Patriots of Equestria, Part 1

As the sun rose on Equestria on the morning of the Manehattan Marathon, nopony attending was fully aware of the dangers that were coming to them. Hopper and Thumper had slept all through the night, dreaming of the ultimate goal that they would soon achieve. It was just after mid-morning that Twilight and the princesses arrived in Manehattan along with her friends, taking their places at the finish line.

"What a gorgeous day for a race!" remarked Rarity, who was wearing a very nice hat and scarf. "Seems to me that nothing is going to ruin this day, darlings."

"Yep, might as well just sit back and enjoy the day," added Applejack, getting herself comfortable in her spot. "No changelings, no kidnappings, no nothing."

The rest of the ponies agreed and settled in for the gorgeous day that was laid out for them. It was a much needed break for everypony involved in Chrysalis' diabolical plot to eliminate them and conquer Equestria for herself and her minions. It would be a while before the runners would start arriving in Manehattan, but it didn't really matter. However, Rainbow Dash could sense that something was wrong.

"You know," suggested the wonderbolt, feeling a sense of unease. "Something tells me that we shouldn't be here."

"What do you mean?" wondered Fluttershy, looking up at the sky. "It's not like the weather is going to change anytime soon. The pegasi know to not cause any rainstorms today."

However, the young wonderbolt knew that something was indeed wrong and she certainly wasn't alone. But eventually, Rainbow Dash got up in the competitive nature and did nothing. Although they were supposed to be in the stands, Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer were actually in an area far down the end of the street, not far from where Twilight and the others were seated.

"I didn't want us sitting in the stands, Sunset," said Starlight as they stood among the crowds. "If that is okay with you, I mean. But, I can't help but wonder where or who this Moon Dancer is?"

The two ex-villainous unicorns walked among the crowds searching for Moon Dancer not knowing who she is and such. In fact, it was very difficult to get around the extra security that had been placed along the route.

"Was it really necessary to provide all this security?" grunted Starlight. "I mean, I know that we need to be safe, but…"

"If Twilight is confident that extra security is needed, then we have to trust her," replied Sunset. "There isn't a situation yet where I haven't trusted her."

At the same time as Sunset and Starlight continued making their way through the crowds of Royal guards and crowds of ponies, Thumper and Hopper emerged from behind a small building with the homemade bombs in their claws.

"Wait for the opening," whispered Hopper, keeping his younger brother at bay. "Wait for the area to be clear."

"But, Hopper…" replied Thumper, excitedly. "I want to…"

"No, you fool! We wait!" snapped Hopper, firmly. Soon, the opening was given and the two brothers made their move, transforming into the same two ponies as before.

Only this time, they carried on their backs two saddlebags with the respective cutie marks of their disguises. On their heads, they wore two hats: Hopper wearing a white buckball cap and Thumper wore a black buckball cap. Hastily, they set the bombs to go off in one hour and left them under the bleachers where their targets were seated.

"All right," sighed Hopper as they retreated back into their hiding spot. "It's only a matter of time before they are out of our way for good."

"What do we have to do in the meantime?" asked Thumper, while both he and his brother went about dropping their respective disguises. "There is always the possibility of the bombs being discovered."

"We wait until the bomb is nearly close to detonating," said Hopper, who was undeterred by this suggestion. "Then, we make our leave and begin our quest to find our true leader while Equestria mourns their beloved leaders."

…

So, the Changeling brothers waited and soon, the hour drew near as the first of the runners were starting to arrive. Twilight smiled along with the other princesses as they watched the first runner arrive in jubilation that he had completed the marathon. Meanwhile, having failed to find Moon Dancer and now believing that they were probably overreacting, Starlight and Sunset were just making their way back.

"Maybe Twilight is right about there not being any threat," said Starlight. "Maybe we are just acting like this for absolutely nothing?"

"Well, even I still have my suspicions," replied Sunset. "But, whatever threat is against us is probably quashed. Guess we might as well go back and enjoy the rest of the marathon. Besides, I think my family must be here."

As they were making their way back however, Starlight stopped briefly to see two ponies wearing buckball caps walking past them and the ex-cult leader was starting to become suspicious.

"Wait a minute," wondered Starlight, hearing a strange ticking sound coming from underneath the bleachers where the princesses were seated. "Do you hear that?"

But, because there was so much crowd noise, Sunset couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary. However, the concerned look on Starlight's face made it clear to Sunset that her feelings couldn't be ignored.

