//------------------------------// // Scars // Story: Marks of Harmony // by Lapis-Lazuli and Stitch //------------------------------// Gdocs Version Marks of Harmony Part 18 “So, you say he saved you life huh?” Shining Armor said, his hooves fidgeting a bit. He had done his job. He had led Celestia and Luna’s forces to victory, and in the aftermath he was collected and calm, even if his mind struggled with the gruesome, horrifying things he had seen, the ferocity with which Aurora Streak had defended herself, and the devastation that had resulted. Those soldiers of the Guard he trusted most he had successfully divided into two teams: one to perform a detailed sweep of the downed ship’s interior and another to search out the ponies they had lost to the multi-colored magic blasts. Either mission was a harrowing one, so much so that some of those he had sent out might not return. And yet, he had not departed into the waiting hooves of possible death with them. His duty was clear, but in that, he had one responsibility that only just superseded his role as Captain of Celestia’s Guard. Before he had ever joined the Guard, before he had ever envisioned his life as a ranking officer, he was an older brother. And at the moment, his sister needed him and Tartarus would ice over before he ignored that. At present, they sat around what had been and would become a cookfire when night descended. It was one of hundreds scattered around the otherwise highly geometric camp, and it had become something of a gathering place for many ponies both soldier and refugee alike. It was just outside the plethora of tents of the medical ward, and the families and friends of the dead, dying, or healing invariably took up semi-permanent residence nearest those they cared for most. “Yeah,” Twilight almost whispered. “I... I just hope they can save him. He’s not exactly a fun pony to be around, but he doesn’t deserve to die.” “But, you told me he was an ally of Streak’s,” Shining replied, not a little perplexed. “Why would he help you?” “He didn’t want the fighting to go on any more than we did,” Twilight said. “He told me that by going against her, he was trying to save her.” “I’m not sure there’s much anypony can do for that hag now,” Shining said, letting out a sigh. “She’s committed more war crimes in one day than those rogue Griffon pirates did in a month. I don’t see any way out for her other than the noose.” “I know...” Twilight replied. “It’s just... It doesn’t seem right for some reason. It’s like I’m not seeing the whole equation and my answer’s coming out all messed up because of that one invisible part.” “Leave that to the princesses,” Shining advised. “They’ll get this mess untangled. Streak may deserve to be killed on the spot, but she’ll get a fair trial, just like any other pony.” “Closure,” Twilight murmured, then more directly, “It’ll be good for closure. All the facts laid out.” “Like after the Changeling invasion, with all the ones that got left behind,” Shining said. Twilight’s ears twitched nervously, and she scratched her hoof in the dirt, not looking directly at Shining. “About that,” she said. “Well... I don’t... Maybe...” She could not seem to settle on how to begin. “If it’s about the filly,” Shining started for her, “then you don’t have to worry. We aren’t going to do anything to her just because of the others’ choice of ally.” “That’s not...” Twilight began, only to end abruptly. She took in a deep breath and shuttered her eyes before speaking again. “Shiny,” she said, her eyes opening and settling with iron glint onto Shining Armor’s own, “none of the Changelings are to blame for what they did. Princess Luna will probably tell Princess Celestia, but all of the Changelings Aurora used, were just that, used. She kidnapped their minds away from Chrysalis, and—” “Whoah whoah whoah, hold on a second,” Shining interrupted with a stern tone. “Did you just say ‘Chrysalis’?” “She helped us, BBBFF,” Twilight said. “Aurora tried to kill her, stole her subjects from her, and used them as weapons. I honestly don’t know if we would have been able to bring the ship down if she hadn’t been there to help us.” “Why didn’t you tell me before!?” Shining very nearly exploded, keeping his composure only because he wished to avoid a scene. “You realize what’s going to happen when the Guard reaches the ship and there are Changelings all over it?” “They’ll be gone,” Twilight replied with an amused half-smile. “Don’t worry big brother. She knew the Guard were coming, and the Changelings will have disappeared into the Everfree Forest before they ever arrive.” “Wait, so the filly... Aw buck!” Shining swore. “She’s the queen’s... buck! She’s a bucking Changeling princess isn’t she?” “And a very sweet filly too,” Twilight said, not without a reprimanding tone. “Though, I am surprised Chrysalis has left her with us still.” “Well, she would know after her time as Cadence that we wouldn’t hurt her, and it’s safer for her to be in the camp than it is for Chrysalis to try to warp in to get her,” Shining reasoned. Twilight only nodded, and a brief silence fell between them. His younger sister’s gaze was, for the most part, directed at the camp and the moving of ponies as they prepared more shelters for the stream of evacuees that were now pouring out from Ponyville. From experience, Shining knew she was taking solace in the order of it all, the comfort of seeing the world restored to managed stability. But he had been a soldier for far too long to not notice her perpetual glances toward the tent into which the pegasus had been taken. For his own part, Shining’s mind raced with all he still had yet to do. A prison was being erected where Streak herself and the ponies she had corrupted would be held and the medical wards were being hastily expanded to account for any injured Ponyvillians. The shelters for the refugee influx were coming together nicely as well, and reports had indicated the nobles back in Canterlot had actually shown themselves useful for once by assuring the other nations that the assembled armies were not for invading purposes. And yet, with everything seeming to flow as it ought after a victory, Shining had a nagging feeling in the back of his head. He would not be so bold as to call them shadows in the dark, but there were certainly forces at work beyond that which he could see. From what his little sister had told him about Streak’s dogma, he was confident there were ponies now wholly devoted to her and who would do everything in their power to see her free. But even as he considered the possibility of dissenters, the puzzle still did not seem complete. It was as if there were secrets among an elect group and he was on the cusp of entry. “Captain Armor, Miss Sparkle,” a stolid voice said to them, jolting Shining back to the more pressing issues of reality. Twilight was staring intensely at the surgeon Celestia had ordered see to Streak’s accomplice, while Shining merely waited for what would be the grim inevitability. As of late, he had seen far too many ponies die from wounds far less severe. “I don’t have much time to talk about the details since I need to get back as soon as possible, but I believe your friend will survive. His impairment will be severe, but we can discuss that later. It’s a miracle he’s not dead as is.” “How long?” Shining very nearly gasped. He had been expecting a pronouncement of death, not life. “How long will he be in surgery doc?” “Most of the day I’m afraid,” the surgeon replied. “Removing all the splinters alone without slicing him to ribbons is going to take a good five hours.” “Thanks, doc,” Shining replied. “When you’re finished, find a runner to come get us. I’m going to get my sister to eat something, and then there’s a boat load of other crap I’ve got to deal with.” “I’ll send somepony, you have my word, General,” the surgeon assured him before trotting rather quickly back inside the tent. “Come on, little sis,” Shining said, throwing a hoof around her shoulder. “Princess Luna said your friends were right behind you, so they’re probably in camp by now. Let’s find them, pick up that Changeling filly from Princess Luna’s tent, and grab everypony a bite. It’ll do you good after all you’ve been through.” “I love you BBBFF,” Twilight said, leaning against his shoulder wearily. “Promise me you’ll keep a level head when all this starts to get crazy.” “I love too, sis,” Shining relied. “And don’t you worry. If there’s anypony whose job it is to keep a straight head, it’s me.” _____________________________________________________________________________ Rainbow had not been exactly sure what