Luna scowled at the map in front of her. She attempted to change the geographical features of the surrounding area through brute willpower, but to no avail. Her army was out in the open, and the enemy was backed up against a river. Not bad positions on their own, but when Luna considered that they were outnumbered nearly four to one by the invading horde, the situation became more grim. An army with no retreat will fight like hellions to their last, for they know retreat wasn't an option, and they weren't the surrendering type.
Not that Luna would accept their surrender, in any case. Her army was made of farmers and villagers, given some rough armor and home made weapons and taught to stand in a straight line. They were mostly volunteers, which meant they would fight with zeal, but enthusiasm could only count for so much. The enemy were all trained soldiers, an army bred by Axion in some forgotten hole for the sole purpose of wresting control of Equestria. A single soldier could cause much damage before being brought down. No, survival was a mercy Luna could not afford to give, as much as she hated it.
She had sought a bloodless solution, but the invaders had been adamant. A non-conditional and complete surrender. Authority figures would surrender to the jailers and be taken away, so they couldn't organize resistance. Martial law and a curfew would be instated. The stallions of age and physical ability would be conscripted into service, attacking their countrymen. Luna could not accept these terms, as much as she wanted to avoid battle. It was inevitable.
"Princess."
Luna looked up from the map. However, she forgot to drop her frustrated visage to regard her visitor, who promptly started backing towards the tent door. It was the Captain of the local guard, Captain... something or other. Luna couldn't remember his name, and honestly couldn't be bothered. She had greater concerns.
"I can come back later, if you prefer."
"No, it's fine. What is it?"
"I have the reports you asked me about."
Luna belatedly remembered his task, which he had apparently completed. She had asked him to supervise the training and drills of the various groups in the assembled militia, and report to her any exceptional individuals, to be given more important tasks.
"Very well. Report."
"Unsurprisingly, the top of my list is mostly comprised of the Elements of Harmony. They are typically proving exceptional at their tasks. Applejack is with the Heavy Armour division, where she is easily carrying armour too heavy for a stallion much larger than she. Fluttershy is with the Medic team, and has proven great knowledge of treating wounds, infections, and sickness. However, her weak flying has relegated her to the rear hospital, even if her knowledge would be useful as a field medic. Rainbow Dash has taken up with the rest of the Pegasi forces. She has progressed to their second-in-command, under Storm Surge himself. I asked him for an overview, and barely got him to stop singing her praise long enough to leave. Pinkie Pie was originally with Basic Infantry, but we decided her talents as a cook were needed far more. She manages to make these dull field foodstuffs into nutritional, tasteful meals, keeping the soldiers happy. She is an integral part in keeping this army's morale high."
Luna nodded as she absorbed this information, but suddenly noticed that the Captain had missed one.
"What of Rarity? You didn't mention her."
"Oh, she hasn't proven overwhelmingly skilled as of yet. She is with the Unicorn Archers, but is having difficulty."
"Of what sort?"
"It would seem that the spears used by the Archers are too heavy for her to cast at a satisfactory distance. Her accuracy is impressive, but only at a uselessly close range."
Luna frowned. She knew Rarity wasn't an exceptionally powerful unicorn, but she had fantastic control, a byproduct of working with precise needles and thread for years.
"Are the Archers still at afternoon training?"
"I believe so, but not for long. I think you could make it, if you hurry."
Hurry, hurry, hurry. It seemed all Luna did these days was hurry. She wordlessly strode past the Captain, out of the tent. Outside, she took a moment to orient herself against the afternoon's setting sun then flapped her wings, taking off in a vaguely westward direction. At the edge of the camp, a row of straw dummies had been set up in the field that surrounded the army. Most had several large spears protruding from them or the ground nearby, except for one. She spotted the white unicorn standing opposite it, and altered her trajectory to quietly land behind her quarry. It took only a moment to observe the situation.
"Darn it! These things are too heavy!"
Rarity panted as she struggled to wrap her telekinesis around the spear. Once she had managed to lift it to a satisfactory height, she attempted to throw it, but physics was winning the battle already. The spear hardly traveled anywhere at all, falling with a soft thump a tiny fraction of the way to the target.
"Difficulties?"
Rarity growled as she turned.
