Just beyond the desert irradiated and blighted by unrestrained magic, sitting atop the bones of a once great and prosperous kingdom sits The Kingdom of the Sphinxes. Though none of the ponies who live there would say it out loud in public, their five sphinx overlords are cruel tyrants who work their subjects to death in the fields or mines and take everything for themselves, leaving their subjects with barely enough to survive. When not working their subjects to death, the sphinxes send out their minions to take by force the most beautiful fillies and mares from their families to enslave them in their pleasure halls.

In a small village on the edge of the shore as the sun rises, a small group of ponies march out to the edge of the water with casting nets draped across their backs, under the watchful eyes of heavily armed minotaurs and centaurs. They uncover small boats, shove them into the water and climb into them.

A minotaur grabs the lip of one of the boats and in a gruff voice says, "Alright you filthy serfs, Hakenshut wants a ton of fish for his dinner tonight."

The ponies lower their eyes in fear and respects. "Yes my lord.", one of them says.

The minotaur sneers. "And I want thirty pounds so me and my boys can have a nice supper too.", he says, "We don't want a repeat of last month, do we?" He gestures over to a rotting corpse of a pony locked in a bronze cage, the sea birds sporadically swooping between the bars to land and peck as the decaying flesh.

"N-no my lord.", the pony in the boat replies with a shiver.

With a laugh, the minotaur shoves the boat out into the surf.

The ponies spend the morning casting their nets out into the water and pulling them in, emptying the fish into the bottom of the boats. They toss the undesirable fish back into the ocean. As they pick the seaweed out from the fish, they occasionally look to the shore to see if the minotaurs and centaurs are watching, then hastily stuff some of the seaweed in sacks under their seats. When the sun reaches its zenith, the nets are pulled in and the ponies pull put small wrapped bundles. The bundles are quickly unwrapped revealing some small citrus fruits, dates and baked clay jugs of water.

As the ponies begin eating their small meal, one of them says around a mouthful of food, "You know Beruz, I keep wondering why we have to do all the work and see none of the benefits?"

"Shh! Keep it down Aziz,", Beruz shushed, "If they hear you, we'll all count ourselves lucky if it's just you that winds up getting flayed. But I agree with you, we do all the work and it's the sphinxes and their minions who receive all the benefits. And they aren't just happy with the labor of our hooves, they also have to go and take our mares by force." He shrugged. "But what are you gonna do? The sphinxes move the heavens and protect us from the horrors that live in the desert."

"We could always rise up.", Aziz retorts nonchalantly, causing Beruz to cough and sputter. "You know the old stories, it's the goddesses, not the sphinxes who move the heavens."

"Becareful who hears you say that!", Beruz scolds, "Your tongue might get us all executed for blasphemy, or worse, banished into the desert to the south."

"Look!", a pony from another boat shouts, pointing a hoof to the horizon, "Strange black clouds coming this way! Must be a storm!"

The ponies all stood in their boats facing the horizon, placing a hoof over their eyes. Aziz and Beruz squint their eyes, peering through the midday haze, the black clouds were in massive columns. They saw along the horizon the black specks of ships in the water and in the gaps between the strange clouds black dots of air ships.

Beruz quickly sat back down in the boat and pulled out a pair of oars. "Quickly! Back to shore!", he shouted.

The small boats landed on the shore, their hulls digging deep into the sand. As Beruz jumped up to get out of the boat, a minotaur stormed over and snatched him up by his neck. As the thick meaty fingers of the minotaur dug into the his neck choking him, Beruz found himself lifted of his hooves roughly and brought face-to-face with the bull beast. The minotaur drew a wickedly curved sword and placed it to Beruz's neck. "Why have you whelps returned?!", it growled dangerously.

Aziz leapt out of the boat and bowed low to the ground. "Forgive us my lord!", he exclaimed trembling, "There are strange ships traveling towards us under the cover of strange storm clouds!"

The minotaur looked to the horizon seeing the black columns of clouds, then threw Beruz roughly to the sand. It pulled out a spyglass and looked out to the horizon. Adjusting the focus on the spyglass, the minotaur made out the shapes of a fleet of wide, flat barges, the black columns of clouds came from them. It quickly swung the spyglass up to the airships and adjusted the focus again. Putting the spyglass away, he turned to his fellow minotaurs and centaurs, "Put them in irons and bring them before god-king Hakenshut."

***

A massive fleet of barges crashed across the surf, their roaring engines belched columns of black smoke. Above the airships flew with the droning of propellers. Earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns dressed in simple white tunics swapped the decks or tended to the riggings. Ponies sat in the crow's nests or on the bows of of the airships and barges looking out to the narrow sliver of land on the horizon through field glasses, strange weapons with long metal tubes were strapped to their backs or sides.

Ponies larger than the rest walked across the decks of the barges and airships, some were wearing thick heavy armor with their features concealed beneath helmets with face mask that had narrow red glowing slits, others wore flowing robes, the occasion nozzle or metal connector could be seen beneath their robes. As the large ponies would pass on the decks, the smaller ponies would step aside and bow.

In the engine rooms of the barges and airships, ponies wearing flowing deep blue robes with silver trim walked around the engines swinging smoking censers of incense from metallic limbs or rubbed myrrh on the moving parts. Some of the robed ponies would hold a silver medallion of wrenches in their hooves, offering prayers in a strange crackling language before performing maintenance. In the holds of the barges stood massive four-legged machines bristling with strange weapons, scores of the strange robed would kowtow before the massive machines offering static-laden prayers or would perform maintenance. In the armories of the airships and barges, the robed ponies would perform crackling chants as they tightened screws or applied oil to weapons and armor.

At the head of the fleet flew an airship which stood out from the rest, its deck and balloon were decorated with gleaming ivory, amethyst wreaths adorned its riggings. On its deck stood an ancient lavender alicorn mare as big as a draft horse wearing a simple flaxen robe. Her deep purple mane with magenta stripe blew counter to the wind on ethereal winds. She closed her eyes and opened her wings, feeling the wind blow across them. Behind her, standing as still as statues, were thirty massive ponies wearing magenta armor, their faces concealed behind nearly featureless masks, golden tassels flapped in the breeze from the peaks of their helmets, they each held in their hooves a massive silver halberd.

An earth pony stallion wearing a red tunic, with a light grey coat, teal mane, green eyes and a cutie mark depicting a pair of crossed quills hurried up behind the alicorn and bowed. "Your majesty!", he said with a visible tremble, "We will make landfall by tomorrow evening."

The alicorn opened her violet eyes and looked at the looked to the bowing attendant, "Very good. Put the armies and legions on high alert. Have my armor readied. Send the order to awaken the war machines. Have all batteries ready by sundown."

