//------------------------------// // 7 - Fear of One unto Another // Story: Little Changes // by tom117z //------------------------------// The air seemed to constrict, an unseen force wrapping itself around Rainbow Dash’s windpipe and preventing the act of breathing altogether. An intense chill washed down her spine, tempered by the bubbling of her blood as it heated to a boil. ‘How can she be here?’ She thought, unconsciously taking a step back. But she couldn’t be. No. It was impossible! She’d been defeated! Contained! Being here, now, ready to… to… She would hurt ponies again. “Ah, good timing!” Twilight said cheerfully, in stark contrast to Rainbow’s growing terror. “Good news! This is Rainbow Dash! But it’s not!” Chrysalis gave her a bemused stare. “How puzzling. Explain.” “Other universe,” Spike said casually. “Like Power Ponies!” “Enough with the Power Ponies!” Twilight stressed. “But yes, this is a Rainbow Dash from another world! Exciting, right?” Chrysalis examined Twilight for a moment, seemingly attempting to find any sign of amusement or jeering. Anything at all to indicate that she was jesting. Alas, it was never found. “You’re certain?” she asked discreetly over the hive. “Very much,” Twilight responded. “Like the mirror, remember?” “Why should I be surprised by anything?” she deadpanned, turning her attention to the frozen Rainbow Dash. “So, you are an interloper. Do tell, how did you come to interrupt my trying to teach my daughter some valuable lessons in hive management?” Rainbow took another step back, her heart pounding against her ribs as if it were trying to escape. Her eyes darted left and right, desperate for an exit while a freezing sweat built up under her coat. “H-how?” she choked out before spreading out her stance defensively, her voice growing into an angry shout. “How are you here?! How did you get out of that tree?!” Twilight’s eyes widened, and she turned to Rainbow with rapidly growing unease. One of her hooves drifted up to the scar on her chest as the tension in the air increased. Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. “And you’re entirely certain she isn’t simply delusional?” Twilight gave a nervous glance between the two, her mind shifting back to their earlier conversation as she cursed herself for forgetting a small detail that, at the time, seemed utterly implausible to the young changeling. But this was other universes they were dealing with, here. “I’m sure, things are… different, clearly, where she comes from,” the Princess responded, shifting her focus solely on to the prismatically-maned pegasus. “Rainbow, remember what we talked about. Whoever you’ve met in your world, and no matter how mind-bendingly strange that individual might be, this isn’t her.” “Daughter, what aren’t you telling me?” Rainbow’s pupils dilated at the word ‘daughter.’ She didn’t really register it as Twilight turned back to Chrysalis. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the fire in her blood swelled several times over. ‘I gotta get out of here,’ she thought, her coat visibly starting to bristle. ‘Now!’ With a grunt, and with all of the memories of her past torment driving her on, Rainbow kicked off of the ground and launched herself at Chrysalis as hard as she could. The stone floor under her hooves cracked from the force of her leap, and a small cloud of dust was kicked up from the movement. Rainbow was only vaguely aware of an alarmed gasp and shout from Twilight and Spike, her hoof raised up to punch Chrysalis in the face like she had done to Twilight earlier. The queen took a step back, her expression flattening and her horn flaring up with green light. Rainbow stopped in mid-air, her eyes going wide as a withering rasp slid past her lips. She twisted in the changeling’s grip, the familiar tingle of her magic sending Rainbow’s senses into complete and utter pandemonium. “PUT ME DOWN!” she shrieked, even as the face of the startled queen before her morphed into one of malice and sadism. Rainbow’s heart leapt into her throat as her ribs began to tingle under her skin. Her eyes screwed shut involuntarily, a terrified scream slipping past her lips. There was an echo on the edge of her hearing: a familiar voice crying out. She couldn’t discern the words, however. Not over her own screaming, or the sound of her blood rushing in her ears, or that horrible song flooding her soul and making her heart shrivel with despair. “This day is going to be perfect, the kind of day of which I’ve dreamed since I was small… Who says a girl can’t really have it all?” “MOTHER, PUT HER DOWN!” Twilight’s voice finally broke through the veil just as it was lifted. Rainbow dropped to the ground like a stone, shivering uncontrollably and hyperventilating with her hooves wrapped protectively over her chest. Her eyes frantically looked around, desperate for an escape route. She could see Chrysalis and Twilight standing over her, the former looking confused while the latter was kneeling down to check and ensure Rainbow was okay. “Twilight. Explain. Now,” Chrysalis demanded as her already strained patience abandoned her. “This… pony from another world, as you so describe; why is she here and why is she making a nuisance of herself?” “Take it easy!” Twilight chided the older Changeling Queen. “I… I didn’t want to believe what she said, but that was before I had my theory confirmed. The… the version of you she knows