//------------------------------// // The Battle for Canterlot (Defenders) // Story: Night Patrol 2: Awakening // by Foxgear //------------------------------// Night Patrol chapter 18 By Foxgear Captain S. Fortress, leader of the Special Equine Assault legion or SEAL. A stout middle age white pegasus. He watches the plumes of black smoke rise from the City of Canterlot from the hidden SEAL base with a grim expression. What were those fools in the EUP doing? He grumbles eyeing his gem communicator. None of the Captains be it, Shining Armor, Captain of the Unicorn corps, Spears, Captain of the Earth Corps, or Captain Spitfire of the Pegasus/Wonderbolts were using the emergency line. He stood flummoxed as he paces his office. Trying to decided what to do. Securing the Princess is the top priority, but there was no news of the attackers. No intel of enemy positions or who the enemy was! As much as it vexed him he couldn’t send his Commandos in blindly. For all he knew they were the ones left! “Changeling! Changeling attack!” Some pony screams from the hanger. Fortress quickly exits his office, from the top of the railing he sees Commander Bricks panting in the middle of the helicopters, the Commandos present quickly forming around him. They eye him cautiously, familiar with changeling tricks and tactics. “Hurry! They’ve over the run the city and taken both Princess Celestia and Cadence hostage!” The Commando’s gasp! Quickly the small unit of earth and pegasi run for their helicopters, the pilots already winding up the propellers. Their eagerness to save their princesses overriding their training and the roar of the helicopters drowning out Captain Fortress’s voice as he orders them to halt. He glares at the smirking Bricks as the bay doors open. His wings spread wide, equipped with wing blades, ready to fight as the bay doors fully open to reveal the black swarm outside their door. Gritting his teeth Fortress roars as he soars towards the imitation of his friend, “For EQUESTRIA! FIGHT FOR YOUR LIVES!” The swarm floods the base, marking the beginning of the battle for Canterlot. Spitfire twists batting away two incoming changelings, her hooves smashing the crown of their skulls, the changelings flutter and drop like flies to the ground, but more simply take their place. She growls, grabbing tufts of nearby cloud and tossing thunder balls at the incoming boogies. Making quick work of them. Tiredly, her Wonderbolt suit in tatters, she lands on the cloud Soarin and the others made a mock base, hiding behind low cloud walls as they toss thunderclouds at the incoming enemy swarm. “How are we doing?” Spitfire asks Soarin as he ducks back behind their pitiful barricade. “I couldn’t break through the line. Not that there seems to be any pony able to help us.” Soarin shakily grins, “It could be going better." The attack came in the middle of their practice. Right in the middle of their final loop. The practice grounds were suddenly in chaos as ponies, most of them guards, burst into green flames and began attacking everypony insight. The first to go down was the uniform guards. The gold-clad ponies caught completely off guard as their friends and allies suddenly disappeared and were replaced with an enemy. Many off-duty Wonderbolts were in the stands, watching the team perform. They started to brawl with the changelings, trying to buy time for the civilians to escape. The enemy numbers where too great and the twenty off-duty bolts were either killed or captured. Spitfire couldn’t confirm either as swarms of the black insectoid equine dot the sky like a plague of locus. In those few seconds it took for the changelings to get to them Spitfire made the decision to fly into the clouds and build their make to cloud fort. The idea was laughable really, but it had been their only choice at the time. The team was tired from practice and her wing mare, Fleetfoot, was still recovering from her last mission. The teal mare was on the floor of the cloud fort, looking sick as a dog, her breathing irregular. Fleetfoot had a fever. No doubt the cause was overworking, while she was supposed to be recovering. Spitfire cursed herself for not forcing the mare to rest. Course if she had Fleetfoot would have been in the barrack. Which was most likely was being attacked at this moment, either way, things weren’t good. Things got even worse when she saw smoke rising from where the SEAL base was supposed to be. Only a select few knew where it was. The Princess, and the Captains of each division of EUP. If the enemy found the secret base, then this invasion was well planned and even better executed. Meaning there had to be some inside workings on this invasion. She curses again, she’s been so busy with the stupid wedding that she hasn’t been to any of the regular meetings. One of the Captains must have been compromised. “Soarin, in the last security meeting who was there?” Soarin looks puzzled as he tosses a thunder ball over his shoulder, keeping his head behind cover. “Is now really the best time?” “It’s important.” Spitfire asserts firmly. “Well, me, Shining Armor, Captain Spears, and Commander Bricks.” “Bricks? Not Fortress?” “Bricks said he was on light duty, so he was attending Fortress’s meetings.” Spitfire nods, beginning to see the bigger picture, “And what did Bricks do during the meetings?” “Well, he and Shining Armor were both asking for more troops to be sent. Princess Cadence was worried Shining Armor was going too far and would leave the rest of the nation defenseless, but then Bricks said he had intel of threat and we agreed to add another legion of troops.” “That’s it! Shit! We completely fell into their trap!” Spitfire groans in dismay. All the extra troops, half of the entire Equestrian Army was stationed in Canterlot for the wedding. More than likely most if not all of those