//------------------------------//
// Stage 10: Critical Mass 
// Story: Hybrids 
// by Blarghalt 
//------------------------------//

"That doesn't look like the royal ink Celestia uses at all," a skeptical Twilight said after giving the note a once-over.

"Twilight!" Rarity snapped, "The princess wrote this in some filthy forest. Of course she doesn't have the royal ink!"

"Looks like she wrote this with a bug’s juice," Spike observed.

Rarity cringed. "Ew. And she could have at least been a little more specific about where she is."

One of the changelings in the room that had been looking at the leaf began to jump up and down, one arm raised. It buzzed its wings and hissed to gain attention until Twilight finally turned around.

"Yes, Drone 36?"

The changeling answered with a long series of clicking. Halfway through, Twilight's expression became surprised, but she waited for him to finish.

Spike scratched his head. "Uh, translation?"

Twilight looked back to the leaf note. "He said he knows where leaves like this come from. A big forest not far to the east of here, and that's the only place they grow."

"Well, that's a start," Rarity said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Spike shouted as he ran toward the door and opened it, "We gotta go find the prin—"

He froze when he discovered the entire town in front of the library. True to their word, they all brandished blowtorches.

"—cess. Hey guys! We got that changeling queen on the ropes! Yeah, really giving it to her!"

"I thought you two might be in cahoots with that bug. Now you're gonna learn not to mess with Clover Fields."

"Clover Fields!" the crowd chanted.

The mayor raised a hoof. "Clover Fields! 'The friendliest and most blowtorchiest per capita town in all of Equestria!'  GET 'EM!"

Spike scrambled back inside the library and slammed the door, his back to it.

"We have a problem."

Twilight rolled her eyes and motioned something to the changeling. Each and every one saluted and began to group together inside the library. Within moments they formed a massive column that acted as a living battering ram. In one move the changelings forced the door open as Twilight ran behind. Rarity took the cue and followed and was forced to pick up a dumbfounded Spike with her magic. Peewee hitched a ride by biting the end of Spike's tail.

As soon as the changelings had cleared the door, they re-formed and grabbed their queen along with her friends and took to the skies.

As the swarm flew away from the town, the mayor looked down to his blowtorch with dismay.

"We never get to use these things," he sighed.





The changelings deposited Twilight along with the others outside of town.

"I guess they're good for something," Spike muttered as his feet reached solid ground. One of the changelings overheard his comments and hissed.

"Now, now," Twilight intervened, "No arguing. Not when I have calculations to do!"

Rarity scrunched her nose. "Really? Now? What do calculations have to do with anything?"

Her words were lost on Twilight, who had already began the complex formula on the dirt while muttering to herself in concentration. He attention went back and forth between the equation and the leaf Celestia had sent her. "—39 days left of this season… accounting for travel variation… magical entropy… Equestrian border changes over the last hundred years..."

Several changelings had gathered around their queen as she did her work. They could only look to each other in confusion as they rubbed their heads and shrugged.

"Aha!" Twilight announced, startling the changelings around her, "I have it! Well, part of it."

"You know where the princess is?" Spike asked with hope in his tone.

"Yes! Well, maybe. Spike, you think you can send a message back?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, but I'm all outta parchment."

Twilight picked up a leaf with her magic. "Think you could send this like Celestia did?"

Spike looked down, scratching his chin. "I dunno. Celestia could since she's so powerful, but I've only ever had practice on scrolls."

Twilight considered Spike's words for a moment, then walked over and magically gathered hundreds of leaves before plopping them down in front of Spike.

"One of these has got to work. Law of averages, Spike. Law. Of. Averages."





"Here comes another, sister."

Over the course of several hours, the wispy golden smoke that always heralded a message from Twilight Sparkle instead supplied her with an increasing pile of ash to Celestia.

After Gold Plum had stayed behind to buy his liege some time, the four had taken refuge in the deep part of a cave to allow Celestia and Luna to recover. They didn't dare venture out of the cave to find something suitable to send to Spike for fear of being caught by a changeling patrol, at least until the sisters had their strength back.

Celestia had almost tuned out the attempts to communicate with her out until Apple Bloom pointed at the latest wisp. "Hey, this one's different."

