Twists, Turns, Scars, and Steel

Jet Lag awoke with a groan, rubbing his head as he struggled to get up. His limbs felt unusually weak, and his head felt like he had been hit with a lead mace. His eyes were finally forced open, and he was greeted with a slate grey interior.

He raised his head, looking around. He was in a room that resembled a prison cell with small, slit windows, no furniture, and a low roof. Unlike prison cells, he saw a trio of bookshelves on the walls that didn't have a door. They were full of simple bound books with purple covers. As the ringing in his ears faded, he heard a monotone voice that sounded vaguely like Starlight Glimmer:

"To excel is to fail. Exceptionalism is a lie. Choose equality as your special talent. Difference is frustration. Be your best, by never being your best."

"The Captain was right", Jet Lag muttered. "That Starlight is full of shit." He raised himself up, looking down to take stock of what he had on him. His armor, battle harness, and weapons were gone, leaving him only in his undershirt. He looked past the shirt, eyes widening as he saw that his normally dark navy coat was now a very dark grey. Almost like one of the... the townsponies.

In a panic, he looked back. His usual cutie mark was gone, replaced with an equal sign like all of the others. He had assumed it was make-up or something. Now, it appeared to be by magic. That really put points into that this wasn't consensual or was, at the very least, not natural.

He was driven from his thoughts by the door opening. Starlight Glimmer entered with Double Diamond and her daughter behind her. "Enjoying your stay, Jet Lag?", she asked.

His face contorted in anger. He barked, "You fucking whore!" He rushed at her, fully preparing to punch out her teeth when a bolt of magic caught him in the chest. He slumped back, scowling in mild pain.

"Mommy?", the filly asked. "Why is he being so mean?"

"Don't worry, Snowbank dearie. He just doesn't understand what a utopia this is. He'll come around", she said in that same motherly tone that she had spoken to him in earlier.

"Cub-napping and unlawful imprisonment of a commissioned griffonian officer", Jet Lag said. "You could hang for this."

"Are you threatening my wife?", Double Diamond asked.

Jet Lag snarled, before saying, "Why are you here?"

Starlight stepped aside before another pair of ponies stepped forward. One he recognized as Sugar Belle, while the other he assumed was her foal. He was a dusty-red unicorn colt with a white and purple mane. They entered, eyes lowered.

Jet Lag asked, "What are they doing here?"

"Her husband, Feather Bangs, told me that the two of them were out after curfew. Namely, that they were doing something outside of town. They need to stay here in order to learn that they need to be willing to accept equality in order to stay here", Starlight said.

"Mommy, does Stud Muffin have to stay in here too?", Snowbank asked. "He knows better."

"I know sweetie, but I don't know exactly what happened. I'll let them out in two days. By then, I'm sure they can explain to me exactly what they were doing there. Ok?"

"Ok mommy", she said, somewhat somberly.

"Good", Starlight said. She and Double Diamond turned to leave, leaving Snowbank alone in the doorway.

She said, "I know mommy can seem mean every now and then, Mr. Jet Lag. But, she only does it because she wants you to be happy. I hope you can be happy."

"Come on, Snowbank!", Double Diamond called. "It's past curfew!"

The little filly's ears perked up. She said, "Gotta go. Good night!" She then ran out of the door, with a Persian blue aura surrounding it and closing it behind her.

Jet Lag turned to Sugar Belle, asking her, "What happened since I was out?"

Sugar Belle fixed him with a stern look, before looking at her son. As he cried into her forelegs, she told the Lieutenant, "I did what I should've done years ago."

++++~++++

Three days later, Giovanni examined the paper in front of him; a Search Warrant. After Sugar Belle had come and talked to him several days ago, he had sent a request to the nearest judge. It had only just come back to him.

He stood up and left the small room that had become his office in the makeshift outpost. Construction had begun a few days ago, using several trees from a nearby grove to make the barracks that had his office attached to it and a watchtower. He exited the building, being greeted by a smiling Starlight Glimmer.

"Hello, Captain!", she said. "Just the creature I was hoping to see."

