Frozen Equestria

by Flashburn37

Chapter 25: The Siege of Cantorlot

Chapter 25: The Siege of Cantorlot

"Unicorns to the towers! Archers to the walls! Guards to your posts!" Twilight ordered her troops. The Freezers were lined up, just out of range. The Windigos circled high above in the clouds. Her soldiers in place Twilight flew up to the throne room. "Princess Luna? Princess Celestia? The Freezers are on our doorstep, we need you down there." The room was dark and seemed empty.

"... so the reinforcements can't arrive for two more days, but, with luck, we will outnumber them. If only slightly." A voice emanated from a hallway.

"We are glad to hear it." Celestia coughed as she walked into the room.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight squeed. "Your better!"

"You are?" One confused monarch inquired.

Twilight's left eye twitched a bit as she explained, "Wh-why I'm Twilight Sparkle, don't you recognize me?"

"Twilight... Twilight... Oh, Our student! Luna told Us We had another under Our wing after Starswirl... Sorry, but due to a malfunction We lost some of Our memories."

"Oh..." Twilight noticed a pegasus next to Celestia in armor. "Hello, I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, who are you?"

"I'm... I'm... North Star... your highness." He shied away from her offered hoof shake.

"You remind me of one of my friends..."

"Oh... well... I'm Fluttershy's cousin..."

"Ah, that explains it. Princess, the enemy has reached our wall. Just seeing you would be a great morale boost for the troops. Where is Princess Luna?"

"She had the same idea as thee. She is out there on her chariot raising spirits."

"I must get back, I hope your memories return soon, Highness."

"As do... I..." Celestia shivered. "That will take getting used to."

***

"Greetings Cantorlot!" Evandra called out from above her army. "I have no quarrel with you, We seek simply to release you from the tyranny of Celestia, and destroy the mockery of a once great Alicorn. Turn Celestia and Luna over, and we shall depart in peace! We give you thirty minutes to accept these terms before we destroy the entire city without hesitation! We will allow the young Twilight Sparkle to live, as well as the Draconiquis Discord, she cannot be held responsible for the misfortune of being raised by these terrible fiends and he is of no consequence! You have half an hour to bring out Celestia and Luna, not to decide to, and that time begins now!" She flew back to the safety of her Armies.

"Oh no... " Twilight breathed. She looked into the windows of the homes behind her, Nobles already were scurrying to betray their Princesses. Twilight knew what she had to do. She flew to where all could see her and amplified her voice, so all could hear. "Citizens of Cantorlot! In this time of crisis the bonds loyalty and friendship may seem secondary to the need to survive, but I swear to you that over the last few years, they were the avenue through which survival was possible! If we bend to this, terrorist, and relinquish or Princesses, we will be crippled when she turns on us! And she will! Think of all they have done to protect us! Who would we be to not protect them now? I bid thee fight! Ponies of Equestria! For Peace! For Harmony! For our Families and Friends! For Freedom! And for Equestria!" The armies cheered and the cowardly nobles hid themselves away into their homes. Twilight looked at those around her, they were going to fight simply because of what she had said. What if Evandra had been telling the truth? How many are now going to die, because of what she said? She hoped she made the right decision. And as she looked at the frozen tundra that was her home, she doubted she could have made the wrong choice. "Spike... hurry back to the throne room. They may need you there."

"But Twilight..." He whimpered.

Tears brimmed up in her eyes as she sent her number one assistant to relative safety. "Go Spike! You must hurry!" Her voice almost cracked and after his scaly form was out of sight she wondered if she would ever see him again...

***

Scootaloo sauntered through the refugee camp, all these ponies had fled the smaller towns to try and find safety here. How wrong they were. She sighed, too many had fled here. She saw a few familiar faces, Diamond Tiara, Pip, even Snips and Snails had thought they'd be safe here. None recognized her though, as she kept her hood low. She felt a hoof on her shoulder.

"Howdy Scoot!" She turned and saw AppleBloom sitting there in a chainmail shirt holding a sword and wearing a red cape. Smiling. At a time like this. "Sweetie! I foun' her! How ya been? I haven' seen you fer... years!"

"Life has been hard, but I survive."

"I cain unnerstan' that. Las' winter, we ran outta money and had ta borrow some from Twi. We had a slim harvest ya see. We tried to pay her back, but you know Twi. "I don't need the money, I get my expenses paid by Princess Celestia." an all that."

"Applebloom... what are you doing here?"

"Big Mac and I got some help after AJ had to leave, so we finished harvest early an' I heard about all that was happenin' here. So, I decided ta help."

