It had all started with a dream. The dream that cinema could be something more than just a sideshow attraction at the circus. A dream that no pony believed in.

But then something wonderful had happened. That dream had taken flight. It had blossomed into something truly new and wondrous and quickly took Coltifornia by storm. Ponies had begun to share in on that very same dream and for a time, just a short little time, it seemed like that dream would become a reality.

But the world and the forces that rule it don’t care about dreams. Dreams can easily be twisted into lies, deceit and manipulation. Dreams are just as capable of brewing hatred as they are at creating friendship, perhaps even more so. Flicker Light had learned that better than anypony.

What had started as a dream, had quickly become a nightmare. A terrible, terrible nightmare. And for better or worse, it was all going to end tonight.

September 1st, 1902 - 3:00 PM - Five hours before the election:

“Pack your bags, we’re getting out of here,” Golden Bits said, stuffing as many of his bits as he could into his large suitcase before quickly starting to carelessly scoop the rest of his belongings off his desk and into a big luggage case. “This city has gone insane. We need to get out of here now.”

Many Bits hesitated, looking over all of his belongings before him. “Are you sure this is a good idea? What about our deal with D.W. Griffin?”

“To Tartarus with that deal!” Golden Bits spat back, shoving a wrinkled dress shirt into the suitcase. “Have you seen what's going on out there? More than half the city is armed and preparing for civil war. The election is only hours away, and as soon as that begins things are going to start getting real messy. Plus, I just heard that Swindle Gyp is dead. Nightmare Gang or something like that. If they have something against Flicker Light, then I don’t want to be around when they find out we funded his business. We just need to get to Canterlot, things will be safer there.”

Many Bits frowned. “So we’re just going to drop everything?” He sighed and finally began to gingerly place his things into his own bag, his face cast with melancholy. “I really thought this whole film thing was going to make us rich.”

“Look, don’t worry about all that now. I know a Pony; Thomhorse Edison. Him and his assistant contacted me a few days ago. Apparently they caught wind of this whole film thing and are interested in investing in the Magic Lantern Camera,” Golden Bits explained reassuringly, his voice lowering a little. “I did a bit of digging and it doesn’t look like Flicker Light or his father put any sort of copyright on their camera. We can meet up with Edison in Canterlot and make a claim on it ourselves. There's a lot of bits in that for us, more than there is sticking around this doomed city anyway.”

Many Bits scrunched up his nose at the idea, but didn’t comment on it further. Bits were bits he supposed, it didn’t matter how they got them in the end.

As soon as the last things were packed up and the suitcases closed with a loud click of the lock, the two bank managers began rushing for the door, their train tickets tight in their mouth.

“Are you ponies going somewhere?” A casual, yet headstrong voice spoke up, causing both of the bankers to spin around, their eyes wide with fear. Leaning against the wall, flanked by two tough looking bucks in dark blue suits, stood the infamous crime boss of the Nightmare gang. His eyes had been cast into shadow from his wide brimmed fedora, but the two banker ponies could still clearly feel his piercing gaze blazing into them. “You wouldn’t be planning on skip town, now would you?” The mob boss took a small puff of the thick cigar hanging from his mouth, a thin smile on his lips.

“I, uh… we were just, um…” Golden Bits stumbled, trying to find the right words. His eyes darted down to the large, gun shaped bulge in the Mob bosses suit. “Just uh… having ourselves a little vacation… that’s all.”

The Mob boss looked them over a second longer, another puff of smoke from his cigar swirling around his monochrome face. “Mmmhmm,” He finally soothed, pulling himself off the wall and taking a step towards the two cowering ponies. They took a nervous step away from him at his approach. “That there is an awful lot of luggage for a little vacation.”

Many Bits grimaced, trying to hide his suitcase behind him a little. “We uh… like to be prepared…”

The thin smile on the mob bosses face suddenly seemed to warp into a growl. “Many Bits, you know I don’t like to be lied to,” The mob boss cooed, taking another step forward. “We had a good thing going, the three of us. I was rather fond of having two very generous... donors... such as yourselves here at the bank.”

Golden Bits baulked. “L-look. I’m s-sure we can come to some sort of agreement? W-what do you want? Bits? I’m sure we can spare a few…”

The mob boss paused at that, rolling his words around in his head. “Hmm… Tempting. See, I know that you helped fund a little project belonging to Flicker Light. I want information on that…”

The Bits siblings exchanged a worried look, their previous fear of the Nightmare Gang finding out about their involvement with Flicker suddenly seeming very dire. “I-is that all… I’m sure we could tell you s-something? What do you want to k-know?”

The mob bosses growl reverted back to its original chilling smirk. “I told the good Flicker Light that he was to stop his production on his film. But I’m getting reports from some of my… informants... that Flicker and his crew have been hiding away inside of his theatre for the last two days. I want to know what he’s up to.”

Many Bits gulped, taking a step back. “W-we cut our ties with Flicker. We haven’t heard anything…”

The mob boss frowned, reaching up a hoof to take his cigar out of his mouth. He exhaled, thick smoke wafting from between his lips. "You don't know nothing?" Both bankers shook their heads enthusiastically. “Hmmm. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be in touch,” The mob boss finally said, his sweetly tone having a thick hint of malice.

He turned, both of his bodyguards following him out and into the overcast street beyond. Golden Bits shivered, looking over at his brother worriedly. “What are we gonna do?”

Many Bits stood silently, staring mortified at the glass doors of the bank as they slowly swung shut behind the trio of Nightmare gang ponies. “Y-you’re right… we need to get out of this city,” he looked down at his train ticket. “We need a less direct root. Cancel our tickets. We’ll catch a trail up to Vanhoover, wait this storm out there then make our way to Canterlot.”

