When she got devoured by that Tazilwurm, Chrysalis thought it was over. That's why she couldn't help but feel slightly shocked to be alive when she woke up. She had zero track on what time it was, how much time has passed, and she even needed a bit to mentally catch up on what happened.
She got up on her hooves, and looked around, her eyesight adjusting to her location. She was no longer anywhere near Ponyville, to her relief. She was instead in the Changeling Kingdom, the sky an orange haze.
She heard a rumble, and she looked behind her. A massive Tazilwurm approached her slowly, destroying whatever was in its path without care. Chrysalis backed away, but she didn't run. In fact, when the Tazilwurm got closer, it shrunk in a whisk of a massive green flame.
"I was hoping you would be the last one..." Cicada smirked once she was revealed. "Because I find this to be the most appropriate manner to end things."
Chrysalis looked left and right. "Where are the changelings? What did you do to them?"
"You can calm your flank down..." Cicada growled. "They're fine. I scared them all off when I brought you here. A Tazilwurm may not scare you, but a kingdom of changelings and a weak leader, and only one changeling willing to fight... they're bound to run off, with the persistent fighter suffering an injury."
Chrysalis wanted to speak, but Cicada just kept on talking.
"But enough about that. Let's get back to us. Just as much as you want to take me out, I want to take you out, too. There can be only one true Chrysalis, and that one will be me. I refuse to let you exist as long as you present what I shouldn't be. A weak slave to Friendship! You are far from a queen that is meant to be feared. There's no point in convincing you to return to your destiny, because I'd find it more satisfying to end you instead!"
Cicada shot at Chrysalis, but as to be expected, she got out of the way, and the boulder behind her blew up into pieces instead.
"I really don't know when to give up, do I?..." Chrysalis mumbled under her breath, annoyed at her clone's persistence.
"And what an appropriate way to end it too..." Cicada teased, while Chrysalis scattered out of view. "Me finally reclaiming an empire of sorts... you losing everything, from your friends to the one you love... I can't think of an ending for me that is greater than this."
Chrysalis shot at Cicada, but she blocked the attack. Immediately, Chrysalis teleported away somewhere else.
"Must I say more to have you do more than take a weak shot?... I suppose so, don't I?..."
"You've said everything you've needed to say!" Chrysalis shouted. Knowing what would happen next, she teleported away after Cicada heard and launched another attack.
"So quit being the coward that you've become and accept your fate. You've lost everything, including your pathetic loved one, and all you can do is fight me and fail trying."
"Fine..." Chrysalis hissed. She leapt out of her hiding spot, turning into a Timberwolf in the process, and charged at Cicada.
Chrysalis dodged or reflected each and every blast that Cicada launched at her, and when she pounced, Cicada teleported away. Snarling, Chrysalis looked behind her, and saw Cicada right as she unleased another powerful blast. Chrysalis blocked it, and continued running once the shield was down, turning into a Timberwolf moments later.
Cicada herself became a Timberwolf, and she also proceeded to charge at Chrysalis. They tackled each other and rolled on the ground, with Chrysalis pinning Cicada on her back. Cicada pushed Chrysalis off with brute force, got back on her wooden claws, and then transformed into a Bugbear. She pointed her stinger at Chrysalis and charged, but Chrysalis quickly became a Cragadile, crunching the stinger due to it hitting the hard surface on Chrysalis' back. Bugbear Cicada shrieked, and Chrysalis turned into a Manticore, jumped, and successfully got a hold on Cicada, unfortunately flying low enough to be caught. With Chrysalis gripping onto Cicada, they both swatted their paws at each other, landing heavy blows, but not too much for scratches, roars continuously erupting throughout the area. Cicada finally got the upper hoof over Chrysalis by becoming a Maulwurf, forcing them both to fall, and this time being the one pinning her foe to the ground. Cicada raised her large arm and prepared to strike, but Chrysalis was still quick as always, becoming an Ophiotaurus. The green light distorted Cicada's sight, an unintentional but useful effect nontheless, and Chrysalis slithered away... but decided to spin around, striking Cicada across the face with her own tail.
