Chapter 7

The Calm Before The Storm

*****

The six former bearers of the Elements of Harmony, the Cutie Mark Crusaders (who had taken their trip down to the bar to spend some quality time with their sisters), Spike, and even the Royal Elites had all taken their seats around the tables within the V.I.P. room as they had all feasted and drank in a merry mood. And even Sterling was enjoying how this second party, somehow hosted by him once again, had gotten into full swing. But even he was able to figure out that there was someone missing from the party. Someone... who was just as important for the ladies to meet as the other members of the Elites by a large factor.

"Brandon! Onyx! Here!" he called down the Dragon and Viking as they were playing a few games with the CMC at their own table. The two had rose up from their seats and complied to his command.

"Yes, Captain?" Brandon saluted him, Onyx following his gesture.

"My Magician Sense is telling me that something is missing from this whole party," he looked at the both of them. "And it's not the food, nor the drinks," he deduced while trying to figure out what was egging him in his mind.

"What else can it be, Captain?" Onyx asked him. "I fail to see what it is that has been bugging you, sir," he added, much to his superiors dismay.

"That's just it, Onyx," Sterling snapped quietly. "Even I don't know who or what is missing."

"Hmm.... I have an idea, sir," Brandon spoke up after thinking about it for a moment. "May I proceed?" he then asked, hoping that his Captain would pick up on the idea.

"I may not know what you wish to do, but go ahead, Brandon," Sterling nodded, hoping that some clue would be revealed.

"Thank you, sir," the Viking thanked him before standing up. "Royal Elites, sound up your names if you're here right now!" he then beckoned the others to speak up.

"Fixer!"

"Grizzly!"

"Axe!"

"Quinn!"

"Angel-Dust!"

Then, the other two near Sterling gave their names to him.

"Odin-Cloak."

"Clawshield."

Sterling then looked around, seeing all of the people accounted for. The two girlfriends of his, the Princess of Magic and Friendship, the other Royal Elites, the children--

"Baltic! He's not here!" Sterling gasped, resulting in the other Royal Elites gasping with him.

"Oh, no, not again!" Axe spoke up in a groan of disbelief.

"Scouting long distances away, once again! That Chameleon idiot doesn't know when to slow down!" Quinn piped up.

"I doubt that the word even exists in our scout's vocabulary, you know," Faith quipped to the Lyrish man in agreement.

"No doubt, fellow Elites. But what if something were to have happened to him today?" Brandon then hypothesized out loud.

"Like ending up in the hospital right now because he was attacked by a bunch of meanies that want to destroy Equestria?" Pinkie asked, out of the blue. This made everyone glare at her for her supposed notion.

"Even I doubt that Baltic would be so--" Brandon was about to reply before a Royal Guard came up the stairs, huffing and puffing from being out of shape enough to think of not running up the stairs.

"Captain Caliber, sir! Private Golden Duster of the Royal Guard on duty, sir!" the guard announced himself with a salute.

"At ease, Private," Sterling saluted back. "What's the report, son?" he then asked the clearly exhausted man who stood at attention from his question.

"It's your scout, Baltic the Chameleon, sir! He's been hospitalized with major wounds and injuries, sir!" the guard reported to the man, shaking up all of the members of the Royal Elites.

"What do the doctors say, Private?" Sterling commanded the guard to speak.

"They had to place him in the Emergency operating room, hoping to seal his wounds up, Captain!" he responded.

This announcement, somehow predicted by Pinkie Pie, had shaken everyone in the room up a lot.

"Royal Elites! Let's make way to the hospital now! Baltic has sustained life-threatening wounds, and we need to know who did this, right now!!" Sterling commanded his soldiers, who stood up and prepared to move out. "Private Duster!"

"Yes, sir?" the guard stood up.

"Thank you for the report, soldier! Make sure that you are put through an accommodation by your superiors. You deserve it," Sterling patted the guard on his shoulder, seeing the glint in the man's eye.

"Sir, thank you, sir," Duster nodded quickly before being dismissed by Sterling giving him a wave from his hand. As soon as the Royal Guard had disappeared, Sterling looked to the soldiers under his command and nodded once.

