We all know the story of the Mane 6; Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and of course Twilight Sparkle. How the six of them met, and came together to spread the magic of friendship across the land. Only… What if that were not the case?
Have a look into another course of events. One that may tear such a future asunder.
…
1,000+ Years Ago…
"The time is now dear sister," Celestia says as her attendants help her outfit herself in her golden battle armor. "We have given Discord every chance to make peace. Yet he chooses to remain a spoiled foal, and to use his godly powers for childish antics. He may be somewhat harmless now, but who knows if he will become malevolent."
She glances out a window to the skies painted purple, and the pink fluffy clouds of cotton candy. If alterations like this continue then Equestria won't be able to fend for itself, without the proper means to grow healthy food, and all knowledge of the workings of the world rendered moot. Discord has already even violated both the Princesses, along with most of Equestria into changing their speech patterns into one closer to his own. All this is why they must once again prepare for war...
Dressed in golden armor that wraps around her figure only her tail, Mane, wings, and face are left visible. Lighting her horn in her golden magical aura that burns like sunfire she selects a halberd from the wall, a long weapon resembling a spear with the head of an axe just beneath its head. She inspects the edge before turning to her sister.
"Indeed Sister." Luna says as she is also donning the same armour but is midnight blue as she summons her trusty Moonlight Saber forged from a unknown crystal that crashed into the courtyard as the beautiful sabre glistens from the shine it has with a design in it carved of Luna's cutie mark. "We have given him his final chance and we are forced to take matters into our own hooves." She says.
Celestia steps over, crossing horns with her sister as she closes her eyes. "Please don't take any unnecessary risks… I could not bare to lose you, dear sister…"
"I won't dear sister, i have learned my lesson ever since that Dragon incident all those years ago." Luna says remembering of how she got too cocky and decided to take on 3 bandit dragons that led to her have some scars and a rather long talking from her sister.
Celestia chuckles at the memory, remembering how the two of them had sent the reptiles packing with their tails between their legs. "I think lessons were learned all around that day… They learned what an Alicorn was, you learned patience, and I learned to keep a close eye on the pony that matters most to me."
Turning she opens the doors to the balcony, spreading her wings to glide to their war chariot below.
"Not my fault they Insulted the wonderful pastries i like to eat." She Mumbles before she too takes flight.
Celestia rolls her eyes, deciding to let the matter go. The exchange has lifted her spirits a bit, just what she needs to face this spirit as calmly as she can.
Discord is currently snoozing on the bottom of a cloud. Under him the land is in chaos, wonderful chaos. Houses float like clouds, ponies never know if their next step will incite one of his pranks, flying muffins chirp merrily, and a nearby statue of the Princesses has been modified to show them holding up a hammock where his depiction lies, holding up two claws in a peace sign.
Normally in such a chaotic atmosphere he would be having the best of dreams… But he isn't. A horrible, horrible nightmare plagues him, startling him awake. For a brief moment gravity remembers he exists, and he flops to the ground, landing on a bush made of jello.
"...Oh thank Chaos," he sighs in relief. "Just a bad dream… Now what was it about again?" He starts to pace, rubbing his goatee softly. Such a vivid dream lies right at the edge of his thoughts, just out of reach…
As the chariot glides across Luna gazes through the Chaos induced land. "Sweet moon, Discord will surely pay for this." Luna says gritting her teeth.
"We should be grateful hoping has come to physical harm yet," Celestia says as she steps up beside her sister. "But it's only a matter of time."
"Oh yes, odd thing, Time, so confusing to most."
Celestia jumps in surprise, spinning around to find Discord leaning against a big blue police box dressed as the David Tennant version of Doctor Who. He waves to them with a chuckle, and as Celestia raises her weapon against him he turns it to an oversized candy cane with a snap of his fingers.
"Foul fool!" Luna hisses at this as she charges some magic into her sabre, ever since the sabre was crafted she has been able to concentrate her magic into her sabre leading her to discover that it is a very powerful weapon as she slashes the air and a wave of blue energy heads towards Discord.
