Outside of the black spires of her changeling hive, Queen Chrysalis waited for her changeling soldiers and spies to return with the Elements of Harmony and Royal Family as her prisoners, as she just finished inspecting Rarity frozen stiff in her cocoon.
“See if you can do something about her eyes. She’s starting to look like a corpse. We’re not trying to preserve a dead body. In the meantime, hang her up with the others,” Chrysalis ordered, as the changelings hauling Rarity kneeled in response to their queen and carried her into the hive. Queen Chrysalis turned outward and found more changelings headed her way, this time with Fluttershy in her cocoon.
“Yer Highness. We’ve obtained the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy,” Sergeant Scabbers informed as he and Roach kneeled before the queen. Queen Chrysalis smirked at the effectiveness of her minions.
“Ah, there you are, Sergeant. And with the prisoner as well. Let me have a look,” Chrysalis cackled as Roach gently laid Fluttershy’s cocoon down for inspection.
“This one didn’t look like she put up much of a fight, did she?” Chrysalis asked as the changeling Sergeant cleared his throat.
“On the contrary, yer highness, she caught us off guard with some sort of shockwave,” Scabbers informed, intriguing the Queen and worrying Roach.
“A...shockwave? From a simple pegasus?” Chrysalis asked, examining Fluttershy for any strange magic.
“Yes, m’Queen. We believe Princess Twilight must've made some booby traps with her magic,” Scabbers explained as Queen Chrysalis pondered if such a feat was possible.
“But thankfully, this lucky maggot right here was able to overcome the traps, apprehend the pony, and wrap ‘er up,” the Sergeant once more, patting Roach on the back, while Roach tried to come up with the best lie to cover his tracks.
“So...a lone changeling went into a magic-trap infested house, and captured one of our enemies single-handedly?” Chrysalis recapped as Scabbers felt prideful of his fellow soldier’s accomplishment.
“And tell me, how were you able to accomplish this?” Queen Chrysalis asked, turning to Roach, who ended up with a bit of stage fright after being put on the spot like that.
“Oh, well, you see, I gave her a HA! And a HI-YAH! And a HOO-WAH! And I kicked her, Ma’am,” Roach stalled, pretending to be a martial artist. Chrysalis found this even stranger by the second.
“You...kicked her?” Chrysalis asked, examining Fluttershy’s body for any hoofprint kick marks from what Roach was saying.
“Yes, Ma’am. She didn’t put up much of a fight anyway, so she went down easily,” Roach said, this time only being half true because she technically didn’t put up much of a fight.
“Well. Congratulations on your victory, Private Roach. Keep this up, and you’ll end up with a promotion. Hang her up with the others,” Chrysalis said, as Scabbers and Roach bowed before their queen and took Fluttershy into the hive to hang her up with the rest of your friends.
“Now, with all the Elements of Harmony as my prisoners, no one shall stand in my way!!!” Chrysalis bellowed, cackling maniacally.
“Your highness! We captured Baby Flurry Heart, Cadence’s daughter,” A couple of changelings informed, carrying a small cocoon and interrupting Chrysalis’ mad laughter.
“Ew! Gross! They actually had a kid?” Queen Chrysalis gagged at the thought.
“Hang in there, Fluttershy. Help is on the way...I hope,” Roach whispered to himself, hoping no one would hear him. He wondered if Fluttershy would be able to hear him in there.
Fluttershy cannot believe what she was seeing. And considering what she last remembered before ending up in this beautiful, but still crazy-looking place, she might not really be seeing it and is really just going crazy. The human looked back at the bewildered and confused pony with a look of concern.
“You seem unsettled, my friend,” The human said as Fluttershy snapped herself out of her shock.
“Oh, well, uh...Hi there. Can--can you tell me where I am?” Fluttershy stuttered, looking around at the ethereal-looking trees. But she couldn’t help but feel how cold it was starting to get, for some reason.
