Lateral Movement

by Alzrius

484 - The Jaws of Defeat

I need to take them out fast if I’m going to win this.

For all the bravado that she’d expressed to Double Diamond – currently trotting back to join the others at a safe distance – Starlight knew that she was in trouble. As much as it galled her that she was being pushed to the brink by a group of children and their pets, she knew that if she couldn’t turn the tables on them in one fell swoop, she was going to lose. There simply wasn’t any other path to victory.

That was going to be tough, however, given how bad her current situation was. Nor could she see any easy way of changing it. Flying might have given her some breathing room, since there were only two pegasi in their group, along with an equal number of birds. But with how tired and injured she was, Starlight wasn’t confident that she’d be able to keep herself aloft while simultaneously trying to dodge the flyers and counterattack. A series of rapid-fire teleports would have let her easily outmaneuver everypony, but Starlight knew that would almost certainly eat through her remaining stamina before she put them down. Raising a shield around herself might buy her some time, but it would never last long enough for her to recover her strength, serving only to delay the inevitable. Turning invisible wasn’t much better; even if she made sure to incapacitate the wolf first so it couldn’t track her by scent, she couldn’t stay that way and attack at the same time, and with how weary she felt she wasn’t confident that she’d be able to get the jump on the rest of those kids once they realized that she always reappeared a split-second before she blasted them.

Fighting defensively, in other words, was a losing proposition. But knowing that didn’t help unless she had a plan that involved going on the offensive, and Starlight was having a hard time coming up with one. An extended fight simply wasn’t an option; with how depleted she was, she had no illusions about being able to defeat more than one or two members of the Beast and Brat Brigade – or whatever they called themselves – before the rest dogpiled her again. So what alternatives did that leave…?

Unfortunately, those foals weren’t content to let her just stand there and come up with a plan. “Get her!”

Grimacing as the earth colt and his wolf led another charge at her, clearly looking to replicate their earlier success, Starlight gave ground, frantically trying to think of something – anything – that would allow her to regain the initiative. But as the wolf lunged for her legs again, an attack that Starlight only barely managed to dodge since she’d been expecting it, she realized that she was out of time. Then the earth colt plowed into her, batting aside Starlight’s trying to ward him off with the forked end of her staff, and sent them both sprawling. “Got you!” he yelled triumphantly.

“Fruit Crunch! Grab her horn this time!” yelled the earth filly, trailing behind the others.

“On it!” The earth colt – Fruit Crunch – reached a hoof up hurriedly, and Starlight felt it brush against her horn, her telekinetic hold on her staff flickering as he did.

But he’d overextended himself in doing so, allowing Starlight to gather her hind legs under her, kicking out as soon as she could. “Get OFF!”

The kick sent the colt stumbling, buying Starlight some breathing room…for exactly a half-second. Then the pegasus filly dove down from above, her little wings beating frantically. Desperate to get out of the way, Starlight rolled, certain that the girl was following her friend’s advice and going for her horn. It was with a small measure of grim satisfaction that she felt the girl’s hoof make contact with her right shoulder instead, the touch surprisingly light.

But the filly didn’t seem at all bothered by having missed her mark, pulling up and zipping away with an elated grin. “Hah!”

“Nice job, Cleansweep!” called the pegasus colt, coming in at a low angle even as his friend retreated, his eyes fixed on her staff.

For a split-second Starlight was tempted to let him have it. It wasn’t like she needed the thing anyway, especially after that line she’d fed Double Diamond. But as powerless as it was, the oversized stick was still her only weapon, and losing it would mean being even more helpless than she already was.

Her lips pulling back in a snarl, Starlight gave the kid exactly what he wanted, lashing out with the staff as he zoomed in. Not with magic – he would simply have deflected that, which was clearly why he felt so confident rushing straight in the way he was – but with the butt end of it, thrusting it at him as though it were a spear.

