//------------------------------// // CH 4: Plans and things // Story: Blazing Blades Online // by Saro0fdemonz //------------------------------// "Hey Belle, come look at this" Applebloom snickered quietly, pointing to the balcony. Sweetie Belle grumbled as she slid out of bed, blinkng as she spotted Spike and Scootaloo cuddling on the balcony. "...Thats adorable. How'd he get here?" Sweetie Belle mumbled. Applebloom only shrugged and leaned over the two of them. Spike cracked an eye open, glancing at the two girls. "Do you mind?" he whispered, turning his attention to Scootaloo. The 'pegasus' grumbled as she snuggled close to him. "Th' heck are ya doin' in our room?" Applebloom asked, attempting to be serious. "I'm not in your room. I'm on the balcony. Outside instance zone, totally unrelated." he answered "Will you all shut up and let me sleep?!" Scootaloo yelled. She glared at each of them, blinking as her eyes landed on Spike. The dragon offered her a sheepish grin, dressed only in a pair of boxers as he held her. Scootaloo felt her cheeks burn as she yelped and stumbled out of his grasp. "S-Spike?! w-what the heck are you doing here?!" Scootaloo demanded. The dragon chuckled a little, scratching his chin. "I hopped over last night, remember?" he answered quickly. Scootaloo froze, the nights events flashing through her mind. She chuckled nervously and cleared her throat "Uh...Yea, right um..." "Spike, ya'll mind hoppin' back over so we can get ready fer th' day?" Applebloom stepped forward, putting a hand on her flustered friends shoulder. "Sure thing. See you guys at the hunting grounds?" he asked as he climbed onto the railing. "We'll be there." Sweetie Belle answered, all three of them watching him make the jump across with ease. They then turned to Scootaloo, wearing the biggest grins she'd ever seen on a pony. "So ya'll had a midnight cuddle session huh?" Applebloom teased. "I-It's not like that! I was just chilling on the balcony and enjoying the breeze...Spike saw how upset I was about my wings and climbed over to help me relax and I kinda just dozed off." She mumbled, her cheeks burning. "I think its sweet." Sweetie Belle smiled. Scootaloo groaned and headed for her gear. "Lets just...get ready, okay?" Button raised an eyebrow, spotting Scootaloo and Spike glancing at one another. It was obvious the two had something more going on, but on the battlefield they needed to focus. Sure it was a low level grind area but still, one mistake would cost them everything. He cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of his friends. "Lets take a break guys, don't wanna overdo it ya know?" he chuckled, winking at Spike. The dragon raised an eyebrow, groaning as Button glanced at Scootaloo. He was saved from the oncoming slaughter of taunts by a group marching towards them. Rumble stood and rested a hand on his Katana. "Hail swordsmen, can I help you?" he asked, tilting his blade slightly. Their leader was covered from head to toe in plate armor and ignored Rumble, pointing to Spike. "You, dragon, come with us." She demanded, the soldiers with her encircling them. Spike gripped his Claymore, hunching forward slightly. "Come willingly and we spare your friends. We've no reason to kill them, especially the Princess. No disrespect your highness, but this is a matter of survival." the woman continued. "Why go to these lengths then? Why not join our forces? Is that not why you seek to take our vanguard?" Luna asked, her arms crossed. "He has strength no one else does. We can't risk one of your group stabbing us in the back. Ponies we thought to be family turned on us within moments of being alone with us. I'm sorry, but this is the way it must be." She answered. "Then allow us your name." Luna replied, her hand sliding down to her weapon. Applebloom shifted her stance, bouncing on her toes. Scootaloo twirled her dagger, flipping it backwards and grabbing a fistful of throwing picks. Button twirled his blade and Rumble slowly drew his sword, gripping it tightly in both hands. Spike growled as the circle closed in on them, smoke drifting from his nostrils. "Rose. My name is Rose." she answered, drawing a pair of shortswords from her belt. Spike blinked as a Duel invite appeared before him. "We don't need any mindless bloodshed. So I offer this...A one on one duel. If i win, you come with us. If you win, we will leave." Rose offered. "And if I refuse to duel you?" Spike asked, glancing around at the circle. "Then we pick you off one by one. Our spearmen can hit a target from two clicks." she pointed out, whistling once, a single spear landing next to Spike. "We can take em Spike. Me an Rumble can..." Button began, his eyes wide as Spike accepted the duel. "Stand down men." Rose ordered, the circle backing off, but still remaining around them. Spike stabbed his Claymore into the ground, taking a slow breath and relaxing his mind. He was at a heavy disadvantage. His only ace was his reach, but with a dual wield build, she would be three times faster than him and be out of his range before he could blink. It would be a battle of timing more than swords. He watched