As Chrysalis descended upon Canterlot with her army of changelings, she noticed Maleficent was gasping for breath as though tired.
“Are you alright, mistress?” Chrysalis asked with contempt on the last word. She was a queen, she was not meant to be a pet to this witch.
“I’m fine, casting the spell to break took a good deal of my power.”
This surprised Chrysalis, and it gave her an idea.
“No matter, I shall be at full strength by nightfall. Set me down in the streets there,” Maleficent said pointing.
Chrysalis did so. Maleficent climbed off her back and strode into an alleyway. She turned and looked at Chrysalis for a moment.
“I’m sure you will be more than capable of leading the invasion in my stead.”
“Oh yes, I think so too. In fact I think I am capable of more.”
She shot a beam of green magic at Maleficent and knocked her against the wall. The fairy fell to ground, unconscious. Chrysalis looked, and was sure the wound was severe if not life threatening. She grinned.
“Did you really think I would be your pet? I am a Queen, not some lesser creature like those dogs or cats ponies have for pets. I will rule my hive, as well as your army now!” she said gloating.
The Changeling Queen flew back into the air. She now had control of her hive back since Maleficent had overthrown her a decade ago. As for the humanoid pigs, Chrysalis could still make use of them. They were not bright, she could merely tell them Maleficent had been killed royal guards or something the like. They would believe her, because they were to stupid to think for themselves. She’d heard they still thought a newborn filly Maleficent had cursed years ago was still a baby after all this time. The fools!
Chrysalis resumed her place at the head of the invasion, heading straight toward the Castle where she saw the Princesses, Shining Armor, and the others.
Flash Sentry:
Flash watched as the changelings descended upon the city with a look of fear on his face. He was still just a recruit, he didn’t even have his armor or spear yet.
“Oh what do we do? What do we do?” Fluttershy asked fearfully.
“Do what we always do! Save the day!” Rainbow Dash said. “Come on! Let’s find that Maleficent and give her what for! For Twilight!”
“No!” Celestia said. “You will not be able to defeat Maleficent without the elements of harmony! Even I can’t defeat her in single combat. Strangely, I don’t sense her magic getting closer.”
Shining Armor shook his head. “We have to get to Twilight!”
Celestia nodded and looked at her captain. “You take Flash Sentry to the tower where she is and wake her!” she then turned to Cadence and the other bearers. “Princess Cadence you go and wake my sister! We will need everypony’s help. The rest of you with me! We must get the elements of harmony to defeat Maleficent when she comes!”
“I don’t think so!”
Chrysalis suddenly landed in front of them. She grinned evilly while all the ponies glared at her in hatred for turning them against Twilight and causing the curse.
“You shall have to deal with me little ponies!” Chrysalis said as she fired another green beam.
Celestia reacted quickly, firing a golden beam of her own to meet Chrysalis’s. The changeling Queen struggled for a moment, then pushed back. She managed to keep the Princesse’s attack at bay. The spells soon canceled out, with both of them looking surprised.
Chrysalis looked at Shining Armor. “Your love for Cadence is quite strong, its seems the amount I took has made me equal to Celestia in power! If only I’d had the chance to consume more I could very well be even stronger!”
Celestia huffed. This was not going to be easy.
“Rarity come here!” she said, without taking her eyes off the Changeling Queen.
The fashion pony did so. Celestia put her horn on Rarity’s, which glowed slightly.
“Now you can open the vault to the elements of harmony. Lead the others!” Celestia said. “I’ll hold the Queen off! Go, all of you!”
Celestia charged at Chrysalis, Cadence took off into the air to wake Princess Luna, Rarity and the other bearers galloped for the place holding the elements. Meanwhile, Flash Sentry followed Shining Armor in the direction of the tower Twilight was sleeping in.
They were almost to the entrance at the bottom when they were soon blocked by a group of changelings. Flash shook at the sight of the overwhelming numbers. There were so many.
“What do we captain?” Flash asked.
Shining Armor pounded the ground with his hooves. “We fight! No matter the odds!
The captain charged magic on his horn, which flew out in different directions like falling stars. They struck multiple changelings at once. Those that weren’t knocked down charged, and Shining Armor gave them a taste of his hooves. Flash watched in admiration for a moment before he noticed some of them come at him. He spread his wings and flew to meet the nearest one, punching it in the head and knocking it out. But that was all he managed to do before more of them ganged up on him, pinning him to the ground.
“Captain! Help!” Flash cried out.
Shining Armor looked back at the trapped recruit and ran at the changelings holding him. With his magic and hooves, Shining Armor skillfully toppled all the changelings.
“This is for my sister!” he yelled as he beat changeling after changeling.
Flash got up and looked up at the tower. To his horror he saw something, a pair of changelings were flying straight at the top!
“Captain Armor!” he yelled pointing a hoof.
Shining Armor looked, slightly annoyed, thinking the recruit needed to be rescued again. But then he noticed the pair of changelings heading to the top.
“No!” he said, realizing that if they got inside, they could hurt Twilight. She was utterly helpless while under that sleeping curse.
Shining Armor focused his magic, creating another shield. This time it didn’t encircle all of Canterlot but merely the tower in which Twilight was sleeping. The two changelings were prevented from entering the tower, hitting the shield and bouncing off.
“Come on!” Shining Armor said as he expanded the shield slightly to allow them to get inside while keeping the changelings out. “Now’s our chance!”
They turned and climbed the steps, leaving the horde to pound on the shield.
Flash followed his captain to the top of the tower and finally he laid eyes on her. His marefriend, Twilight Sparkle. So beautiful, she slept on a bed of darker purple than her coat. Flash slowly approached her.
“Please, kiss her!” Shining Armor said, his brave face gone. His eyes were pleading as he looked at his sister’s sleeping form.
Slowly, Flash put his lips on Twilight’s. He and Shining Armor watched hopefully for a few minutes.
But… nothing happened. Twilight remained still.
Flash shook his head and looked at Shining Armor. “I’m sorry. I guess its not true love I have for her yet.”
Tears filled Shining’s eyes as he went up to Twilight. Flash stepped aside to make room for him.
“I’m so… so sorry Twiley,” he said pressing his head against hers. “I said all those horrible things to you, stripped you of the Best Mare title, kicked you out of my wedding, and I couldn’t protect you from this curse,” he sobbed. “I’ve failed you. Completely and utterly. You were right about that Cadence, she was an imposter. I wish I could take back everything I said.”
Outside he heard the changelings continue to pound on his shield.
“But I swear, I will not let any further harm come to you. I will find some other way to lift this curse. I’ll go to Tartarus and back for it if I have to! I love you little sis and I won’t stop until I find a way to save you. You are my one and only Best Mare.”
He let out a few more tears, then gave Twilight a gentle kiss on the forehead before rising up. First, he would help in the battle. Then… he didn’t know how… but he would take down Chrysalis and then Maleficent. He would have that fairy begging him for mercy, and he would make her take back the curse. If that didn't work... he would figure something out.
“Hello BBBFF.”
Shining let out a gasp and looked at Twilight whose eyes were now open.
“Twiley!” he let out more tears, but this time ones of joy.
Twilight smiled up at him as he took her hoof in his.
“You’re awake,” he said in relief. “Oh, I thought I’d lost you forever!”
Flash watched with a smile. This was true love. The love of family. A truly touching moment.
But it didn't last long.
"Come down from there! Or the Princesses wings get plucked!"