CH 41.? Don't Touch that Dial
Discord huffed, this was worse than being a statue. He was stuck just watching, only this time he could not laugh as misfortune descended upon the ponies. His view of the outside world was a simple box, within it Fluttershy delicately set down the plate of sandwiches. Sandwiches which he should have been sharing with her.
A small demon in the form of a white rabbit thumbed his foot.
“Take that back, mister. Discord must have a good reason…” The mare said, but it was all too clear she was starting to lose faith.
Another appointment missed, how many could he miss before he was forgotten, or he missed the rest of her life. Ponies were so short-lived, so fragile. Discord’s paw rested on the image of the buttercream pegasus, the only mortal he had truly cared for in such a long time. “Please, be safe.”
A clock ran around the room, shedding numbers all over the carpet. His paw seized it up, shaking it. The hollow rattle made it easy to judge how few numbers were left within it. He wished he could just top this timer up again like he did all those times before.
He raised his talon, the tips posed to snap. It slowly started to fade from view. “Cruse your rules.” He slumped bonelessly on his ceiling. He never liked this sort of randomness. So many ponies were only a single unlucky roll away from death or worse.
He dropped the thrashing time peace. As soon as its scrabbling legs hit the ground, it sprinted away. No wings, it would have flown if there was going to be any fun in what happened next.
A second TV flicked into existence, randomly cycling though ponies. The first one stayed fixed on Fluttershy. Static danced over the new screen, the image shifted to his little purple O and O player. A door in his chest opened, relieving his heart as it sunk into a fishbowl. Two little monkeys clung to it as they sang their sad song. They held on till the bitter end. They fizzed away like sour flavoured sherbet.
So perhaps there might be a few more individuals he wished he could protect. The least he could do was remember them. Once everything was resolved Moonlight Scroll, or Noble Guide as he now claimed to be, was going to pay tenfold for all the pain poor innocent Fluttershy was going to suffer today.
CHANNEL Should be an O&O game
Spike embraced the warmth around him. He refused to even consider he might be awake. He pushed away the distractions of the looming waking world desperate to hold onto his adventures with the Power Ponies. Radiance had just praised him for his valour.
Flames roiled up from his core, demanding attention. The familiar heavy belch building in his chest foretelling an incoming letter. He tried to reach out, but something stopped him. The warm blanket around him was effectively binding him still. The message thudded onto the floor.
Spike battled his way from his comfortable cocoon. The last time he had been bound so securely was when he was a young hatchling and Twilight needed to keep his head pointing away from the books. He glanced around at all the books and scrolls lying around him, that's exactly what had been done here. What? Was Twilight feeling nostalgic or something? It was almost as bad as if she changed his bedding for a waterproof set fearing he might wet his bed.
Spike shook his head as he carefully folded the blanket then reached for the scroll. The normal red ribbon was absent, replaced by two others. Luminous gold and abyssal black bound the scroll. The gold meant this missive was of the highest priority. His eyes locked on the black, his claw trembled and his grip almost failed. He had never received one before. Black only meant one thing. Death.
“TWILIGHT!”
CHANNEL Moonbut’s Squad: Striker
Striker savoured the divine flavour as his fangs sunk deep into the soft flesh. The door slammed open, his training saved him. The door parted his reflexive shadow from for only a moment. Tragically, his poor defenceless mango was not so lucky. The wet squelch announced its demise.
“Twilight!” The little purple lizard that destroyed nature's gift to the world scampered about, his little legs sliding out from under him.
Striker lifted the little dragon with his black aura, returning to solid form. The young dragon’s feet still scrambled in the air. “Whoah, where's the fire, Spike?”
Spike turned wide eyes upon Stiker and held up a sealed scroll. The black ribbon speaking more than the terror in the little guy’s eyes ever could. All of Striker’s joviality vanished in an instant, his black aura seized the scroll, tearing the seal away.
“Wait, you can’t.”
“You see the ribbons on this?” Striker did not take his eyes off the page as he held them up. “Every second could mean the difference between life and death.” His eyes rapidly flickered over the page. Oh by Luna’s Stars, no. “Spike, get everypony you can in the castle right now.” He spun and dove into his own shadow, rushing to raise the defences. He hardly noticed the open scroll float to the ground as he prayed Spike had not wasted too much time.
TELETEXT Page XX
Twilight,
The Dark Clouds heading your way are an insidious form of dark magic. They corrupt any life their rain touches. They can only be burnt away with mixed Astal and Sunlight war-spells.
This attack is not solely focused on Ponyville, this is an attack against our very nation. Cadance, Luna, Shining Armor and myself will deploy to protect as many as we can. Protect your ponies, protect your friends.
