"Twi...why...?" was all Macintosh could ask, his expression displaying clearly how hurt he was over Twilight's deceit. "Why did you...ah thought you were dead, ya know that?"

The two of them walked alone through the dense brush of the Everfree Forest, Twilight mostly leading the way. She had gone to studying much of the Everfree when she had been turned into a Carrier by Trixie, wanting to travel back and see if maybe the bunker the virus escaped from had anything she could have missed, a cure or answers. Sadly...nothing was left, nothing but scorch marks from the time Celestia and Twilight viciously struck at one another in the labs as the Sun Princess attempted to make her escape.

Twilight felt her heart sank as her mind dwelt on the harsh tragedies she had endured over the grueling months....Canterlot...Celestia...Trixie. She hadn't wanted to kill Trixie outright...if anything, she could have saved her. Trixie had only been infected once...she could have had the chance to live a regular life. Trixie gave her no choice, the Ravage having already done it's permanent damage to her brain and mind. A ruthless killing machine was all that was left...a machine Twilight had been forced to shut down. But there had to been something more she could have done! Something she could have said or maybe she could have-

It was Macintosh's voice that snapped her back to reality, the lavender unicorn quickly blinking and shaking her head as the stallion put a hoof against her side, gently stopping them. "Huh? Wha-?" Twilight said stupidly, her train of though completely derailed.

Macintosh frowned, gently asking again "Ah was just wondering why you...why you went and hid? That day in Canterlot...that great golden light...you left our baby and just...ran."

Twilight sighed, turning towards her infected lover and looking up at him, staring into those red and emerald eyes. She knew that this conversation had to come eventually. Deep down, hiding from Macintosh forever was going to be impossible, and she knew he'd be aching for answers. He was stubborn...one of the prime traits she always knew ran deep in the Apple Family. Hell, he managed to break himself out of Canterlot and travel half way around Equestria in search of her. She felt her throat rasp with dryness as she struggled to find the words to explain it to him as best as she could. "It's just," she began, sighing and looking deeply into his eyes "Equestria, for once, was infection free. We had beaten the Ravage and it had been vanquished from the world...what good would it do for me to stay when I was infected?" He made to open his mouth to speak but she gently pushed a hoof against his lips, shushing him as she went on "Ponies had been living in fear for too long Macintosh, from the time we were all boarded up in our own homes in Old Ponyville to when they were running for their lives when the great shield in Canterlot crashed into pieces. Equestria deserved to live with the belief that they were forever safe from the Ravage Virus...safe from me. If ponies knew I was still alive, they'd tried to have me killed. The only thing associated with the Ravage is evil, and evil doesn't belong in a world built upon the pillars and foundations of Harmony."

Macintosh sighed, shaking his head and growling in retort as he said "But that tain't fair to me, or yer daughter! Lam sakes Twilight, do you know how tough it is to be out here when Moonlight is all alone with Miss Shy n' Miss Pie? How are we supposed to take care of her if somethin' happens to us out here?"

Twilight felt her heart flutter slightly as she whispered "Y...you named her Moonlight?" Macintosh nodded as the unicorn gave him a tender smile and whispered "That's...really beautiful."

"Eeyup...and it's a shame you had to go and leave her..." Macintosh muttered, his turn expression turning slightly more sour "Twern't fair at all Twi'...and now it's the both of us sick and cut off from her."

"Macintosh I didn't have a choice!" Twilight suddenly burst out in a pleading tone. "I couldn't risk the infection spreading through Equestria, I couldn't risk our own DAUGHTER catching this hellish disease. Would it have been better if Moonlight teethed on something I had handled that wasn't sanitized? I sneeze on her by accident, or she gets a cut and I'm there trying to fix it....it was just too big of a risk, for EVERYPONY!"

Macintosh sighed, knowing he was losing the argument and looking out over the forest and the vast lines of trees around them. She was right, he knew it deep down...but that didn't mean he had to like it. "Not sure what good it did with you hiding Twi'....The Ravage went and found its way back here regardless."

