Invasion

Armanii sat on the train, crushed by his defeat at Appleloosa. How on Earth...how in Equestria would we tell the princess that Appleloosa was gone...that now they had to wait for Arog to swing around and head straight for Canterlot...

It was at this time that Applejack approached him.

“You know...Armanii...I can respect you making the effort to save my cousin. I don’t think anypony would have stayed had you not been there to lead them through that nightmare.”

“Thank you, Applejack. I don’t think anyone could have seen what Arog would have become ahead of time...even I was unaware...”

It was at this time that Armanii’s radio went off again.

“Matoko, me walomzed Appleloosa.”

Just what he didn’t want to hear...

“What did that say?” came a few eavesdropping ponies.

“It said...Matoko, I destroyed Appleloosa.”

The ponies looked to each other, sadness in their eyes, but the radio chatter wasn’t done yet.

“Casua?”

“Denchrate”

“DENCHRATE!?”

“Irel siya.”

“Arog, temx thii gren lopo meh Sum-Sarem!”

“Irel siya...”

“What did THAT say?”

“Casualities? 20. 20!? Yes sir. Arog, get your ass back to Sum-Sarem! Yes sir...”

“So...we killed 20?”

“Apparently.”

“That’s a start right?”

The other ponies started to smile. And so did Armanii.

“Yes, it is a start. It’s a good start.”

The ponies let out a cheer. And Armanii barely heard the next sentence come from the radio.

“Giiluge...jum...Cloudsdale.”

The ponies stopped their cheering.

“I heard Cloudsdale...”

“Indeed...It would appear that Cloudsdale is their next target...”

“Well, what are we going to do? Cloudsdale’s a pegasus city, only a pegasus can get there.”

“We’ll just have to get all of the pegasus ponies we can do fight them. Talomanza will FIND a way to Cloudsdale.”

One pony approached Armanii and sat down beside him.

“Sir, are you taking us to Canterlot?”

“Yes, I am.”

“What will we do there?”

“Work to make it a refuge. It’s where we can be safe...for now...”

“Gotcha.”

Fluttershy came up to Armanii and put a hoof on his leg.

“You know...If Rainbow Dash is alright, she could probably help you with Cloudsdale...she knows that place like the bottom of her hoof.”

“What about you, Fluttershy?”

“I stay on the ground, I don’t like Cloudsdale.”

“Strange, but I guess it’s not the strangest thing I’ve seen.”

The train traveled through the deserted plains of the mild west. As the train passed through dodge junction one last time, the ponies could be heard muttering to themselves.

“Dear Celestia! Is that Dodge Junction?”

“I think I’m gonna be sick...”

“Those monsters...”

“Don’t look sweet heart...”

Armanii just sat there. Plotting how he would hold onto Cloudsdale. He prayed to Talos that Rainbow Dash was alive, and doing better, but he wouldn’t find out until he arrived in Canterlot.

“Armanii?” came the soft voice of Fluttershy.

“Yes Fluttershy?”

“Is...there any possible way to win this? I mean...without killing...”

“I’m afraid not...”

“Could...you promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“If...you ever go back to Ponyville...will you try and find Angel bunny for me? I’m so worried about him...”

“Is he a pet?”

“He’s not really a pet, he’s my friend.”

Armanii thought about it. Sooner or later, he WOULD have to go back to Ponyville...

“I promise.” he said with a smile.

“Oh thank you so much, Armanii. I just hope he’s okay.”

“He’s not a pony, he’ll be fine.”

“I sure hope so...”

He sat still for the rest of the train ride. Plotting his next move.

When they arrived at Canterlot station, Armanii and the 5 ponies stepped off the train and turned to face the remaining populace of Appleloosa.

“Appleloosa fell today...but worry not, we still have a chance to win this!”

“For Equestria...” the ponies said dreary and dead.

Armanii turned around and headed back to the castle. He walked through the doors and through the halls, immediately heading for the infirmary, where Rainbow Dash was staying. He walked through the door to see her standing and flying better than ever.

