//------------------------------// // Race // Story: The Thousand Changeling Warriors // by BradyBunch //------------------------------// It was early morning by the time Shining Armor and a small advance party arrived at Chrysalis's campsite. For the hour leading up to it, he had his hoof on his sword hilt, awaiting with grim glee for the moment when he and Chrysalis would meet at last. He couldn't wait to see the surprised look on her face. However, to his dismay, as the early morning sun broke through the mists of fog, all that was revealed was an empty campsite. After sending a party into the depths of the camp to check for an ambush, Shining Armor paced up and down worriedly, wondering what must have happened. Did Chrysalis spot them? She must have. Why else would she just up and leave in the middle of the night? Shining Armor internally cursed himself for using torches in the middle of the night. All they did was make it easier to spot the enemy. But if Chrysalis left in the middle of the night, where was she now? What was her counterstrategy? Shining Armor’s eye found something on a nearby tree. It was a note, attached by a cruel black arrow to the soft bark of the tree. Using his magic, he tore it off the impromptu nail and floated the message over to him. All around him, Royal Guardsponies were checking in the abandoned tents for possible ambushes. Something that puzzled them all, and was subsequently talked about, was the unprecedented urgency in which she left the camp. Not only were the tents still up, but the food and water supplies had been left behind. A tentative taste by a brave pegasus revealed that their food supplies had not been poisoned, so that option was thrown out as well. Estoc used the tip of his wing to pick up a moldy sock, which was as stiff as cardboard. Flinging it away, he managed to crack a smile. “Wherever they went, they left in a hurry, all right.” “No.” “Captain?” he asked. “Are you saying they didn't leave right away?” “No!” “Well then-” “No, no, NO!” he exploded, and hurled the wad of paper against a tree with all the force he could muster. Estoc took a tentative step. “Captain? What is it?” Shining Armor turned his head to regard Estoc, and the fury within his eyes could have set firewood ablaze. “She's gone after Twilight.” Estoc's pearly jaw fell. “She...she what?” “She plans to kill every last changeling under Twily's command before she'll even think about turning around and fighting us!” “That wasn't the plan!” shouted an eavesdropping guard. “Chrysalis should have turned around to fight us!” “Clearly we misjudged her,” Shining Armor bleakly realized. “She is more stubborn than we thought she was. She'll kill them all, and the Elements of Harmony to boot!” Estoc furiously saluted. “Not if I have anything to say about it!” Shining Armor let out an animalistic snarl and looked to the heavens. His eyes were imploring, but his face was furious. “My sister will not die for me!” he vowed. He looked back to the apprehensive pegasus and made a jabbing motion to Estoc. “Alert all the troops! Attacking speed! Now!” “March, you insects!” Chrysalis ordered with a guttural growl. “March!” The ten thousand changelings were marching mindlessly, quickly, without any regard for their physical discomfort. Without the supply wagons to lug them behind, the march was significantly quicker than the previous day. “You want to die here? Right now? Or do you want to die facing the enemy like a proper subject?!” Chrysalis was mostly alongside the main column of troops as they marched, rather than in front. This purpose was mostly to spur the troops onward. Presently they came across a small stream cutting across the dry terrain, dying the riverbanks black, standing out against the light brown of the land. Its burbling chatter meant good things to travelers in the wasteland. Clean water was rare and spread far apart. Chrysalis's troops didn't even slow down for a break. They simply splashed in and marched onward. Chrysalis did notice one simple-minded drone, probably a runt of the litter, break from the column with a tin cup in his teeth. He dipped his head into the flowing water, filling his small cup with the precious liquid. Moving the little cup to his hooves, he tilted it back to drink. Chrysalis’s sword, if it had missed the cup, would have split the changeling's head in half. The twin pieces fell into the brook right before he could take a drink, and the startled changeling looked up with fear on his face. Chrysalis