My Little Fire Emblem – Uprising Generation

"Hey Princess!" Pinkie Pie called out

"Are you leaving soon?" The Doctor asked

"Yes." Twilight nodded "I'm travelling to Fugue. I hope that both of you would serve and protect my brother well."

"Actually milady, there has been a slight change of the captain's plans." The Doctor corrected

"We've been told to go with you instead!" Pinkie finished "Isn't that fun?"

"What? But..." Twilight protested

"Lunata's finest will ride with Captain Shining." The Doctor explained

"Personal orders madam! From the Captain himself!" Pinkie repeated "he said, 'I really appreciate you sticking with me, but I want you to travel with Twilight this time. Who knows what will happen? Besides, I don't need you loafing around.'  Seriously? Battling all of Crystalis is what he considers for us as 'loafing around'? Well I say!!!"

"Please don't copy me Miss Pinkie." The Doctor snapped "I've seen better, and your impression hardly cuts it."

"But she's right!" Twilight agreed with Pinkie "my brother's mission is far more dangerous than mine. I'll go and speak with him before he leaves..."

"But orders are orders milady!" Pinkie Pie interrupted blocking the Princess' way "he's not concerned for his own safety anyway! Our Captain gave us those words. To us, he really means it!"

"That is nothing but the honest truth." The Doctor supported "there is no need to worry Princess Twilight. We can all attest to the Captain's tenacity. No matter how close death comes, I am sure the pale horse will not catch him."

"Pinkie Pie, Doctor..." Twilight started "I understand. Thank you for your service and bravery, you have my permission to travel with me and my companions. You are my brother's most trusted and valiant companions after all. I'd be nothing but honoured."

"Oh no milady." The Doctor bowed "the honour is ours."

"We ride for Solaria and Princess Twilight!" Pinkie Pie jumped

"Then I'll be depending on both of you!" Twilight winked

"Madam." Flash reported after they left Lunata, "the Brightmoon Tower that has housed the Sacred Stone of Lunata is now home to many dark monsters after the Crystalis' ponies has conquered it. Although the Sacred Stone is gone and replaced with endless monsters, there are also endless treasures held inside most of the tower floors and it also provides endless training for our ponies. That's not all, scouting reports show that big groups of dark creatures are also appearing around Equestria and we may get caught in a skirmish with them. If things are going poorly and if we are at the risk of losing our friends, we can call a retreat. Our friends are worth more than honour in the battlefield."

Instead of continuing on to the port, the entire team went through a long montage of training against the dark creatures in the tower or any area that was infested with monsters.

"Entombed are very hard to kill." Twinkleshine explained during training "they have a lot of health, but they give out so much experience, its completely worth it." Each training was very risky and had a high chance of losing a lot of valuable units to the endless spawn of gargoyles, mauthe wolves, tarvoses and the like, but what they got in return was worth it. Some bits, and sometimes, spare and brand new weapons like a hammer. After a few days of hardcore suicidal training, it was time to go. So Twilight and her friends decided to head of to the port of Bitland to take a boat to Fugue.

Twilight chooses to travel by sea to the theocracy of Fugue. Her ship searching leads her to port Kirin of Bitland. Now Bitland is a young nation run by a council of merchants and is a close ally to Lunata. The council leader Hoity Toity, a staunch opponent of the imperialistic actions of Crystalis, has pledged support to Lunata in this conflict. Princess Lyra also intends to pass through Bitland on his way to Mayronyl. Twilight believes that there is nothing to fear in Bitland, but she is wrong...

Chapter 9: Distant Blade

In Crystalis Keep, Prince Blueblood has held another meeting with his six generals.

"Lunata's Sacred Stone has been destroyed." Blueblood addressed "and yet you still cannot locate the Stone of Solaria. Soarin, Lightning Dust. Find the 2nd princess and captain of Solaria, the two siblings. Find them and take the crown and crest that they wear respectively. Soarin, go for Twilight. Lightning, go for Shining, find them and conquer them."