"Girls," he then looked to the ladies sitting at one of the desks. "You need to know about our scout, beside what has already transpired here today."

"Is this something that you failed to tell us, dear?" Rarity asked fairly.

"No, Rarity. This is something that was never mentioned, nor asked about. And it's time that I tell all of you just who and what Baltic is," he answered her as he took the center of the circle that formed around him.

"Ah'm sorry, Sterling, but did ya just say 'what' he is?" Applejack asked with her fingers making quote marks in the air.

"It's all true, young Applejack. And all of us can vouch for both our Captain, and our scout," Brandon spoke up from his own standing.

"Um... S-Sterling, d-dear? I just, um... I just wanted to ask you something... i-if you don't mind, that is," Fluttershy softly asked him with a concern in her voice.

"Go ahead, Fluttershy, but make it quick if you please," Sterling nodded at her.

"Um... I- w-well, that is... aren't... chameleons a type of lizard that blends in with the colors of its environment in order to protect themselves from danger?" Fluttershy then asked him after gathering what she remembered from her experience as an animal caretaker and veterinarian.

"You just hit the daily double on that inquiry, lass," Quinn nodded to her. "Indeed, those reptiles are known to have those characteristics. And our Chameleon friend, Baltic, has those qualities about him. Makes him perfect for the spot as the ultimate scout in our ranks," he then added to the praise to her.

"Indeed, young Quinn. And even though Baltic has been around for a shorter time than our Captain, or even Onyx here has, the scout of our unit is the absolute best," Fixer spoke up.

"And as the hybrid between a Changeling and an Equestrian Magician, he has always found his talent in reconnaissance has always been top notch for our missions from the past," Sterling admitted to the group.

"He's a... w-what was that?" Fluttershy shivered after hearing the Changeling part.

"A hybrid, young one," Onyx stated to her. "His past is a dark one."

"Do tell," Twilight then spoke up as a hint of anger drew closer to the edge of her voice.

"Very well, Princess. Allow me to alleviate how Baltic is not the enemy, but an ally to the cause of justice, harmony and friendship," Sterling prepared to speak as they all stood at keen attention to his words. "Baltic... is a hybrid between one of our worst enemies, and an Equestrian woman who taught him about being an additive to the world. Not a plaguing issue."

.....

Half an hour later, after arriving at the door of the Ponyville Hospital, Sterling spoke about how Baltic was born from an Equestrian Magician woman that was raped by a Changeling during the first invasion from Chrysalis. But unlike most of the Changelings in the past, the Changeling-Equestrian hybrid was born with the ability to feel what love truly felt like, even if his biological beginnings allowed him to feed on the love of others. And unlike the Changeling hives, the same term 'Chameleon' had been adapted as a means of separating those who fed off of love with no intention to leave their victims alive, while the hunted hybrids can only feed on the love of others if they asked their mates politely. The cultures of the Changelings and the Chameleons were so clashed against one another, that the hybrid swarms were nearly wiped off from the map, save for a small colony that still existed alongside the thestrals that resided with Princess Luna.

Princess Celestia herself was at the pinnacle of seeing to it that the half-breed race was given sanctuary by her little sister at some point behind the scenes of the politics that kept Equestria going. And although Baltic was very happy to stay with his race under the Night Princess' good graces, he still felt that giving up his evil distant cousins' whereabouts would really help the world become a safer place, according to Sterling's testimony.

When all of the people had arrived near the door of the operating room (to which Sterling was thankful for both having the little kids taken back to their homes by Dining Virtue), Twilight had learned all that there was to know about the scout. Even she had wept for how isolated and unwanted Baltic was. Just a few of her friends from the past.

"Um... Sterling?" Twilight then spoke up, after giving all the information that she was given a necessary conclusion.

"Yes, Twilight?" Sterling replied.

"I still don't like Changelings because of how they feed off of the emotion of love, but Baltic needs it in order to heal up so that he can help you, right?"

"Yes. And I have already volunteered myself to allow him to feed off my love for my girlfriends, just so that his regenerative abilities can get a kick-start. And when it is done, I'll ask him how he had retained his wounds."

The group of women, standing next to the Elites, had given a content sigh, knowing that their soldier friend would do anything to keep his unit alive.

