//------------------------------//
// A Changed Place 
// Story: CSF: Celestian Special Forces 
// by XeRom 
//------------------------------//

    Shadow had just begun to depart with the mane five when the Diamond Dog... His name is Zin, said,  "So, Spade. How do we get down there? It took us a while to get here, and we don't have that long." He looked over his shoulder and watched as the others departed. He's a dog, there's no fast way we can get down there... Unless. I thought, grinning to myself.
Spreading my wings, I flapped once or twice, getting ready to take off. Just like training, I thought. He turned back to me, confusion written on his face.
"Two things come to my mind. One, you're INSAAAAAANE!" he howled as I took flight, dashing towards him, grabbing his arms in my hoofs. I never learned what two was. I flapped a few more times, relishing his reaction as I gained altitude. His eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and excitement.
"How do you like the view down there?" I called to him, relishing the moment.
"You're mad, absolutely mad!" he screamed back, looking at me then back at the ground. His weight was nothing compared to what we lifted during training, so there wasn't much exertion on my part. I caught a good downwind, which made our trip to Ponyville even faster. There were several groups of ponies fitted all around the square, with decorations all around. The statue of Princess Celestia was torn to the ground and had be replaced with one of Nightmare Moon in her new form.
I scanned further as we approached and spotted a few of Princess Luna's guards with a strange magical aura around them. She must have done something to them. As we approached the square, a few ponies looked up to see the two of us. Casting a quick spell, I disguised my horn and made Zin's features change a little so he wouldn't be recognized.  Calling down to him I said, "When I say now, I'm going to drop you, so be ready." He looked up to me as if I was out of my mind, but simply nodded a second later. I approached a small group of ponies and let him go. He fell without a sound, landing with a dull thump in the group.
Once he was safely aground, I flew behind a building and quickly cloaked myself. Turning the corner, I saw him dusting himself off, looking around for me. I approached him without a sound, whispering, "I'll be back, stay here." He nodded in my general area, and walked over to the fountain, sitting himself against it.
I took off around the corner then, headed for where I spotted the two guards earlier. I un-bottled a small sleeping powder, putting a dab onto a piece of cloth. Walking up to the closest one, I prepared myself, checking to make sure his friend was far enough away. Tapping his shoulder, I shoved the cloth in his mouth as he turned around.
The magic had an instant effect, putting him into a deep sleep. I dragged him off behind a house, kneeling beside him, resting my horn against his head. "Sorry friend," I said as my magic worked to dissipate the spell cast on him.
After two minutes of hard work, the aura disappeared and his breathing returned to normal. One down, one to go I thought. The next one was a little harder as he was already heading back to where I was. Getting the cloth again, I uncloaked and walked up to him. "Sir, can you please help me?"
He sneered at me, "Out of my way you foal," he said, shoving his way past me. As soon as his shoulder touched mine, I twisted his hoof around, and before he could let out a yelp, I shoved the cloth in his mouth. Repeating the process with this one, I left an imprint in their minds to stay hidden until this was all over.
First things first, I thought. With my horn gone, I cloaked my original cutie mark and made a guise of my fathers, a quill and inkwell. It will last, I thought, at least for a day. With that, I set off to meet my companion.
Approaching the fountain, I spotted him still sitting there, receiving a few awkward glances from the ponies nearby. Deciding he's suffered enough, I walk up to him. "Well hey there old friend, fancy seeing you here!"
He jumped at my voice, turning quickly for me, ready to pounce. But he seemed to recognize me, as his features eased quickly and he said, "Hey, yeah, long time no see!" He walked up to me, "You look different from when I last saw you."
"As do you! Your fur just seems to have changed color!" I said with a smirk, winking at him. He seemed to get what I was doing as he said, "It happens with age." Before we could steal away from the square, another one of Luna's possessed guards approached us, 'Damn, missed one!'
"What are you doing here, mutt?" he barked at Zin, casting a suspicious glance at me, "And how do you know this particular mutt...?"
