The Elements of Salvation

by Slick Dash

Tempers rising, Chrysalis falling

Restless, dark dreams of fire, pain, and screaming ponies. He's standing alone in the middle of Ponyville, the breeze from the flames blowing a gale through his orange mane.

He can hear the screams, but he can't see anypony. He calls out, but there's no reply. Where's Fluttershy? AJ? Anypony?!

He begins to run down the street, in pursuit of the agonising cries. He must find them and help! But when he arrives in a new place, yet again there are only burning buildings.

He looks around, searching for some sign of life. Nothing. Wait! There by the library, a hoof vanishing from sight! He runs to it, desperate to find another pony breathing!

He rounds the corner and comes face to face with another pony, he gasps with relief.

....

Mac awoke with a start, panting slightly with adrenaline from his nightmare. He looked down quickly, checking that he hadn't woken his sleeping wife. She got so little sleep as it was already! Panting, Mac stood carefully, ensuring he didn't stir the sleeping pegasus. When he was by the bars of his and Fluttershy's cage, he sighed, and began to think of the dream he had just awoken from.

It had been about Ponyville; not surprising really, it never was far from his mind, the other prisoners' as well he'd wager. But it had been slightly odd though, normally when he thought back to that horrible night (However long ago it had been, it was hard to keep track of the days in this dark prison) he would normally remember key moments: Finding Twilight, fighting with Applejack and being ambushed by those changelings on the outskirts of town...

There was never a moment where he spotted... her. Not to say he hadn't hoped she had lived, but it was still odd...
"Maaaaac?" Came a low feminine whisper. Instinctively Mac turned to his wife, seeing if it was her who had spoken, no, she was fast asleep. Mac turned back to the open circular room, searching the other cages for a tell tale sign of life. He found none, after a moment of silence he decided he must have imagined it. He resigned to returning to his wife's side, stooping low, he prepared to rest again, there was nothing else to do when everypony else was asleep.

He nuzzled closely into his wife, who in her sleep let out a happy squeak and pushed closer into the red stallion's thick warm coat. He smiled warmly down at her, glad she had lost herself in a pleasant feeling. He looked up. 'Instead of remembering where she is!' He thought. Slowly he relaxed as best he could in this cage, and let his head droop to his hooves, ready to sleep.

On the verges of slumber, almost about to lose himself in dreams as well. Then he hears it again!
"Maaaac?" His head shot up, that definitely wasn't his imagination! Fluttershy stirred by his side, his sudden movement disturbing her rest.
"Mmm... Mac? W-" She yawned unable to continue her sentence, when she finally recovered, she tried again. "What's the matter?" Mac didn't answer immediately, his focus was centred on the shadowy floor that their cage lay the closest to. It came from there, he was sure of it.
"Somepony's over thar..." Mac said quietly. Confused; Fluttershy followed his gaze, she couldn't see anything.
"A-are you sure?" She asked quietly, fear quickly growing in her stomach, what else could happen now? Some new torture of Discord's design?

"Who's thar?!" Mac suddenly shouted loudly to the shadows. In the distance the two could hear the disgruntled cries of the others as they were pulled from their sleep by his yell, but none seemed to fully awake. Then...

"Are you ok?" The low female voice whispered. Mac frowned, now it had said something else, he was sure he'd heard that voice... If so, he had just seen her in his dream. Sure enough, a cerise coloured hoof came into the dim light from the shadows. Both Mac and Fluttershy watched in complete astonishment as the rest of the pony came into the light.

Cheerilee.

Mac starred at the unshackled pony, amazed at the sight of somepony he knew from home. "Ch-Cheerilee?" He choked, "W-what are you doin' here?" Cheerilee approached the cage, raised only a few feet from the floor. She reached it, raised onto her hind legs and held the bottom of the cage with her forehooves. Fluttershy squeaked in surprise as the cage swayed back gently with the new weight on the other end.

"I'm here to save you!" Cheerilee whispered, glancing around, checking no risks had arisen from her appearance. Mac and Fluttershy rose and came over to the mare.
"H-how did you get in here Cherilee?" Fluttershy asked, glancing over at the floating silver oval she her and all her friends knew to be the portal entrance to their prison.
"That doesn't matter now!" Cheerilee snapped, making Fluttershy back up a step in surprise at her sudden anger.

