Hello again, and welcome to another chapter of Sonic the Stallion
Recap:
Almost immediately after collecting the purple emerald, Rarity became possessed by the emeralds power, using it to turn the roof of the Equine Sate Building into a giant crystal Stallion. Thinking that Tails and Twilight were trying to take the emerald from her, which they were, Rarity began to attack them. Things were not going so good for the pair until Sonic appeared above the golem, filtered the chaotic energy out of Rarity, and landed them… moderately safely onto the ground. Sonic told them how Celestia was the one who had brought him there and how she needed them to get back to Canterlot A.S.A.P, and with the looking-glass, that wasn't so hard.
Disclaimer:
My Little Pony is property of Hasbro
Sonic the Hedgehog is property of Sega
Now to the story…
Preview: What happened to Fluttershy?
Chapter 29- Bathed in the Darkness (pt.3)
Canterlot (town center): Past Noon
Back in the center of Canterlot, Rainbow Dash was still hanging over the body of her fallen friend, sobbing at the sight of her lifeless state.
"(This makes no scenes)," she started thinking, "(Why would you of all ponies do this?)" She lifted the pail head of the cloaked Fluttershy in her hoof, "(the kindest and most gentle mare in Equestria, acting like… a…, it just doesn't make any sense.)"
As Rainbow Dash kept drowning herself in pity, she started to hear something flying in from her side.
"What a pity," an echoed voice said from the skies, catching Rainbow's attention, "I give her every advantage and you still manage to beat her, just a pity." Rainbow recognized the pony flying down as the new changeling leader, Quetzal, still wearing her CI (Chaos Inhibitor) armor, mask included. "Oh well, I guess that I'll just have to finish what she started myself."
The mask's crystal horn extended again, giving off its green aura. As the horn glowed, large shadows began moving along the ground, surrounding Rainbow and Quetzal. Rainbow looked up to see a large black cloud hovering over the city as it's source, and as it came closer she realized that the cloud was a massive swarm of Changelings coming to help their mother.
"Huh, huh, huh, we might as well end this quickly," Quetzal said as the Changelings landed around her, "No more need to drag this out."
"(Changelings?)" Rainbow Dash said as she took another look at 'Fluttershy,' "(That's it)," Rainbow stood up as she had her realization.
"Hmm?" Quetzal looked on in slight surprise, "So you do still have some fight left in you?"
"You know, you almost fooled me for a second there." Rainbow stated.
"'Fooled you?'" Quetzal acted confused.
"Yeah, with your little Fluttershy assassin," Rainbow Dash sounded sure of herself, "dressing up one of your little shape shifting cronies to try and get in my head? You're even sicker than I thought."
"That's one of my changelings huh?" Quetzal responded, looking toward the fallen pony "It must be a pretty unique changeling then, don't you think?"
"What?" Rainbow wondered what she meant. "Qu… quit trying to fool me! This explains why she was acting so weird, that's not really Fluttershy. I mean, why would Fluttershy ever work for someone like you?"
"Hmm, you have a point their. After all, how would I be able to change a pony's personality and abilities? I mean, only a being with access to immense chaotic power could do that now couldn't they?" Rainbow Dash quickly realized what she was doing. "And even so, how could I get to her when she was on that task to see her friends in Ponyville, with those reliable looking guards and loyal little baby dragon protecting her? It really does sound unlikely, doesn't it?"
Rainbow Dash didn't want to listen to what this tyrant was saying; she still wanted to believe that it was just a changeling in disguise. The more she thought, the more Rainbow started doubting this guess. But one thought gave her more doubt than any. If this was a changeling in disguise, then why did it still look like Fluttershy if it was dead?
"Well I suppose we are all entitled to our own opinions, but I think we've wasted enough time." Quetzal raised her hoof up, and called the changelings to ready themselves for an attack. "What do you say we end this?" She struck her hoof down, signaling the attack, and making the changelings swarm.