"Hey, that was an unpredictable variable that nopony could have seen coming" Twilight countered, giving him a gentle peck on his cheek and turning to push on into the forest. "I don't think any of us could have seen Discord's return coming, it was just something nopony ever thought to plan for."

The apple stallion merely nodded, whispering gently "At least...well once this is over, maybe things can finally go back to normal...it'd be nice to raise Moonlight...together."

Twilight smiled, looking towards him as her shredded brown cloak flapped gently in a small breeze that had whisked its way through the tree line. "I'd like that...," she whispered, gently bumping him with her side as they walked "A normal life...with my family." She looked forward, just barely making out the straw roofing of Zecora's hut in the thick patch of trees just beyond a few thorn bushes "We shouldn't really dwell on it too much until AFTER we've killed Discord and driven the Griffons back...one thing at a time."

"Eeyup," Macintosh said in agreement, the stallion also spotting the zebra's hut through the trees. "This that Zebra girl ya'll been talkin' bout that lives here?" he asked, throwing in another question as Twilight answered him with a nod "Well...what're we doing here?"

Twilight had instructed the main force with Celestia and Captain Nightmare to push on without them towards Haven City whilst she and Macintosh went to Zecora's. She ensured them that she'd catch back up by the time the fighting was ready to start. They moved around the thorn bushes and stood before the door, the unicorn lifting a hoof to knock as she muttered "Tying up a loose end..." she knocked loudly, a loud cluttering sound echoing outwards from within the hut as a high-pitched squeal followed by a guttural snarling sound reached Macintosh's drooping ears.

"What...was that?" whispered the stallion as the door to the hut opening gently, a dark, teal eye staring out towards them.

"Who is the one who so foolishly knocks!" Zecora growled from behind the door "I am warning you, I have sharp rocks!"

Twilight couldn't help but smirk slightly as she said "Zecora, it's me...I've come for Rarity."

"Rarity?!" Macintosh blurted out, his irises shrinking "Ah nuggets, don't tell me she gone n' bit the sick bucket too!?" Zecora quickly opening the door, her face brightening considerably as she threw her front hooves around the unicorn, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh thank goodness that you are alright! It is so good to see you, my dear Twilight!" Zecora said, practically squealing in joy. Behind her, in the middle of the floor, sat a snarling Rarity in a cage built with what looked like bamboo. There were several chew marks and dents in the cage, obvious escape attempts in the hopes Rarity could make a quick meal out of the Zebra. Fortunately, it looked as if Zecora had her game one step up from Rarity's.

"It's good to see you too Zecora," Twilight said with glee, moving out of the Zebra's embrace and into the hut towards Rarity. Macintosh followed, being looked upon by Zecora's sympathetic eyes. He offered her a polite nod as he walked by her, the unicorn tucking her hooves under her as she laid upon her belly, ignoring the snarling, headbutting Rarity as she attempted to bash the cage's bamboo bars down with brute force. "You've been taking good care of her?" Twilight asked, flaring up her horn and whispering "Relaaaax....ressssst..."

Zecora nodded as Rarity blinked, mirroring Twilight and tucking her self down and resting on her belly, staring at Twilight with a completely blank face. "A tough and dangerous job most certainly, but I have done well to take care of Rarity." She went over to one of her tables, picking up her cup of tea and sipping from it slightly before saying "I have done my best to feed her you see...but it has been worrying with her snapping at me."

Macintosh sighed as she flopped back on his flank, putting a hoof to his head as he felt another sharp headache coursing through his skull. "First Twi'...then Applejack...now Rarity...it just don't stop does it?" he muttered, growling to himself as Zecora gasped slightly in surprise.

"Please tell me that these are lies, and that the sickness has not claimed poor APPLEJACK's eyes!" She whispered in sorrow, to which Twilight sadly nodded and said "Yes...Applejack is infected as well, but we've got her...under control." She looked back at Rarity, the white unicorn doing nothing but blinking at her. "It's a long story......now then..." she lowered her head, pointing her horn at Rarity as she said "It's about time Rarity woke up from her nightmares..."

