Garble landed outside the Spire Hive, glaring at the ponies as they got off. “Now, just so we’re clear, I have no idea who any of you are. Got it?”
“Crystal.” Rarity muttered. Pinkie nodded vigorously and Rainbow Dash just sighed. Applejack was still shaking from being up in the air so long. Garble took off towards Spire Hive, hoping never to see the four mares again.
“Welp…” Applejack managed to say. “Let’s get in this here hive…”
Rarity trotted on ahead. “Follow me, I’ve visited a few times before. Best way to the Central Spire is from the west.”
As they approached the hive, Applejack couldn’t shake the feeling of ominousness - the structures of the Hive were mostly composed of tall greenish-black spires that shot high into the sky, with the central one being much larger than the others. She could see black shapes flying around the various spires, both dragons and what she presumed were changelings in pegasi form.
Once they arrived at the outer edge of the city, Applejack realized that the changelings were actually in default form here - black exoskeletons, blue eyes, and small green wings. Most paid the mares no mind, though a few glanced their direction and waved just like any townspeople would.
Except these townspeople are changelings… Applejack found herself thinking. She didn’t trust any of these no-good hiding non-ponies. After all, they used to be nothing more than spies and fakers that stole the love from anypony they could - regardless of consequences. The changeling wars may not have occurred within her lifetime, but her parents had told her of the changeling wars…
Rarity pointed with a hoof. “Oh look, it’s the royal manticore, Garula!”
Sure enough, right in their path was a giant lion-scorpion creature on a leash that was being led by a blue unicorn.
“OH HEEEEEY!” The unicorn said, dropping the leash and running to Rarity. “RARITY! Ohmygosh I haven’t seen you in ages!”
Rarity smiled. “Oh Minuette, it’s been too long. How’ve you been?”
“Great!” Minuette grinned. “I’ve gotten Garula to learn a new trick! Garula! Do the spin thing!”
The manticore grunted, before jumping in the air and landing on its back. Minuette squee’d. “So adorable!”
Rarity blinked. “Uh… yes of course dear.”
Minuette turned to look at the four mares. “Hey… what brings you and your new friends to Spire Hive anyway?”
“I need to discuss something of great importance with the Queen - the Crystals are in danger!”
“Oh?” Minuette said, smile faltering slightly. “Well come in, Mom’ll see you right away. Not that you’d need some world-threatening disaster to see her anyway.”
“I know dear.”
“Wait…” Applejack said. “Queen Chrysalis is your mother?”
Minuette grinned. “You are looking at Princess Minuette of the Hive, pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “So… you’re a changeling?”
“Oh goodness me no.” Minuette giggled. “Mom adopted me. I’m a unicorn, no fancy shape-changing shows for you, sorry. You can probably ask for some of those in the tavern after the meeting if you want.”
“Shape-changing shows? When can I sign up?!?” Pinkie yelled.
“I like you already!” Minuette said. “Who are you?”
“I’m Pinkie Pie! Best party pony, and probably an alien!”
“Woah that sounds totally cool!”
Applejack and Rarity facehooved. “Minuette dear, she just has amnesia. The whole alien thing is just her imagination getting away from her. These other mares are Applejack and Captain Rainbow Dash.”
Minuette blinked. “Captain Rainbow Dash… the name sounds familiar…” She looked closely into Rainbow’s eyes.
“Uh…” Rainbow Dash blinked. “Nope. You’ve never heard of me. Just an ordinary sailing captain here. Nothing unusual. Definitely not a pirate.”
Rarity facehooved. To her surprise, Minuette laughed. “You are a horrible liar Rainbow Dash.”
“Crap…”
“Don’t worry, you have Rarity vouching for you, I doubt Mom’ll throw you in the dungeon since you’re her friend.” Minuette pondered this for a moment. “Unless you stole one of her ancient artifacts…”
Minuette grinned wider as the group approached the Central Spire. “Welcome one and all to the tallest building on the planet! The abode of Queen Chrysalis herself! Examine the black architecture and the green windows, and the blue window of my room, right over there! And as we open these giant double doors, take a moment to look in awe at the grand hall’s great magical torches, and the dozens of changeling guards left and right, and-“
A deep, reverberating voice rang through the halls. “Minuette, are you overdoing it again?”
Minuette yelped at the voice. She smiled sheepishly as she turned to look at the throne. “Maaaaaaybe…?”