"Yes, and one more word and I'll bury this thing in your- Oh! Princess Luna! Forgive me, I thought it was someone else, come to mock me."
"You know you don't have to bow to me, Rarity. What seems to be the problem?"
"These blasted spears are too heavy for me to control. I am a lady, practiced in the arts of delicacy and precision. I do not have as much brute force as the others, and so they deem me inferior."
Luna said nothing, instead lifting one of the spears laying on the ground. An idea began to form in her mind. Rarity was a seamstress, used to manipulating several small needles at once with utmost care. Needles...
Luna snapped the length of the shaft in half, choosing the end without the heavy metal tip. Holding the shaft securely, Luna took another another dose of magic and shaped it into a point, holding it to the wood. Using her magic lathe, Luna spun the shaft and in seconds had whittled it down to half the previous diameter. Sharpening one end, she gave the new, much smaller spear to Rarity.
"Try that."
Rarity took hold of the weapon, testing the weight as she turned back to her target manniken. Taking careful aim, she shoved the small spear the same way she had been attempting to do with the large spear moments before. The spear whistled slightly as it blurred across the gap, plunging half it's length into the dummy's throat. Rarity began to laugh, a hearty and very unlady-like laugh.
"HahaHAH! Lovely! Thank you so very much, Princess!"
"I've already told you, there is no need to bow. Now, go collect that spear, and have the weaponsmith make you plenty of metal-tipped ones. Make sure he doesn't make the tip very large, just enough to make it pierce. If he wants to argue, tell him to come see me."
"Yes, Princess! Thank you again!"
Rarity waved as Luna took off into the evening's glow. Confident of another small crisis avoided, she flew back to the command tent, intending to glower at her papers some more. However, she knew that would not be the case when she saw a very distinctive disheveled grey mane outside the tent flap. Landing, she walked directly up to the unicorn the mane belonged to.
"Professor. What could be so important you came outside yourself to my tent?"
"Come see."
Without any further ado, the Professor strode away in the direction of his tent. Most had been against lugging his heavy research equipment along, but Luna had a hunch that it would pay off, and she was now guessing it was about to. The Professor had scarcely been seen outside his makeshift laboratory, even taking meals in there. His eccentricities were humored, however, because of his brilliance. If he had taken the time away from his experiments to come find her himself, it must be important.
Following the Professor the short distance to his tent, Luna shoved the tent flap aside and nearly walked straight into the phylacteries that had been erected just inside the entrance. Carefully stepping around the case of phials, Luna sought to the back of the tent, where the Professor thrust a large beaker into her grasp.
"Look! No, smell! The smell is important."
Luna carefully examined the liquid in the beaker. It was a clearish brown color, and when she put her nose close to the opening, she nearly dropped the beaker from the powerfully noxious fumes.
"What in the name of Tartarus is that?"
"It is a chemical I derived from common lamp oil! I refined it to a higher state of purity, and such, flammability. Observe."
Luna took a careful step back as the Professor set the large beaker down, and picked up a round bottomed bottle with a narrow mouth. Lighting a small spark, he held it above the neck. A mediocre flame appeared at the mouth, wavering and orange. Luna expected it to go out, as most fumes burn away, but this one stayed. A lamp without a wick. The Professor was talking rapidly, excited by this discovery.
"Observe! This volatile liquid evaporates very quickly, and the fumes are what actually burn. The liquid itself is quite benign..."
Luna jumped as the Professor sent another small lick of fire into the large beaker sitting behind him, but the fire simply hissed itself out of existence on the surface.
"Concentrated vapors burn quite well, but mixing with atmospheric air renders it too low of a concentration to burn."
"That is fascinating, Professor, but what use is this to us?"
The question made the Professor smile in a way that made the hair on the back of Luna's neck tickle. He lifted a small metal ball from the top of a shelf behind Luna.
"This hollow ball is filled with pressurized fumes. If the ball were heated sufficiently, the fumes inside would combust, exploding outwards in a shower of hot shrapnel!"
Luna took the ball from the Professor's grasp and examined it. Up close, she could see minute horizontal and vertical lines crossing the surface, weakening the metal so it would shatter in a more regular pattern. Suppressing her shivers at the gruesome prospect, Luna gave it back.
"Have you tested it?"
