The Journeys of C

Chapter III

War of the Steam-City

Part II:

Skyfall

                      The Steam-City’s northern defenses were destroyed. The pegasi were descending in the city and either killed all the defenders or captured them and sent them into their prisons to use them as forced labor after this already-won battle really ended. The tower was hit by a huge number of rockets, but it mostly remained intact, for that the old king used his remaining life to save all-those in the tower by creating a barrier. From the ruins of the top level C rose up and after he cleaned himself from dust he asked for those still alive to moan like they were in pleasure. C heard Inky and rushed to help her out of the ruins, but after he helped her rise up and she thanked him the white changeling said that she didn’t moan in pleasure.

                        Inky told C that this isn’t a funny situation, but C contradicted the white-furred mare saying there’s never a situation too bad not to make fun. The mare nodded her head then mentioned the necklace compliment and C thanked her like she really said it. Snow rose up next and rushed to see if her father was alright. For her relief, her father was unharmed, she helped him up from the floor then heard the young unicorn prince as he mourned his father’s death. The four ponies approached the mourning prince then C, suddenly as always, told them they should go down and find a plan to counter-attack.

                         The prince didn’t look willing to go down, but Snow’s father grabbed the young prince and dragged him away from his father said that the time for mourning is not now, there’s a war going outside and his father gave his life to protect them for a reason. Hearing that, the prince came back to his senses and asked the old colt if he had a plan, but the old colt said that the prince should ask C, from all those in the room C was the only one that seemed to have a plan.

                        The prince stared at C, but he didn’t go to talk with him, instead he ordered the newly promoted general to follow him to prepare a defensive fight on the streets. C jumped in front of the prince when he heard this. The changeling told the prince it was suicide, but Blue Dream contradicted C saying how he suggested this. The white changeling stared at the prince explaining that he suggested a counter-attack not a suicidal defensive of a lost city.

                       Blue Dream glared back at C and explained to him how he should be grateful he’s still alive. Changelings and shape-shifters should all be eliminated from Equestria. The prince then moved towards a still functioning elevator calling the general and his daughter. C couldn’t stand the fact that the prince insulted the changelings and shape-shifters so he jumped in front of him and punched him as hard as he could making the arrogant prince fall down.

                 “You may think you’ll solve something by this kid, but I’ll do it my own way.” C said this while the prince rose up and cleaned his snout of the blood that poured out from it.

                       The prince wanted to show C some respect, but the general, still owing C the fact he saved his daughter, convinced the prince to follow him and protect the city. The general called his daughter to come and help them, but she disobeyed her father and chose to stay with C and Inky and help them instead. Snow approached the two and asked C what’s the plan and he said they should first go down, but the elevators were destroyed and the only one working was transporting the prince and the old general.

                   Snow proposed they should wait for the elevator to return, but C moved around trying to think of another solution to go down. In the meantime Inky was searching around for a way down, after a bit of searching she found a door leading down, she shouted to the two and showed them the stairs. Snow said they were crazy if they went down those stairs. Indeed, there was a long way down, but that didn’t discourage C, he stepped on one of the stairs then said that crazy things are his jobs and even though going down some stairs was boring, they had to do it.

                  There was a long way down, and after about ten minutes of moving down the stairs C went insane with bore and put Inky and Snow on the handles and slid down with them, the two were scared not to fall down while C yelled of happiness. Outside the prince and the general were already gathering the remaining troops to initiate a toe-to-toe combat, the soldiers were to barricade buildings and use their weapons to kill the pegasi that followed the runners sent by the general. Above though, the zeppelins of the steamers were captured and their crews locked inside one of their rooms while the city of Wigonia moved above the topless tower and the prince of the pegasi sat on the ruined throne of the Steam-City and put the deceased king next to him.

                    The prince called his newly appointed general and calling him by his name, Blizzard White, ordered him to start the first incursion. The runners moved towards one of the living quarters of the city where about forty pegasi were scavenging and searching for the inhabitants. The winged ponies saw the runners, and seeing there was nothing of importance in that sector followed the earth ponies. The pegasi were brought to a narrow street. The steamers hid inside the buildings and waited for the pegasi to arrive. On the moment all the pegasi were on the street they shot them down. The sound of their fire weapons propagated attracting other pegasi. The winged-ponies saw the strategy of the steamers and decided to attack them from above and infiltrate the building, leading to a toe-to-toe fight where the pegasi would be the victorious. Although they thought well of their plan, the steamers had a few tricks up their sleeves to make sure the pegasi won’t defeat them.

                    C, Inky and Snow finally reached the ground. The two mares were scared and Snow fell on her hooves and kissed the ground thanking her ancestors for the fact she was an earth-pony, while Inky tried to catch her breath trying to calm down. C came out next and saw that the three were surrounded by about ten pegasi. C smiled and greeted the pegasi, making them a bit confused, then without warning C jumped behind them and , knocking one out, grabbed his spear and started a fight. Snow returned to normal and joined C using her pistol while Inky was to use the sword Snow threw to her. Snow was serious and shot the pegasi without thinking twice while C was taunting them and jumping over the abandoned desks and tables. Inky was as serious and Snow, but tried not to kill the pegasi, but the circumstances didn’t give her any choice.

