…
PREVIOUSLY ON "MY LITTLE PONY"
…
Spike: They want Chrysalis released from her stone prison.
Rainbow Dash: No way are we going to just let that evil queen be freed again after all the trouble she's caused!
Ocellus: You'll help us?!
Scorpan: I want to make up for all the pain my brother has caused.
Rockhoof: We've come to get you out of here and bring you home, where you belong.
Luna: You're not getting our parents again, Grimlord!
Grimlord: Destroy them all!
Molt: What if Princess Twilight and her friends don't comply with our demands? Come on, you know how she and her friends work.
Hopper: Hello, princesses. I just figured we'd come and pick up our queen…personally.
…
…
Twilight and her friends stood their guard as Hopper and his cohorts closed in on them. The plan that Twilight had to infiltrate the Changeling hive had been squashed and there was nowhere to run.
"So, about our queen," Hopper coldly and quietly stated. "Hoof her over…now! I won't ask nicely again."
"And why should we listen to you, bug breath?!" Rainbow Dash snapped, much to Hopper's irritation. "Your queen isn't going…"
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted, looking over at the princess of loyalty. "They've already threatened to kill hostages. We can't risk lives! We must be careful how we deal with them."
"Of course you can't risk lives, your highness," Hopper remarked, flying over them and sitting on Twilight's throne. "Your softness and compassion will be your demise. How else do you think Celestia and Luna prepared you to take their place, huh? Did they ever tell you that sometimes lives must be sacrificed in order for something to pass? It's unfortunate, but that's life."
Twilight realized that Hopper was taunting her, but was more than determined to not let her emotions get the better of her.
"Then again," Hopper continued. "You're mentally unstable to rule Equestria, aren't you? After what Discord did, your mind isn't what it used to be. I wonder if your subjects know of your diagnosis, or what it really means."
Realizing that Hopper was playing to Twilight's emotions, the rest of her friends jumped to her defense.
"Now stop right there, you fiend!" Rarity demanded, her horn ominously glowing. "You leave Twilight alone! Her mental state is none of your concern!"
"No Rarity," Twilight protested, holding her back. "He's right. I am emotionally unstable to rule Equestria."
For a moment, it seemed like Twilight would bow to the pressure. But then after lowering her head for a moment, she raised it back up.
"By myself that is. And that's why Celestia appointed my friends to be co-princesses in the first place, Hopper," She said firmly while going up towards the rogue Changeling. "So don't jump to conclusions. You're not dealing with one supreme ruler here! You're dealing with six worthy co-rulers, myself included."
"I'm not jumping to conclusions, your majesty" Hopper sarcastically retorted, lifting himself off of the throne. "I'm just…playing to your fears. We both know you've suffered more than anyone because of what happened just before your coronation. After all, that's what Chrysalis said to you when she, Tirek and Cozy Glow destroyed this very castle all that time ago, right? I can see your fears of what will happen when Chrysalis is freed, yes? That's why you're afraid to release her to my custody. Don't lie, I see much fear in your eyes."
…
Not wanting to see Twilight take any more verbal abuse, Scorpan jumped up and approached Twilight side.
"Scorpan, what are you doing?!" King Vorak cried. "This doesn't concern you!"
Scorpan didn't listen to his father's command. Instead, he stood next to Twilight in solidarity.
"And what have we here?" Hopper mocked as his three fellow rogue changelings came to his side. "Lord Tirek's traitorous little brother. Corrupted by the magic of friendship, and the one responsible for his brother's fate."
A look of anger and a sound of growling came from Scorpan's mouth. "Silence! My brother's downfall was his own doing! My only mistake was believing I could talk him out of it, but that's not what's important right now. You want your queen?"
He snarled as Twilight tried to intervene, only for Scorpan to drape his wing in front of her. "Then you'll have to go through me first! I refuse to let you sit here and mock Princess Twilight! She's more of a leader then you will ever be!"
Everyone in the room sharply gasped at Scorpan's intentions!
