Love at Ground Zero

by My Little Scribbler

Alliance

Love at Ground Zero
Chapter 5: Alliances

Twilight’s heart sank when she saw her big brother helplessly hanging there in a cocoon. Knowing she had to act fast, she telekinetically removed the mandrake roots out from underneath her wing. She unwrapped the cloth and ripped it in half. She carefully stuffed both halves of the cloth into each ear, making sure that they fit snuggly.

After dispelling her transformation spell—changing back into her original self—she charged the changelings and shouted, “LET MY BROTHER GO!” telekinetically holding up one of the mandrake roots as if it was a weapon.

The changelings froze in stunned silence, certainly not expecting to see an alicorn come out of nowhere to challenge them.

“You again,” shouted Chrysalis. “But how did you escape my guards?”

“That doesn’t matter. Release my brother, now!”

Chrysalis let out a laugh. “Fool, you’re outnumbered and there’s no way a tiny piece of mandrake can save you. Go, seize her.”

The sound of buzzing wings echoed against the stone walls as changelings crowded around her like a swarm of angry hornets but Twilight held her ground.

She had read a book on mandrakes before. It told her that once a mandrake is removed from the ground, it lets out a high-pitched scream that can kill in an instant. However, once the mandrake is safely removed it is harmless.

Twilight channeled her energies into the root. Although mandrake roots were harmless once cultivated, with the right prodding—such as with a sudden surge of magic—a freshly plucked mandrake could still let out a cry strong enough to paralyze and just as Twilight predicted, the mandrake let out a booming wail.

As their ears were pelted with the cacophonous screech of mandrake, the changelings shook violently as if under electric shock before collapsing into a twitching heap. With the changelings incapacitated, Twilight flew over the pile of unconscious bodies and with a blast from her horn, she freed Shining Armor from his cocoon, which blew apart with a loud splat like a popped water balloon. Before the unconscious Shining Armor hit the ground, she telekinetically caught him and carried him off as she flew down the hall. Luckily, the chamber she was in only had two passageways, and as she flew through one, she was able to find her way to a cave leading outside.

“Oh finally, I’m outside,” sighed Twilight with relief. But her relief was short lived as she looked up at the sky and could see the meteor close enough to be visible in the night sky. It glowed white like a miniature full moon. “Oh sweet Celestia, we’re running out of time.” After setting him down, she put a hoof against Shining Armor’s shoulder and began shaking him vigorously. “Come on, big brother, wake up.”

“What...what happened?” groaned Shining Armor. He pulled himself up onto his hooves, looking around in confusion.

“I just saved you from Chrysalis.”

Shining Armor stared at her with his mouth agape. “You what? Oh no, this is bad, this is really bad.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Twilight, furrowing her brow with worry.

“Well...” Shining Armor rubbed his hooves together nervously, something Twilight had never seen him do before. “I’m not sure how to tell you this but...there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Uh...what are you talking about?”

There was a flash of green light, and right before Twilights eyes, her brother transformed into a charcoal red changeling.

“You?” shouted Twilight. “I remember you. You’re that changeling that got me captured. What are you doing here and what did you do to Shining Armor?”

“We weren’t trying to deceive you,” said the changeling. “We were trying to save you.”

“Save me?”

“I was supposed to turn in Shining Armor next, but he and I switched places so he could turn me in instead and he would be free to look for you disguised as me.”

“You were trying to help my brother? Why?”

The changeling knelt down with her head lowered like a sad puppy. “When I kidnapped you, I was only doing what my Queen told me to do. I don’t want any pony to get hurt.”

“But if you were impersonating my brother, then where is he?”

“He’s probably still back in the caves.”

“Oh no, I have to go back and save him.”

“Don’t go,” said the changeling, blocking Twilight’s path as she tried to rush into the cave. “The meteor is about to enter the earth’s atmosphere and when it does, the Queen will cause it to fall on the princesses.”

“What? Is that really what Chrysalis is up to?”

