//------------------------------// // Changed // Story: Warped Mind // by TheUnknownPerson //------------------------------// Much Time Later Rainbow Dash yawned. Her eyes stung from the morning sun. "Why'd we have to get up and get ready so early again Twilight?" "Because, I don't know how long we still have. We need to cover as much ground as possible before sunset, so I figured we'd need to get an early start." Twilight . The end of her white scarf blew in the wind. Her green earmuffs were sitting atop her scarf. "Right..." Rainbow Dash said as she stretched her wings, causing some satisfying pops from the joints in her wings "Where's everypony else at?" "Well, Rarity wanted to buy us some blankets and sleeping-bags so we won't go cold, Pinkie's baking us some sweets for the trip, Applejack's went to the Market to buy us some apples and other foods for the trip, and Fluttershy's making sure all the animals are okay before we leave." "All right... well, what the hay are we supposed to do?" "I'm checking over things before we leave to make sure everything will be in order until we get back, rechecking my notes, and making sure my spell is correct. You can fly around the Crystal Empire and make sure the sky's clear." "Okay. I'll be back in a minute." Rainbow Dash said, turning away from Twilight Sparkle. --- "No... no!" A mare's voice called out, her harsh, concerned voice assaulting Taltra's eardrums. She quietly groaned. "Wake up!" Taltra head, horn, and back throbbed with the beat of her heart. Her throat and lips were dry, free of any moisture. Taltra opened her eyes. Princess Cadance was leaning an unconscious Shining Armor. They were inside a small cell. "He can't feel you." Taltra recognized the cold, callous voice. A terrible taste slid down the back of her mouth, the vile changeling's presence disgusting her. "You! What have you done to him?!" "He's not transforming at a suitable rate if I want to feed my kingdom. So, I sped up his transformation." "No!" "Oh yes, my dear. He should be fully a changeling in two days." "N-no..." Taltra said, her voice weak and raspy. "You'll never get away with this! I'll stop you before he transforms!" "How're you going to do that without your magic? Must I remind you of what happens when you use it?" Taltra's horn slightly burned, causing her to groan. Cadance growled and reached through the bars, trying to grab Queen Chrysalis. She just out of reach by an inch or two. "Ah- seems like our guest of honor has joined us." Queen Chrysalis turned back, kneeling down to Taltra. She lifted her chin. "You must feel terrible. All that love I absorbed must have you tired." Her voice took on a singsong, almost mocking tone. Taltra clamped down on Queen Chrysalis' horseshoe, trying to bite through to her hoof. "Still putting up a fight, eh? Very well then." A translucent cloud surrounded Queen Chrysalis' horn, snaking its way to Taltra's mane. She grunted as she was lifted up by her mane, baring her teeth. "Hey- leave her alone! She's done nothing!" "She has. More than you'd ever imagine." Queen Chrysalis slugged Taltra in the chin. She dug the edge of her horseshoe into her before pulling back. Blood dripped down from Taltra's lip and chin. "Open the cell." The changeling guards didn't waste a moment, opening the cell near immediately. Queen Chrysalis flung her inside. Taltra slammed into the back wall, falling to her hind hooves, then back to her chest, beside a bucket of water. "There was no need for that! Monster!" "If only you knew..." Queen Chrysalis breathed. "Twilight will stop this- this madness! She won't let you get away with this!" Queen Chrysalis scoffed. "How'll she find me? The only ponies who enter this kingdom, don't exit and the few that do are too scared to tell anypony else." "She just will! I know she will!" "You're delusional. Now, I'll leave you to your husband and that traitor." "She will..." She repeated as she sat beside Shining, looking down at him. "I'm so sorry." Cadance breathed as she cradled his head is her hooves, gently rocking his head. "Please..." Cadance looked up at Taltra. Taltra feebly pointed to a bucket at the corner. She hoped that it had even at least bit of water inside. "Oh," Cadance trotted over to the corner and lifted the bucket with her teeth. She trotted back over to Taltra, sitting it in front of her. "here. Sorry." Taltra pulled her head up high enough so she could see inside of the bucket, seeing it was half full. She dipped her mouth in and gulped up the water. After a moment, she pulled her head back up and laid on the ground. "How long... has it been?" She asked, breathing deeply as she caught her breath. "Since..." "Since she brought Shining in here." "A day or two, I think." Taltra wiped her eyes, some strength returning to her. She combed down her mane and sat up. "Is Shining okay?" "He won't wake up. I've been trying for hours now..." "All right... just- just don't move him too much and try to keep him comfortable." "What'll happen to him? Is the spell reversible?" Taltra felt a sharp stab in her chest, at her bite-mark. She grabbed her chest. "Er... are you okay?" Taltra looked back up at Cadance. "Yes. Just s-something Queen Chrysalis did to us. Nothing to worry about." "Is the spell reversible?" "No-" Taltra gasped as the pain in her chest became more apparent. "Only Queen Chrysalis knows the spell. She's the only one who-" Taltra stopped and growled, trying to keep her composure in front of Cadance. "-who can reverse it." "Are you okay? What is your name?" "Taltra. I'm fine. Just a little pain in my chest. N-nothing to be worried about." Taltra said. She didn't want Cadance to worry about her too much; hay, she's partially to blame for Shining's current state. "Okay," Cadance said. She looked down at Shining, an unpleasant look across his face. "Don't worry, dear... whatever's going on will be done in a day or so. I know you're much stronger than that beast. You can do this." She said. Taltra felt guilty about keeping them apart for so long. Reminds me of Warding and me... Taltra's stared at the ground. I