Guy gets sent to Equestria as a Cabal while Equestria is under Caribou control. Time to fuck shit up.
Take on Fall of Equestria
So there I was at a convention dressed as one of the new Cabal. I buy something from the merchant, and now I am in Equestria. But not just any Equestria. No, that would be simple and boring. I was sent to an Equestria taken over by the caribou. I may not be human, but i still have my humanity. The caribou have enslaved all but a few mares and converted stallions to their side. There is a rebellion in need of a leader, hoping to remove the caribou. I am looking for an army to lead, and, fortunately, I was going to lead them against the caribou. I was a leader, but now, I must start again from the bottom. My name, or, rather, my new name is Mau'ual, and I will become the Valus of the rebellion and return Equestria to what it once was. To any Caribou, you'd better run, 'cause I'm coming for you
Conventions. They can be good or bad, depending on which one you go to. The one I was at that connects to my story is somewhere in the middle, not to crowded, nor did it have a small amount of people.
I went dressed as Valus Mau'ual, or, as many call him, John Cena. Ugh, why must that be a thing with people, giving nicknames to AI enemies.
Regardless, there I was in a pretty good outfit of Mau'ual, though it was missing one thing, and that would be the rocket pods he gets when you kill his bond brother, I forget the name, before him, essentially giving him a Colossus' rocket ability with his usual melee. I had wanted to have it on my costume, but I didn't have enough time to make it.
So, to my happiness and surprise, a guy dressed as Xur had those at a table nearby, and I wanted them, so, against my common sense and better judgment, I walked over to the guy, gave him sixty bucks for those rocket pods, and then strapped them to my back.
It wasn't until about thirty minutes later that I noticed something was wrong. I was just walking around, looking at the various booths, as well as the outfits people came dressed as, even getting a few compliments on my own costume, when my back began to feel heavy, and I myself began to feel tired, and it was around noon.
I began to make my way to my room when a hole opened beneath me, and I fell into it. I began to black out, but one thing I did see was, for the most part nothing, but I did see some pinpricks of light. Space, maybe? No, wait, I'm a brony and I know what this is. I wonder which Equestria I'm going to. Hopefully something boring so I can have some semblance of peace.
. . .
I just jinxed it, didn't I? Yeah, I did. Well, I blackout upon thinking what the ponies would see me as. Well, guess I'll see you guys later.
I woke up, I assume, what was a few hours later in a forest on my back, looking up at they blue sky. The weird thing about my view? I had text rollouts in what I guessed was, given my circumstances, Cabal, though I was able to understand it. I got up, and brought my left hand to my head, as I did have a slight headache, and felt, not exactly to my surprise, the huge ass shield thing used in the melee attack for the in-game Mau'ual. Again, not surprising, given my current circumstances. I maneuvered my right hand to my back, and felt the rocket pods. Unfortunately, I had no way of knowing where specifically in Equestria I was, nor even when I am.
"Why must this happen to me?" I asked, noticing that my voice was deeper and in English, and that, where as Cabal mouths were sideways, mine felt more like a human's. "Well, might as well try to find out where and when I am," I said to myself. Celestia, or, rather, Luna, knows that's gonna be difficult. Any way, I got up off my ass, noticing that I was as tall as some of the trees, and began what was going to be a very boring, very long walk towards civilization.
Or that's what I thought, at least until I began to hear the sounds of battle. Steel clanging against steel, cries of pain, the works. It was probably my new Cabal mind, but I decided to make my way to the area. It was a short jog there, and what I saw made me question even more what Equestria I was in. Well, the first side of the battle, anyway.
This side was composed of ponies, anthro ponies, mind you, and changelings, all in normal clothing, with dented chest armor and rusted swords. Al of the ponies were mares, by the way. The other side explained why.
The other side, which had pristine armor and swords, were Caribou, all of which were male, or what ever the term is for them. So, I'm in a version of Fall of Equestria. Yeah, the Caribou are now fucked. For those who have not heard of this version of Equestria, here's a lesson: The Fall of Equestria is an alternate universe that takes place sometime after season three where Caribou, a patriarchal society, have taken over Equestria, essentially turning all but well hidden mares into sex slaves, and most, if not all, stallions have been brainwashed into accepting the Caribou's view, and the entire royal family, far as I know, are involved. Too bad I'm not my Guardian, or it'd be buckshot season for Caribou.
Still, shit must be bad if the mares who are free are with changelings. Well, guess i should help them out, as they are getting their asses kicked. So, I began to walk towards them, behind the caribou. Somehow, no one saw me, but I'll attribute that to the battle. Just as I arrived behind a Caribou, I saw him raise his sword against a mare on the ground. Before he could bring it down, I grabbed his arm in my hand, and yanked him into the air, then turned him around to face me. "I suggest right now you and you compatriots leave before I get mad," I said in a calm tone.
"Or what," the guy said, a confident smirk on his face. "Only pathetic weakling side with sluts."
"Then shouldn't you be on your knees," I said as I slammed him into the ground before I drove my left arm, and the shield, through his chest, creating a bloody mess. I then looked at the rest of the combatants, who were now all staring at me. "And the same goes for the rest of you Caribou," I said. "Stop fighting, and I'll let you leave this clearing alive."
Like the idiots most things on this planet are, one of the Caribou uttered a guttural roar and charged me. As he got closer, I wrapped my hand around his neck. "You want a piece of me?" he yelled.
Calmly, i replied, "No." I then yanked him up and grabbed both his legs in my other hand, and began to pull. "I want two." With that, I ripped the bastard in half, blood and guts raining down onto the forest floor. Under my helmet, I looked at the Caribou, who were slowly backing up. "Release what ever females you have with you now, and I'll let you live."
They actually showed intelligence, and fled. Once I was sure they were gone, I began to turn away before a mare said, "Wait. Can we at least know your name."
I turned to look at the speaker, and was surprised to see Fleur De Lis. "Why?" I asked.
"Because we were hoping you'd help us," she said, to which the mares and changelings, them, I just noticed, being of both genders.
"And why would you want me helping you," I asked, crossing my arms. "I just killed two living beings in cold blood. Not that I could care, but I thought you ponies were against death."
"We were, once," another mare said. She had beige skin and red hair and tail, with one dark and light streak of purple in her hair. "But, when the Caribou took over Equestria, we had to kill just to remain free."
Well, it looks as if a resistance is in the works, and everyone in it has definitely hardened into a soldier. "Enlighten me as to the full situation, then," I said. "I would like to have as much intelligence before deciding. Just because I'm against the Caribou doesn't mean I'm with you."
Both Fleur and Moondancer, the second mare, sighed. "It all started about three years ago," Fleur started. "The Caribou first landed at Lindisbarne. The ponies there welcomed them like any other city would, but, eventually, the Caribou had somehow turned every mare there into sluts, for lack of a better word, and brainwashed stallions. They were able to take most other cities and towns quickly, with few mares getting away."
"Ponyville and Canterlot, along with the Crystal Empire were the last to fall," Moondancer said, sorrow on her face. 'Not even the princesses were able to escape. Only we were able to because we had left before and hid ourselves, and eventually made our way to a changeling hive. They actually treated us well, and most other mares who got away were already there."
"So you decided to start a rebellion," I said, "with no training what so ever, hoping to liberate your friends and family from a nation of sex freaks with an inferiority complex and who are probably trying to compensate for something. Do you even have a means of communicating with other groups of your hopelessly outmatched rebellion?"
"No," Fleur said. Wow, do they need help.
"I shall join you, but under the condition that you follow my orders. You need formal combat training, and i can give it to you."
"And just what can we call you," Moondancer asked.
After the rebellion forces and myself scavenged what we could from the dead bodies, ten including my two kills, we began to make our way to their base, if I had to guess, Fleur leading, with me directly behind.
"So, Fleur," I said, "I assume you are the leader of the group?"
"Yes, I am," she said. "Mostly because I've seen a lot more then the others in the group."
"Like what, if I may ask?" I said. Best to know who I'm dealing with, after all.
"The fall of the princesses and the Elements of Harmony," she said. It happened just as I fled Canterlot. The Caribou, those bastards, attacked too quickly for anypony there to prepare, and they were all collared within an hour."
"Collared," I asked. "I know of the concept, my world has that kind of stuff, but why would all of them be collared?"
"A sort of caste system," Moondancer said. "Black collars are those who resisted then, and still are, though, of the few recons and raids we've done, we've seen only one or two total. Red's the most common. Those are the ones who willingly gave in for some reason or another. One of the Elements, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and the other Princesses gave in, hoping to save the rest of us from the Caribou. Purple collard, though, are the worst. They've been completely and utterly broken. No name, no will, no identity. Bat shit crazy." She sighed. "My mom, last I saw her when I pulled recon duty a month back, was like that. I tried to get her out, but, but," she began to tear up, "she didn't even know me."
"And almost no mares we know of that could weaken the Caribou's image are black collared," Fleur said. "There is one, but she's in Manehattan, which is one of the most Caribou occupied cities."
"You all've been through tartarus, haven't you?" I asked, to which every mare nodded. "Then we'll have to bring it to the Caribou," I said.
"How?" a mare asked. "They have more troops, better gear, and would use our own people against us."
I chuckled. "A little something called The art of war," I said, with the book being, for those who didn't know, practically the manual on warfare. "I will explain when we get to your base. But until then, would the two of you," I said to Moondancer and Fleur, "mind filling me in on important details?"
"Only if you answer a question of mine," Moondancer said. "What exactly was your rank in your home, because I'm sure you're from a military."
"The rank I held was that of Valus, what I believe you would call a general, and if you wish me to help you, you will give me the respect that position demands," I said in an emotionless tone. "Is that satisfactory enough?"
"I guess," Moondancer said. "One thing I guess you should know is that only changelings are able to perform magic. Unicorns, like Fleur and I, were able to once, but the bastards cut off our horns, or we had to cut them off in order to sneak in to cities."
"More for them to pay for, then," I said as we continued moving. "What else?"
"Some mares have been able to stay free," Fleur said, "but only if they had a large position in a company, such as CEO or, in publishing cases, authors and editors. A friend of mine is in that circumstance, but she lives in Canterlot, the most defended city."
"Noted. But what of how the rebellion is going?"
"Where we were a month ago, which is where we were when it all started: Not doing anything. We either retreat from a battle because of too many casualties, or take someplace, and lose it a week later," Moondancer said. "The only difference is we have a little over a hundred troops, when we started with a thousand."
"i will have to change that, then," I said just as a peculiar sound reached my ears. "Is that crying?" I asked, causing the others to stop.
"I think so," one of the male changelings asked. He pointed to a nearby bush. "Over there."
"I'll check it out," I said, walking over. I reached it and pushed the bushes aside. What I saw, I did not expect. Two baby Caribou, or what ever the term is.
"Kill them," I heard from behind, and I turned around, and grabbed a mare by her waist and lifted her up. "Let me go," the mare said.
Under my helmet, I glared at her. "Why? So you can kill two children that are to young to have taken part in any hostilities against you or your kind. If so, then you are no better than those you wish to defeat." I threw the mare to the ground. "How would you fell if dome random pony, or what ever race, decided to do that to a foal or filly that age," I asked her, pointing to the two children. "You would fell as if they were a monster for taking a young life that has done nothing to you or your kind. So don't be a damned hypocrite. If you want my help, we are to take them back to your base, and you are to raise these two as if they were your own. Or do you want to lose this war and become a slave?"
The mare just scoffed. "How do we even know you'll be able to help us, huh?"
"Silver. . ." Moondancer said, trying to stop the mare. "Stop it."
"No," I said, holding up my hand. "She is right. You have no proof that I could help you. Except the fact I have tactics the Caribou do not know of and can not counter, and was able to kill two of them with out getting hit, where as you lose how many limbs trying to do that?"
"He's right, Silver," a changeling said. "I say we at least give him a chance. He could have just left or killed the lot of us."
"Fine," Silver said. "But I'm not taking care of those two."
"Then I will," Moondancer said. "Much as I hate the Caribou, these two are still jut babies."
"I thank you, Moondancer," I said with a small bow. I then turned to Fleur. "Fleur, there is only one piece of information I am missing right now, and that would be who the leaders are, both of the Caribou and the rebellion."
"The Caribou king is named Dainn," Fleur said. "The rebellion leader would be Queen Chrysalis."
Well, talk about an interesting development. "Thank you," I said. Now I have an idea as to who I'll be dealing with. As Moondancer picked up the two infant Caribou, which did actually make them stop crying, we continued on our way to their base.
It had been a few hours since we had found the two Caribou children, and, far as i could tell, we were close to a particular castle. It wasn't until a few minutes later did I see a sight that horrified me, and the others as well.
The sight was the Castle of the Royal sisters covered in Plunder vines. "What happened here?" I asked.
"Discord happened," the mare called Silver said. Her armor covered all her body, and I couldn't see what she looked like. "He was a traitor to Celestia, as were, of all ponies, her niece and her husband. They changed the crystal heart, perverted it. It's the reason why most stallions so easily accepted the Caribou. There is no defense against it."
I scoffed. "There is a defense against anything," I said. "You need simply find it," I said, glancing down at a cavern under the castle. "If I do not return in an hour, continue, for that means I am dead."
"What are you going to do?" a changeling asked.
"Something crazy," I said as I activated my suit's thrusters, and made my way down to the cave.
Once I had set down and entered the cave, I saw one thing I had hoped to never see. The Tree of Harmony encircled by vines. But it still glowed.
It was alive, but dying. I shook my head in pity and sadness. The Caribou, Discord, any traitors to Equestria, be they mare or stallion, had better hope they die before I find them. With rage in my hidden eyes, I made my way to the tree, and put a hand on the last of the visible crystal bark, and, to my surprise, I heard a voice.
What are you? it said in a feminine voice. You are not any race of this planet.
"My name is Mau'ual, Valus to they skyburner of the Cabal Empire," I say. "Great tree, I know you have no reason to, and I doubt the power, but I humbly ask to have your power, just enough to shield myself from what ever spells that alter minds are cast against me."
Why?
"Because I wish to bring Equetria back to what it was, once. Before the Caribou. I know I have no reason to do so, but I will not stand by the side or at the side of the beasts who caused this while ponies trying to survive and preserve their way of life die," I say. "Where I come from, that has been all too common a theme in history, and I wish to make sure there is one instance in some worlds history that isn't like that."
How can I be sure, should I give you my power, what remains of it, you will succeed?
"You can't," I say. "But is doing this not showing the ponies that still see what you represent that you watch over them? I will gladly offer what ever I can to show you I am honest."
Anything?
"Anything but an innocent life or that of my current allies," I say.
Then my price shall be this, the tree said after a few seconds of silence, If you wish to have my power, then you must simply answer a single question: Do you fight for good?
I almost answered by saying "Yes", but didn't. I mean, yeah, morally speaking, I was. But that's just it. Morals. They're different for each race, each individual. The rebellion fought for what they saw as good, which was bringing Equestria back to the way it was. They thought they were in the right. But, so did the Caribou, from their twisted point of view, but it was still their point of view, which meant they saw the rebellion as evil.
"No," I said. "At least, not to everyone. It all matters on perspective. To the Caribou, no, I am an evil that must be purged. For the rebellion, yes, as I have the same cause as them, and have allied with them. I suppose what I really fight for is proper balance. Discord is the embodiment of chaos, with the six Elements, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia being the opposite. One can not exist with out the other. I fight for Harmony."
"Oh, what a rousing speech," I heard behind me. "But, sadly, it's in vain."
"I wondered when you'd show up, Discord," I said, turning to face the god of chaos. "Before we do anything, two questions. One: what did you do to the others up on the ridge. Two: why?"
"Oh, you're friends are simply having fun with other stallions," Discord said with a grin, making me clench my fist in anger. "As for why? Well, because it's fun, and I honestly can't wait to see what kind of chaos will happen with you involved."
"So you're doing nothing against me?" I asked.
"As long as you do a simple favor for me," he said with a grin before his face took on a look of anger. "Make sure the one who owns Fluttershy is killed. Painfully."
I smirked. "I was planning on doing that for all the owners of the Elements and the princesses," I said.
"Thanks," he said before disappearing. Yeah, I don't trust him.
I put turned around and my put my hand back on the tree, but it was silent for a time.
That, Valus Mau'ual, the Tree eventually said, is correct. Few truly ever fight for good as it is at that time, and fewer know the difference between good and evil. In fact, your answer make you more worth then the alicorns. You are indeed worthy. Take the remnant of my power, and use it for Harmony.
"Thank you," I said, bowing my head. A light enveloped me for a few seconds, and I pulled my hand away. When it faded, I saw that the entire tree had been enveloped by the vines. I looked down at what I could see of my armor, and saw two things. One was that I was no where near as fat as in-game Cabal. The second was that my maulers seemed to glow with the rainbow from season four. I turned around and made my way out of the cave. Just as I had exited, a small tremor shook the ground. I thought it was just the vines, but little did I know it had far reaching consequences.
Canterlot
For Celestia, ex-ruler of Equestria and current slave of the Caribou king, it had been, all things considered, a normal day. That was to say, she had been fucked ten times already. And it was before lunch. She didn't enjoy it, she had lost her horn when the Caribou took over, and she had only submitted so that her former subjects would surrender and save themselves pain. And, though she wouldn't admit it, she did like the feeling of her current outfit, or lackthereof. There was something about it that was just so freeing.
Right now, it was just her in the room Dainn had let her have, looking out the window that faced the Everfree. She had been doing so for near an hour before she saw a wave of energy come from the forest. "It can't be," she whispered to herself. "Somepony's taken in the Tree's power." Just as she finished uttering that sentence, the wave of energy hit Canterlot, and swept through the city, penetrating even the most magically defended rooms.
Really, it didn't do much. It didn't free stallions from the control, it didn't help the few purple collared mares, those poor souls. But what it did do, though, was something akin to a miracle. Every mare, when the wave washed over them, felt a surge of hope that this would all end soon, and a voice saying, This war is in it's final stages.
I used my thrusters to get to the top of the cliff that over looked where the Tree was, and didn't like what I saw.
Fleur and the other rebellion members were, as Discord said, fighting a group of stallions about half their number, but seemed to still be winning. It was then I saw, I have no idea how, a faint shimmer on the stallion armor. I guess what the tree did to me allowed me to see latent magical fields. Which meant, somehow, armor issued by the Caribou gave substantial protection against swords and the like.
Wonder about brute force?
I boosted up a little, making sure they heard me, and, once I was at an altitude that would have me hitting at the edge of the group of stallions, I dove, doing the two handed dive from in-game, and I saw an aura of light form around my mauler. I came down at the edge of the group like I wanted, causing enough of a pressure wave to knock all but the furthest on their asses, a wave of light coming from the impact area.
I got up and looked at the entire group. "And just what do you think you are doing here?" I asked the stallions.
"W-we don't know," one said, which got my attention. "Last I remember, we were in Canterlot when a wave of energy hit me and my friends, and now, here I am." the stallion looked up at me. "What are you?"
I ignored him. It would seem that what the Caribou did to stallions most likely created a second personality that took over, leaving the real ones no memory of what happened. Interesting. It would also seem what ever the tree did to me is able to counter act it, and remove the, for lack of a better term, sexist personality. Need to keep that little tidbit in mind. "Is that the same for all of you?" As far as I could tell, all the stallions nodded.
One, though, didn't. "And what of you," I said, glaring at him. He didn't answer.
"What are we going to do with them?" Fleur said, walking beside me.
"Tie them up," I say. "Less Caribou troops means better chance at victory."
"You sure that's safe?"
"You have enough troops for two to watch them, do you not? We'll remove their armor and weapons, too." Jeez, ponies lack common sense, don't they?
"I suppose so," Fleur said. "But the Queen won't be pleased."
"To hell with her," I say. "I care not what leaders think. I am simply joining you and the rebellion because I agree with your reasons."
"I'll have to keep that in mind," Fleur said. "You seem a little. . . shorter," she said.
I looked at her, and, indeed, I was. Where as before, I was taller than average Cabal soldiers, I was now the same height as a pony. Another change brought on by the tree, I suppose. "Indeed I am," I said, turning back to face the new prisoners. "I imagine that has to do with what I found."
"What's that," Fleur asked.
"An old force," I say. "Nothing more."
"I guess that's all I'm getting out of you, isn't it?" she asked. "Well, I need to help the others get the armor and weapons situated, so we might be here a while."
I nodded. "Do what you must. I can wait."
"Right," Fleur said. "What about you?"
I looked at the remains of the old castle. "I'll be reading. Let the others know if they need me, I'll be in there."
Fleur nodded. "Guess I'll see ya in a few hours then," she said before I made my way to the castle, using my thrusters to get past the gorge.
A few hours had passed, and I was in the library of the castle, reading a few history books. I put my hand to my chin, as I had discovered that either the three or my previous life allowed me to live in Equis pressure, so I did not need my helmet on. I had actually found quite a few things about the Caribou, including a few of their stories. One especially caught my interest, the Story of Estra. It, and every other Caribou story, had enough sex to be considered porn, but it was the ending of this story that caught my interest, for a few reasons. One was that it was why red collars were given to slaves, much as I hate that word. The other actually contradicted Caribou society. You see Caribou males see literally every female as weak, pathetic, and, really, if it was America during the eighteen hundreds, the males would be white, and the females the black slaves. You see, in this story, a cow, what they call female Caribou, by the name Estra, and her master, or lover, I don't know, were on a kind of quest to get a plant, as there was a sickness affecting all the females in their town, and, in the last leg of the journey, Estra countered the usual thinking, showing she had a will of her own that wasn't solely focused on sex, and by showing, though it did nothing in the long run, that females could do the same shit as males.
Oh dear god, even the slave south was better than this, and that is sad. At least the South let some blacks be free. Here, only if you're in the rebellion. Anyway, it also looked like, before they took the place over, the Caribou vanished a thousand years ago. You know, I agree with Spike from the comics, a thousand years ago must have been one heck of a year.
Another interesting tidbit: The males once thought the color of red would be a distraction. As I came across this, I looked down at myself, noting I now had a normal, human like figure. Why, no idea, but still, as I looked at my armor, I came to a decision. If they once thought red was a distraction, and now of submission, I thought as I clenched my right hand into a fist. But when we are through, they will see it as the color of freedom. Might add a bit of white, navy blue, and lavender color, too, to represent Celestia, Luna, and Twilight.
As I thought on that, I heard a buzzing of wings. I turned around to look at a hole in a wall and saw a male changeling flying in. "What?" I asked when he landed.
"Mau'ual, Fleur's bee taken by one of the stallions!" he said in a hurry. "It was that stallion who didn't nod at your question." Okay, not the only one to notice that. Noted.
"Where?" I asked, picking my helmet up off the table and putting it on with a hiss.
"I saw him heading towards Ponyville!"
"Then tell the others to continue. I will get Fleur back, and make my way toward your base afterwards."
