//------------------------------// // Chapter Eight // Story: Mother Moon, Cousin Love // by ShadowStar_IMHP //------------------------------// Cadence POV “Sergeant, report.” Cadence stood at the door of the warehouse. A Unicorn guard walked up beside her. “The prisoners are bound up and guarded. On the matter of our forces, we have a problem. It seems the longer a pony been in those cocoons the longer it takes to recover. In total we have 20 capable ponies out of them only 14 are guards.” Cadence sighs and looks down trying to think. “If we going to take back the castle we going to need more troops. From what I got out of the prisoners they replaced almost all the castle guards and half the staff. To keep that many ponies hidden they need a large area like this warehouse. But one close to the castle.” “The barracks, it large to house the guards and training grounds are off-limits to civilians. Space and isolated by our security measures.” “Then that will be our goal. Sergeant Hard knocks, pick out a team of five for this operation. The other guards will remain here to protect those that are recovering, and to watch the prisoners.” sergeant Hard knocks nods and turns to head to the waiting troops. “How are you doing Cadence?” Lyra asks as she walked up to her friend. “We got a plan, we can do this.” “Not what I asked. Cadence you can’t hide it, my friend. You are tense, you are pacing, Cadence you're afraid.” Cadence lowers her head “Of course I am. I have to be strong, Luna has been lead away, Celestia surrounded... it’s all on me.” Lyra hugs her and smiles. “No not all of you, on all of us. You aren’t alone, I’m coming with you.” “Lyra you can’t you don’t know how to fight.” “Oh, I know how to fight, me and Bonbon spar all the time. We even met at the dojo. She even knows moves that aren’t acceptable in the dojo. So I do know how to fight. That not why I want to come with you. Your fiancee is in control of some evil bug thing, the city is in danger, and it’s your wedding day. A blind and deaf pony would be able to feel how upset you are. If there any time you need a friend by your side it’s now.” Lyra looks her in the eyes smiling. “Lyra, thank you. Alright, guess you have as much skill in hoof to hoof combat as I do. I only won because I cheated using weather magic indoors.” “As Bonbon would say, it not cheating if there aren’t any rules. This isn’t a sparring match, this isn’t an honorable battle of champions. There aren’t any rules.” “Thanks, Lyra.” Cadence turns seeing five ponies heading to her in the lead was Sergeant Hard Knocks. “Sergeant I asked for a team of five.” “I’m coming as well, Princess.” Looking over the warehouse “no I need someone with authority here. Lyra will be coming instead.” “Princess I must object. As a guard, our primary duty is to protect you.” “Everyone knows an Alicorn isn’t someone that needs protection. Your primary duty is to protect the fools who would anger an alicorn. We need someone in charge here and that’s you. Once we leave don’t open that door to anyone without the correct phase. No one not even Celestia, Luna, and myself.” “As you wish Princess what is this phase?” Cadence needed something rare something no one would easily guess, something personal. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Hard Knocks blinked “Why would you want to use something like that?” “It something I did with a filly I used to babysit. A special activity between the two of us so it won’t be randomly guessed. It also something from years ago so not something an imposter would know.” Cadence horn flashes and she disguises herself as a Unicorn mare. Her colors shift her mane and tail become red hues and her cutie mark became just a heart with gold accents. “There I won’t draw attention. The rest of you will go without armor.” Lyra looked at Cadence “Where did you learn that spell?” “Celestia often go out in public as Sunny Days. I learned it after I took them out to the club the first night.” “WHAT? Sunny Days? Cutie mark of the sun with sunbeams coming down?” “Yes private. Why you ask?” “Um...” Blushes “I was flirting with her a few weeks ago.” Cadence blinks “Okay, I need to talk to Celestia after this. But for now, call me Rose Heart.” “Cadence... I mean Rose. How are we going to know who a changeling or not?” “I have been thinking about that. I can sense the emotions of ponies around me if I focus. I will be using that as we head to the barracks. The bad part is I have to focus to tell who we can trust. My, magic isn’t the best I can’t keep up the scan at the same time cast spells.” “If you excuse me, Princess, if that the case perhaps you should disguise yourself as an Earth pony rather then a Unicorn. That way no one would suspect a spell from you, so if you do need it the spell would be unexpected.” Sergeant Hard Knocks offered. With another flash of magic Cadence was now the Earth pony Rose Heart. “Alright, ponies let go save our troops. Then save Equestria.” The team of six ponies heads out of the Warehouse all six didn’t notice the two playing colts stop and look at each other then take off running. ------------------------------ Peppermint Heart POV Peppermint Heart looks down from the balcony seeing two unicorns below. One was Shining Armor the other Twilight Sparkle. Then came Princess Cadence. His ears move to catch the talk. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Twilight sang the song and did a little dance move. In front of Cadence but it seems she didn’t know what Twilight was doing. “So even Princess Cadence.” Peppermint Heart looks to the two foals and then to Mr. Hops. “Cream Puff. I need to borrow Mr. Hops, he’s going to help save your mother.” The two foals look at each other then Cream puff looks to her stuffed bunny her lip quivers and she hugs it before holding it up. “Thank you Cream Puff. He’s a brave hero, and he’s going to help save the day.” With a toss, he throws the stuffed bunny to the bridge Twilight was standing on. Twilight stops and turns seeing the bunny that fell from the sky and she looked up. “Lady Twilight Sparkle if you please bring that back up here. One of the foals accidentally threw it.” “Oh, alright.” She picked up the stuffed bunny and levitated it up to the balcony. “Please Twilight, come to the suite I want to thank you.” He turned and closed the doors before the bunny got to the balcony. “Damn she almost messed up my plan.” He hurried past the two foals who sat watching him with puzzled faces. Grabbing his saddlebags with potions and other items he prepared. Reaching in he took out the jar of green paste. It wasn’t long before a knock to the door came. When he opened the door he saw the angry Unicorn standing before him and got a stuffed bunny thrust at him. “here, I’m in a hurry... Agh!” He didn’t wait and spattered some of the green paste at her. Not seeing a reaction he grabs her and pulls her inside. “Quiet they hear you. That wasn’t Princess Cadence.” “What.. what is this stuff, and what do you mean that wasn’t Cadence?” “Changelings. The threat your brother was talking about is already here. They have been replacing the Guards and many of the staff.” “Changelings? they are legends, myths” “So was Nightmare Moon and Discord.” “Good point. Alright, what this green goo?” “It a paste Zebra developed to reveal the truth of things. Many things in the savanna would play tricks on the unsuspecting. Water that isn’t water, rocks that would consume you. So the Zebra shaman came up with a way to reveal the truth. If you were one of the changelings this would make you appear as your true self.” “So, that wasn’t Cadence? I knew something was wrong. I have to warn Celestia!” She turns to head out of the suite. “Won’t work. Do you think I haven’t thought of that?” Twilight stopped and turned to look at him. “What do you mean?” “Changelings can affect the minds of the unsuspecting. Weaken them and make them more susceptible to manipulation. All the guards are changelings, there no telling how long Celestia been affected.” “But... She Celestia.” “She still a Pony, Twilight. You have to expose Cadence in front of them. I have a few potions and brews that can help you fight. The Changeling magic isn’t true mind control if you show them the proof they will snap out of it. So the jar of Umbono Wangempela Pastes as I said reveals the truth of things. Just get some of it on her.” He lifts another bottle this one with a purple swirling mist. “A jar inkungu efihliwe will create a magical fog to hide in. Of course, you won’t be able to see out as well, but it something.” Then he lifts a jar of white powder. “What’s that?” Twilight asks. “Very powerful itching powder.” “Wait, it's not Zebrican?” Twilight asks taking the saddlebag of supplies. “Only a fool limits one option.” Peppermint Heart looks at the mare “There something else you need to know. You are immune to the Changeling mind-affecting magic.” Twilight blinks and looks at him. “What do you mean I’m immune and how you know that?” “Your talent is magic itself correct. That includes mind magics, like Luna’s dream walking. The Changelings tricked her into leaving so she wouldn’t interfere. The only other pony that immune is her daughter.” “Princess Nightshade can dream walk?” Then Twilight looks around “Where is she? This is her suite.” Peppermint Heart looks down his ears laying flat. “I’m... I don’t know.” Twilight’s eyes widen her mind coming up with different possibilities. “I only know they don’t have her. Because they haven’t come here for me. I’m not important, but if they find Princess Nightshade I’m sure they would arrive at the door soon after.” “Hold on, what do you mean.” Peppermint Heart shakes his head. “I can’t say Twilight, it’s state secret. Just keep an eye on the shadows.” Twilight looks at the strange nanny than to the saddlebags. She has a brother to save, so any worries over