//------------------------------// // From A♭major To B♭ minor, Not D♭ major // Story: My Little Mages: The Royal Wedding // by Foxhelm //------------------------------// Twilight opened her eyes and found that she was underground in what looked like some sort of mine cavern. She rose to her feet “Hello!” She called out, her voice echoing as it bounced off the crystalline surfaces of the mine, “Is anyone there?” She continued to ask. She then focused her magic in her focusing gem in order to give her some light. It was not much, but it would have to do until she was in a place she knew she could summon her staff to her. She heard disjointed laughter as images of Mi Amore Cadenza reflect off some of the flat surfaces as she called out. “Where am I?” Twilight asked her heart thumping in her chest. “The caves beneath Chantalot, once a home to avarice Magicborns that desired all the gems that they could acquire. Now, your prison.” the disjointed voice of Mi Amore Cadenza said as she appeared and reappeared on various surfaces laughing at Twilight. “Help! Help!” Twilight cried out as she started running around in the cavern she was stuck in finding no way out. “It's no use.” The disjointed voice of Mi Amore Cadenza continued to mock Twilight as the arcane mage continued to desperately search for a way out. “No one can hear you. And no one will ever think to look for you, either.” Mi Amore Cadenza continued as her image continued to reflect randomly off of more and more surfaces, mocking Twilight. “Most have forgotten that these caves even exist, which is why they are the ideal place to keep the ones who try to interfere with my plans.” The laughter was not continuous but it was ever apparent. Frightened about what Mi Amore Cadenza was plotting “Plans? What plans?” she asked as she took a moment to stay still. She concluded that it was likely that given her current state Mi Amore Cadenza would drop her guard and let the plan slip. An image of Mi Amore Cadenza stopped and raised her left hand to be over her heart, she was slightly confused as to why Twilight could not figure it out, but after a second she answered in mockingly humble but clearly boastful expression on her face, “The plans I have for your brother, of course.” Twilight froze but within seconds her fear for her life lead to anger over a threat towards Shining Armor’s, “Don't you dare do anything to my brother, you... you monster!” Twilight nearly roared as her magic pulled more and more into her focusing gem as if ready to blast out a barrage of magical missiles. Mi Amore Cadenza saw this and started to giggle at the action, “Only way to stop me is to catch me!” She mocked and then her image vanished as all the surfaces that were right in front of Twilight started to reflect Twilight’s own face. Calling attention to herself in another part of cavern “Over here!” Mi Amore Cadenza gloated laughing all the while. Twilight blasted the surface, but all it did was reflect off the surface and ricocheted around the cavern barely missing Twilight before it dissipated. “Nope, over here!” Mi Amore Cadenza continued to laugh as Twilight continued to blast surface after surface, but instead of ricocheting the surfaces they destroyed the surfaces producing rumble. Twilight blasted one of the surfaces and unlike the other, there was no more stone behind the reflective surface. What was there was a woman, she looked just like… no, she was Mi Amore Cadenza and Twilight growled as she prepared to jump her. What Twilight did not seem to notice was that the Mi Amore Cadenza she was currently facing was highly disheveled, looking like she has not eaten in days and slightly dehydrated. Another thing that Twilight did not notice was that the Mi Amore Cadenza there started to smile as but then changed as Twilight was just about to tackle her, “No! Wait! Twilight!” Mi Amore Cadenza called out trying to get Twilight to stop. “Ugh!” she shouted as the arcane mage collided with the princess, as the dust settled. “Please! Don't hurt me! Twilight, it's me, Cadance!” Mi Amore Caden-Cadance pleaded as Twilight focused her magic into her focus gem causing the gem to glow, “Please, you have to believe me. I've been imprisoned like you. The Cadance who sent you down here was an imposter.” Cadance continued to plead towards Twilight. Twilight only glared at the person she thought was plotting to harm her brother, “Likely story!” she declared getting ready to cast the spell she has been preparing, but before she could say anything else she was forced back by a light blue aura that matched the crystal heart that was her mark. As Twilight recovered she saw the self-titled Cadance covering her eyes, “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake.” ‘Cadance’ sang as she revealed her eyes a couple of times. She reached her right hand to make contact with Twilight’s left. Using her left hand, ‘Cadance’ took hold of Twilight’s left hand and joined the two hands “Clap your hands…” ‘Cadance’ continued to sing as the two hands meet making a clap sound. She paused as she got to her feet and turn to the side. Twilight started to mutter as Cadance sang “...and do a little shake,” as she shook her hip as the two use to when Twilight was a little girl before her apprenticeship under Princess Celestia started. It was then that it clicked in Twilight’s head. The Cadance with her was authentic while the one that