Ch 9: Swordsman's Devils
Chapter 9: Swordsman's Devils
===[Zoro’s POV]===
I was hanging out inside Sunny’s room, as I had promised, enjoying my new power by listening to some of my favorite songs that I would never have been able to enjoy without my Living iPod status when the doors opened. Turning my single eye towards it, I saw the one whom I wanted to speak.
Me being me, I sprawled myself across her bed. “Take me, Jack!”
She just sighed and shook her head. “I really didn’t like how you just left me in that room alone.”
“You’re a big girl, you can handle a bit of politicking without scary ol’ me.”
“That’s not the point! The point is that you threatened the son of a world leader, acted more like Discord than I ever gave you credit for, and left me! You were scheduled to stay for another hour at least!”
“Alas, life is never easy for those in the Game of Thrones. Now, onto the real reason I agreed to come here.” Shooting up, I adopted a serious look that was directed at her. “Cast a sound proofing spell on the room.”
“May I ask why,” she asked hesitantly.
“What I'm asking you should not leave this room so long as you wish it. It's probably something to do with your national security.”
Sunny’s eyes widened before putting on her serious face and applying the spell. I felt slight nausea, but my Genji gloves blocked the worst of it.
“There, now ask away.”
Taking in a deep breath, I readied the question that had been plaguing me for weeks.
“What do you know about Devil Fruits?”
The solar alicorn cocked her head to the side. “Devil Fruit?”
Yes, ruin this stressful moment with ignorance. Why not, it's like I didn't not expect it. “Ugh, colorful fruits with swirls, terrible taste, and give the eater a super power. There weren't many known back in the old days, but they did exist.”
“Swirls… Oh! You mean the Fruits of Discord. What about them?”
I stared at her, probably looking like I just ate at a discount Chipotle. “Fruits of Discord? Why in the hell would you name them that? They were around before him?”
“The name just stuck,” she said with a shrug.
“Sure, why the hell not. Anyway long story short, these things sort of originate from where I came from, I've heard about different things happening that may or may not be related to them, and I feel partially responsible for no logical reason whatsoever. I know that you won't do it off the bat, but I'd like you to allow me any information on them.”
She just raised an eyebrow before sitting down on one of her massive chairs, pondering my request. “And how long have you been looking for the information?”
“Around the time I escaped.”
“Hmm… unfortunately we don’t know a lot about them,” she said after a long silence. “But before I indulge exactly what I do know, I must ask: What are your intentions for the information?”
“Meh, I’ve got a general idea, but nothing set in stone really. Probably figure out a way to keep them away from random schmucks that have no idea what the hell they’re doing with them. I was thinking of a Dragon Radar sort of thing.”
“Dragon… you know what, I’m not even going to ask-”
“Smartest decision you’ve made today.”
“But there are conditions for this.”
I chuckled. “Wouldn’t have expected anything differently. Very well, name your requirements.”
“Oh, just three simple things, really.” Oh no, I do not like that smile whatsoever. That is the Run bitch, run! look that she has.
“One: Apologize to Twilight.”
“Hard on my ego, but doable.” I’ve been meaning to do it for a while, but it just seemed so awkward any moment I was about to make a move,
“Two: I want you to share any information that you have on your end.”
“That… was actually something I planned on doing. Continue.”
“And three: Your sword. I want to know what’s so special about that blade that you’d carry it everywhere.”
Sighing, I realize that I should’ve been expecting this question. It was probably understanding at first, seeing as I had spent eight years on the run with a weapon at my side at all times, but suspicion grew worse as I only kept Kitetsu on my person when given the choice. Hell, I admit my response to the question earlier was sketchy. And if I have to come clean about something of this nature, might as well come clean to the best expert of holy magic in the world.
How I learned about that is a whole different story that ended how you would expect.
“This katana, Sandai Kitetsu, is one of three special blades, and reportedly the weakest. Let’s just call them the Kitetsu Blades because the official name is both a mouthful and hard to pronounce correctly. All three of them are cursed swords.” And so she le gasped at the fact and I held up my hand to stop her from doing anything rash. “Before you do anything, let me fully explain this certain sword. The curse on this one is that whoever holds the blade will die by the blade. But, due to the fact that it is the weakest cursed sword of the bunch, that means that it is much easier to rein in. I’ve tamed the sword, yes, but that doesn’t mean I broke the curse.”
“So the reason you carry it all the time…” She muttered.
