Chapters Chapter 1: Fort Safeguard
“Open the gate!” ordered a pony officer. Down a long, stone road leading to the fort was a large cart half full of eager little colts, bouncing in their seats and half sleeping little ponies.
“Ok Colt Scouts! Welcome to Fort Safeguard!” said a brown stallion, while waving his right foreleg introducing the inside of the fort. The inside of the fort was full of fully armored pony soldiers, pegasai flying over the fort and unicorn archers doing target practice. Stone walls tower over the cart while it heads to a parking spot designated “Field Trip Parking Spot”.
“Whoa!” exclaimed a little, purple colt. “Hey Miracle wake up we’re here.”
A tiny, pink filly unicorn looked up. “Hm? Where are we again, Sparrow?”
“The fort, remember?” asked Sparrow.
Miracle slowly lifted her head and looked around, “Oh yeah.”
The brown stallion stood up and jumped off the gradually slowing cart. “Ok Colt Rangers let’s get out of the cart and line up!” he said as if he was a drill sergeant, but with a sort of cheery ring to it. Some of the young ponies woke up at that point and the others were already lined up.
Three young fillies energetically jumped off the cart after everypony else already did.
“Scootaloo slow down!” yelled a little white unicorn.
“Yeah Scoots Ya need to calm down we’re already in the fort!” said a little yellow filly.
“Me? Slow down? Who do you think I am?” questioned the orange pegasus who’s nearly with the rest of the group.
“Ok little fillies, just line up .” ordered the brown stallion.
“Ok Mr. Hay.” said the three fillies in unison. The three fillies lined up with rest of next to Miracle and Sparrow.
Mr. Hay was talking to the officer that ordered the gate to open. “Hello Mr. Hay, I assume these are your Colt Rangers.”
“Why yes, yes they are.” replied Mr. Hay.
“The commander will be here to start the tour in a few minutes.” said the officer.
“I’m so glad we got to come on this field trip.” exclaimed Scootaloo.
“Yeah Ah think we’ll get our cutie marks for sure.” said Applebloom.
“Yea- uh how exactly are we going to get our cutie marks?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Well….by…uhh…maybe” Scootaloo pondered for a moment.
“What about touring?” Applebloom asked.
Sweetie Belle immediately came back and asked “What would a cutie mark of a pony touring look like?” Their conversation was interrupted by Miracle.
“What about a pony taking a picture?”
Sparrow answered “That could be misinterpreted as a pony who is photographer.”
“Oh sorry, I didn't mean to butt in.” apologized the little unicorn.
“Oh don’t worry that conversation was really going down, Oh and my name is Sweetie Belle, What’s yours?” asked Sweetie.
“My name is Miracle and this is my brother.” said Miracle, pointing to the purple colt.
“Name’s Sparrow, Pleased to meet ya.” Sparrow replied with a hoof waiting to be bumped by the white unicorn.
Sweetie bumped his hoof and said “These are my friends Applebloom, and Scootaloo.”
“Hiya!” exclaimed Applebloom.
“Nice to meet you.” said Scootaloo.
“I thought I was the only filly here.” said Miracle
“We thought we were the only three.” said Scootaloo
“So I’m guessing you three are here to get your cutie marks.” said Sparrow with a smirk.
“How did you know?” asked Applebloom.
Sweetie face-hoofed “We just had a conversation on how we’re going to get out cutie marks here.”
Appleblooms face began to blush “Oh yeah.”
Mr. Hay was talking to the officer when a blue pegasus in iron clad amour landed in between him and the group of young ponies.
“You must be the Colt Rangers, even having a few fillies in the group, now that’s what I call diversity.” said the blue pegasus whilst taking off his helmet.
Miracle thought to herself “That pony’s more armored than the guards back at Canterlot .”
“Welcome to Fort Safeguard. I am its commander, SkyJak, and the commander of the newly formed Equestrian Military.”
His armor didn’t show his flank so none of the CMC could see his cutie mark. “I wonder what his cutie mark is .” thought Scootaloo.
SkyJak said to Mr. Hay “You must be the instructor of this little group.” SkyJak let his hoof sit in the air waiting to be shook.
“Uh...oh of course, yes, the name’s Mr. Hay. Nice to meet you Commander.” said Mr. Hay said shaking the large stallions hoof.
“So I think we should get this tour started, what do y’all think?” asked SkyJak.
“YEEAAHH!!” shouted the fillies and colts.
“Ok then follow me everypony.” SkyJak said in an energetic tone. The Colt Rangers didn’t know this but today was a big day for the pegasus commander. The group followed SkyJak to a semi-large gate that led to the training area. SkyJak pushed open the wooden door and led the group behind a wooden rail marked as the “Tour Group Spectating Area”. This little area had enough room for the young ponies to walk around and look at the soldiers throw javelins and slash at training dummies.
“Ok you can look around but don’t go outside the railing.” said SkyJak.
Scootaloo stared at the flank area of the armor that SkyJak was wearing and was imagining what his cutie mark was. “Maybe it is a sword, or a mace smashing something, ooh or maybe it’s a shield with two swords crossing behind it .” She had to know. She waited until SkyJak stopped answering the young colts’ questions.
She shuffled her way to SkyJak and said “Hi commander I’m Scootaloo and I wanted to ask you something.”
“Anyway I, well, we wanted to know what your cutie mark is.” said Scootaloo with a big smile on her face.
SkyJak stared at them puzzled, until he looked at their flanks “Oh I get it now they’re looking for that special something .” SkyJak thought to himself.
“Well ok, my cutie mark isn’t what you’d expect of a pony like me to have. My cutie mark is a magnifying glass looking into a book.” The three fillies looked at the stallion with confused faces.
“So what’s your special talent?” asked Applebloom
“Well it’s not fighting but I’ve been trained well, anyway I can ‘read’ ponies and remember them. That’s the reason that the Princesses gave me this position and the training I needed.”
The fillies had a dumbfounded look on their faces. “The Princesses gave you this job?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Yes but I’ll explain that to you later.” SkyJak replied.
An earth pony soldier ran to SkyJak “Commander, they have arrived.” said the soldier.
“Perfect." SkyJak turned to the group."It looks like y'all chose the perfect time to visit.”
“Why?” asked a young colt.
SkyJak turned to the group and said “You all get to meet a The Elements.”
