Chapters Megiddon Ex Machina
Chapter 1
Mountain of Armageddon
Down near Ponyville, in the Ever-free Forest, a brave yellow pegasus wonders around looking for something. "I hope you are enjoying the ride, sorry I couldn't keep you with me," she said to a turtle she was carrying on her back, her words muffled from a bag she was carrying in her mouth. She stumbles upon a tree with windows and strange relics. She smiles as she enters. "Hello?" she says. "I guess she's not here for the moment. I'll just set these down and leave," she says. The pegasus was Fluttershy, dropping off some ingredients for the zebra named Zecora. After dropping off the ingredients, Fluttershy leaves the tree and decides to find a home for the turtle since she has some free time and wants the best for the turtle. She also has too many turtles to take care of. She winds up at a clearing where she parts with the turtle. "I hope you have fun at your new home,"
Inside a cave of some sort where its location is not known to anyone yet, a voice of exhaustion is heard. Following this pitiful groan is maniacal laughter. It starts quiet and discrete and gradually turns from laughter into a mechanized shriek as the vibrations shake the mountain. What terrors and risks would the surrounding settlements have to face? Unfortunately, the location was the mountain which Canterlot hangs from. In this city, many ponies were conversing and going on with their lives when the sudden shake happened. Luna tries to get their attention in the chaos by using the Royal Canterlot Voice. "PLEASE CITIZENS, WE URGE YOU TO LEAVE THE CITY IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION. PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND QUICKLY EVACUATE THE CITY!!" Celestia flew to the balcony and tried to figure out what was happened. Everypony was heading towards the exit, but at that moment, another roar shook the surrounding terrain, and the city started to crumble. Soon, pieces of the city started to slowly descend down the mountain in a chaotic landslide. Some of the city, including the palace of the two alicorn princesses, still stood at its original height on the mountain. The other remnants of the city were scattered and some fragments were clinging to the mountain until they came to a halt. The city of Canterlot was now a cluster of many buildings and places at various heights on the mountain. Then, an explosion occurred at the zenith of the mountain as a creature emerges, engulfed in flames and shined as if made of metal. It spread its wings and took flight, circling the castle as if it were a vulture circling a dead animal. Suddenly, it dives toward the castle. Luna saw this and tried to create a shield to deflect it, but it was too late as it crashed into the castle, taking the balcony with him as Luna fell. However, she balanced herself and took flight. But as she looked, Celestia was not found.
"Blasted monster kidnapped her!" She exclaimed. She set out for the Mane 6 when the sky turned dark and clouds filled with lightning, striking inside the clouds, filled the skies and blocked out the sun. Suddenly, the lightning struck in specific places all around Equestria as if they knew who they would strike. Multiple strikes hit at most two ponies every strike. However, instead of death, the stricken ponies glowed and started to morph. Luna flew to the ruins of the castle before she was unexpectedly struck. Everywhere in Equestria, lightning unlike anything natural was striking everypony everywhere. The creature, holding Celestia, says "You knew, yet you forgot." Celestia could not answer. "The Age of Sentient Metal dawns, and you did nothing to prepare. I have a job for you." Celestia was still thinking about all of her subjects that she let down, Twilight Sparkle included. "You had a disadvantage and knew you had not a choice to save them." The creature says as if he read her mind. "Now, you serve me."
Awoken in a daze and her vision blurred, Fluttershy slowly tried to grasp what had just happened. The last thing she remembered was going back to the path in the forest and then a flash of light surprised her. She put her hoof on a tree as she slowly stood up. Everything looks different, she thought as she looked at the forest, which was now partially metal. There were trees that had half wooden bark and half metallic shell as well as floating bits of metal everywhere. Then she looked at her hoof and saw that it was made of metal as well. Then she realized that she herself was made of metal, except for her mane and tail, which glowed but gave of a shadow and moved like a normal mane. Then she saw that not only was she made of metal, but she was standing upright on her two hind legs. "Eep!" She cried out surprised as she tumbled toward another tree. She tried to walk to the next tree to try and get to the clearing so she can fly out. Do I even have wings anymore? She spread her wings and sighed in relief to see that she still had her wings as she struggled to walk in this new form. She saw a puddle and started to stumble towards it. I still look the same except I'm made of metal, she thought as she looked at her reflection. She got the hang of her two hind legs, but was still unstable as she made her way to the clearing. As she walked towards it, she felt a rumble, as if something huge was coming towards her. She saw that the turtle she set free was bigger and mechanized. As it tried to stomp her, she got out of the way, but barely, and each time closer to being squashed. She flew up onto a tree and saw that the turtle was angered as it crushed the tree she was on. She flew to another tree. I have to stop it somehow, or else it might trample everypony. She then considered using her stare as she dodged another attack. Will it work? Since I'm in this form now, what will it do? Uncertain, but seeing as there is no other choice, she stared at the turtle straight in the eyes. Suddenly, her eyes turned green and a beam appeared and linked between the turtle's eyes and hers. The turtle slowly calmed down and was being overtaken as green waves covered its body, defeating it and kept it from attacking again. She then stopped her stare as she went to check on the giant beast. It was now calm and more friendly than it was before. "There there. Just stay calm and don't stomp around anymore." The turtle nodded.