“Armanii! There you are! I’ve wondered what happened. Princess Luna told me last night you left for Appleloosa. What happened? And where’s the Assassin?”

Rainbow Dash didn’t notice the blood on Armanii’s outfit.

“We uh...we couldn’t save it...”

“Oh...I’m sorry...”

“Don’t be. I should have known Talomanza would walk all over us...”

“It’s not your fault Armanii, we just need to learn how to beat them!”

“I hope we learn...”

“Do you know where they will attack next?”

“Yes, Cloudsdale.”

“Cloudsdale!?”

“Yes?”

“That’s my home city!”

“I need ears and wings there, and a commander to lead a force.”

“Say no more, Fluttershy and I will handle it!”

“W...we will?”

“Of course! I will not let my home city fall to a bunch of savages!”

“O...ok...”

“Thank you Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy. I can imagine they will attack in the morning, the forces need time to get there after all.”

“We’ll get right on it!”

“Wait, before you go. Take this.”

Armanii put a small chip in Rainbow Dashes ear, it was a small communicator that would allow him to keep in contact with her.

“I still have the assassins comm from that pony assassin, I will use that to stay in contact with you.”

“Got it! Cmon Fluttershy, we need to ready Cloudsdale!”

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew out the window and towards Cloudsdale, Armanii went to a chair and quickly grabbed the pony assassins comm, turning on the video screen and reading into the chip. The chip would allow him to see through her eyes and hear through her ears.

“Rainbow Dash. Come in Rainbow Dash. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you loud and clear.”

“Good, fly to Cloudsdale and warn them, we don’t have a lot of time.”

“Gotcha.”

Rainbow Dash flew as fast as she could to reach Cloudsdale, Fluttershy could barely keep up, as they flew Rainbow Dash could see a small thing in the distance.

“Hey Armanii, I think I see something out there.”

“What does it look like?”

“I can’t make it out, it’s very tiny.”

“Hold on, I can magnify what I see.”

Armanii zoomed into Rainbow Dashes vision to see what was in the distance. In the sky was a dreaded sight...

A force of at least 100 Talomanzan troops, flying on Plasma Jet Packs and lead by a decorated leader. Armanii couldn’t read the name on his uniform, but it looked like a lower commanding officer. It wasn’t Arog, and it wasn’t Gritz.

It was Giiluge...

“Rainbow Dash, that is a force of soldiers, you do not have the element of time, get to Cloudsdale NOW!”

“Got it!”

Rainbow Dash picked up the pace. Reaching Cloudsdale in record time from Canterlot. Fluttershy followed behind. Rainbow Dash flew to the Grand Centre and spoke aloud.

“Ponies of Cloudsdale! I have bad news! An invading force of soldiers in flying here to destroy us!”

The ponies looked frantic. One spoke out above the crowd.

“The Talomanzans?”

“The very same!”

“What do we do?”

“Take positions! Prepare your wings, we ain’t leaving without a fight!”

“What if they overtake us?”

“Then we fly to Canterlot! But we are NOT letting Cloudsdale fall this day!”

The ponies cheered and hollered. They flew up and prepared a pegasus special weapon, tornadoes. They grabbed their flying goggles and practiced wrangling clouds. Turning them sideways and upside down. Over the horizon, the Talomanzan force closed in, coming within eyesight of Rainbow Dash.

“Armanii, you seeing this?”

“Yes. It is important you do one thing, either take out, or capture Giiluge, he’s the one that isn’t in armor. When he is out of the battle, the others will try to get him back or flee. Remember, Giiluge might be the smallest general but he IS powerful in battle. Take him out however you can.”

“Got it. Ponies! Go for the general!”

“FOR EQUESTRIA!”

“Fluttershy, stay back, I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Okay Rainbow, if you insist...”

Giiluge came into focus, and his jetpack soldiers readied their guns.

“Ah, the famous Cloudsdale, capital of the Pegasus cities! I’ve always imagined it looking how it does!”

