//------------------------------//
// A Blight Upon the Land 
// Story: Fallen Sun 
// by shademaster24601 
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Chrysalis was miserable. Sitting around, waiting for Uriah to announce the next step in his master plan, all the while she knew that they had the might to launch a successful assault on their enemies. To make matters worse, her changelings were becoming complacent in the new order. This was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, help Uriah take Equestria and then move on with their share, but they were blending now, like they were actually becoming friends with the goblins and the ponies of Appleloosa and Wallowmire. Her control over them was slipping. It used to be she could just glare or hiss at them and they'd fall in line, but now they were dragging their feet and rolling their eyes. 
She sat alone, sulking, in Uriah's shower. Even that got on her nerves because it served as a prime example of the shabby luxury she'd come to expect from the Goblin King. It was big, with plenty of room to walk around. It's four shower-heads were evenly placed on each wall and rimmed with gold. The walls were studded with treasure, not just precious stones, but actual articles of treasure like goblets, coins, necklaces, and a decorative sword, all of which were just crammed into the stone like fossils in an exhibit. Chrysalis let out a sigh and stretched, letting the warm water roll over her. "I'll give him this. Between this and the bed, he knows how to put together a great self-care system."
"I also meditate and make a delightful cup of chamomile/lavender tea." Chrysalis got ridged, but he was on her instantly with a scrub brush to her throat. "Hello, my little mantid."
Chrysalis cringed initially, but relaxed as the tickle of the bristles and the sweet smell of the soap set in. "Uriah," It was a simple greeting, with a reluctant acceptance. "I didn't realize you had returned."
Uriah smirked. "I just got back. Snuck in actually, didn't want to raise too much excitement. Figured I'd rest up a bit, decompress with some alone time, but surprise surprise..." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and she shivered in spite of the warm water. "You poor thing. I had no idea you were going to miss me so terribly."
Her eyes widened in an indignant glare. "I most certainly did not."
Uriah rolled his eyes and, to her reluctant delight, started gently scrubbing under her chin. "Oh, please. I checked in with Tirek and he said you were licking the bedding." The brush moving gracefully in his magic, he scrubbed a steady line down her chest and under her left foreleg. She blushed, and smiled involuntarily before giving up and relaxing into him. "I mean look at you, two of your leg holes came back. You must have been starving. You couldn't at least try to let the other towns ponies help you?"
The changelings Queen pouted and raised her other foreleg to let him keep working his magic. "Because I don't want them to help me, I want them to obey me. I don't care how nice they are or how good the pie is, it just doesn't work for me. I don't like to be nice, I like to be evil!" She leaned back and let him get his wings around her. She rested her head against his chest and watched the suds slide down her hoof. As she did, she noticed those resurfaced holes vanish again leaving it complete again for the first time in ages. "Besides...I've...grown accustomed to your affection."
She turned to him with hesitant want in her eyes and the two shared a kiss. Uriah had to note that this, while passionate, was no where near the kiss of true love he shared with Pinkie. It was tinged with an aftertaste of his pity for her and her resentment for him. However, when  lips parted, Uriah couldn't help but be happy to see the last of her holes vanish. "I can tell. Congratulations, June Bug, you are complete again. Looking sinister, beautiful, and well-fed."
She shot him an accusatory glare. "Are you saying I'm fat?"
Uriah booped her nose. "I'm saying you are looking more like a regal queen, rather than a spindly witch." She bit down on his hoof again. He just grinned and bared it.
Chrysalis rolled her eyes, released her bite, then licked away some of the blood from the puncture wounds. It was the one part of their macabre relationship she actually enjoyed. "So, how was your little vacation?"
"Oh, excellent. The first day was great. I got to the circus, played lots of games, had some excellent food, and I got to fall in love again." The pale alicorn nudged her with his shoulder when she perked up at the last bit. "Still not telling you who." His expression fell as his thoughts cycled back to harsher events. "Then things fell apart. I started seeing ghosts...well, a ghost to be precise. Took the extra day to try and clear my head."
The Changeling Queen gave a little smirk as she nuzzled his cheek. "Heh, don't tell me you're going crazy on us."
Uriah snuggled her back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, I'm long gone, but at least I know what I'd like to work on. I went to get some help from my cousin in the Crystal Empire." He could tell she was about to be outraged, so he held her mouth shut with his magic. "She had what I needed and I established some good rapport. I received some intense therapy, which went great for the most part, except the last of my ghosts wouldn't come out and now I'm actually worried I might never see them again. To make matters worse, who should show up, right after I almost broke my shoulder in my madness, but the witch who caused it."