                    Snow’s gun attracted more pega soldiers. C ran towards the two and threw Snow’s gun away then the three began running. The streets outside the former palace of the king was filed with pegasi, but the three managed to run from them, either by Snow cutting their throats or by C and Inky’s knockout teamwork. The pegasi weren’t going to let the three get away and chased them, some form the ground, other in the air using their crossbows to try and injure the three. On the other side of the city, the pega entered the buildings where the steamers were barricaded, but the steamers retreated down into the tunnels they built across the entire city in case of such an assault. They left behinf them something, though, the pega saw something burning, as they went to see what was burning they saw a dead pega, and next to him, entire explosives. The fire was getting closer to the explosive, but the pega didn’t have enough time to react, for that the explosives inside the building next to theirs blew up causing this one to blow up as well.

                      From the ruined throne of the steamers, the pegasi prince saw the smoke coming from the burning buildings and ordered his general to take his veteran regiment and make sure the steamer resistance force was annihilated before any other pegasi died. Thanks to the explosions, the pegasi chasing our three heroes were distracted giving them enough time to hide until the pega went to hunt the steamers. C was the first to rise up and asked Snow if her regiment joined her father, she nodded her head responding that her regiment would never follow her dad. He was strict while she liked to use her own methods, thing which made her regiment only loyal to her and not her dad. C was happy hearing that and asked Snow where was her regiment’s barracks. With a smile of her face she told C her regiment didn’t have their barrack, they had a special place and the grey mare was more than happy to show her two friends the location.

                     She led on while C went to Inky and told her she used the sword quite well. Inky thanked C and asked him from where did he knew to swing a spear like that? C looked up and with a wondering face told her he was just brilliant then smiled revealing his teeth. Inky gently nodded her head then went after Snow making sure she won’t lose her. C stood back a few second and looked behind with a smile then went after the two mares.

                     Although most of the pega went towards the explosion, the streets leading to Snow’s regiment crawled with the winged soldiers that scavenged and patrolled the area. Snow and C were ready to charge into a toe-to-toe fight with the pegasi. The two were already planning their and Inky’s moves while the white-furred mare was trying to find another way around the winged soldiers. The buildings in that sector were only slightly damaged and gave them no places to hide. Breaking any window would attract the soldiers, but as she studied the area a bit more she saw a ladder leading to a room which had its widow already broken. C and Snow finished their plan and asked Inky what did she think, Inky didn’t say a thing and they turned around expecting for pegasi behind them, but there was nopony there, instead Inky whispered to the two from the room and waved to them. The two quickly climbed up the ladder and entered the room.

                      Inside there were toys scattered all around, C approached what seemed to be a broken picture on the floor. He grabbed the picture and looked at it. His face changed into that of a sad person. Inky saw C staring at the photo then approached him asking what was the problem. He just changed back to the C he was before the picture and denied anything. The white changeling just put the picture on a desk then went downstairs to see what was their next move. Outside pegasi patrolled the streets in order to find any steamer trying to escape then capture them and use them as forced labor in their labor camp for whatever ambitions the Wigonian prince had.

                        C and Snow were once more eager to step up into a fight against the pegasi. Only Inky was the one with enough mind in that building to try and find a way to sneak. Unfortunately for her, there was no way to sneak past the guards, but a distraction was possible. The buildings behind this one still had their window intact so she thought that if they break a window maybe the guards will go and investigate it instead of the house they were in. C didn’t agree with this idea, a distraction, in his opinion, would attract the guards inside the building, it was the shortest way to see what’s going on. Snow was willing to take any chances, an open fight would be dangerous, an indoor confrontation would be easier. The three could hide while waiting for the guards to enter, then they would take them out one by one.

                        C stared outside once more then decided that Snow and Inky were right. Inky would use a book to brake a window of the back buildings while C and Snow hid waiting for the guards to enter. Inky threw the book at the window breaking the glass. The guards heard the noise, most of them flying towards the building, while six entered the house the three heroes hid. As soon as she threw the book, the white-furred mare hid in the wardrobe. Two of the guards rushed up in the room Inky was hiding, while the other four were downstairs. Snow and C waited a bit then saw an opening. Snow sneaked out from the storage room and cut the throat of the guard making sure he wouldn’t make a noise. C waiting until one of the soldiers was near the staircase he was underneath. As the guard approached, C realized he didn’t eat anything that day. He felt the urge to jump on the guard and tear him piece by piece, devouring his flesh and drinking his blood, but his mind could not let him do this, instead he used a broom to knock the guard out.

