Hey guys! New chapter! Tell me whatcha think about it. I'm really having fun with this, jumping all around. Battles aren't won by one soldier, and it would be wrong to focus entirely on Spike for this. I think having focus on all the elements going on during the battle makes it all the more epic, agreed? Anyways, story time!

- - - -

Twilight Sparkle ducked under a flying tackle. The changeling flew over her and she spun to face it before it could get turned back around to charge her again. The purple unicorn concentrated a blast of purple magic that knocked the insectoid equine out. It was the closest thing to an attack she knew, never having studied the offensive magics much. A curious glance to the other unicorn in the party answered a few questions and opened a few more about the fashionista known as Rarity.

A pony who's cutie mark was three diamonds made dresses for a living. It wasn't the best corelation with her cutie mark. She knew that Rarity was capable of finding gems with incredible ease and manipulating them to be fashionable. When she had been kidnapped by the diamond dogs, she hadn't defended herself with action, but with words and manipulations. Rarity was actually fairly intelligent, a far cry from some the upper class twits Twilight had grown up around in Canterlot. She didn't know that Rarity knew any offensive magic.

She definitely wasn't expecting geokinesis.

Rarity's magic aura had wrapped around the cobblestones in the street, forcing them out of the ground. With noticable effort, she slung them hard at a group of changelings advancing on them. Another glance.

Rainbow Dash was flying around at break neck speeds, as usual, having a low but aerial dogfight above them. She was much more agile than the changelings, and she was making the lot of them crash into themselves or throwing them into buildings with her skill with martial arts. Pinkie Pie was... where did she pull her party cannon out from?!

Oh, Pinkie Pie...

Fluttershy was hiding behind Applejack, looking terrified while the Earth Pony was putting her applebucking to good use, knocking back changelings with just sheer strength. If Twilight had time to think about it, she would have found it hilarious that a pegasus that had no problems facing down a dragon and a manticore, and wrestling a bear (the shy mare insisted that it was just a massage, but still...) to the ground was terrified.

But she didn't, as more changelings flew down at her.

"Come on girls! We have to keep moving!"

- - - -

The Doctor and Derpy ran through the streets.

"Where's the TARDIS, Doctor?"

The brown stallion looked back at his companion and grinned.

"Oh, it's around here somewhere, I suppose. Why, do you want to go somewhere else? It's just now getting exciting!"

The grey mare groaned, but hid a small smile. She had missed this. Well, not the running for her life part, but the other parts. The Doctor's sense of humor and calmness in the face of dangers that would leave most ponies screaming in terror,  which always made her feel better. She could rely on him. Always could.

"So do you have a plan to end this mess?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Figures..."

- - - -

Spike breathed out a jet of flame to meet the magic blast of the Changeling Queen. The two met and the magic and flame fizzled out. They had made the exchange a few times now. Spike was mildly disappointed that there wasn't some kind of explosion, but he couldn't dwell on that. It was still kind of nice to know that his fire breath was a good counter for her magic blasts, because he couldn't take too many more of them directly.

She was incredibly powerful, but he knew that already. She had taken down Celestia in a straight magic duel. But it seemed like she was getting tired. She had seemed surprised that her power had been that great. She was inexperienced with having that much, so maybe she was pouring too much of it into her attacks? Spike dodged another beam of energy by flying up in the air. It put a hole in the wall behind him. The room in which the wedding was supposed to be in was in shambles, ruins, really. She obviously hadn't been expecting as much of a fight as she was getting. Spike was trying to see something he could exploit. There had to be a weakness somewhere. He had to find it, and soon. The dragon was already feeling like collapsing.

One look at his unconcious mother figure, his worn out former babysitter, and his brainwashed older brother figure made him remember just what was at stake here, though. Even if he wasn't able to beat her, he'd sure as Tarturus make her regret messing with his family.

- - - -

Sheathed Sword, second in command to the Royal Guard, finally nodded to his underlings. The guard had been doing what they could to move civilians to the underground caverns, as was protocol in an event like this. The caverns were strong and there was a large part of them stocked to hold the population for a while, and also having a passage to outside Canterlot in an event that they couldn't return. It hadn't been used in ages, but a large part of the duties of the Guard was maintaining this escape route and bunker to the highest degree.

And now that it seemed like most of Canterlot was in here... it was time to begin the counter attack.

- - - -

Soarin and Spitfire were dressed in full uniform, along with the other Wonderbolts. There were about twenty in full dress. They were waiting on word to commence the plan. Blaze was to bring word from the Royal Guard. As they waited, there was a tense silence amongst all of them. It was part of what they trained for. The Wonderbolts were actually part of the Equestrian Military, though most ponies seemed to think that they were just fancy show fliers. Not only were they military, they were the best damn fliers in it.

