//------------------------------// // Part Sixty-Four // Story: The Princess and the Kaiser // by UnknownError //------------------------------// The tanks rumbled forward in a single-file line. With sleek black plating and large, menacing turrets, their sole purpose was to destroy other tanks. A heavy machinegun was installed at the hatch on the turret. Several additional gunports stuck out the sides. A few Reich soldiers rode atop the tanks with rifles clutched in claws, scanning the trees with wary eyes. The ELF veterans marking the makeshift road stared stonily up at the tanks as they passed. Several checkpoints had been setup with the assistance of the Princess' newest troops. A few veterans openly slung Reich rifles and gear at their sides, despite strict orders to stow their pilfered material out of sight. The Reichsarmee did not rise to the provocation. The griffons clacked their beaks at the ponies and looked away. Several small paths through the Everfree had been cleared of vines, but the tanks were restricted to moving through Ponyville on an old road and out of the valley. Several dozen waited in a rough clearing behind Ponyville, where Sweet Apple Acres once stood. The vines had been hacked and burned away, and the brush cleared. Zecora had provided a chemical concoction of greenish ooze that burned the foliage like acid and kept it back. Griffonian knights coated their swords in it to stab any wandering vines around the parked vehicles. Flurry Heart had an excellent view on a balcony in Twilight’s castle, where she stretched her wings and regarded the lumbering tanks with a furrowed muzzle. “They don’t seem to move very fast,” the alicorn commented to the other occupant of the balcony. “What are they called?” “They are named Grendel after an old northern legend,” Field Marshal Bronzetail responded. “A great, vicious beast of a griffon slain by a heroic pony of the north.” Flurry raised a brow. “You named your tanks after someone that died to a pony?” “There are two models down there, actually,” Bronzetail dodged the question. He pointed a wing at a sleeker tank with a wider barrel. “Those are the Gunnhildur, named after the mother of Grover the Great.” “Are those faster?” Flurry asked. The slightly smaller tank looked to be struggling just as much as the others. “The terrain is awful,” Field Marshal Bronzetail shrugged a wing. “Once we are out of the valleys and forest, their pace will pick up significantly. There is also the matter of stealth. We must move slow, and the field scouts ahead need to report back.” “Colonel Shimmer is working with Thorax to provide coverage,” Flurry assured the griffon. “Forgive me, Princess,” Bronzetail apologized, “but I trust the Aquileian mage units more.” “You can trust them more, but they aren’t more effective.” Flurry’s ear twitched as she listened to the rumbling from below the castle. “This isn’t very stealthy.” “We’ve begun a bombing campaign to the southwest to divert attention,” Bronzetail explained. “We’re better in the sky, but they have more planes.” “You’re saying a lot of griffons are dying as a distraction,” Flurry filled in. “Yes,” Bronzetail admitted. “War is misdirection. Regardless, we must wear down their air force.” “War is a lot of things,” Flurry snorted. The Reich has to leave too much behind in Griffonia against the River Federation. She spotted a rainbow contrail whirling above a far section of the forest. It was difficult to see in the dark. Her horn glowed and her eyes turned gold. Bronzetail performed a double-take at her muzzle. Rainbow Dash dipped down below the tree line, but she was too far away to make out any further details. She didn’t reappear after a moment, which meant she either found another ‘clue’ or had stumbled into a Timberwolf den. Again. Flurry Heart’s eyes returned to their icy blue. “Just Rainbow,” she said to Bronzetail. “Let’s see how Gallus is doing with Tempest.” “The Storm King’s Right Hoof?” Bronzetail asked. “She introduced herself as Fizzlepop.” “Right,” Flurry groaned. She turned around and trotted back into the castle proper. The rumbling from the tanks was immediately muted by the crystal walls. Bronzetail followed her at a respectful distance, wary of Jadis’ hard stare as she limped along. “When will your forces attack?” Flurry asked over her shoulder. Her horn glowed as she idly cast the changeling detection spell, then checked for listening spells. “As soon as we are in position, which I am not at liberty to say,” Bronzetail answered. “If you encircle Canterlot, we’re not prepared to hold Mount Canterhorn,” Flurry countered. “Your army is moving faster than mine. We are still collecting equipment and ponypower near Fillydelphia.” “We can hold the encirclement with several of the knight banners,” Bronzetail dismissed with