Where in Equestria are we?

by Blackdrag-rose

II: World of Hate

"Ugh, where are we now?" Lyra said, opening her eyes to find that they had be transported to...Ponyville? "What's going on here? I thought the Gatekeeper said that we couldn't return to Equestria. So what gives?"

"Your slow Lyra," Trixie said, pointing at the blackened sky and the red sun, "This isn't OUR Equestria, this is a different Equestria. This means there are different rules to how magic works and how the world works as a whole. As I see it each world is different and the rules are as well. Make sure you don't draw attention to us and we should be out of here soon enough."

"There's Twilight Sparkle," Derpy said, pointing out the lavender mare that happened to be walking by.

Trixie instantly realized that something was wrong the moment she laid eyes on this worlds version of Twilight. Her eyes were full of evil and hatred, something Trixie hadn't been expecting to see. The Twilight stopped and stared into Trixie's eyes, forcing her to shudder slightly and look away.

"Ah, new recruits," this world's Twilight said, looking over the three mares, "I am familiar with each of you, though I never thought you would come here. He will be pleased to have more warriors in his army so he can conquer the known world."

"Not to sound like an idiot, but who is this HE?" Lyra asked, Twilight staring at her like she was an idiot.

"High Lord Oblivion," Twilight grinned, the three displaying shock on their faces, "I can see you were expecting HIM to be King Sombra. Lord Oblivion will cast the world into darkness and rule everypony. When he came to Equestria he took down the Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence and twisted them into hateful monsters that rule under him. Even Sombra, Discord, and Chrysalis are under his command."

"And the Elements of Harmony?" Derpy innocently asked.

"Harmony?" Twilight spat the word as if it was venom, "Don't make me laugh. In this world there is no such thing as the Elements of Harmony. No, the Elements of Hate rule this world under the command of the Hateful Six and they, in turn, follow the will of the High Lord. There are rebels who believe that they can band together and destroy us, but our hate will eradicate them all."

"You mentioned new recruits," Trixie said, "So what does the High Lord want his army to do after they destroy the last of the resistance?"

"Something about a key," Twilight said, waving her hoof as if she could dismiss the question, "Something about finding a way to leave this world behind and entering a new world. The Elements of Hate and the Hateful Six are more than willing to over turn the entire world to look for such a key, but he wants us to destroy those that remain."

"Who leads the resistance?" Lyra asked.

"My idiot brother Shining Armor," Twilight said, "with my parents backing him. Oh, and that mare Vinyl Scratch is involved with them as well. When we find them we will erase them, no questions asked. If you can't be turned then you'll be destroyed. Its as simple as that."

Twilight led them further into Ponyville and allowed them to truly see the level of hatred that was pulsing through the world. Every pony that they met looked like they were ready to explode in a fit of anger and take whoever they were fighting down with them. The ringing of hammer on steel quickly came to their ears as they saw somepony push out an order of metal suits. Twilight stopped at the armory and smiled at the pony who was working on another suit of armor.

"Greeting again Rarity," she called over the noise of the furnace, "How's the armor coming along?"

"Oh my dear Twilight, the armor is simply dreadful and downright diabolical," came an answer, "Rainbow will love this when I finally finish it. You find some new recruits or is this a pleasure visit?"

"Three recruits I'd like you to meet," Twilight said, grinning as the smoke began to clear, "Rarity, I hope you remember Trixie, Derpy Hooves, and Lyra Heartstrings."

While the three had been expecting a pony to emerge from the smoke they were surprised by what they actually saw before them. Rarity was now a white scaled dragon-pony combination, meaning she was the shape of a pony with the clawed legs, talons, frills, and scales of a dragon. Her eyes were dragon slits and in her left hand was a hammer that was blazing magical energies. Even her eyes blazed the same hatred that rested within Twilight, but then Trixie noticed she was wearing a black necklace with a purple amethyst gem in the center.

"My dear Twilight, I wasn't expecting them to join us," Rarity commented, placing the hammer on a shelf before turning back towards them, "I guess you'll be taking them to meet with Fluttershy next? Or is it Applejack this time?"

"I was thinking of Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash," Twilight replied, "but you're right. I visited those two first the last time I brought new recruits, so I might as well visit Fluttershy this time. Got anything you need delivered to either of them this time?"

"Ah yes, be right back," Rarity said, flying back into the shop for a couple of seconds before emerging with a small bundle, "On the top is a special whip made just for our dear Fluttershy. The bulkier one on the bottom is a special set of armored boots for Applejack. Be sure that they get those Twilight."

"Don't worry too much Rarity," Twilight replied, taking the bundle with her magic, "I'll be sure that they receive your 'gifts' when I meet them."

"Okay then," Rarity said, turning back towards the shop, "Have fun my dears."

She was soon lost in the smoke of the furnace and the ringing of hammer on steel filled the air once more. Only difference between the original hammering and this hammering was the amount of fire erupting from the furnace. Twilight beckoned and soon the four were headed off in the direction of what appeared to be Fluttershy's cottage. Of course the more they walked the more Trixie noticed the weapons scattered across the town, both in the hooves of ponies and mounted on wheels.

"Like what you see?" Twilight asked, barely looking back at the three, "The resistance cannot attack us here without losing some of their members. The last time they attacked they had more than thirty ponies and still could not overtake this town. There is a reason behind the fact that they could not defeat us."

"Is it because the Elements of Hate guard the town?" Derpy asked, "And they, meaning you and your friends, are unwilling to allow your enemies a victory of any kind?"

