Turmoil Rising

by JFT

Chapter 23: Cold Trails

A house stood on the very border of the Crystal Empire, with the guards keeping watch close by. A sign stood outside, saying “Arctic Patrol Office”. Cadence told the gang to check out if the employees spotted anything so they can help them track down the obsidian construct. Twilight stepped forward and knocked on the door.

“Come in!” the voice on the other side said.

The moment the Princess of Friendship opened the door, a bunch of raccoons scurried past her, in fact, a whole lot of animals were running about the place, only the cats were mostly lounging about on the reception desk.

“Twilight, are you sure this is the right place?” Rarity questioned.

“Yeah, this looks more like an animal shelter,” Spike added.

But of course, the usual suspect wasn’t complaining one bit, as the nearby pets instinctively got in range of her the moment she entered the house.

“Why hello there, little friends,” Fluttershy said as the nearby pair of bunnies started sniffing her hooves, with which she then ran through the ears of one of them, making him do honking noises.

It didn’t take long before more and more animals came to her side and started piling up on her, desperate for attention, something that the resident of the fanny pack wasn’t too keen on sharing.

“Hey, get in line, fuzzballs!” Discord yelled as he popped his head out.

But they ignored him completely. As the yellow pegasus and her draconequus busied themselves with pets, the rest began to wonder where the owner was. They heard its voice, yet the room was empty. Applejack walked over to the reception desk and rang the bell.

“One moment please!” the voice said again, before addressing somebody else. “Come on Ferris, I think you’ve had enough rubs for today, I have work to do.”

A small dog appeared from behind the desk and then he walked off. Suddenly, a head popped up from behind the said desk; it was a teal unicorn mare with a curly bright mane.

“Hello,” she greeted them. “Sorry for the wait, but the kids tend to get needy for attention.” She noticed the shy pegasus being avalanched by the critters. “But I can see you’re already aware of that. Now, how can I be of a service miss…” Her voice trailed off after she looked past the country pony and noticed who else was present, as the slightly taller purple alicorn stuck out like a sore thumb. “Oh my gosh, Princess Twilight Sparkle’s in my office!” she began to gush. “Hold on, let me get you some nice warm cider!”

She quickly trotted away from the desk and was about to go into the side room, only to be enveloped by a purple aura and lifted off the ground to prevent her from going any further. The Princess of Friendship made sure of it.

“Your very kind, miss… Errr… I’m sorry, what’s your name?” Twilight inquired.

“Glitter Drops, Your Majesty,” she answered as she was still being levitated.

“Glitter Drops, we appreciate your hospitality, but I fear it will have to wait, we’re here on urgent business and we could really use your help,” the alicorn explained as she put her back on the ground.

“Well, I’ll assist in any way I can, Your Majesty.” The unicorn walked back behind the desk again. “Now then, how can I help you?”

“In the last few days, did you notice anything suspicious around here?” Twilight asked.

“Hmmm… apart from Princess Cadence setting up a tight border guard? I can’t say anything in particular really,” Glitter Drops answered.

“Did you by any chance spot any odd individuals or creatures going about?”

“Oh dear… that’s not really narrowing it down a lot,” she replied. “Can you describe who or what exactly you’re looking for?”

Twilight paused for a moment. She didn’t know exactly what the construct looked like. Only the shaman was the one who actually saw it.

“Zecora,” she turned to the zebra, “can you by any chance describe what this cloaked figure looked like?”

Covered under the old, patched-up, brown winter cloak that Starswirl the Bearded had generously provided her, the shaman removed some of it to be able to express proper wording. “I could explain by way of description, but I believe in this case it’s best to use a depiction.”

Twilight looked at the desk and spotted a pencil laying on it. “May I borrow this, please?” she asked the teal unicorn.

She nodded. The princess levitated it over to the zebra, but just before she could grab it with her teeth, it got picked off by a blue magical aura.

“No offense, Zecora,” Rarity budded in, “but the detailed description will be no good if you have to use your mouth. Here, let me help you and we’ll get it done together.”

“I appreciate your assistance,” she thanked her, “we’ll finish sooner with persistence.”

