"Battle is glorious, bloody and, damned enjoyable."

                                                     Iron Will

Snails walked through the Earthborn Industrial district. He had to relay a message to Dr. Whooves and was trying to track him down. He had also opted to forsake his armor for a light robe and armored bracers. The unicorn ignored the looks he received. The Earthborn ponies resented the fact that unicorns had been allowed into the city, though only  a hoofful of Brightflame's higher-ups had been allowed. Snails entered the main Earthborn warehouse where he knew he would fin the Doctor. When he saw the earth pony in question he was in the company of a red maned mare that struck Snails as awfully familiar.

"Simply amazing," Whooves said. He and the mare were looking over one of the flying contraptions they had seen in Fillydelphia," I am amazed at the ingenuity you worked into with this."

"Thank ya," she said with no small amount of pride," It really helped turn our battles against Stromwing."

"I can imagine."

"Doctor," Snails rumbled as he walked up to the pair," Lord Pyrequill wishes to see you about the final preparations for the upcoming battle."

"Oh thank you old chap," Whooves said," My good lad you simply must meet this mare. He name is-"

"Applebloom," Snails finished finally recognizing her. He took a step forward in amazement at the mare she had become. He had always found she was cute when they were younger but now she had well blossomed.

"Snails?" Applebloom looked him up and down. She hadn't seen him since he had moved away from Ponyville when they were foals. He had certainly grown too.

"Ah was told you was part of Moon an Star," Applebloom said narrowing her eyes.

"I was but then I and my soldiers were forsaken by a coward of a commander," Snails said," Then I was found by Moondancer and we helped build Brightflame. It is good to see you again."

"Umm yeah you too Ah guess," Applebloom said slightly taken a back by that.

"Well I'll let you two catch up," Whooves said with a knowing tone in his voice.  

"I will have to accompany you," Snails said turning to leave with him.

"Nonsense," Whooves said stopping him," You stay here and get better acquainted."

"It is about our battle plan," Snails rumbled.

"Ah yes it is about that time," Whooves said with a sigh," Very well."

"Ms. Bloom," Snails nodded in Applebloom's direction and the pair turned to leave.

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It was noon the next day when the Everfree army was spotted on the horizon. Spike and Applejack stood with the combined forces of their army's at their back. The ponies had forsaken old prejudices in the light of the new threat and when they saw the sheer size of the Everfree army this only solidified that need to do so. Spike flexed his wings and hardened his gaze as Applejack tightened her tail around her trusty warhammer. A rumbling growl vibrated withing his chest. Applejack remained silent as she raised a hoof. Just as Spike took off she brought her hoof down in a swift motion.

"We are Equestria!" Applejack yelled.

"No mercy only fire!" Spike roared.

Their army surged forward with their commanders and they clashed with the Everfree army. Applejack slammed her warhammer down on a wildling's skull, crushing it. Spike grabbed another wildling in midair that tried to jump on her back. He shredded its throat and sent a gout of flame at a charging timberwolf as he landed. Applejack bucked a zebra in the ribs as he tried  to blindside the dragon. He went down with a yelp and met his end at Spike's claws. The pair worked in perfect tandem with each other as they carved a path of carnage through their enemies.

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Snails and his Brood cut their own swath through the Everfree legion. They held a line against the wildlings and wraiths with the help of Earthborn firespitters and battlebuckers. Snails slammed his hammer into the side of a wraith's head, launching it into the air where it met firespitter flame. The unicorn looked up to see a minotaur charging him and jumped tot eh side just as it passed by him. Snails twirled and unleashed a wave of telekinetic energy at the minotaur. It grunted but held fast and charged the unicorn a second time. This time though Snails didn't move but slammed into him. The minotaur smirked, thinking he had the unicorn only to have it fade when he felt himself moving backward. He looked at the unicorn and was met with an open maw of fangs as Snails unleashed a torrent of amber flames into the minotaur's face. The massive bull fell backwards with a scream erupting from his throat as he felt his face melt. Snails cut him short though by slamming his hammer down on its throat. The wildlings and wraiths looked on in shock as they had witnessed an Iron Bull meet its end at the unicorn's hooves. Snails calmly walked forward toward the motionless Everfree ponies.

"Run," he said as he rushed them, followed shortly by his Brood.

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Applejack and Spike continued to weave a path of broken bodies behind them. They made their way toward a pair of Everfree Ents that proved to be a hassle for their pegasi. Spike launch himself into the air and unleashed a gout of green flame on one while Applejack rushed the other and delivered a powerful buck into the side of its leg. Applejack's went down to one knee and found its head meeting her warhammer. It went down with a rumbling grunt. Spike's erupted into flame and tried to make blind hits at the dragon. Spike formed a cone of runic circles around himself and surged forward at blinding speeds. He ripped through the burning Ent's chest and it went down.

The second Ent tried to stand up but was stopped as Applejack jumped onto it's massive chest and brought her forehooves down on it's face three time before it stayed down. Applejack looked up and saw the biggest minotaur she had ever seen walking toward her. Spike landed beside her and regarded the minotaur as well. There was a helm in the monster's hand. He tossed the helm at Applejack and it landed at her hooves. She looked down puzzled then instantly recognized it. It had belonged to Big Mac. She picked up the helm carefully and stared at it.

"He died with honor," the minotaur said.

