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Balboa Shag -In an Off the Radar Location-Forty Miles Away from the Famine Ridden Appleloosa-
1630 Hours
So after Balboa was given a demonstration of the FireSpell bomb in which he expressed desire for a much bigger explosion, he continued to speak to the mook-ish lab ponies.
"Yes sir, we will be aiming for increasing the range, power, and duration of the FireSpell," One of them nodded at Balboa who clopped a hoof as from out of nowhere a bottle of water with a straw was levitated in front of him as he took a sip.
The FireSpell Bomb, was a magically engineered weapon of destruction. It took large quantities of raw unicorn magic and old dark zebra magic, usually leaving the suppliers drained for weeks. It was so powerful that it had to be contained in a strong shell, a unique almost alien metal capable of withstanding from being consumed from the raw dark magic. In theory it would be capable of devastating entire cities with a few well placed drops. Capable of bypassing most the strongest of magical and physical shields. Worst, were the theorized after effects of the poisonous magic that would seep into a pony killing them from the inside out in a matter of days. Life would no longer exist in the radius of its impact zone. In theory.
What Balboa witnessed wasn't even a fraction of what the end product was expected to be, in materials, power, and size.
The three stallions were then approached by a glasses toting mare in a lab coat that covered her cutie mark. She had an access badge with a level five clearance, and a tag indicating she was the director in charge of this facility.
Balboa eyed the minty colored mare with a pistachio colored mane that showed a few streaks of grey. Frankly, Balboa was more into the younger mares, but this pony was easy on the eyes.
"Mmm, I thought we put up a policy to not allow the riff raff in," The mare coolly stated with an upturn muzzle.
"Then we would both be removed my dear," He said with an unperturbed smirk. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Miss Menthol Ice," He nodded with a mock bow.
"Balboa," She simply said as if though his name disgusted her tongue.
"So cold," He smirked. He glanced at her and then gestured with his head to the two generic unicorn ponies. She sighed and directed them to leave the two alone. The unicorns nodded obediently and left the room, along with the random unicorn of Balboa's who carried his drink.
"So Balboa, I'm sure you heard the rumors in Canterlot, with your resources there's no way you don't know what the Princess Luna has for breakfast everyday," Menthol Ice 'conversationally' said with a flick of her mane.
"Maybe, then again I hear rumors every day, ponies do love their gossip," He coyly said with a flirty smirk that Menthol just scoffed at.
"I know you know what I'm referring to Balboa," She lowered her voice to a hushed whisper. "The rumors of the return of the sun princess."
"Yes."
"Oh?"
"Why yes, why else would I be putting so much time and money in the research and development of a weapon we could defend our beloved Equestria with?"
"Defending Equestria with a weapon capable of unleashing massive devastation. And here I thought you were just planning a hostile take over for Equestria herself," Menthol snarked.
"Oh pish posh my dear, how cruel of you to think of me as such a pony. I have only the best intentions for my Equestria. I like to think of myself as the unsung guardian."
"Oh dear, and to think I almost believed your horse manure there," She said as they walked into her private office. She sat down behind her desk as Balboa took a comfy seat cushion for himself in front of it. Menthol produced a manilla envelope and pushed it toward Balboa with her hoof. He casually placed his hoof next to hers and brushed it as he pulled the envelope toward him. She rewarded him with a scowl, in which he chuckled. "I am curious though, if you are indeed acting on the behalf of Equestria in the creation of this super weapon, just from whom are you protecting it from?" Menthol was more than aware that Equestria had many enemies, but she was curious on Balboa's bullmanure answer.
"That is a good question my dear," He said placing both hooves on the manilla envelope. "As anypony knows, poor Equestria has enemies inside and out. Gryphons, zebras, moose, hippogriffs etc, and then of course all those stupid factions within Equestria that want to take her down.
During the Endless Summer, Iron Hoof's reign of tyranny only further worsened Equestria's relations with her enemies and not just the ones from within. We were at arms with the zebras and gryphons, and even the moose tried to start manure even after the peace treaty of theirs, but really I don't blame those big oafs. Iron Hoof desired their resources, all of them to continue to strengthen her army, her empire, her reign. Equestria could have been a superpower dominating the entire world under pony rule.
But our enemies weren't about to just bow down to any pastel colored equine overlords. Particularly the zebras, who began to tap into their dark and foul magicks and began to develop spells that could devastate many parts of Equestria. Like our dear Appaloosa, its been seven years and Appaloosa is still not able to produce any food on their land. They must rely on importing their food and water.
Princess Luna realized the threat that the zebras were and more so when the Gryphons began to align themselves with the striped equines. Imprisoning Celestia in the sun was not just just an action of love to stop her sister from her tyrannical ways, but it was also a gesture for peace. With Iron Hoof imprisoned, the zebras agreed to an armistice so as long as Iron Hoof remained imprisoned. However, throughout the years, my intelligence had informed me that the zebras never quite stopped researching powerful magicks and had even began to look into their dark ancient magicks forgotten to most of Equestria.
Cut to present day. If the rumours hold true that Celestia was freed from her sunny prison, regardless if whether or not she's changed, I fear that the zebras might take this as a gesture to an end of the armistice and accuse Luna of breaking her word. And then, use this as an excuse to go to war with Equestria, but this time, they would be prepared for the power of the goddesses.
I simply desire for Equestria to have the tools and weapons to defend herself with. AND, with the FireSpell Bomb, we may never even have to fight. Believe me when I say that the *threat* of utter annihilation with one fell swoop can go a long way. Because frankly, I have no desire to bow down to any new striped overlords." Balboa smirked and sighed cheekily.
"Bravo Balboa," Menthol smirked and shook her head and clopped her hooves together twice. "You know, I would almost believe you, IF, this project had not been in the works for months, way before any rumors or signs of Princess Celestia being freed from the sun.
Balboa kept his cocky smirk and shrugged. "Would you believe me if I said I had great insight?"