The story follows Twilight's experiences with Tiberium and everything relating to it; her bouncing trust with Luna of GDI and Kane Hooves of Nod, her own conflict with oneself and crimes she did.
Millenia of peace dominated by Friendship and Harmony now threatened. What began as huge meteorite that costed Celestia's life to destroy, its remained crumbles that descended upon lands spread toxic and vile crystals that later were deemed Tiberium. Tiberium offered great power and monetary gain, and as such mega-industrialization begun. But it sparked unspoken evil in everybody on the planet, and killing begun. Two main factions arose: Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and Brotherhood of Nod.
The story follows Twilight's experiences with Tiberium and everything relating to it; her bouncing trust with Luna of GDI and Kane Hooves of Nod, her own conflict with oneself and crimes she did. Betrayal, hurt, loneliness, hate, power, destruction and malice becomes her second nature, as Tiberium corrupts her and everything around.
It was a day like any other; ponies enjoying Celestia’s risen sun and the beginning of a new day. Ponies swarming busy streets of Ponyville, each going to and fro to their destinations, as I idly watched them from a balcony of my castle.
Myself, I was sipping green tea, already done with my morning routine. That day I was free from tiring royal duty as well, a full day off. All I wanted was peace and probably a good book to accompany my free time alone.
“Princess, your tea.” A unicorn guard in beaten purple armor replaced empty mug on my table near the balcony with full one, before leaving me to my thoughts again.
Ponyville has grown tremendously since the first day I settled to live here, housing five times more families than then; expanded with multistory settlements and various shops. And a graveyard for those heroes that no longer are with us… Five tombstones within them were very close to my heart: one for Rainbow Dash, one for Pinkie Pie, one for Fluttershy, one for Applejack, and one for Rarity.
A tear ran down my cheek. I couldn’t ever forget them, it wasn’t healthy, but they were my first true best friends and ponies that helped me achieve who I was now: an alicorn princess of Friendship and Harmony named Twilight Sparkle.
More tears escaped my eyes. “Is something wrong?” guard asked.
“No, no, nothing.” I levitated a mug to sip some tea. “I can’t allow myself to ruin such a fine day getting miserable again.”
I removed my eyes from graveyard to stare at the sky. The sun was smiling bright, accompanied with green meteorite that rapidly was enlarging as it approached.
I released the mug off of my levitation grip, it shattering and spilling all the hot liquid on the table.
“What is that?” guard asked, clearly staring at the same object I was.
“I don’t know,” I answered idly. Then, after recovering from shock, I ordered the guard, “Assemble my royal guards and meet me outside with them.”
“Yes princess.” He saluted and then dashed away.
I was quick to follow, but we separated our ways in the next hallway. I was galloping towards dragon chambers to my number one assistant, Spike the Dragon.
I unnecessarily slammed the door open to his chamber and screamed his name repeatedly.
“Ugh, Twilight, what’s wrong?” he asked as he was yawning. The chamber room was filled with variety of gems, gold and jewelry like a makeshift bed for him to slumber lazy. His size was huge like any other full-grown dragon was.
“Letter to princess Celestia. And Now!”
“It’s been years since I did that,” he said yawning.
“No time!” I was spinning my foreleg to indicate my desperation.
He accelerated himself getting up. Then awkwardly stopped for a moment, struggling.
“Spike, no time to-” I was interrupted by him spitting royal-sealed letter in ablaze of green fire.
I levitated and unrolled the letter. “Dear princess Twilight Sparkle, it has come to our attention that nationwide threat is descending from outer space. We need you in Canterlot castle at once. Princess Celestia.”
“Does that mean I can go back to sleep?” he asked. I shot daggers at him. “What?” And I left.
~~~
Once I was in my armor and my troops ready, I shoot into air flying to Canterlot. Trace of magenta and blue bloomed behind me. And ponies panicked below under the darkening land.
I arrived. Usual royal greetings were absent; troops greeting royal arrivals were elsewhere. I landed heavily, panting for a bit from fast travel. Glancing behind me, my pegasus guards were still far behind and unicorns nowhere in sight.
“They’re not fit to catch up,” I assured myself, then trotted inside.
I forced open throne room door. “I’m here!”
Princesses were startled for a moment upon my arrival, but then fixed their usual composure as I approached them. There were only three other princesses besides me, no guards or captains, military or strategy advisers.
Celestia was first to speak, “Good, we can begin. I require all your powers to surpass this threat of annihilation.”
“I’m ready.” I banged my armor chest plating with my hoof.
“Celestia needs all our magic to destroy it. In the process, she’s going to sacrifice herself to save us all,” Cadance explained with sour and dim in her voice.
“What? But why?!”
“This meteorite is nothing like what we faced before. It’s five times the size of our moon,” Luna added.
“But-”
“And as such I take this responsibility upon myself. And now that you know what our plan is, we can begin,” Celestia said, determined.
“No. There MUST be another way,” I refused, slamming my hoof into white ceramic tile flooring.
“There is none,” Celestia stated, “no time for one. Luna will do nicely as our ruler. Cadence is valuable asset to us and crystal ponies. And you, Twilight, you’re young but you already accomplished so much more than any of us could during as long. Losing you would hurt every pony more than it would to lose either one of us.”
“It’s not what I meant. Princess-”
“In mere minutes this meteorite will engulf us into eternal void.”
“No… but… There should… princess.” I stumbled searching for words. She had a point.
“We shall begin.” Luna placed a hoof over my back. “Thou shall comply.”
Regal blue alicorn with lighter regal blue sparkling mane princess Luna lowered her horn, pointing to her white alicorn sister, princess Celestia. Pink alicorn princess Cadence followed, mimicking Luna. And I, young lavender alicorn with blue mane, stripped pink and purple, hesitated before doing the same. Obedient.
We surrounded Celestia, and she began draining our alicorn magic. Soon enough we were done. And Celestia exited through conveniently opened throne room window. We followed to look through the window, dizzy and weak from the drain.
She looked like a tiny blur within the massive meteorite. And then clash. Waves of white and molten fire traveled its length, but doing little damage. Then, Celestia’s blur enlarged, sending more waves around the meteorite. Then again, more intensively and bigger, and again, and again, until I couldn’t keep my eyes on the scene.
There was no sound, just tension and occasional gasps from the princesses.
“She did it,” Luna said, convincing me to look up again. White glow was rapidly evaporating, and with it meteorite as well, only crumbles of its prior glory remained. Harmless
Harmless. That was probably on every pony’s minds back then, harmless.
~~~
We sat in silence for a bit longer, starring at previously meteorite covered sky. My guards joined us at one point, but were asked to leave us alone. Luna and Cadence were sad. But I was wailing my heart out.
Celestia was like mother to me; she accompanied me throughout most of my life and my development as pony and then princess. I’m thankful to her for all her support as much as I am to my best friends, and more. And now another pony close to me was gone.
I couldn’t handle; I turned my wailing head from the window and trotted out of the throne room. Shouts of my name behind as I left did nothing to stop or slow me.
“How could she abandon me?” I mumbled to myself. I was weak, and without magic. My troops waited just outside the room. “Home!” I shouted, before fainting.
~~~
Three years after Celestia’s disappearance
Equestria under Luna’s rule was like it always was under Celestia’s. Ponies and other creatures took it lightly. Some even happy for a change – a permanent one – others sculptured memorials of her. I was grumpy and paranoid.
My magic never returned, and my cutie mark also absent – the mark that indicates our special talents as ponies, mine was pink six-pointed star accompanied by five small white ones – so was Luna’s and Cadence’s, gone too. But they took it lightly while I wasn’t me anymore.
I visited little royal summits. Most of my days were spent locked and alone with a book, lots of books, and tears without sleep. Other days I just slumbered in bed, exhausted from previous sleepless days. And royal duty be damned.
Ponies began mocking me as ‘princess of emotions’. So be it, it fits me perfectly, without magic I was nothing but that.
Then there was Tiberium. In Equestria it was first located in Saddle Arabia by the Timber River. But there also were other worldwide locations of it.
Curious and adventurous researchers set expeditions to these locations. All, as much as I read, claimed different theories of its purposes. But all of them agreed that it’s highly toxic and that it has something to do with the remains of the meteorite that was threatening to annihilate our planet, before Celestia destroyed most of it.
Theories were based on authors’ own biases, speculations and fantasies but little data and facts that I so desired.
~~~
Twilight’s Castle, Twilight’s bedroom
An excerpt from a book ‘Tiberium Future’ by Kane Hooves:
Its mysterious power drags me closer to it. It’s toxic to my body, but its essence; I hunger for more. […] And our knowledge is limited. But not enough knowledge can ever explain Tiberium. Its otherworldly mysteries are forever unknown to a puny being.
But nobody should seek the truths alone. I invite you all to the future, a Tiberium future. Welcome to the Brotherhood of Nod.
After finishing I closed the book, not feeling like I wanted to reread it the second time. There were other books about Tiberium, and so much more not related to it. But, somehow this one interested me the most out of all of them. I needed to meet this Kane Hooves.
I stood up from my bed, sluggish from constant immobility. I stretched my muscles, dizziness surrounded me, but I kept my balance. “I need some exercise,” I said to nobody in particular. Echoes reminded me that I was alone in my room.
Door creaking startled me. “Can I help?” guard asked.
“Yes. Prepare my saddlebags with food and beverage for few days.”
“A royal tour?” guard lifted his eyebrow.
“No. I’m headed out to Saddle Arabia. Alone.”
~~~
Timber River, Saddle Arabia -- Three years after Celestia’s disappearance
Desert. I never been here before, not that I recall I was; I had little free time, royal nonsense and such, and all of it was spent reading. To think about it, all I did at royal summits was ‘look important and waste time’. And my absence was little issue, as princess Luna rarely complained.
Anyways, Kane lived in desert scorpion farm, and it probably provided some income in the past. But now business was abandoned; cages that used to contain scorpions were now mistreated with rust and empty. Wooden house itself was painted black with occasional ‘Tiberium’ in green or ‘Brotherhood of Nod’ in red written on it at random.
I knocked. “I’m sorry, my brother,” came stallion’s voice from inside, “but today I must rest. We shall explore the inner secrets of Tiberium tomorrow.”
“Can I come in?” I asked.
There was short pause after that. Then, he opened the door a little bit to peek. “Ah, princess herself!” He opened the door the rest of the way. “Come on in, I can never refuse a princess’ visit.”
He was young bald and bearded stallion. He had dark red coat and black spiky tail. His cutie mark was scorpion’s tail in black.
His house was small; one main big room and few doors to bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and storage. And what a mess it was in. Stains of black, green and red all over, papers scattered everywhere.
“Not royal accommodations, but if you wish to reside for a night, make yourself home,” he said with a grin.
“Yeah, thanks. Humble. But no.”
“You’re not here to join the Brotherhood?” He gestured me to sit on the chair near one of the paper-littered tables.
“No.” I sat. He was quick to follow, sitting opposite of me. “But I’m interested in Tiberium, its technical use. Other sources I read are primitive and lack such data. I’m not saying that yours is any better, but it has that ‘spiritual touch’ to it. And it’s my best bet to know more about it. Besides, you claim to have found a specimen of it.”
Devilish smile crept on his face. “Welcome to Brotherhood, sister.”
~~~
The next day I was led to a Tiberium Cave, as how Kane called it, with many other followers. I and every pony and few griffins wore black hooded capes with red strips here and there for support.
The cave itself wasn’t really a cave; a crater from meteorite impact formed in what used to be a hill now overgrown with Tiberium.
We stopped, and Kane exposed his head from within the hood. “Brothers, sisters, welcome to the beginning of our future,” he began his speech, but I didn’t listen.
I was closest to stand near Tiberium, my first time seeing it, and feeling it. It was indeed magical as Kane claimed, but there was more to it; it felt familiar: the loving touch of a sister, the gentle kindness of a mentor, the lunar might of inner dreams, and heartbeat of own body, but malformed into this we now called Tiberium.
I felt Cadence’s, Celestia’s, Luna’s and my own magic twisted within the green crystals. “So, this is what happened to it,” I mumbled to myself.
Toxic? Probably, but I didn’t care. I kicked loose a spike of Tiberium. It was surprisingly fragile, comparable to candy crystals in durability. I placed it underneath the cape in my saddlebags.
Once the speech ended and everyone scattered, Kane approached me. “Being the pony who read much about Tiberium, however much about it there is, to simply do what you did.” He pointed at my cape and saddlebags beneath it.
“Wha?”
“I assure I’m not blind. Nor can I stop you, given your status.” He circled twice around me. “Nor am I judging you, just curious.”
“It’s for research.” I knew what he was referring to.
“The rest of Brotherhood is at least sane.” He laughed mockingly. “Take it. Who knows, maybe your research will provide interesting results.” He glanced from me to the crater, then back to me. “I hope you’re not here to restrict this area from use?”
“No, nothing like that. If you wish to treat it as shrine or something, I’m not here to forbid.” I removed my cape and placed it in my saddlebag.
“Splendid. Say, may I request you sharing your findings on it?”
“Sure,” I replied.
My visit yielded no data of it that I wanted, but I had a specimen of Tiberium now for research, and it was worth the visit.
~~~
Five years after Celestia’s disappearance
Tiberium: a resource, I discovered spending days on it in my lab the past two years. In its liquid form with correct synthetic treatment and magic support it could create various materials: iron, steel, gold, silver, and many other that we haven’t found names for yet. It also restored some of my magic; finally I was able to levitate sheets of paper and quills to document my research with ease. Little Tiberium spike from Timber River was now a lengthy ditch of Tiberium in Everfree Forest.
