//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Chrysikai'd 
// Story: Mechaniquus 
// by DougtheLoremaster 
//------------------------------//

“Chrysalis! Aj and Rarity need some aerial fire! Now!”
Standing on the crumbling ramparts of Canterlot’s Castle, Princess Twilight’s shout could be heard across the battlefield below; her own horn building up magic for another destructive, fiery blast. Beside Twilight, The Ex-Changeling Queen Chrysalis, who had transformed into a copy of Twilight’s alicorn form, had been blasting away as well. 
“Understood Princess!”
Upon shouting confirmation of Twilight’s command, Chrysalis became a massive black dragon, roaring in rage. Rising swiftly into the air she blew a breath of emerald flame across the battlefield, incinerating the mysterious foes below. 
Applejack and Rarity, who had been fighting back to back screamed their approval as the strange, slimy creatures surrounding them were incinerated.
“Yee-Haw!”
“That was marvelous Dah-ling!”
On the other side of the battlefield, Rainbow Dash hovered next to Tirek; the centaur, and the Pegasus trading barbs as they fought side by side.
“Watch yourself little pony, this is no ordinary foe.”
“Ha, just because you can’t fight, old man, doesn’t mean they can stop me.”
“You think I am too weak. I am Lord Tirek! Witness my might!”
With a fearsome roar, the centaur trampled and ripped apart the gooey opposition. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash, wielding a strange sword sliced and diced the enemies, laughing as they fell to the ground. At that moment Starlight, Pinkie Pie, and Cozy Glow rushed to their side. Cozy Glow, wielding Discord’s Chaotic might, stood as an Alicorn against their adversaries.
Pinkie teased her with a laugh as she slammed the hooves of a rock farmer into the slimy mess advancing towards them.
“If you can beat more than Twilight, I’ll bake you literally any pie you could want.”
With a malicious laugh, the chaotic being let loose with her gifted reality-bending chaos. Slimy monstrosities burst and splattered all around them, just as a blast from Chrysalis’s emerald fire incinerated the remains before they could reform.
The former villains and heroes alike worked side by side and for a moment it seemed like they would finally win, but then it happened. A single misstep allowed Rainbow’s hooves to end up inside the blackish slime. 	
“No! Rainbow!”
Twilight screamed in horror as she watched Rainbow scream in terror as the slime pulled her down into its gooey mass, before swallowing her entirely. the slime pulsed before a slimy ooze-covered replica of Rainbow Dash; now possessing all of her abilities and talents, rose from within. 
“Rainbow Dash!”
Rarity and Applejack let out a simultaneous screech of pain. Often the two had vyed for Rainbow’s eye, neither had officially claimed the spot. Yet now, their rivalry was put on hold as the two unanimously charged towards the spot she had vanished.
Blinded by rage and the ringing sound of their hearts breaking, Rarity and Applejack ignored the puddles of ooze gathering around their hooves, as they continued forward, desperately struggling to reach their lost friend.
Again and again they screamed her name, ignoring the black, moorish tentacles wrapping around their hind legs, as they vainly surged forward; deeper and deeper into the gathering ooze. As the slime crept up their bodies and dragged them into its depths, they continued screaming for Rainbow Dash.
In absolute shock, Twilight and Chrysalis watched as their friends' mouths were filled with slime and with a last gurgle, sank into oblivion to join their friend. Afterwards, slimy, oozing replicas of both Rarity and Applejack rose from the villainous ooze and charged towards the remaining fighters, laughing in distorted voices filled with malice.
Tirek let out a roar as Fluttershy fell next.
“Damn it, Shy! I promised Discord I’d protect you!”
He furiously tore apart the goop in his way, storming towards her, but as he reached for her, it happened.
“Take my hand!”
Reaching out for him, she only had time to let out a squeak of dismay as her entire body was enveloped by a wave of the vile substance.
“No!”
As he screamed in utter rage, Tirek didn’t have long to come to grips with it, as a wave of gelatinous evil crashed over him, and just like that, the two were gone. Twilight watched as one by one the remaining fighters fell, pulled into the slimy, gooey depths.
As the newly formed slime construct copies of her friends coursed towards Twilight and Chrysalis, the former Changeling Villainess cried out.
“What do we do?”
Twilight had been furiously running calculations. There was no other choice. Her magic wrapped around the Ex- Queen, lifting her up towards a portal that she had opened.
“Twilight! What are you-”
Her words faltered as she saw the tear-filled eyes of the Princess of Friendship. Twilight knew what to do. She barely had any magic left, magic enough for one last spell. The ooze slithered over her hooves as she gave Chrysalis a final, caring smile. Chrysalis screamed out to her. This can’t be happening! Not now, they had finally…She finally had friends!
“Twilight!”
As Twilight was pulled into the slimy substance, she gave Chrysalis a magical shove into the portal, crying out.
“Please…Don’t forget us!”
And like that, Chrysalis vanished into the portal, leaving behind Equestria, her home, and her friends; now lost to a villainous substance known only as the Smooze. The last survivor of her realm, and the last words of her best friend still echoing in her ears.

