A Lyre's Tale

Twilight woke to a start. Spike had slammed open the door. Spike ran in carrying a scroll in his claw.

“It’s urgent!”

Dear Twilight= Equestria is in desperate need of you and your friends’ help.

Here is the background on the current situation from the Royal Archives as of yesterday:

08:00- Notice given from QUEEN CHRYSALIS OF THE CHANGELING SWARM- Declared soverignty over DODGE CITY

08:05- Ultimatum rejected my HER MAJESTY PRINCESS LUNA

09:00- Day Court established

10:23- Multiple contacts report of changeling presence occupation over DODGE CITY.

10:23- HER MAJESTY PRINCESS CELESTIA orders military operation DDC 011

10:24- Security threat adjusted: level 5

11:00- DODGE CITY declared secure by intrakindgom branch of the Royal Guard

11:01- Security threat adjusted: level 4

15:00- HER MAJESTY PRINCESSS CELESTIA orders military operation DDC 012, DDC 013A, DDC 013B.

21:00- Night Court established

03:47- Contact Reported: Changeling presence in APPLELOOSA

03:50- EMERGENCY DUAL COURT ESTABLISHED. NIGHT COURT DISMISSED.

03:57- Contact Confirmed: Changeling presence in APPLELOOSA

03:59- Contact Reported: Changeling presence in DODGE CITY

04:00- Secutiry threat level: X- Barricade construction initiated in CANTERLOT- Intrakindgom branch redeployed

Our militia is currently being pushed back. What I need for you to do at the moment is to give this letter to Mayor Mare and tell her to once again lead the Ponyville Militia across the Everfree. She knows what she’ll need to do from there. After that, I need you to bring your friends and yourself into Canterlot as fast as you possibly can with your magic. Remember the Dragon Scale trick I taught you. I’ll see you in a few minutes.

“Here- you take this to Mayor Mare- and hurry!”

“Yes Ma’am!”

“And I need six of your scales”

“What? But we already-“

“There’s no time! Princess Celestia is depending on us!”

Spike cringed as Twilight ripped six more scales from Spike’s already patchy chest. She then suddenly ripped another as Spike ran out the door.

“Ahh-hoo-hoo!” Spike wept in shame, still running as fast as his short little legs could carry him.

Amotus heard the town alarm bell ringing as Twilight was doing something on the ground.

“And this one’s for Pinkie Pie,” Poof! Amotus saw the scale burn up on the ground.

“and here’s one for Lyra” another one went into smoke

“ and here’s for you-“ Amotus suddenly felt as if he were flung across the world. As soon as his eyes were open, there were seven other ponies looking around just as confused as he was. The other ponies didn’t seem to be surprised by his presence, but only at their own sudden circumstances. Twilight must have shared the secret with her friends- and he suddenly realized that the pajamas that he was wearing weren’t his own, but a work of Rarity herself. This awkward moment didn’t last long, though, as Twilight suddenly spoke

“Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, come with me- Canterlot is being attacked by the Changelings again!” Though not sure of where they were, dazed and confused, they all stumbled out the door.

“Lyra, you take care of him and keep him hidden. I don’t want anypony to know about his presence here. Keep him in this Tower, and nopony should come in.” The door shut.

“Uhh- ahh- w- where are we?”

“I remember this-- this is the Canterlot Library—this is where I researched for-“

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but we’d better stay here.”

“Princess! We’re here!”

Rarity gasped at Celestia, outfitted tale-to-neck in shining golden armor; her aura held the helmet.

“Good- put these on,” said Celestia, opening the armory room as she stopped her run down the vast halls of the castle. She spoke as they fitted themselves in Lunar Equestrian Armor for the first time.  “Twilight, Rarity, I’m going to need you both to put up a long-term aerial supression field and maintain it until another group of unicorns is available. You’ll need to climb up the observation tower. No one stays off the ground within a mile of the city.” They both ran off, Twilight, knowing the castle like the back of her hoof, leading the way.

“You four will need to help put up the rest of the barricade. Our scouts report that the Changelings are circumventing the everfree forest and moving straight in toward Canterlot. There isn’t much time to lose. You four get outside and help where you can.”

“What do you see?”

“I’m not sure,” said Amotus, looking through the Library telescope that pointed into the main highway tunnel that leaded into the city. “It looks like the city has set up a large stone wall blocking the highway, and everyo- everypony is wearing armor. All the unicorns have short lances over their horns on their helmets, and the pegasai have blades over their wings.”

“There must be something terrible going on,” said Lyra, who stumbled over a book. It lay opened to an article- ‘Legend of Nightmare Moon’.

