//------------------------------// // Episode 29: "Grogar's Endgame, Part 3" // Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 13 // by twilightsparkle3562 //------------------------------// … Previously on "My Little Pony" … … Guardspony: "Captain Tempest! Unidentified flying creature coming towards us!" Tempest Shadow: "Take it down." Twilight Sparkle: "Somnambula, has Grogar arrived?" Somnambula: "He's already trying to break down the barrier as we speak." Twilight Sparkle: "Then we have to make the most of the time we have." Celestia: "If you're going to Canterlot, Luna and I are going with you." Luna: "He's not going to travel alone." Pinkie Pie: "He's coming! He's coming!" Grogar: "With the barrier gone, you stand no chance against me!" Twilight Sparkle: "It's gone. Grogar...is heading towards Ponyville. Let's hope our friends can hold the line." … … As the battle for Equestria against Grogar raged on, Tirek, Chrysalis, Cozy Glow and Scorpan were all leading the citizens of Klugetown through the western edge of the Everfree Forest, determined to stop Grogar at all costs. "I can't believe we're actually doing this," Chrysalis commented to Tirek. "Me, a queen who ruled through fear, fighting for my enemies." "Remember what is at stake here," Tirek cautioned. "If we can't rule Equestria then neither can Grogar. Besides…" Tirek then turned to his love and with a firm yet sentimental expression he added. "I would much rather settle down with you," He sighed, causing Chrysalis to blush slightly. "Start a family, live amongst these ponies because they have more to offer than just magic. At this rate, it seems far better than constantly having to fight them and always lose." Watching his brother, Scorpan couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that Tirek was finally starting to see the error of his ways coming to fruition. Suddenly, all stopped and looked down at a hoof sticking out from a bush that was right in their path. "Whoa, buddy! Look at that!" Capper cried, stepping back in slight fear before going over to the hoof. Pulling the bushes back, Capper reached down and saw what appeared to be a donkey soldier. "It's a donkey!" Racing over, Tirek bent down and studied the wounded soldier. It was clear to the centaur that Grogar had arrived in Equestria. "He's already here," Tirek whispered before turning around to the army and beckoning Chrysalis and Cozy Glow to come over to him. "This soldier is dying, what should we do?" "What do you think?" Chrysalis remarked. "At least he can provide me with a service," Tirek said, opening his mouth and draining the dying donkey of his strength. As Chrysalis and Cozy Glow watched, Tirek slowly regained his strength, going back to his third form. With his strength drained, the donkey collapsed and died right in front of Tirek's hooves. "Scorpan!" Hearing his brother's call, Scorpan came over. "Have some of the residents dig a grave for this soldier," Tirek commanded. "I want him to be respectfully laid to rest." "Of course, Tirek." Taking the donkey's body, Scorpan and several Klugetown residents went to bury the corpse. "Where do you suppose he came from?" Cozy Glow asked. "If my memory serves me right," Tirek answered, remembering the final battle with Twilight before she became supreme princess. "The border to the shared capitals. Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, spread your brigades across the forest. We attack on my order, get moving! We must have the element of surprise on our side!" Doing as they were told, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow went to carry out Tirek's orders. Walking to the edge of the forest, he saw several ponies and donkeys continuing to fight with the captured pillars being guarded. "If we are to get inside," Tirek thought to himself. "We need support. I might have an idea on how to get the Pillars freed. Then they'll owe us one." … … Meanwhile, Grogar, Sombra and their forces had crossed into Ponyville as Tempest watched from behind Sugarcube Corner. "You are not getting past me," Tempest whispered, before rising to her feet and pointing her broken horn at the advancing army, crying out in a loud voice. "Halt, Grogar!" Stopping, Grogar could only feel amusement creeping up on him. "Well, well, well," Grogar laughed. "If it isn't the Storm King's former stooge. Still slumming it with the ponies, I see. Please step out of my way. I have a kingdom to take back." From all the