Celestia looked up to see the magical swirl had produced a charred leaf instead of a pile of ash. It floated to her legs and any message that might have been written on it was burned away.

"It's a start."

The next few dozens wisps saw gradual improvement until the message on the leaves began to become legible.

Testing

Testing one two

Test

A test

This one probably won't work

test



"I don't think your pupil's assistant even knows he's improving." Luna said.

Celestia magically grabbed the next leaf and studied it. “This one should probably survive a two-way trip.”





Spike inhaled to send the next leaf but failed as his eye went wide and his face went blue.

Twilight rushed to his side. “Spike! What's wrong?”

Spike wordless pointed at his throat. Twilight nodded and give it a quick jab which forced a leaf out of his mouth in a haze of smokey magic.

“A reply!” Rarity cheered.

Spike coughed and stood up to grab the leaf as it floated down and declared its message. “It says, 'Good work, Spike.' ”

The dragon's chest puffed out with pride before he remembered himself. “Uh, okay. We have a lifeline. Now what do we say?”

Twilight thought for a moment before sat on the ground and raised one hoof.

“Spike, take a letter.”





It was one of the very few times Twilight's methodical, efficient nature was ever a handicap. Instead of sending longer messages over several leaves, Twilight instead had taken it upon herself to write the messages in the tiniest words possible.

Celestia Dear Princess Celestia Princess Celestia,

I'm so happy to hear from you! Where are you? Where are you staying? We need to get to the Crystal Empire! I've listed my coordinates and your possible location! Please confirm ASAP!

- Twilight Sparkle





Twilight paced around, waiting for her mentor's answer. Spike eventually burped out the leaf he had sent and read it.

Twilight.

Are you okay?

The letter's personal, terse nature made Twilight freeze. She had been so caught up with the organization of the swarm and finding the Crystal Empire and—

Twilight covered her eyes as her insanity began the register. "Oh no. I'm going crazy," she groaned. Twilight and Spike moved in to comfort her but the changelings came to their queen's side first. One slowly patted her on the back with a truly concerned expression and made a consoling chitter.

Twilight opened her eyes as one nudged. "Aw, you're all so sweet. You're not bad, you just had a bad queen, didn't you?"

Several of the changelings nodded vigorously.

The hybrid unicorn stood her ground with renewed purpose.





Celestia was almost afraid to read the reply. It pained her to know what Twilight was going through.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have a plan.





As Twilight asked, Celestia provided her student details about their surroundings. With little to go on besides brief, risky peeks outside the cave, the princess went into research mode.

It was a sight to see. Only Luna had ever watched her sister like this, brow furrowed in concentration as she wrote the chemical composition of the soil on the cave wall and the details of leaves they managed to snatch at the cave entrance. The letters Twilight and Celestia exchanged were brief and constant, and over the first few days Twilight and Celestia stopped officially greeting each other with every new leaf they sent; Celestia had become so involved with reuniting with her student that rank and royal protocol had simply evaporated.

Luna knew the message spell as well and became a courier between the two. Each letter would describe an area more and more like the area around the cave. After a few days, Celestia was positive Twilight was in the same forest the cave was.





For Twilight, the journey to find her teacher was difficult, yet exhilarating. She didn't tell Celestia how many times they came close to being discovered by a changeling patrol or Chrysalis herself. From what Twilight could tell, the queen was traveling back and forth from the general direction of the Crystal Empire to somewhere, always with a smug smile. Once, Chrysalis looked down into the forest straight at Twilight before shrugging and moving on. After that event, she knew it would be too dangerous for her changelings to follow her and instructed them to double back and wait by the edge of the forest.

It was evening when Twilight discovered a cave that matched Celestia's description. Spike was already asleep on Rarity's back, and Peewee on Spike's.

Rarity spoke up. "Twilight. Is that it?"

"I think so," Twilight said as she walked over to the entrance. Her newfound senses detected no nearby movement. Catiously and slowly, she produced a small ball of light from her jagged horn and commanded it to float into the cave as she and Rarity trotted behind.

"Celestia?" she called as they were further into the cave? "Princess Celestia?"

She only heard the skittering of the cave critters retreating from her light and the low rumbling of air coming in from the outside. She called again a little louder. "Princess Celestia?"

Ambiance answered, but she heard something not natural to the cave.

