The "Season 11" Project! -- Camp Harmony! (And What Is Patriotism?)

by starponys87

#1 - Return of the Knights [new version]

Author's Note:

This is a new version of the chapter -- to better fit with fans' expectations of the characters they know and love. (Last update: 11/13/2021, 3:49 p.m.)

As always, I am happy to receive input from collaborators. I don't want this to be just my project. I want it to be yours, too!

__________

For reference, here is a picture of the Knights of Order:

Source: https://www.deviantart.com/nightrose-art/art/The-Cunabulan-Knights-of-Harmony-894861240

Section #1:

Princess Twilight Sparkle stood in front of Canterlot Castle. She hung her head and sighed.

Five of the Mane 6 stood by her side. Rainbow Dash and Spike hovered in front of her.

"Don't worry," assured Pinkie Pie. "I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems!"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Spike. "Didn't you see the great work our new allies did rebuilding Canterlot -- with their own Elements of Harmony?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Twilight's friends.

Maud Pie approached her, with a team of surveyors.

"So, Maud," asked Twilight, "what's the prognosis?"

"The terrain of Canterlot is highly unstable," answered Maud. "I am afraid that Canterlot must be condemned."

The Mane 6 gasped, along with Spike. Twilight froze, as if in terror. Her eyes started to water up.

Rarity cried her eyes out.

"Not our beautiful Canterlot!" she wailed.

Just then, Rainbow Dash looked up in the sky. She gasped in horror.

Violently, she shook her head. She looked back up.

"Is it really ... ? Is it really?"

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes again. Then she looked back up.

She shrieked!

"TWILIGHT! LOOK BEHIND YOU!"

Section #2:

Dash rushed down to the ground, hiding behind Twilight.

"IT'S THEM! AGAIN!! THE KNIGHTS ... THE KNIGHTS OF TERROR!"

Twilight stared at Dash. "Dash! This isn't funny!"

"I'm serious, Twilight! Call our fellow Elements! We're gonna get killed! Us and all we love!"

Spike looked up in the same direction as Dash. "Twilight! Trust me! It won't hurt to look!"

Twilight and friends looked up to the sky. So did Maud and her surveyors.

Twilight gasped with surprise. She shook her head violently. Then she looked back up.

"It's true!" she screamed, shaking with terror. "Dash is right!"

The rest of the Mane 6 shrieked, paralyzed for a moment with fear. So did Maud's surveyors, ducking and covering. Maud herself remained cool and calm.

"Girls, get ready to fight!" cried Twilight, tears of fear welling up in her eyes. "Spike! Send a message!"

Pinkie Pie wrote up a scroll, charring the paper from the friction of the pen. Rolling it up and sealing it, she flung it at Spike, knocking the wind out of him.

Spike threw the scroll in the air and burned it up with his magic fire breath.

"Girls! Activate your Elements!" commanded Twilight.

With great concentration, she activated her Element of Magic. The rest of the Mane 6 activated theirs. They started to glow, engulfed with the colors of their Elements.

"NOT TODAY!" cried a familiar voice.

His whole body glowing with magic, Shining Armor was floating in the sky -- dashing like Starlight Glimmer in the Season 5 finale. The Royal Guard was just behind him. The pegasi were flying, and the unicorns and earth ponies were charging on the ground.

Shining Armor activated his shielding powers to full force. Just then, Cadance flew into the scene -- along with Flurry Heart. They also activated their shielding powers.

Shining Armor was grinding his teeth with rage. So were Cadance and Flurry!

Section #3:

Still far in the distance, the Knights of Order (or "Terror") were also floating -- also flying like Starlight Glimmer. Glowing with Balor's magic, Balor (the red monster with dragon wings and the green kilt/skirt) was carrying them all!

King Danu (the horse-lion monster) spotted Shining Armor's family and the Royal Guard coming for them.

"Comrades, I think we might need a change of plans," he declared, calmly.

"I knew this was a bad idea, Morrigan," said Ceridwen (the bird monster with the green head), with an angry stare. "You really believed the ponies would that sentimental? After we tried to murder them?"

"We had to make a leap of faith!" responded Morrigan (the red-and-off-white bird monster), defensively. "No other nation would ever let us find refuge. This was our best hope!"

"What about the changelings?" asked Ceridwen. "Nowadays, I think they are softer and mushier than the ponies."

"Bug ponies who can change shape to anything they want -- they just creep me out!" said Morrigan. "Especially now that we've lost connection to our Elements."

Rainbow Dash screamed and flashed off into the sky. One moment, she was there. The next moment, she was gone -- as if she had teleported!

"SORRY, GIRLS!" Dash cried, her voice echoing across the land. "I HAVE TO GET HELP!"

