The Crystal war
Night Patrol CH 9
by Foxgear
(A bat pony? A bat pony was working for Sombra? How could this be happening? How could my child betray me?) Luna wondered frantically looking from the arena to Sombra, the stallion’s smirk widened with her glare.
“What magic have you cast upon him?” Luna demanded sternly.
Unimpressed at her rage, Sombra inspected his hoof, “Whatever do you mean? I need no magic to gain a pony’s loyalty. Of course, some food, water, and the promise of shelter and a job go a long way. I amazed that you, Princess Luna, left your so-called “children” to fend for themselves in the harsh caverns of the Everfree, which I remind you runs all the way up to Maredor.”
Luna seethed through her teeth. She wanted to yell so loud, that it would leave the black stallion permanently deaf forever! Yet, his hurtful words stung deep in her heart and Luna knew it was her fault her bat ponies have gone to Sombra’s embrace. In her misery she abandoned them, and when she finally came to her senses and formed night patrol, it should have come to no surprise that the caverns were empty when she went to recruit them to her cause.
“Please, be safe my ponies.” She softly prayed. “Both of you return to me alive, please.”
Fury circled his opponent, Blood Moon, matching him step for step. He didn’t know a lot about bat ponies. Other then what Luna had told him and the others, they seem no different from a Pegasus, except better built for night flying with night vision and better agility in tight flying spaces. Both advantages were useless in the vast open arena and broad daylight. Yet, looking at himself a dragon pony, Fury wondered if there were other tricks gifted to bat ponies.
Trusting in his robust scale coat Fury lurched forward charging Blood Moon head on. Blood Moon side trotted to the right dodging the attack. Digging his left claw into the earth Fury swung himself, skidding behind Blood Moon with his jaw wide open to chomp on the bat pony’s wing, only to bite air as Blood Moon took flight. He snorted angrily, flying up after him.
Up above Blood Moon stalls in midair, preparing to attack. Fury chest expanded as he made to counter. Once the bat pony turned around, it would all be over.
Blood Moon turned as expected, but something was amiss, his chest was also bulging? (Is he like me? Is he a dragon pony pretending to be a bat pony?)
Not taking any chances Fury fired first, unleashing a wave of searing flames. The ponies below screamed in horror, but he paid little mind to them. He didn’t care if they thought him a monster, they would be right, he was one.
A sudden ringing sound appeared in Fury’s ears. He blinks away tears as his body reacted to the ringing in his ears. He dipped a little, losing altitude, the flames above him burst apart, extinguishing in the air without his magic to feed them. He spotted Blood Moon flying through the fire, and he appeared to be screaming? Fury saw a small distortion in the air, the ringing worsened, the sound driving him mad as he tried in vain to scratch at his ears.
(It’s some sort of sonic attack.) Fury hissed, his mind going fuzzy, it was getting harder to think. He had to do something and quick! There was no way he could take another blast and stay conscious. Spotting Blood Moon coming around for another pass, Fury knew his time was short if his flames didn’t work then…
Blood Moon yelled “Prepare yourself you freak!” readying his sonic scream. Another blast would put the dragon pony down for good. Exhaling Blood Moon released a high pitch scream so powerful that it created shock waves. There was no way that the dragon pony could defend himself. Blood Moon smirked watching the sonic waves fly toward Fury, who was gathering up another fire blast, not that it would do much good. Fury released his breath, but instead of fire, a loud eardrum-shattering roar came out, the booming roar canceling out his sonic scream.
“What?” Blood Moon gasped surprised that his attack had been countered. In his moment of shock Fury flew up close and slashed his barrel. He dodged, barely avoiding injury, but the same could not be said for his armor which was ripped to shreds by the dragon pony’s claws.
Fury smirked viciously, “Having fun yet, bat?”
“More then you know.”
Fury flexed his claws. “Good to hear.”
The two charge one another hoof vs. claw attacking with unrelenting fury. Blood Moon’s feet smacked against Fury’s armor, denting it and busing the skin beneath, bones cracked, while Fury’s claws raked deep into Blood Moon ripping chest plate and leaving long red gashes all over the bat pony’s body. Blood rained down from the sky.
