About Us, Without Us

Union – alliance of four states, Changeling Hive, Crystal Ponies´s Republic, Griffon Nests and the largest one: Empire of Equestria. Although all states had some degree of independence, at the end the ultimate ruler was the Emperor, living in Cantergrad, the capital of Equestria.

Suprisingly he rarely did anything. Nopony knew, how he looked like, with the possible exception of grand inquisitor and the supreme commander of pony forces. To most of the Union, it seemed as if the Inquisition was the true leader, but in fact, they were just following set of rules, which was searching for and destroying traitors and occasionaly helping the army with law enforcement.

Together, these two organizations protected the Emperor and the regime.

The regime that, Twilight learned, was close to a nightmare.

Freedom of speech didn´t exist. Anything badmouthing the regime was censored and it´s originators  were send to jail. Similar punishment got ponies who were adult, young enough to work, yet didn´t have a job. There were exceptions to this, for axample adventuring was considered a job. It mostly worked as an excuse to send so called „deviants“ into jail. That was another thing. There wasn´t freedom of love, like in her Equestria. While back home she wouldn´t face any consequences for falling in love with another mare, in the Union it was considered deviancy and ponies like that were either cast out of their homes, or imprisioned.

Nopony could even go where they pleased. Besides the fact, that crossing the border into another state was possible only with invitation from the local government, the Equestria itself was divided into seven regions. To enter or to leave one needed to have his own documents and a good reason, if he didn´t want to be closely watched by the army, or worse. It didn´t sound very difficult, but the goverment sometimes changed the documents entirely and while citizens living in the cities and villages weren´t too affected, the rebels who relied on their documents and had no idea about the changes often fell into that trap.

„And it was always like this?“ asked Twilight, when Sunnyside finished briefing her on the functioning of the Union.

„Yes. And always there were ponies, like us, who were against it, but we were always defeated.“

„That´s terrible! How is it even possible? One would expect, that the whole nation would revolt against something like this right at the beginning!“

„And they did. But it´s not as easy as you think. You can´t understand this, because you are not from our world, but we all feel fear of the Emperor in our hearts and as his enemies we sometimes can´t fall asleep, or have nightmares about the punishment he will bestow upon us. Nopony knows, where this fear is coming from, but every citizen of the Union lives with it. That´s why there aren´t many of us. Not everypony is brave enough.“

Just as Sunnyside told Twilight about her homeland, the former alicorn revealed where did she come from and why. The only thing she left to herself were her missing wings. Not only she wasn´t sure who to trust yet, but also she didn´t want to put anypony in danger for nothing, since her magical power was still the same. Not when she wasn´t sure, what happened to her alicornhood.

„All of this is just unbelievable. Can you tell me more about the grand inquisitor? Snaky Acanum I believe you called him? I just don´t understand, why he went after me.“

„Well, there isn´t much known about him. He doesn´t exactly share stories with us. Almost every pony of that bloodline became a grand inquisitor. He is fanaticaly loyal to the Emperor and is the last pure-blooded unicorn in the world. Meaning he is the only one left with the potential to be as powerful as the first ever unicorns.“

„Is he evil?“

„Definetely! I saw with my own yes, how he killed few of our friends, for wanting to be free from the oppression!“

„I mean, is he evil, or is he just following the wrong idea?“

„Ach, nopony is borned evil Twilight, but if you grow up listening that you have to follow orders and can´t have your own will, then it will become part of you. He almost definetely could´ve been a good pony, but not even the First could change him now.“

„That´s another thing. Both you and our book mentioned somepony called „the First“. Who si that?“

„He is, as the nickname suggests, the first ever unicorn. Don´t know, how other races started, but we came from Four First Ponies, as they are called. Unicorn, earth pony, pagasus and alicorn. Nopony knows, where they came from, but their power was absurd. First earth pony could destroy mountains with his kick, the pegasus could create wind capable of drying seas and so on. When we, the revolutionaries talk about the First, we mean the unicorn one, as he was the one who started the rebellion, but it can differ among the citizens.“

„So, how did the ponies came to be? And what happened to the First unicorn?“

„According to the legends The Firsts made a deal, that every single one of them will divide his power into hundreds pieces, to populate Equestria. But they were betrayed.“