had sent her to the mines was deceptive. “You remember me!” Twilight shouted happily as she embraced Cadance affectionately. “Of course I do. How could I forget the girl I loved to sit for the most?” Cadance as she returned the embrace and rubbed Twilight’s back affectionately. “Besides you’re my love’s little sister.” and they gave a happy hum as Cadance rested her head on Twilight’s affectionately. While the two hugged, they started hearing a female laugh echo through the mines. “We have to get out of here. We have to stop her!” Twilight said as she ended the hug, the two started in the direction that assumed the laughing was originating from. As the laughter got laughter as they proceed. “Who is she?” Twilight asked. “I don’t know, her name, but she’s able to take the form of anyone and I would not be surprised if she could take the form of anything,” Cadance answered as they continued to run towards what they assumed was the exit. In Cadance’s room as she was trying on the bridal gown. She smiled to herself. She then started to smile as she started to hear a tune, the starting of an aria, in her mind, however, the aria seemed to employ a deceptive cadence. She picked up a rose and smiled it as she placed it back down she started to sing. “This day is going to be perfect The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small Everybody will gather 'round Say I look lovely in my gown What they don't know is that I have fooled them all!” As she sang she danced around several mannequins that were in the room that had other dresses. As she finished her irises turning lime-green as the room became bathed in darkness as only her eyes were visible. Meanwhile in the mines, as Twilight and Cadance proceed to travel through them, Cadance didn’t know why, but she started to sing. The tune in her mind was an aria, a tragic aria, but still an aria, which seemed to employ an authentic cadence, “This day was going to be perfect The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small But instead of having cake With all my friends to celebrate My wedding bells, they may not ring for me at all…” She pauses as looked around all the reflective surfaces, showing her dissolved state and she could see tears starting to form in her eyes. However, she was able to press on, in no small part due to Twilight’s determination. She smiled at her intended-sister-in-law, knowing without her, she would never get out or be found. Back in the room, the imposter was finishing her preparations, and continuing to sing the aria that she had started. “I could care less about the dress I won't partake in any cake Vows, well I'll be lying when I say That through any kind of weather I'll want us to be together The truth is I don't care for him at all No, I do not love the groom In my heart, there is no room But I still want him to be all mine” As she sang she moved around several of the mannequins knocking them over. As stood next to the one she mocked the giving of her vows to, she took a hat placed on it and using her magic made it explode. As she walked over the ashes she needed the end of this verse as there is a pick into the mirror, which reflected her left half, and for some reason, her hair was not purple, yellow and pink it normally is, it looked… an unsavory blue. As she held the last note, she kept her eyes open as the pupils and irises constricted as her irises shifted to lime-green and everything went black again Back in the mines, Cadance and Twilight continued on, they had no idea how far they traveled and how far they had to go. As the looked down dark tunnel after dark tunnel, things started to look more and more hopeless. “We must escape before it's too late Find a way to save the day Hope, I'll be lying if I say "I fear that I may lose him To one who wants to use him Not care for, love, and cherish him each day" As Cadance finished singing ‘day’, the two found a long unused mining cart with a track, it seemed to be the only way. Cadance rushed to it and started to push in, hoping that once it had a little motion it would start rolling. “For I oh so love the groom All my thoughts he does consume Oh, Shining Armor, I'll be there very soon”, As Cadance was singing ‘consume’, Twilight saw that the cartwheels were blocked. She levitated the stones away. The two jumped in and the cart started to roll, however, it went downhill and the track just stopped. However as Cadance finished singing she grabbed Twilight and took to flight, she was able to fly the two towards a ledge on the other side of the chasm, which started to led them out of the mines. Back in the castle of Chantalot, however in the chapel, as everyone invited to the wedding was there, there were some of the Chantalot upper crust, the mayors, governors of the various parts of Mystica, even a few harpies that were representatives of the Protectorate of Gryphonstone. In the seats in the very front on the right side were a Magicborn couple that looked to be Shining Armor’s parents, the father had blue hair much like his son and seemed to have a hard time trying to stay awake, most notable of his suite was that he wore a red bow-tie, the woman had purple hair and white streaks and worn a set of pearls. Opposite to them on the left side was an Earthborn couple, however, it was clear that the latter couple’s while is the best they had, it would be considered sub-par to rest in