-Sunspot, the equestrian navy Pony-of-war flagship of the 2nd solar fleet-

Sailing forward the large many decked ship along had her crew pull out her canons while the crew readied themselves for the invasion of the Nile kingdom. Sitting behind the helm with an old cap on top of his head, the old admiral relaxed his old legs before the first officer walked up and stood next to the admiral.

"Admiral Sentry! I'm proud to report that the Sunspot has her canons loaded and ready to fire along with the rest of the fleet," The officer stated buffing out her chest with pride, but the old admiral looked up slightly.

Wake Sentry had been on the sea for many years and done many things in the name of Princess Celestia from clearing pirates from the merchant ship's routes for nearly thirty years to escorting expectations to protect them from sea monsters and the like. Once the head of the first fleet before stepping down to let a much younger pony take his place at the first fleet and spending the last few years on his ship in peaceful sailing and escorting cruise ships or noble yachts.

But having been ordered by the royal court to be moved down here to perform an invasion of the Nile kingdom for affiliation with the rest of the badland kingdoms who declared war on Equestria. Wake had been to the Nile kingdom a few times in his long life sure they were a bit... odd but they were artists and very zealots to their gods, sure they would be upset if you were to say Celestia was the princess of the Sun and not their god Ra but they wouldn't stab you for it.

This whole thing didn't sit well with Wake, most of his crew were replaced with fresh young blooded ponies ready to shoot fire and ask questions later in the name of Equestria. They were too eager in fact...

He just hopes his young nephew wasn't the same way.

"Admiral?"

"Huh... oh yes very good Salt rush,"

"Sir, should I fire the warning canon to give them their chance to surrender?"

The admiral looked up and nodded.

"Yes," The officer gave her salute before marching to ready the message provided to them by the royal court.

Giving a sigh the old pony pulled out his pipe pushing in a few dried tobacco herbs into it before standing up to look at the Nile kingdom.

"Faust have mercy on us all,"

"HURRY UP YOU RUNTS AND PULL!" Keel ordered while the warriors of the Nile pushed on the leveler wheels to pull up the chains for the Nile's gate and to pull up the large black iron stakes to prevent land invasion by the beach.

The Jackal captain turned to the being known as Six who was currently looking through what seemed to be some kind of double telescope looking at the ships in the distance. His golems were evenly lined out on the right beach which they were currently on but leaving the left beach completely unguarded but the massive beach tower had the side covered.

Along with having his machine device in the middle, in between him and the groups of his men ready to defend their home in a perfect pattern. This caused the Jackal to at least relax knowing this snake-dog knew what it means to strategize but he had yet to prove himself in combat.

"What do you see Courier?" Keel asked to which Six looked through his telescope thing to the ships.

"A front line I think they are trying to get close enough to see our defenses so they can avoid them before they send the landing parties," The courier stated from on top of his war machine. "Then again I'm not big on sea battle not much water for this sorta thing back home,"

"Think your golems can defend the Nile just as well as my men," Six lowered his telescope device to look at Keel but before he could say anything Aella spoke up.

"His golems whipped out an entire Equestrian siege force in a single attack just a few hours ago... so I think they can hand a few small ships," The sand devil stated while holding her sword in hand before revolving the blade around her hand. "Don't judge a book by it's cover Keel,"

The Jackal huffed while turning back to oversee his men finishing up bringing the accident sea defenses from their deep water sleep. Returning to his telescope device the courier looked back to the ships before noticing something on the leading flagship.

"Hold on looks like... hold on those things have cannons!? Wait they're- SHIT CONTACT!" Six flinched while the leading flagship fired one of it's cannons as a projectile fired through the sky rushing down towards them.

All braced for whatever was to come before the projectile exploded in midair... revealing a magical image of a pony donned in robes of the solar royal court.

"You are all of you vermin... cowarding in the sand... thinking what I wonder you might escape the burning fire? No, your lands will burn until it's nothing but GLASS! And not even your 'Courier' will live to wander blackened from it's hole to watch us perform our just crusade upon you lawless lands. For too long you have commented crimes against Equestria unpunished! For your coming judgment is the will of Celestia! And I am her blood!"

The magical message broke apart as the courier baffled at what he just saw turned to Keel confused.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was a declaration of war," Keel stated as he watched the magical after dust.

"I don't know if I should be flattered if they called me out by name?"

Before Keel could answer some of the ships had turned to face their broadside cannons at the beach.

"BRACE YOURSELVES!"

Six's ears rang as he pulled himself off the sandy beach after the blast from the sudden impact of cannon balls sent him flying off the tank. Screaming and warcry echoed through his ring mind as the courier reached for his helmet pulling it from the sandy beach and placing it on his head strapping it on tighter.

Getting to his knees Six noticed that the ponies were already on the beach with landing ships...

