//------------------------------//
// The Battle of Ponyville! (Part II) 
// Story: The DisQord Continuum 
// by ZoidbergIsBestPony 
//------------------------------//

The Battle of Ponyville! (Part II)

On the eve before the battle began, moonlight shined down onto the Castle Gardens in Canterlot. A tall unicorn could be seen leaning against the empty pedestal where the Discord statue once stood. The unicorn had thick black fur and crimson eyes. He was leaning against the stone flipping a bit coin lazily as he waited. Captain Orilius Torus was a patient pony. He continued to do nothing but flip the coin and stare into the darkness for almost an hour.

“Looking for me?” came the voice of Discord, as he appeared behind the captain whispering in his ear. 

Capt. Torus did not like having his personal space violated, but held his cool. “I wanted to have a little chat,” he said turning to look at Discord.

“I see,” said Discord. “And what exactly would you like to chat about? Hmm?”

“Your little game,” the captain replied. “How would you like my help to win?” Both players’ faces were unreadable. They stared into each other’s eyes trying to gauge one another. 

“And why would you do a thing like that? Aren’t you sworn to protect the princess with your life?”

“I am sworn to protect the life of the princess at all cost, and to ensure the survival of the throne,” Capt. Torus said as a smirk appeared to grow on his face. “The oath said nothing about keeping Celestia on that throne.”

“I’m intrigued!” said Discord. “Oh do go on! I would love to hear your plans.”

“Simple,” the captain replied. “My colts and I help to make Celestia lose this game of yours, and in the chaos that will follow…which I know you will enjoy…I will seize control of the throne and confine Celestia to a small dark dungeon cell for eternity. 

“Your plan is a bit cliché for an over-the-top-good-guy-turned-traitor scenario,” said Discord, “but I do enjoy the irony of the princess losing to her own trusted guards. However, why should I entrust you with the right to rule Equestria instead of her?”

Capt. Torus smiled wide showing all his teeth. “Because I am a pony who enjoys that which chaos can bring. Chaos demands control through power. You will supply the chaos, I will supply the power!”

Discord looked at the warrior before him, contemplating. “This warrior could be exactly what I need for the Continuum to determine whether this race should be eliminated, once and for all!” he thought.

“I think we have a deal,” he said extending his claw to the captain. Capt. Torus extended his hoof. Grasping together, they shook, smiling at their mutually dubious plans.

“Before you leave,” said the captain as Discord started to turn, “what is the nature of the game you intend to play?”

“Ahh, I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise for you. However, I think a warrior such as yourself shan’t be disappointed!” Turning again he faded into the darkness. 



*     *     *



“Arrrgh!!! Shining Armor fell back against a tree recoiling from the stab wound made by Capt. Torus’s horn. Narrowly missing his heart, it had pierced through his left shoulder. Shining’s blood covered the captain’s horn. 

He quickly regrouped and despite the pain, stood on his legs with his head raised to his opponent. “How could you do this!?” Shining yelled. “How could you betray everything you swore to protect?”

“Let’s just say I saw a different vision for the future of Equestria,” he replied. “One with ME as its rightful ruler!” He shot a beam of energy towards Shining.

Dodging, the beam safely struck the tree behind him. “You’re mad! What was wrong with a world at peace?” 

“Peace is a weakness!” said the captain. “Look around! A bunch of peasants, who have never known violence, are up against an army of born and raised soldiers. What good is peace if it means becoming enslaved!?” Capt. Torus threw two more volleys of magic at his opponent.

“Ha!” Shining forced a laugh infuriating the Red Guard leader. “You want power through violence to protect us from those who would rule us with violence? What would be the point?”

The captain charged at Shining Armor locking their horns together. 

“The point,” he answered pushing Shining back, their horns clashing causing magical energy to fire off in various directions, “is that I would be in charge and not some bitch who’s long surpassed her time to rein!”

Capt. Torus thrust Shining and himself apart and charged up as much energy as he could into his horn. The blood red glow from his horn grew until it had reached its maximum ability to hold magic. He dipped his horn to release the torrent of magic at his opponent. 

“Ooohff!” 

Shining Armor’s horn had been thrust directly into Capt. Torus’s chest. As the shock reached the captain’s face, his eyes widened. His head jerked upward releasing the energy he’d built up into the air. 
Shining had never been taught any spell that could kill, nor did he want to know, so he used the only thing he could think of. He sent a thought of magic through his horn directly into the captain’s heart. 

