For a moment...nopony moved...nopony breathed.

Three ponies simply stared at a fourth, two colts and a mare with eyes locked on a Pegasus of dark colored fur and a shadowy mane. Their faces were all plastered with a look of utter shock, with Twilight's forming into a mix of confusion and rage. "You...WHAT?!" she spat, taking a single step forward which made Shadow cringe. "What are you talking about!? What do you mean you're one of three beings responsible for the Ravage's creation!? That doesn't make any sense!"

Sky gave off a slight grimace and spoke "I hate to say it Captain...but I agree with her. What do you mean you're one of the ponies responsible? We were with you the entire time in Anchor-Wing, and nothing like that happened! Ravage had already been born by that point!"

Shadow sighed, shaking his head and sniffling as he wiped a few tears from his eyes. With a shuddering intake of breath he muttered "There was more to it than just Anchor-Wing, Sky...there were operations and missions carried out BEFORE that!"

"Ah think you all owe us an explanation then..." Macintosh grumbled from his spot near Twilight "No more lies...no more beatin' round' the bush...come clean!"

The Captain looked amongst the three of them, intense glares in their eyes. Finally, with a quick gulp and a wiping of his sweating brow, Shadow-Mane spoke. "It all started when Twilight and the Elements of Harmony defeated Discord..." Shadow said, looking towards Twilight and asking "You remember that day?"

"Of course," Twilight muttered "How could I forget?"

Shadow nodded and went on "Well, shortly after that, Luna and Celestia were ridden with a sudden magical...'sense', if you will. Like pings in a water, revealing locations, the Princesses felt these pings in magic. Our only theory was that this was some kind of trigger spell that only activated upon Discord's defeat. It was probably some kind of protective magic that Discord was using to conceal and hide items of large magical quality...probably stockpiling in case the Elements of Harmony ever started to pose a real threat. When Discord was defeated, the magic spell he used to protect his items backfired, sending out the pings across Equestria to any unicorn, or in this case...Alicorn, powerful enough to detect it. Unlucky for him that he underestimated the Elements...and unlucky for us that the Princesses felt those pings."

"I don't understand," Sky interjected, raising an eyebrow in confusion "Why would that be a bad thing? You've got the location of a treasure trove of powerful artifacts, and with the Gryphon threat rising...wouldn't that be good? You've just got yourself an arsenal from the clutches of Discord himself!"

"That's what we thought at first Sky..." Shadow said with a weak sigh "I also thought that with these artifacts and items, we'd have a sure victory over those winged bastards...but I was wrong...oh so wrong..." He paused to put a hoof to his face and let out a quiet sigh and and to shudder, composing himself before he went on. "I was sent on a covert op...one pony, to one of the locations that held one of Discord's items. Well...I found it, buried deep within a massive cave to the west of Froggy Bottom Bog, near the Drackenbridge Mountains."

Shadow-Mane paused for a moment to take a swig out of his canteen which had been resting comfortably in his saddlebags, letting out a breath of relief as the warm water hydrated his parched throat. "So...one of the ITEMS had the virus in it?! I thought we, pony-kind, created the Ravage Virus!" Sky said to Shadow, who in turn shook his head.

"I wish it were that simple Sky...but it's not." he said, gently dropping his canteen back in his bags "and the item, a necklace, did not actually have the fully-fledged virus in it...what it DID have...was blood."

"Blood?" Twilight asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, Blood" Shadow went on, adjusting his position on his rump "It was a pearl necklace...and each of the little pearls held some amount of blood in them. I took it back with me to Canterlot for investigation, and what I learned about it...was shocking." He looked up towards the sky as the three ponies leaned their heads in, their ears practically begging for the truth. "Turns out..." Shadow finally said "That in each pearl...there was a blood type for many races in Equestria. Dragon, Pony, Gryphon, the list goes on. When it was studied by scientists, they noticed that one blood type was unlike the rest...a blood type that was unfamiliar to Equestria. When this was told to Princess Celestia, and she examined it...she revealed that it contained the Blood of Discord himself." The three ponies gasped as Shadow nodded in agreement and went on "Indeed...why Discord put his own blood into the artifact is still a mystery to most of us today. The exact intent of this particular item remained a mystery as well, but when two accidental test-tubes of the blood were mixed, Pony and Discord...the results were...a bit strange. Discord's blood acted like a virus, operated like a virus...but...it didn't do anything. It just morphed itself and attached itself to the cells inside the Pony blood...and sat there. And that was when asked by the scientists for an opinion...I gave them the key to unlocking all the mysteries."

He looked down towards Twilight, staring her right in the eyes as he breathed the word "Magic....". He felt tears brimming once more in his eyes as he whispered "Magic was the key...and I pushed for them to pursue that theory. Discord was a magical being...with his defeat, maybe his magic vanished. He was the Lord of Chaos, and his blood looked as if it was trying to attack the Pony's blood. If anything...I thought maybe if the ingredient of magic was involved...that it could restore Discord's blood, be used to create a Bio-Weapon against the Gryphons. Don't you see now?! The original idea, the base concept of it all...it was all my doing. I RETRIEVED the item! I TOLD them how to release it, weaponize its potential! I...I...!!!"

He fell silent, tears leaking down his face as the other three ponies sat in stunned silence. The truth about Shadow-Mane was a game changer...that much was known, at least to Twilight. According to him, HE was the one who was supposed to die...HE was the one who was responsible for the deaths of thousands upon thousands of ponies in Equestria, and soon-to-be thousands more! Not Celestia...but him.

