At Canterlot High, everyone was in a panic...
"What do you mean they're gone!?" Velvet exclaimed. The girls, Shining and 'Cadance', along with Celestia, Luna and Velvet were now in Vice Principal Luna's office, as it could more comfortably house so many people. Velvet was sitting on the couch, holding and petting a worried Spike, with Rarity and Fluttershy who were trying to console her, while the rest of the girls took the chairs. Celestia was at the desk with Luna standing right beside her, Shining was pacing the room in worry, while 'Cadance' stood off to the side.
"They said they were going to study in the library, but when we checked, they weren't there!" Sunset explained.
"Then we saw that Flash's car was gone!" Rainbow continued.
"And they weren't answering their phones!" Rarity followed.
"The girls came to us right away and explained the situation. So we called Cadance and Shining Armor to see if they knew anything. When they didn't we wondered if they might be at your home." Celestia finished.
"They were probably kidnapped! Obviously someone is after the Elements-"
"Perhaps they've run away together?" Cadance asked casually, interrupting Shining's plans.
"WHAT!?" The rest of the room gapped at 'Cadance', not believing what she was saying.
"Well, from the way you described him...it sure sounded like he's very sweet on her."
Shining looked like he was about to argue with her when, unseen by the others, his eyes flashed green, "Your probably right..." he said in a monotone voice.
"Twilight would never do that!" Rainbow argued.
"And Flash isn't that kind of guy!" Sunset said, recalling her days of dating the boy.
"Cadance, Shining, Velvet, we've know both Twilight Sparkle and Flash Sentry for years and I think we can assure you that neither of them would do something so spontaneous and reckless, especially when it would cause so much worry for their families." Celestia stated, with Luna nodding.
"Besides, I think Twilight's the only person who doesn't know about Flash's feelings for her at this point." AJ stated, with the other girls agreeing.
"Even if that's the case, if they don't show up soon, we may have to call his family next...and maybe even the authorities." Luna verified.
"I'm sure it won't come to that." Celestia reassured them when she saw their panicked expressions.
"Well, I'm sure you must have notices how stressed Twilight's been lately?" 'Cadance' asked. "How strange she's been acting?"
"Well....yes." Sunset admitted reluctantly.
"Isn't it possible she's finally...snapped?" The others gasped at this.
"But I'm positive Flash wouldn't do this if she had!" Rarity said, her voice trembling.
"Who said he had no choice? Twilight is a powerful mage after all. A little compulsion spell or something stronger would certainly get the job done..."
"Cadance! How could you say such a thing!?" Velvet exclaimed.
"Because that's not Cadance!"
The group turned to the door to find Twilight and Flash standing there, glaring at the pink woman.
"TWILIGHT!" Velvet and Spike immediately got up went to her.
Velvet hugged her daughter tightly, "Are you ok!? Where were you!? Why weren't you answering you phone!?"
"Wait...what do you mean 'that's not Cadance?'" Spike asked.
"Because I am!"
The real Cadance then proceeded to step into the office, making everyone gasp at the sight.
"I-I don't understand. How can there be two of 'em?" AJ asked, very confused about what was going on.
Cadance pointed at the impostor, "She's a changeling! She takes the form of somebody you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them!"
'Cadance's' eyes glowed bright green and soon she was surrounded by magical green fire. When it cleared, her true form was revealed: human like with black skin with stringy bluish-green hair and vibrant green-blue eyes. What made her stand out from other beings were the transparent, insect-like wings on her back. She wore a silk green dress along with a tri-pointed crown. She gave off a spine-chilling laugh.
"Right you are, princess. And as Queen Chrysalis of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. Your natural love magic is what attracted me in the first place. Ever since I took your place, I've been feeding off Shining Armor's love for you. It is more powerful than anything I have encountered before! When they get here, my fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!"
The girls gasped and Velvet held her daughter protectively. Spike growled and the Principals looked ready to fight.
"They'll never get the chance! Shining Armor has a protection spell will keep them from ever even reaching us!"
Chrysalis merely chuckled at this, "Oh, I doubt that. Isn't that right, dear?"
Shining Armor, with a blank look on his face and eyes glowing green, merely nodded. Velvet, Cadance and Twilight gasped in horror at this. Cadance tried to go over to her husband when Chrysalis stepped in her way, "Ah, ah, ah. Don't want to go back to the caves, now do you?" she threatened, summoning her magic until Cadance backed away, still glaring at the queen.
"Good. Originally, I was just scouting for a new food source when I stumbled on you two. But then imagine my surprise when I learned my meal was the brother of one of the Elements of Harmony herself! And to top it all off imagine my shock when I learned she was a descendant of one of my greatest enemies: Aurella!" Chrysalis spit out the name like it was venom.
"Grandma!?"
"Mom!?"
"You think this was my first attempt at invading Equestria? That meddling woman caught me years ago and threw me out! I had hoped the nosy woman had croaked by now but I wouldn't have thought her progeny would be walking the earth! Not to mention the resemblance! When we first met, I actually thought you were her for a second!" she said to Twilight. Twilight recalled 'Cadence's' stunned face when she saw Twilight and realized it made sense now.
Chrysalis continued, "And once I summon my changelings I will conquer this land. First, we take Canterlot. And then, all of Equestria!"
Celestia stepped forward, "No. You won't. You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect these people from you!"
Celestia then fired a golden beam of magic at Chrysalis, who panicked and instinctively fired a green one back at it. Chrysalis cowered, preparing to lose.
"No!"
But then the green beam began overpowering the golden one, much to Celestia's shock and before she could do anything was hit and slammed into the wall before falling to the floor.
"Principal Celestia!" Twilight screamed in horror as the worried girls and Luna went over to her.
Chrysalis herself seemed surprised for a moment before grinning, "Ah! Shining Armor's love for you is even stronger than I thought! Consuming it has made me even more powerful than Celestia!"
Twilight broke out of her mother's grasp and tried to go over to Celestia too when she felt herself be picked up in an aura of green magic. She quickly found herself put in a head lock by Chrysalis.
"TWILIGHT!" Her mother, Spike, and Flash cried out in horror.
Twilight struggled against her captor, "Let. Me. Go!".
But Chrysalis was too strong, "Not a chance. When I realized who you were, I knew I would have to dispose of the Elements right away." She addressed the other horrified occupants of the room, "Now, we're going to do this quickly and quietly. One of you will lead me to where the Elements are while everyone else waits here with my puppet. If you try to fight or call for help, let's just say..." Her hand glowed with magic next to Twilight's face, making her flinch from the heat, "...that it will be Twilight who pays the price for it!"
For a moment nobody moved or said anything, too stunned.
Finally Luna stepped forward, "Let Twilight go and I will give you the Elements."
"Lead me to them first, then I'll give her back."
Luna glared at her but resigned. "Very well, let's go."
Just before leaving the office, Twilight could turn her head just enough to see the terrified faces of her friends and family before the door closed.