//------------------------------// // Episode 75: The Last City Standing, Canterlot (Season Finale Part 2) // Story: The Life of a Wanted Changeling Season 2: Debt to a Doctor (Comment Driven Story) // by Down with Chrysalis //------------------------------// You peak your head outside the ally the TARDIS landed at, and seeing no patrols coming your way you whisper out to the Doctor and Derpy, "We're clear, no patrols in sight. Come on..." The Doctor and Derpy peek out of the TARDIS doors before walking over to you. Your now wearing your BST costume as you all figured that was the best disguise just in case you all got caught. The three of you take another peek around the corner, and not seeing any guards, you all quickly run over to the next alley. The three of you do this for the next couple of blocks as you all make your way towards the palace. On your way there you three had to go near the city. The reason why being that you three had to pass by it to get a clear shot at the Palace entrance. But when you get there the three of you see... BrownDog's Comment A battalion of Griffons lined up in front of the city gate. You three were just going to ignore the battalion and try to sneak past them, but before you three can a big gruff looking one walks to the front of the battalion. He stands in front of them and barks out, “Griffons! Today we show these pathetic ponies how it’s really done. Their cities fall to a single Bug! And why is that?" Nogriffon answers what you assume is their commanding officer. The officer nods his head at their silence before he barks out again, “Because they were not made for War! We Are! Are claws are sharper than any sword, our wings more resilient than the cloudwalkers, and we don’t know the meaning of defeat! Even now the ponies call upon dragons and the gods of old for help, but they aren’t needed, for we have arrived! We will find this puny Nightmare, and we will send it right into the gates of Tartarus broken and bleeding!” “OORA!” The griffons chant as they all run out the gate. You turn to the Doctor, “The Heck was that all about?” “That was Captain Grey Wing, the leader of a gang of Griffon Mercenaries.” “What were they doing here?” “With your…his rampage claiming more and more cities, the Princesses sought help from anyone and anything. Griffons, Dragons, Monsters from the Everfree, even old enemies.” After saying that last one, he points to patch of grass near some other statues. There seems to be one missing. The plaque says- “Discord?!” you shout, “That lunatic is free and running around?” The Doctor sighs, “Free he may be…but he won’t be ‘running around’ for much longer. Neither will those Griffons. They’re walking into a slaughter.” When the Doctor says this, your mind flashes back to the images your Shadow force onto you. You shiver at the images before shaking it off as Derpy asks, “Don’t they know the dragons have already fallen?” asks Derpy. The Doctor shakes his head sadly before he says, “It appears they don’t, I don’t think it would change anything even if they did, Griffons have always been big headed.” You nod your head at this information, before your eyes widen as you ask, “Wait a second-how the hay did Celestia and Luna get dragons to help?” The Doctor sighs sadly before answering, “They were promised all the treasure in Canterlot for their services…but they were no match…” You can't help but gulp in fear at this information before you ask fearfully, “…How much power does he-I possess?” Before the Doctor can answer, Selena does it for him as she says, I know not myself. I had never dreamed that even I could defeat such overwhelming numbers alone. “How do you not know how powerful you are?” you ask her. Well for starters, I was only bonded to that traitor for a short time before I was banished for a millennia, and once I came back I was immediately set upon and bested once again. Even you and I have never truly let ourselves go completely. “Well it seems like maybe we shouldn’t,” you say as the gates close after the last Griffon. Agreed. This world’s version of me doesn’t even appear to exist anymore. she says. “Huh?” you say in confusion. When that Shadow showed us that… moment, she gasps out, clearly disturbed from seeing Nightshade dead, ”I felt not only your anguish, but mine as well. You and I merged together, the old us stopped existing. That thing out there right now is both of us combined, yet at the same time, not us at all, she explains. “Which is why it’s imperative we leave this universe beforeit finds us,” the Doctor says. “Hey, private conversation here Doc!” you scold Indeed, I don’t much care for how you can just hear me either, she huffs. “Well get over it, because we don’t have time to dawdle, we need to get that diffuser ASAP." “We got it, we got it!” you say annoyed as the three of you continue sneaking towards the palace. A FEW MORE MOMENTS OF SNEAKING LATER The three of you are nearer to the Palace now. But you've all had to stick to the shadows even more the closer you got to the Palace as the patrols got more apparent. But so far you three have manage to sneak by all the patrols without getting noticed. Right now the three of you are taking a short break as you're all just outside the Palace gate. The Doctor and Derpy are huddled together talking over plans to fix the TARDIS, while you on the other hoof are reading a comic. Specifically you're reading a Dark Offender comic. But there's something strange about this one because, well... It's showing everything that's happening right now as it happens. You can't help but think back to when you got this comic, which was only a few hours ago... Kichi's Comment FLASHBACK TIME! We flash back to inside a TARDIS, where you are having a panic attack after smacking your head into the wall after finding out that you all had to sneak into the Palace. You begin to breath in and out as you try to calm yourself down, but it isn't working. "What can