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// Departing for Neigh Zealand 
// Story: Terror in Equestria 6:  The Great War 
// by StormLuna 
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The five days of high intensity training passed all too slowly for Colgate and Fluttershy, who were just itching to go and end the war.  Colgate had been watching through the eye and despite time crawling by to her, things seemed to be looking up for Equestria.  All of the other forces that attacked Equestria were killed during their invasions.  Even the ship that was going to invade an uninhabited area was intercepted by a patrolling carrier from the Los Alicornus base.  With those foes out of the way, Colgate knew she could proceed with what she thought would be the death blow to Lyra.

She had Fluttershy up there in her room with her while she was looking through the eye and she saw the beaming smile on Colgate's face.  She asked, "Colgate, what is going on that has you so happy?"

Colgate asked in return, "You promise you won't share this with your friends?"

Fluttershy replied, "I won't say a word."

Colgate said, "Alright.  Well Neigh Zealand had sent twenty of their thirty carriers to our coast to invade us.  Well in their attempts to invade us every single one of their soldiers were killed."

Fluttershy commented, "Well this will make things much easier for us!"

Colgate smiled and replied, "Yep, it will."  She paused and then continued, "The five days have passed.  Tomorrow we shall fly to the Los Alicornus base, grab Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and the necessary forces and set sail."

Fluttershy said, "Don't forget your uranium!"

Colgate replied, "Oh thank you Fluttershy!  I probably would have forgot about it had you not mentioned it."

Fluttershy asked, "So what time do you want me over here tomorrow morning?"

Colgate said, "Well if you wouldn't mind, I would like it if you just stayed the night here.  I have plenty of sleeping quarters that are going unused."

Despite the fact that her critter friends would wonder where she was, Fluttershy agreed to stay in the black tower that night as she wanted to see Lyra's destruction just as much as Colgate did.

That night at supper Colgate and Fluttershy were laughing and talking about humorous things from the past, such as when Discord corrupted everypony and how terrified Celestia was about seeing the dentist.  The officers however, were not laughing along with them.  Fluttershy wondered why and decided to find out.  She asked, "Why aren't you guys laughing along with us?  Usually you are laughing with us on everything."

Dark Night replied, "I'm just nervous about how we are going to handle the attack on Neigh Zealand.  I'm just nervous that we might get injured ourselves by the explosion."

Colgate said, "Don't worry general.  I can fly very fast and besides, I plan on having the carriers fifteen miles or more away from where I will cast my spells."

This relieved Dark Night immensely and he suddenly became more joyous as did General Lightning Storm.  The rest of the officers however, remained somber and nervous.  This was irritating Colgate immensely.  She asked, "Ok, besides the generals, what other officers would like to come with me?"

The majors raised their hooves.  Other than the generals, they were the only ones who weren't opposed to Colgate's plans despite being nervous themselves.  Colgate said, "Ok, the generals and majors will come with Fluttershy and myself.  The colonels, captains and lieutenants shall remain here with the rest of Fluttershy's friends."

Dark Night asked, "Are they still opposed to your plans?"

Colgate replied, "Yep and even worse they seem to be distancing themselves from Fluttershy."

Fluttershy added, "They are.  They claim that I am not the sweet Fluttershy I used to be.  But damn it, Equestria is our homeland.  Somepony attacks the land I call home they must suffer dearly.  They will thank us and come crawling to both Colgate and I begging for forgiveness after this is over."

Colgate smiled realizing that Fluttershy is doing this for more than just her, but for her homeland.  After a very long supper they decided to head to bed.  Colgate said, "Alright everypony, we will eat an early breakfast tomorrow.  We will fly out and probably reach the base around one.  There we will have lunch and then set out for Neigh Zealand."

Major Deadly Cloud asked, "So how long is the journey there?"  

Colgate replied, "Well it could take up to two weeks.  Luckily I plan on taking ten carriers so there will be plenty of us and we won't all be crammed together."

Dark Night asked, "I take it you will be duplicating us many times over."