“Sleep.”

Capt. Torus knelt down, rapidly losing his ability to stay conscious. He quickly succumbed and fell to the ground in a deep sleep that he would not wake from for a long time.

Panting, Shining looked around to see how his guards were faring, fighting the other members of the Red Guard. He saw one by one, the Red Guard fell in defeat. Some even surrendered upon the fall of their captain.

Smiling briefly in their achievement, Shining Armor too succumbed to the pain from his wound and collapsed to the floor unconscious. He would be alright, after a few days rest.



*     *     *



The animals in the Ever-Free forest held their heads in mourning as Fluttershy carried Angel to a nearby bed of bright blue flowers. Gently laying him down in the flowers, she knelt on the ground in silence. The sounds of the soldiers marching toward their position were growing rapidly. They would be there in less than three minutes.

Despite the loss, Fluttershy had not shed a single tear. There would be time for mourning, but this was not that time. Leaving her dead friend to rest, she grabbed a handful of the blue flowers. These flowers were commonly used as stains and dyes for fabrics. Rarity often came here to collect some for her shop. Standing herself up, Fluttershy crumpled the flowers in her hooves and smeared them across her face in a line. Her bright yellow fur turned blue from the dye.

Turning to face the animals, they jumped back upon seeing her expression. There were no tears. There was anger. There was fury. She stared at every animal, directly into their souls, as she spoke:

No more.  NO MORE!!
NO MORE will we run and hide while others fight to save us! 
NO MORE will we stand idly by while our friends and family are hurt! 
NO MORE will we be everypony's doormat!
NO MORE will fear rule our lives! 

I’m telling you; each and every one of you. For every time a pony has helped you in this world; 
for every kindness done to protect our ways of life; for every time they suffered so we would 
not; let us return that kindness and protect them now in their time of need!

The animals cheered Fluttershy and snapped to battle formation. From the porcupines, to the snakes, to the bear, to the squirrels in the trees, to the birds in the sky; all animals stood ready to fight at her order.

An arrow flashed through the trees and landed only a foot from where Fluttershy stood. Looking down at it sticking in the ground, she whispered to herself, “No more Miss. Nice Pony!” Turning to the battlefield, she screamed, “FOR ANGEL!!!!!” 



*     *     *



Princess Celestia, could do little but cry at the screen before her. From the Red Guard’s betrayal, to the animals brought to war, to men and ponies being slain across Ponyville, the princess wept at the end of two thousand years of peace. 

Captain Picard attempted to console her, with little success. As they sat on a couch in the main room, they stared at the video screen watching a war unfold before their eyes. 

The captain was also mortified at the level Q had brought this ‘game’ to. In his personal dealings with Q, Picard had learned that even though Q’s sinister tricks wreaked havoc on the Enterprise crew, they also held a higher purpose despite his cavalier nature for individual life. Thus far, the captain could not fathom what higher purpose this impromptu war could serve to teach anyone.

And then there was what Q had said, ‘This is beyond my control Picard. I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.’ “Could the Continuum be responsible for this senseless bloodshed?” he thought. “If so, why? What threat do these peaceful ponies pose to the near god-like Continuum?” The captain continued to think, keeping his eyes on the progress outside. 

“Good news!” Discord shouted as he popped into the Library. “The game looks to be nearly over!”

“What do you mean? Have our people reached the farmhouse?” Picard asked hopefully looking back and forth between the screen and Discord.

“On the contrary, no pony appears to be anywhere near the farmhouse. But some big fellows are readily approaching the Ponyville library it would seem.”

Discord changed the picture on the screen as though he was changing channels. The picture showed several hundred warriors in formation marching straight for the library.

“Q, put an end to this,” said the captain. “No one else needs to die. What point are you trying to prove? That innocent farmers are little but cannon fodder to seasoned warriors? Why is the Continuum putting these ponies at war?”

Discord changed into his human form. Walking over to the couch where they were sitting, he squeezed between the captain and the princess, having a seat. The princess immediately stood and left the room. She would not share a seat with such a despicable character. She retreated up the stairs and headed for Twilight’s bedroom and closed the door.

