Black Powder

When the Air Still Smells of Peace

III

****

Day

-532

****

Red Mane

****

The southwestern Equestrian wind wasn't as biting as Luna thought it would be. The sun had still shown through the partly cloudy skies today. The night princess watched the birds chirping as they flew by the chariot which held her and her sister. Luna had been leaning over the edge with her hooves and casting her eyes over the green and hilly landscape below. To Celestia, she looked like a happy puppy, who was enjoying the breeze that blew across her face. But the other alicorn could not complain, for she enjoyed it as well.

The six Royal Guards that pulled the chariot flew together in perfect synchronization, emanating the discipline and professionalism of Equestria's finest. Before them, both sisters could see the regional capital of Red Mane growing in size as they got closer.

They observed the tall and refined buildings, which was expected of such a rich province. The city was immense, only to be rivaled by either Manehattan, the Crystal Empire, or Canterlot. Seven-hundred thousand citizens in this city alone, if Celestia remembered correctly. It truly was a marvel to look at; the city itself was a symbol of the province's economic power.

The chariot began to descend into the outskirts of the city from the east.

Local ponies gazed to watch the Princesses of Equestria glide down with their golden chariot in all their glory. Most of the ponies were mesmerized at the uncommon appearance of the rulers in Red Mane. Ponies gathered near the chariot, all of them bowing in the streets obediently. The chariot touched down onto the street and began to slow to a crawl.

Celestia was relieved to see this behavior from the citizenry. The way the governor's letter was written, she expected to see more tension and malice. But alas, the ponies here behaved just as ponies from any other city. Maybe this issue could be solved very easily if she played her cards right.

The Royal Guards began to trot down the road towards the entrance of the city. Ponies stood at the edge of the first few buildings, still deep into their bows. Celestia looked to Luna and smiled and Luna turned towards the city and they both began to wave airily at their subjects, appearing regal and graceful. The Royal Guards led the way, marching at the quick step, keeping their small formation.

The road was quite lovely, Celestia saw.

Bushes lined the paved road into the city and the surrounding area was filled with lush green grass. The green hills flanked the trail and city itself for miles around and pine trees were scattered across the land. This was really was a beautiful place, they both thought. The alicorn princesses were gaping at the scenery, taking in as much as they could.

A loud crack.

"Sister!" Luna yelled urgently as a dark blue forcefield covered the chariot.

Something dinged off the shield as Celestia snapped out of her stupor. She looked up and saw a puff of smoke blowing out of a second-story window.

"Make ready!" somepony yelled.

Suddenly dozens of earth ponies emerged from the bushes and trees on either side of the road, armed with muskets and deployed in a skirmish formation. A large group of unicorns poured out of the city and formed a volley line in front the entourage. The formerly bowing citizens screamed in terror as they galloped into the safety of the city, confused and disoriented.

"Take aim!"

The muskets clicked as earth ponies lowered them at the princesses and their Guards.

"Fire!"

Cracks of musketry and puffs of smoke filled the senses as Luna and Celestia feared for their lives. They heard shots bounced off of the magical shield and a few of their Guards cry out in agony. The thicket of musket balls was unlike anything either of them had ever experienced. When the smoke cleared, two of the Royal Guards were sprawled out on the ground and the two entire ranks of unicorns across from them were priming their horns to fire.

"No!" Celestia thought.

An alicorn's magic may have been stronger than a unicorn's but with that many unicorns firing together, Luna's shield wouldn't stand a chance. Celestia desperately dumped her own magic into the shield, turning the color green and amplifying the strength.

"Make ready!" a Royal Guard called out.

The four remaining Guards formed a line in front of the princesses, in an effort to protect them. They fished over their backs for their rifles and pointed the barrels to the sky, holding them in front of their faces with one hoof, keeping three on the ground.

"Present!" he yelled as they let their long-range weapons drop and point into the enemy formation.

"Fire!"

The sun princess saw a couple of the unicorns across from them shriek in surprise as they dropped from being hit. The Royal Guards let their emptied breech-loaders fall to the ground as the pegasi drew their sabers.

"Charge!"

While the pegasi cavalry Guards made their glorious yet suicidal charge at the unicorn formation, another group of unicorns appeared from the shrubbery and raced up behind the chariot. They all poked their heads into the alicorn shield and had begun to absorb the magic, using their horns like a pump.

Celestia and Luna alike could not ignore the feeling that their power was being sapped away but they were too focused on preparing for the incoming unicorn volley. But as they braced, both of them couldn't help but to feel that their magic was draining at such a rapid pace that they might not be able to hold back the volley.

"Take aim!"

"How? How are simple unicorns able to draw that much magic away from us?" Celestia thought.

"Fire!"

Magical death bolts blocked their vision of the city as the deadly projectile spells came zooming in. The remaining Royal Guards were shredded instantly, caught directly in the path of the volley, serving their purpose as meat shields.

It wasn't enough though.

