With the advancements made by Equestria in the technological field their political system also changes, and with that change comes a schism that splits the once peaceful nation in two.
The political climate has changed, with its change comes technology, and with technology comes the ever-changing ways it can be applied to war. Our military has evolved, and Equestria has split in two. Her ponies are forced to fight brother against brother, sister against sister, and in some cases, mother against son.
This civil war is called a revolution by some, and the Divided War by others. All of pony kind fight against each other under two different flags: the Equestrian Empire led by the Princesses, and the Peace Fighters, led by a former Imperial officer.
Our once peaceful nation has been consumed by war, and we all fight in one way or another.
Foreword: so here it is; Peace Fighter, my biggest project to date. This story is the culmination of one year of thinking and planning, wondering how I could pull off a full-length novel, and this is what I've come up with. It's not finished, not yet, but I believe new chapters will come out every Friday. That should give me enough time each week to complete a chapter.
Also this story is heavily influenced and inspired by Metal Gear Solid, mainly the game Peace Walker, but it is NOT a crossover! I repeat: this story is NOT a crossover with Metal Gear Solid and MLP.
So get reading, and I hope you will enjoy Peace Fighter!
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Peace Fighter Written by Codename: One
The political climate has changed, and with it comes the change of our country's military and ideals. Our hooves were forced by the expansion of several other kingdoms and countries, and our measures to deal with them have evolved.
Really all of this can be blamed on the development of technology, and the ways it can be applied to military and war. Airships fight in the skies, pegasus fighters and bombers strafe the ground and each other, and unicorn and earth pony soldiers move through the bombed out ruins and back alleys of cities, fighting hoof-to-hoof in generally close quarters areas and on other battefields.
It is bloody and arduous, and armies of all species fight with a fierce tenacity.
The political climate has changed...and as a result pony-kind has split in two, with those still loyal to the Princesses on our side, along with all the Elements of Harmony. And the others...
They are an open group in the sense that they tried not to hide who they are or what they fight for, and did not fight from the shadows. They stood proud, and challenged Equestria and all her ideals. They are strong fighters, commanded by a strong leader, and very resourceful and cunning.
They are also quite brutal and clever with their ironic name.
When a scouting party was found dead a makeshift statue had been found nearby; the leader of the scouting group lay in the center of the corpses, a small hollowed-out missile stabbed into his belly. The missile was positioned in a way that the stabilizing fins at the bottom were presented in full to all who looked at it, and composed in a full circle were eight decommissioned Solar-Pulse rifles, presumably stolen or purchased illegally.
The militaristic ensemble formed the peace sign, and spelled out in shell casings of the pulse rifles were the words 'WE ARE THE PEACE FIGHTERS'.
War has befallen our once-utopian nation, and we all fight in one way or another.
~~~~
Act One Chapter One A utopia is built...
Shining Armor stood upon the crest of a hill, the excess of the gray rag wrapped around his muzzle waving in the wind. It was not cold, quite the opposite in fact, but he still wore the cloth around his face for appearance's sake; commanders in his group wore the rags in some way shape or form on their heads.
"Captain Armor, our enemies are on the move. If we are to survive we must do the same very soon" Shining's Secondary Commander Lieutenant Strong Spear said to him, trotting her way up the hill. Lieutenant Spear was a strong mare and a survivor of the war that split Ponykind in half, having lead her squad against the overwhelming firepower of the forces that came out to battle them that fateful day.
Shining was never the one to ogle other mares, but Strong Spear specifically caught his eye. Not for any of the usual attractive reasons, but because of her subtlety. She was a little stout, and looked a bit foal-ish, but she definitely kept a lot of her physical capabilities carefully hidden. When Shining first sparred against her, she surprised him with a strength he had not been expecting. She still ended up losing the sparring match, but still had the Captain's eye as a soldier. She was an earth-pony, light blue, with brown hair graying at the edges. Her cutie mark was a sword cast in a stabbing motion. She had a knack for strategy, and as such was Captain Armor's lead tactician; usually it was Lieutenant Spear's mind behind their plans.
"I understand, Lieutenant. Make sure our mark is left, and then get everypony moving" Captain Armor ordered, shouldering his Solar-Pulse Rifle and making sure it was ready for action.
The Solar-Pulse Rifle Model 16, or SPR-16 for short, was the main combat weapon of the Equestrian Empire and issued to all its front-line troops, combat engineers, reserve soldiers, and really anypony else who could hold and fire a rifle. Capable of semi and fully automatic fire the SPR was complicated to manufacture but surprisingly easy to operate, given its firing and feeding mechanism. The SPR fired a unique blend of a standard brass cartridge and energy composed and formed magnetically. Powerful and neutral-temperature magical energy was shaped into the form of a bullet using tiny magnets and collimators formed in the brass casing, and was fired by the magnets expelling their energy via the collimators. The 'Solar Pulse' part comes from the energy being superheated when fired by the magnets, and creating an orange muzzle flash hot enough to melt grass and similar nature within a two foot radius. The bullets themselves were also incredibly hot after firing to the point where if the bullet didn't penetrate you, it would definitely set your clothes or fur around the point of impact on fire.
To load and ready the SPR, the user must press a button on the right side which will open a flap on the top of the weapon and eject the current clip-stick, allowing them to slide a new one into the channels when they then must cycle the charging bolt on the left side. A clip-stick was a six-inch-long and one-and-a-half inch wide at its widest point cylindrical stick with the bullets stuck into twelve individual holes which fed into one single hole that extended two inches beyond the cylinder and into the chamber of the gun. The clips were nicknamed 'Bottle Mags' due to their shape and overall appearance resembling a glass beer bottle.
The Solar-Pulse design was utilized in almost all weapons used by the Equestrian Empire and in many different shapes and sizes; Lieutenant Spear was partial to the SP-SMG herself.
"Captain Armor, it's time to go!" Lieutenant Strong Spear yelled up the hill, earning a nod from Captain Armor, who made sure his face rag was on tight before heading back down to join his soldiers.
"Stallions, before we leave you must know this; though our enemy claims to fight for peace and tranquility they continue to blanket their people in a shroud of lies while they perpetuate this bloody war. They claim that we are evil, and must be vanquished if Equestria is to continue under its flag of equality and peace. They LIE! WE know the truth, stallions, and will ensure that ALL in this land will know the same! When that time comes, our enemies will bitterly curse our names while we free those beneath them from their sheep-like existence, ALL in the name of true peace!" Shining yelled, addressing his troops.
"Is it ready, Lieutenant Spear?" the Captain asked.
"Yes, Captain! The distraction is very much ready; our enemies will never know what hit them" Lieutenant Spear answered.
Shining Armor was very proud of them all, including Lieutenant Spear.
"Very good! Now, let us move, stallions!" Shining exclaimed, motioning for them to follow him as they cleared out of the base and headed for the nearby mountains and watched as their enemies approached the now empty base, one of their airships gliding over and coming to a stop directly over the ground troops. Close to 250 soldiers entered the base when Lieutenant Spear hit the detonator, igniting the cache of antiquated gunpowder stored under a tarp near the soldiers, killing many of them and igniting the helium in the airship, making it slowly crash down to the earth in an enormous flaming heap.
The fires from the explosions ignited a trail of gasoline the Lieutenant had poured, the trail leading off into the staging area, where the gasoline was poured in the shape of the peace sign, leaving the flaming symbol in the center of the base.
"Very, VERY nice, Lieutenant Spear!" Shining Armor yelled, ecstatic over the successful trap and the luring that had gone into getting the enemy soldiers to fall right into it.
"Thank you, Sir! Another victory for us Peace Fighters, yes?" the Lieutenant asked.
"Yes, Spear! Another victory against the lies of the Princesses!" Captain Armor replied, smiling at the flames which grew and licked into the skies.
~~~~
Captain's Diary, Month of the New Year 1, 1177 years after the Nightmare Moon Event.
For 19 months we have fought our brethren in the Equestrian Empire, I myself personally leading many of those missions. I choose to lead these mares and stallions as both a message to the Princesses and to instill nobility and bravery in the hearts of my soldiers. I am not a cowardly leader, I am strong, strong enough to stand up to the Princesses and their lies, and to fight for true peace and tranquility.
Really I owe Cadence everything for these victories, for if she had not been as strong as she was and freed us all we would all still be living like sheep, blind to the truth of what the Princesses seek to accomplish and what kind of ponies they are.
But a part of me still worries for Twiley and her friends, who still wholeheartedly follow the Princesses, and would do so until their dying breaths. I can only pray Celestia may not be so soulless as to send Twilight and her friends against me on the field of battle, but even I know better than to think that; Celestia knows my weaknesses, and knows that sending Twiley against me would be the quickest way to end this conflict.
So then, why hasn't she?
Perhaps she believes even her own lies; that we in the Peace Fighters are violent savages, bent on destroying Equestria, and fears that I would not only fail to kill my own sister but instead turn her to our side. Perhaps her most loyal slav- subject is more valuable to her than I originally thought. But she MUST know that if Twilight were killed by us it would be incredibly damaging to our cause and drive. And that makes me wonder: would killing Twilight hurt them or us more? And if it were the latter, then I must wonder what the Princesses have planned for my sister.
If Twilight were dead by my hooves, would the Peace Fighters collapse sooner than the Equestrian Empire? Or would that tear their infrastructure asunder and render us victorious?
To be honest, I don't know which, and that is what frightens me the most.
...End Captain's Diary.
~~~~
Author's note: new chapters will be posted every Friday.
Legal disclaimer: Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. Lieutenant Strong Spear belongs to me.
Foreword: following some (very helpful) criticism I've made some changes to the first chapter. It's nothing too important, and you can read the rest of the story without seeing them, but I made the pace a bit slower and added some details about the main OC that will be in the story, Lieutenant Strong Spear. Happy reading!
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Chapter Two ...through bloodshed
“You are the strongest fighters our empire has to offer. You have been forged through fire and blood. You are my most proudest soldiers, and you will do everything necessary to protect Equestria and her ponies. You will NEVER retreat! You will NEVER surrender! And you will NEVER stop fighting until you breathe your last! Do you understand?!” Princess Luna barked, drilling the newest recruits in Canterlot Tower. Recruits were far from the absolute strongest fighters in the Empire, but they were all considerably well trained. No soldier was expendable, unlike in the vile Peace Fighters, who would constantly and actively sacrifice their own soldiers and use them like pawns.
If I ever see Shining Armor ever again he will pay for his crimes against the Empire and indeed all of morality Luna thought, pacing back in forth in front of the recruits. All of these soldiers would be soon pitted against the troublesome Peace Fighters, and it was up to Luna and her booming voice to deliver the welcome speech and basic virtues of the Imperial army.
“YES, MA’AM!” the recruits yelled in response.
Luna nodded and handed them off to the Drill Commander as her sister approached, her white coat pristinely shining in the artificial light and multi-color mane flowing freely. She, as well as Luna, looked as what she truly was; a divine Goddess, superior in every way and to every other being on the planet.
Except for her sister, of course.
“Thy sister, is all well?” Luna inquired, walking forward to meet Celestia halfway. Her voice had switched from stern and forceful to curious and concerned with just the flick of her mane. Princess Luna had always been the more mature and stoic one of the two sisters, and it had been an easy choice to make her voice the first thing the recruits would hear when embarking on their training. When time permitted it, Luna was a fan of going down to the training yards herself to yell and scream and shout at the soldiers-to-be.
“Is it ever? No... The Peace Fighters struck again, this time as a trap. We deployed 250 soldiers and a single airship to one of their nearby bases and fell victim to their ever-evolving tactics. The few survivors all reported a massive explosion which also claimed the airship, and a line of gasoline igniting and leading to a peace sign also made of gasoline. It seems the Peace Fighters spend most of their time finding clever ways to express their ironic names and ideals. First it was the statuette found made of guns and other equipment built on a corpse, then it was that peace sign carved in a wall with an energy katana, now it’s this one made by setting gasoline on fire. What oh what will Captain Armor and his band of delinquents ever think of next?” Princess Celestia wondered aloud.
“Perhaps one made of dead Empire soldiers?” Luna guessed, earning a glare from her older sister. “I am sorry.”
“No matter, you probably just won at least three betting pools from the front-line soldiers with that guess anyway. No, what I am really here to discuss is a manner in which we may defeat the Peace Fighters” Celestia said.
“Our airships proved very effective when not menaced by any manner of surface-to-air countermeasures” Luna suggested, beginning to walk with her sister to the nearest balcony.
“Yes but the airships are very slow to move, and as you mentioned only greatly effective when not menaced by anti-air countermeasures, and I don’t even want to begin to think about where they get those countermeasures. The Peace Fighters seem to be well-funded or at least very competent in their thefts, which brings me to my next point: 500 mid-sized crates of the new SPR-75 New-age Combat Rifles, 5 small crates of VEPR Solar-Pulse Marksman Rifles, 10 combo-crates of SP-SMGs and Solar-Pulse-Pistols, 2 crates of Intermediate All-Terrain Jeeps Model 87, and 1 crate of an Intermediate Multi-Role Tank Model 96 were all stolen from a shipping freighter on the Boaring Strait. Now, what this all means is that the Peace Fighters made off with 4,000 brand new SPR-75 NaCRs, 15 VEPRs, 50 SP-SMGs and 50 SPPs”” Celestia explained.
“Blast it! Do those foals have any idea how expensive those new SPR-75s and VEPRs were? Not to mention the two jeeps and tank? Everything else is trivial really but those SPR-75s, VEPRs, IATJ-87s, and IMRT-96 are nigh irreplaceable. We MUST get them back!” Luna exclaimed.
“Yes, I agree, and have already set plans to do just that, along with crush the Peace Fighters once and for all” Princess Celestia said.
“Then may Mother help us” Luna declared, opening the door to the balcony and letting her sister join her. Together they looked down upon Canterlot, watching ponies mill about in the streets and go about their business, though many had retired to their homes as the night was beginning.
Princess Luna raised her moon in tandem with Celestia lowering her sun, darkening the skies and crafting the necessary stars for that evening. Thousands of small white dots were scattered about the blue-black sky, many overshadowed by the glow of the moon and her creator.
“Excellent work as always, dear sister” Celestia complemented, admiring what her younger sister had done.
“Thank you, Tia. You know I try as hard as you do” the Princess of the Night replied.
“More so, I would say, given you must craft millions of stars to go along with the moon every night” the sun Goddess stated.
“Indeed. So, tell me about this plan to retake our stolen property and crush the Peace Fighters” Luna said, heading back inside with her sister. The dark Princess was keen to hear what her sister planned to do about the ‘revolutionaries’ they had been fighting for close to two years and knew that whatever it was, it would be interesting.
“Let us forget about them for now, Lulu, and simply enjoy each other’s presence, yes?”
“As you wish, dear sister” Princess Luna said with a smile.
~~~~
“Heavy-Biter Lead, this is Fighting-Hornet Lead, we are five minutes out and from what we can see the PF are dug in well; the artillery will soften them up but expect heavy resistance” the commanding pilot of the lead Dragonfly Rotary Aerial Vehicle Model 17 said over the radio as he lead the air cavalry charge. The Manticore tanks on the ground were backed by the infantry in IATJ-87s close behind.
The Dragonfly Rotary Aerial Vehicle Model 17, or DRAVM-17 for short, was a mid-sized aircraft best described as a cross between the helicopters of old and a dropship. It was shaped vaguely like a pistol bullet, with the cockpit in the round front, and a single massive rotor in the middle of the squared-off rear end. The rotor was supported by small maneuvering thrusters on the round front and two slightly larger propulsion thrusters mounted on both spires that trailed off at the rear of the vehicle, and the DRAVM-17 was fitted with a 15mm Solar-Pulse chain-gun capable of firing at 1000 rounds per minute and two 16mm rocket pods fitted on the two stubby 45-degree-angle wings on the side, each pod carrying 8 missiles. The DRAVM was armored with one-inch thick titanium alloy which also lined the airships, though in obviously thinner quantities.
The DRAVM was slow moving, and favored more firepower than speed.
The Manticore Light Support Tank Model 101 was the opposite, however; it favored more speed than firepower, fitted with a 30mm light Solar-Pulse cannon and two twelve-cylinder Solar-Containment-Field engines.
Solar-Containment-Field engines were the brainchild of researchers at Celestia’s Institution of Solar Excellence, and each and every engine was helped created by Celestia herself by imparting a fraction of the power of her sun to drive the engine. SCF engines never needed fuel, and their power source will last about a fourth of the time the sun itself will last. MLSTM-101s were revered throughout the Armored Corps for their speed and agility on the battlefield, and many veterans of the Corps were opposed to the implementation of the new IMRT-96.
“Understood, Fighting-Hornet Lead. We’ll make them think Tartarus is a better place” Heavy-Biter Lead responded as the artillery cannons some miles back began to fire, their magnetically-fired heavy slugs slamming into the PF base with more kinetic force than explosive. Massive plumes of soil and root and rock were thrown into the afternoon sky only to rain back down upon the PF soldiers.
Fighting-Hornet Lead and his small squadron gunned their thrusters and strafed over the base, unleashing their missiles and guns on the stragglers.
The jeeps stopped some distance from the base and the soldiers inside piled out, their hooves kicking up dust from the desert floor as they rushed for the base, their SPRs mounted to their sides and ready to fire as the tanks smashed through the fences, their cannons thundering and machine guns blazing as they all assaulted.
The Peace Fighters soon reorganized, however, and began to fight back proper. SPR-16s and SP-SMGs flashed bright, leaving the pilots of Fighting-Hornet and indeed the soldiers on the ground temporarily seeing spots, even with the intense light from the sun, reflected off the desert floor.
On the ground, Commander Tactical Strike led his unicorns and fellow earth ponies against the underground bunkers of the PF base, his Solar-Pulse-Shotgun held in the grip of his iron hooves as the flamer units brought up the rear, pulsing the triggers of their flamethrowers to strike fear in the hearts of the PF soldiers. From the maw of each flamethrower a jet of fury belched into sky, and the bulky fuel tanks and visors on their masks that shined orange in the summer sun added to their terror. The fuel tanks were constructed out of the same titanium alloy the Princesses loved so much, and as such were nearly impenetrable by conventional firearms.
The Princesses had learned their lesson during the Mid-Morning War.
Fighting-Hornet Lead hovered over the base along with his squadron as they patrolled the remains, keeping their eyes peeled for any PF soldier hiding in the debris of the battle.
“Fighting-Hornet Lead, this is Commander Strike, let it be known that we have entered the PF base and are clearing it out. Make sure the following are included in the after-action report: Peace Fighter unicorns use illusionary magic to hide themselves or booby traps in holes. Already lost two guys to these featherbrains” the Commander stated via radio.
“Copy that, Commander Strike” Fighting-Hornet Lead replied.
For a while all was quiet outside the base, though occasionally an explosion or two from the bunker teams could be seen affecting the ground topside, and at some point later two PF jeeps attempted to escape from the base and were promptly destroyed. During the breaks Fighting-Hornet Lead began to form the structure of the AAR to file to the Princesses back at Canterlot.
“Peace Fighters sure do love their ambushes” FH Lead lamented as his eyes scanned over what he had written thus far.
“Fighting-Hornet Lead, this is Commander Strike, we have cleared all the underground bunkers except for one last room, which appears to be a large hangar of some type. We are entering now, understood?” Commander Strike eventually declared over the radio.
“Copy, Commander Strike.”
“Charges going off in 3, 2, 1! Move it, get in there!” Commander Strike yelled.
“Clear!”
“Clear over here, too!”
“Room looks clear... Then what the heck is this place?”
“Sir, look! Lights are turning on and... Oh sweet Goddess, what is that?!”
“Good Celestia... Fighting-Hornet Lead, we’re going to need support groundside. There’s something down here and it is not happy with us!”
Fighting-Hornet Lead was about to reply when a deafening shriek of metal warping filled his ears, assaulting them like a soldier assaulting a base. He instinctively ripped his headset off his head and rubbed his ears, which made him fail to see the ground buckling and collapsing in the dead center of the base.
When he finally looked up, Fighting-Hornet Lead saw a massive machine, seemingly a tank, climbing out of a hole it made in the ground. The tank rose up and its front half stuck in the air before it finally transferred over and slammed back down into the earth, the treads in its twelve tread pods digging into the soil as the massive engine propelled it.
The last thing Fighting-Hornet Lead saw was a rail gun charging on the turret before it fired directly at his DRAVM.
This chapter is shorter than usual, so I'm posting it early today.
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Chapter Three Proxy
Captain Shining Armor smiled at how the work he had invested in Operation: Venom Sucker paid off as he watched the IMRT-96 smash through the earth itself and into the field of battle, blasting a DRAVM apart with the rail cannon mounted on the side of its turret.
IMRT-96 was easily the most expensive piece of war machinery ever produced, and rightfully so. IMRT-96 was an enormous battle tank armed and armored beyond any and all reason and logic, and the most powerful ground vehicle made by Equestrians.
The IMRT-96 was powered by five SCF engines and rolled about on twelve tread pods; pods in which individual treads were fed in and out of, making the vehicle much more maneuverable through unstable terrain like rocky rivers. The IMRT-96 was armored with 7 inches of the titanium alloy, and practically impenetrable by any conventional means.
Its armament was nothing to scoff at either.
With a main 125mm rifle-bore computer-assisted-targeting high-explosive cannon as its primary, a rail gun with over 200 magnetic coils in the barrel, five mounted machine guns, firing ports for personnel inside, and space to transport fifteen soldiers safely in a battlefield IMRT-96 was indeed a grave threat to all that faced its might. It was 50 feet in length, fifteen feet in height, and 180 tons of absolute HE-spewing divine intervention.*
And Shining Armor knew it still wouldn’t be enough.
“Lieutenant Spear, have the appropriate soldiers been issued the new guns we stole in Operation: Venom Sucker? And what is our overall current status?” Shining Armor asked his second-in-command in the control room of their main base, which was cleverly and effectively hidden in the jungles and marshlands of Vietmane, well over 3,000 miles from Canterlot and far beyond the borders of the Empire’s search routes.
“Yes, Captain, all soldiers scheduled to receive the new weapons have indeed gotten them, and the three vehicles we stole are also in tip-top operational shape, as I’m sure you very much know. Our current status is officially green, but I would more call it pea or an otherwise yellow-green” the Lieutenant explained.
“Why so?” Captain Armor inquired.
“After that last assault it is clear that the Princesses are not messing about, and intend to take very serious action against us. I suspect it is because of all the expensive toys we stole from them. Things are about to get very difficult for the Peace Fighters” Lieutenant Spear explained.
“So then we must change our tactics; what do you propose we do?” Shining said, looking for her opinion as a brilliant strategist. The Lieutenant looked over her clipboard before speaking.
“Well, I believe our best bet would be to contact ‘them’ and ask for military support” Spear stated.
“‘Them’?” Captain Armor asked, confused.
“Yes, Sir... Them.”
The Captain thought about it for a moment, perplexed by what she could possibly mean, and then it finally hit him. It hit him like a frying pan to his face. It hit him like the first bullet he had ever taken.
“No. Absolutely not, Lieutenant. We are NOT asking THEM for assistance” Shining Armor exclaimed, almost demoting Strong Spear on the spot for suggesting such a thing.
“Then what do you propose we do, Sir?!” Lieutenant Spear declared.
“...Proxy battles, Spear. We change our strategy to guerilla warfare and fight proxy battles against the Empire” the Captain told her.
“Where should we begin then, Captain?”
“I know just the place.”
~~~~
Captain’s Diary, Day 23 of the New Year Month 1, 1177 years after the Nightmare Moon Event.
It has been a long week for the Peace Fighters, and I am tired. Nevertheless, I promised Cadence and myself I would keep a log of this war, for if I were to die and my army to fail, this would be the only existing record of the truth.
I often wonder what the history books will say should we fail; will the seeds we have planted grow as they should, ensuring that all in the Equestrian Empire revolt against their tyrannical rulers? Or is the truth and indeed all ponykind doomed to fade away, never to see the light of day ever again?
I don’t know, but I am getting off topic.
As I previously said, today was a long day for the Peace Fighters, and we have both won and lost this week.
This morning, when the sun was rising above the horizon, 250 soldiers of the Equestrian Empire and a single airship fell into our trap, all perishing when Lieutenant Spear detonated a cache of antiquated gunpowder which then ignited a line of gasoline in the shape of the peace sign, thus leaving our mark once again.
The following day the Goddesses sent their army against our base in the desert, where IMRT-96 was stored. The only existing prototype of the tank performed flawlessly, and single-hoofedly destroyed the assaulting force.
I am sure the Princesses are very angry still.
Then, for the five days that followed, I assisted my army in fighting proxy battles against the Empire; hit-and-run, guerrilla warfare, and intense clashes at town borders. Our missions disabled three rail lines to key cities, a weapons manufacturing plant, and killed close to 300 Empire soldiers, in addition to the countless vehicles that were lost on their side.
We did not make it by unscathed though, but our losses were minimal thanks to our rapid strikes.
I would call these past seven days and their events a win for the Peace Fighters, and Lieutenant Spear is very excited at our successes. She has such drive, such tenacity, and is eager-to-please but tough. She is not without her flaws, of course, but she is an excellent Secondary Commander.
Thanks to the Lieutenant, we finally have our motto. “Lutamos pela paz.”
I will be honest; I had to translate what it means, and found that it’s Ponyguese for “we fight for peace.”
It fits pretty well, I’d say.
Now, back to business. Damn tangent times.**
Our work in proxy battles the past five days was not just a one time thing; I have facilitated the means for our proxy battles and rapid strikes to continue. Bullet by bullet we will beat the Equestrian Empire down until they are defeated.
Until such time, however, we will keep planning, and we’ll keep fighting!
Shining Armor took a sip of his soda as he looked out the window at the streets of Manehattan from his hotel room window, five floors above the streets. Ponies walked and drove about, going to and from work or the stores.
Like the ponies below, the Peace Fighter leaders were there on important business.
“Captain, they’re ready” Lieutenant Spear said to Shining as she entered the hotel room, carrying two saddlebags on her sides.
“Let me see” Shining requested, waiting as Spear brought the documents in the bags out and set them down on a table, allowing the Captain to look them over.
Folder one contained blueprints and schematics for some armor designs that his Research and Development department had drawn up; it was standard armor, composed of the usual titanium alloy, but the most striking feature was the peace sign as the visor for the helmet.
“I like that, we should make it” Shining said, very impressed with the design.
“We just need to get the materials to make those suits, Sir. Which brings us to folder 2” Strong Spear declared, opening the second folder and handing its contents to Captain Armor.
“A shipment of titanium alloy to the Equestrian Empire from the Republica of Griffonia?” the Captain mused, impressed with the results his spies could produce. There were other things on that ship along with the metal, but nothing the Peace Fighters needed.
Though there was one part labelled CLASSIFIED, which intrigued Shining.
“The metal is on the Griffon Freight Ship Cobra Star, and will be leaving port on the Boaring Streit in nine days” Lieutenant Spear explained.
“OK. Thanks, Lieutenant. Now, what is planned for today?” Shining inquired, filing the documents away in their folders and handing them back over to the Lieutenant, waiting for the mare to reply.
~~~~
“Are you sure this will work, my Princess?” the subject asked Celestia as she stood over her, ensuring the straps securing her in place were tight and correctly placed before reaching into something out of the subject’s view.
“Yes, my faithful subject. Now, relax and let me work” Celestia commanded, producing a large hoof-held device which she pressed to the back of the subject’s head and pressed the trigger.
The subject gasped and yelled for a moment before calming down.
Celestia reached into a case and produced a black box, showing it to the subject who looked at it with curiosity.
“What is that, Princess?”
Princess Celestia smiled and began to put it on the subject’s back, strapping it in place and attaching the battery pack. “It’s something to make you a superior soldier, my dear.”
With the pack in place Celestia released the subject and she hopped to the floor, rubbing the back of her head and looking over her shoulder at the device.
“Now, hold still and activate it” Celestia ordered, sitting back on her haunches to watch.
“How?” the subject inquired.
“This button here.” Celestia reached for the device and flipped the switch. The subject stood still as told and a panel on the back of the device unfolded.
Then, the magic happened.
From the device a full suit of armor unfolded and secured itself to the subject; solid titanium plates staggered down her legs and her tail was encased in a circular case that formed on the rump area. The helmet unfolded into place and was secured over her head, a steel cord extending into the slot that Celestia had made in her skull with the modification-gun, making her head jerk rigid for a moment. The single slit of a visor flashed orange, indicating the suit was fully sealed on her body and ready for action.
“Now, how do you feel?” the Princess asked.
“I am fine, Holy One” the subject instantly responded in a firm tone.
“Will you do as you are told, without question nor hesitation?”
“Yes, Holy One.”
Celestia smirked, then read over the suit’s details on her computer. “Very good. Now, your suit has a wide variety of features, and I shall now go over them. It is comprised of a titanium alloy one-inch thick, and is vacuum-sealed with its own oxygen supply for 15 minutes of air at a normal breathing rate. Of course, being vacuum-sealed it is also completely waterproof and can withstand water pressure 100 feet deep. The suit provides a full heads-up display with a targeting computer for your guns, an integrity reading of the suit itself, an energy reading for the magic shield, a clock, a compass, a range-finder, a 64x digital magnification zoom, and warm and cold-blood imaging. Thanks to the upgrades I’ve administered to you, you can engage any of the features that are not on by default by just thinking about them. The targeting computer, shield reading, integrity reading, and compass are all on by default. Try thinking about the clock to turn it on” Celestia commanded.
A moment passed before the subject spoke again and said “it is on, Holy One. The current time reading is 7:17PM, Day 30 of the New Year Month 1, 1177.”
One minute ahead of Celestia’s computer, but she suspected her clock was a little mis-calculated anyway.
“Very good. Now, turn your suit off” Celestia ordered, the last part of her test.
“No, Holy One. My suit will remain on at all times in service of the Holy Goddesses and all their people, and upon my death or capture this suit shall be automatically destroyed, both in full compliance with Holy Decree ABHK-9756-V5S117. We are One, We are All, and We are Yours” the subject exclaimed monotonously and robotic, as if she were reading off a highly-reversed script.
Princess Celestia smiled; direct control had been completely assumed.
~~~~
“All six test subjects were administered the ‘upgrades’ and fitted with the new combat suits, sister. They should be deployed against the Peace Fighters within a week. Data gathered from their experience in the field will be used to improve the final production models of the combat suits when our shipment of titanium from the Griffons arrive” Celestia said to Princess Luna in their private chambers.
“Very good, Tia. Now, about this shipment; we are getting something ‘else’ in it as well, yes?” Luna asked.
“Yes, sister, our special delivery from Griffon Militaries R&D is onboard this ship as well, hidden below decks in the expanded cargohold” the sun Goddess answered.
“Good. Those Peace Fighters will never know what hit them once we get this” Luna leered.
“Indeed, good sister.”
~~~~
“Start talking!” Shining Armor barked, smacking the captive across the face. He had embarked to another hotel nearby in Manehattan and captured an important officer in the Equestrian Empire, returning him to the hotel room and beginning the interrogation with Lieutenant Strong Spear.
The officer spit blood out on the floor and looked Shining in the face, muttering “I can’t believe Captain Shining Armor, hero of the Changeling Invasion and Crystal Conflict, is the one leading these pitiful ‘Peace Fighters’.”
Shining stood on his hinds and grabbed the back of the officer’s head, pulling it forward so his face slammed into the Captain’s other hoof, breaking his nose.
“TALK!”
The officer looked unfazed, and instead still looked defiant. “When Celestia learns of what you’ve done, she will have your HEAD!” the officer yelled.
“When she learns?” Shining chuckled darkly. “Fool, she knows that I’ve been leading the Peace Fighters for the past 19 months.”
“What are you saying?!” the officer declared.
“She has known all along you dumbass! For close to two years she has known that I, the former Captain and Commander of her Empire’s military are now leading a band of what she calls terrorists! She is too embarrassed to admit this publicly, so she feeds you fucking sheep lie after lie about how Lieutenant Strong Spear is the leader of my organization! She is a fat fucking liar, you FUCK!” Shining exploded, beating on the officer several times during his rant.
The officer again spit out blood, and still did not look convinced. “Bull. I bet this is all some trick by her majesty to ensure my loyalty. Why she would question it in the first place I do not know, but I have obviously provided enough reason for the Holy One to bec--” the officer started, bashed across the face by Captain Armor.
“Shut up with that ‘Holy One’ crap, soldier! You are UNWORTHY!” Shining yelled, blinking a few times afterwards.
He had fallen right back into his Drill Commander attitude from his days as an Imperial soldier.
The Captain looked over at Lieutenant Spear, who looked a little concerned and wary. Sighing in exasperation Shining Armor gathered up their things and motioned for the Lieutenant to follow him as he approached the door.
“Wait, what about the captive?” the mare inquired.
Shining mulled it over for a minute, looking at the captive officer, before approaching and shoving a sock in his mouth and slapping a piece of tape over it.
“There. We’re not gonna learn anything from him. We’ll let the hotel staff deal with him. Let’s go” Shining said, leaving the hotel room.
~~~~
Begin recording: Captain’s Diary, Day 31 of Month of the New Year 1, 1177 years after the Nightmare Moon Event.
I...am having a hard time writing this, I’m just so pissed off. My hoof is shaking in anger and fear... Fear of myself... My anger...
I swore today, something I have never done in my life. And not the usual pony curses, no, these were full-blown curses I hurled at an officer of the Equestrian Empire. He was the enemy, but not even I would do that to them.
Or so I thought.
Thinking about those words I used makes me want to cry in frustration over what has happened to not only me, but also all of Equestria the past 19 months. Why? Why did this have to happen to me? To all of us?!
I beat him too... I am ashamed and scared to admit that it felt good to hit him...
What the hell is wrong with me?
...If there’s one thing the Princesses and I share, it’s our equal hatred and love of technology. The Princesses preach to their..."subjects" that technology is both the cause of and only hope for this war. If we had never discovered the technology we did Equestria will still be a land of peace and happiness. A true utopia. But now that we have it, we have no choice but to use it in the hopes that it may bring about that peace once again.
There are days when I wish I had never learned the truth. Cadance is both my savior and worst nightmare for telling me the truth. I thank her, and curse her...
...I loved you so much, sweetie. I still do. Cady...why did you have to die...?
“You stallions ready?” Shining Armor asked his soldiers in the lead DRAVM-20, a modified version of the 17 with room to transport 25 soldiers in and out of a combat zone in greater speeds than the 17.
“Yes, Sir!” they all replied in unison.
“Captain Armor, this is Mother Base, do you read?” Lieutenant Spear said over the radio, earning the attention of Shining as he stepped into the cockpit.
“I read you loud and clear, Mother Base. What’s the word?” Shining Armor asked, looking out at the GFS Cobra Star as it sailed along the sea.
“You’ve got FIVE Fast-Moving Aerial Assault Units Model 38 on an intercept course from the Equestrian War Ship Goddess Sun - an aircraft carrier” Spear explained.
Shining paused for a moment. FMAAUM-38 was the next generation of fast attack fighter jets; incorporating Super-Sonic Flight technology copied from the same ideal as Rainbow Dash’s legendary Sonic Rainboom the FMAAUM-38 could quickly reach speeds of Mach 4.
Rumor had it even Rainbow Dash herself was jealous of their speed.
“Crap. OK, what do we do?” Shining inquired.
“Well I suggest you all get the heck out of there; the EWS Goddess Sun was only about 20 miles from the Cobra Star; those fighters will be there in about 3 minutes” the Lieutenant said.
“NO! No. We need that metal! Without it, the Peace Fighters are doomed!” Captain Armor protested.
“Well you better get on that ship now; ‘cause if you’re still in the air when those fighters show up the Peace Fighters would collapse sooner than they would should you fail this mission.”
“OK, Spear. We’ll get in and get out” Shining replied, turning the radio off and heading back into the troop room.
“OK stallions, listen up; the Empire has sent five FMAAUM-38s our way. Those jets will be here in less than three minutes, so we need to be on the deck before they get here” Shining Armor told them.
“Shoot, maybe we should go back, Boss” one of the soldiers suggested.
“No, I want that metal. I need that metal. The Peace Fighters need that metal. You’ll all thank me when we fit you with armored suits to fight with” the Captain told them, earning excited murmurs amongst the stallions.
“But first you gotta earn those suits! And that means getting that metal, no matter what!” Shining stated, dropping the rear ramp as they neared the Cobra Star.
“Peace Fighters,” Shining started, tensing himself up at the edge of the ramp. “DROP!”
The Captain leapt out of the DRAVM and his stallions followed suit, free-falling through the mid-morning sky as they fell towards the Cobra Star, streaking past clouds like comets from the cosmos.
As they neared the freighter they all rolled forward and deployed their thruster packs, slowing their descent enough for them to safely slam onto the deck of the Cobra Star and draw their weapons to contend with the Empire security detail.
