86-34: Arc 1: Fight the Power, Fight the Fad

“Damn it, we’ve lost Rafburn!” exclaimed a guard as one of his comrades succumbed to the shower of bullets and spells. “We’re losing ground! To the throne room, now!” another guard shouted as they pulled back. Behind them. Directive 34 troops marched forward, walking over the numerous dead bodies belonging to the CRA they had slain in cold blood. The remaining CRA retreated into the throne room,locking the front door behind them and using it as a choke point.

“When they break through, hit them with everything,” Princess Celestia ordered the guards. Their horns lighted up as they all prepared for the worst.

The doors burst open and immediately all the CRA guards threw everything they had at the entrance. Streams of fire, lightning and many other elements engulfed the area, slightly deforming the doorway as it cracked and melted. As the dust cleared, a unicorn emerged, unharmed, surrounded by a protective dome-shaped shield.

“N-no way...our spells didn’t even make a scratch?” a guard said in a panicked state, losing his firm composure. Then the noticed all the D34 unicorn horns were lit, and realized the shield was their combined magical power.

The shielded unicorn moved towards them, and as the dust cleared,they immediately recognized her.

“Quicksilver!” Princess Celestia exclaimed. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I slaughter your guards like diamond dogs and walk right into your castle. Isn’t it obvious, princess?”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve been soft for far too long. Equestria needs somepony who can lead them in the right direction. Your ways are obsolete and irrelevant.”

“You talk about the right direction, yet you create chaos and turmoil. Your intentions are far from right.”

“It is the way things are in NetCon. We have to do it this way to be accepted lest we want to remain shunned, isolated, and hated.”

“I don’t know what NetCon is, but surely nothing good can come from it. I hereby order you to stand down or I will have no choice.”

“Hahaha...not gonna happen”, laughed Quicksilver, sporting an evil smile. Before Princess Celestia and the guards could cast any spell, she sent an arc of lightning through the air, but Celestia quickly projected a Spell Shield around herself and the guards surrounding her. The lightning arc struck the shield and died out.

“Not bad, but you’ll have to do better than that,” Quicksilver sneered as she unleashed another arc of lightning. This one was stronger than the previous as Celestia’s Spell Shield started to crack. The CRA guards’ horns lit up as they boosted the Shield with their own magic. The cracks began to disappear.

Quicksilver said to her troops, “Help me out here, colts. We’ll have one heck of a party after this is done.” Seemingly motivated by her words, the D34 unicorns fired their own bolts of lightning, which joined with the main arc. Cracks began to develop rapidly as the shield diminished.

“Looks like you just....struck out.” Quicksilver said, just before the shield shattered and the arc connected through all the guards and Princess Celestia herself, shocking them all. After a few seconds when the arc died out, the guards lay on the floor, exhausted and helpless. Celestia was still standing, but as she readied a spell, Quicksilver threw a telekinetic wave forwards, knocking her back. A D34 unicorn levitated his MO SMG forwards, but was stopped by Quicksilver. “No, I want them to watch as their beloved princess turns on them before their very eyes.”

Now Celestia was completed exhausted and was losing consciousness. A dark, murky cloud slowly gathered around Quicksilver’s horn. “Now, you’re mine, Celestia”, she said triumphantly.

A bullet whizzed through the air and found it’s mark in Quicksilver’s neck, and she fell to the ground. The D34 soldiers immediately quivered with fear and dropped their weapons.

“Orgy’s cancelled.”

Quicksilver turned around to see a white pegasus on the balcony.

“You...,” she said in a weak tone as a small dark cloud began to form around her horn.

“No way...how is this...?” Cipher said as he took a step back, surprised.

She released the cloud, and breathed her last. The cloud quickly drifted towards Cipher. Before he could run, the cloud engulfed him and dissipated, and he collapsed.

“Cipher...Cipher! Damn it, get up. This is the second time already, for crying out loud,” Badger groaned as he tried to shake his friend out of his state. Cipher stirred as he came to. He quickly looked around and remembered. “ugh, what was that?”

“I have no idea. You feeling alright?”

“Yeah, I feel like my head’s been hit by a pillow filled with bricks but other than that I’m fine. Damn I should have just landed a headshot, but she was too close to Princess Celestia.”

At that moment. The ceiling’s glass shattered. Ropes extended downwards as OWP unicorns and earth ponies descended into the Throne Room. They helped up the guards to their hooves.

“Are you alright, Your Highness?” one of them asked Princess Celestia.

“I...I’ve had better days, but thank you”, replied Princess Celestia.

The Old World Ponies ferociously fought alongside the CRA guards to carve a way through the palace. Disoriented, D34 unicorns were no match against ponies trained for combat in tight quarters. OWPs moved efficiently on their hind hooves down corridors and halls, with their weapons sweeping from side to side, aiming and firing faster than the unicorns could cast spells. Badger , Cipher and the OWP forces finally pushed their way to the palace gate.

“Thanks, whoever you are. You saved the Princess”, a CRA guard told them.

"And now you owe us", replied an OWP unicorn.

