The Other Elements (mlp:fim fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Divide and conquer

AN: I know, I know, I say it all the time, but I'm sorry for the delay. :'( Things have been crazy lately, but I worked hard on this chapter and hope you like it.

Happy Fourth of July/Independence Day to my readers who are also American! :)

Vote, comment, enjoy!

(I don't own the picture above)

As the panicking ponies from the train station made their way back into town, even those unaware of the threat were beginning to realize something was very, very wrong. Fear had taken hold. As ponies from the train station relayed what had just happened to unaware friends, the bearers' secret was out - the Equestrian foes were at large - and no pony was safe.

"Everypony stay calm," Whirlwind began, commanding the attention of the crowd. "We're already working on the situation."

Geode nodded, adding to her comment, "Yes, for now, everypony should stay inside for their own..."

Geode trailed off, and turned toward the sound of galloping fast approaching. He narrowed his eyes and grew startlingly serious. Several black, smoky creatures resembling ponies appeared, neither quite solid, nor fully vapor, galloped forward. All of their chests were heaving as they breathed heavily, and every one of their curved horns bubbled with dark magic. All the while, behind them all, standing on a pedestal of shining, black crystals and gems was King Sombra.

All at once everypony seemed to notice, and started running, screaming, shutting themselves in their houses. Whirlwind and Geode tensed. Their hearts pounded in their chests. The shadow ponies surged forward in unison.

Geode grit his teeth, focused, and grew crystals that sprouted from the ground, latching themselves onto the hooves of the shadow ponies, stopping them all in place. Then, again from the ground, a long crystal, which molded into a more defined shape - a spear.

"Whirlwind! Think you could-"

But she was already beside him, as if hearing his thought process, as if she already knew. And maybe she did.

"Got it." She said, and as she turned he saw her smirk.

The spear rose as the air - her air - pulled it from the ground. It spun, and spun, and spun, then it raced forward toward the line of shadow ponies. The spear pierced through each of them. But as the crystal spear went through the last one and returned to the two bearers, only then did they notice: not only had the creatures not dissipated as they had hoped, they appeared completely unharmed. Geode and Whirlwind watched in horror as the shadow ponies stepped right through the crystal binds at their hooves and each pair of their white glowing eyes honed in on them.

Geode mumbled to himself, "How?! But if it just goes right through them... Maybe it only passed through them if they make a conscious effort?  Maybe we need to catch them by surprise?"

"Geode, this might be harder than we thought it would be!" Said Whirlwind.

...

"Hah, this is easier than I thought it would be!" Blaze shouted over to the others as he trapped a group of changelings in a dome of fire.

Tidal Wave rolled his eyes as he dealt with his own troublesome changelings, "Don't get cocky so soon."

"Hey, this isn't my first fight against this things!"

"Oh yeah, because back in Canterlot, I had to come save you since you got yourself trapped."

"Well that doesn't- gah!" Blaze stopped mid-sentence as a changeling shot a beam from its horn, narrowly missing him.