May Harmony be with you,
Tia.
CHANNEL Element of Honesty: Background Pony
The repeated explosions of colour were hard to ignore. What in tarnations are you doing now, Rainbow? Applejack wiped her fetlock across her forehead. The repeated thumps of hooves on bark announced her new farm helpers diligently persevering. She adjusted her hat and continued on, despite the ache in her spine.
She stifled a yawn. The last time she was this tired ended up with the now-infamous baked bads incident. A deep breath stretched her lungs, the extra air barely did anything to banish her fatigue. Business had never been better, but it was hard to keep up. The refugees set up in that fancy place that Noble Guide fellow was building had already doubled the apple order for the year, and that was before Twilight started performing miracles and getting even more ponies to turn up.
Her hooves pressed into the life rich ground. She closed her eyes, inhaling the scents of home. The apples in the tree next to her, the fragrant grass beneath her hooves, even a few hints of the pastry Granny was blind baking to make pies later.
She reached out through her hooves. As always, the strong rhythm of the apple trees greeter her first. Breath slowly left her lungs as warmth flowed from her chest through her legs into the ground. Gratitude danced through the tree's song as it pulled in the energy. The apple scent shifted to the perfect tart sweetness.
“Thank you, you did well, helping keep all these ponies fed.” A smile warmed her face as she adjusted readying to buck. This would be the second harvest from this tree this week. She would have to rest the poor girl after this.
Leathery wings furiously beat the air getting closer. “What’s the chances that's not for me?” She muttered. Applejack looked up and already knew what she would see.
A Nightguard impacted the ground. Dust erupted into the air and apples fell from the disturbed trees. “Bearer Applejack.”
“Yeah…”
“You and your family are ordered to the shelter of the castle.”
“Ordered?” Applejack straightened out of her bucking stance and levelled her best stubborn glare at the Bat Pony. “Wait one darn minute, what's going on?”
“There is no time, if you value the lives of your family, make haste.” The Bat pony leapt into the air wheeling in the air and flapping hard as he headed towards the Everfree.
A pegasus flashed by him, then an instant later he slammed into something twisted and dark. The pair tumbled through the air heading to the northern field. Other Nightguards and things were brawling in the air.
Her hooves started moving on their own, she was at a gallop towards the farmhouse in moments. “Big Mac, get Granny to Twilight's.”
Big Mac poked his head out a window. “Eeyep.”
“Applebloom, Applebloom!”
There was no answer.
CHANNEL Starlit Ego
Starlight glared over the mountains of weapons and armour concealing the Cutiemap. Magic danced along Starlight's horn, eager, hungry to lash out. The overflow refracted kaleidoscopically from the crystal walls. “Who put you in charge?”
“Princess Luna.” Stiker’s draconic eyes narrowed, his armoured body smoothly shifted into a dangerous stance. “Now you ‘will’ alter these enchantments or you will be tried for treason.”
“I don't think you understand we're on the same side.”
“Seconds cost lives, Starlight.”
The weapons were the training weapons Twilight had created. Each carefully enspelled to be unable to harm another. As usual, her teacher's magic was overdone. There was even part of the enchantment that would help you float if you were submerged in water carrying one.
Hooves thundered towards them. Striker shifted to parade rest, his horn darkened with shadow as his aura opened the door.
Striker turned to the two fast approaching thestrals. “Report.”
“Hostile vanguard, two minutes out.” The one on the left snapped.
“Gather the top ten locals for all the combat events.” Striker ordered. The Nightguards did not even come to a full stop before flapping their wings and darting off in two different directions.
It took a few seconds to sink in who Striker was going to give these weapons to. “You’re arming civilians? Against this?”
Striker snarled, his keen fangs on full display. “What's coming is not going to care who they are.” A slight tremble spoiled his sharp retort. “If we don't stop them, they will kill or infect everypony, and this blight will spread.”
A blood-curdling scream ripped through the air. Starlight’s blood froze. Why could this not just be another friendship mission? A tremble started in her legs. This was Equestria, things like this just did not happen.
Metal smashed against the crystal floor as Striker stomped his hoof. “Now, get this done, then find a vantage point.” Strike donned a spiked helm as he stalked out. “They say you fought Twilight to a standstill?” He paused in the doorway and glared over his shoulder. “I hope for all our stakes that was no boast.”
She was Starlight Glimmer, she regularly performed magic not even Twilight could. Her shaking stopped. She straightened, her head lifted in defiance, her eyes drilled into his.
“Better.” Striker nodded then left.