attendance. “Finally the moment has arrived For me to be one lucky bride,” The deceptive Cadance song as she proceeded down the aisle towards the altar, with her five bridesmaids in front of her, and the CMC happily fulfilling their roles as the flower girls in front of them. Back in the mines, Cadance landed and put Twilight back on her feet. However without knowing how long they have been done there or how far they still had to go. “Oh, the wedding we won't make He'll end up marrying a fake Shining Armor will be…” She sang as her tears started to flow. Back in the chapel, as the deceptive Cadance took her spot at the altar and looked at Shining Armor, “...mine, all mine.” She laughed manically as everything faded to black leaving only her eyes which glowed lime-green and then they went black, ending the aria. Everyone in attendance watched as Baron Fancypants started giving the ritual speech. To his left was the groom, Shining Armor, but no one seemed to notice that the groom’s eyes seemed to be glazed over and that he was in a daze. Farther to the left was Spike, but he was not in the black suit he wore the day before in his role of the ring bearer but wore a red cape with set of gauntlets, pauldrons and other arm guards and a breastplate armed with a short lance, all to fill his new role as best ma...dragon. To Fancypants’ right was the deceptive Cadance. While on her right were, from closest to farthest, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy as the bridesmaids with the CMC to their right, mirroring their sisters. “Dearly Beloved, ladies and gentlemen of all ages, we are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of…” Still in the mines but much closer to an exit, Twilight and Cadance looked around unsure how much farther they can realistically go. “We’re not going to get there in time. By now Celestia is must be at the exchange of the vows.” Cadance said. “Actually Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are involved in a war game. As is most of the ESM. It’s Baron Fancypants that is officiating.” Twilight informed. Cadance paused and took a moment to think. “Wait if the war game is going on now…” Cadance’s eyes shot wide in horror. “That means there is only a squad of the Royal Guard still in the city. Shining’s practically protecting the city on his own,” Cadance continued. She then looked at where they were and she could not see a way to proceed. “And we're not going to save him,” Cadance lamented as she leaned against a wall, it was clear that Cadance was starting to give up, granted she was far worse for the wears than Twilight as she was trapped in the mines for longer than her. But Twilight was not going to have any of it, she was not let anyone, not even Cadance, ruin her brother’s big day, especially the charlatan posing as Cadance. Twilight placed her right hand on Cadance’s left shoulder and turned Cadance to face her, “We will.” Twilight tried to assure and hugged the one person she wanted to be added to her family. “We just have to find…” Twilight started to say as she looked around and stopped as she saw an opening that was letting in the light of the sun and a ledge under it a fair distance upwards. “There!” Twilight exclaimed and teleported the two to the ledge and right there were Minuette, Lyra Heartstrings, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts. They were in their bridesmaids’ dresses and were clearly bewitched as their eyes were glazed with lime-green. “You're not going anywhere,” the four said in unison as they started to slowly approach the two. Watching over everything, Fancypants was nearing the end of the ceremony. He cleared his throat and continued with the ritual with a line frequently considered vestigial for a marriage, “Should anyone here present know of any reason why that this couple, Marshall Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, should not be joined in matrimony, please speak your piece now or forever hold your peace.” Fancypants said. There was a large amount of chatter among the audience in confusion over what was meant by him of the marriage. “The former ‘piece’ is ‘piece’ as in ‘p, i, e, c, e’ as in opinion or point of view. The later ‘peace’ is ‘peace’ as in ‘p, e, a, c, e’ as in… well, I think you get my point.” He chuckled as everyone as everyone have an ‘ah'. “I object to the marriage!” Twilight shouted at the top of her lungs as she threw open one of the doors to the chapel with a thud, her staff in hand and wearing her brother's stylized plate which Shining intended to wear. Everyone at the altar, save for Fancypants and Shining Armor looked annoyed at this. “I have the perfect reason for why that couple should not be joined.” Twilight declared as she proceeded towards the altar. The deceptive Cadance spoke in anger electing to play the annoyed bride, “Why is she so obsessive about her brother?” As she noticed a lack of the reaction she wanted, she changed tactics, “Why is she trying to ruin my special day?” she asked as she shed crocodile tears as if she was in fact wounded by Twilight’s actions. “Because, bitch, it's not your day,” everyone froze save Twilight who smirked in triumphant. Soon the other door opened and there stood the authentic Cadance. “It's mine!” The deceptive Cadance looked between the two more baffled than everyone else. “How did you not kill her?” she asked as she stepped away from the altar to