The Battle near Rambling Rock Ridge
It was half past three in the morning. The crickets in the summer forest played their songs, setting off music that would bring upon a calm and soothing feeling to any pony that would hear it... So was the morning North of the Rambling Rock Ridge. All seemed at peace. Amongst the dark woods was a single beacon of light - a campfire. A small campfire surrounded by seven ponies, all wearing golden armour. There were several small tents and chests around the fire, all bearing a sun logo. The ponies were all either sitting or lying around the fire, two of them asleep. Nothing notable could be said about them, only that three of them were pegasi. Their weapons were all carefully stacked near them - spears, swords, shields, assault rifles. Only one pony seemed to have his sword with him. A caramel colored earth pony with black soul piercing eyes. He sat with his back to the group, silently waxing his blade and lifting up his head at times to look into the shadows of the woods...
"... and the parrot said - Luna!" Exclaimed one strong tan pegasus. The group roared out with laughter that echoed through the forest, scaring off a few sleeping birds. The caramel pony merely smiled at hearing the joke.
"That was a good one, Flames... So, anypony have any new stories about the war to share?" Spoke out a grey earth pony, stretching on the ground.
"I do... Did you ponies hear what happened at the Galloping Gorge?" A particularly young light blue pegasus pushed himself off the ground, as his big naive eyes glittered with excitement. A pause followed, until the first pegasus, Flames, spoke out quietly, his eyes fixed on the campfire flames.
"Yeah... There were no bodies".
Another pause, only the crickets and the crackling of the fire disturbing the silence. After what seemed to have been a minute, the same young pegasus whispered:
"I wonder why did the NLR need them?"
"Probably up to no good... Some dark magic or something..." Spoke out an old earth pony, that was still silent to this minute.
"Nah... I don't think that the lunies are that obsessed to win", Spoke out Flames. "I mean, we're talking about our kin, using dark magic? Pfff..."
"A bunch of crap if you asked me", barked out the grey earth pony.
"What about you, captain? What do you think?" asked the young pegasus, as everypony's gaze turned to the caramel pony, still waxing his sword.
"Well... To be honest, I think there's m..."
A faint horn sounded in the distance.
Everypony's eyes widened at hearing the noise, those who were asleep woke up instantly. There was a pause. Everypony just sat there, staring into the darkness of the night. Even the crickets ceased playing their tunes.
The horn sounded again. A bit louder this time.
"Is... Is that the first outpost horn?" whispered the old earth pony.
Suddenly... A faint light illuminated everything around them, lighting up the forest in a week glow. Everypony instantly raised their head to the sky: the Moon had come out from behind the clouds.
Shivers ran through the backs of the ponies.
The caramel pony scowled as he jumped up to his hooves:
"To arms!!! All ponies!!! To arms!!!" - his yell echoed through the forest.
All seven began running through the camp, putting on their helmets, grabbing their weapons, taking only what can be salvaged.
"Windy, maybe you should have a look from up above?" the young earth pony asked a pegasus as they both sheathed their blades.
"No!" commanded the captain. "You will see nothing, for the night is their guide and protector..."
"Move out! Head to the lines!" Ordered the captain, leading the way. All of the six remaining ponies followed. The night silence was broken, besides hearing their heartbeat, their hooves stomping the ground, a rumble could be heard, slowly growing.
"Captain! Shouldn't we notify the furthest outposts?" a pegasus flew up to the earth pony.
"Negative... They've all seen the sign..."
Indeed, the Moon shone brightly, with the silhouette of the Princess of the Night on it. A dreadful sign to all those who march under the Solar banner.
After about twenty minutes of hard galloping, the forest ended with a wide river with plains stretching beyond it as far as the eye could see. But one would not see anything particularly natural at that moment, for the opposite shores were all in fortresses, pillboxes, machine gun points and even further - artillery positions. Beyond them was a massive encampment of the Eighth Solar Imperial Army. Tents, marching ponies in golden armour, tanks, battle mechs, combat heli's in the distance. The night sky over the plains was filled with loud voices directing orders, commands, swearing. Among that, the skies were full of yelling and the grinding of metal on the earth. Everypony was aware of the threat... Ponies ran through the trenches with their guns on the belts, their swords in their sheaths, spears on the shoulders.
"Take your positions!!! Take your positions!!!" - roared a massive earth pony, his face covered in scars and bearing a cold expression. He marched through the trenches, beaming at any pony he came across, ordering them to speed up.
"This is Sigma Five to Firehawk! The stars are up! I repeat, the stars are up!" - the radio points were flooding the frequencies with new orders and important messages.
A white stallion, upon hearing the commands he was given through the radio on his headset, waved his hoof behind three times and then vanished in what turned out to be a Solar tank, closing the lid shut. The tanks head lights lit up at least a mile in front, illuminating the terrain for its fellow combatants, the engine roaring in fury! Instantly, all the terrain around lit up: hundreds of tanks behind turned their head lights on. With monstrous roars, the tanks began maneuvering forward, whilst infantry groups and squads tried to get to their points through the moving metallic labyrinth.
