Finally, she was free.
Rainbow Dash thought she tasted freedom when she escaped her cell, but now she realized how wrong she was. Only now, soaring through her cool, blue sky, did she finally feel home. The horizon called to her. The aching in her heart to just go where her wings took her was matched only by the last, lingering aches of her rainboom mishap. They reminded her that she wasn't finished quite yet.
One more time. One more dive. One more fight. Just once more to the breach Shining Armor would make for her. Rainbow Dash realized she was smiling. Here, at the end, there were no nerves. There was no panic. Instead, she felt excitement. She felt focus. She was ready.
A purple spark traced its way through the storm clouds of the pegasi. Rainbow Dash angled her wings and dropped. She closed her eyes, reveling in the rush of wind. She flapped her wings when she stopped accelerating to push out the final burst. She passed through an abandoned section of clouds, evacuated in anticipation of what was coming.
BOOM
This time, it felt right. Rainbow Dash blazed through the sky. The giant doors of the castle drew nearer. A full spectrum of color swirled around them. The combined power of the unicorns ripped them down as Rainbow approached. The changelings inside looked up at her in shock as she came down on them.
They all moved in slow motion. Rainbow Dash focused with a precision she never really could with her brawls on the streets. Punching, spinning, kicking, every strike was devastating. She was halfway down the entrance corridor to the main hall when she felt her speed boost wear off. The ponies had their foothold. Rainbow smirked at the changelings still standing and crouched down, preparing for the next phase.
"SHIELD!" Shining Armor leaped ahead of her and raised a wall of energy to block an incoming wave of attacks. Princess Cadance joined him on his right. A thunder of hoofsteps echoed as more unicorns charged forward to join their power to their captain's. They all fed a constant flow of magic to the wall to absorb any incoming shots. The next command would be-
"OVER!" Rainbow Dash jumped, followed by five pegasi. They flew over the wall of magic and swooped down on the changelings. The maneuver completely exposed the six of them to a counterattack. It was a gamble, especially with the lack of armor the entire army shared, but they caught the changelings flat-footed. The pegasi pushed the advantage, lashing out until-
"DOWN!" They dropped to their stomachs as an explosion of lights flew overhead. The six got back to their hooves and took out the remaining changelings. Rainbow Dash looked ahead and realized the unicorn attacks knocked down the door to the main hall. She jumped to the side, the other pegasi following her lead just in time to avoid a barrage of bolts fired through the doorway.
"SHIELD!" Shining Armor repeated his first command. He and Cadance erected a new wall in front of the pegasi. Rainbow Dash grudgingly followed them as they led the unicorns on a slow push towards the door. There was too much space between the armies to launch another aerial assault.
Shining Armor held up to hoof to signal a halt and looked back on his numbers. The racket of magic bolts crashing into the shield forced him to wave his hoof to pass a message Rainbow Dash didn't recognize. Unicorn troops lined up and began to form two more walls of magic. Rainbow finally understood as they connected the three walls together. At another signal, the phalanx pushed into the main hall.
They took fire from all directions and almost all angles. The deafening noise of battle filled Rainbow's ears even before she entered the hall. Maybe it was that distraction, but something just felt wrong to her. The shield was holding. So what was it? Suddenly, she remembered the scene at the Grand Galloping Gala. The main hall was enormous. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She just knew.
Rainbow Dash took off straight up as soon as she cleared the door. Three changelings were waiting for her. One was already on his way down. Rainbow's front hooves made sure he wouldn't have the opportunity to build up his magic before he crashed to the ground. She twisted and turned to slam herself into a second one, driving him into the wall above the door. Rainbow jerked as a ring of sky blue pulled her back to the ground. A flurry of green struck where she was a moment ago. "Thanks."
Princess Cadance probably didn't hear her. She turned her attention to the third changeling and drove him away before he could attack. Shining Armor crouched next to Rainbow Dash, shouting to be heard. "They'll try that again. Take the pegasi and attack from below on my signal."