be in the aisle and closer to her accusers, trying to figure out what happened but realized too late that was not the question she should have asked. Twilight and the authentic Cadance looked at each smiled and shook their hips as they hummed the tune to the last part of their little song and dance ‘and do a little shake’. “That's how ” The two answered together. The deceptive Cadance did not follow and elected to change tactics. “Well, certainly you had to overpower those four brainwashed bridesmaids. There is definitely blood on your hands.” Everyone gasped. The authentic Cadance used her magic to bring in a bouquet of flowers, and the four bridesmaids came running after it fighting each other for it. “I WANT IT!” the four shouted and it was clear that there was glaze over their eyes as their sole focus was on the flowers. The authentic Cadance sent the bouquet to the deceptive Cadance and the four tackled her for it causing the bridal dress to be torn and dust to fly into the air. “The want-it-need-it spell,” Twilight said with a grin. “Works every time.” Cadance continued also grinning. However, her grin ended as something dawned on her, “Although Aunty Celestia is going to flip when she finds out that I used it.” Twilight looked to Cadance, “Well it was the non-violent solution to the problem.” Twilight commented as they shared a weak teehee. Then from the dust cloud as the four bridesmaids continued to fight over the bouquet a lime-green force field forced the four bridesmaid away and cleared the dust. The deceptive Cadance returned to her feet, almost matching the authentic Cadance in appearance. She took three deep and clearly angry breaths until she calmed herself. “Clever.” She conceded to the two in front of her. “But you're still too late to stop me.” Back at the altar, everyone was utterly baffled as well as everyone in attendance, most could not come up with anything to say they were so stupefied, many with their mouths hanging open, few could even close their mouths. However, one person was able to finally form a sentence, the paladin Applejack, “Ah- Ah don't understand. How can there be two of 'em?” Cadance answered the question her doppelganger's bridesmaid asked, “She's a changeling.” This caused everyone to turn to each other in confusion, and clatter among themselves, save Applejack who placed her hand on her chest and started muttering something, this went unnoticed by everyone there. “She takes the form of somebody you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them.” Cadance continued to inform as she accused the imposter. Everyone then turned back to the scene and were unsure what to do. However, the deceptive Cadance realized the gig was up. She took a breath and closed her eyes as a lime-green fire emerged from her chest, as it spread outward revealing her true form. From her back, there were two sets of wings one was black and not unlike Cadance’s, Celestia’s and Luna’s, the other set of wings was lime-green and very insectoid, but they seemed to be incomplete like they had been corrupted. However, unlike the three princesses’ wings which seemed to float next to the princesses’ back, these wings were actually attached to her back. On her head was a crown with a lime-green gem as the main jewel. Her hair was long, going to her hips, and was an unpleasant shade of blue, it also had stringy texture to its appearance, which to the Chantalot elites in attendance and Rarity gave off a sense of being unkempt. She was dressed in a black gown that covered her feet with a lime-green three-part wench's belt that looked like the middle part of the insect’s body. She was extremely human in appearance but there seemed to be something off as if the gown was covering something. Unbeknownst to everyone as their focus was the sudden transformation, Applejack slipped away and exited the chapel in silence taking Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with her. “Right you are, Princess,” the imposter said in her actual voice, which had what could be described as a hive-like, insectoid hum, like queen bee or ant based monsters as they are portrayed in movies. “I am Chrysalis, queen of the changelings,” Chrysalis proclaimed as she finally introduced herself as she hovered in the air, “and as queen, it is up to me to find food for my hive.” Chrysalis continued as she hovered to cast a shadow on Cadance. “And Mystica has more love than any other nation in the world. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!” “They'll never get the chance!” Cadance declared as she too started to rise above the ground and was on Chrysalis’s eye level. “Shining Armor's protection spell will keep them from ever even reaching us long enough to be seen by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!” Cadance continued, confident in her fiancée's power, as she rose to look down on Chrysalis, with Cadance’s light overcoming the shadow Chrysalis cast. “Oh, I doubt that. You seem to forget that the spell Shining Armor cast has a time limit, it needs recasting every so often and a fair amount of its power from his...” Chrysalis chuckled as she landed and walked back to the altar, “impassioned feelings,” she said seductively causing Cadance to growl as she too floated back down to the ground, “So you see ever since I took your place, I've been feeding off Shining Armor's love for you. Every moment he has grown