“Spike, darling?” Rarity called to the purple-scaled creature before her. She and her friends had followed him into the Everfree Forest and found him by a stream.
“Go away,” he told her. His voice had significantly deepened since he went through his growth spurt, making him sound much more mature. He stared at his reflection in water, observing how much he had grown. Not only was his body larger, but his snout had extended, longer than the stubby muzzle he had when he was a child. He was now maturing and was, in dragon standards, in his late teen years. Looking down at his hands, he saw that his claws were longer and sharper as were the spines that ran down his back. “I'm a monster.”
“Spike!” Rarity exclaimed in shock. “You are not a monster.”
“You're our friend and we care about ya,” Applejack told him.
“But I...I..”
“Spike, listen to us,” Twilight tried to reason with him. “It's okay. Nopony was hurt. Amethyst is fine. Rarity is fine.”
“But I could've hurt them.”
“It was an accident, Spike. They happen. It's just apart of being a dragon. Do you remember your first birthday in Ponyville? It's just like that.”
“I agree, Spike,” Rarity told him. “It's nothing to be upset about. It's all said and done.”
“But what if...” he tried to argue.
“Spike,” Twilight said as she placed a hoof on his own much higher up shoulder. “Look at me. It's okay. We love you regardless of what's happened. We are your family and we will always be there for you.”
Spike looked around at the ponies that were surrounding him. One by one, they came up to him and hugged him. Looking down at the ponies hugging him, he opened his arms and wings and pulled them in closer.
*****
Sunday morning came and Twilight Sparkle was already up and about. Tomorrow was Amethyst's birthday and preparations for the party were mostly complete. Despite it being a happy occasion, other matters weighed upon the Alicorn's mind. There was still the fact that the minotaurs had declared war and would attack any day now. Her husband and son were on the front lines defending their country while she was at home preparing for a party. It seem frivolous in comparison, but even in times of war it was important to cherish the little things like a grandchild's birthday. It helped remind you of what you're fighting for and that it's worth defending at all costs. It was the price of freedom.
On top of preparing for an enemy invasion and planning a party, there were also the official documents that Princess Celestia had sent to her for her to look over. Twilight sighed as she sat at her desk in her study in the crystal tree palace. Though she loved reading and didn't mind reviewing legal text, it could be overwhelming to know that your signature on a piece of parchment could affect the lives of everypony in the entire kingdom. Even though it has been a quarter century since she had been crowned a princess, there were some things she was still getting used to. She often confided in her mentor, Celestia, about the stress of being a leader and her fears that she would never overcome it. In turn, Celestia would tell her that even after centuries, millennia even, of being a ruler that even she felt the stress of being responsible for so many ponies.
In a way, Twilight was jealous of Rarity and Spike. Even though they too were members of the Royal Family, they didn't have the amount of responsibilities as she did. That wasn't to say that they were lazy or incompetent like some other nobles like Prince Narcissus and his father before him, but the brunt of the responsibility of running the Kingdom of Equestria fell upon Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight. Twilight supposed it wouldn't be fair to ask more of Rarity or any of her friends, her Royal Council. They had their own careers and lives to live. Rarity may be a princess through her marriage to Spike, but she was still the same fashionista she met on her first day in Ponyville. Applejack was busy running Sweet Apple Acres and raising two foals by herself. Pinkie Pie was a free spirit whose mission in life came from spreading happiness to everypony she met. Rainbow Dash had her duties as a Wonderbolt and Fluttershy had her animal sanctuary. Flash Sentry, like Shining Armor, lived up to his responsibilities as a Prince by serving as a commander in the military and their son, Evening Star, was following in suit. Spike was still her dutiful assistant along with being an ambassador and a diplomat.
There was a knock at the door and a Royal Guard pony entered the study in a rush. Twilight placed her quill on the desk and turned her attention to the Unicorn.
“Your Highness. Urgent message from Princess Celestia,” the guard reported as he delivered a scroll to Twilight. She broke the seal and quickly unrolled the scroll to read its contents. Her purple eyes darted back and forth as she quickly scanned the contents of the message.
After she finished reading letter, she turned to the messenger and ordered, “Gather the other Bearers of the Elements of Harmony immediately.”
Not much later, Twilight stood in the town's square by town hall along side Rarity, Pinkie, Cheese Sandwich, Flutterhsy, Big Macintosh, and Applejack. All of them were looking anxious, nervously trotting in place as they waited. They looked up when they heard the sound of flapping wings. Rainbow Dash, Soarin, and their fellow Wonderbolts swooped out of the sky and landed before them.
