“It’s a pleasure to have you here, Ms. Starlight Glimmer. But… what has forced you to go all the way just to visit us?”
“I am here… to tear you APART!” the light purple pony growled. She attempted to do just that by jumping right into the Chancellor. But… it’s all in vain. She has been severely electrified by Black Wine’s magic, to the point that she was forced to stay in the sick bay.
“Please receive my apology, my lady. What I’ve done is only for your own sake. We can’t let those filthy creatures to get you and exploit your magic for evil doings…”
“It is you who are EVIL!” she yelled, while her face wrinkled in pain. Every time she attempts to use magic, there will be some strong currents running through her muscles. It is because of electrical wires connected to at least a dozen of medical needles stabbed into her frail body like small daggers, which also served as vessels to transport nutrition, blood, and later, anesthetic. She also has to use a ventilator to support her breathing. Her yell, as mentioned, is still echoed across the room thanks to her intact neck despite the burns.
Turns out, Captain Madison’s search party has found Starlight in advance, which is also conveniently right in front of Black Wine's snout. “He came, he saw, he conquered'', his subordinate says. That's what the dark blue unicorn does to her. He almost completely ignored his soldier and opened fire on Starlight with his Phoenix Fire spell, so fast that the arguably most powerful unicorn didn’t have time to respond. In the morning of the day after, however, he did send a gift of apology for the soldier he had unintentionally harmed, stating that he had no choice but to use his magic immediately after seeing her. “She could bring the ship down in mere seconds if I don’t act quickly” is his reasoning. Some of those soldiers are still lying in the sick bay to treat the injury, 3 of them to be exact.
Starlight, being his sole target for the attack, was badly burned. Almost all of her coat was replaced by black scorching stains, and some parts even show bleeding wounds. Painkiller is absolutely needed for her, as it’s the only way she could feel relatively bearable to stay awake to insult the dark blue Chancellor.
“You are a liar, a disgusting stain to Harmony…” she said amidst the agony the burns bring to her.
“I sincerely apologize for this, my Lady.” The Chancellor mumbled, and there were tears in his eyes surprisingly as it ran down under his mask. Later, a nurse pony walked to him and said:
“She was severely burned by your magic, Sir…”
“I know. And I’m okay if you punish the Tartarus out of me…” he said while wiping his tears “…how is her situation right now?”
“She is stable, at least for now. I’ll tell them to bring some anesthetic to keep her sleeping.”
“Good… But can I also bring another thing into the sick bay?”
“I’m afraid you can’t…”
“It’s the Psycho Drive Connector.”
Most of the Psycho MkII Gundam engineers, minus Aki, know what that thing is. It is a large piece of hardware that causes the suit’s head to be elongated, as the thing was installed behind it’s head. The device was rumored to contain the ‘souls’ of the Council, and later Starlight Glimmer, and distributed their magic across the MS’s psycho frame. “That thing is ridiculously overpowered. I think the end of the universe as we know it will come to an end will be brought by that massive abomination!”
But no one in their slightest idea thinks building a world-ender is a good idea, not even Black Wine. His intention is to build a weapon that can surpass any type of defense, to the point that “Not even the strongest magic can make a dent on it” as he said. The Magic of Friendship is a perfect choice. It never lost any battles.
And to complement that magical power, Starlight Glimmer is a perfect addition. And to serve that purpose, the Psycho Drive Connector will transfer her consciousness, and her magic, to the Psycho MkII Gundam. And just like the Council of Friendship before her, the dark blue MS will be her new home.
“This is the quickest way to end her suffering, I swear!” he said with a caring and soft voice, whilst putting his hooves on his nurse’s shoulder. “It’s an un-painful method. Do you see all those medical needles that you have put into her before? That’s where we're gonna plug the Psycho Drive Connector in. No additional needles, no needless pain!”
“Don’t you dare turn her into one of your wonder weapons!” she growled.
“I’m sorry, but fighting evilness is her and the Council’s desire. If they want to borrow the Psycho MkII to fight it, I’m sorry, I can’t stop it!”
…
“That piece of shit…” Rainbow Dash punched her hooves onto the deck.
“He will certainly not stop! At this point, the whole Equestria will be swallowed by this thing! Ohhh… I can’t take this anymore!” Twilight Sparkle hugged her head in pain and regret “I should never elect that monster!”
“Twilight, Twilight,…” Spike comes by her shaking the alicorn up.