"But there's a whole contingent of Caribou there!"
I grinned under my helmet. "Then I hope they have prayed to their god already," I said before activating my thrusters and flying out through the hole in the ceiling before turning towards Ponyville.
A few minutes, I had gotten just over the edge of the forest when I saw, with my helmet scanning for the specific light wave frequency that Fleur's color scheme Fleur in the center of town. I used my view to normal, and zoomed in on that location, and was unfortunately greeted with the sight of Fleur naked surrounded by Caribou and stallions. But oh, oh oh, what made me angry the most was that Fleur had on a black collar, and was getting fucked by that stallion from earlier. Someone's gonna die now.
I angled towards the southern edge of the crowd for a landing. You know, too bad I don't have a song for my entrance. I actually think I have something perfect for it. Oh well.
I landed, causing a near panic from those near my landing zone. I growled slightly, and began making my way to the center of the mob, none trying to stop me, for the most part, them getting out of my way. Only a few stallions and Caribou tried to stop me, and the stallions were flipped to the ground, the Caribou, well, one I punched him in the chest hard enough to send him flying into town hall, a second I just back handed away from me with my right hand, and the third and last? I grabbed his head, and crushed it.
The entire time, a glow came from my mauler, and I saw mares, red and black collared, bow, and I even heard a few whisper, "Harmony's champion."
I made it to the center of the mob with little resistance, even Caribou after the third unlucky asshole didn't try to stop me. "Let her go," I said to the stallion in the most threatening voice I could pull off, and it sounded like Goliath's voice from Gargoyles, which was to say Kieth David, who played himself in Saint's Row four and Anderson in the Mass Effect games, for those who don't know what he sounds like.
"Why should I?" he asked. "King Dainn said i could have any mare I wanted if I served him, and even before he came, I always founf this one," he said, stroking Fleur's cheek, making her recoil, "particularly beautiful."
"Because I can easily mop up you blood with your own body, and that of any like you," I say in my Goliath voice. "Let her go, take that collar off, or I'll show you what the color red means."
The asshole smirked, and drew a sword. "Then you'll have to deal with me and my friends," he said, a group of four Caribou guards walking next to him, as well as a single unicorn and pegasus stallion. "Of course, you have no chance at winnning," he said. "It's seven to one, and our armor protects us from magic!"
"Good thing i don't rely on magic, then," I said before I activated my thrusters, and charged at the seven, who brought their weapons up. You know, MKAlieZ would be perfect here.
Oh, in the suit data base then? Time for some fun. Skip to fifty nine second marker.
Just as I reached the group, I grabbed two of the Caribou by the throat, then threw them up in the air as I stopped before delivering an elbow as I turned around to the third Caribou to the face, then uppercutting him with my right hand. I then grabbed one of his legs with my mauler arm, and hit the fourth Caribou with his comrade before releasing him, sending them both flying into a nearby wall with enough force to break it. The unicorn tried to take my head off with a sword of his own, but I blocked it with my mauler before grabbing it in my right hand and yanking him toward my left arm, pushing myself forward as I did so, which resulted in, at most, a caved in skull when his face made contact with my mauler. I released him just as the two Caribou I had thrown in the air came back down. I grabbed their legs, and began to twirl them like nun-chucks before slamming them into one another with enough force to where I could hear their bones break before letting them fall to the ground.
All that left was the pegasus and the asshole who took Fleur. Now that there was less distance betwene us, I could make out his features. He had a black skin with a sliver mane or hair, what ever this version of Equestria calls it. The pegasus had on armor etched with glyphs over his entire body.
"Take him," the earth pony said to his pegasus, I don't know, subordinate, who spread his wings, and flew up.
I looked up at him and said, "Oh, no you don't," and flew up in pursuit. Once we were high enough to the point I don't think any on the ground could see us, him just barely leading, I said, "Oh, screw this," and grabbed his leg, and pulled him down to my level, delivering a punch to his gut. Before he could fall, though, I grabbed him by the neck, barely applying any pressure, and said, "So, are you doing this willingly, or is it some kind of spell," rhetorically, as I saw the same magical field around him as both the earth pony and unicorn. Which was to say willingly.
"Go to Tartarus," he snarled.
"After you," I say before tossing him up slightly, boosting up to be above him, and used my jets to propel myself and the pegasus, who I had by the gut with a fist, and went about twenty-five percent of full thrust. When we hit the ground, close to where Golden oaks was, as opposed to where we had started, a crater was formed.
As the dust cleared and I got on my feet, I looked down, and saw that the pegasus was limp. Whether he was dead or not, I could not tell. "Pathetic," I say as a roar echoed across the town. I looked at the tree house. Right. Fuck me.
I braced my self as a man sized, but Bulk Biceps level of brawn in muscle mass, Spike came crashing through the wall, crawling like most dragons probably would. He had no indication as to sentience, no magical field around him, so I had no idea as to what to do. But I do remember dragon greed. Twilight, forgive me for what I must do.
I got into a fighting stance just as berserk Spike charged. He tried to claw at me, but I used my thrusters to avoid his attack. I then boosted up, then back down with my mauler poised to strike. I came down on Spike's back, between wings I can assume grew since Equestria's fall, and the poor soul roared in pain. I imagine I had literally hit a nerve, as he fell and couldn't get up, but he did move his head, and it was there I saw some part of sentience. I saw a silent plea in his eyes, one that said, Please, kill me.
I shook my head in sadness. I had hoped that we could recruit Spike, but it was clear, much as I wish it wasn't, he couldn't be saved, not now.
I made my way to beside the part of his neck that connected his head with the neck. "I am sorry," I said to him, though whether or not he heard me was uncertain, placing my right hand on the joint. "But I swear to you, Spike the Dragon, I will ensure that Twilight and the others are freed, and that, at least, you went out as any dragon should: in combat." I closed my eyes as I raised my mauler, holding back tears. Spike had never been my favorite character, but he was in the top five, and, really, he was the anchor for Twilight sometimes, and I found it sad he had to die. I brought down my mauler, and i heard a sickening crunch. I opened my eyes, and I saw that my strike had decapitated Spike. At least it was painless for him. I saw a pool of blood spreading from the former joint of his head and neck.
I reached my right hand down into it, getting the blood on my glove. I exhaled, thinking, Requiescat in pace, Italian for "Rest in peace", and planted my palm on my chest, leaving a bloody hand print on my chest. At least some part of you will see this to the end, I thought as I turned back to face the town center, where the stallion that had inadvertently caused Spike's death still lived. I got up from my kneeling position, and made my way to get vengeance.
I arrived at the town center, the crowd still there. I had taken my helmet off and attached it to my waist belt, just so they could all see my pissed off look, and who it was directed at.
The crowd parted, and I saw quite a few mares and stallions staring at the hand print on my armor, even the Caribou males didn't try to stop me. I stopped at the inner edge of the crowd, Fleur chained to the ground, the earth pony asshole standing above her. "So, it would seem you are a monster," he said. "You did just kill an innocent citizen after all.
"Yeah, I did," I said, not bothering to lie. "But he died because you thought it would be a smart move to kidnap one of my allies when I could fly to catch up faster than a pegasus or changeling. I gave him an honorable death, much as I could." I glared at him, and heard a few gasps from the crowd. "He wanted to die," I continued, "because of what the Caribou have done to him. He didn't want to know what his friends and family would think of him if the Caribou were overthrown, so I helped him the only way I could, the way he wanted."
I grabbed my helmet, and put it on. "And now, I'll give him revenge on the one that made his death happen."
The cocky, no pun intended, asshole stepped in front of Fleur and said, "Then come and get me."
"With pleasure," I say as I fire a barrage of rockets up in the air. The asshole stood in front of Fleur, so I couldn't go in directly. But I used the rockets to create a dust cloud cover around him. I activated my infrared visor setting, and stepped into the cloud, hiding me from view.
"Coward," I heard the stallion yell. "Face me like a real stallion."
"If I was a stallion," I say. "But I'm not a pony, moron!" I then side step a little to throw him off, as I knew he was just doing that to find me.
"Then what are you?" he asked just as I got into an ideal position to hit him. His right flank.
I activated my thrusters, and flew out of the cloud at the stallion, my right hand drawn back before I unleashed the punch on his face, but i wasn't done. I grabbed his leg, and threw him in the direction I had come from before activating my thrusters again to get ahead of him, stopping with a skid just before the crowd, and delivered an uppercut that sent him flying. I jumped to add a little more power to the punch, and did a small three sixty spin before landing with a crouch and activating my thrusters again to catch up with him in the air.
He had recovered, and I saw his armor had the same glyphs carved on it as his pegasus counterpart. He swung his sword at me, but I simply avoided it, both of us still gaining altitude. I reached him and grabbed him by his armor's collar. "You realize that even if you beat me, he said, "your rebellion is doomed. We have the Elements."
"And I have the power of what made them," I said before throwing him even higher and going full thrust to get above him, stopping a few feet above him as he began to slow. Once he reached the apex, where the force of gravity and that of the opposite force were equal, I said, "Go to hell," and delivered the most powerful mauler punch I could think of before activating my thrusters to ensure he died, both my arms out in front of me. I hit the ground with enough force to completely and utterly destroy the guys chest and make a crater larger than the one in front of Golden Oaks. A second energy wave similar to the first from earlier spread out from the contact point, and, with each mare it made contact with, I saw them, somehow, gain pony sized Cabal outfits, losing their collars, and even the unicorns regain their horn. I looked down at the remnants of the earth pony and said. "Me? I'm Valus of the Skyburners, and you're dead."
It was here my legs gave out, but I did hear the sound of metal clashing with metal, and the last thing I saw before I blacked out was Fleur kneeling beside me, with Psion armor on, as well as the solar flayer mantle. But what really got my attention were the wings on her back. I chuckled. "Looks like there's now an alicorn of beauty," I say before I blacked out.
For a time, all I saw and heard was nothing, a black void. Eventually, I heard a voice.
"Hello, Mau'ual," I heard the voice of the Tree say. "I did not expect you here so soon."
I had no body in this limbo state, but I did have a voice. "Where am I?" I asked. "And how are you here? You died at the tentacles, or whatever, of those vines.
"You are in your mind," the voice said. "As for the second question, when I gave you my power, I also put some of my conscious in it, so that we may speak at times when you are in danger, or circumstances like this, when you are asleep."
"And what do you want to talk about?"
"Your abilities," she replied. "You have already discovered two of the powers I gave you: One frees stallions of the Caribou's spell, and the other heals mares. But I sense you are curious about something else."
"Yeah, I am," I say. "Why and how did the second one give mares armor from my world, my people, and why did it give Fleur De Lis wings?"
"The first, I imagine because they were ones willing to join the rebellion, but did not have the courage to do so, for fear of invoking the Caribou's wrath. As for the second, that is my doing. When I first gave Celestia and Luna the Elements, I also gave them the ability to ascend ponies into alicorn-hood. Something that they gave out with little justification."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"They did not do so with any pony before Luna's banishment, when there was one who was worthy of it," she said. "As for after, it was handed out with no justification. The first, Cadence, did save an entire town, yes, but any pony could have done the same. The threat was not that dangerous. The second, Twilight Sparkle, simply wrote a spell, nothing worthy of being deemed worthy of ascension, even if it was unfinished by the, quote unquote, "greatest mage who ever lived". There were even greater mages than Starswirl. He is simply the most known because of his relation to Celestia and Luna.
"As such, I have decided to decide who is ascended, and Fleur De Lis is indeed worthy. She has led her group for most of the resistance, and has always won, and was the first to discover what spells the Caribou armor countered. It is because of her that the resistance is still alive. One must not be adept in magic to be an alicron, they must simply make a large impact, and she has done that time and time again."(1)
"I guess that makes sense," I replied. "Now, when will I wake up?"
"Now."
"Wait, what?"
The first thing I felt was a splitting headache that felt like I had taken a Guardian Sniper round through my head and survived. I put a hand on my forehead, which made me realize I didn't have my helmet on. Not that I really cared right now. I tried to open my eyes, but closed them almost as soon as they were open, as they hadn't adjusted to the light, which meant I had been out for a while. Great. I then tried again, opening them slowly, and didn't feel like my eyes were burning this time. I leaned up, and the first thing I saw was that I was in a room that looked like it was part of a hospital. Thank god.
The next thing was a mirror, and I saw myself in it. I had the same, mole like face of a Cabal, but there were some human traits mixed in. I had human lips, as well as small ears. My nose was flat like a Cabal, and I had small eyes, and couldn't tell the color. I also noticed that I didn't have any armor on, only the black undersuit. I wasn't as fat as I thought Cabal were before I came here. Really, most of it was from armor or the under suit. I was pretty muscular, actually. Not body builder muscular, but professional boxer muscular. I still had the four fingers, but, as Fleur had pointed out to me before I came to Ponyville to rescue her, I was as tall as a human, and the tree or my travel here, I didn't know which, allowed me to survive in human standard pressure. I guess that's good. I need to eat to live, after all.
"Your awake," I heard a voice from the other side of the bed. I turned my head, and saw Silver, her arms crossed and armor on. "'Bout damn time."
"Well, someone's happy," I say sarcastically. How long was I out?"
"A day," she said. "I'm surprised you survived, given what you did."
"Which is what?" I say, getting up, nearly falling on my ass in the process.
"You channeled the power of the Tree of Harmony," she said. "That's what you found under the castle, isn't it? The Tree?"
"Yeah," I say. "But it died just after it gave me its power. How do you know of it?"
"An old legend and prophecy," Silver said. "The resistance found it about a year ago. The prophecy said "When Equestria is at its lowest, an alien champion will arrive, and make Equestria great one more. They will channel the power of the tree of Harmony, and be its champion". The whole thing goes on to talk about new alicorns being chosen, which we've seen with Fleur, who's currently getting a caravan going."
"Why?"
"Because, right now, just about everyone in Ponyville, which is where we are, wants to join us after seeing you kill seven of Dainn's enforcers, those Caribou and stallions with the armor. Applejack, one of the Element bearers and one of the strongest ponies alive, couldn't harm one, let alone kill seven of them. With little effort, to boot. Also helps that the one free alicorn is with us. Es- I mean, Celestia knows ponies look to the alicorns to much."
I raised what constituted an eyebrow. I found it interesting she said alicorn instead of princesses, as well as what she nearly said. Going to have to keep that in mind and pretend I'm an idiot pony and didn't notice.
"So just about everypony in Ponyville's decided to join? I asked.
"Yeah, though only a few in the actual army. Most just want to leave before the Caribou army gets here."
"I can see that," I say. "Where's my armor?"
"Out in the hall. We, meaning me and the rest of the group you saved earlier, had a hard time getting you here, Ponyville Hospital, with that on."
"You mind getting it in here?" I asked.
"I can't," Silver said. "Too damned heavy."
I rolled my eyes. "Would you at least help me get out there so I can put it on?"
"Sure," Silver said, walking over to me. "Though it doesn't look like you need the help."
"Go to hell, I just woke up from a day long coma," I say as I put an arm around her.
"So? I was in a week long one," she said, and I could hear the cocky smile on her face.
"Like I said: go to hell."
She chuckled just as we got out of the room, and I saw my armor lying on the floor. "Before you start bitching, e couldn't find anything to hold it. Seriously, how do you wear that shit?"
"Power assisted," I say. "Now, mind giving me some room?"
"Sure," Silver said before she went down the hall.
Once she was far enough away, I made my way to the armor, and began putting it on, boots first. It looked like they were like Iron man boots, sealing once I put my feet in them. Following them, obviously, was the leg armor, then the chest and arms, which included my mauler and thruster jets and rocket pods, which simply left the helmet, which I decided to hold under my shoulder, for the time being.
I made my way to where Silver had walked. I saw her, still with armor on, I wonder why she wears it the entire time, talking with Fleur, who fidgeted uncomfortably, I imagine due to her new wings, and an orange mare with a familiar stetson hat who wore Legionary armor.
"Ah still don't see why y'all'd fallaw him," Applejack said. He went an' killed Spike, afta all."(1)
"Because he wished to die," I said as I walked up to the group. "And I did not yet know I could free a dragon from their greed and the Caribou. If I could have, I most certainly would have." I looked Applejack over. "It is an honor to meet the Element of Honesty," I say. "I've heard about you and your friends from the rest of Silver's group."
"So ya know how much ah hate killin'?"
"This is war, Applejack," I say. "Killing is an expectation. Do you not wish to free your friends, family, and the princesses? Then you'll need to get over the inborn hate towards killing. Others already have." I grinned. "Then again, you apples, like your food, are terrible at change." Best way to get through an Apple's head is to insult their food. Mwa. Ha. Ha.
"What's that 'bout mah family's farm and food?" she growled.
"You heard me. Though it is good to begin with, it is unable to change and adapt. One pony might say it is terrible, but you wouldn't change, you'd try to force the food down his throat until he said otherwise," I say. "Don't believe me, try me." She smirked. Well, time to see if Sweet Apple Acres live sup to its claim for fame.
"Well, jus' so happens ah brought an apple pie," she said, reaching over to a wrapped package on a chair and unwrapped it. "Try a slice."
"Any one got a knife," I ask.
"Here," Silver said, tossing me her utility knife.
I cut a part of the pie and took a hold of it, and put it in my mouth. And promptly spit it out. I wasn't doing this to prove a point. Mostly. It really did taste terrible to me, maybe because of an alien physiology, but still. "Like I said," I said. You didn't bother trying to make a new recipe. Did it occur to you I'm an alien, and thus what ponies find good, I'd find terrible? You are incapable of change. Just like your food."
I inwardly smiled as Applejack began to grind her teeth. "Y'all take that back."
"No," I say. "Not unless you can prove me wrong."
"Fine, then," she yelled. "I'll show ya that Apples, and our food, can change!"
"Then you'll be reporting directly to me," I say. "After you go through hell."
"Fine, then!" she yelled before her face went slack. "Aw, shoot!"
"Exactly," I say. "Now, do what ever you were doing before I got here, do it. We are leaving as soon as possible."
She grumbled, and began to walk down the hall. "Too easy," I say.
"You are so gonna regret that later," Silver said.
"Does it look like I give a shit?" I asked. "So, Fleur, how you taking, well. . ." I trailed off, gesturing towards the wings.
"Still adjusting," she said. "Makes it hard to get an itch there." That got a chuckle from me and Silver.
"You got one now?" I asked.
"Yeah, at the base," she said. "Why?"
I didn't respond, only reached a hand over and scratched that area. "Better?" I asked.
"Much," Fleur said, her tongue nearly hanging out. "It's been bothering me for an hour."
"Glad I could help," I say, pulling my hand away. "So, what happened after I blacked out?"
"Well, we, meaning the squad and the stallions you freed, followed you to Ponyville, and engaged the Caribou forces just after you went night-night."
"Explains the sound of metal on metal," I say.
"Yeah, and with Dainn's enforcers out, we were able to kill or run the other males out that tried to fight us. Mostly Caribou, but still."
"Good," I smiled. "How long until you're ready to pull out?"
"I think you mean 'we', Mau'ual," Fleur said. "One of the changelings with us is able to communicate with Queen Chrysalis, and I talked with her over it, and she, and this surprised me too, said that, because of what you did, she's giving you a battalion of your own. And you choose who's in it."
"That is surprising," I say. "And i believe I already know who I wish to have as my second in command," I say, turning to Fleur. "Val De Lis."
"And what is a Val," Silver asked.
"One rank under mine, which is to say Valus," I say. "I may be part of the rebellion, but my battalion will be using the command system of my people. If she has an issue, I hope she can take a mauler to the face."
"I'm starting to like you, Mau'ual," Silver said.
"I hope so, because you're also joining me, Val Silver. Now, make sure everypony is ready to move out," I say, putting my helmet on. "We leave tomorrow."
It's been a day since I woke up in Ponyville, two days since my arrival in Equestria, and myself, the members of the resistance I first met, and those in Ponyville who wished to help us fight in the front lines were preparing to leave, the ones who didn't wish to fight having gone on ahead with some escorts of changelings yesterday just after I woke up.
Fluer and myself were currently making sure the new recruits would be at the center of our formation. Silver was out, talking with the various Caribou females. I don't know how, but she seemed to know just how to talk to them. As it turns out, there were actually a few Caribou females who were on the level mares were before the fall. Moondancer had actually found a few abandoned children, Pony and Caribou, and, surprisingly, a few of the mares who left yesterday adopted a few, and even a few who are leaving today. Also turns out she was taking to being an adoptive mother quite well, even naming the two she had volunteered to take care of two days ago. I didn't know what she named them, I haven't seen her personally yet since I took off to save Fleur from Dainn's enforcers, though I had heard that she got along well with others.
"I say we have changeling scouts along the exterior," I said. "They can easily turn into Caribou soldiers, which may give us an advantage if they send hunters after us."
"I don't know," Fleur said. "I mean wiht you, I doubt any but Dainn's best hunters would try to bring us in."
I chuckled. "You rely on one's reputation too much," I say. "If reputation was everything, then Celestia and the Guard would have defeated the Caribou, and we wouldn't be here today."
"I suppose," Fleur said, sighing. "But we would still have an issue near Sweet Apple Acres."
"What?"
"According to Applejack, her sister, and her brother, the Caribou deemed it an area to grow rape vines, and that's just one problem. There are a few purple collar mares we found out in the Everfree not long after we took the town. Oh, and we found these two," she said, using her much more powerful magic to hold two unicorns I want to gut oh so much up, "in the barn, trying to rape four of the mares Big Macintosh took in."
"Why am I not surprised the Flim Flam brothers are those two," I say, glaring at the two. In a very amusing twist of fate and irony, though one I didn't condone, publicly, that is, both stallions had ball gags in their mouth, their horns cut off, that I was against full force, but had already been done when I learned of it, and various other. . . things I will only say involve doctors and rubber. Let your imaginations run wild, you with sick minds! No offense intended, trying to make a joke, and I got a dry sense of humor.
"What do you want done with them?"
I seriously thought of killing them, but the aforementioned doctors already did something worse. I heard there was a lot of blood, anger, and screaming. "I think it best if the Apples determine what is to be done with the two," I say. "It is they these two wronged the most, even before the fall."
"I thought you'd decide that, Mau'ual, which is why I asked Silver to ask them that, and bring them here so they can see it."
In fact, just as she said it, I heard hoofsteps behind us, the eyes of the two brothers going wide at that, and turned to see Silver, armor on as per fucking usual, Big Mac, who had on Legionary armor, which actually worked on him, and Applejack, wearing the same.
"Ah'll be damned," Applejack said. "Y'all really did get those varmints."
"And you get to decide what their punishments going to be," Silver said, lacking any emotion. I knew she was doing this as some kind of defense, she never liked punishment, and this was her way of coping with it.
"So, what will it be," I asked the two, and they remained silent before turning away and speaking to one another in hushed whispers. They turned back around, and it was Big Mac who answered.
