//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: A Fear that Came to Pass // by ChingKittyCat //------------------------------// It had been a couple hours, and Twilight was bored out of her mind. She had not bothered to ask for any more drinks, because she felt bad about threatening the owner. Karma did come back to bite her flank. Twilight had gone into little conversations with her temporary friends, but they would end after a couple minutes. They didn't really have much to talk about. The current conversation was about some celebrity she could care less about. Some model who stars in a reality television show. They were bickering about her role in society, or something like that. Who cares? Twilight didn't care. They cared, it seemed. While Twilight was busy resting her face on the table. Twilight allowed her mind to play out scenes. Maybe they were real, she didn't know. What she imagined at first was a rather strange fantasy. Within the hive, you are either too weak to stay, or you are promoted to a stronger rank. Among the changelings, there was a set hierarchy. The highest class that there could be was the King and Queen. The most recent Queen of this hive, Queen Chrysalis, was overthrown and demoted due to being too weak. She had failed her hive, and now, she had to pay for it. The changelings had recently found a better Queen, or King. Whichever one it was, they were uncertain at the moment. This new royal was brought in recently, and was quickly moving up the ranks of the hive from the amount of love that could be eaten from it. The new royal was crowned swiftly. Parades and celebrations rang out for the new royal. As they watched from high atop their palace, they sat silently. Their escort who originally brought them to the hive, stood next to the royal. Looking down upon the rejoicing citizens. They danced in the streets, while the royal looked upon the festivities with glee. "My upper-" The changeling started, but was silenced by a flick of the new royal's tail. The changeling recalculated their sentence so his upper would be pleased. "Quake. This is your kingdom. What is your first decree?" The changeling asked the feline ruler. Who did not reply. They just sat upon the railing of the balcony, with all the grace of a proper Queen. Though, they had all the intimidation factors of a King. Just a flick of their ear could have you beheaded. Kind of harsh, but that was how it worked. "Meow." Quake replied, looking to the sky. The changeling nodded in response, humbling his chin. He was the only one in the kingdom who could truly understand his upper. For some reason, the royal did not want to be in charge of the kingdom. They refused to wear the crown in private, or around the castle. "We have no other choice, my upper. The old queen is gone. You must lead us to glory." Being the new adviser was a hard job when the pers- cat you are advising won't listen. Quake slowly turned it's head to look the changeling straight in the eye. He could feel himself shrink underneath the glare of the cat. "Meow, Mew?" Quake's fur started to stand, as the changeling frantically started to back off. With despair and fear obvious in the adviser's expression, Quake jumped off of his perch, and onto the floor of the balcony. The changeling continued to shrink himself as the ruler drew closer. "N-No! I do not question your rule, Emperor!" The changeling stammered, as the puffed up cat was now only a few paw steps away from the changelings face. Quake hissed with fury, making the changeling cringe. Squeezing his eyes closed as the ruler scolded him. There was no emperor in the changeling hierarchy. Quake calmed, patting the snout of the terrified changeling, comfortingly. His fury had suddenly faded, as the changeling slowly opened his eyes. Still decently scared of the brown cat. "Meow mew meow." Quake stated, as the changeling smiled. An extremely nervous smile, be it. It was still a smile. At least he knew what gender the Queen was, now. He would inform the Minstrel to tell the rest of the kingdom about this soon enough. Now was not the time. "Thank you, my Queen." He stammered, as his Queen returned to her perch. He knew there was more that she was going to say. He could tell. As she curled her tail around her body, she returned to looking down upon her kingdom. She was pleased by the festivities now. Something had clicked in her brain, it seemed. "Meow. Meow, meow, mew." Quake sighed, her joy now suddenly gone. Her ears did not go back against her head. "It truly is a pity that no changeling else can understand you." Her adviser sighed as well, now standing back up, and returning to the railing. Putting his hooves on the strange, green metal. Quake seemed to get an idea from this. "Meow! Mew, meow. Meow." Quake chatted with glee, as her adviser seemed to get what she was talking about. While it would be expensive, and decently hard to open up a school to understand feline tongue, it would be worth it. They had to understand their queen some how. "So, your first decree is to open up schools for languages? I'll inform the teachers