troops brought in since Bricks return from Germane were Changelings in disguise. They let the enemy in and worse they knew everything! Everything! “We need to find Spears! If he follows the invasion protocol he’ll be rallying guards for a counter-attack soon!” “Isn’t that good?” “Think for a minute! The enemy are shapeshifters! There are probably still many changelings in disguise waiting for the guards to rally. Once they do, they’ll ambush them again! No pony would expect a second surprise attack like that. Not when they're panicked and desperate.” Soarin looks bleakly over their shrinking defenses, the floor of their little base was almost gone and soon would be their walls. The swarm was gathering and they would be on top of them in an instant. He looks to Fleetfoot and then to the others, Misty Fly, Lightning Streak, and Wind Chill. His gaze settles on Spitfire and he knows what has to happen. “Soarin, I don’t like that look,” Spitfire said irritably, wondering what her lieutenant had planned. Soarin picks up Fleetfoot and places the teal mare on her hooves. “We need to get to Captain Spears and get Fleetfoot to a safer place. I have an idea about how to do that. You’re going to free fall to the ground, find a place to hide Fleetfoot, and get to Captain Spears before it’s too late. The rest of us will make a path to the ground for you.” Spitfire looks mortified at him. “You can’t! That’s suicide! You saw what they did to the others!” “Sorry, but you don’t have a choice. Everypony! Grab some cloud we’re going on a bombing run!” Soarin grabs Spitfire and Fleetfoot, pulling them into a dive. The others break apart the remains of the cloud fort and follow after them. Creating a protective V formation around them. The swarm of changelings falls upon them. The other being to circle creating a tornado around them, black clouds emerge, obstructing the changeling’s view. Lightning arcs out from the twister, zapping changelings, while the high wings rip their formation apart. This one was of the Wonderbolts most powerful Arial attacks, the thunder tornado. But it would only last as long as there were thunderclouds to feed the lightning. Without them, they’d just be a bunch of ponies flying in circles really fast. “Hold on! We’re almost there!” Soarin yells over the raging winds. He let’s go of Spitfire, letting the mare fly under her own power. He falls back, producing a small cloud. “It’s been an honor serving with you Captain.” He salutes her and rears back, creating a small vortex from the cloud. Spitfire, cheeks red with anger yells at him, “Don’t start saying that cliché bullshit to me! When this is over I’m gonna-!” Her rant was cut short as Soarin lets loose his cloud vortex, sending the two-mares rocketing to the ground in a whirlwind. The lightning tornado falls apart around him. The rest of the team in the middle of being captured in a strange green goo. He floats there, staring down the black swarm. “Do your worst!” He eggs them flying at the swarm. Spitfire hit the ground hard. Crashing through the roof of an apartment complex she falls with Fleetfoot facing up, taking the brunt of the impact. She lay there dazed for several seconds. Her back in agonizing pain. They should have planned this out a little more. Still, it was a success. But as she looks up through the hole in the ceiling, watching the black swarm engulf her team. Spitfire had to wonder. Was it worth it? Was it worth it just for her and Fleetfoot to get away? She shakes her head. Now wasn’t the time to be asking such stupid questions. Nor was it the time for running either. Carefully and quietly Spitfire pulls the sheets off the bed of the room she landed in, the bed was that of a foal. Ransacked and abandon. No doubt the changelings have already been through here. Which was perfect for her. Taking the blanket Spitfire wraps Fleetfoot in it, creating a cocoon. Carrying the lieutenant on her back Spitfire quietly searches the house for any residents or enemy troops. Finding neither, but she found a linens closet, full of blankets. Carefully she moves the blankets around, creating a space for Fleetfoot’s cocoon. Carefully she began to pile the blankets on top of Fleetfoot. Laying a thick blanket over her face to hide her, yet thin enough she could still breath. At a glance, the pile of blankets looks just like that, a pile of blankets. Removing the sheet Spitfire looks into Fleetfoot’s wobblily pupils, the mare’s eyes were unfocused but aware or at least partially aware of her surroundings. “Captain…? What’s… what’s going on? Where’s the rest of the team?” “We got separated,” Spitfire told her flatly, her hoof anxiously thumping the floor. “You have a fever. No doubt from overworking. You need to stay here, hidden, and rest. Don’t make a sound. The enemy is probably still around." Fleetfoot looks confusingly at her, “Enemy… AH! Changelings! I need… I need to…” “You need to rest,” Spitfire told her firmly, pushing Fleetfoot back down into the blanket nest. “I’d prefer to leave you at the barrack, but this will have to do. Now you need to listen to me, stay here, stay silent, and wait for me to come get you. I need to get to Captain Spears. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” “No, I can help!” Fleetfoot argued weakly, her voice cracking. Spitfire shook her head, “No, you can’t. Not in this state. Next time when I tell you to rest, you should listen.” The Wonderbolt Captain replace the blanket over Fleetfoot’s face and shut the door. Leaving it unlocked. It would be less suspicious that way. As long as Fleetfoot didn’t move or make a sound no pony would find her and since this place was already searched, it was unlikely the changelings would come search it again. And if they did with the door unlocked they would probably just quickly look in and see the blankets and move on. It was a plan based on what ifs and pure hope, but it was all Spitfire had right now. She couldn’t get caught lugging a sick mare around. Not in a city surrounded by enemies and friends that could be enemies in disguise. Sneaking out of the apartment. Spitfire quickly leaped to the next apartment over, keeping to the top floor she tries to spy where the most likely rally point for Spears would be. Spears was the Captain of the Earth pony legion. Meaning most of his troops would be Earth ponies, save for a few support unicorns and recon fliers. “First, I should get rid of these rags,” Spitfire whispers, tugging at her ruined Wonderbolts uniform. Well it was the performance uniform. The actual Wonderbolts uniform for missions was black and had protective armor and enchantments and other equipment. Equipment that would be very helpful right now, but alas now wasn’t the time to complain about things she didn’t have nor had the time to get. Tugging at her uniform she rips off the remaining scraps in one go, wincing at how loud the noise of tearing clothes was. She stood perfectly still. When no hisses or flutter of bug wings caught her ear, she rolls up the blue and yellow bits of cloth and hides them under a pile of dirty clothes. It wouldn’t do leave a trail. She didn’t know if the changelings in the sky knew she fell to the ground or if they were confident that their comrades would get her, but either way, she had to start making some ground. Back to her original question, where was Spears? The question plagues her as she moves towards the castle, moving from building to building quickly and silently. Several times she spots Changelings rounding up ponies, sealing them green goo and hauling them away to the castle. She had to watch in dismay as captured royal guards were lined up and executed, via crooked horn to the throat or blasted to death by a hail of green magic bolts. As hard as the scene was to watch it did give her some intel. One the changelings were selective about who they took for feeding. She didn’t know if they were just eliminating the guards just to eliminate them or if there was some other reason they didn’t want to feed off them, but the point remains. The Equestrians forces were being decimated. Secondly was the fact these changelings were different from the ones she been taught about back in the military academy. Changeling magic was supposed to be only for transformation, save for the queen, but the drones were firing magic blasts. Lethal magic blasts. She has yet to see any shields or any more advanced magic, but the fact remains. The Changelings have evolved. “They’re taking the prisoners to the castle, so that’s must be where the Queen is. Meaning Princess Celestia…” She shook her head. She didn’t want to think what’s become of the Princess. They wouldn’t kill her. The Princess was too loved, she was too tempting a feast to just kill. On top of that, she controlled the sun. No pony knew what would happen to the sun if Celestia were to suddenly die and no pony, even Celestia’s most hated enemies didn’t want to risk finding out what would happen if the Princess wasn’t there to control it. The fact the princess was alive was reassuring, but it also meant that Princess Cadence was captured, and so was Captain Shining Armor. Princess Luna… well, she didn’t know where the Princess of the Night was. She hasn’t seen her since yesterday. “They might have gotten her in her sleep.” The idea was ridiculous. Luna? Getting caught in her sleep? But the more she thought about how tired the Princess had been pulling a double shift, the more likely it was. “Shit, that means the castle is completely lost. Let’s see, where was Spears supposed to be stationed. He wasn’t in the castle, I know that much. He’d be… towards the wall!” Yes, with the Princesses, Shining Armor, and the Wonderbolts attending the wedding, plus all the guards. Spears would be placed on the outer rim of the city on the walls. Which she had been moving away from. “Shit.” She cursed. Feeling tired Spitfire sits in the corner of the room she was hiding in. Hopelessness falling on her like a ton of bricks. What was the use? The changelings probably already infiltrated Spear’s unit. Maybe they wouldn’t do a second surprise attack and just took him and his troops out. Why wouldn’t they? As she was feeling sorry for herself the room began to shake. A cry of “Tally oh!” Came from the street. Spitfire’s ears perked up at the sound of the ridiculous battle cry. She moved to the window looking down the main road. There leading a battalion of Earth ponies was Captain Spears! Her hope restored Spitfire was about to fly down and join her fellow Captain in his counter-attack when she stops herself. The smarter part of her brain remembering the enemy were changelings. This could be a plan to draw out any remaining royal guards and kill them. In such a hopeless situation many would probably do what she foolish almost did. They would run towards the magnificent sight of their comrades coming to help them. Happily walking into the enemy trap. Sure enough, other ponies, guards that had escaped the surprise attack come pouring out of their hiding places. Eagerly joining the charge. Spitfire could do nothing but watch, she couldn’t even warn them, the thundering of the battalion’s hooves drowned out all other noise. They roar past her. Heading straight for the castle. For a moment it seems her fears were wrong. But she held herself back, waiting. The enemy would act till they were at the castle gates in the wide-open courtyard right into the front of the castle just across the bridge. When the last of the stampede crossed the white marble bridge, it happened. Screams of soldiers come front the other side of the moat. The sea of gold marred by splotches of black. Nearly half of the battalion was