The spirit of Chaos literally splits in half around the energy, and pulls himself together. "Oh Lu-Lu, I suggest you stop now before you make a bigger royal fool of yourself." Snapping his fingers he changes her armor into the outfit of a Jester.
Steam literally comes from Luna's ears as she grinds her teeth in anger at the Chaos Lord. Celestia tosses the useless candy aside, and steps up to put herself between the two. "Why Discord? Why can't you just leave us in peace?!"
Discord rolls his eyes, and slithers through the air to red on a branch. "Ugh, because peace is so dull… Besides my dears, if they never experience Chaos then how do they know what peace really is? Think about it, if it weren't for me, and every other 'threat' to your beloved peace… Well where would that leave you? I can bet there's at least one pony in the land who feels they deser and a crown more than you."
"Don't pretend you do us any favors," Celestia says in a low tone. "You're just doing this for your own enjoyment!"
"No! Noooooo… Well yes," he mocks with a laugh.
"Insolent cur!" Luna says, "How would you feel in our hooves if we were the ones doing this and your land was in this state!?" Luna asks.
Discord drums his fingers on his chin, "Well I might feel like Equestria wasn't so fitting a name anymore, and might change it! How about Candyland? Nah that sounds like an old board game nopony plays anymore…"
Deciding to strike while he's distracted Luna sends a bolt of magic towards him. He shouts in pain as it saps through him, and turns him to ash, his eyes rolling across the ground to glare up at her. A rock flips over like a lid at her hooves, and she's punched in the face by a boxing glove on a spring hard enough to knock her on her side.
"Luna!" Celestia rushes to her side as Discord appears in a flash of light, whole once more.
"Alright…" His tone is deeper, and far more menacing now. "If that's the name of the game… then let's play."
He snaps his fingers again, this time making their horns, and wings vanish. Celestia gasps, and holds her sister tight, the two of the reduced to large earth ponies as Discord drums his fingertips together.
"You coward….Taking away our wings and horns for your own amusement!" Luna yells rubbing the fairly large bruise on her cheek.
"Oh but I am far from done," he growls softly.
With another snap of his fingers the scene changes, the two of them crammed into a plastic ball, positioned at the start of a pinball machine. Discord chuckles evilly as he fires them off, battering the Princesses around in the machine for a good five minutes before he misses a shot. Still he raises his claws up high declaring, "New High Score!"
The two princesses are ejected out the back of the machine in a heap, now restored to normal size. Discord tosses the pinball machine away, and asks, "Have I made my point? Are we done here?"
"Sister, do you have any plans?" Luna asks as she stands up a little shaky and dizzy from the experience.
Celestia looks up at Discord, "...No… We can't win…"
Discord gasps, and cups Celestia's cheeks as he lifts her to her hooves. "First try! No wonder you're the brains of this outfit!" He releases her, dropping her on her face. "As a treat your wings, and horns are in a box back in your castle. Have fun finding them, and do come back when you have another plan…"
Celestia gets slowly to her hooves, leaning against her sister softly as they head back for the chariot.
"Sister….I may have an idea of how we can defeat Discord." Luna says as a thought comes to her head.
"Not here," Celestia whispers, taking her seat, and giving Discord a disappointed look.
Luna takes her seat as well as she holds her head trying to control the dizzyness. Celestia puts a hoof around her to hold her steady as the guards take off… Then she spots the final indignity, Discord has turned their guards into flying pigs!
Discord yawns, and stretches with a smile. "Well that was fun… Now I have half a nap to still finish."
He makes a bed out of candy canes, and cotton candy to lay down for another snooze. But that dream just won't leave him be… He even has it twice before he wakes up.
In the dream he's being bossed around by a bunch of noponies who sucker him into giving up on his fun! Particularly a little yellow Pegasus with a pink Mane, and tail!
