//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 // Story: Changing Lanes // by AutoPony //------------------------------// Head throbbing as you slowly come to, the sound of an echoing drip of water fills your ears. Slowly opening your eyes as you try to clear your mind of fog, your vision doesn't help much, as it is nearly pitch black wherever you have been deposited. You lie there for a while as you give your eyes time to adjust to what little light there is, as the occasional sound of a whistle of wind from somewhere far off is the only other thing you hear aside from dripping water. It is obvious this is some sort of a cavern, even before your eyes make out the dark silhouettes of stalactites hanging low from the ceiling. With that in mind, you cautiously pick yourself up off the dusty floor, finding you are able to just stand up straight without endangering your head. It would have really been nice if the thing that put you down here had at least given you a flashlight. Still feeling a bit woozy having just woken up, you shuffle down the narrow passage, using your hands to guide you along the rocky walls. You don't have a clue where you're going, but considering no one knows you're down here, waiting around isn't an option. Every once in a while you stop, listening for the slight whistle of the wind as you attempt to head in its direction. Where there's rushing air, there has to be an opening, right? Stopping again at a fork in the path, you stand still to listen for the whistle. But instead of the wind, you hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming from the left. Quickly checking your surroundings, your heart races as you attempt to find somewhere, anywhere to hide. There's no way to tell if whatever else is down here may be friend or foe, you're not willing to take a chance with the way tonight has gone. Unfortunately, you have to settle for pressing your body against the nearest wall in the path you just traveled, hoping to get the drop on whoever it is. You don't have to wait long, as the footsteps shuffle ever closer until a figure walks past, nearly as tall as you are when including its large horn. Despite the darkness, you can vaguely make out its mane, an ever-shifting, almost mist-like form, a lot like... Luna, you call through the link. Instantly, the figure freezes in place. "Anon?" Luna replies, surprised. "I've been trying to contact you, where have you been?" Right behind you to your right, if you're the one down here in this cave with me, you respond. Much to your relief, the mystery figure indeed turns around in reaction to your message, as you step away from the wall you've been pressed against. "What are you doing down here?" Luna asks, unable to contain the shock as you put your arms out and embrace her. “No, you disappeared first, you tell your tale before me,” you say. “But why don’t we talk while we work on getting out of this place?” Luna nods in agreement. “I don’t know how long I’ve been wandering around down here, but I feel the exit is close. I’ve been following the sound of the wind in these caverns.” “Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to do after waking up,” you note. “I suppose that explains why I could not sense your presence or contact you,” Luna replies, opening her right wing and wrapping it behind you. “Stay close, it’s a maze down here.” “Can’t you just light it up with your magic?” you ask, a bit perplexed by her lapse. “Well, I suppose I should explain what happened to me this afternoon,” she says, sighing as she guides you forward with her wing. “As you can tell, I did not make it to Pintonesia. It’s quite likely the letter itself was a fake, but a good one nonetheless.” She pauses a moment, listening for the wind again before continuing. “But anyways, while flying en route to meet my sister, I happened to spot a caravan below me that had stopped and looked as if they needed assistance. I swooped down to offer a helping hoof, finding they were having trouble replacing a wheel on one of their carts.” “This already sounds like a setup to me, but hindsight is twenty-twenty, I suppose” you muse. “Indeed, for as I leaned down to inspect the issue, one of the ponies clamped something to my horn as a few others grabbed me. I’m assuming that Item was a sort of magic inhibitor, for I could not teleport away. There was just too many of them, and they had the jump on me. I can only assume one of them either cast a spell on me or struck me over the head, as the next thing I remember is waking up here. A lot of effort for what I thought was to steal my regalia, because I noticed also when I woke up all of those items were gone. But with you deposited here, there must be a more intricate scheme being played out.” "Well, your royal attire is safe, if that makes you feel any better," you say. “You were wearing them when you