The Red Stallion

"I congratulate you great leader on your 500th Birthday and may I add that you still retain such great complexion that it doesn't look like you are a day over twenty" Shining Star bellowed after raising a glass in my name followed by everypony else that toasted my health, my looks, my successes and the Union's health.

I was fairly bored with my birthday feast of course and hating every minute of it. I didn't have to be here and in the past I wouldn't have been. Instead I'd be doing something relevant or that my younger self wanted to do but not now. Now I was stuck in the endless cycle of torment that I had landed myself in for winning the revolution.

I supposed I deserved it for what I'd done to be here but when I looked out of my window I knew it was for the best. Before I had formed the United Republic of Soviet Ponies and taken up the mantle of Supreme Commander of all Soviet Ponies then Equestria (as it was once known) would have starved. It's people were dying in the streets before the revolution and it's prosperity was depleted by a greedy, selfish and evil monarchy that vied only to maintain power and wealth even at the cost of their own people's lives.

I was young back then and filled with an anger in me that had no problem in being unleashed. Using my natural talents as a leader and with magic I took town after town, setting up supporters and giving aid to the people where ever I could. Ponies listened to me and understood I meant to do something about their tyrants and what started as a revolt led to full blown revolution with backing from the army and intellectuals.

Originally I wanted to make the Royals suffer any way I could by destroying tax caches, crashing museums with art dedicated to them and killing patrols of their guards whilst rallying local militia to my cause with the promise of payback for the way our families suffered and a promise of a better tomorrow.

However it got bigger and bigger until a small band of ponies became and army and suddenly I needed to deal with crime and dissent in the ranks, supplies and weapons to fight with and finally to maintain order and direction to ensure that everypony knew what they were doing.

After defeating the Royal Army at the battle of Stalliongrad my army marched south to the gates of Canterlot where the Royal Garrison fought in a bloody ten hour battle with every weapon and magical skill they possessed until they collapsed in defeat, exhausted whilst stallions charged through the castle doors with the passion of revolution and me at the head with the red flag of all ponies.

We'd captured or killed all the loyal guard ponies to the crown and the monarchy and immediately placed them under arrest. I regret still how I handled the situation that day and if I could change it then I would readily so as I had the Monarchy and their retainers executed publicly and that still haunted my dreams to this day.

I watched from atop the balcony as they stood the monarchs there lavish hair and their hybrids of wings and horns out into the courtyard against the firing wall. I saw their faces as they died, even the children and then I watched the castle administrators, the scribes, the retainers, the field commanders and finally the kitchen staffs meet a grisly end on the wrong end of the barrel of a red guard's gun.

I would not have ordered all their deaths now but alas back then was different and it was good that I had such energy as the nation needed it. I appointed immediately the reformation of our nation into the U.R.S.P, abolishing the local government and placing soviet councils in every village, town and city and then placing the leaders who had backed me to command by my side as generals and ministers.

I planned to hand my commanding ability over to my friend Lemming but the voice of the people still needed to be used as I shot down every rebellion or disgruntled voice over the next six months as I reformed the governmental structure and army into a better and more efficient fighting force than we had been as rebels so that transferring the reigns to Lemming would be more easy.

I knew the Zebrician States and Griffon Republic would pounce if they knew that Equestria was weak and in turmoil so I did everything I had to in order to stop more imperialists or fascists from grabbing hold of the wheel of opportunity and turning it in their favour and began to build up Industry.

I knew that we had no food and little industry and no means to create some safely in a timely fashion so at the cost of thousands I developed the industry of the people's new country and created weapons and machinery that would be used to increase farming and bolster defence along our newly formed borders of our nation. Hundreds of thousands died but we were not invaded and when the tractor came along food went up by two hundred percent and ponies began to see the benefit of Industry.

I was high on the victory's I had experienced during the war and now that I had the controls of a nation that viewed me as a hero I believed that I was invincible. Thankfully I wasn't a total fool and didn't declare war on anypony yet and built inside upon the things that our nation believed in. Perhaps life would have turned out different but unfortunately my dear friend Lemming died suddenly and I was at a loss of what to do with the country.