Author's Note
Hey this is Jak and this is the first chapter of my first fanfic and I hope you enjoyed it but feel free to criticize.
*Next Chapter probably coming out sometime this week.*
Queen Chrysalis's Assembly
Chapter 2: Queen Chrysalis's Assembly
In the harsh wastes of the Badlands, just south of the Equestrian borders, was a large mountain, and inside of it was the Hive of Chrysalis. Thousands of young Changelings of all sizes group themselves together in a large cavern, and overviewing that was a sliver of rock where a rather large Changeling was about to speak.
“Quiet! Mother is about to address you!” ordered the bulky Changeling. After he said that the cavern was immediately quiet. A tall Changeling trotted to the edge of the rock.
The tall Changeling was scarred and looked war-torn. She looked over the cavern from her high pinnacle, where just small beams peered through the rock. She cleared her throat.
“My children! Some of you know why I am here today. Since all of you were just hatchlings and the eldest children already know this, I will tell you,” said the Queen.
The crippled queen looked towards the ceiling of the cavern, a tear slid down her scarred face. “I went into a new land called Equestria and it had enough love to feed us for generations.” Some of the young Changelings faces lit up and Chrysalis noticed it. “Yes my young ones can’t you just imagine it?” asked the Queen with a smile. “I devised a plan to overthrow their Rulers of the moon and sun, I took the form of a princess bride-to-be.”
Then she stopped speaking and looked out of the mouth of the cave. “Until the student of Celestia and her friends stopped me. The outcome of us failing was be launched back to here… most of us didn’t survive the fall and the most of the ones that did.” She started to tear up even more. “They starved because your Queen, your Mother, couldn’t feed them.”
She turned around to look at the four Changelings behind her. “The only ones of my children to survive were these four, the Eldest.”
The large Changeling that spoke before moved forward. “Ares, the Strong.”
After him was a small, slender female Changeling who trotted forward. “Thera, the Quick.”
Then one Changeling flew nest to Ares and Thera. “Opus, the Smart.”
The last slowly trotted next to the Queen. “Finally, Hyperion, the Brave who defended his mother and siblings from wolfs, dragons, and wild ponies while we laid there crippled and were healing.”
The Queen turned to Hyperion, who was missing his wings, and gave him a kiss on the head. “You defended us with great cause, your mother is proud.” She turned to the crowd of younglings. “You see now what the ponies did to us, we barely made it to this day; I have sent word to the other hives and told them of this new land and what they could gain in helping us.”
“What did you promise them?” asked a Changeling from the crowd.
“Well my young one, I promised them I’d give them some ponies we capture, land, and the Princesses.”
Some of the Changelings in the crowd had puzzled faces and the others had angry faces.
Queen Chrysalis stared to laugh. “Do you, my children, honestly think I’ll give any of this to them? I plan to keep this for ourselves.”
She started to fly over her children. “Equestria is ours! I plan to keep it that way!” screamed the Queen in a triumphant voice.
The entire hive was starting to chant “Mother, Mother, Mother…” louder and louder until Chrysalis started to speak.
“I am meeting with the other Queens in the morning. Prepare my children, prepare for war.” said the Queen.
She turned to leave the cavern and ordered the Eldest to follow. They followed their mother into a small den-like indention where
Chrysalis collapsed on to her bed. She was weak because she hasn’t moved like that in a while.
“Oh my Eldest, you know as well as I do that I can’t fight in this war and lead our Hive.” She said in a weak voice.
“Don’t say that mother.” pleaded Thera. She looked at her mother with a sad face.
“Oh Thera, you’ve been there by my side while I was healing. But you all have to lead our family in this conquest. I know you’ll make me proud.” She replied.
Hyperion stepped forward “Don’t worry mother, we’ll take Equestria and the Princesses in your honor, and do you need an escort to the Meeting of Queens?” The others had concerned faces.
“Why would Mother need an escort?” asked Opus.
“Unlike Hyperion, you three never dealt with other hives, most times the queens I’ve dealt with are backstabbing traitors and will do anything for the good of their Hive, and you all know I will to, and every meeting I’ve gone to one, Hyperion’s been there an saved my life multiple times.” said Chrysalis looking at Hyperion with a smile.
The sun was setting and most of the younglings were sleeping. Hyperion stood next to the mouth of the cave staring into the sunset.
“Hello brother, nervous about tomorrow?” said Ares coming out of the cave. Hyperion turned around and saw the bulky Changeling trotting towards him.
“Not one bit brother, but since I lost my wings I’ll need somepony to come with to help protect Mother, I don’t feel I could protect her on my own.” said Hyperion with a shameful face.
Ares did not expect that, as long as he could remember Hyperion never seemed this way, he was the one that he wanted to be. To the rest of the Hive Hyperion was almost like a father to them, he was there from before the other Eldest were born. Hyperion lost his wings fighting an adolescent dragon ,that was pretty large for a teenage dragon, but in the end he killed it but could never fly again.
“Brother, don’t think like that, but if you really feel like you need help I volunteer.” Ares replied. Hyperion looked at him and smiled.
“Thank you Ares, you’ve grown better than I expected.” said Hyperion. Ares had a puzzled look on his face.
“Why do you say that?” asked Ares
“When you were hatched, you were probably the scrawniest hatchling I’ve ever seen.” Hyperion said with a laugh.
“Really, was I?” asked Ares. The sun just hid behind the horizon.
“Yes you were, so in the morning you’ll come with me and Mother to the meeting.” replied Hyperion
“Ok brother I won’t let you or mother down.” said Ares. After they spoke they both went off to rest until morning.
Author's Note
This chapter took me a while to do, so tell me how you liked it (or didn't like it).
Chapter 3: The Elements
The sun was setting as the Commander and Colt Ranger tour group approached the front gate. There was an audience of soldiers who were training and that were on the wall.
“Open the gates!” ordered an officer. Two soldiers on top of the wall started turning two wheels, which started to open the gates in to the fort. Outside the fort where the gates lifted stood Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends.The audience formed a line for the Elements and Princess Sparkle to walk through towards SkyJak and CMC.
“Greetings Princess, Elements.” said the Commander with a nod. The element of Loyalty looked at him with a confused face.
“What’s with all the officialness, Jak, you can call us by name.” said Rainbow Dash. SkyJak turned his head to the blue mare.