returned to the castle. Except, it obviously wasn’t you.” “I..... what?” Luna asks, at a complete loss of words. “You saw me back at the castle? Tonight?” “I thought it was you. Turns out, it was a changeling, who didn’t take kindly to me finding out the truth. so, here I am.” “Oh no. I despise those accursed creatures,” Luna snarls, before her attention shifts. “But how did you know about changelings? And how in Equestria did you know it was not me?” You hesitate for a moment, trying to decide how to answer her. Part of you wants to be honest, to tell her Nightmare Moon warned you, but you can only assume her reaction will not be one of relief. Your mind whirs as you quickly come up with something for a response. ‘The irony in all of this was the book I picked up out of the library was one of the various creatures in Equestria, and changelings happened to be there. When “you” returned, explaining how the talk with Rainbow Dash went didn’t seem to register with you, so my paranoia kicked in from reading that book. Tried to contact you via our link, and I didn’t get a response, so I knew something was up.” You can practically feel Luna eye you with suspicion as you finish your tale. But if she doesn’t believe you, she keeps mum. “It is more important than ever to get out of here now, and fast. Who knows what mischief these fiends are up to this time?” she says. “’This time?’ You mean you have dealt with changelings before?” you ask, curious. “I personally have not in many years, but we had an issue with them just a few years ago. One of the princesses was to be wed, and the changelings took that opportunity to crash the ceremony,” Luna responds. “This was when I still ruled over the night rather than shared duties with my sister, so I..... slept through the events.” “Missed all the action, huh? I guess you aren’t that lucky this time around,” you quip, trying to lighten the mood a bit. “No, it seems I am in the thick of this mess,” she grumbles. “But I do not understand; if I was not the target, and she was unable to use you, why did she resort to leaving us both here? Surely she is not going after my sister, who is not even due to arrive back for another day or two.” “Well, I wasn’t the main plan, I know that much. All that thing said was I had been the experiment, and the main event was due to begin,” you reply. "I do not like the sounds of that," Luna says, concern evident in her voice. "Let us make haste." After about another hour of wandering underground. you and Luna eventually found a hole in the ceiling large enough to escape. Now, as you ride on the back of Luna, the two of you soar through the air, the lights of Ponyville shining like a beacon up ahead. Despite the clear skies, it is exceptionally dark with the sun having gone down, as Luna has been unable to raise the moon. Sure enough, once above ground and with a little light, Luna had some sort of metallic ring on her horn, inhibiting her ability to use magic. Try as you might, the object could not be pried off, likely being placed there and only removable by an outside magic source. "Perhaps it is a good thing I do not have my magic," Luna announces as she pushes herself down into a shallow dive, keen on getting to Twilight's home as quickly as possible. "It will be clear to my sister something is wrong due to the absence of the moon, I am sure she will be heading back as soon as possible." "You don't think Celestia will just believe you've forgotten or fallen asleep or something?" you ask, holding on tight. "No, neither of us has ever fallen negligent in our most important duty." Luna levels out just as you reach the outskirts of Ponyville, the houses gradually clustering closer and closer together. Despite your aversion to heights, you look down, seeing if anyone is outside tonight mulling over the puzzling absence of the moon. You happen to spot a familiar purple and green figure frantically waving down below. "Luna, hold up. I think that's Spike down below us," you yell, pointing down towards the animated dragon. "What? Why would he be out at this time of the night?" Luna replies as she looks down below. She abruptly turns around in a tight spin and descends, forcing you to hold on even tighter to her neck. "And why are you holding on so tightly? I assure you, you will not fall." "You don't have your magic, Luna," you respond. "Right, sorry," she replies, embarrassed by her cognitive lapse, making you even more nervous. Part of you had hoped she would have some sort of comforting excuse. Fortunately, her hooves touch the ground without incident, and you eagerly hop off her back. Spike is equally as eager to sprint up to the two of you, panting as he comes to a halt, trying to catch his breath. You and Luna exchange worried glances as you give the little dragon a moment. "Spike, you okay dude?" you ask, scooping him up in your