Chapter 17: Starlight Glimmer's atonement, part 2
How could this have happened? Why was it happening?!
Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack were ponynapped by changelings! At least Sam and I found Twilight before she was taken and asked her for help, and even Lyra and a changeling named Thorax were with us. Even though he claimed he wasn't a threat, Thorax still made me feel a little uneasy, but of all ponies, I had no right to judge. Not with my past.
Twilight and I led the way as we roamed through tunnels in Ponyvill's gem cave, lighting the immediate area with our horns. Rarity probably would have loved the sight of the half-buried red, yellow, green, and other colored gems in the cave’s walls that surrounded us. Pinkie might have spun in circles so she could see the, as she might say, glowy rocks “spin”, though she might have tripped on one of the few regular ones on the ground.
Yet despite the cheerful dots of faint light from the gems around us, it took all my willpower to keep from shaking. Sure, I possessed great magic. Sam also wanted me to trust myself, but every time I tried to help others with magic, it went wrong one way or another. Why would it be any different now? If we got captured because of me, I would never forgive myself!
But as we kept traveling through the cave, I looked up at Sam and he gave me a reassuring smile. He always knew how to comfort and make me feel like I could do anything. If he really believed in me, then I’d be strong. For him. For Princess Twilight. For all of my friends.
“Whew, it’s colder in here than I thought. It almost made me forget we’re here to mount a rescue,” Sam said, rubbing his hands. He can make moving his, uh, fingers at the same time look so easy. With my luck, I would tangle them up all the time if ponies had hands instead of hooves.
“Speaking of that rescue mission, what’s the plan?” Thorax asked.
Twilight lowered her head to think. I poked my brain for ideas, but the only idea it gave me was to just don’t do anything to ruin things. Twilight soon lifted her head to Thorax and asked, “Thorax, are all the prisoners together in the deepest area of the cave?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Then once we reach them, I’ll teleport them and us out.”
“That sounds easy enough. In fact, can’t you just do your thing now?” Sam asked.
Twilight frowned. Sam said I kinda resemble Twilight, so was that how I look when frowning? “I would love to, but for me to teleport someone or something, it must be in my line of sight first, or I have to know its exact spot and be near it. I once teleported Pinkie Pie out of nowhere, but I still have NO idea how that happened.”
“Oh, well, that sucks. Guess fighting these changelings is inevitable, huh?”
“Yes, but that’s why I wanted Starlight’s help. Alone, my chances aren’t good, but if Starlight and I work together, we should be able to manage something,” Twilight said, but looked down and muttered something under her breath before raising her head again.
I hope so. No, don’t think like that! I thought, shaking my head to snap out of those thoughts. Besides, thinking that my friends might be scared or in pain...made me angry. I have obviously been mad before, but something felt different this time. Was what I felt now the kind of anger that stems from wanting to protect someone?
And what was Twilight saying under her breath?
The five of us continued to walk deeper into the gem-speckled caves and as we did, Sam’s words from earlier repeated in my head like a heartbeat: this is my chance to pay my friends back for all they have done for me. I just had to save them. Not just because I owe them so much and to atone for my mistakes, but because it’s something a good pony would do.
After a couple of minutes of walking, the tunnel we were traveling through forked into two. Which way were we supposed to go? I certainly had no clue, so I looked to Twilight and asked, ”Twilight, which way do we go?”
Twilight laid a hoof on her cheek and rolled her eyes up. Until Sam pointed it out to me, I had never thought much about how we ponies roll our eyes up or down when we think hard about something. “I’m not sure. Rarity comes here all the time searching for gems, but I’m far less familiar with how all these tunnels work. Thorax, do you--”
A chilling hiss pierced the air from behind, forcing screams from all of us and made Twilight and me jump a foot in the air. I’m certain my heart skipped a beat or two! We swung around to the source of that nerve-wracking hiss and saw that it came from Thorax. He had his tongue out, but covered his mouth once all of our eyes were on him. What was that about?!
I focused my magic into my horn and Twilight mirrored me. We would stop Thorax then and there if he was about to try something.
Thorax shook his head and said, “W-Wait, guys! I didn’t mean to do that! I’m just so...hungry.”
“Uh, h-hungry?” Lyra asked, rubbing her head. She took Thorax's...hunger pains a lot easier than I did.
