My Little Ragnarök: Vermintideby RalphtheheavyChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 1Chapter 1 The Invasion on Ponyville It began as normally as you'd think; a quiet morning in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle was laying down in bed, reading her book. All seemed calm. It didn't take too long before she heard a tap on her castle window. Clink! Something must've hit the glass. Twilight ignored it. Maybe it was just some punk trying to get her attention, or something. However, just a minute later, she heard the noise again. This time, it sounded like something bigger was thrown. Thump! She didn't take any notice and continued reading, but she was starting to get a little anxious. She had this sinking feeling that if she was to open the window, whatever was out there would seize their opportunity and come straight for her. A half hour later, Twilight heard the sound again. THUMP! Tk! Tk! It was a little louder than before, and two softer thumps followed. Now, Twilight was getting more fidgety. "What is going on out there?" she wondered, "What are they doing?" It didn't take long before she heard a sound once more. Now, it was much louder, as if something larger hit the window. THUD! Thinking quickly, Twilight jumped up and zipped right towards the window, opening the curtains. Nothing. She saw no damage to the window. No marks, no stains, Nothing at all! Twilight sighed with relief. But when she turned around, she heard a different sound. Splat! This time, Twilight turned around quickly There was a little blood on the screen now, and she soon followed the splatter to the source; a rat's head. Rats are normally small, but this rat's head was almost as big as her own! "If I wanted a Nightmare Night prop for my castle," she said, "I would've gone to the shopping district." She grabbed the head with her telekinesis and tossed it away. What she saw next horrified her. A pitched battle broke out between ponies and humanoid rats bearing swords and shields! Twilight nearly screamed, and she raced towards the bedroom of Spike, her dragon assistant. "Spike, we gotta go." "What's gotten you so excited," asked Spike, groggily. "No time," Twilight answered, "They're coming." They both made it downstairs, into the main hall. The door was in sight, but in bursts two rat-men. "Going somewhere, horse-thing?" One of the rats spoke. "We will slice you up and eat-eat your carcass!" They closed in on them, but Twilight quickly disappeared! She teleported to a safe spot, somewhere between the houses. "N... No way..." Twilight gasped, "Those monsters are sentient?!" She slowly peeked out through her hiding place. She saw ponies fighting back the rat hordes. Several of them were scarred and bleeding. The rats seemed to gain the upper hand; Where one got beat, the rest of the pack countered. This was certainly NOT a normal stampede; Somepony had used magic to release these rat-men, these Skaven, onto Equestria. Twilight and Spike found an empty house and took refuge inside. After 5 notes were sent, Twilight's Friends managed to find the hiding spot. They had to think of a plan to get the word out. If those Skaven are attacking Ponyville, there's no doubt they'll go after the rest of Equestria. "I think I have idea," said Twilight, "The clock tower SHOULD have a big bell. We'll have to ring it!" The others agreed and off they went. With the right amount of force, the clock tower's bell should make a noise that could be heard all the way to Canterlot, giving everyone there and elsewhere the warning they need of the Skaven invasion. They found the tower close to Fluttershy's cottage. Thankfully, the Skaven hadn't gotten to it yet. "There it is!" Exclaimed Pinkie. "I thought the changelings were bad enough," said Twilight, "But those vermin...!" "What the sam-hill do they want from us?" Asked Applejack. "Not sure," answered Twilight, "but I'm sure Celestia and Luna will help us." "I hope so," said Rainbow Dash, "They were almost USELESS when Tirek tried to take our magic." "Celestia wanted Twilight to do this on her own," said Fluttershy, "It was HER task, not theirs." Rainbow Dash just laughed. "That's a WONDERFUL excuse for inaction if I ever heard one!" "Oh, don't be so rude, Rainbow," Rarity said, "But... Maybe they SHOULD do something by themselves for a change." They soon got to the top of the tower, where the bell was tied. Twilight struck the bell with full force, and it rang loudly, exactly what they wanted. As they climbed down, the Skaven started to attack. Several minutes of the fight ensued before the ponies found a chance to escape. They quickly got out unscathed, but on their way to their base, they saw a group of Skaven. This army seemed to be wearing armor, and holding spears. "Let's not get too close," warned Twilight, "I've already been told about the Stormvermin. They fight unfairly, and we're outnumbered against them." To their relief, none of the Stormvermin payed any attention to them. They just kept on patrol as they normally would. They reached their war-base safely, and looked out to see what's happened. "Mission accomplished," Twilight said, "We'll give it a while, and then we'll go and see if the Princesses are okay." Chapter 2Chapter 2 The Big Food Trade Several miles outside of Ponyville, There was a wagon set to deliver supplies. Food was almost scarce when the Skaven attacked, as they devoured most of the wheat and chaff. Leave it to Lyra, Bon Bon, and Derpy to handle this one. If they couldn't help deliver the food, there probably won't be much left of Ponyville. "Stay close," Bon Bon advised her friends, "There are rat men everywhere." They kept low to the ground, aware that the Skaven are not far behind. The countryside was quiet; all they heard was the soft wind blowing, and every once and a while, the chirping of birds. The three spotted the wagon parked close. They rushed over to it, and were a little surprised at who they saw. "Vinyl? Octavia?" Lyra said, awestruck. Vinyl Scratch was the silent DJ of Equestria. She was well known for her form of music, which was dubstep. It was all wubs and noises, for the most part. As for Octavia, she was the cellist. Despite what many are led to believe, Both ponies actually tend to get along with each other just fine. They stood on the wagon, smiling at the three food delivery ponies. "Finally," sighed Bon Bon, "a familiar face!" "What are you doing with the cart?" asked Derpy, "It's probably best that you didn't ask," said Lyra. "We spotted some houses just a couple of miles from here," said Octavia, "There's a chance there's some food inside. Should you find it, bring it over here. We'll handle the rest." The mute DJ just relaxed herself, lying down with her headphones on. What she was listening to was anyone's guess, really. "Keep calm and be careful," advised the cellist earth pony, "Those Stormvermin will be after your heads if they catch sight of you three." "Right," said Lyra, "Soft and quick as shadows we must be." "Just hope there's at least SOMETHING edible down that way," chuckled Octavia. They searched the houses, and found a few sacks. This was the easy part, the trick was to get there without being caught. "So, how are we gonna deal with these rat-men?" Asked Lyra, "They're not like changelings or diamond dogs." Bon Bon just smirked. "I was a member of an anti-monster agency, remember?" She reminded her, "I can handle those creatures in a day." They kept searching. In the end, they came out with 4 sacks of chaff. That was just one house they searched, and they had a few more left. They managed to find food in each house. Whoever lived in them must've been in a hurry and forgot to pack up. After some time, there was one house left. All seemed normal. No Skaven has invaded the house yet. It didn't take long before Lyra's nose caught a smell. It was a rather sour smell, a bit eye-watering for Lyra. "Eugh, did something die in here?!" she said. As for Derpy, all she did was give off a nervous giggle. "That was me," she confessed, "Sorry." Bon Bon just shook her head. "It's official," she told herself, "This feels just like handling children." The houses before had 4 to 3 sacks, in THIS house, they felt like they hit the jackpot; SIX sacks of wheat! But before they could even touch the bags, they heard someone, or something, banging on the door. "Gah! Hide," exclaimed Bon Bon. The door swung open quickly, and in crept a Stormvermin soldier. It surveyed the area with it's piercing, blood red eyes. "Get the sacks," whispered Lyra, "Quickly." they crept towards the food sacks, picked them up(in their own ways), and slowly snuck past. But before they could escape, a fly flew up Lyra's nostril! "Oh, Celestia," Lyra thought to herself, "Please no..." the irritation was too strong, and she forced out a sneeze. "ACHOO!" THAT got the rat's attention. "Die, horse things, Die!" it screamed, and charged straight towards them. The three ponies dodged it's attack, and Lyra retreated back into the house; she must've had some sort of wacky idea. There was a portrait on the wall, above the mantel. She figured that if she was to do as she had seen in cartoons and threw the picture at the Skaven's head, it would give them enough time to book it. Lyra used her telekinesis magic on the portrait and quickly tossed it at the Stormvermin. No good; it saw the flying painting and roundhouse kicked it straight at Lyra, who didn't have much time before it hit her. Her head penetrated the portrait, and popped straight out of the paper, making it look as though SHE was in the picture. Fortunately, Bon Bon got the opportunity to buck the Stormvermin out of the way to help her friend out. "Lyra!" she cried, "Are you okay? Please tell me you'll make it!" Lyra opened her eyes slowly, and what came out her mouth left her friend shocked. "Hi, mommy! Play patty-cake?" After a few seconds, Bon Bon shook her head and chuckled. "Yeah, you're gonna be fine," she smiled. The three quickly managed to get the food to the cart, but before they could chuck the sacks in, the Stormvermin came in for the kill. The rest of the Skaven saw what was going on and joined the armored rat. Octavia cheered the three ponies on, encouraging them to keep fighting. Vinyl watched the battle with interest, and her music fueled her excitement; it was pretty much all she heard during the blood shed. Derpy quickly saw the sacks and tossed them into the wagon. "Okay," she