> My Little Pony: The Days of New Equestria (Season 3)
>  by ScorchingFlamesInc
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Episode 0: Siege of the Changelings (1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




The weather in the Everfree Forest wasn't the best, but that didn't bother Zecora at all. She always has enough ways to entertain herself when she's not outside collecting ingredients or visiting Ponyville, or being a guest teacher at the school of friendship.

She grabbed a small thing of paint and went over to where she'd been making her most recent mask. It's been a while since she made one... she has enough, but this one was for the school.

After she finished, she went to put the paint away since she didn't need it anymore. Once she set it on the shelf, though, she heard a sudden knock on the door. Zecora went and opened the door, and a soaked Chrysalis walked in.

"Greetings Zecora..." she shivered.

"Chrysalis, what a surprise!" Zecora exclaimed. "What brings you out here before this forest dries?"

"Just something very personal and private that I need your... help... with," Chrysalis said, sounding a bit hesitant.

"Ah, so that explains why you don't have your friends. Please get comfortable to be ready for when this storm ends."

"Weeeellll... the filly has been hoping to learn about your little potions, but unfortunately, she's sick. So, I've taken it upon myself to come over here and learn how, and if, it's possible, since you're the zebra to talk to."

"Hmmm..." Zecora went over to her shelf, and began searching through what she had. "It's possible for a spell to be made into a brew..." She went over to her bookshelf. "Please pay attention, for it will help you."

"I'm all ears."

Zecora proceeded to grab and bring certain things over to the cauldron. While she heated it up and made sure it was eligible for being used, she gave Chrysalis a brief description of everything that she needed if she ever wanted to do it at home (Chrysalis wrote it down).

Both of them went through the ingredients, one-by-one. And finally, when the mixture was bubbling, Zecora gave Chrysalis the final instruction.

"In order for the spell to come to fruition, you must charge your spell and make it the last addition."

Chrysalis' horn lit green, and she carefully dipped it into the mixture. The liquid started to glow green, and it's bubbling toned down.

"Is it done?" she asked.

Zecora nodded. Chrysalis took a vial off the shelf and scooped up some of the mixture. She put the vial and the written spell in the bag. By the time they were done, the weather had already cleared up.

"Well, thank you very much for the lesson, Zecora. Cozy Glow will surely be happy that she'll get to learn something new. Since the weather is better, I'll be on my way."

"You are very welcome, Chrysalis. May the rest of your day be in bliss."

Chrysalis waved goodbye and left Zecora's home. When she shut the door, she grinned, and took the elixir out of the bag.

"With this spell... there won't be any bliss when I'm done with it..."

The changeling's eyes flashed green, and she snickered to herself.



*Castle of Friendship*



Chrysalis awoke from her nap. Whatever her mood was, taking a nap whenever she feels like it is always comforting for her. This was one of those times. While stretching her neck, she got up and went to the window. The weather was relatively decent, though from what she could recall, some pretty foggy weather was expected soon. This didn't bother her too much. She is always able to entertain herself, indoors or outdoors. In addition to having friends, she also has personal activities to calm her mind and "fight her inner self".

Many times, Chrysalis would feel like she finally achieved peace and could completely move on from her past and never be bothered by it again. But every so often, it finds a way to mess with her... whether it's fighting herself in her own mind, or fighting Cicada, her clone that served as a perfect match for who she once was.

Knowing that Cicada was out there really hasn't put Chrysalis to peace. She could suppress her feelings, but deep down, it's still there.

But Chrysalis was going to do what she always does post-reformation: leave her room with a hopeful outlook on the day.

There were many potential places where she'd usually find her friends. The library, the map room, or just their rooms. She found Tirek in the library using his bench press. He quickly noticed her enter, so he put down the massive weight, and got off the table.

"We may need to find a place for that," Chrysalis said. "With your size, it takes up a good portion of the area."

"It's nowhere important," Tirek claimed. "How was your rest?"

"Very pleasant. I always find them to be quite soothing. Especially when I'm in a... mood."

"We do all have our own ways of distracting our minds when it comes to being down," said Tirek. "You know mine, I know yours, and the other two... hm..."

"Leo's got his devices, and Cozy Glow usually goes out to socialize."

"Ah. That makes sense."

"Is she out now?" Chrysalis asked.

"Yes. Her and Leo. They need to be back sooner or later, though, with the upcoming weather and all."

"Fog's usually not that bad, especially since tonight's will be thin. It's not like we're getting a storm or anything."

"Well, yes, but... um... bah! You're right. They still need to be here, though. It would be a perfect opportunity to discuss plans on how to stop Sephtis."

"Indeed. As much as we all have respect for Princess Twilight now, I can't help but criticize those few moments where there were threats out there, and yet they were ignored simply because everything seemed safe or resolved."

"To be fair, most of the time, we were imprisoned or presumed gone," Tirek pointed out.

"That may be true, but there's quite a few examples of when they ignore lingering threats... when I ran off after I lost my hive, they didn't really do anything as far as I know. Especially since, knowing the character I was back then, it should have been expected that I'd be back. The point is that if the fate of someone is unknown instead of defined, at least think about how to handle it."

"That was only one occasion."

"Two," replied Chrysalis. "I remember Starlight Glimmer telling me that she hid in the shadows when she was defeated the first time. Though to be fair, I was a queen, and she was a unicorn... a powerful one, no doubt, but still a unicorn."

"Well, I think you should loosen up on the Princess," said Tirek. "She herself has all of her guards on high alert, either guarding the castle or searching all of Equestria for him."

"Sephtis isn't the only one we should be concerned about. I take it my clone is hiding in a forest somewhere, just like the old days. I hope they find her too."

"And they're looking for her as well."

"Well I hope they find her soon..." Chrysalis mumbled. "Granted, it will be harder knowing her changeling abilities, but I hope they see right through it and bring her here. The sooner she's gone, the sooner I can feel at peace for good this time. It seems like every time I feel like I move on, something has to happen that results in a mental backtrack. You likely know this by now, but I think the fact that I was the worst out of the three of us makes everything more personal to me."

Tirek sat next to Chrysalis.

"She's not you. Not anymore," he assured.

She chuckled, before sighing. "We need to be cautious. After all, my old primary approaches almost always consisted of disguises. If she's out there, waiting, she could be there the whole time without anyone knowing. And if they don't catch on... it could be catastrophic."

Tirek couldn't argue with that.



*Cloudsdale Weather Factory...*



There were a bunch of new recruits at the Weather Factory, so it was up to a few long-time workers to show them the ropes of how everything worked. From the snowflakes, to the rainbows, to the labs, there was plenty that the recruits found intriguing.

"Well, that about sums up how everything works around here... almost," a gruff worker said. "Really the only place left to visit is the new primary storm labs."

"Primary storm labs?" one curious mare asked, while one of the workers opened the doors to let them in. "...What's that?"

"Oh, pretty much some of the usual mumbo-jumbo when it comes to storms. Rain, lightning, fog, all that. Sure, clouds usually need a kick to get rain started and all that. But clouds do run out every once in a while, and this is where we make 'em. Some of these are actually brand-new systems and machines, mainly the fog machine. Welcome to the future, I guess."

"How does the fog work?"

"Water is converted into fog in a similar type of machine as the others. Of course, there's different mechanics and all that so the result is different. While clouds are made up here, the new machines release the fog below the factory."

"Very interesting... And... how do you start the machines?"

"Push of a button, pull of a lever, or turn off the wheel. Very obvious, and very simple."

After the rest of the inner workings of the lab were taken care of, all the workers departed and went to do their own thing. When the recruits left, some other workers went in, as it would be an hour before they had to activate the fog machine.

Since they had some time on their hooves, one of the workers decided to pass the time. Using a wing, he took something out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?..." the Pegasus next to him asked.

"Playing some games," the first one answered, playing on his phone.

"Again? We're on work hours here."

"I can't help it. These are too entertaining."

"Sheesh. With ponies like you around, I can't help but wonder if this will be the future. Screens on the ground, and in the sky."

The Pegasus on the phone raised his head. "Did you say something?"

The other Pegasus scoffed. He looked over at the tank for the fog, and something caught his eye. At the very top of the tank, the liquid started to turn green, with the green beginning to swirl inside.

"Hey..." the Pegasus nudged his friend and pointed up. "Something's wrong."

The phone Pegasus needed a bit of time to notice the situation, and when he did, he said "What the-"

"Come on. Let's see what's going on."

Both Pegasi flew up and looked around the top of the tank. One of them finally spotted someone unfamiliar, hidden away due to the shadows up top. She stood over an opening to the tank... an opening that wasn't there before... and she held what looked to be a small vial.

"You there!" the Pegasus who had the phone shouted. "Show yourself!"

The figure jumped, but only a little, dropping the vial. She quickly turned around, revealing herself to be one of the new recruits... the curious mare from the tour.

"What are you doing?" the other Pegasus asked.

"Just... just looking," the mare explained. "Isn't this the spot where we fish out any debris that gets in the-"

"No. No it is not." the phone Pegasus said.

Let's just get her out of here..." the other Pegasus suggested. "Miss, let's just get you out of here. You have work to do."

"Oh, alright." The mare opened her wings and flew like the other two. "So... um... I heard there was some fog scheduled for today. When... when is that?"

"Not for another few hours," the other Pegasus answered.

