//------------------------------//
// A Changeling's Plea 
// Story: Echoing Shadows 
// by LordSiravant 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Fifteen: A Changeling's Plea

King Sombra sat on his throne, reviewing the various military reports. His Obsidian Guards now numbered well over four thousand, and he had fifty thousand more slaves to add to that number if he ever felt the need to. New weapons of his own design, tower-mounted ballistae that hurled a multitude of sharpened crystal stakes, were being installed all around the walls of the city to ward off any possible attack from the air. With these terrible instruments of murder, there was no doubt any attack on the Crystal Empire would generate grievous casualties on the attackers' part.

But he did not intend for it to ever come to that. Not this time. Soon he would begin formulating his plan to attack Equestria with the forces at his disposal. They would not stop him this time.

The sound of the doors of the throne room creaking open shook the dark king from his thoughts, his menacing eyes fixating on the intruder. King Sombra's lips curved upwards, baring his fangs in a grim smile. "Ah, Bjoräl. You have returned. Are the Changelings no more?"

The Diamond Dog leaned on his blood-stained mace as the exhaustion of the last few days caught up with him. "We found their hive. We killed many, including their unborn grubs. It was beautiful." Bjoräl allowed himself a blood lusted smile at the memory through his fatigue before he relayed the less pleasant news. "But some of them still managed to escape, including the queen. But considering the wound I dealt her before she fled, I doubt that she lives still."

Sombra frowned, not entirely pleased by this news. "Where did they flee to?"

"They were headed for Equestria, sire," Bjoräl answered. "So blinded by fear were they that they did not realize that they are flying right into the arms of those who will gladly finish them off."

Sombra seemed to be placated by this, for he eased back into his relaxed posture. "Yes…Better that our enemies should inadvertently eliminate a potential threat for us. You have done well, Alpha Bjoräl."

Before Bjoräl could voice his gratitude, another intruder burst into the throne room with an air of urgency, revealing himself to be Commander Death Dealer. "Your Majesty, you must come outside at once! There are visitors here who wish to treat with you!"

Sombra's anger at the interruption melted away into a look of surprise. "What visitors, Commander?"

"Dragons, my king. Dozens of them. Leading them are the sons of the Sky Emperor, Karzakathûl."

Sombra flashed a terrible grin as he headed towards the balcony of his palace, with Bjoräl following behind. Awaiting him there were dragons of all shapes, sizes, and colors circling over the Empire. Three of them broke off from the flock and hovered over the balcony, facing the king. King Sombra glanced them over. Two of them were colored similarly to Karzakathûl, while one was a muddy green pallor. One of the blue dragons was broad-chested and thickly-muscled, with short white spines running down the length of his back and a squat snout. The other blue dragon was somewhat leaner, with longer spines and a longer snout. The brownish-green dragon looked sickly and gaunt, the very image of death. "King Sombra," the stockier blue dragon greeted. "We come to join your armies in the name of vengeance. I am Gardranok the Destroyer. These are my brothers, Morgarath the Flaming Death and Pestilence the Vile. We are the sons of Karzakathûl, and we want to make the Equestrians pay for the slaying of our father."

Sombra glanced over their shoulders at the other dragons flying overhead. "And what of them? They don't all desire vengeance for his demise, do they?"

"There are those in the Dragon Kingdom who have always resented the alliance with the weakling Equestrians," Morgarath spoke up. "Now that faith in our oh-so-esteemed king has been lost, the Kingdom is facing civil war. The king and those who support him have fled to Equestria with tails between their legs. So we have come to he who seeks to destroy them…you."

Sombra snickered darkly. "I accept your proposal of an alliance. Now, who among you leads?"

"That would be us," a new voice announced.

Karzakathûl's brood flew off to the side as three more dragons made themselves known. These dragons all looked somewhat older than the three brothers. One was totally black, another one was electric-yellow, and the third was emerald green. The one who spoke was the black dragon. "I am Moragon the Black, and these are Vartûl the Striking Thunder and Dalconir the Green. We were members of the Dragon Council before it split."

