The Fall of Our Tyrants

Chapter 3- Magic

I awoke suddenly. I moved my head up to ascertain where I was. The room was pitch black.
“Where am I?” I thought. All I remembered was that mare and a bright light, and now I was suddenly here. Wherever here was. I moved off whatever I had lied on and jumped onto the floor. A sudden sharp pain ran through my leg like a white hot needle. I had forgotten the damage I had taken from that Authority member. I felt a slightly duller pain on my side, but until I found some light, I’d have to wait for that reveal.

This wasn’t the best idea I had. I tried moving around in the black, my hooves out in front of me, limping from the pain in my leg.

“This is the thanks I get for helping somepony?”, I muttered to myself. A light switch. A torch. A candle. Anything that would let me see. I had kicked multiple objects whilst I was at the mercy of the dark. I’m so glad nobody was seeing me this vulnerable. I banged my head against a solid object.
“This must be the wall” I said rubbing my head with my hoof. I followed it until I felt something familiar. As luck would have it, it was a light switch. I flicked it on. A bright light unveiled the room I was in.
It was small, smaller than I thought. The walls were brown, with no visible signs of decay. It was remarkable really when compared to the rest of the room. It was a mess. Whether it was like that before, or whether I had created this damage myself when I was stumbling around in the dark like a fool was anypony’s guess. In the center stood a table. It was nothing too fancy; a smooth wooden table with makeshift restraints attached. I looked at my arms at the faint marks that were dug into them. I put two and two together and realised that at some point, I had been put in those restraints. There was some slight red stains on the table. It looked like blood. Was it mine? I looked around some more, but the only thing that caught my attention in this bland room was a desk that stood against the north wall.
I trotted over. On the desk lay a note, a book, a potion and something metal covered in blood. My sword and sheath also lay on the desk. I picked up the note first. Hopefully it would provide some insight into where I was. I unfurled the note.
‘Moonlight, I understand you probably have a few questions’
“Hah, understatement of the century” I remarked.
‘But there isn’t time. So I’ll start off with the biggest question you may have. On the desk you’ll see a chip. That chip... was inside you’
“Wait,what?” I asked surprised. I looked at the chip. That had been in me? For how long? Or better yet, why?
‘That chip, every unicorn is implanted with it as soon as they are born. It restricts the magical energy within you, to the point where you can’t use it.’
“Magic? I wonder what that is.” I muttered to myself. Wait, how did they get it out?
I looked to my side to see the small scar that had been etched onto my body. I realised that this was the cause of the pain I had felt, both after waking up and in that dream. That dream. What was going on inside my head?! “Now that that chip’s been removed, you now possess the ability to learn magic, which ,I can imagine, will be very helpful in your quest.”
How did this pony know about my plan? Who were they?
“I assume you have noticed the book and potion. The book provides some details on magic, and can also teach you the most basic magical ability; telekinesis.”
I lifted up the book and put it under the light.
‘Magic: A Learners Guide To Spell-Casting and Other Magical Techniques. Volume 1:Telekinesis Written by T.Sparkle’
“Oh great. Reading. That sounds fun”
‘That book was written by an old acquaintance of mine. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy reading it. The potion will also be helpful.’
I looked at the blue-tinted liquid in the vial.
‘Helpful, how?’ I thought.
‘That’s all the information I can give you at this current moment of time. Good luck on your quest.’
“I wonder who did this?” I questioned.
The note was signed ‘a friend’.
“Hmmph, of course it is” I said, rolling my eyes.
I stopped and thought for a minute. Could I really trust this potion? For all I know,it could be an Authority trick. I grabbed the book and potion and placed them in a bag I found tucked away under the desk.. Hopefully, Spark Plug could give me some answers, if he forgave me.Before I left, I made sure to pick up the sword and sheath.
I walked to the door. I was surprised to find it unlocked. I entered into a small corridor, where I looked upon another door. I hoped it was the exit. I trotted towards it and pushed it open with my hoof. The light seeped in like gas.
It was daytime.

