One Hour Until Portal Closes

“Bow before your new queen, humans!” Chrysalis screamed at the crowd that watched in horror. Chrysalis’ skin was black with several holes in her arms and legs, hands blazing with green flames, wicked turquoise hair flowing from her head, and sharp fangs protruding from her mouth. The students of Canterlot high looked on in shock at the emergence of another demon that had hidden amongst them. Several screamed as others around them were consumed in green fire, revealing more like Chrysalis. The only difference is that these creatures were slightly shorter than her and had blue eyes instead of green like the queen.

DJ remained staring at the queen, his sudden fright turning to anger at her arrival. He had to focus on the students, however, as they were in immediate danger. DJ turned to Twilight who was off stage and yelled to her. “Twilight!” She looked at him, still in somewhat of a stupor. “You and the girls get the students out of here! I’ll deal with Chrissie!”

“What?!” Twilight screeched. “Are you crazy?!”

“Indubitably!” he responded with a smile. “Go! Keep the others safe. Spike has the girls; they’ll be fine!” DJ had noticed that Spike had snuck Nyx, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle out of the gymnasium when Chrysalis appeared, so he had no reason to worry about them.

Twilight couldn’t have cared less at the moment. Her husband was saying that he would stand up to the wicked queen of the changelings, something even Princess Celestia had been unable to do. She knew that DJ had strength and some skill, but feared that his ‘personal’ training would be ill fit to take on Chrysalis. Then Twilight saw something that she never thought she would: she saw DJ’s eyes change from their normal caring hazel-green to the one’s she feared the most. With a gasp, Twilight realized that DJ had just rage shifted through choice! When did he learn how to do that?! She thought to herself. Rage shifting was supposedly an impossible thing to master as it relied too heavily on one’s emotions, but she knew DJ’s rage shift better than anypony and that was his shift.

“GO!” he screamed to her without looking, putting all focus on Chrysalis.

Reluctantly, Twilight nodded her head and turned to her friends. “Girls, we need to get everyone out of here! It’s time to evacuate Canterlot High!”

“Twilight are you crazy?!” Rainbow asked in surprise. “How are we supposed to get everyone past those?!” She pointed out at the changelings that were beginning to surround the students, arms and hands morphed into wicked swords and spears. Twilight gulped a little, but knew that they had to try.

“We have to try! Maybe if we can get the students to fight back, we can get them all out of here.” It was a long shot, but it just might work. The girls didn’t look too sure of it as she was, however. Then Sunset Shimmer stepped forward.

“If Twilight says it will work, then we have to at the very least try. If there is one thing I have learned from humans, it is that they can overcome anything when they put their minds to it!” The others now seemed a little surer of themselves now and smiled as they spread out. Twilight hung back, staring at Sunset in surprise.

“Thank you, Sunset. That means a lot to me.”

“Anything for a friend, right?” She smiled and headed off. Twilight smiled too, looking over at her husband thinking, You couldn’t be more right, Sunset Shimmer. You couldn’t be more right.

*****Meanwhile*****

Spike was running as fast as he could, four human girls running ahead of him, and a swarm of changelings behind them. As soon as Chrysalis burst on stage, Spike ushered the girls out of the gym and urged them forward towards the nearest exit, as per DJ’s plan. What he hadn’t expected was ten changelings waiting for them just down the hall. When they noticed the five of them, Spike and the girls hightailed it as fast as they could.

“This is so not fun!” Scootaloo cried while running.

“You said it sis!” Nyx agreed.

“Jus’ keep runnin’! We gotta get outta here!” Apple Bloom encouraged.

“I hope the others are alright,” Sweetie Belle thought aloud, looking behind her at the chasing bug-humans.

“Worry about us, the others later!” Spike yelled back. “Come on, we gotta keep moving.”

“Bad idea!” Apple Bloom cried as they rounded a corner to be met with three more changelings. The other girls ended bumping into the young farm girl and ending up in a heap right in front of the bugs. One raised its arm and it changed into a large axe and swung it down at the girls, who cringed awaiting death…which never came. Instead they heard the distinct ‘clang’ of metal against metal. All four looked up in awe and shock at what stood before them. Spike had sprung forward, in front the girls and met the changeling’s axe with… a sword from his right arm!?

