The God Particle

Chapter 42: A Town in Ruins

"James?"

James looked up from the documents he was going over in the armory upon hearing the voice of Twilight Sparkle. Her expression looked stoic as she stepped into the room and walked over to him.

"Twilight," he responded, forcing a small smile. "How are you doing?"

She stopped a few feet away from him, pausing for a moment before frowning and responding. "I received word from Ponyville. The Pegasus Guard was able to fend off the griffins and the attack appears to be over. But there is extensive damage. As soon as the Council members have finished their six hours of rest, I'm going to Ponyville. They need to see me and know they have the full support of Canterlot behind them. I want you to come with me."

He nodded once. "Of course, Twilight. Before you leave though, you should address the ponies of Canterlot. They need to see you too and know that you are in charge of things. That we are doing everything we can do to solve this crisis."

She nodded, but then looked at the floor and sighed slightly, her ears and tail drooping. Then she looked back up at him, a troubled expression on her muzzle. "I know I need to address them … But I don't know what to tell them."

"The only thing you can tell them, Twilight. The truth. If you lie to them, it will only cause them to stop trusting you. Be honest and tell them the truth. That will ensure they trust you as a leader and respect your rule. And it will inspire confidence that you're in charge if you look and sound confident."

She nodded once and forced a small smile again. But it quickly changed back into a stoic expression. "I'll need them to trust the rest of the Royal Council while you and I are in Ponyville. For them to know that the Royal Council will have matters firmly in hoof here until I get back."

"They will, Twilight. They will." Or at least, he hoped they would. The Royal Council had a reputation for being mysterious and there were several rumors floating around about it which were not true. Nevertheless, almost all ponies knew that the Council served the princesses directly, and that they were extremely loyal to them. They also knew that every Council member had been picked by Celestia and Luna themselves. And that should give them faith that the Council was well qualified and could handle matters. At least, that's what he hoped.

"So have you found anything else?" the unicorn asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He frowned and shook his head, sighing. "Nothing. Only more notes on what they were trying to do. Which no longer helps us, because we've already figured that out … figured it out too late." He pounded his fist on the table in frustration once, the sound echoing off the armory walls. "Just one day too late," he said, the frustration evident in his voice.

"James," she began, putting a forehoof on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "You can't blame yourself for this. You didn't have enough information until this whole box of notes was recovered. And then, you didn't have enough time. And besides, you did warn the Council and the Celestial and Lunar Guard of the interior diagrams of the castle. And that you were worried they might be after the princesses."

He nodded once. "For all the good it did. They still managed to get Princess Celestia out of the secure area. Even managed to disable the anti-teleportation warding. The best mages in the Unicorn Guard cast those wards … And no one except the Royal Council, the Captains of the Guard, and a few select members of the Lunar Guard knew that Princess Luna was leaving, or what route her convoy would be taking … Twilight, there's a traitor in the castle. There has to be. Somepony who knew that information must have told the griffins. It's gotta be either one of the Council members, one of the Guard Captains, or one of the few Lunar Guards who had enough advance notice to notify somepony else, or some griffin."

"I know," she said, frowning. "That's why I came here to talk to you alone. I don't know who I can trust, James. But I know I can trust you." She gave him a small but warm smile now.

He smiled back slightly. Twilight trusted him, yes. That was good to know. Luna had said she trusted him in the dream she had appeared in. But did she really?

Twilight stood up on her hind legs, reaching out with her forelegs and embracing him firmly. He blinked in surprise, not having expected the sudden embrace. But he quickly opened his arms and wrapped them around her, her warmth chasing out the chill of the cold armory like a cozy fire blazing in a hearth. And somehow, her embrace gave him confidence; made him feel like they were going to succeed in their quest to save Equestria, and everything would be alright. He only hoped his arms around her helped her feel the same way.

After awhile, he wasn't sure how much time had passed, they released each other, and he looked deep into her eyes. For a few seconds, neither one of them said anything. Finally, she spoke again.

"I don't think I should tell the ponies of Canterlot that we know where Princess Celestia is, or that we have a lead on Princess Luna. We don't know who might be listening. And if the wrong ears get wind that we might have a lead on where Princess Luna is, they might move her."

He nodded once. "I agree. And I don't think you should tell them that you and I are going to Ponyville either. We might end up with more dragons and griffins to contend to en route if the wrong ponies get wind of that."

She nodded and turned, starting to leave the armory. He put down the document he had been reading and followed.

Stepping outside the armory, the cold air bit into his robe instantly. The temperature was still dropping, but he didn't think it had reached freezing yet. That was the part he was worried about. Once the temperature dropped below freezing, any vegetables and fruits that had not yet been harvested would be in peril. But he knew the harvesting team lead by Applejack was hard at work trying to make sure they harvested and stored everything before that happened. Overhead, he could hear the pegasus weather teams at work, occasionally catching the dark silhouette of one passing by when the lights of Canterlot reflected off of them.