weaker and as does his spell. And right about now, my subjects will be in place and ready to start chipping away at it.” She then turned to look out one of the windows. Outside of the city, a huge swarm of humanoids with insectoid wings much like Chrysalis’s had amassed. They looked much like their queen but also slightly more insectoid than Chrysalis, as if they were one step closer to being insects. Their eyes were mostly fields of blue which gradually faded to white circle from outside in, and their canine teeth were larger than humans, also while Chrysalis was clearly female, the other changelings were so androgynous it was hard to tell if they were male or female, save for a handful of them were larger than most but not as tall as Chrysalis. These larger ones were in blue armor that made them look more insectoid and were clearly male. All the changelings were effectively covering the shield as they all alternate bouncing on the shield trying to break it. Chrysalis turned back to Shining Armor as she took his chin in her hand and turned it to face her, “He may not be my husband, but he is under my total control now.” Chrysalis then preceded to make him kiss her. But before she could have the lips touch she pulled back clearly mocking Cadance as she turned to face the bride and chuckled as she witnessed the glaring of the bride. “And I'm sorry to say, he is no unable to perform his duties as the Captain of the Royal Guard. Soon, my changeling army will break through. First, we shall claim Chantalot. And then, all of Mystica!” Chrysalis then gave a triumphant laugh. Until she was struck in the back of the head. She turned to see Fancypants had taken off his top shirt and rolled up the sleeves of his undershirt ready to fight. Chrysalis chuckled, “How cute, Baron. I have to commend the attempt,” raised her left hand causing an aura of lime green magic to surround the baron, “but you lack what it takes to beat me,” she continued as she levitated him and throw him across the room. “And there is no-one to stop me!” Cadance gritting her began to summon her magic and have it pooled to be right in front of her heart. “Not if I have anything to say about it!” Cadance then shouted as she started to send a beam of crystal-like light blue magic from her hands to Chrysalis. The changeling queen, however, was not caught off guard as she sent her own magic channeled as a beam lime-green in color. As the beams collide the lime green and light blue beams went back and forth in which was dominating but the lime-green one started to lose as the light blue beam inched closer and closer to her, but then Cadance started to waiver as her time in the mines began to take its toll. The light blue beam started to flicker and the lime-green beam more or less jettisoned toward Cadance. Everything was still, not a sound was heard save for Cadance being sent to the ground her tiara landing and clanging as it landed on the stone floor. “Cadance!” Twilight shouted as Cadance landed. Looking at what just happened everyone was shocked at the scene, and Chrysalis was ironically the most baffled of the lot. “Ah! Shining Armor's love for you is even stronger than I thought! Consuming it has made me even more powerful than I thought possible, I have conquered a demigoddess! A demigoddess!” Chrysalis continued to gloat over her victory until she was then blasted to the steps leading to the altar by an arrow made of white light and ice. Everyone turned to see Applejack out of her dress in her armor with her sword held out in her right hand with the tip pointing at Chrysalis and a small stream of smoke coming from the point. In her left hand was Fluttershy’s staff and on her belt was Pinkie Pie’s jester cap and a bag. To her right, with her bow at the ready, was Rainbow Dash as she prepared to fire another shot. Twilight rushed to Cadance’s side as the changeling gloated in triumphant, high off her success before Applejack and Rainbow Dash blasted her with a combined spell of Angel Shot and Ice Bolt. “A gal should only pack the essentials,” Applejack said with a smirk on her face as she looked at Rarity in particular. “Come on girls we got an invasion to stop!” Applejack ordered as she threw to Fluttershy, the druid’s staff and then to Pinkie Pie the jester’s hat. The two caught their respective items as they ran from the altar to the chapel exit. At that time a dark purple blur came into the chapel stopping in front of Sweetie Belle revealing it to be Scootaloo on her scooter with Apple Bloom holding onto arcane monk wearing her vest with all her tools and on her back was Sweetie Belle’s lute. “Time to go crusadin’, Crusaders,” Apple Bloom said as she handed Sweetie Belle the young bard’s lute. Sweetie accepted it and the three younger mages joined Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike as they all headed to meet up with Rainbow Dash at the exit of the chapel. Meanwhile, “Get the Elements,” was all that Cadance said to Twilight as she started to get back on her feet. “I am not done with her yet,” Cadance said as she brought hands to be in front of her chest and drew a bolt of magic that formed a crystal-like light blue heart and she sent it into Chrysalis sending her into the wall. “We gotta get ya to the teleportation rin’. Get yah back to the Golden Oak, get the Elements and then teleport back.” Applejack said as she grabbed Twilight by the upper