“Is to protect everyone else who wants to pick it up,” I finished. She closed her eyes and thought on my words.
It was a deafening silence, one that tempted me to abuse my power, but I am a reasonable elder citizen of a ripe age of 1525 if you count my stoned state. Can’t be a stubborn asshole all the time now, or I may get predictable.
After a few minutes, she opened her eyes. “Is there a way to remove the curse on it?”
“If there was, then I spent the first few years looking on the wrong planet,” I sarcastically replied.
“And I’m guessing that I can’t persuade you to leave it in the Royal Treasury or Vault?”
“Not a chance.”
“Then I thank you for being truthful with me on this. But I hope you know that should you need it, I’ll either destroy it or send it to the Sun.”
I chuckled at that, having seen a few Equus’ where the Sunnys there had done something similar to that world’s resident asshole Displaced.
“When did we go from bitter enemies to old war pals who joke about these sorts of things?”
“Probably when we became one of the few beings on the planet that had been to a real war,” she said with a melancholy smile on her face.
We both adorned the faces of those who had seen the horrors of war, the pointless suffering of it all. In my high school history class, we went through the Vietnam War. One of the parts they showed us were pictures of the soldiers. Right before they left, they had looks on their faces that most would have at the thought of fighting for the honor of your country, or that face when people start playing Fallout for example. After photos showed the same men, but they looked different. Not like a few were physically different, maybe a scar or two here and there, but it was their eyes that had the most pronounced look to them. They looked exhausted, tired. They may have left for a few years, but they looked like they had aged by decades. Had you been in that room at the time, you could see two very, very old people who were very tired.
I once again sprawled myself across her bed. “Crack open one of your wines before we go about this, please. I feel like I may need to be partially drunk for this.”
She chuckled at that. “I feel you, Zoro.”
===[Twilight’s POV]===
I was laying on my big brother’s lap, him inanely petting me like we used to before I was accepted as the Princess’ apprentice. Shining was humming an old lullaby that Mother used to sing for us, but it wasn’t making me feel any better.
No matter what I did, what I read, or who I talked to, I couldn’t get that moment out of my head. Because of my eagerness to understand anything and everything that was an unknown, like Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense, I did something that was horrifying to me.
I had failed.
The Princess had asked me to keep an eye on him, yes, but at the time I thought that meant trying to learn all I could about Zoro, how we worked his magic, or ‘Haki’ as he called it, what his limits are, his physiology, that sort of thing. I had thought that she wanted me to figure out how to beat him should he truly turn out as evil as the legends told. Now I know better, and I hated how I misinterpreted her instructions. After a series of letters and lots of contemplation on the little hints I realized what she had meant.
I wasn’t supposed to learn about the Green Demon, feared monster that shook the world to its core. I was supposed to learn about Roronoa Zoro, the swordsman who was put into a situation outside of his control, the man who liked to wander off at inopportune times just to be alone from the world that had shunned him.
I mean, I may have been looking too much into this, but my point still stood. And while Princess Celestia and my friends forgave me, I couldn’t say the same about my housemate. Whenever we got together, there was a thick air around us that was impossible to breath in, let alone talk to one another. Most of the time he wouldn’t even look me in the eye, and quickly muttered out an unintelligible sentence about how nice the weather was. At this point, the only way for us to have a decent discussion was through Spike.
I was explaining everything I had to Shining, and was now awaiting his response.
After what seemed like forever, he finally responded. “Have you taken his feelings into account?”
“Of course I did!”
“Jeez, sorry, just not used to this emotional turmoil thing. Most experience I have with fixing this sort of thing is having my men hit something with a big stick.”
“Ugh,” I said, my body going limp from the exhaustion of the whole scenario. “Why are feelings complicated.”
“Probably just you making it complicated, Twily,” he chuckled. “I mean, what's the worst you’ve done to him? Poke him with a science stick?”
“I sorta… kinda strapped him to a chair in my basement.”
“...”
“While he was asleep. And hooked him up to my thaumatology equipment to study how he functions.”
“... So you treated him like a labrat?”
“No! I mean, kinda? I don't know anymore.”
“Well, I think that you’re thinking too hard about all this. Sometimes, you just have to act.”
I stared at him blankly. “You are no help, Shiny.”
“I’m serious,” he stated. “He’s a warrior, so he’d probably rather appreciate if you dealt with this head on than any overly complicated thing that you’re probably of doing.” I opened my mouth before closing it. He was probably right.