“This machine will be our torch for the complete cleanliness of Equestria! The sword of justice that sweep through Equus!'' The Chancellor continues “By their own desire to be the eternal force for our kingdom's protection, we have placed the Council of Friendship under the protection of this machine: the Psycho MkII Gundam. Its fierce armor shall never corrode away, once its body has been turned to dust. It shall never be pierced through by those creatures’ dark magic. May their Magic free us all from our enemy's evil desire to split our kingdom and our pony harmony! May its Psycho Frame shine the path to our victory! Amicitia est Magicae!”
The Chancellor yelled. He put up the scepter as a gift for the dark blue machine, their new holy temple.
“Amicitia est Magicae!” the monks soon followed.
The guard then pulled Flash even further from the suit’s cockpit with their magic. Black Wine also used them to hover himself in front of the suit’s cockpit and brought out some kind of a jar with colorful liquid.
“This is your favorite perfume. May this perfume become a warning to any force dare to scratch your scared body. Hoc ventus unguentum” he mumbled. He poured the perfume around the suit, also with his magic, while repeating the “Hoc ventus unguentum” phrase.
“Hey… I think I can hear my perfume in there?” Rainbow Dash said, “Isn’t that wooden flower of Everfree?”
“Mine is Magenta flower! Huff!” Rarity gasped.
“I can scent it too… Did he combine all of our scents into that jar?” Rarity questioned, “What a… what a sick pony!”
After yelling to the monks “Classis dimittat” (class dismissed), he trotted to Flash and kneeled down to him.
“Well, you see, you are holding an extremely scared thing for our ponies, although only temporarily. You will continue testing alongside the Psycho MkII for just one more flight, and then, it’s mine!”
The ponies then quickly gave way for the mechanics and pilots to work again. After all the midst was settled, they turned to talk to Starlight Glimmer.
“Wait… explain like I’m five!” Rainbow Dash started “Why are you coming here?”
“I’ve your voice, Twilight!” she turned to Twilight Sparkle “I can hear your anger when you condemned what Black Wine has done to you. Then I saw those two mobile suits y’all imprisoned in, so I decided to come and investigate.”
“I think you’ve been under his eyes all these years he planned with that abomination called the Psycho MkII Gundam right there!” Rarity pointed her eyes to the dark blue mobile suit. “Question: how do you get captured?”
“Basically they found me not so long after I successfully entered the ship. He saw, and I swear he made some of the widest smiles I’ve ever seen, maybe only after Pinkie’s or Discord’s, before burning me with his magic and brought me into this metal prison! Believe me, my burned body was kept somewhere on this ship!”
“Lucky you, there’s Mr. Flash Sentry here to help!” Pinkie Pie points her hooves to Flash, who is still focusing his ears and mind to the Psycho MkII alongside his mechanic Aki.”
“Flash… what?”
“Flash Sentry! He is a mobile suit pilot, don’t you know? And…”
“And the one who stole Twilight’s crown all those moons ago!” Rainbow Dash added.
“Wait, what?” Starlight gasped.
They briefed the whole conversation they had with Flash the night before to her, about how they met the blue haired pilot and why they had to choose him.
“So you said that he’s also in charge of my daughter and her friends now? That's ridiculous!”
“Yeah, I know. But it looks like we have no choice but to ask for his help, Starlight.” Applejack added “Recently he has been cut off from Luster Dawn and her friends, so it would be hard for him to unite us all, and beat that dark blue pony once and for all…”
Just after Applejack mentioned Luster Dawn, Flash suddenly stopped his work and shivered in anger. His eyes widened, his breath get heavier, and his fist tightened…”
“Huh, you good bro?” Aki looked up and asked. In contrast, in Flash, he didn’t even know there’s the “Haunting Curse”, let alone hearing what the spirits stuck in the MS he worked on saying, so he assumed Flash just got something wrong in his mind. “You need some help there?”
Flash didn’t answer.
Ignoring the guy’s reaction, the group continue their story.
“But I knew she was a strong pony. She will certainly know how to save herself and her friends out…”
…
It’s been nearly a month since Flash was missing.
There’s not much has changed from the moment they lost the raid at Kludgetown. For many reasons, the Harmony Guardian Alliance’s high command refused to send the ship to any major combat zone, with the reason of keeping the surviving assets as intact as possible being the biggest one.
So, as it turns out, they still got to continue the boring job of finding and chasing the Cloudsdale, along with the Parrot Strength right next. The other ships were literally sent to other war zones.
“That Eagle Scream one was sent to the Everfree forest, right?” Haystack asked his Captain.
“Yep, if I’m not wrong.” He replied. “That place is a meat grinder. I doubt that ship can survive for a long time there. Probably don’t even last in the first 24 hours.”