***

“Twilight!”
Sitting bolt upright, Chrysalis let out a blood-curdling scream, frantically looking around. Her eyes surveyed her surroundings, she seemed to be inside some kind of large…Tent?  Next to her was a strange cord that had prongs at the end. What in the world? 
Chrysalis stared at it in confusion, not knowing what to make of the strange cord that seemed to come from the ground itself. Poking at it, she noticed it crackled with strange energy arcing between the two prongs. As she continued messing with it, the tent flap opened and the heavy hoofsteps of a pony caused her to look up. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw.
A purple furred Alicorn stood there, staring back at her, the amethyst eyes shining brightly, with a mane of indigo and a tail to match. It can’t be… That’s when Chrysalis saw the mare’s cutie mark; a large star surrounded by six white smaller sparkles. The smallish Alicorn spoke to her.
“Oh goody, you’re recharged. Look Chrysalis we really need to tal-”
Before the words were finished, Chrysalis leaped from her resting mat and wrapped her hooves around the Alicorn, startling her.
“Talk? Chrysalis, what are you doing? Let go of m-”
Her words were cut off, as she heard Chrysalis sobbing and crying out to her.
“Twilight! Thank Celestia you’re alright! I thought you were gone forever! Please never leave me again!”
Twilight stood stock still, stunned by the words, as more hoofsteps could be heard clamoring behind her. Unable to think of any words, she silently wrapped a hoof around Chrysalis, as the latter continued to cry into her shoulder.
“Twilight? I love you and all, but I’ll deactivate you if you don’t stop all this noise; it’s disrupting my charging cyc- what? Chrysalis! What are you doing? Girls, Code Harmony, get in here!”
A lavender-furred Alicorn stood in the tent flap, originally blinking sleepily, now shouting outside to some unknown beings, her mane a soft violet with a seafoam green stripe, and on her flank was the almost faded image of a falling star.
Twilight stayed silent and just held Chrysalis with her one hoof, as several voices could be heard behind her; voices Chrysalis knew all too well. The Alicorn’s horn glowed with a fierce dark blue light as she issued commands; though her words were grainy, like an old tape player.
“On three, initiate beta delta formation. One…Two…”
Twilight spoke, her voice sweet yet distorted as she turned her head to look at Starlight and her friends.
“Belay that order. All units standby. She is fine. I will handle this.”
Chrysalis, lost in her tears, had completely missed this, but as soon as they quieted down, she heard Twilight whisper to her. Gentle and sweet, but almost as though a recording were being played.
“You are not the Chrysalis from this world, are you? From what I can see, you are a completely organic, non-metallic life form. The saline falling from your eyes onto my alchemical plating tells me you have been through much, and though I am glad you found solace in seeing Twilight again, I'm sorry to inform you; I’m not the Twilight you are looking for.”
That’s when Chrysalis noticed it, the whirling of mechanized gears and the hum of electrical components. It was very faint, but as she opened her eyes, she realized they were coming from Twilight’s barrel. Slowly, she tapped her hoof on Twilight’s back and a distinct chink of metal was heard. Fearfully she glanced at the mane and noticed it was translucent, and her hoof passed right through it; a hologram.
Startled, she let go and staggered back to stare at the mechanical Alicorn. She noticed that the eyes were shining like bulbs of light and every movement the Alicorn made caused a small chink and whirl of gears and servos. This machine looked like Twilight, but this was not Twilight; at least not the one she knew. Her voice dripping with trepidation, Chrysalis barely squeaked out.
“W-who are you?”