“Well, did you find anything?” Twilight asked the aerial team.
“We search all over Winsome Falls but couldn't find them,” Rainbow Dash told her, half-panicking herself. “There were signs of a struggle, but nothing else.”
There was a blinding flash and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna appeared before them. Bypassing the formalities, the others rushed to the Royal Alicorn Sisters.
“Were you able to find them?” Celestia asked, but they all shook their heads. “Then it isn't a ruse. The changelings have kidnapped your children.”
“They have sent us this letter...” Luna explained to help the others catch up to speed on the situation. Using her blue magic, she levitated the scroll that had been delivered to the castle that morning along with a dark orb. “...along with this.”
*****
Midnight's head was pounding and she put a hoof to her aching head. When she opened her eyes, she found herself floating in a word of green. She blinked her eyes to clear her vision and discovered that she was encased in a green cocoon. Frantically looking around, she found that her friends were in their own cocoons beside hers. They still were unconscious and floated around in their slimy prisons.
“Guys! Guys! Wake up!” she called to them. Their eyes fluttered and they mumbled as they came to.
“Wha...What happened?” Posey asked as she awoken. Sour groaned as he tried to move his sore body.
“My head...” Thunderbolt complained.
“Where are we?” Amethyst asked as she tried to look out her cocoon.
“Ah, awake I see,” a contemptuous voice sneered, catching all of their attention. They saw a white Unicorn stallion with a groomed blue mane standing beside a light pink Unicorn mare with a golden mane. Surrounding them were the changelings that had attacked them. “Good morning, and welcome to our little get away.”
“Narcissus,” Amethyst growled at the pompous prince.
“That's Prince Narcissus, if you don't mind,” he arrogantly told her.
“I do mind. I mind being ambushed and sealed inside this cocoon!” she yelled at him.
“Temper, temper,” the pink mare mockingly scolded the kirin as she walked up to the cocoon. “Is that any way to speak to your hosts?”
“Who are you?”
“Who am I?” the mare said as she held a hoof to chest as though she was shocked that her prisoner didn't know who she was. “I'm Equestria's new queen, that's who.”
“I think I know who you are,” Midnight announced, catching her attention. As the pink Unicorn walked up before her, she said one name, “Chrysalis.”
“Well, well. Aren't you the clever little thing,” the mare taunted. In a flash, the image of the mare was replaced by that of one of tall being that resembled a twisted Alicorn. Her horn was crooked and gnarled, her reptilian eyes were shades of green and her dark cerulean mane resembled webbing. On top of her head was a black crown and her body was covered in the same chitinous hide as her underlings. “You must be Sparkle's little brat.”
“Let me out of here so I can kick your butt!” Thunderbolt demand as he pounded against the lining of his cocoon.
“Hhmmm, I think not,” she retorted. “At least not yet.”
“W-What do you want with us?” Posey whimpered.
“Isn't it obvious, my dear? I'm holding you hostage.”
“Yes, the six of you are going to play an important part in helping us build our new kingdom,” Narcissus explained. “Any moment now, the package we've sent will be delivered.”
Just as he said those words, a dark crystal ball illuminated with a brilliant green light and the Changeling Queen turned to face it. “Ah, just in time.”
The faces of the Elements of Harmony and the Royal Sisters appeared in the crystal ball and Chrysalis walked up to the claw shaped podium that held it. The faces of the ponies on the other side reflected their feelings of fear, concern, and outrage.
“Chrysalis! How dare you take our children!?” Twilight Sparkle shouted at the Changeling Queen.
“It's good to see you as well, Princess,” Chrysalis sneered.
“Narcissus!?” Celestia exclaimed when she saw the stallion standing next to the changelings. “You're behind this as well!?”
“I'm afraid so, dear aunty,” he sneered at the solar Alicorn.
“You traitor!” Luna shouted at him. “You will pay for your treason! I swear it!”
“Such violent words to use against the ones who hold all the cards.”
“How could you do this?” Fluttershy asked, tears in her eyes as she saw the state her dear Posey was in.
“It was simple, we both wanted Equestria and we came to a mutually beneficial agreement; she would provide a way for me to take the throne and I would give her and her subjects all the food that could eat.”
“She's just using you,” Twilight tried to explain to him. “After she gets what she wants, you'll be expendable to her.”
“Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions,” Chrysalis countered. “I'm quite happy with my little beau.”
