Chapter 24

Evening Out The Odds

“I thought we’d find you eventually!” said Tock, grinning victoriously. “I told Wind Chime that we should follow your bird! She seemed to know where she was going!”

“Tock…” said Luna, unsure if she should be glad to see him and Wind Chime.

Celestia however, was. She was even more impressed with the Phoenix that had somehow gotten out of the castle and knew exactly where to find them.

“We saw the pink clouds headed for Ponyville through the windows of my house,” said Wind Chime hovering in place.

“We?” Asked Luna.

“That’s right,” said Wind Chime. “Tick and Black Wood were with us too.”

“Are you telling me that all of you hid in your house while we were evacuating everpony!” Demanded Luna unimpressed by their friend’s decision to stay behind and not obey her orders to leave Ponyville with the rest of the herd.

“Yes Luna, that’s right,” said Tock unashamed. “Not too long afterwards, we saw you two land and confront Discord! Something didn’t feel right though! While you were warning him to leave, Black Wood didn’t like his calm demeanor one bit!”

“If it wasn’t for Tick and Tock holding him back when they did, he would of went outside to face him with you,” said Wind Chime.

“It’s a good thing they did!” said Celestia; the memory of what Discord had done to him last time still caused her stomach to curl sickeningly.

“Anyway, we saw the King and Queen arrive next and figured that it must be a matter of time before you put an end to him, but…”

Wind Chime tailed off. Unsure if she should continue the events from their point of view.

“They attacked you!” Tock said in shock. “I couldn’t believe it! They turned against you!”

“We didn’t know what was going on!” Wind Chime added. “And before we could come up with a plan to help you, we heard someone yell something from outside. We looked through the window to see you two flying away while Noble Heart and Captain Snap Shot were fighting the King and Queen!”

“They didn’t last long though didn’t they,” said Tock his ears lowering. “Discord approached them and did something funny with his claws.”

“You mean he’s got them too!?” Demanded Luna sounding worried.

“He must have done something to them because not long after that the two headed back to Canterlot only to reappear minutes later with a bunch of guards and Commander Hurricane and Discord did the same thing to them!”

Celestia and Luna felt their hearts drop. With Discord in control of Captain Snap Shot and Commander Hurricane the rest of the Canterlot will be at his mercy if they didn’t get back!

“Wind Chime, how did you find us without being spotted?” Celestia questioned her.

“Oh, well, lets see… We waited for Discord to be distracted by something else before me and Tock snuck out of my house.”

“Luckily for us, Discord was too busy making himself a throne to pay much attention to anything else.” Tock said sourly. “Anyway, after that, all I had to do was teleport myself into the Everfree While Wind Chime used the overcast for cover.”

“You think we could do something like that again?” asked Celestia.

“I don’t think so,” said Wind Chime sadly. “The clouds have dispersed and I don’t see how we could fly overhead without being spotted by patrol. Unless…”

Without another word she shot up disappearing in the fog. The three ponies below waited until at long last Wind Chime appeared with a smug look on her face.

“Ha!” she exclaimed excitedly. “I knew it would happen eventually!”

“What would happen eventually?” asked Tock.

“Last time Discord was able to change day into night within a matter of seconds!” said Wind Chime still grinning down at her friends. “Tock, you know what to do! Come on your highnesses! If we want to get back to Ponyville before daybreak we have hurry!”

They didn’t need telling twice. Tock, with his horn glowing bright, vanished with a loud crack! The Phoenix spread her wings with Celestia and Luna and together all four flyers took off. Once they cleared the fog they could see that the sky that was once a clear green color was replaced by the night sky. Even the stars above them shun less brightly than average. The Phoenix flew on ahead while Celestia, Luna and Wind Chime followed her.

“By the way Princesses,” Wind Chime spoke up. “Where are your parents?”

Luna didn’t respond. Instead, she pretended to not hear her and began picking up speed.

“You had us worried back there,” Wind Chime pressed on. “But I bet you found a way to snap them out of it! So, how about Celestia? Can we expect to see the royal family kick some flank once again?”

Celestia felt a familiar sinking sensation in her stomach as she fought to keep a growling lump from forming in her throat.

“Celestia?” Wind Chime tried again, but Celestia sped up too and in no time, they could see the shadowy outlines of Ponyville coming into view.

“My house isn’t fare!” said Wind Chime catching up with the two sisters. “Just a bit further and… here we are! Get ready to land!”

The Phoenix went into a nosedive. Her bright orange figure shot through the sky like a shooting star as she headed for Canterlot. With the night sky acting as a blanket to hide her from site, Luna tore off after her leaving Celestia with Wind Chime.

“Alright,” Celstia said seriously. “You and the others stay here while Luna and I round up the rest of the guards and…”

“Haven’t I told you already Princess!” said Wind Chime hovering beside her. “Weather you two like it or not, you need us! We want to help!”