"Well, well, well," Hopper laughed, suddenly transforming himself into Tirek while talking in his own voice. "How about that? Scorpan wants to play the game? Well then, let's play it! But know this, I've no patience for anyone foolish enough to get in my way. All that awaits you is oblivion!"
Watching the horns emulate their magic, Scorpan turned back to Twilight. "I want you to run," He hastily whispered to her. "Get out of here and let me deal with this."
"No," Twilight firmly replied while charging up her horn. "I'm not leaving!"
"Very well then, if that's how you want to play it." Hopper laughed as he fired a blast of Tirek's magic at the gathered group! But Twilight quickly produced a shield deflecting the blast! However, the power of it was still sufficient enough to push them back.
Nodding to Tempest, Twilight motioned for her royal guard captain to fire a blast of unstable magic back at Hopper, striking him and causing Hopper to go back to his normal form.
Getting back up, Hopper and his fellow rogues charged at Twilight and Scorpan only for the rest of Twilight's friends to jump to her and Scorpan's defense.
"Take him down!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she and Applejack pushed two of the rogues down onto the ground!
Pinkie Pie randomly pulled out one of her party cannons and fired cake blasts at the third changeling.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" She cackled as the multiple blasts of cake covered the rogue in frosting.
But Hopper was determined to stay on the move. Transforming into King Sombra, he fired a blast of dark magic at Twilight, which she deflected with her shield spell. Growling, he used one of his forelegs to try and punch her in the face but to no avail.
"The only way you're going to get Chrysalis, Hopper" Twilight panted. "Is to kill me and my friends."
"That can be arranged!" The rouge changeling cackled with sadistic glee. Leaping onto Twilight, Hopper threw her back against the wall and attempted to push himself onto her!
But Twilight wasn't going to give up that easily. Using her back forelegs, she kicked Hopper back as Scorpan flew at him and picked him up, preventing him from getting away! With a loud roar, he threw Hopper down onto the floor hard.
This only made Hopper angrier. Growling, he darted back up! Turning into a rok, he headbutted Scorpan in the stomach, causing him to roar in pain.
Twilight jumped into action and together with Spike, pushed Hopper back onto the floor as one of the rogue changelings threw Rainbow Dash through one of the stained glass windows. Despite this, Rainbow rebounded and kicked the offending rogue in the face.
"This is ridiculous," Hopper yelled to Twilight. "You can't possibly hope to defeat me!"
"That's what you think!" Twilight cried as Tempest leapt into the air and kicked Hopper in the chest once more! Still, Hopper wasn't backing down. He needed leverage and found it in the form of the young, innocent changeling hiding behind King Vorak.
At that moment, Fluttershy commanded the geese assigned to protect the throne room to attack the rogues. "Fly, my pretties!" She cried out as the geese flew down and attempted to bite at the rogues. Falling back slightly, the rogues gave Twilight and her friends another advantage.
As several guardsponies came running in to help fight, Twilight attempted to tackle Hopper once more, but he quickly darted out of her way and grabbed Ocellus in his claws!
"All RIGHT, STOP!" he shouted while flying overhead, holding Ocellus by her wings. "Or the little one gets it!"
To show he wasn't fooling around, Hopper began to pull on Ocellus' wings sharply, causing the already frightened young changeling to howl in pain!
"Don't you DARE hurt her!" Twilight demanded.
"Then give us what we want!" Hopper ordered. "Unless you want to see this young changeling fall, you'll give us Chrysalis, now!"
…
Back on the Dark Fortress, the battle between the pillars and the ex-royal sisters vs. Grimlord and his minions continued with Mage, Mistmane and Somnambula now joining the fight.
"Take this!"Grimlord shouted, summoning snake-like wraps to bind Starswirl before he could fire another blast of magic. "What's wrong, you old coot? Can't get away this time, hmm?"
Grunting, Starswirl attempted to free himself but to no avail. Grimlord then proceeded to shoot electrical blasts into the wraps, shocking Starswirl as both Celestia and Luna looked on in horror!