“Let’s get these foals mopped up, Gentlecolts!” Captain Armor commanded, levitating his SPR-16 against his shoulder and taking aim down the sights, squeezing the trigger and sending a Solar-Pulse round through the chest of an Imperial soldier.
Just as they began fighting the FMAAUM-38s flashed overhead and engaged their DRAVM, which turned wide to begin heading back to Mother Base. The transport had just begun to face the right direction when one of the fighters dive-bombed it, firing its Solar-Pulse minigun all the way. The heavy caliber rounds ripped through the rotor, chunks of steel flinging off like a smoothie in an open blender. The DRAVM dipped down and forward due to its lack of vertical control, and slammed into the control tower of the Cobra Star, detonating upon impact and leaving the Peace Fighters stranded on the ship.
“Don’t worry, stallions, I gotta back up plan. Let’s secure that metal first, yeah?” Captain Armor stated as they continued to clean out the Empire soldiers.
Shining Armor and his team moved up and took cover behind several shipping crates as more Imperial soldiers arrived to reinforce the others, ferociously firing and pinning the PFs down.
“Damn, they’re fighting too hard for just metal to be the only significant thing on this ship” Shining deduced, reloading his SPR as several bullets came his way.
“I concur, Sir... Hey, that rhy-- OH CRAP!” one of the stallions yelled, cut off as a volley of SP rounds clattered near his face.
“You alright, soldier?” Captain Armor asked.
“Yes, Sir!”
“Good” Shining commented as he peeked out from around the container he was behind, seeing that several of the Imperial soldiers near his position were reloading. The Captain primed a Solar-Pulse Grenade and lobbed it over the container.
“GRENADE, WATCH THE F--” an Imperial started to yell, his shouts and life cut short when the grenade detonated, searing a large 5-centimeter deep crater into the deck.
With the enemy soldiers in disarray the Peace Fighters moved up into new cover and engaged the last of the Imperials; SPRs and SMGs flashed on both sides of the deck, their bullets melting holes in steel and flesh.
Shining Armor saw three Imperials move up on the left side, where a young Private was hunkered down from suppressing fire. The Imperials reached the Private and--
--he killed them.
Shoot, thought he was a goner for sure Shining thought, relieved that he had trained his stallions well.
Suddenly the Captain was jumped by three other Imperial soldiers, who engaged him in close-quarters combat. Luckily for Shining he had learned and even taught his army the basic and advanced points of CQC, and was ready for the Imperials.
Strangely enough the names on their suits were Far Left, Middle One, and Far Right, and they all took those positions from Shining’s perspective. All three approached him at once, looking to gang up on him based on the assumed logic that he couldn’t fight all three of them at once.
How wrong they were.
The Captain dipped in between Far Left and Middle One and hooked Left in the face, making him reel back on his hind legs. When he did so, he threw up his right fore-leg, allowing Shining to grab it and crouch, throwing the soldier over his back and sending him crashing into his comrades.
The Middle One got back up first and engaged Captain Armor, attempting to punch him straight in the muzzle. Shining ducked and grabbed the soldier’s outstretched hoof, crouching again and using the leverage to pull the soldier off his hooves and over the Captain’s head. When the soldier transferred over and was about to roll off Armor’s back the Captain jerked back and threw him head-first into the steel floor, knocking him out.
Still on his hind legs Shining waited for Far Left to get back up and attack him, pulling a knife and slashing at Shining. When the soldier’s hoof was down from the swing and he was about to pull back the Captain grabbed the leg and spun the soldier around, holding his arm around his back and jerking up, eliciting pops and a yelp from the young stallion. Jerking harder again Shining Armor snapped the leg in half and the soldier screamed, a scream that was short-lived when Captain Armor grabbed the back of his head and slammed it into a steel container, knocking him out.
Finally all that remained was Far Right, who too stood on his hinds to engage the Captain. The soldier suddenly dropped and turned to buck, failing when Shining Armor grabbed both his legs and pushed him up and forward, making him roll forward and crash back onto the deck. He was still awake, however, and he quickly returned to engage Shining once again, this time with just his forehooves.
The stallion hooked right and Shining blocked, ducking to avoid the subsequent hoof left and ducking around to the side of the soldier where he casually swept out his legs and made him topple to the deck. His head hit first, and Captain Armor literally watched his eyes roll into the back of his head before the lids shut.
The last of the soldiers was out cold.
“Great CQC there, Boss!” the young private from before complemented as they regrouped.
“Consider it a field lesson. I hope you all paid attention” Shining said, holstering his SPR.
“Look out, Boss!” one of the soldiers suddenly screamed, prompting Captain Armor to whip around just in time to see the soldier grab an Imperial by the throat and trip him over, toppling over with him and slamming his skull into the deck to knock him out.
“Hahah! Good! Very good, soldier! See? He paid attention!” Shining exclaimed with a smile.
“We all did, Sir!” the young Private responded.
“Good! Now, let’s re-organize and head for the bridge. Mother Base, come in” Shining said, switching on his radio.
“Captain Armor, we read you. What’s up?” Lieutenant Spear asked.
“We’ve boarded the Cobra Star and cleared out everyone topside. We’re gonna check out the bridge to find out where they’re storing that steel. Be warned, though; we’ll need a DRAVM deployed nearby to pick us all up when I give the signal” Captain Shining answered.
“What happened to the DRAVM that took you out there?” the Lieutenant demanded.
“The Empire decided to save us the fare and gas expenses by blowing it up.”
“Bastards... Alright, Captain, you’ll get your DRAVM. Don’t lose this one too, Sir. Please?” Spear said.
“Hey, I can’t speak for the Empire” Shining stated, his smile heard by the Lieutenant rather than seen. “Shining Armor out.”
“OK, Peace Fighters, time to do the real work. Let’s secure the bridge and find this metal” Captain Armor declared.
The team entered the control tower and ventured up the stairs, proceeding through the corridors before quickly reaching the bridge door and discovering it locked.
“Of course” Shining commented.
“Open up! Imperial soldiers here! We cleared out those Peace Fighter scum!” the young Private shouted.
“One moment, Sir!” a mare yelled back from inside.
Shining Armor and indeed the rest of the squad looked at the Private in disbelief; mouths agape and eyes wide.
“What? Saw it in a movie” the Private answered.
“What’s your name, kid?” Captain Shining Armor inquired, intrigued by this potentially exquisite soldier.
“Bullet, Gleaming Bullet, Sir.”
“You’re gonna make an amazing soldier, Private Bullet” Shining Armor assured him, watching the Private blush.
“T-thank you, Sir!”
Just then the door opened and Captain Armor slammed his shoulder into it, the heavy metal door cracking the pony opening it in the face and his team poured in, weapons raised at the bridge personnel.
“Crap, you’re not Imperials! I can’t believe we fell for that!” the captain of the ship yelled.
“Down! Down now!” Shining ordered as his stallions forced the crew to the deck, searching them over for any weapons and all coming back clean save for the captain who had a pistol.
Shining disassembled it in a flash and scattered the parts all over the bridge.
“Now, where’s that shipment of titanium alloy?!” Shining Armor demanded of the captain.
“That’s all you’re here for? Just the titanium?!” the ship captain exclaimed incredulously, like there was something more valuable on the ship.
“Yeah. What else could be on this rusty hunk of crap? An experimental walking tank or some crazy thing like that?” Captain Armor replied.
“Uhh, well... Uh, I mean, no. The titanium is down in the cargo bay, in five containers marked KotC A-1 through A-5” the ship captain explained.
“Kingdom of the Changelings... Shoulda known they were supplying the Empire with the titanium. Stallions, get these ponies bound and gagged and tossed in the utility closet! Make sure the unicorns have their horns and the pegasi their wings restricted. Get this ship off course, too; I don’t want us arriving at the port and having to fight or sneak past all those soldiers” Shining Armor ordered.
“Yes, Sir!”
“Let’s go steal this steel” the Captain lamented with a smile.
~~~~
The Peace Fighters moved throughout the lower decks of the Cobra Star, headed for the cargo hold, which was at the rear of the ship according to the map on the bridge. Strangely enough the Peace Fighters had not encountered any Imperial soldiers down in the lower decks, a fact that made Shining Armor nervous.
Where the heck are they all at? Is a shipment of steel THIS freaking important?
The Fighters proceeded through a door and found themselves in one of the cargo bays, though it was not the one they needed to be in as it had several hundred containers inside, none of which marked KotC or any of the corresponding letters or numbers.
“Let’s check these containers anyway, Peace Fighters” Shining said, heading down a flight of stairs to the deck and cracking open the first container. Labelled on the side of the container was CHRYSALIS part 17.
“Chrysalis? The Changeling queen? What do they mean by parts? What’d she do, disassemble herself like LEGO blocks and stow away on this ship?” Shining wondered aloud, parting the plasti-sheet curtain and peering in the container.
It was a massive metal disc, which appeared to have thrusters sticking out of the bottom.
“What the--? This junk is stupid. Let’s keep moving, Peace Fighters” Shining stated angrily, slamming the door of the container shut.
Heading back up to the catwalks the team went down to the next door and stepped through, finding many of the lights off except for a few illuminating the containers marked KotC.
“Here!” Shining exclaimed, heading down the stairs to the first container and busting it open, finding close to twenty crates of refined and stamped titanium inside, ripe for machining into weapons or armor suits.
The other four containers were also fully stocked with the titanium crates.
“Good job, stallions! Now, let’s get this crap topside. Private Bullet, get the hatches open” Captain Armor ordered, getting on the radio with Mother Base. “Lieutenant Spear, come in; we’ve got the titanium. We’re about to take it topside. We’ll be back in just a few hours.”
“Understood, Captain.”
“I got the switch, Sir! Opening the hatches now!” Private Bullet called out, his word true as the sun as the hatches in the ceiling began to part.
Then they stopped.
“The heck? Private, see if there’s anything jamming the doors!” Armor commanded.
“Yes, Sir!”
Really need to hurry up and get out of here; getting a little antsy with the lack of enemy soldiers Shining Armor thought, oblivious to what was happening right behind him.
“Captain, what the hell is THAT?!” Private Bullet yelled, pointing his hoof into the dark side of the cargo bay. Shining Armor turned around and peered into the black, hearing rather than seeing what was beyond the visible realm.
Footsteps. Heavy, metal footsteps.
The main light flickered for a half a second, illuminating some manner of enormous metal walking beast before darkness reigned again.
“What the--?” Shining wondered, a little nervous and scared of what was approaching.
Finally the hatches were forced open, darkness turning to light and allowing for all to see what fate hath wrought upon them.
It was tall, easily 25 feet, and walked upon three legs. It had an angular body shaped as an upside-down pyramid at the apex of its height, attached to the legs, and mounted on the right side of the body was a rail gun. Sticking down from the body was a head, free to look about as the pilot pleased, and on the chin were four dual-barrelled machine guns in a horizontal fashion, and in a spinning metal circle around the body were hundreds of thousands of anti-missile lasers.
When viewed from the top, this beast would look like the peace sign.
Printed on the sign, in large white and bold letters at a 45-degree angle were the words THE PEACE FIGHTER, accompanied by a dark black peace sign that appeared to be-
-shimmering?
“PEACE FIGHTER? Holy crap, Boss, did you make this thing to support us in the back-up plan?” Private Bullet asked.
“RUN! EVERYPONY RUN!” Captain Armor bellowed, rushing up the stairs to the catwalk as the walker shifted to the left, turning to look at him and firing all four machine guns at him, eight barrels of high-caliber rounds shredding the steel all around him.
“Holy crap!” Private Bullet screamed, closing the hatches and joining the other stallions as they joined the Captain, racing back through the Cobra Star to get topside.
“Mother Base, we need that DRAVM at the Star NOW! Where’s it at and what’s the frequency?!” Captain Shining demanded over the radio.
“It’s reached the designated safe zone and is ready for pick-up, radio frequency 140.15*!” Mother Base replied.
“Thanks!” Shining yelled. “DRAVM, come in! We need evac at the Cobra Star NOW! That is an ORDER, soldier!”
“Understood, Sir! I’ll be there soon!” the pilot of the DRAVM stated.
They reached the door topside just as the DRAVM reached the ship, soaring overhead and circling to the rear of the ship. Desperately the stallions rushed to the back as the DRAVM prepared to lower.
Just when Shining Armor thought they were safe and would make it out the steel hatches began to warp, being smashed against by the walker below.
“Oh Goddess...” Shining lamented.
Three hits later the walker finally smashed through the hatches and clambered on out, facing away from the Peace Fighters and the DRAVM. The pilot looked around from inside as the head turned about, finally realizing that the targets were behind him.
Shining looked back and saw that the DRAVM was down and his stallions had already boarded and were now waiting for him.
Captain Armor leaped aboard the DRAVM as the walker looked back at them over what would be a shoulder on a pony, and began to turn to engage. The walker looked up at them and began to charge its railgun, electricity arcing off the magnetic coils as they warmed up.
“MOVE! EVASIVE MANEUVERS!” Captain Shining ordered as the walker fired, the metal slug from the gun streaking past the cockpit as a blur of superheated white.
“Goddess!” the pilot exclaimed, gunning the engines.
Shining Armor looked out the window at the walker as it reared its head back and belted out a piercing shriek that sliced through the air. Its blue viewports glowing violently as it watched the Peace Fighters escape.
Princess Celestia watched the combat tape she had received from their experimental soldiers with her sister, Luna. The video was shaky, but that was to be expected from a tape that was made in a combat zone. The six soldiers performed amicably with the armor suits, and single-hoofedly wiped out an entire battalion of Peace Fighters.
“Very exciting footage, sister. And they suffered not a single casualty, correct?” Princess Luna asked, still watching the tape as the camera-pony engaged a Peace Fighter in CQC and eliminated him with ease.
“Correct, sister. These super soldiers are nigh impervious thanks to the armor suits, henceforth designated Solar Sword Mk. I. The soldiers themselves shall be christened ELEMENT GEAR” Celestia answered, watching the soldiers clean up the last of the Peace Fighters who were attempting to surrender.
“Very good. Now, about the walker received along with this shipment: I was led to believe it saw action on the ship itself” the Lunar Princess said, moving along.
“Yes, it seems the Peace Fighters boarded the ship in an attempt to steal the titanium onboard and were met with a warm welcome from the PEACE FIGHTER. Now that we have received the walking tank I think it is to be re-named. You may have the honors, Lulu” Celestia offered her sister, who brightened like the sun itself.
“May I? May I really? Oh wonderful! Oh I shall name it... Oh what will I name it? OH, I KNOW! METAL LANCE!” the Princess of the Night declared.
Celestia smiled and said “I see what you have done there, dear sister. Always following in my hoofsteps.”
“W-we always did want to be just like our older sister” Luna answered shyly, reverting to her archaic royal speech as a result.
“Indeed you did. Now, moving on to the next topic; the canines have proved as stubborn as always, and I believe it is high time we simply take from them what we need. Operation: Barbed Spear will be the invasion of the Democratic Republic of the Canine, and will see us conquering them and their valuable oil supplies. Also, Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings are to be receiving their special ‘gift’ from the Griffons in thanks from us for their titanium soon” Princess Celestia declared.
“It shall be as we wish, sister” Luna replied.
~~~~
Grass and dirt was obliterated beneath the treads and boots of the Equestrian Empire invasion force as they encroached upon the canine capital city, the groan of the tank engines filling the ears of all who were within range.
Normally a ground invasion force this slow would be seen and dealt with from miles away, but the canines were a bit busy with the constant barrage of FMAAUM-38s and kinetic-strike artillery cannons assaulting them, and thus none of them could see the true threat steadily approaching.
Finally they reached the edges of the city and easily smashed through, instilling even more panic through the hearts of the canines and forcing them to scatter like roaches in the light. Imperial soldiers went into homes and businesses where the tanks could not go and secured any civilians, forcing many of them to comply and killing the ones that were armed and brave enough to fight back.
The canines had no military at all, and the Equestrians steamrolled over them with ease. The invasion lasted for all of two hours, and when it was over the patriotic flag of the canines was torn down and shredded on the spot, replaced with the high-flying flag of the conquistadors.
With this conquering of the canines Equestria proved to all that they will eventually fall at their hooves.
~~~~
“What happened out there?!” Lieutenant Spear asked Shining Armor as he sat in the cafeteria of Mother Base, eyes buried in his hooves. His head hurt, he was tired, and the Lieutenant was screaming in his ear.
“We got jumped... Couldn’t even get the freaking metal before that thing attacked us” Shining said.
“What was it? Did you get a look at it?” Spear stated, sitting down next to the Captain.
“All of Equestria saw that damn monstrosity; thing was bigger than a house. It was some kind of giant walking tank or something, I don’t know. Point is; freaking thing was enormous and deadly as hell. I don’t know where the Princesses got such a thing, but it’s bad news for the Peace Fighters” Shining explained.
“Shoot! What the hell are we gonna do now, Shining Armor? They’ve got some giant walking tank, and you didn’t get the titanium! We are so screwed! What the hell happens now?!”
“I DON’T KNOW, Lieutenant! Goddess, don’t you ever just SHUT the HELL up?! HUH?! I KNOW I FUCKED UP, OK?! You DON’T have to remind me of my FAILURES and rub them in my FACE! Why don’t YOU think of what to do next instead of LEANING on me like a fucking CRUTCH?!” Shining thundered, standing up and hitting the plastic seat so hard it was ripped right off the screws holding it in place.
“Shining, I--”
“Shut UP!”
“Shining, can I talk to you?” Private Gleaming Bullet asked as he walked into the cafeteria.
“NO! Get OUT! Both of you! I am your Captain, NOT your friend. I am NOT Shining Armor, Shining, Mr. Armor, Lovely Armour, Gleaming Shield*, or ANY of that! I am the Captain and I WILL be addressed as such! Now leave!” the stallion ranted.
“Shini--” Lieutenant Spear started, silenced when Shining cut her off.
“NOW!”
The two ponies fled the room like it was on fire, and the Captain watched them go, sealing the door behind them.
Approximately three seconds after they left Shining Armor collapsed in another seat and covered his eyes with his hooves, beginning to cry. Muffling his mouth the Captain sobbed and wailed, the stresses of the war getting to him. He knew Lieutenant Spear was right; without that titanium and the armor suits they could make with it, the Peace Fighters were screwed. More so now that the Princesses had some kind of walking tank. Not even the IMRT-96 they’d stolen would help them fight that thing.
The Captain cried for close to 30 minutes before finally calming down, wishing that Cadence were there to help him.
Why couldn’t it have all gone down differently? Why did the events of that day happen the way they did? Cadence...if you were still alive, this war would be over by now Captain Armor thought.
He stood up and headed into the nearby bathroom, taking a drink from the water fountain and looking up into the mirror, seeing failure staring back at him.
“You failed” Shining whispered to his own reflection. “You failed, Captain! You screwed up! You failed bad and now the Peace Fighters are doomed! They’ll all be killed! And the ones that won’t die fighting will be captured and executed right in front of you. And you won’t be given the same mercy. No, you’ll be forced to live the rest of your life knowing that your FUCK UP cost everypony in your army and eventually all of Equestria their LIVES! But you know what the worst part about it is, Shining? You could’ve prevented all this. But you ran. You ran away from that walker. Your FIRST reaction was to run away from that thing. You COULD’VE fought it! The leg joints looked easily susceptible to damage by grenade, but no, you RAN! You ran away screaming like a scared little colt! You’re a COWARD!”
With this final exclamation Shining Armor reached up and smashed the mirror, shards of the glass cascading into the water fountain and clattering all over it and the floor.
When the Captain looked back up, all that stared back was the wall.
Shining rubbed at his head and left the bathroom, making a note to have the mechanics fix the broken mirror and seat.
A vibration in the pocket of his vest alerted Shining to a message he had received from Lieutenant Spear, who was likely too afraid or just smart enough not to speak with him in person right now.
You’ve got visitors on the landing pad, Captain.
-Lieutenant Spear.
Shining made another note to talk to her and Private Bullet later, and headed through the base out to the landing pad in a clearing through the trees in the jungle.
Two canines were waiting near one of their aerial transports, the Dedicated Multi-Role Aerial Transportation Craft Model 45.
“Ah, finally! Captain Armor, I am Commissar Bulldog; we have urgent matters to discuss. May we please come inside?”
“Woah, woah, slow down there. What’s going on? Why are canine representatives here at the Peace Fighter home base? Furthermore, how did you find us?” Shining inquired, alarmed at the implications; if the canines had found them this easily, how easy could the Princesses find them?
“You gave us the location of your base during the Mid-Morning War, remember? When we helped you form the Peace Fighters. And we are not representatives, we are official leaders of the canine nation” the canine answered.
“Oh” Shining stated, remembering the event. “OK. Let’s get inside, yeah?”
Lieutenant Spear, meet me in the meeting room. We got canine politicians here.
~~~~
“OK, lay it on me bluntly: what’s happened? Why are you guys here?” Lieutenant Spear asked the canine Commissar. The mare sat next to Shining Armor, albeit a little uncomfortably.
“We were invaded, without warning nor provocation, by the Equestrian Empire. Without an army to fight back we were completely annihilated. As a result the Princesses now have complete control over our land and people” the Commissar explained.
“Do you have any idea as to why they would invade you without provocation?” Shining stated, taking a drink of his coffee that he had made along with three cups for the others.
“The only thing of value in our country are our oil supplies; we have millions of gallons of oil and gasoline already mined and refined, and millions more underground in untapped sources. We refused the deals the Princesses offered us in trade for that oil, and suspect that is why they have invaded us” Bulldog answered.
“So you refused their offers and now they’ve decided to take what they want? This is too much; the Princesses have gone too far! The Princesses I used to know would never stoop this low! What are you asking of us?” Shining Armor exclaimed.
“We have no army, we want yours” Commissar Bulldog flatly responded, earning a few blinks from the Captain before he pushed back from the table.
“No! Absolutely not! We are already fighting a civil war against the Princesses, we can’t afford to fight another war for you” Captain Armor said.
“Please, sir! Every day thousands of canines suffer! The males, the females, the pups, we all suffer at the hooves of the Empire! Without outside intervention our country is forever doomed!” the Commissar pleaded.
“Captain, think about it for a moment; we’re running low on current supplies, and are losing the means to acquire new ones. Every day the Princesses take more land, supplies, and lives from us. If we affiliate ourselves with the canines, fly our flag under theirs, we could have access to their supplies and manpower. Besides, we’re already fighting the Princesses, but now we’ll have even more resources to do so. We could actually stand and fight head-to-head instead of using guerrilla tactics” Lieutenant Spear reasoned.
“Please, sir, we have borders without soldiers! Frontieres sans Militaires!” the Commissar exclaimed, apparently fluent in Ponyguese.
Is it his native language despite being a canine?
Shining mulled it over for a moment; it was incredibly risky, his army siding with that of another nation. It was basically starting a civil war and then allying with a foreign nation as its army. If this were to come to pass then all of Equestria would ignite in total war.
But if they didn’t do it, then the Peace Fighters would be swiftly destroyed by the Princesses.
“...Fine, Commissar Bulldog, we’ll liberate your country. HOWEVER, we want unfettered access to any and ALL supplies we need to fight. And we’re going to train your damn people how to fight” Captain Shining Armor told the two canines.
“Oh thank you, sir! We are a peaceful people, we thought a day like this would never come. But it seems times are grim for all countries of the world. Again, thank you very much for helping us!” the Commissar declared.
“Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here before I change my mind” Shining said, jerking his head towards the door.
The canines nodded and promptly left, thanking Shining all the way to the door. Lieutenant Spear was also about to leave when Shining stopped her.
“We need to talk” he said, motioning for her to sit back down.
“Is this about what happened earlier?” the mare asked, earning a nod to the affirmative from Captain Armor.
“I...I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I was just so pissed off about what happened on the Cobra Star, I lashed out at you and that Private. I blame myself for what happened there... I ran, Strong Spear... That was the first thing I did when I saw that walker come out of the darkness. I ran away like a little foal. I was... I was... I was just so damned scared of that thing! We all should be, too! It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen! And we didn’t get the metal and I thought the Peace Fighters were screwed and I’m just SO damn sorry!” Shining ranted, closing his eyes and once again covering them with his hooves in shame as he tried so desperately not to break down and cry in front of her.
It just barely worked; a few sobs escaped his gritted teeth.
Suddenly he felt increased warmth, and looked up to see Strong Spear wrapping her hooves around him in a comforting hug, her eyes closed and a content smile on her face. “Shhhh, it’s OK, Shin-- Captain. You’re frustrated and upset, I get that, but it isn’t your fault, you can’t blame yourself. Anypony’d run if they saw the same thing you did, not knowing what it was or what level of threat it presented to you and your team. You wanted to save the stallions under your command, more so than you wanted that titanium, and in the end saving lives is more important. That’s what we set out to do when starting the Peace Fighters, isn’t it? Save lives?” the mare inquired rhetorically.
“Yeah...” Shining Armor replied. “Yeah I guess it is... Strong? I think you can go back to calling me Shining again. We’re all friends here in the Peace Fighters. I guess when I get pissed I start reverting to my old days as one of those Imperial sheep. If we’re going to distance ourselves from the Princesses’ doctrines then I need us all to know each other on first-name basis at least. I need to go apologize to Private Bullet, too.”
“Glad everything’s alright now, Shining” the Lieutenant said.
“Well not everything, Strong Spear. We still got a war to fight. And by tomorrow it will be bigger than what we had ever dreamed of” the Captain declared.
~~~~
Captain’s Diary, Day 1 of Month of the New Year 2, 1177 years after the Nightmare Moon Event.
Today was another one of those good and bad days, and it is well close to 6 AM right now.
Bad news first, I suppose. Operation: Cold Steel was a failure. A catastrophic failure at that. We not only failed to get the titanium but also nearly all died at the hands of some walking tank, labelled PEACE FIGHTER. Seems the Princesses want to be as ironic as we are. Though maybe it is a literal peace fighter, a fighter of peace. Makes sense considering the Princesses are secretly perpetuating this war, hoping it lasts for several years.
Well, looks like the canines’ announcement tomorrow will give them more than they bargained for.
Which brings me to the good news. The Peace Fighters have allied with the Democratic Republic of the Canine, and have pledged to be her army in a time when they have no such thing. The Princesses have proved they are nothing but childish and misguided, deciding if someone won’t give them what they want then they will just steal it.
And now the in-between. Allying with the canines was a risky move on our part. Before it was just a civil war against the Princesses, but now we are an army allied with an army-less nation to help them expel the invaders from their homes. Come tomorrow when the news spreads all of Equestria will explode at this insane turn of events and the weight they hold.
The canines had borders without soldiers, the Peace Fighters were soldiers in the wrong borders. I guess now we should change our name to Soldiers without Borders - Militaires sans Frontieres.**
...Nah, we’ll stick with Peace Fighters. Fits our cause better.
There’s a lot of planning to do, and all manner of supplies and soldiers to use in our planning. This is a big time for the Peace Fighters and indeed all of Equestria, and there’s no going back.
But I think it’ll all be worth it in the end.
I hope.
...End Diary entry.
P.S: I talked with Gleaming Bullet, found him crying in his bunk. Seems he was a bit shaken up from being nearly killed by a machine and my screaming at him pushed him over the edge. I told him the same thing I told Strong Spear, except this time it was I giving the hugs and comforting him. We’re all friends in the Peace Fighters, time we acted and fought like it.
Princess Celestia and Luna watched very angrily the unmarked tape they had received in the mail, seeing it was combat footage of the Peace Fighters assaulting the canine capital. News had quickly spread of the Peace Fighters allying with the canines, and all of the Empire was outraged.
The tape told it all; it was just day one of the battle to retake the capital, but the Peace Fighters were fighting tenaciously, like they were morally offended by the Empire invading and taking what they wanted from those disgusting dogs.
We are better than those dogs. We’ve ALWAYS been superior. We are superior to any other life on this planet Celestia thought.
The camera told a scene of the IMRT-96 the PFs captured blasting through the capital, obliterating any Imperial tank that tried to stop it.
Suddenly there was a gunshot close by and the video was thrown ajar, and when focus came back the camera was staring into the sky. Celestia was about to turn it off when it moved again, being picked up by somepony else. The camera turned away from the battle and came to bear on--
Shining Armor.
Now seething with anger the Princesses watched as he smirked like the smug little bastard he is and began to talk.
“Well well well, Princesses, seems you continue to shock all the world with your childishness. The canines told you ‘no’, something mommy and daddy never had the BALLS to, and you throw a tantrum and just take what you want? Pathetic. You see all this, Princess?” Shining started, turning the camera back just in time to see the PFs’ IMRT in the street below obliterate a wing of Imperial DRAVMs.
“You brought all this upon yourselves you selfish cows. The Peace Fighters are going to FREE the canines and then we’re going to FREE all of Equestria. I’m coming for you next, Princess Celestia, and not even your walking tank can protect the carefully woven blanket of lies you have spread all over your ponies. I’m going to free them ALL, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do to stop us you bitch” Shining finished, smashing the camera.
Princess Celestia remained sitting for half a second before she stood up and grabbed the TV, wrapping her entire hoof around it and dragging it and the cart to the floor, smashing the TV in a display of glass and sparks and then turning to her sister and shouting off a list of orders.
“Drum up a wing of DRAVMs, one transport and one heavy lifter along with escorts! I want ELEMENT GEAR and METAL LANCE deployed to the canine capital to exterminate these foals IMMEDIATELY!” Celestia barked, storming from the room as her sister got to work.
You want to spit in the face of me, a divine and holy Goddess? Spit in the face of a being so vastly superior to you, Shining Armor? Then I will show you the true wrath of God the solar Princess mused, each thought of the former Imperial Captain pouring gas all over the flames of her fury.
It had been a few hours since they had received that tape, and Shining Armor and his pitiful band of freedom fighters were assuredly still fighting to free the dogs.
Which means the Princesses’ favorite toys wouldn’t be late to the party.
~~~~
“METAL LANCE and ELEMENT GEAR, you are five minutes out. Give those Peace Fighter bastards what they deserve” Princess Celestia herself said over the radio to the experimental soldiers currently en route to the canine capital.
“We will do as you wish, Holy One” EG Commander replied, turning to face her comrades. “Peace Fighter forces are sweeping through the canine capital at an alarming pace, and it is up to us and METAL LANCE to stop them. We are tasked with finding the leader of the PFs, Captain Shining Armor, whilst METAL LANCE will busy itself with the bulk of his forces. Mission is strict Kill on Sight, target: Shining Armor. Target ID code is SA-1164-3372. Are these mission parameters and orders understood?”
“We confirm: Kill On Sight target Shining Armor, ID code SA-1164-3372” the rest of ELEMENT GEAR responded monotonously.
EG Lead nodded and turned around, opening the hatch and standing on the edge, looking down as the other DRAVM deployed METAL LANCE to deal with the IMRT and other vehicles the Peace Fighters had brought in.
“ELEMENT GEAR...DEPLOY!” EG Lead announced, leaping from the DRAVM and falling through the sky towards the canine, watching the flashes of gunfire and explosions emanating from the city streets.
Halfway to the ground ELEMENT GEAR came under assault by Peace Fighter DRAVMs, the aerial vehicles harassing them with machine guns and lock on missiles. High-maneuverability thruster packs allowed them to bob and weave back forth to avoid the missiles, and their magic shields and suits deflected many of the bullets.
Finally as they neared the ground ELEMENT GEAR rolled forward and blasted their thruster packs, slowing their descent enough to safely land and organize themselves.
“ELEMENT GEAR, let’s split up. The target was last seen on the roof of Burning Desires*, a romance shop with apartments above it, on the southwest side of the city. We should be able to pick up on his location from there. LOYALTY GEAR, KINDNESS GEAR, and I will look for the target there. HONESTY GEAR, GENEROSITY GEAR, and LAUGHTER GEAR, you three should attempt to pick up on any clue to his location through any other means available.”
The teams went their separate ways, and EG Lead led her comrades on a trek that would take them halfway across the city.
~~~~
Where am I? Why can’t I feel my body? Am I dead? No... No, because I can still see. Where am I? What is this place?
Wait...there’s a light, let’s look out through it.
Gunfire, explosions, tanks and aircraft? We must be fighting the Peace Fighters. But if I’m watching this battle, then where am I? There’s a tank...sweet Goddess that thing is HUGE. It’s got the peace sign printed on it, too. Darn Peace Fighters.
No...I should at least think of them with respect, even if they are my enemy.
Oh my, there are an awful lot of explosions. I hope whoever this pony is that I’m seeing the world from will be OK. We need all the soldiers we have and can get.
Shoot, WHERE am I? What is this dark place where can I only see what this pony is seeing?
Oh crap, the pony’s fallen over. Is he OK? Get up... GET UP!
OH, it worked! Oh shoot, his helmet’s fallen off. Grab it! OK, he got it back on. Good, he’s gonna need that. Hmm, it’s not a normal helmet, this one covers his whole head.
Oh no...somepony’s holding his leg down with a hoof. A white hoof. Who is the Peace Fighter holding down your leg? Look up at him!
Oh Goddess...it’s Shining Armor.
SHINING ARMOR’S A PEACE FIGHTER?! The Princess told me he died! WHAT is he doing leading these “revolutionaries”?
...Kill him...
What?! NO!
...Kill Shining Armor...
NO! STOP!
...Target ID code SA-1164-3372...
The stallion smacked the pony across the face with his other hoof and he tumbled through the air, his helmet once again falling off.
The pony scrambled over and picked up the helmet, flipping it over and staring into the visor, the face of Twilight Sparkle reflected back.
Oh no...It’s me...I’M the soldier...
I am a prisoner in my own mind...
~~~~
“Shoot, where’d she go?!” EG Lead heard the target yell out as he and his comrades looked for her, the stallions searching through the rubble.
They hadn’t seen her face, they didn’t know who it was.
MAGIC GEAR slipped her helmet back on and made sure it was fully fastened into place before drawing her SPR and peering out from behind the rubble, seeing the target standing in the middle of a group of Peace Fighters, all of them looking for EG Lead. There were too many enemy soldiers in the way, and MAGIC couldn’t get a clear shot on the target. There was only one thing she could do.
Distract them.
Crouching down and lightly knocking on the rubble MAGIC heard one of the Peace Fighters say “what was that noise?” and began to walk her way, the rocks crunching underneath his hooves as he steadily approached.
Finally, just before he saw MAGIC, he stopped and turned around, shrugging it off with “guess it was nothing” and prepared to head back.
That’s when MAGIC struck.
Darting out of her cover the mare grabbed the stallion by the throat and dragged him behind the rubble, holding him against her body by his neck.
“Start talking!” EG Lead demanded in a forceful whisper.
“D-don’t hurt me...!” the stallion responded. MAGIC tightened her grip around his throat until he passed out and then hid his body under the rubble.
Peering back out the mare saw that the target was now in the open, still perusing the rubble from the street. Slithering on out MAGIC went around to his backside and stealthily approached, easing her hooves along the cracked concrete closer and closer to the target.
I should radio LOYALTY and KINDNESS, but I won’t; I got this one the ELEMENT soldier thought, just about to reach the target.
Suddenly the mare stepped on an unseen rock and her hoof slipped off, the rock launching off and striking Shining Armor in his leg, prompting him to turn around and see MAGIC.
“Oh crap!” the target yelled, leaping forward and tackling the ELEMENT soldier, about to hit her when she kicked him off.
Now, together on the street, the two were forced to fight in CQC.
Shining Armor made the first strike, a right-hook left-hoof fake out; he swung his right hoof in a hook and as the mare blocked he delivered and under-hoof blow to her midsection, one that completely reverberated off her titanium suit.
MAGIC took this opportunity to strike back; standing on her hind legs the mare spun and round-house kicked Shining across the face, sending him reeling long enough for her step up pummel on him with her forehooves.
Suddenly Shining grabbed her by the head and cracked his knee into her side, the blow connecting well enough for her to feel it as he grabbed her by the neck and smashed the back of his hoof along her head.
Amazed at the stallion’s strength and how he was still able to reasonably attack her through the suit MAGIC recovered and stepped back, the two of them walking in circles on their hands as they surveyed each other and possible weak spots.
Finally they both attacked; a straight punch aimed at each other’s faces. Their hooves met in the middle and slammed together, prompting both of them to unleash themselves in a storm of attacks on their respective opponent.
Shining kicked low and MAGIC kicked low, their legs striking together and doing no serious damage. Shining swung high with his left hoof and Magic blocked with her right, again doing naught to each other.
Shining spun and kicked MAGIC in her barrel, a blow she quickly recovered from and kicked the stallion in the side. They both punched their right hooves low and they both connected in the stomach, then did the same with their lefts. MAGIC stepped forward first and turned around, swinging her left arm back to backwards-clothesline the stallion.