seemingly attacked her. Killed somepony, she wasn’t exact as to who. You’re the spitting image of something she thinks is a monster.” “A pony getting one look at a changeling and seeing but a beast. How quaint.” “Mother!” Chrysalis gave a frustrated sigh between gritted teeth. “I’m still uncertain as to how much of this I believe, Twilight. Another me? One who caused her such pain? That ruthlessness sounds more like other Queens I know.” Twilight filed that comment away for later as she continued to gently pat the hyperventilating pegasus on the back. “Just look at her! It’s clear she has some serious psychological trauma.” “Even if what you claim is true, then she’s an outsider. How can we trust her?” “From what I’ve seen, she’s still Rainbow Dash. She's just… hurt. Don’t you trust me?” That question caused any retort the Queen had to catch in her throat, her eyes pierced by her daughter’s own determined ones. Inwardly cursing to herself, Chrysalis found herself in a position where she couldn’t really argue, and so, despite her lingering concerns, she gave a slow nod of concession. “You know I do, more than anyone. Very well. If you believe in this theory, then I will abide by it, but in the meantime, what do you intend to do with this pegasus?” Twilight looked down at Rainbow sympathetically, her scar continuing to itch as she considered her options. She’d made a mistake presenting her for this meeting. She clearly needed space. Figuring out the specifics of this… ‘jump’ between worlds could wait for later. For now, she had to fix her error. “Maybe we should take her outside. She might respond well to some fresh air,” Twilight suggested, standing up and leaving Spike to tend to Rainbow Dash as she moved on to peering down the corridor towards where some curious changelings were watching on. “It’s better than simply-” It was then that Rainbow Dash made her move. With a hard flap of her wings, Rainbow righted herself on her hooves, belly low to the ground. Then, with a powerful kick, she shot from her position in a blur of colour. She passed through Chrysalis’ legs, drawing a yelp of alarm from the Changeling Queen, and then immediately tore down the first corridor she came across, vanishing from view. The gust left in the wake of her departure was strong enough to throw one or two of the curious onlookers into the air to smack into the stone wall. “There she goes again,” Spike remarked. “Spike!” Twilight chided sharply. “She’s completely freaking out!” “Twilight, I will not have this creature disrupting the hive any further!” Chrysalis barked harshly, clearly at the end of her already frail patience. “Get that pegasus under control. If you consider her your friend, otherworldly as her nature might be, then she is your responsibility.” “I know!” Twilight shot back quickly. “I know! We’ll need the guards’ help again, but please tell them to be gentle. Please.” Chrysalis grit her teeth, but nodded nevertheless. “Carduus, our ‘guest’ is on the loose once more. In the event my daughter cannot calm her again, detain her however you can. Just don’t leave any bruises or my daughter’s displeasure shall be my burden to bear.” “On it!” he replied dutifully. With her mother dishing out commands, Twilight turned to Spike with a worried and worn-out expression. “Spike, come with me. You’re not a changeling, you can be of help getting her to calm down again.” “And how are we meant to do that? She’s lost it!” “She’s hurt, scared and confused! If we can just convince her of the truth…” Twilight trailed off, giving a rueful sigh. “We just have to try. Rainbow would do it for us.” “Yeah, ours would.” “And this should be no different!” she retorted. “Now come on! Celestia knows what she’s feeling right now…” No words could describe the amount of terror and panic Rainbow was feeling as she zigged and zagged down the halls of the hive. Unlike last time, when she had been driven by confusion, now she was driven by raw panic and survival instinct. Chrysalis was behind her, somewhere, and Rainbow was not eager to be near her without a lot of backup. She rounded a corner, spotting a pair of doors that seemed larger to her than the others she had passed so far. An exit, maybe? There were two armoured changelings walking away from it, seemingly having just left. That would be a problem, but what other choice did Rainbow have? If she wanted out, she’d have to get through them. With no other options, and still no idea of this place’s layout, she gritted her teeth and charged the duo. They saw her coming a moment too late, opening their mouths to say something right as she shot between them. With her momentum and a quick outwards push with her hooves, both guards were knocked off balance and sent stumbling into the walls, leaving Rainbow’s path clear. The resulting echo that rang in her ears when she slammed the doors open was much louder than she had been anticipating, making her stop for a second. Her eyes widened when she fully registered the sheer enormity of the chamber she had staggered into. It was several levels tall, there were a lot of changelings flying around inside, and many of them were now looking in her direction in surprise. Ignoring them, Rainbow leapt into the air, despite the complaints of her wing, and swept her eyes around for an exit. The longer she looked, the more it occurred to her that this place was oddly like a gigantic shopping mall in its construction; the sort that Rarity would fawn over in Manehattan. The only thing that really made it seem different was the stone construction and the large statue resting in the centre of the bottom floor. Rainbow’s eyes widened when she noticed the crystal held in the hoof of the changeling statue, and the beam of light that was subtly shooting up for the roof. Following it, she grinned triumphantly at the sight of daylight streaming in through an elongated hole in the ceiling. ‘A way out!’ Spurred on, Rainbow flew up, eager to taste fresh air again and figure out how to get home. She could almost feel the wind outside on her face as she drew closer- Thunk. ‘What the buck?!’ Rainbow’s momentum came to a grinding halt when she came into direct contact with an invisible barrier right where the hole in the ceiling was. With a sound not unlike a dove hitting a window, Rainbow dropped like a stone, falling back down towards the floor below with a cry of confusion, indignation, and pain. She was quick to regain control of her flight a few feet above the statue. She shook her head to clear away the stars that were floating across her vision before looking around to look for an alternative way out. ‘Open holes don’t work, apparently.’ Her hopes for an easy exit were dashed to the stones when she saw more and more armoured drones storming into the massive chamber. The sound of so many insect wings buzzing in the air filled her ears and, for a moment, she was back in the Empire, watching the swarm approaching on the horizon. “GET AWAY FROM ME!” She shouted as the first batch got close, quickly backing away. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” One of the guards moved forward as if to make a grab, triggering a fight-or-flight response. With an almost primal wail, Rainbow lashed out, her hoof colliding with the side of the drone’s helmet and sending him spiralling off to one side with an echoing dong. Any catharsis that may have come from that punch was swiftly undone when the remaining drones in this group narrowed their eyes and bared their teeth at her in warning. With her scar starting to tingle and burn, Rainbow’s ears folded back, and she shot down for the floor as fast as she could. There was no thought or reason behind her actions anymore. She just had to get out of here. To her growing panic, the moment she touched down, she realized it was a mistake. More and more armoured drones were positioning themselves on all sides around her, both in the air and on the ground. She was surrounded with her back pressed up against the base of the statue. “Hold her there, but don’t touch her,” the changeling Twilight’s voice again shouted out from amidst the crowd, the young queen herself emerging forth and giving the other changelings all authoritative glances. “Hold her if she tries to break through, but no magic! That would make things worse.” Twilight turned to regard Rainbow Dash, her indignant expression turning back to one of sympathy. “Rainbow, I’m sorry about my m- Chrysalis. I should have told you, but what you told me… I couldn’t believe it. I refused to. I ignored the blatant facts that anything could be different where you come from, and I’m sorry for not taking more time to consider it. But please, she won’t hurt you. I would never let her even if she did want to. Which she doesn’t.” Spike, meanwhile, finally reached the changeling’s side while desperately trying to catch his breath. “Pah… You guys and your… running… Give up, RD. Please, for the sake of my lungs!” Rainbow’s coat bristled with rage, her chest heaving with every hyperventilating gasp she made. “SH-SHUT UP!” she shouted, her voice cracking. Another drone made the mistake of inching forward a few inches to her right. Rainbow turned to him and swiped out with her hoof with a guttural growl, making him back up again. She turned back to Twilight and Spike. “JUST GO AWAY!” Even Spike seemed to be taken aback by the ferocity and fear in her tone, knocked clean out of his deadpan mood. “H-hey now! Come on, this, uh… T-Twilight…?” “It’s okay, Spike,” she assured the dragon, keeping her eyes firmly on Rainbow Dash. “Look, I know you’re scared. I know this place must be completely messed up in your eyes, but things really are different here. If you could just believe that for one second-” “I SAID SHUT UP!” Rainbow roared, a vein bulging in her throat as her voice went raw. “I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT! IM NOT LETTING HER HURT ME AGAIN! NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY!” Rainbow Dash scuffed the ground with a hoof in a way that indicated an incoming charge. Twilight’s eyes widened as she did so, the Princess pushing Spike safely aside with a hoof as she tried to think of something to say that could placate the distraught pony. No luck. She charged. It was only Twilight’s own force of will pervading the hive mind that kept the guards from pouncing then and there as she braced herself to take the brunt of it, if only out of a vain hope she could resolve the situation in the process. Then the changeling saw a flash of green out of the corner of her eye, a magic bolt striking Rainbow Dash clean in the chest. She gave a yelp of surprise, dropping like a stone to the ground and skidding to a halt at the shellshocked Twilight’s hooves. “W-what just happened?” Spike asked. “Who…?” His questions ceased when Chrysalis strode