Part 7: The Diversion

“I can’t stand for this anymore!” Celestia said, showing a clear amount of frustration through her intensely glowing horn and erect wings. “Our friends need us! We need to get them out of there! Spike, come with me.”

“O-o-out th-there??” Spike asked in shock and fear.

“Don’t worry,” Celestia replied. “I won’t have you do any fighting. I need you to come and collect our friends, then lead them back into the castle with the others. It’s already night time, and I expect Luna to join us any minute now. I’ll distract Discord while you gather up our wounded friends. Cadence should be able to heal them, and when she does, I want all of you to rejoin the fight alongside Luna and me. This is our one chance to take him down together.”

“R-right! You can count on me!” Spike replied with a new-found sense of courage. Spike climbed onto Celestia’s back, and they took off to the battlefield. Celestia landed hard in between Discord and the defeated trio of ponies, her brow furrowed, and her horn still glowing brightly.

“Discord! I cannot, and will not let you win here!” the Princess declared.  “This fight is now between you and me. Drop the pink pony… now!” Discord was initially surprised by Celestia’s interference, but then he chuckled at her demand.

“YOU intend to fight me now, Your Highness?” Discord mockingly asked, still laughing. Celestia’s intense look of focus was unaffected by Discord’s disrespect. “Have it your way,” Discord continued, shrugging his shoulders. He then tossed Pinkie Pie to the ground in front of Celestia.

“Spike?” Celestia said.

“On it!” Spike obediently replied, climbing off of the alicorn to pick up the pink Earth pony. He carried her over to Applejack, Rarity, and Shining Armor as they recovered from the blow dealt to them earlier.

“The Princess is going to take it from here. She wants us to get somewhere safe.” Spike informed the two unicorns and Earth pony.

“What?? But Pri--!” Shining Armor began. Celestia turned her head and glared.

“No objections! Go back into the castle!” Celestia hastily demanded. “I’ve got you covered from here,” she continued, turning her gaze back to Discord.

“…right,” the stallion unicorn reluctantly agreed. He formed an orb around himself, the three other ponies, and Spike, and began levitating them all back towards the castle.

“My, my, what a gutsy call,” Discord said, intrigued by the Princess’s determination. “Even after you saw everything that went down, you still intend on going into this alone. I’m not sure whether to call you loyal or just plain foolish…” Discord finished as he began to chortle.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Celestia retorted. “I won’t be alone for long. My sister approaches as we speak. However, instead of boring you with the wait or any small talk, I suggest we start things now!” Celestia then shot a beam of magic at the Draconequus’s feet. A large cloud of dust and smoke quickly rose out of the ground. He jumped to avoid the blast.

“HA! You missed.” Discord gloated. His small celebration was short-lived, however. As the smoke dissipated, there was no sign of Celestia anywhere.

“What!?” Discord asked himself in surprise. “Where di—!” he was interrupted as he felt a sudden force push him from behind and into the ground. He recovered quickly and looked up to see his attacker. He was shocked to see that instead of a large white alicorn, he laid his eyes upon a slightly smaller dark blue one with an equally blue, yet translucent, starry mane and tail.

“The fun has been DOUBLED!” announced the blue alicorn, smiling at her successful sneak attack.

“It can't be… Princess Luna??” Discord asked in amusement and a little surprise, as he had not recognized Luna’s new look. “My, how you’ve grown since last time!”

“No time for talk!” Luna declared in her royal Canterlot voice. “The time for idle chatter is over! You, Discord, must be dealt with post-haste! Are you ready, sister?”

“Yes I am, dear sister,” Celestia replied as she flew to Luna’s side. The two Princesses readied themselves for attack. Discord sighed in exasperation.

“I keep telling you that you stand no chance of defeating me without those Elements,” he began.  “If Equestria’s so-called ‘protectors’ couldn’t defeat me without their Twilight Sparkle, then what makes you think you two can?” Discord did not receive an answer to his question as the Princess Sisters launched their attack.

"So be it, then," Discord plainly said, and readied himself for the next round...

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