Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
Shining Armor burst through the mirror into the Estate living room, giving his mane a shake. “It’s no use! The train’s in the middle of badlands! They can’t turn around! I told the conductor to turn the speed on, but even then it’ll be a good hour before they arrive in Canterlot!”
“Can’t we call in some pegasi?” Rainbow asked, hovering. A collection of the various pony leaders had gathered, save for Galaxy, who had charged outside to double the efforts of the others. Now forewarned of the arrival of the rest of Dream Valley, evilified, the ponies had been put on high alert. Most of them were scrambling around either finding tubs to carry off the baby sea ponies, or shoring up the defenses.
“After this we are building a wall. I don’t care how unwelcoming it is.” Twilight heard one of the Ponylanders, a pegasus who she thought was named Paradise, grumble as she passed by.
“The only ones that can fly that fast are the Wonderbolts, most of the guard are either to injured from the fight with Arabus or just aren’t fast enough fliers to get here in time.” Shining replied to Rainbow. “And no offense to your idols, but they aren’t the most combat ready ponies.”
Rainbow took a deep breath, then let it out. “…you got a point there.” She didn’t want to be reminded of her disillusionment towards her foalhood heroes…but that wasn’t important right now. “What about unicorn teleportation?”
“A lot of ponies don’t have my range or precision with teleportation.” Twilight said. “And even if they did they wouldn’t teleport onto a moving train.”
“Why not?” Wind Whistler asked. “I was under the assumption that unicorns of your variety could wink without regard to physical barriers.”
“Yeah, we can. Or at least those that know that spell can. But a moving train would be dangerous. If you teleported to high or to low you could end up with hooves above the ground, inside a moving train. Or you could miscalculate and end up teleporting into a wall.”
“Stop the train then!” Rainbow said.
“Again, none of the guards would have that kind teleportation power. Most unicorn guards have special talents in either defense or offense, and teleporting just isn’t a spell most of us master.” Shining said.
“And let me guess, to far for an earth pony to run…so what do we do!”
“Well, both myself or Luna can reach Canterlot castle and rally the troops to the train station, ready to go through the gate once the mirror arrives.” Twilight said.
“So we only have to hold them for about thirty minutes.” Gusty snorted. “We can do that.”
“No…” Ribbon shook her head.
“What?! Of course we can.” Gusty said.
“What about the babies?”
“The Sea Ponies?” Gusty said confused.
“Our babies.” Ribbon looked at Galaxy and Wind Whistler. “Remember the fire.”
Wind Whistler nodded. “Understandable.”
“Wait…” Gusty frowned. “You want to send out babies over too?” Gusty scuffed a hoof. “I’m not sure I like the idea.”
“The logic is sound.” Wind Whistler said. “During the fire, if Megan had not used that last coin, we could have lost more then simply our home. Knowing that there is an army coming this direction…it makes sense to evacuate the little ones, and…other none combatants.”
“Huh?”
“Posey, Truly, Cupcake, Gingerbread, Cherries Jubilee, Paradise, Sweet Stuff…” Wind Whistler tapped her hoof with each name, and then looked at Ribbon. “Any other mother that wishes to go should. It will only be temporary, just to be safe.”
“I won’t be able to teleport back to the train, but I can teleport you to Ponyville where you’re safe, then I can rally the troops to rescue the rest of you.” Twilight said.
“All of them and the little Sea Ponies? I should help as well. I am somewhat good at teleportation myself.” Luna said.
“You guys should take Fluttershy back as well. I’m staying here.” Rainbow said.
“Anyone who is staying runs the risk of physical harm or mental corruption.” Wind Whistler got up. “Let’s go tell the others, and get them moving. The faster the better.”
Twilight was not sure how they did it, but they did. Galaxy and Wind Whistler went among the scattered gathering of Ponylanders. This ended up with several arguments; as to Twilight’s surprise most of the ponies seemed to determined to stay after hearing of the impending invasion. But then again maybe she shouldn’t have been surprised. This was their home, and Twilight knew that if Ponyville were in a similar situation the ponies there would be willing to fight to the end as well. In the end, however, Wind Whistler and Galaxy got most of the none combat oriented ponies to go, as well as Majesty, who they insisted was to drained to help, and they didn’t want to risk her. Eventually she agreed, though reluctantly. The majority of the Diamond Dogs were going, with only the three leaders staying, at least until they felt that they didn’t owe the ponies anything else. The only one she could not budge was, surprisingly, Sweet Stuff, who perhaps inspired by Applejack and Rarity, chose to stay and help defend them. Wind Whistler clearly didn’t like this, but she eventually went along with it just the same.