Starlight ignored the stallion and focused her senses on the useless arsenal before her. There was no time to unwork Twilight’s spellwork. But what if the spells could be deceived. There were so many things to protect who they struck. So many different types of energies they could use to prevent harm. So what happens if they think they were about to set their target on fire?
CHANNEL One Trick Pony
Trixie reared up, her cape flaring dramatically. Yes, she had to wear this armour, but she could at least make sure she still looked great and powerful. Branding was important, after all.
"On the left," Captain bossy shouted.
Trixie huffed, lighting her horn. Two ponies fled and the third just cowered before the slavering mass of tendrils and blades. It roared as it lunged, thick globs of spittal splattered its soon to be snack.
"Teacup!" A flick of her horn was all it took. A bolt of magic sailed out, striking true. The tentacled horror imploded in a flash of light. Only a simple teacup falling to the ground remained in its place.
"Barrage center."
“Trixie could really do without having to take all the orders.”
A bright spark leapt from her horn trailing streamers of technicolour. Moments before impact it burst apart into dozens of explosions detonating in pyrotechnic glory amongst a pack of monsters. It just did not look right, used like that. It was meant to go off high in the sky. This was not why she invented these spells.
Blinded and deafened, the beasts staggered back from the force of the ongoing blasts.
“None can stand against the great and...”
“Enough showboating, more fighting.”
“Everypony’s a critic.” Twilight had better appreciate this…
Channel Moonbutt kisser Striker
“What do you mean she went to a different world?” Striker buried his doubts, Alicorn or no Alicorn his duty was clear. Hold the town or destroy it to slow the blight.
Emerald Shade held her regal pose and clam stare. “She departed over an hour ago, seeking medical knowledge from the human world.”
“Then, we need to retrieve her.”
“I agree, though we should send somepony who has been, and if you can see reason, I know who to send.”
“Who?”
“Spike.”
“Why him?”
“He has been there before and will be able to track Twilight.”
Striker nodded, “Find Spike, get it done.”
Emerald nodded and departed, her long legs striding elegantly despite her rapid pace.
Striker closed his eyes and activated the silver and black spell glyphs placed along the inside of his eyelids. The spellbrands did their job perfectly. A single terrible spell stood ready to be unleashed. “I hoped I would never need this.”
The ghost of a caress trailed along his cheek as Luna's calm voice spoke. “There are many fates worse than death, foes that must be stopped no matter the cost.” Luna’s cool magic caressed his horn, the crisp scent of a frozen winter’s night helped calm him. “We trust thee, Captain Striker, with our final mercy.”
Striker opened his eyes, his reflection looked back at him from the crystal wall. The faint whips of silver streaming from its eyes only visible to thestral eyes.
The rhythmic clinks or armoured hooves on crystal approached. The pattern was a canter, not a gallop nor a shadow step, so not an emergency. He stared into his reflection’s eyes, his own oblivion and the deaths of all here was now just a thought away. He took a deep breath composing himself. “For Equestria,” he whispered.
Night’s Mercy trotted in, her healer's kit and poisons expertly concealed under her leathery wings. “Captain…” She stopped as soon as she saw his eyes. Understanding filled her own, a grim and determined expression settled on her face. She nodded. “I’ll spread the word.”
CHANNEL It's over nine thousand.
Starlight looked out from the castle's balcony. Against the backdrop of black clouds and the greens of the Everfree, the Nightguard fought monsters on land and in the air. Atop her wagon, Trixie stood tall as if performing on a stage. She was right near the frontline, just behind a few Earth Pony Nightguards. The showmare's flashy magic drew attention and disoriented the creatures. Guards and armed civilians brutally ambushed those that tried to make their way to her friend.
It was surreal, like being in a nightmare. Hordes of monsters rushed in to attack the town that had become her home. It was hard, but she focused on what she could do. As no pony could find Twilight, she was the most powerful mage here. She had to make her spells count.
Below, more and more of the ponies of Ponyville proved brave enough to take up arms. Each of them clutching one of her perversions of Twilight’s work. They galloped off and took positions where Emerald Shade pointed to.
The green maned beauty’s eyes were intense pools of calm resolve as they pierced into Starlight’s own. Indignation boiled her fear away. If some well-groomed prostitute could be that clam, so could she. She was not going to be shown up by the likes of her.
Magic gathered around her horn. She built it slowly, she had to focus on efficiency and not speed. She was no Alicorn, to even compete with one she had to continually seek where and how to best to use it. Right now she might offer to sell her soul to Discord just to have one-tenth of Twilight’s magic reserves.
Bulk Biceps, or Snowflake, she could never remember which, was carrying barrels of something out of the castle.