“Not now Dash we can have catch up after I speak to the Princess. Soldiers, return to your duties.”
“He’s right Rainbow we have official business first, but we’ll be here for a couple days so you’ll have time to talk.” said Twilight with a stern face.
“Ok then, Princess come with me and--.” SkyJak was interrupted by the three fillies.
“Hey Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy!” the CMC screamed causing SkyJak and Twilight to grasp their ears with their hooves.
After Twilight shook off the blood churning screams, she replied “Hello girls, what are you doing here?
“And we asked the Commander what his was and it didn’t make sense.” said Sweetie Belle. Rarity and Applejack had no knowledge of their sisters coming to this fort.
“Sweetie who’s watching you all?” asked Rarity.
“Mr. Hay, he’s the instructor of the Colt Rangers.” said Sweetie, Rarity looked at Applejack, then back to the fillies.
“Then why’re you three here with them, Ah mean your fillies?” said Applejack.
“Oh it was easy to convince him, we just asked him night and day ‘till we got to go.” said Scootaloo with a smile.
“Ok then just don’t get into trouble, please.” said Rarity.
“As I was saying, Please follow me, Twilight.” said SkyJak looking at the CMC. “I’d suggest you getting back to your tour group. The rest of you can head to the tavern or your quarters, and Rainbow I’ll spend some time with you and Flutters.” Applejack had a somewhat concerned face.
“Flutters?” Applejack thought to herself.
“Ok Jak we’ll see you later.” said Rainbow.
SkyJak and Twilight trotted off and the CMC went back with the group.
“Who wants to go drinking?” asked Applejack. Pinkies face lit up.
“Oooh what’re we drinking? Apple juice, orange juice, grape juice, water? That’d be very bland, what about milk, ooooh chocolate milk.” asked the pink pony while beginning to drool.
“Maybe alcohol, Pinkie, since it’s a tavern.” said Applejack.
“Oh, ok I’m fine with that.” said Pinkie abruptly with a smile. Those two trotted away to the tavern on the east side of the fort. Rarity was getting a little jittery.
“Wait for me!” yelled Rarity while running to the earth ponies.
“So I guess we should go to our ‘quarters’?” asked Rainbow while doing air quotes.
“Yeah I guess.” said the yellow mare. They walked to the most south western part of Fort Safeguard where there was a stone brick building halfway as tall as the walls of the fort. Rainbow and Fluttershy trotted towards the building.
“Miss Rainbow Dash, Miss Fluttershy?” asked a small pegasus. The two mares looked at her.
“Yes, why?” asked Rainbow. The small orange pegasus pulled out a parchment.
“Follow me to your quarters, please.” The three pegasai flew up to the third floor and into a room the size of a hotel room, except more stone and cot than a soft bed.
Rainbow turned to Fluttershy “Well it’s better than that hotel in Las Pegasus” Fluttershy shivered at the thought, let’s just say, no maids and a lot of liquor.
Back to the tavern, which is on the east side of the fort, Applejack and Rarity are sitting around a small round table and Pinkie is talking to random soldiers, but is still making everpony laugh. An earth pony soldier walked over to speak with the two mares.
“Hello there. This seat taken?” asked the soldier. Applejack looked at Rarity who was semi-passed out, then back to the soldier.
“Nah, you can sit here.” she said taking a drink of her glass. Rarity started to get up. “Uh, darlin do be dear and point this mare to the bathroom.” Applejack said to a mare walking by. The mare grabbed Rarity and slowly walked her to the restroom.
“Huh, you two must have been here awhile for your friend to be like that.” said the soldier. Applejack chuckled.
“No, we’ve been here like ten minutes, she’s a lightweight, I warned her. Name’s Applejack what’s yours?” asked the mare taking another drink.
“My name is Tocoro, nice to meet you Applejack, the commander has told us during happy hour about his days before he was a soldier and I think he mentioned a relative of yours.” Applejack looked a bit surprised.
“Yeah? Who’s that?” Applejack asked. Tocoro took a drink of his glass.
“Are you relative to Big Macintosh? Applejack had a puzzled face.
“How’d the commander know my brother? asked Applejack.
“The commander said he helped at the farm when he lived with his sister when you away.” said Tocoro.
“Oh yeah who’s his sister?” Applejack asked.
“He never told us.” said Tocoro looking at his drink.
Walking up to the command center in the southernmost part of the fort. Officers in silver armor were surrounding a table with a map on it. The door opened and Twilight and SkyJak trotted in.
“Ok officers let’s bring the princess up to speed.” said SkyJak, an orange unicorn looked towards Twilight.
“Princess, do you remember the Changelings?” Twilights face turned towards SkyJak then back to the unicorn.
“Yes I do, why?” asked the alicorn. A pegasus looked towards the map.
“Do you see these mountain formations about a hundred miles to the south of this fort?” asked the officer.
“Yes.”
“One of our scouting parties was patrolling this area until they saw a swarm of Changelings.”
“Chrysalis.” said Twilight.
“Not exactly, these Changelings had a different color than Chrysalis’s Changelings did when they attacked two years ago and they were flying to the west for some reason.”
“What does this mean?” asked Twilight.
“This could mean nothing or it could mean that a new hive is forming to attack. It’d be a lot easier to know if we had one prisoner for me to interrogate.” said SkyJak.
“I guess this is where I come in.” Twilight insisted.
“Princess I strongly suggest you have just the Elements go.” said SkyJak.
Twilight looked offended. “I still am the Element of Magic I just grew wings, I’m going.”
“I cannot go against the word of a Princess, but do you know any combat spells?” Twilight looked confused.
“Combat spells? Why would I need to know combat spells.” asked Twilight.
SkyJak looked at her. “This is going to be a dangerous mission, it’s better to have one just in case. So follow me to our head unicorn.”
“Ok.”
The two of them left the command center and headed to a large tower, on the northwestern part of the fort. They entered the tower which was full of unicorns reading and practicing magic, mostly combat, spells. Twilights face lit up until she was almost left behind when SkyJak went into another room where one grey unicorn was whispering words in an almost crazy way.
“Twilight meet Dusk, he’s the one I that’s going to teach you and Rarity at least one combat spell.
“Rarity? Where is she?” asked Twilight. The door slammed open causing everypony except Dusk to jump.
“Ugh, I’m right here” said Rarity through the doorframe. She had a greenish face and collapsed.