From below Luna watched in horror, “Please stop… please my children… stop…” she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks. Beside her, Sombra laughed, and she decided she’s had enough!
Magic filling her lungs Luna unleashed her Canterlot voice, “STOP! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!” The crowd stilled at her words, but the fighting continued. “I SAID STOP!” She yelled again at the two, but they kept going too far gone in blood lust to hear her.
Spreading her wings Luna took to the sky, flying fast as her wings could take her. In a mere blink, she was between Fury and Blood Moon pushing them away with her hooves. Both ponies’ pupils were tiny slits, their eyes screaming with rage and the desire to kill.
“Enough, it’s time to stop,” Luna said gently, her tone soothing with a hint of magic mixed into calm the two. Slowly their eyes began to widen to their original size. “It’s over the battle is done.”
“Actually it’s just begun, Luna!” Sombra laughed maniacally.
Luna turned, gasping at the sight of Sombra FLYING right behind her with the aid of two skeletal wings!
“What are you?”
“Your conquer.” He said confidently. A flash of red magic shot from his horn into the sky, from the clouds black figures emerged and from the north, a more appear from the ground, all around the empire explosions erupt turning buildings into fireballs, and then all hell broke loose as the soldiers of Maredor attacked!
“I wonder what’s going on out there.” Curaga, the medical pony watching over Nightingale asked her partner, Splint, as she looked over the pegasus’s vitals. They had forced Applejack outside so they could do their work, the earth mare protesting, relaying her orders from Princess Luna, but Curaga assured her Nightingale would be safe and locked her out of the room. After all who would be bold enough to attack in the heart of the Crystal Empire? “Splint can you please stop staring out the window and help me?” She asked writing down Nightingale’s vitals. The clopping of hooves echoed behind her as she worked. “Thank you…”
A sharp pain erupted in Curaga’s flank as a hoof covers her mouth, muffling her screams. Through panicked eyes she saw that Splint was her attacker, he made soft cooing sounds as he laid her on the floor in the puddle of blood that formed from her wound. Tears fell freely down her face as the last of her life drained away, darkness engulfing her vision.
“Splint… why…” Were her final words as “Splint” removed his hoof her mouth.
A burst of green flame engulfed Splint, revealing his true form as a changeling. Expressionlessly he looked at the mare that had been his meal for the past several months. He had played the role of her friend/lover well and enjoyed it, but a lass the farce has come to its conclusion. The day of reckoning was at hoof, the day when the changelings would have their own land, their own kingdom, in the face of such things what was the life of one mare?
Speaking of mares, there was the pegasus on the bed he had to deal with and her friend outside. Such were things he guessed picking up a spare pillow to smother the sleeping pegasus. He was about to do the deed when her eyes snapped open! Quickly he pressed the pillow hard against her face, she struggled, her hooves flailing around wildly, occasionally smacking his face, but he held on. Splint readjusted his footing for better leverage and in an ironic twist of fate slipped on Curaga’s blood.
Nightingale threw the pillow off her face and screamed at the top of her lungs, “APPLEJACK!”
Applejack came barreling through the door taking only a second to look at the situation, the blood on the floor, the dead nurse, her friend gasping for breath and the black bug thing with blood on its horn and a pillow in its hooves. Magic gathers around the earth mare's feet as pure rage floods through her body.
“You no good vermin!”
Charging forward Applejack tackled the Changeling and straddling his torso and began pounding the life out of him with her bare hooves! The changeling’s face was a bloody mess by the time she was done, his head rolling to the side, his eyes meeting Curaga’s. Slowly he reached out towards her, he could feel the pony’s weight shift on his body, meaning she was getting ready to attack again. Her hoof came down crushing his foreleg just as it touched Curaga’s. He hisses in pain, but he did not let go.
“I’m…(cough, cough)… sorry… Curaga…” He whispered taking his last breath.
Applejack got to her hooves, rushing to Nightingale’s bedside as the pegasus tried to get up. Carefully the orange mare lowered her friend to her feet. Nightingale leaning heavily against Applejack's side as she caught her breath.
