//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Rarity's Army 
// by BronyDan 
//------------------------------//

Meanwhile, over on the far side of the border, across the forgotten seas and through the Mountains of Reckoning, stood the Changeling Empire. A vast and open area of land stood at the front under a black sky as shapeless clouds loomed overhead, where Changelings of many sizes and had been bred for different functions, were busy with an assortment of weapons that were being tested for the first time, construction of vast and horrible tank-like machines were underway while many of the changelings were out on training grounds, practising with large cannons that would certainly looked like it had the force to destroy a town with only three shots as it fired shots of dark green like fire, that exploded like a bomb once it had made contact. Some Changelings could be seen returning after a battle, and even some were carrying unconscious ponies, to be either tortured for information, be tested for their weapons, or to be put in their work camps as a Prisoner of War and manufacture the cannons.

There were bunkers stood around the area, each one leading to an underground system of tunnels where the Changeling scientists could work in peace, perfecting the combinations of a different bomb each week, or testing out its new gases on the prisoners to see how fatal they were.

On the top of the nearest mountain stood the castle where Queen Chrysalis resided. Unlike Canterlot, with its white buildings and bustling high streets, this was black and crumbling, its dark winding streets were all cobbled together as Changeling soldiers marched up and down them on patrol, and in one certain building, one of the largest Military bases for the Changeling government and army, a selected group all stood around a giant map of what looked like the South side of Equestria, where small pins were placed on the map, a different colour indicating each of the ponies defences, many were placed around Canterlot itself.

“Comrades!” came a loud, snarling voice, from the General as he walked smoothly, as if he was gliding, into the room, “Tonight, her Majesty has allowed us to draw out a new plan of attack. It shall go under the name of “Operation Manticore”, and everything must be planned out to the very last detail! But we must not underestimate our Pony enemies, for they do share one common entity with us; they have always been great organisers.”  

At 6 o’clock, the Town Hall was filled again, as the ponies were all standing in three rows, each carrying an object that they felt could be used as a weapon. “Platoon, attention!” Twilight barked and all the ponies stood to attention as Rarity walked up alongside Twilight, “All the ponies are ready for inspection.” said Twilight, raising her hoof into a salute. She still felt that this was a ridiculous idea, but she decided that if they would be acting as an army, she may as well treat Rarity as her officer.

“Excellent, Twilight.” smiled Rarity, and she turned to face her soldiers, and looked at Pinkie Pie with her choice of weapon; an egg whisk, “I really don’t think that is going to pose much of a threat, Pinkie.” she said, her eyebrow raised.

“Oh no Rarity, I’ve thought it all out.” said Pinkie grinning, “Watch.” and she stuck the whisk into Rarity’s hair and began twisting it vigorously, and then she pulled it out quickly, leaving her mane to be knotted and sticking out in various places. Rarity stood in horror for a few seconds, but before she could make a scene, Twilight quickly used her magic to put it back to normal, “See, if I do that to a Changeling, he’ll be in so much shock about his mane, that it’ll give someone the chance to shoot him.” finished Pinkie, still smiling about this excellent idea.

“Yes, quite.” breathed Rarity, her heart slowing back down, “But I think you need to remember, Changelings don’t have manes.” she added, but before she moved on she turned to back to Pinkie and hissed, “Don’t ever demonstrate that again.” and then saw Spike standing next to her, her eyes looking at his choice of weapon.

“You said that if we didn’t have anything, we can tie a carving knife to a broom handle." said Spike.

“Yes Spike, I did say that.” said Rarity, smiling sweetly, but Spike could easily tell he had done something wrong, “But I didn’t mean that you keep the broom on at the end of it.” she sighed and walked on. She nodded at Rainbow Dash for her choice of bringing a shovel, which she would use for shovelling the clouds, and when she walked up to Fluttershy, “Where did you get that?!” she demanded, as Fluttershy stood there, with a rifle in the right hoof.

“Well, I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to bring a weapon, and I thought you would be disappointed if I didn’t have one, so I just found this in my attic.” said Fluttershy, innocently.

“Yes.” said Rarity, uncertainly. She grabbed Twilight by the foreleg and dragged her back a few paces, “She’s got a gun.” She whispered, as she looked over at Fluttershy, “Well, I’m the Officer, you’re the Sergeant; we ought to have it. Go ask her to hand it over.”

Twilight turned reluctantly around and walked back over to Fluttershy, “Rarity is asking whether you could hand us your gun, Fluttershy.” she asked kindly.

“Oh my.” said Fluttershy, “I’m not really sure I could let her have it.”

“Look, Fluttershy,” said Rarity, in a commanding voice, “as your new Officer, I insist you hand over your weapon.”

“But I don’t even know if it still works.” said Fluttershy.

“And we may not know if you do not hand it over.” said Rarity, “As a Medical Officer, you shouldn’t be entitled to a gun.” but when Fluttershy still wasn’t sure about co-operating with this, Rarity tired another way of persuasion, “You do realise that if you fail to follow orders, we could have you shot for it.” she said in a more serious tone.

“Well, that’ll be tricky, as she’s the only one with a gun that probably don’t work.” smirked Applejack. Everypony started to giggle, until Rarity called for everyone to settle down, and told Fluttershy they’ll discuss it after Parade.

After the inspection, Rarity and Twilight stood up in front of the platoon, “Splendid everypony.” said Rarity smiling, “If in a few hours we can achieve this fighting potential, just imagine what we will be like after a few weeks of training. Now I believe our first objective will be to memorise the stretch of land that we shall be protecting. Do you have the maps, Twilight?”

“Sort of.” said Twilight, uncertainly as she levitated a small book out of her bag, “I’m afraid that “The Walkway Guide of South Equestria” was all I could find on such short notice.”

“Well I guess it’ll have to do.” sighed Rarity as Twilight opened the book to the appropriate page and holding it up, “Now, as you can see, Ponyville is one of the closest towns to the South Coast, and…”

“Rarity.” called Pinkie Pie, “I can’t see Ponyville.”

Rarity rolled her eyes again, “Look, if you can’t see very well, you can move forward.” and when she said that, all the ponies fell out of their ranks and all gathered around the book, some at the back craning their necks, “Moving on,” said Rarity, taking a tube used for rolling her fabric out of her bag, and pointing it at the book, “now then…”

“Here is the South Coast of Equestria.” said the Changeling General, pointing at the map on the table, “Now we shall send five hundred of our aquatically bred Changelings along the far edges, and taking the seventh, the eighth and the tenth Divisions with them. And along this side of the south, five hundred more Changelings will attack and taking a fourth Division from the sky. As a result, the ponies shall have to deal with a maximum total of 1100 of our soldiers.”

“Now the Changelings may attack along these areas.” said Rarity, dragging the tube along the Coast in the book, “Now I don’t expect to have all of us spread across the entire area, so a few of us will defend the beach from the local park here, while the rest will be on lookout from the old lighthouse, on the other side.”

“All Division captains will be in contact with me with the use of the newly developed short transistor radios.” continued the Changeling General.

“All section leaders will be in contact with me with the use of the Filly Scouts.” continued Rarity.

“A message from the Queen, sir!” said a Changeling soldier, entering the room, “She wonders if she will be able to see a full detail of the plans by tomorrow.”

“A message from your sister, Rarity.” said Fluttershy, after getting off the telephone, “She wonders if Orange Juice will show up much on purple fabric.”