Golden Bits nodded, gulping. Things had gone from bad to worse, and they both knew that it was only going to get worse before the night was through.

September 1st, 1902 - 3:48 PM - Four hours, twelve minutes before the election:

The Mob boss stepped out of the Bank, his cold eyes immediately spotting the dark grey griffin watching him from across the street. He grinned, straightening his suit and trotting casually over to him, his two guards trailing closely behind him.

“Griffin!” The mob boss exclaimed with faux pleasure, opening up his hooves welcomingly towards D.W. Griffin. The griffin only gave him a raised eyebrow in return. The mob boss dropped his hooves and went back to a more neutral position. “Something have you down Griffin? Today is a day to rejoice. Tonight our work finally comes to fruition,” he held out an unlit cigar. “Cigar?”

“What was that about?” Griffin asked, bluntly, accepting the cigar and lighting it with the small flick of a match. He pointed over to the bank with one of his talons.

The mob boss gave a sultry look. “Just dealing with some old friends of mine. Nothing to concern yourself with, I assure you.”

“I heard you have been keeping Flicker Light and his crew under surveillance?” D.W. Griffin annotated, taking a puff of his offered cigar.

The mob boss’ voice shifted into a defensive tone. “Don’t you worry about that either friendo. I’ll deal with Flicker Light.”

Griffin huffed in response, spreading his large wings. “I expect I shall see you outside the capitol building at the time of the election?”

The mob boss nodded. “I wouldn’t dare miss it for the world. I think it’s about time Coltifornia goes back to the way it is supposed to be. Run by the superior races such as the ponies and griffins.”

D.W. Griffin simply nodded. “Indeed. I feel this has been a long time coming,” With that, he flapped his powerful wings and shot off into the sky, soaring high above the brick skyscrapers and rioting streets of Coltifornia.

The Mob boss watched him fly off for a long moment before leaning in towards one of his bodyguards and whispering. “I want an eye kept on him.”

The guard nodded grimly, one hoof brushing against the firearm that rested just within the confines of his dark suit. “Of course boss.”

The mob boss took a step back, looking his two guards over. “I have no doubts that Flicker Light is going to make his move soon. Send out the word that there is to be a sniper watching every entrance of that theatre. He has to leave sooner or later. When he does, I want to know. If he has a film with him… Whack him.”

The two mobsters gave grim nods, both knowing full well that he meant something much more sinister than a rough slap on the hoof. But when the boss asked, you delivered. That’s just how the city worked.

September 1st, 1902 - 6:58 PM - One hour, two minutes before the election:

Rosemary trotted down the sidewalk, keeping close to the shadows, a large basket of food and supplies slung across her withers.

The streets were getting busy, more and more rioters storming out onto the streets and waving their hateful signs. Shouts and screams of rage and protest filled the air, many directed at the few zebras that dared to stay outside while others seemed to be even more obscene and directed at everypony that disagreed with them entirely.

She looked behind her as she quickly moved farther and farther away from her apartment. At the end of the street, verging on the edge of uptown sat the looming municipal building, towering over the large crowds of screaming ponies. The only other buildings were her apartment building and the old abandoned skyscraper. She wondered if they were ever going to repurpose it or tear the skyscraper down. It had been such an eyesore for so long. She doubted that anything would be done about it right now with the chaos that was the current political climate.

As she began to near the FlickerLight Theatre in the far distance, the first drops of rain began to splash against the cracked asphalt around her. It had been a tough month for everybody, and the weather seemed to enjoy reflecting that.

Her eyes drifted to the rooftop of the building across from the theatre. As she had seen on her last two trips out here, a pony in a dark blue suit was standing sentinel atop it, their eyes fixated on the door to Flicker’s theatre. But this time, things were different.

Now there were two ponies, and one of them was holding a rather large looking sniper…

Feeling a bolt of alarm, Rosemary began trotting in a large arch around the building, still trying to keep to the shadows the best she could. Slowly, she began making her way around to the back where she knew a back door would be waiting for her. Her eyes landed on the roof of the building behind the theatre, another Nightmare Gang sniper resting there as well, the scope of his large weapon pointed down menacingly at the back door.

“Oh no…” Rosemary mumbled to herself, pushing herself up tighter against the wall to keep from being seen. Her eyes darted around to all the other surrounding buildings, feeling her heartbeat start racing faster as she realized there were snipers located on all of those roofs as well.

The Nightmare gang was up to something, and she could tell that it spelt trouble.

Inching around the side of the building, Rosemary found a spot wedged between the theatre and the adjacent building that seemed to be out of view from the snipers. A small window leading into the upper part of the theatre was set into the wall a far above her, the glass pane slid aside to allow entry.

Flicker Light had shown it to her shortly after she had declared she would go out every few hours to get food and other necessities for the cast and crew. He had told her that it should allow a way in an out of the building if there was an emergency. She had hoped the situation wouldn’t get that bad, but clearly it had.

Putting her hoof on the side of the wall, Rosemary began pulling herself up, slowly making her way up the steep brick surface. The heavy rain made the thin cracks in the jagged bricks slick to the touch, and a few times she had to pause to keep from falling off.

Within a few minutes, Rosemary made it to the window and crawled inside, falling entirely to the Theatre floor below her.

“Rosemary!?” she heard a worried voice chirp as she heaved and tried to catch her breath. Rosemary looked up to see a surprised looking Shadow Silhouette rushing towards her, a growing look of concern across her face. “What’s going on? Why are you coming in through the window?”

Rosemary sat up, rubbing her hooves together and panting. “Nightmare gang outside... Snipers on the roofs... Had to find a safe way in,” She sputtered between breaths. Shadow quickly pulled up beside her and helped her back to her hooves. “Is Flicker Light still here?”

