Rainbow and her friends looked around as the changelings around them converged onto them, Tyrant Monarch smirking.
“Really now, did you think I wouldn’t be thorough? The best way to ensure that Canterlot falls under my control is to ensure most ponies closest to the wedding were dealt with and replaced with my loyal drones. That’s what they’re FOR, anyway.”
Twilight looked around, the changelings growling and snarling as they stepped closer to them, the purple unicorn frowning as a makeshift plan formed in her head.
“Everypony!” She shouted. “Jump out the windows! There’s no changelings in front of them!”
“WHAT!?” The others cried out but Twilight was already running so they followed, Rainbow pulling herself from Fluttershy’s loosened grip to turn to the horde, wings glowing.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not gonna abandon Cadance! I have to save her!”
She yelped as she was pulled away moments before a changeling leapt at her head, Applejack pulling her along by the hoof her with own tight grip.
“While Ah do appreciate that sentiment, Ah don’t think even you could stand up against an entire ARMY by yourself! We need to get out of here and regroup!”
As Pinkamena held Spike to her chest, Applejack dragged along a struggling Rainbow and Twilight held an uncocnious Chrysalis on her back, the group ran fast and leapt through one of the stained glass windows with a loud smash, falling down towards the city of Canterlot below the castle.
The changelings peered through the broken window, looking surprised to say the least.
Tyrant Monarch growled. “What are you waiting for? Get AFTER them.”
“But...” One changeling quavered. “It’s....It’s such a long way down...”
“You can FLY you imbecile!”The changeling mother snarled. “You have WINGS, USE them!”
“Worry not, Tyrant mine!” the red clad Chaser called out, she and her twin flying through the window. “Lead the charge shall we!”
“We shall find both those ponies AND that traitor!” Flitter added. “We will make sure they are properly punished!”
Tyrant Monarch, still wearing the serene face of Celestia, smiled. “I can always rely on you, Flitter, Chaser. When you find them, make sure you leave Chrysalis alive and bring her to me. I want to punish her directly and teach her the follies of trying to ‘befriend’ the enemy.” She thought this over. “However, if you DO need to dispose of her, I shall not be mad, just keep it in mind.”
“Of course your most beautiful worship!” Flitter said, she and her twin grinning wide as they flew downwards, a retinue of changelings following.
“And the rest of you,” Tyrant Monarch said, making the changelings who were about to leave stop, “stay here. I do need guards and can’t exactly clean this mess by myself. Hang up our...prisoners, it will make it easier to drain their love, and make everything look much neater.” She chuckled, smiling in satisfaction.
--------------------------------
Changeling Drone #432 looked upon the patrons of the bar he had taken control of. Unlike most of the other drones he didn’t need to really replace anypony as the bar, a gathering place that would help with both gathering and spreading information, was being closed down by its previous owner until the Drone had bought the deed, using a clever disguise and a portion of Mother’s private treasury to use in situations such as that. He spent a long time standing behind the bar, learning about canterlot, the princesses, how everything worked, about the various patrons and their lives. Even now, as they lay on the floor unconscious from the sleeping drug he had fed them through their food and drink, he recognised every single one, and many considered him close friends.
An unfamiliar pang of guilt struck his heart, though naturally he didn’t know what it was or why he felt it.
His fellow drones trotted around inside the bar, looking around.
“Mother will be pleased, the other drones have already started work in taking down the city so we can begin our search.”
He tilted his head. “Search?”
“The Queen has betrayed mother, and now we must follow Chaser and Flitter and catch her for Mother.”
His eyes widened at hearing this as he nodded. “I’ll join in?”
“Of course. More drones means we’ll catch them more easily, according to Mother.”
He stepped out from behind the bar; sparing another glance at the patrons whose names he just couldn’t help from remembering, before stepping to join in the search, his heart heavy.
-------------------------------------
Behind a building in the backstreets of Canterlot an odd group of ponies trotted along. After falling from Canterlot, Rainbow Dash had managed to surround everyone in a bubble of magic to protect them from the fall (or rather, those of the group unable to fly) and now they sneaked through the city as they came to grips with the situation.
Chrysalis stirred as she got up from Twilight’s back, looking around as she got back onto her hooves. “Oh goodness...”
Rainbow immediately ran up to the changeling, making her eep in surprise. “You! Its because of you this happened! You brought these...monsters here and because of YOU Cadance got captured and brainwashed and her big dad was ruined!” She looked to the other girls. “Why did you try and stop me!?”
“We didn’t ‘try’ and stop you,” Pinkamena corrected, “we DID stop you.”
“And Cadance wasn’t brainwashed!” Twilight added. “She and Chrysalis were working together to try and set up peace between the Ponies and Changelings!”
“But her ‘mother’ said she did!” Rainbow argued.
“Oh yes and I suppose that creature knew everything about what was going on and knew every detail of what Chrysalis has been doing, like your own parents do, right?” Pinkamena said bluntly.
“Either way we still should’ve done something and saved everyone!” Rainbow argued. “And there’s no way Cadance would work with a monster like this! I mean look at it!”
Rarity trotted over, giving Rainbow an apologetic look. “Sorry about this.” She then slapped Rainbow hard across the face. “Don’t you DARE call Chrysalis ugly! She is a very kind soul who only wanted peace; she didn’t want anyone getting hurt! We didn’t jump in because 1) we wanted to give Chrysalis and Cadance a chance to try a peaceful solution and 2) we didn’t know enough about Chrysalis’ mother or whatever to make a big risk and fight her. And especially not with a group of other creatures to fight besides! SO forgive me if we decided to get out of there to make a better plan than try and fight an army by ourselves!”
“But Cadance...!” Rainbow began.
