The Infestation of Canterlot High School

by Bonster

Twenty Three - See

Twenty Three - See

All principal Celestia ever wanted was a normal life. After the accident that killed her parents and psychologically scarred her sister, such a thing seemed impossibly out of reach. Fast forward twenty years later to when they were just starting to stabilize as co-principals of some crappy high school, and then suddenly literal, honest-to-god magic comes to throw her life back into turmoil. She concluded that the universe hated her—she didn’t ask to save the world. She didn’t ask for the ability to guide the Sun through the heavens. And he especially didn’t ask for magical flowy hair.

“Wow, it’s so soft!”

“This is positively dazzling! Oh, how I wish my hair could do such a thing!”

“I’m uncomfortable,” Celestia said.

“Oh, come on, Celly,” Luna teased, running her fingers through Celestia’s hair. “Have you even felt it yet?”

Celestia grumbled under her breath and looked away.

“This is just what we needed!” Sunset said excitedly, absentmindedly petting Celestia’s locks with one hoof. “It’s possible that you inherited some of Celestia’s powers with this!”

“Why would she inherit her own powers?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “She means th’ other Celestia, Pinkie.”

Celestia looked even more uncomfortable than before. “W-what kind of powers are we talking about?”

Sunset shrugged. “Powers of the Sun, whatever that is. Celestia didn’t really do too much fighting in front of me. Or at all. But if I had to guess… fireballs, divine light, energy emissions, that sort of thing.”

“Right.” Celestia took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Is she right? Am I going to get… magic?

All shall be revealed in due time, my host.

You know, that really doesn’t help much. What if I accidentally, I don’t know, light someone on fire? Isn’t it important to know your own strength and stuff?

Fear is but an internal enemy. Conquer it, and you shall improve in both mind and body.

That’s not helpful either! There’s already like a zero percent chance I’ll be able to do this! Would you at least tell me something?

Confidence weighs as heavily as power. You must learn to believe in yourself, Celestia, and you shall never do so if I tell you which steps to take at every turn.

Oh, forget it.

When Celestia returned her focus to the real world, Chrysalis had her arms crossed, and was tapping her foot lightly with impatience.

“So what’s the plan?” she asked curtly.

Sunset sighed wearily. “I’m working on it.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “That’s reassuring.”

Sweetie Drops elbowed her in the side, doing her best to smile wide enough for the both of them. “I’m sure we’ll be able to come up with something. We’re not in a rush, are we?”

“Maybe…” Fluttershy blushed and looked away. “I was kinda planning on following Sunset’s lead…”

All of Sunset’s friends nodded along with Fluttershy and mumbled their agreements.

Velvet swore her hair was getting grayer by the minute. “I don’t see how we’re going to be able to form a plan if we don’t even know what’s going on…”

Chrysalis nodded. “The lady’s right. We need information.”

Heads gravitated to Sunset, who began to sweat.

“I mean, I can try something, but divination was never my strong suit. I’m more of a battlemage, you know?”

Zecora cleared her throat. “If across the country you wish to see, then I suggest you come with me.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You? No offense, but what would a zebra know about divination magic?”

“I do not possess magic, it’s true; but there is little one can’t accomplish with an shaman’s brew.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. “You’re one of the shaman?”

Zecora smiled knowingly, turned, and began to walk out of the castle.

“I’ll tell you what I learn when I get back!” Sunset shouted as she raced after the zebra.

Shortly after that, the group broke up, some to explore the castle, some to grab a bite to eat, some to try to find the bathrooms. Amidst the chaos, Chrysalis slithered her way over to Twilight.

“Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight jumped. “Oh! Uh, hi, Chrysalis. Did you… need something?”

“Just information.”

“Well, I can try. I don’t know all too much about this world, but—”

“No, not about Equestria. About something you’re an expert on.” She reached out a charcoal finger towards the locket, but Twilight jerked it back defensively. Chrysalis frowned.

“Sorry,” Twilight said sharply, “but I’d really appreciate it if you’d not touch it.”

Chrysalis threw her hands up in surrender. “Of course.” She lowered her arms back down and laced her fingers behind her back, leaning ever so slightly forward. “But this technology is revolutionary. You must understand that sharing it with me would save countless lives.”

