> Evil Returns > by Bolting Fire > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: Return of Queen Chrysalis > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "How may I have failed? The crystal ponies were weak. We, the Changelings, were a much more powerful army that could have defeated them. I could have took over the Crystal Empire. It's all Twilight's fault and even her friends, with them in the way of me conquering empires, we will remain weak against Celestia and her army. What will I do?" Queen Chrysalis sat in her throne room pondering at the question. "My dear queen, we may try to destroy some ponies in some parts of Equestria. This can weaken their forces. They may not have enough guards or individual ponies to stand against us for back up, " replied one of her minions. The such changeling was Chrysalis' main strategist, who has planned many attacks. He has much knowledge on formations that can succeed a battle. "That is a good plan, but what about the Elements of Harmony. They will always get in our way." "But my queen, we can also take out one of them. You know that if one element is not available or a claimer isn't convenient at the time of its use, the elements would be useless. It wouldn't be much powerful to wipe us out." Upon hearing her main strategist's plan, a smile has peeked out from the evil face of the queen. She commanded her fellow minion to follow her, to announce out her plan for the whole army. Twilight and her friends wouldn't know what's coming. The sun was out today without a single cloud in the sky. The Pegasus ponies have done a fantastic job on the weather today. Many ponies were outside either for a walk or to have some fun. Fillies were playing a game of their own. Birds also chirped a beautiful song, animals came and went to gather food or even have some fun themselves. Everything was just perfect as if in paradise or on vacation. Sugarcube Corner was as busy as ever with ponies getting any treats they liked. The sweet aroma can even be smelled from a mile away. For someponies, they were to be out of their minds to stay locked up in their homes. Twilight has gathered everything she needed to go accordingly to plan for the picnic she and her friends have planned. Muffins were freshly baked and kept in the basket with a cloth covering it. She has planned to meet up at the park with her friends in the afternoon. When Twilight arrived, she saw some of her friends there. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity were enjoying their early arrival. Rainbow Dash has her shades on and lying on a cloud she has kept from being kicked apart. Fluttershy and Rarity talked away on how their weekends were, Rarity announced that she have received many orders from Sapphire Shores and many other ponies, while Fluttershy talked on how she has saved a baby butterfly on her doorstep from death. How it had a bright luminous patterns on itself. Everypony's weekends were fabulous and carefree. "Hello everypony, how were your weekends?" Twilight asked. "Oh it was quite delightful! Thanks for asking, darling, " Rarity answered back. "I enjoyed how me and Rainbow Dash have went to her Wonderbolt practice," Fluttershy spoke gentlely. Rainbow Dash on the other hand didn't make a sound and didn't even bother to look down. Clearly she was asleep, probably dreaming on how she won a race against all the Wonderbolts. "Very nice, girls. Now we are just waiting for Pinkie Pie and Applejack to arrive," Twilight said. When the two ponies have came, the Mane 6 excluding Rainbow Dash, started to set up the picnic. As soon as everything was prepared, Fluttershy flew up to the spot Rainbow was sleeping on and woke her up. "What. What did I miss?" said Rainbow Dash immediately after waking from her deep sleep. "Nothing much, but the picnic has started. If you want some muffins, you better come down," Fluttershy gently spoke. They both flew down to their other friends. Each pony has taken a muffin and starting to eat it. When they were all done, instead of sitting around, Pinkie Pie has thought up a game to play. She introduced the idea of 'Hide N' Seek' and that Apple jack should count, they all agreed to play. Everypony separated to find a area to hide without being caught, but instantly when Rainbow Dash found a bush near the Everfree Forest to hide, she vanished. Not a trace of her disappearance was left behind at the bush. After a couple of minutes, Applejack has proceeded to find her friends. In a matter of a couple of minutes, she uncovered most of her friends except for one. Rainbow Dash. She searched low and high for her with the help of her friends, there was no such luck. "I believe Rainbow has went up to a cloud and slept on it while waiting for us to find her," Rarity spoke forth. "But there's no clouds around. The