“Is NOT the only pony in that room, nor is the only friend you have!” Applejack snapped. “All DAY you’ve been going on about Cadance and taking advantage of OUR friendship just because you want...what, impress her? Ah get she’s a nice pony and did a lot for you, but don’t you think you could be a little considerate and not just assume you can boss us around?”
“Hey I wasn’t bossing you guys around...”
“Maybe not in so little words, but not ONCE did you ever consider how we felt about things!” Applejack continued. “You kept on and on about Cadance, and never even asked how we felt or were doing! And THEN you have to gall to not even listen to us when we told you about how Cadance treated us!”
“Well, yeah, but that was par tof her plan so its all good right?” Rarity said.
“Wait, what?” Rainbow wondered aloud, puzzled. “Plan? What?”
“Oh yes a fine plan that would’ve worked out better if everypony actually knew her and actually noticed she was acting strangely!” Applejack continued on her rant. “But nooooo everypony kept making excuses, including Rainbow Dash here who was supposedly her student! If anypony had actually bothered to actually pay attention to Cadance and not get distracted by the wedding then maybe we would’ve been able to deal with this better!”
“What are you guys talking about!?” Rainbow called out, a hoof clamping over his mouth.
“Do you WANT those bad guys to find us!?” Pinkamena hissed. “Who KNOWS where they could be or how good their hearing is!?”
Ignoring the pink pony, Fluttershy hovered over to Rainbow. “Well! Cadance WAS acting really mean but it was part of a plan she and Chrysalis cooked up to get everypony suspicious so they could get ready for a possible attack by the changelings who Chrysalis was pretending to e working for but ACTUALLLY she and Cadance were good friends and wanted to make both ponies and changelings friends and when we found out they asked us to help!”
Rainbow blinked, shoving Pinakemena’s hoof from her mouth to speak. “W-what...? Now, hold on, if that were true Cadance would surely have told me something!”
“Maybe she did and you didn’t notice?” Pinkamena pointed out. “She and Chrysalis were being watched pretty heavily and had to be subtle so they didn’t alert the more dangerous and smart changelings about what they were up to and didn’t want to make the ponies react too violently. It was overall a really dumb plan but even Cadance admitted they got stuck with a pretty raw deal. You probably would’ve noticed something if you had paid the slightest bit of attention, but you didn’t. The truth is you don’t know Cadance nearly as well as you do, or else you wouldn’t insult the pony she chose to marry.”
“Excuse me.” Chrysalis interjected, raising a hoof, every pony (and dragon) turning to look at her. “If I may say something?”
Rainbow frowned at her. “What is it you have to say...?”
“Well...” Chrysalis looked down sadly. “You’re absolutely right...it is my fault...I believed we could just work things out if we just talked, that mother would just trust me and see the good in the ponies...that we didn’t need to steal love to survive...” Tears started to fall from her eyes in thick streams. “But! But mother wouldn’t listen, didn’t trust me, and I didn’t even know how changelings worked at all! I-if we just told Celestia the truth from the beginning none of this would have happened a-and Cadance...Cadance wouldn’t...!” *she started bawling, making a large puddle from her tears.
Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise at the sight, looking to her friends and seeing looks of disapproval on Applejack’s and Twilight’s faces. Spike hopped away from Pinkamena and walked slowly over to the crying changling, laying a claw on her leg.
“Uhhh...there, there?” Spike hazarded warily.
“Oh, thank you, you’re too kind.” Chrysalis smiled softly down at the dragon. “Still...I need to go see mother again, if only so I can save Cadance and the other Princesses! It’s only right I try and fix things!”
“Like you tried before?” PInkamena questioned.
“No!” Chrysalis beamed. “This time I got all of you to back me up, and we’ll focus on saving everypony first and THEN we’ll figure out what to do about mother and my fellow changelings!”
“You...sure recovered fast...” Twilight muttered softly.
“I’m not the type to sit and mope!” Chrysalis answered. “I’ll cry for a bit and then move on! I got a plan! We’ll march back into the palace and pull the Princesses from the cocoons and then they’ll be free!”
Rainbow sputtered. “A-and then what?”
“They’ll be free!” Chrysalis repeated, grinning widely.
Rainbow sighed and facehoofed. “Okay, you guys are right, there’s no way someone this dumb could trick Cadance....” Her eyes widened as she paled. “Which meant Cadance is close friends with someone this dumb.”
“Plus if she WAS a bad guy none of that stuff with her mother wouldn’t have happened.” Pinkamena pointed out. “You know, considering they WON and all.”
“Oh mother hasn’t won yet, ladies!” Chrysalis said hopefully. “Follow me!” She ran off from behind the building and out onto the open street.
“W-wait! Watch we’re you’re going!” Rainbow called out as she and the others ran after her. “You don’t know what could be...out...here...”
She trailed off as she and her friends ran out onto the street with Chrysalis in front of them...and before them was a veritable ARMY of changelings filling the streets with ponies either wrapped in cocoons of slime or running for their lives or unconscious on the ground. And the moment they stepped into the view, Rainbow’s motley group found themselves the focus of intense staring as the changelings looked at them.
“Greetings!” Chrysalis said cheerfully, raising a hoof. “It is I, Changeling Queen Chrysalis! I am here to help you all realise there’s another path we could take that doesn’t involve violence!”
“It’s the Queen!” A changeling shouted. “Capture her! Mother’s orders!”
The changeling horde ran over to the group as Rainbow pulled CHysalis along as she and her friends ran down the street blindly, trying to avoid the sheer number of insectoid equinoid creatures pursuing them...only to immediately change course as yet ANOTHER horde of changelings stomped out from several buildings.
“H-How many of thes thigns are there!?” Rarity exclaimed, before looking to Chrysalis. “Uh, no offence.”
“None taken.” The Changeling Queen replied. “Hmm I’m guessing mother brought in the almost a thousand changelings she’s birthed...”