*** *** ***

I shielded my eyes from the bright light. I looked about my surroundings. It was dingy, wherever it was. I had never seen this place before. I looked back at my temporary prison. It was a rusted shed in an overgrown back garden. The house,which was situated by the shed, looked run down and deserted. I didn’t dare enter, for fear of it collapsing on me.

I trotted through a nearby alleyway and entered a street. Just like yesterday, ponies were trotting off to work or school. But something was different. There were a lot more Authority members around. I walked down the street, hoping for a sign or something to let me know where I am. The speakers that inhabited the street spoke in their tinny voice.
“If anypony has any information about the murders that took place last night, report to an Authority member immediately”.
Murder? Oh crap, they found the bodies. I hope nobody saw me.

I had entered into the main square. It was bustling with ponies, buying goods or working. A statue of Cadence adorned the center, her imposing figure looking down upon us with malice in her eyes. I knew where we were now. Hoofton Square. Spark Plug wasn’t that far away.

Authority members were in their droves here; questioning, frisking, arresting. I kept my head down and hooves crossed hoping they wouldn’t ask me any questions.
“Hey! You! Stop where you are!”
Shit.
I looked up as an Authority member trotted over to me.
“Where you were you last night?”
“Er...me? I was…working. You know? Late night at the office. Just making my way back from there.” I smiled sheepishly. He didn’t seem impressed.
“Working, huh? Did you witness anypony acting suspiciously? Did you witness the murders?” he questioned. Though I couldn’t see his eyes, I felt his icy glare run through me.
“Murders?”, I replied, acting shocked “No,sir. I was too focused on my work to see anything”
I pretended to yawn.
“Speaking of work, like I said, late night. I should probably get some sleep. Sorry I couldn’t be of any use.” I rushed, smiling. I was about to trot away when he stuck his hoof out.
“Not so fast,” he said cooly. He pointed at my back. “Where’d you get that sword?”
Damn it! I forgot about the sword.
“The...sword? I...er…. work at the hay store! I use it to cut the straps holding the hay together!”
Please work.
“The hay store huh? Odd, I thought you said it was a late night at the office.”
Crap! Think, Moonlight, think.
“That’s what we call it! At work anyway.”
“You call it an office?”
“Er...yes?” I smiled, hoping that I had gotten away with it.
“Hmm. I don’t know. The murders were done via a bladed instrument, and so far, you’re the only pony I’ve seen with such an instrument. I’m going to take you in for questioning. See if we can find anything else out.”
The jig was up.
“You don’t want to do that.” I said, staring at him.
“What did you say?” he asked. He sounded genuine, as in he didn’t actually hear me.
“ I said-”
Suddenly a loud explosion interrupted me followed by gunshots and shouts. The Authority member looked behind him suddenly.
“Oh crap! Phoenix!” he shouted, pulling out his pistol. and running to join his fellow members.
“That was lucky.” But I didn’t stick around to question that luck. I ran, keeping out of the way of the hail of bullets. I pushed past other ponies who were fleeing for their lives. I needed to find Spark Plug. The shouts were louder and more intense. I didn’t know who was winning. I didn’t care. I trotted past some of the local shops; the owners busy putting up flimsy protection from the attack.