"Lance is my name, Lance Quills," I said making a bowing gesture, "And this here is my friend from years gone, he used to help me with the making of my ink in Hoofington until he was driven out of town one day."
"Yes, yes sir," Zin said, putting on the drawl of most Diamond Dogs, "Me and his were good friends until the Day..." he said, slurring his words. Nice act you got there.
The Guard simply snorted at us, "Fine, do with the mutt as you please, but keep him out of the middle of town, he's smells like crap." the Guard jeered, pinching his nostrils shut before walking off.
Looking back at Zin I said, "Come on, We have work to do." I waited a moment as he talked with a younger filly, impatient to be off. Once he was done I began searching with my magic for a trance of any of the Elements. It took a minute but I finally found one. Calling over my shoulder to Zin who was trailing behind me I said, "I have zoned in on one of the elements. Can you keep up?"
Before we set off, he reached a hand behind his backing, making sure that his "instrument" was still in its place. As a signal that he was ready, he got on all fours. I immediately galloped off into the direction I was getting the signal from.
They say Diamond Dogs are fast on their paws, but Zin was having a hard time keeping up with me, even though I wasn't flying. The path wound throughout Ponyville, finally we came to the end of the town where a small path headed into some brush.  "Through here," I called to him behind me, starting through the path.
"You're quite the conversationalist, now aren't you? Anyway, this just leaves two more." he said sarcastically. Ignoring him I broke through the wall of trees surrounding the path, trying to stop any that would whiplash back into Zin. Although, I laughed to myself, I couldn't stop them all.
Finally the path ended into a small clearing with an old statue of Nightmare Moon, when she was in her past form. "And I thought she was evil looking inside Bumble." he quirked in again. Does he ever just focus on the job? I closed my eyes, concentrating on finding the exact location of the Element while Zin began sniffing around.
"It's here somewhere..." I grumbled to myself. I narrowed my search to the statue when I sensed him looking at me. Opening my eyes, he was sitting there grinning at me with his lopsided dog smile. "What?" I said. He pointed upwards at the statues head, and then I saw it. The Element of Magic was sitting atop her head. Using a bit of my own magic, I brought it down to me, putting it inside a pouch on my vest.
"One down, two to go." I said, cheerily. This wasn't going to be that hard at all. Zin let out a groan, probably thinking the precise opposite. We started walking back down the path, this time I used my magic to clear out any remaining branches when I heard him speak up.
"What's your problem with Diamond Dogs?" I screeched to a halt. That moment...

Shadow falling, can't get to her. Too slow, won't make it. They've got her for sure... No!!!!!

As quick as it happened, I snapped back to reality. I shook my head, getting rid of that painful memory. "Nevermind, let's just focus on the task, who knows how much time we have left." Good, we'll leave it at that. But taking the opportunity, I focused my mind on the Princesses.
She picked up on me immediately, saying, 'There isn't much time left. I fear Nightmare Moon may be onto our plan. You need to hurry and find the last of the Elements. Shadow and the five have found two already, and are searching for anymore.'
Once our connection was severed, I quickened my step, leaving the branches to hit us both in the face as I dashed through the treeline. "It's been ten minutes so far, and they already have one of the elements as well. Maybe I should have brought some of them with us..." I said back to him as we broke through the cover.
"You think? Either way, Nightmare Moon is kind of like Discord when you think about it. Discord made you think outside the box when you should really look inside of it...Wait a second...Spade, go look for the third one." He dashed off before I could say anything. Raising my wings slightly in annoyance I shook my head. Damn dog better know what he's doing...


Using a bit more of my magic, I searched for any other Elements other than the one that was in the direction that Zin was heading. Finding it, it was in an odd location, right under Cloudsdale. Odd, as far as I know, nothing of significance happened with Nightmare Moon under Cloudsdale. Shrugging to myself, I took flight, zipping my way as close to the canopy as I could without clipping a wing on a tree. Once underneath the great city, I landed amidst a patch of berry bushes.