called, "That should be all of them!" Lyra looked at her hoof, which seemed to have touched a blood puddle. "What's this red stuff?" She asked, in her child speak. "It's blood," said Bon Bon, "Oh... Come on!" she helped Lyra pull her portrait off, and they got into the wagon. Safe at last! "We made it," sighed Bon Bon, trying to catch her breath. As the cart rolled on, they saw the Stormvermin show off a cutthroat gesture. Clearly, the Skaven are persistent. "This should be enough food to last us at least 5 months," said Octavia. there were 21 sacks of chaff and wheat in the wagon, ready for transport. "Diapers stink!" laughed Lyra, still dazed and confused from the impact of the portrait. "Yeah," agreed Derpy, "diapers DO stink." "I say, is Lyra going to be okay?" asked a concerned Octavia. "Yeah," assured Bon Bon, "She just hit her head. Really hard." So, that was the only bad thing in the otherwise perfect scheme; Lyra's portrait attack backfired on her. Lyra, Bon Bon, Derpy, and the two musicians have done their part now. Hopefully, everypony will not be using the grain and chaff too quickly. Chapter 3Chapter 3 Battle Engines At midnight, in Twilight's base, Pinkie woke up startled. She felt as though something was amiss, and the Skaven were after something else. A few seconds of thinking later, she soon came to a conclusion. "Oh my gosh, my family's in danger!" she said. Everyone quickly got up and followed Pinkie outside, knowing that the Skaven are twice as keen at night as they are in the day. The train station still seems to operate just fine while the Skaven are still roaming, believe it or not. They managed to reach Pinkie's old home safely. "Oh good," Twilight sighed, "If your house isn't damaged, Pinkie, then I'm sure your family's safe too." Now, the Pie Family's home is a rock farm residing several miles from Ponyville. Most of the work consists of rock harvesting and mining. Some of the rocks they harvested were sold as pets or construction material. To everyone's relief, the house was still standing. Of course, Pinkie's prediction was mostly right; the Skaven were up to something! They were constructing war machines in the quarry. Those cursed contraptions can cause MAJOR destruction once they roll out. They had to destroy them before they're finished, but they still had to figure out how. They found Pinkie's parents, Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz, inside the house. "Are you two okay?" Asked Twilight, "Of course," replied Igneous, "Tis an honor to meet a princess like thou." Twilight's cheeks turned red as she smiled. Such a gentleman! "Any friend of our daughter is a friend of the family," said Quartz. "Are Pinkie's sisters safe?" asked Twilight. "They should be unharmed," ensured Igneous, "We just hope those vile beasts hath not got to them first." They found one of Pinkie's sisters, Limestone Pie, outside the house protecting a large egg-shaped stone. This was Holder's Boulder, and it brought the family good luck ever since it was gifted to them by their ancestor, Holder Cobblestone. "You okay, Limey?" asked Pinkie. "Don't worry, I'll be fine," said Limestone, "You might wanna find Marble before those rat creeps do." Suddenly, a massive beast ran straight towards them. It was a Rat Ogre, the Skaven's best unit for brute force and strength. They are not truly Skaven, but Rat Ogres are quite dangerous nonetheless. "Go, hurry!" Limestone called, "I've got this one." The monster ran straight towards the boulder, in hopes to knock it over, but Limestone wasn't having it. Timing it precisely, she charged straight towards the Rat Ogre, tripped it, and it fell off over the cliff. It fell for three seconds before landing on a sharp rock. Limestone looked down and saw the Rat Ogre, which laid there, bleeding to death. "NO one touches Holder's Boulder," Limestone smirked. Twilight's group reached the Skaven's encampment where the doomwheels were seen. And what luck; there was Marble Pie trying to escape the Clanrats. "They're after her!" cried Applejack. "Let's do some rat-catching," smirked Rainbow Dash, as she raced on ahead. The rest followed her, and they fought back against the Skaven protecting Marble. Magic missiles sparked and blood sprayed, until there was only one Skaven left. the ponies looked at the rat, and the lone Skaven looked at the ponies. It's eyes shifted left and right, and then it ran away. "That coward," Twilight said to herself, "Clanrats only fight in groups. A skaven by itself is too afraid to pick a fight with anyone!" Pinkie quickly hugged her younger sister. "Marble, are you alright?" she asked. Marble nodded; she was fine. Rainbow Dash spotted barrels containing explosives. "Look, over there!" she called out, "Those barrels should take care of the machines." "We'll use those black powder barrels on the wheels," Twilight told Marble, "You just try and make it back to the house, understood?" "Mmhmm," was all Marble could reply with, and off she ran quickly. Twilight and the others picked up the barrels, and tossed them onto the doomwheels. They escaped into the crystal mine just as the bombs went off. With Limestone and Marble safe, there was only one Pie Sister left. They explored the caves, the illuminating crystals guiding them. Deeper down they crept, until they reached the belly. No one was inside! Maybe Maud managed to escape before the rats got to her. Soon enough, they heard the Skaven's battle horn. "The pack's coming!" Twilight warned the others. In the rats came, charging straight for them swords raised. The six manage to strike them off as best they could, but more rat men came. Soon, they were surrounded. Before the Skaven could deliver a blow, another pony entered the cave and fought them with ferocious speed. Quick jabs and kicks sent the rats flying! This pony was much too quick for the Skaven to counter, and they legged it. As the Mane Six waited for their eyes to focus, they soon got a glimpse of the pony who saved them; it was Maud. "We better get out of here," she told them, in her nonchalant, deadpan tone, "They might come back." "I said it once, I'll say it again," Twilight told herself, "Pinkie Pie has a weird sister." They walked out of the caverns, and while the rat men still attacked, their war machines were no more. "How did you know where we were?" Asked Pinkie. "Boulder told me," answered Maud. Upon entering the house, Igneous and Cloudy were waiting for them. "Good," said Igneous, smiling, "all of our daughters are safe. We thank thou for helping them." "You're welcome," said Twilight, "Do you think you can handle these rats?" "There won't be as much as before with those machines out of the picture," said Limestone, "And I'm pretty sure they won't be touching our boulders any time soon." And so, the Mane Six bid them good luck, and went back on the train. Not to Ponyville, but Canterlot. The sun was already rising, and Twilight still had to make sure the princesses were still alive. Chapter 4Chapter 4 Shadows in the Dark There was a reason why Canterlot survived the Skaven invasion without a scratch; Grey magic. There was a charm in the castle that shielded it from Skaven attack. The magic is strangely weak now, but there's still a change to strengthen the grey spell and maybe even get some answers on how the Skaven came in the first place. Twilight and her friends entered the castle with keen eyes. There were still aware that SOME of the Skaven had slunk their way into some of the chambers. "We'll have to split up," Twilight suggested, "I'll check the throne room. You girls take a look in the other rooms." They dispersed, and the search began. Applejack looked in the bedrooms. Not much was inside, but a simple hair brush in one of the rooms. Fluttershy checked the gardens. The animals were still a little nervous at the sight of her, but she felt shame to herself on looking at them. Both could very well remember what happened in the Grand Galloping Gala. Rainbow Dash searched the observatory. There was a little bit of blood on one of the telescopes. Has there been a Skaven attack in here? Rarity looked in the library. She found an open book lying on the floor and went over for a closer look. "I wonder if THIS was what summoned the Skaven here," she thought to herself. Pinkie Pie looked into the ball room. It was rather quiet and dark. Of course, all she could find was a cake. She couldn't resist the temptation and chowed down on it. In the throne room, Twilight looked at the stained glass windows as she walked down the hall. Each panel represented a moment in history when she and her friends have conquered evil. One showed them using the Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon, another pictured Twilight's coronation into the princess she was now. When she reached the end of the hall, she saw no one there! "They escaped," she thought to herself, "What a relief." Twilight looked around the empty room. She was all by herself in this quiet, cold chamber. No pony was there, and not a single sound was heard. "Alright," Twilight called out, "I've come all this way for the truth. So I want to know, right now, what's going on." Then, suddenly, Twilight heard a voice calling back to her saying one word; "JUSTICE." Twilight turned fast, and from behind, she saw three silhouettes. They soon came closer to her, one step after another, until they came into full view. Twilight knew them straight away. Three unicorns; Two were mares, and one was a stallion. There names were Goldcap, Zappityhoof, and Decepticolt. "So," Twilight said, "We meet again." "And what perfect timing too," replied Decepticolt, "It's been a while, hasn't it?" "Sucks that we had to interrupt your alone time, Princess," smirked Zappityhoof, "But do you remember us?" Twilight thought hard. She knew them from SOMEWHERE, but she wasn't sure. Then, a picture of Rainbow Dash's wings came into her mind. So, THAT was it! Now she knew. "Well?" Decepticolt asked, "Do you?" "...Yes," Twilight answered, "I remember you three." "We thought so," Zappityhoof chuckled, "We're the ponies you zapped on the butts." "Just so you know," Goldcap added, "The four of us here have unfinished business." "I... DID zap you, didn't I?" Twilight giggled, sheepishly. "Oh, don't be so stupid, you snobby Alicorn overlord!" said Decepticolt, in a sly tone, "You obviously have wings, like WE should've had." Twilight started looking cross. "Of course," she