Her eyes widened. "Celestia was there? Did they tip her off?"
"No, she, Aunt Luna, and Twilight were already on their way to discuss the Tirek problem, just as planned. They'll be busy trying to track him via his modus operandi, not knowing that my control spell ensures that he won't be leaving a trail of drained ponies to follow." He took a moment to smile at how clever he was. "I also threw a little truth bomb at them. Aunt Luna was positively furious to find out Celestia lied again. I almost feel bad that it hurt my dear aunt so, but having them locking horns with each other makes our mission all the easier." He let out a wicked chuckle.
Chrysalis gave a sinister giggle of her own. She smiled, but it faded when she turned to look at him. "Ugh...I can't believe it...we're really becoming friends, aren't we?"
Uriah pondered for a moment. "I don't know. The ratio of our little love/hate relationship seems to be a little less full of hate recently." The two of them got back to their feet. Uriah turned the water off with his magic and materialized a towel for each of them. They dried themselves off and made their way to the bed. The pale alicorn smirked as changeling queen snuggled up to him again. "I suppose all the mutual affection made it easier and vice versa." Then he got an idea. A wicked, sneaky, awful idea. "How about a field trip? A little mission, just you and me?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Right now? You just got back in."
"Later," He assured as he gently caressed her mane. "I'll check in with the goblins, let them know their king has returned, I'm sure they'll have some fanfare for me. Then we can discuss the denouement."
Chrysalis shot him a coy smile. "You've figured out your endgame? I can't wait." She took him by surprise and pounced on him, coiling them both in the plush comforter. Another thing she hated to admit was that she enjoyed how warm he was. "Can I have a little hint?"
Uriah happily nuzzled her. "You are surprisingly soft." The glare of those lovely green eyes telegraphed a reminder that she was in prime position to go for the throat. "I'll assemble the troops and we can all workshop the details in due time. Right now, given that my days-off included no sleep and you smell very soothing, I'd very much like a bit of shut eye." She rolled her eyes, but couldn't argue. The overall warmth of the moment had practically put her body to sleep already. All she could muster was an agreeing purr as she nestled her head under his chin.


Another royal bed chamber, secured in Canterlot Castle, was feeling anything but peaceful. Twilight sat, nose in Uriah's book, atop Luna's bed. The argument that started at the Crystal Empire had still been raging. The two sisters had actually forgotten to take Twilight with them when they stormed off to scream at each other in private. She stayed behind to at least visit a bit with Cadance and Shinning Armor and make sure they were fully caught up on the Tirek situation. The lavender alicorn sighed and fell back onto the mattress. She puzzled over the text her that her adoptive older brother had entrusted her with, then focused her mind. Her horn lit up and her entire body started to vibrate. It stopped and, when the young princess opened her eyes, she was literally beside herself.
The second Twilight blinked. She mirrored the original as they sat up and examined each other. "Whoah." They both reached with a hoof and met in the middle. "It worked."
Original Twilight quickly beamed. "I don't believe it, I really pulled off a perfect duplication spell. I mean I've seen illusions and afterimages, but you..." She took a moment to give her doppelgänger a prod. "You're a perfect copy!" OG Twi looked over her clone curiously. "Is my butt really that big?" She gave the clone's rump a squeeze.
Clone Twilight blushed, but held her head up. "Probably, but Luna certainly seems to enjoy it." The two Twilight's shared a laugh and a hug. Then they laid down side by side to stare at the ceiling. "Same thoughts and memories, if I didn't trust myself so much, I'd swear I was the original. What's my half-life?"
Original Twilight sighed. She knew the implications when she started, but she she was so curious. "A few minuets." She held the clone's hoof. "I'm sorry."
Clone Twi waved it off. "Hey, at least I can go out proud of myself. Still, I'll be the best magic clone I can be. Want to talk about what I know we want to talk about?"
Original Twi rubbed her forehead. "You mean how my girlfriend and adoptive mother are fighting and I literally split myself in two in order to deal with it?"
The clone kicked at the bedding. "It's the worst. We love them both and we're trying to understand, but what are we supposed to do if they both need us?"
"Celestia's been a second mother to me. I know she thought was right," She wrapped herself in her wings. "But Luna's right to be angry. I'm angry. I told her Cerberus left his post and she never mentioned Tirek. She could have told me the truth then and I could have been ready for all this. Tirek and Uriah."
