Saving the Hero (See OOC)

[BraveShield]

Sombras scyth riped itself from discord's grasp and flew into the woods towards chrysalis's caves

It had a mind of its own and only awnsered to one pony

------

Sombra was having a hard time keeping up with chrysalis and out of the smooze and was getting progressively harder the further they went

------

Thunder kept sobbing but slowly stood up

It took great effort it she wanted to hold him again

To feel his soft skin and nuzzle his face once more

It took a minute for her to shuffle over to the lifeless angle but it felt like she was in a dream

Once she was with him she slumped over his body and cry even more into his still barely warm chest

[Noedig]

Gale Storm finished sulking and gradually went back to his normal posture.

"Now is not the time for that, Prince Solar Flare." He said, turning to face Solar Flare and approached him a few feet closer. "Discord's right, we still have to deal with them."

Now he looked at Nightmare Moon, and then at Darkness Knight. He looked at him, finally getting a better look at him.

He was unsure if he was dead or not, because he was too far away to tell before. He decided to take a closer look at Darkness Knight, disregarding Nightmare Moon's uncomfortable mood.

He look at his face, his legs, and finally his lungs. With a bit clarity, he's a bit more sure to say something about him, but not enough... he looked over at Brave Shield, who was already up!

He looked back at Darkness Knight with even more confidence from his examination.

"Princess Luna." He said to her. "He's not dead. Look," He pointed at his muzzle, "he's still breathing. Can you feel it?"

[PrinceoftheNight]

Lullaby nodded to Fluttershy as she healeed her. "Yes. I will be fine." She said as she took off the tears in her face.

Nightmare Moon growled something to Solar. "He let me no choice. It was me or him." She only said.

She then looked at Gale as he approached to see Darky. She then blinked to what he said. "What?"

Darky was indeed still breating, but weakly.

She smiled and her back body stated to become some sort of mist until she was back to being Luna.

"My... love..." she said before hugging Darky tightly, her face full of tears.

"Cant...breathe..." Darky said weakly.

---

Once Chrysalis had dealed with the Smooze, she lead her changelings out to attack the weakened ponies.

[SeaJay]

Tears welled in Pinkie's eyes as she sat unmoving beside the injured Rainbow Dash. This is not how things were suppose to be. Why did things go so sourly? Her ribs acked and a vast amount of her friends were horribly injured. Worst of all Zed was..no it hurt to think about it. Pinkie rubbed her teary eyes and stood up. Yes they were right. The changelibg queen was on her way and they had to be ready.

[puzzlebeat]

Discord frowned as the scythe fled his grasp, but the dark weapon didn't make it far before Discord caught it with more smooze. 'if I can't use it, I can at least prevent him from using it.' He thought to himself before locking the smooze slime into a vial. He promptly looked at the vial before swallowing the container whole. -GULP- When Discord was sure the vial was secure he faced the large changeling swarm now approaching them.

"We going to need alot of bug spary."

[AlextheAngel]

There was a sudden blinding flash of light, and Solar and Applejack shielded their eyes from it upon instinct. Once the light faded away, they looked... only to find that Zed's corpse was gone...

"W-what...?" Solar stuttered, looking around in confusion. Of course, he had no time to guess or search, because at that very moment, a massive army of Changelings were headed their way... with Chrysalis in the lead. He growled, charging up a more powerful laser spell. He wanted the Queen dead... And nothing was going to stop him from avenging his brother's death.

 

---

 

Celestia blinked and stopped for a moment, hovering in mid-air. She saw the bright flash of light, right on the outskirts of Ponyville. That must be where they are... Her heart thudding heavily in her chest, she quickly flew toward it, landing in the clearing. She was greeted with a rather ominous scene... Twilight and her friends were badly hurt, Darky was barely conscious with Luna cradling him, and there was an army of Changelings headed toward them. But someone was missing... "Where's Zed?" She asked.

[BraveShield]

Thunder jumped up with a gasp as zed dissapered right from underneath her

Most of the fur on her face was matted from her tears an her mane was a mess

But what was compleatly off about her was her blank stare

Unlike last time she wasn't unconcence

This time her mind had just.....snapped

She couldn't take anymore and all she could do was stare at where zed was and nothing more

----

Brave shielded his eyes from the light as it practicly burned his Areion retinas

When he was finaly able to see he saw the mass of changeling charging and didn't even get time to see what happened to zed

---------

Sombra barely made it out of the caves before that green goop filled it

"Chrysalis, are you sure it's wise to run after discord after what he just was able to do to your catacombs?" He questioned hoping he could knock some sence into the queen before she got them killed

[Noedig]

After the surprising light flash, Gale was blinded momentarily. He recovered his sight by flipping his eye-patched to see what has happened, only to find Zed's disappearance.

