The Half Changeling: Isabella's story

by Sdlghskjvnkj

Battle Stratagem and the Call for Aid

Roderick's study was a mess. Books had been ripped from their shelves, tables and chairs had been flung about, some even out the windows, which now had large holes in it, the drapes had been shredded, and the know blank, dark orb was embedded in the one of the walls, a spider web of cracks running across said wall, away from the orb.
Roderick himself had taken refuge under his desk as Chrysalis's temper was exuded from her upon the room. She was standing in the middle of the room, she chest still heaving, her eyes blazing as he horn's acid green light slowly faded. Her wings twitched in nonrhythmic motions, spasming up and down and back and forth, making her seem a little more insectoid than usual.
After several long seconds, Roderick dared to pull himself out from under his desk and observe the damage Chrysalis had caused. It was a nightmare, and had he not been a spineless coward, he'd have said something, but Chrysalis was obviously not in the mood to take any whining from him. She began pacing, murder in both her eyes and heart.

Roderick slowly began picking up his valuables and books, putting them back where they belonged as quietly as possible, thinking as he did so.
Chrysalis had used one of the orbs and had failed to kill her target, but there was still one left. But when he thought about it, Chrysalis was more of a threat to him than Isabella herself. If he could somehow get a hold of the other orb, finish off Chrysalis, and then capture and kill Isabella, all his problems would be solved. He'd have control of the city and he wouldn't have to worry about being associated with his former partner in crime.
As he turned these thoughts over in his mind, Chrysalis slowly stopped pacing before stepping out onto the balcony, her eyes on the sky. Roderick hadn't noticed the dull sound of buzzing that was growing stronger and louder from outside, his mind still on his plot to betray and destroy Chrysalis.

A wide, malicious grin spread across Chrysalis's face as the sky grew darker, the buzzing still growing louder, the sun only coming through in short bursts between the members of the massive horde that was filling the sky. Her children had made it, and with their might, well over several thousand fold, she would finally crush her mistaken heir and keep her birth rite. There was only one more thing to do.

Roderick was finally putting the last bits of his ruined study to order when he turned around. He let out a gasp but that was all there was from his lips before a blinding flash of light followed by the sound of a gun shot filled and shook the room. He was hit with pain not even his most brutal tortures could bestow upon a person.

His eyes, ears, and nose began to bleed, blood trickling out from the corners of his mouth as well. He let out a howling gurgle and coughed, spraying the carpet with the dark crimson fluid that he'd thought was blue. His skin began to blister and warp as his hair started falling out. His eye slowly became swollen and finally popped, a quick gush of fluids joining the blood on the carpet. He began retching uncontrollably, vomiting several times, and continuing when his stomach had nothing left to spray forth until, with one final heave, his stomach and most of his small intestine shot from his mouth. The last thing he heard as his heart beat for the last time was Chrysalis's laughter ringing through his study.

The new Captain of the guard stood before Roderick's study door, beating on the wood.

"Sir! I heard an explosion and a scream! Are you alright in there?! Sir!"

The door was abruptly opened, but just a crack. A sliver of Roderick's face appeared in the crack of the door, his eye glaring at the Captain.

"What is it?!" He growled, menace deep in his voice.

The Captain took a step back in shock before regaining his composure quickly.

"I heard a disturbance in here. Is everything alright?"

"How many times have I told you that what I do in my private study is private? If I want to throw something and make a racket in my home I am entitled to. I've had enough questions from you, you're fired."

The door snapped closed in the bewildered face of the now ex-Captain of the guard. He stood there for a moment before slowly turning around and heading towards the barracks, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened.
On the other side of the door to the study, Chrysalis melted out of her guise of Roderick, turning around to look at her lieutenants, of which there were six. She smirked at them.

"Here we are again. Back in the capital of the foolish ponies, and this time we will take it."

Princess Celestia had gathered everyone in the great hall again. Isabella, Big Macintosh, Tentra, and Spike were all suited up and ready to leave, Spike having been over prepared by Twilight, who'd fussed over him almost like a mother. She stood behind the Princesses with the other ponies of harmony, watching as Princess Celestia addressed the four in front of them.