"Nothin'." This got surpise from each of us, but I nodded.
"If that is what you both wish," I say, to which they nodded. "Val De Lis, keep those two restrained, and leave them in Town Hall. If they're lucky, the Caribou will get here before they starve. We will do what the Apples wish us to do to them. Nothing."
"Right," she said, nodding, before walking off to Town Hall, the two former stallion in her magical grasp.
"How are you two doing?" I asked.
"Good," Applejack said. "Why are you helping us?"
"If by 'us', you mean mares, it is because, in my world, before I was born, there was something similar. It ended long before my birth, but many still practice it illegally. I never liked those who enslaved others, even if it is willing." I turned to look at the two. "I assumed you still hated me for what I did when I arivved," I say to the Element of Honesty.
"Ah do," she said, glaring at me.
"I thought so," I say with a small chuckle. "An honest question for you two: when you found out the Caribou used a spell to turn many stallions against mares, how did you see your friends who became, for lack of a better term, fuck happy?"
"Most of them actually apologized ta us," Big Mac said.
"And the red collars?" I ask.
"Sluts who deserve everything they get," Applejack said.
"I see why you are not Loyalty," I say. "You do know many of them did so simply to keep some semblance of their old life before the fall, correct, or because they knew they would be caught eventually? It is because of thinking like that, closed mind and stubborn to a fault, that can bring much danger. It has happened many a time where I come from." Need I point out the Vietnam War, which America lost because, among other things, we thought we were superior to all? "But that is a discussion best saved for another time. For now, do you know the location of the other Elements?"
"Jus' 'bout," Applejack said. "Rainbow was taken ta Cloudsdale to be one of the Wonderbolt's 'Stress relievers'," she said, saying the title with scorn and contempt. " The others were taken to tha Empire ta be Shining Armor's. . . well, you know, a bout a week ago."
"What can you tell me about the Empire," I asked, as that was going to be my first target as one of the resistance's leader, after a few small raids and such, of course.
"That it was the first actual city the Caribou took," Applejack said. "It was thanks ta Cadence, the slut she is, and Shining Armor, her husband, and even my best friends brother, that we failed."
"You did not fail," I said, getting a look of surprise from the mare. "You are an Element, Applejack, and you never gave up. You not giving up, Rainbow Dash not giving up, and even the Princesses fighting in their own way, whether they know it or not, is the reason you are free today. The payoff to something is not always instantly seen, and the longer the wait is, the more it is. And I swear, we will help your friends return to some semblance of their pre-fall minds." By which I mean that I will try to get them to see that fighting to bring the old Equestria back is best, whether or not they act like sluts afterwards being their own choice.
Before I could add anything, though, Silver walked up. "Mau'ual, we have an issue," she whispered.
"What?"
"Some former red collar mares and does," as in the female kind; I figured if there would be female Caribou involved here, they should have something non-insulting for their gender, "are refusing to move, saying that, even with you and them in this fight, we'll lose."
"Where?"
"The library." Great. Just. Fucking (no pun meant). Great. "Some even ditched the armor, and began to start a small orgy. Stallions are there, too."
"I'll fix it," I growled. Shepard, if you are a real person in some universe, give me the strength to make a damned good speech!
I made my way to the library, with the other three behind me. Fortunately, the crowd was small. Unfortunately, there was an orgy taking place. Over Spike's corpse, of all places. Jeez, and I thought humans were bad. You know I'm right!
I stopped at the crossroads that led to the library and Town Hall, and stomped on the ground with enough force to get all of their attention.
"What is with you all?" I ask. "You are free of the Caribou, mares from the collars, stallions from their mind control, so why do you insist on pertaining to their ways? In public, no less, around and on the body of one of Equestria's heroes from before this happened, and who was this town's leader afterwards! You dishonor him by doing this."
"Why should we care what you think?!" a mare yelled as she jerked a stallion off. "We don't even have a hope without all the Elements, and even then, we would lose!"
"Because I am not the Elements," I say with a wave of my hand as if I was cutting something horizontally. "And even so, it was the Element of Honesty and the Element of Loyalty who did not, have not, given in to the Caribou. Even Princess Luna and Princess Celestia fight, in their own way! It is because of them, and how they ruled, that this rebellion started! What do you think they would think of you all, right now, if they saw you, and the Caribou hadn't taken over? And for you, the female Caribou, you need not act like this! Is how mares acted before your so called 'King' arrived a testament to what females can do! It does not matter what has happened before between the pony and Caribou, of which I am certain there is something, or the Caribou could have gone to the Griffons. Regardless, what matters now is what we do today, not what we plan, not what we have done. How many of you mares surrendered, not because you wanted to be used like toys, but because you were trying to save your families, keep your lives the way they were before!" I yelled, making a fist and pounding it once over my left torso, where the dragonblood print lay. "Look at what came of that, how far you have fallen from that! There is a reason why Equestria lasted as long as it did as a nation, and why the resistance still fights for that."
It was then, to my surprise, Silver spoke up. "He is right, my sisters," she said. "I have been with the resistance since the beginning, and have seen what females are capable of, pony and Caribou. The resistance never stops fighting for what they believe. They simply wish to bring Equestria back to what it was." Then, she did the one thing I did not expect. She reached up to her head, and removed the helmet. "They wish to free the mares of their people, while I wish to restore our government to what it was before the bucks took over!" the now revealed Caribou female said, fire in her eyes. "We were once proud like the alicorns of Equestria, and the buck's simple greed caused this! I am the true inheritor of the Caribou throne, and, as such, when we win, we will return to what we once were, does and bucks equal! I ask you, as a fellow Caribou, to join me, and bring our kind back from what we have become. Who will join me, if any?" As the last sentence left her mouth, I saw a strange, black aura radiate off both me and Silver, and spread out among the town. Wonder what that is.
The stallions, mares, and does were silent for a time until, to my surprise, a doe that had mounted a stallion got up off him, stepped away from him, and said, "I will, sister."
"As well as I," a second said, standing beside the first. Those two were the catalysts, and, eventually, the other does, numbering ten, followed, and they were soon followed by the mares and stallions.
"We are going to have a talk about this," I say to Silver. "Later, though, once we get to the hive."
"I can live with that," the female Caribou said, just as a changeling came running up, out of breath.
"Sir," he said in between gasps. "We have a problem."
"What is it?"
"The Caribou Army has been sighted, and will reach the town before we can depart. They brought the mares they enslaved already, thinking they'll win," he said. "But that isn't the worst part?"
“Are you certain Dainn is with that army,” I ask the changeling who told me of the Caribou army.
“Yes, sir. I saw him personally, and rushed here to alert you,” he said.
I was silent for a time before I said, “Have everyone else evacuated, I’ll buy time.”
“But sir-”
“No ‘buts,” I say. “Now, spread that order.”
“I’m not leaving, Mau’ual,” Silver said. “I knew Dainn when we were kids, i might be able to help buy sometime.”
“Silver, I may trust you somewhat, but I don’t want to risk it,” I say.
“Then what about us,” Applejack said. “I think it’s ‘bout time we show those Caribou what happens when ya mess with the Apples.”
“No,” I say. “I won’t put any of you in harm’s way.”
“Too bad, because we aren’t leaving without you, Mau’ual,” Silver said, putting her helmet on. “Now, where are they coming from?” she asked the changeling.
“Northeast, from Canterlot.”
She nodded. “Then have everypony get out heading towards the Everfree.”
“Ma’am,” he said, saluting, before running off to spread the order.
I looked at her. “I could have you charged with insubordination, you know?”
“Don’t really give a shit,” she said. “Now come on, we need to buy sometime.”
With that, she and the two Apples began to make their way to where the Caribou Army was approaching. I began to follow close behind before I heard something above me.
I looked up, and I saw a sword that resembled the Master sword from Zelda, Skyward sword. I grabbed it out of the air as it closed in on me, and I saw, on one side, it had Celestia’s cutie mark. I flipped it, and it had Luna’s on the other side, though the entire thing was an amulet. I’m going with a token. “Okay, so how do I summon you?” I ask, not expecting anything to happen.
I then see a flash of light just in front of me as another person walks through a portal that instantly fades leaving a figure standing there, wearing little in terms of armor or weaponry but only carrying a guitar. He then looks to me and says “Hello, My name's Craig as you probably know from my token.”
“Yeah, why are you not jumping at the sight of a heavily armored being?” I ask. “Actually, never mind, I have more important problems to deal with.”
He then looks at me and asks “Why, what’s wrong?”
“Ever hear of ‘Fall of Equestria’?”
His eyes then twitch and shouts, “Where are those fucking caribou… I will end them!”
“North east of the town. Me and some of my allies are going to hold them off so that the Resistance can escape. Wanna help?”
He then touches the back of his guitar as it changes into a sword that looks similar to that of his token. His body is now covered in what looks like a synthetic skin that is covered by a dark blue chestplate and he has a helmet that looks like that of a Halo EOD helmet. He then looks back at me and says “This answer your question?”
“Yes, and I prefer the Raider helm,” I say before jogging in the direction the others went. “Come on.”
He then smirks and say “Like you even had to ask.” He then proceeds to follow me.
We reached the others about a minute later, and Silver, the Apples, and alicorn Fluer were there waiting for us, and Craig was a little surprised to see alicorn Fleur. He then whispers to me and says “Am I going mad or is there an alicorn that isn’t one of the princesses in front of me?”
“You are not crazy,” I reply, getting the others to turn around. “Guys, this is. . . an ally from my homeworld that’s going to help us buy time for the others.”
Craig then bows to them then says “Hello, my name’s Craig… Okay I'll be honest with you i’m not the best at introducing myself. Let’s just say I know of those bastards and I ain’t going to let them hurt you.”
“Good,” Silver said. “Otherwise, I’d have to hurt you. Name’s Silver.”
He then removes his helmet, places it under his shoulder then says “Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Silver.”
“I guess he already know us,” Applejack said.
He then smiles and says “Yes I do, Applejack. How could I not know the Element of Honesty?”
“You aren’t curious as to who the alicorn is,” I ask.
“Fleur de Lis, and no Applejack, lets just say I’ve been around Pinkie a lot, I’ve learned to predict what’s going to happen.”
“Great,” she said sarcastically. “‘Nother Pinkie Pie.”
“Shut it, Applejack,” I say. “Right now, we have Caribou to kill.” With that, I began to make my way to meet the Caribou Army, the others following behind me.
Craig then smiles as I hear him say, “War never changes.” With that he puts his helmet back on and begins to walk next to me.
Once I was a few feet away from the Caribou army, which, I guess, was in the thousands, I stopped, and the first thing I saw was a heavily armored Caribou male in the kind of armor that Winters from the CGI TMNT movie from around two thousand seven wore, with a shit ton of glyphs on the armor. “Dainn, I assume,” I say, and I say it’s a safe bet, as, at his feet, he had a nude Celetstia and Luna, and, of what I saw, Luna was black collared, and her sister red. Okay, a few ideas. One is that the wave from two days ago that the Tree caused inspired a short lived rebellion that Luna was a part of, and was made a black collar for, while Celestia is either entirely a slut, wouldn’t anger me, or she’s biding her time, which also wouldn’t anger me.
“You’d be correct,” the Caribou said. He scoffed. “Why is it you fight for mares? They are weak.”
“No, they aren’t,” I say. “They outsmarted you, after all.” Ah, I love being a smartass.
Craig then smirk and says “I’d say around ninety percent of them are smarter than you, No contest”
“It seems as if your kind hasn’t had a point where the females thought themselves better than males.”
“No, we did,” I say. “It was called the forties.”
Craig then laughs and says, “Heck, the monarch where I came from was female.”
“Point: not the Caribou,” I say. “Now, who wants their ass kicked?”
Craig however didn’t give them a chance to answer as he punched Dainn directly in the stomach causing him to be sent flying as he says, “Pretentious prick.”
I rolled my eyes. “You guys deal with the soldiers, Craig and I will hold off the only person worse than Blueblood.” With that, I activated my thrusters, and flew to where Dainn had landed,to find he was already getting up.
Craig then lands next to me and says, “What do you: think slow and painful or quick and painless?”
“Slow,” I say, cracking my knuckles. “Come at us, asshole.”
Craig then smirks and says “Shame I wanted to put a bullet through his tiny brain.”
“Do that to end him,” I say before I used my thrusters to get in close to deliver a punch, only for the jackass to hit me with enough force behind a hammer uppercut to send me flying while spinning in a circle. “FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!”
Craig then sighs and says, “Lets have fun with this thing.” He then charges forwards as he draws his sword as Dainn tries to hit him with his hammer to which he just grabs it as he falls and says, “That the best you got?” He then pulls the hammer from his grasp and shouts, “Batter up!” With that he smashed the hammer into his chest knocking the wind out of him and then knocks him upwards.
Dainn landed, but his armor wasn’t even scratched, and he laughed. “Not at all, you female sympathizer,” he said before he got up fully and I landed, creating a crater next to Craig.
“Fucker,” I say, getting up. “I forgot that he’s got alicorn status, basically.”
Craig then laughs and says “Good I wouldn’t want to defeat him that quick.”
“That includes their power,” I say. “Of both Celestia and Luna, for that matter, maybe even Cadence and Twilight. In short,” I say, getting into a stance that had my mauler facing the King, “we can only hold out for now.”
Craig then smirks and says “Then I’ll go for strength in numbers.” He then brings his hands together and shouts, “Shadow clone jutsu!”, creating multiple clone around us.
“Well, we’re fucked,” I murmur to myself as the clones charge, most bouncing off a shield Dainn made, or getting ripped in half by him. Hey, I warned Craig. Maybe I should have said he beat Celestia by himself without that power boost.
Crag then laughs and says “Well then looks like I will need to try with him…” he then begins to hover of the ground as his helmet disappears and his hair begins to rise from his head and turn blond.
“Not gonna work,” I say, but he didn’t listen.
Craig then charges him as he starts hitting with a flurry of punches that do nothing.
Dainn then grabbed him by the throat. “You should have listened to your comrade,” he said before he sent Craig flying, and looks at me. “Now, it’s your turn.”
“Fun,” I say sarcastically. “Well, come on, I got nothing worse to do today.”
“With pleasure,” he said before he just leaped from where he was at me, and punched me with enough force to send me flying.
I landed damn near where I started, near Celestia and Luna. “Hello, Highnesses,” I say, getting up.
“What are you,” Luna asked.
“Just a soldier,” I say before having to jump out of the way of Dainn coming down at me, only for me to land, and deliver a counterpunch, which he blocked with both hands. Not gonna work, fucker.
“As weak as a mare,” he said before he let one hand fall, and began to push with the other. Fortunately, my armor had enough power assist to where my arm didn’t move, much to his shock and the princesses. “How?”
“Because I don’t rely on magic, asshole,” I say before boosting to the left, and delivering a mauler shot to his chest, actually making a small crack appear as I sent him flying. I looked down at my mauler, and saw a rainbow mist around it, and grinned under my helmet. “Thanks, Harmony,” I say before walking to where he was. “Silver, time to see if you can help, here,” I tell the doe over the radio.
“On my way,” she said.
I then see Craig walk over to me and and say, “Well that was a rush. Has he got anymore?”
“Doubt it,” I say. “But be careful.” I then look at him. “And how the hell did you go super sayian, because last time I checked, you aren’t from DBZ, or Yang from RWBY.”
He then smirks and says “Discord give me the power to manipulate anything from any game. He also fucked around with my DNA so I’m part Sayain, part human, part namekian and part frost deamon.”
“You, my friend, sound like a gary stu right now,” I say as we reach were Dainn was, and, surprisingly, he was still out of it, and Silver was already here, her helmet removed.
Craig then looks at me and says “Have I missed something or is Silver a Caribou?”
“You haven’t missed anything,” she said, kneeling down to her knees and, to our surprise, stroked Dainn’s face as if he were a lover. “Oh, Dainn. What happened to the Dainn I knew as a child?”
“Wait, you knew him as a kid?” I ask.
“One of his families staff,” she said. “He wasn’t like how he is now. He cared for all his subjects, male and female, equally.” She smiled a little. “One time, we even said we’d change the Caribou to more like Equestria. I guess me doing that now is keeping an old promise to an old friend.”
Craig then smiles and says, “That’s very loyal of you, Silver”
“Thank you,” she said before getting up. “I think we bought them enough time.”
I looked back, and saw the Caribou actually retreating. “Yeah, probably,” I say before looking at Craig. “See ya next time.”
Craig then smiles at me and says “You know who to call if they start on you again” He then removes an amulet from around his neck and open a portal big enough to walk though he then begin to walk through but quickly headshots one of the retreating caribou with a pistol and says, “That’s for using mares as slaves.” With that he disappears through the portal as it shuts behind him.
I then looked at the ground, at Dainn. “Leave him,” I say, though I knew from Silver’s expression she didn’t want to. “We will try to bring the one you know back, Silver. I swear it.” The other got behind us at that point. “Come on, guys. We need to tell the others we’re good to leave now. With that, we made our way back to Ponyville, but not before Silver and I looked back at Dainn, a look of pity and sadness on my face, and those plus a look of hope on Silver’s.
Silver, the Apples, Fleur, and myself made our way back to Ponyville. I was a quarter of the way back before I remembered something. "You guys go on ahead," I say. "Just remembered something."
"What," Fleur said.
"You'll see," I say before turning back to the battlefield.
I shook my head at the sight. The Caribou forces had come back to get Dainn, I guess that was to be expected, but had left all the females, mare and doe alike. I swear, I thought the one good thing, however twisted it is, about the Caribou I could say is that they look after their pets. Apparently not. But it was two mares, one black collared and one red collared, that got my attention.
Both were standing, and trying to reassure those that were crying. At least the Caribou couldn't remove that out of them.
I stopped behind them and stood at attention, the sound of crunching grass causing them to turn around. "What do you want?" Luna asked.
"I simply wished to offer you, your sister, and all the females here a place to live in safety," I say. "And given the fact the Caribou abandoned each of you, you need it."
"Why should we accept," Luna said.
"Because I am probably he only one who can defeat Dainn," I say.
"And how's that?"
"This," I say, holding my mauler in front of my chest, the rainbow glow emitting from it. "I'm sure you recognize the colors?"
"You," Celestia said. "You're the one who absorbed the Tree's power."
"Indeed, I am, Celestia," I say. "I am curious: are you a slut, or did you wear that collar to make Luna do the same, saving her from physical punishment at the Caribou's hands?"
The look on both alicorn's faces was priceless. Luna's was one of anger, while Celestia's was a mix of surprise and joy. Luna opened her mouth to retort, but Celestia answered first. "You are intelligent, if you could guess my reason to begin with," she said. "Yes, I did it in hope that Luna would submit and save her the pain." She looked at her sister. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, Lulu. I wanted to, but I didn't have a chance." Back at me. "What's your name?"
"Mau'ual," Highness," I say. "Newly appointed Valus, think general, of the Resistance. One of the battalions, at least. This was my first battle against the Caribou."
"So you are from another world," Luna asked, still looking at me with slight hate.
"I am," I say. "I detest what the Caribou have done." I shrugged. "I can understand ponies wanting to do that kind of stuff in private, but when you overthrow a government that's run well for more than a thousand years simply because of the gender of their ruler. . . well, not even the gates of Tartarus can save you now."
"Why did the Tree choose you?" Luna asked. "If what we saw earlier, you are but nothing but a killing machine."
"Because I understand why the Caribou fight," I say. "Same with the resistance. Both see themselves as good, and the other as evil. To actually win a war, you must understand that, and the Tree knew that, so it gave me the last of its power."
"What do you mean, 'the last of its power'?" Celestia asked.
"When I found it, vines were draining its energy. It asked the question as to if I was fighting for good, which relates back to what I said about good and evil, and I answered correctly, and it gave me the last power it had, which included the ability to give mares their horns and wings back."
"And the new alicorn?" Luna asked.
"That would be the bit of consciousness the Tree transferred with the power. Now, it determines who is ascended," I say. "So, what do you two say to my offer?"
Both sisters looked at one another, but it was a different voice than their's that answered. "Well, we are." I turned behind me, and saw a group of mares and does, a doe in front. "Most of us just submitted to avoid torture," the doe said. "Your the first one that even has a chance at defeating Dainn." Both the doe, and those behind her, to my honest surprise, bowed to me then. "We will assist you if needed."
Wow. Honestly, that's all I can say. Wow. I did not expect this at all. I mean, I figured some of the mares would want to join, but not just about all of the females the Caribou had brought them. "I thank you, then," I say. I then turn back to the sisters. "I still await your answer, you majesties. If you choose to join the fight, you will be my superiors."
Again, both sisters looked at each other, and I think I saw a slight mischievous grin on Luna's face that Celestia returned. "Actually, Mau'ual," Celestia said, "when my sister and I found the Tree, we also made a pact with it that, should one rise with its power, we would follow them, and step down from our thrones."
"And, seeing as how you wield the Tree's power," Luna continued, "that would mean we are to step down, or would, if we still had our thrones, and give you the throne of Equestria."
Under my helmet, I smiled. Damn, I hate politicians. "I would be honored to accept the position, your majesties," I say with a bow. Rising back up, I say, "Head back to Ponyville." I then look towards the forest. "One more thing I need to check." Before anything else could be said, I activated my thrusters, flew up, and made my way for the Everfree.
I landed at the outside of the old castle of the Royal sisters. It was in the same state it was from what it would have been if this world had made it to season four. Hopefully what I needed was inside. I walked into the old castle, and made my way past the throne room. I knew what I wanted wasn't there.
I was probably in there for ten minutes before I found what I was looking for. A large room with broken windows on one side, and, near the center, broken, baby blue armor. There you are, I think as I walk over to it.
Just before the broken armor, I felt a sharp sensation in my head. Are you sure this is a wise idea, Mau'ual? the Tree asked.
"Not really, no," I say. "But, with your help, will I be able to at least complete the first part of it."
Yes, but after, I have no guarantee as to what will happen.
"What's life without a little risk?" I ask, bringing my mauler up, the rainbow aura around it. "Here goes nothing," I say before walking just short of the armor.
I then bring my mauler up before slamming into the ground, the broken armor being enveloped by the glow.
The armor floated up, and began to reassemble as I stepped back, beginning to shield my eyes, even with my helmet on, from an extremely bright light. Once all of the armor bits had been enveloped, the light took on a darker shade, turning nearly all black, and a being could be seen growing in the orb.
When the orb faded, the being was a mare with black skin, an etheirc, purple tail and hair, a sharp horn, and majestic wings, wearing the armor that had reassembled. "Who has summoned me?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"I have, you majesty," I say, bowing. "My name is Mau'ual, and, though they are unaware of it, Equestria needs your help."
"How so?" the alicorn asked, to which I replied with but one word.
"Caribou."
