Two years of war.
Two years of fighting and destroying Loyalists.
Two years of freeing Thrall forces and liberating their minds.
And two years of political turmoil and propaganda within the Rainboom Rebellion.
And you are sick of it all, everyday within those two blasted years.
After the incident at the Postoffice and your dedication to ripping out your baleful Overlords from their fearful thrones. The very allies you looked after and fought with, are scheming and talking behind your back. Your anger and hatred against the Sirens has spilled into your speeches as well as your meetings with the Rainboom leaders and founder.
The Iron Onslaught Battalion has tripled in numbers, power and influence within the Rebellion. Now you are either in charge of your I.O.B or assisting fellow rebel forces in the frontline of constant combat. Those rebels like The Dancing Yaks, Ember Order Squad, The Paragons and Red Moon Brotherhood have all declared their loyalty to you and your Iron Onslaughts. With them following you, you control and order about eighty percent of all forces in the frontline, giving you the title of Iron Warlord of the Rebellion due to the fact that you fight like one and your enemies fears you just like their angry Overlords.
Speaking of them, you had several informations about their supreme rule over your people. Aria is now in full command of the Siren Loyalist Army after the death of Flash Sentry. Sonata now fears you as much as her angry purple sister, spending most of her time behind doors and rarely comes out of the Sirens' capital of Canterlot High. But there was no information about the ringleader. Your scouts always had either no info or unreliable topics about her, saying that nothing had changed since your execution of the Loyalist scum. You didn't like this and you are damned if you think she could escape your fists and your bullet with her name on it.
But that's only possible if you weren't always having to deal with their armies or worse, your own allies. The Rebel leaders -especially the founder of the Rebellion- has spread lies and falsehood about you. Propaganda about how you don't represent the Rebellion's Cause and that you are just like this due to the lost of so many people and innocents. The latter was right but the Cause you were loyal to, how dare they say otherwise! They stayed back in their head base whilst you fought in the bloody frontline. They tell the people they fight for their freedom, whereas you actually fight with rebels who wants their freedom. And then they claim that their symbol, the Red Sun, will shine over the coming days of Hope and Harmony. Whilst yours, the Iron Scorpion, is the symbol of a harden armour that protected the innocents and vengeful claws and sting to strike at those who wishes to harm them. You and your rebels has seen comrades and braves souls slaughtered by Loyalists and the leaders of the Rebellion say they understand your pain.
They know nothing of what you and your rebels goes through on a day in the frontline! They knew only words and you knew what will happen if the Rebellion fails! You faced hell and came back! They faced hell and fell back! You counted the numbers of dog tags of dead men and women during a battle's aftermath! Whilst they counted the numbers of foul words you shouted during the meetings you attended with them!
Within the two years after Flash's execution, your Ironbolts found an excellent discovery of people who joins the Rebellion. Those who joins it, mainly joins to fight for the Founder's hope or your sense of justice. Rebels fight for either the Hope of Freedom promised by Sunset, or the Iron Justice you'll bring down upon the ones that made them fight!
Your prediction came true, the Rebellion is already split and you knew it will grow if this war doesn't end. Extremists on both sides will clash if the Sirens are not overthrown and brought to justice.
And on one fateful meeting with Sunset, you left it with the same Iron Justice....Only now to its extreme.
The Spire HQ, otherwise known as the Rebel's Sanctum, the Den or just commonly called the Base. It is a large, abandon warehouse at the outskirts of the city of which you fight in everyday. When the Rebellion began, the Rainbooms believed that if they need a base to begin their rebellion, they needed a place that isn't near the Sirens and the means to defend itself from any attacks. You'll admit it was a good idea, it gives you enough room for fire practice, planning and a perfect view of the city incase an army of Loyalists were heading to the base. At first, the rebels didn't do anything to the outside in fear of exposing their location to the Sirens. But thanks to your efforts and your rebels' bravery, the rebellion grew some backbones and decorated the warehouse like a true base of the Rainboom Rebellion. Watchtowers, flags of the Red Sun or the Iron Scorpion flying through the winds, vehicles and transports, weapons and supplies and finally the people. The Spire HQ finally looked like the base of the Rebellion, even though you barely visit or see it as you were always at the frontline and dealing with those who wants it destroyed.