                     The guard falling down on the floor made a loud noise which attracted the two guards that were nearby and the two upstairs. Snow looked at C and mimicked with her lips that he did not just do that, the white changeling mimicked back that he was sorry. The two guards quickly came and saw Snow and C, the grey mare didn’t wait and quickly threw her sword directly into the throat of one of the guards while C jumped on his and broke his neck. The brown-haired changeling would had wished to sink his teeth deep into the guard’s neck, but he kept himself from doing it. Inky saw the two guards wanting to head down so she jumped out of the wardrobe right on them knocking them out.

                    Downstairs the three rushed outside knowing the commotion inside wouldn’t stay unnoticed for much longer. They ran as fast as they could, the guards noticed them then went after them, again the crossbows were aimed at them, Inky was almost hit by one of the arrows, but she kept running, there was no time to stand still and be relieved. As they ran on the streets they met another patch of guards, this time there was no way of avoiding them. Snow pulled out two guns and started firing at the colts in front of them.

            “Where did you get those?” asked C staring at Snow’s guns

           “Dad owed me a gift for my birthday last week. I asked him for some guns.” Snow said while running on her back hooves and shooting at the pegasi in front of them.

         “Happy birthday then.” Said C staring at the grey mare that stood back on all her fours, then rushed at the guards in the front them. With an athletic jump she shot the two guards that were hiding behind the buildings.

          “Thanks C. And this is the party I always wanted.” Snow said after she landed on her two back legs and shot the other guards.

                       Inky reminded the two this wasn’t the best moment to celebrate and started running once more. Luck was on their side for that the three finally reached the grey mare’s regiment hiding place, it was a tavern, but C and Inky didn’t have time to ask why was a tavern the stationing point of her regiment. The three stopped in front of the tavern and Snow started firing as fast as she could at the pegasi that were chasing them, while C and Inky grabbed two crossbows that lay on the ground near the bodies of some dead pegasi and aided Snow. After four minutes and a lot of bullets fired and arrows used, the three finally got rid if the chasers. C wanted to enter the tavern, but Snow told him they were in the cellar. C didn’t ask Snow why was her regiment in the cellar, but he rushed to the cellar without waiting for Snow and Inky and broke in.

               “Give me a map, something to write, a lot of gunpowder and we have a plan!” yelled C happily, but the colts inside glared at C then pointed their guns, halberds and crossbows towards C “This sounded better in my head.”

                    Meanwhile, in the other side of the city, a cruel battle was undergoing. Pegasi soldiers were fighting on the walls of the steamers in order to capture the impressive towers they possessed in order to use them for their prince. The steamers barricaded themselves behind wooden panel and bags filled with stones. The arrows of the pegasi couldn’t manage to hit the heavily barricaded earth-ponies and unicorns, but their fire weapons easily penetrated the armors of their enemies. Bullets were flying everywhere and pegasi were dying each passing second. The wingonian assault may have succeeded but now they were facing another type of battle, where their open sky and ground tactics and their unadvanced weaponry were of no use. The steamers were prepared for such a battle, their city was big, but it didn’t have any proper training grounds for their soldiers, so instead they relied on special hours of the day when their populace was to retreat in the bunkers for their soldiers to train. A training day would consist in four hours of training afterwards two hours of public service. The steamers army wasn’t only advanced, but also helpful and half of the army were engineers ready to rebuild their city in case of an attack such as this one.

                      The steamers fourth and second defense towers were unharmed and ready to fire as soon as the area was cleared of any pegasi. The first and third towers were badly damaged and could not be operated, but the steamer soldiers kept defending them, they even used the cannons they had stocked for zeppelins to help their brethren that were defending the other towers. At the base of the first tower, general Blizzard and the second regiment exited the tunnel and counted till ten until they would rush outside and help the steamers on the walls. At ten, the general and the second regiment rushed outside the buildings, half of them remained down on the street to fight the ground pegasi while the other half would rush inside the tower to join forces with the steamers.

                           General Blizzard and his men were greeted by some of the steamers soldiers left inside the base of the tower in order to make sure no pega would enter. The general and his half of the second regiment either used the huge elevator or the stairs to arrive at the top-wall level and help the defensive. As brave and bold the defenders were, the pegasi kept coming, a handful of soldiers against an entire army of highly trained pegasi. The battle was almost lost thanks to the fact the pegasi overwhelmed the brave defenders. The commander of the western branch of the defenders was hit the left back leg by one of the pegasi’s arrows and fell on the wall. The pegasi soldiers approached the commander ready to capture him, but when they approached, General Blizzard and half of the colts he came up with saved the commander and decided to also rescue the steamers caught in the first tower while the other half would save those in the third tower and those down would secure the streets.

                             In the port side of the city, the prince would lead the fourth and sixth Stalliongrad regiments towards recapturing the ships that still remained in their possession, but didn’t get out of their hangars into the fray at large. The plan was easy, the fourth regiment would attack from the eastern side of the port and recapture the port’s command post and the sixth regiment would attack both from the northern and the western side, surrounding the pegasi and capturing the ships inside the hangars.