Once Cicada's quick recovery was over, Chrysalis already became something else... something smaller. Now a Pukwudgie, she proceeded to shoot her quills at Cicada. Cicada reacted by becoming a Slingtail, jumping a bit closer to Chrysalis, and swinging its tail.
Chrysalis may have been a spiky Pukwudgie, but she was no match for the tail. Fortunately, she saw the attack coming. That's why she turned into a Parasprite moments before Cicada landed and flew away.
Cicada huffed, and became a Twittermite, proceeded to shoot tiny bolts of lightning at Chrysalis. Chrysalis dodged them left and right, and when she was close enough to Cicada, she became herself again, and swatted a hoof at Cicada, finally knocking her to the ground.
Cicada transformed back to herself as well, somewhat bruised and scuffed like Chrysalis was. She snarled and lit her horn, but Chrysalis picked her up and threw her with an incredibly powerful force, her body breaking through a large changeling structure. Chrysalis appeared in front of Cicada by teleportation and had her horn ready. This was her moment. She was finally going to end Cicada once and for all. She was finally going to get her...
...revenge.
Chrysalis slowly calmed her stance, her angry expression fading to one of realization. Cicada slowly opened her eyes, glistening brightly in the sky that was getting darker by the minute.
And Chrysalis could see her own face in the reflection.
Of course, Cicada's eye was green. So, a lot of things in the reflection were green too. But the way the green looked on Chrysalis was the final straw that made her completely stop what she was doing.
Whether Cicada had a goal to revert Chrysalis back to aggression or not, she succeeded. All of Chrysalis' words and experiences echoed in her head. All of those things she learned, and yet keeps on ignoring simply because of the existence of Cicada.
She wasn't sorry. But she also didn't want to go any further than what she's gone. Still, though, she lit up her horn. All she needed was the needed information, and she could move on. Her horn started to glow once more.
"All I need is information..." she said. "And then you will be put down peacefully..."
Cicada didn't seem too afraid. In fact, when her eyes appeared to glance at something behind her, she only grinned. That's when Chrysalis heard the hissing.
She had to ignore it, because of she did something, she would pay the price. So she continued to do what she was going to try and do, but then something tackled Chrysalis by the side, and then hopped off of her when she was down. She looked up and saw Changeling Tirek a few steps away.
Chrysalis stood up. "Tirek..."
Two other changelings hovered down next to him. It was Leo and Cozy Glow.
"Step away from the queen..." Leo hissed.
Chrysalis glanced at Cicada, getting up. And three more changelings... Starlight, Trixie, and Sunburst... entered the scene as well.
Chrysalis looked all around her. She was of course, outnumbered, but she didn't want to be overly harmful anymore... mainly to her own friends. She couldn't be too soft either, though, or she would never win. She studied everyone's stances... were they going to jump at her again, was Cicada going to shoot, were any of them going to transform?... Who knows? She wasn't going to find out what to do like this, though. She ignited her horn, and sent a shockwave that, while harmless, was enough to send back everyone that surrounded her. Only Cicada got out of the way. Chrysalis flew up to join with her, not taking her eyes off of the enemy.
"I am not going to fight you aggressively anymore..." Chrysalis proclaimed.
"And then you'll proceed to do it again. And again. And again! Ever since you changed you fail to keep your 'morals'!" Cicada shouted.
"No. No I won't. Because I've been weakened by each and every time you would return and take away everything I have built, with myself... and with all of my friends."
All of the changelings below were ready to continue fighting.
"I don't need aggression to beat you," Chrysalis said.
"Twilight Sparkle and her friends have used aggression before."
"Everyone has their own way of fighting. And although they used aggression, they have used harmony as well. Aggression isn't the best answer to solve problems."
"It is for me. How else would I always get my way? Attack!"
The six changelings below all finally flew up at Chrysalis. Cicada flew above Chrysalis and dove down with her horn blazing green flames.
Chrysalis raised a shield, but she had other plans. When the others made contact with it, it burst in blue light, and she was gone.
"Where did she go?!" Cicada growled.
"Behind you!" Changeling Cozy Glow warned.
