Chapter fifty

It has been a long, long time sense the armory located in the lower parts of Canterlot castle have been broke open to fuel a war at hoof. Though when it is, it’s surely a magnificent sight to see guard after guard suit up with armor and weapons. Done in an assembly line effort, the overall massive room that has hooks to hold suits and racks upon racks of weapons, is now left all but barren in the early hours of the next morning. Minus the two ponies that helped to hand out the gear and now suit up themselves for battle.

Shining and Sentry sit across from one another. The fresh blood running through his veins gives the guard a new sense of vitality and energy to the system as he uses his teeth to pull the strap of his armor tight around his chest, sliding his personal sword in to its sheath, along with another, that is held a little more dearly to him at the moment.

Twilight’s own beautifully adorned blade, adds to his own weapon. Already having been trained to duel wield, this will help him until he can get it to the proper owner. Even though he handed the blade to him, Shining still looks with much admiration as the guard under him fits the piece to himself.

“You wear it well, Flash,” Armor comments to him, while using his own magic to holster a blade of his own, “I didn’t even know she had it honestly.”

“Neither did I…” Sentry admires it for some time now, “from what I hear, she does very well with it too.”

“But never the less… she needs some additional protection.”

“Yea…” he lowers his head a bit recalling his failure, “…perhaps a little more at times.”

Sentry receives a playful hoof shove to the shoulder by the captain, “don’t beat yourself up over it kid. Even if I had been there, or you had a dozen guards to back you up, that still probably wouldn’t have been an even match. Sombra isn’t a unicorn to be trifled with.”

A sincere smile crosses the guard’s face as he nods in response, finding the irony in what they are about to do now, “And now we’re going to be going after them both.”

“Well hey, you can’t choose all your fights,” Shining and Flash both slide their helmets over top of their heads in unison, “sometimes they just choose you, and you have to roll with it.”

“Aint that the truth…” Flash stands to feel the full weight of his armor pressing down, and dispersing over his frame.

“Just remember one thing for me…” Shining quickly corrects himself at the moment, “well I lie, two things.”

“Yes?”

“One, my sister loves you more than I have ever seen her love another, short of her own family… heck I would even go to say she loves you more than books,” they both share a laugh at the joke at the bookworm’s expense, anything to break the tension, “and two, we will get her back… that I’m damn sure of.”

Flash nods in agreement before they both rest a hoof on each other’s shoulder as both a sign of respect, but also gratitude. Sentry is speaking of the single most mare, which has captivated him sense he laid eyes on her, now preparing to go in to battle against those that have taken her and plan on nothing but destruction. With none other than the brother of said Marefriend, by him.

While Shining Armor shares this with his sister’s first ever Coltfriend, and not only that, but a colt that he is glad to have by his side at the moment right now, and in the near future when they’re out on the field. Shining looks up at the clock in the room and gestures to Flash for them to get going.

“Come on now, we don’t want to be late for our own party…” Shining says to him as they both head out the door and in to the castle grounds where the soldiers are meeting.

____________________________

Discord stands in his bedroom alone while he looks at the sight before him. The room has been cleaned up, repaired, and blood stains removed. But no matter how much magic or cleaning solvents you use, sometimes things will just stay where they are. He looks aimlessly at the floor where he found his wife laying there, missing a hoof with Rosebud cuddled up next to her. The wall where his dear son Havoc was pinned to it like a poster, and the fluids left to drain out of him as a freshly killed animal would have been.

The grinding of his teeth radiating in his ears is the only reason that he never hears the door open up, and a very special alicorn lean up against the door frame to watch him. The chaotic prince’s eagle talons clench inwards as it seems the claws are ready to dig in to his palm, the slight cracking of his neck fills Celestia’s ears. Though to others it may seem he is tense. The mare has seen him like this, and watching him attempt to calm his nerves before combat, is the only sign that the wife needs. In order to let her know Discord is determined to finish this.

“Easy now, dear…” he turns around to see Celestia, his lovely wife, standing there watching him, “years of experience has taught me never to go in to a battle angry, but instead go calm and collected.”

“What is supposed to be calm about war?”

“This won’t be a war dear,” she steps in closer and closer to him, “this will be a slaughter against both sides, but that doesn’t mean that you yourself can’t be calm minded.”

Dissy rubs his lion paw against the side of his jaw, feeling the soreness in it from earlier, “Says the mare who clocked me after being told she wasn’t going to be joining us…”

“Just because I said to stay calm, doesn’t mean an outburst here and there isn’t expected,” she sticks her tongue out at him, trying to ease down the nerves from earlier. “Besides, how did you expect me to react when you and my own sister went behind my back and made the unanimous decision not to have me in the war?”

“Well I was hoping that you having a missing hoof would give you enough reason to understand why we said that…”

“But Shining gets to go…” the sun princess rolls her eyes to him like a foal to their parents.