“It is a spirit realm designed for anyone living or dead to commune with one another through the Force. You are not here physically, but spiritually. Now tell me, what was the last thing you remembered before you got here?” The human asked as Fluttershy shivered and brushed her wings up against her body for warmth.
“We--well, a ch-ch-changeling told me I was s-s-something called a Je--Jedi, and I have n-n-n-n-no idea what that is, so he hypnotized me to calm me d-d-d-down and now I’m in here,” Fluttershy said, practically turning blue.
“You seem a bit cold. Come. I have something I want to show you,” The human instructed as Fluttershy had a seat right down next to him. The man pulled out a pile of twigs and small logs surrounded by a simple circle of stones. The man raised his hand on the wood, and it caught on fire. A small fire, but a fire nonetheless. Fluttershy couldn’t believe her eyes. There were no tools, and Fluttershy couldn’t see any magic come out from his hand. It just...caught. Fluttershy wasted no time, however, and began warming herself up against the fire.
“Being stuck in an insect’s cocoon must be really cold, I take it?” The man asked as Fluttershy began feeling better, even if she was still a bit chilly.
“Looks like it. Do you mind if I ask for your name?” Fluttershy asked as the man decided to warm himself up as well.
“I’m Qui-Gon Jinn. Jedi Master. And your name, little pony?” The man answered as Fluttershy perked up at his answer. He said he was a Jedi. Fluttershy looked at him and realized she was getting the answers she would be looking for a lot earlier than anticipated.
“I’m Fluttershy. Element of Kindness. You said you were a Jedi?” Fluttershy asked as Qui-Gon gave a cheeky smirk to her.
“Yes. And I noticed you said some kind of changeling thought you were one. Are you a Jedi as well?” Qui-Gon asked as Fluttershy whimpered in worry at the question.
“Oh, well, no. He thought I was one, but I said that I wasn’t, but I used strange powers that I didn’t know I had that he called Jedi powers, so I don’t know if I’m a Jedi or not,” Fluttershy explained as Qui-Gon thought over Fluttershy’s story.
“You are most definitely strong in the Force. Strong enough to join this place with me. But I must say, you are no Jedi. You haven’t received any training and did not know about the Force until now,” Qui-Gon briefed as Fluttershy processed what the Jedi Master was saying.
“Okay, can you explain to me what a Jedi or this Force even is in a neat digestible bite, if it’s not too much trouble?” Fluttershy squeaked as Qui-Gon chuckled at her politeness.
“For over thousands of years, the Jedi Knights defended the Galaxy from dark threats and became the avatars of peace and justice. They let the Force, an energy field created by all living things, flow through and guide each Jedi on their respectable journey. It led your changeling friend to you. And it led you right to me,” Qui-Gon explained as Fluttershy looked at her hooves and wondered how to tap into this Force.
“Can you teach me how to use this Force? If it’s not too much trouble, that is?” Fluttershy asked as Qui-Gon noticed the campfire starting to die down.
“I’m afraid I cannot teach you how to use your powers every step of the way. But I think I may know a way to get you started,” Qui-Gon said as Fluttershy perked up. What little instruction she was about to receive was no doubt better than no instruction at all.
“Now. I want you to concentrate on the campfire,” Qui-Gon instructed as Fluttershy stared at the campfire, wondering what she’s supposed to be doing.
“Now, see how the fire is dying down? I want you to focus on the center and amplify the heat with the Force. Don’t think about making the fire, but focus on how you would feel when near a fire,” Qui-Gon instructed as Fluttershy was lost in Qui-Gon’s words. She stared at the fire, hoping the staring would somehow light it on fire.
“Am I doing it right?” Fluttershy asked as Qui-Gon looked at her funny.
