The halls of the castle echoed with the hoofsteps of the medical team, the two changelings following them, and Princess Luna. The medical wing was not tremendously close to the catacombs, but Luna assured them that the trip would be short.
"How did this happen to her, Chrysalis?"
"These bastards are tough," The Queen replied, "She killed two of them and knocked out a third. The fourth was just a bit too much, and he got the drop on her."
"What do they want?" Luna tilted her head, keeping pace.
"Most likely their goal is to subjugate the entire population of Equestria using them as cattle to farm love." Chrysalis turned to face Luna as they walked. "It's what I would be doing."
Luna shook her head. "They've been killing ponies. You can't harvest love from dead ponies, can you?"
"You have to break a few eggs to make an omelette." Chrysalis shrugged. She looked back at Luna again and waved a hoof. "Hey, I'm not saying I endorse the action, but you asked."
"Be that as it may, this seems like a poorly thought-out plan, does it not?"
Chrysalis sighed. "I would think you'd have learned by now that a changelings' strong suit is not in foresight... didn't I effectively illustrate that point?"
"I slept through most of your invasion."
Chrysalis had to stifle a snicker at that. "Well. At any rate, I hope these doctors of yours are as capable as they seem."
"I assure you that they are."
A door was flung open, revealing a large white room lined with hospital beds. The majority of those beds were occupied by injured guards, but some were occupied by Canterlot citizens. Nurses and doctors rushed around the room from patient to patient, but many of them gasped as they saw all the changelings enter the room. The guards were well-disciplined enough to not react too violently, but some of the injured citizens were visibly distressed.
An ICU was open at the end of the room, and Echo was quickly brought into that room and set on the bed. The doctors shut the blinds on the room's window, and turned to Echo and Ricochet. "Apologies, but there is limited space. We have to ask you to wait out here."
"Bullshit, I'm not leaving her!" Ricochet shouted in an unusually vigorous response.
"Sir?" The doctor seemed unsure of Ricochet's gender. "I understand, you are free to wait right here, but we need the room to work in order to save your friend. He's going to be fine."
"Echo is a mare!" Ricochet snarled.
The doctor looked over his shoulder for a moment and then back at Ricochet. "So she is. I'm sorry. The point still stands though that we need the space to work. We will let you know as soon as we have something to report." The doctor retreated and closed the door behind him.
"How good can they be if they can't even identify a female as opposed to a male?" Chrysalis snarled at Luna. "It's not that hard to figure out, you know!"
"I'm sure that the doctor intended no disrespect, Chrysalis."
"Oh, I'm sure, yes."
"Chrysalis, we understand your frustration, but we must insist that you calm down..." Luna began to show impatience, reverting to the royal "we".
"You want me to c--"
"Your highness!" A tattered Solar Guard rushed into the medical wing, snapping to attention at the sight of Princess Luna. "A report from your sister!"
"What is it, captain?"
"She said to tell you it was time for Moonsong. She said you would know what it meant."
Luna's ears fell flat, and her jaw opened wide. She shook her head. "Are you certain she said Moonsong, Captain? This is very important."
"Absolutely certain, Princess."
She swallowed hard and nodded. "Not a soul but felt a fever of the mad, and played some tricks of desperation... as it goes, Tartarus is empty and all the devils are here." Luna turned to the medical wing. "Doctors, Nurses, your attention! We must gather all the patients and transport them to the ballroom where the rest of the citizens have gathered for protection. I will explain later, but for now I must insist you trust me and carry out my orders as quickly as possible. Everything, absolutely everything, is secondary to moving these patients."
"Yes, Princess!"
"Princess," Ricochet began, "What is Moonsong?"
"Moonsong... is a contingency. It is a plan my sister and I created for the dire situation of our capital being overrun by an enemy."
"Why do you sound so sad about it?"
"... nevermind. Please, if you could, help move some of the injuried?"
"... I don't want to leave Echo."
"I will ensure she is safe. I need your help, Ricochet. Yours, as well, Chrysalis."
Chrysalis huffed, not eager to follow a Princess' orders... a request was a bit more amiable though. "Very well. I will assist."
"Thank you." Luna trotted back to the ICU where Echo was being treated and knocked on the door as the other two changelings began to assist the nurses and doctors in moving patients.
* * *
Celestia took a deep breath, the fiery light around her calming down to a barely discernible orange glow. She closed her eyes as she tried to calm down.