“You ok, Night?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Bloody changeling nearly got me though.”
AJ poked Splint’s body with her hoof. “Is that what this thing is? Ugly little thing.”
Nightingale laughed, “Yeah it is…” Suddenly her mind caught up with her as flashes of her fight in the clouds come to the forefront of her mind. “Crap, there’s more in the clouds! Applejack these things are shapeshifters, and there’s a ton of them!”
Explosions rocked the building. Both mares quickly look out the window seeing the city in chaos as changelings dive-bombed from the sky with hordes of Thestrials and ponies covered in black armor storming the northern wall, barring Sombra’s banner.
“Well, looks like they’re not in the clouds no more.” Applejack drawled keeping a cool composure. “Come on, we need to get to Princess Luna. Be careful of anypony too, no telling whose the enemy and whose friend with these things around.”
Nightingale nodded, “Right let’s go!”
The two mares made their way down the arena hallways as quickly as possible with Nightingales injuries. Thankfully they didn’t run into anypony as they entered the dugout for the fighters. Sticking to the shadows they peer out into the arena and if they thought outside the stadium looked bad, inside was worse, so much worse. Ponies were lying dead all over as the few guards fought against the changelings. In the sky they spot Fierce Fury going berserk as he savagely mangled any changeling in his path, his feathery scaled coat shimmered with blood, both his and his enemies. Even more impressive though was the fight going on between Sombra and Princess Luna.
Sombra with a pair of skeletal wings was matching Luna blow for blow as both rulers launch powerful spells that no normal pony could hope to match. Beams of magic collide causing explosions that pushed the two away from each other. Two changelings flew in from the right, blindsiding Luna, Sombra pressed the advantage, but Fury breathed a wall of fire in his path. Luna hit the ground in front of them. Applejack quickly rushed out and kicked the two changelings off her princess.
“Princess, you ok?” She yelled over the roar of the battle. Luna shook her head as she gathered herself.
“Applejack?” Luna dizzily replied as she regained her bearing, “By mother’s mane Applejack! You’re alright! Is Nightingale safe?”
Applejack nodded, “She’s fine. A little bruised but fine. What are your orders, Princess? What can we do to help?”
Luna surveys the situation, a haunting realization dawned upon her as she remembered the youngest member of their party. “By mother’s mane, Dusk! We’ve forgotten about Dusk! Applejack, you and Nightingale must quickly secure Dusk’s safety and anypony else you can along the way. Then find Symphony and clear a path for her so she can activate the crystal heart. Hurry or the empire will be lost!”
“Aye, Princess,” Applejack saluted, “You can trust us to get it done.”
Luna nodded with a soft smile, “I know I can.” She said taking to the sky again.
Applejack rushed back to Nightingale explaining their orders, the pegasus nodding and following Applejack's lead, pausing only briefly to stare to the south towards home. The skies clear. (But how long would they remain that way?)
Dusk followed King Treble down the hall of the palace with her head bowed to the floor. Earlier she’d been enjoying the festival with her own usual twist to spice things up and to make a long story short had gotten in trouble. Enough trouble that the vendors reported her to the royal guards, who then reported her to the king since she was a royal guest. Turned out making pies explode went a little too far. Now she is to face punishment! She had to watch over the Kings daughter Cadenza. Not a horrible punishment by any means, but taking care of a newborn foal was only fun a quarter of the time. She should know, she’s foalsat plenty of the Apple clans newborns (They had a lot, they breed like rabbits!).
Timidly Dusk said, “So how long will I have to watch over Cadenza?”
King Treble paused to stroke his beard outside the said princess’s door, enjoying Dusk’s squirming. “Hmm… till Luna or one of her guard's return, I suppose. Any pony’s guess when that will be.” He chuckled as Dusk’s face fell to near despair. Of course, he wouldn’t leave the filly with his dear foal for such a long time, but it was fun to pull the filly’s leg a little bit. He deserved a jest after having to deal with the mob that had brought the young mare under his supervision. He wondered how Luna deals with her, blowing up pies, turning dunking apples to stone, and just causing general mayhem. She acts just like… Luna… did during her and Celestia’s little pranking war. He remembered that particular event well, it was how he’d met Symphony after all, and it remained a wonderful and embarrassing memory as he was sent flying into the air covered in honey, landing at Symphony’s feet after walking into Luna’s prank set for Celestia.