arm and pulled her to leave the chapel as the two caught with the rest. All the while the guest of the wedding started towards the emergency bunkers, led the way by the parents of both the groom and the actual bride. Granted it was in a panic for most, but there were enough people with just enough of their wits about them that prevented people from being killed or permanently injured… just enough. In the confusion Shining Armor was left, remaining, in a zombie-like state at the altar. All the while; Cadance and Chrysalis went back and forth exchanging magical blows. At the highest point of the bubble shield, a crack formed and then it shattered. All the changeling grinned and then started the invasion. Many dive-bombing into the city, forming mach cones around them before they landed. As more and more dove into the city, the vast majority started to the castle. Twilight and company continued to the castle wall, traveling along, Twilight leading the way and at the same time slowing them down. “Sugarcube, take off the breastplate!” Applejack ordered, “Yah the one that knows the way to teleportation rin’ and yah slowing us down.” Twilight shook her head, “It’s my brother’s and he wanted to wear it today.” she replied and continued to lead but soon they were surrounded by changelings. “I need help to get through.” Applejack gave the bag on her belt to Rarity, “Use them wisely, Sugarcube,” the paladin then charged the group of changelings directly ahead of the group, forcing the changelings to scatter in order to clear a path for Twilight, et al. “GO! GO! GO!” Applejack shouted. Everyone then started to move ahead, save one. “Apple Bloom? What are yah doin’?” The paladin asked as she fought the changelings forming a circle around Apple Bloom as the young artificer was tinkering with something. “Ahm makin' a weapon,” Apple Bloom answered while the pieces of metal she was working with were slowly taking shape into a weapon. Applejack was going to question, but she knew her little sister was going to focus on her work until she finished whatever she was working. ‘Well, at least we can divert these changelings for Twi’.’ Applejack thought as she returned to the increasing number of changelings that was circling her and Apple Bloom. However Applejack did not kill any of the changelings, there were several reasons, she was strong enough to simply overpower many, she knew that her life was not endangered and three she could only detect one evil changeling, and that was their queen. That being said, the changelings learned what happens when one messes with an Apple. Bam, Thund, Bash, Pow. Applejack punched changelings left and right, Swish, Swang, Swash, she cleaved at them landing on the flat side of her sword. After a while, she sheathed her sword, “Hoo doggies, yah think you can take this Bull by the horns, yall better be ready for a ride. BULL STRENGTH!” She shouted as she brought her knuckles together and pulled them back, they took the glow of a red delicious apple. “Yall ready for the rodeo?” None of the changelings reacted beyond being confused. “YEEHAW!!” and Applejack started to punch the changelings again, this time around her blows were not affecting lone changelings, but dozens. However, more and more changelings continued to swarm in. “Changelin’s, say hello to ‘Little Friend’, ‘Little Friend’, Changlin’s, now yall play nice,” Apple Bloom said as she finished constructing her weapon. It was, for lack of a better term, a portable cannon. She then pulled the trigger and it sent a blast of pure concussive energy that forced an entire line of changelings back. However, the recoil was too much for Apple Bloom and she fell backward landing on her rear. “Cornhusk,” the artificer almost cursed. Applejack noticed what happened and took the canon as more and more changelings started to circle in. “Ah told ya, make sure yah didn’t skip a page when yah read,” Applejack scolded her little sister but not with anger but concern, as she fired the portable cannon. Seeing the results herself and not being knocked over by the recoil. “Then again, it could just be a matter of size.” Applejack commented as she continued to fire the cannon. “Ah take it back. Now, this is a rodeo! Let’s see, fifteen changelin’s in the side corner pocket!” Applejack shouted and fired again. “YEEHAW!” she hollowed as she correctly called her shout. “Big Mac would love to try this. Yah done great, Sugarcube.” Applejack said as she stood between Apple Bloom and the ever-increasing swarm. “Although, Ah think Ah bit off more than Ah could chew.” Just then one in blue armor landed in front of Applejack and crushed the barrel of the gun almost without effort with his bare hands. Soon he was joined by five more that circled the paladin and her sister. Applejack punched the one in front of her, but she did not force him back, in fact, she could have sworn she broke her hand punching him. “Um, Sis, Ah think we lost.” Apple Bloom said. “Take them to the queen!” the one Applejack punched ordered as Apple Bloom and Applejack were seized and their arms and legs bound. As the eight remaining members of the group continued to travel along the wall towards the teleportation ring. Again Twilight was the one setting the pace, but she was surprisingly faster than the rest thought she would be. However, they again being surrounded by changelings again. They stopped and most were not