Twilight levitated the last two sea pony foals into a large tub, which Shining Armor lifted with his magic and carted away back to the mirror. The poor scared things whimpered as they bobbed listlessly, a few reaching their fins out to wave at their mother sea ponies, who had lined the banks of the river to wave them goodbye. For once none of them seemed to have the energy to sing. Twilight lowered her head and gave them a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll make sure they’re safe.” She said.
One of them nodded. “Thank you.” As soon as the last of their babies were out of sight the sea ponies sank back into the river. Twilight could see them flickering and darting through the water. She raised her head and trotted to the mirror herself. Several of the Ponylanders were already rushing through with the baby sea ponies, and the last tub was placed on one’s back, a whiteish earth pony. She turned to Wind Whistler and snorted.
“I still don’t like trusting them.” Her voice almost sounded like Rarity’s when she had been trying to impress Trenderhoof.
“It will be fine. Do you not trust me, Truly?” Wind Whistler asked.
Truly snorted. “No.”
Wind Whistler looked down for a moment, just a slight downcast of her eyes, but Twilight had a feeling that she was hurt. “Then it is even more imperative that you watch out for the babies. If you cannot trust me and you cannot trust them, then who else is better to watch our young?”
Truly snorted and turned away, trotted to the mirror. “Like you care.” She shot back. Twilight frowned, then walked over to put a hoof on Wind Whistler’s shoulder.
“Are you okay?”
Wind Whistler’s composure had come back almost instantly. “There is little time for sentiment, Twilight Sparkle. I am fine.”
“But, she-“
“She has always held strenuous objections to my behavior. It does not help that she is afraid. Now is not the time to dwell…but if you wish we can speak on it later.” Wind Whistler nodded to Twilight, who just had the feeling that Wind Whistler only said this to make her feel better about things. Twilight sighed a bit. She wanted to get to know Wind Whistler better, as there was something about the pegasus that Twilight liked. Maybe it was the fact that she was obviously very intelligent. Still, she was also right. This was a bad time to dwell. She looked around. It seemed like she would be taking at least half of the Ponylanders with her, as well as the two youngest humans, who were arguing with Megan.
“But we want to stay.” The male, Danny, glowered at his sister.
“Look, I know but…” Megan looked around. “I’d rather you two stay with the baby ponies. They need someone to look after them.”
“Truly and Paradise have already gone with them.” Danny objected.
“You know, you aren’t going to be missing as much as you think.” Shining Armor said. “I had an idea. I just erected my shield over the estate.”
“Ah.” Twilight looked out to see a pink dome covering the place, extending from the sandbag walls to cover them all. “Good thinking.”
“As long as I’m awake I can keep this barrier maintained in plenty of time until the other guards get here to help.” Shining said. “And this time I won’t have that parasite leeching off me.”
“Please?” Megan pleaded with Danny and Molly. Molly, who had been standing around with her arms folded, supporting and out and out pout, threw her hands in the air, muttered a ‘whatever’ and marched through the portal. Danny just shook his head and glared at Megan as he started across as well. He was interrupted by Surprise.
“Hey!” Surprise nudged him. “You gonna keep an eye on Baby Surprise, right?”
Danny smiled slowly. “Yeah…guess I will. I’ll see you later? Right?”
“Course! Hey! Bring your camera! Lots of interesting things to see on the other side!” Surprise grabbed a small camera off an end table and offered it to Danny, who took it, looking much more cheery about this. He gave Surprise an affectionate hug, and then went through the portal.
“…thanks Surprise.” Megan said. Surprise smiled.
“Hey, he’s my best friend.” Surprise shrugged.
Twilight scuffed her hoof and nudged Shining Armor. “You’re going to be okay, right?”
“Don’t worry about me, Twili. I’ll be fine.”
“Alright, you ready, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked. She had a feeling she was delaying, but she couldn’t help. Something felt wrong about this, but she didn’t see that they had many options at the moment. Sure if she wasn’t running on a clock and had some time she could probably think of something better, but at the moment…
Fluttershy nodded at her, leaving a bottle of her healing potion with Morning Glory and the remaining Flutter Ponies. “And could you say goodbye to the Stoneback to me, when he gets back…ummm…please?”
“Of course.” Rosedust smiled at her. “You have our gratitude for what you’ve done for us.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Fluttershy skittered away till she was next to Twilight. “Ummm, ready.”
Twilight tried to remember the names of the ponies coming with her…Ah…Ribbon, Paradise, Heart Throb, that one rude pony Truly, and…her brain fizzled a bit. She just couldn’t keep all of them straight! She’d have to learn more about them in the days to come. After the crises was over they would have plenty of time to get to know each other, after all.
