• Published 29th Mar 2016
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To Build an Army - Tree Time



When her town is taken over by changelings, one mare's plan to save her sister will take her to a time and place were Sombra's return went unchallenged until it was too late.

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Chapter 8: Home Coming

We stared to walk toward the village. “How many?” Luna asked.

“Many, well over a thousand,” Golden replied.

“Golden why just say that now? How are just the five of them supposed to defeat over a thousand changelings?”

She looked at me surprised, “you have never heard the stories of Luna's battles in the time before ponies?”

“No... I never found a book on that.” I admitted sheepishly.

Luna smiled, “I am glad somepony remembers the stories of old.”

I looked down at my hooves, “Golden did the sun move?”

“Yes, when Celestia fought King Sombra's shadow. She moved it.”

I shook my head, I could have sworn my shadow had moved significantly from when I had arrived on the hill, to now.

“Form a perimeter sisters,” Luna ordered. The four bat ponies split formation and sprang into the air, fanning out to each of the four corners of the town. “You two with me. You are to say in my sight at all times.” We nodded.

We made our way towards the centre of the still town. Luna's eyes darted around scanning for signs of movement. We reached a statue of a large bunch of grapes in the centre of town. Luna stopped. Her horn glowing midnight blue. Without warning, she leaped into the air, unleashing a blast of blue light just meters from were Golden and I were standing. The blast hit the ground, sending bits of rock and dirt flaying. I watched as the dust cleared. From within the hole I could see a mass of green hexagonal crystals. An angry buzzing swelled from within the underground hive. Luna let another ball of dark blue light fly into the black reaches of the changeling nest. From all around us ponies started to emerge from their homes. They bared their teeth, eyes flashing green. Luna rose higher into the air, an unnatural night falling over the town with her ascent. The changeling dropped their vales, sending blasts of magic at Luna.

She wheeled, rolling through the volley of light like an expert dancer. Her horn glowed as multiple rays shot out, striking the changelings. Each time there was a small hissss and the black bug pony vanished in a flash of blue light. Seeing the tied of battle turn against them, a swarm of over a hundred changeling took to the air. The dark sky flashed with green light as the bug ponies dawned the skin of pegasi. The night guard were ready. They dove into the oncoming swarm, darting and wheeling like bats in the night. The vale of any changeling that neared a them fizzled out, and with a swift hoof strike, the bug pony was banished in a blue flash. “We move on to the hive, ” Luna ordered us, as she sent another hoof full of changeling to whatever awaited them on the other side of the blue light.

We quickly rushed over to the hole she had blasted in the ground. The hive was deep and dim. It was illuminated only by the faint glow of the green crystal structure. Luna landed beside us. I felt great power well within her. A point of midnight light formed, focused at the tip of her horn. Her eyes went night black, as a nova of deep blue magic burst outward. The crystals under our hooves vaporized. The ball expanded till it was the size of the entire town, and then in a flash, contracted back to the point at the tip of her horn. Overhead the bat ponies swooped and soared, picking off any feeling changelings that had managed to evade the blast.

From down in the hole, I heard voices call out, “Hello?”

“What is going on?”

“Ooof, who else is down here?”

“Stay calm. I am going to lift you out” Luna said firmly.

I watched as one by one she lifted out pony after pony until we had a little group of confused farmers standing around us. A yellow coated mare with a mark that depicted a field a hay grass, nudged through the throng. “Golden? What is going on?”

“I came back to get you, Green,” she replied placing a hoof around her sister.

Around us, more ponies were stumbling out of their homes into the dim day air. “Si,” Luna called, “I need you and Zo, to sweep the town. Make sure no changelings have slipped by. Ran, search the tunnels. All report back when you are sure the objective has been secured.” They saluted and split to carry out their orders. It didn't take long. Within a few minutes the small town had been swept, and the three bat ponies were back.

“All clear.” they reported.

“Vary well,” Luna replied. The darkness lifting from over the town, sunlight steaming into the bleary eyes of farmers. “Golden, is that all?”

“It is, thank you Luna. Just, make sure you walk back to the ridge we arrived on before you teleport.” Luna nodded. Then, her and the bat ponies took their leave.

I watched them go, the wait of the last few days still not fulling processing in my mind. The villagers were all gathered around Golden, congregating and thanking her bringing help in their time of need.

She found a way over to me through the crowed, “Well Star Butt, it's been fun. I am glad you were along for the ride.”

I looked at her dead in the eye's, “that's it? You are just pushing me out after all we have just gone through?”

She looked at me vary seriously. “We are home now, and you made some vary good points when we first met.” She winked at me. “But I will see you again. I have plans. You are welcome to stay if you wnat, but can't say I will be vary interesting. I have a garden to plant, and I am vary behind.”

“It's okay. I think leaving before ponies start to notice me is best. “But, I got to ask, did you ever learn that thing Equestria mentioned?”

She grinned knowingly.

I smiled to myself, “Bye Golden,” I put my hoof out.

She bumped it with hers, “bye for now.”

I turned and slunk out of town in the shadow cast by Golden's sunrise. It was a two day walk to the nearest town with a train station. It had been a long time since I had to eat grass off the side of the road and sleep outside like the ponies of old. I didn't mind, It gave me time to think and try to understand just who Golden was. How marks could be different for the same ponies in different worlds. Who in the land was Stardust, and were did Golden find information about the time before ponies.... Maybe Princess Twilight would have some the answers.

After three days trivial, I was finally back in Ponyville. I stepped off the train, looking forward to having a nice hot bath and going to take a good long nap. Twilight was waiting on the station platform. “Celestia said you would be getting back on this train. How could you just leave without telling me. You are now five days behind your studies, and because of that I had to rewrite the whole lessen plan.”

“Looks like I better get to work then.”

She grinned and trotted off towards her crystal library. “I have already got the first book of the day picked out for you.”

I followed behind her. The nap would have to wait.

The End.

Comments ( 2 )

You might get more traffic if you spelled 'build' right. Just a thought.:scootangel:

To Build* An Army

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