//------------------------------// // Bonus chapter 2 // Story: In the Royal Guard // by J8ck78 //------------------------------// The shield surrounding the city shattered causing the whole mountain to shake violently, alerting all over the city that something very wrong was about to happen. The Changelings above mocked the ponies below before diving in for the attack. The surrounded themselves with a green shield and increased their speed. "INCOMING!" yelled Spirit as two nearly took him out From the craters they left, the Changelings popped out unharmed and went for the attack. Spirit gave one a head butt knocking him out, before bucking the second. He turned around to see three other Changelings, who turned into exact replica's of himself. This unnerved him a bit but his training kicked in. These weren't himself, just replicas by some weird buggy pony parodies. He barreled through them, taking a fourth one on his head to the Changeling's chest before driving him into a crater where another Changeling had landed. He smashed both several times with his hooves before turning around and snorting his rage out at the replica's of himself. The Changelings reverted back to regular form and few out at high speeds. Spirit smirked and looked around for his comrades. Shadow and David were in the air fighting off a swarm of their own. Spirit looked around and saw other black masses flying thoughout the city and ran off to find reinforcements. "Life in the Guard eh Captain?" asked David as he punched a Changeling "I was so looking forward to the night off!" said Shadow bucking one in the rear "Night off? What about the wedding after party!?" said David as he banged two Changelings heads together "Not my thing. Same thing at our own!" "Yeah I remember that." said David turning to Shadow Behind Shadow was another Shadow fighting off three Changelings that looked like random Pegasus ponies. "Right, Changelings. You're not Shadow." The imposter Shadow went to punch him, only to be met with a head butt by David. The real Shadow meanwhile kicked the two Pegasus to the ground before grabbing the third. It morphed back to a frightened changeling as Shadow smiled a evil smile. Suddenly, David appeared before her flapping his wings. "David, what are you doing?" she asked Just as she finished a second David appeared and elbowed the first David in the head. The first David reverted to a Changeling and fell to the ground out cold. "That wasn't me." The looked around and were suddenly surrounded by mean looking Pegasi and Changelings. The got back to back and eyed their opponents. "These Changelings are going make this fight difficult." said Shadow "Meh, I get looks like these all the time." said David "I should've know that." said Shadow, "So any ideas?" "We're Pegasus right?" asked David "Yeah." said Shadow "Find a grey cloud." said David As he finished they were swarmed by the Changelings. ---- "What is going on here?" yelled Starlight She and Charger ran past a shattered shop as Unicorn Guards fired a few bolts to give them cover. They dove in behind a collapsed wall as a Changeling slammed into the ground behind them. Starlight stood up and quickly shot the Changeling down with a blast of magic. "We're under attack! That's what!" yelled Charger, "Flower! That you?" Flower and three Earth Pony Guards were taking cover inside the destroyed remains of a cart as they tried to hold off a Changeling wave. "I think it's me! I just saw five of me run across the street!" "Yeah that's you." said Charger, "Where the heck is everypony?" "Most of the citizens ran for shelter when the shield broke!" yelled Flower, "However, we can't tell who is who out here! Dang Changelings!" "Where's the Guard?" yelled Starlight "Most were sent to the cities edge! We haven't heard word since!" "What!?" yelled Charger, "Why were they all sent to the cities edge!?" "Captain Shining Armor's orders! Gave out before the wedding started!" "You think it has any reason why the shield failed?" asked Charger "I have no idea!" yelled Flower as he blasted a Changeling "Uh, Charger! You're on the attack!" "What?" asked Charger, "No I'm no-uah-uah-uah-UAAAAH!" A line of Golden Chargers without in full Guard Armor was stampeding toward their position. Starlight fired off her magic blasts as the real Charger kicked stone blocks at them. The line of imposters fell but more took their place. They assumed the forms of Guards, regular Ponies, or didn't bother to change. "This is bad." said Charger "INCOMING!" came a familiar yell Out of nowhere, a trio of Pegasus Guards tackled the Changelings to the ground. Starlight and Charger jumped and joined the fight, taking the surprised Changelings off guard even further and causing them to flee. "Oh no you don't!" said Starlight She grabbed one with her magic and brought it close, with the Changeling receiving a buck to the face by Charger. A second tried to come to it's aid only to be knocked aside by a Pegasus Guard. Crescent and a second walked up triumphant. "You got any more?" he asked "Flower is over across the area with some other Guards." said Charger He nodded and leaped into the air followed by the other two Pegasi. "That's a imposter!" yelled a Pegasus from behind Starlight looked at the trio to see a devious looking Pegasus Guard ready to strike Crescent down. She aimed and fired, bringing the Changeling to the ground. "Close call." said Charger "Come on!" yelled Starlight leaping over the broken wall The other two Guards nodded and galloped on to help her. They arrived to a scene Discord himself would be drooling over with glee. Guard vs Guard, Guard vs pony, Guard vs Changeling, and the Guard was outnumbered. Flower shot at himself twice before being kicked in the face by a real Guard, who apologized. Crescent and the other Pegasus flew over head knocking any incoming Changelings out of the sky while Charger and Starlight joined the Earth Pony Guards around the cart fighting off what they could. Flower and Starlight began a frantic shoot first don't ask policy as they were surrounded as Charger and the Earth ponies were getting to the point that they were almost bucking each other to fend them off. As Crescent and the Pegasi were knocked to the ground themselves by Changelings, the feeling of defeat was imminent. They were doing their best, and almost a mountain of Changelings lay around them at their hoofs; it was simply a matter of being overrun. As the Changelings laughed at their predicament, each one was zapped by lightning bolts and fried where they stood. A sadistic laugh filled the air as they all looked up to see David slamming his hooves upon a grey cloud as he hit Changeling after Changeling. "Fall back to Platinum Square! We're regrouping there!" he ordered The rest followed his orders and fell back as David gave them covering fire