arms. "Unless you just left Twilight's, tracked down Luna and hopped on her back for a quick flight all in the span of about five or ten minutes, no," he replies, his voice coming out a bit shaky. "I wasn't at Twilight's," you reply, glancing over at Luna. Her expression reflects the feeling of dread inside of you. "I know! I mean, I didn't think you would be rude enough to tell me to get lost. Or that Twilight would agree with you," Spike says, his voice trailing off with sadness. You give him a reassuring squeeze. "No way I'd do that," you reply with exuberance. "And Twilight wouldn't either, under normal circumstances. But I think we know what the main plan is now." You look over to Luna, who nods in silent understanding. "It's changelings again, isn't it?" he asks, his voice suddenly filled with anger. "I thought we got rid of them for good." "You know about them too?" you inquire, setting him down on the ground. "It's a long story. But what are you guys doing out here?" "Escaping from our own encounter with the changelings. It seems they are using all resources available to make this plan succeed," Luna grumbles, before focusing on you. "Anonymous, I want you to stay here with Spike for the time being. I will head back to the castle in hopes of meeting my sister there before she encounters my imposter, and hopefully get this accursed ring off." "You're just going to leave without helping Twilight?" you blurt. The thought of leaving Twilight at the hands of that creature posing as you any longer makes you sick to your stomach. "It would be incredibly unwise to deal with the situation without my full power, even more so without magic AND alone. We will rescue her, I promise. But please, stay here with Spike," Luna replies quietly, her eyes pleading with you to calm down, before turning her attention to Spike. "If you could get a letter to my sister, it would be most appreciated." The little dragon throws a salute, before pulling out a quill and paper from behind his back and quickly begins scrawling the message. Without another word, Luna jets into the air, quickly growing smaller as she rushes onward towards Canterlot. You stand there awkwardly in silence as Spike continues his writing, caught up in his own little world. Eventually, he finishes, rolling up the parchment and holding it outwards in his talons, before sending it off with a puff of green dragonfire from his maw. "So, what happened tonight? I mean, I'm assuming I didn't just barge in and Twilight and not-me just told you to leave," you ask. Not falling for the bait yourself, you're wondering how this whole feeding thing works. Spike shrugs his shoulders initially, seeming uneasy to discuss the situation. "I don't really know. You - well, the not-you, I suppose - knocked on the door and just walked in as soon as I opened the door. Twilight was downstairs working on some project, your imposter asked where she was. He went downstairs for a while, and then both of them came upstairs and told me to beat it." "So you didn't see much of anything that happened between the two of them at all, huh? No wonder you were upset, how would you know it wasn't me?" "I suppose I should have taken the hint when I saw your parking job, pretty sloppy," he says with a laugh. Your blood instantly runs cold. "'Parking job?' That thing drove my car?" you ask through gritted teeth. NO ONE touches your Superbird without permission. EVER. "Um, no?" Spike replies, quickly recognizing his mistake as you clench your fists. "Anonymous, just calm down, why don't we get some ice cream or something?" He tugs on your pants leg, hopeful you will listen to him. But you're beyond angry right now as you pull away from him and start walking in the direction of Twilight's home. Waiting for Luna to return is unacceptable. "Anonymous, what are you doing?" Spike calls after you. "Saving Twilight, getting my car back, and kicking my ass," you shout, before breaking into a sprint through town. It doesn't take long at all before Twilight's tree is before you, the light inside shining through the windows like a beacon as you come upon the house from the back side. Quietly, you ease up to one of the windows and peer inside, eager to see what is happening to your friend. Twilight is seated on the floor, completely motionless with a blank stare upon her face, as if in some sort of trance. Right in front of her is a splitting image of you, a smug grin on your twin's face as he mumbles something to her that you cannot make out. As he finishes, a green haze envelops his hands, reaching out and placing them on either side of Twilight's head. Soon, Twilight's whole body is surrounded by the green glow emanating from the changeling's hands, though you see nothing happening physically. Quickly, you circle around the house, spotting your Superbird parked awkwardly near the front door. Even from