If my heart wasn’t still struggling to slow down, I probably would have been rubbing my head or neck too out of confusion. Thorax really didn’t seem like he was lying, so it felt safe to relax my horn, but let it remain lit for light; Twilight did the same with hers.
“Yeah. I haven’t eaten any love in a long time. Unlike my fellow changelings, I hate fighting, so I’ve been trying to keep from eating love from ponies, but I’m so--” Thorax hissed and covered his mouth again, making me jump again. This time, no scream left my mouth, but my heart couldn’t withstand much more of this! Still, I felt bad for Thorax. I can’t imagine having to go without eating anything.
“Hmm. I’m glad you’re so dedicated to being peaceful, Thorax, but I don’t want you to starve yourself. When this is over, I’ll try to think of a solution that won’t make you have to stay hungry,” Twilight said.
That’s Princess Twilight for you. Always wanting to help others. Still couldn't believe how she could ever think that she’s a bad friend, or how I could have ever hated her.
“Thanks. I would really appreciate that. Changelings could never eat enough love anyway, so I would love to have something that could keep me full for a while...uh, no pun intended.”
“You can never have enough love?” I asked.
Thorax shook his head. Never being able to satisfy their hunger? No wonder changelings acted so aggressive in the stories I’ve heard with them! “Nope. Changelings have never been able to eat enough love to fully quell our hunger. But anyway, as for which direction to go, I’m not 100% sure. I’m not used to these caves and--”
“I think we should go to the right,” Lyra said. Her head was leaned close to the ground near the right tunnel’s entrance, staring down. I didn’t even notice her move; my eyes were on Thorax until she spoke.
“Why you think that? You found some kind of clue?” Sam asked.
“The ground here has fresh-looking tiny grains of rock spread out wide, suggesting this tunnel was used a lot recently.” Lyra crept to the entrance to the tunnel on the left, keeping her head toward the ground. “But the rocks here look much more undisturbed. Even if the changelings flew the whole way, their wings’ vibrations would have had at least a slightly larger effect on them.”
I asked, “How did you figure that out?”
“Let’s just say that I was shown a thing or two about how to track somepony. Uh, but not to harm them.”
“Hmm. When we brought the pony with the rainbow-colored mane in here, it does feel like we might have gone to the right at this part of the cave. I just wasn’t completely certain.”
“In that case, let’s go to the right.” Twilight looked toward Lyra with a proud smile. “Good work, Lyra.”
Lyra blushed and rubbed her neck. Knowing Sam, he thought it was cute. Afterward, we continued the search for our friends. If Lyra didn’t tell us her fillyhood nickname, I might have felt suspicious, so this couldn’t be a trap. At least, I hoped not.
About five minutes into walking through the new tunnel, it cut to the right at a near-90 degree angle. When we got close to the turn, voices, possibly the changelings, filled the air. They came from ahead. Lit horns could draw their attention, so Twilight and I ceased our horns’ glowing, dimming the area. This made the gems in the walls around us look to be glowing a little brighter. Not that it mattered much right now!
“Guys, could that be changelings?” Sam asked.
Thorax answered, “Yeah, and if I’m right, who we are hearing are the guards. I think they are on patrol.”
“And the voices are coming closer, so let’s go back and regroup,” Twilight suggested.
We turned around, but faint voices from where we had just come suddenly became audible. I so wished it was just some ponies wandering in the cave. Wishful thinking, I know.
“Uh-oh. We have more company,” Lyra said with a frightened frown.
Thorax gasped. “Oh, no! That must be more changelings arriving to give a status report! What do we do?”
We all looked back and forth, hoping to see some way out of this. My mind raced. I've rarely felt my heart pump so fast and hard. I have no clue how I didn't freak out before an idea came to mind.
“I have an idea. Everypony, get to one of the walls, then stand still and quiet.” I dashed to a wall by us.
Sam and Twilight followed me, while Lyra and Thorax ran to the opposite wall in the tunnel. With us in place, I gathered both my magic and thoughts. I mentally pictured all of us standing where we were, then not there and focused on that last mental image. A mere half a second later, my friends all vanished. I glanced down at my hooves and saw nothing but the ground.