a wave of his claw. “The tanks can support it. They will need to turn and face the plains before a counterattack. That is where your army will take over.” “You’re counting on the Changelings coming to your line,” Flurry remarked. “Are you going to have time to set up a defense?” “We are not defending,” Bronzetail scoffed. “We meet them on the Alicorn Sisters Plain.” “It’s called the Celestial Plain,” Flurry corrected. “Not on our maps.” “It was named after Celestia for a thousand years,” Flurry nickered with a shake of her head. The purple band on her head dazzled in the lights of the hallway. “Renaming it after Luna’s return was ceremonial; half the local signs still call it the Celestial Plain.” “How welcoming for the Nightmare,” Bronzetail squawked. “Ponies just let that Maar-touched mare back into government?” “Wasn’t the worst decision,” Flurry reflected. “Luna helped modernize the military.” “She was a thousand years behind,” Bronzetail said flatly. “Yeah,” Flurry smiled sardonically, “but so was the army.” She sidled down a staircase, following the muted sounds of a vicious argument. A knight and an ELF soldier traded angry growls on either side of a door to a conference room, probably one of Twilight’s many libraries. The sentries saluted their respective leader. The pegasus stomped a hoof half-heartedly at Flurry Heart, while the Reich soldier clasped a claw to his chest at Bronzetail. Flurry tilted her head at the green pegasus. “You could at least pretend to like me better in front of the Reich,” she said in Equestrian. The mare’s ears pinned back and she stomped her hoof again, slightly harder. Jadis scowled at the attempt. "I can give a better stomp with my bad hoof." Flurry rolled her eyes and pushed open the door with a flick of her horn. Gallus, Limestone, and Fizzlepop were in the middle of a vicious argument, complete with a crackling horn and scattered papers around a large table. Several torn and wadded up scraps sprawled across the floor. Limestone reared up and flung her hooves down onto the table. “You expect a bunch of chickens-” “I see our alliance is getting along,” Flurry interrupted in a grating, high-pitched voice. “You make your Princess proud.” Limestone disengaged with a heavy snort. Flurry turned to Gallus and spoke in her normal tone. “Have we at least agreed on the pardons?” “Yes, Princess,” the blue griffon sighed. “The other terms are…elusive.” “What do you want?” “The Castle of the Two Sisters will make an excellent command center for the battle ahead.” “It’s in the middle of a forsaken forest,” Flurry stated dryly. “But it is close to enough to receive and issue orders promptly,” Bronzetail pointed out. “The Kaiser would like the command staff stationed there.” “Fine,” Flurry shrugged. “You’re going to need engineers to build a proper bridge, unless you just want to always fly over the gorge.” “Princess!” Fizzlepop exclaimed. “We’ve held that castle for years! It’s our main stockpile!” Flurry considered her point. “You will help us move our supplies first. Bring them to Ponyville. The castle and school have room.” “Not enough!” Fizzlepop shouted. “You will help us build more storage areas around the castle,” Flurry added. “We are not leaving the castle!” Fizzlepop interrupted. Gallus and Bronzetail shared an uncertain look, then nodded together at Flurry. Flurry Heart faced the unicorn. Fizzlepop Berrytwist was tall enough to be eye-level to the alicorn. “Give the inventories to Spike,” the Princess ordered. “The castle has been our base of operations for years,” Fizzlepop tried in a conciliatory tone, weakened by Limestone baring her teeth next to her. “We do not wish to abandon it.” “It is being appropriated, not abandoned,” Flurry answered. “It was abandoned for a thousand years. This is temporary.” She looked over her shoulder with a mild icy glare at Gallus. He nodded quickly. “We are trading up. I see no reason why Twilight’s castle cannot be our center of operations.” “They don’t deserve it,” Limestone retorted. Flurry laughed. “Deserve a ruin? You put more faith in that place than Celestia ever did.” “How would you like it if they wanted to set up shop in your pretty Crystal Palace?” Limestone asked venomously. “Considering I debated blowing it up…” Flurry let the statement hang in the air. “I would have no problem with it. It is but a place, General Pie.” Limestone sat down heavily and crossed her forelegs. “Whatever.” “Princess,” Fizzlepop tried one last time, “many of the veterans from Zecora’s band will not like this decision.” “What does Zecora think?” “Do as you will; I will not die on this hill,” Gallus chuckled. “There’s your answer,” Flurry waved a wing. “We have to cooperate.” Fizzlepop exhaled and sat down hard on her chair. She gripped a pencil in her teeth before