I turned a corner, and crashed head on into another pony. I fell to the floor, dazed. The other pony was lying face down on the floor.
“Spark Plug!” I shouted. I lifted him up. He pushed me away, and glared at me.
“Oh it’s you Moonlight.” he said, calming down slightly, but he still kept that glare. I’d obviously hurt him, both physically and emotionally.
“Look, we need to talk. Somewhere private. And safe.”
He nodded.
“My home isn’t too far away.”
The shouts grew closer. The fighting was nearing us.
“We have to move. Now!” he shouted.
We ran. A sudden surge of ponies appeared from nowhere. Bullets buzzed past my ears. I tried to push my way through. I was knocked back and forth, like I was in a washing machine.
“Mommy!”
My ears perked up to this sound. I looked back. A blue foal was walking around the firefight, crying and shouting. Spark Plug disappeared into the crowd.
I ran back. I couldn’t leave this poor foal out here. I trotted towards him and scooped him up. Another bullet sped past, narrowly missing me. I looked down at the foal, making sure he was safe and stopped.
I stared at him.
I stared at the blood on my hoof. At the lifeless body that lay in my arms. Tears formed in my eyes. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. I just stood there, staring down. I didn’t know the foal, but I didn’t need to. I felt like this was my fault. I should’ve been quicker. I should’ve protected him.
I felt a sudden sharp pain in my leg. I dropped to the floor, the body still in my arms. I noticed the blood clinging to my fur. Not his blood. Mine. I’d been shot. It was going to be difficult to walk, but I wasn’t leaving this foal here. I couldn’t. I limped towards an alley off the side and stumbled through a door. There were a few ponies hiding. Trying to protect themselves. They looked at me, and at the crumpled mass in my arms.
“Oh no. Nonononono. Aqua.” I heard.
A purple mare ran towards me and took the foal out of my arms. She hugged the body, crying hysterically, rocking back and forth.
“Why? Why?!” she whimpered, sobbing into her foal. I couldn’t do anything but stare.
“I...I’m sorry.” was all I could spit out. She didn’t look at me, she just continued to cradle the lifeless form. I made my back out into the alley, feeling the stares of the other ponies from the room.

I walked into the alley, the fighting still going on. The pain in my leg was incredible. I leaned against the wall of the alley and sobbed into my arms. A foal. Dead in my hooves. I could’ve done better. I needed to be better.
“You shouldn’t have gone after him”
“What? What do you mean? Of course I should’ve! What’s wrong with you?”
“With me? What’s wrong with you?! You risked your life for a foal you didn’t know and ended up getting shot. And the foal still died!”
“I couldn’t have just left him!”
“Sure you could’ve. Ponies die everyday. What made him so different? What about those other ponies who were shot? I didn’t see you giving a damn about them!”
“But he was a foal! That’s different!”
“Is it? A life is still a life, regardless of age.You know, if I was in control, not only would you not be feeling this way, but you wouldn’t have been shot. Emotions get in the way.”
I thumped my head.
“Leave.Me. ALONE!” I screamed.
“Er, Moonlight?”
I looked around and saw Spark Plug standing next to me.
“Are… you alright?”
“I...I’m fine. Really.”
He looked at me. He didn’t look like he believed me.
“Ok, Moonlight,” he said finally,”I’ve found a way home safely. Come on”
“Ok give me a sec” I lifted myself up, and screamed in agony.
“Holy crap! Moonlight you’ve been shot.”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” I said wincing from the pain as I fell back onto the wall.
“Now’s not the time to be sarcastic, Moonlight! We need to get that sorted out. Come on, I’ll help you walk,”
He put his hoof around me, and supported me while I walked.
He looked at me.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Truthfully?”
“Sparkie, I’m fine. Trust me”
That was a lie. I wasn’t fine. Fine was far from the truth. I lied to Spark Plug, my closest friend. What was happening to me? The question plagued my mind as I limped down the alley.

