//------------------------------// // Chapter Eighteen // Story: Past Shadows // by ChaosDragoon //------------------------------// Weaponry’s ears bent back as the sadness that once over took him was replaced with anger and rage as he shouted, “What more do you want from me!” “Come on, can’t I just say hi to a friend,” the figures voice said as the black orb pulsed before it flew around Twilight and added, “The ability to enter a pony’s mind. That’s some high level magic you’re using. No doubt you’re her apprentice. So let me ask you: how is my darling Celestia doing after all these years?” “How do you know Celestia?” Twilight asked. “I’d never forget the pony that ripped me from this world and reduced me to this pathetic state!” the figure roared. The hallway seemed to shack as it spoke. “She had a good reason I’d bet,” Weaponry snarled. The figure chuckled as the orb pulsed again. “That monarch choses who is worthy to rule and who isn’t. I simply wanted to spread my ideals throughout the land. However, her and her sister deemed my ideals too corrupted,” the figure said. “Say one more disrespectful thing of the princess and I’ll,” Weaponry said as he snarled. “Weaponry, we have to figure out how to stop Chrysalis,” Twilight said trying to change the subject. The figure snorted before the orb flew away from the two as Twilight added, “We can’t do that with the princesses trapped in that bubble.” Weaponry snarled once more at the orb before turning his attention to Twilight. “I know, but I do know how to stop her and get you all out of that prison,” Weaponry said. “How?” Twilight asked. “Pinkie,” Weaponry said. Twilight looked at Weaponry in confusion before he continued, “I’m not sure how she’s able to do it, but she’s able to bend reality to her will.” “How, she’s an earth pony, even Star Swirl couldn’t use that kind of magic,” Twilight said. “That Buffoon,” the figure’s voice laughed from the orb before he added, “He couldn’t grasp the concept of Chaos Magic let alone that type of powerful magic.” Twilight nearly lashed out at the orb but bit her tongue. At the moment she couldn’t get into a shouting match with the orb. No matter how much she wanted to defend Star Swirl. “It’s strange. She’s a simple earth pony but she seems to be able to bend reality around her. I’m sure you’ve noticed it too. How she defies the laws of physics,” Weaponry said. Twilight remembered all the times Pinkie seemed to perform the most impossible tasks that left her in disbelief at how she could accomplish it. “So how can pinkie break the bubble?” Twilight asked. “If you have her image that the bubble didn’t exist, then in theory it would disappear and you all could escape,” Weaponry said. “What about you? How can we get you out of the hypnotic spell Chrysalis has over you?” Twilight said. “I have a plan for that however, you all must escape the bubble first. Once you’ve done that, I’ll break free from the hypnotic spell,” Weaponry said. “How?” Twilight asked. The figure chuckled as it floated around Weaponry. “Just trust me, I’ll be fine,” Weaponry said. Twilight felt a wave of nausea as she lowered her head and saw her front hooves start to disappear. “Weaponry the spell is wearing off,” Twilight said. Weaponry saw her body slowly fading away. “You know what to do, get Pinkie to destroy the bubble and teleport away. After that I’ll break the spell Chrysalis has over me,” Weaponry said. The figure laughed as Weaponry just sighed. “Ok and don’t worry Weaponry. When this is all over me and my friends will find a way to break you from this dark creature,” Twilight said before she completely disappeared. A smile formed on his face at her worlds before it was broken by the figures laughter getting louder. “What a fruitless effort. To think they could actually save you,” the figure said. Weaponry said nothing before he started walking towards the steel door. “You-you believe in her don’t you? You actually trust her words?” the figure said as the orb followed him. “I do,” Weaponry said before he stopped in front of the steel door and added, “That’s what you do with your friends. You trust them.” “Friends!” the figure laughed before adding, “The only ponies you ever deemed friends you killed for power!” --- Twilight’s eyes shot open as she saw her friends standing over her. She slowly got up before her friends quickly hugged her as Rarity cried, “We were so worried.” “How long was I out?” Twilight asked feeling a bit wussy. “Half an hour,” Flash said before he looked over and Weaponry and added, “Where you able to get in touch with him?” “Yes,” Twilight said before she added, “He told me how to break the bubble we’re locked in.” “How, we’ve been trying ever since you collapsed,” Applejack said. Twilight turned to Pinkie and said, “I need you to touch the bubble and image it gone.” Pinkie cocked her head in confusion before Twilight added, “Trust me. It will work.” Pinkie looked over at Rainbow Dash and whispered, “I think Twilights lost her mind!” Rainbow Dash nodded before Pinkie walked over to the side of the bubble and took a deep breath. “Are you sure this is gonna work? It seems a bit farfetched,” Applejack asked. Twilight nodded before she looked over at Celestia and Luna. “When the bubble breaks we need to teleport away from her. According to Weaponry we’ll be safe then,” Twilight said. Celestia and Luna both nodded and readied themselves for the teleportation spell. Pinkie stood on her back hooves and placed her front hooves on the bubble. Suddenly the bubble popped and as it did Celestia, Luna, and Twilight’s horns glowed as the group disappeared in a massive beam of colorful light. --- Weaponry watched them teleport away from a window on the wall of the hallway before it shattered. He took a deep breath and turned towards the steel door. Six orbs flew from his horn and changed into keys. Each key was placed in a lock but before he could turn them a sudden wave of fear filled his mind as the images of his comrades lay before him. Their lifeless bodies lay in a pool of their own blood and Sacred Arrow lying at his hooves. He closed his eyes and shook his head to get the images out of his mind. “Come on, let me out! Let-me-out!” the figure roared as the steel door bent and creaked like something was pushing from the inside trying get out. --- A massive flash of light appeared in the garden before the group appeared in the middle of a patch of grass that was scorched. Twilight opened her eyes and they widened as she ran towards the railing and looked down at Canterlot. Ponies ran through the streets chased by changelings while others seem to just lay lifeless on the ground. Buildings were set a blaze while others had fallen. “Twilight, look!