Chapter Nine

The Queen of the Changelings flew slowly through the grand city of Canterlot. The cobblestone streets were deserted, not a pony to be seen. Not a light shone in the whole of the city; every window was dark. Canterlot felt… empty.

Her faithful changelings looked to her for orders. Queen Chrysalis gave them leave to search the city and feed, but had a portion of the vast army remain with her just to be safe. She beckoned ten of them closer.

“Watch the roads to the city,” Chrysalis instructed. “Discourage any visitors.”

The ten changelings snickered wickedly among themselves and flitted away.

As Queen Chrysalis began her cautious progress deeper into the city, the dark clouds blotting out the night above were pierced by a shaft of pale, cold light. The clouds recoiled from the beam, baring a circle of starry sky. The sliver of moon shone ghostly and ethereal upon Canterlot through the break in the clouds. The shaft of moonlight fell on the city square before the gates of Royal Palace, bathing the great fountain therein in its glow.

Intrigued but wary, Queen Chrysalis and her entourage followed the moonlight into the square. Chrysalis alighted before the fountain, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Water flowed from the mouths of a pair of marble, rearing unicorns, splashing into the clear pool at their hooves.

Suddenly, a blast of golden magic sent Chrysalis and her changelings flying. They crashed into the side of a building and fell, sprawled, to the ground. Chrysalis hissed in fury as she quickly righted herself and searched the square for the attacker.

Her black stare found the amethyst, resolute gaze of the Sun Princess. Celestia stood at the far side of the square, horn aglow with her golden aura and great white wings raised. Her vibrant mane and tail streamed in the still air as if in a wild storm.

Queen Chrysalis smiled wickedly and took flight, slowly closing the distance between them. “Well, well, well. Celestia, it’s been too long.”

“Not long enough,” retorted Princess Celestia.

“Come now, Celestia,” crooned Chrysalis, pausing beside the fountain. “Is that any way to address your queen?”

A second bolt of magic, this one as blue as the sea, collided with Chrysalis. Caught by surprise yet again, she careened into the side of a tailor’s shop and collapsed in a cloud of rock and dust. Her changelings swiftly went to her aid, clearing the debris and helping her to stand. Infuriated, Chrysalis shook them off and glared at her newest opponent.

The Moon Princess stood upon the pedestal which supported the fountain’s statues, but now one of the marble unicorns was gone. Princess Luna’s horn was alight with her cobalt aura, and the last vestiges of the statue disguise were fading from her legs and tail. When she leapt from the fountain to the cobblestones of the square, the illusion had disappeared completely.

“You are not our queen,” intoned Princess Luna, “and you never shall be.”

“This is your one and only chance, Chrysalis,” stated Princess Celestia, joining her sister. “Leave Equestria peacefully.”

Queen Chrysalis began to laugh, wild and cruel laughter such as the two princesses had never heard. The Changeling Queen rose into the air on buzzing wings as she cackled, her sickly green aura enveloping her twisted horn. An otherworldly wind gusted through the square, causing the dark clouds above to shiver and roil, tangling her lank mane and tail. The unnatural black light of her eyes seemed to grow at once darker and brighter, and the streaming purple shadows writhed madly as her dark power surged.

“You really think to challenge me now?” Chrysalis cried. “I am far more powerful than any alicorn! I have poisoned your Tree of Harmony and defeated your champions of friendship! Your precious Harmony is gone forever! After tonight, Equestria will be no more! Even the great Crystal Empire will cower before me and fall! And from the ruins of war will rise a new and glorious Changeling Empire!”

Princess Celestia exchanged a silent glance with her sister.

Princess Luna nodded, and then fixed her gaze on the changelings.

Resigned, Celestia faced the Changeling Queen once more. “So be it.”