“Here we are.” He announced opening the door to Cadenza’s room, his trip down memory lane over for now. The room looked as precisely as he’d left it. Toddler toys were placed in their proper place, a small castle play set located in the corner guarded by numerous stuffed animals, and finally Cadenza’s crib with the princess’s formal foal-sitter, an old crystal unicorn named Proper Upbringing keeping watch over her as usual.
Treble smiled at the elderly mare as they approach, “Hello Proper Upbringing, nice to see you doing well today.” The mare smiled softly back with a slight nod, scooting to the side to allow Treble and Dusk closer access to the sleeping princess. He smiled gently brushing Cadenza’s mane. “I’m pleased to tell you will be free to enjoy the festival for the rest of the day. This little filly will foal sit Cadenza for the remainder of the day.”
Proper Upbringing didn’t respond, her attention directed at the bright red light hovering over the arena. Her eyes flash green for a moment as she turned around walking towards Treble and Dusk.
“Proper?” Treble inquired expecting some retort from the mare saying she didn’t need a day off. He turned just in time for Proper Upbringing aimed her horn for his heart. Acting on his old guard training, Treble smacked her away with his hoof sending Proper Upbringing crashing into the castle playset.
“What is the meaning of this?” He demanded, snorting angrily. A burst of green flame engulfing the playhouse as “Proper Upbringing” revealed her true self, unleashing a high pitched battle cry that Treble knew all too well.
Looking at his slumbering daughter and then to Dusk, Treble knew he had little time. He wrapped Cadenza in his magic, blanket and all and quickly tied the little filly to Dusk’s back.
“Run now!” He ordered, gracing between the tall glass windows and the changeling in the playhouse. He could make out the bug like forms of more changelings answering their comrade’s call.
Dusk hesitated, looking between the door and Treble.
“I said go! Find Princess Luna! Trust no one until they’ve proven they are who they are! Now go! Keep my daughter safe!”
Dusk took off running just as the other Changelings broke through the window glass. Treble locking the door behind her making all the changeling’s direct their attention to him.
“Well… come on then! Let’s have at it!” He challenged lighting up his horn with magic. The changelings hiss and charge all at once. Gritting his teeth, Treble lets out an angry battle cry as he charged to meet his enemy.
Dusk ran as fast her little hooves could carry her. She didn’t know where she was going or where to find Luna, Applejack or any of the others, so she kept running, even as hell broke out around her. Changelings and crystal guards were brawling in the halls, busting down doors, breaking through walls in efforts to kill one another. A guard fell in her path, she quickly leaped over his body as two changelings race after her, only to be struck down by another guard.
Turning a hard right Dusk found herself in the throne room, which was filled entirely with changelings!
“Oh buck…”
All the changelings turn their attention to the two fillies. Dusk cautiously taking a step back towards the door, but it was slammed shut, leaving her trapped. She gulped preparing the only attack spell she knew, her horn light up with a black light as she aimed at the changeling horde before her. They chuckle, laughing at her efforts as they move in all at once.
“AHHH!” Screaming like a mad mare Dusk fires her spell, the black light hit a changeling dead center, a first nothing happens the changeling appearing unharmed as it blinked at her, touching its chest, then it happened. The changeling began coughing, blood sprinkling onto the crystal floor, the changeling looked directly into her eyes filled with fear and then he fell over dead.
The changeling horde hissed with anger and charge towards Dusk with blood lust. The filly tries to charge up another spell, but couldn’t as she was forced to dodge, escaping by sliding underneath another changeling. Her safety was only momentary as she found herself trapped in a corner. Dusk closes her eyes waiting for the inevitable, but after a long agonizing minute, nothing happened. Opening her eyes she was surprised and very grateful to see the towering figure of Princess Symphony, it was also the time she noticed a soft hum of music in the air. She looked for the source and quickly found it was the princess singing and it wasn’t any regular music, it was musical magic! From the looks of the changelings, she had all of them completely enthralled as they swayed back and forth to the melody. Then the music stopped, and Dusk wished she had kept her eyes closed.