She nodded to Fluttershy, and the two of them entered the mirror.
Once on the other side, Twilight and Luna set to dividing the group they would have to take with them. The dogs, not willing to go totally without their leaders, stayed on the train. Luna was not only taking half the population of the refugees, but also the baby sea ponies (who still peered out of their tubs with sad little eyes that broke Twilight’s heart), as well as the sleeping corrupted ponies, their Applejack and her family, and the Dream Valley Twilight, who still seemed sad and confused and a little lost. Twilight Sparkle wanted to comfort her, but she still looked so much like Twilight Sparkle’s mom it was just plan…odd.
Still, not the time.
“Alright, so…I’ve never teleported so many before-“
“Oh that’s comforting.” Truly snarled at her, making Twilight Sparkle blink. Ribbon sighed and nudged Truly.
“Let her talk.” Ribbon said gently, and to Twilight Sparkle’s surprise Truly listened, albeit with a huff.
“Yeah, like I was saying…my magical capacity has increased enormously since I became an alicorn, so we shouldn’t have much trouble.”
“Do not forget that will be lending you power, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna gave Twilight a reassuring smile. “It will be alright. Now…focus on the library…”
Twilight Sparkle formed an image of her familiar library in her mind. She then carefully reached out with her magic, enveloping everypony with her purple energy, making sure to cover every bit. She could feel Luna taking up the slack on her end, merging with her magic along the edges, making a nice tight seal so that nopony would end up lost to the aether between spaces. That would be a messy end. Normally Twilight could have done this faster, but she wanted to make sure she had every single one. She grunted, her horn sparkling and sparking like a firework and she could feel a few of them shifting in nervousness. She blocked it out. Unlike the times she had teleported her friends there was less of a time crisis, and more of them to carry. She was going to be careful.
Ready. She could feel Luna on the edges of her mind, a bit like how Celestia would when she had just been learning teleportation. Long ago when she was little and her beloved mentor would stand at her side, her magic gently boosting Twilight’s own. Luna’s was a bit different, due to its darker nature, but it was hardly something bad, and it was almost as powerful.
With a sudden popping poof the entire group was gone. Or at least that’s what the ponies that remained on the train saw. A few engineer ponies who were trying their best to rush the train back to Canterlot, one or two of them still saw the lightshow, and were very impressed. After all, it wasn’t every day you got to see two princesses teleport a large group of ponies elsewhere. Now it was just them and a pack of lazily scratching Diamond Dogs.
Twilight gasped and staggered. She fell to the side, her wing scraping against the bark of her library tree. She shook her head, glancing around. “Everypony…okay?”
“That was HORRID!” Truly snorted and backed away from Twilight Sparkle. “Never again!”
“…that was…odd.” Twilight, the Ponylander, twitched. “I don’t think I want to do that again either. I’ll stick with my own teleportation.”
“I’ll just stick with winking in general.” Ribbon rubbed her head. “I feel like I ate to much ice cream.” She winched. “And why is everyone shouting?”
Twilight Sparkle righted herself and looked around. She sighed in frustration. Apparently they had the bad luck of teleporting a few meters from where the most excitable citizens of Ponyville had been walking. Twilight Sparkle couldn’t for the life of her remember their names at the moment, only that they had flower Cutie Marks and they were all female and they had a tendency to panic at the slightest provocation. Right now they were screaming and running in all directions, shrieking about alien invaders. The rest of Ponyville, or at least the ponies who had been casually strolling by, stopped and stared at the sight of several very large ponies, who had been the subjects of rumors. Oh, and several little things in tubs.
“The horror! The horror!” One of the panicking ponies…Lily? Shouted. Twilight Sparkle sighed and covered her face with her hoof. Some of the baby Ponylanders began to sniffle in fear and stress.
Danny suddenly grinned, an evil twinkle coming to his eye. Twilight Sparkle groaned as the boy leaped at Diamond Tiara and screamed. “BLAAAH! Give me your blood! Blaargh!” The pink filly screamed and ran off, nearly losing her tiara in the process. Danny laughed, and Molly slapped him on the head.
“That wasn’t funny!”
“Oh come on, that was hilarious! Right, Baby Surprise?” He turned to grin at the little pegasus, who was now giggling. Soon, the other baby ponies were giggling, and even the depressed looking Sea Ponies perked a bit. Twilight Sparkle was suddenly grateful the boy did that, even if he could have found a better way in her opinion.
