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THE ROYAL APPLES - Part XVIII

Macintosh Apple slowly opened his eyes and looked around without moving any other part of his body. His mind felt oddly conflicted. Part of him was urging that he wake up while at the same time telling him he was still tired and wanted to slumber. Opting for the latter, he closed his eyes, but quickly realized he simply could not go to sleep. Something was prodding at his mind and would not go away. Well, there was nothing too it, he thought groggily If he couldn't sleep then he'd have to tire himself out so he could rest. He rolled out of bed and planted his hooves firmly on the tiled floor of the room. Reaching up, he used the back of his forehoof to slowly wipe the sleep out of his eyes.

He paced into the central room of the Intensive Care Ward. To one side he saw Zecora and Applejack standing in front of the window of another room watching several medical ponies remove crystal shards from Lady Starlight's body. Beyond, out into the main hallway, he could see dozens of orderlies, nurses and other hospital staff ponies as they rushed back and forth. There seemed to be a flood of patients, many of whom were sitting on seats and benches that lined the corridor. Most appeared to be guard ponies sporting a wide variety of wounds and bandages.

Two other rooms contained seriously injured ponies with several members of the nursing staff helping to hook them up to monitoring devices. He peeked in at the nurse's station and found Twilight Sparkle, sound asleep on a cot. Turning back he saw the most unusual object of all. At one end of the ward was full length mirror mounted in very ornate, almost chaotic looking frame of gold and silver. He beheld his own reflection and was taken aback by what he saw. His body was covered with small, round polka-dots of bare flesh, making him look like some kind of kewpie doll.

"What the hay!" he muttered to himself. His voice drew the attention of both Zecora and Applejack.

"Macintosh!" his sister said sternly. "What in tarnation are y'all doin' out o' bed?"

"Cain't sleep," he replied. "What's happenin' 'round here?"

The two ponies looked at each other then back at the stallion. "The city is under attack by foes of strength which we do lack," Zecora replied.

"Where are Celestia and Luna?" the farmer asked, his mind slowly clearing.

"Princess Celestia took most o' the guards south ta Ponyville ta fight off an army o' changelings," Applejack replied.

"And Luna?"

"We do not know of Luna's fate. She's locked behind a crystal gate."

The palomino pony saw the confusion on her brother's face. "Zecora means she was last seen in the castle, but no pony can get in now. It's completely encased by black crystal."

Hearing this, Big Mac's mind snapped into clarity. The nagging sensation in the back of his mind... he knew it was Luna, calling to him for help. "Ah have ta get ta the princess. Ah have ta find Luna."

"The only thing ya have ta do, big brother, is lay back down. Yer still recoverin from bein' sick."

"Nnnope!"

"What'd y'all just say ta me?" said Applejack.

"AH SAID NNNOPE!"

"Can you ponies talk any louder?" said a tired voice. Everyone turned to see a lavender alicorn standing just outside the nurse's station.

"Twilight... yer awake."

"Well, dah!" she replied grumpily. She suddenly noticed the injured guard ponies outside the ward. "What's going on?"

Applejack quickly explained everything they knew and had learned about the situation. Zecora, for her part remained quietly thoughtful. Twilight's expression became grim.

"That sounds like shadow crystal. Oh... this is bad. We need to get Celestia and the army back here as quickly as possible."

"Then we don't have a moment ta waste," said the cow pony. "We have ta get ta Ponyville and get the other elements together as well."

"Right," the alicorn replied.

Zecora looked at Twilight. "Before you go I have a deed, that you can do with your great speed. A box which on my mantle rests, I must now have to make some tests."

"Alright," the princess nodded. "I'll be back in a flash." There was a small pop of imploding air and she vanished.

"Did she really mean ta say that?" asked Applejack to no pony in particular.

A brief moment later Twilight reappeared holding a small wooden box in front of her. "Is this it?"

"Yes indeed, that's what I need!" the zebra replied. She took the box and set it aside. "Now off you go to Ponyville to warn Celestia of great ill."