"Where did he go?" He asked, bewildered. He didn't have time to find out. The army of Changelings were coming, and Princess Celestia just came down and asked the same thing.

He responded to her first. "I don't know, Princess Celestia. It just happened, and right now, Queen Chrysalis and her army are coming here."

Noticing Solar Flare charging up a more powerful laser spell, Gale could only tell him to stop... but was it going to work? Probably not, so he only tried saying something else.

"Please, consider what you're doing." He said to him, then prepared himself to fight back the army.

[PrinceoftheNight]

Luna squeezed Darky a bit more and then heard the buzzing. "Chrysalis..." She said a bit angry as she stood up and let Darky at a side.

 

Lullaby noticed her father was fine and let out a small squak of joy, then once she was done with Fluttershy, went to heal him and make him regain all his strenght with the help of Twilight to make it faster.

 

---

 

 

Chrysalis smirked and turned to Sombra. "It is not Discord who I wish to take." She said as she let her hive go first. "They are all week. We can take them first and take them prisoners for our on use." She added to him. "This is a prefect chance!"

[SeaJay]

Pinkie shielded her eyes as Zed disappeared the blinding light making it impossible to see. Wh-Where did he go?! And now the Princess was here. She felt sorry for her and Solar. Was this what happened when Angels...left? It was all so confusing. Before she could voice her concerns the sound of buzzing was making it's way toward the group. It wasn't long before a swarm of changelings could be seen coming for them. Her eyes widen as she stood straighter on shaking hooves. She didn't realize how bruised her body was until now. Everyone was so hurt and at their limits. This would surely be a battle that will leave its mark one way or another.

[puzzlebeat]

As the blinding light dissipated Discord removed the sunglasses he wasn't wearing prior. "That was unexpected... even for me." He said turning his attention to his allies. Darkly was in bad shape and Lullaby should be moved to a safe location. "Luna. I'm taking Darkly and Lullaby someplace safe." He said picking up half of the lunar family and opening a portal to the castle.

Fluttershy covered her eyes as the blinding light burned brightly. She pulled her hands away to discover that Zed had Vanished. One of her hands covered her mouth while the other quickly brought Angel bunny into a hug. "Oh no."

[AlextheAngel]

Solar almost completely ignored Gale and continued charging up the spell, watching intently as the army of Changelings moved closer and closer. He wasn't thinking straight... he was too full of pain and grief to even do so. All he wanted was revenge... He wanted Chrysalis dead. Along with Sombra, and their entire army of buzzing houseflies.

"Prince Solar..." Applejack started, seeing this. She wanted to try and talk some sense into him, to try and reassure him... but it was almost impossible to think of anything to say. How do you comfort someone who just lost their only brother?

"Don't." He said firmly, gritting his teeth.

But before anyone could react, it almost seemed like there was... a large rip in the very fabric of reality. It even made a massive ripping sound as it appeared. Through the rip, there was darkness, like an empty void capable of swallowing anything in it. Then... almost as if the entire ordeal had been just one big nightmare...

Zed emerged from the rip, rubbing the back of his neck. He was generating some sort of visible green-colored energy that resonated off his body like flames. He looked back at everyone... then at Celestia and Solar, who were too surprised to even speak.

"Stand back." He said, before placing himself between them and the Changeling Army, giving Chrysalis a deadly glare that proved that he was done.

[BraveShield]

Thunder didn't even acknowledge zed as she continued to stare at where he had been

Brave stepped back confused

(Arnt you dead over-) he thought as he turned to where thunder was and seeing that zed wasn't there

[Noedig]

Gale didn't expect a large rip in the fabric of reality... he turned around with a sudden surprise on his face, bewildered by what could that have been.

Someone came out of that rip... it was Zed! Gale was unsure and yet relieved to see him. He's not dead... how?

He couldn't make sense of it, so he tried to keep that thought off of what is truly at stake at the moment. He faced back at the army of changelings, not willing to go down without getting most of their tail-sides beaten.

Chrysalis was shocked to see Zed come out of the darkness. He approached in between the group yonder and her army.

She had the plan working so well until this happened... how did he survive?

'Forget that...' She thought. 'His deadly glare is what's getting to me... But I'm not going to let that intimidate me in front of my subjects!'

He looks ready to destroy anything at her way... he doesn't even look as injured as she expected him to be, actually he looked... reborn.