Outside the courtyard walls, he could hear a very large crowd of ponies beginning to gather, the dull roar of excited and nervous chatter penetrating through the walls like the roar of a distant waterfall. By now, everypony in Canterlot would be well aware that something was wrong. Looking up at the courtyard walls, he could see Royal Guards pacing back and forth, keeping a close watch on the crowd outside. So far, the crowd seemed to be maintaining relative order and calmness, at least if the lack of shouting and other riot like noises was any indication. But he knew it would only stay that way if Twilight Sparkle could give the impression of being firmly in control of the situation. Everything depended on her maintaining a confident air of authority, and keeping the respect of the citizens of Canterlot. If she lost that, anarchy would likely ensue.

Instead of going to the castle, Twilight turned towards one of the guard towers on the wall. He followed her, realizing that she intended to address the gathered crowd from the tower. That only made sense. The castle gate was closed, and the crowds couldn't get into the courtyard. The two of them stopped outside the entrance to the guard tower, the captain on duty trotting over to them and stopping in front of Twilight, saluting respectfully. James thought he could see a slightly nervous expression on her face at being saluted. Nevertheless, she maintained a confident presence, kept her ears up, and held her head high, maintaining an air of authority about her. When she spoke, she had a confident and firm tone.

"How have the crowds been behaving, captain?"

"For the most part, things have been smooth, milady. But they are clearly nervous and uncertain. There have been scattered reports of looting. But most of the citizens have maintained relative calm. They are anxious for news of what's going on though."

She nodded and frowned slightly. "Well, I'll give them news. Unfortunately, I don't have anything good to tell them right now. But I'll at least try to make sure they know we are doing what we can."

"Anything you can tell them will help, milady," the guard responded and saluted again as Twilight turned back towards the guard tower and trotted towards it. Once there, James opened the door for her, followed her in, and they began to climb the spiral stone stairs to the top. James could hear Twilight breathing slightly faster, and he knew it wasn't from the exertion of the climb. Gently, he placed a hand on her withers and spoke as reassuringly as possible.

"You'll do fine, Twilight. Talk to the crowd like you talked to the guard captain in the courtyard. Maintain a firm, confident, and assertive tone. Let them know you are firmly in charge of everything that is being done to solve this problem. Tell them the truth. But motivate and inspire them."

She nodded once, and seemed to calm down slightly as they reached the top of the stairs, where two unicorn guards were standing out on the tower platform, keeping watch on the crowd below. One of them turned and spotted Twilight, saluting to her as the captain in the courtyard had done. James saw her swallow once, then speak in the same confident tone she had below.

"I will speak to the gathered citizens now. And inform them of what is going on. Royal Counselor James Peterson will accompany me."

"As you wish, milady," the guard responded, the two of them stepping to the sides of the platform to make room for Twilight and James.

Stepping out onto the platform, James surveyed the gathered crowd and felt a surge of nervousness flow through him as well. Although it was difficult to tell in the dark, he estimated there had to be at least ten-thousand ponies gathered below, and probably far more. Now that they were above the walls, the noise of the crowd drowned out almost everything else, and he wondered how they would ever get the attention of the crowd. He, or one of the guards, could shout as loud as possible, and there's no way they would be heard over the crowd noise.

He jumped slightly as his answer came in the sound of a loud bell ringing on top of the tower roof. The crowd of ponies gathered below turned towards the tower, and the loud roar of chatter slowly dissipated as if the waterfall had suddenly been turned off. Now, all eyes were on him and Twilight. Once again, he felt a nervous chill go through him. But he quickly did everything he could to suppress it. He had to support Twilight. That was his role now. And if he could remain confident and sure of himself, he hoped it would inspire her to remain confident as well. Glancing over at her, he saw her shudder slightly. This time, he didn't put his hand on her, but he spoke in a quiet reassuring tone.

"You'll do fine, Twilight. Just remember what I said. Confident, assertive tone. Make sure they know you are in charge. Inspire and motivate them."

She seemed to gather herself together at his words, holding her head high again. When she spoke, it was in a loud, and confident tone.

"Citizens of Canterlot, by now you have all no doubt heard the rumors, and I'm not going to lie to you. Both of our princesses, are missing, and we are in a state of war with the Griffin Kingdom."

The crowd began to come alive again with worried conversation, and for a moment, James thought Twilight might lose control of it. But she raised a forehoof and spoke even louder, quickly regaining command of the situation.