The attendant rose. "By your command your majesty." He turned and left to relay the orders.

The alicorn looked back to the sliver of land, closed her eyes, placed a hoof to her chest, took in a deep breath and let it out extending her hoof. Opening her eyes, a stern look spread across her face as she turned to go below decks, flanked by her bodyguards.

***

In a great city of polished sandstone stood a massive onyx pyramid, the temple-palace of the sphinx Hakenshut. All around the cities stood bazaars, the merchants were hawking their wares in loud singing voices, selling everything from amphorae holding wines and oils to sweet smelling bread to idols of all sizes depicting the five sphinxes to pens of slaves.

A column of minotaurs and centaurs led a group of eight stallions towards the pyramid when a griffon approached them.

"You have some fine work stock here.", the griffon said in a smooth, smarmy tone, "I'll give you two satchels of gold for the whole lot."

"These aren't meant for you.", the lead minotaur said shoving past the griffon, "They have an appointment with God-king Hakenshut."

The griffon jogged in front of the column. Holding up a talon, it said, "Well maybe I can interest you in some of my choice wares? Yes?" He gestured with a talon and two other griffons brought over a young trembling filly. He gestured with a talon, "Turn around my dear." The filly hesitated for a second before turning its flank forward and the griffon grabbed her dock, lifting her tail. "I offer you this sweet, youngling. Guaranteed a virgin and has yet to experience her first heat. She can do for you whatever you want, cook, clean, or for those cold nights, 'companionship'. You can have her for twenty gold."

The minotaur pushed aside the griffon and began walking forward again, the column began following him.

The griffon ran in front of the minotaur and shouted, "Wait! For you, fifteen gold."

The minotaur shoved the griffon aside and continued walking.

"Okay, okay! Ten gold! But I'm taking a loss here.", the griffon shouted.

A centaur walked up to the minotaur and whispered in his ear, "Come on sir, it's a good offer. You know how long it's been since we've put our dicks in something that young and sweet? I'll even offer up the gold and we can all pass her around. Besides, once we grow tired of her, she'll make good eatin'."

The minotaur sighed, though the desire to violate something so pure and innocent delighted him, he'd never let the creatures under his command see it. "Very well, pay the merchant. But if she slows us down, I'm loping her head off."

The centaur gave a twisted, lust-filled smile as he tossed ten gold to the griffon. The griffon attached a bridle and rope to the filly and handed it over the centaur. The centaur tugged the rope saying, "Come along sweet one, you'll have the pleasure of serving under us."

As the column continued, the stallions grit their teeth and bristled at the display of unabated vulgarity.

In his temple-palace, Hakenshut stood at the end of an alabaster swimming pool. Dozens of fillies and colts gathered around the edges. Slipping his immense mass, the shade of desert sands at noon into the cool water of the pool, he said, "Come in my little minnows and give me nibbles." As he swam through the cool water, the foals slipped in swimming along side him, gently biting and nibbling him. His eyes fluttered in perverse pleasure as he paddled in the water, occasionally he would reach out with a paw or wing to fondle the privates of a foal. He paused in the water and floated, a groan passed his lips as his "minnows" nibbled him while they paddled around in the water.

Once Hakenshut grew tired of the "minnows", he sent them away with a gesture of his paw. Rising from the pool, several attendants flocked around and dried him off with soft terrycloth. He laid on a polished marble table as several female creatures came up and anointed his body wit sweet smelling oils. A massive shimmering silk robe was draped across his body and a golden headdress covered in exotic feathers was placed on his head.

Hakenshut sighed in contentment as he rose from the marble table and walked into his bedchamber. Laying on his massive, fluffy bed covered with the finest silk sheets and down-filled pillows, his weigh sunk into the bed. Picking up a gilded decanter of wine, he poured rich crimson liquid into an exquisite goblet carved from a massive diamond. Picking up a date from a nearby silver platter, shoved it into his mouth. Groaning in pleasure at the sweetness of the date, he rolled it around in his mouth and took a swig of the wine, gargling the liquid, before swallowing it.

Feeling a familiar tingle in his nethers, Hakenshut raised his paws and clapped them together. The servants opened the door to and lead in a trembling filly on the cusp of marehood. He licked his lips as he drunk in the sight, she had a chestnut coat, black mane and golden eyes, her slender not-quiet-a-filly-not-quite-a-mare curves were barely concealed under a shimmering garment made of red and gold silk, silver tinkering bells hung from finely wrought silver chain. He patted a paw on the bed saying, "Come on up and lie down. I promise you're safe here with me."

As the young pony struggled to climb up onto the bed, Hakenshut reached out with a paw and helped her up. As she lowered herself onto the bed trembling, he extended a digit from his paw and gently caressed her cheek. "Ssh. You have no reason to fear me my desert rose, I won't bruise you petals...yet.", he cooed seductively. He lowered his head to her rump and gave a deep sniff, his top curled up in pleasure as a deep growling purr rumbled softly in his throat. He gently drug a claw along the filly's back and undid the cords holding the silken garment on. "Here, let me help me help you get more comfortable.", he purred as he gently slid the silken garment off the trembling nearly-a-mare's body.

Reaching over with a massive paw, Hakenshut picked up the silver platter holding dates, nuts and grapes. "Where are my manners?", he asked, "You must be famished. Would you care for something to eat?" He laid the silver platter on the bed, the not-quite-a-filly-not-quite-a-mare looked the platter hesitantly as her mouth watered and her stomach growled. The hunger getting the best of her, she scooped up hoof fulls of the fruits and nuts, scarfing them down. He poured some deep crimson wine into a small silver cup and offered it to her. The filly on the cusp of being a mare grabbed the cup in her hooves and began greedily chugging the red liquid. "Careful.", he said softly pushing down on the cup, "This wine is quite heady and we don't want you to become inebriated too soon. We have all day to enjoy ourselves." He he gently drug a fuzzy digit along the filly's belly and spread her hind legs, fondling her privates. A perverse smile spread across his lips as he untied the front of his robe and opened it up, exposing his privates.

The young filly on the cusp of marehood's eyes went wide with shock and fear. Hakenshut gently guided her hoof to his privates and made her caress his testicles and slowly engorging penis. A hiss of vile pleasure escaped his lips at feeling the trembling hoof caress his nethers and he ran his rough tongue across her neck.

A knock on the bedchamber door interrupted his pleasure. Hakenshut gave a huff of frustration, before a gentle smile dripping with perverse venom crossed his face. He moved the filly's hoof to her privates and said, "A God-king's duty never ends. Keep it warm for me." Rising from the bed, he cinched the robe around himself and walked to the bedchamber door. Opening it, he saw three of his palace guard with a group of minotaurs and centaurs, leading a group of eight ponies shackled together. When the group knelt, he said, "What can the great God-king Hakenshut for for you loyal servants of mine?"

