Everything was ready, as Twilight and her allies surrounded the castle. Rainbow Dash led the Pegasus ponies above the clouds, staying out of sight as Rainbow Dash examined how many Shadow Reaper clones were present. Signalling to the other Pagasus ponies they all circled back to Twilight to give the number.
"How many are we looking at?"
"Well over a hundred, close to two hundred actually. If they are all as powerful as the main Shadow Reaper, we are in for a heck of a fight."
"Take back to the skies and await the signal," Twilight then turned to Discord and Screwball. "You two are up,"
"Let's go give these sad sacks a show Screwball," Discord said hopping to his feet and taking a mic. Screwball took a mic herself and joined her father at his side.
Walking towards the army Discord tapped his microphone to see if it was on before addressing the confused clones.
"Well hello every pony, it's great to be back here in Canterlot. I would humbly bow at the presence of royalty but I can't tell which one you are. Can the real Shadow Reaper please stand up?"
The clones just stared at each other confused.
"Speaking of shadows," Screwball joined in "I hear Groundhogs day is coming up, but since your name has the word Shadow in it would that mean if it saw you we would get six more weeks of winter. And since there is so many of you if he saw all of you would we get six more years of winter?"
"You suck!" A clone in the back shouted.
"Oh, we seem to have a Nay sayer in the back." Discord replied "Get it? Cause you are a pony!"
Screwball took out some drums and played the famous beat for when a pun was made.
The clones had seen enough, they got in battle position and was ready to fight when suddenly a large boulder was catapulted into the air. Pinkie and Maud both jumped into the air and broke the boulder into tinier pieces, causing chunks of rocks to fall onto the clones. Discord took out a umbrella to shield himself and Screwball from the rocks as they poured down onto the clones.
"That's our signal," Rainbow Dash replied "Attack!" The Pegasus, griffons, and dragons all flew from the clouds and started attacking the clones.
With a blast from her horn into the sky Twilight gave the signal for the ground troops to attack. The Unicorns came out first, horns blasting. Starlight fired a lighting blast out of her horn sending a huge electric shock onto one of the clones. One clone returned fire at Starlight but Rarity created a shield that blocked it, protecting Starlight allowing Shining Armor to leap out from the shadows and fire a blast of his own sending the clone flying.
Up in the skies the griffons were dropping huge boulders on top of the clones. Gilda dropped a giant boulder that landed on top of one of the clones trapping him underneath. He blasted the boulder off of him, looked up and fired a blast at Gilda, barely missing her.
"Oh you want to play do you?" Gilda growled, turning towards her griffon companions. "Drop another round!" Several more griffons dropped boulders in that one clones direction. The clone was able to blast a few of them into pebbles but there was so many that he wasn't able to stop them all. Eventually one boulder fell on top of him allowing several more to pile on top of him.
"That's what you get for messing with a griffon."
On another part of the battlefield Ember was leading the dragon charge. One clone shot fire from his horns, but Ember easily dodged out of the way.
"You want to see real fire tough guy?" Suddenly more then a dozen dragons blew fire at the single clone, the clone didn't have time to run away before he got consumed by the fire.
"Dragons, let's burn these clones up!" With Ember's word the dragons flew over the battlefield shooting fire at every clone they saw. A lot of them were able to dodge out of the way and put up a force field to prevent the fire from reaching them. Others weren't so lucky and quickly burned to death.
Down on the ground Prince Rutherford led the yaks right behind the unicorns. One clone fired a shot at Prince Rutherford, but the yaks came prepared. They wore special armor that offered protection from most magic spells, allowing them to approach the clones undamaged. With his head lowered he bucked the clone with his horn several feet backwards, before raising his front hooves and lowering them on another clone and goring him with his horns. After finishing up one clone he charged the one he bucked earlier ramming right into him and sending him flying again, this time into the waiting hooves of Pinkie Pie, who grabbed him, stuffed him into the party canon and shot him high into the air, above the castle and out of sight.
"See ya, wouldn't want to be ya!"
Like the yaks, Applejack and the rest of the Earth Ponies were wearing special armor to protect from the main force of the clones blasts. This extra protection allowed them to get close and Applejack used it to take out a lasso and rope it around one clone's horn. She then yanked the horn back, just as he was about to fire at Derpy and instead caused him to fire strait into the air. Applejack then pulled the clone close and smacked him across the head. The clone struggled to try to get loose from the rope that Applejack had tied around his horn but the more the clone struggled the more tighter it became.
