• Published 1st May 2021
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Enter the Spider... or Whatever I Am's Web - Autum Breeze



My life's taken a major downward spiral. I've turned into Miranda from W.I.T.C.H. and have to deal with ponies

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Chapter 20

Chapter 20

___________________________________________________________

I strain as I move a shadow tendril to my right, the swarm of Changelings dodging it with ease.

Girls, hurry! I yell over the link. I can’t hold these Changelings back much longer on my own!

Whimpers from behind make me glance back to the nymph and the white young hippogriff behind me.

It’s been two weeks since we first started venturing into this alternate Equestria where the Changelings succeeded with the Canterlot Invasion.

Over that time, it’s been made abundantly clear saving this world is not going to be easy, Irma at one point half joking it’s harder than when they were trying to defeat Phobos the first time. Half joking.

During those weeks, we’ve been doing our best, myself adding to the aid by getting ideas from communicating with my Equestria.

Thanks to advice from Twilight, Blue Blood, Celestia and Luna, we’ve probably been doing better off than without their help.

With the knowledge that Miranda is using my fragmented memories of what happened in the main Equestria timeline to manipulate situations here in this one, any help was welcome, since they were able to fill in any gaps in my memory.

We managed to foil several plans by the Changelings that they clearly got the information for from Miranda, including getting the Alicorn Amulet and the book Spike gave Rarity in Inspiration Manifestation, the latter being much easier than the former.

Since the pony who’d sold Trixie the amulet had been captured by the Changelings two years ago and his shop raided by scavengers, it hadn’t been easy to track the amulet down, but, thankfully, it turned out a dragon had stumbled upon a group in possession of the amulet at the time, though they hadn’t known its true worth and, it being a gem, had taken it for his hoard.

Of course, even dragons aren’t immune to attacks from Changelings and we’d found his corpse after the Heart of Kandrakar had finally tracked down the amulet’s unique magical signature.

He hadn’t gone down without a fight, though, taking a lot of Changelings with him, judging by the imprints all over the cave walls and ceiling.

The Inspiration Manifestation book had been much easier as, either Miranda had yet to give that bit of intel to Queen Cheese Legs, of Cheese Legs, in her usual arrogance, had deemed it unimportant information and not bothered to look into the matter.

A good thing too. Sure, Rarity had only used the book’s magic to make everything in Ponyville her vision of fashion, but the fact that book still has a spell that can manifest your desires into physical from with but a thought is still pretty dangerous shit to just leave lying around, just waiting for some power-mad idiot to find.

Interestingly, we made an ally you’d never have expected, Tirek.

Taranee and Irma had found him being hunted by a swarm of Changelings, his size giving away that he hadn’t yet managed to start absorbing magic, so he’d been pretty helpless.

At first, obviously, he’d tried to trick them, playing up the frail old centaur act in hopes of finding a way to backstab us later, but, we’d discussed enough about Equestria’s past for them to see right through it.

However, after a while of being a prisoner, Tirek had been given a chance by Zecora herself, his ability to absorb magic being utilized against a very murderous swarm that had managed by sheer dumb luck to find the new camp.

Tirek had been released from the small prison we’d made for him so he could be evacuated with the rest of the camp, but he’d unintentionally saved a filly when he tripped, his fall getting in the way of a Changeling.

The two had tumbled and, without realizing Tirek was there, Will only seeing a Changeling having tackled someone, she’d fired a blast of energy in their direction.

The Changeling was hit, but, we found out it had been about to feed on Tirek’s emotions and, by opening itself up to absorb those emotions, when the bolt of energy hit it, it caused the opposite effect, sending its own energy, plus the energy coursing through it from Will’s attack, into Tirek.

Granted, it wasn’t a huge boost to his power, it was barely more than what he had after absorbing the magic of two ponies in the main timeline, but it had been enough for him to overpower the Changeling and allow him to start absorbing magic again... but with a catch.

Will’s Quintessence energy merging with the Changeling’s had somehow formed a pact between her and Tirek, so he needs her permission to absorb magic at all.