Instead of shifting, Q remained in the middle of the couch keeping the tension in the room uncomfortable for the captain. “Very good Picard,” he said in a hushed tone. “This IS a test from the continuum; one that can only be as violent as this. I’m terribly sorry for your lost crewmen Jean-Luc, but I gave you the only warning I was allowed to give. And you didn’t take it.”

The captain’s jaw clenched. To see Q describe himself as merely a messenger for the Continuum meant all bets were off. “If we lose this game,” he asked, afraid of the answer, “do you intend to follow through with your promise to eliminate an entire race of beings?”

“Keep watching, Picard. The game isn’t over just yet.” Snapping his fingers, he disappeared. 

The captain breathed out heavily, trying to vent his frustrations. From upstairs he heard the bedroom door open. The princess walked back down the stairs. 

“Jean-Luc”, she started. “Tell me about this ‘Continuum’.”



*     *     *



“SHINING! SHINING!” Twilight screamed over and over again, tears flooding out of her. Pinkie and Geordi had to drag her the entire way to the town hall. She tried to resist in order to return for her brother, but the pain from her leg wound prevented her from putting up much of a fight.

As they reached the Town hall, they saw it had been transformed into a makeshift hospital. Wounded ponies and crewmen alike were being brought there. The hospital was too small and too far away for the emergencies coming in. Some of the pony volunteers had been previously trained in first aid and offered their help. Dr. Crusher had been beamed to this location after reports of the injured started to come in. As they were still only able to transport down, she beamed down with some of the medical staff and began treating the wounded.

The town hall was filled with patients. All benches were pushed to the sides, tables made into operating beds, and sheets had been spread out on the floor for the injured. Many patients had minor injuries, others more serious. In the far corner, there were ponies and persons with sheets draped over them. They could not be helped.

“Dr. Crusher!” Geordi called, laying Twilight down onto an available empty sheet. The doctor came over with her tricorder examining the wound. It was large, but not too deep. No skeletal or muscle tissue needed to be regrown. Using her portable medical instruments, Dr. Crusher was able to heal her injuries within a few minutes before she needed to move on to more serious patients.

Twilight was still shaken. She was no longer giving orders nor leading the team. She was beside herself, muttering and twitching. 

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash called upon seeing her friend. She walked over to Twilight, unable to fly as her wings were still missing. Twilight hadn’t even noticed.

“Big Brother…Red Guard…betrayal…need to…muffins…” Twilight’s words began to fray into bits of nonsense.

“Uh. Twilight? Are you okay?” Rainbow asked, scared to see her friend in such a state.

“Twilight will be alright,” Geordi said. “She’s just in shock.”

Pinkie Pie spotted them and walked over. “It’s super-duper to see you Rainbow!” Pinkie Pie said, giving her a big hug.

“Uh, yeah…you too,” she replied lightly patting Pinkie’s back in return. “But what do we do now?” she asked releasing the hug. “With Twilight in this state, who’s in charge?”

“You’re looking at her!” Pinkie said smiling. “Ready to win this?”

“Are you nuts!? Win this!? We’re getting our apples kicked out there!”

“Then let’s get ready to make some apple sauce!” Pinkie said. Tapping her communicator, she said, “Pinkie to Derpy! Are we ready?” 

“Private Derpy ready sir!” came the reply.

“Stand by,” said Pinkie. “Pinky to Rarity”

“I’m here Pinkie. Is it time?” Rarity’s soft voice echoed through the communicator.

“Almost, get your unicorn team into position. Wait for my command!”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Pinkie to Applejack, are you in position?”

“Applejack here, Pinkie. We’re ready to go.”

“Geordi,” Pinkie yelled. “Can you help me connect us together with your talkie-thing?”

Geordi made his way across the room over to where Pinkie was, and bridged the connections for her. Derpy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie were all linked together via the communicator so they could hear everypony at once.

“Derpy, commence ‘Operation Muffins’ Phase One!” Pinkie yelled.

“Roger!” Derpy saluted, even though no pony could see her do it. 

Waving to her own team of Pegasi, everypony lined up spread across the clouds. The cloud formation now covered most of Ponyville. However, unbeknownst to the warriors on the ground, the clouds had been following the primary formation of soldiers as they marched toward the library.