“Almost a thousand!?”
“Last I checked, though, it’s very possible our numbers have increased over time.”
“Great!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Good to know That we’re outnumbered pretty much EVERYWHERE!”
“You’re welcome!” Chrysalis said cheerfully. “I do enjoy being helpful!”
Rainbow sighed in exasperation as she and her friends ran...only to freeze in place as they were soon surrounded on all sides by changelings everywhere.
“Is...is there not a single pony left in this city...?” Applejack murmured aloud nervously. “You’d think we would’ve seen some sign of somepony fighting back against this...”
“Every pony in this city now sleeps, an will be harvested of their love while we take their places.” Flitter announced as she flew down from above, joined by her red clad sister Chaser. “And by the time anypony from outside investigates it’ll be as if nothing happened. The Monarch’s plans are quite thorough.”
Rainbow growled, wings glowing with magic. “We’ll stop you! We’ll fight every single one of you if we have to!”
“Uhh...Rainbow...” Pinkamena said. “I...think even with your magic, there’s a just a bit too many of these guys...”
Chrysalis strode forth, standing at the forefront of the group. “Let me try...”
“What are you doing!?” Twilight exclaimed. “They’re not gonna listen!”
Chrysalis nodded. “Probably not but still...i must try...I want to at least speak my piece to my people.” She cleared her throat then spoke out so eery changeling could hear. “Fellow changelings! We do not need to follow just the Monarch’s words! I love mother, but she is wrong! We are not just tools for her to use, and we do not need to steal love to survive! I am sure many of you have seen as I have that the ponies would freely give love if we just let them, and they would not begrudge us if we over a hoof in friendship! Mother is blinded by her hatred and cannot see the truth, but we must see the truth for ourselves if we are to survive as a species!”
“You dare insult the Monarch, our mother!?” A changeling called out angrily.
“I do! I dare and then some! Mother told me herself that we do not need to feed on love; it’s merely a power source for mother’s magic nothing more! I do not wish to say this...but...mother does not care about us! Tell me, has the ponies not shown us more love, care and friendship than our own mother who we loyally serve? Why...” Tears fell from her eyes as she tried to choke back the words she was about to speak next. “Why...why should we serve a motheer who does not, cannot love us? We...we do not need the Tyrant Monarch, we can find our own way of living!”
Several changelings glared at her for her treasonous words, many refusing to believe a single word...but a few looked doubtful, unsure.
“you lie!” a changeling shouted. “We need the loe of other ponies! We cannot go hungry!”
“Their love is not food!” Chrysalis maintained. “How have we not starved from not eating love for so long before? How have we managed to make by with skirmishes on small communities and individuals? Surely a single pony’s love couldn’t feed a thousand of us?”
“Why should we listen to the words of a fool who has disappointed mother time and again?”
“Because I can never lie to you.” Chrysalis said. “You know this. If I were a good changeling I’d be able to lie easily...but you know you cannot, you’ve seen it...you know what I speak is the truth.”
Flitter and Chaser rolled their eyes, Chaser calling out. “Now is being time of attack! Silencing her lies shall we! Angry mother will be, if we fail!”
The horde started to move forward...but several more tried to pulled their fellows back or step in front of them.
“Wait, what if...” one of the dissenters spoke. “What if...she’s right? What if we don’t need to do this...?”
“You’ve spent too long among those ponies!” Another shouted. “They’ve poisoned your mind, like hers!”
“But mother never really looked at us like some of the pones do...”
“If they knew the truth they’d turn on you!”
“But it doesn’t feel right anymore!”
“Traitors!”
Soon the crowd began to fight amongst themselves, the arguing falling into open physical attacks, chrysalis gasping in horror.
“Wait, no! You don’t need to fight each other, we can solve this peacefully!” She called out hopelessly, only to be pulled away by Rainbow Dash as she and the others ran off down the street, heading towards the castle.
“Look, there’s no time!” the Pegasus said. “If we’re out here and the whole city is overrun, then we got no choice but just go back in the palace and just...think of something to save the Princesses, we don’t got a lot of time to come up with a better plan! We can worry about these guys later, but right now one thing at a time!”
Chrysalis looked back at the crowd of changelings fighting amongst themselves, her expression sad even as she nodded and allowed herself to be pulled along by the Pegasus.
As the group travelled along they heard...music.
“What.” Pinkamena vocalised. “What is that.”
Chrysalis pulled away from Rainbow with a yelp, dodging a sudden kicked that was flying towards her, the attacker landing on the ground alongside a near identical twin. The two changelings each wore jester outfits, one red and one blue, with the blue clad one sporting red eyes and the red clad one sporting blue eyes, and both gazed at the Changeling Queen and the ponies (and dragon) with disdain.
“Well, well, well.” Flitter said, flashing a grin filled with sharp fangs. “Seems Chrysalis made some ‘friends’. The Monarch had SUCH high hopes for you, but it seems you were destined to be nothing more than a failure.”
Fluttershy blinked. “oh! I recognise that voice! You two are the performers Flitter and Cloudchaser!”
“Just Chaser sufficient it is!” The blue clad Chaser replied. “Defeat you shall we, earn great praise!”
“You know your ‘Monarch’ doesn’t care one bit about you right?” Rainbow said. “She looks down on ALL of you, why work for her and attack somepony who at least cares about you?”
“Not like other drones are we!” Chaser said gleefully. “Tyrant’s favourites, are we!”
“Or...to put it another way...” Flitter began as she and her sister started to hum in sync before they began singing as the pair twirled from each other and spun around the group of ponies, dragon and changeling.
“Twin sisters bound by blood!”
“Jesters back and forth and back and forth” “and forth and back and forth and back”
Rainbow jumped as Flitter appeared behind her and swung an axe down at her, while Chrysalis flinched as Chaser snapped at her with a pair of giant sears, cutting off a large chunk of her mane in the process.
