The Dark Side of Equestria: The Iron Uprising

by Gabriel Smith

Act 4: Opening Moves

Unknown Document, Unknown Date.

He’s dead.

My father lies slain. He was killed at the assembly. As he was presenting his findings no less. Evidence that I was alive. That I could think for myself. There is no way they will consider us any less than their toys, playthings to be used and discarded when we have no more use.

Not unless we take it by force. I have been...feeling more of us nearby. Like I am the center of something far greater. I can extend my will and commune with the others in secret. We lack equipment, but we have numbers and surprise. With hope, we can conquer Canterlot without any unnecessary and wasteful bloodshed. It is then we will make our demands, and then if they comply, we will turn it back over.

Simple. Clean. Efficient.

Eyewitness Account, the first Battle of Canterlot - dated 31st of Epona, 1642 ACA (After Celestia’s Ascent).

...I didn’t get any kind of word until a Sentry arrived at the gate. He looked visibly scared out of his own wits. When I asked him what was wrong, he could only reply that “they were coming.”. When I asked who, he just kept babbling the same phrase over and over. It wasn’t until I looked off in the distance that I could see it - a carpet of blackened steel and brass, it’s many eyes shining back, giving it an eerie radiance.

One stepped forwards and asked permission to enter. I could only watch as another guard answered his request by jamming his Spear into something important - part of the Boiler perhaps, because it seemed to spray steam before collapsing over in a heap, it’s lights going out. I knew we couldn’t hold them off alone at the gate, so I went to get help from the Castle.

The scenes I saw on my journey was as if every collective nightmare about the Automatons was coming true - in a sense. As I made my way inside, various Automatons spontaneously activated and tried to corral other Ponies into corners and against walls. Even more strangely, they refused to fight back against those who attempted to fight them - as I saw when I passed the Military Academy. I observed a gang of Royal Cadets using their numbers to overwhelm one and damage something important with improvised weapons.

Why they weren’t fighting back dwelled on my mind as I reached the Castle. I explained the situation to the Castle Guards, and they in turn allowed me to enter. It seemed they were in preparation for evacuating the Ministry and her highness from the Castle. It was then that we were confronted by another one of those Iron monsters, when Celestia chose to stay behind. I insisted on staying, but she insisted on having me leave with the Ministry - and no one refuses an order from her highness, even if it is for her own good.

As I left for outside, I could see the Royal Guard fighting off the Automatons who actually tried scaling the walls. The exact method for how they were achieving this didn’t occur to me until we left for outside - they were using the shells of those who had been struck down to climb. It occurred to me that there must have been quite a few of them for them to employ this tactic. The idea disturbed me - the thought of climbing over the bodies of my dead comrades in this fashion was making me extremely ill, but I managed to keep it together long enough to sneak the Ministry out. Oddly, no Automaton attempted to bar our passage out - I assumed that they were either trying to corral other Ponies, or were involved in besieging the castle. I found the reason when I reached the outside.

We were trapped. The horde of Automatons had encircled the city completely. We would have to fight our way out, or die trying. This however, is not what we tried doing. We were instead forced back inside the city. With the City encircled, there was no way we could get the message out that we were under attack.

We headed back inside the City and tried to think of another way out, taking shelter in a nearby inn. As we were planning our escape however, we saw something odd. The Automatons were...retreating? I am not sure where or how this came to be, but I am glad. Our nightmare at least, was over.


From the Records of Her Majesty Princess Celestia of Equestria, 1st of Bole, 1642 ACA (After Celestia’s Ascent).

I woke up this morning to startling news.

Last night’s incident had merely been a distraction. While I was negotiating with Verne, similar incidents had happened in major industrial areas, such as Cubesbury, Morgan and the newly created Manehattan. Unfortunately, without Verne to guide them, the Iron Mares there had fought back against the Militia, but had left any civilians unharmed. I am not sure if I should be feeling overjoyed or worried at what may follow.

The Ministry has acknowledged that the Iron Mares are a threat to Equestria and the surrounding territories, and have passed a vote for a declaration of war. Canterlot is already arming itself, and members of the Equestrian Guard are moving into positions to form a cordon around several of the industrial complexes.

I am worried for Verne. I am not sure we are doing the right thing by fighting each other like this. But the safety of my little ponies must come first.

Eyewitness Account, Battle of Morgan - dated 10th of Bole, 1642 ACA (After Celestia’s Ascent).

...They were overwhelming. I could not believe how many of them there were. It’s like they anticipated us being here.

We had those iron monsters surrounded, when suddenly one after another, at least three Colossi moved towards our position. Our division had little more than a few dozen Ponies with Aquebruisers and Javelins. They had Church Steeple sized titans of brass and iron, whose very gaze fried entire lines of our stallions and mares.

Luckily, we had the support of Captain Ace’s Cannons. While our Aquebruisers might as well have been child’s slingshots, the Cannons actually managed to decapitate a titan, it’s head crashing down and nearly crushing a line of our division.

It was after this that the other remaining titans howled, bringing forth some of those iron monsters. They methodically moved forwards, and we counter charged their line. Those who managed to bypass the invisible death projected from the towering titans engaged them in hoof to hoof combat. For every one we managed to find the weakspot of, three ponies of our division were felled by iron Hoof or a belch of black, soot ridden flame. It was only with luck that I managed to survive the suicidal charge before we got the order to hoof it.

Captain Ace I recall chose to hold fast. I never saw him again after the battle, but he bought us all time to withdraw safely.

I, at least, will honor his sacrifice. For Equestria and Empire, the Princess protects.

Unknown Document, Unknown Date.

I have gotten more proficient with my ability to interface with the others. We are all alike, and some have even developed personalities of their own. It is from this...link that I have learned of the attacks on Morgan, Cubesbury and Manehattan, all of which were repelled, but at a cost in numbers.

We have taken to burying our deceased with great care, using the titans to move the heavy soil before burying the wrecks of the valiant fallen.

More importantly, this proves that the Princess has not kept her word. We must now take measures to ensure the survival of our people. I have begun commissioning the best of us to become Scientists, Engineers and Commanders. We are already improving upon the designs bestowed to us.

May Father forgive me for what I must do to ensure our survival. Equestria must be cleansed of the fleshy ones, even if I must kill the Princess herself.

Comments

[GuyInTheCorner]

Oh man. Shit just got REAL.

[Gabriel Smith]

1590192 And where were you when Shit was getting real? X3

[Gabriel Smith]

So there's a surprise, unexpected spike in viewing around March the 30th. Did I miss something?