//------------------------------// // Weathering the Storm // Story: Brighter Horizons // by Destiny Chaser //------------------------------// Sunset Shimmer sighed contentedly as she leaned her head against Flash's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek against it. The pair were seated together on the edge of Cloudsdale, watching the Equestrian countryside glowing under a beautiful setting sun. It had now been one week since she had reunited with him, and had spent the time mending her relationship with the young human. She smiled as she felt the arm around her withers tighten slightly, as if he was reminding himself that she was real, that she was truly there with him. It amused Sunset to think that the last time she had been with him, he was small enough for her to carry him on her back. Now the 15 year old boy could pick her up if he wanted to. Their initial reunion wasn't quite as peaceful; Flash had been unable to speak as he had fallen to his knees, crying softly into her mane as she had embraced him. Since that moment, the tutor and her former student had been able to spend much time together, with many deep and meaningful conversations shared between them. Much to her relief, Sunset discovered that he had long since forgiven her, and her apology to him created a moment that finally broke through the hard shell of hatred he had formed around his heart for Discord, which led to the two of them finally being reconciled with the other, much to the delight of Twilight and the girls whom he also apologized to. The wounds in his heart were finally beginning to heal. Though there was one subject they still had not broached, one that Sunset could sense was coming. "Sunset?" Flash quietly asked. "Hmm?" She replied sleepily, not wanting to open her eyes. "Why did you leave?" 'Ah, there it is...' "Because I was unhappy." "Why were you unhappy?" "Because I was selfish, and selfish ponies are never happy. We're only truly happy when we love, because that is what we are made for." Flash paused, and Sunset could sense him frowning slightly in confusion. "But, you were Celestia's student. Surely she taught you that lesson before. She's taught me that since before I could speak." He replied. Sunset smiled, drawing in a breath and slowly letting it out in a sigh. "There are some truths that will only be believed after we discover them on our own." She said, "Pride, anger, self-love, these things blind us to the truth, we won't hear it no matter how many times somepony tells us because it's not what we want to hear. Only a humble heart accepts the truth, and sometimes, it is only after a heart is broken before it will ever accept it, especially if it is a prideful one, like mine was." Flash was silent for a while, his hand gently brushing her shoulder as he mulled over her words. "Sunset?" "Yes Flash?" "Are you happy now?" "Yes, I'm very happy now Flash, because now I have friends." Flash paused for a moment before asking, "Am I your friend?" The unicorn sighed, but she understood why he asked; after all, her pride kept her from saying it all those years ago. "Yes Flash, you have always been my friend, and you always will be." "Please don't stay away again." "Don't worry kid, I'll never stay away again." Bright Skies choked, unable to breath past the hoof slowly crushing her windpipe. She continued to struggle, violently kicking her hooves and beating her wings against the changeling who snarled down at her as she thrashed about. “Wretched little pony...DIE!” Chelicerae shouted as she prepared to release the magic charged within her horn. But before she did, she suddenly paused as she took notice of the mare’s fiery aura and the seemingly immeasurable amount of love burning within her heart. It was intense, roiling, and burned like a star. In all her years, Chelicerae had never seen anything like it. Her shock was doubled when she suddenly felt a mental presence slam into her mind, and heard the mare’s voice blasting inside her head. GET AWAY FROM MY SON!!! Chelicerae shook her head, the magic fading from her horn as she cocked her head at the mare with a shocked expression. Bright Skies knew it was her, from the second she was in the same room as Flash, without even seeing the changeling, she knew that she had been the dark, hateful presence that she had sensed back in Equestria standing between her and her child. Now that distance was no longer weakening her bond with him, Bright Skies could clearly see and sense what was happening. This changeling had invaded his consciousness, manipulating his thoughts. It was like Flash’s mind was in the center of a twisted web, and she was the spider holding the strings. "'Son?'" Chelicerae queried in confusion, "What are you-" She was abruptly cut off as a crimson beam of magic suddenly blasted her off of the mare and sent her sprawling across the floor. Bright Skies gasped and coughed for air as Sunset Shimmer slid to a halt next to her. "Bright Skies! Are you alright?!" The pegasus coughed again as she rolled over. "That changeling, she's controlling Flash!" She gasped as she tried to get to her hooves. "I gathered as much," Sunset said, But that shouldn't be possible! She thought, her mind racing for an explanation as she heard more smashing sounds from across the room as Rainbow Dash and Flash battled against the other like a pair of raging tornadoes. She glanced from that chaotic fight back to Bright Skies, "Bright Skies, I need you to-" "LOOK OUT!" Bright Skies screamed. Sunset didn't even look as she instantly threw up a barrier around them just in time to block a bolt of emerald magic that struck her shield with the force of a locomotive. Pain throbbed at the base of her horn from the force of the impact. Hellfire she's strong! Sunset thought as she spun around to face her enraged opponent. The changeling was back on her hooves, advancing steadily towards her, horn aglow and murder in her eyes. "Bright Skies, get to cover! Try to get through to Flash!" She shouted as she charged the changeling. Sunset teleported mid-gallop, reappearing on the changeling's side in a shoulder check hard enough to knock her opponent sideways. Chelicerae slid a few feet across the smooth hardwood floor, snarling as she rounded on the smaller unicorn. "Who are you changeling?! How are you controlling him?!" Sunset demanded angrily as she charged her horn with energy. Chelicerae chuckled darkly. "Oh? So you're the little mage who put that spell on Michail!" Chelicerae said with feigned surprise, as she brushed off her shoulder. "What can I say? You missed a spot!" She sneered as she unleashed another deadly bolt of magic. Sunset teleported away again, the attack blasting away the flooring and scoring the cement beneath it. Chelicerae spun around, predicting that her opponent would reappear behind her and attack, which she did. The changeling deflected the oncoming bolt of magic with a casual flick of her horn, causing it to go wide and blast a hole in the wall. Crafty little pony, she's stronger than she looks... She thought warily as the two began to slowly circle one other, each sizing their opponent up. Sunset subtly cast a spell that would increase her agility, and another what would increase her durability. She had already calculated that if she was going to beat this opponent, it would have to be with close range magic. She could ill-afford to get into a contest of strength with an opponent that obviously had such an enormous reserve of power built up. Chelicerae, meanwhile, could easily see how the unicorn's anger smoldered, making the already vibrantly colored pony appear that much more intense in her eyes. She smirked as an idea came to her, "How does it feel little pony? To know that your best wasn't good enough?" She taunted as she prepared another spell, "That your precious pet belongs to me?" Sunset ground her teeth. She knew that the changeling was goading her, enraged as she already was that she was controlling her friend; added to that, the frustration that for whatever reason, her spell didn't protect him. Sunset knew that like Flash, she too had a temper, and that if she didn't control it, it could very well imbalance her. A foalish way to fight against such a dangerous opponent. But frankly? She didn't care. Because if there was one thing anger could temporarily grant a unicorn, it was more power; and power was exactly what she wanted right now. Sunset screamed as she lunged at the changeling, unleashing a blinding flash of magic as she did. Unphased, Chelicerae sidestepped her attack and proceeded to skillfully dance around the flurry of kicks, horn jabs, and furious blasts released by the enraged unicorn. "Ha! Pa-thetic!" Chelicerae cackled as she blocked one of the shots with a conjured