changelings in disguise and more were raining down on them. Spitfire watched with bone shattering horror as the one shining light of hope was extinguished right before her eyes. And she had done nothing to stop it. There was nothing she could do to stop it. There was nothing she could do. She was one mare against thousands, possibly millions. Dejected and defeated she sulks away. The Rusty Horseshoe wasn’t far from here. Maybe she could get one last drink before she was captured or killed. Getting to the bar had been easy. The changelings were too busy relieving in their victory to notice her. Besides that, the upper crust of Canterlot had probably been ground zero for the attack. The Changelings would be combing the slums and residential area for more victims. As Spitfire looks up at the sky she sees the pink ting of Shining Armor’s shield, now with a hint of green mixed in. She could conclude the enemy probably hijacked him and are using the shield to keep everypony in. It didn’t matter, there was nothing she could do about it. Solemnly she enters the rusty HorseShoe. The door was torn off its hinges. The inside was a mess of upturned tables and chairs. There had been a battle here. The off-duty soldiers had put up a fight. Spitfire didn’t see any bodies. That was maybe the only good thing she’s seen today. Walking past the bar she grabs a bottle of hundred percent proof liquor and took it to the table in the corner. Settling the bottle on the table she stares at it but makes no moves to open it. “I should be out there fighting. Even it is hopeless. I should go down fighting.” She told herself. She had no romances about dying in battle. She’s seen plenty of her fellow Wonderbolts die on foreign missions. She watched them stare desperately at her, gasping for a few more seconds of life, blood pouring out of their mouths as they try to say their final words. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t glorious, it was just death. Grim, sad, and uncaring. She opens the bottle taking a long sig. As she drinks a noise comes from behind the bar. The black horn of a changeling rises up. The changeling was drunk, smiling a fang-filled smile and gigging. In his one hoof was a bottle of liquor, in the other was a mare’s uniform that he twirled in the air. He laughs stupidly, his face freezing when he spots her in the corner. His face turns dark, his tongue hissing. Spitfire climbs out of the booth, liquor bottle in hoof, her cheeks bulging with undrunk alcohol. They circle in the middle of the bar. The changeling makes a loud hiss, probably calling for his friends. Four more changelings come barreling through the door and they all look hungrily towards her. Anger grips her, anger at the changelings, anger that her friends were being killed, and anger at herself for acting like such a sorry piece of crap. She was Spitfire! Captain of the Wonderbolts! She wasn’t allowed to give up! She swallows the liquor, burning her throat from the harsh taste. She sways, smiling dangerously at the horde before her. “Hey, fucking cock suckers, (HICCUP!) Want to know why my mama named me Spitfire?” The changelings look beside themselves as she chugs the bottle and tosses it away. Raising her hoof, she creates a small charge of electricity and takes a deep breath. “This is why!” Exhaling Spitfire let loose a cloud of vaporized alcohol, the vapor hits the lightning arcing around her hoof, becoming a torrent of flames! The changelings back way, the flames causing their wings to combust. She races at them, breathing fire like a dragon! She grabs more alcohol throwing the bottles she breathes fire at them, causing them to explode! The flames die. Spitfire coughs up a storm, her throat burns, her lips burn, her hoof was singed. But she stood proud and unashamed. Grabbing a discarded saddle bag, she drops as much highly volatile booze as she could carry inside and steps out into an alleyway filled with changelings. She pops a cap and readies her igniting hoof. “Well… come on! Come get me! I’ll baroque you!” The changelings hiss and charge and she let’s lose another wave of flames. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams fought their way through one of Canterlot many apartments complexes. They had gotten lucky when the attack come. They had been in the barrack resting taking a unscheduled break in their quarters. Well, Goodnight’s quarters. Sweet Dreams was actually down the hall, but… well, that wasn’t important. The important thing was they were bat ponies, so they like really dark and cramped spaces, hence they were resting in the closet when the changelings came barging into the small bedroom. At first, they didn’t know what to make of the strange pony-like creature, but when more of them showed up and they heard the screams of their fellow resting guards. They quickly sprang into action! Using their sonic screech, they blew out the Changelings eardrums. Blood pouring out of the bug ponies ears and they fell to the ground, dead. The two bat ponies proceeded into the hallway, sonic screaming their way through the attackers. Saving who they could. Then they and the dozen other surviving guards geared up to face the enemy outside. That proved to be a mistake. They had been overwhelmed. Instantly. The dozen guards they saved were killed minutes. They made a mad dash to get away from the castle. Where the bulk of the enemy force was gathered. They met up with another group of guards, but when they were outside the walls of the castle, three of the guards they teamed up with revealed themselves to be changelings. They killed three more guards and hissed for their brethren. Sweetie and Goodnight barely made it into the city. Their sonic screech the only thing keeping the bug ponies at bay. They had to watch as they sulk into the shadows of a ruined apartment as the