buildings surrounding him, the pony soldiers aimed their horns at the army, ready to fire on Tempest's command. "You stop right here!" Tempest commanded, her blood boiling with rage! "Should you really consider it?" Sombra taunted. "I certainly would not if I were you. You're horribly outclassed." As Sombra spoke, Grogar activated his bell's powers and released a strong wave of dark magic that caused the building around the army to crumble! Tempest could only watch in disbelief as her army was decimated before her very eyes! Still, it wasn't going to stop her from trying. Charging up her broken horn, Tempest unleashed a barrage of uncontrolled magic on the army, managing to hit several donkey soldiers! Just then, the windows of Sugarcube Corner were broken and the pony soldiers inside opened fire on the army. Several blasts were aimed at Grogar, but he used his bell's powers to barricade himself, Sombra and Scarface from them all. "To the Castle of Friendship!" He commanded. Then, forming a gold barrier, Grogar marched his forces right past Tempest as she fired another blast of uncontrolled magic at Grogar, trying in vain to break through. Chuckling, Grogar shot a blast of his own magic at Tempest, but she managed to duck out of the way. Turning to a few of his smaller brigades, Grogar ordered them to keep Tempest and her forces at bay. "Keep them pinned! We don't want her joining any other armies that will try to oppose us. The rest of you, come with us!" With Tempest and her forces held down, Grogar turned his attention to both the castle and the School of Friendship. All the windows in both buildings opened as he advanced, revealing party cannons filled with cakes, and other kinds of warfare weaponry. … "He shouldn't be too far, Gusty!" Discord declared. "Do you think we'll have the edge?" Looking through a pair of binoculars, Gusty wasn't so sure. "I don't know, man," Gusty whispered to the lord of chaos. "Still, I won't go down without a fight. I couldn't stop him completely before, but I'll try my hardest to make sure he goes down for good this time," Then something caught her attention as she looked at the buildings again. "Ay, caramba! The buildings are falling!" "Has he no respect for private property?!" Pinkie Pie asked, snatching the binoculars out of Gusty's aura with her hooves! "If he took out Sugarcube Corner, I'll…" Just then, they saw another explosion and Pinkie angrily took out a sword, ready to fight! "Ready the CANNONS!" She screamed, her shrieks causing Discord to warble. "NO ONE WREAKS SUGARCUBE CORNER AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!" Doing as they were told, the rest of the princesses stood at the ready as Grogar and his forces drew closer and closer. Back at the School of Friendship, Starlight and Trixie stood at the front entrance with the battle ready students and Rainbow Dash. They too, heard Pinkie's screams and prepared themselves at the ready. "Okay, does everycreature know their assignments?" Starlight asked. "Right, Headmare Starlight!" Smolder answered while pounding on her chest. "Those guys won't know what hit them!" But Gallus had his own eye on one particular enemy. "Come on, Arabus," he thought to himself, making sure his claws were sharpened. "Come out and pay for what you did to Griffonstone!" Acting on Starlight's orders, the students took up their positions as Starlight and Trixie waited for the impending arrival of Starlight's main enemy. "She's getting close, Trixie. I can feel it!" Suddenly, the entire army was well within range and Grogar lowered the protective barrier surrounding him and his army. "Would you believe that Chrysalis is...looking right at us?" Trixie asked nervously as they both saw the clone of Chrysalis looking dead square at them. At the front, Grogar smiled as he stood right in front of the castle. He had arrived at his destination, but little did he know of the surprise that was awaiting him courtesy of Discord. … ... "PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" Grogar bellowed in an amplified voice that shook the castle inside as well as the Smooze. "COME OUT AND FACE ME! YOUR CREATURE OF SLIME DOESN'T SCARE ME!" "What do we do?" Fluttershy asked, her hoof shaking nervously on the party cannon. "I don't know," Applejack replied, looking back at Gusty. "I reckon he wants Twilight. But we have to do our best to hold him at bay here and weaken his army." "So," Discord declared, snapping his lion paw and