maniacally waved the long black sword above her head. Her coloration was akin to that of molten lava. “NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK! UNTIL EVERY! LAST! TRAITOR! IS DEEEAAAD!” “S-so sorry, my q-” “MOOOOOVE!” she bellowed, swishing the sword into the stream, sending up a splash of water. The thoroughly-withered changeling bowed and rushed to the back of the formation before Chrysalis could take another swipe. The dark queen heaved and panted with rage. Her mane was on ends, and her open mouth displayed her fangs in full array. “Degenerates like you,” she breathed, “deserve to be skinned alive!” She wasn't talking to the changeling. She was instead cursing the elusive alicorn target. “And so then I was all like, ‘The gates are open!’ and Big Mac, he's like, ‘What, do you think I'm that stupid?’ So then he rolled for initiative and he got a nat 20!” Spike rolled his reptilian eyes. “He ended up using a buff on all his party members. But he still only did 50 damage against the dragon of Adaladar. Isn't that weird?” Meso looked questioningly at the second-in-command. “Since when were you so involved in Ogres and Oubliettes? Isn't that for nerds?” “Hey, don't diss Ogres and Oubliettes! It's a really good game!” “I guess. RPGs are so varying in quality, aren't they?” “Yeah. Baldur's Gate was good enough on its own, but Pillars of Eternity did a good job too. But my favorite is The Elder Scrolls: Crystal Empire.” “I haven't heard of that last one.” “It’s made by the same guys that did Fallout: Equestria.” “Oh, yeah, I’ve heard good stuff about that one. Wait, hold on, that's an RPG?” “Yeah. Weird, isn't it?” “Aww, man. I'm a nerd now, aren't I?” “Stop your talking back there,” Twilight ordered, only a few steps ahead of them. “Why?” Meso asked his commander. “Oh, oh, I get it. You don't like RPGs either.” “No, because the best RPG is obviously Heroes of Tartarus. Really, the argument is pointless.” Meso adopted a strange expression. He pointed at his acting mother. “I don't know if you're more cool or less cool for saying that, ma'am.” “Please, try to keep me cool. Maybe you'll listen to me more and not get into fights with the others. Especially Stern.” “Fights?” he snorted. “It's just a couple of words. A snide remark here and there, sure, but nothing to be afraid of.” “I don't want this division to be split apart when the time is needed to stand tall,” Twilight confessed. “That includes snide remarks. I am basically a guardian against evil influences among my own little family here.” Meso looked properly abashed. “Sorry.” “You're the oldest one here. You're nineteen years old. You could help me more instead of helping contribute to the stirring up of evil among our own troops.” “Okay, mom!” he relented. “Okay! Sorry.” “How long are we going to be walking today, Twilight?” Spike asked wearily from behind her. “Only a few more hours. The more distance we put between us and Chrysalis, the better. Maybe Shining Armor's already engaged them.” A small shape cast a shadow on the plains below, and far above, Fluttershy circled about before gently gliding down and settling on the dry ground. “Oh, hey, Fluttershy,” Twilight greeted her. “What's your report?” “Um...I think I did a good job...for my first time out. I was really scared the whole time. Being that high up in the clouds was so scary!” “Just tell me what's happening. Be short. Be concise. What's the situation?” “It's...okay, I guess...but there's an issue, I think.” “What is it?” “Chrysalis is coming.” “Well, that's-WAIT, WHAT?!” Twilight exclaimed, involuntarily putting her head very close to Fluttershy's. Fluttershy recoiled frightfully. “That's not supposed to happen! Did anyone see you in the clouds?” “N-no, Twilight. I tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. And I'm pretty good at that. But, um, if you think differently, that's okay.” “Oh, this is bad. Oh, man. Ooooooooh, man!” Composing herself with tremendous effort, she tried for a different tack. “What about Shining Armor? Did you at least manage to relay the info to him? He needs to kmow Chrysalis is coming for us!” “I couldn't find them in time. All I saw was a big, giant, scary cloud of dust filled with changelings moving at double speed from yesterday. I should have told him, Twilight. I'm sorry.” “Don't be!” Twilight rebuked her. Taking a deep breath, and feeling her heart pound furiously beneath her chest, she tried for one last hope. “Has there been any word from my