01-31-2016, 06:00 AM
Chapter 24: Plan of Attack
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The throne room of Canterlot was eerily gloomy in comparison to how it was usually seen, despite the sun shining through the intricately designed stained glass windows. The Princesses, especially Celestia, were stoic as they listened to report after report on the damages and regrettably, the causalities. The castle itself had suffered damages, dead or wounded guards, fortunately few guests had been injured, severely shaken up to say the least but alive all the same. Equestria was in a state of panic, no other cities or villages had been raided, but each of them feared it would be their turn soon enough. Twilight felt as though her head was spinning as the last report was finished up. The guard's mouth moved but she registered no words as he bowed and hurried out, the sound of his armored hooves could have carried for miles when Twilight shook her head to get her mental bearings back in check.
Then of course there was the issue of Michael's abduction. Twilight never said it out loud but somehow she felt his capture had been part of the plan, in fact to her it felt obvious.
It was obvious to Nightmare Rarity as well.
Princess Celestia let out a quiet, tired sigh as silence fell over the throne room, turning her gaze to the windows in contemplation.
"What shall we do now, sister?" Luna asked in an equally tired tone, steadily approaching her elder sibling's side. Cadence and Twilight remained behind, exchanging glances but did not approach. Cadence knew her husband was either in captivity along with Michael...or...she didn't want to even think the word lest it become a reality.
"We attack, I thought that was obvious," the voice of Nightmare Rarity rang strong in the deathly silent room, Twilight flinched at its volume and echo. She walked in, unlike the others he showed no signs of fatigue, and a fiery conviction burned in her blue eyes. Twilight just knew there'd be no talking her out of her idea. Luna just glared daggers, wondering just what she was doing doing here. She cleared her throat, trying to contain her anger before she responded.
"I think it's a bit more complex than that, lives, many lives are at risk here."
"Precisely why we should."
"Since when do you care?"
"I don't, I'm thinking only of Michael."
"Then what's to say King Sombra doesn't just kill him the moment he learns of our approach?"
"He abducted him to draw me out, for whatever reason, I think that's obvious."
"Um," Twilight piped up, her voice cracking when everyone turned to look at her, "I agree with Nightmare on that last part...nopony else was captured right?"
Princess Celestia nodded in confirmation.
"You are correct...the thought had occurred to me as well...it's much too specific to just be a random prisoner of war situation," Celestia hadn't used the word "war" to describe the situation, but that's precisely what it was. At that particular word the throne room suddenly felt cold to Twilight, and she shivered and felt her skin crawl. Equestria had experienced years of peace, small conflicts but nothing like a full scale war. War itself in Equestria was practically an alien concept. Unthinkable for some.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Nightmare replied, looking Celestia in the eye.
"The lives of our subjects are at risk, not yours. This is not your decision," Luna interjected dangerously. "Your supposed feelings for-," a look of horror fell across Luna's face as she realized she had used the wrong words. Nightmare's eyes had shifted to a demonic white and impossibly the area around her darkened, the shadows themselves sprung up in small tendrils around her hooves, dancing freely. Her teeth looked all the sharper, like they could crush bone in a heartbeat.
"YOU DARE QUESTION MY FEELINGS FOR HIM?! THEY ARE NOT YOURS TO QUESTION AND IF YOU REFUSE TO HELP ME I'LL DO IT MYSELF!"
The demonic appearance in the blink of an eye shifted to her normal one and none of them spoke. Luna had all but run and hid behind Celestia, Twilight and Cadence's eyes wide as dinner plates, Celestia was replaying the previous moments in her brain. She knew Nightmare truly loved Michael just by surveying their interactions together, her once sworn enemy. Who had caused her, her sister, her subjects and she could only imagine who else great pain and suffering for no reason she could discern. This mare, the one she thought was a monster unlike any other she had met, loved someone in a way she could scarcely conceive of. It wasn't as shocking to her as her fellow princesses, but the power of it even left her a bit speechless.
"No one questions your feelings, Nightmare Rarity, and I too agree that Sombra abducted Michael for the sole purpose of drawing you out. For what reason I don't know," Celestia looked towards the window again gravely, another slow breath exiting her body before she continued.
"But you are right...now is the time to attack."