*

Ponyville was silent and still, devoid of the ponies that had flooded the streets earlier that day, though Misty did spot a curious foal in a window briefly before its parent ushered it back and drew the curtains. Princess Twilight Sparkle stood beside one of the ropes tethering the town’s hot-air balloon to the ground, speaking with Steel Shield. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity were already aboard the massive balloon’s basket. Spike had been sent to take charge at the castle.

“I don’t understand,” whispered Juniper Berry, who stood beside Misty. Cloudy Day, Lilypad, and Nightingale stood on Misty’s other side. “Why didn’t Twilight take us straight to Canterlot? Traveling by poof! is way faster than by hot-air balloon.”

“Even alicorns can get tired from using complex magic for a long period of time or over great distances,” Misty Moonrise explained patiently. “The transportation spell is relatively simple, but Canterlot is too far away. Princess Twilight wouldn’t have any strength left to fight Chrysalis if she took us all the way there from the Everfree Forest.”

“Oh…”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” said Lilypad quietly, “but we aren’t all going to fit in that basket.”

“That’s why we’re taking the train,” replied Misty. “It won’t be as fast as hot-air balloon, but it’ll be fast enough.”

“Misty Moonrise.”

Misty hurried to Princess Twilight. “Yes, princess?”

Rainbow Dash kicked free the pegs from the earth that anchored the balloon. As the balloon rose into the night, she called to Twilight, “Ready!”

Twilight Sparkle looked like she had been about to say something important, but instead she just sighed and said to Misty, “Be careful.”

“You, too, princess,” Misty returned. She stepped back as the princess spread her wings and launched into flight. Above, Fluttershy gave both Twilight and Rainbow ropes that had been secured to the basket at one end and fashioned into hasty loops at the other. All three winged ponies slipped the simple harnesses on.

“C’mon, Steel!” Rainbow Dash shouted, holding a fourth rope harness.

Misty looked at her old friend in shock. She had thought he would come with her and the others on the train.

Steel Shield averted his gaze, as if ashamed. “I’m a knight in the Royal Guard,” he said by way of explanation. “I must protect my princess.”

Misty Moonrise smiled kindly and hugged him. “I know. I understand.” She stepped back to give Steel room to take off. “We’re right behind you.”

Steel nodded, and then shot skyward. He put on the makeshift harness and, along with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Princess Twilight, pulled the hot-air balloon faster than it could fly on its own. Soon, they were just a speck in the distance.

Returning to the task at hoof, Misty started off toward the train station. The others quickly followed. Spike must have sent word ahead, for the engineers had the train’s engine roaring and ready to go. Only one car was linked behind the engine and coal car—the others had been uncoupled. They would need all the speed they could get, and extra weight would only slow them down. Once the five ponies were aboard, the engine whistle shrilled and the train chugged forward, swiftly gaining speed.

Misty Moonrise took a seat by a window. She watched the shadowed scenery roll by for a time, but soon her eyes were inexorably drawn to the silhouette of Canterlot far ahead. Flashes of light like bursts of lightning ignited into being every so often—the battle was underway. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would prove a mighty challenge to Chrysalis, Misty had no doubt. But how long could they hold out against the Changeling Queen’s newfound power? Princess Twilight and the others had barely lasted a few minutes, although that had been because of the Fell Mists, and everypony was immune to those now. Except for Celestia and Luna.

And the Elements. Princess Twilight had said not to worry, that they were safe, but where in the wide, wide world of Equestria were they? If Chrysalis did not have them and Twilight did not have them, who did? Misty Moonrise had been so sure they would be with the Tree of Harmony—it was through the Elements Chrysalis poisoned the Tree, after all, in the dream. But was Zecora right? Was that part of the dream just a dream?

Juniper Berry plopped down on the seat next to Misty, startling her. “Oops, sorry. I didn’t mean to make you jump,” Juniper apologized with a giggle.

“It’s all right,” Misty assured her, looking out the window again.

Juniper followed her gaze and asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You look a little scared.”

“I’m not scared,” Misty lied.

