//------------------------------// // Battle for Canterlot (Invaders) // Story: Night Patrol 2: Awakening // by Foxgear //------------------------------// Night patrol 2 chapter 19 By Foxgear Pharynx felt a change in the air as he overlooks the smoldering city of Canterlot. A shudder ran down his spine, yet he couldn’t fathom why. They had wiped out all the SEAL unit, taking down most if not all of the city defenders, repelled their counterattack. Any pony left in the city should be falling to the bellies and crying to the sun for salvation. They had the city, the plan went perfectly, so why? Why did his gut turn? He looks to the northeast section of the city. Large plumes of smoke rose, buildings were ablaze with fire. His changelings were under strict orders to not damage the city too badly. This was to be their new capital, so why the large fires? Were they perhaps flushing out some resistance forces? No, no, that could not be it. The ponies of Celestia’s army did not require such sever tactics. Then came the noise. The loud, terrible whistling noise. He saw three strange objects fall from the sky. They were barely a blimp in the eye and then an entire city block was laid to waste! Then in the south, another thunderous bang, like that of large cannon, echoes in the distance and through the black smoke, he caught sight of ponies and strange transports flying to the storm system that hovered over the city. His gut began to churn as the thunder began to drum in an unnatural fashion, like the sound of a war drum being beaten, the thunder cracked and lightning flashed! The light began to fade, the sun dimming behind the clouds. But something wasn’t right, it was becoming too dark, it was as if night had arrived early. The city becomes shrouded in darkness, the white flashes of lighting were the only source of light. He sent up a green flare from his horn. From the city, the leaders of the attack units replied sending up their own green flare. Pharynx counts the flares and discovering over ten units were missing! “What’s going on?” He gulps, a strange fear overcoming him. He tried to shake the feeling, but tingle at the back of his neck worsen and in a quiet moment, when no pony made a sound, he heard it. The long drawn out battle cry coming from the sky, the haunting whinny mixed with the furious roar of a dragon. The sound plays like a song over the city and between the flashes of lightning he saw them. The flapping of their wings, the shining scales of the coats, and the menacing appearance of their claws and fangs. The creatures of their nightmares pass down by the Queens, their hated and feared enemy. Rinin. “Prepare for a counterattack!” Pharynx cries out as the roars turn to flames. “Fire!” Commander Atlas, a changeling officer in the northeast sector the city could not believe his eyes as the hulking metal box of death on tracks rolls down the city street. His fellow changelings unable to deal with the metal beast. They tried combining their blasts to destroy the machines, but even with the power of ten, they could barely scorch the outer shell. When they tried to swarm the machine to try and get inside to the crew inside, a blue and gold rinin pony popped his head out the door on top of the cannon turret, raised his gauntlet covered claw and threw a giant ball of a magic at them! Over a quarter of the unit was killed or injured. They now sat huddled in the buildings. The noise of the cannon outside deafening as heavy shells pound the buildings. In the interval between blasts, Atlas peeks outside, trying to form a plan. To somehow escape for another machine was on the street behind the building they were hiding in. There was no way out without being spotted. As he pans around the street he sees the machine, the blue and gold pony still atop it. The strange gauntlet on his claw glowing softly. Meaning he was ready to fire another blast should they try to fly out quickly. Another pony pokes his head out of the hatch, an earth pony with strange metal claws on its hooves, it takes control of the small multi-barrel cannon mounted on the top of the machine. Atlas wonders what it is when the pony tilts the small cannon at their location, the twelve barrels of the cannon start to spin as the red glow of the gem powering it flickers between the rapidly spinning barrels. He looks over the adjourning apartment, a group of his fellow changelings was looking anxiously out the windows, looking to the sky. They were going make a break for it! “No don’t!” He screams, but they do not heed him, they fly out over the street. The main cannon of the tank roars, the building behind them exploding as the large shell blows a hole in the wall. A blast of gold from the rinin’s gauntlet hits the left wing of unit trying to escape, three of them falling. For a moment it looked like they were going to get away when he heard a terrifying sound, like ripping