"I'm sure", Giovanni replied. "However, I have some business to attend to."

As he headed towards the perimeter of the camp, she followed alongside him. "Well, that may have something to do with what I need to talk to you about."

"And what is that?", he asked.

"Well, you see, it's about you and your soldiers. They're... well, to be blunt, they're scaring the villagers. Hay, one of them nearly terrified the horn off of my dear Snowbank. So, I was wondering if you could... you know...?"

"Pull out?", he asked.

"Yes! Exactly!", she said.

"Sorry, but no can do", he said, spreading his wings and taking off with four of his soldiers behind him.

Starlight's smile twisted into a sneer as she lit up her horn and teleported away. She appeared just as they landed on the edge of town. She said, "Why not!?"

"Because you're not my superior; you're not even a citizen yet. I can't pull out until I receive orders to do so. Now, like I said, I need to take care of something", he said, marching towards one of the buildings on the edge of town.

Starlight said, "Well, I am sure you can understand my reasoning for wanting you to leave. It's nothing personal, but... your mindset is just so... different from ours. It can threaten to undo our entire philosophy."

Giovanni stopped and looked at her. "Listen. I have one of my soldiers missing and have had it up to here with this. Let me do my job. If nothing comes of this, I'll put in a word with the Command at Fort Grover, ok?"

"Ok." As Giovanni and the soldiers kept walking towards the building, Starlight's brow furrowed. "What is your 'business', exactly?"

Giovanni stopped just outside a building on the edge of town. Unlike all the others, this one had much smaller windows. A pair of smiling townsponies stood on either side of the door, reminding Giovanni quite a bit of sentries... or guards. "Open the door."

Starlight looked aghast. Before she could say anything, one of the townsponies shook their head. "I can't. Starlight said I can't let anypony except her in."

"Well, good thing I'm not a pony", he said. "Step aside, and open this door."

Starlight trotted in front of him, a furious expression on her face. "Just what gives you the right to demand to enter someplace!? Especially like this!?"

"This", Giovanni answered, showing her the Warrant. "This is a Search Warrant. Says I can search this building. Now, again. Stand aside, and open this door."

"I thought you said we weren't Griffonian citizens!", Starlight protested.

"You aren't", Giovanni said. "But since you are on Griffonian land, you are subject to Griffonian law. Now, for the last time, open the door, or else." As if to prove his point, the two griffons in the back spread their wings and hovered off the ground, drawing their pistols.

Starlight said, "You still can't just-"

"Yes, I can", Giovanni interrupted, pushing her aside and pulling out one of his own pistols. He lowered the pyrite to the spinning wheel, pulling the trigger after placing it to the door handle. The serrated wheel spun against the pyrite, a shower of sparks appearing as the black powder ignited and the weapon fired. The lock mechanism was blown apart, and Giovanni holstered the pistol, entering the room in one fluid motion.

The occupants of the room looked to the door in shock, before Jet Lag stood up and saluted. "Sir!", he said, relief evident in his voice.

"Lieutenant", Giovanni said. "What in the Idol is going on? What happened to you?"

"I'm trying to show him the happiness that comes with equality", Starlight interjected, teleporting in between him and those in the room. "And you are threatening to undo all of that."

Giovanni drew his second pistol, aiming it at Starlight. "On your knees. You are under arrest."

"For what?", she asked. "For helping ponies find true harmony? True happiness!?"

"For cub-napping of a Republican officer, unlawful imprisonment of a Republican officer, unlawful imprisonment of a civilian, and attempted obstruction of law-enforcement personnel. Now, like I said. On. Your. Knees", Giovanni said.

Starlight sneered before it turned to a sadistic grin. She lit up her horn again, teleporting away. Giovanni didn't have time to question her move. He said to one of his troopers, "Get them up. We need to move."

As one of them did so, he heard another shot echo from outside. He slipped out the door to see a large crowd of ponies gathered, all of whom were surrounding the building. Starlight was at the front, wearing her stern, motherly smile. She said, "You see, everypony. It is as I told you. They want us to be separate, alone and miserable again."