She failed, and Shining grabbed her arm, popping the bones within as MAGIC swung her other arm back, hitting the Captain in the head and attempting to do it again when he blocked her arm and hit her in the back of the head, kicking her forward after that.
MAGIC turned around and tried to straight punch Shining and was rewarded by her hoof connecting. Her victory was short-lived, however, as the Captain grabbed her hoof and dragged her to the ground, her entire body doing a 180 before she slammed down.
Shining Armor stepped back and allowed MAGIC to get back up before continuing his assault. MAGIC decided she had enough, and blocked both of his attempted punches by grabbing his hooves and throwing him over her body, throwing him hard onto the concrete. While he was down MAGIC did a front-flip and slammed herself down onto his torso, stunning the stallion.
Spinning around MAGIC was about to start beating Shining to death when her right fore-hoof was shot, the bullet slashing clean through her shield, suit, and leg on both sides.
When she looked up, Lieutenant Strong Spear was standing across the street, holding a Solar-Pulse Sniper Rifle Model 47, the barrel still smoking. The SP-SR 47 was a bolt action high caliber rifle with a wood and steel construction. The SP-SR 47 is a relic from long before the Mid-Morning War, but still sees heavy use from both the Peace Fighters and the Princesses’ Empire. The bolt and bolt handle are enlarged for ease-of-use by Equestrians, as the rifle is of Minotaur design. Firing a heavy round fed from an internal box mag reloaded through use of a ‘square clip’ the rifle was hard hitting and extremely accurate.
The Lieutenant’s rifle had a 4x zoom scope fitted ahead of the loading port via pin-and-bracket mount, and the mount allowed the iron sights to be used if necessary.
“You better run, you witch!” Strong Spear yelled, cycling the bolt and lining up another shot as MAGIC bolted, running into the buildings behind her as Shining started to get up.
“Who the heck was that?” Strong asked, helping the Captain to his hooves.
“She had a name printed on the side of her suit; ELEMENT GEAR. Sounds like some kind of special operations team” Captain Armor answered.
“Hmm... Well I guess we’ll worry about that later. Right now I gotta tell you that the battle’s going well in our favor, but there’s a bit of a problem” Lieutenant Spear said.
“What kind of problem?”
“That walker you encountered on the Cobra Star, the one called PEACE FIGHTER? It’s here, fighting us, and it’s gotta new name” Strong told him.
“What?” Shining stated, almost scared of what the answer would be. The Lieutenant looked a little concerned, and that only added to Shining’s fears.
“IMRT, this is Captain Shining Armor, you’ve got some company headed your way. An Imperial walking tank, codenamed METAL LANCE is headed straight for you and the other armored units. I'll be by to help after I investigate reports of an elite Imperial squad in the city. Better get ready for a fight. Shining out.”
“You heard the Captain, boys; charge up the rail gun and load the 125mm. The Captain’s briefed us on the Empire’s walker, so we know how to fight it. Strap into your seats and get ready” the Commander of the IMRT, Major Rolling Thunder declared, taking his place and looking out through the scope into the streets of the canine capital.
It was hell on his side of the city; the Equestrian Empire was fighting with a bravery the Major had never seen before, and he had long known of their courage from his days as one of them, before Shining Armor and his wife freed them.
As the massive tank turned down what could basically be described as main street Major Thunder peered into the world outside, keeping a keen eye open for METAL LANCE. The highly advanced and experimental ‘thermal imaging’ would allow him to easily spot the heat exerted by the massive machine.
Finishing his perusal of the street Major Thunder ordered the driver to get them moving again when several loud thuds reverberated through the tank, coming from above. Perplexed, the stallions inside could do little except listen. It sounded like something big and heavy was walking over them.
That’s when it hit Major Thunder; METAL LANCE was walking over them.
“Goddess... Everypony stay quiet" the Major said, keeping his eyes out the scope for any sign of the walker. The thumps continued to sound through the motionless tank as the walker stepped all over them. All was still in the tank, fear keeping the stallions inside as quiet as they could be, hoping the pilot of the walker had not seen them and was about to destroy them and their tank.
Suddenly the thermal scope lit up, a massive heat signature appearing on the street not 50 feet ahead of them. It stood upon three legs, and sported an upside-down pyramid as its body at the top of the legs. Its side was facing the PF tank, and its head was turning to face them, ports on the side of its head flashing like eyes as it warmed up its rail gun and prepared to face the IMRT.
What the-?! Was it not walking on us? Where did it even come from?
"Oh Goddess. Get us moving backwards, now! METAL LANCE is right in front of us!" Major Thunder commanded, still bewildered at how the walker had just mysteriously appeared from nowhere. It seemed it had somehow dispelled or sunk all of its heat and moved into position right in front of them when the Major wasn't looking.
The walker finished turning and was now facing them, firing its rail gun directly at the front of the tank. The metal slug was deflected right off the armor by the slanted front and the IMRT retreated in full, METAL LANCE belting out a piercing roar as it slowly pursued.
"Fire the 125 and the rail gun!" Thunder ordered, watching as the weapons officer complied and fired the guns. Both the 125mm shell and the metal slug from the rail gun were vaporized mid-flight by METAL LANCE's anti-missile lasers, and the walker roared triumphantly before the four chain guns on its chin ripped open, spitting thousands of rounds at the heavy tank that scorched and melted and fried her shell.
"Goddess, even its machine guns represent a threat to us?! Stallions, METAL LANCE has superior maneuverability in this environment but we hold the trump card for armor. Keep us moving smart and firing true and we'll have this thing down in no time" the Major assured them.
As the IMRT turned backwards around a bend Major Thunder watched the walker hoist itself up onto the rooftops of several houses and give chase, its legs moving fluently as it quickly stomped over the stone and mortar, bustling like a three-legged spider making a beeline straight for its prey.
There was one other thing METAL LANCE lacked when compared to the IMRT besides the armor; maneuverability of its guns. The walker could only fire its machine guns where the head was facing, and the entire vehicle had to be facing the target the pilot wanted to engage with the rail gun. It could not move any of these weapons independently of their respective body parts.
The IMRT was not plagued with such issues. With both the rail gun and the 125mm mounted in X and Y turret brackets they could move and aim the guns anywhere they pleased, which would give them a considerable advantage along with their armor over METAL LANCE.
The rail gun, which was mounted much higher than the 125, turned and fired directly at METAL LANCE, the slug vaporized once again mid-flight by the lasers.
"Shoot, we gotta take those lasers down before we can engage the walker" Major Thunder lamented, ordering the tank forward again as LANCE began to turn back.
Proceeding down mainstreet again the IMRT kept its rail gun trained on the walker as its treads grinded the cobblestone beneath them; thunder reverberated through the streets orchestrated by the instruments of death, the rail guns, and their composers; METAL LANCE and Intermediate Multi-Role Tank model 96. Plumes of smoke bled into the afternoon sky, created by the fires and flames in the ruined houses and destroyed vehicles. The two machines duked it out like monsters of old Japaneighse films, puppets to destruction at the hooves of their operators.
METAL LANCE reached the edge of the rooftops and leapt down, slamming into the street below with a hefty BOOM and continuing its chase of the Peace Fighter tank. The walker lowered its body and likewise spread its legs out wider, making the entire vehicle closer to the ground and quickening its pursuit speed. IMRT turned its rail gun to fire and the walker moved to the left, passing the heavy tank and the pilot slamming the machine’s head into the treading behemoth* in anger.
Racing ahead of the IMRT METAL LANCE turned its broad side to the tank and the head looked at them, its eye-like viewports flashing once again.
"FIRE!" Major Thunder bellowed, watching as both the 125mm and rail gun trumpeted their mighty roar and fired at METAL LANCE, the rounds slamming into the unprotected upper rim of the anti-missile laser ring, blasting it apart in a spectacular display. The metal ring was ripped from its mount and spun into a nearby house, smashing it apart and flinging thousands of chunks of rock and stone and dust all over METAL LANCE.
Major Thunder peered out the normal scope at the cloud of smoke obscuring the walker from vision, hoping that destroying the anti-missile laser ring had disabled the vehicle. There was heavy movement inside the dust cloud, and the Major couldn't tell one way or the other what was happening to LANCE.
Finally, after a few uncertain moments, from the cloud of smoke and dust came METAL LANCE, fully operational.
But it was different.
Gone was not only the ring, but also the rear, central leg. After it had ditched the rear leg LANCE had shifted its body upwards until the upside-down pyramid was vertical, the flat top and the massive missile pods that comprised the center of the peace sign facing forward. The rail gun had also turned in respect to the body, and was facing forward still. METAL LANCE was now an even larger bipedal walker, and with its increased maneuverability and speed would be an even greater threat to the IMRT.
METAL LANCE's head reared back and it belted its piercing shriek, the sound emanating from a pair of massive speakers built into the 'chin' of the head. Thunder determined that the shrieking was for psychological warfare, as hearing that sound sure made him scared as hell.
There was a hitch to METAL LANCE's new transformation; it still couldn't turn and fire its weapons independently of their respective body parts. So unless LANCE was facing them the only significant threat it would present would be the missiles, of which it only had seven.
All it will take is one lucky hit from those missiles, and we're out. Likewise, it's only gonna take one hit on LANCE's legs or neck to take it down Thunder mused.
METAL LANCEtook the high route and hoisted itself up onto the rooftops, quickly covering the distance to IMRT and turning to engage it. With LANCE turned at an angle to them the rail gun on IMRT turned and fired directly at the right leg of the walker, which surprisingly lifted its leg to dodge the shot.
"What the--? Oh Goddess" Major Thunder commented, astounded at the pilot's quick reflexes. METAL LANCE was about to turn and fire the rail gun at the Peace Fighter tank when a scattering of explosions erupted around the walker. LANCE looked up at the sky and shrieked as a wing of DRAVMs soared overhead, the aircraft bearing the Peace Fighter logo.
"Sorry we're late, I was delayed by one of those elite soldiers I mentioned earlier. ELEMENT GEAR is what they were called, I think. Anyway, how're things here with LANCE? Woah, he's supposed to be tripedal, not bipedal. When did that happen?"Captain Shining Armor said over the radio, apparently in one of the DRAVMs.
"I'll tell you the story later, Sir. Right now we gotta take that walker down!" Major Thunder responded, ordering the IMRT forward as LANCE turned and looked up at the DRAVMs, the pilot contemplating on how he'd deal with the aerial threats. The DRAVMs came back overhead and METAL LANCE opened fire with its machine guns, spitting thousands of rounds at the vehicles while the IMRT prepared to fire.
The walker looked back down at the tank just as the rail gun fired, a massive metal slug slashing along the afternoon sky and reaching the right leg of LANCE in the blink of an eye. The solid steel slammed directly into the walker's leg and it buckled, its right side collapsing and the upper body of the machine propped up by its rail gun. LANCE shrieked and struggled to stand back up, meeting with failure each time.
Major Thunder allowed a smile to spread across his face and was about to order the rail gun to fire again when the top-most missile cover was blasted off by the primer caps and a 120mm warhead rocketed out of the tube, flying straight and true and detonating against the side of the rail gun, severely damaging and disabling it.
"Goddess! Captain, we're gonna need some help to fight this thing! See if you can lure it off the rooftops" the Major declared, ordering IMRT forward and away from the walker as it roared triumphantly.
"Sure thing, Major. We'll get that walker down in the streets" Captain Armor responded, his wing of DRAVMs opening fire with their guns and rockets, the weapons inadequate to truly damage LANCE but definitely enough to piss the pilot off. The pony inside responded by unleashing another of the missiles at one of the DRAVMs, one that thankfully missed and flashed across the sky, impacting and detonating on a tower occupied mostly by Imperial soldiers.
Shining knew the pilot was really pissed off now.
The Captain ordered his personal DRAVM over METAL LANCE as the rockets fired at it, catching the attention of the pilot who finally got the walker to stand up on its right leg and give chase. The walker leaped down from the roofs and slammed into the streets, its right side collapsing momentarily before it wobbly stood back up. LANCE looked up at Shining's DRAVM, its narrow and slanted viewports flashing like angry serpent eyes. The guns on the chin opened full fire as two more missiles streaked out for the DRAVM.
Shining's DRAVM banked to the right and dipped down into the streets next block over, the two missiles failing to turn in time and blowing up in the adjacent rooftops. Expecting the DRAVM to emerge around the intersection LANCE turned to the right to face down the street, expecting the DRAVM to come around any second hovering low and exposed.
Instead of the aerial DRAVM, the pilot of METAL LANCE saw IMRT-96 waiting for him in the intersection, the 125mm cannon facing him and his walker, the dark barrel staring him down. Before the pilot could react the DRAVMs came back and unleashed another barrage of rockets on his weakened right leg, completely blasting apart at the joint and forcing LANCE to topple over on a slight angle.
METAL LANCE reared its head back and shrieked into the afternoon sky one last time as IMRT-96's 125 thundered its mighty roar and fired down the street, the massive shell careening past the buildings in a blur. The cannon shell speared through the chin of the walker's head and out through the top, then promptly landing and detonating in the body. The explosion ripped the entire top part of the body apart and METAL LANCE collapsed into the street, bleeding plumes of smoke that added to those that were already tainting the sky.
METAL LANCE, and the threat it represented to the Peace Fighters, was dead.
“Great job, Major, but it’s not over yet. We still have one last job to do; liberate the Canine capital building, the Rotunda, from Imperial control” Shining Armor explained.
“Understood, Captain.”
The fight was just beginning, but Major Thunder knew there was no going back now.
Foreword: be sure to read Chapter Eight if you have not yet done so.
Act 1 Finale Chapter Nine Canine Commander
“Peace Fighters, MOVE UP! Find cover wherever you can and give the Empire hell!” Captain Shining Armor bellowed as he lead his soldiers through the streets of the canine capital, accompanied by the stallions of the Peace Fighters and a large amount of canines that had been quickly trained by Lieutenant Strong Spear to aid Shining Armor. They were all making the final push on the Equestrian Empire’s occupying forces and the last bastion of resistance, a government building known as the ‘Rotunda’.
Shining Armor hunkered down behind a ruined tank as an explosive artillery shell exploded near him in the street, spraying metal and concrete shrapnel up and down the way. Peace Fighter mares and stallions took cover behind vehicles, dumpsters, and even stole pre-fab partitions from dead Imperial soldiers.
The pre-fab cover were issued to Imperial soldiers in medium-sized kits and were issued to every soldier; the kit was a folding setup of stamped sheets of titanium attached via hinges. When the soldier needed cover but there was none, they would just unfold their pre-fab kit and stick it into the ground if it was soft enough, or stabilize it on solid ground with attachable feet.
A wing of Imperial fighters screamed directly over the Peace Fighters and their canine collaborators, carpet-bombing the street and igniting it in a blaze of explosions. With a deafening roar a nearby house collapsed into the street, completely obliterated and creating cover in the form of rubble on the left sidewalk.
Shining Armor looked up the road from his current position and saw the Rotunda about the length of a hoofball field away from him. The tall cylindrical building with a round top was shaped like a pistol bullet, and all that stood between it and them were around 100 Imperial Equestrians, a machine gun position, and the bomber jets.
The Captain moved forward, his bravery of being at the front lines inspiring the rest of his soldiers to fearlessly follow. A massive explosion tore a row of houses asunder, spraying bricks and rock into the skies. Shining Armor looked up at the sky and saw Imperial slow-bombers flying high in the sky, raining bombs on the city.
One such bomb landed directly in the middle of the street and Shining clambered up on the rubble made by a house it collapsed. “FORWARD, STALLIONS, UP INTO THE UNREMITTING BATTLE! FOR THE CANINES, FOR FREEDOM, AND FOR TRUE PEACE! FEAR NOT THEIR GUNS OR BOMBS, BUT WHAT MAY FOLLOW SHOULD WE ALL FAIL! THE PRINCESSES HAVE MADE MILLIONS SUFFER, AND WE MUST DO THE SAME UNTO THEM! INCH BY INCH, FOOT BY FOOT, MILE BY MILE, WE WILL REACH CANTERLOT AND PUNISH THE PRINCESSES FOR THEIR LIES AND CRIMES! PEACE FIGHTERS; DO NOT COUNT THE DAYS! DO NOT COUNT THE MILES! COUNT ONLY, AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THE ATROCITIES OUR SO-CALLED “GODDESSES” HAVE COMMITTED!” Shining bellowed.
“FIGHT!”
The Peace Fighter leader charged forward as his soldiers followed close behind; renewed with vigor they fought with a tenacity unprecedented by the Empire. The gray smoke-filled skies hung over them as the last of the slow-bombers flew far overhead, dropping their bombs. The Peace Fighters fearlessly pushed forward, their IMRT and smaller tanks right behind them as they encroached upon the Rotunda.
Finally, just when Shining thought they were about to break through the line and reach the steps to the Rotunda, an Imperial tank smashed through the glass display windows of a store directly in front of the Captain, its main cannon turning to fire so the coaxial machine gun could draw a bead.
Shining dove behind a ruined tank as the active one fired, its cannon shell piercing right through the ruined tank and missing the Captain’s head by a number of inches. The shell landed in another store and detonated harmlessly, though glass and cobble were thrown about.
Just as the 125mm on the IMRT was about to destroy the Imperial tank eight mechanical legs sprouted from the sides and it scurried up the side of a building like a spider, scaring half the Peace Fighters that saw it, including Shining.
Goddess it’s FAST! Faster than a Manticore tank, even!
WIth the Imperial tank on the roof, nothing nearby could reach it, as the rail gun on the IMRT was currently disabled.
The turret on the Imperial tank turned and aimed down, firing directly at Shining Armor. The stallion quickly conjured a shield and the round detonated on impact, rattling the Captain’s teeth and bones from the force.
The tank clambered down and into the streets, behind the IMRT and into the midst of the Peace Fighter infantry. Shining, abandoning the charge, ran full-speed back to where the enemy tank was.
“Our momentum is strong, Captain, what are you doing?! The DRAVMs are about to bomb the Rotunda; we’ve almost got this!” Lieutenant Spear declared when Shining slid next to her behind a pile of rubble.
“You hand me your rocket launcher right NOW, Lieutenant!” Captain Armor ordered, watching the Imperial tank as its machine gun thundered into the crowd of his soldiers, the sound of the heavy rounds firing echoing throughout the city. At a different time and place Shining would lament the destructive nature of this war on their once-peaceful land, but now there were more pressing issues.
Strong Spear did as told and handed Shining Armor the rocket launcher, an RATRLS-7. The Re-usable Anti-Tank Rocket-Launching-System model 7 was a formidable and dependable rocket launcher, capable of piercing almost all types of armor except for maybe the armor on the IMRT.
Shining crouched and slammed the rear-end of the launcher against the ground, shoving a warhead into the opening and flipping around and onto his shoulder. “Game OVER!” Shining bellowed, firing the launcher and sending the rocket straight and true into the side of the Imperial tank, blasting its left side treads apart and sending them flying. Captain Armor dropped low again and slid another rocket home as the tank got up on its eight legs and turned to face him directly, the ponies inside recognizing him as target numero uno.
“Come and get me, I dare you!” Shining yelled, stowing the launcher and bolting for the stores on the other side of the street, the tank giving chase.
“Shining!” Lieutenant Spear yelled after him.
Shining Armor ran through a clothes store and the Imperial tank smashed in after him, shattering and breaking hundreds of ponequins and racks to chase the revolutionary. Captain Armor slammed through the back door into an enclosed courtyard. It appeared to be a loading area for the clothing store, as there were several trucks parked in the area.
Shining’s study of the area was cut short when the Imperial tank smashed through the wall, rearing its ugly head and forcing the Captain to take cover behind one of the trucks.
Tank with treads that also sprouts eight legs if the treads are disabled... Must be for psychological warfare. Or maybe it’s a homage to the Spider People of the Northern Isles Shining thought, sliding home one last rocket in the launcher.
The tank bustled along in the yard, searching for the Captain.
“SHINING ARMOR! ID CODE SA-1164-3372! LEADER OF THE PEACE FIGHTERS! KILL ORDER...EXECUTE!” a pre-programmed voice thundered from the tank, the main cannon firing at one of the trucks when it had finished.
Ducking out from behind the truck he was behind Shining levelled the launcher and was about to fire at the tank when it turned, blasting its coaxial machine gun at him and forcing him to roll away behind another truck and keep running.
“EXECUTE!” the voice bellowed, firing at the truck and blasting it completely across the yard, the vehicle missing the Captain by mere feet.
Shining rolled out from behind the other truck he was behind and fired at the tank, blowing apart its left side legs and rendering it totally immobile.
“Who dares wins... MY HEAVEN...is...solitary...” the voice inside the tank choked out, before it finally went dead.
Peering inside the tank revealed there was a sole operator, hooked up with the same kind of suit the ELEMENT GEAR soldier who attacked Shining Armor earlier had been wearing. The operator had been speared by the missile Shining fired into the tank and was dead.
The hell was this thing talking about? What is ‘MY HEAVEN’?
Captain Armor couldn’t answer his own questions, and knew there were more pressing matters at the moment. Leaving the destroyed tank behind the Captain went back through the store he had entered the yard through and re-joined the Peace Fighters in the assault on the Rotunda. True to Lieutenant Spear’s earlier claims the DRAVMs had made their run on the building and the final push was being made.
“Move it, Peace Fighters!” the Captain commanded, hooking up with Lieutenant Spear near the front. With a final run from the DRAVMs and the IMRT rolling through the Imperial line the Peace Fighters reached the steps of the Rotunda.
“IMRT, take aim on the cap of the tower and FIRE!” Shining Armor yelled, the 125mm on the massive tank drawing a bead and trumpeting its roar, ripping apart the top of the building and destroying everything inside.
Seconds later the white flag unravelled and spread across the side of the Rotunda.
~~~~
As the captives were hauled off to be taken to a detainment center Shining Armor stood on the steps of the Rotunda, talking with Lieutenant Spear and Commissar Bulldog, the latter of whom was glad and grateful for what the Peace Fighters had done for his people.
“Thank you, Captain Armor! With our capital liberated and the training you have imparted on us I’m confident the Canine people can liberate their nation. Now for my end of the deal; you and your army will be allowed full access to any and all resources and supplies we have to offer in your fight against the Princesses” the Commissar declared.
“Thank you” Shining commented, just happy that the Princesses had suffered a significant loss finally. Plus they lost their walking tank, METAL LANCE. Shining Armor was sure the Princesses would be pissed off beyond reason, but knew they’d be able to take them on with the Canines backing them.
And the Lieutenant suggested we ask ‘Them’ for help... Crazy Captain Armor mused, idly surveying the area. He was going to need to call in the heavy-lifter DRAVMs from Mother Base to lift the IMRT back for repairs.
“Well, I think we’re done here. I’ll leave some soldiers behind to keep an eye on things, but the rest of us are heading back to base. Think your people can handle the stragglers, Commissar?” Shining asked.
“Yes, I believe we can. Thank you again, Captain” the Commissar replied.
“Good, very good. Well, I think I’m gonna head back to Mother Base. There’s vital planning to be done now that we’re on the offensive. See you back there, Strong Spear” Captain Armor told her, heading for a nearby DRAVM that landed on the street in front of the Rotunda.
“See you later, Captain” the Lieutenant called to him.
Once on the DRAVM it took off and turned in the direction of Mother Base, beginning its trek back. Along the way Shining began to write his diary entry for the day, enjoying the opportunity to relax after being nearly killed twice today; first by an elite soldier, then by an eight-legged tank.
Things just keep getting weirder and weirder; first a massive walking tank, then some kind of elite soldier named ELEMENT GEAR, then ANOTHER walking tank. Well hopefully things will get better now, and hopefully this is step one in freeing all of--
An alarm was sounding in the cockpit.
“What is that?” Shining asked, stepping into the front and looking at the control board.
“Something’s gotta lock on us, Sir! Hold on, getting ready to deploy countermeasures” the pilot responded, flipping several switches on the board. Suddenly the alarm changed pitch, the sound confusing the pilot.
“What the--?”
“What? What’s going on? Doesn’t that sound mean a missile is coming at us?” Captain Armor inquired.
“No, that means imminent collision” the pilot answered.
Before Shining could speak again something hit them and a horrible sound of shrieking and warping metal was heard. Looking back into the cargo hold of the DRAVM the Captain could see outside and saw bits of debris flaking off them.
The entire rear end of the dropship had been sheared off, and they were now careening to the ground.
“What the hell just happened? What hit us?!” Shining Armor demanded, bracing himself against the seats in the front.
The DRAVM slammed into the ground and Shining was thrown from his position, smashing his head against the wall and knocking him out.
~~~~
When Shining awoke he could see outside through the open rear of the vehicle, seeing the landscape sprawling before him, a copse of trees some hundred feet away. His eyes closed again, and when they opened something was obstructing his view of the trees, something black and big. It appeared to be an aircraft of some type.
His eyes closed once more, and when they opened a black leg was in front of his face. Sparing the last of his conscious energy Shining Armor shakingly looked up and saw a clean hole cut through the leg, allowing him to see straight through it. Several other cut-outs could be seen, and his mind deduced the black leg closely resembled Swiss cheese.
With this final realization Shining Armor slipped from the conscious realm, and fell into a coma.
With Shining Armor missing, it’s up to me to lead the Peace Fighters. No problem, really, I’m fit to lead. It’s just been hard without the Captain. We all rely on him for inspiration, for courage. Now it’s just me to lead these brave mares and stallions. It’s been two months since Shining went missing, and today is the official two-year anniversary of the Mid-Morning War, the event that caused the Peace Fighters to form, and what caused this war.
Can I do it? Can I really lead ALL of these ponies? Can I truly be the pony they need me to be? I’m not like Shining; I’m not strong, nor swift, nor even as brave as he is.
But there is one thing I do have that he doesn’t...
Luck.
~~~~
“The Princesses are moving, Lieutenant. They’re moving fast, too. I believe their army was not expecting the Canines to come back at them with such aggressiveness” Private Gleaming Bullet said to Strong Spear in the Mother Base command room, who nodded in agreement. The two months without Shining Armor had been dark and dreary, and it seemed the days had been cloudier and the nights darker.
“Yeah, well I guess they have us to thank for that. Course, it was their own attitude towards the Canines that caused them come back against them” Lieutenant Spear stated.
“Princesses wouldn’t have had to invade them had the Canines hadn’t been so stubborn and just accepted a deal for their oil” Private Bullet commented, earning the attention of the Lieutenant.
“Are you suggesting you would’ve preferred the Canines be helping the Princesses, Private?”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant. All I’m saying is that they could’ve avoided involvement in this whole mess had they just relented” the Private answered.
“I suppose you’d say the same for us. For Shining” Strong Spear declared. Gleaming frowned angrily but said nothing more after that.
Turning her attention from the Stallion Strong Spear tilted her head in the direction of the command board and investigated the lines displayed thereon. The Princesses ruled most of the land and territories controlled by them were marked with red. If the Lieutenant investigated for any length of time she’d see the red as a sort of disease spreading throughout all the planet.
And the only antidote were the Peace Fighters.
~~~~
“To the both of you your directives are simple; kill the leader of the Peace Fighters, Lieutenant Strong Spear, and break the will of their army. The Imperial Army can handle the Canines. Major Nightshade, your service record with the Empire is exemplary, and as such you are personally tasked with eliminating Lieutenant Spear. I know your specialty lies within the skies but we need both of you for this mission. Nightshade, the information we are about to impart upon the other operative is extremely classified; leave this room immediately” Princess Celestia said to the violet Pegasus mare standing before her in the throne room.
Major Nightshade was one of the most highly decorated individuals in the Imperial Aerial Army, having served through several conflicts such as the Mid-Morning War, the Minotaur War, and even the First Contact War of the Spider People of the Northern Isles. Her natural abilities as a Pegasus and unmatched tenacity made her a perfect candidate for the mission.
Nightshade complied immediately and left, leaving just the Princess and the other operative.
“As for you; I have raised you since you were a child. I have taught you techniques, gave you weapons, endowed you with knowledge. You are the only one within the Empire that knows the truth as it pertains to who my sister and I truly are and what we plan on doing. You are tasked with assisting Nightshade in killing Lieutenant Strong Spear, and I know you will do the best out of anyone that can do this. If you succeed I will let you join us when we make our final move. Being the only being that can live as long as us you are truly a God as we are. Are these orders understood, RED DRAGON?” Celestia asked the operative.
“Mission parameters and orders are understood, Holy Goddess of the Sun. I give my life, not for honor nor personal gains but for you and the Empire. Lieutenant Strong Spear, ID code SS-1160-2280 is to be eliminated immediately through any and all means available to me” the operative responded, standing firmly at attention. His four-foot tall body encased entirely in one of the combat suits originally issued to ELEMENT GEAR, though this one was the new Mk. 2 model built only for dragons. Red Dragon was the most capable assassin in the Empire, and has accomplished over nine missions successfully without being detected once. His suit, Solar Sword Mk. 2 was almost unchanged from Mk. 1 except for increased mobility and agility for the operator. Red Dragon was lethal, fast, and incredibly agile, all thanks to his size and dragon physiology. His suit was a midnight black and the two slanted visors over his eyes on his full-head helmet were a lethal red, contrasting with the stark black of the suit.
“Very good, Red Dragon. You are dismissed” Celestia told him.
~~~~
Red Dragon perused the delectable selection of the Canterlot Armory, looking through the weapons that would be suitable for his mission of assassinating Lieutenant Strong Spear of the Peace Fighters. Long range would be most satisfactory for eliminating the target, preferably of a high caliber to breach any armor she might be wearing at the time, but with low enough velocity to not over-penetrate her body and do significant internal damage.
There was a new weapon on the wall; a sniper rifle if the barrel length was any indication. The weapon’s specs were below it on the wall, along with its model.
Solar-Pulse Engagement Weapon for Ranges: Long model number 400. Heavy Caliber(14.5x114mm, gauged at .57 caliber). Round was tested on feral dragons, manticores, and even the secret creature of the Everfree Forest; the Leviathan of the Haro. Round easily penetrated both sides of each selected target. The dragon and manticore were killed, while the Leviathan lived(understandable, given its nature and where it came from). Magazine size is seven, and operating mode is semi-automatic with a short-stroke gas-return piston system.
“Much too high of a caliber” Red Dragon mused, knowing that it even damaged the Leviathan then it would completely pass right through the target with almost negligible damage. The dragon selected the weapon and swapped the barrel and chamber for a lower size of 12.7x99 and loading the magazine with SAPHE rounds; semi-armor piercing high explosive. The rounds were manufactured with a delay-action fuse that activated once the round was lodged in a target’s body. In short, the bullet would explode once fired into another being, inflicting severe damage on internal organs.
The perfect bullet for killing the target Red Dragon deduced.
Moving onto sidearms RD decided he would need a pistol of medium caliber for close-range penetration of targets should any get near him. Opening a rack beneath the SP-EWFRL-M400 the operative found a batch of new pistols, apparently designated SPP-M6. Information was found in a box beneath the rack.
The SPP-M6 marks a new age of combat-centric pistols, designed for use by those that possess hands and fingers with a new round developed specifically for it. The Solar-Pulse Pistol Model 6 is a semi-automatic pistol operating on the short recoil principle and incorporating a rotating bolt and chamber cover. Firing an 13.47x23mm round from 8-round magazines the M6 is a mid-sized pistol capable of stopping even the most stalwart Stallion, though it is obviously ill-suited to stopping dragons or manticores.
Red Dragon loaded up several magazines for the M6 and took both it and the sniper rifle to the range, putting well over 1,000 rounds through each. Neither weapon produced a stoppage, even when RD fired the M6 upside down or the EWFRL-M400 upside down over his shoulder whilst doing the splits and with only one hand on the rifle, and thus determined that both were the perfect weapons for his mission.
Time to get to work.
~~~~
“We’re coming over the mountains now, and we’ll be at Howloon in about 30 minutes” the pilot of Nightshade’s heavy DRAVM called out as the mare sat in the back, idly looking over her SPP-M6. She was riding with the Empire’s most elite aerial squad, the Spears Of The Night. The mare loved being in the sky, being a Pegasus, and as such enlisted in the Imperial Aerial Army. The Princesses saw that she was more fit on the ground, however, and stuck her there to hunt down the Peace Fighter leader. She still had her natural wings, however, and would gladly use them to gain an edge over the target.
I really don’t want to do this. I want to fight the Peace Fighters, obviously, but I want to do it from the sky. I don’t care about this leader bitch; if we just constantly slammed their forward positions, the Canines backing them, and their scattered bases they would collapse right before our eyes and I wouldn’t need to be stuck out in the middle of bullshit nowhere-zone to find their leader Nightshade thought.
“Arm the cannons and bring us down to engage!” Nightshade commanded, turning to leave the cockpit.
“Wait! How do we know that they’re enemy ships?”
“Princess Celestia herself has commanded that any and all unmarked transports, land, sea, or air are to be engaged immediately by any Imperial forces” the Major explained, taking a spot in the nose Solar-Pulse Arc-Shot Cannon.
The SP-ASC fired large rounds that travelled in an arcing pattern like warheads from a grenade launcher, and each dealt severe amounts of damage to organic and inorganic targets.
“Coming over the first ship now!” the pilot declared.
“FIRE!”
Major Nightshade took aim with the Arc-Shot and pressed down on the firing studs, spitting out the first shots at the rear-most vessel. The explosive rounds slammed into the wooden decks, turning the impact points into splinters and making the crew on the deck run about in confusion, scrambling for the defense guns.
“Take out those anti-air cannons or we’ll be done right quick!”
Nightshade did as instructed and levelled her sights against the closest anti-air gun, firing a quick burst from her ASC which ripped the emplacement and the pony manning it apart. The rest of the emplacements on the first vessel quickly followed, leaving just the crew and their pistols to defend their ship.
The other two vessels were subject to the same fate, and Nightshade’s DRAVM soared forward as the pilot began to bank, turning the vehicle around to make another pass on the transports.
Suddenly there was a massive boom and the DRAVM shook, the vehicle momentarily subjected to extreme turbulence which soon calmed. Nightshade pulled herself out of the nose-cannon mount and looked out the cockpit screen.
“The hell was that?” the Pegasus asked, scanning the transports for any guns they may have missed on the first pass.
There was nothing on the deck.
The mare looked to the right and saw some kind of aircraft approaching them, just about fire its guns again. Nightshade darted into action and jammed her hoof into the pilot’s control stick, violently making the DRAVM dip downward as the rounds streaked right overhead.
“What the--”
“Shut up and keep flying! I wanna sink those ships AND take out this other aircraft harassing us!” the Major declared, running back to the right-side dual slug-blasters and charging the action.
The slug-blasters, or Dual-Barrel Kinetic Striker Turrets were essentially miniaturized rail guns fed from 20-round magazines of solid steel slugs. The mags were fed in at a 45-degree angle into their openings and were fired by magnetic force out of the gun. The magnetic charge frequently bled out of the chamber and resulted in stories of necklaces and earrings attaching themselves to the magazines and coins and other objects being sucked right off the floor and attaching to the gun.
Nightshade took aim down the ring sight and pulled the triggers, the first of the slugs starting to thunder out of the gun and streaking out as white lances across the night sky toward the larger aircraft chasing them. The pilot of the slower aircraft dipped the vehicle lower to get under the Imperial DRAVM, the Major taking advantage of the larger target for the brief few moments it was open.
“Get to the underside ball turret!”
The Major ran to the very back of the cabin and slipped in, resuming her attack on the PF aircraft with the DBKST there. While down there she saw Peace Fighters on the decks of the transport ships still shooting at them with their rifles and pistols.
Major Nightshade also got a better look at the PF aircraft, seeing that it was almost pitch black in color and sported many armaments, including a single gun on the top ball turret that the Pegasus didn’t recognized.
Nightshade was about to open fire when she saw the unidentified gun take aim directly on her and start glowing red, prompting her to scramble out of the ball turret as fast as she could. A second after she had pulled out a straight beam of orange sliced through the emplacement and completely blast it apart, leaving an opening on the bottom of the DRAVM.
“The hell is that thing?!” Nightshade declared, rushing over to the right side DBKST and looking down at the enemy vehicle. The top turret was now aiming at the DRAVM as a whole and was charging, the same orange lance blasting through and cutting part of the aircraft like a saw.
“Get us under it!” the Major ordered the pilot, turning the DBKST down and returning fire, sending 40 solid steel slugs into the Peace Fighter aircraft in just as many seconds, reloading the guns when the pilot had gotten them into their new position.
While the enemy aerial vehicle busied itself with getting into a new position Nightshade returned to her original task of assaulting the transport ships, ripping several holes in the hull of the front-most ship and disabling the engines, leaving it dead in the waters. The other two ships weren’t able to adequately turn in time and the middle one scraped and grinded against the front one, ripping a hole in its hull while the rear one slammed straight into it.