"But Twilight think of the Chaos Lord!" Zecora quickly shouted, holding a warning hoof out towards Twilight "Surely you don't want to attract Discord!?"

"He already knows we're coming Zecora," Twilight said, the unicorn getting to her hooves and bracing herself as a bright golden glow of magic starting to emanate from her horn. "Besides...Rarity's suffered enough, she shouldn't have to suffer this curse any longer than she has to."

Twilight sucked in a breath as her magic crackled loudly, a loud humming noise growing louder by the second as her horn swirled with golden magic. She took a moment to steady herself, channel her energy and focus on drawing from the vast pools of her inner mana before releasing her spell with a heavy heave of her head upwards. In an instant, a golden bubble of sparkling energy blasted outwards from her horn, sweeping through the ponies around her and through the straw walls of Zecora's hut before quickly vanishing, leaving behind a tiny, shimmering shower of sparkling glitter-like energy.

All was quiet for a few moments as Macintosh's red eyes gleamed with infection, his head pounding heavily and drawing a deep groan out of the workhorse. It was clear the virus within his body didn't take too kindly to the attempt to purge it. Zecora seemed to be knocked back slightly by the sudden outburst of the spell, her legs shaking slightly as she found herself needing to sit down.

When somepony did speak, it was much to the surprise of Zecora as Rarity muttered "Would somepony mind explaining to me what I'm doing locked up in this cage like some animal!?" Her eyes were sparkling with pure, clean whiteness as she gently poked at the chewed up bars of her cage, a tight grimace on her face "This is completely barbaric...is this somepony's idea of a prank!?"

"Oh Rarity!" Twilight shouted with glee, her horn flaring up once more and quickly tearing apart the cage, the unicorn being careful to set the parts aside in a neat pile near Zecora's bed. She quickly pulled the confused looking Rarity in a tight hug, being careful not to let the tears of joy she was holding back spill. It'd be a complete dumb move on her part if she accidentally re-infected Rarity after only JUST purging her. "It's so good to have you back!"

"Back...? What happened?" Rarity asked, a genuinely confused expression etched on her face.

Twilight chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head as she whispered "Um...long story short...? You...got sick."

Rarity's expression soured as she found it hard not to gag, trying her to best to speak as she said "U..Ugh...tell me my beautiful form was not subjected to that...gross disease for too long..."

"Not...too long," Twilight answered, clearing her throat and hoping Rarity wouldn't push for more answers. "What's important now is that you're safe and clean again...we're moving on Discord soon so we don't have much time to waste."

The diva smiled and nodded as she exclaimed "Oh good! It's about time we took the fight to that vile criminal! When do we...oh what's the military term for it...move out?"

Twilight shook her head, sighing sadly as she said "Sorry Rarity...but you and Zecora need to go to the Everfree Castle, we're already late meeting back up with the main army."

"But...but Twilight!" Rarity gasped, holding a hoof out towards her "Won't you need the Elements to defeat Discord?! I thought we were all in this together!"

The lavender mare sighed, shaking her head as she said "I'm sorry Rarity...but it's just too dangerous. There's going to be a lot of fighting in the Capital, and I can't risk you getting killed or re-infected during the fighting." She put a comforting, reassuring against one of Rarity's front legs as she went on "I'm strong enough to be able to teleport to the castle if I need to...besides, Fluttershy and Pinkie are there taking care of the Refugees and my daughter, you and Zecora will be safe there." Rarity's concerned expression didn't seem to change, Twilight giving her the best reassuring smile she could and saying "If I need the Elements, you can bet your fashionable flank that I'll come to get you girls within a moment's notice. It's important that you guys get going now though...just in case Discord tries to come after us here."