Cheerilee never broke eye contact with Big Mac, he wasn't sure what lay behind the look, but he was sure he'd seen it once before through the haze of a potion...

"Then let's get the others up..." Mac said lowly, cautious of the mare's odd behaviour.
"Not yet!" Cherilee whispered frantically, taking another glance around the room. "I can only take one of you at a time..." She explained in a hushed tone. Still she didn't look away from Big Macintosh.
"M-Mac?" Fluttershy squeaked, perturbed by her husband's odd expression.
"Then Take Fluttershy first." Mac told Cherilee calmly, ignoring his spouses concerned tone.
"I..." Cheerilee began, "I didn't come to save her..." She locked gazes with the stallion, sighed heavily, then finnished. "I came to save you."

"Mmmm... huh? Big Mac? You awake?" Came a drowsy voiced Soarin' from the closest cage. Cheerilee ducked instinctively. Mac didn't like the way the mare was acting. She was nothing like her usual self, angry easily, and more importantly, seemingly obsessed with him... After a moment, the half waking grumbles from the nearby cage died down as Soarin' dozed back off. Only then did Cherilee reappear. She didn't say anything, she simply stared back into Mac's green eyes.

Fluttershy was getting worried. What was the mare doing? She... she knew that Mac and her were married right? And what was with the odd expression on Big Macintosh's face? With a gasp of terrified worry, she feared that the stallion may actually be considering the offer.
"M-Mac?" Fluttershy tried again, yet still the red work horse didn't respond, to her at least...
"Why me?" Mac asked, still cautious in his words. At the question, Cherilee's expression softened.
"Isn't it obvious?" She asked as she reached through the bars, and to Fluttershy's horror, caressed the stallion's cheek. "I want to see you safe!"

"Why?" Mac persisted, sure he knew the answer that was coming -though he didn't like it!
"Because..." She said softly. "I love you Big Macintosh!" Fluttershy's heart plummeted at the statement. She had thought that the entire fiasco with the love potion so long ago had been simply that, a mistake, a mix up. But if Cherilee actually felt that way... what if Mac did to? In an instant, her expression changed to one of complete dismay, terrified that she was about to whiteness her husband's abandonment of her.

After a moment of silence, Mac pulled away from the former teacher's hoof. "No." He stated simply. "No you don't."
"But I do!" Cherilee explained, getting slightly louder in her frustration of the stallion's rejection. This time she didn't hide when the noises of rousing ponies came to their ears. "I love you Big Mac, don't think that everything that happened wasn't just the potion... it was all me... truly!"

Twilight was the first to wake fully, hear the familiar voice, and approach the bars of her cage. When she gazed at the cage not too far away, she gave a startled cry of surprise. "Cherilee!" At the shout all of the other prisoners bolted to their cage walls, all except for the two princesses, still unconscious as they were when they arrived.

Cherilee looked desperate, trying to get closer, but unable to get close enough to Macintosh due to the bars. The stallion on the other hand simply returned to his wife and stood strong beside her. "Well, if you aint gettin' mah Darlin' outta here first, I aint goin' nowhere." He stated simply. Beside him, Fluttershy let out a small gasp of relief at her husband's loyalty. She leant in and nuzzled his shoulder in thanks. Then grew unsure.

"B-but Mac..." She began, finally attracting her husband's attention fully. (To the great annoyance of Cherilee) "Y-you should go..." Mac's eyebrows rose fast in shock. "If you get out, you can find out about... Angy... if she's..." her voice died at the very thought of her little baby being no longer with this world, her throat clogged up, and refused to continue, refusing to except the possibility! "You could find our baby and... and..." A warm hoof gripped her chin, her drooping eyes glanced up to his. He gave her an understanding smile, one which warmed her heart.
"You know there ain't nothin' I wouldn' do for our baby, but taking help because o' that reason aint right, I'd never leave you alone!" Fluttershy hugged him again.

