//------------------------------// // Chapter 10. // Story: I AM Human // by Synthetic Soul //------------------------------// “You’re about to find out.” The Changeling Queen began levitating the Alicorn Amulet towards Tristan’s neck. The colt tried to resist, crying out, but it was no use. The amulet was placed on his neck, latching shut. Immediately, the hybrid could feel the power coursing through his veins. Then, Chrysalis lit her horn, casting some sort of spell on both the amulet and Tristan. The powerful feeling he now felt turned to pain. He felt as if his blood was boiling. He let out a cry of pain, collapsing to a kneeling position as the Queen laughed. But, after a few second, the pain started to lessen, though it was still present. But his mind…the young colts mind started to get fuzzy. His eyes lost focus, instead glowing a bright green. He found it harder and harder to focus, or even form his own independent thoughts. Chrysalis let out a laugh as the two changeling guards let go of the hybrid. Luna tried to move forward, but was blocked by the changelings surrounding her and her group. “What are you doing to him!” she cried. “Oh, I’m just giving him the proper motivation to do what he’s wanted to do for a year now. Isn’t that right, my dear?” The colt lying in front of her rose to his hooves, and turned to face the group. “Yes my queen,” he muttered. Chrysalis made a gesture with her hoof, and the changeling guards surrounding the ponies dispersed. “Now, Tristan, you see your mother down there? Remember what she did to you,” said Chrysalis in a tempting voice. The colt let out a low growl, as he started walking towards the group. “She took your family away, your humanity. All so she could fill the void in her own soul. She took everything from you.” “Tristan?” questioned Luna, stepping back, not liking the feral look coming from her son. “Do you feel that hate, that pain? She caused it. You must take action.Take your revenge, Tristan.” “Y-yes…” replied the colt. “Now…what are you going to do?” questioned the Queen. “D-destroy…her,” growled Tristan, unable to control himself. “Then do it!” commanded the Queen. Tristan charged his horn, and quickly let loose a blast of energy that rocketed strait towards the ponies. Luna stood petrified, unable to come to terms with her son once again attacking her. Suddenly, she felt something shove into her left side, causing her to fall and slide to the right. She heard the blast connect with the throne room doors, causing an explosion of decimated wood shattering all over. Luna recovered, and looked to see Pinkie Pie had shoved her out of the way. She quickly looked to see that no one had been hurt from the attack, at least not severely. Luna took in a breath before addressing Pinkie. “Thank you Pinkie Pie. You saved my life!” Instead of responding, the pink earth pony propped herself up with her hooves above Luna, and reached into her curly pink mane. She felt around for a few moments, before pulling out a metal key. She quickly put the key into the lock of the suppressor ring on the princess’s horn, taking it off. She then helped the night princess up to her hooves. “Where did you get that?” questioned Luna. “I snatched it off your son when he wasn’t looking!” replied Pinkie with a wide smile. She then turns serious, very quickly. “Princess, you have to do something to get your son under control again, or he’s gonna hurt someone!” stated Pinkie quickly. “What can I do?” questioned Luna. “You’re his mom, put him in a time out, ground him, take away his Xbox, you’ve got to do something!” Luna looked confused for a second, before she turned to see her son making his way towards them. She quickly steeled her nerves, and took on a determined look. “You’re right. This is my mess. I must take care of it.” The princess stepped in front of the group, and took a commanding stance. As she did this, Pinkie, at lighting speed, removed the other suppressor rings, while simultaneously helping the ponies to their hooves. “Everyone, leave this to me. Go find the elements, we may need them to defeat Chrysalis.” “We’re on it!” affirmed Twilight. The Element bearers then ran out of the room, to gather the Elements of Harmony. Only Celestia remained, who stepped up next to her sister. “I’m not letting you do this alone Luna. We’re in this together.” Luna gave her sister a grateful look, before the tow of them faced their opponent, taking battle stances. Tristan stopped his advance, twenty feet away from the sisters. “Tristan…Tristan, I know you hate me. I honestly hate myself for what I’ve done to you. But I PROMISE I will help you break free of Chrysalis’s control! And I swear to you, I will make this up to you!” Tristan took on a look of surprise. The glow in his eyes dimmed some. “You…you will?” “Yes, I swear!” reaffirmed Luna. “Don’t listen to her Tristan!” commanded Chrysalis, strengthening her control over Tristan’s mind. “She’ll say anything to get you to spare her! It’s because she knows she cannot defeat you! Strike them down now!” Tristan grasped his head, as the commands Chrysalis gave him became the only thoughts in his mind. They bounced around, and echoed within him. Tristan let out a low growl, before screaming as loud as he could. He then launched himself into the air, and let loose another blast of magic. Celestia and Luna looked at each other, before lighting their horns, both of them putting their power into a barrier spell to protect them from the blast. It held, but pushed them back, as their hooves dug into the tile. Tristan landed on the ground, and charged forward, pounding the shield with his hooves. The two princesses grunted at the effort to maintain the spell. “We need to do things differently this time around Luna. We need to subdue him without injuring him. Then we’ll take of the amulet,” said Celestia. “Yes, I agree,” replied the princess of the night. “On three, we engage him. And we work as a team. Got it?” “Yes!” “Alright. Then, one…” “Two…” “Three!” And then, the final fight truly began.