Not a moment too soon: changelings, about fifteen of them, rounded the corner ahead of us while flying. About the same number of airborne changelings became visible from behind us, all joining together to mold into a single group. Two of the changelings landed and crept toward Sam, Twilight, and me. Another two approached Thorax and Lyra at the same, slow speed. They all inched closer and closer, sniffing the air. The distance kept closing until they were close enough to feel their warm breaths blowing onto my face. My stomach turned at the stench. Changelings aren't fans of washing their mouths I guess.
Unlike Thorax's eyes, these changelings’ eyes oozed a fierce, far more intimidating presence. My whole body, invisible or not, shook. A lump formed in my throat. My heart pounded in my chest so hard, it really felt like it might burst. I had never felt so much terror and even needed to force myself to not scream.
It felt like an eternity, but the four changelings’ sniffing finally stopped. They faced each other, shook their heads, then the whole swarm flew down the cave in the direction we came from. Once they were out of sight, I relaxed the magic in my horn, canceling the invisibility spell.
That was too close! It was only now that I noticed that I had started holding my breath. No wonder a wave of lightheadedness hit me.
With big smiles, Sam, Twilight, Lyra, and Thorax surrounded me and Lyra said, “That invisibility spell worked, Starlight! You saved us!”
“That was some quick thinking! I was about to just teleport us out, but your idea was much better!”
“And with a spell! See? I knew you could do it!” Sam told me while leaning down to give my mane a quick rub. I’m not sure who likes that more now, him or me.
But more importantly, for the first time, I used a spell to help others, and it didn’t backfire! I could feel my face blushing as I rubbed the ground with one of my hooves. Was Sam thinking it looked cute? “W-Well, that wasn’t anything big.”
“Sure it wasn’t, miss ‘I-always-ruin-things-with-spells’,” Sam said in a teasing voice. As well as knowing how to ease me, he always knew how to make me laugh, or giggle in this case.
Lyra pointed out, “But we shouldn’t keep celebrating. Let’s get going before more changelings come.”
Twilight and I lit our horns again, then we resumed our rescue mission. I could hardly believe a spell from me actually helped us!
Though, maybe it was just luck. The idea for an invisibility spell only came to me because I found myself in a similar spot before. Otherwise, I might have...no! I couldn’t think like that!
About twenty-five minutes of traveling through the tunnels in this cave, the nerves hit an all-time high. We were finally near the entrance to the innermost area of the cave. Only part of it was visible to us, but it was at least the size of the library in Twilight’s castle, which is huge.
But in that room stood changelings. A lot of changelings, all lined in rows, staying still and quiet. The ones I could see numbered about twenty or so, but more were probably spread out in parts of the room we couldn’t see from our angle. As for our friends, they were nowhere in sight. Were they in a spot that wasn’t visible to us, or did we come too late?
To help keep ourselves out of those changelings’ views, we all backed against a wall in the tunnel we were still in.
“I don’t see our friends,” Twilight whispered. “Are you sure they are in there, Thorax?”
“They are. If I’m right, they are hanging on the walls in cocoons, but they are too high up to see from here.”
A bit of relief poured through me. We weren’t too late.
“So what’s our next move?” Sam asked.
“We fight. Well, Starlight and I will. The rest of you stay here.”
A single fact grew more clear than ever. My heart skipped a beat again. One way or another, I would either help save our friends or be the cause of our capture. “Well, I...*gulp*...I’m ready. How are we going to get through them?”
“Wait, I have an idea that might let you not have to fight,” Sam said.
"How can we?" I immediately asked. I had never asked anything so fast.
“Since this is an all-or-nothing situation anyhow, how about I go in there to grab their attention, then--”
“Ugh, Sam, what did I say about not doing anything reckless? It's bad enough I let my friends get captured again, but now you want to…to...” Twilight looked down, staying still. Her voice had frustration, but something else wasn’t right. What did she mean by “captured again”?
Sam rubbed his head and asked. “Hold on, ‘again’? Oh, do you mean when that ‘Lord Tri-something’ you told me about captured them?”