                           The plan was set in motion, the prince lead the northern branch of the sixth regiment into the fray. The smell of gunpowder and death quickly filled the air. The northern branch had to fight through narrow streets and enter inside ammunition storages to stop the pegasi from taking any of the steamers weapons. The prince was the first in line, showing bravery to the men, but the Stalliongrad ponies did not care of the prince’s bravery, they were doing this in the name of their Czar.

                     “Follow me colts! I will inspire you!” yelled the prince charging towards the first storage.

                    “Yeah, you keep thinking that.” a soldier said looking at the prince that was charging head long.

                       While the two resistance groups fought to regain their city, C was trapped in the cellar of the Inn surrounded by tough colts. C ‘s hooves were tied to a wooden pillar and he was guarded by four of the most sturdy colts in the cellar. The white changeling stared around while trying to contain his hunger. He knew that he had to feed, but he had enough killing ponies, as hard as it was C succeeded not to escape and devour all those in the cellar. The door leading to the cellar opened and Snow alongside Inky entered. The colts greeted Snow, but one of them jumped behind Inky and put a sword on her throat. Out of nowhere C appeared behind the colt and tore his neck with his mouth then cleaned the skull of any flesh and stared at the colts that were ready to kill the white changeling. The Grey mare stopped them then approached C and slapped him.

                      C put his hoof on his check and asked Snow why did she do that? Snow stared at C then pointed with her head the dead colt on the floor. C stared back at Snow and said he promised to protect Inky and as long as he was alive nopony would threaten her. Inky looked at C and couldn’t believe what she heard, C did promise he’d protect her, but she didn’t believe he was saying the truth. Snow turned around to face her colts and told them C and Inky were friends of her and if anypony would touch them again, they’ll be severely punished. She turned around again to look at c, but as she turned she saw the dead colt’s body only consisted in cleaned bones, then she saw C which was covered in blood and was shaking a bit regretting what he has done, at least his hunger was satiated, for now.

                   Snow moved to a big table in the middle of the room, on the table there was a map of the city and a lot pens and some feathers, Snow took a father and started making a plan of a counter-attack on the city of Wigonia. While she was making the plans, C retreated to a corner wanting to hide there, ashamed of what he has done. Inky saw her friend standing in the corner and went to him and thanked the white changeling for saving her from that colt. C didn’t say anything he just looked at the wall to his right and refused to look the white-furred mare into the eyes. Inky tried to make C feel better, but it didn’t work and in the end Inky got mad and grabbed C making him stare into her eyes then punched him. C fell on the ground, the noise of his fall make the ponies in the room look towards the corner.

                C rose up, used his hoof to move his jaw a bit then moved very fast at the table moving Snow away and taking a pix that had the initial C on it and told the grey mare her plan wasn’t good. A direct attack won’t work. He then ordered another map and when he got it he started to make the plans. First he asked how much gunpowder did they possess, a colt that seemed to be the storage guard told the white changeling that they should have around thirty barrels of gunpowder. C then asked the grey mare how many colts were in her regiment, then she said around one thousand. He clapped his hooves then began making the plan. Wigonia was stationed above the tower and the streets surrounding the tower were heavily guarded so he told the ponies to make around four groups. The four groups would spread into four directions surrounding the tower and use the barrels of gunpowder to create a diversion making the guards go and check it out. The ponies then had to fight the pegasi as long as they could while C, Snow and Inky went into the tower and dispatch whoever ruled Wigonia making the pegasi surrender. The colts decided that was a good plan, some of them told C that only three ponies couldn’t possibly dispatch the ruler of Wigonia, but C denied them joining the three saying that they were enough to take care of a ruler that was stupid enough to attack a technologically advanced city.

                   The colts went into the storage and took the barrels, five to each group and then they went outside. Snow went ahead with her colts to give them a speech. C  and Inky were alone in the cellar, the changeling approached the mare and thanked her for making him return to his senses. The changeling and the shape-shifter then went out, but C rushed back down to take the pen with him, Inky stared at C asking him why would he take a pix? The changeling looked at the white-furred mare and told her that “pix” as he called the pen, could be used in many ways, plus he liked the fact it had a “C” on it. The mare gave C a poker face, but the changeling told her to put a smile on that pretty face then he went outside. Outside the cellar, Snow finished the speech then her colts went to their designated positions, eliminating any pega on their way. Snow gave C and Inky a sword and a gun, but the changeling threw the gun and the sword saying that he only needed his pix. Snow was a bit confused and asked C if he was serious? C shook his head then told them “Andale!” and ran towards the tower. Inky told Snow what andale means then the two mares followed C.