Colgate replied, "That is correct.  Let's get some rest.  We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

They all headed to bed that night knowing that the fate of the entire world would rest on this one mission.  Colgate was having trouble sleeping that night worrying about some of her officers turning on her while Fluttershy slept tight with a smile on her face dreaming about the destruction of Lyra.  

When morning arrived Colgate was tired, the other officers were a bit tired but Fluttershy was well rested and ready to go.  After a rather uneventful breakfast they headed down to the base to brief the soldiers.  Once they got there Colgate addressed them.  She started, "Alright troops.  Today, those of us who will be going with Fluttershy and myself, will begin the mission that could determine the fate of the entire planet.  It is vital that we win this."

Major Deadly Cloud asked, "What if we don't win?"

Colgate replied, "Well I don't know.  Lyra doesn't have the power to take over the entire planet but still, life will be much easier for all of us once we win."

Fluttershy saw Granny Smith and Big Mac out in the crowd.  She shouted, "Granny Smith, Big Mac, where is Applejack?"

Granny replied, "Well Applejack and her friends don't care about Equestria if you ask me.  They are at Sugarcube Corner and have locked the door.  Ain't that right Big Mac?"

Big Mac replied, "Eeyep!"

Colgate said, "Well that doesn't matter now anyway."  She looked at Dark Night and Lightning Storm and said, "Generals, gather the soldiers that you think will be the best for this mission.  I will duplicate everypony once we get to the base."

Before heading out Fluttershy asked, "Colgate, do you have your uranium?"

Colgate replied, "Oh crap, no I don't.  You guys wait a minute while I go get it."

While Colgate headed to the archives to retrieve the rest of her uranium Dark Night and Lightning Storm went through all the soldiers and gathered the ones they believed would be best for the mission.  By the time Colgate got back the generals had gathered the forces they felt were most prepared.

Colgate asked, "Is everypony ready to go and bring peace back to this world?"

Everypony shouted, "HAY YEAH!"

Colgate nodded and motioned for them to follow her.  They all followed her off to the southwest to the base.  Colgate was confident but it seemed as though Fluttershy was even more confident as sometimes she was the one leading everypony else.  Colgate thought to herself, "Wow, I never imagined a pony who used to be so shy would be so determined!"

Around one that afternoon they arrived at the base near Los Alicornus.  They were quickly greeted by an excited Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.  They immediately ran to Colgate.  Apple Bloom said, "Colgate!  It is so good to see you!  It feels like it has been forever."

Sweetie Belle asked, "Yeah!  So what has been going on?"

Colgate asked in return, "So how did defending the invasion go?"

Sweetie Belle replied, "It went fine.  They came in but we were able to kill all of them and we didn't lose anypony.  Isn't it exciting?"

Colgate was pleased with the enthusiasm of the two.  She asked, "So, what would you two think about sailing out to Neigh Zealand to aid Fluttershy and I in ending this?"

Apple Bloom replied, "Really?  Y'all want Sweetie Belle and I to come?"

Colgate said, "Of course!  You two are very powerful and I know you will do well."

The two enthusiastically accepted Colgate's offer to aid her in the attack on Neigh Zealand.  After a normal lunch Colgate gathered all her soldiers, excluding the officers, into one area.  She started, "Ok, we have ten carriers that we will be taking with us.  I will duplicate you guys sufficiently so that we will have enough soldiers on each carrier to handle any attacks."

Dark Night asked, "Why aren't you duplicating us officers?"

Colgate replied, "Because having more than one of the same officer in the same battle would be quite confusing."  She then looked off to the southwest and continued, "Come on guys, time is a wasting."

With all the soldiers gathered in one area, Colgate pointed her horn at them and it began to glow.  She recited, "From one to two, two to four and so much more, when one is simple mere, more and more shall appear."

Colgate's forces were now double what they were but she used the spell on them a couple more times to make sure each carrier had sufficient forces on board.  Once she saw this she was happy.  She ordered them to get on the carriers and they headed off to the southwest.