Chapter Eighteen
“Is there some sort of epic pony war in the distant future?”
I stared in shock. One of my friends had just been killed! He was... Dead, and he had tuned on us!
Chrysalis, smirked.
“You’re the 'Chosen One’? I expected a lot more.”
I looked down at the floor. This was hopeless. how was I... I felt a hoof on my shoulder.
“Diamond, darling, let’s kill this bitch.” Winter said uncharacteristically.
I looked up at the queen, then towards my friends. I felt something. A tiny spark of courage and determination.
“Just one spark.”
Energy pulsed through my veins. I felt raw magical power coming from my core. I... I was glowing! And so were my friends!Chrysalis’s eyes widened slightly.
“This is going to be interesting” She rolled her eyes jadedly.
I levitated my guns, and everypony else raised theirs. It was a standoff. We were all waiting for someone else to make a move.
The roar of a mini-gun echoed from elsewhere in the stable. The door to this room exploded. Several of the bug-like creatures where wounded by the sharpanel. An armored pony stepped into the room. Steele Sparks.
“I wasn’t expecting you, Diamond.”He said
I wasn’t expecting him either. Hopefully he was here to help. He turned, facing the queen.
“My employer wants you dead, changeling.”
Chrysalis smiled
“And who might your employer be?”
“You wouldn’t know her” He replied coolly.
Chrysalis frowned in mock sympathy.
“You would have made a good changeling. You have good control of your emotions.”
The changeling queen paused.
“It is a real pity I have to kill you.”
Steele responded by launching a jet of flame from his battle-saddle. Chrysalis leapt out of the way, firing a bolt of energy from her horn. It almost hit me! The armored pony released a barrage of lead from his mini-gun aimed at the queen. She managed to avoid most of the bullets.
Chip started spinning up his mini-gun and firing at the other changelings in the room. I began shooting at the queen, to my dismay missing every shot. I dropped all but my marksman rifle, took carful aim, and fired. The bullet hit causing the queen to hit the floor. She wasn’t breathing.
I... I did, I had saved Equestria... Right? I heard a sickening sound and green and black smoke came from Chrysalis’ mouth. She stood back up. That shot should have killed her! She laughed vilely.
“You can’t kill me, little pony. I have become like a goddess, an immortal!”
With one last laugh, she telekinetically hurled Steele into Chip. They both tumbled into Lead, who was about to shoot the large rifle strapped to his side at the queen. She then lifted all of us, and flung us in different directions. I my body slam into the wall, and fall to the floor. Lead’s rifle clattering near my hooves. I fought the unconsciousness that was closing in.
Steele was already back on his hooves in a fighting stance facing the queen. She fired a wave of energy at him. The energy wave hit the Armored stallion with enough force to knock his helmet off.
I shook my head, clearing the fuzziness from my vision, and grabbed Lead's rifle. The queen turned toward me.
“You’re kidding. You’re kidding, right?”
I fired. And the queen exploded, some of her ending up in my mane. I vomited, all over my self. the smell of Chrysalis’ guts was too much for my stomach. She smelled like she'd been dead for weeks! I tried to shake most of it off as I walked over to Steele. My eyes widened. His armor had been destroyed, and he was covered in hundreds of fresh cuts and scrapes. He was also a pegusus.
Sticking out of his chest was a jagged piece of metal. He groaned painfully.
“Steele!” I turned looking for Winter.
“Winter, I need your help over here, Steele’s...”
“Don’t” He interupted weakly. “She can’t save me.”
He sighed.
“ I had one hell of a good run. It was good knowing you, Diamond.”
“ Steele... no.”
“Goodbye.”He said with his last breath.
I felt a tear welling up. I closed my eyes. I had lost a friend, and an acquaintance today.
I looked around the chamber, My friends where getting back up. The queen, who had been virtually destroyed, had not gotten back up. She was dead.
I began walking toward Lead. I was almost half way to him when I got shot by a changeling, and lost consciousness.
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I was standing in a... Castle? That was new. It was a massive tower made of crystal. All around where ponies... That where also made of crystal? I turned at a familiar voice.
“Good job, Diamond”
I bowed
“Princess Cadence.”
She smiled
“You saved all of Equestria, from the changelings. I wish I could meet you in person.”
“Why can’t you?” I asked
She frowned and sighed.
“Because I...”
She paused, tears coming to her eyes.
“ ...I made a mistake. I used a spell which caused the Crystal Empire to vanish. I-I abandoned everypony, My husband, My sister-in-law, my family. I do regret what I did, but there’s no way to change it.”
“I'm sorry.”
She took a deep breath.
“It’s not your fault, Diamond. It’s mine.” she paused again. “I’m sorry, Diamond, You have to go now.”
“Why?”
“I only have a small window to talk with you, and it’s almost out. Goodbye, Diamond.”
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I sat up, glancing around. I was sitting in my bed at the Desert Rose. I didn’t know how I had gotten there. I got out of the bed and walked down stairs.When I got to the main room of the inn, I got hugged by Vanilla
“DIAMOND!” she yelled, “Thank Luna, you’re Ok!”
Vanilla squeezed so hard my legs were getting numb.
“Vanilla...You’re... Killing me.” I murmured “Please... Put me... Down.”
The pink maned pony let me go with an awkward grin.
“Sorry, I was really worried about you, Diamond” she said “you were out for, like, a week.”
I was out for a week? What was with me and losing consciousness lately?
Lead walked into the inn, carrying a large box. He glanced at me with a smile. He set the box down on the table, then he walked over and wrapped his fore legs around. Unlike Vanilla’s hug, this one didn’t make it hard to breath .
“I’m glad you're awake.” he said,” How ya holding up, Diamond?”
I though about Chit, he look on his face before he died flashed in my mind. he looked sad, and helpless. I pushed that image out of my thoughts. He betrayed us! He- he tried to give us up to Chrysalis in exchange for his life. I Hated him!
Lead must have noticed the fire in my eyes.
“Look,“ he started,”I know you think Chit betrayed us, but he didn’t, OK”
But he did! I just could not belive this. Chit had played us, dammit!
“About two months ago,” Lead continued,”He told me his plan for taking down Chrysalis. He was planing
to use us to get back in good standing with the queen, then when he got close enough, he was going to stab her in the back”
He paused.
“Then he was going to take over what was left of the Changelings, and reform them.” He sighed, “I know should have told you, but it slipped my mind when heard you had woken up from your coma.”
He looked sorry.
“I forgive you, Lead.”
This time, I hugged him.
Vanilla was grinning from ear to ear.
“I’m so happy for you.”
I glared at her, confused.
“I’m happy you finally have a special somepony for Hearts and Hooves day!” she clarified “After all, it is tomorrow, you know.”
I felt my cheeks turning red. Part of me wanted to yell at her, the other was too embarrassed to say anything. Why did she have to make the day so friggin awkward!?
Lead, meanwhile, was confounded.
“What’s Hearts and Hooves day?” he asked blankly. “Please don’t tell me it’s another metalcore band.”
Now it was Vanilla’s turn to be confused
“How could you possibly not know what Hearts and Hooves day is? And what’s metalcore?”
I rolled my eyes, then cleared my throat.
“Hearts and Hooves day was a tradition back in my stable.” I said.”It was dedicated to romance and couples... And most of the older colts also related it to sex.”
I added that last part quietly. Unfortunately, Vanilla heard the sex part.