"Oh great God-king Hakenshut, may you life forever.", the minotaur at the head of the group replied with his eyes lowered in reverence, "These loyal servants of yours spotted an enemy fleet approaching under the cover of strange clouds. At first we thought it was a pirate raiding party, but the fleet is too big."

Hakenshut tapped a fuzzy digit to his chin. "Really? How many ships are we talking about?"

"At least three hundred barges and one hundred airships, though the number of airships were hard to determine as they were among the strange clouds.", the minotaur replied, "I counted them myself."

Hakenshut drummed the digits of his paws on his lips in thought. "That is most...disturbing." His eyes drifted across the group and they widened in pleasure seeing a young trembling filly. A bridle and rope lead to the hand of a centaur. "What do we have here?" He gestured with a fuzzy digit. "Come here young one so I can look at you better." When the terrified filly rose to her feet, Hakenshut gently grazed a fuzzy digit across her back and under her tail. When the filly gave a small terrified whimper as the fuzzy digit grazed her privates, he gave a perverse chuckle. "I take this delicious little thing belongs to you?", he asked. "So tender, so sweet.", he said wiping a small amount of drool from his lips.

"Yes my God-king.", the centaur replied keeping his eyes lowered, "We bought her just today from the bazaar."

Hakenshut gave a smile as his eyes gave a perverse glint. "Worry not, I shall not take her from you. I am a merciful God-king and will not deny my loyal subjects and worshipers their simple pleasures.", he said, "In fact I'll reward you all for such loyalty." Snapping the digits on his paw, he summoned a guard captain. "My good captain, these loyal subjects are to be rewarded.", he said gesturing to the minotaurs and centaurs, "Give them an extra day's ration of wine and a few hours in one of the finer suites to enjoy the 'company' of that young minnow." He tapped a paw on his chin, "As for these loyal worshipers, give them a bath and a good meal. When they have eaten their fill, take them to the commune, geld them and induct them into the fanatics. Their reward shall be the right to revel in the slaughter of my enemies."

"You are a kind and merciful God-king." the lead minotaur said as the group rose from the floor, "May you live forever."

After the guards had lead the group off, the guard captain turned to Hakenshut and asked, "What of the enemy fleet my God-king?"

"Send the southern army to test their might along with a vanguard of one hundred jannisarries and a company of fanatics. We shall show that they are little more than pirates that come to plunder our shores.", Hakenshut replied, "Now if you excuse me, I have some pressing matters to attend to." As the captain bowed, the spinx closed the door to his bedchambers.

Hakenshut discarded his extravagant headdress and silken robe, he stepped into a dark room with a black orb on a pedestal. Slipping on ceremonial gold armor and a golden headdress with a stylized snake's head on it. Picking up a container of black make-up, he then painted on dark eyeliner onto the bottoms of his eyes and an ankh on his cheek. Holding a paw over the black orb, he summoned his magic. The avatars of four other sphinxes manifested in the dark room, the first a deep purple, the second pitch black, the third a sandy orange with dark spots and the fourth a deep red.

"Welcome my fellow God-kings and brothers, Hakkahn, Sutekh, Apep and Ozymandias.", Hakenshut said in mock pleasantries, "I'm sure your spies have already informed you of what I already know."

"That and much more dear Hakenshut.", Hakkahn replied.

Hakenshut raised an eyebrow as Sutekh spoke up, "My mystics have revealed whom the leader of this fleet is."

Hakenshut, Hakkahn, Apep and Ozymandias each raised an eyebrow. "Don't leave us in the dark, Sutekh.", Ozymandias quipped.

"The leader of the fleet is a mare who lead the country to the north across the desert.", Sutekh said coldly.

"Alicorn!", Hakenshut snarled, "I though their kind vanished centuries ago."

"I say we practice caution.", Ozymandias interjected, "They have proven difficult to injure in the past and downright impossible to slay. Where there is one, the other's shall not be far behind."

"How do you advise on how to handle this new threat?", Hakkahn asked.

"Hakenshut, you call forth your armies to hold this alicorn's forces at bay.", Apep replied, "They have been reluctant to take lives in the past, that may be the secret to victory."

The five sphinxes looked back and forth to each other before coming to an unspoken agreement. "Gather your forces and come quickly my brothers.", Hakenshut said, "I shall hold as long as I can. May we all live forever." After the avatars of the four sphinxes vanished, he took off the ceremonial garb and cleaned the make-up from his face. The meeting with his brothers and this new knowledge had put him an ill mood, but he wasn't about to deny himself the supple sensuality of the filly in his bed, he mused in his mind that after taking her innocence, it may put him a better mood.

Hakenshut licked his lips in anticipation as he approached his bed. "I take it you have eaten your fill?", he asked the filly laying on his bed. Scooping her roughly in a paw, he took a second to revel in her frightened gasp before speaking, "I had wanted to take my time and get the most pleasure out of this my desert rose. But seeing as important issues have popped up last minute, I can forgive myself for bruising you petals." He lifter her tail with his other paw and sat on his haunches. As Hakenshut lowered her rump to his engorged member, she shivered in fear as the tip brushed against her marehood and her breaths came in panicked gasps, he allowed a tingle of perversity to run up his spine for a moment. "You can scream if you want to. In fact I would prefer it if you did as it would be music to my ears.", he said his voice dripping in perverse lust. He gave the filly a short thrust downwards, allowing the tip of his member to enter her. As she screamed in agony, he groaned in pleasure.

"No! No! Please stop! It hurts!", she begged, "Pleasepleaseplease! Pull it out! No more! It-AAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!"

Hakenshut gave a groan of pleasure in her tightness and agony as he forced himself into her, stopping when he hit her cervix. As tears streamed down her face, he said in a mocking tone, "That's it! Cry, scream and beg for my pleasure!" He pulled out slightly and thrust back into her, making her scream again. His eyes fluttered in perverse delight at her agony. He began to thrust in and out of her as she screamed in agony. He felt a pressure build and thrust into her one last time, pushing past her cervix and into her womb. A roar of perversity exploded from his lips as he emptied himself into her. Gasping for a few moments, he allowed tingles to run up and down in his spine as he listened to her whimpers. Extracting himself from her and tossed her roughly onto the bed.

As the violated filly curled herself into the fetal position trembling, Hakenshut took a moment to visually drink the blood and semen seeping out of her, he couldn't restrain a pleased groan of pleasure as he licked his lips. Patting her on the flank, he said, "Keep it warm for me. After I handle this little problem, I shall call upon you again. And don't worry my little bruised rose, you will learn to love it, they all learn to love it." He left the bedchamber and entered into his bath to clean himself up. After the servants help him into his armor, he made his way into the hallway.

