History Reimagined

by Pun System

Ch. 14: Turning Point

“Oh, queens, they’re trying to get inside! I can hear them outside banging on the armor!” shouted the changeling from the rear-most armored unit over the changeling communicator.

“Soldier, don’t lose your head!” called Hot Shot. “Unit 11, can you cover for him?”

“Yes, sir. Moving to provide covering fire,” called the commander.

“They’re almost in! Help me!” Centipede felt a shiver rush through his body. He would like to think he’d be brave if his vehicle got breached, but he knew if he were the last one standing, he’d probably have done something like what the last changeling in Unit 12 had done: hidden in the corner, disguised as a wooden crate.

“Soldier! Stand your ground or get off the comm!” Hot Shot ordered. “I don’t need bad morale spreading through our ranks!”

For a moment, the drone’s breathing could be heard. Then, the comm went silent.

I hope he’s going to be o—

“Something just hit us!” he called back.

“Unit 11 to Unit 12. We’re clearing the ponies off the top of your vehicle. You may experience some friendly fire, but your armor should keep you safe inside.”

“Oh thank you! Thank you!”

Bombardier fired off a shot ahead to the side, but Centipede's front-facing viewport didn’t let him see the impact.

“Come on. No witty remarks for that one?” asked Carapace.

There was a pause before Bombardier replied. “She should’ve kept her head down.” His voice sounded flat, the edge taken off its enthusiasm.

“I think you need to see a medic. You are never this bored shooting things.”

“As long as we’re not moving, their lines are set. We’re at a stalemate.”

“Chin up, crew. We’ll have this city before the end of the day. You’ll see,” Hot Shot said, though his tone sounded flat.

“The troops outside these metal walls are counting on us.”

Centipede swallowed hard as he stared out his viewport.

---

Rainbow Dash nodded to Spitfire behind her. Once Spitfire repeated the signal, Rainbow turned her gaze towards the crystal ponies ahead of her. She waved her group of ponies forward with a wing as she reached for the crossbow slung over her shoulder with her other. She closed her eyes, then opened them, lighting her horn as she did. She put her head back, then threw it forward, sending a blast of magic hurtling down the street at the crystal ponies ahead. It struck a mare in the back of the head, sending her tumbling forward onto her face.

“Hostiles behind us!” shouted a stallion as he turned around.

Rainbow reared up, then stomped down, waving one foreleg towards the enemy, signalling the ponies behind her to attack at will. Their ranks sprang into action as a volley of spells and crossbow bolts closed the distance to their targets. Rainbow Dash smiled as more crystal ponies turned around. Spitfire’s group opened fire next, taking out both the standard bearer and the first pony who had turned around.

“Rainbow Dash here,” she said over her alchemic comm, “our group has made contact with Crystal forces.”

“Us too,” Time Skipper called back into her alchemic horn. “It looks like we took them by surprise.”

“Same here,” she called back.

“I’m almost in position,” Bon Bon called. “My team of infiltrators is waiting for me at the rendezvous point.”

Rainbow raised her crossbow and fired a shot into the crystal ponies’ rearguard as they prepared to mount a defense.

“Keep on the lookout for trouble,” Bon Bon said. “I’m getting disturbing reports from my agents further into the city.”

Rainbow levitated a crossbow bolt out of her saddlebag quiver and slotted it into her crossbow. She lowered the metal loop at the end to the ground and put one front hoof through it, then began turning the crank at the other end with her other front hoof.

“What kind of reports?” asked Spitfire.

“I don’t know. They don’t agree. Some say Acolyte Trixie is here. Some say King Sombra himself.”

“Trixie?” Time asked over her comm.

“Blue-coated unicorn who was first seen in combat against us at Fillydelphia. She’s been trained in Dark Magic by King Sombra,” said Bon Bon.

“Hates Sunburst for some reason. Tried to kill him,” added Rainbow Dash as she raised her crossbow.