last one she was slept on was kicked apart afterwards," Applejack spoke out. "Ooooo, maybe Rainbow Dash went home to hide and forgot that we were playing 'Hide N' Seek' and there for she is at home taking care of Tank, sleeping away, getting a snack, or reading a Daring Do book," explained Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy then spoke in that she has checked Rainbow Dash's home and mostly everywhere in the sky. While the other ponied have said that they have checked everywhere on the ground. It was getting late and everypony just made a conclusion that Dash was somewhere enjoying the quietness and the darkness of the sky. At a such late hour, she must've just gave up and went home. Somewhere, a villainous laugh was made. > Chapter 2: The Clever Mind > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Flashback... "Heehee, they will never find me here. This place is ingenious, I can even stay here for the rest of me life and they'll never find me. Maybe I'll just take a nap and they wake me up when they find me," Rainbow Dash said to herself. She laid down on the ground behind the bushes. This ground belonged to the Everfree Forest. The trees and plants were tall and thick enough to cover her up without any trace she was there. Leaves crunched behind her, thinking it was some some animal gathering stuff, Rainbow ignored it. But that was the big mistake. Before Rainbow Dash could get any rest, she blacked out. Rainbow Dash woke up in a dark room with her hooves and wings all chained up. With a throbbing headache, Rainbow Dash could feel only one spot of her head pounding. It felt like a hammer has been smashed at her skull, worst of all she had no recollection of past events that lead to this. Hearing hoove-steps drawing nearer, Rainbow's breath narrowed and squinting into the darkness to see the figure. But the only exposure of the silhouette was its glowing green eyes. Those eyes seem to belong to a bug, with beady, pointy pupils. " Oh why awaken so early, I was just getting to the part of demolishing you." The voice was vaguely audible but familiar at the same time. Rainbow Dash immediately knew she was talking to none other then Chrysalis. Taking into account, Rainbow saw the room she was in. It was lit up with one torch. Rainbow Dash noticed how she was chained up by all her hooves and her two wings. "You'll never be able to defeat us, Chrysalis. Twilight has a couple spells that would identify my location. Our army has also increased their strategies and stronger then ever, ever since your attack on the Crystal empire." Rainbow Dash resented. "Dash, you are hilarious right now, but you haven't let me finish." Queen Chrysalis stated with sarcasm. "You see I formed up a new spell for my castle. This spell is used to seal our location off to anypony, it is like you weren't even here. Only me and my Changeling army knows the location we're in. Heck even you don't know where you are so if by any chance, you can't contact your precious little friends. Because whoever inside the castle or inside the radar will be covered up. There will be no trace of existence that we are even here!" To finish that off, Chrysalis laughed menacingly. Without ideas left, Rainbow Dash tried anything that can come up to mind. Suddenly she memorized what Queen Chrysalis has said in the beginning. "Chrysalis, you can't destroy me without my friends knowing. As the carrier of the Element of Loyalty, I have a seat with my cutie mark on it in Twilight's castle. If I were to die, the colors of my cutie mark will fade away on the chair. My friends would know that somepony's messing with them and they would prepare an attack." As Rainbow Dash finished the last sentence, Chrysalis tried thinking up a new plan. "You may not understand why I directly came to take you captive. It is because I figure you would be the strongest pony of your friends. You can fly fast enough for me to be unable to catch you and crush my minions in battle. But as seem so, you are chained up with no chance of flight. I have came up with a new plan that can advance my army and destroy you." "And how are you going to do that?" "By brainwashing you!" As soon as Chrysalis finished the sentenced, Rainbow wished she hadn't asked the question. She would try anything that can come to mind and distract Chrysalis. Her prayers were answered. "You won't be able to because I am the Element of Loyalty. I can't give up my friends for anything, I will still remember them even if you take away my memories," Rainbow Dash shouted it all out before Chrysalis walked away. "Well let's see if it works." "Girls, have you seen rainbow Dash since yesterday. I hope she has given up and went home," Twilight announced as she gathered up with her friends in her castle. She noticed that Rainbow dash