she had been expecting upon entering into the makeshift Changeling camp—she fervently denied to herself any notion of thinking of cramped underground tunnels lubricated with green slime—but the reality of the place was far from any of her imaginations. Rather than attempt to erect structures from tree branches, leaves, ferns, and the like, the Changeling army (or what remained of it) had begun boring into the bases of the larger trunks with magic to create comfortable, dry hollows. Being they were in the heart of the Equestrian portion of the Everfree Forest, not a few of the tress had trunks wide enough to house four or five Changelings comfortably. And wherever this was possible, it had been done: squadrons naturally grouping together. Magical fires of every hue burned in pits and those Changelings not severely injured helped their maimed companions limp over to the warmth of the flames. Nemb, who walked with complete surety to where Rainbow knew not, was greeted on occasion by a soldier. Most of them, while not harmed in the recent confrontation, bore the scars and eye patches of former patients. Even as they continued to walk, Rainbow shook her head. Her thoughts were so muddled, so divided and dissonant. Part of her could never consider the creatures surrounding her brothers and sisters. She was still Rainbow Dash the pegasus in thought and deed. A second strain hated them, every one. They were not so unlike ponies as were the griffons, but it was that eerie, convoluted similarity that invited distrust. Why had she been torn from her old life to live a new one that was a blatant mockery. And still a third set of thoughts wanted dearly to belong as one of them. It was in these notions that Dash could admit to her transformation. Not necessarily without fear, for the very idea of abandoning all she knew was enough to cause fright in even the strongest of ponies, but this part of her mind was convinced that she might actually become fond of her new Hivemates. The doctor was friendly enough, and though Lacewing could be an absolute menace at times, she was not unlike Dash had been at her age. Only, she could not easily hold onto one of these strands of thought, for the others would incessantly force their way into her mind until she gave attention to them; and the cycle would begin over again. It was the oddest feeling, not being in complete control of one’s own thoughts. Her internal struggle kept her from noticing much in the camp except its surprising neatness and efficiency, and she thus promptly bumped into Nemb’s back when he abruptly stopped. Having been forced into acknowledging the finer details of the goings on around her, Rainbow’s ears became privy to two voices, one distinctly belonging to a raging Chrysalis. “YOU ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE EXCUSES!” her warbling tones boomed. “THE TOWN IS IN CHAOS! DO NOT PRETEND LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO INFILTRATE THE PONY ENCAMPMENT TO FIND HER!” “What would you have me do then, Your Majesty!?” an equally frustrated soldier fired back. Rainbow almost shielded her eyes, not exactly wanting to witness what Chrysalis would do to somep... someling so defiant. “I will not risk my Changelings to wade through the column coming toward the ship!” But much to Rainbow’s singular surprise, Chrysalis did not strike him down, instead leaning close to his face and hissing, “If you want to keep your station, Captain Hept, you know very well what I would have you do.” The lethal softness in her voice did not reach into her infuriated eyes, but Hept held her gaze with his own hard stare for a few moments more before his brilliant blue eye shields snapped down and he stalked off. The lesser lieutenants watched and parted to allow their commander to leave the queen’s presence, giving wary time before approaching her themselves. But Chrysalis seemed to pay none of them heed, her gaze instead settling onto Rainbow. Dash began to feel her skin crawl the longer Chrysalis stared at her, but Nemb interrupted the disturbing sensation with an abrupt hiss, “Come on. The Queen has asked us to meet her in her private chamber.” “Uhh... Does she even have a private chamber? I mean, they’re using tree trunks for shelter,” Dash whispered back, slightly taken aback at how well her now forked tongue facilitated a softer tone. “Everyling you see around was chosen for this mission because of our greater loyalty to Her Highness,” Nemb replied normally once they were out of earshot of the small group of officers. “If we were not good for anything else, we would have been sure to give our queen a place of privacy.” They were circling through the camp now, Nemb having picked up his pace to a light trot. He made to glance back at her once, but his gaze lingered for the briefest of seconds before he turned his eyes back to the makeshift path. “Are you nervous about something?” he asked. “Your eye shields are down.” “Wait, what?” Rainbow asked, subconsciously squinting in an attempt to see if there were anything different about her vision. “Of course you wouldn’t be able to tell,” Nemb anticipated her next question before it left her mouth. “That’s the beauty of them. Opaque on the outside, utterly transparent from the inside.” “Well how do I lift them back up?” Rainbow asked irritably, sure she looked like a complete idiot. So far as she had seen, none of the other Changelings felt the need to bring the shields down. “Stress the muscles in your head that would normally lift your eyes up, but don’t actually move your eyes,” Nemb said. “There will be a slight pressure under your skull for a moment if you do it successfully.” Rainbow did as the doctor instructed, her attunement to her body not lost even after the change. After a few seconds, Nemb looked back at her again, nodding his head in approval. They slowed to a walk again when the Changeling squadrons around them no longer appeared to be resting, but were rather in training exercises or guard positions. “I should have told you before, but don’t worry about Hept,” the physician said. “I wasn’t to begin with,” Rainbow answered. “I phrased that wrongly then,” Nemb reiterated. “I mean to say, don’t worry about what Her Majesty may do to the captain. I saw you flinch when he shouted back at her. That’s probably what set your eye shields down, but like I said, don’t worry. Hept was a border patrol guard before the queen promoted him upon the death of her former captain. Because of where he was stationed, Hept is used to running his operations the way he wants. It doesn’t bother Her Majesty most of the time, but let me just say, that isn’t the worst shouting match they’ve gotten into.” “Chrysalis doesn’t seem like the type to put up with a loud mouth like him though,” Dash said. “I wouldn’t.” “Her other options are all old Changelings who enjoy political wrangling now more than actually performing the duties of a Captain of the Guard,” Nemb sighed. “He’s a good captain, but he’s just a tad more independent than the ones who grow up in the capital.” “Changelings have cities?” Rainbow blurted. “Of course,” Nemb answered. “If they managed to get my chest out of the wreckage, I have an excellent book about the evolution of Changeling architecture you might enjoy flipping through.” “Sorry, I read Daring Do and stuff like that,” Rainbow replied, not a little proudly. “Twilight’s the one into all that egg-heady stuff.” “Well, maybe she would like to read it then,” Nemb said. “But enough of that for now.” He stopped, Rainbow having to back pace a few steps to come level with him again. His green eyes had become dangerously icy, and Rainbow was reminded distinctly of how Rarity’s eyes became when she was about to launch into a serious lecture. Considering their destination, Rainbow had little trouble in imagining what the doctor would try to tell her. “Woah, just chill. Let me stop you before you get all, ‘Now listen here’-y on me,” Rainbow said. “Just ‘cause I’m a Changeling now doesn’t mean I’m not Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Equestria. You said so yourself. So don’t try telling me how to act around Chrysalis. I’ll do what I’ve always done and everyling’s going to be happy about it.” Both she and Nemb held straight, intensive looks at the other once she had finished, his face gradually breaking into a wide grin. “I don’t think we should expect anything less,” he said. “And come to think of it, I suppose you and Her Majesty are on friendlier terms than the average Changeling. Well, come along then, if you’re going to stay yourself, I don’t think being late is something a speedster