"Wait... you enlisted! What were you thinking!?"

"Nah, I ain't much fer joinin'. They said I could volunteer an' leave whenever I wanted to, I kinda thought you might wanna too. Seein' how this is where you live an' all. I bumped into Sweetie an' Babs an' they agreed. Sweetie even made these capes."

"Screw that! I'm just gonna wait out the storm, calm and comfy in the caves thanks!"

Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed trotted up at that moment. They were attired in a similar fashion to Applebloom. Sweetie had an extra cloak, sword, and chainmail. "Hey! It looks like the gang all together again!" Babs laughed, "Hey Scoot, long time no see!"

"Hey Babs..."

"So, what's goin' on?" Babs asked.

Scootaloo was cut off by Applebloom who sadly said. "I was jus' tellin' her about our plan."

"So what do you think Scoot?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Cutie Mark Crusaders, Crusaders?"

Scootaloo was about to decline and inform them that they were all feather brained, when she thought back to all their adventures, and thought of them charging into battle without her... What if one of them got hurt and it was because she wasn't there? Applebloom began to say, "She already said n..."

A little part of Scootaloo that she thought had died long ago was reborn and immediately forced her to speak up, "Of course! Hooves in! On three!"

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Babs smiled as they hoof bumped and called out, "Cutie Mark Crusaders, Crusaders!"

***

"Your time is up! I guess you don't know what she's done! Her brainwashing must have been stronger than I thought... Very well, if you refused to be saved, you will be DESTROYED! BRING IN THE OUR GATE KEY!" Evandra laughed wickedly. The ball of fire rolled faster and faster until it collided into the gate.

Twilight stared in awe as the wood burnt and metal melted. She shook back into focus and yelled, "Unicorns! Archers! Stop that thing! Fire all you have!" She charged up and fired a blast but it was intercepted by a Freezer's spell. Most of her unicorn regiment's shots were blocked and those that did hit didn't do enough damage. The arrows were almost pointless as the burnt to a crisp before even penetrating the surface. Twilight glanced around looking for a solution. She saw a pony holding a spear that was shooting lightning into the orb... "That must be the power source..." She Shot a blast that ricocheted off a Freezer's shield and hit the spear from behind, knocking it into the orb which dissipated... too late though. The gate was destroyed.

Evandra laughed maniacally as her victory was at hoof, "Charge! Bring me Cantorlot! I want it razed to the ground!"

"Enough chatter..." Twilight shot a blast at Evandra, she dodged easily but it stopped her laughing at least. "Bro, we are going to need to get that spear. If they use it again... we may not be able to stop it."

"Follow me Twilly. I know a way to get down there without being seen." Twilight cocked her head in surprise. "Don't look so confused. I was Captain of the Royal Guard. Oh and I'd sneak out to see Cadence..." He smiled. "This way. I think I see where it may be going." They looked at a trail of smoke slashing through the city.

***

"Here we go!" Scootaloo screamed as the gate fell. She saw a figure in a green scarf pick up a spear and drop into the city, heading for the palace. "Crusaders, we need to fight toward that pony. They took down the gate and are headed for the palace!"

"A'right Scoot! Charge!" Applebloom bellowed as Freezers dropped through the hole in the gate. They fought their way to the other side of the courtyard, sometimes ducking friendly fire.

"I know we aren't in the same uniform but seriously!" Sweetie squeaked as a blast zinged right over her horn. A blade was about to strike Applebloom but Sweetie caught it and blasted them with a rough stun spell. "I'm not used to offensive magic!"

"Comon, we gotta hurry to the palace!" Babs urged them.

"I know a faster way!" Scootaloo told them as she lifted up a manhole.

"The sewers?" Sweetie frowned.

"Trust me!" Scootaloo jumped in and was followed by the rest. They landed on a strange board and Scootaloo stood holding on to a handle. "It's a bit bigger now, but I still got my Scooter!" She tossed them all some helmets. "Let's go!" And she buzzed them through the underground that she knew so well.

***

"Are you sure it can do all you claim?" Celestia doubted.

"Yes, we just don't have the magic to use it... well, you two do. But we don't." Data Core explained.

"We have used it once before Sister." Luna reassured her. "Ready the strike."

"We have a lock on the Freezer supply caravan. Fire at will." Powerhacks confirmed. Celestia nodded at Luna and they charged their horns together...

High above the planet, a satellite floated. Slowly a light grew on it until a beam of energy shot forth towards the ground. It struck a cart bearing fruits and vegetables with such a might that they exploded in a fiery display of epic proportions. "We have a hit!" Swift Code cheered. "Targeting the next cart!"

