"To all empires fighting the Universal War, This is the Planet Armonia. We ask for your services, your services to defeat the Dragononian menace which has so quickly befallen our Armonian races. If you come to our aid, and protect us, and give us freedom, then we will gladly join the name of your glorious empire, helping you to victory. Please come quickly, we need your aid."- Message to all 42 major empires
It had been 11 months since the Dragononian occupation. Eleven months of slavery, death, and suffering for all Armonians, but with this-- this Dragononian intel, it seemed that Armonia might become the loving planet it once was. With this intel, it seemed Hope had risen, Hope had come once again, Hope.
After acquiring the intel from the Dragononians, Armonians immediately started to spread the word, with secrecy and intelligence. All over, Armonians were getting the news of the Dragononian's war with over 42 separate empires, which, for some reason, was a good thing. The one situation which had to absolutely get settled was which empire. There were over 42, giving Armonians a really good list, but this also gave Equestrians tons of options which meant particularly more time. All Armonians know that no matter ever gets settled in a day, especially in Armonia. It was quite ironic, a loving land could never seem to agree. I digress, however. Each day that we, as Armonians, waited would mean harsher and harsher punishments on our planet as a whole. The punishments were getting harsher and more enforced too. One punishment for the Pegasi Pony Equestrians was to be tied by the wings to a tree, and then to have a Dragononian slowly pull the Pegasi down until their wings were practically pulled off, and then they would waterboard the Equestrian until the Equestrian could no longer breathe, and finally, to finish the punishment up, they would burn the poor thing alive slowly. Something had to be done quickly, but Armonians did not want to bring upon themselves an empire the same or even worse as the Dragononians.
As time passed, our group, True Royal Army of Armonia, decided upon a deadline for the choosing which would be up within one month. The deadline went basically like this: the top three choice empires at that time, would be chosen as the empires to send the Armonian invite to, basically, come to war. From there, fate would decide. To the True Royal Army of Equestria, the plan seemed perfect.
Twelve days into the plan, something horrible happened. Me and Braeburn were going out to mine the mineral fields in Ponyville. Just as we were heading out, we noticed a commotion building up in the center of the city. This was very unusual because normally if any Equestrian did this, they would be, well, punished. Me and Braeburn knew something very important was taking place today. Getting lost in the crowd, we looked up to see the dreaded hanging and burning posts. Upon them were two human Dragononians and one Dragon Dragononian who was the Firemaster (the name given to the Dragononian executioner). Immediately the Firemaster spoke, and immediately every Equestrian shut up.
"The Dragononian Empire does not take kindly to traitors", the Firemaster barked with a horrendous, maniacal voice. "Nor do we tolerate them...You see when someone breaks the law in the Dragononian Empire, there is normally no mercy" he stammered with a voice that could rip the flesh from your measly bones. "First we give you kindness...IS NOT THAT WHAT YOU EQUESTRIANS BELIEVE IN!!!!!" he screamed, and every Equestrian flinched. He paused letting his words sink into our souls so deeply we almost drowned. "If you will not be thankful to us..." he spoke again after what seemed like eternity, "Then you will see what will happen..." he finished, and then stopped again. "Bring up the traitor!" he squealed.
Me and Braeburn looked up to see who this so called "Traitor" was, and we noticed, through all the torture and vile things that this poor Armonian had gone through, that it was one of the squad mates who had gotten shot in the leg when our squad was making our heroic escape. Me and Braeburn turned to each other...horrified.
"Tie him to the stake" the Dragon Dragononian barked to his two human Dragononian comrades. The two human Dragononians immediately did what was asked, but they did it in the roughest way they could. "Now... this is what happ--"
"You villainous losers...I hate you!!" some girl changeling yelped from the crowd. No Equestrian in the crowd said anything, but you all knew what they were thinking.
