“Okay,” Twilight said, wincing slightly as Grievous cleaved a Changeling drone in two, “what's the plan?” The cyborg's arms were a blur of green and blue lights as he sliced every drone that attacked him, their dying screeches ringing out over the area. He lashed out with a back kick, the hard metal foot cracking hard into a Changeling's skull.

“Stay close to me until we reach Canterlot Castle,” he glanced over his shoulder at Twilight, catching a drone by the face and slamming it hard on the ground. But he immediately noticed something was wrong. “Wait...where is Rainbow Dash?”

The remaining five began looking around wildly in concern of their now missing friend. Pinkie spontaneously popped out of an empty trashcan that was beside Grievous.

“Not in here,” she stated.

“Why don't we just check where we were before?” Rarity asked, raising a hoof.

“This isn't a time-,”

“OH! Great idea Rarity! I'll go check!” Pinkie zipped away in a pink blur, zooming past the others, their manes whipping back briefly.

“Pinkie no!” Grievous bellowed and stormed off after her, his talons leaving scratches in the ground as he rounded the corner. Twilight was about to follow when a veritable barricade of Changeling drones intercepted them their wings buzzing threateningly and their fangs bared savagely. And as quickly as it happened they were swarmed over. Rarity and Twilight fired off a few blasts of magic until their horns were covered with sticky green slime and were then roughly pinned to the ground. Applejack bucked a few drones away, sending one crashing through the window of a candy store but was soon overtaken by a large drone who slammed himself into her with a shoulder. And Fluttershy was all to easy to catch.

- - - -

“GRIEVOUS!” The cyborg halted immediately and looked behind him when he heard Twilight scream his name, the ruined streets, littered with ponies and Changelings alike, rubble and small fires did not disturb in the slightest. For he was in his element. But that scream did cause one little flash of worry go through him and he was half turned when a yelp from Pinkie Pie drew his attention back to her. Three drones had wrestled her to the ground, the party pony kicking them defiantly but was overpowered regardless.

Grievous charged at the group, his lightsabers ready.

BSSSHM!

The warlord jumped back just in time to avoid Renn, his own blade stabbing effortlessly into the ground where Grievous had been just seconds ago. His golden eyes drifted to Pinkie, who was now imprisoned in slime, he lividly looked at Renn who was grinning quite smugly.

“You really want to do this again?” He taunted the Dark Jedi having easily triumphed over him the last time they fought.

Renn answered by pointing his weapon at Grievous' metal chest and assuming an aggressive stance.

- - - -

Princess Celestia stood in the currently silent corridor, the afternoon sunlight shining through the windows, the pillars all neatly aligned. This room was not the place to have a battle but she knew she had no choice. Craw would come for the Elements of Harmony soon enough...in fact...she could hear his dull, monotonous voice right now.

“Open the doors.”

A bright green flash tore the doors open leaving them dangling by their hinges as Craw and a small group of drones marched in victoriously. Craw's red eyes gleamed dangerously as he looked around.

“Celestia?” His head reared back in mock astonishment, “oh well this will be even easier than I thought,” he smugly flicked a hoof in her direction. The drones launched themselves at her viciously like rabid dogs after seeing a rabbit. Celestia rolled her eyes briefly and her horn flashed orange. Craw cringed and clenched his eyes shut at the intensity of the light, when he hesitantly opened them he saw his body guards lying in a neat stack off to the side, all unconscious.

Craw lowered his head, his teeth bared furiously as his spiral horn glowed dark red...and unleashed a powerful magical beam meant to blow the Solar Princess to bits. Celestia's own horn glowed and her majestic wings folded over her chest and face, a dark orange shield forming over her wings as Craw's beam struck it dead on, and with a casual outward push of her wings the beam dissipated. Craw snarled angrily as his patience was beginning to wear thin.

“Not as easy as you would have liked?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow at the king's predicament.

“Unfortunately.” He charged at full speed, his horn lowered, aiming directly for her throat and even then Celestia did not move. Just before he got close enough she used her elegant legs to leap into the air, Craw turned his head in time to be greeted by a gold covered hoof that collided directly with the cheek guard of his helmet.

“Ufff!” He fell onto his side, the helmet dislodged from his head and slid along the floor before stopping on contact with the wall. The self proclaimed Changeling King recovered in time to move aside in time to avoid a hoof stomp from the princess, quickly placing his weight on his own holed through forehooves and bucked up. Celestia grunted and fell hard onto her back, her tiara bouncing and skidding of her head but that was of no concern to her at the moment.

Craw snarled as he sprang on her kept only at bay by her hooves as his teeth clipped together just inches from her face. With a powerful shove Celestia sent the vicious king back first into one of the pillars, it cracked and bent awkwardly as the king fell hard to the ground. But regardless of this he quickly got up to lock horns with his foes, their angry stares could've burnt holes through each other if that were possible, the clacking sounds of their horns meeting yet again resonated in the corridor. Craw growled and shoved back driving Celestia away from him and he rose up on his back legs towering over her, a hoof met her left cheek roughly and Celestia was bowled over onto her side.

With a focused glare she looked back at him as he ran at her again and a simple kick to the chin snapped Craw's head backward almost breaking his neck, a string of saliva splattered on the carpet as Celestia quickly regained her footing and drover her own punch squarely into his nose staggering him. Celestia horn flashed again and a powerful beam nailed Craw in his armored chest. He screamed hatefully as he soared across the corridor and finally made a painfully landing on his back and slid to a halt.

His red eyes took in the sight of the princess leaping into the air, her wings spread out and her horn glowing with the wrath of the sun. Craw repositioned himself shakily, his armor melting off his body and his vision muddled by smoke, great globs of melted metal dropping onto the floor.

“ULRIK!!!!”

- - - -

Grievous let out a battle roar as he cut down the last drone in his path, the terrified creature dropped dead...but it was too late. The six ponies he had come to call his friends were missing! He had overpowered and out dueled Renn...but again the Dark Jedi had called upon the drones to rescue him...because of that...he had been unable to save them.

But General Grievous would find them and he would kill anything that got in his way. Next Chapter: Craw's plan Estimated time remaining: 27 Minutes