shield. "Shut up!" Sunset snarled before being knocked back and to the floor as the changeling countered with a shot of her own. The unicorn coughed as she pushed herself to her hooves, glaring daggers at the changeling walking towards her. "Face it Equestrian, you can't win!" She gloated before unleashing a battle cry as she charged, slashing her long horn at the pony's chest. Chelicerae suddenly felt a burning sensation in her left shoulder as the unicorn unexpectedly ducked and rolled around her attack. She hissed between clenched teeth as she looked down to see blood dripping from a short but deep cut in her shoulder, as if an invisible blade had slashed right through her hard chitin. Rounding on her opponent, she gasped as she spotted the unicorn crouched low, a pair of glowing, orange blades made of pure magic hovering on either side of her. "You sure about that?" Sunset smirked, allowing herself a sinister-looking grin. "Well, well, the little insect has some sting after all..." Chelicerae said, taking a more cautious stance. Her opponent was more formidable than she thought. The two magical blades hummed as they spun like a pair of saw-blades. "Round two, bug." Sunset said while widening her stance. Chelicerae ground her teeth in anger, swallowing nervously. This pony is dangerous...Telson, where are you?! I need you! From where she knelt on the floor Ella could hear the the sounds of shouting and crashes coming through the walls. She knew that it was time to move, that she needed to go and find out what in the world was going on, but could not bring herself to leave Telson's body just yet. After he had breathed his last, she had covered him with the blanket he had earlier wrapped her in. Gathering her nerve, Ella placed a hand upon his covered form. "Goodbye Telson...I'll never forget you." She whispered. Wiping her eyes, she leaned down to place a kiss on the changeling's covered head. "If you're up there, say a prayer for me," she whispered while making a quick sign of the cross. Turning in the direction of the penthouse, she made her way down the hall towards the doors, not looking back. If she had, she would have noticed a bright light beginning to shine from beneath the shroud. Rainbow Dash ducked under another slash, darting from side to side as her friend relentlessly pursued her. She kept to her rear hooves, using her wings for balance so that her front hooves were free to block and redirect strikes. The feisty pegasus had been dumbstruck when Flash had suddenly blitzed her, not understanding what in the world was going on. It didn't take long for her to put two and two together though, once she caught a glimpse of the changeling on the other side of the enormous room. Since then, she had been doing her best to stay one step ahead so as to not be killed by her brainwashed friend, a task that was becoming increasingly difficult. She had been the one who had originally taught Flash how to fight in the first place, and had sparred with him countless times since they were foals. She knew his style as well as the majority of his moves almost as well as her own. But unlike in any previous bout, they were never trying to actually hurt the other; and here, he was literally trying to kill her. Further complicating the situation, Flash was much more disciplined in his combat training than she usually cared to be, and it was beginning to show. His attacks were precise and focused, making her hastily mustered defense look almost clumsy by comparison. And while she was a good deal faster than him, her initial shock and hesitancy to fight back had cost her some of that speed advantage already. Blood dripped down her coat from multiple shallow cuts where she had not reacted quickly enough to his initial attacks, and her jaw ached from where he had caught her in the side of the head with his knee. "Flash wake up! It's me, Rainbow-WHOA!" She was forced to fall backwards as he slashed at her again, the twin blades of his vambrace moving so quickly that they appeared as glistening arcs of light. Rainbow Dash rolled backwards over a small sofa, one of the few pieces of furniture not yet reduced to particles by their fight. As the couch tipped back, she kicked it towards him with both hooves as hard as she could, sending it rocketing towards him. Rainbow Dash gaped as Flash slashed the object into two pieces around him, continuing to charge towards her without pause. He dove, flying through the air blades first, aiming to stab her right through the face. Thinking quickly, the pegasus tilted her head to one side, grabbing his arm with both hooves while slamming her two rear ones soldily into his gut, launching him clear over her. The human flew through the air, crashing upside down into the towering stone fireplace mantle with enough force to knock some of the masonry loose. A pained cry rang out behind her and Rainbow Dash glanced back to see Bright Skies stagger and fall against the far wall, clutching at her middle. "Bright Skies!" Rainbow shouted, realizing what she had done. "No Rainbow, look out!" The mare shouted back in alarm. Rainbow Dash spun around just in time to see Flash nearly on top of her. She dodged to the side a hair too late, a terrible pain slicing through her right wing as his blades raked across it, scattering the red carpet below with a small flurry of her cyan-blue feathers, many of them sliced cleanly in half. Rainbow Dash cried out in pain as she kicked Flash away with one hoof while spinning away from him. Quickly checking her wing, her heart skipped a beat as she saw the crimson stain of blood now spreading out between her feathers. She gave it a tentative flex, hissing as it stung. It was a nasty cut, but it looked like he missed her major flight muscles and tendons; even so, flying would now be a bit of a challenge. "Rainbow Dash!" Bright Skies shouted. Rainbow glanced back at her, taking notice of the grim resolve on the other mare's face. "Don't worry about me, do whatever you have to to wake him up!" She said past gritted teeth. Rainbow Dash looked back to Flash who was picking himself from that last kick. He glared at her, the green light in his eyes seeming to intensify. She looked back one more time at Bright Skies, giving her a sharp nod. "Right..." She breathed as she quickly looked back at her friend. "Sorry Flash, but believe me when I say that this is going to hurt me a lot more than you..." Rainbow Dash said as she set her jaw, dropping into a low crouch as Flash began stalking towards her. "Flash, I'm going to get through to you, even if I have to beat you back to your senses!" She shouted before rocketing towards him. The pair moved as a blur, their blazing movements whipping the air around them into a mini-tempest, blowing debris across the room with gale-force wind as their combined movements charged the contained atmosphere with intense levels of their magical energy. Their rapid blows crackled and snapped like the noise of lightning and gunfire as they each continually broke the sound barrier with their high-speed movements. Rainbow Dash was a bit slower now due to her injuries, but she still held a slight edge in speed which she used to try and land a decisive blow. Finally getting an opening, the pegasus tackled Flash around the middle, driving her shoulder into his gut as they flew across the room, smashing through the wood and plaster of a wall on the opposite side of the space and into an adjoining bedroom. Rainbow Dash didn't let up, pressing her advantage by raining down a hail of lighting quick blows across his face with her hooves: left, right, uppercut, cross; a relentless series of strikes that seemed to finally put him back on his heels. She shouted savagely as she brought down both front hooves together as one, aiming for the top of his head in what would doubtless be an incapacitating knockout blow. A loud smack cracked through the air as Flash's hands had shot up, catching both her forelimbs and holding them fast. The human glared at her, spitting some blood off to one side. Rainbow Dash grunted in frustration as she twisted from side to side, trying to get loose. "Ung! Flash! Let g-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" She screamed in agony as a powerful electric current suddenly ripped through her form, intense blue arcs of electricity curled around her body, causing all of her muscles to painfully spasm before the powerful discharge blasted her backwards out of the hole in the wall she had made before. Her body smashed back into the broken furniture of the sitting room, the carpet giving her a few vicious rugburns through her coat as she skidded to a halt. The pegasus coughed, gagging on the acrid stench of ozone and her own singed feathers as she clambered back to