paper, only ponied died. Red bolts of magic flew from the rotating cannon, they flew fast, faster then any pony could charge and fire. One second. That’s all it took for the terrifying machine to recharge and fire a new blast of magic. Atlas and the others in his unit watch as their comrades were picked out of the sky by the rapid cannon. One managed to make it out of range, they cheer as the red bolts dip below the skyline, at least one of their brothers made it. Now he could go get help! Down the below the pony on the rapid cannon stopped firing, the barrels smoking red. With his metal claw, he opens a chamber and pulls out a cracked and smoking gem. He tosses it aside and replaces it with a new one. Taking only ten seconds. What a terrifying weapon. Still, there was hope, thought Atlas. Until he saw the smirk on the two ponies faces. He quickly ducks to another window. Looking for the one that got away, just when he found him an orange blur came in fast from the sky and snagged the escaping changeling. They heard his screams and saw his wings torn from his body as he was dropped to the ground with a sick ‘thud’ his body lying broken on the street. Along with many others. They watch as the orange rinin flew down landing on the tank with the other two and began shouting orders. “Stop wasting time with these rats! We got more city to take, Gloves!” The orange rinin yells pointing at the building they were hiding in. The blue and gold rinin nods and shouts into the tank, a hoof appears holding a cylinder object. Taking the top of the cylinder in his mouth the blue rinin pulls something from it and tosses the cylinder on the roof. The tank began to back away. Fast. “We got to get out of here!” Atlas screams as they all began to scramble. The tank fires from down the street, the round missing due to the greater range, which only scared him more. They were a whole block away! He could hear them now, the whistling cry of artillery. He looks up to the sky, three-cone shape shells fell like meteorites towards them. He stood frozen and bows his head. There was no escape for them. “Confirmed hit, waiting for the dust to clear.” Gloves said over the gem commutator. “Mothership have second volley ready just in case.” A gruff voice replies, “This isn’t our first rodeo kid, we’re already reloaded, just give us the word.” “Right,” Gloves says observing the now-leveled apartment buildings. The corpses of dozens of changelings lay thrown about in the rubble. None were moving, none were crying, it was silent save for the putter of the tank’s engine. “Looks like we got them all, Commander Topaz.” The senior officer strokes his chin, looking over the rubble. He pulls out his gem communicator. “Stovepipe, give them another taste, same coordinates.” “Roger!” Gloves looked at his commanding officer, his face troubled, “Is that necessary?” He asks as the second volley rains down the rubble and bodies, dust fills the air and broken bodies and stone fly everywhere. A body of a changeling landing only fifty yards in front of the tank. It was a horrible sight. Topaz places his claw on the younger rinin’s shoulder, “If we weren’t so short hoofed maybe not, but you have to remember Gloves we only have a few hundred ponies this time. There are thousands of them. For every one, we kill there are ten more to take their place. For every one of us killed, none will fill our ranks. Now get to the east sector and rendezvous with Bulldrake’s unit. Will leave the other tank and some flies here to hold this sector until we’re ready to head for the castle. I’m going to go with some others and push towards Fury and Sixes. Hopefully, Trifecta’s unit is done in the south sector by now. Do me proud!” He shouts flying away, joining with some other rinin in the sky. Gloves salutes, taking one last look at the body of the changeling in front of them. He had a helmet and some armor, he’d probably been an officer. He felt a little bad for them. He hadn’t been apart of the battle of the Crystal Empire, so he didn’t feel the hatred for Changelings like a lot of the others did. Not only that but Starwind the Beardless put every ounce of his genius to make the deadliest weapons he could think off for them, such as the rapid magic cannon, AT 45 tanks, and the fly fortress class warship Nightmare was merely the surface of their arsenal. “Sorry, but war isn’t fair.” He told the corpse before climbing back into the tank. Shouting as he retakes the commander’s chair inside. “Let’s move out!” Thrice the Fifth ran as fast as hit little hooves could carry him. His sister’s hoof hooked tightly to his. The two foals skid on the rumble turning the corner as the hiss of the black bug ponies comes from behind. Little Thrice puts his sister behind him, puffing up his chest, feeling the burning in his throat he let’s lose a stream of fire at the changelings chasing them! He puffs and puffs, but his flames barely