The young dragon-turned-human grinned as the changeling reeled back in surprise. He turned to look down at the girls, seeing their questioning and shocked expressions. He lifted up his arm, displaying the sword that was coming from his wrist. “One of your father’s inventions,” Spike explained with a smile. “Not all of them ended up as scrap. My preferred weapon, too. I call them ‘brace blades’!” He returned his face to the changelings in front of him and sprung the other sword on his left arm. “Girls, take the side hallway and get to the statue in front of the school. I will meet you there as soon as I can.”

“But Uncle Spike---“ Nyx tried to say, but Spike stopped her.

“Go! I will be there soon. I promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” He went through the motions as quickly as possible, noticing the other group about to catch up. “Now go, I got this.” The young girls shared a look, but got up and reluctantly left Spike to face thirteen changelings on his own. Spike crossed his blades in front of him and put on a grin of determination. “Alright you damn bugs, let’s see how you like facing a dragon trained in sword fighting.” The changelings buzzed angrily and swarmed him, as Spike rushed forward with a cry of battle.

*****Back in the Gym*****

“Chrysalis!” DJ screamed at the bug queen. She looked down upon the human with contempt. “You want this school? Then you gotta go through me!”

“Oh?” she asked with skepticism as she lowered herself back down onto the stage. “And who are you to challenge the great Queen of the Changelings?”

DJ put a thumb to his heart and smiled madly at her. “I am DJ Sparkle, a prince of Equestria, defeater of the dark King Sombra, and I am the one who will defeat you!”

Chrysalis chuckled softly. “I do not have time to play with some naïve punk who thinks he’s a hero. Just join your fellows in slavery,” she responded while waving a hand and feigning a yawn.

“Hmph,” DJ replied with a huff. “Never would have thought Queen Chrysalis to back down from a challenge. Especially not from the son of Princess Celestia.” He smiled as her head turned back to him so fast it should have caused whiplash.

“Y-you are Celesta’s son?!”

“Indeed I am. Do I have you attention now?” He smiled and summoned his two lightsabers to his hands and ignited them, power levels set to low. He was going to have fun with this; it was a rare chance to be able to fight on even ground with somepony and now he was going to have a challenge.

“Indeed you do,” she growled. “Now…you will die!” Chrysalis rushed forward, her hand turning into a large shield. DJ was caught off guard and sent flying off the stage and into a nearby wall.

“Ack!” DJ gasped out at the pain in his back and slid down the wall to the floor. “Maybe I should rethink this hero business. It’s not healthy,” DJ muttered out loud.

You can’t underestimate this one. Sombra was easier than it should have been, so focus! You need to start off strong! Use the thing!

You sure?

I enjoy a good fight, so take as much as you need. DJ smiled and started up his ace card.

On the other side of the gym, Twilight was busy with the students of Canterlot High. She and the girls were trying to hold off the changelings by smashing what little furniture they could find on the bugs. Other students had noticed the girls fighting back and had made attempts of their own. Ditzy had smashed a baseball bat over the head of changeling that was going after her sister, Dinky, but it did little more than aggravate the changeling. It started encroaching on her menacingly when another human with long brown hair stepped in and slugged the bug in the jaw, sending it to the floor. The male was wearing an archeologist’s vest with an ankh chain necklace around his neck, and long khaki jeans.

“Thanks Silver,” Ditzy said as she gathered up Dinky in her arms. The man nodded and ushered the two girls out, keeping the bugs at bay with a strange cane.

“Come on y’all!” Applejack cried from the fire exit. Rainbow Dash was kicking and throwing sports equipment next to her, preventing the changelings from blockading the only exit. Fluttershy and Rarity were leading the other students outside, while Pinkie was busy going ninja on several of the bugs with a broom, pretending it was a staff. The strange part was that she was actually good at it and was beating bug after bug with the meager weapon, all while wearing a smile. Flash Sentry was fighting the changelings as well, making sure that Twilight could stay safe as she helped the other students get away. Suddenly, the entire gymnasium was lit in a golden glow as DJ stood up from where he had been thrown. Everyone stared in awe at him as he smiled at Chrysalis.

“Alright you damn, dirty bug, time to start round two! Aaaah!” DJ rushed forward and slammed a lightsaber hilt into the queen’s face, sending her flying into a wall of her own. Chrysalis righted herself almost immediately and growled at the young prince, who simply wore a smug smile.

“How is this possible? Why do you glow?” she snarled.

