Revolution: A Hoof in the Dark (Open)

[TheBritishBrony]

Free frowned as he was awoken by Cadence. He must have dozed off. "I don't know....." He replied quietly, looking out the window towards Equinia. The city was in flames. "Get a unicorn team out here stat! Applejack, Striker and Frost to me!" He yelled, quickly taking control of the situation. "What's goin' on sir?" Applejack asked frantically. "Equinia's been attacked, we're going to help." Free said as he strode up to his nearest unicorn. "Equinia. And step on it." The stallion commanded. Nodding, the unicorn fired up his magic and teleported Free into the chaos. "Gods....." He said out loud as he saw the sheer destruction and chaos.

[doppleganger]

Dopple was silent as he watched the capital

Be destroyed. It's funny you think he would be happy. He wwnt over to the side to talk to Twilight. "lypis im fine just....i need a minute"

[Scythe]

(What the heck happened? This is even too fast for me)

Chrysalis followed Cadence and Free - the most important thing for her was to keep the Princess safe, no matter what. Without her there won't be any chance that her plan works out. Cadence needs to be on the throne, any other pony will probably not trust her enough to do what she wants, but Cadence could finally end this stupid war between different races - with the Queens help obviously.

[colour=#009966]"Cadence, Free, it might be a good advice to get our asses out of trouble."[/colour]

[TotalEcplise]

[colour=#800080]Karrthus[/colour]

[colour=#800080]"I was wondering when you'd show Fluttershy."[/colour] He offered her a shallow smile, but it disappeared when he looked back up towards the capital. [colour=#800080]"I know,"[/colour] he sighed.[colour=#800080] "I can feel it, Twilight needs us now. But if you're going you should go with either the GEF or the RLF, our method of travel is a little extreme. I'll see you soon."[/colour] Karrthus and Kaalia flew over the heads of the crowd and their Dragoon Knights sprinted through the crowd below. Karrthus bellowed an earth trembling roar alerting the sleeping Praetorians outside the monastery. The two knight ponies climbed onto the dragons backs. With nothing more than a nodded they all flapped their powerful wings and took off towards the capital.Karrthus thrust his claws out in front of him, electrical energy crackled at his fingertips. Throwing his arms behind him ,he covered his group magical energy a loud boom and a shockwave rung out and the dragons disappeared towards Equinia in a bolt of lightning.They all appeared above the burning city in flash of like and crackle of thunder.[colour=#800080] "W-what?"[/colour] Spike choked out.[colour=#800080] "I have to find Twilight."[/colour]

[Valencetiger]

Frost obeyed the RLF commander, coming over as he, too, was teleported to Equinia...only to frown at the sight before him. Oh dear...another ruined city. Better see if I can locate any survivors... Frost thought to himself. Bowing in his odd way toward Free, he raised his voice so that he could be heard above the loud cracking of the flames. "...Commander Free, do I have your permission to put out the fires and find any surviving guards in the area? We'll need them help to navigate the city squares."

[MasterMustang]

Captain Striker looks around at the destruction and ruin that is the GEF's capital city of Equinia. What he sees gives him a deathly shiver down his spine. The sight of the city burning was actually a goal of the vengeful captain but this... this feels so dark...

He walks to the nearest building to examine the damage. Strange... there are no bullet holes and no explosive residue... not a single shell casing or empty magazine.[colour=#008000] "That the hay did this?" [/colour]He turn to his CO. [colour=#008000]"Sir, there are no signs of war except the smoldering rubble that surrounds us. Not even a carpet bombing can do this without leaving a trace of explosive residue..."[/colour] he says in a subtle nervous tone. It appears that everything and anything was trying to stop Striker from avenging his love and comrades... his anger grows with each heart beat. He draws his M9 sidearm from his hip and squeezes the grip tightly. [colour=#008000]"Whoever did this... you just pissed off the wrong Ranger..."[/colour]

[TheBritishBrony]

(posting from phone)

Free gulped as he considered the facts. No casings, no explosive residue, that left only one option: magic. "It could have been an explosive magic of some kind." He frowned, putting on his cloak and pulling his hood over his face. " Frost and Applejack, help survivors. Striker, try to find out who or what did this. But all of you, stay out of sight if you come near any GEF agents, we don't want them getting suspicious of us. They may think we caused this catastrophe. " Free said coldly, his years spent as a commando kicking in. "Meet back here in three hours for extraction. Good luck everypony." Without another word, Free turned and galloped off towards the sound of somepony screaming.