would understand.” “Only when I want to be,” Rainbow replied with a flick of her mane, picking up a walk and coming to the fern-shielded entrance of Chrysalis’s tree. The two guards wordlessly allowed them entrance, pulling the branches back and motioning them to hurry. Rainbow and Nemb ducked inside the hollow, occupied by the queen and and three illuminating willow-the-wisps no doubt maintained by her magic. She was lying off to one side, giving room for her subjects to come and go and sit before her, but something in her somewhat clenched posture reminded Rainbow of somepony. Only a few seconds passed, in which she and Nemb took places opposite their queen, and Rainbow understood. Chrysalis, after a kind, looked like she had on the eve of her performance in the Best Young Flier’s Competition. Her eyes were not as dilated, she was not shaking, and she was certainly not attempting to curl up in a corner to hide, but it was there. It was more subtle: in the direction of her wings, the way she crossed her fore-hooves, the way her mouth hung open in a sliver. She was facing what Rainbow had felt in those moments before her performance. Outside, her Changelings expected her to take action and were confident she would lead them to glory. Except, Chrysalis was feeling what Dash knew too well: fear. There were too many variables she could not reliably influence in her favor, and the level of antagonism felt by most ponies after a second Changeling attack would prove a near insurmountable barrier. But she’s not alone, just like I knew I could count on the support of my friends had the competition gone south in a totally different way, Rainbow thought. I can help her more than the other Changelings, and after what I did to one of them... This is my chance. “Doctor, Rainbow Dash,” Chrysalis inclined her head to them in turn. Her voice was not shaky or indecisive, but it was heavily weighted with caution. “Since you, Rainbow, aren’t being dragged about muttering nonsense, I am trusting that the transition was smooth.” “For the most part,” Nemb acknowledged. “I can levitate stuff at least,” Rainbow grunted. “Still can’t fly though, and that can’t go on... at all.” “There will be time for that,” Chrysalis half-smiled. “But even though I would have liked it to wait, the situation is forcing my hoof.” “How?” Rainbow asked. “I ordered my Captain to send a contingent to bring Lacewing back here,” Chrysalis managed to say, shuddering only a slight bit near the end. “They could not find her. They couldn’t find anypony in the library.” “Don’t worry, Chrysalis,” Rainbow said, confident in her friends. “I’m positive Twilight wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” “Or Princess Luna,” Nemb added. “As I understand it, Your Majesty, the Princess of the Night was in our aid.” “It’s not her safety that concerns me!” Chrysalis nearly shouted. “Of course they will protect her! She is my daughter! I fear what she may say in the presence of the wrong ears!” “Celestia...” Nemb murmured, Rainbow frowning at the mild level of distrust in his tone. “Exactly,” Chrysalis replied. “If she learns through Lacewing that I am directly involved, she will show no mercy to us.” “C’mon, Chrysalis,” Rainbow said, somewhat indignant and raising a perforated black hoof. Nemb winced at so direct and casual an address to the queen, but Rainbow ignored him as she pressed on, “The princess isn’t like that. She’ll see that it wasn’t your fault that Aurora took them, and hay, you helped us to keep them from killing innocent ponies!” “But will she ignore the fact of why we agree to come in the first place, Rainbow?” Chrysalis asked. “I wanted revenge. My whole Hive wanted revenge, and Aurora was a golden opportunity to take it. I have... changed... since then, but Celestia will not ignore our original motives.” “She still wouldn’t have you all killed!” Rainbow insisted. “There’s laws and stuff! I didn’t listen to the details because I was already bored out of my skull, but Twilight tried explaining them to me once.” “Of course there are laws,” Nemb said. “We have ours, and Equestria has its. And that’s just the problem. Their laws don’t apply to us, so Celestia becomes the law.” “But—!” Rainbow continued to protest, but was cut off by a sharp hiss from Chrysalis. “Speaking as a monarch,” Chrysalis said evenly, “I would do anything to protect my Hive from what I perceived to be a threat. Celestia is also a monarch, and if she hears from Lacewing that I of all Changelings lead this army, she is right to view us as a threat.” Chrysalis paused, taking a long, deep breath that appeared to give a cleansing effect both to her body and mind. “I am at a deadlock. I cannot send a contingent of representatives. They are all soldiers and Hept’s behavior is exactly what would happen and exactly what we don’t need. I also cannot go myself, for... obvious reasons.” “Let me go then,” Rainbow inserted herself. This had to have been why Chrysalis wanted to see her; maybe even Nemb too, since he was a doctor and far more level headed than a battle-fresh soldier. But Dash had never been the type to allow things to be hoofed to her on a silver platter, and if she was to atone for her sins, she would be the pony to take the initiative. “I’m still the Element of Loyalty, and I know Princess Celestia a lot better than any other Changeling here. And she’ll believe the other girls if it’s me they’re vouching for.” A brief frown crossed Chrysalis’s face, but it was gone before Rainbow could accurately read why it had shown itself in the first place. It was replaced by a slight, knowing smile as Chrysalis said, “I’ll take an educated guess and say you had some idea of why I asked you to come then.” Rainbow nodded, face still determined. “Then you will have some idea of what I’m going to ask you to do next.” “But Your Majesty,” Nemb broke in, “forgive me if I sound insubordinate, but did you not imply that approaching the princess would be too risky at the moment?” “I did, but the payoff should I succeed outweighs the danger of actually acting,” Chrysalis replied. “I have several places I can push in negotiation, but you and Rainbow are the only keys I have to unlock the door without the castle turning on me. Get me to the table and keep everypony from losing their heads, and I can deal with the rest.” “You are confident, Your Majesty?” Nemb asked, wishing only to confirm her set course. “I am,” Chrysalis answered, then turning to Rainbow said, “If you do this, Rainbow Dash, you should know that the fate of your Hivemates rests in your hooves. This is a job I would normally only entrust to the most experienced of diplomats.” “Hivemates...” Rainbow could not help but mutter to herself. Up until then, she had not been thinking of the Changelings as anything other than just that: the other Changelings. But Chrysalis had struck a chord in her that she was only used to feeling when her friends or Princess Celestia needed her most. It was the bond of belonging, and without her conscious decision to do so, she had included her new Hive in that bond. “You can count on me, my Queen,” Rainbow said, a tingling sensation flowing through her hooves at so addressing Chrysalis. It was right, natural, and an example of the loyalty she could feel still blooming. “I’m going to take a shot in the dark here, but I’m guessing you want us to bring Lacewing back as soon as we find her?” “I can teleport back with her easily,” Nemb affirmed. “As much as I want to see her again,” Chrysalis said, “no, keep her with you. To take her would only seem like a deception, and the game we are playing is already delicately balanced enough. Besides, she will be happy to see you, Rainbow.” “You would like us to depart immediately then, Your Majesty?” the doctor asked. “Wait until the majority of the patrol sent to investigate the ship has returned to their camp,” Chrysalis ordered, beginning to wave them out of her temporary quarters. “They will have taken Aurora in chains by then, and their ranks ought to be reordered. Both will give them less of a feeling of vulnerability and add to their confidence. We cannot have them feeling cornered if these negotiations are to go properly.” “Will do, Queen,” Rainbow waved back, departing after Nemb, who took in a long breath before heading off back to the crash site. Why had she been so scared, so defiant? She knew Chrysalis for who she was and not as she had at first appeared to be, her friends did not hate her, and now she was on a mission to bridge the gap between Changelings and ponies. A burst of pride warmed Rainbow from the inside out. She was a Changeling, and