brother?” “Nothing, Twilight.” “Horseapples,” Twilight cursed under her breath. “Oh, Twilight! You should watch your mouth. That was a very mean thing to say.” “Something's gone wrong!” Twilight said, whirling around to look at Spike. Laying an armored hoof on his shoulder, she looked deep into his suddenly concerned eyes. “Listen to me, Spike. You are the captain now. Lead our army due west into the wilderness.” “Twilight?” Spike asked in confusion, glancing west to the tree line that had always bordered their route. “Wh-what are you going to be doing?” “Go!” Twilight ordered furiously. “Go, go, go!” Spike sped off towards the tree line, ushered by his figurative mother. He took one look back before stopping to wait. “EVERYONE!” Twilight roared to the columns of troops behind her. The thousand changelings paused their advance in their tracks, with the teenagers whispering their confusion to each other. “Listen to Twilight, everyone!” Rarity crisply ordered to her own troops. “She's got something important to say.” “We may be officially compromised!” Rarity's face comedically fell. “That maaaaayyyy be important, everyone!” Pinkie Pie hesitantly announced to her own troops. None of them needed the reminder. They all knew that their lives were now suddenly in danger. “We can't stay out in the open anymore! While we have the time, we need to retreat into the woods and wait out Chrysalis's advance parties. They know it's a trap now. Our only hope now is to make sure each of you is safe. Follow Spike! I'll be at the rear.” Every soldier whipped their heads to face the young dragon. Spike let out a small cough and puffed himself up. “All right. Look at me. I'm the captain now! Yeah! Yaayy...Right?” There was some grumbling noises in response. Spike huffed and folded his arms. “Oh, I see how it is. Hmph.” “Rarity! Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie! Keep the soldiers moving! Cut the supply wagons! Leave them! I don't want a single soldier to be left behind! Got it?” The three mares nodded quickly and began to encourage the frightened soldiers in a sharp left turn into the nearby woods. The changelings who were pulling the supply wagons unhooked from their harnesses or cut them out with their knives. Soon each of them were in an all-out sprint towards the forest. As the first troops reached the tree line, Twilight pointed at Applejack. “Burn the wagons, Applejack! I don't want Chrysalis to take advantage of this!” “But Twilight!” Applejack protested. “Ma homemade pies and fritters are in there! D'ya know how much TLC Ah put inta these things?!” “You don't want Chrysalis to eat them, do you?” Applejack widened her eyes, then nodded resolutely. “Ah gotcha, Twi. Ain't no mindless drone gonna feast on any Sweet Apple Acres apples!” Applejack ran over to the wagons and took out a piece of flint and steel. She struck the pieces against each other, and sparks flew in a deadly glowing shower over the tarp on the side of the wagon. A small blaze began at the edge and began to spread up the top. The only one left was a floating Rainbow Dash, looking to her for guidance. “I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, Rainbow,” Twilight quietly said. She drew her sword with a purple flourish of her glowing horn. “But you are our greatest warrior...and my close friend. There is no one else I would ask this of.” Rainbow Dash gave a cocky grin. “We'll stay at the rear and listen for signs of the approaching enemy. If Chrysalis draws too close…” Twilight took a breath. “We may have to turn and fight. Rainbow tossed her mane, her expression confident. “Well, I am pretty awesome. If anypony's gonna hold ‘em, it's me!” Twilight cleared her throat meaningly. “And you too,” she reluctantly conceded. “I guess.” The wagons were all ablaze now. Engulfed in a snapping forest of scarlet branches, the precious supplies therein were consumed by the flames. Applejack, with a saddlebag of supplies across her black-armored back, stepped back from her handiwork. She nodded approvingly, and turned and sprinted at full gallop into the nearby forest. Rainbow and Twilight followed. A dull roar echoed behind them as the first changelings could be heard approaching. The forest was thick and heavy in vegetation close to the ground. Sweat began to stick to their packs and belongings. They ran at full tilt through the underbrush, fearful of the enemy in pursuit. “Come on, ya bunch of lazy-bones!” Pinkie Pie bubbled, boinging alongside the troops with little bounces. “You