Chapters My name is Magna Carta. I was a lawyer, before the war. I did my best to find the truth in the all the lies and liberate ponies from their darkest hours. I did this in the name of truth, justice, and equality. I had though I'd seen the worst pony-kind had to offer; murders, rapists, everything that nopony wants to think about. I brought them before a court of their peers and in front of the Eyes of the Goddess and let them confess their crimes, or fight them. Either way I found out the truth of the matter. Sometimes I was on the wrong side, and sometimes it wasn't easy to hear the truth...But...But I always knew there would be a light. No matter how dark it got in that court room, how bleak it felt...I knew, that the light would shine through. That's why i think i chose to fight for the night. I don't know what happened, I'm not the pony to ask, but whatever happened it happened fast. The Holy Goddess of the sun, our ruler for over 1,000 years and prodigal mother to everything I stood for...Became a tyrant in the worst way. Suddenly everypony outside canterlot was starving, if you couldn't pay your tariffs on your land then...then no sunshine...No fucking sun! She took it away! Ever sense I was small the sun was a symbol and beacon of hope! And she whored it out to whoever would pay! Needless to say my job also became more difficult. Prejudice juries made up of rich canterlot nobles put away anypony in dept. Took everything from them, then pardoned them...They would go home with nothing...And...The worst part was...Is no one said anything. I would have but...But i was too afraid. I've never been a leader, I've always been right but I've never been one to inspire. But, I've digressed. Nopony said anything. Not the guards, not the peasants, not even the national Heroines...I knew Braeburn, and he told me all about applejack...Element of honesty...Honesty my well groomed ass! Her family benefited the most from the "sun shortages"! Sweet apple acres soon had a monopoly on apples...Real honest. There were only two ponies who said anything. Twilight Sparkle, no nopony has heard from her sense and...Luna herself. She was...Divine. Celestia tried to lower the sun on a poor family of rock farmers outside ponyville, and Luna...held it there...She held the sun in place...I don't think even Celestia knew she could do that. That was when the riots began. Sides split and a nation divided. Most of the "mane 6" found themselves together on the side of the new tyrant queen. All except Rarity, who disappeared, and RainbowDash who hides in her home. Locked in some secret chamber. The element of loyalty couldn't decide which side to follow. At lest she had ethics...well...and Fluttershy, but nopony expected her to fight. Her cottage is the only piece of neutral ground between ponyville and Phillydelphia.
----Everfree Forrest...Abandoned Castle...8:09pm
The Princess, the lady of the night, the mare of the moon,...and a really beautiful mare in her own respect...Luna stood before me, leaving me in a mix of both terror and awe. It was dark of course, the middle of the everfree forest at the middle of the night made for a rather dark setting but I still met her here. Amazingly, I was here for a job.
"Mr. Carta. It is our-erm...My Assumption, that you are a well accomplished lawyer?"
"Excuse me? Ermm I mean...Y-yes I mean...I am, was...I...Don't have much work these days...Habeus Corpus being suspended and all..."
"Yes, we...I know. My sister has done allot of things that are hurting allot of ponys...I want to hire you..."
"What?!"
"Oh, im sorry. Were we not loud enough? We shall use the royal, canterlot voice then."
What happened next, i did not expect
"WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCURE YOUR SERVICES AS A NEGOTIATOR!"
It was like a thousands voices, all yelling at once. It blew my mane back and...I could smell the soup she had before getting here.
"I'm...I can try..."
"That is all we're asking Mr. Carta."
~~~~~~
Canterlot...Hedge Maze Entrance...8:07am
I was flanked by two pegasi with hellish bat wings. Luna's personal Royal guard. They were stoic and not very entertaining but far more talkative than the celestial royal guard. When I asked what i was negotiating they laughed and said I was going to be overseeing a prisoner exchange. And Upon our arrival I found myself in the presence of the another princess. I had never been so in awe. Princess luna was one thing, her small frame and naivety made her more cute than anything else, and disrupted the whole feel. Celestia on the other hoof. The Goddess of the Sun and bringer of light Stood in front of me. Her smile melted my heart. I may not agree with her new regime...but...She was still the princess of my idolatry.