"My little ones, I pray that we may see each other soon. May you be safe in your trials and may wisdom and love guide you. Isabella." She turned her full attention on Isabella, who stepped forward. "Your sister made me aware of the changeling's ability to detect you, and you them. I will place a spell on you that can hide you from them in this sense. You will still be able to feel them, but they will not be able to feel your presence."

Isabella, nodded and closed her eyes as Princess Celestia's horn glowed gold. A cloud of the same shimmering light surrounded Isabella, lifting her off the floor a few inches, the others watching in awe. After several seconds, the cloud began to swirl about her and slowly thinned as it looked to seep into Isabella. She lighted gently back onto her feet and opened her eyes.

"It is done. I will let you all speak to one another before I send the four of you back to Canterlot."

As she stepped out of the way, Applejack ran forward and embraced Big Macintosh. Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy doing the same to Spike, who was swept up into the air by them.

"Y'all come back now, ya hear?" Applejack mumbled into Big Macintosh's mane, her voice thick with tears. Big Macintosh hugged her, long and hard, not letting go until Applejack pulled back. She then approached Isabella. They smiled at one another, both sets of green eyes sparkling with the tears they held back. They exchanged a brief hug before Applejack returned to stand with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie, Rarity and Fluttershy joining them soon after.
Then Twilight approached Isabella.

"Good luck. I hope your four will be safe."

Twilight smiled, and Isabella returned with one of her own. Then, as Twilight turned to walk away, Isabella called out.

"Twilight!"

"Yes?"

Isabella looked down as she spoke. "When this is all over, could you... introduce me to my father?"

Twilight's shocked expression turned into a gentle smile as she returned to Isabella, placing a hoof on her shoulder.

"I promise."

After a long paused, Twilight dropped her hoof and returned to stand by the others. Princess Celestia stepped forward and cleared her throat.

"We will see you soon. May fortune favor you."

The quartet nodded, Spike climbing onto Big Macintosh's back as Princess Celestia closed her eyes. Her horn shimmered a bright gold and in a flash of blinding light, they were gone.

Hawkeye was roused by the sound of someone pounding on his door. His eye opened slowly and a strong desire to club the person knocking on his door over the head swept into his mind. He had most definitely not gotten enough sleep. He let out a long and low groan before moving to the door and opening it bleary eyed. It took him a moment to focus on the face of the person standing. He squinted up at the mare for a moment, before bolting backwards. Isabella stood in the door, looking down at him.

"It's been a while, I'm sorry for having to leave like that." said Isabella as she, Hawkeye, and Big Macintosh walked through the bustling home. Nextis had already started everyone working on the new weapons and armor in the lower chambers of the house while others ran about gathering supplies throughout the house. "I'm glad to see you and Nextis kept a handle on everything."

"Uh... yes ma'am." murmured Hawkeye.

They stopped outside her old study, the one Hawkeye and Nextis had used for a command station, before she turned to look at him.

"I need you to tell everyone to meet me in the dinning hall in an hour. They are to continue working until then, preparing. I want you to find anyone comfortable with Canterlot and Ponyville, then come back here. I have some plans I need to go over with them."

Hawkeye saluted and ran off as Isabella stepped into her study, Big Macintosh behind her.

"You, uh, are pretty good at giving orders."

Isabella turned around once she stood behind her desk and looked at Big Macintosh. He looked worried as he looked her over. She sighed and smiled.

"I'm not relapsing. We have a war to fight, and I need these men to be in top condition. They need to know I've not lost my sense of battle, or they may become softer too. I don't want to be the way I was before, but I want to make sure we will win."

"So you're going to become their leader again?" Big Macintosh sat down opposite her, on the other side of the desk.

Isabella moved back around the desk and pressed herself against him, rubbing her neck against his.

"Once this is over, the war has been won, and Princess Celestia and Luna are back on their thrones, I'm disbanding the thieves. They are all good ponies, they just have to see it. I don't want to live here in Canterlot. I don't want to be a princess of anything. I want to be with you."

She looked up to his face and smiled as she saw the relief sweep across his face. She kissed him on the cheek and stepped back behind the desk as a knock came upon the door.