“The enemy aircraft is about to get back to us, and we’ll make two more passes before moving on! Get back to the Arc-Shot and sink them!” the pilot commanded, the Major complying and slipping into position as the DRAVM finished turning, giving everything she got to completely ripping apart the remaining vessels, thousands of shards of metal and wood and bodies spraying into the air, blood and oil mixing with the waters of the ocean as the survivors scrambled to abandon ship.
“Suffer and die!!” Nightshade yelled, never once taking her hooves off the triggers until she was sure the ships were completely disabled. The middle one began listing and soon turned onto its side, splitting in half as the rear ship’s engine went into overdrive, pressing and pushing full-speed into the stern of the middle vessel. Smoke and fires raged from the oil and cooked off ammo stocks, leaving the transport convoy completely disabled and sinking.
“OK, we’re done here! We’re getting near Howloon, and we gotta get that PF aircraft off us! Hop to it, Nightshade!”
The Major climbed into the top ball turret and took aim on the bottom side of the enemy vehicle, the pony in the nose emplacement returning fire in full. The two aircraft’s DBKST’s thundered in full, both trying desperately to down the other.
Suddenly the enemy vehicle dipped down, the rear of the wings glowing red and the aircraft momentarily darting forward with immense speed, the left wing slashing right through the middle of the Imperial DRAVM, cutting it in half.
“WHAT THE HELL?! NIGHTSHADE, YOU NEED TO GET OFF THIS THING NOW!” the pilot shouted, the Pegasus darting into action and vaulting out the left side, beginning to fall away from the DRAVM as the two sides fell to the earth, slamming into a mountain and lighting up the sky with temporary explosions as the black aircraft banked away.
That was definitely NOT a Peace Fighter aircraft Nightshade thought, flapping her wings and gliding down, checking her gear when she landed to make sure she had everything.
Only the Changelings have aircraft that can slice other aircraft in half, but the Changelings are fully allied with us. If that wasn’t a Changeling aircraft, and if it wasn’t a Peace Fighter aircraft, then whose aircraft WAS it?
Bucking up Major Nightshade began her trek to the city of Howloon on hoof, knowing she just had to head in the direction of the fires and explosions several miles ahead of her.
Foreword: please note that the song in this chapter is SUPPOSED to start at 1:21. It's NOT a glitch, NOT a bug, and NOT a mistake. I made it do this. Repeat: it's SUPPOSED to start at 1:21
Chapter Eleven Nightshade
The blanket of darkness spreads over our world, covering it like the clouds of smoke over the city of Howloon.
It’s hard without Shining Armor here. It’s been so hard. We’re trying, we’re all trying desperately to hold on. The Canines are trying so desperately. We’re all trying so, SO, desperately to just hold on.
But we’re slipping.
It's slow, gradual, maybe even sometimes allowing us to think we still have a tight grip, but the reality is that it'll always get a little slippier, a little wetter, and in the end we all know that we're gonna slip eventually...
Where are you, Shining Armor? I know we wrote you off as dead because we had not heard a single word about a captured Peace Fighter, but I know you’re alive out there. You’ve GOT to be alive. We need you, the Canines need you, the Peace Fighters need you, EQUESTRIA needs you...
I need you...
...
~~~~
“The colosseum is one of the few places that the Canines have held onto throughout this vicious counter-offensive, and a good place for any and all stray Peace Fighters to regroup” Lieutenant Strong Spear said to her subordinates as they clustered around a table in an abandoned apartment complex, the light from a candle the only thing illuminating the map that Lieutenant Spear had laid out.
“Agreed. Now, what is the overall state of the battle here?” Private Gleaming Bullet asked, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at the window to make sure it was still safe.
“It’s about even right now, I’d say. Both sides have a good shot at winning it, and I think we have the capacity to make a push that would get the Empire to pull back” Strong Spear replied.
“OK. OK, let’s get moving then soon, right?” Gleaming asked, grabbing his gun. Lieutenant Spear nodded, rolling up the map and heading for the door. The group, comprised of Lieutenant Spear, Private Bullet, and several other Peace Fighters entered the hallway beyond.
Outside in the streets the battle had severely died down, and only the occasional skirmish could be heard in the distance. The Lieutenant was not mistaken, however, and knew that both armies were locked down in the city and holding onto it tenaciously.
Proceeding down the stairs into the lobby the Peace Fighters decided that heading out the front door into the street was a bad idea, and instead headed for the back door, which opened into an alley.
Slowly popping the door open Lieutenant Spear peeked her head out and looked both ways, about to move out with her allies when an Imperial Armored Transport grinded to a halt outside the left side of the alley, six troops disembarking. The Lieutenant recognized the soldiers as ELEMENT GEAR and watched them head straight for the alley behind the apartments. Their leader, MAGIC GEAR, was at the dead front, wielding one of the SP New-age Combat Rifle 75s and looking as menacing as her companions. In the past few months without Shining Armor the Lieutenant had learned that ELEMENT GEAR were violent and lethal foes to contend with, and likely die-hard zealots of Her Majesty. MAGIC GEAR was especially tenacious, and Lieutenant Spear thought she was practically Celestia's daughter with how hard she fought against the Peace Fighters.
Strong Spear closed the door and turned to the rest of the group.
“OK, not there. Let’s head back upstairs” the earth pony mare whispered, the group heading with her back to the map room which was still empty except for the candle on the table. An Imperial DRAVM screamed by outside, apparently going somewhere in a hurry.
“OK, we got ELEMENT GEAR out in the back alley, probably in the lobby now. And the front door is stupid. Our next best bet is the roof” Strong declared, leading her group to said location. It took a few moments for them to silently force the door open but they got through, and crouched low to think over their next course of action.
“I think we should head down the next three buildings and then duck into the alleys” Gleaming Bullet said.
“I agree.”
The team moved down to the third building down, another apartment complex, and entered in through the roof door. Very quickly they realized that part of this apartment building was on fire and starting to collapse. They were about to retreat when the ceiling above the roof door collapsed, blocking their exit and leaving them with no choice but to head down through the building.
About two floors in they really started to realize just how dangerous the apartment building was, and were all starting to have second thoughts about heading through it. There were many halls and rooms blocked off by collapsed beams and flames. The left side of the top floor was completely unaccessible, leaving only the staircase on the right side to get down.
There was a catch, though: the staircase was on fire halfway down.
“OK, here’s the plan: we go down to the lowest possible floor currently accessible to us, then get down the rest of the way using the staircase on the opposite side of whatever floor we get to. After that we stick to the allies and side streets” Lieutenant Spear told them.
Moving down the group was able to get to the fifth floor before being forced into it, finding that it was a little less burned out than some of the others. Only a few rooms were blocked off and all the halls were clear enough to get through.
Halfway across the floor Lieutenant Spear looked out a window into a courtyard in the middle of the apartment complex, briefly surveying the area there. Turning her attention back to the hall in front of her she noticed something in her left side peripheral vision, turning her head to see a violent streak of orange slashing through the night sky from the roof of a taller building across the street, a bipedal creature wearing an armor suit with a searing red visor standing with some type of weapon in his hands.
Lieutenant Spear threw herself to the floor as the orange streak smashed through the window, ricocheting off the floor and wall before stopping in the ceiling. The paint was scorched in the spots it had hit and the glass was a little melted right around the area the bullet had slashed through.
All hell broke loose a second later.
An explosion ripped through the hall twenty feet ahead, and a Pegasus swooped into the hall, adorned in typical battle armor but NOT the same kind of suit the ELEMENT GEAR operatives wear. She immediately locked her eyes on Lieutenant Spear, and the Peace Fighters there knew the Pegasus was here for her only.
The Pegasus looked to be about 24 or 25 years old, and was violet with a lilac blue mane. Her eyes were a deep blue and her mane was a little rough. Going by memory of pictures and posters she had seen Lieutenant Spear deduced that the enemy mare's mane looked similar to that of the legendary Rainbow Dash's.
“Peace Fighters, get down to ground level and find that sniper! I’ve got this one” Strong Spear declared, preparing herself to battle the Pegasus. The enemy mare charged for the Lieutenant quickly, the two struggling to fight in the narrow hallway.
Lieutenant Spear grabbed the Pegasus by the shoulders and hefted her, practically tossing her out the nearby window facing the courtyard. The Pegasus flapped her wings and stayed in the air, watching Strong Spear start to run through the hall. Swooping around the other side the Pegasus intercepted Strong and tackled her into the courtyard area, the two forced to battle in there.
“Who the hell are you? Who’s your sniper friend? What do you want?!” Lieutenant Spear demanded, carefully watching her adversary.
“I’m Major Nightshade of the Imperial Aerial Army, though I’ve been temporarily relocated to hunt your ass down and kill you. My sniper friend is here to do the same thing” the Pegasus answered, starting to circle around the Lieutenant.
“Great, my own personal Imperial sheep hunting me” Strong Spear commented.
“Hunted, not hunting, and now I found you.”
“I see that you are implying that you’ll walk away from this alive” the Lieutenant smirked, tensing herself to make the first move.
“Hmph, implying that I won’t” Nightshade snapped back.
Lieutenant Spear darted forward and hooked Nightshade directly across the face, the Pegasus responding with a straight punch right to the earth mare’s chest. With the Pegasus’s hoof in her chest Strong grabbed her and slammed her haunches down, hefting Nightshade over her shoulder and throwing her violently to the ground.
“That’s my signature trait right there. I bet you underestimated my strength, didn’t you?” Lieutenant Spear asked, waiting for the Major to get back up.
Nightshade growled and rolled over, offering her answer in the form of a blow right to Strong’s muzzle, making her stagger back. Blood already flowing from her nose Lieutenant Spear muttered “you bitch” and wiped her face clear before striking forward, sweeping out the enemy mare’s legs and toppling her to the ground. Strong Spear was about to stomp on her throat when Nightshade rolled out of the way, scrambling to her hooves.
Re-evaluating each other’s opponent the two mares went back to circling around each other, thinking of new strategies to fight one another. They both deduced that they had underestimated the other; Lieutenant Spear had figured Nightshade was just a typical Imperial sheep, but instead seemed to be a capable fighter. Likewise Nightshade had not expected Strong Spear’s well-hidden but potent strength, which had come from dealing with her brothers when growing up.
Iron Sight... Bomb Disposal... Why...? No, I can't think about them right now...
Charging forward at the same time both mares grabbed each other by the shoulder and grappled, both struggling to throw each other to the ground. Looking into each other's eyes and grunting the two saw the fire of dedication in their opponent's soul, knowing at that exact moment that they would both fight to the death over what they believed was right.
Looking up and over Nightshade Lieutenant Strong Spear saw the same bipedal sniper from earlier on the roof of the apartment building, shouldering his sniper rifle and aiming straight and true down at the Lieutenant. His red visor glowed violently against the black of the suit, and he appeared to be a young dragon. His armor suit was similar to that of the ones worn by ELEMENT GEAR, though obviously adapted to fit his much larger frame.
Where did the Princesses even find a dragon willing to fight for them? Strong wondered.
While distracted by the larger creature Lieutenant Spear failed to notice Nightshade approaching her, a mistake that cost dearly when she was suddenly bucked strong and hard by the enemy mare, sending her sprawling across the courtyard.
On her back Strong Spear groaned and looked up, seeing the dragon sniper take aim on her and about to pull the trigger when a rocket struck the wall directly underneath him, forcing him to leap backward and look up at the new threat.
Turning her head the Lieutenant saw a Peace Fighter DRAVM soar into position above the courtyard, firing at the dragon on the roof. The DRAVM was fitted with side-mounted missile pods and dual chin-mounted Solar-Pulse machine guns. It was more heavily armed and armored, and was probably a DRAVM-25 gunship model.
“Hey Lieutenant, you told us to take care of that sniper, and we did” the voice of Private Bullet stated over the radio, the young stallion apparently on the DRAVM with the rest of Spear’s squad.
“Thanks. Keep him busy, I still haven’t killed this Pega-pussy” Strong Spear responded, focusing her attention back on Major Nightshade.
“Screw you, bitch!” the Major yelled, charging straight for Spear.
Up in the DRAVM, Gleaming Bullet nodded at the two mares below and looked up at the dragon on the roof, who was standing stock still with his fists clenched and staring directly into the cockpit at Gleaming Bullet, his glowing red visor representing the intense anger and fury at the young Peace Fighter.
Foreword: no one commented on last week's chapter? Da fuq, brah?
Chapter Twelve Red Dragon
“Kill them all... They are your sworn enemy... They stand before the might of our Empire, threatening to kill all they can in the name of “peace”. Kill them... Kill any Peace Fighter you see... Kill Lieutenant Strong Spear... Kill her... Kill...”
No...please... Please don’t make me do it... Not anymore, please. Please don’t make me kill anymore ponies.... Please please please please... I can’t do it, I don’t want to do it... I’ve killed so many ponies... I’ve killed SO many of them make it stop make it stop make it stop make it stop... Plea-he-he-heaaaasee... Somepony...ANYPONY......
...Help...me... Stop the voices please I don’t want to hear them anymore home I wanna go home please please please please PLEASE...
“Kill them...I want you to kill them all...I want you to kill any and all you see that aren’t allied with the Empire... Kill them, Red Dragon... You have to kill them all, for Equestria, for us Princesses, to end this violent and bloody war... Kill them... Kill them all... Kill kill kill kill kill kill them... Kill them all...”
“Kill... Kill them all... Kill all of them... Kill everyone you see not allied with us... Kill... Kill...”
...Please....
~~~~
Red Dragon moved quietly and hidden across the rooftops of the buildings in the Canine city of Howloon, moving in to intercept Lieutenant Strong Spear at an apartment building deep in the city. He had lost contact with Major Nightshade when her DRAVM’s transmission tag ceased functioning, and was making his way to the target without any known support.
It was thanks mostly to standard infantry in the city that RD even knew where the target was, otherwise he’d be spending most of his time searching high and low all across Howloon to find her. And avoiding the occasional battle would sooner or later become nigh impossible the longer he was in city.
Reaching the end of one rooftop Red Dragon could see no way to cross to the next, and realized he would have to get down to street level. Descending a nearby fire escape the dragon assassin crouched low in the alley below and checked the street before turning around, seeing that the alley was vaguely T-shaped and that he needed to go left.
While in the alley he heard a scraping noise from up ahead, and stopped moving, tensing and preparing himself for an ambush. Several long seconds achingly ticked by, with nothing happening in them.
Now more cautious and slow, the dragon eased forward in the alley, hearing a very muffled whimpering coming from behind a large trash bin. Drawing his M6 RD approached the area and looked over, seeing a pony huddled low around some cardboard boxes. She had been shot in the leg, and was presumably scared out of her mind.
She looked to be civilian.
The mare nearly screamed when she saw the taller beast standing over her, but didn’t as she saw the Imperial symbol embedded on RD’s left shoulder. She shakily breathed a sigh of relief.
Scanning her Red Dragon determined that she was Lyra Heartstrings, age 42, and a former resident of both Ponyville and Her Majesty’s Royal City of Canterlot. Her horn was broken, and blood was seeping out of her eyes.
A quick fact-finding mission through his suit’s information stores revealed that unicorns cry blood when their horn is violently shattered.
“...Help me...” Lyra whispered.
Red Dragon crouched in front of her and looked her over, knowing she was intently staring at his menacing helmet and red visor. The dragon pulled out his knife and moved the cardboard away from the mare’s injured leg.
“Is the bullet still in there?” RD asked, thumbing along the edge of the blade to see if it was sharp.
“Y-yeah, I think it’s stuck in my bone” Lyra replied, earning a nod from the dragon.
“Good.”
With a flick of the wrist and fingers Red Dragon’s knife was sent into the air, the blade glittering in the moonlight. When it came back to his hand the blade was pointing down and in one deft move he buried the knife hilt-deep into Lyra’s neck, violently pulling it out and ripping the veins and arteries inside to shreds with the serrations on the back as he did.
Standing up Red Dragon watched curiously as Lyra coughed and sputtered and gurgled, blood pouring into her throat. She held in her hooves to her neck to try to stifle the flow and looked up at the dragon with undiluted terror in her eyes.
The combination of blood in her lungs and blood pouring out made Lyra pass out in all of seven seconds, and the Dragon kicked her onto her side so the blood would continue to pour out of her.
Knowing she would be dead within a minute RD grabbed the mare’s leg and stuck the knife in the bullet hole, flicking the round out with a turn of the blade and snatching it out of the air, looking it over. The bullet was a round for an SPR-16.
Reaching into a compartment on his suit the assassin pulled out an empty shell casing from an SPR-16, and with a few more tools provided by the suit Red Dragon reloaded the round, reactivating the magnetic collimators and recharging the bullet itself. Once everything was properly seated and filled the black bullet instantly took on its usual orange glow, signifying it was ready to be fired.
Removing the magazine in his M6 pistol Red Dragon thumbed the new cartridge into place and slid the mag back into the gun, now giving him 8 rounds plus one in the chamber. He was grateful that the SPR-16 and M6 pistol shared ammo.
“Thanks, Lyra” Red Dragon commented, returning the pistol to his side and continuing on his way, heading to the neighboring building and ascending its fire escape to get to the roof.
~~~~
Red Dragon had finally gotten into a good position and set up with his EWFRL-M400, the rifled perched on the partition on the roof that prevented accidental walk-offs. He had found that the building was in a perfect position, just across the street from where the target was supposed to be.
Grabbing the large rifle the dragon assassin took aim through the scope and slowly scanned along the many windows facing him. There were about 7 floors to the apartment complex that Lieutenant Strong Spear was in, but she was supposed to be on this side of the building.
Normally a spotter would be there to assist him, but with Nightshade missing it was up the dragon alone to eliminate the target.
Finally, on the fourth floor, in the direct center and front of the building, stood Lieutenant Strong Spear of the Peace Fighters. She and her companions were clustered around a table, looking at what appeared to be a map.
Pressing the rifle into his shoulder Red Dragon lined the scope’s reticle up with the target, the center dot drawing a bead right on where her heart is. Racking the bolt to chamber and ready the weapon RD put his finger near the trigger, the tip of his steel-covered claw mating with the power to take another being’s life.
His radio crackled to life, and an Imperial DRAVM screamed by.
“Red Dragon! You out there? Can you hear me?” the voice of Major Nightshade asked, distracting Red Dragon from the target.
“I confirm: Major Nightshade, on the radio. What do you require?” the dragon responded.
“Have you found the target?”
“I confirm. Lieutenant Strong Spear of the Peace Fighters is at the Golden Leaf Apartment Center here in Howloon. Red Dragon was about to terminate the subject when you contacted” RD stated.
“Deny. Wait for my arrival. I got shot down-- Rather, cut down, by some unknown aircraft and had to hike into this place. Repeat: wait for me to get there” Nightshade ordered.
“Red Dragon confirms.”
The assassin lowered his rifle and merely watched the target and her Peace Fighters move through and across the top of the apartment complexes, entering a burning one as they went.
Please get back on the radio! Please call her again and tell her to kill you-- I mean me. Us... Oh Goddess, please let someone kill me! Please, I beg of you. I want to die I need to die I need to stop hearing the voices oh Goddess they won’t stop talking someone make them stop talking help me please make it stop make it stop make it stop the conscious mind of Red Dragon screamed and pleaded, his body failing to cooperate.
“Kill them all... Kill them, Red Dragon... You must kill them... You need to kill them... You need to kill them all... Kill them all... Kill them... Kill them all... You have to kill them...
Pick up the gun and just put it to your chin please oh Goddess please just kill me I have to die I can’t take this anymore I’ve killed so many ponies and I’m about to kill another one how many more do I have to kill please don’t make me kill anymore of them please stop the killing please make it stop I want it to stop I want to go home.
The conscious mind of Red Dragon could do nothing but watch through his own eyes as he stood up and grabbed the rifle, hope lancing through him as he believed he was finally about to die.
But fate continued to deliver unto him cruelty.
Red Dragon shouldered the rifle and took aim on the flaming apartment complex, Major Nightshade telling him she was in position outside the window to a hall and that he was going to need to take the shot soon.
Red Dragon’s mind felt and saw it all; he could feel his arms moving to pick up the gun, he could feel its weight in his hands, he could feel the steady beat of his heart as his eye took in the reticle of the scope and his fingers felt the grips and trigger.
He could see and hear and smell and feel everything he was doing, but couldn’t stop himself from doing it. He was truly a prisoner in his own mind, his psyche forced to sit and watch as its body committed horrible atrocities.
~~~~
Five minutes later
~~~~
The plan had gone a bit awry, but hadn’t changed. Major Nightshade engaged the target, and Red Dragon was being forced to relocate to a new position. The target’s companions had been ordered to retreat, whilst the target stood bravely against Nightshade.
“I can’t deny that she has courage” RD whispered to himself as he darted across the street to the burning apartment complex, slamming the front door open and heading immediately for the closest staircase. The dragon ascended as far as the stairs would allow before entering the floor, rushing across it and heading up the rest of the way to the roof.
Once out there Red Dragon raced to the closest edge and took aim down in the courtyard, seeing Major Nightshade and Lieutenant Strong Spear fighting.
It was too risky to fire.
Standing tall on the roof Red Dragon saw Major Nightshade toss the target across the courtyard, who landed on her back and looked up at the assassin, looking deep into the glowing red of his visor. RD took aim on her with his rifle, noting nothing of her physical form except that she was the enemy and that he must kill her.
NO! NO YOU DON’T HAVE TO KILL HER!! PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP YOU CAN STOP THIS ALL RIGHT NOW IF YOU LET HER LIVE DON’T PULL THAT TRIGGER OH GODDESS DON’T DO IT I CAN’T STAND IT ANY LONGER I WANT TO DIE SOMEBODY PLEASE KILL ME JUST FUCKING KILL ME!
Dropping his rifle Red Dragon looked up at the DRAVM and scanned it over, noting it was an improved gunship model. The aerial vehicle pulsed its thrusters and RD sprinted to the left, the DRAVM turning to follow. The guns on the chin opened fire, their combined thunder echoing across the city of Howloon.
A plan already cooking in his mind the dragon reached the other side of the roof and drew his SPP-M6, taking aim on the aircraft. The rifle-caliber rounds fired from the smaller gun would likely be enough to penetrate the cockpit window, but the only time RD could fire on that part of the DRAVM would be when it was facing him and firing in full.
He would have to board the aircraft to destroy it.
Running to the left side again Red Dragon idly fired at the aircraft, trying to goad the pilot into flying it closer to the roof.
In response to his gunfire the pilot launched several more rockets at the assassin, who waited until they were almost on top of him before tensing his legs and leaping forward through the air, rolling forward once he hit the floor and getting back to a full sprint without missing a step.
Reloading the M6 Red Dragon paused for a moment to watch the DRAVM turn to face him again, firing more of its rockets at him, which the assassin dodged. From his position RD could see the young Peace Fighter private in the cockpit, directing the assuredly higher ranking pilot.
Note: in the Peace Fighter Air Corps, lower-ranking individuals can order higher ranked ones in a battle zone. Speculation: the lower rank soldier is acting on orders given to him by a soldier whose rank supersedes that of his and the pilot’s.
Though his missions had always been and will always be ones of killing, Red Dragon knew when to acquire vital information that could aid the Princesses.
The private himself was one of interest, too. His file had been made freely available to RD, and he had looked it over in great detail. His mother, Heavy Bullet, had lead one of the Empire’s largest fleet of airships against the Spider People of the Northern Isles during the first contact war against them, and was a well-respected officer of the Imperial Army. And now her son, Gleaming Bullet, fights against her Princesses and their grand Empire.
Private Gleaming Bullet’s record was also unique, if for the fact it raised some questions.
Gleaming Bullet was, for most intents, a veteran of the Empire. He had served during the Minotaur War, the Great Conflict, and even the Mid-Morning War, turning to the Peace Fighters three months after the Mid-Morning War.
Of course RD had wondered why he would turn to the revolutionaries after fighting three intense wars for the Princesses and was on his way to being a sergeant.
There had been more to his file, much more. Most of it was the usual things like weight, age, height, etcetera. However, there was one part that stood out. One part that singled out Private Gleaming Bullet as a unique individual and one whom the Princesses greatly wished to see again.
He was still the son of a respected Imperial Officer.
Returning to the present and looking up into the cockpit of the DRAVM Red Dragon saw Private Gleaming Bullet staring down at him, the haunted look buried deep in his eyes faintly betraying his feelings; Gleaming Bullet had learned the truth behind the Princesses, and in his guilt joined the Peace Fighters. He knew that he had betrayed his loving mother, but firmly believed that he was fighting for the right reasons.
“You stand before the Princesses, you die before the Princesses” Red Dragon whispered, dodging the very last of the DRAVM’s missiles. Now all the enemy vehicle could offer were its machine guns.
Opening fire with the guns the DRAVM followed RD as he sprinted along the roof, ahead of the bullets by mere inches.
Ceasing its attack the pilot pulsed the thrusters and the DRAVM soared closer to the roof, and Red Dragon knew his chance was now. Holstering his pistol RD rushed for the edge of the roof, leaping off of it and landing on the windscreen for the cockpit, gripping on it with his limbs stretched out and menacing red visor glowing bright like he was a violent insect.
Scrambling up to the roof Red Dragon got to his feet and looked down at the single rotor in the middle of the aircraft, speedily spinning in its gyro-brackets to keep the DRAVM afloat.
Hearing a hatch behind him open Red Dragon leaped down to one of the struts that stuck out from the rear of the vehicle and firmly kicked his foot down, snapping the rotor from one side of its mount.
Unsupported on its one side the rotor, still spinning, was ripped free from its other mounting and slashed through the strut on the other side, both events causing the DRAVM to dip down into the courtyard, slamming into the earth and kicking up massive plumes of dirt and soil.
Leaping off the ruined DRAVM Red Dragon landed next to Major Nightshade as she approached a wounded Lieutenant Strong Spear, who was pinned under a piece of the aircraft. Nightshade drew an antiquated sword from her back and spun it around in her hoof, preparing to stab the target through the head.
“I’m not gonna beg you for my life, bitch!” Lieutenant Spear declared, snapping at Nightshade. The Major looked down with apathy and raised her sword, the blade pointing down and reflecting the light of a nearby fire.
Just as she was about to stab Strong Spear the sound of an engine going into overdrive caught everyone’s attention, and it was coming from somewhere above and behind the apartment complex. Red Dragon and Nightshade turned around to see a massive aircraft come into view, edging forward until it was above the roof and looking down at the two Imperial agents. It had wings like a normal airplane, but had the thrusters of a DRAVM making it capable of vertical take-off.
“That’s it! That’s the aircraft that slashed my DRAVM in half on the way into this city!” Nightshade declared, pointing her hoof up at it. Red Dragon scanned it over and sent the photos directly to the Princesses.
“'They' love to help...” Lieutenant Spear chuckled, just as the aircraft opened fire on the Imperial agents with the same orange laser that had nearly slashed Nightshade in half when she was on her DRAVM.
Nightshade and Red Dragon retreated to behind the crashed DRAVM as the enemy aircraft descended, pulling out Lieutenant Spear and the rest of her Peace Fighter cohorts and leaving the two Imperials in the middle of a courtyard, their mission unfulfilled.
Growling, Major Nightshade turned to RD, who was merely standing there stoically, staring at the DRAVM wreck. He soon turned around and headed back for his sniper rifle, leaving Major Nightshade to wonder just who the hell owned that mysterious aircraft.
We’ve lost Howloon, and I’ve ordered the Peace Fighters to retreat on all fronts. It’s just... the fucking Princesses are so tenacious. It’s like they’ve fought wars against their own kind before, but there’s no record of any civil war in Pony history. They know all the tricks, all the tactics, all the strategies. They practically wrote the book on war.
But learning to use the tools of modern warfare can be the key to victory. Or utter defeat.*
The Canines are of very great help, and they fight with a tenacity of their own, but they’re not enough. We need more. We’ve always needed more.
I’ve enlisted the help of some... “freelancers” as they prefer to be called. I know Shining Armor would disapprove of using their help, but if he’s got a problem with it then he can come back to us, damn it!
I’m strong enough to lead them...but not strong enough to lead and fight at the same time.
...
I look at the mares and stallions all around me, and can’t help but feel proud. I wonder if Shining felt...feels the same way about us. I’m particularly interested in Private Gleaming Bullet, who is essentially my Secondary Commander, and if...when Shining comes back Gleaming will be the Tertiary. Gleaming is young compared to Shining, and was apparently well on his way to being a Sergeant in the Empire when he left for the Peace Fighters. He’s got that ‘young Private from a no-one-town turned hero’ that you see in the movies a lot. He’s stalwart and fights with vigor, but he’s still young. And if we’re talking a step back from regulations he’s quite handsome.
In the Empire, it is forbidden for soldiers to fraternize with any other soldiers, regardless of ranks. The Princesses claim it establishes unnecessary attachments, and a sense of keeping your partner alive is more important than the rest of the squad or even the mission.
But we’re all friends in the Peace Fighters...and some of us wish to be more than that...
~~~~
“We lost Howloon, and we got those two Imperial assassins hunting us down. We need to find Shining Armor or find some new strategies to deal with our current situation” Gleaming Bullet said to Lieutenant Spear once they had arrived at the Vietmane base, having been dropped off by their ‘fuzzy friends’ as Strong Spear had called them.
“I know, Private. I know. We held our own for the past two months, I’m sure we’ll be able to hold out with the Canines and our other friends helping us” the Lieutenant replied, idly tapping at a nearby console.
Lieutenant Spear looked down at the table she was sitting at, her cup of coffee long cold and sitting as idly as she was. Looking over at the clock the mare saw it was a little after 3:00 in the morning, and realized she had been sitting at the table with the Private for about five hours.
Silence befell them both, the sound of the manual clock ticking away the only thing that could be heard. The table was a folding one usually used in bar basements for playing cards and had been set near several tall electronic consoles used for Celestia-knows-what.
Celestia... Strong Spear mused, no kind of emotion on her mind at their number one enemy. Nothing could be said as the Lieutenant didn’t have the direct rivalry with the Princess that Shining Armor had. It amazed her that she and the other Peace Fighters still used idioms like 'Celestia-knows-what' or 'Celestia forbid' despite what they all know about their former Goddesses.
Blinking Lieutenant Spear realized she had been tapping on the table again and stopped, looking up at Private Bullet who was watching her intently, though not subconsciously as he was still attentive enough to drink his own coffee.
What felt like hours were actually seconds as Lieutenant Strong Spear and Private Gleaming Bullet stared at each other, neither having much of anything to say. Finally, with one last sip of his coffee Gleaming leaned forward.
“What?” Strong asked.
“...Shining Armor...”
“What about him?” Strong Spear said, borderline callously. She finally took a swig of her cold several-hour-old drink.
“Do you think he’s still alive...?” Gleaming Bullet inquired.
Silence befell the room once again, the ticking clock echoing like someone cocking the hammer of a gun. Over and over and over and over again.
Slapping both her hooves on the table Strong Spear stood up and walked over to a nearby chest, pulling out a rather large bottle. She slammed it down on the table and sat back down, spinning it so the label would be facing Gleaming Bullet.
“Alcohol? How does this answer my question?” the Private stated, investigating the label. It was immensely alcoholic, virtually undistilled.
“Shining’s alive, I’m sure of it! Now let’s drink!” Strong Spear exclaimed, dumping her coffee on the concrete floor and filling the cup to the brim with the alcohol.
Tentatively Private Bullet filled his own glass and the two drank. 3:00 AM turned to 4:00. And 4:00 AM turned to 5:00. By then both ponies were plastered drunk and giggling over absolutely nothing.
“I can’t believe that abssssolute bitch, Nightssshade. Whoooo the fuck does she think she isss?” Lieutenant Spear slurred, having smashed her glass on the floor and had resorted to drinking directly from the bottle.
“A whoooree, that’sss who” Gleaming responded, making Strong Spear snort and giggle. “Sssshe’s just one of Celesstia’s slavesss.” Gleaming Bullet downed the last of his current glass and stood up to reach over the table and grab the bottle, an attempt that failed when he lost balance and planted his face firmly on the table’s surface.
Lieutenant Spear busted out laughing.
Grunting angrily Gleaming Bullet stumbled away from the table and approached a nearby bunk, flopping onto it with a heavy thud. He was a little smaller than the average stallion but still heavy and thick.
Sauntering over Strong Spear plopped her rump on the floor and settled her chin on the stallion’s stomach, the now empty glass bottle still in her hoof. “What about that dragon assssassin...? HAH--hahahaHA... Ass...”
“Fffffuuck him... He’ssss prolly some low-life ssshmuck they snatch-snatched off the sstreetsss... He wass probably some little hatchling they ki-kidnapped...”
The sound of silence took hold of them once again as they lied haphazardly together, even though the Lieutenant wasn’t even on the bed. The clock never stopped ticking, droning away at their minds like an angry insect come to steal the very essence of their psyches.
5:00 turned to 6:00. 6:00 turned to 7:00. 7:00 turned to 8:00.
Finally, in a fit of sobriety, Private Gleaming Bullet looked down at Lieutenant Strong Spear with tears in his eyes and said “we’re ffffucked, aren’t we....? Withhhhout Shining Armor the Princessessss are gonna jusst ssteamroll right over ussss... Aren’t they...? We’re gonna have to rrrrun and hide the resssst of our livesss, aren’t we?”
The rain was heavy. The rain was always heavy. It felt unnatural, unreal, like it didn't belong there. Like it had come from another planet. She felt it tainted her world; diluted it like adding water to a glass of orange juice. She understood it was a necessary part of nature's cycle but never appreciated what it did or the pegasi that made it. She felt like the pegasi, creatures lesser than her, were intentionally blocking out the sun and the moon for as long as they felt necessary before making the clouds dissipate. At least the Unicorns and earth ponies knew their places; they never felt like they were more important than the Goddesses and tried to blot out their respective skies.
Princess Celestia hated the rain.
The sound of iron-clad hooves striking marble caught Celestia’s attention and she turned away from the closed glass door to see her sister approaching her, the night-time Princess looking as stoic as she always did.
“Things are going as they should be, sister. Despite our loss at the Canine capital we have retaken Howloon. However, both agent Nightshade and Red Dragon have failed to eliminate the leader of the Peace Fighters. They made contact and were forced to retreat when an unknown aircraft attacked them. It seems that this aircraft possesses the ability to cut other aircraft in half, a trait that only belongs to the Changelings. Personally, I'm very suspicious” Princess Luna reported.
“No, that ability belongs to another species, remember? ‘Them’” Celestia responded, the word ‘them’ rolling off her tongue like venom.
“Ah yes, ‘them’” Luna commented, showing similar disdain for the beings that ‘them’ referred to.
“There’s one other thing, too. MY HEAVEN is ready for use. Despite being well over a thousand years old it is fully functional and awaiting our command. I was amazed myself when I saw it again for the first time in over a thousand years.”
Smiling and looking back out the glass door Princess Celestia thought about the majestic MY HEAVEN and how she and her sister had procured it over 1,000 years ago.
~~~~
“MOVE IT, LUNA!” Celestia screamed at her younger sister, the bombs dropping all around them as they raced across the red ground. The sky was a violent orange as the sun cast its evening light over that half of the planet. Their opponents were right behind them as they chased them all the way to MY HEAVEN. It stood tall and proud, its glorious frame silhouetted by the sun.
~~~~
Returning to the present the Princess of the Day turned back to face her sister and smiled, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Very good, dear heart. Now, where is MY HEAVEN currently resting?” Celestia asked.
“Above the mountain our city is built on, Tia. I have been pouring considerable amounts of magic into keeping it invisible and would like to request your help” Princess Luna responded.
“Oh do stop being so formal around me, sister. If you need to ask me for my help never hesitate to just ask” Celestia told her, channelling her own magic into keeping the device invisible.
“That is what I did, is it not?” the Princess of the Night asked, cocking her head to the side.
“I suppose it is” Celestia declared, removing her hoof from the younger alicorn’s shoulder and motioning for her to follow her as she walked deeper into the castle.
“Now, back to more serious topics. With MY HEAVEN fully ready to go I would like to make use of it as soon as possible, but I would also like to finish my fight with Lieutenant Strong Spear as well. Things seem to be turning in our favor, dear sister, and I suspect that this war will be finished in just a few months” Princess Celestia said.
“What about our special projects? METAL LANCE? The IMRT-96 the Peace Fighters stole? There are also rumors that the Leviathan of the Haro is being spotted more and more in the Everfree Forest” Luna exclaimed, her last sentence immediately causing Celestia to turn around and face her.
“The Leviathan?! Mother help us, if that’s true and it’s trying to come back then I suspect things could very easily turn for the worst for us” the Sun Goddess stated.
“Fear not, sister. We defeated it once before, I’m confident we could do it again.”
“Yes. Yes I’m sure we could. I do hope that it will never come to that, however” Celestia replied, internally fearing the worst. The Leviathan returning would be a very bad for not only the Empire but all of ponykind. It single-handedly represented the greatest organic threat to the entire world of Equestria.
