//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Disaster Approaches // Story: Welcome to Wherever You Are // by FrozenInTime //------------------------------// "Come on... focus, Sparkle..." Twilight slowly walked through the black void. She had been walking for some time, she could only guess because she could no longer see Rainbow Dash in the distance behind her. Try as she did, she was unable to focus on the task at hand. Rainbow's words still rang around her head: 'I love her... I love her... I love her...' Twilight couldn't get a grasp on a single emotion, at first she felt stupid for not seeing it sooner. After that, she felt sorry for Rainbow, for being so oblivious. Then her heart started to nearly beat out of her chest from the mere thoughts of Rainbow. She felt her mouth getting dry, although she was unsure why. She was unable to think of anything but Rainbow Dash at that point. The sound of her voice, her unmatched beauty... Twilight could almost feel herself getting lost in Rainbow's beady, eyes, even if one was discolored. The beauty was not just physical, even with that majestic rainbow mane... but it was also mental. Twilight loved Rainbow's personality. Everything about it. Her sheer bravery and boldness, even in the worst of times. It almost got her killed when they first met, trying to take on a Manticore... It goes without saying that her undying loyalty was another aspect Twilight so admired. She had put her life's dreams on hold and her life on the line to help her friends on that same day, and saved Twilight's life on many occasions since then. Finally, there was her less-than-feminine attitude and brashness. She didn't like many "girly" things, preferring to look as tough and cool as possible. Twilight giggled as she remembered all the times Rarity tried to get Rainbow into a dress... Of course, Rainbow had her flaws like anypony else, but these only made Twilight adore her even more. She would not change Rainbow Dash in any way, because to Twilight, she was perfect the way she was. The realization hit Twilight like a sledgehammer... a sledgehammer that had fallen from orbit after being launched into space and halfway to the moon. "I'm in love," she said in a somewhat amused voice to herself. This whole thing was ridiculous to her; how could she not see it before? Whenever Rainbow was around, she was all of Twilight's focus. Her heart rate would drastically increase, and she even found herself staring at Rainbow's flank from time to time. With all the thoughts about Rainbow, Twilight could almost hear her voice, feel their fur touching and a wing wrapped around her. She could almost see Rainbow next to her, she imagined what it would taste like to kiss her. Finally, she could almost smell the familiar smell of rainwater, the smell that Rainbow often had from her weather duties... ... ...nope, that was the smell of sweat. Twilight realized she was sweating, and at first thought it was from the thoughts about Rainbow. She looked up to see the massive green orb floating in front of her. It was at least thirty hooves in diameter, and was a perfect spherical shape. Different shades of light green swirled and darted around the surface, which upon inspection, proved to be completely solid. It was giving off heat, but not too much that it was untouchable, as Twilight just found out. The surface was very warm, probably due to the sheer amount of magic condensed in the orb. Enthrallment was no trivial task, even by Changeling magic. It required great amounts of magical energy that would need to be left in the target's mind, where it would gradually expand. Twilight didn't know much else, as it was a subject Celestia forbade her to study. However, she was personally trained by Celestia on how to counteract the spell, and there was one thing that stood out largely: once enthrallment is too far gone, it might never be reversed. Luckily, Rainbow was still in complete control, so there was no way it was anywhere close to being "too far gone". Looking closer, Twilight noticed that the sphere was slowly growing. "Alright... the sooner I do this, the better." She took a few steps back and lit her horn, preparing for the large amount of magic that she was about to use. She let out a grunt of pain when two black hooves struck her across the face, sending her flying off to the side. The magic in her horn sputtered out and vanished. Canterlot, The Throne Room "Ah, you're awake." Princess Luna looked away from the window and behind her, where the voice had come from. There was nopony there. She unsteadily got to her hooves and looked around. She jumped back with a short shriek when the Draconequus appeared out of the floor directly in front of her. "Oh, it's just you, Discord... where is my sister?" "Oh, not even a real 'hello'? Come on, I don't visit that often, the least you two could do is make me feel welcome. I got a better greeting when I visited Twilight." "Discord, please. This is a matter of dire importance! The fate of Equestria is at stake here, we're on the verge of war!" "Tsk, tsk, tsk... never any time to just talk... I think socializing is a bit more important than a boring war. Well, at least you said please." He pointed to a window behind him. "She's doing what Sunbutts do." Sure enough, Luna looked out the window to see Celestia out on her balcony, her horn glowing as she raised the sun. She took of down the length of the throne room, making haste to her sister. "What, not even a 'thank you'?" Discord let out a sigh before lazily following the princess. "No manners these days... oh who am I kidding? I don't miss the manners ponies had millennia ago. Now that