her hooves, her whole body aching as she shook her head to clear her vision. Rainbow Dash looked up just in time to see Flash standing about 20 feet away, the fore and middle fingers of his right hand pointing directly at her, glowing with an intense blue light. "Oh buck me..." Bright Skies winced, her ears flattening against her head as a deafening thunderclap shook the entire building from within. The sounds of battle raged on, with Rainbow Dash's shouts sounding increasingly more desperate. No, Flash...don't! It's me! Please stop! Still huddled against the wall, the mare focused her thoughts into an iron hard spear, concentrating with all her might as she hurled her mind once more against the barrier that was separating Flash's consciousness from her own, only for it to glance off to no effect. She tried to pick herself up, but it was no use. She was utterly spent, and in more pain than she could ever remember being in. Her head swam as she struggled to stay conscious. Oh All-Maker above, please...help us...help my baby... She was about to try and pick herself up once more when she felt a human hand suddenly rest gently against her shoulder. Bright Skies looked up, gasping slightly as she saw the young human crouching down next to her, her face full of curiosity and concern. She was beautiful, even though her face was stained with tears and the clothing she was wearing was smeared with a dark colored blood. Bright Skies knew enough about humans that the blood was too dark a color to belong to this female. She had golden hair that went past her shoulders, with curls much like her own and blue eyes that shone like sapphires. The human was staring at her in wonder, obviously in awe at the sight of a creature not of her world. There was kindness in her eyes, but mixed with a deep, abiding sadness. Bright Skies cleared her throat with a cough, "Who, who are you child?" The human continued to stare at her, not saying anything at first before finally murmuring, "You're his mother...aren't you?" Ella gaped down at the strange and wondrous creature she had before her, at a complete loss for words. When she had finally managed to stumble forward into the main penthouse, she had found it almost impossible to gather her bearings as her senses now swam in a cacophony of new sensations and heightened awareness. Something inexplicable had happened earlier as Telson had poured his life force into her. It felt as if something inside her had completely changed. There was now so much energy coursing through her body, that the world around her felt as if it were made of cardboard; she nearly tore the handle off of the door as she entered the room. Far more alarming to her than the ridiculous strength, was the additional senses that had formed in her body and mind. Everywhere she looked there was now color, every color of the rainbow. She could see what others were feeling, she could taste the bitter fear and anger hanging in the air, and she could smell a powerful source of love somewhere in the room. Is this what a changeling feels like?! As if the new ability wasn't overwhelming enough, even her ordinary senses felt as if they were dialed to eleven, with every sight, smell, and texture amplified to a profound degree. She could feel every small pit in the metal of the door handle as she had turned it, and could clearly make out each grain in the hardwood floor. Her lungs sounded like bellows, her heart was a beating drum. It was almost too much, and it took all off her concentration to focus through the vast flood of unfamiliar sensations and information that her new and amplified abilities were granting her. But amidst all the noise and chaos that she suddenly found herself surrounded by, there was one new piece of information that halted her in her tracks, Ponies...these, are ponies?! They were exactly as Flash had described them to her: bright, colorful, a bit strangely proportioned with enormous eyes. But despite their initial strangeness, there was something charming, even captivating about them. They were so utterly and practically disarmingly...Cute. Ella thought, at a loss to think of any other word to describe them at the moment. Unable to get near Flash who was locked in violent combat with another vibrantly colored pony, or approach Chelicerae at the far side of the room engaged in another vicious fight with, Is that a unicorn?! Ella had instead followed her new senses which told her that tantalizingly close, was an enormous quantity of love. It was then that she had discovered the poor, battered, and blood-stained mare that was now before her. But as roughed up as she was, it did not dim in the slightest the sheer amount of love radiating off of her, love that Ella could clearly see burning for one person in particular: Flash. The pony blinked at her, seemingly confused. "What did you say?" She asked. Ella starred back, noticing the beautiful violet of her eyes which sparkled like amethysts, the same color violet that streaked through Flash's blue eyes; suddenly, it all made sense. "You're Flash's mother, aren't you?" She repeated. "Y-yes, yes I am. But, who are you? And how did you-" A loud explosion rocked the room again, cutting her off. Ella immediately ducked low, shielding the mare with her body as she felt splinters and pieces of debris sprinkle around her. She was glad that she was still wearing her leather jacket. "No time to explain, little pony," Ella said as she sat back up. "My name is Ella, and let's just say I'm a friend of your son's, and I think I know how we can get through to him." "You do?!" Bright Skies asked, feeling a spark of hope glimmer. "Yes, but I'll need your help." Bright Skies stared up at this human, not entirely sure what to think, or if she could trust her. The girl seemed earnest enough, and she somehow already knew about her connection to Flash, meaning he or somepony else must have talked to her. She knew time was running out, and it looked as if Rainbow Dash was losing ground fast. With so much at stake, she decided to risk it. "What is your plan?" She asked. Ella smiled, "What's your name, pony?" "Bright Skies." "Well Bright Skies, first, let's get you to him." Rainbow Dash dodged another series of quick strikes from her friend: left, right, before hitting him with a gust of wind from her wings, blasting him backwards. Flash stabbed his blades into the floor as he slid back, slowing himself to a halt; he looked back up, completely undaunted. Rainbow panted, trying to catch her breath; she hated to admit it, but she was getting worn down. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't seem to land a decisive blow. And with every second that the battle unnecessarily dragged on, she was losing that much more energy while gaining additional injuries, bringing the odds that much closer that she might slip up and make a fatal mistake. It wasn't like she hadn't gotten in several good hits of her own, perhaps more than she had received. She was faster, and every bit as strong as him; but no matter how many times she hit him, Flash didn't seem to respond to pain. It was like he had been numbed to it. The mare snarled in anger, Pain... Why should she have to beat on her friend?! Why did they have to risk killing each other?! She glared at the changeling across the room locked in battle with Sunset; they seemed evenly matched. This is all her fault... Rainbow glanced back at Flash who was picking himself up for another attack. If I could just take that changeling out, Flash would wake up and this nightmare would all be over! Gathering her strength, Rainbow Dash shot out her wings, seizing hold of every air molecule she could feel before slamming them together with a ferocious shout. A focused blast of wind struck Flash in the chest, forcing him to crouch down to avoid being blown away. Rainbow Dash noticed how he held his right hand up in front of him like a blade, using his own weather magic to bifurcate the air around him. Clever, she thought, but it didn't matter. It would keep Flash pinned for just a second, and a second was all that she needed to get by him. Rainbow Dash took off like a shot, smirking as she streaked by him, her sights locked onto the changeling who didn't even see her coming. I'll plaster her to the wall! A glint of intense light suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision right as she flew past Flash. Her head turned in slow motion to see the finger of Flash's left hand pointing at her from behind the bend in his right elbow as he continued staring dead ahead at the space she had occupied a millisecond prior. Rainbow Dash's vision went white with pain as a bolt of lightning, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap, caught her directly in the barrel. The