The Half Changeling: Isabella's story

by Sdlghskjvnkj

To Tidy Up A Cottage

The trio didn't get much done. They tried to clean some of the rooms, but they were all so deathly tired from the hike that day, that before long, they had all returned to the living room and collapsed on their respective "beds", passing out the moment their heads hit their pillows.

Isabella's dreams were strange that night. Shapes swam about her in a misty haze as she walked through was seemed to be an old abandoned city. The buildings seemed to tower over her and the darkness of the alleys almost seemed to try to consume her very being. This place gave her chills, but it wasn't the appearance of the place that sent rivulets of fear through her spine. It was the fact that she was starting to recognize where she was. She was walking through the empty streets of Canterlot.

Everything was the way she remembered it. Shops, apartment complexes, cafes, and even old market carts were all in their proper places, but no pony was around to occupy them, plus the entire place was a dull and lifeless gray. It wasn't right, and something else frightened her more. She could feel eyes on her. From where, she did not know, but she was constantly looking around herself, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was watching her.

After walking for what felt like hours, Isabella harrumphed and dropped her flank heavily on the ground. It was hopeless. The entire city was lifeless and gray and the feeling she was being watched was steadily getting worse. This must be what hell was like.

Once more Isabella sighed. Then she turned, and screamed.

"And when I turned around, There was this dark blue mare with a mane like the night sky standing inches away from me, staring dead into my eyes." finished Isabella, as she, Big Macintosh, and Tentra were fixing up the kitchen.

"Dark blue mare with the night in her mane?" asked Big Macintosh as he put the now clean dishes they used for breakfast away.

"Well, that's one way to put it, but yes. Her mane was long, flowing, a deep shade of blue and looked like there were stars twinkling in it." said Isabella as she and Tentra wiped down the table.

"Sounds like you ran into Princess Luna." said Big Macintosh as he shut the cupboards quietly.

Isabella stopped wiping the table and looked over at Big Macintosh.

"Who?" she asked. She had only ever heard of Princess Celestia, the supposed ruler of Equestria.

"Princess Luna. She's Princess Celestia's younger sister. She rules the night while Celestia rules the day. Though why she would appear in yer dreams if you don't even know who she is, is beyond me." explained Big Macintosh, shrugging with the last words he spoke.

"Isn't that physically impossible?"

Isabella and Big Macintosh looked at Tentra, surprised by her sudden input, as she hadn't said hardly anything all morning.

"Isn't what impossible?" asked Big Macintosh.

"Well, the mind isn't able to build the mental image of someone if they've never seen them. For example, If I had never met you, Big Macintosh, my mind wouldn't be able to construct the image of you in my dreams." explained Tentra.

Isabella and Big Macintosh both nodded slowly as they comprehended what she meant.

"So, how in the name of Chrysalis can you imagine a princess you've never seen or even heard of?" finished Tentra, directing the question at Isabella.

Isabella shrugged. "How should I know? I was never interested in Dream Reading. It was just some weird nightmare I had."

"Alright ladies, it's time to get to work. No pony has been up here for quite some time, so we better get to cleaning. Come on." said Big Macintosh as he clapped his hooves together and led them out of the kitchen.

"We've got more than enough information from this lot. Lets just go and kill her already." whispered Roderick to Chrysalis.

The two were huddled in a corner of the local Ponyville tavern, speaking in hushed tones far from the rest of the occupants.

"It may have eluded your tiny brain, but we don't know where they are yet! All we have is a general idea!" hissed Chrysalis, sticking her nose in his face, causing some of her spittle to spatter his face.

Roderick wiped his face and rolled his eyes.

"Okay. Fine. Then how do you propose we find out? The old apple mare isn't much use. She always wanders off on some different tangent, like how her trees are or something else just as ridiculous."

"We'll have to ask around the town. She was bound to have been seen at least once. And if three foals can remember her that well, I'm sure any pony can."

"Then who do we start with?" asked Roderick, glancing about.

"The males of course. Your kind are always so eager to notice some new juicy flank, I'm sure she caught somepony's eye. She is my daughter after all."

Roderick snickered and received a back hoof to the side of the face as Chrysalis stalked out of the small, noisy tavern.

Several minutes later found the two wondering about the town, their search reinstated.

"You there! Stallion!" called Chrysalis to a random passerby.

He stopped and looked at the pair of ponies approaching him, his expression queer.

"We're looking for some pony. Can you help us?"

"Oh, well that depends of who you're looking for?" said the pony, tossing his mane slightly.