wanna race? Come on, let's race! I love it when my vision gets all blurry! Readysetgo!” “Onward, noble warriors!” Rarity proclaimed with a hoof in the air. “Into the forest we go!” “Um...if everyone could walk in an orderly fashion, that would be just fine,” Fluttershy tried to say, but the stampeding rush drowned her feeble voice out. Fluttershy eventually settled for taking flight and flying high above the reformed changelings. As Fluttershy glided along, she took periodic glances above the treetops, worrisome of the imminent danger. Were the changelings coming closer? And was Twilight caught in the middle? But when the army came to a little clearing in the forest, Fluttershy noticed the game-changing update. “Excuse me?” she asked softly. “I've got an announcement to make, and, um, I-” “Do you think this is far enough?” “No! We need to go deeper! Maybe escape through to the opposite side!” “Aaugh! I got a thorn in my side! Hold on, hold on a second, I gotta get this thing out.” “It's, um, really, really important that I make this announcement to all of you right now, and so I would appreciate it if you were to-” “WE CAN'T STAY IN THIS FOREST FOREVEEER!” “I'm going to be sick, I'm going to be sick, I'm going to be sick-” “WAAAAAIIIIIIT!” Fluttershy screamed above the commotion. The collective mass of soldiers beneath her ceased immediately. If the quietest one went to the highest volume, then she obviously had something important to say. Fluttershy took one more peek to make sure. Then she fluttered gently down and made the announcement. “They're not following us anymore.” “They what?” Rarity incredulously asked. “But-but why stop?” The crashing of underbrush interrupted her as Applejack emerged. She looked weary and raggled from her sprint through the forest. Her hat was in tatters, and her black leather armor had scratches and tears. “Sorry ‘bout that,” she apologized, laying a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. “What's happenin’?” “They're not following us,” Pinkie supplied, moving her shoulder so Applejack fell on all fours again. “They probably remembered their dentist appointments all at the same time! Because they ate a lot of candy over the past few weeks.” “Pinkie,” Stern replied, his expression deadpan. “You eat a lot of candy.” “Oooohh,” Pinkie realized. “Right. Forgot about that. I must have mixed them up with me! Silly me!” Twilight and Rainbow emerged next. Their thick steel armor was less tattered than Applejack's, but they still were exhausted in body and mind. “Why could they have stopped?” Rainbow asked Twilight in utter confusion. Proto and Meso took worried glances at each other. Meso spoke up first, his usually bored voice now filled with worry. “They...might be surrounding the forest, ma'am.” Arista began to rock back and forth on her rear end. “It's a trap!” she hyperventilated. “It has to be!” “We're going to die!” came several voices, and the responses overlapped each other until the forest became a chattering mess. “I don't want to do this anymore! Maybe in the beginning, but now, it's scary!” A single laugh interrupted them all. The overlapping died down in shock to plainly reveal who it was that was laughing. It was Stern. He was just shaking his head lazily as he came to the center of the assembly, and he eventually stopped laughing to deliver his thoughts. “Don't you see?” he said. “All they're doing is standing right outside the forest, waiting for us to escape! They want us to think they're surrounding the forest so that we can escape before it's ‘too late’ and they'll catch us then! But as for me…” He sat back against a tree and leaned back with his hooves behind his head. “I say we stay here. They're trying to draw us out, after all.” “No!” Arista disagreed. “I'm with Proto and Meso. We're being surrounded!” “How could they surround the forest if Chrysalis's army couldn’t see where we went?” a soldier pointed out, before a chatter could break out again. “We escaped into the forest before the enemy arrived, didn't we?” “But where else could we go but into the forest?” another refuted. “They're stupid, all right, but they can add two and two and entrap us here.” “Chrysalis isn't nearly that subtle,” Rarity spoke up. “As a lady, I understand the art of style and grace. Chrysalis is a bug-eyed monster who is single-minded and relentless. She would just plunge into the forest after us instead of surrounding us all.” “Maybe…” Twilight said hopefully. “Maybe...Shining Armor caught them