Will hadn’t known this, of course, when she yelled at Tirek that, if he can do anything to help, he should and, not actually caring about what she’d meant, Tirek had started absorbing the magic of the attacking Changelings, it quickly boosting him to at least the level his was shortly before joining forces with Discord, him draining them dry.

It had only been when he tried to absorb the magic of other ponies that we learned he was bound in magical oath to Will.

Reluctantly, he’d agreed to fight with the resistance, Will giving him permission to absorb magic only from Changelings and only those we were fighting us and only if they have murderous or truly malicious intent, thus keeping him from feasting on the prisoners and those who had become our allies, few as they were.

Sadly, the Changelings we’d captured that Tirek drained ended up dead, because they refused to stop trying to kill those in the camp, so Zecora had taken them away and we she returned, she was alone.

I’d stumbled upon what were clearly their remains, it looking like an Everfee monster had gotten to them, a few days later.

However, it was during a mission with Tirek that it really hit me how weak I am compared to the rest of the Guardians.

Granted, I knew I was the weakest, but it hadn’t hit home just how much weaker I am until after a particularly tricky mission, where Tirek, myself, Taranee and several ponies were trying to get some yaks and griffons to safety.

Griffonstone had fallen a long time ago, but several griffons had been in hiding around its borders, several yaks having found their way there too, the groups agreeing to band together for safety in numbers.

After we found the griffons and yaks, we’d been escorting them back towards the camp when a trio of what we’d thought were Ursa Majors had attacked us.

My Shadow powers hadn’t been very effective, myself barely holding them back my turning the shadows of nearby trees into bindings, only for them to simply rip the trees out from their roots and throwing them at me, knocking me near unconscious.

Tirek had saved me, grumbling about the other Guardians are much more adept than I am.

It had stung, especially since it was freaking Tirek saying it, but I’d put it aside for the mission. After all, I know full well I am the weakest of us and have to use my wits an ingenuity with my webbing and Shadow powers in order to keep up.

As for now, we’d been on scouting missions, myself, Irma and Taranee meant to be observing the area to make sure no Changelings were near.

I’d been on my own when I stumbled upon the hippogriff now behind me, carrying the small nymph.

He’d told me his name was Terramar and he’d ventured out from Seaquestria, secretly sneaking into Queen Novo’s throne room and using the pearl to change back to a hippogriff to explore Mt. Aris to see whether it might be safe and he’d found the nymph, lost and confused.

It’s unclear why the nymph was there, she couldn’t talk, so it’s not like she ever explained it to him and, since this swarm had found us not long after I found the two, we haven’t exactly had a chance to discuss.

A Changeling charges at me and I break the webs on my wings, lashing out with the legs on my back.

The Changeling barely dodges, but it gives me a chance to use the shadow of the leg as it misses to turn it into a tentacles and grab him around the waist, then tossing him back into his swarm.

I’m panting heavily, but doing my best to hide just how heavily.

We’ve been at this for over half an hour now and I’d been pretty tired by the time I’d found Terramar and the nymph.

After all, I had been scouting around for quite a long while and it’s already late afternoon.

But… something feels off about this. I know I’m giving it my all, but, I’m so tired. With their numbers, this swarm should easily have overpowered me by now.

It’s almost like they’re just messing with me. Are they waiting til I’m completely wiped before getting serious?

If so, big mistake.

I glare at them, cupping my hands and charging up a shadow blast, ready to knock them out so I can get these two little ones away… when something odd happens.

One of the Changelings looks up, as if seeing something behind me, then motions to the others and they back away, before settling down and just standing there.

What the…? Why are they…?

“Well, well, well. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Mel?”

My eyes widen, my energy sphere poofing away and I whirl around, glaring up into the trees.

Miranda is standing on a large branch, sneering down at me.

She’s wearing her usual clothes, though there seems to be something around her neck, but I can’t tell what, since it’s a thread and, whatever’s at the end of it, is underneath her shirt.