'How did they? Shit... they must be teleported forward... I'm starting to hate magic,'

The rings in his ears slowly died down before the courier noticed a pony give a war cry rushing at him with a sword, pulling his coat back the courier pulled out his trusty sequoia pointing it at the pony and firing the large caliber bullet blowing the head off the pony. Pushing himself up to watch as the tank's secondary built-in Gatling laser opened fire at the beach while the main turret targeted the land parties trying to get to the beach.

Shooting another pony Six watched as a cannonball knock the arm off one of his robots but the advanced Robco robot switched to his secondary firing arm and fired at the ponies with it's 9mm submachine gun. This battle was not at all what six could have predicted, but at least they were holding the beach he need to get the lady over here and quick!

Moving towards the Tank the courier spotted Keel in a bind between two ponies quickly he entered V.A.T.S and with pinpoint accuracy, he fired two high-caliber magnum bullets into the skulls of the attackers. Keel turned his head to Six but soon turned back to fighting ponies with his curved blade, being jumped himself Six threw off a pony over his shoulder before shooting another pony in the chest easily going through the equine's gold plate armor.

Lifting his trust side arm once again pointing it at another pony but as the hammer of the weapon dropped down an arrow hit right in between the cylinder and the barrel of his weapon. The weapon exploded in his hand causing the Courier to watch in horror as his beloved sequoia was completely blown apart by the arrow blocking the bullet. If his glove didn't have the specialized armor weave then the explosion would have taken his right hand as well.

Hissing in rage for his favorite weapon being destroyed in his hands the courier turned to an archer pony on the beach aiming her bow at him. This pony was different than the rest, dressed in a different set of armor with a split horn on her head and seemed to have scales on her body that the armor didn't cover.

Six was pissed beyond words that the weapon belonged to the old NCR chief, that same weapon was used to kill Ceaser for christ's sake and this fucking lizard-looking pony destroyed it! Rushing forward at the strange wooden armored pony who fired more arrows at the courier who easily dodged the sharp pointed projectiles.

Narrowing her eyes from behind her hood the pony creature loosen five arrows rapidly like a machine gun aiming for the eye slot of Six's visor. The courier brought up his pip-boy to shield his face while selecting a weapon to really teach this pony what happens when you destroy one of a gun lover's favorite weapons! Bring forth 'Knock Knock' the courier swung the black-handled fire axe at the pony with his right hand, the pony dodged with grace and landed light-footed on the sand not even making a footprint. The pony shouldered her bow before drawing two short blades in each hand which caused the courier to know he had to put away the old fire ax in his hands.

'Oh, it's going to be like that huh? Sorry, Knock Knock maybe next time old girl,'

Pulling Blood-Nap Six rushed at the pony who parry his attacks and countered with her blades going for his neck and sides, feeling the sharp blade glide against the side of his helmet Six hissed. He had enough of this damn pony so he let a certain implant activate as the entire world began to slow around him allowing Six to de-summon Blood-Nap and bring out another weapon of his. Punching upwards in a fighting style he learned from the legionary before his choice in choosing a side for the Mojave, Six gave a swiping uppercut.

The look behind the cloth mask of the pony was just enough to tell Six she had no fucking clue what just happened as the saw blade of his industrial hand had cut through her chest opening her chest cavity open to the world. Falling back to the beach the pony watched as Six raised his foot before bringing it down on the exposed heart of the pony crushing it under his steel-toed boot.

"MURDER!" Three ponies ran at the blood-covered courier but before they could draw their blades back a sudden gust of wind blew past them and their necks exploded into blood spigots.

Standing with a bloody blade in her hand Aella stood with her long white locks slowly dropping down after her sprint of super natural-like speed. She smiled at the courier who was finally seeing her in action for the first time, the courier turned his gaze to a hail of canon fire to which Aella bolted forward with the same speed as before grabbing the courier by the shoulder and bringing him behind the tank as cover. The tank got hit by a cannonball but the advanced armor easily reflected the cannonball as the courier looked at Aella before giving her a thumbs up and putting his weapon away.

"We need to deal with those ships! Can't ED-E take those things out with the tank?" Aella asked.

"They way out of range... hold on I need to make a call," Six tapped the side of the tank's hatch before it opened revealing a bulletproof window. "Amelia you two alright in there?"

"Subete yoi Six," Amelia smiled while at the helm before ED-E buzzed like a mad droid finally happy to fire the gun.

"ED-E call her in! Those ships will ripper apart the city,"

"*Affermtive beeping*"

"Don't take long buddy," The hatch went down as Aella looked at Six.

"Reinforcements? What else do you have up your sleeve?" Aella asked while Six summoned 'Light in shining darkness' shooting a pony who spotted them.

"This and a couple more aces now we don't have to wait long before help arrives-"

Suddenly like a roaring scream, the sky echoed a loud boom that sounded like thunder but there wasn't any lighting or rain in the dark clouds above. But a large shadow passed by the sky above causing Aella to smile and Six to look up at the large dark figure in the air.

