Identity

by Hyper44

Battle for Canterlot

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!" The New Wave leader shrieked over the noise of the battle. Light Hooves was slumped on the stage and almost lying on her stomach with her forehooves holding her head in terror as the two armies battled above and in front of her. As much as she hated the alicorn she had instinctively huddled closer to Celestia.

"They used you just as you planned to use them." Celestia explained calmly instinctively spreading a protective wing over the unicorn as was her nature. "Thanks to you they were able to sneak in and hide more than they did last time." Her face turned from unreadable to fierce. "Now get out of my kingdom! Any New Wave pony I find still around after this will be arrested and the Cinder Island embassy will not be able to save you from trial!" With that she flapped her huge wings and despite being drained from the massive teleportation leaped into the fray.

Light Hooves scrambled from the stage as serval changelings were slung there by Celestia's magic. She slammed headfirst through the door to chase after her companions who had already fled. "She would have teleported us out too if she was so benevolent!" She screamed in anger at the winds.

* * *

On the rolling hills at the base of the mountain the entire populous of Canterlot appeared in a blinding flash of light. Some just stood confused. Those who had been outside to witness the changeling swarm were either clutching each other or stumbling to a stop in having been transported in mid run. All around were decorated tables adorned with a huge buffet and a field of quilts with even more food and drink was spread out before them. The entire staff of the castle and the refugee ponies were already there.

"Good morning." The head butler of the castle greeted them. "We have been expecting you. The princess invite you to enjoy a royal picnic on this lovey day while they take care of your pest problem. The castle was too small for all of you but this is much nicer, no?"
No pony noticed the two coins laying on the grass with no pony to claim them.

* * *

Back in Canterlot every building was empty as the battle began to spread through the streets. Every building except one. In a high rise and extravagant condo complex was a solitary couple. Across the door was a banner with the words, "Welcome to the anniversary of Jet Set and Upper Crust, two very important ponies who have had an audience with the princess twice."

"...And can you believe it dear? That guard kept insisting that he give me a coin as if I was some common beggar." The stallion, Jet Set said.

"I know the same thing happened to me." Upper Crust responded but kept looking at the door. "I just pretended to take it and then threw it away when nopony was looking.

"I did the same." Jet Set said with a laugh. "When we finally do get to see the princess I am going to report them. Imagin, treating us like beggars. The nerve!"

"Good idea but for now shouldn’t our guest be arriving soon?" Upper Crust commented as she got up and headed for the door.

"They should be. Yes go and check and see if their down stairs while I see what all that growing noise is about." Jet Set said and headed to the window with a mind to yell down at some common ponies to shut up. His wife had disappeared out the door before he reached the window. His ears twitched as he picked a louder sound, buzzing. "What is that? Ug, probably horrible flies. I can't let them in, they'll ruin the classiness of the party. Disgusting creatures." He cracked the window open cautiously. The shutters were suddenly kicked off their hinges sending Jet Set skidding across the room. He sat up to see a changeling landing on the floor a few feet away. He screamed in a higher pitched voice than a stallion should and scrambled behind a table. The changeling smirked and started stalking him slowly to enjoy the moment.

"Stay back!" Jet Set squealed in the same voice and began throwing everything that he laid a hoof on. The changeling was bombarded with hors d’ oeuvres, champagne and other fine food. It shook it off and charged with an angry hiss. Jet Set screamed and spun around to buck the table with strength that he didn't know he had. He barely heard it crash into the changeling as madly continued to throw everything within reach.

"Honey!" The distraught voice of his wife called. He stopped to see his wife limping towards him from the direction of the door. The fine clothing that she had been wearing for the occasion was now dirty and had a huge rip down the side.

"Oh Honey! What happened?!" Jet Set cried and rushed over to hold her.

"One of those horrible beasts just scrambled out of here and practically ran over me." She cried returning the embrace. "His sharp hoofs tore a hole in my dress but it's just a dress and I don't care as long as we're safe here together."