a filly she shoved to the back of her mind. “Thank you. I hope I can show Princess Celestia the truth before its too late.” -------------- Twilight Sparkle POV She was angry, her BBBFF was being manipulated, Celestia was being manipulated. For all, she knew her friends were now under this changeling magic. It was her, only her that can do something to stop this. Her mind spun hundreds of options as she came up with a plan. Soon she came to the grand hall decorated for the wedding. There at the top of the steps was Celestia, Shining Armor, and that imposture. She swallowed her pride and smiled. “I’m sorry I’m late for the rehearsals. I went and got Cadence a gift.” “Oh a gift for me? What is it?” Twilight walked forward, bring out the jar. “I remembered how you do the face mask treatment and got you a jar.” Then she fakes tripping tossing the green goo at Cadence. Cadence reacted like normal and tried to dodge the splash but some of the paste landed on her. A flash of green and Princess Cadence was now Queen Chrysalis. “HA... I knew something was wrong! The real Cadence would have remembered the time as my foal sitter.” Twilight smirks as she revealed the truth. “QUEEN CHRYSALIS! WHERE IS PRINCESS CADENCE!” Celestia horn lights up and her wings spread wide as instincts to make herself seem larger kicked in. The changeling queen smirks and turns to look at Celestia “With the other castle guards.” That when the hall doors open and as the guards enter they changed into their true changelings' appearance. “It was so easy, one by one we replaced them all but one.” She looks to Shining Armor “Poor Shining Armor the only one left.” “Replace them all?” Celestia glances out the window thinking about Luna. “Yes including them. Luna all alone with a hundred of my troops. With orders to kill her.” "NO!" Celestia horn flashes sending a bolt of magic at Chrysalis. This was stopped by a blast of magic of her own. Two beams of magic collide as the two rulers fought. Twilight reached into the saddlebag and drew out the jar of itching powder. If she tosses it at Chrysalis then the queen would be distracted too much to focus on her magic. Just as she was about to throw the jar she gets tackled by one of the Changeling guards. The rest of the mane 6 joined in the fight. Pinkie Pie pulls out her Party Canon from her mane and fires at the changelings. “CAKE!” A three-layer cake went out of the canon with enough force to send six changelings flying. Applejack and Rainbow dash stood side by side kicking and swing punches. “That 3 more for me Dash!” “No, it doesn’t that last one you punched knocked the other two down. You have to hit them down yourself.” Then there was a flash of green light and laughter. The fight stopped and all the fighters pony and changelings alike look at the laughing form of Queen Chrysalis standing over the knocked out Celestia. “I win! MAH HA HA HA” “No no...” Twilight looks on as Celestia was surrounded by changelings and what looked to be a cocoon was started to be made. Then two colts came running in changing into the adult changelings. “My Queen. The Pink Princess escaped and she leading a group of ponies to the barracks!" “My Changelings send a force to stop her. Even if she gets to the barracks she too late the Swarm has arrived!” Outside the window, she could see hundreds, no thousands of black forms flying to the barrier and starting to strike it trying to get in. “you see little ponies nothing can stop the swarm! Now be nice and give up.” Chrysalis smiles as she looks to the six ponies and dragon welp still standing. The majority of the force they have been fighting earlier left to go ambush the real Princess Cadence. ------------------------------- Nightshade Her eyes snap open. She felt it the wave of magic being used, the force of power in both Celestia’s attack and Chrysalis. “NO! Mine!” She scrambled out from under the bed and takes off flying. As she flew her form shifts to a purple cloud. The few changelings in the halls already afraid of dark things thanks to the rumors of a monster in the shadows panic before the mass of dark purple. All the while the power builds up in the filly. magical surges are a natural part of development. Pathways open and magic flows in the new channels a foal sometimes can’t stop the outpouring of energy. There is a second type of magic surge, one that triggers under stress or fear. A defensive measure to give a foal enough power to defend itself if attacked. Or in the case of an alicorn foal, enough power to defend what is hers. Chrysalis laughter stops as she looks to the door. “What is that?” “Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine MINE MINE MIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEE!” The doors of the hall blast apart a purple cloud burst into the hall. Twilight Sparkle eyes widen she knew that voice, a voice she heard during the Summer Sun Celebration. The voice of Nightmare Moon.