//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9: Canterlot to Preserve or Raze 
// Story: Howlite Howler Part 2: Trust Denied 
// by JNKing 
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Canterlot’s peace and tranquility was destroyed. Ponies raced through the streets, screaming their lungs out as diamond dogs and changelings tore through their little houses. The diamond dogs ran rampant, scaring ponies away with growls, and taking everything that wasn’t nailed down; fashion stores were broken into, their gems and precious metals being carted off. Bakeries lost their baked goods, one smaller diamond dog racing out with fried dough on his head. The homes of the nobles were torn apart, every shiny decoration that had labeled them as rich and powerful taken. 
And throughout the chaos the diamond dogs caused, the changelings skirted around like coyotes in the night, snatching screaming ponies and dragging them into the holes made from the diamond dogs rampage. 
Yet not every pony lost themselves to panic and strife. Shining Armor and his royal guards raced down the streets, desperately fighting off any diamond dogs or changelings they could find. Up above, the Wonder Bolts attempted to quell the changelings flying above. And above them all, Luna soared around the castle, her horn burning from overuse as she sent protective spells to ponies and more destructive spells at changelings. She tried to aim at one of the diamond dogs, but the memory of what she did to Shiva flashed through her mind, and she reluctantly just cast up a barrier, keeping the diamond dog from caving in a royal guard’s helmet.
Looking away with a grimace, she spotted six civilian mares in a circle, desperately fighting off a horde of changelings and dogs. Her eyes brightened as she saw one with a cannon that fired cakes; a cake that one diamond dog caught and promptly began to eat.
“Yes!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “I knew doggies would like my cakes!”
“Elements of Harmony!” Luna proclaimed. “We art coming to thy aid!”
She hit the ground and unleashed a shockwave, throwing the horde of dogs and changelings away from the group.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight greeted, her own horn beginning to glow red from overuse. “What happened.”
“The city is overrun,” Luna said, her wings aching as she rested them. “Chrysalis has taken control of the diamond dogs. She uses them to achieve her goal of…”
Luna gasped, pointing. The mares followed her gaze, and saw Chrysalis marching into Canterlot Castle. Two guards tried to stop her, but were met by Luke and Thorax, who made short work of the guards before flinging them into the moat, where more changelings lay in wait to cart them off. Chrysalis’ smirk only widened as she sauntered into the castle.
“We run low on time,” Luna declared.
“Where’s Celestia?!” Twilight asked. “She should be able to handle this!”
“The cowardly cur attacked my sister without honor and captured her,” Luna stated. “We must defeat Chrysalis if we are to triumph against this mess.”
“The mess a pony started,” Fluttershy mumbled. 
The others tried to ignore her, though Luna’s own eyes flashed with guilt.
“Find the Elements of Harmony,” Luna ordered. “Use them to defeat the Queen.” She turned back to the castle. “I shall hold her until then.”
“But Princess,” Applejack said. “If she could beat Princess Celestia… what if she beats you?”
Princess Luna’s eyes flicked down. “Then I will consider it repayment for the cruelty and torment I inflicted upon Shiva,” she mumbled.
The mares flinched, but Luna didn’t give them a chance to stop her. With a flap of her already tired wings, Luna lunged back towards the castle and for Chrysalis. 
Twilight’s gaze shifted from Luna’s receding form, and towards Canterlot Tower, where the Elements of Harmony were stored.
“Come on, ladies,” Twilight declared. “Whether we started this or not, it’s going to be up to us to finish it!”
The mares nodded and raced for the tower. But their journey did not go unnoticed, as several changelings saw them and connected the dots on where they were going. 
“The Elements of Harmony!” one changeling yelped, grabbing the nearest diamond dog. “Don’t let them get to their Elements!” 
“Elements?” the dog asked. 
The changeling sighed. “Gems!”
“Gems?!”
Instantly, the diamond dogs converged on the mares, chasing them towards the tower. But they didn’t expect Rainbow Dash, who saw them coming and pulled off a 180 turn, slamming her hooves into the largest diamond dog.