"I have been appointed Regent of Equestria in our princesses absence. And I assure you that I am doing everything within my power to handle this crisis. I have the full assistance and backing of the Royal Council. The same Royal Council that has faithfully served Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and has faithfully served all of you as stewards of Equestria.

"That said, I'm not going to lie to you. Our situation is desperate. As of right now, we cannot raise the sun. Operations are currently in place to gather and store all of the food crops that we can before temperatures reach freezing conditions. We face a crisis that threatens not only Equestria, but our entire world."

Another dull roar of concern began to rise from the crowd. But once again, Twilight spoke quickly and loudly, suppressing the conversation of the crowd before it could get out of hoof.

"You will be notified by Royal Guards if and when food ration distribution from these stores becomes necessary. In addition, Royal Guards will be making rounds through Canterlot to check on those ponies who may need extra assistance."

Her voice took on a stern, warning like sound now. Her tail flicked up and down once, rapidly and stiffly, an equine body language sign James had learned meant that whatever she was about to say next clearly meant business and left no room for argument or doubt about how serious she was.

"I have received scattered reports of looting. Let there be no confusion here. This behavior will not be tolerated, and I fully expect all of you to maintain civil behavior among yourselves. Any looting or rioting will be punished much more severely than normal given the crisis situation we are in. Any ponies caught engaging in such behavior will be imprisoned in the dungeon at least until this crisis is over, and perhaps longer. Let there be no doubt that any civil unrest will not be tolerated."

The warning tone left her voice now, but she still spoke with authority and confidence.

"I also know that those engaging in such behavior are a very small portion of you. Most of you, I know, will rise to the ideals of friendship that we have all been taught to follow. Those of you with the means to give, will give to your neighbors who are in need. Those of you with excess fuel for warmth, will give to those who are cold. Let us not forget who we are. We are Equestrians! And together, we will rise and meet this challenge. And we will overcome it!"

This time, a cheer arose from the gathered crowd. That's it, Twilight, James thought to himself. Motivate them, inspire them, use all the charisma you can find. Although he continued looking at the crowd, through the corner of his eye, he could see Twilight's head held just a little higher, her ears standing up just a little straighter. The cheer of the crowd was motivating and inspiring her as well! She continued speaking.

"There is the possibility of griffin and dragon attacks on this city. Warning bells will sound if griffins or dragons are sighted in the area. Stallions with families should be prepared to protect and defend those they love. In addition, I remind all able bodied stallions who do not have a family to protect, that you have a duty to come to the defense of this great city should these attacks occur. I have no doubt, that all of you, will faithfully carry out this duty. For your loved ones! For those who cannot defend themselves! For our princesses! For our world! And for our great kingdom of Equestria!"

Again, a cheer and a rallying cry arose from the crowd, this time mostly in a deep voice that suggested it was the stallions answering the rallying call. Forehooves pounded the ground in a rumble like thunder. Twilight let them cheer for a moment before speaking again, the crowd going quiet as soon as she started. James felt a sense of pride in her. Pride in the mare he loved. She had risen to the challenge, and she had conquered it. She had the crowd completely under her command now.

"Look at the top of this tower!" She called out loudly. "Look at the banners that fly on top of it! Look at the banners flying on the other towers on this wall! And the spires on top of the castle! The flags that fly on top of the Royal Equestrian Academy buildings! These banners of our princesses, of the sun and the moon, have united us for over a thousand years. And even though our princesses are missing right now, our banners still fly! And we remain united!"

Again, a loud cheer arose from the crowd. Twilight responded by speaking even louder, and even James felt a tingle like that of electricity run through him. If charisma could be given physical form, the lavender unicorn had become it.

"We will not let this crisis destroy more than a thousand years of unity! We will not let these banners fall! Together, we will make sure these banners fly for a thousand more years! And ten thousand more after that! Together, we will overcome this crisis! Together, we will protect each other! Together, we will protect our great Equestria! And together, we will restore our princesses to the thrones of Equestria! Because we are Equestrians! And our sun and moon will shine again!"

By now, Twilight had worked the crowd of gathered ponies into a virtual frenzy. Cheers and rallying cries sounded at near deafening levels, like jet aircraft taking off. Hooves pounded the ground in a cannon like rumble that could be felt. He himself, wanted to cheer, but he managed to maintain Council protocol. Inside, however, she had motivated and inspired him as much as she had the gathered crowd. No matter how desperate the situation seemed, they would overcome! They would not go down! And the sun and moon would rise again! Somehow, he would make sure of that. They would find a way!

The crowd continued to cheer as Twilight stepped back from the balcony and turned, starting down the staircase again, James falling in next to her and walking along side her.

"Did … did I do alright?" she asked, the nervousness returning to her voice now as she turned her head and looked at him.