"Once isan incident," he mutters. "Twice is coincidence… Three times is a pattern…" His eyes go wide, "A premonition! That… That can't be my future!"
Standing up he paces hard, thinking. But try as he might he can't think of any power in Equestria actually capable of altering the future, even he can only travel through time as a spectator.
Then he gets an idea, and smiles wide. "Oh… But what about forces outside of Equestria…?" He chuckles as he heads off to find a wide open area for this, his claws neared to literally rip the fabric of reality.
"Time to go fishing," he chuckles, and rips open a portal in the sky a mile long. Then he sits on top of it, watching what might get sucked through. One… two… three… four massive metal spaceships are pulled through, crash-landing in such a way they're still mostly intact, though being pulled through the multiverse has battered them quite a bit.
He notices two smaller ships pulled through as well, but considers them inconsequential. He just sews the portal closed again, and looks over his handiwork.
"Excellent," he purrs. "Humans are always so wonderfully chaotic, and destructive, particularly this bunch… No outer space in Equestria so these ships are going nowhere with their crew, and so no matter what those sisters cook up, my work is complete."
He looks towards the Castle of Two Sisters sighing the Everfree Forest, one eye extending out like a telescope, but he sees nothing. Searching he spots them coming out of the Everfree Forest with saddlebags, and pops his eye back into place.
"Oh how interesting… Let's see what they've brought this time."
Three weeks after Discord's fall…
Somewhere deep within The Everfree Forest is a camp of the human survivors from the crash, among the survivors is: An Admiral of the Fleet, A large group of Stormtroopers and the Infamous Starkiller who is in the tent with A Rather Scared Admiral with a list.
"Sir, our supplies are dangerously low, we are running low on power cells, and its starting to grow cold in the camp no matter how much wood we put on the fire. At this rate the wildlife will make quick work of our weakened condition." The Admiral says.
The Starkiller is a fearsome man, if such a terror can be compared to something so mundane anymore. He is dressed in hooded robes the color of blood, and armor of a dull grey that still shines a bit. His hood casts dark shadows around his face, letting his shining golden eyes dimmed with thick bloodshot shine as he looks up to the admiral.
"And our scouts?" His voice is whisper quiet, but carries all the malice of a Black Hole.
"Are back, only one has come back but was badly injured we had to bandage him as best as we could, the other 2 were mauled by something from the old age called a Manticore, he said there was a town due west of here, brimming with life with a city on the mountain, by his estimates it would be 4 hours through the forest, 5 if we get ambushed by the wildlife." The Admiral says as he slides the report from the scout over.
Starkiller brings a hand down hard enough to shake the table as he catches it, and turns it to read. "...We make for the town. Assemble all TIE fighters we have left, they'll firebomb a trail to the town. The commotion will chase away the wildlife, and make for faster transport for our remaining supplies."
He studies the report quietly, and then nods. "I want our remaining five dropships readied too, with all the best men you can fit in them. I will personally fly with them into the town, and we will take it over. There we can gather intelligence, and supplies."
Stepping around the table he gets close enough to whisper in his ear, "Make it happen… Or your replacement will."
"Y...Yes sir, i have also received a map of the town from the scout too, he said it was found on a dead horse with saddlebags, i looked through it and marked key locations aswell on it for you to look at." The Admiral says sweating lightly as he hands over the map.
Starkiller takes it, and turns his back as he looks it over. "Excellent work Admiral. Dismissed."
"Thank you sir." The Admiral says as he exits the tent to prepare The Ships and Fighters with the Troops including the TACTICAL Fire Bombs stored in one of the ruined ships that were used to clear out entrenched enemies.
It takes roughly an hour, but Starkiller isn't upset. The men move with a purpose, the will to survive is a powerful motivator. Once that need is met he doesn't question that they will follow him blindly into a sun if he ordered it so.