***

After three days, the massive fleet came to a halt just offshore of the Sphinx Kingdom. Twilight stood in her quarters methodically donning her armor, when the last piece was attached, the power cells activated causing arcs of energy to crackle across the surface. She levitated a massive hammer and attached it to the side of her armor by powerful magnets. Leaving her room, she entered a small room where several ponies with metal limbs, wearing blue robes with silver edging were tending to a small chamber holding a golden-coated unicorn with a red and blonde mane, a cutie mark of a red and yellow sunburst adorned her flank, floating in yellowish liquid.

"Are the preparations in place to deactivate the preservation chamber?", Twilight asked.

The lead pony gave a crackling response before adjusting the translation device covering its face. "Yes your majesty."

"Good. Revive her when ready."

The robed pony nodded before issuing static-filled orders to its underlings. Crackling chants were ushered as sticks of incense were lit and waved. Metallic limbs and tendrils brushed gently across the machinery as it shut down slowly. The fluid drained out out of the chamber, causing the unicorn to slowly float down to the floor of the chamber, the preservation field shut off with a crackle and the walls of the chamber lifted with a hiss. As the unicorn slumped limply to the floor, two of the robed ponies caught her and a third took out an electrified rod, then touched it to the side of her barrel.

The unicorn mare's snapped open as her sides heaved in violent coughing, expelling the last of the fluid from her lungs, before her eyes rolled up in her head.

"Lay her down.", Twilight ordered, "Easy! Easy!"

After the unicorn mare was laid down on the floor, the head robed pony extended a metallic tendril with a medical scanner on it and touched it to the side of her barrel. It turned to Twilight and said, "She is well and will awaken shortly."

As if on cue, the unicorn groaned and batted away the tendril with a hoof. Slowly opening her eyes, they looked around unfocused. "Did somebody get the number of that truck?", she said weakly. She slowly raised her head and blinked the focus back into her eyes. "Twilight?"

"Yes Sunset, it is me.", Twilight replied softly, "Take it slowly, you've been in preservation for a thousand years. How do you feel?"

Sunset rubbed a hoof to her temple before responding, "Other than a headache like I've just woke up from a week long bender, I feel icky and need a shower. Please tell me they still have aspirin, coffee and hot showers."

Twilight chuckled before responding, "To answer your question. We have something that resembles coffee, though to be honest, it tastes like it squirted up the ass of a sick pony and sprayed back out. We have something that works better than aspirin and hot showers still exist. When you're feeling strong enough, you can catch a quick shower and then get you something for your headache. I'll have a requisitions officer fit you for an exoskeleton, we have a war to prosecute."

After several moments, Sunset got to her hooves shakily as Twilight extended a hoof to help her up. She looked around, "Wow, the cyber-eunuchs have changed a lot."

The mechanical eyes of the robed ponies whirred and clicked in a manner that could be interpreted as offence.

"I think you offended them, Sunset.", Twilight whispered, "These are the tech-monks of the Ponyhood of Steel."

Sunset blinked in surprise. "Many apologies good monk."

The head pony waved it off before going back to its duties.

Sunset leaned to Twilight and whispered, "I didn't know esoteric orders had merged." She rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, "I guess a lot has changed in the last thousand years since my little nap."

"I had a hoof in that.", Twilight whispered back, "There was a threat of a civil war in my ranks because they started arguing over who had what claim over what tech."

"I guess I'll get that shower now, then maybe get some of that ass coffee and an aspirin, or what passes for aspirin now.", Sunset said. As she went to walk off, her legs trembled and she would have fallen if Twilight hadn't caught her with a hoof.

"Help the Grand Maestro to the showers.", Twilight ordered. Sunset blinked and Twilight looked do her, "Yes Sunset, you heard me right. You're the Grand Maestro of the Ponyhood of Steel." Twilight snapped her head to the robed ponies and ordered, "Recite for the Grand Maestro the sacred duties of the Ponyhood."

"Discover lost technology. Preserve lost technology. Innovate. Protect the divine spark of the machines from corruption.", the robed ponies recited as one in their robotic voices.

Sunset looked to Twilight who laughed nervously, "I, uh, I kinda let a few odd religions exist under the condition that it does not interfere with anypony's duties. I found that giving them hope helps to focus their minds."

"Uh-huh, next you're going to tell me that the ponies worship you as an infallible goddess.", Sunset said skeptically.

Twilight hemmed and hawed uncomfortably, "I...uh...I...er...um...discourage the term infallible." She closed her eyes expecting a torrent of scolding.

Sunset just chuckled knowingly, "Well considering that you started off as a mortal before becoming an alicorn, that is understandable. I bet they see me and the ponemarchs as some kind of demigods."

"They see you as a saint and the ponemarchs as archangels." Twilight winced uncomfortably.

Sunset gave clucking laughter at the ridiculousness of it all before turning to the tech-monks, "Show me to the showers."

Twilight shook her head frowning. "I didn't ask to be seen as a living goddess.", she said to herself, "I'm just glad Sunset didn't see the atrocities fanatical ponies committed in my name, it would have broken her heart when I had to purge the fanatics."

After Sunset had gotten out of the shower, a cup of standard caffeinated beverage number three was given to her along with two pain killer tabs. Popping the tabs in her mouth, she took a sip of the beverage to wash them down. She scrunched up her nose at the awful taste. "Fuck! Twilight wasn't lying when she said it tasted like somepony sprayed caffeinated diarrhea in a cup." She braced herself before downing the whole cup in one dreadful swallow, before giving a disgusted shiver. "Ugh! If I find the pony who thought this was a good idea, I'm going to dig up their body and shoot their corpse in the head!" She made her way to the armory where the requisitions officer was waiting on her.

He pointed to a machine with several spools of metal wire. "Stand here and hold as still as you can so a mesh under-suit can be woven for you."

Sunset stood in the ring and felt very uncomfortable as the machine wove the mesh under-suit around her body. A few arms extended with nozzles attached and chill ran across her body as gel was injected between the layers of the mesh weave.

The requisitions officer walked over once the machine had finished and draped a hood across her head and attached it to the mesh weave suit. "This will feel a little weird.", he said as he attached several small wires to her horn.

Sunset winced as she felt a sudden jolt of energy crackled across her horn. "What was that?!"

"It helps to magnify a unicorn's magic, while preventing unwanted spell backlash and bleeds of excess magic to prevent magical burn-out.", the officer replied. He pointed to a frame with several mechanical claws, holding pieces of exoskeletal armor, "Step onto the boots and hold still until the servos have a chance to compensate to your strength, you don't wanna accidentally shear a limb off."