turning into Twilight Sparkle, battle armor and all. "We'll give him what he wants and yet not give it to him, right?" "Discord!" Fluttershy cried, running over to him and clutching the forelegs. "Please reconsider! Grogar's too dangerous and you don't have all your magic back!" Bending down, Discord forced Fluttershy to look him straight in the eye. "You need to trust me on this, Fluttershy," He whispered. "Don't worry, I'll be all right. Just be ready to fire the party cannon when the time comes! One way or another, Grogar's not getting to the real Twilight without a fight!" Nervously, Fluttershy complied with Discord's suggestion and the disguised Discord turned to the door. "Open it up," He declared and Gusty opened the castle doors. "Wait here until the order is given. It shouldn't be long." Seeing the door open, Grogar and his army watched with eagerness as their "target" stepped out of the Castle of Friendship. "Well, that was easy," Sombra remarked with a smug grin on his face. "Say her name and the supreme ruler comes running." "Smooze, stand down," Discord ordered in Twilight's voice. "Grogar...would be emperor of Equestria, we meet at last." Snickering, Grogar stepped forward along with Scarface, delighted that his "enemy" would surrender so quickly. "Twilight Sparkle," Grogar said in a quiet voice. "The Supreme Princess of Equestria...come to die. Thanks for sparing me the trouble of having to search for you." Charging up his bell's powers, Grogar aimed his horns right at his target...ensuring that his powers were at the maximum. Letting out a loud roar, Grogar released a deadly blast of magic at "Twilight" "Goodbye, your highness!" He declared as the blast struck Twilight, the light from the blast blinding everyone for a moment! When the light faded, Grogar thought he had easily defeated his enemy. But he was shocked to discover that there was someone else standing in front of him. "Surprised?" Discord asked, seemingly unfazed by the blast of magic much to Grogar's irritation. "I should know. I came up with the idea," Then Discord switched to his firm side. "Now, you have something that belongs to me," He declared. "Hand it over, now!" Angered, Grogar was having none of this monkeyshine business. "Never! Your magic is mine for eternity!" He seethed and with his eyes filled with anger, he gave one order to his army in a quiet and scary voice. "Kill them all! Take no prisoners!" On his order, Sombra yelled and began to run towards the castle of friendship along with the clone of Tirek as Discord quickly teleported away. "She's not here, Scarface," Grogar said angrily to his pet bear. "But I shall deal with her myself, wherever she may be hiding! She can't escape me, no one can!" Teleporting away, Grogar left the battlefield as Discord retreated back into the castle. "Well, that got them riled up," The spirit remarked. "What do you think? Shall we…?" "FIRE THE PARTY CANNONS!" Pinkie screamed and on cue, the party cannons were fired at the encroaching army! The pies, cakes and other confectioneries each struck the approaching army, knocking several soldiers down. Suddenly, the army split up as half turned towards the School of Friendship. Arabus stretched out his tornado arms and began to suck up donkey soldiers surrounding the school. Standing in front of the school's doors, Starlight motioned for Trixie to get inside. "Starlight, are you nuts?!" Trixie cried over the roar. "You have to let me do this, Trixie," Starlight whispered as she spotted a familiar looking changeling nearby. "Chrysalis will want me, not you. And if it's me she wants, it's me she's gonna get!" "But…" Before Trixie could protest further, Starlight used her magic to shut Trixie inside the school as she turned her attention to the cloned Chrysalis amidst the barrage of magic blasts flying between them. Landing, the clone of Chrysalis landed in front of Starlight, licking her lips, determined to do away with her mortal enemy. … ... "So here we are again, face to face." The clone of Chrysalis said in an evil vocal tone. "Eye to eye," Starlight replied, her horn charging with rage. "And once again, you didn't make an appointment. Haven't you learned?" "No, and it doesn't matter, because you have no hope of winning!" The clone shouted, her horn glowing a sickly shade of green. "By the time I'm through with you, I'm going to sap every ounce of love from everyone here in this school, by my emperor's will! Starting with you!" Feeling