Twilight raised her head. The huge frown on her face was one of the saddest I’ve ever seen from her. “Yes.” She sighed and continued, “When they were captured by Tirek, I was away trying to learn how to control the alicorn magic Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance transferred into me to safeguard. Sure, I was only doing what Princess Celestia wanted me to do and yes, I later freed my friends and we literally unlocked the power to defeat Tirek, but even so, I’m the Princess of Friendship. I should be the one to be imprisoned, not six of my closest friends." Twilight leaned her head down again. "Now, because I wasn’t there for them, again…” She stayed still, but sniffles came from her. Each one was like a slice to my already weakened heart.
Maybe Twilight and I are even more alike than I thought. The context was different, but like me, she was haunted by something about her past too. Could this have even been the real reason Twilight thought she was a bad friend, but how she “was” one to Sam and me just made the feeling worse? Maybe that muttering she did under her breath earlier had something to do with this.
But just like the big-hearted guy I grew to not just care for as my best friend, but admire, Sam knelt to Twilight and laid a hand on the back of her neck. I followed his lead and set a hoof on her back.
“I understand. You feel like this might be your fault for not being with them when they were attacked?” Sam asked.
Twilight wiped her eyes, lifted her face, and nodded. “Yes. They needed me, but again, I wasn’t there for them. If I didn’t choose to return to my castle to work on reversing the spell Starlight cast, my friends might not have been taken.”
There had to be something I could say to help, but what? Not only do I still have a lot to learn about friendship, but I’m not great at saying the right words to cheer somepony up. I could have easily made Twilight feel worse without even meaning to.
I racked my brain for something to say. Luckily, words came to mind, but I had to hope they wouldn’t make this into an even bigger disaster. Celestia help me.
“But, you not being there for, uh, I mean, going back to the castle might have been for the best. Thorax said that the changelings were attacking them one by one, right? Even if you had kept looking for me, wouldn’t they have just gotten you the same way?”
“She’s right, Princess Twilight,” Thorax chimed in. “Queen Chrysalis trained all of us on how to defeat even an alicorn by sneaking up in huge numbers and stealing their love en masse. Without knowing our attack was coming, I doubt you would have stood a chance!”
“Maybe, but--”
“If you feel that way, it really would be better if Sam goes out, and I will too,” Lyra said. After hearing Twilight’s story, I wasn’t expecting to hear that. She wouldn’t be able to take it if the changelings snatched up any more of us!
“What? Why?” Twilight asked. Yep, we’re definitely alike, because I was just about to ask that.
“Think about it. If you and Starlight rush out there and be taken down, what would happen to Sam and me? From advice I heard from a...good friend, you and Starlight just charging in there isn’t a good idea.”
“Well, uhh…” Twilight rubbed her head as Sam and I moved our hand/hoof off her.
“See? She’s on to something. But if Lyra and I run in there and cause a ruckus, it would let you and Starlight catch them by surprise,” Sam explained. I didn’t even think about that.
“Lyra and Sam would throw the whole swarm off-guard if they go out. I could help too by going out with them while pretending to be you, Princess Twilight. They should still be looking for you. Though, thanks to the training Queen Chrysalis gave us, any distractions won't last long, so you and Starlight will still have to move fast.”
“I…*sigh*...you’re right. My guilt must have messed up my head because I’m usually better at coming up with plans than this.” Twilight’s sad frown grew to a determined one, filled with leadership, just like a princess. “Alright. Sam, Lyra, Thorax, when you three go in, grab the changelings’ attention and try to draw them toward you, but don’t act threateningly and coax them to attack.“ Twilight turned her head to look right at me in the eyes. Like her frown, those eyes screamed leadership, as well as confidence. “Starlight, when I see an opening, I will whisper ‘now’ and we’ll both run inside, with me in front. Once we’re in, I’ll cover for you while you find and teleport our friends and the other captured ponies to where we are now. After that, we will teleport all of us out of the cave together. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Okay." Twilight faced the rest of our rescue team; Sam was still on a knee. "In that case, Sam, Lyra, Thorax, when you’re ready, go in.”
“And please, be careful. Twilight’s not the only one that would be crushed if they get you too.”
“We’ll be careful.” Sam gently gave Twilight and me what he calls a “boop” on our muzzles, then stood up. They always make my muzzle tingle and I always giggle from it. Same goes for Twilight. I’m going to give him a boop of my own one of these days.
Sam, Lyra, and Thorax moved from the wall and stood beside one another. Sam rubbed his hands and a lump went down Lyra's and Thorax's throats. Seeing them do that was another reason I had to be brave. If they could look past their fear, then so could I.