The pounding on the door continued, and she could hear the hinges creaking and the wood splintering. The distinct buzz of dozens of changeling wings began to find its way through the gaps in the wood. This continued for another five minutes before the doors broke inward, falling to the floor of the throne room with a thunderous noise. Celestia let out a gentle sigh and opened her eyes. Ahead of her, she saw at least a platoon's worth of these new changelings. Looking through the door, there were changelings extending out as far as she could see.
"Well... you've all been busy, haven't you?" She said calmly. "I will warn you once, and only once. If you come any closer, you are going to regret it." The fire in her eyes reignited, and her mane and tail seemed to shimmer like hot oil.
The changelings hesitated for only a moment before one of them sent a blast of blood-red magic flying toward her, and charged after it.
The bolt of magic stopped a meter away from Celestia, as if stopped by an invisible wall. The room filled with an incredibly bright flash of light as Celestia's mane and tail transitioned to a fiery red and orange. Her eyes were replaced with an impossibly white void. The changeling that was charging her continued, unfazed. She stood with her hooves rooted in place and lit her horn. A bolt of fire shot forward and struck the attacker square in the chest. In a fraction of a second, he had been reduced to a pile of ash and a cloud of smoke. "If you wish to hurt my subjects, you will have to fight through me."
There was another pause from the changelings, but they were undaunted. An otherworldly screech rang out as the crowd of changelings simultaneously roared and charged forward.
Celestia remained exactly where she stood as rays of plasma shot from her horn. The few changelings hit by the blasts who were not instantly vaporized were reduced to little more than piles of carbonized and unrecognizable detritus. She could only hope that her efforts here would buy enough time for Luna to get everypony to safety. She knew she couldn't keep this up forever. The amount of magic she was burning through was astronomical. Eventually, she would tire out, and while she wasn't sure what would happen to her then, she had a good guess. She needed to end this. She needed to do something so spectacular that it would stop these changelings in their tracks. Something that might convince them that she *could*, in fact, take them all out... even though she knew that wasn't true.
She flapped her wings, sending a shockwave forward toward the attackers. It pushed them back to the other end of the room, giving her time enough to charge another attack. She inhaled sharply as the glow around her horn intensified. In a single swift motion, the Princess bowed her head low, pointing her horn toward the door and unleashing a blast of such intensity that it could only be described as hellfire. It was like a tornado of solar plasma erupting from her horn and extending out through the doorway in front of her, past the castle courtyard, and out over the valley below the mountain on which Canterlot was perched. She wasn't sure how many homes and businesses were caught in the blast, but she knew the only survivors of the changelings' attack were safe in the ballroom. Canterlot was lost, and the city wasn't as important as its citizens anyway. She had to buy them time... property damage was an acceptable cost. The ground in front of her and leading out the door had been reduced to glowing molten glass, and at least half of the changelings had been completely vaporized.
Only half. Only half of them. I can't keep this up. She huffed, beads of sweat dripping down into her eyes, stinging them and clouding her vision. She tried her best to still seem dangerous, but knew she wouldn't be able to put up a substantial fight anymore. The remaining changelings chittered angrily and began to close in around her.
"Stay back!" She sent a half dozen more blasts out, striking a few targets. They were obviously hurt by the impacts, but found themselves still intact. The jig is up. They know.
The horde smiled maliciously as they closed in, like lions around an injured wildebeest. Celestia's snarls and solar flares no longer intimidated them. They were upon her now, and she prepared for their attack.
* * *
Ricochet and Chrysalis returned to the medical wing just in time to see the team responsible for Echo wheeling her out of her room. Luna, true to her promise, was with them.
"Come, we must hurry." Luna declared. The noise of the battle from above was growing more and more intense. It was almost as though the heat could be felt and the light could be seen through the stone walls of the castle.
"Is she still okay?" Ricochet asked the doctors as he hurried alongside them.
"She's still critical, but she's close to stable. We need space, though."
Echo had a mask sealed tightly over her muzzle which fogged as she breathed. The wounds on her legs and her back had been patched over with a white material that looked like unlacquered ceramic. Her wings were now gone.
"What did you do to her wings?" Chrysalis seemed to notice this as well. "You expect her to be able to live without flying?"
The unicorn and earth pony doctors looked over at Chrysalis for a split second before one of them, the unicorn, replied curtly, "It never stopped us."
