Identity

by Hyper44

Battle for Canterlot, part two

Some of the royal guards noticed some old familiar faces in the crowd. The retired ponies who worked at the church refugee camp had refused to be teleported out with the civilians. It wasn’t surprising, most warriors never truly retired.

Like a juggernaut, Iron Clad came charging through a horde of changelings sending the lucky dodgers flying into the air for their lives. In anger one of the changeling generals gathered them up and they flew down in mass at the earth pony. The huge stallion took a stance with his head low and snorted as he waited for them to come.

They never made it and were literally stopped by bolts out of the blue. A small but very dark thundercloud came spinning out of the sky and crashed into the black swarm where it burst sending lightning and changelings flying in all directions.

Above the huge earth pony Lightning Jolt gave a quick salute then speedily flew to the next cloud. Soon thunderclaps were resounding all over Canterlot's sky and Changelings were repeatedly scattered by lightning bolts. The pegasus ponies either grounded themselves for safety or flew off to find Lightning Jolt more clouds. The massive invading army had to struggle with having to land and trying to hide from the powerful attacks from the sky while still having to fight the army on the ground.

Lightning Jolt had never felt so alive in all of her remembered life and probably never had known anything like this before it. She was terrified and excited as adrenaline flooded her veins. She shot from cloud to cloud in a purple streak. Her blue mane and tail were crackling with static and were frizzed out in a crazed mess. She beat her oversized wings at the air and her half artificial heart pounded in her chest but she did not fear it would give out. She couldn’t help but laugh and shout as she flew. It seemed as if none of the changelings could touch her, as if any would dare. Her body crackled with electricity and tiny bolts would even shoot out from her after hitting a cloud. The only reason she could figure that she was not electrocuted on impact was the fact that she was not grounded.

She had no idea how long she flew back and forth across the city busting clouds everywhere. Finally, Lightning Jolt had to slow down to turn more white clouds into thunder clouds and rest her aching wings a bit. As she flew up panting to the first one she never saw the attack coming because she could not hear the buzzing in her ringing ears. She was struck from behind and she felt a sharp shock as electricity passed from her to the attacker. It was stunned but Lightning was worse off from the blow and was sent hurtling down to the city streets. She struggled to recover before her stunned body slammed into the paved roads. She managed to right herself just as she passed roof level but as she started to arc upwards another changeling came hurtling down. It struck her out of the air. She hit the ground and rolled across the street. She was too stunned to move and cringed as the changeling came flying in to finish the job. Then Lightning Jolt almost screamed as the changeling queen suddenly appeared beside her.

"Stop fool!" Chrysalis roared at the changeling and it jerked to a clumsy stop. "Go tell the others that I have ordered a retreat." The changeling quickly spun around flew off. The changeling queen looked down at Lightning Jolt with a grin and then suddenly magical walls fell. There stood Smog. Lightning Jolt squinted trying to read his lips and strained her ears as he spoke.

"You are definitely not the pony I once knew." He said. His horn flashed again and magical walls went up. This time he was a changeling general. "Their leaving this area and you should be safe until the battle is over." With that he took off down the street to find more changelings to give false orders to.

Lightning Jolt sat her aching body up. She understood most of what he was saying. Part of her wanted to wait in safety until this was over. Another's part of her responded with, "As if!" That part was stronger. She gave herself a few more moments to recover, stretched her limbs then took off into the air once again.

The pegasus guards were already turning the clouds into thunder clouds for her. With her body pumping with adrenalin again, Lightning Jolt grabbed the closest one and flew off to find a target.

When a handsomely ember coated stallion saw her he shouted for joy. Ember Light was still running through the streets next to Fluttershy using his magic to protect her and other aid ponies from being attacked. He had always thought that his talents made him pretty much just a show pony and handy pony when one was out of candles but now he had found a new used for his skill with lights. Not only could he frighten off changelings with fake monsters and decoy soldiers he could confuse and hypnotize them with the flashing, color changing light. . He soon found himself running alongside stout ponies of the royal guard and they treated him like one of their own. This was quite an uplifting thing for a pony who had for most of his life been considered to be nothing more than a pretty pony. It made him swell with pride.

He stood up on his hind legs lighting up his horn as four changelings landed and tried to make their way towards Fluttershy and an unconscious guard. The mare dropped to the ground and covered her eyes to protect herself from the light.

"Incoming!" One on the stallions yelled just as another cloud exploded above the city. Ember Light spun around to see changelings raining out of the sky. Ponies ducked and shielded themselves as they came down but most were too stunned to fight. When Ember Light and the other stallions looked back to Fluttershy they saw five Fluttershys all looking at each other with confusion.

"Horse apples!" One of the guards cursed "We're far enough away from the princesses spell to keep them from changing!"

"I'm the real Fluttershy!" All of them cried almost at once.

"No your not!"

"No, I am!"

"It's me! You have to believe me!"

"No! I'm Fluttershy!"

The guards groaned. "Now what? We can't risk blasting the real one? Does anyone know the spell to remove changeling disguises?"
The other guards shook their heads while the five Fluttershys continued to plead their cases all at once and Ember Light scratched his chin. He smiled suddenly.