"Come in."

Big Macintosh stepped to the side as Hawkeye and Nextis stepped in, followed closly by Tentra, and to Isabella's and Big Macintosh's surprise, Derpy.

"Hi guys!" she cheered, waving at the both of them.

"Ma'am. These two have volunteered to help recruit help from Ponyville." Nextis gestured at the two mares, "and I would like to accompany then."

Hawkeye threw a quick glance at his dark friend, but said nothing as Isabella raised her eyebrows, looking them over, her eyes lingering on Tentra, who met her gaze. There was a moment of quiet as the two sent silent communication through that gaze. Isabella blew out a sigh before casting her eyes over the other two again.

"Very well. Nextis, you'll be leading the group, but that doesn't mean the other's can't offer opinions on the best way to begin recruiting. Derpy, You know the town and the townsfolk the best. You'll know how to get their attention better than the others. Tentra..." she paused, then pressed on, "..I personally don't think it's a good idea for you to go. The ponies of Ponyville have had quite a fright from our kind, and the others may be able to feel you go. What are you thoughts on this?"

"If I go, I would go disguised as one of the ponies of harmony. A figure head to lead the people to protect their land. I don't think my brood would be able to detect me so far away, and they would probably just think I'm part of a scout party if they could detect me. I would be honored to help bring these ponies to defend their people."

"I'll go."

Everyone turned at the sudden interjection to look at Big Macintosh. He was looking at each of the others in turn.

"I'll go. But I don't think Tentra should pretend to be somepony she ain't. She should go as herself. If the people see that we have one of the enemy on our side, they may find our chances of victory are better."

"Or they could think we have a spy in our midst and would think we'll lose." interrupted Nextis.

Isabella closed her eyes for a moment, before letting them open again, a long slow breath escaping her nostrils.

"I can condone Big Macintosh going, but I'm afraid I'd be more comfortable with you staying here Tentra." Tentra's face fell a little, but she didn't say anything. Isabella continued. "Now, I'm not entirely sure how you'll get down there. Is the train still running?"

"Yes, actually." said Hawkeye, "I think Roderick's forces are trying to make everything appear as normal as possible."

"Good. You three can go on the train. Big Mac and Derpy, you wont really need to conceal yourselves, but Nextis, you will."

"They know what Big Macintosh will look like. Both Roderick and Chrysalis saw him on the peak." Tentra commented.

"Oh yeah. Damn. He'll have to conceal his identity too, then." Isabella grumbled. "Alright. We can do that simply enough. We have mixes that will color your coat a different color or shade for a short time, long enough to get on the train and be half way to Ponyville before it begins to fade, so we can do that."

A murmur of agreement went through the room.

"Then it's settled. You three will be on the next train to Ponyville, while those of us here will continue preparing, seeing if anyone in town will be able to help as well."

"Aye aye, ma'am." Nextis saluted then turned about, heading for the door. "Big Macintosh, Derpy, follow me. We need to get ready."

Big Macintosh glanced at Isabella, who nodded, then followed Derpy and Nextis out of the room. Isabella put her hooves together and looked at Hawkeye and Tentra.

"You two are my commanders now. My orders will go through you to everyone below you. Can I count on you?"

Hawkeye threw up a salute and Tentra nodded.

"Good. Now, our hour is almost up, so we'll be meeting the others in the dinning hall soon. Lets get down there."

The murmuring filled the hall making it buzz like a bee hive as the large group of ponies filled the room. Once they were all there, Isabella stood up upon the dais and looked out among them, eyes scanning over faces, as the buzz fell into a hushed silence.

"Comrades. I am please to see so many of you safe and sound in our home once again, and so glad to know you are ready to fight for this great city and it's people. Though we used to be the oppressors and cut purses of the streets of Canterlot, in these next for days we will be the liberators. The bastion of freedom and salvation from the oncoming swarm. So be strong, make your armor hard, your swords and spears sharp, and pray you'll see the other side, for soon... We Rise!"

A huge eruption of shouts and cheers filled the hall as Isabella stood before them, smiling down at her men and women, who were bucking and jumping up and down. She stepped away from the edge of the dais and back to the others.