"Alright?" he asked. "Twilight, I'm pretty sure they'd follow you to the pit of Tartarus and back. I know I would follow you there and back. You did more than alright." The truth was, he would have followed her there and back even before she had spoken to the citizens of Canterlot. But now, he knew they all would.

She seemed to blush slightly before turning her head back forward. "The rest of the Council should be gathering as we speak. I'll meet with them again briefly before you and I leave for Ponyville to make sure they have things well in hoof," she said as they approached the entrance to the castle, entering and proceeding down to the Council meeting area. As suspected, the Council members had already gathered. Stepping into the room, James thought he saw a slight hesitation in Twilight. She still seemed slightly nervous around the Council members; something no doubt made worse by the fact that she was in charge of all of them. But, she was definitely becoming more comfortable. And she was far more comfortable than she had been when she had first met them and taken the oath of the regent. She spoke once all of the Council members had taken their seats.

"Thank you all for being prompt in returning. And I hope you all had a good rest, short as it was. I have received word that the attack in Ponyville appears to be over. The Pegasus Guard were able to fend off the griffins. But there is extensive damage to the town. And multiple fires are still burning which they are still trying to put out. I'm going back to Ponyville to assure the residents that they have the full support of Canterlot, and to survey the damage. I'm taking Counselor James with me."

"Milady," it was Storm Runner that spoke up. "I suggest you travel with only a very small detachment of guards instead of the one-hundred plus that we came to Ponyville with when we got you. It will attract less attention. And make a less attractive target for griffins or dragons. You'll be much harder to spot in the dark."

She nodded once. "Thank you. I think that's probably best, yes. Also, I have spoken to the Royal Guard here in Canterlot as well as to the citizens of Canterlot. While Counselor James and I are gone, I need all of you to make sure Canterlot maintains order, and to be responsible for the defense of the city if dragons or griffins should attack."

The Council members nodded in unison and she continued.

"There have been scattered reports of looting. Inform the Royal Guard that looters are to be imprisoned in the dungeon and held until this crisis is over. There will be no tolerance for civil unrest during this desperate situation." She had said it in the same firm voice she had used when addressing the crowd. The Council members all nodded in unison.

"Also, if we have to start rationing heating fuel, make sure you have all the priorities figured out. Hospitals, nursing homes, daycare centers, and other places that have citizens more vulnerable to cold get precedence."

"We'll ensure it's all taken care of, milady," Moon Song responded.

She nodded once. "And in the meantime, keep trying to find any information at all about where Princess Luna might be. And brainstorm about whether there is any possible way we can help Eric on Earth to find a way to get Princess Celestia back."

"We'll work on it as diligently as we can, milady," Storm Runner responded.

"I know you will," Twilight said, smiling slightly, before resuming her stoic expression. Then, she turned and left the meeting room, James once again falling in beside her as they went back outside and boarded a flying chariot for Ponyville.

Once in the air, the lights of Canterlot suddenly disappeared, the view outside became as if he were staring at an impenetrable black wall. He could see nothing; not the ground, not the sky, not the horizon, despite the fact that the lights of Canterlot should still be visible below them. The pegasi must be flying inside the cloud layer created by the weather teams, he surmised. To prevent any dragons or griffins from being able to spot them.

Sometimes, when the chariot would bank or turn, vertigo would hit him, and he would start to feel like the chariot was rolling upside down, given he had no visual horizon reference to tell him otherwise. He found himself wondering how the pegasi pulling the chariot maintained their orientation with no visual cues. Several times, he had to remind himself that the Pegasus Guard were some of the most skilled fliers in Equestria, and that they knew what they were doing. Still, he found it difficult to put all of his trust in them during those times when his inner ear tricked him and he was virtually certain they were rolling inverted.

He turned his head away from the window, and his mind wandered onto the crisis at hand. He thought of his home world. The people there would go about their daily lives, completely oblivious to the fact that somewhere else, an entire world was on the brink of utter destruction and extinction of all life. How many times had the same scenario that was now playing out in Equestria, played out on some other planet with intelligent life? How many times had some cosmic catastrophe completely cleansed a planet of any evidence that life ever even existed there? And when would it be Earth's turn to face such a catastrophe? While life on some other planet continued to go on as normal, completely oblivious to the fact that some other planet in some distant galaxy, was facing a crisis that could result in the destruction of everything that evolution had spent billions of years producing? He tried to push that thought out of his mind now, and looked across at Twilight.

"We should probably try to get some sleep, Twilight. You admonished the Council members not to neglect their own rest, but it's been over twenty-four hours now since you've had any sleep yourself. We still have about four hours until we reach Ponyville."

