How To Reform Your Changeling

by Forces of Darkness

No-Good Bug

It was just a normal day when Princess Twilight Sparkle, returning from a visit to Sugarcube Corner, was attacked by changelings.

And I had almost made it home without anything weird happening, too, she thought in annoyance as she froze them all in place with her magic and continued walking. It was only about five changelings, all undisguised. After she had walked about ten steps, she summoned a rope, and without turning around, tied them up.

Despite the ease with which she had completed the fight, she still breathed a sigh of relief when she returned home and saw Starlight Glimmer waiting for her. At least, until Starlight exclaimed, "Twilight Sparkle! Long time no see! And you're a Princess now, as well..."

"Cut it out, Chrysalis," Twilight snapped, firing a bolt of magic at the imposter.

Chrysalis hissed in displeasure, and acid-green flames flared around her as she dropped her disguise. She dodged the magical bullet with ease and returned with one of her own. Twilight instinctively threw up a shield, preparing for green flames to melt her into the ground or something-

Nothing.

The Queen of the Changelings was encased in a block of a transparent substance, and Starlight Glimmer stood with her horn pointed at the attacker, ready to cast another spell if Chrysalis even twitched.

"Twilight? Is that really you? This bug attacked me a few minutes ago, except she looked like you but as a plain unicorn. She locked me in the library and I only just managed to escape-"

"It's alright, Starlight. She took your form and was waiting for me when I got home. Thank you for your help, by the way."

"No problem. Um, what is she?"

"A changeling queen - think of her as the Celestia of the changelings, shapeshifting creatures that feed of the love of ponies."

Chrysalis made a noise that might have been an amused snort.

At that moment, the door crashed open, and Twilight's friends all came rushing in. They all stopped at the sight of Chrysalis.

Rainbow Dash was the first to find her voice. "What is she doing here?"

Twilight merely shook her head. "There's more outside, tied up."

"Oh no. You mean that poor group of ponies we found tied up outside your castle?"

"What- oh, Fluttershy. You released them, didn't you?"

The yellow mare's eyes brimmed with tears. "I thought they were a helpless group of ponies! I was just trying to be nice..."

"They'll be long gone by now," a raspy voice spoke up, and all the ponies whipped around to stare at Chrysalis.

"What? They were only intended as a minor distraction so I could assume the guise of this one," she indicated Starlight, "and prepare for Miss Perfect Princess Twilight Sparkle over here. The second you turned your back, they were to escape by any means necessary and return to the hive."

Twilight stared in shock. It seemed like a good enough plan, if you didn't count the fact the Chrysalis was significantly weaker than the last time she had faced Twilight. Come to think of it... Twilight glanced over the changeling and was not surprised to find that she was painfully thin and her wings drooped.

"So what should we do about her?" Rarity asked.

"Write Princess Celestia and have her put in the dungeon," suggested Applejack.

"We could ship her to the Crystal Empire and have Shining Armor and Cadance blast her with love again!" Rainbow shouted eagerly.

Chrysalis smiled. "I would survive. We always have."

Twilight matched her smile. "I know! I am, after all, the Princess of Friendship. And what better way to prove it than to reform this no-good bug over here?" Her friends stared. "Oh, come on! We reformed Discord!"

"Fluttershy reformed Discord," Rarity informed her blankly.

"Of course! So she can do it again!"

The yellow mare shook her head and murmured softly, "It's different. Twilight, you're one of my best friends, but please don't make me do this."

"How is it different?" Twilight asked in frustration, but she didn't push. She turned to her other friends. "Rarity?"

The white unicorn shook her head as well. "Sorry, darling, but I've got a little sister to think of. I simply can't do it."

"Well, I have to teach Starlight, I don't have the time to- fine. Rainbow? Pinkie?"

Both shook their heads. Twilight turned to Applejack.

"Ah know yer gonna ask me, Twi, and Ah have a little sister to think of too. But Ah'll do it."

Twilight's wings perked up. "You'll do it? Really?"

"Ah can't stand a liar, and what's a bigger liar than a shapeshifting bug-pony? Ah'll do it."

Chrysalis merely stood there and smiled. "And what makes you think I have to do what any of you say?"

"The fact that I have restricted your magic and will only release it when Applejack says you are trustworthy enough for me to release it," Twilight responded calmly, levitating a magic-restricting ring around Chrysalis' horn. Chrysalis shifted into the form of Twilight and smirked at her, then tried to teleport away.

Nothing happened. Defeated, she resumed her normal form.

"Your shapeshifting abilities are intact, but any magic aside from that is prohibited. And," Twilight summoned a length of rope and tied it around Chrysalis' body, "you can't fly. This is what happens when you try to cross the Princess of Friendship."

"And I'm sure there's always the reformation spell if this fails," Rainbow added slyly. "Believe me, you won't like it."

Chrysalis glared at them all, but seeing as she had little other choice, she nodded.

"Alrighty then. C'mon, Chryssie, let's go home."

She muttered under her breath at "Chryssie," but followed Applejack obediently back to Sweet Apple Acres.

...

Granny Smith had a fit when Applejack and the changeling arrived in the house, but grudgingly accepted it when Applejack said it was an order from Princess Twilight. Big Macintosh said an angry "Eenope," and went outside to buck some apples. Apple Bloom regarded the strange creature with a mixture of fright and fascination until she was sent to bed.

Author's Note:

What is Chrysalis' plan in all this? Will she really allow herself to be reformed? Or is it all part of a twisted plot for her to take over Equestria?

Who knows? I don't....

Comments

[Razzy]

My guess is she is desperate, judging by the shape she's in.

Talk about a rapid start, but I didn't see any errors and everyone seemed in character.

Go Chryssie go!

[Putainnn]

That was a quick start! Nice! Upvote and fave