              On the walls the steamers and stalliongraders secured the two towers and opened the roofs ready to fire at the huge pegasi city. General Blizzard decided to help the steamers that defended the other towers, if he succeeded the fire power the towers possessed would annihilate the flying city once and for all. In the port, the prince and the stalliongraders recaptured the still functioning ships and put some of the colts to take them at large and reclaim the ships that weren’t sunk and eliminate the pegasi zeppelins from the skies if they would show up. The others would move through the city reclaiming the streets then prepare a final assault on the city that positioned itself above the huge tower that was once the palace of the city. In the former throne room of the steamers the pegasi prince was dancing with the body of the dead king grinning at the ponies that tried to regain their city. He saw every move of the foolish ponies and gave his general an order that would make this day the greatest day of the princess life, the day the steamers were finally defeated and Wigonia would reign supreme over the White-River Region then move on to his next target.

                     Inside the biggest carrier-zeppelin the scared general was staring through the window at the pathetic steamer prince that tried to retake the city. An officer came to the general and told him the message was delivered. The general smiled then ordered the bridge to launch a rocket into the air. That rocket was the signal the other pegasi waited for. The soldiers of the pegasi retreated from the Steam-City back to the carrier-zeppelins or Wigonia. The prince and General Blizzard were confused why would the pegasi retreat but told their colts they were victorious in reclaiming the city and now they only had to take out Wigonia and the carrier-zeppelins, but on the other side of the city C knew this wasn’t right, the pegasi weren’t retreating, they were preparing for something big.   He looked at the grey mare and Inky and told them to keep moving, their only hope of surviving whatever was coming was to enter the tower.

                    The towers opened their roofs and were ready to annihilate the pegasi, but at that moment, the zeppelins that the pegasi captured from them went kamikaze and crushed into the city. The huge towers of the steamers crumbled killing any pony inside or outside them. Also the boats captured from the steamers smashed into the walls making them crumble. General Blizzard’s position was directly hit by a huge zeppelin, killing the general instantly while flames spread across the surroundings. Inside the former throne room the prince played a song through a gramophone and started dancing as the entire city started burning and zeppelins rained from the skies. Then the city of Wigonia started firing the lightning bolts helping at the destruction of the city. On each of the princes’ moves another zeppelin exploded somewhere in the city smoke rising into the sky. The lightning bolt created huge explosions as well targeting storage facilities filled with gunpowder. Down in the bunkers, the ponies were hugging each other scared of what was going on the surface.

                   C, Snow and Inky were close to the tower, they barely dodged the crumbling buildings and the lightning bolts that almost hit them ten times. Snow’s regiment was almost all of it dead, buried under the ruins of the buildings or burning thanks to the fires that spread across the city like wild-fire. The zeppelin kamikaze attack stopped, but the other zeppelins started firing down at the city. It was clear the prince didn’t want the city to stand any longer, it had to be completely destroyed. The prince now danced with the body of the king smiling each time. Inside the flag-zeppelin the general was drinking a cup of tea while spectating the destruction of the city. The prince was thrown into the water by a great explosion that took place near him. A building almost buried Inky alive but Snow jumped and pushed Inky away, the three ponies kept running and as they arrived at the tower, pegasi guards were waiting. A fight started, Snow was a very good shooter, never missing her targets. C and Inky almost seemed like dancing as how well they knocked the guards out and used their weapons against them. Snow’s ammo was running out so the three rushed inside the tower. Inside they had to run upstairs for that the elevator wasn’t safe for use now that the city was being turned into dust. The prince was dancing very happy, there was nothing that could stop him now, but as the song of his gramophone a pegasi hit the throne. The prince turned around and saw the three ponies. The prince applauded them then said they were too late to stop him. C smiled and said it’s never too late to finish something, but the prince laughed at C then sixty pegasi surrounded them, the three were skeptical of their survival chance, but this wasn’t going to stop them. The three rushed into battle, Inky and Snow were easily killing the pegasi either with sword or spears. Inky and Snow were both trained to fight, Inky has been trained since she was a little filly, all shape-shifters are trained to be powerful fighters and use anything to survive, Inky was clearly very skilled at it. In Stalliongrad, Snow was raised as a proper filly should be, but she always was more attracted by weapons than dresses and jewels, so her father had her trained by the greatest instructor at the age of fourteen, she was skilled then as she is now. C was fighting pretty well himself, he seemed to have been through such situations before, but changelings are born fierce and savage, but not to fight as C was, they are always in huge groups, swarming around and eventually overwhelming their opponents.

                 C used his pix to stab some guards, but he mostly used the swords and spears from the dead guards, but as he finished some pegasi he heard Inky and Snow yelling, pegasi overwhelmed them and dragged them into the city above. C yelled after Inky and jumped to save her, but he was unable to use his wings, he saw as the two mares were taken into the city and started killing the pegasi with unseen ferocity, the prince saw the anger of the changeling and teased him then flew up into the city above. C let out a scream that echoed through the tower and up into the city. C stretched himself then strained moving his upper half of the body to the ground and a strange blue fog emanated from his necklace and some sort of lightning came from the ground C then opened his eyes that now glowed, red and blue, C then let out a scream and stretched his wings that were now covered in that blue light. The white changeling then jumped into the pegasi city leaving behind him a trail of white fog that vanished as fast as it appeared.