Sombra smirked. "Then it is you whom I shall consult with planning the invasion of Equestria. Come, we have much to discuss. Commander, Bjoräl, join us."

XXXXXX

There was an immediate uproar when the Changelings' presence was revealed. Though the majority of the hive remained outside the city, resting in the fields not far from the pegasus barracks, the four drones carrying Queen Chrysalis accompanied Rainbow Dash and Swift Stroke as they brought her to the medical wing of the castle. More than once, Swift Stroke had to order surprised soldiers to stand down. Swift looked over at Rainbow. "Private Dash, inform Princess Luna of the situation. Make sure nopony's given her exaggerated details."

"Yessir!" Rainbow saluted, flying down the hallway.

The pegasus barreled throughout the castle at lightning speed, eventually stopping right at the entrance to the throne room, where two guards were stationed. Apparently the news of Chrysalis's appearance hadn't yet reached them, for they stepped aside and allowed her entrance with little trouble. Being an Element of Harmony has its benefits, she remarked to herself as she entered the throne room.

"I greet thee, Rainbow Dash," Princess Luna spoke from her throne. "Do you have a request to make of me?"

Rainbow forgot to answer momentarily as she noticed Discord hovering over Celestia's throne, an uncharacteristically unhappy scowl on his face. Noticing this, Luna said, "Do not mind him. He's been like that ever since the dragons came."

"I'm not fond of dragons," Discord added sourly. "I have my reasons."

Rainbow remembered Twilight telling her those very reasons not long after the fight with Karzakathûl and nodded her head in understanding. "Anyways," Rainbow finally began. "I'm here to tell you that the Changelings are here in Canterlot."

Luna shot out of her throne and Discord's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?" Luna boomed angrily.

"Don't tell me the cheese-legs have thrown their hand into Sombrero's deck too!" Discord remarked.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, guys!" Rainbow pleaded. "I don't think that's the case! Most of the Changelings aren't even inside the city. But their queen is hurt really badly and she's been taken to the hospital wing. She really wanted to speak to Celestia."

Luna's scowl did not falter. "I don't want that loathsome bug anywhere near my sister or our subjects. Put her in the dungeons and expel her wretched brood from our lands!"

Rainbow didn't like where this was going. "Princess, if you do that, Chrysalis'll die!"

"I don't care!" Luna boomed, her anger causing her voice to take on the Royal Canterlot Tone as her eyes began to glow. "She and every single Changeling deserve whatever they get for what they did to Canterlot and MY SISTER!"

Unnoticed by either of the mares, Discord summoned a bag of popcorn and began watching the argument as though it were a rather interesting show. Rainbow shuddered at the look of fury on the moon goddess's face, but she'd be damned if she backed down now. "Princess, Chrysalis was attacked by Sombra's goons! He's marked the Changelings as his enemy! We're giving Discord a chance, so why not them?! Look, I know the stress of being pretty much the only one in charge is getting to you, but you need to put your feelings aside and help out somepony who needs it! Chrysalis said it herself; Equestria is a land of love. We can't lose sight of that, no matter what, or else King Sombra has already won."

Rainbow's words finally struck home, and Luna's anger slowly ebbed away as she beheld the truth of them. "Yes…you're right," she sighed. "Tia would not want that. Forgive me. The past few weeks have indeed been stressful."

Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief she had not realized she had been holding. Discord rolled his eyes as he ate the empty popcorn bag in one bite. "So the magic of friendship wins out again," he said in a bored tone. "That got old way too fast."

"Don't you gotta be annoying somewhere else?" Rainbow flatly shot back.

"Well…now that you mention it," Discord pointed out with a growing smile, "that Prince Blueblood fellow's been almost asking for a little mayhem to befall him lately."

Rainbow remembered the story Rarity had told her about that particular stallion, and immediately decided she would support Discord in this endeavor if she had to.