The other three princesses gasped, in all their years they never guessed the pony they most admired would not only agree with the one who had once been their sworn enemy but state that now was the time for battle.
"We must end this conflict now before it escalates any further. Luna, you and I will assemble an army. Twilight, Cadence, oversee preparation for defenses here. I will alert you before we begin moving out. Nightmare-,"
In a bright flash she was gone, she needed to hear nothing more. She had an army of her own.
Nightmare Rarity was going to annihilate King Sombra, him and his Chrystal Empire. Nothing would stand in her way.
-----
"So let me get this straight, you met Nightmare Rarity in your...world. You fall in love with her and vice versa, she brings you to Equestria, you go to the Grand Galloping Gala and Sombra kidnaps you?" Shining Armor spoke a summarized version of the events I had told him back, a befuddled look in his eyes. We sat across from each other in our cell, a small part of sleeve had been ripped off my suit and wrapped around my head to stop the bleeding, courtesy of a guard who had bashed me on the head. Speaking of which, the two guards who had accompanied Sombra down here to begin with were now our "official guards." Goodie.
"Pretty much," I confirmed, leaning back against the wall. "Also...what the hell is up with your horn?" I pointed to the thing in question, riddled with black lumps. His eyes traveled up and he rubbed a temple with a hoof.
"Oh that? It stops me from using magic, hence why I was even still in here in the first place."
We both jolted in surprise when two trays were spontaneously slid into our cell. Instantly I knew it was food...using that word lightly. I slid my tray over to me with my fingertips, eyeing the stuff with a mixture of curiosity and disgust. There was a slop of something gray, two chunks of hard bread and a cup of murky looking water. I poked the bread rather roughly, my finger didn't even leave a dent in it. I felt myself sigh in exasperation and frustration. I had a half a mind to start berating the guards, but fortunately my rational thought overruled my emotion this time around.
"You need to eat something, you'll need your strength for when you escape." I felt the gears of my mind beginning to turn as I started to think about a means of breaking out. It was cliche...but if done right...it could work. I grinned dangerously to myself as I bit into the stale bread, ripping it apart.
"What?" Shining asked, giving me another confused look, wondering why I was smiling.
I only shook my head, smiling wider as I chewed and swallowed.
"You'll see."
-----
The throne room of Canterlot was eerily gloomy in comparison to how it was usually seen, despite the sun shining through the intricately designed stained glass windows. The Princesses, especially Celestia, were stoic as they listened to report after report on the damages and regrettably, the causalities. The castle itself had suffered damages, dead or wounded guards, fortunately few guests had been injured, severely shaken up to say the least but alive all the same. Equestria was in a state of panic, no other cities or villages had been raided, but each of them feared it would be their turn soon enough. Twilight felt as though her head was spinning as the last report was finished up. The guard's mouth moved but she registered no words as he bowed and hurried out, the sound of his armored hooves could have carried for miles when Twilight shook her head to get her mental bearings back in check.
Then of course there was the issue of Michael's abduction. Twilight never said it out loud but somehow she felt his capture had been part of the plan, in fact to her it felt obvious.
It was obvious to Nightmare Rarity as well.
Princess Celestia let out a quiet, tired sigh as silence fell over the throne room, turning her gaze to the windows in contemplation.
"What shall we do now, sister?" Luna asked in an equally tired tone, steadily approaching her elder sibling's side. Cadence and Twilight remained behind, exchanging glances but did not approach. Cadence knew her husband was either in captivity along with Michael...or...she didn't want to even think the word lest it become a reality.
"We attack, I thought that was obvious," the voice of Nightmare Rarity rang strong in the deathly silent room, Twilight flinched at its volume and echo. She walked in, unlike the others he showed no signs of fatigue, and a fiery conviction burned in her blue eyes. Twilight just knew there'd be no talking her out of her idea. Luna just glared daggers, wondering just what she was doing doing here. She cleared her throat, trying to contain her anger before she responded.
"I think it's a bit more complex than that, lives, many lives are at risk here."
"Precisely why we should."
"Since when do you care?"
"I don't, I'm thinking only of Michael."
"Then what's to say King Sombra doesn't just kill him the moment he learns of our approach?"
"He abducted him to draw me out, for whatever reason, I think that's obvious."
"Um," Twilight piped up, her voice cracking when everyone turned to look at her, "I agree with Nightmare on that last part...nopony else was captured right?"