“Can we stop horrifying them now?” Ribbon asked. “Look at that.” She waved at hoof as some of the braver Equestrians were starting to stalk up to them, as if trying to decide if they should attack or not.
“Stop!” Twilight Sparkle flapped her wings and landed between the two groups. “Please, it’s alright!” Luna fluttered to her side, but let Twilight speak to the ponies, as she was better known to them. “Look, these aren’t bad ponies. They’re friendly, and kind, and they had to leave their home! They have nowhere else to go at the moment! Something evil is coming to attack them, and they needed to get their children out! Look, most of them are foals! Are you really going to chase them off? Even what he did…he’s just a colt.” Twilight waved a hoof at Danny, who snorted at her. “Please…everypony…”
The Equestrians looked at Twilight Sparkle, and at first she wasn’t sure what they were going to do. A pair of grey wings suddenly unfolded, and Twilight Sparkle blinked as a grey pegasus parted from the group, flapped over, and landed right in front of the Ponylanders. Twilight, after a moment, recognized the pegasus as the one Rainbow kept calling Derpy. She wasn’t sure if that was her real name or a nickname or what. She didn’t seem to mind being called that, and from what Twilight had seen she was a very nice, if accident-prone pony. Twilight suspected it was because of the eyes. Twilight wasn’t sure how that happened, but she had heard various stories, the most popular being the theory that Derpy had decided to try crossing her eyes one day and they had stuck that way. This was probably based on what mothers said to foals when they made silly faces, that your face would freeze that way. Twilight wasn’t sure if it was true.
Derpy slowly approached the nearest Ponylander, who happened to be Ribbon. The alien unicorn stepped closer to met her, giving Derpy a gentle smile.
“Hi!” Derpy said, extending a hoof. “Nice to meet you!”
Ribbon stared at the hoof, as if unsure what to do. Twilight wondered if Ponylander’s touched hooves like Equestrians would do to say hello. But apparently humans did, because Danny laughed.
“Looks like she wants to fistbump!”
“Don’t you need fists for that?” Heart Throb asked, tilting her head.
“Usually!” Danny was still laughing.
“Just touch your hoof, it’s how we say hello.” Derpy was still smiling. Ribbon shrugged and lifted her hoof, touching it to Derpy’s.
“Hello then.” Ribbon chuckled nervously.
Derpy titled her head. “How do you say hello? I mean without actually saying hello…” She blinked as Ribbon stepped forwards and gave her a brief nuzzle under the chin. “Umm…wow you ponies are really familiar with each other, huh?” She blushed and backed up a step.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Ribbon said. By now Twilight Sparkle was starting to wonder if a human could die laughing.
“Well, usually only family members do that here.” Derpy said.
“We are a family.” Ribbon said.
“W-woow.” Derpy’s eyes rolled to a different position. They never seemed to be able to stay in the place though. “That’s a biiig family.”
“No.” Ribbon sighed and looked back at the other Ponylanders. “It should be much bigger…”
Back at Paradise Estate Shining Armor had covered the entire estate, as well as most of the lawn, in a light purple dome. It took much less energy then the ones he had erected over Canterlot and the Crystal Empire, and he was pretty confidant that this would be easy. All he had to do was maintain this shield for a few minutes. Simple. The guards that had been left here to help were manning either the walls, armed with jousting lances, or had set up the archery bows and had lined up quivers of elemental arrows. This was going to be very very easy…
In the back of his mind he knew that thoughts like these usually ended up in Bad Things happening, he kept those feelings in the back. No sense being negative.
He looked up to see one of the pegasi, errr…Lofty yeah, that was her name, drop down to the ground, wings twitching slightly. He frowned in concern. “You okay?”
“Huh? Yeah. Just a bit nervous about that dome of yours.”
“Why?”
“I’m just used to having open air.” She shrugged, and then looked to the south. “Either way, I can see them coming. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Shining nodded as Lofty went off to tell the others. He watched as they all sort of spread themselves out, watching the outside of the dome with reasonable calmness. The human girl, Megan, had apparently decided that a mallet would be a good weapon, and she had even distributed some to the three remaining Diamond Dogs. Since they didn’t have their Rainbow weapon the human apparently thought a mallet would be the next best thing. Rosedust and her remaining Flutter Ponies were there as well, along with the Dream Valley Spike, who was apparently directing and looking after those bizarre puffballs called Bushwoolies. They weren’t quite as organized as the guard would have been, but also seemed very much unafraid and ready…except for one exception.
“We’re doomed, I just know it…” A strangely pessimistic earth pony kept moaning this, or some variation of this, every ten minutes, and it was starting to worry Shining a bit.