said, "THAT must be why you tried to steal my friend's wings to begin with." "We don't care about what you think we did," snapped Zappityhoof, "We deserved our wings! And you took our opportunity away from us." Twilight kept silent. This time, she thinks there's a connection between them and the Skaven. "That's exactly why all this bloodshed is happening, Twilight," said Decepticolt, "We want REVENGE." At that moment, it dawned on her; these three convict unicorns had unleashed the Skaven onto Equestria! "You've done this..." Twilight said, "All the Skaven, the rats... It was all you!" "Congratulations," Zappityhoof joked, "You're twice as smart as we thought you were." "You wanted to take me and the princesses," Twilight continued, "So you can dominate Equestria!" "You brought it on yourself," cackled Goldcap. "You all deserve imprisonment in Tartarus for this!" Twilight said, angrily. "We'll drag you down there ourselves kicking and screaming," grinned Decepticolt, "if we have to." A Skaven war horn! the pack was coming! Soon, Twilight could see rat men bursting through the doors. Twilight quickly flew up and escaped the first charge, landing right behind the army. She blasted her magic missiles at the rate of a machine gun, clearing out most of the Skaven. Soon, it was just Twilight and the criminals. The three started their attack first, Twilight dodged. When Twilight attacked, the three unicorns dodged. "Give it up, you overpowered princess!" laughed Decepticolt, "We'll win one way or another!" Twilight just stood her ground, not moving. "Don't be so sure," she said, softly, as her horn started to glow brightly, "I told you before, but I'll remind you once more; I made friends, learned well, and studied hard. THAT was how I earned my wings." As she spoke, her horn glowed at it's brightest. At that moment, the three criminals had no chance of escape. "And all you did," she ended, with her magic at full power, "was misuse your magic for your own gain." Then, she leaned her head back and suddenly cocked it down as her horn released a massive, awesome blast of magic directly at the shrieking unicorns, sending them flying. As her horn cooled down, Twilight walked slowly towards the three bodies. To her relief, all three were okay. "Sweet mother of Celestia," she thought to herself, "That could've killed them!" When the unicorns came to, Twilight spoke to them. "Tell me," she said, softly yet firm, "You brought the Skaven here. Perhaps you could send them back?" "What good can we do about this?" smirked Decepticolt, coughing, "We just opened the book. The leader of this operation is OBVIOUSLY the Skaven Grey Seer." "Where is he now?" Twilight asked. "As far as we know," answered Zappityhoof, "He could've very well made his home in Ponyville Town Hall." "You're gonna have to fight him near his lair," added Goldcap, "He's like the mad genius of the Skaven, and he doesn't voluntarily put himself at risk." "Thank you," Twilight said, and she walked off. As she walked away, The three started to get up. "This... isn't over..." said Decepticolt. Clearly, they STILL haven't changed. They started to blast their magic in the direction of the princess! Poomf! To their disappointment, nothing happened. Once again, Twilight temporarily disabled them from using magic. "Oh, not again..." Decepticolt sighed. The other two just groaned. Twilight has won again. And this time, the three delinquents have the royal Canterlot Guard to deal with, should they ever find them. Chapter 5Chapter 5 Path of the Smuggler Ponyville managed to hire a band of smugglers, which consists of most of Equestria's sentient inhabitants, to deliver supplies. They gathered food, gunpowder, medicine, all of the essentials. Their plan was to deliver the necessities by taking a route straight through the sewers; there's more Skaven ABOVE ground than there is below at this very moment, believe it or not. Two unicorns volunteered to help clear a path for them. One was an azure colored unicorn named Trixie Lulamoon, the other was Twilight's student, Starlight Glimmer. Both were once enemies of Twilight, but now they have become friends. Trixie and Starlight walked down the sewers, aware of whatever lives in the water. "So, all of the sudden we're the doorponies of the sewers?" Trixie said, "I think I like the rock farm better." "It could be worse," ensured Starlight, trying to comfort her. Through tunnels and corridors, they walked. The air was ripe, and the muddy water felt cool on their hooves, but they kept going. There were Skaven, but not as much as there is above the sewers. "This is just dreadful..." Trixie groaned. "Oh please!" said Starlight, "I've trenched through MUCH messier places than this." "It's not the muck I'm upset over," said Trixie, "It's the smell." "Why did you think it's called a sewer?" chuckled Starlight. Trixie didn't find the joke funny at all. Soon, they came to a closed sluice. The winch in the middle of the corridor controls the floodgate. If the wheel was turned, maybe they can open it and continue on. "Let me get that," said Starlight, and she struck the rope turning the wheel. They soon spotted a Skaven, but this one was a different one; it had a gas-mask and was carrying globes full of poison. This was a poison wind globadier Skaven, and this was not what either ponies wanted to see. Upon seeing them, the Globadier tossed its bombs at the ponies. Trixie and Starlight managed to dodge the bomb at the moment it hit the ground. This kept going for a while until the gate finally opened. the two unicorns managed to escape! They kept going, through the stink and filth. There were a little shaken from the Globadier attack, but were still kicking strong. "Do you think those smugglers will make it through it alright after we clear them a path?" Asked Trixie. "I bet they will," Starlight answered, "The griffons have a keen eyesight, and the yaks are pretty tough." "Then," asked Trixie, confused, "Why don't the smugglers do this themselves?" 'Because the Skaven might pick them off under their noses," answered Starlight, "Those rats are sneaky like that." They continued on, deeper into the sewers. There were some corpses in the water, and both unicorns hoped that their bodies won't be the latest for the pile. "What's the purpose for these rats to kill us like this?" Trixie wondered. "Must be for food," said Starlight, "They have quite an... unusual taste." "If they were ponies," said Trixie, "you could just give them equal sign cutie marks and make them all equal. Problem solved!" Starlight just whined. She didn't like to be reminded of the Equal Town incident, and CERTAINLY not when she stole and rigged Starswirl the Bearded's time spell. They reached the second floodgate. Just as before, it has a wheel to turn. Starlight was looking a bit nervous. "I hope Twilight's okay," she said. "Trixie thinks you worry about her too much," said Trixie, in her third person speak, "But she hopes so too." They hit the winch, and the wheel turned. There was the Globadier again, still wanting their heads! This time, the two ponies tried to fight back by casting their magic at the Skaven. It still tossed its grenades at them, and they kept escaping and shooting. Soon, the gate opened, and they can escape! "Come on," said Trixie, "We better get moving before that gas-rat poisons us!" They made it through safely. Both ponies stopped to catch their breath, and the looked back. "I'm taking a good long bath once we get to the surface," sighed Trixie, "We BOTH are." "If you say so, Trixie," said Starlight. Sure enough, they found a manhole. They climbed up and reached the street. "Gee," Starlight thought, "There hasn't been this much destruction here since that Ursa Minor attack!" "Ugh, PLEASE don't remind the Great and Powerful Trixie," Trixie groaned. Starlight smiled and giggled. She got her back this time. They spotted the smugglers waiting for them. "The sewers are cleared up," said Starlight, "You should be able to deliver the supplies safely." The smugglers thanked them and they went on ahead down their path. The smugglers suffered no casualties during their exodus, and the supplies got safely through. Mission accomplished! Chapter 6Chapter 6 Blood Rainbow It's been some time since the Skaven had taken control of Rainbow Falls village, and it was high time SOMEONE made it clear that they have worn out their welcome. Half of the rat-men have taken hold of the trading district, the other half took the Equestria Games training courses. Twilight was curious as to where both Celestia and Luna had gone. This was what they were doing; to take back Rainbow Falls and drive the rat men out. Celestia is but a kind and gentle Alicorn princess, but these Skaven were killing the ponies of her world, and both she and her sister had to help put an end to their conquest. The village was quiet. It's rainbow waterfalls still flowed freely, but most of the surviving residents had already evacuated. "I don't like the looks of this," said Luna, "It stinks of rat around here." Celestia looked rather saddened by the depressing sight. "This was once a peaceful village," she said softly, "And now the Skaven have taken hold." "I promise," encouraged Luna, "that we'll make those monsters bleed for this." They decided to split up. Celestia went to the trader's district, and Luna checked the tryouts. The Skaven had dug tunnels in the traders area, and through this, they could travel to any area quickly. Celestia had to think of some way to block the tunnel. Soon enough, she found a few barrels of gunpowder, one of which had a fuse. "Excellent," she thought, "This should blow the Skaven out of their holes." She placed each of the barrels at the entrance of the tunnel, saving the fused bomb for last. It didn't take long for the Skaven to see what she was doing though, and began to attack. Big mistake; While there were still MANY of the Skaven, Celestia was still a powerful deity. She pushed back the rat-men, but they still kept coming! Blood splattered, limbs flew, and heads rolled. Only one skaven remained in the end. It quivered and made it's escape; the milksop rat knew it was dealing with a creature TWICE as tough as only one rat-man was in both physical strength and magic. Celestia turned towards the bomb barrels. "Now, to take care of the rest of them down there," she told herself. A beam of sunlight erupted from her horn, lighting the fuse. As expected, the