can't believe I was so foolish to actually believe her... The pain in Taltra's chest dulled for the moment as she laid her head back down on the ground. "Er, Taltra, could I ask some questions?" Taltra turned to see Cadance and nodded. "Was Shining okay up there? What happened? Why is he like this?!" "Calm down. I was with Shining almost everyday while he was inside of the kingdom. I made sure that nopony would hurt him for Queen Chrysalis'." "What happened up there after you two left?" "I... I-I brought Shining down here so he could see you. I thought my husband would be down here as well, but h-he wasn't." "Oh... I'm sorry." "I rushed back up to Queen Chrysalis' chamber and demanded to see him. And she did... b-but he w-was..." Taltra's eyes filled with tears, recalling the memory. "Stop. You don't have to continue." Taltra nodded and turned away from Cadance, wiping her eyes. She stared at the cell ceiling. "Afterwards, I broke away from Queen Chrysalis' control, along with Shining. I-I kept her from trying to hurt or regain control of Shining, but... but she transformed into somepony who was- is very close to me that I lost when she forced me to join her. She exploited that and must've cast some spell on me." "And what happened to Shining?" "I-I don't know. I passed out after. I tried to stop her, but she had me incapacitated." Cadance turned away from Taltra, staring at Shining. "Do you still want to please her?" "Erm... pardon?" "Taltra, do you still want to help her?" "No. I wished I'd have never found her in the first place." "Good. I forgive you." Taltra nodded and laid back on the ground, staring at the ceiling. --- I grunted as I lifted Lance over the large log. We trotted out of the brush. "Where to?" I asked, glancing down to Lance. She lifted her hoof, pointing to the frozen stream. "Might lead to a house, a village- somewhere..." "All right. Just- make sure you stick with me until we get there. Wouldn't want to try to carry you with one fore-hoof, while I have to do a balancing act on my hind hooves." Lance chuckled. "You're evil... don't make me laugh. It hurts." "Oh- sorry." I turned away. Horseapples- why didn't I think of that? "You're sure you'll be okay Lance?" "Of course. Can't leave you by yourself, now can I?" She said with a smile as she looked down to Blooming. We continued down the path, ever hopeful we'd find civilization. --- Taltra's chest and horn dully burned. The pain had just begun to slightly get worse. It's beginning to get worse. She noted. Don't panic... it'll all be fine. Princess Cadance is here, she'll help me if anything happens... hopefully. Taltra groaned as the pain intensified. "Is everything all right?" "The pain... it's getting worse." Taltra said, sitting up and grabbing her chest. The pain spread to her scalp, then her ears, soon to her entire head, then to her hooves. Soon, it had coursed its way through her entire body. She stood up and feebly trotted to the bars before her hooves gave out. She held herself up as she tried not to move. "S-something's happening..." Taltra said, squeezing the bars. Taltra felt her horn began to straighten from its previously curved state. "Gah!" She called out, her hooves trembling from squeezing the bars so tightly. "W-what's happening?!" Her fangs receded back into her gums, giving her an almost normal, pony-like appearance. She punched the bars and she howled in pain. The pain retracted from her hooves, slowly falling back to her chest and horn. Her breaths were long, yet rapid. She fell back, exhausted, only to be caught by somepony. "What's wrong?! What happened?!" Taltra head fell and her eyes began to shut. But before she could pass out, Cadance grabbed her shoulders and shook her awake. "What happened?" "M... my body is changing..." Taltra feebly choked out. Cadance stared at her for a moment before noticing the changes in her horn and fangs. "How..." "If Q-ah- Queen Chrysalis' spell is changing me, then it must... m-must mean..." Taltra pointed to Shining. She noticed his horn had curved at the top and his fangs poked out from the inside of his mouth. "Oh... oh no." "J-just keep him comfortable and don't let him stand up." Cadance nodded, nervously staring at Shining. "S-should I grab anything or..." "I've never done this until now... I-I don't really know what to get or what to do besides to keep him comfortable. I'm sorry." "Okay..." Cadance said, now realizing how bad it really was. Panic became visible on her face as she trotted over to Shining and sat beside him. I'm sorry Shining... I... I-I failed you. --- Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood outside of the Crystal Empire, standing in a circle. "Okay... is everything ready? Let's go over everything we have before we head out." Pinkie raised her hoof, bouncing, trying to get Twilight's attention. "Er... Pinkie?" "Yes! I got some Apple Pies, some cupcakes, and some soda!" Pinkie said as Twilight noticed there was a wooden basket to her side. "All right. Applejack?" "Ah got some apples and carrots and such. Ah bought some apple cider as well. Might not be good as my family's, but ah reckon it'll be alright." "Good. Rarity?" "Oh, I picked up some cots and some pillows so we'd be comfortable out there. Pinkie let me sit them in the basket." "My stuff's in there too." "All right. Good. Now, does anyone need to do anything before we go?" Fluttershy timidly raised her hoof. "Yes, Fluttershy?" "Er... s-should we be worried about the... t-the cha-changelings?" "'Course not, sugarcube. We'll be fine as long as we stick together." "That reminds me; Applejack, Fluttershy, have you told them the passcode yet?" "Er... what passcode are you guys talking about?" "C-can we?" "Yes, of course." Twilight stood back as Fluttershy and Applejack trotted over to Pinkie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, whispering the passcode into their ears. She pulled her earmuffs up to her ears as she trotted away. "Okay. We're all good now. Let's head out." Rainbow Dash said, trotting past Twilight. The group followed behind as they began to head north. ---