//------------------------------// // Uprising (Finale Part 2) // Story: Equestrian Rim // by Visharo //------------------------------// "Princess Twilight! Where have you been? I've been worried sick!" The purple alicorn felt a twinge of regret in her heart as Raven Inkwell burst out once she saw her flying back. Angling her wings, Twilight came down in a controlled descent before landing gracefully. "I'm so sorry, Raven. How is the castle? Has anything bad happened?" The face on the mare was pure anguish and that made Twilight feel even more ashamed. "Oh, it's been terrible! These Canterlot nobles are going to be the death of me! Fleur de Lis and Fancy Pants have been trying their very best but even they couldn't handle them." Raven started pacing around nervously, her horn sparking in angst. Twilight hugged her and murmured her apologies into her ear. It took a while but soon the two of them were off to the throne room where the bloodthirsty nobles waited. *** Twilight immediately regretted it the moment the doors opened with her magic. Her eardrums were pelted by entitled angry socialites with nothing better to do than complain about their welfare. She was so tempted to snap at them, but a princess wouldn't do that. Ignoring them for the time being, Twilight held her head up high and trotted carefully to her throne. Before sitting down, she made eye contact with Fleur and Fancy and nodded. The two shared tired grins before slipping away. "Now, wha..." "You have a plan for this, do you not?" "There are so many Kaiju now! What if they come to Canterlot?" "When Princess Celestia and Luna were ruling, the Kaiju were taken care of quickly." "Yeah! Since you've ascended the throne, everything has gone wrong! Actually since the Elements were found!" "It's been disaster after disaster!" "Go home!" "We don't want you here!" "My cabbages!" "ENOUGH!" The royal Canterlot voice slipped out and immediately everypony shut up. Expressions ranged from pure shock to unbridled rage to smug indifference. She was visibly shaking, Twilight could feel it. Her friends were out there, protecting Equestria from those...those monsters, and these sorry excuses of ponies were concerned for their own safeties and legacy. They dared to question her worth to the throne and Equestria even after all these years. "If you have nothing worthwhile to contribute, I would kindly ask you to leave. Now." They all filed out, many grumbling, but nopony dared to straggle. After the last tail disappeared behind the doors did Twilight sag back down into her throne. If only Canterlot didn't need those pests. Raven placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder and blinked, knowing full well how annoying these ponies are. It was the older mare's turn to comfort her and she let her. Soon enough, the alicorn was back on her hooves, determined to get back to her job. "Raven, is there anything else?" "Besides the Kaiju apocalypse, oh, I suppose not. Most of the population are down in the bunkers all over Equestria and beyond, which is a relief. Oh, and Discord wants to see you." "Discord?" "He's waiting at the main hall." Raven took a step back as the furious look came back. The aide swore she saw her mane turn slightly red, but turned around and trotted away before she could confirm what she saw. "Oh, I'm going to have words with him!" Forgoing slamming down the doors, Twilight decided to teleport with the flashiest entrance she dared. How dare the draconequus not help with the war effort! His powers could be used for good! There was a crackle and within a blink, Twilight was somewhere else and was greeted with a familiar squeak. "Twilight!" Fluttershy bounded over, her wings fluttering around anxiously and her face completely drenched in tears. "Fluttershy! What's wrong? Tell me!" The two quickly embraced, the guards around them stood at their posts like they were trained. "It's Disco...Discord!" The yellow pegasus wailed and buried her head back into Twilight's chest. It was getting really uncomfortable and damp, but anything for a friend. Taking the initiative, the alicorn lifted her head and gasped at the sight of the creature. What was Discord now looked like a bloated shell of his former self. Everything was disproportionate and off-looking, even more than usual, and he looked deathly pale. His legs and arms wobbled as he tried to do something, anything, but nothing seemed to be working. "Discord?" Twilight slowly came over with the crying pegasus in tow. "If it isn't my favourite princess! How are you doing, your highness?" His voice was crackly but sounded coherent enough. "Cut that out Discord, is this another joke? Please tell me this is another joke." Twilight pleaded, her