Twilight nodded once, but frowned. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep until I know that everypony in Ponyville is safe. And until I've seen how bad the damage is."

She stood up and crossed the distance to the other side of the chariot in one step, then sat down next to him, leaning herself into him. The air inside the chariot was cold, and frost was starting to form on the windows from their breath. The feeling of her warm fur pressing against him helped fight off the chill. He wrapped one arm around her withers gently, resting his head on her side. Neither one of them said anything, only continuing to use each other for warmth and support, as the chariot continued to press on through the cold blackness.

. . .

James awoke with a start, hearing a thumping nose. He looked around, quickly orienting himself to where he was. He found himself lying on the floor of the chariot now. Twilight lie next to him, all four legs wrapped around him, holding him close. Looking at her muzzle, her eyes were closed, and she breathed softly. Good, she did manage to get some sleep.

Again, there was a thump, and he realized he had forgotten about the earlier one. Looking up and out the window, he could barely see one of the Pegasus Guards flying right next to the chariot. The guard made a circling motion with his hoof, indicating they were near Ponyville and were going to circle over it so he and Twilight could see the damage from the air. He gave a thumbs up sign to the pegasus, not sure if he would have any idea what that meant or not. But the guard nodded in response and pulled away from the chariot, disappearing into the night sky again. James turned back to look at Twilight. He frowned, at the thought of waking her up. He wasn't sure he wanted to see the damage from the air. And he knew he didn't want to expose her to it. But, she was the regent. She had to see it. She had to know what was going on in her kingdom.

With a frown, he gently untangled himself from her legs, then tapped her lightly on the withers with his hand, "Twilight? You need to wake up now."

She stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open and her ears twitching a couple of times before her eyes shifted to him.

"We're almost there, Twilight. The chariot is going to circle over the town so we can … get a feel for the damage from the air."

She frowned slightly, but nodded, then pushed her front legs under her, pushing herself back to her feet, shaking her entire body once as an equine from his own world might do to shake the grass and straw off of her body after standing up from a nap.

He looked out the window, but could see nothing of Ponyville yet. Barely, he could see one of the Pegasus Guards flying next to the chariot. But they faded in and out of view like a ghostly specter, indicating the chariot was still running just inside the cloud layer, darting in and out of it.

Turning back to Twilight, he noticed her mane was a disheveled mess now, as it might look after she had just gotten out of bed. Not that he minded. In fact, he actually thought she looked rather cute like that. But it wouldn't do for public appearances where she was trying to ensure the citizens that she had things firmly under control. Of course, she had no mirror, and no brush.

He felt uncomfortable now. Criticizing a mare for her appearance was something he wouldn't normally do under any circumstances; especially not when it was the mare he loved. But, there was no mirror in the chariot, and she would have no way of knowing if he didn't say something. Besides, given she had no mirror and no brush, he was probably going to have to fix it for her. He swallowed his discomfort and spoke.

"Twilight … I should probably try to fix your mane a bit before we land. It's kind of … well, from sleeping on the floor of the chariot and all … I mean I think it's cute that way … but well, for public appearances and all …" Smooth, James. Rambling like a nervous idiot, he chastised himself as he simply shut up now.

If she was offended by his statement about her mane, however, she gave no indication. Instead, she simply smiled a bit, and he thought he could even detect a hint of a blush in the dim light of the chariot. She nodded once. "Thank you, James. I'd appreciate it if you would fix it."

He moved closer to her now. Not having a brush or a comb, he simply had to resort to running his fingers through her mane, gently trying to work out any tangles as well as comb it into place. She looked at him, giving him a warm smile once as he ran his fingers through the entire length of her mane, satisfying himself that there were no tangles or snarls left. Then, he took his hand away and looked at her for a few moments.

"That's much better," he said. It probably wasn't as good as she could have done herself. But for someone who had no experience with hair styling, or mane styling at all, it would pass.

She smiled at him again. "Thank you, James," she said warmly.

"You're welcome," he smiled back and then turned towards the window again, his smile quickly being replaced by a deep frown and look of concern.

In the near distance, he could see the orange flickering signs of fires burning on the ground. They would be over Ponyville soon, but already, he could tell the damage was bad. Reluctantly, he turned back to Twilight, motioning her over with his hand. She stood up and walked over to him. He immediately put his arm around the back of her neck to provide what comfort he could for her, and felt a small shudder go through her as she saw the signs of the burning fires.