I did shared findings with Kane Hooves on it and he was most pleased with it, even if he understood little of what I said. I would’ve shared it with the whole Equestria and lands beyond, but Kane suggested not to, something to do with ‘the unworthy’ and ‘ignorant’ or such people. I listened to him. However, I also shared my findings with Luna. She was less than pleased.
“Two years?!” she barked. “And just now thou tell Us?!” She was puffing and swinging her forelegs uselessly as we sat near the table, adorned with delicacies and fine beverage. “But worst of it is sharing it with some mad pony’s cult of all things, not with ponies that matter or specialize in it!”
“No pony specializes in it but me. All the other self-proclaimed specialists are wrong and claim imaginable things without any data to back it up,” I countered, sipping hot liquid from decorated cup. “And I told you now, the ‘ponies that matter.’”
“Yes. And this cult claims just that!”
“They supplied me with-”
“And thou feel entitled to them?!” Luna smashed her hooves onto the table, sending various meals to shake, and leaned her head over it and closer to me. “Five years thou not visit, never at royal summits.” She gritted her teeth. “The Elites art tired of Our excuses of thy absence and deemed thee irrelevant.
“We gave thou mind. A loss settled deep, but life continues. Thy obsession of this Tiberium concerns Us. We request ceasing thy research.”
“What?!” I was shocked. “How can’t you understand? Tiberium can help our civilization grow. Its uses are endless and it can be reproduced. And we’re connected to it, us alicorns; it’s our magic we lost in it. And Tiberium restored some of my own.” I shook a cup with liquid in it with my levitation magic to prove my point, some of its liquid spilling on tablecloth. “Listen to reason.”
Luna was almost nose to nose with me. “They poisoned thee.” I tried to say something, but Luna’s hoof was blocking my mouth. “Hunt down the activity of this ‘Brotherhood’. All places where Tiberium grows must be forbidden entrance by five square miles, and everyone found within that radius art to be guilty of breaking safety protocols.” She removed her nose from mine and her hoof from my mouth and sat down on her chair opposite of mine. “Since thou seem obsessed with Tiberium, thou shall find ways to destroy or gather and store it away from everybody. Policy Equestria clean of malevolent crystal.”
“Ok.” I lowered my head. I wasn’t the one to question the supreme ruler of Equestria. Obedient.
~~~
Seven years after Celestia’s disappearance
Harvester, Refinery, Silo was my answer.
Harvester made from liquid Tiberium synthesized into steel and iron plating. Engine magically powered with toxic magic of solid Tiberium crystals and other gems. Magic shield spells, powered with Tiberium itself, held Tiberium firm inside and prevented it from spreading. Poly ceramic and rubber tracks provided steadier and safer access over uneven terrain. A driver was required to operate the vehicle, but we had plenty of volunteers. It had storage tank for storing Tiberium. Its collector had magic-altered heating system that melted Tiberium into liquid form. Then, the storage tank had a ruby in it to soak the liquid Tiberium, apparently rubies attract liquid Tiberium like magnets. A technological masterpiece, but it looked like moving metal box.
Once full, Harvester unloaded Tiberium into Refinery – as well made from materials synthesized from Tiberium. Refinery itself was a replica of my laboratory, just on bigger scale. Tubes ran from Harvester’s storage tank into main Refinery’s furnace. Ruby in the middle, in the bottom of it, prevented Tiberium from leaking, and constant heating spell matrixes kept Tiberium from hardening and growing. And, with right magic, raw material synthesis was possible right from within the furnace itself.
Then, excess liquid Tiberium was being stored in the silos. A ruby and regular heating kept Tiberium harmless and safe within.
Two Refineries and four Harvesters were operating in Tiberium Cave crater.
Now documented findings and sketches of my inventions were being reviewed by Kane Hooves, as we sat on the chairs near the table in his house. House itself was now cleaned, but exterior all the same.
“Mhmm,” Kane mumbled to himself, for like the nth time now, as he was flipping pages of the material for the third time. “Mhmm.”
“I know you’re upset you can’t use your shrine now.” I finally disturbed his inner mhmm’s.
“Mhmm.”
“But I couldn’t do a thing against princess’ will.”
“Mhmm.”
“And I’m not the one to oppose her; I’m not in control. Not as much.”
“Mhmm.” He reached the last page of the document, and then flipped it to its cover; ‘Storing Tiberium’ was the title. I expected him to review it the fourth time, but he didn’t, instead throwing it on the table flat then catching my eyes with his own.
“I don’t understand anything that’s written,” he began, “and I’m not upset about our shrine; I’m angry, and my brothers and sisters are as well.” He lowered his face onto the table. “But I don’t blame you.” Then back to me. “You’re the most involved in the Brotherhood.” He stood up from the chair. “But in time you’ll have to pick a side.” He picked up Storing Tiberium.
“What do you mean?”
“The ignorant and unworthy are interfering with Brotherhood’s vision.” He turned his back on me. “And you’re involved with the strings. And we can see eye to eye.” He moved closer to the door to leave his house. “Don’t expect finding me here ever again.” He opened the door, and then closed behind himself, leaving me confused and alone inside.
~~~
Eight years after Celestia’s disappearance
Storing Tiberium was a success. Other nations adapted my inventions and followed my Tiberium vision. It wasn’t a permanent solution to erase it off the planet, as that was impossible, but nobody would do that if they could, it wouldn’t be smart; Tiberium was now used all around the globe, and mega-industrialization begun.
With unlimited supplies cities and villages grew. No pony was homeless anymore. New small business arose, and old bigger ones grew even larger; with limitless and cheap resources only imagination was the limit.
And the most fortunate people were the ones who owned most Tiberium Refinery stations. Tsar Terror Feathers of Griffons owned the most at that time, being closely associated with Equestria throughout grim history. He was gifted economic immunity to Tiberium harvesting technology as a compensation for Equestrians’ war crimes against the griffons in the past. Also, there were many Tiberium craters all over his homeland, and it was a perfect opportunity for griffons to clean their land and earn fortune as they did.
There were also shady ones, or villains, that took interest in Tiberium and wanted to gain access to it. And they tried to do so the best way they could, by force. However, all their attempts were futile, as no one was stupid enough to not predict it. Cities and harvesting sites had enormous and durable fortification that held adamant against their attacks until I or other princesses or soldiers came to suppress the threat.
However, we had a competitor: Kane’s Brotherhood of Nod. They offered upgraded versions of Harvesters and Refineries that gathered Tiberium more efficiently, and they took less percentage of royalties from the operations. Also, they created new ranged weaponry, called Rifles, and supplied such weapons to everyone who decided to follow their Tiberium beliefs, thus creating militia squads to protect their economic interests. They regularly held military courses to discipline their army, each course with its religious vibe to it.
And like so, they pushed us out of the business, only Griffon lands and Prance refused Brotherhood’s offers and stayed with my design. But we gave it no mind; as princesses, we were wealthy enough to sustain ourselves. And it’s the truth of life; the weak fall and become irrelevant, the strong triumph and dominate the space.
Luna claimed that that was a good thing, to finally ease my mind off Tiberium and let others adapt and develop around it naturally, virtues of friendship and harmony to guide them.
But such virtues were ineffective on Tiberium hungry. And we were too ignorant to notice.
Griffon Homeland, Capital -- Ten years after Celestia’s disappearance
I was led into a palace by two aged war veteran griffons. Silver grey one on my right wore sturdy leather armor and had a crossbow on his back. Other dark brown one on my left wore the same but also had an eye patch over his right eye. Both clearly were annoyed escorting me.
We passed other lion and eagle hybrids, each giving me unfriendly stares, some even hiding their younglings behind them as if I was to attack.
I sighed. “You don’t seem too keen seeing me.”
“Citizens believe what they see, and if pony is to attack, they’re all the same,” Grey griffon responded, disinterest in his voice.
“And what about you, what do you think of ponies?” Griffon on my right shrugged at my question.
“I don’t care,” said other griffon. “I serve my tsar.”
We passed some more random griffons before we reached our destination. They opened wooden double doors and led me inside. Inside was luxurious; regal red, green and blue colors decorated many banners and curtains around the windows and on the walls. Acrylic paintings of previous tsars adorned the walls. Three silver chandeliers hung on the high ceiling, but none were lit, as enough light was coming from many molten windows in the room. Most of the interior was red brick masonry.
In the throne sat Terror Feathers himself. He was whole head bigger and twice the mass of common griffon. His white feathery head was adorned with deep scars around his right blind eye, and he wore nothing over his dark brown lower half. The throne he was sitting on was made from various cold weapons; many spears, halberds, swords, axes, maces, flails, and other melee weapons I couldn’t name or identify on the spot.
“Our Noble has arrived, sire,” both of my escort said in unison.
“Good,” tsar said, then nodded to both griffons and they made their leave, leaving me, Terror Feathers and another female griffon alone. “Please sit.” He gestured to well-crafted timber chair, near similarly well-crafted table and meal on it, before he got up off throne and sat there himself. I did what he asked, and so did female griffon.
“Let’s skip chit-chat and get down to business,” female griffon said. She wore silver dress, matching her body. “Under peace decree between griffons and Equestrians-”
“Stop wasting time; eager to start,” tsar interrupted the other griffon.
“We’re entitled to mutual support in dire needs.” She unrolled the paper from her dress and sat it on free space on the table. It was geographic map of griffon lands. Red, blue and green circles swarmed all over it.
“Green is Tiberium, blue are our forces, red are enemy,” Terror Feathers briefly explained. Then, pointed to borders with another nation that wasn’t Equestria. “Attacks began here.” There were a lot of red circles around that area, collided into ‘C’ of red circles and around Talon River. “I don’t know what’s so special about that place, but if they gone this far and even attacked us, it can’t be good.”
He moved ‘C’ length around red circles until he reached blue circle near the end of red circles. “Talon River continues flowing here and then up until the capital and here.” He ran his talon across the river until he reached capital on the map.
He returned his talon back to first blue circle facing countless reds. “You’ll dispatch here, as here is most likely to be attacked, or is being attacked already as we speak. There is Fonda Squadron in that area, mostly scouts and light melee infantry. If you succeed defending, you can start attacking enemy bases along the river.”
“What’s so special about our enemies,” I asked.
“They use some kind of new weapons that outrange and outgun anything we use. And they are these ‘Brotherhood of Nod’ forces, destroying our Tiberium mining operations and building their own. But I doubt they’re here for Tiberium, knowing that they spread all around the globe now, and even our lands are insignificant in comparison.”
“Before doing everything you suggested, I want to investigate their camp, introduce myself to them and ask them to cease attacking, and if things go horrible, I have all means of defeating them. In worst case scenario, I can escape.”
“What if you come and join them?” female griffon interjected. “Nod originated from Equestria. What if this is some kind of plan against our nation?” She was about to say something else, but tsar shut her beak with his talons.
“We trust you,” he said, before releasing her and glaring at her with red eye. She said nothing more.
~~~
Griffon Homeland, Somewhere along Talon River
I met with Fonda Squadron. Consisting mostly of scouts, they detailed in depth about Nod’s activity around this region. Apparently, Nod developed new Tiberium growing technology, and this place was suitable to use it for some reason.
I made my way to their first base. It was fairly newly constructed, having one Refinery and one Harvester working. Lots of raw material trash littered around the river, clearly in preparations of constructing something. There were militia squads trotting about.
“Hey you!” Some pony spotted me. “What are you doing here without your gear, private?” He was white earth pony or pegasus – he wore black armor with stripes and Nod’s symbol of Kane’s scorpion tail cutie mark, hiding most of his body beneath – and his mane was dark blue, he had bags under his eyes.
“I, uhmm, lost it,” I replied nervous. I wanted to tell him who I was and my business here, but somehow couldn’t make myself do so.
He stared at me, then sighed. “It’s another of these new recruits, not even knowing basic navigation around this place. I’ve told Kane that we should not send new recruits into battle,” he began his monologue. “All he was telling me that we need to leave our main army in occupied bases to defend if they were to be attacked, and that our new recruits will gain battle experience. And if something happens to them not as war casualty, I’m to blame. Now I’m having sleepless nights over that, and it’s all because of clueless little foals like you.” He poked my chest with his hoof, leaning closer to look into my eyes with his tired ones.
Then, he sighed again. “Go search around tents. You can’t miss the armory; it’s the biggest tent – safe Commander’s Quarters – that has boxes around it and weapons and equipment inside. There are some guides and other useless papers new recruits are being given that nobody ever reads. You’ll find sleeping bags there too; you can sleep where you please that’s not dangerous or in the way.” He yawned. “When you hear important loudmouth it’s your indication to move, and I can have my momentary rest rid of you, before encountering the same issues in the next occupied territory.” He yawned again. “Now get out of my face.”
I found the tent he described. No pony else gave me any mind more than a glance as I made my way inside. There were many said items lying about or in wooden boxes. It pained me to know that there were so many rifles and ammunition for them at hoof’s reach.
I picked ‘Militants’ Guide’. I skipped a lot of nonsense until something I was interested caught my eye.
[…] Our soldiers are using rifles. These are high-end ranged weapons, easy to use and deadly. Forged from glorious Tiberium and invented with care by masterminds behind Tiberium Harvesting, these weapons brighten the light of our tomorrow. Slick design that reminds of familiar crossbows’, easy to load and use for maximum efficiency in battle. Set of three triggers: first one for shooting, second for unloading empty magazine and third for securing loaded ones.
There also was a sketch of the weapon with numbered triggers showing where each one was and what did.
Tiberium has blessed us; we can make reliable armor from it. Nod’s Militant Squad is equipped with best rubber leather armor. It ensures moderate protection from any cold weaponry or an arrow and bolt. Also, it’s light weight, so our soldiers will never feel the burden of outdated heavy armor; only stay the nimble self we are.
