//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: The Truth // Story: Rescue from the Changeling Hive // by EKessler //------------------------------// Rescue from the Changeling Hive Chapter 2: The Truth Discord propelled himself and the changeling through empty space, no longer in his daughter's room. Instead, they flew through something impossible to describe. All that could be said was that it was completely abysmal, something the changeling could barely comprehend. Discord's rules were obviously at play here. Finally, they struck something solid, or at least it felt that way. They were still completely surrounded by empty chaotic space. Either way, the changeling was hurt, and the chimera held it in place, his talon hand wrapped tight around its neck. All the changeling could see was Discord, glaring at him in deep rage. Discord himself may not have been aware of it, but his appearance was vastly distorted, shifting, multiplying, changing color, phasing in and out, all to the changeling's terror as it gasped for air. "Where is she?!" Discord got no answer, causing him to tighten his grip further, still making it impossible for it to breathe, let alone answer. "WHERE IS SCREWBALL?!" He was now shaking the little creature with both hands, desperate for an answer that he wouldn't get at this point. "Discord!" He didn't register Celestia's echoing voice, in favor of choking the life out of the insect in his hands. "Discord! Put it down!" He couldn't see Celestia, but her distant voice was getting through. He didn't let go, but he did stop shaking and loosened his grip, allowing the creature to take a deep and much-needed breath. Discord breathed deeply as well, gaining some control over himself, while the changeling continued to panic, writhing in his hands and staring in pure terror. However, it looked around at the abyss, finding that it was fading out of existence. After a few seconds, Discord allowed the expanse around them to completely dissipate, replaced by his daughter's bedroom, with Celestia. They were back on the bed. "Put it down, Discord." He glared at her, clearly still angry. "I can help, Discord. Put it down." He looked back to the creature with hateful eyes, causing it to freeze up fearfully. However, he set it gently onto the floor, at which time Celestia held it down with her magic, pale yellow aura surrounding its hooves. Discord moved out of the way as the Princess stood in front of the changeling. She lowered her head down to its level. "Where is Screwball?" She only got a hiss in response, as it tried to fight her restraints. Not wasting any time, she moved her glowing horn closer to its face, causing an odd reaction. Its blue eyes shot open in a daze, and it stopped moving. She asked again, with more force. "Where. Is. Screwball?" The changeling's mouth started moving, and a barely audible whisper could be heard by them. "…The…hive…" "What?" "…the hive…with…Mother…" "Mother?" Celestia's voice then betrayed panic. "Do you mean…Queen Chrysalis?" "…Yes…" Discord then jumped at the creature again, breaking Celestia's focus on her spell and forcing the changeling to back up against the wall, the spirit of chaos glaring at it. "My daughter is at the changeling hive?! WITH QUEEN CHRYSALIS?!!!" The draconequus was shaking violently, his anger completely overtaking him as Celestia watched in fear. "Discord, please calm down!" He couldn't hold it in any longer. The room was distorting around him, shifting in shape, size, and color as he lost control of his powers. Finally, he arched back in a mighty wail of anguish, sending the shockwave of his reality-altering powers upon anything they could reach. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Ponyville: Market Square "Howdy, Pinkie Pie," greeted Applejack from behind her stand in the Ponyville market area. "Can Ah getcha somethin'?" "Oh, yes! Just a regular apple this time, please," replied the smiling pink Earth pony, tossing her two bits into the can on the booth. Applejack happily tossed the apple into her hooves. "There ya are, partner! Enjoy!" Pinkie then leaned in to take a bite. "…AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Noticeably to Applejack (but not to Pinkie Pie, for some reason), the ground shook moderately as a male voice rocketed through the air. Pinkie's apple then vibrated in her hoof and, suddenly, turned into a delicious-looking chocolate cupcake. Pinkie's eyes were closed the entire time as she still held it and took a big bite, Applejack watching in sheer amazement. Pinkie's eyes shot open, and a huge smile spread over her face. "Wow! Best. Apple. Ever!" She then bounced happily away with her "apple," leaving her orange friend completely dumbstruck. "Wha-what in the…?" Discord's Cave The spirit of chaos breathed heavily as his fit ended, the room around them restoring itself to proper order. The changeling had fainted in fear, while Celestia watched the entire time, grateful that nothing bad had happened. Then again, she still remembered what the changeling said, about where Screwball was. Discord then flew out of the room into the living room. Celestia followed, but not before placing another spell of restraint on the changeling. When she walked into the room, she found Discord floating in the middle of the room, completely motionless. Celestia took to her wings to meet him, but he didn't turn around or give any indication of noticing her. Judging by how tense he looked, it appeared that he was having trouble restraining himself after what happened. "Discord?" Celestia didn't really expect him to answer, but she had to do something. After all, this situation simply couldn't be ignored. He did, however, start giving signs of life, breathing steady again as he turned around, looking at her with pained yellow eyes. He then lowered himself to the ground, as did Celestia, both of them touching the floor once more. "That moth has my daughter, Celestia!" "I know," said Celestia. Discord seemed to expect her to go further, but she didn't say anything else. "That's it? 