Part VI (I swear on Christ's grave if this gets shoah'd)

> You are Twilight
> the temporary rest through the night certainly did do wonders for your aching hooves, but after hours and miles of trekking you're even more exhausted
>  Your small caravan drags closer to the looming walls of the former Crystal empire
> This far north. most are huddled together in one group while trudging through the thick snow
> you can already see the massive arches of the main castle in the distance, and it becomes plainly obvious that something big happened not long ago.
>  large holes pock the snow laden ground, they almost look like remnants of explosive spells?
> "Twilight, what are those yarny lookin things?" Spike blurts, pointing to the long lines of coiled wire stretching above strange holes
> "For the last time Spike, I don't know what any of this stuff is for, so could you please quit asking about it?"
> You didn't mean to snap at Spike, but just like Starswirl said "The greatest fear is of the unknown"
> not to mention that the looming fear of not being "peacefully" welcomed into an enemy territory is a very real and very terrifying idea
> after all, he DID take you and your friends hostage
> speaking of friends, you can't believe Rarity never mentioned working with Manos!
> she put herself and all of her friends in danger, what if they thought we all were spies too?!
> A hard jab in the flank from behind brings you back to reality
> Applejack speeds up to stop you momentarily
> "There's some ponies up ahead, get behind the cart while ah' and Big Mac make sure there's no funny business."
> sure enough, there's a few blurry ponies a few dozen yards ahead, rounding a hill
> You obey, motioning spike and the others to follow you behind the cart
>  As you watch from behind the cart, Big Mac and Applejack jog closer to meet the strange ponies
> You hold your breath as they slowly draw close, stopping within a few yards of each other
> they're way too far ahead to hear, but as you try focusing on the conversation you see the Apples begin to turn around and walk back, with the strange ponies in tow
> You look to Rarity, her eyes trained at the distant meeting, who suddenly lets out an overly dramatic sigh
> She walks from behind the cart, making a beeline towards the coming group while magically pulling something from her satchel
> "Wait! Rarity! Applejack said to stay behind the cart!"
> She turns around to face you, expressionless
> "You don't see? Those are Brownshirts, darling. No danger to us while I'm around, I assure you"
> She retrieves the item from her satchel, floating is a foot or two from your face
> You and several others step forward to read the small brown card floating motionless
> "Crystal Gestapo, Active Agent Pass"
> You look back to Rarity, who then draws from her collared parka a small tin-grey oval shaped disc
> On the disc is the marking of a hand, with Rarity's name written plainly beneath it.
> Reading this only affirms what you already know, but seeing the fact that she was a traitor to Celestia causes a stiff pang in your heart
> You feel your face get hot as you make eye contact with Rarity
> "Why didn't you ever tell me? tell us?!" You seethingly spit, tears already rolling down your face
> Rarity's face twists for a moment, after collecting herself she stares back
> "It was for the good of Equestria. Deary, If you're so heartbroken about me colluding with Manos, why are you going to him for protection?"
> You only have a moment of shock at what your friend said before a voice interrupts your thoughts
>  "Twilight! Rarity! Come over here for a minute!"
> you look to Applejack, then to the strange Ponies walking behind her
> They're a few earth ponies being led by a leading unicorn, all wearing familiar brown uniforms
> as you trot to meet Applejack, you Recognize Mrs. Harshwinny scanning the caravan
> You look over your old acquaintance, She looks very much the same as you remember, however very intricate red and gold insignia on her uniform catches your eye
> Your thoughts are interrupted by Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both shouting from behind the Caravan
> "Good morning Mrs. Harshwinny!"
> As the group comes to a stop, standing feet apart, Harshwinny chuckles very quietly
> Rarity quickly trots past, intentionally bumping your flank
> "Here Stabschef Harshwinny, I'm with the Crystal Gestapo, we're looking for asylum in the Reich"
>  Applejack comes to stand beside you while Rarity and the Brownshirts speak
> Rarity levitates her documents from earlier towards Mrs. Harshwinny quickly
> Harshwinny stares at the ID around Rarity's neck, then to the small brown leather card
> She then looks up to the general group, before spinning around to the other brownshirts
> "West and Jade, round up these ponies to be questioned. Star and Flash, search the carts for any weapons or stowaways."
> As she finishes, the four ponies following her immediately jump to action
> Two dart over to the main group of your friends, before shouting into the crowd
> "Alright! Everyone with Miss Rarity line up single file over there! You can make this easy, or we can make this very difficult for y'all!"
> The short Earth pony speaks with a familiar country drawl, gesturing to the edge of the snowy path
> You and the group hesitantly agree, all except for Granny Smith quickly moving to the area he pointed to
> You watch as the remaining two ponies begin to fling open boxes with their teeth, throwing everything on the ground like bags of garbage
> "You ruffians best get yer' hooves out of my luggage right this instant!" Granny smith shrieks
> Applejack quickly trots over, speaking to her very close
> "Please granny, we can replace all that old junk, but we need the safety of the Reich"
> Harshwinny slowly walks over, eyes wandering across the single file line of ponies shivering in the cold
> "Star! Flash!" She bellows at the carts
> The ponies now up to their heads in bags and boxes quickly spin to attention
> "You were instructed to search the carts, not damage their property. You'll both pay for everything you break, and Manos forbid you break anything, you'll both be on night watch for six months each."
> they look at each other, then continue to sift through the baggage noticeably more carefully
> The hot feeling in your face is coming back
> "for Celestia's sake stay calm Twilight" You repeat over and over again under your breath, staring at the snow between your hooves
> You're interrupted by a white hoof tilting your head upward
> "Please Twilight, it's going to be alright. Thankfully We met with a very important pony, she's going to get us somewhere safe."
> You stare into Rarity's eyes, not sure if you can believe her.
> Celestia knows you want to.

