//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: End of the Second Day // Story: Project New World // by NinjaMare //------------------------------// About an hour or so has gone by after the creature has thrifted a dress from Rarity, who got it back a minute later when it was shot out of a small portal in the air, and since then it continued to wander around the town. During the creatures travels, Twilight and her fellow creature watchers meet up with their other friends, who were curious as to why the creature was wondering around town. Eventually the group found themselves taking a break from apologizing to ponies, due to them getting scared by the creature, or when the creature disrupts the busy day of ponies, and were all taking a small break in Ponyville Park. “It looks like the critter is done terrorizing the town.” Applejack said as she and her circle of friends rested, as the large metal-skinned creature jut laid in the grass, and seems to be just staring off into space. “Good because I was starting to get tired of saying sorry for its screw ups.” Rainbow Dash grumbled as she laid on her back. “Yeah will at least it stopped.” Pinkie said as she reached into her mane and pulled out a cupcake. “I’m also glad that Rarity got her dress back.” “I’m still upset that it stole the dress in the first place. And for ruffing up all my other dresses.” Rarity said in a rather miffed tone of voice. “But…where did the creature send the dress to?” Fluttershy said getting everypony’s attention. “I’m more curious in where the creature came from.” Twilight says as she keeps her eyes on the creature. “We don’t know where this creature came from, or even why it’s here.” Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she focused hard on the metal beast. “Not only that…but the way it was going around town, and seemingly acting like it was studying everything and everypony…” the other five ponies and one dragon looked towards the creature, now with an air of uncertainty. “You think, its some kind of spy? Or something?” Spike suspected as he looked at the creature with a quirked brow. Twilight gave a small nod. “It’s possible, plus, something about the creature puts me on edge. And I don’t know why.” The ponies conversation was interrupted when the creature stood up suddenly, and began making its way out of the park where the six mare’s and Spike followed after it. As the creature continues to walk, the group noticed that they were not just leaving the park, but were exiting the town in general, and were heading out into one of the open fields that surround the town. Several minutes of walking has gone by and the ponies and Spike watched as the creature stopped by the main lake outside of Ponyville, where the creature walks over to the largest tree and laid back down. Moving to the front of its body the ponies watched as the creatures head recoils further into its neck’s carapace, while its eyes finally seems to close same as the tails eye as the long limb coils around the creature’s body. As the creature lays down, the six mare’s and lone dragon watched from a safe distance, before they trotted over to the creature as it started to go still. “…is it, sleeping?” Pinkie Pie asked as Fluttershy trots to the creature, and got as close to its head as possible. “I think so.” The pegasus says as trots back to her friends. “What do you think we should do now?” the group as a whole turned to look at Twilight, which has the unicorn look at her friends with questioning expression. “Why are you all looking at me?” Twilight questioned as she looked at her friends with a raised brow. “Well sugarcube, you usually have a plan or a suggestion on what to do in situations, like this.” Applejack comments as she taps the ground with a hoof for emphasis. “Applejack is right darling; you always seem to know what to do at times like this.” Rarity said to her friend. The lavender unicorn then started to ponder on what to do next for a moment, before walking over to the creature and igniting her horn. Before any of friends could say anything, especially a warning as they thought that Twilight was going to assault the creature, the unicorn creates a dome of energy around the creature. “This is a Ward Charm.” Twilight said as her horn ends its violet glow. “If the creature moves out of the range of the dome, it will send out a magical signal to alert me, that way I can teleport to the creature before it gets too far so I can keep an eye on it.” “Well that sounds as a good of plan as ever, I’ll see you girls—and dragon—later.” With that farewell Rainbow left the group to do who knows what, though her friends were certain it was either going to be flight practice, or napping. Probably napping. As for the rest of the group, they all headed back to Ponyville and ready to put such an exhausting day behind them. But as the group left the lake, Fluttershy casted a quick glance over her shoulder to look at the creature, seeing it lay perfectly motionless in the shade of the tree. After looking at the creature for a moment the pegasus unfurled her wings, and flew her way back to her cottage, hopefully her neglected animal friends aren’t to miffed with her for forgetting breakfast and lunch. But as the mare’s departed the lake, and made their way back to town, a trio of pegasi flew down from a stray cloud and landed right in front of the creature. They began to examine the creature, while not touching the dome of violet energy surrounding it. none of these ponies have ever seen such a creature before, and all three of them wonder where it came from. “Just what is this thing?” the black stallion asked as he hovered over the dome, looking the creature