The others were all at their cages walls, even Pinkie had risked a glimpse over her ledge of a floor to look making it tilt forward dreadfully. They all watched as Cherilee became so desperate she almost threw herself at the cage.
"No! Mac, please! I'm the one you want, not her! Not dull, sad, morose Fluttersh"-
"Oh just stop it will you?!" Came a gruff angry voice from the shadowy corner of the cages. Twilight's head snapped into the direction of the hidden prisoner. Noteworthy? "He's not going to fall for it, so just leave them alone!" Twilight looked back at Cherilee confused, fall for what? A moment passed, then the school mare's back suddenly relaxed.

The teacher glanced back to the shadows, an eyebrow raised. Then her eyes caught Twilight's, they flashed from their usual tender colour to a deadly red, with menacing glee she smiled, showing teeth that were far too pointed for the mare she looked like. She released the cage, letting it sway sickeningly for its occupants.

Almost instantly the school mare vanished, and instantly was replaced with the slim figure of the draconequus. He stood taller, stretching with stiffness from walking on all fours. "Honestly?" The slim figure asked, directing the question at the chained prisoner of shadow. "You couldn't even let me have that little bit of fun?"
"No." The prisoner said coldly, to which the chimera sighed with seaming disappointment.
"Fine, it was only a little fun while I waited for something to happen, but if you're going to be a spoilsport..." Discord turned back and shot the terrified Fluttershy a devilish wink. "Well, I suppose that will have to do..." he leant in, and Fluttershy let out a horrified squeal and backed away.

The ever noble Mac took a step forward, ensuring that he separated the chimera and his beloved wife! But all the twisted creature did was give a wicked chortle, locked gazes with the yellow pegasus and said coldly. "Sweet dreams dear!" And with that he dropped to the floor, and snaked right back to and through the portal in a flash of green fire.

Everypony watched in amazement at the taunting fun the chimera had just had with the weakest and most vulnerable of the group. High above, Pinkie bit her lip, wanting to call out to Fluttershy and tell her it was ok. Her mouth opened, her lungs took in a breath... yet when she tried, that same crippling doubt, fear and mistrust, struck her, and held her tongue in place, making her choke.
"You ok there Fluttershy?" Rainbow called across the room, her voice weary and concerned for her fellow female pegasus .
"Y-yes..." Fluttershy whispered, the tone of complete defeat proving her to be a liar. Mac turned to her and placed a comforting foreleg around her shoulder, immediately Fluttershy rushed to him and held him tight. Silently cursing herself for even thinking that Mac would leave her.

Another span of silence, then Twilight spoke. Not to Fluttershy, but to the shadows in the corner. "Thank you." She said simply. A soft clink came from beyond, a cough as the prisoner rearranged the chain around his neck, then...
"It's fine... I promised I'd stop anything that thing tried on any of you..." a pause, the voice tried to say something, releasing a slight noise before thinking better.
"Yes?" She asked.
"I-it's... the least I could do..."

Gradually the group all grew quiet again. Pinkie stared down at them all, this was the worst possible thing. Not that her beloved betrayed her, but that every one of her friends lay bellow her, all of them separated, and broken. If only there was some way to bring them back together, a miracle...

....

"M-my pappa?" Sweetness asked, choking slightly in surprise, staring at Chrysalis. Her eyes filled with confusion and fear. "H-how do you know my pappa?"
"Sweetness!" Thor said quickly, making his way to her. "She's just trying to upset you..."
"More like trying to make you love your dad, she can feed off of that." Archy added, catching onto what Thor was doing in a heartbeat. Sweetness needed to find out their suspicions - No matter how true they may be now that Chrysalis just confirmed them- from them, not somepony who meant harm. Sweetness smiled to them, thankful for their support.
"Oh, I see..." Chrysalis purred, immediately breaking the tender moment by chuckling gleefully. She was cut off however by a series of heavy coughs brought on through the pain in her ribs. Thor couldn't help but hope the using witch choked! When she recovered she smiled again. "So... how many of you already know that the Draconequus betrayed you? It's clear that these two do!"

