Ghost of the Everfree

by David Silver

56 - Emerging

"So glad you could make it." The commander sneered, not that they could see her expression, but they could hear it in her words. "A blessed commander knows their orders are being followed. I was a fool to assume I was that fortunate..."

The soldiers shuffled nervously, but remained in place, for the most part. "Ma'am?" She glared daggers at the soldier that had spoken up. "Sir! We... did what looked... We did the best we could, Sir."

Scootaloo rubbed her hooves together from in cover, skulking in a bush Dry had pointed out as an ideal vantage point. "Now?"

Apple Bloom waved for Scootaloo to wait a little longer.

"This is why you are not the commander of this mission," she boomed at them. "I am! Why didn't you get my order? Failing that, why did you not follow the one I already gave? Nothing about this was pressing. Nothing about this couldn't have waited. And now... Now we suffer, because of your actions." She took a weary sigh. "Are you satisfied with yourself, knowing that food is being wasted?"

Apple Bloom gave a firm wave forward and drew a potion in the same motion, ready for her part.

Scootaloo intoned the strange words of power, bending the laws of the universe in precise ways, agitating the metal of the commander's armor. The commander let out an angry yelp, jumping in place to avoid the heat, and the magic she couldn't see. The heat abated rapidly, the spell avoided, at least the worst of it. "Bring them to me!" She pointed in the direction the spell-casting had come from. "Dead or alive."

Apple Bloom hesitated at the edge of the bush, glancing nervously at Sweetie Belle as if they were about to run away, but Scootaloo fearlessly cast another spell. As she repeated the spell, she became aware that her phrasing could use some improvement to avoid any mishaps. With all the anger and frustration she could muster, she glared at the commander, desperately willing her plan to work as the soldiers closed in on their position.

Sweetie Belle burst from the bushes, but didn't move far, singing a song of terror and loss that clung like oil to the hides and spirits of those who opposed her. It would be impossible to know if this tilted things, or if Scootaloo got her spell better, or if the commander failed in her dodge, or it was all a matter of luck. If the gods knew, they weren't sharing. But all could see her armor become a cherry red and her screams filled the air as she cooked, caught inside the thick plate armor that couldn't be easily thrown free.

The soldiers came up short, confused. One of them swung his sword down to direct at Sweetie. "Don't move. No more magic. If you want to survive the day, you'll get down on your belly."

Sweetie squeaked fearfully and flopped to the ground. "Don't hurt me!" A few other soldiers moved in to keep hold of the enemy bard, at least one enemy neutralized.

With great urgency, a number of soldiers hastened to the commander's side, endeavoring to rescue her from the fiery armor. Even though they suffered burns in return, they didn't stop tearing and pulling at it with all their might. They stripped away the armor from her in a hurry, causing significant damage to the protective gear as they freed her from it and let her fall to the ground.

This only brought more confusion. Their imposing boss of a mare was a little equestrian mare, hurt, smoking, burned, and not at all imposing.

Apple Bloom emerged, walking towards the downed commander. "I can heal her!" She waved a position she clutched in her teeth. "Ah got potions. It'll help!" The soldiers were glaring at her like she could be an enemy, but they didn't stop her from coming in. "Drink this." She offered a bottle to the commander.

The commander sat up, even if the motions made some of her wounds seep blood, her skin cracked in places, smoldered in others. She was in great pain, but refused to bow to it. She was still their commander. "How convenient, for you to be right here when I might need you... Have you captured the one that did this?!"

Apple Bloom pressed the bottle against the injured pony. "Convenient or not, yer hurt real bad! Drink."

"You just want me to show weakness," hissed the commander, forcing herself to her hooves, even if she shook in the process.

"We don't have to." Diamond leaned back in the rocking chair she had taken for her grand entrance. "You're doing a grand job all on your own. Little pony, you're hurt. You should accept the kindness of other little ponies."

The commander suddenly grabbed the bottle with a vicious snatch. "Only a fool doesn't use the tools made available." She chugged it down, her wounds undoing themselves visibly as she imbibed the elixir. "Better." The threw the glass aside. "Now, where are they?!"

Two soldiers came on either side of Scootaloo, keeping her hedged in despite any amount of scowling she could do about it. "We have her right here... sir?"

Diamond pressed her hooves together. "Let me guess. She told you the 'little ponies' couldn't possible make adult decisions. Why... just look at them... so weak and helpless. It's a surprise they've even survived this long."

The commander ignored Diamond for the moment, striding up to Scootaloo with a scowl. "This little thing? You delivered that...? It's hard to beleive, but a fine lesson. The size of your enemy can be deceiving." She brought up a hoof and swung it across Scootaloo's face with a slap. Ponies did not have flat palms covered in soft flesh.

Scootaloo flew to the ground with a pained cry as the hoof sent her flying. "Your punishment has hardly even begun, but you deserved that personal retribution." She twirled towards Apple Bloom. "You. Are you allied with that one?"

"Y-yeah..." Abandoning her friend discarded as even an idea. "Stop hurtin' her!"

"Loyal." The commander stomped towards Apple Bloom, proving she could still put out the aura of command despite her small frame. "I appreciate that." She brought up a hoof just under Apple Bloom's chin. "But you are a tool in the wrong hooves." She paused, glancing at Diamond. "Or are the hooves right there? She barks like she's in charge."