“We aren’t scared of you Giiluge! You won’t take Cloudsdale!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

“Let’s see if you can hold that up little rainbow one! SOLMAZ! BELO CLOUDSDALE! SIALO DII!”

“IREL SIYA!” shouted the soldiers over their jets. They flew forward into the ponies, and the ponies returned by flying straight at them.

Many soldiers shot and darted around the pegasi, but their bulky jets couldn’t avoid them for long.

Many ponies flew circles around the soldiers jets, spinning them around and disorienting them. Many also proceeded to knock their weapons out of their hands, a suicide mission, but it helped to weed out usable soldiers.

Rainbow Dash went straight for Giiluge. Dodging his soldiers and flying around him to disorient him. He shot and fired but couldn’t get her.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy sat by the rainbow juice, avoiding the battle the waged above, and not getting hurt, like Rainbow Dash had said. She spotted a few soldiers flying down, so she hid inside the cloud walls, peeking out to see what they did.

The soldiers, all but ones weapons knocked out of their hands, came down the the rainbow juice, and took off their helmets.

“Iza! Compko simza gilm?”

“Iza u poli!”

“Compko u yumz?”

One soldier took off his armored hand and stuck it in the juice, bringing up to smell it.

“Nuukta...”

He tasted it, and stuck his tongue out and waved at it.

“AGH! Oi Hemza!”

“Irel?” Said one of the soldiers.

“That’s a spicya meataball!” he said in an outrageously fake Italian accent. The other soldiers started to laugh. Fluttershy took this moment to sneak out, but first she would get back at them...

“This is for hurting my friends!” She said as she kicked one of the soldiers into the juice. She then flew around and shoved the other two into the rainbow juice as well. What she didn’t expect was what came next...

The soldiers tried to swim up, but their armor was jammed. The rainbow juice fried their armor and gummed it up, and it gummed up the jetpacks too! The soldiers tried to swim, but because of their gummed armor, their couldn’t move...they drowned in the rainbow juice...

Fluttershy, stricken with what she had done, landed on the cloud floor...

“Oh dear Celestia...I killed them...”

A lone pegasus flew down to check out the sight.

“What happened here?”

“The rainbow juice jams their packs and armor, they drowned in it...”

“This is great! I’ll go tell the others!”

He then flew up and brought the word back to Rainbow Dash and the others, almost as soon as he had said it, the pegasi flew down to the rainbow juice, avoiding the plasma bolts of the soldiers, and grabbing some rainbow juice in their mouths. They flew back and spat it on the soldiers armor and jets.

Soldiers, with their jets gummed, flew around in circles, upside down, and even in uncontrollable directions. Rainbow Dash watched as the pegasi began to turn the battle around.

One pony found that if they spat their juice as the plasma core, it would short out, with a peculiar side effect. He spat and the soldier turned around and shot. The pegasus died, but soon after other soldiers witnessed that the jetpack exploded. Ponies began gumming jetpacks, then shorting the core. Soldiers exploded in mid air, some disconnected their jetpacks and fell to their deaths. All this while Giiluge and Rainbow Dash were still fighting.

“You can’t stop us!” Giiluge said as he clobbered Rainbow Dash.

“Equestria stands firm! Take what you can! We will fight back!”

“I know you can hear me Armanii, and I know he’s telling you what to do, what if I did this!”

Giiluge punched Rainbow Dash in the ear, knocking the chip out of it. She came back and smacked him in the jaw, almost breaking it.

Fluttershy saw that Rainbow needed help. She grabbed rainbow juice and sped to help her friend. She came around to the back of Giiluge and spat at his jet.

“NO! Get out of her-AGH!”

The jet spun in circles and Rainbow Dash had time to punch and kick him without him fighting back. Giiluge pulled his pistol and tried to shoot, but Rainbow knocked it out of his hand.

“You’ve lost!”

“We aren’t going empty handed! SOLMAZ! TRANKA!”