I placed the guide next to others in one of the piles. I removed my saddlebags that were effectively hiding my wings. I equipped the armor, it settling tight on my coat and wings. I placed my saddlebags back on me and hid everything behind hooded cape. I levitated two rifles and secured them in special holders on my armor to hold them. I levitated some more spare magazines into my saddlebags and left outside. I didn’t bother taking any sleeping bags.
Ponies and other creatures were milling about, doing everything they please. Some chatting, others exploring occupied lands, few just sleep.
There were few ponies sitting lazy near Refinery surface. I approached them. They gave me just a glance, before returning to daydreaming. There sat three identical books named ‘Material Recipes’. I picked one and idly scanned its contents; there were detailed certain spells and conditions on creating various materials from Tiberium, including eatable ones and drugs. Making sure that nobody saw, I levitated the book into my saddlebag.
I had no time to explore the rest, as one stallion’s amplified voice killed all chatter and noise around me, drawing attention of everyone. “Rise, you sorry-bunch, in ten minutes you all must prepare to leave; we’ll be advancing further into these lands, claiming Tiberium and territory.” He stood on highest point on Refinery’s Silo. Nod Silo’s cylinder design allowing stability on it, unlike my first design that was circular around the edges.
Ponies began preparing, standing in a line to armory and in another to supplies.
“Others, you know who, are with me to discuss an assault.” He finished and hopped off the silo then slowly walked to Commander’s Quarters. Few ponies one by one gathered behind him, the grey coated and black manned earth pony or pegasus stallion, and followed. I decided to follow as well.
No pony decided to say anything as we made inside, in what looked like stone-mold bunker. There were dull grey shelves and blocks of paper on them. Few quills and spots of ink scattered on them. In the middle a metal cube that served as a table, and no chairs around it. Dim light, on otherwise bright day outside, entered the space through small holes near the ceiling that represented windows, and some more from the opened metal door we entered. They cared little about beauty of their base, and what I was seeing was indication of that.
Five ponies and I surrounded the cube. Grey stallion placed a map on the cube. It was the same one I saw Terror Feathers showed me of his lands. But this one was adorned with different markings of red, black and green. Lines, arrows and highlights colored the whole map. It took me a moment to realize what each color meant; red circles were Nod’s bases. Red arrows were troops’ movements, as stallion drew another one from the farthest red circle. Green was Tiberium. Black were griffons.
Possibly troublingly, there were red arrows and circles running through uninhabited mountains nearing the capital, and griffons didn’t know about it.
“Ah, it’s six of you here now,” a voice behind me said through the door. I didn’t turn, I knew who it was. Kane. But he wasn’t real; a decoy cast with unicorn magic, as he walked through me, metal cube and grey stallion oppose me. Then, turning around, he continued, “We have guests.”
“I called all that matter. If one of curious militia cowered from upcoming fight and wandered in here, I care not,” grey stallion exclaimed.
“Oh, but she’s no militia but a noble guest, a princess and dear friend of mine.” I grunted and fully exposed my head from the hood. “Twilight Sparkle.” Grin on his transparent face.
Ponies’ moods in the room soured. “Infiltrator,” grey stallion claimed. “What business do you have here?”
“Why are you attacking griffons?” I asked. I also released my rifles off the holders and levitated them above my back, aiming at ponies inside. I never used one and wasn’t intended to do so, but it gave me superiority over unarmed ponies. I couldn’t recall what made me do that, though.
“Simple,” decoy of Kane Hooves said. “They wouldn’t cooperate with us in civil and generous ways, so we’re forcing it on them now.”
He gestured other ponies in the room to leave, but my rifles prevented them from doing so, aiming at the ponies.
“I demand you cease attacking griffons and leave their territory.”
Kane tsked. “It doesn’t concern you,” he said.
“It does, I’m princess of Friendship and Harmony.”
Kane tsked again. “A puppet of unworthy and ignorant. But you can be free of these bonds. You know very well what Tiberium can do to our progression as pony race.”
Only pony race? I thought. He sounded selfish. “Why are griffons’ territory so important, and why exactly this Talon River in particular.”
“Now we’re talking. You know, Tiberium devours soil and grows like vegetation. Different kind of soil grows different kinds of plants. And Tiberium follows the same logic. What we’re here for is Blue Tiberium, and this place is perfect for growing it. And blue one provides us creation of liquid materials.” His transparent face was locked into a smile. “Now dear princess, I ask you kindly to lower your weapons.”
I felt cold cylinder to my back of the head. I turned to see three stallions militia aiming at me, and one of the weapons was right between my eyes, pressed closely. I could see more militia looking my way outside of the crumpled space.
“Time flies fast even if it’s mere minutes,” Kane said, walking through ponies to me. “You’re smart mare, and you hold a lot of power, even here among Brotherhood. Your inventions lifted our brethren to seek new heights; you opened our eyes wider to the magic of Tiberium.” I wondered how could this earth pony feel magic, and if any pony else did as much as me. Being that some of it was my magic, after all.
‘The loving touch of a sister, the gentle kindness of a mentor, the lunar might of inner dreams, and heartbeat of own body,’ I thought, unloading magazines from my rifles and dropping them off my magic on the ground.
No pony took their aim off me. “It’s good to reason with you.” No sane pony would reason with this stallion. I flared my horn and put every pony around me in coma with a spell. There were ponies outside that spell radius, but they weren’t fast enough to react as I teleported them out of sight.
I grabbed my rifles, the map and other papers with something written on them that I felt were important, and I heard Kane tsking behind me as I exited Commander’s Quarters. I galloped past lazily working Harvester and stopped near the armory. From inside and outside I quickly gathered all the weapons I could find and flared my horn, exhausting my magic and teleporting everything to one of griffon settlements that was safe from attacking just yet.
Holes in the ground around me began to form as ponies I teleported returned and were shooting at me but missing. I threw my hood away and ripped Nod militia armor. I clenched my teeth onto my saddlebags’ holders and, stretching my wing, took flight. Few more rounds pierced air around me but none hit home, and I got away.
~~~
I reunited with Fonda Squadron, what left of it; two young brown and silver griffons alike met me with some intel.
“Nod’s forces were advancing, but are now setting up temporary camp for night’s rest. They’re settled two miles north from here,” one of the griffons said.
“I would suggest attacking them during the night with all of the griffon glory we have, being two that left” other griffon suggested with a smirk.
“No,” I said firmly. “You two are to report to capital. Make sure they are prepared to defend. Nod is sending their elite squads to infiltrate the capital from the blind spot, that’s uninhabited mountains near the city’s east.” I heard gasps from two griffons. “There is stack of stolen from enemy weaponry near the capital, I used too much of my magic to clearly say where I teleported it exactly.”
“Capital is five miles from here.” Both griffons’ eyes widened.
“So, Nod got this close already,” I mumbled to myself. “Ok,” I began, “I’ll deal with this army myself.”
“Alone? Are you sure? They defeated everyone opposing them, and with devastating results.”
“There’s nothing I and power of friendship that unites us all in harmony can’t overcome,” I said proudly, holding my head up high and spreading my wings with grace.
Griffons exchanged looks between each other, before staring at me. One with doubtful looks in his eyes, and another with a grin on his face, but I could tell he doubted me, and that smile must have meant something else. “We trust you, princess,” grinning griffon bowed low to me, before spreading his wings and flying off. The other griffon did the same, and they both were out of sight.
I sighed. I flapped my wings and began silent hovering along treetops.
As I hovered, thoughts filtered my mind. ‘Harmony and friendship? It helped ponies many times – to get rid of the so called villains, that is. With my might and power, and not only mine, no villain succeeded.
‘And friendship I’m spreading like a plague, isn’t it a form of control? For unity to ensure peace, I always thought of it. But now, they take arms and point at others. It isn’t like it never happened before, and there was a reason for it, too. And what I did then: present myself, demand peace, and they listen, then round it up with a song.
‘Now, all I did was cower in shadows like a filly and strike them unconscious if needed; treating them as villains, and not offering a second chance to redeem themselves.
‘Ponies and other creatures aren’t the same anymore. Tiberium poisoned them. And I think it did the same to me now.’
“What happened to me?” I grunted, as I tried to scatter my ill and incoherent thoughts out of my head.
I followed trace of dead griffons and ponies that lead me through the obliterated tree branches along the river. I overheard some pony talking, giving instructions. Soon enough I found the source of the voice, it was familiar white pony with dark blue mane addressing one of militant squads.
“We must go forward, no matter what,” he said. “I don’t care that you’re hungry or tired. It’s been less than an hour before we left, you unfit sorry bunch.” He sighed. “Get out of my sight. I want my time alone without you.” Ponies he addressed nodded. “Now!” he screamed, and they dashed, startled.
Meanwhile, I managed to creep close behind him. But unfortunately, he turned and spotted me. “Great,” he said. “Now here’s one even without her armor.” He glared at me with his tired eyes. “Say, I know you. You’re that purple one who’s bad with navigation. Seeing you now without armor, I can safely assume you failed to find the armory.” He chuckled softly. “And what’s better, you managed to find your way here… you’re that bad.”
Then, all out of the sudden, with swift movement, he struck sharp knife into my neck. I lost control over my body, as knife pierced my neck bone, and I fell hard on the side from the impact. I gasped for air, but my attempts were in vain, as my vision dimed.
“I may seem stupid, but I assure you, I’m not.” He put his hoof and removed his knife from my neck. “Clever mind can defeat the stronger body.” He grinned. “Friendship – what a joke.”
He shifted his body in preparation to throw the knife at me. I closed my blurry with tears eyes in anticipation.
But it never came. Instead, once I dared to open them, the stallion was unconscious and lying on the grass besides me.
Grey figure stood between us, blocking most of my blurry vision. It was a griffon. “This isn’t good,” he said. With his talons he took a hold of my body, and spreading his wings took up to the sky. At some point I lost consciousness.
~~~
Griffon Homeland, Gravel Farm
I opened my eyes slowly, adjusting to the light. I was lying on shabby bed. Moving my head around, I saw dull stone, accompanied with wooden furniture and held with wooden supporting. I heard creaking noise, it was an old griffon female in a chair, spinning creakingly and knitting a small figurine. Glancing better at it, I saw it being lavender color pony with purple and pink stripes that ran along its blue mane and tail. She was knitting figurine of me. I could see there were more of these figurines on the shelf next to her.
I shifted my body to sit – I could move, I couldn’t believe it. “Sonny, your friend is awake!” she called. Within few moments a grey griffon flew in the room, dragging dust after himself.
“You’re ok!” he exclaimed. “I knew my momma is the best to treat anybody.”
“Your friend here took a fatal injury. Few could survive that, none recover like she did here.” She paused in her thoughts. “And recover this fast, within the night’s sleep.” She stared at me intently, stopping her knitting. “You alicorns are a mystery to old hag like me.”
“Momma, no need to downgrade yourself like that; you’re great, the best,” griffon said.
“I… Thank you. It’s probably natural ‘durability’ of an alicorn, I assume. But I never was injured this much as one, I couldn’t have known.”
“Well, uhmm… welcome to my house, our Gravel Farm,” he said then helped me out of the bed. “My name is Silverpawn and here’s Sally.” Old griffon nodded and went back to her knitting.
We exited the room and walked into what I assumed was a cave. “What exactly is this place?” I asked curios.
“It used to be a Gravel Farm that was passed through generations of my family. Its gravel was one of the finest within this land. But now it’s useless, as Tiberium is now ultimate everything thanks to your inventions.” He wasn’t pleased with that.
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t blame you, but I have to do this military duty now to ensure mine and my momma’s survival. At first it wasn’t hard, was boring even. But now… you see.” We neared the door, he opened it and we entered the outside. It was nighttime.
Outside were many trees and a river nearby that branched into stone and ravine, and rippled quietly beneath. The door we exited and cave behind it was masked in stone, and it being grayish tint of brown.
“I know what you think,” he startled my admiration, “it looks like a bunker, isn’t it?”
“I suppose. Yeah, it does. Anyways, I should get back to my squadron. Do you know anything about them?”
Silverpawn chuckled nervously. “You’re probably looking at the last of them – me.”
I grimaced. “It’s that bad? What’s the position of Nod’s forces?”
“They left this place long ago; their leader, not Kane, adamant on pushing forward. I assume he thinks he fought the last of you.”
“Right, I need to head to capital and warn your leader of upcoming danger. I fear griffons I sent got caught and didn’t make there. How long until I get there?”
“Few hours for a good flier.”
“Thank you. I’ll make sure to convince your leader to award you greatly for saving me. Now farewell.”
“Wait!” an elderly voice called. “There’s something for you I must give.” Sally held a small red chest in her talons. “It’s from my great-great-grandmother Gilda.” She handed the box to me. “It’s been handed through few generations; for when you would arrive, we’re to give it to you.”
I opened the little chest. Inside was shinning golden figurine. The mare on figurine posed in grace, a pegasus spreading her wings in confidence. ‘Your most awesome friend’ was engraved on the bottom of it. It was very familiar to me. “Rainbow Dash,” I mumbled to myself.
~~~
Griffon Homeland, near Capital, Featherfly village
A bullet piercing my right shoulder with a burning pain greeted my arrival to a large griffon village. I instinctively put on a shield as more bullets flew my way. My shield couldn’t deflected all the bullets headed my way as more struck my body, but was enough to absorb most of the impact power to save me from fatal injuries.
My attackers were griffons shooting at me. “Stop!” I screamed. Shooting stopped.
“Oh no no no no,” one grey griffon began. He and another griffon, matching in color, flanked me from both sides. “She’s alive.”
“Yes, I see,” other griffon calmly replied.
“And we shot her!”
“We surely did.”
“We were supposed to follow her orders!”
“We did, and succeeded.” A smile crept on his face. I knew who they were, the griffons I sent to inform their tsar.
“Stop smiling dumb and help me get her to where we can treat her wounds!”
