Kendell2 10.0
Kabuto injected himself with a vile and began trying to transform...but the Rainbow struck him and he began to contort from the two energies coming in conflict. "What...what's happening to me?!"
Daring Do knew just who they were dealing with. The chief mad scientist of the Changelings. A psychopathic monster who relished causing harm to others. Who had the blood of hundreds on his hooves. And knew from reports how dangerous he could be.
Well, if there was one thing Daring Do knew from experience with ancient evils, it was how to properly seal an evil force. She put that in mind as the Elements struck him.
When it cleared, they were greeted by the sight of every Changeling in sight appearing too drunk to move or fight back (making their capture easy) and Kabuto himself replaced by an Octohedron shaped stone prison. Each side had one of the Elements of Harmony's symbol's on it except the top and bottom.
"What did we do to Professor Nutjob?" Gilda questioned.
"Simple, locked him up nice and tight," said Daring Do, smirking. "From the looks of it, he's only getting out of there if all six of us decide to let him out."
"Ugh..." muttered a pony slave, shaking their head, the mind control gone. "We're...we're free?"
Cloudkicker nodded, helping them up. "Yes, you are..." She didn't resist the hug.
However, the BIGGER shock came from the 'husks'. The ponies drained so much they were no longer emotionally responsive. Even the Changelings believed they were no longer good for anything but slaves...but they were CHEERING. They were HAPPY.
"They...they're cured?" Applejack asked.
Daring Do gasped. "We can heal the ponies they've drained completely...this is amazing! We need to get to Zecora's camp, right now."
---
Zecora sensed something, as she and Chrysalis leapt back away from one another. A shuddering. A change... "I believe the game has changed..." she said under her breath. "...And that means to let you live would be deranged."
The two flew up, exchanging blasts and weapon strikes.
Zecora was glad if what she sensed, through the laylines through nature itself, happening (something her transformation enhanced tenfold), was true. It meant that they had a chance to save there world, without Twilight having to give up her own.
Chrysalis snarled as she was sent flying backwards by a powerful blow from Zecora, kicking her back at the same time.
Several changelings rushed to her side. "Our Queen, are you alright?"
Chrysalis snarled in rage. "No...give me your love."
The Changelings nodded without hesitation and hugged Chrysalis. Their bodies crumbled to dust, love surging into Chrysalis and healing her wounds. Chrysalis charged up black magic into herself. "Prepare to die, Witch of Everfree!"
Chrysalis flew up into the air, love and dark magic crackling around her.
[= Digimon - Brave Heart =]
"...No, I will not fall to a witch like you," Zecora said...taking a meditative pose. "Prepare to learn what is power true."
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Zecora cleared her mind of rage, of anger, of pain. Of everything.
She focused only on hearing the voice of the forest around her, the one her people needed for their magic.
The ponies around her. The animals of the forest. The trees. The plants.
And the layline convergence beneath all of it. The mana that was the life blood of all things.
"Mother of All Things
Steward of All Nature's Beings
Heart of Mana running through us all
Grant me that which I need for this evil to fall."
The wind began to blow through the forest, mana from everything hanging on it and surging along, swirling around around Zecora.
"This forest which is my home,
I know I do not fight this battle alone.
I beseech this world to grant me strength and might.
That today I can finally end this fight"
Zecora, in contrast to Chrysalis' fanatic and manic charging, moved gracefully, as if she was dancing with life itself, as she began glowing with a pink light that erupted into the fires of friendship.
Chrysalis' form exploded with black magic. "By the Heart of Oblivion, I call upon the Void to bring ruin upon my enemies!" she chanted.
Zecora's eyes shot open, glowing with pink fire. "By the Heart of All Things, I call upon Life to set free all beings!"
"Inanis est ira Dei!" Chrysalis roared, flying at Zecora engulfed by a sphere of dark magic.
"Today you shall fall! Ignes vitae!" Zecora invoked, being engulfed by a pink fireball.
The two flew into one another, colliding horn to horn with ripples of darkness and light. The force of the impact sent all the combatants flying and toppled several trees.
The two's power went back and forth, their energies seeming to try and overtake one another.
Then there was a sudden snap ripped through the air. Part of a broken horn embedded in a tree nearby.
Chrysalis gasped as her aura of darkness vanished.
Zecora spun around. Chrysalis gasped as Zecora drove her horn straight into her chest as deep as it could go.
---
Channeling Princess Sweetie Belle gasped, miles away.
---
The Changeling queen gave a scream of agony as an explosion of pink fire erupted out of her back, blowing her off Zecora and launching her back and sending her crashing to the ground.
Zecora landed, breathing heavily.
Chrysalis forced herself to her hooves, a hole blown clear through her chest and out her back, blood from her broken horn streaming down her face. She coughed up green blood and her body began to crack apart. "Well...This isn't...how I thought it'd go..."
Chrysalis looked up at the sky, seeing a cloud floating by she swore looked like a dragon. She began to laugh madly, blood now pouring from her maul. "...At least I can take pride in knowing it took a goddess to kill me..."
The ponies and Changelings watched in shock as Chrysalis' body began to crack and fall apart...and she just kept LAUGHING until her body crumbled to dust and blew away in the wind.
And then noticed a rainbow colored shockwave moving in their direction.
Alex Warlorn 10.1 (Lyrics from Attack on Titan)
Princess Zecora sang.
"Our names won't be remembered, if we die like trampled flowers
I refuse to be forgotten, written off and less than worthless
Scream and cry, but none will hear you, plead and beg but none can help you
You no longer live as cattle, will you rise and join the battle?
There are beings that live off our fears
And their threats are like knives as they play with our lives
They'll try to control you as if they own you
Will you let them steal your freedom?!
Channel the anger swelling inside you
Fighting the boundaries, 'till you break through!
Deep in your soul there's no hesitation
So make yourself the one they all fear!
There's a wild fire inside you
Burning desire you can't extinguish!
Your crimson arrow rips through the twilight
This is the moment for war!"
Kendell2
After the Rainbow passed over, the group found every Changeling that had been attacking them suddenly looking drunk and barely able to fight, on top of the mixed reaction to Chrysalis' death (some wanted to avenge her, some wanted to run for the hills, others, who were only with her out of fear had already started falling back).
Zecora's rebels pounced.
"Capture them, my friends, don't their life end," Zecora ordered. "They are a threat no longer, we are not warmongers."
"But...Zecora..." Trixie said, clearly looking at the Changeling she'd had pinned down.
"We are fighting a war, that is true, but when fighting monsters, never let the monster be you," Zecora advised. "I slew Chrysalis, that is fact, and I would not take it back. But there is a difference between doing what must be done, and killing when you've already won. If execution becomes our way, we are still under that witch's sway. Survival of the fittest was on her creed, do you wish to adopt it and be like her indeed?"
Trixie paused for a moment...then merely restrained the Changeling and put the anti-shapeshifting mixture on them for safety.
Several Changelings didn't struggle, and merely set down, holding out their horns and front hooves.
"We followed our queen out of loyalty...not all of us WANTED to enslave you..." one said. "We surrender."