Juniper Berry gave her a smile that said she was unconvinced. “You shouldn’t keep stuff like that all bottled up inside, you know. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid.”

Misty turned away from the window to regard Juniper Berry seriously. “Fear keeps you from doing what needs to be done. You can’t be happy when you’re afraid. You can’t do anything, you’re just… frozen.”

Juniper laughed.

Misty scowled in confusion. “Why are you laughing?”

“Why not?” Juniper replied through her giggles. “There’s nothing a good laugh can’t fix—Pinkie Pie taught me that. Try it.”

“This isn’t the time for laughing!”

“Silly filly.” Juniper raised a hoof and wriggled Misty’s muzzle. “Nothing can scare you if you just laugh. Laughing makes everything brighter and better.” Then she tickled Misty’s ribs, finally drawing out a giggle from her. “See?”

Misty swatted away Juniper’s tickling hooves, but it was a half-hearted motion. She did feel better. “Okay, okay! I guess you’re right. Thank you, Juniper.”

Juniper Berry beamed.

“Uh, guys…” Cloudy Day called from the front of the car. He stood at the door leading out to the coal car, peering anxiously through the window. “We have a problem!”

Misty Moonrise, Juniper Berry, Lilypad, and Nightingale hastened to the window and huddled together to get a look outside.

Four changelings hovered between the passenger and coal cars. Three of them were straining to unlatch the coupling that linked the cars together. The overseer glanced back at the ponies and grinned evilly.

“We can’t simply stand here gawking!” Lilypad cried. “Open the door!”

Cloudy tried, but the door would not budge. “They’ve locked it from the outside!”

“Stand back!” Misty interceded, summoning her magic. The others swiftly retreated behind her. In a shower of sapphire sparks, Misty launched a swirling sphere of magic straight for the door. A flash of light, an earsplitting explosion—the door was blown clean off its hinges. The changelings scattered, but then regrouped and faced the ponies with angry hisses.

With her friends beside her, Misty charged. As they clashed with the changelings, the changelings morphed into exact replicas of the ponies. It was so disorienting that the ponies hesitated, staring not at changeling soldiers, but at mirror images of themselves.

Then bright laughter rang out. They all turned to see Juniper Berry—the real one—doubled over in a fierce fit of giggles. The changeling-ponies exchanged puzzled glances, but Misty Moonrise had an idea. She fixed her gaze on the changeling-Misty across from her.

And laughed.

It was a wonderful feeling, laughing at the utter absurdity of it all. How could the changelings think this would work? Turning into ponies, into herself and her friends—it was absolutely ridiculous! Who could not laugh at such a thing?

One by one, Nightingale, Lilypad, and Cloudy Day joined Misty and Juniper, laughing in the face of danger, refusing to let fear best them.

The changelings were baffled by this turn of events. They were so flummoxed that they backed away a little, unsure how to proceed. But a fifth changeling buzzed into the car, surveyed the situation, and shrieked an order. The transformed changelings immediately abandoned their disguises and advanced with fangs bared in devilish glee.

In an instant, Misty raised a sapphire shield before her and her friends, stopping the changelings in their tracks. They hissed in frustration and swooped around the barrier. Misty dropped the shield and instead sent another sapphire sphere hurtling toward the center changeling. Beside her, Cloudy Day reared and struck down a changeling with his fore hooves. Nightingale dodged a diving changeling, whirled around, and sent it sprawling with a powerful kick from her hind legs disproportionate to her small size. Above them all, Lilypad danced circles around a changeling midair, making it so dizzy that it could not fly straight.

The fifth changeling, still hovering in the doorway, growled angrily. It flitted down to the coupling lock and began tugging fiercely on the latch. When the bar barely budged, the changeling shrieked for assistance, and the four changelings fighting the ponies hastened to their leader’s aid. With the strength of all five changelings, the latch began to rise.

