The Phantom Filly

by Lucar


Chapter 12: The Plan

Bone Dry Desert, inside one of Eggman's airship near Klugetown.

Discord was alone around the round table, boringly playing some chaotic card game with a clone of himself. Then, Tirek entered the room, and Discord looked at him with a smile, the clone disappearing, only to frown at his state.

"They defeated you?" he asked.

Tirek growled. "Yes..."

"Who did you face? Sunbutt?"

"If only. No, she was busy with my airships. I was defeated..." He growled again. "By Twilight Sparkle."

Discord stared at him in silence for a few seconds. One of his ears then grew in size, and he asked, "Can you repeat? I think I didn't hear correctly."

"To be more exact, I was hoof to hoof against Twilight Sparkle, but then, as we were in the middle of a beam clash..." He growled yet again. "Birds pooped on my eyes... And I took the beam in the face. And then, all those animals came and attacked me while I was down. The battlefield was overrun by them. Somehow, they weren't attacking the equestrian army, only our robots, as if someone was commanding them."

Discord's jaw dropped. "Wow... I know only one pony who can get animals to follow her like that: Fluttershy."

"Isn't that the pony you mentioned the first time? The one you..." He spat, "befriended?"

"The very same. She's the Element of Kindness, an animal caretaker who wouldn't hurt a fly. Normally. She's very good with animals, she can tame the wildest beasts." Discord laughed. "She even tamed me, for a time." He waved at the map on the table. "Maybe we should have avoided the jungle. If she can assemble an army with the animals, then she could destroy all our bases here just by herself. Wait, no, she won't because it would be too risky for the animals." He sighed. "Between Eggman using animals to power his robots, and me betraying her, I guess I shouldn't be surprised she took such an active role. I heard stories of her staring down a full-grown dragon and make him cry for his mommy, or even a cockatrice. So, now?"

"Don't tell me you're having regrets."

"What? Me? Having regrets? Never! Anyway, what do we do, now?"

"We wait for the old man, he should come anytime."

"Ugh! More waiting!"

Thankfully for Discord, they didn't have to wait for long. Just a few minutes later, Eggman entered the room, smiling widely.

Discord ate a carrot. "What's up, Doc?"

"Some good news?" asked Tirek.

"Very good news! I finally defeated this Storm King! All the South is in our control! So I could finally start our project!"

Tirek smiled. "The building of the Death Egg?"

"Yes! Also, the Storm King and his second are now waiting for you to drain them in Klugetown. However, what can you tell me about this scepter?" asked Eggman as he showed a dark purple scepter with a long crystal at the end.

"Oooh! The Staff of Sacanas!" said Discord. "Powerful magical artifact. It can manipulate the weather, do some weather-related magic like firing lightning, and absorb magic to become even more powerful."

"Absorbing magic?" said Tirek. "We already have me, this won't be needed."

"True," said Eggman. "But the weather manipulation could be useful. I could create a cyclone around the Egg Fortress to better protect it. Or better, create a cyclone around the Death Egg as we build it. No! No! Better! I will build a new fortress and create a cyclone around the construction site of the Death Egg! Gotta make sure that those equestrians don't destroy the Death Egg before we launch it!"

"Perfect!" shouted Tirek before he sighed. "If only we had more good news to give."

Eggman groaned. "They defeated the both of you? What about the Mecha Alicorns?"

"Oh, they worked well, but not well enough," said Discord. "While I was busy with the chicken, again, and Luna was busy with the airships, the Element Bearers who came to protect the outpost destroyed them, letting the outpost resist long enough for Luna to destroy the airships and return to deal with what remained, me included."

"I was facing Twilight Sparkle the majority of the battle, so I can't tell how well they worked in my end," Tirek began, "but they certainly didn't resist the assault of the animals."

"Animals?" asked Eggman with an eyebrow raised.

"One of the Element Bearers reveals to be very good with animals, even the ones of the jungle," said Tirek. "That Fluttershy gathered them and sent them to destroy your robots and attack me."

Eggman growled. "Those Element Bearers are starting to be as annoying as Sonic! I will have to deal with them quickly!"

"I have more bad news," said Tirek. "I spotted changelings in the enemy's ranks."

"Changelings?" asked Eggman.

"Changelings? Really?" asked Discord with a groan. "This may explain our spy problem, then..."

"What are they?" asked Eggman.

"Shapeshifters," answered Tirek. "They can transform into other creatures. As Discord said, this could explain our spy problem. Some of those changelings are probably disguised as animals and spying on us. They can be anything. The birds passing above our heads, or the giant scorpions digging in the sand under our hooves or feet. And let's not talk about how they must be like fishes in water in the jungles. How did the equestrians manage to convince them to join them? Last I heard, they were enemies!"

"Queen Chrissy probably saw us as a bigger threat," said Discord. "It's the only reason I can see that would push her into accepting an alliance with the ponies. And that's very bad news to us. Not only changelings are perfect spies, one of their particularities is that they eat love, and all excess love is added to their magical power. In clear, the more they eat love, the more powerful they can become. Their queen can even surpass the power of an alicorn. And ponies have a LOT of love to freely give. A few hug sessions before a battle, and our robots will have a very bad time. And that's not counting if ponies and changelings start to get together in a more... romantic way... as a result. The lucky lings will become real powerhouses."