"GRAB THAT OTHER TRAITOR!!!!!!!!!!!" the Dragon Dragononian fused with anger, and the two human Dragononians rushed to the Changeling girl, and hit her so hard, you could hear the villainous crack of the skull. They then dragged the poor thing up to a hanging pole, but were stopped. "WAIT!!! Tie that girl to that pole right there!" he barked, and then he whispered something to the one of the human Dragononians after which the human Dragononian left. The Dragon Dragononian then grabbed the changeling girl by the chin and whispered just loud enough for the crowd to hear, "I'm going to make an example out of you." He then went to the first prisoner and said, "This is what traitors deserve!", and then he pulled out his pistol and shot the prisoner. Simple as that. Blood started to ooze from the penetrated skull of the now dead prisoner, and the entire crowd fell ghastly silent. It seemed like an eternity before the human Dragononian came back with something which read "flammable". The human Dragononian then gave the Dragon Dragononian the canister, and walked back to his position near the new, poor changeling girl, now secured in her bonds. The Dragon Dragononian then said, "Gag this one so that we don't have to hear her annoyingly, incessant screams". The two human Dragononians gagged the changeling girl, and moved back to their positions near the pole. "Now", crackled the Firemaster's voice, "Do it... Show Equestrians what happens to traitors". With that, the two human Dragononians poured a liquid from the canisters, and then they lit a match...and----and they burned this hero...to death.
Me and Braeburn stood there for a while,watching the poor heroes body become a mass of charred ashes. Eventually, we were all forced to leave by the Dragononians. We went to work in the minefields where we met Spike. He told us that there was going to be an urgent meeting tonight. We replied that we would be there, and remained silent for the rest of the day.
When night fall came, me and Braeburn with Apple Bloom snuck out of the house after what seemed like a lifetime of waiting. First, we headed to the corner of Bon Bon's house. I peeked my head over the corner to tell everyone to be ready to move. Turning my head slowly, so as not to be seen, I saw two guards waddling over to a stationary Dragononian Tank. The guards then started talking to the Top machine gunner. Both of them started to laugh, none of them noticed us. We sprinted over to Silver Gold's house. As we rushed into the alleyway, I heard some very loud footprints, followed by a loud thud. I then heard someone start to say, "Please stop hurting me. Please." Then, two others said, "Hush now, Hush... we're only going to kill you." At this, I thought that it must be Dragononians, but as I turned the corner, I found that there were two Armonians, one a Changeling, and one a Pegasus Colt. They were both hurting a poor Griffon girl. I was furious. I wanted to charge in there and attack them, but then I remembered I had Apple Bloom, and so I couldn't. I remembered those two Dragononians though, and I must say that it was at times like these that I was glad for this empire and their martial law. I turned to Braeburn.
"Braeburn, watch Apple Bloom, while I go over and get those two guards we saw."
"What? Are you crazy? Big Mac, we are trying to sneak out of here, why would you do that?"
"Look! That girl over there is being robbed, and might even be killed! I have to go, and risk it."
"We can take them... let's just do tha--"
"No! I can't risk that on us, Apple Bloom, or anyone else... Look, I know you're worried, but we will think of something, now let's go". At this, I quickly rushed to the guards, and yelled to them for help.
"What is it?", one of the guards snapped back, "Why aren't you at home?" he finished.
"Quick! Some Armonian is being beat up over there... a griffon... I think the culprits are going to kill her...Quick!" I shouted with a demanding voice.
"Quick, Someone is being hurt let's go", the Dragon Dragononian snapped to his human Dragononian companion. He then turned to the machine gunner on top of the tank, and told him to be ready in case they needed back-up. We all rushed to the site, where we found the Changeling and the Pegasus holding the Griffon to the wall, about to slice her throat.
"Stop right there!!", The Dragononians shouted, "Right Now!!". Immediately, the two dropped the Griffon, and started to run.
"Stop or we will shoot!", the human Dragononian shouted. The two didn't stop.
"Go silent and aim", the human one said to his comrade. They both flicked something on their weapons, aimed down their respective sights, and fired. The Changeling and Pegasus dropped, blood spurting out of their bodies.