The two mares proceeded with their work on the description of the perp. While they were at work, a sound of hooves began to sound in the room nearby, three of the steps sounded metallic, while the fourth sound was strangely low.

“Dropsy,” the voice said, “I think Ferris took one of my horseshoes again.”

The teal unicorn bent behind the desk. “It’s over here, Fizzy!” she called out.

“Fizzy?” everybody except for the fashionista and the shaman looked at one another.

Fizzy… that name sounded really familiar, too familiar. They all knew it was short for a much longer one, but there was also one other name they all remembered that the owner of this one identified as. The door opened, and a familiar purple, scared unicorn stepped through.

“I swear, if he does that again, I’m gonna…” her voice trailed away as soon as she saw the group of familiar faces.

“TEMPEST!?” a collective shout followed.

“Wha… what are you guys doing here?!” the broken unicorn exclaimed in a surprised tone.

At the moment’s notice, a giant purple cannonball launched itself over the group and hit her, knocking her to the ground, before suddenly feeling a tight grip around her legs and waist, nearly asphyxiating her as she got raised in the air, locked in party planner’s hug. “IT’S FIZZLEPOP BERRYTWIST! WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!”

“N… nice to see you too… Pinkie… Pie…” she struggled to talk in her embrace.

“Pinkie, you may wanna put her down before she expires from the lack of air,” Spike suggested.

She finally let go of her and she gasped for much-needed air.

“Tempest, what are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here? I live here. I work here,” she told her.

“Sorry, but I’ve kinda been out of the loop on that front. We’ve not seen you since Twilight’s coronation, and she never said you’ve ever sent any letters about what you’ve been doing.”

While the two exchanged words, the teal mare at the desk sat there, wide-eyed, before her coworker finally noticed it. “Dropsy, why are you making that face?”

“Fizzy, you never told me you were close friends with the Princess of Friendship and her council!” she finally spoke.

“I never thought that knowledge mattered that much, so I never brought it up,” Tempest explained. “Oh, speaking of which, where’s that horseshoe of mine?”

Glitter Drops bent behind the desk and popped up again, carrying a metal horseshoe, levitating it to the broken unicorn, who then slammed it into the floor for it to settle in.

“We’re so glad you’re doing well, Tempest,” Twilight finally addressed her.

“All thanks to you, Twilight,” the look on her face slightly mellowed. “You gave me a second chance to do something right for once in my life.”

“I never would’ve thought of you as an animal lover, Tempest,” Fluttershy pitched in as she was still surrounded by a pile of critters, with Discord desperately trying to get them away but failing miserably. “Your sanctuary is doing quite well.”

She raised an eyebrow at her. “It’s not a sanctuary. Glitter Drops just loves animals so much she takes them in whenever she encounters a stray, it’s almost detrimental.”

“Well, she did take you in so…” the wonderbolt quipped, and just about everybody in the room looked at her in shock.

However, a snort escaped the purple unicorn. “Funny. Anyways, this IS the arctic patrol station, and I’ve been assisting Glitter Drops over here in her duty.”

“Fizzy’s been ever so helpful,” the teal unicorn praised her. “You wouldn’t believe how many times it’s been, since she came, that we got out of a sticky situation. My work got a lot easier.”

“You two seemed to have hit it off pretty well,” Pinkie Pie said, “Tempest’s not the kind of pony that connects well with somepony she hardly knows.”

Glitter Drops smiled. “Maybe it’s because I’m one of the only two childhood friends she’s ever had.”

Twilight, hearing that Tempest actually managed to reconnect with somebody from her past, made her gush. “Awwwww, Tempest that’s so sweet, you’ve rebounded…”

She on the other hand cringed a bit, a tone of darker color rising on her face. “Twilight, don’t make this sound as mushy than it actually is!”

The room erupted in laughter, even Glitter Drops couldn’t help but giggle.

“Look, never you mind about us,” the broken unicorn tried to drive the subject away from embarrassment, “what are all of you doing here dressed like that? You clearly had a reason for coming here, so what is it?”

“DONE!” Rarity shouted, everybody turning to her and Zecora, as their attention finally returned to the room. “Oh! Tempest Shadow! Fancy meeting you here!”

