The Outlander's Trial

"I don't CARE, she is not to go anywhere near the briefing room! That is FINAL!"

"Really? So do you care enough to spend a day in the shadow realm, because if you keep running your mouth, colt, that’s where I'll leave you."

"How dare you threaten me?! Guards take this stallion to the brig."

"Try it and you'll have company there, and I'll leave you for a whole week!"

Everypony was gathered round, watching the two stallions go at it.

It started when Shining Armour, the captain of the guard, forcibly pushed Bow away from him when she tried to introduce herself, and when he called her a 'disgusting dapple flank'. Breach immediately demanded an apology and from that they started going to it.

"Just wait til I tell Celestia about this, daemon, and you'll regret ever crossing my path!" with this final note Shining Armour stormed off.

"So, Bow, great brother Twilight has huh?" quipped Breach.

"I just think he's stressed for Twilight, that and he obviously is not enthused with us here. And thank you for standing up for me, but next time let me handle it."

Twilight was having a great day, Scootaloo had helped her clean up the library and Rainbow Dash had just gotten back from Cloudsdale. The only thing that could ruin this day was if they got attacked.

Of course just as she finished that thought the front door slammed open.

"Twilight," growled Shining Armour as he stormed in, "I forbid you from going near the daemon or his dapple flanked lackey!"

"Excuse me, what? And why?"

"They're dangerous and not to be trusted, you're not going near them again."

At this point Twilight was less confused and more annoyed. "Really, they're dangerous, as opposed to anypony else? Oh and you don't control my life, so I'll do what I want. What's your problem brother?"

Rainbow Dash was standing off to the side with Scootaloo when Scoots whispered in her ear. "Nah Scoots, this is sibling stuff. We should just stay out of it."

"Breach, just stay here. I'll go talk to Twilight and explain things. Maybe we can sort this out." with that Bow set off for Twilights house.

I can understand that Shining Armours' upset, but to the point of threats? That's not how I heard him acting like from Twilight. He must be stressed to an enormously high level.

As Bow neared the door it suddenly flew open.

"Oh, hey Bow!" said a rather pissed looking Twilight, "Glad your here I was just going to find you, follow me."

Bow was thoroughly confused, why did Twilight look mad, and why was she following her inside exactly?

"Great, so now she's here." Shining spat accusingly.

"Can it Shining, Bow hasn't even done anything wrong, now explain why your being so irrational!" demanded a thoroughly peeved Twilight.

"Well first off, she a dapple flank, they're our worst enemies. Then there the daemon, he shouldn't even be in the world. Also they've brought all this trouble down on us, and you think they just want to be 'friends'?"

"Oh yes brother, they must be double crossing backstabbers, which so obviously explains why I'm STILL ALIVE!"

At this Shining had no answer, so Dash stepped in.

"Shining, if Bow wanted any of us dead, she'd've completely done it. Then there's the fact that Breach...” Dash muttered the last bit and nopony heard what she said.

"What was that Rainbow?" asked Scootaloo.

"I said Breach saved my life at the train station, jeez, not like it was bad enough that I needed saving." Rainbow finished with an annoyed sigh.

Bow decided it was time for her to speak up, "Shining Armour, I'm sorry we put everypony in danger, and if I could change that, I would in a heartbeat." she stated despondently as she looked at Scootaloo, the filly who had unknowingly risked her life weeks ago to save her. "I don't want anypony getting hurt, and I tried leaving but the girls stopped me."

"Exactly, leaving a friend hangin' is completely uncool."

"So how'd it all go?" questioned Breach

"It went well; Shining understands that we aren't a problem. He also asked me to apologize to you on his behalf."

"I can understand his doubts, but his insults to you were unacceptable. Besides does he really think that this is a good time to start a fight?"

"He was just looking out for his little sister, just as you were looking out for me." With this Bow moved to Breach's side and laid down for a nap. It took all of two seconds for Breach to join her.

"I thought she was gone Luna, but to find out that this is what she's done, what she's become, over petty rivalry!?"

"Celestia, you forget that I too turned to evil over a petty rivalry. I don't think that she can be saved though. I always kept a small part of me in the back of Nightmare Moons mind, a glimmer of hope that everything could go back to normal. But her? Her normal was already rotten, and I fear what she may attempt."

"I agree Luna, and I can't interfere. The powers that keep Equestria in existence were mad enough when I attempted to stop Chrysalis, and that was my one warning. Oh how I curse the day I accepted that offer, for us to be Queens and to usher in an era of peace. But the cost, to never raise my own hoof in Equestria's defense? It sounded so much safer at the time."