intense energy blasted her sideways across the room and into one of the enormous windows, her body striking it with such appalling force that it cracked the thick, ballistic grade glass. Rainbow fell to the floor, gasping for air as she clutched her middle with both hooves, unable to tell if she had broken something. Her whole body was trembling in shock as she tried to get back up. Get up Rainbow, get up! He's coming! He's- "Ack!" She grunted as she felt an iron-like grip clamp around her throat, choking off her airway and pinning her to the floor. Rainbow Dash kicked out blindly with her hooves, hitting nothing but air as she struggled to try and push Flash away, grasping at his wrist. Her vision blurred with tears of pain, she looked up just in time to jerk her head sideways, narrowly avoiding the blades that stabbed by her face and into the floor, grazing her cheek and leaving a painful cut as they went by. Flash tugged with his arm, seemingly stuck for a moment before wrenching the blades free from the floor and drawing back for another blow. Rainbow Dash felt the cold claw of fear grip her heart at last, knowing that her luck had finally run out. "No...Flash...don't..." She choked out as she tried desperately to break his grip. She couldn't even scream as she saw him taking careful aim, getting ready to nail her head to the floor. The tips of the blades just started to move forward when another set of arms suddenly shot out from behind him, curling up under his arm and placing him in a half-nelson. Rainbow Dash gasped for air as her throat was released, immediately using her restored mobility to roll free. Looking up, she was shocked to see another human behind Flash struggling to hold him in place. Ella held on for dear life as Flash thrashed about, trying to throw her off. Even with her newfound strength, it felt like she was trying to wrestle a panicked horse. "Umpf! A little help here?!" She shouted at the battered blue pony that was gaping at her. "Oh, right!" The pegasus leapt forward, grabbing onto Flash's other arm and hauling him to the floor. Together, they managed to keep him pinned on his back. At the same time, Ella heard Chelicerae scream in rage from across the room as a pulse of energy shook the building, cracking several windows. This had better work, Ella thought as she called out, "Bright Skies, now!" The pink mare responded instantly, landing from above onto Flash's chest and seizing his head in her front hooves. She pressed her forehead against her son's, squinting in concentration. "Flash! It's me! Can you hear me!" She shouted with both her voice and her mind. Flash stopped struggling for a second, his eyes twitching, shaking his head as if he'd been slapped. Ella felt a sense of elation as she kept her arms locked around Flash's bladed forearm, I was right, the spell is weakened by love! "It's working! Keep it up!" She shouted before twisting her neck to look at him, "Flash! It's Ella, wake up!" "We're here for you!" Rainbow Dash chimed in, seeming to understand the strategy. Flash grunted, swinging his head from side to side as he began to scream in pain. "Please, you need to come back to us baby! I love you! I love you so much!" Bright Skies shouted, continuing to press her mind with all her strength against the thick web surrounding his consciousness. She felt him, she could feel his mind beginning to wake up as she hurriedly tore away at the bonds ensnaring it. But she also felt something else building up as well, something dangerous. Panicking, she quickly cried out to the others, "Ella, Rainbow Dash, GET BACK!" They obeyed just in time, letting go and leaping clear just as a blinding discharge of electricity consumed the mother and her son. Ella shielded her eyes as she heard the pony cry out in pain. Ella looked back once the light had faded and felt her heart drop at the sight before her, "Flash, NO!" Chelicerae cursed her opponent for what must have been the hundredth time under breath, screaming in frustration as she fired off what she knew would be another ineffective blast at the unicorn who merely teleported away to avoid it. The battle, which at first had been going in her favor, had quickly turned against her. While she may have been stronger than her opponent in terms of raw strength, it had quickly become apparent that in terms of magical knowledge and ability, she was hopelessly outmatched. This blasted mage had an experience and knowledge of spellcraft that far outstripped her own rudimentary skills, a liability that the unicorn was exploiting with ruthless efficiency. In the relatively short exchange, the pony had managed to pick away at her with innumerable small wounds. In particular, a cut over her right eye that dripped blood into her vision, another on the joint of her left hind leg that made it difficult to bear weight on, while one of her wings dangled limply due to an injury to the muscles, stripping her of her flight advantage. In return, she had only been able to mark the pony a few times, after which the little beast had made sure to stay well out of her reach. "Stand and fight me you cowardly little pony!" Chelicerae snarled as she seized and launched pieces of the decimated flooring and kitchen at the unicorn with her magic. Sunset responded with a barrier that transformed the deadly shrapnel into harmless bubbles as soon as they struck it. "Now why would I want to do that?" Sunset said, tapping her chin in mock-wonder; the changeling looked fit to explode. She was happy to use the same psychological tactics her enemy had employed on her before, but she knew that she had to end this quickly. Despite her confidant bravado, she was exhausted. Fighting an opponent who had enough magical strength to crush her outright if she got her hooves on her had not been an easy affair. Her reserves were low, and the longer the fight dragged on, the greater the likelihood that she or one of her friends might be hurt or worse. Sunset charged her horn, preparing a complex spell to counter the provoked attack that was no doubt coming. "C'mon, changeling! Is that the best you got? I'm right here!" She emphasized by tapping of her hoof on the floor, taunting her in an attempt to ensure that outcome. The changeling bore her fangs, screaming in rage as she unleashed a blast with enough energy to reduce her to a skeleton. "Come to mama..." Sunset smirked in a low voice. The spell she had readied was a complex one: risky, intricate, and costly. But if it worked, she could end this fight now. Chelicerae looked on in shock as her magic struck an orange disk of magic ringed with arcane symbols that had suddenly manifested in front of the unicorn. The ring glowed with intensity as it absorbed her magic, seeming to collapse in on itself before exploding outward into over a dozen glowing chains whose links appeared to be made of fire. Before she could react, the magical chains shot towards her, quickly wrapping around her limbs, horn, and body like so many snakes, completely ensnaring her. "GAH! WHAT IS THIS?!" Chelicerae screamed as she pulled against the magical bonds to no effect. She tried to charge her horn with magic, only to feel it stop at it's base like a clogged faucet. Sunset sighed in equal parts exhaustion and relief as she stepped before the changeling thrashing about on the floor in a vain attempt to free herself. She glared down at her, "Submit." The word caused her prisoner to freeze and look up at her with hateful eyes. "Those chains will suppress your magic, you cannot transform or escape. So, release Flash from your spell right now, or I'll break off your horn, changeling." Sunset said, emphasizing the threat with a painful tug on the magical bonds. Sunset Shimmer watched in alarm as Chelicerae's face twisted into a mask of pure indignation and hate. The changeling giving her a look of such spite and hostility that she actually took a step back. "Submit...SUBMIT?!" She raged. A red haze descended over Chelicerae's vision as she pushed raw energy into her horn with all of her hate-fueled might, so much so that it felt as if she might split her skull; but she no longer cared, willing to suffer any level of pain just as long as she could kill this arrogant pony. Sunset's ears flattened against her head as a high-pitched whine began to fill the air, starring in horrified disbelief as glowing green cracks of light began to shoot through the bright orange light of the magical chains. Before she could fully react, an incredibly forceful blast of magical energy exploded in front of her face, shattering the partially formed barrier she had just begun to raise about herself and cracking several of the enormous bay windows. The force of the blast flung her like a rag-doll across the floor. Sunset's ears