The move clearly caught the kid by surprise, and the blunt end of the staff caught him across his side, nearly clipping one of his wings as he veered off with a yelp. The sight brought Starlight another momentary burst of satisfaction. Weren’t expecting that were you? she snickered to herself as she hurriedly climbed to her hooves.

…or rather, tried to. But for some reason, her right foreleg wasn’t listening to her commands, twitching numbly as though it had fallen asleep. The lack of sensation was enough to make alarm rush through Starlight, trying to figure out what had happened, only to realize an instant later that part of her back was similarly insensate, mostly around her right shoulder-

Her eyes widening as she realized what that pegasus filly – Cleansweep – had done, Starlight was caught completely unawares as the earth filly from before, the one with the incredible strength, clamped her teeth around the end of her tail. “This is what happens when you try and hurt my friends!” she growled, before giving a sharp tug.

Starlight couldn’t hold back a yelp of pain as she was suddenly pulled into the air, the filly whirling her around and around to build up speed. Fighting down a surge of panic and dizziness, knowing that she was about to either be flung into a building or slammed into the ground, Starlight cast a spell. Ignoring the ache that doing so sent through her overworked horn, she fired a blast of energy, using the center of the centrifugal force that was keeping her in the air as a guide on where to aim.

A moment later Starlight felt herself soaring through the air, the world spinning every which way as she tried to orient herself. The sensation was nauseating, and it was almost a relief when she hit the ground a second later, rolling end over end before coming to a stop next to the ruins of what Sonata had told her used to be a train station. For a moment, Starlight felt everything continue to twist and whirl, even though she knew she had already landed, and she distantly remembered how she and her best friend Sunburst had sometimes held spinning contests back when they’d been little, challenging each other to spin around as many times as they could in order to see who could do more before becoming too dizzy to continue. The last time they’d done that, in fact, had been the day before he’d gotten his cutie mark…

The memory of her childhood friend was enough to remind her of what she was fighting for, and Starlight squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to focus before opening them again. Somepony please say I took out that pint-sized powerhouse at least, she groaned silently.

The answer came to her a second later, as she saw the filly in question climb to her hooves, unharmed save for spitting a few purple hairs out of her mouth. The sight made Starlight blink, fighting back despair as she glanced at her tail…

Which was now several inches shorter, her blast having hit it rather than the girl.

Fortunately, the other foals were more concerned about their friend than with pressing their advantage, clustering around her in concern, along with most of their animals. But Starlight knew that wouldn’t last once they noticed that she was still conscious-

“She’s not down!” The unicorn colt – who had been staying at the edge of the battle before rushing over to join the others in checking on their friend – was already pointing at Starlight, his expression alarmed. “You guys! She’s not down!”

The warning was enough to turn the other foals’ attention back toward her, and Starlight groaned as she tried to stand up despite her numb foreleg and lingering dizziness, knowing that if they overwhelmed her a third time the fight would be over. Belatedly realizing that she’d lost her staff when she’d been flung through the air, Starlight caught sight of it clutched in the talons of the eagle and owl, the birds flapping hard as they carried it over to the foals. But that was fine, she reminded herself dazedly, she’d convinced Double Diamond and the others that she could do without it for a short period of time…

Which was all she had left, as the foals – with the unicorn colt once again in possession of her staff – were advancing her again, their beasts in tow.

Stumbling, Starlight hobbled over to the crumbling wall of the ruined train station, leaning against it before sliding down into a sitting position. Biting her lip, she telekinetically grabbed a piece of rubble that was almost as big as she was, planting the broken chunk of stone between her and the foals. Then another one of similar size directly to her left. Then a third on her right. Then one more right in front of her. Then-

“Are you trying to make a fort?” came the confused voice of Cleansweep.

Looking up, Starlight saw that the foals had surrounded her, spread out in a half-circle, each of them with their animals next to them. Oddly, Cleansweep didn’t seem to have one…

“You’re dreaming if you think those will save you,” snorted the earth filly, stomping one hoof for good measure.

“For your own sake, stay down until Lex gets here,” added the pegasus colt. “He’ll decide what to do with you.”

