Author's Note

For this chapter, I'm going to be adding a soundtrack from a movie. I recommend you to play them while reading this just to get the full immersion.

Chapter 4: Turning the Tides

"And they did what to you?"

"The resistance robbed us of our goods!" A royal guard said.

"They must be led by that backstabbing traitor Gusty." The officer said.

Shining Armor walked in.

"Listen up, everypony! We're sending a bounty hunter after Gusty. He will quake in fear when she captures him!"

"Who's the bounty hunter?" The officer asked.

Tempest Shadow walked into the scene.

"Time for a little storm-hunting." She stated.

Newton vandalized propaganda of Celestia and replaced with a sign of Phoenix telling the creatures to not surrender.

"Another one off the list." Newton said.

"Statue of the two Sisters destroyed." A Storm Soldier said.

Even Storm Creatures who weren't part of Phoenix joined in. A group of royal guard soldiers in charge of patrolling the Storm Kingdom walked into a small part of town.

"Hey, creatures! We are hungry and thirsty!" One guard asked.

"Bring us water! And food!" Another guard added.

No one came.

"Bring us water! And food!" The guard said louder.

"Ow!" A guard said.

"What happened?"

"I was hit by a rock or something."

"Who threw that!" One of the guards stated.

"Ow!" Another guard said.

"Ow!"

"Ouch!"

"Ow!"

"Ow!"

"Ouch!"

"Ah!"

"Who keeps throwing rocks at us!" The leader of the group of guards stated. "We are your masters! Do as told! You owe us!"

One Storm Creature popped up. "We owe you nothing!"

Another Storm Creature emerged from cover. "We know what you did!"

All of the Storm Creatures threw rocks while shouting.

"Liar!"

"Murderer!"

"Fraud!"

"Thief!"

"We got to retreat!" One guard said.

The guards were forced to back away.

"Unhand me!"

The unicorn leader in charge of occupying the Storm Kingdom, Mossy Rock, had Fernand in his grasp.

"You are a member of Phoenix yes?"

"Yes. Now do what you will. Kill me and be done with it."

"No. But tell me, why did you leave Phoenix?"

"Connor has allowed a scum in our lines. Your traitor, Gusty."

"And you left your master. Well, come with me. I will introduce you to your new master."

"What are you talking about?"

Another group of prisoners were freed by Phoenix.

"Light it up!" Leon shouted.

Posters promoting Celestia and Mossy Rock were burned to the ground. Protestors took notice and launched a riot in the city. They were swiftly captured and taken away.

"We did well, didn't we?" Connor said through Leon's communication device.

Leon and Newton walked throughout the city noticing the Storm Creatures rioting in the streets.

"We should head back to HQ." Leon said.

"Yes."

Leon noticed Connor working with a Storm Creature inventor named Kylan.

"There we go, it's done!" Kylan stated.

"Leon, you're just in time. We need someone to showcase our newest weapon."

What looked like to be a shortened version of a blunderbuss was now in Leon's hands.

"What is this?"

"I call it The Dragon." Kylan said.

Leon pointed it around.

"Careful, it's extremely lethal."

"What should I use it for."

"In combat. It would go great with your sword."

Leon held his sword on his right hand and his Dragon on the left.

"Now, let's practice your aiming." Kylan said.

The same targets used for archery was now used for shooting practices. After firing one target, Leon noticed a clicking sound on his Dragon.

"It's out. I'll give you some ammunition and teach you how to reload."

Newton practiced his magic on a different set of targets. He learned how to fight with stealth and fight with his hooves.

"What you got there?" Newton asked.

"It's called Dragon. And not the creature kind of Dragon. Whatever this is, it shouldn't be messed around with."

"Newton, we have a mission for you." Connor said.

"I'm all ears."

"Another group of Phoenix members left the resistance due to the Speaker's propaganda. Her speeches are killing us. I want you to go over there and silence her."

"You got it."

Newton got the coordinates on a map Connor left for him. It was telling him to head towards the radio station.

As Newton walked into the radio station, he was met with magic blasts from unicorns guarding the Speaker.

"Keep him pinned!"

Newton opened his pack and tossed out a small, round, black ball at the unicorns.

"Ha! You missed!" A unicorn shouted.

