A New Beginning: Time of Rebellion.

"Sister? You...Called for me?"

"Yes. Come here please. There's something you need to know.."

"What's wrong?" The alicorn poked her head into the dark room, a soft light illuminating from her horn. "You called me from my night. What is it Celestia?"

Celestia sighed, turning her head sadly to her sister. The goddess of the sun looked horrible. Sleep hadn't crossed her in days, she had done everything to keep Luna from finding out. But now, with Ponyville in flames she had to tell. Sorrow nipped at her voice as she let the secret out "T-They...Luna...My dear sister...The ponies are rebelling." after all the years of hiding everything from Luna,a from being harsh and cruel...It had finally happened...

Equestrian was in troubled times, the citizens of many towns and a few cities weren't very happy. It had all begun twenty two years ago, following the disappearance of princess Twilight Sparkle and the bearers of the elements of harmony .  Gone.  Never seen again after leaving for somewhere.  No one knew where the six had been heading, but the loss of her favorite student, and her friends, shattered and reformed Celestia. She wasn't very kind and caring, the once much loved alicorn become more bitter every day, the loss burning a permanent place in her heart. Celestia doubled taxes, demanding more Money from everypony. Horrible strict laws laid down, more crops, more industry,more everything. Nothing just seemed to please her . She had basically hid Luna from everything,  ruling more as a queen. The royal guard become rowdy, abusing their positions. Stealing and robbing ponies. The once happy land was in dark times, poverty was getting higher , prices rising. Ponies lived under horrible conduits for ten years, but the murder of a family was what sent many into a frenzy. It was the last straw for everyone!

Canterlot, twelve years ago

A young filly trotted happily between a mare and a stallion, all looked very happy. Their names has been forgotten, but the story never died down. The family was on their way to the market, a sack of gold coins in the fathers saddlebag. The happy scene went to horrifying in mere moments. A patrol of royal guard saw the money,  they forced the stallion against a wall, making him hand over the money. The filly started yelling and telling them to give it back.

A shot fired,  no one knew if on purpose or accident, but the filly dropped, a bullet hole punctured her lung, she was dead quickly. The mare attempted to assault the guard, another shot brought her down.  The stallion had been cut down by a bayonet. A entire family murdered, the first shot may have been an accident but it furled the flames for rebellion! When knees got out the guards had been pardoned, Equestria itself seemed to roar bad burn with a passion for rebellion. The biggest cities remained loyal,  but many of the tows just needed a push and they would help. Parts of canterlot had been put under military control.  Ponies rioted, but none were as serious as when Galaxywing, her brother, fired back. He assualted the royal guard,  uniting the small town they came from to ride up. The first pony to do something. They were fighting, for a better Equestria. So ponies could live happily as they once had. The alicorns weren't wanted, they were gated! The rebellion fought so their children could live happy lives. So Equestria could become the great place it once had been.

:1 hour earlier...

Soft hoof-steps were heard down the streets of ponyville late at night, a hooded figure could be seen walking the shadows. "Hey! Who goes there?" A gruff voice echoed around the dark night. "Oh? You don't recognize me dustwing?" The hood was pulled down. Revealing a dark blue mare

"Midnightshadow! Sorry I-didn't recognize you!" The dusty stallion waved at her "Hmph...Its ok dustwing...How di-" "So where are ya going to midnight? Isn't your house the other way?" Dumb mare!  Probably out drinking late and lost her way home! "Oh no I've got places to be dust. I'll see you around.."  Breaking off Into a run, Midnight rushed towards her goal. The gunpowder storage house, located six or seven houses down from around Sugar Cube Corner. Others were meant to light fires all around the town. Their cause was weak, it wasn't known. This event would spark the rebellion. It would let the princess's know how the ponies felt.

This, this would be a message. The rebellion has begun.

Okay...Remember your training midnight. Light the fuse, turn, run.  Looking up, seven barrels of gunpowder were stored here. Right in the cellar of the old house. Not many ponies knew about it. The only reason it was here was due to the growing population of the everfree forest monsters. Throwing down the royal guard armor and Lighting the fuse, Midnight watched the light head towards the barrels for a split second before running away as fast as possible, but not fast enough.