rapidly making corrections to a piece of paper. It was already more scribbles than agreement. “Field Marshal,” Flurry addressed Bronzetail with a slight bob of her head. Bronzetail sat beside Gallus in an unoccupied stool. He set his cap down on a few sheets of crumbled paper and ran a claw through his head feathers. “When do you plan on returning our equipment?” “We don’t,” Limestone admitted with a sharp smile. “What equipment?” Fizzlepop shrugged a hoof. “The guns that your soldiers flaunt-” Flurry cleared her throat. “Damn it to Maar,” Bronzetail squawked in Herzlander. “Fine,” he spat in Equestrian. “Moving on, how many forestry brigades can the earth ponies muster? We need the south trail expanded.” Flurry left the room before it devolved into another argument. Her wings twitched against her sides. Jadis fell behind the alicorn's rapid pace. I need to find Spike so he can moderate this. Flurry eyed the ELF veterans avoiding eye contact with the pink alicorn. She walked through the castle until she found a crystal pony guarding a door. The light brown stallion stomped his hoof three times. Flurry stopped before him. “Hello,” she smiled. “Princess,” the stallion breathed out reverentially with wide eyes. His voice was softer than she thought it would be. Purple uniform makes him look older. “Have you seen Sir Spike?” Flurry asked casually. The stallion froze, then his eyes began to water. “I have not, Princess.” “Oh,” Flurry said, disappointed. “Thanks.” “I am sorry,” he rasped. “Forgive me. I have failed you.” “You’re, uh, fine,” Flurry stumbled over her words. “Nothing to forgive.” He bit his lip and nodded, stomping his hoof three times again. Flurry slowly backed away, then moved down a staircase to the front lobby. She blinked several times and missed a step, having to flare her wings out to recover her balance. Flurry blushed in embarrassment, but the staircase was deserted. She shook her head and refocused. She found Spike outside the interior double doors to the Map Room. He was in his monogramed white shirt and visibly hesitant, skipping through several papers in his claws. The dragon’s tail coil around a pant leg. “Spike?” Flurry asked. “What’s up?” “Princess, where are your guards?” Spike asked cautiously. Flurry frowned and jabbed a wing at the four other ponies in the small lobby. Three stomped their hooves thrice, then glared at the ELF unicorn that did not. Her ears pinned back and she offered three weak stomps. “I asked Jadis to follow you,” Spike replied. Flurry groaned. “She’s got a bad hoof, Spike. She can’t follow me around everywhere, no matter how much she wants to.” She gave the unicorn a side-eye. “Are you afraid one of my soldiers is going to shoot me?” “The decision was not unanimous with everypony in the ELF,” Spike explained. He looked at the guards, then crouched down and beckoned Flurry to approached with a claw. He tucked the papers under his other arm. Flurry hesitated and cast the detection spell. It washed over the room and prickled the guards’ fur. Spike smirked and scuffed a scale. “I approve of the paranoia,” the dragon admitted with a smile, “but no changeling can be this handsome.” He rubbed his claw on his chin. Flurry rolled her eyes and approached. Spike waved his claw in a circle and cupped his palm. The alicorn’s horn glowed and a small bubble enveloped them. The guards had to shuffle against the walls before it contracted. “You’re asking for a lot of security here,” Flurry remarked. “A group tried to raid the castle’s armory,” Spike revealed. “The Castle of the Two Sisters, not this one. Almost two dozen ponies.” Flurry’s stomach dropped. “When?” “Last night,” Spike answered. “During a shift change, but the new shift arrived early. It got bloody. A couple deaths.” Flurry frowned. “How was it timed? They had help.” Spike smiled sadly. “Thorax taught you well, didn’t he? He is…” the dragon paused. “Thorax is dealing with the survivors.” “Not too different from running a crime syndicate, huh?” Flurry snorted. “Does he think anypony high up is involved?” “Everypony’s clear,” Spike assured her, “but they had help.” “I just told the Reich they could have the castle,” Flurry groaned. “Thorax can do anything he needs to do to make sure it’s a smooth transition. What else?” “Your armor is inbound.” “My what?” “Your armor,” Spike repeated with a raised brow. “The heavy crystal plate that Obsidian made.” He flicked her forehead with a claw, bumping the crystal band. Flurry scrunched her muzzle. “Alright,” Flurry said. Her horn began to glow. “Wait,” Spike said quickly. “One more thing.” Flurry looked to the four guards. The shield was transparent, but they couldn’t hear them. That didn’t stop them from openly staring. “Yes?” Flurry prompted the dragon. “I need you to talk to Rainbow,” Spike