The Equestrian

***Introduction***

One week after the attack on Canterlot, the Human Empire officially surrendered to Princess Celestia. It would be a day forever known as 'The Day Of The Sun'. The ponies were happy the humans were surrendering the war, but that wasn't good enough. The ponies wanted greater retribution for the crimes the Human Empire committed. Thus, by the signing of the Canterlot Concordat, all humans left in Equestria were subjected into slavery, forced to serve their pony masters.

***Part 1: Poking The Bear***

"Sir, all regiments have taken their positions. Will we march on Ponyville, now?" A trooper asks.

Simco doesn't answer. He doesn't even look up from his desk.

"Sir, we-"

"Has Major Appleton captured the rogue Ponies yet?" Simco demands.

The trooper shakes his head.

"No, sir. We lost contact with the Major and his regiment over an hour ago. He should have reported in by now, at lease."

Simco's eyes narrow.

"Sir, what are our orders?"

The General stands quickly, startling the trooper.

"Have all regimens ready to move into the Everfree Forest." He barks.

"S-Sir?"

"It appears to me that we have a deserter, Captain. Have all regiments ready to move into the forest. We will march on the old fortress, first. Then, we will take Ponyville."

"Sir, I don't understand..."

Simco sighs and rolls his eyes.

"An incompetent soldier such as yourself would have difficulty grasping the situation, I imagine..."

The trooper frowns.

"I believe Major Appleton has betrayed us. He must be helping the ponies break through our lines. Their only target destination can be the old fortress. Have all regiments ready to move."

"But-"

"You are dismissed, Captain."

Cursing underneath his breath, the trooper storms out of the tent.

***Part 2: The Mare In Blue***

"So... You don't like Simco?" Rainbow asks cautiously.

"No." The Major says flatly. "In fact, I never did. He has done nothing to prove himself as a real leader ever since he gained power."

"Damn strait..." Another soldier mutters as he shuffles through some over turned furniture.

The group splits apart, searching opposite ends of the room.

Rainbow Dash frowns. She would have preferred searching for the Elements of Harmony with Appleton alone.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Appleton calls from across the room. "Come over here, for a moment, please."

Music to her ears. Rainbow wastes no time in getting to the Major's side.

"What is it?" She asks.

"These stairs lead to an attic in the tower, but they are old and rotten beyond the standard of safety." He says, pointing to the wooden planks. "Can you fly up there and scout the area?"

Her heart sank.

"Oh... S-Sure..." She says, very depressed.

Appleton noticed her disappointment.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Rainbow snaps, quickly. "Nothing's wrong..."

Appleton looks down at his feet.

"Alright then... Well, maybe we could just-"

There was a loud crack. The rotten boards under him shattered, and Appleton began to fall through the tower.

"NO!" Rainbow yells as she dives down.

She catches the Major by his wrist. Appleton yells with fear.

"Noooo..." Rainbow groans as she flaps her wings furiously. "Don't look down, Appleton. I've got you..."

"I looked down..." He whimpers as Rainbow slowly pulls him up.

"What's going on down there?!" A soldier asks from above.

Eventually, Rainbow Dash manages to pull the much heavier human to the staircase where he began.

"T-This place... isn't... isn't safe..." She gasps, rolling over onto her back.

"Go secure the perimeter. Find us a safe way down." Appleton orders.

"Yes, sir." The soldier says, motioning for the others to follow him.

Appleton leans over the gasping mare.

"You... You saved my life..." He mutters.

"I had to..." She whispers.

"Why?"

Rainbow doesn't answer. Instead, she gives the human a sly smile and walks away to rejoin her friends, leaving him very confused.

***Part 3: All Together***

"Applejack! Rarity!"

The two mares spin around.

"What in the hay?" Applejack asks.

"Fives?!" Rarity gasps.

The human stops in front of them, gasping for air.

"My, darling, you look exhausted!" Rarity says. "Here, sit and rest for a moment and-"

"Where is Twilight?" Fives demands.

Rarity was taken off guard by the question. Applejack shrugs.

"I-I don't know, darling. We separated to look for these fabled Elements of Harmony. She could be anywhere."

"Hey, gang!" Pinkie Pie says cheerfully as she hops towards them with Fluttershy following close behind.

"Howdy, Pinkie Pie. Did y'all find anythin'?" Applejack asks.

Both mares shake their heads.

"Have you seen Twilight?" Fives asks them.

Again, they shake their heads.

"Then, where-"

There is a loud shriek. It was Twilight. It came from another tower, far above them.

"What was that?" Major Appleton asks as he and Rainbow Dash run up to them.

"Where have you two been?" Rarity demands.

"Uh... You know, looking for the Elements..." Rainbow says, blushing.

"We didn't find them..." Appleton admits, also blushing.

Fives groans.

"Guys, Twilight is in trouble! Let's go!"

***Part 4: The Moon Rises***

"When all five Elements are present, there will be a spark, and the sixth one will appear..." Twilight mutters. "What does that mean? A spark?"

A chilling laugh fills the cold air. Twilight spins around.