Stepping into the boots, Sunset said, "I know how to an exoskeleton. I helped design them after all."

"That was the old outdated S-one exoskeleton, this is the new s-eight m-three exoskeleton. It has much improved servo compensation to prevent catastrophic movement injuries as long as you let the servos and comp-unit adjust to your strength.", the requisitions officer said before turning on the machine.

Sunset closed her eyes as the machine clamped the exoskeleton around her body. She listened as bolts were tightened, then the servos whirred and hissed. Once the power cells activated, she relaxed her muscles as she began to feel lighter. Opening her eyes, she raise one of her forelegs, hearing the servos whir and click, the lowered it again. Taking a few steps, she listened to the sound of the armor.

"Any discomfort, pain or complaints?", the officer asked.

"The servos on the left hid leg feel slightly out of alignment.", Sunset replied.

The requisitions officer hooked up a diagnostic module to the armor. "Well I'll be...the hind left servos are out of alignment.", he said surprised, "Let me adjust those for you. Hold still please." He flipped a few switches of the diagnostics module and picked up a tool in his hoof. Inserting the tool into a small socket, he gave it few twists while looking at the lights on the diagnostics module until they turned green. "Better?"

Sunset kicked her hind leg a couple of times, the hopped up and down a few times. "Much."

The officer clipped a metal band around Sunset's head and slipped the helmet on her head, the mag-locks clanked as the filtration unit hissed.

Sunset blinked a few times adjusting her eyes as the sensor units flickered to life inside the helmet. She quickly darted her eyes across the HUD as each reading came up green. She looked around as the sensors identified each object in the room. "Everything looks good in here.", she said into the speech unit, "How's it look on your end?"

The requisitions officer gave the hoof's up then asked, "Is there anything else you need?"

"Just help me get the weapon's system sighted in.", Sunset replied, "I'm feeling extra saucy today. Do they still make plasma casters?"

"Forty watt, eight watt or a hundred twenty watt range?", the officer asked as he hooked the sighting mechanism to the shoulder of the armor.

Sunset flicked her eyes zeroing in the sights before replying, "Eight watt range. I don't wanna get too cooked on my first combat in a thousand years."

The officer nodded as he hooked the plasma caster into the socket, the power cells whined as they glowed bright blue. "Give the cell..."

"Give them two to three seconds to to vent or they'll overheat and cook me in the armor.", Sunset interrupted, "Is there anything else?"

"Everything looks green. You are free to go Grand Maestro.", the officer replied.

With an eye flick, Sunset set the plasma caster into safe position. As the weapon shifted close to the armor, the cells went dark powering down. She left the armory and made her way to the deck of the airship where Twilight, her bodyguards, the ponemarchs, several transequine marine officers and several generals waited. She reached up and removed her helmet, clamping to a mag-lock on her flank as she approached.

Twilight glanced at Sunset as she walked up, then back to the beach with a stern look on her face. Two pony marines landed on deck of the airship and took off their helmets. Twilight turned to the two transequine pegasi and ordered, "Report."

The pony marine pegasus mare with a pink coat and short-cropped white mane said, "Looks like they've brought an army to throw us a welcoming party."

The pony pegasus stallion with dark grey coat and shaved mane spoke up, "Their army is a mixture of ponies, minotaurs, centaurs and griffons. They also have a hundred of elite heavily armored elite troops and about a company's worth of ponies juiced out of their minds."

Twilight and Sunset noted the fresh scratches and dings in the paint of the two pony marines armor indicating the army had ranged weapons.

"What condition is our army in?", Sunset asked.

"Bored, green as sapling, but champing for a fight.", a general replied.

"Are they up to fighting force?", Sunset asked.

"Yes Grand Maestro.", the same general replied.

"I say we let the infantry and the Ponyhood set up a beachhead.", Sunset said, "They could use the combat experience to shake off the raw off. Pomum Ligni and Zoccoli di Pietra, your legions will support the infantry and plug any gaps in their lines. Vent Rapide and Papilionem, your legions will offer flanking support to the infantry. Adamantem, Aster, Mica, Empresario and Divinos, your legions will hold back with the war walkers in case everything goes south."

The ten ponemarchs looked to Sunset then to Twilight. To the average pony their genders were undefinable, but to Twilight and Sunset, they knew not only what gender they were, but also what ponies the original genetic material was taken from to form the original genetic seed, though that ultimately didn't matter.

The ten ponemarchs gave a quick nod to Sunset and Twilight who had served as their mothers, teachers and first friends when they were young, before putting on their helmets and walking off to give commands to their respective legions.

Twilight smiled as she clucked her tongue in thought at how quickly Sunset had quickly slipped back into her role as commander.

As the engines on the barges roared to life, massive lifts raised from their holds hoisting the massive four-legged walking war machines and hundreds of the pony marines. The ponies in the infantry readied long-barreled rifles as they gathered in groups of three behind tall wheeled shield on the decks of the barges. Massive artillery guns were angled into position on the airships.

As the barges crept closer to shore, the artillery guns on the airships roared to life, sending great shells screaming through the air towards the enemy army gathered on the beach. As the shell exploded among the ranks of the enemy army, the air filled with with shrapnel, screams and broken bodies as the amassed army of creatures was forced to fall back under the heavy bombardment.

A split second before the ramps dropped on the barges, the artillery guns on the airships went silent and the last of the shells went silent as the last of the shells exploded among the rear ranks of the falling back army. The pony infantry rushed forward shoving their heavy wheeled shields as officers carrying pistols or sabers goaded them forward. The Ponyhood of Steel troops in their exoskeletons rushed up into ranks behind the infantry. Two legions of earth pony marines formed up ranks in reserve behind the first two ranks.

As the last of the heavy shields into place, several infantryponies took out shovels and began trenches or foxholes. The enemy army made a reverse wheel maneuver as the infantryponies were digging in. The enemy brought forth arquebusiers to their front ranks and leveled muskets, firing volleys. The heavy lead balls shattered against the heavy wheeled shields or glanced harmlessly off the thick army of the infantry, but several ponies fell to the ground screaming where the lead balls slipped through gaps in their armor. The infantryponies leaned out from behind the heavy shield to snap off shots, before ducking behind to cycle the bolts on their rifles. The Ponyhood of Steel ranks marched forward leveling the weapons mounted in shoulder sockets in their armor, the lead balls shattered harmlessly against their exoskeletons, they returned fire in controlled bursts, cutting down scores of the enemy arquebusiers.