Clone Twilight started nudging herself closer. She slipped underneath Original Twilight and started massaging her neck the way they liked. "They question is would we want to be prepared?" Original Twilight gave her clone a puzzled look, urging her to elaborate. "It just seems like maybe there's a bright side to it. Say Celestia did come clean to us about Uriah before he arrived. We never would have given him the same chance, we'd just be keyed up to fight off the next big threat. Then there's Pinkie..."
Original Twilight's eyes widened. "Right. Pinkie had no idea who he was when she made first contact. If it had been placed in her head that he was the bad-guy, she would have come to get us instead of introducing herself. She snapped him out of five hundred years of non-stop hatred and made him believe in friendship again. Without her...he would have been on the warpath."
The clone Twilight nodded as she worked the shoulders. "There's no way we'd have the same chance against him as we do now and that's only because of what we've been learning from the book he gave us." The clone felt a strange tingling sensation and she looked at her hooves. They began to glow and wisps of light started to drift away from her. "Uh oh, I think I'm just about done."
Original Twilight turned around and went a bit crestfallen as the Clone started to become see-through. The princess hugged her doppelgänger one last time. "Thank you. You've been a big help."
The clone gave a warm smile. "Hey, it was all you...literally. I just wish we could have worked through more. Oh, wait! Before I go, kiss me so we know how..." With an abrupt poof, she was gone. Twilight's brow furrowed as she tried to wrap her head around it. Deceived, she came out stronger, wiser, more hopeful for the future, but if she'd been told the truth and her connection to her mentor preserved, she'd be doomed. It was a sobering lesson.
Her train of thought came to a halt as the doors swung open. Twilight turned to find Luna, standing in the doorway, in tears. The night princess shook her head and ran to the bed, throwing herself on the mattress and burying her face in a pillow. "She hates me! That's the only way I can explain any of it. All she does is lie to me."
Twilight's heart sank to see her beloved in such a sorrowful state. "Oh, Luna..." She reached out and placed a gentle hoof on Luna's shoulder.
Luna Immediately threw her hooves around Twilight and held her as she wept. "Its true! She thinks I can't be trusted! I pressed her on why she would withhold such vital information about a major threat to Equestria and she blamed me for getting upset. I said, "what do you expect me to turn into Nightmare Moon again" and she said "it wouldn't surprise me."" Luna broke down and started sobbing.
Twilight went wide eyed.  "That's awful! Oh, come here." Twilight hugged Luna tighter and stroked her mane to comfort her. "She had no right to say that. You've come so far and done so much for everypony." Twilight gave Luna a loving peck on the cheek. "You know I love you, right?"
Luna sniffled. "I know..."
Twilight nuzzled her love. "And all our friends love you, and your subjects love you, because you are the most dedicated, kind, and loving pony I know."
The night princess reached up a wing and tried to wipe away some tears. She needed to see so she could kiss Twilight properly. While their lips met, their breathing synchronized, helping to calm Luna. It was a mess, but they didn't care. When it broke, Luna's warm smile peeked through her sorrowful look. "I'm sorry, I got snot on your cheek. I'm so gross." She reached out with her magic and pulled a tissue from the night stand and tenderly cleaned Twilight's face.
Twilight mirrored Luna's actions. The night princess certainly could use it more. "You are beautiful. Even if you're gross." She playfully booped Luna's nose, drawing a giggle. They shared another smooch then let their head's rest on each other's shoulders. "Things are crazy and getting crazier, but the one thing I can be sure of is that being with you is the absolute best thing to ever happen to me." The two held each other through the rest of the night, the emotional strain exhausting poor Luna. Twilight, however, found herself with a particular resolve. She was going to give Celestia a piece of her mind.


The next day found Goblin Town in a joyous uproar. The goblins were elated to have their dear king return to them and Uriah accepted their welcome with gusto. His new order of business was to assemble his army for preparation for the finale of his master plan. It was something he had been dreaming about for centuries, not knowing how to get there, but absolutely sure that it's how he wanted it to go. The Grand Galloping Gala was still a ways off, but if he was going to pull off what he had in mind, it had to be down to an exact science. With an auditorium full of goblins and changelings before him, he conjured a massive white board and sketched a play-by-play like a pony possessed. "The timing is going to be absolutely critical so we'll have o coordinate in advance. The important part is the signals. Absolutely do not begin until you hear the first or we risk blowing our cover, and immediately follow through on the second. No matter how much or how little time passes between, you go full-force on the second signal. Understood?" Affirmative chatter and nodding answered back in bulk, but one green hand rose up from the front left. "Yes, question?"