Shadow nodded, leading Rosemary down a set of stairs. Rosemary was surprised to find that there seemed to be a whole living area set up in the theatres attic. This must have been the area that Shadow had been living in all this time. “Yeah, he’s just cutting together the last bits of the film.”

Rosemary grimaced. “We’re cutting it close. We only have an hour left,” A sudden realization hit her. “How exactly does Flicker plan to get everyone to see the film before the election anyway? More than half the city is currently storming the streets to uptown and the government building.”

Shadow paused, biting her lower lip. “I, uh… I don’t know. I think he said he had a plan… maybe…” She blushed a little. “He’s always been a bit of a dreamer, so it’s probably going to be something unnecessarily big and theatrical.”

Rosemary stifled a laugh. “Great, just what this city needs right now. A vigilante with a flare for the dramatic,” Shadow didn’t know quite how to take that.”

The two mares reached a hatch in the floor and began descending down a ladder to the mane area of the theatre. After a few rungs, Shadow flapped her wings and lifted off from the ladder, swooping down to the theatre floor below.

“Show off,” Rosemary smirked at Shadow, as she finally reached the bottom of the ladder herself. She glanced around, making out the cast and crew all gathered in the middle of the theatre, talking to each other. She trotted over to them, opening up the basket on her back and revealing the food inside. “Here you go. I reckon you are all probably hungry right about now.”

They all gave her grateful smiles before digging in. The actress for Celestia went so far as to reach out and hug her. Popcorn gave her a timid nod.

With the cast dealt with, Rosemary turned to where Flicker Light was sitting. He was on the stage at the back of the auditorium, slowly threading strips of film through some sort of device that Rosemary briefly remembered him referring to as a Moviola. Every few moments there would be a small snipping noise as Flicker Light cut into the film strips with the device. His eyes were fixated on his work and the occasional bead of sweat dripped from his brow.

Shadow swooped over to him, planting a small kiss on his cheek. The touch drew a smile from Flicker, though he didn’t look up at her directly. Shadow rolled her eyes at his obliviousness, then leaned forwards and bit his ear.

Flicker’s head jerked up in surprise, his face turning a bright red. “S-s-shadow!” He squealed, finally having his attention pulled away from his work.

Shadow let go of his ear and pointed towards Rosemary as she slowly made her way towards them. “Rosemary’s here.”

Flicker Light flushed. “O-oh… sorry, I didn’t hear you come on,” He pulled himself up onto his hooves and hopped off of the stage to address her more directly. “Is everything alright out there?”

Rosemary gave him a grim look. “No. And we’re running out of time fast. The Nightmare gang has got snipers on the roof outside.”

That got the cast and crew's attention. They all looked up from their food, worried. Fear flashed across Flicker's face and he silently mouthed the words Rosemary had just said.

“S-snipers… As in like… ponies with big guns and s-stuff…” Flicker stammered. Rosemary just nodded in response. He had known about the Nightmare gang spies on the roof, but multiple armed ponies was not something he felt he could deal with at the moment. He looked back and forth from his film to the cast and crew a few feet away. “A-Alright, we need to find a way to get all of you out of here safely.”

“Oh no you don’t, we’ve all come too far now to give up like that,” The actress for Celestia asserted, taking a bold step forwards. “We all knew the risk when we decided to keep filming after the Nightmare Gangs warning. We are not backing out now.”

“Yeah. We’re with you until the end,” Popcorn piped up. The rest of the cast and crew all gave firm nods of agreement at that. Popcorn’s face fell a little. “It’s the least I can do after all that I’ve done.”

Flicker gave them all a worried look. “I doubt that they are going to just let me leave this theatre with the film in hoof. Sticking around is just going to get you all killed…” Flicker took a deep breath, trembling. “We already lost Swindle Gyp, I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose all of you as well.”

Shadow put a hoof on Flicker’s shoulder. “We’ll think of something.”

“My brother and I might have a bit of an idea,” the high, fast speaking voice of Flam declared, the colt hoping up onto the stage next to Flicker and striking a dramatic pose.

“Indeed we have,” Flim agreed, straightening his bowtie and giving everypony a charismatic grin. Flicker was glad to see that the two colts were at least able to smile after what had happened to Swindle. “My brother and I agree that the solution to our little problem requires little more than some misdirection.”

Rosemary raised an eyebrow at the two swindling colts. “Like, a distraction?”

Flam gave her a wink. “Exactly so. The cast and crew can lead the snipers away and get to safety while the rest of us sneak out and execute dear Flicker Lights plan.”

Flicker looked over at the cast and crew, checking to make sure that plan worked for them. It sounded like a sound plan, but it was still risky. “Are you all sure you’re up for something like that? That will put you right in the crosshairs of those snipers. We already know that the Nightmare gang has no qualms killing.”

The actress for Celestia gave her hair a dramatic flip. “Of course we are. A lot of us are actors after all, causing a scene is many of our specialties. Besides…” She paused, looking behind her and at the large double doors that led out with uncertainty. “...We’ll be safe. I doubt the Nightmare gang wants a bunch of innocent ponies to get shot in mob violence. Bad for business…”

Flicker gave her a thankful look, but he still looked nervous. “Even still, there’s a lot going on outside. If they chose to shoot, they’ll have an easier alibi than normal. If they really want you dead, the Nightmare gang can just claim it was rioters,” He felt his heart sink. “Or Celestia forbid they blame it on zebras and make this whole situation worse…”

Everypony looked around at each other grimly at that. They all knew he was right, but they were all going to go through with it anyway.

September 1st, 1902 - 7:26 PM - Thirty four minutes before the election:

Snip.