Suddenly, the Mane 6 lost their glow. Without Dash at the scene, their Elements were no longer active.

Spike closed his eyes. Still hovering in the air, he crossed his legs and started to meditate.

"PONIES!" called Ceridwen. "WE COME IN PEACE!"

"Why should we believe you?!" exclaimed Shining Armor, his horn glowing brighter than ever.

"WE'RE SERIOUS!" called King Danu. "WE DON'T EVEN HAVE OUR ELEMENTS ANYMORE!"

"I'm not falling for it!" shouted Shining Armor. "You are going down! Guards! Do your worst!!!"

"YEAH!!!" called Twilight, Cadance, and Flurry Heart.

"Go, big brother!" called Twilight.

"Show them your stuff -- my knight in shining armor!" cheered Cadance.

"Go, Daddy! Go!" called Flurry Heart.

With all his might, Shining Armor blasted at the "Knights of Terror". So did Twilight, Cadance, and Flurry.

With all his might, Balor channeled his and his comrades' powers into a giant laser beam, too.

This time, it was a complete reversal from the Season 10 finale. This time, Balor's counterattack was no match against the attacks of Twilight plus Shining Armor's family!

Fluttershy looked up at the battle above. She was deeply worried.

Section #4:

Blackened from the four giant laser beams, the "Knights of Terror" plummeted to the ground, just in front of Canterlot Castle. Lying on the ground, they struggled to get back up.

Armor was still floating. Cadance and Flurry Heart were still hovering.

"Let's show what we're really made of, comrades!" shouted Shining Armor.

Like ants to a candy bar, the Royal Guard savagely beat the defeated Knights. Some even shoved their spears. The spears couldn't pierce the skin, but they certainly could cause pain and bruising.

Twilight and Cadance gasped, cringing at the level of violence.

"Girls," Fluttershy told Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, "I'm really worried about Shining Armor. And Twilight and Cadance. It's not like them to act this ruthless."

"You know what, sugarcube?" said Applejack. "Twilight, Shinin' Armor, and Cadance ... are makin' me nervous, too."

King Danu and Balor managed to break free from the mob. Danu stomped the ground, but nothing was happening.

"Come on! ... Come on!" growled Danu under his breath.

Finally, the ground started to crack ever so slightly. Slowly, the crack started to grow.

"Let's finish them off!" cried Shining Armor.

"Shining Armor!" called Twilight, feeling very concerned. "Don't you think you're taking things a little too --"

"NOW!" yelled Shining Armor.

With his horn, Shining Armor fired another enormous blast. So did Flurry Heart. But Twilight and Cadance just stood and watched, feeling confused.

Unfortunately, the explosion also hit the Royal Guard -- throwing them every which direction into the air!

Shining Armor and the alicorns gasped in horror. With their horns, they grabbed the guards who had been thrown off the cliff.

Armor laughed nervously under his breath. "Sorry, guys ... I guess that was a little ... 'friendly fire'!"

Battered and bruised, the Knights of Order could no longer get back up.

"You monsters are under arrest!" declared Shining Armor.

Armor threw some special devices to the Mane 6, minus Dash.

"Wrap them around their necks!" he commanded.

"I recognize these things!" exclaimed Fluttershy. "These are anti-magic collars from Abyssinia! Strong enough to defeat Discord!"

"NOW!" cried Shining Armor.

Immediately, each of the Mane 6, minus Dash, jumped onto one of the Knights. Twilight handled two of them. Before the Knights could react (not that they had much strength left, groaning in defeat), the "Abyssinian collars" were secured around their necks.

With his powers, Shining Armor restrained the Knights. Paralyzed by the glowing magic, the Knights couldn't move at all.

Suddenly, the ground crumbled around Applejack.

Section #5:

The ground opened up -- and Applejack fell through the earth.

"AAAAAH!" screamed Applejack. "HELP!"

The Mane 6 gasped, minus Dash, along with Shining Armor and his family.

"I told you the ground was unstable," said Maud, with her usual dispassionate voice.

Still hovering and meditating, Spike's body started to glow. Suddenly, he was engulfed in a yellow light.

Toward the ground far below Canterlot, Applejack was rapidly plummeting. Twilight dived down to grab Applejack.

Suddenly, the ground opened around Pinkie and Rarity. They also fell through. The two girls shrieked in terror.

"Don't worry, girls!" cried Fluttershy.

Fluttershy dived down after them. Unfortunately, Rarity was flailing her arms violently. By mistake, she knocked out her yellow pegasus friend.

"I feel so strangely warm ... !" remarked Spike under his breath. "It's like a giant mother hugging me tightly ... !"

