BiE 61: Strong Defense.


                                            =BiE 61=


                                            >You could see them out there.

                                            >Streaming out of Ponyville and scurrying around the ground below like tiny little ants.

                                            >The winds were whipping and howling as the tornados harried the Dogs.

                                            >"Private, keep that wall high. We need the fire burning to boil this pot."

                                            >"Yesh Shir!" The private called back with the ladle in his mouth.

                                            >You hop down from the wall and grimace as you land.

                                            >Damn wound...

                                            >You reached into your pocket and swallowed some of the painkillers the docs gave you.

                                            >"How many of those did you just take?" General Vizir asked.

                                            >"Enough."

                                            >These pills were lighter than the ones you had taken for your manticore wounds, the benefits of having magical bandages as well.

                                            >Vizir just continued to glare at you. You could guess his thoughts.

                                            >"You don't like me, Vizir."

                                            >The general snorts. "A little more than a year ago, you were the one we were calling meetings over. And now the Princess appoints you Chief Logician for the defense of the city."

                                            >"And that makes you angry."

                                            >"I just don't think somep0ny almost convicted of war crimes should be put in charge of defending the lives of others." he says.

                                            >Heh.

                                            >"Remind me to tell you about the story of the Nazi scientists from my world if we live through this."

                                            >A chariot pulls up to the castle walls. "Sirs! You're needed at the first barricade!"

                                            >You were setting up barricades at the entrance and exit of every cave along the route to Canterlot.

                                            >You can't imagine what's so hard about setting up walls...


                                            >You and Vizir took the chariot down to the first mountain cave.

                                            >The railroad that normally served as the entrance was being ripped up, it's metal and wood fortifying the barricade.

                                            >The small path up the mountain had been blasted away by unicorn magic. Vizir assured you that they could rebuild it.

                                            >The land before the mountains was a sea of hills as well as a straight shot to Ponyville.

                                            >It was less than a day ago that you were racing along this path to escape town.

                                            >Not a half mile from the foot of the mountain, a tornado raged. Snow was piling up by the foot, and hail was falling like rocks.

                                            >Not your normal summer.

                                            >The chariot landed and a soldier approached you as the two of you stepped off. "Sirs! We have captured a prisoner!"

                                            >"A Dog got this far?"

                                            >"Advanced scout. Take us to him, son." Vizir said.

                                            >The soldier led the two of you behind the first barricade. A Diamond Dog was trussed up in the corner. "Here he is, sirs."

                                            >"Where'd you find him?"

                                            >"He was hiding behind a hill, watching us erect the barricade. We only spotted him after he dug himself out of the snow." The soldier said.

                                            >"Leave us." Vizir said.

                                            >The soldier trotted away as Vizir stepped towards the Dog. You stopped him halfway.

                                            >"Do you p0nies have "Good cop, Bad cop"?"

                                            >>Vizir gets a glint in his eye. "You might work out after all. You're bad cop, I have a reputation to uphold."

                                            Yeah, not like we have a reputation.

                                            >Don't take his side, brain.


                                            >The two of you walk up to the Dog. It's hands and feet are shackled. It starts to shout. "Not going to talk, ponies! You never mak-"

                                            >"Be quiet mutt. Before I do it myself." you bellow. The cave adding echo to your voice.

                                            >Vizir steps over to the mutt. "You'll have to excuse my friend here. He has had a rough day."

                                            >You flare your nostrils as the dog glances your way. "Why don't you tell me why you're here so that we can all get on with our day?"

                                            >The Dog snorts in Vizir's face. "A shame. Logician?"

                                            >You sit down in front of the dog.

                                            >How are we gonna play this?

                                            I have a plan.

                                            >"I killed Discord. Start talking and I won't do to you what I did to him."

                                            >What.

                                            Roll with it.

                                            >The Dog's eyes flare. "That a lie. No way you kill Discord."

                                            >Vizir interjects. "He did. I saw the wreckage."

                                            >"Talk."

                                            >"H-How!?" The dog shouts.

                                            >"Extreme and excessive violence."

                                            >The Dog audibly gulps. "Dogfather on his way here. Now. Storms not going to slow him down.

                                            >"And why is that?" Vizir asks.

                                            >"Dogfather and other Dogs from Tartarus already dead. They not need to sleep, or eat, and they don't get stopped by weather that isn't tornado."

                                            >You and Vizir glance at each other.

                                            >"He going to hit Canterlot with his army. All living dogs going to catch up and make it harder for you to stop us."

                                            >Vizir has heard enough. He removes the Dog's bindings. "You are free. I recommend you leave this place, we will not be merciful a second time..." he grumbles.