Not long after, Daring Do's group rushed into the clearing (now with the REST of their small group with them, including Rarity and Rainbow Dash). "Zecora! Chrysalis is-" Daring Do yelled...then noticed the rather surprised group looking their way. With Spears.
Zecora stepped up, and her horn glowed. The transformation canceling mixture manifested directly on them.
"Zecora...you're a..." Applejack said.
Sunset gave a sigh. "...Somehow...I don't care about this...And I KNOW I'm not a changeling...this is weird..."
"That's...explanations later! Zecora, Chrysalis is coming!" Daring said frantically.
"Chrysalis is no more, I have shown her death's door," Zecora explained. She looked at Daring Do's necklace, then to the others. "And it seems you have been busy too, I think we both have catching up to do."
---
Not long later, Zecora and Daring had both sent word to their rebel factions to mobilize while the Changelings were tipsy and weakened from the Elements of Harmony and all their victims in range were broken free of their brainwashing and/or revitalized from being husks. Not to mention the Hive had lost their queen and the fact they had TWO heirs that were one very young and both felt THEY were the proper queen of the Hive left the Changelings' without a leader. And BOTH had different ideas for what to do next Today was NOT a good day for the Changelings, and the Rebels had every intent to capitalize on that.
"So...Chrysalis is really dead..." Rainbow Dash said, giving a sigh and looking down. "I...It's almost impossible to believe..."
"I'm glad you three are still alive..." said Fluttershy. "We thought the Changelings got you..."
"They almost did," Applejack said. "But thankfully Chrysalis was too impatient tah make sure the Changelings she sent after us got us and Daring Do and her friends were there...Speakin' of which...did any of yah get mah hat back from the witch?"
"I'm sorry, Applejack, she destroyed it when she transformed..." Pinkie Pie admitted.
"Oh..." was the farmer's reply, looking down like she'd lost a close friend. Rara hugged her.
"So...what's the plan next?" Cloudkicker asked. "We can save all the husks now."
"I think we should go for the heart," Daring Do replied. "Straight to Canterlot to free the Princesses."
"I don't believe there's need for that, Miss. Yearling."
The group blinked, looking up...to see a pink Alicorn descend from the sky and land before them.
"Princess Cadence?!" was EVERYONE'S reaction.
The Princess of Harmony lowered her head and allowed Zecora to apply the anti-Changeling formula, though that was only a formality.
"Princess, how did you escape?!" Cloudkicker asked, after a group hug.
Cadence gave a tired smile. "I didn't escape, everyling ELSE escaped...it's a strange story...I was powerless, drained and cocooned...but then something happened."
---
[=MLP:FiM Love Conquers All (Extended Orchestral Version)=]
In Canterlot, Celestia and Cadence hung drained in her cocoons where Chrysalis occasionally stole energy from them, Canterlot now a hive of Changelings. THE hive. While neither Princess of the Hive was present (Chrysalis preferred having Sweetie Belle with her main force due to her music, and Pitcher Plant, while in Equestria, had been given a province of her choice to rule with absolute authority to calm her down after Sweetie Belle's promotion to Queen.
The Rainbow of Harmony suddenly washed over the city, breaking mind control and restoring husks (including Shining Armor, who with no more love for Chrysalis to consume, had been more or less reduced to a shield generator.)
But something else happened. The energy converged in the prison chamber, directly in the cocoon holding the Princess of Harmony, causing her to glow with a rainbow light.
Cadence's eye snapped open a pulse of rainbow light exploded off her, shattering her cocoon and the stunned Princess dropped to the ground. Her mane and tail were currently rippling and composed of energy. "I'm...I'm free? What happened?"
"What do you think you're doing, Princess?" asked the Changeling guards, lining up to put her back...but clearly tipsy and while seemingly less incapacitated, still weakened heavily.
Cadence took only a moment to realize something major had happened. And for the first time since that dark day, she smiled. "Taking back our capital!"
Before the Changelings could react, Cadence flew forwards and punched one with as much force she believed his body could withstand.
The Changeling was sent flying backwards and slamming into the wall with enough force to crack it (and his exoskeleton).
"Ever since I can remember, auntie taught me to hold my strength back, like little Earth Pony...realize that in the other tribes I was strong and needed to be careful not to hurt somepony...And I accepted I'd always have to hold back..." Cadence said, focusing her magic and letting out one long octave, the resulting sonic attack sending her guards flying back and slamming into the walls with great force, knocking them out cold. "Be glad I'm only willing to stop holding back only as much as I need.."
She turned and sent a bolt of magic into Celestia's cocoon.
The Dayarch fell and gasped, getting weakly to her hooves. "Cadence..."
"Auntie, something's happened, I'm at full strength and the Changelings are weakened, I've got to do something," Cadence explained.
Celestia looked shocked for a moment...then apprehensive. Then nodded. "Do it...but help me out into the sunlight first."
After helping her aunt into the sun, Cadence promptly flew off the balcony and slammed into the ground in the midst of large gathering of drones, slamming her fit into an area her Earth Pony magic sensed and causing the ground to literally erupt and send them flying in all directions. She flew up and flew in a circle, forming a cyclone that drug the remaining ones into it before slamming them together at the top.
She then flew straight through wall of a building and into one of the holding areas for 'food'. The ponies had all been mentally freed, she chose to physically free them with a pegasus wing blade spell she'd picked up from her guards. The room guards charged her, but a sonic attack stunned them long enough for Cadence to rush into them and flatten them with pure Alicorn level Earth Pony strength.
She flew through one holding building after another, freeing her citizens like a one mare army.
"I'm many things, but a fighter is one I don't enjoy being," Cadence admitted, flying up to meet a swarm. "But after all this time of seeing this country suffer, of having Chrysalis rub it in my face how it's my fault...an Alicorn's wrath, no matter how peaceful, is a terrible thing to unleash!"
Cadence formed a barrier of light and love around herself and sent it out, smashing the Changelings and sending them flying.
Finally, she flew up to the highest point in the city.
"You Changelings have been terrorizing this country for three long years...That ends today!"
"For three long years, we've toiled in pain.
For three long years we've struggled to remain sane.
But now there's a chance to end this strife.
So Equestria, return to life!" She sung, the image of a full grown Alicorn version of herself forming behind her.
The Changelings screamed in pain and covered their ears, assaulted by three years of pent up suffering and pain, while the Equestrians who had begun fighting back perked up, the hope this horror show would end filling them. The Changelings then saw Celestia rise up, having regained enough strength to fly.
The Changelings ran.
Cadence grabbed the statue of Chrysalis that the Queen had placed atop the mountain for all to see and strained her telekinesis.
"Need some help?"
"Shining?!"
Cadence and her freed husband shared a nuzzle...then Shining managed to deface Chrysalis' statue with a crude smiley face with gravity buster spells despite his pore aim (which took out the statue's horn and ear).
"If you're going to deface a statue, do it right,"Shining joked.
The two combined their telekinesis and pulled, the statue's foundations breaking loose and free. They hurled it in the direction of the fleeing Changelings, though made sure to miss. They were trying to make a statement, not kill them. Though both where tempted.
"And STAY OUT!" Shining yelled, putting up a forcefield around the capital.