"They're motivated, and they're ready. Now we just need to get you three to the train. I can't accompany you, unfortunately. We'll eagerly await your return." she smiled at Big Macintosh, who tried to smile but only managed a grimace.

"It'll be alright. I'll see you in a few days." She whispered into his ear before kissing him gently and looking into his eyes. "I promise."

Hawkeye stepped up to Derpy, who smiled at him, her eyes still pointing in different directions. He spoke a few words to her under his breath to which she blushed unexpectedly. A moment later, he kissed her full on the mouth just for a moment. Both blushed hard, and even harder when they saw Big Macintosh and Isabella watching them, smiling. Hawkeye stepped up to Isabella's side and sat, not looking at the others, still a little red.
Nextis smirked and lead Big Macintosh and a slightly punch drunk looking Derpy to the entrance of the one of the secret exits, and with just a few steps, they were all lost from sight.

Nextis stopped just before a door that was slanted, giving the impression they would be coming out of the ground, and hung his lantern on a hook, before lighting several others around them, then turning to the others.

"Alright, we need to powder down. Derpy, we're going to do you too, just in case, alright?"

She nodded, as Nextis began digging through his saddle bag. Big Macintosh saw a small flash of metal as Nextis pulled out the jars of a few different shades of dark powder, A knife most likely. Much more discrete than a sword.
Nextis opened a jar of deep brown powder and looked up at Big Macintosh.

"This is the shade we'll be giving you"

Big Macintosh looked at the small jar, doubt etched in his face.

"Uh.. Ah don't think that little jar has enough powder to cover my entire body."

Nextis smirked and chuckled a little before scooping a small amount of the powder out.

"Oh ye of little faith."

And with that, he blew the powder into Big Macintosh's face.

Big Macintosh began coughing as he shut his eye. He raised his foreleg up to cough into it as a sharp tingle shot through his body. A gasp and another chuckle told him something had happened before his eyes even opened. His lids shot up and he looked around at Derpy as he blinked several times. She was staring at him with her criss crossed eyes, her mouth agape.
He looked down, and to his surprise and shock, his hair had gone from the deep red he was born with to the dark chocolate brown color of the powder Nextis had opened.

"How in the name of Celestia...?"

"Magic, my friend. It makes so many different things possible. Now, mane and tail are the same color, but that's not such a problem, it's not so uncommon to see this mixture of color. Now Derpy, it's your turn."

Once they all had new colored hair, they stepped from the secret door surreptitious, their eyes constantly looking about. They crossed the immense yard that, once well tended, looked a little over grown. Nextis stopped next to an unassuming patch of wall before glancing around and touching a small spot near the very base of the wall. It gave way and depressed a few inches. A small section of the wall slid to the side as Nextis waved them through. He gave one more glace around the abandoned yard before following the other's through, the wall sliding back closed behind him.
They began to move through the streets, not cutting across ally ways or crossing streets to avoid guards, as that would attract far too much attention. Many a time Big Macintosh held his breath as a sloping fore headed guard stumped past them, their dull eyes only just skimming over their faces.

Finally, they managed to get to the train station. Big Macintosh was astounded that they hadn't been stopped once. He tried to convey this to Nextis, but he couldn't catch his eye.
Nextis brought forth several bits and pushed them to the ticket master, who gave them a brief smile before pushing them their tickets, each one a thick, blue died piece of manila, Ponyville having been stamped on it. Many different colors covered the wall behind the ticket master, purple being absent. Purple was the color used for Canterlot.

"You three are lucky you got these tickets when you did. The train is just about to leave. Though I don't really blame you folks leaving. Things have been getting.... darker or late. Something just doesn't feel right. Ya' know what I mean?"

"Aye, figured we'd get out of dodge before something bad happened." Nextis smiled to the ticket master, who looked shocked.

"You really think something bad is gonna happen?"

"Might. As you said, it's been getting darker, and it's not because the sun is going down. Have a nice day."

Nextis scooped the tickets up and walked off, Big Macintosh and Derpy trailing behind him, the ticket master looking after absolutely stricken.