[Valencetiger]

Frost saluted Free as he galloped off. He rested a hoof on Striker's shoulder calmingly. "...now is not the time, Captain. We have lives to save...if there are any left..." Frost turned and moved to the closet flame. His horn began to glow with a bluish-white light, as his special sword was unsheathed and began to dance around him. On its own, the sword sliced through the flames...instantly freezing them in their place. Satisfied with the work, he continued on, sending the levitating blade to any fires he could see, freezing and shattering them in single strokes.

[MasterMustang]

[colour=#008000]"Right..."[/colour] he says quietly as the Ranger hosters his weapon. [colour=#008000]"I'll do what I can." [/colour]The captain walks toward the heart of the burning city. If there are answers, they would be there. As he walks, burning ashes float behind his slowly disappearing silhouette...

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#b22222]Lypris (Starlight Hill)[/colour]

[colour=#b22222]"Right... holler if you need me, Dopple. I'll teleport right over." [/colour][colour=#000000]Lyrpis was afraid of exerting any more energy than she had already with her last teleport spell. If she tapped into any more of her power Cadence would possibly be compromised, as the wards on her were very specifically designed to maximize her protection. Lypris sat on her haunch, watching quietly as the negotiation hall slowly emptied itself of ponies who were heading off to the capital.[/colour]

[colour=#ffff00]Fluttershy (Starlight Hill -> ?)[/colour]

Fluttershy smiled back, her smile equally faltering. She knew that with disaster having come, it was likely that that she might well not see some of her friends like Spike alive again. For all of her steel, for all of her discipline, her heart still hurt to think it. [colour=#ffff00]"I... I'll see you soon, Spike." [/colour][colour=#000000]She watched him take off into flight. She did not mention that she had no intention to head to Equina, had no intention to join up with her friends yet. As a monk of the Starlight Order, she would be better useful elsewhere, for now... She trotted out of the compound, where she had spent the last few years of her life, and returned to the world. Soon she was gone.[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (Starlight Hill)[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]"Free, wait-!" [/colour][colour=#000000]He was already gone. She looked out at the city, saw the discoloration of the sky. She wasn't sure what it meant, but she was sure it couldn't have possibly boded well. She wanted to follow Free, but she wasn't sure how. Her magic was weak, to be frank, even after a few days of recovery, teleportation was not possible for her. She turned to Chrysalis, her trust in her Queen leading her to seek help from that avenue above all others.[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]"Queen... what do we do? Should we go to Equina along with the others, or...?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Cadence wasn't sure if she wanted to look like a coward at this time. But she wasn't sure if she could even help, weak as she was. [/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]The Great and Powerful Trixie (Equina)[/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]"Yes madame." [/colour][colour=#000000]Trixie wasn't one for motivational speeches unless they were self-important in nature, so she was glad she'd managed to keep Rainbow from drowning in fear or self-pity or whatever. As much as Trixie held everyone except Twilight in contempt... now that Twilight herself was out of commission for the foreseeable future, it would fall to her underlings to pick up the slack. Including her Mistress. Trixie frowned as she looked down at Twilight's prone form. She looked away, suddenly unsure of herself, which scared her greatly.[/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]"Twilight... it will be alright..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Her foal... oh Celestia, her foal! No wonder she was so distraught, how could Trixie have been so stupid as to forget...?! Trixie looked at Twilight now, pleaded with her, [/colour][colour=#afeeee]"... He'll be alright, okay?"[/colour]

[colour=#ff0000]Vinyl Scratch (Equina)[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Where were those blasted screams coming from? First they were in one direction, then another, then suddenly everywhere and nowhere at once and Vinyl was looking about, confused and hopelessly lost in the burning midst of the city she had once known like the back of her hoof. Amazing how easy it was to be lost when you no longer recognized where you were, even if it was the same place... in theory. Vinyl galloped down the streets towards the scream, only for it to be somewhere else, only to hit a dead end... She gritted her teeth. No doubt she was too late already.[/colour]

[Scythe]

Chrysalis had to think about what to do. On one hand it was absolutely necessary to keep Cadence safe - on the other hand it would be a great thing to help the population and win their trust in her and especially Cadence. She would put the princess at risk though - and if she something happens to her she might get blamed for it or even if not, would never have a chance to reign with Cadence and especially not alone. [colour=#009966]"I am not sure my princess. If you feel strong enough we could give Equina a look and maybe help those who need it - but don't put yourself in danger, if you are scared noone will blame you if you retreat with me. Your feelings give me enough strange to teleport us away - far away."[/colour] Her look became troubled - giving this choice to Cadence was the only reasonable thing, but would it turn out well?

