The Phantom Filly

by Lucar

Chapter 17: Egg Fortress Assault

"At least half of Eggman's robots left the frontline," reported Shining Armor as he entered the war room of Dodge Outpost, a large room with in its center a map of Equestria and the lands in the South. Around the map were Celestia, Chrysalis, Twilight, Cadance, Scootaloo (as Zero), Ember, and some chief officers from all the races part of the Alliance (excepted the yaks. They were all in the frontline smashing robots).

Celestia acknowledged him with a nod. "Thank you, Captain Armor. As we expected."

Scootaloo laughed. "After how Eggman left the frontline in panic, it's no surprise."

"Tirek left too," said Twilight. "Only Discord remains to cause us problems."

"But thanks to your Phantom Rubies, he's just a nuisance," Chrysalis said. "Now that there are fewer enemies facing us, it's time for us to push them back."

"Luna is already at it," Celestia said.

"But now, we must act quickly," Twilight said. "We gave the armies of West and East Phantom Rubies, but they don't have generators yet and it will take time to build one under the constant assault of the robots, Eggman, and Tirek. Their rubies will probably deplete before. We must help them."

"It shouldn't be a problem for you now," Ember said as she traced with a claw, a line from the captured base in the jungle passing through the Hayseed Swamps and finishing in the east coast of the Bone Dry Desert where the army of East accosted. "You fight your way through the swamps as rapidly as possible until reaching us. Same for the West through the forest here and the old territory of Arimaspi."

Celestia hummed and nodded. "And once it's done, we will link West and East by the South, circling Eggman's forces and making sure he won't be able to escape to the Iceberg Barrier. Luna will lead the assault to the West."

"And I will lead the one to the East through the swamps," said Chrysalis.

Celestia nodded again. "However, we will focus a big part of our army in a third assault..." She pointed south of Dodge Outpost. "To the Badlands, or what remains of it."

Everybody shivered when remembering what Eggman did to the Badlands since their failed assault.

"Yes. It's probably better to deal with this problem as quickly as possible," said Cadance.

"It's Eggman's main fortress from which comes a huge number of robots and airships. Destroying it, or capturing it, will greatly diminish the number of enemies the other two assaults will face," said Twilight. "And I suppose I will be the one leading the assault here with Shining Armor."

Scootaloo frowned. "We will also need a few dozens of your Phantom Rubies if we want to limit the deads in our side." She made circles around the Badlands with a finger. "Eggman turned the entire land into a fortress after all, who knows how many robots will defend it. Probably in the hundred of thousands. And let's not talk about the airships and whatever other defenses are in place."

"Of course. I already know how we will use them to pass the first wall without losing anyone," replied Twilight.

"Really? How?" asked Scootaloo.

"We will levitate the section of wall we will be facing and all the traps and defenses defending it, and we will throw them at the fortress. This will be costly on the rubies, but at least, we will be in the fortress, and the fortress will take some damage thank to that."

Not bad, said Infinite. And I have a little trick that should help after that.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow.

A few days later, not long after the beginning of the assaults to join the East and the West armies, hundreds of the newly made transport vehicles having working engine without needing anypony to pull them left Dodge Outpost, followed by some of the new equestrian airships. Already, in the distance, the drivers could see the wall surrounding the Egg Fortress.

Thanks to the changeling spies keeping an eye from the sky, they knew how bad the Egg Fortress now was. Where before, it was just a small fortress in the middle of the Badlands mostly hidden behind the rock formations, it now spread out the whole land. To be more exact, the whole Badlands were now the Egg Fortress. All the rock formations were destroyed to leave place to buildings and roads, not a single trace of anything natural remained. What constituted the original fortress, with the tower with Eggman's face on top, was still surrounded by the original wall.