The mid afternoon found the Cutie Mark Crusaders snorkeling in the river that ran through Ponyville. Each one's head was currently under the water. Their snorkels and tufts of their manes were the only thing bobbing above the surface as they moved about.
After several minutes of gentle splashes and the sound of breath being pushed from and pulled into the small tubes, Scootaloo's head broke the surface first, followed only moments later by the other two.

"Ah hon't hink ee ill hind any hing in here" spouted Applebloom, forcing the small amounts of water out of her snorkel.

"Huh?" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo mumbled in chorus.

Applebloom spat her snorkel mouth piece out before repeating herself.

"Ah don't think we'll find anything in here. So far all we've found was a few skittish fish and mud."

"She has a point." grumbled Scootaloo. "I don't think we'll get marine biology cutie marks in the Ponyville river."

"Well, we could always try and get Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack to take us to the beach some time." Sweetie Belle suggested brightly.

"Ah don't know." said Applebloom, as she pulled herself from the river, helping the other two out and shaking herself off. "Apple season will be starting soon. Ah don't think Applejack would be willing to leave all the work to Big Macintosh."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sweetie Belle sighed as they began walking away from the river, their snorkels and goggles hanging off of their heads.

Their ears perked up as they heard the whistle of the Ponyville express, though none of them bothered to look around. Things had been a little dull since Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie had left.
Since they were heading toward the Apple Farm, they didn't see the dark crimson pony step off the train after it stopped, accompanied by the deep red and light gray ponies.

Mayor Mare stood before the large window in her office, looking out at the beautiful day that had graced itself upon Ponyville. It was hard to believe there had been two murders on the same day only a few day before. She shuddered at the memory. It was the first time in her memory there had been a murder in Ponyville. She shook her head to clear the thoughts out of her head, looking down at the square outside.
She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward as she adjusted her spectacles. There were three ponies who seemed to heading straight for the town hall. She recognized two of them, but the third, a large, dark stallion, was not from Ponyville. Big Macintosh and Derpy however had been absent from town life for the last few days.
It was then that she realized they must be coming to talk to her. What other reason would they have for coming to the town hall?
She turned to look at her desk, which was mired in scattered papers. With one more glance out the window at the approaching trio, Mayor Mare quickly began moving the papers about and putting some of them away.

Big Macintosh opened the door to find Mayor Mare sitting at her neat and tidy desk, a sheaf of papers in front of her that she had apparently been reading through. She peered over her spectacles at the trio entered her office. She set the papers down and looked up expectantly at them as Derpy closed the door behind them.

"Afternoon, Ma'am." Big Macintosh said, nodding his head slightly at the mayor.

She returned the gesture as she placed her hooves together, resting her elbows on the desk. "It's good to see you two again, and with a new friend I see. May I have the honor?"

"I'm Nextis, Ma'am. A pleasure to meet you. I wish we could be meeting under better circumstances."

Mayor Mare's eyebrows raised swiftly. She'd had a tough week with the murders that had only minutes previously plagued her mind. Now there was apparently more trouble.

"Something's else horrible has happened?"

"No yet Ma'am," Big Macintosh stated grimly. "but without intervention, something awful is going to happen to Canterlot, and from there, all of Equestria and beyond."

Mayor Mare's face blanched. She was just a simple mayor. Dropping stuff like this on her conscious might very well kill her. She swallowed hard, her eyes darting from Big Macintosh, Nextis, and Derpy, who was smiling blandly at her, before she licked her lips and opened her suddenly dry mouth.

"W-w..." She cleared her throat and tried again, her voice still small. "What do you want me to do?"

"Call a town meeting. We need to gather as many fighting ponies as we can get." Nextis said as he glanced at Big Macintosh.

Mayor Mare straightened up, doing her best to quell her fear. This was why she was the Mayor. She was the one to make decisions. She looked outside the window at the beautiful day. A fine day for Mayoring.

"When?" she queried.

The response came from both Nextis and Big Macintosh "Immediately!"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had reached their club house by the time the bells rang in town. Sweetie Belle stuck her head out the window to look towards town.

"Do you think it's something important?" Applebloom asked, as she flipped one of the cards she and Scootaloo were playing with.