“Guys!” she yelled, just as a group of changelings got in front of them. Just as Applejack moved to kick at one of them, they began shifting. Applejack found herself gasping in horror as she sent a version of Fluttershy flying down the street. 
“Don’t worry, Applejack,” Twilight said. “They just look like us.”
But Applejack’s cutie mark flashed, and she spun on the Twilight who had approached her, kicking the changeling out of her disguise. Snagging the changeling with her lasso, Applejack bowled the other changelings back, giving an opening for the others to dive into.
While Fluttershy dove and duck through the changelings and kept going for Canterlot Tower, the others quickly delved into chaotic brawling. Rainbow Dash flew overhead, knocking aside changelings and outmaneuvering the shapeshifters, becoming a blur of pure blue destruction. Applejack lashed her captured changeling like a flail, knocking changelings around and kicking the few that could get in close. Pinkie at first used Twilight as a minigun, cranking her tail and sending bolts of magic into the changelings avoiding Applejack’s attacks. But just as ‘Spike’ tried to sneak up on Pinkie, the real Spike set the fake alight with a burst of green flames, sending the changeling racing away screaming. Pinkie and Spike winked at each other before Twilight jumped from Pinkie’s hooves. A barrage of magic, flames and cakes soon sent the changelings staggering back.
Rarity at first tried to go after Fluttershy, delivering a right hook to a diamond dog and a kick to a changeling. However, a burst of magic knocked her into a jewelry store. The changelings crept in, ready to finish her off, only for a barrage of jewels to slam them right back out.
“Oh!” the diamond dogs cooed, racing after the gems as Rarity threw them like balls in a game of catch.
“Yes, go on, shoo!” Rarity cried. “I’ve got plenty more where those came from!” She hurled a crate of rubies for emphasis, sending the dogs scampering after them.
All too soon, however, a voice rose from the changeling swarm. 
“Help! Help!” 
“Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked, staring at the swarm she had vanished into in her attempt to get to Canterlot Tower.
“Dash, wait!” Applejack tried to say. 
But Dash didn’t listen, diving into the swarm to look for Fluttershy… and promptly getting dogpiled by the changelings.  
“Dash!” Twilight screamed, blasting at the changelings going at her. But as Spike and Pinkie tried to join her, the diamond dogs lunged for them. 
Rarity attempted to keep them at bay with her gems… only to find the box empty. A diamond dog skittered out the back, loaded down with her remaining gems and cackling like a madman. 
“Girls, look out!” she cried, only for the changelings to tackle her as well. 
In seconds, Applejack was the only one left, desperately swinging her flail at the enclosing changelings.
“Consarnit,” Applejack cursed. “Flutters! You better hurry.” 

#

At Canterlot Tower, the real Fluttershy just made it to the door. However, as she opened the door to the Elements… she found a diamond dog already there. The necklaces were wound around his beefy arms, and the tiara was perched on his head like a crown.
“Powerful pretty gems!” the diamond dog declared grandly, happily flaunting his new gems before the yellow mare. 
“Oh,” Fluttershy stammered. “Um… we need those.”
“Mine now,” the diamond dog declared, turning away with a laugh.
Fluttershy whimpered, struggling to activate her Stare. But the memory of Shiva and her own experience with her weapon flashed before her eyes, and she shut her eyes with a whimper. 
“I’m sorry, Applejack,” she cried, eliciting a look of sympathy from the Element thief. “I’m so-so-sorry.” 
The diamond dog hummed in confusion, moving towards Fluttershy. As the yellow mare winced, waiting for him to pounce. But then, they heard a voice. 
“Move back! Retreat! Get away!”
The dog and pony turned. Their first sign that something was up was the brown pony racing through the streets, followed by the faded pink alicorn Cadence. 
“Every pony, get indoors,” Cadence ordered, her voice shaky but far from weak. “By order of Princess Cadence, you have to move back.”
“Everybody go!” Skippy’s pony form yelled. “We’ve got more trouble than just diamond dogs and changelings!” 
Then a building exploded, a figure stepping out from its ruins. The diamond dog next to Fluttershy gasped.
“The Alpha…!” he breathed.
Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hooves. “Shiva?” she whispered. 