"Hello Mr. Magna Carta. How was your ride?"
"uhm uhm uhm dum huh..."
She giggled, she giggled! What ever tyrant she was inside, it was clear at face value. This was the princess We all had known and loved.
"Would you like a moment, Mr.Negotiator?"
"Uhmm...N-no...No I'm fine your majesty."
"Majesty? I had come to understand you had a few objections to the changes I've made to my land."
"You're still royalty your majesty."
She smiled, not the kindly Princess smile, this was different. This had something behind it...Something sinister...I couldn't put a hoof on it but it was something...Lurking.
"Well then, to business. My loyal soliders have captured three of my little sisters rebels. Now, normally I don't have them take Prisioners but this is different, I had fully intended for a public execution. Now, I happen to know my sister has a very special somepony of mine-"
"P-princess I-I don't need to-"
"Nooo, not like that my little pony. she is special because I took her under my wings. Now, I want her back. I will wait till this time tomorrow, as I know little luna likes her moon light strolls."
"Princess...I can't whole heatedly just agree to those terms. I think I'd like to see the supposed prisoners. "
"Ohhh? You don't trust me Mr.Carta?"
There was that smile again.
"I...well..."
And again...What did that mean...I watched as she turned her plot to me and troted over the statue of discord, looking on it with a mix of pride and...was that...Pitty?
"I will not falter on this Magna Carta. I am your queen. You will have my Soldier back here by this time tomorrow, or not only will I make a brutal example of your malcontent charges, but i will burn the everfree forest down, find my sister's cute little play fort and turn that to a smoldering pile of ash!"
She turned back to me. Looking just over her shoulder, now i knew what that smile was. The kindness, the cordial princess of the sun...She was acting and I didn't catch it. As a lawyer I've learned how to tell when people are lying, faking, acting...And...And I couldn't even see hers...Worst of all, she knew i had developed this skill...And she had played me...Then she turned to me and embraced me, like a mother does her foal and I felt so warm and for that tiny moment when her wings wrapped around me and she pulled me close. I felt like I was working for the wrong side.
"It's alright Magna Carta. It's alright. You're doing your job. Your no soldier. I forgive you."
"T-thank you..."
Did i just thank her? Why? I didn't do anything wrong...Right?<
She held me there, making me feel like a foal in the best way. I knew this wasn't out of kindness. I didn't even think this is how I really felt. It could be a spell to make her be loved, or maybe she could control minds. I don't know, But I liked this. Not that my mother didn't hug me when I was a foal, but this was...this was basically being recognized by the strongest and most important force on the face of the planet, as a pony whom she cared enough about to provide comfort for.
~~~~~~~~~
Everfree forest...Abandoned Castle...9:01pm
I walked up to the princess of the night. I had told her guards to tell her the terms of the trade. Normally I would have tried for a better deal, but...And it may have worked...on a peer...I didn't think it would have been to effective on a god.
"Mr.Carta, we hear you did not even try to get a better deal. you did NOT negotiate. you...you just said yes!"
"With all do respect your highness, you know your sister. Or...you did...point is, did you really think I could take her?"
"Well...No, but we had hoped that you could have done something else."
"Well...I couldn't. I'm sorry. All I could do was barter for their safety until the meeting. And...I just hope she'll hold to her word."
not that I could tell if she wouldn't<
'hmmm...very Well Magna Carta. We'll procure our sister's abomination and bring her to the maze. You will be there."
I could only bow and hope for the best
"oky doky loky."