“Wind Chime…” started Celestia but her friend cut her off.

“Celestia, we are your friends! Everypony needs help! Even Princesses!”

“I- I’m sorry Wind Chime!” said Celestia and she turned to leave but was stopped by a sharp tug on her tail.

Turning back she saw Wind Chime had grabbed on to her tail with her mouth and was refusing to let go.

“Let go Wind Chime!” she commanded.

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong!” Wind Chime shot back through gritted teeth.

“I said let go!” shouted Celestia.

This was insane! The fact that no one had heard them by now was nothing short of a miracle. Grunting Celestia tried to pull her tail away but Wind Chime still held on.

“Wind Chime, please! Don’t make this any worse! I don’t want you or the rest to help us! I- I won’t allow it! I…”

She felt her eyes tearing up again as she struggled to fly away. At last she couldn’t fight the growing pain inside her any more. Wind Chime felt Celestia’s fight subside and she let go of her tail allowing it to dangle. She flew over to her friend where she saw that her long pink mane was covering her face. Her shoulders shook as she place her front hooves over her face.

“Celestia, let us help you,” said Wind Chime softly.

“No, we can’t.” sobbed Celestia. “We can’t allow anypony else to fall because of us.”

“Celestia?” Wind Chime said placing her hooves on hers to lower them. “What happened?”

“Our parents,” Celestia said shakily. “Our mom and dad are… they…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say it. She knew fresh tears had begun to fall down her face. Wind Chime hovered next to her. Her hoof had clopped against her mouth. Celestia brushed her mane out of her face and looked at Wind Chime.

“We can’t allow anypony else to suffer because of us.”

“Celestia,” said Wind Chime seriously, taking her hooves once more. “You cannot face him alone! Remember The Defiler? When he attacked the kingdom, it didn’t take one pony to stop him! It took al of us! Together, I know we can do it! You just leave the Commander and those under discords spell to us! We will clear a way for you and Luna to reach Discord!”

“Wind Chime…” Celestia began to say but once again she was cut off.

“Hey, what are friends for right? Now get going! The kingdom isn’t going to save itself! We will wait in my house until the time is right!”

And with that, she lowered herself to the front door of her house where she knocked a couple times before the door opened and she flew in. Celestia stayed where she was. She looked up at the night sky. Wiping her eyes, she continued on her way to Canterlot where Luna, and the escaped ponies of Ponyville and Cloudsdale awaited for her arrival. As she drew closer to the city, Celestia could see a sea of ponies making their way to the cliffs edge. There, she could make out her little sister leading the herd behind her. One of the ponies from the crowd pointed up at the sky as Celestia made to land. When her hooves touched the ground she was expecting to hear hundreds of questions being fired at her, but instead, the herd in front of her looked on in silence. Celestia met Luna’s eyes that were reddened from her tears. The ponies that she could see from the growing crowd wore looks of hope for the new arrival to correct the news Luna had given them.

“Is it true?” asked a royal guard taking one step forward. “Princess Celestia, are the King and Queen really…”

“Yes,” said Celestia.

She didn’t know what else to say. Her stomach cringed as the guards in front of her took off their helmets and placed them against their chest plates. Some sunk their heads as they began to cry while others fought to keep it together. In the crowd some ponies clapped their hooves to their mouths while others broke down on the spot as their friends comforted them.

Celestia and Luna met each other’s gaze again and exchanged a nod of agreement. They couldn’t afford to brake down now. The ponies of their kingdom needed them.

“I’m sorry sister,” said Luna as she took her place beside Celestia. “As soon as I got here the guards started to question where we were and what was going on.”

“It’s alright Luna,” said Celestia bravely. “They were going to find out eventually.”

“I can’t believe it,” said one the guards in disbelief. “The King and Queen gone? And what happened to Noble Heart and Snap Shot? They went down after the King Queen. Snap Shot came back instructing Commander Hurricane and a small fleet to accompany him back to Ponyville! Princess Luna said something about ponies being trapped down there!”

Celestia took a deep breath before she said what had to be done to spare the rest of the guards from the same fate.

“Guards of Canterlot and Cloudsdale, listen up!”

Taken aback by this sudden charge of authority the guards straitened up.

“There are indeed ponies down there that need our help! Noble Heart, The Captain and now the Commander and his fleet have fallen under Discord’s spell!”

A swarm of worried mutters was heard form the herd in front them. Celestia continued her speech. “We have a plan to fight back, but we cannot do it alone! I know many of you aren’t part of the guards but…”

“We will follow you anywhere Princess!” Came a voice of one of the mares form the crowd.

“She’s right!” cried another in agreement. “This is our home too! We can’t let it fall under such creatures like that! Tell us what we have to do your highness and we’ll do it!”

“That’s right!” boomed a Royal Guard putting his helmet back on. “We take orders from you two now! So, what did you have in mind?”