“It’s over, Starlight Glimmer.” Fruit Crunch was grinning, making no effort to hide how pleased he was at having won the battle. “Give up. If you try to keep fighting, a few rocks aren’t going to protect you from us.”

“I know,” chuckled Starlight weakly. “They’re not meant to.” With another groan, she moved another large stone into place. By now they were starting to resemble a wall, albeit an extremely crude one.

“What does that mean?” The unicorn colt was the only one who looked nervous, the rest of his friends seeming to be puzzled by her behavior without being alarmed.

“It means,” smirked Starlight, letting the last stone settle into place, “that I finally figured out a plan for beating you.”

Then she raised the largest shield she could, big enough to enclose the foals inside with her. That part couldn’t be helped, since she hadn’t had enough time to figure out how to convert her shield spell – which could only be erected around herself – into a containment spell that could be raised around somepony else. Instead, the rocks would have to serve as cover for what was about to happen…

“This was a ploy!” yelled the unicorn colt, pressing his hooves against the shield in a futile attempt to find a way out. “She wanted us to get this close!”

“Stand back!” Removing her badger from her back, the earth filly reared up on her hind legs and drew a foreleg back, preparing to punch the shimmering dome around them. “I’m gonna try and break it down!”

“Forget the force field!” Fruit Crunch was already in motion, lunging toward Starlight. “Whatever she’s about to do, stop her!”

But Starlight’s horn was already glowing brightly. “TOO LATE!” she yelled, and now it was her turn to have her voice brim with triumph. “I WIN!”

I hope, she added silently.

She put all of her remaining strength into the magical blast she fired then, not bothering to aim, knowing that the interior of the shield would make it ricochet wildly…

And catch them all in the crossfire.

Author's Note:

The Night Mare's Knights put Starlight Glimmer on the ropes, only for her to use a reckless move at the last possible moment!

Will the Knights be able to overcome Starlight's last, desperate ploy? Or has she managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?

Comments

[David Silver]

There is nothing that can go wrong with this plan.

[Not so New Brony]

Even if she wins, she will undoubtedly be exhausted, leaving her easy pickings for Lex to deal with and depending on the state of his apprentices, Starlight better hope Double Diamond and the others have enough sense to grab her and retreat cause Lex would be beyond furious as would the friends of those that Starlight hurt.

And no argument for the pain she suffered in the past would ever justify what she did today. The only way things could go in her favor is if Twilight and her friends somehow arrive just in time to witness Lex preparing to curse Starlight while he's surrounded by multiple hurt mares and foals...that's not what's going to happen, is it?

[Maxemilien]

The boiling point is coming...
it'll vaporize like steam

For Starlight Glimmer has lost the fight;
In this, she isn't queen.

But do not think,
My dearest reader

That trouble is over
Done.

For I believe Alz's masterplan
Has only just begun

[Booster Spice]

Cleansweep used Substitute.

Its Super Effective?

At least, its the only thing I can think of, especially given the 24 hour recovery?

[Alzrius]

10277409 Reckless plans are kind of Starlight's thing. I mean, screwing around with time, brainwashing Twilight's friends, switching Celestia and Luna's cutie marks, etc. Her reaction to stress tends to be "screw it, YOLO."

[Alzrius]

10277537 Hehehe, you have no idea.

[Alzrius]

10277936 Actually, that was meant to indicate that Venin was still standing watch over Aria and Garden Gate. But with Cleansweep being caught up in Starlight's last-ditch plan, who will heal the healer?

[Alzrius]

10277476 Starlight has reached the point where she no longer had the luxury of considering the fight after this one, because it's taken all she's got just to have any hope of winning this one. At this point, it honestly seems like Lex might win by default simply by showing up. Which is kind of the opposite for how these things usually turn out.

But yeah, Starlight has completely gone of the deep end here. But that's not exactly unusual for her, given her mercurial disposition. Of course, she might get lucky in some manner akin to what you've described, but at this point that's about the best she can hope for...well, if her final effort doesn't pan out, I mean.