“She was at the tavern sir.” said an officer.
“Thank you soldier, you can go back to your duties.” replied SkyJak. He went over to pick the white mare up onto her feet.
"You've only been here less than an hour, I don’t know if I should be impressed for a mare drinking in the middle of the day or be sad.”
“I apologize darling, I haven’t drank like that in years, I guess it just hit me- hu-hard.” said Rarity with a hiccup.
“Are we going to do this or what?” said Dusk in a mad and annoyed voice.
“Do what?” Rarity asked.
“He’s going to teach you and Twilight a combat spell.” said SkyJak. Rarity had a puzzled look in her face.
“Combat spell? Why in Celestia would we need a combat spell?” Rarity asked.
“I’ll explain it to you later.” said Twilight. Dusk was a very impatient pony and you could tell it by the look on his face.
“Ok then so I’m going to teach the princess ‘Haze’ from the Illusion class of magic.” said Dusk while looking through a book.
Twilight seemed happier “I know what that spell does, it puts virtually anything to sleep within 3.5 seconds.” Dusk had a smirk on his face.
“Good job princess, there’s not many ponies that know that spell.” Dusk said turning over to a new page.
“Well I know my spells.” said Twilight. Dusk found the page he was looking for. He whispered the words on the page, closed his eyes and turned towards Twilight.
When he opened his eyes and looked into Twilights a white beam left from his eyes and entered Twilights. Twilight had known how to transfer spells quickly but has never received it, so this is a new experience for her; she had struggles keeping up and had a blinding headache. After her mind accepted the new spell, her eyes were bloodshot and her legs weak.
“Now let’s see if you received it. Try it out on my pet.” he said pulling a boa constrictor from his robes. “Don’t worry I know a counter spell.”
“Why in the name of decency do you have that large of a snake in your robes?” asked Rarity. Dusk looked offended.
“Well, if you must know I am not allowed to have any sort of glass around me, so this is the next best place to keep Tiny.” he said shooting a glare at SkyJak.
“Sorry Dusk I’m just doing what the psychiatrist tells me what I should do.” said SkyJak.
“I guess I should try, ok here I go.” Twilight bean to focus on the boa until a small blue beam shot into the snake, putting him to sleep.
“Good job princess, I’ll wake him up.” He blinked and a pink mist came from his horn onto the snakes face, immediately waking him up.
He put his pet in his robes again and looked at Rarity, then at the book. “So I guess I’ll teach Generosity an Alteration spell. Hmmm.” he was peering at the book with focus. “Ah, got one. I will teach you ‘Shadow Hooves’. You know that one princess?” asked Dusk.
“Isn’t it a cloaking spell?” asked Twilight. Dusk smiled.
“Sort of, it gives the user temporary invincibility and increased stamina.” said the grey unicorn.
“It’ll help while sneaking.” SkyJak put in.
“Well I guess I’m ready.” said Rarity. Dusk again whispered words from the book and turned to Rarity. When he opened his eyes the white beam entered Rarity’s and gave her more of a migraine than she had before and she fell down to her knees. Her mind took a while longer than Twilights, and when it did she stood up.
“Ok, try it.”
Rarity focused with all of her strength and when she opened her eyes she felt full of energy.
“Well I guess it worked.” said SkyJak looking around the candlelit room. Rarity focused again and with ease she uncloaked.
“Ok, thank you Dusk.” said SkyJak. “You two can walk around the fort at ease, the mission is planned to begin tomorrow morning, I’ll tell Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”
Twilight and Rarity left the tower to go take a midday nap due to the spell transfer. Applejack was talking to Tocoro in the tavern and Pinkie was with the Colt Rangers who were touring the Armory, looking at weapons and armor. Rainbow and Fluttershy were talking in their rooms.
“Hm, why do you think Twilight wanted us to come on this trip?” asked Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy was moving back and forth around the room. Rainbow noticed. “What’s wrong Fluttershy?” Fluttershy turned to Rainbow and replied.
“How could you not know what’s bothering me, I mean we went to Flight School together, we’ve been friends for a long time and you don’t remember?” Rainbow pondered for a second then she realized.
“Oh, this is about Jak isn’t it?” asked Rainbow.
“How could it not be? I haven’t talked to him in years and I don’t know if he even remembers me.” Fluttershy said with a sad face. Rainbow chuckled.
“He couldn’t have, I mean he pointed you out this morning.” Rainbow Dash said. Fluttershy began to blush.
“Oh, yeah I guess he did. Well I’m still nervous around him ever since Flight School.” Fluttershy said.
“Well I have an idea for you to overcome your nervousness around Jak.” Rainbow said triumphantly. Fluttershy looked concerned.
“What do you have in mind Rainbow?” asked Fluttershy. Rainbow looked at her with determined eyes.
“I plan to leave when he shows up.” Fluttershys eyes widened.
“No no no no, please don’t leave me with him by myself.” Fluttershy begged.
“Don’t worry it’ll get you to together for sure.” Rainbow replied. The door opened and the commander trotted in.
“Good luck.” Rainbow said zooming out past SkyJak.
“Rainbow I--” Fluttershy shut herself up. SkyJak turned out the doorway then back into the room.
“Where is she in a hurry to?” asked SkyJak.
“Um, I guess she had to do something.” said Fluttershy in a quiet tone.
“Huh, that’s weird; she was the one that wanted to socialize. Well I came by to tell you about the mission tomorrow.” Fluttershy looked up a little.
“Mission? What mission?” asked Fluttershy.
“Tomorrow morning you six are heading into the Badlands to capture a Changeling.” said SkyJak.
“The Ba-Badlands? Changelings?”
“Yes but I know you Fluttershy I don’t expect you to go and it’s ok if you don’t the rest of your friends are.”
“I, I have to go if everypony else is I can’t leave them.” SkyJak smiled.
“Well lookie here, Fluttershy going into the Badlands. Hm, still don’t believe it.” said SkyJak. Fluttershy blushed even more.
“Haha, yeah.”
“Do you remember back in Flight School that dark purple pegasus who wouldn’t leave me alone.”
“Um, Krystal?”
“Yeah that’s her name, man she was annoying, but her and you and Dash were the only fillies I could even talk to.”That’s funny, he was the only colt I could talk to, sort of .” Fluttershy thought to herself . “Should I tell him ?” Fluttershy took a breath.