DJ lifted his two lightsabers to reveal six glowing marks in the hilts. “You are looking at the one and only wielder of the Elements of Harmony. Care to dance, my queen?” DJ asked while sticking out hand as if it were a serious offer. Chrysalis roared and changed both of her hands into double edged swords and rushed him. DJ lit his blades and met her head on. Twilight watched in awe as the two traded blow for blow. DJ may not have had any formal training in his life, but his skills were amazing. Ever since Sombra, DJ had been enhancing his skills to the best of his abilities, whether it be solo training or sparing with Spike. It was time well spent, apparently.

DJ forced Chrysalis back as best he could and took a moment to look around before Chrysalis could recover. The gym was completely empty, save for seven girls that waited by the fire exit, watching with awe filled eyes at DJ’s stunts. He was brought back to the battle, however, when Chrysalis flew at him and threw him to the floor. DJ stood up shakily and growled at the queen, who was raising a sword hand above him. DJ was barely able to block it with both swords crossed in front of him. Chrysalis certainly had power that was sure enough to him and her anger made her strong. DJ pulled both his swords apart in an upward ‘x’, causing the queen to recoil. It was enough time for DJ to throw his hands forward and launch a mass of force lighting at her and send her crashing into the wooden stage. Panting, DJ dropped to knee, feeling spent.

I gotta pull out of the Harmonic Convergence. I don’t have enough energy to keep it going.

You can’t pull back now! Chrysalis is gonna get up any second!

Not up to me. Indeed it wasn’t, for as soon as DJ thought those words, his golden glow softened and then faded completely, his lightsaber returning to their normal state. Harmonic Convergence was still in the prototype stage of training for DJ, so using took up a lot of energy especially since it granted him so much power. He was now completely exhausted, though he knew his opponent would be recovering soon. Shakily, DJ stood and walked towards the girls. He stumbled slightly, but Twilight and Sunset caught him and helped him out of the gym, the others following and slamming the exit doors shut.

*****A few minutes earlier*****

“Where is Spike?” Nyx asked no one in particular as she paced in front of the horse statue that doubled as the portal home. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle could only watch with concern as Nyx worried herself sick over her uncle. “Do you think he got caught?”

“Nah!” Scoots waved off. “You saw him, Spike was ready for a fight. He and dad have been training before; he’ll be fine.”

Nyx was about to say more, when they all heard the front doors of the school open and close. They looked up and saw Spike rushing towards him, causing them all to smile proudly. Once Spike reached the four young girls, he bent over and put his hands on his knees, panting like crazy.

“You did it! Y’all beat them weird bug things!” Apple Bloom cheered.

“…Not…quite….” Spike choked out. “….Too…many…had to…retreat.” He righted himself up, stretching his back and wiping his brow. “They’ll be here any second, now where is our backup? DJ was supposed to have the girls get everyone out of the gym and out here. That would give the three of us the chance to get back home without the changelings noticing.”

“Wait, that’s why we’re out here?” Scoots asked with a look of disbelief. “We’re running?!”

“No, we need to warn the princess and keep the changelings from invading the Crystal Empire on the other side. Once there are more people out here, we are jumping back home.”

“What about us?” Sweetie squeaked.

“That’s why we are waiting: to make sure you two don’t get caught either.” Suddenly, the front door to the school burst open with several changelings flying out towards the gathered humans. “Damn, I knew that smoke bomb wouldn’t hold them for long,” Spike grumbled while also sprouting his twin swords from his wrists. “Stay behind me girls! I’ll protect you!”

Even they knew that Spike couldn’t hold that many enemies for long, so the huddled together behind the seventeen-year old. Spike stuck his arms out to his sides in a battle-ready stance, prepared to go down fighting to protect his family. The changelings were almost upon them and then something completely strange happened.

“HEY!” a loud, deep voice shouted out. Everyone stopped and looked over at the source of the voice to find a large-set man wearing a blue suit, black tie, and blue cap. The police man had squinted eyes and what appeared to be a permanent scowl; he also seemed to be quite along in his years. He pointed a finger at the changelings and spoke again. “Cut it out!”

Spike slumped a little with his jaw hanging low. That was his big talk down on a bunch of sword wielding bug mutants attacking five high school age youngsters? What good would that…Spike couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The changelings were wearing looks as if their mother had just scolded them and were grumbling as the marched back inside the school. Some even blamed each other for being yelled at. Spike turned back to the cop, but saw that he was across the street at a donut shop talking with a skinny, nerdy male. Spike sighed and shook his head.

“This world is just as messed up as ours,” he commented.

“Eeyup,” Scootaloo and Nyx agreed. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other and shrugged. A moment later, the side fire door to the school opened and the dance attendants started to file out in to the freezing night. Spike looked back to the girls and motioned towards the portal.

