This is War

by Script Singer

(2) Battle

Author's Note:

Wait, what???? I wrote 3000 words???? Wow... since when do I do that... anyway, here's the new chapter! I'm not super great at fight scenes so feedback is appreciated.

"Princess!"

Twilight woke up in shock, startled slightly at the sound of Crystal Mane's voice. Her body ached slightly. She looked around, finding herself in the medic wing laying in a bed.

"Thank Celestia..." Crystal uttered under his breath. "Diamond Crystal found you unconscious in the hall, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so..." Twilight said, rubbing her head slightly. "How long was I out?"

Crystal shook his head. "I'm not sure, but are you sure you should keep fighting like this?" he asked in concern.

Twilight was running out of time, and even though she was fighting through Chrysalis's spell, she still struggled at times. She wasn't sure how much longer she could fight, but she had to make every moment count. "I have to." She sat herself up from the bed, trying to get up and walk but Crystal put his hoof in front of her.

"You should rest, Princess," he said, but Twilight shook her head.

"I need to keep going, making every moment of my life count," she grunted slightly as she lost balance for a moment. Crystal held out his hoof ready to catch her, but she shook her head as she stood up. She slowly put one hoof in front of the other, Crystal walking beside her for balance. She turned her head and gave him a soft smile. "Thanks, Crystal."

Crystal Mane helped his friend walk out of the medic wing, gently wrapping his wing around her for comfort.

As they walked into the hallway, Diamond Crystal was waiting outside of the room, on watch duty. She saluted as she saw Twilight limp out of the room.

"At ease," Twilight muttered. "I want to thank you for helping me out, Diamond."

“I did what any other pony would do, your majesty.” Diamond replied.

Diamond Crystal was the newest royal guard. She was a bit young to come out of the graduates, but she was the highest in her class, and so many guards were either injured or died in battle so they were low on numbers.

Twilight and Crystal continued walking toward her sanctuary room. Crystal eventually carefully let her go as she regained her footing and she approached the door.

The door let out a loud creak as she entered, but she felt comfortable as she walked in. She sat herself down in front of the old remains from her home dangling from the ceiling, listening to the sounds around her.

She could hear faint laughter, remembering the old memories of her friend's adventures together, but then the memory of their death flowed through. Tears streamed down her face slightly.

“I made a promise to you guys that I would stay strong for you…” she whimpered. “And I’m going to keep that promise, no matter what it takes….”

It has been a constant struggle ever since Twilight had lost her friends, but she still prevailed, carrying on her promise to her friends. As she sat there, she could sense something strange, as if something was wrong. She had been able to connect with her friend's spirit in the room, but she struggled to find their energy here. She shook her head ignoring the thought as she just sat there in silence.

Twilight wasn't completely sure how long she was in there, but after a while, she heard the door burst open.

"Princess," Diamond Crystal wheezed as she stood in the doorway, a look of panic on her face. "We're under attack, we need your-"

All of a sudden, a large explosion went off outside the base cutting her off as the base shook slightly, causing Twilight to jump onto her hooves grabbing her helmet and weapon. "This one's for you, guys..." Twilight whispered as she felt her shield fill her with energy.

---

Flurry woke up in shock as she felt the base shake slightly. She heard galloping hooves and muffled explosions from outside. She figured there was another attack as she grabbed her armor and sword and rushed after her aunt who was running down the hallway with Crystal Mane and Diamond Crystal.

Despite how young she still was, she was persistent in wanting to fight in the war, so her aunt and mother had been training her from time to time when they could. She had to know how to defend herself anyway. She met up with her aunt, walking beside her.

"Stay close to me," Twilight ordered, not wanting her niece to get hurt. Flurry nodded.

The four ponies walked toward the exit, bracing themselves for any sudden attacks. Diamond quickly ignited her horn, opening the door as they all ran out into battle.

Changelings flew everywhere, attacking ponies and draining them of their love. Twilight spotted Celestia and Luna in the air, fighting off a few changelings. Cadence was fighting on the ground, defending a few guards who were carrying the injured. Twilight rushed over to her aid but the princess of love shook her head. “We need help farther north, we’re becoming overwhelmed.” Cadence explained. Twilight nodded as she and the others rushed over toward her sister mentioned, Cadence soon following behind her after tending to the wounded.

Horror flooded Twilight’s mind as she saw countless injured guards trying to limp to safety as others helped carry them across the field. Twilight rushed over to help defend the guards, refusing to let them die.