angered that her school was about to be threatened, Starlight prepared to strike. "You'll have to kill me for that to happen, Chrysalis!" She snarled. "So be it!" Chrysalis growled and fired her magic at Starlight, who quickly produced a protective magic shield! But the blasts overpowered Starlight and sent her flying back into the door! From up above, the students and Rainbow Dash saw what was happening. "Headmare Starlight!" Silverstream cried, looking over to Ocellus. "We should do something, now!" Suddenly, a beam of magic hit the window where Silverstream and Ocellus had been standing in observation. "We can't!" Ocellus cried, taking note of the encroaching donkey soldiers and Lieutenant Bray. "We gotta keep them at bay! Headmare Starlight won't stand a chance if those soldiers get through!" Aiming the party cannon, the two friends fired at Lieutenant Bray, causing him and his squadron of donkeys to be caught off guard. "Fire up there!" he ordered, but then another cannon hit one of the donkeys, knocking him down. Looking up, Bray saw Yona and Sandbar firing a cannon at them. "Oh yeah! Bull's eye, Yona!" Sandbar cheered. "Load up another pie, quick!" Not wanting to be outdone, Bray raced towards the school, only to be beaten back by several barrages of cannon fire again! This time from Smolder, who then flew down and proceeded to breathe out fire!. "Aim for the dragon!" Bray shouted to several donkeys who fired magic at Smolder, but to little avail as she evaded with ease. From up above, Rainbow Dash flew down to Bray and his platoon. Using her strength, Rainbow pushed the donkeys high into the air and dropped them hard onto the ground! "Not so fast, donkey!" Rainbow Dash cried as she flew down fash again, this time catching Bray in her forelegs and lifting him high into the air. "No one does that to my friends and gets away with it! No one!" Flying high above the ground, Rainbow Dash picked up Bray and letting out a loud yell, she threw the donkey underling screaming down onto the ground and landing hard, causing a shockwave that sent several donkeys flying! … Meanwhile, Starlight and the cloned Chrysalis continued to duel around and above the school. Starlight fired multiple rounds of magic at the clone of her mortal enemy, who quickly dodged them. Acting fast, Starlight darted down at the clone and pushed her through the roof of the building, crashing into the school's attic! Angered, the clone pushed Starlight off and onto her back. Coughing the clone of Chrysalis rose to her feet, blood trickling from under her nose. "You'll…" She coughed as dust and blood flew out of her mouth. "Pay for that!" Getting onto her feet, Starlight rose to her feet, her own body covered in cuts and bruises. "Put it on my tab, Chrissy. There's more where that came from," She taunted defiantly as the Chrysalis clone lunged at her like a bobcat, sending her flying into the wall. "Let's finish this! You and me, one last time!" The Chrysalis clone shouted! "Only one of us will walk away from this encounter, and it won't be you!" From the school lobby, Trixie saw several bodies of both pony and donkey soldiers break through the windows while fighting each other. And the more she stood there, the more the magician became convinced that Starlight would die if she didn't intervene. Managing to get a sense of where the two powerful combatants were, Trixie teleported up to the attic and just before the clone of Chrysalis prepared to throw another blow down on Starlight, Trixie stood in the clone's way. "You'll have to get through Trixie first, you overgrown bug!" Trixie shouted, deflecting the clone's move. "Trixie," Starlight gasped as she coughed up some blood. "What are you…?" "If you think Trixie is gonna leave you alone to fight her like last time, think again," She cried, looking at the clone before turning to her best friend as she extended a hoof to help Starlight to her feet. "This time, we will fight together!" Although she was hesitant, Starlight realized that arguing with Trixie was not going to work out. They had to fight together, no matter what the cost. "Okay. Together then," Starlight agreed, looking at Trixie before both mares looked at the clone. "We fight together. And together, we will win!" "Very well then, if that's how you wanna play it," The clone of Chrysalis, her horn glowing in rage once more. "Two for the price of one!" … Meanwhile, Twilight was sitting in the throne room along with Spike