- 6th December 1945 - Early morning
It has been 2 days since the Soviet seaborne invasion of Equestria had begun. The majority of Equestria's territory in the far east and far south are under Soviet occupation. Ponies that were able to escape their homes have been flocking west and up north in the masses. Those that weren't able to escape ended up being captured, and their fate is unknown to those who did escaped.
The mane 6, Spur, Biscuit, Coco Pommel and the 7 fillies have all been living in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres since. The human, Kacper Delenski has also been living with them. He hasn't been able to find the pilot who took Diamond Tiara's life on the 3rd, during the air raid. His time to fight against the Soviets will come naturally he decided.
While the CMC, the 3 colts and Silver Spoon have had their breakfast and returned to the clubhouse, the adult ponies and Delenski had their breakfasts. It is a small breakfast, only a single salad sandwich each. An unusual breakfast, but food must be rationed.
The mane 6, Spur, Biscuit, Coco Pommel and Delenski are sat in a circle. Fluttershy and Delenski are on opposite sides, as the yellow pegasus is still very scared of the human. Rainbow Dash is also wary of Delenski.
"Again, we're so so grateful for you all taking us in," Spur wept.
"It's okay, sugarcube. Wer' now family. Whatev' 'appens ta us, we look out for one another," Applejack replied.
"Glad you all are healing. Those cuts look nasty," Said Delenski.
"Yeah, one minute we were running... next moment we were outside Ponyville hospital... we could've easily died... I prefer not to talk about that day..." Rarity shuddered. Many ponies have died during the air raid.
"Our next task is obviously defeating the Soviets," Rainbow Dash stated.
"If you have a plan on beating a seven million strong army that keeps getting bigger, I'd really love to know," Twilight sighed. Her morale had slowly began deteriorating since late 1944, and now it's really at an all time low.
"Equestria faced many enemies before-"
"Except this time we were in the wrong for siding with Germany!" Twilight's voice boomed, her voice shortly after lowering down to a weeping murmur
"And because we did, the Soviets are taking it out on innocent ponies..."
"We 'ad no part in tis, Twi. All decisions were made by Celestia n Luna with Twatler," Applejack firmly stated.
"Whatever side you fight on, war is ugly. The politicians sit back waging war while their little unwilling subjects suffer," Said Delenski.
"Well said Delenski, well said," Applejack nods in strong agreement with Delenski's statement.
"But... what do we do now?" Said Biscuit.
"I don't know... because the only pony who could possibly fix this mess was Doctor Whooves, but he's long gone now," Twilight murmured back.
"We've got to beat the USSR... somehow, somehow we have to beat the Soviets. If Stalin wins and he installs communism to Equestria... life will never be the same. Equestria would never recover from a Soviet occupation," Rainbow Dash stated.
"Judging what's happening in Eastern Europe- A country-wide famine, to be precise- Friendship being replaced by communism- Us becoming 'villains' in a communist Equestria- Suffering on mass- Eep!" Pinkie Pie gulped at the fate of the Equestria they know.
"If they just kept to just taking captured ponies who were fighting... alright... fine..." Rarity muttered.
"But attacking a civilian population is drawing the line. The innocent civilians had nothing to do with the fighting. I get the Soviets want revenge... but this is no longer revenge, it's barbarism..." Rarity added in a murmur.
"I... I want to do what I can do outside for the farm. I want to give something in return for you all taking me in," Said Delenski.
"Alrigh' then, follow me n I'll find somethin' for ya Delenski. If ya not sure on somethin' come n ask me," Applejack replied, appreciating Delenski's attitude in wanting to do something in return. The orange earth pony opens the doors of the barn, then she and the human walks out. Fluttershy felt more at ease now.
"Fluttershy, he isn't a bad human," Pinkie Pie said to the yellow pegasus. This isn't the first time Pinkie Pie said this to her.
"If you knew were with us at either gulags, you'll know why she's now petrified of humans!" Rainbow Dash snapped in Fluttershy's defence.
"S- Sorry..." Rainbow Dash stuttered.
"Rainbow, it's okay... what you two went through... it was... just horrible. I can talk to them with what happened... if that's alright of course," Twilight offered.
"If you don't mind, yes please," Rainbow Dash replied. The rest of the mane 6, Spur, Biscuit and Coco Pommel follows Twilight outside. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stays inside. The yellow pegasus leans left onto the light blue pegasus, who leans her head right, touching her friend's head.
"Hey... we come to see how you two are doing. We noticed everypony was outside except you two," Said one of the fillies. The CMC, the colts and Silver Spoon walk inside of the barn.
"We're alright Scoots," Rainbow Dash sighed.
"It doesn't sound like it," Scootaloo responded back.
"What's wrong?" Apple Bloom asked, having a sad facial expression. She could tell Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy are not alright.
"Okay... we need a little chat about something..." Rainbow Dash murmured.
(Outside the barn)
"Hey, I had jus' set up Delenski with a ladder and he's taking down ta apples- Why we all out here?" Applejack asked the rather big group of ponies.