The mare frowned. "Okay, I can't wait that long..."

The mare was suddenly covered in green flames, and when they were gone, she was no more. Instead, Chrysalis was in her place. But this wasn't the modern reformed Chrysalis they were all familiar with. She looked like the Chrysalis they remembered from 20 years ago when they were kids... though she had a few different features (from the final battle she and Twilight had with Grogar's Bell, of course).

The Pegasi couldn't think. The moment that evil Chrysalis revealed herself, one of them was struck with changeling goo, and stuck to the wall. The other one was sent to the ground with a simple stun blast. He got up and looked at her in a mixture of confusion and terror.

"C-Chrysalis?..." he whimpered. "I-I thought you changed... what's going on?"

"Sounds like somepony doesn't keep up with the news..." the changeling scoffed. "I'm far from that pathetic excuse of who a changeling queen really is. I am Queen Cicada."

The other few Pegasi ran to the scene to see what was going on. Cicada turned around, her sinister smug smile still on her face.

"Oh, don't shake in your little wings," Cicada snarled. "My little visit will be over far quicker when I get what I desire."

One of the Pegasi stepped forward. "We'll never give you what you want... whatever it is. Quick! Somepony alert the Princess!"

Cicada laughed.

"I already have access to what I want. And call your Princess all you want. I've already won..."

Cicada's eyes searched the room as she spoke, and she soon found what she wanted. She flew over and smashed her hoof on the button, causing some sparks to fly. As the machine started with errors, Cicada laughed, and the Pegasi had to figure out what was going on.

"What did you do?!..."

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough... All you need to do..." Chrysalis threateningly lit her horn and spat some goop out to trap two Pegasi close together. "Is to sit back, and enjoy what I have to offer..."

"Get her!" one of the Pegasi barked.

They all flew up at her, but Cicada was ready. With her magic, she grabbed the few Pegasi up front, and shoved them back, knocking them into the others. She noticed one  running for the door, so she spat some goo at it, sticking it shut. Unfortunately, for him, he ran right into the door and got stuck.

Some of the workers tried again at attacking her, but this time, she didn't shove them. Instead, she spat goo at the one in the middle, then grabbed the other two with her magic and bonked their heads together. They fell down to the ground and had a rough landing, but of course, Cicada didn't care. 

Just then, a Pegasus landed on her, holding on by a tight bear hug. Cicada was ready to throw her off, but another Pegasus bounced on her, and then another. Without hesitation, she resorted to using a shockwave to get them off. Without even being provoked, she picked up a Pegasus, and threw him over to another one that was getting up. They both collided, and rolled on the floor.

"Do you all really think that you can stand up against me?" Cicada snarled. "You all are nothing compared to foes like Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, or Chrysalis herself! It would be best if you all give up, unless you want me to resort to... drastic measures."

Smirking, Cicada's horn lit, implying her deadly intentions.

"We... will never... back down..." someone groaned.

Cicada blasted a hole into the ground near the Pegasus that spoke.

"That was a warning..." the changeling snarled. "You all may have grown to fight back, but I can't be beaten."

Laughing wickedly, Cicada burst through a cloudy wall and fled.

Underneath Cloudsdale, thin green smoke started to pour out of two pipes from underneath the factory. One cluster of mist stayed in the sky in the form of clouds, while the rest of it began its descent to the ground. A bunch of nearby Pegasi took notice, and went to analyze the problem.

"How long have we had these new machines?" one of them asked.

"A month, but this is the first time we've needed to use them for fog weather," another one answered. "They shouldn't be acting like this. Are you sure you all set them up right?"

"We did everything we were told," someone else said.

"Well, something's not right."

"Maybe someone put something in the water?" an older bearded Pegasus suggested.

"I don't see why anyone would do that. Not at all."

While they were all talking, one curious Pegasus got close to the smoke. He started to feel his throat itch, and he let out a cough, only for him to inhale some of the smoke when he caught his breath. He started to strain and clutch his abdomen, concerning his peers.

"Is... is he okay?" the bearded Pegasus asked.

Groaning, the coughing Pegasus opened his now bright green eyes.



*Castle*



"We're back!" Leo shouted when he and Cozy Glow finally returned to the castle, meeting up with Chrysalis and Tirek in the main room.

"You won't believe what we saw," Cozy Glow exclaimed. "We saw green clouds."

Chrysalis' head perked up. "Green... clouds?"

She couldn't resist the temptation of looking outside. She moved past Leo and Cozy Glow, and peeked out the doors. Along with the approaching green clouds covering the sun, green mist began to cover the ground.

"What the hay?..." she whispered. She shut the doors and turned around. "I don't know what's going on, but we need to stay inside."

"I'm with you there!" said Cozy Glow. "That... didn't really look right. Especially since it was supposed to be sunny for another few hours."

"Maybe the weather factory's just acting up," Leo suggested.

"I personally agree that it's best to stay here," Tirek said. "You never know what could happen when an unexplained event happens. Whether it's safe or not, it's best to keep distance until we know for certain. Until then, the best we can do is contact Princess Twilight Sparkle and see what she knows."

"How would we know if she knew why this was happening?" Cozy Glow asked.

"Then at least she's aware of it," said Chrysalis. 

"It could be nothing, or it could be something," Tirek spoke. "But we'll know for certain. Eventually."



*Center of Ponyville*



Outside in the center of town, the sight of green clouds and mist caused confusion and panic among the citizens of Ponyville. They were all quite vocal about it, but they stopped when they noticed something strange happening to their bodies.

One pony raised her hoof, and it started to blacken, covering itself with a tough, thick skin.

Another one looked at his tail, which was starting to shrivel and become silky.

A third pony bit his tongue, and when he opened his mouth, not only did he have fangs, but his tongue was sleeker, longer, and forked.

And that's when everyone panicked. 



*Back to the Castle...*



"Well, since we have time to ourselves in the castle, what do we do?" Tirek questioned.

"I dunno," Cozy Glow answered. "All we do is sit around and read, practice magic, or talk."

"Starlight Glimmer said there was an old projector somewhere that we still haven't gotten out. When she and the others get back, we can look for it," said Chrysalis.

"She's always so busy," Leo mumbled. "Half the time, it's not like she's even here."

"You have so much to do when you're Headmare," Cozy Glow shrugged.

"Not even Twilight had that much to do when she was first a princess. And when she was headmare."

"In her defense, it's a huge castle, and she and her friends are probably off doing their own things," Chrysalis suggested. 

"Yeah, they're off... having a good time or doing school-related things. And here, we're... having a good time or saving the world," Cozy chuckled.

"It's not that often," Leo said. "It was only... um... four times. Five or six, maybe? I dunno."

"Five or six in the last year," said Chrysalis.

"And it's only year one too," Tirek pointed out. "We haven't been together living this live for a year, and yet... we've been through a lot already. Maybe more than Princess Twilight herself."

"That's... something we'll have to ask her about," Cozy Glow replied.

CREEEAK!

They all thought they were the only ones to hear it, but the looks everyone else gave said otherwise. They all went down the hall, to the stairs.

SLAM!

And by the time they saw the doors, they were already shut. A slight amount of green mist was on the floor.

"...Starlight?!" Cozy Glow called out. "Trixie? Sunburst?"

There was a small scuttle that was coming from... anywhere... causing everyone to look in different directions.

"Something's... not right here..." Leo whimpered.

"It's probably just a mouse," Chrysalis suggested, sounding unsure.

Suddenly, three unknown figures fell from the ceiling and landed on the floor, surrounding the four. They all gasped, as these three unreformed changelings hissed at them with rage.
> Episode 0.25: Siege of the Changelings (2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Changelings!? Evil changelings?!" Cozy Glow shrieked.

"Wait, why are they colored?" Leo asked.

Indeed, something was different about these changelings... they were colored. One of them was an incredibly light shade of purple. Another was bright orange with a patch of orange-white in the middle of its face. The third one was blue, and was the only one with eyes that weren't blue... these ones were similar to the color of the first changeling.

"That's strange..." Chrysalis mumbled. "...It's... not right at all."

As the changelings got closer, their prey already prepared to fight back. They all lit up their magic, prepared to fight back... except for Chrysalis.

"Wait!" she stopped. She analyzed the orange changeling, and briefly glanced at the others. "They're the same colors as our friends. Starlight... Sunburst... Trixie!"

"Yeah... they are, but-" Leo stopped himself, and he started to lower his charge. "...they're not actually them, are they?"

As the idea settled in, Tirek and Cozy Glow began to hesitate as well. As the thought settled, the idea that Starlight, Sunburst, and Trixie were all evil changelings felt too real, in spite of how impossible it was.

"But... it can't be them..." Cozy Glow said. "After all, how would something like that be entirely possible?"

Just then, a familiar evil laughter erupted through the castle. The sound of it made Chrysalis grit her teeth in increasing anger. A pair of piercing green eyes on a familiar figure could be seen at the far end of a hallway as she approached the group.

"Oh how sad..." Cicada mockingly cooed. "Seeing your own friends, turned against you through brainwashing and change. Now where have I seen that before?... Granted, I never considered my subjects 'friends', but they were still one my own."

"What did you do?..." Chrysalis hissed bitterly.

"What Starlight Glimmer did to us twenty years ago. I took away your friends, and remade them into what I wanted. I changed their lifestyle into something against what you've built up with them all these years."

