A Twinkle of Hope

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 9

Grey filled Twilights newly opened eyes, dusty and cold. Lying sideways she stared at a barred window high above the floor. Twilight Sparkle tried to get up and inspect the melancholy room, but was stopped by a sharp pain, like a dagger being sunk into her forehead. She moved a hoof to touch her horn, but immediately retreated at the pain. When she looked at the dried blood on her hoof, she realized what had happened.

Her horn was gone.

Tears streaming from her face she turned around, only to see four piles, their nature betrayed only by their faint breathing. Fighting through the pain from her severed horn she rushed the nearest mound. The orange mass stirred as Twilight placed a hoof on the scars covering the earth-pony's back. Whips, no doubt, she thought. The pony got up, roused from her sleep by the pain.

"Wha...Twilight? Twilight you're ok! But...uh...you're horn..." the element of Honesty instantly regretted her statement.

"I know Applejack. It doesn't matter right now. Is your back alright?."

"Ah'll get through it. C'mon. Let's check on the others."

The two walked to the white unicorn. So too was her horn reduced to a stump, and her mane tattered and messy, so unlike her usual appearance. Applejack gently nudged her, causing an eye to open.

"Oh Apple...owww!" Rarity squealed at her horn, touching it and squealing again at the horrible realization. "What happened to my beautiful horn?"

"We'll answer that once all of us are up, sugarcube."

Twilight then put a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder and looked at her flat, straight mane. She opened her blue eyes and gazed at the purple unicorn, her expression just screaming "Why?". The three other ponies hugged the depressed, once so happy pony as tears flowed from them all. After what seemed like an eternity, they all turned around and saw their other friend.

As they got closer, very faint whimpers could be heard from a yellow pegasus, curled up in a pool of tears.

Rarity knelt down. "It's alright Fluttershy, you don't have to be alone." The element of generosity whispered in the most pleasing voice she could. The crying pony wiped her tears and immediately embraced the alabaster unicorn. The other three followed suit.

"Fluttershy, are you ok? Are you hurt?" Twilight hoped she would not frighten the timid mare.

"No I'm not. But you all seem to be." She looked empathetically at the broken horns and back scars, trying so hard not to start crying again. She raised her wings, stripped of all their feathers. "This is all."

"I'm just glad we're together." Pinkie uttered.

For a few minutes the looked around the room, trying to remember what happened. Then it finally hit Twilight. She remembered riding on the truck, then being escorted away with her friends. She recalled a dark room with tools and instruments, and shady stallions yelling, she could not remember what. Then a hit on the head, and darkness. Around this time the other four remembered too.

The group shared a glance of sorrow, uncertain of what happened to their other friends, and...and...Rainbow Dash! What had happened to her?

They tried to find a way out, but to no avail. Their cell was truly large, and they just noticed to bars facing the hallways. No guards could be seen. They turned to a dark corner, and the closer the five got, the louder a wheeze could be heard. When the came fully to the corner, all of them looked in horror and astonishment at what the ponies saw before them.

A large white pegasus with a pink, blue, purple, and green mane, short and ragged.

"Princess!!" the five yelled in unison. Their smiles faded as the once regal pony struggled to raise her head. They all saw the battered mess that once ruled Equestria, but none was more horrified than Twilight Sparkle. She was devoid of her crown, shoes and necklace, her wings too were naked, feathers plucked. Large red bruises littered her legs and body. She shook trying to stand, but fell down almost instantly. Her tail was cut, just like her once majestic mane. The alicorn was now a pegasus. On top of her head was no horn, not even a stump. Just a red spot, surrounded by dried blood.

Celestia opened her mouth and weakly said, "M...my...little...ponies. Are...you..." But she could not finished. Her face cringed at the pain in her ribs, forcing her to take short, quick breaths. Her head collapsed back on the ground, and the solar diarch began to sob.

Twilight sat down next to the princess, nuzzling her head against the princess. Celestia gave a smile and put a featherless wing around her pupil. The other four sat down in front, enjoying the company of the princess. Using all her strength, the alicorn whispered, "I'm so sorry..."

Before anypony could respond, they all heard the sound of hoofsteps getting louder. They looked out into the hall and saw a earth-pony stallion wearing a green military uniform. His chest was adorned with countless medals and ribbons. He was accompanied by two other ponies, both wearing a similar uniform, though not nearly as decorated.

He leaned his head close to the bars.

"I see Celestia, and five other ponies. There are six elements of harmony, correct?" His voice was cool and collected.

"Yes sir. The sixth was shot down outside of Ponyville. Pegasus identified as Rainbow Dash is deceased." A subordinate replied.

The sixth cellmates' eyes widened in horror.

"I would have preferred her alive, but it might be better this way. Now they cannot use the elements of harmony."

