The Elements of Virtue

by Rakoon1

The Element of Beauty, Part II - Infiltrating the Hive

Moonlight and her group were now heading towards the Changeling Hive. While they were walking, there was someone that seemed to not being enjoying the time they were taking to get to the hive.

“Oh, I don't know how any of you manage not being able to disappear and reappear whenever you want!” Discord complained, while walking at the back of the group.

“Well, I, for one, definitely miss you being able to disappear” Galena replied to him.

“Give Discord a break” Moonlight told Galena. “None of us knew we weren't going to be able to use magic.”

“I did” Thorax said.

“If we get separated, it might make sense to have a way to make sure we are who we say we are” Moonlight said, while stopping. “We don’t want to be tricked by the other changelings.”

“Oh, like a secret code!” Discord said, sarcastically. “How about if I say we are and you say doomed? Or you say rescue and I say...”

But before he could finish the sentence, he tripped on a rock and fell. Before that, Galena said:

“How about if we say klutzy and you say draconequus?”

“Klutzy draconequus…” Moonlight repeated. “Works for me.”

“I'll definitely remember it” Thorax seconded.

“I, for one, think it’s very offensive” Discord said, while getting up.

“Well, that’s too bad, because it’s already decided” Galena told him.

As they continued to walk, Discord became bored and, noticing Thorax, decided to break the boredom by asking him:

“Okay, I’ve been wondering about one thing, my dear pal Thorax.”

“What?” he asked.

“I really need to know… is Chrysalis really the mother of all of your kind?” Discord asked.

“Discord!” Moonlight and Galena shouted at him, stopping.

“What?!” he replied. “I can’t be possibly the only wondering about that.”

Galena was about to say something, but changed her mind and told instead:

“You know, I’m also wondering about that.”

That caused Moonlight to give her a look, but Galena just shrugged her shoulders to her.

“It’s okay, Moonlight” Thorax said, as they continued to walk. “I think I can elucidate them.”

“All right!” Discord exclaimed. “So, tell us… Is Chrysalis really the mother of all changelings? If so, how to do you do to get rid of all the… tention?”

“Really?” Galena asked the draconequus. “You sure have a sick mind.”

“Hey, I’m the spirit of chaos and disharmony after all” he replied.

“To answer your question, no, Queen Chrysalis is not the mother of all changelings” Thorax replied. “We, changelings, have two ways to reproduce. We can either do it between ourselves or take advantage of our shapeshifting abilities for that. The larvae are then fed with the queen’s royal jelly that is what nourishes them to become changelings. It’s what causes us to grow up fast.”

“Oh… Okay, that’s disappointing” Discord said. “Here I was thinking a changeling’s origin was much more entertaining…”

After that, it didn’t took long for them to arrive to the hive. The entrance was guarded by two guards who were wearing armors. After they sneaked through them, they got to the base of the hive. Thorax made a sign them to a hole through where they crossed to enter. Discord was the last to pass through. As they got in, they saw that the inside was filled with tunnels that could be accessed by holes that were in constant change, closing and opening.

“Okay, I am definitely glad you came” Galena said. “I don't think we'd be able to find our way without you.”

“You definitely wouldn't” Thorax said, pointing to the hole they had come in through.

They looked and saw that it just closed.

“Um, where's the way out?” Galena asked.

“It's a changeling hive” Thorax explained. “It shifts and changes like we do, and we're the only ones who can navigate it. It's total chaos to non-changelings.”

He went through another wall where a hole just opened. The others crossed and Discord, the last one, said, while passing and making sure his tail wasn’t caught up by the closing hole:

“Well, it's decent chaos. I don't know if I'd call it total.”

As they kept going through the hive, passing through tunnels and descending and ascending stairs, Discord asked:

“Are we sure that I'll get my magic back when we destroy this throne thingy?”

“If Thorax is right, then yes” Moonlight replied.

“Well, that's reassuring” Discord ironized.

“And how are we supposed to destroy the throne when we find it?” Galena asked, as they stopped.

“I... don't know” Moonlight answered.