The barrier immediately collapsed under the sheer amount of war magic that had been cast at it. Magical shots penetrated and soon the princesses felt the pain of them hitting their bodies.

"We have to fly!" Luna cried out as she spread her large wings.

Celestia followed and both ascended into the air, in the hopes that they could escape, or fight back.

They were immortal, not indestructible.

But an untimely musket volley from the earth ponies had foiled the aerial escape. They had only gained a few feet of altitude before musket balls ripped through their feathery appendages. The sisters both looked at each other and saw the other start bleeding. They used more of their magic to begin to mend some of the wounds the best they could.

"Shoot the wings!" a rebel cried out.

More shots poured in randomly as the rebels had started to settle for just firing at will, rather than organized volleys. Death bolts and muskets balls zoomed past, a few of them slamming into the alicorns' bodies.

Both Luna and Celestia looked at each other and frowned. They didn't want to have to do this but they had no choice. The alicorns should have just enough of their depleted magic remaining to carry out their last resort.

They both charged up magical energy as they loaded their own projectiles. Death bolt and ball continued to zip past them, a lucky one here and there managing to hit. The sisters then lowered their horns at the center of the unicorn formation.

They unleashed their power.

"Disperse!" the unicorn commander ordered as the blast flashed towards them.

The attack was impressive, a stunning white beam of light that made the unicorns' death bolts look like foal's play. The rebels all leaped out of the way at the last second, only a few of them getting caught in the powerful blast.

To Celestia's horror, she had forgotten that the city was directly behind the formation.

The blast ripped through a massive three story building and completely sliced through the integrity of the structure. The building creaked and groaned as the force from the alicorn death bolt sent it tumbling down. A foal's playground was directly in the path of the fallen building, and Luna cried in horror as it crushed everything below it.

Bystanders screamed and cried out as chaos overtook the city.

Neither of them could believe what they had just seen. It happened so quickly, that it didn't even feel real. Their brains could not register anything that they had just seen. All of this was happening too fast, frustrating them because of their inability to control any of it. They couldn't have done that, there was no way. Not the benevolent and pure princesses of Equestria. If the rebels were angry before, now they would be absolutely livid.

"No!"

They refused to accept it.

But it was true.

They were foal killers.

There had to have been scores of little fillies and colts in that playground.

Not to mention how many ponies were in the building.

The stinging from musket balls and death bolts returned to them as their senses did. They had distracted the larger unicorn formation at the front but were now taking death bolt fire from behind. Indeed, the unicorns that had sapped their magic earlier were now firing it back at them. There wasn't enough bolts to destroy them now, which let them know that their plan had worked.

Celestia cried out in pain as a ball had slammed into her shoulder, immortal blood spurting from her wound.

"The--the distraction w--worked. We h--have to get o--out of here sis--ter," Luna said with steaming tears in her eyes.

Celestia nodded sadly as they prepared what was left of their power. Both were extremely wounded, adrenaline the only thing keeping them conscious. They would need immediate medical attention when they got back to Canterlot.

In an impressive flash of white, both alicorn sisters disappeared.

The cracks of musketry died down as the rebels realized that their targets had disappeared, a few of them voicing their hate.

From a second-story window, a gray pony observed the incident with a cold smirk.

The agent had accomplished his mission.

****Day

-531

****

Ponyville

****

Rainbow Dash sat by Pinkie's bedside, watching her friend sleep.

Fluttershy was recovering in the other room a few doors down.

Twenty-three ponies were dead.

And thirty-seven more wounded.

It was unbelievable.

There was no way that any of this could be happening. Not in Equestria.

Rainbow Dash was angry.

She had just gotten the news that this tragedy was no accident. Apparently, similar explosions like the one in Ponyville had occurred at train stations all across Equestria. All of them within a few minutes or hours of each other.

This was not a coincidence.

It was sabotage.

Especially after the news came out about the Princesses' Royal Procession getting ambushed en route to Red Mane. Word  had gotten out that even though they were badly wounded, both Celestia and Luna were alive and back in Canterlot, receiving medical treatment.

Hours later, after executing Governor Dusk Quill and his loyalists, the province of Red Mane declared its independence from the Principality of Equestria.

Stone Leaf, the General of the Army of Red Mane Valley, declared the birth of the Republic of Red Mane.

"No longer will the imperialistic policies of Equestria oppress our ponies. For far too long have we lived under the bastardous stranglehold of our former handlers. It is a dirty business to obtain freedom and independence, but it must be done to ensure the welfare and future of the ponies of Red Mane. As proud general of this army, I will defend these ideals to the death!"

Rarity had read them that speech from the Canterlot Times while they were in the waiting room. Immediately after, the nurse had called them in.

"Attacking any Royal is an act of war," Twilight had told them before she left to check up on Fluttershy.

War.

The word rang in her head and then lingered like a snake hissing over her back.

