One by one, Luna’s fleet was ground up and spat out like an over chewed piece of gum. With a scream that would shatter glass, Luna side stepped twice as her ship was hit. Sparks and flames leapt up from the screens scattered around her as circuits and wires gave out under the stress.
“Whoa! What happened to the gravity?!” Spike shouted as he slowly began to lift off of the floor. His claws latching onto a handle in front of him, “Somepony do something!” he cried as tears slowly floated away from his eyes.
“Everyone keep calm! We will make it through this!” Luna announced as her horn glowed and the deck beneath the ponies and dragon became gravetized again. Spike let out a sigh of relief as he burped again and caught another scroll in his hand.
“Princess! Defense ship 17, Shining Armor’s ship has spotted something approaching our solar system at half the speed of light! It’s not Gamilus and it’s not ours!” he said in a rush as the deck pitched again, knocking him off his feet.
Luna held fast as the ship rocked beneath her, “Alert Canterlot of the incoming craft. It’s out of our hands at this point! Then order the remaining ships to flank the Gamilus ships to our Starboard!” she commanded quickly as yet another of her ships exploded.
Meanwhile, back at Equestria ponies ran between consoles in the giant underground Command Center of Canterlot Underground. Far atop the giant room stood Princess Celestia, ruler of all of Equestria. Her calm demeanor projecting across the room as she watched the battle from the projection screens. Her heart beating fast as she saw one after the other of her loyal pony subjects perish and fade out of existence.
“Princess Celestia, message from Princess Luna. A craft of unknown origin is quickly approaching Equestria.” Announced the small filly named Featherweight. Celestia sighed hearing his voice, wishing dearly that fillies of his age weren’t here. In the necessity of emergency Celestia had allowed Ponies of all ages to join the defense forces in a very desperate attempt to keep Equestria safe. Of course, the youngest of all the Ponies were assigned to very unthreatening and dangerous jobs such as message couriers and medicine ponies. Unfortunately, all Unicorn Ponies were requested to join the soldiers division and that as many Pegasus Ponies were to officially enlist with the Wonderbolts, once a flying team for entertainment, now turned into a squadron of highly trained fighter force.
“What is its current course?” Celestia asked with a tilt of her head.
“It’s going to land just outside Ponyville Princess.” Featherweight replied as he pushed a button on the console in front of him with his hoof, one of the giant screens changing to show the direction of the object and where it would hit. Celestia’s eyes followed the arc down to the location of the ruins of Ponyville, a small tear forming in her eye quickly blinked away.
“Send Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash to see what the object is once it’s landed. Tell them to be extremely careful when up there.” Celestia said turning her back away from the screens, “Please keep me informed as to the progress in the battle near the moon.”
Featherweight nodded as Celestia walked off towards the back of the room. She didn’t want the other Ponies around her to see her upset. The spirits were low enough as it was with the situation they were in. A crying Princess, let alone ruler of Equestria crying would put the metaphorical knife in the heart and end it all right there.
Down on one of the lower levels Rainbow Dash was looking at a small picture of her friends. She sighed as she turned away from it and nearly knocked noses with Twilight who was behind her.
“Miss them still?” Twilight asked with a reassuring smile.
“Yeah I do Twilight. Ever since those stupid Gamilus guys decided to attack we’ve all gone our separate ways. It’s not cool not being able to see your friends.” Rainbow Dash replied pushing the picture down against the small desk it was resting on.
Twilight sighed and smiled weakly again, “Well they all had things they needed or wanted to do before things got worse. Fluttershy rounding up as many of her animal friends as she possibly could. Applejack trying to make sure that everypony has enough food down here to eat. Pinkie Pie helping keep everyponies spirits up as best she can. And Rarity is busy making sure everypony has something to wear. You know as well as I do that all of those are very important tasks.”
Rainbow frowned, “It still doesn’t change the fact that I don’t like it.” She said slowly moving away from the desk, “I mean, I’m the only one that stuck with you despite the circumstances.”
“Rainbow,” Twilight began in an almost complaining tone of voice, “That’s not fair to the others, they write when they can. And it’s not like they aren’t our friends anymore.”
Rainbow looked back at her with skepticism, “Yeah I know…I don’t know I guess I really miss them.” She says turning back to the picture and lifting it back up. And heading back to her bed to look up at her old posters of the Wonderbolts.
“Don’t worry Rainbow Dash, I’m sure things will go back to normal…one day.” She said half confidently as she looks at the picture of the six ponies in front of Twilight’s house in Ponyville.
As Twilight turned around she heard a knock at the door to the shared cabin that Twilight and Rainbow Dash shared. Twilight headed towards the door and opened it, “Featherweight? What can I do for you?” she asks the small filly.
“Princess Celestia wanted me to give you these orders Twilight.” He said placing a small parchment on the ground in front of her. Twilight lifted the parchment up with her magic and opened the small scroll.
Twilight read it quietly as Rainbow Dash spoke up, “So, what’s the Princess want?”
Twilight looks down at Featherweight, “Tell Princess Celestia that we’re on the way.” She places the scroll down on the desk and looks at Rainbow Dash, “Get you mask and suit on Rainbow Dash, we’re going home.”
Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow, “Home is gone remember?”
“Something is going to land back in Ponyville…or what’s left of Ponyville anyway…” she said with a frown. “Princess Celestia wants us to take a look at it. And get back to her on what it is.”
Rainbow Dash hopped up off the bed and nodded. “Alright, let’s get on it. We wouldn’t want to keep the Princess waiting.” She said as she slides on her anti-radiation gear over her body. A moment later trotting out of the room and towards the pilot’s area, Twilight right on her hooves.