---
"Shining is holding up the forcefield and Auntie flew up into the upper atmosphere to recharge directly from the sun," Cadence explained.
She was then informed of what she'd missed.
"So...Canterlot is recaptured, the Princesses are free, and Chrysalis is dead," Gilda recapped. "So have we won?"
"Not yet, I fear my friends," Zecora explained. "The Changeling Princesses' reigns have yet to end..."
Rarity looked sad. "Sweetie Belle..."
Alex Warlorn
Daring Do went over their situation. "... They've lost their queen, and they've lost their nerve center. They've lost their slaves. And those same cattle are going to turn on them now. The only exception being likely, no offense Zecora, the Zebra slaves they've brought with them. Both they aren't going to be expect any rebellion from their brainwashed cattle, and won't be in a coordinated state to counter it.
"They have two heirs who aren't known for working together, so they're going to have two armies rather than one unified one. We've gotten back our Princess of music, and our Princess of the sun, and we've gotten a brand new princess out of the deal that ponies already look up to. We've gotten a big boon to us, and help our moral while weaken theirs.
"But after the drunkness bleeds off, every changeling effected will be super-charged! And there's nothing stopping them from brainwashing their slaves again, one by one. And they have an organized army with experienced officers and disciplined foot soldiers! While Equestria's army is still decimated and scattered with no chain of command or organization! Otherwise we wouldn't be reduced to resistance cells! ... This conflict can still go either way. We need to strike while the iron is hot, or this conflict might go on for ANOTHER three years!"
MtangaLion
The Everfree Rangers had not been idle. They'd managed to reduce the number of changelings converging on Zecora's camp by half with clever ambushes and traps.
Now, Winghoof came tearing through the trees, breathing hard. "Urgent news!" The red pegasus made a quick and rough landing, eyes wide as he took in the Elements of Harmony, Cadence, and Zecora, now an Alicorn. "Though I see you have an astonishing tale of your own." He shook himself. "The griffons are coming!"
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but glance at Gilda. It was awkward... a lot of things had changed, and they hadn't had a chance to talk privately. "What griffons?"
Winghoof acknowledged Dash with a nod, but gave his report to Princess Zecora. "Judging by the banners, the king himself comes, with several scouting parties and half of his army close behind."
Cadence stared. "You mean, the griffons are only just now sending their army to aid us? Or are they..."
Zecora was nodding. "If changelings they mean to fight, we could desperately use their might. But if they come to stay, Equestria could fall under griffon sway."
Gilda had a hard, scowling expression. "I need to see the griffon king. NOW."
King Griswold's royal party, skimming swiftly over the treetops, was brought to an abrupt stop by the appearance of Gilda hovering in their path, flanked by a confident Daring Do, and a still somewhat awed and uncertain Rainbow Dash. The griffon king's guards readied their crossbows and spears swiftly, but Griswold gestured for them to wait.
"Be cautious, sire!" spoke the griffon on the king's left, who wore a commander's sash. "She's armed."
Griswold shook his head. "I've heard of this one. Gilda, the outcast runt, who thinks to fight the ponies' battles for them." His beak twitched in a smile. "She who dared to lecture the royal flock in our own capital, calling us 'idiots' and 'lame brains' for underestimating the changeling threat."
"But sire!" whispered the advisor on the king's right. "You don't know her. She could be a changeling herself!"
"Do you think I need reminding?" shouted the king. "Now that one of my sons is assassinated by changelings, and the other is still missing?" He looked to her. "Well? Have you come to join our war against the changelings, and fight alongside your fellow griffons once more?"
Gilda flew closer, sighing heavily. "I want to, pops, believe me, but I can't yet." She wrapped her talons around her choker. "Do you know what this is? It's called the Element of Loyalty. It means..." She grabbed her crossbow, aiming it directly at the royal advisor. "I can sniff out traitors faster than rotten fish. Why don't you show us what you *really* are?"
Half of the royal guards aimed their own weapons at Gilda without orders, or a moment's hesitation. "Ah, ah, ah!" crooned Gilda, waggling a talon... and then Cadence appeared in a teleport flash, already swooping in and casting a shield around Gilda. Zecora sprang out of the treetops with a dozen Rangers, showering everyone with magical war paint that coated feathers and fur.
King Griswold nearly fell out of the sky, seeing griffons burst into green flame, becoming changelings left and right. "How can this be?" he demanded, as the changelings were being subdued. "My most trusted advisor? My doubly-checked and vouched for war party, more changelings than griffons?! We are undone!" He jabbed a talon in Gilda's face. "You're coming with me, even if I have to adopt you!"
Gilda burst out laughing. "Me, royalty? That'll be the day."
Alex Warlorn
"Go go go Pony Rangers! You mighty fightin' pony rangers!" Dues Ex Machina danced with a fan-girl hat on.
Amicitia sighed. "I guess we know where all those pony rangers came from, don't we?"
"Hey! I think I made good use of them this time!" Dues Ex Machina defended.
"Uh... exactly what history are we followin' again?" Nightmare Mirror said, looking through a history book with a squiggle symbolically above her head. She looked and sounded more like Applejack at one of Celestia's fancy dinners than Applejack having fallen into darkness. "Uh... if we're followin' the heart world stuff... then the griffins ain't got a government, or a king, or a army... unless they somehow put all that together in three years since the changelin's took over Equestria... which seems kinda odd given they were usin' bits for money, and with the ponies' as slaves, their value wouldda dropped like a stone. Or... are we followin' the history of Amicitia's timeline or somethin'. Ah know Gilda spent some time in the guard in yer world... And there were more griffins lands than just Griffinstone... but this stuff really left all confused like, so many names, places, dates, and stuff to keep track of, gives me a headache... some pony help me out here!"
It actually made Amicitia giggle a little hearing Nightmare Mirror sound like a befuddle Applejack, even if she wasn't HER Nightmare Mirror...
MtangaLion
On a floating aethereal island nearby, the Doctor had made a small campfire outside of his blue box. He was roasting a marshmallow on a stick, while Gilda the former Shadowbolt cooked something called a hot dog. "You see? Wibbily wobbly..."
Gilda snapped her talons. "Timey wimey!" She grinned. "I don't get it." She got up and shouted at Twilight, Mirror, and Deus in the distance. "Hey, crazy old mares! Do any of you guys know which way Equestria is from here?"
The Doctor tisked. "Now, Gilda, you shouldn't go bothering the nice goddesses. Or the not so nice ones. Come along..."
Kendell2
After dealing with the Changeling infiltrators in Griswold's army (who'd expected to outnumber the Griffins rather than being themselves outnumbered), Zecora used her new magic and connection to life itself to summon Equestria's rebel leaders to meet before the Changelings drunkeness ran out.
"Hello, cousin," said Blueblood, giving a bow. Cadence just hugged him.
"It's good you're well, Blueblood," said Cadence, Blueblood taking a few moments to register the hug and return it. "I still can't believe YOU were the rebel leader in the Canterlot underground."
"I guess I grew up a little bit," Blueblood admitted.
"I'm proud of him too..." said Princess Celestia, who'd arrived with her nephew and fully recharged. Naturally everyone bowed to her.
Sunset averted her eyes...then felt Celestia's hoof on her chin. "I missed you, My Little Sun."