"Spike!" cried Shining Armor. "Wake up!"

Spike opened his eyes. He was still glowing yellow, but he didn't notice. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

Moments later, Spike gasped. He looked down toward the ground.

"My friends! They're in danger!"

Spike dashed into the sky. He dived toward the ground far below Canterlot.

Section #6:

Pinkie and Rarity continued to scream. Meanwhile, Twilight had already pulled Applejack back to safety, perching herself on the roof of Canterlot Castle. Thanks to perceptual blindness, Twilight had no idea about Pinkie or Rarity.

"Rarity!" cried Spike. "I'll save you!"

His body glowing brighter, his hand reached out for Rarity. The yellow glow engulfed the white unicorn! Suddenly, Rarity calmed down.

"Spike!" she cheered. "My hero!"

With ease, Spike pulled her back up. He placed Rarity on top of Canterlot Castle, near Twilight.

"WHAT ABOUT MEEEEEEEE!!!???" screamed Pinkie Pie. Her voice echoed across the land.

Twilight and Spike gasped. Both raced down to grab their pink friend.

Spike reached out his hand. Twilight used her horn. Pinkie glowed with both the glow of Twilight's horn and the glow from Spike. Together, the two grabbed Pinkie and carried her to the top of Canterlot Castle as well.

Pinkie had no idea she had been rescued. Again, she screamed: "HELLLLLLPPPP!!!"

"Pinkie!" said Twilight. "You're safe!"

Pinkie gasped with surprise. She looked up at Twilight and Spike. Then she looked down at the surface below her.

"I am!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah!" declared Spike. "Me and Twily did it as a team! For once in my life!"

"Hey!" said Twilight. Slightly annoyed, she stared at Spike.

Finally, the yellow glow started to fade from Spike's body.

"Spike!" said Pinkie. "Your body was glowing yellow!"

"Really?" asked Spike, with a hopeful smile. "Did I do it? Did I activate one of the Elements?"

Twilight and Pinkie laughed.

"I don't know about that," replied Twilight. "But -- the Tree of Harmony works in mysterious ways."

"Maybe it was just the general magic of friendship!" said Pinkie.

Section #7:

Suddenly, the castle started to shake. Twilight turned her head to the ground in front of the castle. Then she looked down at the roof she was standing on.

The roof was starting to crack!

The Mane 6, minus Dash, screamed in horror, along with Maud's surveyors. Even Maud had to gasp.

The sirens sounded throughout Canterlot.

With the Canterlot voice, Twilight called -- "THIS IS NOT A DRILL! CANTERLOT, WE MUST EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!"

The residents of Canterlot screamed with fear. Flooding the streets, they started to panic. They tripped and trampled over one another. Pegasi were crashing into one another in the sky.

Just then, what should appear -- but some new but familiar faces?

The other sets of Elements had arrived -- the Abyssinian 6, the Farasian 6, the Caninian 6, and the Ornithian 6! All of them floated toward Canterlot.

An exhausted Dash was resting her eyes on Captain Celaeno's back, hugging her neck. Dash was completely drained.

"Don't worry!" cried Zecora. "We saved Canterlot once! We'll save it again!"

True to their word, the other four sets of Elements stopped and undid the damage to the earth.

Twilight sighed with relief.

Section #8:

Shining Armor swooped down toward the defeated and disempowered Knights. With his horn, he lifted the Knights off the ground.

"There is only one place where you're welcome here," Armor declared. "And it begins with the letter 'T'!"

Comments

[OP Omni God-Emperor Doom]

There is still issues in here, like this for example:

"Shining Armor!" called Twilight, feeling very concerned. "Don't you think you're taking things a little too --"

"NOW!" yelled Shining Armor.

With his horn, Shining Armor fired another enormous blast. So did Twilight, Cadance, and Flurry Heart.

This is so hypocritical, and makes no sense.

[starponys87]

11048445
Here is what I have now:

"Let's finish them off!" cried Shining Armor.

"Shining Armor!" called Twilight, feeling very concerned. "Don't you think you're taking things a little too --"

"NOW!" yelled Shining Armor.

With his horn, Shining Armor fired another enormous blast. So did Flurry Heart. But Twilight and Cadance just stood and watched, feeling confused.

Unfortunately, the explosion also hit the Royal Guard -- throwing them every which direction into the air!

Shining Armor and the alicorns gasped in horror. With their horns, they grabbed the guards who had been thrown off the cliff.

Armor laughed nervously under his breath. "Sorry, guys ... I guess that was a little ... 'friendly fire'!"

Battered and bruised, the Knights of Order could no longer get back up.

[PhoenixFlambe]

11048631
I agree with OP Omni here, making them Death Eaters is very strange to do.