Taking what little administration I knew I promised equality to all and security to all and that everypony and that the world would one day follow our new ideology of Ponyism. I was like some kind of God and in my heart knew that I was the sole leader of power and not the people but then I was drunk on it as power is easy to misuse.

I killed possible adversaries, arrested others and focused on all our military strength until we were well ready for another war and generally began to control every aspect of life, even culture so that our beliefs were strengthened and bourgeoisie art was not even tolerated.

I fell into dark days then and didn't need a throne and a golden crown to be feared by all that worked for and around me. No the new crowns were Uniform and the way ponies viewed you was your throne and it worked like a charm and nopony stood in my way and any that did didn't for long.

Until my right hand pony, Trotsky my comrade in arms who had stood with me whilst the city of Canterlot burned tried to kill me in my sleep. I remember it with chills running down my back to this day as that was when the Nightmares started.

After that I knew that the only way I could protect my new country was to rule over it as supreme leader for the rest of my life, which with the power of magic and the ingenuity of science I extended beyond times end whilst telling myself "It is for the people."

After that I had turned twenty-one and went into an over-overdrive, becoming paranoid and placing guards everywhere, stepping up arrests and forming my own intelligence network from the ruins of the old Royal Bureau of Investigation. I had my food tested for poison each meal and began to keep a pistol strapped to my side at all times.

I noticed how other countries undermined mine and took steps against this and for my foolishness this would lead to a terrible war that was still going to this day. I didn't want this anymore. This was not what I had originally viewed for the ponies of Equestria. Instead my younger self had gotten carried away with the war that had ended in less than six months and had taken it to other countries that didn't deserve it... well maybe the Griffons.

"Great leader I am sorry, have I offended you?" Shining Star asked in a worried tone, knowing that his life may be on the line as I was in a bad mood as I had been given bad news about the front lines that I of course was always receiving and this put me in a very sour mood indeed and made me violent towards others at times. It had been many months since I'd actually received good news about the war against the damned fascist bird brains so I was always a little on edge when dealing with my fellow comrades.

I shook off my deep thinking lapse and answered "No Commander Shining Star everything is superb" I replied sarcastically "However I beg of all of you now. I am not of the right mind to celebrate my Birthday today. Please all of you leave me and continue these celebrations elsewhere without me."

Everypony didn't take a second hint and shot up from their chairs immediately. Losing slouched positions, spilling wine and leaving meals half eaten they all practically galloped for the door. "Glory to all ponies" they muttered quickly as they passed by my chair at the head of the table and out of the large main doors.

I sat still and stared above the fireplace at the huge portrait of me staring madly at anypony who looked at it. My many medals and decorations were strapped to my chest when in reality I had only earned but a few of them. After the war I had declined being the field commander for my own wars and directed the campaigns on a grander scale, allowing other generals and admirals to do the dirty work.

I looked away from the painting and poured my wine onto the marble floors, watching the dark colour move over the tiles until a large puddle had formed and my cup was empty. I looked back at my portrait that seemed to watch me with disapproval in its eyes.

I'd have liked to believe that I had really retained my youthful looks but I was getting older. No wrinkles graced my skin but I could not stop the inching growth that had me way taller than the average pony now. Neither could I stop how tired I was looking at every war meeting, every speech and every soviet city chair election every year.

"Well I know what you'd say if you were here" I said to my younger self in the portrait. "You are a disgrace to the Soviet ponies! All we have worked for and now you would let it all fall down to capitalists around you because you grow weary of ruling" I mocked, mimicking my violent speeches from my younger years.

"Well we did it comrade! We brought peace to the land. Gave ourselves freedom and took away everypony else's. I believe in equality and working for the state and look at the benefits that has brought for our people. Now we have no unemployment, we have food, security and above all else pride" I said with a slight smile gracing my lips.

"But look at this so called equal land for what it really is. I am the supreme leader of this nation, not the people. These ponies see me as a war hero leading the way and never question why I am always in power as all the ponies left to question are dead or in jail but nopony even thinks about the dead we all climbed to get us here" I swallowed.

