Not our world anymore (IC)

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Twilight crumbled to the ground, squeezing her eyes shut as tears leaked from them. Needless to say she was sick and tired of the adversity they had been facing, day in and day out. She buried and hid her face in her fore hooves and lay there, shaking in quiet sobs. Another part of her was beginning to believe in all this negativity, in the not so good way. She was no fool, but she knew that she had been making one foalish mistake seemingly after another. She knew that it could end up catching up with her and killing her along with her foal. But her love with Starling was no mistake, it actually felt like one of the few things she had done right since arriving in this time. And now Spike, the one being on the face of the planet, aside from maybe Luna, who truly knew her well enough and vise-versa to trust with such deep recognition, had struck it down like it had been another debacle like her decision to visit Imperial Palace. She couldn't understand it, Spike had seen the power of love for himself. Spike simply glared down at her and then moved his gaze back up to the others, "Well?" he said commandingly.

Airimus shook his head, "Well, to be brutally honest... I for one don't really feel like talking to you about... anything, right now." Airimus said, his gaze at the dragon narrowing, "But if you must know, we were about to discuss a plan which forwards the possibility of meeting with the Dragon Queen. But, before we can even THINK of such ventures, we all need to be united in our efforts. Seeing as you made Twilight Sparkle miserable, and gave Starling death threats like candy to a toddler, that is definitely not the case right now." Spike snorted, "She'll just need to be miserable, then, until my wisdom dawns on her! Just because she has a foal forming inside of her doesn't mean she knows how to take care of herself in this world."

[Blue Fox]

Starling felt awful, like he'd become a wedge between a bond bigger then friendship. Like he was breaking something apart that should otherwise be as strong as Luna's armour itself. Something that had stung Starling more so then anything was Spike thinking he wasn't good enough for her, because in truth he didn't fully believe he was either. She was kind hearted to the soul, smart, beautiful and cared for everypony, just like he did. He looked at his hooves, still coated in black soot from Spike. His ears folded as he suddenly felt a wave of guilt pass over him. Despite this however it still wouldn't be enough to keep him from comforting Twilight. He turned, taking a few trots forward before resting his neck over hers, disregarding the black soot entirely. He places a hoof over her back to draw her close as he closed his eyes. As he held her, he could feel the soft faint purr of foal magic which made his heart leap. But he was saddened by Twilight who seemed more upset then any pony else. "Hey" he whispered gently to her, "It will all be ok. Some people... it just takes time is all" he said as he gave her a squeeze. When he heard Spikes last comment his head shot up, a frown formed on his face. He really wished Spike was a pony, if he was a pony then he could buck the crap out of him for being so... dismissive ? but the fact that he was a dragon that could potentially even put up a fight against Luna made it that much more frustrating. He was about to say something, snap back at him. But he chose against it as he knew it would only make things worse.

The same however couldn't be said for Winter who through the course of the event had been shocked, scared, worried and then finally, outraged. "What is your problem !" she shouted up at the dragon, gaining his attention. "Excuse me !" he growled back as he lowered his head towards her. "Who made you the judge of which pony is right for Twilight !" she said, her brow furrowed and her left fore hoof stomping the ground. "I have the right because...because-" Winter cut him off, "What gives you the right to make such a judgement on some pony" she carried on, Spike shook his head angrily. "I know what's best for her here !!" he said again, his voice a little more raised. "How can you say that !" she persisted, "I just-" Spike began but was once again cut short, "BUT HOW !" she shouted again, "Because I just can !" he shouted making a rumbling like an earth quake. "Come on Spike what is the real reason !!" she shouted once again. Spike looked furious by this point, so much so that it looked for a moment like Winter could get roasted. "FINE !" he shouted into the air before falling back to all four of his clawed feet, looking at the group closely. "You want to know what the real reason is !!" he began before instantly continuing. "Starling could die here, he could die tomorrow, he could be unable to get back to the past. There is so much that could go wrong !!" he shouted, the rumblings shaking a near by fountain. "And if that happens it means Twilight will be alone, heartbroken with a foal without a father !!" he bellowed, his chest heaving before his expression suddenly changed as he let out a long sad sigh. "If I see her hurt like that.... I... I don't think my heart could take it. I need to make sure she's ok. She looked after me when it was a hatchling, nurtured me, comforted me when I was sad..... she's more then blood to me..... I just want what's best for her" he finished.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

As Twilight felt Starling's hoof draw her in close, she reached out one of her own fore hooves and put it around him, though she still hid her face in sobbing sadness. His words were not a fix-all for Twilight's current feelings, but it was at least something. Spike's words had hurt her. Saying that she had no idea what was best for herself. Saying that she was on a path toward self-destruction and that the only way to prevent it was to give up possibly the one thing she held most precious? It scarcely made any sense to Twilight, needless to say. She looked up at Starling, trying to force up some sort of response. In the places where Starling had touched her, soot had clung to her coat and mane as well, of course, Twilight hardly cared. She failed to come up with words, and she simply rubbed her face against his, soot continuing to cling to her coat as she continued. She knew she didn't want Spike getting in the way of their love, but it was that feeling which also disturbed her, "I just feel like I'm being forced to choose between you and Spike..." Twilight said, finally able to work up words, "And I feel like I shouldn't be forced to choose... Because there's already so many things that could possibly-..." she broke off as the argument started between Spike and Winter. What they said made Twilight realize that she knew exactly the possessive feeling Spike was having. It was actually enough of a personal uplift that new tears stopped forming in her eyes. She gave Starling one last look before getting to her hooves.