KABOOOOMMM

Pain seared across her body, the flames dancing across her flank, shrapnel from the house digging in two spots of her left leg. In the same moment, four houses burst into flame. The explosion shook the ground, debris flying in every direction from the massive explosion, clearly seen from Canterlot as the explosion lit the sky. The roaring fires were heard crackling, spreading from house to house quickly. Fireponies tried their bests to put it out, but it was too strong. Not even the spells could save them. Engulfing the town in flames, more then half of ponyville was burning without the hour.

"FEAR NOT!! We shall save you!" A thundering voice boomed, a Pegasus zipped through the sky along with others, water raining down on the fires below. They scooped ponies up and brought them away from fires. The fire was quelling down quickly. They had gathered mass numbers to do this. Fire ponies were small in number, but when an entire army, all carrying fire helped...The fire stood no chance.

Perfect, this was going well. Galaxywing had ordered her and a small team to light fires, and to blow up the gunpowder store. It signaled that ponyville had been taken. All the troops, a small militia, had run, abandoning ponyville as their gunpowder was destroyed. Celestia had gathered a small force their to protect it, while her main army begun there march there. For an odd reason she seemed...Scared to lose it. They knew this. And ponyville was a central position, filled with ponies supplies and food. It would serve well as a base! The fires had gone a little out of control. They had meant to burn only a small portion, barracks and mail places. It had spiraled out of control but at least the whole town hadn't been burned!

Midnight was bleeding, her whole body in pain. A cry left her desperately, and the last thing she remembered seeing was a white pony dragging her away.

"Midnight? Midnight can you hear me?" She groaned, not wanting to wake up, but her duty called. Being second in command of the rebellion was nothing to snooze! Especially with her brother as the leader! Grinning, Midnight looked up at Galaxywing. Her brother was a big pegasus, light and dark blue, a swirl of white, blue, and gray in his mane. A spiral galaxy was his cutie mark. He certainly looked intimidating. "Brother! Did it work? Hows the plan going?" Midnights heart swelled knowing Galaxy had gotten out of this mess. Still in her daze the unicorn sat down, rubbing her head.

"The plans going great"

"How many injuries?"

"Four"

"G-Great! How long have I been out?"

"Two or so hours"

That snapped her out of the daze. Buck! Two hours?! "Are the roya-"

"Heh...No need to worry little sis. We fought them back"

Midnight sighed happily. Sitting up she gave a friendly smile to the medical mare that had fixed her up. "Erm...Excuse me sis!"

Galaxy dashed off, a massive crowd of ponies, armed to the bone with weaponry cheered. Civilians of pony vile cheered also, however some weren't so happy. Moving infront of the crowd, Galaxy coughed. Everypony hushed, all eyes on him.

"Today…Is a glorious day...One that shall be remembered forever! Our cause is righteous! We are the new Equestria! Where were your precious princess's when that fire started? Who saved you? We did. Us. Normal ponies who know it's time for change! Your princess's sit in their castle while we suffer!" An uproar of cheering from the crowd "They are not needed! A change is coming...We shall throw off these shackles and rule for ourselves! Tonight, we shall rest, for tomorrow, a new future awaits!" Another shaking wave of cheering, though it was quelled down quickly. "Any pony who wishes to join our army is welcome! Muskets are graciously appreciated, swords too!" Hundreds of hooves shot into he air, barely 1/4 of all the ponies "Anypony that does not join, we humbly ask of you to support us with food and supplies. The royal guard shall try to tamale pony vile. But we will not loose!!" Hooves stomped against the ground as Galaxy stepped of the stage. "Midnight. Take forty or fifty of the new recruits and set them in the trenches around ponyville. Sweet Apple Acres is low on men, four hundred about. That old cottage by the way to canterlot is where I want you. We expect an attack on both fronts tonight." She nodded, under the cover of night both sides had advantages. The element of surprise would highly contribute to whatever side used it force. Ordering the new recruits their stations, Midnight trotted off to the cottage trenches. It was not a pretty sight.