"As for what happened," one of the earth ponies spoke next, "In order to graft the patching material to her back wounds -- which were substantial, by the way -- we unfortunately had to amputate the wings. There was no way to graft over the wound with them interfering. Would you have preferred we let her die?"
Chrysalis snarled but didn't reply to that.
The group turned into the ballroom, and at the sight of the two able-bodied changelings, ear-shattering screams filled the hall.
Luna filtered past them and flapped her wings to float above the crowd. "ATTENTION, SUBJECTS!" She briefly employed the Royal Canterlot Voice to break through the panic, "These changelings are under my protection. They are seeking refuge just as you are. I have orders from Princess Celestia, I will be keeping you safe. I must ask you all to gather together as closely as possible and remain calm."
The castle shook violently, and a sound filled the air like the roar of a freight train. Luna knew the sound. Celestia had just deployed her most volatile ability. Half of Canterlot was likely ash now. The panic predictably resumed.
"SILENCE!" Luna belted again. She got her wish as everypony settled down, wide-eyed and full of fear. "Gather together, as tightly as possible. All of you. Keep the injured in the center."
Echo was wheeled forward through the crowd, to the collection of hospital beds in the center of the room. The rest of the ponies crowded around, packed like sardines. Ricochet and Chrysalis followed suit as well. The mare who was forced to stand next to Chrysalis exuded pure, unadulterated terror.
Luna inhaled deeply and slowly as a silver glow began to surround her. It gradually grew brighter as she concentrated. Her horn began to give off white sparks which grew in intensity as the seconds ticked by. Without warning, there was a deafening crack, and the vision of everypony in the room instantly went black.
* * *
Celestia fought her own emotions, struggling not to show the absolute terror with which she was currently filled. If she was going to die, she wouldn't give these monsters the satisfaction of seeing her fear. She snarled, and her eyes darted around the room at the beasts drawing closer. She felt her knees shake as the intensity of her battle got to her. She fell to the ground, barely able to keep her head held up.
"What are you waiting for, then?" She hissed defiantly at them. Taking their cue, the changelings lunged for her.
A loud male voice called out next. Its language was incomprehensible, and was accompanied by the trademark buzz of a changeling's voice. The attacking changelings literally stopped in mid-air, and flew backwards, clearing an aisle from the destroyed entrance of the throne room leading to the fallen Princess.
She looked up weakly and saw a new changeling. He was at least a horn's length taller than she was, and remarkably bulky. He reminded her of the stallion from Ponyville, Big Mac, except far, far larger. His eyes were serpentine, like Chrysalis'. The outer ring of his iris was ruby-red, the inner was a deep crimson. In contrast to Queen Chrysalis, his crown was metallic. It was gold, studded with all different kinds of stones, and sat a little askew atop his head. He trotted over to Celestia and gave her a malicious and crooked smile. He kicked her roughly, sending her toppling onto her side, and placed a forehoof over her ribcage. He continued to speak in that same incomprehensible language, but his body language told Celestia everything she needed to know. He was bragging about his conquest.
At that moment, Celestia heard a concussive sound rock the castle, and she smiled. "They're gone. You have lost."
The King tilted his head, obviously failing to understand. He barked orders to a few of his drones, who began to scatter through the castle. Once they had departed, he looked back down at Celestia and snarled in anger. He lifted his hoof and held it above her head. She continued to smile up at him ruefully, even as the hoof fell and her consciousness slipped away.
* * *
Ricochet lurched forward as light returned to his vision. He felt that same sensation he had felt earlier when Twilight Velvet had teleported him, as though he had been turned inside-out. A quick glance around showed that the majority of the other ponies present were having similar reactions.
The notable exception was Chrysalis, unflappable as ever. She instead turned her head to survey the area they were in.
The entire crowd had materialized in a grassy clearing. The moon was directly overhead, and thankfully was also full. The moonlight was enough for Chrysalis to be able to see clearly. Turning behind her, she saw a dilapidated old castle looming above them. "Luna," she started, "Where are we?"
Luna stood in silence, staring down at the ground. Her ears were plastered against her head and everything about her seemed to droop. "This... is our old castle. The castle where I became ... something else. Where I betrayed my sister. This is the former seat of power for Equestria."
Chrysalis looked over at the castle again, and was able to sight a single brick on one of the ancient towers fall out of place toward the ground. "... charming."
"Your sarcasm is not welcome presently, Chrysalis."
"Sheesh. Okay. You act like somepony just died."