“What a shame,” she says in mocking sadness. “The holder of the Heart of Shadow, unable to even fight back a small group of Changelings.” She sneers menacingly. “How the mighty have fallen.”

She leaps down, shapeshifting into her monster form.

I use my back legs to launch myself backward, but, to my shock, she’s faster than I expected and is suddenly in my face, back in her human form.

She punches me in the face, sending me tumbling back.

I get up, only for her to suddenly be right back in my face and punches me again, sending me flying, my back slamming into a nearby rock jutting out of the ground.

Before I can do more than mentally process the fact I got winded, she’s in front of me again, punching me over and over again, in the face, stomach, chest, everywhere, all the while, wearing a manic grin.

What the hell’s going on? When she did she get this strong and fast? I know I’m tired from a long day of scouting, but this is insane. I shouldn’t be losing this badly, not even at just a sixth of my strength.

“I really should thank you,” Miranda says after what feels like hours of her pummeling me, leaning down so our faces are inches from each other. “It repulses me that you have my real body, but, then again, if not for you, I wouldn’t be as powerful as I am now… or how much stronger I’m about to be.”

I struggle to breath, it hurting just to do that as I glare at her with my right eye, my left one shut from the pain. “What… are you…?”

“Talking about?” she asks, leaning back, a mockingly sweet smile on her face. “Why, Mel, dear, I thought it was obvious. I’m taking the Shadow Heart from you.”

I blink at her with one eye, confusion fighting through the pain. “What… are you… talking about? I have… the Heart… of Shadow. You’d need… my permission… to take it.”

She chuckles. “Yes, Permission Magic. Quite the annoyance, that. However, I’m fully aware Phobos was able to take Elyon’s power from Nerissa, since he’s Elyon’s blood.”

“Your… point?” I try to move, only to grit my teeth in pain. Shit, did she break my ribs, too? “We’re not blood. You’re an Altermere, not my family.”

She snickers. “Doesn’t matter, does it? Sisters, clones, family, who cares? Physically, we’re the same being. Therefore, whatever is yours, is mine. I don’t need permission to take what you have, because it’s mine by default.”

She slams her hand against my chest and I scream as, not only did that hurt my already existing injuries further, but I feel like she’s ripping something right out of my soul.

“Yes!” she yells, pulling back, her body glowing. “The power of the Heart of Shadow is now mine!” she sneers at me. “And, unlike you, I don’t feel like sharing it with the Guardians.”

She holds her hand up into the air, her manic grin wide… before it falters and she glances up in confused annoyance.

There’s silence for a moment.

“Lady Miranda?” a Changeling from the swam calls out. “What is wrong?”

Miranda lowers her hand, staring at it in confused annoyance for a moment, before she looks towards me as I laugh.

It hurts to laugh and sounds like I’ve water in my throat and I start coughing.

“What?” Miranda glares at me. “What’s so funny?!”

I give her a smug look, or as smug a look one can give with one eye closed in pain and blood trailing down your chin from your bottom lip. “It’s like I said before, you let your ego make you stupid, just like that idiot, Phobos.”

She blinks at me, still angry, but mixed with confused worry. “What?”

I snicker. “Did you forget what happened when Phobos tried to steal Elyon’s power the first time? It didn’t work. He only took a fraction of her power and it was only temporary.”

Miranda blinks, then snarls, grabbing me by the shirt and holding me up so we’re face to face. “But, he kept her power! After he stole it from Nerissa he was able to keep it til my Cedric tricked him!”

I chuckle. “Yeah, that’s true. But, don’t you see the difference? When he tried to take it from Elyon, it didn’t work. He could only syphon part of it. When he took it from Nerissa after she got it from Elyon, he kept it. Understand?”

Too prove my point, I focus and all the energy she took me from comes right back.

She screams in shock, dropping me and stepping back quickly.

I don’t get up after falling back onto the rock, though. I got the power she took back, but that doesn’t fix all the injuries she’s already inflicted.

Miranda just stares in shock, before she scowls darkly. “How?! You’re me! That’s my body! I should be able to take the Heart of Shadow without resistance!”

“But… we’re not.”

