Bellum tyranni sol et luna Benedictus

By ChAoS pOnY

Filii Ludere

"Yes, but look at Nightmare Moon's stats, Bellum magistra or War Mistress of Imperial Equestria for millenniums. She has lead armies in almost every major war in the last 50,000 years and Celestia is better suited to the day to day running of a nation than waging war." Apple Bytes argued with Button Mash as both classes had their lunch together for once. Something about an announcement involving all three classes be at school together instead of the two older classes alternating day. The youngest class would be brought over in the afternoon by Button's mom, Love Taps, who taught them in her foal-starter classes or would round them up from verious private tutors, nannies, apprentiships, and home schooling. "Right Screwball?" she asked turning to her best friend, only to find her wearing button's propeller beanie and looking cross eyed at a Butterfly on her nose and her sister sitting beside her face palming in embarrassment while the others sitting with them giggled.

"But Celestia has territory, resources, and troops as well as Prince Shining Armor and Prince Blueblood to lead her armies, Princess Cadence to handel the morale, Prime Minister Fancy Pants to handle the actual inner workings of the of the governmet, and who ever these mysterious ladies in waiting are suppose to be desindened from Equestrias greatest heroes. They problely been raised in a secret fortress by ninja's and training to be superheroes like the Power Ponies just in case Nightmare Moon returned." Button persisted.

"Well ah know my big sister Applejack had tah go up there cuffed ta Pinkie Pie with tha Princess and their friends. Maybe when they all get back they'll tell us about seeing these suparheroes or somethang." Apple Bloom said between bites of cookie that she had traded Sweetie Belle for.

"Well it's not like their anyone we'd... I mean it is not likely anybody we would know." Sweetie Belle said, correcting herself so she would sound proper like her sister Rarity, before eating her slice of apple pie.

"Yes, but there are still riots going on in Manehattan, Los Pegasus, and Cloudsdale just to name a few and Stalliongrad, Prance, Fillydelphia, and Shetland are in full rebellion. Then there is word of the Changeling Queen herself coming out of hiding and attacking Neigh Orleans when Princess Cadence and Prince Shinning Armor were visiting during the Summer Sun Celebration." Apple Bytes said, trying to get back to the aurgument. "In a straight up fight Princess Celestia would wipe the floor with Nightmare Moon, but with everything else going on she has to divide up her forces and spread them out to deal with so many problems at once, while Nightmare Moon just has to concentrat her forces before she starts attacking key supply lines and disrupting troop movements the way I always beat you when we play strategy games."

"Also the Princes and Princesses can't just fort up and wait for the big atacks or they will lose to much territory and resources they will need to deal with all these riots, rebellion, and anarchy. Having the greatest army on Equus is useless if your troops don't have food, which requiers land to grow it on, weapons and armor, which requiers land for mining the metal needed and facilities to process raw ore into useable metal and then into the weapons and armor. Then you need more people to farm, mine, and build the weapons, armor, and the facilities to begin with, meaning you need more land to feed them. That doesn't even touch on land for housing, fallow fields for crop rotation, water resivorars, train tracks, roads, hospitals for the sick and injured, and schools because even farming requiers math, biology, chemistry, and reading, if only to know which bottle is plant food and which bottle is weed killer or to read an order form, bank loan agreement, or the weather report from the weather patrol in order to plan your crops accordingly or to request special attention for certain crops that need more water, sunlight, or shade clouds to grow properly. All of which requier more people, time, land, and energy." Silver Spooon explained. "Sweet Apple Acres, Carrot Hill Farms, Golden Oats Feilds, Berry Family Vineyards, Pie Family Rock Farm, Sterling Minerals Mining Co., Iron Hoof Forges, Black Iron Smithing Unlimited, Iron Will Founderies, Alloy Family Inc. and Rich Family Management and Holdings would go to the top tier of the list of importance off the top of my head for just those within 100 miles of here and somewhat simplified. This does not count the crafts men and artisans in Canterlot that are too small scale and resticted by physical size limitations, the Diamon Dog community outside of town since they are to intermitant in their tradings and internal pack politics so chaotic that their currently controlled by the three dumbest members for fear of an actual competant leader bring the guard down on them, and small single family farms that are collectively under the Rich Family Management and Holdings banner. And no, I am not counting Dodge Junction, the Pie Family Rock Farms are just barely in the 100 mile range and Dodge Junction is over 125 miles away. After that it breaks down into a bunch of small interconnected businesses on the next tier, that often take the first tiers products and refine, craft, and create with them, this inclueds the Cake Family, Cookie Crumble, the Sweet family, any construction crew, etc. The Rich Family also is heavily involved on this tier through investments, loans, and management. In fact let's just say Diamond Tiara's family is it's own tier since their very good at bridging all tiers since even all government employee's in town get their checks through their bank and they are also the largest realtors in town, so they touch everyone in town's life and have influence in Canterlot and as far away as Neighpon and Chineigh." Looking around she noticed everyone just staring at her. "What? Dad read me Red Sun's Art of War when I was a baby, taught me chess before I was potty trained, has played every strategy game out there with me since I was 3, stayed home from work and read me At-a-boy Shrugged by Fan Ran when I got the chicken pox and the pony pox a week later, and reads me both economic theory and military strategy when he tucks me in at night so I can run the family business someday. Both economics and military strategy share a lot of things in common by the way."