The changelings began to kill each other.
Princess Symphony watched the slaughter with a monotone expression. She hated using her lovely music to commit such horrifying acts, but this time she felt nothing for her enemies. No pain, no sorrow, she didn’t even see them as living beings, all she saw was Treble lying on the floor in a pool of blood, five changelings lying around him dead, the sixth standing over him in victory. She made sure it was short lived. Next, she entered the halls finding her slaughtered guards and servants and more changelings, she made short work of them as well. Finally, she made her way here to the throne room, where she had sensed a spell being cast. She arrived to find not only her daughter but Dusk as well. She was so happy to see somepony alive that she almost didn’t notice the changelings in the room. She saw Dusk kill the one and the rest charge the little filly.
That was when she acted, beginning with the first keys of her song, she froze the changelings in their place leaving them still as stone, except for their eyes. They follow her every step as she made her way to Dusk and Cadenza. Cadenza was still fast asleep while Dusk had her eyes sewn shut, her body trembling with fear. She decided to leave them like that for the moment, they didn’t need to see what she was about to do.
Standing in front of the filly and foal, Symphony began the second verse of her song, a low, mournful tune filled with sadness and loss. The changelings respond, each one turning their sharp horns on another of their kin. Now it was time for the coup de grace. Symphony adjusted her key, her voice rising like a wave, filled with rage and hate, the changelings’ eyes narrow as they growl at one another. Then she released her spell, and the changelings plunge their horns into each other’s throats.
Symphony stared at the carnage unblinking, a strange sort of numbness overtaking her usually compassionate heart.
A startled gasp caught her attention. Dusk had opened her eyes and was staring directly at the carnage! Quickly she unfolded her wing blocking the horrid sight from the filly’s eyes, but the look in her eyes said she was too late. Gathering the two onto her back Symphony flew out the window, descending slowly to the ground towards the base of the castle where the crystal heart was located.
“We must purge the invaders. Stay close to me and keep my daughter safe.” Symphony said as they touch down. Immediately more changelings attacked, but a quick kick sent them hurdling away. Galloping toward the pedestal that houses the crystal heart, Symphony charged her horn preparing to spread her love and hope across the empire and repel the invaders.
Dusk cried, “Look out!” As two changelings charge from both sides, Symphony launched the fillies into the air so she could intercept the attackers. She quickly tossed the two aside and caught the foals on her romp again and began preparing her spell when…
“Look out!”
“Oh buck it!” Snarling Symphony dropped the two fillies near the pedestal, placing a magic shield over them as she faced the attackers. Expecting more changelings, but was left staggering on her hooves as two sonic screams nearly burst her eardrums. Dizzily she smacked the bat ponies aside, preparing to face the third shadowy figure head-on as she charged with her horn pointing forward. This proved to be a mistake as her horn become entangled in the jagged black mess of a horn that belonged to none other than the changeling queen herself, Chrysa.
“Hello Symphony,” Chrysa greeted grinning like a cat, “Been a long time hasn’t it?”
Symphony grunted pushing against Chrysa’s horn, trying to gain the upper hoof, “Not long enough I’d say! I see you’re still as ugly as the last time I saw you.”
“And you’re a potty-mouthed little princess, but why hold on to a grudge, we are family right?”
“You are no family of mine!” Symphony screamed regaining her balance.
Chrysa chuckled, “Still mad at me? You should really learn when to let things go, like this!” Unlocking her horn Chrysa watched with glee as Symphony stumbled forward without her to hold her back whipping down her horn across the Crystal princesses’ pretty pink flank staining it red.
“Dirty cheater,” Symphony growled stumbling on her hooves. Her right flank was bleeding badly, and it hurt to walk with. How could she have made such a novice mistake? (Have I become rusty? Must have, I can’t remember the last time I even spared, let alone fight for my life!)