> Rewind two hours
> You are Stabschef Harshwinny
> Current organizational leader of the Brownshirts, and you're freezing your tail off.
>  You're standing just outside the snow caked buildings of The Reich, the scouts you sent to inspect the incoming caravan should be reporting back soon.
> just as you finish your thought, two pony silhouettes emerge from a dark layer of clouds
> "What's your report?" You shout to the approaching Pegasus, yet you are barely audible over the whipping winter wind
> they land, breaking into a run to meet you
> "Stabschef Harshwinny! We have extremely important news!" Gasped the exhausted scout, his mane shimmering with frozen sweat
> "spit it out, I don't have all day."
> he and his silent partner come to a full stop in front of you, giving a salute
> you return the salute, waiting to hear more
> "There is in fact a caravan heading this way, in this caravan we believe we sighted Twilight sparkle, with possibly other elements on their way here, approximately one and a half miles from the city."
> Twilight sparkle? The element bearer? This is extremely important, in the absence of Lord Manos we have to assume he would want us to secure them.
> "How many were in the group? Were any visibly armed?"
> He takes a moment, staring past your head into the sky
>"there were six to eight, ma'am. They didn't appear armed, from what I remember."
> "Alright, neither of you speak a word of this so anyone, and I mean anyone. That's an order."
> They both give a salute, before lifting off toward the city
> With a pop of magical energy, you teleport back to the Brownshirt High Command, specifically the lobby
> The warm, dry air inside the headquarters sends shivers down your spine
> You quickly make your way past the entrance room towards the barracks
> As you enter the barracks, the Brownshirt Colts and Mares all stop mid excercise to salute you, standing at attention
> "West, Star, Jade, and Flash. Meet me in my office for briefing immediately."
> you see four ponies across the room jump up from their previous positions, trotting up to match your speed
> Despite their proximity, A crisp pop fills the air as you teleport to your office
> you sit at your desk in silence, until a few hard knocks sound from your door
> "Come in."
> the doors swing open, the four ponies trotting in before standing at attention in front of your desk
>"Scouts have reported that a small civilian caravan is on it's way here, among those reported to be in it are Twilight Sparkle. We'll need to meet them as soon as possible, perhaps we won't even need to detain them. Reports from the Shines read that there is significant unrest in Canterlot. Consider this a tier 0 mission, get your cold weather gear and meet me at the Trench Observation building in five minutes sharp."
> fast forward two hours

> You are Stabschef Harshwinny
> "Star! Flash!"
> The ponies now up to their heads in bags and boxes quickly spin to attention
> "You were instructed to search the carts, not damage their property. You'll both pay for everything you break, and Manos forbid you break anything, you'll both be on night watch for six months each."
> You immediately spin back toward the line of evidently cold ponies, among them two of your former students
> "Attention! May I have your attention!"
> the quivering column of ponies all look up to you, some with a scowl
> "The Reich is always open to those huddled masses of wayward ponies, I assure you all will be given warm food and proper shelter soon. Manos bless you all."
> Hopefully that'll alleviate the nerves
> "I instruct you all to follow me back, we will ensure you make safe passage back to the city."
> they begin falling from their lines, beginning the harsh trek towards your beloved Reich
> The orange earth mare speaks up quickly
> "What about our bags? Y'all just gonna leave all our possessions to the timber wolves?"
> "Of course not, they'll pull the carts."
> you motion to your brownshirts, now placing ransacked bags and boxes back into the carts
> "Carts are clear, Stabschef." Star blurts over the whipping wind
> "Excellent, secure the carts and let's begin the trek back."


> You are Twilight Sparkle
> the main gates of the Reich are drawing closer
> the elaborate red, white, and black striped barriers blocking the road from any foot traffic
> It becomes immediately apparent that the city was fortified since you last saw it.
> A new wall, about 10 feet of elaborate grey brickwork stretches around the vast city for miles
> As Harshwinny approaches the gate, two ponies in Black Hand uniforms step out of their small red white and black booths
> "Halt!"
> The guard on the right commands, the Caravan obliges and stops in their collective tracks
> "Stand down Flash, these are Asylum seekers from Canterlot. Send for a few brownshirts, I need somepony to take them for food and water."
> Harshwinny coldly addresses the young black hand, now standing at attention
> "Yes Stabschef! Right away!"
> At that, He darts off into the city out of your sight
> The remaining guard raises the striped bars crossing over the path, Hasrhwinny entering promptly
> As she makes a beaten path through the snow caked street, several Brownshirts whip from around a corner up ahead, sprinting towards the group
> They quickly backpedal to a stop as they almost run over their superior, faces of several now flush with embarrassment
> "You four, escort these citizens to the Brown House, have their needs attended to."
> She then points a hoof at a thin Pegasus to the far right, looking far less winded than his comrades
>  "Actually, You go to the Shine sisters to inform them of our new guests immediately. Understood?"
> The Pegasus responds promptly
> "Yes Stabschef!"
> In a move that would make even rainbow dash impressed, he spun and took off in ten seconds flat
> wait, you forgot about Rainbow Dash!
> Memories of your last, rather abruptly ended visit with Rainbow Dash comes to mind
> You suddenly remember being pretty rude to Manos, but he DID kidnap you and your friends
> You should speak to him, maybe he would accept your apology, which would help towards getting a place to stay here
> you quickly jog towards Harshwinny, just then turning back towards the group
> "Is Rainbow Dash or Manos here? I need to speak with both of them. Urgently!"
> Harshwinny gives you an even more cold stare than usual
> "The location of Lord Manos and Commander Rainbow Dash is confidential for the time being. However, I'll put in word that you wish to speak to him."
> She puts extra emphasis on the word "Lord", making you realize you just called him Manos
> Come on Twilight! Now is certainly not the time to be even more rude to someone they literally pray to!
> "Oh, I see, sorry to bother!"
> she steps past you, facing the Apples and your friends
> "Follow these Colts for warm blankets and food, you will be asked to answer some questions in interest of national security."
> She then rotates her head to face Rarity, silent and as anxious as the rest
> "Rarity, follow me. We have to speak privately."
> Rarity looks extremely anxious, you can see her hooves shaking pretty noticeably
> And you're certain it isn't the cold, either
> Harshwinny and Rarity divert down the main street, while the brownshirt stallions lead toward a large red brick building
> A massive red banner of Manos hangs above the door on an elaborate pole, dozens of windows dot the large structure
> You then take the time to notice how striking the actual city was, most building being made of a reflective crystal material
> the sun glints beautifully off of the strangely shaped crystal houses, all sporting a pristine caking of white powdery snow and a sharp, blood red banner over every roof
> You suddenly realize how exhausted you are, emotionally and physically
> You stand to the side as you watch a strangely silent Pinkie Pie, Big Mac, Fluttershy, and the rest slowly file in through the ornate metal doors
> You're so relieved that they all have made it here safely, even back to Canterlot any one of you could have been lost to the war.
> A soft tap on the shoulder interrupts that thought
> you turn to see a very worried looking purple dragon, making terrified glances across every passing pony
> particularly those in uniform
> "What's wrong Spike?"
> He looks back to you, seeming unsure about even prompting you
> "They aren't gonna hurt us, are they Twilight? I thought they wanted to destroy us equestrians!"
> You realize that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to keep him in the dark about so much, he wouldn't have had to worry if he had known what Lord Manos's actual goal was
> Come to think of it, what is his goal?
> "Well spike, I can assure you they don't want to destroy us. Most of the non crystal ponies here came from Ponyville, Canterlot, they're just like us. Why would they want to kill us for being what they were up until only about a year ago?"
> His face softens a little, he obviously has doubts but your words did put him at ease
> "Okay twilight, I'll trust you. I'm still gonna keep an eye on them, never know what's gonna happen!"
> his eyes dart around comically as he hops on your back
> "Just let me do the talking, is that a deal, body guard?"
> He snickers a little before agreeing