Pony bodies lay scattered everywhere, bits and pieces littered the ground. The grass was sticky, red pools everywhere. Bodies laid piled in some places, where the dead had been used for cover. Muskets had been taken from the dead, swords, musket balls, anything that could be re-used was scavenged. Holes scattered across, cannons packed quite a punch! The cottage had four or so holes in it, Two or three Pegasus hung off the sides of the hoof. The normally peaceful place was in ruins. It had been a costly battle. What they had done had been idiotic, but it guaranteed ponyville if they held back enough for the signal . Without even owning the town, they dug trenches around it and claimed it. A long trench better defended trench around the cottage, a smaller one in the apple orchard. A very small amount of soldiers were stationed at whitetail woods. A risky move, if any ponys had gathered arms, they would ha been attacked on both sides.

Tonight had been to win them over.  For troops and land...A capital.

Walking over the battlefield Midnight felt ready to hurl up her lunch. Crunch.

Agh!! Her hoof through a rotting head, a sword dug into this stallions stomach, his insides nearly being ripped out. No pony dared to go carry back the dead. It was too risky. The royal celestial army, the main army of the celestial sisters, had a base a mile or so away, along with a trench no pony dared to check yet. In the dark, Midnight was safe. If this was day, she'd have a shot in her head by now. Shaking her hoof in disgust, she reached the trench, another horrific sight meeting her eyes.

A few feet deep, wooden stakes jutted out towards the other trench, both sides did, to block a charge. Six unrecognized bodies lay on the stakes, the reddened wood digging into their bodies. They hadn't died immediately, over the hours of the battle they had bled out. A terrifying death for any pony. It was sick here! Bodies lay side by side, sword against sword. The ground still slick and sticky with blood from this mornings battle. Cannon balls had torn ponies in half, seeing this, she doubted they'd last another battle. Already outnumbered here, another bloody charge would destroy them!  A few screams snapped her out of her daze coming from behind the cottage, currently being used as a medical station. Turning her head Midnight threw up, her lunch coming up her throat. Groaning, Midnight stepped back, she took a gaze over the few thousand soldiers, a few hundred coughing and sick.  It had been three weeks since the first battle, and no ponies on their side had moved.  Many were underfed , the whimpers and groans of soldiers made her want to hurl again. The ponies sat around, some sleeping, some watching guard. Armed with weapons of all sorts, from mere pistols to muskets, swords and axes. The were a feeble force. Their uniforms however were very nice. A dark black, nearly pitch black, with little swirls of blue on the sides. Going right up to the neck, stopping before a cutie mark. Golden buttons up the stomach. A three cornered hat, also black. Metal shoulder blades to protect, they were light, making them a fast mobile force. The royal celestial army however, was armed heavier. They were slow but very tough and fierce in sword combat. They were better equipped with everything, yet they were still being held back. They underestimated their army, giving them an advantage.

Hoping into the trench, a few nodded to her, some cheering to have her here. She wasn't a battle hardened soldier no, she had always been used for distractions and little jobs. Galaxy had done everything to keep her from danger.  Honestly she had never killed a pony, the thought appalled Midnight! Though she would have to, the war required sacrifices. Luna and Celestia didn't realize this. They had tried to make peace, then they tried to squash them. They hadn't begun recruiting soldiers, they didn't want to sacrifice the lives. They thought it would end soon.  But we fought for a new life, the sisters were not needed. They were the only alicorns in Equestria now, and no pony wanted them still. After the little secret that they had tried to get a pony killed slipping out, many who had their distrust supported them.

The trench was dug for miles, most of the troops dug in around the the canterlot side, while less then half by the cloudsdale.

"Hey! Who said you could leave yo-Oh! Midnight! I didn't know it was you. Sorry!" A white Pegasus stepped out, half of her ear shot off.  Dark, almost blood red mane with streaks of a lovely purple.

Rose. Major General, Commander of the Rose's Regiment. Not a mare you want to go into a fight with. Rumor had it she had sharpened her teeth to near fangs, so in combat she could dig her teeth into her enemy for an advantage. Terrifying, Brutal, Strict, but one hell of a leader. "What brings you here? I saw the other reinforcements you sent. They were needed badly. Everypony counts"

The two of them went back to little fillies, just entering school. Rose had been her very first friend, one of her only friends. Midnight wasn't a social mare. But Rose, they were the bestest of friends.They knew everything about each other, but the struggle had driven them apart over recent years. It had been months since she last saw her. "Galaxy sent me to help out. Oh rose it's so good to see you!" Pulling her I to a Hug the situation changed dramatically. A hooded figure, a soldier she had presumed, leapt up, pistol clutched in their mouth. Bang

"ROSE!!"