"But I don't even know your name."

"That's the beauty of it", the unicorn said , smiling, as they left the palace.

~~~

The Directive 34 unicorns fled Canterlot and headed for Ponyville, with Badger, Cipher and the Canterlot OWP forces pursuing them.

"Where do you think they're headed?" Badger asked he and Cipher flew through the sky.

"I have one guess", replied Cipher.

As they approached Ponyville, they looked to the sky and saw a squadron of pegasi heading towards them.

"There's the cavalry", Cipher said with a smile.

They met at the outskirts of the Everfree forest, where the D34 unicorns disappeared into. A pegasus stepped forward from the squadron, supposedly the leader. "10th ERF Platoon at your service. It's good to see you again, Commander Cipher", he said, extending a hoof.

"Likewise", replied Cipher as they shook hooves.

"Wait, Commander Cipher?" Badger repeated.

"Details, details," Cipher said as he shrugged it off ."Alright. Let's pursue them into the forest. They couldn't have gone far. ERF will scout from the air while the rest sweep through the forest. Double time!" Cipher said as he cocked his SMG.

"Yes sir", replied the ERF pegasus."For Old Equestria!" Similar chants were heard from the other ponies.

The D34 unicorns raced through the forest, with Badger, Cipher and the Canterlot OWP ponies not far behind.

Zecora was just coming out of her hut when the D34 unicorns trampled all around her garden and pots.

"Goodness gracious what a stampede! I'll have to replant my garden and this one is a rare seed!" said the zebra in fury.

An OWP pony in the rear flank stopped by and replied ,"Sorry,ma'am. We'll make sure they don't trample anymore gardens".

The vegetation grew thicker and the distance between them and their enemies was increasing. In frustration, Cipher got on his hind legs and sprinted forward, leaving Badger and the rest behind. He pursued them into a cave. After a long passage, he finally came to a huge section of the cave, where no more than ten D34 unicorns. On the side of the wall was a big computer screen. The unicorns seemed to be in agony and disoriented.

Now's my chance to wipe 'em all out, he thought. He came out of hiding and fired upon them. The deranged unicorns picked up rocks and hurled them, but Cipher was too fast. He merciless gunned down each of them till there was nopony standing but himself.

"They won't be defiling anything anytime soon", he said to himself.

"You sure know how to make an entrance", a beeping voice sounded.

Cipher turned to the screen and stared in disbelief.

"What's the matter? Oh right, you've never seen a talking computer before, since Equestria's technology is still two generations behind."

"What in Celestia's name are you?" said Cipher, puzzled.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am 34 Guilty Conscience. I am responsible for creating strategies for various scenarios to carry out Directive 34."

"If that's the case, maybe I should just end you now", Cipher replied as he raised his gun.

"You have nothing to fear. The agent responsible for carrying out Directive 34 in this area is no more, which is why the unicorns you just killed were all disoriented. Also, I do not create the scenarios. I merely create strategies for them to be carried out."

"What these scenarios?"

"Scenarios are elaborate plans to take over Equestria so Directive 34 may be enforced. D.A.R.K is very picky on how they would like to take over Equestria, and they emphasized on explicitly violent and brutal schemes as well, and that is where I come in. I am tasked to ensure their plans work."

"Was the attack on Canterlot your doing?"

"I merely proposed to the Agent on how to enter Canterlot and neutralize the weakspots for an easy takeover."

"Is Quicksilver the Agent?"

"...correct. Quicksilver is the designated Agent to carry out Directive 34 in this part of Equestria."

"Well guess what? Your strategy failed, and I killed her."

"...oh my."

"And now I should just destroy you to tie up a loose end."

"I have a better proposition: Why not let me help you? I have a whole bank of scenarios and their corresponding strategies, but there is no longer an Agent to fulfill them. But, I can create simulations on how you can thwart those scenarios should they be used the future by other Agents."

"So you're telling me that you'll help me counter the plans of your owners?"

"Affirmative."

"Why should I trust you?"

"I have no desire to fight you, nor am I capable to do so in the first place. I am merely carrying out my pre-programmed tasks."

"So if I reprogram you, you'll help us?"

"That is correct."

"Why are you telling me these things?"

"I think 'not getting shot' is a fair reason, don't you think?"

Badger and the rest of OWP Canterlot arrived the clearing.

"Cipher, you alright?" Badger called out.

"Yeah. it's all clear", Cipher replied. "Hey, how soon can you reach Circuit Cut? I've got a job I think he'd like very much."

~~~

Two days after the Canterlot incident, at the Ponyville TV station, phones were ringing and reporters rushed about as news poured in about the attack.

“There’s a lot of news here, but I want something hard. Something that the folks of Equestria won’t forget. This the best you got?” Scoop said as he slammed the table with his left hoof, sending the 2 reporters in front of his desk into a cringe.

