//------------------------------// // Derpy in the Sky with Changelings // Story: Siege of Canterlot // by Peachy Moon //------------------------------//         The grey pegasus landed gently hiding behind a swell as another changeling patrol buzzed passed her overhead. Derpy held her breath as they moved away before allowing herself to catch her breath and rest. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. Her little muffin was ahead in the city below the storm clouds. She catches her breath and moves slowly walking along the clouds and trying to keep focus for any patrols. She pokes her head down through the clouds feeling a tingle along her coat from the charge building up inside the leashed storm. The sky below her was filled by the buzzing black forms of changelings. They were blasting and exchanging spells with the Guard pinned down on the city proper. She could barely make out fighting in the streets of the capital. She sighs trying to catch a glimpse of Celestia’s Academy. She knew her muffins were down there she prayed they were safe. Plucking her head back up she took flight again keeping low to the clouds. She swooped down her muffin clasped saddlebags wiggling at her sides. She’d gone to Cloudsdale for the special cupcakes her little Dinky loved. She’d been so proud of her for being accepted into the Academy. Her little Dinky was growing up so fast. She didn’t mind that she’d have to get another job to pay for the expenses her daughters were everything to her. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden droning of nearby wings. She gasps diving as a patrol burst through the cloud layer. Her eyes widen as they spin swooping towards her. She spins diving hard away from them into the cloud layer. She flew along hearing them buzzing around looking for her stopping she curls up in the tingling safety of the clouds.   She cries as quietly as she can listening until she was certain they’d stopped moving around.. She moves slowly carefully looking out of the clouds. She sighs seeing the changelings buzzing in place only a few yards from her. Their gazes elsewhere she ducks back into the clouds and sighs letting out a breath. She had to get to her muffins. Her little muffin would be scared and Sparkler needed her mother just as much. Taking a breath she moves crawling out of the cloud and walking slowly and stealthily along it. She would never be sure if it was her muttered prayers of her clumsiness that gave her away but she stepped wrong tripping over herself and they were on her. Buzzing down at her sickly green blasts peppering the clouds around her. She kicks off causing sparks to dance along her hooves as she takes flight. She spins diving into the clouds fully flying just under the cloud layer. The changelings above fired down through the clouds alerting those below to her. Beset by enemies on both sides she climbs up through the clouds once more she looks around desperately dodging the blasts around her as she searches. She lets out a triumphant laugh as she spots the thunderheads. She pushes her wings faster feeling the frigid wind against her blonde mane and tail. Pulling up shorts she drags herself to a stop before looking at the changelings that were swarming towards her. With a grin she kicks off the thunderhead igniting the storm to life. In moments lightening and rain filled the sky below and she dives down through the now broken changeling lines. She was home free! She laughs and smiles swooping towards Canterlot towards her muffins. That was until the felt her wingtip go numb she banks hard barely dodging the next few shots. She gasps glancing back at a charred and very angry changeling patrol. They hiss more blasts of entropic energy blasting towards her. She goes into a hard dive before looping back up dodging them once more. She cries feeling the numbness creeping up her wing. She felt her vision blur worse as her eyes started to drift. “No no no no not now not now..I’ve been good for hours...not now..” She begs. It was as her vision was going to shit that she noticed the low hanging cloud. A thunderhead drifting low between the cloud layer and city. She had to smile as she looked back at the changelings, more had joined the group now. She giggles maniacally as she folds her wings going into a full dive towards the clouds. “I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT’S HAPPENING!” She screams into the rain and thunder. Her vision blurred and unfocused she closes her eyes and prayed. She felt the wind buffeting her as she sped down towards the cloud. She just prayed she’d be able to see her muffins again. Baring that maybe she would be able to help the Guard down in the city with this. The changelings never once seemed to guess what she’d planned they simply followed her in. Her body numbed by multiple hits now she gritted her teeth managing to remain conscious as she plowed into the cloud. The explosion was heard as far away as Ponyville some would later claim. The electricity from the pulverized thunderhead was unleashed ripping through pegasus and changeling alike. Black chitinous forms fell from the sky in droves. Falling with them was the scorched form a grey mailmare. She was spinning uncontrollably as she raced to meet the streets below her. She never noticed the guards racing forward to meet the now broken changeling lines or the changing tide of the battle. Her last conscious thoughts were of her daughters now just a bit safer below her. She spun down towards the streets below as the battle began to change for the better. The once pinned Guard surged forward taking the fight to the changelings once more. The lightning and rain aiding the once beleaguered defenders. All were stunned by what had just happened in the skies above them. They moved forward not sure whom had delivered the miracle but all thank the one that had. They would only be surprised further when the windows on the castle all exploded outwards to the sound of music and flashing lights a few moments later.