> You are Manos
> You're sitting in a rather small cart, with Cadence Aryanne and Rainbow Dash around you
> The cart is rolling roughly across the rough, snowed in gravel road
> You should have some Brownshirts pave this fucking roller-coaster, the constant bumps of the wagon makes your back ache
> The icy wind is blocked by a small shield Aryanne is generating
> The small covered cart built for ponies is too small to stretch your legs, causing your knees to come up to your chest
> You are sitting with Aryanne on your left, blocking the open end of the wagon
> Your hand in your coat pocket feels the cold metal of the amulet, smooth and icy
> Contact with the amulet brings back a rather petty idea you had a few hours ago, but ultimately decided against
> "Aryanne, could we trade seats for a moment?"
> She looks up at you startled, probably because no one has spoken in hours
> "Yes, my Lord."
> She obediently slides across your lap while you shift over to her seat
> Just as she gets seated, you "stand" hunched over, poking your head out the back of the wagon
> You can see the small detachment of ponies guarding you, in rows behind your cart
> They look exhausted, frozen snot glazing their faces and scarves covering their entire heads
> They notice you poking your body out, many quickly wiping their noses and straightening their ice encrusted uniforms
> You give them all a collective, open hand salute while you direct your attention off to the left hand side
> You can see, drifting sloppily with exhaustion, Princess Celestia flying alongside your cart
> Her mane is not flowing, but is completely loose around her shoulders and face
> She has a layer of snow and ice crystals across her body, her eyes closed and caked with frost
> seeing your motherly, nurturing waifu in such a shitty condition gives you anxiety
> Maybe she deserved it, trying to humiliate me in front of all of my ponies multiple times.
> But no, this is torture. God knows you don't want to torture an Alicorn. Especially one who lover her ponies so much
> You pull yourself back inside quickly, and shout to the driver up ahead
> "Hey! Stop the carts! We can set up camp for the night, get some fires to warm up the stallions out there."
> His head slowly swivels your way, "Yes sir, right away"
> The cart slowly comes to a stop, the many troops behind are now completely at attention
> You hop out first, stretching your legs in the calf deep snow
> As Aryanne and the rest file out of the wagon, you look to Celestia
> She's stopped, parked herself on the exposed gravel as if she was trying to fall asleep
> You walk over, feeling incredibly bad for her condition
> You get on one knee, two feet from her face laying on her hooves
> "Come on, you can rest in the cart for a while. I'll get you some warm food and all that."
> She tilts her head towards you, eyes barely open
> Though she looks like a newborn kitten with her half closed eyes, you can still sense a look of distrust
> You put your cold, white hand on her cold white face
> She looks at you like a wounded puppy while you slowly stroke her head and neck
> She then slowly starts to lurch upward, into a feeble walk towards the cart
> You back up to give her space, as you look to Cadence blocking the entrance to the wagon she finally moves over
> Cadence gives you a "what the fuck" look while Celestia attempts to shamble up the stair to the cabin
> She seems to be having problems with the already icy stairs, being weakened and exhausted
> In full view of your Black Hands you climb up the first stair, gently pick her up by the torso like a dog and sit her down on the bench
> She's alot lighter the she looks, now you understand why Shining threw one of these
> She goes limp as you carry her to her resting spot, as you set her down you quietly announce out the door
> "Would one of you find me a few blankets?"
> within ten seconds an earth toned Black hand darts up, two grey wool blankets in her mouth
> You take the blankets from her mouth, before turning back to Celestia
> You wrap Celestia in the blankets, her face from an exhausted scowl to that of a sleeping puppy
> It's a very strange feeling to see a demigod, controller of the fucking sun sleeping peacefully in your care
> It's a shame you couldn't be in a perfect world where you could lay there with her, but some sacrifices need to be made.
> You feel like you've done your part, now to address your ponies, Napoleon was always loved for being personal with his soldiers
> may as well, worst case scenario the night is boring or the food isn't great
> You exit the cart, eyes of all pointing your way
> the half-dusk light of the eclipse and the flickering yellow orange light of the fire give the pony faces a strange glow
> you stand at the head of your Black Hands, now stopped in their tracks from cooking and making fires
> You clear your throat, realizing this is going to be remembered by every pony here for many years
> Being addressed personally by their lord
> "Black Hands, Heil!"
> They all shoot up at light speed, hailing you with a salute
> you remember a speech you heard back home, oddly fitting to this situation
> "Hands, It's been a long campaign, it's been a tough war. You've fought bravely, and proudly for your country. You are a special group, we have found in one another a bond that exists only in combat. As brothers and sisters, you've shared foxholes. Held each other in dire moments. We've seen death and suffered together. I am proud to serve with each and every one of you. For those of us, lost to the struggle, are waiting as heroes beyond the gates of Valhalla. Remember these fallen when you return to those you love, as they are looking upon you, proud to have served alongside you. My ponies, my comrades, I fear the worst has yet to come. But fear not! Your fallen comrades have your seat saved in Valhalla, you have all more than earned such an honor. Your honor is loyalty, and loyalty is the greatest strength of all."
> The many ponies, minds fraught with images of Valhalla and the ponies waiting for them back home return a more thunderous heil and salute
> You turn from them, taking a small walk towards the front of the procession and towards the Reich
> a small walk to consider you next move would help, you've been mostly contemplating this since you left Vanhoover
> You pull out your side arm from your coat pocket, looking over the now slightly worn surfaces of the shiny metal slide
> You pace in silence, making a single beaten track through the snow
> The small town Tall Tale is just a dozen or so miles south, heading that way would be the next logical progression
> Except that the same could be said for the royalists, trapping us in Tale would leave the main city unchecked
> You need more information about Tall Tale, maybe a quick snatch and grab to connect the town to the city would be the best option short-term
> Information be damned, we need progress. the longer we wait, the more time Luna has to build defenses
> Shouldn't even call her Luna anymore, Nightmare Moon is her title now.
> You're interrupted by a soft voice from behind you
> "Manos"
> You turn around to face Cadence, not humoring her with a response
> You look to each other for a few moments, soft snow silently coating the ground around you both
> The sounds of the campsite are faintly heard. Clinking mugs, laughter, barking orders
> You take your visor cap off, feeling the cold winter air rush across your head
> coat collar drawn up covering your face, pacing alone in the snow
> "what was that earlier, with Celestia?"
> she speaks in a clinical tone, doing her best to hide her emotions
> it isn't working.
> "I know you two have bad blood, but it's in everyone's best interest for her to not feel captured. The more stressed she is, the more likely an outburst is to happen. Besides, I don't want the populace to see me as an abysmal winner."
> Cadence looks at you with slightly watery eyes, seeming to understand your meaning, but not liking it.
> Sometimes feelings need to take a backseat, horse.
"You may not like it, but it's for the good of the nation. I have growing numbers of ponies relying on me every day, but in the interest of fairness she'll get her rest. when we get back to the city, she's yours to care for. Have there been any communications from the city?"
> The sudden change of tone seems to jarr Cadence slightly
> "No, no word yet. I suspect they're waiting until you arrive to communicate."
> She seemed totally professional now, as if you were only colleagues, This is worrying.
> she trots away into the camp, already barking orders at several startled recruits.
> On second thought, you weren't hungry anymore. It'll be straight to bed.
> You realize Celestia is currently passed out in your sleeping spot, shit.
> you'll be forgoing sleep then tonight. great.
> looking over the camp, the life and vigor of the ponies is almost breathtaking
> all of these ponies had families, jobs, lives, and personal obligations before you came.
> Now, they've signed their life over to your service. It still boggles your mind how there are over one hundred thousand living, breathing souls who made the decision within to die for you.
> you think, "They really are very good ponies. I hope the war can come to a clean victory soon. But I know, unfortunately, that Nightmare Moon will not give up until the end."
> You remember the time of Berlin after the defeat. The shelled out buildings stretching for miles, burning flags, crying women and children standing in the ruins of their homes, mourning the loss of their fathers brothers and sons lost to the war.
> "I can't let that happen. I could never hope to have the support of the residents of Canterlot if we shell them to pieces. This war has already driven a stake between the nations that won't soon be forgotten."
> Jesus, now you understand how it felt to be him. but you have something he didn't.
> The foresight to see where his fell began, and how such mistakes led to his downfall.
> and you absolutely will not fail. you can't afford to.
> You can't go back.

