War of the Frozen Fillies

by Harbinger Of Mist

Chapter 7: Stalemate

Celestia sat at her throne; her guards and prized student watched with exceptional concern. She had multiple smoking ice shards protruding from her mouth, her eyes were on the verge of popping a vessel, her mane completely ruined, and nervously vibrating enough to create an earthquake in the room that Pinkie could actually feel. She lifts a mug of hot cocoa, spilling drops all over her 53rd draft of a last-ditch effort, melting key areas. She shouts out, "PESTILENCE WAR AND FAMINE!" and slams down her mug in frustration. Everypony else in the room hops back in shock and skips a heartbeat. The mug breaks and splashes the rest of her drink all over her desk.

Twilight steps toward her. "Um... Princess? Are you feeling alright? I really hate to see you like this."

Celestia rears back her head and draws in a large breath. She exhales so forcefully that she creates breeze. That action inexplicably groomed herself of the unsightly features and returned her to her usual luster. She responds to her student, "I am sorry. Forgive me, everypony. 'Tis not a time to be overworked to frustration. It will only cloud my judgement further. But... Sweet sister of mine!" She bangs on the melted center of her desk with her front hoof, cracking it in two and collapsing in front of her. After a brief stare, she continued, "...she has been getting to me all afternoon! We have less than an hour to defeat her, I don't have all five of Twilight's friends at my side, and the Wonderbolts STILL haven't arrived!" She took another deep breath. "Further apologies."

Captain Lance stepped forward. "Your highness. With all due respect, 'go-for-broke' plans are not all that strategic and cunning. Instead of pulling your hair out over reinforcing every step, you should just make it a single step in which we take the brunt of the returning assault while protecting an elite few in the back. Need I remind you that every guard in this room agreed to lay down their lives for the sake of your safety and victory?"

The guards immediately chanted "AYE!" in unison with a voice in the back adding "...only said that to keep my job!"

Celestia was humbled, yet shocked. "You... want me to treat you as expendable?!"

The room was filled with another "AYE!" and the same voice pleading "...want to go back to the real castle!

Celestia decided to take that chance. "Very well. Let's start formulating something stupid..."

"May I return outside, Celestia?" Twilight spoke up. "I want to survey the outside and make sure a counter-strike doesn't get too close."

"Granted." Celestia nodded. To which her protégé rushed out of the room.

---

Meanwhile, outside on different parts of the battlefield, guards and citizens alike were locked in combat. Ducking behind one barricade was a well-groomed and dressed stallion with a monocle. "I must say, my dear. It is nice to get away from it all and simply let loose. I'm sure you enjoy harkening back to fillyhood as much as I do." Fancypants remarked to his lovely mare, Fleur de Lis. He sprang up from behind cover and yelled out, "EAT THIS, YOU NAKED CRETANS!" tossing a couple of snowballs at some undisclosed targets. He ducks back down. "Oh, not you, darling." Fleur just continued her usual smile.

Near the outer edge of the garden, a small thin fort was established and in the path of a vital flanking route. Sapphire Shores shouted up toward the top of the tower from the safety of a bunker her assistants quickly packed together. "You cannot hide in there forever! Abandon your preposterous pyre and fight me like a mare!"

A head pops out from the top clad in opaque glasses and a thick accent and calls back, "Phah! I spit at your threat!" Photo Finish was soon joined by assistants of her own, armed with snowballs held in make-up applicators which made them almost completely pink. "Vhat threat is some derty fashionista to da magics?! Your mother vas a gerbal, und your father reeked of schnazburries!"

Sapphire gasped. "I'll have you know that my father has always groomed himself to a fresh lemon scent! You will pay for your foul words!"

---

40 minutes remained...

Twilight dove and rolled to avoid being caught in the crossfire, and to a greater extent, direct fire. Being a princess, she was a high priority target. She had to get a good vantage point, or possibly a way into Luna's fortress to pinpoint a weak spot. Then she found a perfect place to avoid most of the action while getting where she needed to go: a tunnel! "I don't know who dug this out, but I'm sure I can get the jump on somepony."

Twilight crawled her way through the labyrinth of roomy corridors, staying low to the ground to reduce sound and make for a harder target should she get spotted. Up ahead at a fork, she could see one of Luna's guards down the left path with his head turned. She took this opportunity to take him out. Scoop, pack, toss... head-shot. Her victim held his hoof up to the point of impact as he fell onto his side incapacitated.

Twilight heard a familiar voice from around the corner the thestral was standing. "What was that?!"

She called back softly, "Shining?!"

"Twily!" Shining Armour came from around the corner and hopped over the downed guard to rush to his sister. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"I'm glad to see you too."

"Listen, Twily. I know how we can get into Luna's castle undetected."

"Really?"

"I just finished a tunnel that leads to an unguarded area of one of the side walls. I would've been toast if you hadn't taken out that guard." Shining rubs his sister's mane into an unkempt mess.

