• Published 11th Oct 2016
  • 1,054 Views, 11 Comments

When a changeling gets a bright idea - Rarity Belle



It's usually a good idea to run. But when that changeling sets her sights on the most powerful magic in all of Equestria, things can turn interesting. With a changeling on the loose, anypony can be anypony. And anything, any thing.

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Chapter 17

The sun once again shone through the windows of her bedroom. Twilight woke up like any other day, tickled by the rays. She was quicker than ever out of her bed though, since that day she would lay the verdict on Chara the changeling. How she could have slept like a rose that very night was a question beyond anypony. Yet the alicorn rushed to the bathroom to prepare herself. Even though she was going to the dungeon of her castle, it was important that she looked the part of a princess.

Breakfast would be served to her soon afterward and Spike stood in the kitchen, looking over Twilight with a set of curious eyes. He couldn’t really believe what Twilight was about to do, but there was a first for everything. “Are you sure about this?” he asked of her with concerned tone.

There was no more delaying the inevitable. Chara was already at the brink of dying, but maybe Twilight could have helped her. It was already strange to see a female changeling, but maybe because they both shared that same sex, it was the perfect opportunity. Long shots it all were, but Twilight was sure about it. “Sure as I’ll ever be,” she replied.

Spike nodded and continued to eat his breakfast, while Twilight left the kitchen for what it was. Doubts had filled her mind of course, but she also knew that it was time to be the judge. Her hooves brought her all the way through the castle, eventually ending up by the staircase that would have brought her down. It was then, or it would have been never. The alicorn had to go downstairs one last time. She had hoped that Chara had made up her mind.

~~~~

The changeling heard the hoofsteps again approaching and she rose up. She appeared worse than before in the light of the arcane torches. The red flow that wasn’t going through her had drained her. She was still fed thanks to Twilight. But she had aged a lot faster, some of her chitin armor had already been letting loose of her body. She was shredding her skin in a horrifying manner.

It wasn’t much later when Twilight stood before her cell again and the changeling only swiveled her head to the princess. “Come to see me breathe my last breath, princess?” Chara taunted her. She was curious to see what the reaction of the princess would have been when faced with a challenge that held no right answers. “You ponies have always been the same, time’s change but the minds of you lot never do.”

Twilight was horrified to see Chara like that. The slime that connected the armor to the body was just gruesome. The entire sight of the changeling looked like something out of a grimdark tale. Twilight had to gulp once or twice, to not throw up her breakfast. “You look, worse, than when I last saw you, have you been eating and drinking well?”

Chara huffed and stood up, her belly-plate letting loose in the process. The changeling approached the bars and just pressed her face against them. There was no more power left within her body. The creature was at the verge of death and knew that. What sense did it make if she could continue to live, to torment herself in such a manner? She couldn’t change, her red flow was nowhere to be found, her armor was letting loose and she was given actual pony food. It was a pure torment. Twilight, was a cruel mistress indeed.

That very same alicorn had another gander at the being, but the time of emotions just wasn’t there. The time of decisions had fallen upon them. Chara would either die fast or die slowly. Which was the lesser of two evils provided? Even Twilight didn’t knew what to do in the matter. “I hope that you have had more than enough time to think about the matters here, Chara. Your life is depending on it, as you very well know. What’s your decision?”

The changeling tore her face away from the bars, not even granting the princess the looks of sadness that she felt. It was strange though, the closer that Chara had come to complete her goal, the more emotions she had felt. And now, when she was at the verge of death itself, she felt sadness. She felt, alive. For the first time in her entire life, she felt that she was alive.

Twilight must have never come to know that though. The changeling’s entire body turned away and the decision was valued once more. At one end had she wanted to die in that hole, as it seemed only fitting. On the other end, there was just much left of the world that she could see. And maybe Twilight would grant her some form of mercy. It was all a matter of opinion though. The changeling took a couple of weak steps away from the bars, trying to growl and gurgle, but only let out hoarse noises. She was nearing the end of her life. She was ready to embrace what came next.

“Chara, it’s important that you talk to me now, if you don’t speak, there’s probably nothing that I can do. If you want to keep on living, tell me what you need and I might be able to get it for you. But if you want to die, well... Then there’s nothing I can give you, but the time you need for it.”

Did she just show compassion for both decisions? Chara couldn’t tell the difference anymore. It felt strange to be at the mercy of a princess like that. And yet, it wasn’t like a queen that reigned over her. Chara was genuinely surprised that the princess of friendship wanted to help her, even in her most disastrous moment. Maybe, there was something else to the friendships she tried to demolish? The changeling dropped to the ground and shifted her body to face Twilight. If she were to die, she could at least told the princess her story. She could at least tell her, more.

And Twilight would have listened with open ears when the first words began to roll through the dungeon. From the hatching of her egg, to the banishment of her hive, to her adventures through Equestria, eventually ending up with rumors and a single thought. And the rest, was history.