“Now, now,” Chrysa taunted, “You’re making me blush.”
She scoffed applying pressure to her injury with her wing. “Why are you here Chrysa, why attack us? No matter how many of your “children” you brought with you, they are no match for the might of my crystal guards. Give up, and I’ll let you go in peace.”
Chrysa laughed circling around the pink alicorn. “That would be true. If it weren’t for the fact I have been placing my spies through your kingdom for years at every level of society; the common worker, the servants, the everyday citizen, and even the royal guard. We are everywhere Symphony, why do you think the castle was so easily overrun? Why are the northern gates wide open as the ponies of Maredor rush your walls. No Symphony, I will not be retreating, not this time.”
“Maredor… Sombra is with you?”
“In more ways than one,” Chrysa said coyly, “Call it a political maneuver with many benefits.”
“But our peace treaty!”
“Was all a ruse, suggested by me, all to ensure the downfall of the Crystal Empire!”
Symphony gritted her teeth, focusing on the floating blue diamond heart on the pedestal, if she can only get to it she can still save everypony!
Screaming Symphony charged, forming both a spell on her horn and with her voice, she fired a magical beam of blue magic, Chrysa countering with her own green magic once again grid locking them, but she had an ace in her boots. Softly she began to sing a low key to put Chrysa to sleep so she could do it permanently with her own hooves. Yet as the musical magic floated towards the changeling queen something happened, another higher pitch spell blocks her spell, effectively neutralizing it and there was only one creature that could do such a thing.
“Sirens!” Symphony gasped spotting the half fish ponies flying around the castle, three in total.
“There’s more in Maredor then mere bat and shadow ponies, so much more.” Chrysa grinned pushing Symphony back.
She could feel victory close at hoof! As soon as Symphony was dead the crystal ponies’ morale would be gone, and the empire would be theirs! Chrysa was so focused on defeating the crystal princess that she completely forgot about Dusk, who was staring at the crystal heart. Suddenly she felt a massive spike of magic erupting behind her.
Dusk couldn’t stand to sit back any longer. The need to do something spurred her on! Securing Cadenza safely under the pedestal, Dusk stepped out in front of the crystal heart. Symphony said it could repel all the bad ponies, she just had to figure out how to use it.
(Maybe if I hit it with my magic it will work!)
Dusk charged her horn and fired, creating a beam of black magic that began to spin the crystal faster and faster. A bright light began to shine from the core of the heart, Dusk pouring more magic into the heart, causing it to spin even faster and faster and faster!
Suddenly Dusk’s eyes widen, a white glow envelops her entire body. Her body floated off the ground a small beam of magic changes into a massive stream of power! The crystal heart reached its maximum velocity, and a vast dome of magic began to grow from it.
“What’s happening?” Chrysa demanded as the magic dome pushed against her, she tried to fight it, but it just pushed harder! She was pushed past Symphony, who was unaffected, so were the other crystal ponies, only the changelings and the ponies of Maredor were being pushed out!
“No, no, no!” Chrysa screamed as the dome pulsed launching her and all the invading forces out of the city. Adjusting her wings, she manages to right herself, growling as she stared at the blue shield covering the Crystal Empire. Far off to the north was Sombra, their eyes met and they both nod.
“Attack! Bring down the shield!”
Princess Symphony crawled along the ground desperate to get to her daughter and Dusk. Her eyes focus on Cadenza, the little foal crying out for her at the top of her lungs. She tried to move faster, but she lost too much blood and could barely stand. Glancing to Dusk, she was shocked to see the little filly was maintaining the shield.
(She has that much power? That’s impossible no foal can have that much magic!)
Then she noticed something different about Dusk, she seemed… taller? Suddenly Dusk’s body pulsed and grew looking somewhere in the age between fillyhood and marehood. (She’s using so much magic that she’s aging! I must stop her!)
Gritting her teeth, Symphony stumbled to her hooves and manage to sprint the remaining distance before collapsing beside Dusk. Gently she took Cadenza into her embrace and kissing her daughter lovingly on the forehead.