Sunset looked up into Celestia's eyes...and saw tears...hers teared up. "...I missed you too."
The Manehatten rebellion had been headed by the former chief of Police. Applejack hugged her aunts that were part of it.
The group jumped as a flight of dragons landed. "Mina and the Fillydelphia rebellion, reporting."
Mina had had the best relationship with ponies out of many in Dragontown, and had also been decidedly the most motivated due to her love of comic heroism (though her parents were handling tactics and she was more the heart of it). Fillydephia having a flight of dragons had decidedly kept it float longer than most anywhere else and made it very difficult on the Changelings after that.
"Did we miss the gathering?"
The gathering of rebel leaders turned to see two purple mares trot up, a white unicorn standing next to the younger. The shocking thing was the two looked completely $identical except one was 20 years older than the other. "Pane Glimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Double Diamond of Our Town, reporting."
Anti-Changeling slime quickly debunked any thought one of the two were Changelings, though Zecora noticed Pane Glimmer glowed like Twilight Sparkle had.
"Consider me her...older sister," Pane Glimmer said.
---
"Wait, when did that happen?" Deus asked.
"Let's take a look," said Mirror...
---
Starlight Glimmer was in a cell, awaiting the changelings that had overrun Our Town to come and cocoon her. The ones they'd managed to capture had warned them, but of course fighting an entire swarm with everyone brought down to their lowest wasn't something easily done.
Starlight didn't know what to do...this was her sanctuary...and now it was gone.
Before she could think further on this, a beam struck one of her guards and laid him out, then the other...and a purple pony in a cloak trotted up. "Starlight Glimmer?"
"Y-Yes..."
The cloaked figure looked around. "...Sad to see this place like this...you always felt so safe here..."
"...I...I was trying to make a place of equality."
"Yes...because if everypony was equal and no pony had Cutie Marks, you didn't have to be afraid of losing your friends," the cloaked figure replied. "...And now you lost them all BECAUSE they had no way to fight back...that was flaw we never thought about..."
Starlight growled. "And what do YOU know about me?!"
"Quite a bit..." the cloaked figure replied, holding out a pack of the Changeling transformation blocker. "You know what this is, right?" Starlight nodded. "Good."
Starlight gasped as the figure removed her hood back to reveal...Starlight, but as an old mare. She put the transformation blocker on herself. "I'm you."
Any response Starlight could have died in her throat. "H-How...how is this possible?!"
"...All answers in time...But here's a question...an important one...Do you want to give friendship another chance?"
---
"We need to mobilize before the Changelings drunkeness wears off..." Daring Do said, all the rebel leaders assembled. With teleportation that was much easier. "We need to finish this BEFORE they recover or this war is going to last much longer..."
"...I may have a way to tip things further in our favor..." Celestia replied. "Bearers...I think it's time to fulfill a prophecy."
---
The Six Bearers blinked as they appeared next to the Dayarch on the moon. "We're on the moon?" asked Gilda, looking around.
"Yes...and there's who we came for."
The group gasped, looking over to see Nightmare Moon chained to the lunar surface by glowing rainbow chains. "Here to 'reason' with me again, sister?"
"Sister?!" asked Cloudkicker, Rara, Applejack, and Sunset.
"I kinda figured..." Daring do admitted.
"No, we're going to finally save you, my sister," Celestia said. "My Little Ponies...and Griffin. Use the Elements on Nightmare Moon."
"What?!" Nightmare Moon asked, looking over. She then backpeddled at the sight of the Elements.
"But aren't we already on the moon?" Rara asked. "Where are we going to send her?"
"Yes...trust me, I never intended to send her BACK here."
Daring Do nodded. "Let's do it girls.
"No..." Nightmare Moon muttered as the Elements charged up and formed a rainbow that slammed down on her, forming a vortex.
A light surged over the moon, every one on the world below looking up to see it glow as a rainbow and the Mare in the Moon DISSOLVE into rainbow colored light. The cursed moon inhabitants were purified.
When the light faded. The group gasped to see a sobbing little blue Alicorn laying in Nightmare Moon's shattered armor and chains.
"Sister..."
Luna gasped, looking up as Celestia approached her.
"It has been a thousand and five years since I have seen you liked this..." Celestia said, laying down and staring her sister in the eyes. "It's time to put our differences behind us, we were meant to rule together little sister."
Luna looked up in shock.
"Equestria NEEDS us, Luna...it needs both of us to help save it from a great evil, one that has ravaged it for three years now," Celestia explained. "...Will you accept my friendship and come back to Equestria in it's time of need, Luna?"
Luna's eyes teared up and she hugged her sister... "I'm sorry big sister...I missed you so much..."
"I missed you too..." Celestia replied, nuzzling her little sister.
"I'm...I'm not crying..." Cloudkicker said, wiping her eyes. Rara didn't hide hers.
"Okay, so we apparently got back a long lost Princess..." said Gilda. "Isn't she kinda...tiny?"
Luna nodded. "We need to recharge...thankfully, we are in our domain..." she said, eyes lighting up as her horn glowed.
Silver moonlight rushed across the lunar surface and erupted around Luna, condensing over her in a pillar. When it faded, Luna stood at her full height, flowing stellar mane and tail. "...Come, sister...We have atonement to do."
---
After returning to Equestria and explaining Luna's return, the rebels stood together.
"So...which of these 'Princesses' are we going to challenge first?" Luna questioned, having had to be told by her sister 'orbital bombardment' of their stronghold wasn't an option due to hostages and one of them being Rarity's younger sister who'd been brainwashed.
"...Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, raising her head. "I know she's my sister...but if I can reach her, if I can convince her to be back on our side...then that means half the Changelings follow her. Half our enemy becomes our friend...and their number's edge is lessened..."
"...We agree with Miss Belle," Luna said simply.
"Alright, then," Daring Do said. "Princess Sweetie Belle it is...Any of the Changelings who just surrendered and want this whole mess over with know her location?"
Thankfully, one of them did.
MtangaLion
The allied rebel groups traveled to the Royal Retreat together, then camped for the night, making sure that everything was in place before they approached the hive and demanded an audience with Princess Sweetie Belle in the morning.
Princess Zecora stirred the campfire ashes with the strange new magic from her horn, and found herself thinking back to the young purple Alicorn who had claimed to be from another time. "Tell me true... is this pony known to any of you?" She took some powder from a pouch and flung it into the fire, and the flames took the shape of the mare from her memories.
Celestia blinked. "Twilight Sparkle? She was at the wedding of Shining Armor and Cadence, was she not? Just before... the invasion."
"Yes, that's Shiny's younger sister," said Cadence. "He said that she was found stuffed in a cocoon, probably mindless and half-dead of magical exhaustion before the Elements restored her." Cadence frowned, clearly puzzled. "How do you know of her?"
Zecora smiled. "It's a long tale to tell, but I'm glad the Twilight of this world is safe and well."
Celestia exchanged glances with Luna. "I know that shamans are storytellers, but I hope you're not going to keep us in suspense."