~~~~

Hearing out the entire story, Twilight was at a genuine loss for words. She didn’t knew what to tell the changeling when it was her time to speak. She paced up and down the space in front of the cell. She was followed by the haunting, blood crimson eyes of Chara. They were almost depleted of their bright color. She didn’t knew what to say, was she going to congratulate the changeling? Was she going to punish the creature even more than that she already had done? So many thoughts crossed through the mind. Maybe, she could have taken the middle road.

After all, sometimes was keeping a being alive a greater punishment than killing it.

Which was exactly what Twilight wanted to do with Chara. The deeds couldn’t go unpunished and death would have made the changeling win the battle that had been raging on. Twilight took a deep inhale, stood tall before the cell and glanced deep in the begging eyes of the changeling. Was it true that the closer a changeling stood to death, the more emotions it began to feel itself? A farfetched thought that would be researched at one point or another.

“Chara, Chara, Chara,” started Twilight with a difficult voice, “I don’t know what to do with you, honestly.” She sounded defeated, but also found a new strength somewhere in her mind. “I’m not sure whether to congratulate you on your ingenuity of what you did, or to punish you for it. Maybe, I’m supposed to do both, because what you did was risky and you almost succeeded.”

The changeling wanted to say a word of thanks though decided to remain silent for the most part. She wasn’t in the mood to even speak to Twilight at all. She was only awaiting the punishment that she would receive. Whatever punishment that would have been to begin with. A dry exhale left her mouth, her weak eyes glancing back.

“But I can’t let these deeds go unpunished and letting you die, is not something that I wish for myself. I gave you a choice, but that choice you made was one unclear. You couldn’t decide whether or not you wanted to live or die, so I’m going to make that choice for you. Chara, you’re going to keep on living, as that is a much greater punishment than the sweet release of the afterlife. You tried to break up the elements of harmony in such a manner unseen before. Others should take note what happens to beings that even tried to make such a thing.” That was dark, even for Twilight.

Chara let out a weak growl, tried to rise back on her hooves and confront Twilight about the decision. “So,” she began with a hatred filled voice, “you’re going to make me an example for all of the others? Hmpf, should’ve cut my head off and placed it on a pike!”

“Now that’s just gruesome...”

“Better than keeping a starving, near dead changeling alive!” Chara growled in return.

Twilight closed her eyes for the moment, unsure of how to react to those very same words. But her judgement would remain no matter what. Even though Chara wanted to die, Twilight wanted to use her for studies about the species. Of course she wanted to use the creature for something along those line! But would it have been worth it?

“Having doubts now, princess?” Chara taunted again. She wanted to see if she could get some red flow out of the princess, to at least postpone her demise a little bit longer. A wishful thought it was indeed, since the alicorn wasn’t that open for suggestions at the moment.

“I’m always having second thoughts. The matter is never as black or white as you changelings make it out to be. No, the matter that’s troubling my mind is something I cannot dare to live with. But on the other end, it’s going to be your punishment.”

Chara turned back to face the bars. She pressed her face once more against the stone cold crystals it was made of. “So go right ahead, do what you have to do and punish me for what I’ve done to you and your, friends.” That last word was tough to speak since Chara never had friends of her own. Only ponies with whom she was acquainted. Personal relationships were never a good thing, not for a changeling.

Yet the words of the creature did it for Twilight. She nodded powerful to herself and would have spoken the words she wanted to speak. “So it be then, Chara. From this day onward, you shall become the test subject on changeling metabolism. This is non-negotiable. This, is your punishment for the plan that you hatched. This is how it’s going to be, until the far end of your days.”

The changeling’s eyes squinted a bit. “So you’re going to keep me here, hidden like some sort of secret pet of yours, living my life while you feed me, and see how I react to it? You’re a truly harsh mistress underneath that furry coat of yours.”

The stare between the alicorn and the changeling was broken when Twilight turned away. Those words, about her being a harsh mistress, ached a lot more than they should have. Not that it mattered too much in the moment. Twilight was done with the changeling. She just wanted to see her gone for the time being.

The sheer hatred that she gained for the changeling was released in the air, unknown to the alicorn. But the changeling began to smell the sweet, sweet scent of hatred. The red flow had come again and it was enough to keep her alive a bit longer. Even though Chara didn’t wanted to do it, she had begun to filter the air and taken the substance to herself. It was impossible to overcome her true nature and being. She was a red eyed changeling after all, captured by the hooves of Twilight Sparkle who would use her as a subject of study.