didn't take presence at the gathering, this meeting was even to talk about the carnival that they were going to plan. Rainbow wouldn't miss it for the world, being the planner, she would place stands here and there. She would even in the show with the Wonderbolts. "Quite sorry, darling, but it seems none of us has seen her yesterday since the Hide N' Seek game," Rarity informed Twilight. Pinkie Pie then piped up. "Oooh, I know! I know! What if Dashie's planning a party for us or gathering items we might need for the festival. I don't know why she would ever go collect stuff, she knows I have every material we will need to prepare." "Yup. Ah think Pinkie's got the supplies we need for pretty much everything," Applejack added. The timid and quiet mare who sat in her seat without reply but in her mind, she thought of many situations her oldest friend might be in. "Well the festival is a week away and we can't waste any time if we want everypony to love it. I mean Rainbow Dash might be just showing up late," Twilight clarified. Rainbow Dash saw these pictures in the magic mist Chrysalis formed up. The bug queen gave Rainbow a moment to sink in the fact that her friends might not be to reach her in time for whatever Chrysalis has planned in her clever mind. "I told you Rainbow, your friends haven't even started looking for you yet. How will you know they would succeed?", Queen Chrysalis stated. Rainbow Dash rest her head down, facing the ground as of her body being upright. "Fine, take whatever you have to eliminate me. I wouldn't be able to escape and my friends are clueless at this moment." With a hopeful sigh, Rainbow brung her head up. She said, "Anything you do will hurt me, not them. They will remain protecting Equestria even without me." Chrysalis smiled and called her main strategist to help her accomplish her project. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes. > Chapter 3: Realization > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "What do you mean she's not here?!?" a purple alicorn shouted in her castle. Everypony was there except for Rainbow, she wasn't seen by any of the Mane 6 and Spike. It has been two days since the picnic and not everything was going well in Twilight's castle. "Ah told ya, Twilight. Me and the girls haven't seen Rainbow Dash since the picnic we planned," Applejack explained, while the other girls nodded their heads. "There must be an explanation for this, she wouldn't miss an important meeting in the castle, even if it means missing a nap," As Twilight replied, with each word, her voice volume increased as well as nervous sweats pouring down her face. Who would ever know what could've happened to poor Rainbow Dash. But at the moment, in Chrysalis' castle, she has been watching the other Mane 6. Alone in her castle, on her throne, there was no distractions in the way for her watching the scene unfold. "Oh, darling. I'm sure Rainbow Dash is just fine, she can forget important dates," Rarity implied. Fluttershy and Rarity then began chatting of the times when Dash forgot some events she was to partake in. Having deep thought on this, Twilight calmed down a little. Maybe Rainbow Dash did forget. Maybe she was somewhere else instead of Ponyville. There was nothing to worry about, but as soon has her thoughts all registered, a loud crash came from outside of the castle. Everypony rushed outside to inspect where the noise came from. Lying in front of the steps was Rainbow Dash. She had cuts on her body. Everything else seemed fine. "Rainbow, are you okay?!" Twilight shouted. She walked down the steps with her other friends following her. As soon as she put her hoof up on Dash, the body in front of her changed forms. There on the ground, all worn out, was a changeling. It quickly flew up and zipped off somewhere. It had a speed way too fast for the alicorn to follow. The Mane 6 walked back in the castle to discuss what has just happened. Clearly, that was Chrysalis' minion. But why was it in Ponyville alone. "Girls, do you know what this means? Chrysalis might be planning an attack on Ponyville, she might have just sent on of her changelings disguised as Rainbow Dash. The changeling was probably getting information about us if he didn't crash. But where is the real Rainbow Dash?" questioned Twilight. This lead to many different scenarios running through her head. Same questions are in each ponies' head who sat around the table. Where was Rainbow Dash? "Twilight, we must find out what happened?" the voice that spoke was just a mere whisper. Although the other mares knew what Fluttershy meant. Rainbow Dash could be in danger. After moments of silence, Twilight spoke up. "Oh girls, I have an idea. Maybe we can use the map to direct Rainbow Dash's exact location." The flashing images of different places in