Cicada looked behind her, but two blue beams already flew past her. They both hit Trixie and Cozy Glow, putting them to sleep, causing them to fall. But Chrysalis quickly teleported to the ground and caught them with her magic, gently setting them down.
Starlight and Sunburst both landed on the ground, Sunburst becoming a Bugbear and Starlight becoming a Manticore, and charged. But Chrysalis knew what to do... using her horn, she let out a big blast of blue light, distorting their vision.
Chrysalis hoped that they wouldn't run into anything, but it was take-it or leave it. Luckily, both of them didn't run into anything, instead stopping where they are and returning to normal. Chrysalis quickly took them both out one-by-one.
"You!" Cicada ordered Leo. "Get down there! You, Tirek, stay!"
Leo obeyed. He was the next one to dive to the ground and attempt to attack Chrysalis. All she did though was lift up a shield, causing Leo to bounce off, and then she put him to sleep as well.
It was just Cicada and Tirek now, but unlike the others, they instead lowered themselves to the ground.
"I should have known that they wouldn't do as well as I would... a couple of them surprised me with their lackluster methods of attack... but I learned from past mistakes and thought of an immediate backup."
"Which is?" Chrysalis asked.
"This!"
Suddenly, Cicada unleashed a massive amount of green electricity at Tirek, causing the centaur-turned changeling to shriek.
"NO!" Chrysalis bellowed.
Cicada electrocuted Tirek for a couple more seconds before casting him aside. Quickly, Chrysalis rushed to his aid. He was an evil brainwashed changeling, but he was still Tirek. She checked to see if Tirek was okay, and breathed a sigh of relief when she found out he was. Cicada laughed. Chrysalis' teeth gritted, but she took a deep breath, and quietly told herself that Tirek was okay. But then she was raised into the air in Cicada's green magic.
"I should have done this from the beginning..." Cicada snarled. "Take you down, and then instead of drone on and on, or initiate more of this fighting, I would drain you of your love instead."
Chrysalis had little to no reaction time. Cicada's mouth was already open, a pink streak of love emerging from Chrysalis' chest, and entering Cicada's throat. Chrysalis groaned, feeling herself get weaker and weaker. Cicada on the other hand, started to feel stronger, and stronger. But then, her eyes went wide, and she fell to the ground, groaning as if in pain. Chrysalis was confused. Since when has draining love caused something like this to happen.
"What... have... you... done?!" Cicada shrieked.
"I-I didn't-..." Chrysalis stammered. She needed to think about what just happened, but then she realized that the answer was clear. Or at least the theory. "Wait... you and I... we're two different entities, but we are still the same. In spite of our differences, we are still both Chrysalis. I am you, you are me. You taking my love didn't just satisfy your hunger... it linked my feelings to you. It gives you a voice of reason in your head. You want nothing more than to attack and get your way. But now... the doubt is stronger than it ever was."
Cicada's breathing was shaky and her hooves were wrapped tightly around her head. Her horn started to glow as her expression soured, and although Chrysalis was somewhat certain that Cicada would hold off, she backed away and lit up her own horn. But thankfully, Cicada dimmed her own horn.
"Make it stop..." she growled.
"You brought it upon yourself. To attack Equestria... take away loved ones... all of it. Perhaps stone or Tartarus was never the best punishment. This is."
Cicada said nothing. She lit her horn again, and this time, actually shot at Chrysalis. But she missed, and although it was likely unintentional, Chrysalis didn't speak of it.
"How do I reverse this?" Chrysalis asked. "What did you even do?"
Cicada bit her lip and looked away. "You can't possibly be foolish enough to assume that these... feelings... that I have will help with anything."
"We share feelings. The feelings I have strive to be right. You feel my feelings, so I can only assume you'll know what to, and be tempted to, do what's right. If you can't speak, I know of plenty peaceful ways to do so."
"You'll never get a word out of me. These 'feelings' are just effects. I'll be able to get back on my hooves soon enough!"
"Are you sure? After all... just imagine. Seeing all of your friends be who they were never supposed to be. Seeing this wonderful world start to suffer under your hooves. Feel all of your past actions topple onto you. Guilt."
Cicada ground her teeth, her jaw incredibly tight. "YOU- You-... you..." She fell silent, looking away again. But moments later, she proceeded to hesitantly tell the story.
