//------------------------------// // Stand Off // Story: That Which was Lost // by LadyRFC //------------------------------// “Can you tell if it's going well?” Sally looked over at Rarity, who was managing to stand up for the sake of the princess' speech that was due to start any minute now. Pinkie Pie had done well. The lawn was full of ponies, even unicorns from the palace and a few off duty pegasus were in attendance. They had been filtering in slowly for the past half hour, casting weary and nervous glances towards the changlings that stayed back near the princess and the caves so as not to further intimidate their guests. Princess Lily stood on a raised platform, waiting for a small signal from the changling next to her to signal the speech’s beginning. “I assume you mean if I can tell my kind are doing well with their other tasks?” Sally asked. Rarity nodded, too tense now at the event's opening to speak much. If even one scary thing were to happen now they would lose everything. Sally shook her head. “I can tell you only generally what they're feeling. The group helping the security is... rushed? It seems we've been spotted.” “Really?” The unicorn squeaked, looking over at her. Sally smiled thinly. “My kind are quite agile. They can handle themselves fine, even in the dark.” “Oh,” Rarity produced a rather shaky smile of her own, “of course.” Sally tilted her head. “As for Sprint and our queen... Hm. Tension. They might have been found out as well.” Rarity used every bit of her self control to not begin pacing right there in front of the stage. Now was not the time for nervous action. “Discord!” she hissed. A small pop sounded near her and a most bizarre looking changling, his features lopsided and with only one fang overhanging his lip instead of two, walked up to her side. “What now?” Rarity blinked, still not used to the odd disguise. It was odd enough for her to find changlings somewhat normal now. She really couldn't re-categorize Discord into the 'tried and true' drawer so quickly. “Sally says both parties are under some stress. Can't you -” “Stress?” Discord echoed with a snort. “You wanna know about stress? Try to keep all of this running and defend our backside with a complete anti-magic shield!” Sally matched Rarity's frown. “Magic shield?” Discord rolled his blue changling eyes dramatically. “Of course! What do you think the unicorn army's been up to? They hoped to bust in here while your friends were guarding our front.” Rarity groaned softly, closing her eyes. She really hadn't expected it to get this bad this fast. “But your shield is holding?” Sally asked, surprisingly calm. Discord gave her an offended look. “As if I could be bested by mere ponies! Of course it's holding up. I'm a draconiquus, not some half-wit just graduated from magic school.” “How long can you hold it though?” Rarity asked, casing her gaze about the gathering crowd. It was nearly time. Discord was silent for half a beat. “If they keep up the same kinds of attacks they been up to for the past fifteen minutes... I'll last an hour. Maybe.” Rarity looked at him with large eyes. “That's -” Discord backed up a few steps, eyes glazed over. “Curses.” Immediately he popped away again. The unicorn exchanged a worried look with Sally. “How much time do we need for this?” Sally asked. Rarity watched the changling beside the princess nod sharply, Lily taking a few steps closer towards the crowd on her platform. “More than we have.” –------------ “Woah!” Rainbow ducked quickly, reversing her wings' trust to back up. A black blur rushed past her, knocking the wind out of the guard that was gunning for her. She watched the changling check to see if the guard landed safely before it rushed off towards Blue Flame's position. With no clear enemy in sight for the moment, she headed towards ground, praying they hadn't thought to send any unicorns in this direction yet. It took her a few moments, but eventually she spotted Applejack kicking back rocks towards some stocky earth pony sentries, holding them back and even causing a few to give up and return towards the city. “Need any help?” Rainbow asked. Applejack paused mid-barrage, sweat dripping off her brow. “You think... I can't... handle it?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow as her friend gulped in air rapidly. Applejack managed a bashful smile. “Uh, yeah, that'd... be much... appreciated.” Smiling, the blue pegasus raced towards the earth ponies at full speed, rushing by them so fast they were pulled after her in the air current, tumbling around on the ground. She circled back towards her friend who was still catching her breath. “How... is it up... there?” she gasped. Rainbow tried to shrug, but her wings were already beginning to sting, so she refrained. “Not as bad as it could be.” Applejack sighed, finally breathing a bit slower. “Meaning it's just as bad as it is down here.” She caught sight of one of the changlings nearby, scaring off another pegasus guard who was flying low to avoid Blue Flame and his soldiers. “Ah was worried about them at first,” she admitted, looking sideways at her friend. Rainbow gave a sigh of her own. “Yeah. They're pretty good in the air, too. I guess they aren't all that bad.” “If this here plan succeeds -” “When it succeeds,” Rainbow corrected. Applejack rolled her eyes, but smiled. “When it succeeds, Ah think Ah'll introduce myself to the ones that're helpin' me out now. And thank em.” Rainbow shrugged and flinched. “I guess I'll do the same. Maybe. If I have time.” They both looked up as a thump echoed down from the burnt orange sky. Another round of pegasus were trying to get in. No doubt a few from the first waves had recovered and joined the backup as well. “Back to work,” Rainbow sighed. She looked at her friend squarely. “Are you alright down here?” Applejack looked around her at the moving shadows dashing here and there. “Ah think they've got me well covered. For now. But Twilight's gotta hurry. We can't keep this up forever.” Rainbow nodded grimly before shooting back up, her wings screaming for a rest.