                 The skies darkened as the bombardment kept going, a thunder storm started, the pegasi started this thunder storm so that anypony alive down in the city would be scared and tremble in fear as their once beautiful city was turned into dust. The prince ordered that the two mares would be taken to the scared general and kept alive until the end of the siege then he’d find them a use. The foolish prince sat down on his throne not thinking that this was going to be the worse day of his life, for that an angry changeling was coming after his friends. The soldiers inside Wigonia were slaughtered and consumed by the raging changeling, he couldn’t think anymore, he felt what he was doing and screamed inside himself for what he was doing, as he consumed each one of the pegasi tears would be seen moving down his cheeks. He was crying, not wanting to do this, but he kept saying to himself that he won’t let those he made promises to suffer ever again, nor those he liked and loved. The soldiers were terrified, C was unstoppable, not even one hundred pegasi. They thought of C as powerful and unstoppable, but inside his mind he knew how weak he was, letting himself being consumed by hunger and rage like this, he was no longer that which he used to be he kept repeating, but then he heard Inky’s voice and saw the two mares being tortured and he embraced the anger even more. Inside the throne room, the scared general was congratulated by the prince for his successful campaign and toasted a glass of wine, but right after that the huge cloud-doors were smashed and fell down on the floor, C was in front of the two colts, covered in blood growling with anger. He stared at the two colts and moved towards them. Other pegasi rushed inside the throne room to stop C, they fired arrows that hit C in the back, he screamed in pain as the arrows hit him, but with all the pain that surged through C’s body he rushed at the pegasi and feasted on their flesh, making sure he would torture them before he consumed their flesh. The scared general ordered the prince to retreat to the flag zeppelin from where he’d be taken to a safe location. The prince flew off while the general was face to face with C, the white changeling recognized the general and opened his mouth letting a few drops of blood stain the cloud-floor. The general pulled a sword and rushed toward C, the two began fighting. The general cut C a few times making him scream in pain, but the cuts were only superficial and to the general’s surprise they disappeared, only the holes his sword added to the changeling’s mane, tail and wings remained. He then remembered tales of the changeling being able to regenerate wounds on their bodies leaving no scar behind, but the wounds on the wings, mane, tail and hooves remained and followed the changelings to the rest of their lives. C caught back his breath then jumped on the general that dropped his sword. The general was staring into the eyes of the greatest beast he ever encountered, he asked the changeling what was he, after that he closed his eyes then C tore his neck.

                  Inside the flag-zeppelin the two mares were tied on the bridge guarded by two pegasi. The prince entered the bridge breathing heavily, then he gave the order for the zeppelin to move while the other carrier-zeppelins would start firing at the throne room of Wigonia. The pegasi knew that by doing this they would destroy the center of their city, but they did what the prince said, they launched a red rocket towards the throne room, after the explosions, the others understood the order and with heavy hearts started firing. Inside the flag-zeppelin the prince was relieved that he got out alive and that the Steam-City was in ruins, only a few buildings still stood, even if only as ruins, but it was enough, he didn’t knew of the underground bunkers though, he thought the steamers fled across the river, or they tried to go into the open, but the southern part of the barricade would exterminated them, just like they exterminated the first, third, fifth and seventh Stalliongrad regiments sent through the southern part to aid the steamers.

                 Unknown to the prince, a small zeppelin entered the hangar of the flag-zeppelin. The pegasi inside the hangar were wondering who could be inside the zeppelin, but they didn’t give much importance to it. The zeppelin’s door opened, but no pegasi went to see what was it, only one colt that had to check the machinery to see how was it, stood outside checking his toolbox. He heard hooves moving towards him then stopped. The engineer greeted the pilot and told him to go to the hospital on board to check him out, it was the ordinary routine. The colt turned and saw the colt, he let out a scream then the pegasi inside the hangar rushed to see what was it and as they approached they saw the face of anger and after a lot of screams propagated through the hangar, silence fell. Only blood and bones stood in the hangar, there was also some flesh scattered around, but not a body.

                 Inside the bridge the prince was savoring a glass of wine. Inky told the prince this wasn’t over he’d pay for this, C would come after them. The prince laughed then told Inky that the order to fire at his own throne room was exactly to kill this C she was talking about. She couldn’t believe it, a small tear ran across her left check. Snow saw the white-furred mare’s tear and told her that C was alright and he’d come to save them, there was no way he was dead. Inky tried to listen to Snow, but she couldn’t stop being sad, the pegasi on the bridge that heard tales of the elusive shape-shifters couldn’t understand why was she feeling remorse for a changeling. But C was different, for her C wasn’t a changeling, he was a good friend, she remembered their journey through the forest then how he saved her from that colt in the cellar. As the flag-zeppelin moved the prince heard hooves approaching the bridge, they were moving slowly and as they stopped the doors were slammed and the head of the scared general was thrown in front of the prince.