Her eyes narrow. “What?”

I cough, blood spurting from my mouth, but I keep grinning, despite inwardly panicking at how helpless I am right now. “You don’t get it, do you, Miranda?”

She clenches her fists. “Get what?!”

“You mean my Guardian Form didn’t tip you off ages ago?” I ask in a cocky tone. “When the Heart of Shadow chose me as its vessel, I stopped being able to transform into your monster form… because it had changed me.”

Her eyes widen in fury, her voice full of venom. “What?!

I blink, since I can’t move my neck to nod. “I’m not the same species you used to be. You’re an Altermere created from me before I got the Heart of Shadow, so you can still use that form. Me? The Heart of Shadow changed what I am physically, so much so, we’re not actually the same being in any sense now. You trying to steal the Heart of Shadow from me is like when Kadma and Caleb tried to take the Heart of Meridian from Nerissa. Without permission, I can easily take it back without any resistance.”

Miranda’s right eye twitches and she screams with pure rage, shifting into her monster form and charges, only for a Changeling to fly in front of her.

“Lady Miranda, the Guardians are coming, with Tirek in tow!”

She pauses, looking at me with pure hatred, before glancing behind her and scoffing, shifting back to her human form and glaring at the Changeling. “Fine. Tell your queen this plan failed.”

The Changeling nods and flies back to his swarm, them all flying off further into the woods.

Miranda glares at me, before my eye widens as she somehow opens a Fold.

She points. “This isn’t over. I swear I’ll make you pay for this.”

She passing through, the Fold closing behind her.

Soon as it does, the world starts going black and I’m faintly aware of a frightened young voice crying my name in fear.

“Miss Melinda? Miss Melinda!”

___________________________________________________________

Will and the girls weaved through the trees, Tirek thundering behind them.

“Mel, please be alright,” Will murmured. “We’re almost there.”

“Miss Melinda?” a young voice Will didn’t recognize called out from ahead. “Miss Melinda!”

Will bolted forward faster than before, breaching through the trees to a small clearing… only for her heart to leap into her chest.

A young white hippogriff and small Changeling nymph were huddled over a prone form… a form with blood pooling around it.

“MEL!”

She shoved the other two aside and stared down in horror at the prone form before her.

Mel’s body was a wreck. Just by looking at her you could tell where her bones were broken. Blood was slowly seeping from an open wound on her right side and her chin was drench it the red liquid, bruising around her right eye making it clear she’d been unable to see with that eye for a while.

Gasps from behind her indicated the others had arrived. Even Tirek was shocked by what he saw.

“Such injuries… what kind of barbarian attacked her? Even Changelings don’t go this far.”

“I don’t care!” Will cried, reaching for Mel and stopping over and over. “I… we need to get her help, but… but…”

“How in the world do we move her without making it worse?” Irma asked.

“The state she’s in, moving could even kill her!” Taranee gasped, before holding her head, saying through gritted teeth. “Now is really not a good time, stupid headache.”

“Call The Oracle,” Cornelia said, putting a hand on Will’s shoulder. “Maybe he can do something.”

Will hesitated, before nodding and held up the heart. “Oracle? Oracle, we need help, now!”

Yes, Will? The Oracle’s voice asked in their minds.

“Mel’s badly injured! I don’t know if we can move her without her getting worse. What do we do?!” Will asked quickly, her voice rising as her panic seeped in.

Calm yourself, Will, The Oracle replied. Let me think for a moment.

He was silent for a moment, leaving the girls on edge, Will watching Mel, her heart racing faster with each passing second.

Change back, then transform again, The Oracle said after what felt like an eternity.

“Huh?” the girls all cried.

“Why? What good will changing back to normal do?” Cornelia asked skeptically.

“Yeah, won’t that make things even worse?” Hay Lin asked. “As a normal girl, won’t Mel’s injuries be even worse.”

I had hoped to tell you all another way at a better time, The Oracle said, sounding uncertain, but, every time you transform, you are healed from any ailments your bodies possess.

“Uh, say what, now?” Irma asked, confused.