"What!" Jet Set yelled jumping back and dropping her to the floor. "My wife would never say that!" He grabbed a serving try from the floor and started clubbing the changeling until it managed a mad scramble out of his reach away and shot out the window. Jet Set swung at the air a few moments before he realized that the changeling was gone. Then Jet Set dropped the try and ran out the door calling his wife's name. When he heard her screaming around a turn in the hall his pace doubled. "Upper Crust! Oh. No! Don't you dare hurt her!" When he spun around the corner he saw her flailing, kicking and punching so madly at a changeling that the poor, battered would be attacker fled in worse panic than her. She was still kicking when Jest Set rushed up and she gave him a punch in the nose.

"It's me Honey!" He cried staggering back clutching his nose.

"Jet Set! On, Honey look at the tear that horrid thing made in my dress!" She cried pointing at the small inch long rip. "That uncouth ruffian!"

"That's my girl!" Jet Set said taking her hoof and they raced back to their apartment to hide.

* * *

The battlers in Canterlot continued to spread out throughout the city as each individual and each group of either army tried to gain any advantage that they could. They burst into buildings and smashed up stone work. Pegasus and changelings fought in the air between and above buildings. The streets was chaos of black and armored bodies with biting fangs, swinging spears and kicking hoofs. There was no rule of clean fighting if such a thing ever existed in war. The two princesses flew about scattering changeling and constantly casting spells to keep them from taking on any from except their own.

Princess Luna landed atop a building to take aim at a group of changeling below only to have to jump back to avoid a green blast aimed at her horn. A larger-sized changeling commander landed in front of her with is horn still glowing. With one look anypony could see that he had recently had his fill of love and was full of magic. He grinned, bearing his fangs at the princess and lit his horn up even brighter to show off his power and try to intimidate her. Luna stared unflinchingly back. "This will be fun!" She snorted as she tensed her muscles and readied her magic.

Suddenly and even larger changeling landed next to him. Queen Chrysalis grinned a slow and maniacal grin. "How about now?"

"Ah, ha! The fun has been doubled!" Luna's wings spread wide as she released a blast of energy.

It was a blast that a trio looking out from a castle window could almost feel the heat of. The battle looked like it would come right up against the door step of the castle. It wouldn’t matter though for no changeling could enter. For one red maned pony that was not particularly agreeable. Valentine looked on unable to keep still. Her hoofs twitched and almost pawed at the window sill. Her tail flicked back and forth behind her in agitation. Then not far below she saw six friends that she had met recently fighting against the changelings. This made it any harder to obey Celestia and stay inside.

Twilight, still not used to her wings was fighting on the ground and using her magic to pull changelings out of the air. Rainbow Dash was everywhere at once fighting with gusto. Pinkie acted as if it was a game but was no less effective. Apple Jack was bucking the daylights out of any changeling that dared to come near. Even the usually prissy Rarity had no problem joining the fray. Fluttershy was and had been for some time running around franticly and helping injured soldiers get to the field medics. She screamed and ducked every time a changeling flew past. Then she spotted a group of changelings stalking a soldier that was limping badly. Like a bolt of lightning Fluttershy darted over between them. She fixed them with a glare that would have made Valentine cringe. They couldn’t make out what she was saying but they could hear the fierce and angry tone carried on the winds. The changelings cowered before her.

'Wow! Remind me to get her to teach me how to do that.' Valentine thought. It was almost torture for the mare to stay up here where it was safe. She was sure that the Equestrian side would win but even then there would still be ponies that lost. There would still be ponies that lost. That thought echoed in her head and sealed the deal.

"Ember Light! Undo the disguise spell that the princesses cast on me. I'm not sitting here any longer and I what to fight as myself!" She stated stepping back from the window.

"What?" Ember light asked and both he and Lightning Jolt stared at her.

"You can do as you want but I am not sitting this out. If I can help only one pony then that is enough but I won’t aim for just one." She stated in the same firm voice. "Change me back to myself and teleport me down to the ground. "I am going with or without your help." She added when Ember Light didn't move.

"Alright you win, just please come back alive." He said. In one flash of his horn Valentine was her pink and red self again. Ember Light’s horn lit up again and she vanished. Ember Light and Lightning Jolt looked out the window to see the pink mare race off between the buildings.