"Yes Your Majesty..." Soarin obeyed

"Ha ha... Twilight huh?" Lightning snickered "what a ripe little plum. And her brother Shining, he's better prey than I'd imagined. I can feel my blood rushing at this thought. This is going to be fun after all." And the two wyvern generals left.

"Gilda, Sombra." The prince continued "shatter the remaining Sacred Stones. Gilda, take Mayronyl, Sombra, take Fugue. Go and crush the Sacred Stones they house."

"Heh heh heh... As you will..." Sombra obeyed "I'll begin making arrangements for Fugue's downfall immediately."

"Ugh! Why am I stuck with Mayronyl again!? Bad cursed luck. I became a mercenary to escape that forsaken place and now I have to go back!?" After the grumbling, the two generals head off.

"Cheerilee." The prince directed his attention to his Great Knight "go to Lunata. Take on the Lunatan army and punish Shining. Trixie." He directed his attention to the Mage Knight. "Remain in the Capital. I'll have new orders for you soon."

"Yes sire..." Trixie bowed

As Twilight's party was heading for the port, a pegasus flew to them at high speeds.

"Twilight! Wait!" The pegasus called as she swooped down to land next to the Princess.

"Fluttershy? What are you doing?" Twilight was surprised at the 2nd princess of Lunata's arrival and her closest friend "I thought you were supposed to stay at the palace."

"S-Sorry..." Fluttershy apologised "I-Its just that you left so abruptly, without telling me or saying goodbye... You and Shining have just arrived, and now both of you leaving immediately for another quest? Guess what Twilight. As a closest friend to you, you're not going into any dangerous stuff, not without me."

"Does Princess Luna know of this?"

"She'd would always say 'We forbid you to go on this foalish errand.' So of course, she doesn't know at all. I'm just really worried about you Twilight."

"Thank you Fluttershy. I appreciate your concern but Princess Luna would..."

"You, Shining, my stepmother and stepsister... All of you are fighting together for a noble cause. I may not look like it, but I cannot be left out and I will not be left out. Who knows? It may be fun."

"Yay!" Pinkie cheered after hearing the word 'fun'.

"Anyway, please Twilight." Fluttershy pleaded

"...Oh dear..." Twilight sighed "all right. I could never refuse you anything. C'mon, let's go Fluttershy."

"Thank you Twilight!"

"Your highness." Flash reported "we have reached Port Kirin. If we can find passage across the North Sea, we will reach Fugue in 10 days."

"Smells like the tides... This is a busy place, is it?"

"Yes milady. It's a trade center. Ponies of all nations pass through here."

"So this is the sea..." Pipsqueak watched amazed "it's beautiful!"

"Isn't it Pipsqueak?" Flash chuckled "I did promise you after all!"

"Thanks Flash! You're not just the best soldier in all of Solaria, but you're a great friend!"

"Aww... You're making me blush..." Flash chuckled "anyway Princess, don't become so enthralled with the sights and sounds that you forget your mission."

"Of course! I'm a mercenary named Lovestruck after all!" Twilight remembered "I'm travelling to Fugue for a commission."

"Well then Lovestruck" Flash gestured "let's find a boat that can get us across to Fugue, the docks are this way."

"Hm?" Twilight was distracted for a moment.

"Is something amiss?"

"that mare over there..." Twilight pointed "is that?" She finished mid-sentence to see that the mare was the pink alicorn they bumped into back at the time where they first encountered the ancient horrors. The alicorn and her two mare companions are busily munching down on some bakery treats as they trotted along.

"Wow! These dainty sugar pastries are delightfully delicious!" Cadence exclaimed

"scrumptious. Delightfully scrumptious." Octavia corrected and munched on her own pastry.

"So much flavour without being overwhelming..." Cadence continued "so refined without being banal..."

"Oh yeah! You're absolutely right Lady Cadence!" Vinyl agreed as she munched down on hers.

"You look familiar..." Twilight noted as she made herself present.

"Oh!" Cadence jumped and paused from eating to look at the small purple pony before her. "Aren't you..."