Several dozen Pegasi carrying large sacks of muffins began dropping them through the clouds. They fell down to the ground like giant raindrops right on top of the soldiers. A pleasant aroma of spices and fruits radiated from the muffins causing the warriors to salivate with hunger.

Many of the soldiers had not eaten in days. With an asteroid hurtling toward their planet, food was becoming more and more scarce. Too tempted by this gift from the sky, nearly a third of the soldiers grabbed a muffin or several and bit into them. 

“Derpy to Pinkie, Phase One complete!” Derpy called over the communicator. 

“Awesome! And the result?” Pinkie asked.

Peeking through the clouds, Derpy watched as several hundred soldiers began violently vomiting upon the ground. Many of those that didn’t even consume any of the muffins began getting sick from the smell of their compatriots’ expulsions. 

“Success!” said Derpy.

Applejack, not too far from the embattlements, also watched Pinkie’s plan come to fruition. “Pinkie! What in tarnation did you feed ‘em?”

“Why an upgrade from your infamous recipe, Applejack!” Pinkie replied. “I call them. ‘Baked-Bads Version 2! Sweet and pleasant aroma; not so pleasant reaction. And now, Derpy if you please, Phase 2! I like to call these: Baked-Bads Version 3!”

“On their way!” Derpy yelled. Waving a second time to his team, they all pulled up a second sac of muffins and began delivering the packages. This time, instead of soft rain, the muffins plummeted down like hail, banging hard on the heads of the remaining soldiers. 

These muffins were harder and heavier then many rocks and hit twice as hard. The warriors continued breaking formation losing their structure as they attempted to evade the lethal muffin hailstorm.

Finally a warrior pointed to an area where the sun was shining through. There was a break in the clouds. Many of the soldiers ran for cover where there were no clouds overhead.

“Phase 2 Complete, Pinkie! They’re all running towards Rarity!” said Derpy happily. 

Reaching for a celebratory muffin, a nearby Pegasus flicked it out of Derpy’s hoof before she made the mistake of biting into it.

“Woo Hoo!” Pinkie cheered. “Operation Muffins Complete! Rarity, Targets are locked! Release Operation Chicken Little!” 

“Darling you really should rethink these names,” said Rarity. “My work deserves more style than such a crude codename.”

Pinkie rolled her eyes and said, “Fine…Release Operation Diamond Sky.”

“Much better. Releasing Diamond Sky!” Rarity announced into the communicator.

Rarity had been situated in a balloon above the cloud line since the battle began. She protested having to once again fly, however the idea of using a balloon was a little more palatable. Besides, she needed to be present when her work would be unveiled! Working with a team of unicorns in twenty balloons, a giant sheet covered almost a full open field's worth of the sky. 

The material was made of diamond silk, a rare fabric that only Princess Celestia herself had significant enough quantities to create a sheet so large. The princess had given Rarity permission to use her supply under the condition that it be cleaned and returned afterward. She had to use every last scrap of cloth the royal tailor had. 

Its unique feature allowed sunlight to pass through and reflect down creating a mirror of the sky above. Normally, this fabric would be used for formal summer dresses that would make the princess shine as though she was a part of the sky. Its downside was its weight. In order to hold the sheet in the air, it had been tethered to twenty balloons each with a unicorn using their magic to hold a portion of its weight.

The warriors were regrouping under the cloudless portion of the sky. Their number was significantly smaller, but still quite a formidable force. 

Rarity waved at the other balloons who in turn waved to more balloons spreading the word. All together, they snapped their tethers and let go of their magical ties to the sheet.

A giant shadow appeared on the ground. Several warriors noticed and looked up to see what would cause such a massive shadow. Gaping upward, the sky itself was falling down upon them. As it collapsed on top of the warriors, the balloons carrying the unicorns returned to the ground. Before the soldiers could tear through the material or find an edge, the unicorns combined their magic together to create a force-field from which the warriors could not escape.

Smiling at her work going perfectly to plan, Rarity tapped her communicator pin and said, “Rarity here. My fabulous ‘Sheet of Sky’ was a complete success!” 

“Good work there Rarity!” said Applejack. “Looks like I’m next. Pinkie, I got another group coming this way!”

“Okie-Dokie-Lokie!” said Pinkie Pie. “You ready for ‘Operation Jam-”

“Yeah, yeah. ‘Operation whatever’, the Jam trap is ready and a raring to go!”

…