"Get your tin can out of my fucking way!!!" Screamed a pony officer banging his sword on the tank, blocking the way.
Meanwhile, in the sky, a group of seven attack choppers formed a line, their light projectors running over the ground, as the seven flew through the ranks of the massed army.
"Tango Five Seven to Omega Three Three, stay clear of the Milky Lane! Attack upon my command". A voice in the headset firmly spoke, as a unicorn sat in the helicopters cockpit, illuminated in a red glow, the heli's heavy machine gun, following the unicorn's eye direction.
The entire front line was swarming with action. Armed trucks and APC's in convoys had just reached the second line of defense and were deploying armed ponies, that then scattered like ants around the trenches.
Meanwhile, the recon Captain and his team had just crossed the river over a small bridge built by the Solar Empire. Other recon teams were pulling up as well.
A lieutenant mare met them on the other side, both officers saluted each other.
"Captain Stone Lightray! I want your team on the second line of defense, twenty third bunker!"
"Yes, ma'am!" The team instantly made its way through the zigzags of the trenches to their bunker.
The mare immediately turned to her guard.
"Notify Steel Teeth to move his phalanx North two miles! And tell the demo team to detonate the bridge in seven minutes!"
"Yes ma'am!" The guard galloped off into the nearby trench.
Meanwhile, at an artillery point four miles North.
"Oh boy..." Sighed a unicorn, leaning on to the massive howitzer, whilst staring into the night sky, where no stars were visible, only the blinding lights of the patrolling choppers, and the frightening glow of the Moon, "Oooh boy. They must be carrying a lot of heat if they want us to know of them coming!"
"Heh! Ya sure ga tha righ!" Grinned a hairy earth pony with a Southern accent, gazing into the dark forest in front of them.
A very young smiling pegasus officer flew up to them wearing golden-white armour.
"Alright men! We have the coordinates! Everyone to position!"
"Finally!"
"Alright!"
The ponies began running around their massive howitzer, in a few seconds, the ponies at the neighboring positions began doing the same. Soon, all of the positions were preparing for the attack.
"... elevation sixty five!" Ordered the pegasus, as the ponies ran here and there, spinning different wheels on the cannon.
The pegasus wiped his face with a pink handkerchief, while listening to a radio. At one point, the pony's eyes widened and he waved his hoof and screamed out with his young voice:
"Fire!"
The Howitzers cannon fire was like thunder on a clear summer day. The monstrous roar echoed through the front line, alerting all the troops. Another cannon fired, and another, and another, and soon a single horrifying rumble filled the sky as hundreds of small white dots flew through the darkness towards the woods.
The hairy earth pony laughed hysterically as the cannons fired while the pegasus captain watched the distance through his binoculars in a very tense way.
"Yes! I believe we got them! Yes, yes! Fire at will! Raise it by two degrees!"
"Alrighty then!" smiled the unicorn picking up another shell onto his back almost as big as he is.
Meanwhile, at the front trenches.
Several ponies looked up as the roars filled the sky.
"Ours? Theirs?! Ours?! Theirs?!?!" A grey pony asked beginning to panic.
"Relax, Poke! It’s ours! Sheesh, you still can't hear the difference in the artillery fire... Woah... Like a star fall..." Said a smiling mare grasping a massive machine gun, as her head followed the shining lights.
A unicorn sitting near the mare, holding the bullet belt, sighed as he pulled on his helmet.
"Here we go..." he whispered and gave the mare a weak smile, which was instantly returned.
"Oh man... Oh man, we are so dead! So dead! Dead, dead, dead!!!" - Poke began shaking his head, almost crying.
The earth began to rumble louder. A faint roar was heard which seemed to grow by the second.
A massive unicorn colt standing right over the front trench line unsheathed his long blade. His voice rang in the heads of almost every pony that was around him or that had a radio.
"Ponies! Mares! Stallions! Have courage! Have no fear! You are no longer farmers, grocers or normal pony folk!!! You are the soldiers of the Solar Empire! You are the ones chosen by Celestia! For Her name we fight! For Her Honor, for Her Pride!!! Do not shame the Solar Empire! Let us show these weak rebels what is Celestia's fury!!! Show them Her Wrath!!! Ready now!!!"
His speech gave a boost of morale and soon even Poke was silently aiming his rifle out of the trench, sobbing at times.
Somewhere in the distance a machine gun opened fire. Two more picked up the pace, rhythmically roaring. Gunfire responded from the forest.
"Shiny! One o'clock! Several lunies!" The unicorn yelled as he pointed his hoof towards the darkness on the opposite bank of the river.
The mare pointed the machine gun towards the area, and pressed the trigger. It roared violently for two seconds, sending a molten bullet rain into the distance.