> You are Twilight
> You are laying with spike in a small cot provided by the Brownshirts in their headquarters
> You haven't seen Rarity in quite a while, you hope she's alright
> Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie have already been interviewed and questioned.
> Apparently about their opinions on Manos and the Reich, etcetera
> The room is what seems to have been a conference room, before it was cleared to make room for your temporary lodgings
> A large, tattered red banner lies behind a pane of glass on the wall, obviously that of Manos
> You rise from the white sailcloth cot to stretch your legs a bit, take a look around
> You walk slowly across the cold wooden floor to the banner, reading the plaque beneath it
> "The flag that flew during the battle of the Ardennes"
> You remember talk about the Ardennes, that's where Rainbow Dash did her rainboom
> As you look over the hole pocked, faded banner a voice startles you
> "Beautiful isn't it, Ms Sparkle?"
> Harshwinny, of course
> " You spin around to see her leaning against the doorway of her office, looking at the flag
> "I wish I could have been there, apparently quite the spectacle. Anyway, I actually had come to fetch you. Will you step inside for a moment?"
> She motions a hoof to her door, the candlelight just making out the outline
> "I suppose."
> You slowly make your way through the door, immediately noticing the sound dampening spell placed on the walls
> You sit in a squat leather chair across from the desk, noticing the flag hanging in the corner as well as the small brass statue of Manos on a table under the window
> There are a few flowers under it, she seems to pray to Manos here.
> She enters before sitting down at her respective chair, pulling a paper out of a tan folder stamped with a small red hand and the words "
> "Miss Sparkle, would you answer a few questions for the record?"
> She produces a pen from the desktop before beginning to write
> "I suppose I could, what kind of questions?"
> She up looks at you from the paper, eyes slightly squinted to see in the dark
> "Just to ensure your loyalties lie where you say they do. All just to be certain, of course. It is highly irregular for the Elements of Harmony to leave Equestria, of course."
> You realize she's right, it would seem highly suspicious from her end
> That a group that just recently escaped would come back for Asylum from the war, this isn't looking too great
> "It was Rarity, They caught her operating for Manos. I couldn't let them hurt my friend, it was a hard decision, but I would do it again. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all trust Manos, so I came to realize that Manos really didn't want to hurt us. Manos has never willfully harmed any of us, even after I was rude and spiteful. And the alternatives are clearly showing that he isn't the bad guy."
> Harshwinny examines you for a moment
> "I see. What are your opinions on the war?"
> You usually try not to thing about the war, and information was scarce back in Canterlot, so an answer was harder to come by than you thought
> "I guess I think it's unnecessary, I only wish that Equestria and the Reich could exist in Harmony, but I suppose Nightmare Moon made that impossible. The Reich deserves independence, I don't know about the war. I hope what happened to Ponyville won't happen to Canterlot."
> Oh no, you may have said the wrong thing
> fuckfuckfuckfuck
> Harshwinny stops writing and slowly tilts up to look at you
> Her normally somewhat callous look is no longer there, instead replaced by a wistful, soft gaze
> "I remember Ponyville, I'll always miss it. Lord Manos promised to rebuild it someday"
> Her voice cracks slightly towards the end, her head rapidly points down to the paper and begins writing
> the moonlight catches a single tear falling onto the document
> She sets down the pen, having regained her composure
> "Thank you, Miss Sparkle. that'll be all for tonight. Do you or your friends need anything?"
> She speaks slightly softer than before, getting up from the desk to walk you out
> You get up from the chair, making your way to the door
> "No, I think we'll be alright for now. Thank you for the space to sleep"
> She looks at you from the doorway as you make your way back to rest
> "The Reich is always open to those who seek a better life for themselves. Goodnight Miss Sparkle."
> She then closes the door to her office before you could respond
> You lay back down, squeezing in next to Spike, sleeping soundly
> Maybe Manos isn't all that bad, I'll just have to give him a chance
> As you stretch out sleep comes swiftly to usher in a new day.


> You are Manos
> You've been walking for hours, keeping your exhaustion from showing to the Hands is pretty fucking difficult
> You let Celestia ride in your place for the latter section of the return journey, walking isn't that bad, right?
> right?
> wrong.
> Your feet hurt quite a bit, but you haven't broken pace yet. the gates of the Reich are within sight, drawing closer as the unending walking soldiers on.
> You're walking behind the cart, at the head of the Hands and at hoof level with the ponies in the wagon
> they are of course silent, eyes half closed, most tired and ready to go home. Celestia however seems very much awake, staring at the semidark sky with a worried, grim expression
> What the hell is going to fix this sun, if she can't raise it then there may never be an end to this stupid Twilight.

