//------------------------------// // Ready? // Story: Shadow Over Equestria // by Cmdr Brohoof //------------------------------// That evening Spirit met with the Diamond Dog’s Chief and explained to him the situation. “I see” the elder dog spoke “How could I refuse to help especially after what you did for us!” “Thank You” “I’ll send some of our best diggers once things have settled down here.” Spirit left the stone building where the elder lived and met Applejack and Pinkie Pie who were chatting with some of the locals “Well..?” Applejack asked Spirit gave the thumbs up. Applejack cocked her head “What’s that mean?” “It means we’re good they are going to help” Pinkie Pie let out a cheer and threw confetti in the air “Hooray more friends to invite to my parties!” She began to dance around a group of dogs as Spirit and Applejack watched. “She knows what’s going on right?” Spirit asked “Sometimes I wonder.” They bid farewell to their new dog allies and began the journey back to the train station in one of Lt. Dusty’s carts. “They seem a lot nicer than the Diamond Dogs I remember.” Pinkie looked back at the valley. “That’s the last of them then” Spirit was looking at some papers “ The Gryphons, Dragons and now the Dogs all that’s left is to wait and prepare” Back at the empty village the train was already prepped and waiting for them. Then sun disappearing past the horizon as the train made its way back to Canterlot. Spirit began to doze as the clickety clack of the train lulled him to sleep. Applejack and Pinkie Pie stared at the sleeping Spirit. “He sure is something?” Applejack asked “Huh what do you mean I thought the Princess said he was a hue mun?” “No..I mean look at what all he’s done in the little time we’ve known him. If he hadn’t have been here I would have lost my sis then all he is doing now.” “Yeah…He is a little scary though.” “What?! How can you say that” Applejack said in a defensive tone Pinkie shrunk back a little “Well I mean remember in the desert when he said he made the dogs pay..?” “Yeah..so?” “I’m just saying we don’t really know what he is capable of that’s all” Applejack turned to look at the sleeping Spirit he was snoring peacefully in his seat. “We can trust him” Applejack looked back to Pinkie Spirit was sitting behind his desk in the war room looking over papers once more. He was gently rolling the Dragon’s Blood Ruby back and forth on his desk as he read. Twilight approached Spirit he didn’t notice her walk behind him. She climbed onto the back of his chair to look over his shoulder. “What are you thinking?” She said “AAHHHH!” Spirit threw papers into the air “Don’t scare me like that” Spirit was breathing heavy “Sorry” Twilight giggled “Came up with a plan yet?” Spirit massaged his forhead “Not a great one” he looked at the scattered papers “Aside from a full frontal assault I don’t really see any other way” Twilight attempted to pick up his papers with magic but the Ruby blocked her “I wish you wouldn’t keep that thing around.” “Heh I promised Valam I’d look after it while she was away.” “Oh that’s pretty!” Pinkie Pie said staring at the ruby “But I like my element better” she looked at the balloon shaped gem around her neck . “Yeah I…WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT!” Twilight gasped “The Princesses said she wanted us to have them at all times just in case that’s why I came here to get you. She also said something about practicing with them” “Well you can’t practice here that ruby cancels all magic” Twilight gestured to the ruby “Really? Pinkie Pie concentrated then a beam shot out from her element and ricocheted around the room sending papers and books flying till it finally dissipated into the air. “Pinkie how did you do that?” Spirit asked “All I did was…” Pinkie began to concentrate again “Just stop” Twilight held up her hooves “let’s just help clean up this mess and don’t worry about your plan Spirit I’m sure you’ll think of something.” Spirit sat back at his desk as he stared at the dragon’s ruby. “SPIRIT….SPIRIT!!!!” Artie Fact yelled as he entered the room at full sprint headed toward Spirit. “What is it?” Spirit looked at Artie as the colt caught his breath “The…Princess she….you…throne room…”Arite gasped “She wanst so see me?” Artie nodded his head Spirit made his way to the throne room where Princesses