I will explain in better detail later, The Oracle says firmly. For now, you must save young Mel. I don’t think it will be a perfect healing from one transformation, but it should be enough to let you get her to safety.

“Uh, slight problem?” Irma holds up a finger. “Don’t Will and Mel need to be changing us together for us to Guardian Up. How can we change into Guardians to heal Mel, however that works, if Mel’s unconscious and can’t say it?”

Water Guardian, you will use your powers to force Mel to speak. Even unconscious, it will still work.

The girls all shared a look, before Irma glanced to her right as she felt a clawed hand take hers.

Looking down, she saw the young hippogriff, looking up at her with pleading eyes, as was the nyphm held in her other arm.

“Miss, please try?” he begged. “Miss Melinda protected us. It’s because she was trying to keep us safe she got hurt. Please, please do whatever you can.”

Irma stared back at him for several moments, before sighing and nodded to Will.

Will activated the Heart, changing them all back.

At once, though clearly still unconscious, Mel screamed in agony.

“Now!” Will yelled.

Scream “Guardians, unite!” Scream “Guardians, unite”! Irma thought to Mel with everything she had.

“Guardians, unite!” Mel screamed at the same time Will yelled it, though the scream was full of pain.

The transformation went through like normal.

Mel did look better. Her arm and leg, while the former was still clearly broken, weren’t looking as bad, the latter looking like it was maybe just severely sprained now and while blood was still staining her chin, the swelling around her eye was less and the wound in her side had at least stopped bleeding.

Mel’s eyes opened wide and she gave a shuddering gasp, before collapsing unconscious again.

“We’re heading back to Earth, now!” Will yelled, opening a Fold and looking firmly to Tirek. “Get those two back to camp safely. Corenlia, Hay Lin, you stay with him to make everything works out. We’ll be back as soon as we can!”

The two nodded, Tirek folding his arms and snorting.

Will carefully put Mel over her shoulder, making sure to not injury her already broken arm worse and the three rushed through the Fold, finding themselves outside Will’s home.

“Shit!” Irma looked around frantically. “Will, change us back now, before anyone sees.”

Will used her free arm to hold up the Heart and they all changed back, Will buckling a little at the shift in weight on her shoulders.

“Let’s get Mel to a hospital, quickly,” Taranee said. “We’d better hurry before—”

“Will? Hey, is Mel home yet? We were going to go over some homework and— Oh, my God! Mel?!”

They looked to the right to see Alchemy had rounded the corner. She had waved, a warm smile on her face, but that had morphed to horror at the sight of Mel draped over Will’s shoulder.

Will mentally cursed. That was right. Mel had said she had invited Alchemy over because the two of them were doing some homework together.

Alchemy ran over, looking at Mel’s unconscious form in terror. “Wh-what happened to her?!”

“Some Chan— chumps,” Will said, catching herself before saying Changelings.

“We were all hanging out in the park and Mel went to get some drinks from one of the machines,” Irma chimed in, clearly thinking fast. “After a while, we wondered why she was taking so long.”

“A-and when we went to look, we saw a bunch of guys running off and Mel was lying on the ground like this,” Taranee continued, indicating to Mel’s prone form.

“Why didn’t you call the cops or an ambulance?” Alchemy cried, pulling her phone out and dialing.

“Left ours at home today by accident,” Irma said. “Plus, Hay Lin and Cornelia had already left, so we couldn’t use theirs.”

“Yes, Emergency Services?” Alchemy said frantically. “There’s been an attack. We need an ambulance and police over right away.”

The girls all looked to each other as she gave the address of Will’s apartment complex.

This wouldn’t be easy to explain.

___________________________________________________________

Will, Irma, Taranee and Alchemy sat in the waiting room outside the operating theatre.

The Ambulance had arrived quickly, Irma’s father and one of his colleague not long after.

He took each of the girls’ statements, the three Guardians keeping to the story that they’d not gotten a good enough look at Mel’s attackers, arriving only as they were running off.