She then turned to Narcissus and they shared an intimate kiss. The ponies gagged as they watched the couple tongue wrestle in front of them. After they broke the kiss, a trail of saliva extended from both of their mouths, briefly connecting them. Along with the spit, there was a green vapor rising from Narcissus's mouth that Chrysalis inhaled. After enjoying her little snack, she little out a dainty burp and a wisp of green love energy escaped her mouth and formed a heart-shaped cloud before dissipating.
“Excuse me,” Chrysalis giggled coyly as she covered her mouth with a hole-filled hoof. Narcissus wobbled a bit from being fed upon, but smiled contently.
“Enough!” Celestia demanded, losing her patience. “Release them at once!”
“All in good time, Celestia. All in good time. But first, our demands.”
“Other than the throne?” Rainbow Dash angrily remarked.
“Oh, the throne can wait,” Chrysalis responded. “I'm not naive enough to think that all four Princesses will hand over their crowns even for the sake of six of their subjects. So there is something else I want...the Elements of Harmony! The six of you have to surrender to me. In exchange, I will release your children.”
“You did the same thing with our sisters twenty-five years ago,” Applejack snarled. “You are a low-down, dirty, rotten scoundrel.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, my little bumpkin,” Chrysalis retorted. Applejack growled at the changeling's arrogance and looked to her son through the stone.
“Don't worry, son. Ah'm gonna get you out of there,” she told Sour Apple.
“Hold on, sweetie. Mama's coming!” Rarity reassured Amethyst.
“Don't do it! It's just a trap!” Amethyst tried to tell them.
“We know, but we don't have a choice,” Twilight replied.
“Hhmmm, that's true, but you probably want to get a move on anyway,” Chrysalis told them. “Our little deal expires soon. You have until noon tomorrow to come to our location.”
“I believe you can figure it out where we are, Your Highness,” Narcissus addressed Celestia.
“Surprise, we're coming for you! Pinkie promise!” Pinkie promised her daughter while going through the motions of her patented oath.
“Don't cry, baby, don't cry. I'll be there soon,” Fluttershy tried to soothe Posey, though she was crying herself.
“Midnight,” Twilight sadly said through the orb before turning to the traitor and the changeling. “You won't get away with this.”
“At the risk of sounding cliche,” Narcissus started before sharing a smirk with Chrysalis. “I already have.”
The image on the orb vanished and the two conspirators blurted out in diabolic laughter. In their cocoons, the children of the Elements of Friendship slumped against the slimy walls in despair.
“Like I said, 'lime green is evil',” Surprise sadly said.
“Quiet, Surprise,” Midnight told her friend before calling out to their captors. “You're not going to release us, are you? We're just bait.”
“Of course,” Chrysalis confirmed. “Your parents would do anything to save you, even hand over the greatest power in Equestria.”
“No they wouldn't” Thunderbolt claimed. “They know that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
“Don't be so sure about that,” Chrysalis countered. “Twilight Sparkle was once willing to sacrifice all of the Alicorn magic in Equestria to save her friends. What wouldn't she or any of them sacrifice in order to save you, their children?”
“They still have the magic of friendship on their side,” Midnight reminded her. “With it, they will stop you. Surely you realize that they're expecting a double-cross.”
“And that's why I'm going to honor our little agreement,” she announced to their surprise. They gave each other confused looks, unsure of what she meant.
“But then how are you planning to take over Equestria?” Amethyst asked. “Without us, you have no bargaining chip. They'll stomp you like the insect you are.”
“Not quite, lizard,” Narcissus insulted the kirin. “Your parents will fall.”
“But you can't defeat them.”
“Maybe we can't, but you can.” At this statement, their eyes widened with a terrible realization. Seeing the looks on their faces, Narcissus smirked. “Yes, you are going to be the ones that take your parents down. You'll be our little sleeper agents. I can see it now; your parents march in, prepared to make a heroic sacrifice, but to their delight, they find that we release you without a fight. As you share a tearful embrace, you strike when they least expect it.”
“We would never do that! You can't make us!” Surprise shouted in protest.
“Oh, but I can,” Chrysalis corrected the Pegasus. She then pointed to the glowing green cocoon on the other wall. The teenagers watched as two changelings went to the cocoon and ripped it open. A vitreous material flowed out of it and onto the stone floor. Squirming around in the green gunk were two more changelings. “Do you recognize them? They used to be ponies. In fact, they were the templates for the disguises that my changelings used to capture you.”
The hostages gasped when they heard that the two monsters were once ponies. The two changelings hissed and shook off the slime from their bodies. They bowed to their new queen and followed the other changelings out of the chamber.