[Valencetiger]

Twilight sat in silent contemplation, her awareness having retracted from the outside world and into her internal self. How could this have happened...? Few creatures in Equestria existed that could have destroyed her magic...and yet whoever did had done it so easily, it was barely an after-thought! Also...oh dear Herald...her darling Azure! He was likely dead, like most of the ponies in Equinia! The very thought sent cold shivers up her spine. Het foal...her only foal...gone, forever. No! No, she can't believe that...! But...what proof was there that said otherwise?

Trixie's pleading finally broke through her self-isolation, and Twilight looked at her. All of a sudden, her emotions burst once more and she brought the other unicorm mare over, embracing her and seeking comfort as she sobbed. "...it's gone...its all gone...my home, my ponies, my foal...its all my fault!"

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#ee82ee]Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (Starlight Hill)[/colour]

[colour=#000000]It gratified Cadence, at least, to hear that her Queen was the stronger for their... relationship, for lack of a better term to describe what was budding between them in the last few days. It wasn't really love, wasn't really lust. But it was something that Cadence had been in want of for a long time in her life. Cadence looked her troubled Queen straight in the eye, smiled to assure the Queen of her trust and faith.[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]"I... whatever you think is right, my Queen. I will follow your lead. After all, you are the more experienced of the two of us." [/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]The Great and Powerful Trixie (Equina)[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Trixie hadn't expected this particular outburst, she staggered back a step but thankfully asserted control of her own body and managed to catch Twilight's embrace and tentatively embrace back. It was the strangest thing. Here was Trixie's deepest fantasy playing itself out, Twilight coming to her for emotional comfort, and Trixie wasn't sure what to do. A hoof patted Twilight's back awkwardly. Pathetic. Trixie was so pathetic. The one time the person she cherished most in this world needed her, she couldn't do squat. Trixie was close to bursting into tears herself... but no, one of them needed to be strong.[/colour]

[colour=#afeeee]"No... Twilight, none of it is gone yet, not while we are still here. We can still fight... and none of it is your fault. You have always done the best you can to do what you think is right, that is why Trixie..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Trixie erred against what she really felt. [/colour][colour=#afeeee]"... Respects you. You are everything she cannot be."[/colour]

[MasterMustang]

As the captain makes his way to the burning capital he hears crying... sobbing. He runs over to investigate and finds Twilight and some blue unicorn. He doesn't move in. He just stands far away and watches. He can't get near her. His heart still burns with pain and rage and yet he can bring himself to glare at her... his face lacks any expression what so ever. He just watches... in silent rage and suffering...

[TotalEcplise]

[colour=#40e0d0]Chronarch[/colour]

Equinia was massive and there was no way he could search the city and maintain a time stop or time slow spell, so he did the only thing he could...

[colour=#ee82ee]Foolish mortal[/colour]

[colour=#696969]You shall perish here[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]Do you not remember the last time you traversed our plane[/colour]

[colour=#696969]You will be consumed[/colour]

The voices assaulted his very soul, each line stripping stamina from the archmage and battering his resolve.

A chaotic sea of energy swirled and splashed in front of Chronarch, everything that existed here trailed off in wisps of colors that shouldn't exist, and everything around melded together like an abstract oil painting. Chronarch had entered the Aether, the plane outside of existence. There was no air in the Aether only volatile energy, so Chronarch had to place his organs in stasis lest he suffocate; there was no pressure in the Aether, so the unicorn had to shield his body from the deadly vacuum gravity in the Aether was random, so the mage had to magically orientate himself; heat was non - existent in the Aether, so the Archmage had to magically warm himself. So much magic wasted, just to survive in this vicious place.

Chronarch wondered through the roil, occasionally shielding his eyes from the burning magical winds. The world was a twisted mockery of it's mortal plane counterpart, but all that mattered to Chronarch was that here, time didn't flow in the mortal world and from the Aether a mage could still interact with the mortal plane. He trotted through the rubble of the city, grey wisps dotted the skies, they souls of the fallen; no pony was alive on this street or even in this city block. He teleported to the husk that use to be the Citadel and started his search for Azure. He telekinetically tossed aside several muddled pastel toned stones, each of which hovered in the air perfectly still. He combed through the area where Twilight's chambers were...no body. Good, but still bad. The foal wasn't in the Citadel when it was destroyed. Probably kidnapped. Chronarch was about to teleport back to Twilight, but he saw something out of the corner of his eyes...Thin red wisps rose from under the rubble of the great structure. Ponies were still alive. Chronarch was a stallion of his nation, his people came before his own well being.