sure how to continue, here Sweetie Belle stepped up and taking her lute and started to move her mouth as if she was singing and she was playing her lute, however, no-one heard anything save for Spike and the changelings. They all covered their ears, save for Spike as he started to groan, but all fell to the ground around them. “GO! We got this!” Rarity ordered the others and directed the others to go on. Twilight nodded as she and the rest proceeded towards their destination. Fluttershy grabbed Spike as she left, doing her best to help Spike’s pain. Rarity looked around, seeing more and more changelings creeping towards her and Sweetie Belle. She opened the bag Applejack gave her, in it was a fair amount of smooth round small pieces of coal. “Well, not quite what I was expecting.” She commented, “But, you work with what you got.” She then took one out and using her magic compressed it into a proper diamond and after a few more enchantments she sent it flying towards one of the nearest changelings and it ricocheted off the changelings and started to do so off of each changeling it hit. Rarity then took out another piece of coal and repeated what she did with the first one and repeated again and again and again as the diamonds continued to ricochet off of different changelings, and for some reason, the continued ricocheting gave off the sound of a pinball machine. Rarity looked at her feet and she saw a tally at her feet and it was increasing, every so often it increased by larger and larger multiples. Sweetie Belle then started to cough. This did not go unnoticed by Rarity, “Darling, stop. I got this, Sweetie, just keep playing your lute as long as you can," she said as she was trying to encourage her sister to continue and while not causing herself further harm. However, she started to notice that she was out of coal and the ricocheting of the diamonds was slowing down. She also started to notice more and more changelings arriving. She started looking around for more things to use, but there was little else she could use. Soon Sweetie Belle stopped playing, it was clear to Rarity that Sweetie Belle's hands hurting. Sweetie Belle looked to Rarity and looked like she was going to cry feeling like she had failed her big sister. Rarity placed her hands on Sweetie Belle’s shoulders as she kneeled to look Sweetie Belle in the eye, “It’s alright, Sweetie, you did marvelously, but I seemed to have misjudged the number of changelings we would have to face on our own.” Just then six changelings that looked clearly masculine with blue armor landed around the sisters. “I have an idea.” Rarity whispered and started towards one of the armored changelings. She reached out to place her right hand on the armor. However, her wrist was grabbed before she could cast her enchantments, “I think not, enchantress. Take them to the queen and be careful with this one’s hands,” the one that caught Rarity's wrist before she could enchant his armor ordered. “Well...buck,” Rarity all but cursed, rather unladylike. With four of their group had broken off, the six continued as the reached another turret of the castle. They were halfway to the teleportation along the route Twilight was leading them along. “Are you sure this is the fastest way?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Honestly, I am not sure, but this is the one way I do know,” Twilight answered as the continued to run. Just then more changelings landed right in front of them. “Okay, I really should have taken Shining on his offer to show all the routes in the castles.” Twilight gave a weak teehee as everyone stopped. Pinkie Pie reached into her hat and pulled out a party themed double-barrel pump action shotgun, the same one she pulled out when she called 'SHOTGUN' when she boarded the Charon when they went to confront Nightmare Moon. “Bubbles,” Pinkie Pie sang as she pulled one of the two triggers firing confetti and streamers and such at terminal velocity, clearing some of the pathways ahead. As she pulled the other trigger, “and Balloons,” she said clearing more of the path. She then pumped the shotgun and turned to another side. “We got this.” Twilight, Spike, Rainbow, and Scootaloo continued. All the while Fluttershy had closed her eyes, as she kneeled on the wall muttering something as she took out a little rock. Soon an earth elemental about the size of Big Mac grew from the rock. “Now, maybe we can talk. As you see I can summon beings of the very elements.” Fluttershy suggested. The many of the changelings dive-bombed the elemental and began to fight. Fluttershy gave a sigh as she reached into her for more items to use. Pinkie Pie fired her party shotgun more and more, but she soon she discovered the gun was spent. “Shoot! And my party cannon is in my jacket pocket!” Pinkie Pie then threw the spent gun as she reached into her hat and pulled out a wooden baseball bat. “Who’s on first?” she sing-song as she swung, hitting changelings left and right. However, as she was lost in her swinging she did not notice the blue-armored changelings. All the while Fluttershy was throwing dust into the air to bedazzling the dust to make it flash and have the changelings froze in awe as they saw the glittering air. Much like with Pinkie Pie she did not notice the arrival of the armored changelings. Soon her elemental was overpowered and Pinkie Pie’s bat was shattered. As the armored changelings