Celestia and Luna were waiting. “Whats the matter Artie looked like he’s seen a ghost” Princess Celestia walked to her position at the top of the staircase throne. Luna approached the Spirit and levitated a scroll in his hand. “We received this from one of the gryphon scouts” Luna said Spirit looked at Luna then down to the scroll he read mumbled as he read. “Strange object spotted… heading toward Canterlot…large black pyramid….unable to get close…risk being spotted.” Spirit looked back at the princesses “So it’s coming” “Yes” Luna said sadly “We believe that it will arrive sometime tomorrow morning” “Sir Spirit have you a plan?” Celestia asked “Yes but the cost will extremely high” he explained his plans for the attack to the two princesses. After an hour Spirit finished explaining his plan. Celestia shuddered at the thought of battle “very well we trust you completely” “I will try my best to not let you down” Spirit said as he left the throne room. He walked out to the castle gardens where preparations were being made. He spotted the girls practicing with their elements. He walked behind them as they were finishing up. “Alright good job girls let’s take a break” Twilight ordered. “Hey Spirit!” Rainbow Dash said as she landed next to him “How is everything going with you all?” Spirit asked smiling at the colorful ponies “We’re ready!” Rainbow yelled “Really maybe I won’t even need to do anything I’ll let you all take care of it whileI go relax.” Spirit allowed himself a laugh “No way not after what you dragged all of us through” Rarity smiled back at Spirit “We are going to go grab some food you want to come with us?” Twilight asked “I’ll catch up with you later you go ahead” Spirit leaned on a crate of supplies Spirit watched the group disappear out of sight then Applejack came back by herself. “Not hungry?” Spirit asked “I can wait” She said sitting down next to Spirit “What’s the matter I can tell something’s wrong?” Spirit looked up into the sky “Shadows coming” Applejack didn’t say a word “After all this planning, all this work…what if l….what if I’m wrong?” Spirit sat on the ground “Hey we’ve come this far don’t give up now” She tried to comfort him “I want to give you something” Spirit pulled a necklace with two silver discs on it from around his neck and handed it to Applejack. She dangled it from her hoof and looked at the discs shine in the light. “What are these?” she asked “Its…just something of mine I wanted you to have I was going to give them to Apple Bloom but..” “Hey give them to her yourself…” Spirit looked sternly at Applejack “I cant. I don’t think I’m going to make it out of this.” “Now don’t..” “Just keep them please.” “Alright.” Applejack looked back at the necklace “Well enough of this sad stuff lets go eat big day ahead of us” Spirit perked up and started walking back to the palace. After a restless night Spirit headed to a balcony outside the throne room where Princess Luna was scanning the horizon. The sun was beginning to rise in the east the sky was turning an orange. “I hope this isn’t our last sunrise” Luna said aloud Spirit stared out across the land “Any sign of it?” “No” Clouds began to form overhead, slowing swirling and growing until they completely darkened the sky. “A storm?” Spirit asked “No the sky was to remain clear! Look over there” Luna pointed her hoof. An ominous shape began to descend over the city. It was the black pyramid. Almost immediately the towers surrounding the city began to glow and covered the city in their protective magic. Down below on the streets the citizens hurried to the underground bunkers that the dogs had dug. Dragons, gryphons and Pegasi hovered around the dome checking for weaknesses. Luna and Spirit headed to the throne room where Princess Celestia had just returned from raising the sun. “You saw it too?” she asked “Yeah how long…” Shadow appeared in the middle of the throne room just like it had done centuries ago. The room grew quiet all eyes were fixed on the orb. “Surrender to me. I will give you one day to decide” As quick as Shadow appeared it vanished in a cloud of black smoke. “Well that’s out of the question” Spirit broke the silence “Sir Spirit are you ready to attack?” Celestia asked “No there are still some preparations to make” “Hurry as quick as you can we will attack tomorrow”