My Little Annihilation

Chapters

Chapter One: Seeking Sanctum
Chapter Two: Exploits
Chapter Three : Not Everything Goes As Planned
Chapter Four: Jerryrigging
Chapter Five: Preparing for War
Chapter Six: A Battle Breaks the Night
Chapter Seven: Skirmish
Chapter Eight: Mare in the Machine
Chapter Nine: To War!
Chapter Ten: An Age Old Battle
Prelude: Incoming!

Chapter One: Seeking Sanctum

PART I

----------Caught in the Crossfire----------

"Twilight, what do you mean: 'We're DOOMED'?" Spike asked Twilight as she ran headlong out of the library.

"No time to explain, we have to get everypony in a safe place," Twilight said, galloping into the town square with Spike on her back.

"Alright... why don't you ever explain ANYTHING to me?" Spike asked, awkwardly trying to keep his grip on the galloping pony. He had been picked up in a hurry and dumped on to her flank, and the last thing he wanted was to take a fall at this speed.

"I'll explain later," Twilight said, running up the steps to the town hall. She knocked and was soon answered by Ivory Scroll, the mayor of Ponyville. "Ivory, we have to get everypony somewhere safe, somwhere shielded... we have to get everypony to the Crystal Empire."

"What?" Ivory Scroll peered over her glasses at Twilight in alarm, "May I ask why?"

"No time to explain," Twilight and Spike said together in two completly different tones of voice, one urgent and one sarcastic... you can guess which was which.

"Alright Twilight, I trust you but I still wish-" Ivory coulden't finish her sentance, for Applejack burst in on the room.

"Holy haybales, Ivory there's a great big honkin robot just landed in Appleosa country," She said between pants, "Got everypony out, but the towns totaled and its started builden great big green flashy things!"

"Green... Flashy... ‘Things’?" Twilight said, looking at Applejack a little disbeilvingly.

"Yeah, sure as apples thats what they were! And the robot was sprinkling green confettie on it or something," Applejack said.

"Oh! I LOVE confettie!" Pinkie Pie jumped out of the rafters, "I wonder if they do different colors than green, and I wonder if that's a green cake your talking about! Yeah, great big party robots!" She started to bounce around the room.

"NO! These are not confettie party robots!" Twilight said after recovering from the shock of being bounced on by Pinkie, "From what I can figure out, their blood-thirsty cold blooded killers, determined to wage an epic war that's been going on for four hundred centuries!"

"Aw," Pinkie flattened her ears, "But they still have confettie right?" she said a little more hopefully, smiling a wide smile at Twilight.

"NO!" Twilight shouted.

"Oh, why didn't you just say that in the first place, silly!" Pinkie hopped about the room, grinning wildly, "We could have saved a lot of trouble you know."

Deciding to ignore Pinkie, Twilight turned to Ivory Scroll. "You see, Applejack saw it. These 'streaks' as pony astronomers called them have been flying to planet after planet, laying waste to anything in their way."

"Oh, oh dear," Ivory Scroll said, cringing a little at the thought.

"Some theores are that they are waging a war with EACH OTHER, merely using planets as battlegrounds and inadvertantly destroying any inhabitents," Twilight continued, "I'm not sure how we're going to get through this, but I am sure we need to get everypony somewhere safe where we can plot our next move."

"Yes, I agree, I will commence the evacuation at once," Ivory Scroll said, walking out the door.

"LADIES AND GENTLECOLTS!" She shouted upon reaching the podium, "THIS IS YOUR MAYOR SPEAKING, WE ARE CURRENTLY FACING EXTREME DANGER AND THEREFORE MUST LEAVE PONYVILLE." This statement sparked a large scale evacuation of houses, not towns as everypony ran out into the street.

"Do not be alarmed, everything will be alright, but please, bring as few possesions as possible and come to the train station. That is all."

After the initial bickering, everypony realized that their mayor was speaking the truth and grudgingly gathered their most prized possesions and walking toward the train station. At the station, the Ponyville detachment of the Royal Guard which lived and stayed in Ponyville directed everyone to their seats and kept things under control.

"Well, that's done," Ivory said, starting to walk towards the train station herself, "Now Twilight, tell me, what do you know about these, these, THINGS?"

"Well," Twilight began, "Almost nothing, but according to scientific study they're deadly and, frankely, thats enough for me."

"Yes, but when you say 'destroy planets', what do you think they'll do to Equestria?" Ivory looked at Twilight with concern flooding her face.

"Well, using certain magical properties of elements we are able to figure out what planets are composed of, and, after the 'streaks' leave them, they seem to be depleated of all ores of anykind, and all the forests are ripped down. Aside from that, I can't think of anything we can tell with science, but I expect they will produce craters and other misshapened elements to the land," Twilight explained, watching Ivory Scroll's face change for the worse as she spoke, "But don't worry, we'll make it out of it."

"Yes, yes, yes we will, of course," Ivory said as she and Twilight walked into the train station.

The train station was a busy place, ponies taking up almost all of it waiting to be boarded by the guards, buzzing with worried conversation, crying fillies and a number of other sights which made Twilight's stomach turn.

"Do you ever think we'll see home again, mama?" A small filly asked her worried mother.

"Don't you worry darling," Her mother said, reaching down to embrace her child, "We'll be alright, I'm sure of it." While her voice seemed strong and certain, her face begged to differ, tears streamed from her eyes as she sobbed into her childs coat.

This display of affection made Twilight's hatred for the machines even greater. Every moment as she looked around the station at similar displays of remorse, hope and anger all mixed into one, her hatred grew, fueling on the fates of the ones she loved, being torn from their possesions, from their home town. She vowed that whatever it took, she would destroy these machines ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Meanwhile in Canterlot:

"Sister, it is time we made a move," Luna said to her sister. The royal duo were out on the balcony at Canterlot. Celestia stood with downturned eyes on the brink of tears.

"That's just it, Luna," She said, "We can't make a move, we're trapped."

"Now now," Luna walked over to comfort her sister, "Don't worry, Celestia, we will exit this situation, somehow."

"But how!" Celestia cried, her composure weakening, "How are we supposed to get out of here? My magic has banished monsters and magical evils... not seven story tall robots!"

"Never lose hope, my sister. Fate works in our favor, I'm sure of it. Do not be scared," Luna patted Celestia on the back before turning away. "Now, catch some rest, I can keep
watch through the night."

"Yes Luna, I'll try," Celestia says, walking off the balcony.

Luna stays, keeping an eagle eye on the robot and everything it does. Since that morning, it has built many more structures, their height massive. Towering mining buildings drilling through the earth, giant factorys create more bots of many shapes and sizes, none with any good intentions. A base was sprouting in front of Canterlot castle, a base whom has the sole purpous of destruction, ever mineral, every resource poured into making war machines.

"It is sad," Luna muttered to herself, "It is sad that they cannot do anything better with this power..."

Suddenly, an aircraft shot overhead, Luna turned her head skyward, seeing a triangular shaped tan flying machine flying over the base. The commander begins building a threatening looking missile tower. As soon as the last piece of nanolaythe reached it, the tower turned skyward, firing three missiles with pin-point accuracy. The missiles curved, tracking their target. Upon reaching it, a large explosion filled the sky and the scout plane crashed to the ground, lighting the forest in which it landed on fire.

All the robots drew back from the flames, as if scared of it.

"Hmmm, you may be fearless war machines, but your scared of fire... interesting..." Luna thought to herself, " That means you must have a weakness, a weakness that could be exploited, not just by brute force like you did to that plane... but a more subtle method. Something even a mere pony could do..."

Author's Note

I wrote this chapter considering how everypony might react to these bots....the rest of the mane six hasn't made an appearance yet, but they're all slated to have roles in the next chapter. Once more, I enjoyed writing this, and thanks for the support! I wasn't sure what kind of response the community would give to this sort of thing. Hey, here's a question: If you're a Total Annihilation fan, say 'aye' in the comments! This exercise is purely for answering my own curiousity, not a poll that needs to be ripped down. Hope you enjoyed reading!
~Gardian20

Chapter Two: Exploits

For years, the CORE and the ARM have fought, ripping trees from their roots, burning entire planets... not once had the indiginous species posed a threat to the warring armies. Not once had a third side come in to play. Not once had they been defeated by a mutual enemy. But that fate, that record was about to be changed.