He left to relay his orders. The changelings quickly proved him right. Their ambush failed, but the ponies were only vulnerable in one place. All the changelings on the second floor of the hall took off and began flying overhead. "NOW!"
The phalanx dissolved as the unicorns split into teams of twos and threes. Rainbow Dash led her team on a curved uppercut of a climb. Chunks of rubble flew in front of them. The spread of debris hit the changelings, surprising them for a moment, and allowed the pegasi to close the remaining distance unchallenged.
Rainbow Dash bashed the first with a front knee and held him in front of her until she was clear of the mob. She let him drop and circled around for another pass. Princess Cadance hovered on the other side of the changelings, manipulating the rubble to constantly fly through them and break their focus. The few green bolts that escaped the confusion were wild and unorganized. When the pegasi's second attack smashed through them, they scattered.
Rainbow waved her troops forward. "Get ‘em!" The pegasi flew by to chase down the runners. Rainbow Dash turned back to help Cadance mop up the remaining changelings. Cadance's makeshift missiles were wearing thin. Rainbow intercepted one soldier on his charge for the princess and stomped him with all four hooves, sending him crashing into the railing below. A piece snapped off, and was snatched up by Cadance. She sent it flying upwards and caught a soldier in the gut with it, doubling him over, and sending him down to the floor.
"Whatever you told Shining seems to have worked." Cadance pointed down. "I think we have this under control." The changelings below were in disarray. The unicorns attack was unpredictable, striking and moving in small teams to confuse their opponents. The changelings were too slow to react. Those that remained split up and retreated down the numerous hallways before they were cornered.
Shining Armor called for the ponies to regroup. Rainbow Dash and Princess Cadance landed as the rest of the army, nearly 50 in all, filled the hall. Rainbow headed for her friends while Shining Armor issued new orders. She couldn't help but notice that Applejack looked upset.
"Rainbow! I let it slide the first time, but you promised to save some for me to knock-out. What gives?"
Rarity gasped at her statement. "Applejack, darling, we have a vital task! You don't seriously mean to waste time with these ruffians?"
Pinkie Pie cut off any reply by dashing between the two of them, sniffing the air at each exit. She finally bounced up and down in front of one hallway. "Here! Here! Here it is! My Party Sense is tingling!" Applejack let out a sigh as she and Rarity went to join her.
Fluttershy stayed behind. "Are you...?"
"Yeah. Will you be...?"
"Yes. I'll have our friends with me."
"And I'll have a princess and the Captain of the Royal Guard with me." She flashed Fluttershy a smile. "We'll make it through this. I've got a good feeling."
Fluttershy was not reassured. "The last time you said that you were thrown through a window."
No easy answer to that. Applejack saved her. "Waitin' on you, sugar cube."
Nocto and his three unicorn soldiers had joined the others. Fluttershy finally returned Rainbow's smile and trotted to them. Rainbow flew up to the second floor to join Shining Armor and Cadance. The captain pulled her aside for a moment.
"I sent half the troops to sweep the first floor for the running changelings, so they'll have some more protection than we planned. Listen, how exactly does Pinkie-"
Rainbow interrupted him with a laugh. "We stopped asking those questions a long time ago. They'll find the Elements. Just focus on our end of the deal, and we can trust them to take care of theirs."
"Alright, that's good enough for me." He and Cadance led the remaining ponies through the second floor. Rainbow stayed back with the pegasi in anticipation of an attack. An attack that never came. The rooms and halls were all deserted. Rainbow Dash didn't like it. This was it. What were they waiting for?
The echo of a thunderclap answered her question. Shining Armor picked up the pace. The castle was meaningless if the changelings broke through the blockade with Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. They quickly found a staircase leading further up the castle. Another army of changelings was waiting for them.
"SHIELD!"
---
"She's leading us in circles!"
