Whimsyshire

Error 37

Celestia was enjoying a rather sublime dinner after having dealt with some minor issues that had come up about unfairness in the tax system for the upper class. She had decided it was unfair to tax the wealthy on lower rates, and had to agree, the notion she had previously put in place was just silly.

Suddenly, a scroll appeared in front of her from a puff of green flame. Celestia smiled at the letter sent to her in a way that only her personal pupil could send. She unrolled said letter with her magic and began to read silently to herself while still taking sips out of the tea that was suspended next to her via her golden aura.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Nothing is wrong in Ponyville. There is no need to worry about a thing, and everyone is doing fine. I cannot remember a time it was ever this peaceful, quiet, or safe. There is no need to send anything like a scouting unit of the guard, or to dispatch the army to take care of a couple of big and powerful creatures.

P.S. There was not an entire unit of night guards that was sent here, why would you think that?

Celestia stopped mid sip as she read the last part of the letter. A bemused look on her face as she wondered if it was some kind of joke. Celestia even considered if a certain pink mare had put her friend up to writing a certain prank letter to said friend's mentor. But the last part as she read it over made something click. Luna had been looking a little distraught earlier. She hadn't paid much attention to it after she inquired and Luna dismissed any notions that something was wrong. Looking back to the rest of the letter, Celestia began to worry quite a lot. Were they forced to write this letter, and did Twilight subtly hint that they needed help? She decided to confront Luna first.

"Luna!" Celestia yelled as she spotted her sister try to sneak by the door to the dining hall.

"Yes sister?" Luna said meekly, knowing by the letter next to her sister that her forces had been seen by the elements.

"Mind telling me whats going on in Ponyville?" Celestia said in a firm tone.

"Well, the thing about that is-" Started Luna started before being interrupted by an even firmer tone.

"Do not dance around the subject. Why did I receive a letter from Twilight that makes me believe she is being held hostage? And why did she mention in it that she had definitely not seen an entire unit of your guard?"

"She What!" Luna nearly screamed.

"Luna, please tell me you are not growing jealous of the love of our little ponies again, are you?" Celestia said in an almost begging tone.

"No, sister, you don't understand. I sent those guards because i sensed something possibly dangerous coming from the Everfree Forest. So i sent some scouts, they reported back with a finding so i sent a unit to apprehend whatever it was!" Luna said with a begging look in her eye, not liking the direction her sister had taken.

"What? then why didn't you contact me immediately?" Asked Celestia, still unsure whether she should believe what her little sister said, wondering if the elements did not remove all traces of Nightmare. It would not be the first time the elements' magic had let her down.

"Celestia... I just wanted to show everypony they could count on me, and didn't have to fear me. Also my guard unit has not reported back in some time, this is why i have been in a little bit of a frantic mood. If you say they are being held hostage..." Luna offered, seeing the doubt on her sister's face.

Celestia considered what Luna said, because she loved and dearly wanted to trust her. Then, as she began to look at things in the light Luna had put it in her face became a mask of horror.

"Then... Whatever has made your unit disappear..." Started Celestia.

"May have the elements. Perhaps even all of Ponyville..." Luna said sadly, thinking of all her friends she had made on Nightmare Night.

"But who? Only a powerful force could capture an entire town and unit of guards, without even a single guard retreating to alert others. But who has that kind of power?" Thought Celestia out loud, "Could have been Chrysalis with her grudge against us, or maybe the Diamond Dogs in their quarry needed new slaves. But then why have Twilight send this letter?"

"Celestia... I think we should go personally. If it is indeed Chrysalis again, we will need to be together to defeat her. And if its Diamond Dogs well, then its a matter of royal treaty that they had broken." Luna said, trying to reel Celestia back into what needed to be done and away from panic.

"You're right, I'm sorry for accusing you. Now, lets assemble some guards and go take a look." Celestia said with an air of confidence.

The Diamond Dogs had been in a state of panic. Fifty-two of their pack had been slaughtered by the black metal giant. But some spoke of him reverently, as if he were a god that walked on the earth. They reasoned that only a god could so effortlessly slay that many of their brethren, then single pawedly carry of so much gold, and so many gems, that the dogs meant for him to be distracted as it struggled, and ambush him from below. But, as the figure hoisted the bags, all the dogs could do was wet themselves in fear.

Soon enough, the Diamond Dogs came to an agreement, they would build a giant statue made of gold, and embedded with gems for their new god. But first, they needed to see what it looked like under its armor, to properly portray him, so as not to anger him and bring upon his wrath. Any dog who saw what he had done to the poor pup that tried stealing from him vomited merely thinking of the scene. But such was the fate of those who disobeyed the gods. This was why the dogs would never beach the treaty they had with the god-princess Celestia, even though Ponyville was ripe for the plundering they would only take slaves that wandered onto their lands.

"I shall go and offer our prayers unto our new lord!" Yelled Rover to his brethren. He took the responsibility onto himself as he was the current alpha.

Cheers roared out along the den and its tunnels at the news that a brave soul would fetch their god. He was sent with his two companions that always stayed with him, who bore gifts of dried meat, and fresh fruits. Pleasing their new god was their top priority.