It was hard to make out Shiva at first; she was shrouded in a ball of light that gleamed in many colors, making her look like the sun filtered through a rainbow. Tendrils shot out from her like tentacles on an octopus, seizing changelings and ponies without discrimination. Thanks to the efforts of Skippy and Cadence, most of the ponies were able to escape the glowing dog’s wrath, but plenty more were either delayed by changelings or refused to listen. These few ponies soon lay scattered across the streets with the rest of the changelings, drained of magic by the pulsating ball of light along with the changelings.
The diamond dogs, however, were spared completely. The tendrils that came for them did not drain them, but instead made them glow with power. Their awed expressions turned to smiles, and they began to howl in glee.
“The Alpha has returned!” They cheered. “She has come to save the day!”

#

High above Canterlot Castle, Luke heard the howls, and darted to the edge. 
“Shiva?” he whimpered, reaching a claw out.
Chrysalis winced, her eyes darting between Luke and Thorax with worry. However, her gaze turned triumphant as Luna smashed onto the balcony, knocking Luke back and indirectly putting herself between him and his Alpha.
The princess of the night’s wings flared, and her already overused horn glowed as she looked at Chrysalis with utter hate.
“I truly was a fool,” Luna admitted. “All this time, I saw Shiva as the real threat. When I should have had my eye on you!”
Chrysalis laughed and looked to Luke. She nodded at the ball of light coming from Shiva, grinning as it drew Luna’s gaze. “See how the princess still stands between you and your beloved.” Her horn glowed. “Let’s get rid of her, shall we.”
Luke’s sights stayed on Shiva, but even though Luna had her eye on Chrysalis, she still stood in his way. Luke brought his axes up with a sigh.
“Soon, Shiva,” he promised. “I’ll be with you soon.” He turned rage-filled eyes to Luna, who stepped back in nervousness. “And I’ll bring you her head,” he added with a snarl, before lunging at Luna with a howl.

#

All too soon, however, the tendrils reached for Fluttershy’s friends. Battered and bruised by the changelings, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were helpless as they were snared and their magic started to drain from their bodies.
“Wait!” Fluttershy yelled. Racing faster than ever before, she stormed towards the group as Spike was tossed away from the Mane Five.
“Shiva, stop!” Spike screamed, trying to regain his feet. “What are you doing?!”
“It’s no use, Spike,” Skippy said, his diamond dog form appearing and pulling the dragon back. “Shiva’s on a war path. She’s absorbing every scrap of magic she can get, hoping it will take down Chrysalis… and erase your kingdom as a threat.”
“That’s what we’re trying to do to,” Spike insisted. “At least, taking down Chrysalis. We’re on the same side.” 
Shiva’s ears flattened, but she kept her eyes off the two. 
“She won’t listen,” Skippy bemoaned with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Spike. Canterlot is lost.”
“Not yet!” Fluttershy yelled. 
She hit the ground running… and promptly skidded to a stop when Shiva's dark eyes locked on her.
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash grimaced, trying to fight against the link sucking her magic away. “Don’t…”  
As the yellow mare and the white wolf regarded each other, the briefest flicker of fear appeared on Shiva’s face, before she stamped it back down.
“Going to use your Stare, little one?” Shiva asked, her voice amplified by magic. She huffed. “Good luck with that. Ever since I escaped this candy-coated nest of vipers, I’ve come to understand there are far worse things out there than being glared at by some pathetic yellow mare who thinks she knows animals.” Shiva jutted her head forward, as a tendril reached out for a flinching Fluttershy. “So, take your best shot while you can,” Shiva dared. “I do NOT fear you or your pathetic ponies anymore.” 
“Fluttershy, run!” Twilight yelled, futilely fighting against Shiva’s magic. 
But Fluttershy did not run. She did not activate her Stare, but she did glare up at Shiva, her own face devoid of fear. In her eyes, no anger or frustration flashed. Only mild disappointment and sadness. She leaned her head back, exposing her throat as the tendril made to twine itself around her neck.
“Go ahead,” she said, her voice soft, but firm. “If you think my magic will help… take it.” She extended her hooves, offering herself up to Shiva. 
The diamond dog hesitated. “What?”