"Rainbow and with the approval of Fluttershy... they wanted me to talk to you all about something," Twilight replied. Everypony outside sat down in a circle and awaits what the alicorn has to say.
"You all know when she said that she as well as Fluttershy and Discord were ponynapped by the Soviets in nineteen forty two?"
"How in the name of Celestia did them low-life sub-creatures capture Discord?" Rarity questioned in disbelief.
"They somehow acquired Grogar's Bell, and from there they got him... most likely the work of the NKVD. But... the worst part is when they arrived in the USSR... and the things they were put through... it really made my blood boil. While we were putting in so much effort into finding them, they were going through unbearable torture," Twilight explained.
"Were they in those gulags- That's what they're called, right?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Yes, Fluttershy and Discord were taken to Vorkuta. Rainbow went looking for them after they went missing, and she too was ponynapped, but was taken to Kolyma. From what I know, Vorkuta and Kolyma are where some the worst gulags are. Bitter cold and practically nothing but snow and wolves surrounding them for miles all around," Twilight replied.
"Is that where everypony who did actually fight... ended up?" Biscuit quivered.
"It seems so, because Bulk was at Vorkuta, while Soarin was at Kolyma, both of whom were conscripted. Bulk is... no longer around, while Soarin... Rainbow doesn't know if he was executed in trying to aid her escape or not. From what she said, it was also common to find dead bodies laying about too, both human and pony prisoners. There was also fights, and they had to eat dead bodies, raw too, to stay alive," Twilight replied, who is shuddering in horror and, and understandably so. She was no longer angry, she is outright petrified that this will likely be put upon other innocent ponies.
"Oh my gosh..." Coco Pommel quietly gasped, horrified by the given details. Everypony is horrified, mortified even, but that's not the worst. Twilight goes on telling everything Rainbow Dash had said.
"Discord and Bulk kept Fluttershy safe. Rainbow had worse luck though. She said that whenever she refused to work or when she was too tired, the guards would take her to a room and... whack her with rods either piping hot or freezing cold... in... places... places no creature should be touched- It stopped when a human named Vasily came and protect her. Even with the kind Vasily, Rainbow had many suicidal thoughts in Kolyma, and tried running herself over with a minecart. But when Soarin came, Rainbow found more urge to hang on. Just before December, she escaped, and the fate of Soarin and Vasily is unknown. Five days later, she found Fluttershy dead, but barely managed to resuscitate her. Then, they escaped the USSR on a Yak-3, just before the air raid."
For some moments, nopony has anything to say. This is beyond what barbarism can describe. It hits them all like a frozen mallet. The atrocious actions of the cold-blooded gulag guards mortified everypony.
"I think they are very brave and strong ponies. It must take so much willpower to go through that," Spur eventually broke the silence.
(Inside the barn)
"... starvings, beatings, and torture was present too, systematic even. It was so bad we both didn't want to go on further... I at one point tried drinking kerosene, only to be stopped by Discord- I was desperate to escape... it appeared impossible to go on and the only way to escape... appeared to be death. Had Discord not been there, and especially if Rainbow hadn't resuscitated me, it's a fact I would not be alive right now," Fluttershy shudders as she finishes what she felt comfortable talking about. She could've died a few days ago, in fact she had died, but was very lucky to be resuscitated.
The eyes of each 4 filly's and 3 colt's widen in shock. This is not like the several scary spooky campfire stories they had been told over the years. The gulags are real, and are truly horrific. All of King Sombra's atrocities combined pale in comparison of 2 single accounts of only some atrocities orchestrated by Joseph Stalin.
"That's why I want to use my Rainbow Nuke on a Soviet city. We have to show we can hit hard back, or they'll continue doing this stuff. What we went through, they will put fillies and colts through too even... if any of us remain that is," Rainbow Dash finished the subject.
"We need time alone... if that's okay," Fluttershy requested. The 7 foals nodded as they head outside of the barn. They head off to somewhere away from the other ponies outside, but making sure they can still see them incase of an emergency.
"They done this to them... but what for? What do the Soviets get out of this!?" Apple Bloom wept heavily.
"If it's just for vengeance... the Soviets are taking this too far..." Tender Taps dully murmured.
"The Soviets are just gonna keep on doing this- They killed my parents in the air raid- They- They are- Soviets are- They-" Rumble gets angrier and louder before breaking down into tears. Scootaloo pulls him in for a hug, which the colt let her. Rumble is in need of a hug.
"I don't know about my mother either... Rarity hasn't heard anything back from her..." Button Mash is growing more worried about his mother, Love Tap.
"They killed Cheerilee too... Diamond... just- Just who's next?" Silver Spoon sorrowfully whimpered.
"Whoever brought us to this darn planet should be punished! Whoever it was, it's all their bucking fault we got into this mess!" Scootaloo declared.
"I... I just want this to all stop all together..." Sweetie Belle whimpered in a depressing, sorrow murmur. The fillies have reached their breaking point and together has a group hug.
