3.1. Dance of Death
"Everypony into the breach!" Twilight ordered as loudly as her vocal cords would allow. "Unicorns, go ahead, and pony knights, stay behind!"
Struggling to push aside her fear, the Princess of Friendship took to the air and hovered about a meter above the soldiers' heads, realizing that she would have to take at least some command of Ponyville's defense. Throughout her life, she had often played the role of organizer in various matters, but never before in battles, so her hooves trembled with the strain of moral responsibility. Nonetheless, there were still ponies in this area who hadn't had a chance to evacuate yet, which meant they needed protection, just like the rest of the town, no matter what happened.
The officers of the guard units repeated Twilight's orders one after another, and they were already being executed with full force. The street filled with the pounding of over a hundred hooves and the clinking of armor. The unicorns in the front lines quickly reached the wide gap torn in the palisade at the gate, forming ranks just as the enemy began firing at them. From her position, Sparkle noticed some of them falling lifeless under the periodic flickering of a strange energy, sending shudders of dread through her core. At the same moment, she saw a group of Ponyvillians burst out from around the corner of one of the streets leading to the right, accompanied by six pony knights.
To the squad of unicorn guards, it was necessary to protect both themselves and the town ponies, who had found themselves on the battlefield at the most inopportune moment. Twilight loudly commanded them to create a large magical shield that could mend the breach in the palisade. Her order instantly passed through the ranks of the soldiers, and she herself hurried to rise higher to personally see who the enemies advancing towards Ponyville were. She froze in mid-air as she just managed to put up a force field in front of her, as if by some premonition. A hail of blobs of pale energy was flying towards her – the same energy that had knocked the guards off their hooves. However, none of them hit the princess; they shattered not against her violet magical aura, to her surprise, but against a blue one.
"Twilight!" Rarity's terrified cry came from below. She had miraculously created a magical barrier in front of Twilight at the same moment.
Looking down, Sparkle saw her shocked friends, who had just witnessed nearly a dozen blobs of this strange deadly energy almost colliding with her. Fortunately, the magical aura created by Rarity staunchly withstood the enemy's hail of fire, even though the dressmaker was by no means known as a magic virtuoso. Without removing her own shield, the princess finally looked into the distance and saw those who were advancing to attack Ponyville.
To Twilight's surprise, these were by no means the same steel monsters that had appeared in Equestria last autumn. The majority of each of these creatures' bodies was also made of metal, but they had three tentacle-like appendages protruding from the back of their heads. They stood over two meters tall, sturdy torsos mounted on a pair of long legs, their faces concealed by metallic masks with fiery-red glowing eyes. Each alien had a weapon integrated into their upper right limb, something entirely unprecedented to any Equestrian. It was from such contraptions that a barrage of plasma bolts shot forth, heading toward the town's defensive line.
About fifty bipedal squid-like beings marched confidently toward Ponyville, firing upon the magical shield formed by the guards. Slowly but surely, an especially colossal monstrosity followed behind the dispersed squad of aliens. While its height was not much greater than its kin, its dimensions would have put to shame even the largest manticore found in the Everfree Forest. Unlike the other squids, this one carried two heavy weapons, one of which – a rather bulky cannon – had just blasted a sizable hole in the palisade.
With horror, Sparkle looked at the new enemies, noting that she had never seen such terrifying creatures before, neither in Equestria nor beyond its borders. Her gaze spontaneously lifted and gazed into the distance – where through the falling snow from the sky, she could barely make out the lair of the invaders. Did these hordes of squid-like beings and their flying fortresses come from there? The princess had never seen anything like that within the territory of this military facility, which left her dumbfounded. However, there was no time to think about it, and in the next moment, she noticed how a huge alien, raising a heavy cannon, fired another spherical projectile, aiming directly at her.
"Watch out!" cried the purple pony to those who remained on the ground, hurrying to retreat from the line of fire.
Not wanting to test whether magic could withstand the impact of such a large mass of unknown energy, Twilight dove down and, somersaulting through the air, returned to her friends, who were wavering on the brink of panic. They all huddled close to the ground and cautiously covered their heads, for as soon as the princess descended, a blazing sphere, the size of a haystack, flew precisely where she had been floating just seconds ago, shaking the street with slight vibrations. After passing by, it headed deeper into the town.
Cautiously lifting their heads, the princess and her three friends turned back and were stunned to see how a huge spherical projectile crashed into the town hall's roof, creating a massive hole. The building shook violently from the impact, causing the spire, significantly damaged at its base, to fold inward, thus widening the breach left by the energy sphere. Making an effort to shake off the horrifying impression, Twilight even shook her head and then looked worriedly at all her friends.
"Is everypony alright?" Sparkle asked loudly, trying to pierce through the noise of gunfire that still echoed on the enemy's advancing line. No one answered, clearly, they were all speechless from the nightmare happening here, but none of them had any wounds or even scratches. Except for noticing how Fluttershy kept pressing herself to the ground and frantically covered her eyes with her hooves, trying not to see everything that was happening around, the princess was worried about her. She feared that the timid pegasus' heart might not withstand such extreme stress.
"What in the name of all the grains is goin' on over yonder?!" Applejack exclaimed in astonishment, pointing to the breach in the palisade, which was held by the unicorn guards.
Before Twilight could respond, her attention was suddenly drawn to a bright red glow that momentarily flashed from the direction of the shattered palisade. She knew it was the crystal spires activating. Their peaks were illuminated by a burst of light, and a few seconds later, beams of fiery magic shot towards the enemy. Four spires were positioned on the attack line, all firing at once into the crowd of invaders, instantly destroying them one by one, leaving scorched holes on their armor and gel-like flesh. After each shot, it took some time to generate new magical energy, causing the attackers to suffer casualties at a slow rate. However, as long as the spires were protected by the force field, there was nothing to worry about… at least that's what the guards who had witnessed their first attack hoped for.
Due to the heads of dozens of soldiers crowding the street, the Princess of Friendship and her entourage had a poor view of what was happening on the defensive line, especially considering the multitude of flashes created by both the spires of dark crystal and the plasma bolts. Nevertheless, it was clear to them that the enemies were relentlessly advancing and firing at the magical shield. In response, they were being hit by beams of magical fire. The unicorns remained in solid defense, afraid to create even a momentary breach in their force field. The pony knights stood behind them, gazing in fascination at the approaching enemies, while a group of more than ten Ponyvillians risked crossing the street, escorted by a small contingent, as they headed away from the danger zone.
Assessing the situation, Sparkle realized that the unicorns couldn't maintain the magical shield indefinitely, and soon they would face a direct confrontation with the enemies. She had wanted to take to the air again at her own risk to see how close the squid-like beings had come to the defenses and the effectiveness of the crystal peaks that continuously fired at them from behind an undamaged part of the wall. But in that very moment, the dragon's claw grabbed the edge of her mane, cascading down her neck, and gave it a gentle tug.
"Um… Twilight, take a look up there," Spike barely managed to utter, capturing the attention of the princess and her friends to the dark sky. Even the timid pegasus removed her hooves from her eyes, although she didn't really want to see it.