confidently past the line of guards, rounding both the dragon and her daughter as she set her predatory gaze onto the unconscious intruder. She gave a satisfied ‘hmph’, moving her eyes on from Rainbow Dash and settling them onto Twilight specifically. “Was that really necessary?” Twilight snapped, kneeling down and checking on Rainbow’s general health. “I asked you to-” “Nopony lays a hoof on you. Ever,” Chrysalis rebuffed in an eerie calm that sent shivers down Twilight’s spine. It was an odd calm that seemed to promise the fiery demise of any who threatened her child. “And she holds no permanent damage. A mere sleep spell was all that was required, hardly the toughest foe I’ve had to face in recent memory.” “So… she will be okay?” Spike asked cautiously. “Because, uh…” “She will live,” Chrysalis answered coldly. Twilight sighed. This was why she never wanted to tell her mother about the pegasus’ previous attack on her. She was protective to a fault, a blessing and a curse in equal measures as far as Twilight was concerned. “Carduus, can you take her back to my room? I’ll be along shortly.” “I can,” the Captain answered. “But… what if she simply tries to leave again?” “I’ll cast a ward on the door when I return, keep it firmly closed off,” the Princess answered. “Hopefully, though, rest will reset her state of mind.” “And if not?” the Queen questioned. Twilight didn’t answer, simply watching as Rainbow Dash was hauled up onto a gathered stretcher and moved back into the halls of the hive. The other guards started to return to their duties, though seemingly concerned about their princess’ continued well-being, while other changelings continued to watch on in complete bewilderment. Chrysalis, for her part, turned her back on Twilight and stared up at the statue behind them. “Mother, what has found its way into our hive?” she quietly lamented to the statue, Twilight just catching the sound. “This distraction comes at an inopportune time, Twilight. And if she tries to hurt you again…” “She didn’t mean it!” Twilight protested. “Look, I know you’re worried about me. But it’s Rainbow Dash! I can get through to her!” “Tell me: are you truly certain, or are you letting her resemblance to your friend get the better of you?” “I can do this. She won’t hurt me. You don’t need to press so hard.” “The last time a pony-” “He wasn’t a pony,” Twilight instantly rebuked, her voice lowering to a monotone while her hoof wandered up to her scar. “And she’s not him.” “Perhaps not. But what of Sombra? Or that centaur, Tirek! How often must you place yourself in harm’s way, daughter? I almost lost you the first time, how often can you rely on your skill of avoiding disaster through luck?” Twilight was silent a moment, wandering closer to her mother and leaning into her affectionately. “It’s not luck, you know that. My friends always come through, and you don’t need to worry about me so much. And this? I know this is strange, but it’s nothing like those other times. She’s just a scared pony.” “Scared ponies are the ones who followed Serpens. For the same reasons this Rainbow Dash does, no less.” “I’ll be careful,” she promised. “I can do this. Consider it a test of my diplomatic ability.” “Your tests frustrate me.” Twilight chuckled, sharing a nuzzle with her mother. “Someone has to keep you on your hooves. But please, let me do this my way. After all, you did say it’s my responsibility.” Chrysalis sighed in defeat. “I did say that. I cannot stop you. Just tread carefully. I won’t let any harm befall you, so don’t give me a reason to come to your defence.” “I won’t, so leave the ‘Knight in Shining Armour’ act for another time,” she replied. “Hm, I should tell my brother he has severe competition.” “Please, that oaf couldn’t protect a wet towel.” “Hey!” “You never asked me to lie.” Twilight groaned, rolling her eyes in irritation. “Alright. I’m going to go calm down my distraught friend from another world now before I give you any more chances to completely demean my pony side.” “Hey,” Chrysalis called out more softly as Twilight made to leave. “I didn’t intend to demean anything about you, Twilight. I’m sorry if I-” “Don’t worry. I can’t ever force you to like them,” Twilight responded, glancing back with a small smile. “But… thanks for looking out for me. As always. I love you.” “I love you too, daughter,” Chrysalis responded, relieved to receive her daughter’s forgiveness. “But do not fret, you know I’m rather fond of those two ponies who protected you for all those years. Especially the one with the photographs.” “Alright, leaving now.” Twilight lifted Spike up and onto her back, departing the atrium in a hurry while leaving behind an amused Chrysalis. The Queen’s expression fell again, however, once she was gone. She returned her attention to the statue, looking up at the stone queen’s face in reminiscence. “Did I ever give you such grief, I wonder?” she muttered aloud to the eternal visage of Queen Avia. “Watch over her, mother. Do not let me fail.” She then turned from the atrium herself, giving a few nods to the remaining drones to indicate that everything was well and that they could return to their business. She then departed, intent on returning to the throne room. Nothing could banish Twilight from her mind, though, and the memory of losing her remained as fresh as the day she was torn from the hive itself. It would never happen again. She’d die first.