bombs exploded and the tunnel collapsed. "May these beasts never plague this town again," Celestia announced. A few short seconds later though, she said in a more giddier tone, "I always wanted to do that!" Meanwhile, Luna surveyed the tryout field. She saw poles holding hoops for Pegasi to fly through. "They've been up there for a while," she told herself, "How long has it been since that LAST tournament?" Then, she heard the sound of six gun barrels rotating. Looking behind her, she spotted a Skaven holding a minigun. A Ratling Gunner was aiming straight for her flank! "...You've got to be kidding me," said Luna, unimpressed. The barrels spun faster, and Luna thought this was a good chance to dodge its bullets. As it fired, Luna flew up and evaded the attack, performing a loop-de-loop in the process. The Ratling Gunner just so happened to be standing under a flagpole. This gave Luna an idea. "I wonder if he's fond of having a pole on top of his head," she thought. With one quick shot of black lightning, she toppled the flag over, hitting the Gunner rat on its head. The rat was dizzy, and as it regained it's consciousness, Luna came in for the attack. A horn slash, a kick, and a blow to the head, left the Gunner weakened. It bled, but still stood. As it charged, Luna just lowered her horn. This was obviously a dumb move on the rat's part as it moved too quick, resulting in one skewered rodent on a horn. Luna pushed the dead Gunner away and wiped the blood off her horn. Exhausted from the close encounter, all she could say was, "...Gatorade me, bro." As the Alicorn sisters took their leave, they suddenly heard a Skaven war cry. They weren't done yet. The rats swarmed, but the Princesses fought hard. Skavenslaves and Clanrats kept coming, and the Alicorns' magic kept firing. A Packmaster Skaven got a hold of Luna, but her sister quickly saved her. "Thank you," said Luna, in a fit of coughs, "That hook-rat almost choked me!" The battle continued until the Skaven were weakened. The Princesses were too tired now to fight, and the Skaven still surrounded them. But, before they could finish the job, a quick bolt blasted the Skaven off the cliffside. Where did THAT come from? They soon found out; a THIRD Alicorn came and helped them out at the last moment. "Admirable timing, Cadance," smiled Celestia. "What are we waiting for?" Cadance called out, "This place is cleared out, but the Skaven are restless! They'll be taking over the rest of Equestria if we don't stop them." Off they went to the rest of Equestria's cities. Celestia fought the Skaven in Manehatten, Luna helped push back the Gutter Runner Skaven in Griffonstone, and Cadance returned to help her husband, Shining Armor, defend the Crystal Empire from the Stormvermin armies. It all came down to one final test, a last moment. The Skaven were getting more fierce, and only one can turn the tide of the battle. All life within Equestria shall hinge upon everything that came before it. But then, shall it be the day of the plague before the pony's empire collapses? The White Rat watched the land, confusing the Princesses' courage for simple audacity. In the end, the only way to save Equestria is to pray for the implausible to become a reality; for hope to spark the fires of freedom. Chapter 7Chapter 7 The Rat and the Bell Dark clouds hovered over Ponyville Town Hall. Thunder rumbled in the distance as rain droplets fell. Above the building, the Grey Seer eyed all of the scenery with satisfaction. He knew his army was soon to conquer Equestria. Little did he suspect that six small ponies would come and finish his little charade. Twilight and her friends walked towards the town hall. They found Ponyville's mayor trapped in a cage. They were relieved the Skaven hadn't done anything to her yet, but the cage itself still skeeved them out. "No more tricks!" Twilight called out to the white rat, "We figured everything out, do you hear? Let's finish this once and for all!" The Seer greeted them in a cold, terrifying tone. "At last, an audience for my bell." he saw Twilight standing there and seemed rather tickled at the sight. "What a surprise-shock," he said, "We thought there were THREE princesses in Equestria, but I guess we were wrong." "There are four now," said Twilight. "No matter," said the Seer, "I already gave this realm to the Horned Rat. The rest shall follow soon-quick." Rainbow Dash suddenly noticed three unicorns stand by the rat's side; it was the three unicorn perps who stole her wings! "What are THEY doing here?" she growled. "You three just don't give up, do you?" Twilight asked them, Decepticolt, Zappityhoof, and Goldcap looked down upon the mane six evilly. "For what you've done to us," started Decepticolt, "You shall die like the lowlives you are." "The Skaven will NEVER go easy on you," continued Zappityhoof, "They shall punish all who oppose them." "Your skin charred, your fats rendered," said Goldcap, "Your world destroyed." "Once we win," finished Decepticolt, "We shall feed your corpses..." "...TO THE GRAVES!" All three cackled. "This is only the start-start of our conquest," grinned the rat, "My vermin-horde shall take care of you. Soon, we shall dominate your pathetic land!" All of the towns-ponies gathered close towards the six heroines as the Skaven came in for the kill. Soon, the Seer's great bell rang at the velocity of an earthquake. This was the rat's signal for the attack. Two mammals clashed, Pony vs. Rat. The Grey Seer and the criminal unicorns watched from a distance. Pinkie noticed a Gutter Runner sprinting its way straight towards her, but before it could strike her, she pulled out a small cannon directly in front of her. This was her party cannon, and she uses it for various celebrations and get-togethers, but can be used as a weapon. The Gutter Runner slipped and landed inside the cannon, Pinkie aimed it up, and fires the rat towards the sky where it was seen no more. "Never leave home without it," she giggled. The battle raged on, blood sprayed and swords clashed. Twilight saw the opportunity to go after the Grey Seer as it retreated into the town hall building. Only them two were inside. "Trying to run away, vermin?" Twilight said. "Your attempts to fight back amuse me," chuckled the Grey Seer, "Your kind shall make a good-good meal for my brood." "We'll see about that," said Twilight. The two engaged in combat, two masters of magic of different sides. The bell rang again, it's chime low and booming. The Seer raced to the top of the building, and Twilight followed close behind. "I shall finish you yet, Grey Seer," Twilight called to him, "Celestia demands it!" "Can't you hear the bell singing?" the rat cackled, "The Horned Rat favors me." "The power of friendship shall NEVER be destroyed," said Twilight, "by you OR your Horned rat." "You count on your friends to fight your wars?" asked the Grey Seer, "What a joke!" "It's more powerful than you think," grinned Twilight. Through the confusion, Twilight spotted a silhouette of a serpentine creature in the distance. It seemed to look back at them, but then it disappeared. Twilight quickly saw the Seer's blade and evaded the blow. As the white rat climbed to the top, Twilight opened her wings and flapped. She flew up towards the Grey Seer as lightning struck the tower. "Are you done running?" she asked, "Ruin and madness! The world shall fall!" said the Seer, now succumbed to madness. "Try me, rat," scoffed Twilight. The Grey Seer lashed out at Twilight, and both were suspended in the air as the three unicorn thieves watched anxiously. "This looks bad," said Goldcap. "You think?" jeered Zappityhoof, "Take it easy, you two," said Decepticolt, "Let's just see where this goes." Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash saw the bell chiming. "Sheesh," she said, "Does it EVER stop?" she flew up high enough, and dove down fast. Soon, a cone of lightning was seen around her body, and upon bouncing off the ground, a growing ring of color erupted. The force of this crazy maneuver rattled the Skaven's bell, shattering it to pieces. This move was known as the Sonic Rainboom, and only Rainbow Dash could pull it off. The Grey Seer saw the rainbow ring, and realized what happened. "The bell," he cried, "It's broken!" "Yep," Twilight said, grinning, "And so are you." Before anyone else spoke, the Seer cringed. Twilight used her telekinesis to take his dagger and stab him! "Wretched... horse-thing..." the rat whispered, as he plummeted to the ground. As Twilight landed safely, everypony saw the Grey Seer's body, blood soaked and lifeless, on the grass. This frightened the three unicorn criminals; the entire Vermintide was their only plan for vengeance against their enemy, and it has failed. "RUN!" Decepticolt yelled, and all three tried to escape. But, just as they bumped through the crowd, they were stopped. Not by the guard ponies, but by what appeared to be a serpent. It had the head of a horse, and the body parts of many other animals. "No..." said the three ponies, quivering, "It can't be...!" "Discord?!" cried Twilight, "I thought I saw something out there." "Did you really think it was someone else?" Discord chuckled, "What would this city do without me?" "I imagine a lot," said Rainbow Dash, under her breath. The Draconequus looked at the three delinquent unicorns and grabbed hold of them. "Since the Canterlot guards couldn't take care of these three," he said, "Perhaps I should do it for them." With that, Discord and the three unicorns disappeared, probably to Canterlot where the three criminals would spend a good long while in the dungeons. The war has ended, and peace has returned to Equestria. With their commander destroyed and their summoners taken away, the foul Skaven were banished back into the book they spawned from. The rats who haven't returned to their world ripped one another to shreds in a bid to take their place as the new Seer. This was indeed a victory, but the survivors were too tired to celebrate. Twilight Sparkle was afraid that the three unicorn convicts would return. Did they really defeat Clan Fester, or was this time of peace all but a reprieve? Some believed that the three have actually learned something from these events and even at that very moment wait patiently for their opportunity to strike back. Whatever was to happen, Twilight was confident that she and her friends will take on their foes as one. Together, to the end.