Sweetness turned to her friends, confusion still rife in her expression. "G-guys?"
"You know full well I did!" Armour shouted to the wounded changeling. Sweetness's head swivelled round and looked at Shining Armour, hurt now beginning to take over her face as well. Seed, Ruby and Angelica all looked at the other three stallions in confusion, this was the first they'd heard of this wild accusation.
"Archy?" Ruby asked, "What are you talking about? You wanted to talk to Mr Discord the other day..." Archy glanced over to Ruby ashamed. He then looked back to the floor, scuffing his hoof against the dirtied tiles.
"That was before Thor told me what he saw..."

Seed, who had been silent up until this point, now stepped forward. He stared straight at his pegasus friend, his jaw firm, his eyes set. "And what did you see Thor?" Sweetness's gaze now locked onto Thor as well, praying that this was all just one big joke, that they didn't honestly think it was true. Thor glanced at the pink pony apologetically.
"I saw him in Ponyville..." The girls all took a quick intake of breath.
"Are you sure Thor? It could have been my dad..." Ruby compromised, comparing the two adult's similar statures to try and spare Sweetness's feeling slightly. Thor shook his head.
"Your dad doesn't have horns..."

"It's not true..." Came a fragile whisper. The group all looked away from Thor in search of the source, they found it in Sweetness. Who was now looking from friend to friend, her eyes filled with tears as she backed slowly away from the group. "You're joking, you're trying to be funny and you've gone too far..."
"Sweetness... I'm sorry-" Thor began.
"NO!" Sweetness shouted, cutting him off. "You always try to be funny at my expense Thor... When we were kids, when we were growing up! You don't get to say that about my Pappa!" Her eyes showed nothing but a pure feeling of betrayal. Ruby's heart broke to see her friend this way, she took a step forward to her, but was stopped by a dark furred hoof, she followed it up to the face of Archy, his eyes fixed on the pink pony. She wasn't sure of his expression, what was he thinking?

"I'm sorry..." It was Shining Armour now addressing the young mare. He looked genuinely concerned. "But when The princesses and I fled, your father stopped us from escaping and took Princess Luna captive."
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU!" Sweetness yelled angrily. "Why would I believe you over my pappa?!" Armour looked startled at the young one's outburst. He opened his mouth to try and kindly explain, but as his mouth opened, a small giggle escaped from above. He turned and saw Chrysalis, taking deep happy breathes as she inhaled the scent of Sweetness's love for her father. His head snapped around again.
"Sweetness, you have to calm down or-"
"CALM DOWN?" The mare interrupted, backing away another few steps. "How can I do that when the ponies I thought were my friends are lying to me?!"
"But..." Shining Armour mumbled as he glanced back up at the ever quickly recovering Queen.

"And what if I said it?" The voice rang out around the throne room, bringing complete silence in its wake, even Sweetness's frantic panting was lessened slightly. They all looked to Archy. He stood there beside Ruby, looking slightly taller than usual, maybe it was due to his intent, he needed to look as strong as possible to win over their saddening friend. He began to approach her. "You trust me don't you?" Archy asked, to which Sweetness frowned for a moment, before nodding cautiously.
"Of course I do..."
"We're friends... right?"
"Yeah."
"Funny... isn't it? My mum and your dad, two complete enemies for years, then their kids are both pals..." Sweetness let out a weary gasp of breath that was a shadow of a giggle.
"I guess it is."
"You know I'd never do anything to upset you right?" Archy smiled. He was getting closer, and Sweetness had halted her retreat. "Or that any of us would really want to hurt you right?" He asked, gesturing to the worried looking Thor.