“We don’t stare at anything to make it do what we want. We let the Force flow through us. So let it flow through you,” Qui-Gon instructed as Fluttershy stopped staring into the fire and thought this through. She tried her best to concentrate on the Force to make the campfire light up, but it was hard for her to concentrate on something she didn’t quite understand yet. And then, she felt something. A smooth gentle trickle of cold air suddenly brushed her wings. Not the freezing cold of the fluids of her cocoon prison in the physical world, but something that reminded young Fluttershy of her breezy childhood home of Cloudsdale, but the feeling was oh so faint to her. Fluttershy gently extended her hoof and raised it at the fireplace, slowly turning it red with more heat. Qui-Gon was amazed to see Fluttershy accomplishing this with barely any training. However, the heat was starting to die down again, but not as quickly it was when it started. Fluttershy was disappointed in herself to learn she had not ignited the campfire like instructed.
“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?” Fluttershy asked as Qui-Gon chuckled.
“You did nothing wrong, little pony. Nobody gets anything done right on their first try. Just keep practicing, and you’ll master the Force in no time,” Qui-Gon said, placing his hand on the young pony’s shoulder.
“Now then. Let’s try this a second time,” Qui-Gon said as he and Fluttershy concentrated to light the campfire with the Force, this time together.
“Well, now. I hope you made yourself comfortable in there,” Queen Chrysalis mocked as she spoke to Twilight Sparkle, immobile in her cocoon. She turned her attention to the rest of her cocooned prisoners.
“Oh, don’t get too lonely in there. I heard somepony has made their way in here to rescue you,” Chrysalis said, stroking Pinkie’s cocoon, pretending she was able to cower in fear.
“And when we catch these intruders, I’ll make sure they join you. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Chrysalis mockingly told Applejack.
“And with them out of the way, nopony will be able to stand in my--Holy cow, your cocoon is warm,” Chrysalis asked, placing her hoof on Fluttershy’s cocoon.
“Are you seeing this, by any chance?” the Changeling Queen asked Rainbow Dash. Queen Chrysalis then touched Rainbow Dash and Rarity’s cocoon and noted how cold they both are, as they should be. Chrysalis touched Fluttershy’s cocoon in comparison; it was still warm.
“Your highness, you’re not gonna believe this!” A couple of changelings barged in, carrying a large cocoon.
“Quick! Let me see that!” Chrysalis demanded, testing the temperature of the cocoon. The other two changelings looked at one another in confusion.
“Is...something wrong, my queen?” One changeling asked as Chrysalis finished testing it.
“Something strange is going on with one of the cocoons. I don’t know how, but one of the prisoners seems to be warming themselves up inside their cocoon, and--Wait, did you guys just capture Discord?” Chrysalis asked as the changelings gleamed with pride.
“Yes, we did. You impressed?” The other changeling asked Chrysalis as she had her minions capture the literal entity of chaos.
“Of course I am--But never mind that now. One of the cocoons is heating up, and I have no idea what’s going on,” Queen Chrysalis recapped, shifting her focus back to Fluttershy’s cocoon. Just then, a loud crashing tumble could be heard outside the door, where a certain third changeling, Roach, entered as if on command for him specifically, despite Chrysalis never demanding such. Roach sprinted in, panting almost, as he examined the condition of Fluttershy’s cocoon.
“Is...something wrong?” Chrysalis asked as she fluttered up to Roach.
“You...said that there’s something wrong with the cocoon,” Roach recapped as Chrysalis stood there, confused.
“Yeah...and?” Chrysalis asked as Roach tested the warmth of Fluttershy’s cocoon for himself.
“Well, I was thinking since I was the one who cocooned her, I should be the one to fix up her cocoon if this warmth is a telling sign she’s trying to escape,” Roach explained as Chrysalis was starting to get a little confused.
“Wait, who are you again?” Chrysalis asked, rubbing her temple.
“Private Roach, your highness?” Roach reminded as it just came to her.
“Oh, right! You’re the one who kicked her. Oh well, since you were the one to capture her, you have the right to wrap her back up if it turns out she’s trying to escape,” Chrysalis laughed at the memory as Roach headed over to pluck Fluttershy’s cocoon from its hanging place.