Chrysalis and Roderick looked at each other. Something seemed slightly off about this stallion.

"Well, The pony we're looking for is purest white, with deep blue mane and tail, and violent green eyes. Do you recognize this description?"

"Hm, that sounds like it could be the herb seller, but he has blue eyes. Maybe the latte boy? No, his coat is light grey. Maybe...."

Chrysalis cut the stallion off.

"We're looking for a mare, not a stallion. Do you know any by that description that is a mare?"

"Huh?" the stallion tossed his mane again. This time both Roderick and Chrysalis could tell what was different about this stallion. He walked with his hips, tossed his mane and flicked his tail constantly, and it looked like he had had a hoofacure recently. Not to mention it seemed like he was wearing slight traces of makeup.

He was homosexual.

"Oh no. I don't pay much attention to the mares around here, except Applejack. She's the most alluring one I've ever seen. (mane toss) But, no. I'm sorry, I don't know where your friend is. Bye now."

The stallion finished by flicking his tail slightly and then flouncing off, his hips swaying with each step.

Roderick and Chrysalis watched him walk away, their mouths agape and their faces masks of confusion.

"Well, I guess there's a first for everything, but now that we have that out of the way, maybe we can find a stallion that has interests in mares instead." scoffed Roderick as he shook himself back to reality.

Chrysalis followed suit, shaking her head and trotting after Roderick as he began to walk towards another small group of what looked like construction ponies.

"Greetings my fine fellows!" called Roderick as he got closer.

"Howdy." Called one of the construction workers, giving him a wave.

A few of the others did the same, but most of them were spell bound by the sight of Chrysalis, as she sauntered up to them, standing next to Roderick.

"Are you gentlemen from here?" asked Roderick looking at them all in turn.

Some of the stallions nodded as others shook their heads, their eyes still on Chrysalis.

Roderick nudged Chrysalis. The stallions weren't paying attention to him at all, so it would be best if she continued ask the questions.

"We need to know if any of you have seen a mare of certain description." said Chrysalis, looking at each of the stallions in turn. "Her coat was white as snow and her mane and tail are a long, dark deep blue, like that of the night sky. Her eyes are violently green and seem to burn. Do any of you remember a mare like this?"

Each stallion seemed to lose themselves in their thoughts, scratching their chins and their heads. It was several minutes before anypony actually spoke up.

"Few days ago."

Chrysalis and Roderick looked around. The stallion that had spoken up was standing near the back.

"A few days ago what?" asked Chrysalis, her eyebrows raising quickly.

"Well, I think just the other day, there was this really big ruckus in the middle of town. What I remember was this. It was a normal day here, nothing much going on, when what looked like a fight between two local ponies and four foreigners broke out."

"What did the locals look like?" asked Chrysalis.

"Well, one of them was definitely Old Granny Smith's gran son, Big Macintosh; Big guy, but really quiet. Now I really didn't recognize the mare. But I guessed she was local. She looked like you said but yeah. So there was this big ole fight, two of the foreigners ended up dead, then those six famous ponies, the ones that made that crazy dragon guy back into stone, showed up and chained up the lady. Last I saw, Miss Rarity was taking care of her."

Roderick and Chrysalis glanced at each other.

"Where does this 'Rarity' woman live." asked Roderick

Ever single stallion pointed off to the south in unison.

"Either this 'Rarity' is very well known or she's my kind of woman." said Roderick with a chuckle as he and Chrysalis made their way.

"Could you think with your brain rather than your penis? I don't need you making unsubtle advances and making her clam up. I'd rather not have to find another source of information. I've spent enough time in this pathetic town to last me an eternity." growled Chrysalis.

Roderick laughed, but Chrysalis stayed stony as they approached the Carousel Boutique.

Chrysalis pushed the door open and a small bell chimed overhead.

"Coming!" came a bright, high landish voice from down the stair case.

Roderick and Chrysalis looked around the room, and try as they might, they could not help but to be awed.

The colors were slightly girly, but it wasn't poorly designed. There were curtains cutting off different work areas and probably hiding unfinished or unreleased projects. There were more mannequins scattered about the store than either of them could count, and almost every one of them had an article of clothing on it. Even the wood work and the walls could not escape the fabulousness that struck the entire store.

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and manifique!"

Both Chrysalis and Roderick snapped back to themselves to find a young mare with a gorgeous violet mane and tail, shimmering blue eyes, and a shining white coat standing in front of them, beaming at them.