Luna frowned at him. "Discord…"

"What?" Discord asked in a slightly-whiny tone.

"…Don't overdo it. He causes enough headaches as it is."

Discord chuckled. "I have ways of fixing that. Just you wait."

The draconequus snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light, presumably to go bother Celestia and Luna's belligerent nephew. Now that they were alone, Rainbow had to ask. "Why do you even keep that flankhole nephew of yours around?"

"You would have to ask my sister about that," Luna replied in a slightly sour tone. "Were it my choice, he would have been banished from Canterlot until he could grasp the concept that he is not above the common pony just because of his relations. Now, take me to the Changeling queen."

XXXXXX

Hospital Wing…

Celestia was making progress with her recovery, but it still hurt to move. Thus, when she instinctively jolted in surprise as she saw the wounded Queen Chrysalis brought into the Hospital Wing, she had to stifle a hiss of pain. The commander of the Pegasus Guards noticed this and bowed.

"What happened to her?" Celestia weakly asked. "Why is she here?"

"Her hive was attacked by King Sombra's forces," Swift Stroke explained. "From what we can gather, they had attempted to steal the Crystal Heart, and Sombra retaliated. She only has a few hundred drones left, which are all currently encamped at the base of the mountain. They have made no hostile moves so far, and their queen expressly desired to speak with you before she lost consciousness."

The two of them watched as the unicorn doctors laid Chrysalis on the bed adjacent to Celestia and began tending to her injuries. Her Changeling guards did not leave her side. Exhausted though they were, they had no intention of leaving their queen unprotected. "Has Luna been informed?" Celestia asked.

Swift Stroke opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another voice. "We have," Luna answered as she and Rainbow Dash stepped into the room. "Are you doing better, sister?"

"Better than before," Celestia replied with a weak smile. "What news of Equestria, other than what has been brought before me?"

Luna sighed. It was only yesterday that her sister had finally fully regained consciousness without succumbing to moaning, delirious fits, so she couldn't have known about the dragons. "Not well, my sister. Vladezrâdi came to me several days ago with grim news."

A look of worry creased Celestia's fatigued features. "The Dragon King? What has happened?"

"The Dragon Kingdom has fallen into civil war, and those who have rebelled against the king have joined Sombra, since Vladezrâdi has been a staunch ally of ours for generations."

Celestia looked horrified. "The dragons…have become embroiled as well?" She looked over at Chrysalis as the doctors tended to the Changeling. "And now the Changelings too…how many more must be pulled into this senseless conflict before King Sombra is satisfied?"

"That is not all, Tia," Luna continued gravely, Rainbow silently looking on. "Vladezrâdi also said that Sombra has rallied a large pack of Diamond Dogs to his cause as well, and that he has gathered the Windigos to him once more."

Celestia groaned, partly in agony and partly in horrified frustration, leaning back into her pillow. "Then our only recourse is to recruit allies as well. There's no avoiding it now; this war will encompass much of our entire world. We must call upon the Minotaurs of Bullgaria and the Rockjaw Diamond Dogs that live close to Ponyville. I'd rather not involve the Saddle Arabians and the Zebras if I can, since they live on separate continents and are safe for the time being from Sombra's machinations. The Diamond Dogs that allied with Sombra can only be the Rültveks, the Rockjaws' oldest enemies. They wanted to conquer the Rockjaws for their richer gem deposits, but I forbade it, since they lived on my lands and were therefore under my protection. An emissary must be sent to them quickly."

"I will see to it, sister," Luna answered. "What of the Changelings encamped outside the city?"

"Have they made any hostile moves?" Celestia asked.

"No," Luna replied. "Though I almost wish they would, just so we could have the excuse to expulse them from our lands again."

Celestia sighed. "Look beyond your anger and let our quarrel with them die. Grudges will not help us in this war. We need every ally we can get, and they are desperate enough to entrust their queen's life to us."

