Twilight slumped to the ground, exhausted. She wasn't terribly injured – by some miracle she had avoided a direct hit through the whole battle, and when the magic of the Heart washed over her, the transformation healed all the minor cuts and bruises as it gave her body a more perfect, crystalline form. But inside she felt burned out. There was only so long one could keep their mind in perfect focus, dancing and dodging around attacks that threatened to reduce them to ash. Now her stomach was twisted in a painful knot as the adrenaline levels slowly returned to normal, and her mind was screaming for rest.
She forced herself to look around. Applejack was trotting to her side, her amber coat uneven in hue, betraying the burns that Pinkie's magic had patched over. She had lost her hat in the struggle, and looked too tired to even try to conjure one with magic. On the other side, Pinkie had plopped onto the ground, swaying slowly from side to side. It was her powers that kept the three of them alive most of the time, leaving Twilight amazed at what the pink pony mare could conjure – but that also meant she was the most drained of the three.
Three?
“Dash!?” Twilight jumped to her hooves, and looked frantically around. Sometime during the battle, her friend flew off to prevent Envy from joining the fight. Now she was nowhere to be seen.
Pinkie Pie perked up and looked around, her ears swiveling. There was a slight blue glow coming from her gem. “She went...” Pinkie hopped up, pirouetted several times, and suddenly stopped, standing on one hind leg, one front hoof pointing forward. “... thataway,” she said. Then the light of her Element faded, and she faceplanted, the short grunt of pain instantly turning into a loud snore.
***
Enigma appeared in an empty tunnel. He extended his senses as much as he dared, taking in his surroundings. There were wards there, on the edge of his perception, waiting for an intruder to walk through.
They did get in and out of here somehow, he thought. He risked another shift, moving 20 feet down the corridor. And there it was; a hole through which he could reach freely with his senses, indicating the absence of magic – something had cut through the layers of the alarm spells as it it was a wire fence.
Obsidian knows what he's doing, observed Enigma before venturing forward. He didn't move his legs at all, avoiding the sound of hooves on the stone floor. Instead, he just kept shifting, several feet at a time, taking just enough of a break between jumps to make sure he wasn't about to touch another layer of alarm spells.
There should be some guards by now, he thought. And sure enough, his spatial awareness detected a clumped distortion on the floor behind the corner. There was a body there, one of Eve's assistants, apparently killed with a spell that burned through the artificial pony's chin, stabbing up through the brain. Killed before he could raise the alarm... But his death wasn't noticed either, so he wasn't on guard duty. He actually moved his head to look around. I shouldn't have got that deep without having to at least bypass sentries. Is Eve so short on personnel? In that case, I should hurry up before phase two comes into effect.
He kept shifting for another minute, locating another layer of alarm spells, with another hole cut through them, getting to the main labs level. There he finally detected movement; a pair of guards were walking down the corridor, the metallic clinking indicating the presence of armor. One sentry golem, and one assistant, recognized Enigma. Could Eve be in that body? It's time to start checking.
He focused, and a foot wide block of stone disappeared from the wall beside him. It reappeared on the ceiling and fell, disappearing again and again, and building up momentum as it kept falling. Now. Enigma shifted, moving around the corner and coming face to face with the pair. The block appeared over them and struck like a falling anvil, compacting the empty helmet of the animated armor sentry. The assistant looked at Enigma in surprise, before opening his mouth to scream.
Default programming, thought Enigma. The crash of bending metal had already alerted everypony within hearing range. This body was unlikely to be Eve. And with no true soul, it had very little pattern resistance. Enigma focused, and the white pony gasped, his scream cut short, as his eyes bulged. A tiny red ball appeared in the air in front of him; the blood that Enigma had pulled out of the body, replacing it with a bubble of air. The assistant wobbled and fell over, the blockage cutting off the blood flow to his brain, taking him down in a second.
Enigma didn't wait for the body to be still. He was already on the move, shifting through walls, the stone block following him, constantly in motion, crashing through lab equipment like a giant hammer. A pair of assistants showed up, taking fighting stances.