"Starswirl, hang on!" Celestia cried, pushing Despera back with her magic as she attempted to help her mentor! Two skugs attempted to stop her, only to be sent back flying when they tried to subdue her. Seeing this as an opportunity, Grimlord captured Celestia in wraps as well, electrocuting her in submission. Not even the armor designed to protect her offered any defense.
"SISTER!" Luna cried, only to be kicked in the face by Doom Master.
"Your battle's with me, Luna!" Doom Master cried, taking his sword and swinging it at Luna.
Meanwhile, from outside the throne room, Cosmo and Galaxia were ushered into a hiding spot while Flash Magnus and Rockhoof aided in fighting the two generals as well as the skugs. As they hid, they heard the screams of Celestia from the throne room.
"Celestia!" Cosmo gasped upon hearing the pained screams of his eldest daughter. "She's in trouble!"
"But what can we do?!" Galaxia asked in a worried tone of voice, trying to keep her husband hidden from view of the enemy.
Cosmo would have none of it.
"I've got to save my daughter!" He replied and with his horn charging, he pushed the skugs and ultra skugs through the air and darted towards the throne room! General Ivar saw him cantering into the throne room and attempted to stop him, only to be pushed back by the combined efforts of Mistmane and Rockhoof.
Loudly yelling, Cosmo fired a blast of gold magic at Grimlord, causing him to lose control of the vines, freeing both Celestia and Starswirl.
"Dad?!" Celestia gasped, her eyes widened with shock!
"Father?!" Luna also gasped as she attempted to try and defend herself from Doom Master. For the first time in over a thousand years, both sisters were seeing their father again!
Getting back onto his feet, Grimlord could only look at the freed king of Equestria with a look of disgust deep in his face. "You'll pay for that, you royal pain!" He growled in annoyance.
"Heard it all before, Grimlord!" Cosmo replied, standing over his eldest daughter with his horn still glowing. He then looked down at Celestia, cuts and bruises all over her face from the inflictions she had suffered in the fight. "Are you all right, Celestia?" He asked, helping her to her hooves.
"How enchanting," Grimlord mockingly declared while drawing his sword. "The royal family's together again…for the last time!" Loudly yelling, he attempted to charge at father and eldest daughter, only for Starswirl to leap in the path and push Grimlord to the ground! And before Grimlord could retrieve his sword, Starswirl stepped on it, leaving Grimlord unable to pick it up.
At that moment, Mistmane and Rockhoof proceeded into the throne room, determined to help out. Seeing them arrive, Despera rebounded and grabbing her staff, rose to confront them.
"Look out!" Cosmo shouted and the two pillars dodged Despera as she took them on, while Flash Magnus and the rest of the pillars made their way into the throne room, trying to hold off a squadron of skugs!
"Grimlord!" General Ivar cried out as he tried to reach his lord and master, only for Flash Magnus to fly kick him into a wall! As sparks flew, Ivar laid on the ground while Flash Magnus raced over to Luna's side, trying to help her take on Doom Master. Picking Doom Master up, Flash threw him into Despera, sending them both to the ground.
With his two allies on the ground and most of his skugs killed, Grimlord realized that the odds of him defending the Dark Fortress were falling. Picking up his sword, he swatted Starswirl back onto the ground and advanced towards Cosmo and Celestia.
…
From outside the throne room, Galaxia could hear all of the yells and screams of the battle going on and all she could do was hide and wait for a positive outcome…but not for long. "I can't let it end like this," She said to herself while charging up her horn. "Not after all we've been through!"
Sensing that Grimlord was about to kill her husband and eldest daughter, Galaxia took to the air and using her magic, pushed the remaining skugs back! Then she fired a blast of alicorn magic at Grimlord, striking him right in the chest!
Thrown against the steps of his throne, Grimlord struggled to get back to his feet as Galaxia approached her husband and daughter.
"Mom?!" Celestia gasped anew, looking at the dark blue alicorn with tears of happiness in her eyes. "Is it really you?!"
"Yes, Celestia, it's me." Galaxia replied as Celestia embraced her mother once again.
But the reunion had to wait as Grimlord tried to get up again, the pain in his chest growing.