Big Mac stepped forward. He had recovered his collar from a closet used to store the personal effects of patients and had put it on. It did little to hide his polka-dot appearance. "Ah'm goin' too."

To everypony's surprise Zecora suddenly whirled on the stallion, "NO, YOU WILL NOT! YOU'LL REMAIN ON THIS SPOT!" she shouted. Shocked by the zebra's uncharacteristic tone Big Mac sat down where he was. She then turned to Twilight and Applejack, dismissing them with a wave of her hoof.

The alicorn nodded, then put a hoof around the cow pony and they both vanished. Applejack's hat hovered in the air for a split second before it too vanished with a pop. Zecora turned back to Big Mac.

"There isn't time to wait for aid, we must act now your bride to save. I feel the evil of our foe, if given time will only grow." She opened the box and removed a small trinket which she gave to the stallion. He placed it around his neck so that it was not visible beneath his work collar. "This charm should ground you to the earth and grant you strength of greater worth. But careful of it you must be, to keep your mind and spirit free."

"Eeeyup... but how do Ah get inta the castle if it's surrounded by this black crystal?

Zecora guided the farmer over to the large mirror he'd seen earlier. "Repeat what I say, but do not hum.... Aperiesque ostium." Big Mac looked at his image then spoke. "Aperiesque ostium." The image shimmered, then changed. The stallion recognized Luna's bedroom. He'd read enough stories about magic to realize the mirror was a doorway. He turned and looked at the zebra. "Are you coming?"

She shook her head. "No pony but you can walk on through. So, now go and do what you must do."

Nodding, the farmer gritted his teeth and put out his hoof. It passed into the mirror easily followed by the rest of him. As soon as his tail cleared the portal it closed again. He turned and looked back, but could see only his reflection. Amazingly enough, his polka-dots had vanished and he looked like he had just spent a day at the Ponyville Spa. Whatever kind of magic was being used here, it was certainly... interesting. Walking as quietly as possible, he went over to the door of Princes Luna's bedroom and opened it.

**********

The library tree in Ponyville was still under attack, but not as aggressively as during the first wave of changelings. There were too many targets of opportunity and the little monsters were easily distracted by their hunger and desire to draw upon the emotions of other ponies. At one point there was a knock on the door of the library. Fluttershy peeked through a crack in the door, then unbarred and opened it, admitting a somewhat dazed looking Rainbow Dash.

"This is so uncool..." she begin. "You wouldn't believe all the stuff going on out there. Why I even..."

Before she was able to say even another word Rarity had decked her with a solid left, forehoof cross. The pegasus dropped to the floor stunned, then shimmered slightly and changed form, back into a dark skinned changeling.

"How'd you know Rainbow was a changeling," asked the mail-mare, Derpy.

"In all the years I've known her," the unicorn replied, "Rainbow has never, just walked into the library. Zoomed, skidded, even crashed, but never walked."

Spike quickly bound the creature with a bit of clothesline and tossed him into a corner with two others they had captured.

"Maybe it's time you and the other elements used your magic, to drive off these attackers," Suggested Filthy Rich. Both he and his daughter had taken refuge in the tree when the attack first started.

"We can't," explained Fluttershy for about the tenth time. "We need Twilight to magically unlock the case and the other four elements to use their powers."

"Well, that isn't a very good explanation, especially under the current circumstances," the stallion frowned. "It seems to me you and your friends are lying down on the job."

Fluttershy scrunched down under the verbal assault. "I'm sorry," she squeaked.

"You should be..." Filthy continued. "Why if you worked for me I'd see you were fired..."

"Knock it off, Dad. You're embarrassing me and every pony else here." Said Diamond Tiara. The small filly stepped between her father and the buttercup yellow pegasus. "If she say's they can't do anything, then they can't."

Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo, who had also taken refuge in the library, stared at their classmate, mouths opened. This was a side of their nemesis they had not seen before, or expected for that matter. After a moment's hesitation they trotted over to her, along with about four other ponies as well as Rarity and Spike. They formed a line between the stallion and Fluttershy. Filthy looked at the other ponies and quickly backed down.