Completely absorbed in what was happening in front of them, the ponies hadn't even noticed how three flying objects changed position and hovered just fifty meters above the straw roofs. One of them was positioned directly above the heads of the pony knights, making them even more uneasy as they looked up. Now, they could vividly see the might of these enormous mobile fortresses! Perhaps their appearance and size seemed much more imposing and ominous than of the Storm King's airships.
Sensing the paralyzing horror coursing through her body, Twilight nervously swallowed. Her friends were no less shaken. Fluttershy couldn't even find the strength to close her eyes again, and only Spike clung to the princess in terror when a powerful, low rumble echoed from the flying machines, causing the whole area to tremble.
"Oh, Celestia save us all!" the snowy white unicorn blurted out in a fit of animalistic terror, feeling the vibrations from the piercing noise shake her to her core. And then things got even more heated.
From numerous small openings on the sides of each mobile fortress hovering above the houses, clusters of tiny mechanisms began to emerge, emitting an eerie metallic sound vaguely resembling a whistle, leaving behind trails of faintly glowing blue streaks. These contraptions, shaped like manedryers but seemingly constructed from dark crystals, began carving circles in the air and emitting short plasma beams from the lower part of their structure, resembling a handle.
Fire from the small machines, buzzing furiously under the flying fortresses, burned through the thatched roofs and wooden walls of houses, gradually igniting them, and mowed down the pony knights, easily piercing their heavy armor and flesh. They immediately broke formation and scattered, seeking refuge from the relentless aerial attack, and very soon their unit turned into a disorderly mob, among which, amidst the nightmarish chaos, Twilight spotted another group of Ponyvillians who had burst onto the street. Without wasting time to secure both these ponies and herself along with her friends as quickly as possible, she overcame her paralysis and conjured an extensive magical shield over the street.
However, the panic that had started showed no sign of stopping, and even when the enemy fire from above was cut off by the alicorn's magic, the soldiers continued to move about in terror, along with nearly two dozen Ponyvillians, sometimes hiding in snow-covered bushes, under houses, or inside their walls, even as the roofs of some of them blazed with fire. Only the unicorns still held their ground for now, forming a protective sphere around themselves, and one might think that the strength of their magic, which had withstood more than a hundred hits, was granted by the Archmage Amulets hanging around their necks. Nevertheless, they, too, wavered because the advancing enemies were now less than a hundred yards away.
The Princess of Friendship did her utmost to shield all the ponies around her from the attacks of bothersome flying mechanisms, of which the mobile fortresses had spawned no fewer than half a hundred. Meanwhile, she noticed how a continuous succession of plasma bolts shattered the top of one of the crystal peaks, which happened to be beyond the magical sphere of the guards, thus disabling it. A similar attack immediately switched to another vulnerable defensive structure, which exacerbated the situation and was ready to drive the lavender pony into complete despair. However, at that very moment, she heard behind her something that frightened her as intensely as she had never been scared in her life:
"Fluttershy, no!" Rarity suddenly shouted as if she had seen one of her friends dead.
Without ceasing to maintain the magical defense against aerial attacks, Sparkle quickly turned around, expecting to witness the worst thing that could happen to her in these mournful days. She saw Fluttershy, in uncontrollable panic and tears, running away from this terrible turmoil. The sight of the blood of the slain stallions drove her crazy, and without thinking about anything and hardly seeing anything, pegasus rushed to flee toward the central square. Following her, Pinkie hurried to escape, screaming in horror and also unable to contain her shock.
The momentary relief of the princess at seeing her friends alive and well, albeit in a state of panic, was replaced by another wave of fear. The gently yellow pegasus and the pink earth pony were running away, and soon their galloping hooves had to carry them beyond the magical shield held by the purple alicorn. Outside of it, they would undoubtedly become easy prey for the fighter mechanisms, and now Twilight was torn between them and the pony knight who were taken by surprise. However, her thoughts didn't last long. It took less than a fraction of a second for the entire street to be illuminated by a bright light, and a massive energy projectile, similar to the one that had destroyed the palisade, slammed into the protective sphere of the unicorn guards, knocking them out cold.
The space trembled with a deafening roar, and Twilight suddenly felt a blow of unknown force, causing her to feel dizzy and her legs giving way beneath her. She involuntarily sprawled on the densely packed snow, but even in such a state, adrenaline urged her into action. She managed to lift her head and immediately attempted to rise to her hooves, which, however, she could only achieve with the support of Rarity and Applejack, who had rushed to her aid. Both friends helped her to stand and then quickly led her after the fleeing pegasus and earth pony, who were being carried away by their legs. Their primary goal was to protect the princess at any cost, although even they – especially the unicorn – were barely managing to avoid succumbing to mindless panic hysteria.
While running, Applejack scooped up Spike, who was petrified with fear, taking him onto her back, while Rarity stayed close to Twilight, who was moving unevenly, ready to support her at any moment. The princess had stuffed ears, and her mind was struggling to grasp reality after the strange impact; nevertheless, her hooves were carrying her forward. Finally, she shook her head in an attempt to regain some clarity and briefly assessed the situation by glancing around.
The street behind them was mostly deserted. The majority of the pony knights and a handful of town ponies who hadn't managed to find shelter had disappeared into houses and alleyways. Only a few in a state of panic ran about wildly, emitting wild cries. The magical shield of the unicorns had been neutralized, and they lay on the ground, writhing in excruciating pain and suffering from an unbearable shock, clutching their heads as if the energy projectile that shattered their magic had also melted their brains. The unfortunate stallions and mares were stunned and powerless, unable to flee from the relentless fire, which showed no sign of stopping.
The assault squad of squid-like beings was already visible at the breach in the wall, and their weapons mercilessly annihilated the shattered unicorns, while the nearest crystal peaks lay broken. Some of the invaders were attempting to shoot deeper into the town, picking off individual knights and trying to hit the retreating princess and her entourage. Fortunately, Rarity maintained a magical aura behind her, deflecting their shots, even though concentrating on such a basic spell was painfully difficult for her. Seeing that defeat was inevitable, Twilight instinctively looked up and witnessed the entire swarm of fighter drones congregating directly beneath the airborne fortresses, which were surrounded by spherical energy fields.
In that very moment, the blue protective spheres around the enemy flying objects flickered out, and dozens of small drones plunged downward, all as one, eager to continue the slaughter. Meanwhile, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were visible a few dozen yards ahead, still fleeing for their lives, and the mortal danger hanging over them sobered Twilight up after her momentary confusion. Her mind was resolute in its refusal to comprehend the horror unfolding here, and she was lost in terms of what to do. Yet her subconscious urge to protect her friends from a grim fate propelled her forward. When the swarm of drones was ready to resume their assault on everything in the eastern part of Ponyville, she stretched a wide magical barrier over the street to the best of her abilities in such a dire state.