Chapter 1Chapter 1 The Invasion on Ponyville It began as normally as you'd think; a quiet morning in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle was laying down in bed, reading her book. All seemed calm. It didn't take too long before she heard a tap on her castle window. Clink! Something must've hit the glass. Twilight ignored it. Maybe it was just some punk trying to get her attention, or something. However, just a minute later, she heard the noise again. This time, it sounded like something bigger was thrown. Thump! She didn't take any notice and continued reading, but she was starting to get a little anxious. She had this sinking feeling that if she was to open the window, whatever was out there would seize their opportunity and come straight for her. A half hour later, Twilight heard the sound again. THUMP! Tk! Tk! It was a little louder than before, and two softer thumps followed. Now, Twilight was getting more fidgety. "What is going on out there?" she wondered, "What are they doing?" It didn't take long before she heard a sound once more. Now, it was much louder, as if something larger hit the window. THUD! Thinking quickly, Twilight jumped up and zipped right towards the window, opening the curtains. Nothing. She saw no damage to the window. No marks, no stains, Nothing at all! Twilight sighed with relief. But when she turned around, she heard a different sound. Splat! This time, Twilight turned around quickly There was a little blood on the screen now, and she soon followed the splatter to the source; a rat's head. Rats are normally small, but this rat's head was almost as big as her own! "If I wanted a Nightmare Night prop for my castle," she said, "I would've gone to the shopping district." She grabbed the head with her telekinesis and tossed it away. What she saw next horrified her. A pitched battle broke out between ponies and humanoid rats bearing swords and shields! Twilight nearly screamed, and she raced towards the bedroom of Spike, her dragon assistant. "Spike, we gotta go." "What's gotten you so excited," asked Spike, groggily. "No time," Twilight answered, "They're coming." They both made it downstairs, into the main hall. The door was in sight, but in bursts two rat-men. "Going somewhere, horse-thing?" One of the rats spoke. "We will slice you up and eat-eat your carcass!" They closed in on them, but Twilight quickly disappeared! She teleported to a safe spot, somewhere between the houses. "N... No way..." Twilight gasped, "Those monsters are sentient?!" She slowly peeked out through her hiding place. She saw ponies fighting back the rat hordes. Several of them were scarred and bleeding. The rats seemed to gain the upper hand; Where one got beat, the rest of the pack countered. This was certainly NOT a normal stampede; Somepony had used magic to release these rat-men, these Skaven, onto Equestria. Twilight and Spike found an empty house and took refuge inside. After 5 notes were sent, Twilight's Friends managed to find the hiding spot. They had to think of a plan to get the word out. If those Skaven are attacking Ponyville, there's no doubt they'll go after the rest of Equestria. "I think I have idea," said Twilight, "The clock tower SHOULD have a big bell. We'll have to ring it!" The others agreed and off they went. With the right amount of force, the clock tower's bell should make a noise that could be heard all the way to Canterlot, giving everyone there and elsewhere the warning they need of the Skaven invasion. They found the tower close to Fluttershy's cottage. Thankfully, the Skaven hadn't gotten to it yet. "There it is!" Exclaimed Pinkie. "I thought the changelings were bad enough," said Twilight, "But those vermin...!" "What the sam-hill do they want from us?" Asked Applejack. "Not sure," answered Twilight, "but I'm sure Celestia and Luna will help us." "I hope so," said Rainbow Dash, "They were almost USELESS when Tirek tried to take our magic." "Celestia wanted Twilight to do this on her own," said Fluttershy, "It was HER task, not theirs." Rainbow Dash just laughed. "That's a WONDERFUL excuse for inaction if I ever heard one!" "Oh, don't be so rude, Rainbow," Rarity said, "But... Maybe they SHOULD do something by themselves for a change." They soon got to the top of the tower, where the bell was tied. Twilight struck the bell with full force, and it rang loudly, exactly what they wanted. As they climbed down, the Skaven started to attack. Several minutes of the fight ensued before the ponies found a chance to escape. They quickly got out unscathed, but on their way to their base, they saw a group of Skaven. This army seemed to be wearing armor, and holding spears. "Let's not get too close," warned Twilight, "I've already been told about the Stormvermin. They fight unfairly, and we're outnumbered against them." To their relief, none of the Stormvermin payed any attention to them. They just kept on patrol as they normally would. They reached their war-base safely, and looked out to see what's happened. "Mission accomplished," Twilight said, "We'll give it a while, and then we'll go and see if the Princesses are okay."
Chapter 2Chapter 2 The Big Food Trade Several miles outside of Ponyville, There was a wagon set to deliver supplies. Food was almost scarce when the Skaven attacked, as they devoured most of the wheat and chaff. Leave it to Lyra, Bon Bon, and Derpy to handle this one. If they couldn't help deliver the food, there probably won't be much left of Ponyville. "Stay close," Bon Bon advised her friends, "There are rat men everywhere." They kept low to the ground, aware that the Skaven are not far behind. The countryside was quiet; all they heard was the soft wind blowing, and every once and a while, the chirping of birds. The three spotted the wagon parked close. They rushed over to it, and were a little surprised at who they saw. "Vinyl? Octavia?" Lyra said, awestruck. Vinyl Scratch was the silent DJ of Equestria. She was well known for her form of music, which was dubstep. It was all wubs and noises, for the most part. As for Octavia, she was the cellist. Despite what many are led to believe, Both ponies actually tend to get along with each other just fine. They stood on the wagon, smiling at the three food delivery ponies. "Finally," sighed Bon Bon, "a familiar face!" "What are you doing with the cart?" asked Derpy, "It's probably best that you didn't ask," said Lyra. "We spotted some houses just a couple of miles from here," said Octavia, "There's a chance there's some food inside. Should you find it, bring it over here. We'll handle the rest." The mute DJ just relaxed herself, lying down with her headphones on. What she was listening to was anyone's guess, really. "Keep calm and be careful," advised the cellist earth pony, "Those Stormvermin will be after your heads if they catch sight of you three." "Right," said Lyra, "Soft and quick as shadows we must be." "Just hope there's at least SOMETHING edible down that way," chuckled Octavia. They searched the houses, and found a few sacks. This was the easy part, the trick was to get there without being caught. "So, how are we gonna deal with these rat-men?" Asked Lyra, "They're not like changelings or diamond dogs." Bon Bon just smirked. "I was a member of an anti-monster agency, remember?" She reminded her, "I can handle those creatures in a day." They kept searching. In the end, they came out with 4 sacks of chaff. That was just one house they searched, and they had a few more left. They managed to find food in each house. Whoever lived in them must've been in a hurry and forgot to pack up. After some time, there was one house left. All seemed normal. No Skaven has invaded the house yet. It didn't take long before Lyra's nose caught a smell. It was a rather sour smell, a bit eye-watering for Lyra. "Eugh, did something die in here?!" she said. As for Derpy, all she did was give off a nervous giggle. "That was me," she confessed, "Sorry." Bon Bon just shook her head. "It's official," she told herself, "This feels just like handling children." The houses before had 4 to 3 sacks, in THIS house, they felt like they hit the jackpot; SIX sacks of wheat! But before they could even touch the bags, they heard someone, or something, banging on the door. "Gah! Hide," exclaimed Bon Bon. The door swung open quickly, and in crept a Stormvermin soldier. It surveyed the area with it's piercing, blood red eyes. "Get the sacks," whispered Lyra, "Quickly." they crept towards the food sacks, picked them up(in their own ways), and slowly snuck past. But before they could escape, a fly flew up Lyra's nostril! "Oh, Celestia," Lyra thought to herself, "Please no..." the irritation was too strong, and she forced out a sneeze. "ACHOO!" THAT got the rat's attention. "Die, horse things, Die!" it screamed, and charged straight towards them. The three ponies dodged it's attack, and Lyra retreated back into the house; she must've had some sort of wacky idea. There was a portrait on the wall, above the mantel. She figured that if she was to do as she had seen in cartoons and threw the picture at the Skaven's head, it would give them enough time to book it. Lyra used her telekinesis magic on the portrait and quickly tossed it at the Stormvermin. No good; it saw the flying painting and roundhouse kicked it straight at Lyra, who didn't have much time before it hit her. Her head penetrated the portrait, and popped straight out of the paper, making it look as though SHE was in the picture. Fortunately, Bon Bon got the opportunity to buck the Stormvermin out of the way to help her friend out. "Lyra!" she cried, "Are you okay? Please tell me you'll make it!" Lyra opened her eyes slowly, and what came out her mouth left her friend shocked. "Hi, mommy! Play patty-cake?" After a few seconds, Bon Bon shook her head and chuckled. "Yeah, you're gonna be fine," she smiled. The three quickly managed to get the food to the cart, but before they could chuck the sacks in, the Stormvermin came in for the kill. The rest of the Skaven saw what was going on and joined the armored rat. Octavia cheered the three ponies on, encouraging them to keep fighting. Vinyl watched the battle with interest, and her music fueled her excitement; it was pretty much all she heard during the blood shed. Derpy quickly saw the sacks and tossed them into the wagon. "Okay," she called, "That should be all of them!" Lyra looked at her hoof, which seemed to have touched a blood puddle. "What's this red stuff?" She asked, in her child speak. "It's blood," said Bon Bon, "Oh... Come on!" she helped Lyra pull her portrait off, and they got into the wagon. Safe at last! "We made it," sighed Bon Bon, trying to catch her breath. As the cart rolled on, they saw the Stormvermin show off a cutthroat gesture. Clearly, the Skaven are persistent. "This should be enough food to last us at least 5 months," said Octavia. there were 21 sacks of chaff and wheat in the wagon, ready for transport. "Diapers stink!" laughed Lyra, still dazed and confused from the impact of the portrait. "Yeah," agreed Derpy, "diapers DO stink." "I say, is Lyra going to be okay?" asked a concerned Octavia. "Yeah," assured Bon Bon, "She just hit her head. Really hard." So, that was the only bad thing in the otherwise perfect scheme; Lyra's portrait attack backfired on her. Lyra, Bon Bon, Derpy, and the two musicians have done their part now. Hopefully, everypony will not be using the grain and chaff too quickly.