several feet away, you recognize the stench of a heavily abused clutch, quickly replenishing the anger deep inside you. That stupid creature couldn't even drive the damn thing properly, how did Twilight fall for this? Of course, Twilight is also often buried in a book and oblivious to happenings. Not to mention Spike said she was in the basement, but still. But it doesn't matter now as you mull your options. Clearly Twilight is already under the changeling's influence, and there's no telling what that can do to her. Luna wants you to wait for her, and it's not like you have any weapons with which to fight. Or maybe you do, as you eye your car again. Quickly sneaking over to the Superbird, you open the door and slide in, finding the keys still in the ignition. You crank over the engine, catching it before stalling with a jolt of the throttle, sending a resounding roar through the quiet town. For good measure you blare the horn a couple of times, the voice of the Roadrunner almost comical considering the situation in which you find yourself. Sure enough, the front door to Twilight's house flies open, as a mirror image of yourself walks out and looks in your direction. You don't waste a second as you turn the wheel, gun the engine, and dump the clutch, lurching forward towards the imposter and Twilight's home. Shutting your eyes, you brace yourself once you've drawn a bead on your target in preparation for the impact. "Sorry girl, this hurts me more than you, I hope," you mumble, just as the sound of tinkling glass and the crunch of sheetmetal fills your ears. Despite your efforts, you still slide forwards and strike the steering wheel with your head, leaving you dazed for a moment as you cut the engine and take your keys. You won't be leaving them in the car ever again if she can be salvaged. But your friend's well-being was worth the risk. Needless to say, you don't let your eyes venture to the front of the car, unsure if you can stomach the sight of what was once the changeling, and what was once a pristine muscle car. Still feeling a bit woozy, you pull the door handle and push open the driver's door, slowly sliding yourself onto your feet and standing up, just as Twilight Sparkle pokes her head out of the opening to her home. Her eyes go wide in shock as she slowly shuffles outside. "Anonymous?" she mumbles quietly, her eyes darting through the chaos before her. "Twilight, holy crap am I glad to see y-" You're cut off by Twilight, whose face suddenly hardens in anger and determination, her magic hurling you back into the door of the Superbird. Pain rushes through your whole being as you feel something pop in your shoulder, hitting the car hard enough to put a dent in it before slumping face-down on the dusty ground. You hear the beat of Twilight's hooves come closer, before stopping ahead of you, at the front of the Superbird. "Anonymous, are you alright? Please tell me you're alright," Twilight cries. Without warning, you hear a cacophony of creaks and groans as you turn your head sideways to see your car rolling backward slowly, before coming face to face with the front tire. "I'm fine Twilight," you hear in your own voice, causing you to snap out of your pain-induced daze. Attempting to get up or roll over, you try putting weight on your right arm and shoulder. Instantly, you regret the decision as the intense pain washes through you again. "Twilight, grab our guest and bring him inside. I want to hear how exactly he got here tonight," you hear your twin say again. You feel yourself lifted up roughly by Twilight's magic, a lavender glow surrounding your whole body as you are hauled towards the open door of Twilight's home. You manage to catch a glimpse of the changeling disguised as you, his face dressed in a smirk. How the hell is it even possible that thing is alive? Surely the nose cone of your car would have cleaved him in half, right? But your thoughts stop there as you drop to the floor of Twilight's library, causing you another violent surge of pain and nausea. While you gather yourself up to keep from hurling, you hear the door slam closed, the lock clicking into place. "Twilight, be a dear and close the windows and blinds, would you?" your twin suggests. You hear Twilight's hooves scurry across the hardwood floors, as you gingerly roll over onto your back. You find the changeling staring down at you, its expression cold and disapproving. "How the hell are you even still alive?" you croak. "I should have smashed you like a bug." A swift kick in the ribs is your instant reply, knocking the wind out of you as you sputter for breath. "Don't you dare you that terminology again, you freak," your twin snaps back, before squatting down and grabbing you by the throat, forcing you to look into its hate-filled eyes. Close up, you see they shimmer with just a hint of green, not unlike the