“That’s funny because you were the only Colt who I could talk to without being picked on.” Fluttershy said with a smirk. SkyJak was confused.
“Really, I mean I knew you got picked on, which pissed me off, but I thought you had some colt friends.” Fluttershys face looked at the floor of the room.
"No, you were the only Colt who was sort of my friend.” SkyJak looked surprised.
“What, no I was your friend and still are.” he said proudly. Fluttershy began to blush violently.
“Oh sorry I didn’t think you were my friend because I couldn’t fly that good.” she said sadly.
“Hey, look at me. I was raised helping a pony to fly most of my life, so why would I think you were any less of a good pony?” asked SkyJak.
“You were just a great flyer and I thought that you liked flying more than-” she stopped herself before she said something that she might regret.
“More than what?”
“Nothing, it was nothing.”
“Come on Flutters.”
Her face was blood red now she couldn’t keep it in much longer. “Me.” she said in her quiet tone.
Jaks face blushed. “You, no how could I, I mean I was nervous around you I Flight School but I didn’t choose flying over, I never could.” Fluttershy looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
“What do you want it to mean?”
“Um, well I uh do you remember that yellow box you received on Hearts and Hooves day in Flight School?”
“Yeah, why?” SkyJak asked with a confused face.
“It was from me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Fluttershys face was yellow again. SkyJaks though was blushed.
“Do you still think that Fluttershy?” he asked. in the background through the window was Rainbow peeking into the room.
“Come on Fluttershy, come on.” said Rainbow Dash to herself.
“Yeah, yeah I do.” Fluttershy said assertively.
“Oh, well so do I.” said the commander. Rainbow slid down with her back against the bottom of the window.
“Thank Celestia.”
“Well, I have to go, I’d love to talk about this after your mission tomorrow.” said SkyJak
“I’d like that to.” said the yellow mare. SkyJak open the door, waving a hoof at Fluttershy and flying off. Rainbow zoomed in.
“Oh that was great it worked just like I planned.”
“Well it hasn’t worked yet Rainbow we just talked and we’ll talk later after the mission.” Rainbow was confused.
“Mission?”
“I’ll explain in the morning I’m getting tired.”
Luna’s Moon was in the sky showering the fort in its white light. The Elements had to rest for the morning. Especially Rarity.
Author's Note
Took me a while to do this chapter, so i hope you enjoy.
The Meeting of the Queens
Chapter 4: the Meeting of the Queens
Celestia's sun was rising and the sunlight was peering through the open cave, covering any Changeling there. Hyperion was waking up before anypony else. He went to a small dungeon like cave full of ponies, who were captured over the years, barely sustaining the hive, and had his breakfast. He was getting thirsty, outside the cave about a mile out was a lake. When he got there he took four gulps of water then looked at his reflection, seeing the torn ligament where his wings were.
"Damn you cripple!" He screamed at his reflection while hitting the water. Hyperion's early life was easy because at the time he wasn't the Changeling that the rest of the looked up to but now he knows if he makes one mistake the rest of the hive will know it. He closed his eyes and thought of the battle with the adolescent dragon.
the dragon was about 10 feet tall, blue scales, and large wings. At the time Hyperion flew up to chase the dragon when it tried to flank him or make it to the cave where his wounded family and newborns were at. But one time the dragon got past him and chomped his jaw on Hyperion's wings and threw him to the ground, tearing off his thin wings. After Hyperion got up and charged at the dragon who was laughing at the wounded Changeling on the ground. He jumped to the neck of the beast and chomped hard, at first the dragon thought that only a dragon's jewel crushing teeth could ever pierce the scales of another dragon. Hyperion dug his teeth into the scales and ripped a chunk of meat out of the dragon. The dragon screamed in pain and dive toward the ground, but Hyperion moved further up the throat and tore of a scale and then shoved his horn into the flesh and shot a burning acid-like beam into the throat and the dragon fell dead to the ground, blood and green acid pouring from the throat of the dragon.
His eyes opened. he looked at the direction of his home. He sighed then trotted toward the cave.
When he arrived to the cave Ares was coming from the dungeon. He looked at Hyperion.
"Brother is mother awake? I've only woke up a minute ago." said Ares. Hyperion shook his head and Ares's face looked confused "What's wrong Hyperion?" asked the younger Changeling. Hyperion looked at him sadly.
"I was thinking of that dragon again. I should't have let him get around me." They could here hoofsteps.
"Brother I know you think that battle was a loss, but you're the only Changeling that I've heard of killing a dragon." said Thera. Hyperion turned around to his younger sister.
"Maybe, but have you ever hear of a Changeling with no wings?" he asked with an angry tone. Thera was second oldest of the Eldest so she was used to Hyperion's rage when somepony brought up his wings.
"You ask me that same question anytime I try to help your self esteem about this situation." said Thera in a surprisingly stern voice. "Ever since you lost your wings I've been nothing but caring and helpful, but your damn stubbornness won't let you accept it."
Hyperion's face went from angry to surprised. The only one to ever talk down to Hyperion was mother. He sighed.
"Sorry Thera I know that you're trying to help."
"It's fine I don't blame you for it. I am going to wake up mother and have her meet you at the mouth of the cave." After she said that a very young Changeling walked toward the Eldest.
"Where's mother going?" asked the youngling who seemed to be looking at Hyperion.
Hyperion was never good with younglings he just let Thera and mother do that stuff but the youngling was focused on Hyperion.
He knelt down on his forelegs. "Me and Ares are taking mother to a BIG meeting where there'll be other mothers." he said extending his forelegs emphasizing the cave. "Now you shouldn't be up right now little one, you need to get as much rest as you can for the invasion." he said tuning the youngling around toward his sleeping spot.
After Chrysalis woke up she met her children at the mouth of the cave.
"Are you ready mother?" asked Hyperion.
"Of course I am, I've been to many of these, with you there by my side."
"Ok mother we better leave now because it'll take us while with only one of us being able to fly." Hyperion said looking at Ares.
The three started the trek to the Meeting of the Queens.
After about three hours of walking they made it to a large box canyon where all you heard were the wings of Changelings buzzing in the air and the screams of older Changelings ordering the younger ones.
"Wow, this is the Meeting of the Queens?" asked Ares.