“Yeah, whatever,” he chuckled. They were just about to grab and lift me, but a bullet struck grinning griffon’s head and he fell dead. Few more bullets hit my flank before I put up a shield.
“Nod!” village’s folk shouted as more bullets seared past my shield and into unfortunate griffons that fell dead or in immense pain.
“I have to get your majesty out of here.” Grey griffon pulled me in his talons then awkwardly under my weight ascended in air. “You’re too hurt to do anything here. The folk will defend against the attacker.”
I glanced below, bodies fell to the ground as both oppositions exchanged bullets. Too much senseless death. “No!” I pushed free from griffons grasp with my telekinesis and hovered in air. “I’ll stop this. I can save everybody.”
“You’re in no condition to fight.”
“Go to your tsar and ensure his safety.”
“But-”
“You listen to my orders, now go!”
He stared at me for few moments then nodded and left. I descended down on the battlefield. I was already being targeted by Nod. I concentrated and released my magic into a spell that sent them in coma. My wounds ignited again upon release of that spell, and my hooves collapsed under my weight.
More ponies outside spell radius were enclosing rapidly upon me. I released the spell once again, standing. I felt wounds scream in agony and my spell fizzled, and I fell again. The range greatly reduced. Few shots hit the ground around me, but none actually hit me. But there was no need, I couldn’t move anyways. The only thing I felt was pain.
Nod’s militia ran pass me, giving no second glance as they passed, and deeper into the village. Griffons already lost; many dead or fleeing. One pony stopped before my body.
“You sacrificed your second life just to fall beneath my hoof, again.” White stallion with dark blue mane and bags under his eyes pressed his hoof on my head, forcing his weight on it. “Let’s see how good this head of yours is.” He grinned, laughing maniacally.
‘This isn’t cool’ a voice in my head echoed. Behind the stallion a crystallized crimson body of a pony pegasus formed. It hit back of the stallions head, knocking him unconscious, before shattering into million pieces and then into nothing.
Nod’s forces marched forward, ignoring and stomping over dead bodies of their enemies and comrades without care. I grimaced ‘it’s as if they are mind controlled’ I thought to myself. But I couldn’t have done a thing to stop them; I was left lying with the remains of a slaughter. Left to think about things until fate decides to finally take my life.
~~~
A sharp talon poked my side. “Missus, are you okay? “ It was a young chromatic grifflet poking me. She shrunk for a moment as she saw my head move, startled. “You fared better than others,” she said, before lifting me in her talons. “You’re heavy.”
We neared a cornered of one of the cottages and then down to a cellar. Grifflet lit a lamp, its dim light illuminating various jars with pickles or other marinated greens inside. Some old vehicle I know from books as bike. And there were few nets with potatoes inside.
She deposited me on a creaking chair and stood on hers to match her eyes with mine. “My parents always say ‘ponies are bad, they only want to hurt us’. Also, my history teacher taught me what equestrians did to us.” She sighed. “But why does it have to be this way? I have a friend, pony, who’s really kind to me and really cool. And you’re princess, missus, and you can tell what to do, why do you attack?” Tears were forming in her eyes.
I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, I began coughing. She took a jar from around and pierced its lid, opening it, and passed it to my hooves. It was apple juice, sour but it hydrated my throat enough to speak.
“It’s more complicated than that. We don’t rule over their will. We’re mere political idols and guardians of Equestrian land, nothing more. So, ponies have free will to do mostly anything,” I said. Grifflet was silent for a moment, before placing her talons over my neck, squeezing it. “I’m trying to fix it, and help griffons.” She released her grip off me and collapsed on the ground, crying.
“I don’t believe you,” she grumbled.
“Please, you need to trust me, like a friend. Let me be your friend.”
“I don’t want to be your friend,” she sputtered.
“But I do. The least I can do for you and your kind is to end this slaughter. And I’m going to stop it.” I stood from a creaking chair, confident. And like inferno my wounds ignited, and I collapsed, grunting.
“Missus!” she called, helping me back onto the chair.
“I think this mare needs some more rest.”
In a hurry she made some sort of bed; I laid down on old ragged mattress, dirty plush served as pillow and old war leather jacket as bed sheet. She patched my wounds with healing oils and bandages she found, before allowing me to rest.
“Thank you,” I said. “But I’m sorry; I haven’t asked your name.”
“Stella.”
“Thank you Stella.” I drifted to sleep.
~~~
The next day came early with a bang. I hurried out of the cellar. What I seen outside was devastating; new Nod’s war ingenuity roared past our hiding. The device was similar to Nod’s refined version of a Harvester but this was bigger, slower, and had a tube on its top.
I scouted more of the surroundings. More such vehicles formed few rows on the hill, giving vantage overview of the capital. Then, they fired with a bang, fire erupted from the tubes, and blips of explosion could be seen on the walls and towers of the capital.
“Oh no,” I said quietly. I looked over my shoulder to find Stella’s expression that of pure horror. “Please go inside, or they will spot you.” It required forceful push to get her stunned back to cellar.
I opened my bags and started going through papers I took from Nod’s camp. ‘I know something important is here’ I thought as I searched. And I found what I was looking for – it’s called Nod Cobra Artillery. The paper explained its design, features and limitations, and I easily found its weaknesses as well.
“Whatever happens, stay here and hide. I think I have a plan.” Stella mutely responded by turning off the light and hiding herself in a big cooking pot, still horrified.
I poked my head again. Cobra Artilleries were shooting every once in awhile. I also spotted some ponies loading ammunition to the artilleries from few cargo vehicles, one for few artilleries – and there were lots. Their attire wasn’t like militia’s but definitely had Nod colors of red and black and its icon of scorpion tail.
I waited patiently to make sure no more vehicles were arriving. Then, I made my move. Silently I crept to one of the ponies then released my paralyzing spell and dragged her body to the shadows where I equipped the attire. It was a bit small and uncomfortable for my wings. ‘Whatever, it’ll do’ I fumed in my mind.
I inspected the vehicle, comparing its designs from the papers I memorized to the real thing before me, trying to determinate the best approached of its weaknesses to disable and destroy it.
“Will you load that thing today or not?” Came annoyed grumpy voice from within the vehicle. ‘Oh no no no no’ I panicked in my mind ‘I can’t destroy it, it will hurt or kill its driver. But if I don’t, it will destroy the capital and kill griffon inside’.
“You deaf or asleep down there? Don’t let me get to you and smack you awake now.”
‘Is it justified to injure or kill him to save others? And not only him but other drivers in…’ I looked to my side, there were three dozen more Cobra Artillery vehicles. ‘All of these there’.
“I hope you forgive me, Celestia.” I released my magic, forming disruption spell on its engine. The engine began to spark and exploded, quickly destroying the vehicle whole and muting short screams of confusion and pain from the driver.
Ponies reacted to the explosion, startled. But their reaction time was too slow, as my paralyzation spell eliminated any attempts to stop me. And every vehicle faced same fate shortly as the first.
I stared at my work, molten flames dancing and laughing at what previously was two rows of Nod Cobra Artillery. ‘And I didn’t even try to talk some sense to them – jump and act. And now they’re dead.’ I collapsed to my haunches. ‘And others just in few weeks coma, why they deserve life and you don’t?’ I spun my head, battlefield of yesterday’s; bodies of ponies and griffons mutilated by passing tracks of Cobra Artillery. ‘And even they suffered as much, if not worse.’
Tears forming in my eyes now flowed freely. ‘And I justified killing them, too. No Celestia, I’m not deserving of forgiveness.’
Cold iron poked my head from behind. “You ruined our plans once again.” I spun my head a little to see white stallion with blue mane. His eyes were bloodshot red now. “I’m not going to waste time for you to escape again.” He pressed the lever of his rifle, but it missed. His target wasn’t there anymore, as I teleported behind him and delivered an impressive buck to his flank.
He hid one of the cargo vehicles, lessening the supports and forcing artillery ammunition to scatter about. “Why can’t you see like Kane does?” he fumed. “Tiberium is the future.”
“Why are you attacking griffons?” I asked simply, holding my anger.
“Little complication for bigger things. They’re unworthy and it’s justifiable.” He recovered from the kick and straightened himself to draw his rifle again. “And you’re one big complication, and annoying one at that.”
His rifle took aim, but was forced flying over and down the hill out of his grip with my levitation magic. “You and your kind forced me to kill ponies!” I was angry at myself.
“Inconvenience and delay. No pony matters, they’re just number. But I’m the hero to defeat tyrant alicorn.” He spun drawing his knife and equipped it with his teeth then charged at me.
He struck my shoulder join and then followed with a kick to my side, knocking me to the ground. Before I could recover, he struck his knife in the middle of my neck. “I’ll make sure it’s really done.” He smiled. “You’re the one to survive such wounds.” He pressed his knife harder.
I wasn’t trying to avoid him much. As he was attacking, meanwhile my thoughts were elsewhere. ‘-But if things are like this now, I’ll have to adapt.’
I opened my eyes, the ones filled with anger and pain. It took moments to realize foreign object in my neck and grinning opponent before me.
In quick succession I forced the knife out of my body, sending it deep across his right cheek and some of it along his ear, before it flew out of sight. His screams of pain were muffled by my anger screams, as I lifted his body with my telekinesis and repeatedly slammed it to the ground. I hated him, I hated what he and Nod were doing, I hated myself for what it made me do, and I let my anger fuel my actions.
It was short lasting, as I slumped to the ground from either tiredness or blood loss, or both.
After short time of not moving, white stallion stood. “I hate you.” He recovered his knife, but instead of attacking he pierced holes on both sides of his armor, exposing pair of white wings. “It wasn’t the last you seen of Silver Moon.” And with that he wobbly flew deeper to the forest from where Nod sent their troops from.
And I lost consciousness shortly after.
~~~
When I slowly awoke it wasn’t what I expected. Kane Hooves’ decoy was chatting with Stella, both were smiling softly. My groans caught their attention as I rose.
“You can’t move yet!” griflet protested, and forced her weight on me to lay down. “Please!”
Decoy flanked her to the side and smiled at me. “You’re in no danger.” I glared daggers at him, but he continued his smile. “You’re an amazing mare, princess, and you did everything to stop this fighting, you saved lives of your enemies and allies.” He bowed slowly.
“I’ve killed many-”
“Don’t you cloudy your mind with that. I’d blame Silver for that more than I do you. He thinks he’s second in command due to his rank and ill-influence within the brotherhood. That old colt feels vendetta with the griffons for what he thinks killed his parents when he was young. And probably that’s false.
“Anyways, I’ve been talking with your friend here and we came up with a reasonable proposal to end this fighting.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to be Nod’s peacemaker, not related to Nod. You wanted to end this conflict, yes?” I nodded weakly. “So, you defeated majority of our forces, destroyed our artillery and bested our second in command. Kane cowards under your might and offers you and griffons a deal.” His smile widened even more.
“Which is?” I asked curios.
“I withdraw my forces from griffon lands to the beginning of Talon River and our best bases there. But griffon forces and their allies can’t follow us or get close to our bases.”
“Why are you proposing me this?” I tried to get up, but Stella prevented me from doing so, cooing warnings at me when I did.
“Third of my forces are pinned down and forced out of Capital due to traps that bunkered the main castle, or just dead. Other third are gathered and are in coma by your well-known spell and won’t wake up in days, and without proper care their bodies will weaken and they’ll be unfit for fighting… or walking, flying and using magic. The last of our forces are garrisoned in our main bases. And Silver dispatched untested siege vehicles that are now destroyed.” Short silence allowed me to sink everything. “So, you won.”
“What’s with the smiles?”
“I got what I wanted, regardless.” A small bubble appeared in from of him, it slowly formed into a block and then into a book. “And here’s a gift for you, my friend.” The book descended slowly into my hooves. ‘Tiberium now’ was its title. “Fresh first copy for my biggest fan, sister.” And with the last words his transparent decoy disappeared.
News of my victory pleased Terror Feathers, but he wasn’t too keen with the deal. “We should strike them when they’re at their weakest.”
“No!” I shouted in protest. “There will be no more senseless violence!”
“Yes, when they’re completely eliminated.” We were seated in the same throne room, albeit now with crashed windows and holes in masonry created by Nod’s Cobra Artillery siege. There was lack of any food on the table we sat, only fine wine that I refused to drink.
“No!” I shouted once more, not ladylike. “How would you react if it were your own griffons that you had to go against?!”
“It’s ponies in this case,” female griffon commented with disgust.
“I’d deal with them, it happened before.” Terror Feathers replied calmly after a gulp from his cup.
“This isn’t fair…” I took deep moment to calm down and gather my thoughts logically. “Not that you could do anything against them now. Griffon forces being heavily underpowered, suffered huge loss, and population in turmoil.”
He took a moment before replying, “But we have you.”
“Were you even listening?! I have succeeded this much only because I ambushed them, and even then I suffered severe injuries three times already! And how will I attack their camp when they have enough weapons for every militia there that can pierce my shield! And now that they’re guarded, I won’t succeed! And your griffons have even less chance than I do!” I yelled, after which I gasped for air. Tsar fell silent for long few minutes.
“We demand a meeting with Princess Luna,” female griffon proclaimed. “Meeting here with her and other countries’ leaders.”
“Not here. Canterlot,” Tsar only said with a nod.
~~~
Canterlot, Pony Capital -- Few weeks later; royalty meeting
I expected no interest in our meeting from other nations’ leaders – expecting our neighboring countries to stay neutral and not indulge in fighting – as Luna sent the invitations to all nearby and few faraway lands. But instead, it was worse. As invitation issued topic of forming a cooperative organization to counter Nod’s Tiberium expansion, other nations divided themselves into the ones who support Nod and the ones who oppose them.