Not Eve. It would be a waste to run towards me, decided Enigma, shifting the falling block to turn its momentum sideways, slamming into one of the ponies' temple with a force that crashed their heads together, sending both to the floor. Enigma felt around himself and found an empty space below. He shifted again, and ended up in a medical lab filled with large glass tubes where ponies destined to become replacement bodies floated suspended in healing liquid.
Here is my target.
He closed his eyes and focused, spreading his senses all around him. Small pieces of objects were located, anchored to his pattern ability, and shifted out of position. The lab exploded in a splashing wave of liquid and broken glass, the unconscious bodies spreading on the floor, the ponies doomed to drown as their suspended animation spells failed. There was only one pony left moving.
Enigma turned around. Dr. Stone was standing in the door. “What do you think you're doing?” she asked coldly.
“Wrecking equipment you won't replace without Gloria,” replied Enigma. “Denying you pre-modified bodies. Hoping to catch you, if I'm lucky.”
Out of nowhere, syringes shifted in around Dr. Stone, flying at her body. They stopped without making contact, and flew away, pushed off target by an invisible force that embedded them in the walls.
That's magic, thought Enigma. Did she cover herself with amulets for protection, or is it just an elite guard? She is wearing something to conceal her aura, I can barely touch her.
“No such luck,” said Dr. Stone. “I’ve had enough intruders for tonight.”
She stepped forward, sighing in indignation at the sight of the twitching bodies around her.
“This ends now.” She splashed with her hoof, hitting the floor underneath the liquid, and then swung her leg forward. Enigma felt something detach from underneath her horseshoe as she did, and shifted well aside to dodge. But as the item, a small silver disc, stopped in the air and started glowing pale blue, Enigma's vision swam.
The lines!
He could feel them now, more magical wards embedded in the walls, all over the place, interweaved with the magic providing the lighting, or keeping the equipment in good maintenance. They hadn't been doing anything until now, merely a background noise of the lab. But now, the disk attracted them from all around, changing the setup completely, like a griffin child playing with a piece of string woven through her claws, revealing a new shape when she twisted her talons.
It was all a trap, and all set up for him. He felt he couldn't shift away anymore, his senses distorted, as if the space itself had folded with the magical lines. To attempt a shift in such circumstances would be a suicide.
“You do know I can just die,” he said, calmly looking at Dr. Stone.
“And explain to your allies just who you're wearing this time?” asked Dr. Stone. A couple of syringes, just like the ones Enigma had produced a moment before, emerged from her coat and flew forward towards him.
He darted forward, swatting them out of the air with his hoof, and actually grabbing one with his teeth. His power had been disabled, but he was still an assassin with millennia of experience. He cleared the distance in a heartbeat, and lunged forward, his pattern pouring forth to overpower the scientist's magical defenses. They rolled on the floor with a splash, Enigma ending up on top, with the syringe in his teeth pressed against Dr. Stone's throat.
Too easy... is she not the real one either? There should be claws and spikes, and more skill...
He pressed in, piercing the coat with the needle. But the liquid would not go in. For the second time in the minute, Enigma's senses went crazy.
The syringe backed out of the wound, held in pale blue magical aura, pushing back against what he thought was enough pattern to shut down any magic Eve could possibly wield. And now her eyes were glowing pale blue as well. Enigma felt himself lifted off her, wisps of smoke rising from his coat as conflicting energies collided around his body. He twisted, trying to buck at her face, but she pushed him away, holding him turning helplessly in the air.
He locked eyes with the mare as the rotation made him face her. Even with his senses distorted, he could now feel her magic – what he had thought to be inaccessible to him because of protective wards had actually been an overwhelming magical aura all along. And now she'd stopped trying to hide it.
“You're not Eve,” he said. “What are you?”
“Eve is gone,” she said, driving the needle into the back of his neck. He tried to expel the drug from his body, but the damn thing had been infused with magic. He instantly felt his vision blur, and his struggling weakened. “It's nothing personal, but I can't have you interfere at this stage.”