the counter above them, closing his eyes as he took another deep breath. DING. The battle began, Spike drawing his Claymore and rushing forward. Rose leapt backwards as he slashed with the Claymore, surprised as he followed its path and swung out with his tail, catching her leg in the air and throwing her off balance. He gripped his Claymore in both hands, carrying it full circle in the spin and roaring as he slashed, only to have her blades catch his and spin her about in the air once more. Rose flipped and skid across the ground, rushing towards him. Spike swore under his breath, his blade still in the air as she ducked low. He raised his arm, her swords sinking into it instead of his chest. She pulled her blades free and bounced off her toes, leaping and twirling in the air, blades dancing with every move and Spike stumbling backwards to try and get out of her range. His sword was too heavy, he couldn't recover from the onslaught like this. So, he dropped it, leaping backwards and panting heavily, his Hp bar already cut in half while Rose was left untouched. "You can do it Spike!" Scootaloo yelled, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle joining the cheer. The dragon chuckled a little, balling up his fists and shifting his stance. Rose chuckled, twirling her swords. "You may be a dragon, but your scales don't protect you in this world. You can't believe you are going to beat me like that, are you?" she asked as she rushed again. Spike stepped in as she slashed, catching her wrist and palming it away, his free claw clasping her throat as he kicked forward. He pushed himself harder, roaring as he ran forward, carrying her by her throat and leaping into the air, slamming her hard into the unforgiving ground below. He sat up, hauling back his fist and smashing it into her helmet. He pulled back for another blow, gasping as a spear slammed into his back. Before he could recover another had pierced his armor, and another still slammed into his shoulder, pinning him to the grass. Button and Rumble tried to rush forward, the circle enclosing around them and the two forced back to back. Scootaloo and her friends found themselves in much the same situation. "BACK OFF! HE WON FAIR AND SQUARE!" Scootaloo yelled, gasping as Applebloom punched a spear out of the air next to her head. "Ya'll ain't gonna hit another one of my friends with those cheapshots!" the farmgirl yelled, stepping back and sliding her palm alongside another spear, catching it in her free hand and pointing it at the nearest swordsman. "Now ya'll best git goin' fer we show ya why th' Princess trusts us t' win this here game." she threatened. Sweetie Belle clutched her bag to her chest, digging through it for her healing bell. She gasped as a spear snatched the bag out of her hands and pinned it to the ground, the frightened 'unicorn' drawing her rapier and glancing around for the hidden spearmen. "They've thrown a lot of those...can't be too many more to spare." Rumble chuckled. "No idea how many of them there might be. Only one way out, Double six flip hole." Button grinned. The soldiers closed in further, Luna drawing her thorn and stabbing it into the ground. "Stand down now and you will be spared. But continue this assault and we will not hesitate to remove you from this world." She threatened. "STAND DOWN!" Rose screamed, all eyes turning to her. She rolled onto her side, her helmet caved in. She tapped the side, the helmet fading away and causing Applebloom to gasp. "Silver Spoon?! What th' hay are you doin' here?! Were ya'll tryin' t' steal Spike for Diamonds stupid little army?!" she yelled. "Diamond is a monster...Anyone who disobeys her is stripped of their gear and thrown into the forest to die. One of our scouts saw what Spike did to the Dragon and I thought...I just thought maybe..." She dug her hands into the dirt as sobs shook her body. The circles collapsed as every soldier rushed to their leaders side to comfort her. Scootaloo took the chance to snag Sweetie Belle's bag and run to Spike. She skid on her knees, placing one hand on his unharmed shoulder while crushing a potion over him. He groaned and rolled onto his side, wincing as he pushed himself into a sitting position. The speedster flung herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest. "You shoulda let us fight you idiot..." she grumbled into his chest. He opened his mouth to argue, stopping when she glared up at him. "Scoot...theres a bunch of spears in my back...can you scold me when my HP isn't dropping?" he asked sheepishly. She gasped and leapt to her feet, working on yanking the spears out. Luna made her way over to Silver Spoon, the crowd gripping weapons as she neared. "Let her through...I deserve whatever she decides..." Silver ordered. "We can't let her kill you. You're why we're alive Commander." A familiar voice answered. "Pip? Is that you?" Luna asked in shock. The colt removed his helmet, revealing it was indeed the pinto pony she knew. "I won't attack you...But I won't let you hurt her!" he stammered, standing his ground. "Pip...don't..." Silver cried, the colt ignoring her. Luna smiled, placing