Early morning hours dawned over the former capital city of the Kingdom of Zumidia, Ain Trotgourait. The streets were devoid of life still, with public life not having opened up yet this early. A small handful of hippogriff soldiers could be seen on sentry duty, guarding specific high-importance institutions, such as the Royal Palace. They grumbled to themselves as they stood in place, cursing everything and everyone for having been doomed to such a dreadful posting. Their hatred, as quiet as they may have uttered it, was quickly served as food for the main guests in the palace's catacombs.
"Sonata?"
Adagio's voice echoed throughout the tall and mostly empty halls of the throne room. Old heraldry still hung from its stone walls, depicting a mixture of flags, coat of arms and other insignia of the previous, zumidian kingdom. The leader of the trio scoffed, assuming that Sonata had either not noticed this until even now, hadn't cared to have it torn down, or deliberately did not want to do it for whichever reason it was. Luckily, she thought, she wasn't here to mull on about this today.
"Sonata!" another cry, louder this time, echoed.
"I'm here, I'm here! Sorry!"
The yellow siren looked on as her younger, blue-scaled counterpart came rushing into the room through a side entrance.
"Sorry for being late!" the young siren apologised once more as she swam through the air and up to where her elder, who looked at her expectingly, floated. "I got... err, caught up in something."
Adagio simply sighed, crossing her hooves in response. Part of her wanted to dig and ask what in tartarus Sonata was doing that had kept her waiting, but knowing Sonata it was probably something excruciatingly simple that would only cut down on her already short fuse. Or maybe, she figured, as unlikely as it was, Sonata had come around and was taking her post more seriously than she'd originally imagined. Had she been busy dealing with the consequences of their occupation in Zumidia? It certainly would have been a surprise, and another reason for why the lead singer wanted to ask, but this wasn't the time or place.
"Nevermind," she simply dismissed, shaking her head. "Where is Aria?"
Sonata perked up and looked around before finally offering Adagio little more than a clueless shrug. "I thought she was with you."
"And I thought she was with you. It's not like her to be late, especially not when she's the reason we meet to begin with."
It wasn't hard for Sonata to tell her opposite was growing impatient and mad, as she so often did. She looked around once again, hoping that Aria would... oh, there she was.
"Excuse me," said Aria as she strolled past the open doors Adagio had entered from, holding a folded piece of paper in her left hoof, "turns out there is still yet more to discuss, so I was held up for a moment."
"That makes two of you," Adagio muttered, with both Sonata and Aria assuming it was a complaint of sorts as the yellow siren pouted somewhat. "What's the matter, anywho? Why are we here?"
"Let me guess, you don't have all day?" Aria said to her elder snarkily.
"None of us do! Or at least I would hope so, and that both of you are keeping yourselves busy with your tasks."
"Well, Zumidia is conquered. Consider that proof of my activity," the purple siren replied monotonously.
"Things are working out around here, too!" Sonata said for herself. "Everything is where it needs to be and... all that. You know?"
"You've got the king sacked?" Aria asked her. She didn't notice Sonata gulp quietly.
"Y-Yeah, yep! He's all good- err, good as in, ours! As in, under our command."
The others blinked, and Sonata took a deep breath.
"That's what I meant to say."
The older two looked at one another, but seemed to jointly decide on shrugging her behaviour off for the occasion. If this really was as important as Aria had claimed it was, then another one of Sonata's crazed outbursts was the least of their worries.
"Well, Aria? Go on then." Adagio suggested.
"I'll start off with what's most important for us right now," the purple siren declared. "As mentioned, our forces now have full control over Zumidia; a good thing, obviously. However, as I issued the order for them to dig into defensive positions near the Colthaginian border, behind the river and in the hills, a message reached my headquarters in the region. It was issued by the Colthaginian Suffrit himself."
"Suffrit? That was the lead zebra of theirs, right?" Sonata asked to make sure, though really she sounded a little clueless.
"From what I bothered to gather, he's a dictator this 'Zalathel Zarca', isn't he?" Adagio asked. Aria shook her head.