about it." The changeling smiled, looking at his friend and Queen. While she could be moody at times, they were still friends. Which meant he had more of a connection with her. "There's going to be some real changes around here." Oooookay. Twilight couldn't think of anything else for that. While she smiled at the thought of a cat Queen of the changelings, she knew it could never happen. Apparently her imagination put her in a state of daydreaming, because the conversation that was happening at the corner booth was all but muted. She still did not care. What else could she imagine? Hmm.. Oh, how about this.. "My dear sister, we seem to be out of tea." Luna uttered the cursed words, as Celestia looked down into her cup. Utter disappointment upon her face. Luna shut the cupboard, looking for what other beverage she could serve for breakfast. She found a small, circular container. With a quick bit of magic, she took off the lid of the container. Inside was an abundance of coffee beans. Luna usually had coffee while her sister had tea. She knew that her sister wasn't going to adapt to coffee very easily, but it would be worth a shot in having her try it. "Would you like some coffee?" Luna asked, looking back at her sister. Who wore a face of disgust. Coffee? No. No coffee for her. She was a tea pony, and she was not going to have coffee. Not now, not ever. Celestia gently placed her tea cup on the wooden table, and promptly walked out of the room. Luna, quizzical, dropped the container of beans, and followed after her sister. Out of the room, and into the hallway. Her sister was already decently far away, just turning the corner. She seemed to be headed for the throne room. Luna took to the air to follow after her floor-bound sister. She was just too fast for Luna, despite her slow trot. It was strange. Perhaps she was teleporting? No, there wasn't the sound of magical transportation. When she heard the door of the throne room creak open, Luna sped up, and nearly smashed face first into the gigantic door. She teleported to the other side of the door, to find her sister sitting in the middle of a strange marking on the floor. She sat in the middle, as Luna slowly landed. Her sister had her back turned to her. Luna could feel something wrong about her sister. She approached, cautious of what was going to happen. She halted her trot when a strangely maniacal laugh echoed around the room. It's source was unknown, but the sound was familiar. Luna's eyes narrowed as she listened. It grew louder every second, as Celestia giggled along with it. She then broke out into full cackle, flinging her head backwards. As a worried lunar princess looked upon the situation in horror. The incantation on the floor flared up, as flames sprung from the markings, encasing her sister. The flames turned into a brownish water, which swirled around her sister in a ball. She could see her sibling's curled body within the water as it transformed her. Her mane was completely gone. The ball suddenly broke, revealing a pure white alicorn. A mane of brown, that flowed in the air. With a cutiemark of the sun, Luna recognized this figure. "You! Release my sister!" Luna hissed at the figure. She had battled her before, the last time they ran out of tea. Over a thousand years ago. She was known as Celestia, before hand. Now, she was transformed into.. Eternal Tea. Her laughter was haunting, and it could only take an entity of great power to destroy her once more. "Oh, dear sister.. I do not need to be released. I am still your dear Tia. Now, Luna, join me. Let tea be the ultimate drink. With your help, we shall allow tea to be the eternal drink for all of Equestria!" Eternal Tea laughed, her malicious intent was obvious. Luna growled, she knew there was only one thing to do. She had to call upon a deceased soul, that she had not used for over a thousand years. The very soul of coffee itself. Luna's horn flurried, as she took to the air. "Never!" Luna shouted, a white ball encasing the night colored alicorn. Eternal Tea gasped, blocking her eyes with her wing. When she had removed it, Luna was no longer there. Instead, flying right in front of her, was her opposite. Her rival, the opposing force she hated. The opposing force that hated her. Infinite Coffee. Eternal Tea roared in anger at this, as she sped to battle. Her horn pointed straight at her enemy. Poised to strike, Infinite Coffee outstretched her hoof, as a ball of magic charged. The horn clashed with the ball of pure, unadorned coffee magic. As an explosion covered the entire throne room- "Twilight. Equestria to Twilight." Quill Scratch waved his hoof in front of Twilight's eyes, snapping her out of her epic dream. It was just getting good. Ughhhhh. What did he want? Why did he have to interrupt her? Twilight sat back up in her chair, giving Quill Scratch a decently annoyed look. Quill Scratch pointed away from Twilight, and past all the other ponies. He pointed at the door of the bar. There stood an orange mare. Unicorn. Red mane, striped with yellow. Twilight smiled. Bingo. Sunset Shimmer was here. How