> Equestria: Total war > by The Cowardly Christian > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equestria: Total war I OWN AND REGRET NOTHING! ... Twilight ran from the boutique like she was chased by the devil himself! That Pony Rarity was crazy! If she wore one more corset her lungs would've collapsed! "I can't take this any more! I need to jump through the other things on the list quickly so I can save us all from the Mare in the Moon! And- Is that a Bugle blast?" Sure enough, all could hear a bugle blast...all of Ponyville walked out to see what the commotion was...and what they saw very nearly gave them a heart attack! A vast, HUGE army was marching toward Ponyville! A seemingly endless Legion of ponies, whose numbers were so great their marching shook the earth! They were armored and pushing, strange, large machines across the ground. Several were carrying standards depicted with an Eagle and the letters SPQR. Closer and closer their armies drew closer...until they were all within spitting distance to Ponyville. A herald marches forward and brings out a proclamation to announce. "PRESENTING JULIUS AUGUSTUS CAESAR ! EMPEROR OF ROME, CONQUEROR OF THE AMERICAS, TAMER OF THE GAULS! BANE OF BRITTAN! VANQUISHER OF THE MONGOL HORDE! LIBERATOR OF CHINA!" He shouts proudly. It was then that a fairly large Stallion walked forward, all the other armored pony's bowed respectful and got out of his way. The stallion looked toward the now very intimidated ponies of Ponyville. "Hello good...people." He says that last part a bit confused, "You have nothing to fear of us...we are strangers...from an even stranger land. We have been told that by coming to this township on this night, we would be given answers about our people's current...situation." As he says that last bit he looks down upon his hoof...in an almost wishful fashion... Seeing everypony else was too terrified to do anything...Twilight- acting more brave then she felt -walked forward. "Uh...greetings! I'm Twilight Sparkle, Student of Princess Celestia and I- "CELESTIA!?" Shouts the stallion as he runs forward, indeed the whole army was suddenly abuzz with this name now. "WHERE IS SHE!? HOW IS SHE!? ARE YOU SURE HER NAME IS CELESTIA!?" Twilight whimpered under the Stallions intensity, and wondered if it wasn't too late to just let herself get suffocated by a corset... ...Many Years ago... Caesar wandered the Barracks depressed...many 16 year olds would be happy to come to power as head of the household at such a young age...but of course, most didn't achieve this through the cost of their father... And if that weren't bad enough...now his country was tearing itself apart! His Uncle Gaius Marius and his rival Lucius Cornelius Sulla were slaughtering anyone who they so much as even SUSPECTED of allying with other, it was MADNESS! "IT'S SPARTA!" Caesar looked over to the source of the odd proclamation and saw a drowsy and ragged merchant sleeping in his families Rose bush. "Hey! Wake up!" He snaps, the merchant hastily wakes up. "Wha- Oh, terribly sorry guvner'! I must'a had too much to drink last night!" He explained. Caesar frowned, "Give me one reason I shouldn't turn you into the guards for trespassing!" He snaps. The merchant held up his hands in a placating manner, "Now hold on! There's no need for that! Uh...OH! Tell you what! Let me go and I'll give you a gift!" "A gift?" Asked Caesar skeptically. The merchant nodded, "Yeah- Hold on, I think I left it around here somewhere..." He walks behind a nearby building before Caesar could stop him, "Ah, here you are girl!" Shouts the merchant...and he drags HER out. The most majestic mare that Caesar had ever seen, a snow white mare, with rainbow mane that flowed in the breeze...and seemed to glitter in the sunlight...she was truly a gift from the gods... Needless to say, Caesar let the merchant go unmolested... ... Since technically a priest of Jupiter at the time, among other thing. He could not touch a horse...so he had to keep Celestia a secret. Bu then Following Sulla's final victory, Caesar's connections to the old regime made him a target for the new one. He was stripped of his inheritance, his wife's dowry, and his priesthood, but he refused to divorce Cornelia and was forced to go into hiding. The threat against him was lifted by the intervention of his mother's family, which included supporters of Sulla, and the Vestal Virgins. Sulla gave in reluctantly and is said to have declared that he saw many a Marius in Caesar. With his priesthood gone, he could now ride with Celestia to his hearts content. Celestia had always been a very clever horse, in combat she always had a better instinct for where the enemy was about to strike next then he did. also, whenever his troops morale was poor, he'd bring Celestia out and suddenly his legion would break out into song that would lift their spirits and ruin the enemies morale! And the sun...the sun always seemed to come out whenever she was around! This robbed the barbarians of one of their greatest advantages, for as long as Celestia was around it never snowed at all! Caesar could honestly say that many of his greatest battles were helped by Celestia...his victory at the battle of Gergovia in particular! Yes, Celestia had become more then a horse to him...she'd become a dear friend...at times it was almost as if they could speak to each other...the time where she convinced him to invest in that mad Alexandrian named Heron and his steam engine came to mind... Cleopatra actually got jealous of them a time or two for how much he listened to HORSES advice over others...except for when he didn't... Caesar sighed in regret...it had been obvious that Celestia hadn't agreed to his taking full control and abolishing the senate permanently...but he'd been so confident..so proud...and Brutus...how could he betray him? And thus...thanks to his forsaken pride...his dearest friend had been forced to give her life...so he could live... Caesar shook his head of these thought's, he needed to focus! His men needed direction! He began to order them around to help the residents of the town prepare for this 'Summer Sun Celebration' in exchange for food and lodging. ... Imperial Legate Kif Kroker surveyed the various Legions, it had been a bit of a challenge 'adjusting' to the entire Roman Empire suddenly finding itself in a new world...never mind all of them becoming ponies! How did they do drills now? How were they supposed to use the various equipment, tools and weapons that were designed for HUMANS to use? They'd already had to subdue several panics and riots back in the empire! Their beloved 120 year old Caesar -who in his new pony body seemed somehow restored back to his prime- claimed that he'd gotten good intel on a place where 'people' could help them adjust to this strange, new world. And now...a Princess claiming to be Celestia? Kif didn't know what to make of it all! "Come Buttercup, this nice...pony has offered to introduce us to something called 'daffodil sandwiches'." Said a young Equites named Westly as he helped along the mare milky blonde mare. "Yes...that sounds...lovely..." Said the mare as if the words or simply the very act of SPEAKING with words was unfamiliar to her. And indeed it was, before they came here she'd simply been a normal roman Calvary mare that had seen young Westly through a few minor campaigns. But when all Romans had turned to Pony's, all horses had done likewise. Along with a massive boost in intellect. Naturally Caesar had been quick to give these uplifted horses proper protection and recognition...that being said, it was probably best he took as many as he could out of Rome while things settled down. Kif sighed, "I'm starting ti understand why 'May you live in interesting times is a curse among the orient! It fits!" He thinks to himself as he dose his rounds to keep Discipline among the legion ...While the moon in the sky gained more and more prominence... ... TO BE CONTINUED?