Leo spoke up. "Technically, either Twilight built up their lifestyle, or they did it on their ow-"

"SILENCE!" Cicada hissed, forcing the stallion to swallow a lump in his throat. "Anyways... this was no ordinary spell. After all, it would be too foolish and basic if I only took away three of your friends. That's why I took everything one step further."

Chrysalis snapped, and tackled her counterpart. Her chest swelling and deflating, she stood over Cicada, who only smirked. The three changelings hissed.

"I have no time for monologues..." Chrysalis growled. "I'm ending this."

"But what about your friends?" Cicada asked. "And... what about your little town?... If you would have let me finish, you would have learned that I didn't simply cast a spell. I manipulated that rhyming zebra into allowing me to convert a spell or two into a liquid. After invading the weather factory, and pouring in my little concoction, all I had to do was wait for the  result to spread."

"That's why the fog is green?" Cozy Glow asked.

"Indeed it is. The moment it comes in contact with anypony or creature, they will have no choice but to be a part of my new, growing hive. A hive that knows exactly what I want the moment they get the message. And it won’t just spread here. "

Something suddenly started bashing against the doors. The sight of her enemies watching the doors with confusion and horror made Cicada smile wider..

“Have fun..."

Chrysalis raised her hoof and brought it down, but Cicada teleported away before the hoof bashed her muzzle.

The three changelings growled, and the Starlight changeling hissed.

And then, the doors burst open, and more colored changelings stormed in. And with them, more green fog.

The Sunburst changeling pounced, but Tirek grabbed him by the neck and threw him at the crowd.

"Apologies!" he exclaimed.

"We need to run!" Cozy shouted. 

"And stay away from the fog!" Chrysalis ordered. 

Tirek sent a shockwave to stun the incoming changelings. When that was done, the group barged past Changeling Trixie, and joined Chrysalis in their run down the hall. Even though Tirek took out a good number of changelings, a few still chased after them down the hall. At some point, Cozy Glow looked behind her and started shooting at changelings to stun them. She did miss a few, but she successfully hit a few others. 

Eventually, they finally found the library. They ran in as fast as they could, and Tirek shut the doors, and used his magic to hold them shut. Although he didn't need to, he felt the need to focus on the door... even though they were held shut, they weren't exactly staying still for each impact.

"What are we going to do?" Cozy Glow squeaked.

"We're getting out of here, that's what we're going to do," Leo answered. "Except we'll probably need to break the windows to get out."

Cozy Glow flew up to a window, her horn at the ready. "Already on it!"

She broke the window, and looked outside, but the moment she saw the slight green haze, she backed away. 

"Son of a feather!" Leo shouted.

Right when things couldn't get any worse, a changeling suddenly popped up in the window. As if it was a reflex, Cozy Glow blasted it away.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed.

"Now what?!" Leo yelped.

"We'll need to charge through!" Tirek exclaimed.

"Even if we did that, we'd all end up running into the mist!" shrieked Cozy Glow.

"So there's nothing we can do?!" Leo shouted.

"Unfortunately..." Tirek sighed. "If it's not safe to be outside, then there's nothing that can be done."

Chrysalis thought about any potential alternatives, before something came across her mind. "Not exactly."

Leo tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"A long time ago, I decided to do a bit of cleaning for my 'inner peace' exercises, and I came across something under the carpet. It looked like a door or something, but... I never bothered with it."

"So there was a secret door, and you never told us?" Cozy Glow asked.

"I'm 50 percent certain that Starlight Glimmer and her friends knew and never told us either."

"It doesn't matter if we're told these things or not, we need to escape!" Tirek exclaimed. 

Chrysalis noticed another set of doors suffer impacts by the changelings, so she had to hold those shut, forcing only Leo and Cozy Glow to search for the door. They went over to the carpet, and peeled it back.

"I can't see it!" Leo shouted.

"Keep looking!" replied Cozy Glow.

They continued moving the carpet back, before Cozy Glow found something that seemed peculiar to her.

"I think this is it!" she exclaimed, pulling back more of the rug to completely reveal the door.

"Looks kinda big..."

"It does..."

She and Leo both grabbed the ring and pulled it back, opening the door. They didn't expect it to be that big... it seemed to be just as large as Tirek!

"What's in there?" Chrysalis asked from the door.

"Hard to tell! Looks like it a deep slide that dips nearly straight down!" Cozy Glow shouted back.

"It works! Is it big enough for someone my size?!" Tirek asked, looking back.

"Um... maybe? I dunno," Leo answered. "It is pretty big for a door!"

"Just go! We'll catch up!" Chrysalis ordered.

"But what about the size?"

"That's not really important! He can fit!" Cozy Glow huffed. She grabbed Leo and leapt in the door, taking the stallion with her.

Chrysalis and Tirek were the only ones left, but hopefully, not for long.

"Together?" Chrysalis asked.

"Together," Tirek nods. "Can you still spit that... goo stuff?"

"I don't know. I haven't tried it for a long time. But at a time like this, I guess it's time to find out."

Chrysalis backed away, and she coughed a little in her throat... as she said, it's been a long time since she did something like that. The thought never occurred to her. But she had to try. After working up the goo in her throat, she spat at one of the doors. Turquoise goo launched out, and stuck at the door.

"Well, now we know..." Tirek mumbled.

"I guess so... step aside."

"Well you better make it quick..." 

Chrysalis spat more goo at the door, sealing it shut, and then she and Tirek went over to the trapdoor.

"You go first," insisted Chrysalis. "If I go last, it will be easier to shut the door and cover it up."

"That's a fitting plan..." Tirek looked down. "Mother of father, that looks deep..."

"It's that, or a fate chosen by changelings."

"Oh no, I'm going, I'm going."

Tirek hopped into the trapdoor, and slid down the large drop making up a slide. Chrysalis could hear his horns touch something, likely a wall, but it was incredibly distant. 

She was the last one to go. She raised the door, and the folded piece of the carpet, and went partially into the door, in its path. Slowly, she lowered the door and the carpet, moving out of the way the closer it got down. She took one last look at the door. It got impacted again, harder than before. Usually, the goo isn't supposed to break even with massive strength, but Chrysalis didn't want to find out if changelings breaking through in large numbers was an exception. She lowered the trapdoor, got close to the slide, and stopped flying, allowing herself to fall.

Luckily, the massive dip of the slide didn't abruptly stop. It curved slowly, allowing Chrysalis to be caught nicely without too much of an impact. Finally, the slide had a more comfortable curve, and it came to a quick end. Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Leo were all waiting.

"Wow, look at this place..." Leo admired. "It's like the area underneath the School of Friendship."

"I wouldn't be surprised if this was the same place..." said Cozy Glow. "But... I don't remember a tunnel leading here. Maybe I skipped it?"

Chrysalis noticed that the tips of Tirek's horns looked a little more scratched, frayed, and dull since they escaped. "Tirek, your horns?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. That slide may have been big enough for my size, but even then, my horns were well within' reach of the walls when it curved. It's a good thing I was smart enough to keep my arms close. It was just a small graze though, so I wouldn't worry..."

"Well, I suppose I don't need to. I'm just glad none of you are hurt..."

"So, now that we're in the part of the attack where we hide from danger and need to plan... what now?" Leo asks. 

"It's very simple!" Chrysalis exclaimed, having a quick mood change from relieved to angry. "We take out  Cicada, and figure out how to reverse whatever she's done!!"

"Well, Chrysalis, with the planner you are, I should be expecting a little more... plan?" Cozy Glow said.

"Sorry... I just... need to think..."

"What we do know is that she's turned all of the residents into changelings due to the fog outside. She told us that she tampered with the water at the weather factory," Leo explained. "We'll need to know if and how it's reversable, and then we fix it."

"We may need to defeat her first," said Chrysalis. "Knowing her, since we're one and the same, she will do whatever it takes to not lose her 'hive' again."

"Well, I think we should move and look for a way out while we discuss this, because there's no way we're leaving through there," Cozy Glow stated.

"Agreed," Tirek said.

And they were off.

"I'm surprised nobody told us about this," Leo said. "I mean, throughout the course of 21 years, there's no way that carpet sat there 24/7."

"I'm surprised no one told us when they found it," Cozy Glow replied.

"Let's focus on the more important matters," Tirek interrupted. 

"Right..."

"If we're going to take out Cicada first, then we'll have a lot of changelings to get past," said Leo.

"Hey, if Starlight could do it, then so could we!" Cozy confidently exclaimed.

"Yeah, but we're not up against a hive that's like a maze... yet. Whether she's gonna be in Canterlot, or here in Ponyville, we'll have a lot of open space to get past if they're going to roam the streets. And two of us can't fly."

"One. You just don't choose to fly."

"Because I'm afraid of heights and I haven't fully learned it yet."

While Leo and Cozy Glow had their own discussion, Tirek felt that Chrysalis may have needed a bit of comfort, knowing how Cicada's been affecting her.

"Are you okay?..." Tirek asked. 

"It's just not a pleasant feeling..." Chrysalis answered. "It's one thing watching a simple, evil copy of yourself causing havoc. But watching the manifestation of your past, and everything you want to put behind causing trouble... it's just frustrating. I think it's safe to say that it affects me more than it affects you."

"Perhaps it does. But if we win and you don't permanently get over it, things won't get better for you. Your happiness will always be short lived, and as far as I can tell, perhaps, it could even descend into something worse."