With spears and swords pointed at her, Diamond put up her hooves and surrendered without any dramatic battle. "But might makes right. Without might, that is all you have, little barks. It's a waste of time to pay mind to the little yaps of angry dogs." The commander turned to her guards. "That one, and that one." She pointed to Diamond and Scootaloo. "We're making an example of them."

A soldier swallowed thickly. "Sir... I... I must advise against that."

She glared at him. "What nerve... Why? This had better be an especially good reason."

He cleared his throat. "Ma'am, they're children. The locals will become upset if they see us hurt them."

The commander scowled at the soldier with a new intensity. "And you're scared of them? These little ponies?"

The soldier pointed at Scootaloo. "She surrendered, Sir." His hoof turned to Diamond. "As did she. As our prisoners, without bloodshed, we owe them decency."

"A fine and tender sentiment... That we do not have time for. I will have my pound of flesh. Who is it that dares to stop me?"

"Me."

All heads turned as one as an enormous figure descended from the sky, crowned in the sun's glow as the immense shape of Celestia touched the ground. "I will stop you."

The commander scrambled back a step. "Who are you?! Capture her!" The soldiers weren't that fast to move against Celestia, looking with uncertainty.

Celestia shook her head. "You have done enough harm. I will not allow my ponies to suffer a moment longer." She stomped the ground. "I am Celestia, ruler of these lands." Her wings spread wide. "Controller of the sun, and wielder of ancient magic. And... I did not come alone."

The moment she spoke, it was as if her words had triggered a signal and with amazing speed, guards that were golden-plated emerged from behind every building in the surrounding area. In a swift and coordinated manner, they quickly moved into position either to brandish their spears menacingly at the soldiers. Others went to stand protectively by Celestia's side, poised to defend her if necessary.

While the Equestrian ponies were... Despite their cuteness, they were armed with various weapons and there were numerous of them. A vast majority of the soldiers decided to surrender their weapons instead of testing them out. Seeing their peers dropping their arms, more and more soldiers were encouraged to do the same, resulting in a battle that appeared to be won without even a single actual stroke being made.

The commander was not one of them, though she had no weapon, hers still attached to her bent armor. She glared at Celestia and the many guards that had come from seemingly nowhere. "If you are half as ancient and powerful as you claim, why did it take so long for you to arrive, 'Celestia'?"

Celestia gestured for her guards to gather the soldiers together, but no ponies, Equestrian or Everglow, were being harmed. "As a ruler of a nation, it takes time to put things in order. It is with shame that it took me this long, but that is now behind us, for I am here now. Everglow intruder, we have made peace with some of your people, but you..." She glared at the commander with a lack of sympathy. "You were ready to hurt our foals."

Diamond walked to Celestia's side with nothing to stop her. "That's not even the start of things, Celly."

Celestia cocked a brow. "Diamond Tiara, child of Filthy Rich. I was told you were in the area... But not what you were up to. Your father was quite tight-lipped about that." She cracked a little smile. "Does even he know?"

"He doesn't." She turned to the commander, increasingly isolated and alone. "This pony ordered the death of dozens. She had a train stopped in the most immediate way possible. The train had nothing but civilians trying to get home. Many of her guards seem to be good ponies, but if there's a good bone in their commander's body, I haven't found it." Her expression was cooly calculating, speaking her words quite pointedly in the most unflattering portrayal of the commander she could consider. "As the forced ruler of this town, she ruled with fear and intimidation. They did not permit ponies much, let alone even take care of their own needs."

"I see..." Her simmering aura flared into cool flames that made the air shimmer above her. "You..." The flames flickered out. "I am better than that. You will face justice at the hooves of others. Take her in." Her guards saluted and moved in to capture her.

She kicked and punched at them as they came for her, but there were many more of them than the one of her. They tackled her to the ground, kicking and screaming. "Release me!" They did not release her, instead hoofcuffing her legs together and forcing her upright to shuffle awkwardly with them.

Scootaloo rubbed at her sore cheek as she went in next to Diamond. "So... I didn't have to do that? The Princess was coming anyway?"

Diamond shook her head, leaning in closer. "Shh... No, how she reacted was important. You did exactly the right thing. Don't let anypony say otherwise... Also, you will probably be asked about that. Just tell the truth."

Scootaloo swallowed nervously, but didn't argue.

Celestia was speaking to the foreign soldiers. She had more kindness to show them, asking them questions, but waiting for the answers rather than showing any anger towards them. Her duty for the town had hardly begun.

Author's Note:

The commander gets her comeuppance pie served steaming hot by the princess of the sun. Now there's this mess that has to be cleaned up...

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Comments

[No one is home]

Diamond stepped in like a boss.

[badninja]

Well let’s she what she thinks of Equestrian justice.

[David Silver]

11642546
Her cutie mark is to take charge of the situation.

[Booster Spice]

And yet sh will be the first one to scream about teh cruel and unusual punishment of being caged in Tarterus.

With Pinkie in with her to talk and sing and dance and act and party and party and party and party...

[redmar]

I hope Celestia will explain what it was that caused her delay. The commander is going away for a long time with very little company. I expect that Discord will visit simply to have a "captive audience" but certainly not much.

[howard035]

What an awesome ending to the invasion!