The preparations ready Starkiller gets to his personal ship, the Rogue Shadow. It's not meant for combat, but it has all the best cloaking equipment, and scanners the Empire had to offer. He plans to lead the fighters while invisible, and drop down into a secure landing zone once one is established near the town.
He glances to the other two smaller ships in this hangar, neither of which are Imperial in make. One being the Slave One, previously owned by notorious bounty hunter Bulba Fett whose body was discovered in the wreckage of one ship.
The other belongs to a pair of smugglers Starkiller himself had killed back on Endor, this ship is called the Millennium Falcon, and rumored to be the fastest in their galaxy. Now it serves as little more than a cargo freighter, and the occasional hangout for personnel not currently on duty.
He returns to his ship, and takes the pilot seat. Flipping on the communicators he says, "Squad Leaders, sound off."
A Chorus of responses is heard signalling all squads are prepped for departure. Starkiller orders them to take to the air, and takes off in his own ship. Taking point he activates his cloaking, and climbs high enough in the air they can make their bombing runs without interference. Meanwhile, true to his word, he takes the troop dropships on ahead to secure the town.
Taking a look for lifeforms, and technology on the Rogue Shadow's scanners he finds a small number of lifeform readings, and no technology. He's confident the several dozen Stormtroopers in the ships behind him will suffice for this mission.
He hails one of the ships on his communicator, and says, "Captain, to the north is a clear spot to set down three ships. Roads leave to the east, and west, send one ship to each. I shall land in the south. Set blasters to stun, we're here to conquer not exterminate… yet. For every residential corpse I find you lose a soldier, starting with you."
"Yes Sir, however be advised sir but some of the men spotted a few flying Horses with wings, even if we set down we won't be able to take a shot at them due to their speed, i reckon they can match the speed of our TIE Fighters, and can probably fly over us to escape." The Captain says.
"...Leave that to me," Starkiller replies. "Once you're in the town start taking hostages, that should keep the residents docile."
"Understood sir, Lion Squad out." The Captain says cutting communications.
Starkiller banks to the south of the town, being the first to land though originally he had planned differently. Headed out of his ship he calmly walks for the town, locking his ship closed, and cloaked at the landing site. Tilting his head back he makes a count of the flying horses.
About a couple seem to be going around the town in triangle formations, about 5 squads are about, all of them spaced.
"This is Anvil Squad, West Checkpoint Secured, we are lying in ambush on the road."
"Hammer Squad in position on the East Checkpoint, waiting in ambush for passerbys."
Starkiller does not reply, simply raising his hand, and curling his fingers. All the fliers stop in their positions as he subjects them to a collective Force Choke. Briefly he debates on breaking their necks, but decides they might prove useful in the end. And so he slams them hard to the ground before continuing his approach.
"Captain, the skies are clear," he says into his communicator.
"Roger sir, one of the squads managed to ambush and captured a Caravan filled with gold along with some unknown crystals, no civilian casualties."
"What is the dominant species of this planet," Starkiller asks.
"Sir you would probably say i am drunk but it appears to be Horses or Pony's rather, rather bright and colourful ones."
Equines… Unusual, but believable, considering most of the species back in their galaxy. At least now he knows what he's up against.
"Captain, land your ships, move in now. I'll hold position in the south to catch runaways. Anvil Squad, Hammer Squad, hold positions."
"Alright sir, but a warning, one of the squad members got him by some sort of bolt, it scorched the armour but it packed quite a punch. The ones with the horns on their heads seem to cast it while the ones without Wings or a Horn seem to crack a tree. one of Anvil's squad members took a hit to the chest, he felt like a Droid punched him."
"Interesting… And the Equines are entirely organic?"
"From their body they are and a big surprise sir….They are Sentient too."
"There wouldn't be a town to storm if they weren't, Captain, now move ahead with the objective. Now."
"Affirmative Sir, Lion Squad out." He says cutting communications as in the distance the ships are seen.
Starkiller waits, and closes his eyes. He ignores what his ears, and eyes can tell him as he reaches out with The Force, sensing the presence of every creature in that town, and searching for any trying to escape to the south.