"What makes you say that? I don't see myself becoming anything worse. I've never went too far.."

That wasn't entirely true. Although she never did anything, when Chrysalis last encountered Cicada during her date night with Tirek, her dark desires felt stronger at that moment than with anyone else she's ever fought. 

Leo and Cozy Glow joined in on the conversation.

"Just because you change for the better doesn't mean you'll never go too far," Leo said. 

"He's right..." Cozy Glow agreed. "If your anger takes over, it could lead to some pretty poor choices."

"Even if you three have... less of a grudge towards her than I do... I promise I won't let any overly negative feelings take over and cause problems."

"That's not something that sounds easy," said Tirek. 

"Maybe it's not, but I can try..."

"Are you sure? I mean, we can always stop you if you go too far," Leo offered.

"That would be appreciated, I suppose... after all, what are friends for?"

Leo and Cozy Glow nodded.

"I know we just got here only a few minutes ago, but I already feel certain that we're in for a long trek down these tunnels..." Tirek said.

"Aye-aye-aye..." Leo mumbled.



*-Time passes...-*



Time passed. Not too much, but it passed. Soon, though, the group finally came across something that wasn't just one long tunnel that turned or went up and down every now and then.

"Guys, look!" Leo pointed.

"I see it," Tirek replied.

They all rushed over to what it was that they found. It was a staircase, that when they went up it, led to what looked like a large trapdoor.

"We're going inside that door, aren't we?" Leo asked.

"Yep!" Cozy answered immediately.

She flew up to it, and tried to open it, but it could barely lift, so she had to ask for help since it was obviously unlocked. Tirek, Leo, and Chrysalis all joined her, using their magic or strength, and managed to open it. Dirt started to pour into the tunnels, which was not satisfying at all. They were able to open the door, though, and they all stepped into the room.

The room seemed dark and empty, though there was a little bit of light coming from an unexplained source... likely crystal. Chrysalis and Tirek couldn't recognize the place, but Cozy Glow knew almost immediately.

"I remember this place..." she whispered. "This was when I tried draining Equestria's magic."

"Yeah, yeah, we heard that one a hundred times..." Leo muttered.

In response, Cozy Glow rolled her eyes. "Still had to say it... Though during my short time in this area, I never knew there was a trapdoor in here linking to the castle."

"Judging from all of the dirt that poured in there, and the difficulty it took to open it, I'd say it was decently buried," said Chrysalis.

"Well, this is quite convenient!" Tirek exclaimed. "This will be the place where we collect our bearings, and figure out what to do next."

"Are you sure?" Cozy Glow asked. "Because if they find the trapdoor in the school... or maybe even the castle..."

"It will be a while before they suspect we're in here," Chrysalis said. "We have enough time to figure things out from here."

"Got it!" exclaimed Leo. "So... any ideas?



*Library*



Cicada was notified by the changelings that the escapees were last seen in the library, and that they've been searching for them ever since.

"And you're sure that they weren't outside?..." Cicada scowled, when she arrived at the room.

"We've asked some of the others outside, and they never saw them leave," the Starlight Changeling explained.

"So there's some sort of little secret in this room..."

"Exactly! That's what we've been looking for."

"UGH! I wish I didn't use a spell that erased your memories while pitting you under my control..." Cicada grumbled.

"My Queen!" A changeling shouted. "Over here."

Cicada approached the changeling that called for her, and she saw that he apparently pulled back the carpet, revealing a door. She opened it, forcing the changelings in the way to move, and she peered inside. It looked like a slide that had an incredibly deep drop.

"I have you now... You three! Go in after them! And bring the spell with you!!"

The Starlight, Sunburst, and Trixie changelings nodded, and flew into the trapdoor. It was a pretty big way down... more than twice the size of a pony. That, of course, should explain how Tirek was able to flee with them.

Once they reached the bottom, they stared down the tunnel. When the Trixie changeling landed, they all nodded, and ran off down the tunnel.
> Episode 0.50: Siege of the Changelings (3)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thinking of a plan for what to do next was harder than it sounded.

The group had to figure out what they were going to do next, while also considering the potential danger outside. After all, they were in an underground area in a town surrounded by rogue changelings and dangerous fog.

"So, here's what we know... we can't go outside, first off, because of the green fog," Cozy Glow explained.

"Correct," Chrysalis nods.

"And all of the changelings outside," said Leo.

"Indeed," Tirek affirmed.

"Well, we don't have much options here..."

"We can stay until the smoke clears," Cozy shrugged.

"Who knows how long that will take, or if it will even happen?" Chrysalis asked.

"We'll think of something..." Tirek muttered.

Cozy Glow was scratching her chin, but she then perked up.

"I have an idea..." she said. "It's crazy. I'm not sure how it will play out. It's interesting. And Leo... you may need help for it. No offense, when you find out."

"Oh," Leo blinked. "Well... what is it?"



*Outside the School of Friendship*



There were quite a few Changelings roaming around the misty schoolyard. There was no motivation to what they were doing, aside from preparing to assist in transforming Ponyville into more of something Cicada would prefer. But as they roamed around, there was a small rumbling, and the sound of things being hit from inside. A few raised their heads, but that wasn't enough for them to react quick enough when the doors to the school opened, and in a single-file fashion, three clear domes zipped by out of the school.

Chrysalis was in the first one, a dome matching the color of her magic dashing out, and dashing across the bridge. An orange dome with Tirek inside was next, nearly destroying some of the sides of the bridge. Leo sat on Tirek's back, clinging for dear life. Finally, a small ruby bubble flew out, with Cozy Glow flying in the center.

Immediately, the Changelings were on the move, accompanied by one of them hissing "After them!". The vile monsters that were once harmless friends started running after the group and pouncing at the shields. Some bounced off, and others... were dragged in front of the shields along the ground before they finally slid away. 

"Changelings have tough skin. They'll be fine," Chrysalis explained. 

"Thanks for explaining the obvious!" Cozy Glow shouted.

"Focus, guys! We need to get out of town!" Leo exclaimed. 

"How far are we even able to go?" asked Tirek.

"As far as we need to!" Chrysalis yelled. "This fog may be thin enough for us to see a good distance, but that doesn't mean that this will be easy."

They all ran through town, changelings continuing to pounce at the domes and pay the price for it. Everyone holding up shields started to struggle a little, but they managed to keep control. Nobody fled without a fight, though. Cozy Glow was focused enough to the point where she'd intentionally ram into changelings that got too close (though every time she did hit them, she would apologize)

As to be expected, the green fog still caked the town everywhere they went. However, it was thin enough to the point where Chrysalis could see, giving her an easy time to lead the group around the town, but the shield still acted as both a light an obstruction. There have been a couple of close calls near some sharp turns, but luckily, the worst that happened was when Tirek knocked over a cart with the shield after a brief loss of balance.

"Where are we going?" Leo asked. 

"The Everfree Forest," Chrysalis answered.

"Why?"

No answer. Instead, they continued running, and dashed right into the forest. Tirek's dome either pulled back or broke branches, and either way, some of them impacted Cozy's shield, in spite of her efforts later on to avoid them.

There were still some changelings chasing the group, but only a few. However, they were pretty fast... and they were gaining on the group.

The amount of time Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow took on holding up their dome shields while running started to take its toll... after all, running while holding up domes or bubbles isn't really easy. It can be tiring if done for a long period of time. However, their persistence to escape forced them to keep up the pace.

One changeling was able to catch up to Cozy Glow, allowing it to take advantage of her weakening state and the distraction from the branches to bump into the shield enough to finally throw her off balance.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!!"

The loss of Cozy Glow's focus sent her bubble down, crashing into the smoky ground. The screaming forced her friends to stop, and see a brief glimpse of her shield fizzling out.

"Cozy Glow?" Chrysalis called out. "Cozy Glow!"

Through the fog, which while present, isn't as strong, Cozy's friends could see the changelings in pursuit now stand around where Cozy Glow landed. Slowly, a small creature rose, and flew up from where Cozy Glow once was.

"Oh no..." Leo whimpered.

"We need to go!" Tirek exclaimed. "We'll only be able to save her when it's with the others."

Tirek and Chrysalis continued to run, but this time, the changelings didn't chase them. Instead, they allowed Cozy Glow, now a small light pink changeling, to watch as the remaining three victims ran away.

But eventually, after running for quite some time, the fog finally came to an end. Chrysalis and Tirek made sure that they were a good distance from the fog and that the coast was clear before lowering their shields. Leo hopped off of Tirek's back.

"She just had to fly in a bubble, didn't she?..." Leo huffed.

"We'll help her. Do not worry. Not yet," Tirek encouraged.

"We should consider ourselves lucky that we were even able to get out of there," said Chrysalis. "Navigating through green fog while holding up shields is far from easy."

"Yeah, you did good on that, but still. They got Cozy Glow," Leo said. "Oh Celestia, what if I'm next?..."

"I promise you that you won't be," Tirek replied. "You have our word."

"It's quite convenient that there's no mist here," Chrysalis started. "I was intending on us going to the Treehouse of Harmony if there was no mist in the area."

"Well, I guess we've got that chance, then," Leo said. "Why, though?"

"It just feels like a safe haven, or something. I don't know."

"Hopefully the fog is very slow, then, because otherwise, our time in our 'safe haven' will be very short lived."