Chapter 3Chapter 3 Battle Engines At midnight, in Twilight's base, Pinkie woke up startled. She felt as though something was amiss, and the Skaven were after something else. A few seconds of thinking later, she soon came to a conclusion. "Oh my gosh, my family's in danger!" she said. Everyone quickly got up and followed Pinkie outside, knowing that the Skaven are twice as keen at night as they are in the day. The train station still seems to operate just fine while the Skaven are still roaming, believe it or not. They managed to reach Pinkie's old home safely. "Oh good," Twilight sighed, "If your house isn't damaged, Pinkie, then I'm sure your family's safe too." Now, the Pie Family's home is a rock farm residing several miles from Ponyville. Most of the work consists of rock harvesting and mining. Some of the rocks they harvested were sold as pets or construction material. To everyone's relief, the house was still standing. Of course, Pinkie's prediction was mostly right; the Skaven were up to something! They were constructing war machines in the quarry. Those cursed contraptions can cause MAJOR destruction once they roll out. They had to destroy them before they're finished, but they still had to figure out how. They found Pinkie's parents, Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz, inside the house. "Are you two okay?" Asked Twilight, "Of course," replied Igneous, "Tis an honor to meet a princess like thou." Twilight's cheeks turned red as she smiled. Such a gentleman! "Any friend of our daughter is a friend of the family," said Quartz. "Are Pinkie's sisters safe?" asked Twilight. "They should be unharmed," ensured Igneous, "We just hope those vile beasts hath not got to them first." They found one of Pinkie's sisters, Limestone Pie, outside the house protecting a large egg-shaped stone. This was Holder's Boulder, and it brought the family good luck ever since it was gifted to them by their ancestor, Holder Cobblestone. "You okay, Limey?" asked Pinkie. "Don't worry, I'll be fine," said Limestone, "You might wanna find Marble before those rat creeps do." Suddenly, a massive beast ran straight towards them. It was a Rat Ogre, the Skaven's best unit for brute force and strength. They are not truly Skaven, but Rat Ogres are quite dangerous nonetheless. "Go, hurry!" Limestone called, "I've got this one." The monster ran straight towards the boulder, in hopes to knock it over, but Limestone wasn't having it. Timing it precisely, she charged straight towards the Rat Ogre, tripped it, and it fell off over the cliff. It fell for three seconds before landing on a sharp rock. Limestone looked down and saw the Rat Ogre, which laid there, bleeding to death. "NO one touches Holder's Boulder," Limestone smirked. Twilight's group reached the Skaven's encampment where the doomwheels were seen. And what luck; there was Marble Pie trying to escape the Clanrats. "They're after her!" cried Applejack. "Let's do some rat-catching," smirked Rainbow Dash, as she raced on ahead. The rest followed her, and they fought back against the Skaven protecting Marble. Magic missiles sparked and blood sprayed, until there was only one Skaven left. the ponies looked at the rat, and the lone Skaven looked at the ponies. It's eyes shifted left and right, and then it ran away. "That coward," Twilight said to herself, "Clanrats only fight in groups. A skaven by itself is too afraid to pick a fight with anyone!" Pinkie quickly hugged her younger sister. "Marble, are you alright?" she asked. Marble nodded; she was fine. Rainbow Dash spotted barrels containing explosives. "Look, over there!" she called out, "Those barrels should take care of the machines." "We'll use those black powder barrels on the wheels," Twilight told Marble, "You just try and make it back to the house, understood?" "Mmhmm," was all Marble could reply with, and off she ran quickly. Twilight and the others picked up the barrels, and tossed them onto the doomwheels. They escaped into the crystal mine just as the bombs went off. With Limestone and Marble safe, there was only one Pie Sister left. They explored the caves, the illuminating crystals guiding them. Deeper down they crept, until they reached the belly. No one was inside! Maybe Maud managed to escape before the rats got to her. Soon enough, they heard the Skaven's battle horn. "The pack's coming!" Twilight warned the others. In the rats came, charging straight for them swords raised. The six manage to strike them off as best they could, but more rat men came. Soon, they were surrounded. Before the Skaven could deliver a blow, another pony entered the cave and fought them with ferocious speed. Quick jabs and kicks sent the rats flying! This pony was much too quick for the Skaven to counter, and they legged it. As the Mane Six waited for their eyes to focus, they soon got a glimpse of the pony who saved them; it was Maud. "We better get out of here," she told them, in her nonchalant, deadpan tone, "They might come back." "I said it once, I'll say it again," Twilight told herself, "Pinkie Pie has a weird sister." They walked out of the caverns, and while the rat men still attacked, their war machines were no more. "How did you know where we were?" Asked Pinkie. "Boulder told me," answered Maud. Upon entering the house, Igneous and Cloudy were waiting for them. "Good," said Igneous, smiling, "all of our daughters are safe. We thank thou for helping them." "You're welcome," said Twilight, "Do you think you can handle these rats?" "There won't be as much as before with those machines out of the picture," said Limestone, "And I'm pretty sure they won't be touching our boulders any time soon." And so, the Mane Six bid them good luck, and went back on the train. Not to Ponyville, but Canterlot. The sun was already rising, and Twilight still had to make sure the princesses were still alive.
Chapter 4Chapter 4 Shadows in the Dark There was a reason why Canterlot survived the Skaven invasion without a scratch; Grey magic. There was a charm in the castle that shielded it from Skaven attack. The magic is strangely weak now, but there's still a change to strengthen the grey spell and maybe even get some answers on how the Skaven came in the first place. Twilight and her friends entered the castle with keen eyes. There were still aware that SOME of the Skaven had slunk their way into some of the chambers. "We'll have to split up," Twilight suggested, "I'll check the throne room. You girls take a look in the other rooms." They dispersed, and the search began. Applejack looked in the bedrooms. Not much was inside, but a simple hair brush in one of the rooms. Fluttershy checked the gardens. The animals were still a little nervous at the sight of her, but she felt shame to herself on looking at them. Both could very well remember what happened in the Grand Galloping Gala. Rainbow Dash searched the observatory. There was a little bit of blood on one of the telescopes. Has there been a Skaven attack in here? Rarity looked in the library. She found an open book lying on the floor and went over for a closer look. "I wonder if THIS was what summoned the Skaven here," she thought to herself. Pinkie Pie looked into the ball room. It was rather quiet and dark. Of course, all she could find was a cake. She couldn't resist the temptation and chowed down on it. In the throne room, Twilight looked at the stained glass windows as she walked down the hall. Each panel represented a moment in history when she and her friends have conquered evil. One showed them using the Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon, another pictured Twilight's coronation into the princess she was now. When she reached the end of the hall, she saw no one there! "They escaped," she thought to herself, "What a relief." Twilight looked around the empty room. She was all by herself in this quiet, cold chamber. No pony was there, and not a single sound was heard. "Alright," Twilight called out, "I've come all this way for the truth. So I want to know, right now, what's going on." Then, suddenly, Twilight heard a voice calling back to her saying one word; "JUSTICE." Twilight turned fast, and from behind, she saw three silhouettes. They soon came closer to her, one step after another, until they came into full view. Twilight knew them straight away. Three unicorns; Two were mares, and one was a stallion. There names were Goldcap, Zappityhoof, and Decepticolt. "So," Twilight said, "We meet again." "And what perfect timing too," replied Decepticolt, "It's been a while, hasn't it?" "Sucks that we had to interrupt your alone time, Princess," smirked Zappityhoof, "But do you remember us?" Twilight thought hard. She knew them from SOMEWHERE, but she wasn't sure. Then, a picture of Rainbow