"Just to let you low I have wrangled pigs, bulls, and goats, you ain't nothing."
The clone fired a few blast but they each bounced off Applejack's armor allowing her to finally tackle the clone to the ground and finish tying the rope around his legs.
Applejack didn't see the clone sneaking up behind him until the clone fired a blast. Luckily Zecora was able to tackle Applejack to the ground, while Maud came out and started attacking the clone.
"Thanks Zecora."
"Watch yourself out here Applejack. I might not be able to constantly have your back."
"Will try."
Discord and Screwball watched as the battle unfolded all around them. Turning to each other they both smirked and gave each other a wink before turning to DJ Pon 3. "Hey, drop us a beat will you?" Discord cracked his knuckles and gave one more smirk. "It's chaos time."
DJ Pon 3 nodded and took out a record and put it on her turn table. Then the Italian classic Funiculi Funicula started playing as Discord conjured up a flying pig to ride as and Screwball charged a big swarm of clones.
Screwball conjured up a giant blob of jello to trap one clone in while Discord snapped his fingers and caused a rocket to appear on one clones back. The clone looked confused as Screwball lit the rocket and sent him flying into the air. With another snap of the fingers Discord caused many colors of paint to fall on another clone before he opened up a portal to another world to send him through.
A few more clones charged at the pair before Screwball caused giant pumpkins as well as an entire tree that grew pies land on one pony. As the clones that was pelted with pies started to recover from their shock pies fell from the tree and landed on top of their head. The clones, now furious wiped the cream from the pies from their face and charged the pair. But with the snap of Discords figures a giant chicken appeared in the middle of the battlefield. The clones paused at the sight of the twenty foot foul. Then screaming the clones turned around and retreated.
Grabbing a cane and hat, the father and daughter of chaos danced to the song as they caused several more silly things to happen to several of the clones. One got sent on a magic carpet ride. One got turned into a cat, while several others got sent to other dimensions and worlds.
As the music ended they duo took off their hats and took a bow.
Thorax along with five other Changelings changed themselves into replicas of the mane six in order to lure several of the clones into a trap. Running over towards a group of clones, Thorax, disguised as Pinkie Pie, tossed a cupcake at one of the clones before giving him the raspberry. The clones gave chase and the Changelings ran towards a set of bushes, barely avoiding the blasts coming from the group of four clones. The clones followed the Changelings into the bushes, before freezing in fear at the sight of Fluttershy. It wasn't Fluttershy that scared the clones though, it was who she had with her, a bear, a Manticore, several raccoons and possums, snakes, spiders, scorpions, a swarm of wasps. A few big birds of prey, and a rabbit armed with a spear and decked out in war paint.
"I usually don't encourage my animal friends into doing acts of violence..." Fluttershy began before turning towards Angel "But get them."
Angel led the charge, letting out a battle cry that sent the clones running away in fear as the animals charged them.
"Fire," Granny Smith ordered Big Mac, Applebloom and Babs seed. Pulling the levers the three of them sent giant boulders hurtling into the battlefield, striking several clones. One clone dodged the boulder however and fired a blast at the Apple family.
"Take cover!" Granny yelled, ducking behind a giant rock. The blast totally shredded one of their catapults. The Apples could do nothing but watch as the catapult burned.
"That Catapult survived decades of feuds with the Peaches. It survived Tornadoes, Hail Storms, as well as a Timber Wolves. But this, this was her last stand."
"What are we going to do now Granny?" Applebloom asked "We are short a Catapult?"
"How about Pinkie's confetti canon?" Scootaloo asked, running up to check on the Apples after witnessing the blast along with Maud.
"How will a confetti canon stop a army of clones?" Babs asked.
"You can shoot rocks out of them," Maud suggested in the tone only she could pull off. "I can break the boulder into reasonable size, then you can fire them out of the canon. With the force of the blast mixed with the firmness of the rocks, they should be able to do substantial damage."
"Pinkies on the other side of the battlefield though," Applebloom pointed out. "How we even going to reach her?"