over from above. “Whatever it is, it sure ain’t pretty.” The white coated mare said. “Do you think this thing will hinder the queens future plans?” “Not sure. But we should report this to Queen Chrysalis, now.” The light grey coated mare said, before all three ponies flew off into the South-East. ~~Badlands Hive~~ Chrysalis was sitting on top her dark throne, looking over her hive of changelings as they funnel into the throne chamber, all of them chittering and buzzing with curiosity. Mere hours ago the queen of the changelings retired to her private chamber, where she’s spent the next few hours plotting and scheming, coming up with plan after plan on how to get back at those ponies that foiled her plans. Eventually the queen came up with a plan, one that would trounce her previous attempt to conquer the ponies! Raising a hoof to silence the hive, Chrysalis began to speak. “My loyal subjects, earlier today I told you that I would be coming up with a plan on getting our revenge on the ponies. Well my subjects, I have come up with a plan that makes our last attempt to rule the ponies look like foals play.” The changelings chittered as they wondered what their queens newest plan was. “We thought to small last time, we only aimed to take over a city…what we should’ve have done was take over the whole country.” Chrysalis said with a sly smirk on her muzzle. “Last time we only tried to take over Canterlot, and I was trying to take over the simple life of a love-struck stallion.” “What we should’ve done is to try and take over the entire country as a whole.” The hive buzzed with curiosity as they wished to learn what their queen means. “Listen well my changelings, for the plan ahead will take expert care and preparation.” The queen says as the members of the hive perked their ears and listened closely. “What we shall do is replace not only three alicorn princesses, but we will also replace those most closets to Twilight Sparkle.” “But your majesty, what would be the point?” one of the changelings questioned. “Impersonating the princesses is one thing, but…why should we bother with the unicorn? Wouldn’t it be easier to just imprison her and the others?” “For one thing, if we even take our eyes off that meddling unicorn she’ll no doubt try and stop us.” Chrysalis said to the changeling as she looks directly at him. “But, if we impersonate her friends and key ponies of the community of the town she lives in, we can keep her occupied and out of the way of any future plans I come up with.” The changelings chittered amongst themselves, thinking that this plan might actually work. “So for keeping the unicorn under surveillance, I will need five of our best Saboteurs.” The queen looked over the swarm of changelings as she spoke out five names. “Chiton, Vale, Shroud, Clips and Hollow.” Five female changelings stepped out of the swarm, and stood before their queen. “You five will take the places of the five ponies closest to Twilight Sparkle, and ensure that she does nothing to interrupt any plans of mine.” “It shouldn’t be a problem your majesty, but it would be difficult to switch places with these mare’s, especially if there so tightly knit.” One of the five changelings said to the queen. “Which is why we will stage a small attack on Ponyville.” the hive was now in a buzz after hearing this, even the five female changelings were dumbfounded. The queen of the changelings was brash and short to anger, and delighted in the offensive. It’s what makes her feel powerful. But even the hive admits that this, random attack on a town, would cause more harm for the hive than aid them. “Not a full scale attack with the whole hive of course, but enough of a force to cause enough of a commotion so that you may swap places with her friends, while they’re brought here. And while they’re here…feel free to indulge yourselves to them.” The chittering in the chamber has calmed down a bit now that the hive now know what their queen was thinking, while other changelings chuckled at the idea of using the mares to satisfy their hungers. But among the swarm, most of the changelings still think that this might be to reckless, even for the queen. Chrysalis loomed over the edge of her throne; wings spread as she spoke aloud. Her distorted voice ringing with authority. “Commander Cassar—” a large male changeling dawned in obsidian armor stepped forth and stood beside the five mares. “Gather enough troops to create sizable attack force, while the attack will mostly be staged…we should have a little fun in the process.” The changelings snickered and chortled as the queen hovered down from her throne, and stood before the six changelings. “Once you’ve gathered up enough of an attack force, meet up with us in my chamber Cassar. I will give you more precise details of the attack, and what I shall be doing on my end of the WHOLE plan.” “Yes my queen!” The stallion then returned to the swarm and began picking out changelings for the attacking swarm, while Chrysalis and her five Saboteurs flew up to her private chambers. A few minutes later, and Cassar has joined the five Saboteurs and his queen, where they began discussing finer details of the attack, and points on what the five changeling mares should do while in disguise, and how they need to fully act like the ponies they are impersonating. “Do you all understand everything?” the changelings nodded in unison. “You better have, because if your part of the plan goes awry, then my infiltration of Canterlot castle and taking Celestia and Luna out of the picture would go up in flames.” “We will not fail you my queen!” all six changelings said in unison. “Good. Now, prepare the swarm…the attack begins, tomorrow!”