//------------------------------// // Chapter Eight: Changeling Courtship Rituals // Story: Pony Courtship Rituals // by Codex Ex Equus //------------------------------// It was pointless, but Queen Chrysalis pushed herself upright in her bed anyway. What she wanted to do was just lie there, like she had for the vast majority of the last few days. Just lie in her bed and… do nothing. Not even think. Just doze, just stare at the ceiling. And there was also the temptation to do what she had told Twilight she would, and sleep for the rest of time. But she still had responsibilities. The smooth integration of her hive with Equestria had to be assured—if she wasn't going to be around in the future to guide her changelings and help them steal love, they'd need the ponies as a voluntary source of sustenance to survive. She'd also have to appoint a regent, pick lieutenants to run things in her absence, possibly even set up departments among her changelings to specialize in handling the different responsibilities involved in running a hive. She could guide the hivemind in her sleep, but without her personal involvement the changelings would need a government that wasn't just her telling them what to do. And besides… Twilight had written her a letter. She'd barely been able to bring herself to read it, and her sight of the words had been blurred by tears, but the gist had been easy enough to glean: today, Twilight would be coming to the hive to get the last of her things. She'd left very few belongings behind, mostly books, but also a few personal effects. Chrysalis had to make sure all of that was out of her quarters and the hive itself, so Twilight would have no reason to enter. So after a few moments of sitting listlessly on the bed, Chrysalis pushed herself to its side and slid off. She stood for a moment, then slumped to her haunches, head drooping. She didn't even notice her mane falling limply to encircle her head; she just stared down at the floor beneath her hooves, mind blank. She winced momentarily when she finally moved, her muscles sore after being unused for so long while she was lying in her bed. Giving her head a shake, she sent her mane tumbling into a position that was at least somewhat close to how she normally wore it. As she shook her head, she caught a glimpse of the letter from Twilight she'd received the night before, and winced again. She really should destroy that letter, along with all of the newspaper clippings and photos and such of Twilight that she had collected in her scrapbook over the years… but she didn't want to forget. No matter how it hurt, she wanted to remember the pony she loved so much. Turning away from the nightstand, Chrysalis looked for her breakfast, and her eyes narrowed menacingly when she noted the absence of a tray with her meal on it. She'd told her attendants exactly when she intended to wake up and what she wanted to eat, and yet there was nothing here now. If they thought her lethargy meant they could slack off, they were about to learn many, many new and painful things. Striding to the entrance to her quarters, she swept the curtain aside, and her eyes widened as she found her attendants and guards nowhere to be seen. One corner of her mouth curled up as she let out a low hiss. Now, for the first time in days, she felt something. Oh, she felt something indeed—a pool of anger bubbling up inside her like lava, pushing aside her earlier apathy. How dare her changelings abandon their posts?! Dimly, she felt gratitude towards them for at least partially breaking through her despondence… but mostly what she felt was an all-consuming rage. Grimly, she fired up her horn, making contact with the hivemind and getting ready to dispense swift and brutal, but deserved, justice—and then froze. The hivemind was empty. After the first moment of stunned shock had passed, she began sweeping her mind through their shared consciousness, frantically searching every dark corner for some sign of her changelings, but all she found was blank nothingness. Panic growing, she began to lurch from spot to spot in the hivemind, desperate to find any hint of her changelings, before finally forcing herself to stop and drop fully back into reality. They can't all be gone, she told herself firmly, breathing hard. There has to be some sign of them somewhere! Once she'd calmed down, she entered the hivemind once again, this time more cautiously. She probed around, seeking any sign, any hint of what had happened to her changelings. At first she found nothing; it all seemed exactly the same, except she couldn't feel any other minds, at all. Which should have been impossible, unless some kind of powerful spell was… There! At the edges, she caught just the faintest hint of a changeling. It was bare, little more than a ghost, but it gave her a direction. She followed it, only to find that after a short distance, to her surprise, she could go no further. Something was blocking her. A wall, almost, keeping her separated from the rest of the hivemind. Again, impossible… but the hivemind was hers, and she would not let anyone keep her from using it as she saw fit. Her horn began to glow brighter, as she attempted to force her way forward. There was resistance, but she had centuries of experience