Chapters "Twilight have you seen my gems!?" Spike yells, frantically going through drawers and pulling books from their shelves.
"Spike! What are you doing!?" Twilight asks agitated.
"You don't understand Twilight, my Emeralds are ripe! And if I can't find them, then I can't eat them! And if I can't eat them then I won't be satisfied! And if I'm not satisfied then-" Twilight cuts Spike off by putting a hoof over his mouth and giggles. "What? What's so funny?" Spike asks scratching his head with his claws.
"That's what all the fuss is about?" She asks using her magic to put the books back in their proper place, on the shelves. "Spike I told you yesterday that I put your emeralds in my lock box." She uses her magic again, this time a small wooden box comes from Twilight's room, she places it in Spike's claws. He eagerly opens it and to his delight lie three of the shiniest green emeralds you could ever lay eyes on, the gleam of the emeralds shining off of his own green eyes.
"Oh, hee hee. Thanks Twilight." Spike says embarrassed looking down at his feet.
"Oh Spike." Twilight giggles again.
Spike raises the box to his mouth ready to let the emeralds fall in, but the box floats over to Twilight leaving Spike's claws. "Um Twilight...I was just about to eat those." Twilight shakes her head.
"Not just yet Spike." She uses her magic to place it on her table in the center of the room. Twilight uses her magic again this time coming from her room was a rolled up piece of parchment, she lays it in Spike's claws. Spike unrolls it with a mildly angry grunt, written on the parchment is a grocery list.
"Well Spike I'll leave you to it then, see you when you come back."
"Yeah...see you." Spike grumbles walking out the door.
***
Spike was in the market area in Ponyville, all around you could hear the taking of bargain prices and other conversations in the market. Spike weaved his way around the ponies determined to find the first item on the list so he could be one step closer to eating his emeralds.
"Ok first thing...um-" He scans the parchment in a bored fashion. "Carrots." He spits the word out like a bad piece of food. But he goes to the carrot stand anyway to his right, Carrot-top already awaiting her customer. The carrots are placed neatly in a perfect line on a wooden table covered with a long orange table cloth matching the color of the carrots. Spike picks one up bending it gently to make sure its just right. It doesn't bend much to his delight, so he takes a plastic bag from the stand and puts a few carrots in it.
"Just picked them yesterday, I've got to say best carrots I've grown yet." Carrot-top says beaming with pride.
"I don't doubt you, you always grow the best carrots Carrot-top!" Spike says smiling holding the carrots in his right claw.
She nods Spike's compliment confirming her pride. "OK Spike how many carrots do you have there?" She asks.
"Five carrots." Spike tells her.
"Alright. Then that comes out to be six bits." Carrot-top tells Spike her hoof stretched out to him awaiting for the gold coins to fall into her hoof. Spike keeps the bag in his right claw while unfolding the parchment further in his left claw knowing that Twilight always keeps the money in the last fold of the parchment, another weird quirk of hers. He counts six bits from the parchment and puts the money on Carrot-tops hoof. He starts to walk away until he hears Carrot-top shout.
"Have a good afternoon Spike!"
"You too!" Spike replies walking back into the cluster of ponies going to other stands. He reads the parchment again this time the list reads apples. Automatically Spike knows where to go to, again weaving around the ponies eventually finding the apple stand of course being run by Applejack.
"Hey Spike!" Applejack calls happily over to Spike motioning with her hoof for him to come closer. He goes up to Applejack.
"Hey AJ! Boy these apples sure look good." Spike tells Applejack licking his lips at the apples.
"Well of course they are Spike, these are high quality Sweet Apple Acres apples." She shows the apples behind her motioning with her orange hoof.
"Then I'll take two golden delicious and three granny smiths." Spike tells her.
"Alrighty then we got those comin' right up!" Applejack tells Spike, turning behind her and grabbing the apples putting them in a small tan sack.
"Say AJ heard any cool stories lately?" Spike asks eager for a good story to ease his boredom.
Applejack doesn't respond at first instead only putting the sack in Spikes right claw already holding his carrots, looking at him blankly.
"Um Applejack are you alright?" Spike asks. Applejack shakes her head getting her back into reality and looks down at Spike.
"Yeah...yeah A'm fine but Spike you mind keepin' a secret Spike?" She asks. Spike looks up at her, at first confused why was she acting so weird, after he asked a simple question? But Spike of course curious makes a motion of zipping his lips shut. Applejack looks around almost paranoid and breathes in.
"Look Spike Twilight recently got a letter from Celestia-" Celestia? Why didn't the letter go through him first? "And apparently my cousins down in Appleoosa have been stirrin' up trouble down there, callin' Celestia a tyrant and we don't know why. And the letter was only directed toward me, Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity." What about Rainbow Dash? Spike wonders putting a claw to his chin. "That's all I can say Spike, and you can't tell anypony what I just told you."
"But...but what about Twilight?" Spike asks.
"No especially not Twilight Spike."
"But-"
"No Spike."
"O...OK." Spike mutters.
"Spike just head on home, and take the apples free of charge." She smiles at Spike.
"Thanks AJ." Spike says a bit pathetically.
"No problem partner." Applejack tells Spike.
Spike walks solemnly back into the crowd of ponies. Why didn't Celestia want Spike...or Rainbow Dash to now about this? Why could she trust everypony else but him or Rainbow? The thoughts spin like a tornado in Spike making him nauseous. But he pushes the thoughts away instead looking at the next thing on the parchment.
As Spike continued going around for groceries driven by the hope of eating his beloved emeralds, Twilight sat in silence lying on her stomach in the center of her library surrounded by her various bookshelves. Usually Twilight would happily be going out and about getting her groceries done. Running into friends, talking to the various ponies at the stands, but today was different. Instead of Spike staying and finishing the daily chores, Twilight stayed lying on the floor in a state of complete sorrow. She lays there for a while holding a roll of parchment down below her hoof. She wasn't supposed to tell Spike about this or Rainbow Dash, she can't possibly disappoint her teacher now could she? She shakes her head, but if she doesn't tell them...then what kind of friend would that make her? A liar? Untrustworthy? No no she shakes her head again, she is not any of those things. Because the truth has to float up eventually, it can't just stay under forever. She starts to nod her head knowing that she is right.
Knock, Knock.
She hears the knock on the door, her ears perking up from the noise. She did not want to open it, already knowing who it was. Twilight slowly rises up from her lying position, trying to delay opening the door.
Knock, Knock.
Again the knock on her door, she slowly trots over to the door, every step she takes feeling heavier and taking more energy.
Knock, Knock.
Twilight stands at the door, her heart heavy. She reluctantly begins to use her magic the door now glowing with her aura. The door begins to open, she looks down in shame, the sun coming in the house. The door is now fully opened, and behind the door is her worst fear.
***
Spike opens the wooden door carefully holding the various bags in both his claws along with the roll of parchment that Twilight used to write down the list of groceries. Spike puts a claw to the door and knocks three times. He waits for a while and the wooden door opens, but Twilight isn't the one opening the door. Instead a white pegasus stallion wearing royal guard armor with blue eyes matching the color of his blue mane which sticks out in places through his helmet. The stallion at first looks down at Spike with a disappointed look on his face. Spike returns the gaze with uncertainty in his eyes. The stallion takes off his helmet and moves a bit to give Spike room to get in the house.
"Come in Spike." The stallion says in a deep commanding tone.
Spike walks in the house looking around the dark room. A few feet away Twilight sits at the table that sits near the bookshelves, her face illuminated by a candle sitting in the center of the table. The stallion closes the door behind him and stands next to Spike. The stallion starts going towards the table where Twilight sits, but Spike does not follow.
"Come on." The stallion tells Spike motioning with his white hoof for him to follow.
