The Last Cutie Mark Crusader

by Jatheus


39 - Devotion, Part 6 of 16

Scootaloo stood still a moment, her body half coiled while she took in the wonder behind her. She felt as if she could have stared at her own flank for hours. Her cutie mark may have been the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was in the shape of a shield, just like those earned by both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. It had a dark reddish pink border and three wide vertical stripes inside. The left one was a more orange pink, the middle white, and the right a shade of lavender. Inside the shield was a purple wing with a lightning bolt in the middle. That central emblem was the only difference. Apple Bloom’s had a heart and an apple, while Sweetie Belle’s bore a star and a note from a musical staff. Scootaloo felt herself sigh contentedly as she forced herself to look away. There were much more important things to which she needed to set her mind.

Rainbow Dash had taken full command of the Assault Corps, and their redeployment was nearly complete. They had committed two-thirds of their unicorns to sit on top of the mountain range to the west. With an enemy massing that had the ability to fly over the mountain, it wouldn’t be a safe side if left unguarded. The river to the east posed the same problem. The pegasi were deployed along that flank, along with a few unicorns for support. The center was mostly earth ponies and zebras. Their unicorn numbers were so thin in the center that it was arguably their weakest point, but it was also the most likely place where the changelings wouldn’t hit. The size of the enemy force alone made them more than a match for the ponies’ dwindling numbers. Skyflame had been killed in the attempt to ignite the forest the previous night, and about a third of that force with her.

"There they are," Rainbow Dash said solemnly.

Scootaloo turned her attention to the advancing timberwolves. They were coming straight in, just like before. In a matter of minutes, they would meet the EUP line. She checked left and right, but there was no sign of any activity on either... yet.

"Why haven’t they tried the flanks already?" Scootaloo asked.

"Patience," Rainbow Dash replied. "They’ll come when they think they can push over us. We’re spread out thinner than I’d like, but my guess is still that they’ll hit center with the timberwolves first. They’ll want to soften us up and test our line before committing everything."

Scootaloo looked ahead at the advancing horde. The battle would begin soon; she could feel it. Her heart began beating harder in anticipation. She stole a quick glance at the cutie mark on her posterior.

The commander chuckled. "It’s really there, and it’s not going away," she said with a smile.

"I know," Scootaloo couldn’t stifle the grin that sprang up on her face.

The report of concussion magic sounded from the right flank.

"That’s them!" Scootaloo said.

"Easy," Rainbow Dash said. "Listen. Do you hear how sporadic the fire is? They’re just testing the line."

Scootaloo’s pulse was quickened, ready for action. The timberwolves did not deviate from expectation; they broke into a run, charging directly at the earthen mound on which the Assault Corps stood.

"Make ready," Rainbow Dash said, a measured resolve in her voice.

"Load arrows!" Scootaloo called out, and the order was echoed down the line as earth ponies obeyed.

The moment dragged on as the snarling beasts thundered toward their deaths. The line was ready, aiming their arrows high that would send them in an arc into the fast approaching enemy.

"Loose one volley."

"Single volley; fire!"

Thousands of arrows sped into the air, but Scootaloo didn’t see whether any of them hit their marks. A moment later, a flash of green magic blinded her for a second, followed by banging that began echoing all over the line. Scootaloo shook her head, and her vision cleared to see a changeling standing in front of her. Without time to waste, she jabbed it in the face, sending it reeling backward with a bloody nose.

Scootaloo was drawing her knife as Rainbow Dash kicked her would-be assailant over the mound. They were coming down all over the line, thousands of changelings. They were falling from the sky shrouded in green flame, like great drops of rain. The ponies were putting up stiff resistance, but the timberwolves were still advancing.

"Reload!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"All unicorns, fire at will!" Scootaloo ordered.

Chaos erupted behind the line as unicorns and changelings exchanged fire at point blank range. Concussive explosions sent earth, shards of armor, bone, and flesh spraying in all directions. It was an uncontrolled melee for seconds that seemed like minutes.

A second volley made its way out to the oncoming stick-dogs. Then another wave of changelings came. The noise that burst from the right flank was deafening. Unicorns exchanged a furious bombardment in the skies that challenged the sun for brightness. Scootaloo stole a glance at it, but as far as she could tell, the defenses on the mountain were holding off the enemy.