Fastforward one hour

> The gates are now within around a hundred yards, you pick up the pace and hop onto the cart as the end draws near
> This startles Celestia, seemingly meditating, into making eye contact
> "What are you doing Anonymous?"
> Jesus, that bitch still loves to call you that.
> "Getting a last minute ride, not that it's your business, how has raising the sun come along so far?"
> She looks away curtly, Cadence giggling slightly at your rude remark
> You stand in back of the cart, several head lengths taller than the rest of the occupants as the cart reaches the gate
> Your impromptu motorcade is stopped by gate guards, before the red and white barriers are quickly raised
> Crystal Guard and Brownshirts line the street to hold back adoring citizens as you slowly pull through into the city
> there are massive flags hanging out of every window, beautiful masses of streamers in red white and black over the entire street
> similarly colored confetti is being thrown from the rooftops like a beautiful shower of color
> thousands of ponies stand and cheer behind the barricade, nearly the entire population of the Reich is here
> Wow, you didn't know such a greeting was planned
> Flowers are thrown at the Black Hands passing by, some even being stuck in their collars by adoring mares who slid through the barricade
> The thunderous applause is almost deafening, more than at even the bigger rallies you've ever held
> It seems the triumphant return of their leader with the trophy of a captive god is enough to cause quite a great swell of pride in the Reich's ponies, very excellent indeed
> You give a salute to the crowds on either side, thousands returning it with vigor
> Thunderous roaring of a triumphant "SIEG HEIL!" and "HEIL MANOS!" are heard in a thousand layers of deafening sound
> Celestia is looking across the crowd, completely blankfaced and curt
> She must realize now that there was really no chance of a victory with a populace this adoring. Maybe she didn't understand the actual size and reach the Reich has until now, either option is wonderful
> as the Castle and it's great arches draw near, the improvised parade still continues
> The cart finally stops underneath the great arches, in the large open crystal room under the suspended castle
> The brownshirts have already made a barrier from one pillar to another, walling in the room from the thousands  of adoring onlookers
> the carts and Black Hand Battalion finally come to a halt, Aryanne immediately leaping off of the cart onto the ground below
> She zips behind the cart at the face of the Hands, commanding their attention
> She orders them to make rows facing the cart, it's as if she already know what you have planned
> as they quickly finish you hop off, strolling in front of them at Aryanne's side
> You turn to whisper to her
> "I'll be performing a speech, keep the crowd here. You can dismiss the Hands for some rest."
> She responds quickly
> "Yes my lord. where will you be giving the speech from?"
> You respond as you're walking away, loud enough for her to hear you over the crowd's cheers
> "From the grand balcony, have a unicorn make an enlarged projection of it, I want them all to see this."
> She immediately gets to work dismissing the Hands, and addressing the crowd regarding your speech
>You are now back to the cart, Cadence and Rainbow Dash have already left to assist Aryanne but Celestia remains, staring at the wooden floorboards
> "Come with me, We have a speech to give. Follow me inside to the balcony."
> She looks at you with a disgusting scowl
> "I'm not being a part of your cult ceremony, Anonymous! Isn't it enough that I've surrendered? Is that enough shame for you to give me?!"
> She raised her voice toward the end, clearly livid
> "Their military just had a major event to turn the war, don't you think it's fair to hear it straight from the horse's mouth? This is history, you know that. admit surrender and you'll be left alone to do whatever it is you do, maybe raising the sun?"
> She frowns, breaking eye contact at the mention of her failure to raise the sun.
> She slowly rises, hopping of of the cart
> Sometimes you forget how large she is, almost as tall as you are
> almost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3cw5E3H524
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3xRVKkvx9A <----- begin at 0:53

Thread theme : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XwvCoKeBjQ

> You walk across the courtyard, waving to the ponies as you enter the castle
> you can hear the golden *cling* from her golden "shoes", she's actually going to follow you without making things difficult.
> Thank christ, she could have been a real obstinate pain in the ass.
> You make your way quickly through the halls of the castle toward the Balcony, no ponies in sight
> You find yourself at the balcony door, you stop to wait until she catches up
> She meets you at your side, staring at the floor
> "Look at me."
> She raises her eyes from the floor, making a weak eye contact
> "You'll be fine. A quick speech and it'll be over. Do you need anything?"
> She looks at you with an extremely confused frown, hardly registering what you said
> She turns to look out into the sky and cityscape, seemingly staring into infinity
> "No. I'm perfectly fine."
> You take her answer as you stroll up to the edge of the balcony, seeing the large magical screen to your stage right
> It shows you perfectly, the unicorns did a great job
> You look over your city, the crowds packing the streets for as far as the eye can see
> The applause leaps in intensity as you make yourself visible, shaking the air like an explosion of voices
> You wave your hands slightly to signal the crowd to quiet down, before beginning
> "Black hands, Brownshirts,  Heil!"
> The military members of the crowd respond with a Heil
> "A great battle has just been won, and a great era has begun."
> "Equestria is awakening! We have won a capital city from Royalist control, and with it the former princess of Equestria."
> "I know, my hands of fate, that times have not always been easy, when you wanted the freedom and safety from the terrors of the world, being able to trust  that the safety of your kind and family is certain, and appeal to continue the struggle had to continue to protect your kind, while overwhelming odds forced you to remain weak! Ponies are not weak, it's not in your nature to be subjugated by more powerful beings, you always endure! You always work through the struggle, working your way into the light, escaping the darkness that tries to consume you and your fellow ponies! This strength, and stubborn determination to continue on is why you stand victorious here today! What we have dreamed for years has become a reality. A symbol of the unification of all Equestrian ponies has become the new symbol of the Reich, and thus the new standard of all ponies who stand with us! You will accept nothing but absolute certainty for the future of your family, and your race. And this isn't a privilege from a mad matriarch, this is our blood sweat and tears!"
> you jab in the air at Celestia, standing at attention to your right
 > The most precious possession you have in the world is your family, your brother and sisters, your kind. We have worked, and will work for all of time to preserve it! ahead of us, the future is bright. Within us, Equestria is stirring, and behind us the Reich is following!"
> Your voice feels louder than it has ever been, not even requiring any spells to amplify across almost the entire city
> The amulet in your pocket glows extremely bright, a dull red light emanating from your pocket
> You're damp with sweat, hair completely soaked to your head
> The cheers and synchronized heils from the crowd are even louder than before, shaking the bones of the city
> You give a finishing wave before turning from the city, making your way inside with Celestia
> "You have a lot of nerve Anonymous, you forget who I actually am it seems. Don't call me such names ever again."
> You stop, turning to fully face her
> You must look manic, Face and skin soaked with sweat, soaked hair hanging slightly over your face
> "I could continue to refer to you as you really are, or you could stop calling me Anonymous. Up to you, horse."
> You spin and begin to make an exit as Cadence enters the hall
> "Ah! perfect you came, you can take her to wherever she'll be lodging, I'm done with her for now. Make sure she's in a magic suppression aura at all times, it would be really embarrassing if she just teleported away after my speech. speaking of, how did I do?"
> She looks at you warmly, obviously having gotten over the fight from the night before
> "Yes Manos, and it was excellent, maybe your best yet"
> She cranes her neck upward for a kiss, which you of course happily reciprocate
> You hear a mixture of a gag and a groan from Celestia behind you
> "Make sure to give her the special treatment, she's only been a slight pain in the ass lately. Anyway, I've got to go. I need the status report from the shines."
> She chuckles before waving you off as you round the staircase downward, your feet still hurting a great bit from the journey
> "Maybe the shines can wait, I need some rest. That and a change of uniform for sure."
> You make your way through the castle to your office, noticing more black hands and Brownshirts frittering about than before, clearly busy with the recent news
> You round the corner into your office, past the Black Hands guarding the door
> You close the door behind you, before taking your boots off and dropping into bed.
> Rest came quickly, but with sleep comes the voices. You spend hours with the incredible pain of a million voices screaming through your body, an unfortunately familiar feeling
> You've stopped resisting anymore, or shouting, you know no relief will come to you.
> But you do know one very pissed off white horse that may be able to help.

