Chapter 7 - The Badlands Part 2
The chariot landed in Dodge City.
Princess Celestia and Fluttershy stepped out. Fluttershy was still holding Spike, who had resorted to sleeping again. The empty basket was now on her back.
The little one sure likes sleeping a lot.
Celestia smiled. Spike really was a little angle. She would make sure that he would see this through.
And I have to say that Spike really is an excellent choice of name. Here I was, fearing she would choose something stupid like Sparky.
A few Royal Guards had made their way towards them. For some reason, however, there was no high-ranking Officer with them.
"My Princess, I noticed that Spike is quite hot. Is that normal?" Fluttershy got her attention.
“Unfortunately, Spike is very ill. It is… the result of a complication from the hatching process. This is why I took him with me in the first place. Only Twilight, the pony who hatched him, can help." Fluttershy was horrified by her revelation and tightened her grip on Spike. “Don’t worry, my little pony. I won’t let any harm befall him.”
The princess looked around. Her forces had set up a makeshift camp. Most of them, however, weren't soldiers or guards but part of the EBI.
Is Candy the only one who can get stuff done around here?
As if she had known the princess was looking for her, Candy came running towards her, with some other EBI Agents running after her. “My Goddess, our search is continuing. We will find those renegades and make sure that they face your divine judgment. I won’t fail you-“
“Candy, please. You are hallucinating.” The other agents had caught up with her and subdued Candy, "Your Majesty, please excuse her. The heat has gotten to her.”
"That's what happens when one doesn't listen to reason. I told Candy that she should wait with the search until we have established a secure water supply, gotten the necessary protective equipment and, most importantly, that she shouldn't overextend herself. But she insisted on starting the search immediately and went inside without a plan until she collapsed." Sneak walked towards the princess with a smug grin on his face.
At least Candy tried. Since there isn't a single drop of sweat on your face, the same probably can't be said about you.
Celestia looked after Candy. The poor mare had really worked herself nearly to death for her.
"My Princess, the fact of the matter is that we are not going to find them. This city only has enough water to barely sustain its own population, which means we have to carry additional water in and can only sustain a small number of forces." Sneak gave her an apologetic look. "We also have to entertain the thought that Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash are going to die out there.”
She gave Sneak a death glare. If Fluttershy hadn't been behind her, his fate would have been much worse. “I am done with your excuses and constant failures. At least Candy tried, but since you are apparently so much smarter than her, I am making this operation your personal responsibility! You will find them, and if necessary, you will turn every sand corn around yourself, understood?”
He is right, though. We have to think of a more efficient way.
Sneak cursed himself. What should have been a victory over Candy had turned into defeat, and he had no one to blame but himself and his stupid arrogance. “Yes, my Princess.”
“Good. And now-“
“Aaah!” Fluttershy's scream echoed through the camp.
The princess and everypony else turned towards her. Fluttershy was covered in blood, with Spike still coughing up more. Immediately one of the guards rushed towards her and took the basket as well as Spike away from her.
Celestia, too rushed to Fluttershys side and wrapped her wings around her. “It’s going to be ok, my little pony. He is going to be fine. I will make sure of it. Bring Spike to me, now!” she ordered.
No one came.
“Where is the Royal Guard that took the dragon? Spike needs my attention right now, or he might not make it!" The princess asked once again.
Still, no one came forward. The guards just looked around, clueless.
“Brown pegasus mare? Pink mane and tail? A silver bolt as a cutie mark?” Celestia looked around again. She saw an Officer who had made his way towards them.
The Officer stepped forwards, “My Princess, the Royal Guard with that description is currently out in the desert as part of the search operation.”
Right under her nose, surrounded by her own guards, the princess had just been robbed.
***
“Remember, Dashie. We want to get as much information from her as possible. So, try to stay on her good side," Twilight whispered.
Rainbow nodded affirmatively and opened the door.
“Come now, we should hurry.” Rainbow and Twilight were ushered out of the room. “Follow me.”
I expected a guard to fetch us.
The changeling wasn't wearing any armour at all. However, now that Rainbow looked closely, she had to say that he did have the stature of a soldier. And he seemed to take his assignment seriously, guiding them through the hallways as quickly as he could. Previously they had been empty, with no one in sight. Now they could see some changelings walking and flying around, with the sound of buzzing wings clearly audible.
The changeling guiding them stopped in front of a door, motioning for them to step inside.
Here goes nothing.
Rainbow opened the door, and immediately Twilight was grabbed by a green aura.
No, you don’t!
Rainbow grabbed Twilight, trying to stop Chrysalis from taking her. As a result, she, too, got enveloped. “Let go, or I will stomp you down like the insect you are!” she screamed.
Luckily for her, Chrysalis ignored her statement and merely sat her down on a chair, holding her in place with her magic. Rainbow was now sitting in front of a large table, set with plenty of food, opposite Chrysalis.
Twilight, on the other hoof, wasn't so lucky. She was squirming in Chrysalis's grip, who had resorted to holding her right in front of her eyes, carefully examining Twilight. "Hmm, how curious. At first, I thought I imagined it, but magic is clearly still radiating from you." She turned Twilight around, mustering her from all angles. “I still recognize that magical signature. Celestia has clearly put a very powerful enchantment on you. Especially if it still holds up with ease, despite being in direct vicinity to my throne. And she has done a good job of obfuscating its purpose as well. I can't tell at all what its function is.” Chrysalis levitated her next to Rainbow, who immediately grabbed Twilight.
