Patriots of Equestria, Part 1

Thorax stood in the hallways of Canterlot hospital feeling like the weight of the world had fallen on his shoulders. He wanted to not have a trial and instead, his request was denied. Now, he was faced with the inevitable and there had been enough death and destruction to last him a lifetime.

"Thorax," cried Starlight as she saw him walk by Trixie and Discord's room. "What's wrong? You look depressed about something."

"Oh, hey Starlight," sighed Thorax as he walked into the room. "I was just wanting to avoid having Hopper go on trial, that's all."

Starlight, Sunset and Moon Dancer were all very surprised to hear this concerning that Hopper was a creature that needed to be tried for his crimes. As far as they were concerned, Thorax needed to have some sort of judgment passed down for the crimes of attempted murder on Equestria's elite.

"Why would you not want to have Hopper go on trial?" wondered Moon Dancer, her eyes widened with surprise. "It will be good for his victims to express their anger towards him."

"That's just it," remarked Thorax, sighing heavily. "When Chrysalis ruled over us, she delighted in trials because regardless of whether her prisoners were innocent or guilty, she would just kill them anyway."

"Equestria's justice system isn't like that at all," said Sunset Shimmer, sitting next to Discord's bed, stroking him gently. "Hopper will get a fair trial, even though he will most likely not win it despite the circumstances against him."

"Sunset has a point," added Starlight, returning to Trixie's side. "But, I can understand where you are coming from, Thorax. When I was a dictator, trying to rule my town with an iron hoof, I never gave the accused a fair trial and the punishments I inflicted were of the extreme variety. You don't have to be like that."

Thorax trusted Starlight's word on this matter, but he was still very questionable about his actions. As the new leader of the Changelings, he needed to set an example to those who were following him.

"I understand these kinds of things take time, Thorax," continued Starlight. "But, we have to sometimes show a little force on those who commit crimes of this nature. Yes, I was a tough leader, but I'm not a monster."

"I was once a monster," added Sunset, sighing heavily as all this talk brought back memories of when Twilight and her Canterlot high friends made her see the light of her ways. "And it is something that I regret every day with every single bone in my body."

Thorax knew that this would be the last thing he wanted to do was to do something that he would regret for the rest of his life. Unlike most Changelings, he was one who didn't want to inflict harm upon others. After all, he was born to be brainwashed by a false leader with ideologies that were sadistic and unforgiving.

"But, I want you to know that we all have your back, Thorax," said Starlight. "These things will take time and one of these days, you will be a good leader who will judge fairly and honestly."

Thorax felt a little better at Starlight saying this and for a moment, it seemed, that he would realize that becoming a true leader was going to take time.

…

Then suddenly, a loud commotion was heard and they all ran out to see Instant Justice talking in a fit of anger and fury to several guardsponies.

"What's going on?" cried Starlight and they all watched as Instant Justice screamed and berated the two guards.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE ESCAPED?" thundered Instant Justice, his head throbbing in fury. "HOW COULD HE ESCAPE WITH SEVERE INJURIES?! SOMEPONY BETTER GIVE ME AN ANSWER AND NOW!"

Starlight and her friends couldn't help but gasp at this development.

"He must have had inside help," cried one of the guards, trying to explain what had happened. "To be honest, none of us knew how it happened."

"Find out how and organize a platoon to go after this Changeling," he seethed, pointing at the guards. "And I don't care if he comes back dead or alive! Understand?"

The guards both saluted Instant Justice and immediately darted down the hall. Instant Justice angrily threw a hoof into the hospital wall and let out a frustrated yell that could be heard throughout the entire wing. No sooner did he let out this yell that Shining Armor emerged from the room where the princesses were in.

"He escaped?" he asked angrily to Instant Justice. "How?"

"I don't know how," answered Instant Justice, his voice lowering slightly. "But, he escaped from Ponyville hospital and is out there, somewhere, planning to finish what he started. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be dead soon, but that doesn't matter to me anymore."

Shining Armor realized that there was no doubt in his mind what he needed to do. He needed to go after this Changeling and destroy him.

"Let me go and help find him," pleaded Shining Armor, his horn glowing furiously. "I am not going to let a monster that kidnapped Cadence twice and attempted to kill her along with those I love live or breathe the air he breathes."

Instant Justice admired the courage that Shining Armor was showing and agreed right away that Shining Armor needed to join in the hunt.

"Very well then," he said. "You can go at once."

Saluting Instant Justice, Shining Armor walked back into the princesses' room and hugged Cadence tightly. Hearing that the Changeling that tried to kill them all had managed to escape made them all feel afraid to an extent.

"Don't worry," Shining Armor said. "I will find the escaped monster and bring his head back for all to see."

Without saying anything else, the princesses watched as Shining Armor ran out of the room and joined the guardsponies heading out into the Canterlot streets.

"How could he escape?" cried Sunset. "It just doesn't seem possible."

"Well, it is possible now," remarked Starlight, a stroke of fear deep in her voice. "And they always say that a wounded animal is a dangerous animal. There is no doubt in my mind that he will kill the next pony he encounters."

"That is correct, young mare," said Instant Justice. "But, I cannot help but wonder why Ponyville Hospital didn't do anything to stop him from escaping."

Everypony knew that there had to have been a way for Hopper to escape so easily. But, for now, all they could do was stand there dumbfounded as Hopper ran as fast as his legs could carry him from Ponyville hospital.

"They think I can go down so easily?" he asked himself as he ran into the Everfree Forest. "Well, I'm not going down without a fight and once I get my strength back, they will feel my fury and then, I will finish what I had started and that restoring our Queen to her rightful place!"