Sunset Eclipsed

by EldritchNexus

Craw Unleashed, Part Three

Trixie unleashed a blast of lightning from her horn, incapacitating a trio of Changeling drones, while Nose Nip and Radiant Dawn stood front-to-front, bucking away whatever Changelings that came to seize them. As they did this, Frosty and Pressure Point ran along the cells and telekinetically forced them open. As they did so, more and more ponies, gryphons, and even donkeys and mules came out to join in on the fight. Soon enough, the entire cell block was in chaos, and Changelings were being knocked around silly in every possible direction. Radiant looked around for his sister and mother, but couldn't find anypony he recognized.

"Everypony, let's go to the upper levels!" shouted an orange earth pony with a pink mane. "it's time for us to get the heck out of here! I've been Changeling food for way too friggin' long!"

There were shouts and roars of agreement throughout the area, as the prisoners all ganged up against the Changelings lined up against the exit. They bowled them over with little effort, setting off magic spells every which way. But their path was obstructed by an even larger, much angrier-looking group of guards.

"This is gonna be harder than I though." commented Trixie, as she looked on.

---

King Craw and Sunset Shimmer exchanged barrage after barrage and magical spell after magical spell at each other, pushing themselves to their limits. While Sunset was able to deflect the red blasts of Craw's magic, the Changeling usurper was able to evade every bluish-green attack directed towards him. As they fought each other, the complex shook around them.

"You seriously--don't have--to do this!" shouted Sunset between spells. "Just--give up---and we could--try being friends!"

"I already said I'm not like you, Sunset Shimmer." said King Craw. "I'm a Changeling! I don't show restraint when someone keeps me from my goals! The only reason I haven't outright killed you yet is a simple matter of respect."

Then he telekinetically threw Sunset Shimmer against the wall, and then swung her into the ceiling.

"Though I do think I owed you that for Fillydelphia!" continued King Craw. "Do you have any idea how badly you hurt me back there?"

Sunset coughed in pain, and then attempted to get back up. But then Craw flew up to her, and wrapped his hooves around her neck.

"Now where was I earlier?" queried King Craw, sinisterly. "Oh, yes. I was about to break your pretty little neck!"

Suddenly, an orange ball of magical energy struck Craw in the back, and he was almost knocked sideways.

"Don't you dare hurt my daughter!" shouted a voice that Sunset hadn't heard in many long years.

Sunset turned her head to see a sight that brought tears of joy to her eyes, like she never thought she would have again: Her mother, Scarlet Blaze, was standing tall and vigilantly in front of her, alongside Lightning Dust. It was as though she hadn't even aged a day.

"M-mom?!" she exclaimed. "Is that really you?!"

"Yep, it's me, Sunset." answered Scarlet. "But we can catch up later. Right now, we've got a Changeling here to get rid of."

"Good luck with that, Ms. Blaze." said King Craw. "In case you didn't notice, I'm not weakened or battle-scarred anymore. Now, I can do what I wanted to do earlier and silence you for good!"

Then Scarlet fired a cluster of orange spells from her horn, breaking Craw's concentration.

"Very well." he said. "If that's how you want to be..."

Then he fired a magical beam from his own horn at the ceiling of the chamber, and fired similar projectiles at the connecting tunnels. The complex began to shake everywhere.

"Craw, what did you do?!" Sunset exclaimed in surprise.

"I just triggered a cave-in of epic proportions." said King Craw. "I estimate you have...ten minutes to get out of here, or you will all be crushed into dust. Farewell, my little ponies. I'd stick around to make sure you die, but I don't want to get caught in the rubble. Farewell!"

Then he beat his wings and flew out of the main chamber, and towards the secret entrance.

"'Ello, could anyone help us off o' this wall?!" shouted Sigma, who was still trapped on the wall.

King Craw landed in front of the subdued Changelings, who were all hanging by black cords.

"Well, look what we have here." said Craw, grimacing at Sigma and his subdued drones.

"King Craw, it's you!" said Sigma. "What's happenin' down there?"

"It seems one of our prisoners thought it would be a good idea to bring the lair crashing down on us." said King Craw.

"Wait, aren't you going to get us down from here?" asked one of Sigma's squadmates.

"I would, but I'm afraid doing that would create more problems than it would solve." said Craw. "So it's up to you. I'm afraid I've got an important appointment with the royal family. Farewell."

Then Craw flew out of the cave and into the late afternoon sky beyond, as Sigma and his drones looked on.

"What a bleedin' load of rubbish!" shouted Sigma.

"Sir, why don't we just use our horns?" asked one of the drones.

"Right!" said Sigma.

Then they used their telekinesis to break the cords apart, and all flew off to safety.

---

Trixie and Radiant Dawn led the escapees out of the prison corridors of Umbriel's lair, and half-way up to the high levels. They found themselves being barricaded by at least forty Changelings led by Canopy.

"Alright, ponies! You'd better get back to your cells, or we'll drop the tunnels on top of you!" shouted the female Changeling in a threatening manner.

Suddenly, the tunnels began to shake.

"You idiots! You weren't supposed to do that yet!" Canopy shouted at the drones behind her.

"It'sssss not ussssss!" hissed one of the drones. "The higher levelsssssss are falling apart! We musssssssst leave!"