I was in Spark Plug’s home. It was messy. Technological components were scattered across the floor. Looks like he brought his work home with him. I was resting on his couch, waiting for my leg to heal. Most of the pain had gone, but it was difficult to move on it. A bandage was wrapped around the wound. Spark Plug walked in, looking at me with disappointment and a hint of sadness in his eyes.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, breaking the silence that encased the room.
“Like I’ve been shot.” I replied, smirking. He didn’t smile back.
“I’ve done what I can. You’re lucky there was an exit wound. But I’m not sure if it’s enough. That leg may take a while to heal. I’ll make a quick visit to town to get a healing potion, once the fightings quietened down”.
“Thank you.” I said smiling. He still looked disappointed. I sighed. “We need to talk, don’t we?”
“I don’t know. Do we? Because if I remember right, you don’t like talking things through!” he spat at me. He sat in the chair opposite the couch.
I twiddled my hooves.
“I’m sorry. I was too focused on revenge to think straight.”
“Damn right you weren’t thinking straight! Holy hell Moonlight., I was worried sick. I know you were upset, but did you think how it would affect me or anypony else that knows you to find out that you walked into your death?!”
“Like I said, I wasn’t thinking straight! Put yourself in my position Spark! You just witnessed your parents die and you’re telling me you wouldn’t want revenge?”
He stood up and looked at me.
“Of course I would want revenge! But I wouldn’t be stupid about it! You threatened me! You pushed me away! Something’s changing in you, Moonlight and it’s scaring the crap out of me!”
I thought back to the reflection. Was that the point it had taken over?
“I’m sorry, alright?! I don’t know what else you want me to say! I’m a dumb pony! An idiot!” I was on the verge of tears. Spark Plug noticed this and began to calm down.
“I’m...sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted at you like that. You just really worried me. Like, really worried me.But you shouldn’t have gone off your own like that. And you shouldn’t have threatened me.”
“I know. I know I did. I was blinded by vengeance. And for that, I’m sorry.” I whispered.
“I forgive you. But please promise me you won’t do anything like that again. Not by yourself”
Did he really forgive me? I doubted it, but at least we were on track to fixing what was broke.
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“Promise me, Moonlight.”
“I promise.”
He smiled slightly and made his way to sit back down .
“So...what did you do? Because you definitely didn’t kill Cadance.”
“Yeah, I stopped myself from going through with it. Those murders they’re talking about on the other hoof,”
I pointed a hoof at myself.
“I thought as much. Your dad taught you well.”
“Yeah, he did.” I looked down in sorrow.
“So what else? Where’d that bag come from?”
The bag. I forgot about that. Luckily, I had the smartest pony I knew with me.
“It was the strangest thing. First I-”
I stopped, just as I was about to tell him about the reflection. I couldn’t tell him that. He’d think I’d lost it. This was one thing I was keeping secret, at least until I sorted it out.
“You?” he ushered me on.
“I…spoke to this mare. Then I woke up in a shed with this.” I pointed at the scar on my side.
“Did you do that?”
“No. I think it was the mare. But she removed something from me. A chip”
“A chip? What for?”
I smiled.
“You ever heard of something called magic?”

