CHAPTER FOUR: CELESTIA’S WRATH
Chaos, if one word could be used to describe a situation like the one in Celestia’s chambers. Chaos would do it justice. Shining Armor had done his best to get those out he could including his parents. Still frightened ponies scrambled for exits, some managed to escape before Celestia blocked them. Pegasus Ponies tried to escape through newly formed holes in the roof, until those two where magically blocked by the princess. Unicorn’s attempted to use magic to teleport out. Somewhere more successful than others. Those unable to escape sought any cover they could in Celestia’s ruined chambers.
Still others like Princess Cadence, Princess Luna, Shooting Star and Twilight Sparkle tried to reason with the Princess. Their pleas fell on deaf ears it was clear Celestia would hear none of it. Though she wanted to stay Luna convinced Cadence and Shining Armor to leave to get help to try to subdue the Princess. Celestia used Alicorn magic to decimate her own chambers. Her chambers where in ruin, the beautiful décor, the handmade beds, where all destroyed. At the center of this The Princess herself, her gentle nature was absent leaving only destruction in her wake. Frightened fillies sobbed at the sight of their beloved Princess wreaking havoc.
Twilight, just watched a knot in her chest, she loved Celestia as if she was her second mother. Twilight wanted to sob! It tore her apart seeing her mentor some pony she knew was a kind and benevolent pony doing this! However the regal mare seemed now intent on destroying whatever was in front of her. Celestia glowed in power as she let lose a powerful blast aimed for her student. With a scream Twilight ducked only to feel nothing. The blast was deflected by a powerful shield.
“Get to safety Twilight Sparkle!” Luna ordered. As she flew away she ordered other ponies to get to safety. While she prepared to do battle with her older sister. She saw Celestia fly towards her and she hit her sending Luna crashing to the ground
Unable to speak for fear of bursting into tears she ducked under a table, where she found an unwelcome sight, of the last thing she wanted to see.
“Look what you did!” Twlight screamed.
“I had nothing to do with this!” The Changeling queen shouted back. “How is any of this my fault? In case you failed to notice she’s trying to kill me as well!”
“You did something.” Twilight replied. “We have to stop her! It’s only a matter of time before some pony gets hurt or worse!”
“You're on your own.” Chrysalis replied. “I’ll send flowers.” She changed to a mouse and quickly scampered away.
Twilight fumed, she looked around and the ponies that didn’t run where hiding behind what they could find. Be it behind over turned tables or other over turned furniture that littered the chamber. Twilight looked sky ward, there was Celestia, and she glowed with power.
“Princess! STOP! Please!” Twilight cried.
The Alicorn simply glared at her and dove down at full speed! Or that was her intention as she was going into her deadly power dive she was consumed by green fire. The fire sent Celestia crashing into the ground mere feet from Twilight. For a reason Twilight was unable to fathom Chrysalis was aiding her.
“You owe me.” Chrysalis said before going to do battle with the princess.
Twilight looked around; she saw Applejack, Rarity and Big Mac already evacuating ponies through a hole in the wall. Twilight allowed a small smile knowing that the farm ponies helped make that escape hole. She looked to the air and saw Rainbow Dash steering ponies that direction.
Why was Celestia not acting? Was Chrysalis doing that good a job in distracting her? Twilight looked towards her mentor and saw the reason. Pinkie Pie and Surprise where jumping around, oblivious to the danger and drawing Celestia’s fire. The two happy ponies cheered in delight convinced they were playing tag with Celestia. Twilight blinked when Chrysalis entered the fray firing bolts of green fire to get Celestia’s attention. Luna herself went back into the fray though she was visibly bleeding for her previous injuries.
“Come on Twilight!” A voice begged. Twilight saw her chubby dragon assistant Spike.
“Leave with the others Spike.” Twilight ordered. “I have to stop the Princess!”
“You and Celestia are the only family I have.” Spike argued. “I want to help!”
“That’s thoughtful Spike.” Twilight admitted. “I don’t know what you can do! I don’t know what I can do! This..This is too big for me!”
“I find that hard to believe.” Shooting star said as she quickly joined Twilight in hiding. The various cuts on her black coat told Twilight she was doing more than Twilight was to stop the madness. “Twilight, I read your reports, I’ve seen what you’ve done for Equestria and its people! You defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord and thwarted a changeling plot!”
“Come on Twi!” Spike urged. “You can do this!”
“Ok.” Twilight said. “We need to ground Celestia, if we get her on the ground I can use the memory spell on her. That might work.”
“Twilight!” Applejack called as she hurried over. “Come on!”
“No.” Twilight said. “I’m staying I have to try to stop her.”
“Well then, Ah might as well lend a hoof.” Applejack reasoned she was joined by her brother Big Macintosh. “Don’t ya worry none Twi we got the other ponies out safe an sound.”
“Spike.” Twilight said to her dragon. “I need you to go with big Macintosh, it’s going to get dangerous in here, and I want you safe.”
“Ok Twilight.” Spike said keeping himself from crying. The small dragon hugged Twilight.