Sweetness glanced in the direction of the burgundy pegasus, then at the others, she gave a slow nod, parting her lips slowly. "...Uhuh..." She whispered.
"Then why would we lie to you now?" Archy asked, advancing on the progress he had already made. Further back, Angelica shot Seed a completely bewildered look, the male work horse could only shrug back in equal confusion, this was all news to him.
"Because..." Sweetness began, her lip beginning to tremble. She took another unsure step back, and tripped slightly on a large chunk of door lying behind her. "BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MY PAPPA!" She yelled as she recovered, slightly scared by her loss of footing. "He'd never... He wouldn't... He-"
"I SAW him Sweetness!" Thor repeated. Showing nothing but sympathy for his friend. She glanced back, trying to find some lie in his eyes, when she found none her eyes began to brim with newfound tears.
"W..." She stammered. "Why... why didn't you tell me? Before we got here?"
"I didn't want to hurt you!" Thor pleaded, stepping slightly forward.
"AND WHEN DID YOU TELL ARCHY? OR WAS THAT JUST NOT TO 'NOT HURT ME'?" Sweetness shouted, shooting a hurt look at the bespectacled unicorn.

"He only told me on the way through the tunnels!" Archy beseeched, fighting furiously to gain Sweetness's confidence once more. "We had no time to figure it out before we found Uncle Armour!"
"You knew about this before we came up here?!" Angelica yelled furiously. Not at Archimedes, but Thor. The pegass whirled around in surprise to see the yellow mare approaching fast. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I-I-I-Had no time to!" Thor stuttered.
"You had all last night to tell me!" Angelica screamed in fury. Thor bit his lip in regret, knowing what she was saying was true. He'd even been thinking of that very subject just before Angelica had arrived the night before.

Sweetness opened her mouth to shout even more, but was cut off by a low chuckle from above. She glanced up, and saw that, horribly, Chrysalis was rising to her hooves. A large smile sewn across her face. "No, please..." The dark queen said in a mirth filled whisper. "Hear what they're saying about your beloved 'Pappa?' Don't let them tarnish his name!"
"YEAH!" Sweetness cried in agreement, glaring at Archy.
"Sweetness don't!" Shining Armour shouted, advancing quickly. Cantering across the small distance, he blocked the rest of the room from Sweetness's sight. "Don't defend your father!"
"But"
"But nothing! The more you defend him, the more love your giving out for her to heal!" He moved away and gestured at the seeping wound in the changeling's side. Already it was far less prominent than before, and it bled far less with each of her movements.

The pink mare understood, yet couldn't help but feel the protective instinct take over.
"But it's my Pappa!" She whimpered through a trembling lip.
"Sweetness!" Archy shouted, ever aware of the recovering queen. "We promise, we'll tell you everything, if you still don't believe us than fine, but don't give her-" He blindly flailed his limb in Chrysalis's direction. "Anymore chance to hurt anypony! Look around you!" Sweetness turned and looked in the direction of the hallway, she could see the bodies from here, and with the site came an all new cold, one she'd only felt back in Ponyville...Around the dead.

She turned back, and as she did Archy saw far less anger in her eyes. She looked from him to Thor and whispered. "You promise? No more secrets?"
"No more Secrets." Archy confirmed.
"No more secrets." Thor echoed.
"No more secrets." The others echoed, even Shining Armour.

But to the captains claim, there came a raucous outcry of laughter. Once more they turned o find the queen, giddy with pleasure from the scene unfolding before her. "No secrets?!" She cackled to the stallion captain. "You?! You're nothing but a maze of secrets Shining Armour!" The others frowned at the odd comment and glanced the captain's way. All except for Archy who knew what was coming next. They didn't need this now!

"Sweety, common!" The unicorn ordered, rushing to the mare's side, pushing her towards the hallway. Armour followed suite and quickly herded up the others, rushing them to the door.
"Come on my little ponies, let's get out of here!"

"What is she talking about?" Thor asked, pushing against the captain's urges to leave, defiant in his need for understanding. Armour tried to keep the group moving, but his heart plummeted at the voice from behind's words.
"Hasn't precious 'Archy' told you? He is the element of knowledge after all!" everypony's head turned to the flustered looking unicorn. "
"Just ignore her!" Archy urged, trying to push Sweety out of the door. The pink mare, anger growing in her eyes already, pushed back, shoving Archy backwards.
"You're already breaking your promise!" She shouted painfully.
"I'm not!" Archy protested, looking to his uncle, praying for help.
"You are!" came another cry, he turned to see Ruby, staring at him in pained confusion. "No more secrets!" The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

The dark unicorn glanced to Seed who stared back in quiet anger. The look tugged on Archy's insides, he hated keeping secrets from his friends especially Seed, one of his oldest standing friends. "I..." he choked. "It's just..."

