"We're here," Maxspell said. They arrived at The Ponyville section of the sewers. Longspear was at the brink of passing out from not only the stench, but from holding his breath for a long time. Maxspell turned to address her commands to the guards.
"Alright everyone, head over to a ponyhole," Maxspell commanded. All of the guards went and did what they were told. They all separated into groups of three or four and stood near the ladders that led up to the surface. They waited patiently with their weapons gripped tightly in their hooves for their next command. Maxspell, along with Longspear and Ironhoof also stood near a ladder under a sewer cover.
"Now wait on my command," she said with anticipation.
•••
Mayor Appleseed sat at her desk, trying to deal with all the problems happening in her city lately. She's already been told that Black Iron's forces were coming to her city, she just didn't know when. She's had to evacuate her citizens out of the place to keep them from getting injured, or worse. Feeling exhausted, she stood up, and trotted up towards the open window.
Looking down into the city below, she watched Celestia's Royal Guards patrolling the streets. They would go a great length in protecting not just The Princess, or Equestria, but to make sure every pony stays safe from any danger. As for the pegasus guards, they were clearing away all the clouds above, revealing the early morning sunrise.
Running her hoof through her long, red mane, in hopes of helping her relax a bit.
"Get it together Appleseed, ya got nothin' ta worry about. Ya already evacuated the city, an The Princess's Royal Guards are here keepin it safe. Why, ah bet they've already seized control over at Manehattan. An plus, that there Black Iron's got another thing common' if she messes with me an ma fellow ponies," Appleseed told herself. She continued looking down into the city when something caught her eye. She thought she saw the metal sewer cover move.
•••
"Wait for it," Maxspell said while peeking out of the metal cover. She waited until the guards standing close by had passed. Just then, something hit the center of the ground hard, creating a cloud of dust and debris. Once it had settled, it revealed to be Black Iron. This was the signal. Maxspell turned towards the guards to let them know.
"NOW!"
•••
Appleseed was shocked to see Black Iron down below, but what really surprised her was seeing ponies jumping up out of the sewers. It was something she didn't see coming.
"Well played Black Iron, well played, but if ya want ma city, yer gunna have ta pry it out a ma cold, dead, hooves!" she said as she moved towards one of the drawers and took a .45 magnum revolver with a carving of an apple on the handle.
She then flipped her desk over to provide cover, and then quickly began barricading the door with whatever furniture she could find. After doing so, she quickly moved behind the desk, with her pistol held tightly in her hooves. She also took off her ancestors hat and held it close to her chest.
"Oh Apple family, with Celestia as ma witness, I swear to ya that I won't let any pony mess with our city. I just hope ah don't have ta suffer for it." She prayed nervously.
•••
Black Iron casually trotted through the streets of Ponyville as if nothing was happening around her. She really didn't have to worry, considering her royal guards surround her in order to protect her when she arrived.
As she continued on down the road, she passed by The Ponyville Library. She then noticed something that struck odd to her. It wasn't the shear size of it, nor the oak tree sitting on top, but the statue standing in front of it.
It resembled a pony that looked both oddly, and yet, strikingly familiar.
That pony, looked just like her.
Her gaze couldn't tear away from the monument. She knew it looked just like her, but then again, it didn't.
Unlike Black Iron, the statue of her didn't have any armor. But other than that, the resemblance was still there. They both had a horn, wings, and the same physical features.
Just then, Black Iron began to get a migraine. She clenched her eyes tight while rubbing her temple with her hoof, when suddenly, she began to see a faint vision of something in her mind. They were very quick, but she could see some faint images of the same mare from the statue.
After a few seconds, her head stopped hurting, and the faint vision was gone. When she opened her eyes, she saw her guards staring at her with confused expressions on their faces.
"Are you alright your majesty?" one of the guards asked.
"Oh um, yea... I just have a headache, that's all," Black Iron replied.
•••
She heard sounds coming in on the other side of the door. Sounds of ponies screaming for their lives. It lasted for several minutes until everything fell silent. It stayed that way for a while, until there was a knock on the door, then it turned into a loud banging. Finally, an explosion emanated from the other side of the room. Appleseed knew who that could have been. Placing her hat on top of her head and taking a deep breath, Appleseed jumped up from behind the desk, and aimed her gun at her adversary. When she saw who it was, she felt chills run up her spine.