The he used his magic to dig through the destruction and one by one her pulled up the Citadel staff: maids, archivists, secretaries, officers, and guards. Two hundred and Fifty ponies all pulled to safety and placed in stasis bubbles to keep them alive.

[colour=#ee82ee]Your magic fails you mage[/colour]

[colour=#696969]you are nothing to us[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]Soon your body will succumb to the roil[/colour]

[colour=#696969]We will have you![/colour]

He limped back to the building where he had left Twilight, he was much to drained to teleport. His protections began failing one by one, he couldn't keep them if he wanted to have the energy to return to the mortal plane. First his protection from the vacuum and the cold, the lack of pressure caused his nose and ears to bleed. Frost formed across his coat and the saliva in his mouth began to boil and evaporate. He couldn't maintain his orientation as well and sometimes floated off in to the sky or fell to the left and right, when gravity suddenly shifted. His vision grew fuzzy, there was only so much exposure to such an environment that an unprotected body could take.

Chronarch materialized back where he left Twilight and fell face first onto the ground. [colour=#40e0d0]"Azure...not...in Citadel...likely alive...kidnapped."[/colour] He drew in several shakey breaths before coughing up a small amount of blood. [colour=#40e0d0]"Two hundred...fifty...alive...Citadel...help them."[/colour] Chronarch passed out.

[Valencetiger]

Twilight weeped for a little longer, before pulling herself together. She let go of Trixie and wiped her eyes, nodding. "...you're right...The Federation still needs me, now more than ever...I'll find my son...I know I will! Once I find whoever did this horrible act...I will make sure they wished they were never born!" She stood up, her face a mask of anger and determination...no longer that of a mourning mother. "...summon the Shade Corps, and send out distress calls to the other Chancellors from each Precinct. Tell them that Equinia requests aid...and that they had better hurry, or else they will deal with me." She turned to the two white-clad Shade Corps guards who watched silently, and narrowed her eyes. "You two...gather the Moon Shadows. We're going to find out who has done this...atrocity...one way or another. Any RLF or Freelancer or whoever you find...bring them to me." The tone in her voice offered no objection, as the two saluted and left immediately through the exit opposite of Striker. When she saw Chronarch, her eyes widened in alarm and concern. Turning to Trixie, she gave one last command before leaving. "...take care of my ancestor, Trixie. He dies, then many more will...he's too important to give up just yet." With that, she rushed out to help the ponies still trapped in the Citadel.

[doppleganger]

Dopple walked to Twilight. "Twilight you are the most poerful Unicorn in this world this could only mean one thing....an alicorn is responsible." Twilight may be powerful but dopple doubted even she can defeat alicorn magic

[ONWARDconwardicus]

Twilight sat in silent contemplation, her awareness having retracted from the outside world and into her internal self. How could this have happened...? Few creatures in Equestria existed that could have destroyed her magic...and yet whoever did had done it so easily, it was barely an after-thought! Also...oh dear Herald...her darling Azure! He was likely dead, like most of the ponies in Equinia! The very thought sent cold shivers up her spine. Het foal...her only foal...gone, forever. No! No, she can't believe that...! But...what proof was there that said otherwise?

Trixie's pleading finally broke through her self-isolation, and Twilight looked at her. All of a sudden, her emotions burst once more and she brought the other unicorm mare over, embracing her and seeking comfort as she sobbed. "...it's gone...its all gone...my home, my ponies, my foal...its all my fault!"

"I would tell you it wasn't your fault, but I would be lying Twilight. Also, you wouldn't believe me." Knowledge said from a nearby chair. He couldn't believe the way mortals worked. They brought disaster on themselves too easily. "If you want I can ask for a Universal intervention on this planet, but considering I'm on vacation, that won't probably happen."

[Scythe]

Indeed the relationship was special between the huge female changeling and the alicorn. Chrysalis took great care that it was like this - she needed Cadence' faith, trust and love. It wasn't the love she had for her husband but she would maybe cry a tear for her if she died and after all this is what gives the Queen her strength.

Sadly she was torn between the options, both seemed terrible and awesome at the same time.

[colour=#009966]"Cadence - I appreciate your trust"[/colour], the Queen sighed,[colour=#009966] "I made a decision. We should look for the ponies, they need to see you! They need faith! And if we can help it will come back at us, they will be grateful. But if there is anything getting dangerous, I will bring us out of there at once! No matter who we lose, we cannot risk our lives. So many more depend on our surival."[/colour]

[TotalEcplise]

[colour=#800080]Karrthus[/colour] and [colour=#ff8c00]Kaalia[/colour]

The dragon looked down at the destroyed city, his ears picked up the cries of of injured ponies and the fading heart beats of the dying. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. [colour=#800080]"Twilight."[/colour] He whispered under his breath.