"We have committed out people to a taxing war that saps our pride, our security and food whilst moving a few feet a day towards a victory I don't want and neither would the people if they knew the truth!" I shouted angrily at the painting that simply stared back at me with unforgiving eyes.

"I wanted to avenge them! To avenge her! You got power hungry and decided to take more than we had, with what we had being in the balance and now look at us! We're here in the castle of our long dead enemies making sure we do not make the same mistake as they did by keeping the people ignorant and content. Not happy, oh no that would be too easy! Just content so that they don't complain and rebel and then cut our heads off, which is what we really deserve."

Finished with my complaints against myself I threw my glass goblet at my grand portrait where it smashed and made the portrait fall crooked to the left side slightly. "I need the comfort of my bed" I thought as I began to feel one of my routine headaches developing.

I trotted glumly out of the main banquet hall where two of my guards saluted me, their rifles raised by magic. Although Earth Ponies could use firearms if rearing or leaning against something they didn't really have the ability in the field and ability was what most of my soldiers needed so they were surprisingly somewhat restricted military wise despite there being so many of them.

I passed by more guards as I walked the marbled walls. Stained Windows once stood in the window panes but I'd smashed them out personally with my own magic and had normal windows installed and red banners now flew from them as they did everywhere.

I paid no heed to my ever loyal, bordering on fanatic guardsmen and kept walking until I stumbled across one of my many assistants talking to a regular guard that stood watch by my bedroom door. I'd moved my bedroom to the ground floor many years ago for fear that the upstairs was too easy to infiltrate by air.

They hadn't seen me yet and seemed to be talking freely on some matter relating to me. Curious, I listened in and heard "He is a great leader and a true inspiration to the people" that made me smile before the two burst into laughter, the guards coming in deep bellows and my assistant's in light chuckles as they mocked me.

"You know he didn't let Mikhail leave to see his daughter's birth. He missed the whole thing and this hasn't been the first time. Remember Green Frame? My assistant turned and nodded somewhat sadly to my guard and replied "Fired for brushing against the great leader. Lucky too actually cause at first Red Stallion actually believed that Green Frame was trying to kill him!"

I grunted in anger. "That brush was at least a light knock at most" I thought and moved to step in. They would both get time in the cells for this mocking speech on my judgement. I stepped up making sure my hooves fell heavy so that they heard me and turned yell at them.

I didn't see guilt nor sorrow that they had offended their dear leader. All I saw was fear in their eyes, even in my own guard. "Do they really fear me so?" I thought as my eyes softened and I changed my tact. "Both of you have the night off. Go and tell comrade Green Frame he has his old job back and make sure that I am not to be disturbed."

They looked at me in almost awe but their eyes showed a kind of gratefulness that would have usually gone with a pardon before execution than a night off. "Yes Great Leader, thank you great leader" they both stuttered saluting and hurried off, probably afraid I'd change my mind.

I looked onwards until they disappeared behind a corner in the hallway and looked down in sadness. "I did it all for the country. It might have helped me along the way but I love the people and will always do what is best for them" I thought as I stepped into my room.

It was luxurious and three times bigger than my house in the village just outside of Stalliongrad all those centuries ago. I sighed. "The point of getting up in the mornings has been getting less and less" I thought. I didn't ever sleep in though as I didn't really like sleeping as they always came in my dreams, turning them to nightmares with their faces night after night judging me and my actions.

I supposed it was what I deserved but they didn't ever let up. Almost like a curse had been put on me. I looked over to the brandy by my bedside and with my magic I pulled the stopper and prepared to take a drink right out of the decanter when I stopped and stared around the room.

I liked to drink, it helped me sleep but I was not a social drinker and drank more to make my problems go away. Just thinking about it made me depressed so I decided to not to drink myself to death tonight and opt for tomorrow instead.

I looked around my room at my pure white satin bed sheets and the red banners aligned precisely along my windows. The room looked very grandeur but it was all very sickening and shiny. Instead I poured the brandy like I had my wine across the floor and sighed, dropping the decanter where it clattered and partially broke.