was boring," he said, talking to himself. Princess Celestia heard the beating of wings behind her, but didn't move until she was finished raising the sun. "Sister, I have important information!" Luna urged. "Hold on just a moment..." Celestia said, moving the sun into its proper place. "Now, what is it that troubles you Luna?" "The nightmare was artificial, created by Chrysalis' foul magic. It was suffered by Rainbow Dash, and I explained to her what it was and how Twilight would need to fix it, lest her mind be corrupted." "What is the problem then?" Celestia finally turned to face her sister. "Her magic has already grown exponentially since I confronted her in the Everfree Forest. She is enthralling ponies, Celestia. I fear she may be somehow feeding off of the love of our people from a long distance. Furthermore, why would she want thralls? I fear she is planning an incursion of enthralled ponies, or perhaps a full-blown attack." "Well, we only know of one pony thus far that has been affected, and you just said Twilight is fixing that. However, you may be right about a full attack. Changeling sightings are becoming more frequent every passing day, thankfully they have all either failed and revealed themselves or have been discovered so far." "Well, what are you two going to do about it?" Discord finally walked on to the balcony with the Princesses. "I think we should take action against Queen Cockroach." "Do you have a new name for her every time you mention her?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Again, no real 'hello'? " Twilight lay limply on her side as her attacker slowly walked towards her. Rolling on to her back, she tried to push herself up but was stopped by a black hoof stomping down on her chest, forcing her flat on her back again. "Come now... did you really think it would be that easy? That I would just let you stop me?" Chrysalis' horn lit up with green magic. "Well, what do you propose we do, Discord?" Luna asked the Draconequus. "We go to war!" The green light became blinding, and Queen Chrysalis was about to destroy Twilight's dream form. At the last moment, Twilight disappeared with a small flash. "Oh no you don't!" She bucked her back legs, hitting Twilight right as she reappeared behind Chrysalis. Twilight was sent back towards the green orb. "Out of the question," Celestia began. "We have been at peace for far too long to jeopardize it now. Besides, our armies are not strong enough to deal with the entire Changeling Hive." "Well, fine." Discord started to walk away, speaking as he did. "If you want to let that oversized ladybug terrorize the citizens of Equestria, so when the time for war is here we will be even weaker, so be it. But, last I checked, Equestria had plenty of allies that would be attacked next if Equestria fell." Discord was out of view completely at this point, and Celestia turned to Luna again. Chrysalis picked up the limp Twilight by the neck in her green aura, smashing her against the orb. Her horn began to glow again. Twilight grasped at her own throat, trying to free herself, or even just breathe, which was impossible. "What if he is right, Celestia?" Luna looked at her sister with a concerned gaze. "I wouldn't doubt it, Luna. Even after such a long time of peace, it seems the time for war may be approaching." "Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle." A circular blast of violet energy shot from Twilight's horn, knocking Chrysalis far back and forcing her to release her hold on Twilight, who slumped down to the non-existent ground. She spent a moment breathing heavily, as she was no longer deprived of air. She got to her hooves at the same time Chrysalis did. Without hesitation, they both shot out a powerful blast of magic, which collided and exploded between them. Twilight teleported out of the way, as she knew another blast was coming at her, even though she couldn't see it through the smoke the explosion had created. The green magic, having missed its target, ricocheted off the corrupted magical core and off in a random direction. "We have stood and watched the Changelings terrorize our ponies for far too long, Celestia." "You are right, Luna... ...It is time to fight back!" "You cannot evade me forever!" Twilight reappeared above the Changeling Queen, sending another blast of magic at her. Chrysalis looked up just in time for the blast to hit. Twilight landed, and walked towards the cloud of smoke that was just created by the impact of her magic on Chrysalis. She pounced out of the cloud when Twilight got close, with her head forward. Twilight couldn't get out of the way quickly enough. She let out a sharp cry of pain as the horn impaled her, running her through. Twilight went limp again, and Chrysalis pushed Twilight off of her horn with a ghastly smile. "Foolish little pony..." Chrysalis once again stomped on Twilight's chest, but it hurt so much more now that there was a gaping hole there. She let out a painful groan behind clenched teeth. "Perhaps you would have made a better ally for my Hive... no matter, the enthrallment will be complete soon enough, and that blue Pegasus will be with us." Chrysalis lowered her head until it was inches from Twilight's. "It's too bad though, she really cares for you. A shame that she'll end up dead anyway. But first, I'll end y- AGH!!!" It was Chrysalis' turn to shriek in pain as a gout of lavender fire spewed from Twilight's horn, knocking Chrysalis off. Twilight jumped to her hooves, the same purple flames were now radiating from the sides of her eyes. The look of pure rage was enough to frighten even Chrysalis. "You... do NOT... EVER... threaten... Rainbow Dash."