After two days of preparation, construction and gathering resources, the armies were on the move, endless strategic calculations had run through the minds of both sides... and none took into account what was to happen next.

~~~~~~~

In the bottom of a canyon too small to be noticed next to the ARM base, a railroad track stretched far and wide, the barren landscape around it yielding to the metal road. That morning, the usual activity was buzzing about the canyon, scorpions sat on rocks, sunning themselves, little muskrats ran to and fro, gathering and chirping to one another.

Suddenly, this tranquil scene was disrupted... vibrations of an incoming train shook the tracks, warning the wildlife of the oncoming machine. Several squeaks and scurries were heard as the animals dispursed, leaving the lonesome tracks steeped in stillness once more, until the train came along.

The train was bound for the Crystal Empire, loaded to the hilt with ponies, some clinging onto the top, some the sides, and others out the back. Carrying the entire population of Ponyville and Appleosa to the Crystal Empire was a trick; a risky trick. But, in interests of saving the lives of everypony in these towns, Ivory Scroll ordered the evacuation to continue.

All the pegasi from Cloudsdale shot along above the train, keeping a close eye on it for any ponies that might fall from their percarious perches. Progressing as fast as the rails could carry them, this convoy made it's way across Equestria, right underneath the noses of the ARM.

"Alright everypony, we're almost there!" Twilight Sparkle shouted to the car full of ponies in which she and her friends were riding. A cheer erupted from the crowed, nopony wanting to spend any more time than nessacary in this compression of ponies. The loudest cheer came from right next to Twilight, Rarity was standing next to her.

"Well, it will be nice to stretch my legs, don't you think?" Rarity asked no one imparticular.

"Oh yes, your radience," Spike said, drooling a little. He had, much to his delight and Twilight's disgust, gotten to get fitted into a hole between Rarity and Rainbow. Although an unoptimal placement, space was limited and so there he was, wedged between the two mares.

"Oh Spike, you're simply DARLING. Remind me to make you another bowtie when we get back to Ponyville. Rarity rubbed the little dragons head.

"Crystal Empire coming right up!" A shout from the locomotive ruptured the love scene. Twilight sighed in reliefe.

"Alright everypony, gather what belongings you have and get ready to move out!" Twilight shouted. In response the car began to bustle with activity as everypony found their items and got ready to leave. Applejack was in on this rush too, trying to help Granny Smith find her walker.

"How could you lose a WALKER?" Rainbow asked, rifling through her saddlebags for a certain item.

"That's what I was just askin her!" Applejack threw over her shoulder before turning back to her grandmother. "Now, where did you last see it?"

"Well, I thought I was on it-" Granny started.

"Here it is!" Pinkie cried, "Silly me, it just wandered over and I HAD to give it comfort, you know!" After looking at Pinkie strangly, Applejack turned back her grandma.

"Here you go, granny," She said, passing the walker towards her.

"Thank you honey!" Granny said, putting her front hooves on the walker, "Why, I feel like a young mare again when I have this thing!" Applejack rolled her eyes but didn't pop her ancestor’s bubble.

"Arrived at the Crystal Empire, everypony can get off!" the engineer shouted. A large chorus of screams filled the air, happy screams.

"Twilight!" Cadence called to her longtime friend, "Twilight, over here!" Through the sea of refugees, Twilight could barely see her old foalsitter standing outside the train station. Cadence's horn was glowing, a spire of energy ran from it into every part of the shield, sizzling the air as it flew.

"Cadence!" Twilight shouted, making a path through the sea of ponies in which she resided. The rest of her friends followed too, walking single file in Twilight's determined wake.

"Mighty pleased to see ya again, princess," Applejack said, bowing before Cadence, "This here is my granny, Granny Smith, that's Applebloom, my sister, and that's my brother, Big Mac."

"Eeeyup," Big Mac said as she gestured to him.

"Pleased to meet you all," Cadence said warmly, a pleased smile appearing on her face, "Applejack has been a real lifesaver every time she's been here, I can't thank you enough."

Applejack blushed at the complimant, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

"Aw shucks princess, I-" Applejack started, getting cut off by the introductions of her other friends.

"Oh princess!" Rarity called, shoving Sweetie Belle in front her as she edged toward the royalty, "This is Sweetie Belle, you remember me, don't you?"

"Why yes, how could I forget the pony that made all those beautiful dresses for my wedding! Oh, and it's a pleasure to meet your daughter too," Cadence said. Rarity was too stunned by the compliment to correct the princesses mistake, so Sweetie Belle took that honor.

"I'm her sister, not her daughter, princess," Sweetie Belle said, "Anyway, it's nice to meet you."

"Oh, I'm sorry! It's a pleasure to meet you too," Cadence said, rubbing Sweetie Belle on the head. Rarity, still too stunned to move, just stood there.

"Oh... my... goodness!" she muttered, over and over again. Sweetie Belle managed to direct her out of the way of the others.

"I believe I know the rest of you, so lets get straight to the point," Cadence said, her face growing more serious, "Please, follow me to the castle, I have a few matters that need to be discussed."

"Where will we be staying?" Rarity asked, recovering herself enough to trot along side the princess.

"You and your family will be staying in the castle while you are visiting," Cadence said over her shoulder. The party was now moving through the crowd at a considerable pace, considering that everypony got out of the way for Cadence, and the rest passed in her wake before they could jam back together again.

"Oh... my... gosh!" Rarity exclaimed, ecstatic that she and her sister would be staying in the royal castle.

"In fact," Cadence said as they arrived at the door, "Why doesn't Sweetie Belle go get settled into her room, this fellow will show you the way." Cadence gestured to a nice looking young stallion with blue hair dressed in armor standing behind the main desk. Sweetie Belle noticed Twilight had gone a funny shade of pink.

"Alright, but aren't you coming too, sis?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking up at Rarity.

"No, not now, but she'll be there soon, I promise. Flash, could you also take the rest of the Apple Family to their rooms? I have some business I need to discuss with the element bearers," Cadence said. The guard nodded and left with Rarity's and Applejack's family's to show them their rooms. Cadence returned to her worried expression.

"I'm sure you know about the... the robots that landed, don't you?" She asked. This seemed like a silly question but it's always nice to make sure you're on the same page as your audience.

"Yes," Twilight said, stepping forward, "That's why I ordered the evacuation. They're dangerous."

"That they are," Cadence said, stepping into the conference room and closing the door behind her when the rest went in, "We obtained a construction bot and have been studying it."

Everyone's eyes widened with shock. "You mean, a giant... construction bot?" Twilight asked, surprised.

"Yes," Cadence started.

"Woah woah woah!" Rainbow interuptted, "You mean you just found a giant crazy robot? What are you gonna do with it?"

"Well, we’re studying it. We plan to construct an army of our own bots... one to retaliate against these menaces."

"Coooool!" Rainbow said, her mouth opening wide, "I wanna drive a flying one!"

"We intend to assign ponies according to their natural talents, so yes, you will get to fly," Cadence said to the elated Rainbow Dash, "Anyway, these bots are not finished yet. We have merely made plans. We have been studying the nanolaything mechanisem in the bot. We have begun to reprogram to create our own army... soon."

"Nano whata whata?" Applejack asked, confused along with everyone else. Cadence sighed, moving over to a diagram.

"Nanolaything is a process in which particles of metal and energy are programmed and assigned to a specific parts of a structure. When released, these programmed elements will bind and fuse with others to create a given material and fabricate the structure. Is this clear?" Cadence asked, turning to her audience. Twilight was looking eagerly at the board, Rainbow was saying something about 'eggheads', Applejack was scratching her hat and Rarity was too agog about being in the royal castle to notice anything.

Cadence flattened her ears, "You understand Twilight, right?"

"Yes! Oh I just can't wait to write a report on it this evening!" Twilight grinned.

"That won't be nessescery," Cadence said, smiling at her friends eager disposition.

"Of course it is! Celestia will be wanting to here of it next time we see her, oh, this could change Equestria's history!"

Instead of protesting, Cadence acted as though she'd been hit with a brick and said, "Has anyone seen my husband?"

Meanwhile, in Canterlot....

"Has anyone seen my wife?" Shining Armor asked, a little worriedly to some incoming travelers as they entered the shield spell. He must have asked this question a thousand times, but every answer was no. It had been two days since he was due back in the Crystal Empire and he was worried that Cadence was doing alright.

"Not right now, hon sorry," a kindly old mare replied. Shining Armor sighed. At least he knew the Crystal Empire was alright. Using a viewing spell of Celestia's, which she summoned when he became a nervous wreck one evening, he could see that it really it was still there.

"I know you would rather be there, Shining Armor," Celestia had told him, "But duty calls here... and you'd never forgive yourself if you ran off and left us to die, you know that."

He sighed, running a hoof through his mane. Suddenly, a huge impact hit the shield. A stray plasma bolt. It slammed into the blue wall, creating a sizable explosion. Shining Armor fed more and more of his magic into the shield, maintaining it from the impact.

The blast brought the royal pony sisters out on their balcony to observe what was happening.

"A battle," Luna muttered, "A brutal battle by heartless machines."

"Brace yourself, Shining, incoming missiles!" Celestia shouted to the unicorn standing in the courtyard. Stray rockets that had been fired at a moving target were headed in their direction.

Shining Armor closed his eyes, concentrating on the shield, he felt the rocket coming and directed more power to that part of the shield. The opposing projectile bounced off, curving downward into a nearby hill where it exploded, causing a rain of rocks and other small shrapnel to come down on the shield. These, Shining deflected easily.

Celestia watched from the balcony, frowning at the sight of such destruction. The beautiful plane between Ponyville and Canterlot had become a battleground, littered with wreckage and craters.

"We will rise up, sister, somehow, sometime, but we will," Luna assured Celestia, as they both watched with downcast eyes at the sprawling display of destruction that lay before them, "I received word from the Crystal Empire... Cadence is planning an uprising."

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Celestia asked her younger sister, glaring at her.

"Well..." Before Luna could defend herself, a loud rumble was heard. Both sisters turned their heads, seeing a volly of misfired aritllery shells flying towards them.

"Shining!" Both shouted. Shining Armor was standing, eyes closed, concentrainting in the court yard.

"There's no way that shield will block it..." Celestia said, a glow begining to show itself around her horn. Rising up in the air, she shot a bolt of magic right at Shining Armor... right before the shells hit.

A loud explosion was heard, and then silence...

Chapter Three : Not Everything Goes As Planned

That morning was a beautiful day, a day in which ponies basked in the warmth and goodness of the sunshine. A day when thankfulness was payed to the all important sun princess. A day when families would drop everything, merely to take their children out for a picnic. All these things would have happened....except today. The bunnies hopped alone, the countryside lay desolate, not a soul in sight. Even Fluttershy was forced to stay in the Crystal Empire.

Though that morning, everypony was more focused on a certain science project than anything else....

"What have we got?" Cadence asked seriously, walking up to a pony dressed in a white lab coat, the Crystal Empire labs insignia shining on her belt.

"Well," Chem Tech answered, "We have almost reprogrammed the nanolaything mechanesam. Loading of the resources will begin momentarily." The lab pony jogged along next to Cadence through the sprawling underground laboratory. They walked at a fast pace, passing excited scientists, focused theologists and an awful lot of chemists. Chem Tech was the head science officer on project Red Bird, as the research and development of nanolaything was codenamed, and knew everything that went on inside the safe room.

"Good," Cadence said," When do you think you'll be ready to start construction?" Cadence put her hoof on a scanning tablet next to a large metal door. It swung open after shining a bright light on her hoof.

"Well, hopefully by this afternoon," Chem Tech said, following the princess into project Red Birds safe room.

"Good," Cadence replied firmly, walking onto an overlook of the safe room, "What's the expected ETA of the prototype after construction begins?"

"About half an hour," Chem Tech replied, writing things onto a clipboard that hovered in front of her as she walked.

"Good, I want the element bearers down here as soon as it's finished, I'll meet them here." Cadence looked over the project Red Bird safe room, watching relativly miniscule ponies climbing ladders, typing on computers, flying and generally buzzing around the dormant machine. The machine itself stood about two storied tall, the size of a small house, with large metal feet. Yellow and black construction markings surrounded the main torso of the machine which ended in a flat top. The flat top consisted of two doors which opened to reveal a nanolaything instrument, which right now was hanging open as the scientists climbed about inside it.

Cadence sighed. They were on the verge of fighting a war. She paused upon thinking the word 'war'. There hadn't been a war in Equestria since that Hearths Warming Eve one thousand five hundred years ago when the three factions lay down their weapons and made peace... ever since then, Equestria was a happy and peaceful place. Until these infernal machines fell on it, that is.

"So princess, you never said how you managed to capture this thing," Twilight asked Cadence as they walked towards the entrance to Crystal Empire laboratories, "How did you manage to capture a robot the size of a building?"

"Well," Cadence began, "We didn't really capture it, persay."

Twilight looked at her curiously, "Go on..." she proded.

"Well, it fell to the ground three years ago... flying right into a plain right near here. We've been trying to get it to activate for three years... but only after the commanders landed did it began to function. We upoaded the plans and began to reprogram it, and now it's ready to begin functioning."

Twilight whistled a little. "Anyway," She said, "You said you wanted me down here to witness something?" By this time, they had almost reached project Red Bird's safe room.

"Yes," Cadence said, putting her hoof on the scanner, "I want you to observe the building of the first prototype of our commander."

"Woah..." Twilight said, her jaw dropping open at the sight of project Red Bird. The hatches were closed on the monstrosity of a construction bot, concealing the nanolaything machine.

"Engage in T minus 5 seconds," A voice boomed over the loud speaker. Scientists ran last minute checks over all their code and modifications, clearing out of the room as the countdown started.

"4,3,2,1... ENGAGE." With that final word, the bot swung open, and a sketchy green outline of a mecha appeared in front of it.

"It's working!" Cadence said, visibly excited, "We've worked for three years of research and designing, it works!"

Twilight look on in awe, staring at the shear size of the bot and the thing it was constructing. Suddenly, the room shook, almost knocking Twilight off her hooves.

"What was that?" Twilight asked, regaining her balance.

"I don't know," Cadence said, "Could you cast a communication spell? I can’t juggle any other spells while keeping the shield up."

"Of course," Twilight powered up horn, accepting a communication call coming from the science lab down below. Chem Tech's face flickered on from Twilight's horn, a look of concern on her face.

"Princess," Chem began, "We have a problem."

"What?" Cadence said nervously, if not surprised.

"The energy readings, it seems that this machine can't support nanolaything such a large object, we have to shut it down," Chem Tech half shouted, the instruments behind her starting to smoke.

"Shut it off!" Cadence called.

"We're working on it!"

Meanwhile, in the project Red Bird safe room, the robot was billowing smoke. Electrical arcs flew out from the nanolaything nozzle any piece of metal in the area. The outline of the mech faded, combusting as it disiintigrated.

"We can't turn it off!" Chem Tech shouted, typing furiously on a computer in front of her, "The cables we were sending data to it through have burned, we can't attach new ones."

"What's it going to do?" Cadence asked, she and Twilight began to run towards the door.

"Most likely, explode," Chem Tech had stopped typing and was now running with the rest of the scientists towards the door.

"When?' Twilight asked.

"Probably somewhere around thirty seconds?" Chem Tech shouted, running herself. Twilight powered down the communication spell for they had met up with the head scientist in person.

"So what do we have to do to shut it down?" Twilight asked as the trio ran towards the main
office of Crystal Empire Laboratories.

"Attach a cable," Chem Tech said, "Or cut the power, although we don't really know where it's getting power."

Twilight put a hoof to her face. "Wait here, I think I can stop it."

"WHAT?!" Cadence and Chem Tech shouted in unison. Twilight, however didn't hear. She was already off like a shot, determined to get to the safe room before the blast.

"About five seconds," she panted. The door had been left open so she rushed into the abandoned computer lab where the orders were issued. The robot of impending disaster stood just outside a viewing window.

"Alright, you," Twilight powered up her horn, pouring magical energy into it. "You're not going to blow up, not now. We need this." A bright flash of light filled the room and the order cable was reconstituted from the ashes to which it had smoldered. With less than a second left, Twilight did an emergency move: She teleported the end of the cable and stretched the rest along with it.

The cable ended right in the orders port and the machine shut off almost immediately, right before overloading. Twilight lay on the floor panting.

"Twilight!" Cadence shouted, running into the room. "Twilight, are you alright?" Chem Tech light her horn with a medical scanning spell and bent over the unconscious pony.

"She’s overextended her magic!" she said, powering down her horn, "We need to get her to the medical bay immediately."

"Do it!" Cadence said, gently rubbing the side of Twilight’s barrel with a hoof, "And get an engineering team to find out why that damned thing almost killed us all!"

"Yes ma'am," Chem Tech said and began issuing orders. While the medical team was on it's way, Cadence continued to rub Twilight.

"It'll be alright," She told the unconscious unicorn, "You just wait and see, it'll all be fine."

Meanwhile, in Canterlot:

The battle of the past afternoon was long since over, returning a quiet tranquilness to the land that it hadn't seen in days. The Canterlot castle was too quite, however.

As you recall, a volley of plasma artillery was about to hit the shield, rupturing it and destroying the castle; this, however was not the case. Just before the shots hit, Celestia performed an ancient magic trick, dangerous yet powerful: the Mariath Link.

The Mariath Link is a spell created by Mariath, a professor at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns five hundred years ago. The Link, as it is referred to, is a spell in which one unicorn arks his/her magical power through the air to a recipiant. This allows magical power to be transferred freely from one unicorn to another to support or boost difficult spells.

Celestia performed this to give Shining Armor just enough power to deflect the plasma shots, preventing the disaster. However, it did not come without it's price.

Celestia's ark fed directly into Shining Armor's horn, boosting his power, but when Shining released the spell after deflecting the shots, Celestia didn't have time to properly terminate the spell, thus the risidual magic in the air created a shockwave that ripped through the castle, disrupting the magical field that surrounds all of Equestria.

The resulting flood of magical energies caused an overload of magic in the nearby ponies, putting them all in a comatose state.

The first to come back to their senses was princess Luna.

"Tia! Sister wake up!" Luna prodded the limp form of the sun princess.

"Wha-" Celestia groggily opened an eye, "What happened?"

"I don't know,but we must see if the others are alright," Luna said, helping Celestia to her hooves.

"Yes," Celestia said, brushing her mane back to normal with a hoof, "I will check on Shining Armor, you go check on the others, I will join you soon."

"As you wish," Luna trotted off, flinging open the doors to the balcony with her magic as she went. Celestia leaped off the balcony and glided down to the limp form of Shining Armor.

"Shining?" She asked, landing next to the stallion, "Shining, are you alright?" She put an ear to Shining Armor's chest, and, upon hearing the regular rhythm of a heart, she retreated. Casting an evaluation spell on Shining, status of his vitals floated in the air above him.

Celestia noted the low magic level.

"Hmm," she thought to herself, "I poured an awful lot into him...and he's still that low? That must have taken a lot of energy to deflect the attack..." Just then she noticed something.

Shining Armor's horn was still glowing.

Looking up, she saw the blue sheen still surrounding the castle, unheeded by the caster's state.

"By my godly beard..." Celestia exclaimed, her usual royal composure giving way to wonder, "I've never seen anything like it..."

A unicorn, like all ponies, naturally stores a lot magic in their body. Magic is used by all ponies to live, and all have a content of it in their blood. Unicorns, however, power their horns from their internal magic, resulting in a low content upon using large amounts of magic. To replenish their supplies, unicorns have developed a unique ability to absorb magic through their skin, allowing them to keep their supplies in good stead.

However, most spells, especially large shields, use more magic than can be safely absorbed through the skin, so rests must be taken between casting. Extremely skilled unicorns like Shining Armor can entwine and use magic from around them to aid in their spells, allowing them to maintain large spells for large amounts of time. This, however, takes conscious effort to do and is thus only used to give the unicorn's natural magic a break to replenish.....but Shining Armor had been casting a shield spell while in a coma for six hours completely from his natural magic reserve.

"I must get him to the hospital," Celestia muttered, picking Shining’s unconsience body up with her magic and carrying him behind her as she ran towards the castle's medical wing. She ran, avoiding the limp forms of ponies that littered the castle hallways.

Arriving in the medical wing, Celestia found Luna checking on the patients that had gone unattended while everypony was out for hours.

"Luna, prepare a syringe, we must raise his magic levels now!" Celestia said, her eyes wide with panic. The numbers that represented the magic content in Shining Armor's blood was dropping before her eyes... fast.

"Yes, sister," Luna galloped to the back room of the hospital, returning moments later with a metal and glass syringe filled with blue liquid. Celestia lay Shining on a bed and watched as Luna, a natural caregiver, injected him with the blue liquid.

The magic content in his blood began to stabilize, reliving Celestia of her worries. All they had to do was keep injecting him with this every few hours until he came to and could use external magic.

Author's Note

Special thanks to the fellow in the comments that told me to make it more beleivable! Making the bot fall to Equestria three years ago (about the time when the Crystal Empire reappeared) made it seem a lot more pheesable that CEL did what they did in such a short time.
Also, the little science lesson on magic and how it effects ponies was thrown in there to make things make more sense, and hopefully make it more interesting
Anway, enjoy reading!
~Gardian20

Chapter Four: Jerryrigging

Crystal Empire Laboratories. Founded just half a year before King Sombra overtook the Crystal Empire, plunging it into darkness until it ultimately disappeared. CEL was created to find non-magical counters to the evil king Sombre's impending invasion. The rulers knew that not only magic but science would need to come into play in order to win. Unfortunately, neither prevented the attack, but merely delayed the inevetable.

CEL's new purpose after Sombre had been defeated, thrown into shreads by Cadence's magic, was to explore general science and continue to research, but not specialize in, military sciences. Project Red Bird had become a major priority ever since it was hauled in three years ago.

But no amount of prodding or zapping would awaken the dormant machine. The scientists continued to work, undiscouraged by the irresponsiveness of the machine, designing plans of battle mecha among other things to be uploaded when the machine did come round. As soon as the commanders touched down, that it did.

Cancelling out remote order issuing with a jammer, CEL was able to attach a cable that would allow them to send direct orders right into the hardwiring of the machine.

As you saw last chapter, however, none of this is fire proof.

"Wha-" Twilight muttered, her eyes fluttering open. She had been out for about six hours. Twilight awoke to find herself in a hospital room. The white walls surrounding her were bare, save for a few cabanets to the side of the door. A small machine next to her displayed a number of figures, all the numbers were remaining steady: a sign she hoped ment she wasn't going to drop dead anytime soon.

Two lamps suspended from the ceiling gave the room an eerie half lit glow about it. Twilight noticed a sliding switch by the door which was almost at the bottom. That, she figured, must control the lights. Wanting to see better, but not feeling like moving, she lit her horn and levitated the slider into position.

As the magic flowed through her horn, however, it didn't feel right. As though her veins were rusty and un-lubricated, the magic flowed slowly, making a long and painful journey up to her horn.

She stopped trying to perform magic off internal energy, but instead tried to twirl some of the natural magic in the room around her horn. This worked. The mystical energies gathered around her horn, powering it to keep going. Her horn itself felt somewhat stiff, but this worked off quickly after she got some magic flowing through it.

Dispatching the energy toward the light switch, Twilight levitated the switch upwards, increasing the lights in the room. Relieved, she fell back in bed and sighed. Why had her internal magic failed her? Why was she in this room in the first place? Is this the afterlife?

A knock on the door brought her out of the thoughtful daze into which she had shifted, jolting the unicorn back to reality.

"He-Hello?" Twilight stammered, suddenly realizing how dehydrated she was.

"Ah, hello!" A mare dressed in a pure white nurses’ outfit pushed open the door, her horn buzzing with energy as she held a clipboard floating in front of her, "It's nice to see that you're awake!"

"Yeah," Twilight said, sitting up in bed, "Could I have some water?"

"Of course," the nurse levitated a cup over to the sink where it was promptly filled with water and then set next to Twilight.

"Thanks," Twilight picked up the blue plastic cup in her hoof and began to sip it. The cool liquid poured down her throat, alivating her of the scratchiness of not drinking in hours.

"I will let the princess and your friends know that you are awake," The nurse began to move out the door, "Would you like visitors?"

"Yes," Twilight said, nodding her head, "I would like that very much."

The nurse nodded and moved out of the room, leaving Twilight in the suddenly silent bare room.

Using this moment to reflect, Twilight thought back to the last thing she remembered: Doing a joint manipulation teleportation. It was a little surprising about getting put in a coma for such a long time, but it made sense. She was manipulating, extremely fast, a twenty foot long cable through the vortex, only concioussly moving the tip but having to compensate for the rest.

That little trick was something she had learned from a book but had never gotten a chance to try. It was supposed to be used as extremely fast levitation, and that's how Twilight used it back there.

Before she could continue her train of thought, however, familiar voices came from down the hallway.

"Oh!" Pinkie Pie's voice shouted, "Fluttershy, DO you want to be a tree?"

"Well I-" Fluttershy's voice started.

"Come now, Pinkie," Rarity said, "Of course Fluttershy doesn't want to be a tree, I mean, you can't put a dress on a TREE, can you?"

"Sure, why not?" Pinkie's ever optimistic voice tittered, "I mean, it would have to be large and everything, but I'm SURE you could do it, Rarity!"

"Hold yer horses, Pinkie," Applejack's cheerful yet stern voice came in, "Fluttershy doesn't have to be a tree if she doesn't want to."

"But woulden't you want to?" Pinkie Pie's voice said. The voices were getting closer now, almost to the doorway.

"Hush everypony!" Rarity shushed everyone, "Twilight's in that room down the hall and she probably doesn't want to be disturbed."

"Ok," Pinkie said, "I can go in quietly!"

"Ya can?" Applejack's confused voice came, "Why didn't you say you could be quiet in the first place?!"

"Of course I can be quiet, silly!" Pinkie giggled, "How do you think I throw surprise parties?"

By this time the party was standing outside Twilight's bedroom.

"Be quiet," Rarity said, pushing the door open, "She's probably aslee-"

"Hey everypony!" Twilight said, sitting up in bed.

"Hey Twilight!" Pinkie Pie bounced in, making circles around the hospital bed. The others followed behind her.

"Howdy Twilight!" Applejack settled in to a chair on one side of the bed, sucking on a piece of hay, "Mighty nice to see yer alright!"

"Twilight DARLING, how have you been getting on in this place?" Rarity said, looking around at the slightly dusty tabletops.

"Hey Twi," Rainbow Dash flew in over top of Rarity, evoking a few cries from the white pony in protection of her hairdo.

"I'm just glad that you all are here," Twilight said, smiling. Before anyone could answer, princess Cadence stepped into the room.

"Hello Twilight," Cadence said, her ever glowing horn shining, "And hello to you all too." She looked at the warm scene unfolding in front of her and smiled.

"Hello, princess," Twilight said, "How are things going?"

"Just fine," Cadence said, walking over to Twilight's bedside, "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good thanks," Twilight said, stretching a little, "But princess? Why can't I use my internal magic?"

"Well," Cadence said, looking for a good explination, "You used so much, expending it on that last spell you performed that it got depleted, I'm sorry Twilight but I don't think you should use it for a few days, let it rest."

Twilight's face fell a little at the last remark. Using magic was going to be more of a hassle than usual now.

"But don't worry," Cadence continued, a little more cheerfully, "We have something ready that will take your mind off it!"

"What do you mean, you know what went wrong?" Twilight asked Cadence as they walked towards the project Red Bird safe room.

"Well," Cadence explained, putting her hoof in the scanner, "It almost exploded because the nanolaything mchanisem couldn't handle that much mech to create... So we've rigged up two nanolaything turrets, a duplicate copy made from the one inside the construction bot."

The two walked onto the observation deck. Next to the original construction bot, a second nanolaything turret was attached to a harness that jutted out of the original nanolaything machine. Cadence and Twilight stood, watching as numerous scientists dressed in white lab coats walked from place to place, performing scores of last minute checks as a clock in the corner counted down. Two minutes until activation remained. Minute and a half later, all the scientists were out of the room, settling in to remote instruments and computer controls.

"Activation in T - 20 seconds!" A voice boomed over the loud speaker. Sparks began to appear on the two nanolaything turret as they powered up, preparing to work in tandem to create an extremely large object.

"Will this work?" Twilight asked Cadence as the two watched, eyes rivited on the machine.

"I hope so," Cadence said with a sigh.

"T-4 seconds and counting!" The voice of Chem Tech announced. "3, 2, 1, ENGAGE!" Sparks erupted around the two turrets as a current of energy arced between them.

A green outline of the mecha slated to be built appeared in front of it, and green particles flew from the turrets to the construction site.

"It's working!" Cadence shouted, excited. The constant buzz of the electrical current filled the room, giving Twilight the unshakable impression that all the scientists must be wearing earplugs.

"Wow!" Twilight said, staring at the robot starting to take shape in the room.

"ETA is T-one hour!" Chem Tech's voice rang through the room, "All systems green!"

"Twilight, you know what this means?" Cadence said, putting her hooves on Twilight's head, "This means that we can rid Equestria of these menaces!"

A bomb blast shook the shield above, Cadence closed her eyes and gritted her teeth to deflect the oncoming shells.

"And not a moment too soon."

Meanwhile, in Canterlot:

"My sister," Luna called to Celestia, "Shining Armor is awake." Celestia glided down from the perch on which she rested, folding her wings as she landed next to her sister.

"Keep watch in my absence," Celestia said, trotting toward the door, "I will go check on Shining."

"Yes, sister," Luna said, a little dejectedly. Celestia trotted up stairs, around bends and along hallways through the sprawling old castle. Arriving in the medical wing, she found Shining Armor starting to walk out, looking fully recovered... but worried.

"Shining Armor!" Celestia said, maintaining composure, "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine princess, just a little tired," Twilight's brother said, walking out of the room past the princess.

"You don't look fine," Celestia said, concern growing on her face.

"Of COURSE I'm not fine!" Shining Armor shouted, "Here we are, surrounded by bloodthirsty robots, my wife is out there possibly DEAD! Equestria is in shambles and I almost got killed protecting a bunch of snobby society ponies! Do you expect me to be ALRIGHT?" Shining Armor completely broke down, glaring at Celestia like he glared at Twilight for accusing Cadence to be evil.

"Shining!" Celestia said in surprise after the outburst had completely gone over her, "I know this is an upsetting time for you; as it is for us all, but could you at least try to keep a handle on your emotions?"

"I'm sorry princess," Shining Armor said, his ever glowing horn overcasting his downturned eyes. "It's just that I've had an awful lot of responsiblities over the last few days and the situation's getting to me."

"I know Shining," Celestia said, moving a little closer to Shining for comfort, "It is getting to us all."

The two stood there, gaining comfort from the others presence, regaining their composure.

"Well," Shining Armor turned, "I’d better go get the guard regiment out on duty, they'll be wondering what happened to me."

"I appointed one of the veteran soldiers as a temporary leader," Celestia said, trotting along side the stallion as he donned armor, "I hope that will be satisfactory."

"Wait a minute," Shining Armor paused, "You didn't happen to appoint one by the name of 'Deluge', did you?" Celestia gulped.

"Well," She said, sheepishly, "Yes."

"Oh god," Shining Armor put a hoof to his forehead, "That old rag's been mad since he came home from a five year detachment in an Everfree guard post. He's not fit to be a leader, in fact I am curious, in a morbid kind of way, to see what he's done."

"Oh dear," Celestia said, mentally spanking herself for the mistake, "I'm terribly sorry, I-"

"I know princess, let's just go re-appoint me, shall we?" Shining Armor galloped out of the castle with Celestia close at his wake. They arrived outside the barracks and paused. The noise coming from the inside made it sound more like a tavern than a military institution.

"Oh dear god," Shining Armor thought, pausing before swinging open the door. Inside, the barracks had been converted into a full blown tavern, tables, chairs, a bar counter... and worst of all... drinks. Lot's of drinks.