Whether they destroyed the Egg Fortress or took it over, it will be a huge hit to Eggman. Without it, it will be much easier defeating what will remain. And if they could actually take it over, then it will be a huge boost for the Alliance's army, making this war even easier. But this will be a hard battle. Right now, Eggman and Tirek were busy pushing back the armies of East and West, but Discord was still around, and Metal Sonic still returned regularly. The fortress, covering the whole Badlands, was HUGE, a maze of buildings and roads, full of robots, airships, traps, and other dangers. The battle will probably last for hours, even with the Phantom Ruby Copies they were bringing.

In one of the transport vehicles, the Bearers and Scootaloo were gathered, mostly recovered from what happened at Ponyville, but Pinkie's mane, still a little droopy, showed that there were some scars. Twilight opened a bag and levitated from it six Phantom Rubies, each shaped exactly like the Elements of Harmony after the Bearers' Cutie Marks, so a star, a lightning bolt, a butterfly, an apple, a balloon, and a diamond. Each inserted in a necklace. Her friends looked at her in curiosity.

"More Phantom Rubies for us?" Rainbow Dash asked. "We all already have one now." She pointed at her necklace with a Phantom Ruby around her neck.

"I know, but these are special. After so much research, and with the help of the scientists, I was finally able to develop copies that are probably the closest from the original Phantom Ruby we can get. Those six rubies are the first six of the last generation of Phantom Ruby Copies, perfect ones. They are almost as powerful as the original, don't crumble if overused, and can be used by more than the first pony using them. The only default remaining compared to the original ruby is that they aren't self-recharging. We still need a Phantom Generator nearby and we must still try to not overdone using them. I don't think we will be able to create better copies than these."

"And we get to be the first ones to test them?!" Pinkie asked excitedly.

"Awesome!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Twilight gave every ruby to the respective ponies and asked, "You remember the plan?"

"Of course," Scootaloo answered. "We wait for the signal, we fly out of the vehicle, and we destroy the wall so the army can enter the fortress without suffering any losses."

Rarity nodded. "We will use the combined power of all the Phantom Rubies we brought to levitate the wall and any defense with it."

"And then we throw them at the fortress," Applejack finished.

"Easy peasy," Pinkie said.

"Are you okay, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You aren't forced to come."

Fluttershy took a big breath. "No. I'm okay. I'm just terrified, but I'm okay. I can do it. For our friends back in Ponyville."

"Princess Twilight!" the driver suddenly yelled. "It's time!"

"Ready, everypony?" Twilight asked.

They all nodded, gave a group hug, Scootaloo hugging Rainbow Dash, then opened the back door of the vehicle and, with the power of the rubies, flew out and flew in the wall's direction with a few dozens soldiers (mainly officers) including Shining Armor, leaving behind the army of vehicles that stopped for now, not wanting to get in range of the turrets or to risk rolling on a mine.

As the Phantom Ruby users approached the wall, thousands of robots were coming out, dozens of airships were taking off from behind, and the hundreds of turrets on the wall fired. In return, some of the users created replicas to lure the turrets and lower the chance to be hit, while others dodged or used shields to protect themselves.

Once they judged they were close enough, the Phantom Ruby users activated their rubies, distorting the entire area. Then, innumerable mines floated out of the ground with the robots, and a huge portion of the wall followed. Once nothing remained on the ground, they threw everything at the fortress and the airships, causing untold damage as thousands of explosion happened and many airships crashed.

Scootaloo then flew forward. "Your call, Infinite!"

Infinite's mask appeared on their head. "Perfect. Even with just 50%, I still should be able to do this."

Reaching where the wall was, Infinite activated the power of the Phantom Ruby again, and suddenly, a few dozens of giant monsters in the likeness of Infinite appeared in a large area, and they began to spread destruction among the robots.

Woaaaa...

Rainbow Dash came beside him, looking in worry at him but giving him a smug smile. "Don't think you can take the spotlight like that."

She then flew ahead toward the armada of airships still in the sky. Activating her Phantom Ruby, she flew at a speed unseen until now, and she flew through the airships one after another, destroying them. While she did it, strong winds appeared, blowing at hundreds of miles per hour. Even the airships couldn't resist them, and they were swept and thrown into each other. For the ones that survived, giant clouds gathered above them, and a rain of extremely powerful lightning bolts hit them.