Suddenly, a small group of changelings landed in front of them. Twilight rushed toward them pulling her shield in front of her as one tried to pounce on one of the guards. She pushed it forward slightly, causing the changeling to lose his balance as he tumbled to the ground. A few other guards rushed over toward Twilight’s side and helped fight them off. A larger swarm of them began flying toward her, landing one by one.

"Flurry Heart, get back to the base and get help, hurry!" Twilight yelled as the large swarm of changelings flew toward her.

Flurry Heart nodded and soared through the air as fast as she could, her heart pounding in her chest as one of the changelings flew toward her. She turned around quickly and ignited her horn, shooting the changeling as she flew toward the base, hoping she could make it.

Twilight continued fighting as she spotted Chrysalis flying through the air toward Cadence. She charged toward her sister trying to help her fight but stopped in her tracks when she heard Flurry Heart let out a loud scream as a changeling popped out of nowhere, attacking her. "Somepony, go help her!" Twilight yelled as she chased after Chrysalis. A guard ran toward Flurry’s direction. Twilight didn't take notice of who it was.

Twilight stopped suddenly as a changeling landed in front of her. She prepared herself to fight, but she stopped and dropped her sword and shield as her face filled with shock as small tears formed in her eyes slightly. She stared at a stallion with an orange coat and blue spiked mane wearing Crystal Empire armor.

"Flash....?" Twilight whispered, her voice shaking. "Is that really you...?" She slowly took a step forward and reached out her hoof.

"Twilight, look out!" Crystal yelled trying to run toward his friend with his sister at his side, but two strange-looking changelings pounced on him, holding him down, two more holding down Diamond.

Twilight turned her head slightly but suddenly screamed out in pain, her horn throbbing. She felt something warm dripping from her head, causing her to open her eyes. Crystal Mane tried running toward her, but the changelings held him firm. They began walking him forward toward a small circle of changeling guards. Crystal Mane stared in horror at the sight before him.

Twilight stared at the ground, seeing a small puddle of blood, dripping fresh. Before she could react, Twilight felt herself being pinned to the ground, hitting her head on a small rock causing her to go dizzy slightly. She cringed in pain as she opened her eyes, finding two creatures pinning her down, but she couldn't tell if they were ponies or changelings.

Chrysalis landed beside her and stomped her hoof onto the ground next to Twilight's head, chuckling as she stared at the princess lying helpless on the ground. "Well done, children," she uttered. The pony resembling Flash walked beside Chrysalis and changed to a form of a changeling with the same mane. Twilight couldn’t believe what she was seeing before her eyes.

A few guards tried to rush toward Twilight to help her out, but changelings landed in front of them, blocking them off. They slowly walked toward them slightly, but Chrysalis glared at them slightly telling them to stay put. They reluctantly obeyed.

Twilight's vision regained slightly. She stared at the two creatures pinning her down and stared in shock. “Rainbow Dash…? Shining Armor?” She grunted in pain.

Chrysalis let out a soft chuckle. “Honestly, Twilight, you know they’re dead, you saw it with your own eyes.” She uttered. “These are my new children, aren’t they wonderful?”

Twilight just stared in shock as she couldn’t believe what she was staring at before her.

“What’s wrong Twilight?” Chrysalis chuckled. “Do they look familiar…?”

Twilight shook her head when she heard a scream behind her. She turned her head finding her niece cowering slightly. Twilight struggled against the changelings' grasp, trying to rush back into the battle and push on despite the nagging pain. Chrysalis let out a chuckle as she watched the princess before her squirm. Chrysalis nodded slightly, causing the two changelings to let Twilight go. She rushed over to help the others, but only stopped in her tracks as she stared in shock at the scene before her.

She watched as ponies backed up against walls as changelings cornered them, either murdering them or draining their strength. Twilight’s eyes grew wide in fear as she spotted her niece trying to help protect the injured who were surrounded. Twilight ran over to her hoping to help her.

Chrysalis watched as her children waited for orders.

“I say we attack now!” one changeling said with a light pink mane.

“Patience, Gossamershy,” Chrysalis muttered.

“But why wait, and not attack now? She’s weakened!” Another with a short blue and white mane grumbled.

“Trust me, Shining Chitin. We must be patient, children then good will come to us.”