“Is she going to be okay?” Shining looked at Wind Whistler, who nodded.
“Shady is simply overly pessimistic. She shall pull through for us when needed.”
“Are you sure?” Shining asked, still nervous about a pony he was half afraid was going to bolt. That could be dangerous in a battle situation.
“Of course.” Wind Whistler said.
Shining was about to reply when a sudden booming crunch echoed through the valley, and Shady thankfully shut up. He tensed a bit as several of the trees were knocked away, and something truly horrible came thumping through the brush. IT was a huge, red and blue crab thing. It was flanked by several more large crab things. For a moment Shining’s eyes were locked on it, mostly because of its hugeness. He gulped.
“That is a crabnasty.” Wind Whistler said, helpfully. “They are a good race, usually.”
“Then why are they called crabnasties?” Shining asked, trying to be calm.
“…I have no idea.” Wind Whistler then calmly pointed out the various other races that were emerging from the brush. Troggles, Grundles, bees, trolls, dragons (who were not nearly as large and dangerous looking as Equestrian dragons) and…blank flank ponies. She didn’t call them that though. She called them Bright Valley ponies. Every one of them had glowing yellow eyes. It was fairly creepy. Aside from the corrupted ones, Shining also noticed some strangely unchanged Changelings. He wasn’t sure why they weren’t shapeshifted. Maybe they felt that it would confuse their allies just as much as it would confuse the enemy? Oh, and there were more skeleton ponies. Shining had hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with them anymore, but there they were. The dark mist that Shining knew was responsible for corrupting most of these creatures began to flow over the barrier, but didn’t go through. He turned his head and noticed that the mist didn’t even penetrate the water of the river, apparently it couldn’t reach below that.
As one the corrupted denizen’s of Dream Valley rushed the barrier, slamming claws, hooves and the occasional edged weapon at the barrier. Shining twitched slightly. He could feel the impact against his shield, but he could shake it off rather easily. He grinned.
“We don’t even have to watch them. They are never getting through.” He said. “It’s no worse then what the Changeling’s did to Canterlot, and now I don’t have their leader draining me.”
“Comforting, but I want to keep my eye on them. Just in case they have a surprise.”
“Even if they do, we’ll be ready.” Rainbow grinned, hovering over the two of them.
“I can handle this.” Shining said.
“Perhaps, but Dream Valley magic is largely unknown to your kind.” Wind Whistler pointed out. “And I doubt they will only use physical prowess against us.”
“You had to say that, didn’t you?” Shady moaned. “Look!”
Shining turned his head to focus on the enemy. They had stopped their assault and were parting in a line. He blinked as the mist started to back away as well. Through the crowd came a rather large, discombobulated figure. It seemed to be a combination of the human’s upper body and torso combined with the lower body of a pony or a horse. It seemed wrong to Shining, not only because he was still getting used to the odd humans. However, the reaction of the Ponylander’s was quiet different. To a pony they glared at the figure, a few of them pawing at the ground and baring their teeth. Even Wind Whistler narrowed her eyes, thought it was as usual a slight narrowing.
“Let me guess, that’s this Tirac.” Shining briefly remembered that name from the long line of past threats to Equestria that most Captain of the Guards had to memorize just in case they came back. It was part of the job, and Shining was sure he heard that name before. But, then again he also knew about General Firefly of the Wonderbolts, and apparently there was a Firefly here as well, as well as another Applejack, a Spike and a pony that looked an awful lot like his mother. So two evil creatures named Tirac wasn’t too much of a surprise. He doubted applying what he knew of the Equestrian Tirac, which was little, would apply here anyway.
Whiste his mind had wandered a bit, Tirac had arrived on the edge of the barrer. His glowing yellow eyes darted and lingered on first Rainbow, then Pinkie Pie, then finally on Megan, who it lingered on most of all. She glared at him and tightened her grip on her mallet.
“You seem to have lost your rainbow, girl.” Tirac said, to which Megan didn’t respond. She simply glared at him. “Would you like to know how I did this?” He lifted his hand, and a dark rainbow slithered out of his palm, waving at them in a mocking manner. It returned back into his palm, rather like a piece of spaghetti being sucked into a mouth.
“Is this not the point where you gloat?” Wind Whistler said mildly.
“Well, why not? It’s not like you’re escaping, after all.” Tirac smiled, and Shining himself had to fight to keep from smiling back. The more time this monster delayed his assult the faster the guard would get here, to say nothing of the fact that Tirac would never get past his shield.