Ugh, why did the socially awkward mare always have to get thrown into these situations?
Our little moment of awkwardness was ruined when a random guard rushed in.
“Captain, there’s a problem.” Immediately my BBBFF shot up, almost knocking me to the ground.
“Report.”
“Sir, it’s a Code Grape, sir.”
“Damn, and when there are foreign dignitaries, too.”
“That's not all sir. It also applies the Gre- human, Roronoa Zoro.”
“Wait,” I blurted out. “What's a Code Grape? And how is Zoro involved?”
Both of them looked towards each other before nodding.
“It will be much easier to show you,” Shiny said.
===ooo000ooo===
I… had no words for what was before me.
At my side were my friends, me having insisted that we all were capable enough to help with whatever was going on. Obviously, I was wrong.
“It's like looking at a train wreck,” Rainbow muttered, most of us nodding without looking away.
Before us was Princess Celestia’s room. Inside, there were empty wine bottles everywhere. The Princess and Zoro sat on the floor, cheeks red from the influence of the alcohol, singing badly to a strange song that Zoro was playing.
“I-is this a common occurrence,” Rarity asked Shiny.
“Used to be, but she hasn't had a Code Grape since Princess Luna returned.”
“Y’know *hic*, I've never felt this classy while bein’ trashed,” Zoro slurred, looking into a bottle like it was a telescope.
“O’ly the fines’ for my frenemy,” the Princess responded.
“S-shouldn't we do something,” Fluttershy asked.
“Afraid that won't do anything,” a new voice said. I turned my head to see one of the few friends I had during my time as Princess Celestia’s student. “All we can really do is hope she doesn't decide to redesign the castle or paint herself pink.”
“Blue, it's been so long,” I exclaimed, rushing over to him.
“Twilight, it's always a pleasure to see you again. Tell me, how's Spike doing? Poor boy must be lacking in male support by now.”
“He’s going great. Went ginormous a few days ago, but he’s doing fine now.”
“Prince Blueblood, it's so nice to see you again,” Rarity said through clenched teeth.
“I'm sorry, who are…” Then, recognition filled his eyes. “Ah, Madam Rarity! So good to see you, how have you been.”
“Better without you.”
It took me awhile, but then I remembered what she had said about the Gala. “Wait, he’s who you went to the Gala for? Blue, did you pull your Game again.”
“Um, who is this,” AJ asked.
“Game,” Pinkie asked excitedly.
“Oh, right, this is Prince Blueblood, the Day Court Phoenix, mostly called that due to a cool trick he can do since he was young,” I explained. In response to that, his hand lit up in blue flames, much to Pinkie’s awe.
“Well, you see,” he started. “Due to the large amounts of mares wanting to have me court them, some of them with less pure intentions, I've made it into a game. I pretend to be like the usual nobles, all jerkish, and see how long they last. Me and Fancy Pants usually bet on how long they last.”
“Why do that,” Rainbow asked Blueblood.
“Why, because I love messing with the the gold diggers,” he responded, grinning like…
Now I know who Zoro reminded me of.
“Excuse you, but I am not a gold digger,” Rarity exclaimed.
“Well…” was Pinkie’s response.
“Sugarcube, y’all was a gold digger, no matter how ya cut it. It were pretty obvious back then.”
“Haha! Oh I like you, Miss Applejack,” he said. “Oh we need more like you in court. You have no idea how bad it gets with all the hidden insults and flowery words thrown around here.”
“Oh ah can imagine all right,” she said. “Ya know how Rarity was actin’, so I c’n tell its bad.”
“Not to alarm you guys,” Rainbow said. “But I think the Princess just started crying.”
“This is the next phase of Code Grape,” Shiny explained. “Sorrow.”
“...a-and I'm just so *hic* jealous of her, ya know,” Princess said. “I mean, compared to me, Luna’s a twiggy model! Look at my butt, it's so-o-o bi-i-ig!”
“Aw, ssssssh,” Zoro then took his finger and awkwardly dragged it across her muzzle. “Your ass is amazing. *hic* In fact, if I were still a chick, I'd kill for an ass like yours.”
“D’aww,” she said, laying down in his lap. “That's the nicest *hic* nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Yeaaaah, don't expect it too often.”
“Trust me, I- oh hey Twilight’s he*hic* here!”