“You're going to turn us into freaks like you!?” a horrified Thunderbolt yelled.
“That's right,” Chrysalis sinisterly whispered as she walked up to the transparent shell of Thunderbolt's prison and ran a hoof across it. “I'm going to drain every ounce of love out of you until you're just as cold as me. Then I'll do the same to your parents once you take them down. With the Elements of Harmony out of the way and the majority of Equestria's military preparing to do battle with the minotaurs, we'll march on Canterlot unopposed.”
“What about Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and the Crystal Empire?” Midnight asked.
“What about them? After I feed upon the most powerful magic in all of Equestria, the Alicorns won't be able to stop me. And once I feed upon them as well, I'll be unstoppable. Isn't that right, sweetie?”
“Of course, my dear,” Narcissus answered.
“Narcissus, please don't do this,” Amethyst pleaded. “Even if she wins, you'll still won't get what you want. You'll be the king of a nation of slaves. Emotionless husks of what used to be your fellow ponies. You'll be all alone.”
“Nice try, my dear, but you won't be winning anypony over to your side today,” Chrysalis interjected. Her horn glowed bright green and Thunderbolt's cocoon open and he was pulled out by her magical aura. “I, on the other hoof, will.”
“Hey! Let me go!” Thunderbolt demanded as he thrashed about in the air, trying to escape. Chrysalis brought the gray Pegasus over to her and she wrapped her fore limbs around him, almost as a lover.
“Let's start with you, handsome,” she sinisterly, yet seductively whispered in his ear.
“No! Get away from me!”
“Why? Do you not think I'm pretty?” she mocked. A thoughtful look came to her face and then she looked to the other ponies. She scanned their faces and smirked evilly when she stopped at Posey. “How about...” There was a flash and Chrysalis's voice changed mid-sentence. “...this?”
Thunderbolt looked over and saw that he was now being held by his friend. “Posey” looked up at him with half-lidded eyes and an inviting smile on her lips. Her long, pink mane covered her half of her face like a veil. Looking around him, he found that he was no longer in the stone chamber of the fortress, but rather was laying on a large bed with silk sheets with the soft yellow mare wrapping her hooves around him. In the distance, he could hear the faint sounds of voices calling to him. It sounded like they were trying to warn him about something and he tried to listen to what they were saying.
“Thunderbolt,” “Posey” whispered to him, drowning out the voices with her honey-coated voice. “Look at me, Thunderbolt.”
“Posey? Where are we? What's going on? What happened to our friends. What...” She silenced his words with a gentle hoof to his lips.
“Sshhh. It's just us,” she shushed him. “Just you and me.”
“This...This isn't real,” he said in attempt to wake himself up. A pair of lips then pressed against his, sending his heart aflutter.
“Did that feel real?” the mare straddling asked. He was speechless and remained motionless as he stared up at her. She giggled, causing his mind to become hazy and drowning out the distance voices even further. “Just relax and give in.”
“Yes, my queen...” Thunderbolt droned back in the real world as Chrysalis continued to zap his head with a green bolt of magic, bewitching him.
“Thunderbolt! No!” Amethyst cried out.
“You monster! Let him go!” Midnight demanded.
“Gladly,” the changeling complied and relinquished her grip on the young stallion. Thunderbolt remained sitting on the stone floor with a goofy grin on his face and a vacant look in his glowing green eyes. Chrysalis then turned to Posey. “Now how about you, my little pony?”
“What! No! No!” Posey's cocoon opened and Chrysalis began to drag her out with her magic. As the Earth Pony flailed in the air, she screamed as she floated over to the changeling's embrace. “Help me! Please! Midnight! Amethyst! Surprise! Sour! Help me!”
With another flash of magic, Posey's screams were silenced as Chrysalis began to hypnotize her. As the green beam of magic encased her head, Posey's teal eyes rolled about in their sockets dizzily. A complacent smile similar to that of Thunderbolt's appeared on her face and she stopped struggling.
“There, isn't that better?” Chrysalis asked her newest slave.
“Yes, my queen...” Posey said in a daze.
“Good, now why don't you have a seat over there by your friend, hm?”
“Yes, my queen...” Posey walked over and sat down on her haunches beside Thunderbolt, both of them starring unblinking off into the distance.
“You're next, princess,” Chrysalis said to Midnight. Like her friends, the Unicorn struggled against the creature's grasp as her remaining friends called out to her. Midnight cried out as the spell struck her head, but she resisted. She closed her eyes and shook her head in effort to clear her head of the changeling's influence.