"Princess?"

"Over here," a voice came from the deeper parts of the cave. Distorted by echoes, but a voice. And it was Celestia's.

Rarity and Twilight's two hearts nearly flipped when they both heard the princesses' voice.

"Princess?" Twilight answered.

"This way, Twilight!" Celestia replied with more clarity. The voice was now clearly coming from a tunnel to their right, one easily large enough for a pony the size of the princess to fight through.

Twilight sent the ball of light down the tunnel's path  and followed. As wide as the tunnel was, the air was becoming increasingly stale and the walls seemed to close in on them both.

A tunnel began to curve, a faint light just barely visible around the corner. Light? Celestia must have crafted a torch! Twilight broke into a gallop to see her teacher. The low groans of the cave were eventually replaced by the low trill of a magical light source. The tunnel suddenly opened up to a large, oval cavern and Twilight's own ball of light rushed inside.

She was not a second behind and beside herself with joy. Against the light she saw the silhouette of Celestia writing away on the cave wall with a rock she had dipped in various compounds found throughout the cave. Twilight also saw the shadows of Luna, Applebloom and Zecora. She'd probably ask later why they were there.

Twilight skidded a halt. She didn't even remember to disguise herself on the off-chance Celestia wouldn't recognize her pupil.

"Princess!"

The princess kept writing, oblivious to Twilight’s words. 

The unicorn’s bright expression faded. "Princess Celestia? Can't you hear me?" she said and walked closer. As she did, Celestia stopped her scribbles on the cave wall. Twilight leaned over and saw what Celestia had written.

Gotcha.

Twilight was blinded by the sudden flash of green energy. The betrayal had caught her completely off-guard as a magical green aura began to envelop her. She called for Rarity and looked back only to see a barren entrance.

"That trick," a regal, slithery voice announced, "will never, ever get old.”

Twilight gritted her teeth and her horn blazed. "Chrysalis! Where's the princess?"

"Where the princess?" Chrysalis repeated in a mocking tone, "You were in such a rush to meet your horse queen that you didn't even look up." 

The changeling leader pointed up toward the ceiling. Twilight craned her head upwards. Her expression turned to horror as she saw Celestia, Luna, Apple Bloom and Zecora unconscious and glued to the ceiling. Two changelings carrying Spike, Rarity and Peewee were already flying up.

The changelings imitating the other ponies sprang into their changeling forms as well and surrounded Twilight.

Twilight spoke as best she could while resisting Chrysalis' magical grip. "How...did—"

"Oh, it was easy. The little twerp and zebra up there strayed a leetle too far from this cave. So Celestia and Luna came to check on them! Oh, you should have seen the look on their faces when I told them to surrender or the kid gets squished. And your friends? The dead could sneak up on them."

Chrysalis become contemplative. "Now, how should I dispose of you? Maybe I'll drop a stalactite on you. Nah, too messy. Or maybe not messy enough. I could make your head explode, but that's so old hat. Hmmmmm. I think I'm just gonna go with—"

Chrysalis' ear twitched and she looked over Twilight's shoulder. "What the heck was that? Sounds like my swarm, but—" She snapped back Twilight with a venomous stare. "Oh, you little thief."

A stream of changeling shot from the tunnel's mouth and hit Chrysalis square in the chest. The moment Chrysalis had the wind knocked out of her, the magical aura around Twilight ceased the hybrid changeling queen hit the ground with a thud.

Chrysalis recovered quickly, but not quickly enough to stop the Twilight's changelings from overpowering her own guards and ripping their queen's friends from their prison. One of the changelings flew back out into the tunnel, grabbing Twilight along the way.

Several of Twilight's swarm hit the tunnel wall at once. The tunnel ceiling shook and came tumbling down behind them, trapping Chrysalis and her minions in the cavern.

"You guys came for me!" Twilight declared to the swarm. A few turned to her to give a quick salute and smile. When they were fully clear of the cave, she jumped off the swarm and flew with her own insectoid wings.

The orders came to her naturally. "Everyone form up! We're going to the Crystal Empire!"

Twilight nearly jumped when she saw Celestia and Luna separate themselves from the swarm.

"Princesses?"

"Twilight, are you okay?" Celestia shouted over the buzzing.

"I'm more worried about you!"