were ringing, her vision hazy as she tried to push herself to her hooves, only to find that they wouldn't move. Tugging at her hooves again, Sunset's vision cleared to see that the cement that had been exposed earlier by the destruction the wooden flooring had transformed into a thick, viscous liquid that flowed over her hooves and up her legs like living quicksand. A panicked scream was the only thing she had time to utter as the liquid stone completely engulfed and swallowed her, hardening instantly. Chelicerae cut off the spell, breathing hard as she now stood before the vaguely pony-shaped lump of hardened cement. "Submit?" She repeated past her panting breath. "Never, little pony...never to you. And now, you're dead." She turned away from the petrified pony and began to limp towards the other side of the room which had grown strangely quiet. It didn't take long for her to see why. Michail was sitting in the middle of the destroyed sitting area with Ella and another pony, a blue pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane, who were sitting on either side of him. A pink pony with a violet mane was sitting in his lap; well, more red than pink. There was so much blood running down her left side staining her coat that it was difficult at first to discern her color. Chelicerae realized with alarm that Michail was now somehow awake; but before she could say or do anything, she heard him utter a single word, a word that caused her mind and heart to freeze in horror at the revelation of who the badly wounded pony in front of him actually was. "Mom?" Bright Skies smiled warmly as she stared into the eyes of her son; his bright, fully conscious eyes. He always looked so cute when he was utterly bewildered like that, it reminded her of when he was a baby and the look of wonder that came upon his face whenever he discovered something new. "Mom?" He asked, his voice almost too quiet to be heard. "Hey," she whispered back. "It's me, it's your momma." She managed to respond, her voice trembling from the pain caused by the blades presently piercing completely through her raised forelimb and deep into her shoulder. Bright Skies knew that as soon as Ella had released his arm, that the blades would come shooting towards her neck. Rather than risk the girl being hurt by the electrical discharge she sensed building, she decided to block them with her forelimb, sacrificing the appendage in order to preserve both of their lives. Flash's jaws worked up and down a few times in muted horror as he looked from his mother's face to his blades impaling her body. "No..." He breathed as the blades retracted with a wet squelch. Bright Skies whimpered as she fell forward against him. "No, no, NO!" He yelled, his voice increasing in both panic and volume. Flash uttered a gagging noise as he looked with indescribable revulsion at his right hand, stained with his mother's blood; sheer, unbearable agony twisted inside of him at the realization that he had hurt, possibly killed his own mother. His head pounded as he struggled to comprehend what was going on and how he got here, his own arm and shoulder burning as he felt her pain. "H-help...somepony help me!" He shouted desperately while pressing his hand against her bleeding shoulder. Ella and Rainbow Dash immediately sprung into action, though Flash couldn't see them past the tunnel vision forming in his eyes as he focused on his mother. It was too much to bear, he felt as if he was going mad. Where am I?! How could this happen?! Why...why did I attack my mom?!! His thoughts spun out of control as tears welled in his eyes. Just as he felt like he was about to completely lose it, he felt his mother's soul suddenly rush into his, enveloping his mind and heart in a sweet, all-comforting embrace. And in that moment, all of the panic, fear, and caustic emotions threatening to overwhelm him were swept aside like so many dead leaves before a great wind, no match for the incredible peace that the presence of her love brought to his heart. As their minds melded into one, Bright Skies instantly became aware of all that he had done and all that had happened to him since he had come into this world. Moving at the speed of thought, she commended him for his bravery, comforted him over the life he had taken, and showered him with motherly pride and affection over how well he had persevered in charity and selflessness in the face of so much hardship and adversity. Wow, I'm so very proud of you, my splendid son. You did so well, nopony could have asked more of you. Don't worry, I'm going to be alright. It's not as bad as it looks. I'm here for you now, everything's going to be fine, you'll see. At the same time, Flash saw through her thoughts all that had happened while he was gone and how much she had risked to come to his aid. Every time he tried to be upset, to blame himself for putting her in danger, her soul would block him, not allowing him to focus on any of the ugliness around them, but only on her love for him. None of that dear, no. That doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that you're safe, that I'm here for you. She smiled as she felt his heart calming and the storm of anguish that had nearly consumed him begin to recede. Bright Skies sat back up, placing her good limb on his shoulder while keeping her badly wounded one tucked against her side with one of her wings. "There now," She reassured him, lovingly touching his cheek with her hoof while smiling. "See? Everything is going to be alright." Flash shuddered, rubbing his eyes as he gripped the gentle hoof touching his face. Bright Skies did her best to conceal her own growing heartache as she became more aware of her son's injuries, particularly the scar on his cutie mark in addition to seeing the scar on his face. Ella, meanwhile, was tearing a blanket that Rainbow Dash had found among the wrecked furniture into strips. "Here, let me see!" Ella said. Bright Skies lifted her wing, allowing the girl to wrap her limb and shoulder with the make-shift bandages. The pony looked upon her with newfound appreciation and understanding as she more closely examined Flash's memories and feelings about her. Her eyes widened, and a knowing smile tugged at one corner of her mouth as she looked from the girl to her son, a touch of red flushing her cheeks for a moment. Flash looked at Ella as she worked on her mother's wounds. "Ella? How did you...are you alright?" She smiled sadly at him, "Hey kiddo, ya had me worried there for a sec'." She said, sniffing and rubbing one eye while continuing to bind his mother's wounds. Flash sensed something was very wrong with her; she looked heartbroken, and her scent was wrong. Is that blood? He wanted to ask her more, but he decided it best to wait. After all, his mind was still spinning as he attempted to fill in the gaps in his memories with what he could see in his mother's thoughts. He slowly scooted back, allowing his mother to gingerly sit down on the floor as he got to his knees, gaping at the destruction all around him while rubbing the side of his aching head. He looked to his left to see Rainbow Dash sitting next to him, a tired smile on her bruised face as blood dripped down from a cut on her right cheek. She looked worse than he could ever remember seeing her, and that was saying something. Her mane was totally disheveled, as were her wings; one of which was darkly stained with blood. There was a blackened scorch mark in the fur on the right side of her barrel, and her coat was marked with several shallow cuts. He had a terrible feeling that he was the reason she looked that way. "Rainbow?" "Hey Flash," She said with her trademark smirk. "You sure gave us all one heck of a scare." "Did, did I do all this?" He asked gesturing to her injuries. Rainbow Dash's smile suddenly faded as she looked past him. She jumped to her hooves, flaring her wings. "Not exactly," She growled as she glared at something past him. Every eye turned, following her gaze to see the changeling looking down at them all from where she stood at the upper edge of the sitting area. Flash's eyes narrowed, not knowing what to think or feel as his eyes beheld Chelicerae's stunned and battered countenance. He blinked as he struggled to remember; bits and pieces of his memories beginning to surface in his mind the longer he stared at her: a violent struggle, a stinging bite, tearful pleading, and the fading echo of a voice that begged...forgive me. Of all the reactions that Flash thought he might have at seeing one responsible for harming the pony he loved more than life itself: wrath, hate, a desire for vengeance, the last feeling he ever expected was presently welling up from the depths of his soul with such force that it nearly brought him to