//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: The Meaning of Tenacity // by Marksman //------------------------------// The battle against the changelings lasted over two hours. The white and purple city of Canterlot is now covered in bodies and blood. At the front of the royal castle the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony stood talking about the battle. "That was intense." The rainbow pony said to the others. "I agree, and the fighting is still going on further down." The white tailor unicorn explained to the five mares. "Girls." The lavender mare announced to get the attention of her friends. " About two hours ago I sent Spike to go check on Celestia and he still hasn't come back." The librarian explained to her friends. "Don't y'all worry Twi, I'm sure that he just decided to stay with the princess instead of fightin." the orange farmer explained to the lavender unicorn. The unicorn replied saying "I'm sure your right. Lets just get back to the Princess." The six mares walked threw the halls of the Large castle. The six stopped at the throne room and opened the doors. They stood in the middle of the portal speechless at the sight of the four statues in front of them. "No, no, no, NO!" Twilight yelled running over to the statues. "How could this happen? Changelings can't turn ponies to stone." The lavender unicorn announced crying in front of the statue of her teacher. She got a hold of herself when she heard a voice from somewhere "Yes little miss Sparkle, changelings aren't capable of that, but they know someone who can." The mares huddled up in the door way before the rainbow pony yelled "Where are you Discord?! Show yourself!" Before a reply the four statues then shattered into pieces. The mares gasped, Twilight nearly falling to the ground. Tears welled up in the lavender mares eyes but before she started crying a talk snake like created made out of multiple animal parts appeared behind them. "How could you do this Discord?!" The white unicorn yelled at the bringer of chaos. Before answering Twilight yelled "How did you even get out of you stone imprisonment?" "Well you see, one of Chrysalis' changelings found a book dropped by you yesterday Twilight. Well in the book was a spell that can reverse imprisonment in stone. Is that a good enough explanation." Discord answered the question all of the mares wanted answered. A buzzing sound drew the attention of the mares. They turned there heads to see the queen of the changelings walking toward the group. "We'll done Discord, are plan is going perfectly, now do your next part." The alicorn sized changeling ordered. "Oh yes." the bringer of chaos stood up strait before disappearing. Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all turned around at the sound of teleportation. When they looked behind them Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie disappeared as well. "Where did they go?" the librarian unicorn asked. Chuckles from the changeling queen brought to there attention before the queen explained "You really didn't think we would leave all of you together to use the Elements of Harmony, did you?" After the changeling stopped talking she then asked "What is Discord going to do with them?" "He's taking them to his own grounds to what ever he needs to too make sure they die." The tall changeling explained before chuckling again. "Bring them back hear!" the rainbow maned pony ordered. "I'm not the one who took them Rainbow." the queen smirked at the cyan Pegasus. ___________________________________________________________________ Three of the mares woke up and looked around. "Where are we?" the white unicorn asked. The voice of Discord drew there attention "Well, your in the void. This is the place you three will die while Chrysalis takes out the other three." Discord answered there question. "Your going to ... kill ... us?" Fluttershy started to panic. "Oh don't worry little Fluttershy, I'll make sure it's painless." Discord explained before chuckling. Anyway, instead of letting Chrysalis kill all of you I brought you here. In about, I'd say five minutes you three will start to suffocate to death. So say your goodbyes and ill be back later. See you never again." Discord announced before teleporting off. "Well girls, it looks like these are our final moments." the white tailor explained. The pink party pony then fell to the ground and started crying. "Don't work Pinkie, at less we die together." the butter yellow Pegasus announced walking over to her pink friend. "I ... I guess your right Fluttershy." the pink mare got a hold of herself. "Don't worry, I'm sure the others will find a way to defeat Chrysalis and Discord without us." the tailor pony announced. "I still can't believe this is how it ends." Fluttershy expressed her feelings on the matter. "I just hope the others survive. But ether way we'll be dead." the pink mare said to the other mares. The trio huddled together hugging each other and started crying awaiting there deaths. ___________________________________________________________________ The cyan colored Pegasus got ready to charge at the changeling queen. Right before she was going to charge she was blasted into the cobblestone wall behind her. Twilight launch a ball of magic at the alicorn sized changeling but the queen dodged