Flicker Light blinked, staring in awe as the Moviola cut into the final film strip, causing the last bit of excess film to fall away. He held his breath, expecting something to suddenly happen. Nothing did.

“It’s... done…” He breathed, his whole body going still. Something had to happen. Something was bound to go wrong and make him need to start all over from scratch. He must have missed something. Was this a dream? It wasn’t. It was actually finished.

His film, A Trip to Luna’s Moon, after all these years, was done. It was complete. No matter whatever happened after today, he had, at the very least, completed that dream. Maybe it was a little later than he had wanted, and it might not get the privilege of being Equestria’s first feature, but it was finally and truly done.

“It’s done,” Flicker repeated, this time his tone and mind filling more with excitement than shock. He beamed with pride, detaching the film reel from the Moviola and holding it up. “A Trip to Luna’s Moon is done!”

Shadow’s head bolted up, staring wide eyed at him. A large smile broke across her face. Flapping her wings, she rocketed across the room and wrapped Flicker in a bone crushing hug, a small laugh escaping her own lips. Flicker trembled in her embrace, this time out of joy. “I’m proud of you,” Shadow smiled, kissing him on the tip of his muzzle.

Flicker hugged her back, tears of joy racing down his face. “I- I was starting to think there wouldn’t be time… that I would never…” He felt his breath hitch in his throat as another tear raced down his face. “I did it dad… I did it Swindle…”

Flim and Flam pushed their way up to them, Flim tapping a pocket watch with a hoof. “Need I remind you that the election is in thirty minutes?”

“And that your film is eighteen minutes long?” Flam added, tapping a pocket watch of his own. “That only leaves you with twelve minutes to show the entire city your film.”

Flicker Light bolted up at that. In his work, he had lost track of time. He spun around, pointing a hoof to the cast and crew. “Alright. Time to make this happen. You cause a distraction at the front doors. Draw as many gang ponies as you can away from the back while we sneak out! Just be careful. This movie isn’t more important than your lives.”

The actress for Celestia gave a quick salute at that, gesturing for the rest of the ponies and zebras to follow her. “Come on. Let's show these ponies what we’re made of,” She turned back to Flicker and flashed a smile. “And I think we’re beyond this just being a movie, Flicker. You said it yourself. This is about standing up for what’s right.”

Flicker returned her smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Just be careful please… all of you,” they all smiled back, though there was a sad look in some of their eyes. Flicker turned around, pointing at the rest of the ponies. “Shadow, Popcorn, Rosemary, Flim and Flam, you’re with me. It’s time to go to the moon.”

September 1st, 1902 - 7:32 PM - Twenty six minutes before the election:

The Nightmare gang pony stared down the scope of his sniper, his sights trained on the large front doors of the FlickerLight Theatre.

He didn’t know why he had been asked to keep watch on some random group of ponies and zebras, and he didn’t care. The boss wanted it done, so that’s what he was going to do. No pony disobeyed the boss. Across the street, he could see another gang member in position, their own weapon trained at the back entrance. The boss sure wanted to make sure these ponies stayed in check.

There was suddenly movement below him and the front doors of the FlickerLight Theatre slammed open, making way for a large group of ponies and zebras. He recognized a few of them, many local talent that he had seen in a few plays over the years.

And they were… dancing?

Maybe not dancing exactly, but they were up to something. Running and jumping and zigzagging in all directions. A mare that looked surprisingly like Celestia herself stepped forwards amongst the chaos, raising her hoof and belting out. “Citizens of Equestria, today shall be a great day!”

The Gang pony quickly pulled out his walky talky, his hooves fumbling as he tried to get it out while keeping the Celestia look alike in his sights. “I think we got a problem,” The mobster grumbled into the walky talky. “Bunch’a ponies just burst out the front door.”

“Yeah, I gotta visual,” a crackly voice responded. “They’re in my sighs. Should I take a shot?”

“No. We have no orders to-” He paused as what the other mobster said finally clicked in his head. “You what!” If he had a visual then that meant… He looked up, his eyes catching sight of all the snipers on the roofs, their sights now trained on the crazy ponies below and not the entrances they were supposed to be watching. “Oh son of a- They’re a distraction!”

His gaze managed to snap down to where the other mobster had been covering the back door just in time to see another group of ponies, Flicker Light amongst them, racing down a back alley. His sniper immediately fired off a shot, but it was too late. Flicker and his friends darted around the corner and out of sight.

“Tartarus! They’re getting away!” He felt his gut falling into his stomach. “The boss ain’t going to be happy about this…”

September 1st, 1902 - 7:34 PM - Twenty six minutes before the election:

Flicker Light raced across the cracked asphalt, the heavy rain from the clouds above pounding down against the ground around him. He could hear the beating flaps of Shadow's wings as she dipped and swerved in the air around him and the clopping of Rosemary and Popcorn’s hooves as they rushed along behind him, carrying Flim and Flam atop their backs.

They turned, darting down another side alley. The sounds of screams and protests were getting louder. They must almost be there.

They burst out of the alley and onto the street proper, their manes and hides soaked with rain and sweat.

The street was filled with ponies. They waved signs of hate, their voices raised as they marched upon the looming municipal building in the distance. Baseball bats swung, smashing in windows and breaking the wheels of taxi wagons. Small groups of ponies were trying to hold them back, trying to push back the mobs, but it wasn’t good enough. There were too many ponies. There was just too much hatred.

The sun was quickly setting behind the building, starting to cast the sky into darkness and Luna’s moon began to shimmer into view. Flim and Flam hopped onto the ground, looking up as the sky flashed to twilight.

