//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven: A Second Chance // Story: Twilight's First Foals -- Episode I - The Hybrid Changelings // by One Universe One story //------------------------------// “Don’t touch it!” Pinkie yelled. “Pinkie, don’t worry. The crystal can only be absorbed if I want it to be,”said Celestia while she lifted the black and white crystal off the ground. “An M.I.? The last time I saw one of these was during the Pony Wars.” “What are they used for again?” asked Luna. “Combat aid for Unicorns,” said Celestia, “seeing as how they weren’t as strong physically as either other species of pony. No offence, Rarity.” “I understand what you mean,” Rarity replied. “I can’t even protect myself from Diamond Dogs, let alone fight in a war. I might get cut.” “Still, I don’t know how Twilight got a hold of the spell to create it,” said Celestia, still looking at the crystal. “I found the spell in one of the books you sent me,” said Twilight as she entered the room. “Uh, Twi, why are ya back in a set of armour?” asked Applejack. “I’m going after them,” said Twilight as she turned to face Celestia. “May I have the M.I.?” `”Yes, but let me teach you a weapon summoning spell,” Celestia replied as her horn began to glow. “If you’re going to teach me the one you used when you first fought Sombra,” Twilight started, “don’t bother, I already know it. That’s how I made this suit of armour I’m wearing.” Celestia's horn stopped glowing and she raised a brow. “So... your weapon… was a suit of armour?” “I know it doesn’t really make sense,” said Twilight, “but I’m not one to argue how one of Starswirl’s spells works.” “Well whatever your weapon, I just hope you can stop Sombra,” commented Luna. “If I use the Elements of Harmony, I should be able to reverse the effects of the Dark Crystal Heart,”stated Twilight. “Alright,” said Rainbow Dash, “we’ll put our armour back on.” “No!” Twilight responded quickly. “I’m going alone.” “What!?!” exclaimed everyone except Celestia. “Are you sure you’re ready to use their power by yourself?” asked Celestia. “I will try,” Twilight said calmly. “Then I’ll not stop you,” Celestia said before the whole room went quiet. “Y-you’re actually going to let me face him alone?” Twilight asked a bit baffled. “I believe you’re ready to use them,” Celestia said calmly. “Then I’m off,” Twilight said while heading out the door. “M.I.L.I.S., ensure the Elements are ready for transport by the time I get to the Everfree Forest.” “Yes, Director,” said M.I.L.I.S. ~~~ Twilight had just arrived at the edge of the Everfree Forest when she received a message from M.I.L.I.S. “The Elements are in place, Director,” “Be prepared to send them to me on Meta’s mark,” responded Twilight. “Director, word from Zecora’s hut terminal,” said M.I.L.I.S. “Shall I patch her through?” “How important is it?” “Priority One, encrypted transmission.” “Patch her through,” groaned Twilight. “Go ahead, Zecora.” “Tending to a plant I was about to cut,” Zecora started her first rhyme, “I found Queen Chrysalis hurt. She is at my hut.” “What!?!” Twilight exclaimed. “I’m on my way!” “I will be waiting when you arrive,” Zecora started. “Hopefully she won’t try to escape to her hive.” “I’ll be there in thirty seconds,” said Twilight engaging her speed enhancement. ~~~ “Who brought her here?” asked Twilight. “These two creatures,” Zecora started to rhyme as she pointed to the two foals of Chrysalis. “I’ve noticed they have Changeling features.” “Now, Zecora, I’m going to ask you to do something you really don’t like to do,” said Twilight while holding her hoof near Chrysalis having Meta scan her injuries. “What is it, Twilight?” Zecora started. “I hope it’s not-” “Please, stop rhyming for about half an hour,” Twilight groaned. “Since you asked politely, I won’t rhyme,”said Zecora outside her usual ‘moderately cheery’ tone. “Thank you,” replied Twilight. “Scan complete, Director,” stated a voice just like Twilight’s through the speakers on Twilight’s armour. “Give me the read-out, Meta,”said Twilight as she looked at Chrysalis’ side. “Let’s see, she’s been hit several