reach a foot pass his mouth. The changelings chuckle as a whole swarm surrounds the two foals. “Thrice, I’m scared,” His sister shivers, pressing against his side. “I know,” He said as bravely as he could. The changelings come closer, chuckling menacingly, he presses his body against Trina’s. A last-ditch effort to protect her. He did the best he could. Thrice closes his eyes, wondering what’s became of their parents and the rest of their family. Recalling the stories his Grandfather Thrice the first would tell of him and his brothers. Tears fell, he wishes the old stallion was still alive. “Grandpa! Daddy!” Suddenly the chuckles stop. There was a terrible CRUNCH sound, the ground cracked beneath his little hooves and a deep voice spoke. A voice he recognized! “Don’t open your eyes, kids, this is about to get messy!” Little Thrice did open his eyes and gasping in wonder at the pony before him. It was a tall grey blue rinin with a silver mane, just like his Grandfather! Joy spread across his face as he stares at the pony, but when he pans to the pony’s flank, instead of 303, 301 was branded on the pony. It wasn’t his grandfather, but one of his grandfather’s brothers. “You’re not grandpa,” Little Thrice said sadly. The pony glances at him, his other eye trained on the changelings cautiously keeping their distance from the full-fledged Rinin. One tried to make a move when the rinin turned his head, but the crunching of his comrade’s skull beneath the rinin’s claws made him lose his bravery. “No, I’m not your Grandpa,” The pony said recognition showing his eyes. “I’m Trifecta!” Trifecta let loose a stream of fire breath. The changeling’s scattering. “Shock! Jockey!” A sudden shout of, “Thunder brothers hoo!” Came from above as two orbiting blue balls of lightning came flying down. In a flash the lightning balls dispose of the changelings and land before Trifecta and foals, turning to two identical light blue rinin ponies with horns. The blue ponies bump hooves excitedly. “Score for the Thunder Brothers! How many you got Commander Tri?” Trifecta rubs his temples. Thousand years later, still paired with these two. “Haven’t kept count. Now focus, we got some kids to get to safety!” The two blue ponies stand stiffy at attention. “Right boss! “You can count on us!” “We’ll go see if we can find some others.” “Just give a call if you need us!” Trifecta growls, “Just go already for Luna’s sake!” The two brothers turn into lightning and fly away. Leaving Trifecta to deal with the two foals. “Don’t fret little ones, I’ll have you to safety in no time.” He told them flashing a shaky smile. He wasn’t good with kids. Which is why he has his communicator out. “Platinum, bring your tank to my location. Hmm? Right, um…” Trifecta pulls out a map. “Hey kid, where are we?” Thrice despite being in a tornado of emotions, fear, relief, sadness, and happiness. Extends his little hoof, slowly before his grandfather’s look a like’s eyes change it into a claw and points to their location. Trifecta looks at them with mild surprise, before relaying their position to his friends. “It’ll only be a few minutes,” Trifecta tells them. “But best not to be out in the open. Can you two walk?” “I can, but my sister…” Thrice moves side to allow Trifecta a better look at Trina. The pink foal quickly latches to the adult rinin’s leg, trembling. Trifecta looks uncomfortable as he lifts the little foal onto his back and then does the same for Thrice. “I said I can walk.” “If I have to carry one, then I might as well carry the both of you.” He told Thrice taking to the air. Hiding wasn’t really an option with the filly crying and hiccupping. Better off to meet up with Platinum and Bulldrake’s unit and leave them with the odd couple till the next transport arrives. “Don’t worry little ones, I’ll have you somewhere safe soon.” Trina sniffles and cries, “But what about Mommy and Daddy?” “I’m sure their fine,” Trifecta tells her. It was a lie, but what else could he really do? He looks back, noticing the boy’s odd stare. “What kid?” “Nothing, you just look like our Grandfather who passed away recently,” Thrice said with barely restraining his tears. The dismay that the pony he was riding on wasn’t his Grandfather, yet looked exactly like him. His young mind wasn’t able to process it properly. Trifecta says nothing for a while, leisurely flying around the city towards Platinum’s safe zone. He hears the rumbles of tanks and helicopter transports and the massive crowd gathered in the plaza. Ponies with green spread across their faces check ponies before allowing them to the transport. He checked the number of blue flares, making Night Patrol controlled territory. He saw five spots. Meaning they still had a long way to go to retake the city. He didn’t have time deal with the foals, but he was curious about something. “So, you have rinin in your family?” The colt nods yes, silent tears