I couldn't bring myself to climb into my bed, instead opting to lead against the wall. It wasn't a good idea as I almost slipped on the brandy and before I fell I reached out towards a wall candle holder that didn't support my wait and seemed to break, hanging off the wall.

However I was surprised when the world began turning and I realized I was moving on the floor and into another room. It was dark so I lit my horn up and realized that this was definitely a secret passage.

However before I could think about what to think about all this, the room began to shake and crash around me and a large rock landed right next to my hind leg. "Damn" was all I thought as I tried to make the secret passage entrance turn again but it seemed like I had really broken it and it wouldn't let me get back.

I panicked as the rocks began to increase and it felt that this passageway I was in would collapse. At the last second I opted instead to run deeper into the tunnels to avoid becoming The Red Smear. It was actually a smart choice as seconds later a landslide of rocks chased me into the passageways of the old castle I'd thought had all been found and sealed off.

Thankfully after half a minute the tunnels integrity held and the cascade of rocks stopped. I wiped my forehead of sweat, exhilarated if not a little angry that I was now in this situation. I at last had sense not to blast into the rock since it would likely cause a bigger tunnel collapse.

I considered moving the rocks but some would be too heavy to move. All in all I was trapped in here unless somepony raised the alarm fairly quickly. "Then again I'd sent my guard away and it was late at night, nopony would have heard that or had they then they'd assume I was destroying something in a drunken rage.

As the situation seemed typically dire I decided that this might be a good distraction from being ruler at least and opted to find my own way out of these tunnels that looked really old, dirty and definitely not structurally sound. So without moaning or questioning as of why I hadn't been told about the secret passage behind my room I set out, trying to avoid the cobwebs, my horn lighting the way.

"What is this madness?" I exclaimed as I passed through the seemingly endless number of tunnels littered with cobwebs and the centuries of undusted, unloved halls of this secret and mysterious part of the castle.

"I order them to check every part of the castle for secret passages and they don't even check my own bedroom!?" I thought, making a mental note inside to have the castle checked over top to bottom when I found my way out of here.

"In fact I'll build my own palace, one of grandeur that will show the true might of the nation" I decided there and then. At least I wouldn't have to deal with this in the future. The fact of this passageway not being found was troubling however as there was always rumors since the revolution that some of the Royals survived. I decided to press on and not give a thought to what this might mean and have my spies investigate this later.

The tunnels went on for miles, always dull and badly needing a dusting. In some places the tunnels had slightly collapsed, their wooden pillars having fallen from the weight of the upper levels of the castle. "I am definitely moving my Capital to a better city, one more like Stalliongrad" I thought as I ducked under the collapsed beam and pressed on.

I had seen a lot in my time as leader and revolutionary but I was beginning to worry when after maybe an hour I hadn't found my way out of the castle tunnels yet. "How is it that nopony has never found this?" I kept wondering when suddenly something strange happened and I wasn't sure at first what it was.

I felt a mild buzz and my coat seemed to bristle and stand slightly on end and tingle and I looked around to see what was causing this. For a minute nothing happened and I believed that I must be imagining something until a light began to emerge from the depths of the tunnels, glowing ominously.

"What in the name of the revolution?" I muttered under my breath and bellowed "Stop where you are!" to the pony or whatever creature was coming towards me with the light.

It came closer and I began to wonder if it was really anypony at all, considering how it floated it could only be some form of magic but then who'd cast it? Then again it could also be some kind of ancient enchantment though casting anything beyond a levitation spell was complicated unless you studied in the ways of magic and thanks to my regulations very few studied any of that except for my guards.

In about another thirty seconds a ball of bright blue light passed overhead, tingling with an almost electrical effect and causing my coat to stand on end and become spikey. "Perhaps this is a way out?" I thought to myself and after brushing myself down I strode behind the ball of light to see where it led me to.

"This definitely warrants a full investigation by the P.C.I.B." I thought dully as I followed behind the ball of light. Nopony had probably reported me missing yet though not hearing the large tunnel collapse would have been strange and surely somepony would investigate.

Then again I remembered that I did not permit anypony to enter my room unless they had made an appointment three days ago and only if I'd approved it. I rarely did so nopony ever even bothered. Thinking about this actually made me question why I even bothered to come up with half of these pointless rules.