"Have you forgotten what they did to Canterlot just a few months before?" Luna retorted, her voice rising in volume. "What they did to you?!"

Even in her weakened state, Celestia's voice carried all the sternness it boasted at her full strength. "I have not. I also have not forgotten that the Changelings live in a very barren land and that they did what they had to in order to survive. They went about it the wrong way, but that was borne of centuries of ignorance and prejudice on our behalf that I foolishly did not feel was urgent enough to rectify. The Changelings are not monsters like Sombra. They are misguided, not evil. Remember that, sister."

Luna hung her head low, as though she were a foal being scolded for speaking out of turn. "I know, Tia. Rainbow Dash has already spoken these words to me. It is just…difficult to accept, even though I know that I must."

Celestia slowly nodded in understanding. "Now, go, Luna. See that our allies hear our call for aid."

"Rest well, Tia," Luna bade before she left the room.

Swift Stroke and Rainbow Dash moved to follow, until Celestia spoke up once more. "Wait. Rainbow Dash, could I have a moment of your time?"

"Uh…sure, Princess," Rainbow replied uncertainly, glancing at her commanding officer.

"Get back as soon as you're able," Swift instructed. "And remember, eight o'clock sharp, my quarters, Lieutenant Dash."

Rainbow failed to express a delighted giggle at her new title as Swift left. Celestia quirked an eyebrow. "Lieutenant already, Rainbow Dash?" she clarified.

Rainbow excitedly nodded her head. "Uh-huh! I'm gettin' officially promoted tonight at eight!"

"I've missed a great deal lately, haven't I?" Celestia asked. "It's nice to see that you have settled into the military life rather well. Somehow I knew you would adjust quickly. What of your friends? What of my faithful student? How do they fare?"

Rainbow's grin fell at the mention of Twilight. "Oh…yeah. You really have missed a lot, Princess," she began uncertainly.

Celestia's brows furrowed worriedly at Rainbow's hesitance. "Rainbow…has something happened to Twilight?"

Rainbow finally nodded in confirmation. "It was a few days after the dragon attack. I was off fighting at the Griffhala battle when it happened, so I didn't hear about it until later, but the night after the pegasi soldiers left to defend Griffhala, King Sombra…somehow, he gained access to Twilight's mind and…a-and possessed her."

Celestia's look of anguish only made it harder for Rainbow to finish. "He…he made her attack o-other unicorns. If it hadn't been for Discord coming in and pushing him out of her head, they would…they would've been f-forced to…"

She couldn't continue. She felt hot tears roll down her face as the weight of those events finally dawned on her. If it hadn't been for Discord, she would have lost one of her closest friends, mercy-killed by her own comrades all because of an evil king who should have been dead long ago. Even harder to think about was the possibility that Rarity might have been the one forced to do it. She blinked through her tears, wiping them feverishly away with a hoof so as to not lose face in front of the solar monarch. But Celestia was crying too. "I should have been there for her," the princess spoke in a deeply-saddened, ashamed voice. "I should have been there for her, and I wasn't. I allowed Sombra to hurt her. Just like I let him hurt the people of Ponyville. Mother forgive me…"

Celestia's body shook with her broken sobs. The sight of Equestria's unflappable, always-calm and serene ruler crying like an inconsolable child was jarring to Rainbow, to say the least. "P-Princess, it's not your fault!" Rainbow cried, rushing to Celestia's bedside. "You were injured. There's nothing you could have done…"

"I was powerless…powerless to protect my own student, the closest thing I have to a daughter!" Celestia sobbed. "Twice I have failed to protect my subjects! What has become of me?!"

Rainbow, desperate to comfort the princess, threw caution to the wind and wrapped her forelegs around Celestia's neck, wrapping her up in a hug as they both cried over the suffering of the ones they cared about. It seemed this embrace was able to bring Celestia back to her senses, for her cries quieted to mere sniffles as Rainbow let go of her. "Thank you, Rainbow," Celestia said. "I think we both needed that."

