War Horse on the Doorstep
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.”
“Ah swear, Twilight, if Ah ever get my hooves on Luna-”
“Applejack!”
“Ah know, Twilight, Ah know. Ah just can’t bear the thought. Luna… threatening ya like that. It ain’t right.”
Twilight glances at her countryside friend with understanding and empathy.
“But you understand what we need to do, right?”
“Yes, Twilight. Ah understand.”
Twilight and Applejack sit there, in AJ’s home with Rarity and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash walks in the door, Pinkie Pie close behind her.
“Hey girls! What’s up?” Pinkie asks gleefully.
“Ya didn’t tell her, Rainbow?”
“I- I figured Twilight should be the one to.”
“It’s probably for the best. Pinkie Pie.”
“Yeah?”
“I need you to pay close attention.”
“I get it Twilight. I’m not…”
“No! Of course not. I- I’m sorry.”
Pinkie Pie shakes her head. “It’s okay, Twi. What’s going on?”
Twilight sighs and glances downward. Her eyes weigh her face down, almost painfully. She says, “It’s the Princesses.”
“Are they in trouble?!”
“You could say that. Celestia… she’s… Celestia has declared war on the Crystal Empire.”
Pinkie Pie snorted, “Silly! Equestria can’t declare war on a part of itself!”
“You can if that part secedes.”
“… Right! That makes sense.”
Rainbow Dash leans over to Applejack, “How did she know-?”
“Ah don’t question it.”
“That isn’t the worst of it.”
“What is?”
“Luna’s against the war.”
Pinkie’s eyes narrow, “I may be missing something here, but I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing.”
“Pinkie,” Twilight sighs, “ I wish it was. No, what Luna wants… is a revolution. A violent, revolution. And if she can’t have me as an ally, she would have me as an enemy.”
“Ponies die in war.”
The rest of the six stare at Pinkie’s seriousness. The happy pink pony, they were about to find out, hadn’t been happy all her life. Or even most of it.
“Yes. Yes, Pinkie Pie. What we need to do now is warn the rest of Ponyville. And maybe a few more towns…”
Twilight is interrupted by a horn blowing in the streets. The six rush out to see and discover it to be a call to a Town Meeting. The six know it must be Luna, preparing to give a speech on the upcoming war.
“Greetings, everypony.” Luna begins, the town of Ponyville her captive audience once again.
“Indeed, you have heard the rumors. Indeed… they are true.”
The crowd murmurs and fidgets.
“My sister… the Princess and sole ruler of Equestria, has declared war on the Crystal Empire, for the sole reason that it seceded!”
A collective gasp.
“I will not stand for this! I will not sit idly by and watch my fellow ponies die because my sister can’t let go of the Frozen North!”
The crowd’s heads start to nod.
“In fact, if I am not mistaken, the Princess cannot declare war without Council approval. Mayor Mare, did you send in a formal vote on the matter?”
Mayor Mare speaks up, “… I received no letter on this matter. This is not the first I’ve heard of war, but it is the first confirmation of it, I’ve heard.”
“And… Mayor Mare… If I may… You served in the military, did you not?”
“During the Equestrian Civil War, yes.” She looks down, embarrassed.
“I know… this must be hard for you. But, what do you think of when you hear ‘war’?”
The mayor uneasily looks around, her gaze met with expectant eyes. Most of these young ponies have never seen combat, or action of any kind, save for maybe a friendly tussle.
“There is nothing glamourous about it. It is violence and death, for its own sake. I advise strongly against this war.”
“My sentiments exactly. But think, my friends. Think, now that Celestia has bypassed Equestrian law, do you not think she’d do it again? This may not be the last military campaign our beloved princess has in mind. Who’s next? The Griffon Empire? Saddle-Arabia? I implore you, ponies of Ponyville, to renounce Celestia’s Equestria, and join me in a revolution destined for victory! This, everypony, will be the war to end all wars.”
The crowd cheers, their hearts won over by the dark blue mare, whose powers of speech have greatly improved since last coming to Ponyville. Perhaps she took classes in Canterlot.
Everypony shouting and cheering their approval of the new revolution, all except a few ponies, including our heroines, the mayor and Cheerilee. After a brief discussion brings the mane six, Cheerilee and the mayor on the same page, the group splits up to try to persuade other ponies to resist Luna’s campaign. Most, however, simply seek out their family members. After all, what is more important than family? Little else, in times of fire and death.
Unfortunately for our heroines, it seems they will not have the luxury of time. An alarm sounds, one foreign to Twilight’s ears. The mayor knows: it’s the horn signaling the marching of ponies on the town of Ponyville. Luna captures the town’s attention once again.
“This! This, my friends! This is our chance! To show that authoritarian alicorn what we can do! Fight with me and protect your city to cement your secession from Equestria!”
Twilight pushes her way to the front of the stage, “No!” she screams.
“No? You mean to say you still favour your mentor over me?”
“Th-that’s not what I-”
“It matters not. The town’s on my side.”
Twilight fights to keep her emotions in check. She cannot be seen as an unhinged pony, especially now.
“I can see that, Luna. However, ponies of Ponyville, hear me out.”
Luna nods.
“Hope, everypony. What Luna says… to a degree is not wrong. We should fight for our freedoms. Celestia has destroyed our trust… and destroyed our friendship. This war will be brutal. But what Luna is suggesting, is simply more of the same! Violence, death, bloodshed. All unnecessary. I don’t have an answer to this problem right now. All I can say is, if we can get to safety, we can figure out how to stop Celestia… and Luna. And we can figure it out, together.”
“And where is safe, exactly?” somepony shouts from the audience.
Twilight is lost for words. She looks around, off into the distance for any possibility. Then she gets an idea. One that, if she’s not careful, will turn everypony away from her support.
“Ponies of Ponyville… what I am about to tell you, may seem like a suicide mission.”
The crowd murmurs anxiously.
“However, if we can make it through, we will be safe, at least until we can figure out a way to stop the sisters.”
Luna steps up, “Out with it, Twilight. The army is almost here.”
“We enter the Ever Free Forest. We make our way to the other side and build a new independent state there.”
A cacophony of cheers and jeers erupt from the crowd. A pony shouts, “they’re here! They’re in!” and the ponies enter panic mode. Mothers and Fathers race to find their children and each other; the foals are led to safety, while Luna’s supporters fall into line behind her. Twilight’s followers race to Fluttershy’s cottage.
“Twilight!”
“Applejack.”
“How in the hay are we supposed ta survive the Ever Free Forest?”
“I know it will be difficult, what, with so many ponies with us. But we’re all sharp with keen senses. As long as we keep the young ones near the center, they should be safe.”
“Okay Twilight. Ah reckon we should keep the… old… in… oh no.”
“What’s wrong?”
Applejack looks frantically around, “Ah- Ah don’t see her!”
“See who?”
“Granny Smith! She’s not here!”