Poke opened fire out of his rifle in another direction. Gunfire grew on both sides, slowly putting out any other sound.
"Over there! Over there!"
"I got a casualty!"
"Reposition!"
"Supressive fire!!!"
All the lines were now in battle, explosions, screams of fury and pain would break through the gunfire at time.
Suddenly a sonic roar went through the sky... And a wall of fire grew right through the front line! The shock wave knocked over all the ponies who were nearby.
"Black eagles!!! Black eagles!!!" Screamed a unicorn helping up a wounded pony.
"Head for cover!"
"Aaaaaggghh!!! My legs!!!" A scream of pain echoed: an earth pony with torn off bloody hind legs was trying to crawl out of the fire, where several ponies screamed in pain as they burned alive...
The sonic roar went through the sky again setting some distant trenches on fire. An officer shook his head as he spat at the ground. Several bullets hit the ground near him. The officer instantly ducked.
"Fuck! Get me Steel Hoof on the line!" He screamed at a pony with a radio while a pony nearby fired his rocket launcher.
"Yes sir!"
Meanwhile, the first line was choking in blood. Half of all the ponies were either dead or heavily wounded.
"Just rain the gunfire, Shiny!" Screamed the unicorn opening up another ammo crate, only to find it empty. "Shit..."
"Hurry up, Dust! I'm running low on ammo!" the mare scowled as she aimed the gun at the countless silhouettes of dark blue ponies trying to cross the river as they just kept running out of the forest nonstop.
A spark of light illuminated a point near the forest: a pony had just fired a rocket at them.
"Ooh fuck!!!" screamed Poke as he dropped to the ground, grabbing Shiny with him.
A loud explosion collapsed the fortification and lifted a whole layer of dirt near them and tossed it over the three ponies. All three instantly got up, shrugging of the dirt, Dust coughing loudly.
The machine gun was out of order.
"Fall back!" yelled Dust as all three, crouching, ran into the trenches filled with the bodies of fallen brothers and sisters. A unicorn sergeant, seeing them, screamed out:
"Get back to your positions! What the..." A loud ring accompanied a grenade that fell right under his hooves. The pony frowned and whispered:
"Fuck..." The explosion launched a bloody torso right out of the trenches.
"Ouch" whispered Shiny squinting her eyes.
"Come on! Move your asses!" Screamed Poke, running deeper into the lines as several medic mares carried out moaning ponies.
The sonic roar went through the sky again, followed by a loud motorbike-like sound. A rain of light beams came down tearing up the bodies of any pony that was hit by it - the black eagles shot their miniguns on the Solar Army. They were masked by the darkness, invulnerable to any infantry division...
Meanwhile, two miles West. A loud mechanic repetitive rumble constantly shook the Earth.
A strong pegasus with a mohawk and a cigar in his mouth sat inside a large cockpit with many blinking lights and screens and loud metal playing. Static interrupted the music, followed by screams, explosions, gunfire and a pony's voice screaming furiously:
"Steel Hoof!!! Get your fucking metallic trash here now! We're getting killed out here!!!"
The pegasus exhaled the smoke, cleared his throat and responded in a careless low voice:
"Sure thing, cap. When would you like us?"
"Right now!!!" yelled the pony, followed by an explosion that turned the transmission into static.
The pegasus sighed loudly before clicking a button and beginning to speak:
"Alright now! It's our time! Team Guru, move out!"
On the outside, several hundred pony mecha lit up a square mile of terrain as their rocket thrusters ignited. All the mecha soon flew off into the sky and head out towards the battle.
"Over here! Coordinates locked on!" hissed a unicorn, knocking on a radar screen with a nasty smile. A earth pony galloped up to him, nodded and turned to a mare pegasus. She instantly presses some buttons on the consoles in front of her:
"Missiles 1 and 2 locked on!"
The night sky was lit up as an explosion in the darkness sent burning parts falling all over the battlefield. The Solar Empire Anti Air rocket systems had awoken...
Captain Stone watched the ponies collapse one by one in the almost empty front lines until a burning piece of metal fell right in front of their bunker.
"What the fuck..." It was the jets tail - a crescent white moon was imprinted on it. The captain frowned.
"Windy! Flames! Get that thing out of the way!"
The two pegasi flew up and, applying force to one edge, pushed it out of the way.
Suddenly, with a gasp, Flames dropped to the ground twitching slightly.
"Flames!!!" screamed several ponies at once. Windy flew up, grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into the bunker.
"Medic!" screamed the captain.
A young mare ran up to them and began checking the pegasus for a pulse. A few tense seconds, highlighted by a massive warcry and a huge explosion until the mare looked up and quietly spoke:
"I'm sorry, but he's dead..." she then vanished into the trenches where a hollering pony, squirting blood out of his chest was escorted deeper into the positions.
The six ponies silently watched their dead companion, their faces all taken by darkness...