“Everypony looks so worried. There are Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy all helping to build this big wall. And Twilight and Rarity just joined them. Wow, they look so pretty in that armor. Oh, and there’s Princess Luna, and Shining Armor, Twilight’s brother.

“Even I didn’t know that. How do you know so much about us?”

“I guess it’s time that I explained the show.”

“Show?”

There was an hour’s wait before the marching of a thousand hooves rumbled through the mountain.

Tromp-tromp-tromp-tromp-tromp-tromp-tromp!

“With the supression field, I guess we can’t get topside and clear out that stormcloud that’s coming in from the west,” said Rainbow Dash, speaking to herself as if she were trying to convince somepony to take it down.

“Rainbow, you know that with that field up, this is the only way in. The changelings intend to take us down on our own turf, and they aren’t stopping at anything. If there’s one chance to defend the Kingdom, this is it.”

A long roll of thunder growled through the sky- strong enough to put chills up everypony’s spines.

“Come to think of it, that storm might help us. The Changelings don’t wear shoes, like we- at lease most of our shoes have good grip, and the flashes of lightning can ruin their night-vision,” said Twilight to Princess Luna.

“You’re right, my dear”, said Luna,  “We just hope that it doesn’t come too soon, or it might not last long enough to fend them off. We can’t count on this helping, so let’s put every effort into getting ready. Force always beats luck.”

“Come to thing of it, that storm coming in might help us,” said Lyra “Changelings don’t wear shoes with grip like we do, and the lightning might ruin their night vision. They should realize that and use magic to take control of the cloud that we might use it at the right time.”

“Well, if they won’t do it,” said Amotus, “Perhaps you can.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” said Lyra “That kind of magic could require a great amount of concentrations based on years of prac-“ She was suddenly met with strong sting across the side of her face.

“Lyra! Your entire country is depending on you to help do something! You might be the only one who knows of the advantages of this storm! You have to at least try!”

“I- ah- alright.”

Twilight looked through the binoculars mounted on the wall. “Rainbow Dash, you have good eyes. Take a look at this.” Rainbow Dash looked through the scopes. “Is that what I thought I saw?”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. That was all that Twilight needed to see. “They’re comiiiiing!!” The alarm sounded. Every stallion and mare resting against the side of the battlement lept to his hooves and put on his helmet. Every guard in sight leaped onto the wall.

“Amotus looked through the Library telescope again. “Oh, my God,”

“What?”

“The fighting must have started. Everypony is running around and picking up their lances! Hurry it up! There is no time!”

“I.. almost... got the- storm cloud.. in  position…”

“Strike team 1, over the wall! Hold them off until reinforcements arrive!”

Two minutes passed

“They’re everywhere!” “They’re trying to breach!” “Pony down! Pony down! Bring him to the back!” “It’s Strapping Do!”

“Big Brother!”

“Ditzy.”

“There’s a Pony down on the field! They’re trying to breach the wall- Lyra! Do you have the cloud ready yet?”

“… YES! Letting ‘er rip!”

CRA-BOOM

The great thundering cloud, finally permitted to let its hell loose, opened its gates and poured rain upon the city. Within a matter of moments, the storm covered the whole kingdom. Lamps were drowned. The constant flashing of the lightning and the distant glow of the castle was all that was left to light up the street.

Meanwhile, in a tent marked by a red cross, Strapping Do lay dying under the lamplit shadow of his younger sister, Ditzy Do. A gaping hole lay opened in his chest. Not even all the magic in the Kingdom could save this stallion’s life. All they could do was keep him alive long enough for his last words.

“Big—Brother!”

“It’s over, Ditzy.”

“What?”

“Li-“ He coughed a soup of blood- some of it spattering into the mare’s short yellow mane.

“Big Brother-“

“Listen, Ditzy- I need you to tell the Princess- One life is not worth exhausting…”

“Strapping!”

“exhausting the elemen… we need… to learn… we can’t.. lean on that crutch for…”

“What crutch? You’re not wearing any crutches!”

“If we… Ditzy… rely on the elements… we’ll become…”He coughed again. More blood.

Strapping began to sink into the ground as the mud gave way to his weight.

“I’m sorry, Ditzy. I’m sorry. I will have to leave you now.”

“What? Why? Where are you going? You’re too badly hurt to leave.”

“Tell the Princcesss… We can’t forever rely on the elemen…”

“Brother? Big Brother? Strapping! Wake up! Wake up, Big Brother! Wake up!”

Luna peeked in just in time to feel his heart stop, his eyes already closed and Ditzy leaning over his body and crying. A tear peeked into her eye as well. Her armor clanked slightly as she stepped into the blood-stained mud.  Ditzy whirled around. Luna closed her eyes in shame and faced the other way.

