Equestria's Supreme Commander

I had no idea how long I was out, or how bad I was injured, but according to Twilight and the others, I was out for a week, and I had a few cracked ribs, and internal bleeding. Guess I should thank the adrenaline for numbing that, as well as the armor at least allowing me to survive to get medical attention.

Anyway, when I woke up, I had a pounding headache on my left side, and moved a hand to it. "Careful, sir," I heard a voice say as I sat up. "The doctors weren't able to remove that thing from your head." As I opened my eyes, I saw it was a crystal pony mare in guard armor with a purple coat with white hair and tail. I looked at her in confusion for a second before i knew what she was talking about.

"That's because it isn't meant to be removed," I said. "It's what allows me to stay connected to my forces. And why'd you call me 'sir'? I'm not a part of any military."

"An order from Princesses Cadenza, Sparkle, and Luna," the guard said. "Six days ago, after you had been stabilized, they decreed that you would be given the authority of a general for protecting the Empire, as well as revealing a corrupted official that meant to send Equestria to Tartarus. Which reminds me, sir, the royals wanted to speak with you as soon as you woke up."

"Well, go get them," I said as i stood up, revealing I had on a normal hospital gown, with civilian clothes on a nearby table. "I need to get dressed."

"Of course, sir," the mare replied before leaving the room we were in, which I recognized to be the medical room of Cadence's estate. Anyway, I took off the hospital gown and put on the clothes, which consisted, with what was visible, anyway, of a black t-shirt that was a little loose, but not much, and jeans.

I had just finished getting dressed when the door to the room opened, and the four royals that hadn't been deposed walked in. That is to say, Cadence, Twilight, Chrysalis, and Luna. "Given the circumstances," I said, "I'm not going to say anything else until I know why you guys wanted to speak with me."

"There is no need for that," Luna said. "Really, we wished to thank you."

"Really," I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because you freed not just the Empire," Cadence said, "but also removed a spell that had been going for who knows how long effecting Equestria."

"Just circumstances," I replied. "If Celestia hadn't tried to anything, it wouldn't have happened. Which reminds me, what exactly was the public response to that?"

"Mixed," Luna replied as she sat down in a seat near the main doors. Most, as far as I can tell, are angry at Celestia, and are glad she's gone for now, but most think you'll try to take the throne."

"Oh, hell no to that," I said. "I said it before, I'll say it again: I have no desire to rule over a country, just defend it."

"Well, that's a bit of a shame," Chrysalis said as she too sat down. "I heard that quite a few crystal ponies want to join a nation led by you, even some of my changelings."

"Even if I was planning on leading a nation," I said, "they'd need to have implants like mine that allow them to work more efficiently, or, in cases like me when they have an ACU, allows them to command their units without being in my ACU. Which reminds me, where is it, anyway?"

"If you're referring to your machine," Chrysalis said, "it is where it fell. It is too heavy to be moved with what magic we have, even with Princess Luna and Sparkle."

"In that case," I said, going into the command network, "Aeon Tech three engineers, move to repair ACU."

"Must you vocalize the commands?" Luna asked.

"Makes it easier for me," I replied. "My mind can get disorganized from time to time without speaking, so it helps for me to vocalize."

"I guess that makes sense," Twilight said.

"But why did you all come here?" I ask. "The real reason."

"You seem to have knowledge on those my sister called her lords," Luna said. "We were hoping you could tell us what you know."

"If that's the case, I'll start with the important point then: your magic will be as useful as shit against their tech. Where I come from, our world was invaded by the same group, and we were driven to the edge of extinction, even with technology to combat theirs. Only reason we won is because of a small civil war within the ranks of their followers, as well as a hell of a lot luck. We were able to close a dimensional rift that allowed them to get through, but, in reality, only a few actually made it there, something about the rift being unstable. Which is to say, if Celestia had opened a rift here, we would be dead right now, followed quickly by the rest of the planet."

"Is there anyway we can help," Cadence said.

"Not really, no," I said. "Evacuation plans would be useless against Seraphim, and only an ACU and the armies they make can have a chance."

The four were quiet for a time, I imagine letting that sink in, before it was Twilight who spoke up. "Then why not train us in using them," she asked.

I'll admit, I was a little surprised, but I got over it quickly and replied, "Because I don't know how to make ACUs-" I was cut off as a message appeared on my HUD.

Before you ask, I'm the one who sent you there, it said. And yes, I was talking about the Seraphim. The reason why I'm sending you this is to say I added ACU schematics for the UEF, Aeon, and Cybran to the build menus for the Gateways, and will take as long to build as an SACU, and will automatically move to where you set the move beacon. I also took the liberty of adding a Cybran surgery building for the implants into the Cybran banks, as well as a training facility for each. No thanks needed.

"Scratch that, I just got a message saying I can now build them. Which leaves the issue as to who I'm going to give them to after training."

"Well," Chrysalis said, "why not us?"

"Why," I asked, surprised.

"For one, it would help show ponies still doubtful of you that we can trust you," Luna said.

"And it will help us protect them," Cadence said. "I know I need something to help in that regard."

"Are you all sure?" I asked.