tears: heartbreak. Why...why Chel...why...would you do this? He bit the inside of his cheek as he felt his eyes growing glassy. Flash, He stole a glance at his mother who was looking at him with tender sympathy, understanding now his connection to this creature. Sometimes, there are no reasonable answers... She said with pity for the changeling, though she made no attempt to hide the raw anger she felt towards her for all the harm she caused him. She truly is a pitiful soul. But unless she desires to change, she cannot be helped. It's not your fault. Chelicerae wilted under Flash's gaze, feeling guilty as sin as she came to grips with the reality that because of her, the human had nearly killed the pony he called his mother. The human's heartbroken look making the torturous feeling all the more unbearable; she opened her mouth to speak, but found no words that she could say. She had hurt him. She hadn't meant to, but she had still managed to harm him in a manner far more cruel than any physical injury. And she had done so despite all of his forbearance, all of the love and mercy he had unnecessarily shown her. The feeling was heart-rending, as if she had wounded love itself. I'm a monster... Was the only thought she could think. "Michail, I..." She began before noticing Ella staring at her. The very sight of the human causing her mind to empty, falling into the bottomless pit of fear now forming deep within her. The girl's clothing was stained with blood, the scent of which was unmistakable; and the human's aura was a deep, dark color of pure sorrow that shook the changeling to her core. "Ella?" She murmured, "Where's Telson?" The human didn't answer, though the grief in her eyes hinted of an answer too horrible to describe. Before Chelicerae could utter another syllable, a burst of orange light suddenly erupted behind her, bathing the room in a wave of incredible of heat. The changeling princess whirled around, gasping in terror at the sight of the impossible. The unicorn she thought she had destroyed now stood in the middle of a blazing ring of fire. The cement that should have been the pony's tomb had melted into a glowing molten slag, dripping down the pony's fur as if it were nothing more than water to her. Her eyes shone with a vengeful light, and a blazing aura of heat surrounded her with all the intensity of the sun itself as her hoofsteps melted prints into the very floor. When she spoke, her voice sounded like the roar of a rushing wind. "Well congratulations changeling, you forced me to use one of her spells!" Chelicerae didn't even have time to form a thought as a powerful telekinetic grip unexpectedly seized her, slamming her to the floor with such force that she saw stars. It lifted her up and repeated the assault; slamming her again, again, and again with ever increasing violence before flinging her across the room where she smashed through part of the kitchenette, destroying appliances and rupturing the sink's water line before she finally landed in a tangled heap. Even though she was now in mind-numbing pain, she gave not a thought to herself nor to the pony that might very well be her death stalking towards her. Her mind was concerned for only one individual...Telson. "Wait, stop!" Ella shouted as she leapt to her feet, sprinting to place herself between Chelicerae and the practically homicidal looking unicorn. The flames around the pony winked out of existence as she halted, though Ella could clearly see surprise and suspicion still coloring the mare's intense emotions. "Get out of the way," Sunset said cautiously, unsure of what this human's motives were, or if she even was a human and not another changeling in disguise. Flash, stunned by Ella's restored energy and unusually quick movement, responded by quickly moving to stand at Ella's side. "Sunset, wait," He said, holding up a hand. "She's human, I assure you." Ella gave him a grateful look as she turned to see Chelicerae picking herself up, panic growing on her face. "Ella, where's Telson..." She said, a tremor in her voice. Ella swallowed past the lump building in her throat, not knowing how to answer. "Chel, he's..." She began, but found that the words caught in her throat. Ella saw Chelicerae's pupils shrink to pin-pricks as the terrible truth began to become ever more evident with each painful second that passed. "Who-whose blood is that...WHOSE BLOOD IS THAT?!" Chelicerae screamed, her voice becoming increasingly hysterical, tripping over her own hooves as she scrambled towards Ella, who was forced to place her hands on the base of Chelicerae's neck in order to hold the crazed changeling back as she got in her face. "TELL ME, YOU TELL ME RIGHT NOW!!!" Flash moved to intervene but stopped when Ella held up her hand, a movement that caused Chelicerae to halt as well as she waited with baited breath for the human to say something. Ella felt tears coming to her eyes, but still couldn't bring herself to say it; an action which told Chelicerae everything that words would not. "...I'm sorry Chel..." Ella finally said with a slow shake of her head, a tear sliding down her face. "It all happened so fast. It was Damian...we were attacked. Telson was hurt...he saved me, but he, he didn't make it...I'm, I'm so sorry..." The whole room fell completely silent, no one made a sound as the air itself seemed to leave the space. The only noise being the spray of water striking the floor from one of the ruptured pipes in the destroyed kitchenette. Ella watched helplessly as Chelicerae stumbled back a few steps, uttering a defeated whimper as she fell to her haunches, a distant look filling her vacant eyes. Ella waited. She waited and waited for what felt like hours for the princess to say or to do something, anything. Perhaps ask her for more details, or to demand some sort of proof; to scream and rage, maybe even attack them all. But Chelicerae did none of those things. She continued to stare at the floor, appearing dead to everything around her as her heart and mind seemed to implode. Ella fell to her knees in front of the crushed changeling, at a complete loss at what to do. Flash was now free, but what could be done for her? She had promised Telson that she would try and help Chelicerae, but how? What could she possibly do in the face of such immeasurable despair? It was then that she heard Telson's voice ringing in her mind,'Love is the only thing that can save her now...' This was quickly followed by the memory her mother's words, ...someday, I know your love will help others just like your love helps me. Steeling herself, Ella removed her jacket, tossing it to one side. Ever so slowly, and with great care, she reached out her hand, placing it gently against the side of the changeling princess' face. Chelicerae slowly looked up at her, her eyes still empty and distant. Ella caressed her cheek, her sorrowful eyes communicating to the changeling a depth of sympathy and compassion that no words could. "He never gave up on you, Chelicerae." Ella whispered to her, "To the very end, he still believed in you, believed that you could come back...that deep down, you were still his Daystar...and he loved you, so very much." Flash saw it, his eyes widening as he watched the impossible unfold before him: the miraculous moment a heart of stone was finally broken by the persistent outpouring of love. A mournful keen so sorrowful that it could have moved stones to tears tore from Chelicerae's throat as she collapsed against Ella's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Ella wrapped her arms around the changeling's withers, leaning her head against the princess' and holding her close as an ocean of pain, sorrow, regret, and self-hatred poured out of the poor creature's shattered soul. In his whole life, Flash could not recall ever seeing a more pitiful sight than the scene before him. The poor changeling's crying was like that of a small, sorrowful child. It was as if her wounded innocence that she had discarded and locked away so long ago was now finally free, lamenting both the loss of her true self as well as her friend. Flash knelt down next to Ella and Chelicerae, placing his arms on either of their shoulders as he lent his support to them. He himself felt floored to hear the news that Telson was dead, hardly believing that anything could kill the powerful changeling. He desperately wanted to know what had happened, but put his questions aside for the time being, knowing that what mattered now was helping his friend. Through his mother's eyes, Flash became aware of his friends watching them while she herself gazed approvingly upon him, silently encouraging him in the goodness of his present actions. Over and over again, through her cries and weeping, Chelicerae expressed