That night, I spent in the forest. I spent a night with the princess of the moon...She didn't sleep, she stood sentinel the whole night as far as I knew and I had to sleep in the thrown room of nightmare moon and that was very strange. I couldn't help but twist in my sleep. I had nightmares, nothing terrible and life changing per-say, Just...nightmares; parasprites and spiders, changelings and celestias' new smile...I hate that smile. I never thought I could hate a smile.
Canterlot...Crystal mines below the castle...9:01pm
"Dude...We're boned aren't we?"
"Maybe...I stil think something big is gonna happen."
"Oh really? Like what? Do you expect the giant chicken god to descend from his celestial coop and save us? Ha! Well my fine feathered friend, I can guarantee there will be NO super mega god poultry falling down and squishing the new sun tyrant."
"Ohhh shut up Galv. If we're really going to die, the last thing I want is your weird image of a giant chicken droppin a deuce on the old tyrants head...actually...never mind that's brilliant!"
"Hey guys...any chance you could both shut up? for a minute? I mean, I want to get some sleep."
"I got a question...If you're a pegasus...why didn't you just fly for help?"
"I don't like flying."
"So...we're here because of you?"
"No spark. We're here because we were careless."
"So...another question...They took your guns...but not your swords? Why don't you just cut us free?"
"Because...Shut up!"
"Spark...If you're so damn clever. Why don't you just unicorn teleport out of here? I mean running's what you're best at anyway."
"Both of you shut up! None of this matters. We'll be...Well...Any regrets?"
"I regret getting caught. That's rubbish."
"I...Well...I think I regret...Not talking to twilight more..."
"Sap."
"Oh get off it Ferote!"
"I think...I'll regret not bringing that bitch down with me..."
"I can second that."
"Yeah, here here!"
"Death to tyranny and strife."
"Rise with equality and justice."
"All hail the moon."
"All hail the moon."
"All hail the moon."
The trio each curled up and let their heads lay as comfortably on the cavern floor as they could manage and nod off into the embrace of their dreams, the realm of the princess of the night.
"Yup...All hail the moon..."
Wildfire smiled to herself, she was to be freed. The goddess whispered in her ear. Her love, subdued and buried inside her began to boil. The volcano was no longer dormant. Soon, soon the rebellion would face the most dangerous of fires. Truth. They would all burn by her belief in the Goddess' truth. And that fire can not stop burning. Soon...very soon, the infidels would burn and it would all be in the name and love of celestia, the eternal goddess of the universe....
Canterlot Hedgemaze-8:00am
Magna Carta stood next to a lead cage. He didn't know what was in it and he didn't want to. All he knew was that This was celestia's pet, and it was not to be touched. Luna was not here to directly oversee the exchange but the full brigade of Royal guards made him feel just a little bit better...Not...Really, but still! Better than just him. Celestia on the other hoof had no guards save for a single royal guard do drew the carriage that the Lunar republic soldiers were supposedly held in, and he departed as soon as he saw the lead box. Who or what could scare off a royal guard who was loyal to the same princess.
"Ahhh Mr.Carta, I'm so happy you did as Instructed. I had hoped to have my pony a little before now but, i suppose Luna has been busy yes?"
"I'm not sure."
"Ohhhh aren't you know? You don't know about her alliance with the zebras?"
"Your highness...I'm just here to make sure this goes off fine."
"Heheohh ho ho...My little pony, you have no idea how wrong you are...Very well, Let's not discuss my sister...Your Friends-"
"I don't know a single pony in that carriage."
"Hehe...Of course not...You shall drag that box to me, and then take this one back with you. I'm sure luna has prepared some sort of transportation spell to bring you out as soon as you're away from that magic blocking lead crate.
Ahhh, so the crate blocks magic. Explains allot. Were it not for this hunk of metal, I might have been vaporized...And it also explains why that guard had to be here. Were she able Celestia would probably have just teleported it in...Or told me she would have and not have...<
"Ok, first however. I have to have proof that-"
"They're still alive? My dear little Negotiator. The fact I'm not covered in godly head, to gorgeous hoof in their peasant blood is proof enough."