“You didn't answer,” managed Enigma. I can't lose consciousness, just a moment longer...
“I have no time to monologue now,” replied Dr. Stone. “You've done a lot of damage, and I have things to do.”
“I will do more,” smiled Enigma. Internally, he forced his heartbeat to slow, buying himself precious seconds.
There was a rumble in the distance. Dr. Stone tilted her head, looking up as if she could penetrate the many meters of rock with her gaze. Perhaps she could. “I see, you're not done.”
No, thought Enigma, unconsciousness overcoming him. It took hours of shifting rocks to do it, but right now, the river is flowing inside the mountain, and that sound means, that my dam has just broken.
In the floors above them, a thin wall gave way, the tunnel suddenly becoming a part of an underground river. It washed through the corridors, flushing away sentries and equipment, activating alarms, and smothering security measures. When it reached the stairs, it crashed down in a foaming waterfall.
“You didn't come here to do damage,” said Dr. Stone, looking down on him, “just to try to eliminate me. And now-”
The lights blinked. Enigma was too dizzy to smile, but he felt his chance. The water had done enough damage to disrupt some of the systems of the compound, cutting off power and ripping the intricate web. Enigma could no longer move, but in the last second of consciousness he could feel his way out of the trap. A blink of an eye, and he was gone.
***
Rarity blinked, trying if she could wake herself up. She had just spent a minute listening to Maska's explanation, but it didn't make sense to her.
“Wait... you mean Cris... alis planned all this?” she repeated her question.
Maska shook her head. “Not in detail. She couldn't have predicted all the events of tonight. But she was concerned that her lingering connection to Generosity might hamper your potential. She accepted the possibility that winning the war might call for her death, and prepared accordingly. Your transformation signifies that she'd left you all the power she could've.”
Rarity stared in stunned silence. She didn't just save me. She purposefully... why?
“Why me?” she finally managed. "I've never been a queen of anything.”
“I admit, this goes against all our traditions,” said Maska with a nod. “Normally, it would have probably been me, possibly with some ritual challenges if anyling objected. But the situation calls for the swarm to change and adapt, and the queen decided you could help in that. It is fortunate that she managed to pass some of her traits on you. You are now changeling by blood, which should prevent any dissent. And you're a pony by birth, perfect to facilitate cooperation with ponykind, the thing we need most right now. As for your inexperience, I was instructed to serve as your advisor.”
Rarity looked down at her hooves. Dark and chitinous, they were beautiful in a way, but they were not hers. Can I change it? She said I'm a changeling now. What do I do? I can't do it. I need to make some sense of this mess... mess. That's it.
“There are ponies here, scared and injured,” she said, meeting Maska's gaze. “We need to find everypony alive in the city, and make sure they're in no further danger. Can you do it?”
“We were already coordinating an evacuation effort,” replied Maska. "It's just a matter of changing the assembly points.”
“Make sure you find my friends too,” continued Rarity. She suddenly froze, and stared straight at Maska. “Fluttershy! Where is she? You were supposed to take care of her!”
The changeling nodded. “Still in the cocoon spell your friends created.” She turned around, and for a moment, her wings buzzed loudly. “The queen called me here because my power was needed, but my team kept watching over her. They'll bring her back to the surface now.”
She turned around, her wings buzzing again and again, in different rhythm. The changelings around Rarity scattered, flying away all over the city, with only four black armored ones staying around her, clearly standing guard. As Maska's soldiers brought Fluttershy back to the surface, Rarity took a moment to collect her thoughts. The fight was clearly over. She had returned the Heart to its proper place, and put a new barrier around the city. She didn't know how many ponies there were within the city, but just now she was beginning to feel their hope flowing through the Heart – many were in pain, physical or otherwise, but she had managed to give them something to hold on to at least.