“Okay, Nyx, Scootaloo, say your farewells. We got a princess or three to warn.” The four girls made their tearful goodbyes and approached the portal with Spike. Nyx suddenly stopped as she looked at her uncle.

“Spike wait! The omnitrix! Dad might need it!” Spike looked over at his shoulder and realized that his niece had a point. It would be of more assistance to DJ than it would be for him on the other side.

“Good point, Nyx. Omni, power down and decouple.” In a flash of green light, where once stood a strong human was now a small little pup with a sour demeanor. “I. Hate. Being. A dog!” He picked up the discarded omnitrix in his mouth and gave it Scootaloo.

“How are we gonna get this to dad?” she asked.

“We’ll take it to him,” Sweetie offered, putting out her hands. Scootaloo wasn’t sure, but still handed over one of her father’s most prized possessions.

“Don’t y’all worry, now. We’ll get it right to ‘im. Cutie Mark Crusader’s honor!” Apple Bloom saluted as well. Spike, Nyx, and Scootaloo bid them one final farewell and stepped through the portal. When they were gone, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran off to find their friend’s father, not noticing the large statue beginning to shake and crack with green energy.

DJ was set down against a tree with the girls surrounding him, Twilight sitting right by his side. “What were you thinking, DJ!?” she scolded him. “You could have been killed!”

“I had to… protect everyone,” he gasped out, still a little weak from using the elements. “You know as well as I do that I am the only one here who stands a chance at taking on Chrysalis and her drones. Probably shouldn’t have donned the Elements so soon, though.”

“How did you even do that?!” Sunset asked, still in shock at what she saw.

“When I faced down Sombra, I discovered that I can call upon the Elements of Harmony and infuse myself with their power. No idea how, but as long as it helps me protect those I care about, then I couldn’t care less. Problem is that it uses a lot of energy to do so. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

“Hey! Big sis!” came a cry from behind them. All eight humans looked to see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle running towards them.

“Apple Bloom!”

“Sweetie Belle!”

Rarity and Applejack both cried out their sisters names and gave them big hugs, now knowing that they were safe. Twilight looked around them, but couldn’t see hide nor hair of her daughters. “Where are Scootaloo and Nyx?” she asked, starting to worry.

“They went back to your world with Spike,” Sweetie explained. “Oh, and they wanted us to give this to you, Mr. Sparkle.” She held out her hands and DJ’s eyes widened upon seeing his omnitrix. He smiled and levitated it over to him with the Force.

“Thanks girls.” He placed the small square of the watch on his wrist and everyone watched with awe as a wide band shot out from the device and wrapped around DJ’s wrist and tightened.

“Greetings once again, sir. DNA bonding has completed and all functions are available,” the watch spoke, causing several around him to jump.

He chuckled softly, but the mood was destroyed when the wall of the school suddenly exploded. Out of the smoking rubble, came a very angry looking Chrysalis, her eyes pouring out green fire. “How dare you!” she screamed towards DJ. “How dare you make a mockery of the great Queen Chrysalis!” Behind her rose her army of twenty changelings, all ready for a fight. “Go my children, destroy that prince!” She spat out the word with venom and her army flew forward, hand and arms transformed into every pointed weapon imaginable.

DJ growled and stood himself up, albeit shakily. “DJ, no. You are too weak,” Twilight pleaded with him, but he shook her off.

“I have to Twilight. I’m the only one who can.” DJ walked ahead slightly and then stopped and looked down at the omnitrix. “Omni, give me something good.”

“As you wish, sir.” The watch started to whir as a holographic circle appeared hovering above the black surface, spinning back and forth, searching for what was perfect. The circle suddenly stopped and disappeared and the black square slide back, revealing the power core. DJ brought up his wrist and lifted his other hand as the army rushed towards him. With a scowl that soon turned into an amused grin, DJ slammed his right hand down on the power core, engulfing him a green light that blinded the changelings. When the light died down, a tall, blue, bipedal, humanoid-bug with green eyes and wearing a light blue cloak stood in his place.

“Big Chill!” it yelled out. He looked over himself, and smiled as his cloak turned into a massive set of wings. “That’s the right thinking, Omni,” DJ breathed out in his new form. The bugs shook themselves from their stupor and rushed the new threat. DJ simply stood there as the lead changeling swung his massive axe.

