//------------------------------// // Loyalty // Story: Ever After // by Mixer //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Loyalty I wonder what kind of wimpy pony is the new Element of loyalty? Rainbow Dash wondered to herself as she soared through the sky, heading straight towards Canterlot. She felt as if she was being drawn to the royal city, a distant part of her corrupted soul pulling her towards it. She knew that the next Element of Loyalty had to be there. So she had decided that instead of waiting around for the others to start, she would go and be the first to bring back an Element bearer. “I’m gonna prove that I’m the best,” the shade said to herself. On the distant horizon, the first spires of the city became visible. -- “What are you looking at?” Breeze asked Mixer. They were back inside his house under the castle. The golem was standing off in the corner. It had taken several days, but they had managed to convert one of the outer walls of the building into a kind of drawbridge, allowing the hulking Mixer back into the workshop in which he had been made. “Something that shouldn’t be here,” Mixer responded. His gaze “I don’t see anything,” Flit said, looking around. “Exactly,” Mixer said cryptically. “What?” Breeze said staring at the section of wall Mixer had focused on. “There should be a door there,” the golem said. "And now... there isn't." “There was never a door there,” Flit said. "There is one over there," he said, pointing to the entrance to the room. “Hmm... I must have been mistaken...” Mixer said. Breeze shared a worried glance with his friend. “Are you sure you weren't damaged in the fighting? It is an untested design after all,” the pegasus said. “You may have a look if you wish,” Mixer said, and the golem powered down. The back cracked open, and a thin trail of smoke issued from the metal giant. When Breeze looked into the mechanisms, he saw that the crystal was now the same size as the mount, and that all the gears inside seemed to glow slightly. “Are you keeping this thing together with magic?” he asked. “I’m using magic to enhance the performance of the mechanisms,” Mixer answered. “Well, you are wearing on the left side already,” Breeze said, reaching into the compartment. There was a grinding sound, and then Breeze retracted his hoof, holding a fractured gear. “You already busted a gear, and some of the others are wearing. If you keep this up you won’t last a week without repairs,” the pegasus said. The golem didn't answer. The light from his eye dimmed. “Hello?” Flit said, waving his hoof in front of the eye of the golem. “Are you even listening?” Breeze questioned. After a few seconds the glow resumed and Mixer answered. “Sorry. Now if you would replace the gear, I will make sure to strengthen them next time.” “What’s up with you?” Breeze asked. “Nothing, just a little distracted,” Mixer said. “By what?” Flit asked. “Memories...” he replied. Breeze sighed. “Flit, I have to go fix this gear real fast, you go see if any of the shops around here have stronger parts, and maybe some better oil.” He turned back towards the golem. "And you, stop just dropping out without any explanation. You keep worrying us." “Alright,” the changeling and golem said, both reluctantly. Flit went back to the lift. The changeling rode up the lift, muttering to himself about the situation. “Why do I have to go get oil for the thing? I don’t even like him,” he said under his breath. He arrived at the top and walked through the castle, unaware that there was a fast approaching dot in the sky. The dark streak barely caught his eye before he was knocked sideways into the wall. “Where is he?” Rainbow Dash questioned, looking around, ignoring Flit and the shattered glass around her. The changeling sat up and rubbed his throbbing head. “No way! Not this thing!” Rainbow Dash said, seeing nopony else around. “Who are you?” Flit asked. “There has to be some pony around here,” Rainbow Dash said, frantically looking around for any trace of a hiding pony. “Who are you looking for?” Flit asked. “I can’t believe this!” Rainbow Dash said, lunging at Flit, leaving a hoofprint on the wall. "I failed!" “What was that for?!” Flit asked, standing up after rolling out of the way. “I’m going to be a laughing stock,” Rainbow lamented as she went after Flit, swinging her hooves at his face. He kept using his wings to dodge backwards down the hall as Rainbow Dash kept on him. Flit ended up tripping on one of his landings and Rainbow Dash was about to bring a hoof down on him when it stopped in mid air. Flit