"WHY IS MY BARRACKS A BUCKING TAVERN?!?!?!" Shining Armor's voice boomed over the crowd. The unicorn in the doorway was a frightening sight,his horn glowing, the hairs of his mane standing on end, his eyes boring into the souls of all who looked at them. Most of the guards cowered in fear.

"I'm sorry sir," the soberest of the bunch stepped forward, "We were just following orders."

"Who gave you those orders?" Shining Armor said, his voice lowering, but the sharpness of his anger not.

"Uh, him sir," The guard pointed to a couple of hooves poking out from behind one of the erected counters.

"You fellows clean this mess up," Shining Armor said, pushing through the rows of soldiers, "I have a bone to pick."

"Yes sir!" a familiar chorus reached the ears of the captain of the guard.

"YOU!" Shining Armor said, turning on the pair of hooves sticking out from behind the table, "WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?" He pulled the pony out, revealing a stallion obviously out of touch with reality. His face was a shade of green, and as for the rest of him, the brown insubordinate didn't look much better,

Deluge brought his eyes into a focus after some time and effort, and grinned at his superior.

"What do you mean, I have a fay for meself?" he asked, giggling a little, "I have a fez... but not a fay!"

Shining Armor snorted. "SAY," he repeated, "What do you have to SAY for yourself?!"

"Oh, well," Deluge began, "There was a maid of oaken glory, her dress it was quite a tory..." Deluge began to sing completely out of tune and making up lyrics as he went.

"GUARDS!" Shining Armor shouted, "I want him stripped of his badge and thrown out of this barracks immediately... as in... NOW!"

"Yes sir!" Two guards carried Deluge out of the barracks and uncerimoniously dumped him on the courtyard grass, still singing.

"My sister, what is the matter?" Celestia asked her as she landed next to the princess of the night.

"The machines... they're coming... in greater force," Luna said, taking a deep breath between phrases.

"Oh no..." Celestia said, peering down the telescope. There in the mid afternoon sun, a huge metallic army drove toward them, flying, hovering, walking and driving... all toward the CORE base, right in front of the castle. "I want all able unicorns giving Shining Armor magic whenever he needs it."

"Yes, my sister," Luna said.

"I will gather them, you," Celestia turned to her younger sister, "Orginize a large clinic...I have a feeling we'll be needing it."

Chapter Five: Preparing for War

“ETA is T - 10 minutes!” Chem Tech’s voice boomed over the safe room. The project Red Bird safe room had livened up since the construction bot first fired up. Scientist ponies in white lab coats walked around, checking on progress, observing, checking instruments.

“Alright Twilight,” Princess Cadence said to Twilight, starting to walk out of the room, “It’s time we got your friends down here.”

“Agreed,” Twilight said, nodding in agreement as she too left the room. The pair walked in silence for several minutes, the only sound passing between them being metallic hoofsteps. Despite being quite, the duo displayed excitement in their dispositions.

“Ok,” Cadence broke the silence as she and Twilight walked into the lift, starting their rapid ascent. “Twilight,” Cadence said, turning to the unicorn, “I want you to pilot the prototype.”

“Really?!” Twilight exclaimed, recoiling from the princess in surprise, “That’s quite an honor, thank you...” She trailed off, thinking of what it would be like to pilot that machine. The sheer power boggled her mind, being at the helm of THAT? Amazing.

“Consider it a thank you gift for saving this kingdom on several occasions,” Cadence said, nodding her head. The lift clanked into position, causing the occupants a little shock at the sudden decelleration. The rusty metal mesh doors slid apart, revealing the main room of the Crystal Palace.

“Your friends are staying on the upper floors,” Cadence said, starting to walk toward the shining stairs. Everything in the palace reflected the light, providing the illusion of walking through a giant mirror.

“Alright,” Twilight said while staring at the six reflections of herself walking up the stairs too. “I’m still wary of waging an outright war, princess,” Twilight said, a worried expression appearing on her face, “I think it’s needed, don’t get me wrong, but how are we supposed to beat these two sides when we’re only one? They have armies of thousands while we have six?”

“I understand, Twilight,” Cadence said, pausing on the staircase to turn to her sister in law, “But you won’t be commanding an army of merely six....you will be commanding thousands as well.”

“What?” Twilight asked, curiousity shrouding the look of surprise on her face, “Do tell...”

“Well, the commanders on each side, as far as I can figure out, control everything that side owns....and your mechs will be commanders, per say.”

“Woah,” Twilight said, whistling a little, “So that means we’ll be building bases and creating and commanding armies like the others?”

Cadence nodded. “Yes,” She said, “You will be one side, with the potency of six.”

“Now that both takes my breath away and makes me happy at the same time!” Twilight said, giggling a little. Cadence joined in and laughed a little at the little joke her sister had cracked.

“Now, let’s go get the others,” Cadence said, returning to her royal demeanor. The two started up the stairs, reaching the top almost instantly as there weren’t many left. They broke into a gallop upon reaching the hallway.

“Here we go,” Cadence said, stopping in front of an oaken door with the number ‘112’ etched into a brass plate on it’s front. “This is where they’re staying.”

Twilight skidded to a stop behind the princess, rubbing her now windswept mane back to normal with a hoof, she knocked on the door.

“Coming!” Rarity’s velvet voice called, muffled from the wall which separated her and the ponies at the door. Hoofsteps promptly started walking toward the door, swinging it open upon reaching it.

“PRINCESS!” Rarity exclaimed after opening the door, “Oh dear, here, I’ll clean a few things up! This is an awful mess-” Rarity began running around the room, her horn glowing as she ran, fastidiously tidying many things at once.

“Ignore her,” Twilight whispered, nudging the surprised Cadence, “Just let the storm pass.” The two walked into the room, allowing Rarity to shoot around and above them, cleaning as she went.

“Excuse the delay, princess!” Rarity said, skidding to a stop and bowing at the same time. “Oh, hello Twilight, when did you get here?” Rarity asked her friend while offering tea to the princess. Twilight rolled her eyes and took a seat on the sofa that Cadence was being seated at.

“That really wasn’t nessescary, though appreciated, Rarity,” Cadence said, smiling as she reluctantly accepted a cup of tea.

“Anytime princess,” Rarity smiled, flying a tray of buns right passed Twilight and offering them to the princess.

“But could you get the others?” princess Cadence asked, nibbling at a bun. She slipped an extra one to Twilight, as she noticed Rarity’s failure to notice her friend’s appetite.

“Of course, princess!” Rarity shouted, demonstrating the dopler effect as she rushed past the sofa into the next room. Using the moment as a breather, Cadence turned to Twilight.

“Well, I must say she knows how to treat royalty,” Cadence whispered to Twilight. A few shouts reached the ears of the guests and Rarity shot into view, all of her friends dragged behind her.

“Rarity, what’s the big idea?” Rainbow asked, getting to her hooves.

“The PRINCESS wants to see you!” Rarity beamed, pointing a hoof at the pink alicorn on the couch.

“Oh, howdy princess!” Applejack said after the collection had bowed.

“Hello everypony,” Cadence smiled warmly, “I have something I’m sure you’ll be interested in.” Everyone in the room leaned closer, wishing to hear what the princess had to say. Cadence laughed, “No, it’s not that kind of something!” The others drew back, a little embarresed their eagerness had been noticed.

“What kind of something is it?” Pinkie Pie asked, her demeanor unaffected by the embarresment the other’s showed, “Oh, I love guessing games!” Cadence looked a little confused but maintained her kind face.

“Well I-” she began but was soon cut off by the unheeding Pinkie Pie.

“Lets see, is it a big something? No, uh, a little something? No? A medium sized something? No? Hmmm, how about a sort of largeishmediumishsmallish something? No? Uh-” Pinkie bounced around the room ratteling off words faster than anyone could comprehend. She got cut off by an angry Twilight.

“PINKIE!” Twilight screamed, unable to contain her frustration, “I mean, Pinkie, could you just take a seat and listen to the princess?”

“Okie doki loki!,” Pinkie said, her mood unaffected by the sudden interuption. She took a seat and looked at Cadence expectantly.

“Ok,” Cadence began after all attention had properly settled on her, “In a weeks time, you will all be fighting in a war.” Apropriatly enough, the statement hit the room like a bombshell. A silence ensued as the statement richoched around the minds of the occupents.

“...Cool?” Rainbow finally spoke up, breaking the sheen of silence that had settled on the room. “Are we gonna use those huge robot things you were talking about earlier?” Cadence sighed.

“Yes, you will be,” She responded, returning to her planned speech.

“COOL!” Rainbow shot up in the air in her excitement, slamming into the ceiling in the process. She fell back to the ground dazed, but still excited. Cadence swallowed. This was the weirdest speech she’d given in a very long time.

“Right now, we only have on prototype, and I want Twilight to pilot it as a test.”

“Aw,” Rainbow said, getting back to her hooves. Before she could continue further, Fluttershy spoke up.

“Uh,” she started, pawing at the ground with her hoof as she spoke, “I hope you don’t mind and all...but do we really have to do this?”

“Yes,” Cadence said, firmness lacking in her voice, “I mean, maybe....but most likely yes. Don’t worry, you know, i mean yes I mean-” Cadence faltered. The yellow pegasus’s comment had hit the nail on the head of her worries, so to speak, and her composure was weakening.

“Nevermind then...” Fluttershy said to the flustered princess, “But if you don’t mind me saying, I don’t much care for fighting.”

“Fluttershy, don’t worry,” Twilight said, moving over to her friend, “You don’t have to fight, you can run the economy in the base.”

“Oh, ok,” Fluttershy said, turning away from Twilight. Twilight returned to the couch next to the still faltering Cadence.

“What the princess means is, we all need to go down to the laboratory and show you project Red Bird,” Twilight said, rescuing the princess’s speech.

“OH!” Everypony exclaimed.

“Why didn’t you just tell us that, silly! You could have saved an awful lot of trouble you know,” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing to the door. The others rolled their eyes as they headed down the stairs.

“Prepared for boarding, opening hatch,” Chem Tech’s ever calm, ever present voice came over the loudspeakers. Twilight and her friends were standing in the observation room, all were awed when they had entered a around ten minutes ago.

In the safe room, along with the relatively small construction bot, a giant mech stood. Almost five stories in height, the purple humanoid mecha towered above the rest of the room, it’s vacant eyes staring ahead, unlit. Two arms jutted out of the triangular chestplate, one a nanolatheing machine and the other a weapon.

On the observation deck, Twilight was getting into a large puffy black suit.

“Ok, what does this do again?” Twilight asked from inside the plush suit. A scientist next to her smiled and pushed a button, the suit sucked in with a sound similar to that of breaking wind as the air raipidly left the interior. Eventually, the suit adhered to Twilight’s body like shrinkwrap, with a little give in it. The metalic black fabric accounted for Twilight’s natural features, covering everything except her head.

“That!” The scientist who hit the button said smugly. Twilight rolled her eyes.

“So why do I have to wear it, once more?” Twilight asked, looking at the fabric that now covered her body.

“It protects you from radiation,” the scientist said, unhooking a helmet from the wall nearby, “The mech runs on a radioscopic thermal generator... It’s sealed, but if it leaks we don’t want you dropping dead.”

“Gee, thanks for the positive answer,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” the scientist said, fitting the helmet on Twilight, “There, can you hear me?” A fizz and a pop later, the suit was airtight and Twilight was breathing filtered air through a small port.

“Yes,” Twilight’s voice came over the radio, “Yes I can hear you.”

“Excellent!” the scientist walked out of the room, gesturing for Twilight to follow her.

“Alrighty Twilight, hope it goes well!” Applejack said, trotting alongside her friend.

“Thanks,” Twilight’s scratchy voice came over the radio. The world from behind the glass and metal helm looked almost the same, only bright green numbers flashed in the left hoof side, displaying outside atmopheric status and status of the nearby mech.

“Ugh,” Rarity exclaimed, “Do they have to make these in BLACK?” Twilight and Applejack turned to stare at her. “Uh, I mean, well, I mean, good luck!”

“Thanks,” Twilight said to her friend.

“Yeah, have a good time!” Rainbow said, hovering behind Rarity.

“Hope it goes well....” Fluttershy said.

“It’s gonna be a superduperfantasticwonderful time!” Pinkie said, bouncing behind the rest of them.

“Thanks girls,” Twilight’s voice came over the radio in her suit, “I hope it goes as well as you think it will.”

“We’ll be watching Twilight!” Applejack called as the metal doors closed behind Twilight. Chem Tech’s voice came over Twilight’s internal radio.

“Ok, soldier Twilight Sparkle,” Chem Tech said, “Do we have contact?”

“Affermitive,” Twilight said, “And just Twilight would be fine.”

“Twilight, opening bay locks in three..two...one..ENGAGE,” Chem Tech said, her voice slightly scratchy in Twilight’s helmet.

The doors slid open, showing the safe room, the imposing mecha being the centerpiece as ponies the size of ants buzzed about it in yellow golf carts and just walking. A cart pulled up in front of Twilight.

“Hop on in, ma’am,” the stallion said, gesturing to the back seat. Twilight hopped in, thanking the stallion. After a short drive, she was deposited by a door in the foot of mecha.

“Opening hatch,” Chem Tech’s voice came through the radio. With a hissing of escaping air, the door slid open, revealing a compartment inside. “Step inside.” Twilight entered, the door slid shut behind her, leaving her with only the flashlights on her helm for light.

“Activating transporter,” Chem Tech said seriously over the radio. With a flash Twilight disappeared, re matterializing in the control room of the mecha.

“Have a seat, general Sparkle, the built in artificial intelligence will guide you through the controls,” Chem Tech said, “Ask me anytime you need to, but the computer will answer you most of the time.”

“Understood,” Twilight said, taking a seat at the helm of the mech. There she sat in the darkness surrounded by controls in a half circle around her.

“Activating...NOW!” Chem Tech said. With that final word, the mech flickered to life. Screens came on, surrounding the upper section of the controls, buttons and lights flickered to life. The largest of the screens displayed the forward ‘eye’ cameras. Another showed a top down map of Equestria, the view movable by a joystick next to it. Other screens showed the status of damage, shields, resources for building, selection screens and a number of other things.

“Welcome to mech ALPHA, commander,” a soft synthasized voice said in Twilight’s ear, “I am the Onboard Intelligance And Assistance System, or OIAAS, for short.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, scanning the screens around her.

“I will now execute the tutorial protocol, if you wish, commander,” OIAAS said, awaiting confermation.

“Proceed,” Twilight confermed.

“I wonder how Twi’s getting on in there,” Applejack said. Twilight’s friends and princess Cadence were watching from the observation deck. Princess Cadence paced nervously up and down the room, Rainbow hovered above the rest. Applejack was sitting with her hat in her hooves, nervously watching the machine.

“I’m sure she’s doing just fine,” Rarity spoke up, “After all, Twilight is very good at this sort of thing, isn’t she?”

“Yeah yeah,” Rainbow said, carelessly hovering above Rarity, “But just you wait till I get in mine!”

“Do you really think you could pilot something like that better than Twilight?” Rarity asked, looking up from her knitting.

“Do you think you could drive one better than me?” Rainbow said, hovering right in front of Rarity’s face and staring right into her friend’s eyes.

“Hmm,” Pinkie sat on the other side of the room, thinking, “This calls for a party!” Everyone turned to look at the ecstatic pink pony in the corner.

“Uh, what does?” Fluttershy asked, curious of what her friend was going to do.

“Rarity and Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie said, hopping over to where the two mares were arguing.

“Huh?” they both turned their heads to look at Pinkie, who now had them both in her grasp.

“Don’t you see?” Pinkie said, smiling widely, “You’re bickering like an old couple! Time for a wedding!”

“Pinkie Pie, you are so random!” Rainbow said lazily, breaking free from Pinkie’s grip.

“And I don’t want to marry Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, contorting her face as though disgusted with the very concept.

“Uh, everypony?” Fluttershy said, through the sheen of distaste that now fell between the three ponies, “Why don’t we just watch what Twilight’s doing?” Everypony turned and stared at the machine, it’s glowing eyes lighting up the wall in front of it.

“When is she going to DO something?” Rainbow asked impatiently. As if in answer, the mech moved, twisting it’s torso from left to right.

“We’re good to go!” Twilight’s voice crackled over the radio.

“Excellent!” Cadence clapped her hooves together in joy, “Now, let’s get going with building the others!” The six ponies walked out of the room, their spirits high. Equestria was going to be freed from the tyrannical rule of those machines after all!

Meanwhile, in Canterlot....

“Go go go!” colonel Sanders’s voice rang through the stone wall of the castle. A legion of guards was running at top speed through the palace, their golden helmets glinting in the torchlight. Ahead, the light of an exit shown, the light punctuating through the metal grill.

“Almost there!” Sanders called. He and his men were out on an emergency scouting mission, running through the dank tunnels beneath Canterlot Castle. In front of the exit they were aiming for, the blue sheen of the shield dropped through the ceiling.

“Halt!” Sanders called, taking a moment to open the door in front of them. The guards charged toward the exit, a soft sucking sound was heard as they went through the shield. After they all had exited, the rippling blue sheen settled back to it’s original state, still and unmoving.

“Alright men!” Sanders called, turning back to his men after closing the gate behind them. “You know the mission,” he circled the expectant troops, “We’re aiming for reconnisence, not offense.” The white stallions nodded, their armor glinted in the sunlight as it moved.

“You are all unicorns,” Sanders said, pointing to his own horn, “Activate a low level communication spell, remain in contact at all times.” The body of soldiers nodded. “Travel in pairs,” Sanders said, looking at the approaching army in the distance. “Perkins, you’re with me. Everypony else, use your regular partner.”

The ponies nodded, seperating into pairs, a medium sized white stallion walked over and stood next to Sanders, his armor a slightly different color than the others, marking a higher rank.

“Move out!” Sanders called.

“Yes sir!” the soldiers departed, leaving Sanders and Perkins to go on their own routes. Sanders powered up his horn, tapping into the communication network the other soldiers had already established.

“Ok Perkins, lets go,” Sanders said the the young captain next to him, “We get sector A-2.”

“Yes sir!” Perkins said, following his superior up the rolling green hills. In the distance, massive war machines towered in the distance, their metallic bodies shining in the sunlight. Some were tanks, some were humaniod...but all had weapons.

“Perkins, take note of what’s in our sector,” Sanders said, reaching the top of the hill and looking at the valley below. Scientists had observed the machines, giving the different varietys names, or catagoration numbers more like.

“Lets see....” Sanders said, his eyes squinting as he surveyed the units sprawling out on the field before him. “We have......twenty T-16s, fifty K-1s, forty-five K-3s....” He kept on, listing all the vehicles of destruction in front of him. Behind him, Perkins jotted down the colonels observations on a clipboard that hovered in front of him.

“K-25,” Sanders said, looking at a newly produced machine in the distance.

“Excuse me, sir?” Perkins interupted, a confused look on his face, “K-25 isn’t a known unit.”

“Well,” Sanders said, turning to the captain, “then we have a new one our hooves.”

Perkins hopped up next to the colonel, eyeing the intimidating machine in the distance.

“Mother of Celestia!” He exclaimed. In the distance, a red mecha stood in the passage. Its shiny metal plates shining. A triangle shaped ‘head’ stood on the top, a blinking weapon on it’s ‘nose’ area. The arms were just giant plasma weapons, working in tandem with the rocket launcher in the back to produce a truly fearsome killing machine.

“What is it?” Perkins managed to stammer.

“A K-25, write it down!” Sanders snapped. Shifting his horn into a transmit position, he talked to the others.

“We have a new unit, K-25, I repeat, we have a new unit, K-25, large red mecha,” He said in a monotone comparable to trickling water.

“Roger that,” the soldiers responded.

“Alright,” Sanders said, “We’ve been out here quite long enough, meet at the staging area!”

“Yes sir!” the voice of several soldiers crowded over the comm spell. Just then, Sanders noticed something, the mecha was moving. Arming it’s weapons for a test fire. The arms raised so they were at an almost ninety degree angle from the body, pieces of metal jutting from the elbows that almost resembled wings. The head turned, looking at a nearby hill.

*BZZZZZZTT!

With a large noise, the energy weapon in the head discharged, sending a bolt of purple plasma into the targeted hill, kicking up a cloud of smoke and dust upon impact. When the sheen of rubble cleared, Sanders whistled at what he saw. Half the hill was gone.

“Uh, sir?” Perkins asked, “The others are already there, we better get going.” Sanders turned and looked Perkins, his eyes filled with fear, panic, and anger.

“Yes,” He said, his voice determined, “We have quite a war on our hands.” The two ran off, meeting with the others.

“Princess, the report!” colonel Sanders called, throwing open the the doors of the throne room. Celestia look up from the numerous plans she was reviewing.

“Yes?” Celestia said, carefully placing the pieces of parchment she was examening in a pile in the corner of the room. She stood up, looking expectantly at the colonel.

“We have a problem,” Sanders said, “An extremely powerful K-25 robot is going to be fighting in this next battle.”

“How do you know it’s powerful?” Celestia asked, her eyebrows raised.

“It destroyed a hill.”

Celestia’s mouth dropped open, but closed again upon her regaining her royal composure. “That is quite impressive,” she said, pacing around the room, “We have more of a problem than I thought.”

“Yes, princess, the K-25 has the capability to take out this entire castle in one shot,” Sanders said, looking at the white mare pacing around the room.

“We must hope, colonel, that it doesn’t attack us,” Celestia said, comforting both herself and the colonel.

“Yes, princess,” Sanders said, bowing.

“You are dismissed,” Celestia said while staring out the window. Her mind was preoccupied with worries and plans....none of which to her liking.

“We can do it, sister,” Luna said, appearing out of nowhere next to Celestia. “The clinic is complete, the physicians of Canterlot are settled in, nurses are being trained of willing ponies. We will make it, Tia, we will.”

Celestia smiled upon hearing her ever optimistic sister. “I suppose you’re right, Luna, but one can’t help but worry.”

“We all do, Tia,” Luna said, putting a hoof around her sister, “But what seperates the brave from the weak is the abillity to go on anyway.”

“Yes,” Celestia smiled. Luna’s wisdom always seemed to hit the nail on the head.

“And I think you are very brave, sister,” Luna said, smiling. Celestia blushed.

“Thank you,” She said, “You are too.”

“Thanks.”

“PRINCESS CELESTIA! LUNA!” Shining Armor’s voice rang through the castle, “The battle is begenning!”

Celestia sighed, and, keeping Luna’s words in the front of her mind, she turned to face her duties. Luna did the same, rushing up to the clinic.

“Here we go,” Celestia muttered.

Author's Note

This is off the update schedual, I know. I got a lot of time on my hands and wrote it over the weekend. Edited it today and we're in business! Thanks for the understanding.
Cheerio
~gardian20

Chapter Six: A Battle Breaks the Night

In this world, two states stand out above all: Peace and War. Equestria has spent one thousand five hundred years in the former, but a few weeks ago, it moved to the latter. A state of war, even if you aren’t actively involved in it has affects on a land...devistating affects.

Huge mining machines lift ores and other minerals out of the planet, drilling down to the core, stripping it of it’s resources...pouring them into making war machines. Solar collectors provide energy, their size and energy output is beyond belief. But that too, is poured into production of war. Geothermal power, an impressive source fuels the war.

Technology has had many advances in the past four thousand years. Many machines being used are far, far more advanced than we can imagine. Their shear size breathtaking, these Titans will continue to battle, clashing like gods, until one falls. Being caught in the crossfire of such a battle is disconcerting for sure, but unlike any other race, the Equestrians had an edge on this battle.

Three years ago, during transport a construction Kbot veered off course, heading straight for the land of Equestria. About that time, the Crystal Empire re-appeared. The bot flew very fast and very directly into the arctic land just outside of the empire, landing intact thanks from the drop pod.

After Somba’s defeat, the Crystal Empire laboratories turned their sights from developing weapons to fight Sombra to researching the Kbot which had fallen outside their empire. Now, all units get their power to function from microwave radiation used to transmit the energy from the commander. All power production facillitys transmit their energy in this manner to the commander who then transmits it out to the units. At that time the commanders were fighting millions of miles away, so the Kbot was dormant, unactivated and unresponding.

Despite the machine being nonrespondent, the scientists were able to study it, learn from it. Observing the methods of receiving orders, resources and other such things, scientists were able to hook up a makeshift ‘orders cable’. The orders cable was simply an electric cable hooked up where the electric pulses from wirelessly issued orders would go through after being decoded from their radio wave state.

Scientists observed what each order would do, taking apart microprocessor after microprocessor and observing the interior. A room full of blue prints depicted the entire bot, how it works and what would happen after it activates. Unfortunately, after all this they still weren’t sure how to power it up; and then the commanders touched down in Equestria and the machine sprung to life.

That day, while many ponies remorsed at the prospect of their beloved homeland becoming a battleground, scientists below the Crystal Empire clapped their hooves in joy. Shouts rang through the complex. The machine worked. Since that day, planning and modifying a prototype mecha that could be used for defense was an around the clock occupation...the product of which Twilight Sparkle is now piloting.

“Alright,” Chem Tech’s voice crackled over Twilight’s internal radio, “You have a clear pass for field testing.”

“Gotcha,” Twilight said. Her horn glowed inside the helmet as she moved levers and joysticks around to control the machine in which she sat. “Engaging forward walk protocol!” Twilight shoved a lever into position and the mech rumbled. The feet moved, lifted and were set back down. A loud crash was heard each time it did so. The mech’s legs began to turn to match the direction of the torso.

“Opening hatch doors to testing grounds,” Chem Tech said. In the background, scientists were calling to each other, machines were beeping, and printers were printing. In front of the mech, a gigantic upward sliding door opened, revealing an opening to the outside. Outside, a green field stretched for miles, the shield glowing in the distance.

“I don’t get it,” Twilight asked, “Aren’t we underground?”

“This section of the laboratory is built into a cliff,” Chem Tech answered, “For testing large experiments.”

“Ah,” Twilight threw a switch on the dashboard in front of her, “Here we go!” The mech moved forward, one foot at a time, towards the exit.

“We are outside,” Twilight told everypony over the radio, “Commencing field testing!” There were cheers in the control room.

“Great job!” Chem Tech told Twilight over the radio.

“We’re mighty proud a you, Twi,” Applejack added on the radio.

“Yeah, can’t wait to get one of my own!” Rainbow said.

“Thanks, but how’d you get on the radio?” Twilight asked, a little confused but happy to hear her friends.

“Oh easy, they left the doors open to the lab...HEY!” Rainbow said, her voice getting more distant to the radio as she spoke.

“Sorry about the interruption, commander,” Chem Tech said, sitting back down at the radio.

“That’s alright,” Twilight said, giggling a little, “I enjoy talking to my friends.”

“Let’s get this test started, shall we?” Chem Tech said, smoothing her mane back a little. Rainbow hadn’t really noticed her standing at the transmitter in her rush to get there.

“Righty,” Twilight flipped some switches.

“Weapons, engaged,” OIAAS said in a soft tone. Twilight continued to mess with things on the dashboard, now pressing buttons.

“Manual targeting protocol, engaged” OIAAS stated.

“Perfect,” Twilight muttered. She took hold of two joysticks in her magic and began to wiggle them. The mech moved, creating small craters in the ground where the feet landed. The torso above the legs began to swivel, aiming the weapon.

“Alright, should I just shoot the ground in front of me?” Twilight asked control.

“Go ahead, commander,” Chem Tech responded.

“Engaging D-Gun in three, two, one, FIRE!” With that final word, Twilight pressed a button in front of her. The mech’s right arm sucked in power a little, as if a vacuum cleaner to flame. Then, it discharged, firing a ball of disintigrator in the ground. It hit without a huge explosion but instead of creating one crater, it continued along, creating a sizable trench in the ground. After about a quarter of a mile, it stopped, embedding itself in the ground.

“Nicely done,” OIAAS said, it’s soft monotone never changing, never wavering.

“Thanks!” Twilight agreed, happy that the test fire had worked.

“Now I believe that Chem Tech wishes us to execute a test of the nanolatheing facillities?” OIAAS said.

“Yes,” Chem Tech said, “I believe you know how the function works?”

“I sure do!” Twilight said, smiling a little as she flipped a few levers into position.

“Nanolathing system, engaged,” OIAAS said after a few switches had been thrown. Twilight then turned to the monitor that displayed a top down map of Equestria. After navigating it a few seconds she found the mech on the lawn outside of the cliff.

“Tactical control enabled,” OIAAS said, as Twilight threw yet another switch on the dashboard before returning to the map. Using the joystick, she was able to select and give orders to the mech in which she resided, just like a normal unit.

“Shall we make a solar panel?” Twilight asked OIAAS.

“A solar panel would be the wisest fabrication at the moment,” OIAAS said in its monotone.

“Solar panel it is!” Twilight selected her mech, and then moved over to the left side where the build menu was. She selected Daisy - Solar Flower for construction and then clicked somewhere nearby. The mech clanked and moved walking towards the construction site, the left arm turning and adjusting, preparing to function.

“Begenning construction!” Twilight updated mission control.

“Alright!” Chem Tech’s voice was excited, crackling over the radio. The control room went quiet shortly afterwards, everypony intent to see what was going to happen next. But what they wanted to happened, happened.

A sketchy green outline of a pole appeared outside the mecha, which was covering it in nanolathe. As the green particles reached the outline, they moved into place, slowly building the solar collector from the ground up. First, the sketchy outline was covered in a green film, taking shape as half the particles needed to create the object were in place. Next, it obtained its color. The pole was a few shades of green as the color appeared on it from the ground up, but at the top it was now apparent that a folded solar dish sat. As the color reached the top, a green line that was finalizing the structure just behind the wave of color did too. When the two touched, the mech powered down and the structure was complete.

The yellow dish unfolded, it’s blue solar cells glinting in the sunlight. A motor underneath it turned, allowing it to track the sun. Twilight looked at her resources and noticed that the energy was going up!

“I am receiving energy,” Twilight said, happily, “We have a go on project Red Bird!!!” Cheers erupted in the laboratory. Chem Tech radioed back over the din.

“Congratulations Twilight Sparkle! You may return to the hanger now,” Chem Tech said, excitedly. Twilight wiggled a few levers.

“Manual mech control enabled,” OIAAS said in its monotone, ever present, ever calm voice. Twilight began to walk the machine back towards the bay, one step at a time. After entering, the door closed behind the machine, leaving the solar collector outside.

“Come on down!” Applejack said over the radio. Twilight was doing just that. She got out of her seat and galloped to the transporter. With a short zap, she disappeared, reappearing in the foot of the mech. The door slid open, revealing the familiar concrete flooring, the yellow carts, and the scientists in white lab coats. A few rushed over to her as soon as she stepped out and took off her helmet, allowing her to breath deeper, and pressed a button on her suit. The suit reinflated, now very loosely covering her body was easily slid off, folded, and placed in the yellow cart in which the scientists had come. They hopped in, and with a nod drove off.

“Twilight!” Applejack called, leading Twilight’s friends into the safe room. Twilight smiled and walked towards them, happy to be back on solid ground once more.

“Darling!” Rarity exclaimed, “Your performace was to DIE for!” Everypony looked at her. “Heh heh, not to DIE for I mean, just, you know, good....” she trailed off, her cheeks a bright shade of red. The awkward moment was broken by a loud sound.

*BANG!*

Confetti shot up in the air, followed by a certain pink mare. “Come on everypony, lets party!” Pinkie called while she defied the laws of physics and hung in the air. All the nearby scientists turned and looked at her, suspended in the air.

“You know that’s impossible, right?” one of them pointed out, scratching his head a little.

“Of course silly! Nopony can hang in the air!” Pinkie said, laughing a little, still hanging in the air. “Oh, whoops!” she dropped down next to the questioning scientists.

“You know how many laws you’re breaking, young lady?” he asked, still confused by Pinkie’s defiance to adhere to the laws of physics.

“Yup!” Pinkie smiled, hitting the scientist with one of her most cheerful faces, “I don’t care, I’m Pinkie Pie!”

“She doesn’t care, she’s Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said to the scientists. Suddenly, great big white words saying ‘She doesn’t care, she’s Pinkie Pie’ appeared in front of the scientists. After a few seconds it disappeared.

“Ooookay,” the closest scientist said, before returning back to work. All his coworkers shrugged and continued their work as well. Twilight turned to Pinkie.

“I agree, we should party, but-” Twilight started.

“Thisroomissobusyandtheseponieshaveworktodosoweshouldmovetothelounge?” Pinkie said, gasping for breath. “Right?” she looked at Twilight expectantly. Twilight sighed.

“If anypony understood that, yes,” Twilight said, “Now lets go to the lounge.”

Unknown to the ponies, in Appleosa, the ARM commander noticed something on the radar: a purple speck. The radar is tuned only to pick up things large enough to pose a threat....and this thing, according to the color, was not CORE...it was a third side.

The commander began to calculate, to plot, it began to formulate plans. It came to a conclusion: Wipe out this force before it grows.

An order was issued, and a small task force of vehicles and Kbots moved; their orders? To destroy the third side.

Meanwhile, in the plains outside of Canterlot, the CORE noticed it too. A purple speck appeared on their radar. Noting the ARM’s movements, the CORE began to think as well. Calculating, formulating. A sharp military machine with centuries of battle under it’s belt thought.