The dark rain still fell from those perverted clouds, their corrupting magic twisting the Everfree and part of Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac carried Granny Smith as he and his sister trampled, bucked or lassoed anything that tried to stop them. A small group of ponies that had been helping them on the farm followed and stuck as close as they could.
Starlight looked past them. Hundreds of things converged on them. It took only moments to see where the hoard was going to crash into defenders. The thin line of guards and town ponies was not going to be able to stop them.
Starlight braced herself, each hoof planted firmly. The magic that rippled over her horn intensified. She never used this level of magic versus a living creature before, not even if you counted her battle against Twilight through the past or their weekly duelling practice.
CHANNEL Not an Orange
Something thudded into the ground then one set of galloping hooves fell silent. Applejack risked a look back. Tree Branch had fallen, a dozen monsters howled with frenzied delight.
“Oh no, you don’t.” She planted her hooves and wheeled round skidding to a halt. “Mac, keep going!”
Big Mac nodded, passing Granny off to one of the new ponies using his brute strength to plough his way through another hoard of monsters.
Her trusty rope wrapped around Tree Branch and yanked them over to her. An expert flick and their weight slammed into her back. She turned and ran. Her legs burned, her muscles screamed with each powerful motion. A clawed thing erupted from the ground right in per path. Her muscles bunched and she lept, her hooves leaving small craters as she launched herself over the tar-like monster.
The monster swung, wicked claws gleefully extended. A breeze tickled her belly as the swipe only parted her coat.
Her hooves crashed into the ground, pain lanced up her left foreleg. She grit her teeth and ignored it.
A sea of waving tentacles erupted like a forest around her. “Oh buck.”
She slammed into them muzzle first. They writhed, lashing out like whips, stinging and slashing at her as they tore ragged strips from her coat. She reeled back. Left, right, behind, the things were everywhere. Maybe she could go over? No, they were more than twice the height she could jump even unburdened. She was trapped.
Blood dripped from her. Her earthpony toughness was the only reason it was not a torrent. She slowly turned, there had to be a way out, there had to be something she could do. Big Mac and Applebloom would not be crying over a closed casket. I’m not done yet.
Manic hyena laughter flickered from place to place around her. “Little Pony has nowhere to run,” the raspy voice mocked from behind her.
The tarry thing stepped through the tendrils. It towered almost as tall as the walls. It stood on two legs, had oversized clawed arms and a wolf-like face.
“I’m Sorry, Big Mac.” She carefully slid Tree Branch from her back and turned to face her attacker. She stomped her hoof and let out an angry snort. “Come on, or are you yellow?”
It charged.
CHANNEL Fluttershy
A line of bright light seared into her vision. Fluttershy whimpered as magic ripped its way through air and poor tormented animals with equal ease. Tears stung at her eyes, why was this happening? Something had twisted their forms, but they were still in there, scared and panicked, each calling for help. She had tried to reason with them, pleaded with them, but they could not stop themselves, it was like something else was controlling their bodies. Even the Stare had not worked.
Harry grabbed her and struck out with a powerful paw. The terrified former manticore she had once pulled the thorn from his paw, staggered back. Angel Bunny fell upon them with twin kitchen knives. Fluttershy squeezed her eyes closed. “Make it stop, just make it stop.”
One of her animal friends let out a pained wail only for it to be cut off an instant later. Another little piece of Fluttershy died inside. One more friend would not make it to safety.
“Make a hole.” A booming stallion bellowed.
Fluttershy risked opening her eyes. She and her small stampede of mixed animals were closing on a line of Guards and ponies she knew from town. A section of their line opened, their approach being kept clear by brutal stabs of magic from the unicorn Nightguard.
“Fluttershy, this way, hurry!” Trixie’s amplified voice screamed.
Harry roared and picked up speed as he charged through the few monsters that tried to slow them. A few looked like they might have been ponies.
“Bulk, now!”
“Yeeaah!” A barrel of something sailed past Fluttershy. It slammed squarely into the face of a tentacled Timberwolf. The wood shattered, spraying gooey liquid all over, the sound inaudible over the cacophony of this madness.
“Trixie, light it!”
Fiery spirals of magic danced around the showmare’s horn. Fluttershy closed her eyes. The roar of the hungry flames were drowned out by the pained howls.
Fluttershy wept.
CHANNEL Rescue Rainbow
Rainbow flared her wings, a bolt of tainted light scorched the hairs of her coat with the near-miss. What the buck is it going to take to stop these? She did not have the oxygen to spare to voice her question. Her whole body burned with the effort of staying in the air.
