Revolution: A Hoof in the Dark (Open)

[sevofthesands]

he smiled at Draxises compliment. he was glad Draxis thought so.. he did not feel like he was.. he felt more like he was floundering about not doing much good.. just doing what he thought was needed or what he thought would help. [colour=#008000]"thank you sir... but why do you not think your what the guard needs? just cause your .. umm .. different?"[/colour] he had made a agreement with Draxis not to reveal what he was...

[Valencetiger]

Twilight, after visiting her chambers, began to roam the hallways underneath Starlight Hill, her mind plotting out several possibilities of how the negotiations will go later this evening. So many different outcomes...many of them looking terrible. It was almost depressing, dwelling on what could go wrong. Twilight sighed...she needed somewhere to relax, to ease her nerves. Spotting one of the monument's monks, she asked him where exactly she could go to settle her mind and body. With a smile, the monk spoke of some hot springs in one of the lower levels of the complex. Thanking him, she descended down another level of the complex before arriving at her destination. Steam wisps hung above the water, the room itself actually a cavern made out of the rock, with the heated water resting in a large pool.

[colour=#ff0000]"...ah, just what I needed. I haven't been in a natural spring in many years...this will do me some good." [/colour]Trotting to one of the hanging racks against the stone wall, she took off her violet robes and placed them on one of the racks. With her ash-gray coat fully revealed, her cutie mark was fully revealed...as well as a few more bizarre markings. Tattoos lay across several regions of her coat, mostly on her flank and belly. What was most distinctive, however, was a marking that looked like a fox's head, which was nestled on her chest. After she was disrobed, Twilight moved over to the steaming water, gingerly sinking into it. When she was all the way in, she gave an audible sigh of relief. Almost immediately, she began to feel better...for some, odd reason...she felt like her body was rejuvenating at an increased rate. Was this water enchanted somehow...? It could be. Looking at herself, she noticed that her coat was taking on a more lustrous sheen, and her mane's black colour was more solid. Smiling to herself, she sunk beneath the water, rising up once more and resting against the edge of the hot spring. However, a large, booming voice was heard, and she frowned, recognizing it.

"Just letting you all know that Universal surveillance will be taking place in...Equestria... For the next few years. Or whenever I get bored. Just doing protocol mares and colts. Have a nice day!"

Sighing, Twilight rubbed her face with her hooves. [colour=#ff0000]It's that thing again...[/colour]

(No, it's not the Fountain of Youth, guys just healing springs.)

[ONWARDconwardicus]

(so no broadcast?)

[TotalEcplise]

[colour=#800080]Patriarch Karrthus[/colour]

[colour=#800080]"So this is what you hide under your robes Twilight Sparkle."[/colour] A voice stated from every corner of of the cabin simultaneously. The steam moved about the chamber in a unnatural way, as if orchestrated. Long wisps of white clawed at the surface of the water as the mist began to coalesce behind the mare. The steam began to take shape, great wing formed on either side of the form and claws started to become pronounced. Before any colour added to the massive body the mist formed a cloak around it hiding all of its features from view.

[colour=#800080]"Hello miss Sparkle, nice of you to chose such a private location, I wouldn't want anyone to eavesdrop on this conversation."[/colour] Karrthus said into her ear. His words had a slight hiss to them as the rest of his tongue and mouth formed.

[Valencetiger]

She frowned, upset at the creature's sudden intrusion upon her privacy. Self-consciously, she covered the fox-tattoo with her right hoof, turning her head to look at Karrthus and giving him a disapproving (and embarrassed) glare. [colour=#ff0000]"...didn't your parents ever tell you not to intrude on a mare when she is bathing...? If not, they must not have been very informative to you, Broodfather Karrthus..." [/colour](Oh the irony) Something about this dragon staring at her felt...wrong...somehow. Not in the way of a pervert spying on a mare...although this is close enough to it...but the familiarity she felt toward the creature was unnerving. Also, its voice held a recognizable ring to it...

[colour=#ff0000]"...I sure hope your eyes are covered, Mister...if you could be a gentledrake and fetch a towel or my robes...?"[/colour]

[TotalEcplise]

Karrthus chuckled at Twilight's comments. Oh how he would enjoy this.