---

Flurry Heart held her stance, trying not to show any fear. She swung her sword as a changeling pounced toward her letting out a soft grunt as she noticed her aunt rushing over to her side to aid her.

Suddenly, a changeling pounced from behind her, pinning her to the ground as she let out a squeal. Her sword slid across the ground away from her reach, so she tried to fight the changelings grasp and buck him off her, but he held her firm. Twilight rushed over and shoved her shield against the changeling, glaring. Flurry quickly hid behind her aunt grabbing her sword to defend herself.

“Not my niece, you fly!” Twilight cursed.

The changeling chuckled loudly as his tongue slithered out slightly. “I am going to enjoy killing you two…” He hissed.

Flurry let out a soft whimper as she hid behind her aunt. Twilight carefully put her wing around her for comfort. “I know you’re scared right now, but we have to be brave.” She whispered. Flurry nodded her head slightly. “I need you to help the guards take the injured back to the base.”

“Are you sure it’s safe…?” Flurry whimpered.

“Honestly, no. But we have to get these ponies to safety, and fast.” Twilight saw Chrysalis flying toward them in the sky. She let Flurry go, pushing her forward with her wing. “Run!”

Flurry quickly got onto her hooves and ran as fast as she could, but a changeling landed in front of her, stopping dead in her tracks. She tried to run the other direction, but the changeling pounced onto her.

“No!” Twilight yelled dropping her shield and ran toward her niece but another changeling jumped in front of Twilight, pinning her down. She squirmed. “Chrysalis, just let her go, she has no part of this and you know it!”

Chrysalis just stared at Twilight, pinned to the ground with her horn covered in blood.

Twilight looked over toward her niece, fear in her eyes as she tried to escape her captor. Twilight’s eyes grew wide as she saw who the changeling was, holding a resemblance to her brother, but she said nothing.

“Recognize him, Twilight?” Chrysalis chuckled.

The changelings pulled her up off the ground, then let her go as Chrysalis walked up closer to her, a smug grin on her face.

"What did you do to them...?" Twilight growled as her voice shook slightly and tears streamed down her face.

"You see Twilight. After I was banished from Canterlot, many of my minions were either killed or injured. Many of my eggs were somehow poisoned in a way, causing them to be unable to hatch. With the location having a low food supply, many of us began to go hungry. I knew I had to do something to save my subjects, no matter what the cost was. I managed to find an old ancient spell, that can trap the soul of a pony in a gem, and make them reborn.” Chrysalis smiled as she watched Twilight’s face. "I did what I had to do to save my children," Chrysalis said putting a fake pout on her face as she tried to hold back a chuckle.

Twilight was filled with rage, her face glaring at Chrysalis. Her horn began to spark slightly. "What is wrong with you...?" Twilight said, her voice shaking. "How can you be so broken inside, and take so many lives, and then come here and rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of?!"

"Twilight-" Crystal said trying to walk to her side, but she flung her wings out in anger as she stomped her hoof on the ground, startling him slightly.

"All with that dumb smile on your face!!" Her horn sparked more as she lashed out at the monster before her, tears rolling down her face.

The rest of the remaining guards who weren’t captured or cornered pulled out their weapons. A few injured ponies stared at the scene before them.

"I’m gonna make you pay for what you did, do you hear me Chrysalis?! Well?! SAY SOMETHING!!"

Chrysalis glared a smile at Twilight as if her rage was filling her. She let out a chuckle, echoing throughout Twilight's ears. “You’re such a fool…” she muttered.

Twilight screamed out in anger as she grabbed her shield letting it fold itself away attatching it to the side of her armor as she charged toward Chrysalis, the other ponies following her, but an army of changelings blocked their path, only allowing the princess through. The whole room broke into an attack.

Flurry Heart ignited her horn, hitting her captor as she flew into the air and ran to go help the others.

“FIGHT TO THE DEATH!” The Queen roared.

"Twilight!" Crystal yelled, concerned for his friend. Twilight didn't listen, her rage driving her forward.

Twilight screamed out as she swung her hoof at Chrysalis, but the attack was blocked off with her magic. The hybrid changelings flew into view, landing beside their queen, charging toward Twilight. She tried to fight back her emotions as she saw the forms of her friends who died so long ago so she could not fight. She quickly soared into the air trying to avoid them, but Flash Fire, Glittering Wings, and Gossamershy followed her. Memories with her friends kept flashing through her mind as she tried to concentrate. She flew as fast as she could, trying to lose them, but couldn’t.