Her eyes widened. "Those beasts have invaded?"
"And conquered," I say. "It has been three years since then, and this has been the only chance to summon you."
"There is only one way you could have brought me back," she said. "One is Luna gave herself willingly, which I doubt happened, or," again, her eyes widened, "you wield the power of the Tree."
"It would be the second one, highness," I say, holding my mauler over my chest, the rainbow aura glowing.
"What of Celestia and Luna," Nightmare asked out of the blue. "What happened to them?"
"When Canterlot fell, they were enslaved by the King, but I was able to free them earlier, and, due to a pact they have with the Tree-"
"No need to explain it," she said. "I am bound by the same pact as they are. And even if I were not, I would at least tolerate fighting along side them to remove the Caribou." And, to my surprise, she bowed. "And I also made my own pact with the Tree before Celestia's student and her friends used the Elements that, if the Caribou were to return and it passed its power to somepony else, I would do so. I imagine the only problem would be Celestia trying to remove me."
"If she tries, I'll give her back to the Caribou," I say. Not like she'd give me a reason to so long as I kept fighting for the ponies. Still, if she did, I would. "You need not worry about her."
"Thank you, I suppose," she said. "Shall we leave, then?"
"That would be best," I say. From there, the two of us left the castle, and, upon exiting, took to the sky, and made our way to Ponyville.
We touched down near the town square. Either fortunately or unfortunately, Celestia and Luna were there, and it looke dlike they were helping Fleur and the others get stuff ready for travel. In the time I had been gone, the two had gotten clothes, for Celestia, it was a white T-shirt with blue jeans on, while Luna had the same, only difference being her shirt was black. Good to know that there were a few pairs of civilian clothes still in the town.
Both turned around, and Fleur looked up, and began to slowly back away. Can't really blame her. "Ah, Mau'ual, you're- WHAT'S SHE DOING HERE?!" Luna said, and both her and Celestia took a defensive stance. Oh, did I mention Nightmare's got her horn and wings? Yeah, they can't do shit to her if they tried.
"Relax," I say. "She is bound by both your word to the Tree, and she made her own that if the circumstances we are in were to happen, she'd look past her. . . history, with you two, and help remove the Caribou."
"I still don't see why we should trust her," Celestia said.
"Because I say so," I say, crossing my arms. "If I so much as even get a hint you tried to get her out of the resistance, I will personally give you back to the Caribou with a note saying they can do anything sexual to either of you, and I won't have an issue there. Are we clear?"
Both begrudgingly said yes. "Good," I say. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there is one other thing I must take care." With that, I activated my thrusters, and flew up to the same height I had two days prior before plunging downward in the two handed mauler strike position, hitting the ground with enough force for a crater to form. I was a little shaky upon coming out of it, but I was still up, and saw that the unicorn and pegasus mares had regaied their horns and wings, respectively, which meant Celestia and Luna had regained both. I had impacted close to town hall, so I made my way there, which is when I saw my guess was right, as well as the three alicorns, not counting Fleur in that count, also had on Psion armor. Okay, next time I talk to the Tree, find out why the armor is made with the wave. Luna and Nightmare, expectedly, had Void flayer mantles, while Celestia had Solar. Go figure.
"And with that, we are. . .," I trail off, looking at Fluer, who caught on instantly.
"Nearly ready," she finished. "Just need to get the remaining supplies situated, which should take about an hour."
I nodded. "Get it taken care of, and get the three new flayers oriented," I say. "We leave today even if we need to leave supplies here." God knows we've had too many interruptions as is.
She saluted. "Got it, Mau'ual." She then turned to the other three alicorns. "Come on, ladies." With that, she turned and left, the other alicorns behind her. Damn, she definitely makes a good Val.
Anyway, an hour later, the members of the Resistance, those who stayed behind, Ponyville that wished to fight, and those from the plain, I'm not going to say fight, honestly, more like us showing up, and only one of them fighting. Beside me were Silver and Fleur. "Everything ready?" I ask Silver, who had her helmet off. When the others had found out, I gave them all the same threat I had Celestia and Luna, so she didn't worry about others attacking her.
It's been a week since the population of Ponyville had been freed, and we had arrived at the hive three days after. Not much had happened, compared to what could have, anyway. I had met with Chrysalis, along with Celestia and Luna, when I said that it would seem hypocritical for a male fighting against the male-centric Caribou to be leading a female oriented army, so I had decided that Celestia, Luna, Nightmare, that one being the one to ire the other two, and myself would share power. Celestia, the sun, Luna, the moon, Nightmare, dreams, and myself leading the army. In short, I had only a fourth of the power, something I was fine with, though, a technicality I had not thought of was that, since the three alicorns were in the military as well, when it came to military matters, I could overrule them. In short, they were Vals along with Fleur and Silver, but Princesses as well. That would become confusing later on, I just know it.
That was the day we had arrived. The second day did have something of interest. I was walking along the barracks of the army, the Equestrian people's army, my choice, our flag and symbol being a modified version of the original flag. It had Celestia and Luna on it, yes, but it also had Nightmare on it beside them, the symbols for each pony type, including Thestrals, above them, and above that was my mauler, a rainbow aura around it, when I was passing by the officer area, where myself, Fleur, Silver, and the first three alicorns, when I heard something muffled coming from Celestia's room. Thinking one of Dainn's supporters, the resistance before my arrival had no way to stop traitors from getting in to report to Dainn, and quite a few had been found since I got here, I rushed to the door, and broke it down, only to see Luna, Celestia, and Nightmare having sex. I had my helmet off, and if I had any eyebrows, they would have been seen raised. They said that, though they hated what the Caribou had done, it made them more. . . I'm going to say open about their feelings, which resulted in, well, this. In response, I said, "So long as you do not try to impose this on those unwilling, I have no qualms with it." Hey, if they want to do this shit in private, I have no issues, but the line for me is crossed you do so to a gender simply because of their gender, and the Caribou, mostly, had crossed that line sooooooo long ago.
On the third day, I had met with Gunne, a buck who, though agreed with normal Caribou, he was a little more understanding, and saw the resistance's point of view, so I had put him under male guard. Don't get me wrong, I was careful around him, but he had willingly surrendered, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. When I visited him, I was there to ask if he knew what had become, specifically, of the Apple family, as well as the Elements. For the former, he had told me all were in Appleloosa (damn puns), and the stallions were like Big Macintosh, meaning they didn't like the new order, and most of the mares were as Applejack had been before liberation. As such, I had ordered later that day for a covert strike team in infiltrate the town, and bring back who they could. As for the Elements, he told me that Rainbow was in Cloudsdale, the other four in the Empire. I had known that, but what I didn't know before hand was that three of two of the latter group had begun to resist. Keep in mind, those sent to the Empire were red collared. I don't know why, but the two were Rarity and Pinkie Pie. I had sent in a changeling group under joint command of Chrysalis and myself to extract them, but to leave Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle there. I would attack the Empire, eventually. And with it, a reckoning for the traitors known as Cadenza, Twilight Sparkle, and Shining Armor. Fluttershy would be safe from my wrath, as she was technically submissive to begin with, as well as meek, so it was only natural for her to submit.
That brings us to today. I stood outside Silver's room, with all but my helmet on, playing it safe because of the aforementioned agents. I knocked on the door before placing both hands, my left wrist not having the mauler on. Now, I wasn't an idiot, and I had a small dagger trapped to my right thigh for defense. In my mind, only an idiot thinks he is safe at home during a war, while someone with enough sense carries something for defense at all times.
"Coming," I hear from the other side of the door, and a few minutes later, Silver, wearing her fatigues, a pair of jeans along with a shirt with our symbol on the right shoulder that was white. The shirt itself, on her, at least, went to just below her rib cage, a style I personally call a 'Half-cut', for obvious reasons. "Oh, hey, Mau'ual."
"Hello, Silver," I say. I had made it a point that when we weren't actually doing military shit, the Vals were to refer to me by my name. I wouldn't let things go to my head I was special because of a title, like I imagine happened to Celestia, and it helped remind them, and myself, from time to time, that I wasn't anything special. Just someone who stepped up when he was needed. Not that I had a damned choice in the matter, due to the merchant. "May I come in? Don't worry, this isn't a military visit."
"You don't need to ask, Mau'ual," she replied. "Come in. Word of warning, though, the others are here too." Yeah, ever since we arrived and everyone got settled, Silver would have a so far daily talk, gossip, I don't give a shit sessions. In fact, that's what I'm going to call them seeing as how, you guessed it, I don't give a shit.
"Copy that," I say in a joking tone before walking in. Oh, guess I should point out I had my thrusters and rocket pods taken off, huh? Anyway, I walked in, and I saw Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare, believe me, it still surprised me that they fucked each other, forgive my bluntness, sitting together on one of the couches, you would not believe the surplus this hive had, let me tell ya, with Fluer on a single seat, each wearing their own fatigues. "Not a military visit," I say before anything else. "So, how are you all doing?"
"Considering we are all practically outlaws trying to overthrow a nation," Nightmare said, crossing her arms. "Well. I do find it ironic, though, that the two who tried to stop me the first time are my allies."
Says the mare who fucked said allies, I think to myself.
"As do we, Nightmare," Luna said. "As do we."
"It's good you all are doing well," I say. "But Silver, do you remember what you told me a week ago? About your history?"
"Yeah, I remember," Silver said before sitting down on a chair. "Better get comfortable, Mau'ual, because my history is the history of just about the entire Caribou people."
Before I start, I want to point something out to you guys. That story about Estra, the first collared Doe, is a lie. She wasn't what the males call a cow, she was the last of the Caribou queens, and my ancestor. She wasn't a slut. If anything, she was like Celestia mixed with Nightmare, meaning she was compassionate, but willing to show her strength when needed. She was overthrown by a group of stallions, of whom Dainn is descended from the leader of that group, and enslaved. With their strength and a bit of runic magic, they converted most bucks to their philosophy.
Anyway, I was born in the last decades of my people's ancestral home. The name isn't exactly vital, so I won't bother with it. Unlike most families of my people, both my mother and father saw each other as equals, acting like the majority only when they had guests, or in public, and my father was close friends with Dainn's, and I would often be sent to the royal family to be Dainn's plaything, but he never did anything to me. Not when it was just us, anyway. He was compassionate to both does and bucks, even taking the blame for stuff does did, saying that a leader must be willing to accept responsibility for their actions.
That changed a week after his eighteenth birthday, which is actually the same day as mine. You see, there's a ritual for males, I don't know what it is or what it's called, but when Dainn came back, he was what he is now. Cruel to his former friends, raping does because he could. He was my best friend before that. Hell, we may have been something more, but that ritual completely threw it away.
Some bucks, like my father, went through it as well, but for some reason are immune to the effects, and each of them, far as I can tell, joined a group that Estra made after she was overthrown to bring our people back to how they were during her rule, and every generation of my mother's maternal side has been in it. Yeah, I honestly don't understand how all of Estra's blood descendants are does, but still, each of us have been a part of it, and I'm currently the leader, my mother dying of illness on the boat ride over to Equestria, which was a year long thing, and started when I was twenty three. When we landed in Lindisbarne, the where the first mare was collared, the rest of the does of my group and myself fled, the bucks staying behind so we would have people on the inside.
As more cities fell, more does willingly went in to help with information. Ponyville was the last major town, and with it, only myself and two other members remained fully free, much as it meant here. A week after it was taken, the three of us split up. My two aides, Gina and Kaena, they went to Manehattan, while I stayed in the woods for near a month, living off of berries and such, before a Stallion patrol found me. They had bucks with them, and they tried to use runic magic to stop me, but every doe of my family is given training in runes, and we have a natural resistance to most, as well as a higher tolerance before exhaustion when you say the runes.
You see, most runes nowadays are written or carved, and that actually weakens them. Only reason the bucks don't use said runes is because they were a doe creation, when the verbal ones are stronger. I was able to get away, but I was severely weakened form it. Fleur knows the rest of the story, but I'll tell it again so you all know. I collapsed after an hour of running, and laid on the forest ground, waiting for something to either kill and eat me, or for the bucks and stallions to find me, rape me, and capture me. So, imagine my surprise when a group of mares, with Fleur in the lead, found me. One of them wanted to kill me, but the others all said no. I was brought back here to the hive, and allowed to recover. After that, I requested to speak with Chrysalis, and when I met her, I told her the same thing I just told you all. I said I wanted to help, and I was given a position in Fleur's squad. From there, it was normal resistance stuff. Hit and run attacks, assassinations, the works. Things were like that for three years, and, well, you probably know the rest.
"Whoa." That was all I could say in response to Silver.
"Yeah, I can see that," Silver said with a chuckle. "So, anyway, when we got back here, I found those of the order that had been in Ponyville, and started to combine what intel we had that could still be of use." A devious smile came to her face. "Turns out the stallions are planning on using a, quote unquote, 'secure spell' to broadcast messages and such to Equestria, and we were thinking, with the right spell, we can break into it, and use it to show them just how smart does and mares can be."
"It sounds like a military matter," Celestia said. "Mau'ual?"
I thought on it for a few seconds. "No," I say. "I don't want to reveal our hand so soon in this war, and it may be a trap of sorts. Mares had their horns removed, but changeling females didn't. This may be a ploy so they can find our base. If we fell for it, and we don't have troops ready, we would lose, and every mare here would be captured or re-captured, and I will not risk that. Not yet."
"When, then," Fleur asked.
"When they know they are losing, and can do nothing to stop it," I say before a knock on the door was heard.
"Coming," Silver said before getting up and going to the door, revealing a changeling soldier, a male one, standing at the door.
"Val Silver, Her Highness Queen Chrysalis wishes for you and your comrades to come to the throne room. Something important has come up, and she wishes you all to be there."
"What is it," I asked, getting up.
"Valus, a representative from the Griffons has come," the soldier replied. "They wish to help us."
Myself, as well as my four Vals in the princesses, Nightmare, and Fleur, Silver having revealed to be a leader in her own right, and not a Val anymore, made our way to the hive throne room, with our armor on. "I'm surprised the Griffons are just now here for an alliance," Silver said. "Dainn's forces have been harassing the border ever since Canterlot was taken."
"Don't forget abducting Grifonnesses and the males, turning the males into females," Fleur said. "The fact they are looking for an alliance now means it's desperate."
"Which gives us something to use," Nightmare said.
"Agreed," I say.
"You want to black mail them," Celestia asked, shocked.
"It only makes sense," Nightmare said.
"They should have helped us to begin with, or at least have given us supplies," Fleur said.
"And you'll be able to tell their representative that soon enough," I say.
"Thankfully," Fleur said. "Who knows how many others in the Resistance were killed because of shitty armor. Close friends of mine included."
Both Celestia and Luna put an arm around the more recent alicorn. Can't really blame them. They too had lost friends, either those who fought, or those that were truly red collars, and not fakers like Celestia, including Twilight Sparkle. Not that she would wish to fight, anyway. Especially not beside the one who had killed one of her closest friends. . . . . . . No. I wasn't the one to bring about Spike's death. Yes, I may have brought down the blade, so to speak, but it is because of Dainn, himself or no, that I am here. It is because of that that Spike is dead. I may feel guilt for having to kill him, but, as I had taken an oath when I put his blood on my chest plate, i would taken vengeance on the Caribou. Only now, not in the way I had thought.
Anyway, we made out way to the throne room. Upon the guards, both female changelings, opening the door, we saw Chrysalis, dressed in her hive's battle armor, made up of a black, steel like metal breastplate, shoulder pieces, bracers, and leg armor with greaves, a green strand of fabric connected to the band around her waist in the front and back. That is how a royal should look, not Celestia in a damned silken gown, especially in combat.
The Griffon was a female with the head of that bird from the Assassin's Creed II trailer, I don't know the name, and, of what I saw, fleeting glimpses of her ankles and arms, she had the body of a lion, and it went with the sleek grace she had upon moving, and wore battle armor that looked as if it was made of bone.
"Chrysalis," I said in way of greeting, getting the attention of the two.
"Hello, Mau'ual," she replied in a neutral tone. Yeah, she didn't like me that much. I can only wonder why. I'm not being sarcastic, I really wonder why. "Princesses, Fleur, Silver," she said to the others, the last two and Nightmare nodding, while Celestia and Luna did nothing, hate for the wedding in their eyes. "This would be Quick Wing, the recently arrived Griffon Representative. Quick Wing, these would be my fellow leaders."
"It is an honor to meet each of you," Quick Wing said, bowing. "You especially, Princesses."
"And why is it now you wish for an alliance," I ask before a reply could be made, getting straight to the point.
"You must be Mau'ual," she said. "In honesty, it is thanks to you. Our spies within Canterlot say that what you did in Ponyville has reached all of Dainn's forces, especially the fact you were able to harm him. They already call you a 'Demon'."
"You have not answered my question."
Quick Wing sighed. "It is because, though partly because of you as well, Dainn's forces have begun to make larger and larger incursions into Griffon lands, and have begun to enslave more females." She paused before adding, "Including my sister and her chicks."
"My condolences on losing them," Silver said. "I've lost family and friends to Dainn as well."
"What's a Caribou doing here," Quick Wing asked in a snarl. "They should all be killed."
"She is here because she is different than the rest," I say. "As is every single Caribou here, to some degree. And if you decide to cause harm to even one," I say, walking over to her, "then you shall see why the Dainn's forces call me 'Demon'. Am I clear?"
"Yeah, you are," Quick said. "Still, Our deal will not involve them."
"It matters little," I say. "As rightful ruler of her kind because of an ancient overthrow who know how many years ago that many of her Order kept track of, Silver made her own deal with Chrysalis when she first arrived at this hive, and later, four days ago, to be precise, with the Princesses and myself. So, what is the deal you wish to make?"
"The Griffons will assist you in defeating Dainn's forces, and help you in protecting your borders until Equestria is back at the strength it was before the Caribou. In return, once Equestria has recovered, we will be the ones you trade with most."
"I have a counteroffer," I say. I may not be a politician, but I had seen that move coming. "You help us, we remove the threat from your borders, because it is obvious you need the help. Otherwise, you would not be here. Seeing as how I'm the one in charge of military matters, I decide where the military goes. So, which will it be? Trade that is iffy at best depending on if we win this war, or us helping you to remove the threat at your borders?"
As I had hoped, this made her think. Another side effect was Luna and Celestia glaring at me, most likely for blackmailing an ally. But the job of a General was to protect his country first, and right now, that country was Equestria.
Eventually, she said, "Fine. The King expected you'd say that."
"Thank you for accepting the offer," I say. "Now, where are Griffon forces?"
"Last I saw, near the one spot in the border where the Caribou don't attack."
nodded. "Chrysalis, are you able to send your forces there?"
"Yes, why?"
"Because we'll need Griffon support for what I have planned," I say. "Chrysalis, if you agree, send changelings to the border area the Griffon army is at. Quick Wing, tell your king I'll need his army."
"What do you have planned, Mau'ual," Chrysalis asked.
"Simple," I say with a smirk. "Taking Cloudsdale and freeing the Element of Loyalty."
Myself, Chrysalis, Silver, Celestia, Luna, Nightmare, and Quick Wing stood around a table that had a few maps on it. One was a topo map of the area near Cloudsdale, one was a, I am really not kidding here, tourist map of the new Cloudsdale (hey, you need to get the best up-to-date intel somehow), a third being one of Equestria in general. "I still think we should try to grow our forces before attacking Cloudsdale," Silver said. "The hunters are the best pegasai under Dainn's rule. The few resistance groups that tried to fight them, regardless of size, lost every time. The mares either killed or enslaved, if not blanked," everyone, myself included shuddered, "while the stallions were killed or switched." In this case, for those who don't know, Switched is essentially rule sixty three. I don't know how, and I don't want to know how they do it.
"You forget, Silver," I say, arms crossed. "Those groups attacked predictable targets, plus they didn't have the Griffon Army, four alicorns, or changelings behind them. And even then, of what I know, they had no actual plan. I do."
"Well, care to enlighten us as to it," Chrysalis asked in annoyance.
"Simply the basics," I say, playing it safe. "We attack using numbers to take the Hunter headquarters, the re-education center, and the mare cells."
"You weren't kidding with the basics," Nightmare said.
"Can't be too careful in war," I reply. "Might be a spy nearby."
"You're paranoid," Chrysalis said. "My drones and your guards checked the place. Nopony was in here."
"Some of my guards," I say, "as well as yours, are males. I'm playing it safe here."
"By your logic, then we shouldn't be able to trust you," Chrysalis said.
"If I wanted to kill you or bring you to Dainn, I would have done so already," I say. "And you forget Fleur's account of meeting me."
"I haven't," Chrysalis said. "It is simply that with what you just said, it begs the question: did you engineer that whole event?"
"The answer to which is no," I say. "I will gladly argue this point with you, Chrysalis, but after Cloudsdale, when Rainbow Dash is with us. Physically speaking, of course. Her joining the actual militant part of the Resistance is up to her."
"Given her personality, it would surprise me if she didn't join," Luna muttered.
"Perhaps I'd trust you more if you shared the entire plan with us," Chrysalis said.
"Fine, but don't blame me if you all are collared in a week, blame Chrysalis," I say. "My plan is this: the days leading to the attack, Luna and Nightmare will weaken the Hunter morale by giving them nightmares to the point where they wake up, and are too scared to sleep. On the day of the attack, with the changelings who are in my portion of the resistance, we cause chaos from inside their ranks. I already have a squad there to retrieve Rainbow Dash, as well as other squads. While that's going on, the pegasai, changelings, and the few griffons with us will engage the tired Hunters, while squads of Earth ponies and unicorns, with the cloudwalking spell, will engage any who remain in the actual city. I, along with my second in commands, will personally find and kill Cloudsdale's magistrate."
"Don't get me started on you sparing a buck," Chrysalis muttered.
"My military matters, my decisions. Now, if you all will excuse me, I need to speak with the battalion leaders," I say before turning around and leaving. If they have an issue, then I can't well do anything without them telling it to me.
Anyway, I made my way to the barracks where the Battalion leaders lived. Most of them had been part of the resistance, well, this one, since near the beginning, near the same amount of time as Fleur. Currently, the resistance had five battalions under me, which numbered to a single regiment of four thousand, which meant I had five individuals to talk to, three of which are from the beginning of this Resistance.
When I arrived, I opened the door, I saw the five of them playing cards. One was an Earth pony mare with a green coat and brown hair and tail. Her name was Forest Glade. A creative names, especially for ponies.
The second was a pegasus mare with a navy blue coat with a black mane and tail. Her name was, I swear I'm not kidding, Night Rider.
The third long-time veteran was a changeling female with gray chitin with blue fins, is that the right term for those things on the back of their neck, her name being Elegance.