And Chrysalis... Cristal is dead. How should I remember her? The pony, or the changeling? She died... no, she killed herself so I could succeed. Why does everypony keep dying? And she left me her swarm to take care of. Oh, what should I do?
Now that she had made her decisions, and left the rest to her new subjects, she no longer had the immediate problems to occupy her mind with. That left her enough freedom for her imagination to wander, horrible scenarios springing to her mind's eye one after another.
If I don't find something, anything to focus on, I'm going to break down and start crying in front of the changelings. If only I had my sewing machine... can I ask for a sewing machine? I don't think so. Perhaps just think of designs then? If I were to dress the changelings, how would I do it?
She turned away from Maska, and focused on the nearest guard instead. He was already dressed in a black armor that used to match his shell, but now stood out as the chitine was turned a deep shade of purple. The changes didn't end there; the holes covering the changeling's limbs had all closed, making him appear much less ragged.
If he kept looking like this, I could work with this. Perhaps a tailcoat? Of course it would have to have wing holes. I wonder if those would work the same as with pegasi wings...
Rarity's mind grabbed on the familiar routine, and she spent a minute in her own world, contemplating the design. She broke out of it when she noticed movement in the distance – there were ponies walking through the plaza, gathering around the tower.
Even with the effects of the Heart's pulse still beautifying them, Rarity could see they were in a miserable condition. Some were still wearing chains that had been used to keep them contained, many were covered in cuts and bruises, and some even burns, clear signs of having been caught too close to the battle between Hate and North Star. She saw a couple of guards, their armors dented and wrapped in strands of changeling resin, stumbling forward along with the rest, their faces frightened and confused.
She caught sight of a small colt, walking alone, his eyes at the ground. There was nopony to accompany him, and yet he wasn't looking around frantically for his parents, as she expected he would. That made her think that perhaps he knew full well where they were, and the thought made her stomach twist into a knot.
She walked out towards the gathering crowd, her guards moving with her in unison, then caused her Element to glow, attracting everypony's attention. “Everypony, please remain calm!” she said loudly, magic amplifying her voice. “The Heart has been restored, and you are protected again! The changelings will help you find safe spots to sleep in, but first, anypony who needs medical attention, form a line over there.” A ball of purple emerged from her horn, flying to one corner of the tower, and hanging there. Rarity turned towards Maska, who was busy receiving reports from returning changelings.
“You do have medics, don't you?” she asked. “We'll make a hospital inside the palace for now.”
Maska looked up towards the tower. The missing top was too large to be instantly regrown by the Heart's magic, but the building was no longer glowing with heat. “The lower levels are still stable, and it's a natural point for the locals to seek help. It will serve. We'll use resin nets to fly in the injured.”
“There is so much more they're going to need,” said Rarity. “We need somepony local, who knows where everything is.”
There was a buzz of wings, and a changeling landed in front of Rarity. Giving a brief bow, she spoke. “Your Majesty, your friends require your powers. Please follow me.”
***
It was three hours later when Rarity finally had the time to sit down. She was in a chamber on what was now the top floor of the palace, hastily converted into a hospital room. Pinkie Pie was asleep, snoring loudly on a small pile of blankets in the corner. The two simple beds were taken by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, both breathing calmly in a magically induced sleep. The rest of the furnishings was limited to three cushions they managed to grab while walking through the palace – Applejack, Rarity and Twilight were sitting on them in a circle.
“I have no idea how Chrysalis did what she did,” said Twilight. “It's a permanent transformation, not just a spell.”
“So... she did to me what Deception had done to her,” said Rarity.
“That's one way to put it,” replied Twilight, suddenly uneasy. “But... you didn't become a monster. You don't feel any... unusual hunger, do you?”
“No, I don't,” said Rarity. “But then again, I'm so charged up now, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep. I have no idea how I will feel in the morning.”
“Speaking of which,” interrupted Applejack. “There should be a morning in a few hours.”
They all knew what it meant. When they went to find Rainbow Dash, luckily in time to save her life, they also found what was left of Luna. Rarity didn't want to remember the image; there were two bodies there besides Rainbow. Twilight incinerated one, and encased the other in crystal, to be recovered later.