"This…isn't…over… yet." He gasped, struggling to pick up his sword as he looked to see both Doom Master and Despera had been tossed around the throne room. Everything that Grimlord had poured his life into was falling apart and there was nothing he could do about it.
"It is over, Grimlord," Starswirl declared, standing in the way of Celestia and her parents. "Admit it, fiend. You've lost!"
"No," Grimlord growled while his sword was still gripped in his hands. "It's never over. Never!" But a few minutes later, Grimlord watched as Flash Magnus picked up the unconscious General Ivar and threw him against the back of the throne room while Mistmane did the same with Colonel Icebot.
"Is it though, fiend?" Galaxia asked. "All of your allies have been defeated, and only you stand in our way. Surrender, and we may yet spare you."
Refusing to admit defeat, Grimlord raised his sword high into the air and attempted to strike at Starswirl, only to feel one more blast of alicorn magic go through his chest! Turning his head, he saw Luna weakly glaring over at him as he fell onto his knees and then face first to the ground.
"Luna!" Galaxia cried as Luna tearfully smiled back at her mother. "Oh, my little Luna! How I've missed you so!" Dashing over to Luna's side, Galaxia embraced her youngest daughter tightly while Luna silently sobbed.
"Mother, I missed you so much!" Luna cried, crying from both the happy tears and the pain from the wounds she inflicted. "Both you and father!"
Being helped to her hooves by Mistmane and Somnambula, Luna was helped out of the room while Celestia aided their parents out of the throne room.
"Get the bomb ready," Starswirl said quietly to Flash Magnus and Rockhoof while putting his wizard's hat back on. "We must leave no evidence of the Dark Fortress behind, it cannot be allowed to continue to exist."
Doing as their leader told them, both Flash and Rockhoof picked up the alarm clock bomb that Starswirl had left hidden outside the throne room and set it to go off in ninety seconds.
…
…
Back in Canterlot, Twilight and her friends were forced to watch as Hopper and his rogue Changelings hold Ocellus hostage, thinking that they would use her to secure Chrysalis' release.
"It's your choice, princesses!" Hopper bellowed with Ocellus in his claws. "Take us to the statue or this young changeling says goodbye to her wings!"
"TWILIGHT, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Ocellus pleaded at the top of her voice. "PLEASE! I'M NOT WORTH SAVING AT THE EXPENSE OF THE HIVE!"
Feeling conflicted, Twilight and her friends were left with a difficult choice to make. Free Chrysalis, or see Ocellus harmed.
"What do we do?!" Fluttershy pondered.
"We can't let Ocellus be harmed," Twilight glumly declared, getting flashbacks to when Spike had been put in the same situation. "We have no other choice. We can't afford to call their bluff, if it is one."
"Y…you're not just goin' to let them take Chrysalis, aren't you?!" Applejack exclaimed in frustration!
"There's no other choice!" Twilight cried, looking back at Applejack before turning her attention back to Hopper and his rogues. "Headmare or princess, I won't let my subjects be harmed. If you promise to free Ocellus, we'll…hoof Chrysalis over to you."
"A wise decision," Hopper laughed, releasing Ocellus back to Twilight as the frightened changeling embraced Twilight. Landing in front of the princesses, Hopper took his sword and pointed it at Twilight. "The statue…now. Don't even think of pulling a fast one on us. Go back on your word and we'll go back on ours."
With very little choice, Twilight and her friends forced themselves to lead the rogues to the statue in the garden.
…
…
Back on the Dark Fortress, with the king and queen recovered, Starswirl and his fellow pillars proceeded to quickly leave before any remaining skugs could spot them. But then suddenly, Starswirl felt a sharp pain in his horn!
"What is it, Starswirl?!" Somnambula asked with concern as they all stopped. "What's the matter?"
"Something's happening in Canterlot," The old wizard whispered, quickly producing a magic screen and seeing a horrifying sight: Twilight and her friends being forced to the Canterlot Gardens. "Rouge changelings have infiltrated Canterlot, and they've taken hostages."
"Twilight!" Celestia cried, horrified by what she was seeing. "We've got to get back quickly! I won't let them hurt her!"