her hands on his blade. "You are a true stallion. Defending that which is dear to you is a noble cause. Fear not my friend, I mean no ill will towards your consort." Luna winked, causing him to blush. Luna took a step back, holding her hands up in the air. Slowly the group relaxed, sheathing their weapons. Luna slowly sat down, folding her hands on her lap. "Now...We understand your wish, but we cannot give up our vanguard to you. We can however join forces." Luna began, raising her hand to stop them from interrupting her. "You have issues of trust. We understand that all too well...or do you not recall how we treated our sister?" Luna said with a sad smile. Silence hung over the group at the grim joke. "My words cannot change your views Silver Spoon. But alone we cannot hope to stand against that beast. Together, our strengths and minds combined we can defeat it and be one step closer to freedom. Will you stand by us?" Luna asked softly, holding out her hand. Silver Spoon looked among her soldiers. The few she had managed to convince to come along with her to escape Diamond. The hateful mare didn't want to escape, all she wanted was to be in control and as long as they were trapped on the same floor as her then there was no escape. They trusted her with their lives and she was afraid she would let them down. Could she lead them alone? Or would she need Luna's help? Would it be wrong of her to accept such help? What if they were betrayed again? Pip frowned for a moment, seeing her conflict and put a hand on her shoulder. "We go where you go Commander." He said with a smile. Silver swallowed and smiled nervously, turning to Luna and taking a shuddering breath. "We accept your offer...on one condition." Silver held up her finger. "If Diamond attacks us...leave her to me." The Previous Night Rainbow grinned as she landed silently atop the hill where her friends waited, having shoved the clouds around for the perfect view of the night sky and the full moon. Pinkie happily walked about the group, making sure everyone had a drink and a snack while Applejack tossed a few twigs into the fire, keeping away the chill. The Pegasus sighed as she sat beside Twilight, hooking an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. "See girls? Isn't this great?" Rainbow asked. Despite everything, they all had to agree. "Ah ain't felt this relaxed in a long time sugarcube. Mighty appreciate ya'll convincin' me t' come out here tonight." Applejack smiled, holding up her drink. "I have to agree. My nerves have been rather...on edge, given the situation. Though, a part of me still feels guilty to be sitting here while Sweetie Belle is..." "She's with Button. I'm sure everything is fine. Besides, don't they also have that dragon friend of yours with them?" Milano asked, sipping her drink. "Y-yea...Spike is with them...But I don't know how that world works. All I know is statistics and numbers. I'm sure real life physique has no affect on the game itself." Twilight pointed out. "Yea, but they use their own knowledge to get around don't they? Spike's got Lunar Guard training, he's probably kickin' ass and takin names right now" Rainbow chuckled. "Not to be the party pooper, but didn't we come out here to NOT talk about this?" Pinkie pointed out, cutting a slice of cake nearby. "Your right Pinks...sorry." Rainbow chuckled sheepishly. Fluttershy held her drink in both hands, staring into the liquid and letting out a soft sigh. "Fluttershy? Are you alright?" Twilight asked. The Pegasus squeaked and sat upright quickly, nearly spilling her drink. "I-I'm fine. I just...feel sort of selfish..." she admitted. Everyone blinked and stared at her, causing her to flicker her eyes between them. "Pardon my meanin' but...what th' heck are ya'll on 'bout Shy?" Applejack asked. "Well...I-I'm suppose to be helping all of you, but I haven't done anything but..." "Thats enough Fluttershy." Twilight stopped her. "I was minutes from losing my head and tearing apart those helmets with my magic. If it weren't for you and Rainbow I might've killed myself, Spike, and Scootaloo. You saved us Fluttershy, by being a good friend and doing more than any of us could." Twilight smiled. "Now...we came out here to relax, did we not?" Twilight asked, blushing as Rainbow kissed her, the group bursting into laughter. Spike chuckled as Silver avoided his gaze. "I'm not mad. They were just trying to save you. Shows how important to them you are." he spoke up. Scootaloo however sat nearby with her arms crossed. "I gotta admit, those were some nice moves. But your goons still cheated." Scootaloo grumbled. Silver chuckled and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry...I don't even know why they call me 'Commander'. I just saw what Diamond was doing and I couldn't stand it anymore...I took up the name Rose because she put a bounty out for me...Thats why I couldn't trust you...I was afraid our past would make you turn me in..." Silver Spoon sighed, blinking as Scootaloo grabbed her hand. "One of my moms is the Princess of Friendship itself. Guess that means I should learn to make friends, even if they are