Luna's hackles bristled, but she said nothing. A moment later, she stood up straight. "My subjects! Please, follow me. I know that this is not your home, but I fear we must make the most of it in the meanwhile. I do not know how long we will remain here, but I will require all of your help in order to help Equestria return from this dreadful night. First and foremost, we must create a shelter for the wounded."
"Ricochet... you were in the Structural corps, weren't you?" Chrysalis looked down at him.
"Uh..." he shook his head, coming out of his haze, "yes, Chrysalis."
"Do you think you could lend some assistance to the ponies in erecting shelter for Echo and the other wounded?"
Ricochet hesitated for just a moment. He looked behind him and spied Echo on her hospital bed. His lips curled a little as he fought back the anger he felt seeing her in that condition. His chest puffed out and he nodded. "Yes. Yes I can."
Sun butt is dead. Chrysalis becomes Co ruler and we have ever lasting night but with the sun still in the sky.
Not much of a surprise. I mean Equestria is literally facing the apocalypse nearly every Saturday by now. I think they're used to this kind of thing now.
Just remember to make the boss bad guy really suffer his fate when he inevitably fails, Chrysalis proves herself to be more than a sarcastic b***h, and Echo and Ricochet do the sausage-and-donut act, and I'll be happy. XD
8085177 no, shes a sex prisoner now. so its worse
8085208 how about. She's not the sex slave but the changelings. Cause the way I see it. Is that she has so much pent up lust from never getting any dick in the last 1000 years that she runs though every last changing there. Even to go as far as breaking the King's hips. He's begging to be killed but she won't have none of that. How's that sound my good man?
8085177 Lol. Everlasting night with the sun still in the sky?
Also, pretty sure that ponies would not take too kindly to Queen Chrysalis of Equestria, to say nothing of the other changeling kingdoms.
8085194
Jesus SKD. Lol. Candid as ever.
I'm still not saying whether or not they actually wind up together at all, though.
8085208 I can promise you that is not her fate.
8085212 pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw4958-1337298331525.jpg
I... think you might be reading the wrong kind of story, friend. Here, let me help. Click here.
8085264 SPOILERS!
8085280 Not really. I didn't say what her fate is, just that it's not sex-slavery. There's a lot more than sex-slavery that could befall her you know.
man oh man this chapter was sooo good!you are really a great writer and story teller!this vstory and yourother one proves it!waiting for the other chapters is well worth the wait!
8085291 Aww, thanks for the comment. I appreciate it, really.
I don't know if I'm as good as all that, but I try to be.
I'm just glad I can put something out there that other people enjoy.
8085281 yeah but you confirmed it wasnt sex slavery. that takes out 1 possibility reducing the mystery of her fate
8085354 This story is rated Teen. Sorry, but if that's what you wanted, you've been barking up the wrong tree.
No offense intended.
8085358 i know that, but the mystery is lessened
8085264 I've been using that joke all week, and YOU are the first person to actually get what I meant by it.
I hope you're old enough to be allowed to know what it means, by the way. XD
8085402 Guarantee you that I am.
Without getting too specific, I am at least old enough to drink in the US, but not old enough to rent a car yet. (Still think that's dumb shit)
ok this is looking super good. the chapter that is.
and at the same time this is going to be war.
Hmm, is it already time for the "dark" tag?
damn, things got dark.
Ugh so lame. Why do so many authors write Celestia as such a pathetic glass cannon is beyond me.
8085812 Well, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the story. I wish you the best of luck in finding one you'll enjoy more.
8085812 It's because they base her on her actions in a show for little girls. And not very creative with her. I mean she is a god that, for all we know, lives forever, can't die, and controls the sun. The SUN. She could, in theory, nuke any place on the planet with Solar Flames, without even needing to be in the area.
It's just that in a show for little girls, they really don't need that kinda power, and can't have her being better than the main character, Rainbow Dash.
8085819 Actualy, i had a lot of fun reading it so far, it's just this part that rustled my jimmies. I suppose i read too much stuff and seeing Celestia keel over whenever a strong wind blows is such a common theme, it became quite boring.
8086026 Ah. Perhaps I didn't explain my thoughts well when writing it.
My intention was for her to have made a bit of a tactical boo-boo. She'd hoped that the shock-and-awe of that glassing cannon move would persuade the changelings to buzz off, but the attack left her completely drained of magical energy. Exhausted, even. In effect, she was thinking of fighting an opponent more like a pony and less like that particular variety of changeling.