times with Sombra’s scythe,” Meta started. “The biggest gash on her side is exactly three point one four decimeters long and exactly six point two eight centimeters deep “ “Anything else?” Twilight asked as a black holographic alicorn pony that looked like Twilight appeared right next to her. “Yes,” Meta stated as her hologram pointed to the green Changeling blood trail. “She’s lost a substantial amount of her blood and needs immediate medical attention. I’ve had to launch two heal beams while I was scanning her to keep her from flat-lining.” “That bad?” asked Twilight. “Zecora, see if you can brew up something to heal Chrysalis.” “With a few moon-drop plant roots, some seapony tears, a bit of a dandelion stem, one whole white lotus blossom, and one flake of poison joke powder I should be able to brew a potion possibly capable of healing her,” Zecora said while gathering what she listed. “Although it will take fifteen minutes to fully brew.” “Meta, how long can we afford to use the healing unit’s beam?” asked Twilight. “About five minutes,” Meta stated. “That’s without a pipeline back to the command server.” “Meta you’re a genius!” Twilight exclaimed. “M.I.L.I.S., connect Zecora’s terminal to the main power grid.” “Authorization code?” asked M.I.L.I.S. Twilight sighed, “I heart Flash Sentry.” Twilight turned to look at Zecora, “Not a word to my brother.” “Yes, Princess Twilight,” Zecora said after she stopped giggling. “Authorization code accepted,” M.I.L.I.S. said. “Your terminal is now on the main power grid, Zecora.” “Zecora, I need you to flip that lever on the side of the terminal,” said Twilight pointing at a blue ball on the end of a metal rod sticking out of the side of the lavender computer terminal. When Zecora flipped the lever, an antenna rose out of the terminal and a beam of energy started to flow to Twilight’s armour. ~~~ “W-where am I?” Chrysalis asked as she opened her eyes to see Celestia and visions of what she had done in the past surrounding her. “So this is all you’ve done…,”started Celestia, “You’ve terrorized village after village of different creatures on the edge of Equestria for the past few years... looking for what you were missing…” “What?” Chrysalis asked. “Until one day, you found it in the one pony thought to have been destroyed by the Crystal Heart’s power…” “I don’t understand,” Chrysalis said. “‘True Love’ is the one thing you kind has been looking for... and you where the one who found it…” “Celestia, what are you saying?!” Chrysalis asked frantically. “Somber Sombra… The Dark Magician… He must be stopped…” “I’ll not hurt my lover!” Chrysalis said, gritting her teeth together. “If I give you the power to live on… Will you save him?” “I’ll not hurt him!” “Look…,” said Celestia pointing to a vision with Zecora and Twilight in it. “They’re trying to save you… Yet you’d rather die than hurt the one you love to save him from complete destruction…” “Th-they’re... actually trying to… save me?” “Yes... But they can’t save you… Even Zecora’s potions have their limits…,” said Celestia as the Twilight and Zecora in the vision tried to give her a healing potion. “B-but my foals! Who’ll take care of them?” “Twilight will… But she need’s a Changeling Queen’s help to control them…” “I… I’ll… I’ll stop Sombra and save Somber.” “Then I grant you renewed life…,” Celestia said while fading away. “Use it well.” ~~~ “Twilight, we’re losing her!” Meta exclaimed. “Meta, prepare for a full power blast,” Twilight said. “Twilight,” Zecora said, “she’s gone.” “No,” Twilight said frantically, “there has to be something we can do!” “Twilight,” Zecora said as she put her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. Twilight turned her head to face Zecora and Zecora shook her head. Twilight turned her head back to face Chrysalis’ body and then took off her helmet and threw it at the wall of the hut. “BUCK IT!” Twilight yelled. “BUCK IT TO TARTARUS!” “Twilight, no amount of yelling will bring her back,” Zecora said removing her hoof from Twilight’s shoulder. A beam of light flashed outside the hut attracting the attention of the two