Rainbow shook her head. "Yeah…we shouldn't worry over what could have happened. We should be thankful that it didn't."

Celestia smiled. "You are wiser than you would first appear, Rainbow. Now go; I do believe you have drills to finish and a promotion to receive."

Rainbow saluted. "Aye-aye, Princess!"

Celestia watched the rainbow-maned Element Bearer leave before turning to the doctors attending to the still-unconscious Chrysalis. "Would you wake me when she has regained consciousness?" she asked, planning to get some more rest.

"Yes, Your Highness," they droned before returning to their work, trying to ignore the scrutinizing stares of the queen's Changeling guards.

XXXXXX

Several hours later…

Chrysalis blearily opened her eyes and uttered a pained, fatigued groan as the world around her came into focus. She felt something soft underneath her. She was in a bed. From the looks of it, she was in the hospital wing of Canterlot Castle. She breathed a sigh of relief that the Equestrians had been kind enough not to kill her on sight, and then realized that breathing didn't hurt anymore. She glanced down at her chest to see that her carapace had been mended. However, where the cracks had once been were now a series of light grey scars that stuck out on her polished black exoskeleton like a sore hoof. Then she noticed that she was not alone in the room as she saw a unicorn dressed in a doctor's outfit go over to the bedside of her roommate and nudge them awake.

Chrysalis's jaw dropped when she recognized who was in the bed across from her. "Celestia?!"

"It has been a while, hasn't it, Chrysalis?" Celestia greeted neutrally. "Doctor, leave us."

The doctor bowed and complied, leaving the two monarchs alone in the room with their respective guards, who glared suspiciously at each other without breaking eye contact.

"What happened to you?" Chrysalis finally asked.

"Dragon fire, courtesy of an Elder Wyrm," Celestia answered. "And I was told you had run afoul of a group of Diamond Dogs loyal to Sombra."

Chrysalis winced, having hoped that Celestia wouldn't have known about her greatest moment of weakness. "I am sorry about what happened to your hive," Celestia said.

"I don't need or want your pity! You think we came here, to the doorstep of our old enemies, to receive it?!" Chrysalis snapped before catching herself. If she wanted to endear herself to her potential saviors, she would have to suck up her pride. "What we need is to regain our strength. What we want is vengeance against King Sombra. You have lost many subjects in this war already, have you not?"

Celestia solemnly nodded, a sad look on her face. "Now, imagine that you are mentally connected to every single one of your subjects," Chrysalis continued. "Imagine that, in order for the rest of your people to survive, you had to leave the youngest ones behind because they were not yet ready to be born. Imagine, as you flee with all that survives of your people, hearing, sensing, feeling the mental screams of unborn grubs as they are ripped from their eggs without warning, confused, cold and frightened, only to be crushed in the palms of invading monsters. And to know that there was nothing you could do about it. We have had our conflicts in the past, but we will join you if it means we can repay King Sombra and those who serve him ten-fold. He is a vile savage and we want him dead."

Celestia swallowed as she took in Chrysalis's dreadful perspective on the events that had brought her here. "Despite what happened in the past, you did not deserve to experience Sombra's wrath. I will allow you to fight at our side, and…I will find a way to repay you for what you were forced to endure. I will not let your people starve."

Chrysalis frowned as she considered her options. "After this war is over…we want access to the Crystal Heart. Just being near it gives us a never-ending food source. We would have to reestablish our hive in the mountains near there, but as long as we can come and feed on the Heart's limitless energy as needed, we will bring no trouble to the Crystal Empire's people, or your own."

Celestia was silent as she considered Chrysalis's request. Once Sombra was finally defeated, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance would likely object at first. After all, Chrysalis had nearly ruined their wedding. But they did not hold grudges for long if those responsible were redeemable in their eyes. They would come around, in time. "I will see to it," Celestia agreed. "You have my word as Princess of Equestria."