How far the mighty had fallen in just a few short hours. She had almost succeeded in her plan of madness, succeed where so many others had failed previously. Everything should have been perfect, but nothing ever was. Chara let out a deep sigh afterward, Twilight turned back around.

Without a word would Twilight leave the dungeon and the changeling dropped back down to the ground. Chara buzzed her wings only slight, letting the sounds echo through the entire place.

~~~~

Twilight laid on her bed when Spike came in. He knew that she was troubled and the dragon wanted to know if there was anything he could have done to help her. The mare had told him everything of what had happened in the dungeon and he was just speechless. Not only was Chara kept alive, she also would become a subject of study.

How could somepony have even replied to that? Spike wasn’t so sure on the matter but made the decision to not speak a word. It was Twilight’s judgement and he couldn’t change that fact at all. He only nodded and snuggled closer against her, hoping that it would lighten up her spirit just a little bit. The chance was slim, but it was there.

He felt the wing covering his body soon afterward and the two began to snuggle a bit closer. Whatever would have happened with Chare in the dungeon, Twilight was sure that she had made the right decision for the being. It would be kept alive, given a home of some sort and the land of Equestria would get to know more about the rare pheromone that was the red-eyed changeling.

If all matters were only that simple, because there would always a be a trapdoor either left or right. Twilight didn’t knew whether she had made the right decision and the words continued to gnaw at her consciousness. But for the moment, it felt like she had made the right decision.

Her horn charged up just a little bit. She would be casting a spell that she hadn’t done in a long, long time. All of the negativity that she had collected over these past few days, and took it out of her body. Moments later she held an orb of red before her eyes and nodded to herself. Twilight always had been a mare who could be easily irritated and the red flow that she could give off, must have been enough to feed Chara. It was a long shot, but one just long enough that the changeling might survive the ordeal.

~~~~

Having finally returned to their house in Ponyville, both Octavia and Vinyl had a silent face-off with each other. The two stood there, looking at each other with the front door in the middle. The time that they had spent away from each other was good, but there was nothing that felt better than seeing the other mare again.

A smile came on the lips from the both of them. While Octavia had been visiting family, Vinyl had spent most of her time looking into the matter. Fortunately for her, Noteworthy was honest about his relation with Octavia. Which was pretty much nonexistent other than being just friends.

The two hugged each other and nuzzled their noses together in silence. Everything just seemed to be back in the way that it should have been. Which was just the way how they liked it.

~~~~

Chara had both tried and failed. Her plan to break the Elements of Harmony and ride the biggest high of red flow in her life was never going to happen. All of the quarrels that she had caused in Ponyville were resolved and the six friends would continue to remain friends. The changeling felt defeated and without purpose, cursing the fact that she had ever left Dodge Junction at all.

But that was how the story played out for her. Defeated and imprisoned, only to be used as a lab pet by Twilight. Whatever came next, was a thing she wouldn’t have dared to think about. Chara had lost the fight, her life, and many more things. But in the end, during the depth of the true night, a sinister laughter came from the dungeon, one that was hoarse, almost lifeless.

Mere seconds later, the laughter died, together with something else that dwelled in the dungeon. An orb of red appeared in the dungeon, one that caused the eyes to look at it. The bitter sweet scent went through her nostrils. It was red flow. Even though the changeling didn’t wanted to filter the air, she still did it. Every last bit to survive was welcome. Her self-consciousness had been switched off to hibernate. The red flow that Twilight gave to her was only enough to make her primal instincts survive. The changeling that was Chara, had died and an ordinary red eyed changeling had taken her place. The air was filtered before the creature laid back in the shadows again.

That was the story of Chara, the changeling who almost succeeded in doing the near impossible. To almost succeed where so many others had failed. The one changeling, with an idea too massive to succeed on her own. Time was up and the bells were ringing. Not even the chance to a final farewell was given to her. The being that she was supposed to be had awoken and dwelled through the dungeon. If Chara would have ever returned, was a matter that remained to be seen.

Not even Twilight knew what had happened in the dungeon, nopony did. But one thing was for certain, whenever a changeling was involved, nothing was what it seemed. Everything could change in the blink of an eye. But for the moment, calm had finally settled again.

Comments ( 3 )

7952021 Laten we het hopen, heb alles nog een laatste keer door de editor gehaald voordat het hier online ging. So...

You not only banished but broke beaten tortured and erased the very soul of Chara...d3a1b16i91oc1g.cloudfront.net/article_title_medium/dc5f68fab21ccaf1f5f2fb133a68ae19.jpeg

GLORIOUS!

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