Celestia felt her tears returning, but this this time they were ones of joy. Luna beamed up at her and together they along with the guards and ponies began to formulate a plan of action.

“Is everypony clear on what they have to do?” asked Luna to a guard closest to her.

“Ready as we’ll ever be!” boomed the guard pounding his chest plate. “You two just focus on getting to Discord!”

“Alright,” said Celestia rising to her hooves. “We know what has to be done! Everypony, thank you! Together I know we can do this! Now, lets take our kingdom back!”

A roar of stomping hooves and battle cries rang out at this. The royal guards geared up and waited to be led out by the two sisters. Just as the Celestia and Luna were turning to leave another voice rang out. Not from the herd on the ground, but from the sky. Celestia and Luna looked up to see Princess Aurora coming in for a landing. She landed in front of them, her mane a little messy from her last encounter with the King and Queen.

“Your not going anywhere without me!” she said seriously.

Celestia and Luna smiled at her and together the three rulers began to march forward. The ponies behind them followed, but soon another distraction came into sight. One of the mares gasped as someone was seen drawing close. The herd stopped in their tracks. It was Snap Shot. His eyes glared down at them as he landed in front of the three Princesses, his sword drawn.

“Halt!” he hollered at them. “That’s far enough!”

It was amazing that the captain could have such a commanding presence when he had a sword being held in his mouth. One of the royal guard made to draw his own sword when Celestia held out a wing to stop him.

“That’s right soldier,” Snap Shot sneered. “Stand down! And as for you three!”

He glared at the three Alicorns. “Don’t move! Discord will hear about this!”

“I know he will,” said Celestia taking a step forward.

“What do you think your doing? I told you not to move!”

“Snap Shot,” said Celestia taking charge. “Stand aside and let us pass!”

“Didn’t you hear me?!” Snap Shot said standing his ground. “I said…”

“Not to move,” Celestia finished for him. “I heard you! But you should know by now that how hard it is for me to stay put.”

“Princess!” Snap Shot roared threateningly as he began to back away. “Stop! I’m warning you!”

Still Celestia continued to move closer to the nervous Pegasus.

“Snap Shot,” said Celestia smiling warmly at him. “You won’t hurt me. Put the sword down and let me help you. You’re not yourself.”

“That’s enough!” spat Snap Shot shaking his head. “Luna, Aurora! Where do you think your going!?”

“They are going to Ponyville Captain,” said Celestia making one last push forward.

Snap Shot’s back legs reached the edge of the cliff. He looked behind him only to have himself being held tight by Celestia a second later.

“P-Princess!” Snap Shot said in shock. “Don’t make this any worse! Please for me, j-just give up!”

“That’s enough,” said Celestia softly into his ear making him blush. “As much as I like hearing that, The Snap Shot I know would never say such things.”

“What are you talk…”

“Sorry about this next part!”

And with that, she threw both of them off the cliffs edge! The captain’s sword fell out of his mouth as he let out a terrified yell! Luna made to hurry after the two but Aurora stopped her.

“Not this time!” said Aurora knowingly. “Celestia knows what she’s doing!”

Celesetia could feel Snap Shot trying to free himself from her tight embrace as they plummeted down the waterfall. The spray of the fall soaked hers and the Captains coats as they spun towards the ground below. Snap Shot lifted body just an inch before Celestia made her horn glow. She closed her eyes and leaned her head forward. Snap Shots struggling stopped as his eyes widened in shock. Celestia’s horn was still glowing but her lips were pressed against his. There was a bright flash of light as their bodies drew closer to ground. The sun was just beginning to rise now. Above them on the mountain, Luna, and the rest of the ponies waited in silence. For a moment nothing happened. But then, two forms swooped up in the air and hovered above them.

“Celestia, what the hey do you think you were doing back there?!” Snap Shot demanded, pointing a hoof at accusingly her. “You could have killed us!”

“Good to have you back too Captain,” said Celestia coldly folding her arms and looking away.

Her face was bright pink but her annoyed attitude toward the Pegasus next to her couldn’t have been clearer as they landed.

“Captain!” said one of the guards in relief. “Are you alright?”

“Of course I am!” said Snap Shot just as annoyed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s just that you and Commander Hurricane left us for some time now. And… Look for yourself.”

Snap Shots frown went away as he took in the sight that awaited him. His eyes scanned over the kingdom in disbelief the light of day brought back the sickly green colored sky and pink clouds.

“What happened?” he said looking at the small town in the distance as a house began to rise from the ground.

“Discord is down there!” said one of the captain’s fellow guards in response. “And we are going to take back the kingdom!”

Aurora approached Snap Shot and looked down at the town hoping to see a familiar Unicorn in the fields.

“We could use somepony by our side to help lead the guards into battle. Captain.”

Snap Shot stood up straight and marched over to accompany Arurora Luna and Celestia and together they led the herd down the mountain. This time, there were no further distractions.