Dash's wings came into her mind. So, THAT was it! Now she knew. "Well?" Decepticolt asked, "Do you?" "...Yes," Twilight answered, "I remember you three." "We thought so," Zappityhoof chuckled, "We're the ponies you zapped on the butts." "Just so you know," Goldcap added, "The four of us here have unfinished business." "I... DID zap you, didn't I?" Twilight giggled, sheepishly. "Oh, don't be so stupid, you snobby Alicorn overlord!" said Decepticolt, in a sly tone, "You obviously have wings, like WE should've had." Twilight started looking cross. "Of course," she said, "THAT must be why you tried to steal my friend's wings to begin with." "We don't care about what you think we did," snapped Zappityhoof, "We deserved our wings! And you took our opportunity away from us." Twilight kept silent. This time, she thinks there's a connection between them and the Skaven. "That's exactly why all this bloodshed is happening, Twilight," said Decepticolt, "We want REVENGE." At that moment, it dawned on her; these three convict unicorns had unleashed the Skaven onto Equestria! "You've done this..." Twilight said, "All the Skaven, the rats... It was all you!" "Congratulations," Zappityhoof joked, "You're twice as smart as we thought you were." "You wanted to take me and the princesses," Twilight continued, "So you can dominate Equestria!" "You brought it on yourself," cackled Goldcap. "You all deserve imprisonment in Tartarus for this!" Twilight said, angrily. "We'll drag you down there ourselves kicking and screaming," grinned Decepticolt, "if we have to." A Skaven war horn! the pack was coming! Soon, Twilight could see rat men bursting through the doors. Twilight quickly flew up and escaped the first charge, landing right behind the army. She blasted her magic missiles at the rate of a machine gun, clearing out most of the Skaven. Soon, it was just Twilight and the criminals. The three started their attack first, Twilight dodged. When Twilight attacked, the three unicorns dodged. "Give it up, you overpowered princess!" laughed Decepticolt, "We'll win one way or another!" Twilight just stood her ground, not moving. "Don't be so sure," she said, softly, as her horn started to glow brightly, "I told you before, but I'll remind you once more; I made friends, learned well, and studied hard. THAT was how I earned my wings." As she spoke, her horn glowed at it's brightest. At that moment, the three criminals had no chance of escape. "And all you did," she ended, with her magic at full power, "was misuse your magic for your own gain." Then, she leaned her head back and suddenly cocked it down as her horn released a massive, awesome blast of magic directly at the shrieking unicorns, sending them flying. As her horn cooled down, Twilight walked slowly towards the three bodies. To her relief, all three were okay. "Sweet mother of Celestia," she thought to herself, "That could've killed them!" When the unicorns came to, Twilight spoke to them. "Tell me," she said, softly yet firm, "You brought the Skaven here. Perhaps you could send them back?" "What good can we do about this?" smirked Decepticolt, coughing, "We just opened the book. The leader of this operation is OBVIOUSLY the Skaven Grey Seer." "Where is he now?" Twilight asked. "As far as we know," answered Zappityhoof, "He could've very well made his home in Ponyville Town Hall." "You're gonna have to fight him near his lair," added Goldcap, "He's like the mad genius of the Skaven, and he doesn't voluntarily put himself at risk." "Thank you," Twilight said, and she walked off. As she walked away, The three started to get up. "This... isn't over..." said Decepticolt. Clearly, they STILL haven't changed. They started to blast their magic in the direction of the princess! Poomf! To their disappointment, nothing happened. Once again, Twilight temporarily disabled them from using magic. "Oh, not again..." Decepticolt sighed. The other two just groaned. Twilight has won again. And this time, the three delinquents have the royal Canterlot Guard to deal with, should they ever find them.
Chapter 5Chapter 5 Path of the Smuggler Ponyville managed to hire a band of smugglers, which consists of most of Equestria's sentient inhabitants, to deliver supplies. They gathered food, gunpowder, medicine, all of the essentials. Their plan was to deliver the necessities by taking a route straight through the sewers; there's more Skaven ABOVE ground than there is below at this very moment, believe it or not. Two unicorns volunteered to help clear a path for them. One was an azure colored unicorn named Trixie Lulamoon, the other was Twilight's student, Starlight Glimmer. Both were once enemies of Twilight, but now they have become friends. Trixie and Starlight walked down the sewers, aware of whatever lives in the water. "So, all of the sudden we're the doorponies of the sewers?" Trixie said, "I think I like the rock farm better." "It could be worse," ensured Starlight, trying to comfort her. Through tunnels and corridors, they walked. The air was ripe, and the muddy water felt cool on their hooves, but they kept going. There were Skaven, but not as much as there is above the sewers. "This is just dreadful..." Trixie groaned. "Oh please!" said Starlight, "I've trenched through MUCH messier places than this." "It's not the muck I'm upset over," said Trixie, "It's the smell." "Why did you think it's called a sewer?" chuckled Starlight. Trixie didn't find the joke funny at all. Soon, they came to a closed sluice. The winch in the middle of the corridor controls the floodgate. If the wheel was turned, maybe they can open it and continue on. "Let me get that," said Starlight, and she struck the rope turning the wheel. They soon spotted a Skaven, but this one was a different one; it had a gas-mask and was carrying globes full of poison. This was a poison wind globadier Skaven, and this was not what either ponies wanted to see. Upon seeing them, the Globadier tossed its bombs at the ponies. Trixie and Starlight managed to dodge the bomb at the moment it hit the ground. This kept going for a while until the gate finally opened. the two unicorns managed to escape! They kept going, through the stink and filth. There were a little shaken from the Globadier attack, but were still kicking strong. "Do you think those smugglers will make it through it alright after we clear them a path?" Asked Trixie. "I bet they will," Starlight answered, "The griffons have a keen eyesight, and the yaks are pretty tough." "Then," asked Trixie, confused, "Why don't the smugglers do this themselves?" 'Because the Skaven might pick them off under their noses," answered Starlight, "Those rats are sneaky like that." They continued on, deeper into the sewers. There were some corpses in the water, and both unicorns hoped that their bodies won't be the latest for the pile. "What's the purpose for these rats to kill us like this?" Trixie wondered. "Must be for food," said Starlight, "They have quite an... unusual taste." "If they were ponies," said Trixie, "you could just give them equal sign cutie marks and make them all equal. Problem solved!" Starlight just whined. She didn't like to be reminded of the Equal Town incident, and CERTAINLY not when she stole and rigged Starswirl the Bearded's time spell. They reached the second floodgate. Just as before, it has a wheel to turn. Starlight was looking a bit nervous. "I hope Twilight's okay," she said. "Trixie thinks you worry about her too much," said Trixie, in her third person speak, "But she hopes so too." They hit the winch, and the wheel turned. There was the Globadier again, still wanting their heads! This time, the two ponies tried to fight back by casting their magic at the Skaven. It still tossed its grenades at them, and they kept escaping and shooting. Soon, the gate opened, and they can escape! "Come on," said Trixie, "We better get moving before that gas-rat poisons us!" They made it through safely. Both ponies stopped to catch their breath, and the looked back. "I'm taking a good long bath once we get to the surface," sighed Trixie, "We BOTH are." "If you say so, Trixie," said Starlight. Sure enough, they found a manhole. They climbed up and reached the street. "Gee," Starlight thought, "There hasn't been this much destruction here since that Ursa Minor attack!" "Ugh, PLEASE don't remind the Great and Powerful Trixie," Trixie groaned. Starlight smiled and giggled. She got her back this time. They spotted the smugglers waiting for them. "The sewers are cleared up," said Starlight, "You should be able to deliver the supplies safely." The smugglers thanked them and they went on ahead down their path. The smugglers suffered no casualties during their exodus, and the supplies got safely through. Mission accomplished!