“You… literally noticed me only just now?” She glared at her. “What was so important that you didn’t even saw me?”

“If your curiosity is to be sated, then perhaps you could answer if this creature you’ve baited?” Zecora asked.

“I’m sorry, what?” Tempest looked confused. “And who are you anyway? I… only vaguely remember seeing you briefly during Twilight’s coronation.”

The Princess of Friendship picked up the piece of paper on which the fashionista had been scribbling, took a glance, and then face the broken unicorn. “Her name’s Zecora, Tempest. She lives in the Everfree Forest… or at least she did until recently. I’m not gonna go too much into details right now, but I need to ask something important: did you happen to see this creature pass by here recently?" She levitated the sketch over to Tempest’s face.

The purple unicorn looked at it. On the piece of paper was drawn an image of a bipedal being, the head, along with the upper half of its body was covered with a cloak, while the lower part was black and rough looking while glistening at the same time.

She shook her head. “Sorry Twilight, but I didn’t really encounter anycreatue like that.”

“Are you sure, Tempest?” Twilight inquired as she put the sketch on the desk. “It’s very important that we find it and we’re racing against time.”

“Sorry dear, but I have to disappoint you. Me and Glitter Drops have a regular patrol up north, and I’m pretty sure either one of us would’ve remembered if we encountered-“

“It’s him…” the teal unicorn’s voice interrupted her.

Tempest’s head turned to Glitter Drops; she had an expression of shock on her face as she was looking at the picture. “It’s who, Dropsy?”

“That creature I told you about the other day when I went to get food for the critters… it was him, the one who saved my life,” she answered before facing her.

“You’ve seen this creature then?!” Applejack exclaimed. “Phew, finally we got a trail to go on.”

“Hold on now,” Tempest stopped them, “care to explain what this is about?”

“The creature in the picture is made of natural material, but the one which leads it is a force most ethereal,” Zecora answered.

The purple unicorn tilted her head. “What is she talking about?”

“She means that this being we’re after has been raised by a dark force, and we have to track it down so we can stop it before it causes any harm,” Rarity explained.

“But… it can’t be that bad, can it?” Glitter Drops wondered. “He saved me from lumber bears. He didn’t even ask for anything in return.”

“Glitter Drops, I understand you have a second thought about this, but we know there’s a sinister force leading this being,” Twilight said. “This is for the sake of protecting Equestria. I request that you aid us and help us track it down.”

“She ain’t going anywhere,” the broken unicorn interjected.

Everybody present was looking surprised at her. “Tempest, what do you mean?” Fluttershy asked. “We need her help really badly and-“

“If she’s going, then I’m coming along,” she explained. “No way I’m letting her go all by herself.”

The teal unicorn smiled. “Thanks, Fizzy.” She then turned to the rest of the gang. “I’ll help you, but just give me a few minutes so I can close down.”

The gang waited outside the office along with Tempest, now all dressed up for a colder climate. As they did, she observed everybody else’s behavior. Pinkie Pie was by a nearby tree where some snow was left, trying to build a snow pony, Fluttershy sat nearby and was brushing Discord, Rarity had pulled out a mirror and tried to readjust her hat so that her mane wouldn’t be ruined, Applejack leaned back on the railing of the house and pulled her hat over her eyes, the zebra was rummaging through her saddlebags and pulled out a jar of weird black liquid before putting it back inside, while Spike and Twilight were doublechecking that they had everything with them just in case. Only one stood out, the blue pegasus was pacing up and down with a really nervous look on her face.

“Twilight,” she addressed the princess next to her, “why’s Rainbow Dash looking so nervous?”

Spike quickly replied. “Traumatic reaction. You’d be surprised how often she started to freak out lately whenever the word…” he stopped himself for a moment, before whispering, “…eye-see-e, is mentioned. Ever since a monster that breathes it nearly took her wings.”

“Ice?” she asked and immediately a loud yelp followed, grabbing Tempest’s attention, seeing Rainbow Dash was looking in her direction in a cringing position. “Oh, this is rich. So that explains why I’ve not seen her flying about.”

“Yeah pretty much,” the dragon confirmed.