Princess Celestia nodded in confirmation.
"You are correct...the thought had occurred to me as well...it's much too specific to just be a random prisoner of war situation," Celestia hadn't used the word "war" to describe the situation, but that's precisely what it was. At that particular word the throne room suddenly felt cold to Twilight, and she shivered and felt her skin crawl. Equestria had experienced years of peace, small conflicts but nothing like a full scale war. War itself in Equestria was practically an alien concept. Unthinkable for some.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Nightmare replied, looking Celestia in the eye.
"The lives of our subjects are at risk, not yours. This is not your decision," Luna interjected dangerously. "Your supposed feelings for-," a look of horror fell across Luna's face as she realized she had used the wrong words. Nightmare's eyes had shifted to a demonic white and impossibly the area around her darkened, the shadows themselves sprung up in small tendrils around her hooves, dancing freely. Her teeth looked all the sharper, like they could crush bone in a heartbeat.
"YOU DARE QUESTION MY FEELINGS FOR HIM?! THEY ARE NOT YOURS TO QUESTION AND IF YOU REFUSE TO HELP ME I'LL DO IT MYSELF!"
The demonic appearance in the blink of an eye shifted to her normal one and none of them spoke. Luna had all but run and hid behind Celestia, Twilight and Cadence's eyes wide as dinner plates, Celestia was replaying the previous moments in her brain. She knew Nightmare truly loved Michael just by surveying their interactions together, her once sworn enemy. Who had caused her, her sister, her subjects and she could only imagine who else great pain and suffering for no reason she could discern. This mare, the one she thought was a monster unlike any other she had met, loved someone in a way she could scarcely conceive of. It wasn't as shocking to her as her fellow princesses, but the power of it even left her a bit speechless.
"No one questions your feelings, Nightmare Rarity, and I too agree that Sombra abducted Michael for the sole purpose of drawing you out. For what reason I don't know," Celestia looked towards the window again gravely, another slow breath exiting her body before she continued.
"But you are right...now is the time to attack."
The other three princesses gasped, in all their years they never guessed the pony they most admired would not only agree with the one who had once been their sworn enemy but state that now was the time for battle.
"We must end this conflict now before it escalates any further. Luna, you and I will assemble an army. Twilight, Cadence, oversee preparation for defenses here. I will alert you before we begin moving out. Nightmare-,"
In a bright flash she was gone, she needed to hear nothing more. She had an army of her own.
Nightmare Rarity was going to annihilate King Sombra, him and his Chrystal Empire. Nothing would stand in her way.
-----
"So let me get this straight, you met Nightmare Rarity in your...world. You fall in love with her and vice versa, she brings you to Equestria, you go to the Grand Galloping Gala and Sombra kidnaps you?" Shining Armor spoke a summarized version of the events I had told him back, a befuddled look in his eyes. We sat across from each other in our cell, a small part of sleeve had been ripped off my suit and wrapped around my head to stop the bleeding, courtesy of a guard who had bashed me on the head. Speaking of which, the two guards who had accompanied Sombra down here to begin with were now our "official guards." Goodie.
"Pretty much," I confirmed, leaning back against the wall. "Also...what the hell is up with your horn?" I pointed to the thing in question, riddled with black lumps. His eyes traveled up and he rubbed a temple with a hoof.
"Oh that? It stops me from using magic, hence why I was even still in here in the first place."
We both jolted in surprise when two trays were spontaneously slid into our cell. Instantly I knew it was food...using that word lightly. I slid my tray over to me with my fingertips, eyeing the stuff with a mixture of curiosity and disgust. There was a slop of something gray, two chunks of hard bread and a cup of murky looking water. I poked the bread rather roughly, my finger didn't even leave a dent in it. I felt myself sigh in exasperation and frustration. I had a half a mind to start berating the guards, but fortunately my rational thought overruled my emotion this time around.
"You need to eat something, you'll need your strength for when you escape." I felt the gears of my mind beginning to turn as I started to think about a means of breaking out. It was cliche...but if done right...it could work. I grinned dangerously to myself as I bit into the stale bread, ripping it apart.
"What?" Shining asked, giving me another confused look, wondering why I was smiling.
I only shook my head, smiling wider as I chewed and swallowed.
"You'll see."