                   C entered the bridge covered in blood, but he was calm this time, all his rage cooled of and hunger was satiated. The two guards ran towards C, but he stabbed one with his pix then the other with the spear of his fallen comrade. Inky saw C and was very happy, but as she the blood on him he remembered the first time she saw him and this time she got a bit scared of C.

             “What are you?” the prince asked staring into the eyes of the changeling.

            “I am C and I made a promise that I will protect Inky and I shall keep my promise until the day I die.” The white changeling responded then moved closer to the prince.

           “Stay back or I’ll kill you!” the prince yelled at C and put a sharp sword that seemed like it had teeth on his hoof.

              C wasn’t impressed by the prince’s sword and kept moving forwards, the prince ran to C wanting to cut him, but C blocked the prince’s hoof then punched him the stomach. Snow saw how everypony in the room was staring at C and the prince and saw the opportunity to escape. After he punched the prince in the stomach, C punched the prince in the face making him fall down and dropped his sword. The prince tried to take his sword back, but C grabbed him by his back feet then pulled the prince towards him and pushed him over his throne making him fall down and breaking his right wing and back-right leg. C went to free the two mares, while the prince, after he rose up ordered the pegasi on board to turn the zeppelin and crush it into the center of Wigonia, they wouldn’t do such a thing, but the prince told them that they were dead either way, that changeling was a killing-machine and nothing could stop it now except this. With heavy hearts the pegasi turned the zeppelin and raised its speed so that it would crush into the heart of the cloud city. The prince seeing his wish was done ordered the retreat of the pegasi. The prince and the pegasi went to the small-escape zeppelins, inside them only one pegasi could fit. The prince was the last pegasi to board the escape zeppelin, but as he entered he heard a sound like “Crrr. Shrrk.” He turned around to see what was it. The prince froze after turning around then rose up and moved outside the zeppelin without caring of the pain caused by his back-right hoof as he moved. He stood outside like waiting for something to enter, but there was nothing, he then turned around and closed the door and the sound “Crrr.Shrrk.” stopped and the prince came back to his senses and fell on the ground because of the pain he felt from his hoof, he didn’t understand what happened, one second he was inside, the other he was outside. He couldn’t rise up anymore and saw as the zeppelin took off and flew outside, the prince stood there screaming in pain.

                On the bridge, C freed the two mares and felt the zeppelin trembling, Snow looked at the window in front of the bridge and saw how fast they were approaching the city of Wigonia. The three ponies rushed outside the bridge and towards the place where the parachutes were. They grabbed the parachutes as fast as they could. Snow said she’ll see them down and jumped outside the zeppelin, C and Inky were next, but not before Inky asked C how did he reach them. He looked Inky straight in her eyes and said he used the last fragment of his past to save them, from that moment onward C’ll be a normal changeling that can’t fly and doesn’t have a horn, but possesses a pix he said. Inky told him why couldn’t he be as serious as before, the changeling looked at her and said that they should jump. He grabbed Inky and jumped outside the zeppelin. They saw they were falling towards the water, the zeppelin flew pretty far from the city and now was heading back. C told Inky to open the parachute at his sign, but when she opened the parachute, there was no parachute inside, it was a simple backpack. C realized it was his fault. Inky looked at C sadly, but C didn’t wait and think and moved towards Inky and whispered into her ear that everything will be alright and put his parachute on her back without the white-furred mare noticing. He then moved his head away from Inky’s ear and said goodbye as he opened the parachute and was thrown off Inky by the force of the parachute opening. Inky yelled C’s name,  but as C was falling down he looked at Inky and said “See you later Inky.” He then opened his wings trying to fly, but Inky knew as well as he did he had no chance, but Inky lost sight of C as he disappeared behind a black cloud that moved lower than it should.

                Inky let a few tears move down her cheeks. The white-furred mare reached the water and started swimming towards the Steam-City, the water was cold and the fact C died in those waters, made them even colder. As she approached the Steam-City she saw Snow on a ship that escaped the city before the kamikaze attack. The grey mare helped the shape-shifter up on the ship and gave her a blanket and asked where was C. Inky stared at the water, but didn’t say a thing. Snow understood what happened, she was gripped by sadness too, but didn’t show it. C helped her escape the pegasi camp and saved her from the insane prince, she was grateful to C, if it wasn’t for him she’d probably be dead by now.

              The flag-zeppelin crushed into the core of the cloud city and a huge explosion made the black cloud scatter making the rain stop. The ponies on the boats saw as not only the core of the city exploded, but also all the pegasi-zeppelins. Wigonia was still intact, what exploded was the core of the city, the core of a cloud-city is a continuous storm of lightning and the flag-zeppelin that entered made the storm implode. From their ships the ponies saw as the cloud city wasn’t able to remain in the skies and started falling down. The massive city was falling down from the skies, all the pegasi inside being thrown from place to place unable to fly off. The huge city crushed into the White-River creating a wave that moved the ships of the steamers back into their ruined city.