"Curses!" Chrysalis yelled. Her army stopped flying ahead and let her pass to face Zed. "I'll get my kingdom, one way or another!" She said to him as she approached him. When she came face to face, she looked at him with a cold, cruel expression...

"So..." She said to him as her army slowly approached to be right behind her.. "What makes you think you can stop all of THIS?! You have no chance against us! So back down, you pitiful little boy..."

She stared at him with utter disgust, her army felt the same and gave the same treatment to them.

They've buzzed more in intimidation. This time, they had to surrender... Or so she thought.

Gale Storm let himself tense up, he's worried about Zed. But he worries more for the hypnotist... He had to make a choice. This battle may put him out of commission because he does not feel too well on fighting right now. The dark Zed dealt quite some damage to him, he's just now feeling the effects of something like being punch-drunk. But he's not worried about that... He's worried about one thing:

The hypnotist. Regardless of whether Chrysalis manages to win this or not, he needs to get to her first. They'll go after anything outside of the Changelings that are involved in a plan of their making and eliminate them for failure, even if an operation was a success... Absolute perfection in the Changeling Queen's plan is almost impossible to achieve... That's why anypony rarely get involved with her.

"I have to go." He said to everypony, and then said to Celestia, "This is important, your Highness. Forgive me, but I have to leave to get somepony. She's involved in this and must be kept safe, I gave her my word... I'll be back as soon as possible."

He then lifted off and flew back by detour to where the lake is, he hope she's fine.

When he got there, she was still in the same place. He flew down and landed, approaching her and saying to her, "Hey, I'm back."

[BraveShield]

Sombra snarled at chrysalis before evaporating into the shadows of the everfree

The last thing anypony could see of him was his evil eyes glaring at the group

Luna looked at zed suprised as she took a step back "z-zed.....how....I killed you" she asked as bile rose in her thoat

(I....killed him.......because I thought he killed darky) she thought

[SeaJay]

Hoo, stared listlessly into the cool blue lake water...it was clear almost unnaturally so. Her legs were folded beneath her, she had forgone the slouched  defeated position from before. The weight of all the trouble and pained she caused was too much to bare. In the past she would merely push any remorse or guilt she had to the very recess of her mind. She couldn't do that this time...a life was lost. Because of her actions, somepony lost a brother, son, nephew, cousin, and a love. She had taken from them what she saw desperately craved. How...after years of living with that emptiness and being very well acquainted with that pain...how could she inflict that upon them? She deserved to be locked away like some beast. She was done running, done scrounging around for bits and food just to make it to see the next. And most of all, she was done tormenting others.

 

The creamy maned mare almost didn't notice the Lunar Agent as he softly landed behind her. An ear twitch signaling that she took notice of his presence. "The boy...he is..." She turned her head to look at the agent. Her voice wavered a bit though, no tears fell. She doubted she could make anymore anyways. "I-I'm...so sorry...." She stuttered as sorrow filled her lavender orbs that were now tinged slightly red around the rims from earlier. 

[puzzlebeat]

As soon as Discord was sure that the lunar family was safe he stepped back through the portal, to see... ZED!? Things were getting interesting, so interesting he was just thinking of watching the events unfold. No he was already too involved to pull out now.

Fluttershy's hand fell away from her mouth as Zed stepped From the rip. "Zed!? How?" She asked in complete shock.

[AlextheAngel]

Celestia watched in shock as Zed emerged from a large hole in reality, staring wide-eyed as he placed himself between their small group and the massive army of Changelings. So, that's what it was... Zed actually died, and has been reborn. She must have sensed that, and that's what drove her to come here. Granted, she had no idea how she sensed it... be it some sort of connection, or just motherly instinct. Either way, she was here now. She knew that Zed would be reborn after dying... but just the fact that her own son died made her hurt. Zed and Solar both meant the world to her... even if Zed was only adopted.

Zed continued his ominous, deadly glare even as Chrysalis approached him face to face. It relieved him a little that she had at least an ounce of courage to face him... or maybe it wasn't courage at all, but instead plain ignorance? No matter. He was going to finish this, once and for all.

Once again, his emotions ran free, and he didn't even care if she fed off of them. After a few seconds of glaring, he finally spoke.

Or rather, he began laughing.