"It's not your fault Celestia, and millions would've perished had you not done so. For the time being, we must trust that the Elements, Shining Armour, Breach, and Bow-Ayn can take care of themselves and rid Equestria of the little witch."

"Sir, we've noticed that the outlander troops appear to be readying a charge."

"Thank you for the report, lieutenant." remarked Shining, in full battle armour (which was also shining), "Ready the troops while I contact my sister and her friends."

With the troops rallying, Shining took off full gallop. If the Elements were deadset on helping then they needed to know that the battle was starting, and they'd need all hooves on deck.

Coincidentally the ponies being seeked were all at Twilight's house to begin with, going over each of their roles in the coming battle.

"I'm in charge of running supplies and keeping moral up." said Pinkie, who was surprisingly serious as far as the other ponies were considered.

"I will be making bandages and cleaning *ahem* used bandages." stated Rarity, who didn't look thrilled at all at the thought of used bandages.

"I'll be in the med bay helping all the poor ponies that come in. Also my eagles friends will be ferrying supplies like food and water." whispered Fluttershy.

"Ah'm gonna be workin’ the catapults with Big Mac. With my bucking power and his strength, them outlanders'll think they're automatic." Applejack hollered.

"Perfect, I'll be up high, casting spells wherever we need them, and maintaining shields around key areas. Rainbow Dash is already preparing Cloudsdale’s air force. They'll be doing strafing runs and try to destroy any outlander war machines. Also Scootaloo, I need you by Fluttershy's side, it's the safest place for you and they'll need all the extra hooves they can get." Honestly Twilight didn't want Scootaloo here at all but the spunky filly refused to be left out "I helped once and I can do it again!”

Bow then stepped up, "I'll be front lines, nopony can out match an outlander like I can. I'll cut in deep then duck back out, allowing troops to fill in the gaps I leave."

"Finally I'll work front lines and wounded troops. On the front lines I can tear through most defenses, and with shadow step I can bring the wounded straight to the clinic faster than you could run them through the field."

Just as he finished Shining Armour burst through the front door.

"It's starting, you do realize you don't have to involve yourselves in this right?" he sputtered in a last ditch attempt to keep Twilight safe.

Breach and Bow answered in unison, "He's right girls, this is our fight, you don't have to get involved at all."

"Oh no, I could never sit back and do nothing." "Sides, Ah've already got my mind made up." "As much as I abhore violence, I'm staying as well dear." "Brother, I'm not leaving my friends alone, and you need me, that and Rainbow dash is still going to be there." "Weeee Let's GO!"

The silence. Always before a fight Breach recognized the silence. He used it to pray to whatever goodly gods there were. Bow didn’t believe in gods, but he believed if there were creatures of pure evil like his kin, then surely the opposite were somewhere out there. This was going to be bloody on both sides, and by the end of it maybe he'd have done enough to find forgiveness by all for his origins, and Bow even more so than him. The ground trembled.

He looked up to see the outlanders charging. His muscle rippled, his one eye assessing strengths and weaknesses. He shot a glance left to see Bow looking at him. Grimly she nodded, and he nodded back. At this he melded into the shadow realm. 'Let the fun begin' he thought.

She watched him meld into the shadows on the ground. It was late and there wasn't much natural light, so Twilight erected some magical floating lights specifically for him. Turning back to the front she watched as her people barreled closer. There was no choice, they were evil, she was not, and she would not allow them victory. Enraged she bolted forward, an action that caused those around her to charge ahead as well.

Leading the charge, she didn't even notice the yellow eye in her shadow. She was not leading this charge alone, nor would she ever be alone as far as Breach was concerned.

Fifteen feet, Ten, Five! Bow slid under a lunging outlander above her. As she slid she saw Breach leap from her shadow, slamming into the stallion above her. 'I guess somepony had to have my flank.'

Flipping over the next stallion she struck him in the neck, at the base of the skull, dropping him immediately. She could barely hear the ponies fighting around her, completely zoned as she was. Landing she tripped a second outlander who took his partner down with him. Realizing she was in too deep she backed out taking down 3 more outlanders. The gap in the enemy forces was soon filled by the Equestrians. 'Just like I'd planned.'

Seeing more trouble to her left, she took off over the ponies’ backs. Her slight frame and graceful movement carried her quickly to the source of trouble. It was a battle master; they trained the armies and were incredibly dangerous. Then again so was she!