“Remember the plan, and good luck, guys,” Twilight said.
Sam, Lyra, and Thorax nodded at her, then faced the inner room with the changelings and our friends. Thorax enveloped himself in a green fire-like magic for just a moment. When the magic vanished, he looked just like Twilight, down to her Cutie Mark. The real Twilight and I remained against the wall.
As “Twilight”, Thorax, along with Sam and Lyra, ran into the room then darted left, disappearing from Twilight’s and my view.
The moment they ran in, all the changelings hissed and stalked toward them.
“Where are my friends?!” Thorax asked in Twilight’s voice. He had it down perfectly.
“What?! Princess Twilight Sparkle, what are you doing here?! And what is that thing that's wearing clothes?!” one of the changelings asked.
Hearing Sam being called a “thing” made me grit my teeth. No one talks to him like that!
“Who wants to know, you big bugs?! Go back under a rock or whatever you came from, or else!” Sam yelled back. I really wish he didn’t sound like he was ready to fight. He was supposed to just get their attention!
Twilight thought the same thing since she mumbled, “Sam, I told you not to act threateningly.”
The changelings continued to creep to the left and toward Sam, Lyra, and Thorax, making more and more of them disappear from view.
“Starlight, get ready.”
I nodded, but my heart pounded so hard. Even thinking about how one of those changelings called Sam a "thing", how I wasn’t shaking was beyond me. Of all times, this wasn’t a time to make a mess of things. On the bright side, as Sam said, I have wanted to pay my friends back for their kindness and friendship and be a good pony. This was my chance to not only do it, but with my magic!
Five seconds after she told me to get ready, the last changeling in our line of sight moved out of it. My muscles tensed, waiting for Twilight to whisper a certain word.
“Now.”
With that last word from Twilight, she shot in that room, with me trailing right behind her! I had never wanted my hooves to move so fast. Not even when I tried to escape from my village with everypony’s Cutie Marks. It was sheer luck that I didn't step on any of the rocks on the ground.
“WHAT?! How are there two Princess Twilights?!” the same changeling that questioned "what" Sam is asked.
“I don't know, but get her and that other unicorn too!” another one demanded.
I couldn’t think much more about what else was said. I turned to my right. Nothing but the cave wall with some gems buried in it. I spun my head to the left. Twilight -- the real Twilight -- had created a barrier, effectively splitting the room in two, but the rest of the changelings all rammed against it repeatedly, the smashing from the impacts echoing through the room. It was bigger in this room than I thought, twice the size of Twilight's library, and there were far more changelings than I thought. There might have been over fifty trying to break through Twilight’s barrier! But more importantly, where were our friends?!
There was only one place left to look: up. Thanks to my nerves and being...me, I forgot Thorax said they’d be in cocoons hanging from the ceiling, and they were. The image hit me far harder than I thought it would, making me freeze.
Each trapped inside their own green transparent cocoon, hanging from stalks, were Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Spike, and several more ponies, though Fluttershy wasn’t there. They were all twitching, so they were alive, but I shuddered to think about how it felt in there. Trapped. Helpless. Were they even awake? I was hoping they weren’t: it was too horrible to think about what might have gone through my friends’ heads if they were conscious in those things.
“Starlight! Do you see our friends?!” Twilight asked in a strained voice.
“Oh, right, I do, and the other captured ponies!” I shook my head to break out of my trance and concentrated my magic. My eyes locked onto the cocoons and I mentally pictured them to where we came into the room.
They remained hanging from the ceiling.
I focused harder, gritting my teeth. Still nothing. What was going on?
“Starlight, hurry up! I can’t keep this shield up much longer! There are way too many of them ramming into it!”
“Dig deep, Twilight! You can do it! You too, Starlight!” Sam yelled.
Twilight could definitely do it, but could I? No, I had to do this! I concentrated harder than I have in my life. The magic in my horn sparked. It almost felt like my teeth might crack from how hard I gritted them while groaning from effort.
Yet nothing was happening! The method for teleportation spells was being performed correctly, so what was wrong?!
A scream, followed by Sam, Lyra, and Thorax yelling Twilight’s name, prevented me from feeling bad about failing. I spun around and my heart sank. The sight knocked the breath out of me.