enemies. Besides, if you're tough enough to beat up Spike, I definitely want you on my side." Scootaloo grinned. Silver Spoon smiled and hugged the speedster "Oh thank you! I won't let you down!" "You could let go though!" Scootaloo groaned. Luna smiled as she watched a new friendship blossom, turning her attention to the weary soldiers that accompanied Silver Spoon. If what their new ally said was true then there were many more like them underneath Diamond Tiara's iron fist and many more still were being sacrificed for her ego. She gripped the hilt of her sword, blinking in surprise as Applebloom sat beside her. "Ya'll alright Princess? Ya seem mighty tense..." "We are...fine. Simply worried for the well being of those still trapped by Diamond Tiara." Luna admitted. Applebloom nodded and sighed. "Shame Silver Spoon wants dibs on her, I'd like t' jus' head wherever she is an take her down 'fore anyone else gets hurt. But then again that ain't th' way t' do things. Can't jus' go 'round gettin' rid of people. Though we do need t' stop her from leavin' innocent ponies t' die. Ah think Rumble already has an idea." Applebloom grinned. Luna raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Button and Rumble who seemed to be discussing something rather heatedly. Button eventually shook his head and grinned, the two nodding in understanding before making their way back to the camp. "We've got an idea and an even worse plan. But if it works...we'll put a stop to Diamond and have all the troops we need to get to the next floor." Button grinned, the camp falling silent. "The catch is, only four of us can go. We'd be spotted pretty quickly if we all went. Obviously Silver has to be one of the four." Rumble pointed out. "And her bodyguard is gonna wanna go. So Pip makes two." Button grinned at Pip. "We ran because we can't..." Silver began, Button holding up his hand and smiling. "Spike is our strongest warrior. So he'll be going as backup. And Scootaloo is the fastest and has the best range with her throwing picks. So she'll be number four." Button finished. "What are th' rest o' us gonna be doin'?" Applebloom demanded, not liking the idea of her friends potentially walking to their deaths. "We'll be surrounding the area as backup for the worse case scenario. If shit hits the fan then we'll provide support while Belle and her new team will teleport us to safety. Just in case, one of you should carry a Bell." "Are we...are we going to kill her?" Scootaloo asked in shock. "If it comes to it. The hope is that we can convince her army that together they can escape her. Silver managed it after all." Rumble smiled. "Only just barely. Good ponies died in our escape..." Silver said with a shuddering breath. Spike stood, drawing his Claymore and grinning. "No one is going to die today. You have my word." "Are you sure about this?" Rainbow asked as Twilight began connecting several machines to the helmet the earth pony wore. "If the things hadn't sold out I would've been playing it anyway" Milano admitted. "Well, if all goes as planned you won't exactly be playing it. You won't be affected by the games normal rules and if this works..." Twilight sat down, her hands flying across a keyboard. "Then you'll be able to leave as you see fit. Which should be the first thing we test of course. Whenever you are ready." Twilight said, holding her finger over the Enter key. Milano nodded, taking a slow breath. "I'm ready Princess...Link Start!" Milano cried out, Twilight hitting Enter as the machine booted up, her eyes scanning the lines of code and her fingers flying across the keyboard once more. Rainbow stood by, hoping Twilight knew what she was doing. The Pegasus blinked as Twilight thrust a headset at her, but quickly put it on. On one of Twilights' monitors they were able to see everything Milano saw, the mare pouting at the mirror before her and cycling through the options. "Kinda picky aren't ya?" Rainbow joked "If I'm going to be stuck in here I want to look good." Milano answered, catching Rainbow by surprise. "She can hear us?" "And respond. Seems whatever Princess Twilight did is working. I can't open the menu yet though." Milano smiled, finishing her character and going with a shield and sword combo. She landed before the Town of beginnings, smiling broadly as she took a step forward, wobbling a bit. "Walking seems a little...weird here. But I think I'm getting it..." she mumbled, taking a few shaky steps and then a few more confident ones. Soon she was strolling into town, unaware of the eyes latched onto her. "Thats great Milano. Check your menu real quick please, so we can be sure everything is working properly." Twilight spoke into the mic, fingers dancing over her keyboard. The mare nodded, flicking her menu open and grinning as she spotted a log out button. "Gotta hand it to you Princess, you're pretty amazing behind the keyboard." "Watch your left." Rainbow spoke up, Milano sliding backwards, a sword just barely missing her. The owner grinned, twirling his blade and holding out his hand. "If you don't want to die, you'll hand over everything you've got." he threatened. "He's