***

"Don’t worry. I can explain just about everything."
David Elliot, The Avatar of Albion.

***

Elliot’s Room, Canterlot. May 7th, Year 3 of the New Diarchy Calendar.

“…so you'll have a lot of urban environments to deal with, especially with London being the first port of call,” Elliot was saying, sketching out a few lines. “Some wide streets, some narrow, lots of tall buildings on both sides with lots of sniping potential. Also lots of rubble. What you'd call traditional line tactics won't work at first, not in that terrain and not against the Ivory Guard, but prodigious use of shield spells -”

“Might prevent the worst of the offensive,” Luna finished, nodding. “Sending Unicorn marksponies with assault teams to secure vantage points would doubtless be of use as well.”

“Agreed,” Elliot said with a smile. “Taking the high ground will allow your troops to lay down heavier fire on approaching forces.”

“Which will thin their numbers or force them to slow their approach,” Luna finished. “Yes, I see the tactic. Combined with a shield-wall covering the street itself, and the enemy will find themselves approaching an impassible barrier with the proverbial fires of Tartarus raining upon them.”

“A good defensive strategy,” Elliot complimented.

Luna nodded in acknowledgement, a slight frown developing on her face. Elliot frowned in turn, tilting his head.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

Luna shook her head slightly, as though startled from deep thought. “It is nothing. I… we…” She paused. “It has been a long time since I led ponies in battle.”

“Worried?” he asked.

Her frown deepened. “We are completely certain in our abilities, and those of our valiant soldiers.”

Elliot smiled wryly. “I am too. Always am.” He paused for a moment. “But really - are you worried?”

Luna sighed. “Yes. Yes I am. At least a little.”

Elliot nodded. “Yeah. I think everyone - everypony - who’s ever been on the precipice of a battle has to be a little nervous before battle, even if they've fought hundreds.”

“I am no novice,” Luna said, frowning in self-recrimination. “I should know better.”

“Novice or not,” the human said gently, “you're always going to be nervous. No matter how experienced you are, no matter how much you sit down and plan for every eventuality you can think of, you don't know what's going to happen, or how the day’s going to go.”

“I know,” Luna said quietly. “I’ve done this before. But it's been a millennia since I have set foot on a battlefield - part of me wonders whether I have…”

She trailed off.

“Lost your edge?” Elliot asked.

“Perhaps,” Luna said quietly.

“Ah,” Elliot said, nodding slowly. “Well, I’d hate to say ‘it's like riding a bike’ - I’ve not been fighting wars nearly as long as you or your sister. But don't worry too much about it.” He hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. “I think this is the kind of situation where you're gonna have a learning curve anyway. Don't worry about not being an expert straight away. Just do your best and hope.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, though she smiled slightly. “That is strange advice.”

He shrugged. “‘S how I learned. I’d never been in a battle before this war started. Now I’m in command of hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers, and it's up to me whether they live or die.” He smirked too. “Life throws you curveballs, I guess.”

Luna chuckled. “That it does.”

There was a long moment’s silence as the two of them let the words sink in.

“How did you come to be what you are?” Luna asked suddenly. “You say you have never been in battle - and yet now…”

“I was the only one who was there,” Elliot replied with a shrug. “I… truthfully, I was never one for conflict, but there wasn't a choice. And as things got worse, I had to keep taking up more responsibility - because I was the only one there, and no one else would, and I guess I felt I had to.”

“‘Some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them’,” Luna quoted.

“You have that too, huh?” Elliot said with a chuckle. “I wouldn't call it greatness. I’d call it… obligation. Not just standing there when fate - or God, or the world, or whoever - calls you to step up.” He paused. “I didn't have a choice. But I don't think I regret it.”

“I can respect that,” Luna said quietly. She paused, moving to stand up. “I must go speak with Commander Charlie Horse soon - he is the official commanding officer of the first wave. Doubtless he will need to hear the information you have give me.”

Elliot stood up too. “I still haven't explained some of the more esoteric stuff you'll be facing - Solamina’s armies have had some pretty… unpleasant innovations over the years.”