"Sister and I are well!" Luna replied. "We have endured worse and are ready to fight!"

"Yeah, you ain't the only one!" a deep voice called from the ground below. Every eye turned to the ground to see a Gold Plum that had seen better days, waving.

"Uh, this is getting chaotic. Maybe we should get organized," Twilight suggested to the group.





As Twilight and the rest touched down, she ran over to Celestia and nuzzled her. "Princess Celestia!" Tears welled in her eyes before she remembered her form and jerked back. "Wait. You don't care that I look like this?"

Celestia brushed away a tear of her own. "Of course not, Twilight. No matter what, you'll always be my best pupil.”

Twilight's eyes began to tear up once more before Gold Plum coughed. "Everyone? I'm all for reunions but there's a war on."





Twilight, her swarm, Luna, Celestia,the awakened Rarity, Spike, Peewee and Zecora were all gathered around Gold Plum as explained the situation.

"I held Chrysalis off for a lot longer than I thought I would. Eventually it got to the point where she got enough distance on me to shoot a huge wave of magic. I dodge it and the magic makes a big ol' crater, but she thinks she vaporized me, because she's kind of stupid. So that gives me opportunity to slink off and follow her, maybe ambush again to slow her down."

He took another breath. "As far as I can tell, Celestia and the Crystal Empire have been overrun with changelings. The bad ones. I'm guessing Chrysalis plans to suck everyone dry there, then take over all of Equestria."

Luna began to glow with power. "Steal our kingdom, will they?"

"We're gonna need a plan of attack. Any suggestions?"

Celestia stood up. "By royal decree, I declare that Gold Plum Supreme Commander of this gathered militia."

Gold Plum adjusted his battered helmet. "Well. Uh. Alrighty then. But we can't plan while Chrysalis is still flying around."

"We trapped her in a cave for the moment," Twilight explained.

Gold Plum grunted. "Hm, that'll buy us some time, but it won't hold her forever." He began to draw in the dirt. "Alright, here's the plan."





With Chrysalis temporarily out of the picture, Twilight was able to drive off the queen's remaining loyal changelings. With the area secure, Gold Plum outlined his plan.

It was too risky to ambush Chrysalis as she escaped the cave. The changeling queen was still very powerful and would retreat to either Canterlot or the Crystal Empire if overpowered. A fresh source of love from cities that large would render her nearly invincible. They would liberate the cities first, then bring the full might of Equestria upon the leader of the swarm.

Celestia, Twilight and half of her changelings would take the Crystal Empire; Luna and Gold Plum commanding the other half of Twilight's swarm would assault Canterlot.

"Wait, what about us?" Rarity asked Gold Plum. "I may be a lady, but I can fight changelings as well as anyone."

Gold Plum looked to Twilight for some kind of answer, but she only shrugged. "Ugh, fine."

He turned to the others. "You know what? You've all been drafted. Zecora? Take Apple Bloom somewhere safe. Chrysalis is gonna burst out of that cave sooner or later and it won't be pretty. Spike? Bird? I'll need distractions."

"Sweet!" Spike said as he jumped up on a changeling's back as his mount. The insect hissed loudly, but endured the humiliation.

"Oh, and Princess Luna? My wings got kinda busted up in the tussle with Chrysalis, but I'm gonna get some of the grunts to carry me there. I can still fight as good as anyone. Everyone else, let's rumble!" he shouted, and every changeling and princess launched off to battle.





Mirror Mirror remained the only officer to avoid capture during the siege of Canterlot. Early on, the other Four Elements of Harmony arrived to relieve the exhausted soldiers, but she had lost track of them over the days. Probably captured. She slowly peeked out the shattered window of the mansion her squad had commandeered.

"How's it look?" one of her soldiers asked.

"Bad. As usual," Mirror Mirror answered. The changelings completely controlled the skies, but Canterlot's miles of tunnels that snaked in and around the mountain gave the remaining soldiers some wiggle room. Even then, for every changeling they managed to take down, another three of their guards would get caught. At the rate they were going, they wouldn't last another day.

Some of the changelings in the sky hissed as they spotted was as probably another group of soldiers moving from cover and dove down. Mirror Mirror tensed and motions to her soldiers. "Alright! On me!" she shouted and kicked the door open to sprint to the next house, one that was in a better defensive position.