“I’m sorry Cadenza, but I have no choice… I love you.” Reaching up Symphony touch Dusk’s flank connecting to her magic, she felt a massive surge of power and quickly cast a spell disappearing in a flash of white light just as Applejack and Nightingale arrive.
--somewhere else
Two earth ponies a stallion and a mare were on their way home after a hard day’s work when a bright flash of light shines ahead of them. They quickly hid in the nearby brush, fearful of what the light may be. Much to their surprise a tall pink pony with wings and a horn stood on the road.
“Is that a princess?” The mare whispered to the stallion.
The stallion rubbed his beard stubble, looking closer at the horn and wings, as well as finery that adorned the pony, crystal boots, a crown, and that strange harness like the one Celestia wears. “Seems to be, though I don’t know of any princess that looks like that, perhaps she’s a foreign ruler that got lost on her way to Canterlot.”
“Dear, I think she’s hurt. Look at her leg.” The mare pointed to the princess’s back right leg, which was covered in blood. She gagged as she caught the sight of bone sticking out beneath the gore. “We should help her.”
“Right, it’s the right thing to do.” The stallion agreed walking out of the brush. “Hello there, you look like you could use some help!”
Symphony’s head sprang up at the sound of the earth stallion’s voice, her vision was being to blur, and she could feel the spell fading quickly, she didn’t have much time. Quickly she uses her remaining magic to cast a spell on Cadenza so she wouldn’t be pulled back with her.
“Please…” She cried holding her daughter out to the earth pony couple. “Please take care of my daughter, raise her, protect her, and love her as your own. Please, as a promise to a dying mother.”
The stallion gently took the foal from her hooves. For a moment her vision cleared and she saw the three them standing together as she and Treble had on the day Cadenza was born. Symphony smiled, at peace knowing her daughter would grow up with parents.
“What’s her name?” The mare asked.
“Cadenza, Mi Amore Cadenza, Cadence for short.” With that Symphony felt the spell wear off completely and she disappeared in flash of light, leaving her daughter in the hooves of two strangers.
--back in the Crystal Empire
“What the hay is going on?” Applejack shouted as she and Nightingale stumble upon something strange. Dusk was floating in midair her eyes whited out, Princess Symphony disappeared and then reappeared and Nightingale was staring off into the distance. “Night what’s going on?”
“It’s open…” The Pegasus whispered, making Applejack raise a brow as she tried to see what her friend was seeing.
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s a hole in their formation and their all focusing on trying to bring down the shield. This is my chance.”
“Your chance for what, Night?” Applejack demanded as Nightingale began to stretch.
“A chance to get out of here and get the others, if we miss this, we might never get out of here alive, but I’m going to need a lot of speed.” Nightingale turned looking Applejack straight in the eyes. “Applejack, I need you to buck me.”
Applejack’s mouth fell, “I beg your pardon?”
Nightingale blushed, “Not like that! I mean launch me with your boot things so I can get past the changelings!”
“Why didn’t you just say that?” Applejack retorted kicking up a boulder with a flat surface. “Get on and hold on tight, it’s going to be a rough ride.” The earth mare said getting into position, her expression turned solemn as she looked at all the changelings outside the shield. “Be careful Night.”
Nightingale smirked confidently, “Don’t worry, I’ll come back with everypony and show those bugs what’s for, you just stay alive till then.”
Nodding silently Applejack began gathering her magic, while Nightingale adjusts her goggles, once she was sure they wouldn’t move in flight she waited.
Applejack said, “On the count of three, Night, ready?”
“Ready Applejack, One!”
“Two”
“Three!”
With all her might Applejack kicked the stone causing it to fly like an arrow. She quickly turned around so she could watch Nightingale as she launched herself off the rock when it began to lose momentum. The white pegasus broke through the shield flying at top speed and appearing to go unnoticed until some changeling burst out of the snow. Applejack held her hat tightly as she watchesd Nightingale narrowly dodge them. One looked like it got really close, but they were too far away to tell for sure, soon enough they were mere specks in the sky, and then nothing.