eyes telling everything that she could not say. "No joke this time. The world has gotten too chaotic for me, or maybe I'm becoming less attuned. Whatever the case is, I am this now. Can't even snap my fingers." He raised a pudgy paw and claw and grinned a sickly one before it turned into him gasping for air. Fluttershy was by his side in an instant and hugged him as tightly as she could. Twilight also trotted over, her face portraying every single worry of the past month. "Is there anything we can do? There's something we can do!" She asked quietly and hopefully. Some small part in the back of her head asked her who she was trying to convince. Discord merely shook his head with a cocky little grin. His expression softened at the sight of the weeping pegasus and hugged her as well. He looked back up and Twilight did a double take on how serious he looked. "Go beat them back, Twilight. We're all counting on you." *** Twilight was lost. After her talk with Discord, she turned tail and trotted around. It took several hours of extreme anxiety for her to realize what she was doing. It didn't help that her usual stoic guards were casting anxious glances at each other. With a huff she galloped for her war room. The Shatterdome Head Command as Celestia called it, was a giant war room with several magical monitors attuned and enhanced by several magical alloys and crystals from all over the world. It allowed her to contact any Shatterdome within moments. It was much more efficient than letters but this technology was only to be used for military reasons. It took several minutes, too long, for the first one to answer the magical call. A hologram of the pony answering took shape. It was Marshall Insomnia of the Baltimare Shatterdome. He looked really battered. Several cuts crisscrossed all over his body, his left forehoof was in a cast, and his left eye was gone, but at the sight of the princess, he grinned. "Princess Twilight, what do I owe the pleasure?" Insomnia, or Sommy as he liked to be called, always the gentlecolt, tipped his head in a bow. "No need to do that if you can help it, your injuries look severe Marshall, is everything going alright there?" Despite her even tone, Twilight was freaking out on the inside. Everything was going wrong, why were so many of her ponies dying, why were the Kaiju attacking, why was any of this happening! "Nothing to worry about, Princess, I've had worse." She rose her eyebrow. "No, seriously. A buddy of mine threw me in front of a Jaeger rocket and it blew up. I was in the hospital for a full year. I actually just recovered a month ago." He grinned as if nothing he just said was concerning. Twilight just stared at him and the stallion sighed before relenting. "Alright, we lost two Jaegers. My Jaeger was one of them. We have one Jaeger left defending Baltimare while the rest are running ahead to run point for Honest Riot. Sweet Celestia do I wish to be there with them." "My condolences." She bowed and he returned the gesture. He smiled sadly before doing a little wave before disappearing. It was another ten minutes before the next Shatterdome answered. A pony she didn't know showed up, but her uniform said she came from Los Pegasus. "Acting Marshall Rose Garden Ma'am." The mare snapped a smart salute while trying not to look tense or terrified. She almost fooled Twilight if Twilight wasn't an expert on feeling exactly that. What caught the monarch's eye was the fire raging in the background. "Garden, is that fire a problem?" "No, Ma'am. We've got it under control." As if coming to her aid, several creatures came rushing into the scene with fire extinguishers and water buckets. As the fire died down, Twilight saw that the thing on fire was a Jaeger hoof. "Are you sure? Do I need to send backup?" Twilight felt her heart plummet as her imagination ran rampant. Perhaps the city was completely gone and they were the only ones left! Or maybe they pushed back the Kaiju but the entire Jaeger force was wiped out! "No need Ma'am, that hoof you see was the only casualty. The lucky bastard sheered it off and it came and crashed through the Shatterdome. The Pilots and the Jaeger itself are fine. Two of ours have joined up with Prince Rutherford." "Sounds like you are handling things quite well over there. Is there any reason you are here as Acting Marshall and not the actual Marshall?" Twilight waited with bated breath, she was very close to the Marshall of Los Pegasus and hoped nothing had happened to him. "Oh no, Ma'am. Marshall Sentry was one of Pilots that went with Prince Rutherford. Is that all Ma'am?" Rose asked, fear showing in her eyes, despite her crisp and calm delivery. "Yes, you are dismissed. Good work." The connection