All leaders that chose to oppose were seated in a long wooden table covered with cloth and served delicacies in the royal section of the kitchen in Canterlot castle, with the view of industrial side of the capital. Near the table sat War Chief Gunter of minotaurs, oppose of him Elder Kuradal of zebras and current Prance leader Pinafore’s messenger, brown coated and black maned unicorn Wailing Arrow. In one of far ends of the table sat princess Luna, and my sister-in-law princess Cadence in the other. I was seated near to the side of Luna, oppose of tsar Terror Feathers and next to Wag of diamond dogs. Four more seats were empty.
“Should we begin?” tsar suggested over the idle ruckus.
“You are aware of Nod’s hostile expansion into your dear lands,” I voiced, “and now that you all are here we can discuss this issue. The letter included your homework, so I want to hear it.”
“Name’s Wag,” grey diamond dog began. “Us dwell across the various lands, me that represents such communities. Reasons being more that against the vile crystal than Nod; my hounds do extinct from its exposure. And Nod offered us lies. We expect better from pony. We can offer gems for your efforts.”
“Thank you.”
“Tsar Terror Feathers of Griffons. I was the first that suggested this alliance,” he stated. ‘Yeah, you,’ though assaulted my mind, it wasn’t really him, but I didn’t pressed the issue. “They started this by attacking my lands.” He picked and swallowed another random snack from the table. “And only thanks to pony assets, princess Twilight Sparkle here, that we scared their assault. But I fear it’s temporary, and that this alliance is a must. I offer my griffons’ might, albeit thin from the battle.”
“Ok. Thank you.”
“Gunter, the War Chief of minotaurs!” Blue muscular figure banged his chest. “My island is small and constantly attacked by random sea devils. But them get the crushing all the time. Nod sending their navy toys at us, all destroyed but never depleted; more and better assaulting my home with every new wave. We offer the muscle.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“The foe seeks zebra secrets, as Tiberium is adopted by our Elders. Evil crystal guiding people to utmost destruction, and zebras are no exception. Zebras will share bits of these secrets, but beware of their power. Elder Kuradal, you can call me.” Striped zebra finished.
“Vague. But thank you.” She didn’t explained much with that.
“I represent my lord,” Wailing Arrows voiced next. “We’ll follow you and assist in your struggle, that’s all.”
“We follow Luna’s decisions,” Cadence added.
“Grateful for thine time,” Luna rose her voice once everybody explained themselves. “We do not enjoy that this hath occurred. But we wish it gone. We cannot offer thou of Our power as it runs thin, and all of it is to support planet’s day and night cycles. Twilight Sparkle will work with all of thee closely, she’s the best all-rounded asset to this upcoming struggle.” She sipped her hot liquid after she finished.
~~~
Ponyville workshops
After countless hours of variety of talks about the same thing I didn’t even listen, it was over. In conclusion, we chose the defying emblem of our organization as light brown eagle in its assault stance, and a name of Global Defense Initiative, or in short: GDI, and to avoid any more fighting by showing ‘the might of GDI’.
Currently I was tasked to invent weapons, armor and vehicles to ‘scare Nod’ as they said. ‘To throw stones at sleeping and hungry timberwolves’ I would have said instead. And I knew it won’t bring anything nice, but I’m not the one to question things. Obedient.
“And here’s the model of your design for basic rifles, and suiting armor for Riflepony Squad.” I was led along the hallway and display pedestals, eyeing various concepts of new probably-soon-to-be-used-to-kill inventions. “This version here is zero-point-one-point-three, currently did the best in testing,” my guide commented.
I levitated it in air to inspect. Inner mechanism matching the design of Nod’s rifles based on sketches I stole from Nod but with added modifier to allow four-shot burst fire instead of single one in between reloads that Nod has. Also, to impress and scare our foes, all logical convenience thrown asunder, it was of a higher caliber and heavy. It looked like a fancy cuboid. “I see flaws: its weight and design is only suitable for unicorns. But I wouldn’t press the issue if it’s the final design.”
I placed the weapon back down on the pedestal. Next I was eyeing new armor. It was very similar to Nod’s but had light brown ascents, it was made of durable plastic and various metal combinations instead of hard cloth that Nod wore, and it covered more of the pony body and including head, but at the cost of less mobility.
“Is rifle loaded?” I asked.
“Uhmm… No… but there’s spare loaded magazines for inspection. I don’t really know why would you need them for, but…” He trailed off when he heard me load the magazine in the rifle and then aiming at the armor. “I wouldn’t advice-”
Burst followed by four loud cracks hit the armor. “Massive recoil,” I said simply, even when the gun didn’t budged off of my levitation. The armor was knocked off of its holders and destroying glass behind the pedestal as it fell.
I lifted the armor for closer inspection. Three bullets in the same spot pierced its front plating, but fourth a bit off just stuck two thirds deep into the plating. “Armor is decent for what it is. Better than what my shields can handle, so that’s an achievement.”
I released three more burst into unoccupied armor before reload was required – third burst issuing three bullets instead of four, and mag having fifteen bullets in it total.
“Why so cruel, your highness?” My guide was startled and sweating visibly on his face.
“I wanted to test it how it works,” I replied grimly.
“Of course it works. But why would you test it here?! Some pony could’ve got hurt. And it isn’t like we’ll be using this stuff against Nod, Luna made that clear. But you’re acting as if we’d have to, and with such bold coldness to it.
“But you’re the princess of Friendship and Harmony; you’re kind. I’ve seen what you did to defeated villains; you treated them like your own wounded friends and offered them purification and a second chance to integrate themselves within the society...” he trailed off of his rant when he glanced at me once more.
I gave him cold irritated glance, he shrunk under it as I hovered my head over his ball form. “She’s not there fighting, but I am. I truly wish this wasn’t necessary, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” I removed myself from him and exited the hallway as there wasn’t anything of interest to inspect anymore.
Before I made my way to the heavy industry section, thoughts assaulted me, ‘He’s right, what am I doing? Steeping as low as Nod: to kill, no questions asked. No! I’m here to save ponies, but… but if others must die to save them…’ I growled irritably as I made my way inside. Toxic Tiberium emits swam within the air inside. Many workers in protective hazard suits operating in Refinery’s forge, creating various metals with an aid of magic, and then shaping them into forms to be added for constructing machinery here. I wasn’t needed any hazard suits as this Tiberium humidity fueled my magic reserves, instead.
“Highness,” muffled voice of a pony from within one of the suits called me as it neared me, “I highly advice you using proper protective gear in here. And when you’re done we can begin.”
I ignored his advice as I stared at the bulky vehicle designs. One of them I knew as APC – Armoured Personnel Carrier. It towering five times my size, and its width was eight times mine. Its overall design was a box, yet again, and this unit was unfinished, too. But in my design sheets it also had turrets – same GDI rifles, but with even bigger caliber and size – surrounding it from all sides; two in front, six on both sides and four in the back. Small window gaps, that weren’t present in this model yet, were to give personnel – soldiers – means to aid already terrifying might of APC’s turrets in battle. Inside were twelve seats and ample of space to carry a throng of creatures in it.
“Highness!” Hazard suit grabbed me and shook forcefully out of my glee. “I insist!”
“I’m fine, hooves off of me,” I replied with venom in my voice. He did as ordered. “I see progress here is going slower than what I anticipated.”
“Well, we have hard time synthesizing tougher material, as you requested, but I don’t see the purpose of it. If we’re building, and then mass producing, these things only for sole purpose to scare Nod with our ‘quantity might’, why bother?”
“I see. As to your question, Nod isn’t sane beings you think you know, I’ve seen them. They hoof over their fallen like they weren’t even there, so we must be prepared for the worst.” That earned me a gasp from the hazard pony.
I moved to another vehicle; It being Humvee, not my design. It was supposed to be an agile land rover, surpassing best runners and matching the best pegasi flyers in speed. It looked done but its front part exposed. “Humvee?” I asked.
“Unless an engine is made to meet its expectations, it’s failure. The slim design itself has little room for any created engine, including yours. And engine is also the problem with APC here; with current known engines, it’s impossible to reach higher speed than seven miles per hour on APC, and that’s if it’s empty with a driver only and on even terrain. Given its to-carry purpose, it’s useless.”
“I’ll see to it.” I spun around slowly, inspecting each metal pile of supposed something. It would’ve been an insult asking what each of that should have been and why it wasn’t finished, or started, given that there were only seven volunteers for such job, and only thee at that time.
I nodded respectfully to each passing resident in the workshop as I exited the facility.
~~~
Everfree Forrest, near Ponyville; Twilight’s laboratory -- The next day
This Forrest: my domain. I spent so long here that it could as well be called my home. And absolutely nobody can enter. It had been shielded with my magic since my first research with Tiberium. Told that it guards unfathomable evil, and if I was asked why I spend so long in here, told that I was needed here to regularly reinforce containment spell on that evil.
And as such it thrived with peace, as much as you dare calling mythical beings alive and loose here peaceful. And one another serpentine deity with mismatched limbs of various animals and beasts that could never understand the meaning of ‘No’.
“Discord!” I shouted at him as he was constructing balloon-like animals from adamantium and pilling everything into steel basket along other gold, silver or bronze trinkets of his designs.
“Oh, welcome back, you!” He twisted his head backwards to regard my annoyed approach, putting a grin on his face. “I’m glad you’re here. You are really the hot stuff lately.” He poked my flank from the right side with his elbow of his arm that had no logical reason to be detached from his body and still function. But he was the being of chaos and disharmony; logic was like poison to him, so illogic and inconsistency was his nature, chaotic. But years told me – he wants no harm but a friend; to be my best friend.
“We could have used your magic to stop conflicts in griffon lands,” I said nonchalantly.
“I’m not as useful as I was since the so proclaimed lord of destruction.” He transformed one of the surrounding trees into a black unicorn pony. “Shorty,” he described.
“What do you want this time? Another tour to the other side of the continent to retrieve a flower that then becomes a giant predator-worm-plant just because you pretended that you’re sick, again?”
Discord shook his head, before fixing a very serious (and definitely rare for him) stare. “I need you to stop what you’re doing, don’t give means to people to fight; it will not bring good results.”
I frowned at that. “You don’t understand-”
“It is you who don’t,” he cut me off. “I’ve existed for longer than any other being on this planet has. And I can foresee what will happen: the end of everything.” He summoned a thin plate-like device that demonstrated massacre of the past, similar to the one I participated not too long ago, and flashbacks returned of my sins that I committed and got no punishment for there.
“When we’re ignorant of the past, the history repeats,” he continued with his serious tone. “And I know how it ended; strongest won and then prosper, leaving old in destruction and forming their own new perfection.” With a snap of his griffon talons he summoned two golden canes. Both had my face on one side for design and one with red, while the other with blue, hexagon shaped gems on the other.
They descended slowly into my hooves, soaking my attention of their glory. Once I touched them with my magic and before I could say anything, they changed into two unidentified weapons; very light, similar in design of rifles but far shorter and smaller, golden. Design of blue gemmed one had a serpent that wriggled along its length and its tail ended like a sharp dagger into where should had been magazine to load ammo, but wasn’t. Red was designed with misshaped cat with a big head and wide toothy but creepy smile, and its body was bony and it held butcher’s knife with its tail in place where ammo magazine would have been.
“Why old jokes?” I asked, smiling with sinister glee.
“Disguise. Blue here’s Thomas and Crimson one Alice, these are ‘Submachine Guns’, my own design. You know what to do with them when the right time comes.”
He snapped his talons again, armor appearing on me. It was similar in color to my original, but different in design and weighting less. It consisted of many small magically enchanted metallic pieces that allowed ample of flexibility. Purple armor had magic trim that portrayed my cutie mark and some crystals, that I guessed were Tiberium, it reacted to me using magic with a green glow.
With another snap he vanished with a pop.
I glanced around, his mess cleaned. With deep breath I prepared for another long week coming for designing engines. ‘He doesn’t understand, I must save everybody.’
~~~
Minotaur Island
I probably expected something different from minotaurs. Granted their massive bodies, seeing their small living quarters and tiny tools in proportion of their size and mass was something else. Also, lack of movement and activity that was going on there didn’t reflect to their frenzied nature I expected.
“Princess!” Gunter called. “This district is for the retired. I would too hate this fate of life.” He gesture with his hand for me to follow him. “Fun’s this way.”
We exited the boarding bay and passed calm streets of Nida district and into barracks area. Whole city as far as eye can see was these barracks.
“Here’s the heart of every minotaur in their prime,” He swung his hand along the scenery. Many minotaurs milling around in discipline, sports or training activities. “Come, I’ll take you to Staddler, you can share your geeky interests with her.”
I was tasked to support minotaurs with their naval ships that were vandalized by Nod. And, with my designs, to add minotaur naval might to GDI forces.
We flanked the next nth corner of many same looking blue camouflage tents, before we reached Staddler in the same looking tent with her assistants.
“Hey toddler, your mare has arrived!” Gunter shouted to the minotaurs inside.
“My name’s Staddler, dad,” brown coated female minotaur replied. She was slimmer and smaller compared to other minotaurs, but her face reflected her older age, past teenagehood.
Gunter left with a snort. “I’m sorry for him,” Staddler addressed me. “It’s good for you to be here. But right to business – you see, all of our ships are inferior to what Nod is sending with the waves.” She sighted. “The only reason we’re winning is because of us, minotaurs; we’re great swimmers and very durable brutes, as you know very well.”
“Well… yes.” I took a seat at one of the chairs near chalkboard.
She sighted again. “Why Nod are attacking us is because of what we invented.” She took a pause. “Tiberium drugs.”
“I’ve seen Nod having some recipes on these things.”