[colour=#800080]"Well you should know better than anypony what my parents taught me." [/colour][colour=#000000]Karrthus eyed Twilight up and down for a moment.[/colour][colour=#800080] "Even though there are quite a few new things that I'm seeing here and there. Your body mostly old news to me."[/colour] As per request Karrthus fetched Twilight's Twilight's robes and towels.

Karrthus smiled a large white toothy grin.[colour=#800080] "Would you like me to take a letter as well?"[/colour] His eyes burned with magic. As he said those words he slid in behind the mare and dangled the items in her face.

[Valencetiger]

She stared at him, her face showing a puzzled expression...that was quickly turning into annoyance as the dragon dangled the towel and her robes in front of her. She firmly grabbed them away from the dragon, getting up and wrapping the towel around herself with magic, her black mane hanging in strands. She knew better than anypony what his parents taught him...? Her body was old news to him...? Take a letter...? Who was this creature? Suddenly, it all came together...it clicked inside her head and she looked up at him, her eyes widening. No...no, it couldn't be...not her little... her little...

[colour=#ff0000]"...Spike?!"[/colour]

[TotalEcplise]

[colour=#800080]"For a moment there I thought I was going to have to burn it into the surface of the moon in glowing green magma!"[/colour] He sniffled as he barely got the words out. Green tears laced with magical energy fell on to the unicorn's horn as she looked up at him. The tears sparked with a small amount of electricity as they made contact with Twilight's coat. He removed his hood so that she could get a better look at him, his snout had elongated as expected and were lined with razor sharp teeth, a horn protruded forward from both sides of his jaw. His scales former sheen had been lost and were now a dull lavender, all of his green spikes had been replaced by black spines and he had grown a powerful set of wings. For all intents and purposes he looked...vicious.

But Spike was still Spike, his bottom lip quivered as he fought back tears, but this was took much for him. He'd reached his limit. Spike exploded into a cloud of mist, when he reformed form the steam he was in his child form. He ran, using legs he hadn't maneuvered with in five year latched on to Twlight's front leg and held on for dear life. He buried his face in her fur let out everything he'd been holding in since the fighting started.[colour=#800080] "I was so scared scared Twilight! Everyone got separate and then you-you didn't comeback!"[/colour] He rubbed his face against her leg. [colour=#800080]"Everyday, I worried about you, every. Single. Day. I never stopped wondering were you might be."[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#b22222]Lypris (Starlight Hill, somewhere outside(?))[/colour]

Lypris smiled, shoved off Dopple's wing with one of her forehooves, but it was an affectionate motion. [colour=#b22222]"She didn't look that scared. More like disgusted."[/colour] [colour=#000000]Lypris laughed heartily at that. [/colour][colour=#b22222]"Staying classy with the ladies, huh Dopple?" [/colour]

[colour=#ffff00]Fluttershy (Starlight Hill, somewhere outside)[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Fluttershy smiled when she was pulled away. It reminded her of old times, when her friends had had to drag her away from bad situations before. She was restraining herself, she wanted to hug her old friend, but it was against her Order's code to be overly generous with emotions. And Fluttershy was somewhat afraid of what her emotions really were concerning her old friends. In theory, as a monk of the Starlight Hill she was neutral to all sides of the war. But her loyalty had lay firmly with the now dead Princesses. And that Rainbow Dash and Twilight were in service of the regime that had so brutally killed them... Regardless of the reason. Fluttershy remembered something she had been taught here in the Order: There is no consideration of intent, only consequence. [/colour]