"Uh... Sterling? Ah'm hopin' that Baltic was only foolin' around with the dangerous critters from the forest," Applejack spoke to him, hoping that the worst was not what happened.

"*sigh*.... Me too."

The door of the operating room was then opened nearly forcefully as he caught a look from the Equian farmer girl that he could only see from his girlfriends.

"Be careful, will ya?" Applejack said to him with a small blush on her face

"I'm always careful," Sterling replied to her again, noting how Applejack was blushing.

"Good luck, hon," Fluttershy then said before being given a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you," he grinned before it quickly faded away as he went into the room and yelled, "EVERYONE, OUT! NOW!!", causing everyone at the hallway to shake in fear as the medical team had run out of the room before the door slammed in front of them all.

"Oh, good heavens! You would think that our dearest Sterling was about to lose a member of the family," Rarity observed after composing herself from the slamming of the door. "But I guess that all of you hold the same view, right?" she asked Furious Axe, who was standing right next to her.

"That we do, Miss. That we do," the Lion Highlander nodded to her.

"Oh! I just hope that Baltic isn't badly hurt," Fluttershy whimpered. "I can only imagine what Sterling will do if... i-if....", she then stopped trying to say as a few sobs had escaped from her face. Rarity then went over to her to try to comfort her.

"There there, darling. I'm sure that the scout isn't going to allow his wounds to kill him. His power as a regenerator is something to be commended," Rarity softly said to her friend as she hugged her deeply.

"I may not like the Changelings at all, but Baltic is alright by me," Rainbow nodded. "I may have to keep an eye on him, but that's because of what we all experienced at Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding," she then said out loud to her nearby friends.

"We know, Rainbow. And I just don't like it when Sterling has a bad feeling, because it really kills the mood for a party," Pinkie Pie said while placing a hand on Rainbow's shoulder. "And I'm always about making everyone smile, not frown."

"And you are able to do that very well, young villr fylgð gripr*," Brandon smiled, remembering how she was able to make a bunch of smiles for even him.

"Aww. Thanks, Prince Brandon," Pinkie smiled at him, somehow knowing that he was using a term of affection for her.

"You are welcome," he smiled back as he received a hug, to which he gave the same gesture.

.....

"Baltic, tell me what happened to you," Sterling commanded his scout calmly, hoping to know how the same Chameleon that he was acknowledging came to be on a hospital bed.

"I was feeling what I had always felt when danger looms over our heads, so I went ahead and scouted the western area that had a few of your countries cities within the area, hoping that I was wrong," Baltic began to admit while struggling to move while being restrained to the bed, much to his dismay.

"What did you see?"

"I...... I saw...... Rex Brutes... marching in a large formation."

This news set Sterling to go into a fit of anger as he felt it rise.

"And how do you know this?"

"I also saw.... the Changeling swarms in the skies above the warriors, along with the Shadow Walkers and the Nightmare Monster Handlers marching alongside them. And the leader......"

"Yes? Baltic, tell me! Who was leading them?" Sterling further commanded him, feeling as if the last breath would come around from the scout below him.

"L... Lev.... Leviathan Di'Nihilous," Baltic whispered lowly to his commander's ear.

That name.... was the name that he feared the most, more than if his sovereigns announced themselves if he was in trouble for anything.

"Leviathan...." he growled lowly. Knowing that his love was fed on (with his expressed permission), Sterling saw that Baltic was now resting up, confident that his great scout was going to live longer. "Elites! Listen up!" he shouted to his soldiers as he opened the door for them to enter the room.

"What is it, Captain? What's going on?" Fixer asked while standing at attention.

"Royal Elites, as you all know, Baltic here is going to be just fine. The love for my girlfriends was able to give him the ability to fully heal up, but he won't be commissioned back for duty until his rehabilitation is finished," Sterling began. "Until then, we will have to rely on his intel to me before he began to sleep."

"What's the news, Captain?" Faith asked almost immediately.

"We are about to face the final battle for all of Equius sooner than expected, everyone!" Sterling announced. "I know that all of you are not ready to face this, but I had to face the facts as I heard it from Baltic. Our worst fear had been confirmed as Baltic had described it all to me in great detail. Elites...."