"HECK YEAAAH!!!" yelled the pegasus.

Back on the ground, Applejack whistled. "That show off sure knows how to give a show!"

Pinkie Pie smiled widely. "But we can show off too!"

At her words, Pinkie flew further into the fortress and hit the ground, creating upon impact a tsunami of chocolate that swept the robots off the roads. Out of the chocolate came spider cupcakes that devoured the robots.

The other bearers followed her example and separated to cover more ground.

When she landed, Applejack yelled "That's for Sweet Apple Acres!" before she used her Phantom Ruby to make hundreds of apple trees grow through the metallic ground, their roots spreading and causing havoc while they rained giant apples that crushed the robots.

Fluttershy used hers to materialize all kinds of animal that trampled the robots, and Rarity used giant scissors to cut anything like paper while firing many gems in everything that was metallic and that moved. Finally, Twilight used pretty much everything she could think of to destroy a maximum of robots, from raining beams to sending meteors to crash to increasing gravity to the point of crushing the robots.

The soldiers were also doing their part. Shining Armor and some of the others used their own Phantom Rubies to create many replicas of the equestrian airships, increasing their normally small number. One of the soldiers at the front materialized a vehicle with giant swords at the sides. As the vehicle rolled, the swords cut the robots. Another soldier became a giant and materialized on himself a huge armor possessing dozens of cannons that fired in all directions. Some turned themselves into alicorns and used their increased powers to destroy the enemies.

By the time the rest of the army reached the fortress, a big part of it was already destroyed by the Phantom Ruby users, but it was a small part compared to the entire fortress.

Metal Sonic came out of wherever it was to deal with them, and it encountered Rarity.

"Oh! It seems like it's my turn to destroy you, you metal ruffian!"

Rarity levitated two giant needles linked to each other by a thread, and she sent them to attack Metal Sonic from the left and the right. Metal Sonic flew up to avoid them, then charged at Rarity who surrounded herself in dozens of gems forming a sphere. She then fired some of the gems at Metal Sonic while the robot attacked her with its gatling arm or its magic, firing beams or fireballs or lightning bolts. All the while, it had to dodge the two needles that continued to attack it from left and right. Unbeknown to it, the needles were entering the buildings at the sides of the road they were in, and exited them continuously. Because of this, the buildings were now linked to each other by the thread, as if sewn.

After a few minutes of this, Rarity smirked, then grabbed the two needles. She then materialized a gem from behind Metal Sonic and hit its jetpack with it, making it lose control. Rarity then flew up above the buildings, and pulled with the needles, causing the buildings to close on Metal Sonic. Rarity then quickly fired hundreds of gems all over the buildings, and the gems exploded, destroying everything in a big radius.

Rarity flipped her mane. "Stylish, and deadly."

She then saw something teleport behind her, and she could barely turn her head before Metal Sonic prepared to impale her with its sword-arm. But suddenly, it was sliced in half from behind. The two pieces fell, revealing Infinite, no, Scootaloo who used a lightning bolt as a sword.

"Thank you, darling."

Scootaloo nodded as Rarity moved to continue to attack the enemies, then looked around at the battle. Here, she saw a hydra ridden by Fluttershy devouring robots. There, there was a giant cake monster (a cakezilla?) throwing a piece of building at an airship. A giant explosion happened further, and in the distance, the main tower fired home in beams from the eyes of its Eggman head.

There was something missing.

"Where the heck is Discord?"

"I'm right there," a familiar voice answered from behind.

Turning around, Scootaloo saw Discord lying on a lounging chair eating popcorns. She immediately pointed her lightning sword at him.

"Lower your sword, I'm not there to fight, just to admire the spectacle."

"Yeah. Right."

"Really! What do you think I could do against all those Phantom Rubies? Whether or not I fight, this will change nothing. I will barely slow down your victory by a few seconds. I will be trashed. From this point forward, there's no way to stop you and your Alliance from advancing. This will not stop Eggman and Tirek from trying to at least slow you down, but I'm a realist. Just go satisfy your destructive drive, you have nothing to worry about me."