Minutes later a communications is heard. "Sir! We Got Force Users! They are throwing wagons and carts at us! The ones with the horns are forming what seems to be shields, our blasters can't punch through them! Focus fire on the left flank!." Anvil Squad says as the sounds of blasters with stun is heard.
Starkiller narrows his eyes. "...Captain, send a few of your men, and a few from Hammer Squad to guard the south. It's time I joined the fight."
"Roger Sir, Anvil and Hammer squad have sent 6 soldiers, both squads are pinned at a building in the town under suppressive fire."
Starkiller crouches, and drawing on the Force he bolts like a bullet over the grass before he leaps onto the rooftops, speeding quickly to the scene of the battle. From the edge of a rooftop he looks down at them, measuring the situation.
What he see's is a large fire fight of both sides exchanging shots at each other with The Squads pinned in a building while the fighters on the other side are firing off bolts of magic inside the dome.
"Left flank! We got a Left Flanker! Fire a Flashbang!"
"We Got em on the Right! Focus fire on the spellcaster's shields!"
"Damn! The shots are just bouncing off! What are those shields!? Deflectors!?"
Starkiller muses to himself, "Magic, hm? My master said there were witches in the Force…"
Raising his hands he reaches out with the Force, under the shields, and shifting the ground at the hooves of the spellcasters. Raising stones into a maelstrom of motion he works to break their concentration, and throw the resistance into disarray.
It works as the shields flicker and dissolve as a array of stun bolts hit them making them drop.
"We got em on the- Oh Crap DUCK!"
Suddenly a large bolt of magic slams into the building causing an explosion that rocks the surrounding area.
"What the hell hit us!? A Plasma Cannon!?"
"We Need a Medic!"
"Focus fire and locate the shooter!"
Starkiller tunes out the chatter, and looks for the source of that blast curiously. A Force User of that caliber demands his full attention.
Suddenly a shadow appears above Starkiller as a giant figure appears from behind him wielding a giant magical mace bringing it down. He dodges to the side just in the nick of time thanks to Force reflexes, and opens a hand at his attacker, firing off a spray of blue lightning from his fingertips. The Attacker staggers at this but the armor he wears just absorbs the element as he charges a beam at his horn and fires a spray of small bolts of magic.
Starkiller whips out his lightsabers, and activates them, blocking the shots, and even deflecting one right back into the face of the unicorn.
The Unicorn grunts at this covering his face with a hoof trying to get some of the soot from it off leaving himself open. Starkiller wastes no time leaping in, and stabbing his saber down, impaling the pony's head clean through the horn, then out the back of his neck.
The Body of the Giant Unicorn slumps to the ground unmoving.
"We got Them on the run now!"
"Starkiller Sir, the resistance has retreated to the Town Hall with any remaining civilians but it is heavily entrenched at all entrances, they are making a final stand."
"Good, set up your men in a perimeter around the building, leave the rest to me," he replies as he jumps off the roof, following the advancing Stormtroopers.
The Stormtroopers eventually surround the Town Hall entrenched in the buildings that are abandoned.
"Sir, shall we try to be diplomatic and have them surrender? They should know they are outnumbered and outgunned." The Captain asks.
"No," Starkiller replies. "They are at the mercy of the Empire, a fact I shall make sure they understand clearly."
Calmly he steps out of cover, and starts walking for the front entrance to the Town Hall. He holds his crimson lightsabers in a reverse grip with the blades held behind him.
"Sir, our detectors are reading a rather powerful Force Signature in the building, whatever it is, it is big and powerful, i think this guy's the Guardian of this town."
"Then the Equines will know their place when he falls."
Suddenly the front door bursts open and a large hammer rams into Starkiller sending him a few feet away.
"What the heck!? Open Fire!" A Captain shouts as the sound of blasters is heard firing into the small dust cloud.