"Yes, yes it is." replied Chrysalis. they trotted down to the entrance of the canyon which was guarded by two Behemoth Changelings which have a gray tint from the Queen that hosts the meeting, where Chrysalis's had a turquoise tint in both wings and eyes.
"Who are you?" asked one of the Behemoths.
"I am Queen Chrysalis, and these are my bodyguards, Hyperion and Ares." said the queen. The Behemoths nodded and let them through. While the three of them walked through to the center of the canyon they saw thousands of Changelings.
"Mother, how often do these meetings happen?" asked Ares. Chrysalis thought about it for a second.
"Every ten years, we meet to discuss territorial issues, enemies, new land that somepony discovered or conquered." explained Chrysalis.
"Why share all this information and not keep it to ourselves?" Ares asked with a confused face.
"It's so one hive doesn't get to strong and dominate the rest." Hyperion answered.
"Does the queen that hosts this count?" he asked.
"No Ares, when she started this her condition was to not grow, make war, or invade." replied Chrysalis.
They reached the center of the canyon which was like the center of an arena, there already were three other queens already waiting for Chrysalis. Chrysalis joined in a circle of the queens and Hyperion and Ares joined her side. A queen with a red tint looked at her.
"Chrysalis, my dear, you bring so little with you every decade. Why is that?" she asked.
Chrysalis had an annoyed face. "Unlike you Myrian, I don't need numbers, I have sons and daughters who are trained from birth to kill and protect the hive." Myrian looked insulted but then shrugged it off.
"If you say so Chrysalis." said Myrian.
There was a Changeling queen who walked out from a cave that was very tall and old. She seems to be the oldest and she was the one hosting the meeting based on her grey tint.
"Quiet now, we have business to attend to. First off, territory, Queen Myrian please, in the middle." Ordered the host.
"Mother who is that?" asked Ares.
"That my dear, is the one who started these meetings even before I was born, that is Queen Lelia, the Old." Ares face was shocked, he never could imagine anypony being older than mother.
"I have grown my hive and took six forts from it's inhabitants." said Myrian.
"Anypony have a problem with this?" asked Lelia.
Chrysalis looked at the other two queens and one who had a dark blue tint called out.
"Were these forts to the east of your home hive?" asked the blue tinted queen.
"No these were to the west and they were inhabited by bandit ponies." replied Myrian.
"If that's it, next up is Queen Pupa."
A queen who was shorter than the rest considerably, flew forward.
"I have not grown in territory." said Queen Pupa with a sad face. Her Changeling bodyguards were also ashamed and looked down.
"Ok then, next is Queen Relock." said Lelia.
A yellow tinted queen walked onto the platform.
"My hive has conquered the Wolfish Mountain." she said triumphantly. The queens faces instantly turned to shock.
"How did you do this in this short amount of time Relock?" asked Myrian.
"I've grown in numbers almost breaking five hundred thousand." replied Relock.
While they were talking Ares turned to Hyperion. "What is the Wolfish Mountain?" he asked. Chrysalis turned her head to Ares.
"It's a large mountain to the south that was ruled by eight wolf tribal kingdoms and the Changeling species has been trying to take for as long as I can remember. I just can't believe she's grown in numbers that fast, she must have found more than one mate."
Relock and Myrian were arguing.
"I fought for that mountain with my children, no one else's so you have not one claim on it, isn't that rule Lelia?" asked Relock.
"She is right Myrian you do not have a claim on it even if one of your ancestors fought for it thousands of years ago." said Lelia. Myrian could't argue, Relock went back to her stand.
"Last is Chrysalis."
She stood up and tried to walk over to her platform but she collapsed from traveling.
"Mother!" said Hyperion picking up the tired queen and helping her walk over to the stand.
"Looks like Chrysalis can't even stand by herself." scoffed Myrian.
"You probably could't either if you fell at tremendous speed from Canterlot, losing most of your children." said Chrysalis with a tear sliding down her cheek.
"I guess you lost land Chrysalis?" asked Lelia.
"Yes. much of it." replied Chrysalis.
"Who defeated you?" asked Lelia.
"The ponies of Equestria a new land to the north of my home hive. And I have sent all of you messages of a goldmine for our species and this is it." said Chrysalis.
"What do you expect us to do?" asked Pupa.
"I'll need all of you to help me conquer this new land." said Chrysalis. the other three queens looked at the host.
"If you need alliances, this is the time to make them." said Lelia sitting down, out of the deals of these younger queens.
"Pupa I need your hive." Chrysalis said turning to Pupa.
She looked to the ground and thought "Why should I help? Wait oh yes ." She looked at her bodyguard who were also smaller in comparison to the other hives. Then she looked at the other queens and back to Chrysalis.
"What does my hive in return." asked Pupa. Chrysalis turned to Hyperion..
"What do you think my dear?" whispered Chrysalis.
"Say you will give her the southern part of Equestria, she'll probably take any land in her situation." replied Hyperion.
Chrysalis cleared her throat. "Your hive will get the southern territories of Equestria." Pupa eyes lit up. She looked at her guards and spoke to them a little then turned back to the queens.
"You have our allegiance." said Pupa proudly. Her Changelings looked proud and happy.
"Thank you, now you Relock?" Chrysalis said.
"I do not see a reason to expand my hive after the recent capture of the Wolfish Mountain and I have to recuperate my losses."
One of her guards whispered something in her ear. Her face lit up.
"I now see a reason to join in on this alliance. You have my hive." said Queen Relock with a suspicious face.
"Ok then. Now Myrian what about you?" asked Chrysalis.
"What do I get out of it?" asked the red queen.
"What do you want." replied Chrysalis.
"I want the Ruler of this land." said Myrian.
"Ok. So I have your allegiance?" asked Chrysalis.
"Yes."
After she said that the grey queen stood back up. "Anypony else have anything to say, this meeting is a little different than the others." she said with a sigh.
None of the other queens said anything. Chrysalis spoke to the queens.
"We will meet at my home hive tomorrow." said Chrysalis.
Hyperion looked at one of the yellow tinted Changelings from Relocks hive and he was a little distant from the rest of his group and he was hit in the back and fell asleep but then just picked up nothing and floated off. Hyperion thought little of it.
An hour before, Twilight was looking over a rock, into the box canyon.
"I think we're here girls." said Twilight looking back to the others in her golden armor given to her by the commander. Applejack was in light iron armor and she had a spear in a sheath on her waist. She walked to Twilight and spoke.