Rainbow didn't know much about it, to her surprise. It was a foreign subject. Sure, she had learned about ancient battles in school and occasionally heard about wars between other countries, but not in a thousand years has Equestria taken to the battlefield.

It was the unknown.

And she was terrified.

But would she answer the call?

Dash wondered as a tear fell from her cheek, gazing at her stricken friend. Pinkie had suffered two broken ribs and a fractured hoof. Fluttershy had broken both wings, a foreleg, sustained minor burns, and dislocated the shoulder of her other foreleg.

Both had passed out.

They were lucky that they were far enough away from the blast that they were both thrown back from the explosion rather than engulfed by it. The doctor and nurses had told her and her friends that they would be fine but for some reason that didn't make her feel any better.

She turned to the window, watching the sunrise. The sun and the moon were still rising and falling at regular intervals, which meant that Princess Luna and Celestia were still alive. Maybe this wasn't a complete disaster after all. The light glazed itself over the landscape, eventually reaching Pinkie's room. As the light hit her face, she let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know how, but somehow, the light rejuvenated her. It was giving her new life, a break from the stress that she absolutely needed.

Rainbow Dash had always felt that it was a duty of hers as the Element of Loyalty to protect her friends, Pinkie and Fluttershy especially. Pinkie was the youngest of the group and the most innocent, so of course Rainbow Dash felt protective over her. Fluttershy as well, she was kind-hearted and pure, and Rainbow Dash didn't want to see that destroyed. Rainbow cared for all of her friends, but she had a special connection with these two especially. Aside from being their friend, she also saw herself as their protector.

"Mmmm...Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder and saw Pinkie yawning, her mouth opened wide. Her eyes were sleepy and half-open, and her pink fizzy mane was a complete mess. After the yawn, Pinkie just stared at Rainbow blankly. She decided to approach the bedside slowly and rest her fore hooves on the side.

Rainbow gave her friend a light smile.

"How are you feeling Pinkie?" she spoke softly.

Pinkie returned her own weak smile.

"Well, it only hurts a little bit, but I'm still pretty tired."

"You should probably get some more rest then, you'll need it."

Pinkie's smiled faded away and drooped into a frown. She blinked at Rainbow Dash again.

"Dashie...what happened?"

Rainbow refused the urge to cringe. She couldn't tell her about what had happened, at least not now.

"Don't you worry about that, Auntie Rainbow Dash has got it all taken care of," she joked with a smirk.

Pinkie laughed.

"You took my lin--ouchie," she squealed in pain.

Pinkie grimaced as she held a hoof over her ribs and coughed. She stared stared back at Dash, smiling through the pain in her ribcage.

Rainbow Dash frowned in concern, she couldn't stand to see such a close friend like this. It just wasn't right. Pinkie and Fluttershy were probably the last ponies that deserved to be put through something like this.

"Where's Fluttershy?"

"She's fine. In the other room actually."

Pinkie jerked her head over to the closed door, as her face lit up suddenly.

"Really?! Can I talk to her?!" Pinkie's eyes grew wide as she slammed both of her hooves onto the blanket.

The pink pony twitched as a sharp pain shot up her fractured hoof.

Rainbow chuckled. She was still Pinkie, that's for sure.

"Yeah, but she's asleep right now with Twilight keeping an eye on her. Applejack had to step out to blow off some steam and Rarity left to go calm her down after she almost bucked somepony in the face. You should probably get some sleep too," she pointed out.

It wasn't every day that they saw Applejack get upset like that. Witnessing it made Rainbow shiver. She was the one that was supposed to be pissed, and Applejack the calm and stoic one. Apparently, they traded roles today.

Pinkie sighed as she ran a hoof over her blankets.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

And with that Pinkie let her head fall back down onto her pillow, turning away from the pegasus.

"Well, Rarity will be by later. And I left you a Daring Do book by the way. It's on the little table next to you," she pointed out as she began to trot towards the exit.

Pinkie Pie turned over back towards the door and gazed at her friend one last time.

"Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash took her hoof off the door and looked back.

"Yeah?"

"You're a good friend, and I love you lots. All of you."

A normal pony's heart would melt at such a statement, especially in the way Pinkie Pie said it.

Rainbow Dash grinned.

"Thanks Pinkie. It's good to hear that. And I'm sure the others will appreciate it too."

"No, 'I love you' back?" Rainbow Dash thought in frustration.

As collected as she was, Rainbow was not good at sappy stuff.

She watched Pinkie smile as the pink mare snuggled into her face into the pillow like a baby filly. Rainbow Dash repulsed a choke as she opened the door and stepped out. As she closed it behind her, Rainbow Dash could feel the warmth of a single tear coming down her cheek.

Yes.

She would answer the call.

Whoever had done this to her best friends needed to be stopped, no matter the cost. She couldn't imagine how many other ponies and families that Red Mane had destroyed already. There was no way she was going to let them get away with this, or worse, a chance to do it again.

Red Mane.

The enemy.

She swore on her life that she would make them pay.

Nopony hurts her friends.