“You deserve to be angry at us,” Fluttershy said. “You were hurt… and we did nothing to stop it.” Her eyes filled with tears, but refused to break from Shiva’s dark eyes. “We may be used to being the heroes of our story… but we truly were the villains of yours.” 
The ponies gaped at her in shock, but Shiva’s ears flattened in sorrow. Her glow faded by a fraction, and Spike was able to force himself forward. 
“Shiva, you know this isn’t right!” Spike insisted. “They may have hurt you in the past, but you’re turning into the very monster they feared. Taking pony powers? That’s what a villain does. That’s not you!” 
Shiva looked down at her claws, as if realizing what she was doing.
“Chrysalis is the real villain here,” Fluttershy noted softly. “And we have a better chance of fighting her if we work together.” 
“Diamond dogs and ponies?” one diamond dog asked. “After everything we’ve already done?”
Several dogs tried to hide their stolen possessions. The little dog with fried dough on his head stuffed it in his mouth.   
But Shiva didn’t notice any of them. Her tail swished between her legs, as she regarded her glowing claws with shame. 
“I didn’t want to come back here,” Shiva admitted, looking up at the ponies. “I didn’t want any of this.” 
“And it doesn’t have to be this way,” Fluttershy insisted. She reached out her hoof. “Please Shiva. I’m sorry you suffered. I’m sorry I didn’t stop it. And I’m sorry I only helped hurt you more.” Her voice grew firm. “But hurting us in response doesn’t fix anything. It only makes everything worse.” 
“You know that,” Spike added. “That’s why you didn’t accept Chrysalis’ offer. That’s why you’re better than her.” 
“Better than all of us,” Fluttershy admitted. “Please, Shiva; don’t become the very thing you hate.”  
Shiva regarded them, light swirling around her form. They held each other’s gaze for one second. Two seconds. Three. Twilight stuffed her hooves in her mouth. Pinkie trembled. Rainbow Dash struggled against the tendril holding her. 
Then Shiva's gaze turned to Canterlot castle. A beam of blue magic lit up the windows, followed by a flash of green, and a burst of midnight blue.
Shiva gave a growl of frustration, and released the mares. They fell back to the ground, their cutie marks and magic intact. Shiva turned to the dog who had the Elements.
“Liz,” she ordered. “Give the mares those gems.”
The ponies grinned in hope, while Liz whimpered. “But Alpha…” she whined.
“We don’t have time for arguing.” Shiva turned back to Fluttershy and pointed at her, almost accusingly. “You will either help us defeat Chrysalis,” she told the mare. “Or you will share her fate.” 
Fluttershy nodded. “We’ll help you, Shiva,” she said. “I swear it on everything I hold sacred.”
Liz moaned, but with a look from Shiva, the diamond dog reluctantly forked over the Elements. Twilight and the others took them with smiles of gratitude. Yet, when they turned to Shiva, they found her already floating towards the castle. 
For a small moment, the other mares smiled at Fluttershy, daring to believe she had gotten through to the diamond dog. 
But then, they saw Blueblood race out onto the street, his cutie mark gone and bags under his eyes. 
“G-Give me back my magic, you wench,” he cried. “There’s changelings out to get me! You’re supposed to be a hero!” 
But Shiva didn’t even glance at him. She continued onward, even as he tried to keep pace with her. 
“You can’t do this!” Blueblood shrieked. “We are the nobility of Canterlot. We control the inner workings of Canterlot itself. We are…”
Shiva barely glanced his way, but blasted him with an off-hand bolt of magic. The Prince hit the side of a wall and crumbled, and when changelings snuck out, casting fearful looks at the diamond dogs, Shiva did nothing as they dragged the prince into the shadows.
The mares gaped at the cruel treatment, but wisely didn’t say anything.
“Let’s go,” Fluttershy insisted. “We can worry about her once we deal with Chrysalis.” 
Yet, as the mares made their way to Canterlot Castle, Twilight and Rainbow Dash shared a look.
“I don’t know if we should worry about her sooner rather than later,” Rainbow Dash admitted.
“For once, Rainbow?” Twilight admitted. “I think you’re right.”