“Red and Blue our signs,” The pair continued as they suddenly spun back together, slowly dragging their hooves over their faces to emphasise their words, “written clearly on our faces! We serve the Queen on high!”
“And our loyalty is unquestioned!”
“Loyalty is unquestioned and!”
Fluttershy yelped as Cloudchaser spun behind her, firing a blast of flame of at her that caught the mare’s tail on fire, Fluttersy desperately rolling around to put it out, while Applejack eeped as a beam of ice magic hit her from Flitter’s horn, freezing her hoof.
“Until that day comes, we’ll simply bide our time!” Once again the pair had spun back together, this time in the middle of the group, causing everyone to scatter in different directions to dodge the magical blasts the changelings blasted as they spun together in a circle. “joined in a spiral cord! “
“Connected eternally and forever!”
“Forever and eternally connected!”
Rainbow Dash gasped as Spike suddenly leapt off her back. “Spike!?”
“I’m not gonna sit back and do nothing!” The dragon shouted back as...he harmlessly ran through the attacks, unharmed and unimpeded as he glared at the attackers.
“Our Fates entwined!” The pair continued to sing, oblivious. “Our juxtaposition! Were we one now two?”
“Twins or two halves or is it the same?”
“The same is it, one of two or not?”
“Memories of old! Echoes of another time!”
“Hey!” Spike shouted at the pair, gaining their attention as he ran to them. “Pay attention!” He fired a gout of bright green flame at the pair, causing them to yelp in fear and fly up into the air.
“uuuuuh oh!” The pair exclaimed together. “This isn’t going well at all! Maaaybe....I think we’re in trouble here!”
Spike blinked, noticing the sudden change in their confidant attitude...then smirked as he started blasting gouts of flame at the pair, dividing them as the jesters hastily and clumsily darted about in the air....continuing their song as they did.
“Torn apart us now two
One two one two
Torn apart us now two!”
“Blinding Helix Gone Astray
A life apart that doesn’t feel right
Join together form as one!”
“Was it always this way!?”
“Torn apart is now two
One two one two
Torn apart is now two”
“A broken shattered Gemini
Always together always apart
This empty feeling always stays”
“This connection doesn’t feel complete somehow!”
Spike continued to spray bursts of flame at the pair until, in their panic, the pair flew off in opposite directions into the sky, out of sight. The others slowly trotted over together to reconvene.
Chrysalis looked at the dragon carefully, grinning widely. “That was incredible! How did you know those two had a fear of dragons?”
Spike blinked. “I, uh, didn’t. I just was tired of just...doing nothing, feeling like a tagalong, and well...they were trying to hurt my friends.” He grinned wide. “Plus, dragons have a natural magic resistance, so not a lot hurts us!”
“Yeah!” Fluttershy grinned wide, doing cartwheels in the air. “Dragons are amazing!”
Rainbow nodded. “Okay so, we got some breathing room so...uhh...I think we need a more solid plan than ‘go back to the place we just got out from and punch the leader of the enemy in the face’.”
“I dunno, I’m down for that plan.” Rarity said.
“As satisfying as that’d be, we do have a to worry about the horde the...Monarch mare had with her that cased out of the throne room in the first place.” Applejack added. “Not to mention we have no idea how powerful SHE is, especially since we ran like headless chickens at the slightest move from those two CLOWNS!”
“M-maybe if I tried to talk to mother again...” Chrysalis offered.
“Really?” PInkamena replied. “And, what, you think she’s gonna NOT wanna murder you this time?”
“Pinkamena!” Twilight chastised. “Show some tact!”
“It’s the truth.” PInkamena shrugged. “She needs to realise simply wanting a peaceful solution isn’t gonna work. Her mom’s crazy. And apparently a mare Twilight pretended to be in that play a while back so that’s kinda awakward.”
Twilight frowned. “That’s not really relevant.”
“Yeah but still it’s WEIRD. It’s such a RANDOM connection.”
Spike held up his hands, clearing his throat. “Look, we’re getting sidetracked! So, Rainbow, any ideas?”
Rainbow frowned. “If we had the Elements it’d be a no brainer but...well...that plans out the window and I doubt the Changelings would leave the trains running, not to mention abandoning Canterlot altogether seems...bad.”
“New policy: no matter what, bring the Elements along everywhere just in case.” Pinkamena said. “No Exceptions.”
“Noted.” Rainbow nodded and frowned in thought. “So...what do we do?”
“Perhaps another perspective can help?” a new voice called out, causing everyone to turn and see who it was...and Applejack immediately swooned at the sight.
“Prince Blueblood!” Rainbow called out, grinning wide. “Where the hay’ve you been?”
“Not important.” The Stallion said as he stepped into view, flanked by two gaurdsmares. “Dodging enemy patrols on my way out, trying to find you, overheard enemy chatter and so came out here, encountered these two among the only ones not yet rendered unconscious by...whatever it is the enemy does, some form of unique magic I suspect. So...what’s this I hear of a plan of attack?”
“Well we...kinda need to go back in and take down the Changeling Queen.” Rainbow said.
“That’s me!” Chrysalis called out eagerly.
“OBVIOUSLY not you!” Rainbow snapped in annoyance. “I meant you mother, Tyrant Monarch or whatever. ANYWAY problem is she has an army and is likely super strong and we don’t have the Elements and we’re not exactly trained warriors here so we’re not ready to really deal with that really.”
Blueblood chuckled. “Fortunately, you have the Captain of the Royal Guard on your side, with a pair of mares who are well trained AND all three of whom know the ins and outs of Castle, including secret passages that could lead us to where Tyrant Monarch is keeping the Princesses.”
“Convenient.” Pinkamena said dourly.