"There wasn't an announcement or anything like that. No posters and it's not a holiday. I bet it is something important." Scootaloo added, slowly flipping a card herself.

"I can hear something else. Sound like someone shouting into a megaphone, but I can't understand them." muttered Sweetie Belle as she strained her ears.

Applebloom and Scootaloo joined her at the window, ears a prick. After a moment, Scootaloo spoke.

"I can't understand it either. We should go into town and see what's up."

"Lets go get Granny Smith. She shouldn't be left out. Ah hear the Mayor sometimes asks her for her opinion on official things." Added Applebloom.

There was a long moment of silence as the other two raised an eyebrow at her, skepticism written all over their faces.

"What? Just because she's old fashioned and has some funny ideas doesn't mean she's useless y'know."

"Alright. I'll get my scooter, lets go get Granny Smith and get into town."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders found Granny Smith sitting on her rocking chair, a benign look on her face as her chair creaked.

"Granny Smith! Granny Smith!" the three fillies cried as they ran up to her.

One of Granny Smith's eyes opened slowly and she looked at them, still smiling.

"Y'all need something?"

Applebloom skidded to a halt in front of her and began talking quickly.

"We were in the club house when we heard the town bells ringing, and we thought it was weird cause there wasn't anything planed for the day. So we were gonna go and see what was up, but we thought we should come back and get you, so we did. It sounded like something urgent."

There was a long silence. Jim the cricket thought this was a perfect chance to practice his chirping and was just about to start, when Tim the cricket slapped him.

"You idiot. Just because it's a silence doesn't mean you should chirp. You have to wait for an awkward silence. That one was just contemplative."

This exchange was lost on the ponies as they couldn't hear or even understand cricket.

Granny Smith blinked her open eye, her smile having slipped away. Her other eye opened and she blinked again.

"Alright fillies. Lets go."

She rocked back and forth a few times until she gave a mighty push and slide off the rocker, leaving it to rock back and forth.

"I'll go get the wagon." said Applebloom, about to head off around the side of the house.

"No need little'un. This ol' mare is gonna walk to town."

And with that, she began to walk toward town, at a pace slower than most. The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at one another and shrugged, then followed after Granny Smith.

Every pony in Ponyville stood around the podium that had been set up in front of the door to the town hall. Quiet murmurs and queries were sifting through the crowd, causing a buzzing around the square. As Mayor Mare stepped up to the podium with Big Macintosh, Nextis and Derpy a little behind her, the crowd slowly quieted, all their eyes upon the four ponies on the podium, expectant.

"Ponies of Ponyville. We have called you here on the reception of news most dire. War has come to Equestria."

The shocked silence last only moments before a bustle of conversation burst forth, everypony turning to their neighbors and, not just muttering now, but either chattering noisily or even down right yelling to one another. It took several attempts to quiet them, and even then, the buzz of whispered conversation didn't die down, even though the majority of the eyes were still on the Mayor.

"The changeling queen and her horde of changelings intend to attack Canterlot first and..."

"That should give us enough time to board up our homes and take cover!" Interrupted a light yellow stallion in the middle of the crowd. There was a mumble of agreement at these words as the eyes of the crowd moved back to the Mayor, who was gently pushed to the side by Nextis.

"Once they consume all the love from Canterlot, they'll move here, the closest relative to Canterlot. Do you really think your barricades will hold against a legion of hungry and savage creatures, ready to take what they want, without a second thought to you or your families?"

The light yellow stallion had become a little more pale and didn't speak up again. Big Macintosh took over from here.

"Ah know almost everyone in this town. Ah know you're peaceful ponies, but yer fiercely loyal. How many of you have family in Canterlot?"

Less than the majority raised their hooves, but one would have been enough.

"Will we barricade ourselves in our homes as our friends and family are consumed by the darkness of a tyrant?"

Bonbon called from near the back of the crowd.

"Can't the Princesses sort this out?"

"The Princesses have been busy for many years, fixing a problem that has been caused by the chaos of darkness. The darkness that will befall Canterlot will make their job that much harder. We depend on the Princesses too much. We have let them carry our weight for us for too long. Have we grown so weak that we can not help them in a time of need?"