“Trixie came into Ponyville one day boasting about her magic,” said Sunburst. “Her magic wasn’t strong enough to pacify the Ursa Minor she summoned, but mine was. She didn’t take it very well.”

“No, I know who she is,” Time continued. “If you see her, would you give me a chance to try to help her?” she asked.

“How would you do that?” asked Spitfire. Rainbow gave her a glance, but she wasn’t looking back. She turned and sighted up another crystal pony with her crossbow, then took the shot.

“I know Trixie from back home in my world. I know she’s not like this.”

“If you find her, give her what’s coming to her for Sunburst’s sake,” said Rainbow Dash.

A stray crossbow bolt whizzed past her head. Rainbow flinched, then raised a tall, narrow shield about twice as wide as her shoulder width.

“Do you think you can turn her back?” asked Bon Bon.

“I’d like to try. I know she’s better than this.”

“Don’t expect her to go down without a fight,” Rainbow Dash said as she reloaded her crossbow.

“Trust me, I can handle Trixie,” Time called back.

“Sunburst, have the spotters up with the blimps keep an eye out for her,” said Spitfire.

“Will do,” he called back.

“And I’ll have my agents get to the bottom of these mixed reports,” said Bon Bon.

“Ok. Let me know as soon as you see something.” Time Skipper said.

---

From the main deck of Chrysalis’s airship, Pharynx stared down at the city below. The main street the troops were marching along was too far away to be seen, but every once in a while, he could see a blast of green, turquoise, or red magic from the western half of the city—the result of Chrysalis and Pupa’s fight with Sombra. Suddenly, a changeling landed on the deck of the airship. “Phar—ynx! Sir!” he said, out of breath. “Message—from—” He collapsed and wheezed more words which never came.

Immediately, Pharynx’s guards with their heavy armor and mandible helmets moved towards the messenger. One guard put his horn on the messenger’s horn for a moment, then drew back. “Friendly.”

“What is it, soldier?” asked Pharynx.

“Message—from—armor—division! Sombra—set up—a trap! We marched—right into it!” he said with a cough. The drone doubled over and coughed again, this time a bit of green blood falling onto the deck. It was only then that Pharynx noticed the crossbow bolt in the drone’s abdomen.

“Guards, he’s wounded. Get him a cocoon—We can’t lose him.”

The two guards set to spinning a cocoon, which they set the changeling into once it was half formed. One changeling grabbed the bolt with his magic and pulled it out, causing the messenger to shout. The second guard spat a green goo at the wound, crudely sealing it shut. The half-formed cocoon began to pulse as it filled with a viscous green fluid which slowed the messenger’s thrashing.

“The sedatives will start working on your wound soon, soldier. Was there anything else to the message?”

The messenger groaned, squinting one eye open. “They’re surrounded—on three sides,” he said with a gasp. “I’m the first one—to get through. Rest of the messengers—all got shot.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes sir.”

Pharynx nodded to the guards, who began finishing the cocoon. “Rest, soldier. You’ve earned your reprieve.” He turned to a guard by the door of the sterncastle. “Call up another messenger and the rest of the Queensguard. We’re going to get a message through to Chrysalis.

---

“Shield, steady!” called Time as her forces held formation opposite a line of crystal ponies. Their shield held strong amidst an enemy barrage of crossbow bolts, and she watched her troops raise their crossbows again.

“Ready! Loose!” came the call from their commander. The latches on several dozen crossbows sounded off at once, and Time watched multiple crystal ponies fall to the ground.

“Trixie’s here!” Rainbow shouted frantically over her headset. “I repeat! Trixie is here!”

Time lit her horn. “Where are you?”

“We’re deployed a few blocks south of you,” she said. “She’s coming down on us hard!” A pony screamed in the background.

“I’m on my way!” Time said. She teleported across the street to a pink-coated mare. “Amethyst Star! Rainbow needs my help. You’re in command until I return.”

“Understood,” she replied.

Time galloped down the street and made a sharp right turn into a side street. “Hurry! We’re taking casualties!”