it. Outside of the castle the sun started to set which let them know Luna was around in Canterlot. Before Twilight and Applejack turned there heads back to Chrysalis a magical force pushed they through the cobblestone wall behind them leaving Rainbow Dash alone with Chrysalis. The cyan Pegasus got ready to charge again. "Your seriously going to try to attack me alone?" the changeling queen asked the cyan Pegasus. "You still don't get it, do you. We never give up." The rainbow maned pony replied. As she was about to attack the queen again she was cough by the same magical force as earlier. The force pulled her in front of the queen. "You have got to be the second most annoying of you three." The tall changeling said to the mare before launching a yellow green ball of fire into the mares stomach. The rainbow maned pony fell more pain then she had ever felt. When she looked down her chest had a large. Amount of blood dripping from the wound. She was dropped to the floor with the wound being the first thing to hit the ground. When she hit the ground the red liquid splattered on the grey cobblestone. The cyan mare had started breathing heavily, blood dripping from her mouth. The rainbow pony tried to stand up again but fell back down, vomiting blood. The majorly injured mare couldn't feel anything but her life slipping away. At the last second her eyes shut closed. She was no longer breathing nor moving. Rainbow Dash had been killed. _____________________________________________________________________ The orange earth pony stood up. She looked down at Twilight whom was knocked out. She looked up and saw the cyan Pegasus bleeding on the floor. A tear streamed down the orange ponies face at the sight of her dying friend. The cyan ponies eyes shut and the farmer pony knew, Rainbow Dash was dead. Chrysalis turned her attention to the orange mare before saying "Let me guess, your going to try to fight me now." "I may no have wings or a horn, but I can still fight." Applejack replied. "This is going to be to easy." The changeling queen then announced. She called upon her magic to pull the mare right in front of her face. Before she could say anything the orange farmer kicked the tall changeling in the face. The impact made the changeling queen throw the mare into the wall behind her as hard as she could. The impact of the wall made the orange pony cough up blood. She wasn't able to move. "Uh. You little bitch. I will make your death slow and painful." The queen assured the farmer pony. Just afterward green flames started to engulf the orange mare. She started screaming in pain as the fire slowly moved up her body. ________________________________________________________________ Twilight woke up after the traumatizing blow. Her vision was blurred and all she could hear was the screams of her orange friend. She got her vision back quickly and looked around. The first thing she saw was the pool of blood around the cyan Pegasus. She then saw Chrysalis and shoot a ball of magic at her sending the changeling queen through the window. Twilight ran over to the Pegasus on the floor yelling her name while tears slipped down her check. After a couple of seconds with no response she ran over to the no longer burning mare. "Applejack, no ... no don't die Applejack." the librarian ordered her friend. "It's ...to late Twi. Get ...out while you can. Your all that's left of us. You ...must ..." The orange farmer never finished her sentence. The changeling queen got back up and looked through the window. She saw the lavender unicorn standing next to the burnt earth pony. The queen launched a ball of green fire at the lavender unicorn. The impact threw Twilight into the cobble behind her. The impact caused many cuts along her body and also caused the right Side of her forehead to start bleeding. "Why don't you give UP?!" Chrysalis yelled at the lavender unicorn. "You've kill my friends, my family, every one I've cared about ...and you expect me to just give up. I don't care if I die, as long as I go down ..." the librarian mare was interrupted by being shoot threw the window behind her. She felt the cool breeze rub against her skin while falling down to the Ever-free Forest. Her blood shined in the moon light as it dripped from her forehead. As she was approaching the ground her life flashed before her eyes. She finally said "Well, I guess this is how it all ends. I'm sorry Equestria, I've failed you." ____________________________________________________________________ Princess Luna was flight threw the city of Canterlot, rushing to get to the castle. On her way she saw a figure falling out of the castle. She quickly recognized it to be Twilight and flew as fast as she could to get to her in time. She just got under the lavender unicorn in time to catch her at the bottom. She laid Twilight on the ground to get a good look at her injuries. "Twilight. Twilight can you hear me?" the ruler of the night asked the mare. "I'm ...sorry Luna ...I've failed Equestria." the lavender unicorn said to the lunar mare. "What do you mean? What happened?" Luna asked the dying mare. "All of them are dead Luna. All of them. Even Celestia." the lavender pony explained. As the lunar mare was about to carry Twilight off the unicorns eyes shut. Luna knew that she was dead, and Equestria had fallen. THE END