[colour=#ffff00]"I didn't die, I..." [/colour][colour=#000000]For all her training and discipline, it was still hard to admit the truth. She paused, took a breath to steel herself. [/colour][colour=#ffff00]"... I ran away when the first attacks started. I couldn't bear the thought of war breaking out, I tried to come back and find you guys but Ponyville had been destroyed..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Fluttershy restrained tears with some difficulty, her eyes shimmering. [/colour][colour=#ffff00]​"Rainbow... it's soo good to see you again." [/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]The Mistress of Shadows (GEF Caravan)[/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]"And the crowd goes wild..." [/colour][colour=#000000]The Mistress of Shadows had grown bored of trying to order around the Shade Corps, had retired to it's room where it was currently watching a televised game of pegasus volleyball. It raised a lazy hoof into the air, wishing that it had somepony to watch with. Oh how it wanted Twilight to be willing to spend just a little off time with it. Even with the news that she had a foal... The Mistress would never dare complain about her idol, but there was not one minute out of her day she could spare to pay attention to one of her most valued soldiers? It was always business, never time for anything else. The Mistress knew that it was loyal to Twilight. But it was getting harder to keep that in mind. The camera panned over a few attractive cheerleader mares doing flips. The Mistress sighed. Attractive ponies failed to rouse it, even. Only Twilight could do that now... Okay, that's kind of creepy, but it's true.[/colour]

[colour=#000000]In it's boredom, The Mistress was extra sensitive to magical effects, and as a result it noticed a reverberation through the local area. It was a very specific, very broad, yet undeniably powerful command that echoed onto itself, making it hard to notice for those who weren't attuned sharply to magic and bored out of their minds like she was. It was... a greeting? And a conceited boast? The Mistress was reminded of it's old glory days before the war had broken out. Perhaps this weirdo would be willing to amuse it for a while. So The Mistress tracked the magical threads, pushing through them with it's own powerful spells, tricking barriers through dimensions and space and time with it's wily magical dexterity... [/colour]

[colour=#000000]The Mistress appeared Knowledge, as an avatar of itself, the same white coated pink maned mare similar in stature to Celestia.[/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]"Who the hay are you and what are you observing all of us for?"[/colour]

[Valencetiger]

Twilight's heart lurched at the sight of Spike in this new, draconian form...he had changed so much from the spike she used to know. The sparks of electricity from his tears stung the skin under her coat...but the pain was nowhere near what was inside of her at this moment. However, no matter how much his physical appearance had changed...she knew it was the same Spike she once knew inside that vicious body. Seeing him disperse into mist, she reached for where he used to be with one of her hooves, a pained expression on her face. However, the next moment, the mist rematerialized into Spike once more...into the baby dragon of her past. When he latched onto her leg, she lost control of herself and embraced the small dragon, hugging him close and nuzzling him lovingly.

[colour=#ff0000]"...Oh Spike...! My dear little Spike...! I'm so sorry...so very, very sorry...you shouldn't have worried about me, no pony or creature should have! I-I am a t-terrible pony...I've done so many horrible things...so many wrongs...n-no one should care about me anymore! I am sorry I left you behind...I don't expect you to forgive me, I don't expect anypony to forgive me for what I've done these past few years...!" [/colour]The words poured from her mouth like a stream, sobs and whimpers between them. Twilight couldn't control herself...she simply couldn't. Seeing the baby dragon whom had been her friend since the beginning, and whom she had loved, broke the emotional barrier she had made around herself. Tears fell down her face, her red-violet eyes peering at the wall in sadness.

[TotalEcplise]

he smiled at Draxises compliment. he was glad Draxis thought so.. he did not feel like he was.. he felt more like he was floundering about not doing much good.. just doing what he thought was needed or what he thought would help. [colour=#008000]"thank you sir... but why do you not think your what the guard needs? just cause your .. umm .. different?"[/colour] he had made a agreement with Draxis not to reveal what he was...

[colour=#008080]"No, nothing as fickle as that,"[/colour] he sighed, not really wanting to go here, but it was necessary. Draco needed to hear this eventually. [colour=#008080]"Think back to when we rescued those foals, remember when the diamond dog tried to kill you and you knocked him out? You could've killed him, but you didn't. I, on the hand, cut down two of them and felt nothing."[/colour] Draxis stopped looking him and patted his side, the feel of his blade comforting to the hivelord. [colour=#008080]"I'm a killer Draco, plain and simple. Not a defender." [/colour]

[doppleganger]

Dopple-Ganger walked to the griffins again. He didnt have any plans to tease anymore. He needed to strategize incase something were to go wrong. He wanted to know what everyones opinions are. "we have not been properly introduced. General dopple-ganger At your service. I apologize for my rude behavior. I just find the idea that the GEF wants peace ridiculous. This night wont end well"

[TotalEcplise]