She teleported down the street. A moment later, a large black cloud darted in and out of view between buildings a couple of blocks over. Time teleported to the top of a building in that direction. From her vantage point, she could see a little of the battle a few streets over. Another teleport landed her atop a building at the edge of the fighting.

Trixie looked almost the same as she remembered her from back home. A blue coat with two-tone blue mane and tail, and characteristic robes and hat. Her robes were now black and her eyes glowing green, but she was still recognizable. Trixie’s form dissolved into smoke as she surged forward towards the ponies’ line.

She looked down the street and saw Trixie’s target. Rainbow Dash was hunkered behind an overturned table at an outdoor restaurant, unaware of the danger she was in. Time lit her horn and shielded Rainbow Dash. “Time! Where are—” Time teleported to the shield, arriving just as Trixie was reforming. The two stared each other in the eye for just a moment before Time fired a spell at her. Trixie leaned backwards towards the ground, encapsulated in a purple crystal. Time reached out and caught her in her magic before she could fall against the ground and shatter her prison.

“Trixie,” she said, still staring her in the eyes, “it doesn’t have to be like this.”

Trixie’s horn began to glow, and suddenly the crystal shattered. “Really? I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Trixie fired a blast of magic at her, but she raised a hoof and formed a small shield to deflect the attack. She dove forward and tackled Trixie, teleporting her out of the fight to a vacant street.

“This isn’t you! Snap out of it! I know you’re not really like this!” Trixie stared up at her from the ground, a hoof held defensively near her neck. “Look at you, Trixie, a slave to King Sombra. You don’t have to be his pawn!”

Trixie kicked Time hard in the gut, and she toppled over, transitioning clumsily into a roll onto her front knees and haunches. “I don’t even know who you are, let alone how you know me. You don’t realize who I am!” She lit her horn and charged forward. Time shielded herself, then flared the shield outward, knocking Trixie to the ground.

“I’m from a different world,” she said as she rose to her hooves. “One where you’re not corrupted by Dark Magic!”

“You think I’m corrupted? I’ve never been more powerful!” Trixie’s eyes shone bright green atop her toothy grin, and Time felt an intense magical pressure at her horn, chest, and temples. Her vision narrowed, its edges obscured by darkness.

Mind magic, she thought to herself. Don’t give in.

Come on, it’s Trixie. There’s nothing she can do that I can’t deal with. I’ve got to save her, she answered herself. She shook her head and strode confidently forward. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but you won’t beat me.”

Trixie’s grin yielded to a look of shock. “You’re so powerful. Maybe even more than Sunburst.” She growled and spawned several dark crystals out of the ground. “I will not be humiliated again! Sombra will see me succeed!”

Time blasted the first crystal Trixie threw at her, then the second. She dodged the third and tackled her, then lit her horn. “I know you’re in there, Trixie. This is for you.”

“Fine. Do whatever you want to me. But once Sombra finishes with Chrysalis, he’s coming for you,” Trixie growled.

Time’s concentration broke and her aura faded. “Wait… he’s here?”

“Now you realize your mistake!”

Time levitated Trixie out from under her and pinned her against a wall. “Where is Sombra?” Trixie’s form faded into smoke, leaving Time holding nothing.

“What does Equestria want with Las Pegasus anyways?” Trixie asked as the cloud flew up and behind her.

Time turned to face the cloud. “I’ve seen what Chrysalis and her foal can do. We have to separate them!”

“I know. Word of what she did to Mareathon traveled fast. King Sombra is already working on it.”

“Trixie, I don’t want to fight you but I will if I have to. Ask Sombra for a truce with us so we can take her down together!”

“Why not just destroy all of you?”

“Trixie, your forces have changelings on one side, and us on the other. You’re surrounded,” she said. “Besides, if Chrysalis starts to lose, destroying all of us might be her only option.”

The cloud stood still for a moment, then descended and reformed as a pony. “Sombra is on the other side of the city. I’m not going to cross the changelings’ line twice unless I have your word, uhh…”

“St—Time Skipper.”