"Don't think this changes anything between us, blank flanks," whispered Diamond Tiara as she went over to join her friend Silver Spoon.

"Of course not," grinned the two Cutie Mark Crusaders.

**********

Advancing at double-quick time, the 2nd Lancers and the 14thRegiment of Hoof had made the forced march from Canterlot in a record one hour and twenty minutes. Celestia watched with no small sense of pride as the two regiments prepared to form into skirmish lines for the final push into Ponyville. They were exceptionally well trained and had made the trip without even breaking a sweat. Scouts had reported the town was infested with about four hundred changelings, while another group of close to a thousand had formed into ranks to meet the advancing Equestrian Guard. Including the Guard Wing of Pegasi sent ahead to harass the attackers, Celestia estimated she outnumbered the changelings at least three to one. She turned to her five main field commanders.

"Form the companies into alternating blocks of hoof and lancers, with three companies of hoof in the center of the line and lancers on either flank."

"Is that wise, your majesty?"

Celestia turned to look at the pony who spoke. It was Sir Silver Lance, commander of the 2nd Lancers. "Do you see a problem, Colonel?"

"No, your majesty.... I... I mean, yes. You are breaking up the regimental integrity of both units by splicing them into a single line of advance."

Now Celestia really looked at the unicorn, scrutinizing him intently. "It's a maneuver they've both practiced numerous times before. What makes this different?"

"Our foe, your highness. The changelings could... could infiltrate the ranks, sow confusion by changing themselves into duplicates of our own guards' ponies."

"Which is precisely why they advance in mixed blocks. The combat spells of the Lancers will negate the changelings' ability to transform themselves."

"But what if they've found a way around our tactics?" Knight Commander continued, his voice trembling slightly.

The alicorn didn't like what she saw as she looked in Silver Lance's eyes. Confidence had been usurped by fear and wisdom by self-doubt. She turned to a white furred earth pony wearing the armor and rank of a Brigadier. "Wildstorm... Colonel Silver Lance is relieved. Have his second in command take charge of the Lancers and carry out my orders. The colonel will remain by my side."

"At once, your majesty." He and the other commanders galloped off to carry out her orders. Celestia turned on the Knight Commander, ready to chew him out, but she stopped, biting her words off in her mouth. The unicorn was actually trembling violently, tears streaking his face.

"You... you've taken... taken my regiment... my regiment, my... my Lancers. It was my father's before it was mine... and now it's lost... lost, gone and forever lost."

The princess scanned Silver Lance with her magic, then muttered in surprise. He was under an enchantment. She quickly traced out the patterns of the spell, then gently broke its threads, unraveling it completely. The Knight Commander stiffened for a moment, then, to the alicorn's surprise, collapsed to the ground as his heart stopped. Celestia whirled and called for a medic.

A pair of field doctors were at the colonel's side within seconds. They successfully managed to administer CPR and then moved the unconscious unicorn down to the aid station that was being set up near Ponyville depot. Brigadier Wildstorm approached Celestia as she watched Silver Lance being taken away on a litter.

"Your majesty... the troops are ready to move at your command."

The princess turned to him. "Very well, Brigadier. Keep the troops in skirmish formation. I am going to delay the advance long enough to scan the regiments for any pony who might be under an enchantment."

"Is there a problem, your highness?"

"Colonel Silver Lance had a spell placed on him. I want to make sure no pony else may endanger our rescue of Ponyville."

"It will take time we can ill afford."

Celestia nodded. "Better we take the time now than have our assault line crack because some of our troops have been compromised."

"Yes your majesty."

The alicorn launched herself into the sky and circled the troops performing a series of slow, horizontal spirals above the skirmish line. The ponies on the ground cheered her, thinking she was blessing them before battle. The irony didn't escape her that, in a sense, that was just what she was doing. When she finished she discovered three more ponies were under a similar sort of spell. All were mid-level officers whom she knew by name. The implications were disturbing to say the least.