POOF! A cloud of smoke erupted from the ball. Newton ran in and blasted magic at all of the ponies. A male dark red pegasus attacked him from behind, but Newton tossed him to a wall and subdued him. Another female brown earth earth pony attacked with a broomstick, but Newton disarmed her and knocked her on the head on the end. He kicked the door open just as the Speaker was giving out a message.

"What are you doing here?" She said.

Newton took out a piece of paper written by Leon.

"Read it." He threatened.

"But they'll-"

"Read it, you weasel!" Newton stated louder.

"Creatures of the Storm Kingdom, your faithful Royal Guard watching over you has lied to us... I can't read this! They'll kill all of you!"

"Yeah, right! You expect me to believe some creature who is making the resistance fall down?"

The Speaker tried to make a run for it, but Newton tackled her down, tied her up and held the paper in front of her face.

"Creatures of the Storm Kingdom, your faithful Royal Guard watching over you has lied to us. They may be strong, but they are not stronger than all of us combined. I ask you to stand up, grit your teeth, and fight your way out! You want your home? Get it now! You want freedom? Get it now! I ask you brothers and sisters to stand up now and take back what's ours! Because they're not going to let us do this the easy way."

Newton untied her.

"You can go now."

The Speaker ran off.

"Newton, that was awesome!" Connor said. "The entire Storm Kingdom saw Leon's message."

"Although it would be better if I say it." Newton said.

"Yeah, it would be. But anyway, head back to HQ. We're taking back our kingdom today."

"On it."

Newton arrived back at the Phoenix base.

"We did it, Newton! We caused enough civil unrest in the Storm Kingdom!" Connor stated.

"Payback time." Leon stated.

"But I can never go back home again. I am forever labeled as a traitor." Newton said.

"You can live with me." Leon said. "I am the Storm King's successor after all."

"Phoenix, let's move out!" Connor stated.

Led by Connor, Phoenix soldiers lined up and prepared for battle. They gathered rioting Storm Creatures around for one last showdown. Mossy Rock witnessed this and gathered the royal guards.

The guards pulled a wagon full of bits taken from the Storm Creatures.

"They're transporting another convoy." Newton said, scouting the area.

"A money one too. Let's do this." Leon added.

Teaming with Hannah and Angel, the four knocked down a large statue praising Celestia. As it crumbled to the ground crushing two royal guard members, Connor and the other rioters were enough to distract the guards. The guards approached the rioters, not noticing Kylan behind the guards setting up a trap. He poured a line of oil behind the column of guards and in front of the Storm Castle ahead of the rioters.

"Throw it, Connor!" A rioter said. "Throw it!"

Connor tossed a ball of fire that confused the guards. It landed onto the oil trail, causing a huge wall of fire.

"Charge!" Connor shouted.

The rioters brandished clubs, shields, spears, swords, and whatever weapon they could find. They attacked the royal guard.

"They're distracted!" Newton said.

"And the convoy's unguarded." Leon said.

The four made it to the convoy. More Storm Creatures arrive to carry it away.

"What do we do now?" Angel said.

"We go for the castle." Newton said.

The four then turned to the Storm Castle.

The four burst into the Storm Castle, taking out guards patrolling the area. Newton threw a smoke bomb, blinding the creatures once more. He and his group knocked out the remaining royal guard members.

"To the throne!" Angel said.

The group made their way to the throne room. Hannah went in first, but was shot down by an electric blast.

"You have arrived."

"Tempest!" Newton said, noticing the voice.

Tempest walked into the room. Her companion, a small warthog named Grubber was also there.

"Gusty Gallows." Tempest said, noticing the unicorn.

Leon and Angel charged for Tempest and Grubber, but were knocked out by the unicorn's swift kicks.

"You're in a lot of trouble, now!" Grubber said.

"I'll give you one more chance. Kill these creatures before you, or die."

"I'll never join you! You ponies became corrupted in your own power!"

"We were trying to keep things orderly! But you had to mess that up!" Grubber added.

"You know what? Why are we wasting time talking to him?" Tempest said. "That bounty on his head will be ours!"

A blast of magic knocked Newton down. Grubber hit the unicorn with the club.

"You have turned against us! Time to understand the true meaning of friendship!"