Spike follows behind him, Twilight's face now becoming more clear. In the firelight Twilight looks down at the table, her eyes puffy as if she had been crying for years on end. Spike stops following the stallion and instead rushes over to Twilight in order to comfort her. When he reaches her he puts his claw on her shoulder. She turns to him and smiles.
"Oh Spike." Twilight says looking on at Spike with a smile.
"But Twilight why-" Spike is cut off by the white stallion.
"Please Spike take a seat." The white stallion tells Spike.
Spike just looks at him. Angry. Did he make Twilight cry? His insides begin to boil with hatred to this stallion. But Spike manages to listen anyway and sits down at the table, making sure to be close to Twilight. The stallion slowly does the same. No one speaks for a while, the room felling as if in perpetual silence until.
"Well congratulations Spike."
Spike lets go of his angry look replacing it with confusion. Congratulations? For what?
"What you don't know?" The stallion questions looking at Spike, and then to Twilight. "I'm sure you would have told him by now, Miss Sparkle." The stallion says still looking at Twilight but she does not return his gaze, still looking down at the floor almost in shame.
"Tell me about what?" Spike asks again looking from the stallion to Twilight.
Twilight just continues to look at the floor, the firelight revealing a tear going down her left cheek. Spike try's to reach over in order to brush the tear off, but is stopped by the stallion's voice.
"Well Spike I've come to take you with me. To serve in Celestia's royal army " The stallion tells Spike.
Shock swoops over Spike, his eyes turning wide. He looks back to Twilight again, with a worried look on his face. He didn't want to be taken away from his town, from his home, from his friends...from Twilight. The stallion realizes Spike's expression and starts to reassure him.
"Spike don't worry I guarantee you'll be fine. Besides this conflict is sure to be resolved in only a week at most a month." The stallion finishes.
"What...what conflict?" Spike says barely managing to get the words out.
"Spike, we of Celestia's army are sworn to defend Equestria from all enemies foreign...and domestic."
Could it be?
"Appleoosa is starting trouble, they've been talking about seceding and becoming independent."
This is just what Applejack had told him in the market earlier that day.
"And Spike we have reason to believe that these words will soon ring true. So we need your help."
"My help? But I'm just a small dragon." Spike says, doubt in his voice.
"But Spike we don't have enough ponies to spare for this, so we need any able bodied pony...er well dragon to aid us in this-"
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" A hoof hits the table, Spike turns his head to Twilight her purple hoof on the table. Her face contorted into an expression of both grief and anger. The stallion looks over at Twilight, his face stays neutral as if he knew this was to come.
"Now Miss Sparkle you surely must understand that-"
"NO! NO! I don't understand! How!? How could you possibly justify taking a baby dragon to fight in a war!"
The stallion still keeps his face neutral, and his voice calm. "I don't justify it. But Celestia insisted that-"
"Don't give me that crap!" Twilight roars cutting through the stallion's words, like a knife through butter. "How. how could this..." Twilight begins to weep her tears hitting the floor, with a small pitter. Spike reaches over again, but this time Twilight takes him in a tight embrace, her tears streaming onto Spike's back. "Don't go Spike." Twilight barely chokes out through her tears.
I won't. Spike thinks but the thought does not come out verbally.
"Look Miss Sparkle, I'm very sorry but this is how it's supposed to be. I know you may not see it like that now, but in due time I know you'll grow to understand." The white stallion says.
Twilight does not respond, keeping Spike in her embrace.
"Look I'll...I'll give you two some time. OK? But after that I have to make sure that I catch the train...with Spike to Canterlot, where he will be issued officially into the royal army." The stallion awkwardly stands back up on his hooves again and trots to the door. The door opens and once it closes, Twilight slowly releases Spike from her embrace. Her purple eyes looking into his bright green ones.
"Spike...Spike we've been together for so long. Ever since you hatched out of that egg, I knew that something special had happened." Twilight's eyes begin to well with tears. "And...and I knew too that...that you would become...something...something more than just my assistant." A tear moves down Twilight's right eye. "My...my...beloved friend." She hugs him again Spike slowly returning the embrace. "I don't want to lose you Spike." Twilight says through her sobs. Twilight releases him again keeping her hoof on his shoulder. She begins to use her magic, and a small green bag matching the color of Spike's spines comes down the steps from their room. The room they shared for what seems like decades. The small bag slowly drifts into Spike's claws, the weight of the bag causes him to drop all the groceries still in his claws. Spike barely smiles blushing from the mess, he begins to pick them up, but Twilight uses her magic putting the various fruits and vegetables in their respected bags and puts them on the table. Twilight giggles meekly. "Spike...I...just-"
The door opens ajar a cold breeze coming in causing the candle flame to flicker, the white stallion standing at the door, awaiting Spike.
"Spike, It's time to go."
Spike looks back at Twilight, her face going from anger at the stallion, to grief at the loss of Spike, and finally acceptance. She gently nudges for Spike to go with a warm smile on her face. Spike moves to the door, looking back at Twilight, who gently waves her hoof goodbye to him. Spike stands at the door now, readying himself to put his foot over into the outside world. Reluctantly he pulls his foot up from the floor and outside, now next to the stallion. The stallion closes the door not even allowing Spike to say good-bye. The night air blows on Spike, like a leaf floating in the wind taking him wherever it pleased.
The room is small and dark and made of old wood. It also contains no furniture or any decorations other than a small window to look out of. Braeburn stands next to the window hooves folded and chest heaving from anxiety. This night was the night it would all start, the shot that would be heard across Equestria...and beyond. His musket is set next to him ready when he was...but he wasn't ready. Braeburn allows himself to look out of the window, outside nopony is out only the dry dust of Appleoosa, blowing about in the night air. Any minute now and they would come. Braeburn reaches for his musket and lets it rest in his hooves, the cold metal touching his skin. He cant do this...he just cant. He shakes his head, he cant commit murder its just not right!
Clip-Clop.
The sound of various hooves resonates through the room. He looks outside again, this time six royal guards march single file some carrying crossbows while others carry spears. Braeburn kneels at the window allowing the barrel of the musket to hang out. He puts his eye on the sights aiming at a dark blue stallion in the line.
Click.
He cocks the musket. Now was his last chance to make a choice, he could walk away from this and be shot by the Appleoosans for not staying loyal to the cause. Or he could let loose the cries for war...and be spared. His hoof grasps the trigger. He breathes in and pulls.
***
Thump.
Something fell, Spike pokes his head to look at the front of the line. On the ground lies the stallion that was in front of the line. In the dim light of the moon Spike can plainly see that there was a hole in the side of the stallions face, blood oozing out painting the ground a crimson red. The line stops, Spike stops with them aiming his crossbow at the wooden buildings.
"Look alive fellas!" A stallion in the line shouts.
All is quiet for a while.
Crack! Crack! Boom!
A few noises like thunder ring through Appleoosa. Spike jumps at the noises now looking around frantically behind him, his crossbow shaking in his claws. Spike turns back to face the line, but there is no line only a heap of bodies lying on the ground before him. Blood pools from their wounds almost touching Spike's feet. He steps back a bit mouth agape, he had never seen something like this before. He looks up at the buildings again this time there was smoke coming from the open windows. He had to get off the street and somewhere safe. Spike runs to the nearest building, a large wooden one with a red door. Spike tries to open the door but it's locked. He frantically tries turning the doorknob again but the knob doesn't turn.
"Come on you piece of crap open!"
He tries again and again the door of course not opening. Tears well in his green eyes he couldn't die here, he was too young and he wouldn't want to leave all his friends in Ponyville mourning over him. An image of a crying Twilight appears in his head the night that he was taken away. Spike lifts an angry claw at the air and turns, his back on the door looking at a window in a different building.
"Go on DO IT!" Spike shouts at the window shaking his claw angrily.