I do? What can I do?" You begin to say in a panicked tone. You start to walk back and forth in panic, when another thought hits you. You groan in annoyance as you facehoof. Derpy takes notice of this as she asks you in confusion, "What's the problem exactly?" You give her a deadpanned look as you ask, "What's the problem? They know my identity as Bugze the changeling, and The Hooded Offender in this world is an evil monster! How am I supposed to get around without anyling seeing me?" "But what about Tennant?" Asks Derpy The Doctor, who was listening in on the conversation, get's a lightbulb above his head as he says, "Of course, Ditzy, you are a genius! You never left Appleloosa in this dimension remember? So the ponies here never meet him, it's perfect!" You can't help but groan and put the disguise of Baker Sylvester Tennant on. (Except the wonderful scarf, which has been lost to the burning fires of cruelty and injustice.) Your stupid scarf burned in a forest fire. Get over it. Selena directs. But I loved that scarf! It was so awesome and pure and cool and and.. Bugze...\ You give a sad sigh before saying, "Fine..." Sighing again you ask the Doctor, "Okay... This takes care of the disguise, now what?" "Well, we need to wait for the TARDIS to be stable enough to leave it alone, and I need to go and grab a few tools as well. Because of that, you two can have a little free time before we go. Release all the tension we got and all that" The Doctor takes out a couple of silver cards and your eyes can't help but widen in shock at the sight of them as you ask, "Is that what I think it is?" The Doctor nods his head as he says, "Silver Princess Cards, with infinite charge, everything we buy, it goes to the Princess tab" "I.. I..." You hold the platinum card in awe as you put it into The Inventory Platinum Card added to Inventory "Let's go Shopping!" You and Derpy shout at the same time. However before you can lead the Doctor calls out, "Oh, almost forgot, the Princess treasury is pretty low around this time. You can probably only buy a few things before those cards run out. Also it's best to ditch them after you use them, don't want to be magically tracked down after all." While you and Derpy's shopping mood are dampened slightly that doesn't kill the mood completely. But you still both go out and try to find a place to shop while sticking together for safety. While most of the shops look deserted or ransacked, there is one that still looks nice. It's a old looking comic shop, and while Derpy wasn't too happy about it being the only good shop around, she still went with you to buy some comics. You look around the shop and start to pick up some comics to buy. As you do, you notice only one Dark Offender comic. Your surprised that they still made these in this universe, but you guess some things stay the same between dimensions. As you open the comic, you eyes widen in surprise as you see a comic strip of Tennant as he get out of the TARDIS. As you flip the pages you see they all are of what happened recently. Until it turns to where your reading the comic in the store. You flip the page to find that it's blank! You flip it again and again to see that the rest if the pages are blank! Your eyes widen even more as you say in shock, "What the..." "Ehem, sir... Buy the comic or leave, " orders the shopkeeper. "Uh... Err.. Sure..." You say as you buy the comics Spider-Mane Comic Added to the Inventory Batmane Comic Added to the Inventory Power Ponies Comic Added to the Inventory Present Telling Dark Offender added to Inventory "Come on Bugze, let's go. We need to ditch the cards and then head back" Derpy says You nod your head at this as you and Derpy sneak back to the TARDIS while ditching the cards. Platinum Card removed from The Inventory BACK TO THE PRESENT You sigh again as the comic once again has images of the present popping up in it. You shake your head as you think, This thing better not bite me in the butt after this is all over. Better make sure it stays with me at all times so no one knows what were doing. "Bugze! Come on old chap, we need to get moving." You sigh again before you nod your head and follow after the Doctor and Derpy. INSIDE THE CASTLE When you enter the palace, going through the same brewery you went through a few months ago when Discord was loose,(Good Times) you notice something immediately. “It’s so dead silent in here,” you say aloud. Derpy puts a hoof over your mouth before you say more and the Doctor gives you a glare. “Doesn’t mean you have to break it Bugze, Inside Voice Please” he whispers at you harshly. “OK, OK,” you whisper angrily back, “But seriously, where is everyling?” “If I had to guess, at the barrier,” the Doctor says. “I think the Princesses would prefer to have every guard left defending the citizens instead of themselves.” You nod your head at this logic. You also notice that the barrels of Coffee are now absent as the brewery is now bare. “Guess they drank it all,” you mutter. “In times of war sleep can be considered to be the biggest enemy by some. Staving it off would seem like a must,” the Doctor answers. As you exit the empty brewery, you wander down the silent hallways. It doesn’t look like it’s been cleaned in weeks. You decide to speak above a whisper seeing as how nolings been here for awhile “So, where is this diffuser Doc?” “Well if this Universe’s Tia is anything like our own, she’ll be keeping it in the royal vault,” he answers. “Royal Vault? You mean that safe in that stain glass window hallway showing all the Dead" You wince when you say this as those images flash before your eyes, but you shake off as you continue, "Element’s Accomplishments?” “Precisely, supposedly the safe can only be opened by Celestia herself, but there’s never been a lock she’s made that I haven’t opened,” the Doctor smirks as he twirls his Sonic Screwdriver. “I don’t think she ever forgave you for opening her diary lock though