mares. Twilight gasped when she saw what it was. “How? When? Why?” “Twilight,” said a grey colour Chrysalis with crimson eyes and mane and tail, “I need you to help me save Somber from destroying himself from inside.” Twilight was too shocked to reply. “What is it? What’s-” Meta said as her hologram appeared beside Twilight. “Y-you’re supposed to be dead!” Chrysalis giggled a bit, “Celestia gave me another chance.” “Oh, I forgot!” exclaimed Twilight as she rushed to the computer terminal in Zecora’s hut. “M.I.L.I.S., patch me through to the castle’s video chat.” “Patching… Go for secure?” asked M.I.L.I.S. “Go for secure,” responded Twilight. “Secure-” “Oh, hi, Twilight!” said an upside down Pinkie Pie through the monitor. “AAH!” Twilight yelled. “Pinkie, don’t ever scare me like that again!” “Sorry, Twilight,” Pinkie said as she dropped from the top of the screen to the bottom, “but I was just looking around your lab.” “Good to know,” said Twilight sarcastically. “ Get Celestia, Luna, and Cadance.” “Okie, Dokie, Lokie!” said Pinkie as she wandered off screen and a few moments later the three Princesses came into view. “You wanted us?” asked Celestia. “I found Chrysalis,” Twilight started. “But not the way I expected to find her. Her first body is dead, and I hear you, Celestia, gave her a second chance.” “I did,” Celestia started as the other two Princesses and the rest of the Elements of Harmony gasped. “But there was one stipulation, she must, at the very least, help stop Sombra.” “Alright, now, I’ve also found the foals,” Twilight resumed. “I’m going to have them stay here with Zecora while Chrysalis and I attempt to stop Sombra.” “Twilight, are you sure Zecora can look after the foals?” asked Cadance. “They will do as she asks,” said Chrysalis. “Won’t you children?” “Yesss, Mama,” Nix said in a voice that was a cross of Sweetie Belle’s and Chrysalis’. “Yesss, Mother,” Myx said in a voice that was a cross of Spike’s and Sombra’s. “Th-they can talk?!” asked Twilight. “Of course. They’ve been able to talk since we left your castle. Also they’ve reached a size they’ll stay at for the next few years,” Chrysalis said as Twilight took in the difference in size since she last seen them. She failed to noticed their coat colour was now grey. “Hopefully It won’t cause trouble when I announce you and your Changelings official citizens of Equestria,” said Celestia. “Y-you’d really do that?” asked Chrysalis. “You can’t be serious!” exclaimed Luna. “After what she’s done to Equestria?” “She has changed, Luna,” said Cadance. “I don’t care!” Luna exclaimed. “Changelings are nothing more than filthy- “ “Luna!” exclaimed Celestia. There was absolute silence for a few minutes. Chrysalis was the one who broke it. “If it pleases you, Luna, when I stop Sombra and save Somber, I’ll return to the Badlands with Somber and the entire Changeling Species.” “Done,” Luna replied quickly. “No,” Celestia boomed, “I’ll not let you do that to her, Luna.” “But-” “Luna, there once was a time you weren’t good,” said Celestia, “do you remember it?” “Yes, b-” “And we’ve all forgiven you for what you’ve done,” Celestia continued. “Why can’t we do the same for her?” “Because she’s not a pony!” Luna exclaimed. “According to my scan of her previous body’s blood,” Meta started, “she’s eighty seven point five percent pony.” There was another long silence. “How?” asked Luna. “The previous three Changeling Queens all bred with random ponies to make their next generation more like normal ponies,” Chrysalis said. “I bred with Somber not only for the same reason, but also because I love him.” It was at this time Luna knew she lost her argument. “Fine,” Luna said while stomping her front hooves. ”But when an angry mob appears. it’s not my fault!” “Alright,” said Celestia. “Twilight, you and Chrysalis should get going.” “Alright,” said Twilight while gabbing and putting on her helmet, “M.I.L.I.S., Close com. link and pipeline to command. We don’t want to waste any more mesmia power.” “Com. link closed,” said M.I.L.I.S. “Pipeline closed.” “Okay,” said Twilight as she faced Chrysalis, “let’s get going.”