„The Emperor?“

„Yes. He was the first and only alicorn. When the others found out about it, it was already too late. His power was just too great. The First unicorn and his allies were the only ones, who opposed him. But against them rose another great power. The Inquisition. Lead by pony named Abyss Arcanum. The rebellion was crushed few days after it began. The First was the only one who survived. I personally believe, that it was because Arcanum wasn´t powerful enough to kill him. Whatever the case was, the First has been sealed into a crystal prison so powerful, that he is there even now, thousands of years later.“

For a while they were both silent, thinking about the new things they both learned. Since they arrived, Twilight didn´t leave Sunnyside´s tent and the mares were sitting there for hours already. Thankfully somepony realized it and brough food to them.

„You said you are not a fighter, eh?“ Asked leader of the rebels.

„I´ve fought before, but I never had to kill anypony. Don´t even know, if I would be able to.“

„Don´t worry about that. There is something else somepony with your knowledge of magic could help us with. Can I count on you?“

„I will be happy to help.“

Another place, another pony.

Smile stayed on Necri´s face even when he appeared out of thin air. He knew, that he will have to go back to Crimson, as there still were important matters to discuss. Mainly that spell, that was protecting the informations they wanted. Since spells affecting minds were usually incredibly risky for the owner of the brain, Necri wanted to know it it wasn´t  some kind of new more usable version.

But right then, there was something else he wanted to do.

So what? The rebels are nothing more then bunch of cowards hiding in the woods. We have all the time in the world to take care of them.

Room, where the unicorn teleported to was nothing like the one he just left. Instead of stones darkened by blood, had this one walls made out of perfectly clean marble, instead of torches to iluminate there was magical light coming out of seemingly everything and most importantly – instead of torture equipment, the shelves were filled with thousands upon thousands of books.

The Imperial Library.

It contained knowledge as old as the ponies themself and for that reason, if somepony destroyed even a single page, he was sentenced to death. To prevent that, it was forbidden to take anything from the building with you and the whole library was safekept by the Librarian – a pony, maybe even more mysterious, then the Emperor.

„Good afternoon, current apprentice of grand inquisitor. Would you like me to find you something to help with your project?“ Said emotionless mare voice behind him. The Librarian, as the visitors called her, was pale middle-age mare. At least, that´s how she looked like.

It wouldn´t be strange, if she looked at least sometimes different. Since the born of pony race, the Librarian was always described the same, or at least really similar. Nopony knew her real name, where she came from or what was she eating, as the Library wasn´t truly a bulding, but a sytsem of rooms and hallways, somewhere below the Citadel, without any physical entrance and the Librarian was just an earth pony.

Just like other visitors before him, Necri tried to get the answers from her, but she never told him. She never told anypony. The only one, who might´ve known more was the Emperor, but he didn´t tell everything not even to the grand inquisitors.

What does it matter, who she is anyway? She serves the Union and that´s all that matters. I just wish she didn´t know about things nopony should know about.

When Necri first learned, that the Librarian knew about his project it freaked him out. He didn´t tell everything not even to Snaky, but her answer was always the same: „I know what I have to know to serve the Emperor.“

When she told him that, Necri was going to get a clear answer from her by force, but Snaky stopped him, telling him, that that´s how she always was.

„No I don´t.“ Answered finally. „I learned, that about thousand years ago, we were visited by a pony named Starswirl the Bearded, who came here from another world. I want informations about him.“

„As you wish current apprentice, please stay here.“ Her voice didn´t change a bit: no suprise or anything. The Librarian just walked away into one of many library´s halls and left the inquisitor alone.

If that Starswirl met with a grand inquisitor, then there had to be records about it. One of the lesser known duties of Inquisition´s leaders was to write about every major event into „Imperial arcane book“. Magical item, hidden in the Library, used only by the most powerful leaders in the Union.

Considering the organization existed for thousands of years, there was quite a lot of data in it, and so Necri, who wasn´t interested in history never read more then few peges. Last time he did was when he visited the Library for the first time.

„Here you have it, current apprentice.“ Necri turned around startled. It was as if she teleported behind him, but that was impossible for an earth pony like her. To his suprise, what she was giving him wasn´t beatifuly decorated ancient book, how he remembered it.

I wouldn´t even slap somepony´s face with this!