"Muahahaha! You pathetic fool! Did you really think you could gain the Elements of Harmony so easily?"

Nightmare Moon materializes in front of her.

"You are too late, Twilight Sparkle! There is no one there to save you, now."

Twilight backs away, slowly. Then, she hears something. It was her friends! Behind Nightmare Moon, coming up the stairs, was every pony she had met in Ponyville, Appleton, and..."

"F-Fives..." She gasps.

Twilight grins.

"You're wrong, Nightmare Moon!"

The black Alicorn scoffs.

"The spark did happen! I felt it the moment I met my friends. I... I felt it the moment I met you, Fives..."

The human freezes, mid step. His heart stops.

"I felt it the moment I realized... that I love you."

Everyone gasps.

"I always have." Twilight says, grinning wildly. "And that is why I already have the sixth Element...

Right on que, the broken shards of the other Elements begin to glow and surround the other mares. Fives had to shield his eyes to avoid being blinded. Appleton did the same. When the light had faded away, the six mares were hovering in the center of the room, their eyes glowing white. A brilliant rainbow fires out of their aura and plummets straight for Nightmare Moon.

"NOOOOO!" Nightmare shouts as he rainbow engulfs her.

There was a rather loud, and big, explosion, shattering all of the windows in the room. The light begins to fade away. Fives watches in awe as the mares descend to the floor. He rushes to meet Twilight the moment her hooves touch the ground.

"T-Twilight..."

"Oh, Fives... I never should have left you... How did-"

"Shining helped." Fives admits.

Twilight beams. She should have known her brother had a hoof in this.

"Guys, look!" Appleton shouts, pointing out the window.

It was the sun. At long last, the night had broken, and the sun was rising. The bright rays of the sun were shining through what remained of the shattered windows. It was... getting brighter and brighter by the second. It was the princess.

"Celestia!" Fives and Twilight say in unison.

The princess smiles at them.

"Twilight Sparkle, thank you. You and Fives have done far more than what is expected of you. And Fives..." Celestia chokes up a bit. "None of this could have been possible without you..."

"M-Me? What did I do?" He asks.

Celestia smiles sweetly.

"You inspired a great light inside Twilight Sparkle in her darkest hour. You showed her how to get the final Element, and you reminded her of how strong the bond you two share is..."

Twilight and Fives blush. Celestia turns her attention directly to Fives. She looked as though she was meeting a long lost friend.

"Fives..." She begins to sob. "All this time... I wish I could have been there to see you grow..."

"W-What do you mean, princess? He asks.

Celestia doesn't answer immediately. She looks down at her hooves, contemplating on how to advance.

"You... have no memories of this place, Fives? You were here before... so long ago..."

Fives was confused. He shakes his head. Celestia chuckles as she tries to dry her tears.

"It took all of my power to hide you, after you were born..."

"P-Princess?"

"You were only a baby when you were last here... but a mother never forgets..."

Fives' mind goes blank. Celestia smiles at him, sadly.

"Fives... You are mine... You are my son."

***Part 5: The Equestrian***

Rarity faints. Rainbow and the rest of the mares inhale air so sharply, they nearly imploded. A loud groan captures everyone's attention. It came from where Nightmare Moon was standing. Where the black Alicorn once stood, a little blue filly was struggling to stand. She looks at everyone around her, terrified. Then, her gaze drifts to Celestia. The little Alicorn rushes forward and dives at Celestia's hooves.

"Sister, I'm so sorry!" She cries out.

"Sister?!" Everyone gasps.

The little Alicorn was crying her eyes out. Celestia wraps a hoof around her.

"Are you alright, Luna?" She asks, glancing back to Fives' who was still unable to move or speak.

The blue fully nods.

"I am so, so sorry..." She repeats.

A sickening chuckle fills the air. Everyone turns to the door.

"Well, isn't this just wonderful... Two Alicorns! Two princesses! It's a fucking family reunion." Simco says. "Now, I can kill you all. Starting with you, Appleton."

Simco raises his pistol and fires, and Appleton goes down. As if on que, over a dozen more P.L.A. troopers storm into the room behind Simco.

"NOOOOO!" Fives yells, finding his voice. "Simco, why?!"

The General sighs and shakes his head.

"Fives... You disappoint me. You could have been such a great asset. We could have stopped the pony aggression for good! And what was that last bit I heard about you being the son of Princess Celestia? That's... That's impossible..."

His voice sounded strained. Fives could see something strange in Simco's eyes, but he couldn't recognize it.

"You have cause my kingdom enough harm today, scum!" Celestia snarls. "Leave, at once!"

Simco looks as though he is thinking over the command.

"No, I don't think I will." He says flatly. "I have a war to win."

"You don't have to do this, Simco!" Fives yells. "Just let us help him, and-"

"Oh, Appleton?" Simco asks. "No, you can't help him. He is going to die slowly, bleeding on the cold floor."

"You bastard!" Rainbow Dash screams, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Celestia was frozen in shock. She didn't know what to do or how to protect her subjects. Luckily, Twilight knew exactly what to do.

"You shouldn't have shot him..." She growls, charging up her horn.