"Okay, so Alliance or Horde in Horsecraft?" Button asked.

"Neither, I prefer the Minotaur in War-horse 40k since their the smallest faction with the biggest potental for growth if you manage them right and dump everything you can into research and development into their steam engines and clockworks. I've conquered Equestria twice that way, but prefer to play more historically by allying myself with equestria instead through military, politics and socio-economics treaties against the griffons, diamond dogs, deer, and dragons."

"Diamond Dogs are better when it comes to steam engines,due to their deep coal and metal resources." Snails said, getting a surprised look from everyone.

"Only if you don't mind loosing half your population due to toxic waste, unsafe working conditions, and tunnel collapses from over pressurized steam engines exploding."

"At the time the Diamond Dogs were extremely over populated, so the war was a win/win for them. Either they captured new territory rights to expand underground, leaving the suffice to the ponies, or suffer massive casualties and reduce their population to a level where the strictly Alpha Dogs controlled population birthrate measures would actually have a chance to work towards something sustainable. That's why they surrendered at the 3rd battle of Deep Howl with only a single token arrow fired with the terms of their surrender attach to it even though they had King Brahman out numbered a thousand to one and completely surrounded. Plus historical documentation shows that they had 6 of those steam engine bombs under Fort Canterlot, ready to blow if their surrender was not excepted. It wouldn't have hurt the Princess since at that time her capital was the castle of the two sisters, in the Everfree forrest or as it was called then Forever Free Forrest, but would have caused such wide spread destruction that even what would one day be Sweet Apple Acres would have been under tons of rocks."

"Wait, if they all could've done that, what's ta stop Nightmare Moon from doin' it?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around that they had steam engines back then." Diamond Tiara said in surprise.

"The sewer system, aquifer tunnels, crystal mines, the vaste network of maintenance tunnels, and train tunnels all designed to collapsed in a controlled way that when combined with a city wide Alicorn Shield spell will allow the city to slide down to the foot of the mountain with minimal loss of life. There is even an area maintained as a royal preserve for it and a series of hills to act as brakes for it when it reaches the bottom. Even the massive support structure is designed to shieve off in sections as it slides down to create a buffering layer to prevent the city from being shook apart along the way." Screwball said as she looked at the propeller beanie, playing with the propeller and not even noticing the looks of surprise. "Had nightmares about being so big the city fell when I bumped the stilts it was on and daddy took me up there and let a really nice mare named Tunnel Rat and a Diamond Dog named Digger put a funny hat with a light on me and show me pretty crystals in caves and explain it all to me. Then I met some funny unicorns at a school who told me about the Shield acting like sliding down stairs on a big fluffy pillow. We even saw the statue garden with a pair of funny mismatch creatures dad said use to be a nice people, but then they got sick like me, only they didn't have Mrs. Steady Pace and Mr. Slow Pace to show them how to think things through slowly. So they played a lot of jokes and games on ponies that weren't very funny or nice. So the Princess played a game of red light/green light with them and they lost so they has to be a statues until they learns to play nice games and funny jokes with ponies. I think the Princess must be really good at red light/green light because there where a lot of statues there. I even met the Princess and asked her if she was the world champion of red light/green light because of all the statues of people who lost. She gave me a hug, called me Hebe's Puella, and told me she invented it with her sister. Then she told me about her sister trying to catch a fish and it smacking her in the face with it's tail so it could go home to it's family. Then we came home and no more nightmares, but dreams about riding down a mountain on a pillow with a fish on it's way home to the pond at the bottom, to be with it's family. Only don't try riding down stairs on a pillow, mom gets mad, especially if it's one of her pretty pillow."

Sweetie Belle finally shook her head and said, "Is it just me or are we talking way to much about what happened in 41,019 Aevus Consensus that effectively ended the Thousand Year War. Not that I mind since I have to do a report on the history of Canterlot. Also, the initial work on stopping anyone from blowing up the top of Mount Canterwas not even completed until 42,328 AC by the Diamond Dogs as part of the peace treaty."

"Well it started because with everything that's going on most adults think we don't know what's going on and Button wanted to know how long I thought it would take before Nightmare Moon was back on the moon. From there we learned that Silver Spoon's bed time stories will either make her a tyranical military dictator or a C.E.O., Snail's is perfectly fine with self-genocide, Applebloom's sister and her friends went to Canterlot with Princess Celestia, Diamond Tiara and Screwball's family is extremely well connected, Screwball is still the oddest hit or miss genius I've ever met and she dreams of riding down a mountain on a pillow with a fish, and you have a report due on Canterlot history." Apple Bytes said before asking, "anything else on Canterlot history?"