encounter you had in the castle with the Luna imposter. "I want to know, how did you manage to get back here?" it demands. "Is it really that much of a surprise Luna and I found each other in the same cavern you dumped the two of us in?" With a growl, the changeling tosses you aside, standing up straight again and looking down upon your pitiful form. "Why does it not surprise me my children would be stupid enough to put you both in the same place?" it laments. "Children? There's more of you creepy bastards?" you ask, dumbfounded. "We are numerous, spread across the land in an effort to sate our hunger. But I have a plan now to sustain us for years to come," it replies, a sinister grin slowly taking form, just as Twilight stops next to your twin. She still seems to be in a sort of trance, oblivious to the conversation. "Come on Twilight, snap out of it," you plead. But Twilight ignores you, staring off into space as your mirror image laughs. "Twilight is under my control now. She only thinks when I want her to think. Speaks when I give her the nod. Or, perhaps even attack when I deem it necessary," your captor announces, just as Twilight's horn begins to glow with a faint light, "But enough of this, I tire of this form," your captor interrupts, just as its body begins to twist and elongate, falling to all fours as its skin turns a shiny black. Hooves form on its limbs, pockmarked by gaping holes, as wings with the same feature sprout from its back. A wicked horn shoots out from its head, jagged and twisted as it sparks with a green glow. Even the mane forming down its neck and its tail seem sickly, tattered and marked by holes as it shifts to a sea green. By the time the changes stop, you're face to face with a hybridization of an insect and a pony, standing about as tall as Celestia. "Much better," it speaks, with a feminine tone. She looks down upon you again, an air of arrogance in her smile as she shows off a set of razor-sharp teeth. "Well, you're certainly no looker," you quip, much to the dismay of the changeling. She snarls, kicking you in the ribs again. This time, you feel something crunch, and another sharp wave of pain wracks your chest. "You are in no position to talk to me that way," she growls, as you wheeze for breath. Every inhale and exhale is a new experience of agony, forcing you to take shallow breaths. The changeling continues to just stand in front of you and stare, with Twilight right beside her. "I take it I'm not in the presence of just any changeling," you manage to gasp out. "That's the first intelligent thing you've said all evening," she coos. " I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings. And soon, Queen of Equestria, once my plan comes to fruition." "Sounds to me like you're full of yourself. Luna will be back here shortly," you snap back. Looking up, you see you've cut Chrysalis's ego-stroking short, as once again her face is drawn into a scowl. You really need to just shut up. "You don't think I have planned for your 'princesses?'" she asks in a mocking tone. "Why do you think I have dear Twilight here under my control?" Chrysalis motions with a hoof to where Twilight sits, unmoving and oblivious to everything around her. "So you're using the two of us as bartering chips? That's clever," you jab back, unable to stop your mouth from running. "No, she is," Chrysalis replies. "You're just a pain in the flank that has twice bungled his way in and out of my scheme. But I'm done being nice since you're useless to me anyway." Chrysalis abruptly turns away from you and silently walks over to Twilight, leaning down and smiling as she eyes you again. "Twilight, be a dear and send our guest on a permanent vacation," she gushes. Without a word, Twilight takes a step forward, her eyes gleaming with a greenish sheen over her normal lavender eyes. "Twilight, come on, it's me. The real me," you plead as Twilight's horn begins to glow with her magic. "Please, you gotta snap out of this, Twily." For a moment, Twilight hesitates mid-step, as if becoming aware of the situation. But Chrysalis is having none of it, as she spins around and growls. "No, we're not doing this sappy crap. You've done enough damage," she shouts as her wicked horn suddenly crackles with magic. The sickly green energy seeps outward, Twilight's horn acting as a conduit as her face slowly contorts from emotionless to a scowl, mirroring Chrysalis who stands beside her. "End him. NOW," Chrysalis demands, as she sends a final bolt of energy into Twilight. Instinctively, you throw your arm over your face as Twilight's horn begins to hum with the charged spell she's been holding onto this whole time. With a crack not unlike a gunshot, you feel the air sizzle around you as you clamp your eyes shut, your mind running through one final, stupid thought. Do ponies have an afterlife, and are you included in it?