They nodded, and I sighed. "Alright, then. But first, Princess Luna, there's still one set of structures I've yet to build. With your permission, I would like to have an area of land to work with for it, as it will allow me to build all three ACU versions."

"If it will help, you may build on the Equestrian side of the Northern border," she said.

"Okay, then," I said. "But that will have to wait until my ACU is done getting repaired, as it holds every building schematic I have."

"And how long will that take?" Luna asked.

I shrugged. "No idea. Usually, when something goes through an ACU's chest, it goes boom in an explosion large enough to envelop most of the area around it, destroying the ACU itself. This is the first time that hasn't happened, and the chest, the main weapons, and proto-crafter, what's used for construction, all need to be repaired. At most, I'd say it'll be a week, so it looks like I'll be staying here."

"Then I had better return to Canterlot," Luna said, standing up. "I do not trust the Nobles there to rule Equestria effectively. Are you coming, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Actually, I want to stay here with Cadence and the others, for now," Twilight replied.

"Of course," she said. "I suppose I will see you all next time." With that, she teleported away.

"And I must return to my Hive," Chrysalis said. "I expect a message to be sent once Josh is able to train me in operation of one of his machines."

"Stay near Alpha," I said. "I'll come through personally."

"Right," she said before teleporting away.

"So," I said, "how are you two doing? And don't say fine, losing a loved one would take a heavy toll."

"You're talking about Shining?" Twilight asked.

"I am," I replied, to which Cadence sighed.

"I could be doing better," she said. "I've been able to hide it in public, but when it's just me, well, let's just say I've nearly ran out of tears to cry."

"Yeah, me too," Twilight said. "The girls, who decided to stay here while I'm here, by the way, are helping me out, Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy especially, but it doesn't make it easier, even if it wasn't Shining you killed."

"What do you mean, Twilight?" Cadence asked.

"Just that, well, it wasn't Shining that was killed by Josh," the lavender alicorn replied. "He died when the Caribou corrupted him. It was just something with his name, looks, and memories that Josh killed. The real one died before Josh even got here to stop them."

"That's wise, Twilight," I said. "When did you come to that conclusion?"

"A day before everything went to Tartarus, which is to say the day before Chrysalis came to you. Which actually leads to something I wanted to ask."

"What would that be?"

"I was wondering if I could get those cybernetic implants," she said. "I want to join your nation, if you're making one, that is."

Unknown location

"Well," a figure that looked like Dr. Gustaf Brackman said, his voice just like the doctor's, "that was quite unexpected."

"That it was, my old friend," Discord, lord of chaos for every Equestria, said.

"So, does that vision of yours still happen?"

"Far as I can tell," he replied. "Only thing that'll stop it is him not meeting them, and with how they spread their tokens, I can't stop it."

"So then He's going to arrive at some point, then," the Merchant said. "Great. How long?"

"At best, about three and a half years. And with what she's planning on doing, that means the Commander will be fighting a two fronter. One, he could handle with ease, but with a two front war with these kinds of enemies?" Discord shrugged. "Well, let's just say it's a good thing Harmony and I have chosen our champions, and that they're going through their own trials. Do you have any other Displaced that may help?"

"Maybe," the Merchant replied. "I simply need to find an Equestria for them to go to."

"Well let me know when you need something to use for that," the lord of chaos replied before snapping his talons, which opened a dimensional portal. "But for now, I need to go home. Those Guardians sure were kind to give me a dimension in which I have free reign." With that, he flew into the portal, which closed behind him.

"I swear, no matter how many times I meet him, he always annoys me somehow," Merchant said. "Well, guess I had better get to work on something for the Valus." And with that, the Merchant vanished, leaving nothing but a void.

Badlands

In the badlands, more accurately, near the southern area where Eqeustria bordered the Griffon lands, a small camp of ponies sat in hiding. Most wore fancy clothes that wouldn't be out of place in  Canterlot, others wore golden armor. These ponies, totaling forty five, were, as they called themselves, The Sol Loyalists. Their leader was the only mare of the group, and she wore golden battle armor, a small blade under her horn, a Halberd by her side. This was the now deposed Princess Celestia, and the few still loyal to her after what had happened in the Empire.

"What is the plan, Highness?" Captain Lone Shadow, a unicorn stallion with black skin, as well as hair and tail, both of which had red and orange accents for a flame like appearance, asked.

"Quite simple, Captain," Celestia replied. The two of them, as well as three other rogue guards, were having the daily war council, where Celestia had decided to lay a plan out. "If we are to bring the Seraphim here to remove the Demon that's taken control of most of Equestria, we will need as much magic as possible to do so, as it took me ten years to reach the charge I had before itcompletely removed, and that was with putting parts of the charge in objects as a back up. The plan is that we liberate as many unicorns from the Demon's control, and have them help us create a rift."

"Then where will we target first, Ma'am?" Azure Shadow, a unicorn mare with dark blue skin, black hair and tail with white accents, asked.

"The Crystal Empire," Celestia said. "We must free Rarity Belle from the Demon, as my once faithful student believes, without magical influence, that the Demon is a savior. Having an Element would help us greatly."