"Well Fort Canterlot grew in it's importance due to it's centeralized location on several air and land routes and began it's transformation from a military fortification to an economic trade center in 44,098 AC and was not completed until 52,983 AC. It was then destroyed along with Mount Canter in 53,873 AC when it was turned into lime jello during the Chaos Wars and then turned back into a mountain with the city restored on the side of it in 58,091 by the Elements of Harmony and made the capital of Imperial Equestria in 60,000 AC after the loss of the Castle of the Two Sisters and the Everfree Forrest finally becoming to wild and unsafe for anyone." Sweetie Belle answered.

"What happened to the Elements of Harmony?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"They got left in tha Castle of Tha Two Sisters Because of tha fact that they can only be used by their who ever bonds with them, but can't be moved if'n they go dormant until new users can be found for them." Applebloom said, "Big Mac saw them when he was younger. Sumthing about getting a wild hair and goin to tha Castle to see if'n there was any 'Celestia Gold' apples still growin in tha garden there for tha seeds. Princess Celestia brought him home when he set off a bunch of different ward spells and almost confiscated all of the seeds since it's illegal to have them or grow them without a Royal Decree, but let us keep some to grow a few trees and a Royal Decree to grow them for the Royal Kitchens at 1,000 bits per full basket."

"Mom read me a book about them when I was little," Snips said. "there are suppose to be 6 elements of harmony, but they only know of 5 of them: Honesty, Loyalty Generousity, Laughter, and Kindness. The 6th one will only appear when a spark unites them."

"Umm... Diamond? If they can turn jello into a mountain, Can they make Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon hug and make up like mom makes us do when we fight?" Screwball asked.

"I... Hmm.... I think maybe, but...." Diamond Tiara said trying to come up with an answer, but these were the Elements of Harmony, said to be so powerful that even Gods couldn't stand up to them.

"Then I'm going to go get them and make those two hug and make up." Screwball said as she started to get up just as Ms. Cheerilee began riging the bell. Turning she skipped into the school without a second thought.

As the rest of them grabbed their things and headed inside Diamond Tiara couldn't help but think about it as she grabbed Screwballs bag. "Go get them, from the most dangerous place in Equestria." She shuddered as she walked inside, "But then again Big Mac made it all the way there and back." Still it was the Everfree Forrest, "But that Zebra Shaman lives in there..." And so does the Slendermare, "But Fluttershy says she never seen her." Handing Screwball her bag she started towards her seat, thinking as she past Scootaloo's empty desk, "Besides Nightmare Moon is problely out there in the forrest." Only she had been with thestrals and they're a mountain people according to legend. As she sat down next to Silver Spoon the ideal just wouldn't seem to leave her. Finally she she let it go as Love Taps herded the younger students into the class and Ms. Cheerilee began talking about the field trip to Canterlot.

Author's Note

Okay, this chapter was one I wanted to do because kids are way more aware than you credit them with. It started with just Apple Bytes, yes she is cannon appearing in the back ground playing a game in the arcade scene that introduced Button Mash, and Button Mash. I figured the gamers would be arguing over who would win a war. Being older Apple Bytes would point out things that negated Celestia's over whelming advantage while Button Mash would counter with what he thought was the obvious. Then I got to thinking, these two would be arguing the ideal of just a two sided war. So enter Silver Spoon with an assist from Snails, pointing out how important resources and territory is and that not everyones reasoning or goals would be the same in a multi-faction war. Plus I like the ideal that Silver Spoon has an interesting childhood and Snails is not as dumb as he looks. Then you have my favorite, Screwball, I decided to play her as what is called an Idiot Savant who blows everyone away with her child like qualities one moment and genius level brilliance when it shines through the next. As for the Elements, they're there and they will come into play eventually, but the question is by who.

I should point out I used Applebloom to test how to do Applejack, but I'm not to sure about it.

In this universe Diamond Tiara and the CMC are not in fighting, Button Mash, Snips, and Snails hang out with them, and Twist has started spending more and more of her school day in BonBon's shop as an apprentice confectioner and agent. Screwball and Apple Bytes are in their last year of school and will then move on to attend university.

The next chapter things will start to happen. I just needed to work out how with so many different things going on. It will be set as a week after the Summer Sun Celebration and yes Luna and the Thestrals will be back.

Finally Announcement:
Any side story ideals? Have a humor filled ideal of just what happened between Pinkie Pie and the Guards that lead to 200 Royal Guards in the hospital in ponyvile and her hand cuffed to Applejack in Canterlot with the Princess? Think you can explain how the Doctor managed to welded a dalek upside down to a merry-go-round? Want to do a clop of Celestia's 4,502nd birthday involving her and close to 2,500 Royal Guards? Want to do the Full version of The Tradgity of Grogar or The Triumph of Steel and Freedom? Want to do a story with the fillies and colts of Cherrilee's Shcool playing Horsecraft or War-Horse 40k or just how screwed up Silver Spoon's favorite bed time stories about military strategy and economics are? Well here's your chance. The Bellumverse is now open to all comers. Just don't listen to the voice!!! ([redacted] yeah listen to me, I'm awesome and sometimes I'll take over with a thread of my own. I might even take a Chapter or two and give you my own Porn, Booze, and Cigs fueled thoughts on this mess... Hey, don't shut me out, I'm the best part in this....)