Flicker cast one glance up at the large, abandoned skyscraper beside him. It creaked ominously as ponies smashed at its bases, almost as if it might finally fall down. He turned back to face Shadow, Popcorn and Rosemary, passing them over a heavy backpack. “Alright, just follow the plan and things will be okay!” Flicker shouted, trying to make his voice heard over the shreikings of the mob. “Start when I give you the signal!”

Shadow took a step forward and wrapped her forehooves around the bag, giving it a nervous look. “The… Signal? What’s the signal?”

Flicker scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Uh… Guess I didn’t think that far ahead… just do it whenever it feels most dramatic. We need ponies to remember this.”

Shadow nodded, quickly rushing forward and wrapping Flicker in a tight hug. “You come back to me, alright? The second you start talking, you’re going to have the whole Nightmare gang on top of you…”

Flicker gave her a quick kiss and smiled. “It’ll be alright. I’ll come back. I promise…” he turned and looked to Rosemary “Thank you for everything you’ve done. You didn’t have to do anything, but you always helped me anyway. Thank you.”

Rosemary shrugged it off. “Stop talking like you’re not coming back. I hope to see more films out of you than just this one.”

Turning to Popcorn, Flicker gave her a small smile. “And thank you too. For coming around for us.”

Popcorn just looked away. “You shouldn’t forgive me Flicker. Half of all this is my fault. Swindle is on me…”

Flicker just shook his head, quickly embracing the unicorn. “No pony blames you for what the Nightmare gang did,” Flicker hesitated for a second. “I have something to ask of you though. This plan. You’re the most important part. I’ll need you to project the film. Somewhere that everypony can see it.”

Popcorn looked around, her eyes wide. “W-wait, out here? Where am I going to project the film out here!?”

Flicker broke off the hug, taking a step back. “I don’t know. We’re running out of time and you’re just going to have to find a way to make it work. But I trust you. You can do this.”

Popcorn stared at him for a long second before giving a brave nod. “I-I’ll try not to let you down.”

Flicker Light took a deep breath, taking all three of them in. “Okay… I guess we’re doing this,” His eyes locked with Shadow’s. “I love you.”

Shadow smirked back, but he could tell she was scared. “I love you two,” Grasping the bag Flicker had given her tight to her chest, Shadow spun around and flew off, Popcorn and Rosemary rushing along behind her.

Flicker clutched at a backpack of his own, feeling the weight of the heavy film reel inside. He hoped they would get far enough away to be safe. He turned and looked down at Flim and Flam who were standing beside him expectantly. “You two ready?”

Flam gave a snarky looking salute. “I don’t think we’ve ever been ready for anything more in our lives.”

Flicker glanced down at his watch. Twenty four minutes until the election. That meant he only had six minutes till show time. He could still do this. He pulled the large film reel out of his bag and looked at it longingly. “Here it goes…”

September 1st, 1902 - 7:34 PM - Twenty four minutes before the election:

The mob boss smirked as he watched the ponies close in on the government building. He glanced at his watch, watching as the seconds ticked by to the moment all his work had been building up too.

He was practically giddy. Who would have thought all this film business would lead to such success. He certainly hadn't when he had first experienced it at the circus all those years ago. Back when he was just a low level mobster.

But oh how it had paid off in the end. The mayor would get reelected, the zebra would be driven out of the city and he would hold his control over Coltifornia and the Las Pegasus Casinos.

Not that he had anything particulate against zebras. He couldn’t care less what they did as long as they stayed out of his way. But he knew that their vote would change things. And he knew it was not a change that favoured him.

Didn’t matter. He had made sure everything worked out just right. He was in such a good mood he figured it would be the right time for a cigar.

He stomped his hoof, calling over his right hoof pony, a large red buck with a scar on the clip of his eye. Instantly, the red buck opened up a pack of cigars, offering one to the mob boss.

“Thank you kindly,” the mob boss cooed, taking the cigar and placing it between his teeth.

The flapping of wings alerted him of D.W. Griffin swooping down and landing beside him. The classy, monochrome griffin was silent for a moment as the two of them watched the rioters push against the few ponies that dared to stand up for zebra rights.

“I’m glad you could make it,” The mob boss said, offering Griffin a cigar that the large griffin turned down. “The show was just about to get interesting.”

“Wouldn’t dare miss it for the world,” Griffin responded, mimicking the mob boss' earlier response. His eyes watched the rioting ponies in interest. He sighed as watched a few ponies advocating for zebra rights struggling to hold back the angry mob. "I don't understand why ponies are still fighting... We're trying to set things right..."

There was a ringing noise, followed by the mob bosses right hoof pony stepping towards them, a ringing phone in his hoof. “Uh, boss. It’s for you.”

Frowning, the mob boss excused himself from D.W. Griffin’s side and took the phone. “Who is this? I am in the middle of something.”

“Boss. We got bad news. Flicker Light escapes the Theatre… He was carrying something. We think it was a film reel…” The voice of one of the ponies he had put in charge of watching the FlickerLight Theatre spoke back at him over the phone.

“YOU DID WHAT!” The mob boss roared, his nostrils flaring and anger pushing through his voice. He growled, stamping out some of his frustration. “It doesn’t matter. The election begins in mere moments. There’s nothing Flicker Light can-” he paused, his eyes landing on the entrance to the abandoned skyscraper across the street from him. There, with those two, yellow, backstabbing colts, was Flicker Light. Flicker Light glanced around for a second, before darting into the broken down skyscraper and vanishing from sight.

The phone dropped from the mob bosses grip as he glared daggers at where Flicker Light had just been. “H-he… he’s here!” The mob boss growled, his hooves stomping at the ground. He spun, staring down his right hoof pony. “Get over there! Now! Stop Flicker Light. I don’t care what it takes. I want that pony six feet under,” He snarled.

The large red buck gave a stoic nod, his hoof already reaching for his gun. “Consider him dead.”