*** *** ***

“Astonishing!” Spark Plug exclaimed. He had his head in the book that I was given, making notes and muttering ‘wow’ and ‘amazing’ every now and then.
“So, what is it?”
“Huh?” he said, not even bothering to look at me.
“Spark Plug? Hellooooo? Equestria to Spark Plug. Are you reading me?” I said waving my hoof. I was still lying down on the couch.
I looked around the area for something to throw at him. I picked up some crumpled up paper and aimed at his head. The paper glided through the air and hit him straight in the head. He dropped the book in shock.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“Yeah. Yeah! It’s just...do you know what this means?!”
“Spark, it’s me. Of course I don’t know what it means.”
He smiled.
“Magic is a powerful element that allows you to manipulate the very fabric of reality with a variety of spells.Every unicorn is born with some sort of magic within them. I’d hazard a guess and say that that chip you talked about...slowed the production of magic within unicorns to a halt. But now... your chip is removed.”
“Meaning?”
“Moonlight, you may be able to use magic. The potential power that you can wield might be enough to actually succeed in defeating Cadance!”
“Awesome! Great! So...how? How do I use magic?”
Spark Plug flicked through his notes.
“From what I gathered in the book, you need to learn a spell. Sometimes it can take days. Months. Years. Even decades. Telekinesis is the easiest one to learn, and every unicorn can learn it regardless of magical ability.”
“Telekine...what?That’s moving stuff with my head, right?.”
“Well, with your horn,but yeah. Knowing you though, and I know you pretty well Moonlight, you’d probably fall asleep within a few seconds of reading.”
“Hey! That may be true, but still!”
Spark Plug got up and walked over to his bookshelf. Most of the books within Section Five were inspected for sedition, so any useful information from his books were most likely taken out. He ran his hoof over the books, muttering the names.
“Ah! Here we are. ‘Potions: An Alchemist’s Guide’.” He opened it.
“What’s that for?”
“The potion you got? You don’t remember a lot, do you?”
I shook my head. He flicked through the book. His eyes grew wide.
“Incredible! That potion you got, it speeds up the learning process of spells. Very rare. And very dangerous if you overuse it.”
“How dangerous?”
“Er...addiction, magic burn out, potential death. You know, the usual stuff.”
He looked up from the book. My face was in shock and worry.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, sure” I said, with slight disagreement with what he said.
“How do you know all this? Those books were inspected for sedition, right?”
“Not these ones.” he said smiling.
“How?” I felt like I was interrogating him.
“I’ve...got my sources.”
Something didn’t feel right, but I suddenly became distracted by the potion.
“So what, do I just drink it?” I said, lifting up the potion about to take a sip..
“Woah, hold your horses.” he said taking the potion out of my hoof.
“Hey! What gives?”
“Do remember you are still injured. Before we do anything else, we need to fix that leg.”
He trotted over to the window.
“Hmm, looks like the fighting’s stopped or at least slowed down,” he turned his head, “I’m going to make my way into town to see if I can find a healing potion.”
“You’re just going to leave me? What am I going to do in the meantime?”
“Sleep? I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
He was about to leave, but then stopped.
“Don’t walk on that leg. And don’t ... touch anything. Ok?”
“I’m not a foal Spark!”
“No, but you sure act like anyone” he whispered whilst walking out the door.
I crossed my hooves with a ‘hmmph’.
I heard the door shut, followed by silence. I lay on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Wow, this was boring. I tried to move my leg, but couldn’t. I really wish I had a ball or something to bounce against the wall.
My eyelids started to shut. I yawned. I was pretty tired. Lower and lower my eyelids shut, before I was greeted by the ever-familiar darkness.

*** *** ***

I stood alone in a misty street. The fog was so thick I could barely see in front of me. I made my way through the blanket of gray, but I felt like I was making no progress. From this realisation, the dream became lucid.
I saw a faint shadow moving it’s way through the fog. A bloodied foal stepped out of the grey sheet.. The same foal that died in my arms.
“You did this to me.” he whispered.
“No, it wasn’t me! I tried to help. I tried to save you.”
“You weren’t quick enough! You tried...and failed.”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Another shadow caught my eye to the right of me. It was the foal’s mother.
“Why? Why did my baby have to die?”
“I didn’t mean to. I wanted to help!”
“Why did my baby have to die?! What makes your life worth more than his?!”
From the left came my parents, drenched in blood.
“You could’ve saved us! Who thought we had raised such a failure! You let that foal die, and you let us die. Who next? Spark Plug?!” they screeched in unison.
I lay down on my hooves,sobbing.
“I’m sorry!!”
“It’s all your fault!” they chanted.
“It’s all your fault!”
“It’s all your fault!”
“I know!” I screamed.
The chants stopped. The foal and his mother vanished, as did my parents. The fog remained.
“Oh, you’re back again.” I heard a voice say disdainfully.
I looked up. The reflection looked down on me. I got up on my hooves and wiped the tears from my eyes.
“What do you want? You’re not going to...kiss...me again, are you?”
She laughed.
“Kiss you?! Please, I was merely experimenting. One time was enough.”
“So, why are you here?”
“Duh, I’m always here.”
A puff of smoke appeared next to her, revealing the foal.
“Remember him? I’m sure you do. He died in your arms and you ended up shot.” she said matter-of-factly.
“I know, alright?!”
“But why? Why did you try and rescue him?”
“Because… he was scared and alone and he could’ve died.”
“And he did. You tried to play the hero, and he died. Yes, he would’ve died anyway, but you’d be better off. You’re not a hero. You never will be. You’re just a killer. That’s what you need to be to survive. If you try to save ponies in danger, you’re going to get shot, stabbed, beaten. You’re only flesh. You won’t last long, the way you’re acting now.”
“No! I can’t just leave ponies in that situation. That’s not me! I wanted to save that foal.”
“I know you did, but don’t think you’re doing for some noble motive. You only did it to make yourself feel better. To try and forget about little old me. Just remember that next time you take the stupid option and risk your life for some stranger.”
She vanished. I stood there,shocked. I’m crazy. I must be. Was it right? No. No! That’s not me!
The world shook around me suddenly. An earthquake? Bright flashes blinded me, varying in length, until one didn’t vanish.