A green eye gleams from the window, looking at Spike. The pony from the window aims his musket at Spike.
"I'm sorry Twilight." Spike mutters.
Crack!
A shot is heard, and then all is dark.
***
Rainbow Dash floats high above Ponyville, gusts of wind blowing her multicolored mane around. Today she was going to do thirty consecutive aerial tricks before hitting the ground. (Since Pinkie bet twenty bits she couldn't.) Rainbow looks closes her eyes then breathes in, taking in the warm summer air. Rainbow opens her eyes and smiles, now ready to win Pinkie's twenty bits.
"Rainbow Dash!" A distant voice calls.
Rainbow sighs. Right when she was about to start, somepony has to interrupt her. Rainbow looks around to find the owner of the voice, she doesn't see anypony. Rainbow shrugs well maybe they'll look for her later.
"Rainbow!"
Rainbow looks around, now feeling very agitated.
"Who in the hay is calling!?" Rainbow yells.
She hears the flapping of wings behind her. Rainbow turns and sees the mailmare Ditzy Doo floating behind her, carrying a bag with various envelopes bulging out of it.
"H...hi...Rainbow Dash." Ditzy says panting.
"Oh hey Derpy...er I mean Ditzy, whats up?"
The mailmare scowls at Rainbow for using her nickname, but eventually grabs a envelope from her bag with her mouth then puts it in Rainbow's hoof.
"That's for you."
Rainbow looks at the little white envelope in her hooves and scratches her mane. "Who's it from?"
Ditzy shrugs."Who knows its not my business to look at other ponies mail. But anyways, see you later Rainbow I've got to deliver another letter to Twilight next." Ditzy starts to fly away.
"Alright see you around Derpy." Rainbow says.
Ditzy flinches from the name but floats off anyway ignoring the nickname. Rainbow snickers in her hoof, she looks at the envelope eager to open it. Rainbow zooms down to the grass below and sits on the ground. Rainbow holds the envelope to her mouth and rips it open, taking out a white sheet of paper with beautiful cursive on it, obviously from Celestia. Rainbow clears her throat and begins to read out loud to herself.
"Ahem. Dear Rainbow Dash, it has been brought to my attention that two nights ago there was a shooting in Appleoosa." Appleoosa? Isn't that where Spike was stationed? "Six guards were killed in the attack, and I am sorry to say that one of them was Spike." Rainbow puts her cyan hoof in her mane feeling the rush of grief through her body. "Tomorrow there will be a funeral honoring the six fallen soldiers, if you would be interested in attending please-" Rainbow stops reading, she begins to feel tears in her magenta eyes. "Spike...dead? This can't be." Rainbow says, an image of Spike lying face down in his own blood flashes through her mind. Who would've done such a thing? Rainbow allows the tears to fall from her eyes, and onto the grass. She gets up from the ground, tears still in her eyes and begins to fly, she knows what she has to do. She would enlist in the royal army...for Spike.
Braeburn stands in front of his leader, he had been called down to his office moments ago. Supposedly he was to be congratulated for his valiant behavior one week ago, but even standing in front of this stallion of honor he did not feel that way. For he had killed Spike, his bullet was the one that ended the dragons existence. But he knew he had to show that he was proud of his actions...or else he would be put down by his fellows. His leader stands in front of a small mahogany desk specifically crafted to his liking, but the room itself is made of plain wood and various bookshelves stand behind Braeburn's leader.
"Do you know why your here Braeburn?"
"Ah'...um not really sir." Braeburn responds in his southern accent.
"Braeburn, you've done a great service to our cause and do you know why?"
Braeburn shakes his head. "No sir." He lies.
The stallion gets up on his four hooves and moves around his desk to Braeburn putting his hoof on his shoulder. "Braeburn the rumors are true not only brave but honest too!" The stallion says with a smile that reaches too far across his face.
Braeburn looks up and down at his leader grasping his features. The stallion has brown skin and dark blue eyes, his face covered with patches of stubble. He wears a checkered lumber jack shirt which is missing a few buttons and his black mane sticks out in spots making him looks as if he had just gotten out of bed. Braeburn swallows.
"Th...thank ya kindly sir."
The brown stallion takes his hoof off of Braeburn's shoulder and goes back to his desk, he sits looking into Braeburn's green eyes. The stallion breathes in. "Tell me Braeburn why did you shoot?"
"Ah' don't understand." Braeburn says looking into the stallions dark blue eyes.
"I mean what gave you the motivation to do it?" The stallion asks.
"Well ya see sir ah'...-" He swallows. "Ah' had two choices, one of them was not shooting and save the...the...heartache of ponies Ah' barely even knew-" The thought of a bullet hitting Spike enters Braeburn's mind. "Or ah' could stay loyal to the...the cause." He spits out the word, "cause" disgusted by its meaning.
The stallion nods, putting his hoof near his mouth contemplating on what to say next. He puts his hoof back on the table.
"Braeburn we all have choices in our life, some tougher than others-" He points to Braeburn with his hoof. "But you Braeburn you were able to make the best decision for us despite the thoughts of what would happen if you killed those guards. So that is why I wish to appoint you as my second in command, now the only question to answer is if you accept my offer."
No...no ah' don't want any part in this madness! Braeburn thinks to himself. "Yes...yes ah' would love to." Braeburn lies putting on a fake smile. The brown stallion smiles again his smile reaching too far across his face again.
"Perfect." The brown stallion says, again going next to Braeburn and putting his hoof on his shoulder again. "You and me Braeburn, we will change the world for the better you and I. Your future ahead is very bright my boy."
Braeburn feels a pang in his heart. "Yeah...yeah it sure is." Again he lied.
***
"Sir!" A dark green earth pony rushes into Braeburn's new office. Braeburn sits on the wooden floor looking out of a window.
"Yes? May ah' help ya?" Braeburn asks.
The dark green pony takes bows to Braeburn. "Mah', apologies on the short notice, but our leader wants your input."
Braeburn looks away from the window and motions with his hoof for the green pony to rise. Even with his new power over the people of Appleoosa he still preferred to talk to ponies without them bowing all the time. The dark green pony rises.
"Now what does our leader want mah' input on?"
"Well sir-" Braeburn stops him.
"Braeburn is fine, none of that sir stuff."
The green pony nods. "Ok um...Braeburn our leader wants to know if you think that an attack would be necessary."
Braeburn eyes the green pony. "An attack on...where exactly?"
"On Ponyville."
Ponyville! He can't do that, that's where Applejack lives...his family. Braeburn looks away from the green pony and to the floor. Ah' cant possibly attack Ponyville, Ah've already killed one of mah' cousins friends if ah'-
"Um mister Braeburn are you OK? You look a bit pale." The green pony says interrupting his train of thought.
Braeburn puts a hoof to his forehead. "Yes...yes ah'm fine. Its just that...have you ever made a difficult choice in your life?"
"Why do you ask Mr Brae-?"
"ANSWER ME!" Braeburn shouts stamping his hoof on the wooden floor. Braeburn scowls at the green pony.
The green pony gulps. "Y...yes ah' have."
"Good. Now...now tell our...esteemed leader that ah' agree with his plans."
The green pony nods and leaves the room. Braeburn goes back to the window and sits, looking outside. Maybe somehow he could pull some strings to get Applejack out alive. But that still doesn't justify his choice to march on Ponyville killing hundreds and creating broken families. He puts his hoof to his forehead, looking at the various choices he had before. He could've walked away from this whole mess, spared Spike's life...but instead he shot him. And now he could have advised no to attack Ponyville but instead he said yes...and now the consequences would be dire.
The invasion force is small, made up of two hundred mares and stallions, the ponies all stand in rows of five looking from afar at the town of Ponyville. Braeburn stands in front of the ponies looking at all of them. Even with small numbers they are very well armed everypony holds a musket in their hooves, the bayonets hanging off the ends of the guns gleaming in the moonlight. Braeburn turns from the ponies and looks toward Ponyville, the little town is lit up with various lights and ponies trotting around most likely trying to get to their homes.
