They rushed up the stairs to the cage, trying to jiggle the lock, but it wouldn't budge, and they saw no movement except faint breathing from both women. Twilight shot the lock with her gun and the cage flung open, the two women inside collapsing. The group rushed to them and checked their pulses for better ideas of their health, but found nothing. Twilight and AJ were able to finally get Luna to come to, and while the others worked on Cadance they tried to see what was happening.

"It's Chrysalis... she's left us here as a trap... kill that bitch before she finds Tia."

"Don't worry Luna, we'll find her. I think, I haven't told anyone else this, but I think it wasn't just the Griffons, it was the Changelings too. I think both decided to take over Equestria by using the toxic agent. Pretty stupid because it killed off the inhabitants, but I doubt either had much use for slaves, their numbers were big and getting bigger. We'll be back, I promise."

Twilight and the others ran off through the large, abandoned palace halls, their footsteps echoing off the large walls as they searched the rooms. Closets, halls, rooms, and the kitchen had been searched thoroughly by the time they fond something useful. A small, barely visible strand of green hair, sitting atop the counter as if placed there. Twilight picked it up, and tried to remember who or what might have had hair this color and shade, and then she knew it; it was the same character they sought after currently, and she quickly looked around for more. Her eyes were sharpened over the years of studying and surviving, and she found yet another hair in the door. Dash and Fluttershy were sent to look around the room for more, and Applejack and Pinkie went with Dusk and Screw, leaving Rarity and Twilight to look for any sign of a trail or tracks. They finally found what looked like a heeled combat boot by the corner, leading out of the door, but it was just barely visible. But then they looked up and saw wet tracks, all the same print, leading to the throne room. This sparked hope in them as they found yet another trail to follow; small spots of blood led away from the seats, and through the door, seemingly leading to the royal bedrooms. They loaded their guns and ran upwards, their pursuit causing spikes of adrenaline to rush through them as they ascended the stairs. They tried the doors along the way but all were locked, and they were halfway up when they saw her. Standing away from them in combat gear, smirking, was Queen Chrysalis herself, standing with sword in hand and malicious glint in her eye.

"Hello again, you six, and three friends with you? I'm flattered. Tell me, Twilight, how's Celestia doing?"

"Fine, especially now that I'm going to rip your throat out and get rid of this damned infection."

"Mmm, feisty girl, but I'm afraid I'm the only one with knowledge about the cure, had to make sure only we could be fixed, right? And anyway, I never truly told you why I let you live so long, did I? I don't think I told you why I made entering so easy, or why I left such clues for you. You see, you've been fed a lie all these years, a lie that Celestia has tried hard to continue, but without her here I may speak freely. Your precious mother isn't your mother at all, she was merely a puppet for dear old Celly to use at will. No, she was never your mother, you were taken from your mother. Twilight Sparkle, you belong to me, you are my daughter, and I will kill you."

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Twilight Sparkle's mind was rather fragile to begin with, having the stress of not just studies or being a savior, but being new royalty as well. It left stress boiling inside her, but the rain and the revelation that one of her strongest enemies was her mother was enough to break her mind even more, till she only had a sliver of belief left. "No, you're a liar, my mother was a wonderful woman, kind and help-"

"The one you call your mother is nothing but a lie, a fraud to keep you from knowing your past, present, and future. If you accept me, then I will spare you and your friends, and even Princess Cadance, but if you reject, you're all to die before my troops are fed. I have sent a whole third of my forces to surround your precious princess, and they've been informed on all the weaknesses. You can thank the cooperation of Flash Sentry and the Wonderbolts for that, they're quite useful as spies and messengers."

At the mention of the names, Rainbow Dash raised her gun and threw it at the woman, missing by an inch. "Shut the fuck up about them, they would never help you! They're loyal to the princesses and they-"

"They what? Turn to another side for their own personal safety and greed? You're pathetic, really, with your foolish, though admirable loyalty. You really are the stubborn girl everyone thinks you are. Just as Rarity's just a mediocre designer, or that Applejack has lied all these years. None of you are as you seem, are you?"

But Twilight noticed a tricky flash in Chysalis's eye, and she knew what was happening, and she pointed her gun at the woman. "Shut the fuck up! You're telling lies so we doubt each other, and turn against one another! You plan to split us up to make it easier! Why don't you fight us? No guns, no projectiles, good old fists and blades."

Chrysalis smiled, licking her lips. "On the bridge, now, and one on one, yeah? Or are you all cowards? We shall see."

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The rain had come again, pelting hard against all surfaces as lightning flashed in the distance. The wind and rain battered against the group of figures on the bridge, and the two figures in the center stared each other down, judging their opponent. Twilight's hair flew in her face as she scowled, creating an impression of near insanity as she stared Chrysalis in the eyes. "You think you've won just because you're a queen? You think you will walk away today unscathed just because of my lack of training? It's not over, the game just started with you and me."