Will had gone with Mel in the ambulance, while Irma and Taranee had stayed behind to answer more questions.

It was here where, Irma’s father had decided to tell the three girls the, from his perspective, real reason Mel had moved to Heatherfield and how they needed to be sure they’d told him everything, on the offhand chance her attackers could’ve been the arsonists.

Even though they knew there were no real arsonists after Mel, they acted the part of being shocked and horrified as much as Alchemy truly had been.

Of course, Will didn’t know this, so, when the three had arrived at the hospital shortly after Mel was taken in for surgery, she’d been floored when Alchemy asked if Will had known Mel wasn’t her real cousin.

Of course, Will was fully aware of it, but the shock of Alchemy outright asking it when she’d never expected it to be brought up again had genuinely shocked her, giving Alchemy the wrong impression, but a good one for the Mel’s cover story.

“It’s taking forever,” Taranee murmured, genuinely worried as she paced back and forth, before putting a hand to her head. “And this damn headache isn’t making it any better.”

Will had said nothing for a while, just sitting with her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them.

To Alchemy, it probably looked like Will was trying to come to grips with the idea the girl she’d thought was her cousin wasn’t even related to her, when, in reality, Will was going over how best to handle the situation, getting input from Irma and Taranee whenever she could.

“Will!”

The girls all turned as Mrs. Vandom came running down the hall, her expression strained, her appearance frazzled.

She reached the girls, then grabbed Will by the shoulders as the girl had gotten up. “I was in a meeting when Irma’s father came and told me! Is she alright? How bad is it? Why didn’t you keep a closer eye on Mel? She’s your cousin and you know how scary moving has been for her! Why weren’t you more careful—”

“Oh, you mean my cousin who isn’t actually my family at all?!” Will shot back, glaring harshly at her mother.

The woman took a step back, confused. “Wait, what do you—?”

“They told me, Mom!” Will pointed to the girls. “They told me how Irma’s dad told them Mel’s not really my cousin at all! That she’s in Witness Protection and being my cousin from Australia is just her cover! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Mrs. Vandom seemed stunned for a moment, before taking a firm tone. “She was in Witness Protection, Will. I couldn’t tell. No one’s supposed to know, for her own safety.”

“And look where that got her!” Will yelled, pointing at the door to the operating room. “Irma’s dad says he thinks the people after Mel could’ve been the ones who attacked her!”

Mrs. Vandom’s eyes widened, but Will didn’t give her a chance to speak.

“You’re blaming me for not keeping a closer eye on her because of something I didn’t even know?! I thought she was my cousin! If you’d at least told me she was living with us because bad people were after her, I could’ve done something! I would’ve been more careful! How was I supposed to know to keep her safe from something I didn’t know she was in danger of to begin with?!”

The shouting was starting to draw the attention of others, but Will ignored it.

True, she was technically acting, playing along with the story, but, as she spoke, she was genuinely starting to get angry.

She was angry that her mother hadn’t actually confided in her what was officially the reason Mel was living with them.

She was angry at that bastard Gregor for blocking their powers, thus making Mel have to split her power between the six of them just so they could use theirs, but leaving her with only a sixth of her power.

She was angry at Miranda for hurting Mel so badly.

She was angry she hadn’t been able to get to Mel in time.

And she was angry she couldn’t do anything to help Mel now.

So many emotions were whirling around inside her and Will wasn’t really sure what she was feeling anymore.

All she knew, was she wasn’t going to feel better until she was told Mel was going to be alright.

They were all silent for a long time, Will and her mother just standing there, the former glaring into the latter’s eyes.

The silence for broken by a beeping sound and they all turned to see the operating room doors opening.

“Mel!” Will, Irma, Taranee and Alchemy yelled, hurrying over as a bed was wheeled out.

Mel was laying in the bed, unconscious.

Her left arm was in a cast and sling, while her right leg was heavily bandaged. There were also bandages around her forehead, a patch just above her right eye and there were even bandages around her neck.

