//------------------------------//
// The Battle of PonyVille: Part I (War!) 
// Story: The Outsiders 
// by Caleb Roy 
//------------------------------//

				"I rushed to the side of Carousel Boutique with Apple Bloom and Braeburn. Turning to my right, I saw a small firefight between three Wreckless and three Dragononians. I told Braeburn and Apple Bloom that we had to keep moving. We ran near Sugarlump's house, and when I looked to my left, I saw a Rogue plane get hit by a Dark Knight fighter. The Rogue plane then slammed right into Sugarcube corner. Hopefully, the Cakes were not inside. Sugarcube Corner exploded in a pile of debris, flames, and metal parts. Me, Braeburn, and Apple Bloom moved on."



As it hit me that the war had finally come to Equestria, I realized that me and Apple Bloom were still bound, and we could not yell for help because we were both gagged. I thought to myself how ironic it was that we were going to be saved by these empires, but that we were now tied up and could not move. I was angry with myself. However, Braeburn did not forget us because he immediately ran to the deck. He was only halfway up the steps, when a drop pod of some sort landed right between us and him. Braeburn was thrown back, hitting the ground with a thud. I closed my eyes, so as not to get hit by any splinters from the wooden steps. Opening my eyes, I saw a poof of air shoot out of the pod before something emerged. The thing was a bulk of muscle, technology, and just plain fearsomeness. It had steel blades three feet in length proceeding out of its hands. The alien creature had to have been over eleven feet tall. It looked like something out of a movie which I saw once. It turned around, and saw Braeburn getting up. Braeburn looked straight into the creature's eyes. The Creature returned the gaze. Then, the creature protruded a red laser targeter from its helmet. It pointed the light right at Braeburn's neck. I thought it was going to fire something. It didn't. Instead, the mass of terror walked away continuing the battle that had befallen Ponyville. Braeburn, partly in shock, rushed over to Apple Bloom's side. He pulled a knife that he carried everywhere out of his satchel, and cut Apple Bloom's bonds. Apple Bloom removed her gag. Braeburn then ran to my side and freed me. He then told both of us that we had to get out of Ponyville, and I could not agree less. I ran to the now dead Firemaster, and picked up his weapon. Braeburn ran over to a dead Dragononian guard and picked up a Dragononian Assault Rifle. We then started to run away from this area.
"Let's head to Sweet Apple Acres", I yelled to Braeburn and AppleBloom, "Then we can head to the Everfree Forest from there!" I finished. They both agreed, and we started to head in that direction. In my mind, I secretly prayed that no one would get hurt because chaos was everywhere. Running past Colgate's house, I saw a griffon get hit dead on by a stray rocket. The poor griffon then imploded in a fury of guts, feathers, and bones. This image would play on my mind for the rest of my days upon Equestria. It was, in fact, the most horrible image for me of the whole war, even though I would see worse.  We began to turn into an alleyway when I saw a squad of what I later found out to be FEAR Stalkers. These units, who belonged to the Fear empire, could tear you to shreds, took 15 bullets averagely to kill, were expert in stealth, and worked in packs of 3. Immediately, and I mean immediately, we turned around, and  headed for a different direction. We still had no evidence that any of these empires were friendly, just that they wanted territory. Coming back out of the alley, I saw three Monsterian Tanks roll down the street, firing as they went. BOOM BOOM BOOM was the noise that these tanks made pulling back from something bigger which they were trying to fight. They were within 30 feet from us when a barrage of rockets blew two of them up. Then, a huge monster came within view from the hill that was covering it. The monster was a Dragononian Rock Lizard. The Rock Lizards were some of the most feared Dragononian creatures when the Dragononians first came to Armonia. I heard that in Griffoni alone, one of those things could kill an entire company of Griffon fighters, if not more. I could see why the Monsterians were pulling back. I quickly forgot, however, the war, and, as the final Monsterian tank was coming within ten feet from us, the Dragononian Rock Lizard opened up its 300 MM Fire bullets. The Monsterian tank blew up in a fury of heat and shrapnel, one piece just skimming my ear. I recoiled mildly in pain. My ears then started to ring from the mild flesh wound. 