"I'm sure we've met before." Twilight reminded "you arrived with your companions when we encountered those creatures... Your name was Cadence, was it not?"

"Meeting so soon once again!?" The alicorn gasped as she remembered "what a wonder and a pleasure! This certainly is providence!"

"The only thing that the divine has ever provided you is bad luck!" Octavia retorted

"Oh, and if you have not tried one of these pastries, I suggest you should." Cadence continued "these are also divine. Would you like one?"

"Uh, sure thank you..." Twilight nodded as she took one and stopped midway "no, wait... That's not why... We're just on our way to the theocracy of Fugue. We're in a rush and we needed to find passage on a ship."

"Oh. I'm sorry to say this dear, but none of them will assist you. There are no ships that are leaving port." Cadence apologised

"Sorry?" Twilight gasped

"See, I'm also going home once more to my beloved Fugue as well! I'm also well known around here with the powers-that-be-here in Port Kirin. So I ordered them to have the finest ship for me to travel as soon as possible. But all merchant and passenger ships alike are too frightened to set sail, as there has been rumours of a 'Phantom Ship' that sinks every ship it finds... If I could confront it, I would stop it's foul villainy in an instant. Alas, it's such a shame." Cadence explained

"I see..." Twilight looked upset and took a bite of the pastry she was given in sorrow. "That's very troublesome. Still, I have to get to Fugue somehow..."

"Don't worry." Cadence cheered "If the sea is closed, then simply follow the overland route!"

"The overland route?" Twilight asked "that's a massive roundabout path to travel. Passing through all of Bitland and Mayronyl!"

"True, but don't you see? The hardships of the road are truly blessings! They will toughen and strengthen you and your resolve when you need to face great evil. For example, I have been given a task to get a better me, and I understand my path that the unseen providence has assigned me. I, Mi Amore Cadenza, shall overcome this task with faith and divine strength. But you know what? Why do I have to act so formal? I'll just say it like this. I have been told to train and steel myself. Knowing this is the destiny that the heavens gave me, I will finish this task using my own faith and my own strength with the assistance of the heavens!" She blurted

"Calm down Cadence!" Octavia protested "I'm sure you are more than thrilled to go around the long way, but..."

"No more!" Cadence interrupted "we're leaving now. Vinyl? Octavia? Don't slow me down!"

"All right! Party time! Let's catch up Octy! We'll gallop till we drop." Vinyl encouraged "winner goes to the pony that collapses from exhaustion!"

"Don't call me that Vinyl!" Octavia replied "and is it supposed to be the other way around? 'The winner is the pony that is still standing and galloping?' Sheesh... Why must this happen to me?" As the trio left the port.

"Uh... Flashy?" Twilight asked after that awkward exit. "Isn't Fugue in the opposite direction? Why are they heading towards Lunata?"

"Don't call me that milady." Flash replied "rest assured, it's nothing that you should be concerned with. The only concern is how we should plan our next course of action. An overland journey is going to be very long, but it's our only choice."

"Agreed. What shall we do?" Twilight wondered until a Warrior ran up to Twilight and stopped before Flash

"You're Twilight, the Princess of Solaria aren't you?" The warrior grunted

"I'm sorry. What?" Twilight replied

"Dastard!" Flash roared "go away!"

"No need to get personal." The warrior replied "there is a pretty price on your pretty head you know. Sorry, but I need those bits." And with a signal, the entire port was surrounded with mercenaries.

"Get a total of 11 ponies including you and Princess Fluttershy to fight." Flash warned "and fast! Those mercenaries can make the drop on us."

"All right you 3 cavaliers!" Twilight commanded "you are going to clear this path and you're going to do it fast!"

"Roger!" Comes the Doctor, Pinkie and Pipsqueak's reply.

"Fluttershy, you're helping them." Twilight continued

"A-All right. I'll do my best!"

"Applebloom and Derpy! Both of you are treading the seas to stop those pirates from raiding those villages! Once you do, go help the villages out!"

"Madam!" Came their reply

"Everypony else! Button, Dinky, Twinkleshine and Big Mac, follow the cavaliers! Now let's make our way out of here!" Twilight charged pulling out her Rapier.

