Misfits

by MattTOB

Chapter 5: The Elements

"So, let's try this again," Queen Chrysalis grits her teeth. "How do I activate the Elements, and where is Luna?"

Celestia, barely hanging on after the fourteenth mind-controlling spell was placed unto her, spits at Chrysalis. The Queen barely manages to dodge the projectile, but now she is filled with a blazing fury. Powered by her anger, she fires one last spell at the Princess.

Celestia tenses up, then falls limp. She has succumbed.

Chrysalis grins her fanged grin. "Now, will you tell me what I want?"

The Princess opens her eyes, now fogged with green. "I will obey, my Queen."

The Queen's smile broadens. "Excellent; so glad you're finally listening to reason. Now, where is Luna?"

"Last I knew, she was out retrieving a wedding present for Shining Armor and Cadance," Celestia tells monotonously.

"Where? And, for that matter, what?"

"She never told me; wanted it to be a surprise for us all."

Chrysalis frowns. That wasn't very helpful. "How about the Elements, then? How do I activate them?"

"You can't. Only the Element Bearers, or a pony with a strong balance of their traits, can wield them."

"So you, then?" Chrysalis raises an eyebrow.

"No, I cannot. I keep far too many secrets to be considered Honest. My sister, however, regained her balance when the Elements destroyed Nightmare Moon and purified her."

Chrysalis groans. "So your sister, who we have no idea where she is, would be able to wield all six?"

"That is correct."

The changeling Queen frowns, then turns to her hivemind. «Double the search for the lunar Princess,» she transmits, «and make sure the Elements are secure.»

---

The group stands before the gilded doors to the Stained Glass Hallway. Just beyond that is the vault containing the Elements of Harmony, their one chance of saving Canterlot.

Cupcake reaches for the door, but Icarus stops them. "I can sense two Changelings on the other side," he points at the door.

Cupcake frowns. "Then how are we meant to get through?"

The group thinks for a moment, until Luna sighs. "I was hoping to give this to the wedding party, but..."

The lunar Princess pulls out the present and undoes the wrapping. As she does this, the group notices that there are airholes in the box.

---

The changelings at the vault are playing a game of Rock Tumbleweed Water, when they hear the entry door creak open. They look up just as a small, white, mouse-like creature scurries in. It looks at them cutely; they look confusedly at the creature's random entrance.

"A Winter-chilla?" one of the guards asks to herself. She approaches the little creature and, sensing no immediate danger, bends down to look at it.

"Be careful, Louse!" The other guard warns. "It could turn into a Winter-zilla!"

Louse pshaws. "Relax, Cornicle; it's not even noon yet!"

Almost as soon as she says this, the sun lowers and is quickly replaced by the moon.

Louse pales, then turns to find the Winter-chilla convulsing.

"Told ya," Cornicle states.

---

A few moments later, the two guards burst through the door, fleeing in terror from the monstrous Winter-zilla.

Luna makes her way out of hiding after a moment, followed cautiously by the others. The group enters the now unguarded hallway, and Luna approaches the beast.

Then she rubs it under its chin. "Good boy, Maxie." It coos in response. With some effort, Luna returns the sun to the sky and puts the moon back under the horizon. Maxie the Winter-zilla shrinks back down into a Winter-chilla, then scurries back into its box, which Luna rewraps and re-conceals.

She then turns to the group, who are staring at her in astonishment. "What?" she asks innocently, panting a little from overexertion. "I'm allowed to have hobbies, too."

"It wasn't that," Cupcake corrects. "Well, actually, it was somewhat that, but also, you just moved the sun! All on your own!!"

Luna frowns. "Even if Celestia is older than me, I am still powerful enough to move her sun. It just... takes a bit more effort." At that, she wipes her brow.

Icarus is about to speak, when an approaching buzzing makes him freeze.

Luna's eyes widen. "Quickly, there isn't much time!"

The group rushes towards the vault, which Luna quickly opens. She glances back at the approaching noise, then at the group. "Get in; I'll stall them while you work. Just trust in yourselves."