Her Knight’s blade tugged to the right. Rainbow did not fight it, she spun in the air, letting Twilight’s deadly gift guide her strike. It's wicked edge bisected a hoofball sized parasprite. Balded tendrils erupted from it in a futile attempt to catch her as the two parts of it started their fall to the forest below.
Rainbow panted, gaining some altitude. “Thanks.” Warmth pulsed through the metal once. The clouds that still sneered at her were smaller now. The bolts of lightning came less frequently. They were using themselves up to create that tarry monster making rain. They would only be a threat for a few more seconds.
One by one, the clouds paled and dissipated. The evil eyes lingered in the air for a few more seconds, taunting her.
“Buck you, nopony beats Ponyville!”
“Are you sure?” A raspy voice challenged.
The eyes flared then vanished as if they had never existed. Rainbow turned her attention to the wider conflict. What had she missed? The air and ground both heaved with activity.
The weather team had made it back to Ponyville and were airlifting slow, injured or just stubborn ponies to Twilight's castle. The Nightguards and those that could fight held the line in an ordered withdrawal towards the castle.
The bat ponies fought as if possessed. They tore into the monsters in fearless frenzy, and yet managed to pull back a moment before they were struck down. Whatever training those thestrals got, Rainbow wanted some.
The still blazing wall of flames bought time for Fluttershy to be carried further to safety and still secured Ponyville from one direction.
A long sun-bright beam lanced from the Castle to near Sweet Apple Acres. Starlight’s definitely war-grade magic traced a line from monster to monster, shredding them in seconds like sugar paper before a hosepipe, carving darkened furrows in the ground.
The powerful magic danced around avoiding where Applejack bucked, bit and stomped on anything that got near her. She stayed protectively near some stallion with a pair of broken legs. Slightlight’s magic was too powerful to get close enough to save them.
“Rainbow to the rescue, again.”
Rainbow climbed instead of diving straight for her friend. Spitfire had been clear, if allied war-spells were in the field you needed to make bucking sure those nearsighted hornheads knew exactly where you were. So Rainboom number six it would be.
CHANNEL Apple Toss
Applejack heaved in another breath. Hundreds of little cuts and bruises stung her body. She expertly pivoted her body unleashing another buck. Unlike with her beloved trees, she did not hold back. Bones loudly shattered as another thing was sent flying into its kin.
“Just leave me,” Tree Branch croaked.
“I ain't going to do that,” Applejack started circling the crippled stallion, defiant eyes locked on anything that dared get close.
A malevolent red glow seeped into the varmint’s eye “One of us, you're going to be remade into one of us.”
Applejack snorted, her hoof scraping the ground like an angry minotaur.
“Give in to that anger, give in to that hate, it will only make you stronger when we take you.”
Applejack roared, her hoof pulled back to brutalise the things head. Impacts shuddered up her forelegs again and again. The thing laughed, weakly. It's attempted cackle silenced as its face was ruined blow by blow. “Look behind you,” it wheezed before finally falling still.
Tendrils had enveloped Tree Branch, they pulled him in towards the mass of abominations.
“No!”
A prismatic blur and the ground disappeared below with a nauseating lurch “Don't worry, I got you.” Rainbow said as she ripped Applejack into the air.
“Rainbow, he still,”
“Give me a moment.” Rainbow surged upwards her rainbow trail showing all the world how fast she was going. She rolled bucking Applejack away. She pivoted and dove still trailing rainbows.
“Rainbow!” Applejack ascended on momentum alone. With only the air around her for company, her limbs failed uselessly. “Earth ponies ain't got wings.”
She slowed to a stop frozen in the air for a moment, the whole world, the swarming mass of the battle lay before her. “Oh nelly.” Gravity decided it had quite enough of an earthpony trying to fly.
She fell.
CHANNEL T.Sparkle 2.0
Another sonic rainboom erupted in the sky demanding attention. A speeding orange form caught Starlight's eyes. Applejack rose in the air purely on imparted momentum as Rainbow dove back down for the crippled farm worker. Long trails of lightning tore through the sky flanking Dash and her rainbow contrail.
Rainbow surged down, impacting the ground like a meteorite. Rock and earth fountained up, joined by shattered monsters as electricity arced between it all.
“Rainbow!” Starlight shouted.
“She's fine, or she's dead. Now catch Applejack.” Striker said from beside her.
“What?” Starlight looked back, the farm mare was heading on a collision course straight at her. She re-ignited her still far to warm horn and readied her aura.
CHANNEL Random Pony oh who cares who they are.
The monsters crowded in, hungry maws, mocking cackles echoed around him.
