=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...