Twilight Sparkle P.O.V
Sometime after the meeting...
By now the rest of the Mane Six had parted from the hall to go their separate ways, leaving me and Celestia in the secret meeting room alone. Although one having left with an exit nopony could predict nor, as I began to realise, blame her for. By the end of this we had brought it upon only four of us, Fluttershy had, for obvious reasons, requested to stay out of this affair and Applejack... I've never seen her act so defiant in my life. But knowing her, she wouldn't act so without reason, a reason I was beginning to see. Celestia wouldn't want somepony dead that was fighting in her name for the sake of the Royal Guard's reputation alone. I needed to know more...
"Princess? Can I ask something of you? I need to know more... About Applejack's denial..." Her ears perked up at hearing the final words of my sentence, also stopping mid-stride from leaving the room but merely turned to face me with a concerned look on her face.
"Go on?"
"Well, the thing is... Applejack may have had a point when she... refused. I know you well enough to see that the ending of a pony's life who risks it to protect our own just for the guard seems like more loss than gain... why do you really want Delta deceased?"
"Twilight... I was afraid you'd ask such a question, although I know Applejack's defiance for this assignment may affect you. But however I can assure you it is not without a greater reason that I requested such an act." With this short introduction to a greater reason, she removed her crown and floated it over to me, where I grasped it with my magic, examining it's details closer than ever before.
"This crown has been worn by Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses alike. Well, beyond a time when I first opened my eyes to the current moment in time. Tell me Twilight; what would a civilisation fall into without a strong leadership?"
"Well, all sorts of possibilities Princess, worst case scenario being total anarchy. But what does this have to do with your distaste for Delta Hooves?"
"I'm glad you asked; this war has brought our country to near defeat yet time and time again he's the one who gets us out of such situations. If I can't promise my kingdom their safety, then why would they still want me as ruler?"
"So, this really isn't just about the guard... it's about you staying in power? As our ruler I mean."
She merely sighed as she confirmed my assumption with a quick nod. "Yes, I know the war may be over soon and we will have little need for him afterwards but the fact you may call me Celestia instead of my current position as Princess after the war, it's a scary thought Twilight-."
"I'll be sure that you still rest upon your throne your highness, it's the very least I can do for all you've done for me."
"So you'll do it? Take out Delta I mean, doing so will assure your position as co-ruler of all the land we rule and more."
And more? What could see mean by that? Some kind of secret plans or simple royal privileges? "What do you mean by more your highness?"
"That is for the future to decide, so Twilight Sparkle, leader of the elements of harmony, will you assure me that I remain our leader and that we shall lead our country to glory?"
"I'll do it."
Applejack P.O.V
Several miles away, Sweet Apple Acres
The barns of our farm were stacked with different resources in each one, but my personal favourite would have to be the hay barn. Not just because of how comfortable it's contents were, but from how deserted and isolated it tended to be. I'm not saying that I raised a barn in my spare time for just alone time but it's convenience had given me respite in times I just needed to think. Heck, I even use this place to keep myself locked away from doing anything I may regret when my heat cycles come around.
Sure, I may have been told often that I'd be best to find a stallion that I could raise a family with, but the stallions and mares I've met in the past just don't seem to suit me and after me and Rainbow had broken up, things for me and finding lovers have never been the same. If I'm gonna ever find somepony special, I want him or her to treat me with the respect lovers should get, not to just tear my heart apart again because they only wanted a good time.
But right now romance wasn't my main concern, what was however was the problem was the discovery of Celestia's plans for Delta Hooves. That for a pony, who did so much for no rewards other than knowing we're being kept safe, to be targeted by those he protects? It's so selfish and horrible that I could hardly tell what was worse, the fact she asked us to do such a thing or that my friends had actually agreed to do so. I can understand that Dashie had her own reasons for this but that gave her no excuse for this in my opinion. No wonder we broke up, she's changed.
By now I begin to realise that my cheeks were now sodden with tears flowing from my eyes, feeling grief overcome me as I lay onto a single patch of hay, attempting to cry myself to sleep, wherever Delta is, I hope he will be safe...
Last year
The rebuilding of Cloudsdale wasn't the usual place you'd expect to find a farm-mare like myself, but considering my relationship with Dash, I could hardly refuse to help her and her other pegasi friends rebuild as the war was being pushed away from our homes. Hence the reason I got up early to meet up with Twilight, get the cloud walking spell and catch the soonest balloon I could to Cloudsdale.
The day was beginning to wind down by now as we began to finish rebuilding some of the many destroyed homes, there were plenty more to go but for today, we've done an honest amount of work.
"Alright Everypony, pack it up! We're done for today!" I received several nods as the pegasi lay down their hammers and resources, all parting ways to fly off, leaving me to waltz through the empty streets myself, but however I was beginning to notice something, was the ground... giving way?
"What in tarnation?" I looked down to my hooves, seeing that instead of being on top of the clouds, my hooves were slightly sliding into them, a purple flicker was all I needed to confirm my fears as suddenly gravity taken hold, my spell had given out!
My scream was probably loud enough for anypony still up there to hear but as the ground rushed up to meet me, I gave up my screams of terror, despite how scared I was, I knew there was no way I could survive the impact-
Suddenly my breath is cut short as I feel the gravity pulling me to Earth slow down, what's happening? That's when I finally open my eyes, finding myself looking up to a green stallion holding me in his hooves, his light blue eyes looking back into my own, calming me instantly as I hold onto him.
"It's alright, I gotcha, you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you" He merely smiled to me as he set me down on the ground, soon taking off but as I watched him leave, he gave me a friendly fly by which was when I spotted it, his cutie mark, then I realised the pony who just saved my life was Delta hooves! This sure as heck will be something to tell the girls, speaking of which, note to self; "Let Twi know her spell didn't bloody work!"