“Really?”

“Obviously,” she snorted. “I work for the government. Your school isn’t the first place magic has showed up in our world, and it sure as hell won’t be the last. This technology—stealing, containing, using magic—my boss would give his goddamn left arm for that.”

Celestia stepped up next to Chrysalis. “You have a boss? Bet you’re his favorite employee, huh?”

“It’s nothing more than a title. He knows he has very little power over me. I’m his best agent; can't afford to lose me.”

“What’s going on here?” Velvet asked, entering the circle. She looked at Twilight, and narrowed her eyes at Chrysalis.

“She wants me to tell her about how the locket works,” Twilight answered.

Velvet’s eyes narrowed. “Does she now?”

“Look, it’s a matter of national security. Your daughter’s inventions are what our branch has been looking for for decades!”

Velvet pointed a finger at Chrysalis. “I see what’s going on here. You’re trying to steal her designs!”

Twilight gasped. “That’s—these aren’t patented yet!”

Chrysalis expression went from shock to anger in a split second. “That’s not what I was doing. I was going to go about it perfectly legally.”

Celestia’s smile was, fittingly, a lot like the Sun—warm from a distance, but if you looked closely, searing. “I’m sure that’s all you were doing, Chrysalis, but don’t you think it’d be best to at least wait until we’re back on Earth to pressure Twilight?”

Chrysalis threw her hands up in the air. “Fine! Paint me as the bad guy all you like! It’s not like I have your fucking safety in mind or anything!” She turned on her heel and took a few steps away, mumbling under her breath. “God, just ‘cause we share the same name…”

Celestia let out a huff as Chrysalis walked away. “Hah, good riddance. She’s the worst.”

“Are you sure you weren’t being too harsh on her?” Twilight asked.

“Trust me, she wasn’t,” Velvet said. She turned to Celestia. “So, you’re going to be fighting now, right?”

“I guess, yeah.” Celestia looked briefly over her shoulder at her flowing hair. “I mean, if I have the ability to make a difference, it’s my responsibility to. I think. Even if I don’t really want to. I don’t know, I’m still a bit confused. This is all happening so fast, you know?”

Velvet laughed. It was empty. “I know what you mean. But I think you’re right about the whole responsibility part.”

“You know,” Twilight said, “I can’t help but feel like that philosophy might apply to someone else in this conversation.”

Velvet looked at Twilight for a good while before responding. “I suppose… I suppose you’re right. I don’t like it, but… what right do I have to stop you if you can help?” Her eyes floated around the room. “I’m just so worried.”

“We’re all worried, Velvet,” Celestia said. “All of us.”

---

The remaining ponies, along with Twilight, had settled down in one of the less-austere rooms; this one actually had a carpet and a few pillows, and a handy chandelier that Rarity had managed to light. Not two minutes later, Lyra had marched in, Bon Bon in tow, and had said in a vaguely threatening tone that whatever they were talking about had better be more interesting than working out finances and tax deductions (she had shot Bon Bon an annoyed glare at that point, but had only gotten a brusque ‘you’ll thank me when you’re a struggling artist’).

“We weren’t really talkin’ ‘bout nothin’,” Applejack admitted.

“But we’d be pleasured for you to join us,” Rarity added quickly, as graceful as ever.

“So, Bon Bon,” Rainbow began, staving off the impending awkward silence, “tell us how you became a secret agent.”

“It’s not that complicated, really. My parents worked in this same branch, and were close to Chrysalis. They died in the field—the agency wasn’t allowed to divulge the details to anyone on the outside, so to avoid complications, Chrysalis basically erased ‘Sweetie Drops’ from the public.”

“That sounds horrible,” Fluttershy said.

“Not at all! It was much better than the alternative. Chrysalis was doing me a favor in her own way. She hired me for more than what she reasonably should have, accelerated my training… distracted me from my grieving.” She smirked at Lyra. “Plus, there were some nice career benefits down the line.”

Pinkie raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying Chrysalis… cared for you?”

Bon Bon laughed. “As I said, in her own way. She’s crass and horribly apathetic, but, well, it’s easier to kill people if you tell yourself you don’t care about anybody.” She laughed again, and Lyra mouthed ‘She’s joking. Sort of.’ in response to the concerned glances. “Behind that prickly skin, though, is a heart in the right place.”