"Who's Twilight?" Cosmo asked.
"Our successor, Dad," Celestia replied. "And a pony who is like a daughter to me…her and her friends."
"Then we must go at once!" Starswirl firmly declared. "I've ordered the bomb to go off in ninety second to destroy all that remains of this ship."
Just then, they heard a loud roar coming towards them and they saw both Doom Master and Despera trying to limp their way forward.
"You…won't…escape…us!" Doom Master gasped.
But Starswirl charged up his horn and cast a spell to teleport himself, the pillars, and the ex-royal sisters and their parents out. Just after he did so, the bomb reached zero and began to explode, destroying the Dark Fortress and everything (and everyone) inside of it!
As luck would have it, at that moment the reserves of Grogar's donkey forces neared the Dark Fortress only to discover the ship detonating.
"NO!" Lieutenant Bray cried as they were all kept at bay by the blasts. "MASTER GRIMLORD!"
The ripples from the explosions forced the reserves back.
"Emperor Grogar's going to want to know about this," A donkey soldier told Lieutenant Bray. "He won't be pleased to hear this."
Gulping nervously, Lieutenant Bray ordered the platoon to turn around and make their way back to the moon.
…
From his palace on the moon, Grogar was woken up again. This time from the blasts destroying the Dark Fortress. Walking towards his bedroom window, he felt the vibrations from the blasts touch him and his palace, causing some of the windows in his bedroom to crack and break!
A few moments later, the doors opened and in stepped Sombra. "My emperor," He reluctantly spoke up, approaching Grogar. "I felt a sudden shaking and…"
"Grimlord," Grogar said quietly and solemnly, turning away from the bedroom window and walking past Sombra. "He's dead." Suddenly, growling in a fit of rage, he powered his ram horns and fired a blast of magic into the outer reaches of space. "THEY KILLED HIM! THAT'S WHAT THE PILLARS DID! THEY TOOK MY PRISONERS AND KILLED GRIMLORD!"
The sounds of his loud screams of anger was enough to make even Sombra wince in shock and surprise!
"They aren't going to get away with this, Sombra," Grogar snarled, storming past him and pacing back and forth in anger. "They will never get away for killing my ally, you hear me?! NEVER!"
Grogar's loud screams weren't reserved for Sombra. All of his minions were awakened by them, including Cozy Glow and Tirek.
"Something must have happened," Tirek groggily commented. "Grimlord is dead."
"Dead?" Cozy Glow wondered, also having been forced out of bed. "What do you mean dead?"
"I'm not sure," Tirek remarked, looking over at her. "But from what I hear it sounds as if the pillars are responsible."
"Golly," Cozy gulped. "Then what does that mean for us?"
But Tirek said nothing, he merely focused on listening to Grogar continuing to throw his temper tantrum.
"Um, hello? Equestria to Tirek?" Cozy asked only to be shushed by the centaur. "What is it?"
"Quiet!" Tirek shushed the filly. "Do you hear that low growling?"
"Um, is it Scarface?" Cozy nervously asked. "That big mean bear?"
Tirek nodded. "Yes, and I have a good feeling Grogar will be using him in a matter of time."
Going out to the door of their bedroom, Cozy watched as the scar faced grizzly bear walked down the hallway and up towards Grogar's private quarters. Seeing the bear made Cozy tremble with fear.
But this was only the beginning of what was to come for both Grogar and his new Legion of Doom, along with Equestria itself!
…
Back in Canterlot, Twilight and her friends made their way to the Canterlot Gardens and very soon, they all found themselves standing at the statue of Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow. Both King Vorak and Scorpan were also astonished to see that they were in the presence of the creature that they set out to find.
"Do it," Hopper ordered while pointing the tip of his sword at Twilight's neck. "Free my queen from her stone prison."
For a moment Twilight felt a sense of hesitation. Part of her didn't want to do it.
"Do it!" Hopper cried in an authoritative voice. "Do it now!"