[colour=#800080]"Spread out, search for survivors."[/colour] He commanded. The dragoon knights and the praetorians dipped down and started sifting through rubble. He knew Twilight was fine she had to be, she always came through when needed and she always had a plan. He arched his neck to follow the rainbow trailed blur in the sky. [colour=#800080]"Kaalia, go see if you can help Rainbow with anything."[/colour] Karrthus flew down to the city and started putting fires out with his massive wings and bursts of frost breath.

The dragoness darted off into the sky after the Chancellor after a few seconds of flying she was side by side with the rainbow maned mare. [colour=#ff8c00]"Anything I can assist with up here?"[/colour]

--------------------------------------

[colour=#daa520]Alpha inForce[/colour]

Baxter and his team teleported in with a few of the RLF forces. Both Baxter and Gilda suddenly felt like their problem were meaningless. The entire city burned around them. No one deserved this.

"Alpha inForce, protocal CR-4, no stone is to be left unturned." The griffons all nodded at Baxter and flew off in random directions. Baxter reached out with his clockwork and used his telekinesis to lift the the stones of a collapsed shop.

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#afeeee]The Great and Powerful Trixie (Equina)[/colour]

Trixie smiled, so happy that Twilight's power and determination to do the right thing, the things she had fallen hooves over heels for, were back. Now it was her turn to shed a few tears, in joy for what she was sure was going to be a turning of the tide. She bowed as Twilight departed, then quickly trotted over to Cronarch where he had fallen.

[colour=#afeeee]"I'm on it. Rest, you old coot."[/colour] A part of Trixie's mind had to be doubtful. Could she stand against something with magic that had reduced the mighty time mage of the GEF to a coughing mess? Trixie supposed that was her true worth to the GEF. Her inability to care about the odds, to laugh at them and audaciously beat them in the way only her ego could. But her ego was tamed, tempered. Behind it now was the need to make sure Twilight's will was enforced, no matter the cost. Trixie smiled as her horn began to glower. She'd have it no other way.

Six Trixies appeared where there had once been one, all equally graced with smiles of joy, which quickly lapsed into business-like frowns. Four of them, all her illusions, materialized in an instant in other GEF precincts, before other GEF councillors, bearing the bad news and the summons, and the threats from Twilight which Trixie especially relished. One, the true Trixie, summoned a set of metal daggers to herself, which surrounded her in a ring of deadly steel. She summoned more power to herself, and began to fly, levitating atop air currents in a manner perhaps not as natural as pegasus flight but no less reliable. The Citadel was where Chronarch had said survivors were... as she flew, she saw the dragons forces fanning out. She flew up to a few of them. Normally she would be too prideful to call on aid, but she knew even she'd need help transporting survivors in a timely fashion.

[colour=#afeeee]"There are survivors in the GEF Citadel, many. Please, aid Trixie."[/colour] Trixie continued to fly, hoping some of the dragons would follow.

The final Trixie, this one an illusion, back in the ruined building, spat at Knowledge. Though it was no real spit, it felt awfully real. [colour=#afeeee]"You are an egotist of the worst kind, even worse than Trixie. Will you help us or continue to make yourself a hatable excuse of a creature?"[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (Starlight Hill)[/colour]

[colour=#ee82ee]"I find it strange, my Queen. That you would tell one of your former enemies to help her people who were once also your enemies..."[/colour] Her smile was gone, she was serious now. Whatever awaited them on the other side, her heart would be steeled, ready.[colour=#ee82ee]"At your leisure."[/colour]

[Scythe]

(congrats, the website has trolled you Fermata)

[Valencetiger]

Rainbow Dash looked at Kaalia with a little bit of appreciation. She was glad to have the dragoness here...but also, glad that she might not need to die for this after all. "...yes, yes you can help! I-I have a plan...its really powerful magic, and it would normally kill me, but..." The pegasus looked at the city below, a pained and sorrowful expression on her face. "...I am going to extinguish all the city's fires at once. If nothing is done about it immediately, Equinia will be lost forever." Despite the grim news, she smiled at Kaalia. "...but with you here, maybe it can work."

[doppleganger]

Dopple looked at twilight with sad eyes... "i know your people need you Twilight but i have something i want to show you at the hive..the other factions are handling the situation and well it's important..just trust me"

[FermataTheBasse]

((I know, took me the last two minutes to fix that mess))