Elsewhere in the camp, Sunset Shimmer levitated the Crown of Magic before her, watching the reflections of the fire in the metal. "I don't think my head has stopped spinning since I got this thing. I had to learn that I wasn't worthy in order to become worthy? And turn away from my friends to learn that they *are* my friends? Oh, Celestia, why didn't I *listen* to you?"
Cloudkicker grinned at her hopefully. "Hug?"
"Eh, knock yourself out. Oof!" Sunset blushed. "Just don't knock me out!"
Rara grinned. "I feel *more* myself now. I know it doesn't make any sense... but I do!"
AJ pointed. "Whatcha got there, sugarcube?"
"Oh, this?" Daring Do held up a strangely shaped box with six keyholes. "I found it on the ground, where we used the Elements for the first time." She grinned. "I have kind of a love hate relationship with puzzle boxes."
"Why is my Element a crown, anyway?" mused Sunset. "I'm the last pony who should be in charge of anything. I've done awful things that you don't even know about." She looked over at AJ. "Some of them to another pony... another person, that is, named Applejack, just like you."
AJ lifted a brow. "I don't get it, but Ah believe ya. Maybe ya should go and make it right. Yer the authority on friendship now..."
Sunset smirked. "Ugh, don't you dare call me princess, just because I have this crown. I'm no Alicorn. I don't want to be an Alicorn. We have plenty of Alicorns! But I will make it right. I don't know when I'll have the chance, but the first chance I get..." She stopped, staring at a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, approaching their campfire. "Dash? Rainbow Dash!?"
Rainbow froze in mid-step. "Have we..."
"Excuse us," said Gilda, hopping to her feet and steering the pegasus off to one side. "Dash, I... I've got something to say."
Rainbow Dash blinked. "Oh? Well, I've got something to say to you too!"
"That's great, then! You first."
"Nuh uh, you first!"
"Here it comes," whispered Cloudkicker, grinning from ear to ear. AJ rolled her eyes.
Gilda and Rainbow Dash kept awkwardly avoiding each others eyes for another good ten seconds before they blurted out "I'm sorry!" simultaneously.
Applejack yawned and laid down, wishing she had her hat to shade her eyes. "Ah hope they go someplace else to catch up on old times. Ah'd like ta get some sleep tonight."
Alex Warlorn
"I have to go back eventually."
"Sunset?" Princess Celestia asked.
"As soon as the Changelings are taken care of, I need to go back to the other side of the mirror, I have to. I caused way too much damage to way too many innocent people, and destroyed way too many friendships between others just for my own gain. I can't just pretend they didn't exist or it didn't happen. It's my responsibility."
Celestia nuzzled her. "Welcome back my faithful student."
--
Meanwhile... in both Regent Pitcher Plant and Princess Sweetie Belle's respective strongholds.
Both had just about finished draining the excess love from their immediate circle, and personal guard, leaving their changelings capped off at maximum, and themselves super charged.
Few ponies knew a royal changeling could take in much more love than the average changeling or even Gatherers. And Chrysalis had mutated Pitcher Plant into a royal changeling when she'd done the same with Sweetie Belle so the two would be on equal footing when they sought to claim the throne if Chrysalis herself was no more. She wanted the most cunning and crafty of the two to emerge as the victor.
Neither had the time yet to do so to their rank and file soldiers, there were simply too many, and she had to do them one at a time.
Pitcher Plant had chosen her commander and strongest fighters to drain off the surplus love first and slowly go down the ranks.
Sweetie Belle had chosen her converts. Apple Bloom. Scootaloo. Her parents. Granny Smith. Apple Bloom's near identical cousin Liberty Belle Apple. And her cousins Apple Fritter and Peachy Sweet(who had been at the wedding). Spitfire. Soarin'. Fleetfoot. Wind Rider. Spitfire's mother. Tornado Bolt of course. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Rumble. And a handful of other foals Sweetie Belle had uplifted to changeling hood. Chrysalis felt Sweetie Belle had been getting too greedy and had put a cap on those she could uplift.
Sweetie Belle had proven to be ... rather talented at indoctrination... in ways that would have made Starlight Glimmer green with envy. Like Sweetie Belle, they now believed it was their responsibility to keep ponies happy, safe, and not fighting with each other. Wasn't it so much better now that they were doing the thinking for them? Like trees on a farm, ponies would never fight, never squabble, the changelings would keep their cattle safe from harm.
Something else was on Sweetie Belle's mind at the moment... she'd seen the image of who'd kill Queen Chrysalis in the moment of her death... a final message from the link they shared... one word defined Princess Sweetie Belle's thoughts at the moment, compared to Pitcher Plant who had just accepted her foster mother's death had moved without a tear shed (Chrysalis would have been proud), Sweetie on the other hoof, she thought one thing, REVENGE!
Kendell2
Rarity stood, looking out at the lair of her fallen sister in a mix of dread...and sorrow.
"...Rarity?"
Rarity jumped, turning to find Pane Glimmer trotting up. "Oh, hello, Pane..."
The elderly mare trotted up and set down next to her. "...Thinking about Sweetie?"
The white unicorn pony looked down. "...I...I'm thinking of what to say to her...it's been three years since I've seen her..."
"...What a suggestion?" Pane asked. "I have some experience..."
"...Sure..."
"...From what intel we've been able to gather, and the fact that little filly is STILL doing this despite the mind control being shattered...she thinks she's the good guy..." Pane explained, looking to Rarity. "...You need to show her she's not."
Rarity blinked in confusion. "I'm...not sure I understand..."
"...When someone thinks she's the good guy...when they're THAT convinced they're the hero that they overlook all evidence to the contrary...and when they're so eaten up with revenge as we KNOW she's going to be..." Starlight Glimmer's future self explained, her voice having an air of familiarity. "You need to SHOW them the damage their actions are causing, tear away the veil so far they can't justify it to themselves. Don't just tear it away half way. Not three quarters of the way. ALL the way, then BURN the veil to ash and stomp on it. Otherwise, well, a zealot tends to get MORE extreme the more their worldview is challenged...then ask them one important question."
Rarity got cold chills listening to her voice. She felt a hint of hatred...but not for her or the Changelings. "And what is that?"
Pane Glimmer looked to her. "'Was it really worth it?' Because up until the shroud gets torn away and the cold hard consequences are right there in front of them, they never felt the need to ask themselves. You need to show Sweetie Belle what Chrysalis and her have done, the damage they've caused, and tear away every self deception she's built up. Then ask her if all this was really worth what they THOUGHT they were doing...it's the only way she'll change."
The white unicorn was dumbstruck...then began thinking. "I think I understand...thank you, Pane."
Pane gave a sad smile and nodded. "Glad I could be of some use, Mrs. Belle."
The elderly unicorn got up and started trotting back.
"Pane?"
"Yes Rarity?"
"...It was your little sister, wasn't it?" Rarity asked.
Pane didn't turn. "...Yes..."
"...I hope I can do half as good a job with my sister as you did with yours."
"...I hope you do a better job, Rarity," Pane said, giving a smile and returning to camp.
---
"So you were REALLY Nightmare Moon?" Mina asked Luna.
Luna nodded sorrowfully. "Yes...we allowed our emotions to get the better of us...but we are well now..."
"That is so cool!" Mina said with a small squee.