“Then you may explain on the way,” Luna said as she headed for the door. “War waits for nopony - and, I fear, no human.”

Elliot chuckled as he followed her. “Don't I know that.”

***

Ponyville.

Bon Bon was sitting thoughtfully, having felt pensive for the last day or so. Ponyville was bustling, the question of the big clarion in the sky on everypony’s lips. Guards had passed through, ponies had talked about something big on the horizon… and it was strange.

It didn’t help that Lyra, her roommate and friend, had gone off with Twilight and the other Element bearers. It worried Bon Bon that her friend had gone, because these sorts of situations didn't normally require anypony else to really help the Element bearers, and if it did, that made it…

A bigger deal than your average problem, and that just makes it more dangerous.

Add to that the Clarion Call, which had not sounded in living memory…

As she sat in thought, she spotted her friend - well, Lyra’s friend, her acquaintance - Ditzy Doo walking nearby, looking faintly bothered. Bon Bon stood up, walking over to meet her.

“Hey, Bon Bon!” Ditzy said in greeting.

“Hello, Ditzy,” Bon Bon said quietly. “Where are you going?”

“Oh, just to see Doctor Hooves,” Ditzy replied. “Hey, did you hear that horn yesterday?”

“Yeah,” Bon Bon said. “Do you know what that was?”

“Nope,” Ditzy said honestly. “Do you think it was important?”

“I think it might have been,” Bon Bon said quietly. “No way of knowing for sure until we hear something from Canterlot though.”

“Well, I thought I’d ask the Doctor,” Ditzy said. “I thought he might know what's going on.”

“Why would he?” Bon Bon asked, frowning slightly. “What makes you think -?”

“He just tends to know things,” Ditzy said, cutting her off with a slightly impatient expression. “I know you probably think I'm stupid, but I’m not.”

“I don't think you're stupid,” Bon Bon said, “but the Clarion Call isn't something the average pony knows much about.”

“Well,” Ditzy said, “the Doctor isn't an average pony.”

Bon Bon chuckled. “No, I guess that's true.”

“How d’you know about it, anyway?” Ditzy asked.

“Pardon?” Bon Bon asked.

“You said the average pony doesn't know much about the Clarion Call,” Ditzy said. “So how do you know about it?”

“The Clarion Call, should you ever hear it, is a sign of catastrophe inbound - but the chances of you agents ever hearing it…

“Heard Twilight talk about it once,” Bon Bon said simply.

“Oh,” Ditzy said. “That makes sense.”

***

Canterlot Library.

Celestia's instructions had been both infuriatingly vague and worryingly specific. She had told Twilight and her friends that they should ‘do what they were best at’, whatever that meant. Twilight had immediately headed for the library, and, left with little other option, her friends had followed.

“What I don't get is,” Rainbow said, as she started skimming a book, “what we’re gonna find in here that's even slightly useful. Books don't help in wars.”

She threw the book over her shoulder and grabbed another from a small pile accumulating near Fluttershy, who was grabbing any books with the word “war” in the title, as though they might have some insight.

“Don't be so sure,” Twilight said, sounding muffled from behind the cover of a particularly large tome that read, The Changing Face of War, by a pony called Sunny Side. “Tactics, formations, equipment - all of these things can be found in books.”

Rarity was sat next to her, reading a book called Guard Equipment of the New Alicornian Era. Every so often, she would tut at something.

“That book tickin’ you off, Rare?” Applejack asked from a nearby shelf, looking mildly irritated by her friend’s noises.

“These old uniforms,” Rarity said with a snort. “Mainly chainmail, leather tunics over, sometimes a cloak. It's a wonder these ponies ever won a war - modern plate armour is so much more useful. And more stylish.”

“I’m not sure stylish is really important when somepony wants to run you through,” Applejack said with a wry grin.

“No, that’s perhaps true,” Rarity said, though she seemed still less-than-certain about that, “but style aside, modern plate is just better. Although I suspect mail can allow for more flexibility.”

Twilight glanced over at the uniforms. “You know, I've often thought that enchanted cloth might work just as well.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Enchanted cloth?”