The black coated green-eyed alicorn with buglike wings smirked from her position on the throne. “By all means, you do not need to announce everything to them. They can see everything on their own.” She cocked her head. “Princess Rarity? Why are you here?”
Rarity cleared her throat. “Queen Chrysalis, we come to you with a matter of great importance. The Wind Crystal has shattered.” A bunch of gasps came from the changeling guards, but Chrysalis herself didn’t react with any surprise. The Queen just sighed, as if she’d been hoping that wasn’t true.
Rarity continued. “As we found the remnants of the Crystal within the Wind Shrine, the four of us were tasked by the Crystals and Queen Luna to protect the sources of our world. We are simply here to make sure that nothing here threatens the Water Crystal.”
“…Four of you?” Chrysalis asked. “I only see three besides Minuette.”
The three mares looked around, confused. Applejack groaned. “Pinkie, where in tarnation have you gotten off to?”
~~~
Pinkie had found a basement staircase that just had to be investigated - because what hero doesn’t investigate mysterious unguarded staircases?
She had passed by the dungeons a few minutes ago - boy those were booooooring - and now she was simply poking around the basement. The entire place felt oddly familiar to her, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it.
She trotted down a random hallway in the Spire. Suddenly, her entire body started twitching. Pinkie frowned, sniffing the air as she twitched. It felt… colder here. She narrowed her eyes, looking closely at the seemingly featureless wall.
By accident, she stepped on a pressure plate, revealing a door that led even further into the earth. Frigid air seeped out of the new opening, causing Pinkie to violently shiver.
She grinned. “Secret dungeon time!” She yelped, charging right through the door. She made two boxing gloves appear out of nowhere and she put them on her front hooves. Continuing down the path on her hind hooves, she was ready for anything.
Anything, that is, except for the vicious creature known as the Jackanapes…
The first she knew of it’s existence was a slight itching sensation in her left eyeball, followed quickly by a flash of grey and red to her right side. She whirled around, ready to punch the creature in the face - but there was nothing there.
She blinked. “Huh.” She turned around and began to trek further down - when something hit her from behind. The sharp edges of a limb dug into her, making her yelp out in pain. She leapt onto the ceiling just in time to see the creature run away faster than she thought was possible - she barely got a glimpse of it.
“Oh. So you’re one of those enemies are you?” She said, patching her injury up with a quick potion. “Well, two can play at that game…” She used her ‘tricks’ to their utmost advantage - hide behind one barrel, appear suddenly behind another crate. Feel the Jackanapes coming with her left eyeball itch, jump onto the ceiling where it couldn’t attack her unawares. Cast wind magic whenever possible to keep them down. Wherever the Jackanapes was, it wasn’t going to get her.
She descended further and further into the Spire, the air getting colder and colder. She avoided the Jackanapes seven more times before she finally arrived at the bottom floor. Here, the temperature was far below zero, and ice was beginning to form on Pinkie’s mane - but the water was still somehow liquid. In the center of the room a flashing icy-blue light stood, beckoning.
Pinkie leapt over to it, waving her hoof. “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! And you are?”
The light spoke. “I am Shiva, Being of Ice. Pink mare, have you come seeking my power?”
“You bet I have! I didn’t dodge that Jackanapes for hours for nothing!”
“…How did you know that was the creatures’ name?”
“Never mind that, I want your power. Gimme.”
Shiva laughed. “Wow, you’re greedy. Nope, not how this works. You have to prove to me your strength.”
The white light took the form of an unusual figure - the being had two long slender legs, and two hands. There was almost no hair of any kind of the body save for an icy-blue mane atop the head. The upright figure smirked with their snout-less face. The body shape was decidedly female. “Now, at this point I’ve been down here so long I’m looking for any excuse to get out of this dump, but rules are rules. Sorry.”
“No prob, I can beat you!” Pinkie boxed Shiva across the room with her gloves. “Pinkie - one!”
Shiva sat up, rubbing her cheek. “That.. that was pretty good.”
“Does that mean you’ll come with me now?”
Shiva sighed. “I wish. You have to do more than that, unfortunately. And I have to actually fight back.” She raised her fingers, blasting Pinkie with ice spells. Pinkie took them head on, smirking.
“Right back at ya!” She yelled, sending identical beams of ice right back at the shiny being.