September 1st, 1902 - 7:36 PM - Twenty two minutes before the election:

Flicker began rushing up the crumbling steps of the skyscraper, the film reel in his bag bouncing against his side as scrambled up as fast as he could. He could almost feel himself running out of time.

Flim and Flam paused a few steps behind him, their gaze focused on something out the window. “Don’t look now Flicker my friend, but it looks like we’re about to get company,” Flam stated, pulling out a long, thick wire that he had tucked in his vest pocket. “You go on. My brother and I have everything under control.”

Flicker paused, turning to look back at them. “Company? What do you…” his eyes widened as the door at the bottom of the stairs slammed open, the large red Mobster with the scarred face burst in, a tommy gun already raised in his hooves and ready to fire. “Oh no…”

Flickers ears exploded with sound as the rapid gunfire of the submachine gun boomed around the echoey stairway. Flicker dove to the side, the wall behind him being riddled with bullet holes, plater and chipped cement bursting around him.

Flim and Flam darted off to the left, jumping behind a cracked, open door frame with a loud, “eep”.

Flicker scampered up a few more steps. The blaring tommy gun slashing at the steps behind him. He lunged for the landing that led to the next floor, his heart pounding in his chest. His head whipped around, looking for a place to hide. Not seeing anywhere good, he jumped behind a corner, praying the mobster didn’t come any closer.

“Come on out Flicker,” The mobster growled, his heavy hoofsteps echoing around the building as he moved up the stairs towards him. “Ain’t no pony mess with the Nightmare gang and get away with it.”

Flicker took a deep breath, trying to slow his heart rate. He was not much for running, and running while getting shot at pretty much topped the list of things he didn’t want to be doing ever.

Out of the corner of his eye, Flicker saw Flim and Flam darting about in the shadows around them, their hooves working furiously as they started setting something up.

There was another round of gunfire, this time the bullets slashing away at the corner Flicker was hiding behind. Flicker flinched away, his hooves instinctively covering his head to protect himself from the lethal fire. He couldn’t tell if the mobster was shooting at him or just trying to scare him out of hiding. If he was trying to scare him, it was working.

Flicker heard the mobsters hoof steps come to a stop only inches away from the corner he was hiding behind. He could practically feel the large ponies hot breath breathing down his neck. There was a click as the large red buck loaded another magazine into his firearm. “I got orders to pepper you with holes,” The mobster sneered, taking another step forward. “Come on out so I can fill ya with lead.”

Oh yeah, real tempting.

The mobster took another step forward, this time bringing the tip of his Tommy gun into Flicker’s line of sight. Flicker clamped his hooves over his mouth, trying to stay as silent as possible.

“Hey ugly,” Flicker heard Flim shout out. He glanced around the corner quickly to see the mobster spin around to face the two colts that were grinning at him from the bottom of the stairs. “Congratulations on being the lucky winner. You just won an express ticket out of here!”

Flam pulled down hard on a wire that he had strapped to the roof. The mobster only had just enough time to look down before a lasso that he had stepped in snapped tight around his hoof and lurched upwards, sending him flying up into the air.

The mobster growled, trying to aim his gun at the colts while hanging upside down from one hoof. Flim just gave him a snide sneer and bit down hard on another wire he had set up, this one causing a broken door that had been hooked up to the ceiling to come flying at the mobster like a battering ram.

The mobster screamed as the wooden surface slammed into him, sending him flying backwards and out the window. There was a loud crack as the wire around his leg pulled taught and he was sent dangling from his hind hoof outside the building.

Flicker took a deep breath, staring in awe at the Flim Flam brothers. “H-how did you…”

Flam waved a hoof casually. “We are experts on making quick escapes. Sometimes a little trap comes in handy.”

Flim nodded in agreement before snarling at the wire that held the mobster over the side of the building. “Besides, these goons should be happy this is all they get. They deserve worse for what they did to Swindle.”

Flicker sputtered, still surprised by the two colts ingenuity. Flam just rushed over and gave him a small push. “Hurry up now. We only have a few moments to go!”

Nodding, Flicker turned and raced up the last few steps. Reaching one of the higher floors, he quickly stepped out onto a creaky balcony that hung over the street below. From all the way up here he could see everything. Every pony that had come to protect zebra rights, and every pony that had come to take them away.

He cleared his throat, trying to be heard over the din. “Um… Excuse me…” Nothing happened. Ponies would be hard pressed to hear him even if he was on the street. No pony was going to be able to hear him all the way up here. “E-everypony, please…”

Frustrated he tried again, this time flaring his horn and amplifying his voice with his magic ten fold. “Excuse me, everypony. I-I have something I need to say!”

Slowly, the many ponies down below stopped and turned, suddenly aware of the lone pony looking down at them from the balcony above as if the skyscraper was a giant soap box. Some of the ponies recognised him, others did not. Everypony was confused regardless.

Flicker shuffled awkwardly, suddenly very hyper aware of the thousands of eyes that were now all trained on him. “Oh… I, uh… Hi… I, um… Need to say something. If you all don’t mind.” All the ponies down below just continued to stare up at him in confusion. A few looked annoyed and began to turn away. “I uh… I don’t mean to tell you all what to do. That’s none of my business. I don’t mean to control or regiment anypony...”

More ponies began losing interest in the pony that had begun preaching above them and started returning their attention to the commotion on the street. He had hardly begun, and already he was failing. Once more, the riots began. Flicker felt a new determination rise inside him. He had started this. He was going to stop it.

“I should like to help everypony if possible! Ponies, Griffins, even zebras,” That caught everyponies attention. Once more, all eyes turned to him, many of them scowling. Flicker gulped, his whole body being wracked by nerves, but he kept speaking. “We all want to help one another, ponies are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness, not be each other's misery. This world doesn’t have enough room for us all to hate and despise one another.”

