The Monarchy Chronicles Book II: The Second American Revolution

Chapter 16: The Perfect Name/She Has Escaped

The students at the Mansion Academy were in the classroom working on a group assignment when Lian pointed towards the classroom window: "Guys, look! A jet!"

John was immediately alerted. "Stacey? Stacey is alive!" His face broke out in pure joy, "Follow me, kids! They're back!"

They ran towards the exit of the mansion and opened the door just in time to see the superfast jet touch down and seven girls step out of it.

The students immediately swarmed their teachers and classmate, chattering excitedly and asking tons of questions.

Clementine laughed. "Okay. Storytime later. Let's get inside, everyone." Everyone crowded in the hall where Clem continued, "I'd like to introduce a new member of our staff. Rose Peterson, former rebel turned ally and friend."

Everyone greeted their new teacher with enthusiasm.

As soon as everyone went back to class, Clementine thanked John for his service as substitute teacher and principal.

"Aw, it was nothing," John replied, "Getting to know these students was the best thing that ever happened to me! Well, besides meeting Stacey of course. I'd be happy to volunteer again."

"Great to hear that." Clementine answered. As John left, Clementine went to sit on one of the hallway benches when Stella called her over to a corner.

"What is it?" Clementine asked.

Stella smiled, "Emma and I have finally found the perfect name for this school. But we wanted to run it by you first. You know, being the principal and all."

Clementine was interested, "Go ahead."

"Freedom Prep." Stella suggested, "After all, we're fighting for freedom, aren't we? King Kevin promotes freedom and we just stopped an attempt to restore a totalitarian communist world government twice. I think the name is fitting."

Clementine nodded. "Let's modify it a bit. The School of Freedom. That sounds better. I like the idea."

Stella nodded back, "Finally we have a fitting name for this school. The School of Freedom it is!"

A terrorist organization had been crushed. And the rule of the King had been preserved. And so we tell you they lived happily ever after. But...what fun is that...?

Three months later....

It was a normal day in Canterlot for Princess Celestia. She was reading over old letters from Twilight and smiling at each of them as she felt pride in how far her former student had come.

Just then, the doors burst open and a royal guard barged in. He looked wounded and had scratches all over his grey coat, "Your highness! It's Lina. She...has escaped."

Princess Celestia gasped. "This can't be..." She looked at the guard squarely in the eyes, "Inform Twilight and her friends that their presence is needed in Canterlot. I will reach across the Solar Stream and tell Stella that she must come back here to protect the Flame. It cannotbe extinguished."

The guard nodded. "Yes, your highness." He trotted out the double doors at top speed.

Princess Celestia looked worriedly at the brightly burning pink flame on its plinth beside her throne. She then closed her eyes, reaching telepathically across the Solar Stream and said: "My dearest Stella, I know not what our future holds now. For your archenemy Lina has escaped the Canterlot dungeons. She will no doubt try to extinguish the Flame. You must return to Equestria. You must stand with us once again. With the future of the kingdom at stake, Luna and I can't take on Lina alone. I fear for the safety of my subjects. Your presence is needed here at Canterlot. They MUST NOT extinguish the Flame..."

The connection between them cut off right as she heard Stella answer back in her mind: "Lina's escaped?! Princess-" That was all she heard.

Princess Celestia then went to the balcony and sighed, looking at the daytime sky and the view. Equestria was now in danger.

And only Stella, a 12-year old girl, could stop this threat. 

Lina Mayfleet and the Nightmares took refuge in a cave in the EverFree Forest. Using her powers, Lina killed the Ursa Minor and the Ursa Major living there faster than a millisecond. It was an act of heartless cruelty, but Lina couldn't care less about the now deceased Ursas. They were dangerous animals anyway.

As soon as everyone was settled in, Betrayal spoke: "Lina Mayfleet, we pledge our service and our lives to you."

"Good," said Lina, "Your service will be needed. I can still feel Stella's presence. She isn't dead yet. Our final confrontation is coming. But first, we need to resurrect our army. If we take Canterlot, Stella will have no home to return to."

"Why are you and Stella rivals anyways?" Rejection asked her, "I mean, what's with the bad blood?"

"Stella represents everything Equestria represents," Lina explained, "Long ago, I was betrayed by the ponies there. I was cast out, exiled from my beloved home. Far away with my friend Discord, I formed a new nation called the Lunar Empire, which was everything Equestria was not. But it was destroyed by the Equestrian Army. Celestia banished me to the stars. In retaliation, I cursed the land to be destroyed by a massive cataclysm as soon as the Flame of Equestria burned out. It eventually did and all my pastel tormentors were obliterated. But you know who brought them back several million years later? Stella. That is why I want revenge. She is the embodiment of the Flame. As long as she exists, Equestria exists."

The Nightmares all nodded in understanding.

"So we need to destroy Stella," Temptation deduced, "Once she's destroyed, the Flame will weaken. After that, Equestria will be vulnerable to another cataclysm."

Lina nodded. "Stella is what holds the foundation of Equestria together. My curse has not yet been lifted, so Equestria is still reliant on the Flame to survive. It is this vulnerability that makes killing Stella so important. We don't have much time. The more Stella is surrounded by her beloved friends back in the Alternate Earth, the more her Flame continues to grow. We must separate her from her friends and make her feel alone."

"Temptation and I can handle that easily," Betrayal said, smiling devilishly. Temptation smiled mischievously back, "A whisper there, a rumor there. We'll have the pro-monarchy world geared up for World War II in an instant. Stella's friends will be so distracted, they'll have no time for her. No friendship, no magic. The Flame in her will diminish. Then...you can make your move."

"All we need to know is when to start." Hopelessness added.

Lina grinned evilly. "Tonight..."

TO BE CONTINUED....