“GET BACK HERE!”
Chrysalis looked over her shoulder to see that Cadance was still hot on her hooves. After that fight in the bedroom went haywire it moved to the halls, then after getting scratched, bitten, punched, kicked, bruised, and overall in pain, Chrysalis decided to make a run for it.
“You’re a crazy mare, Cadenza!” Chrysalis yelled over her shoulders as she ran closer and closer to the exit.
“And you’re a backstabbing, manipulative monster!” Cadance yelled back.
Chrysalis panted as she finally grabbed the handle to the outside. She pulled as hard as she could to get it open, only for Cadance to tackle her, sending both of them tumbling outside. “So it was a pull…” Chrysalis mumbled while getting back up on her legs.
She was then immediately blasted by magic from Cadance, sending her out into the open. “You will pay for what you’ve done!” Cadance screamed.
Chrysalis slowly staggered up and groaned. “All I did was destroy a wedding and sleep with your husband. I’ve had worse done to me!”
“Like what?” Cadance yelled.
Chrysalis thought about that for a second. “Um...I’ve had myself get blasted miles away from Canterlot; I’ve also had my plans foiled because your sister-in-law just had a be a little bi-”
Cadance shot a bolt of magic right at her, luckily, Chrysalis was able to duck just in time before running back into a sprint. Cadance soon followed. “You can run! But you can’t hide, Chrysalis!”
“Watch me!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Watch what?”
Shining groaned. “I said, watch for the colt, and the mares. They’re acting really...strange today.” Shining cringed and looked around, still seeing nothing but mass panic.
Hiver continued walking along Shining. “Maybe it’s because of the season...isn’t it spring time?”
“No, Hiver. it’s...it’s...probably...uh…” Shining scratched his head and looked around, trying to find some indication as to what season it is, but all he saw was a mares either attacking or violating stallions.
Hiver noticed and nudged Shining. “Should we...do something, or…”
“Something’s just not right.” Shining said. “Barely any of the ponies here are in character right now.”
“Yeah...well, should we get some guards to help or-”
“It’s as if something’s...wrong with them.”
“Then get some guards to-”
Shining went eye to eye with Hiver. “Hiver, we need to do something about this.”
Hiver sighed and said, “Well, what do you want to do, it’s your empire.”
Shining glared at him. “It’s mine and my wife’s.” He turned away and looked back into the street, still seeing the constant fights. “So...this is what Twilly has to deal with in her town…”
“What? Rampaging mares?”
Shining shook his head. “I’m talking about some of the random chaos that happens over there in ponyville.”
“Oh...so those newspapers weren't lying, and here I thought that place wouldn’t have ursa bears and three headed dogs running around town.”
Shining sighed. “I don’t know how she deals with it, and I really have no idea how I’ll deal with this.”
Hiver tapped his chin. “Maybe your wife can help. Assuming she wouldn’t be mad at you for-”
“I already told you, Hiver!” Shining pointed in a random direction and yelled. “That colt isn’t adopted, it isn’t Cadance’s and it’s-”
“Currently getting attacked by your own guards?”
“Exactly, so can we please drop the...the…” Shining then turned to where he was pointing to see that there were, indeed, two guards fighting a colt in an alley, which was just them flailing their arms around and getting throw against the wall by some imaginary source.
Hiver leaned into Shining’s ear. “So, should we-”
“HEY!” Shining yelled, making Hiver back up. “You two! Stop terrorizing that child!”
The two guards glanced over to Shining while the colt tilted it’s head at them. “Uh…” One of the guards straightened himself up and coughed. “T-this isn’t-”
“This is exactly what it looks like.” the other guard finished, making the first one smack him upside the head.
“Shut it Sta...er...private!” the guard yelled before turning back to Shining. “Listen..uh...sir, that colt is the devil’s creation!”
Shining raised a brow and looked down at the child. All he saw was his own young reflection. No red eyes or fangs like his guards had said. “What are you two talking about. This is an innocent little colt, not some demonic creation.”