A grunt stood up with a slight confusion. "Not that I doubt your brilliance, oh Goblin King, but what if the second signal don't come? You said yourself it was conditional."
Uriah capped his marker and nodded. "True, while I have full confidence in my ability to manipulate Celestia into sending said signal during the gala, there is the possibility she will resist the compulsion. If that happens, I will send a black sun back-up to create the second signal myself. All in all, it promises to be a night she will never forget." With a scowl he did a quick turn and blasted the white board with a bolt of magic. "Her last night and my first, as supreme ruler of all of Equestria!" A thunderous applause met him as he stood, wings flared, with a wicked smile. The goblins practically shook the room and, in that moment, Uriah truly felt like a king. He glanced over and found even Tirek and Chrysalis cheering in their own, reserved, way. The alicorn's eyes quickly became transfixed on the long, wrapped, object in the centaur's hands. "And with the enthusiastic help of Lord Tirek," Uriah gestured and Tirek approached, "we have also procured the ultimate failsafe, should my plan go awry. How was Manehattan by the way?"
Tirek smirked. "A bit of a rat problem, but you really can't beat the souvenirs." He carefully unwrapped the object. "The Kaladanda."
The alicorn flinched and his eyes widened at the sight of it. It was such a simple thing, yet the sheer force of its divinity cascaded in invisible waves. One could liken it to the sensation of being near a pool of acid or a spinning blade. No heat or breeze, but the pure primal spasm that forces you away from it. Other than that, it was a stick. Long, wide as a door knob on one end, a fine point on the other, and both ends were dipped in gold. Uriah took great care when accepting it in his magic. "Its one thing to talk about it, but to actually hold it in my grasp...you felt it too?" He looked Tirek in the eye when he asked.
There was certain pleading for understanding in Uriah's eyes and Tirek felt compelled to return it. "It was practically haunting. I was tempted to try and drain it, but...there was a fear. I've strived for absolute power, but to hold it in my hands..."
"It's humbling." Uriah gave Tirek a nod, which the centaur returned before stepping back next to Chrysalis. Uriah methodically observed the Kaladanda. "The great equalizer. Both a gift and a warning when magic was first used to grant immortality. It's original owner, Yama, left it with our world so we may defend ourselves from any evil sort that pertains to last forever." Uriah stopped when he found a cluster of crystal shards, then carefully puled them out. The wood of the staff mended and it was restored to the pristine condition it was made in. Uriah held the Crystals apart from the staff and feigned lament. "Alas poor Lavan! I knew him, Chrysalis, a fellow of infinite spite and most excellent envy. Ha!" The shards dropped from his magic, clacking against the stage floor. In a swift motion, Uriah crushed them with a thunderous stomp.
Chrysalis raised an eyebrow and playfully smirked as Uriah ground the shards to dust with a wicked grin. She approached and eyed him up, noting the exhilaration he was getting, made clear by the flared wings and quickened breathing. "I'm not used to seeing this side of you. It's impressive."
Uriah gave her a wicked smile. "I'm feeling particularly malicious today." He blinked and his sinister visage started to fade, replaced by one of concern as he looked at the Kaladanda again. "Which means I shouldn't be holding this right now." He materialized a black sun in front of him. With upmost care, he inserted the staff into the floating orb, sliding it in until it vanished completely. With a nod, he dismissed the sun. "A pocket dimension only I can access. Comes in handy, sometimes I throw my candy wrappers in there, but that should keep it safe until I need it." He turned his attention back to the crowd, raising his voice to address them. "Previous attempts to destabilize our enemy's kingdom have met with less than satisfactory results. Sure, ponies have gone missing, but in my last trip into civilization, word of mouth is that it's considered spooky at most. Which is why Chrysalis and I are going out to try something a bit more...substantial."
Tirek raised an eyebrow. "From solo mission to side-line, then? Honestly, after bestowing me with the might of two alicorns, I'd think you'd have more use for me."
Uriah rolled his eyes. "True, but I did not bestow the power of flight, which is essential for where we're going. You've played your part exceptionally so far, Tirek. Be patient. You'll have your chance to shine." He turned to Chrysalis and gestured with his wing toward the center exit across the room. She nodded and followed him as he made his way off the stage and started moving through the crowd. "Until then, I trust you can keep a handle on things here for a few hours. You hear that boys? Tirek's in charge until I get back." There was a collective groan of disappointment, which caused the Centuar to cross his arms and pout. Uriah rolled his eyes and chuckled. "I know, I know, but this won't take long. When I get back you'll have my undivided attention and you can tell me all about how we're going to improve the new flight-packs." This was more well received. A few excited high-fives rang out across the room. Uriah continued his march out of the room as the goblins at all sides bowed to him.