Misty prepared a third magical sphere, but, before she could launch it, a large pegasus suddenly fell upon the changelings like a whirlwind. In a flurry of hooves and feathers, the changelings were pummeled and sent packing. When the changelings were gone and the action died down, the pegasus turned to the five ponies and joined them inside the car.

“I’m gone for five minutes and look what happens,” said Steel Shield, folding his wings. “Admit it, you guys would be lost without me.”

“Steel!” they exclaimed simultaneously and tackled him in a crushing group hug.

“Ack! Don’t go getting all mushy on me,” Steel protested, but it was clear that he was just as glad to see them as they were to see him.

“What are you doing here?” asked Misty as they finally released him. “You’re supposed to be protecting the princess.”

“The princess isn’t exactly helpless,” replied Steel Shield. “More importantly, though, I couldn’t just leave you guys. It just wasn’t right. You’re my friends—if I belong anywhere, it’s here.”

A warmth that had nothing to do with the sun-nectar rose in Misty Moonrise, and she smiled. “It’s good to have you back, Steel.”

Lilypad fluttered over from the doorway abruptly, long-lashed eyes wide in panic. “I hate to interrupt, but we have company.”

The ponies followed Lilypad out onto the platform. Lilypad and Steel Shield flew out alongside the car, giving the others room to stand and crane their necks to look around the coal car to the engine.

Five more changelings were attacking the engine, harassing the engineers and preventing them from controlling the train. On the outside, the changelings battered the metal frame. Inside, they smashed the controls and dowsed the fires that gave the engine speed. By the time Steel Shield and Lilypad flew over to intervene, the changelings had finished their demolition and buzzed away, cackling in victory.

Without its fires to propel itself along the tracks, the train slowed to a crawl, and then finally ground to a halt. Misty and the others hopped off the platform and hurried up to the engine, where the engineers were assessing the damage with grim expressions.

“Is everypony okay?” asked Juniper Berry.

“We’re fine,” assured one of the engineers, “but this train won’t be going anywhere any time soon.”

“Thank you for taking us this far,” said Misty Moonrise sincerely.

“Right,” Steel Shield put in. “We’ll send some help once we take care of things in Canterlot.”

“Don’t you worry about us none,” said the other engineer. “Go give those changelings what for!”

Misty Moonrise turned to the mountain that towered into the dark sky before them. Canterlot awaited at the top. “Come on,” she said to the others. “We can follow the rails up the mountain.”

“Ya’re takin’ the long way ’round,” said an unfamiliar, heavily accented voice.

Misty paused and glanced back at the other five ponies. That accent reminded her an awful lot of Applejack, but none of these ponies talked like the Apple family. Still puzzled, she asked, “Is there a faster way?”

Nightingale, of all ponies, trotted up to Misty and said, “Course there’s a faster way.”

Misty’s jaw dropped—she could not help it. She had only ever heard Nightingale sing! And her singing voice was nothing like this country drawl.

“Whatcha gawkin’ at, hon?” chuckled Nightingale. “Ain’t ya never heard an Appleloosan talk a’fore?”

Lilypad came over and discreetly snapped Misty’s mouth shut with a nudge from a wing. “It really isn’t polite to gape, dear.”

At last, Misty Moonrise managed to collect her wits. “You said there’s another way up the mountain?”

“Does a buffalo like apple pie?” Nightingale remarked, nodding. She trotted off ahead and called over her shoulder, “Whatcha waitin’ fer? We ain’t gonna git nowheres with y’all draggin’ yer hooves now, ya hear!”

Steel Shield walked up beside Misty as they followed Nightingale away from the train tracks. “Learn something new every day.”

“You didn’t know she could talk either?” asked Misty.

Steel snorted. “Course I knew, hon,” he said, mimicking Nightingale’s drawl.

Misty shoved him lightly with a foreleg. “Stop that!” she chastised, though she could not quite stop herself from giggling. She returned her attention to the front, where Nightingale led the way up the first ridge of the mountain. Learn something new every day, indeed.