Taking an enormous gulp, Twilight carefully placed her horn at Chrysalis' statue and activated a spell similar to what Celestia, Luna and Discord turned the Legion of Doom to stone with. As she casted her spell, Twilight suddenly began to lose control of her emotions. She was feeling a panic attack coming on, but she had to hold it in! Her spell surrounded Chrysalis statue and a few moments later, a flash of bright white light engulfed the gardens!
When the flash disappeared, Hopper and his rogues expected Chrysalis to be freed. But to their surprise the statue remained the same. "Pony! What did you do?!" Hopper angrily demanded of Twilight! "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
"I… I don't know! I did the spell!" Twilight protested.
"You tricked us!" Hopper snarled as he kicked Twilight to the ground. "Do it again or…" Hopper then grabbed Spike and pulled on his wings too! "Or I'll pull the wings off the dragon as well!" He then turned to Twilight's friends. "And don't you even think about interfering!"
"I…I didn't do any tricks! I swear!" Twilight protested as tears began forming at the corners of her eyes. "Please, let Spike go! My little brother is innocent!" All she could do was lie on the ground and cower like a scared little filly. Her friends wanted to help, but they too were being held back by Hopper's fellow rogues.
"So you won't honor my request, is that?" Hopper sneered. "So be it! Say goodbye to your…" But before he could carry out his threats, he suddenly felt a sharp pain go through his body, causing him to loudly yell in pain.
"LET THEM GO!" A loud voice cried, and all turned to see Celestia, her sister, her parents and the pillars arrive on the scene! Her horn was glowing with rage as she suddenly began to pull on Hopper's wings. "OR IT'LL BE YOUR WINGS THAT GET PLUCKED!"
"You're bluffing, you wouldn't dare!" Hopper cried as Celestia forced him onto the ground. "Let me go!"
But Celestia's rage was too great to comply with Hopper's pleas. The more he resisted, the more Celestia inflicted her powers on him.
Finally, it was more than enough to make one of the rogues speak up.
"STOP!" He cried, forcing Celestia to cease her actions. "Stop. I…I can't take it anymore."
"Manderbill, you traitor!" Hopper screamed, sharp pain going throughout his body.
"SHUT UP, HOPPER!" The rogue changeling yelled as he and the other rogues let their guard down, leaving Twilight's friends free to check on their friend. "We…we surrender, Celestia. Please spare us!"
Nodding to Tempest, Celestia watched as the rogue changelings were arrested on the spot. They were no longer her concern though, as she looked down at the scared princess lying on her side and shaking like a leaf.
"Twilight…" Celestia whispered as she gently bent down to Twilight's level. "Oh, Twilight…"
Terrified, Twilight buried herself in Celestia's chest while her friends watched in sadness and disbelief.
"We…did our best to diffuse the situation." Applejack explained. as Twilight continued to cry in Celestia's chest.
"I know you all did, Applejack," Celestia declared as Luna joined her sister's side. "In fact, we couldn't be more proud of you all for how you handled the situation."
The sobs from the supreme princess left the five other princesses dismayed at what just transpired.
"The rest of the changelings are still being held captive," Rarity spoke up. "We need to help them, but…"
At that moment, Starswirl and the Pillars arrived on the scene and they too were mortified by Twilight's sobbing sounds.
"What do you mean?" Luna asked.
"These rouge changelings were part of a group that seized the Changeling Hive!" Rainbow Dash answered. "We've got to go and face them! The hive must be liberated!"
"Agreed," Fluttershy firmly nodded. "As Princesses of Equestria, it's our duty."
"No," Starswirl somberly declared, looking down at all of them as he and the rest of the pillars came forward, also dismayed by the sounds of Twilight's sobs. "You stay here and be there for Twilight. She'll need to recover from this. We'll handle the situation in the Changeling Hive."
"Starswirl!" Celestia called out, catching his attention. "Please be careful!"
With one final nod, Starswirl and the pillars prepared to leave for the Changeling Kingdom and confront Molt and the remaining rogue changelings once and for all. Meanwhile Celestia, Luna, their parents, and Twilight's friends were all left to pick up the pieces of what had just transpired.
…
TO BE CONTINUED
…