"Hear what?" asked Sunset, trying to talk above the crowd noise who cheered loudly for the arriving runners.

"That ticking sound," cried Starlight. "I can somehow hear it!"

"Let's go in here and I can hear you better!" shouted Sunset and they retreated into a nearby bar where several other ponies had gathered. At that moment, Trixie also went into the bar having just completed a small magic show for a small group of fillies and colts. When she saw the two unicorns, Trixie wasted no time in joining them.

"They certainly were at it today," gasped Trixie as she took off her wizard's hat. "No wonder the Great and Powerful Trixie was popular today."

But, Trixie could see that she was not the center of attention at that moment. Both her fellow unicorns were concerned about something that was happening right outside from where they were sitting.

"Is something wrong?" she wondered, looking right at both Sunset and Starlight. "You look as if you saw a ghost?"

"I heard a ticking sound from underneath the bleachers out there," explained Starlight. "I know that something is wrong and we need to let somepony know of what is going on. Perhaps we should look for Moon Dancer again."

Sunset wanted to not go back out to find a pony with whom she had never met before, but she saw little choice in the matter. However, little did they know that bombs were nearing down to their detonation point.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Trixie, rising to her feet. "Let's get going!"

But, no sooner did the three unicorns get up that the bombs reached their detonating point and just as the last of the main runners had crossed the finish line that a major explosion was heard…

BOOM!

In an instant, the first bomb detonated underneath the bleachers where Twilight's friends and brother were seated, sending them flying into the streets. Ponies screamed in terror and just before she and the other princesses could react…

BOOM!

The second bomb detonated underneath the area where the princesses were sitting and the only sounds heard above the blasts were the sounds of Celestia letting out a blood curdling scream.

"NO!" screamed Starlight and Sunset at the top of their lungs as the interior of the bar was blasted by the shattering glass caused by the bomb. "TWILIGHT! CELESTIA!"

Attempting to cross through the chaos caused by the bomb, Sunset, Starlight and Trixie stopped and looked out among the carnage seeing ponies mortally injured, ponies that weren't even targeted. Royal Guards assigned to protect the princesses raced over to the injured royals and were screaming for anypony to help. The carnage had even caused Trixie to become sick to her stomach and vomit briefly.

…

At that moment, although they were both injured, Applejack got to her feet along with Rainbow Dash and started tending to injured ponies.

"Are you okay?" cried Applejack in a panicked voice as she pulled an unconscious Fluttershy up. "Fluttershy, wake up!"

"She's knocked out, Applejack!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she came to the side of Pinkie Pie and Rarity, helping them both to their feet. "Go find a doctor and fast!"

But Applejack didn't have to as several paramedics came onto the scene and tended to them. Just then, another sound of screaming was heard and it was coming from Shining Armor who immediately ran over to Cadence's side.

"CADENCE!" Shining Armor cried, clutching his knocked out wife in his forearms. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?! PLEASE ANSWER ME!"

Shining Armor sobbed into his unconscious wife's bodied chest while two guards pulled her away from Shining Armor and placed her on a stretcher. Luna was also placed on a stretcher, conscious, but both of her wings were broken and she could feel pain in one of her front legs. Celestia was also found shortly thereafter, completely wounded all over her body as a result of the blast.

"Sister!" Luna cried weakly, her eyes filled with tears looking over towards her knocked out older sister as the princesses were loaded into two separate ambulances. "Sister, please, I beg you! Please, answer me!"

At that moment, Starlight snapped out of her trance and heard a low groan coming from one of the ponies involved in the blast. Removing the debris covering the pony, Starlight looked down in horror to see Twilight barely awake and covered in blood, much like Celestia was.

"Starlight," murmured Twilight, trying to speak to her student as Sunset arrived on the scene. "What…?"

"Shh, shh, don't talk," whispered Starlight as Sunset flagged down some paramedics to come to Twilight's aide. Twilight tried to move, but she let a scream of pain from her legs and one of her wings. "You're hurt all over your body, Twilight. They're taking you to a hospital. We'll meet you there."

They watched as Twilight was carefully placed on a stretcher and placed into an ambulance along with Cadence. As they left, Starlight and Sunset went about searching for more survivors, but not before Starlight made an assumption.

"It's happened," whispered Starlight. "The unthinkable has been carried out against Equestria."