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she stood feet from Twilight. She quickly ran to her and looked towards where Rainbow Dash was pointing. Her mouth hung open as she saw the state of Ponyville. Massive clouds of smoke rose up from many of the burning buildings as she witnessed three homes fall to the ground and be engulfed in flames. “Isn’t this marvelous,” Chrysalis said as she hovered down to the ground. A satisfied smile forming on her face as she added, “I was wondering when you all were going to show up.” “Wait, you knew we’d be able to break free?” Twilight asked. “Of course I did,” Chrysalis laughed before she added, “I knew you all would realize by doing nothing the barrier would disappear. However, I did anticipate you all to realize this half an hour ago.” “Your ego still blinds you!” Celestia roared. “Indeed. You’ve grown cocky these last few hours thinking you bested my sister and I. you will rule the day you ever came back here,” Luna roared. Chrysalis chuckled before her wings buzzed and she lifted up into the air. “Then show me how you propose to take back your kingdom,” Chrysalis challenged before quickly flying into the air. Celestia and Luna’s wings both extended and they violently flew into the air stirring up dust and dirt making Twilight and the others cough. “We have to help them,” Rainbow Dash wheezed. “I think we have our own problems to worry about,” Applejack said. Rainbow Dash turned towards her to see a massive wave of changelings where slowly walking towards them while others hovered in the air. “What are we going to do,” Rarity asked as she backed up and bumped into Fluttershy who was cowering behind her. “We kick some flank,” Flash said before he extended his wings and flew into the air towards the changelings. Rainbow Dash didn’t say a word as she followed Flash. The two began kicking changelings all around them. Pinkie giggled before she suddenly grabbed Twilight. “Pinkie what are you doing?” Twilight questioned. “Hey changelings!” Pinkie shrieked making many of their ears bend back at the sheer pitch of her scream. She pointed Twilight at the changelings and said, “Say hello to my purple friend!” Pinkie rapidly rotated Twilights tail making her lower her head and beams of lavender magical energy rapidly blasted out of her horn hitting every changeling in front of her all while Pinkie giggled. Applejack bucked a few changelings before one of them bit into her right back leg making her scream out in pain. Applejack shook her leg to break loss of the changeling before the changelings head was suddenly caved in by a garden hoe slamming into the changeling’s skull. Applejack was able to shake her leg free from the changeling as Rarity walked next to her, her horn illuminating as she held the hoe in her aura. “Sorry dear, had to find something to whack the insect with,’ Rarity said. Applejack nodded before racing towards another changeling. Rarity whacked at another changeling with the garden hoe as its blood now stained the blade. “Fluttershy, are you alright?” Rarity said as she turned towards her friend to see her running away from three changelings. Rarity quickly ran towards them but was cut off by two other changelings before she said, “Get out of my way you heathens.” She began to swing her weapon towards the changelings. Fluttershy galloped away from the changelings as tears filling her eyes. She suddenly tripped over a rock and fell face first to the ground. She slowly got up and squeaked as the changelings slowly got closer with devilish smiles on their faces. A white blur flew past Fluttershy before Angel bunny kicked each changeling on the side of the face. He jumped in-between the changelings and Fluttershy and took a karate pose. The changelings rubbed their cheeks, unfazed from the fluffy kicks he had delivered. The changelings looked at each other before again walking towards Futtershy. One of the changelings was violently pulled back as the two watched as a bear pulled the changelings tail and flung it into the air before roaring at the other two. Another was attacked by a group of birds that pecked at the changeling’s eyes. The third one quickly took to the sky before it was kicked by Rainbow Dash. The bear, Angel bunny, and the birds all stood around Fluttershy keeping her safe from any attack. A changeling flew straight down towards Fluttershy but was bombarded by a group of bats. Their fangs bit into the changeling’s skin as it fell to the ground. The bats flew away as more changelings tried to swat the bats away. They soon found themselves surrounded by a massive group of snakes that slithered towards the changelings. “Pinkie! You’ll tear my tail off if you keep this up!” Twilight screamed. Pinkie stopped rapidly rotating her tail and let go of Twilight. She fell to the ground before she pulled her tail towards her and stocked it as the pain slowly faded away. “Oops, sorry Twilight,” Pinkie giggled before she hopped towards the swarm of changelings. Twilight looked up to see green, gold, and dark blue streams of magic colliding in the air.