bluffing. The world rules keep anyone from being harmed inside of a town." Twilight informed her. Milano smiled, drawing her sword and shifting her stance. "Come get it." she growled, ducking under his sword and smashing her shield into his chin, sending him to the floor. Just as Twilight had said, his HP wasn't affected, but the hit seemed to have dazed him at the very least. She stepped forward, placing the tip of her sword to this throat. "Now...you are going to tell me everything you know..." "This armor sucks" Scootaloo grumbled, her voice muffled by her helmet. "Diamond knows our faces. We can't just march in here without some kind of disguise." Spike argued. "What exactly are we gonna do when we get to her huh? This plan is stupid." Scootaloo continued. "I'm not going to lie to you Scootaloo. I agree its a stupid plan. But this is a chance to save quite a few ponies. Many of which are too scared to pick up a weapon." Silver added. "Besides, we've got me and Spike here. If things get bad, we'll protect you girls." Pip beamed, everyone glancing at him. "But uh...I-I'm sure you two can defend yourselves, I uh...I'll shut up now..." he mumbled, turning his attention forward. Several people glanced at them, trying to decide if they were worth their time. Luckily no one seemed to care and they marched into a large Tavern. Inside sat Diamond Tiara, swirling a small glass of juice while glancing about at her army. Everyone in the room not bringing her gifts had their heads bowed, awaiting orders. Spike stepped forward, putting his fist to his chest and bowing his head. "Oh? A group of idiots who know their place? Thats new." Diamond murmured, standing from her small throne. She circled them, putting a hand to her chin before taking a step back. Their names and body builds were hidden, thanks to a Scroll of Illusion Silver Spoon was carrying. All that could be seen was their colors. All orange, except for Scootaloo who was bright green. Diamond grinned and turned her attention to Scootaloo. "Your friends here seem like a bit of a dangerous group. Why are you here?" she demanded. "The girl is new. She will learn what it means to be a warrior soon." Spike spoke up in a rough voice. Diamond turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Do you always speak for your underlings?" "Someone has to." Spike remarked. Diamond burst into laughter. "You, I like. Now, why are you here?" she asked, crossing her arms. "We have map Data that might interest you. The Location of the Boss room, and the knowledge on how to beat it." Spike held out his hand, a small map appearing. None of its data was displayed, other than its sheer size. "And what are you expecting in return?" "Assistance in the battle to come. Our numbers are few, we lack your strength. We are strategists. Our forces combined, no one has to die, and we get to the next floor where countless riches must await. This place has been bled dry after all." Spike sighed, the map vanishing. "An interesting offer. Allow me to make a counter offer." Diamond snapped her fingers, weapons sliding from sheathes. "You tell me who you are and hand over that map data. Or I kill you where you stand." Diamond growled. Spike lowered his head for a moment, letting a soft chuckle escape his lips. "The map is soul bound. If you kill me then it goes to my wife and you get nothing." Spike bluffed, throwing his arms out wide. Diamond gritted her teeth, calling down her forces. "Well played Knight. But how am I to know you won't stab me in the back?" "The same could be said for you. You did just try to kill me right now after all." "True...So we are at an impasse. What about this then...I will send enough forces to help you in this little battle of yours. My guild gets whatever drops off the boss and one of your number has to stay here during the fight. When everything is finished, you return with my treasure and you get your friend back." Diamond held out her hand. Spike gritted his teeth, forcing himself to relax. "The same issue still stands. Had you the chance you would've killed us just now. What stops you from killing us when you have your treasure?" Spike demanded. "Hm...You are quite the negotiator. True, should I choose, I could have you all executed and I've no reason to spare you." "Then allow me one final offer. When the boss is defeated, we will wait behind on this floor for three hours, allowing you total claim to the next floor until then." Spike held out his hand, his heart pounding. Diamond smirked, grabbing his hand. "Agreed. I can't wait to pick out my new home." "Three hours?! You gave them three hours?!" Sweetie Belle yelled. "It was that or give them one of us. Calm down Belle. Diamond hasn't even advanced beyond the second town. How is she gonna get far on the next floor? We can rush our way through the safe zone before she can set down Hostile zones and fight our way to the next town. With three hours we can recover, gather gear, and head out." Scootaloo explained. "You did well, all of you. Now we can only hope things fair as well during the battle." Luna said, her armor shifting to their disguise. Everyone soon