MLP FIM: Season 4 Rise of the A.M. (a what if story)

Chapter 15: The New Order

“What’s going on outside daddy?” asked a filly in the dimly lit house.

“Quiet!” she heard him hiss. “They’ll hear us!”

Hoof steps marched passed the houses. All around the empty streets, the A.M. patrolled the city. The inhabitants of the city closed their doors and put up the curtains to block their eyes from seeing inside. Things have changed for the Sapphire Kingdom since Night Blade had taken over. The first time any one saw the new king was two days after he threw out Sullivan. The day before, the A.M. came to every house and requested that all the fillies and colts come with them to see Queen Safire. When they returned home to their parent’s and older sibling’s relief of having been unharmed, they told them that every one was to gather at the city square to bare witness to a new order. A stage had been set in the middle of the city. Night Blade, along with his queen and several A.M. bodyguards looked out at the frightened, but curious crowd. No one had the faintest idea of what he had planned for the city, but they soon found out. He may have looked harmless form afar, but up close you would be foolish to look him in eye. A cold passionless expression was in those ruby eyes.

“My faithful Subjects,” he began. “For far too long there have been those who hid in the shadows, those who have been persecuted and mocked for their… differences. But no longer! I can provide a way out! I can change all of that! I can make those who have wronged you feel your pain as they at long last walk in your hooves as you walk in theirs! Bring forth our examples!”

A yellow earth pony and red unicorn had been brought out. Their parents in the audience held their breaths as the new king stared at them.

“My dear,” Night Blade said smiling at the earth pony. His smile didn’t reach his cold eyes. “Is this unicorn the one you told my queen about yesterday?”

“Yes,” she uttered nervously.

“And has she been judging you lately? Has she not insulted you by calling you a blank flank?”

“That and among other things,” said the filly sounding more confident.

“Is that so?” said Night Blade. “How much do you want your cutie mark?”

“More than anything, but I can wait, my parents tell me that it takes time,”

“My brave little one,” said Night Blade, his wicked smile never leaving. “You don’t have to wait any longer.”

The A.M. blocked the unicorns way as she was made to stay still. She looked up at her new king whose lip curled at the sight of her. She saw his horn glow black as he placed a hoof on hers and her victim’s head. The crowd held their breath as they watched what was taking place before them. The unicorn’s cutie mark had vanished and reappeared on the earth pony. She shrieked as she saw where her cutie mark was and cried out in despair.

“You have no right to cry worm!” Night Blade snapped, his smile no longer showing. “This is nothing compared to the pain you caused her!”

After that the citizens of the city were forced to watch as one by one the young fillies and colts with out marks were given the marks of their bullies. The Parents of the bullies took their sons and daughters back and looked betrayed by their neighbors. The parents of the bullied could only respond with confused and apologetic expressions.

“Let this be a lesson to everypony else!” Night Blade spoke up. “From this moment on those with marks be warned! If you or your family step out of line you will share the same fate!”

“Your mad!” protested one of the onlookers. “Insane! Who are you to judge us?!”

The crowed stayed silent daring not to back the one who had dared to speak.

A black-cloaked A.M. member found and dragged the pony up to the stage, tossing him at the new king’s hooves.

“Who am I?” Night Blade said dangerously “I am some pony who has shared these little ones pain. And I am here to make our sorrow heard.”

His eyes found the stallion’s mark.

“You know,” he said a new idea forming. “I haven’t tried the spell without another pony near by to switch places. I wonder what could happen?”

The A.M. from behind grabbed the Stallion and held him still while Night Blade placed his front hooves on his head and his horn glowed black once more. The Pegasus flapped his wings franticly but it was no use. His mark had vanished and he crumpled to the floor. The A.M. released him to check and see if his mark had reappeared on either of them. When it became apparent that no one had been given the foolish pony’s mark Night Blade smiled more wickedly than before and he added with malice.

“Let this ones foolish actions be a lesson as well!”

Things took a turn for the worse after that. Families didn’t seem too fond of one another and friendships that had once been unbreakable were now shattered. Only a hand full of neighbors remained close. Older siblings were offered to join the A.M. and in exchange their family members were given three strikes for crimes against ponies without marks instead of being brought forth to face judgment within the first offence. This only made tension worsen amongst the inhabitants of the city. One family had their second child taken from them after his third strike at school. He was delivered to the front door positively howling and their oldest son was scolded for not keeping a closer eye on his sibling’s day-to-day life. Another family turned out different. The A.M. recruit begged the king to take their mark instead. He did, but reminded the sibling that it was his fault that it happened. The family staying in hiding were one of few that tried to keep believing that the old king would return with his royal guard and take back the kingdom. Weeks passed, but they never gave up hope. The young mares and stallions had formed small rebellions against the A.M. and quickly became a problem to the new order. The hoof steps died out and the family breathed freely again.