Zecora nodded, quickly grabbing a set of saddlebags from a nearby table and heading towards the door. "Are you sure you're going to be alright darling?" Rarity asked as she followed Zecora out the door, Twilight and Macintosh quickly bringing up the rear. "You will be careful, won't you?"

"Of course Rarity!" Twilight said, a big smile etched on her face "We haven't come this far to die out of carelessness now! We'll be back before you know it."

Rarity let herself smile slightly, the unicorn nodding as she said "Well...alright, best of luck to you Twilight...I hope that the next time we meet, it's going to be over a nice cup of tea and a spa treatment...without murderous sick ponies trying to kill us."

Twilight nodded, giving her a final goodbye hug before letting her go, stepping back as Zecora led the way into the forest. The two of them watched the mares gently trot away, Macintosh looking down at Twilight as he muttered "You didn't tell her bout' Applejack...or much bout' anything."

Twilight sighed, turning in the opposite direction and setting off at a slow walk, muttering to Macintosh as he followed quickly behind her "She's had enough to deal with just being sick and living in a cage...she doesn't need more panic and stress running through her head right now. Besides...you know how much of a drama queen she can be sometimes."

Macintosh sighed, giving a simple "Eeyup," and falling into silence, the two of them pushing onwards into the forest.

"Now then..." Twilight said, taking in a deep breath and exhaling it...the last one she was starting to think she'd enjoy for a good long while.