“Umm, Princess,” I hesitantly say, having their drunken spotlight focused on me. “Didn't Zoro want to talk to you about something important?”
“I *hic* got aaaaaaall the answers I need,” he slurred, shaking a bottle in my direction. “There’s a guy I gotta talk too in Poonville, Stefany Meyo. Other than that, *hic* wanna drink?” He shakily stood up, Princess Celestia flopping onto the ground, and walked towards her bed. He lifted up the mattress to reveal a large pit full of wine bottles!
“Nuuuu,” she whined. “Now dey know where to looook for ma babies…”
“I’s fiiiiine,” he said before falling onto the ground, new bottle in hand. He raised his gaze up to me and started laughing. “Hot hot leg, could fry egg.”
Both of them started laughing harder than before, then proceeded to pass out.
Nopony spoke for the longest time.
“I'll go ask for a blank memory orb,” Blueblood said after the awkward silence. “Auntie Luna would castrate me if I didn't let her watch this.”
Everypony just nodded their head, still processing what they just saw.
===ooo000ooo===
It was the third day after Code Grape and everypony was on the Friendship Express back on our way to Ponyville. Everypony was excited to finally head back home and relax after such a stressful trip.
And sooner than I had hoped, all of my friends had left for the food car. Leaving me alone with Zoro.
He was laying down with his eyes closed, taking up an entire row listening to a very nice song that Octavia would probably love. I was sitting directly across from him.
Come on Twi, now is the perfect time to start, part of my brain egged me on.
Or this could ruin any chance of Zoro forgiving you, leading to a series of unfortunate events, the other part mentioned.
This had been going in my head for a while before I finally agreed with my confident side. But before any words came out of my mouth, he raised a hand.
“Look,” he started. “I'm sorry for exploding at you back then. I'm bad at bottling up emotions and they sometimes explode. My fault, not yours.”
“N-no! It's my fault for trying to experiment without your consent!”
“Sigh… So I know how this trope works and I’m going to avoid it completely.” He stuck out his hand towards me. “Let’s just agree to be civil acquaintances from now on. No more awkward talks or violation of privacy, yeah?”
I looked at his hand for a moment before grabbing it, shaking up and down. “Agreed.”
It was a few more minutes before anyp- anyone said anything.
“Sooo… ‘if I were still a chick?’”
===[Zoro’s POV]===
Well, after an explanation of my one and only encounter of poison joke, we arrived back at the quaint little town. I said my goodbyes to the mismatched group of friends in order to go to Equestria’s only ‘Fruits of Discord Expert,’ Doctor Time Turner Hooves. And apparently he’s the anti social husband of that nice mail mare that gave me a muffin my first day of parol.
I knocked on the door, which was designed as a blueberry muffin, and waited. Out came an adorable unicorn filly, who I think was called Dinky. I’m not entirely sure.
“Hi there sweetie,” I said sweetly as I could without sounding like a pervert, “is a Doctor Time Turner in today? The Princess pointed me this way.”
Her eyes widened, from awe or glee, I couldn’t even tell with Observation, and she slammed the door in my face. Good work small adorable child, always deny strange adults entry without an adult you trust.
After hearing a few strange sounds and running feet, the door opened up to reveal a brown stallion with with darker shaded mane wearing blue suit pants and a white button up shirt.
“So, you’re Zoro, yes,” he asked me in a british accent. “Sorry for the wait, I just got the letter. Come in, come in!”
I nodded to him and stepped inside, taking off my boots and placing them by the door. It was the polite thing to do when entering the house of the only person who could actually help me. It was actually a very nice house, lots of clutter that made it feel very lived in. The smell of, you guessed it, muffins wafted in the air, making me feel a tad sorry that I didn’t steal some of Pink’s chimichanga thing.
He had me sit down at the couch, which was in a very good condition. The small unicorn was sitting next to me, gaze never leaving me.
“Muffin,” the doctor motioned towards the filly. “Would you mind getting some things for snack? Daddy and Samurai need to have an adult conversation.” She nodded and hurried to the kitchen.
“Nice place you have here,” I said.
“Well, you can thank Ditzy for that,” he replied. “Mare always had an eye for details. But enough chit chat, you’re here about the Fruits of Discord, yes?”
“Where I’m from, they’re called Devil Fruits.”
“Ah yes, I got that in the letter, too. Mind explaining that bit for me?” Oh look, note taking devices.
