The Last Crusade

by Scribblestick

Battlefield

Battlefield

“Form ranks, my little ponies!” Celestia shouted. The only other noise was the crunch of snow underhoof and the ponies’ heavy breathing. “Nightmare Moon is waiting for us there,” Celestia yelled, pointing to the distant Canterlot, which hung in the shadow of the mountains. “She will be coming to meet us soon, and she will not come alone. I know for many of you, this is the first time you have seen battle, but believe me when I say I have absolute faith that you will pull through—not only for me, but for all of Equestria!”

The army let out a cheer as Scootaloo soared overhead. So far, it wasn’t a bad speech—for changeling. The New Appleloosans were in on the ruse, of course. In fact, Scootaloo guessed there were more changelings in disguise than actual ponies in the army below her. Still, if they wanted to fool Nightmare Moon, they couldn’t take any chances. Chrysalis and her hive had been in disguise since they entered Equestria, and now the changeling queen was giving them their pre-battle pep talk. Not even Nightmare Moon could tell the difference, she thought.

Scootaloo kept her eyes on Canterlot as Chrysalis continued. “This battle will not be easy. Nightmare Moon is not a pony to be trifled with. But remember this, my little ponies: Every night has its dawn, and every sunset has its daybreak. Nightmare Moon’s long night has come to an end, and we, my fellow ponies, are the sun!”

Scootaloo couldn’t help but roll her eyes as the army cheered louder than before. “Way to end with some cheese,” she muttered.

“Well, I liked it,” said a pegasus to her left, a deputy named Gunsmoke. “It got the troops motivated, so that’s all that matters.”

“I guess,” Scootaloo agreed. Her eyes narrowed as something stirred in the distant mountainside city. “Hey, do you see that?”

Gunsmoke squinted and nodded. “Looks like she’s on her way.”

“Keep the pegasi in formation,” Scootaloo ordered before swooping down in front of Chrysalis. Braeburn stood at the changeling queen’s other side. “It looks like they’re coming,” she muttered.

Chrysalis nodded. Her pastel-colored mane flowed ethereally in the wind, and the moonlight shone off her pristine white coat and golden armor, which only made the twin suns on her flanks stand out all the more. “Are you ready, colonel?”

Braeburn nodded. “Just keep her attention on you. I don’t want to get hit with a lightnin’ bolt while I’m gettin’ my blowgun ready.”

“I’ll give you all the time you need,” Chrysalis replied. “Hide yourself in the ranks. Hopefully, we can end this battle before it begins.”

Braeburn nodded and disappeared into the mass of ponies behind them. “What if he misses?” Scootaloo asked.

“Then we proceed as planned,” Chrsyalis answered. “I will draw away Nightmare Moon. Keep her army at bay, and take another shot when you get the chance.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Scootaloo asked as the murky cloud from Canterlot drew closer.

“It’s a little late for second thoughts, don’t you think?” Chrysalis asked as she watched the skies. “I don’t see her.”

“She’ll be here,” Scootaloo said. “Apple Bloom won’t let us down.”

“I worry Nightmare Moon might suspect her true allegiance,” Chrysalis replied.

“She’ll be fine. She knows what she’s doing.”

Chrysalis gave a slight shrug. “Have you seen the griffons?”

“Not yet.”

Chrysalis scowled. “They better show up.”

“They will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Gilda’s my friend,” Scootaloo replied. “She’ll be here.”

“Well, whether they come or not, we can’t back down now,” Chrysalis sighed. The dark cloud was close enough they could make out individual ponies. “I need you in the air until the griffons arrive. Tell the colonel to take charge of the earth pony battalion. My soldiers will do the rest.”

Scootaloo nodded and turned to face her army. “Earth ponies, follow Braeburn! Pegasi, behind me!” The soldiers saluted in acknowledgement.

“What about me?”

Scootaloo looked at her white-coated friend, the only unicorn in all of New Appleloosa. “Just stay with Braeburn for now,” she said. “Do you know any protective spells?”

“A few.”

“Great. Just do what you can.”

Sweetie Belle looked at the ground, her black hood and cloak obscuring her face. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Before Scootaloo could think of something to say, the sound of cracking thunder met her ears. She spun around to see a mass of purple-clad, dark-coated, blue-maned ponies forming ranks a few hundred yards away. A blue-armored alicorn with a jet-black mane stood in front of them. “You,” she said.

“Princess Luna,” Chrysalis said as she stepped forward, looking every bit the part of Equestria’s former ruler.

“I killed you!” Nightmare Moon screeched, her eyes wide.