Both guards looked at the colt again, it’s red eyes still looking into their soul. “Don’t you see the look it’s giving you!? It’s gonna-”
“All I see are two soldiers who are terrorizing an innocent child.”
“Innocent my flank!” one of them yelled and pointed at the colt. “That kid was on us like changelings on a vine full of black flowers!”
Shining backed up. “Vine full of what?”
“You know.” the other said. “Those sweet, tasty flowers with flavors that not even a changeling can resist…” he then started drooling. “Those things are just as good as love, if only it wasn’t harder to find.” he huffed before looking back at Shining, who was glaring at him. “What?”
“So Chrysalis did send her own drones out here too.”
Lee and Stan looked at each their disguised faces. “I think he knows.” Stan whispered.
“Gee,” Lee said, starting to drop his disguise. “you think?” He then hit Stan on the head, making his disguise go away as well.
Shining stepped back flared his horn, surrounding the colt in his aura and pulling him away from the changelings. “You two and your queen made a big mistake coming here.” He shouted.
“And you!” Lee started. “Made a mistake in...uh…in...”
“In facing us!” Stan yelled, now taking an attacking stance. “I fought you two stories ago, and I can do it again!”
“What are you talking abou-”
“CHARGE!” Stan yelled as he ran at Shining with full speed, knocking him into the streets and making him drop the child on the curb. Lee did the same to Hiver and tumbled out of the alley.
Shining threw Stan off him and got up on his hooves, only for him to be tackled again, by Stan. “Get off me, you bug!”
The stallions and mares in the street were too busy either fighting or running away from each other to notice the two guards and changelings fighting.
Hiver threw Lee over to Stan, knocking him off Shining. “Get off the captain!”
Lee and Stan quickly stood up and faced the guards. Stan growled. “Prepare yourselves for a fight that not even the author can wri-”
“CHILDREN! STOP!”
Stan and Lee’s ears perked up, hearing the sound of their queen. “C-Chrysalis?” They called out.
Shining looked around. “I heard that evil bug! Where is she?”
“Don’t talk that way to our mother!” Lee yelled. “I’ll have you-”
“Lee!”
Lee jumped as he heard his queen’s voice inches away from his ear, only to find out that she was inches away. “Q-queen?”
Chrysalis grabbed both of them. “Children, now isn’t the time to be fighting! Now’s the time to run!”
“Run?” Stan said. “Run from wha-”
“CHRYSAAAALLLIIISSS!”
The guards and changelings turned toward the end of the streets, seeing an all too familiar pink alicorn make their way toward them.
“I spoke too soon…” Chrysalis grimaced and tried to hide behind her children, which was hard with her being two times their size.
“You okay queen?” Stan asked.
“Sush! You want her to see me!”
Lee raised an eye. “What are you talking about, she can see you just fi-”
“Then make way!” Chrysalis then shoved the two bugs out of the way and started walking toward Cadance.
As for Shining and Hiver, they stood in the way of Cadance’s path. “How can you two still be fighting?” Shining asked, only for Cadance to shove him and Hiver out of the way.
“Chrysalis, please understand that all I want is for this to end!” Cadance cried out.
Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “Oh...I indeed do plan on ending this.”
Cadance crossed her forearms and huffed. “What, like your past relationships with other stallions!”
As the argument continued, Lee and Stan made their way to Shining. “Uh...Mr. Armor?”
“What is wrong with them?” Shining said.
“It’s that colt!” Stan yelled, pointing at the colt still sitting on the sidewalk. “His magic is making every mare in this place act like this.”
“He is?” Shining flared his horn and brought the kid up to him, its smile still present on its face and its hooves still trying to reach his hair. “Hmmm…” Shining tapped his chin and looked around again, now seeing his wife and Chrysalis hugging each other. Shining sighed and turned to Hiver. “Cadent, give me a ring.”
“A ring?” Stan and Lee said in unison.