The three cavaliers have formed a wall to make sure no enemy passes through, and they are doing a damn well job out of it. Not even the enemies could get through but deal small amounts of damage to the cavaliers.

Twilight took out a nearby pirate to receive an Ocean Seal, the promotion item required for thieves and pirates. The Doctor charged forward at the mercenaries. He remembered that he has enough defence to almost nullify the attack. After killing a few enemies, it was the enemy's turn.

The Doctor became everyone's main target. The mercenaries, the soldiers, and even a dangerous sniper. But the Doctor still stood firm against the oncoming attacks.

As Pinkie dealt with the sniper, the Doctor ran off to fight a mage that entered the port. Fluttershy made her first kill on a weakened mercenary. And Derpy went to her daughter for healing purposes to take on a very difficult task. To take out two archers that were covering each other. Applebloom may come to help, but she was taking her time in the sea.

"Hurry up!" Derpy complained

"Calm down! I'm going!" Applebloom comforted as she tread across the water.

The pirate ignored the two cavaliers and continued heading for the village, while more reinforcements were coming and enemies running for the party.

"I'm afraid you will not be going anywhere." The Doctor noted as he chased after the pirate and finished her in two hits. Twinkleshine threw some fireballs at a soldier and charring her in the process, while Pinkie aimed for the reinforcement Mercenary, unable to finish the mercenary in one hit, the mercenary took a swing back, realising with horror that it didn't do a thing.

"I'm sorry." Pinkie Pie taunted "I'm not itching anywhere right now. Maybe my bum, but I'll do that myself!" And a minute later, Fluttershy critically drove a javelin into the mercenary

"He was mine!" Pinkie whined

"I wanted some experience though..." Fluttershy protested.

"Let's make our way princess." Dinky gestured

"Yes let's." Twilight nodded and followed behind the group.

An enemy Myrmidon critically put the Doctor in a dangerous condition. The archer also spotted Derpy and attacked her, although he was killed in retaliation, Derpy was gravely wounded as well. A special group of reinforcements came, 3 Crystalis soldiers and one recruit.

"Attention!" The head soldier announced "Bitland's mercenaries will arrest the Princess of Solaria shortly. Our duty here is nearly ended and I expect no further hostilities. If you must fight however, remember that the whole empire fights with you!"

"Um, commander?" A small pegasus filly asked "what should I do?"

"Who are you?" The commander replied back

"Sir! I'm Scootaloo sir! I'm new you see, I was only assigned to your command today. I wanted to fight for the empire!"

"I don't need your life story foal! Grab a lance and get out in the front!" The commander harshly replied "wait... You can't fly? Can you? Even though you're a pegasus?"

"Um..."

"I knew it. You are a pathetic recruit. No wonder why you always get transferred around the army. You're physically weak! Now this isn't a hard task. Just stand guard there and don't move!"

"Y-Yes sir!" Scootaloo went to attention. As the commander left, the recruit said to herself. "All right... This lance... Stab the enemy... I'm not afraid... For my own flightless wings! I'm a citizen from Crystalis. It's my duty to fight, and I'll fight my best!"

Pinkie Pie killed the mercenary that wounded the Doctor and earned his Killing Edge.

"So that's how he pulled a critical on the Doctor!" Pinkie noted as she saw the Doctor falling back to get his wounds healed. "Guess I'm the one pulling criticals here now!" She chuckled.

"Looks like there are Crystalis reinforcements coming here. Or are they on guard duty?" Pipsqueak noted and looked at a certain filly. "Hmm... Is that filly new to fighting?" He wondered

The Bitland mercenaries aimed towards Pipsqueak but he turned the tables against them. Derpy went to visit the village nearby the boss.

"Wh-What do you want?" The citizen living in the house complained "give me a break. Leave us out of this stupid war of yours! We don't want to be a part of it! Or... Are you just a victim like the rest of us here?" He asked "regardless... Here." He showed giving a very special sword to Derpy "can you take this and do something about all this fighting?" With a nod of agreement, Derpy agreed and left the now closed house, this sword was in fact, another Rapier. Of course, Derpy couldn't use it so she plopped it into the supply. As everypony continued to press on, Pipsqueak got closer to the recruit, wondering about her.