Roderick cleared his throat, but Chrysalis cut across him before he could utter a syllable.

"Hello. We're looking for some one." she said, pushing Roderick back a few feet with one of her back legs.

"Oh." said the now crestfallen mare. "Well, I'll see if I can help. Who is it?"

"Her name is Isabella. We've been told you had her here."

The unicorn some how managed to get even whiter and her eyes got wide as she took several steps back.

"It... it's you." she stammered.

"Yes, it is me." confirmed Chrysalis, letting herself shift back to her normal form, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

"You know this mare?" asked Roderick as they both advanced on her.

"Yes. She was at the wedding." said Chrysalis.

"Oh yes, I remember now. One of the bride's maids." smirked Roderick as they backed the unicorn into a corner.

"Now, my dear. You're going to tell us what we need to know." growled Chrysalis.

Isabella, Big Macintosh, and Tentra had been working nearly all day long and the cottage was almost completely clean. The living room was comfortable rather than stuffy. It was possible to cook in the kitchen, and the bed rooms were now available for use.

"Whew. Glad that's over." said Tentra as she slumped on one of the couches.

"We're actually only about half way through." corrected Big Macintosh as he and Isabella settled on the other couch.

"What?!" Tentra spouted in surprise.

"Sure the inside looks nice, but we gotta fix the outside and take care of the area surrounding it." said Big Macintosh rolling his hoof about in the air.

"Well, we sure aren't going to do that tonight. We're all too tired, and you need to rest your ankle." said Isabella, poking Big Macintosh on the nose as she said the last part.

Mimicking a child's voice, Big Macintosh said "But ah don't wanna."

Isabella, un-amused glared into his eyes.

Big Macintosh huffed and said "Alright. Ah won't do anything for the rest of the day."

"Good. Now Tentra. I'm not much of a cook. I'll need your help."

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?" asked Isabella.

Both she and Tentra were standing in the once clean kitchen. There were ingredients all over the place and they were looking into a bowl of something they had thrown together. What ever it was, it looked appalling but didn't smell too bad.

"I think neither of us has a clue as to what we just made." said Tentra looking back at Isabella.

"Well, we might as well try it." sighed Isabella as she grabbed a spoon.

"Can't do anything for the rest of the day." mutter Big Macintosh, crossing his hooves. He winced as he accidentally squeezed his bad ankle to much, sending a searing pain up his arm.

It had been nearly half an hour since the girls had gone into the kitchen, and the smell of whatever they were making was getting Big Macintosh hungrier and hungrier.

Finally, Isabella and Tentra stepped out, pushing a large tray into the room.

"We figured if you're not supposed to use your ankle, we'd all eat in here tonight." said Tentra as she helped Isabella put the strange looking food onto three different plates.

Big Macintosh looked at what they gave him, then looked back up at them.

"This is what ya'll were making?" he asked.

"Yeah. To be honest, we have no idea how we made it." said Isabella shrugging.

"Is it.... safe?" asked Big Macintosh, poking it with his hoof slightly.

Both Isabella burst out laughing, falling to the ground and rolling about until they had tears in their eyes.

After the strange, but hearty meal, the three sat in a half sleep, letting their minds wander.

Soon, Isabella was dozing again.

It was unnerving how quickly she recognized Canterlot this time. It was empty and lifeless again, but this time it was worse. Several of the buildings looked like they had taken battle damage and some were all together destroyed. What had happened here?

The feeling of eyes watching her started growing again, but this time, she didn't panic. She sat down and wait as the sensation grew stronger and stronger, until finally, it stopped.

Isabella took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then turned around.

It was still kind of creepy to turn around and see the midnight blue mare right behind her, but knowing who she was made it a little less so.

Princess Luna said nothing, but stood as if waiting. So Isabella spoke.

"Greetings, Princess Luna."

Princess Luna appeared shocked for a moment.

"How dost thou know my name? You are not one of my people." stated Princess Luna.

"A friend told me who you were after I described you to them. Remember last time? When you scared the living daylights out of me?"

"We do apologize. The realm of dreams is a difficult place to approach somepony." said Princess Luna, blushing sheepishly.

"How have you managed to time your sleep schedule to the same as mine?" asked Isabella, rather puzzled.

"We don't sleep now. We are truly in the dream realm." said Princess Luna as she gestured all around them.

"So, when you say that, do you mean to say your entire being is here? Like, you're physically in the dream world?"

"Yes. My sister sent me here to help her with her magic."

Isabella's eyebrows raised. "What magic?"