“They surely don’t have ours, if they’re sending their army here. Ours is called ‘Buffer’ and it allows its consumer to unlock all strength and agility potential, but not like adrenaline. More.” Staddler shrugged off her assistant who was pulling Staddlers dress to get attention. “A minotaur can sustain a barrage of bullets before dying, and even a few direct explosive hits.”
“That’s powerful. I understand why you want to protect this secret.”
“Yeah, but there’s more to it. You probably noticed how quiet Nida is once you boarded.” I nodded. “Side effects in continuing use include early retirement; users lose all motivation to do anything and are constantly tired, even while resting that they are always doing. Basically, they become soulless.”
She took papers that her assistant was using to obscure her vision with. She took long glances at them, before continuing, “I want to stop the use of Buffer, so I’ve spent my whole time here designing ship to compensate the use of the drug. I want to protect them, and I’m requesting your help.”
I nodded. “You are a lot like me; I too am helping everybody to save themselves.”
She smiled and then dropped the papers on one of the tables that her assistant was insisting on handing. “Here are my designs and also these of Nod’s”
~~~
Prance Capital, militaristic sector
Wailing Arrow lead me through another avenue of militaristic bunkers and establishments, all while briefly explaining each one of them, until we reached Black Ops sector and had to stop.
He nodded to two black-robed ponies at the bunker doors. They scattered leaving us alone again, after few seconds doors began to slowly open.
“And we’re finally at our destination,” Wailing Arrow announced. “Boys are very ‘careful’ with anyone wandering this place. We’d require you to go through the scanners. There we’ll know your physical, biological and psychic information, and that you’re not a changeling or something.”
I stood on platform that was connected to a mainframe and between two metal blocks that hummed and emitted a line of light that traveled up and down along my body. Scanning took longer than that of Wailing’s who went before me, and all while ponies in black laboratory suits were actively chatting between themselves and glancing at me and then at the screens with readouts.
“Is something wrong?” I asked Wailing, after I decided that scanning took too long already.
Wailing went to the specialist at the mainframe and then got back with answers. “You’ve passed. It’s just that they found a glitch with psionic power measurement, it not fitting numbers in the given frame,” he explained. “Ok now follow.”
We were flanked by four black-robed military ponies. They carried very long cylindrical poles with other boxy attachments that I was getting very familiar with as rifles. But these guns were different in length and had a finer design than just another box of lethal destruction.
“What weapons are these?” I pointed my hoof at one of such weapons tied on one of the soldiers back.
Wailing Arrow looked at the soldier, he gave him a nod and untied his weapon and handed it to me. “Sniper Rifle,” soldier simply said. Weapon weighted quite a bit, like a grown stallion would.
“We were right going into engineering labs for that, but since you want to know about it now, I can explain a bit before we get there. These are long range rifles, used from a stationary location to eliminate anything with brutal force over the long distance, and there’s a scope to land these blows.” I flipped the weapon nth time like it was a broom, it giving me weird looks from soldiers, as Wailing continued. “Ammo is enchanted by our best Pyromage to pierce hard plating.”
“Can we test it?” I asked. “And I have something I’d want to test myself, too.”
“Of course.” We flanked another dark corner, passing many big objects covered with dark cloth. Whole facility was dimly lit and many residents wore black robes or armor that covered most of their bodies. And many of them stared at me as my horn and sniper rifle I was levitating was glowing soft magenta and my armor bright neon green.
“Here’s it!” The area was big, branching into three segments of it: indoors and outdoors shooting ranges, and tutorial chambers outside. We were moving to indoor shooting range. There were many obstacles and moving fake creatures behind, each marked with crossed circles as targets for most vulnerable spots.
“I want my sniper back,” soldier requested. I gave it back to him. He loaded the gun and then put the sniper’s weight onto support stall, sitting on his haunches. After some seconds he fired, the gun roared, knocking the gun and his tight grip aback by few inches, and fake rabbit’s head disappeared in a volley of splinters. “Bullseye!” he cheered.
“We can’t know since you broke it,” I said mockingly.
He smiled and handed his gun to me again. “I want to see you do better.”
I put the gun on stall and sat, like he did. Through scope I could see the arena better; it portrayed some hills, trees, buildings and various animals wandering within. I forced my hoof on the lever to shoot.
The gun roared. Miss.
Again. Miss.
Few more times. Miss.
Again. Click. I spent all ammunition.
“Well, at least recoil doesn’t bother you one bit,” soldier commented, “but it’s not for you, princess.”
I grunted and then levitated my canes, they transforming into submachine guns. I aimed them at the fake scenery there. Nothing happened. ‘How do I use these?’ I forced more magic into them – nothing. Then even more – nothing. I grunted and with a force slammed both sharp ends into a stall, it piercing it and collapsing upon itself, before I released my magic off the guns and they transformed back into canes.
“Sorry, I don’t even know how to load them,” I said apologetically.
My escort and ponies that currently were there all stared at me bemused. “What are these things made from?” Wailing asked. “They pierced thick layer of steel like it’s nothing.”
“Magic” was my answer to that.
~~~
We entered the labs. It was a huge hangar of Tiberium-driven technological litter. Wailing Arrow briefly explained some of more interesting devices along the alleyway that we used to reach the most important part of my visit. And the hangar wasn’t all black and gloomy as the rest of the Black Ops territory.
“Power armor suit of ‘Zone Trooper,’” Wailing explained, after I and my escort took a long gleeful overview at it. Armor had matching GDI brown coloring that apparently was adapted as defying color of GDI. It was bulky and allowed little movement, also completely sealing the soldier inside. Rifles were called ‘Railguns’ and shot gem-powered magic bursts, albeit slow due to charge time and overheat.
“If you’d like to test the armor, princess, just say a word, we have working units,” one of the workers suggested.
“Yes please.” I was lead to the edge of the hangar to a testing area.
“This should fit you.”
“I’m not going to wear it.” I yanked a sniper rifle from one of my escort, startling him, but he did not complained. I aimed and hit the armor at point-blank range, knocking the armor through the testing area. Thought entered my mind, ‘Weeks ago I hesitated on using a gun, and now I’m testing armor against more powerful weaponry, and that I helped create.’ I banished the thought with a shake of my head.
I levitated the armor closer for inspection. The bullet was reduced to a flat piece of metal. The armor itself resisted the bullet and it didn’t pierced, but the impact bent the armor enough to hurt any pony that would’ve been there.
“Good enough,” I summarized.
~~~
Zebra tribe
“I cannot show anything more,” Kuradal said. She was placing brown clay orbs with chemicals inside that, once shattered, react with air and explode.
“And these react with Tiberium too, and bigger explosions blinds our foe,” she explained as she placed green clay orbs next.
“These do ignite inferno upon Nod.” She placed red clay orbs next to the green.
“And these confuse them to the world around, too.” She finally placed black clay orbs next to red ones.
“The rest is a secret to only but our own. Our zebras are equipped with four types of these and are highly trained in the art of use of it, and will aid your struggle with their mastery. But beware, as untrained in possession of these are in danger to its ignorant mind and these around.”
“Thank you.”
~~~
Cloudsdale -- Many days later
Mayor of Cloudsdale unwillingly signed papers. It took official word from Luna herself directly visiting him to tell him that the Wonderbolts would be picked for intimidation act against Nod. He knew that it wouldn’t bring good results, but he wasn’t the one to question the princess. Obedient.
That also earned me time to get few words with Luna from her busy schedule.
“[…] And then diamond dogs are supplying us with gems, as they promised,” I explained what I did with the leaders of GDI to Luna. I didn’t mentioned the part with Discord and what he gifted me, and that ‘incident’ at the shooting range.
“We’ve seen thine progress,” Luna began, after long silent trot along Cloudsdale’s main street, after I finished explaining, “and as much as We applaud thine efforts, it’s unwanted.”
“Why?” I asked perplexed.
“Thou act like a military general than a loving princess,” she said. We passed few more living quarters before she added, “Art thou preparing for war?”
“I’m preparing for the worst case scenario, yes.”
Luna sighed deeply and loudly, requiring her to stop to do so. “Twilight, thou art dismissed from the alliance.”
“What?! But-”
“That’s final!” Her carriage arrived behind her as she shouted. She boarded inside and with a nod ordered her bat pony guards to take off, leaving me surrounded by many pegasi eyes that heard us.
‘She can’t’ was the only thing on my mind.
~~~
An excerpt from a book ‘Tiberium Now’ by Kane Hooves:
[…] Tiberium’s potential is far greater than we first came to understand, it’s divine even. Tiberium can alter and increase ponies’ basic capabilities, but unlike drugs, these can be permanent mutations. Imagine Militant Squad ignoring all the pain that’s inflicted on them. Well, if lab rat that survived three shots through its body and lived is to go with as an example, then it’s possible.
[…] At this moment of testing only earth ponies with great intellect stayed sane, while all others now suffer memory loss and act like children, but not all is lost; they still have muscle memory and perform greatly in training course, better than before even.
However, volunteers are becoming scarce with each failed experiment, and these pointless fights with griffons are slowing us down even more. But this new Blue Tiberium Crystal might just be what we need.
[…] Yes, tests are performing splendid. Blue Tiberium Crystal is what we needed. Alterations are in progress, slower though. […] Subjects claim to be hearing voices, as if Tiberium itself calls them or other far greater unknown; I can’t wait to know more.
[…] There’s no more new development. Experiment provided acceptable results; our soldiers enhanced their combat skills to most perfection, and suffered no severe brain damaging consequences. Although, their talent-defying cutie marks disappeared and they can no longer do their specialty, or integrate into our thriving community. They became drones of war now. I don’t like that one bit, but when I brought issue to the head labcoat, I got rejected as I’m only a spokespony and just a face for Nod… Hardly truth, but I fear if I was to act against it again, inner conflict will arise again, and its compromise lead to Silver Moon.
Mission Accomplished -- Debriefing…
Intelligence Database:
v Brotherhood of Nod
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Militant Squad
Basic Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
vvv Vehicles
Cobra Artillery
Medium Artillery. Strong vs. Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Tiberium Harvester
Resource Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities:
>> Gathers Tiberium.
vv Structures
vvv Main Structures
Refinery
Resource Structure.
Processes and stores Tiberium
vvv Support Structures
Silo
Resource Structure.
Stores Tiberium
v Global Defense Initiative
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Riflepony Squad
Basic Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Black Ops Sniper Squad
Advanced Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Stealth in Dark and Garrison
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Zone Trooper
Heavy Infantry. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Zebra Alchemist
Advanced Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry, Structures.
Demilitarized zone, along Talon River; near Nod base complex -- Twelve years after Celestia’s disappearance
Luna overviewed Nod base from the hillside. Poor messengers with humvees were killed on sight, and whole base began mending defenses now. She sighed. “We tried. Tsar, thou lead this army now.”
‘I knew this would happen.’
Along the hillside there were dozen riflepony squads, zone troopers and zebra alchemists behind dozen of APCs waiting for word to action. Our snipers were positioned in the forests to suppress any militia getting closer.
“Ok. APCs, you carry rifleponies to enemy gates. Alchemists and zone troopers, you cover our APCs. Snipers will handle any flanking from the enemy. Twilight, you assist-”
“No,” Luna interrupted, “she will not engage.”
“What? Why?” griffon leader asked confused.
“Twilight did everything she could and was asked to. Losing her here would not benefit us.”
Griffon clenched his talons. “But she would help us tremendously.”
“Have faith in thine units.” Tsar nodded. “Come now Twilight.” I did so. Obedient.
I really wanted to participate. Countless attempts of begging her to allow me in battle only earned me spectator’s seat next to Luna on some random cloud.
The battle began, and casualties were already visible; Nod militia and artillery already took out first rows of APCs with rifleponies inside. GDI snipers were doing better, reducing numbers of militant squads on the battlefield out of cover.
“I must be down there and helping them,” I complained. Luna shook her head. “All this pointless deaths can be prevented if I was there.” Luna considered this for a moment, before shaking her head once again. “Why?!”
“They fight only because you gave them means to. We merely sparing thine life,” She replied after long while.
“This plan would have failed anyways. And if it did, would you just leave?”
“Aye,” Luna replied instantly without hesitation.
My anger increased. “Don’t you care about your ponies?”
“We do. But they art already dead once they decided to take upon this task. But it’s thine fault they did so.”
She was blaming me. My blood was boiling, but before I could say anything, something massively loud disturbed us. It was big, dark flying metal, shaped like an arrowhead. Its hatch opened and released black cylindrical object that then, upon hitting the ground, exploded.
Then, I saw the battlefield again. Nod naval ships released many new militant squads. Forest that our snipers were hiding was being burned. There were a lot of smoldering and unmoving vehicles within piles of other dead ponies and zebras of GDI and Nod alike. And the handful remain of GDI army were being surrounded in Nod base, flanked on all sides by new Nod war inventions.
“Then it’s concluded, we lost,” Luna decided. She dismissed everybody, some of these zone troopers were most of my own royal guards.
“I won’t let this happen, not again!” I roared as I leapt off the cloud. In a flash my armor appeared and with a touch of magic canes transformed into my guns. “I must save everybody!”
My descend was softened by unfortunate militia pony that instantly died with a crunch. Four more around him lost footing to my SMGs’ blades. Eyes of sculptures of the guns began glowing softly.
The rest of Nod units fell to coma from my spell, but my muscles tensed and felt like they were lit on fire. ‘I should stop using that spell on so many targets. I’m not doing favors sparing Nod lives, either.’
Shots zoomed past my head and few bounced off my armor; Nod ships unloaded new arrivals that were shooting at me.
With a teleport I appeared on deck. Ponies reacted to that too slowly and few unfortunate soldiers fell to the blades. Alice’s cat eyes shimmered red and began giggling maniacally, and Thomas’ serpent eyes shimmered blue and began hissing melodically.
And both of them fired. I screamed, the guns firing in a wide arc and bullets piercing and burning flesh of so many.