guards left behind were executed. Now hiding in the ruins of child’s bedroom they discuss what to do. “So, what do we do Goody?” Sweet Dreams asks fearfully. The bat mare shivering against the wall, her face a mess of tears. Her hoof fiercely rubs away the tears, but they just keep coming. Goodnight could tell she was on the brink of breaking down. She was new, just barely out of training. Guard training didn’t prepare you for this. He chuckles humorlessly to himself. Staring at his shaking hoof. He wasn’t doing much better. He’s only been a guard for what? Five years? The most stressful thing he ever did during his career was going to Nippon with Luna and fighting those iron ponies. That was it. That was the only time he’s been close to dying in the line of duty. He felt the same desperation here as he did in that moment. When the glowing blue eyes of the iron ponies stared him down, promising death. Unlike then he didn’t feel that surge of survival. That pent of rage or the want to live. Not that it would matter. He would have died in that old castle if Luna hadn’t come to his rescue. He and Sweet Dream could run out there made a brave heroic last stand. Maybe take out a dozen or two dozen changelings with their sonic scream, but that would be it. In the grand scheme, it would as useful as throwing a rock into a lake. They could make ripples, but they’d quickly fade. “We need to find others. We can’t be the only ones to have escaped.” Goodnight declared. Sweet Dreams tears finally stop, a small light of hope burning in her eyes. Hopefully, he could keep it burning. “Come on Sweets, let’s get moving.” They travel through the shadows. As bat ponies, they were naturally predisposed to blending into to the dark. As night guards their armor was made to blend in more easily with the night. Though Goodnight remembers Luna once griping that their shade of midnight blue was off and wasn’t as good as it could be. The Princess saying it was too lightly shaded for actual stealth. Goodnight hadn’t thought much of her words at the time. Now in this dangerous situation, he was doubting his armor. Wondering if they should abandon it. “Sweets, go over there for a moment.” He points her towards a shadowy corner a falling wall making a small cave. He watches Sweet Dreams crawl under the wreckage, worrying the structure would collapse as she disappears into the shadows. Stepping into a darkened closet with the door ripped off Goodnight tries to determine if Sweet Dreams was properly blending into the shadows. “Can you see me?” “Well, kind of, I know you're there.” Sweet Dreams replies softly. “Why what’s wrong?” Goodnight doesn’t answer right away, staring at Sweet Dreams, trying to determine if her armor was giving her away or not. Her coat was blending perfectly. Her armor… well, it was passable. Luna was right it wasn’t good for stealth. But it would work well enough, so long as no pony stares for more than ten seconds. “I’m worried about our armor,” Goodnight says finally, exiting his hiding spot. Sweet Dreams does the same. “It doesn’t blend in as well as our coats, but its protection might outweigh that.” “Hmm, your right,” Sweet Dreams sticks her leg guard into the shadows. Seeing a shallow outline of armor against her coat. It would defiantly catch the eye of more perceptive pony. Then a horrifying realization accrues to her. “We might want to abandon our armor anyway. Changelings, like us, are born in caves. Their eyes will be more adept at searching shadows than most normal ponies.” “Shit… that’s right!” Goodnight curses angerly. How could he not have remembered that? Frustrated he begins unlatching his armor, gently setting it on the ground as to not make noise. “Well, it’s not like it’s a big loss. This stuff didn’t really seem to help our friends.” He says darky remembering how useless their fellow guard's armor had been. Exposed necks, no upper leg armor, it was clumsy one size fits all, and goady gold. The only difference between the day and night armor was the paint. “Need any help getting that off?” “No, I’m fine,” Sweet Dreams replies taking off the last of her armor. Leaving her armor in a pile next to Goodnights. Their armor abandoned the two bat ponies slip back into the shadows with more confidence. Their bodies felt lighter, agiler without the clumsy metal weighting them down. However, as they duck from shadow to shadow. Keeping a trained eye out for the enemy, the two ponder their end goals. What were they? Two lowly guards of no rank supposed to do? What could they do? The answers weren’t obvious. They could find other guards, rally a force and became a resistance. The idea was a long shot. Maybe even a fantasy given the sorry state of the city. The fact they have not seen any sign of any of the Princesses meant they were either captured or killed. Meaning the enemy had a Princess level magic user. Most likely the Changeling Queen. The next most powerful magical beings in Equestria after the Princesses would probably the captains, Celestia’s senior students from the school and Twilight Sparkle. All of who were in the city and were probably also dead or captured. So that left… no pony. “Oh gods, those are all our heavy hitters aren’t they,” Goodnight mumbles to himself. It had never occurred to him or any pony that the Princesses might not be there to save them. “Oh, new plan… we find the Princesses!” It only took one glance at the swarmed castle to completely toss out that idea. They’d never get inside undetected. Not without grabbing some changelings and possibly skinning them for disguises. Gross but it could work. If he knew anything about skinning ponies and making clothes from their flesh. He wasn’t that insane pony from that one case several years ago… um... Cupcake. Yeah, that was a crazy pony. “Goody, stop!” Sweet Dreams hissed softly getting