while Rarity, Celestia and Luna were hiding. "Spike, Grogar's coming here," Twilight quietly declared. "I want you to hide when he gets here." "Twilight, are you sure?" Spike asked in a worried voice, but Twilight stood steadfast. "I mean, what if..?" "Trust me, Spike. It's all part of the plan," Twilight instructed. "Now hide." Gulping, Spike went behind the throne and joined Rarity as Twilight waited patiently for the doors to open. "I don't like this." Rarity gulped. Luna replied. "Twilight must have a reason to want Spike and all of us to stay hidden. She must be hoping to bait Grogar into a one on one fight." Celestia just nervously commented. "If it even looks like it's going wrong, I'm not going to stand by. One way or another, I'm ready to put my life on the line to protect Twilight!" Then, much to everyone's surprise, a purple cloud appeared and out stepped Grogar and Scarface. Looking up, Twilight was now face to face with her mortal enemy. "Oh yeah," She remarked in a sarcastic tone. "You're much more of a Grogar from when last we met." "Indeed," Grogar remarked. "Megatron is no more, and the Maximals have left. The time between our last meetings has extracted a heavy toll. Still, Megatron and the Predacons accomplished their mission. They gave me an excellent base of operations. And without the Maximals to protect you, you're quite vulnerable." "You may regret thinking that," Twilight remarked, sitting casually on her throne. "Now you're face to face once again with the supreme ruler of Equestria herself. And don't think I'll just let you take over the land. I will give my very life if need be to stop you." Unfazed, Grogar stepped forward, urging Scarface to remain close by him in case Twilight had any surprises. "I know who you are, Grogar," Twilight declared. "Or should I say...Chirin?" This made Grogar stop dead in his tracks!"What did you call me?" he asked in a shocked voice. "Chirin...that's your true name," Twilight admitted. "You witnessed your mother being killed by the wolf king and then...you asked him to train you...to become a killer." Taking a deep breath, Grogar sighed, and tapping into his magic he produced a surrounding of his former home in the farm where he once lived. "It didn't have to be this way, Princess Twilight," Grogar explained. "My mother was my world, the reason I came into being. Her murder struck me, made me realize my true purpose." "To kill anycreature that stood in your way?" Twilight scoffed. "Oh yeah, I trust your mother would have liked that!" "I did what I had to do, Princess Twilight," Grogar continued, causing the illusion to disappear. "I wanted to rule Equestria so that I could make every single pony feel what I felt. The wolf king ruled with fear, and I chose to follow in his footsteps! I killed the founders of the three pony races…" Hearing this from above the ceiling, both Celestia and Luna were stunned to hear this confession! "No wonder our parents took the throne so suddenly!" Luna thought to herself in realization! Grogar continued, "...And I erased everything that they ever worked for. Then...two ponies who looked up to them organized a mutiny, drove me from the throne and sent me to the moon where I remained...until now that is." Twilight remained steadfast, feeling both anger and sympathy for Grogar at the same time. "You stand in the way of my ultimate goal, Princess Twilight," The evil goat snarled. "By the time I'm done with you, I will return Equestria to the way it was before I was exiled. And then everycreature: The wolf king, you and your friends, shall all suffer for what you did to my mother!" Twilight merely shook her head back and forth in disbelief as she knew Grogar was in denial. "We never killed your mother," She declared. "You've let your hate and anger consume you, Chirin. How sad." "Don't call me that name!" Grogar snapped. "Chirin is dead! He died along with my mother that night...because ponies like you failed to protect them!" Seeing Grogar's horns beginning to glow, Twilight rose to her hooves and slowly approached him. "But…" Grogar said as he continued to approach Twilight. "The hardest choices require the strongest wills." "I think you will find or will…" Twilight whispered as her horn charged. "Is equal...to yours!" "Our?" Grogar And right out of their hiding places, Spike, Rarity, Celestia and Luna all descended on Grogar and Scarface. The true ultimate battle of Equestria had now begun! … … TO BE CONTINUED … ...