Chapter 6Chapter 6 Blood Rainbow It's been some time since the Skaven had taken control of Rainbow Falls village, and it was high time SOMEONE made it clear that they have worn out their welcome. Half of the rat-men have taken hold of the trading district, the other half took the Equestria Games training courses. Twilight was curious as to where both Celestia and Luna had gone. This was what they were doing; to take back Rainbow Falls and drive the rat men out. Celestia is but a kind and gentle Alicorn princess, but these Skaven were killing the ponies of her world, and both she and her sister had to help put an end to their conquest. The village was quiet. It's rainbow waterfalls still flowed freely, but most of the surviving residents had already evacuated. "I don't like the looks of this," said Luna, "It stinks of rat around here." Celestia looked rather saddened by the depressing sight. "This was once a peaceful village," she said softly, "And now the Skaven have taken hold." "I promise," encouraged Luna, "that we'll make those monsters bleed for this." They decided to split up. Celestia went to the trader's district, and Luna checked the tryouts. The Skaven had dug tunnels in the traders area, and through this, they could travel to any area quickly. Celestia had to think of some way to block the tunnel. Soon enough, she found a few barrels of gunpowder, one of which had a fuse. "Excellent," she thought, "This should blow the Skaven out of their holes." She placed each of the barrels at the entrance of the tunnel, saving the fused bomb for last. It didn't take long for the Skaven to see what she was doing though, and began to attack. Big mistake; While there were still MANY of the Skaven, Celestia was still a powerful deity. She pushed back the rat-men, but they still kept coming! Blood splattered, limbs flew, and heads rolled. Only one skaven remained in the end. It quivered and made it's escape; the milksop rat knew it was dealing with a creature TWICE as tough as only one rat-man was in both physical strength and magic. Celestia turned towards the bomb barrels. "Now, to take care of the rest of them down there," she told herself. A beam of sunlight erupted from her horn, lighting the fuse. As expected, the bombs exploded and the tunnel collapsed. "May these beasts never plague this town again," Celestia announced. A few short seconds later though, she said in a more giddier tone, "I always wanted to do that!" Meanwhile, Luna surveyed the tryout field. She saw poles holding hoops for Pegasi to fly through. "They've been up there for a while," she told herself, "How long has it been since that LAST tournament?" Then, she heard the sound of six gun barrels rotating. Looking behind her, she spotted a Skaven holding a minigun. A Ratling Gunner was aiming straight for her flank! "...You've got to be kidding me," said Luna, unimpressed. The barrels spun faster, and Luna thought this was a good chance to dodge its bullets. As it fired, Luna flew up and evaded the attack, performing a loop-de-loop in the process. The Ratling Gunner just so happened to be standing under a flagpole. This gave Luna an idea. "I wonder if he's fond of having a pole on top of his head," she thought. With one quick shot of black lightning, she toppled the flag over, hitting the Gunner rat on its head. The rat was dizzy, and as it regained it's consciousness, Luna came in for the attack. A horn slash, a kick, and a blow to the head, left the Gunner weakened. It bled, but still stood. As it charged, Luna just lowered her horn. This was obviously a dumb move on the rat's part as it moved too quick, resulting in one skewered rodent on a horn. Luna pushed the dead Gunner away and wiped the blood off her horn. Exhausted from the close encounter, all she could say was, "...Gatorade me, bro." As the Alicorn sisters took their leave, they suddenly heard a Skaven war cry. They weren't done yet. The rats swarmed, but the Princesses fought hard. Skavenslaves and Clanrats kept coming, and the Alicorns' magic kept firing. A Packmaster Skaven got a hold of Luna, but her sister quickly saved her. "Thank you," said Luna, in a fit of coughs, "That hook-rat almost choked me!" The battle continued until the Skaven were weakened. The Princesses were too tired now to fight, and the Skaven still surrounded them. But, before they could finish the job, a quick bolt blasted the Skaven off the cliffside. Where did THAT come from? They soon found out; a THIRD Alicorn came and helped them out at the last moment. "Admirable timing, Cadance," smiled Celestia. "What are we waiting for?" Cadance called out, "This place is cleared out, but the Skaven are restless! They'll be taking over the rest of Equestria if we don't stop them." Off they went to the rest of Equestria's cities. Celestia fought the Skaven in Manehatten, Luna helped push back the Gutter Runner Skaven in Griffonstone, and Cadance returned to help her husband, Shining Armor, defend the Crystal Empire from the Stormvermin armies. It all came down to one final test, a last moment. The Skaven were getting more fierce, and only one can turn the tide of the battle. All life within Equestria shall hinge upon everything that came before it. But then, shall it be the day of the plague before the pony's empire collapses? The White Rat watched the land, confusing the Princesses' courage for simple audacity. In the end, the only way to save Equestria is to pray for the implausible to become a reality; for hope to spark the fires of freedom.
Chapter 7Chapter 7 The Rat and the Bell Dark clouds hovered over Ponyville Town Hall. Thunder rumbled in the distance as rain droplets fell. Above the building, the Grey Seer eyed all of the scenery with satisfaction. He knew his army was soon to conquer Equestria. Little did he suspect that six small ponies would come and finish his little charade. Twilight and her friends walked towards the town hall. They found Ponyville's mayor trapped in a cage. They were relieved the Skaven hadn't done anything to her yet, but the cage itself still skeeved them out. "No more tricks!" Twilight called out to the white rat, "We figured everything out, do you hear? Let's finish this once and for all!" The Seer greeted them in a cold, terrifying tone. "At last, an audience for my bell." he saw Twilight standing there and seemed rather tickled at the sight. "What a surprise-shock," he said, "We thought there were THREE princesses in Equestria, but I guess we were wrong." "There are four now," said Twilight. "No matter," said the Seer, "I already gave this realm to the Horned Rat. The rest shall follow soon-quick." Rainbow Dash suddenly noticed three unicorns stand by the rat's side; it was the three unicorn perps who stole her wings! "What are THEY doing here?" she growled. "You three just don't give up, do you?" Twilight asked them, Decepticolt, Zappityhoof, and Goldcap looked down upon the mane six evilly. "For what you've done to us," started Decepticolt, "You shall die like the lowlives you are." "The Skaven will NEVER go easy on you," continued Zappityhoof, "They shall punish all who oppose them." "Your skin charred, your fats rendered," said Goldcap, "Your world destroyed." "Once we win," finished Decepticolt, "We shall feed your corpses..." "...TO THE GRAVES!" All three cackled. "This is only the start-start of our conquest," grinned the rat, "My vermin-horde shall take care of you. Soon, we shall dominate your pathetic land!" All of the towns-ponies gathered close towards the six heroines as the Skaven came in for the kill. Soon, the Seer's great bell rang at the velocity of an earthquake. This was the rat's signal for the attack. Two mammals clashed, Pony vs. Rat. The Grey Seer and the criminal unicorns watched from a distance. Pinkie noticed a Gutter Runner sprinting its way straight towards her, but before it could strike her, she pulled out a small cannon directly in front of her. This was her party cannon, and she uses it for various celebrations and get-togethers, but can be used as a weapon. The Gutter Runner slipped and landed inside the cannon, Pinkie aimed it up, and fires the rat towards the sky where it was seen no more. "Never leave home without it," she giggled. The battle raged on, blood sprayed and swords clashed. Twilight saw the opportunity to go after the Grey Seer as it retreated into the town hall building. Only them two were inside. "Trying to run away, vermin?" Twilight said. "Your attempts to fight back amuse me," chuckled the Grey Seer, "Your kind shall make a good-good meal for my brood." "We'll see about that," said Twilight. The two engaged in combat, two masters of magic of different sides. The bell rang again, it's chime low and booming. The Seer raced to the top of the building, and Twilight followed close behind. "I shall finish you yet, Grey Seer," Twilight called to him, "Celestia demands it!" "Can't you hear the bell singing?" the rat cackled, "The Horned Rat favors me." "The power of friendship shall NEVER be destroyed," said Twilight, "by you OR your Horned rat." "You count on your friends to fight your wars?" asked the Grey Seer, "What a joke!" "It's more powerful than you think," grinned Twilight. Through the confusion, Twilight spotted a silhouette of a serpentine creature in the distance. It seemed to look back at them, but then it disappeared. Twilight quickly saw the Seer's blade and evaded the blow. As the white rat climbed to the top, Twilight opened her wings and flapped. She flew up towards the Grey Seer as lightning struck the tower. "Are you done running?" she asked, "Ruin and madness! The world shall fall!" said the Seer, now succumbed to madness. "Try me, rat," scoffed Twilight. The Grey Seer lashed out at Twilight, and both were suspended in the air as the three unicorn thieves watched anxiously. "This looks bad," said Goldcap. "You think?" jeered Zappityhoof, "Take it easy, you two," said Decepticolt, "Let's just see where this goes." Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash saw the bell chiming. "Sheesh," she said, "Does it EVER stop?" she flew up high enough, and dove down fast. Soon, a cone of lightning was seen around her body, and upon bouncing off the ground, a growing ring of color erupted. The force of this crazy maneuver rattled the Skaven's bell, shattering it to pieces. This move was known as the Sonic Rainboom, and only Rainbow Dash could pull it off. The Grey Seer saw the rainbow ring, and realized what happened. "The bell," he cried, "It's broken!" "Yep," Twilight said, grinning, "And so are you." Before anyone else spoke, the Seer cringed. Twilight used her telekinesis to take his dagger and stab him! "Wretched... horse-thing..." the rat whispered, as he plummeted to the ground. As Twilight landed safely, everypony saw the Grey Seer's body, blood soaked and lifeless, on the grass. This frightened the three unicorn criminals; the entire Vermintide was their only plan for vengeance against their enemy, and it has failed. "RUN!" Decepticolt yelled, and all three tried to escape. But, just as they bumped through the crowd, they were stopped. Not by the guard ponies, but by what appeared to be a serpent. It had the head of a horse, and the body parts of many other animals. "No..." said the three ponies, quivering, "It can't be...!" "Discord?!" cried Twilight, "I thought I saw something out there." "Did you really think it was someone else?" Discord chuckled, "What would this city do without me?" "I imagine a lot," said Rainbow Dash, under her breath. The Draconequus looked at the three delinquent unicorns and grabbed hold of them. "Since the Canterlot guards couldn't take care of these three," he said, "Perhaps I should do it for them." With that, Discord and the three unicorns disappeared, probably to Canterlot where the three criminals would spend a good long while in the dungeons. The war has ended, and peace has returned to Equestria. With their commander destroyed and their summoners taken away, the foul Skaven were banished back into the book they spawned from. The rats who haven't returned to their world ripped one another to shreds in a bid to take their place as the new Seer. This was indeed a victory, but the survivors were too tired to celebrate. Twilight Sparkle was afraid that the three unicorn convicts would return. Did they really defeat Clan Fester, or was this time of peace all but a reprieve? Some believed that the three have actually learned something from these events and even at that very moment wait patiently for their opportunity to strike back. Whatever was to happen, Twilight was confident that she and her friends will take on their foes as one. Together, to the end.