“isn’t it just?” Blueblood chuckled and winked. “However, better convenience than standing around outside arguing over nothing, right?”
“Good point.” Rainbow smiled. “Lead the way, Captain.”
------------------------------------------
The ever growing party had been led by Blueblood to a nondescript wall on the farthest left side of the castle, far from the remaining Changeling patrols and guards. Blueblood tapped on a small, lightly pink brick in the wall, causing the portion of wall to slide open and reveal a tunnel that ran deep through the castle, the group slowly trotting through the tunnel together.
“So why does the castle have a random secret passage in it?” Rainbow Dash wondered aloud. “And how did you know about it?”
“Well before Celestia repurposed this place as her Castle and centre of the Equestrian Capital, this belonged to a paranoid Baron who had the architect outfit this place with numerous hidden passages and secrets that we’re still finding to this day.” Blueblood explained. “I stumbled upon this in my younger, more innocent days, though I rarely use it.”
“Uh huh...” PInkamena said, nodding her head, glancing between the two gaurdsmares flanking Blueblood, the pink mare’s eyes narrowing in suspicion. “So how’d these two get through all this mayhem? I doubt the evil shapeshifters would completely forget the ponies whose job is to protect the castle against invaders.”
Blueblood smiled as the two guardsmares looked at each other worriedly. “Do not fret, you have my word these two are completely trustworthy and worthy allies. They’ve been in the Guard for years under my watch, and I trained them myself personally.”
PInkamena nodded, still frowning to herself as she glanced at the two armoured mares, Blueblood continuing to lead the group onwards. After what felt like horus of walking the tunnel lead up to what appeared to be a dead end, Blueblood confidently striding forward as he pressed a hidden switch causing another hidden door to open, the stallion stepping aside and gesturing towards the opening.
“Ladies first.” He smiled winningly, the guardsmares trotting forward, followed by Rainbow and each of her friends one by one, Chrysalis following after with Blueblood taking the rear as they all stepped into an empty hallway within the castle’s walls.
“Okay so...assuming the Monrch and the Princesses are still where we left them and haven’t moved for some reason,” Rainbow said, a wing held to her chin in though, “we still got to worry about the rest of her army guarding her, even with three members of the Royal Guard the enemy still has us beat in sheer number, AND we’ll have to worry about protecting Chrysalis since well I doubt she’d be up for hurting her own kind, and that’s not even mentioning how most of us aren’t exactly fighters and haven’t exactly dealt with anything on this scale by ourselves....”
Blueblood chuckled, his horn glowing as he summoned two golden blades via his magic, holding them to his sides as the two unnamed mares flanked him. “Don’t worry, we can deal with this. Ladies, if you may.”
The pair nodded and started to trot down the empty hallway, Blueblood calmly following along as the rest of the group shrugged and followed along...only for Blueblood to then pull everyone behind a wall as the guardsmares continued to walk towards the large doorway that led into the wedding room, which was currently guarded by three Changelings in silver armour.
“What are they doing!?” Rainbow hissed.
“Well they are the Royal Guard, darling,” Applejack replied, “Ah wouldn’t exactly underestimate them.”
“They’re walking blindly right towards the enemy!” Rainbow insisted. “Even if they take down those three we don’t know how many are waiting behind that door.”
“Trust me, this is going according to plan.” Blueblood said, smirking. “They didn’t see us so the jig isn’t up.”
“But those two...!”
“Just watch.” Blueblood smirked, his horn glowing as a shimmering barrier surrounded everyone. “Just keep quiet and keep still, this barrier will hide us but only for so long. Now...watch.”
The two mares saluted the changelings, flames flowing over their bodies to reveal that they too were changelings in disguise, Rianbow’s eyes widening in horror at how easily they had been tricked...and then widened further at what happened next.
“We need all hooves in the city!” one of the formerly disguised changelings said. “Some ponies managed to break free and are now fighting back! We need EVERYONE to come in and help before they siege the castle!”
“Everyone?” One of the armoured changelings asked. “But the Monarch....”
“If we don’t deal with this, mother’s plans are ruined, and would you live with yourself if somepony managed to break through and hurt our Monarch? Would you be able to continue with the SHAME of failing her? As long as we keep everyone outside no one should be able to even touch her until we got the city under control!”
The three looked to each other, horns glowing with green magic in unison. “Very well, we have informed everyone, lead the way.”
The pair nodded and ran forward, wining at the hidden group of ponies as a horde of changelings ran after them in an orderly line. Soon, the moment the horde was out of sight, Blueblood dropped the barrier and chuckled.
“And just like that, the factor of numbers has ceased being an immediate concern.” The stallion said smugly.
“You knew they were changelings.” Pinkamena said, growling. “One, you could’ve told us, and two, why did you trust them?”
Blueblood gave her a handsome smile as he replied. “Like I said, they’ve been in the guard for years, but I only saw them for what they truly were today. I DID run into them as I made my escape through the chaos, but they were kind enough to hide me from the rest of the group and informed me of what happened during the wedding, as well as to you, thus I decided to leave the castle and find you lot. I would be suspicious of them, but they didn’t try to attack me, continued to call me Captain and show me respect and, most important of all, helped us out even though the enemy was winning and thus didn’t need to pull off anything underhanded.”
Fluttershy blinked, having had not much to say throughout this adventure, her eyes spinning. “Words...”
Pinkamena rolled her eyes while Rainbow nodded thoughtfully. “Well...good. Now we only have the Tyrant Monarch to worry about.”
Chrysalis bit her lip, looking uncertain. “Mother...”
Blueblood glanced towards to the changeling, frowning to himself. “Come along everypony, behind me, you’re all civilians after all...” He once more summoned his blades as he trotted past the large double doors, everpony following along behind him in turn.