was clad in the armor, their names hidden with Silver Spoon's Scroll. They waited outside the boss zone for Diamonds forces to arrive, rather surprised when Diamond herself led them to the field. "And still you hide yourselves." She sighed "The fight hasn't started yet. We mean no tricks, but we are wary of your power." Spike explained. "Very well. Start the battle then." Diamond demanded. Spike stepped forward, setting down a large scroll with battle plans. "The first hurdle is a challenge boss. A special Dragon boss that must be defeated within ten minutes. Once cleared the boss door will spawn. The first floor boss is an incarnation of Nightmare Moon. She will only be in her first form however. Her moves are simple to avoid and her tactics are more focused on groups than a single combatant." He began. "So we have spearmen take down the dragon. Slaughter it with our vanguards and then split off and attack Nightmare one at a time. Correct?" Diamond asked. Spike blinked and cleared his throat. "Y-Yes. Exactly." "Don't be so surprised. My father runs one of the biggest businesses in Equestria. While he isn't the most cutthroat of men, I've seen him take down quite a few companies and even assisted in a few myself. I know what I'm doing Knight." Diamond winked. Scootaloo just stared, clenching her fists. Is she FLIRTING with him?! she fumed, calming down when Luna put a hand on her shoulder. "If we are all settled on the plan, lets get things underway." Spike said as he put the scroll away. He scrolled through his menu, selecting his Giant Slayer. A wide double edged Claymore that he slung over his shoulder with some effort. Diamond took up post beside him, putting her fingers to her mouth and whistling loudly, her soldiers cheering as they drew their weapons. Taking a slow breath, Scootaloo entered the boss zone, friends following behind her and Diamond Tiara's army roaring as they charged in. The dragon roared as it swooped down to meet them, Spike and Diamond rushing forward as spears flew into the dragon's wings. The beast plummeted to the ground, Scootaloo launching forward and pulling out her dagger. Silver Spoon followed close behind, twirling her broadswords. They were caught off guard as the Dragon roared loudly, Dragonlings spawning around it. "Triad breach!" Spike yelled, Button and Rumble getting into formation with the dragon. Rumble took point, his katana glowing bright red as he slid through the first Dragonling, knocking back the claws of the second and sliding backwards in formation, Button sliding into point and slicing clean through the Dragonlings' neck, Spike leaping forward and slamming his blade hard into the head of a third. Applebloom grinned as she bounced on her toes, roaring as she shifted her weight and brought her leg down hard into the skull of a charging Dragonling, turning in time to slam her elbow into another. Sweetie Belle danced about the crowd, Rapier a blur as she passed each enemy, her attacks precise as they were quick. A quick jab to the throat, chest, and knee dropped most, while others she slid around and removed their heads in a simple swipe. Luna ignored the crowd of beasts, leaping across their heads and rushing towards the dragon itself, her Queens Thorn resting on her back. She grit her teeth as she gripped the handle, leaping as high as she could and roaring at the top of her lungs as she drew the blade and spun, slicing through the dragon's chin and stabbing the blade into its chest as she slid down. Down below the others were making their way through the crowd, smashing and slashing through anything that came close. Diamond however dodged around the Dragonlings' with ease, her arms tucked in close as she weaved her way around them. Her target was the Dragon, and she would be damned if anyone but her got the kill. A Dragonling launched itself at her, too close for her to dodge. She grit her teeth and brought her leg up high, slicing through it with the Silver Greaves she wore, flipping back onto her hands and slicing the dragon again with her other bladed boot. Annoyed at the distraction she took off at a run for the dragon, seeing Luna kicking off of it and twirling in the air, holding out her blade to block a swipe from its claw, causing her to spin about in the air and land nimbly beside Spike. "It won't take much more. Fall back!" Spike ordered, his group reluctantly sliding away from the Dragon. Diamond smirked to herself. Secretive as they were, at least they kept their word. She rushed toward one of her larger soldiers, the beast of a stallion holding out his hands to her. She leapt into his arms, the giant tossing her hard at the dragon. Diamond tucked herself into a ball, stretching out at the last moment and burying both feet into the dragons throat. She sighed as she started to fall, sliding through her inventory and grabbing a lone feather. She crushed it in her hand, slowing her descent and landing silently moments before the dragon collapsed and shattered into fragments. The self proclaimed Queen dusted off her combat uniform, making her way over to Spike who was checking on the condition of his group. "I