Newton was continuously hit with a beam of magic from Tempest. Grubber occasionally got to hit him with his club. The two did not notice a hand grasping for the Dragon.

BLAM!

Tempest collapsed onto the ground. The unicorn who murdered the Storm King was now dead. Grubber was now quaking in fear. Noticing Leon rising up, he dropped his club and surrendered. He was immediately subdued by the former.

"You okay?" Leon said, helping Newton up.

"I don't think so..." Newton gasped.

Angel got up as well. She went to check on Hannah.

"She's gone..." She sadly said.

"We need to get Newton to safety." Leon said.

As the three made their way out of the castle, they saw the rioters turning the tides of the battle."

"Guys, I need... to... lay down..."

"You aren't dying on me!" Leon stated.

"I see him! The bounty's ours!"

A group of royal guard members lined up to execute Newton, Leon, and Angel. Newton braced for impact.

"Get them!"

"Protect Newton!"

Connor led a small group of soldiers in defending the three creatures.

"Retreat! Retreat!" The royal guard said.

But they had nowhere to run. The entire land of the Storm Kingdom was finally liberated. Everyone cheered in victory. The world sounded muffled to Newton. He fell unconcious.

"Newton! Newton!"

Newton awoke to find himself with the Storm King again.

"You're back." Newton noticed.

"And you liberated the Storm Kingdom." The Storm King replied.

Newton looked around the world around him. It looked like an orphanage. It hit him.

"This is the place where I grew up."

"So you were an orphan." The Storm King guessed.

"Of course. I only had a sister."

An old earth pony walked in. She treated the children horribly.

"Grassy. I knew her." Newton said.

"Those who shirk their duties will get an extra beating. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Grassy." The children said enthusiastically.

"One more thing! You can forget adoption, no one will adopt you. You will always be here, until you get thrown out into that horrible world. Now, what do you say?"

"We love you Grassy, thank you for your kindness."

"Where is that little Gusty? He isn't here." Grassy said.

"That was where I escaped." Newton said. "I couldn't take it anymore."

"He escaped! Bring his sister in!"

A female earth pony with a blue coat and red mane was brought in by Grassy's assistant, Shade. Like Grassy, Shade didn't treat the orphans kindly.

"Your sister is quite attractive." The Storm King said.

"You're in love with my sister?"

"You're Neytiri, right? What a bad name, what kind of ill-mannered parents would give a normal name to their son but a terrible name to their daughter?"

"It's not a bad name! My brother did the right thing!"

"By leaving his sister behind? Beat her!"

"Does this haunt you?" The Storm King asked.

"Years later, I met her again. She's now a gardener for a flower shop. And she seemed to have forgotten the past." Newton said.

"Sounds like you two made up to each other."

"Yeah."

The door to the orphanage opened, revealing a bright light. Newton was being sucked towards it.

"You're waking up." The Storm King said.

"I'll see you soon." Newton added.

Newton awoke to find himself in the hospital wing of the Storm Kingdom. He noticed his bandaged body after his fight with Tempest.

"You're awake."

Leon was there. Newton quickly embraced him.

"I guess this is what they mean by bromance." Leon said.

"Did we win?"

"Of course we won."

Newton slowly made his way outside as the remaining royal guard soldiers were evacuating the Storm Kingdom. The Storm Creatures raised their flag for the first time in a year.

"Fellow Storm Creatures, today independence has been reborn. We have won it for the time being. But the fight to keep freedom starts now."

"Connor, look!" One Storm Soldier said.

"Along with Storm Creatures being held prisoners, ponies, changelings, griffons, dragons, yaks, and hippogriffs alike were being held prisoner."

"Is that?"

"Gusty!"

Neytiri was among those who were captured. As she embraced Newton, she told him of the royal guard's misdeeds.

"They're doing what?" Newton gasped.

"The leaders of each of the creatures are capturing and murdering their own kind without their followers noticing. Princess Celestia and Luna and their subjects are aware of this and are accepting it."

"Those fiends!" Leon stated.

"Well, I guess we have a new land to save." Connor said.

"Phoenix!" Newton cheered.

"Rise from ashes!" shouted the creatures.

"Phoenix!" Leon added.

"Helps the weak!"

"Phoenix!"

"Fights for freedom!"

"We may have won the battle, but the war still continues..." Newton said.