„What is this?“

The style of writting was way too readable to be written by a pegasus, or an earth pony, but also rushed more then if it would be done by royal writters, who usually made records for the Union.

„Personal notes of the grand inquisitor, who met the visitor you are interested in. The Emperor forbid recording this into the Imperial arcane book.“ Said the mare, as if it was completely obvious, which it wasn´t, since it was His order to never forget history.

The notebook was pretty much just notes, without much explaining, as they were intended for the grand inquisitor himself.

I shouldn´t be, but I am somewhat interested, what his Equestria is like. Maybe they don´t have executions, maybe they are not scared of rebels. Not sure, how could it work any other way, as there is always greed in the hearts of ponies and not only in theirs. Damn-

The sentence wasn´t finished. The writter propably realized he was getting off track.

It´s dishonorable to learn from this world in any way, or to use anything it provides, so it shouldn´t suprise me, that the Emperor forbid me to write about this in the arcane book. Just in case so that somepony greedy in the future doesn´t try to find and abuse this other Equestria.

-

rest lof the page was blank and the notes continued on the next one

-

In the name of the First, what kind of hell did he come here from? It´s making me sick, what he calls „absolute freedom“. It´s a damn anarchy! They have no leader, the pony clans are seperate and the pegasi are the only one, who have some sort of army.

He told me a story, where a village was attacked by a dragon and there was nopony to help them! They – civilans without a military training – had to deal with it on their own. No government, pretty much no laws, no prisons and truth be told: no rebels. I am not suprised! Everypony have literally as much as they produce, so no point in wanting the goverment to give you more money, when there is no government. So if somepony is homeless and without food, he is going to die without generosity of other citizens.

But Starswirl kept on waving in front of my face with freedom of love and opinion. What opinion? What opinion could one possibly have, in a land with nopony who cares? And freedom of love! What the hell? Can´t they at least have some decency in them?

But there is hope for them. He has two - according to him - very prominent students, who he plans on becoming ultimate leaders. Well, I wish him good luck, but tomorrow I will ask him to leave. He is friendly, but has tendencies to critize us.

At least here everypony has a job, so they don´t have to starve damnit! It´s discousting. We have army and the Inquisition to protect ponies from danger and he tells me, that it´s wrong for soldiers to stand on guard in every street.

He tells me, that we shouldn´t force ponies into jobs, if they don´t want to, let alone make them pay taxes. Again. While their old ones are fully dependent on their famillies! And what exactly do adult ponies without job live from? Stealing, or parasiting off somepony!

I don´t even care anymore for their Equestria. He will leave tomorrow and hopefuly I will never hear about it again.

The rest of the notebook was covered with questions, things the writter wanted to remember and by describing the visitors travels across the Union. Necri read everything, but it wasn´t even worth remembering.

Is it possible, that our mysterious Twilight is the student he mentioned? No. Snaky described her as „young“, so perhaps servant of the leaders? Thousand years is definetely enough time to establish a goverment. Maybe things changed.

„Hmm.“

If whoever I spoke with via that book was one the leaders, then I really should at least try to send Twilight back alive. No need to antagonize an entire world, no matter what state it is in. But as I said. If she hurts our citizens, then she will be punished according to our laws.

„That´s everything. Thank you for your help,“ said and returned the book to the Librarian, who was patiently wanting next to him.

„I live to serve, current apprentice.“

The unicorn nodded and without saying anything more he teleported back to what Crimson called „relax room“. To his suprise, the head interrogator was sitting there, drinking some transparent liquid from a shot glass.

„Is she gone?“ Asked Necri, when Crimson noticed him.

„She is, but Guillotine WILL pull your ear off the next time she sees you,“ when Necri joined the Inquisition the mare unicorn was his guide for the first few months and everytime he messed something up, or more often, made some stupid joke, she bit his ear and pulled him in whatever direction they were going.

Thankfuly she never did it in public. There was no reason to create misplaced rumours. And of course, they both had to stay respected. She really was more like his older sister, then a friend and he was perfectly happy with that relationship.

On the other hand Crimson, who was the oldest one of the three inquisitor friends, was more like that kind of older brother, who is too cool and serious for their shenanigans.