“Well, the fruits are said to have an individual devil inside of each of them, granting their powers and… taste, I think. And I’m assuming they still have a weakness to water? Specifically ocean water?”
“Yes, that was a weird tidbit, but the weakness is there.”
“So where they came from, most of the planet is water. And I mean most. And the Sea God doesn't like the devils within the fruit, so he placed a curse on them and anyone who eats them. That's honestly the best you’re going to get. The only one who would possibly know about the actual origins of them would be Vegapunk… or Oda.”
“Huh, well that’s unfortunate,” he said. “We had just thought that they were created by Discord, so at least we have some actual information regarding them. We did find it weird that all of them would follow that rule.”
“Yeah, that’s what the sciency folks are still trying to figure out.”
“So now you want some info? Oh thank you,” Time Turner said to his I’m guessing daughter, who had just handed us cups of apple juice and a giant muffin each. I’m starting to get the sneaking suspicion that most of the pastries eaten here are these- HOLY SHIT THIS IS AMAZING!!!
“Well now, let’s get on to what I know. As the ‘World Authority’ on these fruits, I of course have eaten one myself.”
Okay, this piqued my interest. I’ve only really met two who had for sure eaten Devil Fruits, them being Baskerville and Ignatious. Other than them, I’ve heard rumors of others having ‘other worldly abilities,’ but most of them turned out to be some sort of lost magic. Sombra had been one of those cases, seeing as how the Dark Dark Fruit couldn’t turn Blackbeard into a smoke cloud of shadows. Maybe. I’m going to be honest, I’ve only read up until halfway through the Big Mom Arc, so I have no idea of how a lot of things are or if it ever ended. For all I know, Oda probably became immortal and just decided to f*** the fans by making the Water Water Fruit a thing.
“Mind showing me?”
“But of course.” With that, he held out his right hand. After a second, there was a toothbrush in it. “What I have eaten was known as the Warp Warp Fruit. If I’ve touched it with my right hand, I can warp it to my side. With my left hand, I can warp only myself to one place where I’ve been. Granted, at most I can only travel maybe five kilometers.” Okay, that sounded dope! And potentially OP. “Inanimate objects, I can warp no sweat. Another pony or other species, it takes a bit but doable. Ten is probably the max I can do without passing out. And keep in mind I can only warp them to my side, so no instantly seeing the Princesses for my Muffin here.”
“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” I motioned towards the filly. “Isn’t this national security things here?”
“I’m helping Papa in his research on the funny fruit,” she said with a voice that just made you want to squeeze the cuteness out of her. “I’m his pro-ti-jay!”
“Yep, that’s about what I was expecting.”
“Do keep in mind though, Zoro,” he started. “‘Devil Fruits,’ as you call them, are dangerous in the wrong hands. Only the world leaders, their next in lines, and their second in commands know about these, plus researchers like myself here.”
“Alright, so what’s the situation for when a devil fruit is reincarnated?”
“Well, so long as we get to it before anypony is stupid enough to eat one, we just shove them into Canterlot’s Taboo Vault, seeing as how they can't decay. It's a well known fact amongst farmers that if any swirly fruits appear and they turn it in to any government directly, they’s be rewarded a very large sum. And if anypony were to eat one before we could get to them, then welcome to the watchlist.”
My brain was spinning from this info that I had been searching for for so long. It seemed like a decent system, but like any it did have holes. But why keep them in one specific place? And what if an official were to not turn it in after receiving the fruit. Hmm, curiouser and curiouser…
I was brought out of my thoughts when banging was heard on the door. A quick scan with Observation told me it was… Curls and Bella?
“GET ZORO OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!” Yep, that was her. She barreled right past the doctor, dragging her sister behind her. “I don't know how you did it but fix it now!”
“Easy easy, Curls,” I said. “Why don't you calm-”
“No! I will most certainly not calm down! This is by far the worst possible thing to happen to Sweetie Belle!”
“Just what happened?”
Curls stepped out of the way, motioning towards her sister. “Go on, show him, Sweetie.” My eye was just about ready to fall out when I saw what was happening. Bella’s arms were encased in ice. Wait, no, that's not right. Her arms turned into ice! She had left frosty footsteps behind her, making a perfect trail. The hell did I not notice that? Damn you depth perception and your uselessness!
I got down onto one knee, grabbing the filly’s shoulders and looking her in the eye. I didn't feel any magic coming off of the ice. “Did you eat a weird fruit? Probably with swirls and a weird color?”
