//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Forgotten Battle of Equestria // by lilinuyasha //------------------------------// October 29 Luna has astounded me beyond belief. What happened in Fillydelphia was not an offensive...it was a massacre. My faithful subjects will not die in vain. My only regret is that innocent lives have to be lost for this to end. My sister knows no bounds. Nightmare moon has fully taken control of her...I have a feeling this will not end well. Celestia Georges trotted off to the school, carrying a replica trebuchet. Picking up the pace, he managed to make it to the school about 15 minutes before school started, giving him enough time to set it up. As soon as he set hoof in the door, he was greeted by the entire class, who showed up early just to hear him tell more war stories. With several eager young colts and fillies, It took him no time at all to get the model set up for functionality. “This, everypony, is a trebuchet.” “A what?” Said several of the ponies in the room. “A trebuchet. Also known as a catapult. What the soldiers in the Everfree Plains assault did was load several hundred pies at once into a large cloth at the end of this...” He said, loading a paper ball into the cloth. “Then they would release the rope, and let it swing, sending hundreds of pies into the air at one time!” He finished, to which he flung the paper ball across the room. “On October 30, Luna’s forces were travelling across the Everfree Plains, presumable to attack another high-profile spot in Equestria. Suddenly, Celestia’s forces attacked from nowhere, with the catapults, and sent Luna’s army into disarray...” *** “We need to make the offensive!” Screamed Celestia. “I will not let Luna kill any more innocent ponies across Equestria!” “But Princess...The risks are just too high!” “What risks? What risks could be greater than protecting other cities?” “Princess...it just isn’t feasible!” “Don’t pull this ‘Feasible’ Business with me. You WILL launch a counter-attack on Luna, or you will be fired, and sent to the moon to join her. Is that understood?” The general of Celestia’s army, Burly Hoofstrong, a well built, Burly pony, sweat under the pressure. As he turned around to trot off to plan his next move, a scout came in to speak with Celestia. “Princess! We have news of Luna’s whereabouts!” “Spit it out Hurry!” “Luna’s forces are moving south. By morning they will be in the middle of the Everfree plains. That’s when we should strike.” “Great work. Burly,” She said, turning her attention to him. “Gather the forces and weapons. We’re attacking tomorrow. Have you prepared the new weapon?” “Yes, Princess...” He said. The rest of the night was spent finishing the weapon, a “catapult”, he called it. *** “Celestia was very upset with Luna. So she launched her counteroffensive in the Everfree Plains. Luna was not expecting it. Needless to say, she wasn’t actually at the battle, but her forces suffered a devastating defeat. Luna’s dark troopers were sent into shock after the battle and weren’t heard from until nearly a month later. But that’s a different story. Once Luna’s forces were in plain view...” *** Mighty Hoofstrong led the dark troopers across the plain. It was a very hot day, and fatigue was showing across his fellow comrades. Showing fatigue was showing weakness. He would not tolerate weakness in Luna’s army. No matter. He would have a discussion later at night. He turned to face forward, onward towards Manehatten. “Can’t we take a small break?” Suggested one of the new recruits. Hoofstrong turned back and faced him, giving him a glare. The recruit shut up, but his head down, and continued trotting. Hoofstrong needed to have a word with the second in command. He turned around and trotted towards the middle the marching block, where he met up with Bomb Bastic, the dual explosives expert. Hoffstrong turned to him. Bastic looked at him. “What is it you want, Hoofstrong?” He said, in his typically rough voice, exhaling a puff from a cigar. He didn’t like Hoofstrong, and Hoofstrong knew it, too. “The colts are getting tired. Should we set up camp?” “Camp? It’s barely 6 PM! We got another 2 hours before night falls!” “Doesn’t Luna dictate when the night falls?” “Ever since Luna was thrown out of power, Celestia’s been handling it. Luna just doesn’t have the power anymore. Now shut up and keep marching.” He said, turning his face towards the front of the line. Hoofstrong reluctantly concurred and turned to face the front, where a sudden large explosion came out of nowhere. “What the hell?” Exclaimed Bastic and Hoofstrong. Suddenly, several member’s of Celestia’s Royal Army galloped out onto the plains, screaming with their charges. Hoofstrong looked towards them in the midst of the confused scramble. They had some sort of wooden structure that was flinging rocks, bombs, and assorted heavy objects at them. Luna’s Dark Troopers scattered about in a haphazard fashion, getting systematically slaughtered by the imposing army. “For LUNA!” Shouted Hoofstrong. A thunderous roar arose behind him as the troopers all around him yelled, drew their weapons, and charged out onto the plains. Hoofstrong, Bastic, and several other members of high command galloped the opposite direction, avoiding the struggle to live another day to command. This was not the glorious battle he would make a name for himself in. The only place to run though was the Everfree. It would have to do. Hoofstrong, Bastic, and about 5 other commanding officers galloped off into the mysterious Everfree. *** “For Celestia!” Yelled Burly Hoofstrong. A thunderous roar arose behind him and Celestia’s army galloped forward, clashing with the Dark Troopers. Burly drew his sword and watched as the catapults destroyed hundreds of Luna’s army at one time. Several of the front line of Celestia’s army fell down as well, dying from mortal slashes inflicted by the Dark Troopers. Burly readied his sword. His brother was in the somewhere. He would be the one to finish him. He killed Hearty, his brother...he couldn’t let him get away with it. Burly rallied the troops one more time and charged with them. He burst through the front line, slashing enemies left and right, clearing a path with his athleticism. Left, Right, right, left, Dark Troopers were falling all around his path of carnage. He ducked, dodged, rolled and avoided incoming slices and he charged the front line. Deciding that his charge was enough of a morale booster, He hastily turned around and Galloped back, hurrying to get away from the carnage. Unfortunately, his haste cost him and his left leg was slashed from his flank to his hoof. He fell to the ground, unable to trot out of pain. He was bleeding fast...faster than his heart could keep up with...slowly, he drifted out of consciousness , a swirl of black surrounding his eyes. The last thing he remembered seeing was Arrow Shooter, his best friend, looking over him. then, all was lost. *** “Eventually, Luna’s army got tired of being hit with pies, so they retreated back, after losing about half their army. Like I said, they weren’t heard from for about a month. Their losses were too great to continue. Their next move, however, was Manehatten. Celestia Didn’t think that they’d try to attack it again after failing horribly. This caught her offhoofed and she couldn’t do anything. That’s reserved for Monday though. You colts have an entire weekend without me. Aren’t you excited?” His joke was met with disapproving stares, disappointed sighs, and hung heads. “Don’t worry...” He said. “The next story will be great. Promise.” And with that, the class was dismissed to be continued after the weekend. He had to think about how best to explain the Manehatten Massacre without getting too gritty. This battle was special to him. He lost several relatives there. He knew he’d lose himself in the story. He had to tell himself not to. And with that, he trotted home, to a weekend of rest, relaxation, planning, and reading up on historical diary entries over the war.