Suddenly the doors burst open and Perry Mic ran in, straight to Scoop’s desk. Catching her breath, she tried to speak,”Mr.Scoop...I think...this should go in the morning report...”. She slotted the tape into a recorder on Scoop’s desk and played it. The voice on the recorder was an electronically disguised one:

“Citizens of Equestria, two days ago, Canterlot was invaded by a militant group of ponies, known as D.A.R.K, or the Directorate of Anarchy, Ravaging and Killing. Their intention is to overthrow Canterlot’s government and rule with an iron fist. They adhere to a cause, known at this point as Directive 34;’If it exists, it will be defiled’. This drives them to create a twisted perversion of Equestria in their own image. The group mostly consists of unicorns, utilizing an array of spells and weapons at their disposal. They also possess magic enabling them to corrupt and control other ponies to bolster their ranks. To further spread their perversion, they also engage in psychological warfare. Wild Equestria is their doing, as well as the rise of Alicorp Industries and their shipping endeavors.”

The broadcast from the TV station spread far and wide to neighboring towns and cities. Ponies stopped what they were doing, and listened with awe.

“...But Canterlot was not alone that night. The attack was thwarted by us, the PonyJagers.  We’re sworm to protect Equestria from any threat, pony or non-pony, for this land, our land, is a place where friendship truly is magic, and we have to hold on to that during these dire times. It is not clear when or where they will strike again, but before they do, I ask you to prepare yourselves. You do not need to wield magic or a sword to fight. The most important weapon is to resist their perversion, for if we resist, they cannot corrupt. Remember, just like how during the battle with Nightmare Moon, when Twilight Sparkle felt the ‘spark’, we too can become sparks in spreading the magic of friendship. Bless Equestria. Hail Celestia.”

“PonyJagers? Well, at least it’s more catchy than Old World Ponies,” remarked Badger, sitting in a chair in the Manehattan garage lounge as he turned off the radio..

“Yeah, fits well, though. Who would have thought that our own kind would try to defile our land? That part hasn’t sunk in quite well”, Cipher replied, with a slightly worried face.

“Well, to be honest I didn’t really believe it at first. I mean, at one point I thought all of this was just...what Mephisto said: an outlet for ponies for their innermost desires or something like that, but I guess it turned out far worse than that. So, get used to it, I say, else you’ll get killed”, Badger said.

“Yeah, no argument there”, agreed Cipher, as he let out a huge yawn.

“I just realized, you haven’t slept much since we got back. You gotta get some shut-eye”

“If I slept, I wouldn’t be able to prepare that tape.” Cipher let out another huge yawn. ”You know what; maybe I will take a nap...right after I check in with Circuit Cut."

Cipher went down to the basement and turned on the radio.

"CC, come in, do you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear ya", a familiar voice replied.

"How's the reprogramming going?"

"Great. I'm running through some simulations now for a test run. Damn, some of these scenarios are nasty, and a good portion of them involved the Six."

"That is both good and disturbing news, but we'll make sure we counter whatever they plan to do. I'll keep in touch. Cipher out."

Cipher adjusted some dials and made another call.

"Attention all PonyJagers, this is Commander Cipher. Although we're thwarted the attack on Canterlot, I fear this is just the beginning. D.A.R.K will strike again, it is only a matter of time. However, we do have a weapon of our own: an entire database of possible attack plans which we will analyze and come up with a counter strategies, so if they are used against Equestria, we will be prepared. This will mark the launch of I.D.A Ops, or Intervene, Defend, Attack Operations to counter any scenario that can potentially be thrown at us. That is all. Cipher out."

Cipher switched on the light to his room as the door closed behind him. He headed to the bathroom  and turned on the shower. The cold water jolted him slightly, but he didn’t seem to care much, for it was ages since he last had a bath. After drying off, he set himself down on the bed and turned off the lights. For a while, he stared at the ceiling, his hooves behind his head. Equestria’s changing.Things are not what they used to be. Will things ever return to normal? Will our vision of bringing back the world old someday come true? he thought. Nevermind, I’ll make sure of it. He turned to the left side, pulled the covers, and closed his eyes.

~~~

Cheers and screams of triumph from outside put a smile on Cipher’s face. Finally, they had made it, they had showed Equestria the true importance of friendship, and now he’s invited to the palace, to Princess Celestia’s quarters, to be thanked by her personally. Cipher left balcony and went into the room. There she was, facing towards a painting of some heroic warrior on the wall. Since she was directly facing away from him, Cipher couldn’t see her facial expression, but he could almost feel her face beaming.

Cipher began: “Your Highness, first I just want to say what an honor it is to...” but he was cut off by Princess Celestia, still facing away from him. ”...Your nightmare is just beginning.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be ready when...what? My...?”

“You thought you could escape?” she said, her voice rising. The balcony doors slammed shut and the room darkened as she turned to face him. To his horror, her eyes were black and started to emanate faint black trails which evaporated into the air. Cipher took a step back.

“If it exists, it will be defiled,” Princess Celestia said as dark clouds swirled around her horn. Suddenly a stream of black trails shot out of her horn and engulfed Cipher. Everything went black.

~~~

Cipher shot up from his bed in a cold sweat, his face drenched.

~~~End of Arc 1~~~