"Dark magic... when we last saw each other, I ran off to search library after library, hoping to find a spell that could fit what I wanted. It started to become such a chore when there were so many books with spells that felt limited in what they could achieve. But when one musty old shop threw out some books in a dumpster, I couldn't help but feel curious. So I searched around, and that's when I found it... "Dark Spells for the Dark Minded". I figured I'd look, and sure enough, I felt satisfied. First off, a mind-control spell linked as a hive-mind. That would enable them to do as I say. And secondly, advanced transformation, where I would transform your friends into my image. I ran off with the book and practiced the spell, and I soon had to figure out how exactly I would make the spell easy to spread. In my usual disguise, I asked around, and soon enough, I got an answer... your zebra friend Zecora. With her help, I converted the spell into a liquid, and then I went up to the weather factory, got all obstacles out of my way, poured my creation into the water, and... you know the rest. Satisfied?"
"How do I reverse it?"
"What do you think?!" Cicada grumbled. "Find the reverse part of the spell. I never bothered to read that far or see if it was there for obvious reasons."
Chrysalis worked on grouping together the unconscious changelings, but she spoke anyway.
"You will take me to the book. Once we reverse this, we're going to destroy the book, and then we'll decide your fate."
"We?"
"You started this," said Chrysalis. “And you are going to help me end it. And even if you have newfound feelings, I will not be afraid to take precautions.”
“Like what?…” Cicada snarked.
"All I ask is for you to tell me where the book is, and then tell me the process for how to convert the reverse-spell to liquid."
Cicada refused, but she could feel the temptation to tell the truth start up. She bit her lip. She was stronger than this. Surely she could overcome some silly feelings. But maybe she wasn't entirely incapable of winning just yet.
"Fine! The book is in your precious castle in Ponyville. I doubt the fog has fully dissipated, but you can surely try."
"Very well. We will go," said Chrysalis, finally done with putting the bodies in place, using some magic to keep them asleep. She couldn't take them with... she had to come back for them. "...And then we'll work on the reverse spell. I'll be back here later to personally take care of the others."
Chrysalis flew off, but Cicada stayed. She quickly realized that and glanced at her. It took a few seconds for Cicada to fly up, but caution immediately began to settle in Chrysalis. It would take a lot more than what just happened for Cicada to completely give up... after all, the shock of the after-effects of absorbing her love may have stunned her, but it could only encourage her to fight back once more, or even take advantage of the opportunity for manipulation. She just knew it. So if Cicada was going to play along, then so was she. She was not that naive. She had to be ready.
*Later…*
The sky was dark above the town of Ponyville. By now, the fog was mostly gone, but there were still traces of it here and there. All of the changelings were still there, patrolling the town or simply roaming around. They all noticed something flying above, and into the window of the castle. There, a bunch of changelings bowed down when they saw Queen Cicada fly in, all alone.
“The remaining enemy has successfully been captured, and her magic disposed of,” she said. “Unfortunately some of our own failed miserably at the mission. They’re at the old kingdom. Go fetch.”
“Yes our queen,” said a changeling before a bunch of them flew out of the window. Cicada went to leave a room, and a fly behind her that was buzzing around the room flashed blue, transforming into Chrysalis.
“Your help is appreciated, but I didn’t expect you to actually give in and comply,” said Chrysalis.
Cicada said nothing except “Let’s just go get that book. I’d much rather suffer in the aether or worse than work with you because of emotions I don’t even want.”
Chrysalis said nothing. She still kept herself on high guard. They both went down the hallway, Cicada up ahead to check for changelings. But luckily, it didn’t take long for them to reach the library. There, Cicada’s satchel was on the table, lying on top of something.
“It’s under the satchel,” said Cicada.
Chrysalis quickly ran over, and picked up the book from underneath.
“This…” Chrysalis whispered. “This will fix everything.”
Chrysalis heard the faint sound of a horn lighting up, and she quickly dove out of the way to evade a beam from Cicada, most likely meant to disintegrate her.
“I’m not even surprised…” Chrysalis said. “Even with newfound feelings for others, and your actions, I figured you wouldn’t give up easy even with all that guilt and love.”