The princess's magic covered a sufficient area to protect the pegasus and earth pony from the plasma beams raining down on them. Shots were whistling everywhere on that street, and behind them, there was the soul-chilling metallic roar of the squids mixed with the screams of dying pony soldiers, which only intensified the blind panic gripping the lavender mare. She wished she could forget everything and run as fast as she could, so all the dangers would become unreachably distant. Just like last summer, when she and her friends had escaped from the occupied Canterlot, but now the path to escape led to nowhere…
In a swift gallop, Fluttershy crossed the central square and ascended a short staircase to the round veranda of the city hall. In the throes of wild terror, she barely realized her actions, instinctively seeking refuge from the nightmare raging in the eastern part of the town within the walls of the municipal building. However, the grand doors were tightly sealed, no matter how desperately she pulled on the ring. Soon Pinkie, who had caught up with her, crashed into the insurmountable barrier, but this proved futile as well.
"Pinkie, what are ya doin?" the farmer nervously asked as she approached the town hall's porch, signaling the pink pony to stop her attempts. The timid pegasus, on the other hoof, had given up her fruitless efforts even before the rest of her friends arrived.
Pie didn't say a word in response, but she did stop showing her fright so dramatically. She slumped under the doors as if she had no strength left, her chest heaving spasmodically, and her wide, open blue eyes looked like glass. In turn, Fluttershy burst into uncontrollable sobs, finally seeing what was happening on the street she had abandoned. There Twilight also turned her gaze, as she stood on the round veranda. She was no longer maintaining the magical shield, as the swarm of machines had almost immediately fallen behind the mares and the little dragon, focusing all its strength on finishing off the already scattered pony soldiers.
Invading the streets of Ponyville, the squids completed the annihilation of the knights. Only one of them dared a desperate attack, ramming into the thigh of the nearest alien and knocking them off their feet. But it didn't help him at all, as the other creatures killed him almost instantly. The unicorns lay dead in the very place they had defended, more than ten houses were ablaze from the dense plasma fire, and the ponies hiding inside were forced to leave the four walls, only to instantly meet death on the street. The air was filled with smoke and blood! And Twilight had no doubt that this was precisely what Star Swirl had predicted. The thought that the beginning of Equestria's demise was unfolding before her eyes tore at her soul and her sanity.
"What's going to happen to us now?" Spike almost shouted, as if voicing the princess's thoughts when he also saw that in the distance on the eastern streets, death reigned, and it would soon inevitably reach them.
"Please… let's… get out of here!" Rarity moaned through her very heavy breath, finally giving in to fear and huddling closely to the weeping Fluttershy and the heavily trembling Pinkie Pie, who was in a real trance. None of them could ever imagine that such darkness would converge in their lives.
Twilight was completely overwhelmed by shock. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the carnage inflicted on the pony soldiers, taking place in the distance. But watching the gruesome bloodshed was both painful and terrifying. They were all dying under the onslaught of the invaders, and the princess couldn't do anything about it. Finally, she looked back at her friends, desperately wanting to follow the snowy white unicorn's offer. Applejack was on the verge of a breakdown, clearly visible in her emerald eyes, and Pinkie was shaking with fear, becoming more and more spasmodic. Now Twilight herself felt a tremor coursing through her, from the tips of her hooves to her horn.
It seemed like, along with the mares and the little dragon, even Ponyville was trembling in fear. However, the unusual vibration, spreading through the ground and even to the floor and walls of the town hall, was rapidly intensifying. Startled by this phenomenon, Sparkle listened to the sounds around her, and her ears picked up a strange noise, clearly audible even amidst the gunfire coming from under the flying fortresses hovering over the eastern district.
"What in tarnation is goin' on?" AJ exclaimed, feeling the wooden floor beneath her hooves going wobbly.
In the next moment, conical structures burst from beneath the ground around the municipal building, and very soon, subterranean machines emerged. The ponies, pushed to the brink of horror, huddled together, and Spike nestled down beside them, wrapping his trembling paws around the elegant neck of his beloved white unicorn. Frantically looking around, they counted eight cylindrical machines, each capped with massive drills, which had so unexpectedly pierced the surface of the earth in the central square.
As soon as the hatches on the subterranean machines opened, steel monsters began to pour out from them – this time the very ones Twilight had seen through her telescope from her bedroom window two and a half weeks ago. When almost a hundred ominous beings lined up in the square in front of the town hall, the hearts of the ponies froze in fear, and the dragon even shut his eyes, not to face death. Up close, the steel monsters looked even more imposing than the Storm King's minions with which these strange creatures were associated by every mare. Undoubtedly, a hundred two-meter-tall walking armors that came to kill could terrify anyone.
Forming a scattered formation, the squad of steel soldiers turned towards the area where the squids were causing havoc, finishing off the few who were still standing. Meanwhile, five of them headed to the frightened ponies and the little dragon. With each step of the impending death, their insides clenched harder; they stood in petrification, staring at the monsters' weapons that seemed to be aimed directly at them. Sensing that these demons were about to start shooting, Twilight created a magical sphere around herself and her friends in desperation.
Five steel monsters approached the town hall, and now, only ten steps separated them from the ponies. They stopped at the base of the veranda, but their weapons remained raised. Their victims, tears in their eyes, waited hopelessly for their imminent demise. However, the strangers were slow to act. It was unbearable for the mares to feel the piercing gaze of the five large red crosses, as if they were peering directly into their fear-stricken souls. It was hard to even imagine what was happening in the metallic minds of these beings…
Identity confirmed: Twilight Sparkle.
Race: Alicorn. Status: Princess of Friendship.
Conclusion: the target has been located.
Primary objective: protection.
"Run from here," one of them suddenly said in a completely emotionless mechanical voice.
At that very moment, everything turned upside down for the six ponies and the dragon. In particular, Rarity experienced a complete paradigm shift, nearly losing consciousness at the sight of such terrifying creatures as this quintet of steel soldiers.
"What?! You won't be killing us?" squealed the snowy white unicorn. Her profound astonishment bordered on hysteria, driven by the unrelenting fear of death that remained inside her. Similar feelings were currently being experienced by all her friends.
"Negative," came the brief response, further bewildering the princess and her entourage. Sharing a quick glance with her friends, Applejack asked in a daze:
"Ain't y'all with them flying thingamajigs?"
"Who are you?" Twilight inquired with the most reasonable question before the answer was given by one of the monsters in a dispassionate tone:
"Run from here."
Meanwhile, the bipedal squids and drones had taken out several town ponies who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and were now heading toward the formation of steel monsters. Almost immediately, a firefight erupted: plasma bolts on one side, bullets and laser beams on the other. Some of the steel warriors opened fire on the drones, launching small rockets with greenish trails. The projectiles covered a significant distance, separating the central square from the distant streets, yet in such dense clusters of combat units, the distance did not hinder them from finding their target.
Twilight realized that being here was not safe, so she overcame her fear and, carrying Spike on her back, galloped behind the town hall, leading her friends. While Pinkie immediately snapped out of her deep stupor, rushing after her ahead of the others, Fluttershy couldn't move her hooves at all, so Applejack had to give her a gentle nudge. The friends raced along the veranda at the speed of the wind and very soon found themselves on the other side of the circular building. Rushing down the opposite entrance stairs, the Princess of Friendship ran another dozen meters and then stopped to make sure all her friends had made it out of the combat zone.