If machines could smile, this one would have. The menacing robot finished it’s thoughts with an ideal plan: Attack the ARM’s task force and the third side, while simultaniously attacking on the ARM’s weakest defense point. The trators of the galaxy would pay their debt in blood at last, their puny flesh destroyed and mashed. The superiourity of machines will triumph! However, at the moment a looming ARM army was starting to descend onto the base, so the commander turned its mind to that.

Plasma lit up the night sky as the Peewees poured at the defense line. The piercing sound of Gat guns filled the air, the explosions of advanced scouts. This day is going to be perfect.

Meanwhile in Canterlot Castle.....

“Carnage,” Celestia muttered, her words filled with hatred, “That is all they want.” It was night, the night of the battle. Celestia was watching from the highest parapet of the castle, observing with great anger the scene below. The conflict was heightening. More ARM units poured at the defense line, their weapons blazing. One by one the laser towers began to fall, exploding into a ball of flame and leaving only a twisted lump of metal in their wake.

“They want carnage,” Celestia said through clentched teeth. Her usually serene face was twisted with the contortions of rage. Her flowing mane was tinted red, feeding off the rage that possed it’s owner. “They have no care for what lays beneath their feet, only their own selfish war. That’s what they want.”

Bulldog heavy assault tanks entered the fray. Their heavy plasma cannons lighting the night sky as they fired. The powerful balls of energy flew threw the air, leaving a trail of decayed ashes in their wake, and hit either the ground or their target. In either scenario, a large ball of fire erupted, throwing the dry grassy plane into a burning bed of combusting foliage. Through this hellish atmosphere, the machines fought, unheeded by the fire which singed their feet.

“Cadence may say she will make an uprising, but I have had enough of this!!!!” Celestia screamed. Many floors below, Luna heard her sister’s uproar. She looked up from the patient she was examining, her face concerned.

“Look after her, Redheart,” Luna said, starting to fade into a mist of magical energy, “My sister needs help.” Nurse Redheart nodded and turned to the yellow earth pony that lay in front of her. Luna, now a cloud of mystical energy easily raced through the castle hallways, arriving at the parapet in less than a few seconds. What she saw, was not to her liking.

“Tia, what are you doing!?” Luna asked, re-forming herself into her material body.

“Only what is needed to be done to protect my kingdom,” a soft but menacing voice came from the other side of Luna’s sister.

“Stop it! We will be able to-” Luna was cut off, her sister turned to look at her.

“We will be able to do it now,” Celestia said, her eyes white as flame, her horn too bright to look at. “I will destroy these machines!”

“No, Tia!” Luna screamed. She powered up her own horn, crafting a sedation spell to cast on her crazed sister. “You must see reason!”

“No, my sister,” Celestia said from her now burning white body, “You must see reason.”

“I....will...stop you if you won’t stop yourself!” Luna screamed, releasing her horn. The bolt of purple energy flew at Celestia, but her eyes, filled with hatred stared it down. With a flash, a white bolt of energy originated from Celestia’s horn, smashing into Luna’s.

A flash filled the air as the spell deflected, sending it back at it’s caster. Luna looked on, her eyes wide with panic for a split second as she saw the spell hurtling towards her. Before she could scream, she was struck. A thump was heard as Luna fell to the ground, unconsious.

Celestia looked at her sleeping sister. “Why did she want me to stop so badly?” Celestia thought for a few seconds, before turning to the task at hoof.

She rose up in the air, spreading her wings, crafting and working the magical field that surrounded her as she rose.

“Die machines, DIE!” Celestia screamed, crazed by the stress of ruling a kingdom on the brink of destruction. Flashes filled the night sky, a sizzling bolt of magical energy flying through the air after each one.

*ZZZAP!*

Celestia fired with all her might, over and over she shot at the machines. Each bolt evaporated a unit into thin air when it hit, working in very much the same way as a commander’s D-Gun. Leaving no wreckage, not even a crater.

Firing until she could do no more, Celestia slowly descended from her airborne position, exhausted and at a critically low amount of internal magic. She fought the urge to collapse, she stood, no matter how shakily, looking at her hoofwork. It had worked. The field was clear of everything, or almost everything. Only the opposing and defending armies and the defense line had been wiped out, the rest remained. Celestia sighed, her mane retaining it’s normal colour. She collapsed on the floor, losing the battle with her legs.

Low magic, as you know, can cause a variety of effects, usually causing the victim to fall into a comatose state...a state with which Celestia was now fighting. She lay, collapsed on the parapet’s floor next to her sister, Luna, still under the effects of her own sedation spell. Celestia struggled, she fought the oncoming onslaught against her senses, just to see what was going on.

As she lost conciousness, a blury image prevailed through her eyes....the menacing K-25 assault mech looming over the castle...it’s weapons pointed directly at the building. With a small yelp of both fear and desire to fight for her kingdom, Celestia fell into a deep sleep. She lay, sprawling on the stones next to her sister. The two had fallen in such a way to form the Equestria flag, a circle of night and day.

The CORE had noticed the castle, and, noting it’s power after Celestia’s outburst knew it had to be eliminated. That was what the Krogoth was there for. It stood for a few seconds, utilizing the power of intimidation, a tactic which the CORE knew well.

“Shining Armor, sir,” Colonel Sanders ran into the room. Shining Armor looked up from the book he was reading on Magical Defenses.

“What?” Shining asked the colonel.

“A K-25 sir, it’s aiming at us.”

“WHAT?!” Shining Armor bolted up, and started racing through the hallway, colonel Sanders close at his heels, “I need to talk with the princesses.”

“Sorry sir, but it seems that Princess Celestia is in critcal condition, and Luna is unconcious,” Sanders said, rounding the corner with his superior.

“Ok, get all able unicorns to the courtyard immediatly!” Shining Armor called.

“Yes sir!” colonel Sanders departed, spreading the word.

“We’re probably doomed,” Shining Armor thought, arriving in the courtyard. Unicorns of all classes were teleporting in. Magic flashes of all colours lit up the walls, giving a neon effect to the whole scene.

“Everypony, ATTENTION!” Shining Armor screamed, stepping up onto a soapbox. “I need your help in defending this kingdom.” Shining Armor sighed, but continued, “We are on the brink of impending destruction....but we may stop it!”

“Yeah!” a small cheer erupted from a pony in the back of the crowd.

“Yeah! Yeah!” the cheer slowly went through the crowd, an infectious pep-rally spirit.

“Quite down, please,” Shining called, “Now, we need to link our magical power. I can only use so much external power before exhausting myself, if you all pour magic into me, I may be able to destroy the machine.” The courtyard was quite. The statement hit like a bombshell, everypony look on in shock.

“What have we got to lose?” Shining called, “We’re going to die anyway!” He pointed a hoof at the Krogoth that was looking at the castle.

“Why’s it just standing there?” one unicorn asked.

“I don’t know but-” Shining Armor was cut off. A small spider Kbot crawled out from behind the mech, it’s weapons trained on the imposing CORE machine. On it’s metal thorax, a blue symbol blazed...that of the ARM.

Every so often, a blue bolt of energy was shot at the Krogoth, keeping it still as a rock. Shining Armor looked at all this, intrigued. Suddenly, a black shadow was cast over the castle...a swarm of aircraft flew overhead.

Their white bodies glinted in the sunlight, their wings short and their engines blazing they circled around the Krogoth, getting ready to fire. They turned, every one looking at the Krogoth, they waved back and forth as if caught in the breeze. Suddenly, each one released a stream of plasma, erupting in flames upon hitting the Krogoth, damaging it.

“A brawler swarm!” one pony cried. The white gunship had been nicknamed “Brawler” by the ponies, as it’s constant close combat with enemy units implied ‘brawling’.

“Power up the spell anyway!” Shining Armor cried, his horn glowing. The Krogoth wavered, and then crumbled. It’s arms falling away, it’s menacing form reduced to wreckage. Shining Armor knew what was to happen next.

“Yes sir!” all the unicorns brought their horns to a glow, and arked a bolt of magical energy to Shining. His blood impregnated with magic, he turned to face the aircraft. A booming voice left the lead Brawler as they approached the castle.

“WE HAVE SHOWN MERCY TO NATURAL RACES IN PAST,” it said, “BUT NOT AFTER THEY HAVE KILLED OUR MEN!” The Brawlers began to circle, their weapons priming.

Suddenly, purple bolts of energy lit up the sky. Each a bolt of raw magical energy. As if caught in a flak field, the Brawlers began to fall out of the sky in rapid succesion. Each left wreckage as they landed. Shining Armor’s shield was down, for he couldn’t perform any others while doing that one, so the castle was unprotected in a rain of metal wreckage.

The last Brawler fell, and Shining powered down his horn...the first time in days he had taken such a luxury. The world spun as he returned to the floor, it spun, shifting out of focus. Suddenly, all the unicorns collapsed from exhaustion.

End of Part I

Author's Note

This chapter may come as a blow to those who were hoping for any sort of diplomatic relations between the ponies and the ARM, sorry about that :| Anyway, Celestia sorta screwed up any chance they had of communication or mutual enemies...and the rest of this fic will NOT turn into a battlestar gallactica cheesy remake, war, romance, blah blah blah etc. Hope you enjoyed this and Part II: The War of the Worlds starts next week!

See ya all
~gardian20

Chapter Seven: Skirmish

PART II

----------A Fight for Freedom----------

“Come everypony, lets PARTY!” Pinkie shouted, her mirth undisguisable underneath the triangular party cap she had donned in less than a second. Soon everypony else in the room, much to their surprise and bewilderment, was wearing a similar triangular party hat. An elastic band fastened it on, preventing it’s inevitable descent. They all smiled: Pinkie was off again. ‘This should be interesting’ was the common thought around all of the victims of Pinkie’s party craze.

“Woohoo!” Pinkie pulled her party cannon out from behind her, and, aiming at the ceiling, she put a hoof on a button in the back and the weapon fired. Confetti filled the room, the smoke from the cannon clouding everyone’s visions. When the smoke cleared, the lounge was outfitted in all things required in the unseen laws of Pinkie Pie’s parties.

Everyone gasped a little, not that they were surprised, but it’s just never gets old when your friend presses a button and you find that the room you were occupying is fully decorated for a party.

“Woohoo!” Pinkie shouted, bouncing around the room. “Come on in everypony!” Pinkie bounced about the room, checking up on the various activities. Twilight and the rest of her friends stepped in, excited about what was to happen next.

“Let’s see,” Pinkie said, preparing to give everypony the grand tour, “We have apple-bobbing, punch, dancing, pin the tail on the pony, and... What else...” Pinkie lifted a foreleg to rub her chin, her face contorted with the effort of deep thought.

“I think this is plenty, Pinkie,” Twilight said, “We always have the best time at your parties!”

“Yeah!” Rainbow hovered over to the apple bobbing station. “Except,” she turned to Pinkie, who looked at the hovering rainbow pegasi with an innocent expression, “No crocodiles in here, right?”

Pinkie laughed. “Of course not, silly!” she bounced over to Rainbow, looking into the water. “That was for Gummy’s birthday party!”

“Ok, great!” Rainbow said, relieved... “Hey AJ, you wanna see who can get the most outta this in a minute?” Rainbow called to Applejack on the other side of the room, gesturing to the apple bobbing trough.

“You bet your hay I do, sugarcube!” Applejack sauntered over to Rainbow, her face smug with certainty, “But you better like losing!”

Unknown to the guests, far away, over the mountains that surround the Crystal Empire, a sinister movement slunk in the shadows. Actually, it was more of pulsing walk. In the cold light of dawn, the ARM task force finally approached it’s target, weapons primed and ready, prepared to battle.

Tromping through the snow of the arctic north, the machines left footprints, footprints large enough to form small ponds. In front, a row of twenty Zippers took broad steps, running ahead of the rest of the force. Behind them, a row of ten Mavericks marched, their uniquely held weapons waving to and fro as the arms oscillated to accompany the almost lunging like walking they were performing. Behind them, ten Sharpshooters, sniper Kbots, marched. Their odd hunched shoulders glinting in the sunlight. Their compressed spot where the head ought to have been was filled with snow, providing an imposing white triangle where the visual centers were based. This was cleared quickly by a few accurate shots from the mavericks.

A single mountain stood between this force and it’s target, they climbed, reaching the top within minutes. Surveying the field below, the machines paused, allowing for the Sharpshooters to catch up. Before lay the Crystal Empire, it’s main spire glinting in the growing light of dawn, the view tinted by a certain blue wall.

The Sharpshooters reached the top of the hill, unfolding their rifles as they went. A sort of briefcase like appendage unfolded, forming a plasma sniper rifle. The right arm was transformed into a weapon itself, the left grabbed it to steady the aim. Their arms raised.

An invisible command was ordered, the weapons fired. A blast of smoke erupted from the weapons, the barrels lifted into the air as their owners busily reloaded them, shoving another shell into place. Ten small plasma bolts shot from the smoke, lighting the night for only a split second before impacting the shield, their force sending cracks along its surface.

The Mavericks moved up, their arms raised as their weapons primed, aiming at the shield. In one swift motion, all the bots fired, dual plasma shots erupting from their barrels, smashing into the shield, creating more cracks. The shield was repairing itself, but not as quickly as it was being damaged. This could not hold up for long.

Cadence’s bleary eyes shot open. Her mug of coffee hit the floor, smashing into a thousand pieces, with the undrunken liquid flowing over them and creating a large mess. Cadence had been on the brink of sleep, weary from her constant protection, but something had happened. Her horn flickered again as an some force smashed into her shield, forcing her to pour more magic than ever into the structure, maintaining it against the volleys of high-impact projectiles.

“Princess!!!” an urgent voice shouted. The doors to the throne room were thrown open, allowing passage to the owner of the voice.

“Yes?” Cadence asked, one eyebrow raised. She already knew most of what the stallion in front of her had to say, but there may be a few things she might like to know.

“Something is attacking the shield,” the stallion said in a dire voice, standing up from a feverish bow. Cadence thought about rolling her eyes, but shot down the idea for she hadn’t heard everything this guard had to say. “They are,” the stallion looked straight at Cadence, his voice low and serious, “Robots.”

This word sent a chill down Cadence’s spine, she had been afraid of this. Ever since Twilight had built that structure... something told her that they were coming. Maybe a hunch, maybe a dream, or maybe a lucky guess; this fear was real.

“Send word to Twilight Sparkle and her friends immediately,” Cadence winced under a volley of force, “Prepare Twilight for battle, and if any of the other mech are complete, ready their pilots as well.”

The guard nodded, threw a salute and galloped out of the room. Cadence got mobile herself, wincing under the strain of maintaining the barrier, she walked out of the room.

“Woohoo!” Pinkie jumped around the room, making sure her friends were happy while participating in the party’s many events, many at a time.

“You having a good time?!” she asked Twilight excitedly as she shot passed her.

“Yeah, great....” Twilight said, sheepishly. Her mind was riddled with worries, concerns, and general havoc, most having to do with the upcoming war. She felt a disturbance, fluctuation in the magical field, shaking her head slightly over what it might be. ‘Something could be attacking the shield, forcing Cadence to use external magic, large amounts of it, thus creating fluctuations in the field from the magic rushing in to equalize itself after a large portion was poured into the shield...” Twilight thought. At this point, she was standing thoughtfully by the punch jar, staring into space.

“Twilight, darling,” Rarity said, trotting over from pin the tail on the pony, “Is everything alright?” She poured herself a glass of punch, sipping on it gracefully as she held the cup in a firm blue glow.

“Yeah, fine!” Twilight said, faking a smile. “Just a little nervous, that’s all!” her face turned a shade of red, her forced smile staring Rarity in the face.

“Well, if you’re sure...” Rarity’s face was worried, she sipped at her glass.

“Well, wouldn't you look at the time!” Twilight said, eager to get out of the awkward situation, “I’d best be going!” She ran out of the lounge, running to find a better spot to think, somewhere where nopony would disturb her...

Rounding the corner, Twilight ran headlong into a pair of guards that were running toward the lounge, bowling them over. A loud crash was heard, and Twilight found herself on the ground next to a couple of guards, all were surprised at the incident.

“Oh I am so sorry!” Twilight said, getting to her hooves. “I just didn’t see you coming-”

“Twilight Sparkle?” the guard cut her off, his face remaining stoic despite the incident.

“Wha- Oh, yeah, that’s me!” Twilight said, her voice climbing in pitch as she pointed a hoof at herself. Inside, she was panicking, several thoughts rushed through her head as if released from a restrained gully.

‘What have I done?!’ one chimed, it’s urgent tone condescending to the subject.

‘What’s going on up there?!’ one half screamed.

‘I’ve got to think!!!!’ one helpfully put in.

Twilight shook her head, throwing these panicked voice out of her thoughts and returning her full attention to the guards.

“Twilight, come with us,” one guard said, beginning to gallop down the hallway. “An emergency has arisen!” he called over his shoulder. Twilight’s mouth gaped, but she turned and ran.

“Emergency,” she muttered under her breath, “Should have known.” She rounded the corner, noting the guards distance she powered up her horn as she ran.

*POP!*

Twilight dissipated into thin air, the sound caused by air rushing to take her place. The reappeared, displacing air with a thin hissing sound, right behind the guards. Through all of this, she never stopped running.

The trio stopped by the door of the lounge, the guards threw open the door. “Everypony, please, come with us!” he shouted. Twilight’s friends turned to look at him.

“What in tarnation do you think would make us do that?” Applejack asked skeptically, her eyes narrowed at the intruders.

“Just do it, okay?” Twilight spoke up, her voice almost pleading.

“Alright Twi, if you say so,” Applejack resumed her normal composure, “Come on, y’all, we have a place to go!”

“Awww,” Pinkie said, her face almost hitting the floor in disappointment, “But aren’t we gonna finish the party?”

“We can do that another time, Pinkie,” Twilight called, “But come, time is of the essence!”

“Ok, I’ll come if time’s a fragrance!” Pinkie bounced to the door. The eight ran down the hallway, expressions set, minds determined. One of the guards explained a few things to the group, hoping to dissipate the general air of confusion that surrounded it.

“We’ve got robots at the borders,” he called, rounding another corner and approaching the hanger where Twilight’s mech was parked, “They’re going to burst through the shield, and we need you to fight!”

“How long do we have?” Twilight asked seriously. The guards threw open the doors to the hanger, a prep team engulfed the group, fitting puffy suits onto Twilight and Rainbow.

“About half an hour, probably less,” the guard said. Rainbow wasn’t exactly being cooperative with the prep ponies that were putting the suit on her.

“Woah woah woah woah!” she flew up in the air, “How am I supposed to fly in that thing?”

“Just do it!” Twilight cried, exasperated by her friends resistance, and at a time like this no less. Everypony stared at her, silenced.

“Sorry,” Twilight apologized, realizing her previous tone of voice, “But you really do need to get in that thing.”

“Alright, alright,” Rainbow resigned, lowering herself down to the ground only to be engulfed by the prep ponies.

Minutes later, the suits had depressurised and the helmets were placed atop the ponies heads, giving the effect of looking through a one sided fish bowl.

“Weird!” Rainbow said, rolling her eyes as she noticed the HUD in the left side of her view.

“No time for that!” Twilight began to gallop towards her mech, her voice was broadcasted to Rainbow via radio, also it was broadcasted by a speaker built into her suit to bridge the air-tight gap between her and her audience.

“Right,” Rainbow looked at the mech, “I’m assuming mine’s the awesome one?”

“If by awesome you mean rainbow, then you are correct,” Chem Tech’s voice came over Rainbow’s internal radio.

“Ok, now you’re talking into my ear, this is getting weirder by the second,” Rainbow screwed up her eyes to demonstrate her point.

“Just get in the machine, Rainbow!” Twilight shouted at her friend, her voice cracking a little as the microphone overloaded with the sound.

“Alright alright!” Rainbow cried, “I’ll get in your stupid machine.”

Twilight sat down in the familiar swivel seat in the control room of her mech. Dormant screens flickered slightly as she sat down, springing to life as soon as she hit the initiate button.

“Welcome back to mech ALPHA, commander,” OIAAS’s smooth voice said in Twilight’s helmet.

“And a very good morning to you too,” Twilight muttered, flipping a few switches on the dashboard in front of her. “OIAAS?” she started.

“Yes, commander?” the metallic voice responded in Twilight’s ear.

“No more field testing, we’re at war,” Twilight pressed a button, and turned to the tactical display next to her.

“Yes commander,” OIAAS said with it’s ever calm air, “I am aware.”

“You are?” Twilight questioned.

“Tactical control, enabled,” OIAAS said involuntarily as Twilight began to que orders in the mech’s database. “Yes,” OIAAS returned to it’s normal self, “The radar data shows a force incoming, a small force of advanced war machines.”

“Great,” Twilight muttered, “OIAAS, we have half an hour or less to build a base, build an army, and confront that force.”

“Affirmative,” OIAAS said, the mech began to move, shaking the control room slightly with each step. “Time is of the essence.” The mech began construction of a Daisy, the nanolaythe flowing freely from the emitter. “Will mech BETA be joining us?”

“Yes,” Twilight said, her face still bent over the tactical display, “But it’s driver has to go through the training protocol first.”

“Affirmative,” OIAAS said. Twilight pressed a button next to her display. “Executing ore scan,” OIAAS said involuntarily. On the left foot of the mech, a small device began to emit seismic waves, reading the rate at which they were received to record the densities of materials underneath. The ores used in the construction of bots were denser than regular soil, thus providing an effective map of ore deposits.

Twilight read out the results, plotting metal extractors where ore promised to be found, her face still contorted with nerves. The mech moved toward a plotted spot for the metal extractor. Three metal extractors later, a P-bot factory was being constructed.

“May I suggest creating a balance more in favor of the Unicorn - Light magic P-bot?” OIAAS suggested, it’s monotone never wavering.

“Thanks,” Twilight said. She never really got a briefing on battle strategy, or what all the units at her disposal were, so any piece of advice was appreciated. With a clank the P-bot factory was finished, it’s thin form spreading over the landscape.

“By the way,” Twilight asked OIAAS, “What controls our machines?”

“They are intelligence constructs similar to myself, receiving and executing orders issued by me and you, as the commander. They are not flesh based, as that would require more materials and be inefficient in production. In my data banks, the CORE use souls uploaded directly to machines where as the ARM use creatures encased in metal suits, making them devoid of the need to life support, so we, as the third side, are using different methods than either,” the computer finished, it’s vocal circuits sparking a little from the long piece of dialogue they had delivered.

“Uh huh,” Twilight said absent mindedly, focused entirely on cueing orders in the P-bot factory. The factory clanked open and began construction. A equine shaped nanolaything robot appeared, greenish at first but completing quickly. It galloped out of the factory, ready and awaiting orders. The factory began to produce metal unicorns, exiting the factory within tens seconds of construction starting. Twilight turned to the construction bot in front of her.

“Woah,” she whistled, looking at the large list of structures the bot could produce, most giant weapons, but hey, that’s kinda the point of this venture.

“May I suggest building the Guarder - Heavy Plasma Cannon?” OIAAS suggested.

“Yes, yes you may!” Twilight said, grasping onto the one thing she could to make herself feel better: humor. Bad humor at that too, but any kind of familiar concept was welcome in Twilight’s mind right now.

The bot clanked over to the side and began to build onto the green skeleton of a compact plasma battery. Meanwhile, Twilight began producing more metal extractors and Daisies to account for the large usage of resources that was starting to take a toll on the reserves.

“Hey Twi!” Rainbow’s voice came over the radio, Twilight smiled.

“Hey!” Twilight cried to her friend, a shred of comfort coming to her voice at last, “You know how to operate that thing?”

“Yeah, sorta,” Rainbow said. Twilight completed the structure she was working on and turned her machine around, looking straight at a rainbow mech standing right in front of hers.

“Nice decor!” Twilight exclaimed. The mech glowed in the sunlight, the rainbow paint job glinting. In the back, folded wings sat, along with a jetpack. The head on the mech was much lower set than Twilight’s, and the arms looked awkwardly high; this, Twilight assumed, must be to allow room for the swiveling mechanisms when it flies. The rest of the body was streamlined, as if a walking airplane.

“Thanks,” Rainbow’s voice said over the radio, “I’d say it’s about twenty-percent cooler than yours, though.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Could you head over and help with the defense line?” Twilight said, her machine walking to another spot to continuing building a strong economy.

“Sure thing, Twi,” Rainbow said. Twilight watched as the blue speck that represented her friend on the radar walked away from her.

“Attention commanders!” Chem Tech’s dire voice came over the microphone, without waiting for a response, she dove on with her speech. “The shield has failed, I repeat, the shield has failed!”

Twilight’s stomach felt as though it reduced itself to a ball and fell to the bottom of her ribcage, as though being thrown into a rubbish bin. “How long do we have?”

“About one minute until the forces begin to arrive, although it may be longer for all of them to get there,” Chem Tech’s voice said with dire urgency. “Good luck, and long live The Empire” she shouted, and the com line fell silent.

Twilight turned to the tactical display, selecting her troops. The mass of metal unicorns moved as one up next to the defense line, where the Guarder was still not finished. “Finish it, now!” Twilight shouted at Rainbow, her voice urgent and panicked.

“Woah woah woah!” Rainbow recoiled from the microphone after her friends outburst, “I’m building as fast as I can, Twi.”

“I’ll be over to help you then, we have incoming!” Twilight said, her eyes wide with panic.

“I know, we should take ‘em, man, look at your army!” Rainbow said, observing her friends small army sprawled on the ground before her. Twilight’s purple mech arrived next to Rainbow’s, aiding in construction of the plasma cannon. Soon, the structure was finished, it’s color all there. The construction bot moved over to the next one, beginning the construction.

“Yes!” a harried Twilight said over the microphone, “But that isn’t enough!”

“Ok Twi,” Rainbow recoiled a little bit at her friends stressful outburst, “If you say so.”

“Here we go!” Twilight shouted, selecting her army and moving them towards the mass of units that were approaching, fast. Small tan assault Kbots shot into view, their bodies light and strong as their long legs strode towards Twilight’s mech. Plasma shots, impacting large craters began to rain, fired by the Guarder. The Zippers merely moved away from the shots, their swarm unaffected by the menacing shells.

“Keep working on the Guarder,” Twilight shouted to Rainbow, selecting the construction bot and instructing it to create a heavy laser tower.

“Gotcha Twi,” Rainbow said, “Shouldn’t you attack them, though?”

“Yes, working on it!” Twilight selected the mass of Pbots, and moved them straight at the oncoming swarm of units. The armies clashed, plasma lit up the air. The Unicorns lowered their heads, rapid plasma fire coming off their horns, exploding when it hit an offending surface. The Zippers raised their weapons, firing long and concise strings of plasma into the crowd of ponies. Explosions filled the air, fireballs left twisted metal in their wake, small pieces of wreckage flew in the air, embedding itself in the ground upon impact.

“We’re winning!” Twilight shouted at her friend, her voice filled with happiness, but as she got confidant, she again saw the severity of the situation. Two groups of gunslinger Kbots marched in on either sides of the winning army, each one of their shots destroying a Unicorn, reducing it to molten metal. If that wasn’t enough, Twilight saw a row of Kbots standing in the distance, their arms extended in front of them as they rotated slowly to lock on to the movement of their target. A plume of smoke later and half of her force was gone... the Crystal Empire was losing.

“Hold them back, Rainbow!” Twilight called to her friend, as soon as the under construction Guardian was destroyed in a volley of sniper fire, “I can finish the laser tower!”

“You got it, Twi!” Rainbow said, flipping a few levers on her dashboard. The rainbow mech turned and began towards the opposing army, D-gun blazing. Anti-matter blasted through the force, pieces of units filled the air. Amidst the wreckage, the rainbow mech towered, crushing the smoking remains of the units it had destroyed.

But this carnage did not come without it’s price. Plasma flew against the armor of Rainbow’s mech, scratching the paint and bending the metal.

“This mechanical voice thing says I’ve got quite a bit of time ‘till I violently explode!” Rainbow grinned to herself, twisting the machine she was piloting and ripping through another row of units with her weapon.

“Alright, but be careful Rainbow.” Twilight replied uncertainly, “This tower’s almost finished... The construction bot was picked off in the fighting so it’s going slower than I’d like it to.”

“I got this!” Rainbow said, smug with satisfaction as a another row of robots blew to pieces. Only the line of snipers remained, their weapons lowered for another shot. This shot was going to destroy what was left of Rainbow’s mech... peirce it’s armor and trigger a nuclear meltdown in the core that powered the machine. The weapons primed... seconds later they would fire.

*BOOM!*

The snipers whirled around in surprise, facing an onslaught of missiles and artillery fire. The remaining bots were destroyed, leaving the hill donned only with twisted wreckage left from the snipers, molten iron ran down the landscape, cooling quickly.

“Well that’s that th-” Twilight was cut off. Coming over the hill, a large collection of K-bots, their backs hunched as they ran ahead. Their only arm burned at the tip, a hose hooked it up to a gas chamber held on their backs. They ran towards the defense line, taking losses from the oncoming fire from the heavy plasma cannons, but many remained and kept running. Suddenly, a red cloud erupted from the arms. Sparks filled the air as the burning gas flew. Thick black smoke clouded the air.

“I got ‘em!” Rainbow said, pressing a button inside her mech. Before Twilight could protest, Rainbow’s mech had deployed it’s wings and taken to the skies. The rainbow streak flew over the the Pyros, a D-gun shot dropped like a bomb, ripping through the ranks of the bots.

The Pyro’s turned to the skies, attempting to shoot down their attacker, but failing. The clouds of fire were avoided with ease by the rainbow streak.

“Yeee hah!” Rainbow shouted, her hooves grasping the controls of her mech as she shot through the clouds. “This is almost as fun as real flying!”

“Uh...” Twilight was still a little shocked by the scene in front of her, “Just be careful.”

“Yeah yeah,” Rainbow rolled her eyes, pulling up for another run. “This is what I DO, Twi!”

“Uh huh,” the laser tower completed with a clank and moved into position. “Laser tower’s online, by the way.”

“Fine fine,” Rainbow said carelessly, dropping another ball of disintegration onto the oncoming swath of units. With the Pyros finished, Reapers and Goliaths (both heavy assault tanks) were rolling onto the battlefield. While behind them, Slashers (mobile anti-air trucks) rolled, their weapons turned to the sky.

*FOOOOM!*

A noise smashed through speakers of Rainbow and Twilight’s suits. It was an ominous noise that made the hairs on the backs of their necks stand up. Little red streaks shot through the sky, curving as they closed in on Rainbow. Another ball of disintegration dropped out of the sky, coupled with a volley of plasma from the Guarders and the CORE force was destroyed...leaving only twisted wreckage in it’s wake.

“We did it-” Rainbow’s voice sizzled out. Twilight turned her head skyward, and saw a burning mech. One wing was missing as the battle-worn machine spiraled towards the ground. A smoke trail lit up the sky, sparks and various pieces of machinery dropped to the ground, littering the trail with wreckage. Twilight gasped.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!*

A huge explosion filled the air. A mushroom cloud rose where the mech used to be... the sky lit up with ash and fire as the machine was destroyed. Twilight sat there, agape, looking at the pile of parts that was her friend.

“Is everything alright?!” Chem Tech’s urgent voice said over the radio, concerned. Twilight gulped and waited a few minutes before answering. A tear trickled down her cheek. This couldn’t be happening, she thought.

“Rainbow,” Twilight sobbed, “Rainbow... she’s... dead.” A stunned silence followed.

“She was a good mare,” Chem Tech said, sniffling a little herself, “Return to base, Twilight.”

“Yes ma’am,” Twilight sobbed, “OIAAS, take us home.” The mech began to clump towards home, glinting in the evening sun. The wreckage of Rainbow’s mech lay on the hill where it had landed, devoid of a head. A small yellow streak had gone unnoticed by Twilight, she just thought it was another piece of wreckage, another part of her friends demise... but it wasn’t. It might actually be her friend’s salvation.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot......

Celestia awoke to a soft beeping, she opened her eyes for the first time in a day, only to discover that it looked almost exactly the same with her eyes closed. She closed her eyes again, then opened them... Still almost the same. She was in a dark room, that much was clear, but where, what, and why?

Her horn glowed, she tried to feed magic up to it from inside herself, but, much to her surprise, found that it hurt. Pain; pain like somepony was performing acupuncture on her veins shot through her. She stopped trying to use internal magic, but instead twirled some nearby magic onto her horn. Her horn itself felt stiff, like old clotted up magic blocked it, but this passed quickly with use.

Twirling nearby magic onto her horn, Celestia created a ball of magical energy on the tip of her horn, enough to light the room. Next to her, monitors beeped consistently, IV drips were hooked into her arms, and a small table sat, unwavering; yes, it just sat. The walls were white, yellow in the soft light from Celestia’s horn. A few cabinets sat in the corner, but besides that the room was bare. Celestia herself was lying on a hospital bed.

Suddenly the door opened, and a few doctors walked in, they flipped the light switch, powering up a magical lamp in the ceiling, allowing Celestia to power down her horn.

“Hello, your highness,” one of the doctors clumsily attempted conversation while wheeling an instrument away from Celestia, “Uh; great weather today!”