"He probably wished he was. He's just the strongest of a whole bunch of oligarchic families over there, kept aloft largely through his late father's legacy who died as a national hero during the Storm King's invasion."
"Ooooh, so he's like... a big deal?"
Aria looked to her younger companion and nodded. "You could say that. Not enough to make him a dictator though. It's what got him in power, but it seems Colthage's principle of governance relies on absurdly influential factions not coming to blows and intending to remove him when they so please."
"In other words, he's entirely reliant on their support," Adagio concluded.
"That's right."
"Which means he's vulnerable."
"Also right, which might hint at what he's done now."
Both Adagio and Sonata waited for a few seconds as Aria unfolded the paper in her left hoof. She held it up before her snout and began to read aloud to the others:
To the tyrants of Mount Aris and beyond,
I hope this message finds you, and is not lost on its way as a result of your fiendish policies of enslaving innocents and shackling them to your will, such as the messenger I entrusted with this notice.
We have for some time now held ourselves back and remained on the sidelines as you and your terrible regime took power on your island. We do not know who, or what, you are truly, but we do know your methods and we know of your goals.
You would be well to remember that your ongoing invasion and consequent occupation is in direct violation of our Zonician people of North Zebrica. Zumidia, which so recently broke free from hippogriff rule, was surely about to petition for membership in the Colthaginian Republic when your forces kicked in their door and left them with no other choice but to flee. Their Regency Council is being cared for by us as survivors of your terrible war, and we support them in their desire to liberate Zumidia.
Let it be known that I, Zalathel Zarca, son of the great Zamilcar, will not bow to any foreign oppressor and tyrant, and neither will my people so long as I pull the strings. Colthage will remain a free nation and people, and we will not stand idly by as your war machine and evil magics spread further and further. We made the mistake of laying in wait for too long with the Storm King, and my father paid the price for it. This time, we will tackle this darkness while we still can.
Colthage hereby demands that any and all military personnel of Sirenalia vacate the sovereign lands of the Kingdom of Zumidia within the span of 48 hours, and the further evacuation of all additional personnel and hippogriff nationals within an additional 48 hours. Failure to meet this deadline will be regarded as outright refusal of our terms, and will be deemed a declaration of war. Any hostile movements or attacks by your forces during this time will likewise result in an outbreak of hostilities.
Our hope for this 'diplomatic' solution is slim indeed, but we hope you see the wisdom in it and abide by our terms. Zumidia and its people have suffered for far too long, and we can no longer stand by and simply watch as an even greater force of evil takes the reins there. You may return to your dreaded island - curse its name - and be left to rot there.
May you find wisdom in choice, or doom upon the field of battle,
Zalathel Zarca, Suffrit of the Colthaginian Republic.
Aria fell silent, lowered the paper and looked at her two fellow sirens.
"What a self-important fool," Adagio remarked jokingly.
"How dramatic. So scary!" Sonata added. She let out a soft chuckle´which Adagio did also.
"Seems to me he has rivals back home pressuring him into writing this," the yellow siren continued, looking at Aria primarily. "The way it's worded, how he constantly boasts about being great and powerful and all such; he was probably made to respond to our invasion by one of those factions you mentioned."
Aria nodded. "Presumably instigated by the Zumidian Regency who have managed to flee there. One might assume at least one faction is backing them for a 'liberation' of the Zumidian lands."
"Oh, he must be feeling the heat, for sure!" the teal siren joined in with her ordinary enthusiasm. For once, it didn't bother the other two that much.
"It certainly does seem he is in hot water," Aria said with a nod towards Sonata.
"Is your military going to be ready for them?" Adagio asked the purple one.
"They will be. Though our offensive will take some time to properly prepare. Also, it's not 'my' army, Adagio," she responded clearly, "it's ours. I shaped it and lead it right now, sure, but you're free to do the same assuming all three of us can agree on an idea."
"Though perhaps some of us may be best kept a safe distance away from military command...?"