I followed the blue, magical orb for what seemed like hours but in reality was only ten minutes until I reached what seemed like a large amphitheater with many different odd elements around it that to me just looked bizarre.

I saw coats that resembled the ones scientists wore centuries ago, glass bottles, test tube and other scientific instruments all strewn along a table and covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. On the walls were bookshelves with books turned moldy and crumbling and barely held together, in fact this whole place was black and crumbling apart from the center of the amphitheater where this pristine, shiny and good as new mirror stood, shimmering in the light every so often.

The Blue sphere began to head back, abandoning me and returning along it's planned out route and soon the room turned dark and I had to light up my horn again, bathing the room in a red magic that made everything look a lot more eerie and mysterious though at least enabled me to see where I was going.

Now my worried mind had been replaced by my curious one and I began to investigate the bizarre layout of the room and why there was a mirror in it. Firstly I knew that there was no way out of the room so perhaps there was a clue to escape around here. Then again there might not be any clue and I might be wasting my time when I should have been moving the highly unstable rocks from the entranceway.

I browsed over the old and worn bookshelves and took in the very musty and horrid smell of these old books. Yellowed paper and parchments that had been eaten away by time, none of them could serve to aid me in a way out now.

Some of the titles however referred to something to do with the mirror although what purpose it served was impossible to know but perhaps it was a clue to a way out? I went over to the table where all the chemistry tools were laid out and looked around for a while, not knowing what any of them really did.

Some chemicals still remained in their bottles. Many however had evaporated or gone bad and one even seemed to have exploded, leaving a black stain on the table and floor where it had been placed.

At one end there seemed to be some kind of test tube storage where dozens of red filled test tubes lay around gathering dust and doing nothing particularly interesting. Then again I was being too imaginative. Did I expect them to burst out of their tubes and do a dance?

I left that tables and went over to the mirror and looked at it. I could see my reflection in the mirror as normal and all and nothing at all seemed different. A tall and sadly not very muscular stallion looked back at me with his dark green military Uniform making him look very smart and powerful. He also seemed to have lost his cap, though I remembered/ that I'd never worn it that day anyway.

"At least I'm not fat" I thought "Though maybe I should take up some activity to gain a little muscle back". The mirror didn't look special at all and I reached my hoof out tentatively to touch it. It made a high ringing sound when my hoof came into contact with it, almost like a crystal glass.

That was when I spotted something around the back of the mirror that I hadn't seen. I looked down to see what looked like a rock but upon further inspection I realized was actually a bone. I looked around the mirror and was shocked to see the hollow eyes of a skeleton staring back at me.

I stepped back a little and walked round to the mirror and had a long look at the poor pony that had died here. He was some kind of military leader, maybe even a royal himself as he was dressed to impress and some of his military decorations had yet to rust away. His uniform had a hole in the chest and although it was worn I guessed that he was likely wounded by a bullet in the battle and had retreated in here, maybe expecting a final stand?

"Although to do what was a complete mystery as a final stand with one pony isn't much of a stand" I thought, looking around to see if there wasn't actually a secret exit within this secret laboratory that had been hidden behind the wall of my bedroom for a little less than half a century maybe more.

That's when I spotted what was lying next to him. A vial of the red liquid that he must have spilled was lying next to his outstretched hoof. "How mysterious" I murmured, it seemed like he was trying to drink it or something or maybe it was some kind of healing remedy those Zebras were so fond of.

I picked up the vial and looked at the dead skeleton of the pony. For some reason I suddenly felt quite guilty for my part in his death. "I'm sorry" I said out loud, though it felt hollow and cowardly. It was after all a bit late to be sorry.

I wasn't sure what this all meant but I was sure that this had to link up in some way. I sat down on one of the amputheaters stands and looked at the mirror and the vials over by the lab tables. Then I looked at the bookshelves and the dead pony and began to think.

I wasn't exactly a pony of great intelligence but I had learned how to connect the dots in the past. This room was obviously a laboratory and the ponies under the crown had obviously been working on something to do with the vials and the mirror that was fairly big to hide it here.

