Discontent
I flashed the light on and off for a few more seconds before I saw the small caravan of ponies quickly dart over from the street opposite. I knew that there were no guard patrols as there had been in the times of King Sombra but still somepony could see and then questions might be raised.
I headed downstairs to where my older brother Jet was waiting. His mane was alike that of Jet crystal and his mane was the colour of a grey sky and his eyes that burned with the passion of the Empire were that alike an eagles, ever vigilant and watching.
To say I looked up to my brother was an understatement, I basically modelled myself off of him. He was strong both mentally and physically, had the wit of a philosopher and the leadership of a King, well not a King Sombra but a fair King.
I was nothing like him, I had a ruby coat and a burgundy mane that were both far too mareish I thought. I wasn't as strong, as smart or as talented as he was, my special talent being that of organising whilst his was one of leadership.
Still we were brothers and we stuck together, like we always had and now was a big moment for us. My brother looked over at me and I nodded, he sighed and murmured "So here we go. Let's just hope this doesn't end up in a brawl eh Siam?" and with that we entered through to the front of the bakery where we had set up for now.
There were roughly 40 ponies all crammed into the front, curtains were drawn in front of the windows and lights were dimmed as we stepped behind the counter, and listened to the chatter of the ponies we'd grown up around. Some we hated and some we admired.
There was a few business ponies who had once been owners of multiple establishments across Equestria now they had only their businesses here left in the city. There were rebels, those who opposed King Sombra, who sabotaged the mines and tried valiantly to free ponies. There were old city officials, now ousted from power thanks the takeover from Equestria. Then most shockingly to everypony was the small contingency of officers of the Sombra Royal Guard.
Dressed in their black armour, their eyes that alike cats and their teeth barred they were frightening but even more so was their loyalty to their leader, even if he was dead and buried.
"What's the meaning of this meet? Why are they here!" shouted a rebel whilst some other ponies argued and whined to each other about the pony next to them. In truth these ponies had nothing in common and I was beginning to wonder if this was a actually a good idea when my brother finally spoke up, his voice shattering the others complaints. "We are all here today, to discuss the future of the Crystal Empire."
Everypony was eyeing him and I couldn't help but blush, my shyness coming out as I kept well behind him. "We are all or were all leaders and ponies of position at one point in the Empire, we have influence and respect among our followings. As you know the tyrant is dead. For most of us here that is a blessing and for some that enrages you to he point you would have us struck down."
Just having said that there officers did seem to snort and I imagined the dark magic that they could have once unleashed upon us, now gone with Sombra.
"Regardless of your thoughts I want us all to draw our attention to the new threat poised against the Empire. A threat that comes from Equestria and is now sitting in the throne room of the palace", murmurs sounded all round and some ponies nodded as my brother said "Princess Cadence is the pony whom I'm talking about."
A fat business pony spoke up saying "But she was the one who protected and saved the Empire from Sombra they say she has a direct tie all the way back to Princess Amore, our last great ruler before Sombra killed her."
The old guard seethed in fury at hearing this but my brother kept all eyes on him as he calmly yet firmly explained "Her family ties are vague at best and although she saved us, do you not all think it unfair that she is now ruling us? What gives her a right? She doesn't know our ways, Doesn't know our wants. She is an outsider and answers to Equestria as proven in this letter from her aunt!" he declared, holding up the parchment which he then passed round for ponies to authenticate.
This letter awards Princess Cadence and Shining Armour the Crystal Empire which is now rejoined with the rest of Equestria. Do you not see we've been assimilated into a country! Annexed with a puppet ruler now on our throne, one tyrant for another friends."
"Where did you get this letter!?" an old guard pony spat and my brother cooly replied "I have contacts within the palace who are right now working on gaining the trust of the Princess and have already gained valuable intel."
There were a few nods but for the majority there were shaking heads, barred teeth and angry calls of idiocy were directed towards Jet. "You are a fool, they saved us" they said and another cried "So what? We're happy and free now this is the peace we wanted."