All the ponies were gathered, but Sparkle startled with sudden fear when she noticed that the five steel warriors had been following them, keeping a bit behind beyond the veranda. They didn't display any signs of hostility, but in the midst of the stress, their constant close presence tickled the princess's already frayed nerves.
"Are you our bodyguards now?" Pinkie Pie asked quizzically. The two-meter giants remained silent. Even without words, it was clear that they were protecting them for some reason. But why?
Against the backdrop of the noise of an unfamiliar battle between the two alien parties, Twilight and her entourage heard the thundering of hundreds of hooves. They turned around and saw fresh squads of pony knights and unicorn guards galloping down the wide street from the west, at the end of which the Sugarcube Corner could be seen. This part of the Ponyville garrison had somehow been delayed in the barracks, and as a result, they hadn't joined the battle on time. Well, this delay saved them.
"Hey, Equestrians! Charge!" exclaimed the garrison commander, a sturdy pegasus named Spearhead, whom Sparkle knew as a former comrade of her older brother, Shining Armor. Being a retired officer of the Royal Guard, he lived in Ponyville and pursued the arts, but due to the war preparations, he had been returned to the army and assigned to oversee the safety of his hometown.
"Let's save Princess Twilight!" the pony soldiers chorused in response to their leader's call.
The steel monsters aimed their weapons at the pony squads advancing to storm and prepared to attack them if they showed aggression. The guards, in turn, believed that the presumed enemy was determined to repel their attack, so they didn't wait for the opening shots. Upon the sergeants' orders, the unicorns launched clusters of magical energy at the steel monsters, nearly sparking an unintended conflict on the central square, which Twilight felt compelled to resolve immediately; otherwise, Equestria would gain yet another enemy.
"Stop!" Twilight yelled to the approaching soldiers, using magic to stop the attacking beams released by the unicorns. The garrison units halted and, in confusion, slowly moved towards the princess, apprehensive of the steel monsters that still held their weapons at the ready.
"Are you in captivity, Your Highness?" the commander of the unicorn detachment asked uncertainly, to which the lavender alicorn hesitantly replied:
"No, it seems that these steel beings are helping us protect Ponyville."
"But then who is destroying the city?" Spearhead asked, holding his spear at the ready in his right hoof.
"I don't know. Perhaps we're being attacked by those who are destroying Martis, and these creatures, it seems, are not related to them," Sparkle explained her hypothesis. The steel monsters didn't make a single sound, and they had no intention of clarifying.
"Oh, how complicated it all is!" Pinkie exclaimed. She couldn't understand the meaning of what was happening, just like everypony else. This battlefield had turned into complete chaos: murder and destruction everywhere, and it was impossible to tell who was fighting against whom.
"What should we do?" the leader of the pony knights finally inquired. "What are your orders, Princess?"
"I suppose, since they," pointing a hoof at her steel companions, Twilight said, "are protecting Ponyville, we should help them. If we have a chance to fend off the enemies, it's only through combined effo…"
The loud voice of the Princess of Friendship was suddenly drowned out by an unexpectedly intensified metallic whistle just as a whole swarm of fighter drones burst out from behind the damaged roof of the town hall. Moreover, it appeared that there were even more of them now than before. They flew a certain distance and then immediately turned back, primarily targeting the defensive formation of steel soldiers. Some of the drones, however, opened fire on the Equestrians. Their maneuvers cut through the dark sky, leaving behind trails of blue streaks.
The princess's friends and the recently dismounted dragon cautiously took cover on the ground, while the ranks of the pony soldiers shuddered, suffering their first losses. Fortunately, the purple alicorn didn't lose her composure and reacted swiftly. She covered the entire nearby area with a protective shield, causing the bullets from the five steel monsters, originally intended for the swarm of flying mechanisms, to crash into its inner wall. However, the drones quickly retreated to where they had come from and continued their attack on the other side of the town hall. Straightening up after the enemy onslaught, Spearhead took a step toward the princess and, driving the lower end of his spear into the frozen ground, declared firmly:
"We are ready to stand until the end!"
"Good," Twilight responded satisfactorily, even though she was still filled with intense anxiety. She looked at her friends, who were beginning to regain their composure, and decided that she had to see this through to the end with her own efforts. Based on this determination, she issued new orders to the recovering soldiers: "Pony knights, accompany my friends to the castle and stay with them. Unicorns, follow me!"
3.2. From the Height of Pegasus Flight
Arriving at the Academy, Rainbow Dash immediately reported to Spitfire that three alien flying fortresses were hovering over Ponyville and were likely preparing for an attack. Since Twilight had ordered the assembly of all the Wonderbolts, fifteen hundred pegasi were now flying to the town to assist the garrison in the battle against the aliens. Being the best fliers in Equestria, they believed they were well-suited to fight against an aerial adversary. However, many of them feared coming face to face with the extraterrestrials, as nopony knew who they were and how dangerous they might be.
As they approached Ponyville, the Wonderbolts clearly observed the flying objects Dash had mentioned. They also saw that an intense firefight was taking place between the attackers and the defenders. Realizing that they needed to assess the situation before launching an attack, Spitfire spotted a large cluster of clouds on the side of the town and signaled for five squadrons of pegasi to take positions on them.
The order was executed swiftly, and within a few minutes, a whole army of Wonderbolts had taken positions on several enormous clouds from which Ponyville was visible as if it were at their hooves. Spitfire and the commanders of the five squadrons situated themselves on the edge and observed the intense turmoil happening in the town. What they saw left them all in shock, and the fiery-maned pegasus even reached into her officer's bag, which was tightly strapped to her body, to retrieve her binoculars to make absolutely sure it wasn't a mirage. However, even from this altitude, it was impossible to miss the most crucial and peculiar detail.
"Why in the hay are those steel monsters fighting on our side?" Spitfire exclaimed, watching as unicorns and two-legged steel demons were defending the central square of Ponyville together.
"I told you they didn't want to fight us," Soarin said with some relief, having suspected from the beginning that the strangers who appeared near Ponyville were not hostile to ponies. "Now it's clear why they let Rainbow Dash's scouts keep an eye on their military base. Seems like we shouldn't have been afraid of them at all."
"So, were we wrong to think badly of them?" Vapor Trail, a cloud-white pony from the sergeant's corps, asked bewildered, standing nearby with her best friend of fillyhood, Sky Stinger, a dark turquoise pegasus. Surveying the groaning Ponyville under the sounds of gunfire, they exchanged puzzled looks.
"But then, who are these ones?" Misty Fly questioned, extending her hoof toward the eastern part of the town, where squads of bipedal squids were visible all around, supported by flying fortresses and a horde of aerial drones.