“You won’t regret this, your highness! You won’t regret it!” Roach lied as he ran off in a safe place to “repair” the cocoon. In actuality, if Queen Chrysalis found out about it, she would most definitely regret it. Roach swerved and navigated every corridor in the hive for that sweet sweet hiding spot to place the cocoon. Then, he found a small window leading directly into the nearby forest. Roach fit the cocoon into the small hole and then himself, getting the cocoon at a safe enough distance and covering it with leaves.
“Alright, I don’t know if you can actually hear me in there, but I’m only gonna say this once. Queen Chrysalis might be onto your Force Powers, so I’ve taken you out of the hive, and...I’m gonna disguise myself as you and take your place. Once that’s all done, I’m coming back for you,” Roach informed, praying to some deity up above that she actually can hear what he was saying, as he fluttered off to cover for the little pony.
Fluttershy and Qui-Gon continued to sit by the warm fire beside the silver streams, as the young pony was only getting more curious about the Force.
“So...do you really think I’m cut out for this Jedi business? I still don’t know what you’re all about,” Fluttershy asked as Qui-Gon looked down at Fluttershy, almost considering the idea of training her.
“If you’re really considering becoming a Jedi, even after discovering your connection to the Force only now, then I consider you should get yourself some training, and maybe a master to train you,” Qui-Gon advised as Fluttershy perked up at the elder Jedi.
“Then...can you be my teacher? You’re the only Jedi here that I know of. So, maybe I can bring you into Equestria and--” Fluttershy pondered before being cut off.
“I’m afraid I’m in this Spirit Realm under...different circumstances than you are, young Fluttershy,” Qui-Gon confessed as he showed Fluttershy the bandage he was wearing on his waist. Despite the fact he could not feel the pain anymore, he revealed a gross, charred hole in his chest, scaring the young pony.
“How...How did you end up with that?” Fluttershy asked, almost on the verge of tears, after figuring it out.
“I was killed in battle by a Sith Lord, the ancient enemy of the Jedi. They are known to hide in the shadows and feed off their own anger and the fears of others,” Qui-Gon explained as Fluttershy had a trip down memory lane, comparing her idea of what a Sith Lord could be to the past villains Fluttershy and her friends have faced. And more importantly, if Fluttershy were to become a Jedi, this would mean putting her own life at risk protecting her friends, from an enemy supposedly more powerful than Nightmare Moon, King Sombra, Lord Tirek, and Queen Chrysalis combined. Fluttershy went immediately into a state of panic, and Qui-Gon noticed.
“How is that gonna make me consider becoming a Jedi? Risking my life with a power I don’t know about against an enemy I know nothing about? If anything, that would just scare me away from being a Jedi!” Fluttershy cried, guarding herself with her wings. Qui-Gon thought it over and maybe didn’t have the best choice of words.
Kneeling at her level, Qui-Gon put his hands around Fluttershy to meet her at eye level. “I understand how such a dangerous threat can make one such as you swell with fear. But trust me when I say you must not give in to that fear,” He advised, pleading for Fluttershy to heed Qui-Gon’s advice and recollect fearful incidents of her past. Memories of her adventure to confront a sleeping dragon over a hundred times her size, mustering the courage to create the tornado necessary to transport water to Cloudsdale over her personal demons, and facing a cockatrice while being turned to stone and keeping her composure filled her mind. She had played a key role in all her endeavors and trampled her fears time and again, her courage spoke for itself.
“If the Force is responsible for Roach uncovering my powers, then it must also be the reason why I was able to pass those trials of mine,” Fluttershy thought to herself as the Force uncovered her elusive sense of confidence. If she was able to face a dragon, make a tornado, and rise to the occasion in time of need, then she’d be able to face off against what she believed to be a Sith Lord, when the time came. Fluttershy looked back to Qui-Gon and took a deep breath.
“I...think I’m ready to become a Jedi now,” Fluttershy said as if taking a huge weight off her chest. Qui-Gon gleamed with pride that she was able to embrace her powers and walk down the Jedi Path. Just then, a bright light came from beyond the woods and only came closer, calling Fluttershy’s name.
“Qui-Gon. What is that?” Fluttershy asked as he looked out and saw it draw closer to Fluttershy.