"Spike... I know you care for me... I know that now that you know you can, you want to protect me. I've seen what Starling has seen with his own eyes, the feelings he's had, the things he's done... Few ponies are gifted in magic enough to be able to know eachother on that deep a level. You can quote anything from Starling's military record to me, and it wouldn't surprise me, or sway me. I know the type of pony Starling is, and I know that I can trust him... I know that I can love him."

[Blue Fox]

Spike scratched the back of his head with his giant clawed hand as he listened to the purple pony explain her knowledge of the Stallion. He shook his head when she was finished before lowering his head down to her, speaking softer then previously, "Twilight it's not that I don't understand your love for Starling. Remember I have a special someone too" he said before realising he hadn't mentioned his partner. "She lives in dragon country, but that's another conversation" he said before sighing again, "It's the what if's that bother me... you can't honestly sit here and tell me that loosing him wont effect you in a big way, especial not after what you just told me. Looking after you and taking care of you doesn't just mean physically... it's mentally and emotionally too" he said with sad eyes. "When you were captured by the Empire I had to prepare myself for the worst... which was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do... to know that I might loose you again... It was the worst feeling imaginable" he said before looking away into the distance, "If that ever became a reality... I have to tell you Twi that at my age now, that could be what could kill me" he said before finishing his explanation, "I don't want you to have to feel that pain.... ever" he said finally. He looked to Starling, "For the record I... don't think your a bad pony" he said apologetically, "Maybe not the best" he said with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk, "But certainly not the worst. You've got allot of responsibility now, I hope you know" he said with a serious expression, "I do, and I promise I'll do my best" Starling replied firmly, "I know you will. Your mission to the Empire was evidence of that" said Spike before raising to his full height.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Twilight's ears flopped back as she listened to Spike. She once again felt that big-sister protective feeling towards him. She knew that Twilight being here was both a blessing and a curse for Spike. He was able to touch her, but the horrors and dangers of the world were able to as well. She knew that Spike wanted to protect her from anything he could, because the dangers and horrors of this world could hurt her so much more than anything in the world of old Equestria. He also knew that losing Starling would devastate her, if she were unprepared. Twilight had been mentally preparing herself for losing all her friends here, including Starling, and even perhaps Winter. She also knew that her love for Starling had opened a huge vulnerability there, as well. She could only guess if she was prepared to lose him, with how spontaneous her feeling for him were. The part about Spike losing her her also made her sad. She could only imagine how Spike must have felt when she had disappeared. It was heartbreaking for her to imagine what the younger Spike must have gone through. Her friends had went out in search for her for almost a year. He would have had to return to Canterlot to stay with either the Princesses, her brother, or her parents, unless they, except for the Princesses, had searched for her as well.

As Spike and Starling appeared to come to terms with eachother, Twilight took her chance to thank Winter for helping her fight her corner. She approached the charcoal-coated mare with a warm smile, "Thank you, Winter, you don't know how much that meant to me... Well... Unless you do." She smiled sheepishly. She put her fore hooves around her in a hug.

[Blue Fox]

Winter smiled and put a hoof around Twilight in response to the hug, "Oh it was nothing... although I'm now just realising I shouted at a dragon" she said semi sarcastically. If she had thought about it she probably wouldn't have said anything but it had been pure impulse that made her say those things. She only guessed that there was a bigger meaning behind what Spike was saying because, well, he wasn't a pony. But she could still feel his feelings, and they weren't hate or anger even, they bordered on sadness, desperation, determination and a mix of others which pointed him in a whole new direction to what he was showing. Spike scratched his head again before asking the obvious question, "So... the Dragon Queen... " he said prompting to an explanation of why they had summoned him here. Starling stepped forward, as did Luna as she had been pretty silent through out the whole ordeal. Luna through the thousands of years since old Equestria had gained a massive amount of wisdom and knowledge. Little known to those around her, Luna already knew the outcome of the situation that has transpired only moments ago and knew it would benefit them all to experience it... a lesson in each others feelings as she saw it. She silently hoped it would be what Tia would have done.