On the ground, by a wall, Twilight Sparkle lay on the floor, moaning in pain. A black singe covered half of her back and on the wing visible to me. But something wasn’t right, besides Twilight being down. If her shield was shattered from being overpowered, at worst, the force would have knocked her toward me, not toward the wall on the side of the room opposite where we ran in. She shouldn’t have suffered singes on her back and wing from her shield breaking anyway. It shouldn’t have even injured her.
“It looks like my plan to ensure we caught you worked like a charm, Princess Twilight. I knew the work of creating anti-magic cocoons would pay off, but I am surprised at how we have a traitor in our midst,” a new, icy feminine voice said. I had never heard it before, yet somehow, I knew who that chilling voice belonged to. Maybe my instincts as a pony told me.
I slowly turned toward where it came from to confirm it. I was right, and it petrified me.
Standing where we had come in the room, with additional changelings behind her, was who said those words. As I had heard, she was taller than a normal changeling and about as tall as Sam. Her horn was long and crooked and a blue mane, or something like a mane, flowed down the sides of her face. She was a creature I hoped to never meet face-to-face.
Queen Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings.
“Twilight! Are you okay?!” Sam asked. I wanted that too in the worst way. Without Twilight, we had no chance.
“Say something!" Lyra begged.
“I’m so sorry! I knew Queen Chrysalis might come, but I thought we had more time than this!” Thorax yelled. At least this wasn’t a trap that he helped set.
“D-Don’t worry, I-I'll be fine.” Twilight forced herself to her hooves while groaning from both effort and pain, but her legs wobbled and she fell to the ground, grunting on impact. She pushed herself to stand again, but after more wobbling, she collapsed with a grunt a second time. My answer on if she'd try to get up a third time came when she glared at Chrysalis with gritted teeth, but remained still. Neither Twilight nor my heart wanted to admit it, but she was too hurt to fight, Princess of Friendship or not.
My eyes drifted to Twilight, to the changelings near Sam, Lyra, and Thorax, then to Chrysalis. I really didn’t think Sam and Lyra could help me fight. Even if we could fight only Chrysalis, her magic is said to be on par with alicorns. Thorax changed back to his changeling form and was walking backward, so he looked too scared to help; I really couldn’t blame him. I was nowhere near strong enough to do anything on my own. What could I do? I was too stunned to even utter a word, let alone spells!
“And in case you’re thinking it, don’t you try to teleport out of here to save yourself, Princess. If you do, you will never see your friends alive again.”
Sam, Twilight, Lyra, Thorax, and I all gasped. If we left with teleportation, we would lose our friends!! My heart had to be getting tired of skipping beats at this point.
Twilight lifted her head to me, bearing big, concerned-filled eyes. “Starlight, change of plans: get Sam, Lyra, and Thorax out of here, go to Canterlot, tell Princess Celestia what’s going on, and don’t worry about me!” She turned her head to Chrysalis and scowled. “And, Chrysalis, this isn't over! You may have me now, but when Princess Celestia learns about this, you will--"
“Oh, I don’t think she will help. Or any of your princesses,” Chrysalis said.
The intensity of Twilight’s glare softened immensely. “Why?”
I was still in too bad a state of shock to ask “why” myself, but I asked it in my head. I did have a sinking feeling about what Chrysalis meant by her words.
Chrysalis and the changelings behind her strode completely into the room. In three pairs, six of the changelings that were behind them, who I couldn’t see before, carried three cocoons.
The ponies in them: Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance.
This couldn’t be real. It had to be a dream. No, a nightmare.
“Oh, and if you think the Lord of Chaos might come to your rescue, allow me to show you something from the changeling hive.”
I didn’t even think about Discord, but would he have even tried to help?
Chrysalis let out laughter which chilled me to the core as her horn glowed. Green magic oozed from it, gathering into a large ball above her head. The magic cleared into an image of two more cocoons that was inside what appeared to be a different, gem-less cave. What, or who, the cocoons held chilled me even more. I couldn’t fight the urge to shake anymore.