Rainbow Dash stood ready, but her mind was far too preoccupied to do anything. Seconds started feeling like hours, and each second, her head filled with more and more questions. "(Is it really her? Did I kill one of my friends? Is she telling the truth? What have I done?!)" Rainbow's mind just repeated these statements and more as the changelings got closer. By the time rainbow realized the advancing swarm, she knew it was already too late, but at that point, she didn't care; luckily some-pony else did.
Just before the Changelings could reach her, a large fire wall shot out from behind Rainbow and halted the swarm. She was astonished to see the flame wall, and a bit relived. Rainbow gasped as she turned to see the flames source was. Spike the dragon had come flying in on the back of the fully colored, and a fully alive, Fluttershy (a long with a white rabbit that hitched a ride).
"Rainbow!" Fluttershy said as she ran over to Dash's side, dropping her passengers off her back, "Dear Celestia, you're hurt. I'm so sorry; we should have gotten here sooner."
"You can blame the little Angel here for why we took so long," Spike said, he and Angel running over to the two, "the stubborn rabbit just wouldn't stay behind." Angel responded to Spikes comment with a swift kick to his knee. "Ow," Spike yelled, grasping his leg.
"Now stop that you two," Fluttershy told the pair, "this isn't the time."
Rainbow had been looking on at Fluttershy like she had seen a ghost since the group arrived. "Flu… Fluttershy?" she finally said, getting Fluttershy's attention. "You're…" Rainbow caught Fluttershy in a hug before finishing, "you're alive; you're really alive."
Fluttershy was confused. "Of… course I'm alive," she said, "I'm I not suppose to be?"
"Uh, Fluttershy," Spike called, "apparently you're not." Spike got Fluttershy's attention. When she looked towards the dragon, she saw that he was standing over a bleeding pony that looked a lot like her, just with faded colors.
"What the…" Fluttershy said. Rainbow looked clean away from the sight, unable to bear looking at it any longer. "Oh my," Fluttershy looked at Rainbow and grew sympathetic for her friend.
"Looks like Rainbow's seen much more than she can handle today," Quetzal stated from across the way, "and from the looks of it, those two are no exception." Fluttershy looked towards Spike and Angel who were cowering together. Whether it was for the dead pony, or because they remembered that they were standing before an army was unclear. "Looks like you're the only pony with any fight left. I must say, I'm curious to why that is." Fluttershy knew that she was right. None of the others looked like they could fight, not even Rainbow Dash, and those changelings didn't looks like they were going to go away if she jut asked them. What could she do?
"Well it's no matter," Quetzal continued, "this will actually make things easier, Three birds with one stone and all that. Well three birds and a rabbit."
"…No," Fluttershy finally said, moving away from Rainbow and towards Quetzal. "You've done too much as it is. I'm not just going to sit back and let you do what you want anymore." Rainbow looked on at Fluttershy and wondered what the Hey she was thinking. She desperately wanted to go and stop her, but the wound on her leg and the shock from the fight was keeping her from doing anything. The same could be said for Spike and Angel.
"So are you going to try fighting me then?" Quetzal stated, "ha, ha, okay, this should be interesting; Children, its playtime." The changelings responded to her voice and charged them again.
"I won't let this happen," Fluttershy said, shutting her eyes, "I won't stand back and let some-pony get hurt because I was too scared to do anything," she flew up into the skies, "Not again… never again." Fluttershy shot her eyes open, focusing her gave upon the Changeling swarm. Any and all of the Changelings that got caught in that gaze of hers found themselves petrified and unable to move, and she made sure they all caught her gave.
"What are you doing?" Quetzal called to her Children, "I told you to attack." None of them heard her, they were all far too scared to advance any farther, some actually started to back away, trying to escape. "What is wrong with you all?" Quetzal took a look toward Fluttershy's gaze and quickly realized what was going on. "(That's Fluttershy's stare isn't it? But that shouldn't work on sentient creatures. How is she…)" She looked closer into Fluttershy's eyes, and again quickly understood what was going on. "(Oh, I see, clever girl)." A grin escaped her cheeks, as she started stepping forward.