“That's reassuring” Galena said, hasting to say after noticing Moonlight’s look with a nervous laugh. “But I’m sure we’re going to find a way.

“I don't suppose you know any throne-destroying spells from that uptight father of yours” Discord asked Galena. “Oh, wait, magic here doesn’t work. In other words, you are pretty useless.”

“Asks the spirit of chaos who can't go for a walk without whining nonstop!” Galena replied, offended.

“Yes, but when the throne is destroyed, I'll be able to rip the very fabric of reality to retrieve the flower an save our friends, while you'll still be a self-absorbed, arrogant little princess that can’t even accept the fact she’s in love with the griffon she dislikes the most!

“What…?!” Galena exclaimed, starting to lose her patience. “Why, you...!”

“Cut… it… out!” Moonlight exclaimed, putting herself between them. “I'm just barely keeping it together, and it would be wonderful if you two could actually try to help instead of bickering like foals!”

She continued to follow Thorax, while she left Discord and Galena a little ashamed.

“Okay…” the draconequus said.

“How can we help?” Galena asked, as she and Discord approached her.

“That’s it, I don’t know!” Moonlight said. “Why did the Tree of Crisis ask me to come here?”

“Moonlight, could it be you’re nervous about facing Chrysalis?” Galena asked, a little worried with her friend.

“No…” Moonlight replied, before sighing and admitting. “Okay, I am. It’s just I’m not exactly the Lord of Chaos’ favorite being. I’m a traitor.”

“So am I and yet you don’t see me freaking out” Discord said.

“Yes, but you are very powerful” Moonlight said. “You just said you can rip the fabric of reality. If it wasn’t for Chrysalis’ throne, you would be able to handle her. That was what I was hoping for. But now… the three of us are as good as useless. At least Thorax knows where we're going.”

“Um, guys?” Thorax called, while stopped at a dead end. “I think we're lost.”

“Oh, great…” Galena said. “The only thing that could happen now was for the changelings to appear and soak up all of our love or whatever gross thing it is that they do. How often do you all get hungry?”

“Actually, I haven't been since I met Moonlight” Thorax said. “And changelings are always hungry. We can never get enough love.”

“Well, that's just super…” Galena started, only to be interrupted by Moonlight.

“But you aren't hungry at all now?” Moonlight asked Thorax, becoming intrigued by what he said.

“Once I made a few friends, I guess I just sort of forgot about the whole feeding thing” he said. “Remember our time in Tambelon? I haven’t felt any hunger during our time there.”

“And it was shortly after that your wings changed, right?” Moonlight asked.

“I guess so” the good changeling replied, while looking to his wings.”

“Interesting…” Moonlight said. “It was like the friendships you’ve made started to express on your appearance…”

It was then Discord made a fake yawn and said:

“While I would love to sit around chitchatting about feeding and not feeding, I HAVE A FLUTTERSHY TO SAVE!

The last thing he said started echoing through all the hive and the changelings, listening that, realized there were intruders in the hive and started hissing.

“Can you please lower your voice?!” Galena hushed. “You're gonna get us all captured!”

“Oh, you keep saying that, but I haven't seen an actual changeling since we got into this hive” Discord replied.

As soon he finished saying that, a buzzing sound started to be heard from afar.

“W-What's that?” Galena asked.

“A changeling patrol!” Thorax replied, becoming very nervous.

The simple fact the patrol was approaching caused Thorax to star hyperventilating, what made Moonlight to go and try to calm him down.

“This seems like one of those moments where we need a plan” Discord said.

“What kind of plan?!” Galena asked. “We have no magic, and it's not like we can foul them.”

That gave Moonlight an idea and she said:

“Maybe we can… Discord, tell me you have your ninja equipment in that backpack of yours.”

“And what makes you think I have ninja equipment?” he asked, a little offended.

“Mom told me about your little… adoration for ninja” Moonlight said.

Noticing he couldn’t hide anything from Moonlight, he sighed:

“Fine, I brought some of it. What do you want?”

“Smoke bombs” she replied.