"Battle master!' Bow yelled. The stallion in question locked eyes with her immediately as ponies on both sides drew back to allow the two their fight."I'll enjoy your death traitor, and the Queen will reward me greatly." the overconfident Battle master stated.

Bow knew that to keep the upper hand with this stallion that had so easily dropped 6 previous warriors she'd be playing defensively. The waiting getting to her, she finally shot a quip about the battle master’s mother. "I'll kill you!" he yelled as he charged. Bow spun around his right side as he came forward, land successive blows to his right fore and hind leg. He immediately rounded on his quick and diminutive opponent only to see her burst into a flurry of spins and jabs.

As graceful as the best of dancers, Bow sent jabs in at key points in the outlander. Left fore knee, muzzle, right fore ankle, left side jugular, left eye, hollow of the neck, in betwixt the eyes, and then finally right were the throat meet the jaw. The battle master couldn't move, his left and right forelegs had given out; he couldn't see straight out his right eye and couldn't see at all out his left, his neck numb, and with trouble catching his breath the outlands stallion sank to the ground.

As soon as he went down Bow took off, she was sure there were more battle masters. 'Now I just have to find them!' she grimly thought.

The stallion didn't even know what had hit him. One minute a mare was sliding under him, the next a huge black stallion had slammed him into the ground, he blacked out immediately.

'These foals have no idea the trouble they're in.' Breach thought seconds before bursting from an out numbered Equestrians shadow. With a single swipe he knocked one outlander flying. Ducking into another shadow, he immediately emerged from the Equestrians other side. Grabbing the second outlander, he dragged the surprised stallion into the shadow realm.

The outlander didn't know what just happened, one second it was four on one, but now it was him and the stallion next to him, mere seconds after that thought the second stallion to disappear came barreling out of a shadow, knocking the outlander and his companion clean out.

Four outlanders down and one Equestrian safe, he continued along until noticing a rather determined group of outlanders. They'd gouged a hole into the Equestrian line and were meeting little resistance. Rushing over, he erupted from a shadow directly in front of the lead outlander. "Hello, mate! He shouted, the outlander froze, clearly not knowing what to make of this. Breach gave him a good Glasgow Kiss and immediately set upon the next two in line, quickly dispatching them as well. The offense broken the remaining three outlanders retreated back into their ranks. Breach then noticed a rather badly wounded Equestrian. Grabbing the stallion with his magic, he immediately shadow stepped him to the clinic.

"Fluttershy, I've got another one for you!" "Ok Breach just set him on that mat and we'll get somepony on him stat." “Any news of the others?" he questioned. But before Fluttershy could answer Owlicious burst into the med bay with a message. "Oh, it's from Twilight, let’s see here, oh my, oh no! Breach, Twilight's brother is in trouble!" "It's ok Fluttershy I'm on it.

Personally Breach didn't care much for the stallion, but he wasn't going to let him die just for being a bigot. He raced through the shadow realm looking for the Captain of the guard. It seemed like ages but he finally found Shining Armour and burst from his shadow.

It was desperate; Shining had fought forward with his stallions and met an elite group of outlander fighters head on. They were doing well at first, but his stallions were already winded, and they started dropping like flies. Covered in nicks and cuts the brave Captain battled on. 'If I die today, I die knowing I fought to the last!" That thought quickly altered to when I die as Shining was knocked to the ground. Attempting to rise he saw 7 outlanders closing in, then black.

Breach burst forth in front of Shining immediately releasing a powerful blast of magic that sent the 7 outlanders flying. Turning around he released some healing magic into Shining and helped him up.

"So Shining Armour, you still want me out of Equestria, cause I can still leave if you want!" joked Breach. "Oh yeah, of course Breach get out of here, cause you haven't been helpful at allllll!" Shining shot back sarcastically. The two stallions turned to face the enemy, only to quickly realize they were completely cut off from the Equestrian forces. "So, Shining, I guess this is it huh?" "Guess so, but I'm not going down easy!" "That's what I like to hear, colt!"

Bow knew something was wrong, she'd lost sight of Shining, and Breach hadn't confirmed he was okay like he'd done seventeen minutes ago. 'He's checked in every ten minutes, something’s wrong, I know it.' Taking off through the crowds she desperately searched for her stallion friend, or Shining if he had information.