You arrived here with only two of your Ironbolts. Those were Indigo Zap and Sour Sweet, seeing as Indigo was your second-in-command and Sour won a bet with the others to come with you. When you arrived at Base, you were either greeted with cold eyes of worry and fear or people coming up to you. Saying loyal things and idol you as the hero of the Rebellion and saviour of hundreds of lives. It was hard to get through your admirers, fans and loyal rebels, even with your Ironbolts' assistance. You had to give them a little speech just to get in the warehouse, of which you left with thunders of applauds and cheers.
As you walked through the base, you tightened your gauntlet on your left hand, now backed up with a iron manica. Ever since Flash's execution, you have taken more armour gear to protect you and to show the world your sense of authority and justice. You got to admit, it almost made you look like a badass general, as your gears is similar to that of your I.O.B rebels.
Once done with tightening your metal hand, you came face to face with a large door that leads to the meeting room. It was guarded by two girls and you groaned in annoyance as you saw who they were.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack.
They stood there like they were on guard duty, but you know they were only doing this since they knew you were coming and wanted to act all tough around you and your Ironbolts. It was failing badly as you and your lieutenants stopped in front of them.
Rainbow stepped forward with her arms folded. "Rowland" She answer coldly.
"Rainbow" You sternly replied. "I'm here to talk with Sunset Shimmer"
"I know, I was there when Rarity spoke to Sugarcoat through the radio transceiver"
"Then why are you stopping me?" You asked harshly, waiting impatiently.
That was when Applejack step forward as well, standing next to her friend. "We need your weapon before meeting Sunset"
"And why is that?" Indigo answered on your behalf as Sour Sweet rolled her eyes.
"For safety reasons"
"Then why am I here?" You said to Applejack with a raise of one of your eyebrows.
Applejack looked at you confusedly. "What you mean?"
You too took a step forward, meeting eye to eye with Applejack as you lowered your head.
"I am a weapon"
All of you went silent after your sentence, none of you backing down as you stared at each other intentionally.
"Oh for goodness sake!" Came the voice of the Rebellion's founder, sounding annoyed behind closed door. "Girls just let him in!"
A second past before Applejack and Rainbow Dash stepped aside, much to their disapproval. With them obeying, you turned your head to your Ironbolts.
"Wait here with the others" You ordered with a calmer voice.
"You got it!" Indigo saluted with a smile.
"Go on ahead, Rowland" Sour Sweet responded with her obnoxiously nice tone of voice. In three, two, one- "Just tell her to be quick, we have other things to do than talking like stupid politicians"
You chuckled as you opened the large door and entered the meeting room, with Applejack closing said door behind you.
You stood in a large room, which must of been the office of whoever owned the warehouse before the Battle of the Bands. The windows on the right were tinted, allowing you to see a perfect view of the city you fought in and where your enemies rested. The room had a big square table where the high ranking members and leaders would discuss about the state of the Rebellion and what the Sirens are planning next.
On the other side of the table, you saw the founder of the Rebellion, who was resting her head in one hand whilst the other held a report you could only guess were about the supplies. All around her was reports and objects on the table, some neat whilst others were scattered around. She looked exhausted and hadn't slept in ages, much to your surprise and confusion. Normally, Sunset would look her best when dealing with you, to not back down nor shy away from your stance within the Rebellion. To see her like this, is something else.
"If this is not as important as it needs to be" You broke the silence with your stern iron voice. "I can simply come back on a later notice"
"No" Sunset denied your idea with a sigh as she rubbed her eyes and placed the report on the table. "No, we need to talk. Now more than ever"
"If this is about my tactics and-"
"It's not about that" Sunset interrupted you as she straightened out her gear and sat up with her eyes staring at yours.
"Then what is it?" You snorted grumpy, folding your arms. You were in the middle of making another crippling assault plan against a loyalist base before you were called in by Sunset herself.
