From dawn of the third day since Discord and Chrysalis’ proclamation of destruction were the ponies within Canterlot prepared. It was not then that the attack began, but that a last warning was issued to the ponies.
Discord and Chrysalis reappeared over Canterlot to proclaim what they intended one last time before it would be too late. This time it was Chrysalis who would speak first of the duo.
“Ponies of Equestria. You have not heeded out warnings and evacuated or surrendered yourselves. We are most displeased with this development, but allow you all one last chance.” Chrysalis began, scanning over the crowds below to look for any faces that betrayed doubt.
“We begin our attack at noon. Any and all ponies who wish not to fight or be conquered may come to Ponyville by then. We will not take any prisoners once our attack begins. Our numbers are far greater than yours, especially due to your losses from battling us before now.” Discord continued, again attempting to flicker the balance between night and day so as to dis-balance Celestia and Luna.
“We have told you all we must. Do what you may ponies. But know that by today’s end, Equestria will be no more.” Chrysalis concluded, taking to the air again to leave.
Discord remained behind for a few moments to add several personal sentiments to the proclamation in a way only Discord himself could do.
“Oh and you all will be happy to now that I will be temporarily retracting my influence to allow you all to either come to Ponyville safely or to fully enjoy your last few hours together. Use your time wisely little ponies.” Discord added before taking to the air himself to return to Ponyville.
As Discord left, the sky itself seemed to rise up, indicating the release of Discord’s influence, even if only temporary. It was at this point that there was a large amount of movement below the shield in the streets of Canterlot.
There was no movement by anypony towards the exits of Canterlot though. Everypony was simply intent to spend these last few chaos free hours in joy with their families or special someponies. Even the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony partook of this.
Applejack set about collecting all the members of her family, direct and extended. Apple Bloom was not among their numbers for long though, insisting and begging that she instead be allowed their last few hours to try a last few attempts to gain her Cutie Mark with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, and Applejack were the only ones to speak amongst the large group, but their words had the greatest meaning.
“Everypony listen here. I’ve seen a lot in ma days, but nothing like this. Remember that family is important, but don’t forget your friends in this last attack. Protect all your kin, extended or not.” Granny Smith spoke up, her words carrying the wisdom of a lifetime.
“I aint one for talking much, but I want ta inspire y’all as much as I can. So, I’m offering all y’all 2 barrels o’ cider each if ya come back after this is all over.” Big Macintosh continued, holding his head high above the rest to survey everypony in case this was the last time he saw any of them.
“I’m gonna be on the frontlines. I aint expecting ta come back unharmed, but I’m expecting ta come back all the same. Y’all better promise yourselves that too, or we might as well pack it in now and just let Discord and Chrysalis march through Canterlot like they have everywhere else. I’m fighting for all of y’all and everypony else, and I’d like it greatly if ya could do that too. It’ll make us all a might stronger.” Applejack concluded, hoping her words would spark something in her family like her words had sparked something in Twilight so long ago.
The Apple Family stayed together for an hour or so after the end of Applejack’s speech, but they eventually separated to finish preparing. All of Granny Smith’s, Big Macintosh’s and Applejack’s words beat strong in all of their hearts and minds though.
Rainbow Dash spent these last few hours with Soarin and Spitfire in the Infirmary, hoping to convince them to try to fight, despite all the odds set against her.
“Please Spitfire. You’re one of the best fliers Equestria has to offer in this war. If you refuse to fight with us all, that’s just another advantage we’re giving Discord and Chrysalis.” Rainbow Dash pleaded with her idol, hoping to inspire her to take up arms alongside her.
Spitfire sat silent the whole time, staring at her goggles and thinking about Fleetfoot, the Wonderbolt this war had already claimed. Spitfire wasn’t yet willing to fly again and risk losing another Wonderbolt, least of all Soarin. Spitfire still felt as though she had already lost Soarin once.
“And Soarin. I know you’re still hurt, but we need you too. Everypony’s doing what they can if they can move at all, and we could really use your help. We’re outnumbered as it is even with everypony in the city counted.” Rainbow Dash begged Soarin too, hoping that somewhere within him was the Pegasus she had always seen in their airshows.
Soarin and Spitfire looked at each other, and came to the same conclusion. Even if they were to lose this day and this battle, they wanted to lose fighting side by side with everypony else.
“Thanks for the encouragement Rainbow Dash. We’ll do it. And I promise you, if we make it through all this, I’ll make you a Wonderbolt.” Spitfire spoke up, taking Soarin’s hoof and looking Rainbow in the eye.
Rainbow Dash smiled at her idols before getting up to leave. Rainbow had done what she intended to, and now she had every intention of leaving Spitfire and Soarin alone to enjoy the last few battle free hours.
Rarity and Twilight stayed together in their last few free hours, both their family’s members dashing about to finish their own business. Twilight had gotten to speak with Shining Armor and Cadance though, and Rarity had found Sweetie Belle for a short while.
“Twily! Wait!” Twilight had heard Shining Armor call out as she prepared to go looking for Spike and Sweetie Belle with Rarity.
Shining Armor rushed to Twilight’s side with Cadance close behind him, and both of them proceeded to crush Twilight in a hug before speaking again.
“I’m glad I caught you. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you before now, but…” Shining Armor began, only to have Twilight hold up her hoof to silence her older brother’s babbling.
“It’s okay Shining. I completely understand. Wife and kingdom trumps little sister every time right?” Twilight asked Shining Armor, smiling mischievously as she did so.
Shining Armor and Cadance looked at each other for a moment before blushing deeply and looking away. It was Cadance who spoke to Twilight next.