A lone soldier came from the blue and shot a dart at the back of Rainbow Dashes head. She hazed out and grew dizzy, before passing out and falling.

“Rainbow!”

Fluttershy flew down to save her, grabbing her mid flight and flying her upwards. Soon after, Rainbow Dash awoke, with her eyes being completely red...it was a bloody red...

“Rainbow?”

“Get off of me, Pony!” Rainbow Dash said as she kicked Fluttershy in the jaw, knocking her loose and flying away. Fluttershy chased after her but couldn’t keep up. She flew to the Grande Centre and watched as countless pegasi began to fall dead. She noticed Giiluge still spinning around, but he wasn’t moving. He was knocked out.

Rainbow Dash could be heard around the soldiers, who weren’t even attempting to shoot at her. She spoke in a booming voice.

“Solmaz! Ziimzii Giiluge! Twerman! Twerman!”

Soldiers...forget Giiluge...retreat...retreat...

The soldier stopped their shooting and flew back. There were only 30 left, and many pegasi still remained. After a force of 250 Talomanzans came, they had finally lost. Giiluge was removed from his jetpack and taken by Fluttershy to the Grand Centre.

She looked at the pegasi that remained, many of them still alive to tell about the battle, but many lay dead on solid ground. She worked up the courage to speak with her injured jaw, and while carrying an unconscious Giiluge.

“Ponies of Cloudsdale...we won!”

The ponies cheered and cheered. Many shouting what seemed like a war chant.

“Cloudsdale stand! Cloudsdale fight! Never go soundless into the night!”

“We lost many today...bury them with dignity. I must return to Canterlot, and we must figure out what to do with his man...”

“DROWN HIM IN RAINBOW JUICE!”

“SMOTHER HIM WITH A CLOUD!”

The ponies were furious. But Fluttershy refused to acknowledge them. She simply flew away towards Canterlot with Giiluge.

Meanwhile...in Canterlot...

Armanii shouted at the comm.

“Rainbow Dash! Come in Rainbow Dash! Talen! We lost her!”

“What if Cloudsdale falls? We can’t keep going on with these losing streaks...”

“I trust Rainbow Dash...but I won’t know if we won until she brings back news.”

“Pegasi are very robust and hard headed. I think they’ll come through.”

There came a knock on the window.

“What was that?”

“I think that came from the window.”

“Go open it.”

Twilight went to open the window and saw Fluttershy, carrying a human.

“It’s Fluttershy! She’s carrying someone!”

“Open the window!”

Twilight opened the window and Fluttershy collapsed on the ground. She had dirt all over her and she dropped her human like a hot potato.

“Who...who is that?” Came a concerned Twilight.

“Thats...that’s Giiluge! You captured Giiluge! The lowest general!”

“Wait...does that mean...?”

Fluttershy stood up.

“We won. But we lost Rainbow...”

The room fell silent.

“Rainbow is...dead?”

“No, she was...hypnotized or something...she knocked him out and was shot, then her eyes turned red and she hit me, and flew away, making the soldiers retreat...”

Just as she spoke, Giiluge began to wake up.

“Meko o Talos...Me Yempka...”

“Giiluge!”

“What...where am I? SVE!”

Armanii jumped on Giiluge and tied his hands together.

“You are now a prisoner of Equestria.”

“We have the rainbow pony. She is your trusted ally is she not? Well now she’s Talomanzas!”

“Tell me why I should not kill you right now, Cazaxxa!”

“Because you need me for a hostage.”

Giiluge had an evil grin.

“I know about your friend the assassin. I know about the failure at Appleloosa. Cloudsdale can’t remain free forever!”

Armanii punched Giiluge in the jaw.

“Now we have you. I’ll do whatever I want to you.”

“Bring it, traitorous swine!”

Twilight came walked up to Armanii.

“What do we do now?”

“Now we finally have victory. We can turn this war around.”

“Where will they strike next?”

“We’ll just have to wait and see...”