Passing over them the shadow went to the Equestria Navy before beams of golden light fired down upon the warships setting the countless ships ablaze. Six lowered his weapon while the shadow passed again with more beams of light upon the ships, burning the ships, even for brief moments flashed boiled the water around the fleet.

"That's the lady you were talking about?" Aella asked stunned by what she was seeing.

"No... that's not one of mine," That was unless Six was so drunk he built an ARCHIMEDES II laser beam weapon on the lady, which was extremely unlikely.

Watching the light show Six walked from behind the tank as the pony's morale had been broken by the sudden destruction of the Navy. Standing on the blood-stained beach while the surviving defenders brought the remaining attackers to their knees with blades at the equine's throats. Six, on the other hand, looked towards the sky and to his shock what was in the sky wasn't the giant war plane but some kind of larger winged beast in the sky.

Soon the Jackals noticed the figure and gave a mighty cheering warcry.

The being soon turned it's gaze to the beach before smiling down at the defenders below, slowly the giant in the sky moved down to the beach but as the being came down it shrank it's size but stopped once it touched the beach before the courier. Standing about seven feet the courier looked at the dark purple being who looked down at him with a smile, Six didn't know what to make of this creature but the Jackals kept howling for the being.

"THE SPHINX HAS RETURNED!"

(Sometime later)

Six felt the soft tissue of the Jackal in his hands as he carefully tended to the wounded Jackal warrior while stitching up his wound. The whole battle was bloody on both sides, something Six didn't expect was the fact the ponies had fucking cannons yet only on their sea ships. If he had known about the whole Cannon thing he would have prepared for the entire thing otherwise this battle would have been a lot different.

Wrapping the wound the courier stood up from the bloodied Jackal who was currently groaning in pain as the Jackal medics tended to the rest. Luckily Six was able to help save the limbs of a few of the Jackals before the medics could demand their arms and legs a lost cause to have them removed. All of them would make a speedy recovery, Six whipped his hands off as he turned back to the still-burning ships before walking to the shoreline feeling the water creep up on his boots.

For his first battle by water was a bloody one... hell even the water was slightly red from the blood spilled into the blue sea. Six felt the sea breeze push his coat slightly as something tapped against his boots, looking down at his feet he saw what seemed to be a hat of some kind reaching down he picked up the strange-looking hat the courier turned it around to find something inside the headdress.

'An unopen letter... or unsent?'

Six looked at the name of the letter he raised his brow at the strange pony name: 'Flash Sentry'

He was somewhat tempered to open the letter but he didn't probably out of old habit since he was a courier after all it was frowned upon to open someone's mail. Putting the seal note back in the hat Six turned both into data to be stored in his pip-boy before he turned back to the beach but he was met with the purple being standing before him.

"My~ My~ you smell of blood," The 'Sphinx' stated while the courier just looked at her.

"Well, that kinda happens when you fight in a battle like this," Six answered feeling slightly uneasy around this tall being before him.

"No... that's not it... you reek of blood... not just pony something else... something I never smelled before and I have smelled all kinds of death," The mythical creature stated. "Almost couldn't smell it over the burning flesh of ponies,"

"If you're saying I killed before I wouldn't deny it... what do you want lady?" Six felt a chill go up his cybernetic spine.

"Nothing I simply wanted to see the courier I've been hearing so much about and you 'little red eyes' are quite different than any other mortal I've encountered," Sphinx stated before turning to walk away. "I wonder what else you are capable of doing... I hope you don't disappoint,"

Six watched the giant walk away before leaving the courier back alone to his thoughts on the battle.

'I need a drink,'

Author's Note

WHOA, ALMOST 3,000 WORDS!

Differently made up for the slow pace of the last chapter! Also, I did replace the dragon tag with Sphinx to mask the surprise of her reveal.

Sorry it's not Chrysalis or Genderbent bat-pony Alucard (though I'll be honest I was aimming to make the Sphinx's personality like Hellsing ultimate's Alucard) I did say you might not guess who it was.

Before I'm chewed out by the whole 'why do ponies have cannons?' I have two words for you... actually make it a name: 'Pinkie Pie' she literally has a freaking cannon used for parties whose to say that cannon was 'pinkified' for parties of an actual ship cannon.

The 20mm cannons couldn't hit the ships since they were out of range as I said and the reason why the ship navy was able to pepper the beach is actually easy. A bigger caliber but not very accurate for aiming at selecting targets...

I did have some slight halo 3 inspiration in part of this chapter but I've given you hints of what's going on. Hopefully, you guys can figure out the hints until it's revealed later on...

What else?

You guys got to see the power of a sand devil and a Sphinx... and sadly Six lost his beloved hand cannon I got an idea for him to get a replacement.

God, I love that scene...

Well, the last part of the Red Sand War while being in the following chapter.