Starling spoke first, "The Empire has began to attack Zebrica again, and It's likely they will annihilate them to the point of extinction this time, unless we have some sort of intervention process to tip the odds in their favour" he said. "We can't get involved without the Empire targeting us and starting a new war..." replied Spike with a feeling they already knew this, "Which is why we get the support of other nations to help the cause rather then involve ourselves directly" added Luna before she continued to elaborate, "If we can gain enough support behind Zebrica then the Empire will be forced to withdraw... as Starling had pointed out earlier". Spike thought in this for a moment before nodding his head, "Ok then what's our first move ?" he asked.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

With the situation appearing to have been resolved Airimus stepped forward and was about to talk to explain what he assumed about the strength of the Imperial Invasion Forces, Amalthea suddenly piped up, "We need to gather enough forces to ward off a potential assault from 30 Infantry Regiments, 20 Tank Divisions, 100 Fighter and Bomber Wings, and however many of those Knight juggernaut-things they see necessary to send. That's not even considering the Imperial Airship Navy." Twilight blinked in surprise when Amalthea came up with such specific numbers for the Imperial forces, "How do you know that?" she asked. Amalthea began twirling a bit of her hair, "Because my father, Commander Cyrus Gainsborough, will be leading them." Airimus remained silent, he had already known this, but he knew that the others in their group hadn't. Looks of surprise and shock came over several of them, including Twilight, Spike and Garen, "Cyrus Gainsborough?... As in, the Burner of New Marebasa?..."

[Blue Fox]

Indigo and Starling exchanged glances as they took in the new information of who Amalthea was. "That's...something" said Starling finally, unsure what to say on the matter. Indigo, ever being the more adept with words of the two stepped forward. "I'm sorry for being the one who asks this... but where does that put you on the situation at hoof ?" he asked with a questioning look. Both him and Starling had faced a similar experience before where a member of a strike force had conflicting feelings between them and the enemy. The pony eventually betrayed them nearly costing all their lives and the lives of many more in civilian casualties. Sot his was not a thing the two stallions were prepared to risk for the second time, even if they did know Amalthea better then that. Winter was also unsure of how this would effect every pony and instead chose to remain quiet. She still trusted Amalthea and could only assume she felt uncomfortable about telling them who her father was. Luna and Spike were surprised and had looked too each other, Luna was about to question when Indigo stepped forward, beating her to the question. Spike remained quiet, but given his training and experience he was prone to thinking if she could be a spy of some kind... but then again what sort of spy would confess who they were so openly. Leafrun hadn't a clue on what was going on and simply sat by Winter's fore hoof silently.

[GalacticWar_Xavier]

Amalthea looked down, "When I was younger, he would set me on his knee and tell me about how he would give the entire world to my mother and I. At the time, I thought it was just a nice thing he was saying... I knew he was in the military, but I had never thought he had meant sending soldiers in and killing everyone, and taking the world by force. I had never thought, when we set out that I would end up working against him... I honestly didn't think military action would even be necessary, at all. But with Twilight and Winter Bell, they're so nice and sweet little ponies. The Empire wanting both of them dead or forever imprisoned... It doesn't make sense to me. The Empire needs to be stopped, even if it means standing against my own father. I would offer to maybe talk to him, to convince him of the things we've seen and heard... He'd maybe even help us. But I doubt you'd trust me enough with that." Princess Luna looked at Amalthea for a time, "If we were to attempt such a thing, we would need to speak with him here, where he would not be able to simply run off with any information we give him to aid the Empire." Twilight listened to them, thinking deeply. She couldn't find anything out of place with Amalthea's words, and she wanted to trust her. There had been so many times where she could have eliminated Twilight and Winter both as threats to the Empire, and she not taken a single one. The Empire's own soldiers had even nearly struck her down as well, "Well... I don't know if we can trust your father, Amalthea." Twilight finally said, "But I do know that at least I can trust you. I think we can share that information with any allies we have."

[Blue Fox]

Starling and Indigo held their tongues. They would have to confide in what the others thought and hope that nothing bad would come of this. "Right but first we need to acquire those allies" said Starling who stepped forward, "Which could take a very long time to do...." he said as he looked to Twilight and Winter. He wasn't sure how long they planned on sticking around but he guessed the only thing he could really do was ask, "I'm not sure how long you want to wait before going to the dragon country but before we do I would suggest getting the allies before going to see the dragon queen. She's more inclined to take us seriously if we actually have the backing of the other nations" he said as he looked to each of them. "I agree" said Armature who emerged from seemingly nowhere followed by two guards, "Lord Commander" he said as he saluted Spike appropriately before bowing toward Luna, "The more backing we get the more likely she will listen to what we ask of her, the dragons are very powerful and know their strength all too well. Which is why they normally choose to keep themselves neutral in every war aspect... but if a nation is on the verge of extinction I believe they may help" he said finally. "How do you know of this ?" asked Spike who craned his head to look at the stallion, "Because it's my job" he replied bluntly making Spike roll his eyes a little. "Well then what do you propose we do first ?" asked Indigo. Armature thought for a moment before responding, "Well first we need to consider what we're up against before getting you outfitted for the upcoming events... that means weapon recalibration, armour variations for all of you.. and diplomatic skill development" he said as he already knew they had decided on using themselves as the ambassadors for the cause.