his attention. “You’re going to walk right into the main road!” Sweet Dreams pulls him back into the shadow of the building they were hiding in. From here it was a straight shot to the castle or the front gate. Perhaps they should try to get out of the city. Maybe try and rally the guards in the rest of the Kingdom and call Nippon for help? Nippon was bound to have a pony capable of matching the Changeling Queen’s power. Nippon also had dragon ponies. How could they not be useful? The idea was appealing, but it also would take months to get the word out and rally the rest of the Equestrian forces. That is if they weren’t being attacked already or soon to be attacked. Also, it was a three-day flight to Nippon, by Airship, it would be at least a week by wings alone, across the ocean on top of that. They’d have to get out of the city first anyway and even that was looking iffy with Shining Armor’s pink/green shield up above. He didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, but given the changeling's affinity for green magic, it probably meant Shining Armor was under the Changelings control. Maybe. He didn’t remember if they had that kind of power. Suddenly the pebbles on the street began to rumble. “Goody! Look! It’s Captain Spears!” Following Sweet Dreams pointing hoof Goodnight found she was correct. Captain Spears and an entire battalion were galloping down the main road, spears raised and shouting a battle cry the entire city could hear. “Come on, let’s go!” “Wait!” Goodnight pulls Sweet Dreams back into the shadows by her tail. Covering her mouth with his hoof before she could yell. “This might be a trap.” He whispers in her ear as the wall of gold-clad guards storm pass them. They wait several seconds after the final column pasted. Then another thirty seconds. The battalion was over the bridge heading for the castle courtyard. He was about to let Sweet Dreams go when the screams came. He bit his lip, drawing blood as he folds his ears down in an attempt to muffle the noise. Sweet Dream was shivering in his embrace. Her wails of despair muffled by the hoof covering her mouth. He had no words for her. That had been most if not all of the remaining soldiers in the city. Captains Spears wouldn’t have launched a such a bold attack or if that was even Captain Spears. The whole thing could have been a trick to draw out the remaining soldiers. He wonders how many foolish ponies joined in the assault. To blinded by fear and desperation to think clearly. Probably a lot. Goodnight let his hoof drop. Sweet Dreams was biting her lips, hiccupping and crying, her entire body shaking as she threw herself at him. Her embrace tight. “They're dead.” She tearfully said, her voice muffled by his coat. “Are we going to die?” She asks. Sweet Dreams was five years his younger. She got out of training only recently. She was probably eighteen maybe nineteen at best. Like all of them, she has lived in peace her entire life. If not for the fact she was looking to him for reassurance, who was to say he wouldn’t be breaking down right now? “Come on, let’s get going.” “To where? Where is there to go?” Sweet Dreams asks him. “I don’t know, but we can’t stay here.” Goodnight grabs her by the leg dragging her to the next shadow when something bizarre catches his eye. Across the road in the back alley where the Rusty Horseshoe was located. A swarm of changelings was running away in terror and some of them were on fire? “I’ll baroque you!” Spitfire screams stabbing a broken booze bottle into a changeling’s throat. She takes sig of another bottle and spits the contents over her electrified hoof, creating a massive firestorm. “Is that Captain Spitfire?” “It is,” Goodnight grimly observes. She was exposing herself, she was probably planning a death kneel for herself. “We got to her help her.” Sweet Dreams nods, wiping the tears from her face. The fear was still there, but there was courage in her eyes. “Right, let’s go.” The two bat ponies quickly soar across the main road. Their throats already bloated with air as they let loose their deadly scream on the changelings. Together they pick up Captain Spitfire, half angry, half drunk. They fly above the buildings for a brief moment. This would be their only chance to fly freely, they had to pick a good spot. They rocket towards the winding alleys of the slums, weaving between the buildings before settling into a half-destroyed apartment. There they release their Captain. “I said let me go!” Spitfire angrily demands. Goodnight quickly covering her mouth, keeping her silent as a swarm of changelings rocket by. He gestures for Spitfire to be quiet. She glares but nods and he let her go. The Wonderbolt captain takes a few deep calming breaths, trying to shake the adrenaline racing through her body. “Thanks, I’m good now. Things were getting a little fuzzy there for a minute.” Much to the surprise of the two bat ponies, the pegasus embraces them around the neck. “I’m so glad you two are alive. I was worried I was the last pony standing.” “What about the other Wonderbolts?” Sweet dreams asked. Spitfire shakes her head, “I don’t know. Captured or killed like everypony else. We were completely caught off guard. It took all our skills just to get me and Fleetfoot out of the sky unnoticed. I had to leave Fleet in closest. She’s too sick to fight. Hopefully, she hasn’t been found.” “So, we’re all that’s left?” Sweet Dreams inquires, her lips quivering. “As far as I know, yes.” Spitfire answers regretfully. Goodnight sighs deeply, it was as he thought, “So, what are we going to do?” Again Spitfire hangs her head, “I don’t know. You saw my brilliant plan back at the Rusty HorseShoe. I’m afraid I don’t have anything more than that. What do you guys have?” “I was thinking of trying to get out of the city and get help. But by the time we rally