“My, my, you are quite protective of her, aren’t you?” Chrysalis looked at her with a knowing look.
If you do that one more time, I will rip that smug grin off your face. Or even better, I will do so right now.
Only Twilight putting her hoof on her back, signalling for her to calm down, prevented Rainbow from trying.
“What do you mean there is an enchantment on me, your majesty?” Twilight asked.
“I meant what I said. Celestia has clearly put a very powerful enchantment on you. As to why? You tell me." They were mustered by an inquisitive stare. "And you don't have to call me your majesty or by any title. I couldn't care less about those.”
"Look, my Bug Queen, we have no idea why Princess Arbitrary is after us either. Now, how about you let us leave?" Rainbow's answer earned her a death glare from Twilight.
“Bug Queen, I have to say that’s not very creative. Princess Arbitrary on the other hoof… I will give you that.” Rainbow's insults seemed to have no effect on Chrysalis at all. "Very well, then you start. Ask me anything, and I will try to answer to the of my abilities.”
Yeah, as if! What game are you playing here?
“What exactly are you? Why have we never heard of you? What is this place? What do you want with us? Why the luxurious room? Why can’t we use magic? Why can you use magic?” Twilight had only stopped when she had run out of breath.
"The long story it is, then. But I am warning you, this is not a happy one,” Chrysalis began. “And suit yourselves. All the food and drinks have been specially made for you.”
Hesitantly Rainbow and Twilight picked some of the food they had made. Twilight chose a daisy sandwich and an apple juice, while Rainbow opted for a hayburger and a cola.
Together they ate while Chrysalis told her tale. “From what I have been told, we Changelings have existed from the beginning of time, just like you ponies have. Unlike your story, however, ours has been a story of pain and suffering from day one.” Chrysalis turned towards Rainbow. “Due to our looks, we have been cast out and hunted. We have been called bugs and parasites and were referred to as an inferior life form. Had it not been for our ability to disguise ourselves, we would have gone extinct long ago.”
Have I judged them too quickly? Then again, she did foalnap us, so she shouldn't have expected any sympathy.
Finally, Chrysalis stopped glaring at Rainbow. “We roamed around Equus, never staying at a place for too long until we found an empire willing to harbour us. And not only that. The empire was full of love, no less. The days of constant hunger and fighting for survival seemed to finally be over, with the future looking bright.
"That, my dears, was the Crystal Empire. An empire whose existence has been completely purged of history records, these days."
I knew it! They do censor!
Twilight wasn't so happy at what essentially amounted to a confirmation of Rainbow's accusations.
Chrysalis continued, “The empire fell when a creature of darkness named Sombra murdered its ruler, Princess Amore and took control of the Chrystal Heart, a relict meant to protect the empire. The self-proclaimed King Sombra enslaved the resident crystal ponies and even tried to take over their minds. Our minds, however, he could never hope to enslave. Thanks to our hive mind, as long as at least one of us is free, we all are.”
Hive mind? And why does it matter that the empire is filled with love? Is she just going to skip over those things?
While Rainbow was sceptical, examining every word, Twilight listened with a mixture of horror and captivation.
“It was our turn to return the favour, and Sombra knew it. So he made it his goal to find and kill every single changeling. It was a predictable move we had more than enough experience with, so we left the empire.” For some reason, Twilight and Rainbow could feel that the worst part was yet to come.
“The neighbouring nation of Equestria, too, disapproved of the change of leadership. They feared Sombra's intention towards them and decided to start a preemptive war. It was a war we were delighted to aid them in. This led to us teaming up with the alicorn sisters.” Chrysalis sighed. She had been very young when that happened and still remembered her mother's happiness when the deal went through.
Holp up… alicorn… sisters?
"We infiltrated Sombras ranks, and while we suffered many casualties, it hindered his war efforts greatly. Side by side, changelings and ponies fought until the final battle arrived. A battle we were sure would result in victory.” Chrysalis stopped for a moment until hissing out, "It was just too bad that we had a different definition of victory than the alicorn sisters. They banished not only Sombra but the entire empire, leaving only snow in its stead. After the battle, my mother, the former Queen, went to them and confronted them, but they didn't care. For them, the job was done, and they claimed they fulfilled their end of the bargain. After all, Sombra was defeated, wasn't he?” she spoke the last sentence with a mocking voice, full of resentment.
“When we asked where we were supposed to live now, they said that that was up to us. That we could live anywhere we wanted as long as that wasn’t in Equestria. Their precious Equestria had no place for some parasites, even if they helped them win the war.” Defeat made itself visible, draining the energy Chrysalis had previously spoken with. “We had already suffered so many casualties. We weren’t in a state to move, even if we wanted to. So we tried living in Equestria without the sisters noticing.
“What happened next, we should have seen coming. The sisters weren't so dumb as to believe we would give up. Instead, they alerted the public about us and spun a false narrative, resulting in raid after raid against anypony suspected to be a changeling. It only stopped when the Luna Rebellion began, but by that point, we were on the brink of extinction. The sisters nearly succeeded in their genocide, and even when the Luna Rebellion stopped, love finally returned, and Equestria had forgotten about us, it had still taken decades for us to recover.
“Mother, she never forgave herself for what happened, blaming it on her decisions. Shortly after the raids began, she handed the crown to me and moved on to the Great Mother." Chrysalis finished her story.