Chrysalis noted their unhesitating loyalty and looked dismayed. "How do you do it? You command their fealty so easily."
Uriah smiled. "I don't command it, I just...have it. I'm more than their king, I'm their friend." Chrysalis put on a sour expression and blew a raspberry at the notion. "Heh, it's true! The goblins and I have history. We defeated an evil tyrant together, forged a beautiful alliance between kingdoms. They believe in me now, because I've shown them they can depend on me before."
She shook her head as they walked through the tunnels. "It was never like that for me and the changelings. I've always been the strongest, so it was only natural I be the leader. I feel like I'm losing them...to you."
Uriah gently placed a wing over her shoulder, which she would normally pull away from, but something compelled her to let him. "It's a good thing we're on the same team then." She clearly didn't appreciate the joke. "Look, it's not that hard. Like you said, you started out together, you're literally a family. However, you can't take that for granted. Don't forget that they're in the same boat as you, with the hunger, the outcasting, the feeling that you need to fight. Since you all joined up with me and the goblins, those problems have been going away," He ran his wing along her hole-less frame to emphasize. "They're loyal, but they're not stupid. If you try to force them away from a path they know will take them where they need to go, then they will resist."
The changeling Queen gave him an incredulous look. "So I'm just supposed to roll over for the new order? Just be complacent being your pet?"
"You're not my pet, your my friend. An incredibly toxic friend, but a friend none the less." It got a little laugh and that made the Goblin King smile. "Look, I'm not telling you to change. What I am urging you to do is get out of your own way as you run alongside me. Our mission today is designed to do exactly that."
Chrysalis glared at first, but raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you have in mind? I gather from your speech there's going to be suffering involved."
Uriah wasn't overly fond of how her voice perked up at the prospect of pain, but he smiled at her enthusiasm. "Most likely. A king needs to make hard choices after all. You'll get to cause some damage and ruin a few lives, but you must follow my lead and trust me if we're going to succeed. Okay?" He watched her curiously as her face scrunched, clearly grappling with the concept. Ultimately, she let out a sigh and a slick grin before giving him an affirmative nod.
So did the Goblin King and Changeling Queen go forth to sew bedlam upon Equestria.


Rarity had grown accustomed to many strange things in her life. Sea serpents, manticores, evil nightmare princesses that end up turning good and dating one of her dearest friends; these things, she could handle. However, she had to set her limits on strangeness. Discord was typically on thin ice in this department. Jokes and tricks were one thing, but when he kicked in the door and screamed "Rarity! Holy cow! You'll never believe what just went down in the royal palace!" while she was pinning a dress up for a client, she was understandably tiffed.
The fashionista took a deep breath in and let it out slow before she addressed her client. "Roseluck, I apologize, but would you mind stepping in the back room for just a moment while I deal with this." The earthpony nodded, her panicked eyes locked on Discord as she slowly backed out of the room. Rarity rubbed her temple. She'd spent enough time with him to learn his mannerisms, so the absence of the usual intellectual and mischievous tone was curious. She also knew she couldn't trust gravity when he was around so she didn't really pay much mind to what was expected.  "Discord, you are aware I run a business here. If you're bored, maybe Rainbow Dash can..."
"Twilight hit Celestia!" The chaos spirit blurted it out, sweating bullets.
Rarity didn't flinch. She kept a calm, poised, and elegant visage. All the while hiding the fact it felt like her skeleton might try to escape from her body. She simply took another breath, summoned her fainting couch, took a seat, and exhaled. "Go on."
Discord was pacing the floor. "Okay, so I was watching her stress out over the whole Crystal Empire incident..." He paused for a moment to note her raised eyebrow. "Right, you don't know that part. Ok, so there's this bad guy, Tirek, who tried to take over Equestria a long time ago. Didn't work, he was in Tartarus, until he escaped when Cerberus left his post a while back and is now making moves. So Twilight, Luna, and Celestia all go to the Crystal Empire to loop in Cadance. They get there and Uriah's there having an episode. I'll let him tell you about that. So they try to loop him in too, except he doesn't want anything to do with his mother, so he tries to bolt. When Luna tries to stop him, he drops a truth bomb. Turns out, he did regular checks to make sure Tirek was secure, and Celestia put an end to it to keep her mind wipe in tact."  He took a second to let Rarity gasp. "So then Luna and Celestia start arguing, I mean like really bad arguing. Screaming at each other for hours."