*** *** ***

“Moonlight! Wake up!” Spark Plug said shaking me.
“Wha...what?”
“Phew. I thought I’d lost you then. I’ve been trying to wake you up for about half an hour now.”
“What?! I feel like I’ve only been asleep for a few minutes.”
I sat up and rubbed my eyes.
“Did you get it?”
“Yeah, but it took a while. There were still pockets of unrest. Luckily, somepony was kind enough to sell me one”
“Well, give it to me then.”
He nodded, and reached a hoof into his satchel. He brought out a vial with a bright red liquid inside. He handed it to me.
“Drink up.”
I placed the vial against my lips and drank the liquid. It was smooth, with a slight strawberry taste. Suddenly, I felt the bones in my legs snap back into position, and the wound in my leg close up.
“OW! Shit!” I screamed out, holding my leg in pain.
“Oh yeah, the shop owner said that might happen”
I bit my lips from the sudden pain, but it started to subside as quickly as it came.
“Could’ve given me a heads up!” I said, rubbing my leg. That was not a nice experience.
“Well, can you walk?”
I slid off the sofa and stood on all four. I walked forwards. I smiled at Spark Plug.
“Good. Now that you’re fixed, we can take a look at that potion.”
I rubbed my hooves together, eager to get started. Magic sounded like a useful weapon. I couldn’t contain my excitement.
He plucked the book from the bookcase and the potion from the side. He chucked the book at my legs.
I looked at him perplexed.
“What?”
“You need to read the spell. This book is imbued with magical properties. You read the spell, you’ll absorb the technique for that spell. But you need to drink this potion before you can actually use it.”
“Aww, I hate reading.” I whined.
“Moonlight…”
“Fine!”
He opened the book to the page with the spell on it. The spell consisted of strange symbols.
“How am I supposed to read this?!” I said pointing a hoof at it.
“I don’t know. Just look at it and see what happens.”
Smartest pony I knew right here. I rolled my eyes and tried to read the symbols from left to right. Suddenly, I felt a strange feeling wash over me.
“Moonlight?”
I felt this power surge through me.
“I’m fine. Just...wow!”
The symbols on the book glowed along with my horn. Spark Plug stepped back out of fear. I opened my eyes as I felt my body lift from the ground. My horn shined brighter and brighter, lighting up the room. Then, the light vanished. The book stopped glowing. My horn grew dim. And I fell rump first on the floor. Spark Plug looked at me in shock.
“What the fuck?”
“That... was...awesome!”
I felt better. New. This power I had in me swam through every crack in my body. I felt about twenty percent cooler!
“The potion,please.”
Spark Plug reluctantly handed me the potion. Oh I couldn’t wait for what lightshow this would bring. The blue liquid diminished as I drank it. It tasted like metal.. I could feel it coming. The power!
“Burp!”
Oh, that was pretty anti-climatic.
“Excuse me” I said, sure that my cheeks had turned slightly red.
“How are you, Moonlight?”
“I feel good. Better than good. I don’t know what was in that potion, but it was great!”
I looked around.
“So, how do I use this telekin...whatever it is?”
Spark Plug lifted the book up and flicked through the pages.
“Er… it looks like the gist of it is you have to focus on the object and create a mental image of what it is you want to pick up. Then imagine yourself picking it up, and it should be as simple as that. Once you’re used to it however, you should be able to pick an object up at a much quicker speed.”
“Right. Got it.”
I looked at one of the contraptions on the floor. I envisaged myself lifting that object up. It started to shake, but then stopped.
“Damn it.”
“Focus Moonlight.”
“I know, I know.”
I tried again. I pictured the object lifting up, but still nothing.
“Fuck! I’m never going to be able to do this.”
“Moonlight. Don’t give up now. Clear your mind. Focus solely on the object. Nothing else matters.”
I rubbed my horn.
“Come on! Work!” I thought.
I tried again. I forced myself to think of the object. Nothing else. I could see in my mind the object moving suddenly. I pushed harder, determined to make it float. Harder. Harder!
“Moonlight…” I heard Spark Plug mutter in awe.
I opened one eye, then the other. The object floated in the air surrounded by a dark blue aura. My horn glowed the same colour.
“Woah…” I stood there, wide eyed. I’m sure I felt my jaw hit the floor.
“Amazing…”
The aura disappeared, causing the object to drop, breaking the trance it had us under.
“Well that was...something.” I said.
Spark Plug looked at me with excitement.
“Ha, I’ll say.”
“So...now what?”
He picked the object up.
“Do it again.”