with the hivemind, and she wouldn't be stopped. "You think you can defy me?!" she growled, eyes clenched, speaking out loud without realizing it. "I am the QUEEN!" For a moment, she slipped past whatever barrier had been set up—just for the barest fraction of a moment, and what she got could barely be called a glimpse. But it was enough, and stunned, she hardly even noticed when she got pushed back out again. All her changelings were being kept from her. Whatever that barrier was, they were all behind it. She'd gotten a feeling in the second she had touched them… she didn't know what she'd felt, but she knew it made her mad. It had felt like they were mocking her, almost. But she'd also gotten something else from that touch: a physical location. She knew where they were now—just outside the entrance to the hive. Face set in a grim frown, Chrysalis started off down the tunnels of the hive. Something or someone had taken her changelings, and they were going to pay. In blood, preferably, but she could think of all sorts of other fun choices. As she stomped her way towards the entrance, though, her mind took another turn. The hive was so… empty. So quiet. Normally it was filled with busy, purposeful activity—changelings rushing to and fro as they dug new tunnels, prepared to raid a town of ponies and harvest love, or just went on their way to take care of any of the hundreds of odd jobs that a living, breathing hive required to survive. And now there was nothing. Just the heavy clop of her hooves echoing back at her off the tunnel walls. Just her, by herself, all alone. She had trouble finding a word to describe the experience, but finally came upon one—creepy. It wasn't a word used often by a love-devouring, shape-changing, slime-secreting changeling, but it fit. Is this what it's like for Twilight right now, all alone in her castle? wondered Chrysalis. She doesn't have any changelings either… just like me. No, of course this wasn't what things were like for Twilight, she realized a moment later. Twilight had friends, Twilight had family, Twilight had all manner of ponies and other creatures to keep her company. Chrysalis only had her changelings, and with them cut from the hivemind, she now had no one. She slowed, surprised as she realized what the strange feeling she had was. She was… lonely. Her changelings had always been with her, of course, so this was the first time she'd ever truly been alone, with not even the hivemind to rely on. But even then, after everything she'd experienced with Twilight, at some point she'd come to feel lonely and hadn't even realized it until now. Even the hivemind hadn't been enough to fill that gap; it wasn't exactly like talking to herself, but like a shadow, an echo of her own thoughts. Her changelings had their own wills and thoughts, but those thoughts naturally tended to line up with her own. She'd never known until recently what it was like to actually interact with ponies—in ways that didn't involve deceiving them and controlling their minds—and now, strangely, she missed the experience. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, Princess Luna—especially Luna, for some reason she couldn't quite put a hoof on—she missed them all. She found she actually wouldn't mind having one of them around now. Provided they didn't bother her, or talk, or do anything disrespectful, of course, but she still would have enjoyed their company. She would've even accepted Starlight Glimmer, that dead pony who was living in Twilight's castle and trying to steal her away. Her gait, already slow, came to a halt as a series of thoughts suddenly raced through her head. Did… she want friends? No, of course not. Of course not! She didn't have friends. She'd thought Twilight would change things… but she'd been wrong about that. Sadly so, and it simply reinforced the point that a Queen did not have friends. Although… Princesses did. And they seemed just as respected as Queens. Feared, even, though maybe not as openly as Chrysalis herself was. If they could have friends, and still maintain their dignity and their control over Equestria, was there any reason she couldn't? Was she really so different? Her changelings didn't seem to think so. With a sort of vague disapproval, she'd watched their first tentative steps towards fitting in among the ponies. No matter her feelings for Twilight, she couldn't see the ponies as anything more than a food source. But the other changelings had taken to them like… well, like ants to ice cream, to use a fitting but rather unflattering comparison. Rather unnervingly, she'd noticed feelings in the hivemind starting to form towards the Princesses. Her changelings… respected Celestia and Luna, in a way they previously had only Chrysalis. The ponies had told tales of the Princesses to her changelings, and as those tales spread through the hivemind, the changelings respect for them only grew. Somehow, somehow, their brand of leadership, of kindness and understanding, had won them the same deference from the ponies that Chrysalis got from her changelings through unwavering discipline, and occasionally fear. And, perhaps most disturbing of all, some changelings had questioned her. Normally such an unprecedented act would bring swift