The Warring Hooves

The sun shines down on the residents of Canterlot. Briskly they walk through their daily routines: shopping, picking up foals and other such day-to-day activities. The sun is bright; cheerfully it douses everypony in warmth and happiness. One pony has her blinds drawn. Her room is dark, hidden away from the beauty of the sun.

Princess Celestia sits in a private study room high in a castle tower. She looks solemnly at papers at her desk in the dark. A knock at to the door:

“Your majesty. Permission to enter.” Asks a Royal Guard.

Celestia allows it.

“Your majesty. Princess Luna cannot be found on the premises.”

Celestia, without moving, responds, “Then you know what to do.”

The guard-stallion shifts left and right, as he waits for more information.

“You have your orders. Get on it.”

“Princess…- uh- I- I mean, your majesty-! I am unsure of what you mean by, ‘you know what to do’…”

“… Leave my sister to me. Now do you understand?”

The stallion looks down at his feet, now even more unsure of himself.

“Well? Do you understand?”

“Yes, your highness. I will alert the others.”

The sun is just as bright and welcoming in Ponyville as it was in Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle trots her way out of Sugar Cube Corner, giving her thanks to Pinkie Pie. What Pinkie did, is unknown.

Twilight makes her way through the marketplace to see Rarity shopping as well. She walks over to say hello.

“Rarity! How are you?”

“Twilight Sparkle, is that you, dear?”

“Yes, yes it is.”

“It feels like ages since we’ve last spoken.”

“I know. Celestia’s given me all of these, ‘Princess’ manuals. Not that I mind learning something new, just that… now I don’t get to spend as much time with my friends.”

Twilight pauses, building up sarcasm in the back of her throat.

“Which is sort why I became a princess in the first place.”

Her ears flatten as Rarity puts her hoof around Twilight’s neck.

“It’s not just you, Twilight. Applejack seems to always be at the farm nowadays. And I’m busy at the moment with the Boutique. I’ve never had so many customers!”

“That’s wonderful Rarity! I’m glad your business is taking off.”

“Thank you. Oh. Twilight. Um. Behind you…”

“Behind me- what?”

Twilight swivels around to stare face to face with a tall, dark Alicorn mare.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight shouts, a bit unnervingly.

“Princess Twilight.”

Hearing Luna’s voice calms her down a bit.

“It’s um. It’s good to see you, your highness.”

“There is no need for that, Princess Twilight. We are on equal hooves.”

“Quite right, Twilight.” Rarity interjects.

“Princess Twilight. May I speak with you? Alone.”

Rarity gets the unsubtle hint and, “I’ll- just finish my shopping. Goodbye for now, Twilight!” Rarity goes on her merry way.

“What is it, Luna?”

“… We need to go somewhere else, it’s not safe here.”

“Not safe?”

Luna’s face screams at Twilight that now is not the time to be questioning her. That would come later, in a dark, secluded part of town near the edge of the Ever Free Forest.

Five minutes later, in a dark, secluded part of town near the edge of the Ever Free Forest, Princess Luna stops to discuss this seemingly important matter with Twilight Sparkle.

“Okay, Luna. What’s going on? Is Ponyville is trouble?”

“Ponyville, Canterlot… all of Equestria is in danger.”

“All right, who is it this time? Discord?”

“No, Twilight it’s-”

“Is it Chrysalis?”

“No it’s-”

“Ah ha! A new villain from Celestia’s past that she forgot to tell us about (again)!”

“No! Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia is the culprit!”

“… Princess… Celestia? No, that can’t be right.”

“Twilight, do you know why I’m here? I was driven out of Canterlot!”

“What, why?!”

“Simply put, I went against my sister’s wishes.”

“Tell me what’s going on, Luna.”

Luna hesitates.

“Luna, come on! I need to know what’s happening!”

“… Princess Celestia has declared war.”

“… War?”

Luna does not speak. She watches Twilight as she slowly comes to terms with what war entails, having read first-hoof accounts of the Great Pony War in earlier years. Twilight resumes speaking.

“Who’s the… other side?”

Luna’s usual stern expression gives way to pain and sorrow. She mutters shallowly under her breath, “The Crystal Empire.”

“Wait a minute, isn’t that part of Equestria?”

“Princess Cadence issued a Request of Secession.”

“Why would she do that?”

“The past, Twilight Sparkle. What matters is preparing ourselves. We are at war.”

“But, Luna, shouldn’t we be protesting?”

“I tried that, Twilight. Look where it got me.”

“Well, maybe two Princesses can persuade her?”

Luna starts to say something, shakes it off, and then resumes with new purpose.

“My head is clear, Twilight Sparkle. I know my mission now.”

“Your mission?”

“I will overthrow my sister and usurp the throne! Then, I will lead Equestria into a new era of democracy!!”

“But! Celestia…”

“There is nothing more to discuss, Twilight. I thought you would be on my side… but… oh well. Just remember: you’re either with me, or your dead.”

Twilight Sparkle begins to let out long streams of tears as her friend walks away from the transparent death threat she just gave. Twilight runs towards the market place, trying to find anyone talk to. She finds the pegasi, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

Rainbow notices Twilight first, saying, “Twilight! Ready for another flying lesson?”

“Rainbow dash!” Fluttershy interrupts, “you forget!”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

Twilight’s curiosity gets the best of her and, “What? What’s going on?”

“Oh, nothing, Twilight.” Rainbow dash answers, “Fluttershy was just showing me some tips on how to take care of Tank.”

“You’ve had Tank for months, how- never mind.”

“Twilight,” Fluttershy speaks, “Is something the matter?”

“Yeah, Twi. Your face is all wet and your eyes are red. Have you been…?”

Twilight is overwhelmed by the situation and breaks down. Both pegasi race over to comfort their friend, using their wings to shield her from passing eyes.

“Come on, Twilight. Let’s go over to my cottage.”

They arrive in Fluttershy’s Cottage, where RD and Twilight are sitting, waiting, as Fluttershy comes out with cups of hot tea.

“Okay, Twilight. Tell us what happened.”

“Well… I saw Princess Luna.”

“Luna? Is something wrong?”

Twilight tries and fails to hold her tears in as she sputters, “Y-yes! Yes there is!”

Rainbow Dash holds Twilight in her arms, rubbing her back and reassuring her. Getting her bearings, Twilight continues:

“Luna told me that Princess Celestia has declared war on the Crystal Empire.”

“What?! That selfish-! I ought to fly over there and give Celestia a piece of my mind!”

“I don’t think so, Fluttershy.”

“Why not?” asks Fluttershy, her soothingly sweet voice returning.

“Because Luna already has a plan.”

“She’s going to… talk it out?” the yellow pony asks.

“No! It’s worse. So much worse! Luna is going to start a revolution. She wants to overthrow Celestia! And she’ll kill anypony in her way… including me.”

“That’s… that’s not right.” mutters Rainbow Dash.

“She gave you… a death threat?!” Fluttershy exclaims in disbelief.

Rainbow speaks up after a long pause of worry and upset stomachache, “What do you want to do now?”

“We tell the others. We tell everyone in Ponyville to oppose the war and to oppose the revolution. Violence can only breed more violence. And that is something I do not want for my fellow ponies, and especially not my friends. We have to stop the sisters.”