"Izzy..."
"Pipp!" Izzy cried at the sight of her marefriend hurt. "Are you okay?!"
"No..." Pipp admitted weakly.
"What did Chrysalis do to you?!" Izzy sobbed.
"She took my magic, my love, and stabbed me...with her horn...and then she went somewhere else..."
"It’s okay, Pipp. You’re gonna feel a little - well, okay, maybe a LOT - of pain, but it’s fine...I’m here with you now. Everything's going to be...okay..."
Pipp smiled gratefully and hugged Izzy, which made her blush. But she made sure to hug back.
"I'm sorry, Izzy," Pipp said. "I got you trapped here without magic, and now Chrysalis might catch us."
"It's okay, Pipp! It's not your fault. I'm the one who came here without a plan. And I’m sorry, too," Izzy said. "I should've been there for you, but I'm the one who let you get captured."
"No, Izzy, you're the one who came to rescue me," Pipp said. "But...Izzy, do you still love me?" She was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks, but Izzy thought she looked beautiful, just like that night next to the campfire when they-
Izzy shook her head to clear the thoughts. She needed to deal with the matter at hoof. "Of course I do, Pipp! Why wouldn't I? But I really am sorry. Can you forgive me? Please?"
And Pipp suddenly glared at her. Izzy's heart dropped and she looked down sadly.
"Listen here, Isabella Moonbow. Are you listening?"
"Y-Yes..."
"I love you so much. Stop blaming yourself. None of this was our fault, and we're not getting anywhere by blaming ourselves. Do you hear me? I love you, Izzy..."
"Really...?"
Pipp nodded. Izzy smiled in relief. "Thanks...I really needed that." Then she slapped her forehead with her hoof. "Oh, I'm so stupid. Here we are, trapped deep inside Chrysalis's hive with no magic and no way of getting out, and you're giving me a pep talk, or whatever that was. We're wasting time! Come on, let's go do something!"
Pipp nodded quickly and opened her mouth, but she didn't get to answer because at that moment, Sunny Starscout appeared out of thin air. "Pipp! Are you okay?! I was so worried-" Then she saw Izzy. "Izzy...? Is that you?!" She started crying. "I missed you girls so much!"
Izzy hugged Sunny back. "I missed you too!"
"I thought I would never see you again!" Sunny said. "Are you all okay? What happened?"
"I'm better now, Sunny..." Pipp said, and smiled. "I hope everypony forgives me for getting them into this mess...After all, I'm the one Chrysalis wanted."
"It's not your fault. I'm sure they will forgive you, and I'm never going to leave you alone," Izzy smiled.
"Um, sorry for ruining the sweet moment and all, but...I really think we should deal with Chrysalis and get this battle over," Sunny said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the very changeling she was talking about suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Chrysalis cackled. "Too late! I'm already here!" The ponies noticed that Chrysalis had a bell next to her, which she was levitating with her magic.
"What in Equestria is that?" Izzy whispered to Sunny.
"I have no idea!" Sunny admitted.
But Pipp's eyes widened in alarm. "That's the thing she used to take my magic! That weird old bell!"
Chrysalis laughed. "Exactly. And now that I have Pipp's alicorn powers, I will defeat you stupid little ponies!"
"No! My friends and I are going to stop you, you evil queen!" Sunny said as glowing, transparent wings and horns appeared on her body.
"Sunny, stay back. I've got this," Izzy said, but she wasn't sure that was true.
Chrysalis laughed. "Well, you're funny! I guess it's alicorn against alicorn...but you forgot that I also have my changeling powers. Hmm, I wonder who will win..." she said sarcastically.
"I am not leaving!" Sunny yelled.
But Izzy knew better. She knew it was hopeless to try to fight against Chrysalis, and she didn't want more ponies to get hurt. But there was one thing she could do...
She tried summoning magic to the tip of her horn, knowing it was probably hopeless, but to her surprise, a bit of magic actually came! She realized that the hive wasn't strong enough to remove all her magic...yet. So that was how she had teleported into the hive instead of outside it. And how Sunny could still turn into an alicorn. It explained a lot of things, but she didn't have time to think about it.
The magic crackled and sizzled, powered by Izzy's love for Pipp and her friendship with Sunny. The air was now thick with a beautiful scent, the scent of friendship, magic, and mostly love. Izzy stopped holding on to it and let the magic flow everywhere. It brought love and friendship to Zephyr Heights and the Crystal Empire, and all the magic started to protect each place. Even the changeling hive was freed of...well, changelings. Except for Queen Chrysalis.
But that was where something went wrong. Chrysalis's soul wasn't expelled from the hive, but her body was. So her soul needed a new body to settle in. It was closest to Pipp's, so that's the body it chose. At once, Pipp started to change. Her normal, beautiful green eyes turned into a sickly shade of green, and her mouth curled into an evil smile. But nopony seemed to notice...
"I love you, Pipp...but this time is my time to go," Izzy said. She closed her eyes.