„I think I can survive it. But let´s talk about our little flowey. Did you discover anything unusual about that spell protecting his memories?“

„Nope. Nothing interesting. It seems to be somewhat skillfuly casted, so chance of going insane was propably around 70% and this guy was just lucky. Which would make us unlucky, as there is no way we can get around it.“

„Would make? What is the good news?“

„Before I get to it, I need to tell you this hilarious story, that happened when they brought him here. But not here. Our prisioner should hear it too.“

Crimson went into the torture room and Necri followed. The head interrogater wasn´t pony for jokes, so if he deemed his story funny it really had to be something amazing. In the other room they were greeted by tired look of the same pony, that was there when Necri left into the Library. Judging by the fact, that he seemed fully awake, there was no further torture, while the apprentice was gone.

„Did you come to torture me some more?“ Asked with weak, but stable voice. It was no suprise that he had sore throat. Crimson wasn´t known for his mercy.

„Actually no. I want to tell my friend about what happened, when you arrived here. You see, this guy was caught at the border by a pagasus and earth pony guards. Suprisingly that fact is quite important. So they arrested him, contacted local inquisitor overseer and he teleported them here. That´s when the funny thing happened. The inquisitor left the three of them here and went to get me.“

Necri´s interest would´ve fade out by that point, but Crimson trying his best to finish his story without laughing kept him on his hooves.

„So I came here and was like: What in the name of Emperor happened here? The two guards looked like they just drank bottle of vodka each. They were pale, there was vomit on the ground and all around I was terrified.

You would not belive, what happened. So, earth ponies and pagasi obviously have better sense of smell, then us unicorns and when they were locked with this flowey in one room, they could smell him. I kid you not. They both smelled the other stallion, who slept with him so much that they freakin fell the heck apart!“

Now Crimson just could not keep his calm and started laughing uncontrollably.

„Wait. You mean, that the smell forced them to imagine what happened?“

„Yes!“

This confirmation made Necri also burst out laughing.

„That´s freakin gold! We have a damn damsel in distress over here!“

The apprentice gave a quick look at their prisioner and noticed that his face was twisted with anger.

At least he has some pride left in him.

„We should get a dragon and then let his knight in shiny armor save him from a tower!“

„That´s the best part: his knight is on his way here! In chains, but guess metal is metal.“

„What did you say?“ Somehow the prisioner managed to find some strenght in him, enough to actually raise his voice. While Crimson continued giggling silently, Necri right away became more interested in what would happen next, although thinking about the story still made him smile.

„Just that your filthy flowey coltfriend has been found and is on his way here,“ the smile, Crimson had, alone in the past scared his prisioners so much, that they confessed to everything on the spot. It was smile of a sadist. One that not many ponies have seen, but one that everypony expected him to have.

But just very few know, that it´all an act. His wife is among them. He only does what it takes to get the informations from the prisioners. Nopony he tortures is innocent and effectively revealing traitors is not only for sake of the Union, but also for the sake of his familly. Heh. Truth be told the pain he would afflict on a pony, who would hurt his little son or his wife would be unimaginable. And the best of all: unless killing him, not even Emperor would stop him.

Necri´s train of though was interrupted by prisioner´s angry voice, demanding answers.

„How did you find him, you pricks?“

„Well, the army has trained dogs with even better sense of smell, then the guards that brought you. All I had to do was take some of your fur and give it to them to track him down. When you think about it, it´s really your fault for not being careful enough,“ explained Crimson patiently. Normally that tone and the insult would be rewarded by pain, but the inquisitor understood psychology pretty well and realized, that it will be beneficial to let the prisioner think about what was going to hapen.

„But...but he is not even a rebel! He doesn´t know anything about them and only helped me! Please sir, he is innocent and if anything I am the one at fault! Please...please don´t hurt him. Have a heart!“

The more he was going on, the more was his voice breaking. Necri considered it simply discousting, but Crimson, who knew excatly what love does to ponies,  had nothing left of that laught in his face. The younger unicorn understood, what was going on in his friend´s head.

It was not sympathy, but pitty. He pittied the prisioner for being flowey and that his love got him where he was.

„I will not lay a hoof on him, as far as you tell me everything you know about the rebellion. If not then you shouldn´t forget that you and your coltfriend are nothing but worthless floweys, meaning that nopony is going to save your from me.“

Sucks for him. Spell or not, we know, when somepony lies. That´s why the Inquisition always wins.