“But why? Why would they do such a horrible thing? Why erase knowledge about an entire empire? And who was the sister you talked about? Certainly not Cadence, right? And if what you told us was true, then why not move to a better place now that you have apparently recovered?” Twilight was ready to defend her princess.
“Why indeed? It is a question I have been asking myself every night for over 1000 years now, and I still haven't come up with an answer. As for the sister I mentioned, her name was Luna. This, however, is a story for another time.” Chrysalis braced herself for the questions that were sure to follow.
“And why stay here? If princess Celestia is truly that evil, why not just leave? There must be a better place out there?” Twilight looked victorious.
Is the princess her mother or what? Why go that far to defend her?
Chrysalis was ready to pulverize Twilight's supposed victory. "Little Twilight, I don't blame you for wanting to defend your princess. I understand it. I really do. She has created a perfect land of opportunity and happiness for you. A land where 99% of ponies can live in peace and fulfil their dreams. A land where crime, as well as poverty, are nearly nonexistent. It's easy to oversee and deny the bad things when one is offered such a life in return. It's easy to forget that Equestria is an absolute monarchy with nobility and royalty that is above the common pony, especially when one is part of the nobility herself. Isn't that right, Lady Twilight of House Sparkle? And it's easy to forget that liberties are barely existent and can be taken away at any point when the benevolent princess assures one that she would never abuse her powers."
Twilight is a part of the nobility? Funny that she never mentioned that.
Rainbow could ask Twilight about that later. Right now, she needed to jump in and defend her, "Oh, yeah? It's funny that you haven’t addressed the actual question!”
“Like I said, although all of what I said is true, Equestria is still filled with love and happiness. We don't eat normal food." Chrysalis gestured towards the rest of their meals. "Instead, we survive by feeding off positive emotions. Although we still have to live in hiding, we can at least survive by secretly collecting these emotions.
"I know what you are going to say next. Isn't that a huge risk? Yes, it is. For one, collecting emotions in secret is tricky, especially since most aren't directed at us and, therefore, are less nutritious. And, of course, there is always the risk of Celestia finding out. Still, compared with all the countries we have visited before the Crystal Empire, our situation here is better. At least we have an abundance of love at our disposal and don't just have to live in constant fear.” Chrysalis reasoned.
"But that was over 1000 years ago! I am sure things have changed by now. There must be a better place out there, somewhere." Twilight insisted.
"Little Twilight, you are not the first one with that reasoning. In the beginning, you asked me about the room. It belonged to my daughter Skylar. She, too, held these beliefs. So one day, she challenged my rule and went off with a third of the hive to look for a better place. She hugged me and told me that she would make me proud. That she would find a better place for us all to live. That she would return one day… and foolishly, I believed her.
“I mentioned the hive mind before. With it, we are able to link minds together and communicate between changelings. When Skylar left, she and her changelings disconnected from ours and formed their own. The next time I heard from her was when she connected again out of nowhere, desperately crying out for help. Over the hive mind, I had to experience her gruesome death, unable to help, for I didn't even know where she was.” Rainbow didn’t think it was possible, but the changeling queen was actually crying now. She turned towards Twilight, who also had tears streaming down her eyes.
Don’t cry! Don’t show any weakness in front of her! That’s what she wants!
"Although it's custom for every Queen to have an heir ready to take over, should something happen to her, I have never gotten another child. I just couldn’t bring myself to replace her. When one day I too move on to the Great Mother, my other children will have to choose a new Queen between themselves-”
“Ha, I knew it! You just revealed yourself! Skylar wasn’t your only child!” Rainbow felt Twilight kicking her legs.
Chrysalis was stunned at the outburst. Slowly she straightened herself out before responding to the accusation. "It is a cultural thing. In a way, every changeling is my child, and to them, I am their mother, even if that isn't biologically the case. It has something to do with me being the keeper of the hive mind. I am not sure if you would be able to understand. Skylar was and will be the only biological child I ever had." Rainbow had done it. She finally managed to get under Chrysalis's chitin.
Ponyfeathers! Me and my stupid mouth always getting me in trouble!
Thankfully Chrysalis wasn’t able to act on her frustration. The door opened, with a yellow pegasus mare waltzing inside. She was around 16 or 17 and had a yellow orangish mane, tail, and flames as her cutie mark. She also carried some kind of basket with her.
“All right, mission accomplished.” She shoved the basket towards Queen Chrysalis, behaving like she owned the place. Then she got engulfed by green flames, turning into a changeling.
“Thank you, Isabella, but it really wasn't necessary to come here yourself. One of your brothers or sisters would have surely been able to bring Spike here.
Spike? They have Spike?
“You have Spike? How?” Twilight nearly shouted.
“Ah, but I was absent for so long, I just had to visit. Haven’t you missed me, mother?” Isabella turned towards Rainbow and Twilight. “I am part of the Infiltration Unit Alpha. I have already been accepted into the Wonderbolts academy, and one day I will infiltrate the highest ranks of the Equestrian military. Captain Wind Rider has already told me that he views me as a prime successor for his position. Stealing Spike was foals play.” If one thing was certain, Isabella had no lack of pride and self-confidence. “I just wish I could have seen the princess's face. I bet she didn’t know what hit her.”
Chrysalis buried her head in her hooves. "Why don't you tell them the names of the other infiltrators while you are at it?" she muttered.
“Why? Did I do something wrong? I thought they weren’t going to return to Equestria?” Isabella asked.