"Alright, Lets go collect those bodies and get out of here". They started to go, but turned around to us. "As for you, you need to go back to where you live, and don't let us catch you out here again". They then turned to go collect the bodies, and we turned around and started to jog out of there. As we neared the house where we originally started, we again saw that tank, still plopped there waiting for anything big to happen. It had one spotlight at the front, but the spotlight was not moving...yet.
"Okay, listen up", I turned to Braeburn and Apple Bloom. We need to rush past that tank, but we need to do it quick, so when I say go, we run got it.", I turned to them for a reponse.
"Got it", said Braeburn. I nodded, and waited.
"Ready...set...". Just as I was about to say go, a Dragononian helioplane flew by with a spotlight brighter than the sun. My heart started to pace a million miles a minute. The thing continued to fly by, again out of sight. I wasted no time this time. "Go", I said, and we went. We made it all the way to the Everfree Forest the rest of the way without any other mishaps. We dodged a few guards, and nothing else major happened. We entered the Everfree Forest.
The Everfree Forest was a specially dangerous place at night, and especially now with the frequent Dragononian patrols which happened because the forest was a perfect hideout. I believe there was something else, though, that the Dragononians were hiding. Anyway, at first, the way there was going smooth. Except for the faint howl of Timberwolves, which Apple Bloom was terrified of, we made it without a scratch. When we made it to Gorshen Bog, an area infested with Dragononian Snipers for some reason, things really got close. As we passed Zorin Pond, a faint bark started up. Then I heard a growl. Looking into a bush where the growl was coming, I saw two glowing eyes open up. "Timberwolve", I thought, but it was to late.
The Timberwolve tackled me to the ground, trying to dig its razor-sharp claws and teeth into my neck. I only held it back with my hoofs, but the thing was way too strong for even me. Apple Bloom started to scream, as Braeburn went to help me. We both knew this was bad. I would rather take a Timberwolve than a Dragononian sniper anyday. Braeburn, then, had to rush back to Apple Bloom, and quiet her. The Timberwolve raised its claws and thrashed at my muzzle. It hit me one time, leaving a gash across my right side of my face. I felt the blood trickle down my face, but the adrenaline kept me going trying to fight this beast.
Again, it tried to attack me only this time it tried to dig its mouth into my neck. It was only an inch away from digging its foul smelling mouth into my neck when Braeburn hit the thing upside the head, knocking it back in a whimper of emotion. It regained its strength quick though and rushed back, this time at Braeburn. Braeburn, however, was prepared, and hit the thing right in its stomach, and then using his wrangling skills, he threw it into the mucky water near us. It was angry.
Full of mud, and other things which lurk in a bog, it started to climb back up to us. Then it looked at Apple Bloom. "NO!", I thought, "Not her". I started to scramble over to AppleBloom to protect her with my life. The thing, knowing this was my weakness, laughed. I swear it laughed. It was just at the edge of the pond, just about to leap to try to kill me and Apple Bloom, when a tentacle from the pond, grabbed it by its legs, and dragged it deep, deep, deep into the mucky beyond. The thing started to sink, and then it was gone, eaten by whatever grabbed it.
"Okay... let's get out of here... I have had enough of this", I said. I picked up Apple Bloom, turned to Braeburn who was fine, and we started to get out of there. Just as we were about to penetrate back into the final area where we were only a few miles off from our meeting place, a bullet whizzed into a tree not two feet from Braeburn. Splinters went flying out of it. Then another bullet knicked a piece of my mane straight off. I ducked for cover.
"Sniper!", Braeburn yelled.
"Obviously", laughed Apple Bloom. This was not a time to laugh.
"Braeburn keep your head down, and when I say rush... we rush. As for you Apple Bloom, do not, I repeat DO NOT lift that head of yours up for one second, do you understand?", I finished. They both gave their respective yes, and, as bullet particles, and tree parts, and muck was flying everywhere, I screamed RUN!