One of the two cocoons held Fluttershy, and the other held Discord, both twitching like the others in cocoons were. I may not have liked Discord for picking on me, but he didn’t deserve to be trapped in one of those things. I had no idea why Fluttershy was there with him, but Thorax said only changeling magic works in the changeling hive. If that negated even Discord’s magic, he wouldn’t be saving us, even if he wanted to.
“You see? Now that I have taken everyone that can be a threat to us, it is only a matter of time before me and my subjects have enough love to feed on for generations! Ha ha ha!”
I could have tried to teleport away. Yet, I just couldn’t abandon my friends like this. Not after how wonderful they have been to me. And even if I fled, who would I even go to for help? The frowns on Sam’s and Lyra’s faces and how Sam had his fists clenched proved they didn’t want to leave them either. Lyra cared about Bon Bon just like Sam and I cared about Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.
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It’s in Sam’s instincts to fight, even if he ain’t supposed to.
Game over. If only Sam were a gun nut.
10249136
It's more like Starlight just doesn't think Sam could fight them all and win.
10249240
That comment made me think of a HiE story where some humans showed Celestia and Luna guns, and those two got real used to how to use them.
10249240 I’ve read that fic. Celly and Luna are surprisingly immature regarding guns. My least favorite chapter was the one where Celly shot Sunset dead.
10249449 That doesn’t seem fair to Sam at all. If Sam was a child or a pacifist, fine. But even if he didn’t have weapons, he’d make an improv weapon, use his smarts or just fight barehanded anyway. I still wish actual fighting was an option, though. You can only do so much with stealth when your present company stands out. But that’s just me, imho. The ponies should stop underestimating the lone human in their company.
10249599
If it comes down to it and he must, Sam could fight barehanded, which Twilight and Starlight do know, but they're not making the mistake of overestimating him and think that would be enough. The gang is just too outnumbered for Sam, as he is, to help them beat them. As for now, the changelings have power in numbers and Queen Chrysalis is there too to boot
I know there are some stories that make humans on the OP side even when unarmed to make them look good just because they're humans, but this won't be one of those stories.
10250009 Oh, that made more sense.
10249599
Sam could be impossibly strong highly trained fighter but it wouldn't mean anything against an actual army.... That has use of magic.... on their own turf.
1 tank with no weapons is useless against an army with guns.
10252569 True, but is Sam magic-resistant? I’ve read fics where the human is mostly resistant to magic.
10253014
Sam's not magic-resistant. I've read those fics too where humans are mostly or completely resistant to magic, but that's usually just done as a way to even the playing field. A lot of those fics don't even give reasons to why the human(s) have magic resistance.
Ima start reading this now
Oh sheet!!!! It is going on!!!
Keep it up
10260827
Thanks, and glad you're enjoying it so far!
When was this?
10337043
it happened in the season 2 episode "Secret of My Excess" when Twilight was teleporting Spike to her to wash a dirty cheek, but one of her telelports brought Pinkie out of nowhere to her.
Sorry um isn't the effect of gems still following spike still active? In the rush it wasn't turned off and I don't think rarity has that kind of skill to turn it off. Did the changlings (sorry don't know if I mess up grammar. I'll fix it later after this chapter if I remember.) deactivate the spell because I thought it was complex so wouldn't someone with the understanding be able to take off the spell? I don't know if they already took him to the hive to try to deactivate it in nature but wouldn't his body be magic resistance to the effects? It said (I don't if I got this from the show or a fic.) That it only allow changlings to use magic and that the stone was made from ancient magic. Would it active his firebreath or no because usually in these fics it says every life has magic to live. Example in discord's case he has to use magic in a chaotic mindset or he cease to exist. However when he was in the hive in canon it stopped him and others from using their magic and if this is the case why didn't he disappear? He is as he claims in canon a spirit of chaos not a god so he is essentially made up of magic so wouldn't you say there are the subtle effects of magic making biology work in their bodies. Sorry I went on a tangent anyway do they have a way to deactivate the spell yes or no and can Starlight track her own spell?
P.s what I meant is life magic isn't negated because it is more ancient then that stone throne.
10427528
Twilight managed to cancel the gem-attraction effect of Starlight's spell, but I forgot to say it in the story.
10427533
Ok I thought they didn't go with each other before I must have not been paying attention.
10427562
It wasn't you not paying attention, that was my mistake. Not mentioning that and clearly was one of the things I missed cleaning up when I was editing the story