"Braeburn today is a day that will long be remembered." The brown stallion says putting his hoof on Braeburn's shoulder.
Braeburn nods solemnly. "Yes...yes it is."
The brown stallion takes his hoof off of Braeburn's shoulder, and turns to face the two hundred ponies. "For today we shall burn Ponyville to the ground!" The brown stallion shoots his hoof to the sky. The other ponies all follow suit throwing their hooves in the air, with chants of "YEAH!" or "DOWN WITH CELESTIA!" Braeburn doesn't do anything he just continues to look at Ponyville. He had to find a way to get the Apple family out alive.
***
Applejack awakens to the smell of smoke in her room. She jumps out of her bed and gallops quickly down to the first floor. She notices something out of her window, a very bright light where the barn is. Applejack goes quickly outside, and before her eyes is their red barn ablaze, the heat making her move back a bit. Smoke rises from the top of the barn which makes her gag.
"Her over there!" A mares voice calls.
Applejack looks over to where the voice came from, she sees that its a light yellow mare holding...something in her hooves.
"Go get somepony please there's-!" A bullet whizzes past her head. Applejack looks over at the mare confused. "Hey! What are you doing!?" Applejack yells. Two more bullets go passed her barely missing her hooves. Applejack looks at the mare, next to her are two stallions their muskets smoking. Their not here to help her, their here to kill her! Applejack scrambles back to the house shutting the door behind her, making sure to lock it too. She gallops up the stairs running to Applebloom's room. Applebloom lies in her bed still sleeping as if this whole catastrophe wasn't even happening. Applejack begins to shake her to wake up.
"What? Whats happenin'?" Applebloom asks groggily.
"Applebloom get out of bed, we need to leave now ." Applejack says sternly.
"But why?"
"Just go gittup now!"
Applebloom quickly gets out of bed and stands next to Applejack.
Applejack looks down at Applebloom. "OK sugar cube stay right behind me at all times alrighty?
Applebloom nods and follows Applejack to the door. Applejack turns the door knob with her hoof and turns it the door now fully opened.
"Hello there." A menacing voice says.
Applejack feels something bump on her chest, she looks down and sees the barrel of a musket on her chest. She looks up and sees the light yellow mare grinning evilly at her. Applejack notices that two stallions stand behind the mare aiming their own muskets at Applejack too. Applejack gulps, there was no way she was getting out of this situation.
"Get in the corner of the room." The yellow mare says.
Applejack spits at her. "Why should ah'?"
"Big mistake little bitch." The yellow mare cocks her musket.
Applejack stares into the yellow mares orange eyes, she was ready.
Krack!
The yellow mare coughs, blood splattering on the floor in front of Applejack. The yellow mare falls to the ground in a crumpled up heap.
"Don't mess with ma'h sister." A deep voice says.
In the doorway stands Big Mac holding a small flintlock smoke still coming out of the barrel. The two stallions that were with the yellow mare are stunned by the body lying on the floor not even noticing Big Mac. Big Mac raises the gun and hits one of the stallions in the head with it. The other stallion notices and attempts to raise his own musket but its too late for him. Big Mac's flintlock makes contact with his head knocking him out cold.
"Big brother please take Applebloom and get Granny Smith somewhere safe, ah'm goin' into town and reporting this to the police."
"Eeyup." Big Mac says.
***
The whole town was on fire illuminating the dark night, and making the cool summer night warm. Braeburn looks on at the burning house of Twilight Sparkle, he frowned at the sight he had hoped that she made it out alive. Around him the Appleoosans chase ponies around firing their muskets at them, most of them drop dead from the shots...while others have to be put down with a bayonet to the heart.
"Isn't it great Braeburn!? Look around!" Braeburn had almost forgotten that his leader was still next to him.
No...this is murder. None of these ponies deserve this. Braeburn thinks to himself looking at the ground.
"Whats wrong Braeburn? You haven't lost your balls now have you!?" The brown stallion says crazily.
"Of course not...sir ."
"Well then take this!" The brown stallion says giving him a Molotov Cocktail.
Braeburn looks down at the small fire bomb, then up at the burning house of Twilight Sparkle. This isn't right...this is terrorism. Braeburn thinks to himself.
"Throw it dammit!" The brown stallion roars.
Braeburn looks into his leaders dark blue eyes, hoping to find some sign of remorse in the brown stallion's eyes...but he finds none.
"Where should I throw it at?"
The brown stallion looks around, and finds a small group of ponies. He points his hoof over at them. "Those ponies."
Braeburn shakes his head. "No...no ah' can't."
"What did you say!?" The brown stallion yells in Braeburn's face.
"Ah'...ah...wont...ah' cant sir."
The brown stallion puts his flintlock at Braeburn's forehead, making sure to cock it too. "That's an order, and if you don't listen, then your brains will be splattered across the ground!"
Braeburn looks over at the ponies, there are three of them huddled together with Appleoosan's pointing there weapons at them. Braeburn gulps, he doesn't want to do this, but if he doesn't then he will die where he stands. "Sir but...those ponies seem to have it under control."
The brown stallion grits his teeth. "Braeburn ah' don't care bout' whats happenin' you will be the one to kill em', now do you accept this assignment!?" The brown stallion finishes the gun still pointed at Braeburn's head.
"OK." Braeburn says curtly tears welling in his green eyes, hopefully his leader wouldn't notice it.
The brown stallion takes the barrel of the gun away from Braeburn's head, putting the flintlock back in it's holster at his waist. "Hey you guys!" The brown stallion shouts at the Appleoosans keeping the huddled up ponies at gunpoint.
One of them gallops over to the brown stallion. "Yes sir?"
"Tell those ponies to stand down...I want Braeburn to have the honor of getting some blood on his hooves." The brown stallion says grinning evilly at Braeburn.
The pony that galloped over salutes. "Yes sir. Hey you guys lets go somewhere else, the boss wants to care of em'."
The ponies all gallop away behind Braeburn and the brown stallion. Braeburn looks over at the huddled up ponies, hopefully they would have the common sense to run. And to Braeburn's delight a light green one attempts to run off. Well at least one of em' got away. Braeburn thinks to himself.
CRACK!
The brown stallions flintlock is smoking he had fired it. Braeburn looks at where the light green mare was attempting to run, but she lies on the ground face down her own blood...a bullet wound in her head. Braeburn looks into the mare's dead eyes completely lifeless. Then at the last two huddled up ponies sobbing over the loss of their friend. The brown stallion crouches down to the huddled up ponies.
"Now listen here little ladies...today's yer lucky day, ya know why?"
The ponies don't listen still sobbing.
"Hey listen!" The brown stallion roars smacking a dark blue mare with the back of his hoof. "Now you two are gonna go up in flames just like the buildings around ya, sounds like fun huh?" The brown stallion says waving his flintlock around at the burning buildings. They still just continue to sob on each others shoulders. The brown stallion gets back on his hooves and approaches Braeburn. "You know what to do." The brown stallion whispers eerily trotting behind him. Braeburn looks back at the huddled up ponies and slowly begins to approach them...attempting to grant them every bit of life they could get.
"Do it already!" The brown stallion roars.
The ponies continue to cry...Braeburn can hear his heartbeat in his ears getting louder than the sobbing of the ponies or the burning buildings. Braeburn raises the small firebomb over his head with his hoof...feeling a small tear going down the side of his face. Braeburn looks again at the ponies and realeses the bomb from his hoof. And it hits its mark...but he looks away from the grotesque scene...he can hear the screams of the burning ponies...and the deep laughter of the brown stallion behind him.