Searching with my magic again, I let my horn guide me as zipped my way through the forest. Come on, come on! I thought, this has to be close! I would soon find it. Around the center of where the city was above, I entered a looked like a small impact crater. I looked on in horror to see what was inside....
Rainbow Dash with the Element of Loyalty around her neck was laying unconscious and badly bloodied atop a barely breathing but awake Princess Luna. My eyes wide with fear, I dashed towards where they lay, gently removing Rainbow Dash from atop the Princess. Rolling onto her flank, the princess groaned as a pool of blood emerged from where she was laying.
"Princess Luna!! What happened?! How did you and Rainbow Dash end up here?"
She coughed up blood before answering, "Nightmare Moon... Attacked Cloudsdale... Tried to stop her... Rainbow Dash tried to help... She was to powerful for us... We landed here..." she said, her breaths coming in wheezing gasps.
"Oh no, oh no oh no oh no. I've got to get you aid quickly my Princess!" I shouted, attempting to get her on my shoulders. She just pushed me away.
"No... Take Rainbow Dash to Celestia... Stop Nightmare Moon before it's too late..." she said, coughing up more blood. My mind raced, searching for a way to complete my mission and save the princess. Deciding on something, I scooped up Rainbow Dash in-between my hooves and places Princess Luna on my back.
"I can't leave you here Princess. I'm taking you somewhere safe for now and I'll be back later once Nightmare Moon is gone." I said, grunting from their combined weights.
"Thank you..." she sighed, as I secured her to my back.
"Now, this won't be comfortable, and will cause you a great deal of pain, but it will keep you conscious for now and let us get where we're going as fast as we can." I said before raising my wings and taking off. Immediately Luna let out a long gasp, muffling her tears as whatever wounds she had opened up again.
I flew, quickly and hard back to my cottage on the other side of Ponyville, staying as low as I could without cause the princess undue pain. It took me a full two minutes to fly there with both of them weighing me down. As soon as I reached the porch, I sent Rainbow Dash down gently, while rushing through the door with Luna. Removing the sheets from the bed, I quickly places her on it, examining her for her wounds.
She was barely conscious at this point, and from what I could see, a long deep gash ran along her underside. A layer of muscle just barely keeping her organs in her body. Already more blood was seeping out from the wound, staining the bed red. Taking from my medical pouch, I removed some disinfectant from the pouch, pouring it over her wound, clearing out the dirt and debris that had gathered there.
She howled with pain, barely keeping herself under control by gripping the sides of the bed. Acting quicker, I started working a healing spell against her wound, weaving back together the muscle and skin that was lost. She groaned and twitched as I wound it back together, but otherwise held still as I worked on her. After ten minutes, the muscle was fully knit back together, with a layer of pinkish skin on top.
"It's going to scar," I told her gently, "but for now you're stable. Don't move from this bed for at least a day and even after that, don't leave the house under any circumstances. There is plenty of food and water here to last a month, so you will be fine."
She nodded, and in an agonized voice said, "Thank you very much for your kindness... Now go off and defeat Nightmare Moon!" I nodded at her, leaving some food and water by her bed before I left. Outside, I picked up Rainbow Dash, placing her between my wings.
"Are you ready to go faster than you normally go?" I said, taking off so fast that the wood of the porch split into a hole. At near rainboom speeds, I flew back to Ponyville, being careful not to break the sound barrier. As soon as I neared Twilight's Library, I slowed down to a normal flying speed, carefully lowering myself to the ground as I appeared at the front of the tree.
The doorway was wide open and I saw Zin perched over a book near the stairs of the library. Stomping at the door, I let him know I was here. As he turned to me, his eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he saw Rainbow Dash. He rushed towards me, gently lifting her off of my back. "Come on, we don't have much time left." I told him, as he gripped her by the waist. Nodding towards me we headed outside, I took off again, grabbing him by his shoulders, flying for our lives back to Canterlot.

We were in Canterlot within a few seconds, slowing down as fast as I could, I dropped Zin in the courtyard, landing beside him. Together we dashed for the door to the throne room, once there, we burst through the door, only to see Shadow and the mane five already there with Celestia and the three other Elements already around their necks.