“She’s in stable condition,” a doctor said, the girls all looking to him, while he turned to Will’s mother. “Mrs. Vandom, she’s going to need to stay in hospital for quite a while. While not quite life threatening, several of her injuries were very severe. Had we not operated on her sooner, I’m honestly not sure what would’ve happened.”

Will’s mother nodded, while Will took Mel’s hand.

“We’ll take her to her room and the girls can stay with her while we talk,” he said, Will’s mother nodding.

The four girls followed as a nurse pushed Mel’s bed into a room, closing the door behind her as she left.

“Mel,” Will said, taking the unconscious girl’s hand. “Please, please be okay.”

“Ya know, for someone you just found out isn’t your cousin, you sure act like she’s still family, Will,” Irma half joked and half-heartedly, at that.

Will paused, genuinely taken aback by that, before shaking her head and looking down at the girl in the bed. “Family’s don’t have to be blood related to be family. Even though we’re not related, I do see Mel as family.”

It was the honest truth.

She and Mel had been getting along well since the girl had had to give up her new life in Equestria to help the Guardians.

While her being her cousin had been a fake story to cover another fake story, Will genuinely thought of Mel like family, almost like her real cousin.

The girls sat in silence for a while, before Will’s mother finally came by and told the girls they needed to go home.

When Will asked about herself, since she was sure her mother wouldn’t have her go home alone, she informed her she’d called Will’s dad and she was going to stay with him tonight.

Will didn’t’ actually want to leave, wanting to stay close to Mel, but understood she wasn’t going to convince her mother and left with the others, parting as she went to where she was supposed to meet her dad and quickly opening a Fold to get Hay Lin and Cornelia back and inform them of what had happened.

As they’d returned, Will returning them to their regular forms, her dad had arrived and they quickly had to make up a story about Irma calling them from the hospital to let them know about Mel.

As she sat in the car as her dad drove off, something Cornelia and Hay Lin had said rolled around in her head.

When they’d taken Mel through the Fold to Earth, after getting the hippogriff, whose name was Terramar and the Changeling nymph to the camp, they’d told Cornelia and Hay Lin about the attack and how a being who’d looked a lot like Mel, likely Miranda, had been the one to hurt Mel.

This… was worrying.

How could Miranda have gained so much strength, so fast?

Was it something from Equestria that she’d found in that timeline thanks to Mel’s memories of Equestria? Had she found some kind or artefact that had increased her strength?

Will wasn’t sure… and that was very worrying.

Author's Note:

Well, this was a doozy of a chapter, wasn't it?

Now, to be fair, i originally was going to have several more chapters, one or two at least, showing Mel's struggles with her much weaker compared to the other Guardians' powers, but... the more i thought about it, the more i wondered... hasn't that been made clear enough already?

Mel's never been the one to instigate the fights and never the one to finish them since becoming a Guardian. She was more exhausted than the others when they returned from Arkanta, she usually let the others keep back enemies, she avoided fighting Miranda in the park, both because she wasn't sure she could fight and keep Alchemy safe, but also because she was aware she wasn't as strong as the first time she and Miranda fought, plus not being in Guardian form.

even in that alternate Equestria, she hasn't been the first to jump in or to deliver the final blow.

So, taking much longer would just be padding, really.

plus, we need to get to the main timeline into the season 7 finale in order for things to properly progress in the Changeling Equestria.

So, for a while, Mel is now stuck on the sidelines, needing time to recover from her injuries, while the rest of the Guardians are going to have to keep returning to that version Equestria without her, her only helping hand being that she helps them transform.

What will this lead to? Will the Guardians be able to stop the Changelings when they're down one Guardian?

And what was The Oracle referring to about their transformations healing them? Could it be connected in some way to Taranee's headaches?

Will Miranda take advantage of Mel not only being stuck on her own on Earth, but unable to transform?

You'll have to wait and see, because i'm exhausted and need to take a break.

might also be because i'm still trying to process the idea that Queen Elizebeth is dead.

the idea is still not properly processing for me.

R.I.P., Liz. Britian, and even the world, won't be the same now that you're gone.

til next time, stay safe, stay clean and see you later everybody