"Who should we send in there?" asked Applejack. Rainbow was in heavier armor and had a katana in her mouth so she spit it on the ground to speak.
"Well I Know we're not sending everypony in, not all of us are that sneaky." Rainbow Dash said looking at Applejack.
Twilights face lit up and looked at Rarity. "Well I think me and Rarity should go in because we were taught spells to capture one. If you here a hoard of Changelings screech then come in, otherwise stay here. Come on Rarity." said Twilight. Rarity followed her in her silver armor, which looked quite fashionable.
The two mares sneaked into the canyon and found a small perch and stayed there until the meeting started.
"I thought Chrysalis was the only Changeling queen." said Rarity.
"Same here but SkyJak and his officers told me that a scouting party in the Badlands saw a swarm of Changelings with a different color than Chrysalis's Changelings, they were yellow tinted and hers were turquoise." replied Twilight.
"Do you think Chrysalis will come to this meeting thing?" asked Rarity
"Maybe I don't really know. I really want to learn more about Changeling culture." said Twilight. After she said that the Changelings focused in on the entrance of the meeting place. Chrysalis and two other of her Changelings walked in.
"There she is, but why does she have so little Changelings with her, the other queens brought thousands." said Twilight confused.
"I don't know darling, maybe that's all she has left, I mean we did launch them back here, which is miles from Cantelot, it could't have been a good landing." said Rarity. Twilight shivered at the thought, all those Changelings crashing onto rock and ground, braking bones and dying on impact. She tried not to think about it.
The meeting was starting, but the mares could't make out what they were saying and waited until there was one lone Changeling to capture.
"Twilight look there, that one is by itself." Rarity pointed out. Twilight saw it.
"Ok I see it I need you to get as close as you can and I'll try to hit it from here." Twilight said looking at the Changeling trying to figure the distance.
"Ok but don't hit me please." Rarity said cloaking. Twilight waited a bit so Rarity could get into position, she figured this is a right time it sounded like the meeting was ending, she focused and closed her eyes and hoped to Celestia that she would hit it and shot.
The yellow Changeling fell onto Rarity's back and was carried back to Twilight.
"Got it, let's go" said Twilight. they left the canyon as fast as they could and met with the others.
"Oh my goodness is it okay?" asked Fluttershy.
"Of course it is Fluttershy, Rarity is carrying it." Pinkie replied.
"We have to go now their meeting ended and they'll probably going to leave in multiple directions." said Twilight.
The Elements left the area and was en route to Fort Safeguard.
Author's Note
I hope you liked this chapter.
Thank you for reading.
Chapter 5: Interrogation
The Elements and their prisoner were running towards the fort. On the east side of the fort was a small forest and the ponies went that way. When they entered the eastern gate there was a pair of elite pegasai with wing blades, ready to escort the prisoner.
"Mission accomplished." said Rainbow Dash giving a salute. The commander landed in between the pegasai.
"Not quite yet, now we need to interrogate it." said SkyJak giving a deathly glare toward the yellow Changeling. Fluttershy was next to it tending to some bruises that it gave itself trying to break free. SkyJak gave her an annoyed look, he never could understand why she's so caring to everything, even something as vile as a Changeling.
"That's probably why she's the element of kindness ." SkyJak thought to himself. he waved his hoof toward the Changeling ordering the elite pegasai to take it to the fort prison.
"Be careful with it, it's hurt." Fluttershy said to the elites. One of the pair rolled her eyes and mumbled to herself. SkyJak walked toward Twilight and took off his helmet.
"Thank you princess, I knew that you wouldn't fail." He said bowing.
"Your welcome commander, but I have to ask how do you plan to get the information you need?" replied Twilight looking at the elite taking the prisoner toward a stone structure, presumably the prison.
"I plan to sit it down and ask it and if it gives us the info we need, I won't execute it." he said looking at his own pair wing blades. Fluttershy gasped and ran to the commander.
"You can't kill it, it hasn't done anything wrong, even if it did you still can't just kill it." she said staring at him dead in his eyes. SkyJak scoffed.
"Well if it gives me what I need, I won't have to and if it doesn't, well Equestria is still technically at war with the Changelings."
Fluttershy wouldn't let up "Yes, but this one is not from Chrysalis's hive, I think, I mean hers had a turquoise tint and this one's yellow." SkyJak shook his head.
"I'm not going to argue Fluttershy I have to go get information that could save Equestria." and with that he trotted off toward the prison.
"He's changed a lot since flight school." Fluttershy said with a frown. Rainbow put a wing over her shoulder and sighed. "I mean he was so quiet in class and in practices."
Twilight trotted up to them. "Don't worry Fluttershy, it's just a stressful situation, he's probably never dealt with this sort of thing before considering Equestria's hasn't been in a war since early Griffon Wars, after the Princesses took the throne from Discord." Fluttershy nodded and slowly flew back to her quarters.
"Ugh, I'm going to go talk to her, Twilight would you go watch the interrogation?" asked Rainbow.
"I kinda have to, it's one of my jobs while I'm here." said Twilight with a smirk, and with that Rainbow gradually flew to Fluttershy's side. Twilight looked at her remaining friends, shaking. "A-anypony else want to come?" Rarity looked at Applejack and she at her.
"Of course Twi but why d'ya sound nervous?" asked the orange mare. Twilight looked at the prison with a look of grimace, then back to her three friends.
"Ahem, well I've read a lot of crime novels and I always hated the ideas of some of the interrogation techniques I've read." replied Twilight, Applejack and Rarity rolled their eyes.
"Darling those are just stories and I don't think the Commander would do anything like that ." said Rarity trotting over to her friend.
"Yeah! She's right Twilight, books aren't real, just comics, sometimes, if their magic or cursed, which...wait is cursed and magic the same thing?" said the pink earth pony, Applejack chuckled while Pinkie continued with her ranting.
"Don't worry your lil' royal head about nothin' " Applejack reassured Twilight, who seemed to be calming down.
"Ok girls lets go watch the interrogation." said Twilight.
Back at the Colt Ranger Quarters, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were chatting with their new friends.
"Hey Miracle, what's your cutie mark mean?" asked Applebloom. staring at the pink filly's flank that bared a leaf surrounded by sparkles.
"Oh, it shows that my special talent is that I can grow plants and things of that nature from virtually nothing." she said looking at her cutie mark, then at Applebloom. Appleblooms looked intrigued as she had her hoof under her chin, thinking.
