Cadance came to shaking her head furiously and then looked around. The train now lay on it’s side with a giant hole through the cart. She was alone in the cart until she heard a sound come from just outside the cart.
A changeling entered the cart and stared at Cadance and then transformed into Cadance.
Cadance in immediate reaction cast a spell blowing the changeling clear out of the cart.
Luna rushed in seconds later. “Cadance, we’re under attack from changelings!” She screamed and dragged Cadance to her feet.
“What, why, how?” Cadance asked confused.
“I know not, but we’re having troubles holding them back,” Luna replied bringing Cadance with her through the hole in the cart.
Cadance immediately noticed their honor guard and Celestia facing copies of themselves. There were no end to the changeling army, it spread all the way across the valley that they stood in. “How are there so many?” Cadance asked in disbelief.
“Cadance we need you now, there is no time for questioning this, we must act now!” Luna yelled grabbing Cadance by the shoulders. “This is your chance to let loose a bit right?” She asked cracking a smile.
“Right,” Cadance replied with a smile of her own.
The duo rushed into the valley and charged into the changelings.
Luna quickly took flight and cut a swath through the horde of Changelings with her magic.
Cadance charged the changelings with her horn spewing out bolts of pink magic at changelings left, right and center. She saw Celestia battling with a changeling while she lay on her back trying to not have her head bitten off. Cadance quickly charged the beast and cast a spell knocking it off of Celestia. Cadance rushed over and helped Celestia up.
“I owe you one,” Celestia said in relief.
“More than one,” Cadance mumbled under her breath.
“Oh would you two give it a rest already!” Discord yelled as he materialized next to them and turned a group of changelings into sheep and spawned a wall in front of another group that was trying to charge them. “We have a battle to win, and I’m doing all the work as usual!” He continued. “Maybe I should be the princess around here,” he added and a a crown appeared on his head in which he took off and beat an approaching changeling on the head with it.
The two princesses simply rolled their eyes as they thought off more and more of the changelings.
“There’s no end to them!” Cadance yelled as she casted another spell at an oncoming changeling.
“Even if their numbers are limitless and we are few, we will still win this day!” Luna yelled as she flew over her sister and Cadance. “For Equestria!” She cried out and cut another swath through the changeling army.
“For Equestria!” The ponies cried out at once.
With redoubled effort the army started to turn the tide. But then disaster struck.
A shrill and evil laugh broke out across the battlefield and suddenly Luna was hit by a spell which sent her spiraling into Celestia.
“Chrysalis…” Cadance said with pure terror and fear in her voice.
XXX
Rarity peeked through the door to Twilight’s room in the hospital. She smiled when she saw Sunset laying her head on Twilights chest as she snored quietly and held Twilight’s hoof in her own.
“Rarity, you really are a snoop aren’t you,” Applejack said as she stood behind Rarity.
Rarity jumped in surprise as she turned to look at Applejack. “I’d like to call it being curious, and it is rather rude to sneak up on someone like that,” Rarity stated indignantly as she turned her head away from Applejack in annoyance.
“It’s rather rude to be spying on your friends,” Applejack replied with a cocked eyebrow.
“Touche,” Rarity said with a roll of her eyes.
They trotted back over to her friends.
Pinkie was asleep on Fluttershy’s lap and Rainbow Dash was stretching her wings.
“So how did the snooping go?” Rainbow asked the two of them.
“I didn’t do any snooping,” Applejack replied indignantly.
“It was not snooping, I was simply curious,” Rarity said while shaking her head.
“Sure it was,” Rainbow replied with a knowing smile.
Before they could continue Derpy flew through the door and straight into Pinkie and Fluttershy.
“Derpy?” Rainbow asked. “What are you doing?” She added with a confused look on her face.
“I’m so sorry,” Derpy started trying to pull both Pinkie and Fluttershy to their feet and ended up having them headbut eachother. “Sorry,” she said again.
Rainbow spun her around to look at her. “Derpy, what is it?” Rainbow asked keeping her hooves firmly on Derpy’s shoulders.
“Muffin?” Derpy said and handed Rainbow a muffin.
“Derpy,” Rainbow stated impatiently.
“Canterlot’s under attack, it’s the changelings and… Tirek,” Derpy said with a gulp. “There’s something else as well, there was a dark Alicorn leading them,” she rushed to explain.
“Tirek, but we imprisoned him in Tartarus,” Applejack said to Derpy.
“Then I guess we need to whoop his ass right there am I right ladies?” Rainbow asked the other girls.
“But we’re not at full strength, Twilight’s out of action, I think we should wait and think things over,” Rarity said urging caution.
“No time, Canterlot's in danger, we need to save them, if we wait then they die,” Rainbow retaliated and looked at Rarity with a pleading look in her eyes.
Rarity sighed. “I guess we have no other choice, but what about Sunset,” she asked looking towards Twilight’s room.
“This isn’t her fight,” Applejack stated with slight anger.
“This is her home too,” Fluttershy said standing up now with a hoof pressed to her forehead.
“Yeah and we do need the help,” Pinkie said mirroring Fluttershy’s actions.
“She’ll just slow us down,” Applejack interjected. “She’s still not used to being here yet, if we let her come along she might get herself killed or someone else for that matter,” she added trying to make her friends see sense.
Fluttershy looked down at her hooves in defeat. “I guess you're right,” Fluttershy conceded weakly.
“I’m sorry it has to be like this, but it’s the truth,” Applejack replied as she headed for the door.
“Thanks for the info, Derpy you're a good kid,” Rainbow said and patted Derpy on the head.
Rarity looked over at Twilight’s room one last time, Keep her safe, Sunset, she thought to herself. She then followed Applejack.
The rest of the group followed soon after and they exited the hospital and then it hit Rainbow.
“Did Derpy say there were changelings with Tirek?” Rainbow asked.
“This day just got a whole bunch more interesting,” Applejack said nervously and then straightened up and tipped her hat down. “Alright ladies let’s do this, for Twilight,” Applejack said with more confidence this time.
“For Twilight!” They all said in chorus and began their sprint for the train station.