“So tell me, what exactly is this creature that did this to her?” she inquired. “Is it somehow related to whatever you’re hunting down now?”

Before the alicorn could offer an explanation, the door of the office slammed shut and Glitter Drops locked the door. “There. I left the kids enough food while we’re gone for at least a day.”

“That’s assuming we’ll get to it in time, Dropsy,” the broken unicorn said. “Considering you’ve seen it yesterday, that thing could be far away from us by now.”

“The laws of nature, by luck, affect the large and small,” Zecora responded, as she passed her. “The being is made of rock, we should be able to catch up to its crawl.”

The purple unicorn leaned to Twilight’s side to whisper to her. “Does she always talk this weird? I’m having a hard time understanding what she’s saying.”

“She’s sayin’ that, since the creature's made of rock, we’ll have an easier time catchin' up to it because it’s slow,” the country pony said as she put her hat back on her head and stood up.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Tempest responded, then turned to her coworker. “Okay Dropsy, lead the way.”

The group gathered and began their march northward. Equipped with the means to combat the harsh cold elements, they made their way in the direction of the Frozen North. They marched forth with purpose in their stride, but one of them was noticeably not as eager. By the time they finally reach the snowline they all passed it without as much as a traipse, yet Rainbow Dash froze solid on its threshold. Since that traumatic experience, the blue pegasus was less than willing. Her wings were yet to recover, and the thought of meeting a cold climate was the last thing she wanted to do. She didn’t want to abandon her friends, but the sense of dread at the back of her mind simply wouldn’t let her go and they were beginning to make the distance between her.

“Showing hesitation before the beginning? I would think you wouldn’t join unless we were winning.”

The voice grabbed her attention. She was so focused that she’s only just now noticed that the shaman was standing right next to her, also on the snowline’s threshold.

“I can’t help it,” she shared her grievance, “every time I get near anything cold, or even imagining snow or ice, it takes me back right to that moment… the howling wind, the stinging cold… a pair of giant teal eyes bearing down… and I feel like I’m paralyzed… just like my wings still are…”

“I understand your pain, Rainbow Dash,” the zebra sympathized with her, “and I do not want to sound rash, but neither of us can afford to abash.”

The rainbow-maned pegasus looked at her, confused. “You? What’s your problem?”

Zecora shook her head. “Have you ever wondered why during the time of Heart’s Warming I make myself scarce? Despite my innocent encounters with all of winter’s wares, I’m happiest when spring, and summer, flares."

“Pfffff, you’re scared of cold just ‘cuz?” the blue pegasus began to brag. “That’s so weak.”

“What’s your excuse in this case?" she threw it right back at her, and Rainbow Dash realized she caught herself in her own words, making a sour face. “Regardless, our shortcomings we must set aside, and the enemy give chase,” she finished.

The wonderbolt realized she was right. The thought of stepping into the territory she didn’t want was unsettling, but she couldn’t just bail out on her friends either.

She sighed in defeat. “Together then?”

“Just say when,” the zebra replied with a smile.

With a coordinated motion, the two mares both made a single step over the snowline, the blue one shivering as they made contact. Slowly, but surely, the two began to march slowly next to one another.

Meanwhile, ahead of them, the group stopped on the corner of the cliff edge where the incident took place. And as Glitter Drops predicted, a pair of deep footprints were left in the shallow snow, leaving a trail that went onward.

“This is where I encountered the creature that saved me,” she explained. “This close to the Empire the snowfall is still light, so the tracks haven’t disappeared yet, although I can’t guarantee it will remain the same the further north we go, where the snowfall is nearly constant.”

“If that thing is made of rock, as they say, it will mean the tracks will be much deeper because of its weight,” Tempest added. “It’s unlikely that the tracks will have disappeared overnight even in that weather.”

“Well, expert trackers,” Applejack addressed them, “we best get to it then.”

They were about the leave when Twilight noticed the pink earth pony standing still. “Pinkie, what are you waiting for?”

“We may wanna wait a bit, we seem to be a pair short,” she answered.

The rest of the group halted and saw Rainbow Dash and Zecora slowly moving in their direction, one step at a time.