from behind!” The entire group fell silent once more. The mood, rather than impatient, was somber this time. One small, turquoise changeling spoke up. She was very young, but she was the daughter of Thorax himself, and carried herself bravely. “Then,” she said, timid at first, but growing stronger as her words continued to spill. “We must return!” Twilight made her way over to the small little girl and caressed the top of her head. “I was given orders to keep you out of battle, Ocellus.” “Twilight, ma'am,” Ocellus said quickly. “I can't just stand by and allow your brother to sacrifice himself for our sake. He's been marching for two days straight! And his army is less than half of Chrysalis's. You think we can just abandon him?” “I want to go back too,” Twilight said softly. “But the plan-” “With all due respect, mom,” Proto piped up, using the title to successfully attract her attention, “the plan is irrelevant at this point. Shining Armor needs us. I don't know if I could live with myself if he needed our help and we didn't give it.” “This war is our war,” Meso agreed, clapping his brother on the back. “Chrysalis wants us. So let's give her what she wants.” “Look at us!” came a lesser-social changeling in Pinkie Pie's group called Gupe. He was big and strong as changelings go, and was shy, but was also gentle and patient with those he worked with. “Take a look around. We're all the same deep inside. Pony, changeling--what does it matter who Chrysalis wants? We all hate her anyway. My blood is boiling for a fight. Let's give her Tartarus!” “But with faith!” came the young female voice of Ocellus. “We know about the magic of friendship. With that power, there's no way Chrysalis can triumph over us.” Ocellus looked pleadingly to Applejack, then Fluttershy, and Rarity. After her, Pinkie Pie. Then Rainbow Dash. Finally, her gaze lingered on Twilight Sparkle. “We have you. You accepted us, first as refugees, and then as volunteers. You, and most of all, our faith, is with us. No force in Equestria will let us fall.” She took a shuddering breath to muster her courage once more. “We must go back.” Twilight looked to her friends first. Applejack and Fluttershy looked doubtful as to their success, but Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie looked roaring to go. She then overlooked her children. The young changelings, barely teenagers, in so few a number, with bravery shining out of the sea of faces. Eager, small, weak. But also brave, big, and unstoppable in their own eyes. Twilight's heart ached for them. What could she do, let them kill themselves in battle? Compared to Chrysalis's army, they were negligible. But this was their war. They chose the time and place to die. So Twilight, with a heavy heart, raised her sword aloft. The light from the top of the trees caught the length of the blade and reflected over the assembly. “What do you say?!” she screamed. “Will you go up to battle with Chrysalis?” Twilight had never seen so much bravery in her life. Each and every single one raised their own spears or swords and let forth resounding bellows of affirmation that quickly overlapped each other in a rising crescendo of power. They screamed their little hearts out. They knew the danger. They expected the worst. They were prepared. Rarity was already getting weepy. “These are real heroes if I ever saw them,” she managed to croak out. “I'm proud of you all,” Rainbow whispered under her breath. “Please don't die,” Fluttershy breathed, unbeknownst to all. “Y'all are gonna kick some serious flank out there,” Applejack whispered. “Let's have some fun!” Pinkie exclaimed, unafraid to speak out louder than her friends. One of them came over to Twilight. He was firm, tall, and ready to engage, but his knees were trembling and he was sweating profusely. “My mother,” said the large Gupe, with tears in his little eyes, “she said that if we never doubted in the power of friendship, it would deliver us from harm. And Twilight...mom…will you say the same thing?” Twilight squeezed her own eyes shut. The words had cut deep. “If only everyone could have a mother like yours,” Twilight lamented. “I know your fathers were slain, but I wish…they could see you now...” She stopped her thoughts there as she pondered on her own family. And right now, out there, Shining Armor was in the middle of battle with his mortal enemy. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not ever. Because he was her Big Brother Best Friend. Forever. “Prepare for battle.”