Perhaps Soarin's conclusion shed light on some unexplained behavior of the steel aliens, but none of the pegasi understood the meaning of the battle unfolding before them. They couldn't comprehend why some aliens decided to join the Equestrians, despite having previously ignored them, while others aimed to level the town and condemn all its residents to death. Finally, Spitfire gave the binoculars to Dash, not taking her eyes off the events below, and the rainbow-maned pegasus scrutinized the central square in more detail. Spotting a healthy and living Twilight among the guards, she sighed with relief. However, almost immediately, the whereabouts of the other friends became a concern. Soon a hoarse voice interrupted the brief silence of one of her fellow officers.
"What's our plan?" Fleetfoot got down to business. Worried for Twilight's life, who found herself in the midst of a fierce battle, Rainbow Dash was eager to do anything to come to her aid as quickly as possible. She suggested the first idea that came to mind:
"Maybe we should create a tornado and go for a ram?"
"Are you out of your mind?" protested High Winds. "Do you think a tornado will sweep away those three flying behemoths? It's madness!"
"What do you suggest, then? Sit here and do nothing?" Dash retorted passionately. But she saw nothing but disagreement with her plan in the eyes of the other corps officers, and only Spitfire continued to assess the situation on the battlefield below.
"Don't whip up a storm, Crash," captain of the Wonderbolts tossed in, using an old pegasus expression. "If we go for a ram, we'll all die. Look at what's happening down there!"
Spitfire understood that if the Wonderbolts got caught in crossfire from both sides, the battlefield would become a meat grinder for them, and Ponyville would become a grave. Furthermore, like High Winds, she seriously doubted that a tornado could inflict any damage on those huge aerial fortresses. However, the rainbow-maned pegasus ignored any risks.
"But we have to help them!" Rainbow insisted, nodding her head toward the defenders of Ponyville visible below. "While we're standing here talking, they're fighting down there! Isn't that why we flew here in the first pla…?"
"Our deaths won't help them!" Spitfire cut off her subordinate. She snatched her binoculars from Rainbow's hoof and continued in a calm tone, "For now, it's better for us to stay here and wait. Let's go into action only if ours are clearly losing. Right now, we won't be of any help to them."
Upset by the commander's decision, Dash drooped her ears and pouted. She was ready to rush to the aid of those defending the square around the town hall, especially considering that one of her closest friends was there. On the other hoof, she realized that such a reckless act would only lead to her death – useless to others, and therefore inglorious. Deep down, she found it hard to deny that the fiery-maned pegasus was right. However, she didn't like her colleagues' reaction to her proposal, especially since she knew the true reason behind it.
Spitfire made this decision not only for tactical reasons. The fact was that she had a superstitious fear of the aliens. Given that this fear was shared by practically all the pegasi, the captain's order was generally well-received by them. Only a few flyers, like Rainbow Dash, believed that they should engage in the battle immediately because, for now, the attackers seemed to have the upper hoof. Nevertheless, the leader of the Wonderbolts was absolutely right – charging into the heart of the battle would be akin to suicide, which, furthermore, wouldn't serve any purpose at all…
The battle in Ponyville was in full swing, growing increasingly crazed, terrifying, and destructive. Hovering over the eastern outskirts of the town and forming a sort of wedge, the three flying fortresses continuously disgorged new and new drop pods with squids inside from their hatches on the undersides. As a result, the onslaught of the alien assault teams on the central square showed no sign of abating. None of the ponies tasked with defending the town dared to contemplate how many of these creatures lurked in each mothership.
The massive flying vessels themselves engaged in firing upon the central square from photon cannons mounted at the bow of their construction, seemingly disgorging disco-shaped energy clusters from them. These clusters periodically rained down upon the ranks of the steel monsters, although the ship's artillery fired somewhat haphazardly, inflicting damage to both the town's defenders and nearby structures. Some houses were ablaze, and now, not only the spire but the entire town hall was damaged. It appeared as if the building might collapse at any moment.
Holding her position among the unicorn guards, Twilight watched in horror as broad, glowing discs that looked like a product of some destructive magic regularly descended from the sky, confidently reducing the numbers of steel monsters that were taking the brunt of the blows. What especially sent shivers down her spine was the fact that nopony was being evacuated from the houses surrounding the central square. Every time someone's dwelling was engulfed in flames, the ponies inside either burned within or attempted to jump out, only to instantly come under fire from the drones hovering in the sky.
The situation of these unfortunate Ponyville residents was hopeless, and any action they took led to death. This continually tore at the princess's heart, brought bitter tears to her eyes, and instilled an overwhelming feeling of fear within her. Somepony managed to escape, and the guards did their best to aid them by shielding them with magical barriers. Subconsciously, Sparkle thanked herself for insisting on her plan, sending her friends and her beloved assistant with the pony knights to the Friendship Castle. If they had stayed here, they could have genuinely faced the same fate that had befallen the residents of the still relatively few burning houses. Nevertheless, Applejack was determined not to leave her side. Having lost her own family not long ago, the farmer was resolute in not wanting to experience the loss of her friend and felt it was her duty to stay with her until the end, no matter what happened.
Driven by exactly the same motivations, Twi was forced to order the serving ponies to take her friends and the little dragon away from the battlefield, for their own safety – even by force if necessary. There was no time for arguments due to the imminent mortal threat, so, fully aware of the princess's determination, her friends reluctantly obeyed. Nevertheless, none of them – not even the deathly frightened Fluttershy – wanted to leave the alicorn right under the enemy's noses, especially surrounded by allies of unknown origin and unclear motives. Everypony, as well as the little dragon, retreated to the Castle of Friendship with heavy hearts and unrelenting anxiety, barely holding back tears.
In the battle, there remained only a unit of nearly five dozen unicorn guards led by Twilight, beside whom Spearhead invariably stood, positioning himself so that, in the event of enemy fire, he would shield her with his own body. However, he watched the progress of the defense with restrained tension, despite not being able to directly participate. So far, the guards managed to hold their position without incurring losses, as the steel monsters formed a protective line against the squids, albeit significantly thinned, and their magical shields defended them against aerial attacks. They were divided into pairs, and while one focused on defense, the other tried to strike the flying fortresses with a beam, hoping to break them and stop the reinforcement of the enemy infantry and drones.
The steel monsters calmly shot at the advancing squid down the street, although the rear ranks of their formation helped the Equestrians in dealing with the aerial threats. They had already lost nearly half of their number, but it didn't seem to shake them at all. These peculiar beings tirelessly fired at their enemies, and their foes fired back, gradually breaking through their armor, tearing off limbs, and eventually turning them into scrap metal. Nevertheless, they appeared to feel neither pain nor fear, as if they were nothing more than mindless weapons.
Sensing fear with every passing second but trying to contribute to the attack on the flying fortresses, Twilight occasionally cast brief glances, sometimes at the guard stallions and mares standing beside her, and sometimes at the unknown allies whose behavior in battle left her in awe. She began to suspect that these steel demons were entirely devoid of any emotions or feelings, which gave rise to new fears and concerns in her. Something incomprehensible and unnatural had always seemed unsettling to her, but now, with the whole world literally going off the rails in an instant, even smaller oddities alarmed her.