The next was one from a few years back, about a year and a half, to be accurate. She was a unicorn mare with an azure coat with a blue mane and tail. Her name was Azure Shadow. Out of everyone, she probably had the worst backstory right now. Night and Forest were in a relationship before the Fall, and had run from Ponyville as soon as word had reached it of Canterlot's fall, soon finding Chrysalis' hive. Elegance had been a leader in the Hive's Army before the Fall. Azure, on the other hand, had a tragic one. She had been living in Canterlot. As a Royal Guard. Yeah, already it's bad, but it gets worse. Her stallionfriend had, whether because he wasn't strong enough or was clever with hiding part of his personality, had embraced the Caribou corruption soon after Canterlot's fall. I'm sure you can guess what happened then, with Azure being considered a black collar. She eventually escaped. After killing her former stallionfriend.
The last of the five was Applejack. I had no part in that, it was Chrysalis deciding due to her being an Element bearer.
"Lieutenant Colonels," I say, that being their ranks. Had to be to lead a battalion.
"Commander on deck," Forest said quickly as she and the other stood up, each turning to face the doors.
"At ease, guys," I say. "How are you adjusting to this life, Applejack?"
She was taken back a bit by my question, but not by much, barely noticeable, actually. "W-well," she said.
"That's good," I said. "I came here to talk to each of you about the next strike the Resistance will undertake."
"The one to liberate Cloudsdale," Night asked.
"Bingo," I say before telling them of the plan. "So," I ask upon finishing, "what do you guys think of it?"
"It may work," Elegance said. "But you know what they say: No plan survives contact with the enemy."
"That is why I have a few backups in the works," I say. "I'll let you all get your Battalions ready. I need to have a talk with someone." With that, I left them to visit probably the most hated individual in the Hive right now. I walked past multiple fighters, each of which saluted me as I walked past, until I found myself in front of a steel door guarded by a female changeling and an pegasus stallion from the start of this Resistance.
"I wish to speak with him," I said to the two, who simply saluted, and opened the door, letting me walk in, and then closed it behind me. "Hello, Gunne," I said to the buck. His cell gave him creature comforts, which was to say a place to sleep, something to piss and shit in, and a not at all comfortable seat. Given the fact he's a Caribou, he knows I could do worse and none would have qualms with it. My voice was monotone. "How is your sister?"
Gunne looked at me with a neutral expression. I had his antlers cut off, as some bucks can use magic through them, and I decided to play it safe. Needless to say, it didn't foster a friendship between us. "Ginna is well," he said. "To what do I owe this visit?"
"I simply wished to let you know that if you have you are close to in a friendly way who live in Cloudsdale, you had best say their names now."
Gunne chuckled. "A stupid move," Gunne said. "Stupid enough to where it may work. I may not wish to fight with you, but that does not mean I don't respect you, Mau'ual," he said
"I do not care if I have your respect, Gunne," I say. "The only reason I let you live is because you have knowledge I need, and knowledge we both know I can get, with time."
"Which is why I told you the truth about the Elements," he said. "Even if I cared nothing for myself, and as much as I see females as lower citizens, I do see them as citizens, and I do care for my sister."
"Which is why I let her live and come with us here," I replied. "As well as supervised visits with her. She may be fully grown up, but, well, I think you know." With that, I turned away, and opened the door. But before I left, I said, "Gunne, if there are any others like you in your kind, let me know, and I may just let them live." With that, I left the room, and the door closed behind me. Time to prepare for battle, now.
I was in the Hive, looking over my forces, helmet under my shoulder, five battalions worth of ponies of ponies of both genders, changelings, and the odd doe. For the most part, the does were under Silver's command, but the odd few had joined one of the battalions I under my command. Silver's forces were already outside and marching to under cloudsdale, where the main changeling army, which had Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare in charge of their own part of it, was waiting. The reason why I was last was simple: my force had the largest, in terms of importance, and I wanted to make sure they all knew their part. Fleur was up ahead, acting as communication medium between my group and the main army so we could more easily coordinate our attack.
It had been a week since the Griffon alliance, and we were ready to make our first major strike. Cloudsdale. "You all know what you must do," I said at the highest volume needed to make each of them hear me. "Though we are the smallest part of the army, our job is the largest: we are to show the Caribou sympathizers that it is not just males that are capable of great feats, but females as well. I know it sounds odd coming from a male right now, but today, we show them what females can do," I say, pointing outside in general to any Caribou out there. "We will show them that no matter what they do, there will always be those odd few. Those who will not, who will not break, under their rule. They see all of us as traitors and objects! Today, I say we show them what we truly are!! An army with no gender discretion, an army of equals, and, most importantly," I pause for dramatic effect. "An army that will kick their asses out of Equestria, follow them home, and show them what happens when you, quite literally in this case, fuck Equestria over!!! WHO'S WITH ME?!"
The battalions yelled in agreement with my statement. "Then we march on Cloudsdale NOW!" With that, I put on my helmet, the speech having been put in front of the rest of the army, hidden under spells, though various means, mostly observation spells sent to loom over the area, and my portion of the army left the Hive cave, and marched through the Everfree forest. Any animals we encountered either were killed with practiced ease or left us alone, sensing our anger in the air, not wishing to invoke our wrath. I was at the lead of the group, carving a brutal path with my mauler through the thick tree line, allowing for quick progress to be made to our destination, as the city bordered the Everfree a few kilometers away from Cloudsdale. Just before we hit the edge of it, Fleur joined us, swooping in from the air to land beside me.
"Impressive speech," she said.
"I've seen enough people to know how to make one," I said. Thank you, hours of Mass Effect one through three. "Have they been discovered?"
"Not yet," she replied. "Any Hunters seen are left alone if they are far enough away, and extra spells cast if they are close. The pegasai and griffons are waiting for the order, and Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare will teleport troops with the cloudwalking spell active up as the first wave. The second will be when enough sites have been secured or when reinforcements are needed which ever comes first, with archers on the ground to target any Hunters or guards trying to hit our forces from below the clouds."
"And the infiltrators?"
"In position, and awaiting your word to move in on their targets."
"Good," I said as I stepped out of the forest, Cloudsdale in view. "The signal to begin the attack will be when a dead Hunter falls to the army's hooves," I say before activating my thrusters, and flying off to where I knew a high priority target was, as well as Rainbow Dash's owner.
Soarin. He was currently on patrol, and, with the infiltrators, I knew his route, and the approximate time he would pass an area. Right now, he was on the border of the forest, and I was on an intercept course. I may not be as large as I was before, but my thrusters give as much boost as before, resulting in much more speed, and more kinetic energy, which meant more damage on impact.
I was in the air for five minutes before I saw him coming in from the west, and angled myself appropriately, going to full speed to maximize the damage. As I got closer, him being unable to see due to invisibility spell, I readied my left arm, which still had the mauler on it. Now, the reason I was after him was because he was the leader of the Hunter's, Dainn's own version of the Wonderbolts, but all male, and meant to hunt down resistance groups. Killing him would cripple them all. After all, to kill a snake, remove the head. And I am aware of how that analogy sounds, but you get the idea.
Judging from his surprised face, I would say my invisibility spell wore off just before I caved his chest in with enough force to quite literally break his heart and kill him. I grabbed the body before it began to fall, the force of the punch sending him into the air a little higher than we already were, and flew in the direction of the city.
With the army- Fleur- 1st person
We waited for the signal to come from Mau'aul. You know, it's kinda funny. The resistance had never expected there to be a male in a leadership position of even a squad, let alone five battalions, but, then again, Mau'ual wan't a normal stallion. If it wasn't for him, I'd probably be dead, a black collar, a purple collar, or a blanked red somewhere else.
I rustled my wings, the appendages the Tree had seen fit to give me, according to Mau'aul, which I don't deserve. Yes, I had lead my group through skirmishes, but that was a year after the Fall. The time before that, the first year after the Fall, I had been, to my shame, a red. The reason I wasn't anymore was simple. I had a child, a beautiful filly, taken away from me after she was born, and I couldn't even name her. My former master, the one I killed for my freedom, my brother, had wanted that, saying, "You and the rest of the cunts are well enough for me. I think I'll have her sent to a fuckhouse." I never saw her again, an I don't even know where she was sent, but at least I made Fancy pay for it.
I sighed as I looked around at the others. I was a part of the first wave of the attack, and had to be ready for Mau'ual's signal. We were quiet, not wanting to give our position away before this all started. I then went back into my own thoughts.
It, the day I killed my own brother, was the day I had sealed my fate. I got the black collars he had, and led them out, me staying inside to make sure they all got out, when Fancy saw me, and, without me at his side to tell him what he could do, he charged at me. It may have worked, if I hadn't taken my own horn off the wall above the mantle before hand and stabbed him through the heart with it. Anything about me a year after the Fall except I was a slave and I killed my brother while helping black collars escape is a lie. The part with Silver, that was just after my escape.
I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of an armored body hitting the ground. "It's the signal," a mare yelled from in front of me.
"ATTACK!" That was the yell I gave, and numerous pegasai flew out from under the cloud, some, myself included, flying through the clouds into the city, while others flew to envelop the city to prevent escape as the non-fliers were teleported up. I flew through a cloud bank, and emerged in the middle of a building, one that, from the looks of it, was a storage for the Caribou sex toys shipped here. Fortunately, I knew a flame spell. A few minutes later, i was outside, the storage building behind me.
Mau'aul-1st
As soon as i dropped the body, I flew into the city. More accurately, through the small contingent of guards that were at the entry gate, killing two instantly, and using my missiles to kill the others just as the pegasai, changeling, and griffon swarms made their appearance. My plan was to do the Blitzkrieg. Much as I hate Hitler, as any sane man would, I can not deny the effectiveness of that strategy on unprepared forces. Two squads of pegasus guards charged at me, and I got into a ready stance, left arm in front, right behind it. Then I just decided "fuck it" and fired missiles at them. Homing missiles, to be exact. With a heavy payload. I turned towards my target, city hall, as the explosions rang out. You may be wondering why I was going there, to city hall. Simple.
It had information on the defenses for every town within twenty kilometers.
I brought my mauler down on a pegasus stallion’s head as I made my way to the facility where Rainbow Dash was being held. The fighting had been going on for ten minutes, and, as far as I knew, the resistance had already gained a lot of ground.
“KILL HIM!” I heard from behind me, and saw a large group of stallions and Caribou, most likely with the cloudwalking spell, charging me.
“Great,” I muttered. “I swear, sometimes-” I was cut off as something (or in this case, two somethings) hit my head. I looked down as they hit the ground, and one looked like an assault rifle from Halo, while the other was. . . something, I don’t know. If it came from a game, I haven’t played it. It looked like a cross between a chainsaw and a machete with a cross guard. So. . . a chainsword? Aw, who gives a fuck? “If you’re displaced, I need your help. If you have wings use ‘em, as your coming in in Cloudsdale.”
A portal opened up and two armored figures stepped through, only to fall straight through before using thrusters and some sort of jet pack to fly back up.
“Throne, that was not what I wanted to happen!” One of the figures said before noticing me. “You’re the one who summoned us?” he asked.
“Indeed I am,” I replied. “Short version: My name is Valus Mau’ual, and you’re in a variant of Fall of Equestria. Do you know what that is?”
“Never even heard of it,” said the other figure who I saw was a Halo 4 Orbital Spartan with Mk IV (B) armor mixed in.
“Well, put simply, it’s a vile patriarchal race that took over Equestria, with Vile and patriarchal probably already painting a picture,” I said just as the group got closer. “If not, I shall buy you time to think on it.” With that, I activated my thrusters, and flew over the two, another one like a terran marine from Starcraft, but the armor was different. I will ask later. I landed in front of the group, and said, “If you wish to keep your lives, I suggest you run now.”
“Never, you fucking heretic!”
“So be it,” I said before I attacked with my mauler, killing a caribou buck by bashing his brains out, then going into a spin to kill the others with ease. All in less than ten seconds.
“Throne! That was as fast as Rainbow!” The first figure said
“Do you two have an idea what I am facing, now?” I ask the two as I turn around to face them.
They both nodded. “My name’s Sebaste, and the Adeptus Astartes next to me is Sebastian, or Sasha to his friends,” the Spartan introduced them.
“Pleasure to meet you both,” I said. “Do you want to help stick it to the Caribou, the race that took over?”
“You don’t have to ask…” Sebaste said, summoning a SAW out of thin air.
“Then follow me,” I said, and, with me in the lead, we made our way to a nearby building, which, according to the tourist maps, was the “Mare re-education center”. I will have fun burning it to the ground. “Rainbow Dash is in there,” I said. “She will have a black collar around her neck. Get any and all mares that have the same colored collar out. I will deal with the other colors. Feel free to kill any Caribou, knock out any stallions.”
“Copy that,” Sebastian said, readying two gauntlets that had four blades that coursed with energy and also had some sort of gun mounted on them. “I’ve been spoiling for a fight for a while now. Since Ahriman attacked, it’s been a waiting game! Haven’t gotten as much practice...”
“Let me take the lead,” I said as we got to the door, and pulled back my left hand. “Knock knock, you sick fuckers!” I yelled before thrusting my fist forward, breaking the door, and a large portion of the wall. As soon at the dust cleared, I saw a group of stunned looking Stallions. “You two have gas grenades?”
“Nope, but I can use stun rounds on them,” Sebaste said.
“Do it,” I said.
“Open wide, ya wankers!” he yelled before opening up on them, and within seconds, they were unconscious.
“And that's how you do it,” the Spartan said. “Shall we get moving?”
“Let’s,” I said, and we moved deeper into the building, coming across a few guards, but not much, and each were stallions that surrendered. I asked one where the mares were kept, and he pointed us there before he was knocked out by the Spartan. “If you two do not like seeing breasts and such, turn away now.” With that, I opened the door, and, lo and behold, the depravity of the Caribou: mares, all pegasai, plugged into machines meant to fuck them senselessly, in cages, or going through some kind of machine meant to simulate breast feeding to increase their breast size, and Rainbow was in the last one. “Help me get them out,” I said as I strode over to Rainbow, and destroyed the machinery around her, and freeing her. “Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?”
“And just who the fuck are you?” she asked as she swayed a little, indicating she had been in the machine for a while.
“A friend,” I said. “Do you wish to get out of here?”
“Of course I do,” she said. “But how do I know you won’t just rape me when we get outside.”
“Ask your friend, Applejack, and the princesses when you see them.”
“Heads up, we’ve got company!” Sebastian shouted before firing the guns on his gauntlets.
“Free the other mares, and get them out of here,” I growled. “I’ll buy you time,” I said as I moved up and saw a squad of cloudwalking Caribou running our way. “I am going to enjoy this.”
Sebaste-1st
I nodded and quickly summoned a energy sword, slicing through the machinery and freeing the mare in front of me.
“Sasha, little help here!” I yelled.
“On my way,” he called out. “Hang on!”
He leapt over to where I was, destroying more machines along the way with his Storm bolters.
“Get them to safety, I’ll deal with the rest,” I said to him.
“But how do we get-” he began before a Caribou was sent flying through a wall.
“There’s your exit!” Mau’ual yelled.
“You heard him, go!” Sasha said to them. “Meet up with the others, we’ll be with you shortly!”
“If that’s the case,” Mau’ual said as he ripped the last of the Caribou in half, “I will escort them. I know where the extraction point is for any mares rescued.”
“We’ll purge the rest of this place,” Sasha said, “The Emperor protects!”
“Dude, I don't think he knows what you even mean,” I said. “In fact, I don't even think he’s heard of Warhammer 40,000.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of it,” Mau’ual said as he made his way to the newly made door. “Just never played it. Now, all of you, come on, before more Caribou arrive!” With that, he left the building, the mares hesitantly following behind him. I looked around, and saw no other mares.
“Alright, let's blow this joint!” Sasha said. We both exited through the hole, then Sasha summoned a Thunderhawk and teleported us inside.
“Arm the Turbo Laser Destructor,” He said. “This structure doesn't deserve to stand.”
I nodded and readied the main weapon. “Firing!” I said.
There was a dull thud heard as the gun fired, within seconds, the building was leveled by a massive blast as the laser from the Turbo Destructor hit.
“Target is destroyed!” I reported.
Sasha nodded. “Let’s go and catch up with Mau’ual, and let him know.” he said as he turned the gunship to where Mau’ual was headed.
Mau’ual-1st- a few hours later
I stood where the city hall used to be, overlooking the resistance, and those we had freed. We had been able to free every mare in the city while taking many stallions captive. I turned to face the other two displaced, who stood next to me. “I thank you two,” I said.
“It was our pleasure, but we have something to ask you,” Sebaste said.
“Shoot.”
“We’re looking for more allies to help us defend our universe from another displaced that is hell bent on destroying our world, and he’s gathered allies to help him.”
“You have my support,” I said. “But note, if I am in the middle of a fight here, I will remain here.
Sebaste nodded. “If you know of any other displaced, let them know of our predicament, we need all the allies we can get,” He said. “If you ever need our help, you have our tokens. Just give us a call and we’ll dispense death to the enemy.” He then summoned a Brute shot and handed it to me. “Since you seem to be the type that goes for brute strength, this should suit you, it fires off a grenade that will devastate any enemies within it’s blast radius, and if the enemy is too close, the blade is more than capable of slicing them in half.”
I nodded, and took the weapon. “Thanks,” I said. “You guys can go back to your universe now.”
As the portal opened, Sebastian tossed a gun of unknown design to me. “It’s called a Storm bolter, unlimited ammo and fires any type you want it to.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I shall see you next time I call you, or you call me. Wait, I don't have a token. Can you guys help me?”
Sebaste nodded. “You pick something of yours, Weapon, piece of armor etc., then you put some of your soul into it and say a phrase for someone to summon you and throw it into the void,” he explained. “It's as simple as that.”
“Right,” I said. “I’ll take care of that after everything’s taken care of here.”
The duo saluted and stepped through the portal, it soon closed after them with a pop. Well, now I have more allies. Good.
So, it's been a few days since Cloudsdale, and we had been able to get everypony to the Hive. A few does, I imagine either allies of Silver's or something else, had joined after the fighting. Once everypony from Cloudsdale, mostly pegasai, I did my usual wave thing, which resulted in the usual, collars being removed, and missing appendages being regrown. Whether it's because of their warrior heritage or extreme hate of their oppressors, just about every pegasus signed up to help the resistance, and were given Cabal armor by the wave.
Right now, I was in the war room with the princesses, Silver, and Chrysalis. We were discussing what we were going to do next. "I say we hit the Empire next," Chrysalis said.
"Why?" Nightmare asked. "It is sure to be heavily defended. And besides, Shining Armor is there, and we all know his skill with shield spells."
"Nightmare is right," Celestia said. "So long as Shining is there, he'll be able to keep his shield up."
"And of what my sisters say," Silver said, "he keeps mares around him, and the few threats to actually get to him, he uses mares as living shields, sometimes letting them die. The only exceptions, so far, anyway, would be his sister, and princess Cadence."
"Well, there must be someway to attack it," Luna said, and this is where I came into the conversation.
"Indeed there is," I said. "And it is an obvious one: deceit."
"What do you mean, Mau'ual?" Chrysalis asked.
"Simple. Even if it wasn't where a prince was, they'd guard the place as if only Dainn himself mattered more. Ask yourselves: why?"
"The crystal heart," Celestia said, and her tone showed she didn't know where I was going, but from Silver's smile, she did.
"Exactly," she said. "Which, if i may, Mau'ual, means we need to make it look as if we don't know how important the former heart is to their control. I assume you know how?"
"Yes," I said. "What we need to do is strike at what are seemingly unimportant towns and cities, far away from the Empire, so it seems as if we know not how important the Empire is to them. If the plan works, then we'll be able to, at least, slip more agents into the Empire."
"What do you mean, 'agents'?" Nightmare asked. It seems I forgot to say that part.
"I suppose I should explain," I said. "You see, there are a few mares who, though want to go back to the way things were, love sex. I made them a deal: they help us gain information, because the Caribou think females are too stupid, more often than not, to be able to comprehend plans, and they get fucked as many times as they want, in a way. As for after this is all over, I have a few ideas."
"And what if one turns on us?" Nightmare asked, to which I chuckled.
"They have seen only me, and they are currently mares only from Ponyville and Cloudsdale," I replied, crossing my arms. They have no idea where we are, our numbers, or even who's an fellow agent or a full blown red collar. They have nothing to harm us. I ensured that much. Are there going to be leaks? Yes, no way to fully prevent that, I simply reduced the risk to the resistance as a whole," I replied.
"It was my plan, you know," Silver said. "Only reason I let you go with it is because they'd trust you more than a Caribou."
"Hmph," Chrysalis said. "I will admit, it is an impressive plan, " Chrysalis said. "But still, why did neither of you say anything."
"Playing it safe," Silver said. "Don't want to risk the same thing happening to us that we hope to bring on the Caribou."
Whatever was going to be said next, though, was interrupted by a guard, a female changeling, rushed into the war room. "What's going on?" Chrysalis aske,d knowing her guards wouldn't come in unless it was important.
"My queen, the outposts," she said, panting, indicating she had run here. "They've gone silent. The only word is that creatures of black flames attacked.
"What did they look like, other than the flames?" I asked.
"No idea, sir. Just that the guards, before being killed, said that the creatures had black and white skin with flames coming from them."
"Damn it," I muttered. I can't believe my luck, but another question is why. "I can't believe this."
"What is it?" Celestia asked as I stood up.
"An old foes forces have quite possibly arrived for me," I said before exiting the room. As I passed a small group of guards, who were on alert, I told them, "find my battalion leaders, and have them rally near the front entrance with their groups, and be at the ready." They nodded, and rushed off as I made my way to the designated spot. On my way there, I saw guards evacuating non combatants away from from the entrances as they themselves got ready for a fight.
As I neared the main entrance, I saw Applejack's battalion already there. "Spread out," I said in as calm but authoritative tone I could.
"Ya know what it is?" Applejack asked.
"I believe so," I said. "I only hope I am wrong." Because if I'm not, we are most likely dead.
As the other four battalions under my command arrived, howls and screams I knew well could be heard, and they were getting closer. "Unicorns up front, and prepare to fire!"
Behind me, I head the shuffling of hooves, but did not look back. Just as the last sound of that died down, a roar was heard, and a single entity came flying out of the woods in front. Said entity was as the guard earlier described, but it also had what looked to once be some sort of dress, one now torn, with three fingers on each hand, and an ear splitting howl. I was afraid of this.
The Taken, somehow, had come here. I didn't even know they were in this universe, so this was a shock. Not as large as it was to my comrades when I described them later, but still quite shocked. "Take it down!" I yelled, and the unicorns fired at it. Not even a Taken Wizard shield can withstand near thirty, fully charged magic bolts, and, with some added firepower from my rockets, it was killed.
"Be ready," I said. "There is never just one of these abominations." As soon as I said that, more Taken poured out from the woods, and there were multiple of each of the Hive variation. "Damn it," I say. "Battalions, fall back and protect the royals! I'll buy you what time I can."