“...Time Skipper.”

“We can strike a cease-fire until we get a truce. Then, we can work on separating Chrysalis and her foal, and chasing the changelings out.”

“Ok, but don’t pull any tricks.” Trixie began walking away.

“I won’t,” said Time. “And Trixie.” She stopped and turned her head. “I know you’re better than—than Dark Magic. Sunburst showed you up in Ponyville, didn’t he?”

Trixie’s ears fell. “Leave me.” She turned and looked down the street again. “Leave me before I forget about our deal, and go back to trying to kill you.”

“I know what it feels like to be shown up by some know-it-all pony. If you ever need somepony who won’t give up on you, I’m your mare.”

Trixie paused, turned her head just enough to look at Time with one eye. “I don’t need anypony.” Her form faded into smoke and flew away.

---

Sombra charged his horn and flapped his wings, summoning two dark crystals from the ground to block the incoming attack. They interlocked and held for a moment, but they shattered when the combined blue and turquoise beam of magic hit them. Sombra sidestepped the worst of the damage, though he still felt the heat on his feathers and his coat.

Sombra morphed into crystal and buried himself in the ground. He raced towards Chrysalis, grabbing onto one of her legs.

“Stand and fight me, coward!” Chrysalis said. “Even my daughter is braver than you!”

I have you now! He surged forward out of the ground, crystals ready to impale her through the gut, but a green shield blocked his attempt. When the crystal hit the shield, part of it snapped off and fell to the ground.

Growing frustrated, Sombra applied pressure to the one leg he still held onto. Chrysalis yelped, and Pupa shot magic at him, cutting off the crystal. Sombra materialized behind her, and realized the shield was only protecting her from below. He fired a bolt of magic at her, but she reacted quickly, extending the shield to deflect it the attack the air. Pupa fired a shot at him, forcing him to dodge left. As Chrysalis charged her horn, he dissolved into smoke and headed for the cover of a nearby building.

He cast a simple illusion spell to throw his voice behind her. “You are the coward! Fight me alone!”

“I didn’t get the throne of my hive by fighting fair!”

He threw his voice a different direction, farther this time. “Your hive do not fear you like my ponies fear me. Your daughter will not fear you either.” He threw his voice once more, still farther. “Tell me, how do you think she will kill you?”

Chrysalis roared, prompting Sombra to make his move. He turned and almost stepped into the street, but a cloud of black smoke flew past him and materialized into his acolyte Trixie. His shock must have been apparent, as Trixie bowed deeply and swiftly. “My king, forgive me for leaving my troops, but I must tell you that Equestria has joined the fight against us.” Sombra stared dumbfounded a moment. “My forces are pinned between the changelings and the Equestrians.”

Sombra scowled as he looked away, Chrysalis shouting in the background. “My king,” Trixie continued, “they are asking for a truce so they can assist us against Chrysalis.”

Sombra’s mind raced. If the new arrivals were to remain unchecked, they may wipe his east flank completely. But, if he granted their request for a truce, he would be playing into their hoof. And if he waited too long, the trapped soldiers would take significant losses regardless of his decision.

“Sombra, you vile wretch! And how many did you kill for your throne?” Chrysalis called from out of sight.

Sombra shook his head. He turned and closed his eyes. He lit his horn, and soon his crown began to glow as well. A wave of red light emanated from his crown, spreading rapidly outward in all directions around him through the rest of the city. “It is done. Our soldiers will no longer fight against Equestria.”

“Should I tell that to Equestria, my king?”

“Yes. Return to your troops and continue putting pressure on the changelings.”

“Yes, your highness. Long live the king,” she said with another bow.

“And Trixie,” he said as she rose. He paused a moment to look over his shoulder. “Make sure they know we will strike a more thorough deal after the fight. They must not see us as weak.”

“Yes, my king.”