Breach and Shining were fighting hoof and horn. Breach was fresher, not to mention tougher, than Shining. 'Poor colt, he doesn't need to go out like this.’ Breach would've shadow stepped, but to bring Shining with him he'd have to fully enter the realm then partially exit to bring Shining in. In the time that would take the beleaguered Shining would go in seconds. They need help, and fast.

Pulling her artificial wing out of a shadow pocket and firmly strapping them on Bow took to the skies. It took her a couple of minutes, but she finally found Breach. The stallion was valiantly standing over a downed Shining Armour. They need help and she was already on her way down.

Breach couldn't hold them off. The outlanders kept a good distance, and then one would duck in and strike from behind. He felt a strike to his flank; half turned then stopped, expecting the next one to come from the direction he'd just been facing. He was right, but he wasn't fast enough. He was going down on this blow, and he knew it. 'I love you Bow and I'm sorry, gods keep you safe'.

This was it, he'd be the outlander famed for striking the felling blow on Breach and taking the Captain prisoner. Nothing could stop him now! Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his forehead and dropped.

"Breach! Shadow step and get Shining out of here, I'll hold them off!" Aided with her artificial wings, Bow danced among, under, on the backs of, and over the outlanders surrounding the two stallions. Bow put them down left right and center never slowing her tempo. She soon saw that Breach had gotten Shining to safety but that brief distraction allowed for an outlander to get a strike at her. She hit the ground, realizing at once she wasn't getting out. Breach was with Shining and couldn't get back fast enough. 'Well damn, at least I saved Breach, and I'm sure I'll get a post humous recognition and apology from Shining."

She was right over the battlefield. Using her keen vision she quickly noticed Bow, bravely clearing the way for Breach's escape. Breach took somepony with him, but she didn't see who. Then she saw as Bow went down. She smiled grimly. It was time. Making the signal, she watched as everypony around her dove towards the battlefield. Dash knew only she’d make it in time. Breaking into a dive she knew instinctively what to do. Everything around her a blur she blasted past the other ponies diving. The air formed a cone around her, tightening, tightening, tightening, the BOOM a chromatic explosion burst from behind her as the slammed into the ground in between Bow and the outlanders.

"BAM, welcome to Equestria where ponies punch holes in the sky! Just wait to see what we do to you!" shouted Rainbow Dash. Her air force was already doing a number on the outlander forces, which quickly fell into a retreat.

"I was wondering where you'd gotten off to, I was beginning to think you were taking a nap." muttered Bow as she picked herself up. "C'mon now, I'd never leave a pony hangin'! Here let’s see to you."

Bow stood still while Dash checked on her, "Huh, your good." "Good, the outlanders will wait to regroup, for now let’s get to med bay, Shining Armour was hurt pretty badly!"

Back at the med bay, Shining Armour was in critical condition. "He, um, needs to go to Canterlot for professional medical attention." stammered Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash immediately went to help Twilight, who was cut up about her brother's injuries. "Breach, where do you know how Rarity, AJ and Mac, and Pinkie pie are doing?" questioned Bow. "Rarities continuing to create bandages for all the wounded. Pinkies been sent to Canterlot already for more supplies, and AJ took Big Mac to go collect more food from their farm."

It wasn't too long before Shining was put on the train with the other criticals to be sent straight to Canterlot. Twilight, Dash, and Scootaloo headed home for some sleep and Fluttershy left to see if she could help AJ and to spend some time with her.

"You ready to head home and catch some shut eye Breach?"

"Definitely."

Once home Breach noticed Bow staring at him rather intently, and when he questioned her as to why she immediately broke into tears. "What's wrong Bow?" he asked, this wasn't like Bow and he was concerned. "I thought I had lost you for a time. I looked everywhere and asked everypony but nopony knew where you were. I'd thought you'd been killed! If that had been true I don't know what I'd've done...." "Tears in his own eyes now he lifted her face to look her deep in the eyes, "Bow, I'll always be there for you, and nothing in the world can keep us apart. If I'm to die, then I plan on dying of old age by you side. You understand that? I will not allow anything to harm you, not physically, nor emotionally."

With that said he drew her into a kiss, and then another. She accepted this and began leading him to their bed.

Bow had made plenty of memories here in Ponyville, but this night, this one night, was going to be the best yet.

"So Twilight's brother has been critically injured, how marvelous to know he's gone. If we're lucky he won't make it. That will definitely make my revenge all the sweeter." the Queen reveled, "Now get a slave to pack my things, I'm going to Ponyville!"