pinkie squealed.
"We need to come up with a good campaign slogan!" Twilight proclaimed.
"Yeah! Let's get to the-"
She was cut off by the sound of Rainbow's laughing. "Jeez - I was just kidding about the last part. Don't you guys like being the heroes of Equestria?!"
"I would - if it didn't involve mortal peril much of the time," Rarity sighed.
"I would rather be reading," Twilight grunted.
"No, not at all," Fluttershy whispered.
"Ugh," Rainbow sighed, falling back to the ground. "Political party poopers. No cake for you."
"Alright, now that we've got that big-lipped alligator moment out of the way," Applejack groaned. "What is the next plan, Twilight?"
"I'm not sure," Twilight sighed. "I do know that we can't just wait a year until a new Prime Minister is elected, and that may not be set in stone. The Noctus Ponies can't wait that long - they need to return to Equestria for its food supply."
"And um-" Fluttershy piped in. "You're sure they won't... hurt any of the animals they feed off, right?"
"Na, of course not, Fluttershy," Twilight said, smiling at her reassuringly. "They know to take only what they need, and the process is painless. The Noctus Ponies release a numbing chemical when they feed that also closes the small wound they make when they are done - if an animal didn't know a bat-pony was close, they'd never even notice if they were fed off of. It's painless and harmless."
"Still weirds me out a little," Applejack muttered. "You're sure they never feed off ponies, right?"
"Cases of that are rare," Twilight stated.
"How rare?" Applejack asked.
"Rare enough that the chances of it happening to you in your lifetime are about the same as... as an attack by Cerberus on Ponyville!"
"Waiiiit," Pinkie said, slowly turning her head towards her. "Didn't that totally happen?"
"Yeah, it did," Applejack said, raising an amused eyebrow. "Not the best example there, Twi."
"He didn't attack, though!" Twilight huffed. "He just sort of growled a lot and... made menacing facial expressions!"
"Well excuuuuuse me, Princess!" Pinkie chirped.
"Heh - whatever you say," Rainbow chuckled. "It's alright, Twi - you're preaching the choir - all of us want what you want." She then glanced at Applejack, who seemed to be subconsciously shaking her head. "Right, Applejack?"
"Er.. .right!" she coughed.
"Um... well," Fluttershy said. "I do see Prince- Prime Minister Blueblood's points, though. I wouldn't want there to be a bunch of ponies out of work - that'd be horrible! But... at the same time - we can't just leave the bat-ponies to starve..."
"Buck I hate politics," Rainbow muttered. "No gut-decisions or anything with this crap. It's all cold, careful calculations - and I hate math!"
"If no one made those calculations, ponies would die," Twilight said quietly.
"Huh?"
"Nothing," she sighed. "Well, right now we've hit a major roadblock. We need Blueblood's vote to have this bill passed. You guys know how it works, right? Two-thirds of parliament, three out of four princesses, and the prime minister have to be in agreement for a law to be passed."
"Son of a gun," Applejack muttered. "He's got us by the reigns, huh?"
"The only way I can see us getting him to pass this is..." Twilight said, narrowing her eyes. "We need to find some sort of stipulation he's willing to agree on." She then smirked, glancing at Canterlot Castle in the distance. "And I think I know who can help me find what will make Blueblood throw in the towel."