Equestria appeared before everypony. Forming a spell, Twilight calculate all the formulas needed to complete the spell. Once done, a flashing symbol of Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. All of ponies in the room, their faces paled. Below the cloud with a colorful lightning bolt, nothing stood there. But they all know that Chrysalis' castle probably stood there proudly. "What do you mean they found out?!?" queen Chrysalis shouted. Below her throne stood a cowering changeling. He was shivering, unable to get a word through his mouth. "How dare you let the other ponies find out! What you have done is ruined my plan! Because of your clumsiness, my plan has a chance of failing! Guards, take him into the cell. He needs a lesson." Two guards came forth and took each of the changeling's hoof. They dragged him off into another room while he cried of mercy and forgiveness. "Such foolishness is not allowed in my castle," the Changeling queen talked to herself. A few moments later, her main strategist entered the room. He had news about the prismatic maned pony. "My highness, the brash pony has been shouting non-stop. Should we refer to the action immediately or should we wait for a couple days?" He had documents on of everything there is needed to know about Dash. Her weakness, her strength, why is her live being a great importance to all of Equestria, and how this her element, Loyalty, affect the ponies. He handed the scrolls of paper to Chrysalis. A smile rose on her face as soon as she saw one particular line. It states that if the element of Loyalty is damaged or destroyed, the other elements would soon be not usable. The energy that feeds into the sixth element all come from Honesty, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, and Loyalty. Without a occupant in even just one element, the element of Magic will break. Queen Chrysalis answered back, "Well we can wait a few more days. Let the poor pony suffer more. She can lose hope in her friends, which can make the transformation a bit easier." Her main strategist nodded his and left the room. "Oh my, we must act fast. If Chrysalis is going to attack Ponyville, who knows what else she has in her mind. Her next action after she destroys Ponyville might be to turn Equestria into flames and keep everypony as her slaves. That would not be good for my coat, to work in a hot weather every single day. Anyway, I got my coat cleaned just yesterday at the spa," Rarity spoke. Strangely Pinkie Pie sat there quietly the whole time ever since the meeting started. Her mane seemed a little deflated, her eyes also started into space, looking like a lifeless doll. This didn't escape some ponies' attention. Twilight asked, "Uhm, Pinkie are you okay? You seem quite reticent this morning. Anything on your mind?" Pinkie Pie looked up a little and answered back, "If Dashie is gone, then who's there to join me on a pranking spree. I mean, no offense, you guys are fun to be around, but I know you don't really want to prank other ponies." Twilight seem to understand the situation they are in. If Rainbow Dash is truly gone, everypony will dread the loss of a closest friend. "We can all acknowledge the fact that what ever happened to Rainbow Dash, we'll all get under the case. After all, we're all in this together, we will get through this no matter what." All the other girls made an act of agreement. > Chapter 4: The Transformation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chrysalis laughed a cynical laugh knowing the remaining five ponies won't be able to reach the changelings' hideout in time to save Rainbow Dash. "HAHAHAHAHA!! Guess what my precious Rainbow. Your friends truly do care but as soon as they find us, you are going to be soon gone." Sweats formed on Rainbow's face. She had no clue what what Queen Chrysalis has in her mind but she's sure that she will be able to withstand it. "You won't be able to hurt me as long as I still have hope, Chrysalis", Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She knew she had said something wrong when Chrysalis gave that wicked smile. A plan was brewing in her head. Before Rainbow Dash could react, everything went dark. Rainbow Dash woke up in a dark room with no control of her body. The only thing she could make out was two glowing green eyes staring straight into her. As the lights flashed on, Dash saw the shape in front of her. There stood Chrysalis herself. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, how nice of you to wake up. I just have great news to share with you. Your friends have all died when I summoned my whole changeling army against them in the Everfree Forest." The news didn't shake Dash, she knew Chrysalis was up in her tricks again. But when Chrysalis summoned a spell to show the whole event unfold, she knew she had gotten Rainbow Dash on her plan now. The colors from her mane and body became a slightly darker hue. "I... I can't believe you actually killed them. Now I know that there is no help for me now," Dash spoke gently. Chrysalis saw that her plan had worked perfectly. She fired another spell on Dash that knocked her unconscious. Queen Chrysalis called her main strategist up to prepare all the equipments they needed. She slowly trotted out of the room, leaving the work to be done. After a few hours, Chrysalis and some of her minions came back into the room. Rainbow Dash was now strapped to a table facing forward. A mirror was in front of her showing her own reflection. The mirror presented, instead of a bright colorful pony, but a distraught being that doesn't look like the daring Dash everypony knew. Before her stood two minions at each side to secure the rope if Dash decided to escape. Chrysalis' horn lit up. A dark purple beam was shot at Dash. The transformation was quick. Dash's mane and tail changed silky green, her body slowly fade black with holes on her legs. The soft fur became hard shells. Rainbow Dash's wings dissolved and two green fly-like wings took their places. Fangs grew from her teeth and the beautiful magenta eyes turned bright green. After the transformation, Rainbow Dash was gone. On the table was a changeling ready to take any orders and kill everypony in her way. "Well, I guess everything worked out well. Let's all get some rest and we will proceed with everything tomorrow." Queen Chrysalis instructed all the changelings. They all returned to their hives except for one struggling monster. Steam was still coming from her even after the effect. And the only thoughts that were in her head was to eliminate five specific ponies. A princess named Twilight Sparkle, a fashionista named Rarity, a cheerful party planner called Pinkie Pie, an expert caretaker named Fluttershy and an orchard farmer named Applejack. Everytime these names were mentioned, either in her head or was stated, she would hurl in anger and disgust. Rainbow Dash will do whatever it takes to cease their lives. "Alright girls, I just located the place where Queen Chrysalis and her minions are keeping Rainbow Dash captive. And this place is actually pretty secured. There are changeling guards every five feet away from each other so that means we will have to take on lots of them", Twilight explained. The other ponies weren't so sure how they were going to defeat them. They may use the same tactic as they did during their attack on the Crystal Empire. The changelings are capable of changing into one of them and rest of the Main 6 will be confused which ones of them are the real them. "So how are going to get into the castle without them noticing, darling", Rarity asked. The five ponies had their minds in deep thought. Twilight then thought of a great idea. "We can give secret signals to each pony if we are the real selves. If we wink, then the changelings will get confused at our actions." The other four ponies nodded their agreement. Afterwards, they left the castle started their adventure. But they don't know what is going to hit them. As soon as they left a note fell from the sky and hit Twilight directly on her head. Twilight lifted the note up and what she read shook her a little. The other girls saw and wanted to know immediately what was in the note. "Well, don't just stand there, Twilight. I really hope Rainbow Dash is okay. Tell us what it says. What does it say?", Pinkie Pie blabbered on. "Okay, but I'm not sure how you will react", Twilight read the note out loud. "'Hello friends, it is me, Rainbow Dash. I assure you that you don't have to worry about me. I was actually doing some tricks and fell into the forest. I am at my cloud house at the moment so I am safe.'" Twilight knew it was a trick because the pony that dropped the note wasn't as fast as Rainbow Dash and the hoof writing is different then Dash's. The Mane 5 knew that there was a trap ahead of them if they try to rescue Rainbow Dash. But they couldn't let her there to suffer. What kind of friends would they be if they would just desert her. "Ah believe y'all better get to Chrysalis' castle as soon as possible before the changelings can do anything to Dash", Applejack said. The Mane 5 started packing everything they needed and when the sun started to set, they were ready to go. "Um, Twilight, can't we wait until tomorrow. The forest looks especially scar- EEP!", Fluttershy jumped up in the air when she heard howling from the timberwolves. She clutched onto Applejack who was near her. Twilight explained that they would have to go immediately if they wanted to save Rainbow Dash unharmed. Fluttershy was still clutching onto Applejack when the Mane 5 ventured into the dark Everfree Forest.