"I am very aware of that. It's not too far, so we need to move along."

Tirek and Leo nodded in agreement, and then the three of them ran off.



*Meanwhile...*




Not too long ago, Starlight, Sunburst, and Trixie found the trapdoor that led to the area underneath the school. Once they discovered the room, they searched left and right to see if their enemies were hiding anywhere. When they couldn't find them, they only came to two conclusions.

"There must be another secret that they've escaped out of!" Trixie Changeling exclaimed.

"Or maybe they've just took the hard way out, and fled through town," Starlight Changeling scoffed. "A smart move on their end if they used the right spells."

"We must return to the queen, then," Sunburst Changeling said.

"Let's not be cowards. There are many of our kind in town. Which means we'll have many witnesses."

"...You're right. Let's go."

The three of them were on the move, and they weren't being slow about it. They were out of the school in minutes, and they looked around town. Everyling they asked had answers, and the fifth changeling that they asked knew for certain that they ran to the forest. So then the three of them took the path leading to the forest, and when they got there, a few changelings were leaving... and one of them looked very familiar. Changelings may mostly look the same, but the colors combined with the changelings' ability to tell from one another made things easy to figure out.

"This must be Cozy Glow. How did you catch her?" asked Starlight.

"She wasn't entirely focused on us catching up to her, so it was easy to knock her down," one of the changelings explained.

"Where are they going?" Trixie inquired Cozy Glow.

"They were going in the direction of the Treehouse of Harmony," Cozy Glow answered.

"Then that's where we're going," proclaimed Starlight. "If we're fast enough, then perhaps they'll still be there. And if they're not, then we'll at least have a lead."

Changeling Starlight turned into a cheetah for faster speed, and dashed into the forest. Trixie and Sunburst did the same.



*Treehouse...*



Chrysalis, Tirek, and Leo all went to the Treehouse... though because of Tirek's size, they couldn't all enter. Instead, Leo decided to run up the stairs and to the highest part of the Treehouse he could view out of so he could scout.

"Nothing yet," he called out. 

"Where are we going to go when it gets here?" Tirek asked.

"We'll just keep moving as far as we can, then."

"No," Chrysalis said, keeping her back turned.

"Well, I mean, we'll think of something, but-"

"All running does is just slow things down. If we run, we'll continue to be picked off one by one like Cozy Glow was. And I refuse to lose any more of you to Cicada."

"Oh. Well... okay."

"Cicada has said that she converted a spell or two into a fog. So..."

"...so what you're proposing is that we simply put the reverse of the spells into a mixture, and then turn that into a fog," said Tirek. "Correct?" 

Chrysalis nodded.

"So all we need to do is know the spells and how to make them into fog..." Leo realized. "We've already agreed that we're going to stop Cicada and keep her around long enough to get the information we need to reverse the spell. The spells are obvious, but there's the process, and the question about which spell she used word-for-word."

"Don't think it will be that easy, you know..." Chrysalis warned. "Because we'll need to think of a plan that actually works against our conditions."

"Yeah, that's... a pretty obvious thing. What with the... changeling horde, and the... fog. And... Uh... I'm just gonna... continue watching. You never know how fast fog spreads."

Because he didn't have much to do and he wanted to calm her down, Tirek sat down near Chrysalis. He could tell that she was disconnected, and throughout the whole siege, she gave off a different feeling compared to past battles.

"She'll be fine, you know," Tirek assured. 

"You're right... if we manage to succeed..." Chrysalis felt that her attitude was a bit much. Sure, it wasn't overly angry or bitter, but the pessimism was very clear, and the concern in Tirek's eyes showed it. "I apologize, Tirek. I don't want to continue sound like such a pessimist throughout this whole debacle, but-."

"No, no. No need to apologize. You know that I've been understanding to you this whole time too."

"And I love you for that. Things like this are why I'm glad we changed. Because if not, who would make you feel better in times like this?"

"Allies, maybe, but even then, it could be for personal gain, or all the wrong reasons," said Tirek. 

"Right, of course. In my case, I wouldn't have been like that if you two were ever like that. I would have probably made remarks, or just rudely tell you to get over it. It's never happened after we started working together, but I know that's what it would have been like."

"I would likely react the same way."

Chrysalis chuckled. "Yeah right... you may have the strongest figure, but deep down, you were the softest out of the three of us."

"Since when?" Tirek smirked.

"Since... well, who knows? It doesn't matter now."

Just then, something swooped down, and flew back up the sky. Leo returned, with same thought that the others had

"Guys... we've got company!"

A hissing was heard from above. Chrysalis and the others all looked up, and they saw three large birds circling the group. Two flew down, and when they were close, they were engulfed in green flames, and when they landed, they were now two colored changelings, standing a good distance away from the group.

"We have been looking for you..." Changeling Trixie hissed loud enough for them to hear.

"And we have been waiting for something like this..." Tirek growled aloud.

"We have?" asked Leo.

"If you three give up, maybe things will be a bit easier for you," Changeling Sunburst snarled. Trixe stepped aside, and Sunburst turned into a Timberwolf. Then he ran and pounced at the group, but they dove out of the way in different directions, and he crashed into the treehouse. He turned back to normal, and cracked his neck.

"We'll take our chances..." said Chrysalis, before she sent three stun blasts at the changelings, her head snapping left and right as she did. They dove out of the way, transformed into small insects to dodge again, and then swirled around the third set of blasts to show-off (as Sunburst swirled, he made his way back to Trixie).

When he and Trixie returned to normal, Sunburst just shrugged and said, "If you say so..."

Chrysalis, Tirek, and Leo were all ready to fight. They joined back together and stood in fighting poses, ready to continue the battle, when a realization dawned on Chrysalis.

"Where's Starlight Glimmer?"

Trixie and Sunburst just grinned. Chrysalis was the first to realize that something was wrong. She looked up.

By the time the other two realized it, they were all too late. Once they looked up, whatever the large bird in the sky dropped was already about to hit.

Chrysalis raised up her shield, in hopes that Tirek and Leo would too. But when the falling object hit the top of the shield, it shattered, and green smoke started to spread, covering every direction surrounding Chrysalis and only slowing down once she could barely see anything. She could only see two silhouettes, and they started to transform. Even though they were just figures, the sight still sickened her.

When it was over, the tall centaur figure was smaller, and was the silhouette of something far from it. The other figure was the same as the other, though the other one's a bit bigger and looked more beefy.

They both turned at Chrysalis, and they propped their hooves on the shield, forcing Chrysalis to see that Leo and Tirek, like all of her other friends, have become changelings.

"Leo... Tirek..." she whispered.

Chrysalis didn't know what to do. Because the fog was so fresh, it was much harder to see her surroundings compared to what it was like in town.

She took a bit of time to think.

"I can't flee... I can't see my surroundings..." she said to herself. "If my guesses are correct, there is one risky option..."

After deciding it was worth the risk, Chrysalis teleported out of the shield, and reappeared in the air, a few feet from the top of the treehouse, right as the fog covered the structure. When she flew, the five changelings flew up as well, and watched Chrysalis fly away. Leo wanted to go after her, but Starlight insisted that he let her go.

"The Queen insisted that she’d want to handle this one. If she decides to return, she’ll be ready."

A few birds flew past them, but one stayed behind, stopping near them. That bird suddenly transformed, in a changeling-style fashion, into an unexpected guest.

“No worries…” Queen Cicada said, alerting the attention of the others. “I already am.”



*Time Passed…*



Chrysalis was alone. 

Her friends. Her town. Everything has been lost to who she considered was her greatest enemy. When she left the Everfree Forest, she was hoping that the weather didn’t get around the forest somehow, but unfortunately, she was wrong. In the distance near the edge of the forest, she could see a distant green haze.

“They must be working on spreading this fog around Equestria. Or it’s just fast and avoiding the forest…” she thought. ”So do I give up and run? Is there no point in trying to get help from afar? The way I see it, even if I took action, things will always get worse. And who’s to say they won’t catch me like they did the others?… I suppose all I can do is continue onward. It would be foolish of me to fight with all of the odds against me. It would be better to find help and get the remaining ponies and creatures to safety before it’s too late. It’s cowardly, but it’s for the best. First off, I must go find the Princess and see if she is okay… in the events the fog hasn't claimed Canterlot yet, or she escaped at the very least.” 

Chrysalis started to run, but she wasn’t able to go far. The ground began to shake, forcing her to stop right where she was.

“What now?…” she whispered. 

Surely it was just a small earthquake or something. Right? Only earthquakes aren’t common from where she is..

Something was under the ground. It was the only explanation.

Once Chrysalis came to that conclusion, the ground rumbled again, and this time, the ground caved. And when it did, Chrysalis found herself in a mouth of a Tatzlwurm that quickly snapped shut.
> Episode 0.75: Siege of the Changelings (4)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she got devoured by that Tazilwurm, Chrysalis thought it was over. That's why she couldn't help but feel slightly shocked to be alive when she woke up. She had zero track on what time it was, how much time has passed, and she even needed a bit to mentally catch up on what happened.

She got up on her hooves, and looked around, her eyesight adjusting to her location. She was no longer anywhere near Ponyville, to her relief. She was instead in the Changeling Kingdom, the sky an orange haze.