"Tested? Not this. Well, sort of. I made one out of glass, seeing what happened when the gas was compressed. I shrunk the gas to a three to one ratio, then accidentally held it too close to a candle for examination. Boom! Idea. In this metal incarnation, I figured a higher ratio was available for a more dramatic explosion. This little darling is at a six to one ratio! A detonation would sure to be exciting indeed. I wanted to show this to you, as well as ask you permission to test it in the field behind us. If it works like planned, I could requisition a handful of competent unicorns and have a hundred of these done in a day! Quick, simple, cheap, and hopefully, devastating."
Luna thought about the request, but only for a moment. Any edge they could gain over their enemy was needed.
"I'll gave some straw dummies erected in a circle in the field. We'll put this in the middle, and see what happens."
The Professor let out a sound Luna thought would be more fitting coming from a young filly, and began dancing around the cramped space, holding the sphere like a baby.
"Yes! I thank you, liege! I will not disappoint!"
Luna quickly left. The Professor was brilliant, but he was quite mad, and his fast speech gave Luna a headache. Walking back to her tent again, Luna was almost looking forward to glaring at paper until she could raise the moon and go to bed, but alas, fate conspired against her plans. When she was close enough to the tent flap to reach out and touch it, she was hailed from above.
"Princess Luna! Sentries along the northwest report two figures coming out of the Everfree, heading this way!"
Ignoring all pretense, Luna jumped into the air, sailing past the Pegasi sentry in the direction he had indicated. She contained her hopes, surging in her mind, and told herself it might be an enemy plot. A trap or trickster, preluding a full-scale attack. However, the moment the figures were in view, Luna smiled. They were close enough to the main camp now to be lit by the torchlight, and the larger one was obviously Nightfury. Luna didn't recognize the small blue mare with him, but that was beside the matter. Nightfury was back! The Black Berets were whole again.
The sentries on the perimeter gasped as Luna flew right past them at a perceived threat, but their protests fell on deaf ears. Luna landed directly in front of Nightfury, who smartly saluted, grinning like a fool.
"Princess Luna! Nightfury, reporting for duty."
"Welcome aboard, Beret. You were missed. Who's your friend?"
"This is Promise. She worked in the dungeons, and she has got a lot to tell you."
"Lovely! First, let's get you fed and bedded-"
"If you don't mind, Princess, we need to talk to you immediately. Food and rest can wait."
Luna noticed that Nightfury and Promise had both taken on a dour countenance, and so decided to debrief immediately. Waving down the confounded perimeter guards, Luna led the ragged duo to her tent, ushering the fussing Captain outside with orders to find Twilight Sparkle.
"Now, Nightfury, tell me. What befell you?"
"I've got a tale for you, Princess. Mind if I have a drink of water first? My throat threatens to seize."
Luna nodded her approval, and Nightfury grabbed the water bucket from beside the doorway. Forgoing all ceremony, he dunked his whole head, taking several greedy droughts. Passing the bucket to Promise, who graciously took several delicate sips, they both took seats across from Luna.
By the time Nightfury had finished speaking, Luna had to step outside to raise the moon. She came back inside and returned to her seat, settling in as comfortably as such simple accommodations allowed. She thought for a moment, then another.
"So, I am to understand that you will cooperate with us to the full extent of your knowledge, Promise?"
"Yes."
The poor girl seemed scared to death, and Luna couldn't blame her. Nightfury was a veteran soldier of the highest caliber, quite accustomed to laughing in death's face. Promise was an interrogator and sometimes secretary for the dungeons. Anyone who wished her harm was typically already chained down and watched closely by several guards. Here she was, in the command tent of a rebellious army facing incredible odds. No, Luna didn't blame her for being terrified.
"Well, let us start simply. This army we face, what manner of creature are they? They seem to resemble ponies at a distance, but one of our scouts managed to get close enough to notice they were all completely bald, with flat black skin. They also do not seem to talk, instead barking at each other like raspy dogs."
"I fear you began with one of the questions I don't know the answer to. All I know for sure is that they make up approximately half of Axion's total standing army, and come from very far to the west."
"To the west, you say? I suppose it would be safe to assume they are somehow related to the Changelings, and most likely have powers we do not know yet."