Are we not going to return? I thought we were her hostages?
Chrysalis and Isabella stared at each other, with Isabella shrinking every second.
Is she being chewed out over the hive mind right now? Can they genuinely communicate like that?
Then Chrysalis turned towards them again. “It seems that someling let the cat out of the bag early. Yes, I have no intention of handing you out to that pony. What would be the point anyway? If we make a deal, what assurances’ would I have that she keeps her word? Not to mention that we would have to reveal ourselves. Also, who knows what she would do to you?” Chrysalis stood up and went towards the door. “Since you are so keen on revealing all of our secrets, I think you should be the one that shows Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash our hive, Isabella. Twilight, Rainbow, it was nice talking to you. We will finish this conversation some other time, and then I expect you to tell me your story." Chrysalis left the room.
Oh no! She expects a story, and we don’t have one to tell!
“So, you are the legendary ponies that performed a sonic rainboom, a supercharged sonic rainboom resulting in a wave of destruction that engulfed the entire country and maybe even more, managed to make Princess Ineptness lose her cool, committed crimes that have nearly been forgotten and got the entire military mobilized for the first time in nearly 1000 years, nearly destroying it in the process.” Isabella halted for a moment. “I hope I haven’t forgotten everything, but I think that was all.” She wrapped her hooves around them. "You two must be the coolest, most awesome and legendary ponies in history! I am such a huge fan!"
“Thank you?” Both Twilight and Rainbow stuttered.
"Here, I have a present for you.” She shoved the basket towards Twilight. “Mother was against this, but I just had to do it. I stole him right under the princess's nose while surrounded by her personal guard." She grinned with confidence. Then she pulled Rainbow and Twilight towards her again, fetching a letter and whispering as quietly as she could. “There was also this letter hidden inside the basket. I have read it, and it's for you, Twilight. Be careful. I haven't told mother about it. This letter, if I were you, I would burn it once I have read it.” Isabella tucked the letter back inside the basket.
What could the princess possibly have written for Twilight?
But Twilight disregarded the letter. Instead, she had her full attention on Spike. “Spike! I am so sorry for leaving you behind!” She carefully picked the dragon up and hugged him tightly. “I am never ever letting you go again!”
That’s so cute!
I mean, that's nice! Just nice!
Wait, is that drool coming from Isabella’s mouth?
"Eh! You aren't feeding off of us, are you?" Rainbow accused her.
“What, me? I would never do something like that“ - Rainbow was now standing right in front of her face – “Ok, maybe? Oh, come on! It isn’t hurting you, is it?”
How am I supposed to know if it’s hurting us!
“Your emotions are tasting amazing, and I am just nibbling a bit at them, feeding on a bit of excess. You are not going to notice any differences or experience any harm from it, and my less fortunate brothers and sisters will have something to eat once I send it to them over the hive mind." Isabella defended herself.
Rainbow looked over to Twilight, who was still focused on Spike, seemingly having missed the entire exchange. “Fine, you win. But if I find out that you have been lying, I will tie you up and set you on fire.”
Isabella looked a bit taken aback by the oddly specific threat but then caught herself again. "Sure, you have a deal!" she grabbed Rainbow's hoof and shook it.
“Who’s a good boy? Yes, you are a good boy!" Twilight's words were acknowledged by giggling coming from the basket. Apparently, she had returned Spike again. “Now, how about we follow Isabella and see how they live?” A gentle, approving clapping signalled the young dragon's agreement.
Isabella transformed back into her pony form. "Then let's go food, umm, I mean fellow ponies and dragon.”
Together they walked out of the room.
***
I am going to kill this thief!
I will torture them until death and then revive them just to repeat the process.
Fluttershy was crying in a corner, blaming herself for Spike's disappearance.
Can’t let her out of my eye, or else they might steal her as well.
A pony walked inside the tent. “My Princess, EBI Director Candy would like to speak with you.”
“Why isn’t she coming in? She has the authorization to do so without asking for permission.” Celestia asked her guard.
“I think she is ashamed of herself for revealing her crush on you,” he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Her what! Since when has that been going on? You knew about that and didn’t decide to tell me?”
Cadence is going to have a field day.
What am I even saying! Cadence had to have known about that! That little-
The guard realized his mistake. The princess hadn't caught onto Candy's feelings, despite what nearly everypony thought. Then again, she had only seen a small part of the breakdown. "Your Majesty, it is just what I assumed. I could be entirely wrong-“
Celestia didn’t buy it. "Send her in immediately!"
Having feelings for me is not only very unprofessional but also entirely inappropriate. I am going to have to let her go for that.
It was standard procedure. Yet the princess felt like it wasn’t the right thing to do.
Then again, Candy has always done such a good job. She is probably the youngest EBI Director in history and has earned this position entirely through her hard work, unlike most of her predecessors. The mere fact that she isn’t even part of the nobility is proof of that.
Candy walked in with her head hanging low. She still looked ill, causing the princess to wonder why she was released from the infirmary in this state. "My Princess, I-“
Regardless she didn't dance around the subject, confronting Candy immediately, "I know about your feelings and your crush on me. You know the rules on these matters.”
Candy threw herself on the ground. “My Princess, forgive me! It's never going to happen again! I won’t let this interfere with my work in any way,” she begged.
Can I truly afford to let her go? Especially when my forces are already in such disarray?
She needed more information before making a decision. “How long have you had those feelings, Candy?”