As the arquebusiers moved to the rear ranks of the enemy army, catapults and trebuchets were wheeled up. Heavy boulders were hurled through the air, ponies in the assembled army tried to scramble out of the way of the stones, many were crushed leaving bloody streaks and broken bodies on the ground. Some of the boulders sailed towards the assembled ranks of earth pony marines. The massive transequine warriors calmly moved out of the way of the boulders, a few were crushed by the heavy stones and the marines seemed unfazed by their losses as the closed up ranks. A few boulders scored hits among the airships, sending them crashing into the water, the air fleet spread out as bubble shields were raised. A few of the boulders sailed towards the berges, forcing the massive war machines to step forward firing their immense weapons vaporizing the boulders in the air, a score of boulders slammed into the bubble shields of the war machines, most shattered harmlessly against their bubble shields, the few the passed trough the shields shattered against the heavy armor of the war machines, leaving minor dents or superficial gouges.

Transequine pegasi legionnaires swooped down from the sky and around the flanks of the enemy army. They landed among the siege weapons, cutting down their crews with the sharp blades mounted on their wing armor or planted explosives on the siege machines, silencing them. The transequine earth pony marines stepped into the breaches of the infantry, leveling massive short-barreled guns mounted in shoulder sockets or holding massive-bladed swords with crackling blades in their teeth.

The enemy army drug the company fanatic ponies forward. Their handlers activated the collars around the fanatic ponies necks as the shoved them forward. The collars injected a cocktail of psychotropic, stimulant and pain killer drugs into their bodies. Within seconds the ponies became frothing, crazed maniacs as they charged forwards heedlessly. The air filled with bullets, blasts of energy and mass reaction rounds. As the fanatics were cut down by the bullets, incinerated by the energy blasts or ripped apart by the mass reaction rounds, they rushed forward in a mindless, drug-fueled rage, taking no heed to their numbers killed or the injuries sustained. The pony marines counter-charged the raving maniacs, smashing with hooves and slashing with crackling blades, easily overpowering the fanatics. Reloading their weapons, the pony marines began marching forward in lockstep.

As the transequine earth ponies marched forward firing their weapons in winnowing volleys, the pegasi marines swooped down into the ranks of the enemy army, slashing with their wing blades. As the enemy army began to waver, several minotaurs and centaurs in an acts of desperation crushed dark magic-infused jewels in the hands, within second they mutated into hulking, loping beasts, claws, talons and tentacles erupted from their bodies. They grabbed any transequine pegasi they could, ripping their bodies apart. A squawk of comms devices was heard in the pony marines helmets, the earth ponies knelt down as the pegasi rapidly took to the air. The war machines leveled their weapons, deep thrums vibrated the air as colossal beams of energy lanced forth. The air above the enemy army turned to white-hot flames, the flesh of the massive beasts boiled and the bodies of the creatures turned to ash in an instant. Out of the hundred thousand creatures that made up the enemy army, only five hundred survived. Most fled as dozens threw down their weapons and laid on the ground, placing their forelimbs one their heads in surrender.

The pony marines gathered up the prisoners as the infantry finished establishing the beachhead. As the prisoners were interrogated and shot in summary executions, the airships landed disembarking more troops. As the command airship landed, Twilight and Sunset stepped off flanked by a knot of massive transequine bodyguards in magenta armor. Medics rushed among the field hospitals treating the injured and easing the passing of the dying. Casualty and troop readiness reports were brought to Twilight. She ordered those too injured to march back onto the barges and airships to be treated in the medical bays. Graves were dug for the soldiers and marines. Pits were dug and the bodies of the enemy army were tossed in, flamethrowers whooshed to life spraying the pits with flames hot enough to slag steel turned the bodies to ash. When the last of the war machines strode ashore, maintenance bays were erected to house them. Barracks were erected to hold the soldiers and marines as a forward command bunker was erected for Twilight, Sunset, the ponemarchs and generals. Banners depicting two stylized alicorns entwined were erected over the camp. Transequine pegasi and mortal pegasi were sent out on scouting flights.

In the morning camp was struck as the army gathered in a massive crescent. Marching across the land for miles, they liberated dozens of villages and towns for the next two days, before congregating in a massive camp, preparing to invade the first major city.

***

Hakenshut was beside himself in rage as he paced back and forth in grand hall of his palace-temple. "HOW COULD AN ARMY OF PONIES UTTERLY DEFEAT AN ENTIRE ARMY?!", he roared. Before any soldiers could answer, he slashed out with his claws, vivisecting three of them. He pressed the first two digits of a paw to the bridge of his nose and said in a calmer tone, "Now tell me about this pony army and how they wiped out one of my armies."

A centaur knelt trembling, fearing the sphinx's wrath. "My God-king, may you live forever. According to the reports of survivors, their airships bristled with siege machines that belched fire and turned to air to death as they ripped our troops to shreds. Their pony soldiers wore thick armor and had strange repeating muskets. Among their ranks there were massive pony soldiers who had repeating muskets that blasted our soldiers and fanatics bodies apart. They held in reserve massive iron beasts that turned the air to fire in white flashes. They have marched across the land unopposed for two days and your loyal subjects have turned against you. According to our scouts, the pony army masses a dozen miles from the city with intentions of invading in the morning."

Hakenshut let a predatory growl escape his lips. "Has there been reports of an alicorn?"

"An alicorn my God-king?", the centaur asked flipping through the reports.

"A large pony with wings and a horn!", Hakenshut snapped.

The centaur pulled out a report. "There has been a report of an...alicorn leading the a pony army, my God-king. A purple one."

Hakenshut turned with a snarl, "So she has returned! Ready my weapons and armor. I shall personally lead my armies against against this pony army. When it done, I shall carve the wings and horn from that bitch. Then I shall drag her broken body through the streets and hang it from the top of my palace-temple. All will see what happens when you try and challenge a true god."

The centaur bowed again and backed out of the great hall.

In the morning banners flapped in the breeze and airships sailed overhead with a roar of propellers as the pony army crested a series of hills overlooking a city made of polished sandstone, with a massive onyx pyramid in the center. On the plain before the city were arrayed armies of creatures of all types, with a massive sphinx at its head. As the pony army came to a stop atop the hills, hoof signals issued silent commands to the ranks of soldiers and pony marines. As the massive pony army spread out setting up ranks, wagons on magic suspensors containing the armored caskets holding the shattered bodies of transequine warriors, levitated across the dunes the dunes. The armored caskets were lifted in magical fields or by heavy machinery and lowered into the awaiting cradles on large walking machines with thick squat legs. Tech-monks attached power cables and tightened massive bolts as various large weapons were mounted into sockets. As the large squat-legged walkers were activated, the sleeping pony marines woke up and began willing the machines to move. Pegasi soldiers and marines concealed themselves atop the clouds, poised to strike a a moment's notice.