“Yessssss, you ssshall be the one to kill Applejack, ssssweet, ssweet revenge for her not ssssaving you…”
Twin bolts of lightning cracked down, a titanic boom exploded around him.
A blue mare stood over him like an avenging Alicorn had come to save him. Her rainbow mane billowed in the breeze as lightning crackled through it. Her muzzle moved, but Tree Branch could not hear anything other than the endless ringing that assaulted his ears.
The mare grabbed him and carelessly lifted him. Pain blazed as his broken legs shifted. With a single powerful flap, she rocketed into the air. Pain flared into agony. A scream clawed out his ragged throat even as he wanted to thank her. This torment was better than being eaten by those things. The devastation around them came into view below them as darkness clawed at the edges of his vision.
A lone patch of earth stood alone in a ragged crater. Charred monsters and chunks of shattered earth still rained down. Who the buck is she? was his last thought before his mind downed in the blackness.
CHANNEL Applesauce?
Starlight's magic lowered Applejack to the crystal balcony. Pain shot up Applejack’s legs as her cracked and chipped hooves took her weight.
"If Apples were meant to fly we would have wings." Applejack's hoof brushed over her mane.
Her hat's loss weighed far more than a replaceable accessory ever should, especially now. Below Ponyville, her home was in chaos. Ponies fought, ponies bled. The flames spread, consuming grass and building alike with equal ease. A group of weather ponies fanned the flames guiding the budding inferno towards the farm.
Moisture pricked her eyes. Honesty was the cruellest of elements. It refused to allow any self-deception. Not now after so long being it's bearer. The screams of pain and terror were not just overreactions. That pony down there was not just unconscious.
Applejack straightened. She was an Element of Harmony. She was a member of the Apple family. She was not going to let these monsters take any more lives. Not if she could do anything at all to stop them. "I got to help them." She said to herself before her gaze turned from the suffering below. "Starlight, where's the best place for a pair of strong bucking legs to make a difference?"
“Go to the map room. Get some armour and ask Rarity where you are needed.”
Applejack ran towards the map room. “These varmints are going to wish they never came to mah town.”
CHANNEL Marshmallow Advert.
The cloying scent of the perfume-drenched scarf wrapped over her nose was the only thing holding her nausea at bay.
Sowing wounds closed what not Rarity’s idea of a good time. This was practically barbaric, her ears still rang from when disinfectant was poured into that poor colt's wounds without so much as a numbing spell. All the healing magic was reserved for putting ponies back in the fight.
Her current patient twitched. “Please, darling, try to stay still. I'm sorry. I know it hurts, but it will be over soon.” Her aura guided the needle with the same unerring precision she prided herself on. “There, all done.”
Rarity stood, her white coat stained with blood, none of it her’s. She knew where every blemish came from, She rested her hoof on a patch of dried blood matted into her coat. That brave stallion was still laying there in the corner. He looked so peaceful, she could almost believe he was only asleep.
Night’s Mercy rested her hoof on Rarity's withers. Its warmth stirring just a little more hope in the fashionista. “It's never easy sending somepony to their final dream.”
“Final dream?”
“The last moments of life fall under our Sovereign’s domain.”
“Princess Luna?”
Mercy nodded, “When your time comes, she will be there for you, Bearer of Generosity.”
“A royal escort to the eternal fields… that's an honour, though please forgive me for not wishing to accept any time soon.”
“That's something we both can help to delay.”
Heavy hooves lumbered into the map room. “Rarity, what the hay happened to you?”
“Darling, I’m fine.” Applejack looked to be in a right state. Strips of her coat and flesh were missing from her body. Her cracked and split hooves looked like she made her best attempt to smash them. “Applejack, what happened to you?”
“They attacked the farm.”
“Oh, darling.”
Mercy fixed Applejack with her slit eyes. “Are you still able to fight?”
“Do Apples grow on trees?”
Mercy nodded once. “Drink this.”
Applejack accepted the vial of clear liquid shot through with swirls of crimson and midnight blue. “What’s this?”
“This blessing from the Sovereign will heal you and lessen your pain.”
Applejack surveyed the room and the many injured ponies laying around, “Use it on them.”
“No, they can’t or won’t fight.”
“So?” Applejack glared. “they still need healing.”
Mercy leaned in and whispered. Applejack's eyes widened, then narrowed. The farm mare downed the contents of the vital and stomped away.
“Rarity, bind her hooves, I will select her armour.”
Applejack glanced down at her hooves then walked to Rarity.
“Darling what did she say?”
One broad hoof was offered to her, Rarity’s magic tore strips of fabric and tightly bound Applejack's cracked hooves. Already the most superficial of the cuts on the mare had closed.