"I guess I can't just stay here either." Ember Light said stepping back and lighting up his horn. In a flash of ember light and the illusion spell was gone.

"Me too." Lightning Jolt said.

Ember Light hesitated. "Are you sure? I mean with you heart and everything-"

"Me too!" Lightning Jolt repeated stomping a hoof on the ground. "Like Valentine you will not stop me and I would rather be myself." She said firmly even though was terrified at the concept of jumping out into the fray but she was not going to be the only one who reused to go.

"Alright, alright." Ember Light said and cancelled the spell. "Please be careful and don't let bravado get you to do something stupid." He begged giving her a hug. Lightning Jolt nodded and flew out the window before she lost her nerve which she was in danger of doing.

Ember Light was left alone in the throne room. He sighed. "I really hope that I did the right thing.” He said then vanished. He reappeared on the pavement below.

"Let me tell you something else! We ponies are not just food. We are not inferior beings for you to dominate!" He heard Fluttershy yell at the changelings. "How dare you come in here and try to terrorize the ponies here! How dare you attack our city again! How dare you try to steal away a pony’s loved one! Do you realize how horrible that is?! Go on, get out of here and think about what you have done!"

The cowering changelings turned and fled and the angry Fluttershy scrambled to the side of the stallion while calling for the medics to bring a stretcher. A short time later as they carried him to safety she squealed as two battling flyers collided over head and was back to running franticly about.

Ember Light who had been slinging attacking changelings about in his shimmering orange magic ran to her side ready blast any enemy that came near.

* * *

Lightning Jolt flew slowly over the battle giving any flying fighters a wide birth. Now that she was out here she was not sure what she was going to do. She wanted to help but she was not just scared, she was terrified! Yes she had encountered timber wolves and some monsters but save for body slamming a timber wolf in a freak out moment all she had done was run away and those incidents were nothing like this. The sounds and sights of a full scale battle overwhelmed her. She was shaking so badly that her wings trembled making it hard to fly.

She tried spotting her friends below but all she saw was chaos. She yelped and did a barrel roll to dodge as Luna and two large changelings came hurtling her way. She and the smaller changeling tumbled through the air as they struck at each other with armored hoofs.

The larger changeling, Chrysalis broke free from the fray and swung around behind Luna to strike her in the back while she was distracted. Her magic barely had time to build before white hoofs slammed down on her from above. The magic blast fired off prematurely and hit the changeling commander in the face and the queen plummeted down barely able to recover before she hit the ground. Hissing, Chrysalis looked up to see Princess Celestia bearing down on her. "Time for a rematch!" The princess roared.

Lightning Jolt looked up just in time from the battling titans to spot a changeling flying straight towards her. Lightning Jolt flipped around and zigzagged across the sky. The changeling stayed right on her tail. It sensed weakness in her and was not about to quit. Lightning Jolt tipped her wings and flew up to the clouds with the hissing black pony almost close enough to bite her tail and It was trying too.

Lightning Jolt entered a cloud and suddenly changed direction to lose it. She exited the side of the cloud and began flying towards another to hide. Looking back she thought that she had left it behind to search the cloud in vain. A second later it burst out and charged at her with renewed speed. It was so focused on Lightning Jolt that it never saw the blue and rainbow colored streak come arching up into the altitudes. Rainbow Dash collided with the unsuspecting changeling and they went hurtling back down towards the city.

"Don't you dare hurt my frienddddddd!" She yelled as they plummeted back into the fray.

Lightning Jolt watched them go. She was well above the fight now and could see everything. It looked like a mass wreathing black and silver smattered with various colors in the maze of the city streets. If she had thought that she knew what chaos looked like before, she definitely knew now. She still had no idea how she could help though. She was just one lone little pony. She looked in dismay are her skinny legs that were attached to her small body feeling helpless. Then she remembered the clouds that were all around her. The copious amount of wonderful, useful clouds.. A smile spread over her face and her heart began to beat rapidly as her fear became mixed with excitement.

Comments

[PegaSeraph]

She yelped and did a barrow roll to dodge
a barrow is a grave hill
I think you mean barrel

[Nox Knock Jokes]

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!