"Watch out!!", Braeburn shouted as he jumped on top of me pushing me to the ground. Almost immediately after I hit the ground, a WHOOSH sound flew by me, and hit a nearby building blowing part of it to smithereens. I looked up and realized that I had just narrowly escaped death, just narrowly. I wanted to think about that, but I had no time... It was too dangerous to think at this moment. We moved on.
As we were running, I realized that Apple Bloom could not keep up with us. I stopped and told her to get on my back. She immediately listened. As if out of nowhere, a huge green energy blast went BUBUUUUUUUUSH, and tore into practically all the houses of Ponyville. I looked up, and saw a towering, humongous mechanical Spider shaped looking thing. Later, I found out it was a type of Brainiac Corps walker. I could not believe it, this thing looked like it was going to crush everything, it was just so huge. It fired another energy beam from its huge cannon, and tore up practically every shop on Business Square. It started to move, and one of its iron, mechanical legs crashed into the Dragononian check point D. The check point collapsed with one step. Then, from the skies, a huge laser blast pounded the thing. I realized that the laser blast from the skies must have been one of the empire's space fleets. The blast continued to come from the heavens, until the humongous walker started to implode, and its spree of green energy blasting stopped. It then started to sway back and forth, and eventually came down crashing into a nearby field, Sweet Apple Acres.
"We can't head over there now, 'cuz!" Braeburn shouted at me. I knew he was right. He asked me, "Where should we head now?"
"I- I don't know, Braeburn, I don't know", I shouted back to him. Before finishing,  a Zombrian Benign came crashing through SilverSaddle's house. It roared with anger and hatred, and then it looked at us. It started to come rushing to us, wanting to tear every piece of our measly existence to shreds. I thought we were going to die. In fact, I was just about to throw Apple Bloom to the side, and yell to her to run, when, all of the sudden, out of nowhere, came a Revolutionary Shredder. The Revolutionary Shredder was like a huge lizard, and it was practically an equivalent to a Zombrian Benign. The Revolutionary Shredder jumped on top of the Benign, and started to claw and rip at the thing's body. The Benign then retaliated by whacking the Shredder upside it's head. With this, the Shredder sunk it's razor sharp teeth into the Benign's left shoulder, and the Benign roared in an anger so furious, it seemed to have stopped the battle. Watching this spectacle made me so oblivious, that I was only "awoken" from my trance, when Braeburn jumped on top of me again, knocking me to the ground.
"What was that for?", I asked.
"If you were paying any attention, you would have seen that rocket that just flew right by your head, and crashed into that building over there.... Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asked me. I realized  Braeburn was right, I had to pay more attention if I wanted to stay alive, and keep everyone else I loved alive. "Now, lets move!" Braeburn shouted again.
We left the fight between the Benign and Shredder, and started to rush to the side of Carousel Boutique. Turning to my right, I saw a small firefight between three Wreckless and three Dragononians. I told Braeburn and AppleBloom that we had to keep moving. We ran near Sugarlump's house, and when I looked to my left, I saw a Rogue plane get hit by a Dark Knight fighter. The Rogue plane slammed right into Sugarcube corner. I just hoped that the Cakes were not inside there. Sugarcube Corner exploded in a pile of debris, flames, and metal parts.
"We need to go in there", Screamed Apple Bloom.
"We can't", I said back, "I need to get you to safety, and--"
"Big Mac!! The Cakes are in there!! We have to go! What if they are still alive?"
"No! No, Apple Bloom! I will not risk your life like that! I already failed to protect Granny Smith and AppleJack, and I will not fail to protect you! The answer is No!!" I gave my answer and I would not change it. We moved on under much resentment from Apple Bloom.
Looking up and down and all around, the only thing I could see was death and battle. While we were running at one point, I saw a Sanctum tank attacking a Rogue 74 Droid. The Rogue 74 droid then unleashed its arsenal of missiles, which blew not only the Sanctum tank up, but  also blew two poor young Armonian Dragons up. I was furious, but there was nothing I could truly do, so I moved on. It was true that right now, I could only look after me, Apple Bloom, and Braeburn, as hard as it was to think.