But he was staring the gloating phase now. “Half of my power comes from the Nightmare. Spefically a piece of the Nightmare left behind when Celestia banished it to the moon. It absorbed power from the underground seeds left behind by Discord, adding a bit of Chaos magic, as well as Nightmare magic. You know, don’t you, that those touched by dark magic are resistant to it, after they escape it, yes? It’s why using my power on that traitor over there.” He waved a hand at Draggle. “Would be less then effective, unless she had another reason to turn back. It’s why it took a bit more force to conquer the one you call Applejack. It worked, eventually, and it will eventually work on anyone else touched. It just takes time.”
“Is there a point to this?” Galaxy asked, looking almost bored with Tirac’s rambling.
“Well, you see. I didn’t just absorb magic from the Nightmare, or the original Tirac, or Discord. I also absorbed magic from Celestia. And if your kind can resist my dark magic after being touched by it, then it follows that, after absorbing her magic…”
Wind Whistler’s eyes widened. “Run.” She commanded. Shining stared at her.
“Wait, what?” Shining looked back to see Tirac putting his hand on the shield, and starting to absorb it. Shining’s eyes widened and he poured more energy into it, reinforcing it. But it was only a matter of time. “Go! Everyone get to the portal! I’ll hold him off as long as I can.”
“It wont’ matter. You can’t take everyone over. The mist will follow you, and corrupt you.” Tirac said. “It may not be able to go through water, but it will go through that mirror.”
“Not if I can help it! RUN!” Shining’s horn glowed bright, but Tirac was draining his shield faster then Chrysalis had drained his love, but he wasn’t going to let up. Not until as many of the Ponylanders as he could manage were through. Suddenly he felt one of them step up next to him. Her horn glowed, and he felt some of the pressure lifted off of him. He looked over at the lime green unicorn, who grinned at him.
“I’ll help. Don’t worry.” Mimic’s horn flashed even brighter as she somehow managed to boost Shining’s magic. He nodded.
All of a sudden he felt something slam into the back of his head. He looked up to see Whizzer, her suddenly glinting yellow, raise her hoof and slam it into his face again. His shield flickered as she struck him, and he struggled, attempting to kick her off.
She was corrupted, but how and when? He wasn’t sure, but fi he didn’t get her off him then the shield would fail. He saw out of the corner of his eye Mimic struggling with North Star, whose eyes also glowed yellow. How had they not noticed this before? His guard turned to help him, but someone else got there first.
To Shining’s surprise the whining earth pony from earlier, Shady, suddenly grabbed Whizzer and pulled her off Shining, somehow managing to fling her to the side. Shining got up and attempted to reinforce the barrier, but Whizzer had done her job. The barrier shattered and Shining attempted to drag North Star off Mimic so they could run, but he felt a horribly slimly presence press into his ear. He squealed and tried to jump away, but his legs were suddenly locked into place. Within moments the dark energy rushed into his brain, circling his mind. He swayed, gasping in pain…then the pain lifted to be replaced by an incredibly satisfying feeling. It felt almost like his love for Cadence, but the love was being shoved aside in favor of this new devotion. And he didn’t care. He looked over to see Shady also sitting up, the mist flowing into her ear. She smiled and relaxed, her eyes beginning to glow yellow. So were Mimic’s, and even though he couldn’t see his own eyes, he knew his eyes were glowing yellow as well. He heard a small thump and turned his head. Rainbow, who out of loyalty had refused to leave them, was also sitting there, eyes turning from magenta to yellow. He smiled. The rest of his guards too were slowly being corrupted, and he felt that this was just great. Excellent, in fact.
“Now, go after the others.” Tirac commanded.
“Yes, my Lord.” Shining found himself saying. It felt right.
Wind Whistler kicked the door close with her back hooves. She leaned her hooves against the door, holding them back. She knew that she had left several of them out there. She also knew it was to late for them. At least for now. It hurt almost as bad as it had when Gusty had been turned to stone, but like that time it would be useless to stay where they would just be corrupted anyway. She looked up at the others. It looked like only the Flutter Ponies, the three dogs, Spike and the Bushwoolies, Megan, Draggle, Gusty, Surprise, and Galaxy where left. Gusty snorted at her.
“You left them!”
“I have to. Some of you need to get past, because so there won’t be any time.” She said.
“What?”
“Gusty, take the others. Go.” Wind Whistler said. “If the gems are removed from the mirror then they won’t get past, and you can regroup.”
“But…that means someone has to stay back here.”