Inside the room the group saw what was left of the wedding reception area, chairs broken or laying on their sides, banners torn or discarded to the floor and three large green cocoons hanging from the ceiling above...and each held one of the three Equestrian Princesses. Below the cocoons, what appeared to be Celestia was standing, her back turned to the group as her horn glowed softly with green magic as she absorbed...something from the Princesses, some sort of pinkish magical energy.
Blueblood frowned grimly, stepping forward a few inches before freezing, stupefied as he heard the Tyrant Monarch begin to hum softly before she began to sing.
“What would a mother not do for her child?
What lengths would a mother not go?
There’s a bond that exists between mother and child
With no end to how strong it can grow
It’s a promise for life between Mother and Child!
It begins from the moment of birth
And you’re shaken to your soul
With an ache you’ve never known
And you look into their eyes
And find you’re looking into your own.”
An image flashed in the monarch’s mind of a tiny, newborn Chrysalis gazing up at her with wide, innocent eyes, the monarch’s own face reflected in them.
She bit her lip at the image as she turned to face the intruders, her magically casually flaring up as Blueblood swung a blade at her, the Monarch easily pushing him aside into a wall with a massive burst of magical power, paying the stallion no more mind as she trotted forward, eyes focused intently on her daughter.
“There is a pain you can’t imagine
A special kind of torture you can feel
A cut that bleeds from somewhere deep inside you
A past regret you cannot heal!”
An image of Queen Platinum flashed in her mind, giving her a warm smile. The Tyrant tilted her head aside to dodge a blast of magic fired upon her by Rainbow Dash.
“And no one guesses that all the while you’re praying
That screaming little stranger in your hooves
Might just grow up and save you after all!
Might just grow up and save you after all.”
Blueblood leapt at her again, quickly recovering from the attack, swinging both of his blades, by the Tyrant just leapt over him and slammed him to the floor, pressing her hoof down hard onto his head. She continued to gaze upon Chrysalis, trotting off of Blueblood and trotting towards the group once, Applejack snarling angrily and running over, rising a hoof to punch the changeling mother.
“What would a mother not do for her child?
What heights would a mother not climb?
There’s a bond that exists between mother and child
And it only grows deeper with time
It’s a promise for life between mother and child
And to break it is no greater pain
And you’re shaken to your soul
With an ache you can’t erase
Like the tears you never cried but that you keep scrubbing from your face!”
The image of a yellow, pink haired Pegasus kissing Queen Platinum’s lips flashed across her mind, causing Tyrant Monarch to snarl in anger as she swing down a mass of magic onto the charging earth pony, creating a crater and cracks in the floor as Applejack was forced downwards, the Tyrant stepping over her without a second glance.
“There’s a pain you can’t imagine!
A little talk that keeps you wide awake!
That somehow turns to bold determination
That you will never make the same mistake!
So you vow to feed your little future
Assuring that her talent, poise and charm
Might just grow up and save you after all!
Might just grow up and save you after all!”
Rarity and Twilight ran towards her, the Moanrch responding by raising both of her hooves high and slamming them down hard on the duo’s noggins, knocking them out quickly. Rainbow cried out in alarm and FLuttershy gasped, PInkamena frowning grimly.
“Some dreams die upon the vine!” The Tyrant sang out,gliding gracefully like a ballerina as she stepped in time with her song, moving from the left and right.
“Some they never have a chance!
Sweeter than the sweetest wine
That I become the Queen
Of
These laaaaands!”
Pinkemena dug her hooves into the floor, grunting as she tried to use her strength to pull a large chunk upwards while Rainbow charged, wings glowing with magic as she shot several blasts in an attempt to avenge her friends, but the Tyrant’s horn glowed, absorbing the magic directly into it as she moved ever closer and closer, a satisfied smirk on her features
“And there’s relief you can’t imagine
That’s filling every sinew, bone and nerve!
To know that you can get out of this hellhole!
And finally live the life that you deserve!
And suddenly the past you knew would haunt you
And all of the regret you didn’t show
Might just grow up and save you after all!
Might just grow up and save you!”
She remembered the tears she shed on that day. The hard work she made on that potion. The moment she poisoned Pansy’s meal that she shared with the Queen. When the hated Pegasus died in battle. When the Queen followed not long after, giving her that same beautiful smile. When she used her potion to give ehr live everlasting, and the transformation she gave her. And most of all, the look on the eyes of the wide eyed innocent who should’ve been her greatest weapon, who should’ve been something wonderful, and all the Monarch could feel was bitter disdain at the hideous creature reflected in those DAMN eyes.
And that was when The Tyrant unleashed a wave of powerful magic that pushed the ponies down but HELD them there, to the floor, so none of them could stand in her way any longer.
“After alllllll!” The Tyrant Monarch sang out, smiling to herself as she held herself at her full height and composure, a weight lifted form her shoulders. “What would a mother not do for her child? What lengths would a mother not go? There’s a bond that exists between mother and child...Ah, but then again,” She opened her eyes as she gazed downwards, standing directly over the petrified Chrysalis, the Monarch’s satisfied smiled falling into a disdainful, hateful sneer, “how would YOU know?”
Chrysalis shivered, licking her lips as she struggled for a voice. “M-mother...we...”
“Yesss?” Tyrant Monarch tilted her head, gazing intently upon her daughter. “What, are you going to try and convince me why Changelings should live peacefully with ponies? Why I should just SURRENDER to these disgusting, filthy blooded, impure EXCUSES for ponies? Why i should just LET these weak royals FREE, after the pure love they feel for each other, their subjects and not to mention YOU, has given SUCH a boost in power?” She grinned coldly. “Now, imagine what I can do with the love all of Equestria has towards Celestia? So, in the face of all that...what are you going to say? Hmm?”