They don't hesitate; the six quickly move into the small room, and Luna locks the door.

Almost as soon as the seal re-engages, the doors open to reveal Queen Chrysalis, along with a sizeable contingent of her army. "Well, well, well! You're just the pony I was looking for. You know, I was just talking with your sister about you."

Luna scowls. "Stand down, changeling. You are out of your league."

Chrysalis raises an eyebrow. "Out of my league? What a ridiculous notion!" As if on cue, the changelings behind her all start laughing their wicked laughs in sync, which unsettles Luna.

But she doesn't let it show. "Surrender now, and we may yet spare you."

Only one Changeling moves at this, but is quietly held back by another, differently colored drone. This doesn't go unnoticed by Luna, but she refrains from commenting.

Chrysalis rolls her eyes. "How motivating. How about this, instead: you give in to my control spell, and I may just refrain from hurting your subjects any further."

Luna drops into an offensive stance, lighting her horn. "Not a chance. You may have numbers, and you may have outmatched my sister, but I will never submit to the likes of you!"

Chrysalis mirrors Luna, her own horn glowing a sickly green. "So be it."

With that, the two lunged.

---

The sounds of battle bleed through the bottom of the door as the six friends try to quietly find their way around the relative darkness.

"Alright," Ollie begins, "so what's in here that Luna thinks is so important?"

"Just this pedestal—" Cupcake stubs their hoof on a box lying on the ground. "Ow! And this box... sunnuva...."

Lavender carefully lights her horn (not enough to be seen from the outside, but just enough so that they can see) and picks up the box. It's very ornately decorated. She opens it, then gasps.

The Elements of Harmony.

Memories of the past few hours flood Lavender's mind.

Icarus remaining loyal to his friends.

Tepid Waters staying kind despite Icarus's lies.

Ollie being hurt by his friend's dishonesty.

Cupcake Foil keeping their spirits up with jokes.

Morning Dream sacrificing her teabags for the fuse.

In one single instant, — a cognitive 'spark', if you will — it all makes sense.

---

Luna dodges another spell, sweating visibly. Her earlier stunt with the sun has left her weaker than usual, and that, combined with Chrysalis's heightened power, means she is fighting a losing battle.

But she isn't trying to win; she is merely the distraction.

She blocks another shot with a shield spell, then leaps into the air with heavy flaps of her wings. A few of her own shots leave her horn, but they are all dodged or blocked by the Queen. Luna readies another spell.

But she is so focused on Chrysalis that she fails to notice three changelings sneaking up on her.

With a cry, they latch onto the Princess and begin to attack her, making her lose focus on her magic. She struggles to stay in the air and fight them off at the same time, but it is useless; their intervention is all that Chrysalis needs.

The Queen fires, and she hits.

An unconscious Luna tumbles out of the air, landing on the ground with a loud thud. Two of the three changelings follow shortly thereafter, having been caught in the blast as well.

Queen Chrysalis grins sadistically. She has done it; she'd taken down everyone of power. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, and the Elements of Harmony; they have all fallen before her.

Speaking of the Elements... "Drone!" She orders the changeling that was fortunate enough to not get hit. "Check the vault, and make sure she didn't do anything to the Elements."

The changeling, still panting from the battle, salutes before moving to the door. He attempts to open the door, only to find the seal still—

With a click, the seal seemingly undoes itself. The changeling doesn't even have time to wonder how before the door opens, revealing something that makes every changeling's blood run cold.

Five ponies and a changeling are in the vault, holding hooves and floating off the ground while glowing. Each one of them is wearing an Element, and are righteously staring with white eyes at the group.

Chrysalis pales.

"Surprise," says one of the pegasi.

BOOM!!

Author's Note:

Rock Tumbleweed Water is like Rock Paper Scissors, but it's desert-themed.

Rock stops Tumbleweed in its tracks, Tumbleweed floats in Water, and Rock sinks in Water.

Comments

[ChazMLPFIM]

Keep up the great work.