As they flew closer to Ponyville, the orange glow gave way to blazing infernos below them. Dozens of fires roared and burned on the ground, black and gray smoke rising ominously, orange light reflecting off of it. The smell of burning wood began to permeate the inside of the chariot, occasionally tainted by the toxic smell of burning rubber or plastic. He felt another slight shudder go through Twilight and pulled her closer to him, letting her rest her muzzle on his shoulder as the two of them continued to take in the damage below. By the glowing light of the flames, they could see buildings in ruins. James felt his heart sink as he recognized one of the buildings that used to be Sugarcube Corner. Now, it was just a smoldering pile of black twisted ruin, embers still glowing where the fire had not gone completely out. Please, Celestia, Luna, please make it so that Mr. and Ms. Cake, and their foals were able to get out of that building, he found himself thinking … or was he praying to them again?

The chariot finished its circle, coming in low, the ground occasionally disappearing in clouds of soot and rising ash before the wheels touched down lightly and they came to a stop. Immediately, James opened the door and stepped out, holding it for Twilight. His ears were instantly assaulted with the sounds of confusion, weeping, and devastation. Twilight stepped out next to him and he closed the door, looking around and surveying the damage. The air was rank with the smell of burning. Royal Guards and other pony volunteers ran back and forth, frantically trying to put out fires and help any ponies who night be trapped or injured. James quickly stopped one of them as he passed.

"Guard. Where is everypony?" he asked in a concerned tone.

"Counselor," the guard acknowledged, not acknowledging Twilight. It occurred to him the guard probably wasn't aware yet that Twilight had been appointed regent. "Everypony we could find is gathered at the town square. What's left of it anyway. The town hall itself is badly damaged by fire and not safe to enter. Mayor Mare has been anxiously awaiting the arrival of a representative from Canterlot," the guard responded, trying to hurry James along.

"Lady Twilight is the representative," James said. "She is the acting ruler of Equestria. I am here to assist her."

The guard stopped, and his face took on a look of embarrassment. "Milady. Please forgive my disrespect. I wasn't aware."

Twilight raised a forehoof. "There's nothing to forgive. And there's no time for that now. Please, take me to see the mayor." She looked at James again. "Counselor, help any pony that needs it when and where you can. I'll find you after I am done speaking with the mayor and with the ponies at the square."

"Yes, milady," James responded, resuming the normal Council formalities now that they were in the presence of the Royal Guards and the citizens of Ponyville. He nodded respectfully. Then, Twilight turned and trotted off towards the square with the guard.

James turned around and quickly tried to get his bearings. It had been a long time since he had been in Ponyville, but the layout of the town came back to him quickly. Still, at night, and with all of the damaged buildings, it was hard to determine exactly where he was. Finally, he recognized a few landmarks. Another Royal Guard, a pegasus, approached, galloping past him quickly. James recognized from the rank on his armor that he was the captain in charge of the entire operation in Ponyville.

"Captain!" he called out, the guard stopping and turning towards him.

"Counselor," the guard acknowledged. "We stand ready to carry out any orders at your command."

Normally, the Royal Guard would have to obey a member of the Royal Council, unless countermanded by one of the Princesses. But this, time James shook his head once.

"I place myself under your command for now, sir. How can I help?"

The pegasus nodded once and pointed towards the west with a forehoof. "We haven't reached the far west quadrant of the town yet. Go there, and start knocking on doors. Look for survivors and those who may be injured or need assistance. Identify yourself as Royal Guard before you enter any houses."

James nodded once and quickly turned, jogging off in the direction the captain had indicated. As he ran, he passed several more burning buildings. Outside of some of them, ponies stood, sometimes weeping. But they appeared to be uninjured and safe, even if they had lost everything they owned. He was tempted to stop and offer what comfort he could. But instead, he kept going. There were plenty of guards covering this area. And he trusted that the captain had sent him to where he was most needed.

He continued passed several more burning buildings, wincing at the utter destruction. Few buildings were left that had not been set ablaze. Could griffins really have done all this? Or had there been dragons involved as well? And they just didn't make it into the initial report they got of the attack? The town looked as if it had been bombed. He coughed once as smoke burned his nose and his lungs, but he continued his rapid pace towards the western part of town. Now, he was grateful for Rainbow Dash and Applejack having pushed him when he was still in Ponyville. Having practically forced him to get up and run with them in the morning. And he was grateful he had maintained that discipline once he had moved to Canterlot. Now, he needed all of the physical stamina and endurance he could muster.

He slowed down once he reached the area where the captain had told him to go, panting slightly, but still not exhausted. Here, there seemed to be less destruction than there was in the center of town. Several buildings still blazed, but some were untouched. Other than one or two guards that occasionally galloped passed him, this part of town was mostly filled with distraught citizens. Many of them looked dazed, as if they still weren't sure what had happened, or the reality of the situation hadn't actually hit them yet. Some of them, he suspected were in a state of shock. Looking to his left, he saw a stallion, mare, and two young foals standing outside the remains of what had been there house. He almost stopped to check on them, but then heard the stallion speak to them.