Putting her hat back on Applejack trotted over to Symphony and found the crystal princess dead with a smile on her face. She gave a quick prayer for the departed turning her attention to Dusk, who was still glowing and firing magic at the crystal heart. Now that she was close, Applejack finally noticed the changes to Dusk’s body, mainly that she was almost as tall as her and her mane reached down to her flank.
“What in the hay?” Tentatively Applejack reached for the filly but quickly pulled her hoof back as jolt of electricity zaps her foot. Quickly putting two and two together Applejack realized Dusk was powering the shield. (How do I wake her up? Should I even wake her up? She’s keeping all those bad ponies outside for now, but at this rate, she’ll be an old mare!)
Applejack was at a loss. Save Dusk or save the city and everypony in it? Closing her eyes she searched deep inside herself for the answer, trusting her gut, and her stomach told her to save Dusk!
“Sorry about this sugar cube!” Charging up her hoof Applejack punched Dusk right in the face! Knocking the filly out of her trace and sending her bouncing across the ground. Applejack winced, realizing she may have overdone it. Thankfully the crystal heart was still spinning, and the shield was still there… for now.
The sound of hooves touching down caught her attention. Applejack turned coming face to face with a disheveled Luna and Fierce Fury, who was looking worse for wear and missing two of his talons on his left claw. Arriving with them was the remaining majority of the crystal army, and there weren’t many left.
The crystal ponies were exhausted and battered. They’d been taken by surprise and fought hard against the invaders. When the shield had been thrown up, they rejoiced in their small victory. Now they seem to dull and lose their shine as they found their princess lying on the ground in her own blood. Princess Luna silently approached her cousin and closed the mare’s eyes, noting the smile on her face.
She choked back her tears as she faced the crystal ponies. They stare back at her and kneel. One pony, the Vice-captain of the Guard, stood up and shouts, “Hail Princess Luna!”
His fellow guards soon join in the chant, and it spread across the empire like a wildfire. The fiery spirit of the crystal ponies was reignited as they clung to hope, to the light in their darkest hour. Ironically it was the Princess of the Night that was that light.
Luna raised her hoof for silence, and they promptly obey. “We haven’t much time! The shield will only hold for two days. We must prepare!”
“Yes, princess!” They salute fanning out to look for survivors, supplies, and weapons.
Once they were all gone Luna approached Dusk, who was still unconscious. She barely noticed Applejack and Fury standing by her side as she stared at what happened to Dusk. Using the Crystal Heart had aged the filly into a mare, and that wasn’t all it had done. Branded on the unicorn’s flank was an eight turn on its side, the symbol for infinity.
“Where is Nightingale, Applejack?” She asked deciding to address Dusk’s changes later when she was awake. Applejack pointed to the south, looking nervous.
“She went to get help from home. She got spotted on her way out by some changelings, I don’t know what’s become of her.”
Luna intensely stared to the south. “We must prepare. We have little time.” She said picking up Dusk and carrying her to the castle.
“What about Night?”
Luna sighed, suppressing her emotions, “I have faith in her ability, but… we cannot wait for help that may not be coming. Do you understand Commander Applejack?”
Applejack lowered her hat over her eyes, “I understand… princess.”
“Good, you know what needs to be done. Fury go and find any pegasus that can still fly and get them to combat ready, we’ll need them when the shield goes down. Applejack coordinate with the remaining soldiers, we need to fortify the castle. We’ll need to hold out till the crystal heart is ready to be used again. Understood?”
Applejack and Fury salute, “Understood.”
Luna watched them leave before entering the Castle, taking one final glance at the Crystal heart before closing the door.
--In the Arctic
Nightingale shivered violently as she dug herself out of the snow. Around her were the five changelings that chased after her, all dead, but they left their mark. She glanced angrily at her damaged wing, trying to move it, only to grimace in pain. No way was she flying out of here.
Stumbling through the snow she continued her way back to Equestria, hoping she didn’t die before she got there.
“I gotta make it home… I gotta make it home…” She chanted walking into the blizzard.
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Where are the commentators?
11684937
What do you mean? Commentators like sport announcers?