"Take your positions..." Stone ordered after covering his dead comrade with a piece of material, that was used to cover the machine guns.
The ponies, all grim, instantly scattered in different directions.
"Pegasi!!!" - screamed a earth pony reloading his rifle as two ponies near him dropped dead from gunshot wounds.
Indeed, thousands of pegasi in dark blue armour raced towards the defense lines from the darkness of the forest.
"For Luna!!!"
"For the NLR!!!"
Screams and war cries flooded the atmosphere, the pegasi, risking their lives in hundreds flew straight forward to their doom. Fury and hate glared in their eyes. The lunar pegasi hurled their spears at officers and running ground troops, they shot their rifles at the solar ponies at the machine gun positions. Several lunar pegasi, armed to the teeth, head to hoof in armour, flew up to a bunker, where machine guns fired non stop, causing pegasi to drop dead like flies, their bodies pierced with dozens of bullets. The armed pegasi pulled out hoses from their backs where dual containers were attached. Instantly, fire poured out, right into the gun slots. Screams of pain replaced the gunfire. One machine gun spotted a flamethrower before it got close and hit the containers, causing the pegasus to blow up in midair, the fire spilling all over, setting dozens of ponies on fire, both friend and foe!
The front lines where now a meat grinder. The lunar infantry, using the distraction of the pegasi where now swimming over the river in hundreds. Armed APC's tore down some trees before heading into the water. The APC's were all covered in lunar soldiers.
"Onward! Advance! Luna guides us!" screamed a lunar pegasus as the first lunar ground forces stormed the shore defenses!
Suddenly a smoking black jet, at full speed, smashed into a Solar howitzer causing it to blow up into an inferno! The explosion was followed by a even more powerful one that shook the earth - the ammo supply blew up, sending out fireworks of missiles, bombs and shells. Explosions covered the entire battlefield and even beyond. A huge cloud of smoke rose into the sky.
"Ohhh fuck!" ponies collapsed in the trenches as dirt and rubble fell all around them.
"Watch out!!!" a distant voice screamed as a massive burning part of the blown up howitzer rolled through the positions, crushing ponies, knocking out dark pegasi and destroying everything in its path, stopping only when it hit a truck that instantly blew up.
"For the Solar Empire!!!" screamed a covered in dirt wounded unicorn shooting a overheated machine gun at the flying pegasi circling him. He was the last Solar pony in the front line of defense. In several seconds, a silver spear pierced him in the back. Several bullets hit him as well. The unicorn scowled, with a tear drop running down his cheek, he fell to his knees, wobbled a bit before finally collapsing to the side and releasing his last breath into the air. The smell of dirt, smoke, metal, gunpowder and blood made the air hard to breath...
The Lunar pegasi flew in small teams over the trenches shooting down anypony they saw in it.
"Stay frosty!" screamed a pegaus after he gave a Solar officer three shots out of an assault rifle, knocking him over dead.
"For the Republic!" screamed a horde of Lunar ponies, charging from the river bank.
The pegasi grinned at the sight of a Solar banner being knocked over by a Lunar APC.
"Long live the NLR!" They cheered while bullets flew around them.
A bright light blinded them all:
"Hah! I don't think so! Long live Celestia and the Solar Empire!" A loud mechanic voice echoed as a massive mecha pony in gold and white stepped out of the darkness to face them. It immediately opened fire out of its huge shoulder miniguns on the enemy, "AAAAAGGGGHH!!! Eat Steel!!!"
"Scatter! Scatter!!!" the pegasi screamed as many of them where simply blown into pieces by the massive caliber of the mecha bullets.
The Lunar infantry had swarmed the front defense lines and was about to advance on to the second. They were stopped by a rumble coming from the sky - a whole line of golden mecha ponies came down the sky right in front of them.
"The Golden One's are here!!!" yelled a dirty bloody Solar unicorn as he lifted his helmet up a bit.
Indeed, the line of mecha, slowly hovering over the ground advanced to retake the first line.
"Battle Gurus!!! Shine your Lights upon this dark filth!" A loud voice echoed, as the mecha slowly flew forward shooting bullets and rockets at such a rate that soon the front trenches ceased to exist - craters of dirt and torn flesh changed the terrain!
A solar captain right behind and under a mecha, barely holding on to his helmet as the wind from the thrusters basically caused a dirt storm around him, roared into a radio:
"Zeta twelve to Gamma one! Advance! I need that reinforcements! Now!!!"
Roars of joy filled the lines of the Solar Empire at the sight of the hellstorm that was unraveling in front of them.
"Oh yeah! Have some sunshine! Lookin a bit pale there, lunies!" laughed Windy flying over his position with some other armed pegasi.
"Captain Stone!!! I need a word with you!" ordered a commander pegasus in the trenches with a small team behind him.
Stone immediately galloped up to the commander.
"Alright, command has issued an attempt to retake the first line! I need you t..."