any pony, the Changelings will have dug in and spread out beyond the city. Do you have any idea where the Princesses are? It’s bold and probably impossible, but if we can find them maybe we can turn this around.” The three sat in silence. Finding the Princesses would be a suicide mission. If they were captured, they were in the castle. Where the vast number of changelings were located. On top of that the enemy commander, the Queen, would be there too. She wouldn’t leave such prizes as the Princesses unguarded, so on top of her, there would be whatever the Changeling equivalent of special forces was, helping guard the princesses. It was a plan as hopeless of succeeding as the others. “Hey, the shields gone.” Sweet Dreams points out. “And there’s a storm rolling in.” “What?” “That’s impossible,” Spitfire moved closer to the hole in the wall for a better look. There was indeed a thunderhead over the city. It blocked out the sun and the width of the storm covered the entire city. To create a storm of that size would take weeks and furthermore no storms were scheduled for today or for the entire mouth. “What in the hell is going on?” “Three ponies! There!” A shrill high-pitched voice yells suddenly. The three Equestrians turn in horror at the sight of a changeling with a helm flying outside their hiding place. Then they realized they weren’t really hiding, they were all out in the open, it was amazing they hadn’t been spotted sooner. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams leap into action, firing off sonic screams. The Changeling’s head all but exploding as it fell to the ground. Spitfire was up next. Throwing bottles of flaming booze to the street below setting the base of the building on fire. Burning a squad of changelings that tried to enter from the ground floor. Wood creaks, and the three tense. There were changelings already in the building. And more were gathering in the streets. The black bug ponies cover the entire street. They hiss and bawk, ready to swarm the three even if a few of them have to die. “They're waiting for their friends to ambush us from the inside, then they’ll swarm when our backs are turned,” Spitfire said. Eyeing the walls and stairwell. She took a gulp of booze, handing the bottle over to the other two. “Last chance.” Sweet Dreams and Goodnight take a gulp, their smiles shaky as they stand flank to flank with their Captain. “It’s been good to service under you,” Goodnight said to Spitfire. “Was it worth leaving the caves Sweets?” Sweet Dreams gave a shaky nod, her entire body was trembling, she was probably so scared she couldn’t actually speak, but she still stood tall. Spitfire smiles sadly, hugging the bottle of booze to her chest, it was a bottle of Applejack. Luna’s favorite drink. She had a lot she still wanted to talk about with the Princess, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen, but there was one pony here she needs to make amends with. “I’m sorry Goody.” “For what?” “For… well… you know.” A crooked horn appears in the stairwell. Times up! “Look alive! This is it! For Equestria!” “For Equestria!” The two bat ponies echo. Spitfire rears back, ready to fight of till the end as the first Changeling comes flying up the stairs in the other room. Gritting her teeth, she prepares to attack when the strangest things came fly pass her field of vision. A stick with a big metal cylinder on the end came fly pass. The stick hit the floor with a ‘click, click’ rolling to the changelings who stopped in their attack to stare confusingly at the strange object. One of the changelings touches the strange stick, as it makes a ‘pinck’ sound. Then it exploded! “What the fuck!” Get down!” Spitfire grabs Goody and Sweets by the tails dragging them to the corner as shrapnel peppers the wall. Outside the giant hole in the wall more of the metal sticks were flying through the air hitting changelings and exploding! Making the black swarm buzz in a panic at what the hell was going on. When the explosions stopped the three ponies peer out the hole in the wall to the street below. Dozens of changelings lay dead. Many were dazed by the explosions. Those that weren’t hissed at the wall of smoke, where an irregular trot of ‘clop, ting, ting, ting, clop, ting, ting, ting, clop’ was coming from. The smoke clears away revealing a unicorn, a mare, in full armor. Not royal guard armor, but fully encasing midnight blue armor with a red stripe on the shoulder. The mare raises her front right leg, it was clearly prosthetic as were her back legs. Only the left front leg was flesh. “You’ve all been bad little bugs!” She declared, her accent thick. But Spitfire recognized accent as Prench. What was Prench pony doing here? That didn’t matter, the changelings were closing in on the mare! Yet she didn’t look concerned. “Oh, Lookie at all you boys! Already so enthralled by moi charm. Too bad for you, I have colt friend. And he gets jealous.” From the down the street a loud, thunderous bellowing roar came. A swarm of changelings came running scared as what could only be described as a monster came barreling after them. It was big, bigger than even the biggest ponies, it ran on all fours, made entirely of muscle and was covered in entirely in the same midnight blue armor as the mare and it had bullhorns protruding from its head that curved forwards. And Spitfire recognized him. “Holy shit! He looks like the Iron pony I fought in Nippon!” She exclaims to the others. Only Goodnight having any idea of what she was talking about. The strange pony rams the changelings spearing two on his horns and trampling the rest. He breezes by the mare, his chest glowing red underneath his armor. The beast opens its mouth and breaths a stream of deadly hot flames at the swarm. The changelings decide it was time to retreat. The mare pulls a green gem from