“It was always my dream to work for you, your Majesty. To help make this world a better place. When I first got to meet you, I could immediately see the true dedication you had for us. The way you continually placed our needs in front of your own. The vast amounts of love and kindness you are holding for all of us. It took me some time, but one day I realized the full extent of the feelings I had developed for you. I was so proud when you put your trust in me and gave me this position. On the day of my promotion, I swore to myself that I would return the favour. I have dedicated my whole life to you. As long as I live, I will make sure to fulfil your every command not only because I know that your every order is given with the sole purpose of making this world a better place but also because my heart demands it,” Candy finished.
Oh, wow. That was certainly…
If she has truly felt this way since before her promotion, then maybe it really doesn't affect work… aside from the minor incident today. Perhaps I can truly give her another chance…
Candy was still whimpering in front of her. “Very well, Candy. You are forgiven. Needless to say, I expect you to stay quiet about this, dispel any rumours about those feelings and most importantly, try to overcome them. I don’t want any political problems coming from this, understood? Especially not with the nobility.”
Celestia’s words shattered her heart. For all his faults, Sneak had been right. She never had any chance with the princess.
Candy had to leave her fairytale world and face reality. That reality included that her career was now over. Even the miracle of the princess giving her a second chance wasn't going to save it. From this point on, she would forever be tarnished in the princess's eyes until her inevitable dismissal. "My Princess, I won't let that happen.” Candy stood up and went towards the exit. “You will receive my irrevocable resignation within the next hour.” With those words, she ran out of the tent.
It wasn't the first time that such a scene had played out. Over her lifetime as a ruler, Princess Celestia had become all too familiar with letting ponies go due to them having feelings for her.
It was, however, the first time she had offered the pony in question forgiveness.
And the first time that the scene in question filled her with regret.
Not once have you failed my expectations.
Candy had been one of the few ponies she trusted.
She truly believed in me. She was willing to dedicate her life to me without question.
The number of ponies willing to do that had decreased significantly over time for reasons she never quite figured out.
And I didn’t even give her a chance, instead cruelly dismissing her feelings.
Like I did so many times before.
She felt a wing touching her. “Princess, I think you should look for her,” Fluttershy told her, with a voice that was a confusing mixture of confidence and fear.”
That’s right, you are still here. I nearly forgot about that.
For a moment, Celestia was genuinely going to follow that advice. She would go out there and tell Candy that she was sorry. That while she wouldn’t be able to return those feelings, she wouldn’t hold them against her. That she would be honoured if Candy decided to continue working for her.
No! Get yourselves together! Those rules and procedures exist for a reason. Candy made the right decision by resigning. I shouldn’t even have proposed an exception in the first place. Surely, it will be easy to replace her.
“I will. Please wait here until I have returned.” Celestia left the tent as well. Unlike what she had told Fluttershy, however, she wouldn’t check up on Candy, instead opting to verify Sneak's progress.
Acting like a decent pony truly was harder than it looked.
***
Twilight couldn’t use her magic to carry the basket and was too scared to transport it on her back. And since she needed her hooves to walk and her mouth to speak, she had resorted to carrying the basket with her horn by putting the handle on it.
She looks adorkable.
While it resorted in the basket hanging in her face, Twilight didn’t seem to have any issues with that. Instead, she was just happy that she had found a solution that allowed her to carry Spike by herself.
“So, Isabella, right? Aren’t they going to miss you at the academy?” Twilight asked. It looked ridiculous with the basket in her face, but to their credit, neither Rainbow nor Isabella laughed at her.
“See, that is the beauty of being a changeling. One of your brothers or sisters is always there to take your place," Isabella answered with a smug grin.
She is right. That must be so awesome!
“Man, you are making me jealous. I bet you always get one of your relatives to write exams for you, right?” Rainbow inquired.
“Why would I? We have a hive mind with all answers at our disposal.” Isabella pointed towards her head.
She is so lucky! I bet she gets good marks all the time, without any effort, while I always fail despite doing my best.
“That’s horrible! Cheating is a filthy habit! Good grades have to be earned!” She got chastised by Twilight.
“What are you? A nerd?” Twilight was taken aback by Isabella’s answers.
Next thing she knew, Isabella found herself falling to the floor, face first, stumbling over Rainbow's hoof.
Serves you right! No one gets to insult Twi in front of me!
“All right, I got the message," Isabella said while still on the ground.
Rainbow turned towards Twilight. She expected either a face of approval or a chastising look. Instead, Twilight just stared blankly at her.
That’s weird. Is there something else on her mind?
Isabella picked herself up, and they finally left the hallway, walking down some stairs. “The hallway we have just left held the meeting room, with the throne room next to it. I am going to bring you to some of our common rooms that are down these stairs."
“Hey, I just realized something,” Twilight dared to speak again, “You said you were part of an infiltration unit. Doesn’t that mean that Equestria is in danger?”
The question caused visible discomfort for Isabella, "I mean… you heard mother's story, right?"
So, that’s definitely a yes.
“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Surely you realize that?” Twilight reasoned.
It was a thought Isabella, as well as many of her brothers and sisters, had already entertained numerous times. “That’s easy to say for you. Suppose even one of us gets caught, which will happen inevitably. In that case, we could find ourselves in the same position we did a thousand years ago. Don’t we have the right to defend ourselves?”
She has a point.
And yet there was also another side to the story. “I have been living in Equestria for as long as I can remember. When I was young, I got placed in an orphanage, leading to my adoption by a very loving couple. I never had to personally experience the hardships mother went through. My life in Equestria…. It is a good life.”