lucky. Maybe, if she was stealthy enough, she could drug her, and drag her back to the police station. Oh. Twilight didn't have any sedating drugs. Uh. She did know some sedating spells, but they only worked on things that were not Equines. Sunset Shimmer wore a smirk as she walked up to the bar, sitting on one of the stools. The customers immediately vacated the premises. Leaving the bartender and Sunset at the counter. Just the two of them. Twilight decided she would wait for the right time to strike. The bar was decently silent. Her group had shut up as soon as that unicorn had walked through the door. "The usual?" The bartender asked, as Sunset nodded in reply. Setting down a couple bits on the counter, the bartender swiftly grabbed them. He filled up an entire mug of the same alcohol that Twilight had previously. This mare was tough. Twilight wasn't a drinker, though. Give her some credit. "Anypony out to get me?" Sunset asked, before taking a sip of her drink. The bartender shook his head. Twilight would have strangled him herself if he had said that she was going to get caught by Twilight. "Good. Do me a favor, and stop staring at me. Your very presence is making me want to vomit." Sunset spat, as the bartender took the insult like a man. He didn't even flinch at it. He simply pissed off, going to the back of the room, where a door was located. Beside the booths, there was a door. In the left corner. Twilight found this was a good time to make her presence known. Twilight hovered all of the ponies up off of their seats, so she could shimmy out of the booth. Once out, she placed them all back down. She trotted up to the counter, sitting one stool away from the criminal. Sunset seemed to eye her out, with a cocky smile. "You're pretty brave to sit near me. It's almost like you want to get your flank handed to you." Sunset laughed to herself, as the rest of the establishment looked upon the situation in anxiety. The tension rose when Twilight faced Sunset right in the eye. She seemed to give a fake gasp when she saw Twilight's face. "I've heard of you, you're that mare who got her ass kicked by mister Crystal Meth up in the Crystal Empire!" Sunset laughed. Seriously? Mister Crystal Meth? Was that the best insult she could make? Twilight could make better ones. She had a whole list, actually. "I've heard that you've been causing trouble around here. Stealing stuff." Twilight stated. Sunset rolled her eyes at this. A bored expression crossed her face. "Yeah, and? I see you're dark magic scum, but I'm not pointing it out. Oh wait, I just did." Sunset pointed out. Twilight hadn't been using dark magic recently, how could this mare tell? Perhaps she studied magical changes to appearance. Twilight didn't have the chance to study that when she was in school. They wouldn't allow those sort of books outside the education system. "I see you enjoy making ponies angry." Twilight replied, trying to stay calm. Which obviously meant that Sunset needed to try harder. If she tried harder, it would be harder for Twilight to not just fully lash out upon this mare. With a relentless lash out, Twilight could not be stopped. She would try her hardest to keep herself back. "It makes me happy to see idiots loose their mind, and just completely lash out at me. Then I dominate them, and utterly humiliate them." Sunset explained with a smirk. Twilight knew that most bullies did this. Was this mare just a grown up bully? That's pretty damn sad. "Just like I will do with you." Sunset continued. Twilight allowed her eye to twitch. So, this criminal was going to purposely make her angry, so that way she would be more sloppy when it came to attacking? That was a decently smart strategy. Twilight wasn't going to allow it to happen. "Really? I'm pretty sure you aren't going to get that far." Twilight cockily smiled, making Sunset frown. Twilight was not going to waste any more time. Her horn instantly lit, a spell cast, as a laser of magenta shot from the tip of her horn. With quick thinking, Sunset had teleported out of her stool, and off to the side. In the more vacant and tableless part of the establishment. The laser slammed into the ground, making the floor charred. "Because I'm going to turn you in." Twilight jumped off of her stool, and onto the floor. Staring her enemy straight in the eye. Sunset's horn took a light as well. She had waited hours for this battle to start, and Twilight sure as hell was not going to loose it. Twilight shot another restraining spell at the fiend, as the rest of the group started to scoot out from the booths. She had explained that they were to help fight Sunset, or keep her in a certain place if she starts to run. Which she did, as soon as she saw that Twilight's little group of mercenaries started to move from their spots. She ran out the door, and onto the street, as Twilight was hot on her tail. She shot multiple blasts at the escaping mare. Surprisingly, a light blue forcefield was put up. Her magical blasts absorbed into the field. This unicorn was decently skilled. Perhaps Twilight had underestimated her after