"Back down? Back down from what?" He demanded, clenching his fists. Chrysalis was still at least a head taller than him, but he didn't care. He continued to hold his glare. "What gives you the right to tell me what to do? You're not a queen. You're not even royalty at all. You're just a parasite, feeding and eating in copious amounts with greed and absolutely no regard for those around you. You do nothing but eat and hide in your pathetic hives, while your servants buzz about, tending to your every need, while also plotting to erase those more powerful than you... out of pure jealousy and envy. You have done nothing. You are nothing! SO WHAT THE HELL GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL AN ANGEL TO BACK DOWN?!" He roared, his fists clenched so hard that his nails dug deeply into the palms. His entire body shook with overwhelming rage, and his green eyes illuminated brightly as he held their gaze. "Nothing does. You have no right. You have no authority over me. And if you want to go ahead and proceed to attack me, then bring it on. Because nothing... nothing you do can be any worse than what I've gone through in my twenty-seven years of existing." His left eye twitched slightly. "I was birthed to a mother that could care less if I lived or died, and a father who hated me with all of his being, for reasons that I could never figure out, and it still haunts me to this very day. I have lived in so much fear, that I have had to sleep with a knife under my pillow, and even then I didn't feel safe. I have been beaten and broken to the point where it became a constant struggle just to breathe." He stepped a bit closer to the Changeling queen, droplets of blood falling from his fists from his nails digging into his skin. "As a child, I have stood my ground against things that would bring even the bravest of souls to their damned knees! I've held the greatest friends I've ever had in my arms as they drew their last breath! I have witnessed entire races die off, and planets wither away into nothing! I have been betrayed more times than I can count by people that I trusted, and have been taken for granted by those who I thought would be by my side! I have traveled universes where the cruelest and most evil of people ruled with an iron fist! I've seen things... things that you wouldn't believe! I have lost things that you would never understand!" His gaze was no longer as deadly as it was before, but rather reflected the pain and torment that he had kept bottled up in his aching heart for so long. "I have been cast out of the only place I felt like I belonged, and had my pride completely ripped from my body, along with my wings! And you dare threaten to take away the only family I have left? The only ones left in the universe who truly care for me?!" He dropped his voice a bit, and he took a step back, a tear suddenly pouring down his face. "I have stood my ground through all of that my entire life. And if you think I'm going to back down from someone like you, then you're an even bigger idiot than you even depict yourself to be."

The green energy resonating off of him flared for a bit, before suddenly shooting off of him. They wrapped tightly around each Changeling, including Chrysalis herself. This was the Wrath of the Ethereals... and attack that an angel can only use upon being reborn. As this energy wrapped around them, it instilled within them great fear... fear so great, that they would never even dream of looking into the eyes of an Ethereal without going into a state of pure paranoia. This attack wouldn't kill any of them, but it would make them too scared to ever want to stand up to him

Zed unleashed every bit of what he had onto them, another tear rolling down his cheeks.

[BraveShield]

Brave knew that he wasn't in danger

Hell he could die and reform into a unicorn a few feet away but........he was deathly scared of zed

He made a mental note to never piss of the angel again

Luna stepped back a bit so she was next to Tia

"What is this magic.....it feels.....frightening?" Luna asked hoping her sister would know, her having been around zed then herself

Sombra watched this spectical from well in the forest

(You fool.....you should have left when you could) sombra thought before travail ing further into the forest expecting chrysalis to die then and there

Thunder remained unmoved by any of this

Even as a leaf came by and whiped into her face

[Noedig]

Chrysalis kept trying stare at him with little care about him...  that little bit of caring touched her when he spoke of his past misfortune and the current situation... but it wasn't enough for her to feel sorry, she just understood, that's all.

He's been excruciatingly emotional about this, which fed her well and good with some power... she thought he must be an idiot just as well.

Before she gave a rude remark, she and her army have been enveloped in some disturbing green aura "What is this?" She asked in confusion. She has no idea what this is or how this was coming to be, it just feels terrible.

Her subjects have shuddered sooner than she had realized why they're afraid, and that was only moments after when she finally did. She felt some forced fear upon her, fear like she never felt before.

She can't feed on that, it's not being expressed... it's being put into her! Her fear caused her to feel irrational about this. "Stop it." She muttered. "End this!" She begged. Her subjects have already tried to flee, they couldn't handle that much pressure of fear. She couldn't control herself, her instincts overwhelmed her plus his magic has manipulated her mind. She put her hooves on her head, feeling inferior. "Stop this! I'll leave! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed, then she immediately flew away in terror. Her flight pattern was so erratic that she couldn't think of whether to go left or right to avoid him-- it was just left and right and going far away from his as possible. "PLEASE!" She screamed irrationally. They're gone. They've fled in terror, so they have been defeated.

 

Gale Storm felt something terrible that just emanated from where he used to be. His heart missed a beat and his face was edgy. What was that? It didn't feel like pony magic... it felt like Zed was doing that. He doubts that it is toward his family, Zed wouldn't do that!