as it happened, there was nothing terrible about it and quite a bit to be proud of for it. ______________________________________________________________________________ Celestia, Goddess of the Sun, Protector of the Day. These and numerous other titles bestowed upon her by the mortal ponies through the millennia rang through her mind as she secluded herself in the darkness of her tent. She was not afraid, nor was she afflicted by guilt. She believed all she had done to have been right, the best course of action considering her circumstances. But, after having overcome her elation at Celestia’s well-being, Luna had begun to pester her with questions, and their overarching meaning was most easily described in a single word: why. Why had Celestia struck out, having previously placed her confidence in Luna to settle the situation without violence? Why had everything fallen to Tartarus? Celestia had deflected the questions at the time, citing her own personal need to rest, Luna’s responsibilities to her forces, and the oversight that would accompany Aurora’s imprisonment. Luna had understood that Celestia was merely playing for time, trying to prepare herself for what would likely descend into a heated argument between them; yet had acquiesced anyway. In the absence of any places for the Bearers to stay within the encampment, Luna had taken it upon herself to take in the Changeling filly, and Celestia was sure that combined with her other imminent duties, Luna merely had no time to address Celestia’s stalling. But far from the obvious reasons, Celestia was grateful her sister had chosen to leave her be. Luna might well have arguments to lay against her, but she was a mare whom Celestia knew better than any other: a mare she knew she could reason with and explain herself. The same could not be said of the visitor Celestia was sure she would be receiving in a few days, possibly sooner. They had not spoken for millennia, and as she had changed greatly in that time, Celestia was sure he had as well. She was sure all of them had. She needed time to prepare for his arrival, to ready herself for his sharp, vicious rebukes. Even after explaining much of the reasons for the entire sequence of events that resulted in the destruction of the town, he would not abate. Add to it that her fight had been against Aurora, and she was not sure if he would be able to restrain himself from physically striking her. Even after all the time since their coup d’etat and her and Luna’s ascension to the throne of Equestria, he still saw himself as their leader. He always would, Celestia assumed. So she sat within her tent, silently contemplating how she was to deal with his coming in addition to managing the housing of all the Ponyville refugees, Aurora’s imprisonment and the sweep of her vessel, the orderly release of the assembled armies, and an investigation of how Changelings had been wrapped up in the whole mess. It was a daunting list, even for her, and as such, she needed quiet time to organize herself into a measure of grace under pressure. But as was so often the case, she was not to be granted that which she was desired. Her eyes lifted up from their closed meditation and her ears swiveled forward as a slight commotion sounded outside. Metal ground against metal as her guards slid their halberds to the side to block the entrance. “To Tartarus with you! Both of you!” the rough, disgruntled voice of Luna’s choice captain, Spearhead shouted at the guards. “There’s news from the Bearers for her ears only!” “No one is to disturb the princess,” one them stated with an effort of tonelessness, though he failed before a pony respected throughout all the guard. It was at that moment Celestia had crossed the threshold of her tent, peaking out to the general shock of the guards and hard stare of Spearhead. “Your Majesty,” Spearhead acknowledged her with a light bow. “Shining assigned two dolts to the tent.” “That’s enough, General,” Celestia said, raising a hoof before he could continue indulging in further insults. “I heard you from inside.” She allowed her eyes to drift upward, they expectantly settling upon four ponies clearly relieved to see her up and about. Wait, four. Where is Rainbow Dash? “General, Rainbow Dash seems to have wandered off in the bustle of coming into the camp.” She turned an understanding smile upon the two guards at her sides, saying, “You did just as Shining Armor told you, and for that, I am very pleased. Now, go find Miss Dash. She won’t be hard to find, I assure you.” “At attention colts!” Spearhead barked the conflicting order just as they were about to take the first step. “Princess,” he continued, tone having shifted to a markedly darker shade. “I did not lose Miss Dash in the camp.” It was enough to reignite righteous flames in her chest which Celestia had only just managed to douse in the aftermath of the battle. To attack any of her precious ponies was a crime she would punish with all of her judicial power. To do as much to her sister was a fool’s gambit, earning the wrath of Celestia’s considerable resevoir of raw magical power. But to make a strike against Harmony itself—to dare inflict injury upon those that aided her and her sister in keeping the world in peace and balance—was to invite upon oneself the full weight of the might of the sun itself. Celestia’s face, which had previously reflected her compassion on the guards for having not met Spearhead’s standards, shifted to cold and fury-masking. “Do as he orders,” Celestia said to the guards as she waved the Bearers to her. “Nopony comes within three yards of this tent on any side. If you must, you have my authority to enlist others to be sure that distance is maintained.” “Your Majesty!” the superior of the two saluted. Celestia retreated back inside her temporary and modest dwelling, allowing Spearhead to hold open the flap for the four Bearers. She scrutinized each of them in turn as they took seats around the tent, looking for any trace emotion that might possibly give her at least some vague idea of what had befallen Rainbow Dash. She was not dead, of that much Celestia could be sure through her own connection the Elements. No crippling wound had been inflicted upon her either, else the four before her would have gone to excruciating lengths to carry her back. In fact, so far as Celestia could tell, none of the four ponies were in any kind of mourning. They were devastated—that much likely having come from the desolation of their hometown—uncertain, and in a mild state of shock, but it told Celestia nothing of Rainbow Dash’s fate. Indeed, reaching as far as she thought practical, the only thing she thought might be linked to Rainbow’s peculiar absence was rather simple: sadness. A sadness of the type Celestia felt when, after being reunited with her sister after so long, Luna insisted upon taking diplomatic trips on her own and thus was gone for extended periods of time. Her contemplations were interrupted when, upon snapping the tent flaps securely shut, Spearhead took a place directly opposite Celestia and said, “Just to keep you from thinkin’ anything really nasty happened, Miss Dash isn’t dead.” “I have a connection to the Elements that would have let me know if that were the case,” Celestia nodded in reply, “but thank you for you concern. Where exactly is she though?” The four friends exchanged nervous, shifting glances at one another, clearly not wanting to be the first to speak. Celestia sensed they were not afraid per se, but merely unsure of how she might take the as yet, mysterious piece of news. “She’s your friend, fillies,” Spearhead broke the extended quiet. “I don’t think she’d be too happy knowing none of you had the guts—” “Shesintheeverfreeforest!” Fluttershy burst out, far too quickly for Celestia to catch. “What now?” she asked. “Where is Rainbow?” “In the Everfree Forest, Princess,” Rarity stepped in for Fluttershy. “Please forgive me for being rather blunt in a moment, but, for the sake of Rainbow and in respect for whatever Princess Luna’s wishes in the matter may be, I will say no more.” “Ya still manage ta serprise me sometimes, Rarity,” Applejack nodded in approval. “You can trust me with anything, you know, my little ponies,” Celestia said, noticing her fury slowly mix with anxiety. “Just like Ponyville,” Rarity said, snapping a hoof over her mouth immediately after and flinching away preemptively from Celestia. “I’m so sorry, Princess!” she retracted. “I don’t what came over me! I don’t why I would ever say such a thing.” You win, Aurora, Celestia thought plainly, bowing her head so the five ponies would