A moment of silence fell within the room, neither you or Sunset said a word as background noises were faintly heard from beyond the room.
But finally, Sunset broke the silence. "Please Rowland, have a seat"
You accepted her offer as you took one of chairs around the table and sat down, facing Sunset as you placed your gauntlet hand on the table.
Sunset leaned forward. "Rowland, I have called you here not to discuss your many speeches against the Sirens nor the questionable actions you have committed in the name of the Rebellion"
Sunset sighed as you listened. "I called you here to help me with making a plan. A plan that includes the attack of the Sirens' capital"
"Canterlot High?" You said in surprise from Sunset's indexation and line of thought. "You called me from the frontline to help you make an assault plan for retaking Canterlot High? Why?"
This has grabbed your attention and interest. Very rarely does Sunset ask for help beyond her circle of friends and even more so when dealing with battle plans. Your mind rushed with many theories and ideas about why she wants your assistance.
Maybe she finally wanted to end this war?
Maybe to steal the glory from you when the Sirens are overthrown?
Or maybe:
She wants to know how your forces work incase of a possible coup attempt?
Maybe your status in the Rebellion and victories against the Loyalist army are now seen as a possible rival of power. Maybe Sunset had found out that many freed people calls you and your forces 'the Heroes of the Rebellion'.
Either way, something was up, that much you can tell.
"This has gone long enough" Sunset explained to you bitterly. "Too many lives on both sides are thrown to the slaughterhouse"
"What my daily life is always showing on the frontline"
"Resources and supplies will not last forever. And most importantly, if we don't sort out Adagio and her sisters. I fear they might use a super weapon to simply destroy us from afar"
"Mass brainwash most likely" you nodded your head at Sunset. "Chemical, maybe even biological if this doesn't end soon. My scouts have reported numerous occasions that Loyalist forces has halted their offensives to defend key important buildings or resources. We're now evenly matched and now both of us -rebel and loyalist- are finding ways of turning this war in our favour"
"Which is why I need your assistance, Rowland" Sunset concurred to you with a small friendly smile, though her eyes showed nothing but concern and doubts to your actions and attitudes toward her and her friends. "We need to put our differences and ideologies behind us and work together in finishing this conflict once and for all"
Her words were in the right place. Yet even now you can tell that her heart, once trusting you as a friend, holds nothing but bitterness and resentment for your new self thanks to this war.
But, you couldn't care less about that. What with this war and all. However, you vowed from the moment you escaped your lonesome cell that you would do anything to save this world from the Sirens' tyranny. So working with Sunset wasn't as bad as being a mindless slave or worse, the consort of a orange Siren.
"... What plan are you thinking?"
"So attacking the entrance is not optional?" Sunset asked.
"Correct, if so, Aria would send in waves of Thrall forces rather than Loyalists" You confirmed.
It has been three minutes of you and Sunset sitting together, discussing battle plans from previous conflicts and using them to help in the creation for this Siege of Canterlot High.
And to be honest, it's was fun and relaxing.
After Flash's execution, you and Sunset hadn't really talk to one another without the others. It was nice that you talked about the plan, but it was wonderful when you talked about other things like the first mission you two did and that time when you knocked down Adagio's stature to allow Sunset to plant the flag of the Rainboom Rebellion. You two just talked and even made both of you laugh from simple jokes to flashbacks before the Battle of the Bands. You couldn't remember what you wanted to be before the Sirens but it was good remembering the time where you would eat lunch with your friends or even doing some after school activities. In fact you remembered that you helped Fluttershy in the animal shelter and even did some crazy science with Sunset herself. It was hard to believe, but you and Sunset were close friends, so close that Rainbow Dash nicknamed you two either Rowset or Sunver, much to you and Sunset's embarrassment.
Right now, you and Sunset were both sitting next to one another, rather than you sitting in front of her and were looking at reports form the scouts that was sent to spy on CHS. Canterlot High has become a fortress and well deserved capital of the Siren Empire.