She felt a slight tug at her heart...a feeling of sympathy seep through her as she looked upon Shadow's weary face. It passed quickly though...a familiar feeling of anger and rage beginning to build up in her heart as she went over the details in her head. With a narrowing of her eyes and a clenching of her teeth, Twilight shook her head and hissed "No..." The colts looked up at her as she took a few steps forward, slamming a hoof forward on the ground with a loud 'thump', as if proclaiming her defiance in the face of authority "You speak the truth, and I see it in your eyes...but this will NOT excuse the crimes of others! Celestia and Luna, as well as the rest of your Shadow Squad, KNEW about the virus, knew about its risks. You all had a part to play in its creation, usage, and the bloody aftermath it left in its wake...and for that...you will ALL have to die for it!" Sky took a few sudden steps backwards, his body tensing as he prepared to reach for his blade.

Shadow, however, merely sat there and let form a tight grimace as he growled "Is this how it ends then...Twilight Sparkle, Mother-Carrier of the Ravage Virus? Are we to do battle here as colt and mare, until death take one of us?" He got to his hooves slowly, ready to strike if necessary.

Twilight shook her head, still glaring at Shadow as she growled back "No...your death, nor anypony elses death will come before that of Princess Celestia's. I will have her head on a pike before the rest of you follow!"

"Twi', NO!" came the sudden shout of Big Macintosh, who rushed in front of her and stood between her and Shadow-Mane. He glared deep into her wide eyes, the mare shocked at the sudden outburst from the workhorse who started to yell at her "Is that how it's gonna be?! Huh!? Ya'll are just gonna forsake everythin' we worked for...cause o' REVENGE!?" He reached up, and with a half-firm swing, slapped Twilight across the face with a hoof. The two colts nearby gasped as Twilight staggered slightly, putting a gentle hoof to her reddened cheek, her eyes flicking back to look at Macintosh as tears began to gather along the rims of her eyes. "Is that what my sweetheart has been reduced to!? This...sick...twisted monster! This ain't the Twi' ah know! The Twi' ah know wouldn't slaughter innocent ponies for the sake o' revenge! She wouldn't destroy and ruin the ponies she used to love, and trust!" He looked back at Shadow-Mane for a moment, giving the colt a stern glare before turning back and saying "Ah know Shadow has made mistakes...but so does everypony in the world! It's what makes us ponies Twilight! We all make mistakes, Shadow's were just bigger than most! He's SORRY for what he did Twi', and Ah'm sure if you were before Celestia right now, looming over a de-horned, mentally broken Alicorn who's lost everything she holds dear, ah know that she'd be sorry too! Don't let this virus plague your mind...and please, for the sake o' the stars above, don't let it plague your heart too!"

For a moment, Twilight simply stared at him. Her face was no longer that of hatred and anger...but of sadness...despair. She looked down at herself, at her bandaged front legs and the string of her shattered mask, still hanging around her neck. She looked back up at him for a moment as her eyes began to fade in red color, specks of white returning to her eyes which in turn made Macintosh widen his own eyes. But just as quickly as they began to change...color swam again in the whites of her eyes, and the violets of her irises gleamed. She shook her head with determination and let out a shout of "NO! I will not be denied this now!" She looked up towards her shaking coltfriend as she hissed "I set out from that train to destroy the monster who abandoned us in Ponyville...the monster who threatened us with mass genocide because she was too cowardly to stand up for her ponies! Shadow-Mane may be a major cause in the creation of the virus, but he didn't willfully abandon his fellow ponies to this disease! He will pay...but Celestia comes first..."

"If you stand against Canterlot, Twi'..." Macintosh said with a low growl "Ya'll are gonna stand against me, Applejack, yer friends, Luna...all of us. You ready to trot down that road Twi'...? Cause I'm warning you now...you start down this path...and there ain't no goin' back...you understand me?"

Twilight looked directly into his eyes and smirked as she said "I understand...you are all now my enemies, and I should kill you all here and now...but..." she paused, looking past Macintosh and towards Shadow-Mane, taking in a breath as she said "I am not beyond some kind of mercy like Trixie is...I'll give you a chance to stand...and fight for those traitorous bitches you call Princesses. I can teleport you all to the Staging Grounds...and after that, escort you to the shield. Once you go beyond that shield...my mercy ends. Is this clear?"

Shadow-Mane didn't waste anytime in giving the unicorn a single nod and muttering "Understood..." Twilight nodded and began to flare up her horn with powerful magic, the aura of an intense spell being formed together igniting the air with a loud humming sound. As Twilight readied her spell, Shadow suddenly asked "Twilight...is it meaningless now...after all of the pain...the suffering...all of this. Is it meaningless to apologize?"

Twilight was taken slightly aback by this question, her spell sparking for a minute on her horn as she went over it in her head. After a few quiet moments, she shook her head and whispered "No, Shadow...it's never meaningless."

"Then..." Shadow whispered towards the mare "I'm sorry...I'm so...sorry. I'm sorry...for everything."

Just before Twilight released her spell, Shadow could have sworn he heard two words float into his ears...two words that sounded like "Me too..."

~*~

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Trixie shrieked as Twilight emerged from her teleportation spell, flanked by three colts who looked as if their fur was smoking from a fire.

"Whoa...talk about jet-lag..." Sky groaned as he put a hoof to his head.

"I demand to know an answer Sparkle, NOW!" Trixie barked, marching up towards the calm-faced mare who simply waved a hoof in the air in petty dismissal.

"Relax Trixie..." Twilight said "I've offered them a mercy...a chance to fight for the losing side. Not like it's going to matter in the end, right?"

Trixie looked past Twilight and towards the three colts, their glares set directly on her. After a moment, the azure mare simply smiled and nodded her head, whispering evilly "Of course...the more the merrier..."