Dopple-Ganger walked to the griffins again. He didnt have any plans to tease anymore. He needed to strategize incase something were to go wrong. He wanted to know what everyones opinions are. "we have not been properly introduced. General dopple-ganger At your service. I apologize for my rude behavior. I just find the idea that the GEF wants peace ridiculous. This night wont end well"

Baxter looked at the changeling, the same one from before that had hassled him and his team. This time it seemed as if he wanted a legitimate conversation. Baxter wasn't doing anything productive at all so why the heck not. "Commander Baxter Swift, say nothing else about it. We should've been able to take a joke for what it was." Thinking back on it what the changeling had said wasn't that serious, but between the weird feeling of the spell and the hostile environment he and his griffons were pretty wound up."I find it quite the ploy actually, this kind of thing has been occurring in the Griffon Nations for centuries the peace the GEF wants is likely real, but the problem is will everyone here be willing to bend to their conditions? The entire situation is to GEF's advantage. I've seen this too many times."

[doppleganger]

Dopple gave a smile of curiousity "So we think alike....What's your plan?" Dopple buzzed beside Baxter "You and I both know how greedy some species can be." Dopple is a good example of this. "It will be difficult to level off some of everyones terms compromise won't settle well with everyone." He looked at the other griffins with a small smile. "You wouldn't be a commander and I wouldn't be a general if we both didn't have a plan B incase this night was to go south."

[TotalEcplise]

"I would not be a commander and you would not be a general if we had been telling everyone who asked our contingency plans, same side or not." He said with a slight smirk. He looked around the room things seemed to be settling for the moment."With the non aggression spell in place, hostilities have been curbed, but I put no faith in that, lets just say that if worse comes to worse the enchantment is a non factor to my griffons." His false eye moved back to the changeling. "I feel like no one here will actually start anything...but I still have a lingering feeling that these talks will go straight to Tartarus."

[MasterMustang]

--- [colour=#008000]Over the Past Few Days at RLF High Command [/colour]---

Striker spent most of his time in either the gym on his heavy bag or at the firing range after he recieved intel that Red Fox was defeated by Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic. Not only did she do away with the object of his revenge... his sole purpose in life, Twilight Sparkle, one of the Elements of Harmoney decides to take control of the GEF instead of bring down the regime. This weighted heavily on his concious. One time over the past few days Striker actually put his pistol to his head... but he couldn't pull the trigger... not being able to avenge his fallen love and comrades is almost too much to bear alone...

The Captan remained in solitude until Gen. Free personally requested him as an advisor and guard to the peace talks at Starlight Hill. Peace talks? Really? After all they done to us... to our country... our people... we are now willing to forgive? NO! This is bull**** but the Ranger agrees. An order is an order and it's not like Striker to break the chain of command. So he heads out with his General with his raged buried but with his M9 loaded.

--- [colour=#008000]Starlight Hill [/colour]---

The Captain sits next to his general. He is in his formal battledress... no armor. He listens quietly to the conversations but can't help subtlely glaring at Queen Chrysalis and Twilight herself. Striker personally holds the changelings accountable for their treason in helping the NEO uprising. Twilight for obvious reasons... she took his vengence from him...

[doppleganger]

"AHH smart bird. Were not so different you and I you may be a giant bird and I a decaying parasite. But we both know when somethings are just doomed to fail." He may have been an arrogant psychopath but he was a good leader and knew that this was not a good scenario. "I may sound crazy when I say I miss the wars of old..back when when the monarchy was still around and we lived in the forest. Sure our power is stronger in this day but....things are different. I remember when we were the only things that were feared. We were the ones who were twisted and would stab ponies in the back....Now ponies are killing ponies...and their the ones doing the back stabbing. My Queen wants a monarchy restored which means Cadence next in line for the throne. If things go wrong I will risk my life to protect the princess and my queen. I'm sure you'd do the same for your people as well.

[TheBritishBrony]

While everypony else was talking, Free had taken a seat by the window, thinking silently to himself as he always did. He was surprised really, there had been no attempts on anypony's life, the tention wasn't too high yet, and it looked like all of the other faction leaders were starting to calm down a bit. Maybe the munks crazy magic really was working. Free was curious as to the effects of the spell, and decided to test it. He thought about pinching somepony. The stallion nearly fell out of his chair as his stomach churned like a washing machine. He coughed and hacked a bit, but thankfully didn't throw up. Regaining his composure, he called Captain Striker over to him, wanting to talk with his well respected comrade.

