“Indeed Princess Luna, It won’t be long till the swarm gets through that field.” Nodes in his Mixer disguise came from the same direction Luna came just a few moments before.
Cadence didn’t have her focus on detecting changelings so at first, she looked puzzled. “Mixer?” Then the memory of how she was captured came to the surface and her eyes flash white as she used her empathy to sense the changeling’s emotional energy. “CHANGELING!”
The guards leaped into action the unicorns charge up spells, and Stonewall lead the charge at Nodes. Only to get Luna standing in front of them her good wing spread out. “At ease! Yes, Mixer here is a changeling, but I owe him my life.”
“What? Aunt Luna how?” Cadence looks between Luna and Nodes/Mixer.
“I was in the group that went with Luna to investigate the distraction. Our orders were to... to kill her when we were resting.” Nodes looked down to the ground.
Shocked Cadence stepped back feeling the wave of guilt.
“I killed my sister to save Princess Luna. I do mean my sister, not just clutch mate, we were born of the same nest. Same mother and father.” Luna approached and hugged the now crying Nodes.
“I’m so sorry Nodes, there nothing I can do to repay you.” She looks to the castle “Guards, gets those trapped in the barracks freed. Prepare for battle, Cadence and I will head to the Castle to get the Queen.”
“Princess I’m coming with you. I... I have to see this through.”
“Heck, I’m not going to abandon Cadence now.” Lyra moves up to her friend. “Friends stick by each other good times or bad.”
Cadence smiles the last of the panic she felt earlier fades fully. They will get through this! Her coat finally returns to her normal pink.
“We have to run!” Luna starts charging for the castle, Lyra, Cadence, and Nodes following her.
As the group charged for the castle the pink shield protecting the city finally fell. “Attack only the ones that look like you, or any pony if they attack you first!” Luna orders as she rears up and slams her front hooves into an attacking Changeling.
“I had us hold each other’s tails.” She dropped her passive emotions scan to provide firepower with Lyra.
Then the sky seemed to light up with lightning bolts. The bolts were random striking buildings, missing changelings that would be easy targets. Cadence looks overseeing the blast origins was from Luna. The broken tip of her horn now burnt. “Luna, be careful. You could cause more damage.”
“I had to try!” She spun and bucked another group of changelings.
--------------------
Chrysalis POV
“Now bug it's time to be squashed.” With calm steps, the Alicorn moved closer to Chrysalis and raises her hoof. “Long live the Queen”
“No, Nightshade Please don’t! Don’t be the Monster you were!” Twilight screams as she steps forward. “You were given a second chance, a new life don’t throw it away! Please... Don’t be Nightmare Moon again! Spare her, you won she can’t fight anymore.”
Chrysalis looks up with pure hate. “If I die a new queen will be born. You won’t stop my Changeling’s revenge.”
Nightshade looks down at Chrysalis. “They are so pathetic, aren’t they? All this time they have been watching afraid, worried, unsure who to cheer for. At any time they could have helped fight you or fought me. They stood there in doubt, knowing they were seeing a fight they were outmatched to join. Now they beg me to stop. They beg to save your life, pathetic, caring, ponies...” Her hoof slams down with a sicking crunch.
“AGHhhhhhhhh” The hoof slammed into her left foreleg crushing the limb. It must have been the pain because for a moment it seemed two Alicorns were attacking her. One hit her limb one hit her head.
Then the world ended in a flash of pink.
-----------------------
Applejacks POV.
Something was bothering her. A little nagging feeling like she was being lied to. She looked around and notices that one pony is missing from those that should be here.
“Where's Shining Armor?”
“What do you mean where’s Shining Armor?” Twilight turned to look at Applejack ignoring the fight of the Chrysalis and Nightmare/Nightshade. “He’s over there.” She points to a spot behind Applejack. Sure enough, when AJ looked Shining Armor was standing there.