The gargantuan four-legged walking war machines at the far back of the pony army began striding to the far right flank, the very ground trembling with each step they took. Twilight took to the air, hovering high above the ground, she turned to face the pony army and summoned the royal Canterlot voice, "MY FRIENDS! AS WE STAND HERE GATHERED TO LAY LOW THIS TYRANT WHOM PRESUMES HIMSELF TO BE A GOD! BRACE YOUR RESOLVE AND STEEL YOUR SOULS AGAINST THE HORRORS AND DARK MAGICS THIS GREAT PRETENDER BRINGS TO BEAR! WITH OUR WEAPONS, MIGHT AND MAGIC, WE SHALL BRING PURIFYING LIGHT TO BANISH THE SHADOWS OF SUPERSTITION AND DOUBT!" She levitated the hammer from her side, hoisted it in her magic and continued, "BY THIS WEAPON I SHALL LAY LOW THE RANKS OF MURDERERS AND HERETICS! WHO AMONG YOU WILL RAISE YOUR WEAPONS ALONGSIDE MINE?" Ponies up and down the ranks raised their weapons as they gave a great shout. Twilight landed, still hoisting the hammer in her magic, energy crackled across her armor. Turning her head to a general, she said, "You may commence bombardment when ready."

On the airships, the massive barrels of the artillery guns were leveled. Flashes of fire erupted from their muzzles in thudding booms as the shells screamed through the air and landed among the ranks of the enemy creatures, filling the air with shrapnel that shredded nearby bodies. For several minutes the artillery guns roared, sending their lethal payloads into the rank and file of the enemy creatures. When the airships had expended the last of their shells, they pulled back as the army began marching forward.

Rank upon rank of enemy arquebusiers stepped forward, leveling their muskets. In the rear ranks, scores of catapults trebuchets and mangonels were slowly wheeled into place. Pegasi soldiers swooped down from the clouds snapping off shots from the short weapons strapped to their forelimbs. As they swooped over the enemy siege weapons, the pegasi grabbed bombs attached to the armor and hurled them to the ground. As the bombs exploded, shrapnel filled the air ripping through the bodies of the crews or shredding the ropes on the siege weapons, rendering them useless. The pegasi made another swooping pass, hurling another volley of bombs. The remaining crew members scattered trying to avoid the sprays of shrapnel as the siege weapons were further damaged. Enemy griffons took to the air, wielding spears and straight-edged swords.

The pegasi marines swooped down from the clouds, activating the crackling energy fields on their wings blades. Tipping their wings, the wing blades easily cut trough the armor and flesh of the griffons. The pegasi marines and griffons swooped, rolled and spun in aerial melee. The griffons stood little chance against the transequine pegasi. The hits scored against the thick power armor of the pegasi glanced off harmlessly, though a few lucky strikes managed to penetrate the joints of the power armor, the pegasi knocked the weapons loose as one would flick an offending insect away, seeming to take no regard to any injuries sustained. The pegasi marines cleaved apart the griffons with their wing blades or crushed their bodies with their powerful hooves. After several minutes of intense aerial melee, the few dozen surviving griffons scattered in a panic. The pegasi soldiers hurled the last of their bombs before their officers ordered them to fall back and rearm. The pegasi marines swooped among the enemy creatures harassing their ranks.

The enemy arquebusiers fire their muskets in massive, clouds of white smoke fill their air as lead balls sailed forth. Pony soldiers duck behind the heavy wheeled shields, a few fall to the ground screaming as the soft lead balls slip through gaps in their armor. Soldiers lean around the shields and snap of shots, before ducking back into cover cycling the bolts on the rifles. The Ponyhood of Steel step forward in their exoskeletons, covering the infantry and returning fire with the weapons mounted in the shoulder sockets of their armor. Unicorn and earth pony marines march forward unfazed by the volleys. Lethal blasts of magic and mass reaction rounds tear through the air, shredding the bodies of the arquebusiers in sprays of gore.

As the arquebusiers pull back, crazed shrieks come from the enemy creatures as fanatics charge forward in wave after wave in drug-fueled rage. The pony marines rush forward cleaving the fanatics with large crackling swords held in teeth, piercing with metal-sheathed horns or simply crushing them under powerful hooves. After the last of the fanatics were slain, the pony marines reload their weapons and begin marching backwards.

Hakenshut steps forward roaring a challenge, a massive bronze blade held in a paw, his gilded armor gleaming in the sun, ten thousand heavily armored jannesaries flanking him. Twilight marches forward in an unspoken challenge, a magenta aura surrounds the heavy hammer as arcs of electricity leap from it as the energy field activates, ripples of energy run across her armor and violet eyes burn with intensity.

As the two close on each other, Hakenshut points his sword and shouts, "You think you can stand before a true god? Hah! Know now alicorn, I shall sheath this blade in your blood!"

"Hear me now...", Twilight snarled, "...I shall cast you low and all shall see that you are no god, but a mere mortal. As for sheathing that in my blood, you have to find it first."

Hakenshut snarled as he flicked his chin, the heavily armored jannesaries moved to surround Twilight. Thirty massive transequine bodyguards in magenta armor charged, swinging their silver halberds in arcs faster then they eye could track, easily cleaving armor and flesh. Though greatly outnumbered, the transequine warriors fought in in silence, each one worth easily worth a company of mortal warriors. Several of the bodyguards flipped their halberds around, aiming the spike on top and beams of heat shot forth. Before any of the jannesaries could scream, their flesh erupted in flames and leapt to their nearby compatriots. When the flames extinguished, all that was left behind was scorched armor and blackened skeletons.

Hakenshut and Twilight circled each other as the melee raged around them, looking for openings to exploit. As Hakenshut prepared to charge, he halted as the ground trembled. Looking over, he saw twenty massive four-legged walking war machines. They leveled their massive weapons and with deep resonating thrums, massive lances of energy fired forth. Entire swaths of Hakenshut's forces vanished in white-hot flames. Over the hills stomped stubby-legged walkers with armored caskets mounted in cradles, mounted weapons roared to life and steel-jacketed rounds as big as the trunks of saplings or fragmentation shells twice as big as a hoof, screamed through the air, ripping apart the bodies of creatures.

Twilight smirked. "Surrender sphinx, your army lies shattered and you are outclassed."

Hakenshut roared swinging his massive bronze sword. Twilight swung her hammer, shattering the blade of the sword into fragments. He leapt forward extending his claws seeking to overpower her, she rolled backwards, slamming her powerful hooves into the gut of the massive sphinx. As Hakenshut tumbled on the ground, Twilight sprung up to her hooves and slammed the hammer down onto his armor. Blood erupted from his mouth as the hammer made the armor dent and crack. As the sphinx tried to drag himself away, Twilight slammed her hammer down again across his back, severing the spine. Hakenshut wheezed and gasped as blood filled his lungs. Before you kill me, I have but one request.", he said weakly, "Might I know the name of the one who has defeated me?"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Hakenshut spat out bright red blood and mucus as he laughed, "Of course it's a fucking princess!"