She sighed, “There is a divide in our hive between those who advocate for revealing ourselves and pleading our case with the princess once again and those who want to go ahead with mother's plan. The contrast is especially apparent with those who have lived most of their life in Equestria and those who have lived in the hive.”
"Which side are you on?" Rainbow's curiosity had peaked.
"I trust mother. Sure, even an immortal alicorn can change, right? It's just the risk… Once we have revealed ourselves, the element of surprise will have been lost. We have been too trusting once before. This time we will not give the princess the benefit of the doubt," she spoke the words with utter conviction.
She sure seems confident, despite the circumstances.
"I am not going to judge you for that. Still, hopefully, you will be able to find a peaceful resolution," Twilight said.
"We are here. Most rooms were abandoned a long time ago. It was just too impractical to sustain them.” Isabella opened the door, and they were greeted by an old and dusty library/archive hybrid. “In recent times, our library has suffered this fate as well. But, although we are not doing active upkeep anymore, you should still be able to use it. If you want to, that is.” She closed the door again.
Twilight looked like she wanted to protest. However, she refrained from doing so.
This mountain is so huge, yet everything seems to empty. We walked for ages just to reach this room.
“Do you have any more common rooms?” Rainbow inquired.
“Of course!” Isabella seemed offended at Rainbow's insinuation and dragged them a bit further down the hallway. "Here, this is what you could call our cafeteria. Although we can distribute emotions via the hive mind, we still prefer to eat them. What I mean by that is that we charge a green gelée like substance with them and then come here to eat it with our fellow brothers and sisters.”
The room, while huge, was also dull, grey, and empty.
Isabella could feel that Rainbow and Twilight weren’t impressed. “Hey! What did you expect? I know mother put on a fancy show for you, but we are still in the middle of a barren wasteland while also being technically at war with a superpower. Come with me. Next, I am going to show you the quarters.”
That was sad. I can't believe she is suggesting that some changelings have to live their entire lives here.
Again, they went through a number of corridors, making their way down the mountain.
"Why now? After over 1000 years, why make your move against Equestria now?” Twilight again blurted out a question.
“A 1000 years ago, the Equestrian Armed Forces were a force to be reckoned with. If you faced them, death was certain. These days they are barely a shadow of their former self. It was a gradual process, and it has taken quite some time for us to realize the extent of the issues the once-so-mighty military is facing. When we did, however, we immediately decided to act. Several of us are currently working to infiltrate what is left of the Equestrian Security Forces. Once we have done so, the path will be clear. Since they also have no more changeling inspections or any knowledge about us for that matter, our victory is already certain.” The last part was spoken in an ice-cold voice.
I don't know if I should be scared about the way she said that. Equestria is still our home, even if they want our heads.
Rainbow and Twilight remained quiet. Rainbow because she saw no point in arguing. For one, they weren’t likely to change their plans regardless of her opinion. Additionally, Equestria was now technically their enemy. However, why Twilight stayed quiet confused her.
I would have thought that she had some kind of comeback ready.
“Here." This time there was no door. They walked through a large hole in the wall and found themselves in a dark cave.
Isabella used her horn to illuminate it. The cave was mostly empty, aside from a few sleeping changelings on the ground. "This is where those of us that have to live here sleep. I know it doesn't look comfy, but being together with our brothers and sisters fills off with a sense of safety. It also makes guarding easier, so we won't be caught off guard when sleeping. Unfortunately, it also doesn't leave much room for self-expression or privacy."
Are they trying to make us feel bad? If that is the case, they are certainly succeeding.
Isabella turned around and mustered them. “There is one more room I can show you, the hatchery. Just whatever you do, stay quiet and don’t touch anything.”
Once again, they made their way through the mountain. This time Twilight stayed quiet.
It turned out that the hatchery was located in what could be described as a basement. On the final corridor, they encountered a few guards that didn't even acknowledge them. Passing those guards rewarded them with a glowing green cave, where eggs lay everywhere, some even sticking to the ceiling.
“They aren’t going to hatch for some more time. The speed at which the little ones develop is entirely dependent on the love they receive.” A changeling in the corner got her attention. Slowly he crept towards them, eyeing Twilight and Rainbow with a curious look before he left.
“I am sorry about that. I don’t know what he was doing in here, just that he definitely wasn’t supposed to be here.” Isabella seemed just perplexed as Twilight and Rainbow were.
“That concludes our little tour. There are some more boring storage facilities, as well as a ton of abandoned rooms. The only noteworthy place that's left is our emotions storage and processing facility. Unfortunately, I can't take you there due to the risk of contamination. Follow me, and I will bring you back to your room.”
Twilight stopped her. “Thank you for showing us around. I think I am going to visit the library again.”
"Yeah, sure, why not," Rainbow said.
“Alone, Rainbow. I need some time alone… I need to clear my head about a lot of things,” Twilight turned her down with a painful look.
Alone? But why? I can help!
"I am going to find the way by myself," with those words, Twilight left.
“Come now. Give her some space. It is a lot to take in, after all," Isabella tried to ease Rainbow's worries.
Without Twilight and Spike they made their way back to the room.
***
Sneak wasn’t in the command tent when Celestia arrived, but another pony caught her attention.
Shining darted towards her, “Princess! Sneak had to address an urgent matter. Can I be of any assistance?”
