We Will Live On

Love Will Live On...

By Michael A.

Prologue - Action

“Can everypony please take a seat so the council can commence?” The speaker of the house announced, his voice deep and gruff, easily distinguishable from the common banter that filled the Canterlot Castle meeting room. He was a large, slightly heavyset stallion with a bright gold mane and a dark grey coat. He spoke with precision and class, reflective of his high standing lineage, the same one that had allowed him to be elected to such high a position.

The room that had been abuzz with idol chatter soon died down to a quiet whisper, all in attendance quietly shuffled to their assigned positions around the large table that sat in the middle of the room. The room itself wasn’t overly complicated, standard decorations and designs that could be found all around the castle were present in the room. This room was unique, however, with paintings of well established family crests hung all around the room, and the large round table that lay in the dead center of the room, plush chairs lining its circumference.

Nobles, generals, and other members of the Equestrian Elite were amongst those currently seated at the table, along with several other ponies who held high positions in the Equestrian government, among them, currently sat in front of the large stain glass window that depicted her crest, sat princess Celestia. The princess sat patiently at the end of the table, watching over all others in attendance, waiting for the meeting to truly commence.

“All in attendance, members of the Equestrian Elite and others of high stature, we are currently meeting to discuss action and reaction to our recent invasion attempt,” the speaker called out from his seat, addressing all. “Those who wish to speak have the floor.”

The table erupted in a cacophony of ponies all trying to talk over each other, all voices molding together and making any singular one impossible to discern. Well, that was except for one.

“My little ponies, may we please discuss in relative peace? This is a big issue we are addressing, and I expect all to react as such,” Celestia spoke with a calm, even tone, her voice breaching through the chaos and making it clearly to the ears of all who attended. The room soon returned to silence, some muttering quiet apologies. The solar princess nodded. “Much better. Now, I know most of you are still shaken up by the incident, and I wish we could put this off until later, but an action must be taken. The sooner, the better.”

Once the princess had finished, a single, elderly stallion stood up, his golden armor clinking slightly as he did so. The stallion in question was General Crossed Swords, a hardened military veteran who had earned his title through his deeds when he served in the equestrian army. “Princess, if I may speak?” The greying stallion began, only continuing when the princess gave him a nod of agreement. “I believe that the best course of action will be swift, brutal retaliation. These… these monsters attacked us unprovoked, and without reason. If they are as bold to attack our capital city, I can only fear what they may have in store later,” the stallion said, speaking his peace before returning to his seat.

“I concur with the General,” a noble spoke up, standing up from his chair. “We must mobilize our armies and squash these vile creatures like the bugs they are!”  The room erupted once again. Nobles, dignitaries, and military personnel all either agreeing with the noble, or remained silent.

“Order! We will have order!”  The speaker boomed, and the room descended into relative silence once again.

“With all due respect,” said another noble, “We don’t have the means to amass an army so quickly. Equestria has been in peace for over a thousand years. It would take months to mobilize a powerful military.”

The elderly stallion stood up again. “While we have few in numbers, the guard and standing forces that we have in disposal are well trained and are more than capable of ending this, once and for all.”

“‘Well trained?’” A noble scoffed, “Our city was nearly seized within an hour, even with your ‘well trained’ forces on high alert!”

A younger officer snarled at the noble, “We were not to blame for this! Our commanding officer was incapacitated under their leader’s spell, while our dear princess was…” He choked on his next words, barely believing that they were true. “Defeated, our entire army was in disarray. We were swarmed during this hour of weakness, and they took advantage of our discourse to overpower us.”

Another officer stood up, his officer jacket showing his superior rank. “I agree with Officer Stall, under these odds we never stood a chance. But, now that we know what our enemy is, and the shape-shifting power they control, we will not be taken by surprise next time.”

Both officers nodded at each other in agreement, both returning to their seats. Crossed stood up once again, slamming his hoof into the table. “What they lack in power they make up for with tactic; utilizing stealth and sheer volume to almost take down a greater opponent. This is why we must act now! Like us their army currently lays fractured, their queen either dead or crippled by our Captain’s magical pulse. If we wait, if we delay, they could reform, and mount another strike that we may not be so lucky to repel.”

Nobles and dignitaries erupted in both cheers and jeers. Many dignitaries agreed with the General, arguing that a swift retaliation was the only available option to end the threat, and secure safety. While others believed that attacking would start a full scale war that would only plunge the Kingdom into more strife.