retribution, but they'd asked her to be nicer. To find compromises to problems that made everyone happy. To be friendly. She'd been so confused by the requests that she'd simply denied them in a huff, and the displeasure that radiated through the hivemind as she'd done so had quickly discouraged any other changelings from doing the same. Doubt had still gnawed at her, though. All she needed to do was look at Equestria to see how things could be. It was a large nation, a powerful nation, full of happy citizens. And Celestia and Luna had done all that peacefully. They'd fought only in self-defense, instead relying on harmony and understanding to build their kingdom. She had indulged Twilight during all the times the pony had spoken of the power of friendship, listening patiently despite her own lack of faith in such a thing. Or, at least, that it was as strong as Twilight claimed. But now, as she reflected upon it in her loneliness… was friendship actually magic? If so, perhaps there was another way to rule. If the Princesses could do it, then maybe she could do the same... The shape of a new world formed inside her mind. One where changelings were friendly, spreading out across Equestria, earning their love rather than stealing it. They might not know much about friendship right now, but they could learn. Next to communication, knowing things was what the hivemind was best at. And that aside, the hivemind already had a multitude of skills, gathered throughout the generations. There was so much in Equestria they could help with, so much they could fix, so many ponies they could make happy. And Chrysalis herself… maybe she really could learn what it took to be a friend to other ponies. Ponies who weren't just Twilight. She could become a beacon of friendship, leading her changelings in spreading its magic across the land. She could be a gracious Queen, beloved by ponies and changelings alike. And… maybe, just maybe… Twilight would see that, and realize Chrysalis had changed. Maybe it would open her heart up, the way it could have been, the way it should have been from the start, if only Chrysalis hadn't misunderstood things so terribly. That might be hoping for too much, but regardless, she could build a new world. She could ensure her people not only survived, but prospered. She could make the changelings, and herself, as loved in Equestria as the Princesses themselves. Maybe, she could even be... nice. Thoughts bouncing around in her head, visions of a world of harmony and friendship led by changelings dancing before her mind's eye, Chrysalis resumed walking, unconsciously following the path she had been on before her revelation. She threaded her way through the tunnels with familiar ease, not even having to watch where she was going as she ruminated on her revelation. Then she rounded the final bend and exited the hive. Seeing what was waiting for her, she snapped back to reality and stood frozen in place, eyes wide. She had built this hive in the Macintosh Hills, down in southern Equestria. The reasoning had been simple; placing the hive in already existing caves was easier than burrowing it out themselves, and the Macintosh Hills were riddled with tunnels. And as a bonus, the hills gave her a spectacular view of much of Equestria, including Twilight's current home, Ponyville. Aside from her beloved's castle, it was still a beautiful sight—the hillside her hive was built on sloping gently downwards, eventually becoming lost in trees, and the wide plains of Equestria beyond that. Right now, the entire hillside spread out below her seemed to be covered with changelings. Her changelings, she realized with a shock, despite the fact that they all seemed to be glowing with a magenta aura. None of them were moving; they stood stock-still, faces expressionless as they stared up at her. After the moment of shock passed, she lit up her horn again, forcing her way into the portion of the hivemind the changelings were sharing. She was pushed out again, but now that she was physically near them she'd been able to penetrate much further past that barrier. She hadn't been able to pick up any thoughts, but their emotions had come through clearly. Strangely, there had been no malice. In fact, it had felt just like the normal hivemind, full of love and devotion for her. The only thing different had been a sense of anticipation, a gleeful laughter that she had earlier mistaken for mockery. It is some kind of spell! she thought disbelievingly. But why would someone want to block me out of my own hivemind?! And who would have enough raw magical power— "I see you made it at last," said a haughty voice from above, and Chrysalis jerked her head upwards. Twilight Sparkle floated in the air, wings flapping gently to hold her aloft. Her mouth curled up in what could have been a smile, but the set of her eyes and the arch of her eyebrows turned her expression into a disdainful sneer. And her horn glowed, channeling a spell. The same spell, it was suddenly obvious, that was cutting Chrysalis off from the hivemind. "What… you're…" Chrysalis tried to speak, but found that she couldn't quite process what she was seeing enough to form a coherent question about it. "I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me that you've