“The feeling is mutual. Now that I’ve bought time by helping you as an attempt to gain your trust, they’ve settled, and now it’s far easier to fight back. Now stand still and fall!!!”
Chrysalis dodged another shot, but then a green glow took over the book she held, and struck her on the chin uppercut-style before it flew over to Cicada.
“I’m going to find a spell that will slowly pull away every molecule in your body…” she growled.
Chrysalis had one option. Cicada’s overcome the feelings and bought enough time to repress them sure, but they’re not gone. She conquered them but there’s a good chance she’s still vulnerable.
“Cicada-“
“Try me!” Cicada’s horn lit green, but already, a dark flicker was visible on her horn. “I dare you. Be all “nice”, or “caring”, even after you clearly showed aggression and distaste for me. Be all mushy with your words and see how that benefits you. I’m strong. I will not let you take away what I got back.”
“You hid your feelings, but you’re still vulnerable. I know that if you think just once about losing everything… and through my perspective… you’ll have second thoughts.”
“Why should I care about your perspective?”
“You don’t need to. But repressing feelings isn’t going to make anything better. If anything, it will only make you angrier and more miserable. You’ll miss out on so much.”
“You’re missing out! Have you forgotten what it’s like to be a queen?”
“Who cares if you’re a queen? Because I no longer care about being one. Look at me. I’m much happier. I experience love, friends, and life, and I never feel like I have an unreachable goal built off hatred and conquering. Because with your goal, every time we fail, things will only be worse off than before. The first time we fail, we get cast away and the path for revenge starts. The second time we fail, we lose a whole kingdom and a chance at salvation, and now we’re alone. The third and final time we fail on something big, we’re not even allowed to move or interact with the world. But if you just let all of that go, the exact opposite will happen.”
“I can’t even be like you!” Cicada shrieked, the darkness in her horn’s magic growing stronger. “You had a choice with your purpose when your life began. But I’m meant to be your past reflection. I’m meant to be evil. I’m not meant to be like you. Being what you used to be is all I know how to do! I’m incapable of accepting what you’ve become!”
“You’re only saying that because you want to hear it!” Chrysalis continued. “Because it’s with the morals you’ve set up for yourself. But now you are more capable than ever of understanding the good morals. Understanding love, friendship, and understanding your rights and wrongs. In fact, let me do it for you, speaking from my view!”
“Don’t!” Cicada shouted, the dark magic overtaking most of the green.
“Your past actions will be shackles weighing you down, but living a live in harmony will set you free. Revenge will never set you free. It feels like it now, but there will eventually be something else, whether someone rises up or you get paranoid of that situation. Your old enemies, now friends. Your old subjects, now friends. You feel like you’ve done them wrong, but they’ve already forgiven you seeing how you’ve changed. Leo and Cozy Glow, friends that are there for you. And Tirek. Someone you love closely and dearly.”
“YOUR TRICKS WILL NOT WORK ON ME!”
“This isn’t just about convincing you. It’s to bring your feelings to the surface. You and I both you we are happier with a life of harmony. Because I know that my anger against you prevented me from being happy.”
Chrysalis took a big risk, stepping closer to Cicada. Cicada tensed.
"Stay back!"
"If you do this, even if you don't feel it now, the regret will surface eventually."
Chrysalis fearlessly approached Cicada, showing a mixture of anger, doubt, and... fear? Were Cicada's feelings that impactful? If they weren't before, they sure were now. Cicada still struggled to cast the spell, and she was already face-to-face with Chrysalis.
"You want nothing more than to destroy me and finally get your way," Chrysalis said, placing her hoof on the book. "But now, you don't as well. There's only one choice to make, and now, yours is right."
"You did this to me..." Cicada growled, a tear falling down her face. "I can and could destroy you, and because of you-"
"You were the one that tried stealing my love... what happened to you was your own doing."
Cicada and Chrysalis didn't lose any eye contact. At first, it seemed as if Cicada was really going to cast the spell required to end Chrysalis... she snarled, and she gnashed her teeth, and her eye twitched. Chrysalis just stared, somewhat empathetically, but mostly emotionless.