Fluttershy took cover behind a statue as an exchange of magic crisscrossed through the air. She had to agree with the soldier's accusation. Pinkie Pie charged full speed through the halls, never caring what was right in front of her, always saying they were getting closer and closer to her cannon. But this was the third skirmish they ran into.
Fluttershy huddled as dust and debris fell down around her in a cloud. The changelings were targeting her. "The door! The door!" Pinkie soared overhead and broke down a door behind her. Fluttershy quickly scrambled after her as the statue collapsed.
"Oh, thank you Pinkie!" Fluttershy dusted herself off and smiled in gratitude.
The pink pony didn't notice. "This was it. I was sure this was it!" Pinkie was a whirlwind, sprinting around the room looking high and low. She opened cabinets and drawers, but there was no cannon to be found. It was only a kitchen.
"You two OK in there?" Applejack took cover with Rarity across the hall. Fluttershy opened her mouth to answer, but stopped. There was a look in Rarity's eyes that Fluttershy had never seen before. It was...startling.
A knife flew by her head and out into the hall. It stopped in front of Rarity as the unicorn cast her gaze over to the squad of changelings. "I cleaned this hall so many times over. I dusted, and scrubbed, and...and...you destroy a one-of-a-kind...? You vandals ruin everything!"
Fluttershy ducked as a storm of blades erupted around her. A blue river of metal ran out of the kitchen and down the hall as Rarity flung them away one at a time. When it was over, Fluttershy slowly crawled to the door and looked out. Knives were embedded in the ceiling, in the floor, in the walls, but the changelings were gone. She really couldn't blame them for running.
Rarity ran a hoof through her mane. "What's next?"
"We keep looking!" Pinkie tried to gallop away, but Applejack tackled her.
"WHOA, Nelly! We've tried that. It's not working. How 'bout you boys? Any ideas?"
Nocto looked away from Rarity in surprise when she asked. "Huh? Oh, uh, the captain told us we're here to help you. So, uh, we'll follow you." The three unicorns behind him nodded emphatically.
"OR," Pinkie stressed, "we could just ask them!" Fluttershy turned in surprise to see three more unicorn stallions slowly step out into the hallway. They were smaller than the soldiers, and all three wore saddlebags.
"I don't believe it," the first one said. "You chased them off."
Applejack stood up. "We had no idea any pony was left here! Are you-?"
Pinkie Pie cut her off. "We're looking for a cannon! It's big, metal, and cannon shaped! Have you seen it?" The stallions jumped back as Pinkie Pie zipped into their faces to ask her question.
"We, uh, dismantled it. It was melted down for scrap."
"WHAT?!" Pinkie Pie totally deflated. "But...I can still sense...my poor cannon..."
Applejack was incensed. "Your cannon? The Elements! What in tarnation do we do now?!"
The second stallion raised a hoof. "Can we go home now?"
"Calm down, darling. We'll think of-"
"What? We'll think of what?"
"My poor cannon..."
"If you don't mind we'll just be going-"
"WAAAAAIIIIIIIT!" Fluttershy shrunk as every pony wheeled around to stare at her. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. I just...why aren't you three wearing collars?"
The newcomers looked at each other for a moment. "They kept a close eye on us. Our magic helped us work a little faster."
Fluttershy ignored Rarity's indignant snort. "Oh, I'm sure. You look like...carpenters, right? You have the exact same hammer for a cutie mark."
"That's right. Family business, you know?" That made Applejack narrow her eyes.
"Yes, I know. You must be skilled with...um...carving magic."
"Sure. Look, miss, we really just want to get home. Can we just go now?"
Nocto moved his troops to block their way. "There's no such thing as carving magic."
The three stallions were surrounded. Nocto and the unicorns to one side, Applejack and Rarity to the other, and the narrow walls completed the trap. Rarity's horn lit with a flash, and the saddlebags illuminated from within. In a moment of transparency, the Elements of Harmony were revealed, necklaces and crown included. The next thing Fluttershy saw was a set of fangs coming for her face.