falling down his face. “I see. Would I be wrong to guess that Rinin was one of my brothers?” Again, the colt nods. Trifecta laughing amused, “Small world, so which one?” “Thrice, my grandpa Thrice. My name is Thrice too, Thrice the Fifth.” Thrice said trying to wipe away his tears. Trifecta laughs, “Thrice the fifth huh, well I guess we weren’t the most creative with naming. Must have passed that trait down.” He turns flying towards Platinum who was in an argument with a stallion, grey-blue stallion, he could already guess who it was. When he saw the small line of scales running down his back, it all but confirmed it. “I’m not leaving without my kids!” Thrice the Fourth raged, his usually hidden claws and fangs out for all to see as he stares down the white mare trying to get him on the transport taking ponies into the storm clouds above. “Please mousier, we will find them, get on the transport.” “Not without my kids! Get your claws off me! I’m going back out there!” “That’s too dangerous sir,” Platinum said as Bulldrake held the stallion down. She glances frantically at the city. They didn’t have time for this, they had other ponies to go save. Calls were coming all over the coms, they were too short hooved to fully deal with the entire city with Sixes having the majority of fighters centered around the castle. “Are these the foals your looking for?” A voice said, both Platinum and Thrice the Fourth turn to see Trifecta flying down with two foals on his back. The stallion wiggles free of Bulldrake, rushing towards the sole triplet, tears of joy running down the stallion’s face. “Trina! Little Thrice! You're safe!” He cries taking the foaling in his embrace. “Thank you, thank you… no…way… Grandfather? Is that you? No, we buried you… but… you're so…” “Yes, yes, I look like my brothers. I guess that makes you another nephew.” Trifecta said hurriedly, eager to get back to the battle. “Look I’ll try and find you after the battle. You get those foals out of here like a good parent should.” “Right, of course, thank you… Uncle.” “It’s just Trifecta, I’ll see you after the battle.” He turns to fly back into the fray, but a little voice stops him. “Are you going to beat up the bad ponies like in Grandpa’s stories?” Little Thrice asks with big whimsical eyes. Trifecta flashes a smile, “Of course, it’s what we do.” To the chorus of cheers, Trifecta flies off, rejoining with the Thunder Brother’s along the way. “Ready brothers?” “Born ready!” They cheer fly into enemy territory. Excitement fills his blood, his claws flex as the changeling lines scramble into formations. They were disorganized, overconfident after their easy victory over the royal guard. Now faced with an unexpected fierce counterattack they began to panic. A smile spread across his lips, he could smell their fear from here. “Rocketeers! Up front! Soften them up!” Sixes bellows as they nose dive towards the castle. Ponies movie side making room for the ten heavily built pegasus clad in armor and covered in gem rockets. The Rocketeers line up their shots, each firing a salvo of eight gem rockets. The castle walls turn into an inferno of fire, the rocketeers break away making for the ship, their job is done for now. “Wall of fire! Roast them!” All Rinin line up, chests glowing with fire, they dive into range unleashing hundreds of blasts of fire breath! Changeling scream and panic, the officers try to rally their units, but soon found themselves clutched in the claws of his fellow rinin. Fury held one his claws, the red rinin looking at him for orders, as were the others clutching the officers. Sixes nods and they tear the wings from the captured changelings and drop them to the ground. There was loud SPLAT! And the changelings look up at them and tremble. “Think we broke them yet?” Fury asks flying up beside him. They make a pass around the castle. Assaulting the hastily made defenses of the Changelings as they fire their green blasts of magic. They replied with fire, lightning, and plasma, any changeling too stupid to take cover was roasted in an instant. Sixes overlooks the scene and turns to the city proper. “Not yet, it’s never that easy.” Sixes pulls out his communicator. “Trifecta how are things with you guys?” “Evacuations are going smoothly as they can be. We’re a little short hooved you know. Not that it matters with Changelings. Same as always, numbers are all they got. The brothers and I have probably killed hundreds of the bastard, but they just keep coming!” “Don’t get confrontable Tri. We going to have to tank this out. Topaz how are things on the north end?” Over the sound of tank fire came Topaz’s voice. “Same here about as well as it can be. I’m going to have Glove’s push south through the city and meet up with the east unit under Platinum and Bulldrake. Hopefully, that should unite our front and we can push to the castle.” “You sure Gloves can handle that? He’s still green