Sombra’s ears perked at the sound of buzzing wings. “There you are!” Chrysalis spat. “Look what you’ve done! You’ve made my daughter cry!” Sure enough, there in her magic was the grub-like foal, crying like she had lost her favorite toy. She screamed and wailed when she saw Sombra.

Sombra nodded to Trixie, then turned and squared his stance towards Chrysalis. “Her tears are none of my concern,” he said as he heard Trixie shift to her shadow form. “But your crown is.”

“You’ll take it from my cold, dead body!”

Sombra rolled his head on his neck. “That’s the plan.”

---

“I talked with Trixie,” said Time Skipper over Rainbow’s alchemic horn. “Sombra is here in Las Pegasus!”

“What?” said Spitfire.

“That explains why I was getting mixed reports,” said Bon Bon.

“Can we fight both of them?” asked Rainbow, her crossbow held in her magic.

“I don’t think so,” replied Spitfire. “Not without significant casualties. Unless you think you’re up to fighting Sombra, Time.”

“Sombra is out of my league. I was able to fight through Trixie’s mind magic, but she’s just his right hoof. I don’t think I’m able to fight on Sombra's level.”

“What are we going to do about King Sombra?” asked Rainbow.

“When I was fighting Trixie, I pointed out that she was outflanked, and she stood down. We have her in a bad spot. With your permission, I request an immediate cease-fire with the crystal ponies so we can focus on Chrysalis together.”

“What? Are you crazy? We’re wiping the floor with these guys!” said Rainbow. “We can take them!”

“Maybe,” Bon Bon said back. “We can’t take Sombra.”

“Sombra is busy fighting with Chrysalis,” Time said. “He won’t be able to help. And I can handle Trixie.”

“But what about when Chrysalis falls? Where will Sombra go then?”

“Or what if Sombra loses to Chrysalis?” asked Spitfire. “We'll have to fight her and her foal once she finishes off the rest of the crystal ponies. This problem isn't going away; we'e going to have to face it eventually."

“We need to separate Chrysalis and Pupa,” said Bon Bon. “If Chrysalis starts to fall, she may decide to take all of us down with her. I know it’s not ideal, but for what my opinion is worth, we could benefit from a cease-fire with Sombra.”

Rainbow shook her head. "No way in Tartarus am I surrendering to these ponies."

Spitfire came back over Rainbow's earpiece. "Listen. I know Sombra will have to be dealt with eventually, but we can't fight both of them at once." Rainbow glanced over at Spitfire, who was already looking at her from down the street. "We don't have the soldiers or the magic for it."

“What in Tartarus is that?” Sunburst blurted, speaking over Spitfire. "There's a wave of red magic spreading throughout the city, starting from the west of the city!"

A moment later, a flash of red light swept across Rainbow’s vision. She checked herself over, but found no damage, physical or magical. Then she heard a flugelhorn as the crystal ponies opposite her assumed a defensive formation and threw down their weapons. Confused, she shouted to her troops. “Form up! Battle line!”

She held a wing out to her troops as they got into line. Their magic shields formed a tight wall across the front of the line. "We're not hurt, Sunburst. I'm not sure what that was, but we're all fine."

A single crystal pony who carried a crude white flag—more like a piece of tattered cloth on a stick—stepped forward. “King Sombra of the Crystal Empire wishes a cease-fire with the forces of Equestria.”

“We’ve got a messenger here who says King Sombra wants a cease-fire with us,” Spitfire said over her alchemic horn.

“How do we know that’s not a trick!” Rainbow shouted, as much for the benefit of the crystal pony in front of her as for the others wearing alchemic horns and comms.

“I’m not sure we do. But it’s not like we have any better opt—Wait. I can’t believe it. Trixie is coming.”

For a moment, Time was silent. Rainbow looked over her troops as they glanced nervously between her, their comrades, and their enemies. At last, Time came back over their comms. “Sombra says he requests a temporary cease-fire to be more fully negotiated after the battle with Chrysalis’s changelings.”

“Sombra is going to try to trick us!” Rainbow said.