To Be Continued
Canterlot Castle (throne room): Past Noon
As the changeling invasion was going on within the city, the princesses had wasted no time with greetings or explanations. The very moment the hunting parties got back, Celestia went straight to explaining the situation in the town and a plan she devised to stop it. Luna had noticed Applejack's condition immediately, and called for a group of Castle guards to take her to the infirmary, and the guard that was still knocked out while they were at it. Celestia didn't seem to notice, she just kept speaking.
Celestia: Alright, do you all understand the plan; Celestia finished explaining as Luna began collecting the castle's emeralds; Tails? Rarity?
Tails: …uh, yeah; Luna handed him the emeralds; no problem.
Rarity, catching Celestia's gave: …Right, it shouldn't be too difficult.
Celestia: Good; she walks to the nearest window; that's good.
Sonic: Princess, are you sure about this; he gathered the last two emeralds from his bag; we have all the emeralds, if you just give them to me, I guarantee that I can end this now.
Celestia, looking distraught: You don't understand; she looked toward Sonic; while the creature and I were connected, he did not just have access to my powers, he also had access to my memories. Everything that I have ever known was at his disposal, but it was a two way door. As he saw my thoughts, I could see his. He knows about your super form.
Some of the group was a bit surprised to hear about a super form, but not as much as Sonic was to hear Celestia mention it when he never told her about it.
Celestia: He knows you can use all of the emeralds at once, and he even knows how. He's prepared; I know it.
Sonic: Well let's not disappoint him then; he gave a confident smirk; if he really thinks he can beat me, we'll just have to prove him wrong.
Celestia: No! Celestia grew intense. We can't risk anything to chance. We will only have one opportunity to get this right. Remember, we're fighting for our entire world; she turned back to gaze out the window; our only hope for victory is to do something that he won't expect, something he could never predict.
Sonic, catching Celestia's somber tone: Well, alright, we'll try it your way.
Celestia: 'Sigh…' thank you; she looks towards Luna; Luna, are you ready?
Luna, walking up towards Celestia: Of course.
The sisters readied themselves to fly out of the nearest of the windows.
Tails: hold it; he stopped the sisters, before handing his emeralds to Rarity; Rarity, you'll have to get started without me. I'll meet you down there when I can. She gave a confused nod. If you two are really going to go through with this; he walked toward the princesses; there's something you should know first.
Sonic: Well I'm not just going to sit here; he handed his emeralds to Rarity and headed to toward the door; let me see if I can't by them a little more time; he rushed out of the room.
Rarity: Umm… I guess I'll take care of this myself. Rarity heads out next.
Pinkie turned toward Rarity as she left.
Pinkie, to Twilight: Do you think we should make sure she doesn't get possessed by the emeralds again? Twilight wasn't paying attention. Twilight? She waved a hoof in her face; Pinkie to Twilight, are you there?
Twilight, looking hard at the princesses: …It sure is a good thing Celestia woke up before the Changeling did any real damage.
Pinkie: It sure is. Of course it's not like it's the first time that that kind of thing has happened.
Twilight: I guess so; She looked toward the exit, probably thinking of Applejack, judging by her tone; Pinkie.
Pinkie: Yes Twilight.
Twilight: I think I have a job to give too; she looked back toward Pinkie Pie; do you think you could help?
Pinkie: Well finally. I was starting to feel like I haven't done anything for a really, really, really long time. She gives a salute; You can count on Pinkie.
Twilight: I knew I could; she pulled pinkie Pie in closer; this is my plan.
Continue on…
Next Chapter: Sonic's not the only one that can go super.
I Hope you enjoyed this chapter, but it's not done yet.
Discord: Um, Writer
Let's get to the next.
See ya' there…