“How did he get there, he was over on the other side of the room.” Applejack then heard a sicking crunch of a hoof slamming down. Then the world ended in a flash of pink.
----------------
Rainbow Dash POV
“Yeah! Kick that Changeling’s flank!” She cheered as the strange alicorn moved with speed and grace worthy of her. That was until the end. When she hears Twilight speak up.
“Now bug it time to be squashed.” With calm steps, the Alicorn moved closer to Chrysalis and raises her hoof. “Long live the Queen”
“No, Nightshade Please don’t! Don’t be the Monster you were!” Twilight screams as she steps forward. “You were given a second chance, a new life don’t throw it away! Please... Don’t be Nightmare Moon again! Spare her, you won she can’t fight anymore.”
“Wait what? That foal of Luna’s Nightmare Moon?”
The world ends in a flash of Pink
------------------------
Fluttershy Pov
The fear she felt was more than ever felt before. She bolts behind Rainbow Dash, each punch and kick echoed in her ears. Cowering down she covers her eyes trying to hide from the fighting.
Then the fight ended and she heard birds... she lifts her head and she was in a glade, sun shining down and a beautiful rainbow overhead. “What... what going on?”
“Sorry Fluttershy, it all a dream. I didn’t mean to scare you so much.” a voice came from behind her.
Leaping up she spins to see a filly about the age of five. Royal purple coat and deep purple mane and tail. It didn’t take long for Fluttershy to recognize Luna’s foal. “A dream? This is all a dream? So Canterlot okay?”
Nightshade shakes her head “no, and I’m losing control of the Nightmare I trapped Chrysalis in, it's falling apart. If my mom doesn’t get here soon... It hurts...” Nightshade starts crying and Fluttershy moves closer to hug her.
“Hush, It will be okay.”
The dream ends in a flash of Pink
----------------------
Pinkie Pie POV.
She tosses another hoof full of popcorn into her mouth as she watched the Clowns fight with rubber ducks. The castle was decorated in bright colors and balloons of all kinds.
“What? Wait how?" A voice distracted Pinkie Pie and she looks over to the five-year-old Nightshade.
“Oh, Hey Purple Snooty! I got bored with the show you had on so I change it." The dream changed again this time Nightshade found herself standing in a nightclub with the images of Celestia and Luna twerking.
“I DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT!" Nightshade yells before vanishing. The laughter of Pinkie Pie echoing in the dream version of Club Arcane.
The dream ends in a flash of pink
-----------------------
Peppermint Heart POV
He watched as the dome protecting the city shattered. Looking at the two foals he went over and picked both up putting them in a stroller. “Stay in the stroller you two. I protect you.”
The foals were scared and curled up together. Peppermint wanted to do the same, but he was their protector. He was also prepared, the next thing he did was put on another set of saddlebags he had prepared much like the one he gave Twilight.
So when the balcony door open he turned to look at the three changelings. “Gentlemen, or ladies I do believe you are in the wrong suite.”
“Just give up little pony, It will be easier for you.” The lead changeling smiles as he moves to the stripped pony and the two foals.
The foals started screaming holding each other as the scarry black figures more closer. To Buster and Cream Puff it seemed as if three monsters were coming for them.
“Pony? Ah yes, I’m sorry to disappoint you” He took out a pouch of white powder and tosses it at them. The powder exploded at the invaders' hooves, resulting in a cloud. Peppermint Heart looked on as the changelings started coughing as the powder got into their mouths and lungs. “You see I am only part pony. The other half is a Zebra, and as my father taught me. We are cleaver.” He lifts his hoof that had silvery dust on it and blew. When the dust hit the powder it changed magic flowed and the three changelings couldn’t move. “The magic will fade in an hour or so.”
“Glad to know my brothers will be fine.” A fourth larger Changeling landed on the balcony. “Now where is the royal brat?”