"This is quite tiring..." Celestia huffed, "But We must say, effective! Hurry! We haven't much time! We must destroy as much of their food as possible!" Spike patrolled outside the door, ready to warn them of enemy encroachments.

***

Twilight and Shining Armor dropped down from the wall into the garden where the Grand Galloping Gala had been held. "Seems like forever since I was here last..." Twilight mused.

"We have to hurry!" Shining Armor pushed her. "We don't have much time before that pony gets to the palace!" They galloped into the building and stopped in their tracks. Burn marks covered the walls and piles of ash littered the floor. Standing atop the staircase was a familiar form with a spear and green scarf flanked by two unfamiliar ones. "Stop! In the name of Celestia I challenge you to armed combat to the death!" Shining Armor screamed as he readied his spear.

"HAHAHA! You dare challenge the mighty Flashburn!? Freezer scum!?" Flashburn taunted in a dark voice. "You will die in an instant!" Flashburn unleashed a torrent of flame that smashed against Shining's shield. "Okay... maybe not an instant! But you will still die!"

"Twilly... please step in... I can't hold him forever..."

"This isn't like Flash..." She looked at his two companions, one was a tall dark ground pony with a claymore... he fit Absol's description.... but he seemed different somehow. The other was a unicorn who paid her no head. They were focused on a spell! Their horn was glowing blue... but what were they manipulating? She looked around until something odd about Flash caught her eye... His boots were metal greaves... and his eyes were glowing blue. "I know what I must do!" She grabbed her brother's spear and teleported behind the unicorn. "I'm sorry!" She plunged the spear through the unicorn's heart and, as her horn flickered... Flash stopped casting his spell.

"Pony feathers..." Absol cursed. He ran up to Flash and raised his sword high. Flash spun and and blasted him into the wall with lightning from the spear. "We were right! The spear really has Unlimited POWER!"

Shining Armor dropped his shield with a sigh of relief as Twilight said, "Flash... Am I glad you're back to normal..." She was caught off guard when Flash turned around with bright red eyes and laughed he raised the spear and blasted Shining with it. He shot Twilight with a burst if flame. In her surprised state she barely had time to block most of it, let alone fly. She tumbled down the stairs and looked up at Flash. "But... why?"

Flash laughed. "Now I can truly be free! They may have lied to me... maybe you aren't Freezers, and they were the whole time, but just like them you have done nothing, but hold... me... back..." He cackled madly. "Prepare to meet your doom!" He fired a sphere of fire that Twilight knew would finish her... and as she closed her eyes she just wished... she could have seen Spike, one more time. She sat there... but no burning sensation came.

"I will kill you if you touch her!" Twilight opened her eyes and there in front of her, where four little fillies she knew from a long time ago.

Flashburn laughed. "What is this? Scootaloo? Your petty thieves guild come to save the day?"

Applebloom, and Babs guffawed, "You run the Cantorlot Cutpurses!? I'm impressed" Babs complemented her.

"So not them, let's see... Sweetie Belle... Scootaloo... and two I don't know... This must be the Cutie Mark Crusaders! Only... Scoot... You're the only real member now, aren't you? Cutie Markless freak!" Flash laughed.

"Flash!" Scootaloo yelled as she charged. He met her ferocity with his own, blasting her into the wall.

"Scoot!" Applebloom cried. "Cutie Mark Crusaders Charge!" They three charged him but the power of the spear was too much and the fell down the stairs one at a time.

"Now Twilight, where were we? Oh yes... Time to die, Princess!" He charged up his horn and smirked.

***

Spike paced relentlessly when he felt a familiar sickening of his stomach. He couldn't help it... He belched up into the air and a small box fell before him. He opened it. Inside laid for green boots and a note. It read "The order of Four Custom Boots, As promised. And remember us for you're next cobbler need!" Spike smirked, they used the wrong your. Oh well... "Flash, if you're out there... you'd want these." He breathed fire unto them and the disappeared, magically floating towards their destination. "Good luck Flash."

***

"Now Twilight, where were we? Oh yes... Time to die, Princess!" Flash began to enact a true display of his talent. By destroying an Alicorn he would know great power! He began to laugh when four objects fell next to him. He looked at the ground and sitting there... were his boots! "MY BOOTS!" He ripped off his greaves to put on his lovely boo... "Oh..."

***

Flash had began to laugh again as Twilight once again accepted her fate. He stopped suddenly and yelled "MY BOOTS!" He ripped off his greaves and... just stopped. "Oh..." He sat down, and just stared.