“Yes, someone does.” Wind Whistler leaned against the door some more. She felt the door being pounded on, and it slowly started to splinter. “There is not much time. I will hold them off. I will remove the gems and-ah!” She gasped as mist leaked through the splinters and started to leak into her ear. She closed her eyes, struggling to hold it back from her mind. “Go…”
Megan stared at her, horrified for a few moments. Then she turned to the doorway to the living room and ushered the others in, slamming the door behind her and moving a large cedar chest in the way with the help of Rover and the other two Diamond Dogs.
“Alright, everyone through the portal.” Megan said.
“Megan, you’re not thinking of…” Galaxy asked, but Megan cut her off.
“We’ll take out the gems from the other side. Now go!”
Galaxy stared at her, doubtful, but she turned and left anyway. Rosedust also briefly stared at Megan, as if she didn’t believe Megan’s words either, but she had to take care of her remaining Flutter Ponies. Spike and the Bushwoolies were next, as well as Surprise and Gusty, who was shaking in anger.
Finally, the other two dogs were through, and the living room door was being pounded on. Megan looked at Draggle. “Go on.”
The witch, who had been standing there, just staring at the wall that separated them from the hallway where they had left Wind Whistler, snorted at Megan. “You know what pisses me off about you?” She growled.
“This isn’t the time-“
“You’re the most damn self righteous little stuck up goody two shoes I ever met, and it’s irritating.” Draggle continued. “Just can’t help by save everyone, even it means hurting yourself.”
“Ummm, running out of time…” Rover looked nervously from one girl to the next.
“And the worst part, the absolute worst part.” Draggle grabbed her staff, turned suddenly, and wacked Megan in the face. The other girl, not expecting this sudden betrayal, fell back, stunned. “Is that’s the reason they need you.” Draggled grabbed Megan by the arm before she could hit the floor and tossed her to Rover. “Get her out of here, dog.”
“But.”
“I’m a dark creature. I won’t be affected by the mist. I can run. Now get!”
Rover blinked, then nodded. He threw Megan over his shoulder and rushed to the mirror. He leaped, letting it suck him and Megan through. Draggle sighed and hobbled over to the mirror, watching the large crystal until it stopped blinking. She was pretty sure that it meant that no one was on there.
“You don’t have enough time to go through now, fool.” It was Wind Whistler, or at least what had been Wind Whistler. “The mist can flow into the mirror, and you don’t have time to deactivate it before it would go through. Some would be corrupted.”
Draggle shrugged and took away the gems that had been replaced. “Now you aren’t going through at all.”
“And what do you think you are going to do with those. You liar. You can’t run with them. You can’t run at all. You’re not physically capable of flight. You’re a cripple. You’re weak. You won’t get far at all.” Draggle could hear the no corrupted Ponylander’s fighting against the chest, and she turned to the window. Mist seeped along the edges, and she smiled.
“I’ll get far enough.”
She picked up her stick and broke the window. Ignoring the cuts and scrapes from the broken glass she landed on the lawn, the mist flowing over her and attempting to corrupt her. But she was already a corrupt being, technically. It felt…wonderful, actually. In fact it almost seemed to give her energy. It didn’t feel bad at all, and though she did feel a sudden compulsion to give the gems back to Tirac so he could go conquer, she knew she could resist it. She had been resisting the urges to go back to evil ways for three years. This wasn’t a problem.
Hobbling as fast as she could, which wasn’t that fast, Draggle struggled around the Estate to the pool area. She could hear hooves and feet behind her, but as she rounded the corner and stumbled through the gate to the pool. She saw a Sea Pony flitting in there, and Draggle skidded to a halt, nearly toppling over a lawn chair. Draggle flung the gems into the pool, and the Sea Pony caught them. The Sea Pony turned and poked her head out.
“Will you be alright? Can you get out?”
“Yeah, sure.” Draggle said, lying through her teeth. “Just get those to safety.”
The Sea Pony nodded and ducked into the pool. Powering with her tail she dove down to a small tunnel in the deep end, through which the Sea Ponies came in and out through and underground water path.
Hooves clopped towards her, and Draggle turned, holding her staff. She smiled, even though every pony that stood before her had at one point been her friend, she didn’t let that depress her. Megan was safe, and that irritating farm girl could pull victories out a hat like a sideshow magician. “You’re not getting through. And by the time you might, they’ll have found a way to stop you.”
“I doubt that, traitor.” Tirac stomped his way through the collection of corrupted ponies, glaring at her. Draggle tried not to shiver. “You may have delayed the inevitable, but that is all. Though…it is interesting. A Gloom witch sacrificing herself for ponies?”
Draggle shrugged. She couldn’t think of a good response.
“Espcially now. If you give me those gems now I might forgive you.”