Her friend coughed, splashing blood across Midnights face. The musket ball buried itself deep into her neck. The light drained from Roses eyes, she fell down. Dead at her feet.

Rage. Sadness. The fury consumed her. Ponies leapt up, aiming muskets in every direction "MEDIC!!" She screamed before leaping on the hooded figure. Not bother to arm herself,  the gun was kicked away.

Midnight didn't hold back. Tears streamed down her face.

Her hooves smashed down repetitively,  bones crunched underneath the strength.  Over and over, even as blood formed into a pool, some spraying up to her. "BUCK YOU!!" Again, Again, Again. Midnight hooves broke through his chest, she didn't stop her relentless beating until a few pairs of hooves literally dragged her away. The body was broken, unrecognizable now. Most of its head and chest are broken open and bleeding heavily. They had died about a whole minute ago.

Another shot rang out.

Thud.

A body fell next to her, blood dripping from the stallions mouth. A bullet in his head. Waking up from her daze Midnight heard a roar of fire, bullets whizzed by. The assassination had meant to distract, of course! When their army was caught off guard the enemy would open fire. "EVERYPONY TAKE COVER!! RETURN FIRE! DO NOT LOSE THIS TRENCH!!"She didn't know who gave the order, but for now she listened. Picking up the musket from the body next to her Midnight peaked her head above the trench.

"Holy crap.."

Their side was horribly unprepared. They weren't following orders, firing volley by volley. It was shoot when you could. Earth ponies fumbled for their guns, always at a disadvantage. Earth ponies shot their weapons very oddly...They had shorter muskets, with a strap on the buttstock. It wrapped around their neck, while the musket pushed up against their front leg. That way, they would lift their front leg, and pull a string attached to the trigger,  with their mouth to pull the trigger.  Terrible. Their cannons weren't firing, many weren't even at their positions yet, still waking from the daze and sudden attack. Not even half were fully up and ready to fire! Yet the enemy, ranking at about three thousand, marched, side by side, using the surprise greatly as an advantage. Even though there were Pegasus, they were forced to walk in lines. Pegasus ponies were either used for scouts, or flying snipers. Sometimes they would fly overhead and fire to try and pick off ponies. But the chance of a hit was so slim the tactic wasn't used much.  About fifty cannons were firing nonstop in the cover of the woods. In the few minutes it took them to get to their own positions, load the cannons, and return fire, they had lost twelve of sixty cannons, four hundred soldier dead. Half a mile away the enemy was reloading, both sides were. Midnight jammed the musket ball down the barrel, glad she had her magic. Pouring in the gunpowder and loading the gun, she heard...Silence of gunfire. Just the explosion of cannons that lit the night.

Recovering from their shock, they had come to their wits, going into the volley fire under command of a general who a little ways away.. "FIRE!!" Already?! Midnight aimed, closed her eyes and sighed, barely having enough time to aim and get a good shot off.

Pulling the trigger at the same time as everypony else, their first volley was devastating. A cloud of smoke filled the air, the sounds of bullets hitting their goals was heard. Screams and cries erupted from the enemy line. She estimated five or seven hundred were hit,  four hundred striking home and killing. The trench served it's purpose, giving excellent cover and providing good shots. Wait...Something was wrong.. "No wait...Everypony they aren't reloading!! AFIX bayonets!!" She screamed, dirt raining down on her as a cannon ball slammed into the ground infront of her. Flying back, Midnight hit the side of the trench hard, a ringing in her ears. The musket she had been using lay propped up, barrel stuffed into the dirt. At least she had gotten the warning out. Blackness swept over her.

The enemy hadn't been reloading. No they had affixed their bayonets. Already, as the rebellions army fumbled for their bayonets the celestial army was charging.

200 feet...

100..

70...

"BRACE YOURSELVES!! WE OUTNUMBER EM NOW! DONT LOSE THIS TRENCH !"

20 feet..

With a roar they leapt to counter the charge. Pony slammed into pony. Blades slid into flesh.  Bodies were flung back and trampled. Screams erupted all around.