"...let's go kill Discord."

~~~~

"FOOOOOOORM UP!"

"HAIL, HAIL!"
"Take positions! Move up that cart, get those actions clear and ensure ammo integrity!"
"Alpha through Echo squads, remember your objectives and hug the inner wall tightly!"
"Captain, Shadow Squad is ready to go!"
"Aye, we're all set here!"
"Ready on the left!"
"Prepared on the right!"
"Center is ready, awaiting your orders your majesty!"
"Any sign of Twilight Sp-"
"Present! Sorry we're late, what did we miss?"

Captain Nightmare stood tall and firm, her eyes locked tightly on the large, shadowy keep looming on the distant horizon. It's dark, deadly spires piercing the clouds, casting their dark shadows across the surrounding city. Celestia's model was accurate, the city nothing more than a large circle surrounded by a high wall of black stone, concealing a good majority of the buildings behind them save for a few of the tall office and apartment buildings that peeked up over the rise. Nightmare could just barely make out several shapes moving across the rooftops, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Lieutenant," barked the Captain, her head turning sharply to cast her eyes upon the battle-ready Nightfire who stood beside her, binoculars pressed against his eyes "Report."

Nightfire grimaced slightly, pulling his eyes away from the zooming spectacles and shaking his head "There's a good number of Discord's Loyalists setting up on those buildings. I see mostly rifle's...a few scoped but we're well out of their range currently." He pushed the binoculars back against his eyes as he growled "Don't see any of the Ravaged...bet you Discord's got em all huddled up against the wall. They'll probably start pouring out once we bring it down."

"Not a problem..." Nightmare muttered, shaking her body slightly trying to get her outdated Lunar Armor to sit right "Leave them to me." She looked to her left, through the valley that rested just beside the large, towering hill she stood upon with Nightfire. All throughout the area that she could see, Solar, Lunar, and Refugee ponies were lining up and grouping up into their respective squads. From what she could see of Celestia's troops, they were all knelt down low, their helmets and faces in the dirt. Celestia looked as if she was giving a sermon, probably blessing her troops and encouraging them to fight for glory and honor, and for the salvation of Equestria. Shadow looked to be doing the same for the Lunar Guard, except he seemed to be more fluid, more entergetic, stirring up and rattling the ribs of his guards like cages to get their hearts racing and ready. Macintosh seemed to be the one in between, probably inspiring the citizens now turned soldiers to fight for home and loved ones.

The only one who did not partake in this "pre-battle meditation"...was Twilight. She stood alone on a hill much like Nightmare's, staring outwards towards Haven with a slight grimaced and narrowed eyes. The pain she saw in those eyes...eyes like her own. What that unicorn must have felt...the horrors she had to endure. She, like her...was a survivor, battle-hardened and blood-soaked. There was blood on those hooves she knew would never wash out, scars that were going to have to be carried for the rest of her life. She could only hope and pray, that whatever life lay for her on the other side of this coming bloodbath...was a quiet, peaceful one.

There were shouts amongst the rough mixing pot of soldiers, indicating that the speeches were all done and over with. "Heh..." Nightmare scoffed to herself, turning her head back towards the front. She wasn't much for those speeches. Just give her an objective...she'd see it completed. A mare of action, not words...that's how she held herself. And judging from the low rumbling of hooves in the valley...the time for words had all but passed.

Now was the moment, the moment they had all been waiting for.

Twilight didn't blink nor flinch as Celestia took her place beside her, donned in her golden regalia as well as her ornate armor. Captain Shadow, Applejack, and Macintosh took their places on the left of her as they all looked out towards Haven City. "Bout' time...ain't it?" Applejack muttered, drawing a nod out of Celestia.

"Aye," she said, taking a look behind her as she breathed "The mages are ready, and if you've all grasped onto your resolve...we'll see this through now, to the end."

"To the end..." Macintosh said, nodding in agreement and stamping a massive hoof against the ground.

"And to whatever come after..." Shadow grunted, flipping his helmet visor down and letting out a sharp, steamy breath out through his metallic mask.

From behind the army, ten groups of five unicorn's each were situated in close, tight formations, each with their horns pointed towards a unicorn in the center of their prospective groups. The four surrounding unicorns channeled as much mana as they could to the fifth's unicorn, both making sure the center mage had both the power he or she needed, and the stability and control to handle the massive spells they were weaving. Looks of concentration were etched upon each of their faces, with a look of strain and heavy focus on each amplified unicorn. One by one, large balls of pure, unrestrained magic were weaved and spun atop the horn of each center unicorn, sweat already beginning to drip and show on many of their faces. Within ten seconds, ten massive balls of energy were ready to go, all awaiting the quick word from Princess Celestia.

They did not have to wait long as the sun princess turned her head back sharply, a look of pure determination and anger on her face as she threw a golden armored hoof forward and roared "FIRE! FIRE AT WILL!" The unicorns gave a mighty shout as one by one, they amplified and launched a tremendous blast of force behind their magic spheres, launching them up and over their heads in the direction of the city. "Warriors of Equestria!!!!" Celestia boomed out with her royal equestrian voice "The time to take back what is yours, our land, our ponies, our freedom, has come!" The spheres roared overhead, many smashing into the walls while a few detonated behind them and causing many buildings to explode or erupt in flames. More spheres were being weaved as Celestia led the slow march down over the hill, shouting as they went "We will sit by no longer! Never again shall we be cast into the dark and shadows, forced to live within the sanctuary of our homes, caged and barred like animals! They told us, nay, DEMANDED to us, to never go outside! To stay a prisoner, at the mercy of a false ruler and a dark tyrant! I say to you now, NO! I will not let this come to pass, I refuse to allow this any longer! Taste the sweet, delicious air citizens of Equestria! We are OUTSIDE!" The unified roar of the collaborative army shook the ground as Celestia turned her head, looking back across the hundreds and hundreds of faces staring back at her...not just as a ruler or a princess anymore...but a pony. A pony fighting to right the wrongs committed against Equestria, to bring peace to not just her home...but all of theirs. "We're outside my brothers...my sisters...my friends...tell me, what will you do to hold onto your freedom, your air, and your lives? Answer this not to me...." she paused, turning to look back towards the crumbling wall of the city, her ears perking at the sounds of shouting and high-pitched shrieking and howling from just beyond those dark walls "Give HIM....your answer."

Twilight bowed her head as they marched, taking whatever small moments they had left of calm to settle her rapidly beating heart, and to pray to Luna and Celestia that she would make it off the field alive...that they would all live to fight another day.

