It had been maybe half a day since Rainbow Dash’s arrival, but half the city was already prepared. As we walked to a barricade, one of the guards that was helping out frowned as they looked through a binoculars. “What’s the problem?” Babs asked.

“I’ve got motion, it’s large, it seems that army was closer than Rainbow Dash thought.” The guard replied, and Babs immediately took action.

“Tell Vinyl she needs to get her surprise out.” Babs said, and a gray Earth Pony with a bowtie and a musical note Cutie Mark dashed off.

“Relay the message that they’re nearing their arrival.” Babs said to Rainbow Dash, who had gotten up not even a hour ago. She flew off, and Babs looked through the binoculars. Then, she almost hit her head as a voice that was too familiar spoke.

“Greetings, denizens of Manehattan, I come to you today with an offer.” King Sombra spoke, and everypony was frozen in fear. “We know you will refuse to give up your city, but, we can prevent you from being attacked.” Babs squinted, definitely suspicious of the offer. “Give the three fillies to us, and we shall not commence our assault. You will be granted your freedom from Rabil, if you give them to us. If you do not, however, we will make sure to raze your city to the ground.”

Babs looked at her fellow ponies, and they seemed to share the same sentiment. “Oh hayseed...” I thought, hoping I wasn’t about to mobbed. Rainbow Dash landed near us, and Babs must have heard something.

“Vinyl! Show these soldiers your surprise!” Babs shouted, and a unicorn walked up, I recognized her as the famous DJ-PON3, and she was pushing along what appeared to be a big amplifier.

“What is that?” Scootaloo asked, wondering what the hay the unicorn was doing.

“This?” The DJ said, “Ah, it’s nothing special.” She stopped, and I noticed there was a red button on top. One of the ponies gestured for me to cover my ears, and I did, wondering what was about to happen. “It’s just my BASS CANNON!” She shouted and slammed the button, and the four speakers on the amplifier moved outwards to reveal a big speaker. Then, after what appeared to be a big sound wave of the music genre wubs, that my ears barely survived even with my hoofs covering them, I looked and saw a significant chunk of the army had been knocked over.

Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped, and she said in total awe, “So... Awesome.”

“We will fight for what is right!” Babs shouted, “We will fight for ourselves! We will fight for our families! We will fight for Manehattan! We will fight for Equestria!” The ponies gave a great cheer and the army started to advance. Babs turned to me, “Didn’t think I would let you down did you?” She asked.

“Wait for it, wait for it,” A guard said to a pony holding a remote. “NOW!” The pony pressed the button and an explosion rocked the frontline of the advancing army.

Sweetie Belle seemed to realize something, and started humming, and the explosions seemed to reverse, going back to the ground. Then it exploded again. Babs smiled, and said, “Didn’t know you could do that with magic.”

As the explosions continued stopping and restarting, I heard Phalanx shout, “We got fliers incoming!” And I looked up to see some of the armored stallions were pegasi, great.

“Launch the pies!” Babs said, and Rainbow Dash looked at her oddly.

“That’s not going to get rid of them.” Rainbow Dash said.

“I know, but it will blind them.” Babs said as a number of pies soared through the air towards the armored pegasi. Some of them flew to avoid them, but most stayed moving and were hit, and started flying in random directions, being indeed blinded. The ground rumbled as the still advancing army drew ever closer avoiding Sweetie Belle’s trap. “Everypony hold the line until they get within a block!” Babs ordered, and one of the guards let off a spell that blew apart a soldier or two.

Then, rounding a corner came another group of the soldiers, but one of them nodded at me. “Just stay!” I said, realizing who they were. The main group of soldiers didn’t seem to note the new group until they came in close. Then, the new group started attacking the soldiers.

“What the hay?” A pony said, and Phalanx laughed.

“It’s the changelings!” Phalanx yelled, and I was amused at the surprise of the soldiers as their “comrades” started attacking them. Magic started flying back and forth, both of the sides sharpshooters firing at the enemy’s main group. As the magic started hitting near us, we got behind walls. As a bolt flew past an explosion occurred right near me and I was ready to hoof the shadow that appeared, until I realized it was Twilight.

“Hey, what’s happening?” Sweetie Belle asked, barely dodging a bolt.

“Twi’ teleported us here tuh just give ya guys a hand, dragons are gonna be a moment.” Applejack said, seeing Babs taking cover.

“Pony down!” A guard shouted over the din, and I saw some of the changelings moving over the barricade, taking cover. I recognized Cocoon, who coughed and looked over at Twilight.

“How much longer?” He asked, once again wheezing.