"Braeburn!"
Braeburn hears the voice over the screams of the still burning ponies. A hoof taps his shoulder he turns and it is Applejack looking at him angrily.
"What the hay is goin' on here!?" She asks.
Braeburn shakes his head. "Ah'...ah-"
Click.
The brown stallion holds his flintlock at Applejack's chest. "Any last words?" The brown stallion asks. Braeburn knows that he has to speak up now before he kills Applejack.
"Wait sir...don't ya think it'd be better if she joined our cause?"
The brown stallion doesn't move the gun away from her chest. "Why would you want this mare to join us?"
"Because shes family." Braeburn says.
The brown stallion lowers the flintlock from Applejack's chest...and just for a split-second Braeburn can see some remorse in his leaders blue eyes. "A family man...eh' Braeburn? Ah' understand. Fine lets go there is much to be done." The brown stallion says going through the burning streets of Ponyville, with Braeburn and Applejack following behind reluctantly. Braeburn looks back at the ponies that were burning at last they were dead...but there screams still ring in Braeburn's ears.
It didn't take long for Ponyville to crumble, all the buildings were either ashes or rubble. Sugar cube corner lays in warm, glowing ashes. Rarity's boutique crumbled to nothing, Sweet Apple Acres was nothing but a hot pile of ashes and splintered wood. Everywhere bodies lay with flies feasting upon the flesh, nopony was alive. The Appleoosans had all returned to Appleoosa leaving Ponyville behind them. But even though Ponyville seemed vacant it was not for a small being had wandered from the Everfree Forest mere minutes after the Appleoosans had left. The small creature walks through the small town making sure to step over the various bodies and not step in their crimson blood. The early morning hours are cold giving him a small chill up his spine. He continues on his way through Ponyville, his light green eyes darting from left to right, then right to left and back again. He felt very paranoid and sore in his leg, even though it had been a while since he was shot he still felt tiny dull pains in his leg from time to time. A few ashes lie to his left, at first he does not know what this place once was until he feels a sign touch his foot. It reads.
Sugar Cube Corner
He looks at the sign for a while and then at the ashes. He sighs and continues on his way on the straight path toward Twilight's house. A few minutes later and he is at the house...well at least where it should be. Instead of the large tree house/library standing before him it is only ashes and a few twigs. He starts to dig through the ashes attempting desperately to find something of importance to him. He continues going through the ashes until he feels something hard in the ashes. He quickly grabs the hard thing and pulls it from the ashes, it appears to be a picture frame but the actual photo is covered in ashes. He dusts the ashes off with his claw and smiles at the photo. In the picture is a smiling Twilight holding Spike close to her. He holds the picture close to his heart, this was his home, that purple mare is his caretaker, his boss, his friend...but now, she is gone leaving Spike alone in this world.
***
Celestia sits in her throne the floors shining from the sunlight streaming through the windows. Nothing interesting had happened this day making the day very boring for her and Luna. Eventually they started to play a game of poker with each other making small bets.
"Luna keep winning like this and you'll have my throne!" Celestia jokes.
Luna laughs. "Sister do not worry, for we are only making small bets."
"I was joking Luna."
"Oh."
They both laugh their laughter echoing through the grand hall.
Slam!
The magnificent golden door opens. Celestia and Luna attempt to put away their bits and cards before the guard can see them, but the cards all fall to the floor along with some of Luna's winnings. A white stallion with brown eyes and a blue mane bows before them. Celestia motions with her hoof for him to rise which he does.
"Speak honorable guard." Celestia says.
The white stallion takes off his helmet. "Your highness I bring grave news concerning Ponyville." The white stallion says plainly.
Celestia's eyes go wide. "Go on."
"Three days ago Ponyville was attacked by the Appleoosans. Thousands were massacred."
"A...anything else?" Celestia asks stuttering a little.
"Yes there is more, your highness Appleoosa has seceded from your empire, along with Manehatten and Las Pegasus."
Celestia doesn't say anything. Why would they secede? She had always been a good ruler over Equestria for a thousand years, why would anypony ever want to secede?
"Are there any survivors?"
"Why actually yes, but only a few, they came this morning."
"Did they identify themselves?" Celestia asks hopefully.
"Some have but I don't have the list of ponies names with me at the moment."
"Guard."
"Yes your highness?"
Celestia rises from her throne. "Tell your general to ready the army. And attack Manehatten in five days."
"Right away your highness." The white stallion gallops away from the two princesses closing the door behind him.
Celestia sits back on her throne now feeling stressed. Never before had she actually used her army, the thought of countless ponies dying sickened her. But if she doesn't stop the Appleoosans now, then more bloodshed will occur.
"Sister we don't have to do this, maybe...maybe we could strike up a deal or a treaty with them." Luna says.
Celestia shakes her head. "No Luna if we do not act now then our subjects shall be slaughtered."
"But sister Equestria was not founded upon hatred and violence. It was founded upon love and kindness."
Celestia sighs. "Luna I know that but it must be done."
Luna lowers her gaze to the floor. "Sister even though I do not agree with this at all, I shall stand with you." Luna says looking back into her sisters pink eyes. Even though she did not agree with Celestia she is still her sister, and she will always stay loyal to her, no matter what.
***
Braeburn never thought he would be able to come to Manehatten, or even live in it. But he is now, since Manehatten had seceded from Celestia's empire. He looks out of a window from his new condominium. The lights of Manehatten are dazzling, billboards line the streets along with hotels and various casinos. But even with all this he does not feel right. He got it through murder. He shot a stallion, he burned two mares alive, and he killed Spike. He continues to look out the window, looking down at the street. What if he were to just jump off right now? He would just fall and die, after all they are on the sixtieth floor. Braeburn is tired, tired of killing to stay alive, tired of leading a life that revolves around senseless murder. But something still urges him to keep going, his cousin. He couldn't just leave her where would she be without him? He is the only reason why Applejack is still alive. Because if Braeburn were to drop dead right now his leader would have no problem with putting a bullet through her head.
Ding.
The elevator had come to his floor, who could that be? Braeburn turns from the large window and looks at the silver door of the elevator. When it opens Applejack trots in and sits on a small couch in front of Braeburn. She looks around a bit, but then looks at her cousin.
"Nice place ya got here."
"Thanks cousin it was-"
"Is this what they reward murder around her with?" She asks.
"What do ya mean cousin ah' just-"
She rises from her seat and approaches him pointing her hoof at him. "MEAN!? WHAT DO AH" MEAN!? You know exactly what ah' mean Braeburn!"
"But cousin ah'-"
"You burned two mares alive! Ya don't think ah' saw that now did'ja? She yells in her southern accent. "Why Braeburn? Why would ya do that? This ain't like you cousin. The Braeburn that ah' know wouldn't kill ponies in cold blood like that. Especially not you!"
Braeburn pushes away her hoof. "Ah' did that to protect ma'hself." Braeburn says cooly.
"If ah' were you ah' would have died!"
"Ya don't understand Applejack. He had his gun pointed at me!"
"Ya think that makes it alright Braeburn!?"
"No, no it doesn't! Listen Applejack I'm not a bad pony."
Applejack crosses her hooves. "You keep tell'in yerself that."
"I don't take pride in doin' this Applejack. In fact every night ah'm eaten by guilt!"
Applejack goes back to the elevator pressing the button for the lobby. "Whatever Braeburn, you keep doin' what yer doin' and ah'll keep doin what ah'm doin'." The elevator doors open and Applejack goes in, looking at Braeburn one last time before the elevator doors shut.
Braeburn turns around looking once again out the window.
Braeburn had been sulking around Manehatten for a while now. He had to get out of his condo after the argument with his cousin. The lights shone around him most of them bright, advertising various casinos and resorts. Even though it was late out there were still a few ponies out and about, most of them heading to their homes. It was strange to Braeburn that these ponies seemed completely oblivious to the impending war coming, it seemed that life just went on.
