Battle for Equestria: Scraps and Bits

by Snicket

Chapter 2

*Dream Weaver/ Back and Magic Woman*

A/N: Not sure why I went with Firewomen in the previous chapter title. It may have possibly been a ‘working title’ that I never changed.

Anyway, this chapter would have opened with Blaze and Honey making a last stand against a hoard of marauders. A large grizzly bear charges to catch up but hesitates when they recognize Blaze. Who in turn recognizes the imposing figure as Babo. A former member of her father’s guard. Who was thought to be dead, since they never returned from a mission to said island several years ago. Only to find out that he along with the rest of the small detachment of guards. Had deserted the kingdom, went awol, and joined the marauders they were sent to deal with. Even becoming their leader at some point. Blaze calls him a coward and a traitor for abandoning his mission and turning against the kingdom they swore to protect. This angers the bear, who then orders his men (and some woman) to attack the princess and ‘her friend.’ Honey attempts to diffuse the situation but falls on deaf ears as the grizzly and Blaze begin to trade blows with one another.

However, this is cut short as a large group of Blaze’s guards emerge from the foliage and begin to intercept the attacking marauders. Who try to flee, since they are vastly outnumbered and don’t possess any sort of weapons to combat the threat. Blaze is able to subdue the bear during the distraction with a timely placed strike on the back of his head. Knocking him out in the process. Just as one of her generals appears alongside her. Asks if she’s unharmed. The feline scolds them for disobeying orders, but then thanks them for doing so. Since she doubts that she’d be able to take the entire group on her own.

As guards sweep across the island. Blaze has a brief moment to talk with Honey and asks if she’d like to come back to her kingdom. Since the other feline was able to hold her own against the threat, despite being very underprepared and obviously not in the best of shape. And that she’d like to spar with her. Since she showed excellent combat skills. Honey enthusiastically agrees, but will only do so if she can design a dress for Blaze. The guardian says no, but offers to let the designer make her own dress. Since her’s was in such rough shape.

This is abruptly cut off as Blaze wakes up and comments on her strange dream. And that it was so far from what happened it’s almost comical. Spike pipes in (who is sitting in his basket reading a comic book.) That Luna might be slacking on her duties tonight or simply wasn’t sure how to approach the feline dream without messing it up. Blaze then asks the dragon to explain more about dream manipulation. To which he complies since he’s just finished his comic and didn’t have anything else to read.

~***~

Things then shift back to Sonic and the newly transformed Luna. Who seems to be unaware of the situation and seems almost confused why Sonic now has a worrisome expression. The hedgehog tells the princess of her sudden change. To which the Alicorn replies that it must be a result of her use of dark magic. Prompting Sonic to inquire as to why the princess needs to use dark magic. Luna explains that she’s spent the last few days in Soleanna. Trying to figure out who or what used necromancy magic to animate the corpse of Iron Claw. And why it attacked her sister. The hedgehog then comments that wasn’t Iron Claw burnt to a crisp by Celestia. The alicorn corrects that only half of it was. The bottom half was still intact. Then Luna lets slip that her findings so far are troubling. Since the only one that is capable of such twisted magic is dead. Stating that Twilight and Cadence confirmed Sombra’s demise. Ala exploded into light and dust. And that the other ships were caring more about those twisted abominations, but they ended up breaking free and attacking the crew. When they were out at sea. Sonic then asks if they should be worried about the ones that escaped. Luna replies that the magic needed to sustain them has most likely worn off by now. And that they have most likely fallen into the sea.

Luna then transforms back to her usual form and hastily changes the subject, commenting that she didn’t summon Sonic to the dream realm to talk about work. But is happy that he’s conceded for her safety. The princess then attempts to bring the conversation back to what they were talking about earlier. Jokingly suggests that Sonic should form a herd with Twilight and the others, but is cut off before she can continue as a door suddenly appears in the firefly sanctuary. Bearing her sister’s mark. Signifying that the moon princess’s assistance is needed in the dreamscape. Luna then asks that Sonic stay behind and that she will return in a moment. Muttering about her sister needs to stop eating cake before bed. As she steps through the door.

A/N: Originally I had the conversation go on longer. Luna explaining that after her banishment. A slew of stallions attempted to win her sister over and marry her. Even going as far as to form alliances with rival houses to acquire traits for their offspring that ‘the princess’ would want in a partner. While also pulling strings with universities. To get their children into them to learn about subjects the alicorn ‘might’ be interested in. All under the assumption that whichever family(s) child marries the princess. Would have a voice in how the nation would be run. I.E who's getting special treatment and what now. This, of course, leaves a huge power vacuum in other positions’ power. Since everyone else was shooting for the moon. No one was paying attention to what else was around them. Which led to the daughters of these families seizing the opportunity and taking control of these now open seats of power. This then leads to more mares wanting daughters, since they won’t be expecting to try to win the princess’s favour. Which in turn results in fewer stallions being born and….you can see why I decided to not include this if I were to write this.