“Are we really gonna have them be like that all the way?” Spike wondered.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice,” the country pony answered.

“HEY!” the broken unicorn yelled. “If you’re both gonna be moving at this rate, then your quarry may give us a slip.”

“Give us a break, will ya?!” the wonderbolt yelled back.

“Am I gonna have to carry both of you so we can pick up the pace?”

“Now Fizzy, be nice,” her co-worker said.

The taller unicorn sighed. “Fine… Just try to pick up the pace and keep up.”

She walked onwards, following the trail with the teal unicorn by her side. The rest of the group followed suit, with the two mares in the back trailing behind them, as they ventured forth into the inhospitable, uncharted lands of the Frozen North.

The strange creature that looked like an elephant, a lion, and a rooster fused into a single being, sat on the edge of a small crystal rising from the ground in the narrow alley, being pet by the hooves belonging to a cloaked figure. His “granddaughter” stood nearby, presenting her “grandfather” to the unexpected Flurry Heart.

“Go on,” the unicorn mare said, “there’s no need to be scared.”

The little filly slowly passed her and approached the cloaked figure, and as she got in reach of him, his pet didn’t try to run away.

The pet owner turned his head to regard the child. “Do you like my little critter, child?”

She nodded in response. He stopped petting the creature and shoved it forward, having it approach the filly. And just as it did before, it got in hoof’s reach of her and then bopped her nose with its trunk, causing her to squeal, before hopping on top of her head and began rummaging through her curly mane.

“Remarkable creature the hatsadiling is, isn’t it?” the figure spoke.

“It’s a funny birdie,” Flurry Heart giggled. “I wish I could have it.”

The cloaked figure laughed. “That will be hard, little girl. Would you believe if I told you that these beings can grow to the size of a house?”

The alicorn stopped, looking at him with big eyes. “Big as a house?” She looked to the side and pointed at one of them. “You mean as big as this one?”

“Maybe even bigger,” he explained. “Which is why it would be difficult to have one at home when it wouldn’t even fit inside.”

“I don’t think that would be a problem for her,” the mare said.

“Oh?” the cloaked figure looked in her direction in a confusing tone. “What makes you say that?”

The white unicorn sighed. “Grandfather, haven’t you been paying attention to what I said earlier? That’s Flurry Heart. She’s the daughter of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza… or rather Princess Cadence, the one who rules the Crystal Empire.”

“Oh yes… how quickly I forget.” He looked back at the filly, who was still playing with the strange avian. “What are you doing out here all by yourself chasing my pet, little princess? Won’t your mother be missing you?”

The little filly’s joy soon plummeted and she made a sad face. “Mama’s working hard so she can’t play with me, and Daddy’s gone visiting kitties, and aunt Twily and her friends left.”

“Aww, you poor little thing,” the mare said. “If it will make you feel better, we can play with you.”

“But… I don’t know your name,” the alicorn child confessed.

The white unicorn smiled. “Then let’s fix that. My name is Gusty. And this is my grandfather, G-“

“Gar,” the hooded figure intercepted, “you can just call me Gar, little girl.” He rose and walked closer to the child. “Would you like to see more of my marvelous creatures?”

Her eyes widened. “You got more of them?”

“Yes, but if I showed them all here, we would run out of space. You wouldn’t happen to know an open space where we could be alone?”

Flurry Heart looked down for a moment as if thinking, then quickly raised her head. “I know a place!” She quickly got up, getting the avian creature to hop off her head, and trotted out of the alley, before stopping and turning back to the duo. “Come on grandpa Gar, I’ll show you!”

The two stood still for a moment before the cloaked figure turned to the unicorn. “Gusty, you go about your business while I entertain the child.”

“But what about-“ the white mare tried to ask a question only to be cut off.

“Don’t worry,” he interjected. “When the time comes… just call for me and it will be done.”

Gusty stood there for a moment, not sure if her companion meant what he said, but then she relented. “Okay, grandfather. Good luck.”

And with those words, the unicorn mare trotted off into the nearby abandoned house. Yet even though it was only him and the little filly now, despite waiting for him, “the grandfather” didn’t move for some time, looking at the house’s window, but after a few moments, he finally turned to face the alicorn child.