“Now I feel kinda bad that she was yelled at,” Twilight said.

Sweetie waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but chances are she should’ve known better.”

“Moving on,” Lyra said, “what’s it like being a horse?”

“Um… It’s not that bad, I suppose…”

“It’s FUN!”

“Somewhere between really cool and just kinda strange.”

“Yes, well, I think I’ll pass next time.”

“Downright unsettlin’.”

“Did the walking come naturally to you?” Twilight asked.

The groans were enough of an answer for her.

“You would not believe the pain I had to go through,” Rarity lamented. “And it didn’t help that these ruffians were always crashing into me.”

“Learning running should’ve been a shortcut to learning walking!” Rainbow protested.

“The, uh, hoof patterns for walking, trotting, cantering, and galloping are all completely different,” Fluttershy explained. “Learning one doesn’t help with the rest.”

“Plus you two weren’t even doing it right,” Pinkie said happily. “You were just kinda throwing yourselves all over the place.”

“I guess I can’t blame ‘em,” Lyra admitted. “I don’t think I’d do very well as a horse.”

Rarity tapped her chin with a hoof. “We did actually meet you as a pony, come to think of it.”

“Really?”

“Yup,” Applejack said. “Both a you. Y’all are nearly the same, ‘cept they were adults.”

“And I’m, like, ninety percent sure those two were fucking,” Pinkie said.

Bon Bon turned an impressive shade of red.

“Pinkie! No!” Fluttershy chastised.

Lyra smirked. “And who says we aren’t?”

Bon Bon blushed harder. “We’re not. She’s joking. We do not have sex.”

“What’s this about sex?”

Everything went dead quiet as the eight of them turned to Luna, who was leaning in the door frame.

“Um,” Twilight said.

Rarity coughed. “Why, vice principal Luna! Whatever brings you here?”

“Celestia wanted an adult watching. Dunno why, it’s not like you’ve saved the world a dozen times.” Luna moved from the door and joined the loose circle on the floor. She examined their guilty faces. “We’re not in school. There’s no reason to be so uptight. Talk about sex all you want.”

Rainbow Dash blinked.

“Professionalism?” Sweetie offered weakly.

“Screw professionalism. I’m not gonna put on my principal mask when half of you are ponies and I just moved the goddamn Moon.” She froze for a second. “But don’t tell Celestia. I’d never hear the end of it.”

“The Sun and Moon thing was pretty impressive,” Fluttershy said.

Rainbow Dash perked up. “Oh! Do you have any sweet powers?”

Luna scowled. “No. Who though the Moon would be such an ass?”

“Excuse me?” Lyra said.

Luna’s face contorted in exasperation as she let loose. “Well, for starters, it wouldn’t even tell me what I could do, and then it was like, ‘oh, yeah, and you don’t get to use any of the powers in the day, or for selfish reasons, or if I just kinda feel like not letting you’, which is just stupid and frustrating, and… ugh.”

“Surely those rules are in place for a reason,” Rarity said, almost like she was asking.

“I guess? But when there’s a good chance we’re all gonna die within the week, it’d be really nice to have some more concrete hope. All we’ve got is wishy-washy-maybe-sometimes hope.”

“You really think we’ll lose?” Fluttershy asked. “That’s not a very healthy outlook to take.”

“One, I’m not very healthy in general. Two, the odds aren’t looking too pretty. And trust me, I would know—I have a lot of experience losing.”

There was silence for a while.

“Is Celestia okay?” Twilight asked. “She looked pretty freaked out by the Sun thing. I know what it’s like to suddenly have a lot of power—I-I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. But is she alright?”

Luna gave Twilight a long look. “You girls should know something about people like my sister me. And Chrysalis, too, though she denies it.” Luna blew out a breath. “People like us… we never have been, never will be, and never are alright.”

---

Sunset entered Zecora’s hut with no small amount of trepidation. She couldn’t help it—all those wooden faces looked like they were watching her.

Zecora snatched a few potions off the shelves, and a few minutes later, she approached Sunset with a corked vial.

“This potion shall assist you in your divination, yet I’m afraid it has a limitation. Without alicorn magic to make it, it shall only give you visions most basic.”