her armor, rattling off words at a rapid rate. “This is Team Jericho, requesting ordnance at section E 7, three-stage bombardment.” Spitfire, Goodnight, and Sweet Dreams watch as three artillery shells come flying down from the clouds. The shells fell atop the fleeing changelings, followed by another three, and another three. The compression from the blasts making their ears ring. “All good!” The mare chimes over the gem communicator. Her gaze fell upon the three and she removes her helmet, revealing her soft silver/white mane and coat. “Oh, Bonjour! We did not see you there! Do not worry, we are friends!” The mare exclaims happily. “I’m Private Platinum D’ Bellie and this is Sargent Bulldrake.” Platinum huddled close to her communicator. “This is team Jericho, requesting a flying escort for civilians in war zone, also if you could send a tank, it would be nice, yes?” A voice replies, “Roger, Tank and two fliers on their way.” “Okay, thank you.” Platinum levitates herself up to the third story building where the three Equestrians were taking refuge. “Is ok, we’ll have you out of here soon. Is everypony alright? How about you little one?” “I’m fine,” Sweet Dreams said, shrinking away from the mare’s cold touch. Platinum retracts her hoof, laughing embarrassingly. “Oh sorry, I’ve forgotten how uncomfortable that makes ponies. Don’t worry you won’t have to put up with me for long. My (CRASH!) and they're here! I bid you ado. Bulldrake! We are moving on!” Platinum jumps down to the street, landing on Bulldrake’s back and together race into the city. Spitfire calling out to them. “Wait who are you!” Spitfire demands, only to have her head turned forcibly by Goodnight, directing her attention to the tank now in the middle of the street. It was different, but it looked like the AT-1 Momo had used in the Tank battle in Nippon, but with AT-44 painted on the side. “It can’t be…” “You three, are you fit to fly?” A female voice said. A shiny raspberry pink mare appears in front of the three. At first, they thought she was a bat pony because of the fangs sticking out below her lip, but the shiny scales spoke otherwise. She was a dragon pony. “I’m VeeVee Pinkheart, field medic. I and my friend will be taking up the ship. Are you all able to fly? Or will we need to bring a transport down?” “No we're fine,” Spitfire spoke for the group. She was cautious of the strange ponies, yet they gave off a trusting vibe. She couldn’t explain it, but she flys up beside the strange pony despite her better judgment. Goody and Sweets following her lead. “Good, follow me.” They flew up, following the pink dragon pony nervously as they flew higher and higher to the black clouds. Three more dragon ponies flew on their flanks and rear in a protective formation. Spitfire looks towards the ground, seeing many more ponies being escorted up to the clouds. Helicopters rumble pass, carrying Unicorns and Earth Ponies. More dragon ponies flew down towards the city. She could see more tanks roaming the streets, fighting the changeling hordes. “Who are you guys? Are you with Nippon?” Spitfire asks as they enter the thunderhead. VeeVee turns to look at her, a smirk dancing on her lips. “You’ll know soon enough.” The pink Rinin said as they broke through the storm clouds. The light of the sun kissing their coats. In the center of the storm rests a huge black ship with the name Nightmare written on the side and by huge, Spitfire meant huge! It was three times the size of any ship she’s seen! As they flew closer she was amazed to discover it was made of metal too! A metal flying ship? That was unheard of! The kind of power to make this thing fly… it was unimaginable! But that wasn’t the only thing that caught her attention. No, it was the flag flattering at the top of the ship. A midnight blue flag, with a yellow crescent moon and a black unicorn skull with wings. She knew that flag. Luna had shown it to her once. The Princess of the Night herself steps out onto the deck, in full armor, she smiles and waves for VeeVee to come to her. Luna embracing the three the moment their hooves touch the metal deck. “Spitfire! Goodnight! Sweet Dreams! What luck! You are all safe!” The Princess cries nuzzling the Wonderbolts Captains neck. “Princess Luna! I thought were captured!” Spitfire cries. And she was actually crying. It was silly of her, but she was so happy to see the Princess! Relief fell on her like a ton of bricks and slumps in the Princesses embrace. “I’m sorry. I was useless! Celestia, Cadence are captured, so many ponies killed! I… I couldn’t… I oh shit! Fleetfoot! I left Fleetfoot in a closet! I need to go get her!” “Easy, now Spitfire. Easy now. It’s ok. We’ll get her and we’ll recuse my sister, Cadence, Everypony. Trust me. We have this well in hoof.” “How many ponies do you have on this ship? Fighting ponies, I mean?” Goodnight asks, amazed by the number of Dragon ponies aboard the ship. Sweet Dreams was so shocked she couldn’t speak. “About three hundred, but a fifty of them are for running the ship. So, two hundred and fifty. Don’t worry, we’ll have the city back before the day is done.” Goodnight expressed concern. “Only two hundred and fifty? But Princess there are thousands of Changelings down there!” Luna laughs, “I know, it’s almost not fair.” She pulls out a red gem communicator. “Sixes are you ready to begin retaking the city?” Down deep in the bowls of the ship Sixes, Fierce Fury, and Topaz slicer stood at the hanger doors, each in their own armor. A color stripe on their shoulders marking their units. Sixes was gold, Fury red, and Topaz blue. Behind them were two hundred forty-seven ponies with the same marks. Sixes holds up his own gold communicator as the doors open. “Ready,” He looks at his fellow commanders and comrades, smiling as he shouts. “Night Patrollers, let’s hunt some bugs!”