Trixie stood aside as Twilight led the three colts through the fields...and fields...and fields...of Afflicted below. "I know where we are..." Shadow growled as he looked down over the cliff face...at the sea of Afflicted that stood in neat, comfortable lines, staring up towards the mountains that held Canterlot "We're up in Canterlot's mountains...a good running distance away but..." he trailed off, shaking his head as he looked at the vast army that was lying in wait...ready for the order to attack. "By Luna's mane...look at them all. Everypony in Equestria has to be standing in this field..." Shadow whispered as they made their way towards the railroad tracks.

The sea of Afflicted stretched out farther than Shadow could see...and even the skies looked horrific as swarms upon swarms of diseased Pegasus ponies soared this way and that, eager to swoop in on their prey. Sky was pointing out large columns of Variants here and there...Hurlers...the shimmering of the Lurkers...even a column of thirty to forty Thunder-Hooves who were growling and howling at the sky. "Captain..." Sky whispered in terror and in despair, looking back towards his fellow squad member "How do we...how can we even BEGIN to think about fighting this!?"

"It's simple...really" Shadow said, glaring at the back of Twilight's head as he picked his next few words carefully "It's as Twilight said before...we're ponies of Equestria...we should die on our hooves rather than cowards in the dark. We'll fight as we've always fought, kill as we've always killed. Gryphons, ponies, it makes no difference...blood is blood...and much of it will be spilled today in the name of honor...glory....and...revenge." He practically spat out that the last word, but drew no response or reaction from Twilight who merely continued to lead them towards the railroad tracks that wound up towards Canterlot.

When they finally reached the edge of the tracks, Twilight stopped and turned her head, muttering "End of the line...for all of you. I stand by what I said...once you go beyond that shield, you're all dead to me." She looked towards each of the colts, watching as they all gave her a blank stare and stood there, as if waiting for her to say something. "Why don't you just run!?" Twilight suddenly asked, narrowing her eyes "Flee, get away before hell itself comes crashing down on the city? Why must you go blindly to your deaths?"

"Because I was taught by a beautiful...respectable...and loveable mare...not too." Macintosh growled, wasting no time in trotting past the mare and up the railroad tracks.

Shadow and Sky quickly followed suit, galloping after the workhorse and not bothering to look back at Twilight who merely looked on in sympathy and quiet despair...whispering "So be it...forgive me..."

"So..." Sky said as the three of them galloped up the tracks "What's the plan? Canterlot knows about the attack since Rainbow Dash and the others...hopefully made it. Even if they didn't, there's no way that the Afflicted's movements at the bottom of the mountain have gone unnoticed this long. SOME kind of defense has to be in play here!"

"Well..." Shadow muttered as they approached one of the train tunnels "We don't really know how big of a hole they're able to blast in the shield...of if it'll even be a hole at all. As far as we know, Trixie could have found an easier way to destroy the shield since she made that test-run with getting Macintosh out. The whole shield could go down with just a flash of her horn."

"Well what about Twilight?" Sky asked "What if she's the one leading the charge? She's the Element of MAGIC! I'm a bit worried about how much she will do to effect the battle!"

"What ah wanna know is..." Macintosh interjected "is what happened to Twi' to make her go n' act this way! How did she become so...so lost?"

Shadow sighed as they made their way further up the tracks, the blue of the defensive shield in sight "The Ravage Virus makes its victims surge with the emotions of hate and rage...they don't think in terms of logic and reason. Twilight's infected, and her hate for Celestia is clouding her judgement...what's worse is that Trixie is with her. Carriers have a nasty habit of influencing their own...adding their strengths together in order to combat larger and larger foes. That's what makes the Ravage even deadlier...is its abilities to adapt." The group was silent as they galloped up the mountain tracks, nopony saying a word until Shadow finally said "I really am sorry Macintosh...about all of this!"

The group slowed as Macintosh moved down into a trotting speed, resting his weary lungs for a moment and saying back "There was no way you coulda' known bout' the consequences in the future Shadow. Ya'll couldn't of known that this was comin'...you were just lookin' out for your own, there ain't no shame n' that!"

Shadow smiled slightly at his comforting words, giving a single nod as the three of them spent the next half-hour running up the tracks and toward the wall of the blue shield. "Home sweet home..." Sky muttered as two Lunar Guard watching the tracks let out gasps and waved in excitement, one of the guards turning and running into the city.

The three colts walked up towards the shield as the guard standing behind it shouted "I've sent the boy to the defense tower to open a small gap in the shield, and then to the Royal Castle to inform the others that you've arrived! Princess Luna will be awaiting your report Captain!"

"Very good," Shadow said as the part of the shield in front of them began to shimmer "I want there to be no delays, the attack on Canterlot is imminent and we need to have every able-bodied pony we can ready to fight to the very end!"

A hole opened in the shield big enough for a pony, the three colts wasting no time in leaping through it and stepping once more into the beautiful, but ominous looking city of Canterlot. Macintosh looked around with a grimace as he beheld Lunar Guards setting up barricades, mounting Wing-Cannons on their backs, or sharpening their blades for the battle to come. No civilians could be sighted in the streets as the three of them made their way towards the castle, only hordes of Lunar Guard. They were set up on high rooftops, in the streets, inside buildings, EVERYWHERE! Everywhere Macintosh looked, his eyes were met with a sea of polished black and blue armor. "Ya'll got enough ponies to fight the Third Hoof War..." Macintosh muttered as they hurried towards the castle. A large clanking noise, however, drew Macintosh's head back to the front, his eyes widening and his lungs expelling a gasp as he beheld in front of him what could only be described as 'A tin can from hell.'