as far as being an officer goes.” Sixes replies. The pony in question, Gloves was in the last batch of recruits trained before being frozen in stone. Along with a few others. For a time, Gloves had been his wing pony for Patrols. Over the line, Topaz says, “You trained him. You tell me.” Sixes things for a moment continuing to circle the castle. The defenses were holding up better he thought they would. These were defiantly the elites of the changeling army. “He should be fine. The kid has my trust. You focus on the city proper. Fury and I will take the castle.” “That’s going to be hard with all the tank units occupied in the city Sixes.” Fury told him as they make another round, their units laying down suppressive fire. “How long till the rocketeers come back? We could crack a hole in the castle and start breaking up their nest.” “We have to find out where they're keeping the cocoons first, otherwise we risk hurting the hostages.” Now on their fourth pass Sixes tries to get a better look in the windows. The castle has changed since a thousand years ago. More additions, remodels, and new buildings were throwing off his mental map of the structure. Luna didn’t have any blueprints either, so they were fighting blind at the moment. If only they could find the enemy commander, the Changeling Queen. They could cut the head off the snake and really break the enemy morale. “What was that?” Fury said suddenly. “What was what?” “That hall back there. Didn’t you notice something inside?” Fury said as they turn for their fifth pass. They’d have to do something quick, they couldn’t just keep circling. The changeling’s shots were starting to get closer. “Which hall?” Sixes demands as they round the sun tower again. Fury points to the large hall with Stain glass windows. Some of the windows were shattered. He points for two rinin to take up wing positions behind him, leaving Fury in charge of the greater unit. He and his two wing ponies dive down, he lets loose some lava breath to shake up the changeling defenders as they pass by the windows. In the seconds he got to look he saw all he needed to see. Cocoons hung from the wall, many ponies inside, but one, in particular, had his attention. Celestia. Not only that but there was the Changeling Queen, raging angrily at the subordinates that come to tell her the progress of the battle. They break away, seeing enough and rejoin the group. “You look like you have a plan,” Fury said with a smirk. “Care to share?” Sixes smiles as he pulls out his communicator. “This is Commander Sixes to the Nightmare. Princess Luna, we found VIP hostages in the main hall with the enemy commander. Preparing rescue operation.” Sixes pulls out a second gem communicator. “Jazz, you’re on.” A young mare’s voice comes over the coms, “I’ve been waiting for this. I’ll be down in a jiffy! Yeehaw!” “Good, we’ll mark the entry point, good luck.” Queen Chrysalis looks over the smoldering city. The city that was to be her new kingdom was now in ruins. Runners from the frontlines shout at her, telling her of their situation. Dragon ponies, the ban of their existence, their long-hated foe was the cause of their once successful invasion being reversed. Now they were the ones being invaded! With the Rinin came tanks, artillery and an Airship so massive and heavily armed it would take a fleet to match it. They had nothing to counterbalance the invading force. They left everything in their homeland, blanking entirely on a stealthy victory. Even worse the Equestrians had nothing that could help. Celestia didn’t have a fleet, she didn’t have tanks, the best she had were cannons and they sabotaged those for the invasion. Their only hope was for the Kaiser to come with his army, but he would not be coming for some time. The original plan was for him to come as an embassy for the Europona nations. He would host a peace talk and in return for letting the changelings keep Equestria they would hand over Celestia and Luna. As long as the two were saved and able to perform their duties of lowering and raising the sun and moon, no pony cared if they had a nation. In fact, some preferred if they didn’t have one. Of course, Celestia and Luna wouldn’t be released, they’d merely be some changelings. She would take their magic of her own and their responsibilities. That had been the plan, but it was no longer feasible. “My Queen! My Queen!” “What!” She hisses at the annoying Changeling, he had a helm on his head, meaning he was an officer, but she couldn’t bother to remember his name at the moment. “What are we to do? They’ll break through our defenses within in the hour! They're surrounding us on all sides, my Queen!” “Relax,” She said and then looks to the rest of the changelings in the room, addressing them as well. “As long as we hold Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence we have the perfect hostages and barging chips. They would not