Far below, the mob boss stared up at Flicker on the balcony in rage. He growled, twirling on D.W. Griffin and pointing at him with a hoof. “Don’t just stand there! Go! Stop him!” he ordered, demanding that the griffin launched into action at once.

D.W. Griffin turned his head, looking over the mob boss carefully. “Stop him...?" He hesitated, rolling that idea around in his head. "Hmmm. No. No, I don’t think that I will.”

The mob boss balked, his rage rising. “Wh-what did you just say to me? What do you mean no! He’s trying to ruin everything we’ve worked for!”

Griffin just stared back at him coolly, a slight smirk etched across his beak. “I do not agree with a lot of what Flicker Light has to say. Personally I find his insistence in helping zebras to be revolting. But he is an artist, as I am. And I am interested in what he has to say.”

Scowling, the mob boss slid his leg into her suit, wrapping his hoof around the handle of his gun. He growled at Griffin, spinning around and marching towards the broken down skyscraper. “Gah! Never send anything but a pony if you want the job done right,” the mob boss fumed. “Fine. I’ll deal with this nuisance myself.”

“When I was a colt, I thought I lived in a land where dreams came true. A place where all ponies and zebras could live together happily. I know that the land of Equestria can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned our souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed,” Flicker Light continued, feeling his own voice rising to match the emotions that were suddenly flowing from his heart. The mob below was really listening now, though many of them listened with anger sprawled across their faces. “These last few months have shown me that most ponies don't believe in dreams. That most ponies think dreams are nothing more than impossibilities. That they only make fools out of those that pursue them. But I know this isn’t true...”

A few of the scowling faces below morphed into interest. Flicker noticed that one pony even smiled. Flicker felt his heart start beating faster with fear as he spotted the black and grey mob boss quickly sprinting towards the entrance to the building, his revolver raised.

Somewhere on the other side of the mayhem, Shadow Silhouette smiled, her ears perking up at the sound of Flicker’s voice.

“I followed a dream. A dream where the schism between all of us could mend and melt away. A dream that has been stolen away from me by brutes. Ponies that want to control you and enslave you, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel. Don’t give yourselves over to these brutes, these unnatural ponies. Machine ponies with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not slaves! You are ponies! You have the love of Equestria in your hearts! You do not hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the Unnatural.”

A few more scowls melted away. A few ponies even began to look around hesitantly, as if realizing how terrible what was happening truly was. But not everypony seemed to be having a change of heart, in fact, most seemed to be staying headstrong in their hate, but at least a few seemed to be have second thoughts.

Flicker held up the large film reel with his hoof, flourishing it before the crowd. “And Dreams aren’t just reserved for one or two of us. But for every creature!” Flickers heart thump heavily as he stared out at the mass of ponies and zebras. Ponies were beginning to back away, simply leaving the rioters to their own devices. He wondered just how many ponies down there truly believed in what they had been rioting for, and how many had simply just followed the crowd. Maybe that’s all hate was. Just ponies following a crowd.

“When D.W. Griffin created his film ‘The Birth of an Empire’ he shattered the dreams of hundreds. He directed all of your pain and hurt and fear in a single direction. Channeled it for you. Don’t blindly follow these lies. These carefully crafted misdirections. Don’t even blindly follow me. Listen to all ideas, all voices, and think about them. Find for yourself what you truly believe is right!”

Far below him, Ficker heard the door to the abandoned skyscraper slam open. The mob boss was almost here. Flicker quickly glanced down at his watch, then up at the rapidly fading sunlight as Luna’s moon took hold of the sky. Not much time left, better make this last little bit count.

He raised his hoof, his voice rising even higher than it had been before. “Ponies! Don’t fight for the dreams of one pony. Fight for the dreams of everypony! You, you the ponies have the power! The power to dream, the power to make this life free and beautiful, like the world I know it can be. Please. You all have the power to make this life a wonderful adventure!

“Let us fight not to destroy dreams, but for a new world. A decent world. To do away with national barriers! To do away with hate and intolerance! Ponies, if you learn nothing but one thing from today, learn this! Hate is not a solution to your problems. It will only lead to those problems festering. Please, I'm begging you all now. Put away your hate, your fear. Let us all unite! Unite for a better tomorrow! A better Equestria! An Equestrian that will lead to all our happiness...”

To Flicker’s surprise he actually heard cheers rising from down below. Some ponies were smiling. Others were backing away in shame. Not all, not even most, but some.

Flicker shuffled his hooves a little, once again feeling his nerves screaming inside him. “Now… uh… if you all don’t mind, I have something to share with you all… Something that can say all of this far better than I can. If you will allow me, I’d like to present, for the first time ever... A Trip to Luna’s Moon!”

Flicker took a step back, his eyes sweeping the area around him. The ponies below were looking left and right, expecting something to happen. Gulping, Flicker dared a glance at his watch.

7:41 PM - Nineteen minutes before the election:

Come on Shadow, now is the time… Flicker thought to himself. What was going? Had something happened to her. If ever there was a time, it was now.

Blam!

Blood spurted from Flicker Lights shoulder and he dropped to the ground, his hoof grasping desperately at the bullet wound that had lashed through him. His film reel dropped to the ground, rolling across the floor to land at the grey hooves of the mob boss as they trotted into the room, a smug grin across his face.

Flicker rolled onto his back, his eyes wide and his body trembling as he faced down the mob boss and the gun barrel that levelled with his head.

With a smirk, the mob boss tossed his cigar to the ground, cinders spraying from its end as it landed atop the film reel. Flicker hardly had time to gasp as the large reel went up in a blaze of flame.