"Hey look what I can do." He said suddenly with a big grin that confused everypony. His horn lit up and behind him appeared an image of a thirty foot dragon. It was see-through enough to be obviously fake but very detailed with savage claws, evil eyes and a wide open dripping mouth as it stalked toward them. Four Fluttershys stared in confusion while one squealed and ran behind the guards. The guards quickly charged the fake Fluttershys while Ember Light scampered over to the real one who was lying on the ground with both hoofs over her head.
"You knew it was fake." Ember Light said.

"I don't care! Don't you ever do that again!" She yelled. "Now let's get this stallion to safety." She said and ran over to the unconscious guard.

* * *

Serval blocks away a little pink coated and red maned earth pony mare ran between buildings.zxzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz The street was deserted but not for long. A group of changelings that was fleeing royal guards flew down the passage. Spotting her running through the streets they quickly landed and surrounded her.

"Oh look, it's a cute little mare." One who appeared to be the leader said. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here?" He asked.

Struggling not to grin slyly she sat down and wrapped her tail around herself. She did her best to tremble and looked at them with wide eyes. "You wouldn’t hurt me....would you? I'm not a soldier. I'm no threat, I'm just trapped here."

"Not if you’re a good hostage and the princesses will pay for you, maybe not then." He said stalking forward. "Of course if they don't then-" Wham!

Valentine suddenly lunged up and head-butted the changeling right in the face. He fell backwards to the ground wailing and clutching his face. The others stared as they processed what had just happened.

"I would think that changelings of all creatures would understand how deceptive looks can be." Valentine snapped. "Oh, I may be cute but I am a member of the proud and strong earth pony race and no pony to be messed with!"

The changelings hissed and charged at her. Valentine lunged forward to meet them. She punched, kicked, bucked and head-butted every changeling in sight. Her fire for fight had been doubled. They left soldiers to come after someone they thought could not fight! They conquered by attacking civilians, mares and foals! They sought out the weak! Oh, that made her so angry.

Overwhelmed by the fight in the would be victim some tried to flee only to be pulled out of the air by a leaping Valentine. Soon though more changelings came flying down the street in such numbers that she was forced to flee. Oh, how she hated to flee. Some of the changelings that she had been fighting joined in eager for revenge.

Valentine managed to stay ahead of them for a while. She was losing steam but the changelings were as well. She took random turns and even cut through buildings but could not escape the aerial charge. She finally accepted the fact that she could not escape them and she could not likely run long enough to find help. Tears began to fill her eyes but she quickly blinked them away and set her mind to her task. Valentine slammed her hoofs down and skidded to a stop.

The changelings stopped as well and hovered in the air. They held back watching their opponent turn around and stair them down. A change had come over her. Valentine let out a breath and rolled her shoulders, loosening up her muscles. She flexed every limb and popped her back. Then she looked her at her opponents with a steadfast gaze. It was the hard gaze only given by a warrior.

She had always know that this may come. Every soldier, every guard, everypony that fought for their country or others knew that this day could easily come. A day, a battle when they would fight to the death. They did not want it to come but if it did, if they looked at that last dance in the eye they would run to it with no reserve, no cry to live but with all of their being thrown into this last battle. They would race into the fight with passion burning brighter than ever before and there was no warrior more dangerous to face. The changelings heisted seeing this but they were numerous and she was only one. Several suddenly flew down towards her and the rest followed. the lead flyers were the first to be knocked out of the air. Valentine fought like she had never fought before. Everything became a blur as she ran on instinct. She barely felt the blows that got through nor did she care. She had accepted the fact that she would not survive and she was going to make her last moments count.

Finally several changelings managed to seize her while another charged, horn first at her. In the next second the world seemed to explode with a defining sound and she found herself tumbling across the paved road. Still full adrenaline she staggered up to her feet and saw a purple pegasus flying past while pushing a storm cloud ahead of her. She kicked the clouds making another bolt crack over the heads of the changelings. Those who were conscious fled.

Valentine tried calling out to Lightning Jolt but the pegasus was already out of sight chasing after the changelings with her cloud.

Filled with anger after seeing them gang up on her friend Lightning Jolt pursued them halfway across the city. She was exhausted, her transplant lungs hurt and her wings ached but she flew on. The changelings suddenly doubled back to try to frighten her off but she ended up slamming into them into them with her cloud. It exploded sending changelings flying in all directions and Lightning Jolt hurtling across Canterlot. She skidded across a roof top and over the side. She struggled to fly back up but her tired wings only manage a controlled decent to the ground. She collapsed on the road and lay panting with her ears ringing and her exhausted muscles shaking uncontrollably. Her mane was and tail was a static mess. She could smell singed hair and feel the popping and crackling of the energy as it left her. Mostly though, she could feel the ach of her body and knew that she could fight no more.

Comments

[PegaSeraph]

This is sooo good (squee!)

[Hyper44]

6431387 Oops! Thank you. I'll fix that! Darn auto correct. It makes me say things that I didn't Nintendo.

[Hyper44]

6431419 Ohh! Thank you!

[Nox Knock Jokes]

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!