Applejacks hooves began to tremble as she looked up at the minotaur. Spike took a step forward but she stopped him," No he's mine." She tossed the helm aside and slammed her warhammer into the ground, its gem gleaming a blinding white as he single green eye spoke volumes of rage," When Ah'm done with ya you'll wish ya had never been on that battlefield an that's the stone cold truth."

"You'll meet your end by Iron Will just the same," the minotaur shouted as he struck a pose.

With that she rushed the minotaur and swung her warhammer at Iron Will. He caught it and using her momentum against her threw her aside. She hit the ground with a grunt, jarring pain ripping through her side. Applejack stood up and saw the minotaur rush her. she stepped to the side and sent a bone shattering buck into the side of his leg. There was the sound of several bones snapping as the minotaur went to one knee. Applejack whirled and slammed her hammer into his stomach and her slid backwards with a pained grunt. Applejack charged at him. Iron Will brought both fists up and slammed them down on her. She fell to the ground with a grunt. He raised his hands up a second time to finish the job but found himself soaring through the air. He hit the ground but quickly sat up to see the dragon had attacked him. He pulled a potion from the pouch on his side and downed it. The bones in his leg snapped back into place and he stood up.

"Ah said he's mine," Applejack grunted as she stood up.

"Your welcome," Spike deadpanned," Listen I'm not about to let you die out here. We can take him together." He flashed her a cocky grin," Oh by-the-by you owe me one."

Applejack blinked. For a second she saw the little dragon she had known all those years ago. She then let out a barking laugh," Sugercube Ah don't owe ya one. Ya know how many times we had ta save yer scaly hide? Trust me yer gonna be owin me till the day ya die."

"Well then in that case my code states-" Spike began.

"Oh no ya don't. Don't you start spoutin' that code stuff," Applejack held up a hoof," Th' last time ya did that Ah almost got eaten by a timberwolf."

"I was awkward back then alright!" Spike defended.

Their argument was cut short as Iron Will charged them. They split up and Spike unleashed a plume of flame at the minotaur but Iron Will jumped to the side, the flames licking his side but causing no real damage save for a small burn. Applejack tried to slam her hammer into his gut but was knocked back as Iron Will slammed fist into her chest. Spike started drawing a rune into the ground as Applejack continued to keep him busy. When he was done he looked up at Applejack," Send him over here!"

The earth pony grunted as she pushed Iron Will back. Her ears perked up at Spike's voice. She rushed Iron Will and slammed her warhammer into his leg. He went down to his knees and she pivoted on her forehooves " This is fer Big Mac." She slammed her back hooves into his chest and he went flying backwards. Iron Will sat up just in time to see Spike rake his claws along the rune circle's edge and Iron Will erupted into white flame.

"Lets end this battle," Spike said.

Applejack nodded and placed a hoof on the comcrystal she had been given," Bloom send in th' choppers and rain fire on em."

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"Will do sis," Applebloom placed a hoof on the comcrystal in her chopper," Alright lets give em hell."

She started her chopper up and so did several others. They took to the sky. Beside her Dr. Whooves readied the repeater cannon that had been attached to the copters side.

"Ya sure ya know how ta work that thing," she asked.

"Its not quite a Gatling gun but I'll manage," he responded. She looked at him like he was crazy as he aimed the cannon down at the battle bellow. His shots found their marks in the masses of wildlings. Applebloom rolled her eyes at the stallion and swerved the copter out of the way of a boulder that had been sent flying at them by an Ent. She circled back around and dropped two bombs on the walking tree. It shattered into shards of wood.

"SCREEEE!!!"

Applebloom spotted a trio of hydra's that had entered the battlefield. She clicked on the copter's comcrystal," Bring out th' Beastbusters."

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Out of the Apploosan city gates rolled two massive metal constructs. Each had a cannon turret on its top and a bladed plow on its front. Ponies moved out of the way of the massive tanks. They stopped and one sent a barrage at the serpents but the shots proceeded to only piss off the beasts as they made their way to the Beastbuster. Fortunately the Everfree army weren't the only ones with nature on its side. Four brood stood around a large glowing rune circle and were chanting in the ancient primal tongue of the dragon's. A portal to the Astral Plane ripped open and a flaming construct of a dragon walked out. The portal closed and the Spirit of Rage narrowed its glowing yellow eyes at the hydras.

"GRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

It let loose an ear shattering roar and with pump of its wings surged toward the hydra's. It latched onto the middle one with its flaming claws and seared through the scales. It closed its maw around one of the necks and ripped a head off. The remaining heads loosed a screech of rage and pain and tried to pull the spirit off them. The other two hydras moved to help their kin but the Beastbusters started firing at them. The copters circled the hydra's as well and started dropping payload after payload on the serpents. The dragon spirit ripped a second head off the hydra he was battling and unleashed a gout of white flame at it as it went down, killing it. It sets its sights on the remaining hydras and lunged forward with its claws. One of the hydras screeched in anger as the dragon's claws seared through its abdomen. It went down as its insides flooded the ground bellow and it went into its death throes killing any unlucky enough to have under it. The last hydra was snapping at the copters that circled it and was blindsided by the spirit. One of the hydra's head clipped a passing copter and sent it spiraling.

Next Chapter: Battle for Apploosa Pt 2 Estimated time remaining: 17 Minutes