Twilight got up and limped towards him. He sat there eyes wide, clutching the spear and his scarf. His eyes wide... and blank... without feeling or consciousness. "Flash?" He immediately turned toward her a tear rolling down his cheek.

"It will make them forget? It will make it all better?" His horn glowed a second and then he was gone. Twilight looked at the greave he had removed before he left, the only one not to follow him. Inside of it was a rusty horseshoe... It radiated a powerful dark magic.

"Oh Flash... No..." She heard an explosion and was reminded of not only the war but her wounded friends. She ran to the closest which happened to be Babs. "Are you okay?" She moved her so that any internal injuries would not be worsened by how she lay, then looked around... Absol was missing... she then rushed to Sweetie Belle, "Are you okay?"

Sweetie rolled over slightly and shakily stood up, "Yeah... he only hit me with a glancing blow... ugh... You go help Scootaloo, I'll help Shining Armor." She limped towards Shining who was already getting up. "Never mind, I'll check AppleBloom."

Twilight knelt by Scootaloo, "Are you okay?" She picked her up and began to check her wounds. Flash had hit her square on the chest, luckily her armor stopped most of the damage, but it was mainly her head Twilight was concerned about. She hit it rather hard against the wall and her mane was damp. "Scootaloo... Come on, I need you to wake up. Head injuries are tricky you need to wake up and stay up for at least twenty four hours while under supervision." Twilight charged her horn and cast a healing spell, not her expertise but something she had learned.

"Ow... my head..." Scootaloo groaned.

"Oh good, you're awake. Thank you Scootaloo, your efforts saved my and my brother's lives. But we are at war, it is not safe here can you stand?"

"I can try..." Scootaloo shakily got up. "Ow... my chest got burned bad... Well, knowing Flash it could have been worse..."

Twilight saw AppleBloom stand up, she had been hit directly but, due to her ground ponies tenacity and resistance to magic, had hardly a scratch on her. "You four need to find a way out of here, you are all too injured to fight. You've done your part. Thank you. Shining, we need to stop the Windigos, can your shield repel them?"

"In my current state only for a few hours."

"Now hold on jist a minute!" AppleBloom interrupted.

"A few hours is better than nothing, we need to get you to a tower."

"Ah said, hold on!"

"What is it AppleBloom?" Twilight asked.

"We aint Fillies no more! If yer stayin' we are too! Right Crusaders?"

"YEAH!" They all affirmed.

"But you are too heavily injured and there will be no way out!" Twilight scolded them.

"So are you." Scootaloo pointed out. As she wrapped her head with a bandage torn from her cloak. "Besides once that shield goes up you'll become a target. You'll need protecting."

Twilight saw their stubborn expressions, they wouldn't take no for an answer and she didn't have time to argue. "Fine... just be careful okay?" They nodded, except Scootaloo who would get a head ache if she did. They rushed up the stairs toward the peak of the tower and ran out to a balcony. The sight that met them was terrifying to behold, fire and smoke like a gash ran from the gate to the palace, Windigos dived through the streets leaving behind layers of ice and frost. Everywhere a Windigo went, the Equestrian Armed Forces lost ground as their hopes were drained. "Shining Armor, engage!"

"Yes... your Highness." He winked at her and cast his spell. A magical barrier repelled the Windigos blasting them back, but they charged back ferociously attacking the shield. "I can hold them for two hours at this rate... If Cadence could hold back Sombra, I can hold back Windigos!" It was at this point an arrow whizzed by and stuck fast into the wall beside them.

"Girls hold the stairs! I'll stop the arrows!" Twilight ordered. Twilight readied herself and created a barrier of her own. Three more arrows flew from the enemy below and clattered harmlessly away.

"I've been in this tower before..." Scootaloo whispered under her breath. She looked around and saw a familiar tapestry... she knew how they could all escape. "Alright, AB, what's the plan?"

"Well, we all have swords... Let's jus' fight anypony tha' comes up."

"Wait, I have a plan." Babs interjected. "See any furniture around?"

"There's a bench over by the Princess... why?" Sweetie asked.

"Alright, tous two, Squeaky and Apple," Babs began.

"It's Sweetie!" Sweetie Squeakily Squeaked.

"I knows, I was just givin' ya a cool name. Now Sweetie and Apple, you two hold the door, Scooter, I need you to help me lift the bench."

"Alright..."