Quick as the changeling was, Applejack was faster. She wrestled him down at Fluttershy's feet. "Stop! They're not fighting back!" Applejack looked up at her in surprise, but it was true. Fluttershy pointed back at the other two. They had changed back and knelt to the ground. Even the one that charged for her was now cowering under Applejack.
Rarity dealt out the necklaces. "Applejack, we have what we need. We can't keep every pony waiting."
"Go on," Nocto agreed. "We'll watch these three. They won't cause trouble."
The four mares raced back the way they came. Applejack looked over to Fluttershy as they ran. "You mind telling me what that was about back there?"
"Oh! Well, Rainbow Dash didn't trust Nocto the first time we met him. She asked him-"
"Not about that! The changeling! I coulda clobbered him for what he tried to do to you!"
Fluttershy was quiet for a moment. "I...felt sorry for him." They were climbing the stairs in the main hall when Applejack grabbed her leg.
"You felt sorry for him?! After what they've done and after what you and RD went through?"
Rarity stopped next to them. "Kindness, darling. Kindness."
Fluttershy met Applejack's eyes. "I believed them. I believed what they said. They just wanted to go home. So do I." She hoped Rainbow Dash was dealing with like-minded changelings.
---
The doors to the throne room towered over one final crowd of guards. The ponies outnumbered them two to one. Still, they fought with a fanatical ferocity. The familiar rhythm of battle that brought the Royal Guard this far was thrown out the window in the face of their wild charge.
Rainbow Dash rolled on the ground, twisting her neck to escape the fangs and magic of the one that tackled her. She wrapped her forelegs around his neck and pulled his head against the wall. Another changeling tried to jump on her as she rolled his friend off of her. Rainbow caught him with her hind legs, and pushed him back into the air. He was knocked away by a purple bolt.
Shining Armor waved to her from the giant doors. "Come on! We're going for the queen!" Rainbow flew over to him, dodging both magic and attempts to grab her as Princess Cadance opened the doors. The captain gave one final order to hold the line before he shut them behind him.
Rainbow Dash was unsettled by how quiet it was inside. A faint rumble of thunder was the only hint of a battle at all. The three ponies walked through the hall, making their way to the green throne and the black figure that sat on it. Twilight Sparkle lay at her feet.
Even now, Chrysalis was grinning. "What, no army handsome? Have you come to talk instead of fight?"
Shining Armor grit his teeth. "Let my sister go."
"Of course." The response came so quickly and easily that Rainbow Dash didn't even realize that Twilight's body was airborne. Cadance was quicker, and she eased Twilight down. Rainbow bit Twilight's collar and ripped it off as Cadance held her sister-to-be close. Shining Armor watched it all with his mouth open.
"Don't listen to her," Twilight whispered. "She did something to me."
Rainbow knew it was too good to be true. "What are you planning?"
Chrysalis looked at her coolly. "Equestria's downfall, naturally. Segments of my army should have escaped by now, and I will go to join them shortly. Sooner or later, I will return for my revenge. Let that thought chill you to the bone."
The Captain of the Royal Guard roared in anger. "You'll go nowhere!" Chrysalis fell face-first to the ground as Shining Armor lifted the throne from under her. Twilight Sparkle yelped, surprising both Cadance and Rainbow Dash. Shining Armor didn't notice. "After everything you've done, you're still threatening us? You want this throne that badly? Fine. Take it!"
The heavy chair threw itself into the queen, crushing her between it and the floor. Twilight screamed. Cadance held her tighter, whispering "What's wrong? Twilight, what's wrong with you?" Her only answer was a laugh. A laugh Chrysalis shared. Both laughs ended as Shining Armor brought the throne crashing down again. Twilight buried her face in Cadance's chest to muffle another scream.
The queen tossed the throne away and got back to her feet. "Is that all you've got, captain? What happened to all that power I stole?"
Shining Armor shouted and charged up another attack. Rainbow tackled him before he could launch it. "Let me go! Let me go!"