“Y-yes, sir,” she said meekly, avoiding my gaze. “It was a purple apple that grew above our treehouse.”
“Welcome to the watchlist, kid,” Time Turner said.
“What? What’s going on,” Curls demanded.
“Curls, you need to listen right now and not freak the hell out. Alright?” She nodded, taking a seat on the couch. “Now, your sister here ate a Devil Fruit. It's a Logia called the Ice Ice Fruit. Basically, she can turn into, generate, and control ice. And before you ask, it's permanent.”
The doctor immediately pulled out a worn notebook, some of the writing looking like Old Equestrian. “And you said it was a purple apple? Interesting, let me check- ah, there it is. Yep, now I need to write that down real quick.”
“Why, did you not have its description written down?”
“Oh no, I just needed to make a note about its reincarnation this time around.” And full brakes on the brain train.
“This time around?”
“Yes, whenever a fruit is reincarnated, it goes into a random fruit, altering the outer part to patch the coloration and design of the previous one.”
“That… that makes no sense!” What followed was an intense five minutes of me trying to grasp at and explain how that broke one of the fundamental rules surrounding them. Apparently mixed with the strange powers they granted, this was one of the reasons they called them ‘Fruits of Discord.’
After calming down, I addressed the very real problem of the kid having eaten one of the rarer fruits. And I agreed to something stupid.
“Thanks for agreeing to teach me how to control my powers,” she said, eyes wide with determination. “To be honest, I was worried that I'd accidentally spear Scootaloo again with a sneeze.”
“Yeah yeah,” I muttered. “Just remember: tell no one about this. That goes for you too, Curls.”
“But of course, darling,” she said. “I would never betray my country’s trust so easily. You can assure that I will remain quiet about this.”
“This is going to be the coolest thing ever!”
Why did I get the sneaking suspicion that my life was going to get more hectic than before…
===[3rd POV]===
Applejack had had a rough ride, little to do at Canterlot that didn’t involve dealing with those stuffy ponies, and was anxious to get to work. Her walk towards her family farm was uneventful but beautiful. As they were planning to change to Autumn soon, all the trees were starting to turn either a burnt orange or golden yellow. She smiled at the sight, seeing as while they could harvest throughout the year with earth pony magic, this was going to be the busy season.
Winona was the first to greet her as she walked up the steps to the farm house, running towards her master with unbound glee.
“Aw, howdy girl,” the cowgirl said, bending down to show her faithful companion some much needed loving. “Didja miss me too much?”
“Bark bark!”
“Well, that’s good ta hear! Now, let’s go get some o’ Granny’s cookin’! I’m hungrier than-” She stopped as soon as she had entered the kitchen.
All of her immediate family was sitting at the table, chatting with a figure messing with the cook ware.
Having no fur, his fair skin was exposed to the world. He had a scruffy yellow mane and what would be a very nice looking suit had it not been for the multiple rips and tears.
“... and so I said the new guy, ‘that wasn’t the oregano you dolt, that was Miss Whisker’s catnip!’” Everypony laughed at that, when they finally noticed the last Apple in the doorway.
“AJ! Yer home,” her little sister exclaimed.
“Have a seat, young’un,” Granny said. “This here feller’s makin’ a mean stew!” Big Mac just did a thumbs up.
“Hello, ma’am,” the new figure said. “You can call me Vinsmoke Sanji. I am a certified five star chef, so it’s bound to at least be decent..”
Applejack was just trying to process what the hay was happening before her Pinkie Defence Mechanism kicked in. Just roll with it, she thought.
===ooo000ooo===
Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was excited. Not only was her wedding coming up soon, but she now had the chance to talk with one of her best friends.
She snuck around the castle guards with practiced ease and into the visitors sector of the castle. A spell here and a distraction there was all she needed before arriving before her target's room.
If anything was to blame for her questionable skill set, point fingers at all the sold out concerts and overbearing nobles that had plagued her life.
Just as silently as she entered, the princess closed the door without making a sound. Her target was laying on the bed, too engrossed in the novel in front of them to notice the intruder.
Cadence readied herself, her wings semi spread in order to get more lift. She leaped on top of her target, arms wrapping around them.
“Chrissy!”
Said changeling flopped around like a fish when the new weight and loud voice interrupted her Ninjas of Love 3 novel. Her scowling gaze turned to a wide grin at the sight of her friend.