A pony stood before them, tall in appearance, and clad in a full body suit of pure black metal armor with a full headed helm atop its head. Its wings were fitted with armored strips in the front, and were lined with two razor blades for slashes made by the wing. On its back, however, was the most notable thing about it. Two six-cylinder barrels rested on the pony's back, with four metal boxes attached to the Wing-Cannon like device, with two on the side and two in the back. "Oh mah stars..." Macintosh wheezed in shock "The hell is that!? Some kind o' war machine!?"

"Actually..." came the muffled voice of the pony standing in front of them, his tone that of joy "It's a D-Pony suit...with the D standing for Dreadnought. It's like a tank turned into a suit...if you will." The armored pony looked towards the Captain without delay and shouted "And you, Shadow, are late! You had me in a fit of worry when you didn't come back after so long!"

Shadow narrowed his eyes towards the pony for a moment before gasping, finally remembering his voice. "Nightfire!?" He gasped, looking towards the pony as he nodded "By Luna's mane boy, I missed you!!!" Shadow took a leap forward and threw his front hooves around Nightfire's armored neck, giving him a tight hug which drew a chuckle out of the Seargent.

"I'd hug you back Cap, but uh...this suit's kinda heavy." Nightfire said with a laugh, taking clanking steps out of Shadow's embrace "Luna's waiting for you up in the keep, and your suit is already being prepared. We don't have a lot of time so...I suppose we should get to it."

"Alright...thanks Nightfire, back to your post now!" Shadow ordered, trading salutes with Nightfire and moving past him towards the castle.

"Ya'll got some serious tricks up yer sleeves" Macintosh said with a whistle "Ah bet that think pisses more metal than a cat n' heat in the middle o' July!"

Sky let out an awkward chuckle as he said "Well...yeah, they're a part of Equestria's Advanced Weapons department. The D-Pony suits were specially built for twenty of the most elite Guards, ten for Celestia, ten for Luna. Five were built specifically for Shadow Squad, and were meant to be used during Operation Anchor-Wing but...we decided stealth was a lot better than going in guns blazing." Sky sighed as they entered the front gates, snapping a quick salute to the guards they passed and muttering "Sad thing though that I probably won't get to wear mine on account of my injuries...D-Suits take A LOT of muscle power to control. They operate like a regular Wing-Cannon, with hoof movements...but these come specially built with wing sensors as well, picking up specific movements of the wing in a forward motion and triggering the firing mechanism. That and the razor blades on the front of the wing add for enhanced close combat...and the hidden blades on the front of each hoof...the grenade capacity...the-"

"How in the sam hell do you know so MUCH about these things!?" Macintosh shouted as they ascended the stairs towards the upper section of the castle.

"Um...I'm the squad's tactical genius and engineer Mac" Sky said with a sheepish smile "I helped design these things."

Macintosh let out a silent 'Oh...' as they finally came to the doors of the throne room, the loud sounds of screaming and galloping clearly audible from the other side. "Looks like the war room is in a mess..." Sky said as Shadow put his front hooves on the doors, pushing them forward with a mighty heave. The doors swung inwards and hit the wall with a loud 'KABOOM!', drawing silence from the hectic guards and unicorns who were running about with papers, orders, and other equipment. Princess Luna herself looked to be in shock as she sat behind a small desk, her hoof pointing to a spot on a map of Canterlot, her mouth agape.

"Your highness...gents and fillies..." Shadow simply stated "We've come home, and we're ready to fight."

The room was silent for a second...and then...cheers. Applause and cries of joy were heard throughout the room as Hoof stamps and hoots echoed across the high walls. Luna smiled and beckoned them forward with a hoof, shouting with her Royal Canterlot Voice "Welcome home Captain! Do come hither, we have much to discuss!"

~*~

"So that is it then..." Luna whispered with a grieving look on her face. She had just gotten through with listening to Shadow's story of the events that had transpired since The Battle of Cloudsdale, with the holes filled in from Macintosh's sudden disappearance from the city. "Twilight Sparkle has indeed sided with...Trixie?" She asked, her tone that of disbelief.

"I'm afraid so your highness..." Shadow said with a sigh "She has been lost to us...our only hope now is to throw whatever we've got at them...at best I'd say they have thousands...if not at least ten thousand ponies sitting down there...waiting. We've got maybe two thousand, if at best...not counting the ones keeping guard over the civilians in the mining caves below the city."

"We will have our work cut out for us...I'm sure." Luna said with light smile and a nod "Very well, you and Corporal Sky-Driver are dismissed, proceed to Outfitting for your D-Suits and take charge of the defense...lead us as best as you can Captain Shadow-Mane...the fate of Canterlot rests in your hooves."

Shadow gave a mighty salute, standing at full attention and barking "Yes Milady! As you command, so shall it be! I'll give them a fight that's sure to be worthy in the great archives of Canterlot for years to come!"

As the three colts turned to leave, Luna held out a hoof and said "Wait...Mister Macintosh if I could just have a word...?" Macintosh halted, turning his head back towards the princess as Shadow and Sky made their way out.

He turned and sat on his rump, cocking his head in confusion and asking "Yes, yer highness?"

"Macintosh..." Luna said with a light smile "It's been a little while since we've talked in the park...hasn't it?"

"Ah...um...well yes, ah suppose miss..." Macintosh said with a sheepish smile and a blush on his face "Ah do hope ah haven't caused too much harm by...by leavin' n' all. Ah was just so concerned about Twi' that ah...kind of got claustrophobic..."

"It's quite alright dear," Luna said with a chuckle "A few months in this cage is enough to drive anypony insane. Too be quite honest I'm surprised Twilight was able to keep it together during the two month-long Ponyville incident!"

"Ah'm not sure how any of us made it through unscathed...too be perfectly honest with you miss..." Macintosh said "We were lucky...that's all ah can think of to say...is that we were lucky."