decided to agree to my little proposal," continued Twilight with a chuckle that sent a shiver through Chrysalis's carapace. "The hivemind… my changelings…" Chrysalis finally managed to get out, focusing on what had brought her out here in the first place. "Why… why are you doing this?!" "Ah, yes, you and your little changelings." Twilight peered down at the mass of changelings gathered below her, eyes narrowed in malevolent glee. "I had to do something about them before we got to the fun part. I don't want them interfering this time, after all." She held a wickedly happy glare on the Queen, who simply stared back in befuddlement… until the bit dropped. Chrysalis's mouth fell open, her pupils shrinking, and she staggered to the side as she remembered where she'd heard those words before. She had been the one to say them after all. She shook her head, unable to believe what was happening… but then she looked up to meet Twilight's eyes, and saw it. The pony's eyes were still narrowed, there was still a sneer on her face, but deep in her eyes, just barely visible—possibly only leaking out because it was Chrysalis she was looking at—there was a faint twinkle. A sparkle. "Twilight, you're… I don't understand," Chrysalis finally managed to say, though she was just barely able to get the words out without stammering. "After everything that happened… the letter you wrote, it said—" Twilight slowly approached her desk. The papers sat on it, waiting. Sitting down in her chair, she began to leaf through the stack of forms. They all seemed fairly standard; initial here, sign this, put a date here, and that pony you're married to will be out of your life forever. There was a familiar pang of sadness at that thought, but thinking of Chrysalis at all anymore brought that feeling. Other than that… she didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. So she began to fill out the paperwork. Initial here, sign this, put a date here… She worked slowly, methodically. She didn't want to mess this up, didn't want to draw things out. Finish it all here, end it all now. Just like Chrysalis wanted. There wasn't much Twilight could do for her anymore, but she could do this right. It would be her last gift to the Queen. That's why she held the quill in her hoof, rather than simply use her magic; this was personal. Finally, Twilight came to the last page. There was one final signature, this one confirming that all of the above signatures were correct and that this truly was what the pony signing wanted. It was the last key that, when turned, would lock all of the chains in place. Signing this would remove Chrysalis from her life forever. Twilight thought all of this, staring at that empty line waiting for her signature and felt… nothing. Nothing that she hadn't felt before. So, with a steady hoof, she signed her name. Then she sat back, staring at her signature, the quill still in her hoof. That was it. Chrysalis was gone now, for good. It was all there, on official palace documents and signed by her, a Princess. Now bound by the iron hand of law, she would never, ever, ever see Queen Chrysalis again. The words saying so were right there in front of her, in cold black ink. The harsh reality of what that really meant was laying on her desk, and that realization began to beat inside her head to the pulse of her heart. Her hoof started to tremble. "Goodnight, Twilight." Twilight let out a sigh as Chrysalis climbed into bed with her. No matter where she lay, Chrysalis's bulk always pushed the mattress down and caused Twilight to roll back against her. And Chrysalis always took that opportunity to wrap her legs around Twilight and give her a squeeze, nuzzling her face into Twilight's mane. So, as always, Twilight had to rearrange their limbs, freeing her forelegs so they weren't trapped tightly against her barrel. That tended to leave her foreleg draped over Chrysalis's in a rather friendly and almost intimate manner, as though they were holding hooves as they slept, but somehow she didn't care anymore. The last—three days? Four? Had it really only been that few?—had been equal parts terrifying and confusing. Her confidence that Chrysalis had been engaged in some long term plan to trick her had started to waver. At the same time, she still couldn't believe that Chrysalis loved her. Well and truly loved her. She was still waiting for the other horseshoe to drop. And yet… somehow sleeping like this had become normal. Almost comfortable, in a way. It hadn't even been a full week yet, but she still had trouble picturing herself not sleeping with Chrysalis wrapped around her. "Goodnight, Chrysalis," she said hesitantly. As always, that made the changeling happy, and she nestled her head more firmly down onto Twilight's, humming a few notes as she did so. They both drifted off to sleep quickly, but Twilight still heard Chrysalis's sleepy murmur just before falling asleep. "I love you." Twilight picked at her food, fork moving with desultory slowness. She'd been in Chrysalis's hive for over a week now, and the conclusion was impossible to ignore. Chrysalis did love her. Now she was trapped in an impossible conundrum. She didn't return Chrysalis's love. How could she? The Changeling Queen was one of the worst enemies she'd