“You know,” Twilight said, “throw a few endurance and resilience charms so that it can repel most stuff. I guess it still wouldn't be quite as tough as Guard plate, but it'd be lighter. Lightening enchantments can’t quite get rid of all that steel’s bulk.”

Rarity frowned thoughtfully, before putting the book down and heading out of the library, muttering to herself. Twilight frowned slightly.

“Was it something I said?” she asked.

Pinkie Pie, who had been perusing the shelves for titles, chuckled slightly. “That's just Rarity’s ‘I have an idea’ face. It's kind of like her ‘I’m concentrating’ face, but with thirteen point three percent more frown, and it doesn't make the little line under her eyes.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “You… catalogue facial expressions.”

“No,” Pinkie said. “I just know ‘em. If you’re a party pony, knowing expressions is very important, or you can't read the crowd.”

“You have to admit,” Lyra said suddenly, startling Twilight as she came up with a copy of Equestrian Elementary Educational’s Extra-Enigmatic Entities, “that makes sense. It's like trying to give a lecture about the glories of the old Primatians to the Homos Imperial Symposium. Bad idea all round.”

Twilight blinked. “The what to the what?”

“Oh, right,” Lyra said, a tad sheepishly. “Uh, like trying to give a speech about how awesome Celestia is to the ‘Equestrian Republican Committee’.”

“Ah,” Twilight said, nodding. “Read the crowd, got it. Don't know how we got onto that…”

“Rarity had an idea,” Pinkie supplied helpfully.

“Right,” Twilight nodded. She sighed. “I’m glad one of us does.”

“Chin up, Twi,” Applejack said cheerfully. “We’ll figure something out.”

“Y-yeah,” Fluttershy agreed from behind her growing pile. “We just… you know… need to find some way of saving an entire world…” She trailed off. “Oh dear. That… makes it sound less easy.”

“We can do it!” Pinkie said enthusiastically. “I mean, we’ve never failed before!”

“We’ve also never been asked to help fight a war before,” Applejack pointed out.

“Then we’ll find a way to help out!” Pinkie said, no less enthusiastic. “I believe in us! We’ve done all sorts of awesome stuff!”

“I hope you’re right,” Twilight said grimly. “There's a lot riding on us - Equestria’s going to war. I want to believe that we can play a part.”

“Maybe the Elements of Harmony can turn this evil goatee-wearing Celestia to stone?” Rainbow suggested blithely.

“That's a thought,” Applejack agreed. “There ain't no reason Ah can think of that they wouldn't do something.”

“There's no way of knowing for certain what effect they’d have against the… ‘evil goatee-wearing Celestia’, though,” Twilight pointed out. “The Elements don't just do one thing for one pony - they freed Luna, but they turned Discord to stone.”

“Did somepony mention moi?” a voice asked, and suddenly Discord was standing in the library, arms folded. Twilight stepped back, a little startled by his sudden appearance.

“Hello, Discord,” Fluttershy said quietly. “How are you?”

“Uncharacteristically concerned for the fate of all the little ponies of this world,” Discord deadpanned. “Since Celestia seems convinced about this ‘war’ business, she has me helping.”

“What’re you gonna do?” Rainbow asked, frowning skeptically. “Can you zap the evil Celestia?”

“I believe her name is ‘Solamina’,” Discord said gently, “and, regrettably, the answer is no.”

Rainbow snorted. “Yeah, figures.”

Discord ignored the snark in her comment. “I've been making some, shall we say, sneaking inquiries…”

“What does that mean?” Twilight asked.

Discord sighed. “A fair bit of dimension hopping and a modicum of spying, if you must know. In any case, I suspect there's more to this ‘Solamina’ than strictly meets the eye.”

“Like what?” Rainbow asked skeptically.

“I don't know, yet,” Discord said grimly, his face lacking any mirth. “I don't like not knowing.”

“None of us like not knowing, Discord,” Applejack said with a scowl. “Ah guess yer in the same boat as the rest of us.”

Discord snorted. “Ponies don't know things as a matter of course. Out of your entire town, I suspect Miss Heartstrings there is the only one who knows half the things that happened in your history that you've mostly forgotten.”

Lyra blushed. “I don't know that much.”