"Nawwww... poor little Archimedes, all alone again!" Purred Chrysalis, who now stood tall, making her way down the steps.
"Shut up!" Archy shouted hatefully. The queen's eye twitched and she stumbled, Archy saw the tick, but ignored it, not important!
"That's no way to talk to me my dear..." The dark creature whispered as she recovered and resumed approaching. "No way to talk to your Aunty Chrysalis..." Armour's head snapped around to stare in incredulity. He hadn't thought she'd reveal it, only taunt him with it to make him suffer!
"What did she just say?!" Angelica asked angrily of the captain stood just beside her. Both Armour and Archy's eyes closed in resigning horror. "So it's true?!?!" The yellow pegasus cried out angrily at their reactions.

"Of course it is!" Chrysalis giggled as she reached the base of the steps. "'Saint Shining Armour' isn't as pure and amazing as he would have you believe... isn't that right beloved?" She threw a joyous smile towards the captain who turned away in contempt.
"Don't you dare call me that!" He spat angrily.
"You can't trick us!" Thor shouted to the Changeling angrily. "We won't believe a word out of your mouth unless Archy or Captain Armour say it's true or not!" At the pegasus's words Chrysalis turned, raising an eyebrow at the stallion guard.
"Well? Do you dare let them know the truth? That you fathered the changeling that levelled their pathetic little town?"
"WHAT?!" Seed shouted in disbelief, staring at the captain. Armour clenched his eyes shut as though the revelation had physically hurt him. He turned his head away in dismay sure he'd lost all favour with the six younger ponies now.

"That changeling..." Archy said slowly, bringing everypony's attention to him. "The one I told you about from back home, I told you it wasn't normal... It's half unicorn as well..." Sweetness was confused.
"But... when could Captain Armour have had the chance to..." With a wide 'O' made by her mouth the reality struck. and seconds later the realisation was filled with disgust. "YOU TRICKED HIM!" She yelled, this time at the Changeling Queen, who even in her rejuvenating state couldn't expect such an abrupt change of target for the young mare. "HOW COULD YOU?! YOU TRICKED CAPTAIN ARMOUR WHEN YOU PRETENDED TO BE PRINCESS CAIDENCE!" Armour dared to glance up, unable to believe that the young mare was defending him after her hateful words of mere moments ago.

Ruby soon joined in with Sweetness's horrified anger at the depraved actions of the supposed 'Queen.' "I knew you posed as the princess... but to actually go that far..." Ruby looked disgusted, she looked down at the queen with the closest expression she could muster to contempt. Archy noticed for a second time, the queen flinched, backing away a step or two. He spotted a few fresh drops of green blood speckling the tile floor for the first time since the queen had stood. In that instant, his role of the element of knowledge kicked into overdrive. His head whirled at a mile a minute, noting down everything he knew of changelings: They were scavengers, feeding on small scraps of whatever positive emotion they could find, they preferred the night, hence their adaptation to having such a dark coat and skin, but what they craved most was love!

This changeling queen had been desperate for any scrap of love she could squeeze out of him and his friends, his spine still chilled at the memory of the spell he had been under mere moments ago. The question rang out in his head in the form of a single word. "WHY?" She was alone when they came, injured and in pain. Now she was stood stronger than before, by feeding on Sweetness's love for her father. Though this twitch of hers seemed to prove she wasn't at one hundred percent yet. and it seemed to happen when...

"THAT'S IT!" Archy cried, causing everypony to jump. Before they could ask about his outburst however, Chrysalis shouted back to the pink mare.
"Why are you mad at me?! I wasn't the one who lied to you about your 'Pappa!'"
"Yeah!" Sweetness shouted, not breaking eye contact with the changeling. "But they're my friends, them I can forgive, but you... you tried to hurt Archy...Captain Armour... you hurt everypony here! and because of you, my home's been destroyed." She glared, her eyes flashing red once more. "You I can't forgive!"