Luna bids the hedgehog farewell for the moment and steps into her sister’s dreamscape. Expecting it to be filled with ‘murderous cakes’ or evil pies. She is confronted by a twisted version of what she assumes was a happy memory. With the garden of the former castle courtyard laying in ruins. Numerous sets of empty armour and discarded weapons litter the landscape. The princess comments that this is the result of forbidden magic and that someone is trying to break her sister’s will. As she investigates further. She finds her sister. Still in her young filly form. Cowering before a massive Iron Claw as he berates her for all the wrong she’s done. Since becoming the ruler of Equestria. And that her father would be so disappointed in her. Luna then intervenes, claiming that this monstrosity doesn’t represent Iron Claw and that whoever is controlling this ‘thing’ should leave or face her wrath.

Things switch back to Sonic who is now skipping a stone across a small river. Awaiting the Princess’s return. Muttering on about how there isn’t much to do. It’s then that the door to Celestia’s dreamscape flings open and pulls the hedgehog inside.

~***~

He awakens to the twisted vision Luna saw of the destroyed castle gardens. Spotting something in the distance, he grabs one of the discarded swords that now litter the ground. (Similar to the one in the first logo.) However, before he can admire the sword or question its origin. A massive battle breaks out overhead with Luna fighting the monstrous Iron Claw and is not fairing very well. The hedgehog comments about not stepping in, but then notices that Luan’s is being overpowered and will most likely not win. So, deciding against Luna’s wishes. The hedgehog dons his super form and flies in to intercept the battle.

Blocking a mortal blow that would have knocked the moon princess out of the fight. The alicorn first chastises the hedgehog for stepping in. Only to back peddle when Sonic explains that he was pulled in and couldn’t stand by and watch while Luna got her butt handed to her. He then tells the princess to attend to her sister, since she’s the key to what's going on and that he’ll buy her some time till she can figure it out. The alicorn reluctantly agrees and fly’s to the Sun Goddess; who is still in her child form and is curled up in the fetal position. When Luna attempts to speak with her sister. The filly asks where the big scary gryphon went. To which Luna replies that Sonic‘s holding him off until she can figure out what’s happening. Upon hearing the hedgehog’s name, the filly begins to panic more. Prompting something strange to occur to Sonic. Luna looks over as an unnatural roar echoes in the distance only to see that Sonic is now in his Fleetway form and is mercilessly tearing into the giant griffon. Iron Claw comments that it’s amusing that Celestia finds Sonic more terrifying than him; that killed her father. Prompting the now crazed hedgehog to Laser blasted him in the face at point-blank range.

In the distance, two figures watching from the shadows. Commenting on how well the spell worked and that if this keeps up. It will break the Princess’s spirit. Since she holds Sonic in such high regard and that seeing him like this will be devastating. Stating that thanks to the dream walker spell, Sonic can’t go beyond what abilities he normally wouldn’t possess. So, what they’re seeing is what the hedgehog is capable of. They then state that they’ll wait for it to see how this plays out, but make the mistake of stepping out there hiding to get a better look; giving their position away and evoking a magic blast from the moon princess. Which unfortunately misses, but it does cause the two figures to retreat. In an attempt to alleviate the battle before her. So Luna ‘literally’ knocks some sense into her sister. Allowing Sonic to return to his normal state and deliver the final blow to the nightmarish Iron Claw.

The two are promptly ejected from the dream. Since Celestia had now awakened from the nightmare. Bring the two back to the firefly sanctuary. Except for an unknown reason. Sonic is still in possession of the sword he grabbed in Celestia’s dreamscape. The hedgehog comments that it must be an omen since he still has it and names the sword Smite. Since it helped him smite his enemy. Luna laughs at the hedgehog’s terrible joke. And then comments that it must have some sort of perception filter on it. Since she is unable to make out the finer details of the sword. She then leads him down a hallway of doors. That Sonic absent mildly drags his hand across them as he passes unaware that he’s disrupting the individual’s dreams by doing so. Luna points it out but seems confident that since the interaction was brief. Most ponies will witness a brief glimpse of the hedgehog in their dreams.

*What follows is a montage of sorts that has Sonic appearing and then disappearing from several ponies' dreams. With many of them just passing it off as too much on their mind or that they’ve been reading too many newspapers.

Things then shift to Twilight who has used a memory recovery spell. And is exploring the fragmenting memories of the blue hedgehog that she inadvertently gained. Trying to piece them together. All while in her anthropomorphic form. Except donning similar attire as her Equestria girls transformation. But it is met with a series of issues since everything is so jumbled that she compares it to random pages of various books being torn out and haphazardly, put together, and that the reader is left to form their own story from them. Which only frustrates the mare more, prompting her to use the spell again. This results in her diving deeper into the mindscape, till she lands in a void. And is confronted by who she thinks is Sonic’s inner thoughts, but is actually her sub conches (only taking on his form, because he had touched the door to her dreamscape by accident.) telling her what she’s doing is wrong and that she should feel ashamed of herself for prying.