"NO! You're hurting Twilight!" Rainbow pointed over to the other two ponies. "Look at her! Something's wrong. She did something to her!" Both Cadance and Twilight looked near tears. The unicorn trembled as a delirious smile spread across her face.
The queen's laughter rang out. "I'm surprised you were the first one to figure it out. Yes, that is my doing. It's an old spell passed down among the changelings. It lets us think what a target thinks and feel what they feel. It was quite simple to reverse the order of the spell." She sneered at the fearful unicorn before her. "It seems the mind of a changeling is too harsh a place for you pathetic ponies."
Rainbow Dash heard Shining Armor growl in her ear. "You...take it off her! Cadance, take the spell off now!"
"I told you I would be joining my army again. This is why. Only I know the spell, and only I know the counter-spell."
Rainbow snorted and leapt to her feet. "Then we'll force you to let her go!"
"Right behind you," Shining Armor added.
"No!" Cadance shouted. "Don't. It won't work."
"Yes, your blushing bride has the right idea. Let me go, and I will break the spell. Just know that anything else you try won't work. Distance and time will have no effect. So go ahead, handsome. Lock me in a dungeon to starve. Throw me into Tartauros. Tear me limb from limb. Your sweet sister will feel every drop of my pain."
"Move!" Rainbow barely recognized the strained voice as Twilight's. She drove a shoulder into Shining Armor to knock him back and dove the opposite way. The green bolt fired from the queen's horn singed the tip of her tail. That was close. Don't listen to her, Twilight said. Escape wasn't the only thing on the queen's mind. Chrysalis turned on Shining Armor. The captain danced and dashed to dodge her attacks. Rainbow Dash could see he was restraining himself from fighting back.
What could she do?! Chrysalis laughed as Shining Armor fended her off. He couldn't keep that up forever. Cadance's horn glowed continuously and bathed Twilight in spell after spell with no effect. Rainbow Dash had to do something.
Her eyes fell on the discarded collar. Rainbow sprinted for it. She opened her mouth and bent to pick it up in stride. Instantly, her body was frozen in a purple aura. The collar was vaporized in green fire right before her eyes. Chrysalis gave her a cold smile before turning back to Shining Armor.
Her next thought was to just join the fight. She quickly dismissed it. Any damage done to Chrysalis would just hurt Twilight. Rainbow Dash was out of her element. Elements! Would the Elements of Harmony even work with Twilight in this condition?! Rainbow watched Cadance continue her efforts to break the spell. Magic was just out of her league.
But it wasn't for some pony else...
Rainbow Dash took off, charging for the green cocoon hanging overhead. She crashed into it at full speed. There wasn't even a crack. Princess Celestia's eyes snapped open. Rainbow noticed them focus behind her, and ducked to avoid a blast of green power.
Shining Armor took advantage of the queen's distraction. Rainbow Dash saw her black horn glow purple as the captain focused all of his strength on it. Chrysalis screamed in frustration while Shining Armor tried to pull her down with an invisible rope. Chrysalis was too strong. The magic, and the stained glass windows, exploded with an eruption of green light.
Shining Armor was hurled against a wall, spent. There was no reason to think Cadance would fare any better. Celestia's prison was too sturdy. The Elements simply weren't there yet. Rainbow Dash only saw one option.
Chrysalis was gloating over Shining Armor. She didn't notice Rainbow's approach until it was too late. Both pony and changeling tumbled through a newly broken window and fell. Rainbow Dash pressed her luck, staying close by until she saw an opening to slap the queen across the face with the back of her hoof. Rainbow disentangled herself and took off towards Discord's hedge maze before Chrysalis could collect herself.
She landed safely behind a hedge, with slight surprise. Rainbow Dash took a breath and raised her voice to the sky above. "You owe me an execution, remember?!"
"I remember," came the reply, followed by a streak of fire that burned through rows of the maze. Rainbow Dash smiled. So far, so good. Chrysalis was focused on her now. Fluttershy and the others would find the Elements. Cadance and Shining Armor might be able break the spell together. If not, they could all figure something out together. She trusted her friends. They just needed time.