“I ain’t sure you want to know.”
“Whatever it is, honesty is the best policy right, dear Applejack?”
“Alright.”
CHANNEL Bug spray, now on special offer.
Elytron stood tall in her elegant pony form despite how much more functional an armoured carapace could be all too soon.
“Keep going, you're safe now,” Elytron said, infusing her voice with a little soothing love energy. Mother would be furious with the waste.
Each of the dishevelled ponies that passed her were a silent testament to the nightmare happening just out of sight. Not that she needed any proof. The utter devotion of Luna’s guard class ponies wrapped around the town like the thickest of hive walls, but there were cracks. Some of them feared, some of them knew that should their line break, nopony would survive.
Why did they spend valuable lives to save common, replaceable drone ponies? Yes, ponies reproduce slower than changelings, but that could not be the only reason, could it?
She rested her hoof on her necklace. The simple bit of magic shaped metal proclaimed she spoke with Twilight's authority. It didn't really matter if it made sense or not, this was the will of her new queen. So these drone ponies would be protected.
Only Elytron’s enchanted words kept the stream of ponies moving smoothly, preventing a deadly stampede. As each crossed the threshold, she grazed their disgusting turmoil of emotions. Despite how sweet they smelled, love, happiness, relief, all the sweeter things she left untouched.
She drew in yet another medley of feelings. It was nauseating, but it had to be done. The calmer they were the more likely they were to survive. Their fear was little more than bile in her throat going down.
Two-o-three, two-o-four, two-o-five. Keeping track of mere hundreds of ponies was trivial. Each one that headed in was another pony she could cross off her mental list of missing. A certain unaccounted for filly remained prominently at the top of the list.
The stomp of heavily armoured hooves approached. Elytron did not even need to look back to know who it was. The shining beacon of bright resolve wrapped around Applejack’s stubborn determination. Though a dark grimness reinforced it, just like Luna’s warriors.
Ponies straightened and sparks of hope stirred in their hearts. It was galling that the simple farm mare's mere presence did more than Elytron’s gift of Twilight's love.
The clanking stopped as Applejack stepped up beside her. “Where do you need me?”
The mare must have been burdened with twice her bodyweight of metal. How was she still able to move? The Elements of Harmony were definitely the finest specimens of pony kind short of the Leader Class Alicorns. Applejack would make a dependable Praetorian.
It only took a moment to reach out and find the largest sickening mass of panic and fear. She compared the distance and direction with her mental map of the town. “I’m not sure Lady Rarity would approve, but you are most certainly dressed for the occasion. Please make your way to Sugarcube Corner and support Pinkie Pie.”
The armoured titan nodded and trotted off, each hoof step leaving deep indentations the unwary could fall in.
CHANNEL Rainbow Flat
Rainbow collapsed, the impact with the ground nothing compared to the burning in her lungs. Her whole body screamed at her to stop, to lay down, to give up.
“What's the matter? Is it nap time little pony?”
Warmth trickled into her abused flesh spreading from her Knight’s blade. She was breathing, she could still keep going. Her abused body punished her, lancing pain shot through her wings as she moved. She ignored it, rolling as she put her hooves under her. “Not… beaten… yet.” Each leg pushed, forcing her to stand. She glared into the hulking monster's eyes smirking.
At least Little Pip and Button Mash were long gone now, safely under the protection of Pinkie’s cannons. Seven Rainbooms and saving the day multiple times, not a bad final performance. Dash slipped her hooves apart as she lowered into a ground-bound combat stance.
“You leave my friend alone!” A country drawl bellowed. An armoured juggernaut of a pony slammed into the monster like the Friendship Express. Both crashed through a wall. Dust and debris erupted from the impact, hiding their battle.
“Applejack?” Rainbow limped forward peering through the hole, waiting for a chance to help.
CHANNEL Fluttershy
The tears were gone now, put away until others did not need her kindness. Fluttershy offered a comforting smile to the pony as she wrapped a bandage around their mauled limb. Something in the vial Mercy the Nightguard healer had made her drink made it easy to be calm.
A coolness flowed through her that made everything so clear. She closed her eyes, the night sky met her, the stars above sang a calming hymn just for her.
She opened her eyes, moving on to her next patent. Despite the dim light, everything looked so clear. Harry stood guard by the door that Mercy had left by. It made sense, Mercy was a trained Nightguard, she could do much more good out there now that there was a trained healer here.
Some of her little furry friends cuddled with scared foals, many of them would find new homes as pets after this.
Rarity walked in with another crate of bandages floating in the blue of her magic. “Darling, I'm never complaining about Twilight over-preparing again.”
“Were there any more pain killers?”