Meanwhile, Applebloom is taking a heavy beating from the majority of the enemy and she barely survived.

Applebloom called a retreat and a vulnerary to survive. Meanwhile Pipsqueak managed to get up close to Scootaloo.

"Oh, who are you?" Scootaloo asked

"Well um..."

"What's wrong?"

"I was just worried. You look like one of the locals here. Maybe you should go some place safe. This area is very dangerous. Come with me."

"But... But..." Scootaloo protested "I'm..."

"I'm Pipsqueak, a pirate of Solaria." He introduced "and you are?"

"I-I'm Scootaloo." She replied "a-and... I'm supposed to be fighting you because I'm a Crystalis soldier."

"Really?" Pipsqueak asked in surprise "well, I guess you're my enemy then. Right?"

"I guess..." Scootaloo agreed scared to the bone "are you... Going to take me as your prisoner!?" She asked

"What? No! I wouldn't do such a thing!" Pipsqueak protested "well, pirates kinda do that, but not me! I may look like a pirate, but I'm just dressed as a pirate! I'm actually a knight! But... This is kind of a problem."

"Then, what are we going to do?" Scootaloo asked desperate to stay alive.

"Listen, how about you follow me and do what I say? We'll talk to Princess Twilight later." Pipsqueak proposed

"What? NO!" Scootaloo objected "my commander told me that Twilight is a cruel and merciless fiend who--"

"What? That's utter nonsense." Pipsqueak interrupted though a bit scared of the recruit's rage "in my life, I have never heard the Princess utter an unkind word to anyone. Except for a few times during this war but never before that! Though I understand why you're frightened, you think we're the enemy. But if you only trusted me, will you follow me?"

"Hmm... All right then, I'll trust you Pipsqueak but just this once!" Scootaloo agreed. Now there's another new member joining Twilight's party from the ranks of Crystalis.

"Applebloom's taking a massive beating over there!" Dinky spotted "we've gotta help her."

"Ah told you so Twinkleshine!" Applejack yelled from the convoy

"Her choice. Not mine." Twinkleshine countered

Derpy visited the second house and bumped into... Octavia

"My, oh, my... It is about time they left." She noted "I am finally done getting ordered around without a single bit given." She noticed Fluttershy "Oh? Um, excuse me. Don't mind me... I was just talking to myself. Actually, I want you to hold on to this for me, don't tell anyone. And don't say a word about seeing me to Lady Cadence. Deal? Deal." And tossed Fluttershy a Dragonshield.

It was very risky, many of the mages and archers were against Derpy and Applebloom. Applebloom managed to survive and defeat two mages and from one of the mages received Elfire, an upgraded fire book. Meanwhile, Derpy had her own tussle with an archer, dodging an arrow that could kill her and returned two javelin throws to the sender. Finally an archer had the hopes of taking Applebloom down once and for all, but it was not enough.

Derpy flew Applebloom to safety, and the team started advancing closely to the boss. Pipsqueak and the Doctor held the wall so no one could break through and attack the vulnerable ones.

The two soldiers went to attack Pipsqueak, but paid with their lives as it was not enough to kill him. Pipsqueak even got an Axereaver from one of the soldiers.

"If memory reminds me." The Doctor asked "this weapon can reverse the weapon triangle. Now this lance can beat axes, but will be weak to swords."

"In that case, let me give this a try!" Pipsqueak exclaimed and charged with the Axereaver and managed to overwhelm an enemy fighter while Pinkie Pie attacked a fighter with Scootaloo dealing the last blow. Soon enough, it was safe for the party to move on without any enemy movement.

As the party got closer, the three mercenaries guarding the warrior immediately attacked Pinkie Pie. With their steel swords, they missed the party pony completely.

"Can't touch this!" She taunted. One shaman went for Pipsqueak and she too, missed.