Several roars filled the sky and black missiles started hitting the solar positions. One by one, mechas were blown to pieces. One mecha was hit by a missile that failed to detonate, launching the machine back several hundred feet destroying all under it.
"Take cover!!!"
Another missile formed a straight line before hitting Captain Stone's point, blowing up the whole position, leaving behind a smoking crater. All the ponies located around were launched into the air from the shockwave.
"Fuck!" screamed Stone as his eyes, full of horror, looked at the gun point where his team was.
"Captain! Captain!!!" Windy, barely flying, collapsed near Stone - his wing was bleeding.
"Ahh shit... Sorry, Stone... As I was saying... You and these three will be assisting you in retaking the front line! In case of failure - retre..."
Another explosion behind them turned over an armed truck and sent a group of ponies and their limbs flying.
"Medic!" the commander yelled calmly before saluting Stone and then vanishing in the densely occupied trenches.
Stone looked at the three that were assigned to him. They were Shiny, Dust and Poke along with his last survivor - Windy. The captain shook his head quickly:
"Damn it! Prepare for battle."
"Yes sir!" All four replied.
Many mecha had fallen or blown up to this moment. Their line got rare and was about to break.
A sonic roar went through the sky and several packs of missiles hit individual mecha ponies blowing them to debris.
The biggest mecha ran forward stepping on Lunar ponies, threw aside a lunar APC and picked up the dropped Solar Banner!
"You will all drown in your blood!!!" The Mecha roared as he laughed loudly.
All of the enemies fire was concentrated on him. It was Steel Hoof. The mecha, holding the banner high, fired all the ammo he had left. Parts of him broke off, his thrusters now burning and some failing, different parts exploding.
The sky was now blocked out by the dense smoke. Explosions, gunfire and screaming ran through the air, turning the green plains that once were into a black smoking hell.
A single solar general stallion got out of the trenches. The wind played with his long mane that showed from under his helmet. He unsheathed his blade. Rose it high.
"Draw your swords! Bayonets!"
He then charged forward, and all the ponies in golden armour, wounded or not, on wings or on earth followed him, cheering wildly.
As the remaining mecha retreated and collapsed, a dense line of dark blue NLR infantry charged at the Solar Empire gold.
"For Celestia!!!"
"For Luna!!!"
"For the Empire!"
"For the Republic!"
As the two lines collided in mortal vicious combat, all hell broke loose! Each side fought like it were immortal!
Screams, cries, yells and curses filled the battlefield.
Swords sliced limbs, spears pierced hearts, bayonets cut open enemies, axes dismembered ponies! Blood poured all over the place! The faces of ponies were full of hate, madness, insanity, rage, fury. Uncontrollable state of mind, the ponies fought not for their lives, but to their deaths. The satanic hate for their foe's drove them into a drunken state of mind. In minutes the count of casualties grew to thousands. Small streams of blood made their way to the river, which was already full of dead Lunar ponies...
Meanwhile at the artillery positions. Many cannons had ceased to fire, many were destroyed, massive craters surrounded the position. Smoke slowly rose into the sky. The scent of gunpowder was as ever so strong.
"God damn it, Tireus! We just fired our last shell!" An exhausted sweaty greasy unicorn looked up at the pegasus officer who threw aside his binoculars and replied:
"Damn it! Where's the resupply?!"
"Maybe they got them wooped on the way ere?" The hairy earth pony grinned as a nearby explosion covered everyone in dirt.
"Aaagh! I hate this fucking dirt!!!" the unicorn roared angrily rubbing his eyes.
Tireus stood for a few seconds watching the light show at the heart of the battle before picking up the radio.
"Firehawk! This Gizmo Three! We need gyros now! The machines are silent!"
The earth pony chuckled and shook his head upon hearing the words. Some other ponies walked up to the team to find out what's the cause of the delay.
After a few seconds, Tireus turned back and frowned, looking at his troops.
"Bad news, The southern artillery line is taking on more heat than the rest of the front, so they're getting the supplies at the moment."
A pause followed...
"So now what..." The hairy pony asked.
"Well, command ord..."
A dozen loud rumbling noises ran through the sky.
The trained artillery ponies recognized the cannon sound immediately.
"Airships!!! Take cover!!!"
Massive airships, like ghosts, silently flew through the sky, trying to go around the Solar Empire ranks. Their massive cannons now opened fire on the artillery point and anything in their way. The poor artillery ponies, absent of any ammo, scattered in all directions, searching for cover.
"Firehawk!!! This is Gizmo!!! We're under attack! Storm clouds!!!" yelled an artillery commander into the radio while looking at the massive silhouettes floating through the sky.
"Firehawk to Gizmo, we'll send you some birdies. Sit tight."
Two more airships sent their shells towards the ponies.
"Take cover!!!" The explosion took out two howitzers and killed several ponies.
Meanwhile, near Canterlot, "Star Burn" air base.