"But Mau'ual-" Azure said before I interrupted.
"I know what these things are," I said. "Now go! I will rejoin with you all if I survive. If not, give them hell." With that, I turned to face the oncoming Taken as hesitant hoofsteps were heard behind me, getting fainter as the Taken neared.
Just as they reached me, they encircled me and growled, howled, anything but actually speak, really. I proceeded to crack my knuckles. "And here I thought the rest of the week past Cloudsdale would be boring," I said before I activated my thrusters, and lunged head first into the enemy.
Canterlot-Throne room
Today was an odd day, to say the least. Why, you may ask. Simple. Dainn had not fucked a mare or any female yet, and it was well past mid-day. His closest advisers had worried, but he had been able to convince them he was okay. In reality, he was not.
Not out of injury or humiliation, at least to this degree. Rather, it was something from his past.
More accurately, probably the only female he didn't see as a sex object, and, given Caribou society, that was saying something. His old friend, Silver.
What friend? a part of him asked as he sat on his throne. She is a female. They are not our friends, but our slaves and subordinates.
So? another, older, in terms of how long it had been a part of him, asked in reply. What does that matter? Equestria was on equal footing before, and even the odd buck would say it was better than now.
Yes, and they were all swapped and fucked like the female sympathizers they are. When will you realize that the only place for mares and all females are on their knees, sucking our cock?
Perhaps when you finally mature, the older part of his said. We both know that Silver was, and quite possibly still is as capable as a male, the bearer of the Element of Honesty most certainly is. The only reason you beat Celestia is because you stole part of the Chaos god's power.
To use it for a noble reason. No female should have power.
That's quite hypocritical, seeing as how you place mares in positions of power. Albeit over other mares, but still.
"My king?" a Caribou guard said, breaking Dainn out of his mental argument, for lack of a better term.
"What is it?" Dainn asked, hiding the inner argument well enough.
"S-someone wishes to see you," the guard said. "They say it has to do with the demon that aides the Resistance."
"Then send him in," Dainn said. "If he thinks he can help kill the demon, seeing as how none have come to me with a solution other than brute force, I may as well try to get a laugh out of the situation."
"Of course my king," the guard said before he left the room.
A few seconds passed, and Dainn thought that he would need to flail someone when the light in the room noticeably lessened, and a portal of some kind appeared, the color being black and white. Through it stepped a being that even had Dainn terrified a little, and it took a lot to make him scared.
The being seemed to be a large, taller than a minotaur, mix between a caribou and a moth. It stood on two legs, a red tunic going to the floor, not a dress, even Dainn was annoyed by individuals who thought they were the same. Its skin was blood red, its armor like bone. It had three fingers on each hand, both of which were over the hilt of a sword that looked to be the same material as the armor. It had three eyes, each a bright green, in a triangle formation, and a headpiece that seemed to resemble horns, with slightly folded wings coming from the back that were blood red as the skin. Just the air the being gave off was enough for Dainn to respect him.
"And just who are you?" Dainn asked. "And how will you be able to help me?"
The being looked down at him for a few seconds before speaking. "I plan on helping you, as I must deal with one of this 'demon's' kind myself," he said, the voice deep enough to indicate it was a he. "There are only a few things I will ask of you in return."
"If you help me deal with the demon, whatever you want," Dainn replied. "But you did not answer my first question."
"If you must know my name," the being said, "then you must know my title as well." He took a small breath, and spoke.
"My name, mortal, is Oryx, and I am the Taken King."
I stood at the mouth of the hive entrance, using everything I had, my fist, mauler, and rockets to keep the Taken from entering. I don't care why they're here, but I'd like to know how they're here, even if they can travel between dimensions.
Anyway, I used my thrusters to propel myself off the ground, and then used them to plunge down, and bash in the head of a Taken Acolyte, and creating a shockwave with a circle of fire around me, burning some of them to a crisp, making them either melt, don't ask me how that works, it's their usual death animation in game, or just sending them flying back, and into trees.
The flame area gave me some breathing room from the Taken Thralls, annoying things that can teleport and are melee enemies. Yeah. Of course, those with weapons other than claws were still able to attack, but my armor was able to withstand it. Soon as the flames vanished, all hell broke loose.
I fired off a swarm of missiles at those closest to me, the explosions killing the Taken closest to the explosions, which allowed me to use my thrusters to move forward, and hit a Taken Knight in the face with enough force to rip its head off, if it wasn't Taken, which killed it. From there, I turned and slammed my mauler into the ground, creating another shockwave, which cleared the area around me, but left me open to an attack from a Taken Thrall, which clawed at my back before I spun, grabbed its head, and crushed it.
The next to die was a Taken Knight, who, using its ability to spit fire, I'm not kidding, tried to melt my armor off, but, as I used flames, my armor was able to resist it, and allowed me to get in close, and, in essence, rip it in half with my mauler hitting its waist.
Unfortunately, I didn't even make a dent in their numbers, as more just came out of the literal woodwork of the forest. I guess I can only hope that Chrysalis and the others decided to escape. Which means, time to go out with a bang.
I used my thrusters to kick up a giant cloud of dirt and dust, obscuring the vision of the enemy forces, and activated my helmet's various vision settings to be able to see them. I then fired off more rockets at the priority targets, Taken Wizards and Knights, either killing them, or devastating their shields and badly injuring them. I then spun around, hitting an Acolyte in the head with the long edge of my mauler before puling my arm back, and punching a Taken Thrall in the face, which allowed one to claw at my back, getting a lucky shot in at the undersuit, and causing it to tear.
A warning came on my HUD. Suit rupture detected, unable to seal off. Losing humidity. Twenty minutes until empty. Okay, then. Twenty minutes to kick ass and give the others time. At best.
Better make it count, then.
I turned, and grabbed the Thrall in my hand, and threw it into its comrades, the speed making it unable to teleport out of the way, which, unfortunately, widened the tear, resulting in, Ten minutes. Yeah, fuck you too, universe. Looks like I need to go explosive.
i activated my thrusters, and rocketed into the air as I fired my missiles down towards the ground. I don't know how, but Cabal tech allows for infinite missiles, which I'll take right now, considering my handicap, making this the only thing that'll give me as much time as possible.
Anyway, I continued to rain missiles down on them, up to the three minute mark on my humidity reading. "Time to finish this," I whispered to my self before I went higher into the air, near a kilometer, and then turned around, an drocketed toward the ground, maluer poised and ready to strike.
As I hit the ground, the largest shockwave I had created radiated out from the impact point, along with a large ring of fire, which incinerated each Taken left. "That is why you do not mess with a Valus," I said before my vision dimmed, and one last warning announced that I had run out of time, and, with that, I fell to the ground, but not before seeing the alicorns, Fleur included, rushing to my location.
For who knows how long, all my world was was black and silent. No voices, no sounds of nature. As silent as the grave I was most certainly in after my fight with the forces of Darkness incarnate. So, imagine my surprise when I heard this: "I don't know, princess. It's a miracle he survived, seeing as how he's from a more humid worked than ours, and his suit lost nearly all of it from the damage. We should thank Harmony he's in a coma." I barely heard it, but still heard it.
"The doctor is right, sister," I heard. "You saw the damages his armor incurred. 'Tis a miracle he survived fighting those. . .shadows, or whatever they were. Right now, we can only hope he makes a quick recovery. The others would be, and are, demoralized with him unable to do anything. He is the one who led the attacks that freed Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and us."
"We all know that, Luna," a third voice said. "But until he recovers, it'll be up to us to lead them. He's been out a week, and the army is ready to move on Manehattan."
Manehattan? The resistance isn't ready for that, even with our numbers and allies. My network said it is defended by Discord himself. I know he could have stopped me when I saw him at the tree, but it's Discord, he may have been saying that just to make me trust him. We wouldn't be ready to hit there at all until after all the bearers were free, which meant the Empire liberated. Needless to say, they were screwed if they went with the attack.
"Then I suppose it's a good thing I'm one for dramatic entrances, then, Mau'ual," a fourth, familiar voice said before my sight had something new.
The sight was a gray skinned, earth pony mare wearing a white dress that went to her ankles. She was as tall as Celestia and Nightmare, and had rainbow hair-actual rainbow hair, unlike Celestia's northern lights like hair- that was long enough to reach her shoulders, had it not been flowing in an unfeelable wind. "Harmony," I said in my mind, recognizing her instantly.
"Indeed," she said with a slight head bow. "I'm sorry this is how our first meeting came to be. Well, the first one where you know what my preferred form is, anyway."
"Not your fault," I said. "I suppose you are the reason I'm still alive?"
"That, and some quick thinking on Fleur's part," the goddess replied. "The more she does, the more I believe my choice in making her an alicorn is correct."
"Noted," I said. "Why are you here, exactly, Harmony, if you do not mind me asking?"
"Well, you see," Harmony said, "as you know, I can't resist a god prophecy-each one Celestia and Luna know of are from me-but the major ones, I give only to a select few, and right now, you are one of them."
"Great," I muttered. "That cliche."
"Yes, well, I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff," Harmony said. "Anyway, here's the prophecy: When Equestria has fallen six times at once, one hundred and twenty moons shall pass, and ten demons-one born of light and enveloped in darkness, one born of darkness and enveloped in light, one bred from birth to be a warrior, one who had been betrayed, one a summoner, one a general, one a living shadow, one from times past, one who has lost all his family, and one a solider of science- shall rise, and through their efforts, Equestria will either rise, or perish."
"And it doesn't rhyme why?" I asked.
"Couldn't think of a rhyming version of it," Harmony said, shrugging. "Though I will say this: they will have a part in helping you free your Equestria."
"Good," I said. "Support will be welcome. When will I meet them?"
"That, I can not say," Harmony said. "All I can say is that you will meet parts of the group when you need to, not before. I can also say you'll wake up the day the resistance nearly fails in Manehattan."
"And the last moment cliche, as I call it," I muttered. "Allows for epic shit and entrance, but also could lead to great tragedy."
"Which is why you'll have support of one of my champions for that one," she said. "You'll meet him then. I recommend you let him battle Discord, I gave him some of my energy, just enough to make it to where Discord can't use his abilities against him. Directly, at least."
"Noted," I said. "Anything else I should know?"
"Simply that Rarity and Pinkie have arrived, and have been placed with Applejack and Rainbow Dash:Rarity as a medic, Pinkie as the cook."
"I guess that does fit them well," I said. "Is that all?"
"For now, yes," Harmony said. "I shall see you at a later date, then." And with that, she just vanished.
I'm going to hate the day when I wake up, won't I?
Canterlot- a week earlier
"-and you are willing to give me command of these. . . Taken of yours, as long as I kill the resistance leader?" Dainn asked Oryx.
"Indeed I am," Oryx said. "And, if you are able to, I will be able to give you something in return. A true goddess for you, perhaps?"
Dainn opened his mouth to say yes, but was surprised when his mouth said, "No. I am quite content with the solar and lunar cunts, or at least will be when they are recaptured."
"I suggest you watch your wording," Oryx said. "I am from a different version of your universe, and that world's Celestia is my daughter. Even if that is not the case here, I will not stand for her being called anything but a respectful title or her own title, which she chose for herself. Actually, if you or your kind treat any female under my rule as you treat those under yours, I will make you regret it. Am I clear?"
"Yes," Dainn said. "And you have my thanks for offering assistance to the Caribou, King Oryx."
"I do not need your thanks," Oryx said before he disappeared in a green flash, leaving only he Caribou king, still wondering why he hadn't taken the offer of yet another goddess.
So, a few days have passed since the whole dragon issue, and me, along with the other Tenno who had, for lack of a better term, gone rogue from Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare were in the relay. With her agents on the ground, Harmony had learned and told us that, since Spike had tried to stop me and that she found no evidence of corruption(1), Celestia had officially made him the leader of any operations meant to bring me and the others in, and said she had given frames to a few other ponies. Jeez, Celestia, can you spell hypocrite?
Anyway, I was in what passed for the entertainment section of the relay, mainly a library with a television that, according to Harmony, had most movies from my home before coming here, reading a book, when Harmony contacted me. Excalibur?
Yeah, Harmony? I asked. What's up?
As you know, I have champions in multiple versions of Equestria, with you being the one for this Equestria. One of them requires your abilities as assistance. Have you heard of something Fall of Equestria?
You mean the fan thing that started as a Tumblr thing that had a race called the Caribou take over all of Equestria and degrade any and all females, including Celestia and Luna, into nothing more than sex toys, resulting in something worse that the slave south, which would be something hard to top? I asked. No, I replied sarcastically. Why?
Funny. The reason I ask is because this particular champion is one of the leaders of the only resistance that's actually been able to succeed in their fight. He was badly wounded during his last fight, causing the resistance to want to take Manehattan, where that Discord resides, as revenge.
I face palmed. "Morons," I muttered. I'm guessing he's now waking up, and will need my help to take that Discord down?
Yes, Harmony replied. And keep in mind he's one of the few who touched the tree and I contacted. That may not mean much to you, Ex, but to me, it means they are important.
I sighed as I stood up, closing the book, and letting my frame envelop me. "Noted," I said as I made my way to the arsenal, each room having one for combat reasons, and equipped my Silva and Aegis, Soma, and Aksomati, the flames on the sword and shield matching the energy color of my frame, a pyra sugatra, matching the sword hilt colors, hanging off the end of the hilt. "Will I need the Liset, or you going to teleport me there?"
I'll teleport you there, then your ship when you'll need to get to Manehattan, Harmony said. Get ready. And, with that, my world vanished in a flash of light.
Resistance HQ-Valus Mau'ual-1st POV
My world came back slowly from the darkness that had been a constant since I spoke with Harmony but a week ago. The first thing that I was able to fully see was the white, pink haired alicorn by my side, sitting on a chair next to my hospital bed. "H-hello, Fleur," I managed to croak out, making her jump awake. "Good to see somepony's guarding me to make sure any traitors don't get to me," I said with a small smile and chuckle.
"Mau'ual! I didn't expect you t be up yet?"
"Why?" I said as I sat up, revealing I had on my black under suit, my voice quickly coming back. "Because I faced the forces of Darkness, with a capitol 'D', by the way, and nearly died?" I chuckled again. "Fleur, I have survived explosions to the face, often times multiple at once. It will take a lot to defeat me."
"Noted," she said. "Still, do you think you should be up?"
"I'd rather know how I'm still alive," I said.
"Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare were able to use a spell that kept your skin hydrated," Fleur replied.
"I'll make sure to thank them. Where are they, anyway?" Please don't let them be with the morons.
"With the army in Manehattan." Palm, meet face. "I tried to stop them, but couldn't. They didn't want to leave, but had to in order for them to even have a chance against Discord."
I sighed. "Armor. Where?"
"Just outside," Fleur said. "I figured you'd want it when you woke up. You wear just it about all the time."
I nodded. "My thanks, Fleur. We'll need it."
She looked at me with confusion on her face. "Why?" she asked.
"Because we're going to pull their assess out of the fire," I said as I left the room I was in, and saw my armor hanging by an iron hook. I took each part off as I put it on, my helmet being the last and held under my right shoulder as I walked back into the mad bay, and saw Fleur wearing the ponified Flayer armor that Harmony had given her-and just about every member of her squad and fighter from Ponyville- upon me freeing them from the Caribou. "You prepare quickly," I noted.
"Hours of practice," she replied as she slightly unfurled her wings. "Think we can get there in time?"
By yourselves, a voice I recognize,d but still made me and Fleur jump, said. But I may be able to help.
"Ah, Harmony," I said. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
I said I'd have one of my champions help you with this, and I do not go back on my word, Harmony replied. Plus, it is worse than I thought it would be. With Discord, the Caribou crushed any fight within minutes, and are now having a city wide orgy. I think the only reason why Dainn isn't there is because they're too fuck happy to care right now. Oh, and the champion will arrive in three. . .two. . .one.
As she hit zero, there was a small flash of light, causing Fleur and I to avert our eyes. Whne the glow faded, I looked, and saw what I swear was a deformed unicorn, as it had a horn that was blunt at the top, sprouted at the scalp level just above the forehead, and had actual feet, no hooves. Better than last time," I heard him mutter.
"And you are?" I asked, quickly putting my helmet on as I saw the weapons-one looking like a rifle Guardians would use, though with what I assumed to be the magazine being a half circle across the bottom with it all matching his colors, blue with red, yellow, and purple accents, a pair of pistols with similar magazines colored similarly, and armor plating over its left forearm that looked like bone-and prepared my own.
"The name's Excalibur. And no relation to the sword other than me having a preference for those types of weapons," he said. "Before you ask, short version of what I am is that I'm a human operating what's called a Warframe, which essentially allows me to do some crazy shit, and I'm already aware I'm in a universe where the Caribou are winning." He stopped, and looked me over. "Huh. A guy dressed as Valus Mau'ual from the shield brothers strike. Never heard of that before. Or any Cabal displaced, really."
"Can we discuss this later?" I asked. Harmony, get us there now.
Of course, Mau'ual.
With that, a flash of light occurred, with Excalibur muttering, "Here we go again," and we vanished from the med bay.
Outside Manehattan-Excalibur
We reappeared, the flash in our eyes dissipating quickly. "Just like normal teleportation," Mau'ual remarked.
"Only you get used to it quicker," I replied as I looked over the city. "From a distance, it looks the same from my version of Equestria."
"I'm guessing that you don't have to deal with the Caribou?" Fleur asked.
"Not even at Discord's return, yet," I replied. "Before you ask, I'm going to say dimensional rifts and gods loving to have fun is why I'm here at this point in time while you guys are where?"
"Three years after the fall, which would be just after season three finale," Mau'ual replied.
"Discord helping them out?" I asked.
"That's why we're here," the Valus replied. "Shall we?"
"Let's," I said as I checked my Soma, making sure it had it's full hundred shot clip, and my HUD showed it had the Primed reserve of eight hundred. Shields were full, and health rating at seven eighty, energy at full with a single streamline-maxed out- for less activation cost. Needless to say, I was a fucking destruction machine. Shame I don't have Iron skin as an ability. Ah well. "But first, I think our entrance needs music."
"Agreed," Mau'ual said. "But wait until we are near the largest part of the Caribou group."
That would be near the city center, Harmony said. Actually, there's a huge building there, most likely Discord's doing, where every Caribou soldier and Resistance member is currently.
"Fun," I said. "Harmony, can you bring my Archwing in?"
Of course, she said before a small orb of light appeared, and the Elytron appeared before it made its way to my back and attached to the frame, and had me begin to hover off the ground.
"You guys able to fly?"
"Yes," Mau'ual said as he activated thrusters placed on his back, and Fleur opened her wings-when did she get those?- and flew up to my level.
"Then let's go," i said, and flew off towards the building, which Harmony highlighted on my HUD. The building itself resembled the Empire state building back home, only larger, and with a giant. . .well, this is a world of male superiority, guess what it is at the top.
"The glass is bound to be reinforced by Discord's magic!" Fleur was able to yell over the wind raging past us, to which I laughed as I pulled out the Imperator.
"Then it's a damned good thing i have a key!" I yelled back as I positioned my self to where the Elytron was still at max thrust, but i could still fire the gun. "Harmony? Care to mod the bullets so they can work against his magic?"
On it.
Inside the building-Celestia-3rd
Today was, without a doubt, one of the worst days in Celestia's life. Not the worst, but in the top five.
It had started out as well as she had expected: she, Luna, Nightmare, and Chrysalis, with Fleur staying behind should Mau'ual wake up, led the attack on Manehattan, which was only an hour ago. It had, quite obviously, gone to Tartarus in a hand basket rather quickly, with Discord using his perverted-literally and figuratively-to stop the Resistance from fighting, and making males lose control of their bodies-they were still themselves, just no control over their limbs, the head being the exception- and removing any and all armor on the mares, does, and griffonesses. And that was before he teleported them all to his penthoue, which ha dhad expanded with his magic, for a huge rape orgy.
Far as Celestia could tell, every female here was black collared, meaning Discord hadn't corrupted any yet, so there was that upside. On the downside, all three alicorns and the changeling queen, with Silver being used by the Caribou governor of the city, were Discord's play toys now.
She had been the most recently used one by the god of chaos, who was now using her sister. "You know, I did miss these little bonding, or, rather, bondage, sessions," Discord said as he hilted himself in Luna, who was gagged and with a nullifier ring around the base of her horn, as like all the mare unicorns and the few does with horns, to prevent her use of magic. "Then again, you mares always did like to mess things up."
"Oh, please, like you haven't, traitor," Nightmare growled. "You're the god of Chaos. Messing things up is practically your job."
"Oh shut up, Nightmare," Discord said, snapping his fingers and placing a ball gag in Nightmare's mouth. "You know, at least the one good thing to come of that demon was that another alicorn cunt was made to use."
Nightmare tried to roar through the gag, but was unable to. Not that it was heard over all the screaming and moaning, but still. Though, one thing that was heard was the sound of glass breaking, which, out of fear, made everything stop, as none knew where it had come from, but all were afraid of being sucked out of the building due to air pressure. And then, "Sir, look!"
A Caribou soldier pointed out the norther window, making any who could, just about any female not being taken from both ends, look, and see three blurs moving quickly and growing, with one quickly resolving into Mau'ual, the second into Fleur, and the third into something else.
"What the-" Discord started before Mau'ual reached the window, and used his mauler to break it open, allowing him and Fleur in, and the third being to launch off whatever had been carrying him. Mau'ual crushed a Caribou soldier's head in upon his landing, Fleur launched two more out the window with her magic, while the third grabbed what looked like a bone off its left forearm, and pulled it off, causing a fiery blade and shield of green to appear as he spun, cutting even more Caribou in half.
"Miss me, assholes," Mau'ual said to the Caribou. "'Cause I'm back."
"Harmony, mind teleporting the females out of here so we don't kill them in the crossfire?" the third being, which looked like a deformed unicorn said to nopony. "Well, if so, teleport them out and give them some armor and weapons. Is it really that hard?" Celestia wondered if he was crazy, but a flash of light indicated her being teleported, and, when it faded, she was wearing her armor, and was outside near the entrance of the building, a sword in one hand, shield in another.
"That was. . .interesting," Nightmare said, also wearing her armor and with a scythe in both arms.
"Indeed it was," Luna said. "But for now, I think we should clear the lower floors of th ebuilding, and make our wya to where Mau'ual and the other two are."
"Agreed," Celestia said.
"Fighters!" Chrysalis yelled at the Resistance ranks. "Get in there, and cut them to ribbons!"
A cheer rose up from the fighters, and they began to pour into the building, eager to cut the Caribou apart.
Mau'ual-1st
"So, was it you, or another version that talked to me when I first spoke with Harmony?" I asked, Caribou soldiers and their male supporters surrounding us, weapons in hand and nothing for protection. In both terms of the word I mean.