"What I want is for you", he said, pointing at Starlight. "To surrender."

Double Diamond spoke up, exclaiming, "She's given us nothing but happiness, and you want to take her away!?" Others around him yelled in affirmation.

Seeing he was getting nowhere by going the logical path, Giovanni decided to try a different approach. "And yet you let her lock a young colt and his mother in a cramped, cold room with no food or water. What part of that is 'giving you nothing but happiness?'"

Starlight said, "Sacrifices have to be made in order for us to maintain our happiness."

"Well then, perhaps you would explain to me how cub-napping one of my soldiers is to make him happy?", he asked.

Double Diamond said, "He would've been happy once he accepted true equality."

Jet Lag snorted. "You really are full of yourselves, ain'tcha? Where was my choice in the matter!? Don't I get a fucking say!?"

Starlight said, "That is enough!" She let out a sigh, before looking back up. "Leave."

"You're coming with us", Giovanni said, flapping up into the air and drawing his saber.

Starlight snarled, her horn glowing. Before any of them could move, Snowbank grabbed onto her leg, pressing her head against Starlights flank. "Please, mommy! I don't want to lose you!"

"I'm not going anywhere, sweetie", she said, using her hind leg to push her away. "Go to your father. I don't know what I'll need to do to make the bad griffons leave, but I'll do it."

The filly shook her head, before squinting at Starlights flank. "M-mommy? What's that?", she asked.

Starlights expression turned from one of anger to one of alarm. She turned as fast as she could so her flank was facing away from her daughter, only to be met by gasps as it was faced towards the other townsponies. She turned just enough that Giovanni could see what it was. Her daughter's affectionate rubbing had smeared makeup. A gap ran down her flank, revealing a multi-colored design on her flank. Double Diamond said, "H-honey. I-is that a-"

"Look away!", she yelled. "I'm not the problem! They are! They're dividing us!"

"And here I thought you said that Cutie Marks were evil and giving them up was for the best?", Giovanni said sarcastically. As he did, he noticed a large group of his soldiers heading towards the village, sabers and pistols at the ready.

"Yeah! You did", Party Favor said. Even more in the crowd clamored in agreement.

"I needed it!", Starlight protested. "How else could I collect your cutie marks!?"

"What about the Staff of Sameness!?", Sugar Belle asked. "Doesn't that have all the power we need!"

"That is just a piece of wood I found in a desert. If it weren't for me, you'd all still be miserable! I made this paradise possible! I gave you harmony! I gave you friendship! I gave you all of this!", Starlight ranted.

"Congratulations", Giovanni said, drawing Starlight's attention. "You've just added Fraud to your list of crimes."

"You lied to us! All of it!", Night Glider yelled.

As others yelled their own grievances, Double Diamond stepped forward. "Was all of it a lie?"

"All of what?", Starlight asked.

Double Diamond said, "Did you love me? Did you? Or did you just use me?"

Starlight was silent. She turned her head as the rest of the Warhawks arrived, a look of sadness on her face. She said, "I wasn't lying. Cutie marks do ruin ponies' lives. That wasn't a lie."

"You can't stop creatures from pursuing what they want to do. The most depraved tyrants in history, from Grogar to Sombra haven't attempted to do that", Giovanni said, before turning to the townsponies. "So, what do you all want to do?"

Party Favor was the first to reply after a minute of silence. "I want my cutie mark back."

"Me too", Night Glider said.

"Yeah", Sugar Belle said. "So do I."

"NO!", Starlight yelled, her anger springing back to the forefront. "You can't! You can't just turn your backs on everything we sought to make!"

"We're either all equal, or none of us are", Double Diamond said.

Starlight faced each of them, looking between the mob of her former townsponies and the Griffonian Warhawks. She then lit up her horn, firing off a spell that sent the ponies near her reeling in alarm. She took off running, bringing up a magic shield to prevent being hit by the salvo of bullets that would've killed her. She entered her house, slamming the door behind her.

Double Diamond reared up on his hind legs, yelling to the townsponies, "Come on! Let's go get our Cutie Marks!"