“Yes. I’d warn the princesses myself, but the guards around them are changelings and they will repel us if we got too close.”

Twilight stared at the changeling in stunned silence. Her eyes darted as her logical mind processed this new information, trying to make sense of it all.

“We didn’t want to hurt any pony,” the changeling hastily added, “we’re just desperate for food.”

Twilight paused, remembering the changeling at the store, before saying, “Okay, I believe you. So what’s your name?”

“Mirror,” said the changeling.

“Well, Mirror, we need to warn the princesses and fast.”

“But how?”

“The way I see it, since you’re a changeling, you’re more likely to slip passed the guards.”

“I told you, they’d see me coming if I got too close.”

“I don’t think so. So long as you’re alone, you’re the one they would least suspect, and even if they get in your way, just change back into your changeling form, and once Celestia sees you, then she’ll know what’s going on.”

“I suppose that could work but what about you then?”

“I’m going to help my brother as well as try to reason with Chrysalis.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Oh, I’m confident I can do my end of the job, can I trust you to do yours?”

“Well, I suppose I can’t disobey the word of a princess so, yes, you can trust me. Good luck down there.”

“Same to you too, Mirror.”

Without another word, Mirror ran off toward Appleloosa, leaving Twilight behind to venture the changeling caves once again.

Twilight galloped down into the caves, casting a transformation spell to morph into a changeling as she ran. She went deeper and deeper into the cave tunnels, her mind racing with ideas and plans. She firmly clutched the mandrake root and cloth under her wing while she came up with ideas on how to use it and where would be the best place to go. Her mind was so distracted with her thought that when she turned a corner, she skidded to a halt just as she nearly plowed right into a changeling going in the opposite direction.

“What are you doing here?” asked the changeling. He had a noticeably sagging face, indicating old age.

“Oh...uh, I heard the noise and ran down to investigate.”

The changeling looked her over as if he was trying to remember where he had last seen her. “And where were you this whole time?”

“I was just outside...uh, what’s your name?”

“My name’s Forgery. I’m surprised you don’t remember me. I’ve been training hatchlings for over 30 years.”

“Oh, that’s right, now I remember you.”

“That’s strange since I certainly don’t remember you. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”

Twilight tried her best to put on a poker face, but her eyes unconsciously twitched regardless.

“Exactly who are you?”

“I’m...” Twilight tapped her hoof on the ground as she searched for a name, “Facsimile! M-My name is Facsimile. Now, if you don’t mind, I can’t keep the Queen waiting.” Twilight tried to walk around Forgery, but he easily sidestepped in her way.

“I thought you said you were coming down to investigate the noise?” said Forgery, narrowing his eyes.

“I am.”

“Then why would she be expecting you?”

“L-Look, I’m in a hurry so could you please get out of my way.”

Forgery made a strange gesture with his hoof: waving his hoof up at his throat followed by drawing a circle in the air. He paused, watching for some kind of reaction.

“Well,” said Forgery with a tone of finality, “Facsimile was it? If you are going to the Queen, then you won’t mind if I go with you.”

Twilight felt the cool of sweat beads on her forehead. “Of course not. Please lead the way.”

Reluctantly, Twilight followed Forgery deeper into the caves. She considered just blasting him with a paralysis spell, but Forgery was careful to keep his eyes on her as they walked. All Twilight could do was quietly contemplate her options.

What was up with that gesture he was doing earlier? If I didn’t know better, I would say he was signaling to some pony. Wait a minute. Was that a secret code, like something they would use to identify each other? If so, then he might know I’m not a changeling and could be luring me into a trap.

Twilight frantically looked for a way out, but in little time, she found herself inside the chamber where Chrysalis and her changelings now stood up, recovering from the mandrake. She tried to turn around and flee only to discover that Forgery was already behind her, blocking her exit.

“Your Excellency,” called out Forgery. “Facsimile wants to speak to you.”

Comments

[Razzy]

Busted~!

Cya
Raziel-chan