“Did you really think you could stop me!” The mob boss roared, advancing towards Flicker Light, the dancing light of the smouldering film reels reflecting in his pricing eyes. Flicker pushed himself away in fear, his back pushing up against the edge of the balcony. He gulped, glancing down at the street far below him. The Mob boss came to a stop before him, his body silhouetted and wreathed in the flickering fire behind him. “You can’t stop what I’ve started! I run this city! It's mine! Those ponies down there will do whatever I say! They’ll do whatever I say because they’re all fools! Witless foals that blindly follow my every word! You will never change that! My little puppet The mayor will be reelected, and the zebras will be driven out! You can’t stop hate! And so long as ponies hate, you will never be able to beat me!”

There was a moment of silence as the words settled. Then, the glow around Flicker Lights horn died away and Flicker gave the imposing mob boss a smug smile. “That might be true… But you probably should have waited until after I stopped casting the voice amplification spell to say that.”

The mob boss glared at him for a moment, then his eyes popped wide as he realized what Flicker had just implied. He scrambled forwards, staring over the edge of the balcony. Staring back up at him were the glares of thousands and thousands of very, very angry ponies.

“W-wha- You! I…” The mob boss sputtered, his face a mix of rage, surprise and fear.

Flicker winced and slowly pulled himself back up, using the side of the balconies rail to support him as blood flowed freely from the wound on his shoulder. “Oh, and by the way… that film reel you just burned… Wasn't my film. That was a copy of Griffin’s film… I was just the distraction.”

The mob boss whirled around, staring wide eyed at the burning reel behind him. The fake label across it was burned away revealing the real label underneath. ‘The Birth of an Empire.’

Flicker turned, looking across the street where Shadow, Popcorn and Rosemary were waving at him from the window of Rosemary’s apartment. He returned their wave, a smile across his face despite the pain he was in.

“No!” The mob boss roared, spinning around and rushing for the stairs. “You’ve made a big mistake Flicker Light! No pony messes with the Nightmare Gang!”

There was a sudden whooshing noise and a net shot up from underneath the mob boss. The mob boss screamed, thrashing about in an attempt to get free of the net, his revolver falling from his grasp and clattering to the floor.

“Oh I don’t think he’s made a mistake at all, not one bit. What do you think, brother of mine?” Flam asked, trotting up to where the mob boss was hanging.

“Oh no. Not in the slightest,” Flim agreed, smiling over at Flam. Both of the twins turned and glared at the mob boss, their snide smiles turning to growls. “I feel obligated to say mr. mob boss sir, that this is for Swindle gyp.”

From the window of Rosemary’s apartment, a streak of magic from Popcorn’s powerful horn shot out into the sky. The beam of light raced higher and higher, rapidly expanding outwards.

Flicker stood at the precipice of the balcony, his head raised as he watched the lights begin to dance across the night sky. All at once, the overcast clouds and glowing light of the moon above became a massive movie screen.

For a split second, Flicker Light looked to the face of Luna, imprinted on the moon, and it looked back at him. Then, flickering across the night sky, A Trip to Luna’s Moon began to play.

September 1st, 1902 - 7:42 PM - eighteen minutes before the election:

Nightmare Moon glared up at the vast reaches of space above her. She growled as she stared angrily at the shape of Equis, spinning aimlessly in the dark void. How pointless the lives of all the ponies down there seemed to her.

She hated all the ponies that lived on that planet for rejecting her rightful rule. She hated Celestia for daring to betray her and lock her away on the moon, eternally trapped in this desolation of rock and dust. She hated even herself for so foolishly letting Celestia beat her. She vowed to herself that if she- when she returned, Celestia and the ponies of Equestria would feel her wrath.

They would pay for what she had endured. They would never forgive her, and so she would never forgive them.

But then something happened. Something wonderful. Perhaps the first something that had happened to her since she had been locked away on the moon almost one hundred moons ago.

She saw lights. Magical, dancing lights, reflecting out at her from a small, shimmering prick on the spinning globe of Equis. It was small and faded at this distance, but she could still make out the images dancing across the surface of the night sky all those miles away.

She sat down, staring in dazed awe as she watched images of Celestia boarding a cylindrical rocket with her most prized astronomers. Gasped at seeing a younger version of herself greeting them on the moon. For a split second, she felt herself cry as she watched the ghostly image of her embracing her sister.

Nightmare Moon wasn’t sure how long she sat there, watching the flickering images, but when the images finally faded away, she felt herself longing for them to return. Longing for them to be real. Longing for her sister once more.

Then she scowled and pulled her gaze away. Just a trick of the light. Maybe a cruel joke from Celestia in an attempt to torture her.

She stomped away, snarling at her own foolishness for weeping. For letting herself show weakness. It would take a lot more than a few moving images to dissolve all of her hate.

Hate doesn’t simply go away.

But what Nightmare Moon didn’t notice as she stormed away was that where she had been sitting, a few, small black flecks had crumbled away from her body, revealing small specs of blue hide beneath. Perhaps she still had hate in her, but there were cracks in that hate now. And when she once more returned to Equestrian to satisfy that hatred brewing within her, maybe, just maybe, things might turn out just a little bit different...

Hate doesn’t simply go away. Not overnight anyway...

September 1st, 1902 - 8:00 PM - Time of the election:

Author's Note

Well folks, that's pretty much it. Only the Epilogue remains...

I feel it is important to state that Flicker Lights speech is heavily inspired by Charlie Chaplin's speech at the end of 'The Great Dictator'. If you haven't seen that film, I'd highly recommend watching it, or at the very least, watching the speech at the end. It's very powerful and still shockingly relevant, even today.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all have a good day.