looked out from behind the leg he had lifted in defence and saw a black appendage holding tight to Rainbow Dash’s hoof. “No...” Rainbow Dash whispered, looking mortified. “Hey,” the black unicorn said, giving her a small grin. Rainbow Dash tried to back up, instantly forgetting about Flit. The unicorn held her still with one leg. “No, no, no, it can’t be you,” she said. “I’m afraid it is,” he said, stretching his free legs. “But... but...” Rainbow stuttered. “What? We don’t see each other for almost two hundred years and not even a hello?” he asked, looking almost hurt. “No! It can’t be you!” Rainbow screamed, yanking herself away from him. “So what’s with that outfit? Is it Nightmare Night already?” he asked looking out the window. "I thought I would be here a few months before that." Rainbow Dash shook at the knees, staring at the pony she had thought long dead. “What is going on here?” Flit exclaimed. “I guess that you just happened to be flying by when this changeling offended you somehow?” Soulless asked Rainbow Dash, ignoring Flit. “But, you can’t be alive...” Rainbow said weakly. “Well, technically, I wasn’t. Not until the timer went off,” he said. "But then again, neither can you..." “What? What timer?” Flit asked. Soulless brandished his hidden blade at the changeling. “Quiet,” was all he said. “No...” Rainbow Dash said, shaking her head. “What’s wrong?” Soulless asked. His concerned expression quickly hardened as the implications of her appearance caught up to him. "Why are you here?" Rainbow Dash turned away and flew out the window that she had crashed through, quickly flying off into the distance. “Well, you certainly do have a sense of timing,” Mixer said, Breeze holding the sizable crystal which powered the golem with his wing while he walked up. Breeze rushed over to his friend, helping the changeling off of the floor. “Who are you?” he asked the black unicorn. “Is that a hidden blade?” Soulless asked Breeze, pointing to the leather bracer on his left foreleg. “How did you know?” the pegasus asked. “Because, he’s the one who made it,” Mixer stated. His old friend turned towards the golem. “Out of that book I see,” Soulless said. “Yes, but this is rather taxing. It's hard not to go dormant with such a large crystal outside of my new housing,” Mixer said. Soulless looked quizzically at the crystal. "I'll explain later." “Flit, what’s going on?” Breeze quietly asked his friend. “I was hoping you would know,” the changeling said. “Breeze, meet your great grandfather,” Mixer said, overhearing the hushed conversation. Both Flit and Breeze let their mouths drop open. “What!?” they both exclaimed, Breeze dropping Mixer’s crystal. “Ow,” the crystal said dimly. “I take it that nopony but you knew about this,” Soulless said to the crystal. “No, but can we get back to my body please? This is getting hard to keep up,” Mixer said, the glow from his crystal slightly dimming. Breeze picked up the crystal again, and turned to lead the way to the lift. “I’ll let you explain on the way,” Mixer said to Soulless. By the time they got back to the cavern, the unicorn had explained how he had put himself in stasis, hiding himself from the world after Rainbow Dash died. “You’re lucky that the regeneration from your old augmentation expanded your life span, otherwise you’d be a shriveled old pony by now,” Mixer said, now safely back in Colossus. “So I get to wake up to you being in a giant robot, as smug as ever. Great,” Soulless said shaking his head. The golem shifted its eye upwards. “You better get ready,” Mixer said. “For what?” Soulless asked. “To explain all this to Twilight,” Mixer said, as the rest noticed that the lift was coming down. “Oh joy,” the unicorn said, his ears drooping. “Hey, at least you don’t have those sunglasses anymore,” Mixer said. Soulless groaned as Twilight stepped off the lift. He began to turn invisible, but a quick jolt form Mixer kept him from doing so. He instead decided to hide behind the large machine. “Where is he?” Twilight demanded. “Who?” Breeze asked innocently. “Some guards said that there was a commotion, and that they saw a black unicorn,” she said. "Specifically one who looks like the long gone Soulless." Mixer shifted, revealing the black unicorn. “Hi,” he said, raising a hoof lamely. Twilight immediately picked him up with magic and proceeded to look him over. She began to poke and prod him, making sure he was solid. “Ow,” Soulless said after a particularly hard jab. The princess frowned slightly. “Ok, so you’re not an illusion, or a ghost, or a fake,” she