> You are Stabschef Harshwinny
> You're sitting at your desk, balcony door open letting in fresh, cool air and the subdued rays of twilight sunshine
> The breeze smells fresh, ambient sounds of the street below being the only sound filling your nearly silent office
> The surprise celebration Pinkie Pie helped you set up has taken your time away from finishing your report on the Elements and their caravan's arrival, now that Lord Manos is back in the Reich you have much to discuss with him.
> You remember Twilight wanted to speak with him and Commander Dash, but delivering your report to Manos takes priority over her right now. It's nearly 10 in the morning, surely Lord Manos is awake by now to be given the news
> You conclude the report quickly, closing the file before stuffing it in your bag
> You sling your bag over your neck and concentrate on imagining yourself in the main waiting room adjacent to Lord Manos's office, surrounding yourself in your magic
> A loud crack and a sulpherous odor temporarily fills the air as you teleport into the lobby of the Crystal Palace, a beautifully furnished room fitted with gorgeous wooden paneling and a large red banner on the far wall across from you.
> You walk over the the desk of Manos's assistant, two Black Hands on either side studying you
> "I'm here to speak with Lord Manos, my name is Stabschef Harshwinny of the Brownshirts. It is very important that I speak with him soon."
> The assistant looks up from a stack of papers
> "Lord Manos isn't busy right now, we'll have to take a blood sample for verification of course. Chaser, administer the test please."
> The Black Hand to your right steps forward, horn glowing
> A small brown leather container is levitated from the desk
> The pouch is opened and a small needle is brought to view
> "Please hold out your hoof, Stabschef."
> You do so, a small prick of blood is taken
> The other Black Hand casts a spell on the sample, nothing happens
> "Okay Stabschef, you're clear."
> You turn and start toward Lord Manos's office, the ornately carved wooden doors blocking you way
> Two guards at either side of the door wave you to stop before knocking on the door
> "Lord Manos, Stabschef Harshwinny is here to see you."
> You, for the first time since the speech, hear Manos's voice echo from behind the door
> "Come in."