ever faced, one who'd come far too close to taking over Equestria, and she had hurt Twilight's family in the process. To say nothing of the other things she'd done… But at the same time, she couldn't just come out and say that. Chrysalis's reaction was all too predictable. Worse, she would be heartbroken. And while a week ago it would have been hard to find something Twilight cared less about than Chrysalis's feelings… things had changed. She'd slowly started to get to know the changeling, to realize that she had hopes and feelings and dreams just like any other pony—well, more or less. And now, somehow, Twilight didn't want to hurt her. A sound caught her attention, and she turned, to see Chrysalis let out a feral snarl right in her face. Which would have been terrifying, except Chrysalis had stuck two carrots onto her upper fangs, which turned the growl of a monster into something utterly and completely ridiculous. Twilight couldn't help it. Her hoof went to her mouth and she giggled, giving her first real, honest smile since finding out she'd married Chrysalis. "Thash betta." Chrysalis's tongue snaked out, pulling the carrots into her mouth and crunching them up. "You look so pretty when you're smiling." Her guard already lowered by the unexpected silliness Chrysalis had just displayed, Twilight suddenly found herself blushing at the compliment. That immediately sobered her up. She couldn't possibly find anything to like about Chrysalis… could she? She looked up, to find Chrysalis gazing at her. "I love you, Twilight." Their lips separated, and Twilight stood stunned. It was tradition for the couple to kiss at a wedding. Twilight had known that, and yet had still managed to be surprised when Chrysalis kissed her. The kiss itself hadn't been the only thing to surprise her. The passion in the kiss, the love Chrysalis had managed to get across through such a simple thing as two ponies pushing their lips together… Twilight had kissed Chrysalis before, but compared to this, that had been a simple peck on the cheek. She looked up at Chrysalis, lost in those dual-colored eyes, unable to look away. And, for just a moment, unable to deny the feelings she could feel beginning to stir. In that moment, she wanted this marriage, and she wanted to stay with Chrysalis. It was hard to call it a quiet moment, with both sides of the wedding chapel cheering at the top of their lungs, but there was silence between the two of them until Chrysalis spoke. "I love you." "What happened yesterday… I never meant for it to be like that." Twilight looked up, surprised, as Chrysalis spoke into the silence of the Canterlot Library. "The way I left you, I mean. That just wasn't…" She trailed off, and Twilight tried not to smile. Chrysalis was clearly attempting to apologize for leaving her during their first date, and was clearly unable to bring herself to actually say she was sorry for something. Twilight considered the changeling for a moment. She was still mad that Chrysalis had walked out on their date. But this… recreating the date her mother had taken her father on—a date that also happened to be Twilight's exact idea of a perfect date—well, that was special. As far as Twilight was concerned, that earned a lot of forgiveness. "It's okay, I understand." She pulled Chrysalis close, giving her a quick hug. The changeling blinked at her in surprise, then smiled. "I love you." They stood on the steps of Twilight's castle, under the glow of the moon, their lips pressed together. They separated, and Twilight, face flushed, smiled up at Chrysalis. "Good night, Twilight," said Chrysalis. "Good night, Chrysalis," Twilight replied pushing open the door to her castle. "I love you, Twilight."     They walked home slowly. It was raining, but they were together so it was fine. Twilight looked over as Chrysalis nudged her with a shoulder, then smiled down at her. "I love you." "I love you, Twilight."     "I love you." "I… love you." Twilight sat bent over her desk, tears running freely from her eyes. Those tears had done a good job at obliterating her signature on the divorce form, and her quill had finished things off as it was shook about by her hoof until the ink it leaked had turned the entire bottom quarter of the page into one big blot. Now she swept the papers aside, scattering them across the room, and collapsed, sobbing, onto her desk. If this was love, no wonder she'd had so much trouble admitting it to herself! Her heart ached and soared at the same time. She missed Chrysalis, like a part of her own body, and just knowing she'd signed that stupid, stupid divorce form made her want to tear down buildings and raze kingdoms to see that changeling just one more time. She loved Queen Chrysalis, absolutely and with all her heart. She loved everything about her; the brush of her mane against her chitin, the greens of her eyes glinting with mischievousness or promising death to a pony who'd upset her, her arrogance and refusal to admit she was wrong even when she knew she was. Every single thing about Chrysalis was just perfect. Sure, Chrysalis had a streak of megalomania in her. But that didn't even need to be changed, just redirected. With all that energy put towards making Equestria a better place, rather than simply trying