Discord is not exaggerated when he stated that. Two of the largest fleets of both sides are presented there: the Canterlot Grand Fleet of Equestria, and the Zero-One combined Fleet of HGA. Analysts estimated there are around 110 ships presented and roughly 25.000 troops for each side. The forest is nearly decimated to the ground, yet the part surrounding the main Royal Palace is still kept green by the reindeer plant magic. The reason why both sides poured so much power and assets to that forest is because of how near it is to the town of Ponyville. In fact, it is just located in the outskirts of the Equestrian Capital of Friendship. The Canterlot government, after more than a year of fighting overseas, was once stabbed on a country so close to their homeland, and was forced to bring their best fleet there. The Alliance also did not want to slip away the only chance to fight in Equestria’s back yard, so they decided to bring around 50 ships to that kingdom that is struggling for survival.
Mobile suits, while they are the main subject of discussion, only have about 25 confirmed units that have been used in the battle. The reason is clear: they are completely alien technology, and it takes tons of effort and money to transport them to Equestria via the Colony Wormhole. It’s a miracle that the Canterlot and the Cloudsdale can be presented in Equus at all, along with the Salamis class New Hampshire.
However, the fear amongst the Alliance’s high command started to rise. The so-called “mock battle” between the Alicorn and the Psycho MkII Gundam have been widely reported, with photos from witnesses from kilometers away and the aftermath that come after. Coupled with the fact that almost every Equusian heard Twilight’s statement during that mock battle, the Equestrian keeping top secret world-ending mobile suits are getting well known. Not just citizens in other kingdoms, but the ponies are freaks out as well.
“We have no chance against either of them. Maybe you can help us with your magic of chaos?” Yellow Pickle questioned her Captain.
“Unlikely. I’ve been defeated by them before. Twice! I won’t leave myself harmed by friendly fire anymore!” Discord said by crawling himself into a literal large fur ball.
“But… Fluttershy…”
“Yeah, how can I forget about my dear Fluttershy!” he popped right back to his normal look once Yellow Pickle mentioned his beloved pegasus. “We must fight, whatever the cost, to save her!” he formed a fist with his claws and said with a prideful manner, and standing up on his chair with just as much pride.
“Yeah, pretty much everyone has that mentality now.” Yellow Pickle wrapped her hooves and said with a sigh.
At the moment, the crew are looking forward to another resupply routine. This time in the Diamond Dogs kingdom of Caninia, a kingdom friendly to the Alliance.
The landing is carried out smoothly. The small flotilla was greeted by the Princesses themselves. They decided to meet with Discord and Yellow Pickle, shaking their claws and paws and asking some questions.
The eldest sister, queen Katherina, was clearly disappointed when she saw no Rainbow Dash presented on board, along with Discord and co.
“What’s wrong with her? Why is she not here?”
The commanders looked at each other nervously, as if they wanted to ask “What should we say?”
The tension only got a bit more loosened when Celaeno helped. “She was kidnapped by the Equestrian spy.” She replied.
Needless to say the sisters were shocked. They covered their mouths, as Celaeno continued the story.
“A group of spy ponies successfully broke into the ship and found her. I don’t remember the full details, but we lost her after she went to our AA battery to help out the creatures there…”
“So where is she now?” Princess Fiona Floppyears questioned “Is she safe, is she alright?”
“We have no idea…”
On the other side, Haystack had just got down off the ship and stretched himself out, breathing some fresh air into his tired nose after a long time stuck in the cramped air flow of the ship’s air conditioner system. It is certainly a nice day, as it is always in the tropical area of the Equestrian continent.
Then, he decided to put his eyes right to his left. There is a large tent area where ponies are gathering to witness the Canterlot being neatly placed in a large yard not so far from both their camps and the castle. White tends are erected really near each other. The clothes are hung on makeshift wires. Smokes can be seen flying off a simple metal tube that is called a chimney, indicating the ponies are cooking something.
“Refugee camp. They are for the ponies that are running from the war.” Princess Moonbeam Twinkletail came by and said “We have settled a large piece of land not so far from the castle, bring foods, drinks and those tends you see here for them.”
However, there is a metal net fence dividing them from the refugee camp, which is where most of its inhabitants come to see the ship landed. He can spot all of the ponies there are relatively in a poor state, both mentally and physically.
“They refused to agree with Black Wine’s ideology.” The princess continued “So…”
“Haystack, Haystack!” a familiar voice pierced through the loud atmosphere of the crowds, flying into the Lieutenant’s ear.
“What the…”
The voices are loud enough that it helped Haystack locate the source.
It was his wife who called him.
“What the… Mayflower?” he was surprised.