Cicada finally made her choice. She deactivated the spell, dropped the book, and walked away, sitting with her back turned.
Chrysalis picked up the book, and flipped through the pages until she found the one she was looking for... almost.
"Let's see... here we are... this spell turns anyone into your image, physically, and mentally... well now we know what was done, but let's see... is it reversable?... I believe so!" Chrysalis shut the book. "Come on," she said to Cicada, not looking behind her. "Let's go to Zecora's. If she's still there and fell to the spell, then we'll have to restrain her while you be the one that fixes it."
Cicada didn't do anything at first, but she did give one brief glance at Chrysalis, before standing back up, and flying out the window. Chrysalis quickly went after her but she quickly realized where Cicada was going. She calmed down, and caught up with her.
There, they went about resolving the situation. First off, they went to Zecora's hut. Like Ponyville, there was some fog present in the Everfree, though just a little more than the former. When they arrived, they assumed the coast was clear, before Zecora... as a changeling... showed up and attempted to attack Chrysalis, only to be knocked unconscious by her. With instructions from Cicada, Chrysalis successfully compiled the reverse spell into a liquid. At that point, she didn't need Cicada anymore, but she still needed to keep an eye on her, so she insisted that Cicada joined her for the rest of the resolution until she cures her friends.
Chrysalis returned to Ponyville and located the Weather Factory pretty quickly. In order to avoid the clouds, she had to take cover in a shield again. Cicada did too. She may have casted the spell, but as Chrysalis was told, she's still had to play it safe. The hole in the wall was still there. Chrysalis knew that she had to pour the fog into the vat of water... which she had to fill first. The process was agonizing, and Cicada was barely lifting a hoof unlike at Zecora's. Chrysalis was able to take care of it eventually, and after she poured in the spell, she groaned at the realization that she'd have to figure out the controls... until she saw the smashed button. Chrysalis gasped and flew over to it, and gave it a tap. Nothing happened, which wasn't a surprise. She gave a sharp glare at Cicada, who didn't care in the slightest. Chrysalis decided to give it another go, but this time, she slammed her hoof down on the button, breaking it even more. It sputtered, and the machine started to pump out the fog. Chrysalis quickly looked outside. The bright blue fog started to spread. It did intertwine with the green clouds, but Chrysalis felt that since most of the green fog was gone, the blue fog will overpower it in the end.
"Congratulations..." Cicada said, finally speaking up after being silent in the factory. "You win. And I yet again fail, all because of friendship. You didn't even use it to cast a 'magical spell'. You forced it into me, forcing me to surrender to your pathetic whims."
"You make it worse than it sounds because you're not giving it a chance," Chrysalis said. "And here it seemed as if sharing my views would do some good for you."
"You're actually trying to help me?... After you tried to destroy me quite a while ago?"
"Well, first of all, you stole some of my love, enabling those feelings. And secondly... destroying you will never solve my problems, even if it feels like it will. Solving things peacefully will help. Time and time again I'd learn this, and time and time I'd throw it away because I felt like I was losing everything. Like what the both of us have been through. But peaceful resolutions will always mean a happier ending."
"Even though you needed me regardless?" Cicada pointed out. "Without me your precious Equestria would still be falling apart."
"Whether I needed you or didn't, I was only going to feel haunted," said Chrysalis. "Even if I could have gone on without you, I never would have learned anything. It's always good to be peaceful. And sometimes there will need to be banishments or punishments that break that border. You have to do what you have to do. But revenge is never the way to go no matter what."
Cicada snorted.
"I'm going to go reunite with my friends," Chrysalis proclaimed. "This will be the last time you'll come with me. And then I'm going to bring you to Canterlot and I'll leave your fate to the Princess."
Chrysalis, then joined by Cicada, flew out of the factory. Canterlot was closer, sure, but she wanted to make sure her friends were okay.
*Eventually...*
Chrysalis was met with a surprise when she finally arrived at the Changeling Kingdom.
Everyone was gone.
"What?..." she whispered.
"Ha! They must have escaped!" Cicada proclaimed. "How unfortunate."
Chrysalis took a deep breath to prevent herself from snapping.