“…And Cadance is also staying behind here,” he tacks on to her sentence just as she spits it out, putting his bat wing over her and pulling his mare in closer.

Even as she has her face slightly askew away from him, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the princess is still a little ticked about having to stay back here in the castle, after what has happened to her son, her subjects, her protégé, and even herself.

“Tia, darling…” he coos to get her attention, watching only her eyes shift towards his, “I am only doing this because I don’t want to see you hurt, none of us do… you and I both know there will be more than enough wounded after this conflict, and we’ll need some of the best healers present to do so. After all… who is my best healer when I get hurt?” he winks. Drawing even the faintest chuckle out of her as a smile graces her present face.

“I am, Dear…” Celestia answers him, turning and giving him a quick peck on the cheek before they both embrace one another. Her putting her muzzle up to his ear as she whispers, “though don’t think that will get you out of this little trickery once you get back… after all, if you do get hurt, than you will be under my care.”

“I would have expected nothing less of you honey…”

“Though promise me something will you…” she says in the utmost of serious faces, “Don’t. Get. Hurt.”

“I’ll try my hardest not to…” he pats her lightly on the hoof, “though for that to happen I think it’s safe to say I need a little more protection,” Discord snaps his fingers, adorning himself with the full suit of armor from before.

Celestia has seldom seen him wear his favorite combat gear, though he never really needs it that much. She steps up behind him, while the prince fixes a few of the plates here and there in the mirror. Making sure that he looks his Sundays best, and everything is good and ready to go for later.

“Why don’t you dress more like this around here?” Tia teases him.

“Well somepony wouldn’t like getting pricked by all the spikes as we sleep…” he looks down his back side at the spines protruding from the plates, “though it would make roll playing interesting…” a devious little grin comes on his face, as she shakes her head at her husband.

‘Somehow… I married him,’ Celestia says in her head, ‘and I wouldn’t have it any other way,’ the princess remains grateful for the decision as a knock comes to the door before it slightly cracks open, reviling a short statured unicorn mare standing there with a clip board in her magical grasp.

“Umm Prince, princess… the troops are assembled and ready to go.”

“Splendid…hahaha-!” Discord starts to do his evil little laugh, before getting himself under control from the glare of his wife, “Err, ahh, we’ll be down in a sec.”

They both step out to the balcony just outside the bedroom. Looking out, you can see all of Canterlot from this view, though what’s more impressive is the army just below them as they both take a leap of faith from the room and make their way down, only how one with wings can.

____________________________

Shining walks in front of the ranks of soldiers before him, looking over every little detail in their form like it was an inspection of some sort. So far though, he likes what he sees, everypony there is a strapping individual who has been trained for such combat against foes much greater than this. Though they have been trained not to underestimate those that they face as well.

Both Unicorns and Pegisy have been called upon, and should be able to get there in fair time as they teleport, or fly, to battle. Flash stands at the head of one of the Pegasus ranks, eyes straight forward at attention just like his fellow comrades.

Though as serious as this may be at the time, Armor can’t help but poke fun for a bit, “We’re going to war Flash, lighten up a bit…”

“Sir?” he sounds confused from the statement. Even resorting to a professional manner when around others in uniform.

“Good call on the professionalism… but for now, we can stick on a first name basis.”

“Yes, Shining…” He nods in response, looking to his left and right to see the others with him at the moment, “is this all we have?” Sentry says sarcastically at the large numbers that have amassed in a relatively short amount of time.

“Hehe… well-” Shining starts off saying, but is cut off by the pair of pink hooves being wrapped around his neck as they turn his head towards the owner.

The soft press of lips against his own, make him melt by their contact alone, while he dives deeper in to the passionate moment, forgetting completely about what he was going to say. Feeling those wonderful lips that he married pull back away from him, Shining looks to find Cadance with her hooves wrapped around his neck hugging him.

“That…” she nuzzles her nose against his own, “…is for a safe trip. And there will be more to come later when you get back,” she whispers that last bit in hushed tones to his ear. Making even the captain get all giddy at the thought.

“I will be back in one piece, don’t worry…” he gives her peck on her fore head, before taking note of the uncomfortable expression on her face. “Dear? What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Oh… nothing. Well actually, you kinda have some more recruits…” Cadance turns her shoulder to show five mares and a dragon approaching.

All of them ready to their fullest to go in to combat as well. Applejack, and Rainbow have gotten ahold of a set of mare armor from the armory. Even Spike managed to get some additional protection from plates fastened to him, along with blades of his own. Pinkie pie doesn’t seem to have anything different than normal, though this wouldn’t be the first time she has pulled something out of thin air. Fluttershy even has on a battle helmet, and with some loose straps, it’s shaking on top of her head as much as her legs are underneath her. Rarity even has forgone make up for the occasion, not like she needs it. Though, Shining knows her well enough to see that when she takes on that appearance, the mare is not to be philandered with.