This all went on for ten minutes as my brother brought his hoof down once more, drawing the attention of everypony as he explained more tiredly "I asked you here today to consider our future? A future with no Kings or Queens on the throne and no blue bloods to tell us what to do. A future of democratic representatives elected by the Crystal Ponies, for the Crystal Ponies who would govern and decide our laws and policies. A Crystal Republic."
It was an amazing dream to think about, we'd not heard much of the outside world but things were still the same as when we left. A ruler sat on the throne in all the kingdoms and dictated the way things worked. Ponies were happy but they certainly were not free.
"This is a waste of my time, I have a cake factory that will be upgraded with modern equipment and receive loans to expand into the Equestrian market, keep you crummy little rebellious plans you ungrateful mongrels!" and like that the business ponies all left, not one staying behind and considering the future.
"We have fought for peace and prosperity for so long and now it is here. The Equestrians offer us that peace and we shall not throw it in their faces. Cadence is a fair and just ruler and we will have no reason to join this new rebellion" the slim leader of the rebels shot at us as she and the majority of her followers left, one or two staying behind.
"W-W-We must say that the thought of a democratic Crystal Republic excites us and we although cast out as old fashioned and as followers of the evil Sombra wish also for peace, which is why the majority of us must decline" said one of the bumbling ex-city officials as most of his group also filed out of the store and into the dark night.
That left the old Guard, the ones we expected to co-operate least and their leader, the terrifying Captain Bermuda with his snake tongue hissed "Theresss only one true lord whom we ssseerve. You havvven't won us over with your pathetic little wordsssss, long live the king, death to Equestria and all traitors!" and with that they saluted and all left, no pony staying behind from them either.
I looked along with my brother at all who remained. Two rebels and three city officials all stood together in the now very quiet bakery. "This has gone way better than expected" my brother whispered to me as I stared wide eyed and he clapped his hooves together.
"Friends, this is a monumental occasion, today is the day that we officially found the Crystal Republican Movement! A movement of action but careful and hopefully peaceful at the same time. As small a following as we are now, we shall grow in size when the word gets out and hopefully we shall be able to stir up enough of a fuss that the Princess will talk to us" my brother announced.
It seemed like a weak statement but coming from him it sounded like a real plan and immediately there was a small cheer and great excitement among the small group we'd gathered. "Now I ask that we reconvene here in two nights to work on the details, in that time get in contact with ponies you know and who might be interested but make sure that you tell no guards or rats, this movement must be kept a secret for now."
The five nodded, united in their tasks now as they all saluted and bid farewell exiting the doors and quickly slinking away into the night and hopefully to their respective areas of influence.
My brother sighed and hit his head against the counter. "That was tough" he murmured as the door shut. I went over to him and patted him on the back saying "You did good bro, I mean they listened to you and it looked even like the old Guard were interested at one point.
He smiled at me and ruffled my hair "You're a good little brother Siam" he chuckled as I shook his hoof off. "Damn it I'm not a colt anymore Jet" I chastised as he replied "Well by the way you kept behind my back and said nothing it seemed like it. You knew the speech and the plan, you could have co-explained."
I blushed at that, he was the older brother, always the talker and the swindler and the romantic. I was always the little colt who stayed back and watched behind the corner and had trouble talking to ponies, it was natural I suppose that Jet got all the confidence in the family and the looks and the muscle and the brains and I got the… the… typing skills? I wasn't really sure but I didn't mind.
"You have great potential Siam, I want you to step in, in future alright?" he asked and I nodded, not promising anything but who knows? Maybe the moon would turn red and the sun would explode into a fantastical display.
He looked at me and I looked at him and he sighed. "I miss her too bud" he remarked and we both looked around the old bakery. It hurt so much to remember our foalhoods here although the end of mine signalled the rise of Sombra and the end to the happy life we'd once had.
"Remember we do this so that we can guarantee nopony else ever gets hurt" he choked as memories came back that we both wanted buried. I swallowed and nodded as we put our heads together "Till the end" he uttered and I repeated "Till the end" as a tear slipped out of my eye.