She really was different.<
Magna carta fluttered over. Pushing the large lead box along with him. He got small twitches of anticipation but dismissed them as nerves. No reason to worry. He hovered off the ground just barely six inches from the princess.
"Here. It's uh...It's all yours."
"Heh, well then. Take your traitors."
The princess tapped the carriage wit ha hoof and out tumbled the trio of prisoners. They were unconscious and beaten but alive. Magna carta couldn't believe the brutality. He gripped the collars of the tree of them and dragged them along with him as he struggled to fly backwards with three ponys gripped in his teeth
"Oh...And Mr.Carta..."
This won't be good.
"Yes your highness."
"Do you love me?"
"W-w-what?!"
"Do you love your princess of the sun? It is a simple question isn't it?"
"It is, but..."
That smile again! The sneaky one! What was she planning!<
Celestia smiled her newly perfected sinister smile and put a hoof on her chest
"Or maybe..."
Oh goddess please no<
"You love me, love me... Is that the case my little pony?"
Oh luna, why. Why did things have to get weird...So so soooo weird!<
"That's it isn't it? You're lusting after me. That's cute."
That smile again...No she wasn't actually doing this, not legitimately accusing me...What was she picking at?<
The Lead box thunked and tumbled on its side as dent after dent formed in it. What ever was inside had enough power the box was closing in on it as it tried to release power.
"Oh dear...I'm affraid my little toy doesn't like our love...I think she wants to punish you..."
-Thrunk-Twank-Struch-
"P-princess...W-we had an agreement..."
"Indeed we did. They are not dead and I have not quite recieved my servant. This box needs t ocome off before our exchange is complete."
"What ever is inside there will kill me!"
"WHOever is inside this. Please Mr.Carta. It at least thinks it's a pony, you can at least pretend to treat it like one."
Magna carta heard a synphony in his head, he had no idea where it was coming from but he did know where the heat that washed over him along with it came from. The lead box had just got a new crack in it...That was spewing fire.
"Magna Carta, please say hello to my faithful student...Wildfire."
With a loud roar and the sound of fire, the a white Mare, with a burning orange mane and a Pile of ash with fire atop it on her flank burst from the box in a terrible display of magic. Magna carta staggered back in shear terror, the classical music continued as Celestia's smile spread from cheek to cheek, forcing her to cover her mouth with a hoof, trying to hide her satisfaction.
"Holy mother of-!"
"Shut up infidel! How DARE you lust after my goddess! I will see that you burn in the fires of your heresy!"
"What the-?!"
"DIE HERETIC!"
The white mare pounced in a torrent of fire and closed the distance between her and Magna faster than he could react.
Everything went white.
Chapter 3:Heroism and other Pony passtimes
Luna looked at the sun in the distance. Her sister's eternal eyes. Luna wasn't trying to hide though, she was trying to see where the sun was shining the strongest, surely that was where her sister was concentrating her forces, and that was where she had to strike. She thought briefly of magna carta, he was a kind soul but so misguided. He was a neutral party in a two sided war. He would have to fall into a faction eventually, even if he doesn't know which he truly belongs in. His loyalty and Sense of justice served both sides goals greatly, but he had a connection to the success of the solar empire, he would benefit well if he sided with them. But...He seemed appalled at what Her sister was doing and that made Luna's side that much more appealing. These thoughts were quickly pushed out of her mind as she tracked the sun across the horizon.
"I will find you sister. And I will save you from yourself.
The classical music stopped, there was nothing for a moment...The white faded and one of the unconscious ponies had woken up, he was between Magna Carta the the pony called wildfire, and between him and her was a blade turning white from the heat of her hooves
"Hey...Guy, take cover K? Leave this to the professionals."
The other two had woken up as well, they were looking aboutst them for an enemy that wasn't there, once this was established. They stood tall a moment.