You only enlisted a few months ago. How are you supposed to help me when you barely have any experience? Where in Tartarus is Sneak!
Shining, being unaware of the princess's disapproval, continued, "We have changed our search method. Together with some specialists, we are currently following the trail of magical energy left behind by the sonic rainboom. We should have the results shortly.”
Finally! That’s the kind of competence I like. Guess I shouldn’t have underestimated Sneak, after all.
Soon, Twilight and Rainbow would be hers.
***
“Hey, Candy? Can we talk?” Sneak walked into Candys’s tent. Where normally there should have been a group of EBI Agents discussing the progress around a makeshift command table, only yawning emptiness remained.
It shouldn’t have ended like this.
"What do you want, Sneak?" she hissed, turning away from the scroll she was writing on.
"I wanted to come and say goodbye. I know we have never seen eye to eye… on anything, really. This, however… you didn’t deserve this,” Sneak admitted. “I always wanted to prove to the princess that you were unfit for the job, that she made the wrong decision in giving this position to a commoner, but I wanted to do so through my own performance or by presenting your failures to her, not by telling her about some stupid crush you had. If I wanted to do that, I would have done so ages ago instead of making sure the princess wouldn't be alerted to it,” Sneak laughed, "I guess now I will never be able to prove that you were truly unworthy of the job."
Candy, on the other hoof, didn't feel like laughing, “Do you expect me to thank you now? Just go and let me leave in peace!”
“Candy… what are you going to do now?" For the first time, Sneak exhibited genuine concern for her.
It was too much, “I don’t know,” she sobbed, “This job… serving the princess was my life! Now I have nothing!
“Why? Why do things have to be that way? Tell me, Sneak! Why!” Candy screamed.
“Candy, we already had this discussion a long time ago. The princess is an immortal being. Your feelings were doomed from the start. But even if we were to ignore that, she also has to keep up appearances. She can't afford to fall for a subordinate, especially not a commoner and a mare no less. It would be political suicide." It wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, but it needed to be told. "Candy, over the centuries, dozens of ponies have confessed their feelings for the princes, from the lowest earth pony to unicorns of the highest standing. They all were rejected. She simply can't afford to let herself get attached. Princess Celestia has a country to run and no time to deal with something that will end in inevitable heartbreak at the latest with your certain death. That’s why she is above such silly things like love.”
“It just isn’t fair! She didn’t even give me a chance!” Candy wailed.
“Oh, Candy. I really hope that you will be able to move on." For a moment, Sneak hesitated, "If I can help you in any way or if you need anything, my door will be open for you. And even if you don’t, I would be happy if you could visit from time to time.” Then Sneak did something he didn't even think was possible and that, for the sake of his own reputation, he would deny for the rest of his life. He gave Candy a hug. "Working with you has been a pain in the ass, but I enjoyed it nonetheless."
There were even times when you made me question if commoners really could take up these high-ranking positions.
Sneak let go again and made his way out of the tent. There just wasn’t anything further he could do to help Candy. This was a wound only time would be able to heal, if it could be healed at all.
Alone in her tent, Candy continued to cry while she finished writing her resignation.
***
"I talked with Princess Celestia. Once Twilight has been found, she will retract the stories surrounding you, release you and more than likely, she will also restore your custody right." Cadence had made her way to the dungeon once again to finally deliver what she considered good news.
“More than likely?” Velvet and Night asked.
“I did my best. Now we can only hope that she comes to reason.” Cadence admitted.
What she didn’t say was that the hope she herself had for that was barely existent anymore.
***
It was worse than when Twilight had experienced her first vision. Her worldview was shattered, and she had no idea where she should begin to start picking up the pieces. So, she had just resorted to sitting in front of a dusty bookshelf while gently stroking Spike.
I just want to go home.
But that wasn’t possible anymore. Not with Rainbow still being adamant that they should leave. Not with them being wanted criminals now. Not to mention that they were now practically in league with enemies of Equestria.
Maybe we could bargain? The information we have on the changelings against a royal pardon?
No! I can't do that, not when it could result in the genocide of their entire race!
Another option crumbled in front of her.
Chrysalis was right. My life really was a good life. Things were so much easier back when I hadn’t experienced that vision. Back when I was just Lady Twilight of House Sparkle. I never had anything missing in my life. And then I threw it all away.
I sacrificed everything for my Rainbow Angel.
The Rainbow Angel that has taken my first kiss.
It was a thought that just wouldn’t leave her alone. When Rainbow wanted to perform CPR, it had been easy to argue that it didn’t count. The second time, however…
She had kissed me so passionately. There is no way that doesn't count, even if she did that just to prove a point.
It left her with an inconceivable amount of confusion.
What was our relationship in the future like?
If only she could at least answer that question. But while she could remember some scenes with Rainbow, it just wasn't enough to give her any indication aside from that they were probably friends.
And what else should we have been? She was just a friend of mine, just like the other mares were.
But then why did I feel drawn to her and her alone? Why did I describe her and only her as my Rainbow Angel?
Twilight felt a sudden amount of rage that result in her hitting the bookshelf with all her might.
Next thing she knew, she threw herself over Spike to protect him from the dust, books and shelf pieces that came crashing down.
That’s it. If I am really going so far as to take my anger out on books, then this has officially driven me insane. I need to find an answer to this question as soon as possible.
But first, Twilight needed to free herself from the books and the shelf she was buried under.
“Anypony out there? I need a little help, please?” As expected, no one answered.