“And he’ll kill us if we don’t,” said Time. “We’ve got one shot at defeating Chrysalis. If we let her think we’re fighting Sombra, we can separate her and Pupa while she’s distracted.”

“I’m not even sure she knows we’re here yet,” said Bon Bon. “If the blimps are staying within the cover of clouds, and our forces haven’t met Chrysalis’s, we may still have the element of surprise on our side.”

“Even better,” said Time.

“We can’t trust Sombra, and we can’t trust Trixie,” Rainbow said. “Trusting either of them would be a mistake!”

“Rainbow, Shining Armor’s not here,” said Spitfire. Between the two of us, we have to reach a decision.” Rainbow turned to look back at Spitfire, standing towards the back of her ranks. “We can’t take on everypony here.”

Rainbow dropped her gaze.

“Rainbow, I know you don’t trust them. But we can renegotiate the terms of our cease-fire after that battle. We may not get another shot at taking down Chrysalis and Pupa.”

Rainbow waited a moment longer. “Then—let’s go get Chrysalis.”

She heard pegasus wings beside her, and turned to see Spitfire flying towards her. She landed in front of her, then took a step forward. “If that's what we've decided. Let’s go take down Chrysalis,” she said. She raised one foreleg and paused, then placed it on Rainbow’s shoulder. “General.”

The word rang in Rainbow’s ears. General. She looked down at Spitfire’s foreleg a moment, raising one of her own forelegs in disbelief. Then, she put her own hoof on Spitfire’s shoulder. “Admiral.” Spitfire smiled and nodded, and Rainbow repeated the gesture. “Let’s go get Chrysalis!” They held a moment longer before Time Skipper came over the alchemic horn.

“I’ll tell Trixie.”

“And I’ll have my agents move in on her location,” said Bon Bon.

Spitfire’s smile faded as she turned and flew back to her troops “I can take my remaining Wonderbolts and move in for the strike,” said Spitfire. “Soarin, is your squad available?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. The three of us will converge on her location. We’re going to topple Chrysalis’s royal line.”

“No!” shouted Bon Bon. “The Blue Changelings need Princess Pupa alive! The granddaughter of Chitin will be set upon his throne! We need to separate them and we need Pupa. Alive! We’ll be leaderless without her!”

Rainbow watched Spitfire pause. “We will do what we can to separate them, but if she fights back, we can’t guarantee anything.”

“Star—I mean, Time Skipper!” Sunburst blurted, “What about that spell you used on Twilight to fix her magic?”

“Yes,” Bon Bon replied. “Yes, that might work. It would! Time, where are you right now?”

“I’m between forces Alicorn and Bugbear.”

“Come towards my group. You’ll join us to make Strike Group Cockatrice.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Rainbow Dash,” Spitfire called, “You good to form Strike Group Dragon with me?”

Rainbow glanced towards her unit's commander. “You’re in charge of Force Alicorn until I get back. Head south around the crystal ponies to engage the changelings.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.

Rainbow lit her horn. “I’m free to join you for the strike,” she said over her alchemic horn.

“Good. Soarin, you and Fleetfoot will take your Wonderbolts and form Strike Group Echidna.”

Rainbow Dash spread her wings and flew over towards Spitfire’s Wonderbolts, who were already taking off themselves.

“What’s our plan of attack?”

---

Time galloped around a corner and found herself facing a group of crystal ponies. She panicked and locked her knees, skidding to a stop. A few of the ponies turned around, but none moved to engage her.

Oh. Right. There’s a cease-fire. She continued straight instead of turning as she would have, and made her turn one street later than she had planned.

“Time, over here,” somepony called. She skidded to a stop again, and turned to see where the voice had come from. She located a group of a half dozen blue-eyed changelings, and galloped over to them. Bon Bon drew paint out of her saddlebags, prompting Time to do the same.

Once they had painted each other, Bon Bon spoke up. “Here’s the situation. We’re down an agent already from the crossfire. From now on, we’ll be in disguise.” She levitated her canteen off her belt, unscrewed the cap, and washed paint from her face. Then, in a flash of blue flames, she morphed into a cream pegasus with a blue and pink mane. On her head, she wore an alchemic horn.