Adagio looked at Sonata indiscreetly, and Aria followed just the same.
"You're no fun." Sonata pouted, and crossed her hooves.
"Anywayx," Adagio continued on, "so Colthage is going to be coming for us... what else?"
"Well," Aria started, "for one, there is the very valid suggestion made that Chiropterra to our south will start expanding further by attacking neighbouring Warzena or Zarantia now that they've conquered Tobuck. The issue is that we don't know which. Warzena has more accomodating terrain and industry, but also a more formidable military, whereas Zarantia is a literal desert with some agriculture along their rivers, but it offers a pathway to connect with Colthage... which may present an opportunity for them and a problem for us."
"You're getting all worked up about something that hasn't happened yet, aren't you?" Adagio wondered.
"Can you blame me?"
The lead siren shrugged. "Relax. We've won our first conquest, and soon to be the second. Once Colthage falls, and they will fall, even those silly bat ponies can't stop us."
Aria bit her tongue, wanting desperately to issue a rebuttal to that theory but found herself having just enough self-restraint to prevent that much. This was wartime and, eventhough they were sirens who literally needed discord, hate and strife to survive, their usual arguments and fights between one another should be reduced to a minimum. At least, that's what her conscious, reasonable self told her. But when her blood got boiling, well...
"There was another thing," she voiced, her words wiping a confident grin off of Adagio's face as it turned into a curious frown.
"Which would be?"
"Please be lunch together," Sonata called out. "Ugh, I haven't eaten in ages!"
"Knowing you, that means the last 40 minutes?" Adagio replied and grinned.
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-uh!"
"No," Aria interrupted with a louder tone than usual, "no, it's not lunch, Sonata."
The teal siren pouted at the bad news.
"It's about Equestria, actually."
Adagio immediately perked up.
"Equestria? What about them now? Don't tell me the've sent the pillars here or-"
"No, not at all," Aria, again, interrupted. "In fact, it's the opposite of that sort."
"What do you mean?" the yellow siren asked, appearing rather clueless for once.
"Well..."
Attention, attention! All listeners, please remain tuned into Fillydelphia Radio for an emergency broadcast from Canterlot. The Princess will be addressing the nation shortly. Attention, attention! All listeners, plea-
Fwsshhh~
"My loyal subjects, my brave, little ponies. It is with heavy heart that I speak to you today, be it here in Canterlot, in person, or through the speakers of TV and Radio at home or elsewhere. Today is a day that will undoubtedly be ingrained into our minds for generations to come, and may perhaps never be forgotten.
Early this morning, Queen Chrysalis spat in the face of peace and harmony by leading her armies across the border. At the same time, infiltrators appear to have risen up within the northwest to harass our supply routes and delay troop arrival. The changelings have already pressed forward to capture Acornage near the border, and are moving in on Vanhoover as we speak. Our naval garrison there is evacuating as we speak, and is intending to rescue as many civilians with them as possible.
My little ponies and subjects, I must confess that we were fools to not ready ourselves for this, or any other such conflict. A new age has long dawned on us, and yet we have failed to meaningfully learn from the lessons of the winter revolution in Severyana many moons ago. We were defenceless and clueless, thought that Chrysalis, ruthless as she is, would somehow find the reason not to press her obviously stated goals and ambitions.
We were wrong, and it pains me to know that you must now bear the brunt of our misjudgement. However, despite all our shortcomings in the past, I know with absolute certainty that Equestria is not lost. We will stand up to this challenge, to the changeling onslaught, and stare them down. We will repel them as we have all other existential threats to our land of harmony before, and we shall do it together, hoof in hoof, side by side.
Know that from this day forth, Equestria counts itself at war with the Changeling lands in the absence of a formal declaration of war, and that we call upon all our allies far and wide to assist us in this great struggle, and that my sister and I call upon all of you, our most loyal and beloved subjects, to do your part and duty and defend what is right and what is home.
Today, we will raise our hooves in the fight for harmony, for peace, family and home!"