The filles and coltd have been gripped by an ever-growing devastating war, being waged by the Soviet Union. Fighting the Soviet Union under Stalin isn't like fighting the old changelings, Storm King's armies, or King Sombra's forces. To the Soviets, everypony is a target.
"If Diamond was here... she'd want us to keep going... Cheerilee too- They'd want us to stay strong..." Silver Spoon weakly spoke in a forced-soft, sobbing tone.
"I... I have a desire to fight..." Apple Bloom sheepishly admitted.
"Me too... but in no way will Rainbow and that would allow us to fight- But... I also want to fight," Scootaloo could picture how the mane 6 would react if they were killed in fighting, which is why she thinks they wouldn't allow her or her friends to fight.
"If we have the slimmest chance to beat the Soviets, everypony, every creature has to fight. Whether we fight or not, they will kill us anyway. Unless we can make this war too costly for the Soviets to consider worth continuing, they'll just gobble up Equestria," Rumble is not letting his morale be hampered by what's going on. Like Diamond Tiara and Cheerilee, Rumble knows his parents would want him to stay strong. He wants to fight, in the name of his parents.
"Then if we show we can fight back hard... the USA might be inclined to help. If the Americans do come to save us, we would stand a decent chance at winning," Sweetie Belle calculated. She indicates her desire to fight.
"Either way, whether we win or lose, whether we live or die, we'll make this war so costly that we will avenge those who fallen for unjust reasons," Tender Taps knew Equestria's chances were slim at best.
"We've got to win this, because unlike in games when you lose, you can restart. If we lose this war to the Soviets, we also lose our lives... or worse," Button Mash shuddered. One thing that's worse than death is torture. The small but graphic details of Rainbow Dash's and Fluttershy's experiences inside the gulags are accounts of that torture.
"We have got to keep this discreet to Twily and that obviously- We gotta come up with a name for our resistance group- Any ideas?" Scootaloo asked, glancing to one friend at a time.
"Cutie Mark... something- We need a different word than 'crusader'. We need a more... defensive-sounding word," Sweetie Belle concluded.
"Resistance?" Button Mash shared his word.
"That's a good word- I like it!" Silver Spoon exclaimed in strong agreement. Everypony except Scootaloo liked the name 'Cutie Mark Resistance'.
"The Cutie Mark Resistance... that'll make us blatant targets to the Soviets... more specifically, the NKVD- Y'know, the organization that was most likely behind Rainbow's Fluttershy's and Discord's ponynapping?" Scootaloo shared her concerns with the name.
"Whatever name we come up with, they'll target us anyway. Plus, having that name, it'll show others we are fighting for our freedom- As much as all of Equestria is right now," Silver Spoon countered Scootaloo's concerns.
"Is the six about, by any chance?"
The foals turn around and sees a white unicorn stallion with a bright blue mane and tail. The mane and tail is very messy, and all over their body they has minor cuts.
"Shining Armour- What... happened to you?"
"I have an important message from Celestia and Luna. It is for Twilight and her friends. As I saw you lot about... I thought they would be here too," Shining Armour explained.
"When we come back from this n recova, Stalin ain't gonna know what'll be comin' for him," Applejack muttered with boiling with anger in her voice after hearing the different accounts inside of Stalin's gulags.
"Had it not been for Bloofy... we'd have been sent the... g- Gulags..." Spur shuddered. Her pet saved her as well as Biscuit and Coco Pommel.
"Speaking of- Where is Bloofy right now?"
"They're still inside the barn. Don't worry, they won't go off," Biscuit replied.
"Twilight!"
"Shining- You're okay!" Twilight is ecstatic to see that her brother is alive, and hugs him. The white unicorn weakly smiles and hugs his sister back.
Twilight realizes something awful must've happened if her brother, the current leader of the Royal Guards, have came down to a barn.
"What- Happened?" The alicorn stuttered.
"Celestia and Luna... they- I... They-" The white unicorn stallion stuttered.
"They- What happened to them!?" Twilight panicked.
"Don't tell me they're dead too!" Twilight's thoughts races around her in her head.
"Rubble fell on top of them... I- I tried helping them out- They ordered me to find you- I'm sorry- I tried saving them okay!" The strong brother of Twilight's is crying. Everypony gasped in ice-shocked horror, even Applejack.
The alicorns who made Twilight who she is, helped bring her and her friends closer, are gone. The purple alicorn sat down and began to cry. This is the last straw. She feels as though she failed.
"What did we just here!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She comes over to everypony else with Fluttershy.
"Celestia and Luna... didn't make it- What!?" The 7 foals had come back and they overheard what Shining Armour shared.
"They're gone..." Shining Armour murmured.
The news of what happened to Celestia and Luna sent chills down everypony's spine. If they're truly gone, Equestria's leadership has been decapitated. If news of this spreads around, chaos and anarchy will ensue.
Sorry if this is a short and too-chilled of a chapter. I wanted to explain a few gaps I've left, as well as exploring deeperintowhat went on when Rainbow, Fluttershy and Discord were inside the gulags. The next few chapters though... that's when things will become really interesting. Keep a look out for those chapters :O