The changelings that had landed across the main line had been dealt with, and everypony redirected their attention to the timberwolves. A third volley of arrows was fired at only about twenty yards, and unicorns opened up with concussive blasts at random. A moment later, the front of the timberwolves were clambering up the earthen mound to be met by skewering spears and angry hooves that came down like hammers against wooden nails. Splintering shards of enemies went everywhere as more of the savage beasts came up. Claws and teeth scraped against armor and found their home in flesh. The ponies pushed back, holding the line, but the enemy persisted. They grew thicker and thicker with every passing moment.

"Scoot! Give me a pegasus run, one pass!"

"Pegasi, one pass, got it!" she called back.

Scootaloo took to the air, moving swiftly to the left flank. As of yet, there had been no attack from that side. She gave the signal, and two regiments of pegasi left the line and sped out as she returned to her post. As the group came up, they went into a glide and began loosing arrows as close to the line as they safely were able. Fire, draw, reload, fire, with machine-like efficiency they loosed several volleys of arrows across the line. Scootaloo was surprised that they didn’t receive any hostile magic, but she knew that they would if they did it again. As they came back to the right flank, they turned, going behind their own line and speeding back to their original positions.

Scootaloo was now certain of what they had suspected: the changelings would not risk themselves in the front line with the timberwolves, but would be coming in on the flanks or from the air. More timberwolves pressed into the line, breaking through in some places. Scootaloo grabbed up a spear and defended her position. Rainbow Dash performed a spinning kick with her good leg that broke a timberwolf in half. Other soldiers filled the gap and the commander pulled back to assess the situation. It was almost impossible to discern any lasting effect from the strafing run.

"Okay, give me a unicorn push."

"Repulse magic at the ready!" Scootaloo took a breath, "Fire!"

A force wave poured from the line, throwing the timberwolves backwards. They fell like an ocean wave, toppling on top of each other. Even though behind the effected area, Scootaloo felt the pressure from the magic that was expended. The line was cleared moments later, and the beasts regrouped. If they had been able to spare more unicorns for the front, they’d have been able to push them back much more effectively. Another volley of arrows slowed their return and thinned their numbers. The approach was becoming even more difficult with the bodies of the dead littering the field.

An explosion from the right flank drew Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash’s attention; the boom resounded across the countryside. One of the mountain peaks had exploded, sending boulders and smaller shards of rock flying in every direction. It didn’t directly threaten the line, as it was further behind them, but the unicorns defending the ridge were likely having a bad time of it. With renewed fury, the timberwolves hit the line again. The hacking and slashing continued, but there was no end to it in sight.

As suddenly as they had the first time, more changelings rained down from the sky, throwing the line into chaos once again. Fighting broke out on both sides, but the intruders landed much thicker this time, and they kept coming. Scootaloo feared they would soon be overwhelmed.

"Plan B, Plan B!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

Scootaloo grabbed a nearby bugler and gave the order. Notes blasted out and were echoed by others down the line. Moments later, the entire pegasus force from the left flank abandoned their position with unicorns in tow. They shot straight over the enemy line, raining magical fire down on them. They began taking hostile magic themselves, but the unicorns used static shields to reduce the effectiveness of the incoming energy while others continued to blast away. Smoke rose as the fires began to spread.

Scootaloo lost all sense of the larger battle after that as they had become so overrun with changelings and timberwolves alike that she was busy cutting them down, one after another. It was a thing of beauty to see Rainbow Dash fight. Even in her current injured state, it was almost like a graceful dance she did, effortlessly throwing down everything that came against her.

A fresh wave of changelings crashed down amongst the line, throwing dirt and causing confusion. A ripping pain caught Scootaloo and sent all other sensations away. She instinctively kicked, hitting a body. As she spun, her left hind leg gave out from the wound, and she nearly collapsed under her own weight. A changeling face is what she saw: Ash Eater’s face. His eyes were filled with hatred, and his jagged, broken horn was coated in blood, her blood. A wicked grin met her, and her heart stalled in fear for the briefest moment.

She leapt at him.

The foe ducked beneath Scootaloo’s spear thrust and jumped back up, hitting the shaft of the spear and knocking it from the mare’s grasp. Time slowed. He was right there in front of her, trying to kill her. She had no need or desire for revenge, but her will to survive was unimpeded.

He attempted to drive his horn into her throat as he came up. Unable to side-step, Scootaloo let herself fall to one side, rolling over and springing back up, knife at the ready as he rounded to come at her again.

She vaulted forward just as another pair of changelings crashed down in front of her. The blow she intended for Ash Eater was buried in the chest of one of the newcomers. She turned to engage the second, but the pain in her left hind leg caused her to lose her balance again.