When the changeling patrol arrived to where the group was, they found Galena who asked them:

“Looking for somepony?”

When the changelings were closed, Galena dropped smoke bombs, that created a smokescreen through which the changelings passed through. They got a little confused, but then a smokescreen appeared at the other side, with Galena appearing there.

“Is that the best you've got?!” she taunted, while laughing.

The changelings got mad by her taunts and advanced towards her again. But she kept using smoke bombs to disappear and appear in many places. This really annoyed the changelings that got focused on her.

On the level up to the one where the changelings were pursuing Galena, Moonlight and Discord observed through hole the situation. While that happening, Moonlight noticed two changelings who had gave up the pursuit to go through a different hole.

“Not exactly wizard-level, but effective” Discord commented.

“I'll take that as a compliment” Galena replied appearing between them.

It was then that another Galena approached them and Moonlight told:

“Klutzy...”

“...draconequus!” the two Galenas replied, with one talking with Thorax’s voice.

And the Galena that had just arrived turned into Thorax. Before the secret code, Discord said:

“Ugh, I really think we need a new code word.”

“That was a pretty good plan” Thorax said.

“But we still don't know where we're going” Galena told.

“Actually, we might” Moonlight told. “Two of the changelings didn't go with the rest.”

That statement of her caused Thorax to remind of something:

“Oh! With an intruder in the hive, they went to protect the queen! Good thinking, Moonlight!

That complement caused Moonlight to release a laugh of embarrassment.

Following the direction the other changelings went, they tried to avoid all the changelings that were flying around the hive looking for them. As they continued, they found the entrance to the inner part of the hive. However, it was guarded by six changeling guards.

“Now what?” Galena asked.

“We... go in” Moonlight said, while taking a deep breath.

“Even if I wanted to, there's no way past the guards” Thorax said, trembling. “We'll be spotted for sure.”

“We need some kind of... distraction” Moonlight said.

“I think we used all of Discord’s smoke bombs” Galena said.

“Normally, I'm the most distracting thing I can think of, but without magic...” Discord started.

What he said caused Moonlight to have another idea and she told him:

“You shouldn't underestimate yourself.”

After the entrance closed with the passage of some changelings, the guards heard steps and saw Discord before them. He had a microphone with him, which he tapped before saying in his theatrical way:

“Hello, changelings and changelettes! Believe me, I was just as surprised as you are that I'm here! When I heard that I'd be playing for a bunch of changelings, I was beside myself! Then I realized, it was just one of you.”

The changelings didn’t react well to Discord’s joke, only looking at him threateningly and snarling. Before that reaction, Discord laughed nervously and said, still with the microphone:

“But, seriously, this isn't the toughest crowd I've ever been in front of. But it's definitely the easiest to bug!”

But that joke only left the changelings confused.

“To bug?” Discord repeated, looking then to the microphone and tapping it. “Is this thing on?”

But the changelings just kept snarling at Discord, while advancing towards him. This allowed Moonlight, Galena and Thorax to sneak pass them and get to the entrance which was opened by the former. With them in, Discord decided then to get rid of the guards, saying:

“Well, if you think that you can do any better, be my guest!”

He threw away the microphone that feedbacked when it hit the ground and the draconaquus started running away, with the changeling guards chasing after him.

From inside, the others observed as the guards chased after Discord.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that that worked” Galena commented.

Discord run towards a hall filled with glowing orbs, hiding away so the changelings would pass by him. When they were gone, he came out and said with a smile.

“It is certainly a pleasure to have such dedicated fans. I'll have to come back with some new material after I get Mistmane’s flower and rescue Fluttershy.”

When he started to walk back to the entrance, he started listening sobbing and then a voice he recognized saying:

“Please, help!”

He followed the voice and found none other than Fluttershy, with a scarred look and her tail under a rock.

“Fluttershy!” Discord exclaimed, happily.

“Discord!” Fluttershy called, with a smile, as Discord approached. “I'm stuck!”

“You certainly are” he said. “And I should probably help you get free.”