The soldiers gave him their undivided attention as Sterling was about to tell them what the results had been seen.

"The Rex Brutes & Leviathan Di'Nihilous, the leader of the armies... have been fully resurrected from the dead. And now he is leading the same army towards Canterlot, along with the Changelings, Shadow-Walkers and Nightmare Monster-Tamers. And if the capital city of Equestria falls, so will the rest of the world. We must gather all of the armed forces in the land, including the Wonderbolts and the Honor Guards, to fight alongside us. And if any person, man and woman, wishes to volunteer to fight with us, then we will allow them to fight," Sterling announced to them with his serious expression not changing one bit.

"The Rex Brutes are all dead! We killed them all with our weapons and bare hands!" Quinn snapped, not believing what was spoken.

"And you killed Leviathan in that final battle, one-on-one! We know you did, Captain!" Faith spoke up as well.

"ENOUGH!!" he shouted at his soldiers, freezing them all at their positions. "While I was looking into his mind, I was able to figure out how he was resurrected, along with the other vast numbers. And it all points to a person-- no, a heretical traitor!-- that is among the Royal Sisters in the castle! And that person is none other than the piece of scum-bagging, shit-faced, no good, traitorous walking corpse that doesn't even have the guts to call himself a man with a soul! Because Prince Blueblood is the one who started it all! And all for the price of the reversed genesis of this world!"

As soon as Sterling named out the one from the memories of Baltic's last solo mission, even the Elements of Harmony had not been able to stay where they were, much to Sterling's increasing anger.

"Now, wait up! The nephew of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? He started it all?" Twilight asked.

"Whoa! And I thought I had enemies!" Rainbow gasped in the shock of the announcement.

"As did I!" Rarity added to the plate.

"It's all true. And even Leviathan revealed it all to me, before I killed him in the final battle that officially stopped the Second Equius War," Sterling decided to admit while in the presence of one of his rulers.

"Wait, how did you--?!" Twilight had gasped as well.

"He told me that it was not originally his plan to kill my parents! It was a hit, made by the Prince himself," he began to say. "And all of the weapons from before, along with the sabotages and thefts? Blueblood was hoping to make his profit during the war. And Leviathan had decided to reveal it all to me, hoping to delay the inevitable death that he wished to impose on me. And now that he is back from the dead, he will do everything he can to destroy me. And all because of his grudge against all life on Equius," he sighed, allowing his anger to vent out calmly.

"But we will not allow your kingdom to fall, Odin-Will!" Brandon proclaimed to him. "For as long as we've known you, given our times together, there was always one thing that always kept you going!" The rest of the soldiers agreed, along with Twilight's friends, with a salute.

"When you stepped in, long before receiving your heightened power from those three ghosts, you took that power of yours and helped our kingdoms and villages from falling, even if you aren't from anywhere but here," Quinn piped up as a smile crept up his face. "And I would gladly give my life to defend yours, just as you did for mine."

"After what you've done to give our kingdoms and cities a chance to live, we will do the same for yours," Grizzly said to him as well, pushing a fist toward the air. "As will all of us, right?" he asked the others.

"RIGHT!!" the other soldiers, save for Onyx and Baltic, shouted out with cheer.

"If you don't allow us to fight with you, Sterling, and if we die, we will never forgive you," Twilight spoke up to the man who was listening intently to her. "Your bravery in the countries outside of Equestria--"

"As well as when you put down the Dire Wolves, here in Ponyville," Rainbow interjected with a grin.

"Yes. Thank you, Rainbow-- All of the deeds that you have made are inspiring in all of the hearts of the soldiers and civilians that you saved, along with your friends," Twilight said to him with a smile.

"And who says old friends can't come along?" an unfamiliar voice then sounded out, making the Captain look to the door. What he then saw had made... his jaw... drop.

"No way..." he gasped as he saw more than a dozen people that looked familiar to him. And all wearing the same garbs that every Royal Elite wears in battle.

"Ha! See? I knew that none of you died!" Onyx laughed as he began to see the other people joining in. "Ultra-Sound! Tree Cruncher! Haa'sarrat! Fiery! O'Malley and O'Reily! High Stepping! Frozen Eye! All of you are here! And... Ernie?!" Onyx then furrowed his eye in confusion.