"Drat! Then fly for your lives!" shouted Canopy to the other Changelings, who scattered and took off in the cramped corridors in a panic.

As they went through, several pieces of debris fell from the ceiling. A few Changelings even got crushed in the process.

"Now's your chances!" shouted Radiant Dawn. "Everypony, get your flanks out of here now!"

The gryphons and pegasi were the first to leave, flying out with the Changelings and dodging the falling debris with their impressive agility. But the unicorns had to stay behind to create barriers against the falling rubble. It was a difficult task clearing the way for more than forty ponyfolk and two dozen members of the related species through the tunnels, but they eventually made it to the top levels, where Scarlet Blaze and Sunset Shimmer were blasting spells at the escaping drones.

"I've got twenty-two of them, mom!" said Sunset over the rumbling.

"That's my girl!" said Scarlet, who unleashed another cluster of spells that smacked half a dozen more Changelings against the wall.

"Sunset, it's time to go!" shouted Trixie over the noise of the escaping prisoners. "This place will go up any minute!"

"Lightning Dust, we are leaving!" Scarlet shouted to the bluish-green pegasus, who was beating up two Changelings in mid-air.

"On it, Scarlet!" said Lightning. "Alright, everypony! Follow me, and you won't get smashed by the boulders!"

The pegasus took off through the tunnel entrance, and the entire mob sped after her.

Sunset Shimmer, Scarlet Blaze, and Radiant Dawn were at the back, all talking to each other as they charged out.

"It's so friggin' great to see you again, mom!" said Radiant.

"Radiant, you've certainly grown!" commented Scarlet. "Your sister, too! I'm very proud of both of you right now! I really am!"

"Thanks, mom!" said Sunset and Radiant at once.

Eventually, everyone made it out of the collapsing lair to a beautiful sunset, just as the tunnels all collapsed in on themselves. It caused a massive black cloud of dust to emerge from several places in the forest. The escaped prisoners all crowded together and cheered loudly.

"That'll show those Changelings not to mess with us!" said Lightning Dust excitedly.

"That was one heck of an experience, I have to say." said Pressure Point, looking around. "It sure ain't the same as staying in my ward at Canterlot. And that reminds me...free check-ups all around! To everypony here!"

Several ponies, gryphons, donkeys, and mules crowded around Pressure Point, applauding his generousity. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer, Lightning Dust, Trixie, Radiant Dawn, Scarlet Blaze, Nose Nip, and Frosty were gathered together separately from the others.

"It's so great to have you back, mama." Sunset cried into Scarlet's legs. "I've missed you s-so much!"

"I've missed you, too." said Scarlet, sadly. "More than I could ever imagine. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you two."

"We know, mom." said Radiant, who joined in on the hug. "It's not your fault."

"Say, when you guys are done bawling over each other, maybe you could take a moment to look at the sky." said Trixie.

Scarlet Blaze and her two children stopped hugging, and trotted up to a hilltop, where they were joined by their friends. The sky was positively golden and shimmering brightly, with red clouds hanging over the setting sun.

"Look at that." said Radiant. "It's your namesake, little sis."

"Do you think it's a sign, Red?" asked Sunset.

"I think it's a sign that you have done very well today, dear." said Scarlet.

"You have no idea, ma'am." said a voice.

Sunset turned, and there was Sergeant Bullpup, along with Captains Star Shield and Shining Armor, and several royal and night guards, who were coming up from the direction of Vanhoover.

"We came as soon as we could." said Bullpup. "We had almost given up on finding you all, when the Canterlot Royal Guard arrived in the last train here. They insisted that we search for you all here. I trust your mission was successful, Lieutenant Dawn sir?"

"It sure was." said Radiant Dawn.

"Radiant, you're a guard?" asked Scarlet.

"That's right, mom." answered Radiant. "A night guard, to be exact."

"Ah, Captain Shield!" said Scarlet. "How are you doing, sir?"

"I am doing fine, Madame Blaze." said the pegasus captain. "And I can say that things are already looking up for you and your children."

"We have a lot to discuss, I can tell." said Sergeant Bullpup. "Why don't we all talk it over back at the barracks."

"Umm, there's a slight problem." said Sunset Shimmer. "Look behind us."

Bullpup went over the hill, and saw to his surprise, the entire crowd of prisoners that had been liberated from Umbriel's lair.

"My word! Where'd they all come from?!" he exclaimed.

"Various places throughout Equestria." said Lightning Dust. "It looks like Umbriel's been gathering quite the collection of prisoners over the years."

"But what are we going to do about all of them?" asked Bullpup. "Not even the Obsidian Horseshoe will have enough room for all of them! They won't all have rooms for tonight, for before they all go back to their respective hometowns."

Sunset and Radiant looked at each other for a moment.

"We've got it covered:" they said at once, with smiles on their faces as they turned to shout towards the crowd below. "Slumber party at Daystar!"

Scarlet Blaze looked down at the crowd, who all suddenly exploded in applause, and sighed in dismay.

Author's Note:

And so, the Vanhoover arc (finally!) comes to an end.

Comments

[Metroid Prime]

and then something bad happens

[Lord Nopony]

Great chapter. Still, it's only the calm before the storm!

[JimmyHook19]

whew! that was one intense chapter! :D