After a barrage of fury, I ascended, aiming bullet-tartarus at flying arrow-like metal constructions. Bullets pierced the hull of the first and it finally gave up in sparks and black smoke. Two other such flying objects met the same fate.
Below, Nod was done with purging the forest in flames, cobra artillery were bombarding the base now, and new vehicles and units advanced through the breach.
“No! I won’t allow!” My descend shook the ground and momentarily dazed Nod’s advance, and soon they were reduced to smoldering cans and bags of flesh, as my SMGs cheered with glee.
Then, barrage of bullets and explosions met my shield, piercing it and bouncing off my armor and guns that I was using to cover my head with. But then, it stopped.
“Stop!” A shout pierced the gunfire. “Princess Twilight is showcasing us her new toys for us.” It was a decoy of Silver Moon. “And as much as we like it, you’re not worthy of our time and ‘expense’. So, if you want this useless slum, have it.”
“I hate you!” I threw Thomas at him, it gone through him doing no harm. I was puffing rapidly with rage and tiredness.
“Yeah, whatever. And Kane wanted me to tell you that this means war.” With that he disappeared and Nod troops withdrew as well.
“Thank you for rescue,” voice behind me said. I turned sharply with a swing, startling a large griffon.
“Where are the rest of our units?”
“Sorry to say this, but I’m the last that survived,” tsar said. Alice impaled the ground just inches from Terror Feathers in my furry throw.
The next thing was me wailing.
~~~
Canterlot, Pony Capital -- Fifteen years after Celestia’s disappearance; royalty meeting
In the last three years Nod managed to overrun and conquer all of griffon lands. GDI army disbanded, and alone I couldn’t fend Nod’s expansion. Zebra tribes under attack. Diamond dogs in hiding. Staddler’s naval projects never realized.
And our meeting had only three of us: Terror Feathers, princess Luna and myself.
Another desert fell off the table as I dragged the tablecloth, forcing it with my hatred-fueled magic into a knob and then shredding it to pieces as if it was the very sin to blame for everything.
“Would you stop?!” Terror Feathers shouted at me. “We’re discussing crucial matters here!”
“Whining,” I said simple, not bothering to stop what I was doing. Luna did try to stop me before, but her now weak magic just fizzled against mine.
“Nod is enslaving my griffons!” I didn’t listen to anything else he had to say after that.
‘What if there’s a way to save everybody without further losses.’ My mind went to work, imagining n amount of possibilities to go about defeating Nod and consequences that may follow, until it settled on one. ‘This must work.’
“I’m going to fix everything!” I cheered loudly, not suiting the grim moods of two other attendees. Then, with a teleportation spell, I was gone.
~~~
Twilight’s Castle -- A year later
Before me stood what little, so called GDI army, I managed. They were gathered in the biggest room my castle had. There were no meals, and everybody wore their combat gear, as instructed.
I cleared my throat and then coughed audibly to get attention. “I thank you all for joining me today.” I flapped my wings to ascend and make myself visible. “You all know the risks and sacrifices it needs to be done for this to work, as was stated in invitation. But I’ll remind you again.
“Nod is conquering everything, starting with griffon lands, and now they are plundering Prance. They have number advantage against us. But I found an alternative to that. And you all will be the final sacrifice to end this pointless conflict.”
I summoned a hologram with my magic, it showing a reddish flying rock in black void. “This place is ‘the Storage’, I call. Your souls will be bound to this realm, and once you die you will remain here.”
The image changed to a blocky structure with curved edges and two cylinders that ran through it and were entrances. “‘Barracks’. Here when you fall in battle, with help of Tiberium, you’ll be renewed and resummoned back to reality from the storage in mere seconds. But based on your equipment, respawn times will vary.”
Image changed again, now it was of another structure, this one a taller curved box with a crane and way bigger entrance. “‘War Factory’. This structure quickly constructs our vehicles, and drivers of these vehicles will respawn here, as well.
Hologram imagery changed again, now it showed a vehicle similar to APC’s design but bigger with different attachments and purpose. “‘Mobile Construction Vehicle’, or MCV, it’s the mobile version of main hub for all building processing. It transforms into ‘Construction Yard’ which within set radius can instantly build our structures. It’s fast and eliminates the needs of unicorns to stain themselves in meddling with Tiberium processing.”
It changed one more time, now picture of a structure with glowing sapphire gem on top of reinforced bulky metal. “And lastly, ‘Power supply’. It magically powers itself to produce more magic for itself and these structures to operate.
I would have continued my ‘lecture’, but soldiers within room were giving me looks that told me they weren’t listening to anything I was saying.
“Fine then.” The floor began aglow with red runic symbols that then set all the soldiers on fire and instantly to red ash that glowed for some more time after.
Dark magic what it was; forbidden practice throughout the world. It invited feeble minds with promises of power and its easy use, and it also darkened pony’s mind and bred ill-will upon own sanity. But I was stronger and it was temporary anyways, I reasoned.
Nausea hit my guts and I emptied a gallon of my breakfast and blood. Yes, and there was a traumatizing price for resisting its vile attempts to consume oneself.
‘I’m an alicorn, I can endure this. I must, to save everybody.’
~~~
One of Nod bases along Talon River
I overviewed the base from a cloud curtain. It housed small amount of militant squads and some new Nod units and vehicles.
And we were busy, too, with ‘Predator Tank’. This highly armored slow-moving vehicle – our light artillery tanks – now ready.
‘Let’s take this for a test drive.’
I flared my horn, linking control of MCV to unpack into construction yard. It did so in abandoned Nod base that we won for a cost of GDI dignity and lives of so many soldiers, and my royal guards. Now suiting as overgrown Tiberium-rich resource dump.
Building matrices sparked to life and power supply shimmered within construction yard perimeter. Refinery was instantly built next; harvester went to its job as well. Then barracks and war factory followed.
Within few minutes of summoning units from the storage, the army was looking fairly decent for an attack. I linked my brain for control over the units, but my horn ached and my vision blurred with blood, and it failed.
“Ugh.” Not strong enough.
I descended on the ground. “Ok. Follow me for an attack,” I ordered as my armor appeared and canes transformed into SMGs.
There was slight hesitation from the troops, and one reasoned, “Wouldn’t it be better for you to stay somewhere safe while you march? We’re expendable and you… well, not.”
“Expendable?” He shrunk over my glare. “Weird way for you to word it. Heroes, I would say. But they owe me holes in their bodies and equipment.”
I froze when that last sentence escaped my mouth. Yes, I was angry on Nod for what happened to my royal guards, but then again it was my fault, but it was Nod’s fault for starting all of this. They killed so many of us, and I killed so many of them, and even now orders left my mouth for more killing. And for what purpose? An ultimate resource that’s renewable and could last forever, and it was everywhere and accessible to everybody. But if Nod hadn’t attacked, this wouldn’t have started. But worst of it all, my close involvement.
“I-I…” I dropped my weapons and collapsed on my haunches. “This is so wrong. We mustn’t fight, it’s pointless.”
That soldier in zone trooper armor patted my shoulder. “I believe princess Luna thinks the same. But we do this to stop them. You didn’t go to such lengths just to give up now. Your heart is the right place, my princess.”
“But we can try to talk and reach consensus without any massacre.”
Zone trooper removed his hoof from my shoulder. “And I know from experience that with some people it’s impossible.” He turned around and joined the rest of his group and army. “We await your orders. I’ve delivered my honest recommendations.”
I stared intently at the hill and Nod base behind it that I couldn’t see. ‘I think it’s way past negotiations at this point. Wouldn’t find common tongue with the brutes now that fuel is poured,’ I assured myself.
“My orders stand as it is; follow me to engagement.” I ascended on top of the hill. “Predator tanks, hold this position on the hill. Snipers, take cover behind them. APCs, garrison alchemists and flank enemy base from within the forest. The rest of you, follow me straight to the gates.”
Our approach and our battle cry were hard to miss, and Nod were already arming barricades and garrisoning soldiers on base’s reinforced walls.
Many zone troopers and rifleponies already fell, before my blades could make the first impact. Armored unicorn fell to fatal injury, spasming molten sparks from her horn. “Take cover.” And she exploded, taking lives of many GDI and Nod units and scorching half of my face.
Many of GDI forces laid dead, infantry served only as distraction for predator tanks to pierce holes in their defenses and eliminate Nod vehicles.
Four high caliber bullets hit my head and I fell. Through blurry eyes I saw my attacker falling to his death, as well. He wore magical enchanted leather armor that actively changed colors, reflecting upon the terrain. Where it failed was only at close distance. His weapons were weird, clearly designed for earth pony to use on two hooves, and if were to compare to GDI weapon designs, they were small.
‘And what we come to? Two decades ago we would never considered killing anybody, and now we’re designing more and better means to kill each other.’ That though raised something. My head wasn’t hurting; bleeding, yes, but injury wasn’t fatal.
I rose to my hooves, battle ringing in my ears. ‘Alicorn durability is something.’ Thomas and Alice hummed cheerfully, ready to unleash bullets upon foe. GDI forces managed a breach to Nod defenses and were clearing and securing the base.
‘This is a success, then.’
~~~
Weeks later
Over the past few weeks, GDI army cleansed the land free of Nod with flawless success and swiftness; bases obliterated, Nod forces cower in fear. And we took over intel of some Nod war inventions.
On top of a hill stood large, grinning griffon and purple alicorn princess, admiring smoldering husks of many destroyed Nod bases. “We couldn’t save all the slaves, and I’m sorry to say that Nod used some griffons as suicidal units. But I can safely assure you that all Nod bases have been destroyed and griffon lands are yours once again.”
“That’s the most I could have expected.” Big smile locked on tsar’s face and tears ran freely. “Revenge is sweet. I only wish I could’ve been here, decapitating heads of my foes, like in my youth.”
His exclamation soured my mood. “I don’t enjoy fighting, and even less killing,” I said.
“And yet, you’re best at it. Your efforts brought us this far,” he reasoned.
“We couldn’t find Nod leader Kane Hooves or his second-in-command Silver Moon anywhere, but sources claim that they’re at ‘The Shrine’, black ops are investigating this intel further at the moment.”
Griffon looked at me in the eyes. “I don’t understand why Luna can’t see your resourcefulness.”
~~~
Twilight’s Castle, dining room -- year later; royalty meeting
Big table was adorned with various maps of Equestria, Prance, griffon lands and all neighboring countries that Wailing Arrow brought. Each map circled all activity of black ops units around more Tiberium-populated areas. Each circle was marked in different colors; white for no civilization around that area, green for non-hostile civilization around that area where Tiberium wasn’t being harvested, blue for non-hostile civilization that harvested Tiberium, brown for hostile civilization that weren’t associated with GDI or Nod and weren’t harvesting Tiberium, red for all Nod guarded zones and civilizations that followed Kane’s beliefs.
“So much red,” I summarized. Most neighboring counties around Griffon Lands were full of red circles. Half of Equestria were circled brown below and including Badlands and Changeling Wasteland. And Prance drowned in blue circles.
“Yes. And MCV is en route to clear these infestations.” He guided his hoof through three griffon neighbors’ counties. “But really Twilight, what is that thing?”
“You’ve seen it, and know all about it I have said.”
“I know you’re exceptionally smart, but how do you achieve this.” He put his hoof around his chin, rubbing it gently.
“Magic.”
“Not really ordinary magic-”
“Have you tried negotiating with locals around these areas?” I cut him off to change the topic.
He removed his gaze and nodded to princess Luna, whose mood dropped visibly. “We tried, but damage hath been done; We art no longer caring and respected, as is told. And those that follow Kane would rather perish, defending their lands and beliefs, than accept merging with us, or even staying neutral and out of our ways,” Luna said, dropping her powerful voice by few decibels.
“And she got shot, too,” Terror added, “nothing much compared to our little one here.”
“Pony’s good on promise,” diamond dog Wag voiced. “Now on another; my hounds now keep leaving gem mines. And us want forget mining wrong gem instead of emerald.”
“In due time,” Luna assured. She then locked her eyes on me, all while minotaur and zebra leaders and my sister-in-law voiced their concerns next. But these were muffled and forgotten as I felt tingling sensation on the back of my head where Luna’s eyes pierced me.
Dark blue hoof descended upon my shoulder, forcing me to jump startled. “Sorry. We seek to speak with thee. Alone.”
I nodded and, after excusing ourselves from the meeting, we made our way somewhere private. Empty library served such purpose well. “What is it?”
“We seen thine progress,” she began, “We were wrong to regard thee weak.” She tilted her head and looked at me in the eyes. I was happy, not for what I did, but that Luna herself was trying to apologize.
But then her voice boomed with venom, “And now We know that thee art untrustworthy. Really Twilight, dark magic? We no ignorant, no wonder thine strength arose greatly.” She sighed deeply. “Why?”
I stared at steaming cup with hot coffee that I served myself and Luna before our chat, and eventually weakly said, “I want to save everybody.” That was the only honest truth that escaped my mouth.
That earned me pitiful look from Luna. “Aye.” She lowered her head in deep thought, before replying, “We know how it feels. But we cannot allow thee repeating Our mistakes done so long ago. And it does involve the very forces thou rely as of now.”
“Nightmare Moon,” I stated, Luna nodded. “Yeah, I know; deep sealed with history now. But you never told me the full story before that.”
Luna looked at her mug and then around the library. “Fine. We’ll need more coffee, though.”
~~~
Millennia ago
Hapless earth pony stallion with brownish coat and simple leather barding got impaled on the back with a levitated spear as he tried to leave the massacre, suffered many other non-fatal cuts and bruises all over him. Many other earth ponies met similar fates as unicorns in stylized chain and plate armor purged and stabbed the opposition.