“We'll need to raise the sun,” said Rarity, her personal problems momentarily forgotten.
“Just the three of us?” asked Twilight.
“Well, Rainbow needs her sleep,” said Applejack. “So does Fluttershy. And I'm not sure if we can wake Pinkie up.”
“Fluttershy isn't seriously injured,” said Twilight. “at least physically. I'm not sure what North Star did to her mind, but connecting to Kindness might actually help her recover faster. The problem is we don't have Kindness, unless Obsidian manages to retrieve it.”
“So, it might really be just the three of us,” said Applejack. “At least two of us are awakened now. Do you think we can pull it off?”
“I do feel a lot stronger now,” said Rarity. “And if Luna could do it alone, why not us? I'm only concerned with how much power I can use. I don't want the shield around the city to disappear.”
“I don't think we'll be attacked anytime soon,” said Twilight. “Unless Deception attacks us by herself, but from what Obsidian said, it wouldn't be like her. So we should have a day or two until Envy and Hate return. Let us make the best use of it.”
There was a short buzz behind the door. Rarity turned her head towards the noise. “It's for me, I'm afraid,” she said, getting up.
There was a changeling standing in the doorway, between the two guards. “Your Majesty, Mr. Obsidian is at the edge of the barrier with Dr. Bluebonnet, awaiting permission to enter.”
Twilight and Applejack sprang up, joining Rarity at the door. “Finally!” exclaimed Twilight. “Are they okay?”
“They appear to be,” said the changeling. “Though Mr. Obsidian requested that the bearer of Honesty be present to verify their identity.”
“Can't be too careful,” agreed Applejack. “Okay then, lead us to them.”
“They will be at the main entrance,” said Rarity. “We'll find the way there ourselves. You can stay here with Twilight to keep watch over our friends. Don't worry, Twilight. We'll get back here to tell you everything.”
The two ponies walked down the corridor and towards the nearest stairs. The rooms they passed were full of ponies, most of them trying to get some sleep after the horrors the night had offered. Rarity could see many faces ruffled with dried tears. She passed by the colt she had seen earlier – he was sleeping uneasily, cuddled into the side of a pegasus mare, who was covering him with her wing. Rarity knew it wasn't so though – the pegasus was a changeling, one she had personally appointed for the task. She was in a hurry, but forced herself to keep an even pace. Everything was under control, and all the ponies could finally calm down; the queen would not be seen running.
***
The morning sun was shining through the window, casting rainbow reflexes on the walls as it filtered through the edges of the crystal window frame. Rainbow Dash turned on her side and groaned. She was wrapped in bandages, but she suspected it was more to prevent her from moving too much than to actually stop any bleeding – her last memory was a strangely distorted version of Rarity trying to plug a hole in her chest with magic. Though she could tell she was stable, every breath was painful; she could clearly feel where her left lung had been damaged, and then magically repaired. She was also so weak, even turning on her side was an effort. She could only guess that it was the result of blood loss.
There was movement on the other side of the room. Dash made the effort to look up, and noticed a flash of yellow and pink in the other bed, opalescent reflexes playing on the smooth fur.
“Fluttershy...” she said in a croaking whisper.
Fluttershy turned on her bed, and looked at her, her face instantly scrunched with worry. “Rainbow Dash, please, don't move.”
“She's right,” said somepony at the foot of the bed. A glossy, purple changeling walked slowly into Rainbow's field of vision. He had a stethoscope around his neck. “Your life has been saved, and further magical help will be administered, but you need to stay still for now to avoid further damage. How are you feeling?” he said, taking a careful look at her.
“I'll be back on my hooves soon,” said Dash in a voice that was supposed to sound tough, but came out another strained whisper.