Luna nodded and gave him a light smile as she said "Perhaps you're right Macintosh...but now isn't the time for luck...now is the time for action. I've heard of your exploits during your time outside of Canterlot...your words...your heroics...the devotion and care you've had for Twilight and your fellow pony." She took a moment to take a breath and smile, reaching under her desk and pulling out a small badge stamped with Luna's Cutie Mark resting in front of two crossed blades. "As such..." she said with a tone of formality "I would like to personality invite you into the ranks of the Lunar Guard. Based on what I have heard...you're one of the bravest ponies to ever roam the lands of the Ravaged Equestria, and I would like you to have the chance to prove yourself...prove that you're a pony that everypony else can rally behind in our darkest hour." She paused, pushing the badge towards the wide-eyed colt whose ears twitched as the Princess whispered "Will you accept this honor...will you help us now Macintosh Apple...will you help us, help Captain Shadow-Mane...help me...save Equestria?"

For a moment, Macintosh was quite silent. He looked at the badge, then up at her...down to the badge...up at her. Finally, after several quiet moments, Macintosh looked up towards the princess, and with as much strength and power he could muster behind his voice, the workhorse let forth a booming "EEYUP!"

"Splendid!" Luna exclaimed, pushing the badge towards him as she said "Your oath will have to come later...for right now, I need you to catch up with Shadow-Mane and Sky-Driver in outfitting and suit up...we need you all out there as soon as possible and-"

"BIG MACINTOSH!!!!!!!!!!" came the sudden angry, interrupting shout of a mare that brought near tears of terror and joy to Macintosh's eyes.

"I'll...leave you two alone" Luna said quietly, getting to her hooves and nodding to Big Macintosh before he turned and faced his sister...Applejack.

The country mare looked to be in a rough state, with her mane disheveled and her eyes partially bloodshot. "You bastard!" she cried as she galloped towards him, leaping into his outstretched hooves and giving him a squeezing hug "Yer one of the stupidest ponies ah've ever had the misfortune of meetin'! Ah missed you so much, the whole thing just tain't funny at all! Ah heard you had come back with the Captain n' all them and ah just had to see you for myself! Ah had to know ya'll were ok!"

"Applejack..." Macintosh said in a hurt whisper "Ah'm so sorry ah left...ah'm sorry ah abandoned you here and went off on my own...it was stupid and...and foolish of me and...ah'm sorry."

"Oh horseapples!" Applejack whimpered, burying her face in his coat "Ya'll are back...that's all that matters to me. That's all that matters to the rest o' us." She took a step back and wiped her eyes, sniffling as she said "Me n' the rest o' the girls are holed up in the caves underneath Canterlot...if the comes round, and ya'll can't hold the surface...we're gonna cave in the entrance to the caverns and see if we can't find some kinda escape tunnel leading outside."

"Alright..." Macintosh said, getting to his hooves "When this is over...remind me to buy us both a nice, big round o' cider....deal?"

Applejack let out a chuckle, throwing her hoof forward and catching her brother's in a sort of bro-hoof while replying with "Deal...now let's go n' save Equestria from the sick."

~*~

"Been awhile since I wore this..."

"Sir...I think the only time we even got a CHANCE to wear this was in training..."

Shadow put down a fully armored hoof, looking over himself as he tired to adjust to the weight change of the D-Pony suit. Two mares hurried around him, adjusting straps and making sure the ammo had been loaded correctly. The Captain shifted his weight slightly, pushing his razored-wings forward to test his weaponry. The two six-barreled cannons started to spin, whirring to life as they prepared to unleash their fatal volleys. He pulled his wings back just before the cannons went off, nodding and extending an unarmored back hoof towards the mares. They began to fit his rear leg with armor as the door to the outfitting area opened, and Big Macintosh walked through.

Sky was already in his full uniform, not in a D-Pony suit. Knives, a wing cannon, and a belt of grenades were attached to Sky's armor, the Pegasus looking over towards Macintosh with a smile and shouting "Well look who got inducted into the Guard! Congratulations Mac!"

Macintosh blushed as he gently placed the badge in his mouth on one of the benches, receiving a nod of approval from Shadow. "Thank ya'll..." Macintosh muttered, giving the two a sheepish smile "Ah guess...ah guess it's time to get suited up, huh?"

Sky turned towards the mares who had just finished clasping on Shadow's armor,beckoning them over to begin sizing up Macintosh. "We don't really have a lot of time, so we're just gonna have to get you armored quick. Give him my loadout ladies...if you will."

The mares nodded quietly as they began sizing up Macintosh, pushing their hooves against his sides, his legs, and his chest. The workhorse blushed slightly as he felt one of the mares press a hoof against his flank, sizing THAT up as well. With quiet movements and hooves, the mares had begun to pull bits of armor out of various racks and shelves around the room, clasping them to Macintosh and strapping them on tight. He bowed his head as one of the mares slipped on his head covering and tightened the leather strap under his chin.

The mares took a step back and looked over their work, smiling as they beheld a fully armored Big Macintosh. He looked over himself, doing a quiet spin for the ponies in the room. Shadow nodded in approval, pulling a sword from one of the racks and holding it out towards Macintosh. Just as he reached out for it, however, Shadow pulled it back slightly and said "You take this weapon with honor and commitment, and always live by the fact that this sword is your life. If you lose this, you might as well be dead. Your blade is your essential tool for victory...and will always be your greatest ally, and your enemies' worst nightmare...understand?"

Big Macintosh looked down at the sheathed sword for a moment before looking up and nodding with a simple "Yes sir."