Worst comes to worst we could turn MY HEAVEN on the Leviathan, since not much else would harm it. For the sake of all that is good I do hope it stays deep within the Everfree and doesn’t leave.
“As for our other projects like METAL LANCE the Changelings did get their special gift, did they not?” Princess Celestia asked, masking her still-present fear of the Leviathan.
“They did indeed. Queen Chrysalis herself has been field-testing it since she got it and seems to like it very much. I know it’s been several years but I still find it strange that we allied with them” Luna answered.
“These are trying times, for all of the world. We must seek for friends where we had previously sought enemies” Celestia said, the two reaching the observatory at the top of the castle and the Sun Goddess looking up through the open roof, not bothering with the massive telescope to see a red star far up in the night sky. One of the largest stars that could be seen on this night.
Seeing her sister stare up at the red star Luna stepped in front of her, forcing Celestia to focus her attention on her younger and smaller sibling. “Will things ever be normal again for us, sister? Will things ever go back to the way they were? Do we really have to use MY HEAVEN to end this conflict?” Princess Luna inquired.
Sighing, Celestia hung her head low and said “I wish we didn’t have to, Lulu. I truly wish that we didn’t have to unleash it, but you and I both know that there is no choice. There is no other option but to use MY HEAVEN if we are to see our species continued. Continuity of pony life and government under our rule are the biggest priorities, as they always have been.... We will fight as normal for now, but you and I both know that the time is coming, and it is coming fast. I know you don’t want it to be, but there will soon be no choice.”
“I’m afraid, dear sister. I’m afraid of MY HEAVEN. Perhaps, if you had used it while I was away in the moon then--”
“You know I would have never done such a thing without you by my side. Maybe if I had used it sooner Cadence would still be alive and we would not have this war, but there are a lot of maybes in life. Maybe, if I had used it, things would have been worse. Powerful as we are, dear sister, we cannot change the past. And we cannot see the future” Princess Celestia declared.
The very truth was that MY HEAVEN terrified Celestia herself, too. There had been many times and nights during the thousand years Luna was away that the Goddess of the Sun had thought of decommissioning MY HEAVEN in whatever way she could. There were nights when she had horrible nightmares about the destructive power of MY HEAVEN, a device that held the power to completely destroy all of Equestria. A device that so powerful Celestia had to wonder if even she could safely control it. A device with untold destructive power that no species native to Equestria could ever hope to rival it.
It also held the power to save all life on the planet.
“I understand, Tia” Luna replied, turning to leave the observatory. Her iron-clad hooves striking the marble and the sound echoing throughout the massive chamber.
“Oh, there’s one more thing, Tia” Luna started, stopping in her tracks and turning back around to face her sister. “Queen Chrysalis would like to know when you want them to transfer Shining Armor into our custody.”
Shining tried to run to her, but found he could only walk slowly. No matter, he supposed, the day was too nice to run in anyway. There was no rush. It was almost like heaven; the temperature was pleasant, there wasn’t a cloud in the bright blue sky, and everypony was happy and having fun.
A group of foals charged right past Shining Armor, yelling and screaming in delight as they chased one another around the park. The rush of perceived danger at being tagged by one of their friends enough to make them move their little bodies as fast as they could.
This is a wonderful life to live Shining Armor thought as he continued to make his way across the park, still heading for his sister who was now calling to him, her voice faint over the shouts of the children.
This is what life should be like. For everyone Shining thought, passing by a jungle gym and watching a colt and filly constantly chasing each other down the slide. Rushing back to the top and repeating the process over and over. Before long the filly wised up and waited at the bottom of the slide for the colt to come down, who saw her too late and was already sliding down when the filly tackled him, kissing him on the cheek and relishing in the colt’s cries of “ewwww!!”
Huge smile on his face at the display Shining carried on, noting that it was getting a little warmer out. It wasn’t a substantial increase in heat, but it definitely rose several degrees.
Shining Armor could only feel a sense of longing and jealousy as he watched the children play, deeply reminiscing over the days when he had done the same. Now he was an adult, had a real life, a job, responsibilities, things that most of these foals can not currently understand. In their world life is all fun and joy, playing with their friends, laughing and screaming in delight.
Halfway across the park, in the middle of the playground, the heat suddenly skyrocketed and everything was on fire. The screams of happiness from the foals turned to screams and shrieks of horrific pain as they were all set ablaze, their fur cooking off in seconds and their skin warping and melting at the heat. Their eyes boiled and popped and they could do nothing but writhe on the ground or run in circles as they struggled to escape the pain.
Shining Armor observed in horror as all of Equestria was now on fire except for him and his sister; the screams of horror and pain rang throughout the entire country and from all corners and cities.
One young colt whose eyes had melted ran right past Shining Armor and slammed headfirst into a merry-go-round, one that was on fire and still spinning with foals on it, also burning and scorching away. The colt never stopped screaming as he desperately slammed his head into the merry-go-round until his skull cracked and he died, his brain matter sizzling and boiling like water in a cooking pot.
As he got closer and closer to Twilight Shining saw more foals desperately trying to rid themselves of the flames. One unicorn filly composed her brain long enough to channel magic to her horn, an act that backfired when her spell faltered and shot off, trapping her little brother by his throat and forcing her to watch and listen as he cooked alive, unable to save him or herself.
Another unicorn filly got enough magic to her horn long enough to completely rid her body of fire, though her fur was completely gone and her skin was black and red from popped blood vessels and from skin that had melted and fused all across her body. She lied motionless on the ground and continued to scream as she still burned, though she wasn’t on fire. Looking up Shining Armor saw the sun was much closer to Equestria, its side almost inside the atmosphere of the planet. The unicorn filly’s body split open from the heat and her insides were subjected to the same torture. Her lungs were incinerated and her heart popped like an over-inflated balloon.
Through the screams of horror and pain Shining Armor finally reached his sister, who was unscathed like him and still sitting calmly on the bench. Her eyes were closed, and when she opened them they were on fire, though she seemed unaffected by it.
“Twiley, did you do this?”
Smile on her face and fire literally in her eyes Twilight Sparkle looked up at her older brother and whispered “we all suffer for what you do.”
~~~~
Screams echoed through the halls of the Changeling prison as Shining Armor awoke from his nightmare, confined within a cell deep underground. The walls were black. The floor was black. Even the ceiling and bars were black, and four green squares were set on the wall behind his bed.
Eyes wide and head jerking as he looked around Shining Armor could hear the echo of the pained screams still in his head from the nightmare as he struggled to get them to go away.
For two months he had been trapped at the prison, which had actually been a quite pleasant experience when all things were considered. He was fed hot meals, allowed to take hot showers as long as he was accompanied by a guard, and his cell and bed were warm. It had almost been a luxurious vacation.
Shining Armor knew what they were doing, though. They were merely trying to make him sympathize and be grateful to them. Despite how nice it is, he still can see the reality.
He needed to escape.
He already had a plan and knowledge of a few of the floors of the prison, and had taken them into consideration when devising his plan. He knew that the day was coming when the Changelings would transfer him into the custody of the Princesses, and that would be his chance to escape.
Based on what he had seen Shining Armor was imprisoned on the fourth floor of an underground complex, and there was an elevator shaft that obviously lead to the surface. He had no knowledge of the surface layout, however.
Once outside his plan was to secure some type of land vehicle to make his getaway as he was too afraid of getting slashed down by Changeling aircraft, which had the ability to extend their titanium wings which were strong and sharp enough to slice through entire other aircraft, which was how they destroyed his DRAVM two months ago.
Right. Right. Left, right, left. The spiral staircase. Three rights and the final left before the elevator. Watch out for the guards.
The plan was all set and ready to be executed, and wouldn’t be too hard for Shining to pull off. The hardest part was simply the waiting game.
And any unexpected surprises... NO! No surprises. There are no surprises. This is gonna go off without a hitch and I’ll be back leading the Peace Fighters in no time.
A door opened somewhere nearby and hoofsteps could be heard, steadily approaching Shining Armor’s cell. Before long a Changeling guard came into view, stopping before the Peace Fighter leader’s cell and fishing for his keys.
“It’s time. We’re handing you over to the Princesses today” the guard said, sliding the door open and approaching Shining.
Once he was close enough Shining Armor swept the guard’s hooves out from under him, forcing him to topple to the ground. In a flash Captain Armor slipped his right hoof around the guard’s neck and pulled hard, pinching off his airways so hard it was like a clothespin was clamped on them.
The guard was out in seconds, and Shining Armor grabbed his gear. Knife in his left hoof and pistol in his right the Peace Fighter ducked out of his cell and headed immediately for the elevator, being sure to stay quiet.
Reaching and stepping into the elevator Shining hit the button for the surface and patiently rode it out, trying to drum up a plan for once he reached the surface.
Just get a vehicle. Just get a vehicle and you’ll be fine... But what about pursuing vehicles?
Reaching the surface with a ding the doors opened and Shining Armor darted out, grabbing the guard closest to him by the neck and crouching low, rolling the changeling over his shoulder and throwing him into the other guard, knocking them both out.
Stripping them of their ammo Shining rushed down the hall before reaching a window that looked outside, forced to shield his eyes from the intense light of the sun, which he had not seen in over two months.
The sun that reminded him of his mission. That would forever remind him of his corrupt Princesses.
The Princesses wanted me. Wanted the Changelings to give me to them. Well...they’ll get me, alright.
Perusing the rest of the Changeling base Shining noticed that no alert had been raised, meaning no one knew he was escaping. Deciding to take the best of the advantage the Peace Fighter Captain perused the rest of the base that he could see and committed it to memory, seeing what was undoubtedly the command center on the left side.
It was strange architecture, but then again so was most of that which belonged to the Changelings. It had a three-story flat base, but a tower stuck out of the middle which was a vaguely T-shaped, but the arms of the T slanted downwards. The building was solid black with an occasional assortment of blue or red lights.
Deciding that he’d need to get there to prevent any kind of chase Shining Armor was about to move out when an intense humming caught his attention, one that quickly soon provided an increase in temperature around him before it passed along with the thing making the humming.
It was an aircraft. One unlike anything Shining had ever seen before. It had no rotors, only thrusters to keep it afloat and moving. It was unusual, but it would likely make for the best escape vehicle.
The strange aircraft banked towards the command center and the Captain got moving, wanting to kill two Griffins with one stone by eliminating a chance of the Changelings pursuing him and stealing the mysterious aircraft.
Captain Armor proceeded down the rest of the hall and went through the doors there, finding a security checkpoint waiting for him.
I knew there’d be one eventually.
Darting into action he raised his knife and whipped it, striking one of the four guards in the throat with the blade. Leaping forward and landing in their midst Shining Armor toppled two more and turned on the fourth just as she hit the base-wide alarm. Shining shot her in the head before finishing off the two Changelings on the ground with the knife.
The whole base on alert Shining made his way down and outside, slamming the double doors open and presenting himself to the outside world once again.
Looking up Shining saw a wing of Changeling aircraft similar in nature to DRAVMs mobilizing and heading straight for the prison block.
Back to work.
Knowing all too well that being on the ground when being chased by aircraft would quickly quell his uprising Shining Armor ran back into the building and decided to hijack some anti-air weaponry from the armory, as well as stock up on other weapons.
Stealing a map from the check-in area Shining went to the armory on the second floor, killing the guard and taking his key. Opening up the array the Captain perused the quite respectable selection of foreign firearms and quickly appropriated one of their rocket launchers for use. There were also magazines for the handgun he had stolen, as well as some strange rifle on the wall, behind a glass screen.
CSC-12C: Changeling Service Carbine for the 12th Century. This rifle is to be the standard issue rifle for all branches of the Kingdom’s military ground forces. This weapon, which fires a 12.7x39mm round from 30 round magazines represents the future of small-arms technology. The rounds, which do not possess the incendiary capabilities of the Equestrians’ Solar Pulse round, are more powerful than any other round yielded in any two-hooved gun developed by Her Majesty Chrysalis. Despite its heavy round, the CSC-12C does not have any significant recoil due to the development of advanced machinery provided by our rich titanium industry. Combining a blowback shifted pulse with a roller-delayed blowback mechanism the CSC-12C is a rifle in which all recoil is shifted equally to the sides, resulting in 0 kick felt by the operator or muzzle drift. The magazines are also quite a change from any of those seen in any other rifle. Straying from the plunger-fed “clip sticks” used by the Equestrian Empire the Kingdom’s engineers sought out a system to developed spring-loaded magazines which result in more reliable feeding and easier loading. CSC-12C and its derivatives are to be the Kingdom of the Changelings’ primary military small arm for the 12th century and beyond.
-Note: magazines must be inserted front first and then rocked back to lock into place. Please consult technical manual for visual instructions.
Unsealing the glass screen Shining Armor picked up the rifle and looked it over. It looked more like it belonged in the hands of those who have fingers, and like something out of a space opera. It was light, but not so much that it felt like a toy. The sights were clean, and when he shouldered it Shining had to admit it was extremely comfortable.
Rocking in one of the magazines and pulling the bolt the Captain found that since the magazine protruded forward under the handguard it was a little cramped for his large hoof, but overall it was comfortable to wield.
Slinging the rocket system he had grabbed over his shoulder and shoving extra mags for the CSC-12C into pouches for a belt he’d taken Captain Armor rushed through the upper floors of the topside prison facility and reached the roof, taking aim with the missile launcher and downing the wing of Changeling DRAVMs that had come for him, clearing the skies at least temporarily.
As he was about to head back down Shining heard the humming again and turned around, seeing the mysterious aircraft from before rising up from beneath the horizon of the roof, facing directly at the Peace Fighter.
Now that he was closer Shining could inspect the vehicle, recognizing what was on the wings: the massive discs he had seen on the Cobra Star.
The aircraft was massive, quite bigger than the average DRAVM, and possessed a design unmistakable for anything else. The wings were mounted to the top of the body and ended in discs which had hundreds of small thrusters on the bottom and top to provide vertical thrust. The head hung down from the body and was allowed to swivel left and right as the pilot pleased, and hanging back from the body was a tail of sorts which possessed the thrusters arranged in an over-and-under format for horizontal drive. The vehicle was all black except for the cockpit windscreen which was of a blue hue, and the thrusters that glowed orange. The armament looked minimal, as they were just two slug-blasters mounted side-by-side under the chin.
“Shining ARMOR! Feast your eyes upon that which is to be the cause of your death: METAL HORNET! A vehicle which signifies great advancement in the aerial field and a sign of my alliance with the Princesses!” a voice screamed from the cockpit of the aircraft.
“That voice... Queen Chrysalis!” Shining shouted.
“Your very existence has plagued my mind since the moment I met you, Shining Armor, and though the Princesses wish to have you alive I’m certain they would be more than happy to see you dead, and that METAL HORNET was the tool used!” Chrysalis declared.
Looking the aircraft over again Shining had to give credit to those who made it; it very much looked like a hornet.
“If you’re so eager to try out your new toy, then come GET ME!” Captain Shining Armor exclaimed, slamming another rocket into the launching system and spinning it around onto his shoulder, crouching low and preparing for METAL HORNET to attack.
With a blast of energy METAL HORNET lowered and accelerated forward, the slug-blasters firing at Shining Armor who sprinted left to escape their firepower. Luckily for him the weapons were mounted in such a way that prevented them from turning more than 45 degrees in any direction, be it horizontal or vertical.
As the aircraft flew over him Shining took aim with the rocket launcher and fired, the missile flying straight and true and about to hit METAL HORNET when it was vaporized mid-flight by the same anti-missile technology first seen on METAL LANCE, though this was encased in a single pod rather than a large ring.
At that point Shining realized he had two options; find a spot that the anti-missile system didn’t cover, or remove the anti-missile pod from the equation entirely.
METAL HORNET went left and banked right to get back in front and spun to face Shining, the disc thrusters turning to stop the large aircraft.
Power thrusters are already used in the DRAVMs, but this thing uses only the thrusters. This could represent a significant leap in aerial technology for all species of the world if this tech got out Shining thought, wondering if the Peace Fighters would find a practical use for it.
Spreading its wings and turning the discs back for added thrust METAL HORNET rocketed forward, firing the slug-blasters all the way at Shining. The Captain waited until the aircraft was directly overhead before firing the missile system at the underside of the tail. Chrysalis detected this move and banked METAL HORNET to the left, narrowly dodging the rocket.
OK, so the anti-missile system can’t protect the tail. I just need to target that area.
Spinning METAL HORNET back around Chrysalis looked down at Shining and rocketed the aircraft forward again, firing the slug guns at him. The Peace Fighter stowed the missile system and pulled out the CSC-12C, taking aim on the aircraft and opening fire. The gun’s heavy rounds easily punched through the armor but were too small to be intercepted by the anti-missile system. It wouldn’t be enough to take METAL HORNET down, but it’d help.
30 rounds later Shining dropped the empty magazine from the rifle and rocked in a new one, yanking the charging handle on the right side to ready the weapon and taking aim once more on the anti-missile pod. Artificial thunder echoed in the valley the Changeling prison was built in as the CSC-12C spit fire at METAL HORNET.
Queen Chrysalis turned METAL HORNET so the left side was facing Shining, making it harder for him to hit the anti-missile pod.
This is different from METAL LANCE. I’m not fighting an unknown soldier in a tripedal machine, I’m fighting a person I know. I’m fighting an enemy I know almost as well as I know the Princesses. To what end is Chrysalis fighting for? How do her people benefit from involvement in this war?
METAL HORNET screamed overhead as Chrysalis strafed Captain Armor again, a sort of music broadcasting from the underside of the head. Like METAL LANCE’s roar, Shining suspected the admittedly creepy singing was for psychological warfare.
“Lalala...lalala...La la la...”
METAL HORNET stopped in place as Captain Armor turned around, seeing the aircraft stopped at a 45 degree angle with the top facing him. The head turned to face him, almost seeming like the aerial vehicle was looking at him.
At a different time, a different place, Shining Armor might of felt fear at the menacing display from a deadly creation. But instead, all he felt was determination to bring it and Queen Chrysalis down.
Pulsing the thrusters METAL HORNET turned all the way to face the Peace Fighter leader, flesh and machine staring each other down, both sides showing a courage befitting only of cold steel and he who has stood unwavering in the face of impossible odds before.
Captain Shining Armor hefted the missile system and took aim, just as METAL HORNET rose up several feet and extended its tail, lowering and raising it forward until it was facing forward underneath the head at a 45 degree angle. From in between the two over-and-under spires holding the thrusters came a warming and cracking of blue electricity, followed by the unmistakable BANG of a railgun.
The high-speed metal slug lanced quickly into the rooftop and ripped a hole through it, missing Shining Armor by a number of feet. Looking at METAL HORNET Shining had to once again give the designer credit; with the railgun armed and ready to fire the aircraft looked like a hornet poised to sting.
Chin-mounted slug blasters and a railgun, plus the anti-missile pod. Seems to me that METAL HORNET is more for heavy recon and medium assault. It could probably do work against tanks, however Shining mused.
Queen Chrysalis returned the tail to its original position and ignited the thrusters, sending METAL HORNET flying over Shining Armor once again. The Captain took aim and fired with the missile launcher, the rocket soaring up near the wing and detonating mid-air due to the anti-missile pod, though the resulting spray of shrapnel slashed and stabbed all along the wing and body.
METAL HORNET turned and banked, stopping at a 45 degree angle again before throwing all its weight to its rear to swing around fully, once more facing Shining Armor, who shouldered the CSC-12C and took aim on the anti-missile pod. METAL HORNET lowered itself and the wings turned upward as the discs turned back. Feeding all fuel to the thrusters Chrysalis rocketed METAL HORNET forward just a few feet over the rooftop, forcing Shining to dive to the floor to avoid getting splattered.
Shining looked up at the aircraft as it slowed its forward momentum and turned to face him, slower than usual. Shining bet that using the fuel to reach the speeds that it did temporarily reduced METAL HORNET’s agility and rendered it slower to turn afterwards.
Taking aim on the anti-missile pod with the CSC-12C once he had a clear shot Shining opened fire, the thunder of the large caliber rounds rattling his bones as they slashed through the thin metal comprising the pod and its components. Quickly the anti-missile pod was reduced to a large can on the side of METAL HORNET riddled with holes, completely inert and unable to do its job.
Now, confident that he’d be able to take down METAL HORNET with the rockets Shining Armor pulled out the launcher and took aim down the sights and fired, Chrysalis directing METAL HORNET down to dodge the rocket.
Spinning the aircraft around Chrysalis let loose with the slug blasters, the heavy steel rounds slamming into the roof all around Shining Armor who ran for the cover provided by a small single-room structure on the roof. Busting the door open the Peace Fighter leader reloaded both weapons and listened to METAL HORNET fly overhead.
“Lalala...” METAL HORNET sang from outside.
Just need to get one shot on that thing to bring it down. Just one from the missile system. You can do this Shining Armor.
The small structure shook with enough intensity to make the lights break, most likely because Chrysalis was firing the railgun at it. The door was still cracked open, though, which allowed a little light to pour in and come to a rest on--
Oh Goddess...
It was Twilight’s head, but only half of it was visible. Every tooth in her mouth was visible in a horrible clown-like smile, and her visible eye was wide open with a flame in it. It stared straight ahead, looking at the wall just a few feet to Shining’s right. As he looked at it, he could hear a white noise, like radio static, screaming in his head. It was demonic, like a horrible monster from hell come to hunt down and brutally murder Shining. The Peace Fighter was shaking, his lips trembling as he stared at this terrifying visage of his sister.
The white noise abruptly ended, and the visible eye snapped to look right at Shining Armor, piercing his very essence. Shining stood on his hind legs and pressed his back tight against the wall, finding that his breath was growing more shallow.
The building shook again, and the demonic visage of Twilight moved. It collapsed to the floor and rolled all the way across the room to Shining’s hooves. The sound of it against concrete gradually becoming slower and slower but yet still with the same intensity until it was the distorted sound of rubber on cement.
It stopped against Shining’s hooves, and he saw that it wasn’t a sinister expression of his sister’s head, but rather a colorful beach ball with a funny pattern.
His heart thumping so loud he was sure it was echoing through the room Shining kicked the ball away from him perhaps more frantically and fearfully than he would admit and ran back outside, hefting the missile system and watching METAL HORNET fly directly over him.
Just kill it. Kill it and kill her and go home Shining thought, taking aim with the missile system and pulling the trigger, catching METAL HORNET just as it was preparing to turn. The rocket struck right in the center of the left-side thruster disc, blasting it apart and causing Chrysalis to lose control of the aircraft. METAL HORNET dipped down and crashed onto the roof of the building, kicking up tons of dust and rock as it began to bleed smoke and fire from the disc.
Smashing the cockpit window and dragging Chrysalis out Shining Armor shoved the barrel of his gun to her neck, wanting to interrogate her before he finished her off. “What is MY HEAVEN? WHAT IS MY HEAVEN?!”
Chrysalis winced before looking up at the Peace Fighter, confused.
“How do you know of MY HEAVEN?”
“Doesn’t matter, just tell me what it IS!” Captain Armor demanded, reminding Chrysalis of her predicament by shoving the barrel of the CSC-12C harder in her neck.
“MY HEAVEN is the key to the continuity of life on this planet, the key to ensuring the end of war and allowing peace and prosperity to return to those who deserve it, and that is all you will learn from me on the subject. It matters not, really, since your Peace Fighters are destined to fail. You’ll take in any ex-Imperial soldier for your army, regardless of what suffering they have caused you personally in the past. There is one within your ranks that is responsible for your greatest loss” Queen Chrysalis declared.
“What does that mean? What are you talking about?!” Shining questioned.
“Your friend, Private Gleaming Bullet... He’s the one who shot and killed Cadence so many moons ago” Chrysalis answered.
For a moment, all Shining could do was stand there over the Changeling Queen, perplexed by what she had revealed to him about both MY HEAVEN and Gleaming Bullet. Silence was interrupted in its speech by the uproar of Shining’s gun as he killed Chrysalis and sat down beside her, too shocked to get moving back to friendly territory.
Gleaming killed Cady...?
It was almost surreal, the fact that he'd been working with his wife's killer all this time. Was he an Imperial spy? Or was he guilty over what he had done and left the Empire for us?
Shining looked down at Chrysalis and saw a handgun holstered on her left side, one that the Peace Fighter leader had never seen. He reached down and picked it up, admiring how it looked. It was apparently an SPP-M6, but was quite customized. The slide and frame were a deep blue color and the entire gun had been elaborately scroll engraved. The grips were made of smooth Cocobolo wood and on the left side of the slide, written in calligraphy were the words 'For MY HEAVEN'.
The distant roar of natural thunder knocked Shining from his musings, prompting him to look to the left horizon and see a storm approaching. With Chrysalis dead the Changelings would be thrown into a power struggle that would likely last for a couple months, effectively removing them from the war for that time. The Peace Fighter Captain yanked several of the small thrusters from METAL HORNET, thinking they would be able to use the technology in the future, before heading down for a land vehicle to return to Vietmane. He would soon be back leading the Peace Fighters, but there was still a great deal left to do and deal with.
And Gleaming Bullet was first on that list.
~~~~
Legal note: Shining Armor, Queen Chrysalis, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. Gleaming Bullet and all related characters belong to me. All other original characters belong to their respective owners.
Day by day we march along, with only myself to guide us. I have searched high and low for Shining Armor, but no one nowhere knows what has happened to him. There’s hope, however. There’s always hope. For both the Peace Fighters and Shining Armor. There will always be hope.
News travels quickly here, and I’ve received word that there was some kind of breakout at a Changeling prison deep in their country, located somewhere in the Intervention* Mountains. Not sure what significance this bears to us but we’ve got people investigating.
Gleaming Bullet is a good soldier, and it’s been a week since we both got drunk and talked about the war. I have participated in several battles with him since then, and I’ve seen fit to promote him to Corporal. We promised not to talk about that night to anyone, including each other. If someone else is reading this we didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re thinking, but it was still inappropriate for us to get wasted like that.
It’s been raining since yesterday, with heavy thunder and lightning. I like the rain, it reminds me of a time when I was a little filly in Canterlot who was taking an afternoon nap during a storm, involuntary shivers running through me as I lied under the warm blanket and hearing the patter of rain against the window.
...I don’t know why I remember that. Probably because it was a time when my life was simpler, a time when I didn’t know what I know now. See, the truth behind the Princesses is--
“Lieutenant! Come quick, forward scouts have reports of an Imperial assault force getting a little too close to us for comfort” a Peace Fighter soldier declared as he rushed into Strong Spear’s private quarters, interrupting her diary entry.
“OK, I’ll be there soon” Strong replied, dropping her pencil and heading out into the halls. The base was quite active at that moment, with many soldiers and other personnel making their way through the halls. With the Vietmane home base being their central hub the Lieutenant didn’t blame her companions for getting antsy.
Taking a left in the main hall and heading down the stairs there Strong entered what was essentially the control room for the base, approaching the sensor console and the technician sitting there.
“What do we got?” Lieutenant Spear asked.
“The guys outside said they saw a few Imperial DRAVMs flying somewhere outside the jungle’s edge, and the sensors picked up two, but now they’re gone. The outsiders still say they can see them flying out of range” the technician explained.
“Hmm, keep an eye on it. I’ll go tell the weapons guys to get some ponies on the turrets” Strong Spear said, heading back out into the halls and heading down for weapons control on the left side and giving the necessary orders.
“Once you’re finished doing what I told you let me know where Corporal Gleaming Bullet is at” the Lieutenant ordered.
“Ma’am the Corporal was last seen alone in the radio room” the technician stated, already completing the command.
“Alone in the radio room? How odd” Lieutenant Spear remarked, leaving the room to head for the radios at the back. While on the way there the Lieutenant heard a distant boom from the surface and the base-wide alarm went off a second later.
“Shoot” Strong said, heading up the stairs for the surface and emerging into the pouring afternoon rain. Three Imperial DRAVMs swooped to a stop above the base, all surface turrets destroyed.
As Strong Spear looked up at the lead DRAVM she saw Major Nightshade standing in the cockpit, looking down at her as she prepared to settle the score.
----
Major Nightshade waited patiently as her trio of DRAVMs patrolled the edges of the Peace Fighter home base perimeter, waiting for the opportune time to attack. The Major knew the Peace Fighter leader was there at the base, and wanted to finish her mission to kill her.
Red Dragon should be in the jungle near the base right now, sneaking up on the anti-air turrets. Once he’s taken those out we’ll be able to begin the attack Nightshade thought. Won’t be hard to find Lieutenant Strong Spear once we’re inside, she’ll probably come to me. Her lackeys will be everywhere, though.
“This operation’s gotta go off without a hitch, everypony” Nightshade announced, waiting for the go-ahead from Red Dragon.
I’m itching to get in there and take this idiot out. She got lucky in Howloon, but it’s not gonna happen again. I’m getting in there and I’m killing her, even if I have to murder everyone else that gets in my way the Major thought.
A commotion down in the base alerted Nightshade, and she saw Red Dragon picking off the turret operators with his sniper rifle from the treeline. Four rounds and four bodies later the Peace Fighter home base was open for all air vehicles to land.
“Get us in there!”
The three DRAVMs swooped down and came to a hover over the base, a large hatch opening in the concrete disc that was the only surface presence of the base and a single pony stepping out. As the ramps for all three DRAVMs opened Major Nightshade looked down at this brave soul and immediately recognized her as Lieutenant Strong Spear.
Grabbing her gear the Major jumped out of the DRAVM and landed on the concrete, approaching the target as her companions waited patiently for orders.
Rushing up the stairs from the inner base were dozens of Peace Fighter soldiers, far outnumbering the Imperials that had come to their most-hidden base.
This doesn’t make any sense. The force that destroyed Howloon was 50 times this size** Lieutenant Spear thought, confused.
“Lieutenant Strong Spear, formerly Sergeant of Her Majesty’s Imperial Army, I have hunted you far and wide since our encounter at Howloon, and now I found you here, hiding with all your comrades in the jungles of Vietmane. This is to be our final encounter, Lieutenant. There will be convenient rescues, no retreat, and no surrender. Face me!” Major Nightshade exclaimed, smacking the Lieutenant’s M6 pistol from her hooves as they engaged in hoof-to-hoof combat.
Emerging from the jungle Red Dragon ordered the Imperials to assault the Peace Fighters while he helped the Major. Finding cover where they could the two sides of the infantry opened fire on each other, while the figureheads duked it out.
Wondering how she could take on two soldiers at once, much less one that’s a five-foot tall super soldier, Lieutenant Spear decked Nightshade across the face with a solid punch, sending her reeling as the dragon attempted to stab her.
Grabbing the hand holding the knife by the wrists Lieutenant Spear pushed down with her hooves and the assailant was forced to drop the knife, allowing Strong to pick it up for herself.
Deciding that the dragon was the most lethal of the two individuals attacking her Strong Spear decided she would want to eliminate him first, and acted accordingly.
Raising the knife the Lieutenant stabbed down on the dragon’s right knee, the blade failing to stab and just sliding off the steel of his armor. Pulling back Strong swung out her hoof to knock the dragon’s feet out from under him. An attack that failed as her hoof just hit his leg and stopped.
He’s like a wall. How can I bring him down?
Diverting her attention back to Major Nightshade the Lieutenant swung the knife for a stab, her attack blocked by the Major. Raising the knife high Strong tried to stab again to no avail, and with her right hoof up in the air, held by the Major, her chest was completely open for a direct punch from Nightshade.
Staggering back from the blow the Lieutenant watched both of her attackers approach, hoping they’d be able to just simply gang up on her and thinking she wouldn’t be able to fight both of them at once.
Lashing out with the knife and another stab blocked the Lieutenant used the leverage provided by Nightshade holding her arm to kick the dragon in the stomach, sending him back a few steps. With her hoof still raised and out Strong planted it firmly in the ground and lifted Nightshade over her head before throwing her to the concrete.
With Nightshade down for the moment Lieutenant Strong could focus on the dragon, who wasted no time in reaching for the Peace Fighter. Strong switched the blade to her left hoof and swung it wide for the assassin, who grabbed her at the wrist and pulled, sending her airborne for a second before she slammed down on her back.
Rolling away and getting to her hooves the Lieutenant saw that the dragon has picked the knife back up and was already swinging it at her, the end-cap of the handle oriented to his chest and blade facing out. Stabbing out straight for her neck the Lieutenant was forced to quickly lean back, the blade missing her by just half a foot.
After a strong swing like that the dragon would be vulnerable, and Strong Spear took advantage of that fact. With his arm fully stretched out Strong grabbed him by the wrist with her left hoof and his elbow with her right, facing her back to him and lifting him over her before throwing him down on his back.
Turning around the Lieutenant saw Nightshade getting back to her hooves, rushing straight for her as soon as she was stable. Intercepting her quickly Strong attempted to put her down but was countered, the Major delivering an uppercut to Strong’s chin and a straight punch to her stomach.
Pulling back from Nightshade Strong Spear began to circle around her opponent, cautiously eyeing her and waiting for an opportune moment to strike.
“Your Peace Fighters will soon be naught, Lieutenant. The might of Her Majesty’s empire will crush you and your army, and your insolent ‘revolution’ will come to an end” Nightshade claimed, tensing herself up for attack.
“At least we have the nerve to stand up to the Princesses, unlike you blind sheep. If you knew what we know you too would fight back” Lieutenant Spear replied.
“I don’t care what nonsensical ‘truth’ Shining Armor has planted in your little heads; it’s BS” Nightshade said, bored of just walking around and striking fast and hard at the Lieutenant with a straight punch for her face. Strong blocked with a hoof but couldn’t put the Major down since she had no leverage in her current position; if she let go of Nightshade’s hoof then the Pegasus would just pull away.
Remembering Shining’s lessons for close quarters combat Lieutenant Spear pulled Nightshade towards her, keeping the Pegasus’ hoof in hers and whacking her free hoof parallel across the Major’s face, throwing her to the floor.
“That’s a little something Shining taught me” Lieutenant Spear declared as she stood over the prone figure of Major Nightshade.
Hearing the scrape of metal on concrete Strong whipped around and saw the dragon assassin about to stab her, prompting her to roll to the side as the assassin pursued.
As Red Dragon kept after her with a knife Lieutenant Spear saw Nightshade already trying to get back to her hooves, apparently not getting the hint to stay down. One of the Imperial DRAVMs soared overhead as the rain kept pouring down. A flash of lightning struck some miles away and silhouetted Red Dragon, the vibrant glow of his red visor menacing and his figure imposing.
Grabbing Red Dragon’s arm by the wrist as he stabbed forward Lieutenant Spear threw him towards Nightshade, the two colliding and the dragon collapsing on top of her. Looking over at the infantry fighting on the other side Strong saw Gleaming Bullet in the Peace Fighter lines, keeping the heat on the Imperials along with his brethren.
One of the enemy DRAVMs ignited in a fireball and fell into the jungle, blasting several trees apart. Pushing Red Dragon off of her Major Nightshade got up and pulled out what appeared to be a sword from her backside gear, walking towards the Lieutenant on her hind legs and holding the sword firm.
“This is a family heirloom, passed down from when it was first forged 700 years ago during the expansion of Equestria through the Faith Of The Sun wars. For those 700 years it has taken the lives of many who opposed the Princesses, and it will do the same today” Major Nightshade exclaimed as she neared Lieutenant Spear.
Right off the bat the Major swung her sword horizontally, the blade swishing through the air without pause. Lieutenant Spear ducked low to avoid the blow and tackled Nightshade to the ground, promptly getting kicked off afterward.
Rolling forward and turning to her hooves as both Red Dragon and Major Nightshade approached the Lieutenant, the latter Imperial keeping her sword at the ready. As the Major stabbed forward Strong grabbed her arm and jerked forward, forcing Nightshade to drop the sword as Lieutenant Spear threw her to the ground and took the sword for herself.
Suddenly the last two Imperial DRAVMs exploded, two smoke trails emanating from within the jungle. Ignoring that for now Lieutenant Spear approached Red Dragon with the sword at the ready and performed one of her favorite maneuvers; the fake-out.
Stabbing the sword straight for Red Dragon’s neck Lieutenant Spear waited until the assassin tried to block the hit before pulling back and aiming for another part of his body, the blade connecting and piercing right through his armor and scales in his waist, going all the way through.
Ripping the sword out and turning around Strong Spear saw Nightshade coming right at her, the Lieutenant punching the Pegasus directly across the face with her left hoof. While Nightshade was reeling from the blow Strong turned her sword up so the edge of the blade was facing the sky and stabbed it straight through Major Nightshade’s chest, the blade sinking into her body all the way up the hilt and piercing multiple organs.
Shock on her face and blood leaking out of her mouth Nightshade crumpled to the floor as the Lieutenant withdrew the blade, blood immediately squirting out of the wound.
Nightshade was dead.