"A-alright p-partner, I-I hate ta use force on ya, b-but after what y-you've been pullin, y-you leave me no choice but ta use this!" Appleseed said trying to keep her aim steady. When she met Black Iron's gaze, she noticed something odd about her. She looked as if she were in pain. Her eyes were tightly shut. She rubbed her head with her hoof.
In her head, she once again saw flashes of the purple mare, only this time, she saw her with another pony that resembled Appleseed. It was as if she were saying flashbacks of the two mares spending quality times together as friends.
What did those visions mean, who was that purple alicorn, and why was she seeing flashes of her in her mind.
While Black Iron continued going through what looked like a mental breakdown, Appleseed continued staring at her with a confused expression on her face.
"Um... you alright there hun?" she asked.
She didn't know what to do, whether to end her right there on the spot, or help her. Then something caught her attention. She heard voices outside of the office entrance.
"What are you waiting for?! Kill her!!!"
"Are you crazy?! Can't you see she's in pain! We have to help her!"
"If she doesn't kill that blasted country excuse of a mayor, than I will!"
Moving her sights away from Black Iron, Appleseed shot several rounds from her gun into the wall next to the doorway. She knew she hit her mark when she heard someone cry in pain and agony. Unfortunately, it was enough to snap Black Iron out of her mental trauma and focused her magic towards Appleseed.
In an instant, she fired a deadly magical blast at the earth pony. Right when the blast was a few inches away from Appleseed, she whispered something to herself.
oh buck!
The blast was so powerful, it blasted Appleseed through the wall and down towards the city streets. Even though The Ponyville City Hall wasn't as tall as the one in Manehattan, it was still enough to potentially kill her.
Her body crashed into a parked chariot, breaking her fall.
She felt so many levels of pain all over her body. The magic that was shot into her burned and ate away at her skin as if someone had dumped acid all over her.. Parts of her mane, tail, and her entire coat were singed. Her family revolver that was still in her hoof had slid off and fell to the ground.
She started seeing the world swirl around her, until her vision began being consumed by darkness.
She decided to just simply slip away into a never ending slumber; no longer being able to wake up, and why would she. She's done the best she could to defend her city. The one her family has lived in for generations ever since its founding centuries ago.
Now, she would be with them. No longer tied down to this Earth.
Closing her eyes, she fell back on the broken carriage, enduring a slow, agonizing, painful death.
•••
Black Iron looked down towards Appleseed's dying body. She felt chills run up her spine. Normally, she'd have no problem taking the life of some pony, but this felt different. It felt as if she had just killed an old friend from long ago. She even felt tears beginning to form. It wasn't until Maxspell and Longspear approached her that she wiped away the tears from her eyes with her magic.
"Great work Black Iron! At this rate, we'll be at Canterlot in no time! An soon The Princesses will soon meet their downfall!" Maxspell said triumphantly while trying to heal her wounds Appleseed inflicted on her. Longspear simply turned away, not wanting any part of it. Black Iron finally moved away from the window, and followed Maxspell out of the office. Longspear soon followed right behind them.
•••
"Your highness! I bring tragic news!" a guard said as he came bursting into the throne room. Celestia had just finished with the morning court when he noticed the guard burst in.
"I see, and what news do you bring to me that is so urgent," Celestia said.
"Your highness, Black Iron just took over Ponyville just a while ago, and has even assassinated Mayor Appleseed!"
The Princess felt her heart skip a beat. Her eyes went wide with shock. She knew she was running out of time. Who knows when that crazed, evil mare will show up at her doorstep.
After taking a few deep breaths, she returned her attention towards the guard.
"Alright then, we know Black Iron will come for Canterlot, we just don't know when she'll strike. Private, I want you to alert all The Royal Officers and have them Summon every single Royal Guard member and have them form a defensive perimeter around Canterlot while also evacuating many of the citizens here. I don't want to have to find out the number of casualties being higher than what I wan it to be."
The guard bowed before heading towards the door, only to be stopped by The Princess.
"Oh, and Private, would you please go to the kitchen and tell the chef to bring up a slice of cake?"
The guard bowed once more before finally exiting the room.
•••
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