Hiver reached behind him and pulled out a green colored ring. “It’s a ring for a horn.” Hiver started to explain. “Makes it so prisoners don’t use any magic, we’re trying to be a bigger one for you bugs.” Lee glared and Stan snickered as Hiver tossed the ring to Shining.
Shining instinctively tried to grab it with his magic, only to hit him on the nose. “Ugh...keep forgetting about that.” He then picked it up with his hooves and looked at the colt, which was now chewing on his hair.
Shining pulled away and placed the ring on the little pony, though the colt didn’t seem to care as continued chewing.
As for Stan and Lee, they saw the colt scream in agony and a blast of magic shoot out of the his horn once the ring was put on, going straight up into the sky before causing a huge burst that spread across the empire.
“Okay…” Shining said. “So is every mare supposed...to...what the…” Shining started looking around in bewilderment, as did Stan, Lee, and Hiver. Now seeing a sight they never thought possible.
Every mare, even the queen and princess, were now on the ground sleeping soundly, After some time, Stan and Lee walked up to their queen. “Uh...Chrysalis...you there?” He nudged her, only to get a murmur in response.
Shining could only keep his jaw dropped and eyes wide. “T-that...it..how is...why can…”
*RIP*
Shining’s eye twitched, feeling immense pain in his head. He swallowed his screams and looked down at his apparent son, who only looked around the area with blue hair in his mouth. “You know what…” Shining sighed. “I don’t even care anymore.” He hoisted the colt on his back and turned to Hiver, who was also looking around in astonishment. “Come on, cadet, help me with Cadance.”
Hiver snapped back into the situation and nodded. “Yes sir...but...uh, what about the bugs?”
Shining turned to the changelings, who were also trying to carry Chrysalis. Shining was thinking about capturing them and their queen, but with all the chaos that was cause today, he didn’t have much energy for it, and he was pretty sure the other guards were either hiding or sleeping. “Let’s just let them off with a warning.” Shining said.
“You sure?” Hiver asked. “I mean, I could probably-”
“Can we just relax for a bit and be thankful the two changelings knew how to calm everypony down.”
“Yeah!” Stan shouted, trying to get Chrysalis on his back. “Some thanks would be nice.”
Shining rolled his eyes. “Tell you what, if you two promise to stay out of the crystal empire-”
“Believe us when we say we will.” Stan said with Lee helping hoist Chrysalis on both their backs. “We ain’t commin’ back for a while, alright?”
Hiver threw Cadance on his back and walked up to Shining. “Are you a hundred percent sure about this, captain?”
Shining nodded. “Two hundred percent sure, I’d rather not deal with a colt and three prisoners.” Shining craned his head over to the tower. “Let’s just go home.”
Hiver shrugged. “Alright, but if they come back, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”
Shining turned back to the changelings one more time, seeing them walk away with Chrysalis on their backs. He turned to the colt, seeing it was still chewing his hair. “I still have no idea what to do with you, child.”
“Set him up for adoption.” Hiver suggested. “I’m sure it can’t be that hard to buy a colt so powerful that it can control mares with his magic.”
Shining glared at him in response and continued walking. “I can already tell this just a bad story waiting to happen.”
As for Stan and Lee, they continued walking with their mother on their backs. “Guess that colt’s gonna take over Equestria.” Stan said.
“Yup.” Lee nodded. “it’s just like that story Sid told us.” He shivered. “Except this time it’s not some red colored, black haired little colt.”
“Yeah, and it doesn’t have any wings on it either.” Stan shivered too and looked ahead, still seeing every mare asleep and no stallion in sight. “You know, the empire is pretty weak right now, don’t you think we should-”
“Stan, I’d rather not have another black eye, or another invasion, or a queen that will probably make an even worse plan than before.” He adjusted his back and looked forward. “Let’s just go home and move on with our lives.”
"Fine." Stan cringed and looked behind him, seeing the colt was still looking at them, his red eyes piercing into his soul. Stan gulped and turned forward. “It’s just a story Stan...just a story…”
He then puked on the side of the road.