“I can’t fight them like this!” She thinks to herself as her head throbs slightly from the wound.

She slowly looked up to see an orange blur flying above her. As the fogginess cleared she saw it was Flash.

Flash charged toward her for an attack but Twilight did a barrel roll to dodge but ended up crashing into a wall nearby. She shook her head trying to regain her focus, landing onto the ground. She noticed that Glittering Wings and Gossamershy had vanished for a moment, causing her to get slightly distracted.

Flash charged toward her again, managing to ram into her causing her to tumble into the ground. Twilight let out a few coughs as her body grew sore from the attack. She stared up at the stallion form before her. Tears formed in her eyes slightly as memories flashed through her mind of the stallion she loved from years ago.

“Flash, you don’t have to do this!” Twilight plead. “I love you!”

Flash only ignored her, attacking once more. “I don't know who you are, but I'm not going to let some, pony survive since I serve my queen.” Flash Fire said. “The changeling kingdom shall rise above them all!”

“Flash, please!” Twilight cried. “I don’t want to hurt you, you’re my friend!”

Flash Fire charged toward her once more, knocking her into a wall. “Why can’t you accept that he’s gone! Get over him!”

Twilight shook her head as she pulled out her shield shoving it against him as he charged again and again, shoving him off to the side as two more hybrids came running up to her. She tried to block any attack each one who came at her, but it felt as if every shove brought forth another.

“I don’t want to hurt you guys!”

The hybrids flew up into the air, disappearing. Twilight looked around, trying to stay on guard for another attack.

"Aagh!" Cadence screamed out in pain.

Twilight turned her head in shock, she stared at her sister, barely lifting herself on the ground, panting hard. She looked at the hybrid changeling, Shining Chitin before her, sorrow filling her eyes as she stared up at the changeling before her. She could not fight him.

"Are you going to let her die too, Twilight?" Chrysalis asked as she appeared out of the shadows.

Twilight stared at the queen, anger filling her eyes. "You stop messing with me, Chrysalis you snake!" Twilight screamed as tears fell from her eyes. "Just shut up!"

"But Twilight," Chrysalis chuckled. "It's so much fun..."

Chrysalis ignited her horn once more, Twilight dodging before it could hit her as large bits of debris flew past her. She pulled out her wings to shield her face, then charged once more. Chrysalis blocked off the attack, igniting a large shield beam around herself, managing to make an impact with Twilight causing her to be flung away.

Twilight fell to the ground, grunting slightly. Chrysalis walked up to her as Glittering Wings and Flash Fire appeared, pinning her to the ground, pushing her hard. "You didn't think you could actually get away with that, did you, Twilight?" Chrysalis chuckled. “Just accept that you’ve lost.”

“Never!” Twilight spat in her face, causing Flash Fire to kick her into the side. She coughed slightly as Glittering Wings kicked her harder into her side as well. Twilight grunted in pain.

"You're just a ticking death bomb..." Chrysalis growled as they pushed her down harder causing her to cry out in more pain. "Just waiting to die..."

Twilight stared at Chrysalis as slight tears formed in her eyes. "I don't care if I die here," Twilight grunted. "If I die saving them, then that's what matters to me..."

Twilight watched ponies fighting beside her sister and the princesses. Chrysalis let out another chuckle. "Oh, really...? Is that so?" She stared over at Cadence, thrown to the floor by Shining Chitin. Chrysalis's chuckle grew louder as her horn ignited, summoning a shadow-like bow.

Twilight's face turned into one of shock. "No!" she yelled. Chrysalis walked toward Cadence. Twilight staggered as she tried to get onto her hooves and rush to her aid, but Flash Fire and Glittering Wings pinned her down to the ground. "Chrysalis, you monster!" she said as she struggled hard against the hybrid changelings’ grasp.

Chrysalis ignored her, pulling back the arrow, it's darkness surrounding the bow. She finally let it release as it soared through the air. She watched it as she smiled watching it soar.

"CADENCE, LOOK OUT!!!" Twilight shrieked, knowing she was unable to run up to her. Cadence turned her head to the cry but was too late.

Cadence let out a small gasp, then struggled to find air. She slowly stared down at her chest, finding a dark arrow coming out of her. Her head grew fuzzy as her eyes slowly shut and she fell to the ground. Then everything went black. The last thing she heard was a scream.

-To Be Continued...-