Author's Note

I can see the dislikes here but I wouldn't mind if you dislike it because I am aware of what is wrong with this either. If I say anything about it more, it would be counted as lashing out at negative criticism and no one likes that. Nothing much more to say.

Chapter 7: Origins

One day has passed since the Festival of Friendship. Ponies lined up for therapy to deal with anger, fear, and sadness from the Storm King. As the Mane Six observed the aftermath of the Storm King's reign, they had their own events. One was the opening of the School of Friendship, dozens of creatures from all over Equestria came to escape their problems with the Storm King. The other was the formation of the Young Six. These six; a male earth pony named Sandbar, a female dragon named Smolder, a female changeling named Ocellus, a male griffon named Gallus, a female yak named Yona, and a female hippogriff named Silverstream, were the school's best students. But fears of the Storm King still overshadowed them.

"Take deep breaths." Applejack said.

"But the Storm King-" Twilight panicked.

"He's dead. He won't hurt you anymore."

It wasn't just the Mane Six that was haunted.

"Mmmmm..." Celestia groaned.

"Oh my..." Luna said. "You didn't sleep well? I was certain I helped you with your nightmare."

"It came back... The Storm King..."

Celestia collapsed onto the ground. Luna had to take over for her place.

"Man, this just blows." One royal guard member said, watching all of this. "She's still haunted from the Storm King."

"I didn't think he was that threatening." Gusty said.

"Gusty, he turned the princesses into obsidian! You're only saying that because you got the best treatment out of Storm Guards!"

"Hey! Being fed adequate food and not being caged or shackled like the rest of you does not mean I received the best treatment! I was still told on what to do!"

Sometime Ago...

Back when the Storm King invaded the Festival of Friendship in Canterlot, they imprisoned all the ponies and turned some of them into slaves. Gusty was among those caged, but he had a plan to escape. Noticing the Storm Guards' advanced weaponry, and how some of them were easily gullible, Newton got the attention of one guard.

"Hey! That's a cool..."

"Sword?" said the Storm Guard.

"I was going to say thing. But if it's called a sword... Where'd you get it anyway?"

"Yeah, we built it back at the Storm Kingdom."

"There's a kingdom called the Storm Kingdom? I've never heard of it."

"That's because we remain unknown to the creatures."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, want me to show you our armory?"

"Of course."

Gusty was let out of his cage. The surrounding ponies witnessed this.

"May almighty Celestia have mercy on his soul." One unicorn said with fear.

Gusty followed the Storm Soldier to the armory. It used to be the royal library, but now it was the Storm armory.

"Careful with these, you don't want to shoot your eye out." The Storm Guard said.

As the two browsed the weapons, both of them worked up an appetite.

"Hey, you hungry?" The Storm Guard asked.

"Sure am... Uh, what's your name?"

"Daryl." The Storm Guard said.

"Huh." Newton said.

"What's yours?" Daryl asked.

"Gusty Gallows."

"Well Gusty, want to eat?"

"Sure!"

The two then arrived at for lunch.

"Uh Daryl, what is he doing here?" Daryl's superior said.

"He wants to join us for lunch."

"But we can't have these things eat with Storm Creatures."

"Come on captain, he's different."

"Yeah, I don't mind." Gusty said.

"Fine. But he doesn't eat with us. He gets to have our food, but he doesn't sit with us."

A small piece of food with a bone sticking out was then placed on Gusty's plate. Daryl and Gusty went back to Gusty's cage.

"What is this, anyway?"

"It's chicken. Eat some."

Gusty took a bite.

"It's delicious!"

The other ponies who were witnessing this gagged. One of them fainted.

"You know, you guys aren't so bad after all." Gusty said.

"We aren't bad creatures. We're just trying to live just like you." Daryl said. "Besides, the real reason why we're here is that-"

"AMBUSH!"

The two then turned to find Twilight's friends along with the allies they made along their way to the hippogriffs fighting the Storm Creatures. Daryl drew out his sword and joined the fight. He wasn't seen again.

Present Day...

"How could think of the Storm King at a time like this?"

"Daryl was a nice Storm Creature!" Gusty said.

"Well, seeing you commiting stuff like animal slaughter, treason, and whatever else you did with the Storm Creatures, I could just report to Shining Armor and have you dismissed. But I decided to be a good pony and overlook it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes..." Gusty grunted.

"I wonder what this is all about." One guard said.

The entire royal guard was gathered by Shining Armor.

"Attention everypony!" He stated. "I am proud to have served as your captain for many years."

"Yeah, I don't know how long you served." Gusty muttered.

"A few days ago, we were all traumatized of the acts of the Storm King. His invasion on Equestria has left a scar among us. While our princesses were unharmed, other neighboring kingdoms have suffered far more. Lives were lost, villages were raided, and homes were destroyed. But we have found the source of the Storm King's invasions. It is an island known as the Storm Kingdom."

"The Storm Kingdom?" someone asked.

"It's their homeland." another creature added.

"Princess Celestia has given us full opportunity in crippling their forces."

"You're not saying..." Gusty began.

"We have occupied the Storm Kingdom and will seek to keep them under lockdown and supervision."

"That's punishing them!" Gusty shouted. "We're doing what the Storm Kingdom did! Just occupying them just like what they did to us!"

"We're keeping them weakened." Shining Armor corrected.

Gusty wanted to speak up, but remembering what he heard earlier, he kept his mouth shut this time.

Six months have passed since the Storm Kingdom was occupied. Some of the Storm civilians were evacuated shortly before the ponies arrived, but many of them were tried and found guilty. They were sent to prison camps.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

The prisoners looked up. The Storm King's son, Leon, was being dragged onto a ship along with other high ranking members of the Storm King.

"Leon!" A prisoner yelled.

Leon was boarded onto the ship along with the other prisoners. The royal guards arrived to keep the prisoners under control. One prisoner had enough. Connor, who was a captain of a Storm Soldier unit, kept his identity a secret. Until now.

"Enough is enough! I have had it with these total garbage creatures on this total garbage place! Everyone rise up with me!"

"Yeah!"

"We want freedom!"

The prisoners charged for the royal guards. The latter was overwhelmed with this giant pool of Storm Creatures rebelling. They were forced into retreat. The prisoners all cheered at their newfound freedom. Connor helped the prisoners escape as two Storm Creatures approached him.

"You did well out there." One of them said.

"Yeah." Connor said. "We need to fight back."

"So we're forming our own resistance?"

"Of course." Connor said. "We shall stand our ground!"

Three months have passed since Connor formed the resistance.

"Okay, is the message ready?" Connor said.

"Ready!" A Storm Soldier said.

"Let's do it!"

Attaching the message to carrier bird, the resistance sent it off to search for Leon.

"Do you think he'll get it?" A Storm Soldier asked.

"He'll get it. It has to be."

Two days passed. The same messenger bird arrived to the resistance.

"It's from Leon! He got our message!"

The resistance cheered at this newfound success.

"But wait, Leon is still imprisoned." A Storm Creature pointed out.

"I'm not giving up." Connor said, walking into the scene. "Leon is tough. He can handle just about anything. No matter where he is or how much damage he is suffering, he will still fight to live."