She heard a rumble, and she looked behind her. A massive Tazilwurm approached her slowly, destroying whatever was in its path without care. Chrysalis backed away, but she didn't run. In fact, when the Tazilwurm got closer, it shrunk in a whisk of a massive green flame.

"I was hoping you would be the last one..." Cicada smirked once she was revealed. "Because I find this to be the most appropriate manner to end things."

Chrysalis looked left and right. "Where are the changelings? What did you do to them?"

"You can calm your flank down..." Cicada growled. "They're fine. I scared them all off when I brought you here. A Tazilwurm may not scare you, but a kingdom of changelings and a weak leader, and only one changeling willing to fight... they're bound to run off, with the persistent fighter suffering an injury."

Chrysalis wanted to speak, but Cicada just kept on talking.

"But enough about that. Let's get back to us. Just as much as you want to take me out, I want to take you out, too. There can be only one true Chrysalis, and that one will be me. I refuse to let you exist as long as you present what I shouldn't be. A weak slave to Friendship! You are far from a queen that is meant to be feared. There's no point in convincing you to return to your destiny, because I'd find it more satisfying to end you instead!"

Cicada shot at Chrysalis, but as to be expected, she got out of the way, and the boulder behind her blew up into pieces instead.

"I really don't know when to give up, do I?..." Chrysalis mumbled under her breath, annoyed at her clone's persistence. 

"And what an appropriate way to end it too..." Cicada teased, while Chrysalis scattered out of view. "Me finally reclaiming an empire of sorts... you losing everything, from your friends to the one you love... I can't think of an ending for me that is greater than this."

Chrysalis shot at Cicada, but she blocked the attack. Immediately, Chrysalis teleported away somewhere else.

"Must I say more to have you do more than take a weak shot?... I suppose so, don't I?..."

"You've said everything you've needed to say!" Chrysalis shouted. Knowing what would happen next, she teleported away after Cicada heard and launched another attack. 

"So quit being the coward that you've become and accept your fate. You've lost everything, including your pathetic loved one, and all you can do is fight me and fail trying."

"Fine..." Chrysalis hissed. She leapt out of her hiding spot, turning into a Timberwolf in the process, and charged at Cicada.

Chrysalis dodged or reflected each and every blast that Cicada launched at her, and when she pounced, Cicada teleported away. Snarling, Chrysalis looked behind her, and saw Cicada right as she unleased another powerful blast. Chrysalis blocked it, and continued running once the shield was down, turning into a Timberwolf moments later.

Cicada herself became a Timberwolf, and she also proceeded to charge at Chrysalis. They tackled each other and rolled on the ground, with Chrysalis pinning Cicada on her back. Cicada pushed Chrysalis off with brute force, got back on her wooden claws, and then transformed into a Bugbear. She pointed her stinger at Chrysalis and charged, but Chrysalis quickly became a Cragadile, crunching the stinger due to it hitting the hard surface on Chrysalis' back. Bugbear Cicada shrieked, and Chrysalis turned into a Manticore, jumped, and successfully got a hold on Cicada, unfortunately flying low enough to be caught. With Chrysalis gripping onto Cicada, they both swatted their paws at each other, landing heavy blows, but not too much for scratches, roars continuously erupting throughout the area. Cicada finally got the upper hoof over Chrysalis by becoming a Maulwurf, forcing them both to fall, and this time being the one pinning her foe to the ground. Cicada raised her large arm and prepared to strike, but Chrysalis was still quick as always, becoming an Ophiotaurus. The green light distorted Cicada's sight, an unintentional but useful effect nontheless, and Chrysalis slithered away... but decided to spin around, striking Cicada across the face with her own tail.

Once Cicada's quick recovery was over, Chrysalis already became something else... something smaller. Now a Pukwudgie, she proceeded to shoot her quills at Cicada. Cicada reacted by becoming a Slingtail, jumping a bit closer to Chrysalis, and swinging its tail.

Chrysalis may have been a spiky Pukwudgie, but she was no match for the tail. Fortunately, she saw the attack coming. That's why she turned into a Parasprite moments before Cicada landed and flew away.

Cicada huffed, and became a Twittermite, proceeded to shoot tiny bolts of lightning at Chrysalis. Chrysalis dodged them left and right, and when she was close enough to Cicada, she became herself again, and swatted a hoof at Cicada, finally knocking her to the ground.

Cicada transformed back to herself as well, somewhat bruised and scuffed like Chrysalis was. She snarled and lit her horn, but Chrysalis picked her up and threw her with an incredibly powerful force, her body breaking through a large changeling structure. Chrysalis appeared in front of Cicada by teleportation and had her horn ready. This was her moment. She was finally going to end Cicada once and for all. She was finally going to get her...

...revenge.

Chrysalis slowly calmed her stance, her angry expression fading to one of realization. Cicada slowly opened her eyes, glistening brightly in the sky that was getting darker by the minute.

And Chrysalis could see her own face in the reflection.

Of course, Cicada's eye was green. So, a lot of things in the reflection were green too. But the way the green looked on Chrysalis was the final straw that made her completely stop what she was doing.

Whether Cicada had a goal to revert Chrysalis back to aggression or not, she succeeded. All of Chrysalis' words and experiences echoed in her head. All of those things she learned, and yet keeps on ignoring simply because of the existence of Cicada.

She wasn't sorry. But she also didn't want to go any further than what she's gone. Still, though, she lit up her horn. All she needed was the needed information, and she could move on. Her horn started to glow once more.

"All I need is information..." she said. "And then you will be put down peacefully..."

Cicada didn't seem too afraid. In fact, when her eyes appeared to glance at something behind her, she only grinned. That's when Chrysalis heard the hissing.

She had to ignore it, because of she did something, she would pay the price. So she continued to do what she was going to try and do, but then something tackled Chrysalis by the side, and then hopped off of her when she was down. She looked up and saw Changeling Tirek a few steps away.

Chrysalis stood up. "Tirek..." 

Two other changelings hovered down next to him. It was Leo and Cozy Glow.

"Step away from the queen..." Leo hissed.

Chrysalis glanced at Cicada, getting up. And three more changelings... Starlight, Trixie, and Sunburst... entered the scene as well.

Chrysalis looked all around her. She was of course, outnumbered, but she didn't want to be overly harmful anymore... mainly to her own friends. She couldn't be too soft either, though, or she would never win. She studied everyone's stances... were they going to jump at her again, was Cicada going to shoot, were any of them going to transform?... Who knows? She wasn't going to find out what to do like this, though. She ignited her horn, and sent a shockwave that, while harmless, was enough to send back everyone that surrounded her. Only Cicada got out of the way. Chrysalis flew up to join with her, not taking her eyes off of the enemy.

"I am not going to fight you aggressively anymore..." Chrysalis proclaimed. 

"And then you'll proceed to do it again. And again. And again! Ever since you changed you fail to keep your 'morals'!" Cicada shouted.

"No. No I won't. Because I've been weakened by each and every time you would return and take away everything I have built, with myself... and with all of my friends."

All of the changelings below were ready to continue fighting.

"I don't need aggression to beat you," Chrysalis said.

"Twilight Sparkle and her friends have used aggression before."

"Everyone has their own way of fighting. And although they used aggression, they have used harmony as well. Aggression isn't the best answer to solve problems."

"It is for me. How else would I always get my way? Attack!"

The six changelings below all finally flew up at Chrysalis. Cicada flew above Chrysalis and dove down with her horn blazing green flames.

Chrysalis raised a shield, but she had other plans. When the others made contact with it, it burst in blue light, and she was gone.

"Where did she go?!" Cicada growled.

"Behind you!" Changeling Cozy Glow warned. 

Cicada looked behind her, but two blue beams already flew past her. They both hit Trixie and Cozy Glow, putting them to sleep, causing them to fall. But Chrysalis quickly teleported to the ground and caught them with her magic, gently setting them down.

Starlight and Sunburst both landed on the ground, Sunburst becoming a Bugbear and Starlight becoming a Manticore, and charged. But Chrysalis knew what to do... using her horn, she let out a big blast of blue light, distorting their vision.

Chrysalis hoped that they wouldn't run into anything, but it was take-it or leave it. Luckily, both of them didn't run into anything, instead stopping where they are and returning to normal. Chrysalis quickly took them both out one-by-one.

"You!" Cicada ordered Leo. "Get down there! You, Tirek, stay!"

Leo obeyed. He was the next one to dive to the ground and attempt to attack Chrysalis. All she did though was lift up a shield, causing Leo to bounce off, and then she put him to sleep as well.

It was just Cicada and Tirek now, but unlike the others, they instead lowered themselves to the ground.

"I should have known that they wouldn't do as well as I would... a couple of them surprised me with their lackluster methods of attack... but I learned from past mistakes and thought of an immediate backup."

"Which is?" Chrysalis asked.

"This!" 

Suddenly, Cicada unleashed a massive amount of green electricity at Tirek, causing the centaur-turned changeling to shriek. 

"NO!" Chrysalis bellowed.

Cicada electrocuted Tirek for a couple more seconds before casting him aside. Quickly, Chrysalis rushed to his aid. He was an evil brainwashed changeling, but he was still Tirek. She checked to see if Tirek was okay, and breathed a sigh of relief when she found out he was. Cicada laughed. Chrysalis' teeth gritted, but she took a deep breath, and quietly told herself that Tirek was okay. But then she was raised into the air in Cicada's green magic.