Turning back to face Red Dragon Strong Spear was about to finish him off when an explosion nearby sent her staggering and the assassin to the floor, allowing several Peace Fighters to restrain him. When Strong looked over to where the Imperial infantry had been hunkered down she saw several smoking craters.
Making sure the dragon was secure Lieutenant Spear surveyed the area for any stragglers just as Gleaming Bullet rushed up to her, sounding like he was out of breath and looking like he was out of ammo.
“Get this thing inside and locked away, I want to know who he is and why there wasn’t a bigger assault force” Strong Spear ordered, soaking wet from the rain. Gleaming nodded and was about to do as instructed when he caught glimpse of a stallion in the tree-line, pointing him out for the rest of the Peace Fighters.
“Who is that? An Imperial soldier?” Lieutenant Strong asked, cautiously watching him as he walked closer. Quickly enough the stallion exited the tree-line and walked into the light, the rain running down his body. In his hooves was a smoking missile system and on his back some unknown gun. His blue hair matted to his head and soaking wet.
“...Shining?” Strong asked, thinking it was almost too good to be true. As he came closer and Strong Spear could see him clearly she realized it was him; Shining Armor. The stallion walked closer but completely ignored her, coming to a stop by her side and staring past her.
Following his gaze until she stopped on Gleaming Bullet Strong saw the stallion with the same look on his face as the Lieutenant, though he seemed to be nervously glancing back and forth between Strong and Shining, unnerved by the stallion’s unwavering stare.
Focusing her attention back on Captain Armor Strong Spear could see past his locks of wet hair and into his eyes, seeing anger and confusion within.
The clock was ticking, but it wasn’t in urgency. Instead it was merely clicking away, denoting the passing of the seconds. Shining Armor, Strong Spear, and Gleaming Bullet were the only ones that could hear it, the only ones able to count the seconds one by one. The steady beat of the ticks, mechanical and methodical. Never missing a tick. Just constant and perfect repetition.
It was driving Gleaming insane.
“Is... Is it true?” Shining Armor suddenly asked, pacing back and forth in front of the Corporal. Lieutenant Spear sat in the corner, watching as the older stallion walked around the younger one, who was strapped to a chair.
“Is what true?” Gleaming replied.
“YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! DO NOT FUCK WITH ME, SOLDIER, OR I WILL KILL YOU! IS. IT. TRUE?!ANSWER ME” Shining screamed, grabbing the Corporal by the shoulders and getting in his face.
Gleaming Bullet sighed and hung his head low, saying “yes” just loud enough for Shining to hear. At this Shining Armor pulled back and continued pacing, though it was faster this time, like he was letting his anger fester.
Coming to a sudden stop in front of the Corporal Captain Armor tapped his right fore hoof against the steel floor, contemplating what to do next.
“I’m sorry” the Captain remarked as he pulled out the custom M6 he took off of Chrysalis’ body, pressing the barrel to the Corporal’s head. The younger soldier looked into his eyes, a kind of fear but resignation to his fate mixed within.
“WAIT! Let him explain” Strong Spear declared, getting to her hooves.
Frowning in anger Shining lowered the gun and returned it to its holster, waiting impatiently for the young Corporal to begin speaking his piece.
“I still remember it, to this day. The Mid-Morning War, I mean. An event which cracked the foundation of Equestria. The gunfire from within the tower, confusion, wondering who or what might be attacking us. I was in the gallery hall when an alert went out on the radio; ‘attention all soldiers of the army, two fugitives are on the loose in Canterlot Tower. The stallion is to be eliminated, but the mare is to be spared. Find them immediately’” the Corporal started, recounting his perspective of the events that formed the Peace Fighters and started the war.
“I lead my squad through the lower halls of the tower, down into the basement. We soon found the two fugitives and engaged, doing our best to keep from hitting the mare... There was nothing dramatic about it. She didn’t catch a bullet for you, she didn’t get hit in a vital area and bleed out. She was simply killed... Just, in an instant. One second she was there, running with her fellow ‘fugitive’ and trying to escape, and the next she was dead. Her companion went on, and we lost him.”
“I didn’t know it was Cadence until after we went back for the body. I was disappointed, sad, and confused. We took her back and I was forced to give a full debriefing to the Princesses in person. I told it to them both straight, and didn’t spare a detail... Luna wanted me executed, but Celestia allowed me to live. Apparently they wanted Cadence alive because they intended to save her whether she wanted it or not. Celestia is... She’s not what we make her out to be. She understands war, she understands that what I did was an accident” Gleaming continued.
“I lived with what I did, and my career went on. I lead the Empire’s Armies during the Battle of Ponyville, during the Siege of Stalliongrad, and during countless other skirmishes against the Peace Fighters. Every time it was the same thing; their ‘leader’, Lieutenant Strong Spear, was spouting stuff about ‘the truth’ and how we’re all ‘sheep’. The rest of my stallions brushed it off, declaring it typical revolutionary crap. I, however, looked between the lines. I sought the truth, and found it” the Corporal said.
Gleaming looked up and directly into Shining’s eyes, allowing him to see the truth behind his words. “When I learned of what the Princesses are I felt worse than the day I killed Cadence. I realized you were right, your Peace Fighters were right, and that I had been fighting against those who had been right all along. I felt the need to join you, to repay for what I did. Nothing will ever absolve me of taking Cadence’s life, but know that now I fight for the truth” Gleaming Bullet finished.
Still standing stoic Shining Armor sighed and turned away, leaving the interrogation room for the halls outside. Lieutenant Spear followed quickly behind, glad that the situation had cooled down after Gleaming’s story.
“Shining...” Strong Spear said, unsure of what to say. Shining closed and locked the door and walked down the hall, opening the door to the other interrogation room.
“Let’s see what this guy knows, then we’ll figure out what to do with Gleaming” Shining Armor declared, stepping into the room where Red Dragon was secured. Over 20 leather straps, steel locks, and chains securing him to the metal chair which was bolted to the floor.
Sealing the door the two ponies sat down in front of the dragon and waited patiently, simply staring at him. The assassin stared back, saying nothing and not even moving. If Shining didn’t know any better he would swear the dragon was dead.
“What is your name?” Shining started, standing up and beginning to walk around RD. There was no response.
“Where are you from?”
“Do you have any family? Friends?”
“Is our base in danger?”
There was never a response from Red Dragon, who simply sat still. Glancing over at Strong Spear Shining sighed and rubbed at his head. The stallion considered executing Red, but thought there still might be hope for getting something out him. His silence was starting to piss Shining off, however.
“Alright, I’m tired of this. Strong, get that helmet off of him, I wanna know who this bastard is” Shining ordered, turning away from the dragon as the Lieutenant got to work, pulling on the helmet fully encasing RD’s head.
With a hiss and a pop the helmet came loose and Lieutenant Spear tossed it to the floor.
“S...Shining...?” a voice not belonging to Strong asked, fearful and hesitant, but also sounding like he was far past the breaking point.
Turning around Shining felt almost surreal, staring into the face of Red Dragon. His purple scales scratched and scarred and his green eyes empty and dull.
Eyes wide and blinking Shining quickly approached the dragon at Lieutenant Spear’s disapproval, claiming he couldn’t be trusted.
“S-Spike...? Spike is that you?” Captain Armor asked, squatting lower so he could look the drake in the eyes. He looked scared, broken, and traumatized, but it was still the same library assistant he once knew.
“Goddess...what did they do to you?” Shining said, still not believing what he was seeing. The Captain never thought the Princesses would go so low as to subject a young and frail dragon to the horrors of war. Spike may be a teenage dragon, but based on his peaceful upbringing being forced to kill was surely enough to break him.
“Spike...? Why did you try killing us, if you recognize me?” Shining asked, wondering if Lieutenant Spear was right to be wary of him.
Swallowing back his breakdown Spike sighed and began. “The...suit. It’s the suit. There’s a cable that connects to a port installed in the back of our heads, and when it’s connected we are subject to the Princesses’ will... I was aware of everything I did... The horror, the blood, the guilt and fear at taking another being’s life, I was consciously aware of everything. Do you have any idea what it’s like to see what’s happening before you as yourself, as your body performs acts akin to that of a cold-blooded psychopath?! Goddess... There was nothing I could do.”
“Goddess...” Shining said, shaking his head. It was almost unbelievable, what he was hearing. “Wait... ‘our' heads? There are more of you?”
“The special soldiers known as ELEMENT GEAR are ponies under the same control. I don’t know who they are, except that their names are inspired by the bearers of the Elements of Harmony” Spike explained.
“This is fucked up...” Captain Armor remarked. “Back for just an hour and I’m bombarded with fucked up nonsense.”
“No one else in the Empire knows the location of this base; Nightshade and the soldiers she brought with her on those three DRAVMs were the only ones, and they’re all dead. I’m the only Imperial soldier that knows the location of this base” Spike declared.
Silence befell the room as the individuals present thought over their own thoughts, contemplating what had happened and what might happen. Shining Armor especially was interesting in what he had missed while gone, and how the Princesses have managed to harness the power of mind control.
“Shining... Will you please kill me?” Spike solemnly asked, prompting the two ponies to look at him in surprise.
“What?! Spike, I--”
“Shining, please... I don’t want to live with the things I’ve done, and I don’t want to go on the run or risk getting caught and forced to do more things like that... Please...” Spike said.
“Spike, I can’t kill you. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself after that” Shining reasoned.
“It’s the right thing to do, Shining... It’d be worse to let me live and make me suffer with life, knowing all those ponies I’ve murdered... Or to be captured and forced to give up the location of this base... Kill me... I've murdered so many ponies in absolute cold blood... I was forced to just kill, and kill, and kill, and kill, and KILL... Please... End it...” Spike pleaded, struggling against the many bonds holding him in place.
It was the logical thing to do, to end Spike’s misery and suffering. Still, Shining felt hesitant to murder one of his friends, to murder the dragon that he watched grow up alongside him. He still had memories of the little guy as a hatchling, being chased around the Canterlot suite by Twilight, who was trying to catch him to clean the ice cream splattered on his face. Or many of the other things he remembered like how Spike was praised by Celestia herself for saving the Crystal Empire.
Pulling his gun out Shining looked it over before turning and putting the barrel to the dragon’s head, seeing him weakly smile as tears started to pour out of his eyes. In his eyes Shining Armor could still see the innocence and happiness of a time long gone, replaced with a broken mind.
“Heh...I can finally meet my real mommy...” Spike said, giggling and choking up at the same time. He could almost see the greener pastures of the other world already, and could almost feel his real mother and father standing over him, warmth and heat radiating off their larger bodies. Spike closed his eyes as the tears began to drip off his chin, broken smile still on his face.
Shining Armor pulled the trigger.
----
“We need help, Shining Armor. Things have changed since you’ve been gone, and the Canines aren’t enough. I know you would not approve but I enlisted the help of some...’freelancers’ for this war. I already know who we should approach; them” Lieutenant Strong Spear said to the Captain back in his private room.
If it had been any other time Shining would have protested heavily; enlisting the help of them wouldn’t necessarily be hard in the logistical sense, but Captain Armor was opposed to it morally. However, he realized that times were getting tough, and that the Peace Fighters were fighting on borrowed time.
“The freelancers I hired are members of the species that them refers to; they’re good fighters, and their special airplane with the ability to cut other aircraft in half was invaluable” Strong reasoned.
“All of them are good fighters, Lieutenant, but regardless of how good they are I still don’t like it. And I don’t like them; they’re two-timing backstabbers. They’re the kind of soldiers that are the exact opposite of the Peace Fighters. They fight in the shadows like cowards” Shining declared.
“Maybe that’s exactly what’s wrong with us” Lieutenant Spear remarked, prompting the Captain to turn around in shock. “We always fight at the front-lines, and never behind the scenes, and that’s why we lose many battles. We don’t have the numbers or the technology necessary to go head-to-head with an empire, but if we fought with hit-and-run tactics we could potentially win” Strong Spear explained.
Sighing in resignation Shining Armor realized the Lieutenant was right, but still didn’t have to like it. Still, there was no other choice if he wanted the Peace Fighters to win the war.
“OK, let’s go talk to them” Shining said, turning away and leaving the room. As he went down the hall Lieutenant Spear went back to the interrogation rooms and sat down in front of Gleaming Bullet.
“You OK?” the Lieutenant asked.
“Considering that I just stared death in the face and lived, I would say good.”
“Don’t worry about it, Shining will come around eventually I think. He's right to be pissed at you, though. You should've told him when you first joined” Strong Spear said, getting up and preparing to walk out of the room. Before she reached the door she remembered something, and turned back around.
“Gleaming, I have to ask you something. One of the weapons officers told me that you were seen alone in the radio room before the surprise attack. I need to know; did you help Nightshade assault us?” Strong inquired.
“No” the Corporal flatly answered, not taking it any further.
“So what were you doing in there?”
“Um... I don’t wanna say...” Gleaming answered.
“Look, I need you to answer my question. I don’t want to believe that you helped them so I need you to convince me. What were you doing in the radio room alone?” Lieutenant Spear persisted.
To the best of his current ability Gleaming Bullet moved his hoof up and down, curling it in the center. He looked up at the Lieutenant and continued to move his hoof up and down in a rigid motion until Strong turned red in the face and left the room.
----
It was almost like an alien world, the continent that was home to them; it felt odd, different, completely foreign to the world of Equestria. Shining had last fought them before the Mid-Morning War, but suspected there was still bad blood between Equestria and them. Captain Armor still had reservations about coming to them for help, but he supposed that in war one must be willing to sacrifice their personal feelings for the good of their cause.
Standing on the crest of a hill overlooking the capital city Shining was flanked by Strong Spear and Gleaming Bullet.
“Lieutenant, go forth and see what’s up” Shining ordered, Strong wordlessly acknowledging. Once she was away Shining Armor turned to Gleaming, who found he couldn’t look his captain in the eyes.
Grabbing the young Corporal’s chin and lifting it up Shining looked into his eyes and said “I will never forgive you for what you did, but you still have your place in the Peace Fighters. Do not make me regret the decision I have made to keep you alive.”
Releasing his hold and turning away Shining Armor saw Lieutenant Spear already coming back from her scouting run, stopping at the bottom of the hill and motioning for the two stallions to join her.
Proceeding down the hill the trio entered the rear door of the target building and made their way around to the front lobby, the attendant there shocked to see ponies in her building, much less her continent.
“Uh, hi. I’m Captain Shining Armor of the Peace Fighters; we’re here to see the president.”
The attendant nodded and gave them the necessary paperwork before sending them on their way, the three ponies proceeding through the halls. Any and every member of them they passed looking at them with mixed expressions; confusion, hate, surprise.
Eventually making it through the gauntlet of awkwardness the trio reached the doors of their target, Shining knocking and hearing the call of “come in” from beyond. Tentatively he opened the door and they entered, the individual sitting in her chair sharing the same shock as those in the hall.
“She of Our Evolution please give me strength in dealing with this.... Vell, if it isn’t ze legendary Shining Armor, hero of vat ve call ze ‘Great Patriot’ war. Do tell; what do you want?” the president of them asked, her Germane accent thick and stereotypical. She had been the president since the Great Patriot war and it wasn’t really a surprise to Shining Armor that she wasn’t pleased to see him.
“I’m going to be brief; I’m sure you have heard of our civil war, and of my Peace Fighters. The war’s gotten difficult as of late for us and as a result, we are respectfully requesting the aid of the armies of the Fascist Felines. Your armies, madame” Shining said, professional and courteous.
Laughing with a throaty purr typical of her feline race the president got off her chair and snaked around the desk on all fours, approaching Shining Armor who stood in his place. “Zis is almost unbelievable. In my nine years leading ze Fascist Felines I have studied the Equestrians, and learned that you all have some gall. Your army destroyed my people and land, Shining Armor, and you lead them to such a victory. Vat makes you think ve vill help you, hmm?” the Feline leader inquired.
“I know what we did, but that was two years ago. It’s time to let go of this bad blood” Shining commented.
“Bad blood? BAD BLOOD?!” the Feline president hissed. “You little insolent SHIT! Since ve evolved from simple house cats ve have been persecuted by the Equestrians. Were it not for the Minotaurs ve vould still be hunted by your racist Princesses!”
“I know, I know. But times change, and we need your help. I need your help, Madame” Shining replied.
“I, Madame Softpaws, Chancellor to the people of my land, have never experienced such nerve of the Equestrians. I knew your people had balls, but zis is absurd! I simply can NOT believe vat I am hearing” the Feline leader exclaimed.
“Chancellor, please. This war goes far beyond just the Equestrians. The details behind this war will affect all that live on this planet” Captain Armor declared.
“Oh really? Do tell, Mr. Armor. My patience is thin with you and your race, so be quick about it” Softpaws said.
Sighing and stepping forward Shining began to tell her the truth behind the Princesses of Equestria. “When I first learned of what I am about to tell you I was shocked, astounded, and frankly disturbed. My wife, a Princess herself, Cadence, told me these things. These are the reasons the Peace Fighters fight for what they do. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, Goddesses of the People of Equestria, are fake. They do not at all control their respective heavenly bodies. They're ALL fake. Celestia, Luna, Chrysalis, even Cadence herself, all fake Goddesses. Cadence is not a Goddess of Love, Chrysalis is not a Goddess of Illusions, and our Princesses are not Goddesses of the sun and moon. It's all fake. Now...these are things that only apply to us, things that only affect Equestrians. However, it gets worse... The sun is going out in four years, Madame, and Celestia and Luna are planning on abandoning all on this planet to their collective fates and moving on to another planet to continue living. When that sun goes out all life on this planet will be dead. So please, please, help us.”
In what seemed to be a common theme with Shining Armor lately silence once again befell his existence, punctuated only by the tick of a nearby clock. Madame Softpaws rattled her paw against the floor, her outstretched claws tapping on the marble.
“If...vat you say is true, then... I don’t know, really. Ze people will be hesitant to help you, but they must understand the circumstances. You say your wife told you this?” the Chancellor asked.
“Yes, on the day she was killed” Shining answered, sneaking enough vitriol in his answer for Gleaming Bullet to notice.
“I heard of the event. The Mid-Morning War, as it’s called by your people. It must be true then... Very well, zen, I vill see what I can do. I can't make any official promises, but ve vill help you somehow. We must, if all life on zis planet is to continue living” Softpaws stated.
“Thank you, Chancellor. Thank you so much.”
----
I’ve been away from the Peace Fighters for two months, and a lot changed in that time. Lieutenant Strong Spear proved to be a capable leader in my absence, keeping the Peace Fighters together. The Lieutenant was even hunted by two assassins, Major Nightshade and Red Dragon, the latter of whom was an old friend named Spike. I...personally executed Spike, at his own request. Nightshade was killed by Strong.
The Changelings are down now, after I escaped their prison and killed Queen Chrysalis. She was piloting an aerial vehicle named METAL HORNET, and informed me that my friend Gleaming Bullet was the one that shot and killed Cadence the day of the Mid-Morning War. I didn’t kill him, but I’m still watching him. I don’t know if he can be trusted.
Realizing that our situation is dire I, along with Gleaming and Strong Spear, went to an old enemy for help. The Fascist Felines. The Empire had won a war against them when the Mid-Morning War began, and there’s always been a terrible history between our two species. After explaining to their Chancellor the truth behind the Princesses she agreed to help us, and their armies will be aiding us in the war against the Princesses.
I... I’ve been having nightmares and hallucinations related to Twilight. I’m hesitant to write about them, but I must express them. The first nightmare involved Twiley seemingly burning all on our planet alive except for me. She told me that they all suffer because of what I do, but I don’t understand why or how. The hallucination was... I’m afraid to admit that I may be losing my mind.
I’ve announced my return to the Peace Fighters with much public fanfare, and have revealed to all the world that I, Shining Armor, am leading the revolutionaries. I’m sure the Princesses tried their damndest to suppress this information, but it’s too late. Now their whole world knows that I’m the true leader of the Peace Fighters. What once was a patriotic hate for our cause has turned to confusion. The sheep of the Empire can’t wrap their tiny minds around the fact that the captain and commander of the Empire’s armed forces has ‘betrayed’ their Goddesses. They’ll know why soon enough, though.
Everypony will...
Operation: Fallen Star, our move to bring the war to Canterlot and straight to the dark hearts of the Princesses themselves, is the final trump card. The hidden ace up our sleeve. The checkmate. Canterlot is heavily defended, however, and we need to bring down many Imperial bases and steal many of their weapons and vehicles before we move onto the final objective. The Princesses have discovered that the Fascist Felines are aiding us in this war, and are assuredly none-too-pleased. The Felines have been busy since the end of our war against them, and have yielded some impressive technology for our cause.
Technology may be the tool to winning a war, but more important are the hands and hooves that wield it.
----
Flying high above the surface of Equestria was once considered only for the Pegasi or the rich, as taking a ride in an airship was expensive. Shining Armor never took it as a big event even before his career in the military, and riding in a DRAVM was no difference.
Anything involving Felines was different, though.
The Captain had not taken his eyes off the Felines in his DRAVM since the flight started, and most of them hadn’t done the same either. Their squad-leader seemed to be completely uninterested in Shining, however, and was currently busy looking out the side hatch.
I hope I don’t end up regretting this.
Light turning green in signal to get ready Shining Armor stood on all fours and checked his gear, approaching the Feline officer near the side hatch and preparing to drop out the vehicle.
“I am Master Sharpclaws” the Feline squad leader suddenly told Shining Armor, her one eye staring him down like he wasn’t even there. The other eye was presumably lost as it was covered by an eyepatch.
“‘Master’?” Shining asked, confused as to whether it was a rank or what her lover called her in the bedroom.
“Felines ranks are more straightforward than yours. I can not even tell if you are an officer or infantry” Sharpclaws stated.
“All you need to know is that I lead these ponies. Their lives matter to me, yours does not*” Shining whispered.
“That makes one of us*” Sharpclaws responded, folding her arms over her chest. It seemed she was implying that the lives of the ponies meant something to her.
“Hmm.”
The light flashing green Shining Armor leaped out of the DRAVM as his compatriots followed, wind rushing past them as they streaked towards the earth, several miles up. Ripping through the cloud layer with a number of phoomps the reinforcement assault team got a view of the Imperial base they were free-falling towards right now, Captain Armor seeing the battle below that was already underway. The base was built around what appeared to be a small town in the desert, named Appleloosa.
Hang in there, Lieutenant Spear, we’re coming to help you.
Half a mile above the base Shining Armor rolled forward and upright so that his hind legs were oriented toward the ground, continuing his freefall. As he neared the ground he pulsed his rocket pack to slow his descent and detached the one-use device, landing on the ground with it and his team soon following.
“Spread out! Keep an eye out for Lieutenant Spear and the rest of the soldiers we lost contact with!” Shining ordered, readying his CSC-12C and charging for cover to get out of the open. Lieutenant Spear was ordered to assault this base along with a few hundred Feline soldiers and they’d gotten bogged down under attack from a considerably larger assault force than what they thought was at the base. The Lieutenant had said most of her force had been killed.
Contact had then been lost, and Shining Armor decided to go in with his own team, comprised of both regular Peace Fighters and Felines, as well as several Canines.
Skirting around a large building Shining peeked around the corner and saw that the coast was clear, proceeding across the way as Master Sharpclaws and a few other soldiers followed him. The battle was raging already, and it was only just beginning.
“The Lieutenant was last heard saying something about a tank being destroyed before she got cut off. Keep an eye out for any Imperial tanks that have been annihilated” Shining declared.
Their peace and stealth was soon lost, however, as they came under attack from a machine gun nest aided by standard ground infantry. The gun nest cut off one pathway in the large base and forced the team to find a way around.
More Imperials came out to fight them just as the Captain caught glimpse of a destroyed tank, assuredly just one of many. Chips of concrete sprayed Shining Armor in the face as the enemy opened fire, the clatter of their rifles adding to the thunder echoing across the entire base. When the gunfire died down Shining ducked out along with his team and returned fire, cutting down several Imperial soldiers and clearing the way for them to investigate the destroyed tank.
It was a Manticore light tank, one of the most prolific armored vehicles in the Equestrian Empire as it was incredibly fast for a tank and packed a decent punch. It’s armor was less than optimal, however.
Looking around its right side Shining found nothing of importance with the tank, and sure didn’t see Lieutenant Spear around it. The Captain was about to investigate the left side when Master Sharpclaws called out to him.
“Master Armor, come quick! Zere ees a mare here matching your description of ze Lieutenant!”
Immediately Shining Armor went around to the left side and sure enough Lieutenant Spear was there, on her side and not moving. Shining pressed a hoof to her neck and found a pulse, indicating she was still alive.
“It’s her. Let’s finish up this assault and get out of here” Captain Armor declared.
“Vell, that was easy. I was not expecting to find her so quickly” Sharpclaws said.
Shining rolled the Lieutenant over and was shocked by what he saw.
Strong Spear’s right front hoof had been nearly cut off, and there was a jagged shard of metal sticking out of her chest, which appeared to actually be poking at her heart, if Shining had to guess.
“Goddess... If I pull this out it might kill her. Sharpclaws, get a DRAVM out here to take Lieutenant Spear back to the home base!” Shining commanded, with the Feline Master quickly complying.
Despite protests from the pilot about the significant battle going on across most of the base a DRAVM soon arrived to lift Strong Spear out and take her back to mother base, leaving just the reinforcement assault force.
Proceeding past what Shining assumed was once town hall as it had a large clock tower jutting out of the roof he and his team got a view of several hangars that they had seen from the air as the Appleloosa base had been turned into an airfield.
Those hangars were the real mission, the one given to Lieutenant Spear and her team.
As they were about to move out a wall exploded near Shining’s team, and they were forced to retreat. It seemed there literally dozens of tanks still rolling around the base.
“Who brought the rocket launchers?” Shining asked, looking back at his squad. The Captain didn’t want to risk any of the DRAVMs just to take out a few light tanks so it was up to the tried-and-true portable missile systems.
Damn it Captain Armor thought, knowing it’d be too futile to try and stop the crazy Feline.
Peeking out from around the corner Shining saw the tank still rolling down the street towards their position, the main cannon still pointed at the building they were hiding behind. It wasn’t a Manticore tank, but rather a Dragonflame Heavy Tank, built to be able to take on dragons as well as several dozen other tanks. It had a quad-mounting of anti-air machine guns for aerial dragons and a large main cannon. The anti-air machine guns were also greatly effective against infantry and light armor.
Suddenly a rocket streaked out from the clock tower on town hall and slammed into the enemy tank’s left side, scorching the thin armor there and stalling the vehicle. Another rocket came out seconds later and blasted the anti-air MGs apart, leaving them all useless and rendering the only usable weapon the main cannon.
The cannon turned and fired on the clock tower, turning it into toothpicks. Master Sharpclaws had already left the area, however, and was back on the street running for Shining Armor.
“Zee treads are disabled, but I don’t know for how long! If I can get above the tank again I can take it out for good” Sharpclaws declared, reloading the rocket system.
“Got it, we’ll keep it distracted while you take it down” Shining exclaimed, watching Sharpclaws take off across the intersection while the tank’s gunner tried to take aim and failed.
Gunning the engine Shining watched the tank driver trying to move the vehicle, listening to the engine struggling harder as it couldn’t move the tank.
With a loud ping of metal a bit of shrapnel was flung free from the treads and the tank lurched forward, grinding the desert dirt beneath itself as it got back on the move and approached Shining’s team.
With a mighty roar the main cannon of the tank fired, blasting through the house Shining Armor’s team was hiding behind and tearing it asunder. The team rushed across the intersection and the cannon slowly turned to follow, trying to track and kill them.
A window shattered as a missile was fired out of a nearby house, slamming into the rear right corner of the tank, where the armor was weakest. A hole was ripped open on the armor and the engine was subsequently eviscerated by shrapnel.
With the tank sufficiently disabled Master Sharpclaws fired the second tube of her launcher before reloading and dumping them on the tank again, the second rocket flying straight and true and penetrating the armor and detonating inside, destroying the vehicle and killing all within.
“Nice job, Sharpclaws” Captain Armor said when the Feline Master came out of the house, the cat soldier smirking triumphantly and idly eyeing the tank as Shining and the rest of the team approached.
“Thank you. Now, onto ze hangars, yeah?” Master Sharpclaws asked.
“Yes” Shining Armor replied, him and his team quickly moving out and heading for the primary objective; the massive aircraft hangars on the far side of the base-town.
The Felines. The Fascist freaking Felines. Allied with Shining Armor and the Peace Fighters. This is unbelievable. And now all the Empire knows that Shining Armor is leading the revolutionaries. Every citizen is uneasy, and there are whispers and murmurs in the streets about the former Captain of our army Princess Celestia thought as she stood on the balcony outside her room, looking down on Canterlot.
Hooves on marble alerted Celestia to Luna’s presence behind her, the Princess of the Night looking as angry as Celestia. Luna stopped next to her older sister and sat down on her haunches. “We will be ending this and leaving soon, yes?” Luna asked.
Celestia bristled in place before sitting down with a very audible and loud plop, almost collapsing onto her rump to just take a break. “Yes, sister, we will end this war soon and leave Equestria forever.”
Sighing and looking up at the sun Celestia said “I thought it would be easy. I thought we would be able to leave without conflict and find another planet to live on, but Cadence had to be naive and try to save them all. I didn’t like it either, I still don’t like it, but there are always hard choices in life. I would’ve liked to save all on this planet, but it’s just not feasible. At least this way we could find another fertile planet and maybe try again, but our machinations have had a sufficiently large wrench thrown into them.”
“I understand, sister” Luna stated, looking at Celestia. “Celly, we’re out of friends, aren’t we? The Fascist Felines have allied with the Peace Fighters. The Canines are allied with them. The Changelings are currently locked in the throes of a power struggle after Chrysalis’ death and are now out of the picture. And both Nightshade and Red Dragon were killed by the Peace Fighters, leaving just ELEMENT GEAR as our only elite soldiers. It’s almost over, Celly, but if the Peace Fighters keep moving the way they are we may be defeated and killed before we can leave.”
“Celestia, I advise we leave immediately. Please, just forget Shining Armor and abandon him to his fate on this doomed world. We should leave right now” Princess Luna declared.
“I understand your concerns, sister, but I am not leaving until Shining Armor is dead by my own hooves. And I don’t think MY HEAVEN is fully operational yet, so I wish to ensure that it’s fully functional before we leave” Celestia replied.
“Perhaps we should turn MY HEAVEN on Shining Armor and the Peace Fighters? That would end them right quick, sister” the Goddess of the Night suggested.
Princess Celestia looked down at the floor beneath her hooves and thought about it, realizing that Luna’s idea just might work, knowing the destructive power of MY HEAVEN.
“Do it, Lu. Disable our collective invisibility magic and reveal MY HEAVEN to the world” Celestia declared.
----
In the streets of Canterlot below the castle tower, thousands of citizens went about their days in the royal city. Shopkeepers eagerly displayed their wares, chefs and cooks did their work outside on the streets, allowing the scent of their delicious food to travel up and down the streets, and dignitaries strolled through the streets on the way to their respective gatherings.
Suddenly, all throughout the city a massive blast of magic was heard above and all who heard looked up to the sky, watching as from thin air some manner of thing appeared above their fair city. Slowly the thing materialized, its metal hull taking shape and revealing itself. It was slightly oval-shaped, with what appeared to be a massive railgun mounted to the top. At the bottom of the front and at several other places were large fins jutting out from the beast, and at what seemed to be the rear were two large tubes sticking out accompanied by a small third one in the center. Printed on the right side, in massive black and bold letters, were the words MY HEAVEN.
“CITIZENS OF THE EMPIRE, BEHOLD THE VEHICLE THAT IS TO BE THE END OF THE PEACE FIGHTERS’ REBELLION; MY HEAVEN. THIS IS THE FUTURE OF AERIAL TRAVEL, AS THIS MACHINE CAN TRAVEL THROUGH THE DARK VACUUM OF SPACE ITSELF. WE WILL FLY THIS SPACESHIP TO THE OUTER ORBITS OF OUR PLANET AND DELIVER UNTO THE PEACE FIGHTERS UNMATCHED DESTRUCTIVE POWER AND FURY! REST EASY, FOR THIS WAR WILL BE OVER SOON” Princess Celestia boomed from her tower, assuring the citizens of the Empire that the metal behemoth was on their side.
-----
Taking a step back from the loudspeaker that amplified her voice Princess Celestia looked up at the spaceship MY HEAVEN before looking at her sister, nodding at her. “We will use MY HEAVEN to destroy the Peace Fighters before leaving this world forever. The plans are in motion, and very soon this will all be over, Luna” Celestia said.
Turning back and walking back inside her room the Goddess of the Sun sat down upon a large cushion, wishing things hadn’t gone the way they had. “I had hoped that we would never again have to see the destructive power of this ship, my sister. I’d hoped that nopony would ever have to see the destructive power of MY HEAVEN.”
“I understand, Celly, but it is what it is” Luna responded. “By the way, I have a personal request; can we use MY HEAVEN to kill the Leviathan of the Haro, too?”
Celestia frowned and looked her sister dead in the eye, sighing. “No, one shot to destroy the Peace Fighters will be enough.”
Immediately Luna became visibly distressed. “You KNOW what the Leviathan did to me! Did to US! And you won’t take your revenge on it, but rather just let it die when the sun goes out?! I want it killed by our own hooves, much like you want to kill Shining Armor with yours! I MUST see the Leviathan killed by us, to enact our revenge upon it!”
“No, sister, we will let it die cold and alone when the sun goes out. That’s it” Princess Celestia firmly told her sister.
With a huff of anger Luna rose to her hooves and stormed out of Celestia’s room, slamming the heavy wood door shut behind her.
Sighing in exasperation Celestia looked out the nearby window to the streets of Canterlot below, watching the citizens mill about in the streets as they went back and forth between staring at MY HEAVEN and the royal castle, believing that their Princesses were finally going to end the war and restore peace to Equestria.
Just another lie I’ve told them. It’ll be over, soon. It’ll all be over, and then we can start our species anew on another planet Celestia mused.
I must keep an eye on Luna before we leave, seeing her reaction to my declination to her offer. She is right; what the Leviathan did to us was unforgivable and deserves retribution, but...one shot from MY HEAVEN to destroy the Peace Fighters will be all that I will be able to handle. The destructive power of that ship has no equal, for it is indeed the most powerful weapon in all the galaxy. I fear MY HEAVEN; I still wish to never see it fired again, but I promised sister to use it on Shining Armor's revolutionaries.
The first explosions rang through the sky as the Felines rained fire on the first hangar of the Appleloosan Airbase at Shining Armor’s request, the fuel tanks inside only adding to the intensity of the blasts. The hangar crumbled to the ground in minutes, leaving only two to go.
“Move it, Peace Fighters!” Shining commanded, levelling his CSC-12C and opening fire on the Imperial troops that had come to stop them. Automatic and semi-automatic fire clattered in the air as the two sides battled. Shining Armor in particular kept the heat on the Empire, loading and emptying magazine after magazine of his CSC-12C in to the enemy.
“Sharpclaws, take three and flank them around the right side. We’ll keep them pinned down!” Shining Armor ordered, spotting the flank of one Imperial soldier hanging out of cover and delivering four rounds into his cutie mark, putting him down.
“Understood, Champion Armor!” Sharpclaws declared, referring to the Peace Fighter captain using the title of the highest rank of the Feline Army. Selecting the three Peace Fighters closest to her Sharpclaws took off into the rubble of the city.
Proceeding past a house that had a half-scorched name of ‘-aeburn’ on the mangled mailbox Sharpclaws and her assault team pushed down an alley in between two houses and came up on the open flank of the Imperial soldiers Shining Armor and the rest of the squad were battling. Taking aim on the enemy the Feline’s team opened fire, cutting them down in mere moments.
“Nice job, Sharpclaws! Now, let’s go get the last of these hangars!” Shining declared, the team moving near the second hangar. Getting on the radio Shining yelled “Feline artillery, get ready to fire on the second hangar!”
Sliding the aircraft door open Shining slid a radio beacon deep into the building and ran as far away as he could with his team, reaching cover and turning around just in time to see the Feline artillery strike the hangar; the shells flaming like meteorites from space as they impacted the building, blasting it apart with the aid of the fuel tanks inside. One spectacular explosion in particular vaporized the hangar, leaving just one more.
“Let’s keep moving, Peace Fighters. We’ll be done here soon!” Shining Armor declared, rushing forth with his fellow soldiers. With but one hangar remaining the Empire would throw all that remained at the Peace Fighters scattered across the city to keep them away.
Final hangar in sight the Peace Fighters were about to end the battle in Appleloosa when Imperial attack craft soared overhead. They were Airborne Vertical Take Off Rocket Propelled Attack Craft-75s, vehicles designed with a blending of helicopters and rocket planes, with thruster technology that allowed them to move faster than DRAVMs and other aircraft save for FMAAUMs. They were fast and lethal.