to take control of it, there was no telling what they could accomplish. And all her past sins could be forgiven, as well. After all, who hadn't tried to use magic to force a bunch of ponies to do what they wanted? At this point, the list was getting pretty short. In the end, it didn't matter to Twilight what Chrysalis had done in the past. All that mattered was the present, and what Chrysalis would do in the future. And as far as she was concerned, the top two things on those lists were 'love Twilight' and 'be loved by Twilight'. Sniffing, she pushed herself back upright, rubbing at her still wet eyes. Her gaze happened to fall upon the papers she had thrown about the room, and in a fit of anger she gathered them all up and shoved them into a trashcan. Then, for good measure, lit it on fire. It was what Chrysalis would have done after all. She might have told a minor untruth to Rainbow Dash when she'd said they couldn't just destroy the papers. It was still a felony, that was true. But she was a Princess, and the odds that anyone would care she'd destroyed official palace documents was miniscule. Besides, even if someone had a problem with what she'd done and actually wanted to press charges… let them try. They'd have to get through her wife first. Assuming, of course, that Chrysalis still wanted to be her wife. Twilight had finally managed to find her love for the Queen, but Chrysalis didn't know that. And, judging by her final words before departing the restaurant, she might not believe it. Simply pleading with her for another chance, for an opportunity to prove her love, wouldn't work; Chrysalis's decision had been too final, her mind too made up. It would take something extraordinary to get her attention, let alone convince her to give Twilight a chance to explain. Twilight frowned in thought. Could Rarity help her? Celestia knew the fashion pony was invested enough in this relationship as it was. She'd kill to be the one to help Twilight put together some romantic spectacle to win back Chrysalis's love. And it would go a long way towards getting Rarity to forgive Twilight for their… disagreements over the past few months. Then again, Pinkie Pie could help too. If she wanted something big and eye-catching, Pinkie was definitely the way to go. It would be hard for Chrysalis to ignore a cake baked in the shape of her hive, and to scale, for instance. Plus, Pinkie's ability to go wherever she wanted to would help when it came time to deliver Chrysalis an invitation. But Cadance was the Princess of Love, and if anyone would know what to do, it would be her. Maybe now that a few days had passed, and Shining Armor had had a chance to talk to her, she would be able to bring herself to help with Chrysalis. That would also be a good step towards patching up their relationship. Or maybe Luna, as Chrysalis's friend—        Twilight's thoughts paused. She was going about this the wrong way, wasn't she? She was sitting here, trying to come up with a way to win back the love of a pony, going about it like a pony Princess. When what she should be doing was thinking like a Changeling Queen. With a wicked smile on her face, she ripped some parchment off a nearby shelf, picked up her quill and fresh pot of ink and, after a few false starts, penned a letter… My Darling Queen Chrysalis, We've had many disagreements and misunderstandings over the years we've known each other, and I'm afraid our last conversation falls squarely into that category. While you made some good points and were clear when you said you wished never to contact me again, I'm afraid I must take issue with your declaration. Accordingly, I shall be by tomorrow morning to take possession of everything in your hive that belongs to me. Every single thing, with no exceptions made for anyone or anything. Including you. Counting the minutes until I see you again, Princess Twilight Sparkle Chrysalis stared up at Twilight with her jaw hanging open. Her tongue flicked out, almost involuntarily, and she caught a flavor in the air. It was faint, given how far away its source was, but as all her thoughts of a new world of love and harmony rushed away, she recognized that flavor. Strawberry ice cream. With a snap of her teeth, she shut her mouth. She wanted to burst into a goofy grin, to cheer and dance and celebrate, but with a struggle, she managed to suppress those urges. After all, she was a Queen in the presence of another Queen who was threatening her hive. There were appearances to be maintained in these situations.   "Twilight Sparkle," she growled through clenched teeth, as her wings buzzed and lifted her up until she was face to face with the pony. "I don't know what you're planning or what your scheme is here, but I'm not going to let you get away with it!" They smiled grimly at each other, their expression mocking. But their eyes met, and for just a moment their faces softened, and they shared the smiles of two ponies in love. Then, at the same second, they both swept forward, power crackling along their horns. They crashed together, their hooves flailing as each grappled for an advantage. Then their magic clashed, and the towering flare of power it threw up lit the surrounding countryside green and magenta for miles in every direction.