But such flawless slaughter was halted as countless many spiky bubbles showered the advancing unicorns like a morning breeze. Pegasi areal assaulters loosened the projectiles off their saddlebags onto the field below, scoring few unicorn kills and making the rest of them shout profanity and look like metal-shed hedgehogs.
And on top of the hill, surrounded by invisibility shield, stood two young alicons.
“So pegasi joined too, again,” Luna said as she winched the nth time after another pony got severely hurt.
“Yes,” Celestia confirmed as she tried not to shy away from the scene.
In between the two ponies floated Discord, providing regular irritation for them with sticking talons and paws of his mismatched limbs and battling evasive maneuvers of pony ears. “Hopeless I say.”
“This is horrible,” Luna said.
“And one time use,” Discord added, dodging another slap from Celestia’s ear, “but toys they invent just for diminishing the opposition are something. It’d be a shame if something happened to it.” An explosion exploded through the field with fire following the sound fast behind in molten glory. “What’s next then?”
“Next we’re going to stop this!” Celestia suddenly declared, firing white beam from her horn that scattered into many threads, each for every fighter.
Fighting ceased, every pony was paralyzed and slowly evaporating and then returning home. Another pink beam followed and trees and wildlife reborn to bone, then flesh, then body and smart living and breathing animal, and from sapling to healthy vegetation that was just before the fighting.
“Done.” Celestia cut her cast and sighed deeply.
“Boring!” With a snap discord disappeared.
“You can’t be doing this every time this happens,” Luna said somberly to her sister.
“What else can we do?”
“There must be a way.”
~~~
Books, knowledge: the answer to deepest desires and needs. Magic: the answer to all. Magic: the tool for everything. Magic: power. Power: everything. But at a cost.
Door failed off its hinges as roar of forceful magic followed it. “I will not allow!” A white bearded pony with jingling cape and hat jumped out of the breach and slammed Luna off a runic circle that she was draining vile magic from.
“Another half-brained-magic-powerful being that’s what we don’t need.” Stallion removed himself from Luna and table debris that they both slammed into. “But was predictable.” He watched Luna rise as he continued. “You’re already an alicorn, gone through the ascension and with your sister became something better than anything.”
“It’s nothing if I can do nothing.”
“We’ll find a way without the need of you poisoning yourself.”
~~~
Now
“[…] But I didn’t listen him. And the rest is known, with Nightmare Moon,” Luna finished her story through the sips of her fourth cup of coffee, as I respectfully remained quiet and listened. “With that, what We wanted to tell was that even the purest intentions can get twisted and ponies corrupted.”
“I understand, it will not last any longer, guilty cannot hide forever and soon this grim chapter will be despised within history books and friendship will prevail,” I announced, but that did not changed the mood of other princess.
“We can’t bear seeing you like this, Twilight.” She looked down and to the sides, before continuing, “Thou shall not be involved in this! Thine magic, Twilight, We demand!”
“What?!Why?!”
“To cure you, so shall We bear the ills of the war and corruption, not thee!” She unfolded her wings and slowly ascended in air, hovering, in the act of supremacy. “We have experience, and We do not wish you enduring such pains as We did!”
And what was I to question her?
“Okay.”
Obedient.
~~~
Twilight’s bedroom
The ball was thrown the unknownth time just to hit the crystal walls of my bedroom and return back to be thrown again.
Bounce. Empty, without magic.
Bounce. Unneeded, as deemed by Luna
Bounce. Alone, the losses of war.
Bounce. Angry that blames everything.
Explodes into butterflies. A laughing object.
“You look mighty down,” Discord said as he manifested himself from one of the butterflies. “I know what you want, and I’m your first ride ticket.” Miniature yellow vehicle with TAXI titled on the hood appeared, scattering many butterflies about and honking at me, and Discord’s head was sticking out disproportionately from the window. “Hop in!”
“No need, Luna has everything under control.” I shifted myself in bed under the sheets, as my pointless activity was interrupted. “Not that I can help with anything anymore, now.”
Discord tsked, then outstretched his lion paw and grabbed me into his vehicle. “You need some good ol’ Discord’s treatment. I’ll make it better for you.”
~~~
“What are we doing here?” Discord teleported us to Everfree Forrest. I haven’t been here for quite some time. Tiberium was overgrown everywhere possible, green and blue alike. Some of that Tiberium even moving, but at better glance… these were creatures, fused with Tiberium. “What happened here?”
“Undocumented development during your absence,” Discord answered. “I thought it would be a better use of your free time to spend here than feeling worthless, would it not?”
Tiberium, so much, everywhere, powerful, calling me; the loving touch of a sister, the gentle kindness of a mentor, the lunar might of inner dreams, and heartbeat of own body. It was fueling me, my magic, filling that emptiness.
“Y-you knew, about all of this?” He grinned and nodded. “But why are you doing this?”
He snapped his talons and a blackboard appeared, and his attire changed – which previously he wasn’t wearing anything – he wore white shirt and boxy glasses. He scribbled two curved lines with a chalk. “The time flows like this,” he described. “And in that time events happen.” He polluted free space between the two lines with crosses and circles. “But these events are also bound to repeat with similar circumstances.” The blackboard enlarged and he extended the length of two curved lines and filled them with same pattern of crosses and circles.
“What does this have to do with-Ow” I was interrupted by a ruler, slapping my hoof.
“Let me finish.” He added a spiral between two lines. “And this is many ‘outside’ factors that vary these events.” The crosses and circles traveled from their pattern onto the spiral. “And then these factors get changed by deities.” He licked his talon and smeared everything he drew.”This is insolence.” The chalk went to work again as he drew everything back to the spiral. “Order.” Then everything scattered, lines looking nothing of sort, and crosses and circles moved across the blackboard. “Chaos.” He drew large circle around everything, that circle contained every small circle and cross inside and started shrinking in between curved lines. “Influence. Control. Power.”
He turned his back on the black board and stared at me. Slowly above the large circle manifested six-pointed star to the left and crescent to the right and below the tail of a scorpion, each separated by equal distance from another. Cutie marks of mine, Luna and Kane Hooves, I recognized. “Then deities play their games for that Control,” he continued. Three cutie marks began spinning around, nearing the large circle and then receding from it, as if pulsing. “Winner overpowers the opposition and takes all.” Spinning slowed, and crescent approached the large circle closely, while star and scorpion tail moved away from it.
The large circle exploded upon crescent’s touch and all the circles scatter everywhere once again, but only for short moment. Crescent then moved circles and crosses in between the curved lines and then smeared everything haphazardly. “And that’s that.” The blackboard and his attire disappeared, after a snap, with a puff.
“But Kane isn’t a deity,” I interjected.
“No, but a player nonetheless. I’m glad you’re catching on this, even if a little bit.” He snickered. “And so my dear Twilight, what will you do? The cavalry is nearing the foe, and it lacks its head-mare, the rightful owner.”
I regarded everything he said, trying to map everything together. I shifted my head at the Tiberium, it magically flowing around me like a green vapor. I inhaled it, instantly feeling magically refreshed. I glanced at Discord and nodded. “Thank you.”
He disappeared with a snap, leaving slowly receding remnants of his laughter.
My best and the only friend. “Thank you.”
~~~
The Dunes; Temple of Nod -- Weeks later
It was questionable tactic for Nod’s main base and last remaining forces to shelter within mostly uninhabited desert, and without much Tiberium around. It was probably something to remind him of his past, closely related to scorpions that were plenty of around. Or it was tactical choice to mask the base of operations where enemy would least expect.
But evidently enemy did found it.
“And here she is.” Luna held a shield over the Construction Yard and few other not-yet-destroyed structures against volleys of exploding artillery shells. Around, reserves of Tiberium were depleted as Harvesters idled for new slowly growing Tiberium to be harvested. Between the shield and Nod’s base, littered many fallen Nod units, and GDI units five times as much. And now artillery was testing Luna’s shield. “And she’s in trouble. Follow me!”
Howls of agreement choired behind me as I stood high on sandstone cliff and hundreds of Tiberium infected animals and other infected beings struggled to restrain themselves from combat. “Lessons with Fluttershy paid off.”
I jumped off of a cliff, spreading my wings and gliding softly down, my beasts jumped to follow.
Luna’s shield flickered few more times against explosive impacts, until it failed and she collapsed on her haunches. She shielded her eyes with her foreleg, expecting the worst.
But it never came. Loud artillery shells exploded upon my shield, but even that sound was drowned by snarling of my pack.
The moment artilleries stopped to reload long enough, I released my shield. “Attack!” I barked and all of the Tiberium animals and beasts charged forward onto Nod’s base.
My shield was reinforced just briefly to absorb some few more shells. The bombardment transferred closer to the base as hungry beasts raced to their first victims.
I prepared to follow, but was interrupted by a tug by my tail; Luna held my tail with her teeth. “What are you doing? Let go!” She pulled harder until I launched over her head and onto the ground.
“Why art thee here?!” she asked frantically.
“I’m here to end this!”
“But-”
“No! I’m no inferior!” Memory flashes flew by my head of what Discord said. “I’m equal!” I spread my wings wide and with a flap dashed into the mist of battle.
Many of the beasts were shot and torn to bits, but were alive, struggling and visibly recovering, even regrowing some of their limbs as Tiberium humidity they brought healed them and fueled my magic further.
Thomas and Alice cut limbs of militia free from their bodies that pack of Tiberium beasts missed. And we were at the gates. Done with dismounting artillery, my pack was failing to tear the adamantium reinforced walls.
‘Up to me from now on then.’ I ascended in air above the walls and was greeted with barrage of bullets. Luckily, these were badly aimed and mostly bounced off my armor.
Thomas and Alice returned the greetings, befalling devastation to Nod units within the base. There weren’t many and my path was clear to the biggest and most importing building there, where Kane and Silver had to be.
Easiest entrance; I slammed through big red and black glass panels, depicting Kane’s cutie mark and symbol of Nod, shattering the glass without resistance and startling one of the ponies I was looking for.
“Kane!” I accelerated into gallop after him, but hit something invisible and indestructible just pony’s length from him. “Ugh.” I rubbed my head from the impact.
“I would lie if I said it’s a pleasure meeting you, but it isn’t.” I swung my hoof mightily at that something I hit, receiving painful Ow. I saw ponies in hooded Nod apparel all around me with horns glowing and forelegs outstretched, touching invisible barrier from another side.
“There’s no escape from the Dome; shield powerful of twelve ponies’ magic that drains its captives’ magic to further reinforce itself. There’s no escape.” He momentarily glanced behind himself and then back at me. “What do you want?”
“To end this once and for all!” I released my spell and all unicorns around me dropped paralyzed. I jumped again just to hit the same invisible barrier again. “What the?”
The ponies I thought I paralyzed rose again to touch the Dome again. Kane approached one of them and exposed its head from within the hood. The pony’s head was that of undead; bone was exposed about every sharper curve of its head, and remains of its flesh were filthy and ragged, and its eyeless holes glowed green.
“What is that?” I stopped the urge to empty my lunch.
Kane kicked the zombie far to the side, only for it to return perfectly back to its position, all while he grimly tracked its movements with his eyes. “I don’t like this either.”
“You monster!” I shouted and then frantically started searching for my weapons. Unfortunately, they were behind hooded zombies and outside the barrier, slamming against it just out of reach proved that I couldn’t get them. And teleportation and levitation spells fizzled.
“You see Twilight, because of this I need you in Nod,” he addressed.
“I would never join the likes of you. Now perish!” I summoned molten fire on him, but it instantly died out as more hooded zombies approached from dark behind him.
Kane grunted. “Just hear me out.” I released paralization spell on him, but it did nothing more than collapse few hooded zombies around him and they just rose again.
‘No use.’ I calmed myself. ‘Ok, I’ll need to play this smart.’ “Why should I trust you?”
His sour and tensed mood eased a bit. “You see-”
Then, a fierce blue ray pierced the area between me and Kane and through ceiling then hooded undead and then flooring.
“What’s this?!” Kane screamed. “Stop it! Reason! Reasoning!”
“It’s not me!”
Glancing behind I saw few more of such rays, all directed from the moon. The rays quickly began spinning and enclosing to the center
“Luna?! It’s Luna’s spell!” ‘How could she?’
Upon contact in the center, sonic energy emission exploded.
Mission Accomplished -- Debriefing…
Intelligence Database:
v Brotherhood of Nod
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Militant Squad
Basic Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Brainwashed Griffon Slaves
Suicide Infantry. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures, Aircraft.
Abilities:
>> Fly
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
Shadow Team
Elite Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Stealth
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
Pyromages
Elite Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry, Structures.
Abilities:
>> Clear Garrison
Upgrades: Currently Locked.
vvv Vehicles
Cobra Artillery
Medium Artillery. Strong vs. Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Tiberium Harvester
Resource Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities: >> Gathers Tiberium.
vv Structures
vvv Main Structures
Refinery
Resource Structure.
Processes and stores Tiberium
vvv Support Structures
Silo
Resource Structure.
Stores Tiberium
v Global Defense Initiative
vv Units
vvv Infantry
Riflepony Squad
Basic Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Black Ops Sniper Squad
Advanced Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Stealth in Dark and Garrison
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Zone Trooper
Heavy Infantry. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Zebra Alchemist
Advanced Infantry. Strong vs. Infantry, Structures.
Abilities:
>> Clear Garrison
>> Confusion Granade
>> Extra Effect on Tiberium Crystals
Upgrades: Currently locked.
vvv Vehicles
APC
Transport Vehicle. Strong vs. Infantry.
Abilities:
>> Garrison Infantry
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Tiberium Harvester
Resource Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities:
>> Gathers Tiberium.
Humvee
Scout Vehicle. Weaponless.
Abilities: Currently locked.
Upgrades: Currently locked.
Predator Tank
Armored Artillery. Strong vs. Vehicles, Structures.