"Probably a weaker version of me who needs to be shown where mares lot in life is," Discord said. "Like you really," he said before snapping our fingers, with nothing happening. "What?" he asked in surprise.
""Harmony kinda shielded us from your bullcrap," Excalibur said as he held the sword in his hand over the shield and ducked behind it in case someone was stupid enough to attack him. "I'm her champion in my Equestria, and Mau'ual's apparently the one here. For Fleur? Yeah, I'm just assuming she has that kind of will."
"Thanks," Fleur said as I heard her use her magic to create an etheric sword. I will assume Celestia and Luna taught her that trick while I was out.
"No problem," Excalibur said. "So, which one of you morons wants to die next?"
"Why let them choose?" I asked. "They're gonna die anyway."
"Fair point," Excalibur said. "Time to kick some ass." And with that, he put the sword into the shield, causing it to collapse, brought his right arm up, a green, glowing blade appearing in a reverse grip, and thrust it into the floor, causing twelve of our future victims to be sent flying into and impaled to the ceiling. Excalibur then ripped the blade out of the floor, and brought it into a two handed grip. "Let's go."
As the music began to play, I activated my thrusters, and charged head first, or, rather, mauler first, into a horde of Caribou soldiers as I saw Excalibur make his way to Discord, and Fleur hold off a group of stallions that charged her. Without their armor, just about everything but Discord fell, whether by mauler or blade, with ease. Only a few actually had on armor, and that didn't cover much, nor where they were hit, thus doing a net protection of nothing for them, putting them in the same boat as the others.
Just as I brought my mauler down on the nth Caribou soldier's head, crushing it with a wet crack, I looked up, and saw Excalibur holding his own against Discord, though having gone back to his shield and sword combo. I saw Discord lunge at him with his griffon talon, but he was able to leap back near the edge of the floor, where numerous soldiers encircled him. He simply swung the sword, killing a few, then threw his shield into the mob, the blazing shield tearing through six enemies before it came back to him, making him jump into the air as he went forward, and put the shield under his feet as it was spinning. He hit the floor and essentially sled through the enemies in front of him and cutting others in half before jumping up, and just slicing any around him. How do you even do that?
Anyway, I also saw Fleur using her magic to blast a few stallions and bucks into ash as they got close, and fended the others off with her sword.
"Alright, that is it!" I heard Discord yell before he snapped his talons, causing-oh, fuck you, universe! He just summoned in a horde of Taken.
"Aw, fuck," I heard Excalibur say, and I agreed entirely as they charged us.
Why did it have to be fucking Taken? Actually, a better question is how! You know what, I'll look into it later.
Okay, so, Mau'ual, Fleur, and I were charged by the Taken that Discord had summoned, mostly Taken Knights and Acolytes and a few Thrall. No Wizards with tracking shots, fortunately. So, yeah, they charged us, and I used the Aegis part of my sword and shield to block the shots from the Acolytes, and used Silva to slice any that came close enough, Mau'ual was using his mauler to block the larger projectiles, but he couldn't go on the offense as he had no other melee weapons, which is where Fleur took up the slack, and attacked for him with her dual etheric blades.
Still, even then, we were easily surrounded, and I personally found it a miracle we hadn't already been taken down. "Guys, we need to take this outside!" I yelled.
"How do you propose we do that?!" Mau'ual replied with a yell.
"How else?" I yelled back. "Hey, Discord! You call yourself a man? Then why do you hide behind an army like a pussy?!"(1) This had the desired effect, as an expression of rage appeared on the chaos god's face before he snapped his fingers, causing the Taken to vanish, leaving just the four of us. Harmony, get the Raider wings ready for me, will ya?
On it, Ex. They'll be ready.
Thanks.
"You dare insult me!? Discord, the God of Chaos!?" said moron yelled in anger. "I know what you are, Tenno, and I can easily break a machine!"
"Then you're misinformed!" I yelled back. "Now, come and get us! Mau'ual, Fleur, lets fly!"
They nodded, and we made our way to the window we had burst through before jumping out of it, with Mau'ual activating his thrusters and Fleur spreading her wings as a flash of light appeared around me for a second before fading, revealing the Itzal Archwing on my back, the Fluctus in my hand, and Centaur on the wing of the Itzal, each matching my frame's color scheme.
"Nice wings," Mau'ual said just before Discord appeared in front of us.
"Later," I said as I put the Fluctus on the right thruster of the Itzal, and drew the Centaur, causing the blades to expand and the shield to widen.
"You know, Dainn said that if I was able to capture the demon if he was still, alice, I'd be able to switch him and use him for personal use," Discord grolwed. "But I think I'll just kill you, as I like my mares red collared." With that, he snapped his fingers, which caused a shit load of swords to appear before being sent flying towards us.
"I don't think so," I said before activating Cosmic crush, which in essence created a micro black hole which swallowed up all the swords that had been sent flying towards us before it collapsed and created a large shockwave, one which destroyed the glass windows on the building we had come out of. "Lets go, bitch," I said before using blink to teleport behind Discord and try to slice him in half, but, when I did, well, it's Discord, so he survived, but it also made two of him.
Did not expect that to happen, Harmony said. This will be an interesting fight, as you won't be able to cut him at all.
Yeah, I guessed that, I replied. Give me the Knux, then.
If that'll help, she said, and the blade and shield weapon vanished to be replaced with what were essentially large knuckles on each of my hands, each taller than my torso each.
"This'll be fun," I muttered. "Two of him."
"It will be, Discord said. "For us, anyway." And with that, the two Discords attacked, one going for me, the other for Fleur and Mau'ual.
The one that came for me attacked with bolts of lightning and his claws. A few, I were able to deflect using the Knux, while the rest hit my shield, and, half of the time, they were brought down low, as the Itzal was not meant for being a tank of Archwings, they goes to the Elytron, which also does a load of collateral, which we don't need right now. A shockwave can be easily repaired. A mini nuke not easily.
So, yeah, it was a hard pressed fight, to the point one of the Knuxs broke and I had to have Hamrony bring in the Rathbone to replace it. The few hits to get past my shields were repaired with my Rejuvenation Aura mod, though how that works with an Archwing is beyond me.
After ten minutes of bones breaking, only to be repaired by either magic or Aura abilities, the two of us floated in the air, panting heavily. "Why won't you die!?" Discord yelled at me.
I shrugged. "Because I'm able to constantly heal, an it has no limits i know of," I replied. "Now, I say it's time I bring in support. Drones, deploy." As I said that, attack drones peeled off from the Itzal wings, and hovered around me. "Sick 'm, boys." The drones beeped, and proceeded to swarm this Discord, blasting him with laser beams. As they did so, I channeled into my weapons. Harmony, I need a direct tap into your power, I said.
Excalibur, that may kill you, if the Frame doesn't short circuit, Harmony said. Are you sure?
What's life without a few risks, I replied. Besides, I've died once already, and I'm sure you'll be able to find someone to replace me if this goes south. There was a sigh before she replied.
If you think it'll help, she said before my HUD went over board, with multiple overload warnings, each flashing red, and the glow on my weapons and Archwing glowed as bright as a star.
"Time to die, Discord," I said before gunning the thrusters, the Knux raised back, and the Rathbone having it's thrusters ready to deliver a followup shot, one that wasn't needed, as the punch from the Knux utterly and completely disintegrated that portion of Discord, but the fact I was also tapping Harmony's strength, I think, led to his magic being pulled to me.
Excalibur- Harmony began, but I cut her off.
Don't try to console me, Harmony, I said as I began to see just white. This was my choice. Not your fault. Be sure to tell the others how I went out.
. . .I will, Ex. I was about to reply when all the warnings on my HUD vanished form what little i could see, and something else appeared, though I could only make out one word.
Prime.
Mau'ual-1st
Fleur and my fight with our Discord was just about the same, only, we didn't heal quickly. Fortunately, Harmony had apparently-and I asked her after the whole thing, so it is confirmed-put a paper thin barrier over my under suit and around my head so as to allow my skin to stay hydrated, but still allow my armor to be put on. Still, my armor had gouges and burn marks on it, and parts had broken off, and my right shoulder was dislocated.
"Wow," Discord said. "For being one of my sister's champions, I figured you would have been able to fight better."
Before either of us could reply, there was a flash of light, and Discord screamed in pain, and a voice spoke up. "Maybe because we're meant to work together," Excalibur said as the flash died down, and Discord turned to face it, Fleur and I re positioning for a better look, only to see Excalibur, no longer the color scheme he was when he appeared. Now, he was colored pure white with golden accents, and he had an odd head piece on his helmet that was center with the middle of his face, and his. . .what did he call it, Archwing? His Archwing was colored similarly to that, as well as the weapons he had, which looked like an oversized fist and a hammer. Why not?
Discord had an expression of anger on his face. "Oh, I will enjoy killing you," he said before sending a bolt of lightning at Excalibur, who teleported out of the way and next to Fleur and I.
"Don't move," he quickly said as Discord turned around, looked right at us, and then swiveled as if looking for something.
"Ability of the wings," Excalibur said. "Makes me and any allies close enough invisible as long as we don't move. Before you ask, I asked Harmony if I could directly tap her power, she said yes, I kille dmy duplicate of Discord, his power was attracted to me, and both together put my Warframe in its Prime state, which is far more powerful. Mau'ual, when I give the signal, fire everything you got. Fleur, you do the same."
"What do you have planned, Excalibur?" Fleur asked.
"You'll see," he replied as Discord turned his back. "Now!" he yelled as he brought out a large sword that seemed to glow with the color of each Element gem, and I fired a barrage of rockets, and Fleur unleashed multiple blasts of magic as Discord, making him turn at the sound, but being caught by the projectiles and unable to move as Excalibur gunned towards Discord, his sword raised, before he sliced through Discord, and looking his way before cutting off his head, and creating a black hole to absorb his bits and pieces. "And with that, he is dead," Excalibur said as the sword vanished and he turned to face us. "Been a pleasure guys, but i need to head back. The Celestia there thinks I'm evil, along with those who have frames. Need to go back so we're at full strength."
"My thanks, then," I replied before placing my left arm across my chest. "If you need my help, Excalibur, you shall have it. I am quite certain Harmony will allow that to happen."
"And the same for me," the Tenno replied before he disappeared.
"That was. . .interesting, to say the least," Fleur said.
"Agreed," I said. "Now come on, we need to meet up with the others."
It has been a few days since Discord was killed with the help of Excalibur, and we, meaning the resistance, were currently stationed in Manehattan, working on gathering any potential fighters. Well. . .that was what Celestia and the others were doing. Myself, having been healed by one of the mages, was currently in city hall, with a few of my agents reporting in.
City hall, like everything else under Caribou rule, had become a center for nothing but sex. I quickly had fire spells cast to cleanse it of everything the Caribou installed, and personally destroyed what didn't burn, and I was currently sitting in the main office, with two of my agents, both what I like to call "pseudo-reds", as they enjoyed having sex like a red collar, but only with those they were in a relationship with, and actually stayed in those relationships. The reason why they wished for the Caribou overthrow was because those they loved had either become abusive, swapped, or outright murdered for not following Caribou law. Only a few had been rescued, though.
The two in front of me were both unicorn mares-dehorned so as to not give anything away as to their real loyalties as their minds would be erased of each other at the end of this with their permission. One was dark blue skinned with dark green mane and tail, while the other one was oppositely colored. Wow, genetics, can you say unoriginal?
Anyway, I was looking at both of them. Fortunately, they were currently wearing the black outfits I had made for each of my agents so they could be identified when in the army and separated from the normal red collars we'd yet to decide as to their loyalty. "Report, Shadow Glade." This was the first unicorn mare I listed.
"Sir," she replied, hands behind her back. "Those morons in Horseton(1) still think Manehattan is under Dainn's control, and know little of how far we've come-that's with an 'o', by the way, sir-and has begun lowering its defenses. A quick and precise attack would result in a quick and relatively bloodless win."
I nodded. "Shadow Strike?" Before you ask, I was using their code names due to espionage reasons. Can't be too careful, even with a shit load of guards protecting each door and scanning every thing that wasn't obviously living.
"Sir, I was able to overhear from a few of Dainn's personal guard-" she was stationed in Canterlot, and you would not believe what she has to do to get out undetected- "that there is a possible mole, if not a few, within the command staff of the resistance. I was able to get a name. The morons think any who are allied with the Resistance think it's a code name."
"The name?"
"Blossomforth, sir," she replied, to which I put a hand on my chin, mulling it over.
"Order my battalion leaders to see if any ponies in their ranks match that name. If not, then tell them to order their battalions to check every single mare, but tell the first group to be cautious. Cloudsdale showed them we are a threat, and they will try to undermine us. They may anticipate us thinking it's a code name. Do you have a description?"
"White skinned with red and green hair, sir."
"Have Rarity assist, then. I'm quite certain she'll be able to tell a fake appearance easily."
The two saluted. "Sir," they said.
"Finally, once that is done, report to Celestia and the others, and. . .well, you know," I said. They nodded, and turned to leave. "Oh, I almost forgot: tell my battalion leaders this:The brightest days are followed by dark nights." A code phrase. I will not reveal what it means, not yet. Only my battalion leaders know what it means, and what to do. They nodded again, and left the room, allowing me to look out the main window, wondering why my agents from the Empire were taking so long to report.
Alas, it is just as I said this that one of them, a crystal unicorn mare named Topaz, came in.
"Agent Crystal Sheen reporting, sir." Like I said, code names.
"What do you have to report, Chrystal?"
"Sir, Shining Armor has taken in twenty more mares for himself and his guards."
"So, the usual, then?"
"That and. . .well, sir, the easiest way I can say it is that Princess Cadence has given birth to a filly, and it's a safe bet that Shining Armor will put her into slavery as soon as she is big enough."
I sighed. "No plan survives contact," I muttered. "Thank you, Crystal. Report to Fleur for the mind wipe of this meeting."
"Sir," she said before walking out the room.
"Looks like the Empire's next."
And with it, I heard Harmony say in my head, Tartarus.
` The army and myself were on the edge of Manehattan, in the final preparations to leave and make our way north. I was at the rear of the army talking with Blossomforth, the pegasus my agents had singled out as a potential spy. Nearby and invisible was Silver, listening in at my request, as she had talent in finding out when individuals were lying.
"So, Blossomforth," I said to the pegasus, one of the medics of the army and wearing the usual outfit of long-legged exercise pants and a white, short sleeved shirt with the red cross on the shoulders. Of course, she also had a dagger, standard issue for the medics. She was one of the med corp leaders, and, as such, was present at some of the command staff meetings to give advice based on troop health. In other words, a perfect plant, especially as she was in Ponyville when I was there. "You have any family still under the Caribou rule?"
"Y-yes sir," she replied nervously. Not definitive, that's the usual reaction to speaking one on one with me. "A sister and my mom. Last I heard, they live in the Empire."
"Live? Not being held?" I asked, as every other mare I talked with said something along the latter, while any reds would say living.
"Yes sir, they're red collars." Okay, there's an explanation. Still, time for something a little more. . . definitive to be asked.
"What of your father?" I asked.
A slight hesitation. "He- he died a year ago, sir," she replied solemnly. "A few other stallions in Ponyville tried to snuggle mares out of the town, but were caught and killed. Only reason I'm here is because I just happened to be the Guard captain's favorite." Anger was in the last part of the reply, mixed with some sadness.
"So, you've written no letters?" I asked. "No friends."
"None that aren't reds or with us now, sir," she replied as she straightened. "No reason to, there."
A tap on my back. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Because a source of mine says you've written quite a few. So, are you going to keep lying and risk death, or tell me the truth and live in the cells, which is one of the areas I allow mares to be taken from for Gunne to have fun with." Extremes in both cases. If she's a red and confesses, I'll throw her to Gunne. If she continues to lie to a point before coming clean, she dies after the confession is verified. If she's not a red and simply writing because it helps keep her calm or something like that, none of it.
Under my gaze, along with me crossing my arms with my left arm, the one with the mauler on it, in front, she cracked in five seconds. "I write them out of habit, sir!" she yelled. "I used to all the time when I was a filly to my imaginary friend, and it helps keep me calm and focused." Two taps. "Though, I have noticed something about Princess Celestia, sir."
"What?" I asked.
"She's been nervous as of late, sir, especially at the last meeting we had. Her eyes kept darting around, and, even though it wasslsight, she trembled when you brought up the possibility of a spy," Blossomforth said. "Nopony else, just her. Also, last night, I saw her writing something and then burn it, and i could have sworn I saw the smoke go against the wind."
"What makes you say that?" I asked.
"The wind last night was blowing southwest at about five to seven miles per hour, while the smoke went east at about nine to thirteen." Two taps.
"Anyone else present with her?"
"That's the odd part, sir," Blossomforth said in a tone of care as i saw her eyes look around. "I saw Princess Luna and Nightmare in her tent too, but they stood stock still. I didn't even see their chest move for breathing. Soon as the letter or whatever it was she wrote left, though, they began to move and act as if that never happened." Two taps.
"Thank you for pointing that out, Blossomforth. You may return to your unit."
"Sir," she said before saluting and returning to the army.
"Silver?"
"Yeah?" the doe asked as she revealed herself from behind me.
"Get Fleur, and tell her what has happened here, and follow up. Keep me posted, and don't be detected."
"Don't need to tell me that, Mau'ual," Silver said. "You really think it's her."
"At this point, yes," I replied. "Once you and Fleur gather enough, let me know, and I'll call a command staff meeting."
"You got it." With that, she walked away as I looked south east, where Canterlot lay. "Game on, asshole," I whispered to Dainn, even if he couldn't hear it, though I heard something in the wind.
"May the smartest male win," I heard it say. Magic, I guess, allowed our statements be heard by the other.
I then heard hoofsteps behind me, and a stallion say, "Sir, I have a message from Queen Chrysalis."
"What is it?" I asked.
"She's heard of your efforts to reveal a traitor, and is willing to lend you some of her infiltrators to that end."
I was silent for a few seconds. "Tell her to send three here so I may task them myself."
"Sir!" he yelled before making his way back to the army camp. Lets hope Chrysalis being a part of this doesn't jeopardize my plan. Still, at least we have a lead on the agent, and, hopefully, will be able to bring her to the light of day.
It has been a week since my agents began looking for evidence to the traitor, and the army was currently a few miles out from the Crystal Empire, and myself, Fleur, Silver, the princesses, Chrysalis, and the rest of the command staff were in an insulated tent. "I am certain all of you know why we are here," I said to the assembled group. In addition to those I named, there is Redheart and two stallions. One is named Shadow Striker- a unicorn wearing heavy armor, and is the leader of the Guerrilla ops. The other is Specter- a pegasus wearing scout armor, who is my second in command for my battalion but also the lead logistics officer. "If you don't, I shall say it: there is a traitor in our midst."
"How?" Specter asked. "I thought that wave you did cleansed any and all mind fuckery."
I nodded. "It does," I confirmed. "But it does nothing to those who would agree without it," I said. "That is why any red collars are either sent back to the main hive, or are offered something to help us without alerting the enemy. But that is besides the point," I said as I brought my hand up above the table we were around, revealing documents not burned by dragon fire. "These here are troop movements for the main host, as well as locations of changeling infiltrators, and only a few have access to it, myself included."
"And no, he is not the spy, for you all wondering," Fleur said. "I did a lie detection spell on him earlier as he answered questions, as well as Silver, and Chrysalis me. We are clear."
"So, then, who is it?" Striker asked.
"Before we get there, I want to build dramatics and make you all guess. I'm an asshole like that," I said. "You see, one of my sources reports letters being sent toward Canterlot via dragon flame transmission, an easy spell to learn if you know what to do, and all here do. However, the color is much different for whoever uses it. That is why, when Spike the Dragon did so, it was green, because his flame was green. The flames my spies have reported are yellow. However, they also detected traces of an unknown magic, only that it was one recently deactivated."
"And this has to do with it how?" Chrysalis said.
"Simple," I said as I flung the documents onto the table, revealing them to be unwritten letters, with Celestia's signature at the bottom. "The spell used was a mind control one used by Celestia to ensure her sisters slash lovers did not know of this. Every letter has details found only in the troop deployment records and such."
"But that's impossible!" Celestia screamed. "Why would I do that when I want to free my subjects?"
"I do not know," I said as I nodded to Fleur, who lit her horn, a blue aura appearing around Celestia's neck before a red collar did. "You tell me, traitor. I will give you this one chance: surrender, and be sent back to the Hive to be Gunne's fucktoy, which a red like you will most certainly enjoy, or fight and die, potentially killing others." Under my helmet smiled. So far, so good. And Shadow agrees with that small grin. Even better.
A few seconds passed, with those with horns lighting them, Nightmare and Luna doing so apprehensively, before Celestia sighed. "I do not know what flase information has been fed to you, Mau'ual," she said. "But if it will protect my- no, your subjects as they trust you more than I- subjects, I will surrender, even though I am innocent."
I nodded. "I had hoped for that. Luna, Nightmare, take her to the Carriage cells," I said. "I will come tomorrow night. If you tell me why you remain loyal to Dainn, I may go easy on you." Celestia remained silent for a time before she nodded, and was led out by her sisters.
"And with that, what do we do with the Empire?" Shadow asked. "The battle plan hinged on every alicorn, including the whorse, being involved. Without that, we may as well be switched."
"Leave that to me," I said. "Anywho, that is it. I shall see you all tomorrow night," I said before leaving. Once outside I turned right, and encountered a changeling.
"Continue?" she asked.
"Yes," I reply. "They do not suspect," I said, to which she nodded before going invisible. "This is why I enjoy strategy games," I muttered to myself. "You play smart and tactical, and you can fuck over the enemy without them knowing until they're bleeding."
That night-3rd person-carriage cells
Celestia, wearing only a bra and panties, sat in a cell alone, a magic nullifies on her horn and non-painful wing binders to prevent her from flying up, turning herself upside down, and dropping on her head. Her legs were tucked in, head in her knees and arms wrapped around her legs as she sobbed at th efact she was considered a traitor.
She had been like this for the past two hours when she heard hoofsteps outside and a voice say, "The Valus wanted me to interrogate her, and it done in private," to those guarding her.
There wasn't a reply, but a few seconds later, two bodies could be heard hitting the ground just before the shutter on the cell door opened, and Celestia, her eyes bloodshot, looked to see Shadow Striker. "What do you want?" she asked. "Want to make me prove I'm a traitor by giving you a lap dance? That isn't going to happen."
"Oh, I know," Shadow said, the smirk evident in his voice. "After all, how can you be guilty when you weren't even awake?" Before Celestia could express her confusion, Shadow's horn glowed a dark yellow, and the same aura was around Celestia's head. "Now, when you awaken, you will be a red collared slut who is loyal to Dainn because he gave you the best fuck in your life and under him, you no longer had to deal with nobles unless they fucked you, and enjoyed being under them for once. Am I understood?"