“Name the last king of the Asyram empire,” Discord said blandly.

“Emperor Ramses the Silenced, and the legends say he would have strung you by the tail if you called him a king,” Lyra said at once. She blushed even more as Rainbow and Applejack stared at her. “It's in an old book I read once. Very vivid descriptions.”

“See my point? Apart from Miss Heartstrings, your kind don't tend to know your own history,” Discord said. “But I know things.”

“Oh yeah?” Applejack said, turning a skeptical eye on him.

“That's me,” Discord said, snapping his claw. A glass of some amber liquid appeared in his paw. He drank the glass away. “I drink crockery and I know things.”

He zapped the liquid away, and grinned.

Twilight frowned. “So, not knowing -”

“Is not my thing,” Discord finished with a nod. “Not at all. It's actually somewhat uncomfortable even admitting it, but if this is as serious as it might be, being prideful, much as that is kinda my thing, is not a wise choice.”

Applejack sighed. “So if ya’ll don't know what the deal with this Solemna -”

“So-La-ME-Na,” Discord enunciated. “I know that at least.”

“Well, what else d’ya know?” Applejack asked.

Discord gave them a mirthless smile. “Only that if I can't… ‘zap her’… that there's a lot more to her than just being an evil Celestia. And she definitely doesn't have a goatee.”

And in a flash, he was gone.

“Well,” Rainbow said, sighing. “That's great. Just great.”

“And he ruined your joke,” Pinkie added solemnly.

***

Canterlot Throne Room.

Charlie Horse and Celestia were waiting in the throne room. The Commander looked nervous, and Celestia couldn't blame him - there were a lot of unknowns. All Celestia had said was that he would be meeting Luna and receiving a full briefing, which he would then be able to pass on.

Voices could be heard talking from outside the throne room, echoing down the approaching corridor.

“… and there's at least three or four different ammunition types,” the voice of David Elliot was saying.

“Solid ammunition with enchantment, understood,” Luna’s voice replied. “And these ‘Crystal Golems’ will be tricky.”

The door to the throne room opened, and in stepped Luna and Elliot, still talking. Luna was taking notes on a small scroll as she walked, and Elliot looked thoughtful, still dressed in the scruffy shirt and battered trousers he had arrived in. As they entered, Charlie Horse started.

“What the hay is that?!” he called, looking at Elliot. The human looked at the Royal Guard commander with a dumbfounded expression.

“Oh,” he said after a moment with a look of dawning comprehension. “Hi. David Elliot. Human.”

“Your highness, what… what is that thing?” Charlie Horse asked Celestia.

“That ‘thing’ is an honoured guest,” Celestia replied with a patient smile. “His name is Major David Elliot - he's a soldier.”

Charlie Horse frowned at Elliot, taking in his scruffy appearance.

“I know I don't exactly look the part,” Elliot said with an apologetic shrug. “But I've been through the wars - quite literally, as it happens.”

“I take it he's got something to do with the Clarion Call?” Charlie Horse asked.

Celestia and Luna shared a glance, the Lunar Diarch looking resigned.

“You… might say that,” Celestia said quietly.

***

Doctor Hooves’ home, Ponyville.

The home of Doctor Hooves was a cluttered, barely-traversable mess, and Bon Bon found it vaguely distasteful, even though it reminded her of Lyra. Actually, that might have been the reason she found it distasteful - Lyra’s living habits weren't exactly all pleasant.

Machines of various sorts filled the place, notes written in strange spiralling letters none of the three mares recognised covered the desks, and a chalkboard covered in equations - as well as having the word ‘LISTEN’ written in a loud and aggressive font - was stood in the corner, a dark green coat hung on its corner. Finally, a large sheet of tarpaulin covered something in the corner.

“Hi Doctor!” Ditzy said brightly.

The Doctor - a brown stallion with his mane swept back - was tapping away at something at his desk, his back to the two mares.

“Oh, hello Ditzy,” he said absently. “And hello Bon Bon as well - I’m sure you have a good reason for visiting, but can you give me five minutes while I quickly fix this?”

He turned, holding a small device in his hoof. He shook it, and it rattled. With a sigh, he threw it over his shoulder.