Her heart sank when she heard the screech of a small group changelings upon her. Her squad was completely out in the open.

"This is it," Mirror Mirror thought. She turned and braced her spear, ready to accept her fate.

“Hey, bugs!”

The changelings stopped their dive to discover where the call had come from. Spike and Peewee were standing on the top of a nearby roof, tongues stuck out. “Can’t catch us!” Spike taunted and slid down the roof. 

Before any of them could decide whether to chase down Spike or finish off the squad, half of them were caught in a wide yellow beam and knocked out in mid-air. Mirror Mirror didn't have time to see where it had come from before a black blur dropped out of nowhere and landed on a changeling's back, sending them both to the ground with a crash. The black blur was up in an instant, jumping up and grabbing one of the changelings still hovering before gravity did its dirty work and brought them both back down with a crash. The remaining changelings scattered, screeching in fear.

The dust settled where the blur had landed, but the guards had no time for awe. They readied their spears towards the debris cloud.

"Mirror Mirror," Gold Plum said as he walked out of the smoke, "How many times do I have to cover for your mistakes?"

"You—you!" Mirror Mirror sputtered. "You probably let them in, you bug in a tin can!"

Gold Plum grinned. "Oh, here's the best part: I did your job for you." He pointed to a mansion higher up on the mountain in Canterlot, where the intimidating form of Princess Luna stood perched on the roof.

Luna raised a hoof to address everyone in Canterlot.

"SOLDIERS OF CANTERLOT! YOU HAVE FOUGHT WELL AGAINST THE CHANGELING TYRANT AND NOW, OUR GLORIOUS CITY SHALL BE FREE ONCE MORE!”

Every changeling in the Canterlot sky rushed at Luna only to be intercepted by Gold Plum's own changeling force. Princess Luna took to the skies, magic ready and temper flaring. The entire city cheered.





The rocks imprisoning Chrysalis began to glow red hot. Within minutes they had completely melted away, and a blindly furious Chrysalis burst from her cold prison. Pure rage fueled her journey out of the cave. At the entrance, she was faced with a decision to either intervene at Canterlot or the Crystal Empire.

She looked both ways, screamed so loud the trees shook and bolted toward the Frozen North.





The Crystal Empire's guard was smaller than Canterlot's, and nowhere near as experienced. The battle to seize the city was only a fraction of the time it took to take Equestria's capital city.

It was for that reason that even the hardiest of changelings fled in horror as an angry Celestia appeared on the horizon, eyes burning white with energy. The changelings gathered all their courage and formed one large mass in hopes the bulk would stop the princess, but the strategy proved futile when Twilight and Rarity appeared at their rear with an army of changelings behind them.

The occupying swarm's resolve shattered instantly when Celestia hit them head-on and Twilight cut a path through their flank. The changelings still in fighting shape scattered; Twilight commanded her swarm to take down the stragglers while Rarity, Celestia, and herself freed the city from their green prisons.





Gold Plum personally disabled the last changeling in the city with an uppercut. As news of the victory rounded the city, the cheering of the freed citizens grew louder and louder and the ponies of Canterlot broke out into song. Luna joined in, as happy for their victory as any soldier or officer. Gold Plum was more pragmatic-minded and ordered every soldier near him to fan through the city and free any pony still caught.

The hardest part was over, though. He walked over to a shattered fountain and splashed some water on his face, only to realize he hadn't even switched from his changeling form. He saw Mirror Mirror's reflection next to his and he turned his head.

"Mirror Mirror." 

"Gold Plum.”

There was an awkward silence between the two before she gave Gold Plum a rigid salute and walked away.

He returned to washing his face. "It's a start."





As the last changelings dropped out of the fight, Twilight and Celestia heard a roar on the horizon. Wreathed in an aura of energy was Chrysalis, screaming and quickly approaching the city. As she entered the inner rings of the Crystal Empire, she stopped with a force not her own. The rage was replaced by confusion as she looked around then horror as she realized she was being held with a yellow magical field.

Princess Celestia floated up into her view. "Not this time," she growled and launched Chrysalis into the street below. The smoke plumed out from the impact and began to settle. For a moment, Celestia believed the battle had already been won before Chrysalis erupted from the crater, even angrier than before.