"Go go go! Move it! Time to fly!" ordered a blue pegasus with a fiery mane, opening a door as a group of fifty ponies ran out all in piloting gear.
The pegasus commander saw one more figure exit.
"Come on now... Your birdy awaits you."
The pony marched out, being a pegasus, she walked firmly towards her jet that stood aside the rest. Indeed... She was the best fighter and pegasus the Solar Empire could offer... With a rainbow colored mane... Yes... Rainbow Dash...
In several minutes the jets were all in the sky heading East, towards the battlefield.
"Dash, we just got a second request for help, the NLR are hitting our lines with Surface to surface missiles". A radio signal transmitted in Rainbow's headset.
"Right then. Let's show em who they're messing with. Fleetfoot, you take a company of thirty birds to the field. I'll take on the airships."
"Yes ma'am!"
With these words the white jets elegantly broke into two squads and separated.
"Enemy ahead! Distance, five hundred! Just like practice everypony!" Dash signaled to everyone as red dots blinked on her monitor.
"For the Solar Empire..." she whispered, as all the jets broke their "V" formation and flew off in different directions, and only Dash flew onward. She pressed the button on the joystick and sent 2 missiles towards the airship before pulling up.
The airships now spitted fire from their iron turrets at the jets that circled all around them. Dash's missiles hit the captain's bridge on the front airship. Two more jets hit another airship with their missiles.
"Whoa! Dash! Right in the bulls eye!" An impressed voice screamed into the radio.
An airship just blew up in the back ranks which then slowly descended in a flaming inferno.
"Hm... Ah, that was nothing" Dash smirked as she circled the group of what she'd counted twenty five airships.
"Alert! They've got heatseakers!"
"Engaging!"
"Aggh..." a voice broke off as a jet blew into pieces upon being hit.
"We lost Foxtrot Three..."
Rainbow Dash outmaneuvered two turrets, blew a missile with her flares and, upon approaching a airship, fired her own missile into the side vent. The vent blew up, causing the ship to dramatically turn left and smash into a nearby airship causing both two blow up in a giant fireball...
"Hooooly shit!!!" yelled several voices into the radio.
"Oh please, I can do better than that!" Dash smiled as she flew out of the fireball and charged at the next airship.
"You have the order to attack..." A voice spoke into the radio, as a light red unicorn nodded, gave the radio to the nearby pony and turned around.
A huge phalanx of several thousands of ponies stood before him, all armed to the teeth, their golden armor reflecting the flames of the distant battle.
"Signal the attack banner" Spoke the unicorn, as a pegasus wielding a specific Solar Banner flew up high and waved it.
"Advaaaance!" Roared a stallion, the same phrase was then picked up by another pony in the distance and on and on.
The huge phalanx began marching forward, the earth practically shaking under each step.
A sonic roar ran through the sky as a several squads of white jets flew right above them, several of them exploding.
The phalanx marched on, meeting debris, dead, wounded and retreating ponies, abandoned machine guns, turned over cannons, tanks and vehicles, burned jets lying around and huge piles of disfigured mecha. The faces on the Solar knights were stone and were absent of any emotion.
Their commander marched in front, stopping at times to admire a scenery or to help up a wounded pony.
Soon missiles and artillery shells began hitting their ranks, sending ponies and blood covered armour flying. The phalanx marched on.
Through the smoke in front they saw how a large mass of Solar ponies ran back towards them.
One earth pony lieutenant ran up to the phalanx general and, trying to catch his breath, spoke:
"They're... All... Yours... Signal the banner... When you want... Maxis to attack... That'll be the... signal..."
The general squinted his eyes as a huge explosion near him sent a mecha head flying over them. He then smiled and tapped the lieutenant on the shoulder.
"Very well. It shall be done." After what he walked on, hitting a bloody Lunar helmet on the ground with his sword.
The phalanx maneuvered around the massive debris of a fallen airship that burned like a hell pyre, covering the sky in black smoke. The smoke was now so dense that the moon was no longer visible, jets had to fly at a low altitude to have a visual of their targets.
The lunar pegasi along with fresh Lunar troops escorted by APC's charged at the advancing phalanx.
"Shields up!!! Spears down!" roared an officer.
The phalanx general squinted his eyes and a dark smile formed on his lips as he raised his sword.
"Forward!" He yelled as the phalanx galloped at their foes with bombs and shells faling all over the place.
The Gold and blue mixed once more to form red...
The phalanx pushed in with all their might, forcing single spears through numerous enemy ponies. Many golden ponies engaged the enemy with long silver blades, slicing through their armour. The phalanx general single handedly cut down dozens, he stood proudly on a hill of dead Lunar ponies. The APC's opened gunfire on the ranks, decimating them and bringing down the ponies one by one.
One APC was hit by a missile and blew up. Another suffered the same fate. Many Lunar ranks were hit by missiles.
With a loud rumble, dozens of attack helicopters flew over the phalanx, guiding it from uneven foes.
