Steampunk: The start of a new age

by Philosopher Brony

Chapter 9: Siege of Canterlot

Author's Note:

I haven't written a single word in months, so this might not be my best. I hope you all enjoy!
Also, I'm sorry that this is shorter chapter than usual.

Canterlot hasn't been so well guarded since the changling incident. Technological advancements seems to have went ramped through the streets and sky. There were now magically powered street lights, patrols of Iron Stallions, and much more. Almost half of the city by this point was composed of different metals, various wires, and all sorts of Maginium related machines. Royal guards have been issued special suits that projects a weak shield around them. There wasn't a single street, alley, or public building that didn't have some level of security. The castle was also re-done with new, magically powered, security systems ranging from motion sensors to automatic Iron Stallion deployment stations. Celestia, who never undergone any of the possible technological modifications, was listening to her Foreign Relationships Advisor reading some letters she had received from other empires. Luna was currently away on a trip to check up on the Crystal Empire. The advisor was a short, older looking, colt with a light gray coat that was almost white. His mane, or what was left of it, was a faded blue with a tail to match. His cutie mark was a globe with a scroll overtop of it. The colt wore a formal business suit, a top hat, and -of course with almost every unicorn in Canterlot- a MOE mounted on his horn. He was nearly done with all the scrolls and only had one last one to present to Celestia. It was a slightly torn up scroll that had been sitting on his desk for a week now.

The colt moistened his lips and read aloud: "From the current leader of the Badland's Republic. I once again send this letter of requested assistance in the means of military support for our cause. Our numbers are beginning to dwindle and we desperately need help. I beg that you seen us help, ANY help, so that we are not all killed." He placed the last scroll on the pile with the rest of them and started his way out of the throne room very slowly. When he was gone, Celestia retrieved the letter from the Badland's Republic and re-read it to herself.

Once done, she tore it up with her magic and threw it aside while muttering to herself: "Things aren't moving fast enough, and tensions are already too high to get involved." The demi-god returned to her normal sitting position when CRASH! An artillery shell smashed strait through one of her stain glass windows sending shards everywhere. Canterlot was under attack by Pegasus war ships and infantry. Over and over and over, shells rained down from the sky smashing into anything within the war ship's range. It was too late to dispatch soldiers, the Pegasi were already in the streets burning down anything that wasn't hit by a shell or whatever was left standing. All she could do now was to escape the city and to re-capture it later. Before she could teleport to safety, the main doors bursted open with one pony walking trough.

"Hello your majesty." General Rainbow Dash said as she entered with her head held up high. Celestia had to take a moment to just stare at the pegasus. The left half of Rainbow's face had been replaced with advanced clockwork. Her wings were lined with metal plates both protecting them and replacing certain portions of them.

Celestia quickly came to her senses when Rainbow said: "Its been a long time since we last saw eye to eye." A smile formed across her face. "You might have noticed that your city is on its knees right now begging for mercy, but you might have been too caught up in politics instead of doing something." Anger rose in her voice as she said that.

"What has happened to you Rainbow Dash?!" Celestia mustered out wile in her state of shock.

"This is all from the amazing work of my beloved Dr. Clean Cut. Do you like it? I especially like what he did with my wings." Rainbow spread out her wings to fully present them for her to see. "This will be the last chance you'll get to see them before I kill you."

"How could you turn on the empire you once protected? Your suppose to be the element of Loyalty!" Rainbow gritted her teeth in pain when hearing that, but quickly shook it off.

"I am loyal to only the grand Pegasi! You are the one with no loyalty! You have no species to be loyal to since you, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight are the only ones of your kind!" The Rainbow maned pegasus was becoming cocky. Tears streamed down her eyes from all the horrible memories that had suddenly resurfaced. "Did I hit a soft spot? I though a god would know how to control her emotions in situations like this. Maybe your just a fake!" Celestia had enough of this and sent broken shards of stained glass at Rainbow Dash with her telekinesis. The general dodged it with ease. "First move huh? I thought we were having a great conversation!" The smile on her face only got bigger. Celestia tried to grab Rainbow with her telekinesis, but a Maginium shield prevented her from doing so. Without warning, Rainbow flew strait at her and gave Celestia a powerful punch directly into the alicorn's jaw. It sent Celestia flying across the room and onto the floor. Celestia got up while thinking to herself: I'm not ready for this fight... Events out of order... This shouldn't be happening yet! I need to flee!. Before Rainbow could move, Celestia ripped a chunk of stone out of the floor and shot it right at the pegasus. It crushed her against a wall with enough force to cause cracks to spread out in all directions. Within seconds, Rainbow Dash pushed it off of her, and she didn't seemed to be phased by it. Right as Rainbow bolted at Celestia; the alicorn disappeared in a flash of light.

"DAMN IT! COME BACK HER YOU COWARD!" Rainbow yelled at the top of her lungs from having another combatant flee from the fight. She smashed her hooves against the floor in a fit of anger, but she stopped at the sight of the stack of letters. It wasn't long before the rainbow haired mare was going trough them with various levels of interest. For some strange reason, the letter at the bottom of the pile was different from the others. It wasn't about foreign affairs or anything like that, it was a small note that Celestia wrote herself. It was about an inventor in Ponyville and something about renewing a spell, but Rainbow lost interest in it by that point. She casted it aside and flew out of the broken window to join in the fighting outside.

Later that night, Twilight was asleep in a semi-comfortable bed, and she had a strangle vivid dream. She was standing in a large field filled with strange plants, unfamiliar locations, crumbling buildings, fighting ponies, changelings, and some unidentifiable objects all frozen in time. All the purple mare could do was walk around an examine it all. After a long period of silence and walking, she encountered herself but different. The other Twilight wore makeshift armor and the other mare had a disgusting looking green infection on one of her front hooves. Then another Twilight appeared from behind another structure, and she was different from either of the two. This Twilight wore dirt covered rags all stained with various shades of blood. Unfortunately, none of them were able to communicate with each other for some odd reason. After many failed attempts, the Twilight in armor gestured towards a statue. When they arrived at the base of the large statue, they noticed something strange about it. The statue was of the three mares all standing next to each other with a large plaque at eye level. it read:

Two paths are formed from each decision, but only one could be taken.
But only once in a while will they both be taken at once.
One will lead to hardships caused by present choices,
and the other with lead to hardships of a foreign land.
But in the end, both will end in the same conclusion which is the third path.

Before they could look at one another, Twilight woke up in a cold sweat. She sat there in her bed for a while just thinking about what the dream could have been about. Soon enough, one of the Iron Stallions guarding her entered the room to check up on her. As soon as it saw her up and awake, it left the room. A few moments later, Sir Cog Steam entered the room to see if she was all right.

"Mis. Twilight, are you okay?" He said in a tired voice.

She snapped out of her daze, looked at him, and replied: "I'm... I'm fine, just a weird dream that I need to think over." The colt accepted the answer, but was quickly distracted by something.

"Um... Twilight, do you hear that ringing noise?" He asked with covering one of his ears.

"No, are you okay?" Cog slammed both of his hooves into his ears to escape the ringing. Twilight got out of her bed and rushed over to him. The colt collapsed on the floor unconscious before she got to him. Almost instinctual, Twilight levitated the station onto her back and raced out of the room and to the nearest medical station.

Comments

[Philosopher Brony]

Finally, a new chapter after so many months! Hope you all enjoy!

[Dante1120]

5241973 Awwwww I was hoping that LD would appear, anyways, this was still good, besides the amount of spelling errors.

7/10, Epic