“Just give in...” she heard the changeling's voice in her mind. “You'll feel better once you do...”
“No...I...” Midnight strained as she tried to focus. Her horn glowed yellow and she could hear Chrysalis make a confused sound. “Won't!”
“Gaaaah!” Chrysalis screamed as a yellow force of magic slammed her into the wall behind her. The shock wave of raw magic knock Thunderbolt and Posey over. They shock their heads as they got back up, snapped out of their trances. See a possible opportunity to escape, Amethyst used her claws to rend the cocoon that was confining her. After she hopped onto the floor, she and Midnight went to work on Surprise and Sour Apple's cocoons.
“Quick, let's get out of here!” Midnight shouted. They began to run, but were blocked by an angry wall of changeling drones, who hissed at them. They turned to run in another direction, but something gooey and sticky struck them. Sour Apple looked down it his hooves to see that they were covered in green slime and so were the other's. They tried to pull away from the gunk, but it held fast. Midnight and Amethyst charged their horns, but then more slime was shot at them, covering their horns. With their magic blocked, they were at the mercy of the changelings.
“Impressive,” Chrysalis congratulated as she walked up to them and looked Midnight in the eye. She seemed to be amused by their escape attempt, but her look of amusement quickly changed into a threatening glare. “But I wouldn't try that again. I see that you're strong willed. Maybe some time in the dungeons will soften you up. For your little stunt, you'll have to watch as my changelings impersonate you and take down your parents. Oh yes...You will watch as I suck the love out of them, and then I'll make them do the same to you. Take them away.”
At her command, the changelings dragged the slime covered ponies down the hall and down into the dungeons.
*****
Evening Star hurried through the camp towards the command tent. His father, Flash Sentry, had sent for him and by the tone of the messenger pony, it sounded serious. The purple Pegasus entered the tent and marched up to the Prince.
“Captain Evening Star reporting as requested, Your Higness,” Evening Star announced as he saluted his father. Flash Sentry's face was grim as he held a scroll on a hoof.
“We've received word from Canterlot,” Flash told his son. “Your sister, along with Amethyst and your friends, have been captured by the changelings.”
“...What?” The news struck Evening Star and it felt as though a brick was dropped into his stomach.
“They're demanding that your mother and the other Elements of Harmony surrender themselves to them in exchange for their freedom.”
“Where...Where are they?” Evening Star hyperventilated.
“According to Princess Celestia's letter, they're being held in the old castle in the Macintosh hills, not to far from here.”
“Then we need to mount a rescue mission at once! We need to rally the troops and march on the castle!”
“I'm afraid it isn't that simple,” Flash said with a shake of his head. “Our scouts report that the minotaurs are already marching towards us. They'll be here in couple of days.”
“Then we'll have to march there, save Midnight and the others, and then march back!”
“Son, that isn't practical. By the time we organize an assault on the castle and mobilize the troops, the minotaurs will be upon us. Besides, we have no intel. How many changelings are occupying the castle? Is it just a few of them or the whole hive? They have the advantage of having a fort and we would be trying to break in. And if we attack, we might be putting the hostages at risk.”
“These are not just hostages. It's your daughter and granddaughter!” Evening Star shouted in his father's face.
“You think I don't know that!?” Flash Sentry shouted back. Evening Star looked away and grunted in frustration. “Look, your mother and the others are already on their way to the castle.”
Hearing this, the captain looked up in alarm and said, “But they'll be walking into a trap! And they can't just give in to their demands. If they do, all of Equestria will be vulnerable. We have to send in a rescue team to get them out of there. That way they'll have no bargain chip.”
“I agree,” Flash told his son. “That's why I'm going to meet with your mother. I'm sure they are think of a way to sneak in the fort.”
“There isn't time for that! Why don't you send me? I've studied the plans of all forts and castles in the kingdom. I could lead a rescue team to save them!”
“Evening Star, I already have one child in the clutches of the changelings. I don't need another throwing himself against an unknown number of enemies. Besides, I need you here to lead the soldiers into combat.”
“But...Father...” Evening Star barely managed to say, choked by his raging emotions.
“That's an order, soldier,” Flash Sentry sternly told him. Evening Star opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and saluted before leaving. Flash Sentry later exited his tent and prepared to take off. He had to reach Twilight and the others before they made it to the castle. He took off and flew to the northwest. Meanwhile, a soldier went to the Captain’s tent to give him a status report. When he opened the flap, he found that the tent was unoccupied.