“So,” he said quietly. “What can I do for you?”

“We were just wondering if you knew what was going on,” Ditzy said brightly.

“‘What was going on’?” the Doctor repeated. “Why? What is going on?”

“You didn't hear the noise yesterday after I left?” Ditzy asked.

“No,” the Doctor said. “I was testing a sonic muffler, though, so…”

Bon Bon sighed at the Doctor’s words.

“The Clarion Call sounded,” she said.

There was a long pause as her words sank in. The Doctor’s face turned from innocent confusion to a sort of wide eyed shock.

“Sorry,” he said slowly. “Did you say the Clarion Call? The spell that hasn't been used since Eternal Guard’s uprising?”

“Yeah,” Bon Bon said quietly. “That's the one.”

The Doctor seemed to slump slightly, looking even more shocked. “Great… wickering… stallions.”

“What's a Clarion Call?” Ditzy asked innocently.

“Bad,” the Doctor said quietly. “As Bon Bon will tell you, if she's been in the service.”

Ditzy frowned at Bon Bon slightly. “You were in the service?”

“It's a sign of impending conflict, on a massive scale,” Bon Bon said quietly, ignoring the question and trying to quash her annoyance at the stallion for his remark. “I haven't heard anything yet - I don't know if I’ll be recalled.”

“That doesn't matter,” the Doctor put in. “What matters is… oh dear.”

“Oh dear?” Ditzy repeated.

“Yes, ‘oh dear’,” the Doctor said, turning away from them all. “This might be connected with ‘humans’. Not such a big deal my left hoof.” He sniffed. “Right then.”

He moved to the tarpaulin, staring at it for a moment.

“Are you ok?” Ditzy asked.

“I don't know,” the Doctor said quietly. “I was rather enjoying my retirement.”

“Your retirement?” Bon Bon said incredulously. “You can't be more than thirty!”

“Nearer three and a half thousand,” the Doctor said quietly. “Good guess though. Have to admit, I like this life. Not sure how I feel about risking it - but I think I feel what I usually feel.”

“What?” Bon Bon asked.

Without answering, the Doctor gripped the tarpaulin, before pulling it away, revealing a box. It was nine foot tall, bright blue, and it had a lamp on top. The entire thing was dusty, as though it had been left alone for a long time.

“What the hay?” Bon Bon asked, eyes widening in surprise.

“Hello old girl,” he said with a slight smile, reaching a hoof up to stroke the box. “It's been a long time. Maybe too long.”

“What is it?” Bon Bon asked Ditzy, still confused. “Why’s he talking to it?”

“It's his ship,” Ditzy put in, a sad look on her face. “He's told me about it before. But…”

“But nothing,” the Doctor said softly. “This is one of those moments, Ditzy.”

“What moments?” Bon Bon asked, frowning.

The Doctor turned to look at the two mares, his face full of some kind of steely resolve quite unlike anything they were familiar with from the otherwise scatterbrained stallion.

“Do or die,” he said quietly. “Damn the torpedoes, man the battlements, today is a good day to die. This is one of those moments where you have to be sure.”

Ditzy nodded. “I'm sure.”

Bon Bon frowned. “Sure about what?”

The Doctor smiled. “There's humans out there, a war brewing, and no one knows what's going on.” His smile turned into a grin. “The Doctor is in!”

***

Canterlot Throne Room.

To say that the story they had to tell was patently ridiculous, or beyond the experience of mortal ponies, Commander Charlie Horse took it rather well. He had listened patiently to Celestia and Luna’s explanation (helped by occasional interjections from Elliot), and when they had finished, he had removed his helmet, scratched his head, and finally shrugged.

“Ok,” he said. “I… think I get it. Possibly.” He paused. “Well, alright, I don't, but still.” He took a deep breath before looking at Celestia. “I’ll wager every pony in the Guard is willing to do their part, your highness.”

“You’ll be fighting ponies, ponies who may look exactly like you,” Celestia said cautiously. “This will be a task unlike any you've ever faced.”

Charlie Horse swallowed. “Well, alright, it's a difficult one. But we swore an oath, your highness - we won't back down just because the job gets difficult.”