"Leave that to me," Scootaloo strapped her helmet on tight, got on her scooter, then with a smirk she sped across the battlefield full speed ahead. One clone fired a blast towards Scootaloo but she dodged to her left as Starlight attacked the one clone. Another Clone charged at Scootaloo but she just leaped into the air, spun her scooter a three sixty and landed on the other side as the clone ran into Bulk Biceps. Finally a third clone leaped into the air after her, but Scootaloo acted fast again, turning her scooter onto the side and used the side of the wheels to slide under the clone, avoiding being tackled to the ground. Once she was past the clone she turned her scooter straight up, turned around and smiled as the clone ran into Rainbow Dash and the Wonder Bolts.
Finally she reached Pinkie Pie, who was firing a Clone that Applejack kicked into her canon, up into the sky. "Pinkie, I need to borrow your confetti canon, the Apples are short a catapult."
"What?" Applejack gasped "Them darn catapults have survived everything mother nature threw at them to go out now?"
"I know you are close to that canon but it's a emergency."
"Go ahead," Pinkie replied not even hesitating, "I got spares."
"Really?"
"Oh sure, what you seriously thought I only had one of these babies?" Pinkie replied
"Well yeah?"
"Ha, I got dozens of these things laying around. Take it." Pinkie placed the canon on the back of the scooter, the canon side, facing the back. Pulling the cord The canon shot Scootaloo clear to the other side of the field where the rest of the Apple family and Maud was waiting for her, running over several clones in the process. She crashed into Big Mac, and after falling off her scooter Scootaloo rubbed her head as her head was spinning. "Got the canon," Scootaloo moaned before collapsing.
Inside the throne room Shadow Reaper could hear the battle going on outside, stepping from the throne Shadow looked over at the balcony and saw to his surprise that Twilight and her army was actually putting up a good fact. No, it was more than that, it actually looked like they might actually win.
"Impossible," Shadow growled. "My clones are perfect replicas of me they shouldn't be losing." Furious, Shadow Reaper turned to the double doors and headed outside. "That's it, if you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself!"
Twilight, Luna, Celestia, and Orion was heading towards the castle. They knew Ash was inside their, as well as the Orb of Anarchy, once they got inside they could split up and find Ash and shut down the weapon before taking down Shadow Reaper once and for all.
"We are going to have to get Grogar's bell to," Orion replied "Shadow Reaper has Ash's magic, if we have any real chance of beating him we have to drain him of all the magic he stole."
"Find Ash, get the bell, shut down the orb," Twilight replied, got it. "Anything else?"
"You forgot the part where you all die!" Several clones suddenly jumped out and surrounded the three Alicorns and Orion. All four of them got into battle stance as one of the clones taunted them. "You cannot beat all of us, we are Shadow Reaper, the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria, we will destroy you, we will..."
Suddenly Bulk Biceps came crashing in, he grabbed the one talking and smashed his face into the ground, grabbed another one and tossed him around like a rag doll before slamming him face first into the ground. He then grabbed another by the hind legs and used him like a bat to beat up the remaining close surrounding the four ponies before throwing him on the ground, jumping on him a few times then buried his face into the dirt.
"EQUESTRIA UPRISING YEAH!" Bulk Biceps screamed before running off back to the battlefield as the other ponies just starred eyes wide and jaws to the floor at the violent and impressive act that Bulk Biceps pulled off by himself. "YEAH!"
"Okay," Twilight finally replied after shaking off the shock. "Let's go!"
As the four of them got to the front steps of the castle there was a huge blast that knocked all four of them down the stairs. Twilight looked up and her eyes widened in shock as Shadow Reaper flew out of the castle, the front entrance of the castle burning in flames. His head was now a flaming skull, black mist shot out of his the hollow black holes where his eyes should be, and he was double the size of all of them due to the magic he had consumed, not to mention he was now a Alicorn.
"I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere!" Shadow Reaper voice boomed, his voice now nothing but a loud monstrous growl. "These castle steps will be your final resting place!" Shadow Reaper fired a giant blast out of his horn causing all four of the ponies to scatter.
"Don't let him hit you!" Twilight cried out. "The force from his blasts are strong enough to rip through your armor."
"I ain't planning on getting hit!" Luna replied firing a blast of her own at Shadow Reaper, her blast did little damage to him though, he had absorbed to much magic to be taken down individually.