"Why would Aria throw the thrall forces at us if we are attacking them from all sides?" Sunset asked as she drafted a working plan with a pen. "Why not send in the Loyalists? They can deal more damage than the thralls"
"Yes" You concurred. "But Aria doesn't have the same moral as we do. So throwing enslaved people we're trying to save would halt our assault, allowing Loyalist Snipers to take us out one by one."
"What would she most likely use the Loyalists for if we attack Canterlot?"
"Most likely defending the school itself from within, putting them in front of us for their overlords. With narrowed halls and plenty of cover, it will take hours to just establish a perimeter within the entrance of the school"
Sunset nodded in agreement as she wrote it down onto the draft plan. As she does this, you were about to look through the reports when something caught your eyes. You looked over to the left side of the table and saw something resting underneath a Red Moon Brotherhood report.
It was some kind of portable CD player with open speakers, which means it doesn't need headphones to play whatever is inside. Your curiosity got the best of you as you leaned over and picked it up, which Sunset was unaware as she continues to write. You brought the CD player closer to you to investigate who it belongs to. Your first thought was either it was Sunset's or maybe Lemon or Vinyl as they carried these things wherever they go. Which reminded you that while you are here, you should pop over to visit Lemon as it has been three weeks since you last met one of your top lieutenants and leading experts in breaking the thralls' brainwashed minds.
So you looked for a name....Only to find the letters AD written in a fancy way. The letters boiled your blood as you slammed it onto the table -which made Sunset jumped- and pressed the play button. What does this witch want?
"Hello there, 'rebel' leaders" Came the voice of Adagio, who showed awfully happy for some reason.
"Rowland" Sunset spoke softly as you focused on the CD player. "You should no-"
"Shut up!"
"If you are listening to this then I have to say, bravo you little trouble makers" Adagio went on as you could hear slow clapping sounds, most likely from her own tyrannical hands. "You have brought so much pain and suffering to your own because of your rebellious beliefs and ideals. It almost makes be a bit proud and happy, knowing this world is much more of a challenge than the last one"
"'The last one?' What?" You asked Sunset in confusion. "What does she-"
"But it also means that a certain few is making this happen" Adagio went on with a sinister chuckle. "Thanks to my ever loyal subject, Lighting Dust, I know the ringleaders of this 'Rainboom Rebellion' and some of them I had no doubt would hold that mantel of leadership and defiance. One of them includes good old Sunset Shimmer, the native from the same world like me and my sisters as well as the one that knows the portal to Equestria"
You snapped your head to look at Sunset with confusion and somewhat betrayal from this information, not questioning if it's true or not. "Sunset, what is this 'Equestria' and why did she call you a nati-"
"And my favourite one of all" Adagio interrupted you again, much to your annoyance and anger. This new figure in this Rebellion, who goes by the name of the 'Iron Warlord' and has been a thorn in the side of the last Commander of my army"
Suddenly, thought strangely, you heard a moan from Adagio. Although it was audio, you could only imagine what she was doing when this was recorded.
"That title, oh such tension and such over ego I just love it"
"It wasn't given to me without a good damn reason" You growled as you clenched your gauntlet into a fist.
"I know who it is, this Iron Warlord. It is my favourite rebel and unbreakable human; Rowland Weaver. If he is listening to this, tell me ole Rowly, do you remember our moment together?"
You felt your blood boiling so hot, that you believed that you were about to shoot lava out of your eyes. How dare she bring up the horror you had to deal with from when you were captured and tortured!?
"You know" Adagio said in a slutty tone in her voice. "That deal I offered you is still open, more so from what you did to Aria's flashing toy and many, many loyal subjects. I would love to have that iron spirit for my own, especially when you'll tame this Sire-"
That was all you heard before you slammed your gauntlet fist onto the CD player, breaking it with pure anger and hatred as Sunset jumped again. A moment past before you once again looked at Sunset with anger burning behind your eyes.
"How long have you had this?" You asked with a cold stern voice, not breaking eye contact with Sunset's emerald eyes. "How long?"