"So you could grow a daisy right here?" asked Sweetie Belle pointing at the concrete floor in their room.
Miracle nodded "Yeah, you wanta see?" she asked.
"Of course I do" replied Sweeite. Miracles horn started to glow cyan and she tilted her head down to the floor. After about five seconds a daisy grew in full bloom.
"Whoa that's so cool!" exclaimed Scootaloo.
After Applebloom seen what Miracle just did she asked "How long will it live, since it's in concrete?"
Miracle wiped her brow and replied "Not long since there's no sunlight and no soil for the water to be absorbed, so about a day or two." Miracle looked at her brother and called him over "Hey why don't you tell them what your special talent is?"
Sparrow was lying on his cot reading the latest Daring Do book. "Fine let me just mark my page." after he put a bookmark shaped like Daring Do, he got up and trotted over to the fillies and sat down. Sparrow's cutie mark was a plow over dirt.
"What does it mean?" asked Scootaloo.
"It means I have extra ordinary strength, and it's a plow because it appeared when I pulled a plow for the first time." he said with a smirk.
Applebloom was confused "Wait, you could pull a plow at what age?" asked the farm pony.
"Seven." replied Sparrow.
"Seven? My older brother sometimes has trouble pulling a plow, but you can pull one with ease? asked Applebloom.
"Yeah, pretty impressive isn't it?" Sparrow said.
"Why do you plow, do y'all live on a farm?" asked Sweetie.
Miracle nodded "Sort of, our grandparents owns the Golden Wheat Farms south of Las Pegasus and we go to help out on weekends."
"Grandpa really likes me over because he can't pull the plow most days." Sparrow added.
For the rest of the evening the three of them discussed their families and friends.
"Get it up." ordered SkyJak. "It's time to ask it some questions."
A pony in dark gray armour lifted a keyring off of the desk next to the cells and opened the cell door. The Changeling struggled abit while two soldiers were lifting it off it's stone bed. Once the soldiers got it under control they pushed it toward a metal door which led to a large, empty stone room where it fell on it's knees, SkyJak followed and shut the door behind him.
"Ok beast, I'm going to ask you some questions and your going to answer them." said the commander
The Changeling finally spoke "And if I don't?"
"You know beast, now my first question is why are the Changelings mobilizing in the Badlands?" asked SkyJak. The Changeling was silent.
In a room next to the interrogation, Twilight and friends had just arived in the prison. A guard pony bowed in presence of Twilight.
"You came just in time my liege."
"Great." replied Twilight.
"I'll give one more chance before I do something you'll regret, why are the Changelings mobilizing?"
"If I tell you will I be set free?" asked the Changeling.
"After I can confirm what you say, I'll let you go."
The Changeling was silent for a bit then spoke up. "The Changeling hives from this region have a meeting every ten years called the Meeting of Queens."
"Why?" asked SkyJak.
"It's sorta what you ponies would call a 'Royal Summit', the queens of the Changeling Hives in this region come together every ten years to discuss new lands to conquer, any war that a hive started that is still going on and other official matters." explained the changeling. SkyJak pondered what it said, then it hit him.
"Is Chrysalis still alive?" he asked heatedly.The Changeling thought for a second.
"Yes, but very weak." he told the commander.
"Hm, we'll finish this later beast." he waved hoof while walking out of the room to signal the elites to return the Changeling to it's cell. Twilight looked a the commander and followed him out of the building.
"So SkyJak what will you do now, since it is confirmed that Chrysalis is alive?" asked the princess.
SkyJak stopped and rubbed his head with his right hoof and groaned. "She must have told the other Queens about Equestria, unless they already knew, I think the best course of action is to reinforce our army, that might mean we'd either have to recruit as many ponies as possible, or we'd have to hire mercenaries, in defense of an attack, would you accompany me to Canterlot to inform Princess Celestia on the situation?"
"Of course commander."
"You better tell your friends we're leaving, but may I suggest you asking them to remain here?" said the commander.
Twilight was puzzled "Leave them here, why?" Asked the purple alicorn.
"Even if your friends aren't elite soldiers, they can be here to boost morale and aid the troops if the Changelings attack while we are gone."
Twilight pondered this for a moment. "I guess your right, ok I'll ask them." replied Twilight in a sad tone.
"You should tell them now, after I put my second in command in charge we'll be leaving." said SkyJak.
Twilight flew to her friends quarters, where she expected hem all to be at this hour. She landed in front of a wooden door and she could here her friends chatter.
"Hey girls." said Twilight as she entered the door. Her friends turned to face her.
"Hey Twilight." said Rarity.
"I have to ask you all something." said Twilight in a somewhat sad tone.
"Oh mah gosh, what is it?" asked Applejack
"It's just that the commander wanted me to ask y'all to stay here in the fort while me and him go to see Princess Celestia in Canterlot." replied Twilight.
"Hold on a moment, why are we staying here?" asked Rainbow hastily as she gave Twilight a glare.
"SkyJak thinks if you all stay here it'll keep the morale up in case of an attack." explained Twilight. Her friends faces all had a look of despair and surprise.
"What do you mean an a..attack?" asked Fluttershy in her timid, yet terrified voice.
"Well the Changeling we captured said that the large gathering of Changelings we saw back in the Badlands was like a royal summit, where they tell each other lands that they could invade. Since we know Chrysalis is alive there is no doubt she told them of Equestria, since Chrysalis's hive is the first known confrontation between the Equestrian nation and the Changeling species." said Twilight.
"So you and SkyJak are doin' what now?" asked Applejack.
"We're going to tell Princess Celestia and suggest we reinforce the army." said Twilight.
"Well I think we should stay." said Rarity.
"Me to!" exclaimed Pinkie.
"Uuugh, I guess I'll stay to..wait! If we get attacked while your gone what should we do?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"You do what you think is best, but let's hope it doesn't come to that." said Twilight, sadly.
"Princess! We're leaving!" called SkyJak from across the yard.
"I'm coming!, stay safe girls." said Twilight as she flew to SkyJak. They both hopped onto a carriage being pulled by two elite pegasi, and then they flew towards Canterlot.
Author's Note
Sorry I haven't been working on this story in the last couple months. I guess I had some writers block because it obviously took me awhile to finish this chapter.