“Yes I suppose so Twilight. But family is still important. Please promise to come by for tea with me and Shining Armor after this is all over.” Cadance asked Twilight, not daring to betray her own worry that none of them would be there at the end of the day.
Twilight smiled up at her old foalsitter turned sister-in-law and her BBBFF, glad that they both still thought of her as an important aspect of their lives.
“Thank you for inviting me. I promise to come by for tea after all this. I do not want to be rude, but Rarity is waiting for me to go and attempt to find Spike and her sister Sweetie Belle though.” Twilight explained to the couple, glad to see that she had not offended them.
Twilight galloped away to join Rarity as Shining Armor and Cadance turned their own ways to take care of their respective interests this morning. Shining Armor was off to co-ordinate the guards for the battle, while Cadance was off to help Celestia and Luna with the large influx of wedding ceremonies wanted this morning.
Twilight met up with Rarity shortly thereafter, and soon enough they were off on the search for Sweetie Belle and Spike. They found Sweetie Belle first, running along the streets behind Vinyl Scratch with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, a microphone in her hoof.
“Sweetie Belle! Wait for a moment please!” Rarity called out to her little sister, beyond glad to see Sweetie Belle stop and gallop over happily.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle yelled as she came up and gave Rarity the longest and most important hug of her life.
“Where are you off to?” Rarity inquired quickly, certain in knowing that while Sweetie Belle loved her, she would not want to miss much of their little remaining time to attempt a last ditch effort for her Cutie Mark.
“Vinyl Scratch said she and all the other musician ponies need help in magical noise interference, so I’m gonna go and sing to help them!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she explained her plan to her big sister.
“But I thought you didn’t think of yourself as a singer?” Rarity jokingly inquired, glad to see Sweetie Belle smile and shrug at her.
“No time like the present to try something new right sis? I’ll tell you how it all goes later. Bye Rarity!” Sweetie Belle called back as she returned to her friends.
Twilight looked over at Rarity and saw her wiping away a few tears with her hoof. Twilight extended her own hoof to wrap around Rarity’s shoulder to show her support.
“We’ll make it. We have to. We’ve all made promises right?” Twilight told Rarity, having to try very hard not to show any of her own uncertainty about today to her friend in need.
“You’re right Twilight. Of course. Now let’s go find Spike before all this chaos starts now shall we?” Rarity asked Twilight, glad to see her fellow unicorn smile and nod at her.
Twilight and Rarity set about attempting to find Spike in all the crowds, but were unsuccessful in doing so. While Twilight was unable to comprehend just where Spike might be at this time, Rarity had a sudden idea flash into her mind.
“Perhaps he’s off leading the dragons for today’s battle? The other dragons do need a competent mind leading them, and I can’t imagine anypony other than Spike being selected for such a job.” Rarity voiced her idea to Twilight, glad to see her friend find it reasonable too.
“I can imagine Spike doing that too. We’ll have to talk to him later today then.” Twilight concluded, still mildly upset that she hadn’t been able to see her number one assistant before the final battle.
Fluttershy had no direct family to communicate with, so she set about using the next few hours to prepare herself mentally for the upcoming battle. Fluttershy worried over the fate of Angel Bunny and her other animals slightly, but was also content to believe that Angel would have protected them all from harm and was probably raising hay alongside them all right now, wherever he and the others were. That last though made Fluttershy smile as she took to practicing her meditation for the first time in a very long while, all the while hoping that Oliver would soon be there like Luna had said.
Pinkie Pie set about making it her duty to make everypony feel like they had somepony special to fight for in this battle by inviting everypony she came across to a big After-War Party. Quite a few ponies merely took Pinkie’s bizarre levels of excitement and the idea of an After-War Party as an offset of Pinkie’s imagined dementia, which did in turn make they smile and be happy for a short while before the attack. A lot more ponies took the invitation due to having known Pinkie beforehand and wanting to have even more to fight for in the upcoming battle. The largest percentage of ponies though took the invitation due to needing just a pure incentive, no matter how silly it may seem, to fight for in the battle ahead. Pinkie was quite happy as she at last finished inviting Cherry Jubilee, the last pony she had been able to find and invite before the battle. Pinkie set about hopping back to her designated position happily as she also began to hope that Ben might make it to her After-War Party too.
As Pinkie returned to her designated position alongside her friends and fellow Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, she began to realize just how late it was. Pinkie got into position and took up her most concentrated pose just as a large shadow began to appear over the edges of Canterlot.
A shadow across Equestria at this point was no real surprise due to the perpetual eclipse caused by Celestia and the occasional powerful spell by Luna, but this shadow frightened everypony because of the source from which it came.
The shadow which now darkened Canterlot even during the height of the day, darkened some again due to the eclipse, was created by the tremendous amount of Changeling’s that quickly approached the city. Even from this far away, the figures of Discord and Chrysalis could be made out clearly as the leaders of this massive force.
Discord and Chrysalis stopped a short ways away from the city walls of Canterlot, the Changeling army lurching slightly at the scale of the stop needed. Discord stepped up first to survey the ponies before him.
“So that’s it is it? Not a single pony wishes to take the easy way out of this battle? You all intend to fight us, even knowing that a miracle wouldn’t save you?” Discord taunted the ponies within the walls, letting loose his influence once more as a last ditch attempt to inspire mutiny amongst the ponies numbers.
Chrysalis stepped up next, and opened her eyes to glare at everypony as a whole, and every single pony individually.
“No matter. All of you will eventually bow before us. Not one single thing can hope to save you now.” Chrysalis added, hoping that perhaps her influence might push those who were not completely affected by Discord’s.
After another quick glance at all the ponies prepared to fight for Canterlot and for each other, both Chrysalis and Discord looked at each other before uttering a single phrase.
“Destroy them completely.”