Miles away in Ponyville, the filly Star Dust awoke to the sound of a window opening. Poking her head out of her room she looked down the dark hallway to see that her parents and brother’s bedroom door were closed. She saw that a light had turned on in Steel Brush’s room and she heard him moving around inside. She crept toward the door and made sure that his hoof steps were not next to the door before she gently nudged it. Looking through the crack she saw that Steel Brush was wearing a black cloak with the hood up. He laid a letter on his desk and was muttering to himself as he passed back and forth.

“OK keep calm Steel Brush. It’s begun… The new order is underway. Everything will be fine; they promised my family would be safe. My sister will have her cutie mark and… No, no… Oh, the hey with it!”

Star Dust was shocked by her bother’s curse, but she had to find out what had him acting so strangely. Ever since she had told him about the amulet he was spending more time alone in his room either writing to the mystery pony or working on the project he kept secret. When he spoke again his voice was cracked as he lowered his head.

“ I have to do it... They will thank me for it, after all I am looking out for them… I… Oh no, what am I doing? They killed him, what will happen to me if I’m… Oh, No! I can’t do it… She won’t go through with it! She’s not like that! I can’t force her to do it. What do I do?”

Star Dust stood frozen to the spot. Someone had died and he was acting as if he could be next. She was about to confront her brother when she heard something else and she gasped at what she saw next. Her Brother began to cry. Star Dust had never seen him cry before. She had always believed that was tough as nails. For the longest time she thought nothing could get to him, but something was getting to him and she had a feeling that it had to do with the project he was working on. She opened the door and stepped inside. Steel Brush turned and looked at the filly beside the door.

“Star Dust,” he said putting on a brave face, but his yellow eyes were shrunken with terror. “Sorry for waking you. Every thing’s OK. You can go back to sleep now.”

“Steel Brush, what’s going on?” Star Dust asked cautiously. “If it has to do with your project…”

“I… It’s nothing forget about it,” said Steel Brush.

“It is not nothing!” Protested Star Dust.

“Be quiet!” Steel Brush hissed. ”Don’t wake mom and dad! The last thing I need is for them to figure out too.”

“Figure out what?” Implied Star Dust.

“Oh, come on, don’t act like you haven’t figured it out!” said Steel Brush angrily. “My black cloak, the secret letters, the lie about some project.”

“Lie?” questioned Star Dust.

“Well, half a lie,” replied Steel Brush. “I made it sound like the project was actually something like a school project, but that isn’t the case. I… Look at my cloak what do you see?”

Star Dust looked at the black cloak and saw a badge on it a small circle with a small capital A and M were inside it. Star Dust’s mouth fell open as she stared at the badge then at her brother. She couldn’t believe it, she didn’t want it to be true, but there he stood in front of her. Her Brother was a member of the A.M. Steel Brush had expected his sister to run out of his room in a fit of tears. Maybe even tell their parents, but she just stood there with a look of confusion and doubt on her face.

“I don’t believe it,” she said at last. “I won’t. You an A.M.? Not my brother. You aren’t like them.”

Steel Blaze felt the tears returning, but he forced them away and said as calm as possible.

“I joined back in Phillydephia, I was made an offer by one of them. They asked if I had a sibling who was a blank flank. I was told that their cause was to end the unfair treatment of ponies like you. I was intrigued so I went to one of their rallies and what they promised sounded unbelievable, but they proved us in the audience wrong by setting up two volunteers. One with a cutie mark, and one with out… They preformed a spell that separated the cutie mark from the owner and placed it on the blank flank. We were all amazed and wanted to join after that, but…” His voice trailed off as if he was reliving the past months over in his minds eye. “I was promised, we would be safe when the A.M. took over. Those who have joined would be spared along with their families. When we asked them what we were being spared from they simply said judgment.”

“Do you think I will be separating another pony from their cutie mark?” asked Star Dust. Steel Brush’s silence said it all. “I don’t want to do that. I don’t wish that on anypony.”

“And that is why I knew you would never go through with it,” said Steel Brush. “You aren’t a filly who would do something like that to get back at somepony.”

“Steel Brush, you have to tell somepony what’s going on,” said Star Dust.

“No way! Didn’t you hear me say that somepony was killed?! I was supposed to be their get away ticket but, I saw their body fall from the falls and… No I don’t want to be next!”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” snapped Star Dust. “The Princesses would never allow that to happen to you!”

“Wouldn’t they?!” protested Steel Brush panicking. “They weren’t to keen on stopping who ever did it!”

“Steel Brush,” called out a soft voice from the hall.

Both he and Star Dust diverted their attention on the opened door. Their Mother and father were standing there. They wore expressions not of anger, but of pity toward their son.

“Steel Brush…” said their mother again. “You have to tell the princesses all that you know.”

“Your mother’s right,” said their dad. “You got to do what is right.”

“I tried dad,” said Steel Brush. “I tried to do this for Star Dust. For all of you…”

“I know,” said their mother softly. “But your sister is stronger than you give her credit.”

Steel Blaze looked at his family. They weren’t mad at him. He wished that they were because that way he wouldn’t be as scared as he is now. He lowered his head and allowed his tears to fall.