"Pardon?"
"I love reformed villains! They're so dynamic!"
"...We shall...take that as a compliment."
MtangaLion
Rarity walked with a heavy heart, magically penning a letter as she searched the camp. She found Rainbow snoring on a one-mare cloud mattress and smiled briefly, before nudging her with a hoof.
"Eh, what?" mumbled Rainbow Dash, rubbing her eyes.
"Good, you've had some sleep," said Rarity. She floated the letter over to Dash. "I need our fastest flyer to take this very urgent letter to the Ponyville refugee camp, and then deliver a pony back here, before the negotiation begins."
"Huh? Really?" Rainbow bounced right to her hooves and stepped off the cloud, stretching. "All right! You can count on me!"
Rarity quirked an eyebrow. "I must say, this is a pleasant surprise." She smiled. "You're not exactly a morning pony, after all."
"Yeah, yeah..." said Rainbow, finished limbering up. "I'm just glad somepony remembers that I'm the fastest flier in Equestria. Hmph! All these prettycolt Rangers and Elements of Harmony, stealing my thunder..." She scanned the letter, then read it again, staring, before looking up at Rarity. "Are you *sure*? Getting him involved in this... it's not gonna go over well."
Rarity sighed. "It's not going to go well for any of us, darling, if the changelings regroup and continue the war. "
Rainbow gritted her teeth, then sighed. "I know. It's just... Never mind. Give me the letter." Rainbow saluted Rarity, then took off from the camp, accelerating rapidly...
Inside the Retreat, Scootaloo bowed before Princess Sweetie Belle. "The spies have confirmed it, your highness. The Elements of Harmony are with them."
Sweetie took a sip of royal nectar, seemingly at ease, but the hoof holding the crystal glass shook with anger. "They will not dare to use the Elements against me directly. Let them charge their rainbow of light and blast away! I would only grow stronger, as strong as an Alicorn!"
Apple Bloom floated closer, hovering on buzzing bluish-green wings. "But the rest of us will be too full ta move again, and they've got *four* Alicorns."
Sweetie wanted to hurl the nectar glass across the room, but Chryssy had taught her better than that. "Send the message to Pitcher Plant, requesting... ugh... aid. I will stall for time."
Shortly after dawn, Rainbow Dash returned to the rebel camp with Thunderlane, pulling a flying carriage that had clearly seen better days. They touched down, and immediately got out of their harnesses and moved away, as if they were afraid of their own passenger.
The carriage creaked and rocked as the earth pony stallion stepped out, green eyes narrowing. His steps thumped ominously... he was big and heavy already, without the iron shackles that he wore on all four hooves.
Rarity came galloping, making sure she arrived first. "Big Mac. I wish we were meeting again under better circumstances."
Lyra happened to come along, wondering what the commotion was about... and the sight of Big Mac made her shake like a leaf, dropping all of the supplies she'd been carrying in her magic. "Overseer..." she whimpered. "No, no... Run, it's..."
Applejack lassoed Lyra before she could start a panic in the camp. "You, settle. Shhh, hush now, it's okay, he's not under the mind control any longer..." She took a deep breath, trying to collect herself, and wound up shouting anyway. "Rarity, what the *hay*?! Mah brother does *not* need to suffer any more, reliving all that. Ah have the Element of Honesty... Ah'll stand up to Sweetie Belle and tell it like it is!"
Big Mac gave his sister a silent, hateful stare, then leaned down and bit off a long blade of grass, keeping it in his mouth like he'd always done with a wheat stalk. "Ah hear there's a misbehaving filly who needs some brutally honest truth. Lead the way, Miss Belle."
Clear on the other side of the camp, Cadence shuddered, sinking to the ground.
Celestia looked her way, alarmed. "Niece?!"
Cadence shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just had the most awful feeling..."
Kendell2
"Princess Zecora," said an orange stallion, trotting up to Zecora. "I've got intel that Princess Sweetie Belle is attempting to contact Princess Pitcher Plant for help."
Zecora, who was meditating, nodded. "That is proof all the more, that Sweetie Belle is unsure...I have a plan for that case, let's continue on with a straight face...Are you ready, my friend? On you for something this depends."
The stallion nodded. "Yes...we both are."
---
The next day, the rebellion marched out to meet Sweetie Belle and their forces. Before marching out, Zecora applied fresh anti-Changeling cream to the lot group as a whole to check.
Sweetie Belle looked over the enemy. "Where's Princess Zecora?" she asked with hatred in her tone.
"Our fellow Princess is busy elsewhere, your sister is also out there," said Cadence.
---
Princess Pitcher Plant found her path to meet with her fellow Princess blocked by vines and various monsters of Everfree. Zecora and Fluttershy had been busy.
---
Rarity stepped forwards. "Hello, little sister..."
Applejack and Big Mac stepped forwards as well, looking at their little sister.
The tension was so thick one could cut it with a knife. However...
The orange stallion took a step forwards while a Changeling drone stepped forwards from the Changeling side, much to everypony's confusion.
The stallion took out a hankerchief and wiped the anti-changeling substance from his face and flank to reveal a lightning bolt Cutie Mark.
Scootaloo gave a gasp and began to tremble. "That's...that's..."
Sweetie Belle blinked. "What is it, Scootaloo?"
The Changeling that had marched up to greet the stallion transformed, revealing a light orange mare with a purple mane and tail. Her Cutie Mark was Tiger Beetle.
The two nuzzled...then the Changeling trotted next to the stallion.
"Tiger Beetle, you were a traitor?!" Sweetie Belle asked. "How?! Your fire always matched Scootaloo's!" Her enforcers personal guard were allowed to plead their loyalty specifically to them. It was something Sweetie Belle WANTED and Chrysalis permitted.
Scootaloo, however, fell to her hunches. "M-Mom? D-Dad?"
---
Amicitia blinked. "Is that her parents from our world?"
Mirror shrugged. "Her parents ain't confirmed anywhere as far as most shadows care, kinda up for grabs."
---
"Mom?! Dad?!" was Sweetie Belle's reaction.
Tiger Beetle nodded. "Yes...it's us, Scootaloo..."
"But...but Scootaloo was a PEGASUS!" Applebloom asked in shock.
"But that means..." Cadence said. "If her mother's a Changeling and her father's a pegasus but she's a PEGASUS instead of a hybrid..."
The changelings looked at one another in disbelief.
Scootaloo's father nodded. "Do you all get what THAT means?" he asked, everypony. "...When any other mixed species couple has children, it's like the Princess said: a hybrid! But when a pony and a Changeling reproduce...it can be either/or. And that's something the Queens HID FROM YOU!"
"Who are you to talk?!" shouted a Changeling.
The two looked to Scootaloo. "Because it's why we had to leave you in Cloudsdale, Scootaloo..." said Tiger Beetle.
"W-What?" Scootaloo asked, stunned with tears forming in her eyes.
Tiger Beetle marched over to Applejack and put a hoof on the Element of Honesty. "...Because when Chrysalis learned of our love...she tried to have me killed and your father made a slave...and no matter which you were, you would've been killed to hide this..."
Applejack's Element of Honesty glowed. "...She's telling the truth."