*** *** ***

We had spent some time practicing. It was tough and tiring, but in the end, I was able to grasp some control over the spell, allowing me to manipulate the object and use the spell at a reasonable speed. I fell back on the couch and sighed.
“That...was...long. I’m exhausted!”
Spark Plug trotted in with some cups of water. I quickly grabbed one with my newly acquired telekinesis and gulped it down.
“At least you’ve learnt the spell now.”
“I sincerely hope not every spell is as time-consuming as that.” I said, grabbing another cup.
The day had quickly vanished, and the room was dimly lit.
“Right, it’s time for some shut-eye. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, grabbing another cup. I was going to be up in the middle of the night at this rate, I was sure of it.
“We’re going to see the Phoenix…”
I spat the water out.
“What?! The Phoenix? Why?”
“We need their help Moonlight. We can’t take Cadence on by ourselves. We need their soldiers and their weapons.”
“But they’re terrorists!”
“Are they? They haven’t attacked us.. In fact, they’re trying to help us.”
“But…”
“But what Moonlight? You killed Authority. As far as they’re concerned, you’re a terrorist too. We may as well work with the Phoenix. You ever hear the phrase ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend?’ We’re in that exact situation.”
“I...damn it.” He had a good point. It was dumb to think we could do this by ourselves. Who knows? Maybe the Phoenix aren’t so bad.
“How are we going to contact them? We don’t know where they’re hiding.”
Spark Plug shifted his eye’s left to right.
“Right, Spark Plug?”
“Well…”
“How?!”
“I’ve got my ways. But it’s nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment. Get some sleep, you’ll need it.” And with that, he trotted out of the room.

Spark Plug is the smartest pony I know. Most of his decisions were logical, and work out a hell of a lot better than mine. So why was I doubting him? Could we really trust the Phoenix? They say they fight for the people, but how could I be sure? How could he be sure? Words don’t say a lot nowadays. Better question, how does he know where to find them?
Spark Plug is the smartest pony I know. His decisions made sense. This time though, I was sure he was making a mistake.
I trotted off to bed, hoping to not have another visit from my mental enemy. I didn’t need it, not since tomorrow would be something quite important.
The day the revolution starts.