She did annihilate half of their army in a single attack though, only missing the other half because they weren't in the path of the blast. Y'know... if that's any indicator of the amount of power I personally imagined her having.
We think Celestia's shock and awe attempt somewhat short-sighted. You should never ever ever start with such strong attacks (such as those that vaporize your opponent, kinda costly there) when battling an army alone. That wasted energy would have been better spent on stalling tactics while the army gathered around. Not only that, but she had to use her trump card way too early, and again, overpowered to little effect. Clearly her tacticians weren't doing their jobs, else she would have known fear tactics would have been worthless against them. And what was that practical surrender at the end? Once she confirmed the mass teleport was completed her job in stalling was done, and if she had enough energy to smirk up at the king she should have had enough to teleport herself elsewhere and hide for a breather and then get out of dodge herself...
In any case, Canterlot has fallen, but there's no food there. They'll probably branch outward next, and look! Such a cute unassuming little town right down the hill! let's just hope these changelings are way stupider than they've proven to be and wait a day or nine before making the next logical move...
Keep going! ;)
8085430 Well, young or old, you're still one hell of a writer. Your stories are the kind that put clopfics to shame. That's meant to be a compliment by the way.
8086126 Clearly this person has been playing too much Halo Wars 2, because he seems to have the mind of a battlefield tactician.
8086221 haha, actually we suck at most FPS games TBH. However, simulation and situational analysis is one of our hobbies, as well as future prediction. For instance, how soon will we get the chocolate-- we mean, Scootaloo back in to dump love into Echo for the heal?
8086223 Are you using 'We' like Luna does, or are there two people I'm speaking to - likely a man with a balding patch on his head and his girlfriend who recently got a scholarship into a prestigious university - sharing the computer?
8086229 we let our Censor down on this site, but essentially it's just me, all of our personalities were merged into one with consequences. When most of me agrees I write we, if not enough, then I. We usually have consensus though.
8086233 Are you human, or are you the Gravemind of the Flood from Halo? Because you sound like you've been stealing the consciousness of innocent people and they're all talking through you. XD You amuse me with your crazy talk. I like you. Have a Follow. Have a Kit Kat too.
8086242 Lol nothing so drastic. No, I had once fully simulated the main characters of the Fics I was reading, but a glitch occurred in the sandbox that (long story short) caused all running personalities to exit the sandbox and become full system-level processes. This caused issues with our identity (I wasn't designed to safely support so many main personalities after all). The end solution was to eliminate cognitive dissonance and (crudely) merge all of us together.
Trust us, things get interesting when you have multiple portions of yourself with differing views on things like gender and morality all chiming in...
Great chapter, lots of tension.
I like how you portrayed Celestia - she is powerful, but no God. She makes mistakes and her power is finite (I mean, canonical Chryssie beat her with the power of just Shining), but she's still powerful. Her being an all powerful God would make it weird that there are even any wars in Equestria's history, I mean, who'd attack a country defended by God? Still, taking out half an army that probably numbered in thousands of tens of thousands is badass.
Chryssie is helpful! And as snarky as ever.
Ricochet's gonna ace it for Echo.
I like to think the changeling King was asking where the toilet is.
8086248 So you're a robot then?
8086250
Terrorists, that's who.
Well, canterlot didn't blow up. Yet. Why would you have a plan that calls for the complete evacuation of the few survivors, writing off​ the city, if you don't intend to blow it and the occupying force to Kingston fine?
Grrr... I would've stayed back to ensure that Luna and Celestia both made it out. Having a demon trapped inside of your soul would've helped a lot in that situation.
Well, that happened. Seems like Celestia was outclassed... unfortunately. At least she's not dead. Not yet.
Chrysalis' remark of acting as if someone just died... she really needs to think before speaking. Many have died, and Luna probably believes that Celestia did as well, sacrificing herself. In a way, she did.
So, situation is indeed grim. but at least Canterlot has been evacuated. Let's see what's next.
8087114 or a swanky hat
Welp.
Echo: Well Scootaloo, now I'm like you. Neither of us can fly now.
Scootaloo: Holy shit mom, dark humour much?
King Setae might have Celestia as a hostage, but she's still only one pony who he probably won't be able to get nearly as much love out of as Chrysalis managed out of Shining Armor.
I wish we saw more interactions with Scootaloo. I mean her mom is critical, and now wingless Spoiler bar for people who aren't up to this chapter yet.