Twilight brought her hammer down on the sphinx's neck, crushing it. Its body let out a hissing gurgle as the last of the air seeped from its lungs.

The enemy forces shattered and fled in a panicked rout. The pony army charged forward in a massive shout. Most of the creatures threw their weapons away as they fled in all directions, many fell to the ground begging for mercy but were shown none, a few pockets chose to fight to the bitter end and were cut down under withering fire. Twilight rested the head of her hammer in the ground, watching the fleeing enemy forces loose all cohesion and discipline. She sent forth orders for the army to regroup before marching on the city.

Over the next two weeks the remaining knots of enemy creatures fought desperate battles street-to-street and building-to-building. As soldiers and marines armed with flame throwers marched up to flush out the dwindling pockets of dug in forces, most threw down their weapons surrendering. In the pyramid that once served as the palace-temple of the now dead sphinx, pockets of elite enemy forces barricaded themselves into hallways and rooms, having to be cleared out. Once the last pockets of resistance were eradicated or contained, Twilight entered the pyramid. Walking through the hallways, she did her best to ignore the smells of burnt flesh. Twilight paused at a fresco depicting the sphinx committing various depraved sexual acts, disgust and bile swelled in her throat, swinging the hammer, she smashed it into dust.

Twilight paused at a massive door leading to a bedchamber, hearing the scuffle of hooves inside, she reared up and smashed the door to splinters with her armored hooves. Expecting to find an enemy soldier, she was caught off guard seeing a filly on the cusp of marehood, curled up in a corner trembling. Twilight relaxed and a warm smile as she crossed over to the filly. As she slowly approached the filly, Twilight gently extended a hoof. The filly screamed and curled up tighter into a ball. A sad expression went across her eyes realizing the filly was traumatized from abuse.

Laying on the floor, Twilight laid the hammer aside gently and whispered, "It's okay my little pony, I'm not going to hurt you. I know I kinda look scary in this armor, but I'm a pony, just like you." She watched as the terrified filly peek an eye at her from behind her forelimbs. "My name's Twilight Sparkle. What's yours?"

"D-d-dewdrop.", the filly whispered in a wavering voice.

"I think that's a pretty name, Dewdrop.", Twilight said smiling, "Now I want to ask you a question, you don't have to speak if you don't want to. You can tap a hoof one time for yes or two times for no. Did some pony or creature hurt you?"

Dewdrop hesitated for a moment before tapping a hoof once.

"Did the sphinx hurt you?"

Dewdrop tapped her hoof again once.

"Would you please point to where he hurt you?"

Dewdrop extended a shaking hoof and pointed to her tail.

Twilight frowned for a second before letting the gentle smile cross her lips again. "I want you to know that I killed that sphinx, he can't hurt you again."

Dewdrop peeked from behind her forelimbs. "R-really?"

;Twilight made the gestures of a Pinkie Pie promise. "As a very old and dear friend once would say, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. That's an unbreakable promise."

Far away in the village of Apple Orchard, Lore keeper Apple Pie paused as she felt her mane twitch. She turned looking to the southwest in confusion.

Twilight gently extended a hoof to Dewdrop. Dewdrop extender her hoof shaking and touched it to Twilight's hoof, before recoiling it then slowly reached out again. Twilight helped the filly to her hooves. "Can I look and see how he hurt you? I promise I won't do anything inappropriate."

Dewdrop paused for a few moments, before before nodding her head. Twilight gently lifted the filly's tail and frowned seeing tearing to her vagina indicating sexual abuse.

"Climb on my back, I'll take you to somepony that can help you.", Twilight said softly. After Dewdrop climbed on her back, Twilight rose to her feet and clamped the hammer to her side. As she walked down the hallway with the filly on her back, Dewdrop gently touched a hoof to one of Twilight's wings. Ruffling her wings, she said softly, "It's impolite to touch somepony's wings or horn without their permission."

"S-sorry.", Dewdrop apologized, looking down blushing.

"It's okay this time, you're just not used to seeing ponies with wings or horns. Someponies get very mad if you touch certain parts of their bodies." Exiting the pyramid, Twilight walked over to one of the bazaars that had been turned into a hospital, she levitated the filly onto a cot and turned to a medic, "This filly has been sexually abused. Give her a full examination and any treatment she needs. You may also want to inspect the other recently freed prisoners for signs of abuse, sexual or otherwise."

Dewdrop jumped off the cot and wrapped her forelimbs around Twilight's leg. "Don'tgodon'tgodon'tgo!"

Twilight gently across Dewdrop's mane, "I have to go Dewdrop, there are other fillies and colts I need to rescue from the bad creatures that want to hurt them. I promise I'll come visit you and when I go home, I'll even bring you along with me to meet my old teacher, a dear friend of mine, my sister-in-law and my niece. Okay?" When Dewdrop nodded, Twilight placed her gently back on the cot.

Twilight walked over to a general and pointed a hoof at the pyramid, "As soon as you can spare the ponies to do so, I want that shrine to debauchery and filth torn down block-by-block."

The general bowed saying, "Yes your majesty."

Author's Note

Okay a little bit into my thought process here, I decided to model the sphinxes after some of the most infamously debauched rulers in history who surrounded themselves with opulence and every pleasure of the flesh they could, while most of their subjects lived in squalor.

I decided for better or worse to give two of the sphinxes vaguely middle eastern names, two of their names I took from Khemetic mythology and one I took from the title of a poem.

The difference between power armor and exoskeletal armor, at least in my mind, is that power armor ties into your nervous system so it requires fewer compensators to keep from accidentally shearing off a limb.

The genders of the ponemarchs are irrelevant, so you can either apply what ever gender you want or no gender to them.

The pony marines draw from both mares and stallions.

In the future I will go more into the ponemarchs and their respective legions.

I couldn't think of a pony-themed name for the transequine bodyguards that protect Twilight, maybe in the future I'll come up with one.

If you're expecting chaos gods, daemons of the warp, super mutants or deathclaws, they ain't there, though you can expect magically mutated creatures that can be seen as any of them.

The reason I had the guns mounted in shoulder sockets on the exoskeletons and power armor is that I needed a reason for them to be able to maintain an effective field of fire while still being able to run at the full speed.

I modeled the way the standard pony infantry advances off of pavise crossbowmen.

I know that aquebusiers fired aquebuses, not muskets, but I figured eh, my story my rules.

Please feel free to give any comments or criticisms.

Thank you for reading.

I hope you all enjoy.