Twilight's naturally suspicious mind involuntarily filled itself with rather grim questions. What if these aliens were protecting Ponyville only to secure the loot for themselves? What if, after defending the town, they took it over and exterminated all the ponies, just as the squids and their massive airships currently desired? She had a vague notion of what these aliens' goals might be, especially considering that they had so far avoided contact with anypony, seemingly completely ignoring them. However, Ponyville had yet to be defended, and the outcome of the battle raging around her remained as unclear as ever.
The number of steel warriors was slowly but surely dwindling, and for every fallen squid, five new ones were airdropped. If these iron guys were wiped out, Twilight thought, the unicorns alone wouldn't last long. She had no doubt that without these suddenly appearing allies, everypony around her, including herself, would certainly end up like those unfortunate ones who had tried to hold the first line of defense at the palisade. And based on this realization, she understood that the Equestrians needed these extraordinary creatures, at least here and now. She saw a swift victory over the invaders as the only chance for survival, although she had no idea how that could be possible. Her heart was filled to the brim with fear, yet she desperately strove to protect what she held dear, sending one beam after another into the nearest flying fortress…
The Wonderbolts watched the battle from the clouds and experienced mixed emotions. Amidst their fear of the invaders, there was an urge in their hearts to charge into the combat and assist the defenders, even if it would be a suicidal move. In tense silence, they all saw how numerous magical beams struck one of the enemy flying objects, yet its black body, adorned with shimmering blue stripes, seemed to remain unscathed, not to mention more serious damage. Meanwhile, the ship's photon cannons demolished the homes from which unfortunate ponies were trying to escape, only to be immediately targeted once they stepped outside. Thrust into the heart of the fierce firefight, the doomed Ponyvillians instantly turned into a bloody mess from hundreds of stray projectiles coming from all directions.
Seeing ponies perish in this dreadful battle, Spitfire wanted to give the fatal order for a desperate attack. However, her attention was suddenly drawn to something extraordinary. A little to the east of Ponyville, subterranean machines began emerging from the ground, transporting new steel warriors onto the battlefield. Several dozen of these vehicles had surfaced, providing significant reinforcement, and the steel creatures rapidly occupied the space in front of the gap in the palisade, eager to join the fray. Where had they been before?
"It seems like reinforcements have arrived," Spitfire remarked with enthusiasm.
"Let's help them!" Dash immediately leaped to her hooves, ready to act for any reason. Nevertheless, upon seeing a glimmer of hope for victory without the need for a suicidal aerial assault, the captain remained steadfast, stating:
"No, we wait."
Approximately two hundred combat units burst from the subterranean machines, decisively shifting the course of the battle. In the eyes of the observing pegasi above, they immediately invaded the fire-ravaged streets of the eastern district and struck at the rear of the foot squids, whose assault was still being held back by the troops on the approach of the town hall. Their crossfire rapidly cleared the area, connecting the outskirts to the central square, of the enemy military presence, with dozens of invaders eradicated in a matter of minutes.
Although new squid-like creatures continued to landing amidst the burning houses, small groups of steel soldiers swiftly dealt with them while the majority on both sides concentrated on attacking the flying vessels. Paying no heed even to the drones buzzing in the air, they started to assault the enemy object perched on the apex of the wedge formation, and the guards actively aided them, continually using their magic.
Gaining encouragement from the arrival of significant reinforcements, Twilight redoubled her efforts, firing violet beams at the assaulted flying fortress. However, doubt crept into her mind as to whether it was even possible to damage these monstrous contraptions. The magical attacks unleashed by the ponies seemed to shatter against an invisible barrier, causing no harm to the black, blue-lined structure. Likewise, a hail of bullets, laser beams, and rockets from three different types of steel warriors, whom the princess could distinguish only by the type of weaponry they wielded, proved equally ineffective.
It took several minutes of relentless fire concentrated on one spot before Sparkle noticed an exceptionally bright glow emanating from the underside of the flying object, precisely where the hatch was located. Not entirely comprehending what had occurred, she paused briefly, much like many of the guards did. Flashes from shots and magic spells obscured their view, but intuitively she sensed that the sustained assault had finally breached the incredibly strong structure of the airborne machine. Shaking off the brief confusion, ponies and the steel creatures continued to dismantle the mobile fortress's vital components until they rendered something crucial to its operation inoperative.
The blue patterns on the vessel's hull suddenly dimmed, and it began to go down. The steel monsters redirected their fire to the next target, unlike the Equestrians who were frozen with horror at the sight of the horrifying crash. Astonished, Twilight stared wide-eyed at the rapid descent of this massive object until the intense strain compelled her to shield herself and the pony soldiers with a protective sphere. Crashing onto the blazing rubble of the houses at the outskirts, the extraterrestrial machine, roughly sixty meters long, scattered them into dust and stirred the earth so powerfully that many unicorns and steel warriors couldn't remain on their legs.
From the powerful tremor that shook the ground, even the houses closest to the crash site, already damaged by fire, collapsed. Ponyville was instantly filled with a soul-shaking roar, easily drowning out even the sounds of gunfire and the cries of startled guards rushing to their hooves. Shaking her head, the Princess of Friendship also attempted to rise, with a helping hoof from Spearhead, who miraculously managed not to fall. Her violet eyes quickly assessed the situation. The two remaining flying fortresses had turned around, and their photon cannons were now firing on the large groups of steel creatures positioned beyond the town's limits. The swarm of drones had moved there as well.
"We must help them before they're all wiped out," Twilight addressed the dull orange pegasus guard loudly, casting her gaze toward the visible end of the street where the steel monsters, now bearing the brunt of the attack, loomed. After a brief exchange of glances with the princess, the stallion understood her without the need for further words.
"It would be done," Spearhead nodded. He then called out to his subordinates, "Guards, attack the flying fortresses, all together!"
Upon receiving the orders, relayed from one end of the scattered formation to the other through word of mouth, the serving ponies, who had primarily engaged drones thus far, focused their attacks on the flying fortress that was already under heavy fire from the steel monsters. The demise of one of these giants inspired them, and now they could at least see the possibility of a swift victory, so they made every effort to bring it closer. The princess herself was not idle, harnessing her magic. Meanwhile, she kept an eye on the nearest group of steel beings. They fired their strange weapons tirelessly, only pausing to reload with fresh rounds, their ammunition belts hanging from their powerful torsos. The precision with which they carried out their task was impressive, and even a jackhammer would envy…
Through combined efforts, the pony guards and their unconventional allies managed to destroy the second flying vessel, followed by the third. Penetrating their highly resilient hulls was an extremely challenging task, but it was accomplished before the steel creatures could incur excessive losses. The last two mobile fortresses fell outside the town's borders, causing no damage to the surviving structures. Now, the last adversary remained – about a hundred fighter drones that continued to reduce the number of the steel monsters. They needed to be eliminated as quickly as possible, but hunting down such small and agile targets proved to be an exceedingly challenging task.