“That should be fine,” Sunset said, taking the concoction in her telekinesis. “I’m not planning on looking into the past or anything crazy.”

Sunset downed the liquid, and her vision flashed white.

Chrysalis was flying with a small force of changelings, and though she was standing still, Sunset moved along with them, imperceptible. They were heading to Canterlot, by the looks of it.

“But, your majesty, I thought you had slain them all!”

“Not these three,” Chrysalis snarled. “These three escaped. Well, they were banished to another dimension, but it’s the same thing when you get down to it.”

Sunset sucked in a breath. They’d better not be talking about what she thought they were talking about.

“Will they be a threat to the mission?”

“That’s what I plan to figure out.”

Eventually, they arrived at Canterlot. Chrysalis flew closer to the castle while the rest of the changelings waited a ways back; they didn’t drop their guard, though. Three figures promptly rose from the palace to meet them—two of them stayed back, mimicking the changelings, while the middle one swam through the air to meet Chrysalis.

Sunset sucked in a breath. Shit. When had they escaped Earth? When had they gotten their magic back? Sunset’s brain whirred as she attempted to weave the Sirens into her work-in-progress battle plan. They weren’t fitting very nicely.

“Oh, hello, Chrysalis! Congratulations on the promotion. Have you gained some new holes, or is it just me?”

“Cut the pleasantries, Adagio,” Chrysalis said flatly. “What do you want?”

“What I want? I want revenge on these worthless ponies for what Starswirl and their new little Princess did. And you’re going to help me, whether you like it or not!”

“Now, now, Adagio,” Chrysalis said with faux sweetness, “there’s no need for hostility. Our races had far too much of that a thousand years ago.”

“So you did kill them, then? All the muses of Oratorio?”

“What do you care of it? They exiled you, left you for dead. And, they were spreading negativity, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for love. Their feeding left us famished! It was a matter of survival, Adagio—my mother was too stupid to see it, but that’s what got her killed in the end.

“But you and your sisters… I’ve always admired your ambition. Banished from your home for being, what, too reckless? Bah! Marcato was a coward, afraid of any being with more power than him. You and your sisters were a threat, so out you go! Yet, what did you three do? You gave Equestria the biggest scare it would ever see until the Era of Friendship! If it weren’t for Starswirl and that fancy little horn of his, Equestria would be a very different place today. So, kudos!”

Adagio was unfazed by the speech. “What’s your point? We don’t have all day.”

“You can’t control me, Adagio—I meddle in mind control, too, and you can’t enchant an enchantress. But my children are not as powerful; you have already stolen many of them. I’ll be the first to admit that a war between us would end in your favor—you aren’t a pushover like the rest of your race was, and I just finished an invasion; I’m not at my full power. But I’ve killed many sirens in the past, and you wouldn’t win without sacrifice. So here’s my proposition: we stay out of each other’s way.”

“And we should believe you, why? You are renowned for your subterfuge, Chrysalis.”

“And that is why I brought an offering I think you shall find most enticing.” Chrysalis’s horn flared, and six fireballs erupted into being. When the fires dissipated, six bound and unconscious ponies floated between the two leaders, supported by Chrysalis’s magic. “I give you the instruments of your latest downfall, the Elements of Harmony, as a sign of my trustworthiness.”

“NO!” screamed Sunset, but she was powerless in the vision.

Adagio grinned wickedly. “You’re right, that is enticing. But one more gift: you let us keep the changelings we’ve already gathered. After all, one can always do with some reinforcements.”

Chrysalis grit her teeth, but complied. “If I must.” She then smiled. “Well, have fun with these six. I hope they don’t cause you too much trouble,” she said with a wink.

Adagio had some of her changeling army levitate the hostages as she and her sisters flew away. Once they were gone, Chrysalis began to flap away.

“Oh, and whichever one of you pesky humans is watching me right now, you should know better than to think I don’t have any protection against divination. Now, I’m not a monster—I make a point not to kill anypony. But sirens, on the other hand… Well, let’s just say you might want to act fast.”

With that, Chrysalis’s horn flashed, and everything went fuzzy.

Sunset woke back up with a start. “Oh, we are so screwed.”