Sweetie Belle snarled. "If Chryssy wanted you gone, then she had good reason!"
Tiger Beetle found a shield around her and her husband from Cadence, blocking an angry attack from Sweetie Belle. "Thank you, Princess..."
"You're welcome...now speak."
Tiger Beetle nodded. "...She DID have a reason. The same reason Cocoon did...To hide the REAL truth...Changelings aren't a different species. They're PONIES!"
"...She's right," said Celestia, stepping forwards. "Tiger Beetle speaks the truth."
"Princess?" asked Daring Do.
"She's...she's lying!" Sweetie Belle said.
"...If I'm lying, explain why you had to turn Scootaloo into a Changeling," Tiger Beetle said. "If she were a hybrid, that wouldn't have been possible, we knew that from hybrids with Griffins that have popped up. Hybrids are already changelings so they can't be converted into them. That was Cocoon's ENTIRE justification for forbidding any interspecies relationships to 'keep the gene pool pure.' Scootaloo HAD to be a Pegasus or it couldn't work."
That caused many changeling's words to die in their throat. They all knew that was truth.
"You...you're lying! It's a trick!" Sweetie Belle yelled, losing her temper. Royal or not, she was still a child.
Cadence stepped forwards and focused, her horn glowing and radiating outward.
Lines formed between ponies. Applejack, Big Mac, Applebloom, and other Apples present got intersecting lines. Sweetie Belle, Rarity, and their relatives showed them. And so on.
Scootaloo got two lines leading from the Changeling directly to her parents.
"These are the bonds of blood. Those ARE her parents," Cadence said with an absolute authority as Concept of Bonds.
Scootaloo broke down. Her indoctrination colliding with so many conflicting emotions she seemed LOST.
"Scootaloo...we love you," her father said. "We just had to leave you or you would've been killed...I'm sorry..."
Rarity slowly stepped forwards. "...Thank you, Mrs. Beetle...I think I can take it from here..."
The fashionista looked her little sister in the eye. "...You think this all is right? That everything Chrysalis said was truth and should be followed through?"
Sweetie Belle growled. "I...Of course I do! Chryssy was my best friend!"
"...Then kill Scootaloo..."
Scootaloo's parents gasped.
Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?"
"Chrysalis wanted Scootaloo dead, it's a changeling law that any child of interspecies parents must be killed," Rarity explained. "Can anyone deny that?"
No changeling spoke a word...it was the truth.
"So if Chrysalis was absolutely right beyond a shadow of a doubt...Scootaloo logically is worthy of death for her blood, isn't she?" Rarity asked.
Sweetie Belle looked like her blood was running cold.
MtangaLion
Deus was *still* humming that catchy tune, and now she'd gotten a half-helmet modeled on some robotic dinosaur, and she was wearing that too.
Nightmare Mirror facehoofed. "Ah'd just like to point out something for the record. Those Everfree Rangers were clearly inspired by the Rangers of the North in Lord of the Rings, or Lord of the Reins or whatever ya want to call it, not by any folks in spandex with combining robots. Furthermore, if you'd put down that manega and read a *book*, ya might notice quite a few similarities between Smoke Ring, Winghoof, and Stone Wall on the one hoof, and Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli on the other."
Deus gasped. "There's a book too? Is Legolas in it?"
"Weep ye all with me," muttered Mirror. She fell back into gazing on the worldline below, uncharacteristically tense.
"You've noticed it too, haven't you?" said Amicitia softly.
"How could Ah not?" said Mirror. "Mah brother down there is *this* close to becoming another me, and..." The Nightmare hung her head. "And Ah don't know whether to steer them away from that or not. They might not *get* their happy ending without this sacrifice. It's *good* that Mac's finally growing up, starting to understand the real truth of the world for himself, and how much it hurts... but Ah don't want him to hurt like Ah hurt! Twi... what do Ah do?"
Amicitia watched the unfolding events with her once/might have been friend, having no good answer...
Kendell2
"Princess Sweetie Belle, don't..." Applebloom startled.
"Applebloom!"
Applebloom cringed, finding Big Mac looming over her.
The rest of the Changeling horde didn't make a move. Their Queen had ordered them to not move until she ordered it, she'd wanted a chance to talk to her sister.
On top of that...Rarity's words had stunned many of them, especially the indoctrinated ones that found this new information didn't fit in too well with their 'programming.
Pane Glimmer and Starlight Glimmer looked to each other and nodded. This was good.
"B-Big Brother?" the little filly asked. She looked scared. Especially by the look in her brother's eye.
"...What do you think you're doing?" Big Mac asked. "Yah know this is a lie!"
"Sweetie Belle's my friend! She's happier this way!"
'Chrysalis' lies,' said Big Mac's own thoughts. Not some outside force, not some evil entity. Merely the part of him that was sick and tired of the lies that'd ate up the world.
"Chrysalis told her that it'd make her happy and she's is a liar and yah know it, Tartarus, she called herself the QUEEN of Lies," Big Mac spat back. "She didn't deny it, so what's the point of arguin'."
"Well Ah'm happier this way!" Applebloom replied. "At least this way no ponies makin' fun of meh!"
'Sweetie Belle lied tah her just like she did tah the lot of 'em'.'
"...No ponies bein' nice tah yah either!" Big Mac replied. no one noticed, but black tendrils began to climb and a little colt with a red tie stood ready with a crown.
|...|
"Sweetie Belle is!" the little changeling enforcer replied. "Everything would be better if the changelings thought for ponies!"
Big Mac growled. "...So yah think Sweet Apple Acres bein' a wasteland is better? Yah think meh and yer Granny bein' brainwashed slaves is better?!"
'Enough of these lies.'
|...|
"Ah just don't want tah be alone!" Applebloom yelled, tears in her compound eyes.
'Those ain't even her eyes! They're just ones that Sweetie talked her inta thinkin' are better! These Changelings are a whole species of liars!'
|...Don't yah remember how it feels tah be alone?|
Big Mac gasped.
|Back when...when yer folks died and Applejack moved out for awhile? When Applebloom was just a new born baby?|
The old stallion blinked, thinking back. '...Eeyup...'
He remembered walking through the Apple Trees...no pony around...but knowing Granny Smith was the far away and AJ wasn't out there working with her...and neither was pa or ma. The days Granny took little Bloom to the doctor and he was all alone to tend to things himself...how big and empty that big farm house felt.
|Applebloom...finally had friends her age...finally had ponies she was on the same page with. And she didn't have yah or AJ there...loneliness is cruel...one of the few things crueler than the truth...|
Big Mac looked down at the little filly...then looked back to Applejack...who was looking at her with a scared face...Almost like she saw something happening he didn't...
The black hands disappeared.
"...Yah didn't want tah lose yer friends...it weren't about Changelings being better, it weren't about ponies shouldn't be thinkin' for themselves...those were just excuses, weren't they?" Big Mac asked. "So yah wouldn't need tah leave yer friends."
Applebloom sobbed.
Big Mac carefully knelt down. A difficult feat for a stallion of his size. "...When Ah was a foolish little boy...Ah had reckless friends...some of which were family...they used tah call meh a party pooper fer bein' cautious...sometimes Ah went along with 'em and regretted it when Granny went and tanned mah hide fer it in the mornin'...but yah know what they said tah meh when Ah was grown up fer those times Ah was a 'kill joy?'"