“This—this was the first. In over 400 years.” Ditzy said nothing. She now understood. The shouting and clashing continued outside despite her absence. Luna left without a word. Ditzy turned around again. She took the last look at her brother before they placed a sheet over him and carried him out. Ditzy just stood there. A blank, straight eyed stare across her face. Ditzy Do’s eyes had never been straight except when terrified or grief-stricken. At this time, she was both. She felt more lonely than she had ever been in her life. There was nothing in that tent with her but the light, and a crimson stain in the mud. She thought about what he had said. She shifted it over and over again in her head, trying to make sense out of it. It’s the last few moments that usually end up counting for the most of a person’s life. This was no exception. The wind picked up.

“They’re dragging somepony out of a medical tent- and- there’s a blanket wrapped over him.”

“What? Let me see,” said Lyra. She grabbed the telescope in her frog from Amotus’s hand and pointed it toward the camp. “Intolerable! We have to do something! Come on, Amotus!”

“Amotus?”

“Pull back! Get back over the wall! Defend right here!”

“Twilight. I’m afraid it’s time again,” said Princess Celestia. “You will have to go through the-” The wall gate cracked. Changeling hooves and horns were visible, prying and picking at the gate with all their might.

“Hold them off! Defend here! Don’t let them-”

ATTACK!

Suddenly from out of nowhere, A mysterious figure in ill-fitted armor vaulted over the wall edge with somepony’s lance. He landed with his hind legs on top of two changelings’ heads, pinning them to the ground. The swarm changed shape to a circle around him- they were surprised as the ponies were. He dropped the lance and pulled out a shorter Gryphon Sword with his hand.

Lyra lay with her head down underneath the telescope in the Library. ‘What am I going to do? What am I going to do? What am I going to do? He’s out there. He’s out there in danger. And I’m sitting here. I’m sitting here in safety. I’m so selfish. I’m a horrible person. Why did I let him go? What is he doing?’ She looked through the telescope.

One changeling advanced to his front. He sank the blade tip deep into his mouth, and ripped it out, bright green blood falling out in drips. The frowns on the changelings’ faces turned from frightened to furious. They all advanced on him.

In the pouring rain and thundering fog gathering over the mountain, Amotus slayed two more changelings before they were on top of him. He held the sword up high, blade pointed down as another charged from his right. He swung the blade wide, hitting the creature on the leg. More blood. The second swipe almost missed, but hit the broad side of the sword glancing off the top of her head. The changeling crumbled. The other came from the left. It hopped on top of him and bit his ear as he whacked the first. He took the pommel, and barely missing his own skull, smacked the changeling in the temple with a sickening crunch. The next thing that he knew, his adrenaline rush was telling him to run. Never having been so courageous before in his life, he rejected the offer, and ended up tackled by a dozen changelings in the next three seconds.

As he lay there smothered by a score of changelings, he realized that he never would have been brave enough to do such a thing in his own world. He didn’t have time enough to think about that however, as he felt the pile-up shift above him.

“Who by Celestia was that?” said Rainbow Dash.

“Ah don’ know, but she sure is on our side- c’mown,  lets go help ‘er!” They both jumped down to help the human and pony pile-up. As if snapped out of a daze, the rest of the ponies and changelings stopped looking at the bloody tostle on the ground below and resumed, but this time, the tables were turned. The changelings’ morale was crushed.  A wall of ponies pushed foreward and plowed through the pileup. Amotus’s limp body fell through between everypony’s hooves. He opened his eyes to Princess Celestia’s sopping wet face.

“There you are, Princess.”

“Ah, Twilight. This is the human you wrote to me about.”

“Yes, Princess. I wanted to keep him safe in case the Changelings invaded Ponyville next.”

“Well, lucky for you, that precaution won’t be needed for a while. I was just told that the Changelings have been scattered. We’re going to take care of him here for now. Besides- we owe him one.”

“That’s another thing I’m wondering,” said Twilight, thinking back to the times when she was still in Canterlot as Celestia’s personal student. Whenever there was the atmosphere for questioning, Twilight could get all of the information that she could possibly get out of her mentor. “Why was he the one able to save us? How did Lyra manage to find this human at the right moment before the attack? And how?”

The Princess thought for a moment. She was pulling some bit of information out of her eons’ worth of memories. She spoke again, her voice much shallower and lighter- almost parenthetically: “Come to think about it, that’s how they always were..”

“Wait- You mean…”

“Yes, you didn’t take much interest in history and magical creatures, and it wasn’t my intention to test you on them, so I might as well tell you about them now before you get too confused. We have plenty of time now.”