not see a single tear mix with her flowing mane. You have shaken the faith of even my devoted champions. You win. “There is no need to apologize, Rarity Belle,” Celestia said, feeling that odd combination of emotions of anger and kindness. “I deserve every insult you could think to scream at me. I deserve worse. I have not failed Equestria so horribly in one thousand years, and all of your anger you have every right to direct at me.” “Silly Princess,” Pinkie said, and Celestia started when a comforting pink hoof was placed on her shoulder. “Everypony makes mistakes. Of course, most mistakes don’t end up with battles destroying towns and ponies... dying... but you can’t blame only yourself. That meanie pants Aurora hurt ponies too.” “Yes, but I wonder if she would have had I not struck first,” Celestia replied. “Um, I thank I’d be speakin’ for most everypony when I say Aurora swung first by kidnappin’ a whole town,” Applejack said. “Thank you, all of you, for staying by me,” Celestia said, “but you did not come here to so I could lay my troubles at your hooves.” “Rainbow Dash is as safe as she can be, Princess,” Rarity reiterated. “And we will tell you everything when we can meet with all of us present. It just so happens that her situation is very... delicate... especially now, and I don’t want another battle when there is no need.” “You and I agree then on that,” Celestia replied. “My sister is occupied with keeping safe a Changeling filly she and Twilight found before the battle, but now that you, General, are back, I think we can trust you to take command of the re-grouping.” “That’s the job description,” Spearhead said. “Good, that ought to give Luna some time to meet with all of us,” Celestia continued, already arranging learning about Rainbow into her list of priorities. “It will likely take a day or so before we can discuss what has happened to Rainbow Dash. I’m sure you met a troop contingent on your way here?” “We did,” Fluttershy answered. “They were all so unhappy looking.” “They were on their way to take Aurora Streak into official custody and safely escort her back here,” Celestia said, rather stiff at mention of Aurora’s name. “I don’t think I need to explain how long dealing with her imprisonment will take.” “Throw her in the dungeon!” Pinkie exclaimed dramatically. “We will this time,” Celestia assured Pinkie. “But there is interrogation, filing the charges, and the trial itself. Most of that can take place later, but I need to oversee the interrogation personally. You all understand, yes?” “Scare her silly, Princess,” Applejack growled. “I’m not sure much scares her, dear Applejack, but I have my ways,” Celestia replied. “But enough about her. We’ve wasted enough words on her already. While you all are waiting for my summons, take care of Twilight.” “You don’t have to ask us to do that Princess,” Fluttershy said with a slight smile. “She’s our friend. We would do that anyway.” “I know,” Celestia returned the smile, “but she is taking that stallion’s injuries for her sake rather hard. Lift her spirits. She needs it more than the rest of us after so close a call.” “Will do, Princess Celestia!” Pinkie accepted her challenge with much gusto. “She’s probably near Shining Armor’s tent or wherever he asked her to stay after I sent for him to be in charge of Aurora’s prison,” Celestia suggested as they all stood, turning for the exit. “Spearhead, please lead them there on your way to the headquarters for the Army of the Moon.” “Brace yourself, Your Majesty,” he said grimly just before giving her over to silence once more. ______________________________________________________________________________ Unlike many ponies who were too afraid to take the measure of another upon a first encounter, Aurora Streak believed that what one showed in first meeting somepony else was the most revealing, and consequently, the best time to build one’s opinion of a new individual. Her philosophy in this regard had served her well, as it had given her valuable insight into the characters of Celestia, Luna, Inky Jay, and numerous other, lesser ponies. Thus, when Celestia’s guards had arrived to retrieve her injured body for their master, Aurora had immediately adopted a fiercely cold indifference. They were inferior creatures, worse than even the masses of the ignorant, and Aurora had no desire to be prodded by their mindless devotion warped into blind stupidity. She spoke not a word to them as the commanding officer ordered her broken legs and ribs be wrapped in bandages and a litter scavenged to carry her from the wreckage. Much to Aurora’s satisfaction, they dared not remove her armor. Nevertheless, constant scowls and furious glares were plastered over the faces of each guard in the contingent whenever they were forced to lay eyes upon her. Per their loyalty to Celestia, it was no doubt that they hated her for what they believed her to have done. But Aurora had known the soldiers of Equestria were already lost to her cause before she had ever arrived in Celestia’s lands. What mattered were the few among the thousands, the few that would question why a battle had been needed at all, the few that would begin simply questioning the reasons behind this single act of Celestia. Aurora had failed in her quest to turn Equestria to the side of truth, but she maintained her dignity and took solace in knowing she had paved the way for somepony else to take up the mantle which had fallen from her. If only it could be Twilight Sparkle, she thought, staring at the blank wall of her cell, back facing the entrance to the makeshift prison. Then my satisfaction would be ultimate. Alas, she cannot see past the ideal I pursue to see that there are those that would stand against that ideal, and that for the pursuit to be straight the obstacles must be destroyed. Indeed, I doubt I will ever know the name of the one whose heart these events will have set in motion. Celestia will execute me far too soon for me to see my dreams of truth and equality realized. Or will she? I suppose I still have a right to imagine she will keep me alive. If she is thinking about how the masses will see her now, she may very well wish to avoid my slaughter, if only to cease the flow of blood on her hooves. Still, if she does not have me slain, she will not send me into exile again, where I might begin anew. I will be kept locked away in a dungeon forever by Celestia’s fear. Of course, should another of capability and understanding take up that which I was unable to see through, I may yet see the light of a new world. That depends upon whether I am forgotten in the interim, but I would hope, if even in infamy, my name goes down in history. Outside, in the imperfection of the material world so many insisted was beautiful, the two dozen or so guards straightened their stances; or so it seemed to Aurora by the scraping of their hooves on dirt. “Prin... Princess!” one of the ponies stammered. “We were expecting an officer, Your Majesty,” another, steadier guard said. “Are you saying I am not allowed to speak to the prisoner of my own kingdom?” Celestia’s stern voice rang out in response. Just like her to say something like that, Aurora thought, eyes narrowed. “No, Your Majesty,” the stiff soldier answered. “We were only surprised by your coming personally.” “She went to great lengths to harm my ponies, both mentally and physically,” Celestia said. “If anypony will be going in her cell, it is me.” “Of course. Open the locks!” the officer shouted at those closest to the magically reinforced bars of Aurora’s cage. Several horns echoed with magic behind her. A hissing escaped the air as the magic lacing the bars was removed and multiple keys inserted into the physical locks. The horrible screeching of ill-lubricated metal parts stung Aurora’s ears as Celestia entered the cell and the bars were closed back again. She was well aware of the princess standing immediately behind her, but refused to be the first to speak. It was Celestia, not she, who had begun all of their confrontations. She had, at any rate, nothing to say to the Sun Princess. Celestia already understood all of her motivations and beliefs. But, much to Aurora’s growing intrigue, Celestia was holding her tongue as well. Perhaps she was merely here to take pleasure at seeing Aurora in chains again, or it might be she was unsure of how to speak to the pony she despised more than any other. Or are you afraid of my voice, Celestia? Afraid that the false truth you have crafted for yourself will be broken beyond repair by the words I speak. Does you feeling of self-righteousness begin to falter? Do you