Chrysalis had an ingenious plan, she would take over Ponyville, and kill the element bearers. This would demoralize the princesses, and enact her revenge at the same time. Then her forces would meld back in with a distraught society in Canterlot who were too taken by their grief to know that anything was wrong. All her loyal changelings were starving without a source of food. She needed to act fast, she needed to act now.

As she marched her troops from the forest towards Ponyville she noticed a trio of Diamond Dogs with their heads bowed, and bearing meats and fresh fruits in their arms. It almost appeared as if they were offering a gift to a god. This behavior was unheard of to her, and she wondered if she could perhaps recruit some help from the mongrels if they were showing this odd of behavior. She smiled as she approached the foolish mutts.

Celestia and Luna rushed to Ponyville with their captains of their own guards, and a small unit of their own elites. They all traveled by air, or by sky chariot as was the case for Unicorns and Pegasi.

"Look down there!" Luna said pointing to a group of Diamond Dogs and Chrysalis both conversing just outside of Ponyville.

"Ha! I was right on both accounts of the perpetrators." Celestia said, proud of her own talent for deduction.

The princesses forces descended upon a startled Chrysalis and some confused Diamond Dogs.

"Stop right where you are foul fiends!" Yelled Luna, pointing her horn at the Diamond Dogs.

"Your treachery ends here." Celestia said pointing her horn at Chrysalis.

The rest of the guards prepared themselves for a fight as did the changeling army. Tension built between the two forces, and the dogs could only get more confused.

"Why is everyone talking of invasions and conflict?" Asked Rover, "We do not want trouble, fifty-two of our kind was already slaughtered today from such foolishness as conflict, we only wish to make a peace offering."

Luna raised her horn at this and cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean you lost fifty-two of your own?"

"Peace offering?" Celestia said, looking over at the dogs but keeping her horn pointed menacingly at Chrysalis who stood her ground, a surprised look on her face.

"But... who would want meat as a peace offering? The fruit I get, but meat?" Luna said a look of disgust on her face.

"It is for our new and glorious god who effortlessly slew our brethren for angering him." Rover said with an almost admiring tone to his voice.

"Wait, who is this new god?" Luna asked looking to Celestia who raised her head to look at her sister.

"And if they are here now, who took over Ponyville?" Celestia returned with her own question.

The ground shook from thunderous footsteps drawing closer, the bearer of these massive feet was not amused. He was taking a relaxing nap only to be awoken by the sounds of shouting.

"There better be a good reason for this!" Shouted the approaching giant. Followed closely by was a nervous Twilight who was hoping to do some semblance of damage control.

Faces all around turned to mixes of shock, horror, awe, and reverence for the one and only true lord. The changeling army seemed to edge away from the approaching titan of a creature. Luna's jaw hung open, and Celestia's eyes narrowed as she had to look up to the creature before her, it had been a long time since she had to look up to anything other than a dragon. The dogs, they got on their knees and raised their offering, speechless at seeing their god without his armor on, for the Barbarian now only wore his loincloth, war-belt, and greaves. The Barbarians muscles rippled with his might as he strode up to and came to a stop by the gathering of diplomatic leaders. Twilight trotted up next to him, and almost hid behind his leg in fear and shame as she saw the princesses and her older brother, head of Celestia's day guard.

Shining armor seeing his sister gave a start, then he began glaring daggers at the being who stood between him and his little sister. Without thinking of the consequences he charged a magical blast at the tip of his horn.

"Get away from my sister!" Shining yelled as he loosed the powerful magical bolt at the Barbarian. Black Ice tried to stop his fellow captain but could not reach him in time to stop the immense magical blast, fueled by the fury of a protective older brother.

The bolt sailed straight for Bannuk, who made no effort to dodge or block the arcane missile. The spell connected square in the Barbarian's chest, resulting in a powerful shock wave. The force of the shock caused everypony to flinch and take a step back, everyone but Celestia who had more fortitude than to be staggered by the blast, Twilight who was shielded from the blast behind Bannuk, and the giant himself who didn't even seem to register he had been attacked. For Bannuk was too busy staring hungrily at the offerings the dogs had brought.

Celestia was baffled, even she could not deny the power of her captain. His power was why she had installed him in his position, and had previously asked him to single hoofedly erect a barrier to protect Canterlot. But this man had not even registered his attack, while unarmored no less. Celestia opened her mouth to say something as the Barbarian strode past her to where the Diamond Dogs still knelt, but no words would escape her mouth. The changeling army looked on the verge of running away if the giant made a single move in their direction from where he stood in front of the dogs.

Everypony was silent as Bannuk stood in front of the dogs, it seemed as if everypony held their breath for what he would do next. Then, Twilight trying to diffuse the situation spoke up.

"Umm, princess Celestia... If this is about the letter earlier, Pinkie had me send it because she knew you would come immediately to meet our new friend here... Sorry if it kinda... Got out of hand. He thought it was funny though." Twilight managed out kicking a hoof in the dirt showing off her shame.

This new revelation brought about another wave of shock. Celestia didn't know what to say or think, her mind would not produce anything intelligible, it simply stopped working. Bannuk looked over his shoulder at the still princess of the sun, and let out a small chuckle for he had seen this kind of thing before, it had plagued many an adventurer when the prime evils had attacked for the second time in his life. Bannuk shook his head and turned his attention back to the meal before him as he said.

"You can never see that damn error coming can you?