One by one, the changelings behind her took on the forms of pegasi as well. Each of them also gave themselves an alchemic horn on their head.

Perplexed, Time raised an eyebrow. “Why the alchemic horns?”

“They keep our disguise functional. We can fly and cast magic undisguised. Now we can do it in disguise too.” She waved her changelings forward with a wing. “Now come on. We’ve got a Princess to foalnap.”

The changelings galloped forward and took off. Time cast her self-levitation spell and followed behind Bon Bon.

“Strike Force Cockatrice. We are en route to the Queen’s location,” said Bon Bon over Time’s alchemic comm.

“How are you still using your alchemic comm if it’s not what’s in your disguise?”

“It’s under the disguise,” Bon Bon replied.

“Strike Force Dragon en route,” said Spitfire.

“Strike Force Echidna en route,” said Soarin.

“Heads up. We’re flying over Chrysalis’s battle lines,” Bon Bon called to her changelings. “They’re pinned down by Sombra’s forces with crossbow fire, but if any changelings see us, expect them to open fire.”

“Think they’ll fly up to engage us?” asked Time.

“Not likely. Intel passed along to me is that Sombra’s got them on a tight perimeter.” Time spared the main battle a glance as they got closer. “See those armored vehicles?”

“Yeah.”

“They’re the main reason Sombra’s forces haven’t pushed them out completely. They can’t even get close without getting torn to pieces.”

A blast of green energy emerged from a vehicle in the front of the column and sailed down the street, crashing into a corner shop shop. A moment later, the building collapsed sideways, spilling debris into the street.

“Glad they’re not shooting at us then,” said Time.

“Hopefully, we won’t have to see them any closer,” said Bon Bon. “With Pupa under our control, we’ll have a claim to Chrysalis’s throne. It’ll still be an uphill battle from there, but we’ll have the political leverage we need to sway more of her hive.”

Time watched as the main battle slipped out of view behind the buildings. Ahead, a blue light shined on the ground. “There. That’s the western rendezvous point. Land near that signal.”

Time and the changelings put down near the blue light which, when they got closer, turned out to be a Blue Changeling.

“This is Strike Force Cockatrice. We’ve reached the other side of Chrysalis’s battle line,” she said as one of her changelings and the signaler painted each other.

“Copy, Cockatrice,” came Spitfire’s voice a moment later. “Proceed to Chrysalis’s location.” Time’s heart skipped a beat. “Dragon and Echidna will be right behind you.”

“Copy. We’re moving out.”

Time inhaled sharply, but with her body so tense, she exhaled just as fast. “Well, this is it.”

“Yes,” said Bon Bon. “Today, everything we’ve done till now finally pays off.” She turned and trotted down the street, past her six changelings and the four more from the western rendezvous point. “Strike Group Cockatrice, follow me!” she said as she broke into a gallop.

Time galloped to catch up, taking her place right behind Bon Bon.

---

Pharynx adjusted his dive to sweep over a cloud on the western side of Las Pegasus, readjusting into a steeper dive once he had cleared it. Behind him, the rest of the Queensguard flew in formation down towards the city. His soldiers has been given their orders to occupy Sombra's attention while Chrysalis was delivered the message. All they had to do was get there.

Pharynx knew the risk of sending his best troops into King Sombra's line of fire, but it wasn't like he had any choice. The hive's soldiers were fighting and dying in the center of the city, surrounded by the enemy, and their Queen was distracted fighting the King.

He knew he was taking his life and the lives of a dozen Queensguard into his hooves. But nothing could have prepared him for the situation he found himself in when at last he found the Queen.

Comments

[Wild Stallion]

9407977
Always enjoy seeing more of this, but feel free to pace yourself. Write as you have time. I'd rather wait a while for your story than have you suffer burnout and lose interest. Long waits are what the tracking feature is for after all.