The dead pony had obviously come here to escape as I assumed he wouldn't have simply come here to bleed out and he had in his hoof a vial of this formula he had been trying to drink. The books were useless but they hinted that the mirror was something special and so I began to think really hard, pushing my brain into overdrive.

It seemed bizarre but then this whole situation was but I believed that he had been trying to drink the vial before he'd die to use the mirror to do… something. Maybe it was some kind of magical healing unit or maybe it was a way out. I'd heard that Royal's used to possess the ability to magically disappear and reappear at will in a different location at the cost of a large portion of magic but I believed it to be a myth as there was no evidence of this in reality.

I stood up and touched the mirror and looked to see if it sparkled or shimmered. Beyond looking brand new it didn't look magical and when I touched it again it let out the same high pitched ring as before.

I went over to the tables and picked up a box with the vials in them. I took one out and pulled the cork out of it. The waft on what smelled like the strongest vodka hit me but coupled with what smelled like blood it made me want to vomit.

I threw the vial away and took another out, this time not releasing the stopper. I placed it in a small pocket in my uniform and went down to the mirror and steeled myself for what I was about to do.

This was a stupid and unwise decision. Drinking a few centuries old vial of unknown liquid and walking into a mirror. I was more likely to get some infection than to transport myself to a different part of the castle.

But thinking it through this was my only option. I couldn't blast a way back to my bed chambers as the tunnels would collapse on me and kill me. I couldn't call out for help cause that would make me feel foolish and likely achieve nothing from the amount of rock between me and somepony else. Waiting here to die didn't seem very fun either as I would first feel my tongue swell up as I had nothing but blood vials to drink and that would choke me and so that left me to follow my gut and do this.

I touched the mirror once more and held the liquid up with my magic, debating what I was going to do. I'd have liked to pass this off as a dream but all I ever had were nightmares of the things I'd done to all the ponies under my reign and before and this was no nightmare.

"You only live once" I said comically to myself, ashamed about my immortality as I uncorked the vial and without thinking swallowed the red liquid. It was thick and oily and had indeed the texture of blood besides the way it looked and I gagged, nearly throwing up.

I wished for a drink of water but unfortunately there wasn't anything to drink except the damned red chemical now making my throat burn. "Maybe I've poisoned myself?" I thought, thinking it ironic that whoever ruled the land in the next thousand years would dig up this castle and find the body of The Red Stallion clutching the poison he'd taken probably to stop the pain of starving to death.

"That makes me look cowardly" I thought as I erupted into a fit of coughing but managed to regain my composure enough to stare into the mirror that now looked kind of shimmery.

At first I assumed the vial may have had some kind of narcotic in it but only the mirror shimmered whilst the rest of the room seemed fine. "This is unreal" I thought but the words "Who wants to live forever" repeated in my head and with a sigh I launched myself into the mirror.

What surprised me was not the fact I'd went through it but the fact that I came out of it fairly quickly as well, landing in a heap on a nice marble floor that was the first sign that I was back in my castle. I looked up to see I'd popped out of a pillar and groaned from my heap on the floor.

I was actually a little disappointed that the ride hadn't lasted longer than that. I had expected swirling, multi-colored tunnels and myself to swirl along with them as I shifter between space and time but then I supposed I should be happy to just be back in, well wherever I was.

I sat up and looked around the room and definitely knew that these weren't my bed chambers.

The walls were painted with stars to a blue background and the bed was of dark blue with silk sheets and the windows didn't bear the banner of the people, instead opting to be bare.

"But this is Canterlot castle surely? I know the marble and the pillars I must be home" I thought when suddenly a voice from behind startled me and I almost fall back through the pillar I'd fallen through.

"Well that's not something you see every day" said an obviously female voice though the accent was like none I'd ever heard, so light and not at all like anypony in the people's nation.

I turned around and my mouth dropped at what I saw. "T-That's not possible" I said in shock. "You're all dead! I killed you all!" I stammered, backing up to the pillar. It didn't let me through like before and I was forced to face my nightmares now turned reality and I as terrified as always.