Lyra spoke from next to Bonbon, inseparable as always.

"By what about the Ponies of Harmony? Why can't they push the queen away as they did before?"

"The Princesses have enlisted their help. Their work has been helped and quickened by the efforts of the Elements of Harmony, but they are just as unavailable as the Princesses. Come on everpony! Do we all have to rely on others to save the ones we love? Some of you have thought of the day when something bad comes and you wont have the Princesses or any bearers of the Elements of Harmony around to save you. Well that day has come!"

The crowd was beginning to look a little uneasy. Many looked around at the others for guidance, but everyone else was looking for guidance of their own.

"We don't know how to fight." said a brown stallion near the back.

"YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF NINNIES!"

The crowd parted in shock to look back and see who had bellowed the insult at them all.

Granny Smith stood there with the Cutie Mark Crusaders behind her. She looked incredibly cross and began speaking out to the crowd as she walked toward the podium.

"In the name of Celestia, I've never seen such a pack of cowards. Do none of you remember how we handled our problems before my grand daughter and her friends found the elements? Did we right a letter and whine to the Princess? No! We stood our ground, and we took care of the problem. YOU! MR. CAKE!" She jabbed at him with her hoof. "Are you going to just sit by and wait as those monsters destroy families and ponies, ponies that have children? What are you going to do once they have finished with Canterlot and come here, after your little ones!?"

There was a collective gasp from the crowd. Mr. Cake looked positively shocked, but then a dark shadow fell over his eyes. Her turned toward the crowd.

"She's right! How can we sit here and let those thing consume the families of Canterlot?! Many of you have children of your own! How would we feel if Canterlot sat by and watched as we were destroyed, and our children with us? Our friends and our families!"

Loud shouts of agreement began ringing through the air, the unsureness on the faces of the others ponies slowly slipping away, become replaced with looks of outrage and determination. Granny Smith pulled herself up onto the dais where the podium stood, brushing Big Machintosh's hoof away, before standing behind the podium itself.

"Are we going to let those families be destroyed?!" she yelled out.

"NO!" came the collective bellow of the crowd.

"Are we going to let those monster sweep across this great country?!"

"NO!" came the shouts of the crowd again.

"Then all of those ready and willing to fight, hug your families, kiss your children, or someone else's if you don't have any, and let us go to war!"

The resounding cry that rent the air was almost deafening as the ponies of Ponyville scattered, each one running to their homes to gather what the thought they would need. Granny Smith turned to seven ponies standing there with her, all with the same shocked expression on her face. She smiled as her eye narrowed and she spoke to Big Macintosh.

"We're ready, sonny."

Comments

[Crystal Static]

Great new chapter.

~Crystalline Electrostatic~

[SFaccountant]

If he could somehow get a hold of the other orb, finish off Chrysalis, and then capture and kill Isabella, all his problems would be solved

Actually, if you just killed Chrysalis, all your problems would be solved. You don't need to go after Isa. Really, the only thing Isabella and the others have against you is the murder-boner you have for her, and even that was barely justified.

The last thing he heard as his heart beat for the last time was Chrysalis's laughter ringing through his study.

"Here we are again. Back in the capital of the foolish ponies, and this time we will take it."

Geez, Chrysalis. Took you long enough.

Isabella looked down as she spoke. "When this is all over, could you... introduce me to my father?"

No. That's a TERRIBLE idea. Don't do that.
I mean, right after that, she'd have to introduce Shining to Big Mac, whom should be the same age as he is. That'll be totes awkward.

They are all good ponies, they just have to see it.

I don't really believe Isabella when she says that. She's never been shown to be a competent judge of character before, and being a good pony certainly wasn't a condition for signing up to her petty thievery brigade.

So be strong, make your armor hard, your swords and spears sharp, and pray you'll see the other side, for soon... We Rise!

Is there seriously not a single pony criminal here that objects to suddenly being used to fight a war for Canterlot when they've spent their entire lives stealing from its citizens and making an enemy of the guards, who should be the ones defending the city?

At least the Ponyville citizens had the good sense to question why the defense of the whole bloody nation should fall to THEM.