Doctor,” Derpy adds. “Well if she had just been straight with me and told me why she reestablished Torchwood, then I wouldn’t have had too,” the Doctor whisper “Alright, alright, let’s go,” you whisper yell. As you three travel down a corridor of samey looking hallways, you realize you have absolutely no idea where you are. “How in the world did you get there the first time?” the Doctor asks impatiently. “I just jumped through some random window,” you admit. The Doctor facehooves, “Of course you did,” he says with a sigh. “Hey give me a break, this place is huge,” you pout, but stop when you hear voices coming from around the corner. You three shut up and peak around the corner. You hear the voices coming from a cracked open door with a hint of light shining out of it. The Doctor gives everyone the shush gesture before all three of you peek through the door. Inside you see the three Princesses…and each looks worse for wear. Celestia’s horn is blackened, and her hair is singed and shortened. Luna has several cuts and bruises across her body and one eye appears to be swollen. Cadence for the most part looks devastated. Makeup lines stream down her face, evidence of a lot of crying, and she just looks disheveled and miserable. A lot of her coat on the left side is blackened, and there is a red imprint upon her flank. It looks like a claw mark that was branded over her Cutie Mark. They are standing in front of a table with schematics and plans strewn about. You guess this is there war room. Across the table from them are two figures. Discord makes a very good deal, killing Nightmare Bugze in return for an express ticket home. Discord explains that Nightmare Bugze is so bad, that he, the changelings, and the residents of Sunnytown are working with Celestia. One of them is Discord, who is oddly looking very serious, but still you can't help but grit your teeth in anger at the sight of him. Standing next to him is the other creature, and…it is one of the strangest things you’ve ever seen. It is slightly larger than Discord, and has the lower body of a large black horse, but the upper half appears to be some sort of red horned Ape. It’s eye are a piercing yellow, and just looking at him gives you the creeps. You aren’t the only one as the Doctor and Derpy gasp, as does Selena. Oh dear sweet me…they went to HIM for help? she says in horror. What? Who is it? you ask. Your questioned is answered as Celestia speaks up. “So that’s the plan. The Griffons will draw The Nightmare into this Choke hold, and Discord, you and Tirek will ambush him,” she says to the room, “And then finally this carnage shall end.” Discord slams his fists together, “That little monster won’t know what hit him,” says Discord, again in a very serious voice, but he still smiles, which unnerves you. The now named Tirek just nods his head, “Just so you know princesses, our battle will no doubt crumble the remaining foundations of this Las Pegasus. Also, those Griffon fools are sure to perish.” Celestia closes her eyes and sighs, “I am aware of that Tirek, do what you must, just stop the Nightmare at any cost.” He smirks at that, “You placed me in Tartarus for being a cold and calculating war lord. Oh how the mighty have fallen.” “Just do your job filth!” Luna spits. “And we will get what’s promised to us right?” asks Discord. Celestia puts her head down and sighs again, “Yes. End The Nightmare and you two will be given Equestria, with no resistance.” You gasp at this, but immediately cover your mouth. You see Cadance look towards the door for a second, but then back at the two other gods. “When you kill him, make him suffer,” says Cadance in a cold voice, “Make him pay for what he did to Shining, Twilight…*Sob* and everyone else…kill him good for what he tried to do to me…” Discord gives nods his head at her solemnly. Your heart sinks as you hear these words. Cadance, probably your last living friend in this world wants you dead. And you can hardly blame her since you killed everyone she’s ever loved. You shiver at what it is you tried to do to her. “Know this ‘Princess of Love’ I’m killing this threat not for Justice, nor Vengeance, not even because it’s the ‘right’ thing to do. I kill this threat because I cannot rule the dead” says Tirek coldly. He snaps his fingers as Discord walks over to him. “I expect my throne ready by tonight Princesses, now take us fool.” “Whatever you say Rekky,” he says before he teleports the both of them away. Celestia sighs and looks down at the table as Luna talks to her. “Sister…are you sure this is the only way?” “Yes…Faust help us yes…” she says defeated. “Discord is harmless in the grand scheme of things, but Tirek?” Luna says uncertainly. “I would rather my little ponies live the rest of their lives under a tyrant than die at the hooves of a monster,” she says. Luna nods and places her hoof on Celestia’s shoulder. While you watch this, you don’t notice Cadance leaving your line of sight. “And what if they fail?” Luna asks. Celestia sighs once more before she looks to her sister in determination and says, “Then we enact Case Zero…and make our final stand.” Luna closes her eyes at this when suddenly the door is thrown open, startling you, the Doctor and Derpy. “Aha! I knew I heard something!” Cadance yells, “Who are you? What are you doing here?” Celestia and Luna turn around and stare at you three quizzically as well. “Oh Well…” you start “The thing is, we were….we kind of…” Derpy adds. “You See…we got kind of lost?” the Doctor finishes. You all notice the princesses all giving you the stink eye now as all three of you stare back. “Well, this has been exciting and all that,” the Doctor says breaking the awkward silence, “But I think it’s time for us to leave, Ta Ta…RUN FOR IT!” And the Doctor takes off down the hallway, dragging Derpy by the arm. You look back to the Princesses and chuckle nervously, before following suit, screaming at the top of your lungs. What Do You Do?