The bolt of magic flies across the room, exploding near the stairs and sending the soldiers flying in every direction. Rainbow Dash charges for Simco. She leaps into the air and thrusts her hooves into his chest. Rarity joins Twilight in launching bolts of magic at the door. Applejack bucks her hooves left and right, using her strong legs to kick the advancing soldiers down. Celestia spreads her majestic wings to shield Luna and Fives from the spray of musket balls. The display of force repels the hostile fire.

"Fives, Luna, you must leave at once!" She commands.

"I'm not going anywhere." Fives says defiantly. "I am staying with Twilight."

Celestia pulls him in close.

"Fives, you must listen to me. Do not let your feelings cloud the danger that you are in. I am your mother, and I order you-"

"And I don't believe a damn word of it!"

Fives ducks to avoid the bayonet of a rebel soldier. He bucks his right leg back, kicking him in the knee. The soldier lets out a scream and collapses.

"IT IS THE TRUTH!" Celestia booms, exploding into a flaming rage.

More of Simco's soldiers were pouring into the room, only to be swept aside by the lashing flames. Fives himself is blown out of one of the broken windows, onto the balcony. The human groans as he struggles to stand. The broken glass had cut his hands in a thousand places. He turns around just in time to see Simco climb through the window, wielding a small blade and his pistol.

"F-Fives..." He laughs with insanity. "You... I am so damn sick of you, son of Celestia..."

The young human scrambles to his feet.

"Why are you doing this, Simco?! What do you hope to gain from this?!"

Simco laughs, pointing the tip of his knife at Fives' throat.

"A future, Fives... One with no Equestrian ponies and every human under my rule!"

Simco throws his blade, and Fives let's out a yell as the blade flies across his arm, gashing it open. The General then raises his pistol to shoot, but Fives was ready. He kicks Simco in the chest, hard, before grabbing the hand holding the weapon. Desperate, Simco pulls the trigger, and the musket ball is fired into the air.

"Fives!" Twilight yells from inside.

That was all the distraction Simco needed. The General punches Fives in the jaw, sending him flying towards the edge of the balcony.

"How does it feel, Fives?!" He demands. "How does it feel to betray your own kind, your own race!"

"You betrayed us! You want to keep us enslaved!" Fives shouts, crawling away from the advancing Simco.

Simco nods, picking up a sharp shard of glass.

"All empires need slaves, Fives... My empire will be no different..."

Fives looks over the edge of the balcony. Then, he turns back around to face Simco. Fives smiles.

"I get it, Simco... I think I finally understand, but why don't you say that a bit louder for them?"

Simco cocks his head.

"T-Them?"

Fives stands, holding the railing for support. Simco walks up to it and peers over the edge. Below him, at the base of the castle, stood the entire P.L.A., along with hundreds of human slaves. Leading them was...

"Good job, Fives!" Shining Armor yells from below them. "Alright, Captain Andre, let's arrest Simco."

The General's former officer grins wildly.

"Absolutely, Captain Armor. Lads, let's get the bastard!" Andre orders.

The thousands of humans and ponies alike were cheering. Simco looks down at them in disbelief. Then, he turns back to Fives.

"You..." He growls. "I'm going to fucking kill you!"

He steps towards Fives, raising the shard of glass, ready to plunge it into his heart. Fives braces himself to fight, but the fight never comes. A bolt of magic flies out of the window, and blasts the shard of glass out of Simco's hands.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you, darling..." Rarity cautions.

Simco spins around. The ponies were stepping out onto the balcony. Celestia, Luna, and Twilight stood in front of Fives.

"How does it feel, Simco?" Fives asks mockingly.

The General's shocked face slowly begins to fade. He starts laughing. Softly, at first, but the laughter of insanity grows.

"What is so funny?" Fives demands.

"Oh, all of this." Simco answers. "All of this is just... hysterical, but I know when to quit. I am done here."

In a brilliant, bright flash of light, Silvershield appears next to Simco. The unicorn smirks at Fives.

"Miss me?" He asks smugly.

"I still have loyal followers, Fives." Simco says. "What has happened here, today... It changes nothing."

Fives steps forward, past Celestia, Luna, and he looks at Twilight. The purple mare smiles and nods.

"Twilight, will you do me a favor, and take a letter to the esteemed General Simco."

Simco takes a step back, fear showing in his eyes.

"Ehem!" Fives clears his throat. "Dear Simco..."

The General's eyes narrow.

Fives clenches his fists. The 'letter' isn't a long one. In fact, it is only three words long.

"Bring. It. On." Fives snarls.

Simco and Silvershield were both shocked.

"This isn't over..." Simco says.

"Oh, I know. I'm just getting started."

Fives turns back to Twilight.

"Twilight, do you want to send the letter?" He asks.

The purple unicorn grins as she charges up an explosive bolt of magic. She was fast, but Silvershield was faster. In the blink of an eye, Simco and Silvershield were gone. Everyone was silent. It is Celestia who approaches Fives first. She sighs and wraps a wing around his back.

"That's my boy..." She whispers.

***TO BE CONTINUED***