all. Twilight's eyes narrowed as she focused on the field. A large spell charged. She knew forcefields couldn't hold against certain magical attacks. Or physical and constant damage. Twilight quickly calculated the best spell she could use. She had a barrier pierce spell, just the thing she needed at the moment. As they turned the corner, Sunset shot back at Twilight, with a spell of her own. It wasn't very damaging. It singed her fur, but really, that was all. Twilight internally scoffed at the attempt to slow her chase down, as the regular bustle of ponies parted for the two running mares, and the large amount of ponies that followed after. Twilight's spell unleashed upon the shield, a magenta spear shooting out of her horn, and breaking the barrier. Sunset growled at this, picking up the pace. Both unicorns would feel the effects of using too much magic in the future. Twilight gathered more magic in the horn on her head, preparing an attacking spell. Sunset's blue teleportation spell activated once more, as she teleported halfway down the block. That was unfair. Instead of continuing to run, Sunset spun around, and charged a spell of her own. She put her head down, her horn facing the ponies who tailed her. Magic swirled around her horn like a small twister, as a incantation appeared in front of her. A sun, within the middle of a circle. All made of cyan magic. The ponies, the bystanders, yelled and moved out of the way as a large beam shot from Sunset's horn, and through the circle. Twilight gasped, her spell ultimately switching to a defensive shield conjure. She could feel her horn start to burn as she used these advanced spells. The laser split and went around the shield, breaking apart as it moved down the street. As the laser faded, and the caster tired, Twilight threw off her shield, and continued to run after the criminal. This chase lasted for about a full thirty minutes, before Sunset was forced out of the city. Now, within the rolling hills, the two exhausted parties caught their breaths. "You got some.. determination.." Sunset huffed, her magic swirling around her horn. Much like Twilight. The two unicorns refused to let the other win. They seemed to be equally matched. Seemed. Being dark magic scum could have an advantage here. Seeing as this mare didn't have any purple smoke flowing from her eyes, Twilight could conclude she wasn't used to it. "But, you will never beat me!" Sunset exclaimed, shooting yet another wimpy laser at her opponent. Twilight did a simple shimmy to the side, and allowed the laser to pass her. It really seemed like there wasn't going to be a victor here. The two were both exhausted from running around a city. "This is your last chance, surrender. Or I will be forced to harm you." Twilight threatened. She did kind of try to hurt Sunset before, in the bar. But, meh. She kind of just forgot about that. Twilight was focused on her prey. "I'm not going to go to prison!" Sunset hissed, shooting yet another laser at Twilight, as this one was larger than the last. Twilight regained her calm nature, while Sunset was still exhausted. She had been casting offensive magic, which was more tiring than defensive. Twilight casted a small shield once more. This one completely absorbed the laser. "If you don't want to go to prison, you'll have to learn how to not commit crimes." Twilight stated, conjuring up a restraining spell. Leaving her shield down for a split second. Sunset took this opportunity to actually physically tackle Twilight to the ground. About to beat the living hell out of Twilight's face, she was restrained by two stallions who were the strongest in the group. Log Chucker being one of them. "Let me go!" Sunset roared, flailing in their strong grasp, about to shoot lasers directly into the strong stallions. A magical block was placed upon her horn, as her aura fizzled out into nothing. There was an obvious sigh of relief from the two stallions as she was now almost completely defenseless. Sunset sure did put up a fight as she was forced to the ground. She swore, and swore. Some swears were so offensive, Twilight actually put another spell on her. A muting spell. Which just made it so she mouthed out words, but no noise escaped. Soon enough, the block would break. Twilight was durable enough to keep all the spells up for a bit, but they would have to make this quick. "You know.. You have something of extreme value.. Worth as much as your bounty is.." Twilight chatted to the restrained criminal. Hostage. Whatever she was at this point. Twilight could just leave her be, and take the amulet for herself.. That would spare Sunset from actually going to jail, which it was obvious she did not want to go. Plus, having another strong unicorn like that on her side, that could be useful.. Twilight put a hoof up to her own chin. Take Sunset Shimmer to prison, and have her face due justice for her crimes? Or.. Take the amulet for herself, and just sell it, and maybe even get more bits than anticipated? Maybe if she did the second option, she could gain a favor with this skilled unicorn.. Choices, choices..