“Now then, little girl, show me this place of yours.”

The royal guard stood watch on the borders of the Crystal Empire. This wasn’t the first time they’ve had to deal with a changeling invasion. Since they could impersonate anyone, the sentry was composed of groups of three guards to make sure they’re all at one another's backs and one of them wasn’t so easily replaced; among other things, it also included heightened security clearance with passwords that they were changed on a daily basis to make it easier to identify the imposters. Princess Cadence made sure that there would be no infiltration. What followed next was something the royal guard did not expect, however.

The lands south of the Crystal Empire were vast open fields, with no present population, and what forested pockets existed were spread apart and isolated. In one of them, which was the closest to the Empire proper, shapes rustled between the trees, but one of them stood out from the crowd, as she was taller, more elegant looking.

“I hope that old sheep knows what he’s doing,” she said.

The guards had just made the daily change when they spotted a strange dark cloud approaching, followed by the sudden loud buzzing sound in the air. They soon realized what was approaching. Changelings, a whole swarm of them. The alarm sounded out, the invasion had begun.

Back at the castle, the news immediately reached the Crystal Princess as one of the guards delivered the report. “An entire swarm? Is Chrysalis leading them?” she asked.

“The sighting seems to confirm it, Your Majesty,” he answered. “She’s at the very head of it.”

“Then we need to reinforce the southern border immediately,” she declared. “If this is a full-blown changeling invasion then we need to make sure they’re repelled and our ranks aren’t infiltrated.”

A loud galloping sound was growing louder as another guard was running down the hallway and entered the throne room, panting heavily. “Your Majesty… reporting… an update from… the southern border…”

“What? What’s happened, guard?” she inquired.

“It’s the changeling swarm, Your Majesty… They’re… they’re…,” he gasped for air.

“What?!”

“The changeling swarm… it’s just standing there… or rather… it’s just flying on the border…”

Cadence gave him a confused look. “Come again?”

“They’re not attacking at all. It’s as if they’re just waiting for something,” the guard elaborated. “The unicorns in our ranks have tried to shoot them down, but their spells don’t seem to be having an effect on them.”

“If that’s the case, it’s time to meet them head-on.” She turned to a pegasus royal guard. “Flash Sentry!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the stallion stood to attention.

“Gather a battalion of pegasi and lead them to the southern border. You are to confront the changelings on sight,” she ordered. “If Chrysalis is just waiting for the confrontation she’ll get one. You are to capture her and bring her into custody.”

“Right away, Your Majesty!” the orange guard saluted and immediately flew away.

Back on the front, the swarm flew above the royal guards, whose unicorns were desperately trying to shoot them down, but to no avail. A group of changelings dressed in a strange dark green armor that was covered in pores, flew at the very front of the swarm and as the spells approached their vicinity, they simply evaporated. Queen Chrysalis in the meantime lounged in the air, on top of a group of drones that lined up together to form a perch, yawning from boredom. She didn’t care for the grunts on the ground who were trying to get her, she was just waiting for HER to turn up. Then she spotted something approaching in the distance, a cluster of shapes was flying in her direction. She leaped off her drones and flew to the front to check who was leading them. Led by Flash Sentry, a group of pegasi was fast approaching them, and if they got too close then they might pose a threat that what she was doing.

“Oh dear, oh no,” she posed dramatically, “I’m clearly outmatched. There’s no way I can win this… RETREAT!”

At the command of their queen, the changelings turned and began to fly away.

“They’re retreating!” one of the guards on the ground called out. “Chase them down!”

“Belay that order!” Flash Sentry stopped midair. “The pegasi battalion will do the job! Remain here and resume with your duty!” And with that, he flew off again at the head of the army trailing after the swarm.

They were chasing down the changeling cloud for some time across the sky until it finally began to descend into the forest below. By the time the army landed, the target had already disappeared.

“Guards,” the orange stallion gave an order, “form into groups minimal of three. Do not let anypony out of your sight. Start combing the area!”

And the guards went to work, checking all the trees and bushes in the forested pocket to try and find where the changeling swarm had hidden, for all they knew they could have even turned into the local flora.