cut. Twilight had to wait a full hour before the next one chimed. The connection opened up and was greeted by a panicked Yak. Before she could open her mouth to ask what was wrong, another magical channel opened. This one left nothing to the imagination. Tiny Kaiju were running through the halls of the Shatterdome with techponies and Cadets were fighting them off. Before she could witness more, a third opened, then a fourth. Soon all of them were opened and all portrayed visages beyond belief. All of them were asking for help. It was too much. Sending a quick prayer to whoever, Twilight apologized and turned the whole system off. She needed backup and she knew exactly where to go. *** Arriving in Dodge City once again, she rushed forwards to a large scrap pile. Her presence caught a few glances but there wasn't enough. Preparing herself, Twilight casted a spell and spoke. "Citizens of Dodge City! I am Princess Twilight Sparkle and I am asking for your aid. You have Jaegers of your own with capabilities that only you know. Please, I am begging you. Please and help defend Equestria, help defend your home! The Shatterdomes have been breached and you can help them!" She was expecting resistance, maybe even a rotten tomato or two, but was pleasantly surprised to see everycreature immediately drop what they were doing and went to their garages. Twilight expressed her gratitude before gliding downwards into the medical ward. Doctor Pulse was waiting for her and assured her that Rainbow had been healing quite spectacularly. She thanked the doctor before taking off, once again. She went around Dodge City, helping them figure out the harmonics to communicate with the other Jaegers and Shatterdomes. She helped outfit weapons and screw on hooves. She even fished out a colt who fell into an oil vat. The thing that surprised her the most was that it only took a single hour and then everycreature was moving. Twilight split the group in half, one half going to the west and the other, the east. One of the Pilots, Disstrack, said that he would hack into Equestrian Radio and announce the uprising. He knew of other garages and scrapyards like Dodge City with more Jaegers that would be willing to join the fight. He nearly dropped his headphones when Twilight gave him a huge hug and a thank you. He mumbled and nodded his thanks and Twilight ignored his red cheeks with a small smile. Happiness in times like these are a commodity and they should be taken when given. Princess Twilight flapped her wings and off she went, towards the fighting. Despite not being in a Jaeger, she knew how to tussle with a Kaiju. She had to fight one once when Trixie accidentally depowered a whole Shatterdome, leaving Fillydelphia defenseless. While she was flying, there was a loud roaring noise that settled near her. At her speeds, she didn't dare look but after a few seconds, the curiosity was too much. Quickly glancing to the side nearly caused her to careen to the side after seeing the rouge Jaeger; Daybreaker. There was a pop and words started forming in Twilight's head. "My faithful student, racing into battle without a Jaeger? Tsk, I thought I taught you better." There was a giggle. "CELESTIA!?" "Verily! I have come to assist Honest Riot and the defenders of the Eastern side while my sister goes to the Western side to aid Prince Rutherford." "Wha, buh, Celestia...how!?" "Oh quite simple, my faithful student. We had our own Jaegers made before we retired and then used them after we moved to Silver Shoals. It has been most delightful fighting in one of these things...and the most depressing. We made you one too!" "Wait..." Another rumble brought her attention to the left where another alicorn Jaeger flew. Dark purple and starry. It looked really menacing and Twilight couldn't help but fall in love. "Midnight Sparkle we call it, hop in!" Celestia's voice instantly compelled Twilight to fly over and jump into the connpod. The suit and the walking struts seemed designed specifically for her, which she supposed was intentional. She gaped at the technology of the Jaeger, how it was a single Pilot, how it was under autopilot, and how fluid it all seemed. She felt powerful. "Shall we?" "We shall!" The two alicorn Jaegers flew forwards to the battle. Behind them, hundreds of makeshift and homemade Jaegers made their way across the country at barreling speeds. More and more kept on being added to the horde. After switching to the right bandwidth, Twilight was greeted by war cries and guttural banshee cries. It was beautiful as it was horrifying. The whole grim near future that awaited them was nothing compared to the power euphoria she was feeling right now and she couldn't help but smile. Let them come.