Shiva sighed. “Nice trick, but I completely absorb all ice-related attacks. Unfair, I know, but it’s still my thing-“
Pinkie blasted Shiva against the wall with a blast of air, followed by a wave of her hoof that blinded the icy woman. Shiva blinked. “Wow. I can’t see. At all.”
“You aren’t very good at this are you?” Pinkie commented.
“Shut up! Just because no-one has made it past the Jackanapes for three centuries does not mean i’m rusty!”
“Uh, yeah it kinda does.” Pinkie pointed out.
Shiva sighed. “Ugh… Just take some more ice damage.”
Pinkie shook her head, suddenly standing behind Shiva. “Sorry, not happening.” Once more, Shiva was launched across the room, hitting a wall hard.
“Okay… Um… This is annoying…”
Pinkie frowned. “I thought you wanted to loose so you could come out with me…?”
“Well yes!” Shiva said. “But I am supposed to be a bit of a challenge to - watch out!”
Pinkie leapt into the air as the Jackanapes charged her - missing by a hair’s width. In the new open room, Pinkie could see the thing clearly - it was grey skinned, had two useless red wings, a giant bulging eye, and was ridiculously fast.
It charged Pinkie again, only to find itself impacting a wall of jello.
“…Where did that come from?” Shiva asked.
“Alien superpowers!”
“Ah.” Shiva said, as if that explained everything. “Well, that’s that.” She snapped her hands, freezing the Jackanapes in ice. “My essence is now yours to call upon.”
“Cool!” Pinkie said. “Wait, how do I call upon you?”
Shiva blinked. “Drat. I don’t know.” She transformed into icy-colored dust and began to swirl around Pinkie. “I hope you figure it out, because otherwise I’m going to just be stuck inside you forever… At least it’s better than this place…”
Then Shiva was gone, leaving only Pinkie and the frozen Jackanapes in the room. Pinkie shrugged.
She was sure she’d figure it out eventually.
~~~
“I have the Water Tower guarded 24/7.” Chrysalis stated. “And my best scientists ensure me that the extraction machine is not weakening the crystal to the point of shattering - nothing is getting in.”
Rarity frowned. “But something is after the Crystals…”
“And you can be rest assured that I will do whatever is in my power to protect the Water Crystal - you can go see to the Fire and Earth Crystals while you leave the Water in my care.” Chrysalis sighed. “Though, if it turns out that the machine is damaging the Crystal… I will turn it off.”
Minuette gasped. “But…”
“I know. It provides the nourishment my people need. Without it we will be forced to steal love from ponies once more…”
Applejack frowned. “What? You’d be forced to?”
Chrysalis looked at the earth pony. “You do not understand changelings do you? Changelings need large sources of positive emotion or they starve to death. The Water Crystal itself has been gracious enough to bless us with its positive waters - waters that keep us from needing to infiltrate other kingdoms for our food. Before we tapped into the Water Crystal, we were unable to provide the positive emotion ourselves - we had to send out spies and scouts. Which caused more than a few wars, as I’m sure you’ve heard.”
Applejack frowned. “I always heard that it was you folks invading…”
“Perhaps in the case of the third Solamane war…” Chrysalis said. “But every other war was reactive - Celestia and Luna took our scouts as a sign of aggression. Which, in a way, it was - but it was not one we could avoid.”
Applejack grunted, still not all that convinced.
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Well, I suppose we could still go look at the Water Crystal right? It might tell Rarity here something specific since she’s the Spirit of Water or something.”
Chrysalis nodded. “That would be best - come, we shall-“
Suddenly, everyone heard a deafening boom and felt the earth shake.
“My word!” Rarity said. “What was that?”
Applejack ran to a window and looked outside - she saw smoke rising in the distance. “That, Rarity, was a meteor.”
Chrysalis’ eyes widened. “I am sorry, we must put this on hold for now - I must go investigate this development. I can take care of this myself - I recommend you head towards the Water Tower to see what the Water Crystal can do for you. Come Minuette, let us investigate this rock from beyond.”
“SO COOL!” Minuette said, galloping after her.
Chrysalis ran into Pinkie just as they were leaving. Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “You look familiar…”
Pinkie shrugged. “Well I have amnesia do I don’t remember, sorry. Hope to catch you later Queenie! Maybe we can share cupcakes?”
Chrysalis considered taking offense to this, but decided against it. She gathered some of her best drones and dragons to go investigate the meteor.
“Hi gals!” Pinkie said, trotting up to them. “What did I miss?”
Applejack and Rarity facehooved.