said, satisfied with her inspection. “Great, now can you put me down?” he requested. She let him drop from the air, landing softly on the ground. “Soulless, what are you doing here? I thought that you were dead.” she asked. “Well, I’m obviously a zombie pony,” he said, rolling his eyes. “No, I put myself in stasis. Now I’m awake, and the first thing I’m greeting with is Rainbow Dash in a Shadowbolts costume, trying to beat up this changeling here,” he said, gesturing to Flit. “What?" Twilight exclaimed. “Yes, she seemed to be awful worried about something,” he said. “It seemed like she was looking for something,” Flit said. “What?” Twilight repeated. “She was looking for somepony, then she attacked me,” he explained. “Why would she be looking for somepony?” Breeze asked. “I don’t know, but this is unsettling,” Twilight said. “Two ponies coming back from the dead in one day.” -- “Are we there yet?” Cotton Candy asked Treble. “Almost, but no peeking,” he said. “Alright,” Candy said, resisting the urge to lift up the blindfold off her eyes. After a few more feet he stopped her. “Ok, you can take it off now,” he said. The sight she was greeted with made her squeal in delight. “Oh Treble!” she said, hugging him. “I thought you might like a picnic out of town,” he said. "Looks like I was right." “I love it,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. They settled down to enjoy the picnic that Treble had prepared especially for the occasion. The only interruption was the dull roar of an object hurtling extremely fast extremely high above them. “What was that?” Cady asked, looking up at the dark streak that rushed across the sky. “Probably just some pegasus in a rush,” Treble said, taking a bite of a sandwich. “Today is just so perfect,” Candy said, sighing and laying back on the grass. Treble smiled, laying back with her. “I’m glad that it turned out perfect,” he said. They spent some time just laying on the grass looking up at the sky. “I wish this day would never end,” Cady said, closing her eyes. -- “Rainbow Dash, where are you going in such a hurry?” Rarity asked as she stopped her speeding friend. The pegasus looked as if she had seen a ghost. Rarity held her in place with magic, Spike hovering in the air beside her. The cyan mare continued struggling against the restricting magic. It looked as if Rainbow Dash was just going to keep flying and flying, until she couldn’t fly anymore. “S-Soulless,” she said, taking quick panicked breaths. “Calm down deary. Tell me what happened,” Rarity said, letting Rainbow Dash go. The pegasus fell to the ground. “H-h-he...” Rainbow trailed off. “I’ve never seen you so rattled before,” Rarity said, concerned. “How can I go back?” Rainbow Dash sobbed, grabbing Rarity by the front of her outfit. "How?" “Let’s get you back to Darkstar, dear. There’s obviously something wrong with you,” Rarity said, trying to comfort her friend. “NO!” Rainbow Dash cried, pushing her away. “How could I face him when I failed?” “I’m sure it will be fine,” Rarity assured her. “I can’t,” Rainbow Dash said, turning away. “Rainbow Dash wait!” Rarity called after her friend, but she had already taken off. “Should we chase her?” Spike asked. “No,” Rarity said, watching as her friend flew out of view. "We've got our own mission to worry about." -- While Rainbow Dash fled to wherever she was going, Applejack and her posse were scouring the Crystal Empire trying to find the Element of Honesty. “Sis, I can’t find anything,” Apple Bloom whined. “I told you, look again!” Applejack snapped. “You don’t have to be so hard on her,” Braeburn said. “We didn’t find anything either. “Nope,” Big Mac added. Applejack threw her hat on the ground. “We’ve been searchin' all over and not a single trace of this pony,” she snorted. "This is crazy." “Maybe we’re goin about it all wrong?” Apple Bloom suggested. “Can’t you like sniff this pony out or somethin?” Braeburn asked. AJ glared at him. “I’ve tried that, but everytime I think I’m gettin close, I lose the trail,” she said. “Then, why don’t we try stickin together? Maybe we can find this pony if we work together,” Apple Bloom suggested. “It’s worth a shot,” Braeburn said. “Eeyup,” “Well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt none,” Applejack admitted. She lifted her nose and took a few sniffs. “I think they’re this way,” she said, pointing towards a cluster of homes in a cordoned off section of the Crystal Empire. “In there?” Apple Bloom asked. "Seriously?" “Yeah, you sure your sniffer’s workin?” Braeburn asked. The cordoned off section was