Ah' got nothin' ma'h family hates me, the world hates me, and ah'm a murderer. Braeburn thought to himself looking at the cobblestone ground.
Braeburn kept on going through the city for a while until he noticed a group of unicorn mares putting up a poster on an apartment complex. Braeburn stopped and said.
"Howdy."
One of the mares turns around. "Oh mister Braeburn!" The yellow unicorn mare says.
The other unicorns turn and smile at Braeburn but quickly return to their work except for a yellow one."Braeburn it is an honor to speak to you. Our leader...um...well second leader."
"Oh please miss ah'm nothing more than a stallion." Braeburn replies humbly.
"But mister-"
"No, no Braeburn is fine, but uh ya reckon you can tell me what y'all are doin'?"
"Oh why we are just putting up a poster honoring you and our glorious leader." The mare says. nudging her friends aside so Braeburn can see.
The poster makes Braeburn sick on the inside. It depicts his leader looking up at a blue sky, and Braeburn standing next to him pointing a sword at a defeated Celestia and her army behind her cowering away. Even though Braeburn hates this image he puts on a fake smile.
"G...good job miss."
"Thank you Braeburn. Oh! I was wondering if-"
BOOM!!!
An explosion is heard all around, many ponies either come out of their homes or open their windows to see what is happening. Braeburn looks around with his large green eyes, looking over the various buildings.
"Braeburn what is that?" The mare asks nervously.
He hadn't even noticed that the sirens had gone off, warning everypony to get to safety. The yellow mare's friends gallop away frantically leaving her behind. The mare looks around scared by the loud sirens blaring around her.
Braeburn puts his hoof on the mare's shoulder, snapping her back to the present. "Listen! We have to get outta here! Follow me!" The mare shakes her head. "Come on miss, you'll be safe!" The mare stays put still scared of the sirens and the explosion from earlier.
No Ah' am not gonna let another pony die! Braeburn thinks determined. Braeburn takes his hoof off of the mares shoulder, and takes her hoof pulling her to safety.
"Let go of me!" The mare shrieks.
"Cant do that miss, yer ma'h responsibility now." He says calmly.
The mare tries to break away from Braeburn but he holds on tight, not letting her go.
Ba-boom! Another explosion is heard. Braeburn looks around, ignoring the mares protests. This time Braeburn sees a skyscraper, with a large gaping hole on it's side glowing a light blue, obviously unicorn magic. The building begins to teeter about to fall on it's side.
If that thing falls we are screwed. Braeburn thinks.
Braeburn begins to go to a full gallop, going through various alleyways and down different streets. He looks around quickly for his destination, pulling the yellow mare along with him. At this point the mare has ceased struggling instead only asking small questions.
"Where are we going!?" She yells over the sirens.
"Ta ma'h bunker! Don't worry its big enough to house the two of us!" He yells.
They continue galloping, until they eventually reach a large avenue. The whole place was in chaos, all around ponies were galloping in different directions. All around ponies are bumping into each other screaming in terror. On the street are a few carriages all turned over, most with its riders dead, or just barely alive. Braeburn rushes down the street readying a dagger he always keeps in a sheath on his waist.
"Get ready!" He yells to the mare.
She nods, and Braeburn gallops along with her pushing through all of the ponies, keeping his dagger in hoof. A few ponies try to grab at the mare and Braeburn, but he quickly gets rid of them by giving them a hoof to the face. Eventually they reach the end of the avenue and go down the last alleyway.
"This is it! It'll be at the end of the alley!"
"WATCH OUT!" The mare yells.
He doesn't look fast enough and something hard hits him in the face, blurring his vision. Braeburn looks up again and sees a blue stallion with a bloody right hoof, obviously Braeburn's blood. Braeburn shows the stallion his dagger, attemting to intimidate him, but he doesn't back down.
"Stand aside!" Braeburn yells.
"Why should I?" The stallion asks.
"Cuz if ya don't then ah'll have ta kill you here!" He roars pointing his knife at the stallion. "Miss get behind me." He says to the mare.
The stallion lunges for Braeburn throwing his hoof at Braeburn's face again. This time Braeburn is ready and he quickly ducks out of the way, preparing his own hoof. Braeburn throws his own punch hitting the stallion in the chest knocking the wind out of him. The stallion clutches his chest for a bit, gasping for air.
"Listen you still have a chance! Any minute and a giant skyscraper is gonna crash down on us! You can come with us and you'll be safe!"
The stallion has now caught his breath, and staggers up to his hooves. Looking at Braeburn his eyes narrowed.
"Why should I trust you?" The blue stallion asks.
"Because its your only option to stay alive pardner." Braeburn says smiling.
"Fine but I wouldn't trust me."
Braeburn nods and sheaths his dagger, pulling along the yellow mare down the alleyway and making sure that the blue stallion is following along behind them. They reach the end of the alleyway, Braeburn looks at the ground and sees a metal hatch. He pulls the bar on it to open the hatch, it pops open revealing a small flight of wooden stairs. Braeburn moves out of the way and motions for his companions to get in.
"Get inside!"
The mare goes in first followed by the blue stallion.
CRASH!
The building has fallen, Braeburn quickly goes down the stairs and locks the hatch from the inside. The screams and shouts of the dying ponies outside are just barely muffled by the locked hatch.
***
Ten minutes earlier.
Fwoo!
Rainbow shoots her crossbow at a grey stallion standing on a balcony. The arrow hits the stallion square in the head his blood splattering the wall behind him. Rainbow hides behind a wooden crate reloading her crossbow. She never thought that she would come to Manehatten as an invader with ten thousand other ponies. All around the other guards are shooting their own crossbows at the rebels. The rebels have the better position, all the rebels stand on balconies their muskets lighting up the night.
"Private Dash!" A green stallion yells next to her.
"Yes sir!?"
"We are advancing!" The green stallion yells.
"Sir!" Rainbow replies her crossbow now loaded. The green stallion goes down the avenue followed by the thousands of other ponies. Rainbow follows stepping over debris and various bodies.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three muskets go off killing three ponies in front of her, Rainbow readies her crossbow and aims at a orange mare on a balcony.
Fwoo!
The arrow hits an orange mare in the chest, her body hanging over the balcony railing. Rainbow reloads her crossbow once more and aims at a green stallion preparing his musket.
Fwoo!
The arrow hits the stallion in his hoof, blood dribbling from his wound. Rainbow reaches in her quiver for another arrow as they march down the avenue. All around the rebels have their muskets prepared and ready to fire.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The shots come from balconies above them killing six ponies in front of Rainbow. She goes over the bodies and notices an alleyway.
No way they'd be able to shoot me there. Rainbow thinks to herself.
And it was true, there were no balconies in the alleyway, so there would be no way for the rebels to shoot her. Rainbow breaks away from the marching army and gallops down the long alleyway which leads to a dead end. Rainbow looks at the rooftops making sure that no ponies were up there. Luckily there aren't and Rainbow begins to relax, but notices something strange in the ground. A small white hatch, just big enough for a pony to enter. Rainbow smiles.
This has to be where their boss is hiding! Rainbow thinks to herself triumphantly.
At last Spike would be avenged. Rainbow pulls a metal bar to open it, the hatch opens with a popping sound. In the hatch are a flight of wooden stairs going down into the earth. Rainbow goes down them, and closes the hatch unlocked behind her.
***
"Why are ya here?" Braeburn asks a cyan mare holding a lantern in the dark bunker.
The cyan mare puts the lantern on the floor and pulls a metal switch above her, the light bulb above her lighting up the room. The room is quite small just barely big enough to fit the four ponies in it, with four beds in each corner of the room and a small night stand in the middle, which the cyan pony stands next to.