lose confidence in your declarations of what is right? Are you afraid that what I shall say shall be the final dropping pin that shatters the waiting pane of cracked glass? “How did you transform from a filly who so loved science into the monster sitting before me?” Celestia’s voice cut through Aurora’s thoughts, they filled with barely contained rage. “I am not sitting before you, Celestia,” Aurora answered. “That implies I am facing you, as a repentant foal. I am resolute. And to answer the first question you have asked of me, I discovered there was a truth beyond the world in which we live. One that was not tied to living things. Something that exists in the realm of the metaphysical. Are you going to ask me something other than that which you already know the answer to? I have no doubt you read the copies of my notes you found when you arrested me and the others. I said as much in them.” “You dared press into fundamentals of the world, and yet even after all the disasters your reckless insolence has caused, you still push!” Celestia roared, her royal tones mightier than any other heard by ponykind. “The disasters caused were not by my doing, but by those who feared that I may shake their half-truths to dust and who thereby sought to stop me,” Aurora growled back. “You refuse to alter your ways and your pursuits, even after all you do inevitably causes desolation!” Celestia shouted. “And a good thing too, as truth and the ideals it reveals will never alter themselves either,” Aurora replied. “How do you answer for all of the murders you committed in Ponyville!?” Celestia boomed. “You deliberately slaughtered hundreds of innocents!” “Life is not in and of itself sacred,” Aurora said blankly. “Many of the dead were burdens upon the world with their lack of motivation for higher being, understanding, and ability. If it were within my power, I would have all unwilling to take steps into greater life slain.” Celestia did not answer, but Aurora could hear her breath shuddering in shock and revulsion. She had expected as much. Celestia was lost in a lie where everything had meaning and value. Aurora knew otherwise: that much of the world was populated by life that effectively acted only to dilute the life that had true meaning. “If I had the authority, I would kill you here and now,” Celestia hissed, only just audible. “Even when Luna was Nightmare Moon, she was far less a monster than you!” “You see it that way only because you understood Luna’s violence and revolution as senseless destruction,” Aurora said, allowing a single tear to fall at the mention of Luna’s corruption. “You deny my truth, do not allow yourself to see it as the truth it is, and therefore, cannot rationalize why I fight, no matter the manner or the outcome.” “I had hope that you—” Celestia started. “And that... is why you will never see the truth,” Aurora interrupted. A pause. “You will be executed, Aurora Streak, by authorities of my caliber. If you wish to die swiftly, I suggest you be honest when the official interrogator comes.” The screech of the cell bars sounded again, and Celestia’s hoofsteps retreated away from Aurora. She closed her eyes once again, sinking back into the sanctuary of enlightenment that was her own mind. So, she was to die. She was to be executed. So be it. The beginning ideas that had allowed her to reach the level of truth she now rested upon had been planted in hundreds of ponies, not a few with significant place in the world. The chances for a reformation, a broad revelation, were not utterly vanished, and through that, Aurora could accept her fate. ______________________________________________________________________________ Twilight sat alone outside her brother’s private tent. For her analytic’s mind, simply watching the variety of soldiers mill about in their assigned tasks provided an odd measure of comfort. She wished somepony, anypony, was willing to merely sit with her. There would be no need for conversation, games, or any other activity. As much as she wanted to remain strong on her own, too much bore down upon her soul, and to have another pony whom she could trust sitting beside her would be just the extra support that would let her withstand the assault of emotions. Shining had tried to be the brother Twilight had always remembered, but the aftermath of the battle and the ensuing swarms of Ponyville refugees were taxing the two army’s logistical capabilities. Not too soon after having left the rows of medical tents behind, a lesser officer had come, saluted, spotted off a string of military jargon, and Shining’s mouth had gradually descended into a dissatisfied frown. “Ah, crap,” he had muttered, turning to Twilight, “Can I ask you to wait at my tent for a bit? They’ve dragged Aurora out of the ship and they want my shields worked into the prison bars.” “I get it, Shining,” Twilight had answered sincerely. “You go. I can meet the girls myself.” “Ah… No, I don’t want you anywhere out in the open when Streak comes into camp,” Shining had replied. To Twilight’s questioning stare, he had continued, “It’s going to be a madhouse, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few ponies tried to murder her before we put her in the cell. I don’t want you out where you could get caught in something like that. And before you argue about it, I’m not going to let you sit in possible harm’s way when there’s a way for you to keep out of it.” “What about the girls?” Twilight had asked. “Won’t they be out in the open when they come back?” “Good ol’ Spearhead’s with them,” Shining had allowed himself a chuckle. “He’ll be thinking along the same lines if he hasn’t gotten them to see Princess Celestia first.” “Where’s your tent then?” Twilight had asked, having sounded not a little resigned. “Lieutenant Radish can take you there,” Shining had motioned to the officer, directing the statement to the pony as an order as much as a reassurance to Twilight. “Follow me, Ma’am,” the soldier had perked up immediately upon Shining’s galloping departure, and Twilight had done so. The camp had indeed become a bustle of reckless activity shortly after her arrival, ponies shouting and not a few grabbing spare weapons from outside their tents only to be hollered at and scolded by their commanding officers. But now, everything had returned to normal, and she had not seen nor heard of her friends. Part of her was beginning to worry for them, but it was buried and mashed in with all of the other feelings and thoughts coursing through her mind to the point all she could do was continue to wonder about them. The sheer pressure of all that had happened and all that was implied in the coming days, or even hours, was on the verge of lowering her head in silent sobs when an all too characteristic accent rang out. “Well, wan’t the princess right ‘bout you?” Applejack asked, concern etched in her words. “ ‘sokay Twi. Ya need ta talk, we’re here for ya.” “Girls!” Twilight’s head yanked up in the direction of the voices, and seeing her friends, Twilight’s hooves carried her into their embraces almost of their own accord. “Oh thank Celestia you all are okay! I just… I… there’s so much that’s going to happen… How is Aurora going to be dealt with? What does she deserve? How can they even fairly try her? What about Chrysalis? How do we tell the Princess? And the Devices! The ship! I—” “Calm down, silly,” Pinkie giggled, putting a light hoof over Twilight’s mouth. “We can all take it on together. We’d be pretty bad friends if we weren’t here to help you figure it all out.” Twilight’s head, still spinning slightly from the release she had just allowed herself, turned to Rarity as she added, “Yes, dear, you don’t have to do it all alone. We can help, and we will help, or by all of Equestria, I do not understand fashion!” “Thanks, girls! I think I’d be a pretty useless wreck by now without all of you,” Twilight said, grasping them all for a second hug. “Wait...” she said, pulling away in confusion. “Where’s Rainbow Dash? Why isn’t she with you? Did she go to see Lacewing?” “She’s with a Changeling, just not Lacewing,” Fluttershy said, uncharacteristically dodging the question. “Who? Did Chrysalis send somepony back in disguise to....” Twilight trailed off. Her friends were all exchanging glances with one another: uneasy, unsure glances. Something had happened to Rainbow, and they were all trying to figure out the best way to break the news to Twilight. “Was... was she hurt too badly for you to carry her back?” she asked. “Did you have to leave her with Chrysalis and the other Changelings?” “We had to leave her with them, yes,” Rarity chose