“Thirsty, I can hear,” replied the changeling. “Here, have this. Drink very, very slowly,” he said, handing Dash a small cup with a straw from beside the bed. The pegasus took a couple of seconds trying to grab it, finally managed to get a hold of the straw, and sipped slowly. Whatever it was, it was both refreshing and energizing. It made her think of the elixirs Pierce gave them back when they woke up in the hive beneath Everfree.
The changeling stood still for a second, his wings vibrating loudly. He then stepped away towards the exit. “I have informed the Queen that you have woken up. Your friends will be with you shortly.”
“Huh, I thought he'd want to examine me,” said Rainbow Dash. She was still too weak to move much, and it hurt when she inhaled, but she was much more awake, and her voice sounded much clearer too.
“He already had, I think,” said Fluttershy. “He was already here when I woke up. Are you feeling alright? You look horrible.”
Dash looked back at her. “Don't mind me. How are you feeling? What did that monster do to you?”
Fluttershy looked down on her covers. “He... tried to dig through my head with magic, to find out where you wwere headed next. I kept telling him I didn't know, but he wouldn't believe me, and he got angry. He didn't really damage much... nothing permanent, I think... but that was really, really horrible.”
Dash fought an urge to jump out of her bed. “When I get my hooves on him...”
Fluttershy shook her head. “It's too late for that. When the Heart returned to power, it... destroyed him. There's nothing left of him... or that amulet that drove him crazy. He'll never hurt anypony again.”
Dash sunk into her pillow. “And I... Wait. I took down Luna. Does it mean we've won?”
“Not quite yet,” said Fluttershy. “We got the Crystal Empire back. And Envy and Hate are... gone for a moment. So, until they...” she paused for a sigh, “until they steal somepony else's bodies to return, we have a moment to rest and prepare.”
Dash turned her gaze away from her, the elation of having won a battle gone from her in an instant. “I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt anypony but her. I just wanted to protect you all.”
“Obsidian says, they have some ponies in their lab, ponies they thought nopony would miss, ready to be their new bodies.” said Fluttershy. “I... think it was too late to save them. Like those ones in Aurora's vision, they were already turned into something they weren't.”
Dash turned back to her. “I'll get Envy for those too. There are only three of them left, and we're together again. Next time we meet, we'll be sealing that monster for good.”
There was a moment when Dash was looking at Fluttershy with determination, the yellow pegasus returning her expression eventually. Then Dash did a double take. “Hey, you have Kindness back! Obsidian made it through!” Her eyes bulged, and she had to take a couple deliberate calm breaths as her chest reacted to her outburst of enthusiasm with piercing pain.
“Yes,” said Fluttershy. “And you awakened. And Rarity... we don't quite know what happened, but Queen Chrysalis died in battle, and she left everything to Rarity. Her power, her swarm. She somehow made her half-changeling. She's the new queen... and she doesn't really like it.”
There was a sound of hooves in the corridor. Pinkie Pie bounced into the room, pounced towards Rainbow Dash, who cringed in anticipation of being forcefully hugged, then somehow decelerated in the air, stopping inches from Dash, and nuzzling her muzzle with hers. “Oh, I'm so happy you're awake, Dash!” she exclaimed. “Everypony was so worried about you.”
More ponies entered the room. There was Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Obsidian, Bluebonnet and Pierce, all looking relieved, each in their unique way.
“We've risen the sun,” said Obsidian. “Now we can focus on getting the two of you back on your hooves.”
“Fluttershy has told me about Chrysalis,” said Dash. “What else did I miss? Where's Rarity?”
“She's walking around town, visiting the injured, and making sure they have all they need,” explained Twilight.
Something small pushed its way through the crowded room, and towards Rainbow's bed. Dash extended a hoof, stopping Scootaloo before she could press into her. “Dash! You're okay!”
“Soon, Scoots, soon,” replied Dash with a smile. “So, you three are here too?”
“Yup,” replied Apple Bloom, peering from behind Pierce. “Rarity thought it will be safer for us here, inside the barrier. Sweetie Belle is with her now.”
“What about our families?” asked Fluttershy. “Now, that Rarity is the queen...”
