//------------------------------// // 39 - Devotion, Part 11 of 16 // Story: The Last Cutie Mark Crusader // by Jatheus //------------------------------// Scootaloo pressed against Cloudsdale and exerted every ounce of wing-power she could muster. By last report, they were almost over Ponyville. It wouldn’t be long now, just another hour, maybe less. The noises from below made her long to be in the fray. It was a silly thing to wish for, but there was something unsettling about hearing the battle happen while she wasn’t there to help down on the line. She had to remind herself that what she was doing was far more important. If they could just get into position, they’d save far more lives than she ever could have defending the line. Her weary muscles ached and sweat poured from her. As it turned out, the battle would come to her. "Up ahead, prepare for contact!" Colonel Lightning Dust called out. Scootaloo left her position and looked, immediately regretting wishing anything more than pushing the city. A swarm of changelings numbering in the thousands had broken off from their assault on the line and were coming straight for them. Nearer the main defense, several squadrons of griffins had already engaged them, effectively protecting Ponyville, but many were still heading for the Cloudsdale. "Weapon actions free! Load your arrows!" Scootaloo ordered as she performed the task herself. With her crossbow at the ready, she joined the regiments of pegasi that were preparing to meet the changelings head on. "All unicorns, keep this city free of changelings that get past us." Lightning Dust stood beside Scootaloo, "Are you ready?" Scootaloo grinned back at her, "Let’s do this!" The orange mare led her three regiments out, and Lightning Dust followed behind with two of her own. As she passed by, she saw that Duster was still helping push the city forward. It was just as well. It might be a safer place to be, but she couldn’t concern herself with that just now, there was work to do. "Firing formation!" Scootaloo yelled as she increased her speed. The regiments formed up behind her and flattened out where they could loose arrows as soon as they were in range. The breeze zipped around her, stinging at her eyes. She pulled her goggles into place. Moments later, magical energy ripped through the air, sizzling as it went by. "Open fire!" Scootaloo cried. Aiming high, she let an arrow go before loading another. She banked a little to her left and then back to the right. Making herself a harder target made it more difficult to reload and fire, but she’d rather that than try to return fire while dead. A second volley of arrows sped toward the changelings. Some were deflected by magic, others missed their marks, but many found their homes in flesh. The two armies continued toward each other until they collided. Many fought hoof to hoof as the changelings blasted with their magic. Knives ripped into bodies and death-cries were mingled with the shouting. Scootaloo took a direct hit to her flank plate, which spun her around, but she was uninjured and able to recover. The armor was effective, but only to a point. The formed-up armies had mixed into a great aerial brawl above Ponyville. Magic and arrows were being fired in all directions; crashing and scraping of hooves against armor, and the ripping of steel through flesh filled the sky. The dead fell, discarded remains that went ignored as the battle raged on. Scootaloo’s leg was still aching from where she’d been stabbed, but the sensation was at the back of her mind as she fought to survive the madness that had begun. ... Duster was giving it everything he had, and his strength was nearly spent. He kept telling himself that it was just a little farther and he could rest. The great city didn’t seem to want to cooperate as it moved ever slowly into a position that was now crossing the skies just over the northern edge of Ponyville. His instinct had been to fly out with the rest of the pegasi that were defending the city, but Locknload ordered him to stay put. The sound of the approaching battle was growing louder. "We’re getting close," Jewel said. "We have done this before, and we’re doing it today," Locknload said, his tone betraying anticipation of the coming conflict. "There!" Jewel pointed. "I see them!" “Prepare for contact,” LD announced. “And I was just getting happy being bored,” Gunnysack said as he loaded his crossbow. Duster glanced up to see several dozen changelings had broken from the fray and were heading directly toward them. "Clear line of sight," Rolling Thunder muttered to himself as he took aim. "Jewel, put up some defensive shields near the deck. Take them out!" Locknload ordered. Magic began pouring from his horn in a rapid succession of blasts. Jewel manifested several low shields that they could duck behind as the others loosed their arrows. The changelings scattered as though they hadn’t expected the resistance; three of them fell dead. A grin of delight was on Locknload’s face.