dare bomb the castle with them still in here and the other VIPs.” From the window, a changeling cried out, “What’s that!” Chrysalis ran to the window to see what was the fuss about. Her eyes widen as a red pony with green hair and Stetson hat came barreling towards them, her metal wings shimmering in the moonlight. Four rockets detach from her wings and fly at them! “Cover!” The window explodes and Chrysalis is knocked back. The red pony came skidding into the room her wings half folded and her silver booted hoof raised, red bursts come from her wings and the boot, a “BANGBANG” sound like that of cannon pounding against her eardrums. She watched as the red pony slides across the floor laying waste to the changelings inside, the red blasts from her weapons shredding them to pieces as the projectiles hit them. The red mare come to a stop, the cannon barrels on her wings smoking, she points her hoof blaster up and fires, the projectiles hitting Celestia’s cocoon. The Princess of the sun’s head fell forward, partially freed. The red mare then points her hoof cannon towards Chrysalis, only for it to click empty. Chrysalis smirks readying her spear, “Ha! A brave but foolish effort! Even with Celestia free, you are no match for me!” The Queen bravely fibs raising her spear. Celestia wouldn’t dare use her full power, there were too many ponies she could accidentally kill. She still had the upper hoof! The red mare smirks, pulling off her goggles to show her green eyes. “Aw, yawl don’t need to worry about me. Ah’m just a distraction.” “What!” From the broken window came a black rinin with gold veins pulsing throughout his body, streaks of the gold clash against his orange mane as gold lava drips from his mouth. He spits the molten gold at Chrysalis, the Queen raising a magic shield to block, much to the Queen’s horror the molten gold twist and harden becoming chains tipped with spikes. The gold spike struck her shield, the runes engraved on the points flash and her shield shatters. She stands in horror, anti-magic! Celestia, her head partly free from her cocoon calls out to the rinin, “Sixes!” The rinin looks at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the queen. Celestia crying out louder. “Sixes please!” “Not now!” He barks back at the princess, firing lava at the Queen. Chrysalis dances away throwing up another shield to block the lava. She barks orders to her drones to attack the rinin, they do so promptly changing themselves into chimeras. The rinin spews fire, charging at them, his claws digging deep into their flesh. “Don’t toy with me!” He yells tossing one of the drones aside with ease. “You can change your shape, but you’re still the same spineless parasites!” He dispatches the last drone with a quick snap of the spine and tosses it aside. Angrily he stares down the queen. “Don’t think you can take me, peon!” Chrysalis cries madly, her hair turning ethereal green, her spear once again in her magical grip. “Well come! See if you dare take on the Queen!” Sixes chuckles, earning Chrysalis’s ire. “What’s so funny!” “Nothing,” Sixes said barely keeping back a laugh, his chest pulsing gold. “That’s what the last Queen I killed said. Before she died of course.” “Die!” Chrysalis screams thrusting her spear, Sixes side steps spitting out a gold chain net, the hot metal falling over the Queen, entangling her body. “She said that too.” Chrysalis tugs hard at the chains, glaring at Sixes, “My spear cancels out magic, your runes won’t work.” Sixes smiles, “They don’t need to. You're tied up enough as it is.” His chest begins to pulse orange, liquid fire spilling out from his mouth. Chrysalis realized he was going to spit lava on her! “Pharynx!” The changeling captain came from nowhere tackling the black rinin from the side. Both side away, Sixes lava flying harmlessly onto the wall as the two warriors struggling on the ground, Pharynx taking on Sixes' form to better fight the rinin on the ground. Chrysalis shook the chain net off finally, getting to her hooves she pants heavily as the green steam rose from her body and her mane began to wilt. She was losing magic fast. She saw the red mare with metal wings freeing ponies, along with others. Several ponies were still working to free Celestia, who she had made sure cocoon extra thick in case of a situation like this. However, Celestia’s pupil and her friends we free, so was Cadence and many others reducing the Queen’s power significantly. Her emerald eyes fell on Celestia. She could not allow the Princess to be freed! She lowers her horn for the killing strike and charges! “Celestia!” Celestia barely half free, knocks the pony freeing her out of the way with her leg, she tries to use her magic, but the cocoon instantly drains the power sending it to the Queen. The Sun Princess lowers her own horn, hoping she could parry the Queens before she’s run through. “Come on then!” Celestia challenges