Regardless, he had to go back as soon as possible, but not without her. He approached her even closer and put his left hoof on her mane. "He's alive-- I've seen him. Will you come with me?"

[SeaJay]

A reverberating pulse of some sort of energy made it's self known causing her to pause for a moment. What as that? At her weakened state it was nothing more than a dull throb but, it was there should could sense it. Hoo stopped in her ponderings as the stallion informed her of Zed's status. "He's...alive...?" She was shocked none the less by this news. How? She felt his subconscious go flat but a few moments ago. How coud he...? A flash of hope sparked in her eyes as she looked up to the agent. At his questioning her ears went back making it obvious that she was hesitant to answer. Should she go with him? Yes, she most certainly should. She had to see Zed was alright. It wasn't that she didn't beleive the agent no, she just had to see it for herself. And truly somewhere in her mind Hoo knew it was time to face whatever punishment that await for her many crimes. "Y-yes, I will come with you." She replied looking into his golden gaze before  she began to stand up on wobbly weakened legs

[puzzlebeat]

Discord watched as Zed cast his spell that defeated the changeling queen. The energy that the angel used was astonishing and vibrant. It was one spell, but it was strong enough to finish the rest of the changelings.

Fluttershy covered her eyes again as the energy was shot from Zed's body. The shearing rage that the angel had was enough to terrify her. She held Angel bunny closer the longer the beam lasted while she quivered in fear. She allowed a glace at Zed and despite the scary vibe he was letting off, Fluttershy felt safer that Zed was here.

[AlextheAngel]

Zed continued staring after Chrysalis and the Changeling army even long after they all disappeared from sight. The green aura slowly faded from existence, and the boy studied his injured palms, before letting them fall back down to his sides. His gaze shifted from the directions the Changelings ran off to, to the ground beneath him.

A third tear joined the first two... then another... then another.

A sob erupted through him, and he collapsed two his knees, crying softly. So much pain he had concealed within him, and he finally let it all out. Not even Celestia knew about all of this... and it hurt terribly letting all of those memories resurface.

Celestia watched him for a moment, before cautiously walking up and sitting next to him. With a shaky sigh, she pulled the sobbing boy close to her. "Shhh... there there, sweetie..." She said softly, as if speaking to a young child. Zed did indeed feel very small... but all he could do was lean against Celestia as she cradled him in her wings.

Applejack watched the entire scenery, a few tears falling from her eyes. She had absolutely no idea that Zed, the sweet boy that had volunteered to help her on the farm multiple times, had such a dark past... one that he didn't deserve. She took a few steps toward Zed and Celestia, but stopped when Solar put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Not yet." He said to her. "Not right now. He... he needs a mother to cry on."

[BraveShield]

Luna began to cry herself at the sight of zed and Celestia before begining to look at the rest of the group

Rainbow still laid on the ground unconcence but breathing better thanks to lullaby with her magic and a makeshift neck brace

Everypony else was brushed and battered but was still up and walki-

"Thunder?" Luna said seeing the Pegasus just sitting stareing at the ground

Braves attention snapped over to luna then to thunder when the Pegasus didn't awnser luna

He then trotted to thunder and placed his wing on her shoulder trying to see if physical contact would help her notice "thunder.....zed needs you.....come on he's ri-"

"No" thunder simply said as one of her forehoof a moved forward and was placed where zeds face was before he was reborn

"I just want to greave for him.........leave me alone" she told brave as she began to cry again

Brave steped back and looked back at luna pleading her to tell him what to do

"Try again" luna whispered as she walked closer

"Brave did so and placed his hoof on her shoulder this time "th-" brave began before thunders wing met braves face and he stumbled back not expecting to be slapped by then now pissed off and crying again thunder

He had delt with mental trauma with recruits during training missions but....this seamed different and he needed help

She needed zed

[Noedig]

Gale Storm moved to her right side and put his left foreleg over her body and his right hoof to hold her right hoof. "Hang on." He said, and lifted her up gently to take her to the group.

He flew quickly and just as gently while holding her. When they got there, he noticed Chrysalis and her army are not there anymore. So, Zed must've forced them away somehow... fortunately for Gale, he didn't have to fight after all.

He landed her and himself down to the ground near where the group is. Zed is crying, Celestia is currently embracing him, and Thunder is still where she last was...

Gale looked at the hypnotist to tell her something.

"I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen, so understand that some may still feel uncomfortable around you once they know that you were responsible for what's happened to Zed." He explained to her. "I, for one, will be by your side through out all this sad calamity. Will you be fine?"