“Just a minute!” Twilight said, and she went and created a shield, and her brother did the same. “They’ll probably be here around ten minutes.” She said, groaning in pain, probably holding up the shield took effort, and the magic being fired at it probably didn’t help.

A stallion covered in debris dashed up to Babs, and panted for a second. “They’ve broken through the Hoof Street barricade. There was something causing their advance to be covered by crystals.” Babs eyes widened and she gestured for the stallion to assist with defending here.

“Did he say crystals?” Shining Armor asked through gritted teeth.

“Yeah, why?” I asked, ducking as a bolt went through the window of the fallen building I was in, soaring over my head.

“That’s gotta be Sombra.” Shining Armor said, redirecting his focus on the slowly diminishing shield.

“We gotta go stop him.” I said, nodding towards Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Babs looked over, hearing me.

“Good luck, Apple Bloom.” She said, pointing a hoof in the direction of the Hoof Street barricade. The Crusaders and I dashed off in that direction, and as we turned a corner we were met with a squad of armored stallions.

“Hello there.” I greeted and as they tried to fire at us, the magic bolts stopped in midair, much to the shock of the enemy soldiers and I. I heard Sweetie Belle humming, and the bolts soared back towards the soldiers, who were then killed by their own spells. “Wow, Sweetie Belle, that was, I don’t even know what to say.” I said.

“Let’s just keep moving.” Sweetie Belle replied and we continued moving, and in the distance I heard roars. The dragons must have arrived, but they were probably focusing on the main force. As we ran along, I noticed a guard lying on the ground, and I went over.

His eyes weakly opened, and he looked up. He barely said, “Run...” before his eyes shut once again, never to open. I noticed he was half crushed by debris.

“Uh... Apple Bloom.” I heard Scootaloo say.

“What?” I asked, not bothering to turn around.

“We may have a problem.” She said, and I decided to turn around, and I saw one of the streets was blocked off by jet black crystals. Then, the others were blocked off. As Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle turned to try and destroy them, they fell over on the ground.

“If it isn’t the ringleader of the fillies who have caused us so much trouble.” I heard a voice say, and I recognized it as Sombra’s. I turned to look at the source of the noise, and he was standing on the street, with an evil smile on his face. “Do not worry about your friends, they are not dead.”

I tried to charge him, but my hoofs wouldn’t budge, I noticed they were surrounded by crystals. “Do it then, kill me.” I said, with true sincerity in my voice. It had been enough as it was, and death seemed only easier now.

“That would ail both of our causes, Apple Bloom.” He said, his voice slightly changing.

“How dare ya - wait, what?” I asked, confused why he would care if my goal was harmed.

“I am not foolish enough to think Rabil will not kill me, and I know he must be stopped.” He replied, and I was definitely wondering whether he was trying to mess with me or was telling me some weird truth. “His darkness corrupted me many, many years ago, that is why I am deemed evil. Listen to me, I can’t hold on to this much longer, but no matter what you do, watch out for the ones you think are your friends.”

“Wha?” I asked, still confused. But instead of replying as he opened his mouth, his eyes turned a brighter red, and he became larger.

“Oh no you don’t.” I heard Scootaloo say as she kicked me out of the crystals. How had she gotten up? Maybe she needed to get up quicker, and her talent carried out the action?

“Insolent fools, you cannot stop the darkness.” I heard Sombra say in the original voice I had heard. I noticed a sword laying on the ground and made a move to grab it, only to be knocked backwards by a crystal that blasted out of the ground. “You will die, along with the rest.” He said, and as he swung a sword at me, somepony knocked me back.

“Not today.” I heard a voice say, and I knew it was the Doctor’s. I dashed for the sword, and before Sombra could even process it, much less me, the sword entered Sombra’s body. Scootaloo looked shocked from her position on the ground, and the crystals shattered.

“Doctor, are ya alright?” I asked, racing over to him. Half of his lower body had been slashed, and he was bleeding profusely.

“Look, I... I...” He said, barely getting it out.

“DOCTOR!” I heard Ditzy voice shout, and before I knew it the pegasus was right next to me.

“Ditzy... Listen to me...” He said, every word strained.

“You’re going to be okay, we’ll get someone to -” Ditzy said, but the Doctor cut her off.

“Ditzy... I’m going to be fine... But listen to me...” He strained, and Ditzy nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. “I’m... I’m not going to be the same... I’m going to be different... But remember... I love you.” He barely said audibly.

Ditzy was whispering, “No...” and my vision was getting blurry, even though the stallion seemed odd, he had become an ally. As I opened my mouth to say something, a great burst of light was let forth.