sighed. “She just got back from another excursion.” “Is she injured?” “She bruised a hock on a hard landing,” Spike scoffed. “Got Timberwolf sap stuck in her metal feathers.” “It’s Rainbow,” Flurry laughed. “I’ll try to tell her to be more careful.” Spike closed his eyes. “I need you to tell her to stop.” Flurry swallowed. “W-what?” “Planes are incoming from Fillydelphia,” Spike said softly. “We had a plan to scrape Cloudsdale together into an airbase, and we’re already a week behind.” Flurry didn’t respond. “She’s in charge of our air force,” Spike continued, “and against all odds, she’s done a good job. She would’ve been Spitfire’s successor, if the Wonderbolts still existed.” “And if Spitfire survived,” Flurry added in a low voice. “Yeah,” Spike sighed. “She already blew me off. And Gilda.” “I’m not telling her to stop looking for Fluttershy,” Flurry rebuked the dragon. “She said she’s close.” “How many times has she told you that?” Flurry puffed out her cheeks, then deflated. “Three.” “She’s told me four times,” Spike concurred. He laid a claw on the alicorn’s shoulder and rubbed the frayed jacket softly. “You are her Princess.” Flurry blinked heavily. “Where is she?” Spike jerked his head beyond the shield. “In her throne.” Flurry Heart dispelled the shield, and the muffled sounds of ponies trotting through the castle returned. The guards conspicuously looked away. “You mind refereeing for Limestone and Gallus?” Flurry asked. “No,” Spike snorted a small puff of smoke. “He’ll need the help.” The dragon walked to the staircase and paused, looking back over his shoulder. Flurry nodded to him and entered the Map Room. Rainbow Dash was hunched in her throne, scrubbing at her metal wing with a cloth. The entire harness and wing was detached, stretched out on the broken table with greenish sap staining the sharp feathers. Her other wing flared and the feathers curled while she ran a large cloth down the prosthetic. She looked up at the sound of the doors closing. Rainbow’s eyes were bloodshot and dark bags hung under them. “Hey!” she yawned and waved her right wing. “Princess, what’s goin’ on?” “Gallus is still negotiating with Tempest.” “Fizzlepop,” Rainbow chuckled. Flurry’s tail tried to snap under her skirt in agitation. “Whatever.” “I think Tempest is cooler,” Rainbow admitted. She yawned again, set the cloth down, and chugged a large mug of coffee. She stuck her tongue out. “Bad coffee?” Flurry asked and trotted over to Rainbow’s throne. “It’s cold,” Rainbow coughed. Flurry enveloped the mug in her magic and cast a mild warming spell. She tried not to put too much power into it. Rainbow bumped the mug with a hoof and squinted into it. “You didn’t make it boil again.” “That was one time,” Flurry defended herself. “You’re lucky it was Spike drinking it,” Rainbow countered. She flailed a hoof over at Twilight’s throne. “Have a seat.” Flurry stared at it and breathed heavily. “I’ll stand.” “You have more right to that throne than Sunset ever did,” Rainbow stated flatly. “She disappears for years and scampers up right after the war started?” the pegasus snorted. “I figured she was a spy.” “Didn’t you think Twilight was a spy when you first met?” “And it made sense!” Rainbow answered. “Twilight and Nightmare? Far too much of a coincidence.” “All of our names are too coincidental,” Flurry retorted. “Yeah, well dad wanted to name me Speed Racer, but mom won the coin toss.” Rainbow resumed scrubbing the metal wing. Flurry watched the small stub of her left wing joint twitch and spasm; it moved in time with her right wing. “I never asked: was it amputated, or just cut off?” “My wing?” Rainbow asked in clarification. “The Jaeger cut real deep. I had to finish the job. Waited until the medical tent to pass out.” “I’m sorry.” Rainbow clicked her tongue. “You shoulda been there.” Her eyes widened and she whipped her head to Flurry. “Not that I meant it was your fault! Starlight and Spike should’ve let you come; we would’ve won Canterlot.” “The ELF didn’t lose at Canterlot,” Flurry replied. “We lost at the Celestial Plain. We couldn’t beat the tanks back.” “Looks like we got bird steel to hide behind now,” Rainbow admitted. “Saw a lot of them rumbling through. Hope they’re far enough away from Flutters. She was always a little timid around them.” Rainbow’s eyes crinkled. “Not around Tank, though. She loved that tortoise. He’s probably still with her, you know? They live a long time.” Flurry shuffled her hooves. “Rainbow, we had a plan with Cloudsdale, right?” “I’ll get right on it,” Rainbow promised. “Flutters can help. I know I’m behind.” Flurry bit her lip. “I didn’t want to leave Aquileia. Not until I found my father. I didn’t want to leave his body in a ditch.” “Yeah,” Rainbow said shortly. “Your father was dead.” She scrubbed at the