Diving behind cover Shining and the Peace Fighters with him watched the AVTORPACs firing at them, machine guns blazing away on all three. Their vertical thrusters streaming fire into the air to keep them afloat.
A metal thunk behind Captain Armor alerted him to Master Sharpclaws reloading her rocket system, spinning it onto her shoulder and looking up at the Imperial aircraft. Taking aim on the first one the Feline Master fired both tubes and sent two rockets streaking through the sky. The pilot of the lead AVTORPAC saw the missiles long before they reached him and reacted appropriately, firing emergency thrusters which sent his vehicle flying to the right. The rockets flashed by him and detonated harmlessly on the walls of the final hangar.
“Damn it. I’ve got a plan” Shining Armor exclaimed, bolting from cover, immediately getting the attention of the pilots of the AVTORPACs, who turned to give chase. Sprinting around the right side of the hangar Shining was followed right behind by the enemy.
Reaching the other side of the hangar gave the Captain a moment of respite, and he got on the radio. “Feline artillery, be ready to fire!” Captain Armor declared, arming the radio beacon and taking it with him inside the hangar.
“Champion Armor, the beacon is telling us it’s still attached to you. If we fire you vill be killed!” the artillery officer protested.
“FIRE! That’s an order!” Shining yelled, looking up at the windowed ceiling of the hangar and watching flaming streaks trial through the afternoon sky, barreling down on the hangar. Outside, the three AVTORPACs had surrounded the hangar, waiting for Shining to come out. One was on the far side closest to him, and the other two were closer to the rest of the Peace Fighters, still hunkered down.
When the streaks of fire turned to dots in the sky as they turned toward the target Shining ditched the beacon to the floor and ran as fast as he could back out into the street, surprising the AVTORPAC pilots who spun around as they prepared to shoot him. All three gathered above the hangar and took aim.
Suddenly the artillery strike ripped through them, tearing all three aircraft asunder as they streaked toward the intended target. Landing in the hangar and setting off the fuel tanks the building detonated in a massive fireball, incinerating both the hangar and what remained of the AVTORPACs.
The Appleloosan airbase was destroyed.
“Well done, Peace Fighters. Now it’s time to get out of here!” Shining Armor declared, once more getting on the radio and saying “All on-station DRAVMs, it’s time to leave. Let’s get moving.”
Shining watched the DRAVMs fly in and land at random places in the town, one landing near his team and all of them boarding. Taking one last look at the flaming ruins of the hangars Captain Armor silently congratulated himself and his soldiers on a mission complete, and leaned back in his seat to relax.
A heavy clang was heard on the roof of the DRAVM and all inside looked up at the ceiling, wondering what it was. Suddenly the vehicle rocked like a raft on the stormy sea and began to fall at an uncomfortable speed.
“What was that?!” Shining yelled, staggering into the cockpit as best he could. Alarms were going off like crazy on the displays.
“Our rotors, sir! They appear to be destroyed!” the pilot exclaimed.
Without the rotors, vertical lift was impossible on the DRAVM, and the only reason they weren’t rocketing towards the ground at terminal velocity was because the thrusters were keeping them steady as much as they could.
Suddenly the thrusters gave out and the DRAVM soon slammed into the earth, kicking up plumes of dirt and throwing everyone inside violently to the floor, knocking them all out.
--------
Vision blurred and head swimming Shining Armor awoke, looking out the cockpit window and seeing a pony standing outside, looking in at him. The pony seemed to be of a black color, with glowing blue eyes. As his vision began to clear Captain Armor got a better look at the pony outside, the individual coming into focus. The black coat was revealed to Shining to actually be a black suit of armor, fully encasing the pony’s body, and the blue eyes were actually the visor. The pony walked forward and casually smashed the glass of the cockpit, grabbing Shining and pulling him out, throwing him to the ground hard.
Looking up at the pony standing over him Shining Armor saw several words printed on the chest; what appeared to be a title and name.
In the ruined streets of Appleloosa Captain Shining Armor of the Peace Fighters walked, the eerie calm punctuated only by the wind blowing across the desert, blasting sand and grit against the wood and steel that was once Appleloosa.
The ELEMENT GEAR soldier MAGIC GEAR had walked into the town after dragging Shining out of the wrecked DRAVM just as a sandstorm rolled in, forcing the Peace Fighter leader to follow her in. Now, amidst the rubble, the enemy soldier could be anywhere.
“When I was just a filly...” Sudden music filled the around Appleloosa and Shining Armor whipped around, wondering just where the song was coming from. He recognized it immediately as the little tune his sister Twilight Sparkle had sung to him years ago, having come up with it one night when she declared that he was to be his BBBFF for the rest of their lives.
“...I found it rather silly, to see how many other ponies I could meet...” the song continued, sounding like it was being broadcast from the air traffic control tower of the airbase. It was still the same song Shining remembered it as, but it had a deeply disturbing air around it. It felt wrong, but Shining didn’t know how or why.
“I had my books to read, didn’t think I would ever need...”
“...other ponies...”
“WHO ARE YOU!? WHERE ARE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!” Shining Armor yelled, confused as to how this soldier knew Twiley’s song.
“To make my life complete” MAGIC GEAR said behind Shining, seemingly completing the verse of the song and answering the Captain’s last question.
Quickly turning around Captain Armor raised his rifle and was about to fire when MAGIC leaped forward and grabbed the gun with her left hoof, putting her right on Shining’s shoulder, turning and throwing him to the ground and wrenching the gun from his grasp.
Rather than turn the CSC-12C on Shining the operative took the gun and dismantled it, scattering its various parts across the battlefield.
Getting to his hooves Shining pulled his custom SP-M6 pistol he took of Chrysalis’ body and took aim, having it too taken from his and dismantled. It seemed MAGIC wanted to do this hoof-to-hoof.
“Let’s finish this, Shining. FACE ME!” MAGIC GEAR declared, her face sounding tauntingly familiar, but the Captain couldn’t quite place it since it was muffled and altered by the helmet.
Raising his hooves and standing on his hind legs Shining Armor began to circle around MAGIC, waiting for her to make the first move.
And make the first move she did.
Reaching her hoof over her back and spinning around MAGIC produced a sword, thrusting it forward in an attempt to stab Shining Armor. The leader of the Peace Fighters dodged the blow and reached forward, grabbing MAGIC’s hooves and throwing her over his back to the ground, taking the sword and twisting the blade free from the handle.
Getting back on her hooves MAGIC used just that; magic. Her horn, mostly covered by the armor, had an opening in the tip and she channelled power to it, unleashing a beam of magical energy not unlike a laser directly at Shining.
Running to a nearby house to avoid the laser Shining smashed through the door and rushed for the stairs to get up higher, hearing the magic laser cutting and slashing through the wood of the house, literally melting what it touched and setting fire to what it didn’t.
Reaching the second floor Shining turned the corner and ran down the hall, heading straight for the window at the end. Leaping through the glass Captain Armor saw MAGIC GEAR still firing her laser at the first floor of the house, cutting off the flow of her magic as Shining dove for her.
Landing on the soldier the two ponies tumbled together across the street, slamming into another house. Shining was on top of MAGIC and decked her hard across the face, a steady CLANG resonating through the air as the shock of the hit transferred through the metal helmet and into MAGIC’s head, dazing her.
Throwing Shining Armor off her MAGIC GEAR rolled over and shook her head, getting back into the fight immediately. Leaping forward in a roll MAGIC landed directly in front of Shining and hit him square in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Grabbing the stallion by the right hoof MAGIC threw him to the ground.
Getting back up Shining Armor took aim and fired his magic over and over again, MAGIC GEAR teleporting away to dodge the attacks.
The battlefield suddenly still and empty Shining Armor took a few steps back and desperately looked back and forth for the enemy, having not a single clue as to where she could be.
“...Big brother... Where are you, big brother...?”
Whipping around and surveying the area Shining saw nothing behind him, his breath beginning to grow shallow.
A blast of magic above made Captain Armor look up as MAGIC GEAR reappeared, landing directly on the Peace Fighter. The two of them rolled and tumbled in the desert dirt, kicking up dust as they went. MAGIC fired off a burst which threw Shining off her, immediately getting up and sprinting for where he landed. Shining Armor rolled away as MAGIC conjured a magical sword and stabbed it at him, the appendage sinking into the dirt.
I've never seen a unicorn with such raw power.
Her side open Shining got up and blasted the mare in the side with his magic, sending her sprawling. As she lie prone Shining Armor stalked towards her, his hooves crunching the dirt beneath them.
Big brother... I love you, big brother... Twilight’s voice echoed in Shining’s head as he got closer to MAGIC, and Shining determined that whoever she was she knew possibly everything about Twiley and would use the knowledge against the leader of the Peace Fighters.
You won't break me.
The ELEMENT GEAR operative got up and fired her magic at Captain Armor, who deflected it with his own. Resorting back to physical attacks MAGIC teleported behind Shining and grabbed his back hooves, flipping him over and hitting the stallion across the face.
Getting up the two took a moment’s respite and began to circle around each other, contemplating their next moves.
MAGIC struck first, reaching her right hoof out in a hook. Shining grabbed it and threw her to the ground, the operative getting back up immediately. Shining attempted to punch her square in the chest and MAGIC grabbed his hoof, yanking it forward and throwing him over her back.
Rolling over and getting up on his hind legs Shining tried to straight punch MAGIC across the face, getting his arm grabbed once again. Instead of getting thrown over the enemy’s shoulder, however, MAGIC yanked his arm up into the air and hit him in the gut with her off-hoof, dropping him to the ground afterward.
Getting back up Shining Armor had to rethink his strategy, since they couldn’t keep trading hits for the rest of the day. He needed a way to kill MAGIC, and quick.
A sudden punch from MAGIC forced Shining to block her attack and blast her backwards with his magic, slamming her into the wall of a house which warped and splintered the wood. MAGIC slumped to the floor, still conscious but dazed. Her helmet had been knocked loose and she was forced to lock it in place.
That’s it! I’ll knock her helmet off Shining thought.
Rolling forward MAGIC swung her hoof at Shining who dodged the hit and counter-attacked by kicking her knee out and throwing her to the ground. As MAGIC got back up Shining Armor dove away and grabbed the sword blade with his magic, planning on using it to twist the operative’s helmet off.
Stepping forward MAGIC attempted to strike at Shining, who leaped back and swung the blade of the sword, the edge striking the mare’s suit, sparks flying as metal screeched against metal, leaving a large cut in the surface of the suit.
Pulling back Shining readied the sword blade again as MAGIC approached him, dodging his strike with the blade and hitting him across the face so hard he stumbled around, the mare kicking him in the back to send him sprawling afterward.
Fuck, THIS!
Getting back up Shining rushed at MAGIC and she prepared for him, dodging his sword attack and reaching forward for a counter-attack. Throwing her right hoof for a straight punch MAGIC attempted to once again put the Peace Fighter down when the stallion grabbed her hoof, smashing the face of her helmet with the back of his hoof which dislodged it as Shining spun around, taking the blade with him and using his magic to guide it into MAGIC’s throat behind him. The sound of flesh tearing and a pony choking on blood let Shining know that he had hit his mark.
“It’s finished” Shining exclaimed, turning around to see the face of the pony that had harassed him for so long.
“What th-- TWILEY?! NO! NO!!” Shining screamed, seeing that his worst enemy was his beloved sister. Pulling the blade out Shining stifled the flow of blood with his magic as Twilight collapsed to the ground, holding on to her big brother.
“Twilight! What the fuck?! Why did the Princess do this to you?!! Hold on, Twiley, I’m gonna get you out of here!” the Peace Fighter leader promised.
This was the Princesses’ plan all along; to torment me with a soldier who knew everything about my sister because she WAS my sister!
Deep terror in her eyes Twilight gripped Shining’s armor and clothes as she looked into his own eyes, her lips trembling as she struggled to speak. To try and explain everything to her brother or at least give him something that would help him.
“Twiley, don’t talk! Just rest!”
Light fading from her eyes Twilight Sparkle found enough energy to channel magic to her horn for a telekinesis spell, establishing a link with her brother’s mind to speak her parting words. If nothing else she had to say something to Shining, anything.
“Thank...you, big brr......”
Eyes rolling into the back of her head Twilight Sparkle released her grasp on Shining Armor and collapsed unceremoniously to the dirt, the vigor of life being released from her essence as she went under. Shining was broken as he stared at the corpse of his sister, unable to say or do anything.
Finally, mere instinct took over and Shining Armor collapsed on his sister, his face buried in her neck. Tears watered down blood as they ran into the Appleloosan dirt, forever staining the very earth of Equestria.
I killed my sister.... My very own sister... The Princesses’ plan all along was to use Twilight against me in secret. I can only assume that the rest of ELEMENT GEAR are indeed the Elements of Harmony under the control of Celestia.
Fucking monster...she’s a monster... No heart, no soul, no sympathy for anyone and anything except for her sister, and even THAT’S probably questionable!
We’re taking the fight to Canterlot. I’m going to have to drum up a plan but we’re going to do it. I’ve received reports from Peace Fighters near Canterlot that there is a massive machine above Canterlot named MY HEAVEN, and that it is most likely a spaceship...
Space... When I was in the Royal Army, the Princesses told the world that space travel was currently impossible. Just another lie. They can’t stop FUCKING lying! It’s like every little word that comes out of their mouths is a lie.
MY HEAVEN... The Princesses are planning on leaving soon, but we’re going to make sure they don’t. We’re gonna take MY HEAVEN and put as many members of each race on this planet on that ship.
Twilight.... The Mid-Morning War, why couldn’t it have gone done differently? Why couldn’t there had been more time to save Twilight and her friends? Then this wouldn’t have happened and it’s likely that the war would’ve been over by now...
FUCK!
Why couldn’t I save her....?
“FUCK!” Shining Armor yelled again, getting up and slamming his hoof into the metal desk, denting it and pulverizing the pen he had been holding, its red ink pooling like Twilight’s blood and staining the white paper. White like his fur.
Looking up bleakly Shining Armor looked at the video screen above the desk that showed a serene picture of the surrounding jungle. With the base being underground the Peace Fighters had to set up cameras linked to screens to allow their soldiers to look outside. It also permitted the average rank-and-file soldier to spot incoming Imperial forces in case the security cameras and radars missed them.
Touching his hoof to the screen Shining slowly blinked, thinking of the screen as a portal to simpler days. One he would never be allowed to go through.
Twilight...
Just then the doors to Shining’s room opened and in stepped Lieutenant Strong Spear, a scar on her chest so deep the fur would likely never grow back over it. She looked troubled, but like she was also bearing good news.
“Prosperity Team has captured ELEMENT GEAR, they’re bringing them here immediately” the Lieutenant said, earning a nod from Captain Armor as he approached the door.
“It’s time for some answers” Shining commented, leaving his room behind as the blood-red ink began to dry on the paper.
--------------
Shining Armor stood in front of the prison cell which held the five remaining operatives of ELEMENT GEAR strapped to heavy-duty chairs to prevent escape or suicide. Their names were imprinted on their chest-pieces, stamped in like they were just average suits meant for average soldiers.
Lieutenant Strong Spear and Master Sharpclaws stood at Shining’s flanks, watching ELEMENT GEAR like the Captain was.
“Open the gate” Shining commanded.
Sliding the key into the hole Lieutenant Spear slid the gate open and allowed her two companions to step in first before following and locking the door behind her. Shining Armor approached the ELEMENT GEAR soldiers and they bristled, their mind control urging them to kill their enemies.
“OK, let’s do it like we did with Spike. Release the helmets and control cables” Shining said, starting with LOYALTY GEAR. The seals hissed and popped as the Peace Fighter leader pulled on LOYALTY’s helmet, lifting it free and pulling the control cable installed in the back of her head. Rainbow Dash shook her head and blinked several times as she was freed from the control.
One by one the Peace Fighters went through ELEMENT GEAR, confirming Shining’s suspicions that they were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony under Celestia’s control.
Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity looked very disturbed and shaken, but were holding their composure. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy started crying and sobbing almost immediately after they were freed and the Peace Fighters waited patiently until they stopped, which was close to 20 minutes.
“T-thank you....” were the first words spoken, by Rainbow Dash. All five of them were trembling in their seats.
“You are welcome” Shining Armor replied, sitting in the corner closest to Rainbow. The Elements took their time as they composed themselves, trying to cope with the fact that they were free.
“S-Shining... Where is Twilight...?” Rainbow asked, Shining hanging his head low and shaking it slightly.
“She’s...dead.”
Silence rang loud in the prison room as all parties present contemplated their reality, taking the time to mourn Twilight.
“Why... How did ya’ll free us...?” Applejack asked, speaking up.
“The cables. It was the cables. We pulled them from slots that had been installed in the back of your heads. The Princesses were controlling your minds to make you elite soldiers to battle me and the Peace Fighters” Shining Armor answered.
“The Princesses... They told us you were dead. They told the entire Empire that you were dead, Shining. And why the HELL did they take control of us?!” Rainbow demanded.
“I wish I knew, Rainbow. I wanted some answers, too.... When are the Princesses planning on leaving?” Shining inquired.
Rainbow Dash nodded, saying “soon. Very soon. They explained to us that we would be taken with them when they boarded MY HEAVEN to leave.... They said they needed us to restart our species... Shining? They’re going to use MY HEAVEN’s main gun to kill you and destroy the Peace Fighters before they leave forever.”
Captain Armor contemplated this new information, mulling it over for a few moments. “‘Restart our species’? What the hell? And they’re going to destroy us with the ship first? When exactly are they planning on doing this?!” Shining asked.
“A few days. It won’t be very long” Rainbow declared.
“We need to make the first move, then” Shining stated, preparing to leave the cell when Fluttershy caught his attention.
“Sh....Shining...? Could you please... Kill us?” the butter yellow mare requested, shocking her fellow Elements except for Pinkie.
“Please...end our suffering...” Pinkie said.
Shining shook his head, already knowing he wouldn’t be able to live with himself for sure if he did something like that. “No, I already killed Spike.... I can’t do it again.”
“PLEASE!” Fluttershy screamed. “PLEASE END OUR SUFFERING! I CAN’T TAKE IT A-A-ANYMOOOOREE!” the yellow Pegasus yelled, beginning to sob uncontrollably as she broke down under the stress. Sharpclaws stayed behind to calm them down as Shining Armor and Strong Spear left the area to discuss their next course of action.
“This is disturbing news regarding MY HEAVEN and what the Princesses plan to do. We must move quickly if we are to save all on this planet” Shining commented.
“Yes but how?” Strong inquired, knowing that they were nowhere close to bringing the war to Canterlot or the Princesses.
“I’ve go a plan. Operation: Fallen Star. We move fast against major Imperial military installations and destroy them, stealing their vehicles and resources. With the Canines and Felines backing us up and with the extra supplies from Imperial bases we will take the war right Celestia’s throne” Shining explained.
“And the Elements?” Strong Spear said, hearing Fluttershy’s cries still echoing down the hall.
“We’ll nurse them back to health, but I don’t think they’ll be ready to aid us by the time we go to Canterlot. They’re all too psychologically scarred. I doubt we’ll be able to bring them back to normal all the way, anyway” Captain Armor said.
“What, do you have a better plan?!” Shining Armor snapped, irritated. Strong looked surprised and a little hurt.
“No, but I was just asking.”
Shining shook his head and began to walk away back to his room, leaving Strong in the hall. “Wait, Shining! Are you sure you’ll be OK? I mean, with what happened with your sister and all...”
“I’ll be fine” Shining replied, not sounding too sure of himself.
-------------------
“Shining? Big Brother?” Twilight said, her little voice catching the older stallion’s attention immediately. Shining put down his pen and looked down at his little sister, who was holding a piece of paper in her mouth.
“What is it, Twiley?!” Shining said enthusiastically and sweetly, making his little sister blush at the boisterous use of her pet name.
Spitting the paper out onto the floor Twilight nudged it and said “I wrote this song, hoping it’d get me my cutie mark, but it didn’t. Still, I think you should have it.”
Shining reached down and picked the sheet up, reading it over. It was titled ‘BBBFF song’.
“Twiley, what does BBBFF stand for?” Shining asked, curious.
Twilight looked down at the floor and scuffed her hoof back and forth, looking a little sheepish and embarrassed. “U-um, it stands for Big Brother Best Friend Forever... I love you, big brother” she explained.
Shining blinked a few times and smiled, picking his little sister up and making her yelp in surprise. “I love ya too, Twiley.”
The two nuzzled together and closed their eyes, both enjoying the embrace of each other. “Promise me, big bro, that whatever happens we’ll always stay together” Twilight said.
“I promise, Twilight” Shining replied.
Their time together melted until it was replaced by a land of flames and suffering, the sky a blood-red color. Shining felt much older, about the same age he is right now as he leads the Peace Fighters.
“When I was just a filly, I found it rather silly, to see how many other ponies I could meet...” Twilight’s voice sang through the air, sounding eerie and distant. Shining found himself in what appeared to be Canterlot, though the streets were filled with rubble and clouds of red.
“...I had my books to read, didn’t know I would ever need other ponies, to make my life complete...” Twilight continued singing.
In the shadows Shining could see other ponies scurrying around, trying to avoid the stallion. They looked shapeless, formless, and almost completely invisible.
“But there was one colt that I cared for, I knew he would be there for meee...”
Shining turned a corner and saw Canterlot Tower down the street, looming in the sky. Spotlights on the side of the tower projected powerful and bright beams of light into the blood-red cloud blanketing the city.
“My...Big BROTHER!” Twilight thundered, her voice shaking Shining Armor’s bones and hurting his ears as it rang through the air. The ponies from the shadows revealed themselves and showed that they were all wearing suits similar to that of ELEMENT GEAR, though these ones had no names stamped on them and the visors were split into two ports for each eye, all glowing an eerie green.
The shadow ponies growled and hissed as they crowded the Peace Fighter leader, some of them snapping their teeth and a few butting their heads against the stallion's flank and the sides of his body.
From above the cloud layer came a massive spaceship, angular and sporting sharp fins everywhere. It was pitch black, and through the bridge's window Shining could see a red glow emanating. Painted on the side in red letters was the name MY HEAVEN. The ship lowered and turned until the railgun on top was facing straight down on Shining Armor, the magnetic bands used to accelerate the projectile glowing orange instead of blue.
Shining Armor was about to move when he was attacked by the shadow ponies en masse, the whole lot of them congregating around him. Lighting up on their chest pieces in what appeared to be pure fire was the peace sign, smoke and embers flying off as they bustled around the Captain, preventing him from going anywhere.
Panicking, Shining yelled "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! WHAT ARE YOU PONIES!?"
"WE ARE MONUMENTS TO YOUR SINS!* LIVING EMBODIMENTS OF THE CORRUPTION YOU HAVE SPREAD THROUGH THE HEART OF EQUESTRIA!" the shadow ponies thundered in unison.
The deep humming of the railgun charging turned to a whir as the weapon fired, producing not the characteristic BOOM that a railgun of its size should but rather terrifying screech, like the wail of a banshee. Looking up Shining saw a flaming visage of Twilight's head appear from the barrel of the railgun, streaking down across the blood-red sky in a blaze of fury straight toward Shining Armor.
"LEAVE! GO AWAY!" Captain Armor demanded of the shadow ponies, trying his hardest to push them out of the way, to no avail.
Shrieking and wailing the visage of Twilight's head barreled down on Canterlot, the flames of fury spreading from it to many of the buildings in the city, setting them ablaze instantly. Plumes of black smoke bled into the sky, mixing with the blanket of red cloud and spreading like a cancer. The spotlights on the side of Canterlot Tower turned and pointed at MY HEAVEN, lighting the massive ship up like it was some sort of perverse art to be put proudly on display for all to see.
Channeling his magic Shining Armor fired into the shadow ponies to get them to move, his targets turning to incorporeal clouds of black smoke before becoming solid again each time the stallion fired, rendering them invincible to any attack. When one did actually get hit another one appeared out of the shadows to take its place, thus ensuring their numbers would remain constant.
As if angered by Shining's attempted attacks the shadow ponies became more aggressive, pushing and shoving as hard as they could against the stallion. Individually Shining could over-power them but in a mass crowd pushing against him and each other all they had to rely on was their weight.
“WE ALL SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU DO!!” Twilight and the shadow ponies bellowed as the flaming visage of Shining's sister landed on top of him, exploding into a massive fireball and roasting him alive. The shadow ponies were tossed far and wide into the hellish sky of Equestria, all roaring like demons from hell itself.
------------
With a jump Shining Armor woke up from his nightmare, drenched in a freezing sweat. The stallion looked up and around his dark room and saw nothing out of the ordinary, leaving him to collapse exasperatedly onto his bed and press his hooves to his eyes as he began to cry, feeling scared and vulnerable like a lost colt.
“Our war will soon be ending, Peace Fighters. I have devised a plan to bring this conflict straight to the dark hearts of our Princesses and kill them before they use their spaceship, MY HEAVEN, to destroy us and leave this planet forever” Shining Armor declared as he stood at the podium in the briefing room of the Peace Fighter home base, informing his army of the plan. The soldiers not present were having the speech broadcast to them all across the globe.
“Scattered all across Equestria are Imperial bases, used to quickly and effectively strike their opponents in that region. We, with the aid of the Canines and the Felines, will assault these bases with the interest of preserving as much of their equipment as possible so that we may use it against Canterlot. Now, I have been told that Canterlot’s only defenses are infantry soldiers stationed in the city. This would normally allow for an absolute streamroll invasion, but the Princesses have their ship MY HEAVEN hovering above Canterlot. It is possible that they have stationed soldiers on the ship to use its defenses against an invasion. After we successfully invade the royal city we will move on MY HEAVEN and secure it, ensuring it is used to save all life on this planet before the sun dies. Questions?” Shining finished.
One soldier raised his hoof. “What about the Princesses?”
“Lieutenant Strong Spear and myself will take care of them personally” Shining flatly answered. With no other questions posed the Peace Fighter leader nodded in satisfaction and declared “let’s get to work, soldiers.”
-------------------------
“The inspection cycle is complete, sister, and all that remains is for you to personally certify MY HEAVEN for use once again. I hope you do it soon, so that we may end the Peace Fighters and leave this planet once and for all” Princess Luna said to her older sibling as the latter sat upon her throne at the top of Canterlot Tower.
“Very well, Lu. I’ll tend to it today” Celestia replied, getting up from her chair and walking down the steps, accompanying her sister as they walked through the palace, eventually heading outside and taking flight with their wings to the massive ship.
Once inside the two sisters were completely alone, and began talks of their plans to leave.
“I am going to miss this place, dear sister. It was a good run, regardless of the thousand years I spent away. Too bad it ended so soon” Luna said as they exited the main hangar and into the winding halls of the front of the ship.
“I suppose it was. Still, you’re right; it is unfortunate that this ended so quickly. Hopefully next time it’ll be different. It’ll be a few years before we’re ready again, and there’ll be a few places we’ll have to stop at” Celestia responded.
“I still wish you’d turn this weapon on the Leviathan of the Haro, Tia, but I understand if you still don’t want to.”
“Luna, our revenge upon the Leviathan will be enacted when we leave” Celestia insisted as the two of them passed the crew quarters and turned the corner for the bridge.
“Of course, sister” Luna said, sealing the door to the bridge once they were both inside and heading for the viewport at the front. Together they sat and stared out the window at Canterlot and the landscape below.
“Should I start the archival process?” Luna asked casually.
“No, wait until after we’ve left” Celestia stated, getting up and climbing into the command seat of the spaceship, taking the control stick in her right hoof and the throttle in her left. The chair conformed to her frame and ensured maximum comfort without inducing complacency.
Luna took her place at the weapons station behind the command chair and ensured that the main gun as well as the defense cannons were operational. Igniting the ship’s thrusters Celestia pulled back on the control stick and MY HEAVEN tilted upwards, pointing into the sky. “Arm and fire the main cannon, Luna” Celestia commanded.
The sister of the night did as told and loaded a round into the rail gun affixed to the top of the vessel, charging the magnetic bands around the barrel and firing into the sky, an awe-inspiring BOOM cracking through the midday air and shaking the ship as a 1,000 ton solid-steel slug lanced into space. Turning the much smaller defense cannons into space Luna fired those, their considerably less-powerful rounds being spit out at a faster rate from all four guns; eight barrels thundered with power as they too sent rounds into space.
“The guns work, Tia! Take us up and around!” Luna declared, the older sister pushing the throttle and pushing the engines to their limit as MY HEAVEN flew away from Canterlot and towards outer space, the massive thrusters taking the ship well past the speed of sound.
Within minutes the Princesses had breached the atmosphere and were in space, viewing their planet from millions of miles above the surface, observing the many oceans, deserts, arctics, forests, and even cities etched upon its surface.
“You think it’ll be different next time, sister?” Luna asked, getting up from her seat as Celestia turned the propulsion down until they were merely cruising along from momentum.
“Someday it will be, Lulu. Maybe not next time, but someday we’ll find a perfect planet and a perfect race and then everything will be fine” Celestia answered, stepping down from the command seat and approaching the viewport, looking down upon the planet below.
“Are we going to destroy the Peace Fighters today?” the darker Princess said.
“No, we will save that for next week. Then, a week after they’ve been destroyed we’ll leave this planet forever. For now we must make sure this ship is 100% up to snuff” the sun Princess replied.
Looking back down on the surface of Equestria and knowing the war that was raging down there Princess Celestia had to wonder herself if things ever truly would get back to normal for her and her sister.
There’s always next time. There will always be a next time for us.
The leader of the Peace Fighters was currently riding in a DRAVM, sitting in a seat on the edge of the open hatch and looking down at his land vehicles as they raced across the desert to Sunburst base; the first target.
A rocket from the Feline artillery screamed directly overhead Shining’s DRAVM, streaking directly into the enemy base and blasting a tank into pieces. Some unlucky soldiers standing near it for cover suffered a similar fate.
Shining had to commend the Felines; they knew how to make psychological warfare. The rockets currently being used to bombard the enemy base were designed in a way that the stabilizing fins would generate this terrible shrieking sound, like the wail of a banshee, from the moment they were fired from the launcher to the moment they impacted on the target. You could hear them coming from quite literally a mile away, but in a mass bombardment there was nothing you could do to save yourself.
Captain Armor had given the Felines strict orders not to target the armories, vehicle depots, and supply caches in their missile bombardments; those buildings housed the tools and supplies the Peace Fighters needed.
“CURRENT RACKS DEPLETED, MASTER ARMOR! YOU’VE GOT FIFTEEN SECONDS BEFORE THEY ARE ALL RELOADED AND WE CAN CONTINUE RAINING FIRE FROM THE SKIES! GET IN THERE AND DESTROY THE EMPIRE!” the Feline artillery Master yelled over the radio.
“Understood! Peace Fighters, get ready!” Shining Armor commanded, making sure his gear was fitted tight and ready to go. Pulling the CSC-12C that he had reassembled after his recent battle the Captain yanked the charging handle and let it go, preparing to leap out of the DRAVM when it got near the ground.
“We’ve got your back, Captain” Lieutenant Strong Spear assured Shining as she stood behind him, ready to follow him straight into the fray.
The DRAVM lowered and the pilot gunned the rotors to keep afloat, allowing Shining Armor and his personal team to leap out of the vehicle just as the ATLAS units railroaded through what remained of the fences, the machine guns on the back thundering as they went as the gunners gave the Imperial forces hell.
“Peace Fighters, we’ve got three locations to secure; the main armory, the vehicle depot, and the supply warehouse. Sub-armories and such are secondary objectives. I want those three primaries secured and this base scrubbed. Get to it!” Shining ordered over the radio, checking his map for the location of the supply warehouse; his personal number one target.
The DRAVMs lifted themselves into the air to return to base, slowly turning on their horizontal axis and accelerating away. Thanks to the Feline bombardment no DRAVMs were shot down by the empire’s soldiers, though a few got pockmarked by gunfire.
Shouldering his gun Shining went on the move as the attack began to get into full swing, the Empire fighting back with all they had.
Turning around a barracks Shining Armor took in the view of the supply warehouse down the way, the building guarded by a squad of Imperial soldiers. The enemy had not seen Shining’s team yet, giving the Captain time to plan.
Pulling out a grenade Shining lobbed it down the road to the enemy team and it landed in their midst, blasting apart three stallions and leaving three others dazed and wounded. With the squad outside the supply warehouse weakened Shining and his team took aim with their weapons and fired, easily eliminating the remaining three.
With the supply warehouse secure all that remained were the armories scattered about and the vehicle depots.
“Captain Armor, come in. This is Private Gleaming Bullet; we’ve secured the first small armory but the Empire’s catching on to what we’re doing. When we’re pushing them back far enough they’re trying to blow up any stockpiles they see. We’ve stopped at least three attempts thus far but--” Gleaming said over the radio, cut off by a massive explosion that rang through the base.
“DAMN! That’s one down.”
“Private, you make sure no other stockpiles get destroyed. You hear me? That’s an order!” Captain Armor declared, shutting the radio off and reloading his CSC-12C, preparing to move out once again.
“Our next objective is the master armory, team. Let’s get to it quickly and secure it from the Empire” Shining said, Lieutenant Spear and Master Sharpclaws following him along with the rest of his personal team as they headed for the heart of the battle.
Along the way Shining heard the characteristic boom of a tank firing its main gun, followed by a large explosion on the other side of the row of buildings next to them. Looking in between the buildings Shining Armor saw an entire group of Peace Fighters obliterated.
“Damn it...” the Peace Fighter leader lamented, shaking his head.
Rounding the corner of a radio building the master armory came into view, the Imperial line there already weakening under Peace Fighter assault. The tank outside, however, was holding it all together.
“Sharpclaws! Rockets!” Shining commanded, ducking back as the Feline commander loaded up her launcher and took aim, both tubes thundering and sending high explosive missiles into the sides of the enemy tank, punching two holes straight through it and detonating inside.
With their tank outside the main armory down the Empire’s soldiers there began to retreat, one soul preparing to throw a grenade into the building and receiving three Solar-Pulse bullets through the stomach.
Approaching the master armor Shining was about to label it secure when a loud shot rang out and blood exploded out of Gleaming Bullet’s right leg, sending him to the floor in agony.
“GLEAMING!” Shining yelled out instinctively, him and the other Peace Fighters taking cover immediately. A Feline soldier dragged the Private out of the street and behind the front of the master armory.
“Feline artillery, this is Shining Armor, standby for specific targeting” the PF leader announced over the radio, grabbing his binoculars to see if he could locate the sniper. Sunburst base was built at the base of a small mountain, and it was likely that the sniper was somewhere on it.
Peering over the edge of the sandbags Shining Armor was behind the stallion looked through the eyes of the binocs for any sign of his enemy, the sun was behind him, brightly lighting up the base and the mountain.
Within moments, Shining saw the all too familiar glint of lens flare, and got back on the radio. “Feline Artillery, this is Captain Armor, fire on these coordinates.” The Captain looked through the rangefinder on the side of the radio unit and sighted in on the lens flare, locking in the coordinates and sending them to the artillery commander with a simple burst. Within a few seconds the characteristic screech of the missiles streaking through the sky could be heard, and they all fell within inches of the target, sending massive plumes of dirt into the sky.
A few moments later the mangled, charred, and twisted remains of a Solar-Pulse sniper rifle clattered into the street, smoke rising off of it.
“Nice job, artillery. Our sniper troubles are gone” Shining Armor stated, putting the radio away and walking over to Private Bullet, who was out like a light.
“He’ll live, I can say that much with certainty” the medic declared.
“...Good” Shining Armor replied, looking past the master armory to see the Imperial forces gathering around the main vehicle depot as their last bastion of defense.
“One final effort, Peace Fighters. Let’s make it happen!” Shining Armor exclaimed, his troops gathering on the other side of the master armory and standing at the edge of the boulevard leading to the main vehicle depot. Peace Fighter ATLAS’s ran idle in between groups of soldiers, the two sides staring at each other from their respective sides, about to engage in the finale.
“Artillery? Get ready to fire on my mark...” Shining said, marking the coordinates for the Imperial soldiers and their emplacements. The numbers had to be accurate down to the decimal; if the missiles hit too close they would destroy vehicle depot.
“Fire. And artillery? Wait five seconds, then tell the Empire what your motto is. Shining Armor out.” The Peace Fighter Captain turned the volume on the radio up all the way and activated the speaker, boosting the volume even further and holding it in the air as he stood at the very forefront of the line.
Several seconds later the screech of the missiles could be heard as they raced down upon their target, leaving trails of black smoke behind as they approached.
“FIRE FROM THE SKIES!” the artillery team screamed into the radio from their end, trumpeting their call across the Imperial base as their missiles hit home, detonating in a majestic cascade of destruction. The Imperial line was annihilated immediately, killing almost every soldier and destroying row upon row of sandbag. The fireballs spread as the blasts expanded, incinerating and lighting fire to that which they did not obliterate into dust. With luck on the side of the Peace Fighters, the main vehicle depot had not been destroyed.