“Ready and reportin’ for duty, Shinin’,” Applejack salutes the captain as the others take their own posts next to her.

“You can’t be serious,” he says his piece, already feeling the headache coming in his frontal lobe.

“We are here to fight to get our friend back Shining Armor,” Rainbow hovers off the ground with a hoof pointing to his chest.

“And we will not sit idly in the back ground. While so many are put at risk to ensure the safety of Equestria, the Elements, and Twilight,” Rarity exclaims.

“You realize I’m never going to hear the end of this if any of you get hurt right?” Armor tries to make his point, or at least get it across to them. Though it falls on deaf ears as the dragon steps up.

“Twilight would have moved mountains if any of us were in trouble. We owe her no different treatment.”

“And she would be yelling at you all right now, to stay safe as well…” Shining contorts.

“Never the less, Shining,” Fluttershy takes the stage, surprisingly, “Twilight is our friend… we will help her in her time of need like a true friend would,” her head shrinks down towards the ground, “even if it is going to be super scary…” she whimpers. Not even catching the shaking head of the captain in front of her. Though the glance that Cadance gives him tells Armor that there is no way out of this one, other than submitting.

“Ugh… Each of you… stay close to a guard and each other,” he speaks, seeing their ears perk up from his words, “I don’t want to see any of you hurt… or worse for that matter… are we clear?”

“Yes sir!” they all answer at the same time.

Just as Celestia and Discord land amongst them, using their wings and magic to slow their decent. The princess looks at all the faces of those ready to go out in to war for this matter, along with those of the smiling faces of Twilight’s friends willing to risk their lives for her. A heart felt grin causes both ends of her lips to curl upwards, as she takes her place in the center of them so they can all get to hear her voice, as she even amplifies it with a little help from her horn.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts… it is with woeful sadness that you have been brought out here to serve. Many years have passed sense Equestria had to raise arms against another, though in this case… it has hit closer to home then we may have realized,” she bows her head for a moment before continuing, “I will not lie to you about what we face now. Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra have made a deliration of war against Equestria by their past events, and have fueled them from the plan they have put forth recently. At any cost, they must be stopped so as to protect everything that we love and care for…” Celestia looks off to see her own sister landing there amongst them.

Already wearing her own armor plating for the upcoming fight, she looks much like her alter ego of Nightmare moon. Though this one being a bit shorter, kinder, and far fiercer when it comes to protecting those she holds dear. Easily recognizing the pair of blades draped across her back, which ride on her wings as she flaps. Tia and Luna share a momentary nod of silence, communicating that she too, is ready.

Now holding up her false appendage for all to see, Celestia makes one final statement, “if it had not been for the recent injury… and the meddling of my husband and sister,” she mutters under her breath, catching the glare from both parties involved. “I would have joined you in this fight, but alas… I cannot. Though you will not be alone,” she proclaims as both Discord and Luna step up next to her, “in a fight you will never be alone. For proof of that, look amongst you to your comrades,” Tia watches as they do exactly that, each soldier nodding to the battle brother they have with them.

“Now, go forth!” the heavy static build up in the air forms from the magic being used by so many, as unicorns charge up their own spells to transport themselves and others to the targeted area. Celestia’s own magic even joining in on the mix to ensure that the large numbers get there safely, and no pony is left behind, as her horn’s rays seem to envelop all those without flight. “Defend! Conquer! And eliminate those that stand for nothing, but woe and misery!”

Just like that, the Pegisy take to the air with a few mighty flaps of their powerful wings. Rainbow and Spike almost leading the guards, as Fluttershy brings up the rear. While the unicorns transport those that cannot fly or use magic, very well off in to the distance at lightning speed in a great flash of light from the single spell being cast by them all, with an additional boost from the celestial mare herself.

Luna beats her wings repeatedly, faster and faster, looking to her left to see the always so worried look now on Celestia’s face. “Don’t worry now, Tia,” she winks at her, “We’ll be back before you know it.”

“She’s right you know…” Discord rises off the ground and starts to float with a little help from his wings, after the added weight of the armor, “I bet this will all be over before dinner.”

“I say lunch,” Lulu tags on to him, in the banter that they are accustom to.

Celestia pulls her husband in once more and gives him a kiss before he goes to war, “Let’s call it before the day is out… but do be careful you two,” she waves her family members off as they fly out in to the sky with the others there to join them in combat. As helpless as she may feel here staying back in Canterlot, Celestia is comforted a bit when Cadance takes a place next to her aunt and even puts her own purple and pink wing over her tall stature.

“And now we wait, Celestia…” Cadance remarks.

“That’s the part that’s going to kill me in the end…”

“It will do the same for us both now… though keeping our minds on that won’t help them in the end,” the princess of love reminds her, as they head back in to the castle, to prepare for those to come back in either injury, or a body bag.