//------------------------------// // The fight for Canterlot // Story: When the Moon saved the stars // by kittypetro //------------------------------// Chapter 19 The fight for Canterlot Starvoid looked around her, screaming out orders. “SEND EVERY PEGASUS TO ALL THE BORDERS, NOPONY IS TO GET INSIDE EQUESTRIA WITHOUT MY SAY SO, IS THAT CLEAR?” “Yes ma’am” said White knight, running out to give the pegasi their orders, smiling. If Chrysalis had done her part, the border would be no problem; all that would happen was that Starvoid sent away forces she could use to defend the castle. Starvoid was still freaking out, looking through book after book for a way to defend herself. The elements of harmony was tricky that way, you couldn’t corrupt their magic. You could corrupt the holders, but as long as they stayed together there was no magic mightier. Starvoid growled, closing her book and throwing it away. She could go and ask Discord how he had done it… she could free him from his statue and ask him for help, but she’d rather not. Things were chaotic enough as it was at the moment and if anything was certain it was that if she asked for help Discord would do the direct opposite and help Princess Luna. Still… Starvoid looked out and up at the heavens. She was never going back there. Never again. So… time to get out everything in her arsenal… she was going to need it all. She looked up as an earth pony came rushing in. “Message from the southwest, weird lights are coming from the Everfree Forest.” Starvoid’s eyes grew twice in size. Standing up she rushed out on her balcony. “GARGOYLES.” The large stony figures flocked around her, waiting silently on orders. “Head to Everfree and immobilize whatever is there that can be a threat, but come back with them alive, understood?” The gargoyles nodded and turned in the air, swooshing towards the forest. “Right” Starvoid said with a gulp. “If they come back with a bunch of strange ponies I am safe for now… if they don’t come back… I need to start putting up the defenses.” … Down in Ponyville everypony stared amazed. Walking straight through the main street was Princess Luna in all her glory, the 6 substitutes walking behind her, flanked on each side by a wonderbolt. Nopony spoke as Luna scowled at the area right in front of her, walking calmly but surely towards the train station. Luna stopped and looked up at a roar, seeing a horde of black figures on the night sky. Berry Punch was the first one who yelled. “GARGOYLES, TAKE COVER.” Luna scowled. “Gilda” she said calmly, the griffin stepping up. “On it.” Gilda concentrated and soon her helmet glowed. About half of the gargoyles crashed as they met an invisible force field in the air, the rest braking down in time to fly around it. “Derpy” Luna said turning to Derpy who grinned and saluted Luna. Taking on her cape the gargoyles blinked as she disappeared from sight, appearing just to hit them over the head making another twenty or so fall. “Vinyl.” “Let's rock” Vinyl said having already lifted her flute, playing to the gargoyles. The one’s closest to the group crumpled, falling to the ground laughing hard. “Zecora.” Zecora’s bracelet lit up almost as soon as Luna called out, a few gargoyles landing peacefully, lying down to rest. “Soarin, Spitfire, help out Big Mac would you?” “Yes your majesty.” Soarin and Spitfire spun around Big Mac, grabbing hold of him and launching him towards a large group of gargoyles. With a single swing of his sword, Big Mac landed back on the ground, with about ten more gargoyles. Luna looked up at the sky, where only twenty more gargoyles were fluttering about. “Trixie, why don’t you finish this?” Trixie smiled and stepped forward. Her horn glowed, as did her medallion. Sending out a blast of pure uncorrupted magic, the remaining gargoyles fell to the ground hissing in pain. Luna stepped up. “I once gave you life, to use you against my enemies… when I was defeated the spell I cast on you should have stopped… I am sorry to say I did not realize that it still went on in time to save you. I thank you for helping me out… now I release you from your duty.” Luna’s horn lit up most of the yard and soon a small red light was seen in the gargoyles eyes before they sunk and crumbled to dust. Nopony spoke, until Colgate sat down and started to clap. Soon the Ponyville streets were full of applause, Roseluck even throwing a few flowers onto the street. “ALL HAIL THE ROYAL PONY SISTERS.” Luna turned and smiled towards Carrot top who had spoken. “Come on guys” she said smiling at the others who loved the praise. “We have important things to do… and something tells me that when these guys don’t come back that Starvoid will add one and one and get two.” Nopony spoke, simply continued walking down the street, heading towards the train station. … Starvoid looked out at the stars again. The gargoyles hadn’t returned… That was bad… it was the final proof. When she had her servants looking through the castle for the elements they had found the gargoyles, locked away like her, but only in stone, ever since Celestia had put them away after Luna’s banishment… Only Luna could release the gargoyles from their spell, turning them back into the dirt Nightmare Moon had originally made them out of. They were coming for her… No… not again. She refused to be beaten by a bunch of renegades. Growling she lit up her horn, casting a huge array of protective spells over the castle, and a few more over the throne room. While she was at it she placed magical traps all over the entrance hall, and around her door. Taking a deep breath Starvoid grinned, sitting