Luna smiled slightly, giving a little nod of approval. Celestia smiled too, though there was something of a bittersweet edge to it. They both knew that this would be more than “difficult”.

“Very well, Commander,” Celestia said. “Go brief your troops. I will summon you to the assembly area shortly.”

Charlie Horse saluted, and then headed out. Elliot watched him go, before looking at Celestia with a slightly rueful smile.

“He hasn't got a clue, has he?” he said quietly.

“Many officers have only fought in border skirmishes,” Luna said quietly, “or else only engaged in the battle of Canterlot against the Changelings. Charlie Horse has the potential to become a strong officer, but he is… untested.”

“‘Untested’ isn't the same as ‘incompetent’,” Elliot said slowly, “but all the same - a more seasoned officer might have been better.”

“You will have Luna,” Celestia said quietly. “And if all I have heard is accurate, we will all be tested soon enough.”

“That's… probably true,” Elliot said quietly. “You know, you don't have to do this.”

“It's nice of you to say,” Celestia said with a slight smile, “but the truth is, yes, we do. When faced with this kind of… this kind of horror…” she trailed off, taking a deep breath. “Inaction is as bad as consent. Allowing it to take place, knowing you can stop it? No. I won't. Never again.”

Elliot nodded slowly. “Thank you, again.”

“Come,” Celestia said quietly. “We must proceed. There is still much to do.”

***

In another wing of Canterlot Palace, there was an old, somewhat battered room, which led to a courtyard. Standing in that courtyard was Discord, his eyes closed. To those who didn't know him well - which was all of the beings on this miserable planet - he might have looked like he was alone, simply standing.

Nothing could have been further from the truth.

This is unwise.

The voice wasn't really ‘heard’, not in any sense a mere mortal would hear it: no mere mortal could have understood what he was doing, whom he was speaking with, and he preferred it that way.

“I told her as much. She wouldn't listen.”

He wasn't really ‘speaking’, either. These individuals wouldn't have listened to speaking as mortals understood it.

Try again.

Discord sighed. “I've been watching her for thousands of their years. She doesn't listen, not if she's already made her mind up. I could speak for another eternity about how much of a idiot she's being, and she’d just plough through anyway.”

You were meant to be an observer, not a councillor.

“Well,” Discord replied sarcastically. “That worked out really well. Look, are you going to help me or not?”

If we help you, she will interfere.

“If you don't help me, she will interfere anyway, and probably wreck something on the way!” Discord snapped. “Your help guarantees a lack of… accidents.”

You speak of the Children.

“Not just them, though I admit, they crossed my mind,” Discord said darkly. “But we all know, they're not the only things out there.”

There was a pause before the other voice replied.

Agreed. Authority is vested in you to do as necessary to assist. Keep the portal stable. We will maintain it and keep it hidden.

“Thank you,” Discord said, sighing slightly. And then he was alone.

“Were you talking to somepony?” a voice asked from behind him. He turned, to see the familiar form of Pinkie Pie frowning at him.

“None of your business,” he said irritably.

“You're being grumpy today,” Pinkie pointed out.

“Oh, why do you care?” Discord muttered.

“Because I just can’t stand seeing anyone looking so unhappy,” Pinkie said.

“Yes,” Discord sighed. “The idea of an imminent, probably pretty bad conflict does that to a lot of people.”

“You're worried about us?” Pinkie asked.

“About you? Not so much,” Discord said, waving a hand. “Don't get me wrong, you ponies are probably very nice examples of your species, but let's be honest with ourselves and say that most of you would rather I never popped up again. Permanently.”

Pinkie frowned slightly, but didn't contradict him. It wasn't that he was necessarily right… but he kind of was.

“I’m worried about Fluttershy,” Discord continued, “and I’m worried about Celestia.”

“But… she’s Celestia,” Pinkie said, cocking her head to the side almost like a dog. “She’s immortal, she can raise the sun, and I think I saw her dropkick a changeling into orbit.”

“Oh, he’s fine now,” Discord said. “Though he had some internal bleeding and seems to have developed a fear of heights.”