“Two boxes.” Rarity turned and cantered off the way she came from.
Angel hopped into the crate and threw a new roll of healing salve infused bandages to her.
“Thank you.”
CHANNEL, Party time
Knives, forks, rocks and anything else she could find went where streamers and cake should. Her party cannon spoke with a deeper voice than normal. ‘Boom’ it said, and another batch of party crashers would never crash a party again.
CHANNEL, Chaos management office.
It felt like it had been days, but it could not have been more than half an hour. Even with the potion coursing through her veins Applejack could feel utter exhaustion just waiting like a hungry timberwolf for its chance. Rainbow’s weight on her back added nothing to the heft of the armour.
Rainbow had fought on and on until she collapsed, unable to even stand again. Pinkie wheeled her loaded cannon beside her, ready to fire it at any threat that even came close. More than a few walls had been demolished for just being near the varmints Pinkie targeted.
The guards and town ponies were securely holding the now smaller perimeter. The frozen remains of the monster spoke of just how ‘safe’ the weapons Twilight had made for the fair were. They trailed frost in the air when swung and their strikes left anything they struck encased in frigid ice. That was not what any sane pony would call safe but the attacker’s limbs being weighed down with created ice sure was effective.
Applejack watched the last pony be carried into the castle. Injures like theirs would leave scars, assuming they survived. Only those holding the defences were left outside.
Rarity stood next Emerald as she checked off each pony. Rarity face twisted with worry. “Has anypony seen Sweetie Belle?” Her imploring eyes searched Pinkie and Applejack’s own.
If Sweetie Belle was missing… “Where in tarnation is Applebloom?”
Emerald's voice was far too calm for what she said next. “Of the foals Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applebloom and Little Star are unaccounted for.”
Applejack’s insides clenched. “Oh ponyfeathers, don't tell me they’re crusading in the middle of this. She is going to be grounded for the rest of her life.”
CHANNEL Cliffhanngers.com
“Where is my daughter?” The simple words from her sent ice water down his spine. Striker looked round encountering Twilight's cold eyes. Her normal kind eyes hardened, pupils elongating to thestral slits. “You don't know, do you?”
Discord turned the TV off.
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...
Is this the endgame?
Celestia's rules coming home to roost, something in the geas forces Discord to stay out of it I think...
dun dun dun this darkness done messed up......
curse you!!! and your cliffhanger too!!
Well. That escalated really quickly. I definitely enjoyed the ride, though. Also, glad to see people were misunderstanding what actually did the corrupting, and Rainbow's blade was merely protecting her. Still, major bummer for those converted or killed. Now that Twilight is back in town, its time for round two.
When he is most needed, when his desire to help another is the strongest it’s ever been, he is unable to help. Such feelings that must be weighing on Discord, to be so powerful and yet so powerless.
Okay what is Keepung Discird from going in?
Honestly, thought that was a very clever piece of prose. And if that hollow clock is a representative of what I think it is, that is certainly blood-chilling for him, being forced to watch and not do anything.
And while I am almost certain that the Crusaders are alive, in almost all parts due to Little Star, I am uncertain as to whether they're unharmed. Nevertheless, I'd think that Twilight is about to showcase just how massive a powergap there is between a pony and an alicorn
This Chapter made my Day!!
Wait I was unaware I was reading Attack on Titan!
10671192
Can you enlighten me what actually did it? Kinda forgot what evil thingies tried stuff in this fic :P
Thanks!
*leaves a tray of brownies*
Ahhhh heartache, I know him well
Your autocorrect seems to be on the fritz a bit.
Either that or ponies are clams all of a sudden.
also:
Rarity face twisted with worry
s ometing missing there.
and i think there were one or two other instances of spelling mistakes somewhere in there, but i can't find them anymore on a second glance.
Whelp someone set off
HomelanderTwilight.Discord watches TV. 📺
Yay update, Oh bleep!
Well then...
Noooo!!! 11!11! Not thecliffhanger.com! My cused enemy, we meet once again!
[WASTED]
PINKAMENA FUCKIN WICK YO
DOOM, SAYETH THE PARTY PONE
10671781
Discord implied that the dark mage posing as a noble in Canterlot (I can't remember his name at the moment---Noble Guild I think) was responsible for this. But he could also be referring to something else that is going to happen to FlutterShy that we haven't seen yet.
There's more coming, right? That was freaking awesome!
Good on you, Sparkle Butt.
Aaaaahhh here ok
That was great
11793143
Thank you for all the comments. It is always lovely to hear what each reader thinks of the chapters. Comments do a lot to help feed my motivation and keep me going.
All the best.