"I'll get the others and figure this out."
Megiddon Ex Machina
Chapter 2
I Need an Element
It wasn't just the ponies that changed. After the explosion of the mountain, a cloud of dust and fog spread throughout Equestria. Every town, city, and landscape has been morphed into a metallic grayish shape of itself. Homes and buildings were still standing, but glowing lines of different colors appeared on the buildings and floating bits of debris from the explosion were scattered all over the place. Also, it seemed as if the building grew to the new height of the morphed ponies. From Ponyville, Canterlot is no longer fully visible. All you could see was the ruins of the palace and some surviving buildings. In the library, the Mane 6 met to discuss this weird occurrence. "We need to find out what the hay just happened," Rainbow Dash exclaimed, on the ground. "I doubt I can even fly if my wings are like this." "I am just worried about how we are going to deal with this," Rarity said. "What I think we should do is go to the princess, she would know what to do in a situation like this."
When they reached the entrance to Canterlot, they saw that there was no easy path to the palace. Only Rainbow Dash, who was more confident in her flying abilities in this form, and Twilight, now an alicorn, could get to the castle. However, Twilight wanted to stay grounded to guide the others, and she knew a spell that could take the surrounding land into a bridge. She tried her best to only take from the top of the mountain in order to prevent further damage to the broken city. As they crossed the bridge, they looked at the destruction around them. The once proud capital of Equestria was now an example of what might come in the future. "We need to find out who, or what, could have caused Canterlot to fall to ruins," Twilight said, worrying more and more about the princess. "By the look of those ruins, I don't think the princess would be here," Rainbow said. "Well then, where would she go then?" Applejack exclaimed. "That big monster is still somewhere, probably looking for her!" "Yeah.
," Rainbow says nonchalantly, agreeing with Applejack. "Almost all 'a Equestria is as metal as the Flim-Flam Brother's cider machine." "You're right." Pinkie Pie acknowledged. "The only difference is Equestria itself can't make cider, but if only the very rivers were cider I could live there forever just to drink out of it for the rest of my life, but then I would get a stomach ache," "Pinkie" "and then I would be too far from the hospital," "Pinkie" "So I might have to go to one of you, but you would to far, too." "Um, Pinkie?" "Maybe it's not a good idea to move away just for cider." "Pinkie!" "Yeah?" "We're here" Twilight says, exhausted of Pinkie's dream.
As they went inside, they see Luna, also affected from the lightning. "Luna, where's Celestia?" Fluttershy says quietly. Luna slowly turns to them and says, "she was taken by a monster." "You mean the big, scary dragon-snake thing?" Rainbow asked. Luna nods as the Mane 6 tries to figure out why this happened. "Apparently, she knew who this abomination was, and she sort of accepted it." Luna says. "Would the Elements of Harmony help?" Twilight asked. "That's the problem. I was going to gather them to bring to all of you, but they took a different form, and I was worried that they might not be functional." Luna says as she looks back down at six objects. "What are they?" Rarity asked. "If they don't work," "They might work, I just do not know how." Luna says. Each of the Mane 6 grab their corresponding, new "element". "They have a resemblance of crossbows used by the Canterlot Guards," Twilight said with her knowledge of Canterlot. "So, in other words, they shoot arrows that could kill somepony?" Rainbow Dash said with fear. "Don't worry, these seem to be unable to shoot at somepony like us. We are still partially organic, and they seem to disable themselves when pointed towards an organic being," Twilight explains as she tests it on a transformed rat. "That, and I don't know if arrows are being shot if Fluttershy's weapons are that small, and if Pinkie's weapon is practically a mini-cannon," Twilight says in observance. "Well, whatever they are, we need them to stop that monster," Rainbow Dash says as she flies off.