“I advised for letting them sleep some more,” said Obsidian. “At least until we make sure we have enough food for everypony here. Being hidden away from all the fighting might be safer for them.”
“As for the rest,” said Bluebonnet, “We were successful in our infiltration. Obsidian recovered Kindness for Fluttershy, and I... managed to get into my lab, and got some more parts. I have a new idea for how to solve the problem of aiming the pattern gun. I also managed to get some more ammo for it, though we had to hide it near Canterlot. The batteries wouldn't teleport with us.”
“So, after you're done patching me up,” said Dash, “what's the plan?”
“We now have all the Elements again,” said Obsidian, “As well as four awakened bearers, and a powerful leyline to work with, should all of that prove insufficient. I say it is time to test the theory Doctor Bluebonnet and Twilight have formulated, and try to end this war once and for all.”
“You want us to unsplice Vengeance,” said Twilight, looking at him.
“Yes,” replied Obsidian. “She has caused this world enough grief already.”
***
Absinthe awoke with a scream of frustration. The voice was male and it bettered his mood, but only slightly. The pod was already being emptied, the liquid draining away since he started taking over the host body. Outside, Dr. Stone was observing her instruments, checking some calculations and marking lines in her notepad. Absinthe tapped on the glass with both front hooves, noticing as he did that he had green coat. There was also a horn in his peripheral vision.
It has been ages since I was a green unicorn. It almost looks like my old body…
“I see... we’ve lost Luna?” asked Dr. Stone looking up at the pod.
Absinthe hit the glass hard with his foreleg. “Yes! And another one of them is awakened! I told Gloria not to do it! It’s all her fault! I should have personally fed them all to that dragon and found another way to get Lightbringer out. But no, she wanted her perfect story, her greatest enemies as her trusting disciples. Well now she can…” He stared down at Dr. Stone. “How long will it take?”
“I'm sorry,” said Dr. Stone, moving away from the pod, “but there have been some more setbacks while you were away. Enigma decided to make his move against us. I managed to repel him, but not before he flooded most of the compound.”
Absinthe's eyes bulged. “What!?” He turned around inside the pod, as if looking for something he could kick, but the hardened glass container didn't leave him enough space for a proper swing. “That stinking traitor. That does it. We don't need him anymore. Once we have things under control, we will see just how immortal he is.”
“Anyway,” said Dr. Stone, “the lab is operating at 10 percent capacity... but I managed to keep the most vital parts operational.” She leaned forward and checked some readings. “I should be able to… release you… momentarily. And speaking of immortality... Could you please… try to die?”
Absinthe looked at her in surprise, then closed his eyes and exhaled purposefully. Nothing happened.
“I can’t. But that’s not what you meant by ‘a body that won’t die,’ did you, Eve? I don’t need a shell that I’ll get stuck in when it’s broken,” said Absinthe angrily, his temper simmering back towards the boiling point.
“No, no… of course not,” said Dr. Stone, shrinking. “And please, don't call me Eve. Let me explain, while I finish the fine-tuning,” she added, avoiding his gaze.
“As long as it doesn't take long,” agreed Absinthe.
“Once you understand how the binding works, it is relatively easy to create a semi-permanent bond,” said Dr. Stone, checking the instruments around the pod. “Once you have connected to a body, if its energy signature is properly adjusted, it will hold you for as long as it lives in any capacity. But you said that's not what you need.” She was speaking more confidently now, slipping back into her Dr. Stone persona, as the habit of reciting research facts overrode the anxiety.
“The idea is much more advanced. Now that you are anchored, and the pony soul is no longer a concern, I can begin phase two. Multiple anchoring.”
“What does that mean?” asked Absynthe.
“Binding to several bodies at once,” explained Dr. Stone. “Connected to each of them, even if they are separated. That way you will remain bonded to the material world, as long as one of the hosts lives, and you should theoretically be able to shift your point of view from one body to another.”