crawling with changelings, and few ponies lived there. Of the few brave ones that stayed, most were now in cocoons, being used to feed the changelings. “I’m sure of it,” Applejack said, and started off towards where her nose was pulling her.. The other three shades slowly followed behind her. -- “Chrysalis!” Darkstar called. “Yes Darkstar?” she asked, rushing into the throne room. The alicorn would have found it amusing the way she heeded his every call. As it was, he had other things to think about. “It appears that Rainbow Dash has jumped the gun and alerted the Princess to her presence,” he growled. “So what do you want me to do?” the changeling queen asked. “Take a small army of shades and changelings. Draw her attention. We don’t want her catching on to us too soon,” he said. “But won’t a direct attack provoke Twilight?” Chrysalis asked. “If you are afraid, I will just send Shining Armor to deal with it,” he snarled. "Or would you prefer cowering here under my protection?" Chrysalis gritted her teeth, taking the heat of his withering glare. “Very well, lord. I shall take a force and attack Van Hoover,” she said. “Good. That should draw her attention away from Canterlot and the rest of Equestria,” Darkstar said, temper settling down. “What if the Saddle Arabians come to their aid?” Chrysalis asked. The alicorn brushed the concern aside. “They could not get here in time, and the New Pegisopolis fleet was disbanded over a hundred years ago. You should be able to at least hold your own,” Darkstar said. Chrysalis bowed her head and turned to leave. “Oh, but on second thought, you have a tendency to fail. Go ahead and take Shining Armor with you, he should prove to be more of an adequate commander,” Darkstar said. Chrysalis ignored his insult and left the palace to call together her changelings. “Today we will march on Van Hoover in a bid to steer Twilight’s attention from Canterlot,” she began. “You all understand the price of failure. Now, prepare to move out. We will be leaving with the shades in one hour,” she said, and left her swarm to prepare. -- “Where are they all goin?” Apple Bloom asked as the changelings started to leave their section of the city and amass at the gate. “I don’t know, but it will make finding this pony that much easier,” Applejack said. -- When all the forces had amassed, Chrysalis and Shining Armor stood at their head, ready to lead the march southward. A large amount of the shades were guardsponies that Shining Armor had served with, and so they were already accustomed to following his orders. “Alright, move out!” Shining Armor ordered to his troops. “Well Shining. I never thought that we would be working together,” Chrysalis chided. “I’m not working with you,” he snapped. “Such hostility,” she goaded. Shining’s visage darkened visibly. “Listen here, I’m only doing this for Cadence,” he growled. Chrysalis decided to test how far she could push him. “Why Shining, I am Cadence,” she said, changing her form. Shining didn’t even hesitate; he punched her solidly across the face. The queen staggered back from the blow. “Don’t you ever impersonate her,” he growled. Chrysalis dropped the disguise, rubbing the side of her face. “That just might have cost her some time in pain,” she spat at him. He clenched his jaw, but kept from any more remarks or punches. Instead he just walked off, joining those of the force that couldn’t fly on the ground. “Good boy,” Chrysalis called after him, and joined her changelings in the air. -- “Princess, there are reports of an army advancing towards Van Hoover,” a guard said, scurrying up to Twilight. “What? How many of them are there?” she asked. “Almost two hundred changelings, and more shades than we could count,” he said. “This looks bad,” she said. “And it appears that..." the guard hesitated. "That your brother is leading them,” he finished, cringing. Twilight didn't react visibly. Only a slight hardening of her eyes indicated that she had heard the statement at all. “It seems that the world of war that I so wanted to escape is now in more need of me than ever,” Soulless said, stepping towards the princess. “How long have you been there?” Twilight asked the dark stallion. “I headed this way a few minutes ago, but didn’t want to interrupt your conversation,” he said. Twilight sighed, “You do have the most combat experience out of anypony at my disposal...” she paused, “Go, and take the Lunar guard with you.” “Gladly,” he said and stalked off. “Celestia, I hope you know what you’re doing,” Twilight whispered to herself. "Because I certainly don't."