Having witnessed the defenders of Ponyville's ultimate victory over the flying fortresses that had seemed indestructible, the Wonderbolts cheered, although Rainbow Dash still felt like she was on pins and needles, forced to watch the battle passively from the sidelines while her friend was right in the thick of things. The pegasi exchanged hoof bumps, confident that the battle was all but won, and it was then that Spitfire finally made her decision.
"Now, it's our turn! Forward, Wonderbolts! Let's unleash a tornado on them!" the captain exclaimed, thinking that a massive whirlwind would be perfect for dealing with the swarm of drones. Her call ignited a spark of combat enthusiasm in Rainbow's heart. She quickly got into position, ready to take off at lightning speed.
Descending from the clouds, the army of pegasi swooped towards the town and immediately began to organize themselves in a well-rehearsed formation. The distance to the attack was relatively short, so they promptly started creating the tornado.
Distracted from watching the steel warriors fending off the drones, swarming in the sky like pesky flies, Twilight suddenly noticed the approach of the Wonderbolts, who were trying to whip up the air with their fancy maneuvers. The princess realized that by attacking, they would inevitably come under fire, not only from the enemy but also from their own. Therefore, it was essential to halt the shooting immediately, as she had no way of stopping the pegasus assault.
"Cease fire!" the lavender mare shouted, and her command was echoed by Spearhead and then by the sergeants leading small groups of guards.
To Twilight's surprise, it wasn't just the unicorns who stopped attacking the drones; even the steel monsters, including those positioned behind the barricade and unable to hear her call, ceased their fire. The guards created a large magical barrier above the central square, under which their new allies, significantly damaged after the battle, also took cover. Thus, shielded from any potential threats, they awaited the Wonderbolts' onslaught.
The pegasi, having created the tornado, approached the town. Under Spitfire's orders, they prepared to execute a maneuver that, according to the captain's calculations, would ensure nopony among them would be harmed. When the right moment came, the Wonderbolts began to ascend in spiraling chains, thus leaving the vortex. This was meant to further intensify it and scatter the drones. Several chains of flyers rose toward the snow clouds, and none of them bumped into each other, thanks to their perfect training, discipline, and coordination.
The tornado passed over the ruined outskirts of Ponyville, and almost all the pegasi had already left it. The drones, no longer pounding plasma at the steel warriors and the magical shield, concentrated their fire on the air mass, but it was too late. The only thing they managed to accomplish was to slightly injure a few of the Wonderbolts who were leaving the vortex last. Finally striking the cluster of drones, the tornado scattered them in different directions. Failing to handle the flight, many small aircraft crashed to the ground and shattered – some on the snow-covered land, others on the ruins. The meager remnants of the enemy's aviation were swiftly dealt with by the defenders of the central square and those who had gathered near the palisade.
Soon the gunfire ceased, the slaughter came to an end, and Ponyville withstood the assault of the unknown enemies. The unicorn guards and the Wonderbolts, looking at the aftermath of their aerial charge, celebrated their success. However, Twilight didn't share their triumph. The sight of the ruined eastern part of the town and the streets drenched in blood and scattered with the bodies of fallen serving ponies devalued the victory for her. Those who had tried to hold off the initial attack lay dead in that breach amid the smoldering ruins, along with some unfortunate Ponyville residents. The number of town's casualties was relatively small, but every one of these victims meant something to someone.
On the other hoof, things could have been infinitely worse. Deep down, Sparkle was relieved that she had survived this battle, and many ponies were spared from genocide. Yet, the princess wanted to thank the steel monsters for their assistance, but they started to perform strange actions that left her bewildered. Having assured themselves that the enemies were no more, they gathered their injured comrades and hurriedly returned to the subterranean machines they had left around the town hall.
The behavior of the steel warriors appeared extremely strange. Emerging out of nowhere, these creatures silently and for unknown reasons saved Ponyville from total destruction, and now, just as silently, they returned to where they came from without any explanations. Desiring some clarification, the lavender mare rushed to the nearest subterranean machine, whose drill was slightly damaged by plasma bolts. Keeping up closely with her, Spearhead held his spear at the ready, having little confidence in the seemingly suspicious friendliness of these beings or in whether the tip would penetrate one of their steel chests if needed.
"Stop! Where are you going?" Twilight urgently addressed the giants returning to the subterranean vehicles, not understanding their logic in any way. "Maybe before you leave, you can tell us who you are and why you helped us?"
The strangers paid no attention to the alicorn, continuing to efficiently do their business. After half a minute, they climbed into the subterranean machines and buried themselves in the ground using them, leaving the ponies alone with their speculations. Sparkle looked at the holes in the ground, created by the drills, with bewilderment, having no reasonable explanations for what had just happened. Ponyville became very quiet, and the residents of the closest houses cautiously emerged to assess the extent of the damage to the town. A volatile mix of emotions, ranging from fear to barely distinguishable joy of victory and complete puzzlement, filled the heads of all the ponies, from the guards to the foals who had ventured out onto the streets with the adults.
"Twilight!" a familiar voice called from above, distracting the princess from surveying the dismal panorama of smoldering houses, among which now lay three wrecked flying fortresses and a vast number of various remains – from squids to shattered drones, and pony soldiers. In the next moment, a rainbow-maned pegasus landed beside her, immediately hugging her and then anxiously inspecting her, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," Twilight replied, still in awe of what had been happening in the last half hour. Finally, she reciprocally examined the pegasus, who promptly replied:
"I'm unharmed, too. Don't worry," she reassured, then, after a quick glance around, inquired, "Where are all the girls?"
"They're in the castle. I sent them there to make sure nothing happened to them."
Dashie felt an immediate sense of relief as her friend's words caused her to exhale. Meanwhile, the Princess of Friendship raised her eyes to the sky and noticed how all fifteen hundred Wonderbolts hung suspended ten meters above the significantly damaged, though still standing, town hall. A few slightly wounded pegasi were already being examined by their fellow fliers right there in the air. Fortunately, the plasma beams only grazed one stallion's shoulder, another mare's hind leg, and the third had merely scorched her uniform on the side, causing only minor burns.
"What in the name of Equestria happened here?" Rainbow Dash questioned in bewilderment, scanning the central square where, at Spearhead's command, the guards had begun dragging the bodies of the fallen to the town hall. She then turned to Twilight, reading the same confusion in her eyes and asked, "Where did those metal ones go? Did they say anything?"
"No, nothing," Sparkle sighed tensely. She, too, cast a fleeting glance over the surrounding area and admitted, "I have no idea what all this means…"
3.3. Round Table
"We are dealing with two completely different groups of aliens. I don't know why some of them are attacking us while others are defending us, but it's evident that they have different goals," Twilight expounded her analytical speech. After a moment of reflection, she concluded with the most intriguing question, "I wonder, why did the steel monsters suddenly decide to fight on our side?"
"And why did they run away right after it was all over?" Pinkie Pie puzzled. "We didn't even get to know them, and we could have become friends!"