encircled the druid and the jester, “Um, Fluttershy, we seem to have lost.” Fluttershy looked around as well and sighed. “I don’t want to use this.” She squeezed her eyes shut and then open them again with red glowing eyes. While most of the changelings back away, the armored ones remained unphased. She then stopped fell to her knees and started to shake in fright. “No. No. No.” she whispered. “Why didn’t that work?” Pinkie Pie asked. “We are drones, the top of the hive, the queen’s chosen. We fear nothing.” one of the armored changelings answered. Soon Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were bound, “Take them to the queen.” It was just Twilight, Spike, Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash left as they continued to run and were getting closer and closer to teleportation ring. However, more and more changelings were surrounding them again. Rainbow Dash as she readied her bow. “Duck!” she ordered, everyone complied as she shouted, “GALE FORCE!” The elementalist fired a cone of air from her bow clearing a path forward along the way they have been traveling for Twilight and the others. “GO! GO! GO!” Rainbow Dash ordered. Twilight and Spike bolted forward as Scootaloo remained. “What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash asked her sister. Scootaloo took her scooter apart and showed that the poll was a small quarterstaff fit for her size. “Come at me,” the young monk said as she charged a group of changelings. “Squirt, Wait!” Rainbow Dash shouted as Scootaloo charged the changelings, “I am so bucked.” Rainbow Dash muttered as she fired another cone of air and another as she lost sight of Scootaloo. “SCOOTALOO! SCOOTALOO! SCOOTALOO!” Rainbow Dash continued to shout out calling for the arcane monk while she jumped into the air scanning the area and using more and more attacks, as more and more changelings continued to surround her as she was desperately looking for Scootaloo. After several minutes she managed to find her ‘sister’. “Squirt!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she dive-bombed towards her. She then embraced her closing her eyes in the process turning her head to the left, “I was so worried about you.” “Um, Rainbow Dash…” Rainbow Dash heard. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes as she saw Scootaloo fighting several changelings, she then looked to who was in her arms only to see the Scootaloo change, in a lime green fire, into a clearly male changeling donning armor. She was then pinned to the ground as another grabbed Scootaloo by another armored changeling. “I am so bucked,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she was pulled up and she and Scootaloo were bound. One of the armored changelings spoke, “Take them to the queen!” he ordered. Twilight and Spike finally arrived at last within a few meters from the teleportation circle, but they saw that they were surrounded by changelings and even more were in front of them. With even more in the circle itself, granted the circle was intact. Twilight looked at the area around her and Spike, as did Spike. The two then shared a look, it was clear they were bested. One of the changelings step forward and was it was clear that he was in charge of this group as he wore blue armor, not unlike the armor of the royal guard but the helmet looked like it had an insect’s mandible, “You have failed,” he said as he held out his hand as if to accept Twilight’s staff. Twilight sighed in defeat as she handed her staff over, Spike reluctantly followed suit with his short lance, as Twilight dipped her head and her hands and Spike’s claws and mouth were tied. “Take them to the Queen,” the commander ordered. Back in where the war games of Celestia and Luna were being conducted, everyone was being patched up, no crippling or lethal injuries and they would be back to fighting stance within a week. However two were still at the fight, Celestia was still dressed in her ‘Lunar Republic’ gown and Luna in her ‘Solar Empire’ gown and they were clearly disheveled as if they have been fighting each other for hours. “We, like the Empire, still stand, traitor!” Luna declared as her bladed staff was caught by Celestia’s staff. As the two strained against each other, the air around them started to glow. On Celestia’s side, the glow was yellow like the sun, on Luna’s the glow was pale like a full moon. After few seconds the glows died down as Celestia and Luna stepped back from each other and they started to laugh. “Oh, that was so much fun. We should do this more often.” Celestia said only to be tripped by Luna and Luna’s blade was placed at Celestia’s neck. Celestia then started to clap. “Yes, finally an equal,” Celestia applauded her sister, proud of Luna. Luna then helped Celestia up. “Well, that’s one round finally done,” Celestia commented. “So maybe best two of three then?” The two then started to share thunderous laughs that almost shock the world. As the better part of the ESM watched their two ruling demigoddess princesses, the sister slowly calmed down. However, as if from out of nowhere, the two then froze as if they heard something like shattering glass. They looked at each other their eyes wide in terror and then in a second they jumped into the air and started to fly towards Chantalot causing a sonic boom, which gave off an array of light that looked like a merger of a sun and a crescent moon.