As the others, including Luna, leave the palace in search of other ponies to join them in the fight, a mechanical being appears. This machine looked like the rest of the ponies, except there was no organic trace. It was fully mechanical and had dark orange armor. It seemed to have sent a code to somewhere, perhaps the monster. The machine carried a weapon like the morphed elements. More appeared beside it, and they sprinted towards the Mane 6 and Luna. Suddenly, bolts of concentrated plasma that took the shape of bullets rained on the ambush group. One of the machines was killed while another was badly damaged and was dying. "So that's what this thing does," says Rainbow Dash confidently. She then fires her weapon at the remaining machines. As she does, the rest heads toward the entrance of Canterlot, being chased by more of the machines. As Rainbow Dash finishes off the ambush group, she then provides supportive fire behind her friends. The machines did not hesitate to try and subdue either one of the Mane 6 or the Princess of the Night. Suddenly, Twilight noticed that Fluttershy was missing. Then, as the machines were gaining on them, one fell to the ground and remained motionless. Using her wings as a shield, Fluttershy appeared and fought them while the other four and Luna escaped. After the battle, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash met up with the others. "What were those things?" asked Rarity, trying to calm herself down. Applejack walked up to a subdued machine to try and identify what it was. "It says something here, but ah can't make it out," said Applejack. Twilight went to have a look. "It's in an ancient language. Not even I can translate it." Just then, Luna walked up beside them. "Barate" she said. "What does that mean?" Rainbow Dash asked, cracking under the suspension. "It means that it is a mechanical warrior, built long ago, before I was consumed by the nightmare forces," she explained. "These machines were not meant to travel alone. They also have important information that we need to extract," she said. "Ah will carry one of them to the library," said Applejack as she volunteered to carry one of the Barates. "I will gather their weapons and see to the other ponies. They might need my aid," Luna said as she went to retrieve the Barates' weapons. "Take care," Twilight said worryingly.
"Your power is great, but I need more of it." "I will endanger my subjects no longer. SET ME FREE THIS INSTANT!" "Or what, you have no more power left to stop me. The sun is at its zenith as I climb to mine. My empire will be greater than any of the attempts in history. Your history." "What do you mean?" "Chrysalis was ignorant and ambitious, Sombra was too obsessed with power, and Discord, who succeeded for a short while, proved too immature and was also ignorant." "How do you know this?" "Not only was I trapped in a mountain for you know how long, but I was granted the opportunity to see Equestria, how wretched the name, and how it grew. And grew it did, weaker and weaker." "We are not weak!" "Keep that thought to yourself, in the meantime, my empire is growing. Apilimia will soon rise to be the capital of my empire. The Sun as well as the Moon will soon be my source of power." "You wouldn't!" "If you prepared, I would not have, but you brought this upon yourself as well as your subjects. You should have known. The Armages are ready. The dogs of war have been unleashed."
Megiddon Ex Machina
Chapter 3
Bark and No Byte
The Mane 6 head their way back to Ponyville after their encounter with the Barates. As they made their way to their home, they saw that the Barates were heading towards Ponyville. "We need to sneak up on them, catch them by surprise." Twilight suggested. Then, she noticed something. Leading the Barates was a machine of magical aura. Twilight was the first to notice and warned the others, "Be careful, and make sure that you aren't seen." As she said that, the Mane 6 spread out to find their individual targets. They waited for the perfect moment to strike. "NOW!" Twilight exclaimed as the Mane 6 opened fire on the group.
However, it was useless as the leading Barate apparently cast a shield on the squad. Then, the Barates opened fire at their adversaries and the Mane 6 took cover. "Dang it, We need to find a way to get through that shield, I think one of them is a unicorn." Twilight said to the others. "I think I have something in mind," Pinkie says as she loads her weapon with a different clip. "We'll just give them a light show," she says. She peeks out of cover, then nods at Twilight. As the others are still firing their weapons at the Barates, Twilight casts a shield of her own onto Pinkie as she runs from cover to the spot beside cover with her weapon. "Enjoy the fireworks," she says as she fired her weapon. The explosive rounds she loaded destroyed some of the Barates that were too cocky to get behind the shield, but the shield was still protecting the remaining enemies. "Any ideas?" Twilight asks as Pinkie gets back to cover, replacing the explosive rounds with normal ones. "Where's Fluttershy?" Rarity asked. "That's a good question, if only I knew the answer. Poor sugarcube must'a hid in fear." Applejack said. Just then, the magical Barate was struggling as Fluttershy appeared behind him. Choking it, she drew a knife from her sheath and struck it at the neck of the machine. Bloodlike fluid spewed as the Baratic unicorn fell, and the shield disappeared. "The shield is down, fire at the remaining Barates." Twilight commanded as Fluttershy disappeared again in front of her and reappeared next to her. As the last Barate was killed, Rainbow Dash asked Fluttershy,"How are you disappearing and reappearing at will?" "I found a little button on the back of my hoof that lets me turn invisible sneak behind the enemies," Fluttershy explains, showing her friends the button. "Awesome," Rainbow Dash says excitedly. "I'm more interested in their unicorn Barate," Twilight says as she observes the metal wreck. She sees more letters, and this time, she can translate it. "They're Armages. Mechanical Barates with magical powers, like a unicorn," Twilight said.