The brown pony ran right up to where she’s standing, followed by Moonbeam. When they arrived, it was not just her that was there. His son, Applesauce and his daughter, Moonbeam Shimmer, were also present. He pushes his snout into the part where a hole was somehow made and kisses the love of his life.
“Mayflower… What are you doing here? Oh my…”
Tears ran down their cheeks, the tears of happiness and joy after more than a year of not seeing each other. His foals also jumped gleefully, seeing their dad is still in one piece.
“This is my son, Applesauce, and here’s my daughter, Moonbeam Shimmer!” He proudly introduced his family to the Caninian Princess.
“Ah, I can see we have the same name. Hello Moonbeam!”
“Hello, your Highness…”
“You can call me Moonbeam, or Twinkletail.” She said “And you are…”
“I’m Mayflower, his wife” a mare with a pale ruby coat, blue sharp eyes and pale blond mane tied up into a bun said. “It’s a pleasure to meet your Highness.”
“You can call me Twinkletail… A pleasure to meet you too, Mayflower...”
…
“Where are you when they come to our house?” asked Mayflower with a slightly reproachful voice “They want to force Applesauce to the Army!”
“Why? Is he in the age of fighting?”
“They said he’s perfectly willing to fight for ‘Ponies purity’! What a jerk, that Sargent Silver Spear is! He has beaten him badly, with hooves and scimitar!” Mayflower describes the raid and swipes her tears. It happened when the Equestrian Army command of their hometown learned that Applesauce completely neglected their call to the frontline. “He even kicked our little Moonbeam… to the wall!” She said while pointing at her filly’s forehead. There are still a fairly sizable stitches, an evidence of the Army violence on their own ponies.
The Caninian Princess comes by her and fondles her. “Poor ponies…”
“But I’m glad you still have the strength to fight against Black Wine’s tyranny! Thank you for not letting more blood fall, both you and me…” Moonbeam the dog said with gratitude in her eyes.
Mayflower brought out some tea for the meeting, the jasmine tea, one that was especially loved by Haystack when he was still at home with her. Apparently, the Caninian Princess really likes it.
“You ponies really know how to make the finest drinks!” she said, as the Princess gracefully sipped the tea.
“Thank you, your Highness…” Mayflower said.
As his family is talking happily with each other with the Princess, Haystack can’t help but look at his small family. They all looked in poor condition, yet they looked pretty. His wife is still as beautiful as ever. Screw all those rumors that he has a crush on Celaeno, this family is the best.
“Hello there, is that your family, Haystack?” Discord suddenly came, along with some of his crewmates. They were wearing the bell necklace, a traditional gift that every tourist who comes to Caninia always has.
“Yes, there are! Here, let me introduce them to you!”
It was, perhaps, the happiest moment he could probably have from the war. Seeing his family again, still in one piece, is the only wish he could have. Discord, Celaeno, as well as the Princesses, have all decided to stay and has the chit chat with his family. But seeing both Celaeno and his wife smiling together in the same tent, he felt guilty. He has to be honest that he did have a crush on Celaeno, as Flash Sentry use to tease him
“So… how old are you, bud?” Princess Indiana Ambereyes asked the young stallion, who is sitting right next to his dad with some Diamond Dogs cookies in his hoofs.
“Currently 16, your Highness.” He said with some of the cookie bits still being chewed in his little mouth.
“Oh my…”
“I… I even heard about kids with only about 10 years old say they wanted to ‘see the world’, too! One of the colts in my school has signed up for that.”
They all gasped at what Applesauce said. They heard about teenage ponies fighting in the Chancellor’s Army before, but the fact that ponies as old as 10 years old are dragged makes them feel Black Wine was willing to bring the entire Equestrian population to become his cannon fodder. The Alliance soldier once saw the corpse of an old stallion with missing limbs before. Little did they know how horrified those soldiers feel when they saw it.
“E… Elaborate…” Princess Katherina Proudpaws speak up “…what do you mean by ‘see the world’?”
“They said we will be recruited into the navy… They are planning to have a giant ship, and it will dwarfed any ships that exist in our world!”
“Wait, why?”
“Because they are planning to use some ‘wonder weapons’ that are installed on that… I don’t know what is that… But it is strong enough to destroy an entire city in just one shot!”
“What is he planning?” Katherina came closer to him, to the point her snout almost touches his.
“I don’t know… They may be just rumors…” Applesauce shook in fear.
Luckily, he was unintentionally when a pony, who is a Canterlot’s crew member, broke in and said:
“Sir… we just receive a strange signal…” he reported directly to Discord “I beg your patron, your Majesties… But there’s a fleet of Equestrian on their way to here…”