He was about to help her when he remembered that couldn’t be Fluttershy, as Moonlight told him she was turned into stone, saying then:

“But... oh-ho-ho-ho-ho...”

“But what?” she asked.

“But you are obviously not Fluttershy!”

“Oh…”

“I mean, I'm separated from the group and just happen to come across the one pony I care most about?” Discord retorted. “Especially after Moonlight, her daughter, told me she was turned into stone. I can smell this setup a mile away.”

It was then that the Fluttershy in front of him started making the same sad look she normally does, saying while sniffing and crying:

“No. You're right. There's no way you should trust me. Just go find the others. I understand!”

When she started to cry heavily just like the Fluttershy he knew, Discord couldn’t help but saying:

“Oh, come on!”

It was then that he heard more crying and soon found himself surrounded by many Fluttershys, both looking exactly like the one he knew, what caused Discord to become without any reaction. It was then the first Fluttershy he encountered said:

“We're probably all changelings. You shouldn't rescue any of us.”

Suddenly, that Fluttershy adopted a much more sinister look and said, with a wicked smile:

“Unless, you think, maybe one of us might be the real Fluttershy. That the Elements of Chaos didn’t really turn her into stone, that she was traded by a statue. Oh, that certainly would be a nasty changeling trick, wouldn't it?”

Surrounded by many crying Fluttershys, all acting like her and telling him they were the real deal, Discord couldn’t help but having himself be filled with doubts about what to do or believe. He became so paralised by that the Fluttershys charged against him and subdue him. The first Fluttershy chuckled and, with a kick, she crushed the rock that was over her tail and started to move away.

“One down…” she started to say, changing then to her real form, revealing to be Obsidia. “…three to go.”

Moonlight, Galena and Thorax were both waiting for Discord, hidden at the other side of the entrance. With his delaying, Thorax said:

“We can't wait for Discord. Between seeing him and Trixie, the castle will be crawling with guards soon.”

“But if we do manage to destroy Chrysalis' throne, we'll need him” Moonlight said. “He could take on the entire changeling army by sneezing if he wanted to.”

“He's probably already been captured” Galena told.

At that moment, they heard Discord’s voice calling:

“Hello? Fellow rescuers?”

They looked and saw Discord passing the entrance. They revealed themselves to him and Thorax said:

“We can't stay here. We gotta find the throne.”

“Ooh, I heard some of the changelings who were chasing me say that they know where it is!” Discord replied, with a wide smile.

He was acting really strange, as Discord would never sound so… out of character just like that. The all group noticed that and Galena decided to test him:

“Klutzy...?” she asked.

“Oh. Yeah!” the Discord before them said, while chuckling. “I-I can be klutzy. Now, follow me.”

He started moving forward, but, as the others followed him, Moonlight whispered to Galena and Thorax:

“You know that's not Discord, right?”

“Obviously” Galena said, with Thorax nodding in agreement. “He’s much more annoying than that.”

They arrived to a fork with two tunnels, with the fake Discord pointing to the one to the left and advancing, saying:

“This way! We're almost there!”

“I know this trick” Thorax said. “If he says to go left, we should definitely go right. He's leading us to a swarm waiting to attack.”

Moonlight started to get a way to pass that obstacle. But then Galena said, while advancing:

“Okay, I'll handle it. You two just get ready to run into the other tunnel.”

“Wait, what?!” Moonlight asked, going to her and making her stop. “Trixie, you can't! I won't know what to do! We've already lost Discord, I can't lose you too! Without magic, I…”

“Starlight…” Galena said, while putting a talon on her shoulder. “You got us this far with just a doppelganger of me and Discord's annoying personality. You don't need magic to figure out what to do next. I know you're afraid to face Chrysalis, but you don’t have to! Listen to your best friend.”

Those words from Galena really cheered her up and gave her a lot of confidence. The griffon princess then turned to the tunnel at the left and said to Discord’s imposter, while approaching him:

“Hey, Discord! Want to see the new trick I've been working on? I call it the Changeling Catcher!”