She wobbled sideways as Ash Eater’s arrow sped by, narrowly missing her head. Magical light charged in the other’s eyes just as arrow struck him in the jaw. He reeled and fell out of sight.

Ash Eater charged in, and Scootaloo met him. He deflected her knife, and with her free front leg, she caught his throat, each impeding the most ready weapon of the other, they were nearly face to face. The combative pair toppled over, a timberwolf having slammed into them.

The pegasus lost sight of the changeling as she scrambled back into a desperate defensive position against the new assailant. Magic burst though the beast from behind, and the mare regained her hooves, wheeling about in an attempt to find the changeling.

She caught sight of Rainbow Dash as she turned. The elder mare tossed a spear to Scootaloo, which she caught as she came around. She still didn’t see him. Gaining the top of the breastworks for a better vantage, something made the hair on the pegasus’ neck stand on end. She turned to her left.

Ash Eater wasn’t far away, also standing atop the little ridge. His face had a deepening rage on it. In that moment, he appeared to have sold himself to hatred, as though the power of his own blind anger would be enough to kill anything that stood in his way.

Ash Eater leapt over fallen bodies at Scootaloo, hooves out. She brought her spear to bear, and began to thrust forward, aiming high. He anticipated the move and dropped again.

She was ready.

Scootaloo pushed all of her strength into redirecting her spear downward. She missed the center of mass, but her body rocked as the shaft of her spear was wrenched from her grasp as the blade embedded deeply into Ash Eater’s right-hind leg. He howled as he slid closer.

Scootaloo brought her helmet down, smashing the prow against the changeling’s face. He tumbled down the hill, soon lost to her sight as timberwolves clamored up over him.

The mare turned to face them, and shuddered as hostile magic impacted into her breastplate. She toppled over, rolling down the back of the hill.

The embattled line was a mess, but the ponies still had control of the field. Rainbow Dash wore a sheen of sweat and deep concern on her face as she beheld Scootaloo, who was trying to stand up.

"Medic!" the commander called out.

Within moments another pony had practically pushed Scootaloo down. Her instinct was to fight, but part of her brain was telling her that the threat was over for the moment. The timberwolves still pressed but were being managed.

“It’s your lucky day. Looks like your armor held.”

The medic took Scootaloo’s med kit and began working on the gash in her hindquarters. As she was finally able to process what had happened she realized that her flank had been hit, her heart leapt into her throat.

"Did he get it?" fear filling her voice.

"Hold still if you want me to stop the bleeding!"

"Did he get my cutie mark?"

"Your... what? You’re worried about your cutie mark?"

"Did he get it or not?" Scootaloo howled with a fury.

"No!" the medic yelled back at her. "Now hold still!"

Having only applied a crude bandage to stanch the bleeding, he left her moments later. Upon examination of the injury, Scootaloo was relieved to discover that the inflicted damage was well below her new cutie mark. She rejoined Rainbow Dash atop the line, carefully keeping weight off of her hind leg. The ponies were still maintaining their position, but the timberwolves showed little sign of slowing. The changelings were busy using their own magic in an attempt to put out the fires that had been started.

"We won’t be able to hold this for much longer," Rainbow Dash said.

"As long as our strength lasts."

The commander sighed, “That’s the problem, and they know it.“

Scootaloo knew that the assessment was correct. No matter how many of these things they killed, there were just too many more to take their places.

"We fall back then?" she asked.

"Not quite yet," Rainbow Dash said. Then she yelled, "Zuberi! Hebu kweli yako kuwa wazi!"

The cry was echoed by the zebras as they began plastering everypony with their green sludge. Within moments of beginning this, chaos again erupted behind the line as changelings were discovered and quickly dealt with. As soon as it began, many more decided to fight or run. The line was clear of living changelings, covert or otherwise, within mere minutes.

"Shield wall and fall back!" Rainbow Dash cried out.

The unicorns that were spread across the line summoned the waning magical strength that they needed to effect a shield wall on the other side of the barricade. It trapped timberwolves and changelings inside. Then the entire force began moving at a gallop, falling back to the north toward their next position.

The unicorns atop the mountain ridge received some relief from regiments of pegasi that helped clear the changelings from the sky. That business done, they also could fall back to the next position. They didn’t run the entire distance, but slowed to a canter after a mile or so. Scootaloo would have been limping the entire way had she not taken to the sky. Upon arriving at the next position, Scootaloo realized that they were barely five miles from Ponyville. This was their last place to fall back before they would be at the city itself. She was determined to not let it happen; she let out an exhausted sigh.