Chrysalis smirked and chuckled. "Just started? Daughter, it was rigged from the start."

Twilight jumped forward and thrust with her fist, doing as she was taught and aiming for the heart and throat, but Chrysalis was trained in all combat styles and blocked, unsheathing a small knife and lunging for her opponent, but Twilight was able to duck and roll out of the way before the blade could do harm. As she got back up, she saw Chrysalis take out a small radio, the rain and wind whipping around her to make her seem mad with hatred and bloodlust. "All troops to the bridge! Kill the rest!"

As she put the radio away, a trembling sound could be heard, and dozens of Changeling troops surged the area. Twilight growled and picked up a four foot long metal pole, swinging it around and testing the weight, which she found suited her purposes excellently. She saw Chrysalis lunge and she blocked, hitting her in the side with the pole as she saw the rest of the group get swarmed. Dusk and Screw stood back to back, the rest of them surrounding the two as forces surged forth from the palace, underneath the bridge, and across the bridge, the entire Hive seemingly present as Twilight whacked Chrysalis on the shoulder, causing the woman to gasp in pain and anger. She lunged for Twilight again as they fought endlessly by the side of the bridge.

Dusk and Screw were holding off Changeling troops when one bit into Dusk's leg, causing him to kick him, his head rolling to the side from the force. Screw used Dusk's back as a wall and jumped up, kicking the faces of four enemies and causing them to collapse, their necks broken. Fluttershy was using her pistol as a club, and Rarity tabbed furiously with a pair of long scissors she kept for emergencies. Spike was busy twirling around a metal rod, using it as a club as he tried hard to defend himself from the horde and writhing mass of bodies.

Twilight was still fighting and losing, Chrysalis being more trained and prepared than she was, and she tried to hit her in the head with the pole, but Chrysalis made a small stab, causing Twilight's shirt to rip and her chest started to bleed, angering her even more as she growled and tackled the woman. She looked into her eyes and saw insanity and the need to kill. "Daughter, release me so I can kill you."

Twilight smiled, rolling over and kicking the woman off of her, and onto the sides of the bridge, the chasm below stretching far down until sight failed. She smirked and rushed back to Twilight and kicked her legs from under her, making Twilight fall face first and roll onto her back, standing up and brushing herself off as the noise of fighting and swarming continued. "I don't think so mother."

Chrysalis tried to fight but with one solid kick Twilight sent her falling over the side, screaming. But Chrysalis grabbed her shoe and pulled Twilight with her, both of their screams piercing the air. Twilight grabbed the side and looked down at her mother, hanging on for dear life and cackling madly, eyes bloodshot and wide.

"If I die, then I'm taking out my spawn as well!"

"Get the fuck off me you bitch!" Twilight tried to kick her off but Chrysalis still clung. She pulled herself up slightly before falling back down, spying a ledge not too far down and leaping for it, bringing her assailant with her. She got up and wiped the mud from her eye, looking around to find Chrysalis already up and ready in fighting stance. Twilight lunged, pouncing on her and smashing her head into the ground, cursing and bashing as she attempted to kill her enemy. But she wasn't dead yet, and threw one final punch at Twilight, sending her almost to the edge as she slowly picked herself up again, grimacing and cackling.

"Silly girl, you can't kill me, I have more training than you ever wi-"

Just at that moment Twilight jumped up, kicking Chrysalis in the stomach, sending her flailing down to the inky blackness of the chasm, screaming and cackling madly until it faded away into nothing more than a memory. Twilight tried to find a way up, but couldn't locate one, so she took a sharp rock she found nearby, and tore into her pants, cutting off strips until she was only barely covered from the waist down and tied the strips together. She found the long metal bar she had been using and tied the makeshift rope to it, throwing it up to the bridge and tugging it. It stuck, so she wrapped her hand in it and jumped, and was relieved to find she still stayed in the air. She slowly made the ascent up the rope, nearly slipping as she felt the cold, hard rain hit her face and body, and finally she crawled over the side to see most Changelings dead and dying, only a dozen left standing. She took out her pistol, aimed it, and downed five of them in a row with one shot, making the rest turn to her. She grinned, waving as she downed another three, her gun's smoke disappearing as the rain fell harder. And as the rain fell, she walked up to the last Changeling and knelt down next to him, watching him cower in fear. "Do you know what? I'm not going to shoot you. No, it's too good for you, you're going straight down to Tartarus with mother."

And with that she picked him up by the collar, her strength exceeding even her own expectations as she flung the last of her mother's clan down into the inky blackness of the chasm.

Author's Note

Coming up to the ending guys and gals, it's been fun but damn what a long and painful ride it was.