Insurgence

by Rose Quill

Nightfall

I watched as Sunset unlocked the door to her apartment. Every move she made seemed like she had to deliberately decide to engage it. Behind me stood the five students from Crystal Prep and Twilight. Rainbow Dash landed heavily just as the door opened, her usual grace a little lacking. She also seemed to be a blend of colors, her normal cyan blue marred with a slight tinge of darker blue from her counterpart’s pony form. It seemed as though she was in the same state Twilight was.

We entered and Sunset stared around at the place, seeing the photos and little personal touches she and Sunshine had added to the place, bits of the life they shared.

“This is,” Sunset whispered. “This is my home?”

Twilight spoke up, her voice quiet. “Our home, Sunset.”

I glanced at one of the photos, a shot of her, Sunset, and the girls. Strangely enough, the picture still showed them as humans. As I pondered this, a knocking on the door soon presented Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. Pinkie arrived later with the Sirens, who also seemed to have a difficulty thinking like Sunset was. They also had their cloven-hooved bodies like from the time they spent in the Crystal Empire.

Sunset picked up one of the framed photos, staring in confusion at the images contained within.

I looked at each of the assembled ponies, and took a deep breath, drawing spells of scanning to my mind.

“Alright, don’t worry,” I said, thrusting more confidence into my voice than I felt.

***

“So, what have you found out?” Sour Sweet asked two hours later.

I blew my bangs out of my face as I set down my pen. “It’s a lot of speculation, really.”

“More than what we have now,” Sunny Flare said.

I nodded in agreement.

“As near as I can tell, the spell Chrysalis cast didn’t displace her and myself like she said it would,” I said, glancing at my notes. “I think the magic of the portal altered the effect, causing this displacement of the minds of my friends in Equestria. However, Sunset has no counterpart and so part of her memories were dampened or erased. The same for the Sirens.”

“What about us?” Lemon Zest asked, her headphones around her neck as she tested her wings.

“Again, this is just an assumption,” I said, frowning. “But there was likely a radius to the spell, and your counterparts were merely outside the range of the spell. I believe I have met yours, Lemon. She’s a member of the Crystal Guard, which means that the Crystal Empire is unaffected by the displacement spell. I also know that Luna and Celestia had a meeting there with Cadence scheduled, which may be why Luna also remained unaffected.”

“But, why didn’t that cause us to be confused instead of Sunset?” Indigo asked.

“This is a spell completely unknown to me,” I said, crumpling the paper in front of me. “I’m making a lot of guesses and hypothetical leaps. I can only guess at what’s going on at all.”

I looked at Sunset as she traced a hoof along a picture held in her red aura. I blinked.

When had it become red?

Twilight blinked, her horn glowing pink as her eyes went distant.

“Ladybugs awake…”

And then she flashed violet, her wings shooting out and eyes blazing white.

---

Cadence lowered her horn to Twilights, drawing in her mana and closed her eyes.

“Twilight,” she whispered, focusing her thoughts. Her aura spread to encompass the smaller Alicorn as she began to speak again.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake…”

She froze suddenly as she found herself in a shimmering expanse that she recognized from when she had ascended as a filly. Standing before her were both Twilight and Sunshine, both bound with silver strands of magic around their bodies. It shifted around their barrels and wound along their horns.

“Cadence?” Twilight asked weakly.

The Princess of Love stared at her sister-in-law. She walked up and charged her magic to sever the cords. Her rose-pink blast of magic burned through the binding, releasing the ponies.

“What in Celestia’s name is happening?” Twilight asked before both ponies vanished in a flash.

---

I scurried backward, fear making me ignore the fatigue and pain of the brands.

“Who’s there?”

The clinking of metal came again and I recognized it as the rattle of chains.

“So, it’s true, then,” the voice rasped. “Blinded. Well, then I suppose this might be tough to believe then. I am Amara, the true queen of this hive. Chrysalis, perdition take her, stole my hive from me and turned my drones into mindless minions. She feeds them anger and hate, and it’s twisted their bodies and minds. I don’t know if I could regain control when I overthrow her and reclaim my status.”

The anger in the voice made me blink as a slight blur of blueish green began to burn from the shape before me.

“So, I ask again,” Amara grated. “How long are you going to lay there, feeling sorry for yourself? Or shall we cast about getting you out?”

I climbed clumsily to my feet, turning to face her directly.

“I’m done. She’s using magic that she doesn’t fully understand and I have to stop her.”

I heard a throaty chuckle in the darkness.

“Excellent, then,” Amara purred, her voice still harsh and dry. “Let’s see about restoring your sight.” Green light appeared, weak and fluttering, but I sensed the magic gathering in her horn.

Comments

[MySisterBroughtMeHere]

Oh, Chrysalis. You just dig yourself deeper and make more enemies.

[Rose Quill]

8392012
Among them, everyone that had been affected by this spell.