“Yes, that is very possible,” Celestia said, coolly. “Would you mind explaining how exactly I got in here, and why we aren’t dead?”

“Great, now she needs a psychologist as well as the ICU,” the second doctor muttered to himself. The first stomped on his hoof to shut him up before the princess heard anything.

“I assure you, my mental state is not compromised,” Celestia smiled slightly. The second doctor looked a little sheepish, but maintained his cool demeanor. “I merely wish to know why we aren’t all blasted to, pardon my language, hell.”

“Ok, well...” the first doctor thought a few seconds. “I can’t tell you that, but I’m sure Shining Armor of Luna can-” he was cut off by his impatient colleague.

“We can tell you that you need to take it easy, let Luna raise the sun for a few days, after your wacko antics up there,” he gestured to the ceiling. “And try not to use magic for a few days.”

“I will, as you say,” Celestia responded coolly, “Am I free to leave?”

“Yes, if you don’t do anything stup-” the second doctor was cut off by a jab from his colleague.

“Yes, just try to follow the advice my friend here gave you,” the first doctor said, looking annoyed at his dirty faced colleague.

“Thank you. I will,” Celestia ruffled her wings as she got out of bed, stepping past the two stallions. The door opened and closed after the princess, leaving the two doctors in the room. On one, a fake smile released as he took his hoof out of the others mouth.

“What’d you do that for?!” the second doctor said, rubbing his previously blocked mouth.

“You can’t say ‘stupid’ to royalty!” the first hissed as they began to walk out of the room.

“Sure you can, if little twerps like you aren’t around!” the door swung shut, and the lamp extinguished, plunging the room into darkness.

“My sister,” Celestia called, walking up behind her Luna’s black form. The two were standing on the star observatory’s balcony, the place typically used for the raising and lowering of the sun and moon. Luna stood, her back turned to her sister, concentrating as she forced the sun down over the horizon and raised the moon at the same time.

“Are you alright?” Celestia asked, a little concerned at her sister’s silence. In truth, Luna was thinking over what to say, or at least what to say that woulden’t seem too offensive. Using the magic she was performing an excuse, she continued to think, her face gritted in fake determination.

“No.”

Celestia jumped back in surprise. Luna turned to face her sister, her face now filled with genuine anger.

“What did you think you were doing?!” Luna said, her tone rising as she stepped towards the rapidly retreating Celestia. “You could have died! You could have KILLED YOURSELF!”

“I-I--” Celestia stuttered, unsure how to respond to her sister’s newfound rage. She backed against the door, her thoughts filled with shame.

“Why?!” Luna asked, her voice venomous but soft, “Why did you do that?”

“I-I-I-was just trying to protect my kingdom,” Celestia backed further against the wall as Luna progressed towards her.

“Your KINGDOM is in greater danger now than it was,” Luna said, her voice rising as she attempted to drive every word home in her sister’s mind, “Shining Armor almost died CLEANING UP AFTER YOUR MISTAKES!” These last words were said in full Canterlot Royal Voice; Luna looked down on Celestia, her eyes slits with rage.

“Wh-wh-” Celestia was so taken aback she couldn’t form any words...all that escaped her gaping mouth was air. “How?” she finally managed to say.

“Celestia,” Luna sighed slightly, but her mane was still tinged with the redness of rage, “Your antics, your rage, attracted the attention of the armies.” Celestia’s eyes were wide with shock, but she nodded for her sister to continue. “We almost destroyed by a Brawler swarm, one that destroyed the K-25 after you fell. Shining formed a band of the unicorns from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns and performed a mass magical transfer between them, into him.

“They struck down the Brawlers with raw magical energy, shot through Shining Armor’s horn. That much power was only meant to be for us alicorns... it usually kills normal ponies, bursting their blood vessels with so much power and letting them bleed to death.” Luna looked at her sister and sighed, but continued. “Shining Armor almost met that fate. The doctors are tending to him now, he is in the ICU. And it is not looking promising.”

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-will he be okay?” Celestia managed to say after a long attempt to grasp the right word.

“I do not know,” Luna looked at her sister, “But he will probably never be able to use magic again.” These words hit Celestia like a bombshell. The silence that ensued was enough to kill a bird, just out of sheer quantity.

A unicorn without magic is like a bird without wings. They can live, but it is neither comfortable nor guaranteed. And for Shining Armor, one of Equestria’s key defenses in a time of need, it would be disastrous for national security as well.

“I hope you feel-” Luna started, her eyes still burning with frustration.

“I recognize the lengths of my actions, Luna,” Celestia said, “I am sorry to have been as unwise as I was, allowing anger to get the better of my cognitive facilities.”

After receiving the nonchalant statement, Luna recovered herself and responded. “Good, but that does not help the situation at hoof.”

“I realize that as well, my sister,” Celestia looked at Luna with an impertinent glare, “And I intend to take full responsibility for my actions.”

“I hope you know what that means, sister,” Luna said, her teeth grinding slightly as the words escaped her mouth. As much as she loved her sister, one cannot take it lightly when your sibling knocks you out and almost kills herself, inadvertently almost killing many others.

“Yes,” Celestia sighed, turning away from her sister, “I am aware. I will now check on Shining Armor, I want to see the extent of the damage I caused.” The sun princess trotted down the passage, dejectedly.

Shining Armor lay on a bed, the sheets as pure white as his coat, asleep, but in pain. Several units surrounded his horn, beeping as they worked on it in willing solitude. Doctors dressed in green scrubs surrounded the stallion, tending to him, checking information on the various monitors that surrounded the room. Their faces hid behind white masks, filtering the air they breathed.

Celestia walked into the observation deck, her face clouded with worry. Another doctor stood with her, overlooking the scene in front of them. “Will he be alright?” Celestia asked, walking up behind the stallion.

“I don’t know,” he turned, facing the princess, “But he will never be able to use magic again.” Celestia gulped.

“What is the extent of the damage?” she asked with growing concern.

“Well,” the doctor paused, as if about to deliver a message that would break the princess’s heart, “His horn’s melted.”

“What?!” Celestia recoiled in surprise. Nopony’s horn had melted before, I mean, it was theoretically possible, but it had never happened before.

“His horn has melted. The tissue has completely melted on the inside and the bone liquefied, flowed down his skull and re-hardened,” the doctor sighed, “We’ve never seen anything like it.” Celestia stood, agape, processing the information.

A unicorn’s horn is an appendage, growing directly out of the skull. The outside ‘shell’ consists of a special kind of superconductive bone, designed to allow magic to flow freely in and out of it, also acting like lightning rod to guide outgoing magic. The internal tissue is the vessel of transportation for the energy, muscles on the sides of it allow the unicorn to shape the magic, thus creating ‘spells’ before releasing them through the horn. The horn can twirl and shape external magic, but ultimately it is reeled in and shaped by the internal tissue.

So with both the internal and external areas burnt out, there is next to no hope of using magic ever again, unless a miracle happens, that is.

“What kind of a chance do we have that he’ll survive?” Celestia said, reverting to more basic hopes.

“About a ninety-five percent chance; I think he’ll make it out of this, just not with a horn,” the doctor turned, looking back over the operating room. The medical ponies were retreating, cleaning up in their own wake, leaving the room as organized as when they entered. Celestia’s mind returned to Shining’s horn, grasping at any passing idea.

“What about reconstitution magic?” she asked suddenly, reverting from her slightly glazed disposition in less than a second. The doctor jumped before answering.

“Reconstitution magic would be dangerous, I’m afraid. We don’t have all the materials from his horn, and reconstituting a bodily area is, well, just plain dangerous. I could go wrong, especially when hooking it up to the existing bodily functions. The aim would have to be so precise, to line every bloodstream up, it would have next to no chances of successfully bonding,” he explained, scratching his neck absent mindedly. “I’m sorry, princess.”

“What?” Celestia said with a start, “Oh, don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault. Anyway, I must try to catch some rest, good evening doctor.”

“Uh, good evening to you, your highness. Hope you get some rest,” the door swung shut, leaving Celestia in the empty hallways of the Canterlot medical wing. She sighed, her ethereal mane swinging from side to side as she bowed her head in shame, mostly to herself.

‘You were stupid. You should have realized that this would happen! You don’t deserve to rule a country,’ one side of her head thought, it’s voice sinister with anger.

‘I was just doing what I thought was necessary to protect my kingdom,’ she thought back, ‘I made a stupid choice, yes, but I had good intentions at heart.’

‘Oh, you think so huh? You were just too caught up in your own anger to realize what this would do to your country!’ the first side came back, venom in it’s voice.

‘Well I- I-’ Celestia thought back, desperately trying to grab onto something positive in the situation.

‘You’re just a self-centered egotistical maniac!’ the first voice plunged on, beating on Celestia’s self-esteem like a punching bag, ‘You never, ever, EVER think about other ponies when you’re angry, huh? Why’d you attack the changeling queen? You should have seen outright how powerful it was, yeah? You were just too caught up in “defending your kingdom” to notice what it would actually do to it!’

‘I- I- I- I guess you’re right,’ Celestia hung her head, ‘I’m not fit to rule. I’m not fit to do anything.’ A tear rolled down her cheeks as she silently teleported to her room, a blast of yellow magic enveloping her before disappearing.

‘Luna is much more fit to rule than I,’ she thought sadly as she lay down on her bed, ‘I will hand over my resignation in the morning.’ In the first time since Nightmare Moon’s banishment, the sun princess cried. Wet tears soaked into her pillow, the salty residue making it’s way into her mouth. Suddenly, the room was lit with a green glow, the sharp sound of dragon fire alighted to her ears.

Celestia jerked out of the state of self-pity to which she had fallen, sitting up from bed, her face wet with tears. A scroll sat in the middle of the room, slightly torn parchment wrapped in a red ribbon. Wet splotches covered it, as though it had been written in the same room as a bunch of crying ponies. A warm yellow glow enveloped the parchment, it flew over to the princess, her curiosity overriding her depression.

Unrolling the paper in a much better mood than she had been a minute ago, she focused on the paper, the joy of reading a letter from her student, shoving all thoughts of depression to the side. As she read, however, her face fell, falling until it could fall no further.

Dear Princess Celestia

I regret to inform you of the death of mare and element bearer Rainbow Dash. She died at 18:24 hours on April fourth, defending the Crystal Empire from outside forces. I am sorry to bring you such news, but I felt you had to be informed.

Your dearest student,
Twilight Sparkle

This was too much. Celestia broke into sobs of anguish, mourning, and general self-pitying. After awhile, she fell into a weary sleep, only to be haunted by her fears through dreams.

Author's Note

Chapter 7!

Rainbow is dead!

Wait for chapter 8 for an overly used cliche plot and explinations!

Not to mention comedy!

Woohoo!

This is a really sad chapter!

I'm high right now!

Goodbye!

Chapter Eight: Mare in the Machine

“We are all here today to celebrate the life of the mare Rainbow Dash. A loyal friend and a fierce protector, she gifted us with her presence on this earth.” The preacher’s voice rang through the chapel. The large stone building had stained glass in every window. Cornerstones sat nonchalantly holding up the arches. Rows of wooden benches could seat hundreds of mourners, but right now only the first row was filled.

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy sat in the center, their tissues wet with tears. Next, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom sat, their grief shrouded in silence. Sweetie Belle sat next to Rarity, silently watching the preacher as she thought about the situation. Scootaloo sat alone on the other side of the room. Trying not to cry. Because ‘Mares like Rainbow Dash don’t cry...’

“I ask you all to give a prayer in remembrance of loyal friend Rainbow Dash,” the preacher put his hooves together and closed his eyes, the rest of the black clad ponies did the same. Twilight kicked herself, over and over again inside her mind.

‘If only I had stepped in!’ she thought, ‘Then this would never have happened!’ Yet another tear rolled down her cheek, falling onto her hooves. The room was shrouded in a sad silence, only the occasional sniffles from one of the ponies braking it.

“Now if you would please rise,” the preacher opened his eyes, “A hymn has been devised in remembrance of Rainbow Dash.” The preacher opened a book on the pedestal in front of him, flipping to the freshest page there and beginning to sing. Lyrics appeared on the board behind him, guiding the others.

The last echoes of the minor song faded, and silence fell on the room. The ponies sat, their faces stricken with grief as the preacher continued his sermon.

Below the service, in Crystal Empire Laboratories, Brick Mason sat, staring at one of the monitors in the observation room. Working as a low level ‘scientist’ at CEL was never was Brick intended for his life. His parents had high hopes of him becoming a mason and continuing in his father’shoofsteps, but that wasn’t the case.

Ever since he was a filly, Brick enjoyed staring at things. His eyes never failed him, and he never got bored of looking at stuff. As he grew older, his cutie mark appeared: A pair of eyeballs. Staring intently at stuff for hours on end isn’t a very common talent, nor a very highly thought of one.

But for any level headed young stallion who wants a steady job, staring at things isn’t a bad choice. So thus Brick was hired as ‘Chief Observer’ by CEL, a job which he wasn’t too proud of, but it had a steady paycheck and so he didn’t complain.

Right now, his task was staring at a construction bot and making sure it didn’t explode or anything. ‘Just in case’ they said. While Brick sat, he thought of his assignment, not in too high a light, either.

‘Watch it?’ he thought, ‘Whaddya mean, watch it? Not like it’s going to get up and do anything, is it? I mean, bloody hell, it’s sat there for three straight hours, not moving. I mean, what do they think it’ll do, get up and say “Take me to your leader” or something? Bloody hell, it’s not even moving an eyebrow. Not that it has eyebrows or anything, but you gotta admit it might have something similar to eyebrows in there somewhere. I wonder how it get’s along without eyebrows? I mean, what’s it do, just blink without any hairy bits on top? I know it’s a bloody machine, but machines blink too, don’t they? I mean, bloody hell, what would they do if they didn’t blink? Their eyes would fall out, that’s what, and you don’t see any machines wandering around with eyeballs falling out of their sockets. Actually, machines don’t have eyeballs at all, not obvious eyeballs. Hidden eyeballs, now that’s just creepy. I mean, who in their right mind would hide a bloody eyeball? I know ponies go around nicking all sorts of things these days, but an eyeball? That’s modern thieves for you, no consideration for the well being of their victim, much less what the bloody hell they’re going to do with a flippin eyeball!’

He thought like this for a long time, all the while staring intently at the machine. He sipped at his coffee, contemplating wheather machines got pickpocketed or not, when suddenly the bot moved. It wasn’t a big move, more like a slight jerk, but it was enough to get the attention of Brick.

“Uh, is that robot supposed to be moving?” he asked, pulling the radio over to him.

“No, why?” Chem Tech said, her voice slightly confused.

“It’s moving, that’s why,” as he spoke, the machine moved again, the torso jerked, rotating slightly.

“Oh dear,” Chem Tech said, her voice worried, “Good job Brick, I think I can take it from here.”

“Yes ma'am,” Brick sighed. Everypony else got to do the interesting stuff around here. He was stuck staring at a bloody experiment for six hours. On the screen, the machine moved faster, as if getting the hang of a new body. Flaps on the top opened, once again jerkily at first, but gaining speed. The nanolatheing nozzle deployed, lifted into the air by a pneumatic piston system.

“Great, now it’s moving,” Brick said, annoyed, “Sit here for five bloody hours and what do I get? Thank you and-”

“Brick, please move on to watching experiment 67-A,” his overseer’s voice interrupted him.

“And move onto another assignment because we don’t want you becoming too interested in life,” he jeered, punching in some coordinates to a console in front of him. The screen changed, showing three beakers sitting in metal harnesses, bubbling slightly.

“Oh joy,” he sighed, “Another friggin’ chemical experiment.”

“Well, I’d say she was a good mare, protectin’ you like that,” Applejack sipped on her punch, looking over the foaming glass at a distraught Twilight.

“I know,” Twilight sighed, “But I should have helped her.”

“Don’t beat yerself up, Twi,” Applejack patted Twilight on the back, “You did the best you could, I’m sure.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t your fault that Rainbow... got....” Pinkie burst into tears. Attempting to see the bright side of this situation was not proving to be an easy task. Fluttershy hovered over, comforting Pinkie.

“There there,” Fluttershy said, her own face filled with sadness, “No need to cry... well, there is, but... you don’t need to flood the room,” she whispered the last sentence, too low for anypony to here.

“It WAS all my fault,” Twilight said guiltily, “I should have moved in there to help her, not let her go out like that, SOMETHING!” Twilight pulled at her hair, her emotions of sadness tinted with guilt and anger.

“Twilight darling, do calm down!” Rarity stepped over, a glass of punch held in her magic, “It isn’t your fault at all! It was those nasty mongrels of machines! You didn’t do anything except be concerned for your friend.”

“I guess you’re right, but, but, but-” Twilight stuttered. “I think I need to be alone for a little while.” She started to trot towards the door.

“Woah nelly,” Applejack pulled in front of her, “You ain’t goin’ nowhere without us. Not like that.” Applejack pointed out Twilight’s red eyes and depressed attitude.

“Applejack darling!” Rarity trotted on to the scene, Sweetie Belle in her wake. “If Twilight wants to be alone, she should be. I see no reason why she shouldn't be allowed to express her grief in solitude!”

“Well, I just thought she might do summit like,” Applejack rubbed her hat, “You know what I mean, when a pony’s real depressed or summit, you never know what they might do an all.”

“Yes, well,” Rarity twitched her mane, continuing, “Perhaps we should check on her after an hour or something?”

“Well, she-” Applejack started.

“I’M RIGHT HERE!” Twilight shouted, “I mean, sure, check on me in an hour if you want, just don’t talk about me like a bubblegum card that’s going to explode if not carefully tended to.”

“Alright Twi,” Applejack conceded after recovering from her friend’s outburst, “You go have some alone time n’ all, we’ll catch up with ya later.”

“Thank you!” with a poof of magic, Twilight disappeared, leaving Applejack and Rarity staring at each other through the space formerly occupied by the mare.

“Well, that was awkward,” Rarity sipped her punch.

“You’re tellin’ me, sugarcube.”

“What have we got?” Chem Tech asked an intern as she caught up with him in the hallway.

“Well, uhh... I- I... It’s uhh...”

“Words, please.” Chem Tech had a look of amused annoyance on her muzzle.

“The machine, it’s trying to build something,” The intern said, recovering from the shock of being pounced on by his superior.

“What is it trying to build?” Chem Tech put her hoof up to the scanner, a flash later and the door swung open. She walked in dignified, but worried.

“We don’t know, ma’am,” the intern said, following her through the hallways, “But it is trying to funnel all the organic resources we have into it’s resource tanks.”

“What?”

“It’s hacked into our computer systems and is redirecting the flow of several organic substances, mostly those that compose flesh, into it’s resource tanks.” The duo entered the control room, and quickly noticed the air of panic that surrounded the busy scientists. Ponies with keyboards for cutie marks punched away rapidly at their consoles, their lips set and their expressions constant. Others observed the machine, attempting to strap it down, override what had taken over it, something.

“Ponies!” Chem shouted, “Please, let us see what this thing wants. Has it shown malice in its actions? Has it hurt, or attempted to hurt, anypony?”

“No ma’am,” a gray earth pony next to her spoke up.

“Then let it do what it want’s to do, I am curious as for what it is going to produce.” Chem Tech walked to the observation deck, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

“What do you mean, ‘see what this thing wants’?” one of the more confrontational scientists said as she galloped to catch up with the head of operations.

“I have a feeling that it will not be dangerous,” Chem Tech turned, looking into the eyes of the offender. “We can stop it at a moments notice if it gets out of hand, but I want to see what it’s up to. Is that clear?”

“Y- y- yes ma’am,” the pony stuttered throwing a slight salute. “I’ll just, go see what the others are doing, ma’am.” With that, the pony was off in a shot. Chem Tech’s ‘glare’ had that effect on ponies; making them turn and run. Chem Tech herself never thought it was special, but it did come in handy when insolence showed up in the workplace.

She turned her attention back to the looming machine, staring at it with an intent look on her face. “Are you doing what I think you’re doing?” she asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion while still maintaining a grin.

“Uh, ma’am?” an intern trotted up to her, tearing her from her trance like state.

“Yes?” Chem Tech turned to face the stallion.

“Uh, somepony filed a report that you should see the campus psychologist-”

“Say no more,” Chem Tech cut him off, “You just try to see what something’s doing, and they want to send you to the shrink!” She threw her hooves in the air. The intern stood back, eyes wide with surprise. “I mean, well,” Chem Tech brought herself back to planet Equestria and looked at the intern, as level headed as ever. “I will see him... after this incident is over.”

“Well they said you should come right awa-” the intern shrunk under Chem’s glare. “I mean, yes, yes ma’am.” And he turned and ran. Chem Tech sighed, turning back to the observation deck.

“Are you really doing it?” she muttered. As if in answer, the machine swung open, deploying the nanolathing machine high into the air, pointing it at the ground. Green particles began to fly from it, assembling onto a green outline on the ground. The outline was small, but intricate. Chem Tech squinted, brushing her powder brown mane back to see better.

The outline was... a pony.

“Get Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the elements down here immediately,” she said through a communication spell, “I have a surprise for them.”

“Miss Sparkle?” a sharp voice cut through Twilight’s world, accompanied by a loud rapping on the door knob. Twilight groaned and rolled over in the tear soaked bed.

“Miss Sparkle? Are you there?” the voice persisted.

“Not now,” Twilight choked, her face red with tears.

“Miss Sparkle, you need to come down to the project Red Bird safe room immediately,” the voice said, latching onto Twilight’s response.

“I said, not now!” Twilight sat up in bed, glaring at the door.

“Chem Tech says it’s urgent, miss Sparkle,” the voice kept on, unheeding Twilight’s responses. Twilight groaned and powered up her horn, a purple glow enveloped the door. The room fell dead quiet.

Sound barriers are simple and effective, blocking all sounds out between them and the caster. Useful when you don’t want to get up in the morning, or afternoon as it is now. Ever since she teleported here, Twilight cried. The loss of Rainbow was only re-enforced by the guilt of not stepping in. It had all happened so quickly, she hadn’t realized the magnitude of the situation... but the fact remains: Rainbow isn’t here.

After silencing the door, Twilight turned back to her pillows, resuming her mourning. ‘What would Rainbow do now if she saw me?’ the thought jumped at her, smashing her depression like a battering ram. ‘Rainbow wouldn’t want me moping around!’ she thought, ‘She’d want me to get up and fight!’

Twilight sat up in bed, looking around, her eyes swollen from the liquid they had been expelling. ‘Why am I so upset anyway?’ she thought, ‘I only lost one of my best friends...’ She sat there, silent. The sadness was overbearing, but Rainbow wouldn’t want her to be like this. She’d want her to get up and do something, right?

“But how can I?” Twilight said out loud, “What am I supposed to do?” As if in answer, the door swung open and two guards walked in, their crystal armor shone in the lamplight.

“Ma’am, I know you don’t want to, but we have orders to escort you to the project Red Bird saferoom,” one said, stepping towards her. “Chem Tech seemed adamant that you would like what you find there.”

“Alright, fine,” Twilight said, forcing some slightly happier thoughts into her bleak world. “Might get my mind off things.”

Minutes later, the trio was approaching the saferoom. The white hallway bustled with busy ponies, going to and fro from the doors along its sides.

“Any ideas on what this ‘surprise’ is supposed to be?” Twilight asked stone-faced stallion walking next to her.

“No, miss Sparkle,” he said, his expression unchanging. “You’re going to find out soon though.” They arrived at a large metal door, a pony in a lab coat was standing outside of it. She approached as they drew closer.

“Twilight,” Chem Tech said sullenly. “Come, I have something to show you.” The confused Twilight followed Chem Tech into the observation deck. She saw an odd sight upon arriving.

The construction bot was nanolathing a very small thing, intricately guiding every particle into place with utmost care. It was strange to see such a large machine creating such a small thing, bending over in order to look at it. But what caught Twilight’s attention the most was not the robot, but it’s task.

The pony stood in a sitting stance, not dissimilar to the stance Twilight was in when piloting her own mech. A green sheen was working up the pony’s body, the particles closely set in it. It’s wings were folded, it’s mane was ruffled as though it had been in a suit. It’s colorless eyes were wide, it’s mouth was set wide open, as though screaming.

“What in Equestria?” Twilight exclaimed, narrowing her eyes to look at the creature. The green sheen was halfway up the pony, color would be coming next. “Is that... is that-” she started.

Chem Tech nodded. “I think so.”

“Wha- But I thought she was-” Twilight stuttered.

“I don’t think so,” Chem shook her head.

“Great Celestia’s flaming eyeballs!” Twilight shouted. Chem Tech recoiled from the sudden exclamation. “Oh thank the heavens!” Twilight screamed. Tears began rolling down her cheeks. Not from sadness, not from pain... but from joy. The joy of having something dear to you returned after you thought it was gone forever.

“How, though?” Twilight asked, returning to her normal state.

“I really don’t know, asking OIAAS might be the best bet, it knows all about the mech’s functions.”

“Then to OIAAS it is!” Twilight ran down the passage, her face wide with glee. Her friend was back.

The saferoom was filled with scientists, most with clipboards recording what the bot was building in extreme detail. Twilight galloped passed them without paying heed. They stared, but only for a few minutes before turning back to their work.

Twilight ran to the foot of the towering purple machine. Her hoof slammed into the side of the door and it swung open, allowing her to run into the transporter room. As soon as she appeared in the control room, she dashed for the console, slamming the on switch into position as she sat down. She twirled the chair to face the growing array of lights, screens, and buttons.

“Welcome back, commander,” OIAAS’s smooth voice said. “What is our assignment today?”

“We don’t have an assignment,” Twilight said, “I want you to tell me why my friend is being built.”

OIAAS was quiet for a few seconds, it’s processor thought over the question in it’s entirety before answering. Eventually, the whirr of the computation circuits died to a low hum and OIAAS spike.

“Commander BETA, or Rainbow Dash, was on a collision course for a hill, resulting in a high speed impact that could compromise the integrity of her mech. The Onboard Intelligence And Assistance System took matters into it’s own hooves, attempting to save Rainbow Dash’s life. Teleporters are usually used as this sort of a saving system, throwing the pony somewhere out of harms way. Unfortunately, we have no teleporter exits, thus ruling out the possibility of teleportation.

“However, being resourceful, the computer devised a way to scan Rainbow Dash’s molecules, saving into it’s computer system. This process takes a long time, thus resulting in the deployment of an escape pod to spare more time. The escape pod was ultimately destroyed by the explosion, but it buyed enough time for the scan to complete.

“After completing, the computer then broadcasted the information that was Rainbow Dash to all things capable of building belonging to CEL. Unfortunately, I did not have the right resources to complete such a delicate task, the surprise from having the mech taken over also may have compromised your mental state at the time. So ultimately, the information ended here, where the construction bot, aided by me, hacked into the computer systems to divert the correct organic materials in order to construct Rainbow Dash from the blueprints given by the computer system on her mech.

“This process can be repeated, to create cloning. Right now, however, the only memory of Rainbow Dash is in the construction bot, which erases blueprints after they are completed. So cloning Rainbow Dash will be impossible, sorry, commander. Is that a satisfactory solution to your query?” OIAAS stopped, it’s speech circuits fizzled from the long speech they had given.

“Yes, thank you very much!” Twilight said, running back to the transporter. “I’ve got a friend to catch up with.”

“Ma’am, it’s diverting magic now.” A scientist caught up with Chem Tech in the hallway, her eyes filled with concern.

“I am aware,” Chem Tech turned.

“But don’t you think it’s... dangerous?” the scientist continued.

“Yes,” Chem Tech sighed, “But magic is a key part of the life force of ponies, so it needs it.”

“Ma’am, do you have any idea why it’s building a pony?” the scientist asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

“No.” Chem Tech said flatly, “Absolutely no idea. But if it’s the pony I think it is, it doesn’t really matter.”

“But we’re scientists!” the mare ruffled her mane, “Doesn’t matter isn’t in our vocabulary!”

“For someone who doesn’t know what it means, you used it right there quite nicely,” Chem Tech sassed. She knew it was probably not the best thing to do, but hey.

“B- Bu- But-” the scientist stammered. “You know what I mean! How can we let something like this slip by without analyzing it?”

“By not analyzing it, that’s how.” Chem Tech began walking down the hallway again, back turned to the scientist.

“Well, it just-” the scientist started.

“Go analyze something; it’ll do you good,” Chem Tech said, growing distant in the hallway, “I hear 67-A needs somepony to look at it.” The scientist stomped off in a huff. Chem Tech didn’t give her a second glance. There was something far more important that needed to be done.

The lift clanked into position, the rusty iron doors joining to block the exit of any interior ponies. Chem Tech stood in the ascending machine, waiting. The concrete walls outside speed past, their forms dotted with iron mesh.

With another clank the machine came to rest in the main hall of the Crystal Palace. The doors slid open, allowing Chem Tech to exit. For the first time in two days she wasn’t wearing a lab coat. Test tubes and a computer shone on her flank. Her cutie mark was always an odd one. Not many fillies get science cutie marks, and when they do they’re usually one aspect. Chem Tech was special. She got a computer AND chemistry.

Her tan coat shone in the reflected light as she walked up the stairs, aiming for the top floor. Her mane was white, curling around her tan horn as it traversed her forehead. She walked up the stairs, her body relieved from the lab coat. Soon, she arrived at the top floor.

The top floor of the Crystal Palace consisted mostly of event rooms, but the room Chem Tech stood in now was a lounge... a lounge filled with ponies. All sat sullenly, their faces turned to the ground and black bands around their forelegs.

“Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity,” Chem Tech announced, entering the room. All of them turned to look at her. They were a ghastly sight. Their eyes were red with tears, their faces set in ever sad expressions.

“I bring good news,” Chem Tech looked around the room. “Rainbow Dash is alive.” Everypony was too shocked to move. A silence ensued, one worse than when the news about Rainbow’s death was announced.

“What?” Rarity was the first to regain her ladylike composure. “I thought she was, you know, uh,” Rarity danced around the word, unwilling to let herself stoop so low as to say a word like ‘dead’.

“Dead?” Pinkie suggested helpfully. “But wait, doesn’t that mean she’s a zombie?” Pinkie looked at Chem Tech.

“No no, she was never dead in the first place,” Chem Tech explained, “So she can’t be a zombie.”

“If she wasn’t dead, then why the whole funeral thingy?” Pinkie asked, her face confused.

“We all thought she was, you know, gone, but she wasn’t,” Chem Tech continued to explain. Upon seeing the perpetually confused look on Pinkie’s face, she turned to answer other questions.

“I’m just so glad she’s ok,” Fluttershy said, crying from happiness. Fluttershy was the one who took Rainbow’s supposed death the worst, second to Twilight, who blamed herself for the incident.

“Can we see her?” Pinkie asked, her eyes blinking extremely fast. “We need to throw her a ‘Welcome back from six-foot under’ party!”

“Uh, I don’t think that’d go over well, sugarcube,” Applejack put in, giving a ‘stare’ at Pinkie.

“Why not?” Pinkie put her face right next to the farmgirl’s, pressing back the hat on Applejack’s head.

“Woah nelly!” Applejack recoiled from the sudden assault. “It’s just, I think everypony’d like to forget what we thought happened to Rainbow.”

“Certainly!” Rarity agreed, “One cannot go around remembering everypony’s fake deaths all the time, save that for real ones.”

“Uh, yeah,” Fluttershy put in, “I wouldn’t like to think about this too much. I’m just so glad she’s ok.”

“Ok... But can we see her?” Pinkie bounced over to Chem Tech.

“Well, as soon as she’s finished being built,” this remark got very strange looks from the occupants of the room. “Come, I’ll show you.”

“So wait, you’re tellin’ me that you’re raising a pony, like a barn?” Applejack said, trotting along next to Chem Tech. Chem Tech sighed.

“It’s a long story, AJ,” she said, “I’m sure Twilight will be able to explain better than I.”

Meanwhile, in Canterlot:

Celestia awoke to a strange sight... The sun. Usually, she was up before dawn, causing the dawn, but now, somepony else was doing it. The warm rays filtered through the open window, beating against her closed eyes.

“Wha-” Celestia muttered, her eyes fluttering open to the warm light. She lay in bed for a time, enjoying the warmth that had coaxed her back to consciousness. The room glowed in the orange light, the window slats created rectangular shadows.

Celestia sat up, thinking of what had set her crying last night. Shining Armor was never going to use magic again, and, oh yes. Rainbow Dash had died.

She sat in silence for several minutes. Without the element of loyalty, Equestria was out of an important defense force, leaving it exposed for outside forces. Celestia felt the emptiness. The elements did not pulse the way they usually did, the force was gone.

But this was not the only reason that Rainbow’s death disturbed her. Despite her royal priorities, she could not help feeling sad for the loss of a loyal subject. Rainbow Dash, like the rest of Twilight’s friends, had always been close to her. And now she was gone.

“Good morning, my sister,” Luna alighted on the balcony outside of Celestia’s bedroom, trotting in.

“Good morning, Luna,” Celestia said sadly.

“Something troubles you,” Luna put a wing around her older sister, “I saw it in your dreams.”