have to say I am surprised. I didn't honestly expect you to hold up your end of the deal." She admitted. "I told you before. We don't care for tricks." Spike pointed out. "Yes, but still you hide your face from me." she sighed, opening her inventory and tossing him a small pearl. "Whats this?" Spike demanded, looking over the item. "A soul Egg. When you decide to join me, use it." Diamond waved and marched towards her army, leading them towards the Floor Boss. "Aren't we going in as well?" Sweetie Belle asked. "No, we need to hang back for a moment, gather ourselves and be ready. We didn't reveal all of Nightmare Moons tactics to Diamond. But I am sure she'll figure that out soon." Silver spoon explained. "Ah don't get it." Applebloom mumbled. Spike grinned, pulling out the battle plans. "She jumped the gun too soon. We fully intended to share everything we knew, but she wanted to show off, so we let her. And that will be her downfall." Spike pointed out. "What we said is true. Nightmare moons tactics are exactly that to a T. But she won't go down unless six warriors each find a relic hidden in the boss room and unleash their power on her." "The Elements of Harmony!" Scootaloo realized. "Exactly Scootaloo. It shall be you six. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Spike, Rumble, Button Mash. We shall distract Nightmare Moon and the others while you collect the relics and begin the final assault." "The only downside is that as soon as you snag a relic, my scroll won't hide you anymore." Silver sighed. "Then we go in without the disguises. We change weapons and bum rush the room. Diamond will be so busy gloating and thinking she is winning she won't even notice us." Scootaloo grinned. "Lets do it." Button agreed. "According to this kid, the next town is owned by 'Queen' Diamond Tiara. Only a few guilds have refused to bow down to her. Anyone who doesn't do what she wants is executed in any number of ways." Milano explained as she marched through the empty fields towards the next town. "Thats terrible..." "It gets a bit worse Princess. One of the competing guilds is led by your daughter, my son, and their friends. Word on the street is no one knows where they are hiding out, but that they have been clearing out fields and vanishing into thin air." "Thats my scoots." Rainbow beamed, leaning over Twilights chair. "There is one other thing...people are saying that Princess Luna is with them." "Luna is there?!" Twilight panicked. "If what they said is true, yes. Princess Celestia is probably keeping things quiet so ponies don't panic. But that means there is more at stake than our childrens lives." "Do you think you can find them?" Twilight asked. Milano smirked and gripped the hilt of her sword. "Only one way to find out." she chuckled as she took off through the field, her powerful legs, along with her strength and agility boost, sent her practically flying towards the next town. Diamond Tiara held her head high as she marched into the boss room, Nightmare Moon appearing in a burst of flame and sporting a massive lance coated in purple flames. "Break ranks and prepare to..." "Belay that. Everyone stand back. She's mine." Diamond growled as she stepped forward, bladed gauntlets appearing over her hands. With a roar she rushed forward, Nightmare leaping into the air and flaring out her wings, diving straight for her. Diamond raised one of her gauntlets, knocking the lance to the side and smashing her fist hard into Nightmares ribs, sending her sprawling across the ground and the lance flying from her hand. "Is that all?" Diamond scoffed, gasping as Nightmare teleported behind her, holding a dagger to her throat. She was spared a quick death as one of her guards barreled into Nightmares side. "Break ranks and draw her attention!" Diamond ordered as she calmed herself. She had been too hasty to show why she was their Queen. Another part of being a leader was knowing when to retreat, and when to send in the pawns. She leapt out of the lead ranks, watching as her soldiers rushed Nightmare Moon and coordinating their strikes. "Beta, fill ranks and charge, Delta, break ranks and flank from both sides!" she ordered, grinning as Nightmare could barely even lift her weapon to defend herself. It wouldn't be long now. She would defeat this boss and claim the next floor. And when the Knights three hours had passed, she would find out who he was. All of her plans came to a crumbling halt as Nightmare vanished, appearing above them and spreading her wings out wide, filling the room with Darkness. Her army was blind. "Oh, you'll need these." Silver Spoon smiled, holding out goggles to them as they stood before the boss door. "What are these for?" Applebloom wondered, examining the goggles. "Well, Nightmare casts Blindness across the entire room. This'll protect you from that." Pip answered. "How do ya'll know all o' this anyway? Ain't like we seen her yet." "Yea, but the first floor Boss info is in the handbook. Skimming close enough to the door unlocks the information. Everything upwards of the fifth floor we have to see the boss to get info. The game is just being