"Alright, alright." Twilight magically repairs her mane and is quick to continue down the left tunnel.

"Wait!" Shining warned her as he ran up beside her. "Let me be out front!"

The tunnel had Twilight confused. Noting the turns it took, it couldn't possibly be leading to one of the side walls. They reach the end of the tunnel. Light breaking through a thin layer of snow marked the exit. Being cautious of her assumption she ignored her brother and jumped out through the barrier and was immediately in the view of two lunar guards behind a wall. Before they could react, Twilight scooped snow into her wing and flung it in a wave pattern to catch both of them dead-on. Covered in snow, the guards fall to the ground in defeat, barely moving.

"Nice job, Twily." Shining caught up with her. "I guess you don't need me to be a shield." He jabbed his front knee into his sister's side, hoping that she would see what he did there.

"I thought you said this led to an unguarded side wall!" She responds.

"Well, it's unguarded now."

"And this doesn't even look like the side of the castle! It's the--gah!" She was taken by surprise when her brother promptly locked his front legs around her. His superior physical strength kept her bound by his "bear-hug".

Shining takes her captive sister out to the other side of the wall in front of all the action. He shouts out to everyone on the battlefield, but more specifically, Celestia's forces, "EVERYONE BACK UP!" Nearby solar guards and citizens held their fire. "I have a princess in my grasp! Don't you dare try to take a shot!" All the soldiers in view ceased as they could only watch Shining slowly back up toward the castle with Twilight as his hostage. None of them were at a good angle.

Suddenly, Twilight heard a familiar sound of a small motor...

Scootaloo swerved up to the side on her scooter with Pinkie in tow on a sled attached with rope. Shining, while trying to keep his sister tight in his clutch, could not turn fast enough to protect his rear side. Both Scootaloo and Pinkie carefully avoided enemy fire as the latter through three balls in rapid succession. The first hitting Shining in the shoulder, which caused Twilight to fall out of his grip. The next shot him in his flank, making him turn to face the third shot, which hit him square in the chest. Shining jumped back from the impact and landed on his back in a dramatic position.

Scootaloo turned back as the celestial grunts continued their assault, carefully aiming away from princess Twilight and her saviours.

Pinkie picked her up and set her behind her on the sled. "That was close, Twilight!" said Pinkie. "Princess Celestia had a feeling you'd get yourself into trouble."

"Thanks, Pinkie." Twilight replied in relief. "If Shining is working for Luna, that must mean Cadence is as well! Both sides have two alicorns, and they still have the advantage."

"I wouldn't think so!" Scootaloo called back as she made her way back the Celestia's fortress. She pointed to the sky, and the two in the back took notice of the Wonderbolts making their overdue attack.

Up in the air, a group of six, led by Spitfire, were all carrying extra large snowballs in their front legs. They tossed them down toward the ground in regular intervals. Each shot hitting the targets with such force, that the Lunar guards too close to the site of impact were blown back and taken out by the blast.

Rainbow Dash bravely intervened by carrying a bag of snowballs of her own. She threw her first shot, taking out Soarin and causing him to spiral down the ground. The rest of them broke formation and scattered off to evade Rainbow's attacks. They could not fight back without returning to the surface for more ammunition. "It pains me to do this! But for the good of Luna's empire, I will take you coward Blunderbolts out!"

Back on the ground, Scootaloo, Pinkie and Twilight have arrived safely back at the solar fortress. Pinkie informed Twilight as they rushed back inside. "We've finished up a plan, Twilight!"

"Oh, good!" She responded. "How long will it take to prepare?"

"A little too long for comfort." Pinkie answered hesitantly.

Twilight ran on ahead to meet back up with Celestia while Pinkie stayed back to thank Scootaloo. "Good work, soldier! You did well."

"Thanks, sergeant Pinkie." She saluted and turned back on her scooter to get back on her friends.

"See you on the other side... Judas." Pinkie's ominous tone made Scootaloo slowly turn back to face her only to be launched off her scooter by a hard toss. She landed on her back with her entire torso covered in slush.

Scootaloo's friends were watching from afar. "That fool!" Sweetie Belle squeaked. "I told her just to watch the battle unfold! It's too risky to stay in the fray!"

"Shouldn't we go get her?" Applebloom asked with great worry.

"I wouldn't be concerned about that..." They heard a deep, gruff voice from behind them and a shadow loomed over their cover. Before they could finish turning their heads, they were picked up by the scruffs of their necks by a lunar guard. He said, "Princess Luna doesn't take kindly to rogue soldiers..." and flew them back to her castle.

Everyone was locked in fierce combat. It was only a matter of time before it all came to its very near, inevitable end...

Author's Note:

...this story does not end...

Comments

[xxXFluttershyXx]

I'm loving it so far so good!