“I should throw him a get-well-soon party!” Pinkie crowed. “But... after yours.”

“Hm,” Discord said. “Let me tell you something, and keep this one under your proverbial hat. Celestia might be immortal - but that doesn’t make her unbreakable.”

Pinkie frowned. “Yeah, but she’s got to have seen a bunch of stuff already that’d be reaaaaaally bad, and she’s still ok.”

Discord chuckled mirthlessly. “Oh, she has. I made it my business to ensure it.”

Pinkie frowned again. “Most ponies don't brag about doing bad things.”

Discord waved his dragon claw. “Draconequus. Not pony.”

“Yeah, but still,” Pinkie said. “Doing nasty things isn't something you should be proud of.”

Discord shrugged. “It's not like I did the first Discordant age for laughs. That was work.” He smirked. “The second one - or the ‘Discordant Tea Break’ as I prefer to think of it, since nopony in their right mind should consider a decade an age - that baby was pure pleasure.”

Pinkie sighed. “You know, I try to be friends with everypony, but you are very difficult to understand.”

Discord laughed. “Of course I am! I’m -”

“I mean, you just wanna do silly things all the time, and I mean all the time, so wherever you grew up must have been super boring all the time, because even I know that you've got to take some things seriously some of the time,” Pinkie said, speaking quickly. “But you said you did some of the bad stuff you did in the past because somepony told you to.”

Discord clucked his tongue. “When did I say that?”

“‘It's not like I did the first Discordant age for laughs. That was work’,” Pinkie quoted. “So somepony - or some Draconequus - makes you do some of the stuff you do.”

Discord sighed. “I shouldn't even be talking to you.”

“Then why are you?” Pinkie asked, smirking.

Discord narrowed his eyes at her. “Because I’m clearly going senile, finally. Took me a few billion years, but I finally managed it.” He sighed. “Look - what do you want?”

“You know something about all of this,” Pinkie said simply. “I just wanted to know if you could help.”

Discord shook his head. “You're getting all the help I can give.”

“Because of your bosses telling you not to?” Pinkie asked.

“That - and other reasons,” Discord said. “In any case,” the Draconequus added with a sigh. “I need to meet Celestia and co at the staging area…” he checked a wristwatch. “Five minutes ago. Tata.”

And then he was gone. Pinkie frowned. She did want to understand him, even if he was mean. There was a reason to it - maybe if she understood that reason, she could find a way to be his friend.

And since we’re going to be in a war, it's more important than ever that everypony have a friend, she thought to herself. With her goal still set in her mind, she darted off - there were always more ponies to say hi to.

***

Canterlot Staging Area, Five Minutes Ago.

The staging area was a large courtyard, into which the forces they had assembled were slowly filing, moving to stand in rows, with their spears raised to the sky. The entire force stood to attention in a great thumping clatter when Celestia, Luna and Elliot arrived.

Luna took a deep breath as she looked over the assembled group of soldiers. The armour was different, but the banners and the heraldry reminded her so much of the armies of the past, of brave ponies marching to war against the monstrous hordes Discord had summoned.

Speaking of the old Dragon Horse, he was waiting by an obsidian archway he had apparently summoned. A purple vortex, not unlike a bubbling pool suspended vertically in front of them, was floating in the archway.

“One handy-dandy interdimensional portal,” Discord said grimly, motioning to the shimmering pool of energy. “Stopping at ‘Earth being attacked by an evil Celestia’.”

“Is it stable?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Discord said simply. “Don't tell me you doubt my ability?”

“No, not that,” Celestia said quietly.

Discord sighed, a wry grin gracing his features. “Do you still not trust me? After all the bother you went to just to have me ‘use my powers for good’.”

“You and I were enemies for a long time, Discord,” Celestia said quietly.

“‘Were’, past tense,” Discord replied simply. “Now it's a different time - and you've got something far worse to look forward to.” He looked at Luna. “As for you, Lulu, how does it feel being in command again?”

“You ask questions you already know the answers to,” Luna said grimly. She looked to her soldiers, and a look of cold resolve settled upon her features. She looked to Charlie Horse, who was stood at the head of the group with a look of concern on his face.