> You are Manos
> You've been reading the dozens of mundane reports and unimportant papers people have dumped on your desk while you were gone, honestly watching paint dry is tenfold more riveting
> A knock on the door pulls you out of a daze, I wonder who it is?
> The guard on the other side of the closed door cracks the door and speaks through
> "Lord Manos, Stabschef Harshwinny is here to see you."
> Huh, this is a rare occurrence. You and Harshwinny haven't extensively spoken since the royalist siege
> "Come in."
> You take a sip of your coffee, normally you don't drink it but the urge happened to strike you today.
> Harshwinny calmly pushes the door open and walks in, bowing her head deeply
> "My lord."
> "At ease, Stabschef."
> She takes a seat in the plush leather chair across from your desk, levitating a tan folder from her bag
> "Is it a report? I've honestly had just about enough of mundane reports of absolutely nothing new happening."
> She begins to smile as you finish, levitating the folder over to you
> "My Lord, if it were a general report I would have just left it to your assistant. This is extremely important, as a matter of fact, suppressing this development has been quite difficult. Approximately two days before your arrival a small caravan of several ponies arrived from Canterlot."
> You take another sip as you gesture her to drop the file on the desk
> "Among the ponies in such caravan were Twilight Sparkle, and the four other elements of harmony."
> You choke on your coffee, what the fucking shit did you just hear?
> "Excuse me? say that again?"
> You sit up in your chair at full attention
> "The elements of harmony just came here for asylum, sir. It seems that their friend Rarity, formerly an operative of the Shine sisters, was caught by the Canterlot authorities and was being prepared for execution. The other elements broke her out, packed up their families and came here. I've done extensive questioning on all of them, lie detection spells have all come back negative when asked about their new loyalties to the Reich. Of course, they were tested for changelings and all came back negative."
> You flip through the folder quickly, she's right. this is a massive bombshell, you could have never anticipated this in a million years. The elements of harmony willingly joining the Reich? even after only escaping the Reich a few months ago? This is insane.
> "Where are they right now?" You ask quickly
> Harshwinny resumes eye contact
> "They're currently having breakfast in the Brownshirt Headquarters, away from prying eyes. their presence in the city is completely covert and unknown to the public, as of yet."
> perfect, but this is a tricky situation. This may be a ploy to take back Celestia, but does she know if Celestia is even here yet?
> How quickly did that information get back to Canterlot, and when did they even leave?
> "Bring the elements here, by teleport if possible. I want to speak to them myself."
> You get up from your desk, walking to the open balcony, taking in the sights of the city
> "Yes my lord. As a matter fact, Twilight Sparkle had requested to speak to you when she first arrived, I'll have them brought here immediately."
> You ponder what you'll even say, or more importantly what NOT to say. controlling the amount of information they know is crucial, if they find out you captured Celestia or, god forbid, Celestia speak to them without your supervision then this might get really bad really quickly. Once Twilight eventually finds out Celestia is here, she'll want to speak to her of course. This is already a tricky situation and it hasn't even begun yet.
> Your thoughts are interrupted by a loud crack, and the sound of five ponies falling onto your floor.
> You turn around to see Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle getting up off your carpet
> "Manos! I have been trying to get a hold of you for days!" Twilight immediately begins
> Applejack rubs her head, "Let's just walk next time, Twilight"
> Rarity bows deeply, you nod in her direction
> You sit down, and gesture to the chairs across from your desk
> They all choose to park themselves on the floor instead, Twilight approaches you
> Her words come out as a huge mishmash of gibberish
> "ManospleaseIandmyfriendsneededsomewheretogoandIdidntknowwhattodo-"
> You gesture her to stop, you sit up in your chair and take a sip of coffee
> "I know why you're all here. And believe me, I know that if you came to me for help it must have been extremely dire. The Reich is open to all those ponies who seek to improve their life, we accept the huddled masses who have nowhere else to go. Though, surely you understand my apprehension to believe you about your loyalties, after all, you were allied with the Royals only a week or so ago."
> Twilight's face scrunches a bit, realizing her predicament sounds alot worse outside her head
> Applejack stand up to speak
> "We weren't all fans of the royals, you know. Rarity and I wanted to come here a while ago, but Twilight and Princess Celestia didn't like that, obviously. It was Rarity spying for you that got us in this situation to begin with! Ah' don't see how our "loyalties" are still in question, Manos."
> She raised her voice before sitting back down, realizing she possibly overstepped
> You stand up and walk around your desk to their side, bowing down to their face level
> "Don't raise your voice at me. And you can call me Lord. do you understand?"
> You can feel the glow of the amulet from across the room
> Rarity quickly speaks up, stuttering
> "M-My Lord, she just meant to say that we are loyal to the Reich, after what the royalists did in Canterlot. I Apologize for her uncouth tone"
> You walk back to your chair, taking a seat
> "I want you all to understand that while I have no issue with accepting you into my city, you'll follow the customs like any other ponies. Don't think being guests exempts you from respecting the authority here, you would be sorely mistaken. Twilight, can I speak to you privately?"
> Twilight quickly responds
> "I suppose, m-my lord."
> You gesture to the door
> "The rest of you, wait in the lobby out there. You can resume breakfast with your families, if you wish. Twilight will follow shortly."
> The ponies slowly rose and made their way outside, Twilight taking a seat across from you
> The moment the door shut you brought yourself and Twilight to the immaterial realm, no details about your surroundings changing
> Twilight doesn't seem too bothered, examining her surroundings carefully
> "Ponies usually have a hard time with the immaterial realm at first, I'm guessing you've done this before?"
> Twilight looks at you, much calmer than before
> "Yes, Celestia used to instruct some lessons like this, visual aids are superfluous when you can project exactly what you're imagining."
> The desk in front of you disappears, your chair sliding closer to hers
> "So, what do you know about the recent developments at Van Hoover?"
> She looks slightly confused, probably not understanding why you would ask such a question
> "Well, Equ-"
> she cuts herself off
> "Royalist forces lost control of the city. I don't know anything else, should I?"
> You lean back
> "No, you're completely fine. I suppose you'll be wanting to speak with Rainbow Dash?"
> Twilight develops a somewhat desperate look
> "Yes! Please let me speak with her! We don't have any connections here, or a place to stay, or-"
> You cut her off with a wave
> "You'll be assigned homes. each of you will be given apartments in the lower levels of the castle, on the first floor. Sombra's "hobbies" took up quite a few separate rooms, we've got an entire empty wing. Just finished being cleaned out, actually. The apple Family will of course have a communal dwelling, but you're all taken care of. I think more of your old friends live here than you know, Twilight. You'll all probably adjust well, but that attitude Applejack had could get her killed, I can't watch over your lives all the time. You and her should have a chat, same with the rest. we should speak tomorrow at around this time, we have much more to discuss."
> She looks slightly more at ease now
> "Yes, my Lord."
> good, she learns quickly.
> You reintroduce Twilight and yourself to the real world, before rising from your chair to escort Twilight to the door
> "Oh, I think Rainbow is busy at the moment, but I'll let her know you're here. Tell Harshwinny that I want you and your friend's belongings brought to the vacant wing. I hope this is the beginning of a more prosperous time for you and your friends. Again, meet me here tomorrow at around 10:30."
> She walks out of the door, turning quickly as she enters the hallway
> "I hope so too, My Lord. I'll be here!"
> just as you close the doors you add in one last comment
> "And please, call me Manos."

> You are Rainbow Dash
> you're running drills with the new batch of recruits, aren't you the boss now? why are you getting forced to deal with the newbloods?
> as you're leading the small unit around the walls of the castle, several hundred feet above the sprawling city, your exhaustion finally really makes itself known
> since the landing yesterday you've only gotten around three hours of sleep, and it's showing
> Thank Manos you're not some newblood, your uniform is a mess
> You slow down and turn around on a heel, facing the unit
> "Attention!"
> They stop mid flight, quickly assembling into rows
> "Your exercises are over, report to the mess hall for breakfast. dismissed."
> They relax at the command, making a beeline for the mess hall across the city
> You've got so much to do, coordinating with the no name regional commanders is gonna be a massive pain in the ass. But you need rest first, this 24/7 command isn't gonna work for much longer without it.
> You make a turn toward the balcony of your room in the castle, not having to walk the entire building is pretty awesome
> You make a careless drop onto your balcony, pulling your magic key from your breast pocket
> You touch the small brass hand to the door, it glows a slight purple before you hear the door lock click open
> you trudge inside, kicking off your boots, hat and tunic on your table
> as you drop into the incredibly soft bed, you hear an extremely intrusive knock at the door
> It startles you back to reality, you fall out of bed and trudge to the door
> you swing it open to see a spritely Black Hand, clearly in a rush
> He quickly salutes before spouting off
> "Commander, you've been summoned to the Brownshirt Command Office under the order of Stabschef Harshwinny and-"
> He pauses to read a mall brown slip of paper levitating in front of him
> "Lord Manos himself, huh, friends in high places?"
> thoroughly unaffected by the stale joke, you reply
> "Yea. Dismissed."
> You slam the door, spinning back toward the table with your uniform
> You take extra care getting dressed this time, every medal in it's exact place, pristine black layers in perfect fashion
> You leave through your balcony again, making a beeline toward the Brownshirt Building
> This better be worth it, Manos hasn't bothered you about nothing before.