Eggman rubbed his face. "So, you're telling me that we're now facing a species that can become very powerful just by being hugged?"

"Or by being kissed. Or whatever other lovey-dovey stuff you can think of. Or just by being in company of a friend. Friendship, while less powerful, is some form of love."

"I hate this world..." groaned Eggman. "At least, the magic is worth it." He looked at the map, deciding of their next move. "Our goal is to build the Death Egg and launch it into space. Until then, we have to do everything in our power to make sure that the ponies and their allies don't stop it. Conquering Equestria would be a big plus, but it's a more secondary objective to make our lives easier at this point."

"So... We remain in defense in the lands we took over until you finish the Death Egg?" resumed Tirek.

"No. This would give the equestrians the time to gather the necessary power to roll over our defenses despite us. We will need to harass them with as much of our forces as we can give. Make sure that they are too busy defending themselves to do anything too quickly." He gave a big wave over the map. "All our factories will be working continuously to build an army that will constantly attack the frontiers of Equestria. At worst, they resist until we launch the Death Egg. At best, they tire and we conquer them."

"If we could deal with the Elements Bearers and the filly possessing the ruby, our chances would rise greatly," said Tirek. "I propose that, just before we launch this general attack, we send an assault where they live to capture them. With the three of us, and Metal Sonic when you rebuild it. This way, they won't join the front and help the equestrian army again, and we should finally be able to win this war."

"So, a big assault on Ponyville?" said Discord, ears lowering. "I suppose that... it's our best bet. If we deal with the Elements and the chicken, then the rest will be a piece of cake."

He snapped his fingers, materializing some pieces over the map. Seven pieces were on Ponyville, each representing the Cutie Mark of one of the Element Bearers, as well as the Phantom Ruby. Two more pieces, a Sun and a Moon, were on Canterlot, representing Celestia and Luna. Another, a crystal heart, appeared on the Crystal Empire for Cadance. There were two castle-like pieces, one near Dodge City and another at the South of Rockville, representing the outposts, and a shield on the castle near Dodge City represented Shining Armor (where Discord thought he still was). From Horseshoe Bay in the West coast to the San Palomino Desert, equestrian flags appeared, representing the position of equestrian troops. Factory pieces with Equestria's flag, one at Manehattan, and one in the jungle between Dodge City and Horseshoe Bay also appeared to show the position of known factories/bases in Equestria's possession.

Then, from the Hayseed Swamps to the West of Arimaspi's old territory, from the Badlands and the South of the Macintosh Hills to the Basalt Beach at the extreme South of the continent, dozens of factories with Eggman's symbol appeared, with a castle-like piece appearing at the center of the Badlands to represent the Egg Fortress. At the center of the Bone Dry Desert, a piece representing a spherical space station with Eggman's face appeared. Finally, three pieces with Eggman, Tirek, and Discord's face appeared not far from it, along with hundreds of pieces with Eggman's symbol representing Eggman's troops a little everywhere. Many triangular pieces with Eggman's symbol also appeared, Eggman's airships.

Then, the majority of the pieces with Eggman's symbol moved toward the pieces with Equestria's flag.

"You know," said Discord. "With our overwhelming force, we may not actually need to attack Ponyville. Just look at what we have compared to them."

"True," said Eggman with a smirk at seeing the display before he took the piece with the Phantom Ruby. "But I still would like to get my hands on the ruby as soon as possible. And I created a new robot that I just want to try on her. A little gift that I got from my future self."

"Oh yes, that mecha," said Discord as he snapped his fingers again, creating a new piece looking like a dragon beside Eggman's piece. "So we still attack Ponyville. Very well..."

Three dozens airship pieces gathered around the pieces of Eggman, Tirek, Discord, and the dragon. A metallic blue hedgehog piece then appeared among them before they all moved above the Macintosh Hills, above Appleloosa, above the Everfree Forest, before they stopped at Ponyville, beside the Element Bearer pieces.

"They will see us coming," warned Discord. "The princesses will probably come to help. If we're unlucky, a love boosted Chrysalis will be with them." He moved the Sun and the Moon to Ponyville and created a black piece with a crown between them.

"Then we will bring a lot of Mecha Alicorns! More powerful ones, who can better use their magic!" shouted Eggman with a cackle.

Hundreds of pieces representing metallic alicorns appeared all over the frontline, and among the airships attacking Ponyville.

"Right, I forgot about them," said Discord.

"Then let's prepare! In a few days, we will attack Ponyville!" shouted Eggman before he left with another cackle.

"I will drain every prisoner we made in our little war against the Storm King," said Tirek with a smile. "If I face Twilight again, I will destroy her." At this, he left the room too, leaving Discord alone.

Discord sighed and took the piece with three pink butterflies, staring at it. Then he closed his eyes and crushed the piece in his claw.

"No regrets..."