The door of the suite burst open and in charged two ponies. One was Mr. Goodlife the butler, the other was Prince Blueblood. “Did someone call my name?” His horn lights up and he draws his sword. Unlike the normal swords of the Royal guards, Blueblood’s was a Prance rapier sword long and thin with a razor-sharp edge.
“Whare the foal alicorn!” The brutish Changeling draws a sword of his own thick and dark metal the two sword swingers went to battle. It became clear to Blueblood that the thicker heavier sword would easily overpower his rapier if he had to block a blow. The range wasn’t an issue with TK magic being used by both fighters. So he had to cheat.
Dodging the powerful blows Blueblood seemed to dance during the duel. It wasn’t Peppermint Heart then felt a tug at his side did he notice Blueblood’s magic was gripping one of the vials in his saddlebag.
Peppermint slowly moved to free the vial as he went to comfort Cream Puff and Buster. The vial flew across the room and into the back of the changeling’s head. Causing the swing that would have hit Blueblood to miss slamming into the ground.
Blueblood smiles as the changeling size was reduced to where he was about the size of a Parasprite. “Mr. Goodlife, there are bugs in the child’s playroom. Get rid of the icky things.”
“Of course sir.” Goodlife Kicked the changeling gnat out of the balcony door. Followed by the three paralyzed changelings. Then he closed the door and set the lock. “Sir if I may, your competence is showing.”
“oh, that can’t do. It ruined my reputation. If anypony asks I was cowardly hiding in the corner.” Blueblood looked at Peppermint Heart.
“Of course sir. I won’t mention you peed yourself either.” Goodlife Push a couch in front of the balcony door.
“I was just lucky that potion was what I thought it was. My um... romantic interest has some in case Timberwolves attack her home.”
Peppermint Heart nods and pulls out his other jar of green paste. “Just to be sure you are who you appear to be.” He dabs some of the paste on each of the other ponies.
Then all five ponies turned and watched as a wall of pink magic blasted the Changelings away.
“That was impressive.”
---------------------
Luna POV
She was in pain, cuts and burns marked her body. Along the way, she picked up the unconscious body of Nodes/Mixer. Looking to her side she sees Cadence was also suffering battle damage a line of burnt fur and skin crossed her right flank.
Lyra was on the back of Stonewall having got her foreleg broken the constant fighting for the castle. She wasn’t being lazy as her horn lights up and fires magical blasts at the swarm.
Luna was glad to see they weren’t the only ones fighting. Thought outnumbered Pegasus were flying in the air, and magical blasts could be seen from various areas of the city. The guards freed from the barracks were in the fight.
Cadence reached the black barrier first. She lifts her hoof and strikes against the forcefield. “How are we going to get past this?”
Luna walks up and smiles looking at Cadence. “She’s my Daughter, just like Shining’s field lets in those he would recognize as friendly.” She lifts her hoof and taps the shield and it opens. “Nightshade would let me in.”
The group walks into the grand hall. Every pony within was laying down eyes closes. Even Chrysalis was passed out. Lines of magic flowed from their foreheads to the filly in the center where the lines converge at her horn tip. As they look the lines start flickering as the dreamers started resisting the dream Nightshade was feeding them.
“We don’t have much time. She losing control.” Luna looks overseeing Shining Armor. “Cadence get to Shining! Help him get his shield spell back up.”
“Right!” Cadence runs across the hall and reaching Shining puts her horn to his. His eyes snap open and his magic responds to hers. The wave of Pink magic swept across the room, castle, city. Blasting every Changeling out of the city.
Every changeling except one. Lyra focused as hard as she could and cast her shield on Nodes protecting him from the blast.
Nodes look over to the Unicorn “Thanks”
“Figure Luna would want you around.”
Luna walked over to Nightshade who was waking up. The other ponies in the room were waking up as well.
“Mommy? It hurts.” Then Nightshade falls over her horn burned and smoking.
“NIGHTSHADE!” Luna screamed scooping up her daughter and bolt out of the hall.