"Hey, did ya really believe dat I'd allow you's guys ta get all the credit?" Ernie, the twin brother of Bernie the bartender from Fillydelphia, had stated to the Dragon. "No way am I allowin' yous ta go into a war without me! And you won't be able to stop me, Captain Caliber!" he saluted to the superior in front of him.

"Well... it seems my lessons have been learned once again," he chuckled while saluting the other Royal Elites who decided to join in on the action. When his chuckles were joined in, Sterling then began to laugh out loud, causing the other soldiers to laugh along with him, sharing his sentiment. And even the Council of Friendship, with Twilight as the leader, had all begun to laugh as well. Within a few moments, the laughter died down, leaving a few streams of tears from most of the soldiers. "We need to take this outside of the hospital, lest the doctors believe we're all in the wrong type of hospital," Sterling then told his soldiers. They then moved out from the room and marched out to the front entrance.

"Sir!" one of the soldiers spoke up, addressing the Captain.

"Yes?" Sterling acknowledged the person, turning out to be a woman.

"Dianne Green, Corporal FC of the Royal Elites, sir!" she then introduced herself as she saluted him.

"What can I do for you, Corporal Green?" he saluted back.

"Permission to speak freely, between two Magicians, sir?" she asked.

"Granted."

"I could help but notice that two of the Element bearers have a very deep love for you, while one of the others has an interesting infatuation with you, sir," she bluntly stated.

"Oh? And what gave you that idea, Green?" he challenged her, knowing that he needed to figure out who, hoping that she could not beat around the bushes.

"I'm one of the Honor Guard for Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor, sir," she stated to him.

"And I guess that would make sense, given that your Magician's Sense heightens up when you pick up that kind of emotion from someone?" he then asked while they both walked to the door.

"It was greatly being shown, in a not-so-subtle way, from Applejack," she then clarified for him.

"Huh," he puffed while scratching his chin. "That's what Baltic was telling me as I was looking into his memory. By his expressed permission, of course," he cleared up for her when she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't tell me: Pheromone levels were high?"

"Yup."

"You plan to tell her your feelings on the matter?"

"Oh, yeah."

"... Good luck, Captain."

And with that final exchange, Sterling motioned his hand for all the others to move.

"Princess, if I may?" he then stopped the Princess, wanting to get her attention.

"What's up, Sterling?" she asked him.

"I was wondering if I may borrow Applejack for a few moments, please? It won't take too long, I promise," he inquired to her.

"What for, if I may ask?" she asked again politely.

"To clear up a few things that have been bothering me about her for a while," he answered her simply.

"Actually, this is perfect," she nodded in a conceding manner. "I've been wanting to ask you to spend a bit of time with her," she pointed to herself while pointing to her farmer friend. "Just don't take too long, like you promised."

"Will ten minutes be enough?"

"I can only hope so."

"'Shy? Rares? May I--?"

"Oh! N-no worries, Sterling-honey. We'll be outside if you need us," Fluttershy said to him with a kiss on his right cheek.

"Yes, darling, we'll just be waiting for you at the clearing near the entrance," Rarity spoke up as well with the same kiss on the left cheek.

"Thank you, girls. A.J., may I see you for a moment?" he called to the Equian farmer in his indoor voice as he beckoned her to follow him.

"Uh... alright," Applejack nodded as she followed where she was needed.

Within two minutes, after seeing all but the medical staff having left the building, both Sterling and Applejack sat themselves on the waiting bench, looking at each other.

"Listen, um... both one of my soldiers, another Magician, and my scout Baltic have all confirmed something that they each confided me with as we walked up to here. But, I need to know if what I have to say has any value, okay?" he then asked her as he took his right hand to place it on her left shoulder.

"Alright..." Applejack nodded, her face telling him what he was finally able to see from her,

"A.J.... are you.... uh, that is... are you... falling in love with me?" he asked her right there, staring deeply into her jade green eyes.

"Ah can't hide anythin' from ya, can't I?" Applejack chuckled, knowing that any defenses would be useless.

"How long?"