'I know'?" He had an incredulous look, but Celestia remained calm, although the severity of the situation was by no means lost on her. "No plan?" As he gestured his emotions with his hands, a scroll appeared in his lion paw. "No interrogation?" A whip. "No call to arms?" A bomb with a lit fuse. He then noticed it in his hand, and his face fell in annoyance as he tossed it aside, where it exploded harmlessly on the other side of the room. He wasn't even in the mood for his own shenanigans, it seemed. "I'm afraid not," Celestia calmly responded. "Not yet." That's not what Discord wanted to hear, as he instantly facepalmed, grunting loudly as he did. His breathing became strained, almost as if he was going to cry. "Discord," said Celestia, "you know that as a Princess, I have my own responsibilities in this situation, right?" He raised his talon to respond, but paused, pondering what she said. "…Yes?" "I have protocol to follow in this situation, and I will deal with this. But this is your daughter they've taken." She adopted a sympathetic look as she stepped closer to Discord. "I'm going to respond to this as quickly as time allows, but I'm a Princess, and I can't just directly tackle this issue without assessing the situation first. That's the way I have to do things. But this is your daughter, and, as a father, you have the natural right to protect her. You don't have to wait for me, and I cannot stop you." Discord hadn't thought of it like that. No, he didn't need permission or approval. This was his duty as a father. They had his daughter, and… He took advantage of the silence to think on that one fact. Queen Chrysalis had his daughter. She stole her from him. She was keeping her at that vermin-filled hive of hers, wherever that was. He began forming the image in his mind, then a dark thought hit him, one that struck fear into his eyes. "Celestia, why would Chrysalis do this?" She lowered her gaze slightly. "She feeds on the love ponies have for one another and she…is responsible for finding food for herself and her offspring." She looked back up to see Discord enraged once again. "She's 'feeding' on my daughter's love?" That was the last straw for him. It was time for action. "I'm going to find her, Celestia," said Discord. "I will find that wretched hive, and I will turn it inside out until I find my Screwball. And to hay with any changeling that interferes. And that includes that glowworm, Chrysalis…" "Discord," said Celestia, "I can't interfere with your responsibility. But, I have to ask just one thing." Discord still looked determined, but he looked to her to listen. "I want you to promise me you won't do anything you'll regret, for your own sake, and for Screwball. You have a right to be angry with what's happened, but that kind of anger can be dangerous, so please don't let it control you." His look of resolve didn't change, but he seemed to be controlling himself. "Celestia, when I accepted your pardon, I did promise to use my magic for good." His tone remained completely serious. "But there's only one thing I can be sure of. I'm going to get Screwball back, my way." She still looked concerned, so he kept going. "I'm not going to slaughter the lot of them, if that's the kind of thing you're worried about." His expression then looked somewhat sinister. "But I won't allow any of them to get in my way." Celestia could see the anger in his eyes. It wasn't hatred, she could tell. Somehow, she believed that he wasn't actually intending to do anything wrong, any ploy of revenge fueled by his current state. But that anger worried her. Over the millennia, she has seen what that kind of anger can do when it isn't controlled. "I'm leaving, Celestia," said Discord. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I won't come back without her. When I do, you'll be the first to know." She nodded, resolving to keep her promise to not hinder him. "Good luck, Discord." She then watched as he flew through one of the doors (presumably the exit) and left the cave in search for his daughter. "Please remember what I said…" In all the years she had known him, she had never seen him so serious. When they had fought, when he had destroyed reality, even when she and Luna had turned him to stone, he was always the carefree chimera she had always known. Now, he was different. Chrysalis had hurt him, had hurt his loved one. She still wondered…no, she feared what this would mean for how he used his powers, and what kind of disaster Chrysalis had brought upon herself. Putting those thoughts behind her for the moment, Celestia turned her attention back to the door she had left open, the door that led to the impersonator… Changeling Hive Inside the protective walls of the changeling nest, the tunnels, caverns, and corridors of the hive were abuzz with life. No matter where one looked, the large black creatures could be seen flying about or scurrying along the floors and walls. Many of the black tunnels were completely lined with small holes and cavities, nests for the offspring, mature or growing, much like a demonic wasps' nest. Also contained along the walls were small green cells, containing unconscious ponies or other creatures, whose love provided the nutrition that kept the changelings alive. The outer tunnel network was quite alive, but deeper inside, there was noticeable difference. If one traveled further inside, one didn't see the mess of life and activity. Instead, one would see perfect order and synchronization, as the larger drones of the hive scurried about and provided protection for a large, barely cylindrical cell, ten times larger than any other, all on its own in the middle of a chamber deep within the hive. The large chamber it was in served no other purpose than to house it and the guards around it. None of the drones could see what was happening inside the cell, though. "Dad," said Screwball, "will we be able to go home soon?" The teenage filly was held snugly in the arms of the draconequus, his body coiled round as they laid within the cramped cell, the green and black webbing feeling as slimy and uncomfortable as it looked. "I do not know, dear," said Discord. "But I will not let them have you. My powers may have left me, but I'm still here. And I will protect you." He looked into her eyes lovingly. "I promise." The dark-pink filly smiled at him with glistening eyes. She then wrapped her forelegs tightly around his neck, an action he reciprocated as he gently stroked her mane, allowing her to lean into his shoulder. "Thank you, daddy!" "That's right, sweetie, I'm here. I will not let them near you. We'll be out of here before you know it." As they hugged, he opened his eyes again. Instead of red and disproportionate, they were green and slit, and very sinister. Don't worry. I'll keep them away from you, my little pony, because I'm keeping you right here, all for myself. Forever.