sorrow upon sorrow and apology after apology, begging Telson, the two humans embracing her, and even Order itself to forgive her for all the evil she had done, for all of the pain that she caused them. And as often as she begged, Ella and Flash responded in affirmation, repeatedly assuring her over and over that they forgave her, that she was not alone, and that they were there for her. She cried until she had no tears left to give. Finally leaning back from their embrace, Chelicerae raised her eyes to look at the two humans who had broken through her darkness, all because they had refused to give up on her; waves of both love and sorrow for her radiated off of them both. She felt utterly drained, her heart completely broken. The very thought of facing the reality that Telson was gone and that it was partially her fault was still more than she could bear. If only I had listened to him... The thought almost causing her to break down once more. And yet, despite the pain, there glimmered in her heart ever so faint, something that had all but been extinguished: hope. Hope, and the determination to make things right, if for nothing else but to honor Telson's memory, and try to live up to the potential that he had believed she still possessed. Mother...I can no longer help you by doing what is wrong...I can't. I must find another way. Chelicerae looked from Ella to Flash, immeasurable gratitude for them both welling within her. She reached up and took Flash's hand while detaching the gate-key from her neck with her magic and placing it in his palm. "Here," she said, her raw voice cracking, "You'll need this to go home, Michail." She said as she closed his fingers around it. Flash looked from his hand to her, "Won't you come back with us princess?" He asked. Chelicerae shook her head. "No, not yet. First, I need to begin undoing some of the damage I've caused here." She said while looking to Ella. "Ella...I know I have no right, and you probably want to go with Michail," She said, causing the girl to blush ever so slightly. "But, would it be possible for you to stay here and help me do that? At least, for a little while? I, I don't want to be alone..." Ella glanced at Flash first who smiled and nodded at her, "Oh, of course I will Chel." She replied. Chelicerae nodded gratefully, once again overwhelmed by her kindness, "Thank you, thank you both, dear children." She whispered, steeling herself for what she knew she needed to ask next. "Could you, could you show me where you laid him?" Ella sniffed, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. "Yeah, c'mon, I'll show you." She said. Chelicerae took a deep breath as she moved to stand, immediately gagging and coughing on a sour smell that had filled the air. Flash noticed it too as he rose to his feet, seeing the haze that now seemed to fill the room as he coughed on the foul air as well. Chelicerae's eyes widened in alarm as she glanced to her left at the destroyed kitchenette where water was still spraying from the ruptured pipe. It was then that she noticed the wreckage of the gas-stove, and the cracked gas-line that had been venting into the room, slowly filling the air with it's deadly contents. To her horror, Chelicerae saw a pair of frayed electrical wires hanging from the wall lying exposed on the floor, towards which the spreading puddle of water had now expanded to. She immediately turned her head towards the ponies still on the other side of the room, particularly to her former opponent. "SHIELD NOW!" She screamed at the unicorn as she seized Flash and Ella in her magic, throwing them both behind her while conjuring a magical barrier of her own in the same instance the water engulfed the wires, creating a spark. Ella's screaming was the first thing that snapped Flash back to his senses as he twisted and tumbled through the darkness, wind and rain rushing past his ears. Chelicerae's quick thinking and magic had saved their lives, but had not stopped the blinding explosion from blasting the three of them back through the shattered windows and out into the open air, sixty stories above the street below, but now only 300 feet away, rushing rapidly up to greet them. Flash reacted without thinking. With all of his skill, he used his flight magic to kick off the air, propelling himself instantly towards Ella where he grabbed onto her before immediately repeating the action to shoot himself in the opposite direction towards Chelicerae's unconscious form, grasping her around the barrel. With only fifty feet left above the pavement, Flash did the only thing left to him. "GATE!" He screamed as he willed the gate-key still clenched in his fist to activate, summoning a shimmering wall of light through which they fell. A sphere of multicolored lights exploded high in the clear Equestrian night sky from which the three figures continued to fall. Flash had chosen an area close to Cloudsdale where he knew there would be a familiar pattern of clouds. He knew passing through a portal would not change their momentum, and needed to choose somewhere that gave him a chance of slowing them all down. They were now about a thousand feet up, which he calculated would buy them about seven more seconds. At the same time, he willed the portal he had opened to remain so, praying that Sunset or Rainbow Dash might be able to follow after and save them in case he couldn't. "HANG ON!" He shouted above the rushing wind as he aimed himself towards the first in a column of five clouds. Ella responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, squeezing herself close to him. Twisting over so that he would impact against his back, Flash held Ella and Chelicerae against his chest and braced himself for the collision. Clouds were wonderful, soft things; even the mattress he slept upon at home was made from one. Those who did not possess the natural ability to touch one would weep to know what they were missing. That being said, hitting one at terminal velocity with the added weight of two bodies was about as comfortable as getting hit by a pillow...filled with sand, fired from the muzzle of Pinkie Pie's party cannon, with a double load of powder, and only after the world-bending mare had gone on a particularly wild sugar binge. Flash grunted in pain as he punched through the first cloud, the impact knocking the wind out of him and painfully reminding him that his ribs were still broken. He blasted through the second, third, and fourth cloud in rapid succession, feeling a sense of hope as the impacts served to dramatically slow their velocity; he was certain that the fifth one would finally stop them. Unfortunately for him, the fifth cloud was slightly out of position, sloppy handling on the last weather-team's part no doubt. Flash made a mental note that he would have to have a word with their shift manager, that is, if he lived to do so. Flash shot out a his right hand as they glanced off the fifth and final cloud, his fingers digging into the cumulous and bringing them to an abrupt halt. He screamed in pain as he felt his arm pop out of its socket, his hand maintaining a deathgrip on the cloud. They were now dangling perilously a good 400 feet above the ground, still far too high a fall for any of them to survive. Ella kept her arms wrapped tightly about his neck as she screamed something about excrement being holy, which Flash thought to be an odd combination of words. He felt a stab of panic as Chelicerae began to slip out of out of his other arm. Shooting out his hand, Flash managed to grab hold of one of her front hooves, hollering as the action caused the pain in his abused shoulder to increase. Breathing fast through pursed lips, he attempted to lift the unconscious changeling up towards the cloud, knowing that with her magic, it should be able to support her. He made it about a quarter of the way before his strength gave out and she fell back to her previous position. "Oh come on!" Flash shouted in equal parts frustration and pain as he wracked his brain for a solution, knowing that his grip couldn't last forever. Between his dislocated shoulder, injuries, and the beating he took from Rainbow Dash, his strength was nearly spent. He considered using a pendulum effect to swing the changeling up, but decided against it, doubting that the piece of cloud he was gripping onto would hold under such strain. He glanced down at Ella and couldn't help but blush as her face was right up in his. She smiled shyly despite the terribleness of the situation. "Ya know Flash," She grunted as she shifted her arms to maintain her grip about his neck. "I was kinda hopin' that the first time we got this close would be, mmf, at a dance or somthin'!" "That right?" Flash hissed as he tried again but failed to lift Chelicerae