“Yes,” Celestia sighed. “Have you not heard? Rainbow Dash is dead.”

“That news had not yet reached me,” Luna said, looking out into space. “I am so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Celestia sighed, looking into the sheets. “We were powerless to stop it.”

“It is not your fault either,” Luna said, nuzzling her sister a little. “You need not blame yourself for things that you had not the ability to stop.”

“I’m not,” Celestia looked at her deep blue sister. “But I am responsible for the loss of Shining Armor’s horn.”

“Yes,” Luna said, her voice becoming slightly agitated. She took a deep breath. “But you must put that in the past. The present is calling.”

“No Luna, it isn’t,” Celestia looked at her sister. “The loss of Shining Armor’s horn is my fault and we’re all going to suffer from it for the rest of his life.”

The sisters sat in silence, Luna’s wing wrapped around Celestia. Their floating manes crossed, forming a grayish color where the manes mixed. Celestia thought, her ego a mental punching bag at the moment.

‘This is all my fault,’ she thought to herself, over and over again.

“Sister, shall we check on Shining Armor’s recovery?” Luna asked.

“Not now, Luna,” Celestia brushed away her younger sister’s wing. Luna frowned.

“We could go for a fly, it always makes you feel better!” Luna said, trying to steer away from anything related to Celestia’s depression.

“I said, not now!” Celestia half shouted, burying her face in her hooves. Luna frowned again.

“You can’t just sit here and wallow in it all day, you’re going to have to face your fears,” Luna turned away from her sister. “That’s what I told Scootaloo, and look what happened to her!” Luna smiled in remembrance of the event.

“I know,” Celestia brushed her sister’s ever positive comments off. “Just leave me alone.”

“As you wish,” Luna said, turning to leave. “But look at yourself.” The door slammed shut, leaving the room filled with silence. Only the slatted light from the half open curtain lit the room. Celestia lay, curled in a ball on her bed.

Luna’s last words, however, stuck with her.

‘Look at myself, look at myself, look at...’ she turned the sentence over and over in her mind, trying to grasp action from the words. Suddenly, she did. Celestia sat bolt upright in bed, eyes wide, and brought a mirror closer to her bed with her magic.

The yellow glow dissipated around the glass mirror, leaving Celestia with a clear view of the monstrosity that was herself.

She looked awful.

Her eyes were red with tears, her face bruised from where she had hit herself, her royal tiara, which hadn’t been taken off the night before, was crooked. She stared at herself for a long time, turning Luna’s words over in her head.

‘You can’t wallow here forever. The present is calling. Put that in the past,’ Luna’s words shot around Celestia’s mind. Repeating vividly over and over again as they struck the walls.

“She’s right,” Celestia said slowly. Realization dawned on her face, clouding out the mess of sadness that it had become. “I am not weak; I am strong. I am the leader of Equestria!” Celestia raised a hoof in the air, caught in her own excitement. “I’m also an idiot.”

Suddenly, the mirror changed, swirling into a vortex of colors. When it cleared, Luna’s face was in it, looking at Celestia with a hard glare.

“Face your fears!” it shouted. “Face your fears, Celestia!” Suddenly, hundreds more mirrors appeared around Celestia’s bed, each filling with the same face.

“FACE YOUR FEARS!” they all shouted in unison. Celestia shrank back. They continued to scream, Luna’s face glaring at her from every direction.

Suddenly the room filled with a purple mist, engulfing everything, washing it away. Celestia’s eyes widened as she watched the mirrors wash away, along with the rest of the room.

Celestia awoke with a start, jerking herself upright. She lay in front of the mirror she had brought over to look at herself in right after Luna had left.

Luna.

Luna had done this. It was all a dream, one designed to make Celestia face her fears. It was surprisingly effective too. But the only mystery left in Celestia’s mind was why had she fallen asleep? A seamless transition between consciousness and unconsciousness was unheard of. The pony at least felt a bump, some kind of sign.

She would find Luna and ask her about this. Celestia got out of bed, looking at herself in the mirror before exiting the room. She dabbed at her face with a tissue, smiling a little as she looked at herself.

This was going to work... Somehow.

“Luna?” Celestia asked, knocking on the door of her sister’s room.

“Yes?” Luna’s voice came from the inside. Celestia pushed open the door, revealing Luna sitting behind a pile of books.

“How did you do a seamless world-to-dream transition? I didn’t feel a thing.” Luna smiled.

“Guardians of the night have their secrets, and some are still being learned,” Luna said, mischievously.

“Well,” Celestia brushed her mane a little, “You got your point across.”

“I am glad you will be returning to duty as the ruler, my sister,” Luna smiled. Her work in dreams always seemed to fix up ponies in need.

“Thank you, Luna,” Celestia looked at her sister. “You are the best sister a mare could wish for.” Luna turned bright pink under the compliment. Pink goes rather oddly with black, funny about that.

“Thank you sister,” Luna said, “I try.”

“And you try very well, if you ask me,” Celestia wrapped a wing around her sister. The two sat in an embrace for a few minutes. “If you could excuse me, I need to face my fears and go check on Shining Armor’s condition.” Celestia walked towards the door.

Pain was all he knew. Darkness and pain. Searing pain, shot through his forehead. The world was unknown. Only darkness and pain...

Celestia walked into the medical wing that mid-morning worried, very worried. She decided to face her fears, but that doesn’t mean it is easy.

“How’s he doing?” Celestia asked a doctor walking out of the ICU.

“Not well,” he said, taking off his white face mask, “We’re doing our best.” Celestia gulped.

“I’m sure you are,” she said, “May I see him?”

“Well...” the doctor thought. “I suppose. But stay in the observation area.”

“I will,” Celestia replied. The door was engulfed in the warm glow of Celestia’s magic. It swung open, revealing a closed off glass observation area. She walked inside, the door swung shut behind her.

Nopony stood in the observation deck besides herself, and a table. In the Intensive Care Unit in front of her, Shining Armor lay. The machines had drawn away, giving Celestia a look at the damage he had endured. It was not pretty.

His horn was black, charred with the sheer power that had been forced through it. The edge was jagged, slightly orange on the tip. The orange, Celestia guessed, was the exposed, burned tissue.

A doctor walked in, adorned in green scrubs and a white filter over her face, which she removed upon seeing the princess.

“Good afternoon, princess” she bowed, “I see you’re checking on Shining Armor?”

“Uh, yes,” Celestia turned, startled a little by the mare’s appearance.

“He’s not doing so well,” the doctor walked up to Celestia, looking at through the observation screen.

“I see,” Celestia nodded, “May I ask why the horn tissue is still exposed?”

“Well,” the doctor sighed, “We’ve been trying so hard to keep him from dying of the burns and bleeding and other injuries, that we haven’t done much on the horn. Just trying to keep it from being dangerous to his health.”

“I was told a few days ago that his death was a miniscule possibility,” Celestia raised her eyebrows.

“Well, it was,” the doctor pawed the ground with her hoof, “But the injuries were enough to be dangerous if they went untended.”

“Ah,” Celestia turned back to the stallion on the cot. “Do you think he’ll be able to keep his horn?”

“Well,” the doctor said nervously, “I don’t think so.” A ball of previously unfounded fears unfurled inside Celestia. Would he ever forgive her? What will happen to Equestria?

“Uh, princess?” the doctor asked, worriedly. Celestia shook her worried daze.

“Yes, sorry,” she rubbed her face with her hoof.

“Just checking,” the doctor reassured. The two stood in silence, watching the Shining Armor on the bed ahead of them.

“Well,” Celestia turned to the door. “I have some business that needs to be attended to.” The doctor nodded and returned to her work. Celestia pushed the door open. It slammed shut behind her.

*FOOMP!*

A rush of escaping air filled Celestia’s private quarters. The sun princess appeared in front of her bed, immediately walking out to the balcony. Something had to be done.

The plain sprawled at her hooves. The green pasture was no more. It was a battleground. Remnants of machines lay, craters broke the burnt grass. Flames lapped up from the wreckage, fueled by broken fuel tanks. Celestia sighed.

In the distance, planes flew above the destruction, some white, some blue. The CORE base was mostly destroyed by Celestia’s outrage a few days ago, but the commander remained. Constant barrages of ARM armies were being sent after the weakened base, hoping to smash through what remained of a defense line. A large portion of CORE factories were left, so the ARM always met a force.

“What horror,” Celestia muttered. Although her outburst had destroyed the units in the area, it didn’t fix the ground. But something far more important was to be done.

The ARM viewed Canterlot as a threat ever since half of it’s army was destroyed in Celestia’s outrage. The only reason Canterlot existed without a shield was because the ARM saw it’s chance in destroying the CORE’s weakened forces. But it was only a matter of time before Canterlot fell back in their sights.

Celestia closed her eyes, concentrating on a spell that had never been performed effectively ever... ever before. She rose into the air, her wings spread. The air around her horn crackled with energy, a bright yellow mass of sheer magic twirled around her. Spinning in a vortex of power. Celestia felt the power, and she began to craft. She shaped, twisted, morphed, forced and crafted the magical power.

A thin outline of a post appeared outside Canterlot, gaining mass as it was added onto by a crackling bolt of energy stemming from Celestia’s horn. The post warped, bending outwards as more force was put on it. Suddenly, with a loud CRACK! it collapsed on itself, forming a glistening ball of energy.

This is a magical defense system.

Targets can be marked, and the self feeding defense system will fire bolts of sheer magic at them, destroying most. Celestia lowered back onto the ground, opening her eyes to observe her work. She smilied. At least one thing was going right.

She trotted back inside, humming a little to herself. Setting up a defense system took a lot of magic, but Celestia had regenerated since the doctor’s orders had gone into effect.

The gentle boom of explosions in the battlefield outside Canterlot had become a part of normal life. Their erratic rhythm going unnoticed by the ponies. The one thing they did notice, however, was when they stopped.

Suddenly, a serene silence befell the castle, the explosions ceased. Celestia lifted her eyes from her book with a concerned expression on her face. The war was not over, something was not right.

She galloped to the balcony where a cloud of mist awaited. Luna stepped out next to her sister, turning to face the field. It was quiet. Wreckage lay, burning. Oil spills littered the ground, and craters were part of the geography... but something wasn’t right.

Throwing a quick nod to Luna, Celestia dove off the balcony. She dive bombed for a few seconds, then spread her wings. The force of the dive bomb held with her, lifting her high into the air. She glided around the castle for a few minutes, looking to and fro to see what wasn’t right. Then she saw it.

There were no machines. But something, something was there. She stared at a mountain for a few seconds, swinging on a warm air current she flew upwards, looking over the mountains. Suddenly, she saw a field. A field filled with war machines. They were staging for a huge attack, all the explosions earlier were scouts and random excursions. But this was going to be an attack.

Celestia hovered, her wings beating by her sides, for a few minutes, staring at the machines. But a sound drew her attention. A large woosh, the sound of rockets, filled the air. Celestia jerked her head, just in time to see the missiles coming straight for her. Before she could scream, before she could react at all, flames engulfed her.

Luna screamed. The castle fell silent. And a large white form was violently thrown onto a nearby hill.

Author's Note

Yay! Rainbow isn't dead! Celestia just got blown up! Ok... right. Well, next chapter should have lots of explinations and elaborations on imortal alicorns and all that that entails. Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: To War!

*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!*

The scream pierced the expectant silence of the project Red Bird safe room. Everypony jerked at the sudden noise.

*WOOMP!*

Rainbow Dash fell on the ground, quickly discovering that fully finalized particles are affected by gravity. The sudden surprise of the movement stopped her screaming, instigating her to look around.

Her face was pure surprise.

“What the hay....” Rainbow rubbed her head, blinking several times at the smiling ponies that surrounded her. They stayed there.

“Hey Rainbow!” Pinkie’s face suddenly occupied Rainbow’s range of view. Pinkie grinned a huge, toothy grin. She blinked several times, expectantly staring at the pegasus. “How do you feel?”

“Well, I-” Rainbow started, opening and shutting her mouth several times afterward without uttering a word.

“Because I feel like a PARTY!” Pinkie continued. She removed her face from Rainbow’s line of sight. Rainbow sighed at the silence, but only for a few seconds.

“Hmm, how about black?” Pinkie jerked Rainbow’s head to look at a bowl of black confetti. “Na, too depressing,” the bowl slid off into Pinkiespace. “Oh oh! I know! How about purple?”

“Uh, Pinkie?” Rainbow looked at the pink mare.

“Yes?” Pinkie blinked innocently several times directly in front of Rainbow’s face.

“Could this wait?” Rainbow rubbed her eyes.

“Well duh!” Pinkie rolled her eyes. Rainbow smiled. hopeful that she was off the hook. “This is PARTY planning we’re talking about, it can’t wait!” Rainbow’s face swiftly hit the ground.

“I give up....” she groaned.

“Pinkie?” Twilight stepped in now.

“Oh oh! You want yellow, don’t you!” Pinkie shoved a bowl of yellow confetti in front of the surprised unicorn.

“Well, no, but-” Twilight was cut off.

“How about confetti confetti?” Pinkie quickly replaced the bowl of yellow flakes with multicolored ones.

“Hold yer horses!” Applejack stepped between Pinkie and Twilight. Pinkie stared at the annoyed pony with complete innocence.

“Yes?” she grinned, her pink mane flopped over an eye.

“There ain’t gonna be no party, at least not now,” Applejack stared into the rapidly deflating Pinkie. A loud pop was heard as the pink mare’s bubble burst. “We got some serious business to attend to first, and after they’re done, we can have a party!”

“Well duh!” Pinkie rolled her eyes again. Applejack and Twilight exchanged confused glances. “Why do you think I was planning it now? So we can have it after we do the serious work of planning it!”

“You have got to be kidding me,” Applejack rolled her eyes. Pinkie was rapidly attempting to decide between yellow or purple icing.

“PINKIE!” Twilight shouted. Pinkie stopped, turning to stare at Twilight.

“Yes Twi?” she blinked. A visible sound pulsed through the air each time her oversized eyes batted.

“We just need to calm down, and look at this logically. We have to save Equestria, THEN we get to have your party. Order of operations. And we need your help to save Equestria!” Twilight breathed heavily. “So NO MORE PARTY PLANNING!” With a poof of magic, Twilight appeared next to Pinkie, starting to rapidly push her towards the door. Twilight’s face was set in an angry pattern, her brows furrowed.

The doors slammed shut behind them.

“Well, that was interesting,” Rarity commented.

“Yeah, what’s with her anyway?” Rainbow got to her hooves, trotting over to the others.

“Well, you were sort of, well, absent-” Rarity started, her cheeks going a shade of red as sweat beaded on her brow. You can’t really up and say that a pony’s been dead for a time, now can you?

“Dead,” Applejack stated firmly. “Ya haven’t been ‘absent’ or any other boatload of rotten horseapples, you’ve been dead.” Rainbow gulped.

“Applejack dear-” Rarity started.

“I don’t need no lessons on etiquette not now, at any rate,” Applejack stated flatly. “I’m tactful, if that’s what yer wonderin’, I’m very tactful. Just don’t see a reason to put the facts lightly.”

“Well dear, tactful means-” Rarity attempted to begin again.

“I know what tactful means! Cows get scared if ya just jump on ‘em, ya need ta be tactful, so I really don’t see why you need ta use cow wrangling tactics in all yer fancy Schmacny etiquette classes anyway. Attended one a those once with you; worst ten bits I’ve ever spent.”

“Darling, I only thought-” Rarity began to defend herself, recoiling from the insults on culture that had just met her ears. Rainbow stood beside the bickering ponies, checking her wings, her mane, everything, her eyes wide with surprise the whole time.

“Alright!” Twilight’s voice cut through the argument. Applejack and Rarity turned to look at the approaching unicorn. “Enough arguing.”

“Right,” Rarity looked at Applejack. “It’s just that somepony doesn’t know-”

“Oy!” Twilight cut through, “I said no arguing!”

“Where’s Pinkie anyway?” Rainbow asked, stretching her wings.

“Oh, she isn’t behind me?” Twilight turned to look behind her. She growled. “I swear, that mare is-”

“Superduperwonderfulfantastic!” Pinkie finished, trotting into the party.

“Hey Pinks!” Rainbow called, hovering on her wings. “Sorry about not being so gung ho earlier.”

“That’s ok, Twilight explained everything to me,” Pinkie blinked. “So you’re feeling good now?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow rubbed her neck,her wings beat by her sides. “I’m doing good, just about as good as any living pony does.”

“Hmm,” Pinkie’s head turned upside down. “I know some living ponies that are doing preeeety bad. Or they just aren’t happy. I should throw them a party!” She leaped up in the air. Everyone glared at her. “After this, I mean,” Pinkie lowered herself back to the ground smiling widely.

“Right, well,” Twilight took control. “Let’s move the antics to the lounge, everypony.” The group moved towards the door; walking, bouncing, and hovering. All focused on one common goal: walking, bouncing, and hovering.

“What’s the reason?” Chem Tech walked down the hallway in her nightgown, rubbing her bleary eyes. She had been summoned at five AM that morning, to a “Code Magenta Intel Discovery”.

“We’ve got a problem, ma’am,” one of the many interns working in CEL walked alongside her.

“There better be. Code magenta shouldn’t be called without a damn good reason. At least not a five in the morning.” She rubbed her eyes, yawning. “Was up until twelve last night working on designs of Pinkie Pie’s mech. This had better be big.”

“It is ma’am, I assure you it is,” the intern hurriedly. They stopped in front of a metal door, Chem Tech yawned again as she put her hoof in the scanner. A blue light shined on it and then the door swung open.

“Enough with the foreshadowing. What’s the problem?” Chem Tech asked, obtaining a more awake air.

“Well, our radar data shows that,” the intern gulped, “Canterlot, ma’am... It’s under attack.”

“Great. Well, that was worthy of waking me up to tell me. Nopony loses their heads this time,” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that ma’am?” the pony inquired.

“Nothing nothing,” Chem Tech slipped on a lab coat. “Now, I believe we have a war to fight.” The intern nodded. Chem threw open the door to the monitoring room and stepped in with an important air. Her horn glowed as a clipboard and pen hovered towards her, only stopping once about five inches from her face.

“Chem Tech!” one of the scientists leaped up, “We have an actual war on our hooves!”

“Yes,” Chem Tech nodded, “I am aware. We need the second in command from Shining Armor down here immediately. As you know, we are scientists, not generals.”

“Yes ma’am!” the pony threw a fake salute.

“Oh, and you can stop that,” Chem Tech added.

“Yes ma’am!” the pony threw another fake salute, grinning slightly.

“Alright then... uh, private! Be off and execute your mission!” Chem Tech smiled a little. Jenny always had a tendency to go a little into character on things, so basically the only known way to stop her was to play along until she returned to her normal self.

Jenny walked out of the room, the door slammed behind her.

“How’s the fabricating of the other mechs going?” Chem asked, walking over to chief of fabrication operations sitting at his desk. The stallion looked up from his coffee cup.

“Very well. The rigged second lathe we have going is holding, we only have Pinkie’s to finish before they’re all out,” he replied, stretching his wings a little. Being a pegasus with a desk job is never very comfortable, but he loved what he did.

“Good. Is Rainbow Dash’s replacement mech ready?” Chem Tech asked, curious.

“Well, considering we just discovered we’ll be needing it about three hours ago, it’s almost complete, just give us about fifteen minutes,” he turned back to his monitor and unhooked a radio from the wall next to him. “Status report on mech BETA mk 2.”

“Status on mech BETA mk 2, fabrication ninety percent complete. Estimated ETA, fifteen minutes,” a data officer stated flatly. The radio stopped crackling with reception after the voice stopped. The stallion turned to look at Chem Tech, who was checking more things on her endless clipboard.

“Thank you,” she stated and moved to the next pony she needed to talk to. “Recon report, please,” she asked a mare standing by her desk, gently tapping a keyboard with her hooves. Keyboarding with hooves is different, somewhat magical, as we think. In Equestria, it’s just another one of those ‘things’ that we’d call anyone senile around here if they did it.

“Canterlot is about to suffer collateral and direct damage from a staged assault, Chem,” the mare said seriously, looking at a map on the screen in front of her. Little dots moved and flickered on a map of Equestria, displaying movement of the enemy’s troops.

“Alright,” Chem Tech scribbled a few more things onto her list, “Estimated size of the clashing forces?”

“About five hundred each, at least,” the mare replied, her blue mane falling over one eye. The insubordinate strand of hair was swiftly removed from her cornea by a strong updraft of air, originating from her mouth. Chem Tech whistled a little as she jotted down the numbers.

“Thank you,” she walked to the next pony on her list. Jenkins of the royal guard first class (general’s division) stood straight up in her presence. Well, not actually straight up, that’s Lyra’s job, but attentive.

“Chem Tech, ma’am!” he saluted. Chem blushed a little.

“You outrank me, general, I should salute you. Jenkins, sir!” she threw a salute as well. Both remained stone faced during this exchange.

“At ease,” the general relaxed in his posture slightly. Chem Tech nervously moved a little... She was never ‘at attention’ in the first place.

“Please, follow me,” she began to walk out of the room. Jenkins followed. “We have a war room just around this bend.”

“So we have a war to fight?” the royal guard first class (general’s division) asked, following the Chem Tech around the bend.

“Yes,” Chem Tech said, “On epic proportions.”

“Woohoo!” the general half shouted in glee. Chem Tech glared at him, he shrank under the stare. “I mean, right, yes, sorry about that, hope I can help end it as soon as possible....”

“We’re here,” Chem Tech said flatly. The duo walked into a dimly lit room; a glowing green board in the center illustrated the battlefield. It was the Canterlot and Crystal Empire areas, hovering in a hologram like state. Different colored and different sized dots moved about on it, masses here and there. Appaloosa also showed up on the map, to the west of Ponyville. A large concentration of dots signaled a base there, and likewise in Canterlot.

“Wow,” the general whistled a little as he looked over the projection. “So I assume those dots are enemy troop movements?”

“Yes,” Chem Tech explained, “Radar information is fed straight into this map, providing a live time feed of enemy movements. You can plot our movements by simply dragging your hoof along the landscape you wish to mark.”

The general digested this information for a second, churning over in his battle hardened mind like butter in a grinding stone: It’s small, and whenever you get a good hold on it it slips. He never did very well in academics, but he had a natural knack for battle planning, even had a cutie mark for it. A map with a couple of red pins and lines on it.

“Got it,” he looked intently at the map, walking around it. The dots moved about, forming formations, flanks, phalanxes and many other battle formations the general recognized. The two sides staging was like an intricate game of chess, except each side knew the other too well. They dodged and weaved, imagining what the other would do, checking the radar data, examining the environment, checking the radar data. The ranks were pretty set, but units still went to and fro, finding special places among the armies.

“Good lord,” he muttered, pacing around the map. “Ok,” he started to formulate a plan. “We’ll need snipers here, a flank of tanks and artillery here and here, some air cover fire...”

“Ok, we’re here,” Twilight pushed open the doors to the lounge. Two other ponies occupied seats, reading newspapers. A reader of the magazine ‘Clop Daily’ looked up with a cigar in his mouth.

“Heya little ladies,” he said. As he spoke, small wisps of gray smoke curled out of his mouth and found their way to the ceiling. A white hard hat sat on his head, tinted gray from the smoke it had endured.

“We aren’t little, we’re, well, medium sized!” Pinkie bounced up to the stallion. “Is that a pipe you’re smoking? Cool! But you really need to get better at making bubbles, they shouldn’t be all wispy like that! Here, I’ll show you!” She reached for the cigar.

“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted, her horn starting to glow. Pinkie’s hoof was surrounded in a glow and dragged back to the group of friends, bringing its owner with it.”

“Aw,” Pinkie stood up, the rude surprise of her hoof being pulled back where it was supposed to be wearing off. “But I was going to show him how to- ooooh, look at that!” Twilight turned to look where her friend was pointing, only to be greeted by grandfather clock.

“What’s that doing here?” she asked, looking at the archaic machine. It’s gears ground on, slowly, uncomplaining. The pendulum swung back and forth, as if trying to escape the constant stare of a certain pink mare.

Rarity sidled up to Twilight and coughed. “I don’t see why they shouldn’t try to at least put a little bit of culture into a place like this,” she looked at the concrete ceiling, tsking in distaste. “And a grandfather clock is a NOBLE machine. All the finest homes in Ponyville have one.”

“Uh, hon?” Applejack addressed Rarity. “Ya know that it looks like it’s been through three world wars, one of Twilight’s tantrums (Hey!) and a timberwolf attack, right?” It was true. The ‘noble machine’ had hole here and there, the paint was scratched, and the wood look like it predated Celestia.

“Well,” Rarity stuttered a little, “Age makes everything classier.” She turned a fluffed her hair at Applejack, closing her eyes and emitting a ‘huff’ noise.

“Just wanted to make sure that you knew an’ all. Hey!” Applejack dashed to the back of the room, eyeing a rainbow tail dangling from the ceiling. “Wh- you- think- you’re doin’?” she asked Rainbow Dash as she held onto the pegasus’s tail.

“Just being awesome,” Rainbow replied nonchalantly, looking down at her captor. “Would you mind letting go?”

“What in the hay are you doing?” Applejack asked around the tail in her mouth.

“I told you, being awesome,” Rainbow sighed, “Do I really have to get all technical about what awesome means?”

“You know right well what I meant,” Applejack gave a firm tug to the tail, “Now what were you doing?” Rainbow landed with a thump after the jerk of the tug pulled her loose.

“I was duct climbing,” she got up, rubbing her head a little.

“What’s that?” Applejack narrowed her eyes. Rainbow opened her mouth, but before she could speak, interruption on four hooves bounced over giggling.

“Silly! You can’t climb ducks!” Pinkie said, wrapping a hoof around Rainbow. “Well, you can, but you need a really big duck, or a really small pony…” Pinkie scratched her chin in thought, her face screwed up with effort.

“What is duct climbing?” Applejack asked again, ignoring the intruder.

“You climb ducts,” Rainbow replied, recovering herself from laughing at Pinkie’s misinterpretation. “It was big at the Wonderbolts Academy. You fly up through a vent, and then navigate the building through the tunnels!”

“Ok, that is kinda awesome when you think about it,” Applejack looked at the duct. Before she could continue her train of thought further, three guards burst into the room.

“I believe this is yours?” one of the guards walked up to Twilight, holding a very angry dragon by the tail.

“Whattaya think you’re doing! Twilight won’t let you get away with this! Oh, great,” Spike said, crashing to the ground as the guard let go of him.

“Spike?!” Twilight cried in surprise.

“What, think I’d miss out on all the fun?” the little dragon got up, rubbing his neck with a claw. “‘Cept big fella here said I’m a pet! How stupid is that! I’m not a pet, I’m a dragon! And I don’t belong to you, I just choose to live with you….”

“Oh Spike,” Twilight laughed a little, rubbing Spike on the head. “Don’t let them scare you, they’re only doing their jobs. And you aren’t a pet to me,” she added, embracing the little reptile.

“And then they were all ‘you can’t come down here’ and I was all ‘yes I can’,” Spike went on. “And then I flamed one of them in the kneecap-”

“You what?!” Twilight looked at Spike in shock.

“I flamed a guard in the kneecap,” Spike said, unaffected by Twilight’s horror. “What?”

“I suggest you use better means of containment of that… that thing,” one of the guards said, pointing at Spike. His kneecap was bandaged and the edges showing were black.

“I am so sorry,” Twilight apologized to the guard. “He just gets a little mad sometimes, I’m sure I can fix up that knee in a jiffy-”

“That will not be necessary,” the guard stated, “I have an appointment with the palace doctor as soon as my shift is over.”

“I’m so sorry,” Twilight said again as the guards walked out of the room.

“You had better be,” the injured one grumbled before the door slammed shut. Twilight turned and stared at Spike, a serious eye in her glare.

“Spike, I don’t want you flaming anypony!” Twilight said, rage in her voice.

“I’m sorry Twi. Its just they were keeping me from seeing you and I really wanted to see you because we haven’t talked much in the last few days and all, and I just got so mad-” suddenly, he broke into tears. “Don’t send me to a kennel!” He groveled in front of Twilight, pouting. Twilight’s stern face softened.

“I’d never send you to a kennel, Spike,” she nuzzled his neck, “It’s just I don’t want you to hurt anypony.”

“Alright, thanks Twi,” Spike looked up and smiled. Everypony in the room let off an ‘aw’ at the heartwarming scene. Everypony, that is, except the smoking hard hatted stallion.

“What, you ALL lost on the slots?” he asked grumpily, “Bunch o’ stickin’ losers is what I’m sittin’ with……”

“Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity!” a voice cut through the heat of the glares directed at the smoking stallion. The door was thrown open and two guards marched in. “Chem Tech, Princess Cadence, and other authorities of the crown, request ye to appear in the briefing room as soon as possible!” The scroll he was reading from snapped shut, and the duo prepared to leave.

“Excuse me, but where’s the briefing room?” Twilight asked, raising a hoof. The guards stopped. Then very slowly one of them turned his head and answered.

“Down the hall to the left,” he said grumpily. “There goes our exit,” he grumbled to the other guard as they walked out of the room.

“You heard him gals!” Applejack called, galloping to the door, “Down the hall to the left!” She swung the door open a charged through, the others following in her wake… the others, except Fluttershy.

“Come on Fluttershy!” Rainbow groaned, pushing the yellow pegasus towards the door.

“No! I mean, no thank you,” Fluttershy said in her soft voice, “Do they actually want us to FIGHT? As in, you know, kill things?” She flinched as she said the word ‘kill’. Rainbow rolled her eyes as she pushed Fluttershy closer to the door.

“Yes. They actually want us to kill things,” she stated, “But we have to, Flutter!”

“I know, but, there has to be another way!” Fluttershy said, defiantly taking a stance in front of her pushing friend.

“Well, there isn’t! So you better come along!” Rainbow started pushing again.

“What in the hay are you two doing?” Twilight’s voice cut through the scene. Her head was poked in the door, and a confused look on her face.

“Fluttershy- *umph* -doesn’t want to- *umph* -come to the- *screech!* -meeting because she doesn’t want to- *umph* -save Equestria!” Rainbow explained between pushes and small nods and ‘eek!’s from Fluttershy.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s her problem, and we certainly shouldn’t be shoving her around, shouldn’t we? That must hurt.”

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy turned to show Twilight her red behind. Twilight flinched. “But I really don’t want to kill things, I just can’t!”

“Well, these don’t have thorns in their paws, they aren’t even made out of flesh!” Twilight shouted, exasperated by her friend’s perpetual kindness. “They’re a bunch of hostile pony killing monsters that are going to destroy Equestria by accident if we don’t obliterate them!”

“By accident?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, by accident! They only want to fight each other; damage they do to the environment is a bi-product.”

“So they aren’t mean, they’re just inconsiderate” Fluttershy pondered, pressing for more facts. Twilight growled.

“They are mean! They want to kill the other side! But they always destroy things out accidentally in the process,” Twilight explained, beads of sweat forming on her brow.

“So maybe we can just tell them to settle their diff-” Fluttershy began. A glow surrounded her lips and they clamped shut.

“They’ve been fighting for four-thousand years! They can’t be reasoned with!” she growled again, staring at Fluttershy. Suddenly, Fluttershy found herself floating in the air, surrounded in a bubble of magic. “Come on,” Twilight said, walking out of the room, Fluttershy following her, bobbing slightly in the sphere of purple energy. “You’re going to destroy some insentient pieces of metal if it’s the last thing you do!”

And that statement had the possibility to be sadly correct.

“Commanders, we have a green light on launch. Proceed.” Chem Tech’s voice crackled on the six radios, signaling the first launch of war Equipment since the test runs. Twilight sat, braced in her command seat, face set with determination, as she began the walk sequence.

Pinkie Pie sat, a smile on her face, breathing heavily through her filter. The buttons and joysticks around her worked in physics defying unity. All the while, she giggled, pressing only a few buttons with her actual hooves.

Rarity’s horn glowed from inside her helmet. The blue magic twisted it’s way around any control that didn’t move fast enough. That would be all of them, because controls don’t move. She sat with grit and determination in her face… Determinedly trying to straighten her mane.

Applejack’s hooves flashed around the cabin, manipulating levers at an impressive rate. Tactical control was enabled, as was on all of them, and Applejack was taking her orders as the director and manufacturer of land armies pretty seriously.

Rainbow Dash grinned as she queued a row of aircraft plants into her mech’s database. Fluttershy meekly poked at a few buttons, a nervous wreck.

“Fluttershy,” Twilight’s voice was heard on the meak pegasus’s radio. “We need to do this, or they will KILL your animals!” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open at this remark, her hooves frozen with realization.

“They- They would?” she stammered. A growing rage blossomed in her.

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed, “Along with everypony and everything else you care about!”

“They can destroy mountains,” Fluttershy heaved, “But they. Will. Not. Touch. My. Animals!!!!” Suddenly, Fluttershy’s cabin was filled with the flashing of a determined pony. She worked the joy stick and touch screen of her tactical display like an overused amassment park. Solar panels, geothermal power plants, wind generators, these all were queued with a new anger, a new rage that Fluttershy had befallen to.

And in the circumstances, it was not only necessary, but essential to the progress of the plan.

Everyone worked. Hard. A base erupted out of nowhere, sprawling out of the boundaries of the Crystal Empire. Robots patrolled the edges, fighters flew overhead, and numerous defense towers imposed on the landscape. The team had left advancement to tech level two far behind, already beginning to populate their base with advanced radar stations, advanced unit facilities, and advanced Diamond Dogs-metal extractors.

The work divided among the parties made the laborious work by a single commander in hours into only fifteen minutes.

“Air factories are up!” Rainbow called.