Luna blushed for a moment. "We were not supposed to tell anyone. We do not even know thy name."

"Oh, I'm Isabella."

She didn't find it necessary or prudent to tell Luna what she was. Not just yet.

"Greetings Isabella. We are Princess Luna. Ruler of the night."

Isabella nodded and bowed slightly.

"So what magic are you helping your sister with? It sounds important."

Luna looked at Isabella for a moment, unsure of her, but the fact that she had been alone in the dream realm for so long must have been getting to her.

"We are attempting to heal our world."

"Heal? What damaged it?"

Again, Luna blushed.

"My violent return began the process. But when Discord returned, it made it even worse, but what finally drove My sister and I to leave Canterlot and work on healing our world was when Chrysalis attacked. Her violence and the massive amount of love that Princess Cadence and Shining Armor produced caused horrible damage to our world."

"Wait. How can something so good as love cause damage to our world?"

"Have thou never heard the term 'To much of a good thing'?"

"Uh, yeah I guess." Isabella shrugged.

"With our world in such a weakened state as it was, the incredible amount of violence that Chrysalis created, plus the force of the love those two made was too much and something in our world snapped and it has slowly started to decay."

"But that doesn't make sense." Isabella interjected. "We've seen no decay and things haven't been going wrong. Not really any way."

"It was not the physical world that was being effected. Just look around you." Luna gestured around at the ruined city they stood in. "This is what will happen to all the dream realm. And the physical world will be effected by this sooner rather than later."

"Why's that?"

"The dream world is a reflection of the physical world, and when one is effected...."

"They're both effected." Isabella finished for her.

Fluttershy was sitting in her living room tending to a mouse that had hurt it's tail.

"Know remember; be careful around other mice with that tail and don't let any one play with it. It needs time to heal."

Suddenly, there was a loud knocking on her door, scaring her half to death and making her jump almost through her ceiling into the next floor.

The knocking was still going when she got enough courage to try and open it, though the time between each knock had grown considerably.

As she opened it, she looked down and scream in horror.

There was Rarity, bloody, bruised and looking like a complete mess (which, for Rarity, was highly unusual) on her front porch, beating on her door.

"Oh my goodness! Angel Bunny! Please watch over Rarity! I have to get the girls!"

Fluttershy dragged Rarity inside and then disappeared out the door, leaving Angel standing over Rarity, a disgruntled look on his face.

"...and she was just lying there. Someone hurt her really bad."

Rarity's eyes fluttered slightly as she regained consciousness. She was laying in Fluttershy's bed, surrounded by her friends. Applejack was dabbing her forehead with a cold rag and Angel was seemed to be trying to spoon feed her some kind of soup.

She sat up, accidentally knocking the spoon out of Angle's hand and pushing Applejack's rag away.

"We Have to find them!" she said, her eyes wide with panic.

"We know Rarity. The mayor has people searching for any suspicious ponies in town." Twilight said, putting a hoof on her shoulder and attempting to push her down gently, but Rarity rolled her eyes.

"You don't understand! The ones that did this to me are the ones searching for Isabella!"

Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash looked at each other with concern. Twilight and Applejack glanced at each other then back at Rarity.

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! They told me and one of them was Chrysalis! She changed right before my eyes!" Rarity huffed as she slumped back in the bed.

"Well, do you know where Big Macintosh and Isabella are?" asked Twilight. They all knew Rarity had let her go, it wasn't something she even denied.

Rarity hung her head. "Yes. Big Macintosh told we just before they left."

"And you told Chrysalis where they are." Concluded Twilight with a sigh.

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~" said Pinkie, her face deflating into a frown.

"Well girls. Looks like we got some old fashioned plot kickin' to do." said Applejack standing up and knocking her hooves together.

"What about Rarity? We can't just leave her like this?" said Fluttershy.

"I'm fine. I'm ready to pay those two back what they gave me, in full!" Rarity said as she pushed herself out of the bed and tossed her mane.

"Then it's settled. Lets go girls!" Yelled Rainbow Dash as she shot out of the door, followed closely by the other five.

"So all the things causing disharmony in Equestria have been tearing the fabric of our universe apart, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are trying to stop it." Finished Isabella.

It was early morning, and the three sat around the table, a small cup of lavender tea sat in front of each of them.

Big Macintosh looked confused but Tentra was thinking.

"But if our world really is tearing itself apart, how come we haven't seen it yet?" Tentra asked fluttering her wings slightly.