"I should have done this from the beginning..." Cicada snarled. "Take you down, and then instead of drone on and on, or initiate more of this fighting, I would drain you of your love instead."

Chrysalis had little to no reaction time. Cicada's mouth was already open, a pink streak of love emerging from Chrysalis' chest, and entering Cicada's throat. Chrysalis groaned, feeling herself get weaker and weaker. Cicada on the other hand, started to feel stronger, and stronger. But then, her eyes went wide, and she fell to the ground, groaning as if in pain. Chrysalis was confused. Since when has draining love caused something like this to happen.

"What... have... you... done?!" Cicada shrieked.

"I-I didn't-..." Chrysalis stammered. She needed to think about what just happened, but then she realized that the answer was clear. Or at least the theory. "Wait... you and I... we're two different entities, but we are still the same. In spite of our differences, we are still both Chrysalis. I am you, you are me. You taking my love didn't just satisfy your hunger... it linked my feelings to you. It gives you a voice of reason in your head. You want nothing more than to attack and get your way. But now... the doubt is stronger than it ever was."

Cicada's breathing was shaky and her hooves were wrapped tightly around her head. Her horn started to glow as her expression soured, and although Chrysalis was somewhat certain that Cicada would hold off, she backed away and lit up her own horn. But thankfully, Cicada dimmed her own horn.

"Make it stop..." she growled.

"You brought it upon yourself. To attack Equestria... take away loved ones... all of it. Perhaps stone or Tartarus was never the best punishment. This is."

Cicada said nothing. She lit her horn again, and this time, actually shot at Chrysalis. But she missed, and although it was likely unintentional, Chrysalis didn't speak of it.

"How do I reverse this?" Chrysalis asked. "What did you even do?" 

Cicada bit her lip and looked away. "You can't possibly be foolish enough to assume that these... feelings... that I have will help with anything."

"We share feelings. The feelings I have strive to be right. You feel my feelings, so I can only assume you'll know what to, and be tempted to, do what's right. If you can't speak, I know of plenty peaceful ways to do so."

"You'll never get a word out of me. These 'feelings' are just effects. I'll be able to get back on my hooves soon enough!"

"Are you sure? After all... just imagine. Seeing all of your friends be who they were never supposed to be. Seeing this wonderful world start to suffer under your hooves. Feel all of your past actions topple onto you. Guilt."

Cicada ground her teeth, her jaw incredibly tight. "YOU- You-... you..." She fell silent, looking away again. But moments later, she proceeded to hesitantly tell the story.

"Dark magic... when we last saw each other, I ran off to search library after library, hoping to find a spell that could fit what I wanted. It started to become such a chore when there were so many books with spells that felt limited in what they could achieve. But when one musty old shop threw out some books in a dumpster, I couldn't help but feel curious. So I searched around, and that's when I found it... "Dark Spells for the Dark Minded". I figured I'd look, and sure enough, I felt satisfied. First off, a mind-control spell linked as a hive-mind. That would enable them to do as I say. And secondly, advanced transformation, where I would transform your friends into my image. I ran off with the book and practiced the spell, and I soon had to figure out how exactly I would make the spell easy to spread. In my usual disguise, I asked around, and soon enough, I got an answer... your zebra friend Zecora. With her help, I converted the spell into a liquid, and then I went up to the weather factory, got all obstacles out of my way, poured my creation into the water, and... you know the rest. Satisfied?"

"How do I reverse it?"

"What do you think?!" Cicada grumbled. "Find the reverse part of the spell. I never bothered to read that far or see if it was there for obvious reasons."

Chrysalis worked on grouping together the unconscious changelings, but she spoke anyway.

"You will take me to the book. Once we reverse this, we're going to destroy the book, and then we'll decide your fate."

"We?"

"You started this," said Chrysalis. “And you are going to help me end it. And even if you have newfound feelings, I will not be afraid to take precautions.”

“Like what?…” Cicada snarked.

"All I ask is for you to tell me where the book is, and then tell me the process for how to convert the reverse-spell to liquid."

Cicada refused, but she could feel the temptation to tell the truth start up. She bit her lip. She was stronger than this. Surely she could overcome some silly feelings. But maybe she wasn't entirely incapable of winning just yet. 

"Fine! The book is in your precious castle in Ponyville. I doubt the fog has fully dissipated, but you can surely try."

"Very well. We will go," said Chrysalis, finally done with putting the bodies in place, using some magic to keep them asleep. She couldn't take them with... she had to come back for them. "...And then we'll work on the reverse spell. I'll be back here later to personally take care of the others."

Chrysalis flew off, but Cicada stayed. She quickly realized that and glanced at her. It took a few seconds for Cicada to fly up, but caution immediately began to settle in Chrysalis. It would take a lot more than what just happened for Cicada to completely give up... after all, the shock of the after-effects of absorbing her love may have stunned her, but it could only encourage her to fight back once more, or even take advantage of the opportunity for manipulation. She just knew it. So if Cicada was going to play along, then so was she. She was not that naive. She had to be ready.



*Later…*



The sky was dark above the town of Ponyville. By now, the fog was mostly gone, but there were still traces of it here and there. All of the changelings were still there, patrolling the town or simply roaming around. They all noticed something flying above, and into the window of the castle. There, a bunch of changelings bowed down when they saw Queen Cicada fly in, all alone.

“The remaining enemy has successfully been captured, and her magic disposed of,” she said. “Unfortunately some of our own failed miserably at the mission. They’re at the old kingdom. Go fetch.”

“Yes our queen,” said a changeling before a bunch of them flew out of the window. Cicada went to leave a room, and a fly behind her that was buzzing around the room flashed blue, transforming into Chrysalis.

“Your help is appreciated, but I didn’t expect you to actually give in and comply,” said Chrysalis.

Cicada said nothing except “Let’s just go get that book. I’d much rather suffer in the aether or worse than work with you because of emotions I don’t even want.”

Chrysalis said nothing. She still kept herself on high guard. They both went down the hallway, Cicada up ahead to check for changelings. But luckily, it didn’t take long for them to reach the library. There, Cicada’s satchel was on the table, lying on top of something.

“It’s under the satchel,” said Cicada.

Chrysalis quickly ran over, and picked up the book from underneath.

“This…” Chrysalis whispered. “This will fix everything.”

Chrysalis heard the faint sound of a horn lighting up, and she quickly dove out of the way to evade a beam from Cicada, most likely meant to disintegrate her.

“I’m not even surprised…” Chrysalis said. “Even with newfound feelings for others, and your actions, I figured you wouldn’t give up easy even with all that guilt and love.”

“The feeling is mutual. Now that I’ve bought time by helping you as an attempt to gain your trust, they’ve settled, and now it’s far easier to fight back. Now stand still and fall!!!”

Chrysalis dodged another shot, but then a green glow took over the book she held, and struck her on the chin uppercut-style before it flew over to Cicada.

“I’m going to find a spell that will slowly pull away every molecule in your body…” she growled. 

Chrysalis had one option. Cicada’s overcome the feelings and bought enough time to repress them sure, but they’re not gone. She conquered them but there’s a good chance she’s still vulnerable.

“Cicada-“

“Try me!” Cicada’s horn lit green, but already, a dark flicker was visible on her horn. “I dare you. Be all “nice”, or “caring”, even after you clearly showed aggression and distaste for me. Be all mushy with your words and see how that benefits you. I’m strong. I will not let you take away what I got back.”

“You hid your feelings, but you’re still vulnerable. I know that if you think just once about losing everything… and through my perspective… you’ll have second thoughts.”

“Why should I care about your perspective?”

“You don’t need to. But repressing feelings isn’t going to make anything better. If anything, it will only make you angrier and more miserable. You’ll miss out on so much.”

“You’re missing out! Have you forgotten what it’s like to be a queen?”

“Who cares if you’re a queen? Because I no longer care about being one. Look at me. I’m much happier. I experience love, friends, and life, and I never feel like I have an unreachable goal built off hatred and conquering. Because with your goal, every time we fail, things will only be worse off than before. The first time we fail, we get cast away and the path for revenge starts. The second time we fail, we lose a whole kingdom and a chance at salvation, and now we’re alone. The third and final time we fail on something big, we’re not even allowed to move or interact with the world. But if you just let all of that go, the exact opposite will happen.”

“I can’t even be like you!” Cicada shrieked, the darkness in her horn’s magic growing stronger. “You had a choice with your purpose when your life began. But I’m meant to be your past reflection. I’m meant to be evil. I’m not meant to be like you. Being what you used to be is all I know how to do! I’m incapable of accepting what you’ve become!”

“You’re only saying that because you want to hear it!” Chrysalis continued. “Because it’s with the morals you’ve set up for yourself. But now you are more capable than ever of understanding the good morals. Understanding love, friendship, and understanding your rights and wrongs. In fact, let me do it for you, speaking from my view!”

“Don’t!” Cicada shouted, the dark magic overtaking most of the green.

“Your past actions will be shackles weighing you down, but living a live in harmony will set you free. Revenge will never set you free. It feels like it now, but there will eventually be something else, whether someone rises up or you get paranoid of that situation. Your old enemies, now friends. Your old subjects, now friends. You feel like you’ve done them wrong, but they’ve already forgiven you seeing how you’ve changed.  Leo and Cozy Glow, friends that are there for you. And Tirek. Someone you love closely and dearly.”