As Babs and Scootaloo struggled with the heavy bench the first three Freezers charged up the stairs. Sweetie caught one's hoof as the stallion raised his blade too high and AppleBloom bucked him like an apple tree into the others. Then four more scampered up. "Um... Babs? We need help!" AppleBloom yelled.

"Now! Heave! Move AB and Sweets!" They barely had time to get out of the way as the heavy oak bench flew through the air and down the stairs landing on two of the Freezers who caught it before falling down the stairs under it.

Twilight looked at the battlefield before her... they were outnumbered, outponyed, and outmatched... whereas the Freezers had been training for generations, Equestria had lived in peace for centuries... Evandra flew up high and began turning her might against Shining Armors shield... Once the Windigos got in they'd be doomed... She knew what she must do.

She amplified her voice so all could hear, "Equestrian Armed Forces! Retreat! Retreat to the Palace!" She stopped her spell... "How can we get them all out?"

"I have a way Princess..." Scootaloo began. "I run with a group that know the Catacombs better than any else... There is an entry to them in the Palace, we could retreat through there. I doubt any Freezer even knows they exist!"

Twilight thought it over, "That's an excellent idea... I won't ask how you know of these Catacombs or who you run with. Just help me save my ponies." Twilight teleported them into the sealed section of the Palace where her armies waited.

***

"We are too tired to continue..." Celestia panted. "It is time to rejoin our forces in the Palace."

"Actually we have a way out." Data Core told them. "That is if it ready?"

"I finished it a few minutes ago. It should be safe for use." Power Hacks affirmed.

"Should?" Swift Code questioned.

"Well, I'm still iffy on how the inertia and G-Force will react... but it is definitely fast enough! No Freezer will be able to hit us!"

"What are you speaking of?" Luna asked.

"I've taken to calling it... pause for dramatic effect... Big Fire Can! But it will be renamed later... Follow me." Power Hacks led them into a chamber that looked out to the other side of the mountain through a long smooth cave like tunnel. Resting nearby was a large metal object with fins. It was semi conical but a little flat. "Get in." He smiled.

"Alright..." Both the Princesses stepped into the small door. Swift Code and Data Core loaded up their computer targeting system.

"We destroyed everything else so the Freezers won't get our tech, or notes. We'll have to start from scratch but... We'd rather that than have them get their grubby little hooves all over it!" Data Core sobbed.

"Thank you, all of you... I understand how difficult burning your life's work must've been." Clestia bowed to them.

"Strap in!" Power Hacks yelled from the front of the Fire Can. "We are going for a ride!" After seeing they had all buckled their harnesses he pulled a lever and the whole thing began to shake. "A bit of magic if you would Princesses? Just to kick start it, I found this new fuel that works great but it needs a spark to start 'er up!" Immediately after their horns glowed they shot forward faster than they thought possible. "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"OH MY LUNA! LUNA! CAN I FORGET THIS TOO!?" Celestia screamed in panic.

"YOU SAID "I"! THAT'S GOOD PROGRESS!!! OH MY CELESTIA!!! Luna screamed in panic.

"THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE TRUST YOU WITH ANYTHING ALONE POWER HACKS!!!" Data Core screamed.

"IT WORKS AT LEAST!" He screamed back.

***

Twilight was the last to leave through the dark tunnel under the city, out of the thousand under her command, only two hundred survived. She heard a gigantic explosion coming from higher in the Palace, and the great doors being broken through. She sealed the doors as the clip clop of galloping soldiers could be heard.

***

Flashburn sat in the snow, unsure of what was real or not. He kicked of the heavy greaves and stared angrily out into the frozen wastes of Equestria... He clutched the spear Auto had given him... or had it been Absol? He didn't care... he just glared at the land before him. Angry at the world. Angry at himself. Angry at everypony. Then he screamed at the top of his lungs until his voice was hoarse. The he rage dispelled was replaced by a crushing sorrow. He cried longer than he cared to remember, until a large eruption from the city, miles away, snapped him out of it. He looked around and saw his boots. He smiled. "It's not so bad... At least I have my boots... If only I could find my hat... Why do I have a scarf!? Where's my cloak!?" He stopped. He needed to find Auto... He remembered their alternative rendezvous point! "I will make it all better! I swear!" He wondered if he actually believed it.

***

"Absol! You have failed me again!" Evandra yelled as sat angrily in her new throne never happy...

Author's Note:

Well this certainly is exciting is it not? Thanks for reading and please tell me stuff!

Oh and North Star, is a friend's OC I threw in with permission. Her name is Yuki Anisa on Deviantart. Or at least I think it is, she stopped talking to me... Or did I stop talking to her? I dunno.