nice to us here." Spike answered, slipping on the goggles. Scootaloo pulled a kit from her belt and knelt before the boss door, gulping as a menu opened up. "Think you can crack it scoots?" Spike asked. She chuckled nervously and started to toy with the menu. "Its gonna be a tough one...but I think...I got it!" she said with a grin, standing as the Boss Door unlocked. "What was that?" Sweetie Belle asked as she slipped on her goggles. "Boss Door locks when someone is inside making an attempt. So we had to lockpick our way in. Luckily, we've had Scootaloo training up on it. It helps that she gets a stealth multiplier with her class choice." Button chuckled, gripping his sword as the door opened. "Breach!" Spike roared, the group splintering every which way. Scootaloo took the northern part of the room, zipping past confused soldiers in the darkness and grinning as she spotted Diamond Tiara. She leapt into the air, planting her boot firmly against the back of the girls head, kicking off of her and leaping past Nightmare, yanking an orange jewel out of the air and hitting the ground with a roll. Button and Rumble rushed the furthermost corners on either side of the back of the room, rushing through the crowd and dodging around confused sword swings, Button unsheathing his sword and parrying one away before it could hit the back of his neck. Sitting within a gargoyles hands before each of them was another jewel. Button's blue, and Rumble's red. Both snatched their jewels with relative ease, running up the wall and kicking off, plucking the artifact from the gargoyles claws. Spike grinned as he watched them, hugging the wall and drawing his sword, giving it a harsh swing as he leapt into the air, chucking himself further with the momentum of his swing and snatching a purple jewel from another gargoyle. Sweetie Belle gulped, dancing her way through the crowd, her eyes focused on a shining white gem. Applebloom raised an eyebrow, staring up at a yellow jewel. She bent her knees and leapt up as high as she could, waving to the gargoyle as she claimed the jewel. Another leap and she caught the white gem, handing it to Sweetie Belle and giving her friend a pat on the shoulder. They made their way back towards the door, each holding their respective jewels. "Now what?" Scootaloo asked. Spike shrugged and slammed the crystal against his chest, causing it to shatter. They watched as the color soaked into his armor and body, flashing and changing into a suit of heavy armor. The others paused for a moment before copying him, grinning at one another as they each stood in the armor. "No telling how long this lasts. So lets not waste it" Spike spoke up. They all nodded, drawing their weapons and roaring as they charged towards Nightmare Moon, the room flooding with light. Diamond turned in time for the six to rush past her, all of them leaping past and pouncing on the evil monarch. Button landed first, knocking back a blade Nightmare summoned, leaving an opening for Rumble to slice through one of her wings, Applebloom twirling in the air and slamming her leg hard into Nightmare's head. Spike skid to a stop in Nightmares path, slamming his Claymore into her, sending her flying backwards. Diamond grit her teeth and tried to join the fight, gasping as Scootaloo's throwing picks exploded in front of her. She waggled her finger before leaping backwards and chucking a few handfuls at Nightmare to keep her stunned. Nightmare Moon crossed her arms, spreading her wings out wide and drawing a pair of curved blades out of the air, knocking back Rumble and Button's onslaught. Sweetie Belle slid into the fray, her rapier a blur as she spun and stabbed Nightmare through the heart. Nightmare Moon looked down, seeing the blade, gasping as Spikes blade pierced her back, Rumble and Button slashing from above. Scootaloo and Applebloom rushed forward, fist and dagger smashing into Nightmare's ribs. The six watched as she faded into flame, panting heavily as they sheathed their weapons. Everything froze for a moment, the six friends glancing at the small army in the room and one pissed off Diamond Tiara. "...Later!" Scootaloo yelled, rushing for the exit at the top of the stairs. The others paused before chasing her "AFTER THEM!" Diamond cried "GWAH! Okay! okay! I'll talk!" the swordsman cried. Milano grinned, sheathing her sword into her shield. "T-The Queen...she went to finish the floor boss. She got map data from a group of knights. They hid their identities with a scroll of some kind. No one knows who they are, not that it matters. They'll be dead as soon as the next floor is claimed." "Where did they go?" Milano demanded, grabbing hold of her sword. "I-I don't know! I wasn't given the map data! I swear!" "I checked the guide, he can locate his Guild Leader and teleport to her with a crystal. He can also take a passenger" Twilight informed Milano. The mare grinned, placing the tip of her sword to his throat. "Then you are going to take me to your Queen, right now!" Milano demanded. She wore a smile as the soldier activated the crystal. She wondered if her little Button would be surprised to see her.