//------------------------------// // A New Leader for the Changelings // Story: Terror Zero: Returning to a Time of Harmony // by StormLuna //------------------------------// Two and a half days had passed and darkness again had set over Ponyville. Lightning Storm and Colgate had been careful to avoid making their presence known since they arrived but when the time came Colgate ordered, "Lightning Storm, the time has come. The time has come to prevent that dark future we all lived through from coming to be." Lightning Storm replied, "Let's do this." The two headed out and took off to the south. Unlike Dark Night, Lightning Storm was not one bit nervous. He was ready to take Chrysalis down and he knew that with Colgate present that Chrysalis wouldn't stand a chance. He knew that as they flew south, Colgate's plan was to make him king of the changelings but the most important thing was to stop that horrible future from ever coming to be. Dawn was arriving in the changeling kingdom and the two arrived. Colgate took a look at the hive and saw that there was no clear opening and that there were guards stationed by the hive. Lightning Storm landed in front of them and saw that they were ready to attack. Both he and Colgate took to the skies and he yelled, "At ease guards, at ease." Given that Lightning Storm was not created until after the banishment of Chrysalis, none of the guards knew who he was. Colgate however would be quick to act. She grabbed the guards in her aura and ordered, "Where is Queen Chrysalis, I very much need to speak to her." Pharynx, the head of patrol sneered, "Why should we tell a pony anything?" He then became more suspicious and yelled, "You are a spy for Celestia, aren't you?" He then barked an order to the changelings that had yet to be held in her aura, "Cover here in ooze! Bring her down!" A bright white bulb formed at the end of Colgate's horn and she released a ball of energy, throwing all the changelings back. This sent a clear message to Pharynx that unlike the Alicorn princesses, that Colgate would not be easy to bring down. He gave the same order and it ended with the same result, Colgate throwing them backwards with her energy. When he finally realized that Colgate was a pony that was not going to be immobilized he asked, "Who are you and what do you want?" He then pointed to the changeling by his side and continued, "And who is this changeling? He does not look familiar." Colgate replied, "My name is Colgate and this changeling with me is Lightning Storm. He has held a leadership role for a very long time and I have come to let you know that a change in leadership here is imminent. No longer shall you answer to Chrysalis, you shall answer to him now." "And who are you to say this?" asked Pharynx, "Who are yo to come in here and remove our queen from power?" Colgate replied, "And what of her officers? Where are they?" Pharynx felt a bit unnerved being grasped in the powerful Alicorn's aura and replied, "Let me go and I shall lead you to him, the one officer who did not go with the queen on official business." Colgate released her hold on him and the two followed him into the hive. The passages twisted and turned a lot and many, many guards were present but with Pharynx leading the two outsiders towards the throne room, When they arrived they were greeted by the changeling general, General Iron Sheath. Pharynx addressed him, "General, I found these trespassers lurking on our grounds and they wish to speak to the queen." Colgate decided to lie to the general, "Well general, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your queen will not be returning. As it turns out, she was going to visit with Sombra over some feeble attack to attack Equestria and when she mentioned them sharing power, he decided that was not acceptable and wound up killing her." There were other soldiers present in the throne room when he yelled, "Did you hear that everychangeling? King Sombra killed our queen and now we must attack him! We must attack King Sombra and punish him for his crime against us!" Colgate grabbed Iron Sheath in her aura and again lied, "You may not know this but I am close to Chrysalis and when I introduced her to Lightning Storm, she thought he would be great leadership material and told me that I was to come and install him as your new king." The general was very good at pointing out liars and he did not pick up any lie coming from Colgate. He replied, "Well even though I was always the one who was next in line to the throne, I suppose will believe you." He turned to Pharynx and ordered, "Pharynx, go gather everychangeling and bring them here so that this changeling, Lightning Storm may be crowned king." "Yes general." replied Pharynx. Pharynx went to round up the other changelings and while Iron Sheath figured that the blue Alicorn was telling the truth, he couldn't help but be jealous of the changeling who would be taking over the throne. The whole time he was out gathering the other changelings, he gave the two a glare. Colgate could tell that despite what she had told him, that he was likely a bit suspicious of her. When Pharynx returned with the whole hive, Colgate and Lightning Storm joined Iron Sheath up by the throne. Colgate tapped him with her wing and ordered, "Tell them, tell them what I told you." Iron Sheath began, "Well everyone, I have some bad news. While she was visiting King Sombra over plans to attack Equestria, she brought up sharing power and Sombra wound up killing her over it." One of the changelings asked, "And how do you know this?" He motioned for Colgate to step forward. She stepped forward and began, "I am close with Chrysalis and what he said happened did happen. Now I am sure that many of you are wondering why I have this changeling you do not recognize but like it is with Chrysalis, I am close with him and she told me to come and put him on the throne." Most of the changelings, including Pharynx stomped their hooves in delight but one did not, General Iron Sheath. He yelled, "I still don't think you are telling the truth! I still think you have some other plan on putting this changeling on the throne!" Colgate replied, "Trust me, this is what Chrysalis wants and she told me that if anychangeling goes against her final wishes, that I am to banish them to the void." She lit up her horn and continued, "So which is it general? Will you respect your queen's final wishes or will I have to go through with what she instructed?" He was staring into Colgate's eyes and saw nothing to the truth. He stood there for a minute before finally resigning to what he believed the former monarch's wishes were. He said, "Very well." He then bowed to Lightning Storm and asked, "So your Majesty, what is it you ask of me? What is it you ask of us, your subjects?" Lightning Storm replied, "I do not ask for much but I will let you know this. No longer will we view Equestria as an enemy nation, we shall now view as friends." Everychangeling knew that with their past, particularly with the invasion of Canterlot, that the ponies may not be so willing to accept them. Iron Sheath asked, "But what about the attack? Are the ponies going to so willingly accept us as allies?" Colgate replied, "Not to worry general, I am very close with Princess Celestia. I will tell her about this situation and everypony there hangs on every word she says. When she tells the nation that the changeling kingdom is no longer their enemy, they will accept changeling kind and not discriminate against any of you." The changelings began to cheer at the news that they could start fresh with Equestria. Lightning Storm in particular was quick to thank her, "Thank you Colgate, thank you! I look forward to us and the ponies no longer being enemies." Colgate replied, "You're welcome." She then leaned down and whispered, "I had best get going if I am to prevent Twilight's corruption. I don't want all that death and destruction to ever happen." He said, "Alright Colgate but thanks again!" Colgate replied, "Well good luck to you Lightning Storm. I will forever be grateful to your helping me in my causes but for now, I must get going." Lightning Storm nodded and Colgate quickly exited the hive and sped off towards the north. She was not sure exactly how much time she had but she did know two things. She knew that with her being in the past that using her time spell would likely not be a good option and she knew that she would have to fly fast, very fast if she was to stop Twilight's corruption.