to speak first. “But she’s healthy as a dragon with a tummy full of gems,” Pinkie grinned rather unconvincingly. “Oh hay, Twilight. This yer brother’s tent?” Applejack asked, stomping a hoof in impatience. “Yes, why?” Twilight querried. “This’s fer friend’s ears only,” Applejack replied, brushing aside the tent flap to enter. “We decided to not even tell the princess ‘til we was all together to tell tha whole thing.” “Come on, Twilight, it’s not as bad as we’re probably making it sound,” Fluttershy said, taking Twilight’s hoof and leading her, bemused and anxious, into the tent. Her other two friends followed, Rarity taking extra care to be sure the flap was secure once they were all situated as comfortably as possible in what was effectively a military minimalist bedroom. “Okay, what’s going on with Rainbow?” Twilight asked, her tone steadily growing more irritable. “You said she was fine, but not able to come back with you. And why the hay would Chrysalis take her instead of leaving her to be picked up by the military force that was going to get Aurora? And why are you all so calm about it?” “Well, we can’t really be angry,” Fluttershy replied, wringing her hooves, “and being upset just seems silly since she’s not really hurt.” “Speak for yourself dear,” Rarity said. “I may be able to accept what happened, but I’m still trying to overcome the shock and all the implications.” “Twi,” Applejack ignored bantering, “Rainbow Dash got ‘erself bit by a Changelin’ again. And there weren’t anypony ‘roud to be makin’ potions and stuff. She’s one of ‘em.” “She’s... Wait... Rainbow Dash—” Twilight stuttered, trying to collect her thoughts into something coherent. “A CHANGLING! CHRYSALIS LET MY FRIEND TURN INTO ONE OF HER LITTLE... LITTLE—!” “Calm down, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie hissed, for once trying to keep everypony quiet. “CALM DOWN!” Twilight could not help but explode. “YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN! HOW CAN YOU GIRLS TAKE IT LIKE IT’S NOTHING! I TRUSTED CHRYSALIS, AND SHE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO TELL ME HERSELF OR EVEN SAVE RAINBOW DASH! SHE’S THEIR QUEEN! DON’T TELL ME SHE COULDN’T HAVE STOPPED THE TRANSFORMATION IF SHE DIDN’T WANT TO!” “She’s in her right mind!” Applejack tried to break in as Twilight paused to take a breath. “Yeah, she hasn’t been all droopy-googly eye mind controlled!” Pinkie supported Applejack. “Twilight, dear, Rainbow Dash wasn’t exactly thrilled about having transformed, but she seemed to have accepted it better than the rest of us, and if anypony had reason to be furious, it would be her,” Rarity made an attempt to keep Twilight from shouting again. She ignored her friend and continued in the only volume she found appropriate for her building anger, “WELL OF COURSE SHE’S TAKING IT WELL! IT’S A HIVE MIND! CHRYSALIS MAKES THEM THINK WHATEVER SHE WANTS THEM TO THINK!” “It don’ thank it works like tha’ Twi,” Applejack said. “AND SINCE WHEN ARE YOU THE EXPERT ON CHANGELING TELEPATHY!” Twilight lanced out. “Chrysalis is not getting away with this,” she growled. “How dare she! How dare she! Now that my magic isn’t impaired, I’ve got a few spells I’m going to shove up her—!” A powerful, solid hoof flew from one of her friends, colliding with the side of her head and knocking her onto her side, lights blinking in her eyes. From the force, Twilight was sure it had been Applejack who had hit her, but it was Fluttershy’s petitely angry voice which met her ears. “How dare Chrysalis?” she cried out, tears gathering in her voice. “I’m ashamed of you Twilight. Chrysalis was trying to help Dashie through the whole process. She sent a doctor and everything to make sure Rainbow stayed safe. And I think I am the expert when it comes to knowing Rainbow Dash.” “You got some force in that there hoof o’ yers,” Applejack gasped, her voice both surprised and impressed. “Never woulda thought.” Twilight said nothing to either of them, massaging her head as she sat back up. “You can’t be serious!” Twilight argued back, now looking directly at Fluttershy’s wet eyes. “How can you just accept it all like that?” “You said it yourself,” Fluttershy replied. “Trust. I’ve trusted in Rainbow Dash more than anypony I’ve ever known, and just recently, I learned I could trust Chrysalis. I saw her eyes, Twilight, and they were Rainbow Dash... through and through.” “The general wasn’t worried about it, Twilight,” Rarity pushed. “And he’s a military pony by trade, and I dare say he’s had his fair share of sorties against Changelings. I am sure he knows what mind-control and the like look like, and he did not fear something sinister had happened.” “What could we do ta convince ya it’s all alright?” Applejack asked, confident they would be able to provide an answer. Twilight stared rather dumbfounded at her friends. Her entire mind rebelled against the idea that Rainbow was a Changeling, more so that she was still self-conscious. But that tiny voice in her head, the one which helped her ignore the odds when they faced impossible foes in the name of Princess Celestia and Harmony itself, made it’s presence known then. Her friends were not merely convinced of Rainbow Dash’s safety and well-being, they believed in them. They had seen her, talked with her presumably, and they continued to believe she was not in danger. Rainbow Dash was the Bearer of the Element of Loyalty, and the least Twilight could do for her now was to support, not doubt her: it was her turn to reciprocate that trait which Dash so well exemplified. “Oh... I... Wait a minute!” Twilight’s voice brightened considerably. “You want to give me proof that Rainbow is okay? If she is still connected to the Element of Loyalty, that will seal it for me.” “Goody!” Pinkie Pie cheerfully hugged Twilight. “See, it was a bit of a shock for everypony when we saw her, but we came around. We knew she was still the same old Rainbow Dash.” “Hay, if that’s as simple as you need, more power to ya,” Applejack said. “Path to the library ain’t too far, why don’ ya lead the way.” “Is it safe in the... rubble?” Fluttershy asked, shaking at being able to only refer to Ponyville as a ruin. “I don’ see no reason why it wouldn’ be,” Applejack answered. “The place’s been cleared out.” “We’ll be in a group, so I don’t think looters will try anything,” Twilight said, striding to and out the exit. Her friends followed, and Twilight took sure steps while still within the confines of the camp of the Armies of the Sun and Moon. Why would Chrysalis just let it happen? Twilight could not shake the question as she walked. Even if Dash was still herself, still the loyal, brash friend she always had been, the question remained unanswered. Surely she could have stopped it, Twilight began to muse, only being marginally aware of the world shifting from order to abandoned chaos. She’s a Changeling Queen after all. If any of them would have power over a transformation, it would be her. Maybe she didn’t want to change Rainbow back. She might talk the talk, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Chrysalis thought it would be fitting revenge for Rainbow to replace the Changeling she killed. Her brow was furrowed now, imaging the smirk of Chrysalis’s face as she watched Dash writhe from the transformation. Or, a less harsh part of her mind intruded on the image, Rainbow may have been injured. Remember the autopsy reports after the invasion? The doctors examining the bodies observed even posthumous healing. If Rainbow was hurt in the fight, transformation might have been Chrysalis’s only option. You’re letting friendly emotions cloud your judgement, her head countered itself. She’s still the monarch of a powerful nation, so who’s to say that the way she acted when she was living with everypony wasn’t just an act. She’s a Changeling for Pete’s sake! They are born actors! But you can’t fake real friendship. You ought to know that from the Elements. No, Chrysalis was sincere when she was with us. Maye your friends are right. You just need to see Rainbow and talk to her. And Chrysalis. “Twilight, stop for a second!” a hissed warning partially reached her ears, but she was too absorbed in her own thoughts to take real note of it. “Twilight, dear! I... Applejack!” screamed a second voice, undoubtedly Rarity’s as Twilight was jolted back into reality by her sturdy friend bowling into her and and flattening her to the ground. Just where Twilight would have been standing, a crossbow bolt buried itself in the ash covered ground. Though blocked partially by Applejack’s protecting body, Twilight was able to crane her head to see