Meanwhile, Applejack was over with Cadence. [colour=#ff8c00]"So Cadence, how's about that mare to mare chat I promised ya 'ey?" [/colour]The mare said, looking over to the princess with a warm smile on her face. Of all the events over the past couple of years, finding out that Cadence was still alive was a huge relief.

[TotalEcplise]

"As a native of Aquelia I never agreed with the idea of a monarchy, even less so when the ones in power were gods.I honesty can't say what I prefer. I am a firm believer that all peace eventually comes to an end. Equestria's stability was held in place by the faulty bricks that were Celestia and Luna. Yes they kept the peace, but they kept it by squandering opinions and burning rebels, the peoples tolerance maybe high, but like all things, its limited. They kept their little ponies tucked safely under their wings and feed them and clothed them and protected them. Many were complacent, while may others saw that complacency breeds incompetence." He sighed and shook his head, he was going to say his piece and he didn't a d*** who heard. "The changelings infiltrated Canterlot so easily on Cadence's wedding...Equestria's defenses were a laughing stock among the species...The only real threat deterrent's were the Alicorns, but after your queen bested Celestia they didn't seem so invincible anymore."

He put his hands on his hips and popped his back. "I guess thats when even thing went wrong for the ponies you know? Ponies with something to say didn't fear the principality's wrath anymore...then Celestia committed the atrocity that started this all." Baxter clenched his and sneered a bit, but soon lost his anger. No sense in beating a dead horse. "In my honest opinion the GEF is much better for Equestria, their technology has improved by leaps and bounds, their military is actually respectable, and their economy is more productive now than at any point in the last century of Alicorn rule. Honestly I wouldn't be here if the GEF hadn't wronged me personally and brutally deported all griffons the their nation. I could have forgiven what they did to me, but they have to answer for what they did to my people. My people are all I have left."

[MasterMustang]

Out of the corner of his eye, Gen. Free suddenly fell out of his chair. Striker turns to his comrade. [colour=#FFA500]"Are you alright, sir?" [/colour]He leans down and offers a hand to his general.

[doppleganger]

"That's just the thing. Things were so easy back then. I mean there one line off defense for the wedding was a shield that only took minimal force to get through. We most likely would have taken the city if it wasn't for sparkle. Now their defenses are so strong they make threats on us now." He takes a deep breath. "We need to worry about both of our people...Twilight said something about a Project Goliath that could lead my race to extinction. This technology they've mastered is interesting but I wouldn't get to excited. What would happen when the deportation of your people is not enough. It could be our undoing"

[TheBritishBrony]

(posting from phone)

Free took Striker's hoof and pulled himself up, still a bit woozy. "I'm fine captain, I just lost my balance for a second. Now, I need you to do something for me." Free replied, putting on a stern voice. " You see chancellor Rainbow Dash and the other officials? I need you to get friendly with them, see if you can root anything out from them about their plans." Free asked told the captain.

[Valencetiger]

Frost approached the changeling and griffin quietly, bowing to the two in a bizarre fashion, lowering his head in respect. "...I cannot agree more, General Dopple-Ganger. Greetings to the both of you, I am Frost Hawkeye, and I have been ordered by Commander Applejack to assist in the cooperation of our races." The stallion had a snowy-white coat and short blue mane, wearing the RLF's standard uniform. His accent was different than that of most of the ponies here, his voice putting an emphasis on deep vowels. "...back in my homeland, I had seen many situations similar to this. One particular enemy of my province had the same power...and when the negotiations finally occurred, everypony thought that the enemy lord would receive all the benefits...but my former sovereign was clever, see. Herr Darkhoof learned a few secrets about the enemy lord...devasting secrets. One of which was the knowledge of his secret foal...if information as devastating as that could be dug up on Lady Sparkle, we might gain the upper hoof." Frost paused a moment. "By the way, General...did you happen to say Project Goliath?"