"Good," Shadow said, watching as Macintosh took the blade gingerly and threw the strap over his head and across his chest and back, fitting the blade to his side. With a final adjustment, Macintosh nodded to the Captain who in turn said "Alright...let's get to work."

~*~

The sun was just setting as Shadow-Mane clanked loudly onto one of the high rooftops on one of Canterlot's buildings. The Captain looked out across the rest of the city, watching as the rest of the Lunar Guard took their positions on the roofs and the streets around him. He waved to Moon-Lance and Wind-Weaver on a nearby rooftop, the two of them clad in their D-Pony suits. To his right stood Nightfire, the colt staring up at the shield where the swarms of airborne Afflicted were already gathering in preparation for the first attack. The unicorn to Shadow's left gently poked his armor and muttered "Whenever you're ready sir...I shall cast my spell on your throat."

Shadow gave the unicorn a simple nod as Nightfire sighed and whispered "Out of all my battles...I have to say...I think this is the one I've been most frightened of."

The Captain looked towards his Seargent with a soft smile and whispered back "I asked a soldier once if he ever felt scared before a battle...and he told me that you would have to be an idiot not to be." Nightfire looked towards his Captain as he put a hoof on his armored shoulder, whispering "We're all afraid...but that doesn't mean we have to lose hope either" Nightfire nodded, giving him one final salute before looking back up towards the sky. Shadow turned back towards the unicorn and nodded, feeling the tingle of magic entering his throat just moments later.

He reared up on his back hooves and took in a deep breath, unleashing his magically booming voice across all of Canterlot "Colts and mares of The Lunar Guard! I stand before you now not only as a Captain, not only as a soldier...but as a citizen, and free colt of Equestria! Today...is a day that shall forever be written down, not as the day where we rolled over to our enemy and gave them our lives, NOT as the day where we found despair in the face of adversity, NOT, as the day where Equestria would bow its head and face its death as a coward! Today is a day, that will remembered as the day that in the face of impossible odds, impossible chances, and impending defeat...we...The Lunar Guard of the Glorious Lunar Republic, rose, united, and battled against the hordes of monsters that would seek to slaughter our fillies, our children, our way of life!" He paused as The Lunar Guard let forth a unified roar, stamping their hooves in approval.

"TODAY!" Shadow roared "Let us fight, brick by brick, inch by inch! Let our cannons shake the world with their mighty roars! Let our blades strike true, and our bullets fly straight! If they want to take our beloved city, they will do so over our dead corpses! I SAY, LET THEM COME! Let them all come! They say that these monsters are the true scourge of all life!? That they cannot be stopped!? Well I say let's put them to the test!!!! WHAT SAY YOU!"

Shadow's chest swelled with pride as The Lunar Guard stamped their hooves in a unified beat and shouted over and over again: "Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory!!!!"

"Glory to the New Lunar Republic!" Nightfire cried as a bright flash illuminated the area above the shield. High above, Twilight Sparkle flapped her magical wings, staring down at the city with a dark grimace on her face. Her horn illuminated with gleaming magic, a ball of bright lavender forming at the tip of her horn.

"So you will stand...and so you will all die..." Twilight hissed as the ball grew larger and larger, the magic swirling and spinning like revolving ball. The Lunar Guard below watched as the swarms of Pegasus Afflicted formed up high above Twilight. Shadow looked to Twilight's far left, and then her right as two more magical spheres began to form and grow in the air.

"This is it..." Shadow whispered as Twilight threw her head forward and down, hurling one of the giant spheres towards the shield "This is how it all ends...for everypony...Afflicted...and Guard." The sphere came crashing down with intense speed and force, smashing against the shield with a thunderous kaboom and a violent explosion. Shadow-Mane and the rest of the guards shielded their eyes with their hooves, looking away from the bright flash that blared out from the explosion.

As the sphere disappeared, a gaping hole in the shield was clearly visible at the very top. It looked like it get Ponyville's town hall through it, and the edge of it was line with a glowing, lavender aura, preventing the shield from resealing itself. The swarms of Afflicted above let out a unified howl that echoed across the entire mountains and fields beyond, their forms dipping and diving towards the gaping hole as Twilight vanished with a quick spell.

Shadow looked around him quickly, and with a mighty shout he roared only three words...

Shadow and Nightfire reared back on their rear hooves, bringing their rear hooves back and clicking off the safety of their cannons. All around, the clicks of Wing-Cannons and Dreadnought Cannons sounded off across Canterlot as the guard waited for their assailants to come crashing down upon them. It was a tense moment for the Lunar Guard as the massive swarm neared the entrance to the hole.

"Steady!!!" Shadow barked, spinning the barrels of his guns "Be steady!!!" Nightfire shifted his weight slightly, getting comfy and bracing himself for the inevitable order to come. It was as the first Afflicted entered the shield and shrieked that Shadow opened his muzzle, letting forth a savage battle cry and screaming to the heavens "FOR THE GLORY OF THE NEW LUNAR REPUBLIC!!!! ATTAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!"

It was as if a cannon capable of splitting the world had gone off as the thunderous kabooms of guns and cannons went off across the shaking city. The steady 'Daka daka daka daka' of Shadow and Nightfire's guns shook their metal exteriors, bringing a light ringing to their ears as tracers lit up the sky, savagely pelting themselves into the thick masses of Afflicted that attempted to get into the city. A large portion of the Afflicted broke off to the left, at least fifty strong, and swarmed across the interior of the shield, flying along it and towards the ground. "WATCH THE GROUPS!" Shadow hollered, pivoting his body to follow the detachment and throwing immense amounts of lead towards them.