"These your friends Braeburn?" The cyan pony asks.
"More like acquaintances really." The blue stallion says standing next to Braeburn.
The yellow mare nods behind Braeburn.
"So Rainbow ya mind tellin' me why yer here?" Braeburn asks.
Rainbow puts out a fake laugh. "Braeburn I never thought you would be a traitor."
Braeburn stays silent and looks at the ground in shame. "Ah'-"
"Don't I me!" Rainbow yells, getting her crossbow and pointing it at Braeburn. "You joined these...traitors! You destroyed my friends homes!" Rainbow feels tears welling in her magenta eyes. "And you killed Spike...he was just a kid and you murdered him!"
Braeburn feels his heart become heavy, because all these things...and more are true.
"What do ya plan ta do with that thing?" Braeburn says calmly motioning to her crossbow.
"Well you see Braeburn I have orders to find your leader and bring him back alive. But you, your a whole other story." She creeps closer to him. "I can bring you back dead or alive."
"You cant do that!" The yellow mare behind Braeburn yells.
Rainbow smirks. "Oh and what are you his girlfriend?"
The yellow mare turns red with anger. "No I'm not! But either way I will not allow you to kill him!" She puts herself in front of Braeburn and stares into Rainbow's magenta eyes.
Rainbow gulps. "Step aside, or you'll die with him."
"Then I will." The mare says.
Braeburn pushes away the yellow mare. "No ya wont. You don't deserve to die miss. But me ah' deserve every last bit of death."
"But...you saved me." The yellow mare says.
"Look miss, don't die for a traitor like me."
The yellow mare looks down at the metal floor with her turquoise eyes, and says nothing more. Braeburn looks into Rainbow's magenta eyes ready to die.
"Rainbow." He edges toward her. "Go ahead do it...ah'm tired, tired of a life revolvin' around killin' countless ponies...please end it." The crossbow is now touching his chest.
"Braeburn I take no pleasure in doing this...but its something I must do." She puts her hoof on the trigger and prepares to pull it. Braeburn closes his eyes awaiting the shot...but it doesn't come.
A blue stallion had come out from the ground. Spike looks at the stallion confused...did he just really come out of the ground? Spike runs over to the to the blue stallion making sure not to step on the debris of fallen buildings or broken glass. The stallion sees him and quickly gallops toward Spike. He stops watching the stallion get nearer and nearer.
"Don't go down there kid." The stallion says. "You'll regret it." The stallion gallops off behind Spike.
What was that all about? And what did he mean by I'll regret it? Spike thinks to himself confused by the stallions warning.
Spike quickly walks over to the area where the stallion had come from. He looks at the ground, all there is are a few pieces of stone and ashes. Spike removes one of the stones throwing it to the ground. Now something is different, on the ground is a patch of white that looks like metal. Spike continues to remove more of the stones until a white hatch is fully visible. He looks at it for a second pondering...why this would be here. He notices a metal bar on the hatch, probably to open it. Spike looks behind him looking for the blue stallion but he is long gone. He knows he should probably take heed of his warning...but something in him says to open it.
It wouldn't hurt to just look. Spike thinks to himself.
He puts his claw on the bar breathes in and pulls. The hatch making a small popping sound as it opens.
***
Braeburn crouches near the dying Rainbow Dash, the yellow mare he saved earlier applying pressure to the wound. Rainbow's breathing becomes shallower and shallower and taking more effort.
"Stay with me Rainbow Ah'-"
"NO!" A voice calls from the stairs.
Braeburn turns around to look at the stairs...and standing at the stairs is the small dragon that had haunted his nights for many days...Spike.
"Spike! Ah'...yer...yer alive!"
Spike runs down the stairs and charges at Braeburn. "You son of a bitch!"
"Spike listen-"
Spike punches Braeburn's cheek his chest heaving with anger. Braeburn puts his hoof to his bloody cheek. Who know a small dragon could pack such a punch? Spike crouches next to Rainbow looking into her magenta eyes.
"Rainbow...what happened?"
Rainbow only smiles at Spike ignoring the pain in her chest. "Spike...we missed you-" She coughs blood dribbling from her lips. "I missed you...especially...Twilight."
"Don't talk Rainbow we are trying to save you so please-"
Rainbow laughs weakly. "Spike...we both know...this...is it."
Spike begins to sob. "No...no this isn't...you will live Rainbow."
"Spike...Twilight...go to Twilight...you wont believe...how happy she'll be...and how...happy I am."
"Please don't go Rainbow...I...I need you."
"Spike...do me...a favor and...go to Twilight-"
"She's dead Rainbow she's-"
"She's alive...in...Canterlot. She'll be...so happy to see you...just as...I...am." And with that Rainbow's eyes flutter closed. Her heart now stopped along with her breathing.
Spike begins to panic and gets closer to Rainbow and puts his claws over her heart and attempts to start her heart again. He pushes again and again growing more and more desperate and his tears raining down on the body of Rainbow. Braeburn knows she is gone and grabs Spike by his waist and pulls at him.
"Spike stop." Braeburn says firmly.
"NO!" Spike yells still attempting to bring her back.
Braeburn swiftly turns him around. "Spike stop. Shes dead. Look at her." He motions to her body.
Spike looks at her body again and looks at the ground. "You did this." Spike mutters.
"Spike Ah' didn't do it some blue stallion did."
"Oh really!? Then explain this!" He points at a bloody knife lying near Rainbow. He picks it up. "Oh so I suppose you have some secret admirer huh? Because this knife has your name etched on it!"
"Yes Spike that is mine but-"
Spike quickly grabs the knife and points it at Braeburn, Rainbow's blood dripping off of it. "You killed her...and tried to kill me in Appleoosa."
"Spike Ah' didn't think...Ah' had to...they woulda killed me."
"Coward. That's all you care about huh? Yourself."
The yellow mare stands next to Braeburn her eyes narrowed at Spike. "Listen kid I don't know who you are. Or what Braeburn has done to you but I will not let another pony die in here." She says calmly.
"Spike listen to her, put the knife down. If ya don't ya know what I'll have to do."
Spike laughs. "What kill me in cold blood like you did to her."
Braeburn breathes in. "Ah'm warnin' ya Spike."
"ARGH!" Spike screams trying to stab at him. Braeburn easily dodges his blows. Spike goes again and again but each time easily blocked or dodged by Braeburn. Spike try's again but leaves Braeburn an opening. Braeburn grabs Spike's arm with his hoof and with ease takes the knife from Spike's claws. Braeburn keeps the knife in his hoof but doesn't point it at Spike.
"Ah'm not gonna kill ya Spike." Braeburn says throwing the knife aside. He edges closer to Spike. "But Ah' don't want ya followin' us." He says before hitting Spike square in the face putting him to his knees. Spike's vision becomes blurry he can just barely see Braeburn and the yellow mare leaving the bunker before he blacked out.
Thirty Years Ago
The streets of Manehatten are dirty, with various homeless ponies begging for money along the sidewalks. Among these beggars is a grey unicorn stallion, who holds out a bent tin can. Today he had gotten nothing, which meant another day of going hungry. The beggar frowns at the tin can, its not like he expected anything different anyway. The ponies of Manehatten barely gave him anything anyway, other than a few rude remarks like. "Get a job you bum!" Followed by a kick to his side. The beggar begins to put the tin can in his tattered jacket pocket but suddenly his can feels heavier. The beggar looks into the can and in it lies hundreds of bits gleaming in the sunlight. The beggar looks up with a feeling of great gratitude, and in front of him stands a light brown stallion with piercing blue eyes, wearing a nice checkered shirt.
"There you are sir." The brown stallion says.
The beggar smiles. "Thank you so much sir! Please I must know your name!" The beggar says shaking the brown stallions hoof.