Landing, she directed the Brigadier to have them report to her at the aid station. Once they were removed from the line and replaced by their deputies, she ordered the attack forward. The princess and her command staff took point on a small hillock and watched the advance into Ponyville.

Just before the two skirmish lines met, the formation of changelings leapt into the sky and pulled back, first to the edge of town, then into town itself where they gathered up the remainder of their forces and swarmed back towards the Everfree forest. Two squadrons of the Guard Wing pursued, but pulled up when they reached the edge of the forest. They were too well trained to chase an enemy into unfamiliar ground.

A ragged cheer went up from the assembled troops, accented by as slightly less powerful but equally enthusiastic cheer from the residents of Ponyville who were slowly coming out of their shelters and homes. Celestia stood with her commanders and watched the retreat, her mouth lined in grim determination.

Brigadier Wildstorm gave voice to the obvious thought shared by all present. "This was too easy."

Celestia looked over at one of the signals officers, an Earth pony lieutenant named Dottie Dash. "Has the telegraph system at the Ponyville station been reconnected?"

"Yes, your majesty," the mare replied with a salute.

"Good... then have a general alert sent out to all stations. Report anything out of the ordinary directly to Command here at Ponyville." The mare saluted again and galloped off to complete her orders.

"Diversion?" muttered the Brigadier who was once more standing at the alicorn's side.

"It would appear so... The question is, where is the real attack coming? I don't want to wear out our troops quick-marching them all over Equestria."

"If I were to guess, I'd say Mane-hatten. Large population... good feeding for a large number of changelings. Add to that weather reports say there's a thick fog building off the coast. It would make excellent approach cover for a flying species."

"Valid point," remarked Celestia, "but I'm not entirely sure feeding is their principle objective. The overall strategy seems too... focused."

There was a sudden "pop" of exploding air between the hillock and the trailing edge of the skirmish line. A cloud instantly formed, and just as quickly dissipated to reveal Princess Twilight and Lady Applejack. The two ponies turned, trying to orient themselves, then spotted Celestia. They galloped up to her as quickly as possible.

"Princess.... Princess Celestia," gasped the lavender alicorn, "Canterlot Castle is under siege. It's been encased by what looks like shadow crystal and no pony can get in or out."

"What of Princess Luna?"

"No pony's seen mane nor tail o' her since the castle was captured," replied Applejack. Some o' the guards tried breakin' in but they wound up in the hospital fer all their efforts."

"First, the Clouded Heart, now this," said Celestia. "If it is shadow crystal, then somepony has access to King Sombra's magic. He's the only one who knew how to exploit those type of spells."

"But how is that possible?" asked Brigadier Wildstorm. "He's been dead and gone over a thousand years."

"The how isn't as important as the why... and it all ties together. Whoever is behind this wants my sister!"

"Princess Luna?" asked Applejack. "But why?"

"Though much of her power is repressed, she is potentially the equal of me. That was why I had to use the Elements of Harmony to banish her when she was Nightmare Moon. It was the only way I could overwhelm her magic."

"So if somepony could gain control o' her, or her magic..."

"They'd become more powerful than me." Celestia turned back to the Brigadier. "The 14thof Hoof and one squadron of the Guard Wing will remain here in Ponyville. I want the 2nd Lancers and the remaining Guard squadrons with me. Have those Guards elements form-up at the Ponyville Depot in ten minutes. We're moving out... NOW!"

The princess turned back to Twilight and Applejack. "Gather your friends and the elements and get to Canterlot as quickly as possible."

"How do I get them there that fast?"

"Fly... Gallop... Teleport... How doesn't matter... How fast does. Commandeer the Five O' Five express train if necessary, but get there." Celestia threw herself into the sky and vanished."

"Commandeer the express?" mused Twilight... How does one steal a train in the first place?"

Applejack poked her friend in the ribs. "Yer a Princess, Twilight. Just tell 'em ya want the train and they'll let ya have it." The farm pony galloped off towards Ponyville.

"That's what I'm afraid of..." muttered the alicorn as she raced after her friend."