> You are Franziska
> The new table finally arrived, marginally less broken (and wooden) than the last one
> You've finished your amalgamate design for the new naval ship, a clever blend of the new engines used in Manos's tanks with a rudder system, and some clever water magic
> Considering the news about Vanhoover being thoroughly in the Reich's control, we can test the new sub-surface battleship in an actual ocean
> needs a better name, perhaps Manos will name this too?
> You're still sitting at your desk, hours of pacing and drawing out the final angles of the blueprint have sapped your energy
> Who knows what time it is, considering the eclipse.
> Wait, Isn't Manos back?
> Yea! That's what the parade was about! I should get to him immediately, he'll be very pleased with your designs!
> You leap up from your chair, making a beeline for Lord Manos's office
> quickly trotting up your stairs you pass an energetic young black hand, galloping past toward the living quarters behind you
> "Someone's about to get an early wakeup call. Hopefully I can even get in to see Manos, he's probably very busy"
> You round the corner through the lobby towards the security checkpoint, passing a young purple mare and a few other mares
> They look familiar, where have you seen them before?

> You are Twilight Sparkle
> You're leading your friends back to breakfast, or at least you were
> A very unkempt white mare in a filthy labcoat covered in burns and coal dust rounds the corner, mane pulled back in a wild and unruly crop
> she stares at you for a little too long, what a creep

> You are Franziska
> You approach Manos's secretary, she looks up at you from a comically large stack of papers
> "Miss Franziska? Lord Manos is in but he hasn't said whether he's accepting visitors, do you intend to stay for very long?"
> You hope you aren't int interrupting anything important
> "Not for very long, just dropping off some new designs I need His Lordship's approval of, probably won't take very long."
> She does a "whatever" gesture before tapping the half asleep guard to her left
> "Test her, she can enter."
> The black hand unicorn quickly levitates a small metal tray from behind the desk, brandishing a medical needle
> You hold out your hoof as he pricks it slightly, drawing a small amount of blood
> He casts an unfamiliar purple spell over it, before looking back up at you
> "You're clear, head on through"
> He then nods at the door guards who open the large, beautifully intricate wooden doors
> Seeing Manos in his office never gets less stressful, you always feel like you're intruding on important business
> You slowly enter, Manos is sitting at his desk filling out some document
> As soon as you enter he looks up at you and the folder you're carrying
> He lays his pen down quickly, beginning to smile

> You are Manos
> You're interrupted while filling out some unimportant approval order by a white pony walking into the room
> You're initially slightly startled, but you don't let it show.
> You recognize her as Franziska, the scientist that worked on the new armor
> She's a very skilled inventor, and a beacon of pure autism.
> You never knew such a thing could manifest in a pony, but anyway.
> You click your pen and set it down, noticing a packed manila folder floating alongside her
> Excellent, new schematics. hopefully just as successful as the new armor.
> "Ah, Franziska, have any new designs for me?"
> She meanders over to the chair, setting her folder on your desk
> "Yes, my lord. I've been working on a new form of transportation since we heard rumors of Vanhoover being ours, I came to the conclusion that now that we have a coast we need to defend it, and perhaps attack from it. I had a few ideas, most were pretty shortsighted and got trashed. These are what I think would be valuable to test, the Royalists have nothing to counter it, if it works that is."
> You flip through the folder, examining various designs for a "submersible battleship"
> They're a spitting image of a U-boat, the likeness catches you off guard
> The similarities begin to dissolve as you read the listings for what it's hull is made of, consisting largely of Oak and wrought iron plates
> "No, no, this won't work at all" you say quickly
> Franziska sinks in her seat
> "The designs themselves are excellent, a single one of these could decimate an equestrian naval yard in one night, but the materials it's made of are all off"
> She immediately perks up, hopping out of her seat and walking behind your desk to examine the papers beside you
> "Really?! How can I make it better?"
> That's a good attitude to have.
> "Well, for starters, don't use fucking wood, come on now. We have steel, rather than have thick wooden planks that explode into shivers when they're hit by spells, why not double layer steel plates similarly to the tank's armor?"
> She immediately begins writing down your words on a small notepad, no idea where she got that from
> Is she using your pen?
> you grab back your pen before sketching out a more slim barreled version of an artillery gun onto the margin quickly

> You are Franziska
> And your brain is running at 500,000,00 miles per hour
> writing down all the ideas coming to you is filling up several notepad pages already, before you snap back to realize Manos is talking you you still
> "Franziska?"
> You quickly look up at attention
> shit, how much did you miss?
> "The deck needs anti Pegasus weaponry like an artillery gun or two, a shell from a scaled down canon would be sufficient to decimate a Pegasus but weighs far less so that many don't weigh down the hull. they can fire from a porthole here, is there sufficient magic to keep it watertight available?"
> "That's genius! Yea, we have more than sufficient water spells to keep it airtight for the crew, what should we call it?"
> You're getting a little overexcited, your face feels a little flush

> You are Manos
> Is she blushing?
> peak autism.
> She poses a decent question, it would be a little on the nose to call it a U-Boat or something similar
> "How about the RNV Hunley?"
> Perfect.
> "o-okay, what does RNV stand for?"
> She's at attention now, no longer writing
> "Reich Naval Vessel Hunley, trust me, the name is very fitting. The Hunley was the first submersible used in warfare where I came from, it destroyed a very powerful enemy flagship in it's first voyage."
> Let's leave out the part where everyone on board fucking drowned in a steel tube under the Atlantic
> She looks away to the folder before levitating something under it
> Another folder marked "SUN BLOCKER"
> This is gonna be interesting.

> You are Celestia
> You've been locked in this room for around two days now, it feels like it's been years.
> To be fair, your living quarters are far better than the cell you imagined
> Your quarters are across from Anonymous's office, god knows what goes on in there
> You've been living in a two room dwelling, a large open air living room with a very large balcony overlooking the city
> You've spent more time on the balcony than anywhere else, concentrating on the sun
> Your thoughts have been dwelling on Luna, how could Manos have been right?
> She was redeemed, how could she do this to her own ponies?
> Something feels strange, as if something familiar is close but you can't put your hoof on it
> Your thought is interrupted by a ding behind you, the menacingly armored door guards open the door
> A while clad pony steps in with a brass plate, levitating it on the table
> A modest meal of hay, carrots, an apple tart and a large tin jug of water is left on the table
> "Thank you"
> The mare ignores you, turning around and leaving as soon as soon as she came
> You haven't eaten in a while, you've been too busy with concentrating on the sun problem
> You feel like you're pulling apart at the seams, your eyes can hardly stay open but you can't sleep
>