The brown stallion smiles. "Why my name is Red Fortune my good fellow."
"Well Mr Fortune you are a life saver I tell you! A real life saver! How could I ever repay you?" The beggar responds.
"My fellow you were in need, and so I simply helped you. This is no contract you owe me nothing."
"Are...are you sure?"
"Of course my friend." Red says, again pleasantly smiles. "And if you are in need of a place to stay I'd be happy to oblige."
The beggar smiles. Nopony had ever treated him like this, he had gotten used to being treated like dirt for so many years, he never thought the world was capable of such kindness. "I...f you don't mind."
"Of course I don't mind my friend. You are welcome to my home any time after all its always open to those in need." Red says putting his hoof over the beggar's shoulder leading him to his home.
***
Present Day
Surprisingly the guards were easily pushed out of Manehatten, but even so the casualties had been great for the rebels. In Manehatten almost no buildings were left except for a few houses and Braeburn's large apartment complex. Along with thousands of innocent ponies who did not deserve to die. All of the bodies are burnt in large bonfires across the city, the smell of flesh spreading throughout the city. The sight sickens Braeburn, the burning bodies, the buildings turned to rubble, and the families torn apart. The yellow mare that had been with Braeburn had left a while ago, thanking him then leaving unexpectedly. Braeburn trots down the street going around the large craters, still glowing a faint blue from the unicorn magic that caused it.
"Braeburn!" A deep voice calls.
Braeburn turns his head to the sound of the voice and sees his leader. He gallops to him, despite his feeling of disgust toward him. "Yes sir?"
The brown stallion looks at Braeburn angrily. "They wont get away with this. The cause still stands strong. And we showed them that today, we pushed those bastards out!" The brown stallion yells now attracting the attention of his soldiers, wounded ones and healthy ones. "My ponies! We showed them that we are strong! You showed them that we are strong!" He shouts pointing his hoof at the crowd of ponies now standing before him. "And now we will strike back, harder! We will not stand for this we will defeat them! We will win!" The brown stallion yells putting his hoof into the air. The crowd does the same, so does Braeburn with great reluctance. The crowd then disperses going about their business. Once everypony is gone Braeburn taps his leaders shoulder.
"Sir?"
"Yes Braeburn?"
"Sir what is yer name, ya never gave me the honor of knowin' your name."
His leader blinks. "To know my name would be a great dishonor to you and myself, I dare not say it."
"It cant be that bad sir."
"Braeburn if I tell you, you must not let anypony know." His leader says.
"I wont sir."
"My name at a time was Red Fortune. But that stallion is dead now, killed by the kingdom of Celestia. And now I fight, for I don't want the same thing to happen to anypony else."
Killing still ain't the answer. Braeburn thinks to himself. "Thank you sir."
"Remember...Nopony." Red says trotting away to his wounded soldiers.
Braeburn looks on at his leader...Red Fortune. But eventually goes down the streets going around the craters and stepping over the mangled bodies.
The Crystal Empire courtroom is beautiful, everything is made of pure crystal. In the jurors seats are a few chattering rebels, in the seats are a multitude of rebel ponies and in the judge's seat sits Red Fortune next to him is Braeburn. Red Fortune sees a few of his personal guards standing at a crystal door ready to enter the room with the defendants. Red motions to them with his hoof and almost immediately the crystal doors swing open. Two mares come into the room along with two chained ponies. Braeburn gulps they have no chance of winning this trial, especially not with a jury full of royalty hating ponies. The two ponies make their way to their crystal seats and sit chained together. The courtroom is loud with insults to the two ponies, but the two simply ignore it.
Bang! Bang!
"Order!" The ponies continue yelling. "SILENCE!" The yelling immediately dies down. "Good, now Braeburn read the charges against these...treacherous ponies."
Braeburn begins to sweat. "Y...yes sir." Braeburn unfolds a piece of parchment. "Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, y'all are charged with treason against the noble cause...and are brought today in front of our...glorious leader." He motions to Red. "Now...beg...fer yer life." Braeburn finishes folding the piece of parchment.
"Like hell we will!" Shining yells.
The ponies yell in anger, longing to see these royal ponies beg for their lives. Red Fortune growls. "You do realize that you both have the death sentence hanging above you!?" Red gets out of his seat and gallops to the defendants, and outs his hoof to Shining's chest. "I have no problem seeing your head on my wall Shining Armor. Or better yet maybe I should send it to your sister instead, hmm?" Red says turning away from them
"Why are you doing this?" Cadence asks fearfully.
Red takes out his knife and puts it to Cadence's throat. "Your great princess Celestia took my life away and now I'm going to take yours away!" He pushes the knife into her throat drawing a few drops of blood, falling on the crystal floor.
Shining begins to move frantically reaching for Red. "NO! NO! Don't touch her!" Shining roars.
Red laughs to himself and takes the knife away from her throat. "You really care for her huh? You two make me laugh." He motions to the jury. "Jury guilty? Or not guilty?"
The "jurors" all shout guilty. Braeburn sweats even more and looks down at the scene, pity filling his whole being. These two are destined for the guillotine, or a personal death from Red Fortune himself. Red smiles evilly at the two royal ponies. "Well the ponies have spoken. I'm sorry." He says sarcastically. The two ponies hug each other for the last time and look at Red Fortune. Braeburn begins to desperately think of an alternative to this, but this isn't like Ponyville these two were ponies that the rebels want dead, he cant save them like he did Applejack. Red takes out his knife again stained with Cadence's blood and puts it to Cadence's throat. "Any last words Cadence?" Red asks.
Cadence begins to cry. "I love you Shining." She says turning to her husband.
Red smirks and slits her throat, a gush of blood comes out and colors the crystal floor a dark red. Braeburn looks away hearing Cadence dying from blood loss and Shining's shouts of anger toward Red. Braeburn looks back at the seat where Cadence was sitting, but she's not there instead she lies in a pool of her own blood, her eyes looking up at the ceiling.
"How sweet." Red says. The courtroom all laughs at his cruel remark.
"Celestia will have your head bastard!" Shining yells trying to grab for Red.
Red throws his knife into Cadence's stomach, the knife making a loud squelching sound. Shining looks at his wife's body sorrowfully, then back at Red angrily. Red smirks at him then laughs, a deep evil laugh. "You sure are a funny one Shining. If Celestia would have my head then wouldn't I be dead by now!?" The courtroom is silent watching the scene unfold. Braeburn looks down at Shining pitifully this is where he would die. Red goes to Cadence's body putting his hoof on her, and with a great heave he pulls the knife from her stomach and into his hoof. "That's better." He mutters. Red goes to Shining and puts the knife to his throat. "Any last words?"
"More of a question." Shining says.
"Well? Say it!" Red yells.
"You mind telling me why you don't have any cutiemarks?" Shining asks.
"Don't play dumb Shining. You know how I lost my marks." Red says. "Your oh so great government took them away from me!" Red says, turning around abruptly to show the courtroom his blank flank. The courtroom looks at his flanks. Instead of two marks on each flank there are two scars in the shape of a badly cut circle. The courtroom begins to shout in anger but Red silences them quickly. "Now anything else before you die Shining?" Red asks his blue eyes piercing into Shining's soul.
"Traitor." He says plainly, looking into Red's blue eyes.
Red smiles, and quickly slashes Shining's throat, and pushes him onto the hard crystal floor. Red bends down to the dying Shining Armor. "I'm no traitor. I am the hero of Equestria." And with that Red rises and faces the courtroom. "The Crystal Empire is ours!" Red yells. And with that the courtroom bursts into a thunderous applause, all praising Red Fortune for killing the two tyrannical rulers of The Crystal Empire. But Braeburn just stares at the dead royal couple lying side by side soaked in each others blood, he shakes his head and leaves the courtroom, the ponies still cheering behind him.