Absynthe snorted. “That must be your craziest idea yet. And you can do it with nine tenths of your lab destroyed? How are you going to create the extra bonds though? We only bond when disembodied.”
“It's simple,” said Dr. Stone. “I'm going to split the original body. Do you see those droplets on your fur?”
Absinthe looked at his foreleg. What he had thought to be remains of the pod liquid was actually some kind of sludge his body was secreting. “What are they?” he asked.
“Just cutting your body into pieces wouldn't do,” said Dr. Stone. “I needed all the parts of you to remain alive. But I knew most simple organisms can divide and split naturally without harm, so... I set your body to simplify itself once possessed.”
Absinthe stared at her in disbelief. The silence stretched on until it became uncomfortable. Finally the unicorn managed to choke out: “What… so this thing is some kind of giant amoeba or something?” He shook his foreleg for emphasis. It made a squelching noise and bent at an unnatural angle.
Dr. Stone looked into her notes, then back at her patient. “Yes. As soon as it splits, your connection will too. You will really only be in one place at once, but as long as any one part of you lives, you will not die. Of course no brain means no brain functions.”
Absinthe slumped down, horrified as his limbs softened and gave way under him. He tried to blow the pod apart, but whatever was built into it grounded the first lightning bolt harmlessly, and by the time he charged up another, his vision swam and the power fizzled out harmlessly. Then his perspective shifted and he realized one of his eyes was slowly sliding down his cheek.
“Eve… why?” he croaked.
Dr. Stone sighed and shook her head. “You're such a waste. The pattern infusion gives your brain so much analytical power, but all the intelligence in the world won't let you notice things you don't care about. And you always took Evening Embrace for granted. What does a little heartbreak matter, if she kept making your toys?”
Absynthe tried to ram through the glass, but he only hit it with a loud splat, dislocating the last body parts that still looked vaguely equine.
Dr. Stone's eyes flashed pale blue, and the notes levitated away from her, towards the table.
“You spent thousands of years stealing bodies, breaking their souls as you took over, and never once did you think that it could work both ways? When a rigid, pattern-bound soul like yours breaks, it shatters to pieces. So did your ‘dear sister’ when Quartz broke her heart. First love after centuries of waiting, first love ever, a crushing disappointment. A tragedy born from her desperate attempt to fix it. And so busy you were with your games and your scheming, none of you even noticed.”
“It was easy to suppress her. I did her a favour, really. I lived her life for her when she was too weak to, I absorbed what was left of her into myself. I disposed of Quartz, making sure to complicate your life, so the great war could continue. I played my role for as long as it was required. But now, after four millennia, the war finally approaches its endgame. Soon ancient mistakes will be undone, and everything will finally be as it should be.”
The mass inside the pod made an effort to speak. It came out as nothing more than a gurgle, but the mare managed to see recognition in the one remaining eye. She nodded her head.
“Yes, I’m her too. She was the one who made me who I am. I must confess, I too made a horrible mistake. Blinded by anger, I created a monster that wouldn't die. It took all this time to figure out how to fix it. Now, all the pieces are in place, and I can't have you interfere. I could've just sabotaged the body to leave you in a coma, but there have been so many complications before, I just wanted to be thorough. That and there was still a part of Eve in me that wanted to see your face.”
She looked down at the goo filling the pod. The one eyeball still hadn't dissolved, but it no longer gazed at her with sentience. There were ripples on the surface of the creature, as if it was already preparing to split in two.
“Now, the transformation is almost complete. This pod’s plumbing bypass the filter station. The sewage pipes will carry you towards your new existence.”
She approached the console and pushed on the lever of the flushing system. “Farewell, Envy. You’ve helped me awaken the Elements of Harmony. Your services are no longer needed.”
There was a loud noise, and the Shattered disappeared, separated into multiple drains. Dr. Stone took a deep breath, and turned away from the empty pod, towards one that was still full, a large pegasus body floating unconscious in clear liquid.
“Now, it's your turn, Hate. As soon as the final details fall into place, I'll need you to go and rage one final time.”