“Move it, you slowpokes! They’ll see us!”

Some of the guards, along with their leader, heard that alien feminine yell. They quickly followed the direction of the source, and soon after they spotted the Queen of Changelings standing outside a hole that’s presumably been dug out by the queen's brood.

The moment she spotted the pursuers, she once more posed dramatically. “Oh no, they found us. Now we’ll all be trapped because of you idiots,” she moaned, before scurrying into the hole.

Flash Sentry approached the hole that seemed to have led further into the ground. It appeared that the Queen of Changelings had made herself a lair inside.

“You three!” The orange pegasus looked at a group of three. “Fly back to the Crystal Empire and have a group of unicorn guards come to assist.”

The three pegasi flew away. Several minutes passed and they returned with several unicorns, enough for each group to have at least one of them to provide a light source.

“Everypony, listen up!” he addressed them all after they integrated. “We will descend into the tunnels below in the single file. There are likely numerous pathways underneath, so the group that is ahead will go take the first turn if it appears, one after another. And as is per decorum, do not separate from your group no matter what and always keep each other’s backs. The last three groups will remain outside and keep a check on things. Is everything clear?”

They saluted in unison. With Flash Sentry at the head, the first group descended, and the rest followed suit. Inside the dark tunnel, the unicorns in the group finally lit up their horns to serve as a light source, as they made their way down. It didn’t take long before they came at the first intersection, and the leader’s group immediately split from the rest, followed by another further down, until all the groups scattered.

The tunnels seemed endless. The guards had been traversing the darkness for a long time and it didn’t seem like they were getting to the end. What’s more, they spotted no abnormalities on the way, no signs that would indicate that changelings were present. But at long last the leader’s group reached the end of the tunnel, revealing a vast open space before them. And he wasn’t the only one, as from other tunnels nearby more and more groups of guards came together. By the time they all finally gathered together, the unicorns present illuminated the area well enough for all of them to clearly see what the room held.

“It’s… empty?” one of the guards looked confused.

It was all just a big wide room with nothing in it. This didn’t make sense, especially after all the guards went through inspection to make sure their ranks didn’t get infiltrated and nobody got replaced, but in the end, everything checked out. And most of all, just like his own group, others reported not encountering any obstacles or changelings on the way. How was that even possible? If the changelings and their queen retreated here, which they saw happen, while not encountering any on the way, this is where they should’ve ended. So what happened? They couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air, could they?

Comments

[GTthe4th]

Oof, Grogar "playing" with Flurry Heart while Gusty lures her closer with smiles and gentle tones. That's some nightmare fuel right there.

I really hope Gusty comes to her senses soon. She was supposed to destroy Grogar, not join him!

[nightshroud96]

Flurry Heart is probably going to be traumatized when she finds out she is being duped by one of the most dangerous villains of all.
Which might add onto the trauma she suffered due to the Sombra fiasco in season 9.

[JFT]

10931504
Should be more worried about what he will say to the sweet innocent little filly, what wisdom he'll share.
10932852
Not sure one can really have a noticeable trauma at 4 years old when the events happened when you were 1 when your perception of the world around you is kinda iffy.

[nightshroud96]

10932897
Regardless, that trauma would be affecting her subconsciously.
Even if her mind wasn't developed, it should still be affecting her subconsciously.
Iirc, victims of abuse that were like one year old or so would be affected negatively down the line.
Like even if their minds weren't developed enough, the trauma would surely affect their subconscious which can lead to disaster.
It depends on the trauma, regardless if one is a few months old or not, it can affect a person for a LONG time. Even if their brains weren't developed at that moment.

[n8dagr8088]

is she named gusty because her attitude totally blows?

[JFT]

10934097
Is that sarcasm?

[N3xmaz1ng]

"Sorry, but I’ve kinda been out of the loop on that front. We’ve not seen you since Twilight’s coronation, and she never said you’ve ever sent any letters about what you’ve been doing."

Who says that if not Rarity? (And she hasn't talked to or even noticed Tempest yet.)

[JFT]

11269292
That's still Rainbow Dash.

Get it? Out of the "loop"?