Bullets pelted the detachment, swatting at least ten out of the sky as several more guards turned their cannons towards them. High above, several individual Afflicted swarmed outwards, buzzing across the sky as body after body after body came tumbling out of the sky, their forms utterly riddled with bullet holes. The second of Twilight's spheres began its own collision course, rushing towards the shield with a stunning velocity. It also crashed into the shield, blasting away another hole and allowing a second stream of Afflicted to come rushing in.

"Divide your shots but keep them pinned in! Take as many as you can out!" Shadow roared as the third and final sphere crashed into the shield, blowing open the entire top section of the shield. Afflicted, dead and alive, rained from the sky, a few of them dive bombing the roofs in an attempt to kill several guards just on impact. Several others had managed to land, and quickly moved to engage their prey.

"Captain!" came the holler of Sky-Driver, the regularly armored Pegasus galloping towards the building Shadow was situated on. He skidded to a halt, grunting as the Wing-Cannon on his back shifted and he shouted upwards "There's breaches along the outer rim of the shield, ground level! Ground based Afflicted have invaded the city!"

Shadow pulled his hooves back, the stream of bullets halting suddenly as he turned his head towards Sky and shouted "Hold those holes! Fall back in waves as you need to, but keep the pressure on! We need to thin out as much of them as possible!" Sky-Driver gave a quick salute as he turned his attention back to the sky.

The Captain narrowed his eyes as he saw a pair of ethereal, lavender wings glint in the sky, the pair of appendages carrying one Twilight Sparkle towards one of the roofs. She dove towards a roof with four Lunar Guard standing on top of it, diving into a forward roll as a blade of magical energy morphed in the air next to her. The blade sailed forward as she finished her roll, striking one of the guards in the neck as she aimed her horn down and shot a magical ball of energy towards another. It struck the guard with violent force, blasting a hole through his middle and sending him flying off the roof. The other two lunar guard quickly turned their barrels towards Twilight and let off a round each, but the bullets met only a small purple shield surrounding the unicorn. Twilight narrowed her eyes as her horn ignited, snapping the neck of one of the guards with telekinesis and tearing the other one in half with a quick hurling of a magical saw blade...the same type used to de-horn Celestia.

"Hold the line Night..." Shadow growled, getting back on all fours and pawing at the ground in front of him "I've got this one..."

"Hurry back!" Nightfire shouted, still pelting the swarms above with his cannons. Shadow nodded and took flight, grunting as his wings strained from the weight of his armor.

He soared towards Twilight as she took a stunning leap off the roof, falling to the ground below. Shadow jumped after her, spinning up his cannons with a push forward of his wings and roaring "TWILIGHT!" Twilight turned her head as Shadow's cannons went off violently, spraying bullets towards her. The mare merely scoffed as her purple shield ignited, the bullets from Shadow's guns pelting the surface but not even scratching her magic.

"I told you..." Twilight growled as she grasped Shadow's neck with a telekinetic spell and hoisting him up into the air "Your death doesn't come just yet...wait your turn..." With that, she threw Shadow across the street, sending him crashing into one of the windows of a building nearby.

Twilight let out a light huff as she turned away from the shattered window, quickly trotting away towards the Royal Castle...unaware of the deadly presence of Trixie, who followed in her wake.

~*~

Twilight walked calmly through the blasted gates in front of the Royal Castle, gingerly stepping over the guards who lay slaughtered at her hooves. She wasted no time in trotting across the outer courtyards, and towards the large barracks building...knowing the dungeons lay underneath. "Finally..." Twilight whispered as she tore the door off its hinges, throwing it aside and stepping in "Finally...I can finish what I started. I can finally end this...end the misery!"

She silently made her way to the large door in the far corner of one of the hallways...her mind having already memorized the path from all the times she had gone to visit the guards back when she was a filly...to listen to their stories of bravery and valor. There were no stories to be heard today, however...only the sounds of distant battle and the roars and shrieks of infected and uninfected alike ringing in her ears.

As she put a hoof upon the handle of the door, she took in a deep breath. This was the moment...the moment she had been envisioning for so long. The time for her revenge was nigh...and she would not be denied now.

~*~

...

...

...

"If there's one thing I regret from being bound to this world...it's that I ignored the love and wisdom of my students and subjects...more specifically...my personal protege. Through all her years she gave me her unconditional support and love...love of a daughter. What did I give her...except pain? What did I give her...except misery? I was a coward, and a fool...and because of my failures...my subjects have suffered...my kingdom, has suffered...Twilight........has suffered. Do I deserve death? I do...I honestly believe that this is what lies at the end of my road. I knew one day she would come for me...I knew she wouldn't give up. I taught her to well...taught her that no matter what...perseverance was the key to success...

...and low and behold...the fruits of my labor...the end result to my teachings. My kingdom is gone...my friends are gone...everything is gone.........and Twilight Sparkle, second Mother to the Ravage Virus...stands before me...as an executioner would his block.

Princess Celestia looked like many things, but miserable and dirty would definitely amongst the most prominent. Her mane was no longer flowing, and was completely pink. Her coat was filthy with dirt and soot, and the sawed off base of her horn had been filed into a smoothness. In all...she looked just like a regular pony, but bigger. "Twilight..." Celestia said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she stared towards her former student who stood beyond the iron bars that held her prisoner. The unicorn said nothing for a moment, simply staring towards her old teacher with a look of fury and revenge in her eyes. "I know why you're here..." Celestia whispered, looking towards the filthy ground of her cell "I know that it is time...I've been waiting for you for so long now..." She looked back up towards her as tears began to form along the bottoms of her eyes "Every day thinking about you and Equestria has left me miserable...every day I pray and pray that I could have my horn and magic back...just so I could go back in time, and stop all this from every happening. But alas...I can't. This pain...it blackens my heart...hurts me..tortures me..."