The unicorn was holding herself up with one hoof now. "Is that when Twilight..."
Discord didn't let her finish. "Getting to that. So then Celestia says something way out of line. I spat out my drink. Luna runs off to Twilight in tears. Time passes, Celestia brooding on the throne, trying to pass the time with work. Then Twilight comes in and Celestia's all..." He mimicked the sun princess's appearance to mock her. ""oh, dear Twilight, I was hoping you'd come. I wanted to explain to you what you heard from..." A disembodied lavender hoof materialized next to the draconequus's head. "And then POW," the hoof struck him and he went flying across the room. "Twilight just decks her! Then she just starts going off on Celestia. Tells her that she's done with all the lying and manipulation. She says she doesn't care what Celestia did or why, but nothing gives her the right to attack Luna like that. The last thing Twilight says before storming off is that Luna's moving to Ponyville to stay and not to contact them unless it's about Tirek. Leaving Celestia to face cameras with this!" He held up the latest tabloid.
Rarity's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Oh my stars!" Plastered on the front page, under the headline "Royal Rumble" was a picture of a shocked Celestia with, as Rarity's father would put it, one dinger of a shiner. "Twilight did that?!"
Roseluck, curious of the yelling crept back in. "Twilight did what?" Her eyes wandered to the paper. "Holy Smokes!"
Discord nodded feverishly. "I know, right?!"


Cloudsdale, the pristine city in the sky, home of the pegasi and central weather hub of all of Equestria. To see it in its glory, monumental architecture gently adrift on the wind, as pastel wings carried its residents from home to home, and business to business. There were so many ponies in the air, it was a wonder how they navigated so flawlessly, but, like an aerial ballet, every pegasus made their own way. It befuddled one, however, as she landed on the edge of town. Her coat was a very pale green and her mane was the color of autumn leaves. Her cutie mark was a lay bug walking across leave leaves.
She gingerly stepped across the clouds, her green eyes darting back and forth. "Should we really be walking through the town like this? What if somepony suspects something?"
"Like, they won't if you don't give them a reason. For sure." A second pegasus dropped in behind her, displacing some clouds. She was ocean blue, with a pink mane done up big in a feathered look. She was a bit heavyset, but hid it with a loose green sweater. She draped a wing around her nervous friend and gave her a supportive nuzzle. " Just keep that chin up, show 'em that smile, and you'll be clutch brill all the way!"
The green-eyed mare tilted her head. "What?"
Her blue companion gave her a teasing kiss on the cheek. "Just take a chill pill, homegirl. We're fresh, we're fly, we got this."
The red-head just looked more lost. "I don't...what are you...?"
The blue pegasus narrowed her eyes in an annoyed glare. Then Uriah's deep voice came through. "I am playing a role, madame, what are you doing?"
Chrysalis shook her head. "Sorry, sorry. I just wasn't expecting you to be this into character. I mean you are really good at this."
Uriah puffed out his chest in pride. "Well, if you're gonna do something, you might as well put effort into it. Besides, it came in more handy than you'd think. Undercover missions, sneaking away from royal duties," The disguised alicorn did a little pose and returned to using the distinct, high pitched, and bubbly voice. "or just having some fun, you can't go wrong with Bodacious Plume. Mmmm, I missed her. I feel so fun and snuggly. So, what about you? Who's this new pony?"
Chrysalis puzzled for a moment, then conjured a camera to hang around her neck. "Shutterbug?"
Bodacious Plume gave her companion an encouraging rump bump. "See? So much easier than trying to replace some pony important. Just a couple of cute and cuddly co-eds come to see the weather capitol of Equestria. No pony will even bat an eye." Plume's pink locks stood on end as she jolted, Shutterbug having given her a surprise swat on her generous flank. "Oh, you cheeky little...c'mere you." What followed was a high-speed, giggle-filled, game of tag that bounced its way through Cloudsdale. The two darted through buildings and wing-traffic effortlessly, drawing a few barks to "be more careful," which were met with raspberries.
The changeling queen was reluctant to admit it, she wished it weren't true with every fiber of her being, but her smile just kept shining bright. She was having fun. There was a moment where she really did let go of herself. She was Shutterbug. She found and opening and pounced on Plume, nuzzling under her chin. "Gotcha!"
The two shared a laugh. Bodacious Plume pulled the smaller pegasus in for a warm embrace and just held her for a moment as tufts of cloud drifted around them.  "Oh, you two are so precious!" The pair blushed and looked up to find a mare giving them a soft smile. "I remember what it was like to be young and in love like that." She offered her hoof to help Plume to her hooves. "I love you hair."