"What did you do?" she asked.
"For your information, I had nothing to do with this. I was too busy being dragged around like I was your pet!"
Just then, both of them heard loud stomping from the bushes. Chrysalis prepared herself for the worst.
Tirek revealed himself from behind the trees and bushes. He was no longer a changeling. He was back to his old self.
"Tirek!" Chrysalis flew over to reunite with him. "What happened? Last I saw you, we had you here, and you were a changeling, and-"
Tirek pointed at Cicada. "Before I explain what happened, would you mind telling me why she is here?"
"Don't worry, she's less of a threat... it's a long story. I am on guard in case she tries to fight back," Chrysalis assured. "Where are the others?... Leo, Starlight, Cozy Glow... where did they go?"
Unbeknownst to any of them, something was spectating the scene as it unfolded, it's shiny metal exterior hidden from the sunlight.
*Meanwhile*
Somewhere far away and unknown, watching what his drone is currently showcasing on a screen, was Gizmos. He's been hiding away, watching for so long. Watching what Chrysalis has been doing, and also watching the fight that took place an hour ago. He still remembered it vividly. The Storm King, Lilith, and Alagmir were both sent a while ago to capture the unconscious changelings that Chrysalis had just defeated. Sephtis tagged along... he knew how to turn them back. Once he did, they attacked. Only Tirek got away, but that didn't stop them from bringing the rest there.
Now that Chrysalis was about to learn what happened a while ago, it was time for him to check on things. First off, the prisoners. Only one of them he was concerned about. Cozy Glow. The screen hit static and went to black, causing Gizmos to slam his fist on the table. He was getting better at throwing together drones and devices, but he needed more work and effort put into it. He was going to have to see what was happening in the flesh.
First off, the prisoners. Gizmos left his room, and quickly made his way over to where the others were being kept. He peeked into a room where currently, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Sunburst, Leo, and Cozy Glow were all trapped in a manifested cage, glowing with a forcefield that was meant to prevent them from using magic. He saw Cozy Glow, looking worried, prompting him to feel the slightest bit of guilt.
But he still had to worry about his own plans. He quickly fled, and ventured over to the outside of the base. Sephtis stood out there, slightly causing Gizmos a bit of tension. He knew what he was staring at. It was something that they both wanted for different purposes.
Up in the moon’s dark sky, massive clouds flashing blue started to form.
The tension broke by Septhis chuckling beneath his breath, turning around to meet his eyes. “Heh… Gizmos, my…’ally’... why must you be so tense whenever you see me?” he asked.
Gizmos didn’t answer.
“Hmmm? Not very talkative in the moment, aren’t you? Well I guess you wouldn’t mind hearing about my plans for prisoners such as Cozy Glow for extracting-” He was interrupted by one of Gizmos’ tentacles launching forward, grabbing him by the barrel, and raising him high.
As he walked towards Sephtis, he let out a low growl. “If you dare harm her! I will-”
Septhis let out a chuckle.
“Oh finally you talked!! I was just toying with you… playing with one’s mind is always a way to make them talk.”
Gizmos let out one more growl before letting him go. Septhis dusted himself off.
He raised a red hoof and pointed at the dark sky above. “Look up…”
Gizmos saw it, just as Sephtis did. Blue-ish clouds flashing constantly were on their way, covering more and more of the white, rocky land.
“An ancient power has just awoken… it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. All we need to do is be there for the most powerful strike. That, and this bell together, will lead to many possibilities. Will you play your part, as with the others?” He reached out his hoof in a hoofshake. But Gizmos felt that he couldn’t trust that particular hoofshake… not from someone whose personality he knows all too well. Not in the mood to lash out once more, he simply walks away, disappointing Sephtis.
Sephtis simply continued to smirk, unfazed. “Fine, if you’re insistent on being kept like that… but you’ll soon regret disobeying me Gizmos…”
Gizmos continued to ignore him and went back to his base. He wasn’t afraid. If anything, he was determined.
The pieces are moving and the starting line has been set. This will be a race to the finish line. Either Sephtis' plan succeeds, Gizmos' plan succeeds, or they both fail.
All anyone had to do was wait and see.