                   As the ship where Inky and Snow were stopped in the middle of the city the two mares went down on the ruined streets and looked at the sky. The steamers started yelling happily, the war was finally over, Wigonia fell into the White-River and now the clouds that composed the city where either turning back into water or moving back into the skies. Next to the two mares came the prince, he was rescued by a small fisherpony’s boat and took to another steamer ship. He congratulated the grey mare for ending the war, Inky heard that and moved towards the prince and punched him so hard two teeth flew out of his mouth and fell on the ground while his snout started bleeding. She was lucky for that the colts that were on the ships and were celebrating were all from Stalliongrad and didn’t tolerate the prince’s attitude and were loyal only to Snow as their new commander and the Czar as their leader. Snow calmed Inky down and told the prince that she didn’t do anything and she would had done just like Inky, for that C stopped the war and saved everypony.

              “Not everypony.” A voice was heard moving towards them

                     The ponies stared at the location from which the voice was heard and saw C, he was wet, but alive. The ponies saw that one of C’s wings was missing, but changeling wings grow back after a while so there’s no worry for that missing wing, what was important was that C was able to fly and survived the fall and the wave. Inky ran towards C and hugged him thanking her ancestors he was alive, but she saw C was sad. He was happy to see Inky, but he was sad for what he has done to save her and Snow and felt responsible for all the innocent pegasi that died inside the cloud city. But what’s done is done, there’s no turning back.

                     Twenty earth-ponies were heard moving towards Snow. As the grey mare turned to see who’s coming, she saw the body of her father, the ponies brought her father. Snow ran to the lifeless-body of her father and started crying. Her father was a great colt, you could always trust and count on him. C and inky saw the general and went next to Snow trying to help her get over it. She smiled and thanked the two for being there for her, she rose up and told them that she was alright. After that the three and the surviving ponies went underground to celebrate their victory into the biggest underground tavern built by the steamers. Wine, beer and food were flying around as everypony was partying for their victory. The ponies took C on their front hooves and threw him into the air then catch him for about ten times, each time the ponies around cheering him and after that they applauded and thanked the changeling for helping them end this long war. They were finally safe, C thanked them, but he also told the ponies that everypony that fought today was a hero, but they should also acclaim Inky and Snow, if it wasn’t for them, the war would had ended with the victory of the pegasi. The ponies started acclaiming the two mares, while the two were acclaimed C moved stealthily from the party, but Inky saw him going away.

                  Outside, in the ruined city, C was moving a boat towards the water, he was going to leave the ruined city and move on wherever the voice was telling him to go now. The white changeling finally reached the water and put the boat on it. He was ready to go when Snow asked him where was he going. C looked at the two mares and told them his job here was done, he had other places to go and see, other ponies to save maybe. Snow moved a bit towards C and told him that he should at least say goodbye. C looked at Inky that knew it was over, she was sad because of that, C said he didn’t say goodbye for a long time, he was always away from society barely interacting and ever making any friends, then he said he found Inky and Snow. He then looked at the boat and with a silly face and said that there’s room on the boat for one more pony, if she’d like to come of course. Inky moved her head up to look C into his eyes. C said that of course he was speaking to her, she was such a silly filly the white changeling said. She can travel with him as long as risking her life on a daily basis and following a mad-colt didn’t bother her, said C looking at the white-furred mare. Inky jumped on C and hugged his neck saying that she doesn’t mind risking her life on a daily basis and she’d follow a mad-colt like him anytime.

                C and Inky moved on the boat and Snow said that the steamers would be evacuated to Stalliongrad and maybe they’ll visit someday. C said that they’ll surely meet again, he planned to visit Stalliongrad anyway. Snow said that before the two would go, C forgot something, she threw C his pix and gave Inky a map, not to get lost or anything. C opened the map and took off the cover of his pix and marked the location where the two ponies would head next, it was a small village in the southern part of the forest they saw while in the pegasi war-camp. C and Inky bid farewell to Snow and started sailing towards the shore, there were a lot to see in this world filled with ponies and the journeys of C and his companion Inky only just begun that day.

Next chapter

C and Inky moved through the rich path in the middle of the grain field and C stretched his front hooves while Inky saw a strange looking scarecrow.

“Welcome to our village stranger, what would you like to buy from us?” the innkeeper asked  C.

“There’s something strange going on at the Yellow’s farm, some say there’s a ghost.” The farmer said looking at C from the other side of the table.

“Ghost? Please surely there’s some unicorn making pranks.” responded C after he took a bite from the bread.

“Not only was here a murder Mr. Bean, but I’m afraid…” The door inside leading to the house was smashed during the time Inky said that to Mr. Bean “…that ghost stories are real.” A scythe penetrated the wooden door of the house.