Starkiller gets up to a kneeling position, thankful his armor of Mandalorian Iron had withstood any damage. Looking up he thrusts out a hand, pushing the dust cloud away.
It clears to reveal a rather large pony that towers over Starkiller's form, in heavy gold armour and surrounding him is a bubble shield with the blaster shots pinging off, currently he is hefting a Incredibly large hammer with runes on it on his shoulders as he glares at Starkiller.
"Our Shot's aren't doing much! Hold fire! This is Lord Starkiller's fight!" The Captain says as the blaster shots die down.
Starkiller bares his teeth, and thrusts out both hands with a Force Push hard enough to crush an AT-ST Walker like so much tinfoil.
It merely pushes the large unicorn with some grooves in the ground, he retaliates by slamming his large hammer onto the ground sending a torrent of impaling spikes towards Starkiller. Starkiller destroys them with a ball of Force Lightning that tears them to pieces, and explodes against the unicorn's shield with the Force of a bunker-buster missile. He grunts at this with a crack appearing on the shield, realizing this he charges a devastating attack on his horn and fires the large bolt of magic seen minutes ago.
Starkiller ducks under it as he rushes in. Rolling to the side he leaps as he curls in on himself in the air, drawing in The Force around him. When he releases it the power surges from him in a blast that would turn most people to ash, but in this case it shatters the shield like a glass window in a hurricane.
Landing, Starkiller pulls his weapons back to his hands, taking a battle stance, waiting to study the unicorn's next move. The Unicorn grunts from this as he pulls a large caravan towards him and slams his hammer into it sending it barreling towards Starkiller.
Starkiller raises a hand, blasting the wagon to splinters with a Push, and then throwing one of his Lightsabers through the wreckage at his opponent, the whole saber spinning like a bright disk of death that will cut anything, aimed right for the unicorn's neck.
At the last second The Unicorn grabs the handle when the sabre is mere inches from his neck as he releases a sigh of relief at this, avoiding danger he tosses it to the side and charges towards Starkiller with his hammer like a Rhino.
But Starkiller raises a hand gripping the Unicorn in a Force Choke, and yanking him chest-first into the blade of his remaining lightsaber. The Result is expected. "DAmn….it….you fight well…..Monkey…..But you should…..know ugh…..one thing." He Says.
Starkiller says nothing as he drops him, pulling his saber free as he stands over him.
But what is unexpected, he shoots up gripping Starkiller in a bear hug. "I AM TAKING YOU WITH ME!" He yells as he starts to overcharge his horn to detonate himself with Starkiller. However Starkiller's strength is equally unexpected. A hard fist to the gut loosens the grip of the dying unicorn, and then Starkiller charges him up with Lightning before shoving him skywards with a hard Push to carry him to a safe distance to detonate.
The result is a large explosion in the sky that rocks the town as the magic from the Unicorn is felt.
"Jesus Christ that was some explosion!"
"Their leaders dead! Lord Starkiller has defeated their leader!"
A Chorus of cheers is heard.
"Sir, shall i have the men enter and capture the remaining resistance with their leader now dead?"
Starkiller retrieves his missing saber, and says into the communicator. "Yes. Imprison the civilians, and set the officials up for interrogation. I want to know all there is to know about these lands."
"Ofcourse sir, Anvil squad move in." The Captain says as they race into the building.
Changing channels Starkiller calls the Admiral. "This is Starkiller, begin the march, the town is ours. Any too weak, or injured to make it… Shoot them, put them out of their misery, and collect their belongings."
"Ofcourse sir." the Admiral says.
"Sir, we found some archives in the town hall, it was locked but we managed to shoot it open, they are however in a language we do not even know, i think it's this land's language." The Captain says.
"Hm… Curious. The one I fought spoke Basic, so we can understand what they say… Search the civilians, bring me a mother with her child. Have her read it for you, use the child for motivation. Don't bother being gentle."
"Yes sir." The Captain says as he walks off with some soldiers to find a mother with her child.