“Your highness,” he said simply. “I've informed the troops of what we’ll be facing.”

“And?” Luna asked quietly.

“And… there's a bit of shock,” Charlie Horse said quietly, before his expression settled into one of pride. “But we’ll pull through. We’re the ROYAL BUCKING GUARD!”

At his bellowed cry, the ponies behind him stomped and cheered, and he drew himself up. Luna smiled and nodded once.

“Very well,” she said. She looked at the assembled force, before looking to her sister.

“Go on,” Celestia said with a smile. “These are your troops.”

Luna nodded, before turning to address the assembled soldiers, all of whom were staring at her.

“Warriors of Equestria!” she bellowed, the Royal Canterlot Voice echoing across the courtyard. “You know what we face. I do not exaggerate when I say that this foe will be one of the strongest any force assembled by this land has faced in a thousand years. You will be tested, perhaps more than any pony alive.”

There was a pause as these words sank in.

“But I have stood alongside the ponies of Equestria against things beyond imagination,” Luna continued. “I stood with the brave Thunder Crash and Nachtkrieg in the Discordant age, facing off against monsters made from the depths of hell!” Discord shifted, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I have fought mad kings, demons, dark gods, and the ponies of Equestria have stood alongside me through all of this!” She took a deep breath. “WILL YOU STAND WITH ME NOW?!”

“AYE!” the Guardsponies called.

“We will march into the gates of Tartarus!” Luna yelled. “Against us are the hordes of hell! Do not fear them! Pity them! FOR WE COME WITH THEIR DOOM!”

“LUNA!” cried the Guardsponies.

“SIDERA SOMNIATA!” the Thestrals of the Night Guard added with a crashing of hooves.

Luna turned to Celestia and Elliot. The human was nodding slowly, a smile on his face. Celestia was smiling too.

“You have lost none of your talent for rousing the troops,” she said with a chuckle. She looked at Elliot. “How do you wish to play this?”

Elliot took a breath. “I have to go through with Luna. I have to explain to my people on the ground what's happening, who you are.” He sighed. “There’s no guarantee they'd believe me: it's a pretty far-fetched story.”

“The evidence of their own eyes won't convince them?” Celestia asked.

Elliot raised an eyebrow. “We live in a world of magical ponies, and magical humans. Nothing is what it looks like anymore. Trust me, ‘the evidence of their own eyes’ isn't going to cut it.”

“Can you convince them?” Luna asked.

Elliot sighed, running a hand through his head. “Maybe. Hopefully. I mean, I like to think I've got some pull.”

“Is being an ‘Avatar of Albion’ not enough ‘pull’ for them?” Luna asked with a frown of confusion.

Elliot chuckled. “For some people, yeah. Not everyone thinks the magical super-weapon should have a say in what he hits, though.”

“This debate aside, we are on a time limit,” Discord said with a frown. “Time is now passing completely in synchrony with your world. Every second you waste is a second that your friends can't afford.”

Elliot sighed, and turned back to Luna and Celestia.

“He's right,” he said quietly. “We don't have time to worry about things like that. When I left, things were so desperate that me leaving to try and assassinate Solamina seemed like a good idea. They won't have got better in my absence.”

Luna nodded. “You and I first, then, and then we shall send through our force.”

Elliot nodded, before looking at Discord.

“If this sends me to some universe where the sky is green or where there’s a zombie apocalypse, I will be irritated,” he said shortly.

“Don't worry,” Discord replied with a wink. “This isn't that kind of story.”

Elliot snorted, before stepping up to the portal archway, Luna at his side. He looked up at her.

“Ready?” he asked quietly.

“As one can be,” she replied quietly. “Yourself?”

“This is me going home,” Elliot said with a sigh. “Home sweet home, war and all.” He grinned. “Not even a little.”

And then he stepped through…

***

Author's Notes:

Howdy again, guys :-)

This one's been a bit slow coming, mainly so I could make sure I'm not rushing too much. This marks the last chapter of "Act I", so the next chapter will be the first of a new act, where we will see much more action :-)

In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying everything so far.

Cheers,
Jed.