“Great,” general Jenkins’s serious voice said, “Get a patrol of ‘Pegasi’s Lance- Fighters’ up.”

“You got it, general!” the aircraft factories unfolded. Four nanolatheing turrets emerged from compartments around the circular structure of the factory. In the center, a stretch of runway sat, a turntable on it turning with the green form of a fighter on it. Nanolathe from the turrets swathed over the fighter, layer after layer of particles assembled themselves. Eventually, the fighter took to the air, patrolling around the vast boundaries of the base. It was a lone sight, but soon three more followed it, then three more, until there was a thick cloud of fighters patrolling the air.

“Nuclear power plant is under construction,” Fluttershy stated, her voice angry but calm.

“Great, I’ll send over some construction units to help it go along,” Twilight said, and ten slow flying aircraft meandered over, green nanolathe emitting from their bottom. They circled the green outline of the plant, building, helping.

“Yeehah!” Applejack called, glee in her voice, “We’ve got yer army, general!” Rows of metallic robots covered the ground in front of the yellow mech, their weapons folded and their eyes blazing red.

“Good,” Jenkins stated, “We need some gun ships from Rainbow Dash, and then we can mobilize.”

“You got it!” advanced aircraft plants unfolded, and twenty brawlers appeared down the row of factories.

“We can do this,” Twilight told herself, “We will do this, and we will. Not. Fail.”

Meanwhile, in Canterlot:

The dust cleared. The Jethro packed it’s weapon back up again, the loud mechanical clink resonating across the silent landscape. Luna plunged off of the balcony, her mind still processing what had just happened.

There was a loud explosion, a fireball engulfing her sister, and then a thump as Celestia hit a nearby hill. Luna unfurled her wings, accelerating with all her might towards where her sister fell. She remained low, under the peak of the mountains so the anti-air fire couldn’t reach her.

“Sister?” Luna alighted next to the smoking crater. The smoke was not smoke, it was dust. Luna’s horn glowed and the dust was quickly shoved aside, allowing for the princess of the night to see her sister. She gasped.

Celestia lay sprawled on the ground, her mane was thin and her mouth was lined with blood. Her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, her face tensed with pain. One of her legs was completely broken off, and the others were bleeding rapidly and looked broken.

“Celestia!” Luna raced towards the princess, jumping over the singed white flesh that scattered the ground. One of Celestia’s eyes opened in a display of extreme effort.

“Lu- Lulu?” she groaned, blood falling from her mouth as she spoke. Luna quickly examined her sister.

“You’re badly hurt, you need to heal, NOW!” Luna shouted, fear and rage overwhelming her.

“Lulu, I’m- I’m trying,” Celestia choked. Her horn was splintered on the tip, but the fibers valiantly reassembled themselves, surrounded in a faint yellow glow.

“Good,” Luna quickly looked around. She cringed as she saw Celestia’s other leg lying on the ground a short distance away. Her horn glowed and the appendage floated over, surrounded in deep blue magic.

“We need to get you to the doctor,” Luna’s horn barely stopped glowing before the two and the leg were teleported straight into the doctor’s office in Canterlot. Doctor Reed leaped up from his desk in surprise, looking at the two deities that had appeared in his office.

“What the- Oh shit,” he raced over to Celestia, picking her head up in his hooves as he examined her. “Stay with her, try to stop the bleeding,” the doctor cried, bucking the door open with his head. He shot down the hall.

Immortal alicorns are not immortal. They merely have the ability to use incredible healing magic, the kind of magic that can seamlessly reattach legs. An alicorn can die, like all ponies, but they need to be seriously wounded to do so.

Celestia’s horn at this point had stopped repairing itself, and she moved onto the dismembered leg. The white leg was surrounded in a yellow shroud as it wiggled across the floor. Luna picked it up and set it next to the socket.

Luna’s horn glowed, clotting the blood flowing from the gashes that her sister suffered from. Suddenly, the door was flung open and Dr. Reed galloped in, followed by several orderlies guiding a gurney.

Luna lifted Celestia onto the gurney, her horn fizzling with levitation and clotting spells. Bandages were wrapped around Celestia’s legs as the team rushed through the hallway.

“I need a some donated blood, type A,” Dr. Reed shouted to a few nurses as he passed with the team towards the ICU. “Get some magical specialists down here!”

Luna followed close behind, her face serious. Inside, she was angry. Angry, but fearful.

“Anypony here an expert on healing badly injured alicorns!” Dr. Reed shouted through a communication spell maintained by a unicorn orderly.

Celestia’s leg dragged closer to it’s point of origin, the bonds of flesh already beginning to form. Bandages prevented bleeding from other points in her body, mostly at any rate.

“Almost there,” Dr. Reed said, “Keep changing those bandages!”

The door to the ICU was thrown open and the band of ponies around the gurney charged in. Dr. Reed barked orders at the attending nurses and doctors, but Luna didn’t listen.

“Tia,” she breathed. The white form was surrounded by doctors, trying to keep her from bleeding to death before she healed. “I am so sorry.”

“She’s got internal bleeding!”

“Damn, we need to butterfly this!”

“Stitches, we need stitches!”

“Heart rate is decreasing!”

“CLEAR!”

*ZZZAP!*

“Heart rate stabilized.”

Luna sighed as the chatter in the room became overwhelming. Celestia’s leg would take awhile to heal, even with alicorn magic, and her natural instincts saw it as the biggest threat to her life.

So it was up to the doctors to keep a heavily damaged alicorn alive until the healing magic could move on. Luna wanted to help, but external healing magic can mess up the internal compass of an alicorn’s instincts to heal, and possibly render the alicorn unable to heal herself at all.

Luna turned away from the mass of worried doctors and slowly walked to her room, her head dipped low with fears for her sister. It was time to raise the moon.

“Princess? Ow…” the familiar sound of Shining Armor’s voice wafted over Luna’s ears. She opened her eyes in surprise.

“Come in, Shining Armor,” she called. The door clicked open as the stallion entered, rubbing his head. Luna sat on her bed, hooves tucked under her black torso.

“Hi princess! Ow,” Shining rubbed his head again, sitting down in the nearest chair. Luna sadly noted that his head was devoid of horn.

“We see you hath lost your horn,” Luna caught herself. “Sorry, I’ve just been very stressed lately, I hope you-”

“Believe me princess, I’m the last one to judge,” Shining said seriously. “About returning to my duties as royal guard…”

“Aye,” Luna’s mane floated about next to her, “We believe that you do need rest, was that not what doctors stated?”

“Yes, that was what they said,” Shining sighed, “Plus I am a little shocked at, well, losing what I earned my special talent on.”

“We see your dilemma,” Luna nodded, “Oops.”

“I said that’s ok, princess,” Shining nodded.

“Thank you, well. Now when did they say you can go back to work?” Luna asked, folding the book up with her magic and floating over to the bookshelf.

“Uh, about that…”

“Yes?”

“They said I should retire.” Luna looked on in shock. Retire?

“That would put general Jenkins in charge,” she sighed, “And he’s in the Crystal Empire.”

“I don’t want to retire, princess,” Shining Armor flinched as another shot of pain fell through his skull. “But it’s- It’s just, well, you know-”

“I know,” Luna nodded, “Being stripped of Nightmare Moon left me feeling empty as well. I could not return to my duties as princess in the full until six months afterwards.”

“Well, I just came to ask your input on the matter of my career,” Shining said earnestly.

“I think,” Luna gulped, “We do have some very good financial coverage programs for retired guards. Cadence earns quite a pretty penny governing the Crystal Empire, um…”

“What are you saying, princess?”

“I think… You should retire.” The room was silent for several seconds, Shining’s dejected form breathing occasionally.

“Great. Fine. See if I care. I’d love to give up the one job I’ve ever loved,” he directed these words at Luna, who gulped. “I’m sure I’ll find joy in sitting around the house at the age of THIRTY!”

“But I didn’t-” Luna protested.

“It’s not your fault, oh no, it’s nopony’s fault except Celestia.” Luna was quiet. “She was the one that was stupid enough to turn the malice of a previously neutral side against us! None of this would have happened if she hadn’t acted all ‘heroic’!

“And I’m not really blaming her, oh no, it’s not like she intended for me to LOSE MY MOTHERBUCKING HORN! She had good intentions and that’s all that matters, right?” he stared at Luna. “WRONG!” he shouted at her ear.

“Shining I-”

“It wasn’t your fault at all, you don’t need to justify yourself! If Celestia recovers from being heroic a second time, I’m splitting her neck!” The room fell to silence as the last echoes of Shining’s threat finished their path around the room.

“Shining Armor,” Luna stepped forward, “I will not allow you to even consider usurping the throne.”

“But you don’t understand,” Shining Armor went on, “She took this from me!” he pointed to his forehead, “I don’t want the throne, you can have it, Hoity Toity can have it for all I care! I just want revenge.”

“Revenge or no, cold blooded murder of ANYPONY is punishable by death,” Luna’s cold glare bore into Shining’s fiery sole.

“Then I’ll die happy,” he turned and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind himself with his hooves.

“It’ll wear off,” Luna sighed and went back to reading her book.

In the dim light of consciousness, Celestia was vaguely aware of her surroundings. But it didn’t matter to her. All that mattered was pain.

Far away, deep in the bowels of her soul, a pain struck Commander Twilight Sparkle. Celestia was deeply hurt, and the bond which surreptitiously connected pupal and teacher was hurting. Twilight shook the feeling off, returning to her duties as commander. But something was very wrong in Canterlot, and they were going to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter Ten: An Age Old Battle

“We are moving into position, I repeat, units are on the move,” Twilight’s serious voice was a welcome noise to the sweating general Jenkins. He always got like this during battles, nervous. Often he was ridiculed by his peers for his fear for failure and loss of life.

“I hear ya, Twi,” Applejack responded, “Yee hah!”

“Alright, scouts incoming now!” said Rainbow, determinedly watching as the data from the un-manned planes flew home. First the radar, then sight. Rows of Bulldogs, heavy assault tanks, lined the area. The strange shapes of Shooters, sniper Kbots, dotted a row behind them. Behind that, Lugers, artillery vehicles, pointed their weapons in the air, tracking the scouts as they passed overhead.

The last piece of information that Dash received was a large amount of flak and a row of mobile flak vehicles. She whistled.

“That’s one big army we’ve got,” she said, instructing a few more scouts to fly over the rest of the mountains, “And that’s not all.”

A mass of Kbots filled the center of the valley, their armour glinted in the afternoon sunlight. The cold, lifeless eyes that stared out from them looked at the scout, their weapons raised as if poised to shoot, if only it would come into range.

Zeuses, Peewees, Hammers, Mavericks, all these assault and artillery bots and more were lined up, they were the bulk of the ARM army. The scout planes crashed to the ground after a few swift shots from a Jethro in the crowd, the missile’s smoke curling as the projectiles flew upwards.

Another scout revealed that a mirror image of the vehicle army was hiding in the radar shadow of a nearby mountain.

“So that’s what they’re playing, is it?” general Jenkins muttered under his breath, looking at the new data. They were plotting flank maneuver, previously unknown because of the radar shadow of the mountain range in which the force hid. “Applejack, I’m going to need squads of artillery vehicles on either side of the forces, but set them on ‘hold fire’ will you? Escort them with some radar jamming Pbots just in case.”

“You got it, general!” Applejack breathed from inside her suit. It had been about one hour since the commanders had been deployed on the field, and everypony was getting tired of the mundane, useless, army and base building that had been going on.

“When are we gonna get to blow stuff up?” Dash asked eagerly, for the forty fifth time. Jenkins sighed, rubbing his face with a hoof.

“Soon, very soon,” he said into the receiver. The dim light of the strategy room managed to illuminate his brown coat. The red beret he wore had a silver pin on it, in the shape of a pegasus, and it glimmered occasionally when struck with a beam of light.

“Good,” Rainbow said huffing a little, “How are you holding up, Twi?”

“Just fine,” Twilight answered from inside her control room. Her horn glowed as the various levers and buttons flipped around, surrounded in a aura of purple magic. “Spike!” Twilight called. A grease covered Spike popped his head out of the service hatch and looked at Twilight.

“Yeah?” He asked, spinning a wrench in his hand.

“Could you divert some power to sector S-13 for me? There’s something I need to try,” Twilight asked without turning around.

“S-13, got it,” Spike stuck his head back in the hatch, quickly followed by the rest of himself. Twilight smiled a little as she went back to work. She spun her chair to look at the tactical display, then to her measurements.

A small desk shaped area to the left of the command chair had quickly become covered with quills and ink. Lines and trajectories on pages and pages of physics calculations littered the desk as well.

What Twilight was suggesting might aid in battle, and might even win the war. S-13 was the sector that controlled most of the communications equipment, talking to every friendly unit. Each side worked on different wavelengths to control their units, negating any possible interference. But since the commanders built by the ponies are of ARM origin, there might be a way to bypass that…

“Diverted!” Spike called, his voice reverberating in the metal shaft.

“Excellent!” Twilight clopped her hooves together in glee. “Let’s execute a test!”

On top of the mech, a large dish rotated as it crackled with electricity, turning towards the enemy. Small arcs of blue sparks shot between each side of it as it hummed with the current. A growing rumble sprouted from it as it shook from exertion.

“Let’s do this!” Twilight called, glee unmistakable on her face. She slammed her hoof of a lever, throwing the final switch.

There was a loud explosion and then silence.

“I told you that was gonna happen,” Spike said, rolling his eyeballs. He twisted some copper wire in his hands as he spoke, twitching his grease-stained tail back and forth. Twilight was quite, flying back over her calculations.

“We need a high voltage dish!” she growled. “Can I get a high voltage dish mounted on this thing?”

“Ya know Twi,” Applejack started, “We could just blow ‘em up all normal like.”

“But- But that’s not-” Twilight stuttered from inside her suit.

“Come on Twi,” Spike sauntered up behind her, “We don’t have to do it fancy.” A faint red glow seeped out through Twilight’s suit, illuminating the room. “Twi?”

“Oh alright,” she braced herself against the control panel, breathing heavily. “You win. We don’t have to do it smart.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “Stupid is much more fun! I mean, well, non-egghead-y stuff, that is.”

“FUN!” Pinkie erupted through the speakers, jolting everypony in their suits. “Did somepony say fun?”

“Never mind that, sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled a little, “We’ve bigger things to fry than that.”

“I’d say I’m a big thing to fry!” Rainbow said confidently, sparking groans from everypony except Pinkie.

“CAN WE JUST GET BACK TO WORK?!” Jenkins shouted, rubbing his newly sprouted migraine. Silence fell on the other end, before a much relieved Twilight speaking up.

“Right, how are we doing, general?”

“Fine,” Jenkins reported, wiping the sweat from his brow, “Just do what I tell you to and you’ll be fine.” He downed a glass of water in one gulp, furrowing his brows as he turned back to the war room. “Rainbow, your fighters are a little close too enemy lines. Move them in a tad.”

“Yes sir!” Rainbow said, swiftly redirecting her fighters. They curved in the air, maintaining formations as they veered.

“Good,” Jenkins turned his attention to land units, “Applejack; you’re doing good with your land units, but could you advance the artillery a little?”

“You got it gen’!” Applejack called as the artillery vehicles rumbled over the landscape.

“Good,” Jenkins looked back over the base, “Twilight; I could use some cover fire from long range cannons.”

“Alright,” Twilight said, “Rarity, could you get over here and help?”

“Of course, darling,” Rarity’s pure white mech began walking towards Twilight’s. “But I would like it if you asked nicely.”

Twilight sighed. “Alright; would you please come over and help me with this?”

“Why certainly,” Rarity’s mech spurted nanolathe at the forming figure of a long range cannon, “And it was so nice of you to ask nicely!”

A mere mile away, an ARM radar tower blipped constantly on a lone hill. It’s flashes lit up the evening air as its dish rotated silently. Below, a pristine landscape stretched, coming to halt to give way to jagged mountains. In the distance, the sun peeked out between the peaks, continuing its descent to the horizon.

It was peaceful, almost, as the dusty wind slipped past the tower. The tower continued to blip, its information feeding into the ARM command unit and fueling the war. When all was quiet, all was still, the tranquil scene was shattered by a round of cannon shots.

They ripped through the silence, shattering it like glass. Plasma shells flew into the air from behind the mountain, arcing high in the air before falling down. The fell, a perfect line of destruction, onto the radar tower. All that was left was a row of small craters and the twisted wreckage of the tower.

“Yeehaw!” Applejack called, her breathing heaving inside her suit, “These fellas really do work!”

“Be careful, Applejack,” Twilight cautioned, “They know we’re here now.”

“I know, Twi,” Applejack nodded, “I won’t do anything stupid; just mark my hay bales if that ain’t pretty darn good weaponry!”

“Yes,” Twilight nodded, reviewing the radar map, “It certainly is.”

“You have company!” Jenkins’ voice called. A small battalion of blue specks progressed towards the site of the attack.

“I gotcha, gen,” Applejack quickly selected her artillery vehicles and began firing on the incoming forces. Several ranks of tanks rumbled into position.

“Get ready…” Jenkins clenched his teeth in nervousness, “FIRE!” The tanks let loose a barrage of plasma, hurling projectiles into the oncoming swarm. Twisted wreckage dotted the battlefield, craters were formed in uniform lines from the ranks of tanks.

“They’re firin’ back, general!” Applejack called.

“Don’t worry, just keep going!” Jenkins instructed. In truth, he was as nervous as the commanders, but he didn’t show that.

“You say so…” Applejack leaned over the tactical display, watching the war unfold. “Tank down!”

“Retreat,” Jenkins groaned, “They’ve brought in the big guns. Rainbow, I need gunships, NOW.”

“You got it,” Rainbow said haughtily, “They’re on their way.”

“AJ, target the big one with that artillery,” Jenkins half screamed as another bolt of purple energy vaporized a tank.

“Got it,” the cannons adjusted, throwing their shots towards the slow moving dot.

“Twilight, how are the Long Range Cannons coming?” Jenkins turned his attention to the base.

“Good,” Twilight responded, “Almost done with the first one. Fluttershy! I could use some help!”

“Uh, ok,” Fluttershy’s mech slowly hovered over to the construction site, “But I still think that there must be a better way to do this.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow scratched her chin, “On the unit roster, there was this thing… nukes?”

“Ballistic Nuclear Thermal Warheads?” Twilight prompted.

“Yeah, that,” Rainbow said thoughtfully, “Except I like nukes better.”

“Ladies!” Jenkins called, “We can use BNTWs later; your gunships are approaching, Rainbow.”

“And not a might too soon,” Applejack said hastily as the last tank exploded into a pile of rubble.

Plasma poured down from the sky, pummeling the confused tanks. The tanks’ cannons swiveled franticly, trying to get a lock on their airborne attackers, firing shells in all directions. One by one, each exploded in flame and shock, shaking the others. The Penetrator was last, producing a small mushroom cloud in its wake.

“Wooee!” Applejack cried, “Those plane-y things sure did a nice job at takin’ down those’ tanks.”

“Thanks,” Rainbow replied haughtily, “But the best is yet to come.”

“Yes, it certainly is,” Jenkins’ voice interrupted seriously, “Applejack why don’t you- RAINBOW! GET THOSE GUNSHIPS THE HELL OUT OF THERE!”

“What?” as she spoke, the gunships were assaulted by a barrage of plasma, shooting them down like ducks. They spun to the earth as the plasma struck them, burning holes into their hulls. With a loud crash, each struck the dirt, tumbling, sliding to a stop.

“Flak cannons,” Jenkins downed a glass of water, “They’re playing dirty. Twilight, cannon status?”

“The first is online,” Twilight responded, “Beginning work on a second.”

“Great,” Jenkins said, sweat beading on his forehead, “Target the closes thing. Let’s give this thing a test run.”

The towering cannon received its orders, lumbering the barrel into position. It turned, raising the gun at the same time,ending in precisely the right spot to hit its target.

“Three,” Twilight was calm inside her suit, listening to Jenkins’ countdown, “Two, One, FIRE!”

The cannon charged for a split second, sucking air into the barrel, but then let loose. The gun flew back on its rails, bouncing into a shock absorber and returning to position. A ball of plasma had left the barrel so suddenly, only the closes watcher could see it.

It flew over the land at a terrific pace, out maneuvering any attempting spectator. Over the ice topped mountains it went, over the desert, and finally, smack into the outskirts of Appaloosa.

An explosion engulfed the target, spewing bits of molten metal out like steam. It incinerated everything, leaving a puddle of molten alloy in its wake.

“Nicely done,” Jenkins complemented. “Keep that up. Fluttershy, we need some fusion reactors and advanced energy storage, hop to it!”

“Uh, sure,” Fluttershy said shyly, “But I still think we don’t have to melt them.”

A morning is crisp. An afternoon is soggy. And a night is thoroughly drenched. Of course, tanks can trundle through any of these time-imposed weather conditions, more or less compacting everything underneath its treads.

And that is exactly what ARM detachment 701 was doing: trundling through bleak rain. It pounded on their visual receptors, constantly whipped off by giant window wipers, spraying into the air. They could hardly see a thing.

The Phalanxes, mobile flak vehicles, followed behind the tanks. Their quad flak cannons drenched and dormant. And the one vehicle with perfect vision followed behind them: the mobile radar vehicle.

While radar doesn’t give as detailed information as visual sight, it’s incredibly useful for times like these.

The Seer’s dish rotated, flashing into the rain every so often. It ignored the sideways gush of water that slammed into it, continuing its constant motion. The little detachment rumbled into position, stopping at their orders.

Windshield wipers flashed across the cameras. Fog lights pierced the rain. And the moon attempted to shine through the clouds overhead. It was a peaceful scene. Aside from the fact that said peaceful objects were two story tall war machines, it was peaceful.

At times like these, war almost seems worth it. But in times of conflict, these moments never last for long. And when they shatter. They shatter hard.

It was a silent approach. Radar jamming vehicles were intermixed in the force, blocking any possible detection. And suddenly they were upon the detachment.

Rain hissed against the explosions, fizzling out the fires as they sprouted. Plasma flew from the cannons, erupting into the night a distinctive roar of destruction. Twisted wreckage littered the battle, still smoldering under the rain.

The mud stained machines came to rest, looking down on the wreckage of the ARM detachment. Five hundred miles away, in a mech on the edge of the Crystal Empire, Applejack leaped for joy. Tried to leap, that is. The suit was heavy.

“Yeehaw!” she exclaimed, a smile broadening across her face, “All them ‘detachment’ things are burnin’ on the ground, general!”

“Well done,” the voice was scratchy over the radio, “Prepare the main attack force.”

“Yes siree!” Applejack said excitedly. A few miles away, a sea of war machines began to trundle and fly to their destination.

Plasma shot through the sky, small and sizzling. It smashed into the ground hundreds of miles away, shattering the mud.

“We’ve got them both on the run,” Twilight said coolly, “Let’s finish them off.”

The rain pelted down as the forces moved, their treads slipping in the mud. Above, airplanes laden with weaponry shot through the air, piercing the rain clouds like arrows. Soon they would fight. Soon they would die. But for a common cause: Freedom from the warmongers of the ARM and the CORE.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot:

The halls were quiet in the castle. A peaceful tranquility descended, the only sound that of rain. It was the kind of scene where a pony would stop to look on in awe. A nice scene. A deserted scene.

But one pony was not going to have any of this ‘awe’ business. He stomped through the hallways, shattering the silence with every angered hoof step. He rounded corners suddenly, throwing his dark blue mane to one side as he trudged down the hall.

A slight growling filled the room. Shining Armor stopped walking, looking up at the stained glass picture in front of him. It depicted the gods. In the center, Celestia and Luna crossed horns. Discord lay lazily above them. And down below, smaller, unknown gods puttered about motionlessly.

Shining’s eyes were fixed on one thing.

“Celestia,” he growled, “You have no idea what you’ve done to me.” He threw back his hood, revealing an angered face. “I loved my job.”

The words echoed back to him, pounding their meaning into his already aware mind. He continued to glower at the picture.

“I wish I could lay my hooves on you,” he said quietly, “AND EXACT MY REVENGE!”

He lunged at the window. But instead of feeling broken glass, he felt something else. It was as though the air had solidified in a wall, blocking him from the window.

Shining Armor fell to the ground, stunned. And a mischievous figure stood up in the painting.

“Tut tut my good fellow,” Discord said apprehensively, “I know Celestia is boring but smashing a picture of me. Now that’s just a sin against interestingness!”

Shining stood up, turning a wary eye at the scolding piece of glass.

“You know, I really don’t mind you think Celestia is boring,” Discord continued, having a seat on the princess’ heads, “But don’t you think a death wish is a little strong?”

“You don’t understand,” Shining turned away, only to find the god of chaos standing right behind him.

“Oh, now you’re being boring as well!” Discord rolled his eyes. “Of course I understand! Celestia took everything from me, including my flesh.” He looked down at his arm, grinning slightly. “Which I hardly use anyway.”

“But how about your job?” Shining said coldly, turning away from the god once more.

“Oh, you call being locked in a statue of stone for a thousand years not losing my job?” Discord said, surprised, “Well, Celestia certainly didn’t give me a pension.”

“But- but-” Shining spluttered, “If not death, how do you think I should exact my revenge, hmm?”

“By being interesting, of course!” Discord said happily, snapping his fingers. A lamb appeared overhead, twirling in air. “Drives her crazy! My my, I may hardly ever find a better way to grind on her little royal soul.”

Discord grinned, flexing his fingers in anticipation. “In fact, little Shining, you’re just the pony I’ve been looking for.”

“To do what?” Shining asked warily.

“To drive the royal sisters bonkers,” Discord said excitedly. “It’s a chance in a lifetime! How many mortals do you know that get to use chaos magic, even for a day?”

“Uh,” Shining thought the apparent offer over. “I suppose.”

“Wonderful!” Discord clapped his hands together. “We’re gonna have a great time, I can just tell!”

“Right,” Shining said uncertainly. As much as he wanted to exact revenge on Celestia, this seemed to be stretching it.

“Well,” Discord said, “Let’s get down to business!” With the snap of a finger, they were gone. The hallway returned to normal, the rain being the only noise maker. Except, of course, Discord was absent from the window.

“Has anypony seen Shining Armor?” Luna asked hurriedly, gliding through a hallway. A chorus of ‘no’s rang out behind her. The castle’s hallways in this part of the building were packed with refugees.

“Yeah!” the voice cut through the negatives. Luna turned her wings and flapped backwards, landing next to the speaker. The speaker was a short, gray pony with a mustache. He wore a rumpled bowler cap, and carried a cane.

“Where hath thee seen him?” Luna asked. Her olden accent slipped out at times like these.

“Well,” the broker started, “I was out for a stroll, see, this section of the castle gets very crowded an’ all.” Luna nodded sullenly. “Well, I was out in the Hall of the Sun area. And this whirlwind of angry pony sorta stomped through me, ya know, in a metaphorical sense. Back at the old bank stuff like this never ‘happened. Not without me knowin’ about it first hoof.

“Anyway, point I’m tryin’ to make here is that Shining was stompin’ around in the Hall of the Sun area. At least I think it was Shining. Banker’s instinct never lies,” he said confidently, standing up. “Now I’ve got a date with a certain something.”

Luna watched as the broker walked over to a silver tin, where he jabbed a key in. The key turned, and the box opened to reveal another box. There was a lock on that one too, and inside that a still smaller box. Until, after three boxes, a shiny pile of 10 bit pieces gleamed in the torchlight.

The expression of glee on the broker’s face was unforgettable. Face stretched wide as if meeting a long lost friend. Luna rolled her eyes and charge out of the room.

The hallways blurred as she ran, rounding corners occasionally. “Shining Armor!” Luna cried again and again. He had gone missing a few hours ago, and Luna couldn’t seem to find out where he went.

Eventually she stopped, panting, in front of a stained glass window. She looked over it while thinking of what to do next. Except one part caught her eye.

“I never remember my sister putting Shining on that window,” Luna remarked, inspecting the depiction of Shining Armor slammed against the glass. A muffled voice came through the window.

“I’m. Not,” it said. “Not. Yet.”

“What?” Luna raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, the depiction of Shining’s smashed form shrunk, a distinct popping sound filling the air.

“That’s better,” said the picture. Shining Armor’s stained glass form scratched his neck.

“Shining?” Luna asked, dumbfounded.

“Ah yes, hello Luna,” Shining said, turning on the two dimensional plane to face the princess, “I see you were worried about me, no?”

“Yes. But how-” Luna started.

“Oh never mind that,” Shining laughed a little, waving a hoof in the air. “I quite like it actually.”

“What?” Luna withdrew from the picture. Suddenly her face changed to a glower. “Discord.”

“Fine fellow, isn’t he?” Shining said, popping a stained glass cake into his mouth. “Taught me everything I need to know about life,” he said through the cake.

“DISCORD,” Luna bellowed, “SHOW YOURSELF!” No answer.

“Don’t worry about him,” Shining popped out of the picture, landing next to Luna. He wrapped a hoof around her neck. “I’m all the fun you need.”

Luna leaped in the air with shock, escaping Shining’s mischievous hoof.

“Oh?” Shining raised an eyebrow, “You want to run?”

“I-” Luna started, but it was too late. Shining grinned as he clapped his hooves together. Luna began running in circles.

“Run.”

“Shining Armor,” Luna huffed as she went passed him. “Please let me have my legs back.”

“If you insist,” Shining said dully, clapping his hooves together. There was a crash as Luna ran into a nearby wall. “Happy?”

“Much,” the princess picked herself up, reconstituting the wall from the dust. It reappeared with a flash, causing Shining’s teleportation to be more sudden than usual.

“You’re no fun,” Shining said dryly, “Let’s make things more interesting!” He clapped his hooves together. They both towards the towards the ceiling, a grin on Shining’s face.

“What is this?!” Luna demanded, picking herself down off the ceiling.

“Gravity is just so boring only going one way,” Shining said lazily, “I just thought I’d liven things up a bit.”

“But- But-”

“It’s even more fun when you go outside,” Shining said maniacally. “In fact, we do need some fresh air.” He clapped his hooves together, teleporting them both outside the window. They fell upwards.

“GET US DOWN!” Luna screamed over the wind.

“What?” Shining cupped a hoof over his ear in mock deafness. He grinned.

“I SAID, GET US DOWN!” Luna screamed again.

“YOU’LL HAVE TO SPEAK UP!” Shining taunted, “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

“GET ME DOWN,” Luna bellowed in full Canterlot Royal voice. Shining rolled his eyes.

“If you insist.” The two appeared back on the ceiling of the Hall of the Sun.

“And could you put gravity back the way it was?” Luna asked, looking at the ceiling tiles beneath her hooves.

“Oh poo poo,” Shining said, “You really do NOT want anything changed in your boring little lives, do you?” They tumbled towards the floor.

“If I have to fall,” Luna said, getting up, “I’d rather it be towards the ground, thank you very much.”

“How are her vitals?” Dr. Reed asked, walking into the ICU.

“Not promising,” another doctor caught up with him, explaining the situation. Dr. Reed nodded, looking over the injured alicorn.

“The leg’s almost healed,” he observed.

“Yes,” the other doctor sighed. “There’s about a ten percent chance she won’t make it. That’s a rough estimate, but you catch my drift.” Dr. Reed nodded.

“Anything I can do to help?” he asked, observing the readings on a few monitors.

“Not that I can think of,” the doctor thought for a second. “Actually, scratch that, we always need extra hooves in surgery.”

In the center of the stretcher, a surgeon was performing open body surgery, removing pieces of shrapnel, carefully and slowly. A couple of assistants stood behind him, at the ready to give or receive tools.

“Doctor Cross,” Dr. Reed’s escort asked quietly. The surgeon looked up from his work. “Do you need any help?” Dr. Cross thought for a second.

“Yes,” he nodded, “You good at removing sixteenth inch life threatening shrapnel?”

“I’ve removed foreign bodies before,” Reed said, slipping on a white air filter, “That good enough?”

“Have a pair of tweezers,” a set of small tweezers floated over to Reed, “And don’t break anything in there.”

Although an alicorn’s body can almost fully recover from injuries, foreign bodies are one of the most difficult to do away with. Usually, they are reabsorbed into the bloodstream over a matter of weeks, after the internal bleeding is stopped. But there are exceptions when doctors need to intervene.

This was one of those times.

Celestia lay motionless on the bed as the doctors worked. The leg was fully reattached, and the portion opened up for open body surgery was starting to knit itself back together. Still, red stained the sheets of the gurney.

“She’s stabilizing,” a relieved Doctor Reed said, “The leg’s finished. The worst is over, ponies!” The doctors smiled.

“Oh I don’t know about that,” a familiar voice filled the room, “Let’s liven things up, shall we?”

Outside, a massive battle staged. The armies of all three sides were preparing to fight. Mud stained tanks, drenched Kbots, sopping aircraft. But despite points of saturation, each was ready to fight. And fight they will.

Prelude: Incoming!

All but exhausting the resources of a galaxy, the battle between flesh and machine rages on through the cold void of space. Planet after planet, used and discarded as battlegrounds for the CORE and the ARM. For four-thousand years, this perpetual conflict has raged on, decimating everything that lies in its way. Fueled by their mutual hatred, the CORE and the ARM will continue to fight, the only acceptable outcome for either side total annihilation of the other.

Technology, captured, assimilated adapted and advanced to create fearful self replicating mechanisims of war. The CORE uploading the minds of it's finest soldiers directly into battle machines, allowing the same conciousness to be replicated hundreds of times over. To counter this, the ARM used cloning, creating thousands of soldiers to pilot gigantic machines, their sole purpose destruction of the CORE.

When these two frightening armies clash, a conflict beyond measure is found, the mere footsteps of a commander flattens forests, cracks rocks and destroys villages. Each battle ending in a stalemate, each side burned and maimed, the resources of the current planet depleted they move on, migrating to another celestial body. This time, a planet known as Equestria is slated to be the next battleground for the two warring factions....