feathers harder. “She’s not dead.” “I still left. Because it was important to leave.” “She’s not dead,” Rainbow repeated. “The animals are keeping away from the supply lines. I got the area narrowed down. Just a few more days.” “You’ve said that before.” “I am not leaving her!” Rainbow snarled. She pressed down hard enough with the cloth that the wing screeched across the crystal table. A few feathers tore through and nearly sliced her hooves. Flurry stood up straight. “Fluttershy knows you’re here. She knows exactly where you are.” “Don’t give me that shit,” Rainbow growled. “You sound just like Lime. Flutters isn’t a coward. She’s not. That asshole Discord would agree. When he tried to leave with her, she screamed at him with swears even I didn’t know about. He was the coward, not her.” Flurry licked her lips. “Did you see her during the uprising?” “No,” Rainbow admitted, “but everypony knew she was in the Everfree. Zecora saw her a few times, helping the animals with their injuries from attacking the bugs.” “She knows we’re all here,” Flurry rephrased. “We’re not going to find her.” “Shut up.” “She doesn’t want to be found.” “She alive,” the pegasus rasped. “I know she is.” “I believe you,” Flurry said, “but she isn’t here.” “T-there’s spells to find her,” Rainbow tried. “Help me.” “Detection spells can’t differentiate lifeforms that specifically,” Flurry shook her head. “It’s a forest, Rainbow. A big one. It’ll take you years.” “I’ll pull the air wings to help. I should’ve already done it.” “No,” Flurry countered. “I’m not letting you fly pegasi ragged to look for Fluttershy.” The alicorn extended her wings. “I need you focused on this. There’s a battle coming.” “She can help,” Rainbow spat. “She’s more important!” You’re going to make me say it. Flurry inhaled. “No. Rainbow, she isn’t.” Rainbow’s muzzle spasmed into a wild snarl. She looked at the throne with three pink butterflies. Her lips trembled. “I was wrong," she rasped. "You don’t deserve Twilight’s throne.” Flurry looked over at the throne with a star carved onto it. You’re right. “You have a duty to everypony in Equestria to fight this war. A duty you’ve neglected, wasting time trying to find a single mare.” “And what about my duty to my friend?” Rainbow shouted. “My oldest friend, huh? What about her!? Am I supposed to leave her out here!?” “Yes!” Flurry’s horn glowed and she warded the room, cutting off the outside. “Fluttershy knows you are here. If she has eyes, she’s seen you flying over.” Rainbow shook her head. “I haven’t gone over every area.” “And how long is that going to take?” Flurry asked. “Another day? Like the last time you told me? You know that is an excuse.” “I don’t give up on my friends.” “Okay,” Flurry sighed. Her voice returned to normal. “Give me your armband.” Rainbow glanced to her flight jacket. The purple Imperial Snowflake was wrapped around her right foreleg. “What?” she asked softly. “You cannot fulfill your duties as Air Marshal,” Flurry stated. “Name your replacement.” Rainbow breathed in and out. She refused to look up at the alicorn across the table. “I would suggest a subordinate that’s already familiar with our plans,” Flurry continued. “Otherwise, I am ordering you to proceed with Cloudsdale. Immediately.” “Y-you’re really going to make me choose?” Rainbow sniffled. She scrubbed at her muzzle with a hoof. “Yes. The same choice my mother and father made.” Flurry folded her wings back against her side. “And the same choice I made. My family or my throne.” Rainbow reached down with her muzzle and bit the armband. She tugged on it half-heartedly with tears in her magenta eyes. The pegasus grit her teeth, summoning all of her resolve; she glared at Flurry with one narrowed eye. Flurry watched with her own tears. “I’m sorry, Rainbow.” Rainbow let go, and the armband stayed. “Fuck you, Flurry,” she sobbed. She slumped down onto the table and covered her head. Princess Flurry Heart kept the wards up until Rainbow stopped crying. She stayed back and waited quietly. The pegasus eventually wiped her snotty muzzle on her sleeve and leaned back in her throne. “There’s one place I haven’t looked yet,” Rainbow sniffed. “I want you to come. You can bring Spike and Gallus.” Flurry shook her head. “Rainbow…” “You need to see it anyway,” Rainbow insisted. “Please. I’ll get back to work after we go.” “When do you want to leave?” Flurry agreed with a low sigh. “Once I’m done cleaning the gunk out,” Rainbow hiccupped. She began scrubbing the metal wing again with the torn, stained cloth. “If Gallus and Spike aren’t busy.” Flurry slowly walked out of the room. She stopped at the doors. “Rainbow,” Flurry began, “I’m sure Fluttershy-” “Please,” Rainbow whickered, “don’t talk about her ever again.” Flurry bit her lip. “Okay.” She left without another word.