down on the throne. Safe… she was safe… now to light the fire in the fireplace, she was feeling a slight chill. … Luna looked ahead. At the sight of Luna the conductor had canceled all train traffic so that only Luna and her friends could head to Canterlot. The group had boarded the train heading for Canterlot, Luna deciding to keep her gaze on the constellations until the time came to get off at the station. But now… now they were getting close. Luna sighed, looking backwards on the stern serious faces of the substitute holders of the elements of harmony. “You guys ready?” Big Mac smiled. “Eeyup.” Luna smiled, calming down at the confident looks she got from her friends. As the train slowed down to a halt, Luna took a deep breath. “Keep an eye out for trouble.” The door opened and Luna walked out. Walking up the familiar path to the castle, ponies stopped walking, some openly gaping at the sight. Luna had to suppress a smile as she heard Octavia exclaim a loud “VINYL?” In shock, Vinyl just giving her a charming smile as they continued to walk up the street. Getting into the rich quarter, the group passed the trio of Fancy pants, Photo Finish and Hoity Toity who all stopped dead in their tracks. As she passed them Luna overheard them. “Is that Princess Luna?” Fancy Pants asked, sounding in shock. “Armor… facepaint… jewelry… the fashion world need to know about this” Hoity Toity exclaimed. “Quick, somepony get me my camera, this is so… magic.” Photo Finish of course. Gilda snorted. “Their true ruler has been locked away for two weeks and all they care about is looks?” “It’s a social thing” Luna said. “I don’t much understand it either, but for now, anything that can make my subjects think of something else, the better.” Luna stopped. “Why did we stop?” Derpy asked confused. Luna levitated a stone from the ground, hurtling it forward, where it bounced off a protective ward. “Starvoid is being cautious… or paranoid, maybe even a little of both. Don’t worry though, these wards are nothing to me.” Luna smiled and lit up her horn. In front of them a spark and shimmer told them that the first barrier was broken. “How many more of those do you think there are?” Soarin asked. Luna picked up a new rock throwing it forward where it disintegrated. “For now I say we keep several stones with us until we are actually inside the throne room… Starvoid must really not want visitors tonight.” It took about 15 minutes to deal with every roadblock and spell Starvoid had laid out for them until they reached the Canterlot Castle. There everypony stopped up. A row of Canterlot guards stood at the entrance, looking at them. In the front, the new captain of the guard White Knight. Vinyl gulped. “Hey princess, how high is the probability that Starvoid knows a mind control spell?” “Small, or else she would have used it on me a long time ago.” Luna looked at the guards, who stood immobile as always. Then they smiled, and as one turned to each side saluting. White Knight smiled. “Welcome back Princess Luna, we have looked after the castle for you in your absence… Unfortunately there seems to be some commotion near the throne room that needs your attention.” Luna smiled. “Thank you captain Knight, I shall attend to it immediately. Dismissed.” The group walked straight ahead, finally ending up at the door of the throne room. “Sooooo… how many spells do you think she placed on this door?” Trixie asked, looking up. “Do we have a stone left?” Luna asked, wondering about the same thing Gilda answered by throwing the pebble she had kept in her claw. A millimeter in front of the door the pebble caught fire, turned to ice, got electrocuted and got a bite of it cut off before half of it vaporized and the other ricocheted around the room, falling in front of Luna’s feet smoking before it turned to sand. Vinyl whistled. “Paranoid much?” Trixie asked with a sigh. “We can’t do his much longer… we need to get in there.” “Agreed” Luna said. “This require some extra power, can you help me out Trixie?” “Certainly” Trixie said stepping up. “What do you need?” “Just boost me with some extra magic, I’ll deal with the rest.” “As you wish” Trixie said, her horn lighting up. Luna turned to the door, her own magic lighting up. Shooting out a beam Luna’s magic hit the door with such force that the door flew off it’s hinges and crashed with a large boom. Vinyl grinned. “Knock Knock.” Luna smiled, walking silently inside the room, glancing ahead, to Starvoid who looked shocked, sitting on Celestia’s throne. “I will give you to the count of 5 to get down from my sister’s throne before I come over there and make you.” Starvoid closed her mouth, coming over her initial shock. “No… I am in charge now, you do not scare me Luna.” Luna snorted. “Really… fine enough by me, but what about my friends, will they be able to persuade you?” Luna turned to her friends, who all came up to stand next to her, scowling ahead at the dark unicorn. Starvoid scowled at them all. “You think I am scared of you? I have defeated Celestia herself, killed and destroyed countless of my enemies and gained enough knowledge to rival even Starswirl the bearded and you have the audacity to think I am scared?” Gilda huffed. “Big words for someone who placed about 500 wards and traps around the castle to keep us out.” Starvoid looked at Gilda and scowled, sending out a blast of magic. Gilda barely raised an eyebrow as her helmet glowed and made a protective barrier, making the blast ricochet to blast against the wall to Starvoid’s left. Gilda grinned. “Missed me.” “I suppose so” Starvoid said. “Let’s see if you can dodge this.”