"No victory for those who believe friendship is the key," Twilight spat, the clouds darkening as she looked up, "Dear Oblivion, she's doing it again. What in the High Lord's name is Rainbow Dash thinking?"

"What's up with the clouds?" Lyra asked.

"Rainbow Dash is producing lightning weapons," Twilight answered, "Crafted from the very lightning that Cloudsdale produces daily. As of right now Cloudsdale hangs above every major city and town throughout Equestria; Ponyville, Canterlot, and even the Crystal Empire. With the lightning from the clouds coursing through the weapons Rarity makes we force our enemies to succumb to their hate. We should be seeing Rainbow Dash soon anyway."

Sure enough the clouds parted, but the creature behind them was not the cyan pegasus they expected to see. Instead there rested a coil of moving flesh and the hammering of lightning into steel. At first Trixie couldn't tell what the creature was, but then she noticed the lightning Cutie Mark and the black necklace with a red ruby lightning bolt. Lightning flashed and a barrel full of weapons appeared in the center of the town, a voice laughing. Standing, or rather floating, behind the barrel was the creature they had seen in the clouds.

"Hey Twilight," the serpent said, "I finished the latest batch. Could you kindly tell Rarity to increase the production of weapons that use lightning? I've got a bunch of reserve lightning and nothing to store them in."

"Recruits, meet Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, "Rainbow Dash, meet the new recruits."

The serpent laughed and the sky flashed in response.

"Good," Rainbow said, coiling around the three, "We should soon find the last camp of the resistance and then we will crush it. It is a shame your brother hasn't seen the error of his ways, we could have used a warrior like him."

"Once we crush his forces he might reconsider," Twilight replied, "I'm on my way to meet Fluttershy and Applejack. I'm sure they're destroying what's left of Bitter Apple Acres while they train for when Shinning Armor returns. And don't worry too much, I'll be sure to tell Rarity that she needs to produce more weapons for you."

"Last I saw of them Fluttershy and Applejack were at the farm," Rainbow commented, "but they saw fit to erect a barrier to prevent me from watching them. You know; two Elements outmatch one Element."

"Yeah yeah, I know all too well the power of the Elements of Hate," Twilight said, "I'll let you get back to crafting your weapons and I'll send a message to Rarity while we head towards the farm."

The serpent raised into the clouds and disappeared from their sights, the lightning returning to the sky forge. Twilight led them further down the road that would drop them off at the farm Applejack worked at. Upon arriving at the gate the three mares were faced with a desolate wasteland that should have been the Sweet Apple Acres. The trees were blackened due to what seemed like the exposure to cannon fire. Or more like the black dark magic that seemed to be at work in this world. But when they arrived at the farmhouse there were three, not two, figures that were standing next to the same weapons mounted on wheels.

"Go on Pinkie," one of them, a butterscotch colored creature, shouted, "Blow the targets to smithereens. Show us you have been putting the fear in our enemies."

The weapons fired at the remains of the farmhouse, demolishing what little remained of the house. The three figures cheered and moved on, obliterating whatever was left of the house and the area around it. As the smoke cleared they could easily tell what the three looked like and Trixie was frightened.

Fluttershy had the body of what appeared to be a scaled monster, almost like a dragon yet at the same time it wasn't. She had an assortment of gruesome claws, spikes, and tail blades attached to her. She floated near the cannons, her eyes gleaming with the same hatred as everypony else. She was brutal and unkind, ready to claw her enemies to shreds. Around her neck rested a black necklace with a pink gem in the center.

The orange drake, who Trixie assumed was Applejack due to the hat she wore, did not shed a single tear when the house fell. Her body was more suited for the earth and was hardened to a point to where her scales looked like they were made of metal. Her claws looked like they could dig the earth up and smash the heads of her enemies. She wore a black necklace with a orange gem around her neck.

The last of the three was what appeared to be a pink scaled creature that resembled Discord, except that all the parts were dragon limbs. While she lacked the claws the other four had she made up for it with her unpredictability and general weapons skills. Her scales might have also been softer, but it almost looked like she could harden them in an instants notice. Like the others she wore a black necklace with an aquamarine center.

"Hey Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie," Twilight called, catching the attention of the three drakes, "I got something from Rarity for the two of you. Sorry Pinkie, but she hasn't perfected your weapon yet."

As it turned out Fluttershy received a whip, which they already knew, but this one coursed with lightning. She swung it and the ground split in half where it passed, giving her a weapon she could use to easily cut through armor. Applejack's gift, the armored boots, were special covers that allowed her to punch the ground and cause it to quake. She could also open sink holes and drop her enemies into pits.

"I can wait till IT is ready," Pinkie said, patting one of the cannons, "until then I have these little toys."

As it turned out that was the perfect time for the supposed barrier protecting the farm to explode in a fury of fire. The sound of cannon fire soon filled the air, the intended target of the attack being Ponyville. The alarm sounded and the three drakes moved quickly, now armed with more deadly weapons than before. And before Trixie and her companions could move they were lifted into the air and dropped on the deck of a flying ship.

Below them they saw what truly fueled the need for the resistance to win the war. Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic, was now a black scaled dragon who oozed darkness. The very foulness surrounded her like a shield and protected her as she watched the ship fly away. But Trixie knew why she wasn't following; the High Lord would issue the declaration for war soon enough, and when that happened she could consume those who stood against Hate.