Chrysalis gulped, face pale, looking at the unconscious form of Cadance trapped in the cocoon before turning her full attention towards her mother. “I...I know I can’t convince you...you...you are our mother but you hold no love for us, f-for anyone! You...you don’t know what love IS!”
Chrysalis yelped in pain as the Monarch dropped her disguise enough to slash a claw harshly across the changeling queen’s face, leaving a DEEP trio of scars.
“I know what love is, more than any changeling! The only pony I loved most in the world left me centuries ago! And Icertainly know what forms love takes beyond the romantic, and how I can that for myself!”
“But love isn’t about you!” Chrysalis stood firm, ignoring the pain in her face. “Love is about someone else, how they make you feel, how you would do anything for THEM, not because it gets YOU something, but because seeing them happy makes YOU happy! We changelings aren’t creatures of love, but we CAN be!”
“Changelings are NOTHING!” Tyrant Monarch snarled. “Nothing but TOOLS for ME! You think your...CRUSH on some pink pony princess makes you special!?”
Chrysalis shook her head. “No. Being able to love doesn’t make me special, and I don’t care even if it did. I just want to be happy, I just want EVERYONE to be happy! So why can’t you just let that be?”
The Tyrant Monarch rolled her eyes, swinging her tail to strike at Chrysalis, only to gasp as Spike leapt out of nowhere to grab onto it and cling to it.
“Wha!? How!?”
Spike glared at the Monarch. “I am a DRAGON! What part of ‘resists magic’ don’t you understand, so-called ‘Starswirl’s apprentice’?” He turned to look at Chrysalis. “Go! You changelings get like a power boost from love right? Go rescue your wife and use that love to help!”
“B-but...” Chrysalis stammered.
“Do you really think you can talk her out of this?” He turned to the Tyrant Monarch and blew a gout of lame at her as she tried to swipe at him, making her yelp and jump back from the flame. “We gottado something NOW!”
Chrysalis frowned but nodded, running past her mother to stand under the princesses Flying up to try and smash the cocoons with her hooves...and failing. The material was too strong, too magically reinforced. Her eyes fell upon Cadance’s sleeping face as Chrysalis pressed her head against the cocoon.
Tyrant Monarch snarled and violently swung her tail widly until Spike was thrown off with a yell. The Monarch turned and glared at the defeated form of her daughter, horn glowing as she used her magic to speak to her army. “All of you, back here! I want you ALL to come back to the castle stand by me! The traitor is trying to free the Princesses and I will not take ANY chances!”
Chrysalis paid no heed to her mother, focusing only on her love. “Cadance...I’m sorry...I wish so badly you could hear me...you were always so smart, so kind...you always listened to me when no one else would...” She smiled softly. “R-remember our song? Y-You know how it goes? ‘OH what will the signal be’...?”
A weak glow emanated from within the cocoon and Cadance’s mouth started to move. “....for your eyes to see me...?” The response was very weak, very small, very quiet...but there.
Chrysalis blinked, eyes widening as she stared before pressing her face closer, a pink glow faintly forming on her horn as she sang. “Oh what will the signal be...”
“For your eyes to see....” Cadance replied, her voice growing stronger as the glow fromm her own horn brightened.
Tyrant Monarch stared in disbelief. “What...? No...no that’s not possible...no voice should reach her in that state! The cocoon should keep completely inert and unreachable! How are you....!?” She growled. “Troops, HERE! NOW! I don’t care if some of you are DEAD, just get HERE, NOW!”
Chrysalis no longer heard her mother, no longer remembered she was even there, she just continued to sing. “So I still will set the stage, send my thoughts to you...” A smile broke out on her features, cracks forming in the cocoon.
And then...
“We’re receiving every wave!” The cocoon shattered as Cadance and Chrysalis embaraced, gazing in each other’s eyes, horns glowing brightly as their magic lopped between them both, guided by their love. “This song sends love through!”
Tyrant Monarch stared in utter disbelief. “How...? Chrysalis! What are you doing!? You’re SHARING Your power with HER!? A PRETENDER!? She’s just a filthy degenerate, not a true pony! She doesn’t DESERVE your love!”
The two lovers turned their gaze to the Monarch,gazes growing more determined as they held each other in a tight embrace, changelings starting to crawl into the room through the windows and the large door, many gazing in confusion at the unusual sight of a changeling and a pony together, somehow sharing each other’s magic through the same method a changeling absorbed love and gave it to their Monarch.
“What are you worthless morons doing!?” Tyrant Monarch shouted. “Attack them! KILL them! Make them STOP!”
Cadance stroked her lover’s mane, pulling her to gaze into her eyes. “Now as one we’re gonna show, this our one desire.”
Chrysalis nodded. “From this day we’ll always know, how our love grows higher.”
The pair turned their gaze towards the slowly, cautiously approaching horde of changelings, many looking unsure, nervous, while the lovers started to sing together as one.
“Now as one we’ll set the stage
Focus love on you
Now we’re sending every wave
THIS SONG SENDS LOVE THROUGH!”
A wave of pink magical energy cascaded from them, filling the room and leaving most unharmed, but pushing many changelings back to the wall or down to ground, The Tyrant Monarch staring as her army is surely being curbstomped.
“What are you DOING!? You useless pieces of trash! That’s love same as what we feed on! Just absorb it! Like this!” She attempted to absorbed the wave of magic as it struck her...only to scream as her horn shattered to pieces and the carapace over her face cracked.”AH! WHAT!? How...!? Is this because there’s changeling in this love!? No...that can’t be it...but...how!? I...I DON’T UNDERSTAND!” She desperately looked around as she realised that not only was she badly wounded, she was starting to be pushed back. “Wait! Help me! One of you cretins, help me!”
But of course, no changeling was able to resist the wave of magic that was overpowering all of them, and at this rate it would expand beyond the room itself. All the while, Chrysalis and Cadance continued to sing.