The machine guns shattered the APC's armour, missiles tearing up the Lunar ranks!
"We must help our brothers and sisters!" screamed a dark pegasus, as the winged ponies charged at the flying choppers.
They began hitting, shooting cutting them up close. A Lunar pegasus, wth a swing of a battle axe dismembered the tail of the chopper, sending it down to its doom.
Several helicopters flew over the roaring phalanx away from a small horde of pursuing pegasi.
"We need pegasi support! They're all over us like ants!" said a pilot into his headset as an enemy pegasus hit his windshield.
A huge rumbling noise advanced to the lines of the Solar Empire rising a cloud of smoke.
"What are they doin now... It seems that they're... Um..." Several officers tried to see through the black dust clouds until one screamed: "Eclipse tanks!!!"
"Fuck! I want Maxis out to meet them. Signal everyone!" grumbled a old earth pony as they all ran in different directions.
The massive dark blue Eclipse tanks drove out accompanied by pegasi and ponies all cheering. A flash, and a white beam hit the ranks of the phalanx, blowing them up and setting everything around it on fire.
"Fall back! Fall back!!!" screamed a pony as an Eclipse tank roared towards them.
"Agggh!!!" screamed the ponies as escape was hard due to the dense amounts of ponies on the field... Soon the tank tracks were all covered in torn up flesh of the fallen Solar ponies.
"Fuck sake!" screamed a pegasus commander as tanks ran over the solar ponies, killing them in hundreds. He then slinged off a rocket launcher and after quickly aiming it at a eclipse tank, pressed the trigger: the missile roared and set the whole tank on fire.
Choppers rained their missiles on the tanks when possible, due to the Lunar pegasi being a constant problem.
The bunker shook under the weight of the eclipse tank that drove on top of it.
Stone threw his last grenade out of the entrance. An explosion followed with several screams. Shiny and Poke kept shooting nonstop out of the bunker slots. The floor was covered in bullet cases. Dust fired several rounds out of the back entrance, then several more, preserving his ammo.
"This'll be useful!" said Windy picking up a rocket launcher, aiming it at an eclipse tank rolling nearby. In a second, the tank blew up, setting all the ponies around on fire.
"Whoa! Windy! Nice one!" the team cheered for him, but was instantly distracted by a grenade that fell in.
"Oh fuck..."
But Stone instantly grabbed it and threw back out, barely making it in time... He fell on his back from the blast and groaned loudly.
"Captain!" Poke grabbed him, dropping his empty rifle.
"I'm fine... Just stretched my hoof a bit"
"Hey, look at that..." They looked out of the bunker to see a massive burning airship slowly fall and blow up so brightly that night turned into day for a few seconds.
The explosion was followed by a sonic roar and several white jets being led by a cyan one flew over them, leaving behind a rainbow mark.
"It's Rainbow Dash!" Shiny exclaimed as the team cheered.
A horn sounded in the distance.
"Ah! That's it! The order! Let's go! We aren't gonna live forever!"
"Hyyyaaggh!!!" the five ponies charged out of their bunker shooting and swinging, as all the Solar ponies that were hiding in bunkers attacked from all directions.
"Sweet Celestia... This place is a nightmare..." A voice spoke in the radio, as Dash fired one of her last three missiles into a Lunar artillery position.
"Okay now, the Solar Empire has begun a full scale retaliation. Let's help em out and get twenty percent cooler..." Dash spoke back as the pilots cheered, maneuvering to take formation.
The white jets charged once more, firing all they had left on the built bridges where the eclipse tanks were crossing.
Many were instantly blown to saw dust and tanks sank to the bottom of the river like anvils.
"Dash! Watch out!" Fleetfoot's voice screamed as three black eagles ambushed the jets from behind.
Two white jets blew up instantly, Dash fired her flares in time to avoid death.
"Do a barrel roll!" screamed a voice in the radio.
Rainbow Dash stopped in confusion... "Wha... what? Please... I'm better than that."
A few minutes later a flaming black eagle crashed into the river bank where it remained...
The lunar ponies were furious now that the bridges were out and quickly began to repair them.
Despite that, the Lunar ponies continued to assault. A huge amount of them gathered at the first line.
"For the NLR!" roared a lunar unicorn and the giant mass charged to the second lines where the battle was at heat.
The eclipse tanks were disintegrating the ranks of the Empire. A Solar pony grabbed a radio near a torn up bloody body and screamed into it.
"We need some help now! They're crushin us here!"
The moment he said that an Eclipse tank crushed his body with its massive tracks, leaving behind a bloody mass of flesh and bones...
"Maxis! Fall in! Attack now!!!" a voice screamed into the pegasus radio. The pegasus without a single word, shifted a lever and pushed a pedal. The Solar tank advanced forward, followed by several hundred more!
"Porch, take on the South lanes!" the pegasus spoke, looking into a visor.
"Yes sir."