~~~

"There is nothing here sir...."

"Nothing...?"

"Aye...nothing but dust, ghosts, and nature."

A massive griffon, tall and mighty in his stature stood before the ruined stone steps of Princess Celestia's throne, staring up at it with narrowed eyes. His Abyss-black colored armor shone in the light of the burning, radiant sun as it rent its way through the many holes and cracks in the ceiling. His helmet visor was down, hiding his expression but adding a significant amount of dread and foreboding to his demeanor. His talons were razor sharp, splitting the ground slightly as he walked. His top Major found him easily enough from the large tracks his mammoth-like general left behind. "Canterlot is naught but a ruin...skeletons littered the place here and there, but only grass grows between their bones now...and they're all pony in shape and size."

"Perhaps Equestria has fallen to their own devices faster than our own...," rumbled the general, his voice deep like a roaring wave crashing across the land "Though, I cannot believe that Stalliongrad was all that Celestia had to offer.....no...they are out there, hiding...and we will find them."

The Major nodded, taking a moment to reach into the right pocket of his saddlebags and pulling out a small, rectangular like contraption. "There was...," started the Major, holding the device out in his giant, clawed hand "one thing we did find. One of our scouts nearly stepped on it during his sweeps...a recording device of some kind."

The General turned, his clawed steps thudding heavily against the stone as he took the device from his Major, furrowing his brow and looking back up towards him, muttering "Did our scouts report anything else...a direction or a lead as to where the enemy is?"

"Groups of ponies, guards mostly, were seen flocking to the west...it is possible they are amassing their forces to prepare for some sort of counter-assaulting action or a defensive hold," answered the Major, shaking his head slightly "Other than that, no report."

"Follow those ponies Major..." boomed the General, the great beast looking down on the device "Find them...and don't come back till they are all dead."

The Major gave a mighty salute and turned, quickly unfurling his giant wings and taking off through one of the holes in the ceiling of the throne room. The General paused only for a moment to watch him go before looking back down at the device, one of his claws finding the play button. He pushed it in gently as a female voice, slightly raspy in nature, crackled through the speakers.

"....My name, is Twilight Sparkle."

~~~~

"I am a unicorn. I am a veteran. I am the enemy. The land you know as Equestria is a land of magic and friendship, a land where ponies can be free to roam happily and make friends whilst living in peace and harmony under the benevolent rules of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,”

Twilight looked back up as Haven City stood before her, massive bolts of energy roaring over her and crashing into the walls. "Trotting speed!!!!" Celestia roared, the army picking up the pace and going into a quick trot, their faces hardening, their eyes narrowing as the rumble of their hooves grew in intensity.

“But the land you once came to love and cherish is gone. It's been gone for months now, turned into something I don't think you'd quite recognize, or even believe existed if it was explained to you. Sometimes it's hard to believe myself, hard to believe the stories that I was told. I don't think I could have ever believed them either, if I didn't already live them..”

Celestia took in a heaving breath as three more great spheres of magic crashed into the wall, exploding with violent force and tearing a large hole through it to it's foundation. The air was tense for a moment as the dust of the crumbling wall came billowing up into the air. The moment where life and death were to be decided, the events of all their past horrors, their struggles, their lives, all coming together in this one shining moment.

Equestria's greatest charge.

“I cannot tell you exactly what has happened, not yet. But believe me when I say... history, cannot repeat itself... never again."

There was an air of silence for only a moment...and then...

"CHAAAAAARGE!!!!!" Celestia screamed, her horn igniting with a magnificent, radiant light, the sun overhead gleaming brightly with brilliant majesty. The army of ponies let out a unified battle cry, shaking the earth beneath them as they broke out into a full gallop, charging towards the several hundreds of shapes that could be barely seen moving in the massive dust cloud of the crumbled wall.

.

Author's Notes:

Been too long, hope it was worth the wait guys! Thank you so much for sticking with me throughout the wait, and let's bring this story to its climax