Sunburst base, and its resources, was theirs.
-----------
Shining Armor perused the scene around Sunburst base as his soldiers cleaned up the debris from the battle and loaded supplies and vehicles onto DRAVMs and ATLAS’s to be taken back to the Peace Fighter home base in Vietmane. The sun was going down, casting long shadows across the ground. By the time Imperials forces would arrive to investigate every last bullet, bean, and bandage would be gone. And any surviving Imperial soldiers would be imprisoned.
“Captain, I’ve got two reports. The first says that our unified strikes across all Imperial bases has gone off with unerring success; 95% of enemy bases were successfully attacked and their resources stolen. We’ve got thousands of vehicles and weapons in our hooves now, and the soldiers to use them. I’d say with absolute certainty that we’re ready to take the battle to Canterlot” Lieutenant Strong Spear said to Shining as she trotted up the hill to him.
“And the second report?” Captain Armor asked, turning his head to look at her.
“Private Gleaming Bullet will be OK; and if he’s lucky, will be back in action by the time we go to Canterlot.”
Shining nodded and looked back at Sunburst base, remarking mentally upon how it was similar to when he stood upon the crest of a hill several months ago, overlooking the flaming remains of an airship and the Imperial soldiers who had fallen into their trap. It seemed like that had just happened a few days ago.
Just like the Mid-Morning War... It feels like that happened last week, when it’s been two years. Three in a month.... Is the war truly coming to an end? Is it really going to be over soon?
Shining Armor looked at Lieutenant Spear once again, who was staring at him expectantly. “Hmm, thanks for the reports, Lieutenant. Let’s go back to Mother Base soon and take a look at our resources. We can plan our final assault from there.
“Shining, I have a question to ask you first... Do you hate Gleaming Bullet?”
Shining mulled over it for a moment, knowing the Private had personally killed Cadence himself. That was nearly three years ago, however.
He was acting under orders, like any soldier should do. He wasn’t given specifics, he didn’t know it was Cady... He did what he was told... Celestia told him to do it, I’m sure. She killed Cady, not Gleaming. He was merely the tool that did it, a tool used by the Princesses. He’s not a tool anymore Shining Armor thought.
“All systems on MY HEAVEN work, dear sister, and the engineers have fixed up any anything that needed it. The ship is 100% ready to go, Tia. We can leave at any time” Princess Luna said to her sister who was standing on the balcony outside her room, as usual.
“We better move quickly, then. I’ve received word that the Peace Fighters have struck out against us, completely on the offensive. They have assaulted all bases they could get their hooves on, and with the assistance of the Canines and Felines they have achieved 95% success. I suspect they will move on us within a week” Celestia replied.
“We should leave tomorrow, then” Luna stated.
“I agree.”
“Things are finally gonna change again, sister. Maybe next time it’ll finally work out for us” the night Princess hoped.
“I hope so...” Celestia said.
“You wish you did not have to do this, don’t you?” Luna asked, sitting down next to her sister.
“I’ve done this before, Luna. WE’VE done this before! More times than I am willing to count.... And every time I hate it. Every time I wish that we had finally gotten it right. I should’ve scrapped this place as soon as you were corrupted by “him”, but I could not leave you behind” Celestia explained.
“That is why I wish you would turn MY HEAVEN on the Leviathan of the Haro! Exact revenge for what he did to me! Did to US! He deserves to die!” Luna pleaded.
“I don’t want to use MY HEAVEN’s gun!” Celestia snapped. “That THING terrifies me to no end! You have SEEN the destructive power that main gun wields! ENTIRE planets ripped asunder by a single round! I have watched you with a close eye, sister, and your bloodlust is insatiable! I see the stars in your eyes when you think you’ll have a chance at seeing MY HEAVEN used again in a destructive role. It’s SICK!” Celestia ranted, letting her deepest secret known.
“What about this planet?! We have not yet even discussed how we’re going to wipe it clean! The sun is going out, but what happens after that? Another race may discover the buildings, the cities! They might make a connection to us! If we use MY HEAVEN’s gun on this planet after the sun’s gone out, then there will be no traces of any sort of life here! Our tracks will be covered!” Luna reasoned.
“Fine! We will stay in this system until the sun goes out and then we will use MY HEAVEN’s main gun to destroy this planet. That ship has the means to make enough resources to last for seven years anyway” Celestia conceded. “You’ve got your wish, sister, now go. Leave me be. I want to enjoy the last night I will ever spend upon the surface of Equestria.”
Luna nodded and exited the room, sealing the door shut behind her. Looking up into the sky Celestia saw MY HEAVEN looming over the city, darkening its streets.
I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and I’ve done things I wish I hadn’t. But that ship is the worst thing I have ever known... It also holds the power to save my life, and my sister’s Princess Celestia mused, staring at the name of the ship emboldened on the side.
MY HEAVEN... So ironic... Tomorrow. Tomorrow we leave Equestria forever...
I wish we didn’t have to do this.
-------------------------
“We now possess more weapons, vehicles, and supplies than any one individual could count, Shining Armor. The Peace Fighters are a billion strong, and they await your command. The final plan is up to you” Lieutenant Strong Spear said to the leader of the army of the revolutionaries.
“Thank you, Lieutenant” Shining Armor said, looking over their current inventory listing, making sure everything was where it should be. With the additional resources of the Felines and Canines the Peace Fighters were a formidable army, strong enough to be their own nation if they only had a landmass big enough for it.
“Lieutenant? Call in Master Sharpclaws, it’s time to discuss the final act” Captain Armor stated, setting the report down and taking a seat while Strong Spear left the room.
Our reality is exciting, yet intimidating. We’re finally bringing the war to Canterlot and the Princesses. I’m sure many civilians will die in the battle, but perhaps they will evacuate them before we touch down.... No, the Princesses don’t care about anyone but themselves. They’d gladly let those civilians die if it meant having more time to escape... I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but their deaths are outweighed by the need to kill the Princesses and save our species as a whole. Acceptable losses Shining thought.
Just then Strong returned with the leader of the Feline army and the two sat down at the table in the briefing room to hear Shining Armor’s plan. “With our newly-acquired resources we are bringing this war straight to the doorstep of the Princesses, with the aim to kill them and use their spaceship, MY HEAVEN, to save all species on this planet. A significant number of Equestrians, Felines, Canines, Dragons, and all other significantly intelligent races will board the ship and we will broadcast to them all the truth about our planet. If we find another planet suitable for life we will offload the first batch and return for another, and will do so for as long as we can. Remember, we’ve got four years before the sun goes out, so we got plenty of time” Shining Armor explained.
“So here’s the plan; Private Gleaming Bullet, Lieutenant Strong Spear, Master Sharpclaws, and myself will be the assassination team; we will proceed directly to the Royal Tower and kill both Princesses before they can escape to MY HEAVEN. While this is going on the combined armies of the Peace Fighters will be wreaking havoc upon the streets of Canterlot and the soldiers of the Imperial Army to keep them down while we handle our business. Questions?”
“What if ve fail?” Sharpclaws inquired, asking the one question no one wanted to think about.
“Then it will be the end of all life on this planet. The future of all who live upon this earth rests upon the shoulders of us” Shining answered.
Lieutenant Spear scoffed and smiled, saying “the continuity of dozens of species rests on the shoulders of an army they’ve been told to hate. How are our lives so fucked up?”
“HA! You think your life is messed up? There was this time during the Patriot War when I thought my entire race would be exterminated by the Princesses. You know, now that I think about it the Patriot War was the catalyst for this current war. It’s when the world first learned the Princesses were so afraid of that which was different, that which could threaten their world. Maybe they saw a terrifying enemy within us” Sharpclaws stated.
“Maybe your evolution scared them because they couldn’t control it, they didn’t cause it” Shining Armor commented.
“Perhaps... You know, I remember one battle in particular. The Royal Army was rolling through our capital, the might of their empire crushing down on us. It was the final stand at the Master Building and they came crashing through our defenses, tanks rolling over and through sandbags and legions of bombers flying overhead. The Master of their army, one Captain Shining Armor, lead the charge at the very front, adorned in ornate battle armor. I can remember to this day what he thundered at the top of his lungs” Sharpclaws recalled with a smile on her face, her eyes never once leaving Captain Armor.
“Heh! ‘Fight and Die for the Honor and Glory of Her Majesty’. That’s the motto of the Imperial Army; ‘For the Glory of Her Majesty’. I remember that day, too... That seems like it was so long ago. I believed in that stuff, too. I believed that what we did for the Princesses was good, that we fought to preserve the integrity and honor of the Royal Empire. Now I see we were just fighting to keep fake Gods in power” Shining declared.
“Don’t feel too bad, Master Armor” Sharpclaws said, standing from her seat. “You were fighting for what you believed in; that’s what we should all do when we go to war.”
The door clicked shut, leaving the room occupied by only Captain Shining Armor and Lieutenant Strong Spear. “...You think it will ever be normal again? Will we really return peace and prosperity to the people of this planet? Will we really win this war?” the mare asked.
“I know I’m damn well not going to stop trying” Shining replied, leaning back in his seat. The plans were already set in motion, and there was no going back now.
“...Are we going to die tomorrow, Shining?” Strong said, looking the stallion dead in the eyes.
“It’s possible, but we’re all going to die anyway when the sun goes out, so might as well die fighting for what you believe in” Armor answered, echoing Sharpclaw’s words.
“It’s real, isn’t it? We’re really taking the war straight to Canterlot? We’re really going to kill the Princesses?”
“Yes, Strong, we really are” Shining said, getting up from his seat and preparing to head to his room to go to bed for the night. “Try to get some sleep soon, Lieutenant. Tomorrow’s a busy day.
It was a cold day, and the rain was pouring heavily. A fleet of DRAVMs soared towards the Royal City of Canterlot as missiles streaked overhead, detonating in the streets. The world of the Equestrian Empire had been flipped upside down, and there was mass chaos as the military evacuated the civilians.
Acceptable losses Shining Armor thought bleakly as he watched Canterlot torn apart, dozens of innocent ponies assuredly dying. MY HEAVEN sat above Canterlot like a beacon of doom, the ancient ship alive and ready to leave Equestria forever.
“Captain, you’re on! Broadcast the final speech to the soldiers of the Peace Fighters!” Lieutenant Strong Spear exclaimed from the cockpit of their DRAVM. Shining Armor joined her and looked stoic in the eye of the camera.
“For two years we have struggled, my comrades. Since we have learned the truth of who the Princesses really are we have fought against what they plan to do to ALL who live upon this earth’s soil! Abandon us all to the fate of mass chaos and a cold death when the sun dies so that you may continue to live?! DESPICABLE! They would leave us to die for their own selfish reasons! We vowed not to let this go unpunished, and today we uphold that vow. Our Princesses plan to leave Equestria in a spaceship named MY HEAVEN. Though this ship has enough room to hold thousands of ponies, canines, felines, minotaurs, and ALL races of this planet all together the ONLY living things going on that ship are the Princesses. Your mission... OUR mission is to kill our faux-Goddesses and use MY HEAVEN to save all species on this planet! Stand proudly, my soldiers, for there is no greater weapon than our WILL and DEFIANCE in the face of the Princesses!” Shining declared, switching the broadcast off as their fleet of DRAVMs neared Canterlot, the Feline airforce strafing the city.
Canterlot Tower in his eyes Shining Armor was preparing himself to enter the castle when his DRAVM was hit with a rocket, forcing it into a rough landing in the streets below. Smashing the side hatch open Shining cursed his sudden misfortune and looked up at the top of Canterlot Tower, the shadow of MY HEAVEN darkening the city.
“Lieutenant! You know the plan! The rest of you aid in the assault on the tower!” Shining ordered, immediately moving away from the crash site to get to the entry gate for the castle.
Proceeding down the street the remaining Peace Fighter DRAVMs landed in the streets of Canterlot, depositing their load of troops. Peace Fighters of all species rushed for Canterlot Tower, missiles still raining on Imperial positions.
Turning the corner of the street Shining saw what could only be described as a bloodbath, the true epitome of a warzone. It was a close quarters madhouse, with both Imperial and Peace Fighter soldiers forced to fight hoof-to-hoof. Debris and rubble littered the street, and the shadow of MY HEAVEN was cast over it all.
The return of the Felines as a military force to be reckoned with had shocked the Equestrian Empire, and her soldiers were fighting desperately against the cat people. It was clear that they had not been ready for such a tenacious enemy.
Missile impacting right in the midst of their ranks the Imperials began to retreat, with the Felines not letting up for an instant. Watching the battle Shining Armor saw Master Sharpclaws rush into the lines and stab a young Imperial soldier in the throat, sawing forward until the blade ripped free of his neck. Kid barely looked old enough to serve in the army, much less fight in a war.
“CITIZENS AND SHEEP OF THE EMPIRE, WE ARE THE PEACE FIGHTERS! THE TIME FOR THE TYRANNY OF FAUX-GODS TO COME TO AN END HAS COME. VE VILL VIPE CLEAN THIS PLANET OF YOUR PRESENCE, AND REPLACE IT WITH THE GOODWILL OF OUR CAUSE! ABANDON YOUR HOMES, ABANDON YOUR CHILDREN, ABANDON YOUR LIVES, AND SUBMIT TO THE VILL OF THE PEACE FIGHTERS!” Sharpclaws bellowed, her naturally loud voice carrying itself through the city.
Knife out and seeking blood the Feline Master caught eye of a Pegasus mare crouched in an alley, her grey coat of no help to hide with Feline eyes seeking her. The mare had blonde hair and bubbles for a cutie mark.
Deeming Sharpclaws a threat the Pegasus took off straight for her, the Master ducking hard and grabbing the Pegasus’ hoof as she streaked over her, pulling her back and putting her down on the ground, burying her knife to the hilt in her head.
Sharpclaws stalking off Shining Armor and his compatriots followed, brushing by the small foal sobbing over the corpse of her now-dead mother.
They should’ve run... Shining again thought, bleaker than ever.
The flaming wreck of a DRAVM wobbly soared directly overhead, landing in the streets with a mighty BOOM! The first casualty of the battle on the side of the Peace Fighters. A missile landed in the road up ahead, a lucky shot blasting open the front gate of the royal palace.
“Ze way is clear, Master Armor! Now let’s go!” Sharpclaws yelled, taking off for the open gate. Shining and the rest of the team picked up the pace to catch up with the crazy Feline.
-=-=-=-=-
Once inside the royal palace the sounds of war outside were muted to dull booms as the palace was eerily quiet and devoid of chaos. “OK, let’s hurry up and get to the top of this place” Shining Armor said, moving out with his companions in tow.
Despite not having been in the castle for very close to three years Shining remembered where all the halls and doors went to and lead his team down the shortest paths to the massive spiral staircase that would take them to the dark heart of Equestria.
Slowly ascending the stairs they group would momentarily pause at each window they found to check up on the battle outside. The Peace Fighters were doing quite well, but still taking losses at the hooves of the Empire. At one window in particular a Peace Fighter DRAVM was hovering outside, the thunder of the rotors shaking the window and the machine guns blasting away in the street. Shining had just moved away from the window when the pilot of the aircraft fired a missile, the backblast shattering the glass.
Moving on the group listened to the sounds of war outside, reflecting on what the civilians might be thinking about at this moment as their city was ravaged.
They’re probably believing the Princesses’ lies even more now Shining thought bitterly.
Eventually reaching the top of the stair Shining opened the door to the mural hall, which was the final stretch before the throne room. The panes of glass stained with artistic representations of event in Equestrian history. The defeat of Discord, the freedom of the Crystal Empire, and many more. Shining had no idea which ones were orchestrated lies and which ones weren’t.
“This is it, everyone. It’s time to end this war” Shining Armor declared, putting a hoof on the door handle.
“You think they’ll actually be in there?” Lieutenant Spear asked, tensed up and ready to go.
“Only one way to find out” Shining answered, turning the handle and shoving the door open, the small team poured into the throne room, hooves and paws on carpet and marble as they scanned the room for any enemy soldiers.
“Shining Armor, your misfit band of ‘revolutionaries’ has had the gall to come all the way to Canterlot, to your home, and you lead them here. You could’ve been saved, Shining. We would’ve brought you with us” Celestia said as she sat upon her throne at the far end of the room. Her sister was nowhere to be seen.
“The Peace Fighters are a billion strong, and they all stand against the tyranny with which you and your sister rule this land! We’ve come a long way since the beginning days of this war, Princess. And my allies are ready to reveal to the world the kind of disgusting sociopath you are!” Shining Armor yelled, him and his cohorts finally standing before Princess Celestia.
“Arrggh SHINING!” Celestia screamed, firing a massive magic bolt at the Peace Fighter leader, who casually deflected the shot.
“I fear not you, Celestia, for I am emboldened by the might of the Peace Fighters! From the far corners of the Fascist Felines, to the neighboring borders of the Canine Republic, we ALL stand defiantly against you! Your reign ends, and you WILL save all on this planet before the sun dies!”
Celestia stood from her throne and stuck her face up, looking down her nose at Shining Armor, taking a few steps down towards him. “What gives you the right to tell ME what to do?! I am GOD, Shining. I am YOUR GOD, Shining Armor. I am the GOD of this whole planet. I make the rules, I make the decisions! And EVERYTHING I did was for the good of the future! Had you been in my position and forced to make the decisions I did you would have been CRUSHED by the burden! You think it was easy making the decisions I did?!” Celestia barked.
“Everything you did? Do you know what you did? Look out that window. LOOK OUT THAT WINDOW NOW!” Shining screamed, pointing outside to the fires raging in Canterlot, smoke trailing into the sky and the sound of war and violence seeping in through the windows. A DRAVM soared by at that moment, firing its machine guns into the streets all the way, the shell casings clattering against the window. “YOU DID THIS!” YOU TOOK OUR ONCE PEACEFUL NATION AND RIPPED IT ASUNDER! MARES, STALLIONS, EVEN THE FOALS HAVE SUFFERED BECAUSE OF YOUR ARROGANCE! WAR AND CONFLICT ARE ALL WE KNOW NOW!”
“No, Shining Armor, it was YOU that took our land and thrust it into the chaos of war. It was YOU that started this war, having the AUDACITY to stand against me, your GOD, and defy my rule! YOU started this war! YOU ruined our world! It’s all YOUR fault, Shining Armor! YOU took peace and turned it into the BLOODIEST war in the LONG history of our race! Luna and I were poised to leave this star system, and restart our species elsewhere, but you and your insolent wife had to go and FUCK it all up!” Celestia thundered.
“DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT CADENCE THAT WAY YOU INSUFFERABLE CUNT!” Shining thundered, levelling his gun and firing at Celestia, who blocked the shot with a magic shield. Before a fight could break out a DRAVM slammed directly into the throne room and exploded, tearing the room apart and leaving everyone in it dazed.
Shining Armor shakingly got to his hooves and looked around, seeing Princess Celestia already up and heading for the hole in the wall.
“STOP!” Shining demanded, immediately chasing after her and tackling her out the hole, the Princess of the Sun shook the Captain off and took to the skies, heading straight for MY HEAVEN like the coward she was.
Shining Armor shielded himself with a magic bubble and landed in the streets before Canterlot Tower, shaking himself off and barely containing the urge to just scream in anger. Captain Armor looked around in the sky for Celestia, not seeing any sign of her anywhere.
It’s over, we lost.
Suddenly there was a mechanical whirl and Shining looked up, seeing the bottom of MY HEAVEN’s midsection opening up, revealing a hangar with some kind of machine in it. There was a dull thud and suddenly the machine was falling, coming to life mid-fall and slamming hard into the streets of Canterlot directly in front of Shining Armor.
It was a METAL LANCE, but different from any other model seen before. Printed on the side was the same dark magic peace sign seen on the other METAL LANCE models shimmering black, and the name METAL TIGER displayed right next to the peace sign.
“THIS, SHINING ARMOR, IS THE PINNACLE OF OUR MILITARY MIGHT! THE PINNACLE OF OUR TECHNOLOGICAL PROWESS! THE CULMINATION OF ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF CAREFUL PLANNING!” Princess Celestia thundered from inside METAL TIGER, piloting the walker herself.
Shining had to take a moment to isolate and remove his immense fear of the war machine standing before him to inspect it. It was bipedal, with more weapons than anything Shining had ever seen before. On the right side of the body was a railgun, longer than any railgun seen on previous METAL LANCE models. On both sides of the head were 40mm auto-cannons, and on the left shoulder was a quad-mounting of 120mm SpiralFire missiles. The chin sported seven slug blasters, and there was a silo built directly into the back of the walker for a massive warhead. It was a staggering 60 feet tall, and all black unlike the previous ones which were gray. METAL LANCE phase one had an anti-missile laser, and METAL HORNET was aerial, but both of them paled in comparison to the threat METAL TIGER posed.
“THIS IS METAL TIGER! A WAR MACHINE UNPRECEDENTED BY ANY BEING THAT HAD COME BEFORE IT! IT CAN FORGE THROUGH ANY BODY OF WATER, TRAVERSE ANY KIND OF TERRAIN, AND DELIVER UNTO ITS ENEMIES UNMATCHED FURY AND FIREPOWER!” Celestia thundered from within.
“WE HAVE TEN MINUTES, SHINING ARMOR. IN TEN MINUTES MY HEAVEN WILL FINISH ITS CYCLE AND THE SHIP WILL BE FULLY ACTIVATED, AND IT WILL THEN LEAVE EQUESTRIA FOREVER, WHETHER I’M ON IT OR NOT. PREPARE YOURSELF, SHINING ARMOR. FACE ME!” Celestia bellowed, turning the head of METAL TIGER and firing the slug guns at Shining.
The Peace Fighter Captain dove for cover as the slug guns roared, the rounds slowly chipping away at the concrete all around him. Knowing that he had no missile launchers on him Shining realized he would need to find an alternate way to destroy the massive walker.
The answer came from the skies above, as another missile screaming into the city of Canterlot and impacted on the castle tower, blasting it apart and raining chunks of stone and masonry into the streets.
Getting on the radio Shining Armor yelled “Feline artillery, be ready to deliver missile payloads on my designated target, titled METAL TIGER. You can see the damn thing standing in the streets, so you get those missiles on target!”
“Fire vill rain from the skies, Master Armor! Ve are awaiting your directives!” the Feline artillery officer replied.
“FIRE!” Shining bellowed, waiting seven seconds before he watched the missiles from far beyond the borders of Canterlot soar towards their target, screaming across the sky before raining down on METAL TIGER, exploding on and all around the massive military machine.
As the smoke cleared METAL TIGER slammed its right foot down, Celestia trying to cut through and see Shining to fire back. The walker seemed damaged, but only just barely. Looking into the relatively large viewport into the cockpit Shining saw the Princess of the day looking down on him, her arms and legs spread and locked into the controls of the unit.
While the rocket racks reloaded some miles away Celestia took this time to fire at Shining, the 40mm auto-cannons spitting out high-explosive grenades at an alarming rate which rained down on Captain Armor, constantly producing explosions which assaulted his ears.
“READY TO FIRE!” Feline artillery yelled over the radio, just as Celestia’s bombardment ended and the cannons began to reload.
“DO IT!”
Sticking his head up from behind the rubble Shining watched METAL TIGER bristling as it stood, Celestia deciding which weapon to use next. The tell-tale shriek of Feline missiles was starting to be heard, and moments later they impacted on METAL TIGER, slamming into the massive metal beast all around. One missile hit the right leg and Shining saw the walker go down, elated that the barrages seem to be working, though this attack seemed to be smaller.
When the smoke cleared again METAL TIGER was back on its feet, dented and charred but operational. Celestia looked pissed in the cockpit, and turned the walker’s head to look at Shining Armor. Turning the railgun and arming it Celestia pointed it at Captain Armor, preparing to blast him apart with a solid metal slug.
Before the Princess could fire the weapon however another barrage of missiles slammed into METAL TIGER, again causing it to stagger and the one leg to collapse. The railgun turned wildly and completed the charge cycle, automatically discharging a projectile which lanced away from Canterlot and into space.
Dazed from the sudden attack Celestia sluggishly got METAL TIGER back to its feet, assessing the situation she was in. Shining was wondering how the Felines managed to fire off another salvo so quickly, and got on the radio.
“We’ve decided to fire half every ten seconds, that way there will be an absolute constant barrage of missiles on the target, albeit with a smaller payload!” the artillery master explained when Captain Armor questioned her.
“Understood! Keep it up!”
METAL TIGER ignored Shining momentarily as Celestia armed the quad-mounting of missiles on the left shoulder of the machine, firing off all four away from Canterlot and towards the Feline artillery position some miles away.
“Feline artillery, you’ve got missiles coming in on you! You better clear out of there and find a new spot!” Shining Armor declared, not receiving a reply over the radio.
“Damn it!”
Satisfied that Feline artillery was done for Princess Celestia refocused her attention Shining, readying the railgun again and preparing to fire on him. The magnetic coils charged up and the barrel stared him down. Knowing he would not be able to outrun the massive blast the projectile would create Shining Armor did the the only thing he could do.
He ran towards METAL TIGER.
Galloping across the rubble-littered street Shining raced under METAL TIGER’s body, between the legs, feeling heat wash over him from the engine’s exhaust. Raising its right leg METAL TIGER turned around to follow the target.
The railgun automatically discharged, blasting a tunnel into Canterlot Mountain.
Reaching new cover Shining Armor hid from the massive walker, watching as Princess Celestia looked for him, the heavy steel feet of the machine thundering in the streets. METAL TIGER walked by Shining’s hiding place and stopped, Celestia looking around for any sign of the stallion.
Shining knew the right leg was damaged in some way, and that the missiles were depleted, leaving METAL TIGER with the slug guns, cannons, railgun, and the warhead mounted in the back, as well as the damaged leg.
Looking up Captain Armor saw a wing of Peace Fighter DRAVMs soar in, firing at the walker. Three gunship models firing their small rockets which impacted on the right side, scratching and denting the thick armor. The small rockets wouldn’t be enough to damage the legs, but it would be enough to distract the Princess while Shining tried to reestablish contact with artillery.
“Feline artillery, come in! Answer me!” Shining Armor demanded, carefully watching METAL TIGER. The DRAVMs weren’t doing so well against the walker, and Celestia was starting to blast them apart with the slug blasters.
When the DRAVMs were finally gone Celestia turned METAL TIGER around and finally spotted Shining Armor, arming the 40mm launchers and preparing to fire, to finally end the war with the Peace Fighters and leave Equestria forever.
“ARTILLERY! FIRE NOW!” Shining yelled into the radio, hoping the Felines could hear him and were still there to help.
The wailing shrieks of banshees filled the afternoon sky as the largest bombardment of missiles Shining Armor had ever seen streaked into Canterlot, their sheer numbers blotting out the dying sun as they rained in, the hundreds of them detonating on METAL TIGER’s hull, constantly slamming into the walker. One massive explosion obscured the right leg and from the smoke Shining saw half the leg collapse into a building, smashing it open and kicking up a metric ton of dust, the cacophony adding to the sound of METAL TIGER’s destruction.
Where did all those missiles come from?! Shining wondered.
"FIRE FROM THE SKIES!" the speaker on the stallion's radio roared.
Finally METAL TIGER collapsed before Shining Armor in the streets of Canterlot, the viewport shattering and the intense roar of a massive machine smashing into stone reverberating through the wounded sky. Shining Armor reached into the cockpit and grabbed Princess Celestia, roughly dragging her out and throwing her to the ground, shattering her horn in the process. Once down Shining pinned his left hoof to her throat to keep her down and trained his SPP-M6 on her with his right.
“SPEAK! NOW!” Shining thundered, demanding that Celestia answer for her crimes. The faux-Goddess of the Sun opened her eyes and stared at her former Captain, the former commander of her Empire’s Army, and remained silent for the moment.
“There’s nothing to say” Celestia said after finally relenting, satisfied with everything she had done and showing no regret.
Shining Armor struggled to find words to respond to this, to cope with the knowledge that he would never have the satisfaction of understanding why it all happened the way it did.
Shining Armor, former Captain and leader of the Royal Guard and Imperial Army, pressed the barrel of the gun to Celestia’s head and pulled the trigger. The hefty report from the mid-caliber round travelled throughout all of Canterlot, sounding not like the final call of a warrior’s victory, but rather the sound of continued violence it always would be. Pulling his hoof back Shining released his hold on the lifeless corpse of Princess Celestia.
Looking down at her side Shining Armor saw a weapon holstered on the Princess, undoing the strap and pulling the gun out. It was a customized weapon similar to Chrysalis’ SPP-M6, but this was not an M6. It was an old wheelgun, known as a revolver in other countries. It was ornately engraved and constructed out of brushed titanium, giving it a shiny appearance. The grips were pearl, and stenciled on the side of the barrel was the phrase Gift Of The Goddess.
Shining Armor holstered the gun and looked up as the tremendous sound of fires blasting echoed throughout the world, the thrusters of MY HEAVEN pulsing as Princess Luna signified it was time to leave.
“Luna...” Shining hissed, taking a thruster pack from METAL TIGER's cockpit and soaring up into the sky toward the massive ship, landing on the side next to the A of HEAVEN and opening a hatch there, snaking into the ship and trying to navigate its twisting corridors. Twisted like the dark hearts of the Princesses.
Well, just Princess now Shining smugly thought.
Entering what appeared to be a recreation room the Peace Fighter Captain made for the sliding doors leading out of the area and found several Imperial soldiers waiting there for him, engaging them as soon as he saw them. The four Imperials took cover behind pillars in the hall as Captain Armor opened fire with his CSC-12C, mowing the enemy down and moving past their corpses. The engines kicked into overdrive and the sound reverberated throughout the ship as MY HEAVEN gained more power.
Save them...end the war... Cadence whispered in Shining’s mind.
Kill her... Achieve your final victory... End the suffering of all... Twilight whispered, her voice joining Cadence’s.
You are our savior. You are the protector of Equestria and all races that call her home... Stop her, achieve your final victory... Reclaim peace and prosperity for the lives of all that live on this planet.
You are the first and last line of defense, Shiny. You are a warrior, poised to always deliver unto his enemies crushing defeat. Kill Luna, end your conflict. Claim triumph over the tyranny of the selfish.
Entering another hall Captain Armor discovered that the door ahead of him was locked, forcing him to head right up a staircase to the top deck. On the upper deck of the two-deck ship Shining Armor was ambushed by more Imperial soldiers, lobbing a grenade into the midst of the one group and cutting the other squad down with his gun.
Proceeding past their corpses into what could only be described as the observation deck Shining was forced to duck into a room to go around what appeared to be a glass pillar in the center of the hall.
Save them...end the war... Hurry... Save them... Kill her...
Coming out the other door to the observation deck Shining took a left and proceeded down another flight of stairs, finding himself at a crossroad. To the left was assuredly crew quarters and the bridge, to the right was the unknown room that Luna was in.
Save them... Kill her...
Stepping through a sliding door Shining Armor was greeted by an open hangar with a raised platform in the middle, sitting a few feet above him. The room was a little dark save for a light streaming in from a hole in the direct center of the ceiling.
“Shining...Armor...” Princess Luna’s voice echoed throughout the room, coming from somewhere up on the platform. The Captain tensed up as Luna approached the edge of the platform, looking down her nose at Shining like Celestia did.
“Princess Luna” Captain Armor growled, spitting out her ‘Princess’ moniker like it was snake venom. Luna bristled at his blatant disrespect of her position as a perceived Goddess but didn’t voice her disapproval, considering there were more pressing matters at the moment.
“Shining Armor, MY HEAVEN is about to take off and leave Equestria. Our plan was to leave this system and start our species anew in a different one, though there’d be a few stops along the way, but you and your group of delinquents came along and screwed it all up. Now you’re here on our ship, about to leave Equestria with us” Luna told him.
“I’m here to kill you, not save my own hide from a blatant abandonment of our planet. Our home planet” Shining explained.
Kill her...
“Our home planet...” Luna started, shaking her head. “You claim to know the truth, but that what you see is naught but a small portion of the bigger picture. Regardless, if you’re here to kill me like you said, then you better be prepared for what comes afterward. Sister Celly will avenge my death.”
“Celestia? Really? Will she really come after me?”
“Yes. And if you’re here to kill me then you better try so while we’re still here on Equestria, because Celestia’s on the bridge about to take off” Luna told him.
Shining Armor couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, shaking his head. “It never stops with you. Just lies and lies and lies and lies and you just can’t stop yourself!” the Captain stated.
Save them, Shiny... Kill her... Save them. Hurry...
“How do you know this one’s a lie?” Luna questioned, growing tired of arguing with an inferior being.
“Because Celestia’s dead. I killed her... And it felt good” Shining flatly declared, smugly smiling again.
“Now it’s YOU who are lying!” Luna exclaimed, stamping her hoof.
“Am I? Why don’t you try reaching out to her? I know you share a magical connection. Try calling to her. Try begging for her to come save you because you depend on her like a little baby” Shining said, keeping his hoof tensed to raise his gun.
Kill her... KILL her... Do it now, Big Brother... KILL HER...
Princess Luna took a moment to try as Shining suggested and screamed in anguish and took to the air with a flap of her wings, her horn glowing white. Shining Armor raised his gun and suddenly went limp, unable to pull the trigger or move. He hovered through the air towards Luna, and realized she was levitating him. The Princess of the Night flapped over to the nearby wall and it slid open, opening the entire right side of the hangar and levitating Shining out the open door several thousand feet above Canterlot.
“You may have killed my sister, but I will not let this go unpunished. Are you scared, Shining? Scared of falling to your death? Beg for your life” Luna angrily smirked, watching as Shining looked down at the distance to the city below.
The Captain looked and stared Princess Luna straight in the eyes, spitting right in her face and growling “fuck you, I will never again bend to your will.”
Luna wiped her face off and stared right back at Shining, who swore he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes as she said “...I feel so sorry for you” before cutting the flow of magic to her horn and letting Shining drop, beginning his doomed fall to Canterlot.
“Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it” Shining exclaimed as he fell, knowing there’d probably be no way for him to survive.
I got her, though. I killed Celestia, and finally did something that pissed off Luna. She’s weak, and I think the Peace Fighters will be strong enough to go after her Shining thought.
Halfway to the ground Shining stopped falling and felt weightless, opening his closed eyes and looking up in confusion and seeing Cadence holding him, her wings flapping hard as she struggled a little to hold his heavy body and remain in flight.
“I got you, you’re OK” Cadence whispered, the two soaring down into the streets where Cadence dropped Shining off in front of Lieutenant Strong Spear.
“Shining! Are you OK? Did you get the Princesses?” the Lieutenant asked, looking the Captain over to see if there were any wounds on him.
“I got Celestia, she’s dead” Shining started, cut off as the thrusters of MY HEAVEN thundered as Luna fed more fuel to the engines and began to turn the ship. The actions answered the Lieutenant’s questions about Luna.
“We’ll get her later. Cadence, I ju--” Shining said as he turned around, stopping himself when he saw not Cadence standing before him, but rather Rainbow Dash.
“What about Cadence?” Dash asked, confused as to what Shining was going to say. Shining shook his head, swearing that it was Cadence that had saved him. Rainbow seemed to be doing better but Shining could still see that look in her eyes; that look of a broken pony.
It wasn’t Cadence, it was just another hallucination.
Cady...?
“I thought... Nevermind” Shining said, looking around as he mentally took a step back; he’d won. They won. It wasn’t a total victory, the sun was still going out and the planet was still doomed, but Celestia was dead, the Empire was collapsing, and Luna was on the run.
Shining Armor looked up as the thrusters of MY HEAVEN began to fire in full and the ship accelerated, heading straight for the heavens above and racing away until it could no longer be seen.
Captain Armor looked around and saw looks of disappointment on Lieutenant Spear and Rainbow’s faces, as well as several other Peace Fighters who were gathered around.
“It’s over, we lost...” Lieutenant Spear muttered, turning to walk away. Shining looked around and saw similar dejected faces from the other Peace Fighters, and couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed in them all for their collective attitude.
“No! No we haven’t! We won today, actually! Sure it wasn’t the victory we wanted but it was still a victory damn it! Princess Celestia is dead, and her sister’s on the run. I’d say we won! In fact this was one of our biggest victories! We’re finally starting to set things straight, and we WILL go after her. To the heavens above, to any solar system, and to any and ALL planets necessary to find and kill Princess Luna. Peace Fighters, be bold, for we are a billion strong, and we all stand tall against the tyranny of our former Goddesses!” Shining declared, standing on the ruined husk of METAL TIGER.
“But Shining, how are we supposed to go after her? We don’t have space vehicles!” Rainbow Dash asked, stepping forward and looking up at the Peace Fighter leader.
Shining smirked and looked down at her and the rest of the Peace Fighters that had gathered around, having just one thing to say in response to this.
“Someone somewhere wrote down how to make a spaceship.”