"Excuse me, but uhmm...I was under the assumption we were to be executed? I made my will down in that cave and everything."
"What do you have to leave to any pony spark?"
"Plenty of stuff! Books mostly..."
"Who in equestria would want books?"
"A pony with half a brain...you'd never appreciate them Ferote."
"Oh really? Wanna bet? What books did you-"
"Guys! Blade getting hot! Assistance maybe?"
"Well, that's your fault. I mean by luna, you didn't need to wait so long to act."
"Yeah...You maybe could have just Hauled Flank second he got us out...Might not be here right now..."
"Wait...It's a colt? Awww no way! why can't we ever be saved by a sexy mare?"
"Doesn't matter! Hot Mare right here! Burning through the blade! Maybe you could buck the crap out of her?"
"Huh? Oh yeah."
Ferote extended his wings and took off in a slight dash, more of an extended lunge, under Riku's failing defense. Ferote drove his skull into Wildfire's chest and then flipped in a circle, knocking her almost a yard back. He dusted off his hooves and shook his head.
"She's kinda dirty. Lots of dust."
Celestia had sense lowered her smile into a half grimace as Magna carta looked on in wonder, not quite able to describe what had just happened.
"Guys...I hate to say this, but can we stop exhibiting? I'd like to be far away from the sun and her little flare."
"I don't know...Think we could kill her?"
Celestia laughed then covered her mouth, to at least pretend she didn't think the idea was absurd
"I don't know...I go high, you go low?"
"Guys..."
"Nooo no no. I'll go high, YOU go low."
"Uhmm...Guys..."
"No way. I have a sword,it's tactically adventitious for me to go high."
'Hey! You guys!"
"WHAT?! SPARK!"
"WHAT?! SPARK!"
Galvanic Spark was confronting wildfire, her hooves as hot as magma as his were coated in a repelling field of electricity.
"Help? Please and thank you!"
A swish of a sword and several jabs left nothing on the white mare, consumed in a fiery rage. All the while Princess celestia was laughing almost maniacally as six looked on in awe. The three colts were more than a match for the mare if they could pull their act together, in their current state she would just attack the one that wasn't engaged in an argument.
"Hey! Negotiator! You are either gonna run away now, or smarten up and start fightin!"
The pegasus without swords was really dragging him into this! After he had saved them...A little...
"I don't fight! It's an ugly thing!"
"Well then get ta runnin cause this ain't gonna be pretty."
It was then wildfire shot through them, a bullet of fire tearing through, landing right in front of Magna carta,sending him into Shock. He hit the ground with a thunk as his body. his hooves on his head and his eyes wide.
"Shit!"
Ferote charged in and drove a hoof into the side of wildfire,then another and one more, he deployed his wings and spun in a three-sixty and on the turn drove the leading hoof into her temple. Knocking her on her side, stunned and unable to move.
"Everfree! Grab the Civi! C'mon Spark we're pulling back!"
"But...Everfree is just raping that poor mare! I swear I should call somepony but this is far to interesting to watch!"
"That's an order!"
'you're the same rank as him though."
"You be quiet!"
"Hey, love birds, can we get going? I'm kinda board of looking at celestia's flank."
The two looked at him briefly and then to the princess. This was the first they had heard him talk about any flank other than twilight's. All Galvanic did was shrug.
"I like intellectuals."
And with that they took off, magna carta slung on Ferote's back. Celestia looked at her feeble experiment sadly and whistled for her guard who arrived by her side in quite literally a flash.
"Get every guard up and out of bed. I want canterlot locked down. Wake up shining armor, I want a force field around my city yesterday! Oh...And get me my doctor...We need to work on this little thing..."
"Yes your majesty!"
And with that he flew off to spread the word of the princess, celestia looked over the mare with a fiery mane and stroked her gently.
"It'll be alright little one, we'll fix you. You can count on that."