It's been a couple of weeks and way more than a couple of games since Pinkie Pie introduced the Mane Six to the joys of playing the classic real-time strategy title, Age of Empires II. Unanswered questions surround this mysterious game: where did it come from? Who made it? Why is there so much killing?

Never mind all that - Twilight Sparkle and her friends have a game to play!

NOTE: Though I've tried to make the story more about the relationships between the four gamers (no Rarity or Fluttershy, sorry!) than about the game itself, some rudimentary knowledge about Age of Empires II is required if you want to understand what is going on. I wrote this as a short-ish story so I'm not really going to go into technical details much.

=====INFO AFTER BREAK=====
References consulted while writing story:
ZeroEmpires (Commentary on Competitive AoE II matches)
wikiHow (5 Ways to Make Your Economy Boom in Age of Empires II)
Wikipedia (for info on Byzantines, Moon & Vikings)
Luttwak, E. "The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire" (Harvard University Press, USA), 2009 (Byzantine military strategy)

Youtube links:
Prologue - PakAttack95 (Youtube Channel)
Main Menu and Victory Music - mikec1000 Civilization Themes

Cover Image:
Wikipedia
Age of Empires II
Cutie Mark Vectors by Hawk9mm (deviantART page)

When a land dispute arises between Equestria and the griffon lands of Queen Walarah, Walarah declares a mock war to settle the dispute. Due to circumstances beyond their control, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo end up taking Apple Jack & Rarity's place in the battle roster, forcing them to design and build their own machine of war.

Vector compliments of http://dolphinfox.deviantart.com/

Be Awed and Amazed by the tale of Sweetie Belle as she traverses the multiverse in search of her lost mentor and friend, Twilight Sparkle! Will she find her in post-apocalyptic Equestria? Or maybe in a strange world where everypony is the wrong gender? Or even where a Pony claims to be a human? Read as she journeys through very familiar worlds you might have read about... if you dare!

At this point in time all the main worlds to be visited have already been chosen. Thank you all for the suggestions, and I hope you enjoy the surprises!

Here's the official TSC:F Music Intro: The Sweetie Chronicles: Fragments

WDTP: S2/3-CE
You can also visit the TV Tropes Page which has spoilers!

Part 1: The Princesses are overthrown, the Elements of Harmony are divided, and it's up to a little filly and her friends to put the world back together.

Arcs
Birth of a Hero
The Diamond Dogs
Mirror Child

Part 2: Epona has obtained the Element of Honesty, but the other Elements of Harmony are still hidden across the world. With the nations on guard, her greatest trials are still to come.

Arcs
Everfree Forest
Apple Family
The Hive
Rescue