"At least we all got out safely. That's what matters. That's the important thing. Houses can be rebuilt."

They had lost everything. But they were alive. He stopped and spoke to them. "I am sorry for your loss. I want you to know that you have the full support of Canterlot. You should go to the Town Hall. There's a gathering there where a representative from Canterlot will speak to all of you." He thought it was best not to say 'the regent of Equestria.' After all, they may not be aware yet that the princesses were missing. And he thought it would be best to let Twilight tell all of them that information at the same time, lest some ponies start spreading rumors.

The mare of the household turned and looked at him, blinking in surprise and looking slightly nervous for a moment, probably because of the Royal Council robe. But then she nodded. "Thank you, Counselor," she said before turning to the rest of her family. "Come. Let's go to the Town Square." She started walking in the direction he had come from, the rest of her family following after her. He watched them go for a second, then quickly proceeded to the next house, which was still standing, stepping up to it and pounding on the door loudly.

"Royal Guard!" he called out loudly. "Is there anypony inside? Anypony who needs assistance? If I hear no answer, I'm coming in to check!"

He waited several seconds for an answer. Upon receiving none, he tested the door. It was unlocked. Most ponies in Ponyville didn't bother locking their doors. He opened it and stepped inside, carefully stepping over broken shards of glass from a window.

"Royal Guard!" He called out again. "Is there anypony in here who needs assistance?"

Still, he received no answer. He quickly moved through the house, checking every room. Stepping into the bedroom, he found sheets and blankets carelessly thrown off the bed and onto the floor. A sign that the ponies who had been in the bed had left in a hurry. But he found no sign of anypony in the house. Hopefully, they had made there way to the town square along with the other ponies. Making his way back to the front door, he stepped outside again and proceeded to the next house, his heart heavy with the utter devastation around him. Part of him just wanted to sit down and cry. But he knew he couldn't do that. He had a duty to carry out, and he had to remain strong, and show that he was strong. That would inspire confidence in the citizens of Ponyville that their leaders were in control of this situation, and would do everything that needed to be done to make sure things were handled and set right.

Suddenly, he heard a scream to his left. The scream of a young filly. He quickly turned his head in the direction. Oh, Celestia no! Hovering in the air, maybe a hundred yards away, was a large griffin. On the ground, trapped up against some debris, he saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all stood next to each other, bunched together, staring at the site above them in horror. They had no where to run, no way to escape.

"No!" James shouted loudly, and darted towards them in a run. Immediately, his right hand was on the hilt of the sword strapped to his robe. In one fluid motion, it was out of its scabbard, the razor sharp blade glistening in the fires burning around them. He ran as fast as he could, instinctively raising the sword to an attack position. But already, he knew he would never get there in time. The griffin opened its beak and roared in fury as it descended closer to the three trapped fillies. The fillies screamed again, pressing themselves backwards against the debris. But still, there was nowhere they could go.

"Get away from them!" James yelled at the griffin, trying to will his legs into moving faster. Already, they ached in protest, his lungs burned from the sprint as he ran as fast as he could. But he ignored the pain, refusing to let himself slow down. The griffin, if it had heard him at all, ignored him and raised its razor sharp talons to dive at the fillies.

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle stepped out in front of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Her young muzzle had a look of fear plastered on it, and her eyes were wide. But still, she stood protectively in front of her two friends.

"Sweetie Belle, no! Get back!" James yelled as he tried to run even faster, closing the gap quickly. He had covered more than half the distance. But still, he knew there was no way he would get there in time. Not before the griffin could be on them and kill at least one of them, if not all three of them, with its razor sharp talons. but Sweetie Belle stood her ground. Her eyes still wide with fear, he heard her cry out loudly.

"You! Will! Not! Touch! My! Friends!"

The young unicorn filly's horn lit up with a brilliant white light. A searing white bolt of lightning sparked from it, nearly blinding James with its brilliance. The air exploded with light, as if a giant flash bulb had just gone off, and he felt the hair on his skin stand up. The smell of ozone filled the air as the electrical discharge from the young filly's horn arced through the night. Then, the sound hit him; a deafening crack of thunder, like a rifle shot next to his ear. The shock wave of explosively expanding air slammed into him, stopping him in his tracks.

Then, the brilliant light was gone, and his vision slowly returned to him, the loud crack of thunder from whatever spell the young filly had unleashed still reverberating through the night sky, echoing off the buildings and trees. As his eyes regained focus, he saw the griffin lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, the three fillies staring at it with expressions of shock.