Fluttershy had an easy picking with the Shaman without getting too much damage. Scootaloo then used her slim lance to kill one of the standing mercenaries. Then Pipsqueak and Button Mash picked Fluttershy and Scootaloo respectively to save them from the archer. Pinkie Pie took out the second mercenary, and the Doctor finished the third.

After dodging the enemy bowmare's arrows, the Doctor finished him off.

"We go all-out on him next turn!" Pinkie Pie planned

"Blast!" The warrior cursed "this isn't right. These guys are too tough... 5,000 bits isn't enough for this at all!" As he looked forward, he saw Pinkie Pie spinning the Killing Edge around before giving a critical slash against him which was too fast to dodge, reducing him to critical health. In his remaining strength, he swung the axe and hit true, also bringing Pinkie Pie to critical health.

"My turn!" Pipsqueak exclaimed "I will finish you!" And with the axereaver, finished off the warrior.

"Th-that stinkin Garble... He lied to me!" The warrior cursed before falling to the ground. All enemies have been slain and the battle was won.

"Princess Twilight." Flash asked "are you well?"

"Yes, I believe so..." Twilight nodded "who are those men? They don't seem to be Crystalis imperial troops"

"judging on their crude swordplay, I'd say they're mercenaries." Flash answered "I guess we can expect more of them in the area too, I think... Wait here." As he cornered an enemy fighter mercenary who was still alive.

"P-Please! Have mercy! I'm sorry! Don't kill me! I surrender!" The fighter begged and dropped his axe to prove it "it was just a job!"

"That's exactly what I want to talk about." Flash continued "who offered the job? Who hired you?"

"I'm just a hired blade. But I have my honour and I won't say anything." The fighter continued

"I admire and your honour and professionalism. I guess we have no more use for you then." Flash sighed and brutally drew his sword.

"No wait! I'll spill it! Bitland! It was Garble of the Bitland council of millionaires!"

"Councilman Garble?" Flash asked as he drew back his sword

"That doesn't make sense!" Twilight protested "Bitland and Lunata are allies! Why would they target me?"

"I don't know..." The fighter replied "they may have decided that Crystalis was going to win, so they want to be on the winning side. Some of the others opposed Garble, and I heard that they have all been silenced quickly. That's all I know, I swear on my honour."

"I believe you. You may go." Flash gestured and the fighter galloped away. "We were careless." Flash continued with Twilight "we should have seen this coming. Bitland's a young and ambitious nation ruled by power-hungry merchants. And Crystalis grows more powerful with every passing day. So it's no surprise that Bitland's merchant lords would throw in with Crystalis now."

"Wait! So that means Princess Lyra..." Twilight realised "she was to pass through Bitland on her way to Mayronyl... If Bitland betrayed us, she's heading straight into enemy territory!" At that realisation, a Lunatan messenger flew to her side

"Princess Twilight!" She alerted "there's bad news."

"I know you..." Twilight recognised "you're that messenger riding with Princess Lyra."

"Yes, and she's in grave danger! Bitland's merchant army has struck and cut through our stallions. The princess is trapped in a siege, she has no means of escape and--"

"Enough!" Twilight stopped "I understand. Deliver the message back to Lunata!" She ordered

"What of Princess Lyra?"

"Me and my ponies will take care of her. The princess' troubles shouldn't be a concern to you any longer. We'll get her back safe."

The grey earth pony Octavia grabbed the Princess' attention after the messenger left

"Hey you..." The mare spoke "have Lady Cadence and the 'wub, bass, dubstep' mare gone yet?"

"Aren't you..." Twilight started "yes, they are no longer in the city."

"Finally, I am free! I won't be getting ordered around by that crazy, divine, mare anymore! I guess I owe you a debt. Have another one of my items." She exclaimed and gave an Angelic Robe to Twilight. "Now that I'm free again, I may just wander around for a while." And she scurried off.

"Those three have such a strange relationship." Twilight noted

"I think we'd ought to be leaving soon milady." Flash reminded

"Right. Let's hurry and help Princess Lyra!"