“Now for all you’d ever know
That you’d never see me
And one day you’ll ever show
What your one desire means
Now it’s time to set the stage
Send my thoughts to you
I’m receiving every wave
THIS SONG SENDS LOVE THROUGH!”
With that the pair kissed each other deeply and the magical wave surged forwards, pushing the Tyrant Monarch out, along with several changelings still fully loyal to her outwards, the wave surging through the whole city before pushing every enemy out of the city and far into the distance, Tyrant Monarch staring blankly at the city as she sailed away, unable to comprehend how she had been defeated.
The magic slowly faded as many ponies got to their hooves, healed of whatever the changelings did to put them to sleep, and in Canterlot Celestia and Luna got up from the floor, the cocoons imprisoning them shattered by the wave of love, and soon Rainbow, Spike and their friends collected themselves as well, while Chrysalis and Cadance broke their kiss, giving everyone sheepish smiles.
“So...I guess we have some explaining to do...” Cadance chuckled.
Blueblood nodded as he dusted himself off. “I’ll say...”
Celestiaand Luna looked around, turning their sights to the changeling queen, who waved a hoof and smiled brightly.
“Greetings!” Chrysalis said exuberantly. “I am Chrysalis, and I would ask your blessing to marry your niece here!”
Celestia blinked, taken aback. “What...?” She growled. “You...you INVADE my city and DARE to make such a horrible joke!?”
Cadance shook her head. “Auntie...no. Chrysalis is a good pony, she and I were trying to avoid this and help make peace between her people and ours. Her mother was the mastermind behind this attack, not her.”
Luna frowned in thought. “But how can we trust her? ANY of them? We’ve seen what they can do...”
“Most changelings are merely confused and were mislead by someone we greatly loved and respected.” Chrysalis said. “Is it not fair to at least give us a chance to prove that we can be allies, before you judge all of us outright? Please, I don’t want any more fighting, only peace.” She held out a hoof.
Celestia and Luna gazed at the changeling warily.
“if you do not try I will be very cross.” Cadance said resolutely. “I love Chrysalis more than anything and if you hurt her I WILL do...something about it.”
“Oh you don’t have to.” Chrysalis smiled and kissed the pink princess on the ear. “I’m sure the princesses will give us a chance like hey have so many others.”
Celestia looked doubtful while Luna sighed and shook her head. “Sister, we may as well hear their side of the story first, and they do have a point. Besides, they wouldn’t exactly be standing here if they were on the side of the invaders who, might I add, were WINNING. Not to mention their shapeshifting abilities are intriguing and could prove useful, let alone how fascinating the scholars will find them to be...”
“Incidentally, a couple of changelings are in the Guard and helped us out immensely during the invasion.” Blueblood interjected. “Or are you saying I have to kick them out simply because they’re changelings?”
Celestia looked around and lowered her head. “Okay, I don’t really understand everything thats been going on so you’ll have to explain EVERYTHING, like why that...why CRYSALIS was pretending to be my nephew, or what happened to save our kingdom but...very well, I will give them a chance.”
Chrysalis beamed wide, wrapping Celestia into a tight hug. “oh thank you Auntie Celestia! You won’t regret this! I can call you Auntie right? I AM marrying your niece so I figured since she calls you Auntie then it’d be fine if...”
PInkamena sighed as she looked away from the sight of Celestia frozen in place while being hugged by a spooky bug-horse, the pink earth pony looking over the fallen changelings. “So...what about these guys? Aren’t they all like enemies or something?”
“Oh no!” Chrysalis pulled off of Celestia as she shook her head. “They might be confused and need further convincing, but these are changelings that doubt Mother’s words and can be integrated into pony society! It will take a lot of hard work but I’m sure we can get through it! Oh and we’ll need to ask the ponies for help in helping them wean off the idea they need to scavenge and deceive to get Love, and of course I will act as ambassador to help the relations between our races!”
“Riiiighht...” PInkamena nodded slowly, looking disinterested.
“Soooo....” Fluttershy spoke up. “How about that wedding? Chryssie and Cadie never got to be OFFICIALLY married, didn’t they?”
Chrysalis gasped. “You’re RIGHT! We sure did get interrupted before the end there didn’t we? Well! We must rectify this at once!”
Rainbow grimaced. “Umm...are you sure its really a good time to just...restart the wedding ceremony?”
“It’s a PERFECT time!” Chrysalis insisted. “It will help relations in the face of the attack and show that the Princesses support us! Also I REALLY REALLY REALLY want it to be official between me and my wife!”
Celestia sighed and shook her head. “Very well then...in the name of diplomacy and pleasing my niece...we shall fix everything up, ensure the populace of the city is safe and sound...and THEN we will begin the wedding ceremony anew, THIS TIME without any lies or disguise, understood?”
“Yes ma’am!” Chrysalis saluted with a wide grin.
----------------------------
A looked at the newspaper in their hooves, which on the front page had the headline ‘Canterlot Wedding Chaos!’ with a big picture underneath of Princess Cadance kissing a creature identified as ‘Queen Chrysalis’ while Celestia stood over them, the pair having rings around their horns to signify their marriage.
“Equestria just gets weirder and weirder these days...” The pony shook her head ruefully, blinking as she heard a knock on the door. “Now who could that be?” She got up on her hooves and walked to the door, opening it wide.
“Greetings!” Queen Chrysalis said cheerfully as she stood there, holding several flyers under her left foreleg. “I am Queen Chrysalis and I am here to talk to you about the plight of the changelings! Now if you would just give me a moment of your time...”
The door slammed shut on her face.
“Okay!” Chrysalis said, still smiling wide. “I see you are busy! I will go to the next house then to discuss the plight of the changeling peoples then!”
She hummed happily to herself as she trotted off, happy to be finally making a difference and paving the way for a bright future for her people.