“Caddy! It's been forever,” she exclaimed, hugging her nymphhood friend tightly. “I just got the letter last week, you sly dog you~! So, did you figure out the date, yet?”
“It’s going to happen in a few months! And you, madam, will be the Maid of Honor, if you decide to come. I’ve even made sure to arrange enough seats for your family!” At the last statement, the changeling princess physically cringed. “Oh, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” she tried playing off. “Mother has them doing assignments in that time period. She wants to know who the best candidate for Empress will be.”
“Oh, well that’s sad,” th alicorn mumbled. Cadence had hoped that at least Scorpionidae would be coming, seeing as she always made the best shepherds pie. “But at least you’ll be there, right?”
“Pfft, do you even know me? Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Chrysalis said, waving nonchalantly. “Now, you need to tell me everything!” And so the two females did what all females about to participate in a wedding did. They talked.
For hours.
It was around three in the morning when they decided to call it a night.
“Thanks again for this,” Cadence said. “I would have been clueless about Shiny’s feelings for years had it not been for you.”
The changeling choked up, never responding well to compliments. “W-well, awkwardness never tasted to good. Might as well move it over to something sweeter.”
“Daw, aren’t you the softie.”
Chrysalis enjoyed the moment before the Hivelink sent her a message. Straight from Mother. Had she been of the mammalian species, she would have paled or fainted. Sadly, she was a changeling. And they were meant to follow the orders of the Empress.
Replace Cadence.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, much to the alicorn’s confusion.
“Huh, about wha-” she never got the chance to finish her sentence, as Chrysalis sent a powerful sleep spell her way. But before the Princess of Love could hit the ground, green magic enveloped her and lowered her gently.
“For following orders,” the changeling princess ordered before green fire enveloped her, becoming an exact copy of her friend. Two changeling guards entered the room and took the prone princess away. Most likely on Mothers orders, she soberly thought. After all, there were only two real rules in the Changeling Hive.
Protect the Hive with your life.
Obey the Empress without question.
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I don't know why but i'm expecting the empress to be an expy of Big Mom for some reason.
8708532
I did allude to her knowing the general basics of what they know. For the Apples, it's usually: See a weird Fruit, give it to Granny to send to Canterlot.
I have a question, that was Sanji coming out of the gates of Tartarus a few chapters ago right? I'm wondering what the hell did he do to end up there!
Also is he a displaced or the real Sanji?
Other then more questions than answers great chapter. I said it once and I'll say it again drunk princesses best princess!
Sanji in Ponyville? Can't wait till he meet Zoro.
"Code Grape" means Celestia is drunk off her plot. Brilliant!
The proper and ONLY response to trying one of Derpy/Ditzy's muffins.
Aww. . .I feel so bad for Chrissy!
Her mom is a b*tch, making her attack her best/oldest friend!
8708649
All humans seen in this story will be Displaced. And he's been just been wandering for the past month.
It's the last one that really annoyed you isn't it
I hope that s is supposed to a part of the word was, otherwise this... will be weird
.........
.... Twilight... just... just no, alright... just no 
You mean one of those horrible things that you just can't look away from
Oh yeah, this definetly deserves "train wreck" status
Wait, what
THIS WAS WONDERFUL
Not sure why, but this is hilarious
Yeah, i somehow doubt that's the case
Well, next chapter certainly promises to be interesting
Damn it. And things were looking so good, too. I hope their friendship can be mended.
8710630
I am both scared and curious as to what that means.
8710648
like I said before don't ask. oh. can't forget this. (grabs a shovel)
Dude. Before I even read this. Yes! You get a like.
I finally get to read a story, with Zoro. Bad ass pirate and swordsman. Who hell would refuse.
8739026
Apparently 28 other people.
But thanks for the pre-deserved like.
8739749
Well, those 28 people don't know what their missing. Great start.
I just love this sentence.
I love drunk Celestia. Drunklestia? No stupid name.
I like your fic, the only thing that annoys me is that you fell to the same mistakes of other stories involving the main six. What I’m referring to is the apologizing for someone else’s mistake. I’ve read Stories where a similar situation happens BUT the protagonist was at fault, so the apology didn’t felt force or simply out of place. A clear example could be the. “The lunar guard” in which the protagonist did made a mistake and the audience knew it was wrong, yet in your fic I really don’t know why he’s apologizing, I don’t feel that he did anything wrong, therefore It bothers me because I do believe Twilight is in the wrong.