"Let's cut through the Quill and Sofa store!", Braeburn shouted, "We can then head to the Everfree forest from there!".
"You're right Brabeurn", I returned. We headed into the Quill and Sofa store. Before going up the stairs to see where we would make our next move, I quickly peeked back to see what was going on. I saw two Pegasus ponies in the middle of the street under a hail fire of intersecting machine gun bullets. One of the Pegasi, a poor filly about two years younger than Apple Bloom, was hit in the head. The projectile killed the poor thing instantly. The mother, in pure despair, lifted up her head  just for a second, sobbing. It would be her fatal mistake. She was instantaneously hit square in the center of her nose. They were both dead. Seeing this made me think, but for a moment, that Armonia was not the loving, peaceful planet she once was, but was now instead a battleground of evil and death. I thought that maybe we were wrong to have brought these empires here, but then I thought about what we had before hand. None of it made sense, all I wanted to do was cry, but there was no time for crying. Instead of crying, we turned into the receiving and shipping department of the store. 
Running up the stairs inside the now destroyed, burning out building, I heard a faint crash of glass, but  took nothing of it since the battle was raging everywhere anyway. We came to the top of the stairs, and Braeburn told me to let him go first. I agreed and Braeburn charged in. Braeburn swung the door open and just as I was about to follow him, Apple Bloom still hanging on to my back, I saw Braeburn crash into the side wall where once he hit, he made a faint grunt. Quickly, I turned to my right, and that is where I saw a Darkron, his dagger claw-like weapon drawn, and his fierce looking gun pointing right at Braeburn's face. The Darkron started to cock his miniature mini-gun like assault rifle weapon. He aimed down the sights.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!", I yelled as i quickly put Apple Bloom on the floor. The Darkron turned around, shocked, already firing his weapon. Bullets whizzed past my head, and met the wall, and door. One clipped my mane. I slammed my cranium right into the side of the Darkron's horrifyingly dark armor. The Darkron, still firing, flew back into a wall, but quickly scrambled to his feet. The thing looked at me, and then said, in one of the most horrifying voices I ever would hear, "You will die by my blade tonight, you foul beast, and then that one, he pointed at Braeburn, and that one, he pointed at my sister AppleBloom, will follow".
"NOOOO!", I screamed with a voice full of rage. I charged the Darkron, and just barely dodged his strike from his plasma dagger claw on his arm. The Darkron then pushed me to the ground, kicked me in the side, and turned me over. I just rolled out of harms way when he started to fire his weapon again. The bullets were so close, that I could hear them whisper of my death. I ducked under the Darkron's knees, but he kicked me on the flight past him. The Darkron again spun around, and pointed his gun at me. I was too quick, however, and pushed him away before he could fire that weapon of his again. He was enraged. He hit me, and knocked me out, but for the moment, giving him enough time to grab me by the throat. He pinned me against the wall, and put his dagger to my throat. Then, he just barely touched my face with it. I could feel the burning energy spiking and stinging my face. I could see the joy of the Darkron's eyes as he was about to kill me. He didn't. Apple Bloom charged him just enough to make him recoil, dropping me to the ground. It was all I needed. I butted him again in the stomach knocking him back against the wall. I then ran at him again, and smashed him ever so deeper into that wall. I did it again, and again, and again. I was angry, full of hatred. I was enraged, mad at everything. I was mad at this beast, the Dragononians, and the rest of the empires. I was enraged at myself, my parents, everyone. I was mad at every thing there ever was. I let my anger get to me, though.
I went to butt the Darkron again in the stomach, but in my anger, I was confused and just missed him. The Darkron used this opportunity to grab me by the mane, and throw me hard against the opposite wall. The Darkron then skulked and stumbled over to where I was, and again picked me up, and again through me into the wall. He did it again, but this time through me into a couch which was so destroyed it collapsed. I had a massive headache. Coming in and out of darkness, I saw the Darkron getting closer and closer until he was right above me. He put his massive boot upon my neck, and began to speak.