Sunset tried to say something, but she closed her eyes and sighed sadly.
"Two weeks ago" Sunset replied as you walked away and covered your face with your right hand from the moment she said 'two weeks'.
"So you're telling me that for two weeks?! You had this recording from that witch and did not tell me?!"
"There was so much to do and how you were, we did not want to hurt you"
"We?!" You chuckled in disbelief from what the founder of the Rebellion just said. "Who's 'we'!? I hope the Royal kind of We!"
Sunset looked defeated as she just couldn't keep anything a secret anymore. "Me and the girls"
"Great! Just great!" You shouted as you stomped towards Sunset. "So now there are secrets we're keeping behind closed doors?!"
"Rowland calm down" Sunset said as she backed away from you, with both of you heading towards the tinted windows.
"Is it because I'm the only one that would kill to save our friends?!"
"Rowland cal-"
"Is it because I came back from hell and fought like a damn demon to keep them Demon-Queens off this planet's throne!?"
"Rowlan-"
"Or is it?!" You bellowed as Sunset's back was now pushed onto the windows. "I'm more rebel than you and your followers?! Is it because I'm fighting for justice while you hope tomorrow would be better?! Or is it because me and my legion are the iron scorpion that is stinging the Sirens' hearts and the Red Sun rebels doesn't want their overlords OVERTHROWN?!?!"
You were now faced to faced with Sunset, not letting this betrayal of information go unpunished. But when you were looking into Sunset's worried and broken eyes, you felt something poking you in the belly. You looked down....And saw a gun.
Sunset was pointing a loaded pistol at you. You couldn't believe it. You came here to discuss and now Sunset has the courage to point a gun at you?!
You backed away from Sunset, only to see she hasn't lowered her pistol as she calmed her breathing. You looked at her with a stern look as she looked at you with a sadden gaze.
"I'm sorry, Rowland" Sunset whispered with a single tear coming out from her right eye. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this. But the reason why I didn't was because it would destroy the Rowland I knew, no, I KNOW is still underneath this person of violent, hatred and vengeance. You were always there for us, for me! But when we brought you out of that cell, healing your injured thin body, I noticed you changed and not the good way!"
She threw the pistol onto the table, not looking away from you. "Remember the moment WE just had? We were like our old selves again, happy and enjoying our company. Not worrying about the state of the Rebellion or the food rations, we were just like that time you and I stayed in chemistry and worked on some experiments; discussing, planning and joking about"
Sunset regained herself and her breathing returned to normal. She then gave a weak smile to your emotionless glare as she offered a hand. "When we fight, we fight with friends"
You looked down at her hand and thought about what just happened.
You were called to Base by Sunset herself. You two discussed a plan to take back Canterlot High. You found Adagio's message. A message that was kept a secret to you. And now Sunset, through self-defence, was willing to pull out a gun at you.
Who is in the wrong; You or her?
Who is the one constantly at their edge through war and lost of close friends; You or her?
Who is trying to end this bloodshed and to bring justice to the Sirens; You or her?
So you raised your gauntlet hand up to Sunset's very so slowly. Sunset's eyes widened a bit in hope, as your hand was just next to hers.
But then you clenched it into a fist and looked at Sunset with an iron glare. "Iron and fist, will bring us justice"
As you shattered Sunset's hope, you headed towards the door. "My forces will attack the restaurant Diner's Finer and try to get some thrall forces to base for them to think normally again"
"W-why that place?" Sunset tried her best to ask you that question with her shaky broken voice.
You answered nonetheless. "That is the last known location of Lighting Dust....And I want her head mounted on my wall for all the Iron Onslaughts to see!"
And just like that, you opened the door and slammed it behind you. The Iron Onslaught Battalion and its allies will do things your way from now on. And if any Red Sun Rebel have a problem with that, you can simply remind them what happens to those who stand in your way;
With a bloody collection of Loyalist's names painted in their blood.
It's dark, but for freedom and ending the Siren Empire:
It's a necessary evil, one that your Rebellion needs.