Plume had the brightest smile. "Oh my gosh, thank you! You're so sweet. Sorry about your lawn." She noted the clear trail they left from impact point to where they ended up. Their game of tag had brought them tumbling into the suburbs.
The mare waved it off. "Ah, no harm done. I was gonna mow today anyhow. I'm Windy Whistles, it's nice to meet you."
Plume pulled Shutterbug under her wing. "I'm Bodacious Plume and this is my main gal, Shutterbug. We're here visiting from Las Pegasus, but totally got lost trying to find the weather factory."
Windy's eyes widened and her smile brightened with realization. "Oh, that's just a few flaps and a smooth glide away. I can lead you there, no problem."
Plume's smile was so genuine and her eyes were so grateful that Windy failed to notice the sinister gleam behind them. "That's so kind of you. We'd totally appreciate the help."
The kind mare gave them a warm smile before starting to lift off the ground. "Happy to help. Follow me."
The pair took off and followed. The kept her in sight, but hung back out of earshot. Plume nudged Shutterbug and gave her a slick grin. "See? Just like I said. Ponies are sweet and helpful to a fault. No juggling lies or messy manipulations. Just give 'em a smile and they'll give you anything you need."
"Point taken." Shutterbug rolled her eyes, but couldn't ignore how smoothly things were going. "I'm honestly surprised we haven't conquered you sooner."
Plume winked. "Its when you get distracted by that thought that we usually retaliate with an enormous energy blast. It's the eyes. We're naturally disarming." The two quickened their flight and caught back up with Windy. They banked around a parked airship and pulled up at the center of town. As they rose, Plume took note of the stadium to the left. "Ooh, is that the Cloudeseum?"
"Yep!" Windy beamed. "Host to some of the best flight competitions in all of Equestria." She puffed out her chest a little. "As a matter of fact, my daughter, Rainbow Dash, won the Best Young Flyer Competition there a while back."
There was a shared look of surprise between the two travelers, but Plume played it smooth. "Rainbow Dash? Element of Loyalty, hero of Equestria, that Rainbow Dash is your daughter?"
Windy wiggled with excitement and pride. "You bet! She's the number one flyer, and number one daughter! She saved four ponies, three of them top Wonderbolts, and pulled off her signature Sonic Rainboom in one swift move. My baby's amazing!"
There was the slightest twitch in the corner of Plume's eyes. She had a warm smile as she watched the genuine, unconditional, love and pride that only a mother could have. No pony could ever tell how much that stung the wounded alicorn behind the facade. Never faltering, Plume placed a hoof on Windy's shoulder. "I can't believe I'm meeting the mother of one of Equestria's biggest super stars. Shutterbug, quick, take our picture."
The autumn haired mare smirked and snapped the shot. Windy was more than happy to oblige. "That's a keeper. This is a great day for photo-ops."
Windy started to move along. "Just wait till you see the factory. The rainbow processing area is so beautiful." 
It was a lovely flight. The trio made their way through sunlight, wafts of cloud, and dodged a flock of geese. Windy brought them to a cloud overlooking the factory entrance. All around the complex, workers in white helmets and uniforms moved in and out of doorways on every level, like bees in a hive. Plume excitedly tapped her hooves. "It's so cool. Oh, I can see the rainbow pools from here." She gave Windy an appreciative hug. "Thank you, Windy, you've been a big help."
Windy was surprised by the hug, but couldn't resist the urge to return it. "Aw, honey, it was my pleasure. You two have a wonderful rest of your day." She let Plume go and took off back toward her home. She gave one last wave to the two before turning a corner and leaving their sight.
"Fly away, mama bird." Plume softly said, returning the wave. "The little lost chicks are just where they need to be."
The two took a quick glide across the gap and entered the factory through a door on the second level. Shutterbug took some pictures here and there to keep up appearances. She chuckled to herself. "Can this day get any better?"
"Pffft." It was an abrupt answer. One that went well with the priceless look on Plume's face as she smiled, but struggled to keep from busting out laughing. As she snickered, she pointed to the front page of the day's newspaper, held by a worker on break. Shutterbug almost dropped her disguise, as she too was delightedly surprised by the glaring image of Celestia with a black eye. Plume excitedly approached the worker. "Excuse me, mind if I check out the front page?" The worker nodded and happily obliged. Plume's eyes darted across the article and they lit up at the sight of a major detail. "It was Twilight!" She returned the paper to the worker and scooped up Shutterbug in a big hug. "Oooh, my baby sister's first major act of rebellion! I'm so proud."