They both sat down in the castle clinic after the long trip following the dolly with the unconscious human on it. Everypony else wasn’t paying attention to them. They were only concerned with stabilizing Amotus, who had left a trail of blood in wake of the dolly. None of them knew what the human was exactly, so they learned his anatomy while operating on him. The Princess cleared her throat and began.

“I believe the Humans were here before we were, but I’m not certain about that. When our kingdom was  first established, the humans lived in the woods. When I first met them, they were friendly, simple people. They are (in this world at least) very pliable with their beliefs- not stubborn at all. It seemed very easy to get them on your side- or anypony’s side. They weren’t very decisive. Whatever cause they chose, they would stick for it- fight for it- aggressively if they needed to. They tended to stick together when in danger, though they were not very social creatures- they tended to keep to themselves. They had high opinions of everypony, treating the smallest mouse like they would treat each other, though they didn’t have very high opinions of themselves: they would blame themselves for anything that went wrong. Because of all this, they were also easily made into slaves.”

“After meeting them, I, having just recently learned of the Magic of Friendship, taight it to them as well. They were good allies of the Ponies, fending us off from danger, sacrificing themselves for our sake without a second thought. That was- until Sombra came.”

Twilight winced. “That’s strange. Amotus here said that humans were almost the exact opposite on his world- they they were stubborn with their beliefs instead of pliable; social; wavering instead of stubborn with loyalty; selfish instead of selfless; that they were driven purely by fear and greed- caring only of themselves.”

“I think we’ll both understand why in a moment. You see, Sombra, seeing this race so easily changed with belief, came down upon them and corrupted them. He then had his armies march them to the Frozen North into the newly attained Crystal Empire, and had them do his bidding. When Sombra was sealed away, his armies vanished, and the Empire disappeared; they were left in the cold, so they travelled back south to Canterlot, and resumed their lives in the woods, but this time they were different. They had—changed completely. They were more fearful and paranoid. They lived closer to one another and always had their eyes suspiciously looking outside—and at each other.”

“When I spoke to them about it, they told me that Sombra would easily fly into a rage, slaughtering hundreds of humans at a time if they fail his orders. “

“Shortly after that, Nightmare Moon manifested, and before I was forced to banish my sister, they vanished completely.”

“So the reason that they might be like Amotus says in their other world,” said Twilight, “Is because of the tortures and terror afflicted upon them by Sombra! “That’s what it seems, if it is how he says. I suppose they were afraid that nightmare Moon might have gotten what she wanted.”

“I need to go now. I just heard that there’s a new report on what’s going on. You take care of him, Twilight.”

The human stirred as the staff were bandaging his ear.

“Maamaa. Mama.. I’mn so cold… Mama. Why are these ponies so mean to us?”

“He’s having a nightmare,” said Twilight, mainly to herself, although the nurses heard.

“Mama- Whan are we going to get something to…”

Twilight, remembering what Celestia said, suddenly started listening intently.

“Why is the King doing this? Why are they dead? All of them~”

“Little brother- can you reach through the bars and grab that piece of scrap? I’m starving…”

“I told you, lil’ bro. No one’s gonna stick up for us. We’re lost and the only people we have are each other. I know we’re not supposed to do this, but- can we join up in this escape plan? We might have a better chance.”

“Why should we care about the scraps left for the guards’ dog? We either take from them, or die a sad, pitiful, painful death.”

Twilight realized that Amotus was having nightmares about the humans’ plight through their enslavement by Sombra. She also noted the changes in tone and attitude throughout.

“I told you, Juxtus, either he dies, or we die. Is this flogging monster worth dying for? Think, for once in your life! He promised that he’ll kill us both tomorrow, and you’re the only one who can fit through and get to him! I made this knife for you to use- use it! We all let ourselves get pushed around for centuries- and I’m going to change that system. We’re going to break outta here, Juxtus. We’re gonna do it tonight. Do it for us- do it for yourself!”

“Look- there’s someone out the window. It’s.. so… shiny and—and bright… who are those people? There’s a white horse with wings and red hair—and a horn!”

“He’s awake! He’s gonna- no! NO! Get away! Get--”

Amotus snapped up.

Twilight understood. Humans had to be selfish. They would only be a sad memory if they didn’t become that way. The only positive feeling in her head was how much better she felt about what happened in the C.E. defeating Sombra. How much worse things would be if he existed one second longer!

Amotus, back straight up, took one glance at Twilight. His face then relaxed quickly. It told her that he felt safe. He fell down again. Out.

Twilight moved from the foot of the bed to the side. She felt a sudden and very strong urge. She wanted to be close to him. Remembering last night, she looked around. Nopony in the room. She rested her head on his chest.