                                            I thought we were bad cop.

                                            >The Dog hops over the barricade and runs to the forest. Vizir turned to his men. "Soldiers! Shore up that barricade! We will be expecting Dogs by nightfall!"


                                            >You ride the chariot with Vizir back to the walls.

                                            >You land to find some contraption waiting for you.

                                            >"What is this, private?" Vizir asked.

                                            >"A countermeasure delivered by the mages, sir. They say it will stop the dogs magic."

                                            >Hmm...

                                            >"So...Anon finally delivered."

                                            >"How does it function?" Vizir asked.

                                            >The private levitates a scroll in front of him. "Apparently, it only needs to be activated by a unicorn. And then it will cancel most magic in a two hundred foot area."

                                            >You look down the city walls. There was a lot of ground to cover...

                                            >"Are they sending more?"

                                            >The private nods. "The note said that they were producing more of them now. They should be here by night watch."

                                            >"Good. I want them erected and operational by midnight. We cannot let the Dogs near this city while they can use their magic."

                                            >You and Vizir step out to the edge of the wall. "This device will help, but I worry about the effect it will have on our defenses."

                                            >"How so?"

                                            >"If this device can disrupt the Dog's magic, it may disrupt our own as well." Vizir laments.

                                            >"Go talk to the mages. If I know Anon, he'll have come up with a solution."

                                            >"You are sure?" Vizir asks as he glances to you.

                                            >You silently nod.

                                            >The two of you stare out over the walls under the dark sky, watching the advancing horde.

                                            >"Think we can beat 'em?"

                                            >Vizir sighs. "I have faced Griffins, Minotaurs, and everything in between. But an army from Tartarus..."

                                            Yeah...

                                            >You can relate...


                                            >You were in bed after the meeting.

                                            >Heavy stuff, getting told that an army was coming for you.

                                            >Lotus was laying her head on your chest, breathing steadily.

                                            >You reached down to brush her hair when she spoke up. "Do you think you can win tomorrow?"

                                            >"I think we can."

                                            >Just had to play it right.

                                            >She shuffled on you. "It's just...I spent the day with Aloe and Caramel at the shelter..."

                                            >She looks you in the eyes. "Everyp0ny is scared Mous. We're all scared that this may be the last night for Canterlot."

                                            >"I know you and Anon and the rest of the guard are going to do everything you can to stop them, but..."

                                            >You pull Lotus on top of your chest and hold her close.

                                            >"Hey now...don't talk like that. I'm not gonna let those dogs take one step inside this city."

                                            >"Sweetheart, you may have taken apart a cult, but even you can't stop an army."

                                            >You look down and meet her gaze.

                                            >"Yeah? Just watch me." you say with a grin.

                                            >Your infectious grin causes Lotus to giggle a bit before she rest her head again."...Mous? If this were your last night on Equestria, where would you want to be most?"

                                            >You hug Lotus close to you.

                                            >"Well, after I spent time with my family? I'd say I'm pretty happy here..."

                                            >Lotus lets her hooves curl around your chest.

                                            >"But...this isn't our last night. Not even close. We're both gonna live long, happy lives once this is done with."

                                            >You bend your knees and scoot Lotus up your chest, the "oop" she makes is adorable.

                                            >"But hey, maybe I'm wrong. So..."

                                            >You pull Lotus in and kiss her, as tenderly as you can.

                                            >"Let's make this "last night" together something to remember..."


                                            -Meanwhile at the foot of the mountain-

                                            >You were The Dogfather.

                                            >These Ponies had thrown the weather at you, and still you came.

                                            >They had thrown tornados at you, and you still came.

                                            >They had sent your army to Tartarus, and still you came.

                                            >They thought some little wooden barricades were gonna stop you?

                                            >"Get dis damn thing outa da way."

                                            >Your soldiers got to work hacking apart the barricade, sending splinters sailing through the air.

                                            >You looked over the mountains, catching the tips of Canterlot's tallest spires over them.

                                            >You were gonna collapse those spires.

                                            >You were gonna knock down the walls and send these ponies back to Tartarus in your place.

                                            >And then you were gonna take the magic away from this kingdom.

                                            >And then you were gonna turn this whole stinking planet into your chew toy.

                                            >You looked up into the sky, it was a full moon again.

                                            >Good. You wanted the Princesses to see you, to see their end commin' for em.

                                            >The wooden barricade began to splinter and crack.

                                            >Yeah...just a bit longer...

                                            >Then you'd show these ponies that your bite was way worse than your bark...