“I think that might be your ticket out of the Spirit Realm and into the physical realm. Though I wouldn’t know, honestly. Can’t really be invited back and all that,” Qui-Gon paraphrased as the light came closer by the second. Slowly, but still closer and closer.
“Before you depart, I must give you a warning before you begin your training. Keep your training a secret at all costs. Your world, from what I can gather, will go down a dark path if you reveal them too early. Only trust those who know of the Jedi. And most importantly, the Force will be with you. Always,” Qui-Gon warned as Fluttershy couldn’t resist any longer. Fluttershy leaped in and embraced the Jedi Master in a warm hug and ran off into the light, wanting to see her friends once more before she began her training.
As her eyes squinted repeatedly, as if the sun was blasting in her face, Fluttershy woke up surrounded by green gunk, some of it covering her and getting in her mane. Fluttershy wiped the gunk off and came face to face with what appeared to be herself.
“Hey, are you alright?” The doppelganger asked as the real Fluttershy shook some of the gunk out of her mane.
“What’s going on?” Fluttershy asked, dazed as if she woke up from a week-long sleep. Being in a cocoon clearly did not do wonders to her physical body.
“Well, while you were out, Queen Chrysalis almost discovered your powers, so I disguised myself as you until your friends were rescued, in which I would come to pick you up,” The Fluttershy doppleganger replied, revealing himself to be Roach, but still donning his Fluttershy disguise.
“Oh. So somepony came to rescue us after all?” Fluttershy asked, gleaming.
“Yep. Just as I predicted. Told ya you’d be in safe hooves,” Roach replied as Fluttershy was glad to have someone like him looking out for her, even if it wasn’t at first glance.
“Well, I believe you can take that disguise off now. We’re clearly on the same side now,” Fluttershy said, shocking and concerning Roach.
“Oh! Oh! I almost forgot! While you were out, the craziest thing just happened! While Starlight Glimmer went out to rescue you and your friends, the ‘traitor’ Thorax overthrew Chrysalis, and now he’s the new king of the changelings, and check it out!” Roach recapped as he changed from his Fluttershy disguise to his new form. Roach now donned an orange exoskeleton with a green shell and blue eyes, much to Fluttershy's surprise as well as his own.
“OK, I honestly haven’t seen this before until just now, and let me just say, I was hoping I’d be red,” Roach reacted, making Fluttershy laugh a little at his comment.
“So...are all the changelings like this now?” Fluttershy asked as Roach grinned with such excitement.
“Yeah. The rest of the hive just turned shades of blue and green,” Roach said as Fluttershy thought over not having to fear the Changelings anymore.
“That’s great news and all, but I think I have some greater news,” Fluttershy remarked smugly as Roach piqued his curiosity at what Fluttershy had to say. Fluttershy took a deep breath to remember everything that happened and explain it in great detail.
“Thanks to you, I was in the Spirit World, and I met a Jedi Master who explained the Force to me!” Fluttershy said as Roach gasped.
“So you are a Jedi!” Roach exclaimed as he smiled all giddy-like as if meeting his childhood hero.
“No. No, I’m not a Jedi. But I can train to become one. And, since you were the one who helped me find my way, I was thinking maybe you’d like to help me become a Jedi,” Fluttershy explained as Roach was starting to fanboy even harder.
“Fluttershy, it would be an honor,” Roach said, taking a bow before the Jedi in training.
“Thank you so much. But one more thing. We have to keep it a secret. So everything related to the Jedi remains between the two of us, and nopony else. Capiche?” Fluttershy whispered as Roach listened closely.
“Hey, worth a shot, ain’t it?” Roach said, promising Fluttershy to keep it a secret at all costs.
“Fluttershy, darling! You’ve been in there for too long. Can we just go home now?” Rarity called from a good distance away. Fluttershy and Roach nodded to each other as Roach shapeshifted into a small orange bird and flew off to keep an eye on Fluttershy while she reunited with her friends and returned home to begin her secret Jedi Training.