Zin reached inside my pouch, producing the other two Elements including Rainbow Dash, whom he now was placing down carefully next to the others. Zin stepped back a few paces, giving them room as Celestia began weaving her magic. I walked over to Shadow, nuzzling her. Thank goodness she's alright. Well of coarse she is, she can take care of herself. "I'm glad your alright. Did anything trouble you while you looked for the Elements?" I asked, looking for any marks on her.
"No, only a few bewitched Guards, nothing I couldn't handle." she smirked, winking at me.
I grinned back at her, "Great to see you again though." She nodded smiling, "Although when we get back we may have an unexpected guest..."
"Oh you, always inviting people over without asking," she laughed hitting my shoulder. I laughed with her, nuzzling her again. We stayed like that for a minute before a maniacal laughter broke through the throne room, breaking the silence. Before us in a cloud of smoke, Nightmare Moon appeared again. Her eyes scanning those below her. I nodded to Shadow who quickly moved towards the Diamond dog. Calling back I said, "Here you might need this." throwing to her her shotgun. She gave me a devilish smile, turning back towards Nightmare Moon.
I quickly dashed up next to the princess, laying myself on the ground about to get ready as I hear Zin talking with Nightmare Moon. "Rearing your ugly face again? Man, wonder how Bumble puts up with you." Unslinging my rifle from my back, I set it up, deploying the bi-pod as I heard Zin again, "And really? Twilight's romance book?" and again, "I don't get you, as you don't get me. Now, we can do this one of two ways. One, you can try to get to Celestia again and I stop you. Two, you just back down nicely and I don't have to get bloody."
Oh Celestia he sure is arrogant. "Nothing you do will change the fact that I am unstoppable!" Nightmare Moon retorted, so loud I almost lost focus. Almost. Pulling out a magazine from my vest, I pulled the bolt back on my rifle, shoving the magazine into the well, I pulled it forward, loading a cartridge when she said again, "This body is stronger than Luna was...Was being the keyword." The words passed right through me as I took aim through my scope, adjusting to the extreme close range of Nightmare Moon.
"Did you not hear? Pity." she continued. Quickly enough I sighted her, I took one last breath. Inhale. Exhale... And pulled the trigger. The shot made a big tut noise as the round left the barrel. It flew straight and true, only... It didn't hit her. I looked up amazed, the round had stopped a mere inch from her forehead, just hovering there.
"You dare strike at me? One of you shall pay for this..." she roared. Her eyes scanning those of us here. Her eyes quickly landed on Shadow. No!!! I screamed in my head. Pulling the bolt back and chambering another round.  But I was to late.
"Shadow, move!" Zin screamed as he rushed towards her. To late. The bullet speeding its way towards her. I tried slowing it down with magic, but it only stopped it slightly. Only again, it missed its intended target. Zin jumped in front of Shadow at just the right time, taking the bullet in his chest, sending him flying back several feet. I stared at him. He barely knew her...
"Not who I was aiming for, but it will do for now." Nightmare Moon cut in again.
"You're dead." I said those words so intently that everything in the room went silent. Faster than the eye could blink, I moved back down to my rifle. Fired. Cambered another round. Fired. Both rounds sent out in the matter of milliseconds of each other. My eyes turned red. As soon as the rounds were out, I followed them, breaking the sound barrier instantly. Instantly I protected the others as I surged forward, making sure no harm came to them from the shock-wave.
So occupied as she was with the bullets, she didn't notice as I cleared the distance in less than half a second. Ramming straight into her, I brought her to the ground with such force that the tile around us broke and shattered. Faster than I've ever been, I turned her towards Celestia just as the Rainbow of Harmony shot forth from them. With all the strength and speed at my disposal I launched Nightmare Moon at the rainbow. I watched as she flew into its path, engulfing her as she screamed out in anguish, "Nooooooooooo! Not again!"
That was the last thing that I saw before fatigue took over  my entire being. I was so tired... I closed my eyes as her screams faded in my ears and went into darkness.