bravely, while ponies scream and scramble to help her. The Queen’s horn draws closer and Celestia prepares for the coming pain, but then hears a familiar sound. ‘Whoosh, whoosh’ A smile graces Celestia’s mouth as her sister’s star blades come into view. The Queen let out a cry of pain as one blade cut her back leg, reducing her charge to hobble well the other bounced off the Queen’s helm, leaving a deep gash in the metal. A thin trail of blood escaping between the crack, traveling down the Queen’s face and dripping into her eye. Chrysalis turns angrily towards the direction the blades had come from and spies Luna by the door with two Rinin by her side, one orange, one red. “Luna! Impossible!” Luna catches her star blades, calmly twirling them in her magic as she approaches the Queen. “Yes, well, a lot of impossible things have happened in my lifetime. I assure you escaping from your clever trap was not one of them. Not when I have my pony by my side. Really, I must thank you for convincing me to leave yesterday morning. Had I not this would quite the different situation.” Chrysalis began to hyperventilate. Her plans. All her carefully laid out plans brought to ruin! Because she let one pony go? No. No this could not be! This couldn’t be! This cannot be her fault! “No, nonononono!” She growls at the Night Princess spit dripping from her mouth as her hackles rise. “I’ll kill! I’ll kill you! Damn what happens!” She charges, spear pointed ahead, the magic holding Luna’s star blades disappear and the blue Alicorn drops down to charge with her horn. “Sixes! Do it!” Celestia’s cries, breaking finally breaking free from her cocoon. Sixes, gold veins pulsing throughout his body, turns his head away from his opponent for a second to spite gold lava at the Sun Princess and much to the shock of everypony, she throws herself into it! “Princess Celestia!” Twilight cries hysterically. “Calm yourself Twilight,” Celestia’s voice says emerging from the glop of gold unharmed, the molten gold shaping into a suit of armor around her body. Celestia’s hair and tail ignite into gold flames, but runes on the armor glow absorbing the heat. From a puddle of leftover lava, Celestia shapes a single golden ax and takes it in her magical grasp. She gives the ax a few swings before hurling it at Chrysalis. The Changeling Queen turns and seeing the ax throws her spear to counter. Ax and spear meet and much to Chrysalis’s shock both weapons are destroyed! “Impossible! That shouldn’t have… GUH!” Her words are cut short as Luna’s horn pierces between the gaps of her armor. Chrysalis’s body goes cold as Luna removes her horn as steps away. The queen staggers on her hooves, her mane losing its ethereal properties. “My Queen!” Screams Pharynx, abandoning his fight with Sixes the Changeling captain catches his ruler’s side, propping her up. “We must get out of here!” “No…” Chrysalis croaks, blood pouring forth from her mouth. “I can’t… I can’t return to him in just disgrace… I cannot… face him like this.” Celestia roars, “Luna! Let’s finish this!” The Night Princess replies, “Of course!” And retrieves her blades from the ground. “Sixes!” Celestia calls and instantly another ax is crafted from gold and toss into the Princess’s grip. The black and red rinin land beside the Princesses, their fangs bared and their chests glowing. Chrysalis looks wearily between the four. Wondering if she’d be cut to death or roasted alive. All for rear back to strike and Chrysalis focuses in on Shining Armor. Cadence was supplying him power and she still had some control over him. With her the last of her strength she gave the unicorn one final order. The Princesses and Rinin unleash their attacks and Chrysalis felt a sudden feeling of weightlessness. She was flying backward. Her underbelly burned, she couldn’t feel her right legs either, but she was still alive. She opens her good eye and saw pink and Canterlot Castle growing more and more distant. She looks around, seeing others flying with her, every Changeling still alive. Her children. She closes her eye as they continue to fly through the air. Uncertain of their future, but grateful that she managed to get them away. She had saved her children and come out an alive against Celestia and Luna after taking Canterlot. That was impressive enough she thought as her body come a gentle stop on a grassy hill, Canterlot a distant speck in the distance. She couldn’t help but smile despite all her plans being ruined. “I think I deserve a nap.” She said tiredly as the concern faces of her children surrounding her. She was too tired to even be angry at her failure. Too tired to feel anything really. So, so tired. Her eye closes and there was darkness and the cries of her children in the distance. Sixes tightly held his wine glass, the thin glass cracking as the tips of his claws press against the glass when his eyes fell upon the dance floor where Captain