“DJ!!” Twilight cried out, but then suddenly stared in shock as the weapon passed right through her transformed husband. The changeling was just as surprised, but didn’t have a chance to revel in it as DJ blew out a large breath, freezing the changeling solid. As the bug-cycle fell to the ground, DJ began to hover.

“One order of frozen changelings on sticks, coming up,” he quipped. DJ turned intangible and flew through all the remaining bug-humans, freezing each as he passed through them. When each was a block of ice, laying harmlessly on the ground, DJ quipped again. “Hold the sticks.” He smirked as he turned towards the queen. DJ placed a three-fingered hand on the omnitrix symbol on his chest and pressed in a command, transforming him again. Now, a large Jurassic-looking biped loomed over the humans, his tail as massive as a motorcycle and his voice now boomingly deep. “Humungousaur!” He roared at Chrysalis and started to rush her.

“ENOUGH!!” she screeched out. “You, all of you, are beneath me! I am a queen you disgusting creature! And I will not be bullied by—“

She never got to finish her rant as DJ threw out a hand and grabbed her leg. He lifted her over his back and slammed her into the ground once. Twice. Three times. Lifted her back out to look at her then slammed her against the ground two more times before tossing her away. As he turned away from the battered queen, he spoke in his booming voice. “Puny queen.” Queen Chrysalis could only lay there in her crater, whining in pain. DJ approached the girls, only to stop as a beeping sound started coming from the symbol on his chest. He looked down to see the omnitrix flashing red and then there was a flash of red light, returning DJ to normal. “Aw man!” DJ whined and looked at Omni. “What they hay, man?”

“Apologies, sir. It appears that I have drained my power reserves. It will take a month to fully recharge, three weeks to restore transformative properties.”

“Three weeks?! Well, there goes my plans with Discord for a while.” DJ sighed and slumped a little. Only to perk back up when Twilight rushed forward and pulled him in for a kiss. When they broke, Twilight spoke.

“You need stop worrying me like this, dear. I don’t want to have wrinkles until I’m in my two hundreds.” DJ chuckled a little, knowing that she was kidding. Or at least, he hoped she was. “But we have to go, the portal closes in five minutes.”

DJ’s eyes widened in realization. “Aw crap! Wait, what about Chrysalis and her goons?”

“The girls will have the police lock them away until we return. You said that the portal opens every full moon on Equestria, and since the time difference here…”

“It wouldn’t be that long at all on this side. Nice thinking, Twi. Come on, we gotta home to get back to.” The couple turned towards the statue only to stare in wide-eyed horror at the cracking and shaking portal. “What the hell?” DJ asked aloud. They heard weak chuckling coming from the crater behind them and turned toward the beaten and battered Chrysalis.

“You really think it would be that easy?” she choked out, spitting up blood. “You will never get home together. I rigged your way home to only take four more through it before imploding on itself!” She started to chuckle again, wincing in the pain. “If you were to even try going through together, the portal would collapse before you reached the other end, destroying you both.”

“You destabilized it!” DJ said coming to the relaxation, turning back to the crumbling portal.

“Spike, Scootaloo, and Nyx already went through. That’s three, so that means…” Twilight thought out loud, her eyes bugging at what it implied.

“It means only one more can go through,” DJ answered grimly. The two stared at the portal in silence for a moment, but DJ caught Twilight’s eye and she stood in front of him.

“I am not going, DJ. Do you hear me? I am not leaving you here. We can find another way. I don’t want to go back without you.”

“I don’t want to go back without you, either Twi. I don’t ever want us to be separated again.” He pulled his lovely wife in for a deep kiss. They broke the kiss and embraced each other tightly, DJ drinking in Twilight’s warmth. “But the girls need their mother more than they need me,” DJ spoke surprising Twilight. With a swift motion, DJ put his hands up to Twilight’s chest and pushed with the Force. The blast caught Twilight off guard sending her flying towards and right through the portal. She was so stunned that she never even had a chance to scream his name. DJ watched with a pained expression as Twilight was flung through the portal home, but was pulled back to reality as the statue began to shake and the crack glowing with green energy.

“Everybody get down! It’s gonna blow!” Everyone nearby threw themselves to the ground, while DJ covered himself with his arms as the Statue imploded on itself, sending debris everywhere. DJ removed his arms from his face and looked upon the destruction. Absolutely nothing remained of the once massive statue, only rocky debris spread out amongst the snowy ground. DJ panted slightly, exhaustion starting to rear its head once again. As he looked out around him, DJ only had one thing to say. “Well, buck.”