Celestia watched from her position at the end of the table, carefully listening and taking in all suggestion that were argued around the court. She pondered each and every one of them, thinking them through in great detail. But, one thing stuck out in her mind, an absence of a certain point: Mercy. She had known about the Changelings for countless years, their presence more then known to her. But, they were a reclusive race, preferring to remain in the shadows and away from conflict. She did not know where exactly the species resided, only able to pinpoint their origin to somewhere in the Equestrian badlands.

Well, that is how they had been for a long time. Long ago, Changelings had posed even more of a treat then they did now. Their skill in stealth allowing them to infiltrate entire cities, draining them dry of their emotions before moving to the next. This lasted for many years, but eventually died down, to the point where they faded from Equestrian culture completely, their presence only known through story and myth. And to her. Her mind focused not on how to respond, but to contemplate the why. What had caused this quiet race to emerge from the shadows?

Her thoughts were broken as the doors to the room burst open, shifting both her and the rest of the room’s attention from the issue at hoof to the unwanted intrusion. A large pegasus stallion strutted into the room, his armor dented and his body showing fresh marks of combat. Two smaller, less built guards stood on either side of him, their forms just as worse for wear.

One of the nobles stood up. “How dare you barge into a Council meaning?! Do you not have any respect for your betters?!”

The pegasus turned his gaze to the offending stallion, snorting loudly. “I am here to report to General Crossed Swords, and to him alone,” he commanded, his tone so fierce that it caused the out-bursting noble to instantly sit back down, turning away to hide his fear.

The General stood up at the mention of his name, and cleared his throat. “Commander Blood Wing, what news do you bring to warren this kind of interruption?”

“I apologize, General,” Blood Wing spoke, showing his respect for the aged veteran. “I came to inform you that we were successful in tracking down a few of the bugs that had been expelled during the attack, and after some ‘coercing’ we were able to weed out the location of their hive, and also gained a plausible location of their Queen’s landing site, and have dispatched a team already to help bring her into our custody.”  He finished, before adding, “I would also like to add that it appears that most if not all of their grunts were not able to survive the impact, as we have yet to find one alive. Those who we have been able to capture have been commanders or high ranking officers, a seemingly special breed of changeling that is tougher and more resilient than the mass of the swarm.”

The room erupted in murmurs again, and the Speaker was soon to regain control of the situation. “Quiet!” he called out, pounding his hoof into the table. He turned his attention to the intruding pegasus. “Thank you Commander for your prompt relay of this development.”

The pegasus nodded, gave a quick bow to Celestia, then exited, motioning with a quick gesture for the guards by his sides to follow.

Once the doors closed behind them, all attention was returned to the Speaker. He cleared his throat. “The council with take note of these developments, and take them into account as we converse.”

Crossed slammed his hoof into the table. “See?! Now is the time to strike! The mass of the attack was from drone, who we were just informed are all dead. Their defense is weak, their chain of command crippled, now is the time to strike! We may never get a chance like this again; it is now or never.”

The Speaker turned to both Officers in attendance, who nodded in agreement at the General’s point. With all branches of the military in agreement, the decision could now be voted upon. “All who vote in favor of an immediate counter invasion, speak now.”

The room erupted in shouts of agreement, everypony shouting in unison. Well, except for one. The absence of a certain voice caused confusion amounts those in attendance, all turning towards the offender.

Celestia remained quiet at the end of the table, her face impassive, her regal mask stronger than usual.

The Speaker of the Court spoke up. “Princess… Did you not hear the decision?”

The white Alicorn remained silent for a moment, before sighing and shaking her head. “Yes, I have, and I did not voice my approval because I do not,” she spoke simply.

The entire course muttered at this, confused by her decision. Crossed was the first to speak up. “Princess, if I may be so blunt, but why do you not agree with this decision? I believe the council deserves the right to know why their princess disagrees with an issue that is besides you unanimous?”

Celestia sighed, nodding. “I believe that we should not make a decision until we know of the reason for attack. What provoked their sudden aggression?”

Crossed rolled his eyes. “Princess, I do not wish any disrespect, but does that really matter? They assaulted our home, or capital, and caused the tragic death of many of our citizens, as well as our noble guard. I will be honest when I say I don't care about the why! Any creature who thinks they can attack my home, my country, must know that I will not take it sitting down. This must serve as an example for all that wish to cause us harm, let their aggression be the end of who would wish us harm!” He cried out, smashing his armored hoof into the table.

The court erupted in cheers and stomps of agreement, voicing their approval of the General’s plan. As the frenzy started to die down, the Speaker spoke again, “All in favor?”

All cheered once again, and then turned to Celestia. The alicorn princess remained in quiet contemplation, reviewing the situation over and over again. Finally, with a hesitant sigh, the diarc softly nodded her head…