All the world's fastest pony had to do was slow things down.
---
Hate. Seething hate was all Twilight Sparkle could feel. And Cadance and Shining Armor weren't helping. A never-ending cascade of purple or blue covered her. Finally, she snapped. "You already tried that one! You already tried everything!"
"I know!" Shining Armor tried to cast a protective ward over her. For the fifth time. Twilight bit back a scream. The spell was already inside her. What was he thinking?! She squirmed, trying to slip out of Cadance's death grip. That only made her squeeze tighter.
"Get out of here! You need to help Rainbow Dash!" Why couldn't they understand that?! "I can feel her thoughts. Rainbow doesn't stand a chance."
"I know!" The fire in her brother's eyes matched her own. "She knew it, too. She's giving us this one chance. Chrysalis wins if we can't free you. I won't sacrifice you, Twily."
She knew he wouldn't. Twilight Sparkle clenched her eyes shut. She tried to find herself in the arrogance and rage that filled her mind. It was nearly impossible to concentrate. For a brief instant she felt her horn glow. "Together."
---
Rainbow Dash halted and looked around a corner. Chrysalis flew overhead, throwing her head back and forth to locate her prey. She stopped. Earth met sky in a deafening eruption from beneath her. Chrysalis turned and flew back towards Rainbow, tearing the ground apart as she went. One eruption destroyed the section of the path behind her. Rainbow Dash took cover inside the hedge itself.
And she was flying. Queen Chrysalis ripped the hedge she was hiding in from the ground and sent it soaring through the air. Rainbow braced herself for impact. She was forced to hold back a cry as the sticks jammed into her body from the landing. Gasping for air, she crawled out from under the broken plant and deeper into the maze. There was a flash of green and the roar of fire in the distance.
"Where are you?!"
---
The spell failed. Twilight fell on her face, the queen's rage again dominating her concentration. "Again," Cadance insisted. "We have to try again."
The unicorns outside swung the doors open. Applejack led the charge through them. "We got 'em! We got 'em!" The jewel around her neck stunned Twilight. The Elements...maybe they had a chance! Rarity followed close behind with Twilight's crown at the ready.
Fluttershy flew past them, frantically looking around. "Rainbow Dash. Where's Rainbow Dash?"
---
Rainbow Dash was blasted through several rows of hedges. A pot shot finally paid off for Chrysalis. She had to move. Crawl, run, skulk, anything. She had to get out of sight. Too late. Her body was being pulled up. Rainbow clawed at the ground to no avail. In one last desperate attempt she bit into the soil itself. Mocking laughter filled her ears as Rainbow was lifted face-to-face with Chrysalis.
Sorry, Twilight. Rainbow spit out the dirt in her mouth. It flew into the queen's eyes; however, there was no reaction from Chrysalis at all. Instead, she only wiped her face with a hoof. Her eyes were red and bored into Rainbow Dash. "Twilight used that trick yesterday."
Rainbow's stomach lurched at her instant acceleration. Queen Chrysalis shrank as the momentum of her throw carried Rainbow off. All she could do was close her eyes and wait. Her body exploded in pain as she cracked against the castle wall. Rainbow slipped down to the ground, fighting to stay conscious. Her vision cleared and focused on black hooves landing in front of her.
---
Fluttershy watched in horror as Twilight Sparkle began to weep. The Element of Magic didn't react to her at all. Worse, she looked directly at Fluttershy before she started crying. Something horrible was happening. She just knew it. Fluttershy turned to fly out of the window.
"Stop!" Cadance ordered. "You can't go out there."
"But Rainbow-!"
"I need you, Fluttershy. I have an idea, and I need your help to move every pony."