Chrysalis stumbled heavily this time, falling back to the ground. She pushed hard but couldn't bring herself back up. She was weakening! Just like Archy had guessed, she fed on love, but in her weak state she couldn't stand any negativity, it seemed when she absorbed it, it made her state worsen.

The dark stallion took a step forward. Approaching the queen, slowly, casually showing no emotion. Seed watched, unable to understand everything that was happening so quickly. He was the element of strength yet he had been unable to do anything helpful! He stepped forward towards his friend cautiously.
"Archy... what 're you doing?!" He pleaded, noticing the stallions path headed straight for Chrysalis.
"She can't stand hate..." Archy said quietly, not breaking his line of sight to look at his friend, he didn't even falter in his pace.
"So? That's useless! You're the least hateful pony ah know!" Seed said quietly, trying not to let the queen hear his friends plan.

Archy stopped. Frozen for a moment before turning his head to look at his friend. "Seed... do you think... you could take the others to the entrance hall? You know away from here?" Seed frowned and stared in confusion before giving a slow nod. "Please will you?" Another nod.
"But Archy..." Seed began, "You don' hate anypo-"
"My dad left me and my mum Seed, out of all of us..." Archy glanced at the others. "I've got the most hate here... And I think it's time I vented it out somehow..." He needed to, already he had noticed the growing number of fights breaking out across the group. One of which had been because of him, at least if he did this, it would improve life with the others, as well as keep them safe from this changeling monster!

Seed turned slowly to the others, as Archy began to approach the queen. "Guys Archy wants us to get goin' otside..." Ruby's face exploded into worry.
"Why?" She asked, she took a few steps towards Archy but was stopped by the strong orange leg of Seed. "What's he going to do?"
"What he has to..." Said a lower voice, they turned to see Shining Armour who had come over with Angelica and Thor, ready to move. Ruby stared up at the adult, then back to Archy, who was closing in on Chrysalis.
"Wait... he's not..." She left the question unfinished and Armour turned away silently, as did Thor, Seed and Angelica. Sweetness looked around still in confusion not quite picking up on what exactly was about to happen.

"NO!" Ruby screamed, rushing towards Archy.
"Ruby!" Seed cried out, flinging a hoof out wildly to try and stop her before it was too late. His hoof just barely missed her tail as it whipped away.
"Archy don't do it!" The platinum mare begged, rushing over to her fellow unicorn. Archy shot a glance up at his closest thing to a sister and bit his lip. She of all ponies shouldn't see this!
"I need to!" Archy protested, turning back to the queen who lay there beneath his gaze, cowering in fear for what would come to her any second. "To look after everypony!"

"No you don't!" Ruby protested, reaching Archimedes and flinging herself around. She flung up two forelegs and pushed against his chest with her hooves. Begging both in action as well as words, not to do what he planned to. "We're all fine! We're not hurt, we need to help Sweetness! If you told us the truth, then she needs her best friends now! Not someone willing to end another creatures life!" The element f remorse had tears in her eyes now, begging her oldest friend not to become a killer!
"She killed everypony in this castle!" Archy growled.
"Forget it!" Ruby begged.
"She used my uncle, she tried to use me!"
"Forgive it and move on!"
"WHY SHOULD I?" Archy yelled, causing Ruby to back away slightly. Archy regretted his action immediately, his anger melted into remorse as he spoke to Ruby.
"Ruby... she could have killed our parents!"

"They're not dead!" Came a sudden cry from beneath the two unicorns. The two glanced down to see Chrysalis, shaking in fear, pain and cold. Through chattering lips, she repeated those words, bringing hope soaring into life for all ponies within the throne room. "Your parents... are alive!"

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

For a moment there I thought Discord was going to stupidly reveal himself to Sweetness and confirm what Chrysalis was saying, should've known he's not stupid enough to do that.

[White Wolf]

You know, i don't entirely understand this feeding on love Chrysalis has, i'm mean she's evil right?

One would think that feeding on love would cause her pain.

[Prisoner 24601]

Can't help but optics an outstanding quantity of caps lock in this chapter.

[PinkiePieCupCakeSlayer]

So bipolar Sweetness and dumbass Ruby?