Dark suddenly stopped and listened around. She swore she heard hooves clopping on the ground just now but wasn't sure. She looked all around but saw no pony. "Hm, strange, strange indeed." she said to herself then caught up to Firebreeze, wondering where that noise came from, but she didn't hear it again.
Firebreeze and Dark walked to a restaurant near the edge of town, where they found Ember sitting at an outside table. Ember turned around and smiled at them, "Breezy, Dark! over here!" She called out. Firebreeze waved and walked over with Dark. "How goes it, Ember?" Fire said sitting down. "Pretty good," Ember said in response, "What about you?" "The tornadoes in the Everfree forest have been crazy lately, but that's my only complaint." Fire said, looking around for a waiter. "And how have you been, Dark?" Ember said, looking towards Dark.
"Oh the usual guard duty, but strangely there was a riot in Fillydelphia, nothing major but still strange for the area." Dark took a seat, "I finally got the leave I've been asking for though, I have a week off-duty."
(Initiate contingency plan. I will be a unicorn ) Ecliptic had just started his shift, when a group of ponies took a seat. He recognized them as he walked over to take their order. "Oh, hi guys! I haven't seen you in a while. What can I get you?" Ecliptic said as he levitated out a note pad.
Kleft slowly opened his eyes to see Snow smacking him across the face. "Wake up!" she yelled at him. He murmered and steadily got up. "Snow...the gate's gone...we finally saved everypony. I thought you were killed though?" he clutched his head again. "It's all fuzzy, I feel as if something's blocking my mind." Looking back towards Snow, he asked "Where's Dark? Isn't she usually with you? Come to think of it, where are WE?"
"We are at the one place that the gates never touched. I know that Snow Light's explosion probably convinced you that me and Dark died, well, I wouldn't be standing here if I disn't survive. And Dark, she's back on guard duty. Kleft, how long have you been out?" Snow asked him, kinda worried.
"Huh, I've never heard of a riot happening... ever!" Ember said, "but I guess stranger things have happened." Then a waiter came over, who seemed to recognize them. "I'll take a daisy sandwich." Firebreeze said "I'll just have a salad." Ember said.
"I'll take some cheese bread, and a cup of water would be nice to." Dark told the waiter. "Well, as far as I know, some major monument in Fillydelphia was descrated, which pissed off a lot of citizens. My squad was had our hands full for days rounding them up and containing the riot. I swear, we detained more ponies in those three days than in any day in modern Equestria!"
Using his skills with an invisible sextant, Kleft looked up and decided on the date. He was about to answer when a sudden pain shot through his head. He gasped for a moment, but it was over as quickly as it began. Frowning, he turned back to Snow and said "It's currently...I've been out..." He put a hoof on a his head as if it would help him remember. "What the hay is happening to me?"
"I don't know, and it's worrying me Kleft. If you've been out since the Gates, that doesn't make since. Kleft, the Gates were destroyed almost five years ago. What happened to you? You should be dead!" Snow said shocked
"Um, it disappeared I believe. And this was a monument that celebrated the city's founding to. So it's understandable that they were mad, but to take to the streets yelling, 'Down with Celestia', that's a bit over done." Dark responded. "To make it weirder, there have been small riots and protests happening all over Equestria. The reason why you haven't heard is because the guard doesn't want a panic on its hooves as well. Most of the cities that have rioted are under martial law right now, it's so stringent that if somepony's caught after curfew, unless they have a legitimate reason, they are shot on the spot."
"I agree, but it isn't my call. There still those higher up than me that want this cracked down on hard and fast." Dark said simply, suddenly a pony in a black suit and black sunglasses came up to Dark and whispered something in her ear. "But I'm on leave!" Dark said, but was pulled aside from the table, and the occasional word would drift over to the table like 'More riots, emergence, ever guard needed, on leave, can wait, etc.' before finally Dark just gave up and walked back to the table, "Looks like I'm needed, whatever it is it can't be good if they're pulling me off leave. Fire, try to keep me informed on what happens here." Dark looked over her shoulder and suddenly grabbed Firebreeze and whispered quickly into his ear, "Look, stay safe, something bad is about to happen, if you get a summons from me, come ASAP, and bring all the ponies you can, this will probably be the last time we truly talk face to face Fire, so please stay alive!" ad then she flew off like a bullet towards Canterlot.
Ember walked over to Fire with a confused look, "What was that all about?" Fire had a serious look on his face when he said, "I think some serious stuff is about to happen, sis." "What kind of stuff?" Said a very confused Ember. "All I know is that it's gonna be bad," Fire replied, "Listen, I don't want you leaving town until I know exactly what's going on. I gotta go, I'll see you around, stay safe." Firebreeze gave Ember the bits to pay for the food and flew off to his cloud. Ember turned to Ecliptic, "Um... I'm not sure... but here's the bits to pay for the meals," She gave the bits to Ecliptic, "I'll just take these home, then." She put the food in their own little foam box and put them in her saddle bag. "I'll be off, then." She said as she began to walk home.
Grey Mane got frustrated. She was planning on following one of them back home to find dirt on them! She decided to give the 'waiter' a jump. She walked up to him and removed her camoflauge spell so all he could see was a dark Pony staring into his eyes suddenly.
Dark landed to see Canterlot in total chaos. Ponies were running around, shots were being fired and tear gas filled the air. She quickly took off again to the barracks and suited up in full riot armor. She ran to her squad's barrack to see they were just laying around, "Move it you idiots!" she yelled and they instantly snapped into action. Within a few minutes, the squad had moved out and set up a riot line on the one road to the palace as retreating guards used the line for rest and took positions on the walls. "Fire at will!" Dark yelled and shots rang forth from the line. (Oh by the way Fire, Dark left a letter at your cloud giving more detail to her situation)