"Unlikely. I have heard a few of the higher ranking military talk about how the unicorns are protesting having to assist certain partitions of the army, but they have no choice, as they have no magic. It didn't sound like these particular soldiers have any remarkable abilities or powers at all. Rather, they are just cheap and easy to acquire infantry."
"You say some unicorns were protesting? Rifts in camaraderie?"
"Maybe protest is a bit of an overstatement. The unicorns just weren't very happy to be working with... Them."
"From what I've seen, I don't much blame them. Very well, next question: What is this army's objective? I imagine they have a plan for after they would take Ponyville."
"Not as far as I know. Axion's current plans are mainly getting a new economic infrastructure in place. I have seen and heard about this plan, but it doesn't seem to make sense. The train line running through Ponyville is very important, much more so than it is now. I have heard talk of railway construction. I believe she aims on expanding the railway south, though the reasons are unknown to me. This is but a small group, a detachment, to simply take Ponyville, and secure the railway station."
Luna sat back and thought about this new information. A completely new economy wasn't exactly necessary, but if formulated properly, could instigate great profitability to the entire country. The current economy wasn't exactly the most powerful or most profitable, but it was stable. She tried to think of what lay to the south, of anything worth economic value, but nothing came to mind.
"You say this is but a small detachment? Where is the rest of the army? This map clearly shows that Ponyville is the first target."
Luna pushed the map across the low table to Promise, who examined it for a minute.
"The main army has gone northeast, to Manehatten. They arrived yesterday, I believe. I think this map shows in which order these cities are expected to fall under control, not when the forces arrive."
Luna sat back, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"You mean... There's a hostile army outside Manehatten, right now?"
"Yes."
Luna rose and walked to the door of the tent, pushing it aside but not going outside. She stood in the opening, looking out into the night sky.
"Well, there is nothing we can do for them now. Manehatten has a large police force, but they are probably overwhelmed already. We will focus here, on this little group. We will learn what we can about their strengths and tactics, and go from there. Nightfury, the other Black Berets are in a large tent on the southern edge of the encampment. You may go find them. Get some rest. Promise, the-"
"If it's all the same to you, Princess, I want to stay with him."
Luna turned to see Promise had stood next to Nightfury. Their sides were nearly touching, they were so close. Promise looked terrified again. He made her feel safe.
"Very well. Go. Breakfast is served in the center of the camp at sunrise. Promise, after breakfast, come back here. We will continue talking."
"Yes, Princess."
After they had left, Luna sat back on her pillow. She grimaced and shoved the map away. Useless thing. Manehatten was several days march away for an army, even a small one. Civilians were in danger, and she had gone in the exact wrong direction. Not to say Ponyville wasn't important in it's own way, but it was a small town. Manehatten had a very large population. If the choice had been hundreds or hundreds of thousands, Luna would have had to let Ponyville burn. Luna probably would have thought herself into a dark rage about it, had Twilight Sparkle not finally showed up.
"Luna. I came as fast as I could."
She walked around the table to nuzzle against her lover's neck, which the Princess gratefully reciprocated.
"Late to the party, as usual."
"What did I miss? The courier that found me knew nothing."
"Nightfury has returned, and he found a girlfriend."
"Really? He escaped? And... what?"
"He managed to seduce the interrogator, who is now working with us as an informant. She seems like a bright girl. Very useful."
Neither mare said anything for several minutes. Luna sat on her pillow by the table, with Twilight awkwardly leaning against her. Luna sensed Twilight's discomfort.
"Come. Let us retire to my bedchamber. I would like you to stay with me tonight."
"Tonight? With an enemy army just outside the door?"
"Is there a better time?"
"Alright, but we are going to sleep."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luna and Twilight were still awake several hours later when the alarm was raised. A courier came running to Luna's tent, stopping just outside and shouting.
"Princess Luna! The enemy is approaching! We are under attack! I repeat, they are attacking!"
Luna came shooting out of the tent and instantly took off towards the front line, disappearing into the night sky. Twilight Sparkle came stumbling out a moment later, mane a disheveled mess. She gave a quick smile to the petrified guard and immediately ran off to find the rest of the unicorn forces, supporting the front line. The guard blinked for a moment as he struggled to comprehend what he had just seen, before remembering the approaching army. He turned and ran in the direction that Luna had flown. He was a front line soldier, and the battle for Ponyville had begun.