Twilight grimaced as Celestia crawled towards the bars, reaching her hooves out towards Twilight and whimpering "Please...please Twilight! Make it stop! Make it all stop! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything! Please...do me this last service! Put me out of my misery, take the revenge you deserve and be rid of me forever!" Celestia's tears flowed freely as Twilight looked down on her in disgust, resisting the urge to spit upon her face and deny her the death she craved, if only to bring her more torment. But alas...the unicorn had not come this far to falter now...

The bars to Celestia's prison gleamed with a reddish magic, and then...snapped. The bars gave way as Celestia felt her hooves lock together, a rope of ethereal magic binding her and an unseen force lifting her up and tossing her through the hole in the bars. Twilight began to drag her through the dark corridor, keeping her eyes focused ahead of her as Celestia whimpered "Where....where are you taking me?"

For a moment, Twilight did not answer, simply continuing her walk towards the stairs upwards. When she did answer, her voice was low and dripping with malice "I told Shadow that once he re-entered Canterlot...that he was beyond mercy...you however...you for some reason I still hold some manner of mercy for. I want you to see the sky when you die...I want you to look upon the world you created...and the world you destroyed. I want you to look into the true face of horror and the consequences of your actions...and grant you the sweet mercy of a quick death as everything you once loved and cherish comes crashing in on you."

She looked towards Celestia as she dragged her up the stairs, her voice growing into a hiss as her eyes gleamed. "Prepare to die...Princess Celestia."

The two emerged from the Barracks building moments later, the unicorn throwing the bound Celestia across the courtyard and feeling a surge of joy and pleasure as the alicorn let out a painful cry when she hit the ground. From the steps of the Royal Castle, Princess Luna could only gasp. She had sensed Twilight close by, and knew that her target had to have been Celestia. She watched as Twilight put a hoof upon Celestia's neck, igniting her horn with magic and morphing out of the air...a single dagger. Celestia looked towards the dagger, and then to her beloved city. Tracers continued to light up the sky, but there were considerably less now than before. Afflicted swarmed about the skies, diving and soaring through the air.

All around, the repeated cries of "Fall back!!! FALL BACK!!!" echoed across the area, making Celestia's heart sink.

"I've failed them all..." she whispered, looking back up towards Twilight "and now...I shall suffer the consequences of my actions."

"Indeed you shall..." Twilight hissed, raising her dagger in preparation to strike. This was it, this was the end! The end of Princess Celestia, the source of her pain, of her friends' pain, everyponys' pain! Before the dagger could be sent down, however, Luna cried out

"STOP!" Twilight looked up, watching as Luna came to a stop in the courtyard, glaring towards her. "How could you do this...?" asked the Lunar Princess, tears in her eyes "How could you do this to us!? Look at my sister...look at what she is now! Yes...she has made mistakes, but look at her now Twilight! She's calm...sincere...she knows what she did wrong. She will answer for her crimes, but not by death! Can't you find it in your heart to show at least a shred of mercy!?"

It was then that another voice cried out from behind Twilight, making the unicorn turn her head "Mercy!? The same mercy that Celestia showed on Twilight by nearly killing her? The same mercy Celestia bestowed upon Ponyville when she sealed them away and left them to die?! Some mercy that is!" Trixie emerged from behind one of the trees surrounding the courtyard, her eyes gleaming with the color of blood while her irises twinkled with violet. "Twilight deserves this right, the right to put an end to a tyrant, and make way for a new age of Equestria!"

"What age!?" Luna roared, pointing an accusing hoof at the two of them "Look at what you've done! You haven't brought about anything except the destruction of Equestria, not its salvation! Your path of revenge has only led to the slaughtering of even more innocents! Look behind you, look at your armies! Look at who they slay!!! Lunar Guards, ponies defending their friends and family, ponies who didn't do anything wrong, who have done nothing to deserve the death you reap upon them! If you want to go after those responsible, you should have let the power of Law triumph for you! Those accountable will be punished! Shadow has already suffered, as have I, as will Celestia if you would only see mercy in your heart! Don't continue this path of wretched violence and bloodshed, be reasonable!!!"

The two mares continued to shout back and forth at Twilight, the unicorn turning her head back and forth between them as she quietly thought "Is...is Luna right? What makes it right to kill those not responsible...? But Trixie...Trixie is right when she said that we are nothing but monsters to be feared. No one will love us...no one will care for us ever again. In order to save ourselves we, the prey...must destroy the predators. But is this right...? Am I...right?"

Twilight turned her head more quickly between the two of them, her heart thudding loudly in her chest as her mind and heart began to do battle with one another. With the loss of concentration, came the loss of her magical concentration...the binds holding Celestia's hooves coming undone and disappearing, leaving only the floating dagger behind. Twilight jumped slightly as Celestia put a tender hoof to Twilight's cheek, turning her head down towards her to look into each others' eyes. They stared at one another, mentor and student, each with a thudding heart beat...each with a held breath.

Finally, Celestia opened her mouth, and quietly whispered "Twilight Sparkle...the time has come for you to make your choice...at this moment, you must have either your Revenge...or my Redemption. Choose...Twilight...look deep within your heart...and decide for yourself what you must do, just as I have always taught you..."

---

A note, I'll be going out of town this weekend, so I'll leave it to you to think about what Twilight should do. There are TWO ENDINGS to this story, and both will be revealed, but I leave it to you to decide which one you are satisfied with.

I was in a slight hurry to get this chapter done by the end of the week so I could take my trip with clear conscious, and I hope I did not disappoint. The stunning conclusion comes...next week!

Also, do not be afraid that this is the end of the siege. There's still plenty of battle to come.

Until then, farewell.

-Wolokai.