Without a presumed answer to her friend's question, Sparkle simply shrugged. She was sitting on her throne in the main hall of the Friendship Castle. All the embodiments of the Elements of Harmony were present, and Starlight Glimmer had taken Spike's place next to her. The little dragon had been sleeping like a log since the previous night, as the stress had completely drained him. And not just him. The ponies also felt exhausted, and yesterday's battle had shaken them all so much that they unanimously decided to spend the night in the princess's abode, so as not to be alone with the shock that had taken hold of them. Furthermore, staying alone now was dangerous because nopony could guarantee that the invaders wouldn't reappear soon…
At night, the friends slept rather poorly and restlessly. Twi was certain that she had only managed to fall asleep thanks to her recent insomnia and overall exhaustion. Nonetheless, sleep had provided them with a small degree of recovery from the horrors of the sudden attack by hostile aliens, helping them distinguish between yesterday and today and briefly allowing them to forget their fear. However, the aftermath of the destruction and bloodshed they had witnessed, which they couldn't escape when leaving the walls of the Friendship Castle or looking out the window, reminded them of everything. Soon after a small, unappetizing breakfast, the mares decided they needed to discuss what had happened, which is why they gathered in the throne room.
A large, round table made of crystal was spread out between the friends. It was upon this table that the Map of Equestria and its neighboring territories occasionally appeared, guiding ponies and others on friendship missions. If anyone in the world had problems with understanding each other, this extraordinary magical entity, expressing its will through the Cutie Map's summons, directed those who could solve these problems the best.
This happened with some regularity since the appearance of the Castle of Friendship, along with this room, after the embodiments of the Elements of Harmony had defeated the wicked centaur Lord Tirek. However, since the Friendship Festival, the Cutie Map had suspiciously quieted down, not calling anypony for such assignments. And every time Twilight thought about this in passing, it seemed like the situation might be viewed as some sort of blessing. Now, when the whole world stood on the brink of destruction, there was simply no time to solve friendship problems.
As always, the throne room shone with magnificence. Sparkles of light gleamed on the sapphire walls, emanating from the unique chandelier made from the roots of the Golden Oak Library – the former residence of the Princess of Friendship. The patterned purple floor added an atmosphere of regal comfort. Nevertheless, the tense mood in the air did not match the decor. After pondering the alicorn's reasoning regarding the motives of the steel creatures, Applejack let out a strained sigh. They didn't inspire trust in her because, like most of her friends, she had only formed a limited impression of them. Initially, these beings had frightened her with their sudden appearance, and then she learned they simply fled after the battle, providing no explanation. Furthermore, to the direct and honest nature of the farmer, such secrecy seemed, at the very least, suspicious.
"I don't know about y'all, but I wouldn't particularly want to run into them again," Applejack grumbled, breaking a brief silence.
"Absolutely," Rarity concurred. "They are quite frightful! And those dreadful identical cutie marks on their iron shoulders…"
What the white unicorn took for cutie marks was an emblem in the shape of a triangle with a circle inside, horizontally divided into two halves. Each steel monster bore such a mark on both of their massive shoulders. It was the eerie appearance of these silent giants, devoid of design intricacies and aesthetics, that made the dressmaker see something unsettling in them. And their cross-shaped eyes, glowing with red light across the width of their steel faces, truly appeared demonic to her.
"Um… what if they really mean us no harm?" Fluttershy suggested. She, too, had been very frightened by these strange aliens yesterday, but at least she tried not to rule out the possibility that their creepy appearance might be deceptive. It was typical of the kind-hearted but timid pegasus to give everyone a chance, although she couldn't deny that she was also afraid of another encounter with them. "It probably wouldn't be very polite to think badly of them. After all, they saved us yesterday."
"Yesterday they save us, tomorrow they kill us," Rainbow Dash muttered grimly. Besides everything else, she had often observed the strange actions of the steel aliens while monitoring them with her flyers, so her suspicion began to develop earlier than that of the other six friends. Furthermore, she frequently spread her belief throughout the Wonderbolts Academy that these steel creatures didn't make contact with ponies because they were plotting something sinister against them, and she didn't want to admit she was wrong. "Twilight said we can expect anything from them. And I don't really believe that, sitting quietly in their lair for over two weeks, they were trying to win our sympathy."
"I also think it's best to stay away from them. At the very least, if they meant us well, there would be no reason for them to run away from us without explaining anything," Starlight expressed her opinion. Still shaken by the terrifying wormholes in space, she didn't expect friendliness from the aliens – neither from the bipedal squids nor the steel monsters.
The arguments of the rainbow-maned pegasus and the gentle lilac unicorn made Fluttershy pause for thought. So far, she hadn't seen any clear reasons to accuse these strangers of anything, let alone consider them enemies, although she didn't argue with her friends. However, her opinion was shared by Pinkie, ready to befriend anyone who didn't show clear hostility, unlike the other aliens. But this morning, the pink-maned pony was uncharacteristically silent, probably due to yesterday's stress, and only exchanged glances with her friends, awaiting their words.
"What's yer take on this, Twi?" AJ inquired after a brief pause. The purple pony received the attentive gazes of all her friends.
"Well, actually, yesterday's events showed that we probably can't withstand an extraterrestrial invasion on our own," Sparkle began after some thought. "I can't imagine who these steel monsters are and how to relate to them, but maybe we should seek their support in defending Equestria. Perhaps this is our only chance to protect ourselves from destruction."
"Where did you get the idea that they'll help us protect Equestria?" Dash skeptically inquired. Despite having seen with her own eyes how the steel monsters defended Ponyville, her instincts still hinted that there was a catch.
"It's quite clear that, for some reason, they're hostile to those aliens who attacked us yesterday," explained the Princess of Friendship. "Well, the enemies of our enemies are our friends. It's possible that mutual assistance in the fight against the invaders is in both our and their interests."
"But how in tarnation are we supposed to figure out what they're after? As ya recollect, them ain't chattier than a garden scarecrow!" Applejack pointed out. Taking a deep breath, the lavender alicorn carefully weighed all the pros and cons before voicing the idea that had occupied her since the previous night:
"We need to go to their city and talk to them."
"But that's dangerous!" Glimmer protested immediately, nearly jumping at the mere thought of visiting such terrifying beings. "Who knows how they'll react? They could have anything in mind, as you yourself said!"
"It's truly dangerous to do nothing while a mortal threat looms over Equestria," Twilight retorted. "I believe we should ask for help from the steel monsters. We can't handle this on our own; our new enemies are too powerful."
As soon as the princess finished her thought, the doors leading to the main corridor suddenly opened, and the heads of all the ponies turned in that direction. In the throne room, Spike appeared, slightly out of breath from navigating the long, winding corridors of the Friendship Castle. Quickly spotting the purple pony with his gaze, he advanced a few steps into the room.
"Twilight!" he called out to the princess. In his claw, the dragon, who had only hopped off the bed five minutes ago, held a scroll. "You've got a letter from Princess Celestia…"
P.S. "When you have attained the way of strategy there will be nothing that you cannot understand. You will see the way in everything" – Miyamoto Musashi.