We all sprang up, and sprinted so fast to the cover of the woods, that I thought my heart was going to explode. It didn't. Just as we were two feet from the cover, I heard a loud KABOOM! Turning around, I saw the place we were not ten seconds ago blow up in a flash of heat, shrapnel, flames, and cordite. The Dragononians really didn't want anybody up there. Anyway, we made it nonetheless. The rest of the trip was smooth. It was smooth.
Finally, after who knows how long, we saw the building we were to meet at. It was an old, abandoned emerald mining facility used during the great Pony-Griffon War. It was nice for being really ancient. I'm surprised it still stood. Anyways, we went inside.
When we entered, after revealing the passcode which was "SUN" spelled with your hoofs or claws, I brought Apple Bloom to a spare room, and let her sleep. I then went over to where Spike, and a few others were discussing sudden events.For a while we discussed the matter of the event which had just recently transpired today. We also learned of many other executions which took place all over the planet not just in Ponyville. We must have discussed for what seemed like an eternity before some one brought up the intel.
"Listen up every Equestrian!! Why are we arguing about this topic of the executions when we should be arguing about what to do about it, and what to do about the intel gathered a few months or so ago." Doctor Hooves suggested this.
"Listen, Dr. Hooves... we can not decide upon an event as humongous as that, without first deciding who to pick. Now lets get back to the exe--"
"What the executions!? Listen, if we continue to babble like this, then so many others will be executed, we need to decid--"
"To decide?! Doctor Hooves, I don't believe you realize the shear statement to which you are trying to undertake... WE KNOW NOTHING...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about these other empires, except for the fact that they want planets... Do you seriously think that we should just go out, and invite everyone hear... Think about it, would you invite someone you didn't know to your home? Of course not, and so we must not make this decision too hastily."
"Oh really," replied Dr. Hooves, "and what will happen if we never try, we are discovered, and then we are all executed... or what if the Dragononians really do get the elements? What about then? WE ARE WASTING TIME!! We must act now for the sake of all of Equestria!".
Out of the boiling argument, my cousin Braeburn interrupted.
"I, for one, agree with Dr. Hooves. I mean it is true... do we seriously want to waste time, what if our time is almost up, and we don't even realize it... I mean Celestia never told us where she was hiding the elements just that she was. We must act now." After Braeburn finished, Lyra jumped in.
"Braeburn, that's crazy... do you not realize that if we do this, we are inviting empires to which, if they win, they could enslave all of us or worse... I mean what if those empires called the Wreckless win, what then?"
"Yes, but you saw their goals... they only destroy/infect those planets who do not supply ample supplies or who rebel against them, and their government seemed alright in all of our sights plus what if someone like the Brainiac Corps win? Then we will really be in for a great, healthy thriving empire... and what if somehow we are able to take our planet back, then we will rule, and be safe from these outside forces... We need to act now!"
The argument continued. Doctor Hooves and those that supported him were pushing their ideas against Lyra and those that supported her. We were practically getting another full grown war on our hoofs, and we hadn't even finished this one. This argument had us practically choking each other, and, if not for the random interruption of Spike's letter, we probably would have killed each other.
"BURP!" Spike broke the uncalmness with the receiving of a message from Twilight herself. He opened it and read.
"Dear Spike, You must act quick. The Dragononians are doing horrendous things over here in Canterlot, and they are torturing Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and a heap of other dignitaries. We believe they found the elements recently because they are moving all of us to somewhere in Griffoni. Spike, if they get the elements it is over, I really hope you are doing well over there, because it is not so good over here."
Spike ended his reading, and said, "So who still wants to wait it out?" No Armonian raised there hoof or claw. The issue was settled. The message would be sent to every empire, and there would be no turning back. We drafted a message, sent it, and me and Braeburn collected Apple Bloom, and in the stillness of the night walked home. We all went right to bed, and hoped for the best. I even prayed, something I had not done in a very long time.