"Your magic is weak Princess Luna!" Shadow Reaper roared as Celestia, Orion and Twilight all joined in at firing at him. "My magic was already better then all of yours. The dark magic in my blood was already the most powerful in all of Equestria, that's why I could handle the Orb of Anarchy, that's why I could defeat my entire school all by myself and defeat that phony Alicorn King. But with all of the dark magic, plus Alicorn magic, I am unstoppable, I am immortal. I am powerful enough to defeat all of you!"
Shadow Reaper created a black ball of dark energy with his horn and shot it at them, the blast was powerful enough to destroy their armor and send them all flying in multiple directions.
"NO!" Thunder screamed witnessing what was happening below him. Shadow Reaper was going to kill them, he could see it. And none of them were in position at the moment to stop him. His eyes fixed on Shadow as he approached Twilight, laying on the ground wounded. Thunder knew what he was about to do was suicide, but he could not let Twilight die, her life was three times more important than his.
Twilight struggled to get up after getting knocked hard into a boulder, but she was in to much pain. Opening her eyes she saw Shadow Reaper approaching her, his horn charging and ready for the kill. Twilight didn't have any energy at the moment. Glaring at Shadow she refused to show any signs of fear. If this was how she was going to die, she was going to do it with a brave face. Her eyes suddenly went wide though as Thunder flew in front of her and took the full impact of the blast. She watched in horror as his armor shattered, and he screamed in agony as the blast burned his fur. Shadow crashed down right in front of her with a loud boom, the air suddenly filled with smoke in dust.
As the smoke cleared Twilight screamed as she saw a crater laying a few feet in front of her, Thunder laid at the bottom of it, his coat now black, and smoke came from out of him.
"NO!"
"THUNDER!" Rainbow Dash screamed from the skies.
"Oh my goodness?" Fluttershy cried
"Nonononono!" Screwball screamed
"Don't worry," Shadow laughed "You will join him!" Suddenly Shadow got blasted with fire, turning around he saw the entire Wonderbolts, the griffons, dragons, and even Screwball and Discord attacking him.
"That was our friend!" Screwball screamed as she attacked him with all she had.
"Get him out of here!" Discord ordered Twilight "Now you fool!"
Twilight picked Thunder up and placed him on his back. Running towards the castle Twilight was joined by Celestia, Luna, Orion, and Rainbow Dash.
"Thunder," Twilight cried laying Thunder on the ground. "Stay with me buddy, you got to stay with me." Her eyes quickly filled up with tears as for the first time she examined the full impact his injuries. His blue fur was one hundred percent scorched as he took third degree burns throughout his entire body. The feathers on his wings were completely scorched, and blood was gushing from his side from where he was blasted. She could tell just by looking he wasn't going to make it.
"Thunder?" Rainbow Dash sobbed "Baby? Please, please don't leave me, please don't leave me."
Thunder opened his eyes halfway and turned to see Twilight and Rainbow, a small smile formed on his face as his voice, now a faint whisper spoke. "It will be okay. I haven't done one thing in my life of importance. At least now, I can die, knowing I did one thing worth something."
"Oh Thunder," Twilight cried "You never had to prove yourself important to any pony."
"No, I had to prove it to myself, and saving you does just that."
Twilight couldn't keep it together, this pony laid dying at her hooves after saving her life, just to prove himself as some pony.
"Rainbow," Thunder turned to his girlfriend, Rainbow's eyes were so full of tears she could barely see him "You were the only thing in my life I was truly proud of, thanks for the memories."
"Thunder..." Rainbow Dash sobbed. "No..."
Thunder Soar then closed his eyes, and with a exhale he took his last breath and died.
"NOOOO!" Rainbow screamed as she wept over Thunder's body. Twilight wrapped her arms over her friend, trying her best to comfort her while morning her own self. She knew there was a chance that not every pony was going was to survive this war, but after seeing Thunder die in front of her, and seeing the pain it brought to one of her closest friends hurt her more than anything. One thing was certain now for Twilight.
Shadow Reaper was going to pay.
What? Did you longtime readers of mine really think I wasn't going to kill a fan favorite character in the heat of battle? This is ME we are talking about here. And yes I know its my own character that I designed after my own self but if I'm going to kill myself off in a story I'm going out like a champ.
Till next time.