eight Equestrian soldiers emerging from the ruins. Only one was a pegasus—he having been the one to wield the crossbow—and the remaining seven were earth ponies. All were heavily armored vanguards, dual spears latched like jousting poles onto their plate. “You ruffians!” Rarity screamed again, six spearheads surrounding her, Pinkie, and Futtershy. “Accosting young mares for your own enjoyment! I—!” “Silence!” one her captors spat, slicing her cheek with one of his weapons. The other ponies had now surrounded Twilight and Applejack, and from their severe expressions, there was no doubt standing silent was what they required. With a few pointed nudges, Twilight managed to keep Applejack quiet as they brought themselves to their hooves, now able to look the stallions in the eyes. She had not wanted to fear the worst, but seeing all of their irises colored in the exact same brilliant red hue, Twilight was unable to keep hold of more hopeful explanations. These ponies were victims to Aurora’s weaponized Element of Loyalty, and were acting as such. “What does Aurora want?” Twilight controlled her voice to make it as flat as possible. “We have no commands from her at the moment, but she has been captured, and since we’re pretty sure you all would try to stop us if we attempted a rescue, we decided to take you out first,” the pegasus answered, the fervor of his conviction more pronounced than even that of a sun or moon cultist. “So yer, jus’ gonna kill us in cold blood? Is tha’ it?” Applejack rounded on the commander. “No, I’m going to execute you,” he replied. “Kneel.” “You aren’t yourself,” Twilight began saying, only to have her legs swept out from under her by a spear shaft. “You guys are loyal to Princess Celestia, like me. You’re loyal to Equestria, right?” Pinkie tried to reason with them as her group was met with similar treatment. “She’s got that last bit right, sir,” one of the Earth ponies said. “You sure we ain’t goin’ a bit far without the Mistress’s approval?” “They brought down her vessel!” the pegasus snapped to his subordinate. “If they are not killed now, we will all regret it later.” He grasped his bow’s reloading bar, pulling it back and knocking a bolt into place. Next to her, Applejack’s muscles were tightening while Twilight herself made ready the energy needed to shield both of them. She hoped Rarity had enough magic and spells to protect herself, Pinkie, and Fluttershy when the inevitable confusion erupted. Only, the alarmed shouts of the Earth ponies and shriek of Fluttershy came before Twilight launched her spell: before the crossbow’s trigger had been pulled. She whipped her head to her left, the sound reaching her ears before the magic appeared. It was massively powerful, judging by the sound alone, and that very characteristic kept Twilight from lowering her defensive readiness. A heavily warped, baritone buzz crashed down upon the ears of everypony present moments before a translucent wall of verdant magic took shape and flew at the assembled. The soldiers were trying to outrun the pulse, but Twilight knew they would never be able to do so on hoof. Grabbing Applejack’s leg, Twilight warped to Fluttershy and the others. “Make a chain! Hurry!” she hollered, cracking them all into a warp the very second she saw Pinkie’s hoof touch Rarity’s. It was over relatively quickly, Twilight having chosen to teleport within the safety of a half-destroyed house already passed over by the pulse, but having so rapidly transported all of her friends, she felt ready to dry heave. Only consciously measured breaths kept back the urge. “I ain’t ever seen magic that... forceful,” Applejack whispered from where she and Pinkie peaked through the wreckage. “And Aurora doesn’t count,” Pinkie agreed. “So where’s the nice pony who saved us? I didn’t see anypony up ahead when we were ambushed.” “Well... it was an ambush,” Fluttershy put in. “Hold on,” Twilight mumbled, her legs quivering slightly as she joined her two friends. She was just in time to watch the pulse pass through the last soldier, collapse in on itself, and wink out of existence. The pony joined his comrades in arms in ashy dirt, unconscious. “That wasn’t just a stun pulse,” she said, craning her neck for any other way to see through the half-destroyed walls. “It was strong enough that I felt it when I was teleporting, and I’ve only ever felt that kind of magical power around the Princesses. And it was green magic. I only know one pony who might be able to pull off something like that. Chrysalis has to be close.” “With all she has to do, I highly doubt—Twilight, look!” Rarity exclaimed with a last minute attempt at being more quiet. She jabbed her hoof at the path where the incapacitated ponies lay. All five of them peered through a sizeable hole in the mortar, eyes growing wider and wider with every passing second. Something akin to a dull green shadow moved across the earth, twisting like a snake to avoid contact with any of the ponies; and in its wake, purple flowers sprang from the earth, blossomed, fell away, and died within the span of a few seconds. “I’m bettin’ tha farm tha’ wann’t tha queen,” Applejack said as the shadow vanished in the direction of the camp. “We have to catch it!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We never got to say thank you!” “I don’t think we were supposed to escape...” Fluttershy wimpered. “Twilight, what was it?” “Never mind any of that,” Twilight said, already climbing over the wall and urgently motioning for her friends to follow at an equal pace. “We can’t let a magic anomaly like that get near so many ponies!” “An—an anomaly?” Rarity’s voice quivered. “Are you absolutely sure Twilight?” “No, I’m not since I’ve never seen one, but after all the magic used in the battle, I wouldn’t be surprised,” the words rolled in nervous rapidity off Twilight’s tongue. “Mind explainin’ what the hay an ananamoly is?” Applejack grunted as she helped Pinkie over the crumbling wall. “It’s an anomaly,” Twilight corrected, “and it’s a very rare phenomenon that has happened in places where a lot of magic was used within a relatively small space. Nopony has ever studied one because it’s next to impossible, but somehow, the magic in an oversaturated area... well it lumps together and goes around trying to grow until it can’t sustain itself and implodes.” "Basically, it ain’t friendly or nothin’,” Applejack concluded. “You have a plan to deal with the doohicky, right Twilight?” Pinkie asked, they all now beginning to gallop back the way they had come. “I’m working on it,” Twilight grunted in concentration of doing just that. Her mind was grinding a furiously fast pace, tossing options in and out like she was sorting through garbage just to find that forgotten gem. Magic was completely out of the question, as that would only make the situation worse and with both princesses present, likely not even draw the anomaly away. How? How could she stop something that could not be touched, either physically or arcanely? “Oh the luck of Princess Celestia!” a voice burst out behind the five of them. It was a voice she had not heard since the battle aboard Aurora’s vessel, and one she had both desired and feared hearing again. But even so, it had the same effect upon them all: digging their hooves into the ash and flinging themselves around to see her. Twilight could not help the sharp intake of breath that accompanied her seeing Rainbow Dash, now in full Changeling form. Her eyes, mane, and tail still glowed with that semi-arrogant bravado; but the glossy, black chitin and membranous wings cast a distinctly darker tone over her. She accompanied by a second Changeling Twilight did not recognize: one which was markedly more reserved than Rainbow herself. Even as her friends rushed forward to embrace Rainbow, Twilight’s sides warred, keeping her held in place. She simply could not know without the affirmation of the Element of... The Elements! They were the key. Twilight knew they were a form of magic, as Aurora had so keenly demonstrated during the battle, but they were a magic far beyond what even the princesses could wield single-hoofedly. If not capable of destroying the anomaly outright, they would at least draw it out of the camp. “Girls, we need to head back to the library, now!” Twilight hollered, infusing her words with as much urgency as she could muster. She purposefully avoided looking directly at Rainbow, doubt plaguing her even more now that she was so close at hoof. Nevertheless, whether they noticed Twilight’s awkward avoidance of Rainbow, all of them took heed of her desperation and galloped deeper into the town.