The crowd of ponies cheered, following Double Diamond as they ran along a path leading out of the town. Giovanni said, "Sargeant Gilroy! Take your squad to go provide any and all assistance they may need. Lieutenant Jet Lag. Stay here and get some rest. The rest of you, with me!"

As Gilroy and his soldiers flew off after the ponies, Giovanni flew towards the building on the edge of the town. Giovanni and several others ground to a halt just outside, stopping just to ready their sabers and pistols. Giovanni nodded, and the soldier across from him took a few steps back before running forward and body-checking the door. Several more fanned out inside the main room, looking for the lavender unicorn.

When no sign of her turned up, Giovanni said, "Sweep the house. Let me know if you find anything."

They did so, several running down the hall while others ran into the attached room. Giovanni snarled to himself. She was a unicorn and a powerful one at that. Plus, she had shown herself to be adept at teleportation already. She could be anywhere. He turned to another one of his sergeants, telling him, "Take your griffs. Sweep the surrounding area. If she teleported away, I want her fo-"

He was interrupted by another soldier running in and snapping to salute. "Sir! We found an open escape tunnel that leads into the mountains. Sergeant Gianna has already begun her pursuit with six soldiers."

Giovanni growled. "Good. Belay that, Sergeant. Follow me."

Giovanni led his soldiers into the next room. Sure enough, a large tunnel entrance was opened in the room, which Giovanni and the others followed down it. On the other end, the tunnel opened up onto a wide section of the mountains, with a narrow path that skimmed the mountains.

Along the path, he saw Starlight running away from Sergeant Gianna and her soldiers, who were attempting to shoot her. Giovanni said, "Let's go. You all know the drill."

They all sped off after them, flying as fast as they could. The others soon caught up with the fleeing Starlight, while several of the faster ones began to fly ahead of her. Giovanni saw she brought up magic shields in order to prevent herself from being hit. She ran as fast as she could, while not being able to completely outrun them.

Giovanni looked for a way to slow her down, or at the very least keep her from popping up her magic barriers. He looked up, scanning the path for a way to accomplish such a goal. He spotted it; a long stone bridge, only narrowly held up. He yelled to one of his soldiers, "Collapse the bridge!"

The griffon nodded and ran ahead, firing both of his pistols into the base of the bridge. It crumbled, a long part of the bridge falling into the pass below. Starlight ground to a halt, her mind taken off of her pursuers. That distraction was enough for the soldiers to exploit.

A bullet slammed into her flank and she yelled in pain, falling to the ground. Giovanni landed next to her, pressing his own pistol to her head. "Now will you come with us?", he asked.

Starlight hissed in pain, before snarling out, "You will regret this."

"I don't think I will", Giovanni said. "Sergeant. Take her away. If you see so much as a spark from her horn, cut it off."

Gianna and another one of her soldiers grabbed onto her shoulders, hoisting her forelegs over their shoulders and taking off back towards the tunnel. Giovanni and the rest of his soldiers followed them.

As they made their way out of Starlight's house, Giovanni was confronted by Double Diamond, Sugar Belle, Party Favor, and Night Glider. Unlike before, where they all had uniform manecuts and cutie marks, they now all looked unique. Double Diamond watched as Starlight was dragged away, and asked, "What are you going to do with her?"

"She will be patched up", Giovanni said. "Then, she will be taken to the nearest town for trial. Normally, I would have to do the same to all of those who aided in her crimes." They all looked between one another, while Giovanni looked to the ground. "But, given the circumstances, I think I can let this slide."

"Oh, thank you", Sugar Belle said.

"Right", Giovanni said. "Now, speaking of which; what do you plan to do now?"

Night Glider looked confused, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, from what I understand, you were more-or-less tricked into coming here and supporting Starlight", he said. "If that is the case, you are all free to leave."

"Are you kidding me?", Party Favor said.

"Like it or not, this is our home now", Double Diamond said.

Giovanni nodded. "Very well. I will see what I can do to speed up your citizenship applications."

"Again, thank you", Sugar Belle said.