up. "I've...never danced with another human, only other ponies. Had to learn, urgh, as part of my training as an officer...formal balls and all," He said before shouting in frustration as he was unable to pull either of them up. He looked up into the moonlit sky, breathing hard as he felt the portal he had opened finally close, unable to maintain it any longer at this distance. "I've never been to a ball before," Ella said, trying to hide the worry in her voice as she saw the fear in Flash's aura deepen. "Well, there's this big one that they throw in our capital every year, unh! Called the Grand-Galloping Gala...biggest show you've ever seen. If we get out of this, I promise I'll take you..." Flash said as he felt his grip slip a little. "Heh, I'd like that Flash, I really would!" "Michail..." A voice below interrupted. Flash and Ella both looked down to see Chelicerae looking up at them, a wearied look in her eyes. "Let me go." She said. Flash's eyes widened, "No Chel, you can't fly!" He said, casting a glance at her damaged wing. "I know." She replied. "Just, just change yourself into something lighter!" He shouted. Chelicerae's horn sparked a few times and fizzled out as she tried and failed to transform. Breaking those magic nullifying chains with brute force seemed to come with some nasty after-effects. That, combined with blocking the explosion afterwards had all but drained her. "Can't," She panted after another few tries. "Just, let go." "But you'll die!" "And you'll live, it's the least I can do." "Chel, no..." Ella said, though she knew not what she could do. "No, buck that! I won't let go, not when we're so close!!!" Flash screamed as he felt the edge of the cloud beginning to tear away. "Michail," Flash looked down to see her smiling, her emerald eyes gazing softly at him. "It's okay." She whispered. Flash grit his teeth, knowing that she was right. That if he didn't let her go, all three of them would die. But he couldn't do it, he couldn't bring himself to let her fall to her death, not after all they had gone through to help her. He screamed in frustration as he felt his grip slipping, his hand numb from the exertion. "Buck it all, NOOO!" A strong hoof suddenly shot out from above, seizing hold of his arm and arresting their fall. "Got you, Lieutenant." Came the strong, masculine voice. Flash's eyes shot up, looking to see who their savior was and nearly choked. It was another changeling, tall and powerfully built. It's chitin was the glossiest black he had ever seen, glistening like polished ebony. The tip of his curved horn faded into the brightest red, as if it had been dipped in fresh blood. His shining eyes were the color of pure gold, his wings and tail a brilliant burnt-orange, and the shell on his back the deepest blue, like the depths of the sea. Even though his appearance had completely changed, there was no mistaking who this changeling was. "TELSON?!" Came the collective shout. The transformed changeling gave them all a friendly smirk as he enveloped the three of them in his golden-colored magic. Spreading his magnificent wings, he descended quickly to the ground below before gently setting them all down upon the soft grass. Chelicerae immediately rose on shaky legs, her voice trembling as she stared in awe at her friend. "It's you..." She murmured with a sigh before falling to one side in a faint. Telson darted forward with incredible speed and caught her, slowly laying her down on the grass. Ella covered her mouth as she stifled a joyful sob. "You're alive!" She cried out as she tackled him in a hug with such force that Telson was driven to his haunches. The changeling blinked in surprise before smiling down warmly at her. "Yes, I am alive small one." He said while embracing her with one forelimb. Ella broke the hug after a few moments, tears of wild joy in her eyes as she looked him up and down. "You're taller!" She said with a laugh while wiping her eyes. And indeed he was, at least a foot taller than before. His large fangs were gone, and there were no more holes in his limbs or wings. It looked as if an artist had taken the best aspects of the changeling and enhanced them. Ella looked down, noticing three silvery, star-shaped patterns on his barrel that shimmered in the moonlight and a fourth one on his hind leg, the places where he had been shot. "But, how? Ella asked. "You were, dead. You died!" Telson shook his head. "I'm not so sure myself. I only remember waking up, being released from some sort of cocoon. I stepped into the room right as the explosion went off." Telson said while catching Flash's alarmed face. "Don't worry, your friends are fine." He quickly added, allaying the young man's fears. "Though I imagine they are more than a bit anxious for you to go back and get them, yes?" Flash stood up slowly, holding his dislocated shoulder with his other hand. "Yeah, I'll go back for them in just a second. But what about you?" He asked while looking at Chelicerae who was still passed out on the ground. "What will you do?" Telson rose to his feet, looking tenderly down at his mistress. "I'll take her somewhere where she can recover, I imagine she will need some time to think about what she wants to do next." "Well, I suppose it's my duty as a guard to ask you to turn yourselves in so that we can debrief you." Flash said half-heartedly. Telson smirked, raising a sly eyebrow at him. "Well, I can't do that, not yet anyways. So, just tell your superiors that I 'hit' you." "Wait, what?" Flash asked as Telson seized him in his magic. Flash gave a startled yelp as with a loud pop his shoulder was snapped back into place. "BLAST IT TO BUCKING TARTARUS, YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MEDIC!" Flash roared as he rolled on the ground, clutching his shoulder in pain. "Give me a bit more warning next time, you musclebound oaf!" Flash grumbled as he sat up, glaring daggers at the changeling. Ella couldn't help but chuckle a bit at his expense as she reached down to help Flash to his feet. Telson's eyes and horn shone with a momentary glow as he looked Ella up and down. "You've changed as well small one." He said, astonishment coloring his voice. Ella gave a weary chuckle as she held the side of her head, "Yeah, seems your heroics changed somthin' in me, this'll definitely take some getting used to." She said with another laugh. Telson nodded, "Well, I'm sure young Michail here knows somepony who can help you understand this change." He said while gesturing to him. Ella smiled and stepped closer to Flash who glanced between her and Telson, a puzzled look on his face. "What are you two talking about? Ella?" "I'll explain it to ya later Flash," She said with a small wink. The couple stood side by side, watching as Telson gently hefted Chelicerae onto his back. "I'll be in touch, Lieutenant." He said a bit more solemnly, turning towards them. "I'll need your assistance returning to your homeworld to begin undoing much of the harm that we caused there." The three of them stared at each other for a moment, an intoxicating air of joy and gladness growing between them. Telson smiled at the two humans, "Thank you, both of you, for all that you did to help us. I am forever in your debt my friends." Ella stepped away from Flash's side for a moment. Leaning up, she hugged the changeling one more time, kissing him on the cheek. Flash was surprised to feel a momentary flare of jealousy, but it quickly passed. Telson smiled, gazing upon the human in pure admiration and love, he reached up with a hoof to gently brush her cheek. "Thank you Ella, for everything. I will never forget your kindness." And then for whatever reason, he began to laugh. He laughed loudly and with joyful abandon. "You know what?" He exclaimed between laughs, "For the first time in my life, I'm not hungry anymore! What an incredible feeling this is! HAHA it's gone!" He said with another hearty laugh. Ella grinned, giddy with happiness as she stepped back to give him room. Telson nodded to her and Flash, beaming with joy, "Farewell my friends, until our next meeting!" With that, the changeling spread his powerful wings and took to the air with a thunderous noise, speeding off into the distance. Flash and Ella stood together, watching them go until they winked out of sight. Ella caught Flash's eye after a moment, smirking as she could now literally see how he felt about her. Flash blushed as he noticed her giving him a knowing look. "So, Ella...Uhh, welcome to Equestr-" An unexpected hug cut him off. Flash looked down at her, swallowing nervously before he hesitantly returned it. "Uh, Ella?" She sighed, her arms tightening around him. "Just shut up for once and enjoy the moment, you adorable dork." The moon shone brightly, and the night was beautiful.