"Yes, master," Celestia said in a monotone voice.
"And if you so much as think of trying to say no to this upon waking, the entire camp knows of "your" betrayal, and will gladly kill you if given a chance."
"All but one," a deeper voice said from the shadows before Mau'ual walked out from the shadows. "Did you honestly think I was that stupid?" he asked. "If Celestia was a traitor, I would know, as I am in contact with Harmony herself, and she can see inside the heads of those who have her powers, and the alicorns fit. Even if not, why would Celestia betray us when she was hit by the pulse and scanned by the changelings when she first reached the Hive." He chuckled. "Of course, you wouldn't know that, would you, agent Blossomforth."
Shadow snarled. "So, you know."
"What do you think?" Mau'ual replied. "It was clever, I admit, using a mare's name for you, but an idiot would see it only as that," he said. "Oh, and that spell you're using? It isn't Caribou magic that Silver's forces taught or you accidentally found. It's changeling magic. That book you found three days ago? Planted by my agents, and you are using it when I know no pony knows how to use changeling magic. The fact you can? Well, you just screwed the pooch." He then snapped, and ten changeling mares, each with a bow drawn and an arrow pointed at the unicorn traitor, became visible. "I set a trap, and you fell for it."
Shadow chuckled. "Well, if you think you have my entire plan figured out, why not explain it," he said with a confident smile.
"Gladly," the Valus replied. "Your plan was to use mind control on the Princesses to report to whoever your handler is while being invisible yourself to avoid being seen while you guided Celestia's hand to write your report. That way, any who would find evidence would assume Celestia was the agent." The smirk vanished. "Kill him. I need nothing from him."
The changeling females nodded, and, using magic to ensure he couldn't move, let loose their arrows, making him a pincushion. Once he fell dead, Mau'ual said to them, "None must know of what happened. If any ask, Celestia was able to remove the nullifier ring and kill him as she escaped and knocked out her two guard. If Chrysalis asks, tell her it is something of my plans."
"Sir," they ten said quietly before vanishing.
With that, the Cabal went over to Celestia's makeshift cell, and opened the door with a key from his belt and, channeling his power from Harmony, snapped his fingers, removing the spell over the solar alicorn, who shook her head before looking at him. "Mau'ual? What are you doing here?"
"Killing the one who was controlling you and freeing you," he replied. "Harmony, she needs armor, or something a little more modest."
A second later, light armor was on Celestia's body. "I don't see how this helps," she said.
"Simple," the Valus replied. "Harmony says we will need allies, and she wants you to help find them, both in this dimension and others. Where I am her champion, you will be her avatar, and she already has a few dimensions in mind for you. Trust me, this is the only way you won't be crucified by those here."
"Really?"
He nodded. "Yes. If you worry about being here for the battle, Harmony says temporal fracture will work. Meaning time will flow at a different speed in those dimensions than here, so you need not worry."
Celestia was silent for a time. "If it'll help," she said, nodding.
The nod was returned. "Then I will see you at a later date," Mau'ual said before Celestia vanished in a flash of light.
Mau'ual inhaled before saying. "And so thus doth hell begin."
"FIRE!!" I heard yelled from my artillery officers before cannons we had commandeered fired on the lines at the Empire. This was the first shot of the battle for the Empire, and we were the first to deliver it. It had been a few days since the whole incident with Celestia, who had yet to return, with everyone but the changelings that had been with me believing her to be a traitor that escaped.
I was at the near the front of the line where the cannons were as the first volley was fired, the shells impacting on crystal towers, causing a few to fall and shouts could be heard from inside. "Hold fire and let them clear non-combatants from the area!" I yelled. "We must limit those as best as we can! From here on out, if civilians die, it will be their fault, not ours!"
"Sir," the officer replied before shouting the order down the line to those who didn't hear it.
"Are you sure it is wise to do that, Mau'ual?" Chrysalis, who stood next to me, said.
"If we can show some measure of mercy, we may turn a few mares in there to our cause without having to do so in person," I replied. "That plus we are doing this to free Equestria, not kill it more than it already has been."
Fleur spoke up next. "Celestia had better just hope I don't get my hands on her first if she's here," she said in a growl. "If so, she'll wish she stayed at the camp."
"Calm down. Fleur," I said. "Do not let anger control your actions. You will become reckless, and right now, we need all the alicorns we can muster for this war."
"Yeah yeah," she said. Many ponies had taken what they see as Celestia's second betrayal extremely hard, and Fleur is among that group. The only reason I say nothing is in case of other agents. Can never be too careful. Harmony has given no word either, so I am unaware of what she is currently doing or her progress on gathering allies, though I can not fault her for not bringing them after what happened.
"Resume bombardment in five minutes," I told the officer. "Deliver everything you can to their walls."
She saluted. "Sir," she said.
"Now, if you all will excuse me, I must meet with Silver," I said before turning around and heading deeper into the camp, walking past multiple soldiers, all of whom saluted me as I passed, on my way to where Silver was currently in contact with her agents in the Empire. My walk was cut short as i saw her running towards me. "Mau'ual!" she yelled, "We need to pull out! Now!"
"Why?" I asked.
"Because my agents just reported in," she said, panic in her voice. "It's Dainn. He's here overseeing the defenses of the Heart."
"Then we strike sooner than planned," I said, the target of this attack being the Heart, the hope being destroying it would free a majority of Equestria. "Tell your soldiers to prepare for nighttime infiltration. If Dainn is here, he still thinks he is a god. I say it is high time he is proven wrong."
"ALL FORCES, GIVE NO MERCY, AND SLAUGHTER THEM!" I yelled as my forces charged through a recently made breach in the defensive wall around the Empire. The wall was breached just a minute ago by a rocket barrage I had fired from the pods attached to the wings. Yeah, I know, took long enough. Look, the missiles can't be replenished, and the cluster fuck I did when those Taken appeared outside the main Hive depleted a lot. Those I had now are the only ones that the Resistance had been able to make since I arrived, and were a last resort use.
Those at the front of the charge were Phalanxes-Earth ponies and Griffons wielding steel shields coated with Changeling resin to strengthen it- and myself. Behind were the main line forces, troops wielding swords and special grenades with a volatile resin that makes them explode once they hit something with enough force. Included with them were the three royals. Still no idea where Celestia is other than somewhere in the multi-verse.
After I yelled, I turned around, and brought my mauler down on a Caribou head before roaring, making it known to those in the Empire that I was here, hopefully weakening their morale. That is, if seeing their brothers in arms being crushed didn't do the job.
Now, since Dainn was here in the Empire, the main reasons as to this battle were to cut off the head of Caribou leadership, destroy the former Crystal Heart, and, if possible, free the last two Element bearers and Cadence from the Caribou control. My agents here in the Empire were all slaves in the palace, so once I made my way there, we'd have an easy time finding the targets, assuming they couldn't get them here as I made my way there.
I looked forward at what we would have to fight through, and was pleasantly surprised when I saw black collared mares with improvised weapons fighting the stallions and Caribou, led by who I assume to be Silver's sisters here in the north. Perfect. "You," I said, looking a a mare next tp me. "Find Silver, and tell her that her sisters are helping the black collars as expected."
"Sir," she said before turning back to find the Caribou doe.
"The rest of you: forward! Slaughter any who stand before you and aid the black collars and does that are fighting!" With that, I released another guttural roar before charging into the Empire itself, activating the jets on my back as I encountered a cluster of Caribou soldiers, jumped up, brought my left arm back, and slammed into them before looking up at the palace, using my 'zoom function to see Dainn watching this from the balcony, Shining Armor standing next to him. He turned and said something to the unicorn before turning around and making his way inside. Before I could make my way further into the Empire, I saw the traitor light his horn, and his voice echoed from the crystals around me.
"To the foolish leaders of this soon to be dead rebellion, the Great King Dainn has given you a chance to avoid punishment! All you have to do is defeat him in one on one combat, and you will be allowed to live how you want after your comrades are captured, even if you are a mare, however unlikely that is. If you accept the challenge, he will meet you at the base of the Palace. Personally, I just hope you all surrender and become the cocksleeves you're meant to be."
I am going to enjoy this. I turned back to the army. "Fall back and form a wall around the Empire, ensure none escape. Have the alicorns, Silver, and Chrysalis be ready to come in should I fail. At the least, I'll weaken him!"
"Sir," they shouted before following my orders. I then turned around and made my way to the center of the Empire, passing multiple Caribou and stallion soldiers on my way there, each glaring at me with hatred and disgust in their eyes.
As I turned a corner, the center of the Empire came into view, along with an armored Dainn with a war hammer in his hands. "So, those mares sent a male to fight for them," he said as I approached.
"No, I was simply the closest," I replied as I crossed my arms. "I'm surprised you'd want to fight the leaders one on one knowing i would be here when I was the one to crack your armor last time."
"A feat of luck, nothing more."
"Figures, you'd say that," I said. "How about this: a battle to the death: should I win, I take command over your army, and have them surrender. You win? Well, it's not really my place to say, is it?"
Dainn chuckled. "I don't know how you could win, so I do not see why not. Still, even if you know what I want, may I list off my demands?"
"Sure you can." Say it quickly.
He smiled and opened his mouth just before I uppercut him with a spin, sending him flying into the ceiling and through. "Get back here!" I shouted before activating my thrusters before going through the palace itself before ending in the throne room with a hammer to the face which sent me flying through the doors and ending up in a me sized crater in the hallway wall. I shook my head to clear the disorientation before shouting, "Whoo!" I then forced myself out of it, and looked in the throne room, a grin on my face under the helmet. "No reason we can't have fun with this, right?"
"I don't see why not," Dainn surprisingly replied.
With the smile having graduated to maniacal, I activated my thrusters, and charged right towards him with my right arm drawn back, though he dodged it as I punched, and uppercutted me with his hammer into and through the ceiling, causing me to crash through the floor of the area where Sombra had hidden the heart and come back down next to the hole. Thank god my armor can take multiple G-horn rockets and Dragon's breath napalm canister rockets and still be intact. Dainn came through the hole just as I got back up. I jumped back, and then charged forward with my left arm and mauler pulled back. He brought his hammer up from down to try another upper cut in retaliation, but failed as I hit him first, landing the punch in the chest causing a bright glow and a small explosion, and sent him flying out of the Empire with the amount of force behind my punch, with me activating my thrusters, and following close behind.
Eventually, he dipped down and impacted on the snowy ground, sliding on it to a stop, and I landed next to him. "Any last words?" I asked.
"Just that you destroyed the one thing keeping the Empire safe," he said in a snarl.
"If dooming the Empire means destroying the former Heart, so be it," I said before pulling my fist back, only for it to be caught in a black, oily mass. "What the-" I began before I was thrown by the mass about twenty feet. I got back up to see that Dainn was also standing, but he wasn't facing me, and that the mass had begun taking on a definite form.
Fuck you, life.
Why do I say that? It's because the shape included a red cape and a black and red horn. "Sombra," I growled as I brought my mauler up.
As the dark unicorn finished forming, he examined his hand. "So good to be physical once more," he said. He then looked at me. "I suppose I should thank you for breaking the Heart." He then looked at Dainn. "And of course, the one who defeated the sisters. Once I take my place as Equestria's ruler, I think I'll take your will and-" he was cut off as my mauler connected with his face.
As he was sent flying, I said, "No one's will shall be taken if I can prevent it, not even his."
Sombra impacted on a snowy hill before teleporting back in front of me and Dainn. He then chuckled. "Well, it seems as if I'll actually have a challenge," he said before his horn lit up. "I'll give you a day to surrender." With that, he vanished, and I looked at Dainn.
"Truce until he's dead?" I asked.
"Agreed," Dainn said, surprisingly. Hm. Given the world I'm in, maybe I should talk with Silver about Caribou mythology and religion.
"Then all I ask is that your forces don't harass mine. If they do, they won't live to regret it," I said. "Can you teleport us to the Empire so as to give the news to our forces?"
"And here I thought you could fly," he said with a cocky smirk before his horns lit, and we vanished in a flash of light.
Only a few hours. I expected a day until the riots began, and Dainn two. Jeez, and I thought humanity was easily riled up. Okay, so, the basics are that the Caribou soldiers-especially those in positions of command- thought it was heretical of Dainn to ally with us to remove Sombra as a threat. In the palace? Shining Armor at least kept it private, as did my second in commands and the other royals.
Anyways, I was in the palace library reading what I could find on Sombra and the Umbrum-essentially shadow ponies who sent Sombra here to destroy the Empire- when I heard the doors to the library open. I spared a glance toward the large, double doors, and saw Shining Armor-along with Twilight and Cadence on their hands and knees trailing behind him- enter. "And to what do I owe this illustrious honor of the crystal prince visiting me?" My voice dripped with sarcasm, especially at 'illustrious'.
Shining just scoffed. "You should just be glad the king doesn't have me kill you while I can."
It was my turn to scoff. "And what makes you think your ass can kill me?" I asked, putting the book I was reading down on the table. "At Ponyville, I cracked Dainn's armor. In Manehattan, I was involved in killing the literal embodiment of chaos, and, in case you didn't notice, a few hours ago, I sent Dainn's ass flying into the arctic. Only reason I didn't kill him was because I had enough sense to not listen to pride and testosterone when Sombra showed up. If I wanted, I could kill you here and now, and it would take an entire army of your soldiers to take me down."
"Please, your only one pony."
"Two things," I said, holding up my hand with two extended fingers. "First: I'm not a pony, I'm a Cabal. Second: my armor has taken high-intensity laser beams to the helmet as I wore it, and I still live. How high-intensity? Enough to go through steel and keep going. What makes you think spears and swords will do anything? Plus, I don't use magic, which is what your armor protects against. Oh, and a third thing: I actually use tactics while you just go into a battle dick first and out. And I don't mean literally. Now, why did you come here?"
"I shouldn't explain myself to you," he said before he tried to walk past me, Cadence and Twilight following beside, before i stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.
"No, but if you even think of sabotaging me just to satisfy some false pride, I'm sure Dainn will switch you before Sombra kills you and everyone else. And that's assuming the microscopic-no, nanoscopic- chance you survive my retribution. Now, why are you here?"
Shining growled. "You want to know so badly? Fine. I came here so I could find a spell to make you bow to Dainn!"
"Ladies and dumbasses, I present what passes for a prince and a leader in this damned world," I said, getting a surprising chuckle from the two red collared alicorns. "Only a moron would tell someone he sees as an enemy his plans. And why? To make my forces bow to Dainn?"
"As all should!"
"Then," I said, "I challenge you to a duel. You win, I will order my forces to bow to Dainn and follow his doctrine. I win, and every mare under your control, including your sister and former wife, come to my side." And, if i am right, his pride addled mind will reply in three. . .two. . . and the answer is-
"I accept! Training field! One hour."
Here, I scoffed. I swear, it's to easy to piss them off. Now I have to finish this quickly, seeing as how I was seeing if just a sliver of tactical sense remained. "Actually, let's sweeten it: it's a fight to the death." Note how he could say no to all of this.
He grinned. "I don't see why not."
"Then I'll see you in an hour. 'Til then, I'll be reading." With that, I picked the book I had been reading when he arrived back up, and continued reading.
"Well, I hope you'll be ready to lose," Shining said. "Come on, mares. We're going somewhere else." And with that, he and the two alicorns left.
One hour later- Crystal Empire stadium
"So does anyone know why we're here?" Silver asked as she, Chrysalis, the two lunar alicorns, and- to the disgust of the ponies and changeling- Dainn sat in the royal viewing box near the top of the stadium, a large crowd in front and around them.
"I heard someone from the Resistance was stupid enough to challenge Shining Armor," Luna said. "Much as I wish him to lose, even I think it stupid given how adept he is in defensive spells."
"That is something we agree on, mare," Dainn said, eyeing the stadium that had become the training grounds for the forces of the Empire.
"Dainn can you at least pretend to be courteous to females while this alliance is going?" Silver asked. "I know you have the potential, given our past."
Dainn just rolled his eyes and remained silent.
"Well, whoever it is, they'd better have a plan to deal with Shining's shield," Chrysalis said as a doe that was under Dainn's ownership walked into the middle of the arena to announce just what was going on.
"For the entertainment of the masters and guests," she said, "the Crystal Empire is proud to present our ruler, Shining Armor, Crystal Prince, and the leader of the foolish Resistance, Valus Mau'ual in a fight to the death."
"Okay, now I'm wondering how that happened," Nightmare muttered.
"In addition to that, the following terms are those given by Shining Armor: should Mau'ual win, all females under his ownership, including the two former princesses, are to be given to the resistance. When the Prince wins, the resistance is to stop this foolish resistance, and bow to Dainn and the females take their rightful place."
This was followed by a face palm by each of the resistance leaders. "Dumbass," Luna said as the resistance members in the crowd roared with outrage.
"Now, if you'll please welcome, Prince Armor!" the doe shouted over the angry crowd with permission from Dainn as Shining walked out, wearing his old guard armor, though it was now inscribed with runes to protect from magic and brute strength. In his left hand was a shield, his right a sword. On his back was a war hammer. At a quieter volume after the crowd died down, the doe added, "And Valus Mau'ual."
Without ceremony, the alien walked into the field wearing his now iconic armor on, and he was met with cries of disapproval. "Can we just get this over with, I still need to do research and make sure not all of those important are in one place for Sombra to kill easily," he said, ignoring the 'boo's and obscenities thrown his way.
"I'm going to enjoy killing you," Shining said before he charged. He raised his sword and swung, only for Mau'ual to catch it in his hand.
"So, you attack an opponent with who knows much tougher armor, is strong enough to rip a Caribou in armor in two and punch your king miles out of the city, and someone who can fly without magic?" Mau'ual said. "Clever. Wait, no. What's the word I'm looking for?"
"Retarded?!" A buck shouted from the stands.
"Bingo," Mau'ual replied before using the sword as a counter balance to throw Shining into the wall as said unicorn's grip slipped from the sword. After he hit the wall, Mau'ual flipped the sword to where he held it by the blade tip, and threw it at the unicorn with enough force to send the tip of the blade through the helmet and into the former guard captain's skull. As an extra precaution, Mau'ual activated his thrusters, and flew toward Shining before turning his chest into pulp with the mauler.
He pulled his bloodied arm back from what remained of Shining's chest, and said, "If you need me, I'll be working on a way to defeat Sombra. Princesses Cadence and Twilight- along with all other females formerly under Shining Armor's command- are to be sent to the resistance camp. Any other morons who try to interrupt me with sex will get castrated!" With that, he left the stadium, which was silent in shock, seeing as how A: he just left; B: they expected a longer fight.
Still, the soldiers n the crowd didn't remain for long, as they didn't wish to be caught by their commander away from their post, and they quickly left as well, followed by everyone else.
"Reinforce the left flank!" I yelled to my troops. Sombra had begun his attack five hours ago, an hour after I killed Shining Armor. "Do not let them get to the palace!"
"Sir!" one of my soldiers replied before heading to the left side of the defenses around the crystal palace.
"Where the hell are Dainn's forces!?"
"North side, sir!"
"Tell them to get their asses down south, their's no activity up there right now!"
"Yes sir!"
"Valus, the right flank is failing!"
"Damn it," I muttered. "Hold the line, I'm heading there myself!"
"Sir!"
With that, I activated my suit thrusters, and made my way to the Empire's right side, the only defensive area that had both resistance and Caribou forces, and I couldn't tell who they were fighting more: my troops-mainly the mares- keeping the Caribou away, or the whole group killing Sombra's crystal forces. I swear, even in the face of slavery, the dumbasses continue to surprise me.
Rolling my eyes, I landed in front of them, crushing a crystal soldier under my boot. "Form up. If I hear of any Caribou that continue with what you were doing, I will personally kill you like I killed Shining Armor!"
This got both sides to begrudgingly work together, the caribou out of fear and mine out of respect for my word, though I had no illusion it would last after this alliance.
I was brought out of that thought when something sent me flying after i barely registered a large mass striking me. I hit the ground, bounced of fit, and hit the ground again, leaving a trail in the ground. I looked up, my body having a slight ache as my muscles moved, and saw, a small crystal dragon destroying the right flank. "Fucker," I muttered as I got up, fired a small salvo of missiles at the dragon to weaken it, and ignited my thrusters to send me flying towards its face, and, using my mauler, I hit the dragon's skull with enough force to make it cave.
Just as the head was sent away, I felt something hit my back, and I fell to he ground, landing front first. I got up, the fall barely doing anything to me, and looked behind me, seeing Sombra and, to my surprise, Harmony standing behind him, a small smile on her face. Out of the corner of my eye, I also saw a peice of rock just hovering in the air. "What the?" I said, both to the fact Harmony was there, and the rock.
"Hello, Mau'ual," Harmony said, walking in front of Sombra. "I'm surprised you were able to make an alliance between the Caribou and Rebellion."
"They're a Resistance," I quickly said.
Harmony chuckled. "Of course they are," she said. "Tell me, Mau'ual: which do you think has more order: dark magic, or normal magic?"
"Why the question?" I replied.
"Just curious."
I looked at her with my eyes half-lidded. "Normal magic," I replied. "Dark magic corrupts the mind. The normal type doesn't."
"That doesn't surprise me," she said. "Most think that."
A few seconds of silence passed before I asked, "Why freeze time?"
"So I could do this without dealing with interruptions by your forces," she replied before snapping her fingers, and a cage formed around me as I felt myself grow. "A shame. I hoped you'd do this quickly. Not draw it out and cause even more chaos. I suppose i would have been better off letting Dainn rule." She shrugged. "I guess Sombra will have to do."
"What are you on!?" I asked, punching one of the cage bars, surprised that I did not even dent it.
"To learn Dark magic, one must have a strong mind," Harmony said. "There's a reason why I revived Sombra."
"You revived him?!"
"Yes, did you not hear that?" she asked. "I. Revived. Sombra."
"So you'd condemn the world to slavery?"
"If it meant bringing what I personify to this world, yes," she said.
"Slavery is harmony!?"
"No," she replied. "It'll bring a hierarchy that is clear, and harsh punishment to those who go against it. It'll bring a form of order." Smiling, Harmony walked to me cage, and I saw that I was at the cannonical size of the original Ma'ual, as I towered over Harmony. "That is what I am, Mau'ual. Not my dead fool of a sister. Not Harmony. Order. Have fun in my home. Your new prison." With that, she snapped her fingers, and the Empire vanished, and I was now in a lavish mansion. Before I could do anything, I heard voices in my head, with not a single one of my thought being audible over the voices.
The Crystal Empire
Order looked behind her as time resumed to Sombra. "Do whatever you wish to those who resist you, Sombra," she said. "Just make sure they are put down quickly." She snapped her fingers. "One less alicorn for you to deal with. I hope the next I see you, it is with you being victorious." With that, the goddess vanished, leaving Sombra and his forces to ravish the Empire and those within.