Soarin looked at his partner and captain, and grinned.

"Fight like we train, right?"

She shot him a look that made him gulp, but then she smiled.

"If we get through this, I'll treat you to the biggest and best apple pie ever. So... don't get hurt, okay?"

Soarin nodded.

"Love you too, boss."

"Shut up, Soarin."

"Yes, boss."

- - - -

Spike had to get her out in to the open. Dreamy was fairly confident that he/they could out-fly the Changeling Queen, but they were in a building. Not only that, but there was too much risk she could hurt the ones in there, and he wasn't going to let that happen. With a powerful flap of his wings, he pushed his way towards her.  She started firing her magic beams at him, but he barrel rolled out of the way and put on a burst of speed he didn't know he had and tackled her out of a window.

They fell.

- - - -

Luna was having fun.

Sure, her beloved Canterlot was being attacked, her friends and family possibly in danger, but Luna had always loved a good fight. She had always been more tomboyish than her older sister, and this was just one way she showed it. The Princess of the Night made her way slowly, taking out every changeling she could along the way, towards the vault that housed the Elements of Harmony, knowing that it was need her magic or her sister's to open. She looked up to see the Wonderbolts gathering up their own storm clouds, to the Royal Guard starting to pop up through out the city as they began to fought back.

The princess smiled.

Canterlot would not fall today, she'd make sure of it.

- - - -

They were almost there. All six of them were exhausted, but the trail of unconscious changelings behind them spoke for their exhaustion well. Even Fluttershy had been cornered enough to fight back, saying something about the changelings being big bullies and not letting them hurt her friends. Said changelings were probably never going to be able to walk correctly again.

Fluttershy was mildly terrifying when pushed, Twilight decided.

With a final push, the Bearers of the Elements made it up the stairs that led to the vault, only to see a small army of changelings waiting for them.

"Oh, this is getting ridiculous."

And then the changelings morphed into her friends, beginning a new battle.

- - - -

They didn't fall far. The Queen had recovered and pushed him off in midair, and now they were both flying.

Spike had a plan, now, though. She was obviously now engrossed with fighting him, so she wouldn't head back to the wedding room. She wouldn't be around his family. And if she was away, Celestia could recover, maybe she could heal Cadence and fix Shining Armor, and they could team up with Twilight and there could be some super powered magic blast that fixed everything while he slept this off. And he was leading her to the vault to make it that much easier. So he flew, and she chased.

- - --

Celestia groaned as she regained consciousness. It had been hundreds of years since she had been involved with any kind of battle, so she had been much rustier than she would have thought. She'd even let herself be overpowered! So sloppy.

"Aunt Tia! You're awake!"

She raised her head slowly and picked herself up, before looking at her niece and nodding.

"Where's Chrysalis? The changeling queen?"

The Princess of Love looked at the Princess of the Sun and for the first time in her life, realized that she wasn't just dealing with her Aunt Tia, but the eldest and most powerful member of the Princesses. And that princess happened to foster very maternal feelings towards all of Canterlot, and especially the young dragon fighting on Canterlot's behalf.

The walls of Tarturus wouldn't contain the fury of a scorned mother trying to protect her foals.

Cadence was fairly bitter and resentful for being held captive as she was, so she felt no remorse for what was about to happen to the Changeling Queen.

"She flew out the window. Spike is fighting her... I don't know anything else, but Spike... you should have seen him, Aunt Tia. He's all grown up."

At the mention of Spike battling Canterlot's newest and quite dangerous foe, Celestia's eyes hardened.

"Cadence. Stay here. Look after Shining Armor and rest. I'm going to go get my son."

She said it with all the calm, the nonchalance, of a mother informing someone they were getting their child out of daycare. And that was what terrified Cadence the most.

- - - -

The Doctor looked up at the dragon and changeling queen flying through the air.

"Oh, so this is when Spike grows his wings?" The Doctor looked at Derpy and pointed up with his hoof.

"See that, Derpy? This is the beginning of a new chapter for all of Equestria. The world, really."

"That's great, Doctor. Now maybe we should get moving and fix this all, before, you know, we get attacked by Changelings. Again."

The Doctor shook his head and smiled.

"No, Derpy, not this time. If I know that dragon and his friends, and I do, very well... well, not yet, but eventually for them, I suppose, everything is going to be just fine. So, how bout we go to Barcelona? We can go get Dinky and have a nice vacation, what do you think? No? Let's go this way then! Allons-y!"

Derpy groaned.

