//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 - Something's Wrong. // Story: This is Home. // by Lucy_Marigold //------------------------------// ~Chapter 21 - Something’s Wrong.~ ???? Twilight Sparkle bolted down the hallways, translucent wings flaring out behind her. She was running as fast as she could, hooves scraping across ancient resin as she ran and ran. Something hot breathed down her neck as Chrysalis’s laughter echoed through her ears. “You worthless nymph! You’ll never be as great as your pathetic mother!”  Her breath was ragged as she skidded out into the open, eyes gazing across the misshapen and almost nonsensical shapes around her that made up the landscape. She rubbed her eyes with her hoof as the hot sun bore down on her unforgivingly. “Twilight Sparkle! I’m extremely disappointed in you.” Celestia’s voice echoed and suddenly she was back in Canterlot, standing beneath Celestia’s throne.  “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Celestia hissed. Twilight grew wide-eyed, ears folding against her head.  “I didn’t-I didn’t do anything!” “It’s all your fault!” The alabaster alicorn snapped, pointing a hoof towards the moon. The mare in the moon stared down at her as her stomach dropped. “No!” She screwed her eyes closed before opening them when she heard herself gasp. The scene had shifted again as Twilight’s hooves landed against a hard crystalline surface, the room spinning around her. Rapidly taking in her surroundings, Twilight’s eyes darted towards the map surrounded by chairs made of white crystal.  “Where-?” “What are you doing here?” A voice questioned, echoing out from the shadows. “You’re not supposed to be here, changeling. You’re in the wrong timeline.” “Wrong timeline? What are you-” The origin of the voice stepped out the shadows, a billowing cloak of fur over her shoulders. A gilded chest plate adorned her chest. Her striped mane was curled into a tight bun, a silver crown upon her head. Twilight stared at an eerily similar version of herself, taking a deep gulp as she stared into mare’s green-tinted eyes. “You need to go back before you upset the timeline, Twilight. I don’t know which version you are but you’ve got to go.” “What is going on!?”  “The balance here, it’s… wrong. But I’m going to fix it. You aren’t the first one to appear. You need to leave!” “I don’t know how! One minute I was in my hive, the next I’m here!” Twilight spluttered.  “Twilight? Where are you?” An eerily deep voice echoed from the hallway.  The other Twilight became startled as hooves approached the door, repeating her statement. “Go! Just go before he finds me-you!” The other version pushed Twilight back as magic swirled around her. The last thing Twilight saw was a dark stallion enter the room, a sinister grin on his muzzle and the glint of a silver sword. 10:15 AM, June 30th, 2 S.E. The Enigma Hive. Twilight jerked awake with a start, panting as her hooves gripped the sheets tightly. What a terrible nightmare. Her body coated in a sweety sheen, hooves shaking as her eyes darted around her newest room. Slowly, she took deep breaths. “You’re in the hive. You’re in your room. Applejack’s outside with Rainbow Dash. They’re sleeping down the hall. Everything is fine.” She muttered to herself, lighting a nearby candle with her magic, a cool purple hue bathing her face. She could see the morning light peeking through the lichen curtain, a green and yellow hue drawing her eyes towards it.  She had missed sunrise. With a yawn, her wings buzzed as she shifted out of her mossy bed, setting the sheets down as her eyes scanned the room again. The old vanity and dresser, her mother’s old desk and bookshelf, all in their individual places. She gazed across the ancient spines on the books, coated in nineteen years worth of dust. She felt a shiver run down her spine before she stepped outside the room. Her eyes gazed up the repaired ceiling. That was the first thing they fixed, the ceilings, blocking off every entry but the main one. ‘It allows us to funnel any enemies into one area,’ Thorax has said when he explained it all to her. Most of the tunnels had been repaired, but the titling and mosaics still needed working on. Twilight was startled from her thoughts by Rainbow Dash, who landed with a crash in front of her, her saddlebags flying off and crashing into the wall. “AAAAah! Rainbow Dash!” She breathed, butterfly wings jerking out behind her. “Don’t startle me like that!”  “Sorry, Twi’. Didn’t mean ta scare you or anythin’, I just got news to give you.” She trotted over her saddlebags, withdrawing two scrolls of parchment. “I have no clue what it’s about, but one of them is sealed with Luna’s seal thingy.” The disguised pegasus held them forward as Twilight’s eyes darted towards it. Delicately, the lavender changeling levitated the unsealed upwards, unfurling it. Her eyes darted across the pages, a smile adorning her face. “The girls are coming for a visit. I’m surprised Pinkie didn’t come by sooner and try to throw us all a party.” “Yeah, she’s been off with Rarity doing something. No clue what. I think they’re dating.”  “Since when?!” Rainbow Dash merely shrugged. Twilight scoffed, prying the seal off of the second letter before her eyes grazed across the paper. Her smile shifted a grim frown. “This isn’t good.” “What is it?” “Did she even ask Celestia about this?!”  “What is it, Twilight?” Shakily, Twilight read out what was written. “‘In the name of Princess Luna, all ponies are required to be checked for changeling blood if the mayor deems it fit to do so. Those who do not comply can be subjugated to arrest or even…’ Twilight paused, taking a gulp. “Execution.’ Why would Celestia, let alone Luna, allow this to pass?! It doesn’t make sense!”  “My Queen, there are ponies at our door, they’re panicked and looking for you and Miss Rainbow Dash.” Bee rushed into the room, Twilight dropped the scroll in her grasp, turning her attention towards the changeling. “Alyssum is with them now.” “Take me to them.” 10:24 AM, June 30th, 2 S.E. The Enigma Hive. Twilight Sparkle emerged from the tunnel to hear shouting, pleading even. “Applejack! You must inform Twilight about it, darling!” Rarity’s voice echoed forward. The first thing she saw was her panicked friends, Rarity having an intense shouting match with a disguised Applejack. In a swirl of fire, Twilight stepped out of the shadows, her old self. “What is this about telling me something?” “Oh, Twilight! Thank goodness! Those ruffian guards came to town and started pulling innocent ponies from their homes! It was simply rude of them and then they started testing us before sending out those dreadful scrolls.” Rarity huffed, her hair swaying around as she spoke. “They took Pinkie Pie, dear.” “They took Pinkie Pie in for questioning.” Fluttershy shakily muttered.  “Who else did they take?”  Rarity glanced away for a second before speaking up. “They took Sweetie, Big Mac, that doctor fellow, Miss Derpy, and Spike.” A grim silence gripped them before there was a loud magical crack, screaming echoing from nearby. A single thought ran through Twilight’s head. They found us!  A pair of hooves flew into the clearing, a charred and wounded changeling collapsing as the group let a collective grasp. “MIDGE!” Applejack shouted, rushing over to the changeling. “GET INSIDE NOW!” Applejack snapped as Twilight carefully levitated the wounded drone on her back. The group hurried inside, Applejack shifting back to her normal form.  Bee and Applejack raised their horns as their hooves touched the entrance to the hive. A black, resin-like liquid flowed out from the sides, wrapping together under the door was sealed and the group was plunged into darkness.