"Luna says that she and Celestia have managed to keep most of the rending in the dream realm, but it's falling apart quickly. I'm afraid they'll have some serious problems if they can't find a solution soon." Isabella slumped in her seat.

"Kinda explains the nightmares." muttered Big Macintosh.

"Nightmares?" the girls asked, perplexed.

"Yeah. Every night, I have at least one nightmare. Usually of Ponyville. It's destroyed."

"Me too. But not of Ponyville. I see the hive burning." said Tentra sitting on the edge of her seat now.

"I have the same thing. Me and Luna always meet in the remains of Canterlot."

"Sounds like what ever this is spreading a lot faster than we would have hoped, if it's reached all the way to the hive." said Isabella.

The implication of their world being destroyed made them all very quiet.

After several long moments, there was a heavy knock on the door.

Isabella looked at Big Macintosh in alarm. Could Chrysalis and Roderick some how found them?

Big Macintosh motioned for them to hide as he stepped quietly toward the door. He peeked through the curtains covering a window closest to the door as Tentra and Isabella hid behind the couch.

They sat silently behind the couch for several long seconds.

Suddenly,Big Macintosh popped back over the back of the couch, making them both scream like little fillies.

"Come on out you two. You'll not believe who just showed up." He said, a huge smile on his face.

Isabella stepped out from behind the couch but lost vision to a voluminous amount of shining violet mane, and felt her ribs creak under the stress of the hug that Rarity was giving her.

"Oh my darling, I'm so glad you two are safe. I was so worried. Of course I never doubted you but you can understand a girl's worry. How have you two been? Is everything alright?"

Rarity probably would have kept going but Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder and said "Rarity, let her go. She's turning blue."

Isabella sucked in a huge breath of air as Rarity let her go.

As Isabella caught her breath as the others looked around at the house.

"Wow." Twilight said in surprise. "You two really did a nice job."

"We didn't do it alone." Isabella said, rubbing her ribs as she and Big Macintosh stepped over to the couch.

Tentra slowly stood up and stepped out from behind the couch, making all the others, besides Rarity (who's hair stood on end, but in an eternal attempt to be polite stayed still), back a away quickly.

"You're on their side?" Applejack asked her brother, shock and hurt on apparent on her face.

Isabella and Big Macintosh glanced at each other in alarm.

"No, no! She's my half sister. She was banished from the swarm so it's more of her being on our side." said Isabella as she put a hoof around Tentra.

"Okay, you know, a half changeling is something, but a full breed one is a completely different story." said Twilight, stepping forward, a frown upon her lips. "What if Chrysalis takes control of her or something?"

Isabella and Tentra looked at each other, both with looks of exasperation on their faces. Finally Isabella sighed.

"Tentra, could you please give my uneducated friends a run down of the swarm basics?"

"With pleasure." She said as she stepped up on the couch.

After several minutes and a full out lecture which left Twilight in awe (She was used to being the one giving the lectures), Tentra finished and stepped down from the couch. The room was quiet for a minute or two, then Pinkie Pie spoke up.

"If she makes you guys from eggs, how did she make Isabella?"

"Irrelevant!" shouted every one in the room, other than Pinkie Pie herself.

Pinkie frowned deeply as Isabella approached Twilight.

"I know what my people did, and I can understand your miss trust of me and my sister, but we don't have any interest in Chrysalis'es ideas of conquest."

"Still kinda hard to believe you when you were a 'professional thief' and basically ran Canterlot from the underground." Twilight said, still very skeptical.

Isabella face-hoofed and sighed.

"Look, If I wanted any of that now, do you really think I'd still be here? The only place I belong is here. It's the only place I've ever been happy. The only place I could be free." she looked at Big Macintosh as she finished.

Twilight thought about that for a minute, then shrugged.

"Okay, maybe you are on our team but I don't trust to you not run off on us if this get bad."

Isabella was about to offer a rebuttal when there was a sharp knock on the door.

"Speaking of which." Said Applejack as they all locked their eyes on the door, the only thing separating them from whom ever was outside.

Comments

[Octaviafan]

First!

[Crystal Static]

The lack of completion just pisses me off...

[SFaccountant]

Not ONLY did they leave Rarity alive, but they even squandered their lead badly enough that the Elements of Harmony made it to the cabin before them?
Roderick, I take it back. You're D-list. You are the anchor around Chrysalis' neck.
And now all the heroes have been alerted and are fully prepared to kick changeling ass. Really, this could not have gone any worse for Chrysalis. After screwing up so badly, the hive will probably need Isabelle to step into the power vacuum.