“Attention, troops. You are assigned to participate in a war to purge a race of rape-hungry brutes known as Caribou.” a voice echoed through the speakers as groups cosnsisting of eight or of twenty, most either Koopatrols, Hammer Bros., Shy Guys, or Goombas walked in a synchronized march through the hallways of the castle. “Please march to the Stargate for further instruction.”

On the built-in roads to the mines, Koopa Troopas drove trucks carrying stone and ore came out of the mines, with the ore trucks going into the smeltery, where alloy tool heads and beams were loaded onto trucks themselves. There were also trucks for wood and others were for food. The artillery foundry was also busy. Airships were being crafted in the hangars while other trucks were being fitted with missile launchers. The Conquest of Equestria was not like the previous conquests, as the Koopa King had a reason to declare war.

The Caribou were not like any race that he had seen, or heard. Bowser had heard some information about them from Flurry Heart, but when they launched their new satellite into orbit around Equis, he was even more horrified. “Stupid caribou!” Bowser snarled as he looked at the images that were gathered by the satellite, smoke billowing from his nostrils as he looked at image after image with anger. “I have heard bits and pieces from the three survivors of the Fall, but this is even WORSE! I mean, who in the right hemisphere of the mind would name a drink Cum Juice! That’s just plain DISGUSTING!” Due to the satellite being enchanted by magic, they could see far more, and even go on street view.

Fluttershy had gathered several photos, which he is glad she did, but he was furious about how much the Caribou had warped Equestria. He had a sneaky suspicion that they would brainwash the ponies into thinking it was always that way, and there was no Equestria. That thought just made his blood boil, but he had to keep calm. “Keep it together, Bowser. After you wipe that race to extinction and cleanse the minds of those that they corrupted, have a team focus on supervising the reconstruction of their culture.” Bowser proceeded to push a button and print the images before turning the screens off.

He proceeded to walk across his castle before looking at one of the many balconies to see troops marching, being accompanied by trucks full of food, weapons, and supplies, as well as some flying units going above them. Civilians watched in awe from their built-in homes like a parade was going on. The castle even has its own farms, with farmers growing far more crops and slaughtering more animals than usual, as his kingdom was preparing for a presumably long war against the Caribou, if his calculations were right. It has been about a year since his son had found Flurry Heart, and the newly-built Fort Vulcan was half-way complete, although supplies were still being sent into the Stargate.

The Koopa King, Bowser, grabbed a double-sided trident in his left hand, and looked at it at every angle. He hadn’t used melee weapons most of the time, but for the Caribou, things are going to get messy. Bowser whistled, and onto his call, a white half-sphere with a green rim and propeller and clownlike face came in. The Koopa King simply hopped on his Clown Car and flew to supervise the project. Unbeknownst to him, a white dove with a blue ball tied to its neck flew over him before swooping down to observe the army.

It was a peaceful day in the Mushroom Kingdom, albeit, too peaceful. It has been a little over a year since the last attack from the Koopa King, and, so far, nothing. Luigi had won a huge mansion and was tricked by King Boo twice, and after that, Mario saved Sarasaland from a purple alien by the name of Tatanga, and fought Donkey Kong over a bunch of toys, but that was just about it. The Toads were at first, curious, and everyone that Bowser was finally giving up on his plots. But, the absence of the Koopa King’s voice was suspicious, and there was nothing interesting that had come up about Darkland, except for the fact that whatever peeping eyes that crept on were driven away, yet none of them were killed.

In the Toadley Clinic, a Toad of unknown age, dressed in a purple robe, with a veil over his face and two golden earrings, watched over on his crystal ball. “Birdley, could you fly closer to the ground, I want to get a closer look.” Doctor Toadley said as his bird complied and went down to observe the army marching towards the other end of the castle. “Is Bowser raising an army? He is? Do I know what it’s for? I don’t.” Toadley replied to the others that were in the room with his. “Where is he taking all those supplies? I don’t know that, either.”

“Thanks for helping us, Doctor Toadley.” Starlow, a yellow Star Sprite, answered. She was in the room along with Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi. “But, Bowser usually doesn’t send his troops to that direction, if I am correct. I swear, even after a year of silence, that guy is still up to no good.” The Star Sprite looked down at her ‘feet’ and sighed. She never liked Bowser at all due to his constant antics and deeds, and always watched her back ever since the big galoot stole the Star Rod.

“(I know, right?)” Yoshi replied in his own language. Despite being simple chirps, a normal man can understand it, which is kinda creepy. Yoshi’s race had dealt with Bowser ever since he was a baby, and he was always a big thorn on the side. “(But, it seems as if he is not attacking the Mushroom Kingdom. Where is he going?)”

“We don’t know just yet. Birdley’s following them.” Toadley’s intern replied. The crystal ball displayed the bird’s eye view over the castle, flying across the city.

“Wow, I never thought that Bowser’s Castle was this… big.” Starlow said. It far less edgy than she had thought it would be, and even looked like a functioning city. She had seen two different versions of Bowser’s Castle, and she always thought that the constant destruction had caused him to modify it. The rest of the crew were also bewildered. Even the Mario brothers had gone so far into Darkland, because of the vast lava sea that went beyond the castle that they thought Bowser lived in, it wasn’t long before they found out.

First, they investigated Bowser Castle, but it was surprisingly abandoned, and nothing was found in the windows. They wondered why Bowser would do such a thing, but they found a strange boat sail behind it, and followed it. The real shocker came from beyond the giant sea of lava, dotted by islands of volcanoes, where a much bigger castle sat. But, the real question was still there: Where is Bowser taking all these troops and supplies? But one thing was certain for them all, they all wanted to see where it was going.

On the other side of the Stargate, trucks were coming from the endpoint and out of the gatehouse in the newly-built Fort Vulcan, and as the remaining trucks parked, Bowser came out on his Clown Car outside the walls and set his feet on Equissian soil for the first time as he looked around. “So, this is Equestria.” the turtle said to himself, looking around the fort.

It was of a typical winter forest that you might see, the ground covered up in a freshly white blanket of snow and all the oaks and birches bare of any leaves, with the only green being that of the uncommon (but not rare) pine trees in the forest. “Or rather, the uninhabited lands west of it…” he added. Fort Vulcan, named after the Koopa tactician, Vulcan, was set in front of a mountainside, to the right of a frozen river, and it was surrounded by forest at nearly every angle, save for the direction to Equestria, where two giant statues of Bowser stood watch at the front gates of the inner fort.

He crossed his arms and closed his eyes, knowing that fighting the Caribou was far more different and had an actual reason to fight, and he needed his army with him. “I have finally set a drop-off point towards Equestria. Tomorrow night, I begin the invasion. These pathetic excuses for wannabe rulers would pay for what they have done.” he said before calmly and quietly walking towards the fort. “And they will pay in blood.” Clouds were gathering, and it looked like there would be a blizzard going on for miles that won’t stop for days. It would be a perfect time to strike.

For most conquers, it would stifle their advances, but the Darklandic army was adapted to suit all kinds of climates circumstances, but he did not notice a white bird with a blue orb tied around its neck look at him. Birdley simply ruffled its wings for warmth as it watched.

Author's Note

Well, lookie who's watching them. I really liked Doctor Toadley's character, especially in the original Bowser's Inside Story and its remake. Personally, I think that him answering his own questions is just for show, because it gives more of a séance fell.

Anyways, I think that the masters of the Mane Six would likely have moved to separate cities during the duration of the Fall, taking their personal slaves with them. I do not know of any liberation story that uses that gimmick, so I might give it a try.