Twilight rushed to intervene. Chrysalis had already begun another brute-force magical duel with Celestia, but this time things were different. She looked on as Chrysalis was forced to the ground in a defensive posture, Celestia's energy beam quickly gaining ground over her own. Twilight saw her chance and called for Rarity to follow her.





Chrysalis couldn't believe her luck. Her plan was perfect! Divide and conquer! Did she miss a step? She didn't have much opportunity to dwell on these thoughts when most of her attention was devoted to simply surviving Celestia's overwhelming power, her eyes shut in concentration. It wasn't fair that she had to fight fair!

As she summoned the last bits of her strength in hopes of turning the tide, she heard someone call out her name.

"Hey Chrysalis!"

She opened one eye to see Rarity and Twilight standing right in front of her, Twilight's horn glowing. "Don't blink!"

Chrysalis didn't have an opportunity to. The world around her compressed to a single point and expanded again in the span of a second. The shock of teleportation being forced upon her sent her to the ground reeling and she collapsed a heap.

Twilight took a deep, long breath.

"Finally." she uttered. Then she tilted her head. Something was different about her legs. They were purple. And had fur. Twilight's jump for joy was cut short when Rarity grabbed her by the waist. The fancy unicorn spun Twilight around in joy.

"We're cured, Twilight! Cuuuuuuured!"

Twilight spoke up before her friend crushed her. "That's nice, Rarity, but I kinda need to breathe."

Rarity stopped spinning. "Oh," she said, putting her friend down. "Sorry."

Chrysalis began to stir. "Ugh...what happened?" she mumbled, slowly opening her eyes.

Twilight readied a spell to fight her off, but as Chrysalis stood up, her spell dimmed.

Chrysalis scowled at Twilight's gaze. "What? You couldn't just ruin my plans, so now you're gonna stare at me?"

"My dear, have you heard of the health benefits of Vitamin P?"

Chrysalis scoffed. "Vitamin what? I swear all of you ponies are nuts!"

Twilight said nothing as several of Chrysalis' own changelings that not been defeated began to crowd the streets around her, growling.

"How dare you address your queen this way!" she bellowed. "I'll have you all jailed! Wings plucked! Executed!" she screamed, slowly being backed into the glass window of a store.

"I don't think they care for your look." Rarity commented.

"My looks? I'm the most beautiful creature in Equestr—" she ranted before she caught sight of herself in the storefront window. To her disbelief, her skin had turned a very slight tinge of purple and her eyes had turned blue.

She turned back to the ponies in a fit. "You've—you've infected me!" One of the changelings leaped on her, followed by another. She threw them off as her wings lifted her into the air. She bolted away from her city, her once-loyal swarm now hunting her like any other prey, scratching and biting her.

"I'll get you for this—ow!—Twilight Sparkle! I'll—ouch!—be baaaaaaaaaaaaaa—YEEEOW!—aaaaaaaaaaack!"





Celestia, Rarity and Twilight stood on the highest balcony of Canterlot, surveying the rebuilding efforts.

"It's an even worse mess from up here," Rarity blurted.

Celestia slowly scanned the city below. "Canterlot has endured much worse."

"And it didn't have a nice changeling swarm helping rebuild."

"It really was darling of them to lend a hoof even if they don't think you're their queen anymore. I suppose those little insects do have a conscience."

"We would know. We lived it."

"Ahem."

All three turned to see Gold Plum, his new Captain of the Guard armor shining with the gleam of a fresh polish. He was in his  pony form; even though his secret was out, he preferred to keep things normal with his disguise. "We've searched the Crystal Empire and scanned about fifty percent of Equestria, ma'am. No sign of Chrysalis or any stragglers still loyal to her."

Celestia bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Captain. That will be all."

Gold Plum turned to walk away before a bright flash burst in front of him. He shielded his eyes, as did the ponies, until the light subsided.

Standing there was Discord, wearing a very cheap tropical shirt and equally cheap sunglasses. His sandals were of questionable taste too, as was the coconut with the bright pink straw he held in one claw.

"Man, you guys are not gonna believe what happened to me in the Carribuckean Islands!" he announced.

The ponies were still in silent shock. Discord lowered his shades. "What? What'd I miss?"


THE END