"Oh, I will enjoy this", he hissed as he slowly started to push his blade into my stomach. I wanted to get up and hit him or at least run, but he had his huge boot upon my neck, and I could not move because I was so dazed. I started to scream in agony because of the pain, but also because I knew I would die, and I knew there was nothing I could do to save Apple Bloom. A tear started to proceed down my cheek as the Darkron continued to push his blade deeper into my side. 
Just then, Braeburn, who had finally regained his strength, tackled the Darkron forward, and hit the thing in the head so hard that I heard his helmet actually crack. The blade, which was partly lodged into my stomach, broke apart. I writhed in agony. I started to scream even louder. While screaming, I still absorbed the fight. The Darkron, after Braeburn punched it in the head, spun around in a fury of pain and rage. He through Braeburn right into a wall. I heard Braeburn's back make a small cracking sound. Braeburn, the stubborn mule, slowly got up, still ready for a fight. The Darkron laughed, and went to grab Braeburn. Braeburn dodged his attacker's lunge, and came into the Darkron's side with the knife he always carried. The knife did nothing, but instead broke. Braeburn looked up at the Darkron, and gave him a faint laugh of, "Well, this was interesting". The Darkron took the stab more seriously. He pointed his weapon at Braeburn's face. Braeburn ducked the shot just in the knick of time. The chair behind where Braeburn just was blew up into a pile of wood. Braeburn lunged again into the Darkron, and began to try to push him into a window to give us time to leave. The Darkron saw his plane, and waited for the next lunge. When Braeburn lunged again, the Darkron ducked out of the way, throwing Braeburn into the floor. The Darkron ran over to where Braeburn lay, and spun him around. The Darkron then grabbed Braeburn by the throat. He slammed him against the wall. Braeburn's hat flew off, and Braeburn himself made a grunt. The Darkron pointed his weapon at Braeburn's head, and I could see Braeburn's eyes fill with fear. The Darkron pulled the trigger. Nothing came out, the Darkron's weapon was out of ammunition.
The Darkron screamed in anger, and resorted to his next option which was punching Braeburn in the face till he died. I couldn't believe it. The Darkron threw a punch in Braeburn's direction hitting him square in the face. Braeburn was knocked out immediately. The Darkron threw another punch, and another, and another. Each one made Braeburn bleed a little more. I was too weak to do anything about it, and I still had the blade in my side. I couldn't let Braeburn die though. It was at that moment that I remembered I had picked up that Firemaster's pistol. I slowly took the pistol out of my satchel, partly in pain. Slowly, I raised the weapon up till I was aiming at the Darkron's head. I aimed, took a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger. BOOM! the Darkron's neck exploded, leaking an ocean of blood. Braeburn's knocked out body dropped to the floor. I rejoiced but a moment before remembering there was still a problem. The problem that neither one of us could move from our injuries. The only Equestrian who could do that was... oh no.... Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom came running to my side, crying. "Big Mac... Big-- Big Mac.. are you-- are ya gonna be alright?" she sobbed. I could not lie to my sister, but I told her that, for the moment, I was fine. She didn't buy it, she was to smart for that. "Big Mac, don't lie to me like that! Please don't lie to me like that... you need help.. I-- I'll go and find you some" she started to head away.
"NO!", I screamed to Apple Bloom, "No... Look Apple Bloom, I-- I can't lose you like I lost Granny Smith, and I can't lose you like I lost AppleJack". I finished partially crying.
"I don't want to lose you either Big Mac" AppleBloom sobbed, "Please let me go... Please let me try." When Apple Bloom finished, I looked at her straight in the eyes, and knew she was right so I told her...
"Yes, Apple Bloom...just--just make sure that you stay alive--that you make it through this... promise me that...promise me." I finished looking deep into the essence of her soul.
"I promise", she said. With that she gave me a hug, and ran out the door looking for help. I closed my eyes and prayed for her safety. Eventually, I was knocked out from the pain, but all I could think about was what was happening to Apple Bloom...