.....

.....

"Since ya saved us from the Dire Wolves... but Ah found that Ah wasn't lovin' ya fer that there reason. It was also because of how ya make Rarity and Fluttershy happier than Granny Smith at a reunion. And's it also 'cause.... Ah've seen how ya treat other people with respect and honesty, along with bein' generous and kind with yer time with all of us. Especially when ya told me how much ya love mah products, alcoholic and otherwise. But during the whole time, Ah couldn't tell ya how much Ah wanted ta be wit' ya, 'cause I know that ya love those friends of mine. And Ah didn't want y'all ta feel bad for me, nor take me inta yer harem out of pity for me. Y'all got this great relationship, and Ah wanted ta badly be a part of it. Just so badly that I could taste it. But...."

"But what?" Sterling asked her, paying attention to her confession. He then saw... tears? Applejack... was crying?

"Ah... Ah just... Ah just wanted to be a part of yer harem because of how much of an impact that ya made in mah life!" She then gave him a big hug while burying her face into his chest. "And Ah know that you, Rarity and Fluttershy have this wonderful loving thing goin' on, and Ah don't... Ah don't.... *sob* Ah just don't see if there's any room in all y'all's hearts for me!" she cried in his arms, staining his shirt with his tears.

"Now that is just not true!"

This was Rarity's voice calling out to them. It was just close enough to make Applejack shiver from how shrilled it sounded.

"That's right, Applejack! How could you even think of saying such a thing?" Fluttershy miffed out, sounding a little sad at what her Equian friend had said about herself. "If you had just told us the truth from the beginning, then Rarity and I would have taken you into our happier lives, Applejack," she further described to her.

"Why yes, Applejack darling! And now that you have told Sterling about your true feelings for him, both Fluttershy and myself are feeling more than happy to say that you deserve to be with the three of us," Rarity added to the conversation.

"Now wait a minute, you two," Sterling silenced them for a moment as he stepped up to meet them eye to eye. "Are the both of you saying that you knew about this all along?" he then asked them both.

"Sterling, if I may be so blunt at the moment?" Rarity chimed in.

"Go ahead," he relented.

"Applejack was showing the same signs that both Fluttershy and I show each other when we speak about you while we are away from you, darling! It was just so obvious to see that she was infatuated with you," she grinned almost wickedly.

"Yes... um, that is, if you don't mind.... I also think that bringing Applejack into any conversation of ours about you was only making her desire for you all the stronger. And, uh... I just... please don't hate me for saying this, but.... Both Rarity and I have always had a soft spot for Applejack," she confessed for herself and Rarity, who nodded with a serious look.

If there was one time that he ever doubted his girlfriends, it was only when they would speak about what to buy from any store. But even then, his doubts had been cast aside as he knew that such trivial things passed by as one of those measly quirks that always made him curious. And after hearing his girlfriends confessing to him about how they simply wanted Applejack to be a part of the growing harem, he concluded that nothing could have made the girls any happier. Plus, he also had daydreams of seeing the Equian woman getting dirty, as per her usual job requirements. And so, after giving it some much needed debate in his head, Sterling looked to the girls in front of him and asked:

"Requesting permission to grant A.J. the rights of becoming a part of the harem."

The ladies, including Applejack, gasped with a happy breath. But to further prove their accepted desire, Fluttershy and Rarity both made a kissing motion with their lips after moving their eyes towards their shared love interest. And Sterling, needing no further invitation, moved over to where the farmer girl was.

"S... Sterling?" Applejack gasped as she felt two warm hands cupping her face.

"With this motion... I accept you into my harem. But are you willing to accept this?" he asked her solemnly while staring into her eyes once again as his face burned up while feeling his heart beat at about 40 an hour.

"Y... Yes! Yes! A billion times, yes!!" she nearly screamed in joy in her acceptance. And with that said, Sterling then took both his face and closed in on Applejack's lips by a millimeter before looking into her eyes once again after hugging her deeply. A nod was produced, enticing both him and her to seal the deal with a long, full on kiss that felt even greater than the magic within his reserves. And this kiss was just as great to experience from the other ladies, as Sterling had felt in his burning heart.