As the golden Solar ponies retreated leaving behind the second line of defense, the Lunar Army advanced victoriously, destroying anything left behind by their enemies. The Solar ponies halted running as they saw several columns of white tanks advancing. Among them charged Celestia's royal guard, the survived mecha's, accompanied by attack heli's. Many wounded Solar ponies joined the attack as well. As the tanks carefully avoided their retreating troops, they fired a barrage of shells on the eclipse tanks, advancing in the distance. The Lunar ponies halted as they saw the regrouped army attacking again.
"Hold your positions, ponies!" yelled a Lunar general, "I want the tanks to reform a line, tell the pegasi to..." The general fell dead with a bleeding forehead.
"Ghost Five to Firehawk... He's down." Two ponies in night camo with huge sniper rifles lay on a tall hill several miles away from the battlefield.
"Good job, fire at will and await further orders." the radio spoke.
"Roger that... Ghost Five out. So, Rocks, let's have a counting competition, shall we?"
The second pony cocked his massive rifle, sending a smoking bullet case flying out.
"You're on..."
Many ponies in Canterlot could see the flames on the horizon and a black cloud over it. The artillery cannonade sounded like thunder getting harder or softer at times. They were all taken by fear and concern for if the NLR wins this battle, they'll have a straight shot on Canterlot...
The hooves tapping on the floor echoed loudly through the hall. The long mane silently fluttered from the wind that blew through the wide open windows. The tapping stopped once the tall figure was on the balcony. A deep sigh followed...
"Princess Celestia! The final assault is on!" a royal guard ran into the hall.
The beautiful alicorn without turning to him smiled weakly, her eyes fixed on the horizon.
"Then let us help our dear protectors..."
In a few seconds, she closed her eyes and her horn glowed radiantly and, with it, the horizon lit up. The East was then highlighted as the first rays of the sun touched her horn, then Canterlot, then all of Equestria and slowly night shifted into day.
Celestia opened her eyes and whispered: "Fight well, my guardians. I am always with you..."
The ponies charged, their rifles spitting fire, their swords cutting down the enemy. The Solar tanks ran in front and, like beasts roared their shells at enemy positions. Pegasi accompanied by their flying machines and heli's stormed through the skies. The mechas charged and threw the eclipse tanks back into the woods or at each other.
And then... the Sun slowly crept up the horizon. The Solar Empire's troops now fought at full strength. Their hearts overflowing with courage. The Solar ponies pushed the Lunars all the way to the first line of defense.
"Open fire!" Screamed Tireus.
The ponies laughed as a half wrecked lunar airship covered in Solar banners and colors flew over the battlefield bombing the enemy from above. The hairy pony ran back and forth with a fire extinguisher, putting out the dangerous fires that kept popping out of everywhere.
"Seven degrees West! Bring down those bridges!" said Tireus once again staring through his binoculars.
Alrighty then! Said the unicorn loading a shell into the side cannon.
"How in Celestia's name did they do that?." asked Windy staring at the flying contraption, as a passing by Solar tank shattered the earth around with its turret fire.
"Who cares?! We won! Poke, you fucking idiot, we won!!!" Dust cheered as he threw up his bloody sword just as many thousands of ponies did.
"Yeah... I guess we did..." Poke stood there, smiling and staring at the horizon.
Captain Stone sighed at the sight of the giant masses of Lunar ponies jumping into the water and swimming back. The Lunar pegasi all flew back into the woods. The battlefield was full of abandoned and blown up eclipse tanks.
The Solar Empire had beaten the Night and now stood victorious. The attack was over. The explosions ceased. Only gunfire of joy and the cheers of thousands of victorious ponies in gold. The winds of the wide plains blew the smoke away in a matter of minutes, the birds began to sing once more. Victory. Rainbow Dash did several loops on her jet leaving a beautiful rainbow behind. Once again the sun was rising.
A group of Solar generals and commanders ran into the royal hall, their eyes glaring, wide smiles on their faces.
"Your Majesty... It's over... We won! Canterlot is safe"
Princess Celestia, standing elegantly at a tall window gracefully turned to them and smiled weakly. "Indeed we have, I thank you my faithful soldiers. Once again, your bravery and courage has brought honor to the Solar Empire". The ponies all bowed before the alicorn, she gently bowed her head in return, before turning back to the window... Her eyes were full of grief and despair...
Meanwhile, a Lunar general walked into a dark hallway... It was silent, only the wind flapping the NLR banners hanging over the ceiling. The general walked up to a throne that stood in the darkness.
"Luna... We..."
"I know, I only ask you to leave me alone for now..." A cold strong yet sad voice replied.
The Lunar general sighed deeply:
"As you wish, my Princess", the lunar general left quickly, shutting the doors behind him, leaving the Princess alone in the hall where only the lonely wind would play with the banners.
Luna was crying... Not because she lost the battle, but because she lost so many loyal and good lives...