[TotalEcplise]

Twilight's heart lurched at the sight of Spike in this new, draconian form...he had changed so much from the spike she used to know. The sparks of electricity from his tears stung the skin under her coat...but the pain was nowhere near what was inside of her at this moment. However, no matter how much his physical appearance had changed...she knew it was the same Spike she once knew inside that vicious body. Seeing him disperse into mist, she reached for where he used to be with one of her hooves, a pained expression on her face. However, the next moment, the mist rematerialized into Spike once more...into the baby dragon of her past. When he latched onto her leg, she lost control of herself and embraced the small dragon, hugging him close and nuzzling him lovingly.

[colour=#ff0000]"...Oh Spike...! My dear little Spike...! I'm so sorry...so very, very sorry...you shouldn't have worried about me, no pony or creature should have! I-I am a t-terrible pony...I've done so many horrible things...so many wrongs...n-no one should care about me anymore! I am sorry I left you behind...I don't expect you to forgive me, I don't expect anypony to forgive me for what I've done these past few years...!" [/colour]The words poured from her mouth like a stream, sobs and whimpers between them. Twilight couldn't control herself...she simply couldn't. Seeing the baby dragon whom had been her friend since the beginning, and whom she had loved, broke the emotional barrier she had made around herself. Tears fell down her face, her red-violet eyes peering at the wall in sadness.

[colour=#800080]"Twilight what are you saying?"[/colour] Spike said looking up at her sadly. [colour=#800080]"You're not capable of being a terrible pony, I don't care how horrible you think you are!"[/colour] He stood up on his tip-toes and touched her face with his slick cool scales, using his thumbs he gently wiped away her tears. [colour=#800080]"Twilight, you could burn the whole world down, but if you truly believed it was the only way to save everypony, I'd stand beside you the entire time."[/colour] He tightened the embrace, not wanting to ever be apart from Twilight again. The mare's heart thumped powerfully in her chest, a special melody just for him. Spike hadn't realized how much he missed everything about her, now the simply things he took for granted everyday in the past meant the world to him. The softness of her fur made his mind drift back to all of the times he'd ridden on Twilight's back and when he was barely old enough to speech how he'd snuggle inside of her mane to hide from the scare things outside of her tower. The warmth of her breath reminded him of all the hugs and kisses they shared in appreciation of each other. Spike remembered all of the embarrassing birthday pecks he Twilight gave him; he remembered the hugs she would give him when he was hurt or scared, they made him feel so safe, like nothing could get him as long as Twilight was; he remembered the how sometimes she would just know he could get to sleep, and would quietly sing until he stopped tossing and turning, she give him a good night kiss and tuck him in...it didn't matter how late it it was.

Despite all of those feelings rushing through him, he let go. They both had responsibilities to attend to and it would do no one any good if they were all emotionally charged during the negotiations. He smiled up at Twilight with his emerald eyes and moved her mane out of her face.[colour=#800080] "Dry your tears," [/colour]His hands turned into wisps of steam as the ran through her mane. [colour=#800080]"We've got a lot on our backs today, we can't have a full on, bucket of tears breakdown yet...maybe later though over smores or something."[/colour] He joked, trying to ease the tension. Spike soon reverted to massive form headed for the exit. [colour=#800080]"Oh, and before I forget, tell Rainbow Dash to speak with the Broodmother...She's been waiting to see Dash again as long as I've been waiting to see you."[/colour]

[Scythe]

Meanwhile, Applejack was over with Cadence. [colour=#ff8c00]"So Cadence, how's about that mare to mare chat I promised ya 'ey?" [/colour]The mare said, looking over to the princess with a warm smile on her face. Of all the events over the past couple of years, finding out that Cadence was still alive was a huge relief.

Chrysalis walked over to Cadence and Applejack before they could start talking. Her presence made Applejack step back, probably too many bad memories about the wedding were still in her head and thus she cannot see her as an ally - obviously and understandable.

[colour=#009966]"Mare to mare chat? Good keyword. Cadence I have to talk to you... in private."[/colour] You would wonder why Chrysalis always sounds seducing like that, but it is obvious once you recall the food of them. A queen that has existed for quite some time now has certainly mastered the skills to feed and this also affects her talking even if it isn't the goal to seduce someone.