“It’ll be ok.” Twilight assured. “I promise.” With that she levitated Spike onto Big Macintosh’s back.
“Now ya get spike to where Applebloom and her friends are hidin.” Applejack ordered.
“Eeyup.” Macintosh replied and he was off.
“Doncha worry sugar cube.” Applejack assured. “We’re all with ya.”
With that statement she heard a zooming sound and was joined by both Pinkie and Surprise as well as Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Even timid Fluttershy came out of hiding. Of course Applejack and Shooting Star where by her side. Her friends, risked life and limb for her. Twilight looked around the Chamber, Luna was down but fighting her way to her feet. Chrysalis was using Pinkies form and antics to confuse Celestia. Other than that the chamber was clear thanks to her friends.
“Ok girls.” Twilight said. “Here’s what we do.”
XXXXX
‘Last time I offer to help’ Chrysalis thought as she dodged another blast from Celestia. She was using Pinkie’s form and she knew firsthand how off the wall the Pink mare was. All she was doing was dodging magic blast after magic blast, further ruining the chamber. Chrysalis shifted back into her true form, as she was going to fire a blast at Celestia, Luna came back into the fray.
“Sister please!” Luna begged as she used her magic to try to subdue her older sister.
“You’re no sister of mine.” Celestia replied, her voice devoid of any emotion. “Be gone!” She blasted her younger sister, who flew across the chamber, hit the wall and slid down the wall where she landed in an unconscious heap.
Chrysalis saw Twilight and her foolish friends, they were clearly carrying out some sort of plan. Chrysalis knew she had to keep Celestia occupied. That proved to be not a problem as the princess rushed the Changeling queen. She was knocked to the ground with Celestia above her pressing her hooves down on her chest. The Princess’ eyes were still black holes.
Chrysalis then decided to change her form, she became a pony with a yellow coat and a blue mane. “Princess!” She cried in a voice not her own. “Don’t you remember me?”
“How dare you.” Celestia hissed. “You murdered her! You took her place Chrysalis. I’ve hated you ever since, now you turned my kingdom against me!”
“No!” A disguised Chrysalis cried. “It’s really me! I was always her! I was just afraid to tell you!”
As she said those words Applejack who was rushing to get into position paused. “Ah reckon she’s tellin’ the truth.” Applejack said to no one. She shook her head and twirled her lasso.
“ENOUGH!” Celestia screamed using her Royal canterlot accent the volume was enough to shake the room and break any unbroken windows that where left. Before she could bring her hooves down for the fatal blow she found herself caught by a lasso.
Applejack along with Pinkie, Surprise, and Rainbow Dash all pulled while Rarity just watched. Chrysalis took the opportunity to get out of there while she still could.
“Rarity!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash yelled.
“I’ll get all icky.” Rarity whined.
“For Pete’s sake!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Pull Rarity!”
“Fine!” Rarity huffed. With the added effort Celestia was thrown to the ground. Wasting no time the five mares jumped on the Princess while the two Unicorns cast the spell. The Alicorn was too powerful, she was able to shake the smaller ponies off her, sending them in various directions. Shooting Star met a hoof to the side of her head, the unicorn crumpled to the ground barley conscious.
Desperate Twilight tried her hardest, the memory spell was her last and only hope. In a desperate lunge Twilight found herself on her mentor’s back, not questioning her luck she touched horns. Before she found herself getting thrown from Celestia’s back. Twilight then got nailed with Celestia’s back hooves and sailed through the air before impacting against the wall. Twilight tried to get up but her strength failed and she collapsed to the ground unconscious.
Celestia looked around, the five who dared hold her down where starting to recover. “Now I’ll make my point.” She said in her emotionless voice.
“Don’t! You! Dare!” A voice yelled. That voice belonged to Fluttershy and she was furious. The pale yellow Pegasus hovered in front of Celestia. “You might be the Princess of all of Equestria, but you do not! I repeat you do NOT! Hurt! My! FRIENDS! Look at what you did! Are you proud of yourself?”
Celestia looked around, then and only then did it come crashing down to her. She sank to the ground like an enormous weight was just placed on her. It was only then that her eyes returned to their natural color “What did I do?” she whispered.
Fluttershy was next to her in an instant. “It’s ok Princess.” Fluttershy assured her. “I’m sure you just lost control.”
Celestia only gave a slight nod, she noticed Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Surprise, Pinkie and Rarity where on their hooves though Rarity was sitting for an odd reason. Luna was on her hooves as well, Chrysalis was nowhere to be seen, but all the remaining ponies looked at her. The looks ranged from mistrust to pity. She then saw Shooting Star standing over something, she looked at the Princess her look radiated anger.
“How could you?” She whispered. The Princess saw what she spoke of. The tears flew freely. Her student her prized student lay unconscious and beaten. No words found their way to her mouth as all she did was sob! The majestic mare crumbled to the ruined floor weeping uncontrollably.
Celestia wondered at that moment who the true monster was. Chrysalis or herself?