"...What?"
"...Thank yah....Ah know the real truth is...yah didn't have a choice, Sweetie didn't give yah one...but now yah have one...ain't it time yah made the right one?"
Applejack trotted over next to her brother. "...He's right Applebloom...just ask Rainbow Dash, friends pull friends back in!"
Applebloom looked up at them, still sobbing. "...Do...do yah hate meh fer not bein' an Earth Pony no more?"
Applejack and Big Mac looked to each other.
|What's the REAL truth?|
"...No, we don't..." said Applejack, Big Mac nodded.
Applebloom hugged them.
Scootaloo's parents hugged her.
From a distance, Digger Wasp watched this. "...Princess Sweetie Belle...Permission to go guard the nursery?"
"...G-Granted..."
Digger Wasp nodded...and went to go make sure his sister was safe.
"...Chrysalis would kill Applebloom too now, wouldn't she?" Rarity asked her sister. "For 'betraying' you."
Sweetie Belle took a step back. "She...she wouldn't..."
"Professor Kabuto's group told us that she intended to kill Kabuto the moment he was no longer useful," the fashionista explained. "You put her on a pedestal...why?"
"Because...because she understands me!" Sweetie Belle yelled. "Because...she made the Changelings better! Why isn't she right about this being better for ponies?!"
"...And what did she do to make the Changelings lives better?"
"She gave them NAMES! She saved them from Queen Cocoon's stupidity! She SAVED them!"
"...What was Cocoon doing wrong?"
"EVERYTHING!"
"...So you're saying Chrysalis came to power and improved things for her people?"
"YES!"
Rarity took a deep breath, then looked her sister in the eye. "...Then isn't it your duty as a Queen to do the same? Just because Chrysalis took a step doesn't mean she took ALL the ones needed...for example..."
She pointed to Scootaloo and her reunited family. "Is the law to kill mixed species children right? Is separating mixed species couple right?!"
"..."
Rarity gave her best 'big sister is talking to you' face and voice. "LOOK AT THEM! IS THAT PICTURE WRONG! DOES IT DESERVE DEATH!"
Sweetie Belle looked over to the family...to Scootaloo...to Tiger Beetle and her husband...To the loving family.
Rarity pointed to Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Macintosh. "And is the law saying to kill that filly right?!"
Sweetie Belle looked...Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Macintosh finally reunited.
"..." a tear ran down Sweetie Belle's face. "...No...it's not..."
Rarity looked her in the eyes. Her horn then glowed and, with Trixie's help, projected an image of a ruined Ponyville...of their home ruined and destroyed. Of the ponies reduced to husks. "...Can you say THIS is right?"
Trixie added her own home town's ruin. Her family's condition. Everything.
"Chrysalis helped the Changelings...if she can do that, then doesn't that mean you can help the ponies?"
Sweetie Belle was flat out crying now. "But...but Zecora...Zecora murdered her!"
"...Chrysalis was trying to kill her."
"That...that's..."
"...Of all the many many things I can say about Chrysalis," said Celestia, finally speaking. "The one I CAN'T say, Sweetie Belle...is she was no hypocrite about her chief belief: Chrysalis believed if a lion tried to kill a gazelle and was killed instead...the gazelle wasn't wrong to kill the lion for being a gazelle. Even if you don't believe it, even if I don't agree with her, even if most of this crowd doesn't agree with her...those were Chrysalis' beliefs. As painful as Chrysalis' death may be to you...can you honestly say it's one she thinks is worth avenging? "
Sweetie Belle lowered her head, mane covering her face. Tears pooled on the ground below it. "...Chryssy...Chryssy wanted to die a warrior's death..."
"Did she?" Rarity asked.
"...Yes...she did..."
Sweetie Belle looked up and looked over to Scootaloo's family. "...Tiger Beetle?"
"...Yes?" the Changeling mother replied.
"...How did you and your husband survive so long together without him turning into a husk?"
"...We shared love, your majesty...his with me...and it just...never ran dry..."
Sweetie Belle stood silent for a moment. Everything growing silent. "..."
She turned back to her Changelings. "...Release all the slaves...if it's safe to free the converts in progress...do it...The war's over..."
The Changelings obeyed. Sweetie Belle was their ruler and her word was law.
Sweetie finally turned to her sister. "...I'm sorry..."
Rarity hugged her. "I missed you..."
Sweetie was stunned for a moment...then hugged her sister back. "I missed you too big sister..."
Luna and Celestia merely gave each other a sisterly nuzzle.
MtangaLion
"Sis? Can we talk?"
Applejack glanced over and noticed that Big Mac had moved a ways off from the crowd, now that the discussion had moved on to Pitcher Plant, and giving official Equestrian backing to Sweetie Belle to insure that Pitcher did not become queen. AJ smiled, joining him. "Ah hope ya know you can always talk to me, big brother."
Big Mac nodded, slowly. "Ah'm ashamed ta say it... but when Ah got here, Ah was so full o' hate... Ah couldn't wait to tell that Sweetie Belle about all the things Ah did as the Overseer. How Ah worked some ponies half to death, and t-tortured others of them, and..." The big stallion shuddered. "Ah wanted ta break her in two, only with mah words instead of mah hooves, and there was somethin' awful sick and twisted in me that just couldn't wait to do it..."
Applejack had her mouth hanging open. "Oh Celestia, Mac. If Ah'd known... Well, why didn't ya? What changed your mind?"
He shook his head. "Ah don't rightly know. Ah think... it was when Ah looked Apple Bloom in the eyes, and Ah knew Ah still loved her, that she was still our little sister, no matter what." He turned his head, watching the changeling fillies. "Mind you, Ah ain't never gonna forget what happened, and Ah sure ain't gonna lie about it ta nopony. When Ah was under Chrysalis's power, Ah didn't have any choice. Now Ah do, and Ah'm not gonna hurt anypony else, ever again if Ah can help it. That ain't what the truth is for... Am Ah making any sense, sis?"
A flash of light drew Applejack's attention... the Element of Honesty around her neck was shining bright, casting its orange glow over both of them. "Well, this sure says ya do!"
Big Mac stared at the choker, nudging it with a huge hoof... then suddenly yelping, as if it had given him a static shock. The glow raced up his foreleg and circled his body, and suddenly there were two Elements of Honesty... AJ's choker, and a medallion on a golden chain around Big Mac's neck, complete with an orange gem carved in the shape of his half-apple cutie mark.
Big Mac shook his legs, one by one, and the heavy changeling-made shackles fell right off, as if they'd never been locked. "Well, Ah'll be danged..."
Nightmare Mirror stared at that scene for a long time, her expression unreadable. "Amicitia, when we're done here, do you think... we could go and see Fauna Luster together? Ah'm tired o' hurting... Mighty, awful tired..."
Alex Warlorn
Amicitia surprisingly looked uncertain. "But... you said the multi-verse needs a Nightmare Mirror, the one Nightmare with a place in universe... doesn't that mean that a NEW Nightmare Mirror will just appear to take your place?"