- - - -

Finally, after taking out all of the changelings guarding the door to the vault, Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. She could feel magical exhaustion creeping up on her, a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time now. Everyone else looked equally as tired. She pushed against the door, about to open it, when-

"Wait, Twilight Sparkle!"

She looked behind her and saw Princess Luna flying down, flapping her wings regally. She was clad in armor Twilight had never seen before, and she gave a quizzical look.

"Oh, this armor? It is from my younger days, where I would often wear it into battle! But, I digress. You need my magic to help you open the vault!"

With that, the alicorn opened the vault, and was pleasantly surprised to find more cannon fodder.

"Huzzah! To battle, my little ponies!"

Twilight and friends made the wise choice to hang back and let Luna have the fun. Which, she did.

- - - -

Soarin looked to his right and happened to see Blaze flying at them as fast as she could.

"Sheathed Sword says they're ready!"

With a nod, Spitfire grinned and grabbed a storm cloud, that was now charged full. The plan was to use the lightning to attack the changelings. Soarin caught up with his captain and even pushed ahead, before turning his head back.

"Hey, boss. I got a better idea. What do you say we get married if we survive this one?"

Spitfire shot him a dirty look, but she was quite glad that her mask would hide her blush.

"I'll think about it. Shut up, Soarin."

"Yes, boss."

- - - -

It had been a long time since Celestia had been this angry.

Disappointed, afraid, worried... those came with the package of being a ruler and a mentor. She hadn't even been that angry when Discord had escaped, more overcome with worry for her subjects and friends than any emotion relating to the draconequus.

She began to start charging magic, and picked up in speed as she managed to sense the young dragon and their foe.

Chrysalis had kidnapped her niece, the young mare that she had promised to take care of, turned her student's own brother against her, and was now fighting her son.

She didn't call Spike that very often. It made things complicated. Some of her more closed-minded associates didn't see what she saw in the dragon, they just saw a dangerous dragon. She saw a bright, noble young male with a lot of potential to make Equestria a better place. He desired to help, not hurt, and that was what separated him from most young dragons. But just because she didn't allow herself to call him son, just because she explained to a scared and confused baby dragon why he couldn't call her mommy... didn't mean the feeling wasn't there.

"I'm coming, Spike, be careful. Please, stay safe."

She was going to make that up to him. Maybe take him on a vacation. It had been so long since she'd been with the young dragon.

- - - -

Luna looked almost jubuliant as the last of the changelings in the room fell. There had been another group coming towards them, but the counter attack led by the city guards and the Wonderbolts  was slowing them down.

Finally, it looked like they were winning. She cantered over to the lock and stuck her horn in, channeling her magic. The vault slowly opened, and the Bearers could only smile as they reached the unassuming box that contained the Elements of Harmony. With a burst of magic, Twilight telekinetically lifted the Elements and gave them to their respective Bearers.

"All right, girls. Let's do this!"

Twilight could feel energy pouring back into her as the crown on her head began pulsing with magic. Her eyes began to glow white and she began to levitate. White streams of magic burst from the crown's jewel and hit the other five mares, but unexpectedly, the process ended.

"Well. That was boring. But I do feel loads better!" Rainbow Dash said, yawning.

Twilight and Luna shared a look.

What was wrong with the Elements?

- - - -

Spike flew as fast as he could, and soon, the dragon saw the vault.

He was past exhausted now, and running on fumes. Chrysalis seemed to about as fresh as she had been when they started this chase, throwing out the theory that he would tire her out. His only hope was to get her to where Twilight could seal her away with the Elements.

If that didn't work... well... he didn't want to think about it.

- - - -

The Canterlot military fought hard, and Sheathed Sword was proud of every single stallion and mare under his command. Changeling resistance was faltering, and reports were coming in that the Bearers had made it to the Elements of Harmony. Princess Luna had taken on a large amount of changelings on her own as well, and with the dragon that Princess Celestia had adopted holding off the Changeling Queen, he felt sure everything was going well. He walked outside from his command center, the guard barracks, and grinned as he saw pegasus guards flying to him.

"More good news?"

The pegasi both looked at each other, and grinned evilly. Green light wrapped around them and two changelings were in place.

"Yes. For us. You think we are all the Queen brought? Our real army is still on the way."

Sheathed Sword looked around him at the ponies around him. None of them made a move against the unicorn. Instead, they all turned to look at him, with a smug look. Green light wrapped around all of them, and soon, the unicorn found himself surrounded.

His last thoughts were of his wife.

- - - -

BOOM! Chapter done, leave a comment and tell me how ya liked it? I love comments. I really do. I do my best to respond to all of them and I enjoy conversing with you all, even if it's silly and random.

Also, this is dedicated to my youngest little brother, who turns 14 today. Happy birthday, kiddo.