“You tried to,” Chrysalis agreed with a nod. “Nevertheless, I do not come with anger in my heart. I do not wish to fight you.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come here with an army behind you,” replied Nightmare Moon with bared teeth. “I don’t know how you escaped, much less in one piece, but I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Sister, be reasonable,” Chrysalis begged, and even Scootaloo forgot for a moment that the real Princess Celestia didn’t stand beside her. “You rule nothing but a frozen waste.”

“The time for talking passed over a thousand years ago, sister,” the dark mare replied, spitting out the last word. “Spare me the speech and do what you came here to do. Your death is long overdue as it is.”

“It’s you who’s going down!” Scootaloo yelled.

“Don’t make me laugh,” said Nightmare Moon. “Your little assassin friend has been trying to kill me for years. What, you thought I didn’t know?” she asked when she heard Scootaloo’s gasp. “It was obvious, really. But don’t worry your little head. I’ve taken care of her.”

“T-that’s a lie!” Scootaloo shouted.

“Enough, General,” said Chrysalis. “Sister, please. We were meant to rule together.”

“Well, you should have thought of that before you banished me!”

“You left me no choice!”

“It was you who left me with no choice!”

A dart whizzed through the air, missing Nightmare Moon by a hair and impaling one of her soldiers, who immediately fell to the ground and melted away. Scootaloo turned to see Braeburn with a blowpipe still pressed to his lips, his eyes wide.

“So much for talk,” the dark mare said. “Shadowbolts! Attack!”

Scootaloo rose into the air as the Shadowbolts advanced. “Pegasi! Charge!” she yelled. She heard several similar orders echo through the ground ranks, and the battle began.

For several minutes, Scootaloo’s world was nothing but chaos and noise, quick maneuvers and acrobatic dodges she was sure would have made the Wonderbolts proud. She raked passing Shadowbolts with her steel-clad hooves, leaving deep tears in wings and flanks that didn’t move quickly enough. Most of the ground soldiers carried spears and swords, and a lot of the changelings used magical blasts to drive back their opponents, but for her pegasi soldiers, the most dangerous weapons were their speed, agility, and the weather, and until she could figure out a good way to use the third, she would have to rely on the first and second to get her through.

Whether through luck or a sense of self-preservation, both armies left a wide, open circle around their leaders who were exchanging blasts of energy so quickly, Scootaloo couldn’t even hope to keep up with them. Chrysalis was keeping up with Nightmare Moon for the time being, but now that they were here in Canterlot’s shadow, Scootaloo had to admit she shared Chrysalis’s doubts. The changeling queen was strong, but Nightmare Moon had overthrown Celestia, and Chrysalis’s source of energy, love, was scarce, especially in the middle of a battlefield.

Scootaloo’s thoughts were cut short as a Shadowbolt rammed into her side, barely missing her wing. Her armor protected her from the worst of the blow, and she quickly retaliated with a swipe of her hoof. A gash appeared across the Shadowbolt’s face, and Scootaloo followed it with a brutal kick to the head. The Shadowbolt fell to the ground and melted into shadow.

Scootaloo looked around, frantically trying to locate her fellow soldiers. Most of them appeared to be doing well, but she spied a few who bore deep cuts and were struggling to stay airborne. “Keep it up!” she shouted. “We can handle this!”

“They outnumber us four to one,” Gunsmoke panted as he suddenly appeared at her side. “We need to change our tactics or we’ll be overrun.”

Scootaloo glanced around as a plan formed in her mind. “Keep them off me,” she ordered as she shot upward, aiming for a group of clouds that hung high above the battle. She heard a few Shadowbolts give chase but ignored them, pushing her wings to their limit. Come on, Scoots. Make Rainbow Dash proud. If she could get the storm clouds into range, she could wreak havoc on the Shadowbolt’s forces and turn the battle in her favor. Just a bit farther!

She felt a set of teeth close around her tail and gasped as a Shadowbolt yanked her down. Scootaloo flipped around and headbutted her attacker, momentarily stunning him. It only took a moment, but a moment was all the other Shadowbolts needed. Scootaloo kicked and twisted, but the Shadowbolt swarm was too much for her, and she felt herself begin to sink back towards the ground.

A shrill cry echoed through the darkness, and a moment later, the Shadowbolts fell away from her with grunts, thuds, and a flurry of feathers. When the confusion passed, Scootaloo found herself looking at a familiar face. “Miss me, Scoots?”

Sootaloo smiled despite herself. “Took your time, didn’t you?”

Gilda smirked behind her helmet. “Come on. Let’s turn this battle around.”