Shutterbug brought them back down to the floor. "Settle down, you're gonna blow our cover." She scolded, but couldn't hide her own smirk. She didn't know Twilight had it in her. The walked down the hallway and stopped at the nearest directory. "So, what do we do now?"
Plume scanned the floor plan. "We take this hallway...then stop here and here. The snow flake crafting and storage, and the main rain-water reserves."
They casually strolled through the facility, every so often stopping to chat with a friendly passer or take a photo. Eventually, on their left, they found the snow flake room. Plume just walked, not seeming to pay it much mind, but Shutterbug looked curiously between her partner and the room. "Aren't we going to..."
"Do something right," Plume started. "And ponies won't be sure you've done anything at all." She flicked the tip of her wing and a tiny black sun flung out of it. It was as small as a pebble, shooting straight into the snowflake room and drifting up into the ceiling. "It'll raise the temperature in that room until all the snow turns to haze."
Shutterbug had to do a double take. "That'll ruin winter and cause a drought."
"Yes," Plume said flatly. "But why wait till winter?" The approached the main water reserve. In one of the stranger demonstrations of pegasus magic, it was housed in a large cylindrical container, made of glass and a metal frame. The was a large funnel at the top for catching the water during the collection process, but Plume had to wonder exactly what was keeping it in the air, connected by nothing but cloud. "In my day, it was several large buckets carried by balloons. Strange magic just keeps getting stranger, yet I can probably do it without thinking."
Shutterbug pondered the cylinder. "So what are you thinking. Evaporation? Freezing? Disconnecting it and dumping it outright?"
"I'm thinking option three," Plume raised a hoof. "With a slight twist." A surge of red magic channeled through her body and out her extended hoof in a wicked bolt. The bolt entered the tank through the glass and caused the water to glow bright red before vanishing completely. However, once the water had gone from the main tank, and alarm started to sound. "Of course, disconnecting it might have been a good idea." Plume instinctively grabbed hold of Shutterbug. "Poof!" As quickly has she said it, the two of them vanished in a red mist that dissipated just as security arrived. None of them had the faintest clue what happened, but panicked when they realized what damage had been done.


Above the sleepy streets of Wallowmire, a small red cloud began to form. Bodacious Plume and Shutterbug dropped out unceremoniously, scrambling to catch themselves before they hit the ground. The two pegasi landed gracefully and started laughing. Shutterbug's form vanished in a flash of green and Chrysalis stood in her place, laughing wickedly. "That was brilliant. Pulled the rug right out from under those feathered fools!"
Bodacious Plume admired her wings with a coy smile. "Well, when you spend as much time fight evil masterminds as I have, you pick up a few things."
Chrysalis wiped away a laugh-tear. "Where'd you send the water anyway?"
"Yakyakistan. I imagine they're gonna be for a rude awakening when a whole year's worth of rainwater just dumps on them all at once." Plume ran her hoof through her mane. "You know what yaks are really best at? Being rude." She rolled her eyes. "Course the yaks I knew are all probably dead, ah whatever, new guys probably have it coming."
The changeling queen tilted her head. "You know you can drop the disguise, right?"
"In a second." Plume took a moment to wrap herself in a big hug and took a breath. "I just want to enjoy it. It's like wearing a favorite robe. All warm and fuzzy." She let out a relaxed sigh, and a flash of red flame enveloped her. Uriah stood tall as the flames vanished. His trim, imposing form flexed as her unfurled his wings and flipped back his black mane. "And the king has returned."
Chrysalis, with a sly grin, walked up and nuzzled under him sweetly. "And what a king he is. You were positively ruthless."
Uriah placed a wing around her and held her close. "Any damage I do, I can undo just as easily once I rule Equestria. What's the saying? Can't break an omelette without breaking a few eggs?" He gave her a little kiss on the forehead and she purred sweetly. "So, friends now?"
She rolled her eyes, but leaned into him. "Ugh, fine. If I really must accept this whole friendship thing...I suppose I'm lucky I get to be friends with you." Chrysalis pulled back and, to Uriah's surprise, looked into his eyes with a genuine warmth and vulnerability. "Thank you...for caring about me."
Uriah gave her a wink. "Always, Love Bug." She suppressed a giggle and playfully pushed him away. The two walked side by side. The bond between Goblin King and Changeling Queen would be different from then on, stronger, warmer, and unbreakable. Heavens help whoever may stand in their way.