"Celestia, there is one more thing I must tell you," Chrysalis said. "King Sombra, with the help of the Windigos, has managed to corrupt the Crystal Heart's energy."

Chrysalis paused as she watched Celestia's mouth drop open in horror. "No…he didn't…" the sun goddess breathed.

"I do not know what he plans to do with it, but based on what my scouts have observed of the Crystal Heart, the effects might be reversed if the Crystal Ponies regain some semblance of hope and repower it."

Celestia shut her mouth and nodded in agreement. Chrysalis made a good point. "Then that is what we must focus on once we reach the Empire. Once the people see that we have not forgotten them, we can help them restore the Heart's power and then turn it against Sombra once more."

"You tried that before," Chrysalis pointed out. "It didn't work, remember?"

Celestia sighed. Again, the queen raised a good point. "There has to be a way to destroy him for good. There has to be."

"If you devise such a way, let me know at once," Chrysalis stated. "I would be more than happy to stick the proverbial dagger in his back."

Celestia allowed herself a grim smirk. "Get in line. Nearly everyone in Equestria and beyond wants a piece of him now."

XXXXXX

Unicorn barracks…

Word had quickly gotten around about the small army of Changelings lurking a short distance from the pegasus barracks, and most ponies weren't exactly happy at the news. "It's unthinkable!" Rarity complained as she and Twilight took a break from another round of magical combat. "Those awful creatures just a stone's throw away from us and Canterlot! Why hasn't the Royal Guard chased them off yet?"

Twilight sighed. "Rarity, if you had been paying attention, you would've seen how badly injured Queen Chrysalis was. They took her up to Canterlot, and I imagine she's here to talk to Celestia about whatever happened to her and her people."

Rarity frowned. "Do you think he is responsible?"

Twilight's expression darkened, knowing to whom her friend was referring to. "I wouldn't doubt it. If anything, though, we may gain an unexpected ally out of this."

Before Rarity could voice her concerns over this, another voice gruffly spoke over her. "Private Rarity!"

Both Twilight and Rarity turned to see Commander Falling Skies and crisply saluted. "Yessir!" Rarity cried.

"Princess Luna has a task that she specifically requested of you as the Element of Generosity," Falling reported.

Rarity forced herself not to look her commanding officer in the eye as she barked, "What does the Princess require of me, sir?"

"You are to leave immediately for the Rockjaw Diamond Dog territory not far from the boundaries of Ponyville. Princess Luna says you are familiar with the territory and the pack."

Rarity went paler than usual. "W-w-what?" she stammered. "Why does she want me to go see those…those brutes?!"

"The nation of Equestria requires their services in this war, as an enemy pack of theirs has joined King Sombra. And since you have dealt with them before, the Princess felt it wise to send you as an emissary."

Rarity felt like she may faint. "If you have any trouble with them," Twilight reminded, "you could always just whine until they say yes."

Rarity straightened up and sighed. "Yes…I suppose."

Falling raised an eyebrow. "How would whining like a spoiled foal help our case any?"

Twilight giggled. "You'd understand if you had been there, sir."

Falling rolled his eyes. "I don't have time to hear it. Private Rarity, you have your orders. Pack any provisions you need and leave as soon as you're able."

Rarity saluted again. "Sir, yes, sir!"

Falling nodded and trotted off to go supervise the rest of the magical duels. Rarity turned to her old friend and sighed. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways for now."

Twilight gave her companion a hug. "You take care of yourself, okay?"

"I can handle myself well enough," Rarity replied, breaking the hug. "I'll see if I have enough time to stop by Ponyville and say hello to Spike for you."

Twilight smiled, nuzzling Rarity affectionately. "Thanks, Rare. You're the best."

Rarity laughed. "I'll return as soon as I can, Twilight. You take care of yourself too, alright?"

Twilight nodded. "I will."

Twilight watched her friend leave to go prepare for your journey, and couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was soon to happen.