“YOUR TRICKS WILL NOT WORK ON ME!”

“This isn’t just about convincing you. It’s to bring your feelings to the surface. You and I both you we are happier with a life of harmony. Because I know that my anger against you prevented me from being happy.”

Chrysalis took a big risk, stepping closer to Cicada. Cicada tensed. 

"Stay back!"

"If you do this, even if you don't feel it now, the regret will surface eventually."

Chrysalis fearlessly approached Cicada, showing a mixture of anger, doubt, and... fear? Were Cicada's feelings that impactful? If they weren't before, they sure were now. Cicada still struggled to cast the spell, and she was already face-to-face with Chrysalis. 

"You want nothing more than to destroy me and finally get your way," Chrysalis said, placing her hoof on the book. "But now, you don't as well. There's only one choice to make, and now, yours is right."

"You did this to me..." Cicada growled, a tear falling down her face. "I can and could destroy you, and because of you-"

"You were the one that tried stealing my love... what happened to you was your own doing."

Cicada and Chrysalis didn't lose any eye contact. At first, it seemed as if Cicada was really going to cast the spell required to end Chrysalis... she snarled, and she gnashed her teeth, and her eye twitched. Chrysalis just stared, somewhat empathetically, but mostly emotionless.

Cicada finally made her choice. She deactivated the spell, dropped the book, and walked away, sitting with her back turned.

Chrysalis picked up the book, and flipped through the pages until she found the one she was looking for... almost.

"Let's see... here we are... this spell turns anyone into your image, physically, and mentally... well now we know what was done, but let's see... is it reversable?... I believe so!" Chrysalis shut the book. "Come on," she said to Cicada, not looking behind her. "Let's go to Zecora's. If she's still there and fell to the spell, then we'll have to restrain her while you be the one that fixes it."

Cicada didn't do anything at first, but she did give one brief glance at Chrysalis, before standing back up, and flying out the window. Chrysalis quickly went after her but she quickly realized where Cicada was going. She calmed down, and caught up with her.

There, they went about resolving the situation. First off, they went to Zecora's hut. Like Ponyville, there was some fog present in the Everfree, though just a little more than the former. When they arrived, they assumed the coast was clear, before Zecora... as a changeling... showed up and attempted to attack Chrysalis, only to be knocked unconscious by her. With instructions from Cicada, Chrysalis successfully compiled the reverse spell into a liquid. At that point, she didn't need Cicada anymore, but she still needed to keep an eye on her, so she insisted that Cicada joined her for the rest of the resolution until she cures her friends.

Chrysalis returned to Ponyville and located the Weather Factory pretty quickly. In order to avoid the clouds, she had to take cover in a shield again. Cicada did too. She may have casted the spell, but as Chrysalis was told, she's still had to play it safe. The hole in the wall was still there. Chrysalis knew that she had to pour the fog into the vat of water... which she had to fill first. The process was agonizing, and Cicada was barely lifting a hoof unlike at Zecora's. Chrysalis was able to take care of it eventually, and after she poured in the spell, she groaned at the realization that she'd have to figure out the controls... until she saw the smashed button. Chrysalis gasped and flew over to it, and gave it a tap. Nothing happened, which wasn't a surprise. She gave a sharp glare at Cicada, who didn't care in the slightest. Chrysalis decided to give it another go, but this time, she slammed her hoof down on the button, breaking it even more. It sputtered, and the machine started to pump out the fog. Chrysalis quickly looked outside. The bright blue fog started to spread. It did intertwine with the green clouds, but Chrysalis felt that since most of the green fog was gone, the blue fog will overpower it in the end.

"Congratulations..." Cicada said, finally speaking up after being silent in the factory. "You win. And I yet again fail, all because of friendship. You didn't even use it to cast a 'magical spell'. You forced it into me, forcing me to surrender to your pathetic whims."

"You make it worse than it sounds because you're not giving it a chance," Chrysalis said. "And here it seemed as if sharing my views would do some good for you."

"You're actually trying to help me?... After you tried to destroy me quite a while ago?"

"Well, first of all, you stole some of my love, enabling those feelings. And secondly... destroying you will never solve my problems, even if it feels like it will. Solving things peacefully will help. Time and time again I'd learn this, and time and time I'd throw it away because I felt like I was losing everything. Like what the both of us have been through. But peaceful resolutions will always mean a happier ending."

"Even though you needed me regardless?" Cicada pointed out. "Without me your precious Equestria would still be falling apart."

"Whether I needed you or didn't, I was only going to feel haunted," said Chrysalis. "Even if I could have gone on without you, I never would have learned anything. It's always good to be peaceful. And sometimes there will need to be banishments or punishments that break that border. You have to do what you have to do. But revenge is never the way to go no matter what."

Cicada snorted.

"I'm going to go reunite with my friends," Chrysalis proclaimed. "This will be the last time you'll come with me. And then I'm going to bring you to Canterlot and I'll leave your fate to the Princess."

Chrysalis, then joined by Cicada, flew out of the factory. Canterlot was closer, sure, but she wanted to make sure her friends were okay.



*Eventually...*



Chrysalis was met with a surprise when she finally arrived at the Changeling Kingdom.

Everyone was gone.

"What?..." she whispered. 

"Ha! They must have escaped!" Cicada proclaimed. "How unfortunate."

Chrysalis took a deep breath to prevent herself from snapping.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"For your information, I had nothing to do with this. I was too busy being dragged around like I was your pet!"

Just then, both of them heard loud stomping from the bushes. Chrysalis prepared herself for the worst.

Tirek revealed himself from behind the trees and bushes. He was no longer a changeling. He was back to his old self.

"Tirek!" Chrysalis flew over to reunite with him. "What happened? Last I saw you, we had you here, and you were a changeling, and-"

Tirek pointed at Cicada. "Before I explain what happened, would you mind telling me why she is here?"

"Don't worry, she's less of a threat... it's a long story. I am on guard in case she tries to fight back," Chrysalis assured. "Where are the others?... Leo, Starlight, Cozy Glow... where did they go?"

Unbeknownst to any of them, something was spectating the scene as it unfolded, it's shiny metal exterior hidden from the sunlight.



*Meanwhile*



Somewhere far away and unknown, watching what his drone is currently showcasing on a screen, was Gizmos. He's been hiding away, watching for so long. Watching what Chrysalis has been doing, and also watching the fight that took place an hour ago. He still remembered it vividly. The Storm King, Lilith, and Alagmir were both sent a while ago to capture the unconscious changelings that Chrysalis had just defeated. Sephtis tagged along... he knew how to turn them back. Once he did, they attacked. Only Tirek got away, but that didn't stop them from bringing the rest there. 

Now that Chrysalis was about to learn what happened a while ago, it was time for him to check on things. First off, the prisoners. Only one of them he was concerned about. Cozy Glow. The screen hit static and went to black, causing Gizmos to slam his fist on the table. He was getting better at throwing together drones and devices, but he needed more work and effort put into it. He was going to have to see what was happening in the flesh.

First off, the prisoners. Gizmos left his room, and quickly made his way over to where the others were being kept. He peeked into a room where currently, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Sunburst, Leo, and Cozy Glow were all trapped in a manifested cage, glowing with a forcefield that was meant to prevent them from using magic. He saw Cozy Glow, looking worried, prompting him to feel the slightest bit of guilt.

But he still had to worry about his own plans. He quickly fled, and ventured over to the outside of the base. Sephtis stood out there, slightly causing Gizmos a bit of tension. He knew what he was staring at. It was something that they both wanted for different purposes.

Up in the moon’s dark sky, massive clouds flashing blue started to form.

The tension broke by Septhis chuckling beneath his breath, turning around to meet his eyes. “Heh… Gizmos, my…’ally’... why must you be so tense whenever you see me?” he asked.

Gizmos didn’t answer.

“Hmmm? Not very talkative in the moment, aren’t you? Well I guess you wouldn’t mind hearing about my plans for prisoners such as Cozy Glow for extracting-” He was interrupted by one of Gizmos’ tentacles launching forward, grabbing him by the barrel, and raising him high. 

As he walked towards Sephtis, he let out a low growl. “If you dare harm her! I will-”

 Septhis let out a chuckle. 

“Oh finally you talked!! I was just toying with you… playing with one’s mind is always a way to make them talk.” 

Gizmos let out one more growl before letting him go. Septhis dusted himself off.

He raised a red hoof and pointed at the dark sky above. “Look up…” 

Gizmos saw it, just as Sephtis did. Blue-ish clouds flashing constantly were on their way, covering more and more of the white, rocky land.

“An ancient power has just awoken… it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. All we need to do is be there for the most powerful strike. That, and this bell together, will lead to many possibilities. Will you play your part, as with the others?” He reached out his hoof in a hoofshake. But Gizmos felt that he couldn’t trust that particular hoofshake… not from someone whose personality he knows all too well. Not in the mood to lash out once more, he simply walks away, disappointing Sephtis. 

Sephtis simply continued to smirk, unfazed. “Fine, if you’re insistent on being kept like that… but you’ll soon regret disobeying me Gizmos…” 

Gizmos continued to ignore him and went back to his base. He wasn’t afraid. If anything, he was determined.

The pieces are moving and the starting line has been set. This will be a race to the finish line. Either Sephtis' plan succeeds, Gizmos' plan succeeds, or they both fail.

All anyone had to do was wait and see.