After their encounter with the Barates and the Armage, the Mane 6 finally reached Ponyville. But it wasn't a warm welcome, for while they where traveling to Canterlot to meet with the princess, Ponyville was raided. The Barates had already captured everypony, but, luckily, no pony was killed. As they saw the destruction and despair, they quickly took cover as a cascade of multiple explosive projectiles were fired at them. As the explosions appeared to have stopped for the moment, the Mane 6 spread out to try and get an advantage. But Fluttershy saw something that made her freeze. A dragon, mechanized and armed, walked into position with a mounted turret manned by a Barate. Pinkie saw this and quickly fired at it. The dragon was weakened, but still withstood the explosive rounds. Rarity grabbed her binoculars to get a closer look. "It doesn't look partially organic. It was built from the claw up." Soon, the Armages came to assist the Barates in the battle for control of Ponyville.
As the battle grew more and more intense, the Mane 6 knew they had to act fast. Fluttershy reached for the back of her hoof. "I'll be right back," She says as she disappeared while Rainbow Dash tried to fly over them to flank them. But there wasn't a chance to do it without being shot down. Suddenly, Fluttershy appears in front of the dragon. She tried to use her stare once more as she jumps on the back of the dragon to kill the Barate on the turret. As she positions herself in front of the dargon, she uses her stare, but instead of a green beam, a red beam is unleashed. The dragon struggled as the others tried to cover her. Red waves started to affect the dragon as sparks and small explosions inside the dragon occur. As she continued to slowly kill the dragon, Applejack started to move up to fire her weapon, which was, of course, a shotgun. The dragon fell and some of the armages and barates started to flee. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie pursued them to try and get them while they're running. In the meantime, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rarity started to free the captured citizens.
As the transformed ponies of Ponyville were being set free, Twilight wanted to talk to all of them. "Everypony, listen! Whoever does not want to participate in this battle, find refuge! Otherwise, get a weapon, find or make some armor, and prepare for war!" Some ponies, including the Cakes and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, left to find a safer location while others joined the effort to stop the apocalyptic force. The weapons dropped by the Barates were augmented and given to everypony. A forge started construction to make armor and more weapons. The army was growing. As it did, Twilight and Fluttershy gathered a flock of birds to attach letters to. Every other town and city would receive a letter with information about the war, a long list of actions in order to prepare (courtesy of Twilight), and a choice to join the war, or stay hidden and safe. But afterwards, Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen.
"You are slacking off." No answer. "Do you realize what I have to deal with? A whole dragon was lost because of a particular pegasus you know." Still no answer. The creature commands a Barate. "You, go find her!" The Barate leaves to obey its master's commands as another being walks up. "Looking for me?" "You?" Fluttershy reveals herself. "Yes, I'd say you are running a victorious army." "You destroyed my dragon and should be killed for that and for opposing me, however, you are right, my army will take over this 'Equestria'. Many more dragons are being sent all over the kingdom. Have you finally seen your worthless cause?" Fluttershy grins as she suggests something to the creature. "You saw how good I was at killing a dragon, but how about you let me control them instead. I can sneak them into every town in Equestria. An ambush would make it all too easy to win." The creature thinks about it, and it finally decides. "Very well, but you are not off the hoof yet, how might we do this so that nopony notices?" Fluttershy walks nearer to the creature. "Since, I am part machine, you should keep all radars off me, including yours." "How would that work?" "I tested it, and your radars cause your robots to make a 'ping' noise. The same might be true for me," she explains. "Very well," the creature agrees, "but do not fail me." "Of course." As Fluttershy leaves, she takes a breath in relief. As she leads the first dragon towards Ponyville, she uses her stare to make the dragon obey her and only her. As she lands the dragon at the clearing in the Ever-free Forest, she informs the dragon about her plan. "Stay here until the Barates try to attack Ponyville again. That is where you come in. You and your friends are on our side now. The Barates are your enemies as well as that big creature." The dragon nodded to show that he understood. As she left the forest, she found Rarity. "Rarity!" Rarity looks at her in relief. "I finally found you, darling, where have you been?" "Never mind that, gather the others and I'll explain then, I have a plan."