“Why would I do that?” Draggle said.
Tirac turned his head, smiling at someone behind him. Hydia strode up, shooting the corrupted Wind Whistler a glare. Wind Whistler just stared at the witch with glowing emotionless yellow eyes. Draggle noticed the difference. Wind Whistler was never that cold. Not really. But there was something in her gaze now. Something that suggested that she just…didn’t care.
“You love your mother, and your sister, don’t you? Oh don’t and deny it. Crystalis confirmed it.” Tirac nodded to the Changeling Queen, who smiled as she landed.
“It’s true. My kind can sense love. How do you think we feed? It’s buried under shame and grief, but it is there. It’s always been there.” Draggle couldn’t help but wonder why Chrysalis was looking at Hydia with a small knowing grin. Draggle decided to ignore it. Maybe she did care about Hydia, but her mother didn’t give a damn about her, no matter how many smiles the Changeling Queen gave her.
“I can give you everything you want now, girl. I can give you back yoru family. On my word Hydia will take you back. And you can have the ponies as well. They will care for you just as they did before. The only difference would be that they would be on the same side you were meant to be one. Join us, give me the gems, and help me conquer Equestria. You have nothing to lose.”
Draggle bowed her head, and for a moment it looked like she was going to agree. Then, just as she had with Megan she suddenly swung her staff and struck Tirac on the head.
“First, those aren’t the ponies. They’re your slaves and they aren’t the same ones that took me in.” Draggle stepped forwards and let electric shoot from her eyes. “Second, you’re going to lose. Haven’t you figured out that those sparkly pansies ALWAYS WIN!” She swung her staff again, catching Tirac where the human torso met the horse torso. “Third, my mother never cared for me or Reeka, and you can just GO TO HELL, MAMA!” She spat this last bit of venom at Hydia, who to Draggle’s surprise jerked back as if struck.
Tirac growled and grabbed Draggle by the head and slammed her into a wall. Truth be told she had half expected that. She knew that she didn’t really stand a chance with all of them here, to say nothing of Tirac himself. She didn’t intend to go quietly though, and poured as much lighting as she could at Tirac’s palm. She hit him repeatedly on the head and shoulders, and kicked at him with her good leg. This continued until Tirac suddenly dropped her. She got up, intending to renew her attack, but he suddenly grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back. Lightning leaped from her eyes, but then she felt something cold and metal cover them. Still she attempted to complete the spell, but the lightning sparked and shocked her. She yelped in surprise.
“That’s something very similar to a magic dispelling ring. You don’t think that you’re the only one that knows that spell? Or how to counter it. Normally I could just use a ring…but this has the added benefit of blinding you. Even if you were to escape me now, you wouldn’t get that far.” She heard him chuckle. “Normally I would kill you. You’ve delayed me, defied me, and you’ve betrayed your once powerful clan. All the sacrifices your ancestors made, and you don’t even care. Sad, really. But I suppose this is what happens when the blood starts to run thin.”
“We’re taking her back to the volcano.” Draggle heard her mother begin, and she assumed that Hydia wanted to take point in punishing her, but Tirac interrupted her.
“No, you are not. You would be soft on her.” Draggle almost laughed. Tirac was crazy. Hydia didn’t care. But then Draggle supposed it didn’t matter. She felt something with hands, probably a Grundle or a troggle or something, grab her arms. She didn’t’ struggle this time. She couldn’t escape at the moment, and a small Wind Whistler-ish voice in her head told her that it would be better to save her strength until she could escape.
Besides, it wouldn’t be long until the ponies saved them. Because she had been on both sides of this equation before. Even when you got caught by the evil ones, you usually got rescued. It would be alright.
“You’re hope is almost cute.” Draggle heard that Changeling creature, Chrysalis, hiss in her ear. “Do keep clinging to it. It will make draining your love from you even sweeter.”
“Huh?”
“I guess you’re not paying attention. You’re being given to my kind. We’ll see how long your hope lasts after I’m through with you.”
“I heard you got your flank kicked by Queen Rosedust. If you can’t even beat a tiny Flutter Pony, what makes you think you can beat the rest of them?” Draggle replied.
“Just wait, girl, just wait.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.02 seconds
Total duration
1,019 users online
1,311,610 hits today, 1,822,946 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
4461787
Yeah, I know what you mean. Only so many hours in a day, and you can only read so much.
Okay, caught up again. Still loving this. Draggle, you rock. Awesome stand, there.
No! It's all going to hell! Everything's going wrong! What're they going to do!...I dunno. I have read the rest first.
Draggle is awesome!