~~~~~

"Twilight!" Rainbow flew into the library. Twilight, who had been attempting a very tricky manuver of placing all the books in the library in the proper place at once. It had been a very busy night of studying and she didn't want to spend too much time cleaning up. When Rainbow flew in, she lost all concentration she had. All the books dropped to the floor with a loud thump.

"Thanks for waiting Rainbow," Twilight said, flattening her ears as she turned to the hovering Rainbow Dash.

"No problem," Rainbow said proudly, "Anyway, I came here to tell you that there's this weird star thing in the sky!"

"Star? It's the middle of the day!" Twilight snorted, in an instant she was next to the telescope with a flash to have a look at what her friend thought was so dire.

"Well, there's something up there, and it's moving fast," Rainbow flew over to the telescope where Twilight had teleported to and alighted next to her.

Looking in the telescope, Twilight scanned the sky. "Rainbow, I don't see anything," She said, continuing to scan more and more of the sky.

"See, it's right there!" Rainbow pointed to a fiery streak in the sky. Twilight swiveled the telescope to look up at where Rainbow's hoof was pointing. Then she saw it. A large fireball was flying over Equestria, red with flames and slowing down rapidly.

“Twilight, what is that thing and why’s coming down so fast?” Spike called from the other room, worry ladened in his voice.

“A meteorite or something and it’s coming in fast, it should abate in speed with the change in atmopheric density,” Twilight called, fast and furiously rolling the words off her tounge.

“A what’cha what?” Spike called back. Twilight sighed.

“It’s big, and it’s going to hit the ground, soon!” Twilight translated for her friend and assistant.

Twilight turned to Rainbow, "Chase after it, but try to keep your distance when it hits, and it's probably going to cause a rather large blast and crater when it does."

"You got it," Rainbow said, flying up into the sky, "That's what I'm here for!" She streaked off over the horizon, chasing the fiery object in the sky.

Twilight galloped down to the library, "Spike!" She shouted into the other room, "Spike! Get in here, I need your help!"

"Yeah yeah, Twilight?" The little dragon walked out of the kitchen, "What, woah! You better put these books away before you do anything! What did you do, let a bomb off in here last night?!"

"Spike, this is no time for jokes, I need all the books on spacecraft and planetary science we have!" Twilight exclaimed as she started digging through the pile of books.

"You got it! Hey... what do you need them for anyway?" Spike started scanning through all the books as well, grasping every related one in his claws.

"Nevermind, there’s no time to explain." Twilight said, horn glowing as she grabbed a number of the books in her magic and putting them up on the stargazing balcony.

"Oh... okay, yeah, that again. Why do you never explain anything to me?" Spike dumped his load off at the balcony as well, where Twilight was feverishly looking through book after book, shaking her head and throwing them down to the library.

"Since when was mythology related to planetary science?" She shouted a little annoyed at Spike.

"Well, there is an awful lot of, 'how the planets were made' and stuff so I just thought..."

"Nevermind what you thought, mythology and science are different! Ah here we go, 'Atmospheres and suchlike' by Luke Horseward," Twilight reached out with her magic and pulled the book up to her face, and, employing magical speed-reading, a skill she considered cheating in any normal situation, she read the whole thing in ten seconds flat.

"Okay, that thing is definitely a spaceship, it's executing re-entry, causing it to burn, but it has a heat shield, that's why its still up there... Get everything we have on spacecraft," Twilight called to the heavily laden Spike.

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming," Spike said from underneath a pile of books reaching almost to the ceiling. "Woah!" The little dragon lost his balance, falling over and looking up at the large stack of books, expecting them to land on top of him. Instead, he saw them hovering in the air.

"Great, thanks Spike," Twilight said, busily arranging her new acquisitions on the balcony.

"Heh... No problem, not at all," Spike said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, oh dear," Twilight said, a look of concern appearing on her face as she read one book after the other.

"Whats wrong, Twi?" Spike asked, walking up to the balcony next the unicorn.

"Look at this,” She looked at Spike and pointed to three books she levitated them in front of her and Spike, pages opened to pictures and descriptions of the ‘Streaks’.

“These 'Streaks of Death' have been flying around the galaxy for years. One followed by the other, leaving destroyed and misshapen planets in their wakes... I don't know what they are but they destroy planets... quick Spike, is there another one in the sky?" Twilight explained, jumping to the telescope.

Another streak came into view.

"We're doomed."

Meanwhile, in Appelosa country....

"Come on, y'all!" Applejack shouted, "Them apples ain't gunna buck themselves!"

"Eeeyup," Big Macintosh agreed, hauling a wagon laden with the fruit past Applejack.

Applejack and the rest of the apple family had gathered in Appelosa to help the ponies there with the harvest. Since the conflict with the buffalo, Appelosa had made it's orchards larger than the town could harvest in order to keep the growing buffalo population in check, so every year the apple family would come down to help with the harvest.

After learning a thing or two from Twilight during Winter Wrap Up, Applejack decided to organize the event this year. Early that morning at the red light of dawn, she and a group of other ponies were out putting baskets under the trees, so now all anypony had to do was buck the trees.

It was almost mid afternoon and they still had a half of the orchard left to go.

"I sure do wish these trees would buck themselves," Applejack muttered to herself before bucking the tree next to her. The fruit fell neatly into the four baskets along side it with a satisfying thump.

*Neeeerow!*

Applejack turned her head to the sky along with everypony else. Two streaks were running along side each other, one rainbow one red, the red one headed for the ground and the rainbow one keeping it’s altitude.

"Look out!" Rainbow Dash called to everyone, "It's gonna hit, but I think it's got awhile yet!"

The red streak suddenly executed an un-precidented manuver. Ejecting the shell like an onion skin, an odd shaped metal craft appeared. About the size of a skyscraper, it was pointed sideways, into the wind. Four metal rockets deployed from the side, covering up the glimpses of the payload the ponies were able to get, and fired. Along with the rockets, a parachute deployed out the back, slowing it down.

It's horizontal velocity countered, the craft ejected the parachute and began its final descent towards the ground.

"Ahhh!" Everypony screamed, running at full tilt out of the orchard which had turned into a slated landing site.

The large rockets ejected from the craft, falling to the ground and erupting in a fiery explosion, lighting the orchard on fire, adding to the confusion and panic of the ponies below.

All Applejack was concerned about now was getting everypony out safely, she stood, ushering her family members and Appelosens out of the orchard.

The payload of the craft was now clearly visible, a gigantic humanoid robot, towering about six stories tall was being lowered onto the ground by smaller rocket engines. It's menacing blank face, with two triangles sticking out either end of the front mask, glared straight on. Two arms, one pointed down and the other curved up slightly jutted out from the metal body.

Large legs, with feet the size of a quad of apple trees touched the ground, a large shockwave echoed through the earth. As the vibrations reached the apple trees, all the ripe apples fell out, squarely into the baskets.

"Well, I guess that takes care of the harvest...." Applejack said, galloping off with the rest of her family.

The craft flew away, leaving it's menacing payload towering over the orchard.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot.....

"Princess, we have a problem," Shining Armor shouted, running into the throne room. He had been visiting for a week, much as he hated it, without Cadence, to act as captian of the royal guard. New recrutes had just come in and someone had to give them the run-down.

"What is it?" Celestia, sensing the urgentness in Shining Armor's voice, set down her teacup and newspaper and stood up.

"An odd streak has appeared in the sky, your highness," Shining Armor explained, "It seems to be heading for the ground."

"What?!" Celestia rushed out of her throne, brushing past Shining Armor who now followed her through the castle hallways.

"Like I said, there's this streak, a spacecraft of some sort coming in, fast," The emphasis he put on this last word made the princess shiver.

"Very well, where do you think it will land?" Celestia stepped out on her balcony, scanning the sky for the object.

"Probably just outside Canterlot, Princess," Shining Armor said, "I can arrange for some men to meet it if you'd like."

"That won't be nessesary," Celestia said, looking at the orange and red ball in the distance,

"Get everyone from the Canterlot houses into the castle, we're not sure where it's going to land."

"Yes your highness," Shining Armor bolted out of the room, shouting orders as he went.

Celestia looked at the sky and sighed, "I hope you won't hurt out people, otherwise I'll be forced to take preemptive actions."

As if in answer, something crazy happened. Instead of dropping the shell like on the ARM craft, the pod mearly forwarded the back shell to create a very thick front edge. Then, a parachute deployed out the back and rockets fired. When the smoke cleared, the craft was headed straight for the ground.

*BOOOOOM!*

The craft hit the ground and released shockwaves greater than the other commander touching down... shaking the very foundation of the castle, Celestia braced herself against the shock.

"Sister, what has happened?" Princess Luna ran into the room, visibly shaken from the impact.

"I don't know, but it can't be good," Celestia said, "Come, we must help Shining Armor get everypony into the castle."

"But Tia, what about that... that falling star?" Lune asked, surprised.

"Don't worry about it, right now we can only help with the evacuation."

Before Luna could respond, a gigantic, almost seven story tall robot pulled itself off the ground, revealing it's menacing head just above the mountain.

"Move!" Celestia grabbed Luna, jumping off the balcony and gliding down to Shining Armor who was ushering ponies into the castle, his guards forming a pony wall to keep the residents organized.

"Shining Armor!" Celestia called, "How is the evacuation going?"

"Well, your highness, a few more minutes and we should have everyone out of the city proper."

"Good, when you finish with it, cast the shield spell over the castle, I'm afraid we have something much more than just a streak in the sky now" Celestia said, nerves and tension creeping into her normally stately voice.

"Yes Celestia," Shining Armor said, patting the princess on the back, "I will not fail you."

"Good."

As Celestia spoke, however, a frighting sight walked out from behind the hill... the menacing robot who's head Celestia recognized. A large bi-pedal huminoid robot, towering almost seven stories tall, with two arms, one an obvious weapon...a weapon which Celestia feared. The other, a highly advanced mechanism which she didn't recognize. The non-weapon arm began to suck up trees, disintegrating them into nano particles and sucking them in... clearing a pine in a second.

"GO!" Celestia shouted, staring at the machine, "GET INSIDE NOW!"

Her words had an effect on the somewhat obstinate crowd, all the ponies now cooperated, letting their makeup get tarnished just to obey the Princess. Behind them, the robot began to build an extremely large solar array, it's nanolaythe constructing it piece by piece.

"Everypony's in, get inside Princesses, I'm putting up my shield," Shining Armor called to the royal sisters.

Dashing inside just as the blue shield surrounded the castle, Celestia looked back, looking into the heart of the sinister machine.

Author's Note

Total Annihilation is a realtime stratagy game by Cavedog entertainment in which each player starts with their "commander" a humanoid robot that can construct buildings and reclaim trees and buildings for resources. This chapter explains how these commanders got to Equestria. I had a fun time writing this and I hope you'll have as good a time readinng it. Please tell me what you think in the comments, thanks!