//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: The Inheritors of Friendship // by NgKQ //------------------------------// At Zecora’s hut, Melody told her all the questions surrounding her. “Well,” began Zecora at last. “You do have hidden powers, high as a tower!” “What do you mean?” asked Melody. “A huge power further than never, which may exceed your mother.” “So it means that I have such incredible hidden powers?” “That’s one point,” continued Zecora. “Your charm of protection is merely your late father’s resolution.” “I think it means that the charm is literally aiding in manifesting your special ability,” said Chaos. “If you can get your mother to help you train it, you may use it wisely with benefit.” “I get it now… So I still need to train with mom, huh?” “But that’s not all,” the herbalist turned to Chaos. “There’s also some specialty in you overall.” “Huh? I got my own powers, too?” asked Chaos with disbelief. “If you too can handle it carefully like Melody, yours too can come good in handy.” Chaos was stunned and speechless for a moment. “Wait… you’ve got hidden powers, too?” asked Beryl, who was shocked to learn that from her brother. “I didn’t know that,” said Chaos, confused. “I never even saw Dad doing this before!” “Looks like we have to find that out ourselves!” replied Melody. “Anyway, thanks, Madam Zecora. Looks like I was able to learn more about my powers.” “Good luck,” bade Zecora. “And don’t let your rivals have you stuck.” The trio left Zecora’s hut. Melody was a bit pleased with what Zecora said, but Chaos was still confused and puzzled. “I have hidden powers…” said Chaos to himself. “Nopony’s ever told me about that!” “I was surprised, too,” agreed Melody. “I don’t remember reading anything about hidden powers in cross-bred species! How on earth did Madam Zecora know about you?” “I’ve got no idea!” “Me neither,” added Beryl. “How would a zebra with normal powers know about hidden stuff?” “She’s an amazing figure, after all,” replied Melody. “Tell you what, everypony used to avoid her because they thought that she’ll curse them. Until one day, Mom and her friends misunderstood her for cursing them when they actually touched poison joke. We should actually thank Apple Bloom for this, since she knew her better than us.” “Yeah, I remember Mom told me about that,” recalled Chaos. “I can’t imagine her voice turning deep because of this.” He laughed mildly, face-pawing himself. “Me, too,” said Beryl. But their conversation was abruptly interrupted. “What’s that sound?” asked Melody as she heard the movement of leaves. “You two, look!” cried Beryl, looking into the bushes. Yellow eyes were glaring at them everywhere. Then they walked out of them. They were no other than Queen Myra’s minions, resembling changelings. “Ch-changelings!?” exclaimed Chaos. “They don’t look like changelings,” replied Melody. “As far as I have learnt and read about them, changelings don’t look like that!” “Then what are they?” asked Beryl, terrified. “You want to know about us, huh?” A huge one, which they assumed was the leader spoke. “We serve under our faithful queen by the name of Myra, and she’s hungry in conquering Equestria and the universe!” “Did you say… conquer?” shivered Beryl. “I heard that name before…” said Melody. “You must be her assistants!” “You are correct, and now you happen to come across our trap,” continued the leader. “It’s time for you to enjoy our playtime…” “He’s going to capture us!” announced Chaos. “Brace yourselves, girls!” Without thinking twice, the trio made their combat with the minions. For a long time, they tried everything to repel their foes. Melody used her magic, while Chaos and Beryl made use of their chaotic powers. However, the enemies were too much for them to handle. “How are we going to get out of here?” asked Beryl as she stood with Melody. “I don’t know!” replied Melody. “At this rate we can’t escape!” Meanwhile, Chaos was dealing with a pack of minions when then, he heard his sister scream, followed by Melody. “Beryl! Melody! What happened!?” He barged through the pack only to discover the two mares lying hapless. Apparently Beryl was struck by a minion onto a tree. Seeing her being knocked down, Melody lost her guard and she was sent flying towards Beryl. As he looked at them, Chaos trembled as he remembered his father’s threat ringing in his mind. “Y-you…” began Chaos, turning to his enemies. “Just look what have you done to my sister and my friend! You think you are the top of the kingdom or what!?” As he said, something strange was happening to him. Lightning flashed around him and as he spoke, his voice became hoarse. “You feel that you are the superior thing that Celestia created you!?? MARK MY WORDS!!! NOPONY SHALL TOUCH OR LEAVE A SCRATCH UPON MY SISTER!!!!!” While he spoke, he was experiencing a few more changes around him. His eyes turned from a handsome blue into a glowing red, and he grew into a monstrous form almost twice his size. After that, he bellowed a loud roar, and then began his rampage on the minions. The minions, who were unprepared as they were shocked, fell victim to a large swipe from his paw. He then leapt to another pack of minions, stomping the ground so hard that it sent a huge tremor that caused the minions to lose their balances. Melody and Beryl were moaning in pain at first when they were attacked, but their agonies turned to horror as they watched Chaos transforming and then annihilating the enemies. “D-do you think he’ll recognize us?” trembled Beryl, hugging Melody. “I… I don’t know…” cried Melody as a minion hit a tree with a large force that the tree felled. For the next ten minutes, his onslaught continued. Then he had the surviving minions with the leader cornered into a tree. “W-w-well…” stammered the leader. “A-a-anymore?” “GO AWAY AND NEVER, EVER TOUCH THEM AGAIN!!!” The survivors got their tails high and ran away. Chaos turned to Melody and Beryl, who were still shaking with fear from everything they have seen. “Hey,” began Chaos in his gruff voice. “Are you two okay?” “C-chaos,” stammered Melody with tears. “C-can you recognize us?” “Huh? Why wouldn’t I?” he asked, walking to them. As he approached them, his body shrunk until he returned to his original size. “Whoa,” gasped Chaos, with his normal voice. “It feels like I’m like a killer running amok…” “Chaos!” sobbed Melody as she ran over to him and hugged him. “I thought I’ll lose you forever!” “Oh really?” smiled Chaos. “But I, too was afraid when I felt myself transforming.” He looked at the wreck around him. “This must be the hidden powers Madam Zecora must be talking about! I can’t imagine how powerful I was just now…” “Really?” gasped Beryl, from her fears to excitement. “Chaos,” began Melody when she finished hugging him. “I wanted to say something to you, but I’m not sure if I had the courage…” “Go ahead. Tell me about it.” “From the moment I saw your training with your father,” continued Melody. “I had this feeling of admiration that you were strong, and you were being able to protect me. Not to mention the way you wanted to sacrifice for me when I was kidnapped…” Chaos was awed for a moment. “Well… does that mean that… you love me?” Melody was taken aback from what he asked. But she couldn’t deny her feelings longer, so she nodded. “I felt strange, too,” confessed Chaos. “The moment your mother declared that I would be your personal bodyguard, I swore in my mind that I would always protect you until my very last drop of my blood. However, I was too shy to say it out… What do you say…?” “Chaos,” said Melody, holding his face. “I love you…” “I love you, too…” And both of them did their very first kiss under the evening sky. Never did they before confessed their love for each other. Beryl watched the two new lovers sharing their new romantic moment. She could feel serenity between them. “Well, is it too late now?” asked Chaos when they finished kissing. “I think uh… almost,” replied Beryl. “Then let’s go home.” On the way… “You know,” said Melody. “I would always have to ask this, since we’ve confessed together: When can we have our first dating?” “Oh, yeah,” said Chaos. “I got to explain to Dad about everything first. I know he might not be pleased, but let’s give him a bit of surprise.” “Then what about our friends and everypony?” asked Beryl. “We’ll see how that goes,” finished Melody, and all three laughed as the evening sun was lowered for Princess Luna to watch the night.