Applejack spoke up, fury in her voice. "Just who the hell do ya'll think ya'll are? Ah demand to know why we're here and what ya'll did to us! And the Princess! And where's my hat!"

The stallion glared at the orange pony. "Miss Applejack is it? You are here because you represent the elements of harmony. Magic is very dangerous. I will have you contained so you will not disturb my ponies with your volatile practices. You see I am the Premier of the Democratic Republic of Equestria, and it is my job that its ponies are safe and secure." The stallion's words shocked the ponies. It was him! The pony behind the whole war! He was just a regular earth-pony! Each of them wanted with all their heart to bring him to justice. A barred wall stopped them.

He continued. "And to ensure we understand each other, I have ordered that each of you be convinced. So the unicorns had their horns removed, the pegasus her feathers, and the earth-ponies, whipped. Celestia was special. You're horns will grow back, the bases remain. The feathers will grow back as well, and the scars will heal. If you decide to take my kindness for granted, take a look at your 'Princess'. She can barely move, or even breathe. An immortal being such as her is not so easily beaten, so we had to take precautions. Her horn grows back far too quickly, even when we chop off the base. So stay down her and behave, or you will be sorry."

The Premier's speech stung all the occupants of the cell. How could anypony be so cruel? Fluttershy boiled with rage. She let it get the better of her, and soon exploded. In a flash of adrenaline, before he could even react, the normally kind pony lashed out with a hoof and rammed it straight into the stallion snout. Blood flowed forth freely and he clutched his nose and cried in pain. His calm demeanor quickly devolved into one of anger.

"It seems we did not all understand! Very well ponies! You shall know my wrath soon enough. The yellow one is first. Guards!" He yelled at the two officers besides him. "What are you still doing here! Don't you have ponies to order around! Go! Now!"

Three guards came down, saluting to the Premier. "Yes yes at ease! You may now take the shift. The yellow pegasus has insulted me." A sinister smile covered his face as the most powerful pony in Equestria walked off, still holding his bleeding nose.

One guard opened the door as the two others aimed their guns at the ponies. The guards grabbed Fluttershy. She fought back fervently but the guard kept hit her until she stopped. The last thing the five cellmates saw was her being drug off, tears soaking her pink mane. The three guards went away, leaving everypony sobbing, wondering what would happen to their dear friend.

The Premier sat at his desk as a secretary informed him of an officer requesting to speak. A large earth-pony came in, saluting his superior. "Marshal Powderkeg. Good to see you. What can I do for you?

"Sir, still no sign of the rebel stronghold. Some officers even doubt the existence of one."

"So they say these rebels are just anarchists who answer to nopony?"

"Well...I suppose if you..."

"Have they found the bodies of Luna or Cloudrunner? What about Rainbow Dash?"

"No sir, but we have called off the search. They bodies of the first two would be long gone."

"Then how do I know they are dead? These rebels attack in a very systematic way. They just cannot be independent. They’ve blown up my railroads and shoot down scouts. Guerillas, but there is reason to it all."

"Perhaps it is diamond dogs or..."

"We have driven the diamond dogs far underground, taught them to fear us. We have exterminated the changelings. Chrysalis' head sits over my fireplace. The dragons are gone. We caused them to flee. I'm certain they're ponies. But they're too fast. Once we realize what they have done, the perpetrators are nowhere to be seen." The Premier trailed off, somewhat gloating. He snapped back onto topic. "Are we sure those two are dead?"

"One of my generals personally affirms that Cloudrunner and Luna were killed. He says he saw them fall. nopony could have survived."

"Perhaps he misjudged their fall distance."

"I do not think so." Powderkeg was stunned at his audacity to disagree with the Premier.

"Well I'll trust you, Marshal. Though Luna dying, it just doesn't seem plausible. You recalled how much we tried to kill Celestia?"

"Yes sir. But even so, she insisted Luna was not immortal, even when we tortured her." The Marshal's eyes lowered in shame.

"True true. Well, continue to look for that stronghold. And at any rate, Rainbow Dash is useless without the other elements of harmony."

"Yes sir!" Powderkeg saluted and left, sighing that he did not anger his boss.

The Premier looked at his map on the wall, marked with various pins and strings. "Equestria is now mine. I gave them a week, and they did it in two days. But absolute victory eludes me. All of the country's governments answer to me, every citizen is safe and sound, working for the greater good. But those damn rebels! They threaten all I've strived to accomplish."

He sat back, eyeing his map, fiddling with a pen. News of the deaths of Luna and Cloudrunner eased his concerns, but then the attacks started to happen. Hundreds of pounds of ammunition and artillery, food and clothing just gone. His anxiety grew. Now he isn't certain his two biggest threats are indeed deceased. The rebels had to be found. They sowed dissent just like Ponyville did. The premier would not have his perfect country spoiled by these ponies. His dream would endure, no matter how much blood had to be spilled.