Scootaloo looked at him with suspicion, making him sigh.

"Alright, I will tell you. I don't need to fight anymore. You are already bound to lose this war."

"Did you not just say that our advance couldn't be stopped anymore?"

"I said that, yes. But, you see, Eggman is developing a way to absorb everyone's magic in one go. And by everyone, I mean every single living beings in this world."

"What?!"

"As fast as you are destroying his empire, you won't be able to stop him in time. His little thing will be finished in about a week. And then, it will be game over for you. Little advice, you should evacuate Cloudsdale and other cloud cities, or this could get quite messy once the pegasi lose their magic."

“I... We will not let him!” Scootaloo yelled, scared.

“Then be faster,” Discord replied casually before he got up from his chair. “Now that I said my warning, I can go. But one last little thing before I disappear, the Alliance should watch its back. Don’t leave any cities unprotected. Even the ones that shouldn’t worry from being attacked like the Crystal Empire.”

“Why are you giving these warnings?”

Discord looked at her sadly. “To limit the deaths. I am who I am, but I don’t like Eggman’s actions killing ponies. Don’t worry, once this war is over, he will regret all this. I promise.”

He then teleported away.

“Well... Buck...” Scootaloo said eventually. “I must warn everypony!”

Let's finish this battle first. You will warn them after.

“Yes. You’re right. But after that, it will be meeting time, again.”

At this, she flew to the nearest Mecha Alicorn.

Meanwhile, some of the soldiers encountered a giant centipede robot, as big as a house and as long as a hoofball field.

The giant thing was running down the road like a train, trampling everything on its way, while dozens of cannons lined on its back fired homing missiles at anyone who avoided it.

It was promptly beheaded by Shining Armor.

Not long after, Rainbow Dash attacked the central tower that fired continuously at them.

The tower targeted her, countless weapons coming out of its walls to attack her with beams, missiles, bullets, without forgetting the homing energy projectiles from the eyes.

Rainbow Dash avoided the onslaught and flew vertically above the tower, gaining height before charging back at the tower from above on the verge of doing a Sonic Rainboom. She pierced the head of the tower in a big rainbow explosion, going from top to bottom in less than one second. The tower was obliterated.

Then, Applejack found herself face to face with a giant Eggman-like robot possessing four arms, each ending in a giant cannon.

Every cannon fired giant fireballs that caused a gigantic explosion upon impact, totally incinerating Applejack’s trees. One of the cannons fired at her, but thanks to the Phantom Ruby, Applejack bucked the fireball back at the robot, damaging it. The robot still continued to attack her, and she repeated her action, eventually destroying it.

Pinkie Pie and some soldiers were dealing with some giant purple octopus robot, each of its tentacles ending with a cannon.

Pinkie materialized a giant gingerbread sword and cut the tentacles one by one before she sliced the main body vertically in half.

Some special airships fused to form a giant Eggman-like mecha.

Infinite’s giant monsters tore it apart.

And it continued.

A big robot lion with claws that could cut diamond.

A big floating ball full of hidden weapons and that tried to roll on the ponies.

A robotic four-headed hydra that could fire giant laser beams from its mouths.

A robotic giant turtle with a hard shell full of hidden cannons and that could spin to ram its enemies.

And many, many more.

They were all easily destroyed.

As the battle continued and lasted for hours, Eggman and Tirek eventually came.

But they barely lasted a few minutes before they were forced to retreat because of the dozen or so Phantom Rubies they were facing.

Of course, the Phantom Ruby users were regularly forced to pause so their rubies recharged, but they always made sure that there were a few users fighting, so there weren’t many problems when a powerful enemy appeared.

In the end, the battle lasted a whole day, ending with the clear victory of the Alliance. A good part of the fortress was destroyed, but many factories were still in working condition.

This day, the Alliance won a major battle.

But not the war.