Despite the incoming final battle that would seal the fate of his home country, and despite the times of trial beforehand, along with the staff watching the result of the acceptance as they all clapped in congratulatory cheers, nothing would make him think of anything else but a brighter future with his new harem partner.

"Oh, Sterling-sugar! Ah promise that Ah will be the best pardner fer this here group, and with no lie to ever make me break mahself away from ya," she pledged to him with a tear dripping from her eye.

"And when I have stopped the Rex Brutes from destroying Canterlot, I will not stop until I have made both you, Rarity and Fluttershy happy for the rest of your lives," Sterling also pledged to his new trio of girlfriends. "When we come back to our town, I'm going to make sure to keep that promise for all my natural life."

And just like that, both Sterling and his girlfriends had given each other a pledging kiss to each other's cheeks, sealing the deal as the harem had added a brand new member. And as the four of them walked out of the hospital, Sterling had released them so that they could join their friends, who were all happy that Applejack was given his permission to join his loving partnership.

"Lothokriin, vhaszadarrou Equus... sahnahvv-adarraagcht!" he shouted to the soldiers who had been standing in a formation that was familiar to him.

And with a big smile on their faces that showed their renewed courage and valor, both the Royal Elites and the Council of Friendship had then repeated what was always said among those who had fought for their countries.

"Sahnahvv-taraahkuu, vhasza-chatakarrou.... Equus dhuvhacht Faustia!"

A long cheer had sounded out for even the Rex Brute armies that were many a hundreds of leagues from the intended campaign site to hear. And even the militia of Ponyville, to which Sterling never knew existed at all (but was still impressed to see, nevertheless), had given their howls of cheer as the whole town had gathered around to fight for their town.

He then pressed on the ruby from his right pants pocket four times before hearing the click that had been followed by a rapidly blinking light. And when he raised it up to the sky, the same light could then be seen from a distant part of the night sky.

"Here's hoping that all of you will be willing to help if we should fall...." he thought out to the people from the other countries, wishing for the assistance that his allies had desired to show him, should it ever come to that.

.....

(At the Canterlot Castle....)

A hooded figure had taken a nearby door from the Lunar section of the castle and opened it for entrance into a random room. When the room was lit up with a fools gold aura emanating from the hands, the same figure in the dark cloth had been revealed to be none other than Prince Blueblood. The same Magician who wanted to see all of Equestria bow before him. After having to convince certain parties to his will, he took a magical mirror from his pocket and activated its communication link.

"Your Majesty, can you hear me?" he spoke to the mirror, revealing the hybrid on the mirror.

"Loud and clear, Blueblood. What is the situation? And pray that I don't kill you if I find you, should it prove deadly to the both of us," Leviathan growled evilly at him.

"Then I'm afraid that you'll have to get in line," Blueblood snapped at him, receiving only an evil laugh from the other end.

"The Royal Elites are on the move, and with all of the retired ones coming back for the final conflict as they desire to stop us from taking what rightfully belongs to the true King of the Brutes!" Leviathan stated to him, causing a shake of fear to be noticed by the creature on the other line. "Why should I even spare you, filthy Equestrian?" he snarled with his face showing a much deeper anger within it.

"Because the final steps to creating the ultimate fail-safe plan have been completed, my liege," Blueblood confidently stated to him, earning himself a gaudy grin. "And all that is needed is to have all four of the Princesses walk right into my trap, to which I set up for all of them. And if I know anything about my aunts and cousins at all, then all that they will have to remember is to be careful about what they choose to eat for their snacks at tea time," he chuckled with that same smile.

"And you better deliver, Equestrian scum! Or else you will become a part of the same trap of yours! Understood?"

"Crystal Mountain clear, my liege!"

"Good! We arrive at Ponyville in the next hour! No one will think to oppose us! And you will have the rewards once the big pinata breaks!" he laughed just as maliciously as before as the light had faded to see Blueblood's own reflection staring back at him.

"And once I have the Princesses into my trap, the weapon will be powerful enough to even drain his power," he said to himself as he went to his desk to write down every last detail of the weapons instructions and designs. "And I will become the true ruler of this land, along with all of the Equius, as the Rex Brutes serve under me!"

.....