With that, she threw herself to him and tackled him, pinning him then to the ground. Turning to Moonlight and Thorax, Galena shouted:

“RUN!”

The Discord she was facing returned to his original form and revealed to be Scorpio who used his scorpion tail to sting Galena, paralyzing her and freeing him. Many changelings appeared and Scorpio told them:

“Seize her!”

They did so and Scorpio said:

“I should have done that from the beginning. I hate pretending to be another being. It’s not my think and prevented me from capturing all the intruders. But at least I got one. Two down, two to go.”

With the changeling army now more aware of their location, Moonlight and Thorax both run and flew almost blindly though the hive. With them now almost cornered, Moonlight decided it was for the best if they split up and told Thorax to go through one direction while she went another.

With her now alone, Moonlight nervously walked through a tunnel and ended up in a chamber with many glowing cocoons hanging from the ceiling. A little of slime fell from the top and landed on her head. She looked up and saw many ponies inside those cocoons, along with Discord and Galena.

Under those coccons, not so far from her was a big and dark throne made of rock. It should be the one Thorax was talking about and she prepared to head towards it, but a maniacal and familiar laugh caused her to stop and look around. It was then that Chrysalis’ voice started to echo, saying:

“One little pony all by herself.”

The sound of joints cracking was heard and Chrysalis, moving like a spider, came out of the spaces between the cocoons and looked at her, saying:

“Oh, wait, it’s not a pony, just half of it. How will I ever prevent this daring rescue?”

The glowing eyes of many changelings appeared from the shadows around the chamber and the changelings that were patrolling the hive, including Obsida and Scorpio, appeared, surrounding Moonlight, while hissing at her. After they moved away from her, Moonlight had her hooves fixed to the ground with the changelings’ goo. She tried to get out of it, but she was completely stuck.

“Well, well, well, look who she is” Chrysalis said, while flying down and landing on her throne. “My dear former colleague… Come to beg to rejoin the Lord of Chaos’ service? I don’t think he would enjoy re-recruiting a traitor… Oh… don’t tell me you’re here for that flower I got from that miserable Mistmane? You didn’t actually think you had any chances of getting it, did you?”

“You won't get away with this!” Moonlight told her.

“I already have” Chrysalis replied. “Nopony is coming to save you… At least while your friends are focused on their little missions. Your little squad was it. And now, there's just you.”

Moonlight gulped out of nervousness and then, with a smile, she said:

“Thorax is still out there.”

“Don't mention that traitor's name in my kingdom!” Chrysalis shouted, flying to get face to face with Moonlight. “He was a fool to leave and even more a fool to return!”

She turned her back to Moonlight and started walking towards the throne, while saying:

“When I find him, he'll learn just what happens to those who betray the hive!”

She turned to Moonlight while saying those last words, but when she saw Moonlight showing some fear. It was not something that she would not find strange, but there was a strange reflection on her eyes, something she recognized quite well. With a smile, she said:

“And it seems I don't have far to look, do I...”

She charged her horn with magic and casted a beam that hit Moonlight, what caused her to reveal that she was actually…

“…Thorax?” Chrysalis completed.

“The runt…” Scorpio said, while approaching. “I can’t wait to make you pay for what happened the last time we met.”

“You mean that humiliating defeat to the half-breed traitor?” Obsidia asked him teasingly.

“Zip it, Obsidia!” Scorpio shouted at her. “For your information, it was Prince Star Knight who defeated me at the end, not her!”

“Sure, whatever makes you feel better” she replied.

Scorpio growled at her, but before Scorpio could reply, Chrysalis told them:

“Stop it, you two. Don’t you know what this means?! If Thorax is here, that means that traitor is…”

But before she could finish, a sound started to be heard coming from the throne. It was the real Moonlight who was trying to break its base with a stone. Before she could do any more attempts, some goo was shot at her and hit her, pinning her against the wall behind her. Chrysalis quickly approached her and told her:

“Now, now, let’s try to have a little fun, shall we?”

She casted then a beam of magic at her, causing Moonlight to lose consciousness.