He quickly started running again, placing the sword back in its scabbard now so as not to frighten the fillies. But his right hand remained on the hilt, ready to draw it again in an instant should the griffin stir at all. He stopped when he was near the fillies, and all three of them stared at him, still looking shocked. He panted and caught his breath for just a moment before speaking.

"Are all of you okay?" It was Scootaloo that responded.

Y … yes." Then Sweetie Belle spoke in a frightened voice.

"Is … is it … did I … did I kill him?"

James turned around and looked at the griffin for a moment. It was breathing, and there were no visible burn marks on it. She must have missed, he thought. There's no way it could have survived a hit from an electrical discharge that powerful, given that even he had felt the hair on his skin stand up from the electrical charge in the air from probably forty yards away. The shock wave alone must have stunned it and knocked it out of the sky. He turned back towards Sweetie Belle, keeping one eye on the griffin.

"No. It's alive. But badly stunned." He turned his head again as a gruff male voice called out from behind.

"What in Celestia's name was that? Sounded like something exploded. And what was that bright—"

The approaching Royal Guards stopped speaking and James saw all of their eyes go to the griffin on the ground. For a moment, they simply looked at it before one of them turned his attention back to James.

"Is he dead?"

"No," James responded. "He's alive. But badly stunned. Get him in chains before he wakes up. And … get these three fillies to safety. Big Mac and Granny Smith are probably at the town square. Big reddish earth pony stallion and an elderly light green earth pony mare. They are relatives of Apple Bloom. That's the yellow one. See if you can get these three fillies to them."

"Right away, Counselor," one of the guards responded, motioning to two others who appeared to be under his command. The two of them stepped towards the three fillies, one of them looking down at them and speaking in a much gentler tone than James was used to hearing any Royal Guards use.

"Come on you three. I'll take care of you and get you to safety."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo quickly ran to the guards, appearing anxious to get out there, away from the griffin, and to some adult ponies they knew. Sweetie Belle, however, didn't move, instead, looking up at James with a troubled and frightened expression. He looked back at her for a moment before looking back to the two Royal Guards.

"Just take those two. I'll take care of this one."

The two guards nodded and then turned, walking back towards the square with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo between them. Several other guards went to the downed griffin, and two of the unicorn guards began to lock iron restraints onto its feet, and talons. Sweetie Belle looked back at the large beast and James saw her shudder visibly.

"Come over here, Sweetie Belle," he said softly, and motioned away from the griffin. She nodded slightly and followed him. He walked until he was a good distance away from the griffin and the guards, than turned to face her again, sitting down on the ground to be more at her level, adjusting the scabbard of the sword so it was lying on the ground as well. Sweetie Belle stopped in front of him and spoke nervously again.

"I don't know what I … I didn't mean to hurt any … I—"

"Shhhh," he said, stopping her. "You didn't do anything wrong, Sweetie. You saved your friends." Now, he noticed something about her in the flickering light of the fires, his eyes going to her flank. "And Sweetie Belle? Turn your head back and look at your flank."

She turned her head, and her eyes went wide as she looked at the same thing James was looking at. On the young filly's flank, was a diamond similar to the one on Rarity's flank, but looking more like a prism reflecting all the colors of the rainbow. Surrounding it, were five other diamonds. Sweetie Belle, had gotten her cutie mark.

She looked at it for a bit longer, then turned her head back and looked at him again, frowning. "I don't feel very happy about getting it. Like … I'm not proud of how I got it." Her eyes lowered and her ears drooped on her head, and she sniffed once, trying to hold back a tear.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle," he said softy, his heart filling with compassion for the young filly as he opened his arms and held them out to her. "Come here."

She walked to him, jumping into his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her comfortingly, speaking again in a compassionate tone.

"I know it's hard to be happy right now with everything that is going on. But you earned your cutie mark under the most trying and difficult of conditions, Sweetie. And you saved the lives of your friends doing it. And that is the most noble action there is. You were very brave, and I am very proud of you, Sweetie Belle. I speak for the entire Royal Council in saying we are all very proud of you. Rarity will be very proud of you. And Their Majesties will be very proud of you. And you should be very proud of you too."

She sniffed once more, and he wiped her muzzle gently where a tear had fallen. Then she spoke again, quietly.

"But … I don't even know what my cutie mark means. What does it mean?"

"Well … I'm not sure either, Sweetie Belle, But I do know it will become clear. It will all become clear soon. I really believe that it will."

She sniffed once more, but then gave him a small smile. "So … So now what?"

"Well, I still have to check all these houses to see if anypony is inside. And if they need any help. Do you want to help me with that?"

She nodded once and smiled slightly again.

"Alright. Lets get started then." He smiled back at her as she stepped out of his lap. Then, he stood back up, and the two of them walked to the next house together, continuing to look for any ponies that might still be here, and might still need help.