Shining Armor and Princess Cadence danced for their mare and colt dance. The glass shatters. A meek maid comes and cleans up the glass, providing him another, this would be his fifth since the party had started. He tips his head to the nervous maid, who quickly scoots away. He sighs quickly drowning the glass of wine and sets it on the nearby table before he breaks it. Really there was no reason he should be mad. At least no rational one. The party was in their honor after all for retaking Canterlot from the changelings only hours ago. It was also Princess Cadence’s reception party for her marriage to Shining Armor. The prepared food was given out to everypony royal or not. The Princess had suggested the party after everypony was free from their cocoons. Tomorrow they would begin rebuilding the city and burying the dead. Overall, he didn’t have a problem with the plan. He did have a problem with the stallion dancing with the Princess. Sixes was so angry at the pathetic excuse of the Captain that was Shining Armor it wasn’t even funny. Not only had the city been taken under his watch, he had helped the enemy escape! The fact he wasn’t hanging from a noose for treason was sickening to him. “Well, you look, mad Boss,” A sultry voice said, Sixes snarls at the smirking mare behind him. “VeeVee, you should be with the rest of the medic unit.” The glossy pink rinin merely shrugs, unintimidated. “Shift change, I’m done until morning. It’s not like there were a lot of injuries. Changeling Cocoon are meant to keep the victims alive after all. Besides the detachment of EUP from Manehatten can handle the surviving Royal Guards. Not that there’s that many to treat, but what do you care? You still dislike the EUP, right?” “These ponies are different than the ones back then. I have no reason to hate them.” “Except for Shining Armor.” “He gave me a reason.” VeeVee chuckles, “This is as amusing as I thought it would be. I’m glad I came along with you.” She brushes up beside Sixes, eyeing him openly with a look he couldn’t decipher. “I feel like dancing. Would you be my partner?” “Go find somepony else.” “Right, right, you only dance with one pony. Well, good luck with that.” She sang trotting into the crowd. Leaving Sixes to his vexing. Calling for another glass of wine he attempts to relax. Hell, even Fury was relaxing, chatting up with some others and Fury was always angry! It was in his name! Topaz was talking to some mares. Maybe he was just being too uptight. But how could he not be? They had to resupply the ship, find a company to manufacture their ammo and weapons, rebuild the castle. Oh, sweet Luna the castle! How in the world we’re they going to pay for that! “It’d be easier to demolish it and rebuild it from scratch,” Sixes mutters sourly. There were so many things to do to get Night Patrol up to full capacity again. He didn’t have time to be partying and drinking. “You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, Sixes.” He turns quickly, his claw flying to his head in a salute the mare before him, Princess Luna, out of her armor and dress in a fancy black dress. It was breathtaking. And she was smiling, she was happy, he likes seeing her happy. His joy falters when Celestia joins them. “Celestia.” He said coldly. Luna looks at her sister and the Rinin. She knew things were rocky between the two ponies, probably between all of Night Patrol. Her sister has a lot of explaining to do, but still the coldness in Sixes' tone. It was chilling to her. “Sixes please, let’s be civil about this.” “I believe I am being civil unless you’ve forgotten our last conversation.” “I have not.” “Then there’s nothing to talk about.” “Yes, there is,” Celestia insists, her tone drawing a crowd. The Groom and Bride were riding off in their carriage. With the main attractions gone, ponies began to focus on the growing storm between the Princess and the dragon pony. Before things could heat up though, Luna pushes them away from each other trying to be the voice of reason. “Sixes, sister, this is not the time or place for such clearly heated conversation. Can we not just revel in our victory and the return of Night Patrol? I know I am most eager for their return and I’m sure they are eager to resume their duties? Correct Sixes?” “Agreed,” Said Sixes, looking squarely at Celestia, “Clearly you need us if Canterlot can be conquered in a day.” Celestia stood up stiffly, licking her lips nervously, she looks to Luna, then to Sixes, and then to the other Night Patrol ponies in the crowd knowing what she was about to say would cause an out roar, but she knew deep in her heart it was for the best. “I can not sanction that.” Sixes visibly recoils, “What did you say?” Celestia coughs, but presses onward, knowing what was coming. “I cannot allow Night Patrol to return to active duty.” A pin could have dropped and no pony would have heard it over the chorus of angry snarls.