I guess I should be thankful that Spike and I aren’t injured. Rainbow is bound to show up eventually.
Twilight continued stroking Spike, who had resorted to sleeping again, somehow not noticing what had happened. Although asleep, he acknowledged her caressing with a faint smile that was enough to calm her down.
And then there is this whole story Queen Chrysalis told us. There has to be another angle to it! Princess Celestia would never do such a thing without reason.
Then again… she is trying to hunt Rainbow and me down for no reason as well and has apparently placed a powerful charm on me.
And the Changelings do seem nice.
Should we side with them?
If they win, will they hurt Equestria? What will happen? What about our friends and family?
She could hear the library door open.
Seems like Rainbow doesn’t have a lot of patience.
A green aura lifted the shelf and books away.
A changeling. That works as well.
"Are you ok? Do you need medical help? This is bad. I don't know if we can provide medical help for ponies! Let me ask-“
"It's fine! Thank you for freeing me.” Twilight cut him off.
"It's not fine! Your back is bleeding heavily!” The changeling was freaking out.
In a flash, Chrysalis appeared in front of them, “You may leave now, Thorax. I am going to take over from here.” Chrysalis once again levitated Twilight on her back. This time, however, she didn't bother changing her form. “I was going to punish him for sneaking into the hatchery, but since he saved you there, I am going to be lenient. Death by books that would have been quite embarrassing."
Twilight wasn't acknowledging Chrysalis. Now that she had been freed, the pain began to set in.
“I am going to use a healing spell on you. Just take it easy for the next few days.” Indeed, she encased Twilight in a spell. A few seconds later, the pain and injuries were gone. Just the dust remained. "Seems like you should take a bath. Let me take you to your room." Chrysalis picked up Spike's basket leaving the library.
***
Rainbow was pacing around the room.
Need some time alone... I must have done something wrong!
When the door opened, she immediately rushed to greet Twilight.
To her horror, she was on Chrysalis's back, looking delirious.
This time Chrysalis wasn’t prepared. Before she could react, Rainbow had thrown herself on her.
"I know love makes creatures do all sorts of stupid things, but this takes the cake." Violently she ripped Rainbow off of her. Only her strong chitin had protected her from Rainbows scratching and, if she hadn't imagined it, even biting. "There has been an accident in the library. Apparently, a shelf collapsed, but luckily one of my children found her. It's weird, really. They should have still been in good condition."
Chrysalis levitated Spike's basket on the bed before walking over to the bathroom while still keeping a protective shield around herself. She turned on the giant bathtub and gently lowered Twilight inside it. "Keep an eye on her. The spell might have some side effects. Just in case anything happens, I will have one of my children stationed before your door." With that, a visibly annoyed Chrysalis left them alone.
Rainbow stood in front of the bathtub, leaning over Twilight. Twilight panted and squirmed while the water slowly rose.
I should have been there for her. I should have never allowed her to visit the library alone. Isabella said that they weren’t doing upkeep anymore. This is all my fault. If I had just-
Suddenly Twilight lunged forward and grabbed Rainbow, pulling her inside the bathtub.
“Whoa! Slow down, Twi!" Rainbow exclaimed.
Twilight had resorted to holding her in an iron grip, deeply nuzzling her. “My beautiful Rainbow Angel, don’t ever leave me!”
Rainbow… Angel?
She must be hallucinating.
But at least with Rainbow now there for her, the panting and squirming had decreased dramatically.
I am here now, Twilight. I am not going to leave you again.
And so she allowed Twilight to continue cuddling her while the water slowly continued to rise.
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so from what we can tell twilight has had an spell put on her by celestia and also has a extreme draw to her " rainbow angel". that along with the news that twilights life up to this point has been involved alot with celestias plans and manipulations likely means celestia put the spell on her to make twilight worship her. very twisted
11497112
That would be a very reasonable conclusion, indeed.
But would Celestia really go so far as to twist Twilight using mind magic?
11497600
from what we have seen so far yes i do think so. And i even think that twilights draw to rainbow after her vision might have been to do with a error in the enchantment celestia put on her so with twilight small circle of ponys she knows we have to ask... who does celestia want twilight to listen to? why it seems to be the two ponys who both have rainbow hair. who knows maby it is something else that caused twilight to latch on to rainbow but you have to at least admit that its very sus and the writer did a good job either way if it was a mislead or not
11497621
.
Well, I am the writer, so I can't really respond further without giving anything away
What I can say, however, is that, for one, I am happy to hear that you think I did a good job and that you have clearly put a lot of thought into this.
11497665
even if you did it by accident its still a good job on your part. I mean on one hand the idea that a enchantment that celestia did to manipulate twilight is the undoing of her plan is funny on its own but the possiblity of the enchantment not being confermed to be that yet is a good way to go to potentialy build tension for the reveal of it being for that or something else.
I mean with the current info we have we have 1 possiblity and one thing we know it is not.
We know it is not a tracking spell as if it was twilight would have been found quick.
We do have the question of if it is a mind spell but do not know what kind untill you reveal it.
Overall i look forward to this storys next chapter and the eventual meeting of all the elements as having 3 of the 6 already either suspisous or flat out hostile to celestia will be fun to use
Pfff haha shot fired at g5
11497600
Well it is celestia we’re talking about here
Poor candy
Wait when was this again?
Looks like Thorax has Saw Rainbow dash and Twilight
11615240
Looks like it, doesn't it?