---
Rainbow Dash lunged for the queen's legs. Chrysalis jumped, easily avoiding her sluggish attempt. She landed on top of Rainbow. The queen's front hooves pinned her wings. Her black horn glowed as she stood to full height, a triumphant smile spreading on her face. Rainbow kicked and knocked the changeling's hind legs out from underneath her. Chrysalis dropped and her shot missed.
Rainbow tried to seize the advantage and fly out of the queen's grasp. Chrysalis pulled her back to the ground with a snarl. Rainbow Dash kicked and thrashed until a shadow fell over her. She turned to her back and looked up. It was a statue, surrounded with green, and it hovered in the air long enough for Rainbow to recognize the face of Discord. She struggled with everything she had left, but Chrysalis held her in place long enough for the statue to drop on her legs.
She sat up to try and push the statue off of her. She failed. She was finished. Discord had to love this. Even imprisoned he was trapping one of his enemies, keeping her in place to face her fate. Chrysalis leered over her, in no mood for any more games. Rainbow desperately swung her hooves and flapped her wings in the queen's face. She counted every second she delayed the attack as a win.
"Get away from her!" Fluttershy smashed into Chrysalis, knocking her away. She protectively crouched over Rainbow Dash with tears in her eyes. Rainbow Dash watched in awe as Chrysalis backed down from the sight.
"I believe this is yours, darling." Something clasped around her neck. She looked down at the familiar lightning bolt on her chest. Applejack and Pinkie Pie pushed Discord off of her legs. Rarity and Fluttershy helped her stand up. Twilight Sparkle brought up the rear, escorted by Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.
Rainbow was concerned. She still looked unstable. "Did it work?"
Cadance shook her head. "I have a plan. Just spread out and surround the queen." Fluttershy pulled her away with a nod. Rainbow stepped gingerly to take her place in the circle. Chrysalis watched them all with disdain.
"So you found your little trinkets. What are you trying to do? They're useless without all six of them, and Twilight isn't exactly herself, is she?"
Twilight Sparkle let out a slow laugh. "Ever since you sent me to the crystal caves you've done nothing but underestimate us. No more." With that, Twilight ignited her horn, joined by Cadance and Shining Armor. Her crown levitated and flared to life. Twilight fell down, exhausted, as white bonds shot out to connect the six Elements. Chrysalis spun around in a panic. Rainbow Dash felt her hurt melt away in the warmth of her unity with her friends.
And Twilight Sparkle was with them.
They knew her as a foal, growing in the loving care of her family. They knew her as a filly, learning the joy of friendship with another. They knew the role she played in bringing two ponies together in the strongest bond of all. They knew that bond connected her to all of them, and them to each other. The power of that bond ignited something in all of them.
The Magic of Love burst forth into the sky.
---
Twilight Sparkle could only watch as the six Elements elevated the seven ponies off the ground. She was so thankful Cadance's plan worked that she was nearly distracted from observing every detail she could. After all, she might never get this chance to watch the Elements work from the outside again. Her study was obstructed by the feeling of terror coming from her mind.
"No!" Queen Chrysalis rocketed off, trying to escape the oncoming power. "No, no, no!" Her fear helped ignite Twilight's adrenaline. There was a purple flash, and she was falling through the air. She landed on top of one of the queen's wings and wrapped all four legs around it. The two of them plummeted to the ground, followed by the rainbow of light. "No! No! No!"
Twilight held tight as she felt the magic surround them. In spite of Chrysalis and her howls of horror, Twilight Sparkle could only smile.
---
More
It was an unspoken command. One obeyed with no hesitation. Rainbow Dash instantly opened herself fully to the Elements. Every bit of strength she possessed poured out to join the others. They all felt their power stretch out to fill all of Canterlot.
And it was over.
They hit Twilight. That was all Rainbow Dash could think of while she stood up. She tried to push her headache aside as the others joined her on her way to Twilight's side. The unicorn gave her friends a small smile and a wave.
Queen Chrysalis looked up at them with tears in her eyes. Cadance gasped at the sight. Rainbow just met her stare as she choked out her words. "What...what have you done to me?!"